Starhawk (Closed) Beta Testing thread of impressions and questions.

Had a good couple of games in the Gaf server. Still have some acclimatising to do; trying to take down someone in a jetpack with anything other than a rocket launcher is incredibly hard. Maybe I should try aiming down the sights less in that instance.
 
Good couple of games in the server before I had to shut it down. Newest patch seems to have slowed the game down a little, which some people might now like, but it has also shifted focus back onto building intelligent bases instead of just spamming beam turrets. Really good balance across all areas, this might the the last big patch of the closed beta, it'll take some time to narrow down the flaws.
 
This game seems to be super-ambitious, and I love that they're trying so many new things. That said, every video I've seen makes the game seem so incredibly boring. Unless you're a hardcore, Starhawk-master (much like Warhawk, surprise), you hardly ever see any action and are just fodder for the people who play this game all the damn time. It's much like I feared from my limited time with Warhawk.

And no, it's not like every other game. The scope of the maps and versatility of the vehicles, hawks especially, make the gap between n00b and pr0 that much greater. Watched a video a few weeks back that lasted 16 minutes and the guy got killed like 7 times and didn't get one kill himself. That's just not fun.

LightBox should've thought about doubling the player count, only with bots much like a MOBA, or something. I dunno what the solution is, or if there even is one.
 
nickslicl said:
Hey man, Don't give up hope! Watch some more videos; I'm sure the answer is in there somewhere!
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:lol

Yes, what Duffy seems to be missing is just like Warhawk - if you're not good at shooting people, flying, or whatever - there is a role you can play to help your team. Warhawk / Starhawk don't trap you in the SHOOTING IS EVERYTHING school of game play that is so popular this generation.

I hope we get to see more weapons before the beta ends. :X
 
Duffyside said:
That said, every video I've seen makes the game seem so incredibly boring.
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i guess thats the difference between watching videos and playing games... warhawk and starhawk can be called many names, but boring isnt one of them. It is exact opposite.
 
The Frankman said:
Really getting tired of the random game freezes... if my PS3 borks because of this I'm going to press the "Who do I sue?" button.
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Same here, that's why I've stopped playing too; seemed to be freezing more every time they patch the game.

weekend_warrior, both; he was the gaf clan leader for a while too; more active on the playstation forums lately, though
 
spwolf said:
both... owned your ass? :-)
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No, we were on the same team most of the game, and the one time I was on a different team I want 7-1, I know he was responible for my only death and I know I killed he at least once, so there wasn't much ownage. Plus he was flying hawks all game and I set up a beam turret under a bubble so I was probably really pissing him off.


carlos said:
weekend_warrior, both; he was the gaf clan leader for a while too; more active on the playstation forums lately, though
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Yeah, I've never seen anyone named sea manky post here so I was wondering. I never posted in the Warhawk thread though.
 
I really dislike the Acid Sea map.

I may copy pasta and flesh out my earlier post on what a lame map it is in the beta forums. It really needs to be tweaked as it's just so scatter brained.

Melee seems toned down now too. Am I nuts or has the generous tracking been reduced?
 
The Take Out Bandit said:
I really dislike the Acid Sea map.

I may copy pasta and flesh out my earlier post on what a lame map it is in the beta forums. It really needs to be tweaked as it's just so scatter brained.

Melee seems toned down now too. Am I nuts or has the generous tracking been reduced?
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I love Acid Sea, it just needs some of the outer rift barrels moved to the middle, so that spot becomes more strategically important.

I don't think knife has been toned down, people have just gotten better with the other weapons. I personally have no problem going into a confrontation with a rifle now, where as before if that was all I had I try to maneuver in closer for the melee.

Have you tried the air to air yet? How do you think it feels with the improved homing and swarm missiles?
 
weekend_warrior said:
Played some games with sea manky. Is he a gaffer or just a prominent Warhawk player?
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Dude is THE [GAF] clan leader. Him, Tnttbltn, carlos and I would have some wild server games.

Also funny thing about the Acid Sea map and parts of the Space map: they're basically rips of The Omega Factory.

EDIT: Set up a room as of 2:01 AM EST. Hopefully I don't get another stupid freeze.
 
Patch 1.1.5 Details

Starhawk Private BETA Update: 1.1.5
Thursday, December 22, 2011 At 2:06PM
Today's 1.1.5 update for the Starhawk Private BETA was deployed during the regular server maintenance at 2pm Central and contained the following changes:

Enabled 20-min game time.
Reduced Repair Tool damage vs. enemy structures.
Reduced Repair Tool healing vs. ally structures.
Increased Kinetic Rifle spread-recovery speed.
Increased Kinetic Rifle head-shot damage.

Repair Tool:
Reviewing the Repair Tool data and usage has led us reduce the rate a player can damage an enemy structure *AND* the rate it can repair allied structures. The Repair Tool still needs to be an important piece of equipment on the battlefield and we're hopeful that these changes maintain it's usefulness while reducing some of the degenerate usage we were seeing.

