TLDR version: What do you think of AHG now that you've had a chance to play a bunch of them?

So, there were a few "is it any good?" threads about AHG when it first came out, with people typing whether they liked it or disliked it. I'm wondering, for no other reason than idle curiosity, what people think now that it's been out for a while and we've all gotten somewhat used to it.

I'm finding that I actually look forward to it. I think because it feels more dynamic, as far as being able to turn around a bad game, than the others do. And it seems like there are more options for doing so. I've been in game where we did the obvious and stole their pylon at the last second. I've been in games where we were down, but then the other side pulled back in "defend the pylon" mode and we were able to catch up just by carrying orbs (OK, we weren't down *that* much). Been in games where our pylon was stolen, and we just plain out-killed them back to a win. Or where we didn't steal their pylon, but just prevented them from capping it at all. Had all that done *to* my team too. Been in a game that was literally decided on how many people the last pylon discharge killed (I think - I swear we were down in potential points before the pylon went off, and somehow we were ahead when it finished, and we won).

And these kinds of things seem to happen more often. Sure, I've been in a NC where we got two nodes when we were down 2% to XX%, and then held on to win 2% to 0%, but that's very rare. Whereas in AHG it seems like the come-from-behind win is more common. And I also think, because of this, that people quit less often (totally subjective on my part).

The only thing I don't like that much is how magnified the kill differences get. I think, because of the wacky "kills count twice" scoring that it does (if I understand the scoring correctly), is seems to me like a fairly slight difference in kill counts make a BIG difference in score.

Anyway, that's all just IMHO, of course. Anyone else want to voice theirs?

I've concluded that the best strat for Hypergates is to move as a Zerg at all times.

- Zerg Middle

- Kill all red people

- Grab boxes

- Zerg a Pylon

- Kill all red people

- Cap the pylon and turn in boxes

Repeat this every round and you win. Your team must drop all preconceptions of which pylon is "yours" and "theirs". "Your" pylon is whichever one you zerg to with the boxes. (It should be the one with the least amount of enemies present).

Of course, getting an entire team that knows this is tricky, especially when pugging. You're going to have to lead by example.

As for what I think of the wz itself? When I'm on a good team, it's fun. When I'm on a team of derps, at least it's over quickly.

I've concluded that the best strat for Hypergates is to move as a Zerg at all times.

 

- Zerg Middle

- Kill all red people

- Grab boxes

- Zerg a Pylon

- Kill all red people

- Cap the pylon and turn in boxes

 

I disagree with this strat, for this reason: You give control of mid over to the other side when the pylon is about to explode. While some say you don't need to sit out in mid during the explosion phase, you do have to leave the node with more than enough time for a ninja suicider to cap it, to reach the side safe zones before the shields go up on them. Mid is extremely easy to control with the two natural choke points at the doors, generally once you clear mid out, you can establish a choke point at the door, and prevent the other team from even get inside mid while racking up kills quite easily.

Really this warzone is more about controlling a non-objective area (mid), and always capping 1 node, and while it's possible to mount a come from behind win by 2 capping the other team, a mistimed attempt at 2 capping can just mean you enlarge the point differential. Delaying a cap is pointless because the other side can just fully commit to that node and you've basically given them free kills and therefore points.

On the whole, I really enjoy this warzone. It was always fun as a ranged DPS, but hard to adjust to as a melee or healer. However, once I figured out viable tactics to use on both, and where the best positioning is for both, it's also become enjoyable to play across all three types.

I've concluded that the best strat for Hypergates is to move as a Zerg at all times.

 

- Zerg Middle

- Kill all red people

- Grab boxes

- Zerg a Pylon

- Kill all red people

- Cap the pylon and turn in boxes

 

Repeat this every round and you win. Your team must drop all preconceptions of which pylon is "yours" and "theirs". "Your" pylon is whichever one you zerg to with the boxes. (It should be the one with the least amount of enemies present).

