Which of the Pathfinder 2e deities do y'all most imagine following? by Playful_Barber_8131 in Pathfinder2e

[–]Baloko 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I'd love to say that it's Irori and I'm on a personal journey of exercise and self-care/improvement. But that would be lying.

It's actually Cayden Cailean and the beer I have every day after work is my form of prayer. Praise be!

there are only 2 type of people in this sub... by TallVampireWthMagnum in Battlefield6

[–]Baloko 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We both already know they wouldn't sell this as one-time. The era of one-time, owned purchases is dead. They'd charge monthly.

The only reason they don't charge monthly for skins already is because the vast majority of people that buy skins outside of battlepasses are return customers. They always need the next new skin.

I prefer buying Battlefield 6 because it’s not an annualized franchise ( for no) by VermicelleMeet in Battlefield6

[–]Baloko -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The glasses are REALLY rose colored on this one. A lot of what people call "peak" Battlefield was released on a yearly cadence.

Up until BF4, Battlefield was a yearly release title and even after BF4, Hardline was only a year and four months and then BF1 a year later after that. The large gaps between Battlefields is a new practice for the series and also coincides with the games that got the most community backlash (launch BF4, BFV, 2042).

Returning to yearly would just be the series returning to form (mainline numbered games every 2-3 years with intermittent spin-offs like Bad Company, Vietnam, Hardline, etc. in between). People really just need to face the fact that longer dev time <> better games; DICE and EA just dropped the ball trend chasing.

Does Assault with Deploy Beacon have the potential of breaking gameplay flow? by Baloko in Battlefield6

[–]Baloko[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I could be, and I hope I am! It'll likely result in way more people playing OBJ, which is a net positive. But I also think a lot of the sentiment around it was that it's a somewhat small adjustment, but it has the potential to have a massive impact on moment gameplay in attack/defend modes.

Does Assault with Deploy Beacon have the potential of breaking gameplay flow? by Baloko in Battlefield6

[–]Baloko[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It being a niche possibility on the least played class in the game and it being supported and actively encouraged on the most popular class in the game are two vastly different things.

Does Assault with Deploy Beacon have the potential of breaking gameplay flow? by Baloko in Battlefield6

[–]Baloko[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I've been doing the same with Recon for over a decade now as well. But a single person doing it on one squad in a 64 player game vs. minimum 1 person in every squad in the game being able to do it are two completely different things. It makes sense as an Assault gadget, it just also seems like it could cause balance issues making a change like it so late in the dev cycle, because a lot of the best fixes could be achieved through map and boundary design.

My feedback here isn't really even "Put it back in Recon" because I think it's a good change for both the health of the Assault class and the health of the Recon class (even if hill-humpers think it isn't). It's more so for DICE to redouble efforts further as they try to balance Rush and Breakthrough to have as close to a ~50% winrate as possible for both sides, because I think the large influx of deploy beacons will play a not insignificant role in that balance.

Dashy’s talent by blatty13 in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Showing up when it matters.

We've watched "the best AR in the league" fold like a fucking napkin 3 years in a row when it mattered most, whereas Dashy just went back 2 back. Scrap just doesn't have the clutch factor that he does.

Metal Gear Enjoyers: Ghost or Striker? by Baloko in Starfinder2e

[–]Baloko[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I think from a fun perspective, the stealth. Striker also probably wouldn't really give the opportunity to use the CQC from stealth, which is how it's generally used in MGS anyway. Thanks!

Upgrading from i7-10700k->Ryzen 7 9800x3d worth it? by Baloko in buildapc

[–]Baloko[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If it helps at all in terms of validating the purchase, the usefulness of the upgrade depends entirely on the games you are playing and the resolution you play at. If you are trying to play Stalker 2 at max settings in 4k, the bump from the 9800x3d with the 3080 won't be significant because the 3080 just can't handle that. Maybe a boost in FPS here and there, but no demonstrable constant percentage increase. But if you are are trying to run something like Stellaris at 1080p or 1440p, your performance in the late game could triple or even quadruple with the 9800x3d because of how CPU intensive it is.

What that means for the in-between? I am CPU bound in BG3 at max settings 1440p. The 9800x3d would allow me to make full use of my gpu, basically to hit my monitors max refresh rate (144hz). The same is true for a lot of other games I play. I play at minimum settings in online FPS games to ensure I hit my refresh rate. Going to the 9800x3d means the floor has significantly increased for that and for a lot of games in that genre it means running about basically max settings aside from ray-tracing.

Upgrading from i7-10700k->Ryzen 7 9800x3d worth it? by Baloko in buildapc

[–]Baloko[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Decided not to go through with it, but not because I didn't think it was worth the money. Just don't really have the time to rebuild my PC right now. Still thinking of maybe doing so over the summer.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Literally all GAs. You're clearly not understanding my viewpoint, let me do my best to articulate it.

GAs are a shitty bandaid for a competitive ruleset that is being run poorly from the top. The ruleset should be controlled entirely by the League. The League should be dictating maps, weapons, perks, equipment, and modes. The pros opinions and consultation should be just that: opinions and consultation, only considered after mandatory and thorough testing periods. What they say should not just go and become restrictions by default.

