212 replies to this topic

[Xtratega]

Used to be extremely active, hell put in about 20-30 hours a week into this game.

But, since September (Ascension) my interest in the game plummeted. Changes to look and feel of the game, some added mechanics (i.e. Fail-safe) no new game modes, constant problems with the servers, and so on.

Don't get me wrong, even with everything that has promoted a raging campaign throughout on anything in the forums, I still have hopes for the game, very high hopes. But until I see a change that makes me go "Oh hell naw, Imma get back in there, dawg." I'll just be hanging out in Dota 2 and TERA Online.

Also, this is only for me, and I respect wholeheartedly if you gents disagree, but I much preferred the look of the game pre-Ascension. It felt, right. And that one mechanic where you only could use an item once per life, but this is now going wayyyy back.

[Hijinks_The_Turtle]

I really enjoy this game, even with it's flaws and moments of /facepalms.  I know that what I think might be slightly biased due to the fact that Hawken is my first FPS game and that I'm a recently new player (I got this game near the end of November and only started playing in October), but I see the points that the old vets of this game are making.  I've noticed that I've been playing the game less for games like Starbound.  I usually play a couple hours a day at most (especially since this is a holiday for me).

[EliteShooter]

For sure I play much less than usual ATM ; at max I play 2- hour a day (even tho it's 3 weeks holidays here) , while before I used to play +4 hours a day in school period last year , and +7 hours a day in the last summer.

Let me be honest ; it's not up to me ; I mean , I can't be a group myself , so I can't have fun alone ! My best friends left the game for good , it's only this gentlemen left : Spliff_Craven and he's barely staying ; he does not like the fact that he has to bring his whole team single-handedly back in all matches (which are mostly unbalanced) and get pounded over and over without any help , teamwork or communication from his team's part , which is something we all get to face and no one likes it !!!

About 95% of the players on my friend-list are gone (I swear I'm serious !) I will provide you guys with the list of friends that quit the game when the friends list are recovered (I hope) and it's about 300 players (again I'm serious and trying to stay constructive !) the kind of players that challenge you and can dominate a game regularly , simply ALPHAS.

I miss them so much and the overall environment isn't helping either !!!! it's pushing me away more and more , because I don't like the current game mechanics compared to before !

It's almost impossible to find other people to play with like my close old friend , about 15 players with microphones , adults with jobs and families but still log on on daily basis , we chat , we hang around in DMs , then we regroup and have some real good games ! We used to have what I liked to call : All-Star games , where all people in the server have 1900+ MMR and all LVL25 mechs , sometimes siege games take 60+ mins ... it was crazily amazing .

Like I said it's only 1 gentlemen left and he's about to blow up ... after he used to be a leader of great players , he's now obliged to be what he calls "the captain of newbies".

The whole community agrees that we need real game-balance and more players to have fun again ... and most importantly ; they need to keep the remaining old players instead of bringing new players that will only buy some MC and not help the game in the development stage.

We're not frustrated because the issues exist , it's because they still exist , even with the community pointing time and again to what's wrong and what's in need to be fixed or removed !

If HAWKEN looses all of the Alphas , IT'S DONE ! and ah ... that's happening and almost done !!!!!

You can ask yourself ; why do you keep crying like a baby while new players are having fun and not complaining like you _ Well it's simple ; they have no idea how amazing the game used to be !!!

[Bazookagofer]

Reasons for not playing HAWKEN:
- MMR Screwed Up.
-Server Issues
-Upping Graphic Requirements In Invasion
-Devs having no idea how to balance game properly sometimes
-Devs not listening to community or HF would of been changed/revamped, sticky beam would be removed, and there would be no turret mode because there is no place for it in this game.
-Tough organizing stuff.
- Lack of clan support

and etc and etc i gtg eat food.

[craftydus]

When I started playing I was able to get in on the 12 mans Exeon was organizing over at the bsb ts, the last 3 weekends we were able to have parties join on a friend.

Since then I have been playing Sunday matches in TPG's 6v6 day of defeat league to get my comp fix, and playing Hawken some hours every day in preparation for when we are able to scrim and match again.

I am still having fun in Hawken and learning the finer points of the lesser played mechs, and to insure that when the scrims come back I won't be a complete scrub $****y (not that I did too bad in the Hawken scrims I was able to participate in before the patch that killed scrims was released).

