MAG

[Shifty Geezer]

I tired the SVER map. We couldn't secure B. Ha ha ha ha ha! Doh. It's embarassing when I'm top/second top scorer in the squad, as I'm really not that good! I also had another look at a Domination map. It's mental! I got to spawn in a helicopter, and was trying out controls when Boom! it got blown up. You really haven't time to learn anything. And the map is huge and unnavigable for what must be the first 50 play throughs, so some of the time I left my team fighting the war and went for a stroll. For some reason as you press forwards, the vehicle left in the rear can't be used. At least when I ran to it, I could get in and drive it. Maybe someone took the keys with them as they pressed forwards?

Can bullets damage enemy APCs? How many RPGs? Not that that helps, as there's no way to practise RPG aiming to account for dip (those are some pretty feeble rockets in these RPGs!).

Still, Staff Sergeant now wearing shades. Oh, does being a squad leader give better XP opportunities? I haven't tried it yet.

 

[Cornsnake]

Just make sure you actually complete the games you play ? if you quit early, your bonus won?t apply.

Nice little touch. Hopefully that will reduce some of the rage quitting.

And the double XP weekend comes just at the right time for going veteran, and levelling up again with a different PMC. Good for getting past the slower early levels where you have to make due with bad equipment.

Free DLC is always nice. This should help get the player numbers back up for faster game finding.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Nice little touch. Hopefully that will reduce some of the rage quitting.

This is a common problem which should be addressed in part by giving bonuses to those player who stick with it. We had two drop out against SVER, and were hopelessly outgunned. Give an XP boost for those who fight on against impossible odds and it'll offset the losses caused by a lack of teamwork.

I think a lot of thought goes into designing an ideal game, but not enough into how to prop it up when iot doesn't work according to plan. Against RAVEN last night a couple of squad mates kept running off over to B when we were tasked with capturing A. There's no way to guide them/control them (depending on whether they're confused or independent) to support the squad and overall battle. And if you're in a squad of noobs without medikits, you are supremely scuppered! Effectively progressive difficulty is hard to get at the best of times, so I can appreciate the challenges in managing that in an online game, but I do feel games aren't considering the player's experiences from beginning to experience, instead just focussing on what it'll be like when they've finally mastered it.

 

[Cornsnake]

For some reason as you press forwards, the vehicle left in the rear can't be used. At least when I ran to it, I could get in and drive it. Maybe someone took the keys with them as they pressed forwards?

It probably wasn't your squads APC. There are usually 2 APC's at the same spawnpoint, 1 for each squad spawning there. Neither can use the others APC.

Can bullets damage enemy APCs? How many RPGs? Not that that helps, as there's no way to practise RPG aiming to account for dip (those are some pretty feeble rockets in these RPGs!).

Bullets can damage it, but it'll take a lot to destroy it this way. For RPG's it takes 3 rockets to destroy an APC, unless the is a platoon leader in it, or it's being repaired. If your bad at aiming, you can buy the lock RPG for 5 skillpoints, but it takes a 1000cc to carry.

Still, Staff Sergeant now wearing shades. Oh, does being a squad leader give better XP opportunities? I haven't tried it yet.

I'm not sure, I still haven't been squadleader.

I think a lot of thought goes into designing an ideal game, but not enough into how to prop it up when iot doesn't work according to plan. Against RAVEN last night a couple of squad mates kept running off over to B when we were tasked with capturing A. There's no way to guide them/control them (depending on whether they're confused or independent) to support the squad and overall battle. And if you're in a squad of noobs without medikits, you are supremely scuppered! Effectively progressive difficulty is hard to get at the best of times, so I can appreciate the challenges in managing that in an online game, but I do feel games aren't considering the player's experiences from beginning to experience, instead just focussing on what it'll be like when they've finally mastered it.

It's probably impossible because there is no way to account for everything any player could be doing if they get a reasonable amount of freedom. MAG has done quite few things to guide players along, and getting them to work together. When used probably the FRAGO and leadership positions can create teamwork at a large scale unlike any other game. Of course MAG fails at explaining itself properly.

