253 replies to this topic

[crockrocket]

You do realize that the account you linked looks very suspicious as a smurf right? I certainly am skeptical. It is abnormally above average for 50 hours of play and a 2200 MMR, especially after people have mentioned in this whole running thread about how it appears to be harder to gain MMR due to the vacancy of high MMR players over the recent months.

 

 

As would any account satisfying the time and mmr requirements you asked to see fulfilled. Nice setup, I walked right into it. Anyway, no, Woods is a real player and a member of TDM, I've communicated with him a number of times on teamspeak as well as in game.

 

 

I didn't call that proof. I asked you for proof. Hence the question mark indicating a question.

I don't have access to that sort of data or I would gladly show it. But Hawken for a long time hasn't had an influx of new players, this is nothing new. Maybe when Reloaded took over there was a bit of an influx, but since that time can you really say that new people are even finding the game with little to no advertising?

There has been a steady stream of new players since Reloaded took over, just as before they took over. There are frequently players I don't recognize in the teamspeak. As I have stated before, much of the TDM roster joined post-reloaded as well.

 

 

Take it from the noob-level pro. I've seen plenty of new players in pubs.

 

Clearly another smurf. /s 

[crockrocket]

I'm apart of TDM; I've only been here for a little over a year, on and off.

I have 2 alts. They are both within 100-200 of my main's mmr (currently 2121). They would be higher if I played them as often as my main, but one I play to try out new playstyles, weapons, intenrals set-ups that I'm not super familiar with (Since I have only been here for a year; I still do not have a tech or incin or bruiser on any account, for example), and the other I play on when I'm just super smashed or something and want to fuzzy bunny around.

I don't 'smurf' simply to smash on those noobier than myself. Usually, if I'm in that situation, I either play a mech I suck with/want to get better with, or I leave the match.

 

 

inb4 post deleted for gif

[StubbornPuppet]

^Psssh.  Before they delete that, they'd be better served spending time deleting all the 'inappropriate' language and images in people signatures... and all the posts where people intentionally misspell stuff to avoid the filter.

[TheButtSatisfier]

As would any account satisfying the time and mmr requirements you asked to see fulfilled. Nice setup, I walked right into it.

 

I think it's important to remember that SS396 is a net positive to this forum. Think about it:

• He almost consistently (but not always) presents an incorrect answer or argument on the forum for everyone to see
• He does it in a fashion that leaves his argument vulnerable to attack
• He rarely backs down from counterarguments, thus further seeding the forums with generally incorrect information

When you combine the above factors you end up with a perfect environment for Cunningham's Law to take place. In short, if you want to see a thread full of useful information and citations, just look for SS396 to post and wait for the responses. Seriously. It's one of the best ways to locate comprehensive information regarding Hawken.

Edited by TheButtSatisfier, 11 January 2016 - 12:54 PM.

[Browno]

Smurfing..
Lets say that you lift weights and get really strong. Then you visit another gym to lift and do well, and all of a sudden all people at the new gym hates you and tells you to stop lifting weights because it makes them feel bad.
Will not happen.
You will always face someone better than yourself. You can whine about it to no avail or you could be inspired and practice more.

[Nept]

Smurfing..
Lets say that you lift weights and get really strong. Then you visit another gym to lift and do well, and all of a sudden all people at the new gym hates you and tells you to stop lifting weights because it makes them feel bad.

 

I mean, yeah - you basically raped those people.

[CraftyDus]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[StubbornPuppet]

Smurfing..
Lets say that you lift weights and get really strong. Then you visit another gym to lift and do well, and all of a sudden all people at the new gym hates you and tells you to stop lifting weights because it makes them feel bad.
Will not happen.
You will always face someone better than yourself. You can whine about it to no avail or you could be inspired and practice more.

 

Let's say that you move into a community, build up a strong reputation as a hard-working, stand-up citizen, get a good job in an important position and earn the confidence of many good people and important community leaders.

 

Then you get a face-lift, change your name and get a completely new identity and take advantage of everyone's previous confidence and trust in you and use your intimate knowledge of their lives and the information you have to rob peoples houses, drain bank accounts and cause all kinds of general mayhem.

 

It's really everyone else's fault, they should have never trusted anyone, because there is nothing to stop the people they know from suddenly changing their identity and screwing them out of everything they worked hard for.

