Rocket League

[Brend]

I did not realize that you could already play with your friends cross-platform via private matches! Even after 2000 matches this game continues to amaze.

Just played my little brother on Xbox from my Switch. So amazing, just a shame Sony don't want involved in this party.

 

[AOS-]

Sweet. Now we can alllll play together.

___________________

 

[Lain]

But being good at a real sport is not quite the same as being good at a video game. The requirements are simply higher, as you need to use your full body in a physically demanding environment. I wouldn't exactly say they deserve the amount of money that is being funneled through the various sports, but that is just capitalism, and I accept that. The variables are also easier to grasp in the real world as opposed to a game where latency and inconsistent physics can ruin otherwise good shots.

I think you could argue that the playing field in inherently unfair in the sense that for instance someone who's 15 and still in school will have a lot more time available for getting good than someone who's working or studying at university. Hence my previous comments about people who have actual commitments in life will be at a disadvantage, even if they wanted to be good. That's of course fine, but surely it should then be possible for those people to join casual games expecting not to be dominated by someone who do have the time and inclination. AOS suggests that one simply leaves when faced with insurmountable opposition, but I say that just creates a new problem where games are never full. The fix isn't to eliminate either group of people, but to improve matchmaking somehow. I recognize that isn't an easy thing to do.

As for the E-sports thing, you're not wrong. I dislike its influence on gaming because A, some games gets balanced around the top players, which is just plain awful, and B, some games are designed around the concept to the extend that it ruins the rest of the game. Rainbow Six: Siege is an example of the former, and GT Sport, of the latter. It's not my prerogative to tell people that they can't dedicate their lives to getting really good at a game and earn money doing so, but I do wish they would drop the word Sport from the name (talking about E-Sports). That is of course a matter of how you define that word, but to me, it seems like they're using the word to make it into something that it isn't, as far as I am concerned. To me, a sport has to include both competition and physical exertion.

Drop the word sport from the name? So what, just call it "E-"?

They're not trying to make it out to be a traditional physical sport by calling it "e-sports", it's just that it's the most appealing name for it. Something like "e-competition" just doesn't have the same ring to it, you know?

Besides, the "e-" part of the name already counteracts the typical physical expectation one expects from just plain "sports". If, hypothetically speaking, they called it "Virtual Sports", would you still take issue with the fact that it's not physical despite the fact that the name clearly tells you that it's virtual and not physical? Do you take issue with Madden and Fifa being called "sports" games?

Just think of "e-sports" as being something totally different from just plain old "sports" rather than some subcategory, and be glad they don't call e-sports competitors "athletes".




Anyway, on the topic of Rocket League... the Switch port seems pretty impressive from what I've seen of it. I've heard a lot of negativity about the graphics, but what I've seen looked very acceptable. The crossplay with Xbox/PC is also very cool... for some reason the pessimist in me just kinda assumed that'd be something patched in later, so to see it working pretty much flawlessly out of the box on day one is very nice indeed.

 

[Brend]

Drop the word sport from the name? So what, just call it "E-"?

They're not trying to make it out to be a traditional physical sport by calling it "e-sports", it's just that it's the most appealing name for it. Something like "e-competition" just doesn't have the same ring to it, you know?

Besides, the "e-" part of the name already counteracts the typical physical expectation one expects from just plain "sports". If, hypothetically speaking, they called it "Virtual Sports", would you still take issue with the fact that it's not physical despite the fact that the name clearly tells you that it's virtual and not physical? Do you take issue with Madden and Fifa being called "sports" games?

Just think of "e-sports" as being something totally different from just plain old "sports" rather than some subcategory, and be glad they don't call e-sports competitors "athletes".




Anyway, on the topic of Rocket League... the Switch port seems pretty impressive from what I've seen of it. I've heard a lot of negativity about the graphics, but what I've seen looked very acceptable. The crossplay with Xbox/PC is also very cool... for some reason the pessimist in me just kinda assumed that'd be something patched in later, so to see it working pretty much flawlessly out of the box on day one is very nice indeed.

The Switch version of the game is the exact same as the other versions. No slimming down whatsoever, you can even save replays and use spectator mode. It's sublime in that aspect but I think that's why it's so poor visually. Psyonix and Panic Button will probably improve it over time too, shout out to the days the PS4 version ran at about 50fps.

@AOS- We should definitely try a private lobby!

 

[AOS-]

@AOS- We should definitely try a private lobby!

Only thing I don't get is how we can find each other using that thing they set up.

