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[APB: Reloaded] New name, same game?

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  • Pat_McRochPat_McRoch Registered User regular
    Looks like everyone moved on from this game, a real shame. It's a lot of fun when you play it all organized like. I heard that they implemented brackets with the game so you don't play with hackers anymore since they are all super good and end up getting ranked together. I may give this game another go.

  • testsubject23testsubject23 King of No Sleep ZzzzzzzRegistered User regular
    I've tried playing this twice now. Once during the open beta, and once again last night. So I'm a noob, and I probably don't understand all the nuances at work here.

    I really WANT to like this game. On the surface it seems to have so much potential - the endless customization, the GTA-style game play - it looks awesome.

    But I find myself not having any fun actually playing it. Mostly because I get chewed to pieces by everyone no matter what I do. Am I doing it wrong somehow, or is this game just incredibly punishing towards noobs?
    I'm not convinced my weapons are actually firing. I can point them in someone's direction, line up the crosshairs and squeeze the button, and they make noise, and occasionally little red particle effects will show up that would seem to indicate hits, but this withering spray of virtual lead doesn't seem to produce any results beyond that. From any range, the person I'm shooting at just turns in my direction, fires a few shots, and puts me down.

    So far my experience of the game is this: missions will pop up. I will drive toward the marker that gets pasted onto my HUD. About half the time the mission will be won/lost before I get anywhere near this marker. If the mission doesn't end and I arrive, I leave the car and get shot by someone I didn't even see. After a frustrating few seconds staring at a gray screen, I'll respawn nearby, sprint for a few minutes, and get shot again. If I'm lucky I'll catch sight of an adversary and empty a few clips in their direction prior to being slaughtered. My bullets seem to have no effect whatsoever on my advesaries.

    What... what am I doing wrong?

    Every once in a while I'll find my way to an NPC who offers things for sale that I can't even imagine affording and aren't unlocked yet. I have a feeling that perhaps better guns are what I need - something that could hit the broad side of a barn - but the notion of "renting" an item that'll disappear in 10 days time sticks in my craw like a toothpick eating contest. Not that I could afford such items anyway.
    I could slap down real world money for credits which can then be used for purchasing of permanent weapons but the $ conversions on them seem insanely high. Like $15-20 for a single item. If the gameplay is as dependant on these upgrades as it seems to be, this really seems like a pay-to-win scenario. Am I wrong?

    As I said, I really want to like this game. Playing dress-up with the cars and characters is a blast, I just feel like something big is missing when I'm actually *playing*. I'm hoping this has something to do with my approach, and not just that the game's kinda bad.

    camo_sig2.png
    Steam: Chaos Introvert | Twitch.tv: Chaos_Introvert | R*SC: Chaos_Introvert | PSN: testsubject23
  • FyndirFyndir Registered User regular
    The game is ridiculously punishing to new players, it's true.

    Everyone has better cars than you, better guns than you, better equipment than you, better outfits than you, and more practice than you.

    Something that might not be immediately obvious (I can't remember if the tutorial covers it at all) is that noise matters. Cars and guns both make a lot of noise and are easily heard, but sprinting, climbing fences, jumping, or even walking into objects that litter the gameworld also make noise, and anything that makes more noise than you walking or crouching around makes you show up on your enemy's radar.

    The starter gun is, IMO, actually best used as a medium range single shot weapon. It has reasonable accuracy and a good fire rate, don't hold down the trigger unless you're at close range. Also, look for any APB clans that are recruiting, having a team to work with makes a lot of difference to how the game plays.

    I've just recently been getting back into this game, so I'm in a vaguely similar situation of lacking a good gun and not being willing to spend real money, with the bonus that I used to play the game quite a bit so I am more practiced in the particulars of it than you are, and I still get shredded by more regular players with fancier weapons than I can come close to affording.

    Personally I'm a big advocate of saving up and buying an N-HVR early on (basic one is <$4k if I remember correctly), it's an accurate long range weapon that usually kills in 2-3 shots, and with a little teamwork you can be an excellent support player for your team by tagging people for a huge chunk of health, leaving them easy for others to finish off.

    I guess the best advice is to keep playing, the game is pretty hard, but in my opinion it's still very good.