 

(Sorry, that's a harsh comparison, probably not worthy of that level of contrast... but it felt like something that needed to be said.)

Edited by StubbornPuppet, 11 January 2016 - 01:35 PM.

[Browno]

Smurfing..
Lets say that you lift weights and get really strong. Then you visit another gym to lift and do well, and all of a sudden all people at the new gym hates you and tells you to stop lifting weights because it makes them feel bad.
Will not happen.
You will always face someone better than yourself. You can whine about it to no avail or you could be inspired and practice more.

Thing is that you still perform the same but in another setting, and you might even make some new friends.
And yeah you can also throw in some balloons on your weights just for the fun of it, whilst it might be odd in the old gym where you had a reputation :p

[DeeRax]

Let's say that you move into a community, build up a strong reputation as a hard-working, stand-up citizen, get a good job in an important position and earn the confidence of many good people and important community leaders.

 

Then you get a face-lift, change your name and get a completely new identity and take advantage of everyone's previous confidence and trust in you and use your intimate knowledge of their lives and the information you have to rob peoples houses, drain bank accounts and cause all kinds of general mayhem.

 

It's really everyone else's fault, they should have never trusted anyone, because there is nothing to stop the people they know from suddenly changing their identity and screwing them out of everything they worked hard for.

 

(Sorry, that's a harsh comparison, probably not worthy of that level of contrast... but it felt like something that needed to be said.)

That's a lovely horrifying story, but I don't think it even remotely applies.
Context is important.
The context here is a video game.

[Sorroritas]

i know only like 2 other people will understand what its like to build up your mmr over the course of a couple months only to lose half of the work in 1 10 min game. goodbye months of playing. none of you will understand how this feels so you couldnt possibly comprehend why i would make an alt where im not FORCED to carry a team or risk having my ranking drop.

 

Welcome to my world. I dropped from a solid 2300 mmr to a mere 2038 in about 1-2 weeks of playing. After another 2 months I'm still at only 2050 something. Why? I don't think I have gotten that bad. I would say it is a combination of two things:

 

One: Smurfs destroy MMR way out of proportions. 1 Smurf joins my game gets 1k points and I will lose 50 mmr at one game. Pretty fun isn't it?

Two: Server ranks are pretty low. Average is around 1700-1800. I top the scoreboard pretty often and end up place 2 or 3 90% of the time. My MMR gain?

0.2-1 MMR.

 

So you have to be able to carry the whole team full of noobs. Probably against 1 or 2 higher mmr players in the enemy team. Most of the time the one who can kill enemy noobs faster wins.

 

I had the balls to not go to a smurf and preserve my precious MMR because I can't play the game normally against higher MMRs.

I know how it feels to "lose half of the work in 1 10 min game", thanks to you people smurfing and the need to be able to carry 5 noobs which sometimes is impossible.

 

Saying that I don't know how it feels and then saying that making a smurf is ok for those stated reasons is utter fuzzy bunny.

Thank you.

[_incitatus]

I think a better comparison would be a pro football team posing as a high school team and then playing other high school teams.

[DeeRax]

That imagery is hilarious.

[Luaq]

I don't like DM

 

What do I do

Aren't you good enough to have a hundred friends you can actually play with in tdm sg and ma instead of crushing no name players?
(Who are still learning that shooting at the ship desperately from their spawn is not how you do it.)
-Smurfs have a choice here for the best of the majority-

You are the 1% and that kind of people can be inspirational like celebrities and other popular figures and play as role model (some of em at least ) and also be hated like rich people (some ) who fuel on drowning others.


Though I'll repeat myself here:

The blame is towards the smurfs because they are the visible problem.
The fault is in fact the game that allows a player of 2400 mmr (supposedly 3000+ main account)
run against players still learning to not stay at spawn and shoot at the battleship!
(probably players who's mmr is close to or dropped under the 1500mmr basic)

I'll also recap what happened during that game:
I joined late in the outnumbered team (against "meleefanatic" in the team with more players) which the moment they even tried to learn anything and do something right were just annihilated in 3 seconds.

In this scenario, IN NOW WAY this situation can be educational or inspirational and help people to "Get better"!