 

[RYAN]

Only thing I don't get is how we can find each other using that thing they set up.

Someone creates a password protected lobby. Then shares the details to the people who want to join.

-Server name
-Password

 

[Brend]

Only thing I don't get is how we can find each other using that thing they set up.

Basically, someone makes a private match with a name and password. Then you can 'join' it by searching for that information.

 

[AOS-]

Basically, someone makes a private match with a name and password. Then you can 'join' it by searching for that information.

You free this weekend?

 

[JvM]

Could possibly play some too. EU server only for me though, NA ping a bit too bad these days.

I'm highish diamond level.

 

[Brend]

You free this weekend?

I could be free for a bit.

 

[AOS-]

Just going to pasta a bunch of recent plays for your viewing pleasure:

Spoiler

https://gfycat.com/SpeedyScornfulEyelashpitviper

https://gfycat.com/AdorableSparklingAlbacoretuna

Damn. Forgot the 5-gif limit.

 

[adam46]

Is anyone else having issues with the EU servers tonight?

 

[Pagey279]

They must have been listening! There's an update coming among which they have addressed the quitting issue in ranked, with bans lengthened (depending on how often you quit) and going up in stages with the longest being 24 hours.

 

[JvM]

They must have been listening! There's an update coming among which they have addressed the quitting issue in ranked, with bans lengthened (depending on how often you quit) and going up in stages with the longest being 24 hours.

Then they should also make sure the ban wont happen for some weird net issues and game crashes, like it does atm.

 

[AOS-]

PHEW competitive bans. I'll still be in unranked quitting games for days!

But word, they're doing more than 10 minutes.

____

Also, I love League of Rockets's video editing work:

 

[1241Penguin]

I got an Electroshock goal explosion!!

 

[Pagey279]

This is probably bread and butter for most of you but with 9 seconds to go at 3-3 this is the best goal I have scored.

 

[lancia delta hf]

I'm curious to see if crates get dropped before being forced to, what with all the Battlefront 2 fiasco. Me and my friends would comment how it feels like playing fruit machines when using your keys ( I.e gambling ). Shocked this hasn't been cracked down on the.

 

[JvM]

I'm curious to see if crates get dropped before being forced to, what with all the Battlefront 2 fiasco. Me and my friends would comment how it feels like playing fruit machines when using your keys ( I.e gambling ). Shocked this hasn't been cracked down on the.

It's only cosmetics in RL not affecting gameplay, unlike BF2, so I doubt much will happen.

 

[AOS-]

This is what you call Robbing Peter for Paul:


Not the tightest, but a save nonetheless:



And today's play: slapping the ball out of the goaltender's hands:

This is probably bread and butter for most of you

It's not. I still don't grasp how I should hit the ball off the wall 90% of the time in-game. All I know how to do is hit the ball hard most of the time. Nice shot.

I'm curious to see if crates get dropped before being forced to, what with all the Battlefront 2 fiasco. Me and my friends would comment how it feels like playing fruit machines when using your keys ( I.e gambling ). Shocked this hasn't been cracked down on the.

It seems to be about at subtly harmful as a capsule toy vending machine. A whole bunch of things you don't need but really want.

I just pulled the Breakout decal from the Velocity decal. Does anyone want it? I'm on Steam. This crate's wheel selection is bomb. I asked for aftermarket wheels, and look at what they give us:

Source: http://rocketleague.wikia.com/wiki/Velocity_Crate

 

[Brend]

I think this my favourite goal I've ever scored.

 

[AOS-]

I'm surprised your ball cam was off for so long. Is that what you're doing most of the time when you're not in possession of the ball?

 

[Brend]

I'm surprised your ball cam was off for so long. Is that what you're doing most of the time when you're not in possession of the ball?

I'm still getting used to using ball cam, it makes me feel dizzy (always has). Unsure why, just messes with my perception. I tend to go 50/50 between regular and ball cam right now.

 

[lancia delta hf]

It's only cosmetics in RL not affecting gameplay, unlike BF2, so I doubt much will happen.

This is what you call Robbing Peter for Paul:


Not the tightest, but a save nonetheless:



And today's play: slapping the ball out of the goaltender's hands:






It's not. I still don't grasp how I should hit the ball off the wall 90% of the time in-game. All I know how to do is hit the ball hard most of the time. Nice shot.




It seems to be about at subtly harmful as a capsule toy vending machine. A whole bunch of things you don't need but really want.

