Frontlines sucks Ultra megathread

[AllenThyl]

Yeah... no, Olivia and her ilk are the last people I would want to imitate as it's not going to improve my personal experience by "becoming part of the problem". Hell, I won't even play any of the meta stack jobs myself anymore because I'm sick of seeing their animations and having people in my alliance placing unwanted expectations on me to countdown or command, and when I try to remove those markers or they see me being dead silent in the chat, they get mad and start giving me gruff. I'd sooner get banned from the whole damn mode than ever join a premade or replicate their tactics, and I'm thankful I'm considered either too crappy or too unknown on even my own world that nobody has ever asked me to be in theirs.

Every game that allows for varied starting conditions and asymmetric teams (21 classes that can be picked, which come with different abilities and potentials), will always have a metagame emerging and subsequently evolving. Understanding and properly engaging with this metagame is precisely what sets apart good players from the rest. Your personal unwillingness and quite frankly arrogance regarding this topic doesn't make it go away, ever. And you can complain as much as you want, because just like the amount of points needed to reach to win, the very concept of a metagame is an integral part of Frontline itself. This isn't "Minecraft - make your own adventure", and it is pretty clear that you have never engaged in a competitive environment at a high level. Quite a few people are trying their best to gently encourage you to step up your game, and all you do is complain about the very thought of actually making an effort in a competitive game mode. Of course the game mode is nothing but hell for you. That's like joining a soccer match but ONLY wanting to shoot on the goal, never to run around, or even pass the ball to your teammates, because you "don't want to play the meta".

[Mawlzy]

Every game that allows for varied starting conditions and asymmetric teams (21 classes that can be picked, which come with different abilities and potentials), will always have a metagame emerging and subsequently evolving. Understanding and properly engaging with this metagame is precisely what sets apart good players from the rest. Your personal unwillingness and quite frankly arrogance regarding this topic doesn't make it go away, ever. And you can complain as much as you want, because just like the amount of points needed to reach to win, the very concept of a metagame is an integral part of Frontline itself. This isn't "Minecraft - make your own adventure", and it is pretty clear that you have never engaged in a competitive environment at a high level. Quite a few people are trying their best to gently encourage you to step up your game, and all you do is complain about the very thought of actually making an effort in a competitive game mode. Of course the game mode is nothing but hell for you. That's like joining a soccer match but ONLY wanting to shoot on the goal, never to run around, or even pass the ball to your teammates, because you "don't want to play the meta".

One aspect of FL that premade commanders and members never appreciate is the mode operates perfectly well without them. Sure you get a few headless chicken matches. (The AFKers aren't going to suddenly stand to attention because you start issuing orders.) More commonly, when no oppressive commander is on the field, the more experienced players will type suggestions. "Focus yellow," "pinch red," "S rank cave." Actual teamwork!

Similarly, most commanders completely overestimate the impact of their commanding. If they're a DRK at the spear-tip of a premade, they've skewed their a priori win-rate from 33% to 70% right there. They lead the deathball not because of shouting at the team, but because anyone who is engaging at all will naturally follow them. The power of the meat grinder does the rest.

Seriously, commanders. Try it. Command in relative silence. Or better still, solo queue and see that FL works perfectly well without you. Or would your egos not survive that?

And lol at "gently encouraging." We have been told the one true path will be beaten into us until we accept it or quit. Until commanders have the ability to shoot those not following orders, good commanding is a lot more nuanced than telling people what to do.

[AllenThyl]

One aspect of FL that premade commanders and members never appreciate is the mode operates perfectly well without them. Sure you get a few headless chicken matches. (The AFKers aren't going to suddenly stand to attention because you start issuing orders.) More commonly, when no oppressive commander is on the field, the more experienced players will type suggestions. "Focus yellow," "pinch red," "S rank cave." Actual teamwork!

How is that not commanding? This is literally how one would phrase orders. And yet experience shows that even the most obviously advantageous strategic play is usually ignored by 18-20 people whose only contribution in a PvP mode is licking ice, to subsequently get farmed and give the enemy team both points and battle high.

Seriously, commanders. Try it. Command in relative silence.

I do, because on EU the sound spam DRK spearhead is a rather rare occurrence. Which is precisely why I hold this community in such contempt and think you are pretty full of it. The people that make a difference even in games without the typical PvP premades are just a handful, while the overwhelming majority barely knows left from right, their class, enemy kits, or how to read and execute high level strategies to help their own team win. Because many are exactly like you and Aidorouge, who "just want to play however they want", as if Frontline is an expressive dance class. It is frankly quite ridiculous to see you spent so much time and effort denigrating PvP premades, while ignoring the complacent masses who legit think that trying to win in a competitive game mode is "toxic".

This isn't a custom game mode with silly rules for "fun", like "all ak" maps in CounterStrike or "all random all mid" in DotA like games. Frontline is the standard game. Not a training match, not "unranked no one cares". The apathy of the community and constant misdirection of blame to a select few individuals is literally toxic, as the proliferation and acceptance of this behavior is what is directly causing the Frontline experience to be as miserable as it is.

[Mawlzy]

Snip

This is very disturbing! Apparently all my posts where I note that apathy and non-engagement is a serious problem have become completely invisible!

I play WAR not because I want to engage in interpretative dance, but because I've found it's a useful disruptor, and flexible such that I can try and contribute to my team irrespective of whether or not it is led by a DRK. I have never interacted with such a bizarre community, in which I am attacked personally for views I don't hold and behavior I don't exhibit.