Decline of interest?

[WarGimp]

Re: Decline of interest?

The game is definitely not as fun as it used to be. Here are a few of the reasons, as far as I'm concerned:

1. Squad Play is Dead. Squad play is almost non-existent now on ranked servers. Sure, people still join squads. But that feeling of teamwork and shared challenges that you get when you are in a really good squad is just way too rare these days. When was the last time you heard anyone chime in on VOIP? NOBODY uses VOIP in squads anymore.

2. Tactics are Dead. Sure, there are always new 'tricks' and new ways to annoy / kill the other guy. But for the most part this game boils down to desperately trying to get two or three kills any you can before you are killed by spawn campers, the new sniper rifle, or armor whores (at least on the busy city maps). Trying to use anything like 'real-world' squad tactics is a waste of time.

3. The Quest for Points is Everything. The points system in the game totally rewards point whoring for yourself and yourself only. That's fine. It is a game, after all. But there is very little reason to try different maps, kits, or to sit back and sacrifice points to be a good squad leader. The truth is, these things just get boring quick. Everybody wants to see their name near the top of the charts at the end of a round. The only way to do that consistently is one of the time-honored point whoring methods: Armor, Medic, Chopper, etc. So, you are either whoring - which gets old; or you are 'experimenting', which means low point totals and usually boredom. I wish they could figure a way to reward team play better.

4. People are too Good. Let's face it: There are a LOT of really good players out there now. And it's a lot harder than it used to be to really own a map or a round. Everyone likes a good challenge, but..

So, yeah. I guess you could say I agree with you. I'm not as interested in the game as I used to be. But I keep HOPING that will change!

I beg to differ on all counts.
http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showp...66&postcount=5
Check that post.

Much of this boils down to the servers you play on and who you play with.

[Bkelso8]

Re: Decline of interest?

See, I kind of felt the same way as you until I hooked up with a bunch of regulars on the servers I play at like I mentioned above. They all use VoIP, always use squad tactics, always help each other out, they're in it to win it - not to whore points. As long as I can find people like that to play with the game would probably never lose its appeal.

~Wolfgang

All the regulars I used to play with have become bored with the game and never play anymore!

One common theme I'm hearing here is try something different and do it for the whole round, i.e., spawn camp at the air field and make that your mission for that round. Maybe I'll take this advice..

[redrider]

Re: Decline of interest?

I like coming up with Ideas to stop supposed unstoppable stratagies the enemy has. Its one of the reasons why I still dont get board with the game. Maybe you have seen some of them. The most popular seems to be the MEC engineer putting mines down on Karkand at the begining of the game. Did you know I took a humvee, in lan mode, and measured the spaceing of the mines. To my suprise I found that you can block all the city streets during the first 20 seconds of the round with 5 AT mines. I am not going to give away any other secrets so dont ask.
Thats what keeps me going finding new things to do and new tricks to stop some of the stratagies that drive us all nuts. Ever play on a team and win the round by 200 points then switch sides the next round to see if you could make the other team win? Try it sometime. . . . . . . . Red

Oh, one more Idea (not really an Idea something Ive done). Ever try and keep another player alive as long as you can, no matter what?

[Brindled]

Re: Decline of interest?

OleFlirtyBastard has some good ideas, check it out.
http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66823

[redrider]

Re: Decline of interest?

Thats a good link Brindled I hadnt seen that. Its good fun to spend a round or two every now and again just doing silly stuff. I once tried sniping with my pistol. Then played a round trying to see how many road kills I could get. Its just unlimited the things to do. . . . . . .Red

[Crimson87]

Re: Decline of interest?

I do agree with the first author.

The game is past its prime for the community. It may not seem like it to some of you that play it 4 times a week, but the server count has decreased and that is the sure sign.

The game will ultimately never be completely boring, but it is a the same maps with the exact same attack stratagies everytime. A lot of people don't want to leave ranked maps because that means their stats which are good markers of their development in the game will not be kept. And there lies the problem. No new ranked maps. To say infantry ranked maps.

Squad tactics die when people go to vehicles. Because they are simply disconnected from each other, and teamwork with certain kits doesn't work in vehicles. There are only a handful of infantry maps in the first place 5-6 including Great wall. Otherwise it's just not in the squads intrest to stay together.

I played Day of Defeat for Halflife for 4 years, because there were 1-2 new maps every week. I began taking the measure of my ground combat skill by how quickly I could adapt to new surroundings, and yes I owned a lot of people. Yes, the maps were unranked, but they were "AT LEAST" full because they could be downloaded immediatly when entering the round. Thank god for steam.

It's very simple, no one, almost no one wants to hunt down new maps on the internet and then "hope" that there is a server with more than 10 people, let alone a server playing them at all, available. It is just not worth the time or effort. Same goes for mods.

This game had the potential to be of historic precident. However EA, will not create an auto downloader for new maps made from the community and will not release it's own new ranked maps at a rapid pace. Which is why this game passed it's prime in less than a year.

I'd say to someone in business "if it was possible", wait a few years for BF2 to die then buy th rights from EA. Then launch the thing with a free auto downloader and watch sales roll in. EA's wasted potential.

[ConscriptVirus]

Re: Decline of interest?

as someone had said in the past..things do tend to get boring affter u spend 500+ hours doing in less than a year time

[Sloi sauce]

Re: Decline of interest?

