Splatoon

[Grimsgrams]

i think I'm in the same situation, but when I play with someone else in a squad I tend to do better, which has gotten me to B+. Before that, I was mostly going back and forth between B and B-. Not a huge difference perhaps, but I also find that I don't get as frustrated as when I'm playing on my own. It's good for tactics too!

On rainmaker itself, I actually enjoy it the most out of the three ranked modes, it feels very satisfying when you manage to get that thing onto the pedestal.

[Scrustle]

I've never tried the squad battle mode, as I've never had the chance, but I always assumed that the mode would be way more competitive than the normal ranked mode. You have the chance to join up and strategise, and communicate with each other too if you use VOIP or something. So I figured that would make the mode pretty much impossible to anyone who wasn't going out of their way to really coordinate with their team.

[Grimsgrams]

Yeah when I think about it it doesn't really make sense. Maybe we got lucky? Either way, me and Jinkkai have done reasonably well for ourselves in twin squad ranked.

[seansthomas]

But back on to the topic of Splatoon itself! Has anyone else tried out Rain Maker mode yet? I have, and I'm not quite sure what to think. Like I said before, I've turned away from ranked modes lately, and this mode doesn't seem to do anything to change my mind. It's complete chaos. Constant deaths, and a non-stop feeling of just having no chance to make a difference at all. There's nothing wrong with the mode itself. Seems like it's somewhat in the same vein as Tower Control, but more like CTF too, as one would expect.

Haven't managed to try this yet, the two times I've tried to it's not been the option available for Ranked Battle mode.

Was hoping it'd be some mode though were one of the team fights to get the device (eg. some robotic drone 'cloud') which you move around using the gamepad. You can then opt to unleash rain down on the enemies ink and reduce their coverage. Felt like it would have been a better point of difference.

C&R game night then - I'm up for it!

Shall we book a night in a week or so away to give us time to plug it and spread the word?

[Scrustle]

You do have to fight to get the Rainmaker itself. I guess I should have been more descriptive. The way the mode works is that at the start of the match the Rainmaker is in the middle of the map, covered by a shield. Your objective it to grab the Rainmaker and carry it to a little plinth in front of the enemy team's base, or get as close as possible at least. To get the Rainmaker free from the shield you need to shoot at it until it explodes, which will take out any nearby opponents. After that you can pick it up and use it as a weapon. It works a bit like the Inkzooker special, except it fires even larger tornadoes, but requires charging. You're quite easy to take down while holding the Rainmaker though, as it doesn't do anything to your defensive abilities, and it also highlights where you are the whole time you're holding it. If you get killed you drop it where you died, and the shield reappears, giving the other team a chance to grab back possession. The key is to stay close around the player with the Rainmaker and defend them, while shooting a path in front so they can squid for as much of the journey across the map as possible. Firing the thing isn't actually that useful most of the time. It leaves you as a bit of a sitting duck. A match can be over in less than a minute if a team knows what they're doing. Also, if you hold the Rainmaker itself for too long (about a minute I think), it explodes on you anyway, killing you and going back to the bubble shield state.

So it's like Tower Control in that it's about working together to push through the map with some kind of slow moving object, but more like CTF as you carry the Rainmaker yourself and it gives you special abilities.

[Scrustle]

New map coming soon! It's the one set on apartment building rooftops. It looks pretty interesting. It almost looks more like a Halo map than a Splatoon map.

http://splatoonus.tumblr.com/post/12712 ... hours-from

Here's some gameplay too:

[Grimsgrams]

Anyone up for some squid squad or turf wars action? I'll be on for a little while, so join me in game and, if you want, on Discord.

[Scrustle]

So today I decided to have another bash at ranked after staying away for so long. Seems Rainmaker is taking up most of the rotation, as that's what I ended up getting. I actually had a load of fun! I managed to win most of my matches too, getting me up to the highest rank I've ever been so far (B 82 or thereabouts; decided to quite while I was ahead). What's more I felt like I was able to contribute and actually play a role on our team winning. In a couple of matches I got the Rainkmaker most of the way across the map, and in one I was even the one to put it on the pedestal. Never thought I would actually do that. On a few other occasions I was the one who stopped the enemy team when they were trying to make a comeback in extra time too. I think it might have come down to my weapon choice. I decided to have a go with the Aerospray MG (the silver one). I don't think I've ever used it before, but the Seekers were great for that mode. I've never been great with the Inkzooka before, but I managed to use it well today, so that was satisfying. I suppose I'll keep using that gun for that mode from now on.

Although that said I just remembered I actually had a few games of Splat Zones the other day as well, which went pretty well too. I was using the Splatling, so for most of the match I could just find a vantage point out of harm's way and cover most or even all of the zones myself. The maps were Flounder Heights and Bluefin Depot, and I think that tactic worked really well for those maps. In Flounder Heights you can stand on top of a wall where people don't expect you to be, or even stand in one zone and shoot over the ledge to cover the other. In Bluefin I mostly stood near my spawn, never jumping down in to the actual zones. Just switching between different perch points as needed to cover either one of the two zones, meaning that the enemy team never really got either zone to themselves. Somehow I managed to get away with it and not get shot at the whole time too.

[seansthomas]

Booted this up again over the past few nights. Meant to play for 20 minutes, ploughed about 4 hours into Ranked Battle mode! Such a good game. Even as someone who doesn't play online games much or use headsets, it is painfully apparent to me that with voice chat, this could be an unbelievably tactical game ripe for tournament play and team battle.

Shall we stick a date in the diary and try and do a C&R night? Say a week Tuesday at 9pm UK time?