Kinetic Rifle:
As players already know, continued firing of the Kinetic Rifle in full-auto will result in a reduction of the weapon's accuracy. When a player stops firing the Kinetic Rifle, the "spread" will then recover back to the base-line accuracy. It was this spread-recovery speed that we felt was a bit too slow. The 1.1.5 update includes a change to increase it's spread-recovery speed. We have also increased the damage modifier for Kinetic Rifle head-shots so players will see a larger contrast between body-shots and head-shots with the Kinetic Rifle.

And a friendly reminder that if you fire the Kinetic Rifle while crouching, you will receive a "Stable Firing Bonus" of +25% spread-recovery speed *AND* +25% slower loss of accuracy when firing full-auto for sustained periods of time.

Stats, SkillScore and Level Reset:
During today's maintenance we've also reset all player Stats, SkillScore and Level. As we've mentioned before we need to do this from time to time during the BETA. We know it's never a good feeling to have your level re-set but it's an important part of the Private BETA process, so thank you all for your patience and understanding!
Click to expand...

Impressions (from me):

Nothing substiantial. Making the max match time 20 minutes is nice. Oddly enough the 30 minute option that used to be blacked out is now completley gone. Don't know what that means. The repair takes about 25% more time to repair/damage structures now which was a nice adjustment since it was a little overpowered. The rifle feels about the same. They increased the spread recovery which wasn't the real problem. It would have been better if they reduced the spread itself.
 
Played enough of the game to realize it's not for me, unfortunately. I'm not going to force myself to play it any longer just because it's made by the same guys that who Warhawk.

A shame, since I was looking forward to this game for years. Nice to see some people enjoying it, though.
 
Last three times I've tried to play it has frozen up on me before I even got into a game; it always happens on the options menu, in the flight options settings. Gonna wait until a more substantial patch until I try to play again.
 
weekend_warrior said:
I love Acid Sea, it just needs some of the outer rift barrels moved to the middle, so that spot becomes more strategically important.

I don't think knife has been toned down, people have just gotten better with the other weapons. I personally have no problem going into a confrontation with a rifle now, where as before if that was all I had I try to maneuver in closer for the melee.

Have you tried the air to air yet? How do you think it feels with the improved homing and swarm missiles?
Click to expand...

Tracking on the knife definitely seems reduced. I can no longer get close and mash R3 like I used to and get free tracking for free kill.

Haven't messed with the hawks much since the changes as I'm too mired in the worker ant mindset of setting up forward bases or destroying enemy fortifications. Machine guns on the hawks still suck though.

The Frankman said:
Also funny thing about the Acid Sea map and parts of the Space map: they're basically rips of The Omega Factory.
Click to expand...

I can see that, but the Space map is like Omega Factory with less shitty vertical elements to it and just general bad times where you're running around trying to get to weapons or vehicles. It's a marked improvement over some of the mindless sprawl in OF which was exacerbated by Warhawk's random spawn points.

Acid Sea is like a boring OF. They need more RE barrels on the stage. By my count Space has 24 RE barrels on the map. Acid sea has 16. That's a huge disparity given the relative size of the map. LBI should use fixed RE barrel allocations on the map layouts, if it's a small map; then make it 24 barrels.
 
I have a public MP beta code for Starhawk that came with Uncharted 3. I imagine that it will start up shortly after the current closed beta ends. I will never use this code. First person who quotes me can have it.
 
Starhawk Private BETA Update: 1.1.6

Friday, December 23, 2011 At 2:17PM
Today's 1.1.6 update for the Starhawk Private BETA was deployed during the regular server maintenance at 2pm Central and contained the following changes:

Increased Swarm-Laser dumb-fire volley (1 to 2).
Increased Swarm-Laser damage vs. structures.

Swarm Laser Damage & Volley Count:
Back in the 1.0.8 Update, we "nerfed" the Hawk in mech-mode to help reduce "mech-ravaging". This was very successful however, as is common in tuning, it was an over-step. The goal of this 1.1.6 Update is to help bring back some of the offensive capabilities of the Hawk -- especially against buildings. As always, we will be watching and listening to your feedback and will make further changes as needed to help strike the right balance!
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Awesome! Been waiting a while for them to increase volley from 1 to 2.
 
This latest update has been extremely buggy. I can't brake the barrels, I can't redeploy, and some of my shots seem to not even hit.
 
Man CTF games just devolve into amassing buildings... Hope this is only such a problem bc these are the small versions of the maps but still. There are WAY to many buildings
 
Adding theh 20:00 option has really made the game more enjoyable for me. It feels like I'm able to set up something instead of just rushing around trying to get the flag as quick as possible.

tch said:
Man CTF games just devolve into amassing buildings... Hope this is only such a problem bc these are the small versions of the maps but still. There are WAY to many buildings
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There seems to be some people that just build because they can but I've also seen a lot of strategic building going on. Sometimes building something in the right place at the right time can be the difference in winning and losing.
 