You're actually asking elementary school students to do a high school exam, who don't even have the tools to do any of it against one of the top grad students under a very short time limit. It's just impossible. No wonder the students quit before it even ends. No wonder students can't even learn unless taken under a the umbrella of another grad student who can help them fight against that top grad student. And that was my choice:

I came in late, in no time I was top of my team because even me, a 1900mmr player, had just enough skills to barely survive but somehow got second in score and I tried to lead the team by communicating with the players on how to play this game.

The real problem isn't the students having difficulties or the top grad who knows the exam like he knows his crotch=>

It's the test itself and the conditions that it is put under, The game itself.
Common enemy: We blame you you blame us but we shouldn't blame each other we should work/play together=>

IF encouraging low-mid tier players to "get better" is the excuse and moto of smurfs (except the fun and therapeutic effect of crushing real people hand tied...)
they can actually prove their point by being honest of their advantage and take the role of teaching or just simply show the path or be encouraging to people to learn and get better. -Smurfs have a choice to be inspirational or dead hated, your choice smurfs...

Basically, the hate is justified, but you can actually change that and make this experience more fun FOR EVERYONE.
(is it too fun to destroy everyone in a server? Trying out builds? well there are bots for that and compared to the level of players getting crushed, there isn't much of a difference for you top tier players except you're not ruining the game experience. UNLESS you actually are there to help low-mid player learn to "get better" and destroying the whole team by yourself is honestly not helping anyone)
HECK what better place to create good players while teaching them as soon as possible before they create any bad habits?
Do you send untrained troops on the battlefield? No that would be a total waste of time money and life.

All it takes to get rid of all those ill feelings is just being honest and to actually fawken actually care for players "to suck it up and get better":
Hey all, I'm a smurf (don't need to say who you are actually), while I'm gonna have fun crushing you all eyes closed , in exchange you can just ask how to be as good as me and I'll give you tips. (Being dishonest is just being egotistical... At least here they know who you are and know what they're up against.)
 

 

Luaq has joined the ranks of TDM. I can't think of a better way to foster a positive attitude towards skill differences of any kind than to put earnest effort into our training regimen. If he sticks with it, he'll come around.

No one knows me enough to know who I am and how my moral codes go but I can't be more proud right here right now pointing at a  problem but still be positive about it (trying to find a workaround and not just a "Suck it up noobs") while still expressing my frustration. Indeed I have the intention to go through training, I NEVER QUIT A GAME until it's done. it's one of the main reasons why I joined a clan in the first place. To find people of my level and play in game where people know how to play.

Though I am lucky enough to be at that stage ( playing since first closed beta) to finally open up to a group because of the current but temporary dead state this game is in right now making casual gaming a pain in the ass for so many reasons and encouraging me to join and survive with them instead of dying alone. That is thanks to the fact that I'm someone who goes on forum and talk/criticize/share thoughts.

That "lucky" reality isn't the case for the big majority who are just dropped into a nuclear war not understanding fuzzy bunny and getting crushed because one elite was sent on a mission to blow out a rookie base and tap (kill)  each and every remaining fleeing rookies.
(ALL that is done by the game's system and half the elite's choice to stay his whole military service time on a dangerous turf)

So except my lucky situation of having the honor to "get trained to get better" what about the vast majority?  Which brings me to=>


 

IN-GAME Communication!
I've been harassing the new devs about in-game VOIP for that sole purpose!
The only reason we physically weak humans were able to survive this long, except for our special brains, is due to our communication and group-up nature.
I've been answered directly to my thread by capnjosh's reply asking the community opinion between two programs that could be implemented and nothing has been done since then. That was Q1 of 2015.

yes there is a teamspeak channel, reality is we're only a small number of people are aware of it and only a small number of that small number actually using it and we're lucky enough to know about it.


Lastly, for mmr's sake, another thing devs could do in the future is add the common unranked and ranked matches/servers.


There are numerous ways to solve this issue but with the current situation of the game, we need to work together not against each other. This means help out people instead of being condescending on their level of skill.
 

Edited by Luaq, 11 January 2016 - 02:35 PM.

[_incitatus]

Welcome to my world. I dropped from a solid 2300 mmr to a mere 2038 in about 1-2 weeks of playing. After another 2 months I'm still at only 2050 something. Why? I don't think I have gotten that bad. I would say it is a combination of two things:

 

One: Smurfs destroy MMR way out of proportions. 1 Smurf joins my game gets 1k points and I will lose 50 mmr at one game. Pretty fun isn't it?