  • testsubject23testsubject23 King of No Sleep ZzzzzzzRegistered User regular
    Thanks for pointing out the noise thing. I knew that shooting made you appear on the radar, but not the other stuff. That could explain some of my lemming-like charges into enemy fire.
    I've been playing a lot, lately, and I'm starting to enjoy myself. I'm still rocking the noob rifle, but I've been able to take some people out with it, mostly unawares. Short bursts seems to be the trick to that one, and as you say, medium range. It is invariable that the guys with the better guns win the round, though.
    This is mitigated by the fact that you still gain standing even if you're a useless bullet sponge, which is nice of them.
    My favorite part so far is the smash-n-grab mini game for the crims. I bought a cargo van to hold all my stolen shit. About half the time some enterprising enf will bag me, but it's still fun. Is there something similar for the enforcers to do to make money? I heard they can return stolen cars, but I don't know how that works.

    camo_sig2.png
    Steam: Chaos Introvert | Twitch.tv: Chaos_Introvert | R*SC: Chaos_Introvert | PSN: testsubject23
  • FyndirFyndir Registered User regular
    The starter rifle CAN work, depending on practice / position etc.

    I ended up using it just now in a 1v1 round against a guy with the Obir, rather than my N-HVR, because trying to stay in cover enough to hit him twice before he could counter-snipe me just wasn't working, and it is currently the only other gun I own. Got a good kill streak going defending a point, and was ahead when the time ran out, then he managed to win when it went to Overtime. ;(

    So, the starter rifle certainly CAN beat other guns, it's just pretty difficult, and requires a certain amount of luck and practice.

  • Meta T. DustMeta T. Dust Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Thanks for pointing out the noise thing. I knew that shooting made you appear on the radar, but not the other stuff. That could explain some of my lemming-like charges into enemy fire.
    I've been playing a lot, lately, and I'm starting to enjoy myself. I'm still rocking the noob rifle, but I've been able to take some people out with it, mostly unawares. Short bursts seems to be the trick to that one, and as you say, medium range. It is invariable that the guys with the better guns win the round, though.
    This is mitigated by the fact that you still gain standing even if you're a useless bullet sponge, which is nice of them.
    My favorite part so far is the smash-n-grab mini game for the crims. I bought a cargo van to hold all my stolen shit. About half the time some enterprising enf will bag me, but it's still fun. Is there something similar for the enforcers to do to make money? I heard they can return stolen cars, but I don't know how that works.

    If a crim takes a neutral vehicle (kicks a civilian out of it) and exits the vehicle it becomes "Stolen", grabbing the vehicle allows you to go and deposit it at one of several "Impound" lots around the city. If you want to poopsock for some cash just cruise around looking for someone that crashed a truck getting out to get an objective. Money is relative to the vehicle type impounded (There are low/mig/high range vehicles; with armored cars sitting at the top of the list, banking about 200~ in pristine condition, 250~ if you are rank 3-4.)

    The other way enforcers get outside of mission money, is to find criminals as they commit a crime (carrying contraband, stealing a vehicle, mugging someone) and spotting them (hold down ALT while targetting) you also get a little pop up telling you how much it's worth to kill that person. Although after you kill the criminal unawares and steal their cash, you gotta run it to a bank before they can nab it back.

    Also I'd wager the STAR is one of the best guns in the game, as it has uses at all ranges instead of limiting inself to close/medium/far ranges, you can just selectively fire to suit your current situation. Pop off single aimed shots to get at people at range, first in bursts around 30-50 yards. Full auto in close quarters.

    I really enjoy the OCA, because most objective based environments force people into close quarters, where you can spray someone down with bullets, or keep moving from points of cover to get in range to rush someone. Although it's something like 9-12 shots on body to kill with an OCA you need to be pretty damn close for a kill, otherwise when closing I use the Joker as it can get a lot more shots on point with it's burst fire. Regardless of primary I'd recommend the Joker as your secondary, outside of very specific situations with the PDW and Obeya, Joker has application for close/medium range and puts out good damage.

    I have seen more people buying some ARMAS pistol for ranged encounters though, it's a gold pistol with a scope on it, that thing is damn good for sniping without a rifle my word.

    Also: If you see someone using a Whisper, stay the fuck away from them. OCA's can't withstand the paintrain an OCA can bring as they outrange them by a good amount while still spraying silent death. Also no one really totes better cars, seeing as you can pick up as fast mover on the street, no one really takes advantage of triple slot cars, and puts ramming mods or armor mods on them. Typically someone might have something quick with nitro but no one really spends cash on having sick rides.

