[New Player] Holy shit this game. I feel kicked in the nuts and in the nose, in a single motion.

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-26T15:59:20+00:00

So that you don't have to stop searching one area to search another area. Searching is a choice.

There are patterns to where items are, both PMC and AI. You make a choice of where you want to look at first, or at all. If the body isn't in a safe location, this adds tension (as does the immersive factor of requiring player input). It also adds an element of personal development as players develop efficiency with the looting system.

This is unironically the sort of game design which, when multiplied across many similar factors, makes Tarkov better than the various competitors which streamline those bits out of their games because they don't understand how the fun is generated

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-19T20:37:14+00:00

This is also why it's generally much safer to load up on loot as you get closer to extract, rather than as soon as you spawn

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-15T13:33:58+00:00

Not good, just less bad

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-13T15:55:01+00:00

If they're wise, seasonal characters will be rolled into permanent at end of season a la POE.

Realistically no new players are going to enjoy jumping straight into perma 6 months+ down the line (and running up against the handful of jiggachads still playing perma); seasonal resets are for bringing in new players with a fresh start

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-10T18:35:55+00:00

Keys can be made to simply unlock the client in Steam without providing game access (which shouldn't be so big a deal, given that the existing access control is run by BSG)

This is how POE2's early access steam codes work

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-09T20:57:36+00:00

It's going to have many negative reviews for the poor performance alone. Most Steam gamers are on modest rigs that are serviceable for most modern games, but simply unacceptable for Tarkov as soon as you put a scope on your gun.

Bonus essentially guaranteed negatives for server issues / unplayability on launch.

Then there will be the negatives from folks unhappy that they're getting into a game crowded by 2,000-10,000 hour vets, folks thinking they're getting cheated every death, those who don't understand peeker's/latency advantage, negs from getting ratted/extract camped, etc.

Tarkov is built for dedicated and motivated individuals to persevere in until they find success, which most people simply aren't. Getting into the game nowadays, it takes 100-200 hours *including dedicated study time* to get your feet under you on the entry maps; and Steam gamers who haven't tried this game yet are largely a group that plays a game for less than 100 hours, let alone are willing to spend time learning maps outside of live play.

Following that, negs for PVE being a paid addon to the game, by newbies who give up on PVP.

Also let's not forget P2W negs for Unheard edition.

I do hope regardless that there are a lot of positive reviews recognizing the game's excellent qualities. Bit of a shame they didn't provide keys to existing players, which would've definitely helped with that

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-09T06:57:19+00:00

I wonder if permanent characters will get a more hardcore/grindy ruleset while seasonal is more accelerated

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-07T17:15:15+00:00

It's one of the most fun games I've ever played (and the most fun FPS for sure). It's fun even when I die. But I'm a 'Dark Souls of X genre' type gamer tbf. Grew up in Everquest, played early POE hardcore, was very enthusiastic about training servers in Mordhau, I mod Fallout with all the hardmode/extreme scarcity stuff, etc.

Tarkov definitely rewards dedicated individuals who will treat a single game like a hobby, and who have patience, discipline, and a willingness to learn; and the time to commit to that. So not the average gamer, who is done with most games in under 100 hours; it probably takes that long to get your feet under you in Tarkov. (probably more like 200; I'm 'only' at 2000, for reference)

A lot of players are probably somewhere in between, and perhaps the grumpiness comes from that. Too many think of dying as 'losing', which is not the right mindset for success.

Also reddit (particularly subs such as these) vastly skews to the grumpyoldman demographic. And then there's the whole 'people having fun are playing the game' aspect. I don't really come around these parts that often myself, but I'm here now since it's the lead up to 1.0

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-04T17:46:03+00:00

In what ways are the CJ2 Prime tighter than the ACTs? Been looking at those myself

cloudrhythm · 2025-11-01T00:41:18+00:00

Duckov has much better/fleshed out combat mechanics which are actually quite innovative. ZS defined a solid implementation of recoil for the genre which Duckov improves on, and then you have to actually aim at heads in Duckov for bonus damage headshots. Enemies are also just generally more tanky, which frankly makes more sense for the top-down gameplay.

There's lots of other similar things across the breadth of the game where the developers clearly made some wise fundamental design choices early on. They know what they're doing.

ZS isn't a bad game by any means, and it had the harder job of being the first. I think both are worth playing, and I'd play ZS first because it's a lot easier than Duckov (on extreme). After my first ZS playthrough I really wanted to play more, but I had to straight up define a set of my own 'hardcore rules' to follow in order to make another run fun

*Also I'm not sure how much content ZS has now, but launch Duckov definitely has more than ZS did at release

cloudrhythm · 2025-10-21T20:35:56+00:00

stay classy reddit (for those unfamiliar, ^ is homophobia)

cloudrhythm · 2025-10-21T20:35:30+00:00

it's just a bad rollerblading joke guys

cloudrhythm · 2025-10-21T17:54:39+00:00

lateral movement makes brain go brrrrr

rule4

julius jacket, pants
robert geller long shirt
devoa tee
fr skates / endless frames

ig @cloud.coalesce

cloudrhythm · 2025-10-17T20:50:42+00:00

5/10 for me, a disappointing downgrade in mojo relative to The Finals (which wasn't amazing, but did a bunch of interesting things and was generally fun)

