Why would you have left FAF?

Why are you surprised your games are eco sims if you’re playing “two team camping maps.” There are zero restrictions on what maps people can play and unit balance goes hand in hand with maps. Means for maps you need to self select a reliable pool to serve as a control for games. For balance concerns that tends to be focused on maps in the matchmakers.

Balance was hardly solved “years ago.” There are less noob trap units in the game than there ever were. Example in terms of Aeon roster:
Units made useful that were useless years ago:

• blaze
• obsidian
• chrono
• second shield,
• gunship
• frig
• battleship
• czar (beyond being a guided crash nuke)
• snipers

Many of these units had longstanding problems solved which in turn made Aeon extremely overtuned because they got their shit units resolved while keeping their S tier units (or gained new ones) and so that calls for balance patches to deal with lowering their ceiling after raising the floor of the faction.

These days the only “noob trap units” in Aeon roster are probably their ACU teleport upgrade and maybe mercy, no idea where they fall after the rework.

It's extremely stupid to think a game is completely "balanced" at some point. Also meta changes over time even in games where the balance doesn't change. All good games that have lasted for many years have updates and balance changes, it's what keeps them interesting; stagnation kills them off.

Uef used to be the noob faction for years. Really the only thing about the balence team is they tend to over balence then draw it back, they be better at it then before but the game seems better every time.

Right now it's kinda hard to get a game at my play time, too much gap games going on. I've been playing bar a little bit.

I think "getting matched against 1300 rated players etc" is miles less annoying that getting matched against the person that beat you last game, personally!

I'm pretty new to FaF, and for me, the number one thing that would have made me more likely to stay is the 'must have' list of controls and UI mods.
I think having all the important controls bound to sensible hotkeys (build pgen, build factory, build MEX, cancel all but current build, select closest idle T1 MEX, and many, many more), plus perhaps a bunch of basic build queues for each faction's t1/t2/t3 spam, maybe even some templates for T1 PD surrounded by walls, or pgens that don't all become adjacent when spammed.

And perhaps more importantly, useful mods. I currently run:
Build range preview
Engineer alt selection
Range tester
Spread move
Specific target priorities
subtle strategic icons
transport hotkey
UI mod tools
ECO UI tools

While they're certainly not all necessary (I understand spread move will be unnecessary very soon), a bunch of them seem to really be important enough to be 'standard' for new players.

I feel a bit sorry for a new player that has to figure out all these little advantages that they can get outside of the game itself.

The problem with the game right now is not balance and most of the people that will argue that are not skilled enough to have the changes effect how they play the game.on that note while it has taken some time I do like the majority of the changes that have been made recently.Of course everyone will always want something to be adjusted myself included it is by far not the worst problem with game right now which in my opinion is the large amount of client related bugs regarding in game connections and the overall sluggish speed of recent clients.

My biggest issue will always be UI mods. In other competitive games, you are not allowed to have mods your opponents doesn't have, especially if they automate things.

@melanol There isn't really much automation going on in UI mods. And the things that are automated often hurt you more than they help.
To me the existence of UI mods makes this game more of a challenge against your opponent using the game's mechanics, instead of a fight against terrible controls and bad UI.

I left FAF over a wishy-washy or at least vague response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Particularly I did not want to "provide comfort to the enemy" by playing a game with them.

Later this seemed resolved, but I didn't return over community toxicity.

I am back lurking on forums because of the new balance patch, I like changes in general and the patch does tempt me to return. Though forums do suggest I wait on some polishing if I really want to.

@valki said in Why would you have left FAF?:

I left FAF over a wishy-washy or at least vague response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Particularly I did not want to "provide comfort to the enemy" by playing a game with them.

Out of curiosity, why would you expect a response or a stand from a community such as FAForever?

@jip said in Why would you have left FAF?:

@valki said in Why would you have left FAF?:

I left FAF over a wishy-washy or at least vague response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Particularly I did not want to "provide comfort to the enemy" by playing a game with them.

Out of curiosity, why would you expect a response or a stand from a community such as FAForever?

Not in principle. I would expect them to make the best determination for their self-interest.
I personally could not play the game in the situation that arose which is my problem; if the FAF team determines that it was also their problem then they should consider what to do in a similar situation in the future.

@valki
The worse thing that can be made, is bring external and politics conflicts into a group. So , the war here is between the races displayed, and this, by my own experience, that already saw several groups disappeared because politics, is the wrong forum to discuss that thing.
Im admin of several Naval history sites, with thousend of people, of ALL world, and no one cross the red line, that is "Politics only are discussed, if linked with naval affairs of the age (1850-70, 1871-1905 etc etc).

@blackjaguar I just left without bringing this up, now it comes up and I clarified it was my problem.

With reference to my original comment about balance changes.

Many are great in fact, i was more referring to the navy specifically. Because... Aeon navy changes are quite significant change to play style in a big way. And i think the changes to t1 frigate where bit too tough. In mass numbers they are op against others, in the end Aeon air support for a navy..... is the strongest.

They have the BEST! Navy support mechanism from land and air. Cheap shields and t3 torp bombers + gunships are rough compliment to a wall of t1 with some t2 and t3 navy. So the frigate being average before i think was warranted. Also they have aint torp jazz so units amongst them survive better against T2 torps

@valki said in Why would you have left FAF?:

I left FAF over a wishy-washy or at least vague response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Particularly I did not want to "provide comfort to the enemy" by playing a game with them.

You are aware, that there are other wars and other movements in the world too and we do not take a stance there?
Should we block all

• chinese players because of genocide to the Uigurs?
• israeli players because of war in Palestine?
• turkish players because of war in Syria?
• players in Armenia und Azerbaijan because the fight each other?
• players from Cosovo and Serbia because of para-military conflict?
• european players because of illegal pushbacks in the ocean?
• players from Niger that do not protest against military takeover?
• US players that support storming the capitol?
• players that do or do not support black lives matters?
• players that affront LGBTQ+ movements?
• players that have any opinion that the majority of the FAF community dislikes?

Where do we draw the line? War? Or only war that is popular enough to be in the news? Or any topic that is in the news? Or only conflicts where we obviously can blame one side and banning them is easy (that is the case with Russia - but does that help?)

There is no way to stay consistent. There is no way to solve any problems. FAF will not make a difference.

@brutus5000 Saved.

Doesn't anyone care! Aeon buffs are ruining FAF! Jks overall back to the main topic why would you leave faf ? being upset at humans isnt a reason why anyone should or would quit. Thats nothing to do with the "GAME" mechanics, or experience if the flags were removed everyone you play would be ambiguous and i love the flags shows just how diverse FAF is! what a great game that we can all just get around and enjoy together while the world goes crazy! Hats of the the guys in China who manage to get past lobby sim!

@Brutus5000 I left because I felt uncomfortable about this war. You have rightfully dismissed my considerations often enough, this one I even kept to myself while it was actual. Why do you care so much about this?

@valki said in Why would you have left FAF?:

Later this seemed resolved, but I didn't return over community toxicity.

I feel obliged to finish this discussion, but I feel community toxicity remains a good reason not to return.

@valki said in Why would you have left FAF?:

@Brutus5000 I left because I felt uncomfortable about this war. You have rightfully dismissed my considerations often enough, this one I even kept to myself while it was actual. Why do you care so much about this?

Basically I just explained to the rest of the community why we do not take any actions beyond our statement.
You are free to leave FAF for whatever reasons and you don't even have to give one at all. Nobody should judge you for that. And I can understand your point.

@brutus5000 Thank you.

Politics is a poison to anything it touches.