I have. Maybe the reason why ranked is significantly more difficult for me is that I'm the highest out of my group and it only takes my rank into account (godawful system btw). If casual averages the team, that could explain why it's easier.
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You seem to be in the group that's benefitting from it, and I wish I could say the same.
For me, it is a much worse experience.
Although my average damage has remained consistent (547->545), my KDR has dropped significantly (2.18->2.02).
My win percentage (8.18->6.98) and top 5 percentage (28.58->24.58) have dropped significantly too, suggesting my squad mates are having a rougher time.
I've been playing other games lately, so I haven't had as much time to play Apex, but when I do it's almost always with a buddy who is around my general skill level, just a bit lower. Apex is in a weird spot between the sbmm in the normal queue, and the ranked league. We can't play the ranked mode because i hit diamond while he's still plat. I have no intention of hitting Apex Predator tier, but I can't even try to help my buddy hit diamond tie because if we play together then we just go up against diamond players and apex predators. Diamond matches just aren't fun. There's no action for minutes at a time, and then someone sees you. If the highly coordinated, and skilled, squad doesn't wipe you in a second, then you get into a protracted battle. Any battle that lasts more than a second basically invites the rest of the lobby to pounce, and you die to a fifth-partying. It sucks to see my buddy lose all his points without even getting a slight boost for trying to survive in these anti-fun lobbies.
...and then you get the normal queue with its sbmm. We just end up going against plat/diamond/apex predator players anyway, and while it is a bit easier, we always get stuck with some random that is nowhere near our level. So it boils down to my buddy and I taking on squads that are balanced out skill-wise, and then, inevitably, taking on all the other balanced squads that swoop in for the third party finish. There just isn't a consistently fun way to play this game right now, so I'm not surprised to see it's been slipping a bit on the xbox charts.
The duo queue was a good medium between the playlists, and was probably the best way to play the game in terms of getting loot, dealing with the third parties, etc. I miss the mode. I also miss being in plat. Idk it just sucks that there's no way for my buddy and i to play this game that we both like
...and then you get the normal queue with its sbmm. We just end up going against plat/diamond/apex predator players anyway, and while it is a bit easier, we always get stuck with some random that is nowhere near our level. So it boils down to my buddy and I taking on squads that are balanced out skill-wise, and then, inevitably, taking on all the other balanced squads that swoop in for the third party finish. There just isn't a consistently fun way to play this game right now, so I'm not surprised to see it's been slipping a bit on the xbox charts.
The duo queue was a good medium between the playlists, and was probably the best way to play the game in terms of getting loot, dealing with the third parties, etc. I miss the mode. I also miss being in plat. Idk it just sucks that there's no way for my buddy and i to play this game that we both like
Not an ideal solution but you can log in with another user and team with him, then you will play at his skill level. And I was wondering if Plats and Predators were still like that, I used to watch Shroud before this season and all matches were just how you described and he was clearly not having fun. I wonder if people use Crypto in those high rankings? Did his introduction affect the game in any way?
Yes, Crypto is used, but not as much as season 2's Wattson, which was just about everywhere.
Wraith and Pathfinder, though, are still in every other squad.
Bought the Bloodhound Edition physical copy and then used the 1000 Apex Coins to buy the two Legendary Packs off the Black Friday sale. Got the Octane finisher and a RE-45 skin off of the packs so a total of four legendaries slots that I had not previously filled. Not bad.
Today is the day of the update isn't it?
I look forward to my 14 extra Mozambique skins. :-)
I look forward to my 14 extra Mozambique skins. :-)
ha, no kidding! i opened 15 of the 25 Black Friday packs i bought and the best i got was 4 epics (only two of which were skins), with everything else white and occasionally blue - despite the stated odds suggesting better. just been really unlucky with the packs this season. loot boxes are great 🤷♂️
This is the wall I think my brother and I are hitting. We started off playing ranked together this season, but because he had a bit more free time than I (and is a great deal better than me skill wise as well), he solo joined ranked lobbies and is now at Diamond 4, while I am at Platinum 3. I am now losing points because Diamond lobbies are joined with Apex Predators and it's just not fun either.
And now even when we play casuals we're running into Predator/Diamond teams all the time. I miss Duos so much now...
Well we know the bugs that released patches have caused so it may be for the best if they caught something and delayed this.
Strange some are still getting an update but maybe it's something small that was supposed to be within the larger update but can be released early.
Strange some are still getting an update but maybe it's something small that was supposed to be within the larger update but can be released early.
Welp!
I actually called the delay earlier with a friend. I was only half joking but it's weird that it actually happened.
Was hoping to gain some levels tonight, looks like we're playing something else.
I actually called the delay earlier with a friend. I was only half joking but it's weird that it actually happened.
Was hoping to gain some levels tonight, looks like we're playing something else.
Wait, we are getting free packs? Is it for everyone or did we have to do anything?
I spent some of my points (whatever they are called) yesterday and bought 2 skins, for Triple Take (havent used one in game yet, unlucky yday) and for the R-301 that looks great as a skin in the menus but in game when looking down sights it legit look like a PS2 era thing, badly modeled, no reflections, just an almost plain matte look. At least looking down sights isnt bad like in other legendary skins (doesnt get in the way).