 

Of course, getting an entire team that knows this is tricky, especially when pugging. You're going to have to lead by example.

 

As for what I think of the wz itself? When I'm on a good team, it's fun. When I'm on a team of derps, at least it's over quickly.

^ Basically sums up my thoughts and preferences.

Overall I like the map and scoring system. Has interesting variables, and little room for complacency.

Only thing I don't like is teammates still playing it like it's CW, or ignoring how the scoreboard looks while feeding bodies to the reds in onesies twosies. That'll take time to improve I suppose. When the team knows what's what, great matches.

I think its horrible. I can see it having more of a place in Rated Warzones. But for PUGs its the absolute worst warzone ever. Horrible design and mechanics if you ask me.

I would like a warzone (i'd even pay for it!) that just has more of a team death match playstyle. Possibly have ONE center objective or alternating objective (king of the hill style, huttball, etc etc). A warzone where NO ONE i repeat NO ONE has to guard any nodes or sit by themselves protecting something for the duration of the warzone.

I disagree with this strat, for this reason: You give control of mid over to the other side when the pylon is about to explode. While some say you don't need to sit out in mid during the explosion phase, you do have to leave the node with more than enough time for a ninja suicider to cap it, to reach the side safe zones before the shields go up on them.

Guard the node until 2 seconds before the explosion is announced. That's not enough time for a ninja capper, and plenty of time for your team to zerg back into mid.

Not sure what your team is doing

Guard the node until 2 seconds before the explosion is announced. That's not enough time for a ninja capper, and plenty of time for your team to zerg back into mid.

 

Not sure what your team is doing

If they control mid, all you are doing is zerging back into a group knockback and AOE mez, or slow, with just enough time to get hit by the yellow bubble before it breaks. Welcome to your death.

They don't control mid cause our zerg killed them

or did you think i meant our entire team camps the pylon the entire round? zerg is in constant patrol back and forth

the boxes respawn halfway through a round we grab those too

That moment. When you harpoon the squishiest target out of the center and right into the midst of your team, only to watch your team run by and each attack a different target.

That moment.

They don't control mid cause our zerg killed them

 

or did you think i meant our entire team camps the pylon the entire round? zerg is in constant patrol back and forth

 

the boxes respawn halfway through a round we grab those too

You do know the doors open in the middle of the round right? So after that first zerg when you killed everyone in mid, you zerg back to the pylon, to cap it.. but their respawn has opened and most likely their team is controlling mid now while you are capping your pylon. They have established position at the choke point closest to you, making a zerg back into mid harder, because their healers have LOS'd you by standing against the wall, firing down heals onto their team, while you can't even see them. Meanwhile your healers are easily within sight of every ranged DPS sitting in the doorway unless they move behind those things on the sides, in which case they LOS their team and can't heal them. And just try pushing past a pair of guardian tanks guarding the choke point. You aren't doing it, they will spam slows and AOE mez, while their DPSers pick off your team one by one.

Your tactics work against bads, it won't work against good players that know how to establish and hold a position. I've personally held the choke point in mid with 2 healers and 2 DPS at my back on my guardian tank, against the entire other team, with 3 people running orbs alternately (2 run, one guards pylon, when first runner comes within sight of the pylon, guard runs back to grab an orb). It was a massacre, by round 3 we pulled back to our pylon for full defense, and still finished with almost 3 times their score. We could have capped a pylon, turned in 1 orb (since those give instant points), and let them have the pylon and still won.

Mark me down in the 'I absolutely hate this WZ' crowd.

I'm sure it's great for ranked and alike but it's the most brutal WZ to go through when pugging. Absolutely brutal. I leave as soon as it pops now.

