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ABR, Good or Bad?
Posted: 2006-04-12 11:32
by Rhino
ABR aka Alternative Battlefield Ranking.
This is the ranking thing some PRMM Servers like the GloryHoundz Server and a few others use.
Now I just want to list all the good and bad things about ABR to see if you guys really want it on the PRMM servers.
The Good
- Lets you track your k/d ratio which can be nice
- Lets you "Show off" your rank to other people in the server and say, "look here, I'm a pro!"
The Bad
- Lags the server big time! Especially at the end of each round where you get a message on your screen for 15secs saying "There is a problem with your connection"
- Encourages stat whoring and going lone wolf to get as many kills as you can and not think about having fun and playing as a team!
- Encourages "Stat Padders" to the servers
Now personl I rate gameplay with no lag, teamwork and fun over stats by a long way. Im wondering about you guys.
Posted: 2006-04-12 12:07
by Gaz
I'm indifferent to ABR in my opinion. I don't keep a track of my stats. I play for the teamwork, and the emersion in the experience. Not for stats. Although, in my personal opinion I have issues with them being there. It's always nice to be getting some award flashing up on my screen for teamwork etc etc, even though I know I won't be keeping it after the round

Wish I knew where to get the ABR thing, only thing I have is the server browser.....or is that it??
I am for it. Give people the choice. If they don't feel the need to chase stats, then don't
I do feel as a whole that ABR 'cushions' the blow for new ex-Vanilla players to the PRMM mod,. It may be the one thing that entices new players to the mod?
Posted: 2006-04-12 12:22
by Lugubrum
I play most of the time on servers without ABR ranking. I would not mind if this mod got rid of the whole ABR ranking, but if some people really want it. I am afraid it will bring statswhores to this game... Also the connection problems on some ABR ranked servers are terrible.
Posted: 2006-04-12 12:24
by Lazzars
well i havn't had any bad experiences with it. its not like i have played any different to get badged, i still go the same kits and get the badges for them. its not a big deal and the huge lag at the end is universal so it doesn't put you at a disadvantage. though it does seem to slow the server down overall a bit which is annoying at times.
however you do get alot fo people who don't play along as a squad, its not vital but if i died in the middle of a cross fire i don't want to be revived again into it since its longer to wait and an extra ticket. but people who are in it for the points rush in and just revive regardless, also people don't leave the squad and rejoin if they are squad leader so they can respawn off anyone left alive. i liek this tactic but it never seems to happen on ABR for some reason
Posted: 2006-04-12 12:41
by Fullforce
'[R-DEV wrote:Rhino']
[*]Lets you "Show off" your rank to other people in the server and say, "look here, I'm a pro!"
Douches only, that one.
I don't think its a good idea - although stat padders must be stupid,theres no unlocks... and anyone going lone wolf will never get as many points as if they were in a squad.
Posted: 2006-04-12 12:42
by Gaz
there's still scope to force people into squads though. Therefore ABR would run in the background and you would get what you get while working as a team. Don't forget ABR has the ability to be customised, so we could add things like special teamplay awards etc etc, and maybe modify or remove awards that encourage stat padding??
Posted: 2006-04-12 12:47
by Fullforce
Perhaps PR could change in the future to only allow people who are in a squad to get points?
Posted: 2006-04-12 12:56
by Happy
I like getting an award every now and then but I don't look at my stats.
Posted: 2006-04-12 13:06
by Centaurs_72
I like getting an award every now and then but I don't look at my stats.
Me too...Awards are cool but i never look at my stats
Posted: 2006-04-12 13:41
by IRONxMortlock
I'm for it. The ABR team have done a great job putting it together and offering an alternative to VBF2 ranking and I think there's huge potential for their work. The plan is to make our own PR awards and ranks etc which we could base off any criteria we like. We could eliminate "stat whores" by making teamwork more heavily weighted. The sky really is the limit.
Posted: 2006-04-12 13:42
by Rhino
'[R-DEV wrote:IRONxMortlock']I'm for it. The ABR team have done a great job putting it together and offering an alternative to VBF2 ranking and I think there's huge potential for their work. The plan is to make our own PR awards and ranks etc which we could base off any criteria we like. We could eliminate "stat whores" by making teamwork more heavily weighted. The sky really is the limit.
Then they should get some new servers so we dont have huge lag problems from them. If it wasnt for the huge lag i would have it on my server.
Posted: 2006-04-12 14:29
by [ZiiP]DarkJester
I'm against it.
I like the idea of playing for your side to win and not for your personal stats. I don't even look at my score in game anymore

Posted: 2006-04-12 14:33
by Peter-SAS
You don't have unlocks in reality, and you don't have Kill/Death ratios in reality.
Ranking contributed to the fall of VBF2, and has the potential to screw up PR too.
Posted: 2006-04-12 14:39
by eggman
I like it for pretty much all the same reasons Mortlock indicated. The stat whoring issue from vBF2 is really a problems in 2 ways imo...
1. stat whores for unlocks (moot for PR)
2. the whole "ranked" server thing is bad for mods (moot for PR)
I think you would have to remove scoring all together to get rid of stat whoring.
Altering the game play dynamics to focus on teamwork is where the key lies imo.
We've not even begun to scratch the surface of what's possible with ABR. You could turn off the statistics aspects of it completely and still do a ton of cool stuff with ABR.
egg
Posted: 2006-04-12 14:39
by Harmless_Mad_Man
I really like it and it *does* encourage teamplay as if you work really well as a team you get a massive score, especially the good squad leader, and a big shiny gold star! What more motivation do you need?

Posted: 2006-04-12 15:40
by SiN|ScarFace
I think PR had the right idea from the start with NO ranks or any of that nonsense. It was refeshing to play bf2 without the thought of stats, it really is on my mind when I play. I have a problem with stats in any game, Im no stat whore but I do get pissed when I have a bad round in any game with stats.
I do like to see my K

/r because its so freakin l337 lol. But I would rather not have them at all. It really is pointless, esp when this mod is supposed to be TEAM TEAM TEAM and TEAM WINS not omg look at my score! The stats need to go imo, I know im good I dont need to wear a stat sheet on my chest when I play.
Posted: 2006-04-12 15:58
by mrmong
its a bit wierd looking at the score and seeing army generals running about getting led by staff seargents and teamkilled by luitenants
Posted: 2006-04-12 19:02
by RikiRude
i like ABR, but i dont like the idea that it is still set up in the vanilla format. i think it should be removed until it is completely revamped for the most part. all the awards are completely useless to PR. the knife badge award??? if you get 7 knife kills in a game (unless its 2 on 2 and everyone agree knives only) then you're not playing PR right. so in my opinion all the current badges. awards, ribbons need to be removed wxcept for a select few. i think people will be simply happy with their k :d and w:l ratios. i also wouldnt mind seeing it removed, i think SiN|ScarFace said it well "The stats need to go imo, I know im good I dont need to wear a stat sheet on my chest when I play."
im more for it then against it thought so i voted keep it.
Posted: 2006-04-12 21:59
by TII
I voted no. I could care less if stats were removed from the game entirely, the only thing that matters is to have fun and hopefully contribute to winning the round.
Posted: 2006-04-12 23:31
by Grey_Ghost
NO! I hate that pause at the end of a round, hate even it more when the game doesn't recover from it (ABR can cause a server crash?). I think it's laggy & serves no practical purpose, and I wouldn't care who has what badges/rank anyhow etc..