PvP from a professional gamer's standpoint

[Alwaysrun]

I hit Gladiator 3 days back and I feel a mix of boredom and frustration towards the Warzones just 1 week from release. From Idlers who soak exp while thier team losses to silly input timing and range classes channeling shots and still hitting thier targets even after they have LOS the attacker. Heaping players from lvl 10-50 is just a bad idea and show lazyness by the developers. And as for striving to have a competative experience by forming premades that too is a pain because your group gets disbanded after every match, no class colors on nameplates and no disinguishing nameplates for guildies/friends, total pain in the arse to get a target of target from the options. The more I played the more issues and outright omissions I noticed. It just seemed that many advances in the MMO PvP scene over the last 6 years were lost on Bioware while they scheduled voice actors studio time.

 

I had big hopes for ToR's pvp and I had visions of e-sports broadcasts, spectator modes and truely ballanced classes but Santa came 5 days early and guess he left the best pvp elements on his workshop table.

[ChaotistRazor]

*yawn* No one cares. Get off your soapbox. Quit patting yourself on the back, and play the game. If it is too much for you, quit. Whining on the pvp forums does not do anything productive.

 

Look at me Im pro. I know everything about games and my opinions are what makes games good.

 

I'll take "Bads Who Only Read the Title" for $400, Alex.

[Illwill-]

A lot of you people are making it sound like the responsiveness is worse than it is. Have you not figured out yet that you can't just "spam" your keyboard? If you hit one ability at a time instead of spamming your 5 key(55555555555555555 in 2 seconds) you won't see the laginess. And if you think the resolve bar is working correctly you're on crack. I get knocked off the upper platforms in huttball all the time while I have a full resolve bar.

 

I press 2 or f (ie cover) and...2-3 seconds later I roll into cover. I don't spam it, I cuss at the screen but that's about it.

 

Thousands and thousands of players are lagged to hell and back in warzones (and tbh, the lag exists even outside but real pvp is so rare that you hardly ever notice it).

 

I rode around in some lower zones today (since I had some grey quests that I couldn't abandon) and every time a hostile player showed up, the game stuttered a bit. Now, this was after the memory leaks had stolen a lot of my power...but still, it shows that something happens when players show up (ie loading of textures etc) and if I get a stutter from a single player, it explains why warzones are pure lag.

 

If there were no memory leaks in the game, it would probably not be such a huge deal...but let's face it, even with Taris fixed the game has issues with memory leaks.

[taoyinyang]

After today's patch, all 3 warzones and my abilities run smooth, can you guys post some videos of your issues?

[touc]

I stopped reading after Professional Gamer.

[Sickarius]

The delay and ability lag needs to be acknowledged and fixed. It's not even just in warzones too. I get it on Grav round as a commando - it's really destroying my experience. The reaction delay is intolerable and should be fixed within the next few weeks.

[Illwill-]

After today's patch, all 3 warzones and my abilities run smooth, can you guys post some videos of your issues?

 

You want people to record games where they have fps in the single digits? Really? After the patch today...it still lags like crazy. PvP (even outside of warzones) is unplayable for me. This is from a person that has played a first player shooter with 8 seconds of lag (old-school DF, don't comment on it if you don't know what it is) and we still won.

 

I tried fighting in real pvp (ie world pvp) today and even though the memory leaks didn't leave me much to play with...I couldn't do anything as I was trying to react to what was going on but my char didn't do anything in time. First I need to hit cover to do any damage, but that takes 2-3 seconds...interupting is impossible since it takes 2 seconds to activate and it takes a few seconds for it to even register what they are doing.

 

My conn: 100/10 cable

My gfx card: GTX 460

My settings: shadows off, all settings lowest

 

Just accept it, there is a major issue with the game and it's destroying the experience for those that mainly play for pvp.

[Sickarius]

I stopped reading after Professional Gamer.

 

Screw this patronzing crap. He stated that to show his perspective. He is criticizing aspects of PvP from the standpoint of someone who knows what makes a game like this competitive in the long run. With the current ability lag, it's looking bad.

[Wisers]

Please ringullio just give me more time

[Baradin]

I agree with the OP 100%. Also, I don't understand how people get the idea that WoW doesn't have competitive PvP. I have no love for the game but I've played enough to appreciate the skill that the gladiators possess.

[aRtFuL]

You actually make a good point here. Not having skills that make you immune to CC for X seconds, In a game with such ubiquitous CC, (discounting Resolve Bar or an extremely rare talent in skill tree) is pretty huge flaw, making it impossible to avoid knockbacks, among other things. They really should tie a few seconds of CC immunity, either to the "oh-sh*t" button of each class (like Saber Ward or Evasion) or to their CC-breaks (Unleash, or Escape)

 

Actually vanguard/powertech has such an ability.