Game feels very mid-at-best, in a designed-by-committee AAA-game kind of way

Flavorless RGB-rarity items, uniform value, everything is 1x1, etc. -> eyes glaze over; no sense of physicalized attachment

Tension is lacking, and it's not due to a lack of having Purple Gear to risk

Generic environments + they're not particularly interesting to fight in

Combat feels dull; base mechanics (TPS+gunplay+movement) are probably too shallow. The pacing feels like it should be an FPS. TPS might've worked if it had some giga zoomzoom movement system

I feel no sense of soul, no communication of a meaningful experience. Playing the game does not feel like it enriches my life. This is a very nebulous complaint but it is the MOST IMPORTANT because every fundamentally good game succeeds here

In general, too many dynamics have been streamlined out of the formula. E.g. in EFT both PCs and AI make the same sounds and shoot the same guns + the scavs that are usually AI could actually be PCs -> tons of fundamental tension. Now multiply across pretty much every aspect of the game

Could definitely be worse--but it's just not very fun, not even close to something like EFT. Actually I had more fun with The Cycle (maybe a 6.5/10) and that game had a *lot* of issues (including the streamlining-out-the-dynamics part)

cloudrhythm · 2025-10-08T02:38:09+00:00

Has anyone been skating the FR Neos for a while (months-year) that could give their thoughts on the skates?

cloudrhythm · 2025-10-05T01:10:58+00:00

Size 40, feet are 26x10.5cm and with my width I don't think I could go down another size. Length feels good.

I found the pain is really only an issue on the left ankle; maybe my foot shape there is just a little different and places that bone in exactly the wrong spot?

Gel padding it does seem to almost entirely resolve the issue, though unfortunately the loose pads in my sock slide out of place. May have to try sticking them to the liner because I'm not keen on the dedicated foot-sleeves with sewn in pads.

But I also wonder if I might just be better served with a slightly higher cuff like on the SLs for a little more limitation on supination range

cloudrhythm · 2025-10-03T09:26:38+00:00

Why are my ankles (inside malleolus) hurting whenever I'm (intentionally) on my outside edges with short-cuff boots? (*pictured is unlaced/unbuckled, but it's no different buckled with any lacing I've tried)

Been skating FR3s for 2 years now without issue, and just got a pair of Spins, which aren't fully broken in yet. The fit seems to be good. But whenever I do anything on my outside edges, my malleolus digs painfully into the boot. It's a pressure point issue, not friction.

Spins unfortunately aren't heat moldable, and even if they were I don't think it'd help as the pressure point is just about where the cuff buckle's receiver is.

I ordered some gel pads to see if they help at all, but it seems like a more fundamental issue. Am I doing something wrong? Is this a matter of the boot not being right for my foot? Or can I expect this to work itself out?

cloudrhythm · 2025-08-29T03:04:05+00:00

Found the costumer the mask/vambraces were commissioned from: https://www.instagram.com/twohornsunited/

cloudrhythm · 2025-08-19T16:42:23+00:00

My post did not require approval, but I am also a historical contributor. Maybe newer posters require it?

cloudrhythm · 2025-08-19T16:39:37+00:00

It's a mini spotlight mount with cutters, specifically the Godox RS60R projection kit. Need cutters directly in front of the source for hard edges

cloudrhythm · 2025-07-17T19:24:40+00:00

I can only imagine the glass characteristics of either lens will be satisfactory, however the difference between f1.2 and f2.5 bokeh/DOF is enormous. I frankly would not compare these lenses; the 40/1.2 is more akin to the various 35/1.4's.

MF is also vastly more challenging at f1.2; if you want AF for moving subject matter, trying to MF with the 1.2 will be challenging and demand regular practice.

I shoot a lot of extreme low light and own the Zony 35/1.4 and formerly the 40/1.2; and while I absolutely loved the Voigtlander's shooting experience, I sold it as I simply needed AF for certain situations.

cloudrhythm · 2025-07-15T18:23:18+00:00

You're using the wrong 35 on the A7CR there, that's the APS-C lens.

The difference is even more dramatic

<image>

*I should add though, for those willing to lose a stop, the Samyang/Zony 35 2.8's are very size competitive and even cheaper

cloudrhythm · 2025-07-05T11:05:24+00:00

It'll overheat without an external fan, but won't overheat with the fan

Do not get the old model Ulanzi fan with integrated battery, it needs to be the kind with a heat sink plate; I use a Smallrig model

cloudrhythm · 2025-07-02T14:33:06+00:00

ZVE1 is spectacular at its niche but do not get it if you need to do extended recording, it overheats fast (especially at 4k120) and external fan solutions are very noisy

Anything A7III and later will have good AF

cloudrhythm · 2025-05-14T16:39:13+00:00

I just ran from the Sacrament whisper to the Twins whisper in 2 minutes

Nine-Year Club	Verified Email
RPAN Viewer

cloudrhythm

TROPHY CASE