1.03 Test Notes

[Darkmal]

Personally, I can't believe the number of posts hating on this patch, I like it.

 

From my experiance, its much more "lean" (for any other better word available). 1.02 seemed sluggish and the quicker stances when I used them seemed to be more better off for "button-pushers". I had yet to see a really good tactical blue or yellow stance jedi. Standing still facing your opponent doesnt always mean that you will block his shot, even though hes comming at you with a red stanced overhead slash (too obvious and hardly ever blocked). DFA used that flaw to an extreme although I figured it was best to move out of the way when I saw it comming and never had a problem with it as did alot of people I encountered. If you were a "fray" player, meaning, you jump in the mix, start circle swinging and pray you kill everyone that was in the dogpile, you were a DFA target and im sure had problems with the style being over powered. DFA was easily counterable by timing a run at your opponent and doing an overhead swing, you could basically "knock" him out of the air, except without him actually doing it as you ran underneith him. 1.03 brought actual blocking to the table if you were actually "trying" to block. Meaning, standing still, facing your opponent. The patch sped up saber swings which is nice, allowing couter attacks to be useful and actually the new style of play. Duals are much longer than before which was nice imo (I play saber only FFA/Team NF most of the time). Players that still use 1.02 tactics I tend to get an advantage of quickly and those who's styles are based on the counter-attack seem to take longer and are much more enjoyable fights. If I loose a match its due to leaving myself open whether, its not having my back against a wall in a large fray or having my opponent read my next move.

 

I do have a few problematic perceptions also, the mention of the over-powered backswing and saber throw. Saber throw I have no qualms with, the backswing I can understand. Backswing (or Backstab with blue stance) is nearly a 1 shot move and can be manipulated with mouse movement to be a 1 shot 360 move that can take out numerous players at once. The quality & control of this move was obviously supported by the difficuly positioning requirements of player and opponent although, with practice, I have been able to walk up to a player, spin, and execute the move with the same speed as a normal saber swing. This move has basically been the objective of the fight because of its inability to be blocked, the ease of use, its intense damage capability, and ability to do damage in a 360 direction. The move I believe is the spice of the game as is the crecent flip move. Imo, if once the move was in motion it would lock the player until the manuver was accomplished (like DFA has been changed to) also, a longer delay after the swing and the ability to be blocked at a standing (not crouching) stance would tame it a little.

 

...and thats Darkmal's test notes

[Darkmal]

I forgot to mention the bug with the saber throw, if executed right, you can toss the saber and when it comes back it misses you and attempts to twirl around you at high speed like a shiled made of spinning lightsabers. Obviously a bug. Also, the blue stance crouch saber uppercut is a little overpowered. Althrough blockable, I have not found as of yet how to get around the styles incredible defense and offense. Its quick recovery times makes it impenatrable if I try and take the hit or block and counter, if blocked its defended as a strong red stance swing flailing the defender back opening him for another shot. The crouch uppercut is usually duo'ed with an overhead slice putting the combo into the "cheap tricks" category. Getting around the opponent or jumping (obvious strength of the style in its sense) was also rather futile, blue stance was too quick. The only move able to compensate to the move as a DFA and usually ended in myself dying from the forseen setup of the DFA. Countering with the same style was like beating my head against the wall. No tactic involved and was basically 2 morons fighting eachother with the same style getting random win results.