Had a crazy game in ther GAF server. CTF on Space and about 10 minute in the other team had built this giant fortress base under a bubble. They didn't have anything up anywhere but under this bubble around the flag. It was packed. So I set up a beacon and weapon bunker up high beside the bridge and I keep jetpacking in and detroying the shield and then raced back to the bunker, but everytime I got back to the bunker they had another shield up. I did this like 4 times, and finally the last time my whole team started raining hell on their base. All sorts of shit was exploding, people where scattering, it was like taking a flamethrower to an ant hill. Somebody ran in, grabbed the flag, and we won. Fucking awesome! I had over 12,000 points that match.
 
Dicked around more with the flight tonight.

Managed to shoot down several people in the GAF server with a bit of practice. I still don't like how missiles and the machine gun work, but I'm getting the hang of it now and will apply required pressure.

Air mines are a bit crap now. Way too easy to shoot down and avoid. :\

I'm still having random auto aim misfires with the rocket launcher. When I'm dumb firing rockets, it will randomly start to favor veering off to the right. I'm not locking on to anything damn it! >:|
 
Found the Gaf server last night. This game is nuts. I really like that you can sort of designate people to keep up the building while others go for the flag. Good times.
 
Bwahaha! Had a rare moment tonight where I came swooping in with a Hawk to take out another Hawk that was trying to take out our forward base and this guy on foot was trying to stop him. The other player was like, "YAY! It's <Insert PSN Username Here>!"

So that's how the cavalry feels when they ride in to save the day.
040.gif
 
When the Open Beta is available, if anyone has a key they don't plan on using. I'd be willing to use it. :D

The game really does look great, will 2 player split screen be in the beta? It'd be great to play it with my bro.
 
Cisce said:
When the Open Beta is available, if anyone has a key they don't plan on using. I'd be willing to use it. :D

The game really does look great, will 2 player split screen be in the beta? It'd be great to play it with my bro.
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People in the pre-beta are automatically in the real beta.
 
MoonsaultSlayer said:
People who were sent codes or people who actually used the codes and played? Big difference. I got mine from someone else.

But I do have the UC3 key so I should be ok.
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Ok to keep hating the game? :P

Played some Warhawk again last night and man, I'm pretty much preferring the G2A and rough balance of Starhawk more now. Spawning with a viable weapon means you're no longer wasting time waiting for a weapon to spawn. Even if you know where the weapons are if someone snatches it before you, you're stuck waiting for it to re-spawn.

The running speed in Starhawk makes for a faster paced game, but I still think that should be your normal speed for movement.

No more Warhawks raping the ground troops and installations for free. Unfortunately now the jetpack in Starhawk is the new base raping for free bullshit. Get a team of several jetpackers controlling the map and Rift Energy and you've got a situation where they're flying around dropping walls and sentry guns which just tear you to pieces.

The anti-jetpack measures need to be beefed up. They've traded six game design sins, for half a dozen other game design sins. >:|

Unfortunately Starhawk still has situations with insane base rape which need to be ironed out. I'd go so far as to suggest LBI not permit the enemy team to spawn BnB items within the range of the Rift Energy generator's presence (the green or red aura) at the home base.

The problem may just be exacerbated by stupid players who don't immediately destroy enemy beacons and garages in your base. Where they spawn, grab your flag, grab a jeep and drive off free of opposition.
 
When you get into the groove of it, sniper plus jetpack is pretty awesome.

Edit: but yeah, trying to take down a jetpack without a rocket launcher is nigh on impossible.
 
People who want to get in the public beta shouldn't have a very hard time. I'm sure there are plenty of GAFers who bought Uncharted 3 who have no interest in the Starhawk beta and will give you their key.
 
MoonsaultSlayer said:
People who were sent codes or people who actually used the codes and played? Big difference. I got mine from someone else.

But I do have the UC3 key so I should be ok.
Click to expand...
That's a good question. I wonder if you contact Lightbox and got your code from somewhere else they'd comp you if you send evidence you're in the Pre.
Unfortunately Starhawk still has situations with insane base rape which need to be ironed out. I'd go so far as to suggest LBI not permit the enemy team to spawn BnB items within the range of the Rift Energy generator's presence (the green or red aura) at the home base.
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Welcome to 66% of Warhawk.

And in this game you're only baseraped if you have stupid teammates who don't prioritize threats. Destroying the 3 guys building a Pod Beacon behind the flag in Home Base, or sniping the one guy from across the map who can't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle? Watching 5 guys go after the sniper never gets old for me.
 
The Frankman said:
And in this game you're only baseraped if you have stupid teammates who don't prioritize threats. Destroying the 3 guys building a Pod Beacon behind the flag in Home Base, or sniping the one guy from across the map who can't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle? Watching 5 guys go after the sniper never gets old for me.
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No, seriously.

Is there some way to exile these fucktards to Call of Duty for the love of Christ?

They shouldn't be playing any *Hawk game. It's beyond their meager capacity of understanding.
 
NeoGAF room up.
Made up percentages, yay!
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Nope. Going through all my CTF games usually by the 20-minute mark of a 30-minute game a baserape has happened, or is 1 base away from happening. People like to spawn at bases that other people grab, most don't like to fight for bases directly.
 
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