Two: Server ranks are pretty low. Average is around 1700-1800. I top the scoreboard pretty often and end up place 2 or 3 90% of the time. My MMR gain?

0.2-1 MMR.

 

So you have to be able to carry the whole team full of noobs. Probably against 1 or 2 higher mmr players in the enemy team. Most of the time the one who can kill enemy noobs faster wins.

 

I had the balls to not go to a smurf and preserve my precious MMR because I can't play the game normally against higher MMRs.

I know how it feels to "lose half of the work in 1 10 min game", thanks to you people smurfing and the need to be able to carry 5 noobs which sometimes is impossible.

 

Saying that I don't know how it feels and then saying that making a smurf is ok for those stated reasons is utter fuzzy bunny.

Thank you.

 

This.  This is what I personally do not like about smurfs.  While I have some alt accounts (mostly for lols, but some for when I just want to play without being disturbed) most of my time is spent in my main.  For all of us who play our mains instead of "preserving" our mmr, we end up donating our mmr to rising smurf accounts in chunks.  It's just as hard for us to gain it back. 

[Kindos7]

Smurfs have a choice to be inspirational or dead hated, your choice smurfs...

 

!quote silverfire-

<silverfire-> I embody Hawken cancer

 

Looks to me like smurferfire alredy made his choice.

[Silverfire]

del 

Edited by Silverfire, 11 January 2016 - 02:19 PM.

[Luaq]

!quote silverfire-

<silverfire-> I embody Hawken cancer

 

Looks to me like smurferfire alredy made his choice.

... you're not helping either with that attitude. Besides look at his signature, he identifies his alternate account here. Half of the work (community teamwork) is done. I don't know if he does it in-game but...

Edited by Luaq, 11 January 2016 - 02:40 PM.

[M4st0d0n]

Please show me exactly where I said there would be zero impact (I assume you mean impact on player retention but if not please clarify).

 

What I will say is the impact alternate accounts have on Hawken is negligible when compared to the real issues that have been ongoing for around two years. For higher level players at this point in Hawkens life simply playing the game whether it is on a main account, an alternate account or a smurf will have an effect on lesser skilled pilots because there are simply not enough people playing of any skill level.

 

 

Please show me exactly where I said there would be zero impact (I assume you mean impact on player retention but if not please clarify).

 

What I will say is the impact alternate accounts have on Hawken is negligible

 

zero impact

 

negligible

 

 

SS, I ignore your posts, literally.

 

MMR is not capped at 3000.

 

There is a lognormal curve for a given server's MMR, which, depending on your rank distance from the mean, will produce a value added (or subtracted) to your MMR, after the match.  There is nothing keeping that from exceeding 3000.  Or from going negative.

 

A lognormal curve would be abherent in other games, it could as well show Hawken has been bleeding players. But I'm intrigued. Where are the maths behind you saying MMR could go negative...

 

Dont think you're forced to answer.

[SS396]

As would any account satisfying the time and mmr requirements you asked to see fulfilled. Nice setup, I walked right into it. Anyway, no, Woods is a real player and a member of TDM, I've communicated with him a number of times on teamspeak as well as in game.

Sorry, but it just is going to take a bit more work than 2 minutes of searching for someone on that website with ~50 hours in game time recently. However if Woods is indeed an actual new player and you have channels to communicate with him then it shouldn't be very difficult to get his steam info so you could backup the claim of someone thats only spent 50 hours in Hawken recently. However, this is more than just finding one specific case to prove your point, as I did stipulate players (plural) in my original request. I'm glad you appreciated the handy work in creating the setup. You are welcome.
  

There has been a steady stream of new players since Reloaded took over, just as before they took over. There are frequently players I don't recognize in the teamspeak. As I have stated before, much of the TDM roster joined post-reloaded as well.

I suggest you and your clan buddies taking a moment and looking back and rereading my original post where I mentioned new players and then asking yourselves the following: Is this a fact that I can prove false, or is this his opinion. An opinion that was made in a twisted form of a jest? I realize some of you don't understand humor when you see it, but come on, that was seriously kappa worthy when I said that, and watching all of you getting all riled up about it is even more kappa worthy.

