A big flaw in the game

[Azerla]

 

Been playing for a couple of weeks now and have unlocked a couple of BB's and on my way to a CV in the next day or so.

 

Major flaws with this game, which I think will adversely affect it's long term existence after release are:

1. Maps a far too small for the amount of players in each team. With a Tier 4 or 5 Battleship you can sit in centre of the map and have shooting access to almost all of the map. Certainly, Aircraft Carriers do.

2. Starter positions are mirrored. In other words, whatever the disposition and placement of one team, this is mirrored by the other team. So I know at the beginning of a battle where my enemy is before the start of the match.

3. Aircraft Carriers are aware of number 2. above, and as soon as the match starts, they instantly send in bombers to the position of the enemy CV's or BB's knowing there is a very good chance of a score.

4. Too many islands for the size of maps. Destroyers need to manoeuvre, so too do CC's, and BB's need a heck of a turning circle. There are far too many islands for the size of the map, which ensures at least one DD / CC is going to run aground in the thick of battle when they are concentrating on getting their torpedoes away or firing their main guns. Using the automatic pilot is no good in a battle as it basically takes a straight line route which is deadly in a battle situation, and autopilot is a hopeless tool for a DD.

5. Aircraft Carriers basically just use the J1 to J10 grid line or the A1 to A10 grid line depending on which side they spawn. Both sides know this and both sides know how slow their CV's are, so almost immediately they send in bombers to those grid lines to take care of, not only the CV's but the BB's that are around the mirrored spawn who are too slow to get very far from the starter zone before the bombers show up.

6. With the size of the maps, the amount of islands and taking into consideration the above points, the game is becoming repetitious, somewhat boring and gameplay has no relative skill. This after just 2 weeks of gameplay which, unless the points above are addressed, makes me feel the 'average joe' isn't going to maintain an interests in WOWS beyond a two week period. I'm an 'average joe', so too are the friends I've made during my time with WOWS, and we all feel the same way - that unless there is a significant change in map size, islands, the ability of CV's to dominate a map with bombers, the mirrored spawns etc. then I'm afraid the relative repetition will force us to quit Beta and really not bother when release comes out.

 

I'm not ranting here, I'm giving you an empirical view of the game after 2 weeks. I feel that you have the makings of a good game here, but the above points are dealbreakers at this time. Also, it's somewhat irksome to know that the two largest, most dominant and most modern navies between 1800 and 1950 aren't even in the game yet. I'd have thought you would have started with them and added the Japanese and USA later. Bear in mind the Japanese were the 4th largest warship fleet in the world at the outbreak of WW II and the USA were 5th or 6th if I remember correctly ( I'm open to correction on that point ), heck, even the Italians were a bigger fleet than the US. Maybe World of Warships is a misnomer in lieu of War of the Pacific, just my 2 cents worth.

 

As a postscript, I've just played 3 battles with my US Battleships, and was sunk all 3 times by torpedo bombers from CV's before I even got out of the starter zone. This not only reinforces the points I bring up, but my frustration with the repetition of the incident forced me to log out of the game. We need something done to keep us interested and worth subscribing to at launch, but the way the game is at the moment, I'm pretty sure it's life expectancy, or certainly the monetary reward to Wargaming.net will pitifully small and short lived.

 

Regards for reading, Good Hunting.

[Strike_Witch_Tomoko]

for #4.   a way i get around the tiny turning spaced (and this method has cost many enemy ships their lives when they discover i've done a 180)

 

is i slow the ship to 1/4 or 1/2 speed in order to make that turn radius smaller.   it takes longer(distance wise) or the same time(in the actual time per degrees)

 

but its saved my [edited]several times before.

 

 

 

hope it helps =)   (i've had a DD come out from behind an island chasing my IJN kongo before.  he didnt realise i had turned around and ran straight into me before he could turn and torp me.  so fun~)

 

 

i actually prefer more islands.  as this means i have ways of avoiding predicted enemy fire,  and turning to hide or come at them from a different angle.    without alot of islands, or with to few.  its easy for them to predict where i'll be showing up and then i'll be unable to escape.

[anonym_ww9C9UrIJ1Sr]

I have never been sunk by a CV in my BB while still in the starting area.

 

I've never even been attacked by a CV in the starting area.

[Doutech]

1) The maps get bigger as you move up in tiers.

2) The positions are not as mirrored as you might think.

3) See number 2. This is why carriers usually scout with fighters first and then bring in their TBs and DBs.

