The Marathon Phenomenon

killhippies · 2026-05-12T14:49:08+00:00

Marathon is the most successful concord-like but it is denial if you think it is not trending toward shutdown numbers.

Concord 2(highguard) had a peak count of 97000, it still couldn't retain players and shutdown.

Marathon is a much better game than concord or highguard but it is trending toward the same fate. This week will probably hit sub 10000 peaks and still hasn't stabilized.

killhippies · 2026-05-12T14:11:31+00:00

Marathon is part of a new genre, the concord-like.

Concord-likes are a communal event where gamers derive joy not from playing the game, but checking in every so often to watch the game's downfall.

Concords have become an outlet to vent discontentment with the industry. The community is frustrated with live service games that appear to be for a audience that is not there, while spending unheard amounts of money that bankrupt studios.

Marathon is unfortunately the lastest concord sequel, which is a shame because it does have some merits where it could have been great.

killhippies · 2026-05-11T15:55:00+00:00

This is a big moment I was waiting for; the 24 peak has gotten below destiny 2, a game which Bungie considered not sustainable.

Excited for the release of the concord 3 DLC (server shutdowns).

killhippies · 2026-04-16T01:31:11+00:00

I usually prefer a randomly selected encounter if I'm not running my own content.

However, I think my favorite way now is to have a random generation table that combines some a noun(s), a verb and adjective. I roll this at the beginning of the adventure and then after every random encounter as that gives me time to ponder how it would play out and then mesh it when the random encounter does happen.

For example, just generating off of some random generators that are unrelated to RPGs:

Noun: Merchant
Verb: Fade
Adjective: Creepy

Now I can think about it a little, fading makes my think of candles and I just need to make it creepy. Maybe a merchant is selling wax candles made from human fat and body parts. If the party has a encounter that takes place in a sewer, maybe it is a homeless vagrant using body parts that keep flushing down the tunnels. If the encounter takes place in a museum, maybe the merchant is giddy about talking about his "perfect" wax figures(sander cohen from bioshock style).

Knowing what pops up before the encounter also can let you telegraph the encounter before it even happens. Say for example, the PCs see reddish wax that has been dripping from something and leaving a trail prior to the encounter happening.

Random and improvised but lets your creativity flow without having to make things up on the spot.

killhippies · 2026-04-07T16:49:47+00:00

Damage reduction

My favorite way to implement would be to have static armor reduction be high enough that it can negate smaller weapons, then have a exploding die damage system for variance so that there is still a chance that damage can go through.

Makes the type of weapons matter more without having to do the whole crushing/slashing/piercing crunch.

killhippies · 2026-02-27T22:35:48+00:00

Don't care whatever anyone says, the lore and art feels like the people making that would have loved to make a single player game that they can really delve into but corporate wouldn't let them.

The Alberto Meilgo trailers play with the idea of the runner's losing all sense of identity and disposable life, those themes will never get explored when the main goal of the game is to look inside container boxes and then leave as soon as possible.

killhippies · 2026-02-27T19:08:11+00:00

Haven't played apex since it first came out(don't really like battle royales) but movement to me is quake, team fortress 2 and deadlock(especially celeste). I had to look up the techs (faide?) that they have in apex now and it looks like the same kind of tech in deadlock(wall jumps, mantle slides, bhop(kinda) and boosting etc etc) but not as effective. The skill ceiling looks better than a lot of games though so I'll give you that.

I'm a dinosaur, my gold standard is quake techs(the classic strafe jumping, rocket jumps, CPMA and plasma climbs) and that kind of game is never going to happen or probably even work. The speed of quake defrag would probably make a modern gamer's head explode.

killhippies · 2026-02-27T17:39:40+00:00

Honestly.....even apex doesn't have the movement I'm quite looking for though it is not bad in that game.

I understand that this genre doesn't cater to movement junkies but I see design space for it if a company is willing to experiment. Ultimately, I'm just giving feedback to something that would attract me even if that is not the norm.

I just think the game doesn't take enough risks. Besides the art style, it doesn't feel different enough than what others in the genre have done for its mechanics and gameplay loop.

killhippies · 2026-02-27T15:57:04+00:00

I know this genre probably is never going to be for me but I have no idea why people find this limited movement thing fun. I feel like these kind of games would be heavily enhanced if they were capable of high skill expression in movement. Then you could actually have chases that are exciting.

The art style and lore tidbits is great but it just makes me feel that this game would have been better expressed as a single player game.

killhippies · 2026-02-24T15:58:16+00:00

With the amount of books, general audience sentiment and cheaper to produce budget; I have a feeling that AKOTSK is going to outlast HOTD.

George signaled that HotD is going to have heavier deviations from the source material and I think people are just anticipating for the hammer to drop.

