New SaberStyle

[massacre]

Ok I have been reading posts about people complaining about this or that in the new patch, especially the saber fighting.... and I am just abhorred.... I mean come on people were asking for blocking before this patch! It wasn't a silent majority or anything I remember... then everyone adapted to the multiplayer style, I did as well.

Well guess what its time to readapt. I do not understand how the hell people keep complaining that all the skill was taken out of it!!!! How is dancing around like a sugar plum fairy skillful??? I mean even if people didn't just spam DFA then they would never actually get close to each other... it was the sadest attempt at making a short range weapon into a long range weapon. Just because you memorize certain combos and skirt around the other player does not equate to skill in the slightest. Hell combos wern't even really necessary if you were good, all you had to do was know when to wait for their attack and just counter because guess what... they could'nt block with the lightsaber. Now I totally agree that this pull/backslash stuff is ridiculous, but that is a person's choice not a necessity. To listen to people say "I hate doing it but its my only option", is like someone saying "I hate robbing a bank but I need the money".

If you spent time to actually learn the new style you would realize the depth. Yes fights take longer but on 4 player duel server it doesn't matter. I agree maybe they should tweak it for ffa a little... up the damage or something, but blocking is not just realistic its fun once you learn how to do it. Otherwise you might as well go play jk1 because in all honesty all you did was the little jedi dance, like old jk2 mp.

Just to leave with an example, last night I played on a small server, and it was pretty late so me and another guy were the only people there. We both pretty much stuck to medium style, and it ended up being the most fun fight I have had since buying the game. I threw blocks, parrys that would save my life by a hair's breath, and we were pretty evenly matched. In the end I lost, but it was so much fun that I didn't care it was worth it. Then as some of you claimed he would swing the saber around wildly, but after my experience before it was like cake, he couldn't touch me. Anyways thats a long enough post.... but maybe you guys could try to give it more of a chance for once....

[Aiee]

One thing I find strangely curious is that both my own clan (nEw), and the clans we frequently play with (GI, JOTS, jkC) all seem to love the patch. All players from these 4 clans have been around andplaying pretty much non-stop since the day the original Jedi Knight was released.

We were somewhat eased into the feeling of the patch by a modification for Jedi Knight/MotS called Saber Battle X. the mod added the idle damage for the saber (which was previously missing in the original game), added stances, new moves and a lightstaff. It also tweaked several force powers, and the feel of the mod was faster, more intense and required players to stay close to each other and time their attacks well (seeing as blocking was increased as well).

The current patch is about as big a difference from pre-patch JKO as SBX was for JK/MotS. The learning curve can be very steep, namely because timing is far more important now. Similairely, many popular tactics that relied on knowing that an opponent would seldom block are rendered useless now. Players who have gotten used to these are bound to complain.

Personally, I have few problems with pull/backstab. I have force push level 3, and I know when to attack and leave my guard down. So far, I have only died to a pull/backstab combo once. It's all a matter of getting used to it. If yo accept that the old "wh0red" tricks are obsolete, and new ones have emerged, finding effective counters is easy.

Another example is absorb. If you're uncertain wether someone has absorb on, grip them and pay attention. if they flash blue as soon as you grip, let go immediately, adn you will have lost very little power. Absorb was invisible in Jedi Knight and Mysteries of the Sith as well, and noone complained back then.

I realize that this is probably futile. whining and bitching about the patch changing things people were used to is likely to continue for a while yet, but I beg you to at least give the patch a chance. it has been out for 48 hours. It brings you a whole new sabering system. surely, a new sabering system takes more than 2 days to master? Go out and try some new things. Try parryng, countering and getting your timing right. Give it a week or two, and see if you begin to get used to it by then. Surely that can't be too much to ask?

[EekTheKat]

I couldn't agree more. Lightsaber fights are far more exciting now than it ever was being able to actually block and parry.

Logically the MP saber system in place relates far better to the SP one that shipped with the game than the MP one that was there. Heck I remember the weeks and week of almost overwhelmingly positive support for Raven to change the MP game like the SP game.

When I swing a lightsaber in game now it feels like I'm swinging a lightsaber now....since the patch there has been definately more feedback upon every swing that I take now.

From a pure saber fighting perspective, the patch has opened up the door to tons of new strats due to the much improved blocking and parrying system. Notice that light stance guard can be crushed now. Heavy stance guard causes some light swings to actually knock back.

Thanks to the new blocking in place, players can now far more effectively stand toe to toe with people without having to worry about the other person's lightsaber passing through theirs.

From the single player experience that I have, the sabers now block and behave almost exactly the same way they do in the SP game. To those of us who actually played the SP game, there's almost no change in how blocking feels now.

Most of the holes in defense that existed pre-patch were plugged up (specficially there was one swing pre-patch that I knew of that was for the most part unblockable from a neutral position).

inflicting damage now takes far more skill due to the way the new saber damage system works...

I think for the most part people who played through the single player game will find the patched saber game much more natural...and easier to adapt to once they finish the SP game.

The people who loved that Tavion pit match would probably love the way the saber game is now.

The people who played MP saber duels exclusively....well for the most part I believe a good portion of the skilled saberists (especially those that are not present on this board) have in fact already adapted their game to the new system. As for the one trick ponies who found their bread and butter moves as not effect as they were before........they'll either adapt or quit the game as so many on this board have threatened to do.

Over the last few nights since the patch I've met quite a lot of skilled saberists who beat me one on one fairly through some extremely precise swings and attacks. Even though I lost quite a few matches over those few nights(and won a few by the skin of my teeth - 2hp), those duels were *incredibly* fun...heck I haven't had that much fun since the first ever reborn fight in the SP game..