A lot of gamers these days seem to like the idea of unlocking new stuff as you level up. So games are designed according. Even if it keeps basic things like medicalkits out of the hands of beginners. Which also reduces teamwork. You can't revive without a medicalkit after all. Just looking at things I have over beginners like, more health, faster healing and repairing, reviving, less recoil on my guns, more stable aiming while moving, makes wonder if the reason I'm so well is really my own skill. And not just because of all these artificial upgrades.

 

[patsu]

On APC damage, I read somewhere that besides the launcher, sniper rifle does the most damage to vehicles.

On SVER Objective B capture, Shifty, there are 2 routes to B. The usual is to go up the staircase. The second route is to go to the right most path and walk across the pipes to get to B. I usually take the second route because enemy snipers would position there. Kill them and attack B while your teammates go up the stairs. You can split the force equally, or I have seen teams focus on the second route only.

On people abandoning RAVEN Objective A and go to B, it's one of the strategies I saw Valors employ. Basically, they overwhelm 2 RAVEN squads in an objective with 3 Valor squads, then spread out in B to defend. It's easier to defend when spread out. And attack the remaining objective with 3 squads again. This can be effective if your guys have shotgun.

On Domination, hell yeah, I am stil confused these days; but at least I have a better sense of the general direction to go, and much more fun shooting about in the huge map now.

 

[nightshade]

Here's what I do to take out an APC alone, Two RPGs & one nade
I usually nade after the first RPG shot cause there's a strong chance that the driver or passenger comes out of the vehicle after the first RPG hit..& that is where the nade helps me, it kills the enemy & damages the APC together.

 

[patsu]

Think I made a mistake. It may be easier to defend R Obj A by spreading out in the entire camp, and for B, the objective building only.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

On APC damage, I read somewhere that besides the launcher, sniper rifle does the most damage to vehicles.

That's another cosidertion actually. On the MAG Wiki there's talk of Tier 3 weapons having significant stopping power along with reduced accuracy and/or firerate, but the damage scale shows little difference, so that 0.3 out of 8.0 increase in damage with a 20% decrease in firerate looks like a poor tradeoff. Does anyone know of a more direct reference for weapon damage? The best measure would be number-of-shots-to-down-people-of-different-armour. Is friendly fire 100% damage?

On SVER Objective B capture, Shifty, there are 2 routes to B. The usual is to go up the staircase. The second route is to go to the right most path and walk across the pipes to get to B. I usually take the second route because enemy snipers would position there.

That's my usual route too. However last night SVER had it well covered. A few times I managed to take it, but couldn't hold it solo (although my claymores must have serously frustrated!) and no-one behind me had medic abilities. We couldn't take either the right side or mount an effective head-on assault, especialy when two men short.

On people abandoning RAVEN Objective A and go to B, it's one of the strategies I saw Valors employ.

If that's the plan, someone could at least forward me the memo! Certainly the squad leader didn't waypoint the alternative objective and 6 of the squad stuck at A instead of breaking off. 2 extra guys isn't much of an overwhleming force!

 

[patsu]

Typing on iPhone. Will be brief.

Sniper damage on hardware is indeed limited by firing rate. Tier 3 is formidable bcos of 1 hit kill and _variable_ high power scope. The accuracy is increased greatly bcos of the jump in magnification. A little % loss is ok.

For SVER Obj B sniper porch, if your team can't claim it, I'd scorch it or rain on B directly using squad leader's bombardment. Haven't done it myself but saw a team used it. You may not be able to kill all, but at least you can weaken them.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

For SVER Obj B sniper porch, if your team can't claim it, I'd scorch it or rain on B directly using squad leader's bombardment. Haven't done it myself but saw a team used it. You may not be able to kill all, but at least you can weaken them.

Maybe I need to take charge of the squad then.

 

[Cornsnake]

Is friendly fire 100% damage?

No it's half damage. I just got try it out on some very dumb teamkillers. First they tried to shoot me, which didn't work. Then they tried coming at me with the knife, which, as I carefully demonstrated, can kill friendlies instantly.

