The Problem with Standard Mode

[Megadramon]

Playing a lot of Element TD games lately, I’ve come to realize the importance of the problem with standard mode, especially now with save banks. The problem lies in the fact that this game records stats based on illegitimacy, and that the way people play in multiplayer standard mode is not legitimate.

It's always been a rule that if you want to compete in a forum competition, you'd have to do it in single player. Because when in single player, you are alone; no one can help you, and no one can screw you over. Single player is the ideal environment for legitimate games. Now that save banks are in effect, it should record stats based on legitimacy, but it doesn't. Currently in multiplayer standard mode, your opponents play a big factor on how well you can do on the final fruit stage. If you're playing with a bunch of leakers or slow people, you reap the rewards. If you play with people as speedy as yourself, you gain very little income. Unless you're the one controlling the creep spawns, no game is ever the same. Your result on the fruit level fluctuates every game because your opponents play a major role on how well you do. This isn't how "legitimate" save bank games should be recorded or played.

I believe we need to somehow make the multiplayer experience the same as the single player experience. I think it’s wrong how Element TD records stats for illegitimate games. Our fruit kills are based on illegitimacy. I believe we need to rework Standard mode so the multiplayer experience can be as legitimate as single player.

If you still don’t know what I’m talking about when I speak about legitimacy and the differences in multiplayer and single player, in single player, you have no opponents to stall creep waves to income farm better. Everything is done by yourself, creating the most legitimate environment for competitions. In Multiplayer Standard mode, opponents are able to play a factoring role on how well you can do by stalling creeps allowing you to income farm better. Relying on your opponents to income farm is not the proper way of playing legitimate games.

In Starcraft II, things have changed. Multiplayer needs to be as balanced as single player, especially now that there are save banks.

[Megadramon]

I find there's still a deluded sense of competition in Standard Mode. If people want to compete so badly, let them do it in competitive mode. Let people learn that Standard is purely for solo play, and not competitive. Let them learn through the experience of the creep timer starting right after they complete their own wave. I'm sure once they learn the new change to standard, they will want to play competitive mode.

People like competing, and standard mode offers a deluded sense of competition by having creep wave spawns starting at the same time for everyone for no reason at all. There should be absolutely no competition at all. Why do players have to start at the same time as everyone? You're helping them feel it's a competition by having everyone start together. I believe there's absolutely no reason for players to start together. Standard should be solo play, having everyone start together is something done to create a fair environment; it also creates the delusion that we're competing, which we're not. So why is it that standard mode starts us off at the same time? Standard mode isn't supposed to be fair, and it shouldn't be used in competing in any way. Just make it solo.

Currently Standard mode does not prove much esteem, though because of how widely played it is, plus the new implementation of saves, it may be regarded as such, when in truth it isn't. People should be able to play games that offer real esteem which is why I believe Standard mode needs to be reworked into a solo type play. At least then, people are able to finish a game with a sense of legitimate accomplishment.

I suggest that standard mode should be exactly like Race Mode except there is no winner, and with fruit level enabled.

What are your thoughts?