Topic: Splatoon 2

@yokokazuo Ehm nope, league battles work totally different than squad battles: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/07/splatoon_2_will_feat...
It's more like private battles, but with fixed teams and an actual league table with points.
I really hope they expand the league battles into long term leagues, not just leagues that only last for two hours. Otherwise this would be a missed opportunity in my opinion.

@Nicolai Who said I was talking about game modes? And where does this desire for new ranked modes come from anyway? I don't think we need(ed) more than the three classic ranked modes.

I'm not even a fan of a horde mode like Salmon run, it sounds very repetitive. I will only play it for the extra gear and then be done with that.
I also don't believe they will add more ranked modes because those would have to be different from the three we already have and that would be hard to achieve. Or does anyone have an idea for a new exciting ranked mode that is completely different from SZ, RM and TC?
But of course, I'd be happy to be wrong and get more ranked modes!

As you mentioned, they tweaked the core game and changed a lot of smaller things.
But I never expected anything more than small tweaks (like for the gear system) + new content in the first place. I mean, why change the formula of a game that was already doing great? If it ain't broke, don't fix it...
That said, having completely different special weapons alone makes it a totally new game for me.

Actually, I find Spectator Mode and Splatfest Squads more important than most of the other additions. Spectator Mode is key for being a competitive game and I also watched a few streams from time to time, so having Spectator Mode is an inkredible improvement!
But to stay close to the scenario you mentioned: I could totally see myself watching other matches in spectator mode right after work in the train - because playing on the go is too risky - before I dive into battles myself at home.

And not being able to play with friends properly - it did only work after numerous tries and then you had to stay in the lobby, which meant no change of weapons or gear - was the second most annoying thing about Splatfests for me. The most annoying one being that ranked modes are blocked...

@shani I'm going to have to "call you out" on one thing. The whole game is repetitive. Turf wars are 3 mins each. You just play that over and over again. Same with the ranked modes, but they can last shorter or longer the a turf war. I don't really see how Salmon Run could be any less or more repetitive to the other modes, especially since if you are playing online there are only certain times you can play it.
I could see other ranked modes than SZ, TC, and RM. I mean, just look at how creative this game is from the weapons to the characters. They could definitely create a couple of more. Off the top of my head I came up with "Pearl Chase" (not that pearl!). Basically you rush to the middle and grab the pearl and try to hang on to it for the longest. If you have the pearl and you are about to get splatted you could press the grenade button to throw it near another teammate. You'd obviously need to make the team with the pearl have a longer respawn time, but I don't know how difficult that could be. (Hire me Nintendo! XD)

Edit: Even better idea, instead of it being a pearl make it a puffer fish. If you hold it to long without throwing it to another teammate it will explode on you and spawn back in the middle while your respawn time is doubled!

@NapalmPsalm Ok maybe I used the wrong wording. ^^
What I meant was: in TW, SZ, RM, TC, there's always some kind of dynamic element, every match can go different than the one before, mainly because it's played by humans.
Human players (of course not all of them) can be more creative in using the stage and their weapons, the matches are more unpredictable.
With a horde mode though - especially against an AI - it's probably gonna be the same match every time. You're faced with enemies that you have to splat, then there comes another wave of enemies and so on. The only thing changing inbetween is the circumstances (fog, water levels) and the numbers/strength/speed of the enemies.
I'm not saying it can't be fun, but I don't see myself having fun with it for a long time. Because horde mode is one-dimensional by definition (and because there are no human enemies involved).
Of course I haven't played it yet, my assumption is based on my personal preferences regarding games.

Your Pearl mode sounds an awful lot like Rainmaker, only without a goal post and a throwable Rainmaker.
That's the problem I mentioned before: it's hard to create a new mode that isn't similar to the ones we already have...

@NapalmPsalm I got a Shine Runners vibe from reading that.

It would be cool if Splatoon 2 got a mode kind of similar to Halo 5's Warzone. In that mode it's 12 v 12 with your goal being to reach a certain points total where you get points for killing enemy spartans, capturing bases and defeating AI units that attack both teams. The enemy team could be way in the lead but you kill Warden Eternal closing the gap significantly.

@shani I figured that is what you meant. I just had to play devil's advocate on that.