Don't get me wrong, I love improving and matching up against other players, but the same maps get annoying. Dice needs to review the current list of custom maps, choose a few (based on things like balance) and add them all for ranked play: if they did this for every patch release, we would have many fresh experiences.

But no... too ambitious.

[Brindled]

Re: Decline of interest?

lotta good points there.

The game will ultimately never be completely boring, but it is a the same maps with the exact same attack stratagies everytime. A lot of people don't want to leave ranked maps because that means their stats which are good markers of their development in the game will not be kept. And there lies the problem. No new ranked maps. To say infantry ranked maps.

"the game will ultimately never be completely boring"
that is so close to being a matter of fact, its pitiful. i agree wholeheartedly. when i get tired of playing i just disconnect from everyone i usually play with and go marauding by myself, as a squad leader of course.

your main point however is that the majority of players focus on the ranked servers and this is a sort of tunnelvision. it reduces the fun in my opinion(im not being judgemental towards anyone that feels otherwise). this new map, wake air show, scratches the surface of the types of mods that could come out of the bf2 engine. the concept of using this engine for a semi-realistic arcadish flight game. think of all the aerial vehicles that could be modded into it! maybe an osprey Now i know this is at the other end of the spectrum you were referring to i.e. infantry based maps, which i love also.

Squad tactics die when people go to vehicles. Because they are simply disconnected from each other, and teamwork with certain kits doesn't work in vehicles. There are only a handful of infantry maps in the first place 5-6 including Great wall. Otherwise it's just not in the squads intrest to stay together.

however, i disagree that squad tactics do not necessarily die at this point. many times i've left the squad(left as SL and rejoined the squad....!!!!!!leave my squad changing abilities alone!!!!!!) to fly the chopper. however, close air support of ground troops is what the attack chopper is designed for. if, and especially if one of my squad members (and they dont have to be on ts or vent w/ me) calls out for asssistance with a tank.... i am there. that is teamwork, and that is squadwork.

as far as the euro maps, i have no ability to comment.

I played Day of Defeat for Halflife for 4 years, because there were 1-2 new maps every week. I began taking the measure of my ground combat skill by how quickly I could adapt to new surroundings, and yes I owned a lot of people. Yes, the maps were unranked, but they were "AT LEAST" full because they could be downloaded immediatly when entering the round. Thank god for steam.

ive been embroiled in the battlefield franchise (DC) and it only helped to be able to use what features carried over into bf2, which honestly were not many.

It's very simple, no one, almost no one wants to hunt down new maps on the internet and then "hope" that there is a server with more than 10 people, let alone a server playing them at all, available. It is just not worth the time or effort. Same goes for mods.

you hit the nail on the head! Until the general population gets bored with the ranking system, the FREE custom maps/mods will not get the numbers that they did before the ranking system was in place. and now they plan on putting a deterrent system in to prevent modders from encorporating alternative ranking systems.

all i can say is shame on you EA! you saw how the community could keep your game alive. you not only capitalised on their abilities to make a better game, you cornered the battlefield market too!

[F-1]

Re: Decline of interest?

I play 30 minutes at most every month, yes 30min/month!
I think I will get back to the game if I like one of the mods.

For now I will keep playing Civilization IV.

[Brindled]

Re: Decline of interest?

well we still appreciate the charts you made. :0)

[Jemme101]

Re: Decline of interest?

Hmmm you got 24 different ranked maps atm, in 3 different setups (16/32/64 players) and about 1500 Vanilla servers (150 SF which is a decline in numbers btw). Thats what I ping at least on a given evening.
I am still discovering new ways to play in each map using either my Sniper account or my general one with vehicles.
Apart from that I have set some personal goals (no not Global points/Ranks) for my Accuracy and KDR on the Sniper Rifle to keep it interesting. That works for me atm :)

[Thirdeyez]

Re: Decline of interest?

I try to play diffrent classes every round now..
Also try to use different vehicles from time to time..
But I have this thing about raping in planes, heli's or tanks..I get bored..so quick..its like shooting fish in a barrel 75% of the time and if I wanted that Id play single player.
Playign Infantry, even if Im the one getting raped is always so more satisfying cause of the challenge

yes Im that idot runnin around with the engy shotty with 20 g36E medics laughing at him.
Only classes I try not to play are medic since its soooooo cliche' and assualt, tho I like assualt..the G3 rocks but lacks extra equiment liek the F2000 or standard..and the F2000 and standard suck a$$ imo..so I skip assualt.

[Sir. Shpox]

Re: Decline of interest?

Yes and No, gaming with friends, having fun and playing mods (Battleracer) has been a lot of fun, I've stop playing ranked and now I'm playing custom maps and mods, Got to 80k and had enough, nothing more to see and now its for some real fun, I suppose the booster pack is for you if you have some money in your wallet, Mods > Booster packs, Booster pack + stats > Mods really. Theres so much you can do, on the Sirver we often play sniper wars, make movies or a game called hunt. It doesn't end at ranked, if you do see nothing else, then move on, QW is coming :p

[Thanatos]

Re: Decline of interest?

there does seem to be a decline in the community and I think you can see it on the forums too. However the next few months should be very exciting with all the new mods comming close to great release versions such as project reality, point of existence, US intervention, nations at war etc etc