Explaining the deep gameplay changes of recent
Howdy! Around October 22 update things started to change, quite a lot. Let me list the meaty part of them:
These changes focus mostly on Shootout/Team Shootout and their variants. If they could be summarized, I guess the intention here is to bring some more diversity to the table while limiting certain underlying issues. Predominant tactics make games stale, more predictable, over the time. These defects could be appreciated in FoF in the form of: all over jump-kicking, left handed revolvers and 1-shot weapons.
This maneuver isn't wrong by itself, it's just bad because lag and how internet things work. Multiplayer games try to convince you that other players are where you see them on your screen, but they aren't, they are generally closer than they appear so they can hit you from relatively far away due lag and false perception. Duck-jump makes this issue worse, by making you completely defenseless while the other player gets a minimal risk at doing this action.
So these recent changes made things a bit harder in this regard by limiting forward push and giving players the option to back at higher speed. Do you think it is too much, too little, well, I tried to make my point.
There also was big speed loss over certain things as multiple jumps or receiving damage, specially from shotguns.Those limitations have been reduced as became unnecessary now due other changes (jump) or because they give too much significance to first attack.
Left-handed gave a 30% accuracy bonus at the expense of having terrible dual-wield accuracy. The thing is accuracy is mostly preferred over dual-wield, so other handgun skills were irrelevant for the most part. The changes make things less white-black, as left-handed still gives the quickest time to stop and shoot, while right-handed can be used for a more fluid movement, and fanning skill gives a sensation of uncontrolled power that I personally like to use from time to time.
Walking allows you to shoot semi-accurately without stopping completely. I think it simply was too good, too easy, too limiting in the diversify department. Changes make it only usable for very close range, but still is feasible.
Previous scale gave 4 points to top tier weapons and 15 to fists. The gap was simply too wide, if you wanted to score there wasn't much of a point in getting even mid-tier weapons. I don't even think top tier weapons were so "over the top" anyway, even Walker isn't invincible.
New scale starts at 9 points and ends at 20, so the respective order doesn't change much. It's just stock tier weapons may give a 50% bonus over top tier instead 100%. There are a few attacks that got lower or higher compared to previous scale, for instance: kicks reward less, smaller guns and melee throws reward a bit better.
Removing Schofield and Smith from stock selection on team enabled Shootout/Elimination was a hard decision, not because they belong there but there was a point in making certain mid-tier weapons more available as there was some initial concern regards how players could access to better weapons. Since chest system was revamped that concern isn't there anymore. Getting weapons that grant an edge from the start seems illogical regarding player progression, yet I still see reasons to keep Schofield at least.
Sawed-off shotgun got a small boost, this is a problematic weapon because no one really uses it when it's a tad underpowered, and once you bump it a bit then becomes an annoyance. Well, I've seen it worse.
Bow got a tiny rate of fire boost and higher damage from close, nothing huge but it felt like a small boost would make it better.
Removal of whiskey jug is easy to explain. Team Shootout may feature teams but isn't a mode for teamplay, jug didn't offer any significant advantage for the player using it and I couldn't see one other than self-healing. So it was a bit alien among other perks.
And Yellowboy, this is a major change aimed towards those who like to snipe. The problem with Smith carbine was that it was good as basic sniper but also pretty good for close combat. The weapon in itself fills a niche that is alright, it's just there shouldn't be such stock weapon that offers this wide range of attacks. Yellowboy as is now allows some decent midrange options, but it gets lot of riskier when moving into rooms and small corridors. So it feels better, a small gripe is its excessive clip, it would be better with 10 rounds max let's say.
Fistful of Frags never got stale in its 11 years history I don't think it should get as long it stays alive. This recent changes made the game richer in many aspects, and more fair too. Your complaints may be right too, and things may still change over the time to alleviate future issues.
Hammerless pocket revolver was introduced (fast firing, low damage, 5 rounds)
Schofield, Smith carbine and portable whiskey jug not available as stock items
Yellowboy included in loadout menu (along -30% damage decrease)
Deringer was left as secondary only option but cheaper
several weapon balances: Mare's Leg, sawed-off shotgun and bow
no speed slowdown while walking backwards, lesser slowdown after jumping, -50% speed loss due weapon damage
no duck-jump possible when charging forward, less impulse gained from multiple hops
notoriety scoring system revamped: rewards got re-scaled so difference among smaller and biggest is double instead triple
carried physic props may drop easily when jumping or touching other solids
Tracking skill: footprints from enemies are visible for a short amount of time. This one replaces Gentleman perk
walking mode gets a big accuracy decrease
handgun skills revamped: increased accuracy for ambidextrous, small decrease for left-handed, right-handed gets a "sharpshooter" mode that replaces fanning
fanning handgun skill: improved handgun secondary fire mode (increased accuracy, speed while moving, fire rate)
Schofield, Smith carbine and portable whiskey jug not available as stock items
Yellowboy included in loadout menu (along -30% damage decrease)
Deringer was left as secondary only option but cheaper
several weapon balances: Mare's Leg, sawed-off shotgun and bow
no speed slowdown while walking backwards, lesser slowdown after jumping, -50% speed loss due weapon damage
no duck-jump possible when charging forward, less impulse gained from multiple hops
notoriety scoring system revamped: rewards got re-scaled so difference among smaller and biggest is double instead triple
carried physic props may drop easily when jumping or touching other solids
Tracking skill: footprints from enemies are visible for a short amount of time. This one replaces Gentleman perk
walking mode gets a big accuracy decrease
handgun skills revamped: increased accuracy for ambidextrous, small decrease for left-handed, right-handed gets a "sharpshooter" mode that replaces fanning
fanning handgun skill: improved handgun secondary fire mode (increased accuracy, speed while moving, fire rate)
OVERVIEW
These changes focus mostly on Shootout/Team Shootout and their variants. If they could be summarized, I guess the intention here is to bring some more diversity to the table while limiting certain underlying issues. Predominant tactics make games stale, more predictable, over the time. These defects could be appreciated in FoF in the form of: all over jump-kicking, left handed revolvers and 1-shot weapons.