As far as the game mode I came up with goes, I think the dynamic would be a lot different since you aren't pushing the opponents side toward danger. It is like compering basket ball and keep away in phys ed at school, still plenty different. In my opinion TC and RM are too similar since you are pushing a tower or a gold weapon to your opponents side. The only difference is one is on rails and the other isn't.
EDIT: Basically it is an offensive mode(RC) compared to a defensive mode(pearl chase).

@Dj64Mk7 Wow, I didn't even realize it but you're right. I actually didn't have that MK so I never played that mode.

@NapalmPsalm What's stopping people from just running back to their spawn and hiding in it's force-field in the mode you suggest?

How about this; basically a reverse rainmaker where you bring the objective to your base. To make up for retreating being easier than pushing, the objective makes you super-duper slow when carrying it, in addition to restricting jumping and giving away your position.

@meleebrawler Yeah, I already thought about that as being a big problem. The main solution I came up with is there is a big zone that you can't leave and doesn't go back that far to your spawn, also you obviously wouldn't be allowed to super jump either while holding the item. If you leave the zone you splat and it respawns in the middle. Same if you throw it out of bounds or out of the zone minus getting splatted for that.

The mode you mention does sound way too close to RM for me though. But hey, that is why they work for Nintendo and we don't I guess.

Edit: But I do like your ideas on how it would be since you are retreating instead of pushing.

@NapalmPsalm I guess that's a fair point, TC and RM do have that in common.
I actually liked TC less than the other modes because of the rails. RM feels a lot more free, you have more choices and can be more creative (but/and it's also more challenging because of that).

I always regarded RM as a variant of football (football/soccer, American Football and Rugby alike, they're all part of the same family) since you're moving the objective from A to B to score points (the direction isn't really that relevant). Similar to those two sports, RM doesn't dictate which way exactly you have to take to get to the goal (but of course you have to move inside the confines of the rules).

So if you view it in that broader sense - especially since in football (soccer) you can also run towards your own goal in order to open up a way through - Pearl Chase would fit into that same family.
I'd still argue that Pearl Chase has more in common with RM than TC does though (being the defensive counterpart of RM as you mentioned).
But as you rightfully pointed out, that similarity doesn't stop TC and RM from coexisting, so I guess one could make Pearl Chase into its own mode.
Still I'd prefer new modes that don't have anything in common with the existing modes. ^^

Retreating is also a RM tactic (when you're leading and there's not much time left). And yes, I'm only meaning to tease you, don't take it seriously.

And with that, there's only one hour left until release! This discussion has served as a great distraction so far.

@shani I agree with everything you say here (trust me, I'm not taking it too seriously. I feel we were having a great discuccion). I do however really like TC, but I also really like RM except for when your teammates try to push the same way every time like they are on a rail anyway which really frustrated me.

I actually almost mentioned RM and the american football/soccer family being the same! I just didn't see it helping my argument as much so I went with basketball XD

I mean, the three modes basically cover all the main types of gameplay covered by shooters (besides a deathmatch). The inking of turf inherently limits objective placement (that and symmetrical maps I suppose), since the closer it gets to a spawn, the harder it is for an opposing side to fight through all the ink and players.

It would probably be easier to tweak the rules of existing modes to give a different feel. Like Call of Duty's Demolition to Search & Destroy.

Got an email from Nintendo stating Splatoon 2 is out in 7 hours time from now... :/

@NapalmPsalm Great that you feel the same way. I think these kind of discussions can be very productive!

And I know what you mean regarding RM. One might get carried away in the heat of battle, but usually I try something else when I get stuck.
I'm actually curious whether I'll like TC more now that they added the checkpoints. These might be small adjustments but they could such a difference! Only half an hour left now...

@meleebrawler Yeah that's the point I was trying to get across. But maybe different variations of those modes could be nice in the future to mix things up.

@Honelith What, 7 hours? Unless they're not releasing it at midnight (BotW and ARMS were released at midnight), that would make no sense - assuming you're from the UK as your profile states.
I hope that email just got delayed or something...

I won't get much time in till next week as my kids will be hogging the Switch I'm sure from tomorrow on. Releasing in the summer works for some but not for me. They don't go back to school for another 7 weeks either.

