While it’s definitely cliche to blame all your losses in Overwatch on your teammates or a stacked enemy team, sometimes it’s legitimately true. Whether if it’s from high rating players “smurfing” (an annoying practice we’ll discuss below) or a seemingly brain-dead stream of teams, there will always be occasions where you just can’t get a win despite playing at the top of your game. The Overwatch design team seems to realize this phenomenon and has made some interesting changes to the way the game handles “Loss Streaks” to make it a little easier to recover from a string of crappy games.
The changes are largely to the idea of a “streak multiplier” that accelerates the rate at which your skill rating is changed based on either a collection of consecutive wins or losses. The change is largely intended to deal with boosting or smurfing, according to head designer Jeff Kaplan.
Boosting is the idea of paying for someone to level an account to a higher skill rating. The reasoning behind this is baffling to me, as in the vast majority of cases you’ll end up in a skill bracket where you can’t hold your own and you’ll tank your rating pretty damn quickly. I suppose some people generally think they’re much better than their skill rating and that they’re “stuck” due to everyone else’s play. This is a really distorted way of thinking, but it must be common enough as there are entire companies built around boosting players’ Overwatch accounts to a predetermined skill level. This process is especially harmful to other players, as the gamers who actually deserve to be in that skill bracket will be stuck with players who don’t actually play at the skill level their account reflects.
“Smurfing” is when high-rating players create a new account to play in a much lower skill bracket and stomp all over less skilled players. I don’t understand the appeal behind this easier. Sure, it’s easy and it feels good to win over and over again, but is that good feeling really justified if you’re not playing with people that are anywhere near your level of skill? Destroying new players with a new account just makes people feel bad and can lead to a string of losses when just one excellent player can turn the tide of low elo games.
As we mentioned above, the main changes to address these issues are a tuning adjustment to the streak multiplier mechanic. Simply put, you’ll need to win or lose more games in a row to see that huge skill rating adjustment. Kaplan and the Overwatch team are confident this will help resolve a lot of issues that the player base has brought up with the game’s competitive mode (though boosting and smurfing are not unique to Overwatch in any sense).
What do you guys think? Is this the fix that was needed to bring Overwatch competitive mode’s balance a little more in line with how it should work? Is this a bandaid on a much bigger problem? Let us know in the comments below.
Gaming
Shift Up unveils the intriguing details behind the physical packaging of Stellar Blade for the PS5
It appears that many
are eagerly anticipating the launch of the highly anticipated PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade. Shift Up, the developer, has shared a lengthy video showcasing the “secrets” found in the physical box of the game for PS5. From what we can gather, these secrets include a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for cosmetic items.
We must clarify that while we do appreciate the variant cover, it may be more appealing than the game’s standard art. However, it is not something we would typically classify as a “secret.”. However, what’s interesting is that Shift Up has confirmed through the comments section that this will be the case in all regions. Additionally, the visually striking action RPG will remain uncensored worldwide.
「Stellar Blade」 Physical Package Secrets⚠️#StellarBlade #PS5 #Disc pic.twitter.com/WQSzKUSDQ4
— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) April 22, 2024
It’s refreshing to witness a developer going the extra mile for physical collectors, and it’s evident that the developer is determined to leave a favorable mark in the console realm. Stellar Blade is set to make its highly anticipated debut this Friday, April 26th, exclusively on the PS5.
Gaming
Here are all the patch notes for the new PS5 firmware update that adds the community game help feature
Sony has recently launched the newest PS5 system software update, which is always an exciting occasion for avid PlayStation fans. With a size of slightly over 1GB, you can download and install it right away. As always, the question remains: What exactly does the update bring to the table?
According to the official patch notes, there have been some notable improvements, particularly in the area of game help. We are introducing an exciting addition to our platform: the Community Game Help feature. This feature enhances the PS5’s Game Help system by providing you with gameplay videos from fellow players. Players have the option to choose whether or not they want their gameplay videos to be shared using this feature.
If you’re concerned about it, you can now hide your Remote Play connection status as well.
Presenting the complete patch notes:
- Game Help has been enhanced with the addition of Community Game Help features
- Within Game Help, players can find Community Game Help hints in supported games. These cues come from gameplay videos that other players have shared.
- If you’re up for it, you have the option to contribute to Community Game Help by giving permission for your gameplay video to be automatically recorded and included in the feature after it’s been reviewed
- If you want to join in, navigate to Settings, then Captures & Broadcasts, followed by Captures, Auto Captures, and finally Community Game Help. From there, simply choose the option to participate. Users have the option to unsubscribe whenever they choose
- During Remote Play, players now have the option to hide the persistent message “Remote Play connected.” that appears on their game screen. To ensure a seamless gaming experience, navigate to the Settings menu, then proceed to the System section. From there, locate the Remote Play option and activate the Hide Remote Play Connection Status feature
- The system’s software performance and stability have been significantly enhanced
- The messages and usability on some screens have been enhanced
While not the most groundbreaking update, the Community Game Help feature has the potential to be intriguing, contingent upon the number of games that offer support for it. What are your thoughts on the latest update? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has received an exciting update that introduces a new graphical mode, elevating the game’s visual experience. With a smooth frame rate of 40 frames per second and enhanced resolutions, players can now immerse themselves in even more stunning and detailed environments. Now downloadable on PS5 with the latest patch 3.2, this mode is compatible with 4K TVs that can handle up to 120 Hz. Before this update, Avatar PS5 only offered quality and performance modes. However, with this new option, players can now enjoy the benefits of both modes after downloading the 2.4GB update.
Throughout the PS5 era, 40fps modes have been a rarity, much to the disappointment of the hardcore community. Insomniac Games first introduced them in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and later added the feature to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. They also included it in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Other PS5 titles, such as Hogwarts Legacy, Lies of P, and God of War Ragnarok, also offer 40fps modes.
In addition to that, Patch 3.2 for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora brings along the following:
Worldwide:
- Research Station Alpha now features a convenient Fast Travel option
- The issue of controller re-mapping and resetting on game restart has been resolved
- Addressed multiple instances of crashes
- I corrected a few spelling errors
- Addressed the issue of voice lines overlapping during dialogue
Primary Objectives & Optional Objectives:
- [Main Quest: Shadows of the Past] This main quest is an intriguing journey into the depths of history. Addressed a bug that previously hindered quest progression in co-op mode
More bug fixes have been implemented.
- [Available on all platforms] The rescued human characters no longer return to the Resistance HQ wearing masks
- Available on all platforms. There is a noticeable improvement in the visibility of NPCs when they are at the edge of the Player’s vision
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