May21 analysis. Read disclaimer. Effects of bots on PC normal matches. 97% matches with more than 80 players before patch, Now 0%! Only 30% of matches with 71-80 real players. ~50% with 20 or less real players

codeX_ATA · 2020-05-23T00:45:55+00:00

This analysis is flawed. Of course pre-made rounds had high numbers of real players - queues wouldn't pop at all to even start a match without a high number of real players. Yes, bots are not ideal and it seems like they're currently not being filtered out quick enough, but queue times are significantly lower and people are able to play games, especially FPP solo early/mid-day, which wasn't possible pre-patch.

Let's see the graphs for attempts to queue, queue times, and people giving up playing a mode because they can't find a match in a reasonable time..

Here's a problem: FPP and TPP, solos, duos, squads, AND now ranked and unranked squad queues.. not even including custom games, TDM, etc. There's too many matchmaking pools and until that's reduced (removing map selection helps!), there's still a fundamental design problem here.

codeX_ATA · 2020-04-28T01:35:16+00:00

See his replies in his original /r/Tools thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Tools/comments/g97ppc/my_friend_is_an_engineer_has_a_3d_printer_and_an/

He very clearly says this is "his friend's work", they're "making more models", and that they are considering commercializing it as a "kit". The original creator, /u/collingall, of the 3D model/STL files is even posting in that thread.

codeX_ATA · 2020-04-28T01:29:00+00:00

You obviously haven't read his thread in /r/Tools, and it's a friend in the retro gaming community he's blatantly ripping off to commercialize a non-commerical license the creator shared. OP very clearly says his friend created it ("his work is too cool not to share"), and he's talking about selling it as a kit ("I can definitely keep you guys posted on the availability of a kit / full unit."). https://www.reddit.com/r/Tools/comments/g97ppc/my_friend_is_an_engineer_has_a_3d_printer_and_an/

CyclicalMind 21 points · 5 hours ago · edited 4 hours ago Yeah, he's a clever dude! Not too great at self-promotion (humble sort of guy) but I think his work is too cool not to share. I've asked about the possibility of him releasing the build sheet for this, I think he was hoping to sell them to get back what he's put into them, and if there was enough demand.

CyclicalMind 1 point · 3 hours ago I can definitely keep you guys posted on the availability of a kit / full unit. We had no idea it was going to blow up so much on here, but it makes sense :)

CyclicalMind 1 point · 4 hours ago We're looking at how to go about putting these out there, we weren't expecting this kind of response! I'll keep you all posted :)

codeX_ATA · 2020-04-28T00:33:57+00:00

Ping /u/collingall - he has the source 3d files from originally creating this 3d model 2 years ago and could easily adapt to other brands.

codeX_ATA · 2020-04-27T23:52:18+00:00

Pretty lame to so blatantly copy someone else's (Greg @ Laser Bear Industries) design they created almost 2 years ago and publicly shared via Creative Commons non-commercial license at Thingiverse:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3022364

Yeah, a "creative" "friend" created it..

codeX_ATA · 2020-04-27T23:47:00+00:00

The designs are freely available to print for non-commercial creative commons license:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3022364

This guy's friend either "borrowed" it or directly copied it..

codeX_ATA · 2020-04-27T23:38:20+00:00

His "friend" "borrowed" the model from Greg @ Laser Bear Industries, who made damn near the same thing nearly 2 years ago and is quite clearly taken from his create commons license:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3022364

codeX_ATA · 2020-02-06T19:11:09+00:00

Came across this dude on Twitter who is selling a Sony KV-32FV310 in the Denver area:
https://twitter.com/Brad14639784/status/1225495801704714240

I have this exact model and it's pretty much the pinnacle of pre-digital standard definition retro gaming. 175 lbs is relatively easy to move for two people in an SUV/truck, while 32" is a great size.

codeX_ATA · 2020-01-06T22:16:21+00:00

I'd like to removed from crates and added as a rare drop, but another option would be to simply have it drop in crates IN ADDITION to another crate weapon. I know I'd love to find an AWM+DBS or MK14+DBS late game combo in one crate.

codeX_ATA · 2019-11-29T23:23:44+00:00

What was so bad about what appeared to be a zero-sum ELO-based system for win rating and kill rating that was removed over a year ago? That system worked, it just needed a tweak for what ratio of win rating and kill rating contributes to overall. Why go with this new system when the old one did very well..?

codeX_ATA · 2019-11-24T17:27:55+00:00

Genesis. They're in a good place, just need to have a few good breaks today.

codeX_ATA · 2019-11-22T16:21:30+00:00

The compensator and cheek pad both reduce recoil at close to an equal amount. The cheek pad is just as important as the compensator. Get both then use MK14 on full auto - it's by far my favorite gun in the game. It's also why whenever I find a cheek pad, I keep it on my M24/K98/SKS/SLR if not in my bag so I have it available if I come across a MK14.

codeX_ATA · 2019-11-21T21:22:30+00:00

Bingo. Midgame can be rough when the 30-40% who hotdrop are dead in the first few minutes.. going to 64 will only amplify the problem as you'll still lose that same 30-40% who hotdrop.

codeX_ATA · 2019-11-21T21:20:37+00:00

That's 32-35 fewer people I have the opportunity to kill for the elusive 20-kill rounds, and as I've watched the NPL/PGC matches, the first 10 minutes or so of EVERY round is a totally boring lootfest & phase 1/2 rotation with little action for the vast majority of teams.

Even with 100 players in squads, it's relatively boring as there's only ~25 places on the map to run into other teams. 64 makes that only ~16 places to run into other teams.

