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dotdotdashdotdotdash Member UncommonPosts: 488

Smite may, at face value, seem like an attempt to cash in on the recent success of MOBA games like LoL and HoN, as well as the resurgent Dota (and DOTA 2). Beyond face value, it's still a weak - if novel - attempt to cash in on that formula, bringing very little to the table in the way of innovation.

If you're trying to imagine what Smite plays like, take League of Legends, slow down the combat with intuitive (yet, seemingly, unintuitive) directional attacks and finish off by swapping the top down camera angle for some typical third person "over the shoulder" type visuals, with World of Warcraft's graphics, and you've pretty much got Smite.

Smite is a game from a team of people that, frankly, lack imagination. League of Legends may well have not been a huge overhaul to the Dota formula, but it certainly brought enough to the table to be classes as a "step up" in terms of the genre's evolution. Smite, however, is not that way inclined. It's "new" (but not really new) camera angle isn't innovative, and beyond it you're talking about precisely the same game as every other MOBA game that has come before it, without any thought to moving beyond genre boundaries into new territories.

It is Hi-Rez however, and they did a brilliant job bringing Tribes to the F2P world, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

Smite is in - regardless of what they call it - a soft launch. Closed beta keys are starting to go out like candy, and shortly the "open beta" (or, as other studious call it, the actual release) will take place, I'm sure. Hi-Rez are already selling gems, they're already selling beta components to beta players for real money. An unscrupulous tactic if ever I've seen it, but whatever. Hi-Rez can't be accused of caring about their integrity as a studio, as can be seen from their aggressive "release overpowered item -> nerf before F2P players can buy it" approach to RMT.

The problem is, however, that Smite isn't even vaguely balanced. LoL is a brilliant game, and it is a brilliant game for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that, for lack of a better example, it is perhaps one of the most balanced multiplayer games on the market. Smite... is not. "Gods" - or heros - that are high damage, don't actually do high damage, whilst more utility-orientated heros offer little in the way of utility, but seemingly do insane amounts of damage. On one hero, for example, I could two shot most other players simply with a CC and a grab ability, but on Zeus - a high damage hero - it was taking me and age to get in a position to do the high damage the stat sheet claimed he did. And it has NOTHING to do with being outleveled (which rarely happens to me). Hi-Rez simply don't seem to know how to balance RPG combat systems, as can be evidenced by their continued failure with Global Agenda (and now Smite).

The maths doesn't really work on the items, either. After about 2 hours of theorycrafting, me and several other friends realised that the approach to items in Smite is less about "steering builds" (which is what most other MOBA deverlopers do) and more about... just throwing random stat buffs around. "Suggested" items don't seem to actually benefit the hero you play to any great extent, meaning that they are quickly found lacking. Yes, you're encouraged to find a setup that works... but generally there is one (maybe two) horrifically OP item sets that work for each hero... and that's it.

"It's closed beta," the fanboys will cry. Yes, it is... in the loosest possible terms. At best, it's an invite-only release. I fail to see how a company like Hi-Rez can call it a closed beta when they're already selling the in game currency, and you HAVE to buy it to get access to other heros that need testing. It isn't a closed beta. It's a release, and it's being marketed specifically like this to generate interest. They did it with Tribes, it worked there and now they're doing it again.

In short, if you're looking for a good MOBA game... play LoL, HoN etc. They're better, more balanced, and have fairer RMT systems.

Comments

  • ParameterParameter Member Posts: 56

    Tl;dr - Unbalanced, I couldn't 2 shot people with a dps hero, items suck, RMT in closed beta, play LoL.  

     

    Thanks.

  • VanadromArdaVanadromArda Member Posts: 445

    Watching gameplay of this game gave me flash-backs of FURY...

    http://youtu.be/l4yFiMVdCFg

  • dotdotdashdotdotdash Member UncommonPosts: 488
    Originally posted by Parameter

    Tl;dr - Unbalanced, I couldn't 2 shot people with a dps hero, items suck, RMT in closed beta, play LoL.  

     

    Thanks.

    Basically, although I wouldn't go so far as to say the problem is not being able to 2 shot people.

    The problem is DPS heros seemingly doing a disproportionately low levels of damage compared to other heros, and where stats have been combined - utility with DPS, for example - the balance just seems to be right off.

    And yeah, play LoL. It's a better game.

  • dotdotdashdotdotdash Member UncommonPosts: 488
    Originally posted by TemperHoof

    Watching gameplay of this game gave me flash-backs of FURY...

    http://youtu.be/l4yFiMVdCFg

    Honestly, Fury - at least later on (just before it closed) when they had balance sorted - was a better game than Smite.