And now to business.
[fact]
Josh stated months ago that new player retention was only 3 days on average.
[/fact]

And this was not long after Reloaded revived Hawken, when there was some form of exposure to new players in the news.

What is the new player retention now? Can we agree that is probably less than 3 days? But just for arguments sake and making things simple lets say it is still 3 days.

What good is it to try and say that theres a constant stream of new players when they don't stick around for longer than 3 days?

So while it is possible to run into new players during their 3 day visit. The odds of running into them after those 3 days are what? Nonexistent?

I'm apart of TDM; I've only been here for a little over a year, on and off. (Edit: just to clarify... I started playing the game in Oct. 2014, quit for awhile, came back April 2015, which is also when I joined the forums, and I have played on&off ever since; So, really, I've played Hawken, consistently, for less than a year).

I have 2 alts. They are both within 100-200 of my main's mmr (currently 2121). They would be higher if I played them as often as my main, but one I play to try out new playstyles, weapons, intenrals set-ups that I'm not super familiar with (Since I have only been here for a year; I still do not have a tech or incin or bruiser on any account, for example), and the other I play on when I'm just super smashed or something and want to fuzzy bunny around.

I don't 'smurf' simply to smash on those noobier than myself. Usually, if I'm in that situation, I either play a mech I suck with/want to get better with, or I leave the match.

 Cool story bro, but did you read the part where I responded that sticking around for 1 year is not new? I'm guessing no.
 

^Psssh.  Before they delete that, they'd be better served spending time deleting all the 'inappropriate' language and images in people signatures... and all the posts where people intentionally misspell stuff to avoid the filter.

No multiple people have to actually report those infractions to get any action on them. And by action I mean complete deletion because thats somehow easier than editing the offending item.

[Silverfire]

... you're not helping either with that attitude. Besides he identifies his alternate account here. Half of the work is done. I don't know if he does it in-game but...

 

Let's clear it up.  

 

1. I created this account months, if not years ago, the alt listed in my signature.  

2. I do not identify myself as Silverfire in-game unless asked. People usually don't.

3. Compare MMRs. http://hawken.heroku.../sriracha_sauce& http://hawken.heroku...user/silverfire

 

The first account listed has a lower MMR due to the general fuzzy bunnyery that I've participated in this past week, so it's been bleeding MMR.  Otherwise it's pretty much about on the same level as my "main" account.

 

4. If I am dropped into a lower skill server, I do my best to offer tips and tricks to the other players.  I do not shame anybody, I don't mock anyone, I keep it cordial and polite.  Sometimes it's received well, sometimes it's not.

5. Regardless if I join with Silverfire, Sriracha_Sauce, or any of the other accounts I have which are all 2000 MMR+ except for two I haven't touched literally in months, it won't matter.  Like it actually won't.  If there's one server open, and the average is 1600, if I join with an account that's 2250, 2200, 2150, 2100, 2000 MMR, I highly doubt it would actually matter if I'm on my main or if I'm on an alternate account.  My playstyle remains the same.

6. Let me emphasize that I do not create accounts for the sole purpose of stomping noobs.  

 

Yeah. 

[JeffMagnum]

This has already been gone into by others, but the reason I use my primary alt almost exclusively is so I don't have to tryhard nearly as much due to fairer autobalance and MMR being inconsequential. I hardly ever play my best mechs (Bruiser and Redox Battletech have been getting a good amount of playtime lately) anymore unless I come in late to a serious score imbalance or the other team is stacked against me, but I'm forced to on my main unless I want to let my team down plus lose a ton of MMR (which was gained exclusively through pubs) that I likely can't even realistically regain at this point. It's just way more fun to not be virtually obligated to stomp when all you want to do is mess around and play casually without any pressure.

Edited by Brumbpo Tungus, 11 January 2016 - 03:19 PM.

[Silverfire]

 It's just way more fun to not be virtually obligated to stomp when all you want to do is mess around and play casually without any pressure.

 

QFT 

[CraftyDus]

Equating playing under a different name to felonies like sexual assault, robbery, fraud, property damage, and NFL sandbagging high school kids have been some of my favorite highlights of this well reasoned discussion.
USM999 would be proud.
Never change.
Gold.

