Here is my feedback after playing the Xmas EVAC Zone cup :
MENU
I really like the new menu, it is more responsive and the lookup for games is easier with this intermediate screen before connecting. The char customization is nice, I’m waiting to see how this evolves. I have spotted a few things :
- The chars selection with animated 3D chars gets all dark if I get back to windows and then back to the game.
- The same screen gets a slight flickering on the 3D chars.
- When I click on a server in server selection, it moves somewhere else in the list and I lose focus.
PERFORMANCES
I know this is not the case for everyone, but I got a nice boost of performances. I’m not sure if this is only an impression, but the whole game looks more fluid and responsive. However I tend to have a slight lag when I start firing a weapon, which is even more noticeable if I have a higher ping.
My rig : i5-4660k, 16GO RAM, GeForce 760GTX
ANIMATIONS
I like the new animations on the guns when running but I find them a bit exaggerated. It almost feels like my chars are high when they run. The ragdolls are looking good now, but sometimes it feels like gravity is not realistic (shotguned a guy, he learned to fly but the fall was not as hard as i would have expected/hoped for).
WATERLOO
Waterloo has gained from removing the hackable console. I feel the gameplay is faster and more intense now. However I also find that the balcony where the console was feels empty now. The “1 way” up there limits the action and I would like to see a back door possibility up there. Also the balcony on the right (for the attackers) has only one entrance through the escalator and provides a way too important spot to defend a plant on the second container. There should be two ways to get up there.
The first stage has clearly changed in a good way with the new positions of the vehicles. I like it and it’s easier to find cover. Also jumping on the van to get to the other side of the wall has worked wonders to the gameplay by offering an alternative. I would like to see more of that type of routes in the maps.
PROXI
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I like the two mines, but I still need to put them both at the same place to achieve a kill, otherwise they are useless except as a detection tool. But globally I like this change (just takes more time to set them both in the same place instead of having a single mine). I would like to see a slightly faster landing time of the mines.
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I feel like the shotgun is less powerful, which is somehow a problem as most of the time I get only one chance at killing an enemy with 75HP, but I need two headshots to do it. This is disturbing and I’m clearly less efficient right now. The close range killing sprees are limited to 1-2 kills instead of 2-4. As Proxi is really made for defense, I’d like her to get back a bit of power on her shotgun otherwise you are just not powerful enough at close range and too easy to kill at medium to long range. In the end I feel like all I do is dying with Proxi and that I need to rely even more on the mines to get kills.
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The SMG is perfect IMO. Good damage, clip size is nice and reloading time is correct.
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Shotgun reload animation : when reloading the shotgun, I get the bullet’s case mesh floating above the shotgun for the duration of the reload.
Globally I like the changes, but right now Proxi is pretty much good at nothing but objective defense using the mines, and I really would like her to be able to do active defense (offensive route capture and hold). The shotgun is the real problem IMO and it pretty much balances the whole char. I would like either a bit more health (so I’m not a one shot to all other chars, with maybe 80HP ?), or real close range power.
This is what I got so far, I’ll keep playing this update with other chars.