I wish I had a button that when pressed would brick someone's PS3, instead of just vote to kick.

 

[JPT]

For SVER Obj B sniper porch, if your team can't claim it, I'd scorch it or rain on B directly using squad leader's bombardment. Haven't done it myself but saw a team used it. You may not be able to kill all, but at least you can weaken them.

Are we still talking about sabotage mode? In that case I don't think that is possible to use artillery/airstrikes on those maps.

 

[patsu]

I have seen people bombard the entire area (e.g., outside Raven objective A & B, on SVER objective B sniper porch). It doesn't look like grenade spamming (Too powerful and dense). Looks like something else. The OIC poster earlier on would know better than me. ^_^

The other short term way to claim the sniper porch in SVER Objective B is with chemical grenade. Occasionally, I also took the next path to the left, and snipe them from the front just to confuse them. This is only possible if they get carried away and expose themselves too much from the front.

It's better to claim that sniper porch because you can stage an attack on other areas outside Objective B (e.g., the high tower at the opposite side). It should help to hold Objective B longer. Should Objective B fall, you can walk along the path all the way to the right of Objective C and snipe their snipers and reinforcement. [strike]I think it is impossible to go there by parachuting.[/strike]


As for getting memo to regroup your squad attack, it was difficult on the defender side too. When the attacker overwhelm an objective with 3 squads, it is unlikely for the defender to call for support from the other objective. The sensor array doesn't work in Sabotage. Otherwise, the picture would be very clear to the defender (No convincing needed). I heard the squad leader pleading for help to no avail until both objectives were down.


EDIT: Okay, I might sound like a MAG expert, but I'm only relating on what I saw. Those guys playing for 200+ hours and commanding at OIC level would definitely know the game much more deeper than me.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

VALOR are morons. And something has to be done about quitters! Played 3 Sabotage games this morning. Two were defending. The first round two players bailed immediately. The second round, 4 people had quit by its end. I came top of the squad with 44 points! A player shouldn't be locked into a game, but those who bail because they're sissies ought to be penalised/blocked. And they should have their PS3's fried if they team kill for the fun of it. On the 3rd outing, we were attacking RAVEN and 5 of my squad were hanging back in the starting village overlooking A, sniping. How the blazes are we supposed to take the objective if they're all being so damned wimpy?! Reviewing the round, RAVEN were on average 20 levels above VALOR players. Overpowered sides for the win!

 

[Cornsnake]

There are plenty of morons to go around for each PMC. I played an Acquisition game yesterday attacking Valor. The other squadmembers would repeatedly sneak past the bunkers and steal the transport vehicle. But with all the bunkers and the gate still up, they got destroyed every single time. We still won though, but that was only because the other platoon secured their transport vehicle's.

I must have played about 20 Sabotage games the last few days, and I still haven't seen SVER's map.

 

[patsu]

I must have played about 20 Sabotage games the last few days, and I still haven't seen SVER's map.

Ha ha, this is odd. I got 3 consecutive SVER map right after the patch.

Apparently, the system wants you to join SVER. Forget them !


On quiting, I'd love it if Zipper allow new players to join a game half way.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

On quiting, I'd love it if Zipper allow new players to join a game half way.

You can. I've joined games part way, sometimes a few minutes in, and once (today) with about 10 seconds to spare. Easiest 40 XP I ever made!

 

[patsu]

Ok, you're right. I thought it's only before we started the campaign. In that case, quitters may not be that bad -- assuming the vacancy is filled up quick enough.

I wonder how Zipper prioritize new and old game matchmaking.

 

[slider]

I've re-purchase this (having given my original copy away) and am wondering hwo tough it's going to be to join up now? Any top tips that I should know? Or instead should I finish up Battlefield BC's SP and take that online instead. :|

 

[patsu]

It would be challenging but I do see quite a few new soldiers in a campaign. So you won't be alone.

I have very limited/no info on the Battlefield game. Can't make any recommendations or even comment too much about it.