[M4st0d0n]

Yeah just make sure everyone understand its with no consequence at all, with words like "MMR equation" and "lognormal". Because fock logic.

[Call_Me_Ishmael]

A lognormal curve would be abherent in other games, it could as well show Hawken has been bleeding players. But I'm intrigued. Where are the maths behind you saying MMR could go negative...

 

Dont think you're forced to answer.

 

 

Happy to: here

[CraftyDus]

Click it mastodon, I dare you. But be warned, there be cumlogs.

[x9x8x7x]

Please show me exactly where I said there would be zero impact (I assume you mean impact on player retention but if not please clarify).

 

 

What I will say is the impact alternate accounts have on Hawken is negligible

 

 

zero impact

 

 

negligible

 

You realize that my post you are quoting there was submitted after your post inferring that I said there would be zero impact (on what I am still guessing to be player retention but who knows) and is indeed the same post I asked you to show me where I had said that not to mention that zero impact and negligible impact are not the same thing?

 

Here is the last sentence from the post you quoted me on above again because you should read it again, "For higher level players at this point in Hawkens life simply playing the game whether it is on a main account, an alternate account or a smurf will have an effect on lesser skilled pilots because there are simply not enough people playing of any skill level". I get the feeling you did not read what I wrote or at the very least did not comprehend it. 

 

Here is the definition of negligible so you do not have to look it up.

 

Negligible: So small or unimportant or of so little consequence as to warrant little or no attention. http://www.merriam-w...nary/negligible

 

Nice try though scrubadubdub! (I was going to make a picture of Rick Sanchez saying scrubadubdub but I have already put more effort into this idiocy than I wanted to.)

 

Also do not think you are forced to answer especially if it going to be nonsense like your last post. <3

Edited by x9x8x7x, 11 January 2016 - 05:31 PM.

[DeeRax]

I suggest you and your clan buddies blahblahblah

LOL. Mmmm, so rich, so salty.
True motivations are hidden in snippets like this, folks, you just have to know where to look for them.

Edited by (TDM) DeeRax, 11 January 2016 - 04:18 PM.

[SS396]

LOL. Mmmm, so rich, so salty.
True motivations are hidden in snippets like this, folks, you just have to know where to look for them.

Ageusia confirmed.  

[DeeRax]

Nice vocabulary.

[_incitatus]

Equating playing under a different name to felonies like sexual assault, robbery, fraud, property damage, and NFL sandbagging high school kids have been some of my favorite highlights of this well reasoned discussion.
USM999 would be proud.
Never change.
Gold.

I never said NFL, could be the CFL, which changes everything and invalidates your entire post.

[Call_Me_Ishmael]

Click it mastodon, I dare you. But be warned, there be cumlogs.

 

What would Pirate Crafty write on my headstone?

[CraftyDus]

if we weren't such a small insular group of nerds who know every other nerd who plays, it wouldn't seem important that we might not recognize an unfamiliar name that plays competently
It'd just be normal everyday online shooter time

[SS396]

Rick Sanchez saying scubadubdub

 
Wait, what... ???
 
https://en.wikipedia...ki/Rick_Sanchez
 

 

 
Its a fuzzy bunnyng joke people

[crockrocket]

 
Wait, what... ???
 
https://en.wikipedia...ki/Rick_Sanchez
 

 

 
Its a fuzzy bunnyng joke people

Naw, Rick Sanchez of Earth dimension C137

 

[SS396]

Naw, Rick Sanchez of Earth dimension C137

Gottcha.

Take a good hard look at the bottom of my quote in your post. You might have to squint a little bit, but if you can't see it try highlighting the area.

Remember earlier when I said you can't even detect my humor when I post. Yeah....... Walked right into another one.  

[SynloriaBrivalea]

Warning: This is not written for anyone to take offense to whatsoever.