@meleebrawler Exactly, you hit the nail on the head. Everything is pretty much covered. I just can't see them tweaking any of the rules on the game modes. Unless they made it where ranked was still available to play during splatfests and they made the rules harder with rule like you mention in COD with demolition and search&destroy.

@shani While I'm at it, the only thing I can come up with that isn't too similar to the other modes is doing one like a tower defense game.
Basically make your spawn pad into a tower. Your objective is to push to the other teams said and splat their tower into smithereens while simultaneously protecting your own. You could have your sniper stay on the tower to protect it, have one or two members protect this mid section of the map while the last one or two members attack the tower. Though I could see this mode being unbalanced as well as certain maps you can't even reach the other spawn, but they have slightly altered maps for other modes.

Edit: Luck for you! I still have a full 24 hours before I can get my copy. Why do I have to work?
Double Edit: My store isn't doing a midnight release

@NapalmPsalm I meant the digital release but I guess that doesn't change your dilemma. Guess there's nothing left but to wish you that time will pass quickly during work so that you won't notice the wait so much. At least that's what I hope for tomorrow, when I'll be eager to get back home and continue to play. ^^
How will you guys approach the game when it's out? I'm torn between starting with the singleplayer (the way it's 'meant' to be) or directly with Turf War (the way I want it to be). As a Splatoon 'veteran', I'm leaning towards the latter - or let's say it's just more realistic due to my impatience.

Ok correction, I would find it boring, yes, but only because the stages just aren't made for having fun in a 1-vs-1.
Have you even played Splatoon's 1-vs-1 mode at all? Or for comparison, any Mario Kart in local 1-vs-1? I did and It's utterly boring - because there's too much room between the two players on the map (so at least half the time both players are just looking for each other). And because as soon as one player gets the upper hand, the game is basically decided. There's just no tension and no fun in that and that's the reason why there's no 1-vs-1 mode. The 4-vs-4 multiplayer stages would be the wrong environment for that, you need specific, smaller 1-vs-1 maps for that.

[quote=Pigeon]4 all-vs-all matches means 4 people, with 4 different colours, all Splatting as much of the arena as possible.[quote]
So basically Solo Deathmatch with a turf-coverage twist? Really?

[quote=Pigeon]Splatoon, and this sequel, on the other hand have the potential for far more modes (as I've just described) yet have chosen to hold them back for reasons not known.[quote]

Ah okay, than I did actually misunderstand you before, my bad. But still, as in the discussion with @NapalmPsalm I don't see what more potential there is to unlock? Unless you have some other ideas than Solo Deathmatch and 1-vs-1. Splatoon is still mainly a multiplayer game.

And by the way, I also just want to have fun with Splatoon (I'm in no clan either). That's exactly why it's totally worth it for me to 'work' for them. But I don't really consider this work, you just set it up once to be able to play comfortably - because the aim of it is to have fun.

And now it's time to start the download. 😆

@shani Thanks! I hope my goes by quickly as well, also yours too.

I'll probably play to level 4 so I can split time between Salmon run with my brother and beating single player with the P90 like gun so I'll have it for online. I just don't want single player to be spoiled for me.

Splatoon 2 is now available on the British (Europe) Eshop! Woohoo midnight release!

@NapalmPsalm I headed directly into Turf War.
Gotta get lvl4 to buy other weapons and gear.
I've already seen players with lvl12.
And the matchmaking takes ages.

Don't go posting something while in the lobby, you'll get disconnected. Although this might be exploited by rage quitters, there doesn't seem to be a penalty. Hope they'll fix that.

Love how you can manipulate the music in the lobby.

Here's a possible radical new idea for a mode: inspired by Mario Kart's Coin Runners, this mode would place coins or other collectible everywhere on the map, but being more abundant and possibly higher valued in the center. Also in the center is a neutral bank used by both sides, covered by a shield similar to the Rainmaker's. Once breached, one player can enter and deposit their collected coins to add to their team score. After depositing, the player automatically jumps back to their spawn and the bank is closed for a few seconds, until it's shield goes back up.

The process is complicated by Inklings losing ALL of their held coins when they are splatted. First team to deposit a set amount of coins or whoever deposited more at the end is the winner.