Alright folks. Time for some real topic. You all been wailing and whining about how you have unique utterly accurate vision of rebalancing the game, what new toys you want to see etc.
This all comes to one misconception - that devs are terrible at balancing and if they did everything right, the game would be successful. That is not true. Not entirely.
Lets talk the real problem of the game. It is hugely underrated. Not enough players.
Why is that? 2 Reasons -
- Game is too complicated by nature. Even most of those that play it, lack the understanding of base concepts of the game in building or tactics or game mechanics. That’s why it really needs to have that part improved through tutorials and other materials. So much players build bad inefficient crafts and get bullied by metas because of that.
- Not enough advertising. Even though there is enough money to make banners and advertisement on many sites and many YT bloggers tried this game, they all mostly failed to understand the game, and therefore tell what players, how and why should play it. The only good one I know is Gromek999 but even he abandoned the game. He made a good impact though, showing of spectacular irregular mechanics of the game. But he got bored at the end and quit.
Why am I so sure of all this? Open the game website. Click partnership and look how desperate situation is. Also think about all the streams you seen from developers, and check official YT channel. They try to make the media roll, but it makes me feel pity every time. Either it’s developer or YT Blogger, highlighting new season or update, both groups are definitely don’t play regularly or love the game, don’t understand it. Those things when they search through interface trying to get to something, get lost from time to time, all that shallow understanding of the game…
I might be wrong but,
Currently there is no signigicant YTuber that would really play the game, and highlight it.(last streams were with ones that don’t play the game seriously, and then it became devs only, and as I mentioned (and many here on forum), doesn’t seem devs play their own game much either) That’s for english speaking audience anyway. On Russian there seem to be some focused on the game and successful YTubers, but there are other issues. As a typical YTubers, they generate videos for the sake of income, which quite reduces quality of stuff they create, but boosts quantity to make it hard to find useful and important stuff(if they even make any).
The other issue - lack of proper tutorials.(correct this if I am wrong) There is no full tutorial explaining the game in detail. Explaining parts, principles of building, etc. Just a nice long structured video-tutorial that even devs could link to the game. Don’t mind the text ones(if they exist), most people will get to annoyed to get that info through reading without parallel video illustration and why shouldn’t they?
So what can be done?
That place of leading english community YTuber is still seems to be vacant.
(personally me, I don’t want it, I’ve got much more reliable and serious thing going, rather than chasing views and YT monetization). But I’m willing to try to make some YT channel with good full tutorials about the game. Also making videos trying to highlight the game at medium PS and explain better what players and why might like the game, and try to bring more. I won’t start that anytime soon. Got a bunch of work firstly, but also there is some risk. Crossout is developed and managed by Russian company, and with all things going on(war), Russian internet might end up isolated from EU. Wargaming for example already announced they move company from Belarus. I’m not entirely sure in future of Crossout beyond Russia. At least it proved to be problematic so far, not sure they have enough resource to make it separate branch if they need to, or will be able or willing to move Targem.
What also can be done? Some interesting materials you could record from the game and spread. But keep in mind that those should be understandable for someone doesn’t playing Crossout, like things that Gromek did, or Paluluman. Or Black Hat Gaming channel does.
Would be nice if developers added some replay tools, that would help a lot.