 

For vanguard it is called Hold the Line.

 

I think people are just looking at things from one class's perspective, that's why things seems broken (especially if you are just looking at it from JK or SW perspective - that class is pretty broken for pvp anyways).

[Baalzamon]

I agree with everything posted op.

 

/Signed

[Nomiematiko]

Exactly. I had a few guildies ************ about this. We did some testing since some of us don't have this problem. Easily discovered problem -> Spamming your keys creates artificial lag because the client does not realize the GCD is triggered yet and it delays your activations.

 

If you single press your keys instead of spamming you WILL NOT get ability lag.

 

The resolve bar is a good idea (DAoC PvP had a similar mechanic of diminishing returns 10 years ago) except there certainly needs to be some tweaking in SWTOR to improve it's effectiveness.

 

holy ... did u just used your brain or i'm seing things, this dude as point and it is at the same time correct, and for the love of GOD give BW time to improve, it is in their hands and i have faith in this awsome Gaming company.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Nomiematiko

[Blutelf]

I hate how unresponsive this game is.

 

I heal in PVP. It's very fast-paced. Players are moving around, players are going in and out of LOS, players are hitting me and I need to use cooldowns while running while healing.

 

It's diisgusting how huge the delay on some abilities is. When I use Kolto Missile which is an instant cast ground targeted AE splash heal, I need to target the ground near/under a group of players. I press the keybind, I instantly flick my mouse over and confirm with left click. That's it, please now cast the damn spell. NOPE my character raises his arm for about 0.3ms, then the missile has a slight travel time. Players can quite literally be completely outside the area of effect (which is a 10m diameter!) by the time the spell actually hits them if they are not standing still but moving, the way players do when under attack and taking damage. I dont even mind the travel time, I can adjust for that, but the huge delay caused by the animation just should not be there.

 

Plus, some abilities with a cast time, meaning technically after they finish casting you should be able to instantly activate another ability, actually have a relatively long and uninterruptible execution animation, which means you end up hammering on your emergency heal/CD and things just won't happen until the stupid animation has finished EVEN THOUGH YOUR GCD IS FREE.

 

When chaincasting any spells the cast bar just disappears whenever it feels like it, and reappears whenever it feels like it. My character also arbitrarily performs the casting animation, or does't. Sometimes I literally cannot tell whether my character is casting a spell right now or not because the animations and the cast bar have glitched out and he just stands there, then I hammer the heal bind to notice it does not do anything, and a second later realize the heal must have went through because I see a big green number on my screen. How incredibly silly that is. Happens with Tracer Missile too, and Reload! Not just heals, not just PVP, everywhere.

 

The animations are the worst offender basically. I want my character to cast spell, not raise arms. I want precise responsiveness and good blending of animations. In PVE you don't notice it half as much because mobs don't do anything so if you mess up, no-one dies. In PVP when you activate your shield and run from an Assassin while casting your emergency heals and juking interrupts, it matters a whole bloody lot when your character has to finish waving his arms like a character in a GMOD youtube video before the effect actually takes place.

 

 

And I'm not even talking rated matches, or any serious PVP here, just common warzone action for some gear I'll use in PVE. If I was a competitive player who'd actually signed up for SWTOR PVP, I'd be furious as hell.

[Rabbitfoot]

*yawn* No one cares. Get off your soapbox. Quit patting yourself on the back, and play the game. If it is too much for you, quit. Whining on the pvp forums does not do anything productive.

 

I guess you are speaking for everyone then, not just your whiny self. Metawhine is the new whine.

[Wovel]

The professionals I know are able to maintain a good living and sustain themselves (and others) from their professions, and received some kind of education, acknowledgement of expertise, or degree from a third party accredited institution relating to their field.

 

I have yet to meet a gamer in real life that conforms to this criteria. Plenty are online it seems.

 

There is absolutely no connection between an accredited degree, or even an education and being a professional. There are a lot of professions that do not require formal education. The only reason a degree is required by most state bar associations is because the universities have a lot of influence over the bars. There is no benefit to going to law school versus learning the law in an apprenticeship situation (as an example).

 

Most professional athletes do not have a degree in their sport, or even physical education. A professional is someone paid to complete a task requiring a specialized skill. That is all, nothing more. Yes a doctor is a professional, a lawyer is a professional, gamers, figure skaters, dancers, baseball players, and cyclists can all be professionals too.

