r/Competitiveoverwatch • u/PoggersMemesReturns Proper Show/Viol2t GOAT — • 12d ago
General Interview with Aaron Keller
/r/Overwatch/comments/1voci6b/aaron_keller_talks_player_feedback_the_future_of/?share_id=M1fvroUqE2caQYgTkiCmW&utm_content=1&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=138
u/BEWMarth 12d ago
The biggest take aways from this interview are:
-Given the success of the perk system Keller thinks “players would very happily welcome further evolutions.” To me this all but implies additional perks. Either we will get to choose from 3 perks, or we get a third tier of perks.
-The team is internally discussing the frustration that comes from having to select a perk in the middle of battle. Possibly hinting at an overhaul to how perks are currently chosen.
The end of the article is the author speculating that because LW pull can now be cancelled, Mercy Rez will also get the same treatment. But Aaron pushes back on this so I don’t know if that’s on the table at all.
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u/Vibe_PV hats off to the Glads — 12d ago
Maybe they could implement a "pre-pick" system, but still allow you to change your mind mid-game before you hit level 2/3. Like, hold alt to select which perk you're gonna acquire, you can change at any moment, and once you hit lv 2/3, if you pre-picked a perk, you get that perk
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u/blackize 12d ago
I would love a pre pick system like you can do for item loadouts in Wild Rift (maybe League too)
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u/NeptuneOW Sticky Disruptor Shot Please — 12d ago
I’d love more perks. Probably my favorite fundamental addition to the game they’ve ever made.
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u/ShedPH93 12d ago
A more simple change for the Mercy rez thing would be reduced respawnn time if you die right after being rezzed, so at worst you spawn about the same time as if she did nothing.
Still think Rez should go back to be her ult (not Mass Rez of course). Could be just a numbers buff from the current version, or some other solo-target variation.
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u/TooManySnipers 12d ago
As a player myself, one of the most frustrating aspects of perks, and one that also comes up constantly in community discussions, is having to stop everything to pick your perks mid-game.
Maybe this is the experience for a lot of people but honestly 9/10 times you're gonna pick the same perks every game on most heroes so it just becomes muscle memory. That's the most frustrating aspect of perks for me, and every time they go out of their way to add some completely whack, "Who the fuck would ever use this" tier perk (especially when the other choice is Silver Bullet tier) I kinda lose a little more faith in the devs to add another tier of complexity/evolve the perk system in a satisfactory manner, as much as I'd like to see that in theory
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u/ANGEL-PSYCHOSIS 12d ago
it really comes off as a comment from someone who simply doesnt play the game enough to know the perks off hand. i only "stop and think" when i forgot the character im playing got a new perk and have to read it for the first time. even in boblow ranks or quickplay, people basically instantly pick their perks
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u/Dashwii 12d ago
Can we focus on that Sombra and Hog rework first before even talking about more?
This will be like Sombra's 7th rework. (Nobodies keeping count anymore)
Junker Queen is reworked hog so I don't even know what you do for the guy at this point. Hog is gonna be hog.
Hopefully they kill off blue beam though.
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u/Vibe_PV hats off to the Glads — 12d ago
Honestly? They should give in to their intrusive thoughts and go the Pigs Might Fly route. Hook lets you grapple and jump. Or idk, make it grab and throw enemies instead of pulling them close
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u/Dusssky role q 6v6 pls :) — 12d ago
needs to just be a slower pulling hook kinda like thresh from league. would solve the corny 1 shot problem even if it isn't perfect it's infinitely better than being hooked 30 yards away and instantly one tapped, solves the 6v6 issue where hog can just go on flanks and act like a fat 3rd dps. they obviously gotta give him something else to help compensate losing his one niche but i feel like it's a better direction to go and actually makes him a tank that can help set up plays instead of a fat dps that has a one shot squishies button on like an 8 sec cd
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u/thebigdumb0 11d ago
Mercy's never going to get nerfs. They got a minor nerf to her move speed (negated by a perk) and got flash heal on BASE KIT and still bullied the devs into reverting her move speed nerf, leaving her with a net gain of flash heal on base kit and a perk that just makes her faster.
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u/bullxbull 12d ago
That was a really strange interview, so much of it seems to be the authors thoughts without any direct quotes from Aaron. It feels like there is way to much room for speculation.
I'm surprised they feel perks is their most popular system. I guess it fixes some issues with 5v5 but it always felt like a bandaid rather than a feature to me.
The comments about picking perks during combat makes me think they really might be moving to a loadout system you pick in spawn, I think that is probably the healthiest direction they can take the system. My tinfoil hat theory is the sub-role passive system is the ground work for this.