  • timeraidertimeraider Member UncommonPosts: 865

    the thing is games like LoL.. you get into an game, then you 5% stand in trees, 5% try to attack some1 and 90% bore yourself to death..

    at least in smite theres an nice amount of action going on instead of the only tactic being "hide in the bushes"..

    in my opinion smite owns LoL at this part.

    But maybe i should yust go back playing Smite instead of looking at this forum. Much better way to spent my time next to my media and game design job

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  • CaldrinCaldrin Member UncommonPosts: 4,505

    One thing that bugged me about this game...

     

    I sooo wanted to jump... :(

  • HonnerHonner Member Posts: 504
    Originally posted by Caldrin

    One thing that bugged me about this game...

     

    I sooo wanted to jump... :(

    same :(

  • Iced0verIced0ver Member Posts: 49

    I think the op struggles with his ability to perform with smite, hasn't played it much, or a mega fan boy of other mobas; hence the hatred. It is not as bad as he claims. It's a highly biased opinion, I believe. For those that haven't played, I would definitely suggest not reading the op, play it, and then decide for yourself.

  • CastillleCastillle Member UncommonPosts: 2,679

    I have to agree that zeus is kind of underpowered right now.  Unless there is an odin on their team.  Odin + zeus= dead people.

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  • n3v3rriv3rn3v3rriv3r Member UncommonPosts: 496

    all this wall of text only to say : unbalanced?

    ha!

    yes it is but it is still fun aaaand beta ;)

    ahem and not innovative  ... what about 3d fp factor? do we have this anywhere else (in lol, dota type of games)?

  • TheHavokTheHavok Member UncommonPosts: 2,423

    The Moba/tower defense games are pretty hard to nail down, believe it or not.  Super monday night combat, a game similar to Smite but with a bigger emphasis on shooter mechanics, isn't doing particularly well either. 

    I think its because in Mobas, its a necessity for players to spend very close attention to the map, due to the protection of towers being a necessity along with enemy positioning. However, in a first/third person shooter setting, it just isn't as viable as a top down, RTS-like setting.

  • SpezzSpezz Member Posts: 141

    OPs post has maliceful undertones.

     

  • BigRock411BigRock411 Member Posts: 299

    The point of this long beta process was to determine underpowerd and over powerd gods...

     

    Personally i disliked the DOTA/LOL/HON style games depite playing all but DOTA a decent amount.  LOL was fun but i hated its community and its cartoon look.  HON was too hardcore to be enjoyable.

    Played LOCO and loved the concept but that game sucked, boring heros, the few that were free were boring and only like one was decent and everyone played it.

     

    This game looks to bring new mechanics to the DTOA stle game with its positional and marked aoe skills which i find interesting looking, the game looks great, gods seem to be more interesting than prepubecent girl heros in LOL.

     

    Ill probably wait closer to launch to pick this up though.

  • CastillleCastillle Member UncommonPosts: 2,679
    Originally posted by BigRock411

    The point of this long beta process was to determine underpowerd and over powerd gods...

     

    Personally i disliked the DOTA/LOL/HON style games depite playing all but DOTA a decent amount.  LOL was fun but i hated its community and its cartoon look.  HON was too hardcore to be enjoyable.

    Played LOCO and loved the concept but that game sucked, boring heros, the few that were free were boring and only like one was decent and everyone played it.

     

    This game looks to bring new mechanics to the DTOA stle game with its positional and marked aoe skills which i find interesting looking, the game looks great, gods seem to be more interesting than prepubecent girl heros in LOL.

     

    Ill probably wait closer to launch to pick this up though.

    LOCO wouldve been good if they didnt make heroes cash shop purchases -.-  It had a really good population in the betas but then they release the first additional hero and it was a cash shop hero.   Immediately after that, I noticed the sudden drop in population and the fact that there was no decent matchmaking caused quite a bit of ragequits.

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  • gravesworngravesworn Member Posts: 324
    The heroes need balancing a bit. But i find this already more enjoyable than most other mobas. I would love to get in on some dota 2. Though. Smite has a lot of potential but we shall see how it holds up.
  • tails789tails789 Member Posts: 1

    i actually liked this game played it for 2 days. The problem with me is that there was just too much repitiion. You run out and wait, then after like 2min of waiting you run out and attack the other team NPC's while trying to avoid getting hit by the other player.  You play for like 10 min before you destroy one of the other teams towers. The other team group attack you, your other teamates come and take out their guys so on and so on. Boredom kicks in and your still in the game doing the same thing. Which is getting annoyed with your teamates for running away and watching you die, and the other team is destroying your tower and your attacking their phoenix. This game would be better if they had more game modes something like attack the leader of the opposite team, destroy the castle, or maybe when you kill a member of the opposite team you gain more NPC soldiers. Even giving the option of cutting down the time it takes to win the game. 