I spent some of my points (whatever they are called) yesterday and bought 2 skins, for Triple Take (havent used one in game yet, unlucky yday) and for the R-301 that looks great as a skin in the menus but in game when looking down sights it legit look like a PS2 era thing, badly modeled, no reflections, just an almost plain matte look. At least looking down sights isnt bad like in other legendary skins (doesnt get in the way).
Canceling Finishers is gonna be some fun baiting.
Also
BP Skin!!!
I don't see a fix for the skin glitch in the character selection screen in those notes.
And they've tweaked the knockdown shields but left the level 4 untouched? That thing is useless and only serves as beacon for other players to thirst you asap.
And they've tweaked the knockdown shields but left the level 4 untouched? That thing is useless and only serves as beacon for other players to thirst you asap.
Kinda odd that some legends Ults can be detrimental (Caustic) and even damage teammates (Bangalore & Gibraltar); however they somewhat make Wattsons ult stronger and not effect the team...? It would be rare a team member is going to throw a grenade at the trajectory to land where her ult is set up to help them.
I don't see a fix for Crypto's bug where your drone can't be moved for a random amount of time. It gets sort of stuck when you enter drone mode sometimes, e.g. a split second other times immediate use and other times over 1 second before you can move the drone. Annoying.
I don't know what has happened, but for the last week my online connection has been in the trash for this game. Being in the home menu or in game results in small hitches occurring. The game will just freeze for a second before resuming normally, and these hitches occur every ten seconds or so. I've tried switching data centers at the start menu, but that hasn't worked at all. Looking online some suggest doing port forwarding for Apex. Would any of you recommend this solution?
The Christmas skins that leaked are awesome.
Winter Express Train Event confirmed:
Winter Express Train Event confirmed:
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The Christmas skins that leaked are awesome.
Winter Express Train Event confirmed:
Nice! Caustic looks great. Hopefully there's a good one for Lifeline. Any news on when this goes live?
My squad always complains about this when I play either Caustic or Bang. Makes zero sense that their ults affect the team. Especially Caustic's ult where they can't see and also slows them down along with the enemy team.
True but as of today Apex is down to #9 on XBL. I think people are feeling the effects of the SBMM changes, whether they realize that's the reason or not, and are reverting back to their old favorite games again because Apex just isn't nearly as fun as it was a month ago. I've even considered taking some time off the game after I finish the BP this week and this is easily my favorite game in the past few years. Only thing that's come close was Blackout, Overwatch and Titanfall 1 for me.
Damn Bangalore got shafted again. The only decent skin she has is the one from the very first event. I will definitely get the Mirage skin, looks sexy af.The Christmas skins that leaked are awesome.
Winter Express Train Event confirmed:
These skins are pretty sweet! Mirage looks awesome. Hoping they show Lifeline some love. I saw some people tweeting that they might bring back DUOS/SOLOS for this upcoming holiday event in addition to the new train event. I think that will generate some more excitement, and satisfy all those people who want to play those modes.
I hope they figure out the SBMM soon. Have they addressed it at all? I've been playing ranked exclusively because I CANNOT handle the sweat that has overtaken PUBS. It's a damn shame.
I hope they figure out the SBMM soon. Have they addressed it at all? I've been playing ranked exclusively because I CANNOT handle the sweat that has overtaken PUBS. It's a damn shame.
I'm pretty sure a beacon shines into the air that can be seen for 100 miles when i open the vault. No matter how much i check a team jumps me as soon as i'm in.
I kinda wish that they had 2 exits
I kinda wish that they had 2 exits
Sort of annoyed the update didn't drop on the console, I don't want to waste challenges and BP level ups until I'm getting credit for those with packs after we're reset. Anything I do now is just going to be lost as far as additional packs. It's a good time to do it though, SBMM is absolute garbage right now. Who wants the game to get more difficult the more you play and improve? It went too far. I've got a level 50 character my kids play on and I went over on that profile and was right back to 10+ kills 2k damages and 10% win percentage. On my regular account I haven't won a game in 100 matches.
Which makes sense?
It always seems like a bad faith argument when people claim SBMM leads to an exodus of players. The majority of people don't suddenly start losing more. The majority start losing less. Respawns aside there are a finite amount of kills per game and if a great player's KD goes down, a majority of regular peoples goes up. The only people leaving are the ones who were addicted to stomping and whose leaving increases balance for everyone else
"I want a game where if I get good I win a majority of the time"
Any complaints about SBMM are just an attempt to preserve that and not a genuine argument promoting the good of the playerbase majority
Had been putting off playing until I'd actually get rewarded with loot for doing so, as it should have been a month after launch. Well done to the member of Respawn that was blocking that easy decision for pretty much an entire calendar year. They've really done everything they could to turn this successful game into a crater it feels like.
Edit: Looks like the console patch is out, PS4 at least.
Edit: Looks like the console patch is out, PS4 at least.
patch is up for consoles
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