I just pulled the Breakout decal from the Velocity decal. Does anyone want it? I'm on Steam. This crate's wheel selection is bomb. I asked for aftermarket wheels, and look at what they give us:

Source: http://rocketleague.wikia.com/wiki/Velocity_Crate

It is completely irrelevant that they are only cosmetics. Granted Rocket league have got the formula right out of all the games with MT's. The issue here is that it is gambling and children are exposed to it, and they do not have a gambling licence. My mate was a heavy gambler and he has spent a !it of money on crates because of the buzz he gets from the clone fruit machine style system rocket league has. Even I feel the buzz waiting see what it stops on when I open a crate, and I'm no gambler.

Its a well thought out system. Half of the stuff in the crates are rubbish, things that are no better than free drops. They know exactly what they are doing. Frankly it is scrupulous and without doubt breaching gambling laws inn the UK. I may even take this somewhere.

 

[JvM]

It is completely irrelevant that they are only cosmetics. Granted Rocket league have got the formula right out of all the games with MT's. The issue here is that it is gambling and children are exposed to it, and they do not have a gambling licence. My mate was a heavy gambler and he has spent a !it of money on crates because of the buzz he gets from the clone fruit machine style system rocket league has. Even I feel the buzz waiting see what it stops on when I open a crate, and I'm no gambler.

Its a well thought out system. Half of the stuff in the crates are rubbish, things that are no better than free drops. They know exactly what they are doing. Frankly it is scrupulous and without doubt breaching gambling laws inn the UK. I may even take this somewhere.

I can ofcourse still see how it could be looked as gambling, but in context it matters if they have a gameplay influence. As well as the fact that you can not win any real money back, and trying to sell items for real money is against the TOS. (also these kind of things in games have been around for years before RL too)

But it will be interesting if it goes somewhere still. I was wondering if some ppl actually bought more keys, if they made it so that once you get item X, you would not get that same item anymore until you have the rest (with the exeption of the very rarest maybe). I would buy few keys in that case probably.

 

[AOS-]

So are you determined to have keys and crates banned in UK only then?

As I said in the giant gif-heavy post you quoted, this is equivalent to operating capsule toy vending machines, which is fully allowed here in Canada and some Asian countries. Arguably gambling, but I haven't seen anyone pledge to have these removed from the public because of this.

Are you going to take it away from us too? How much of this is really going to fly?

 

[RYAN]

So are you determined to have keys and crates banned in UK only then?

As I said in the giant gif-heavy post you quoted, this is equivalent to operating capsule toy vending machines, which is fully allowed here in Canada and some Asian countries. Arguably gambling, but I haven't seen anyone pledge to have these removed from the public because of this.

Are you going to take it away from us too? How much of this is really going to fly?

The thing that seems to trouble most people over here is the amount of children and young adults indulging in the "gambling". I don't think the system is that hated or frowned upon otherwise.

But if it is found that these systems and features in games do constitute as gambling then age ratings and such should be adjusted to reflect so. Aswell as the introduction of guidelines to properly and fairly implement such things.

 

[AOS-]

Perhaps an easy middle ground that eliminates the gamble, but also generates revenue for the developers could very well much be going back to drops only (including the rare drop rates for painted goodies) for obtaining items, no crates, and no keys.

Trading can only be item-to-item.

And Psyonix can instead opt to make super cool cosmetic items, but charge a fixed amount in the Showroom in-game store.

 

[RYAN]

As much as I've stuck up for Crates I would prefer the ability to just purchase fixed items from a storefront similar to the Helix Credit system in Assassin's Creed Origins.

I never have and never will open Crates for the "thrill" I only used to open them when there was specific things I wanted in that crate.

As much as Rocket League is the most fair and probably the best out of all the popular crate systems I'd still like to see the end of the practice. Its just making you pay over the odds for the item you want.

 

[Pagey279]

The decryptors you can buy in the seasonal special events are handy, it probably takes 13+ games to earn one decryptor so no need to spend money over Christmas! Unless you are opening more than 5.

I must admit I have put a fair chunk of money into keys which I haven't done in any other game. Purely because I got the game for free in the PS plus thing ages ago and I play it a hell of a lot so I don't mind putting that money I saved back into the developers (and a bit more besides...). But I do agree that it's a bit of a farce when your not even guaranteed the item you want, it's meant to be random but I've come away with too many crappy decals for my liking.

Maybe they could do packs, so a decal pack, wheel pack, car pack etc that you buy with real money, they still get the income and we still get the items we want.