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I Started Playing Hearthstone

Posted on by yetieater in Thoughts

I began playing Hearthstone on my iPhone 7 Plus the other day.

Some initial observations:

  • The game offers a very consistent UX across tested platforms (Windows 10 + iOS)
  • High engagement – one gets the sense that there is immense depth to the game
  • Simple concept combined with solid execution give it lasting value

I thought to ping my cousin, and learned from her that Battle.net has regional game servers. This detail was one that I’d probably picked up in the past, but it has been a while since I last played a Blizzard game. Her account is tied to Battle.net’s China server: I was surprised to find that China is an exclusive region, and isn’t included in Battle.net’s Asia region. Probably political reasons behind this move.

So far I’ve played a fair amount of Quick Play, and dabbled in Ranked. I started the game by leveling the Mage class, experimenting with new cards that I received through free booster packs. I also played with a couple of basic netdecks, using one to secure my first win in Tavern Brawl (February 15, 2017).

The game has been around for years, and there is a massive body of knowledge. Now that I’ve gotten a taste, I’d like to work on getting my gameplay airtight, with hopes of joining the infinite Arena players.

Rumble is the Best Game Type to Learn On

Posted on by yetieater in Opinions

Whenever I solo-queue, I run Rumble.

Why?

Rumble allows you to encounter a larger number of firefights against real opponents in a shorter time-frame than anywhere else.

Through Rumble matches, you’ll quickly gain map knowledge, and pick up tricks in the process.

Rumble places you under frequent pressure to perform to the best of your ability. It challenges you to win your 1v1 engagements, and control your fights so as to guard against being killed by a third party.

In Rumble, you can find other competitive players and build your network. Personal anecdote: Rumble is how I found Sinon Sawashiro. I messaged Sinon post-game, asking if Sinon had a regular Trials of Osiris team, and we soon became Trials partners.

A word on skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) in Rumble: it’ll both build your confidence and crush your ego. SBMM will pit you up against opponents who are ahead of the class in skill, as well as opponents who are struggling to keep a foothold. Every interaction in Rumble is an opportunity to prove to yourself whether you’ve learned from your previous Destiny experience.

Rumble is not without its shortcomings. Its scoring mechanics make it such that the top fragger might not take first place.

Joining a match in progress can be frustrating, because it means you’ll likely suffer multiple deaths to supers, but with the right moves, you might come out on top.

To earn the maximum Grimoire score possible from Rumble, you must win 100 Rumble matches. At my winrate, this takes just over 300 Rumble matches played.

To become good at Destiny, simply play 1000 Rumble matches.

Controllers (Gamepads) Are…

Posted on by yetieater in Opinions

Jack of all trades, but master of none

Controllers are designed for versatility and approachability. Consider that the same controller is intended to simply work across all genres: it’ll work whether you’re playing first-person shooter, racing, fighting, or other games.

Serious gamers know that more specialized hardware exists. They deliberately build their gaming setups around their interests, often sinking real money into controller mods and higher-end controllers.

FPS? Mouse.

Racing? Wheel and pedals.

Fighting? Arcade-style fighting sticks.

Just as no serious flight simulator enthusiast plays with a keyboard and mouse, no serious FPS enthusiast should play with a controller. More of them should be casting their gaze towards the familiar mouse.

JTScrub

Posted on by yetieater in Testimonials

JTScrub (YouTube, JTRod8 on Twitch) dropped by my stream and commented:

hey there we played against you in trials on saturday (jtscrub, fugu face) saw the game in your past videos. gg you’re a great player!

anyways you seemed like a nice, relaxed player from your video so though I’d say hi and gg. maybe i’ll see you around the crucible in the future

Thank you again for dropping by JTScrub – GG to you as well 🙂