Online game unplayable when I reach Grandmaster level : SMG Studio

H

Hulkersulzer

started a topic over 5 years ago

I play strictly 6-player fixed card trade and I've found that the game experience sucks when I reach Grandmaster or even Master level. There are 2 reasons.

First, the point system. When you're Master or Grandmaster, you can't advance unless you get to be winner. If you are second, your ranking hardly moves. If you are third, your ranking takes a big hit. That is not a fair system. In a 6-player game, if you averaged 3rd place or better you should be getting some points, not losing points.

Secondly, everyone gangs up on you when they see there is a Master or Grandmaster in the game. It sucks. This problem is much worse when the players are higher rank, like intermediate or better. Everyone is out to kill the Grandmaster and take him out of the game, it is so obvious and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. That makes it so much harder to survive to even 3rd or 2nd place and everyone is out for your blood.

I've ranked up to Grandmaster playing only fixed card trade multiple times, gotten my rank to under 1700. When you win a game, you get like 60 ranks better. If you get knocked out in 5th or worse position, you lose 500 ranks and you're instantly back to Master.

Basically when I reach Grandmaster, pretty much the only games I can win are if there's a bunch of newbies who don't know what they are doing. If you start a game with like 3 intermediates you can expect to be knocked out first, because, well, they hate your guts because you're you.

Online Risk is great, but the higher you rank up, the worse the experience is. When you reach Grandmaster, it is a disgusting experience. Why would I sink my best effort on 15-20 games to get to Grandmaster only to get a couple of silly games where everyone decides you're it and knock you back to square one?

With fixed card trades, diplomacy is critical and you have no way to recover if 2 or 3 players are determined to kill you no matter what you do or what the board situation is. I guess other play modes like progressive trade might let you stand a chance, but unfortunately I just am not into that game mode.

This is my experience with 108 wins and 146 losses. SMG, I'm so done with this game.

Am I a whiny sore loser or is this a valid critique of the game? Post a reply below, I'm interested to hear what others think.

SectaOne

said over 5 years ago

I treat grandmaster like a call of duty prestige. I have six Grandmaster accounts but once I get the title I start on a new account. I play both fixed and progressive and I agree you have a better shot with progressive but it is still absurdly hard to keep moving up once you reach the really high ranks. To make matters worse a lot of the very top accounts are just two account cheater types. Grandmasters should be able play against each other and it would be good if we could be assured no one was using two accounts or a modified client.

P

Peter M

said over 5 years ago

interesting. i’m just “expert” but when i have a grandmaster in my game i do the opposite, i will ally with them and help them win with my own focus being on coming third, having no expectation or desire to beat the GM. i think what intermediates etc might not realize is that they are better off coming #2 with a high chance of success than to knock the GM out and take their chances w the common folk. i look at the rankings to set expectations on player behavior - novices are likely to be random, masters and up are likely to win, my goal becomes to place appropriately or better. what might help is better feedback from the game UI. i dont think most players realize how many points they gain from placing second or third in a strong field vs winning on a weak one. i think most players more or less think its an all or nothing, and its that incorrect assessment that drives them to the anti-GM behavior you describe.

H

Hulkersulzer

said over 5 years ago

How do I restart with a new account? I’m on my iOS Game Center account so do I have to make a new Apple ID? It’s going to feel weird going back to novice level but I bet I’ll get a much better win/loss ratio this time. Many of my losses probably came from my first 50 games. No wonder people in the forums complain they never meet real GMs. All of the real GMs are “gone” leaving the cheaters and so if anyone sees a GM they are going to assume a cheat and they would be right most of the time. It might also explain why they dump the hate on GMs.

H