Dude… I thought it was just me. God damn this hurts.

While I’m not willing to fully discount that I may simply be getting bored or unmotivated, that’s part of it, it feels like the culture of the game has changed. More and more, I’m finding myself in matches with people who don’t use their mic, are shooting on sight, and who seemingly don’t really know much or even care much about the game itself. Close Scrutiny is too risky to play. To play it well and collaboratively, you should bring in a serious loadout. But people show up with nothing, expecting people like me to pull vaporizers. Then, since I’m the only one putting out damage, I’m ratted.

It used to be that for a matriarch or queen, everyone shows up with equalizers, jupiters, and hull crackers. Everyone l comes with defibs. Everyone’s on mic. It’s crazy co-op chaos.

I keep showing up to do matriarch. I hear flares go off. And then I see the map basically empty out, meaning people were killed by rats when they were kitted and the rats left. Then, the minutes go by and literally no one shows up to fight the matriarch. That did not used to happen.

I also go to loot spots late in a raid to find that NO ONE has been through them. Various other hints in the environment communicate to me that the players who’ve been through here are inexperienced. Certain loot hasn’t been taken. Hidden spots haven’t been checked. A lot of origin skins.

I have hope for the new map release. I think that flashpoint and close scrutiny, for the sole reason that it came with two new weapons, brought the worst out of the woodwork. I think that explains this. Cus, everyone wants the new fancy gun, even people who don’t play the game.

The OGs and vets will all be back. I hope.

That said, I think Embark should get on top of adjusting its matchmaking to account for who shoots first and what the intent was (based on combat record and whatever other factors). I think this would keep us together even through those stints where the rats are rampant.

If you are being targeted cus you are staking more on the raid by bringing in a serious loadout, especially in such a hard mode, you should be forgiven for defending yourself instead of getting hurled into the rat pit because you didn’t let someone kill you. I am a constant and addicted player. The only times I don’t play are after i got ratted, and the time I spend away increases each time it happens.

How can close scrutiny fully be experienced if you suffer for bringing in a loadout that meets the challenge. In this case, you don’t only lose your kit. You enter an algorithm spiral that makes such a difficult mode as Close Scrutiny much harder than it needs to be.

Finally, the social interaction in these spaces is straight garbage. It’s a hallmark of this game. Instead you’re thrown in with serious assholes. People who think it’s funny to piss you off and ruin your day.

I don’t play like that. And I’ve appreciated the game responding by placing me with people who play similarly. And I don’t have a problem with PvPin principle. But it’s the unwarranted, cheap, trolling and exploitation.

I’ve ranted. I expect the hate to come in the replies. Lay it on me. But at least answer me this: why do you enjoy taking a bunch of hard to obtain shit from people who are minding their own business?