Thread: Thoughts on Frontline Changes Between 5.1 and 5.2

I can only speak off of my experiences in the Primal data center. Anyway, things seem generally good. I'm seeing more happy faces when 5.1 dropped. Some changes still need to be made, but for the most part it's good.

Changes

16 buttons -> All classes have some form of AOE, something that was highly needed in certain game modes like frontlines. Easier to build meters when faced against a stacked group, easier to melt when everyone uses their AOEs. Potions has also been a decent help in terms of survival. Overall, everyone can do more during a fight which is a good thing.

From Full Parties to Light Parties -> With the recent changes as to how many players you can queue up with, premades aren't having as much influence on how games go. Now people can feel like they have a chance at winning team fights and won't instantly give up from seeing a dominant fighting team.

5 Second Death Timers -> Players can now get more playtime regardless of performance. Definitely one of the best changes as it helps a bit with keeping games from snowballing out of control. With the invincibility timer as well upon leaving the spawn area it’ll discourage others from spawn camping.

Forced Freelancer -> There’s not much to say about this after the events when the new frontlines map came out in 5.15. At least it’ll teach other players to rely on the current players they’re with in that game instead of relying on a grand company to carry them to victory.

Suggestions

Smaller Game Mode -> Before 5.1 frontline games would start at the daily reset and continue anywhere from 2 to 5 hours after prime time. After the removal of 24 men that playtime window has considerably decreased, barring those that are unable to play during prime time. With frontlines being the most popular game mode 72 man seems a bit large to get people to start playing on top of those changes. A smaller game mode needs to be in place to at least compensate for those that are currently unable to play due to their personal schedules. 24 man frontlines and 8v8 feast has been requested for a while. New ideals have also been popping up like a capture the flag mode and an all blue mage pvp. Whether any of these ideas are thought of at all it’s a necessity.

Duty Finder Customization -> With free companies, fellowships, and other groups hosting events from time to time they’re going to need easier access as far as hosting is concerned. Feast already had this. Everyone can do this in dungeons, trials, and raids, both regular and alliance raids. Players should be able to set up their own rooms for frontlines and rival wings.

I do have my own personal thoughts about the patches, mainly a different view than what's being posted, but it’s best that I keep them to myself.

I miss being consistantly on the underdog color.
Now a win feels ponitless, like the que just handed it to me.
I rarely que anymore.

If I do que, I tend to run around without mounting, pick some flowers, look at the scenery. I still win matches that way, so why not?

I no longer notice some of the same people to work on building relationships with it. It just seems pointless except for the scenery.
The new map does have nice scenery, looks good.

Originally Posted by Covfefe

I miss being consistantly on the underdog color.
Now a win feels ponitless, like the que just handed it to me.
I rarely que anymore.

If I do que, I tend to run around without mounting, pick some flowers, look at the scenery. I still win matches that way, so why not?

I no longer notice some of the same people to work on building relationships with it. It just seems pointless except for the scenery.
The new map does have nice scenery, looks good.

What? Lmfao

I can recommend seal rock beach side, even better if you get the southern spawn. Sadly you can't fish there but the view is amazing. If you are really lucky you get a weather change from rainy to sunny and there will be a rainbow over the ocean. Best time to do some fancy screenshots. Just get your pals and take a group picture, sadly you can't use festival items anymore so it is a bit less awesome now.

Yup, I like that beach. The only scenery I don't care for as much is fields of glory. I have not looked for the rainbow before, but I will be on the watch for it in future! Thanks!

And Shinklet, for me, the long term struggle of working with the loseing faction is what I fell in love with when it came to frontline "campaigns".
Now, with everything mixed, whoever is on my team may be on another team next match. Instead of the same pool coming and going, now my friends are also enemies.
And the fact that I win more often without trying to win kinda sours the wins. When your faction had about a 10% win ratio those wins were sweeeeet.
A prize handed to me by que instead of the struggle of faction campaign is hollow and empty.
Before the new que rolled out I'd gone from taking 17 matches to get my first win, to a 22% win ratio.(Slightly better than 1 in 5.)
Wins were still distant, but I'd steadily improved and encouraged those on my faction into better play.
Now that is gone; wins are hollow.

So I just roll with the system in place, rarely que anymore; but when I do, I come to pick the daisies in the fields.
Games are about fun, so as the game changes, so also what is fun changes. Under the new system, the trying to win is about as fun as boxing with the wind.
So instead I'll let the wind blow by as I pick flowers.
The change to que is the difference between digging in dirt with a shovel compared to digging in the ocean with a shovel.
One has lasting change, the other is simply swept away.

I do miss people playing for their GCs. It felt as though there was a deeper meaning in frontlines getting to know those that's usually with you or against you on another team. Unlike now you could easily do your first engage and come up with a strategy based off of who you saw.

Well, if you made any friends during that time at least you can play with them. I do want the ability to make custom games though.

Not really about system design but I want to see I like the last round of job changes a lot, particularly for ranged and tanks. For the most part DNC nerfs were minimal, and they made the other range better instead. RDM is back to being a CC machine; not everyone's job but certainly one that scales extremely well with player skill having good burst and clutch healing. MCH got 20-25% DPS buffs on their pressure. BLM burst was mostly untouched like MCH but they got better poke, as well. The tanks all in all needed a lot of help; I still wonder if Rampart is necessary as a baseline action but that aside this is good.

As a side note I appreciate that they overall nerfed MNK in Feast while keeping it mostly on par in FL, and DRG took a hit to its midrange game in FL while overall having similar sustained DPS which mitigated its impact in Feast.

my thought is that we needed to change to two teams instead of 3

It's so infuriating when you're dominating the other team and 3rd place hangs back and gets an S rank for the win. But then it wouldn't be Frontlines if it were only two teams. That's what we have Rival Wings for-- which, by the way, the Revival Wings community will be trying to run this Friday and Saturday! https://discord.gg/WYMpfYp for the schedule and more info!

But seriously though, besides being forced to play one map for months, I've enjoyed Onsal and the aggressive play it has encouraged (most of the time). And I hope people keep that idea when the other maps are added again.

I would LOVE to see custom games added for frontlines. Being able to undersize them and just explore the maps sounds amazing. More than anything though, I want 24mans back or something smaller than 72 so my friends on the other side of the world can play Frontlines with me at 7am my time again haha But remove the small ice only option from Shatter please