Malefactor wrote on 02/07/17 at 03:12:09:
However, calling it the fastest paced Twisted Metal is a bit of a joke. The WEAPONS are the fastest in any Twisted Metal game. The cars themselves are actually a bit slower.
I agree that the vehicles themselves aren't fundamentally faster, especially when you factor in not just top speed, but acceleration as well. In fact, the top speeds for the majority of the vehicles are remarkably similar, but their varying acceleration sets them apart. I could understand that because the lightweights' controls are so sensitive and the fact that they're much more prone to getting staggered and flipped around than in any previous game, it can make those vehicles feel much faster and more difficult to control for a novice player.
TM 2012 is the fastest-paced game in the series. At the absolute least, it's faster-paced than TMBO (which isn't a criticism, but merely an assertion) and there's a number of factors that make TM 2012 considerably more fast-paced. The most notable thing that speeds up the game is the fact that pickup respawns are set on a timer, rather than being RNG. It creates a turf war to control certain areas of map for access to the stronger pickups. The fact that health also regenerates on a three minute timer from when it is last picked up not only makes health viable in team games, but also forces more confrontations and for you to fight more often with less liberty to take time to stock your inventory with strong pickups without being pressured by opponents in the vicinity.
The density of pickups in the maps also increases the pace of the game because less time needs to be spent out of combat driving weapon routes, and less often are there stalemates because you and your opponent have run out of weapons. The faster regeneration rates of specials (at least in comparison to TMBO) also makes it so that your inventory is less often empty. The abundance of pickups doesn't diminish the fight for map control I mentioned earlier though. It's rarely difficult to load up with garbage weapons, but you need to fight to keep the stronger weapons with either staggering abilities or higher damage output in your team's possession, or else they'll be used against you. As well, there are additional methods to attack beyond use of just your standard inventory that aren't prevalent/existent in TMBO, such as ramming and absorption shield.
As well, the inclusion of perks such as killstreaks place a lot of stock in not just passively dealing what we call "spread damage" from a distance, but dealing "concentrated damage" in CQC and finishing kills. Killstreaks in of themselves allow players to engage other players more aggressively with the energy and turbo refills, as well as the duplicating inventory if you manage to get as high as four kills. It encourages a streaking player to play more aggressively to feed their streak and get the most out of the perks, and puts pressure on the opposing team to recognize that player is streaking and attempt to shut them down.
The mercy bonuses also make it that much more important to finish kills so that those opponents aren't able to hang back and wait for their teammates to take care of you (assuming they've managed to put a few dents in you as well), then regain health from your flaming driver. At the same time, you need to play smart and not be lured by a weaken player into a scenario where you're away from your team and outnumbered. This all stresses the importance of teamplay, synchronizing in efforts of map control and combat, and playing at such a pace that the other team doesn't get the upper hand, ensuring you keep in mind the underlying objectives beyond just murdering your opponents.
Malefactor wrote on 02/07/17 at 03:12:09:
Muddeh is a hardcore fan of the new game, he adores what is there, and so he defends it tooth and nail, but as you listen to him you need to be aware that he never spent any time at all on the previous online versions. I would have enjoyed this game too if I'd never played the previous versions AND if I was okay with a buggy as hell network shit fest.
I consider myself less of a fan of TM 2012, and more a fan of the series in general. I refute the idea that I should be considered any less of a fan, or less relevant in the voice of the community because I didn't abandon the game in the early months. I'll be honest that I don't consider anybody on this forum besides Luis, and those who may be registered and play the game competitively but avoid the swamping negativity on TMA, to have a relevant opinion on TM 2012 in its current state. Yes, I haven't played a previous online TM within recent years, but neither have you played TM 2012 in recent years either.
Since the TMBO revival server went up, I hadn't felt compelled to play primarily because I haven't felt welcome in the community. I would want to be involved in things like the Skype calls while playing since the vocal element adds a lot to the game, especially with teamplay, but figured I'm likely an inside joke already for my opinions on TM 2012. Nonetheless, I've spent many dozens of hours watching Darkscorious' footage. I greatly appreciate TMBO, and believe I display that I am knowledgeable of the game (certainly do correct me and point out anything I've said of TMBO that has been inaccurate). I also do intend to join in playing TMBO soon.
Years have passed now, and my views of TM 2012 have matured. I always had a concept of what was balanced and what was cheap and believed it was a flawed game on many counts, but I didn't understand the extreme disdain from TMA towards it. I understand far better now what developed in the months leading up to, and the months after released that lead so many to abandon the game. I agree it was glitchy, unbalanced, autoaim broken horseshit. However, I'm still incredibly frustrated by the constant echo chamber of hatred towards the game, because I'm a fan who cares about the series. Nobody is willing to even
attempt playing in current day where the vast majority of the former problems with the game have been smoothed over, and when played with the right settings it is a strong entry to the series in its own right.
It would be like a soccer analyst feeling just as qualified to also be a hockey analyst without having knowledge in the strategies, intricacies and recent history of the league, and only knowing the basic rules and framework... and then based on that knowledge, calling one the sport they specialize in superior to the other; it's an uninformed opinion, not a fact. The two games may have the objectives but are entirely different sports, just as previous online TMs are different than TM 2012. And perhaps most importantly, how TM 2012 is played now is far different than back in the day prior to patches/tweaking and before concrete rules for competitive play were put in place.
The Deadite wrote on 02/07/17 at 05:36:44:
You gotta be baiting with those statements.
He is baiting. Sadly, he's part of the fringe but vocal minority that hated the most recent titles to such an extent that he wouldn't support the development of a future Twisted Metal, and has stated it multiple times.
Malefactor wrote on 07/08/16 at 04:56:28:
Well, so the answer for me is since I probably WOULD NOT buy a Twisted Metal made by the "original" team as it is now defined, it would take something like another team and amazing reviews to make me buy it.
It's safe to say that this doesn't represent the majority opinion of both casual and hardcore fans of the series. We want a new Twisted Metal. We want it done right. While it's important to highlight the flaws of previous TM games, there's no use living in the past and entirely denying anything positive that came out of TM 2012. If its own community doesn't support the series. We need more fans to show their support, and for the Twisted Metal community to not be so underground. Although I'm not involved, I'm sure TMA mostly socializes through IMs rather than the forums these days much as the frequent players of TM 2012 do. I was a tad late to the party, but in recent years I've been doing my part to be involved in the public sphere, between posting videos and lurking around these parts. Harping on the faults and justifying Sony to distance itself from the brand will get us nowhere. It will only cause us to see the prospect of a new Twisted Metal or projects like MotorGun slip through our fingers.