Crucible

There’s been some push to have more in depth ability progression for the characters in Crucible. I’d vote not to, sorta. Reasons: (1) depth already exists, (2) balance, and (3) uniqueness of characters. These reasons only make sense when looking at the gestalt, the whole of how characters fit in their team and their environment (objectives, stompers, harvesters, etc.). Depth: Level one and three offer three upgrades to choose from, level two and four are fixed, and level five has two upgrades. This format gives each character two builds really, a support/sustain and a high damage build. You can build a combination of the two but doing so takes away from how some of the talents work together. At first look this sounds, well, boring. You have to realize each character comes with their own complexity based solely on their kit though. Every hero has some sort of auto attack (left click) that reloads but their other abilities and how they function are completely different. Tosca has t...

Competitive or Casual   It’s no secret that Crucible is struggling. That’s an understatement. Most “critics” are looking at player numbers, how long it can take to find a game, and uneven matchmaking. The ping system, lack of chat, and bare bones tutorial are also in the crosshairs. Major streamers moved on after a few games on launch which surely didn’t help.   Most of these are symptoms of an underlying problem with Crucible, that being, the input lag. Sometimes weapons feel like hit scan, sometimes like projectiles. Ajonah’s sniper rifle and Shakirri’s pistol are two that come to mind. Your first shot can kill an enemy but you won’t see them die until halfway through your next shot. Switching between abilities is also delayed. You get stuck slamming “Q” until you can’t “Q” anymore. This input lag takes away from the more enjoyable aspects of the game. Most people who’ve tried the game, and left, note it “feels off” and I think this is the root of it.   The recent...

Think about your team (enemy team) composition. Learning what your hero does well is just as important as knowing who is on your team and who you’re against. Some heroes have abilities and play styles that are better up close while others get more value by laying down damage at a safe distance. Drakal and Summer are two tanky front-liners that often get in your face and can burst you down. Ajonah, a sniper, fits the role of a ranged DPS (damage per second), “glass cannon,” or ADC (all damage carry). Tosca and Sazan might be considered somewhere in between since they can do damage but also have some sustainability through their mobility. Bugg and Shakirri are closest to a “support” role since they can shield and heal their allies or use their CC (crowd control) like slows and silences to set up plays. You’ll see lots of teams that run a combination of these roles. But games in Crucible can be won beyond fighting the enemy heroes.   2.       Don’t forge...

CRUCIBLE? more like Anvil…      You’re supposed to get crushed into tiny pieces, mixed with your environment, and spit out as something entirely different. This is the idea behind a crucible but the game falls short in living up to its name. Instead of a wild world of the volatile we got repetitiveness and predictability. It’s more like banging on iron to make a sword than smelting elements to form something altogether new; something more than the sum of the parts. Maybe not what the game promised, but what it insinuated, was randomness (or chaos) and a sense of surprise in a deadly atmosphere. It fell short. Here are some examples and alternatives that could add to the innovation the game purports to be about.      (Not-so) Random Generation: When I first played Heart of the Hives I was confused. I got that creatures dropped essence, you level up and get stronger, and capture 3 hive hearts before your enemy does. The confusion came in the form of, “Wait, w...