    Use a ton of a cover, and if you are stuck in a firefight with you popping out of a corner repeatedly while someone is pegging you with a rifle, let it go and reposition. You aren't going to get anything accomplished wasting ammo on someone that has you dead in their sights.

    Meta T. Dust on
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  • FyndirFyndir Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    I really hope this doesn't come across as bragging, but I just had a good opportunity to prove that upgrades / cash shops don't necessarily equal instant wins in this game, which is a complaint I hear a lot.

    Linked for biggity:
    https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZWFPh2V8_V8/T___kSXW5TI/AAAAAAAADrw/EWfMaecfagI/s1280/APB%202012-07-13%2011-57-47-21.jpg

    https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-XYsLWE2nIoA/T___j189NbI/AAAAAAAADrs/ZwjPtdp_B-g/s1280/APB%202012-07-13%2011-57-35-11.jpg

    That's a gold ranked player with a triple upgrade HVR, and a silver ranked player with a cash shop single upgrade HVR, both on the losing side, both with poor scores, both premium.

    I was using a standard HVR with no upgrades at all, and as you can see pulled in a good number of kills and assists for the number of deaths.

    So don't give up, guys, skill CAN be better than throwing money at the game, and with practice (and luck, and good teammates) you can beat premium players and get a really nice warm smug feeling that they wasted their money. ;)


    EDIT:

    I just figured out a thing that had eluded me, they actually removed all the non-English districts and left the filter in.

    No wonder I get so many teammates who can't communicate with me. :(

    Fyndir on
  • EinEin CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    So on the rumor that masks might soon be sellable, I set out to make two new things!

    apb_psychomask.jpg

    apb_jackmask.jpg

    Here's to hoping!

  • MagicPrimeMagicPrime FiresideWizard Registered User regular
    Damn Ein -- you're still doing this? I remember running around as Two Days when this was still in Beta.

    BNet • magicprime#1430 | PSN/Steam • MagicPrime | Origin • FireSideWizard
    Critical Failures - Havenhold CampaignAugust St. Cloud (Human Ranger)
  • KadokenKadoken Giving Ends to my Friends and it Feels Stupendous Registered User regular
    edited November 2012
    Lost track of time. :P

    Kadoken on
  • EinEin CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    I don't know why, but I still find this game fun. :(

    apb_lilith.jpg

  • EinEin CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited November 2012
    A bunch of APB players (myself included) have gotten together to make EffigyNews.com! It's our very own APB news site, named after the ingame celebrity rag.

    xkaW7.jpg?1

    Read about it!

    Ein on
  • mojojoeomojojoeo A block off the park, living the dream.Registered User regular
    A group of this fired this up for fun last night. its still a blast

    look me up on the PA TS3- I bought in a full month to fart around in this again. About 6 of us dl'd the game.... hopefully there's groups every so often there.

    Chief Wiggum: "Ladies, please. All our founding fathers, astronauts, and World Series heroes have been either drunk or on cocaine."
  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    They still have servers?!?!?

    What is this I don't even.
  • mojojoeomojojoeo A block off the park, living the dream.Registered User regular
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    They still have servers?!?!?

    yes indeed. east is very very much alive. west has a full zone or 2 at most times.

    Chief Wiggum: "Ladies, please. All our founding fathers, astronauts, and World Series heroes have been either drunk or on cocaine."
  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    Have there been any major changes/improvements?

    My main complaint the last time I played was that missions involved no contact at all, until you got into a kill ambush alley.

    It was either no fight, or only a one sided fight.

    What is this I don't even.
  • SkwigelfSkwigelf Passed out in a cloud of farts and cigarette smoke.Registered User regular
    I wonder if my characters even exist anymore.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFFwvJNyBeM

  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    Seeing how Sogeki and Sonork's Team Rocket dudes are still there I'd say yes.

    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • acidlacedpenguinacidlacedpenguin Institutionalized Safe in jail.Registered User regular
    edited February 2015
    oh man, the band is getting back together?

    I've always loved this game despite all its massive gaping flaws.

    acidlacedpenguin on
    GT: Acidboogie PSNid: AcidLacedPenguiN
  • mojojoeomojojoeo A block off the park, living the dream.Registered User regular
    when i get back from trip ill play more... crims west pd on east

    and east is the more popuous server.

    Chief Wiggum: "Ladies, please. All our founding fathers, astronauts, and World Series heroes have been either drunk or on cocaine."
  • NosfNosf Registered User regular
    Everytime I go back, I play dress-up for 30 minutes and get over it for a 5-6 months.

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