Anybody still here? Have been quite a while, I know.
I’ve been busy with a project connected to work, but quite frankly I also didn’t exactly have any great ideas what to write about. Okay, I would be lying if I said I had any great idea now, but there are a few things whirling inside that grey mass that claims to be my brain. So let’s see if I can get some of these things into a shape coherent enough to share with you.
I’ve predicted the changes applied by the engy update could have a huge impact to the game ...
Well, so far I have been wrong. While we see the Wrangler commonly used by engineers and mini-sentries appear to be sitting on each corner of a map I fail to see any significant change in the game.
For one I have to admit that Valve balanced those weapons better (I use this word reluctantly) than I initially assessed. Using the Wrangler with a regular sentry is a pain in the ass because you don’t see a bloody thing from behind the shield. Okay, exaggerated, but not much. If you crouch or even stand behind the sentry it blocks too much of your view to be able to aim properly. Also, as I’ve mentioned in a previous article, the color of the shield is really irritating and makes it difficult to tell friend from foe. All this pretty much forces the engy to step out from behind the shield, making him easy prey for snipers, which – besides spies – have become my most loathed opposing class as engy. The Wrangler is a long range weapon, best used in the open, which sets it just opposite snipers (usually operating from dark corners way in the back of the map). [1]
Here some random screenshots for those of you who don’t play engy:
- Crouched behind the sentry, looking through the clear-view spot.
- Standing behind the sg; basically sniper fodder.
- Crouched, but moved to the right. Quite vulnerable.
- Here you can (kind of) see how little you can actually recognize through the colored shield.
- Mini-Sentry. No obstructed view, but the colored shield is still a bit annyoing.
Also note to self: Get a custom HUD ...
Actually the Wrangler works best – in terms of handling – with the Mini-Sentry. You can easily crouch behind it and aim perfectly well. And since you have this clear view-spot right in the middle of the shield the color of the shield is not even obscuring.
All this makes me wonder if the Wrangler was initially designed for the Mini-Sentry and as an afterthought extended to the regular sentry.
Now I realize – and fully support – that a weapon like the Wrangler needs to be balanced and that there should be counters. But the implementation is just not very convincing and satisfying. I would rather have the Wrangler’s shield to reduce less damage but being able to operate it in a more satisfying manner.
Having said all that let me add that the Wrangler is still quite powerful. But it’s also very situational. Quite logically it works better on some maps than on others, also on some spots better than on others. On less advantageous spots an engy really requires some support from his team, otherwise the mighty wranglered sentry can easily go down within a heartbeat.
Speaking of teammates: Another negative side-effect of the Wrangler is that in many occasions the engy really has to stay at the sentry (or close to it) in case he needs to operate it (Especially when built in the open). The obvious downside of that is that this very much obstructs the engy to build dispensers or teleporters. Some people have complained that engies would only build their sentry and then go gung-ho with it, but sometimes there is really far less feisible opportunity to attend to other buildings when using the Wrangler.
Okay, and while we’re at Wrangler and Other Buildings:
I really think Valve majorly screwed up when they implemented that switching from Wrench to Gunslinger (or vice versa)destroys all your buildings. Destroying the sentry, sure! But Dispenser and Teleporter? FFS, why? It’s not an issue with balance. Did Valve simply not consider that a player might want to switch from one sentry type to the other in the middle of a game? There are enough cases where it makes perfectly sense to me to switch sentries. E.g. on 5-CP-maps: The mini-sentry is more suited when pushing, while the regular sentry is more useful when the own team is pushed back to the last point. On AD/PL maps a mini-sentry again is a good idea when pushing out of the respawn, but the standard sentry might be the better choice later on to deal with counter-attacks.
The way it is now an engy is punished for switching sentries. IMNSHO that’s not only unnecessary, but actually a shame!
I have a few more topics to cover, but before I go TL;DR I’ll rather do than on a different day ...
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