 

Being a professional has nothing at all to do with:

 

• Education
  
• How much you make
  
• Who you work for
  

[Xilius]

Please ringullio just give me more time

 

hahahaha

[CHRISGG]

I hate how unresponsive this game is.

 

I heal in PVP. It's very fast-paced. Players are moving around, players are going in and out of LOS, players are hitting me and I need to use cooldowns while running while healing.

 

It's diisgusting how huge the delay on some abilities is. When I use Kolto Missile which is an instant cast ground targeted AE splash heal, I need to target the ground near/under a group of players. I press the keybind, I instantly flick my mouse over and confirm with left click. That's it, please now cast the damn spell. NOPE my character raises his arm for about 0.3ms, then the missile has a slight travel time. Players can quite literally be completely outside the area of effect (which is a 10m diameter!) by the time the spell actually hits them if they are not standing still but moving, the way players do when under attack and taking damage. I dont even mind the travel time, I can adjust for that, but the huge delay caused by the animation just should not be there.

 

Plus, some abilities with a cast time, meaning technically after they finish casting you should be able to instantly activate another ability, actually have a relatively long and uninterruptible execution animation, which means you end up hammering on your emergency heal/CD and things just won't happen until the stupid animation has finished EVEN THOUGH YOUR GCD IS FREE.

 

When chaincasting any spells the cast bar just disappears whenever it feels like it, and reappears whenever it feels like it. My character also arbitrarily performs the casting animation, or does't. Sometimes I literally cannot tell whether my character is casting a spell right now or not because the animations and the cast bar have glitched out and he just stands there, then I hammer the heal bind to notice it does not do anything, and a second later realize the heal must have went through because I see a big green number on my screen. How incredibly silly that is. Happens with Tracer Missile too, and Reload! Not just heals, not just PVP, everywhere.

 

The animations are the worst offender basically. I want my character to cast spell, not raise arms. I want precise responsiveness and good blending of animations. In PVE you don't notice it half as much because mobs don't do anything so if you mess up, no-one dies. In PVP when you activate your shield and run from an Assassin while casting your emergency heals and juking interrupts, it matters a whole bloody lot when your character has to finish waving his arms like a character in a GMOD youtube video before the effect actually takes place.

 

 

And I'm not even talking rated matches, or any serious PVP here, just common warzone action for some gear I'll use in PVE. If I was a competitive player who'd actually signed up for SWTOR PVP, I'd be furious as hell.

 

I have all the same problems you do especially the ones with the cast bar. Often i'll cast a 2.5 second cast heal, it'll finish and i'll start moving except NOTHING HAPPENED THE HEAL DIDN'T GO OFF.

[StrangeBall]

 

Being a professional has nothing at all to do with:

 

• Education
  
• How much you make
  
• Who you work for
  

 

Having played at top levels, make you a perfect candidate for pointing out the flaws in a game. He is not saying "i am pro do as i say" he is giving constructive criticism on what he thinks works and what needs to be improved or redone. When you have played games on a higher then casual level, things tend to change. You stop looking at your ability bar to look for spells and the cooldowns. You start looking at other players and try to anticipate they're moves. And it is really hard when there are these lags and poor animations.

 

I agree with OP in this thread.

[thepradda]

I get knocked off the upper platforms in huttball all the time while I have a full resolve bar.

 

Resolve works for stuns, not knock backs. You get knocked off platforms with a full resolve bar because that is what is suppose to happen.

[Makhbet]

Resolve works for stuns, not knock backs. You get knocked off platforms with a full resolve bar because that is what is suppose to happen.

 

It works for knockbacks as well, otherwise why won't those ball carriers with full resolve bar fall down when I use Overload?

 

On topic, I agree with OP, this game has some serious issues, which I hope are priority number one for solving.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Makhbet

[Repefe]

WoW never became proper e-sport because it's so boring to watch others play. Watching others play arena or getting shot in my leg ... not an easy choice. As for TOR PvP ... tl;dr is BW has to smooth things out a bit.

[DeathHenk]

Bioware has to REMOVE ability delay.

 

If they don't, people will complain about this game like warhammer and leave. Ability lag is gamebreaking! Like we don't stick to race games where the drive feeling is out of place or like the still not fixed mw3 bug where not all hits are immediately registered between players.

[CHRISGG]

Resolve works for stuns, not knock backs. You get knocked off platforms with a full resolve bar because that is what is suppose to happen.

 

Resolve is gained from knockbacks and white resolve makes you immune to knockbacks.

[spOh]

I agree with OP's points. I also agree with Kint in saying that his credentials are illegitimate. Edited January 18, 2012 by spOh