Yet another bramble thread

[awpertunity]

So there has already been quite a bit of backlash from the new bramble update, some of it warranted and others unwarranted. The two main complaints seem to be that they are 1) overpowered, and 2) not fun to play against. I don't agree with 1) but I do agree with 2). First, a video on the first point:

perfect imbalance
(too long didn't watch : it's good for games to not be perfectly balanced (i.e., every race has an equal chance to beat every other race), but is good to have counter races and strategies and such)

There are many other videos by these guys that cover some similar topics too that are worth checking out but I won't post them all here.
Unfortunately, while this is true that Veggienauts can be countered, I think the real issue is the skill required to do this.

balancing for skill

The new bramble is a very high power unit now that requires very low skill to use and an incredible amount of skill to counter. A lot of people have been posting replays of how to beat the Brambles, but I don't think this is going to help the lower level players too much, because it requires a lot of skill to do this successfully.

Now, more importantly, a video on the second point:

counter play

This is what I see as the problem with the new bramble. Using the new bramble is a LOT of fun, and gives you soooooo many new options and strategies you can do it's crazy, which makes them a lot of fun. On the contrary, I do agree that they are not fun to play against, which defeats the purpose of the game for the casual gamer and I fully understand a lot of peoples' frustrations on the forum. It isn't just the fact that they can't beat them, but it is not even fun anymore.

This I actually agree with, even though I am one of the players that does know how to fight against/counter the bramble, it is not that much fun to do so... The reason is that the number of options or strategies you can use to successfully counter the bramble are so limited.



So what needs to happen?

Maybe these points will go together, but in regards to the first point there needs to be either an easier way to counter brambles or using brambles successfully needs to use more skill.

This was actually perfect with the bombshell/adorables. Bombshells are very easy to use and have a decent amount of power associated to them. But once you learn to use the adorables, which requires a lot more skill to use, but has a reward associated with it! But now the bramble is probably the easiest to use unit, AND the strongest, which is the problem. Note that I say they might be the strongest, but not to the point that they are overpowered, the problem is how easy it is to put this power in hand.

I don't see any reason new players would use adorables now since they have such an easier option available to them that has just as much power.

In regards to the second point there need to be MORE ways to fight against brambles, not less. Right now it's basically snipers at first, until your medic gets taken out, at which point you need heavies. Having little map control because of this and simply fighting off bushes really does make this not fun to do, and this is the only way you might win.


Now how to get there is a whole 'nother question that is a very difficult one. Maybe the 2 HP thorns would work since this would allow the more mobile soldiers to also fight the thorns off. Maybe having it cost a wit to root and recede thorns would work since it raises the skill required to use them effectively. Regardless, I do believe something does need to change before more new/lower players aren't turned off the game completely.

As some posts mentioned, users have created forum accounts for the sole purpose of voicing their unhappiness and lack of enjoyment playing the game against the new bramble, which should be viewed as a very big problem by the designers. For each player that even took the time to voice these opinions, who knows how many there are that agree or have just stopped playing altogether out of frustration.