Just had this match with a storm setting where both Assault bases ended up being out of touch. Somehow we managed to win and I got MVP against the steep PS slope (8964 PS vs 13365 PS).
On normal circumstance i would only get half the points (which is typical, no way 2 Thunderbolts and 1 Hammerfall could win against enemies at 13k PS), but thanks to them being clueless and blindly goes into the storm, i got to farm all the damage and take the podium.
However, a storm setting is already stupid when a neutral base exists, and now they’re removing Assault/Domination bases from being captured that would’ve otherwise shifted the outcome.
“Well-designed maps with bases as points of contests? Nah, fuck you and your Assault/Domination bases in particular.”
The enemy team would’ve stand a chance if the storm wasn’t a thing. they could’ve tried to capture ours.
I hate the storm, because:
- It happens too quick in the match (quickest that I can remember was 30 seconds in so when you usually have the beginning fights)
- You don’t have a clear indicator (the mini-map helps, but we all know average Crossout players can’t look at that while also trying to hit/dodge enemies) for either about to or taking damage from the storm since you are close to it or in it.
- The shrinking rate is too fast, causing long range play to be obsolete when it happens because you have no room to be away from close range vehicles and not die to the storm. This will further narrow down the already oppressive meta into favoring brawlers like triton track bricks and high DPS, short range vehicles such as firedogs.
- Since it can start at any moment (to be a surprise), it can (and will) make base capture obsolete as you suddenly are forced to leave it and be forced to deal with the reason you are capping instead (in the context of domination/team bases, middle point base does not have this issue as they are (usually) in the same place).
- The storm occurring (as it is now from previous points) is more likely to make a worse situation rather than a good one because it tries to do the same thing as base captures as a surprise “Woops, new objective parameters” but with huge damage penalties if ignored.
Does this mean the storm is bad fundamentally?
Not necessarily as its purpose (according to what they say it’s supposed to be) is to add deviation from the usual flow of matches (though, as it is now, it’s just a too high speed up for the slaughter and ignore base capture entirely).
However, any healthy games should make the decisive factor an option. You should be provided with the option to either try taking out the enemy on the base, or risk it by rushing in and defend it. A Storm setting removed the choice, as now you’re being penalized for “making the wrong choice (a.k.a. get into the zone)”.
Bases already perform their job of narrowing the parameters of conflict just fine for years. if anything, we can shorten the base capture time requirement and increase the capture reward to incentivize players for an more aggressive option (keyword is “incentivize”. you’re not forced into the bases by an environmental hazard that penalize you for not going in).
A lot of the Crossout players are more of a casual player rather than competitive, so any settings that further pushes them into being competitive is just repulsive.
The sandstorm should be left as a temporary parameter and never return to regular PvP. Leave it as a brawl / Clan War tiebreaker mechanism.
Credit to Reddit user u/WhiteSpikePT for the discussion points.