[ShadowWarg]

My reason is petty at best, but I mainly stopped because of the vertical progression and the pure power gained from leveling. I was already max level when the game entered Ascension, so you think that it wouldn't effect me that much, but I can't really play with my friends because of the power difference, and when I do get to play with them, I'm playing with lower level people that I can easily beat not only because of my experience but because my numbers are better, and beating up on lower players isn't fun for me or them. Or if my friends join me in a higher level game, they end up near the bottom, and the thing is that they are decent players too.

Also there is a major lack of strategy in the game now. In most all games I've played, even in the higher levels "teamwork" is defined by the death ball. Which team can out number the other is normally how the victory is decided, with the top ranks usually being the same type of mech in every match. The sense of urgency and danger that came from not always being at full health and other limited resources has diminished, eliminating much of the fear that prompted good strategic play.

[MrShade_]

I still play probably around 2 hours a day on weekdays after work, a few more on weekends. The west coast seems to be even worse off than east coast lately when it comes to server population. Out of my list of 40-50 friends, I see maybe 3 on at a time now. Due to my reluctance to play on any east coast server due to high latency, I only run into one or two experienced players a day that give me a challenge. I cry tears of pain and joy when I manage to play with Evolwar.

[palad1ne]

I play more often but not so long as 3 Months ago. Reason is very simple. Earlier i could easy take a little Gamebreak and just join one of the many Matches running on UK Servers. Now i must negotiate my Playtime with the availability of descent Matches. Mostly its possible to play 2-3 good Matches and then either the "magic" Autobalancer destroy the Match or the Players just leave. Sad but true. Not to mention that some Elite Pilots force to unbalance Matches with "log in log out" Lobby laming only to be the King of the Hill 37:2 afterwards. Often i am really not surprised about that so much Players leaving. Sometimes i doubt my own addiction to this game while playing the 6th Match - Aimbots vs Retards(37:2) in a row. But thats another story.

good day

[driedjello]

I have been playing my fluffymuskrat smurf account a minimum of 1 hour a day.  It's not uncommon that as a level 25 I am forced to play in level 29 or 30 servers as that's all that's available.  I have to say about 1 in 6 games I have played in have been nail biters.  I had a couple games just yesterday that were ties depending on a few extra assist points for the win.  For every great game I get I have at least two curb stomping games but such is life.  I don't think they can fix that.  The quote by "hatesyourface" gets me through the bad games.  (see my sig)

[nepacaka]

i playng more time when i started. Early i kill all life on my way. i play harder because i want collect all mech max level. I got a lot of experience, killed thousands of players in DM. And... finally i collect all. Then i buying iternals for all mech...
...and I was bored. and less play in hawken.
but then I found one more pleasure, I maxed rank three Brawlers, one with SA, one with flak, one with vulcan.
...and I was bored again.
then i maxed rank two rocketeers, three grenadier and two cupcake with different (my favorite) weapons.

i always play on C-class, and other mech in my hangar just for collection. today i was bored again, i don't have a new C mech so that I can not level up (maxed rank) for him.

I was hoping that Santa Claus will bring me a new C-mech for the New year, but it will not happened ...

now, when i typing this text, i looks like man on my avatar. I look sad.

and I do not take into consideration beta technical problems

Edited by nepacaka, December 30 2013 - 11:25 AM.

[Analysis]

Xacius, on December 30 2013 - 03:57 AM, said:

Greetings.  I've been playing Hawken since September of 2012, and have seen countless players come and go.  Some stayed, but most left the game for greener pastures.  New names have popped up in higher level matches, and the game seems to have a steady stream of players in the newbie level range.  Nonetheless, there are far fewer games available at max level than there used to be.  

Throughout the previous 15 months, I've taken numerous "breaks" from Hawken.  Sometimes it was because of school (finals), and other times it was in response to undesired gameplay changes.  

Many experienced players are currently on hiatus from Hawken due to an absence of support for organized matches. A lot of players are also waiting for additional gamemodes to keep gameplay interesting.  I realize that this thread probably won't accomplish what I want it to, largely because most people who have left the game no longer view the forums.  Even so, I figured I'd post anyway.  

If you've ever taken a break from the game or currently play less than 5 hours a week, then feel free to share why.  Are you still playing regularly_ If not, why did you stop playing_

I've uninstalled for the second time. I'm tired of the tech, Hellfires, and Heat. The added internals and new meta of camping in a bubble shield doesn't help either. I stopped playing either at the end of November or the start of December.