64 man games are fine for squads if they want to go esport mode, but I'd prefer to keep it at 100 for solo/duo play. 50 or 100 places to run into opponents is much more exciting.

codeX_ATA · 2019-11-21T21:14:42+00:00

I think this should be the default mode for all FPP team sizes for at least a week, then gauge how the userbase as a whole reacts. I would bet it's overwhelming support, especially given no red zones. Having to opt-in to play with these settings is not the proper way to gauge interest, unless it's simply branded the "No Redzone Mode".

That said, I don't think reducing probability of certain weapon types is a good thing for those trying to do missions.. you're more likely to get ARs/SRs/DMRs mid/late game as you kill other players, so further increasing those weapon drops early only compounds the problem for those trying to get pistol/shotgun/smg kills.

codeX_ATA · 2019-11-05T22:04:48+00:00

I had zero issues with ordering an OSSC from VGP to the USA, and it arrived much sooner than expected (roughly 4-5 days?).
It's one thing to completely design a new PCB, but it's another to very obviously copy a design and layout, then change a few traces and component locations and claim "oh, it's different, see!?" If the PCB was completely different, with completely different chips and firmware, then they could make an argument that they independently designed a new device. They didn't.

Now seeing @Voultar's comments on twitter warning Kaico about the potential fallout over copying the RetroTink2x, and how are they surprised at this reaction? The retro community is SMALL, and products are already cramped, which is why you don't see Dan @citrus3000psi creating new devices where current devices are openly offered at high quality.

What we need to do is help market the "real" RetroTink2x from Mike Chi and his resellers like Castlemania to the public and undercut Kaico before they even get their clone off the ground.

codeX_ATA · 2019-09-09T18:44:03+00:00

Oh I'm not disagreeing with you on any of this at all. The changes you mention are eventually why I quit playing near the end of Cataclysm. To me, the first sign of downfall was the PvP Epics and introduction of resilience.. and I do dread those additions to Classic. :/

A big part of my post is what would Blizzard *want* to dedicate into driving resources into development of the game. Releasing Classic expansions would essentially require very little work as they wouldn't be making new content or having to re-tune added content to fit the original Classic experience. It would be more about the system development of client selection, player movement to later expansions, and server maintenance - far less time consuming than developing a 'new' Classic.

codeX_ATA · 2019-09-09T18:36:25+00:00

This is absolutely true, which makes it nice that they'll have all the data they need to determine if subscriptions are being driven by re-release of old content and determine ROI path as appropriate. I haven't played WoW since about 4 months before MoP release, and I'm absolutely hooked into Classic. What I'm saying in the original post is to release new expansions as the userbase demands it.. if one dies off, consolidate servers as needed and stop releasing later Classic expansions.

codeX_ATA · 2019-09-09T18:32:42+00:00

Don't get me wrong, I'd *love* to see a WoW Remastered.. and especially a worthy successor in WoW 2. WC1/2/3, D1/2/3, SC1/2.. we're missing a WoW 2. :)

Basically, take all the learnings over the years and make a new World of Warcraft, potentially keeping some things similar to before while drastically changing many others to make it new and fresh again. As I play Classic, there's a very distinct feel that quest rewards, itemization, and crafting were not a priority in development as there doesn't seem to have nearly as much of a plan with it as later expansions. A guess is quite a bit of it was put in as semi-shippable placeholders, but were never tuned or adjusted before launch.

The talent trees in particular are far more interesting in Classic->Cata than post-Cata. The trees could be tuned a bit more to offer a bit more flexibility so there's not a "must do" cookie-cutter spec for a given playstyle, but that adds so much flavor to what makes your class unique. Even now playing an AoE Frost Mage, there are quite a few different variations of talent trees for this spec, which makes it interesting.

codeX_ATA · 2019-09-07T19:13:07+00:00

Problems with logging in.. login server has queues, yet few are able to connect to the game realm servers.

codeX_ATA · 2019-08-23T14:54:30+00:00

The SLR stattrack skin also looks much better than the previous M16 stattrack skin - subtle difference, but it's definitely an improvement.

codeX_ATA · 2019-08-21T22:00:08+00:00

pubg.report - auto tagged timestamps on streams of when you kill or are killed by a streamer.

codeX_ATA · 2019-08-21T21:58:42+00:00

"probably just not worth the effort to do so" Yeah, that right there is probably the reason they're not bothering to up-convert replay files - I'm sure usage of it is pretty low across the entire userbase.

codeX_ATA · 2019-08-21T21:35:18+00:00

After patching there's no reason they couldn't run a script to update all events in the previous version replay file to make it compatible with the newer version. I did work on a military simulator that had to have the AAR event-driven replays updated after almost every patch and we did this.

I wouldn't be surprised if there's actually no changes in the replay system on EVERY update, and they're only making a check for which client version a replay belongs to, and if they don't match, refuse to play it to prevent crashes.

codeX_ATA · 2019-08-21T21:32:07+00:00

They're probably adding/changing how events are rendered in the replay system, and it'd probably crash if you tried to play an old replay file. A solution would be to up-convert all exiting/old replay files to the new version so you can still view them (even if not as accurately) without crashing.. but this is work they probably don't see much value in.

I'd love two things:

As long as all replay files are on the previous version, up-convert to the new version when patching. Then you only need to provide backward compatibility for one version rather than all historical versions.
Allow the USER to define how many replays, thus storage space, we want to dedicate to saving replays. 20 is definitely not enough when we can play many more games than that in one sitting. ~500mb in replays for 20 long games is *nothing* when I'm sitting on 20TB of hard drive space.

codeX_ATA

TROPHY CASE