You do know the doors open in the middle of the round right? So after that first zerg when you killed everyone in mid, you zerg back to the pylon, to cap it.. but their respawn has opened and most likely their team is controlling mid now while you are capping your pylon. They have established position at the choke point closest to you, making a zerg back into mid harder, because their healers have LOS'd you by standing against the wall, firing down heals onto their team, while you can't even see them. Meanwhile your healers are easily within sight of every ranged DPS sitting in the doorway unless they move behind those things on the sides, in which case they LOS their team and can't heal them. And just try pushing past a pair of guardian tanks guarding the choke point. You aren't doing it, they will spam slows and AOE mez, while their DPSers pick off your team one by one.

 

Your tactics work against bads, it won't work against good players that know how to establish and hold a position. I've personally held the choke point in mid with 2 healers and 2 DPS at my back on my guardian tank, against the entire other team, with 3 people running orbs alternately (2 run, one guards pylon, when first runner comes within sight of the pylon, guard runs back to grab an orb). It was a massacre, by round 3 we pulled back to our pylon for full defense, and still finished with almost 3 times their score. We could have capped a pylon, turned in 1 orb (since those give instant points), and let them have the pylon and still won.

And this this bus blasted through and ran everyone over

etc

Mark me down in the 'I absolutely hate this WZ' crowd.

 

I'm sure it's great for ranked and alike but it's the most brutal WZ to go through when pugging. Absolutely brutal. I leave as soon as it pops now.

LOL This is why I am unsure. You get a good group against another good group and it can be fun. Usually though, I head to our pylon and make sure its held, because PUGs cannot be trusted. If I do go middle, I am constantly checking my map to see we have guards and looking out there to see whats going on whenever possible, but usually? Just don't let them double cap. Get the medals and call it a match.

hate it

will only play it on my lowbie sin to practice technique and such

will only play it on my 50's when just finishing game will get me my daily done and the team has 18k hp +

just way too many layers of ignorance and derp to filter through for this to make my $15 a month worth the cost of admission

hate it

 

will only play it on my lowbie sin to practice technique and such

will only play it on my 50's when just finishing game will get me my daily done and the team has 18k hp +

 

just way too many layers of ignorance and derp to filter through for this to make my $15 a month worth the cost of admission

I find it more enjoyable in the 50s bracket, where people have a modicum of intelligence with how to play this wz.

It's the under 50s that makes me pull my hair out. You know stuff like:

That one sage sitting in respawn switching doors thinking they are going solo rambo cap the other node.

The last person left on a node where you just fought off a cap at the start of the round not staying to watch but going mid with everyone else, after 10 seconds hesitation, so none of the smart players can just reverse and guard, and instead have to disengage to pull back to guard (here's a hint, they tried once for that node, chances are, they'll try again).

People capping orbs, and then standing there fighting in mid, or worse, just stand in mid being a practice dummy (the worst is when you repeatedly say in chat to run the orb back like 4 or 5 times, and then after that they say something in spanish or portuguese, I just smash my face on the desk at this point).

But yeah, I know that feeling you have. Best I can tell you is, get a group to warzone with, or join a guild that groups up, it's infinitely more enjoyable. I think this warzone more than any other except huttball is really designed with group play in mind. Zergging pugs generally tend to not work well here against an organized group.

Still sucks. Only good warzone is (still) Huttball. Novare is tolerable and the rest are complete garbage, with VS being the worst (by far).

They need to let go of the story element and make fun warzones instead. I don't care why the flag I'm trying to get in the other team's base is important but I know that I rather play that than some stupid orb/pylon game mode that few enjoy and even less understand.

Mid is the answer. I only run to a pylon when I see no one else trying to cap it, otherwise I'm mid where I can contribute the most with DPS, Tanking or healing. If I'm healing I avoid pylons like the plague. I only go for Pylons on my Shadow really, otherwise I'm in mid putting up guard and taunting.

Edit: Oh, and now that I've figured out the key to winning I don't mind it so much. Also, dropping orbital strike is perfect for mid!!

More true than other warzones a couple of idiots will lose it for you.

Just finished one where 2 people (less than 30k hp added together) repeated going over the other side to "delay" or "distract" despite being told multiple times why that's bad.