 

 Okay here's my two cents on this matter.  After reading through a majority of these posts, I have come to the conclusion that I am very disappointed at the display of this community.  MMR no MMR.  Smurfs no Smurfs.  I have only been playing this game since April of 2015.  During my time as a new player... I can understand the frustration of figuring out how to play in CO-OP matches, and regular player versus player matches,  while learning all the ins and outs of the maps, also learning the strengths and weaknesses of every mech (a lot of this I am still trying to figure out), and playing in a competitive clan (Trentik Defense Milita Represent!!).  I have had my fair share of unbalanced matches due to MMR not being balanced because of Smurfs or aimbots and sometimes it just comes down to teams just not working together.  Through all of this I have played without knowing the community and knowing the community.  I get the frustration that most of us have faced in unbalanced matches due to Smurfs or Aimbots or what have you.  But when I found out there was a community I could reach out to for help like here in the forums or on Teamspeak, that is when my love for this game and the community exploded to a level most of you can relate to.  People are upset because the Smurfs in question are ruining the game for newer players.

 

 When I was a newer player I can remember the first name I saw over and over again whether I won or lost was JeffMagnum.  And instead of getting pissed at him, I decided to reach out and ask for help.  Obviously I didn't know whether or not he was a good person or a Smurf but I still asked for help and he spent a full day with me showing me the basics and helping me improve my skills.  I am not an amazing player by no means but he helped me learn far more than I would have being on my own.  Since that moment I chose to respect anyone who has been playing this game longer than me and can honestly prove why they are so good at it.  I have played with the majority of the top players on the NA servers and I talk with most of them on TS and what I've learned is they are willing to help players in this community get to a level where the games are more competitive and skill based.  But seeing as how there are not many high MMR players in this community I can understand making a smurf just to be able to play a game you care about so much, especially if you have put in a lot of hours playing it.

 

Not all smurfs are horrible people looking to wreck every new players dream of playing Hawken proficiently.  Yeah, they could play on their mains...but most people would probably freak out and leave a server if they saw Hestoned's name enter unless they didn't know about him.  I would hate to play a game where every time I entered a server everyone left.  That would not be fun at all for me.  I can understand wanting to play with friends that have a lower MMR and handicapping myself if it meant having fun by making a Smurf.  And if anyone has tried to lower their MMR just to play with friends, you should know that it can take a long time, especially the higher your MMR is.  Not all Smurfs are created for "evil" reasons.  Instead of bashing members of the community for making Smurfs, why not talk to newer players and get them in the Hawken Teamspeak or where ever to help them get to higher levels so there wouldn't be such a need for Smurfs? The negativity I have seen through some people in this game is something I feel makes new players run in the other direction.  Who wants to play a game and see someone do nothing other than bash the team who is working on the game for us, or the players that have been around since day one, or all the problems that this game has?  It's stupid and immature.  Our clan has had newer players from other FPS games increase there skills faster than players left alone just based off of support alone.  

 

MMR works if the community puts the time in to help build it.  Obviously it still needs work as with any game but it still works pretty well.  Smurfs wouldn't be a problem if we helped newer players more.  Stop being so negative. I love Hawken and I am tired of these arguments when people want to blame everyone else and no one wants to help be a part of the solution.

 

See you all in Teamspeak and In-game pilots! <3

[Nept]

Not all smurfs are horrible people looking to wreck every new players dream of playing Hawken proficiently. 

 

That's where you're WRONG.  THE HIGH-TIER CABAL STRIKES YET AGAIN!

 

 

*Edit* Jeff, you're a nerd.

Edited by Nept: Ultra Lord of the God-Kings, 12 January 2016 - 12:22 AM.

[Dawn_of_Ash]

if we weren't such a small insular group of nerds who know every other nerd who plays, it wouldn't seem important that we might not recognize an unfamiliar name that plays competently
It'd just be normal everyday online shooter time

 

Tell me, Crafty. How well do you know highly-skilled players from other regions than US and EU?

 

I'm not saying I'm one of them, mind you, but I could name at least a handful of people that you may not know that could prove to be at least some sort of challenge.

 

However, I disagree. This current community is scattered as much as this topic is. This small insular group of nerds are split into smaller groups of nerds and, from what I can see from these forums, these groups seem to keep to themselves. People seem to get picked on these forums and people that are not given a second thought on their comments. But what else can I expect, right...it's a public forum. Regardless, my point is that some of these smaller groups do not interact with others a lot. It also seems that many of these smaller groups have reduced in size due to the stagnant state of the game.

 

It's truly disheartening to see the community in such a disjointed state. My country and many others seem to have died while the bigger nations seem to be surviving by a thread. I really can't wait to see another event - even if it would just be US. I would love see you all again and play again. These events seem to be the only thing keeping this community in one piece...