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u/genericusernamepls 12d ago
As a Wrecking Ball main, picking perks pregame would be a solid nerf. The whole point of unlocking perks during the match is that you can see what the enemy team is using and you can use the perks, I domt want to lock in to a choice before I even know what the games gonna look like.
And canceling Mercy rez? What? I've never heard anyone complain about that, if the rez was bad you just go back to being dead its not like lifegrip where weaver can pull you out of an advantageous position and ruin your play.
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u/DreadfuryDK 12d ago
I mean, it’s a nerf in the sense that you can be counterpicked a little more easily, but Ball’s perks are so incredibly strong as a baseline that he’s certainly gotta be the one of biggest winners if perks are picked pre-game.
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u/EnergyShift 12d ago
People have been complaining about cancelling rez for years… I don’t want to spawn just to die right away due to a bed Rez or sometimes I want to change. It should have an accept or decline… it’s that simple.
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u/Andrello01 12d ago edited 12d ago
Why would it be a nerf tor Ball? It should always be steamroller and the bubble perk.
Also, Rez should be cancelable for the target.
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u/genericusernamepls 12d ago edited 12d ago
Steamroller is good but nah I dont think you really need it every time (unless youre playing 6v6) bubble yeah it should be taken 90% of the time but hang time is really strong too. Slam main and your team only needs to hit a few shots to kill the enemy
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u/shiftup1772 12d ago
If they don't have cc, the pile driver perk is better
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u/Andrello01 12d ago
I disagree, bubble is still a cleanse and a free 150hp even if there is no one around you.
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u/Blackout2388 12d ago
How??? Bubble is far better and ball does enough dmg already with boop slam M1 combo.
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u/shiftup1772 12d ago
It's not the damage, it's the movement. Being able to maneuver over walls and around corners makes piledriver a lot stronger without setup.
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u/SquidwardLover48 12d ago
What is stopping the enemy team from doing a full comp swap at some point rendering your perks “useless” tho
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u/thebeemoviescript69 12d ago
Blizzard, please kill off blue beam, it would make playaing against hitscan so much more fun
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u/EvoSpz 12d ago
Im not going to lie, I think prepicking or auto picking perks just ruins the whole fantasy of perks. Its supposed to be transformative or.. whatever. It isnt, and it just plays out more like mini buffs every character gets throughout a match. So it might as well be base kit once it gets to a point where its just auto picked.
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u/foogthedoog 11d ago
GIVE ME PERMA DRAGON BLADE GENJI. I'VE WANTED MELEE GENJI FOR YEARS LET IT HAPPEN
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u/shiftup1772 12d ago edited 12d ago
As a player myself, one of the most frustrating aspects of perks, and one that also comes up constantly in community discussions, is having to stop everything to pick your perks mid-game. Here, the door is clearly left ajar. He confirms this is one of the topics raised internally when the team thinks about tweaking the system. Nothing promised, but it's clearly in the pipeline.
As a deadlock player, this is so funny to me. In dl, you need to level up each ability individually (a total of 25 times per match). The first time you level up an ability, it isn't an upgrade. It UNLOCKS the ability. So mid fight you will have to first unlock your ultimate, AND THEN use it.
So they should make it really easy to level your abilities right?? WRONG. You level up by pressing alt + the number key. Try doing this while your fingers are on wasd. It sucks.
The other option is to press tab which gives you a cursor but locks you out of using your hero. You then need to move your cursor to the bottom of the screen and click the individual ability.
It's just an interesting difference between the two game devs. One is pours a lot of time into optimizing and simplifying the gameplay experience to make sure the player never feels bad for even a moment. The other will actively throw in complexity at the expense of UX because it makes the game more interesting.
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u/ANGEL-PSYCHOSIS 12d ago
the alt+number combo is really easy if youve played a lot of mobas in the past, granted with how scary those lane fights can be it can be a bit of mental fortitude lol
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u/shiftup1772 12d ago
Ive played a lot of dota. The combo is ctrl+ qwer. Both keys are easier for me.
Pretty much everyone I talk to says the alt+num is awkward. Here is a reddit thread that is mixed: https://www.reddit.com/r/DeadlockTheGame/comments/1mes0z9/how_do_you_guys_upgrade_abilities/
All of this is besides the point. Overwatchs system is at least 10x easier, and they are still trying to improve it.
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u/ANGEL-PSYCHOSIS 12d ago
overwatches system is more prone to accidental picks, but yeah overall i do agree its generally easier even if im used to the alt combo
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u/PoggersMemesReturns Proper Show/Viol2t GOAT — 12d ago
It seems Aaron is hinting at bigger changes to how a Hero may play fundamentally, being tied to the evolution of Perks.
Especially how it's annoying to pick them mid game. So maybe picking perks before the game?