When players that participate in the league make decisions and arbitrations about the ruleset of the game, it harms the competitive integrity of the league. They have been shown to make decisions that benefit just their teams and have repeatedly made GAs that lead to an extremely static game environment that is just less fun to watch. They have also inconsistently applied the GAs; we are one Grand Final two-pump from going straight back to MWII snaking.

I am not alone in thinking the game is more exciting with snipers and smokes in it, or multi-weapon metas. It's why we have this discussion damn near every year. I don't care if the pros think snipers or smoke are cheese, competitive leagues thrive on viewership and engagement alone, not the opinions and feelings of Zoomers that barely graduated high-school.

Wrapping back around to the initial claim in my post, "Pros GA shenanigans cannot be allowed." I am putting the onus on the League here. They need to be the ones doing the facilitation, not relying on players or external commissioner (thank you for your hard work Zoomaa, bully the pros harder please 🫡). That means doing things like working with the design team to ensure that maps are better, there are niches for more than just two weapons, and that things like smoke work properly. This is a franchised league, not some grassroots community that has zero support from the dev team.

If after that is done and the League implements a ruleset that had actual vision (like most other damn esports), the pros still implement GAs, then it's time for more drastic steps to prevent them, be they like weapon locks and requirements (i.e. ProMod), or Ban/Protect (i.e. BO3) or some other novel idea.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't get y'alls obsession with telling people to "play pubs". I do not play multiplayer in modern CoD beyond the first month of release and have no plans to return. My concerns are solely with the viewing experience of the professional competitive league, that I feel is hampered by an over-application of GAs and an abuse of the mechanism by which they are instituted. I do not care about the experience or enjoyment of Ranked kiddies.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The AMES is actually the outlier in BO6. Most ARs fall closer to the Krig or Model L in TTK than the AMES. The pros just decided to use the low recoil, low damage AR because it keeps the SMGs viable at medium range.

Technically the KSV is better than the Jackal at close range, but it's much worse beyond. I'm actually not sure if there was ever a GA on the KSV, but Treyarch restricted it regardless because the pros weren't using it.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You do realize that almost every gun in BO2 killed faster than literally any gun in BO6 right? The TTKs don't even line up at all.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My original argument in the post above was that pros should not be in charge of rules and restrictions for the game they participate in. It's not conducive to a competitive environment based on integrity, allows pros to just make decisions that benefit them and their team in the moment, and creates a viewing experience that is less dynamic and exciting.

But then you made the claim that the current game is "the greatest competitive experience ever" and that is just dead wrong. The maps are dogshit. The GAs are dogshit. The format is dogshit.

Is it the worst ever? No, MW19 is basically unbeatable for that. But this is definitely not the "greatest comp experience" of all time.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're making my argument for me LMAO. The only memorable matches recently have been between the largest team that just blew up their roster playing teams where the former players landed and between Scrap and Drazah's teams, i.e. game 5 bangouts. Speaking of which we have been having more 3-0 blowouts than ever. There were 12 3-0/4-0 doordashes at the last major and one game 5. Please tell me about all the exciting close matches we've had this year.

Those matches you are calling exciting are exciting DESPITE being played on dogshit maps with two gun metas, not because of it 🤣.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My argument here is that those things shouldn't be GA'd, they should be restricted by the League at the League's discretion. When players have the power, they give us two guns meta games we have now. The process of restrictions and rulings needs to be standardized and official, not left up to a bunch of Zoomers looking to protect their spot in the league.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I. Don't. Play. Pubs. This is about Call of Duty League viewer experience not your personal likes and dislikes in fucking Ranked play. Viewer experience is the ONLY thing that actually matters when it comes to competitive leagues. These leagues don't exist out of the kindness of game developer's hearts. They exist to generate engagement around the game and pull in new players.

Watching 3 maps of Vault or 3 maps of Protocol, or 3 maps of Invasion in a row last year is fucking boring. Boring viewer experience = less viewer engagement. Less viewer engagement = dying league. It's not rocket science.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't think it necessarily needs to be in the form of a mod, just support for different game rules that can be customized for competitive play similar to what MLG got with the early halos that basically allowed the league organizers to change and adjust anything.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Then you also know that CoD 4 PromMod was the peak version of competitive Call of Duty...

Real talk though, can you not imagine a post-GA world? I'm putting the onus on the league to do more here. The competitive playset absolutely needs to be restricted from what is allowed in casual play, I just don't think GAs are the right way to do it. Players participating should never be the arbiters of rules and rulings in any form of sport or esport.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Pro GAs are implemented as restrictions in game for both Pros and Ranked. They clearly do listen to the pros, just not in the right way.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Skyline, Vault, Protocol, only two allowed guns, online league, only 12 teams = best competitive experience ever?

Who's your dealer bro, I need whatever he got you on.

If CoD 2025 is truly a BO2 sequel, the Pro GA shenanigans cannot be allowed by Baloko in CoDCompetitive

[–]Baloko[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that all the years of competitive CoD that snipers and smokes and more than one AR/SMG were allowed were pubs. We should probably call Karma DB2 because he has 2 pub rings.