[Scrustle]

I'm totally up for it. But will we be doing the same thing as last time and just joining each other in a random open lobby, or shall we do a custom match of some sort? I suppose it depends on how many people turn up.

I've been playing ranked a bit more lately too, and I've managed to climb up to the middle of B+! That seems to be where I'm hovering around for now, and that's fine by me. Rain Maker is still fun, but I think I really dislike Tower Control on Kelp Dome. For some reason that mode on that map is always a nightmare. I was having more fun on Port Mackerel today though.

I also found a new weapon that I'm really enjoying with the Splash-o-Matic. I always thought it looked really cool, never thought much of the bomb rush special. But after trying it out, it turned out to be really damn effective! I'm getting the highest scores I've ever gotten in Turf War with that thing.

[Grimsgrams]

That's about when I go to sleep on weekdays (I'm one hour ahead) so I wouldn't be able to make it. But I also feel like I'll have a hard time nailing down a definitive free slot anyway so if you guys want to go ahead and make that the time then that's ok by me. Sorry for the late answer btw.

[Flabyo]

Another new map added... Hammerhead Bridge.

It's going to take some getting used to, there are some amazingly strong sniping spots for the tower and rainmaker ranked modes.

As a turf wars map it plays pretty similarly to walleye warehouse, it's quite cramped so you don't get many chances to sneak off and paint an area no one else is occupying. I haven't seen many players using the upper mesh floor routes yet, but I think as more explore the map they'll find that there's some good spots up there if you're using a weapon with range.

[Scrustle]

I've just been playing the new map now, in both Turf War and Splat Zones. It doesn't seem much like Walleye to me. It does seem to buck the trend somewhat of all the new maps getting bigger and bigger though. It's still above average size, but it didn't take as long for me to get my bearings on as Flounder Heights did. So it doesn't really feel cramped to me, but it is pretty complex. The side paths both branch off at several different points, and while I didn't find it anywhere near as much of a problem as I thought it would be, the mesh bridge seems like it has a lot of potential. So far I haven't had much problem dealing with that though, or snipers, but I can certainly see how those things could be something to look out for once people start getting used to the layout of the map. There's also a lot of walls and cover everywhere too. I'm sure as time goes on people will start playing the map quite a bit differently to how they are now. So I'd say it seems like more of an evolution on the earlier map designs, rather than going out in a different direction, like we've seen with a lot of the other more recent maps.

[Flabyo]

YESSSSSS! FINALLY!



(There's a huge load of other balance changes, but the main ones are the rollers and blasters now only one hit kill if you hit dead straight on, no splash damage kills!)

Patch goes live on Monday, so too late for this weekends EU Splatfest.

[Scrustle]

Here's a PDF of the patch notes in more detail: http://splatoon.nintendo.com/assets/med ... -notes.pdf

I have to say I'm not really sure on this one. These seem like some pretty drastic and wide-reaching changes. They're nerfing pretty much all of the best stuff in the game. All the stuff that the highest level of players use anyway. But I never really felt like those things were overpowered exactly. Maybe a few, but in general it seems like a bit much. Especially with the rollers. Maybe the Dynamo nerf is okay, but the Carbon and Splat seem a bit harsh. This will certainly shake up the meta if nothing else.

Some of the buffs sound good though, like what they've done to the Splatlings and some of the shooters. Sounds good to make those a bit more viable, although again I never felt like they were particularly underpowered.

[Flabyo]

Was at the MCM in London today, saw this and had to have it.



Yes, I am nearly 40, what of it?

[Scrustle]

That's really cool. I have to admit, I really want one of those pillows too. They also recently released an official soundtrack for the game as well, and it looks great. There's even tracks on it that don't even appear in the game, like a traditional folky version of the Squid Sister's song. It also comes with lyric sheets too. Albeit, all in Japanese text, and in a nonsense language too.

Come to think of it there's also an official art book (also Japanese only right now), and plush dolls of the Sisters and the generic boy and girl inklings. Those are all quite tempting as well.

I've been going through a bit of a weird patch with the game itself lately. I managed to crawl up to A- in ranked. Currently grasping on to the lower end of that, but not slipping down as of yet. But I noticed something since this most recent Splatfest. I think I've gotten tired of Turf Wars. I feel like I can never get a decent rhythm going in it, and when I do win it doesn't feel good any more. Defeat is still as deflating as ever though. But I think I'll stick to Ranked for now. Seem to be having a much better time with it, even when I'm not doing great at it.

Also I recently found out that I was using motion controls wrong. A while ago I went through the whole single player, and gave it a decent go online too, but still did not get on with them at all. But yesterday I saw a video of one of the best players in the world, and how they used the Gamepad. Turns out I was trying to turn the thing on the wrong axis. Looks like I'll have to give it yet another go then.

[Flabyo]

They added a weaponised washing machine.



It's a variant of the slosher bucket, it has longer range and tighter spread. Also quite a strange arc of fire compared to the other bucket types.

[mikeleddy83]

I jumped back into this game today and found it crazy that I haven't played for a few months, it really is a keeper.

Today was the day I went balls deep into the single player stuff too and you were all right, sublime stuff. Just approaching what seems to be the last 5 levels and for a game so focused on the multiplayer it's got a strong single player component. That music really is killer though. I managed to get 3 mutes and a bunch of requests to turn it down today from my better half, it's consistently brilliant and I won't be surprised to see multiple tracks in a single sound of play anytime soon.

[ADumican83]

Is there still a strong online community for this game? Its only £15 on Amazon at the minute. Might pick it up.