4) Don't get tunneled visioned and just wait until you play the Ocean map.

5) Not always. It really just depends on the circumstances of the battle.

6) Just wait until high tier battles. They really are like chess matches sometimes.

[MrGuvernment]

I have seen the CV send over bombers to the CV on the other side, but the ship density is so high they usually get shot down or turn around before getting close to the CV...

[Pirabee]

I've been sunk twice or so at spawn in my BB. I think some of OPs points are spot on. For instance, I'd like the maps to be a tad larger and perhaps force some tactical thinking from teams. Presently the style is to fan out to both flanks and rely on the short distances to help spot anything coming through the center. Like the OP said, that tends to mark things repetitive and before long, boring

[Ketatrypt]

Out of all this, I think the only real issue is the carrier's nuking battleships at the start of match.. Had it happen a few times, and I just got to the T4 bb today. Random spawns *might* fix that issue (ships in same place, but randomize the ship type placement, so its not the same on both sides.. go to the place you think the bb should be, to be met with a AA cruiser) but with the speed of aircraft, I doubt it.. Maybe there should be a time limit before you can launch planes to let opposing team get a bit of distance from spawn? I dunno.. But that is the only serious issue that I have seen. Other then that, I have been quite happy with the state of this ~beta~ game. However, I will be looking forward to the games' future, with bigger/more maps, more ship lines (English + German ships!!) and just general improvements which improve game play!

[Seraphil]

You know that making bigger maps just makes it easier for the carriers to stay hidden and snipe you safely with their bombers?  Removing islands also takes away an obstacle that might block an ideal torpedo run.

[LE_ErinnGoBragh]

best turn rate and radius is to slow down then add full power and make the turn

[aethervox]

You might have correctly titled your topic 'Several Big Flaws in the Game'.

[lewellenfawr]

I appreciate the OP's observations and I'd like to add a thought or two.

 

First, wows should not be like a salty wot. The Solomon Islands did have many islands but most other battles... especially fleet engagements were open sea. Now only open sea combat would become repetative unless the MM were to vary the composition of the opposing fleets in both number and ship type.  Variation of this kind would enable players to really think about the strengths and weaknesses of their ships. I began to play wows because I'm a bit of a history buff and the idea of recreating in a small way some of the battles that shaped the modern world is really exciting. Think of the clash of the INJ and USN carrier fleets at Midway... of the opening clash of German BC's with the British main fleet at Jutland. How about Bismark/ Prinz Eugene vs Hood and Prince of Wales.

 

Second, navel combat in the real world was purposeful. Mahan's work still studied today suggested that sea power would be applied to the reach of a nations commerce... this means that battles might be fought to keep ports blockaded... or to disrupt sea lanes of commerce... Sea power could be applied directly to the land via the support of invasion forces or to disrupt an invasion force. Its not the shape of the maps that bothers me rather it is the wot like pointlessness of the battles. Maps might be long rectangles... as in a convoy route which could be defended... complete with merchant ships which if sunk would lead to a game loss. An area might need to be held as if to cover an off map invasion force. The last thought here is that the mixing of different nationality types is a problem. Why because each nation developed its ship characteristics based on its geopolitical position... and likely foes. I'd like to see for example some commerce raiding German cruisers (WWI of WWII) vs the British navy... think Graf Spee vs two lightly armored short range British Cruisers and one somewhat heaver ship.

 

We need to figure out a better way of cooperating as a fleet... Individual ship combat in the guise of a fleet encounter is not so useful.

 

Still... the game is very new... I really hope the developers think about navel warfare as something different from the clash of armor in wot.

[Skyneon]

you can add :

- For every game you always have 1 or 2 afk player during the 10 first minute at best

- Many player just try to avoid the fight by stay in the edge of the map and wait

- No team play like focus fire, stay in group ... most of the pepole play alone

- Player who use the border of the map for "slide" faster and be half protect (because the shoot who fall out of the map not always count) 

- Just see the amount of XP to get for tier 6, even with prenium not make feel want farm the meaningless battle again and again 

 

 

Don't get me wrong the game is really nice but after one week the same battle again and again become boring. I almost unlock the cruiser tier 5 and I already feel the motivation or the want to play run away. Mainly because of the lack of meaning and the big lack of team play in this game ( i know the last point can not be fix by the dev) 

[donaldEpott]

Well with Higher tier DDs I rather like open maps. One they dont know where I am gong to hit from and two I can use the long range of the Torpedoes to better effect and area denial.