WHY JUMP-KICK IS AN ISSUE AND OTHER MOVEMENT RELATED QUESTIONS
This maneuver isn't wrong by itself, it's just bad because lag and how internet things work. Multiplayer games try to convince you that other players are where you see them on your screen, but they aren't, they are generally closer than they appear so they can hit you from relatively far away due lag and false perception. Duck-jump makes this issue worse, by making you completely defenseless while the other player gets a minimal risk at doing this action.
So these recent changes made things a bit harder in this regard by limiting forward push and giving players the option to back at higher speed. Do you think it is too much, too little, well, I tried to make my point.
There also was big speed loss over certain things as multiple jumps or receiving damage, specially from shotguns.Those limitations have been reduced as became unnecessary now due other changes (jump) or because they give too much significance to first attack.
LEFT-HANDED, WALKING AND OTHER ACCURACY RELATED STUFF
Left-handed gave a 30% accuracy bonus at the expense of having terrible dual-wield accuracy. The thing is accuracy is mostly preferred over dual-wield, so other handgun skills were irrelevant for the most part. The changes make things less white-black, as left-handed still gives the quickest time to stop and shoot, while right-handed can be used for a more fluid movement, and fanning skill gives a sensation of uncontrolled power that I personally like to use from time to time.
Walking allows you to shoot semi-accurately without stopping completely. I think it simply was too good, too easy, too limiting in the diversify department. Changes make it only usable for very close range, but still is feasible.
NOTORIETY
Previous scale gave 4 points to top tier weapons and 15 to fists. The gap was simply too wide, if you wanted to score there wasn't much of a point in getting even mid-tier weapons. I don't even think top tier weapons were so "over the top" anyway, even Walker isn't invincible.
New scale starts at 9 points and ends at 20, so the respective order doesn't change much. It's just stock tier weapons may give a 50% bonus over top tier instead 100%. There are a few attacks that got lower or higher compared to previous scale, for instance: kicks reward less, smaller guns and melee throws reward a bit better.
WEAPON RELATED CHANGES
Removing Schofield and Smith from stock selection on team enabled Shootout/Elimination was a hard decision, not because they belong there but there was a point in making certain mid-tier weapons more available as there was some initial concern regards how players could access to better weapons. Since chest system was revamped that concern isn't there anymore. Getting weapons that grant an edge from the start seems illogical regarding player progression, yet I still see reasons to keep Schofield at least.
Sawed-off shotgun got a small boost, this is a problematic weapon because no one really uses it when it's a tad underpowered, and once you bump it a bit then becomes an annoyance. Well, I've seen it worse.
Bow got a tiny rate of fire boost and higher damage from close, nothing huge but it felt like a small boost would make it better.
Removal of whiskey jug is easy to explain. Team Shootout may feature teams but isn't a mode for teamplay, jug didn't offer any significant advantage for the player using it and I couldn't see one other than self-healing. So it was a bit alien among other perks.
And Yellowboy, this is a major change aimed towards those who like to snipe. The problem with Smith carbine was that it was good as basic sniper but also pretty good for close combat. The weapon in itself fills a niche that is alright, it's just there shouldn't be such stock weapon that offers this wide range of attacks. Yellowboy as is now allows some decent midrange options, but it gets lot of riskier when moving into rooms and small corridors. So it feels better, a small gripe is its excessive clip, it would be better with 10 rounds max let's say.
CONCLUSION
Fistful of Frags never got stale in its 11 years history I don't think it should get as long it stays alive. This recent changes made the game richer in many aspects, and more fair too. Your complaints may be right too, and things may still change over the time to alleviate future issues.
Howdy partners, as it's tradition, Halloween themed maps and game mode "Ghost Town" have been added to the base game for a limited time. This year's update comes with two additional levels, gt_overtop and gt_nest. Don't miss the chance to play!
