View Others' Class Configs

[Lessen]

This is an idea for an optional server setting.

In Open mode, what if, when viewing the scoreboard, we could use our mouse and click on any player's name to see a pop-up displaying how they configured their class?

Right now, we aren't actually allowed to even see what class the enemy is using. I would rather this be changed, too. As a server setting.

My reasoning is: A single class can be configured in wildly different ways that change the required counterplay dramatically. The most dramatic example is probably Super Battle Droids and their armor types, but this really applies to every other class to a decent degree. Soldier and Clone are the least dramatic. Force Users can switch between Deflect, Push, Pull, Sense, Lightning, Grip, Speed, and Mind Trick, along with saber styles and Force Block levels, making every force user extremely unpredictable. (Generally after a few rounds, I get an idea of what kind of build every force user on the other team is using, but that wouldn't work if any of them bothered to rotate builds, and it's not... really necessary for me to spend a couple rounds to get that kind of essential info.)

While there is some fun in being able to surprise people with an unorthodox build, the ultimate strategic implication is that it is better to switch classes/builds often, in a constant flow of strategic "Gotchas," to keep the enemy from ever knowing what to expect from you. If we could freely see what classes the enemy has AND what builds they have, it would hardly ruin strategy or stealth, and I think it would make strategizing "cleaner."

(and/or there could be a hotkey that you can press while looking at another player to bring up a 3-second translucent popup showing their build. A scanner kind of thing. Or you could restrict that ability to one class. Give it to the Commander/ET, cuz it's "intel." Give it to Force Users, cuz they can sense shit.)

 

[*Rhiannon*]

maaaaaaaaybe between people that are in the same team, but the opposite team nah

 

[Hiazro]

maaaaaaaaybe between people that are in the same team, but the opposite team nah

Agreed.

 

[Liniyka_xddd]

Absolute no. The last thing I want is some guy peeking into my build and knowing exactly what I am going to use. If you want to know what other players pick, go ahead and get this information from fighting them.

 

[Lessen]

why is it so important for build/class selection to be a secret? Literally all that does, as far as I can tell, is encourage changing your build/class each round to keep people off your strategy. And it creates a dynamic over multiple rounds where people adjust to each other's builds, but why would it be good to have a significant strategic element that exists over multiple rounds? Shouldn't the focus be on each individual round?

(I do admit that the advantage of unpredictable builds is reduced significantly if the other team is using good Saberist x Gunner teamplay, since good teamplay means that even an unexpected "gotcha" probably won't lead to an outright kill.)

 

[StarWarsGeek]

Showing class configs wouldn't change that dynamic, you'd still be adjusting to the enemy team's composition on a round by round basis. You're not going to have time to look at everyone on the enemy team and adjust your build accordingly in the 15 seconds between rounds. You could even use a feature like this to intentionally throw opponents off, by choosing one build template and then switching to a very different one a second before the round starts. Unless you totally revamp the how rounds work/start by having a ready up system or something and delay round start until everyone is ready, I don't see how this would change the "gotcha" rock-paper-scissors strategy dynamic at all.

 

[----Kas----]

This is an idea for an optional server setting.

In Open mode, what if, when viewing the scoreboard, we could use our mouse and click on any player's name to see a pop-up displaying how they configured their class?

Right now, we aren't actually allowed to even see what class the enemy is using. I would rather this be changed, too. As a server setting.

My reasoning is: A single class can be configured in wildly different ways that change the required counterplay dramatically. The most dramatic example is probably Super Battle Droids and their armor types, but this really applies to every other class to a decent degree. Soldier and Clone are the least dramatic. Force Users can switch between Deflect, Push, Pull, Sense, Lightning, Grip, Speed, and Mind Trick, along with saber styles and Force Block levels, making every force user extremely unpredictable. (Generally after a few rounds, I get an idea of what kind of build every force user on the other team is using, but that wouldn't work if any of them bothered to rotate builds, and it's not... really necessary for me to spend a couple rounds to get that kind of essential info.)

While there is some fun in being able to surprise people with an unorthodox build, the ultimate strategic implication is that it is better to switch classes/builds often, in a constant flow of strategic "Gotchas," to keep the enemy from ever knowing what to expect from you. If we could freely see what classes the enemy has AND what builds they have, it would hardly ruin strategy or stealth, and I think it would make strategizing "cleaner."

(and/or there could be a hotkey that you can press while looking at another player to bring up a 3-second translucent popup showing their build. A scanner kind of thing. Or you could restrict that ability to one class. Give it to the Commander/ET, cuz it's "intel." Give it to Force Users, cuz they can sense shit.)

The most ridiculous idea I saw on this forum Haven't you heard of element of surprise? What's more, there are plenty of unpredictable/non-standard builds on every class, and some of them work very well without need to change them every round. Let them wonder what hit them. Anyway, very bad idea, that would ruin fun and unpredictability. Maybe YOU should do some research/experiment yourself and find out how seemingly stupid combination of points can work wonderfully if applied in a correct way, instead of looking at other's builds? No offense but such a change would make many players mad, including me.

 

[Lessen]

@----Kas---- I.... didn't say anything about "how seemingly stupid combination of points can work wonderfully." I'm well aware of it. I like it. I like that there's such a crazy wide range of viable builds and strategies. I just think it's off-putting that you can die from a threat/strategy that you had no particular reason to expect. And you adjust to it next round, meaning that that "Gotcha" only works once. It seems unnecessary for it to have happened at all.

Still, again, most of the issue is solved just by doing what people should already be doing, which is moving in mixed-class groups.

On that note, this is extremely unnecessary, but I would like if there was a kind of formal "squad" system to encourage sticking together. Just a little UI where you can start/join a squad within your team, and members of your squad would have colored circles under their feet, while the leader would have a differently colored circle. It would effectively just be a little extra suggestion of "you ought to stick together."

 

[----Kas----]

@----Kas---- I.... didn't say anything about "how seemingly stupid combination of points can work wonderfully." I'm well aware of it. I like it. I like that there's such a crazy wide range of viable builds and strategies. I just think it's off-putting that you can die from a threat/strategy that you had no particular reason to expect. And you adjust to it next round, meaning that that "Gotcha" only works once. It seems unnecessary for it to have happened at all.

Still, again, most of the issue is solved just by doing what people should already be doing, which is moving in mixed-class groups.

On that note, this is extremely unnecessary, but I would like if there was a kind of formal "squad" system to encourage sticking together. Just a little UI where you can start/join a squad within your team, and members of your squad would have colored circles under their feet, while the leader would have a differently colored circle. It would effectively just be a little extra suggestion of "you ought to stick together."

I start to wonder if we play the same game. It's not the build that matters but the things you can do in-game. The "GOTHA" thing you mentioned can work multiple times if you know what you are doing. What's more, considering the amount of trolls in mb2 how can you expect from people to always work together? And another thing, if you get surprised by enemy's stratedy, then yes, I think you should lose. It's not usually the build, but the skill+numbers that win the match.