Y5S2 Testing Grounds + Player Survey
The Testing Grounds playlist is now live! Our survey is here: https://ubisoft.ca1.qualtrics.com/jf...jRmHvzFXYPvXJY .
Please use this thread to give us your feedback, and remember to fill out the survey when you feel you have a good understanding of the changes! Your responses help us immensely. :)
The overview of the Testing Grounds changes can be found here: https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/f...ments-overview
Some of my responses to the survey
Raider
BASIC IMPROVEMENTS
- Confirmed normal heavy on GB as a QoL change and buff. The same can be said for most/all heroes.
- Running heavy starts chains for better flow in 4v4s
- Light finisher after second heavy for more attack variety
NEW MOVES
- Forward-dodge heavy with hyper armour(HA) and soft-feints like guardbreak(GB), Storming Tap(ST), zone attack, and heavy in another direction. This move would be a roll catcher.
- Side-dodge undodgeable-heavies with soft-feints like GB, ST, and HA-heavy in another direction. This move would be for countering bashes and other forward moving attacks.
- Forward-dodge bash that confirms a light. This is another option to open up turtles.
If dodge attacks are going to be added, include the following:
- Dodge recovery cancels for Storming Tap and all non-dodge attacks.
- Add dodge as a cancel option/soft-feint for opening & chained heavies and zone attack.
These changes will help Raider transition into other moves without both a hard reset or relying on the same mixups which would be good for both 1v1 and anti-gank(1vX) situations.
MORE ACCESS TO CURRENT MOVES
- Access Stampede Charge from neutral with a leftstick-down + GB(like Shugoki’s Demon’s Embrace). This would be good for ganking tool and maybe a possible opener for 1v1, depending on the speed.
- Add Stampede Charge as an alternate chain finisher buy pressing GB after the second attack in a chain(like Valkyrie’s Spear Sweep). This would add to Raider’s mixups.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
- Give Storming Tap(ST) superior-block for crushing counters(CC). CC-STs would apply extra damage, stun, and wall-splats. Many Raider mains feel that stun should be added back to ST but returning the move to it’s former state would be problematic. Applying stun from a CC-ST would happen less often and would be a good reward for the risk.
Note:
Earlier in the survey, I also mentioned that Raider's chained heavies should be like Hitokiri's with early hyper armour timings and without HA on feint. I didn't see why Raider's heavies were an issue but not Hitokiri's and the timings needed to be shifted to solve Raider's problem.
Orochi
The removal of Hurricane Blast was unnecessary, especially when it wasn't problematic or overpowered. It was a fan favourite and fun to use.
The Dodge Recovery Cancels are a bit slow and make Orochi feel stiff when transitioning from one move to the next. The disrupted flow makes him/her easier to counter.
SUGGESTIONS
- Give Storm Rush a dodge soft-feint/cancel option to bait deflects, add attack options, and avoid getting hit out of the move. This is a long-requested change.
- Access Storm Rush from side dodges for more options.
- Like Raider, make Zone Attack a chain starter, reduce stamina cost to 12, and let it be used in chains via recovery cancels. Also, consider making it undodgeable. This would improve Orochi in 1v1 and 4v4 scenarios.
- Dodge recovery cancels need to be faster to the level of Tiandi or Zhanhu so attacks can flow better and be more effective.
- Add back Hurricane Blast. Give it super-armour so it can't be stopped, allow it to stop attacks with hyper armour/uninterruptible stance, and allow it to heal Orochi for 20HP. A combo light and dodge recovery cancel should also be included. These changes would make the move more effective and more rewarding.
Shinobi
SUGGESTIONS
- Inputs need better time windows for buffering and delays. This would make zone cancels, combos, and mix-ups less error-prone.
- Remove wall-splat from ranged heavy. This makes Shinobi’s offense too similar to Centurion’s old cutscenes.
- Add an opening light attack after kick for quick access to Sickle Rain.
- Allow Shinobi to access Back Flip after dodge and missing an attack for more access to his new mix-ups, more mind games, and better body movement.
- Add these Zone Attack cancel options for better 1vX performance:
- Dodge
- Backflip
- Ranged heavy
- Both dodge and Backflip recovery cancels for Zone Finisher.
Note:
Earlier in the survey I raised an issue where Jiang Jun and Nobushi could access their evasive stances after dodging or not hitting anyone but Shinobi can't access Back Flip after a dodge or missing an attack, even though when move's distance had already been reduced. The former ability added to his/her uniqueness, mix-ups, and mind games. Also, body movement helps make fights more exciting and intense.