[fingerknitter]

FenixStryk, on December 30 2013 - 04:56 AM, said:

Xacius, on December 30 2013 - 04:28 AM, said:

With regards to movement, do you have any potential additions in mind that could increase the depth of the game_

I would have to think about it before giving you a good answer. It's easy to say "make the game faster," but a proper solution needs to take certain limitations into account: the map pool, weapon splash and functionality, fuel limits, and so on.


For now, I'll say that I think walking should be fast enough to be a meaningful concern when aiming at a target, and that dodge/boost should be aggressively tuned to retain usefulness after the former change.

These days, unless your opponent has access to a dodge it feels closer to shooting a stationary target. They can stand there and take it, boost directly into it or jump up to make your next shot that much easier -- tell me, which of the three is the most viable option_ There's nothing sudden about any of them, which explains the general popularity of low dodge CD Mechs that are better at covering up that flaw in Hawken's combat.

Type A preference is a symptom of a greater issue: dodging is the only viable form of evasive movement in combat. It's fair for it to be the most effective option, but right now it is the only option. In an engaging shooter, that simply shouldn't be the case.

Where have you been all my life_

[hestoned]

FenixStryk, on December 30 2013 - 04:24 AM, said:

At the time I told myself I'd stop playing until average players got better, but that was just veiling the real issue: the game was boring, and is still boring. It will always be boring for me if I am not engaged simply by piloting my Mech, and right now that is still the case. There's just not enough to do between a slow walk, a limited dodge, a forward thrust and a jump using weapons with splash so large I barely have to think about it. There's no momentum to work with and no meaningful sense of marksmanship... there's nothing left but a treadmill.

These days it seems like it's too late for any meaningful change. The pond is too shallow and there is no way to fill it.

I have to Disagree with you there. There's a multitude of movement options other than just dodging left or right. How you dodge is just as important as when you dodge. You also have to consider the distance your dodge will cover and the end point of your dodge. The number 1 thing I see players NOT do is incorporate forward boosting with dodges. I can name 2 people who do this regularly. it's hard for me to articulate the clear advantages of this so ill just say try it for yourself. Breaking Los with dodges is also very important and again something VERY FEW people do. I was in my grenadier fighting 3v1 at the top of uptown. I lasted for a good 5-10 secs because I kept breaking Los with my dodge and using forward boosts with my dodges. In my grenadier. I think the movements options are there but people just aren't taking advantage of them.

[Analysis]

HatesYourFace, on December 30 2013 - 05:05 AM, said:

FenixStryk, on December 30 2013 - 04:56 AM, said:

dodging is the only viable form of evasive movement in combat. It's fair for it to be the most effective option, but right now it is the only option. In an engaging shooter, that simply shouldn't be the case.

Honest question: What other first person shooters even have a dodge_ Or any form of evasive option_ In COD/Halo/BF/TF/MWO your options are to umm...duck, jump, nothing_ I'm not sure what you're looking for but it sounds like it's Armored Core_ Not that I wouldn't love a competitive online Armored Core game, but that doesn't mean I want to change this one untill it's more like it. We have way more mobility / ability to dodge in this game than any other FPS that I'm aware of or have ever played. So what was this "engaging shooter" you are comparing it to_

In Halo/COD/BF/TF you can strafe. Hawken's movement acceleration is to low. To strafe movement acceleration has to be gone. You can't strafe in Hawken and probably never will be able to. In the past I voiced my opinion of strafing, but it has fallen on deaf ears.

[Nov8tr]

Where do I begin_ First I'd say the game no longer has the unique feel it had when I first came. The balancing has gotten worse not better since I came. 2 out of 3 matches are usually a either stomp the other side or get stomped. Rarely balanced. Server issues with lag, lost packets, teleporting, etc have not only continued but gotten worse. No one talks, how are you suppose to co-ordinate when no when communicates with each other. Team work is rare. (it is nice when it does happen) STOP MAKING 50 NEW USELESS MECHS PLEASE. Stop making bad maps. Stop putting new features in, FIX WHAT IS BROKEN FIRST. PUB and CLAN servers (which they don't have CLAN servers) should be separate. It would reduce a lot of the stomp matches. AND give a big boost to CLAN's. I really loved this game when I came and now my interest has dropped substantially. I wish we could turn back the clock and have fun again.............sigh.