  • Judasgoat98Judasgoat98 Member UncommonPosts: 158

    I must say the op sounds like a kid who got wrecked in a couple games and rage quit. 

  • y1nny1nn Member Posts: 2

    LoL's excuse for balance is slapping the title "Carry" on all of its OP champs. I have yet to see a huge inbalance in this game other than Bakasura, he has a patch incoming. You just gotta build your guy right (like in all MOBA's) other than that this game is 100% better than other click fest mobas.

    The combat is faster pased, and your not clicking shit to death your doing much more. It alsmot has the same meta as LoL but other than that the game isnt really comparible to LoL cept for the concept.

  • SquatchinSquatchin Member Posts: 93

    I happen to enjoy Smite quite a bit. I think that this particular game has a lot of potential going for it but the thing it lacks the most at this point is Gods.

    With a much larger Pantheon the game will really open up, with more options it will be a far more entertaining game.

    As a former LOL player I have to say that I find Smite to be much better, as I enjoy the 3rd person view, the mobility with keyboard opposed to the clicking. But as another poster said I find myself wanting to jump.

    As far as balance goes, a few of the gods seem to be underpowererd, mainly Zeus that I have noticed. But again as Castillle said, Odin and Zeus= alot of dead players.

    Hirez has done a great job with this MOBA, they just need to implement a dozen or more gods, to really open up the options for the community.

    Otherwise very fun game.

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  • XirikXirik Member UncommonPosts: 440

    Zeus really only shines when your teamates are good which rarely happens. Thats why my friend who fav god is zeus only plays him in premade 5mans

    "You have some serious mental issues you may need to seek some help for. There are others who post things, but do not post them in the way you do. Out of every person who posts crazy shit in this forum, you have some of the craziest and scariest" -FarReach

  • MuaCMuaC Member UncommonPosts: 9

    look bro , 2 possibilities here

    u r either a riot staff member , or a newbie in lol

    take it from a CB lol player , yeah more than 3 years , 

    lol has NO BALANCE at all , and riot know exactly which champions needs a nerf and which needs a buff nut they ignore that among releasing new maps and mods , and focus on releasing a champ nearly every patch + "themes" and skind with wowzer particles + organiing tournaments , for the sole reason of $$$$$ the community can smack their skulls against walls , bugs unfixed + servers random lag spikes + patch fails + chat and ranked closed most of the time due to bugs + NO BALANCE -AGAIN- + a matchmaking that will fail u EVERY single time cuz of the fact they r using outdated math equations and they didn't actually put any effort in it in the first place , and a fact for u they didn't update matchmaking since closed beta just merely 2 lazy efforts that actually ruined it more no serious update and same math used with1 or 2 added factors BARELY

     

    have fun



  • theratmonkeytheratmonkey Member Posts: 684
    Originally posted by Xirik

    Zeus really only shines when your teamates are good which rarely happens. Thats why my friend who fav god is zeus only plays him in premade 5mans




    Pretty much this. Then again, that goes for a few Gods. I never felt that Zeus was underpowered, though. He's just more of a team player, and performs better late game then he does early/mid game.

    There are a few God's I'd consider OP, or have OP abilities. For one, Artimus' boar needs revamping. Having the only ability in the game that's not a skillshot is a significant advantage.

    Groovy.

  • RictisRictis Member UncommonPosts: 1,300

    Cannot disagree with you more OP. DOTA,DOTA2, HON are horrible games. Not only are they for elitists, but they are easily won by focusing on certain stats. Agi focus faceroll characters anyone? Denying also creates a huge curve for new players trying to learn the game. Most players quit those games because of the negative communities, they play their first match and they end up quiting due to trolls flaming them for not being a pro.

    Smite suffers from the same problems of course with a few differences. Smite gives you a new view which to me is welcomed. It also lets you play gods from different mythologies which is def a new twist on old legends. It has room to grow of course, some tweaking is required but that is an issue with all MOBA games and fotm. You can auto level your skills or auto purchase rec items for new players which helps with the learning curve. It is a much more forgiving game when your trying to learn it for the first few levels. Once your level 6 you hit normal matches with vet players, by level 6 you have a good idea of how to play the game. Unlike of course LoL where vet players make smurf accounts to face roll noobs. I think Smite is getting a bad rap because most players are not comfortable with the change in views and how this game has its GUI set up.

    As far as them accepting currency in closed beta, what is the problem here? Riot accepted currency when their game was in open beta? LoL was in beta for 2 years and they accepted currency on champion packs during that time. I don't see why Hi-Rez cannot accept currency if people want to unlock other gods? If you dont like it, than wait until the game launches and play with everyone that is new and only have the base gods.

    Dont even get me started on Flash in LoL, the worst idea for a summoner skill ever. What is worse is that Riot refuses to remove it because of community QQ.

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