Option Selects
In the survey I said the removal of option selects were very healthy for the game. My reasons were:
- they were not intended
- they shouldn't be balanced for
- players are forced to make real reads
- offense(mix-ups) is more viable
- zones can be balanced for their intended purpose
- stamina costs of zones can be reduced without creating problems regarding option selects
- reducing stamina cost of zones:
- makes offense more viable in 1v1 and 4v4 scenarios(take Raider for example)
- players won't need revenge first to use zones as they see fit in 1xX scenarios
Essential replacement of option selects
I fully understand why everyone agrees that option selects need to go, but IF THEY DO please for the love of God let me cancel a parry that doesn't connect to a gb counter in time to counter heavy feints to gb. It's such an abused mechanic especially if the heavy is unblockable bc your only two options are parry or dodge, which a gb counters both 😒
I see this crap coming from a mile away yet I'm forced to just guess if my opponent will feint to a grab or not since reacting isn't an option.
It is the worst and most abused mechanic bc there is no option to reflect the gb even if you cancel the heavy that was intended to initially parry.
Please add parry cancel to gb counter, it's so frustrating...
Y5S2 testing grounds feedback
I feel like the option select removal would turn the fights more into a guessing game where heroes such as for example, Shugoki or Hitokiri could take advantage of with their ability to delay and faint attacks into a variety of mixups which would require the player to make strong reads or just rely on luck in order to counterattack their offence. Instead I think it would be better to keep the option selects and adjust all characters to be able to punish them equally if they manage to bait it out.
The Shinobi rework is fantastic. Although the wall splat as amazing as it feels I think it’s a bit too powerful so I think it would be better to still keep it but give it less knock back so it’s harder to pull it off. I like the sprint attack changes but I also liked the previous move. Maybe it would be cool to give players the option to have both of the sprint attacks and for example trigger one of them by holding square (guard break on ps4/ps5). If you want to get Shinobi to be more sickle rain focused then you could make the slide sprint attack chain into sickle rain and keep the other sprint attack as well as it is.
Shinobi’s dodge and double chain into light attacks and heavy attacks are something that I think should be kept as it gives players more variety of attacks after a dodge which would also make the character less predictable. One last thing is the removal of the ranged guradbreak. As unfair as it is in a close combat game (especially in team fights) I feel like it doesn’t deserve to be completely eliminated from the game. Instead I think it should receive a similar treatment just like the back flip dodge did. Make it harder to use and perhaps decrease its range which would force the Shinobi to be in closer proximity to the opposing players. For example, make it available only after a double dodge or only after a backflip dodge etc. Everything else is really good. I love the mixups chains of the kick after parry and more sickle rain opportunities as well as the unblockable ranged melee and the chain of the guaranteed attack after the unblockable backflip kick. Everything was felt really good it definitely improved Shinobi’s offence.
Orochi’s unblockable kick is amazing. Just like with Shinobi, it improves its offence and opens more mixup and flow opportunities. The undodgable storm rush from all sides is a great addition as well as making it available from a front dodge. The removal of the heavy punish after parrying Orochi’s dodge attack is good as it allows players to use them more often without big consequences ,however, since the back dodge light attack is faster (which is also good) it should be the only one with a heavy punish as it is harder to react to so it will be more rewarding after the parry. Additionally, I think the third light finisher should stay to keep the flow of Orochi’s attacks without having to constantly make mixups or faints. To balance it out the light finisher could be made slower or do more damage but at least it would be there. Furthermore, the recovery after a heavy finisher should be kept like it was before. It kind of feels slow and I understand that the introduction of the kick and additional chains boosts Orochi’s offence a lot but at least speed the recovery up slightly if having it like it is currently would give too much pressure advantage. Lastly, the removal of the heavy follow up after deflect didn’t seem that great. Even though it wasn’t used as much as the light follow up it was nice to use it sometimes. It is definitely helpful against most non assassin characters and I think that option should stay.
Raider’s decreased stamina penalty form the zone attacks is great and it’s a really good change as it allows for a more frequent use. The removal of the variable soft faint into top light is also good and I think it balances the character out well. The changes to the sprint attack are also good. There aren’t as many crucial changes to Raider as there are to Shinobi and Orochi but they are definitely good changes and everything else is good.