[driedjello]

Nov8tr, on December 30 2013 - 11:56 AM, said:

Where do I begin_ First I'd say the game no longer has the unique feel it had when I first came. The balancing has gotten worse not better since I came. 2 out of 3 matches are usually a either stomp the other side or get stomped. Rarely balanced. Server issues with lag, lost packets, teleporting, etc have not only continued but gotten worse. No one talks, how are you suppose to co-ordinate when no when communicates with each other. Team work is rare. (it is nice when it does happen) STOP MAKING 50 NEW USELESS MECHS PLEASE. Stop making bad maps. Stop putting new features in, FIX WHAT IS BROKEN FIRST. PUB and CLAN servers (which they don't have CLAN servers) should be separate. It would reduce a lot of the stomp matches. AND give a big boost to CLAN's. I really loved this game when I came and now my interest has dropped substantially. I wish we could turn back the clock and have fun again.............sigh.

Hey old friend!  I agree with most of what you said except the map part.  The thing I like about the maps are that some mechs are severely hamstrung on certain maps, very few mechs work on all.  I would very much like to see the clan thing, that might bring the magic back to this game in force!

The communication thing is maddening.  I know right away if we are going to win if we have at least on or two guys on the mic.  When we do, victory is 90% assured.  So many times I am just talking to myself out there.

BTW, thanks for the clarification to your callsign, I've been doing it wrong forever!  

[KoningStoma]

I like Hawken, but it gets boring too fast for some reason. I can't maintain my interest in the game.

Also, now my pilot level is 25+, I can barely find a decent game sometimes. Maybe it would help if they would just give everyone all tuning points and open up all servers to everyone. And hide the average level in the server browser, so everyone will play with everyone, without people having a bias towards servers with new players.

To add to that: I just played for 30 minutes. Not one game was balanced. 40-10 material, with me being on both sides. This has to be the biggest issue for me. The game has limitations on which servers people can join, presumably for balance reasons, but meanwhile balanced games are rare. So what is the actual use of both team balancing and pilot level limits_

If there is anything keeping me from playing Hawken, it's that. The pilot level limits on servers, and "team balancing" that seems to be designed to create lop-sided games.

Edited by KoningStoma, December 30 2013 - 12:56 PM.

[Beefsweat]

Been lurking the forums since late 2011, playing since Alpha 2. Many things have outright prevented me from playing, like work/school/illness or what have you, but when I do have free time I just don't find myself looking for Hawken in my games list as much anymore. I was originally attracted to Hawken when I heard talk about a co-op mode and I think its current iteration is a lot of fun, it keeps me coming back to the game now and again but it needs much more content and polish to give it more fun & replay value. As for PvP multiplayer, matchmaking has pretty much always been a cruel joke and its current state still isn't the most desirable, resulting in public games that (more often than not) turn one-sided, drawn-out and are ultimately boring and unsatisfying to play. Communication is always a problem in public games (see: nonexistent) as many others have talked about for years now. A lack of proper clan systems and spectating tools prohibit a true competitive scene from forming, as well as inadvertent promotion (though there are quite a few people around here who are into the streaming jive). Personally, it feels like the game kind of lacks that real bite that's supposed to keep you coming back to scratch the itch. In average multiplayer and co-op games, there isn't a true sense of immersion or even much purpose - you just keep racing to kill the other team, rinse and repeat. I feel that Hawken could benefit from immersive, objective-based game modes that are truly unique and represent some of the original and lore-accurate characteristics and spirit of the game and universe et al (let's be honest, Siege mode has a long way to go). Again this is all just my experience.

Edited by Beefsweat, December 30 2013 - 12:21 PM.

[Goyo]

Hawken does not feel like it used to a year ago.  The game overhaul around ascension patch was the final proof to me that Hawken developers were developing away from the Hawken that I loved.

Hawken gameplay now feels floaty, detached, and not crisp.

I prefer the hawken we had shortly after 12.12.12.

[h0B0]

I could tolerate the grind, the lack of depth, imbalances, the bugs and the aweful design choices.

What led me to uninstall it in the recent past was the realization the the corporate entity guiding hawken had values that contradict mine. From refusing to publicly admit flaws and censor the community attempting to do so, to broken promises and lies, to condescending behavior and what i consider to be devious business practices.

I don't know what my future for browsing the forums is. There is always someone typing something so stoopid i get a good chuckle out of it.