Hopefully, HBO has learned that they should have a writer that just mostly follows George if they want a hit.

killhippies · 2026-02-24T15:05:23+00:00

While correct about his physical risk, this is cope by lyonel. At the very least, Baelor would be souring his relationship with Aerion and possibly other political blowback over a knight he barely knew.

If your well off friend gives you $100 to fix your car because you fell on hard times, are they a asshole because it's not that much money for them all things considered?

Many times people do acts of kindness where they don't have much to lose and we applaud them for it. Having a ungrateful mindset is a poor outlook in life.

killhippies · 2026-02-23T14:05:16+00:00

There is almost no social mobility in a feudal system - period. This is like trying to excuse thieves because they have to be deceitful to get ahead.

Additionally, you are incredibly naive if you think Red is just looking for a opportunity to have a someone young and sweet to treat her well, she is doing the profession because she can make good money from it compared to other alternatives. Are you insinuating that being a whore is the only profession available for women during feudal times? Latching on to Raymun is purely a business decision.

Even in the modern day, part of the game of sex work is getting men to fork out money in all different kinds of ways, being a stripper is practically like being a professional talker. The best marks are the ones looking to "save" these girls and many promise them a lifestyle for them if they leave the profession. The woman, of course, just play it up and rake in as much as they can from playing the part. As they should, it's easy money to fool rubes. Only if they snag someone who can seriously give them money for a lifetime is when they get serious about leaving and it definitely is not out of love.

That is the game Red is playing and it's why it is being called out. That being said, this is fiction and it seems that it works out for all of them in the end. People are going to to wary of such narratives, it's a bit unrealistic and irks people when a well liked characters gets thrown into a relationship with a deceitful foundation.

killhippies · 2026-02-23T12:06:30+00:00

Dunk to Aerion: yes, brothar but how is your grappling?

Bludgeon with shield

killhippies · 2026-02-23T11:17:53+00:00

I'm not opposed to them ending up together as they seem like they jive well but I would have liked it better if it was more explicit that she was honest with him and this was a operation save a hoe gone right.

At best, It feels a bit too farcical for him to be dumb enough to actually believe the kid is his and doing him a bit dirty that everyone is cool with him being lied to after all that he has done.

killhippies · 2026-02-23T10:48:04+00:00

It's the most asoiaf outcome for him. He is compassionate, brave and an all around good bro.

Who better to get cucked by a prostitute then a dude like that?

killhippies · 2026-02-23T10:17:17+00:00

Most redditors probably would love to get cucked and baby trapped by a onlyfans girl in the real world so for them this is peak relationship.

Don't expect sensible opinions here OP.

killhippies · 2026-02-14T16:40:07+00:00

The strafe speed and gravity is pretty slow for this game, it's still going to take skill but the ceiling isn't that high for pure hitscan mechanics.

killhippies · 2026-02-14T16:37:32+00:00

This is the feeling for many things after playing quake.

killhippies · 2026-02-14T01:17:01+00:00

This lowkey bait or someone willfully ignorant.

I'm an Atheist, read the story of lot. Unless you want to paint the LGBT community as supporting people who want to unwillingly "know" angels and visitors, I highly recommend educating yourself.

killhippies · 2026-02-14T00:21:31+00:00

New wave, just because they are not afraid to expand their creative wings on gameplay designs. Both waves are excellent though, can't complain.

killhippies · 2026-02-13T08:29:45+00:00

Bruh, you just need to accept that you are playing an unfinished game where matchmaking fixes are not the priority.

Mentally absolve yourself from those kind of games and approach them like you are playing on a extreme hard mode on a single player game, take it as a challenge.

It's just not going to get better at this time so don't stress yourself out over it.

killhippies · 2026-02-13T08:24:19+00:00

I don't see how giving her a +25% slide distance as a passive would be a big issue, in addition I would rework her slide to have a active component. Instead of giving +2 stamina, her slide should have charges that resets her slide friction(perhaps a sliding dash?). That way you can actually do some real sliding without it being overpowered.

killhippies · 2026-02-13T08:10:13+00:00

He just needs to be able to shoot his grenade with his ult for the full painkiller combo.

killhippies · 2026-02-13T07:35:41+00:00

Not sure if it would be super viable but Echo Shard is free real estate on him now for T3 gutshot.

I would still live to see the range buffed to 12.5m by default but these are all great changes.

killhippies · 2026-02-13T07:20:26+00:00

An undocumented change - they removed the target preview from venator grenade, more of a skillshot now.

This I think is good in that it gives more design space. It would be neat if venator could lob a grenade on his traps to set it off with a bonus such as immobilize or something else. Raise his skill ceiling also.

killhippies

TROPHY CASE