Horrible Challenge Mode Groups

[TaigaUC]

Oh yeah, something I wanted to complain about.

Sometimes, at M3, the Gardins/Gardinans never spawn for like 20+ seconds.
Happens at M8 too.

The worst was at the start of M10, the Kartagos + Arms wouldn't spawn for at least 30 seconds.
Wasted tons of time. Arms died as time ran out. Would've made it to the next section.

Yay SEGA~

[Z-0]

That's because the area host has a dreadful connection or loads terribly, and those spawns are controlled by that person.

[TwistedShaerk]

How would you guys feel if your MPA's tagger ran up towards Gwan in M7 with Vomos hot on their tail? I just witnessed it happen and people dropped like flies.

Somehow we still got up to M9.

[Rakurai]

It really irritates me that so many people adamantly insist on being the tagger when they suck at it. Even if I've specifically noted that I want to be the tagger via my overhead message before they arrive.

Most of them don't know how to prevent Burn Draal from starting its flame eruption, nor do they realize they can hide from Vomos in the upper left/right corners of the map.

[doomdragon83]

How would you guys feel if your MPA's tagger ran up towards Gwan in M7 with Vomos hot on their tail? I just witnessed it happen and people dropped like flies.
Almost happened to during my run last night when the guy kiting it died. I happened to be nearby and decided to take up aggro in his place rather than risk reviving him and dying in the process. Pretty scary as it's the first time I ever done anything that had responsibility in CM. I managed to use the environment to hide from the shots and I was surprised it didn't try to dive bomb me like it usually does. I managed to keep dancing with it while the original guy gets revived and everyone else clears the mission.
I'd like to try and do things like manage VR meter and kiting but I gotta do CM more and be less afraid of being "that" guy who causes the run to fail.

[Kusurian]

I managed to get my first Ideal weapon, just need to get the same one two more times so that I can max the Element on it.

[TaigaUC]

Area host handles spawns for the multi?
How does that work? Whoever started the quest first is the area host?

[Naoya Kiriyama]

Area host handles spawns for the multi?
How does that work? Whoever started the quest first is the area host?

Usually the first person to enter the area. Normally is the one with less ping, but is not always the case (I've been area host during Z-0 runs so I'm forbidden to stay under teleport)

[TaigaUC]

Okay, thanks for the clarification.
I thought area host only affected the party, not the entire multi.

Edit: Finished writing Mission 10 (http://www.pso-world.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227403), if anyone cares.

[fay]

Please, for the love of. Someone come join me in this because I am constantly getting stuck with people that have absolutely no idea what they're doing and it is incredible frustraiting!

[Squal_FFVIII]

I just did my first 100% run (all 10 missions cleared) feels awesome! :D Specially because I knew I could do it I just needed a MPA worthy of me =P

Funny enough the MPA i was didn't follow the "everyone must use twin daggers at the end" rule infact for M10 only one person was using twin daggers.

The weapon selection was rather varied but spear had the number one spot. There was like 5 spear users including myself. Some people were using namegid which I found weird but then I noticed it worked well on the giant bird boss.

The key to our success seems to be because hardly any of us ever died. I never died once I still had my scape doll with me when we finished. The rest of the MPA rarely died too.

I don't really think you need twin daggers to win in M10 you just have to know how to fight well.

[Z-0]

You don't need the optimal weaponry, but it sure makes it easier.

I always get the red box in runs these days actually, because CM is really stale now and red box PAs are hilarious to spam on everything.

[TaigaUC]

Done! Woohoo!
Last few days, I had several runs that ended at M7-8.
A few went to the end of M9, and Arms of M10.

The last one, we were very low on time at the end of M9.
I used Agito + Katana Combat + Gekka Zakuro spam to flatten the Banthers.
3500 per Banther from Katana Combat. I wonder if that made a big difference?
Gekka Zakuro with a good weapon really feels like it mows stuff down.

Anyway, we somehow made it to the last room of M10. That multi had huge DPS.
Even though there was this guy who wouldn't let go of Skull Sorcerer until Interval 4.
I knew I shouldn't have dropped it~

Someone dropped Heavenly Kite for our Fanji-er, but someone else picked it up and never gave it back.
Nobody was using Dual Blades, so it was probably an EN user who can't read or something.
Luckily, the Fanji-er (my friend) made do with Disperse Shrike.



I just did my first 100% run (all 10 missions cleared) feels awesome! :D Specially because I knew I could do it I just needed a MPA worthy of me =P

Challenge Quest 1 in a nutshell.
I've noticed that I tend to screw up more when everyone else is screwing up.
Probably because I can't cope with clusterfxxks everywhere all at once.
Good groups will keep other stuff in check so that you won't get rammed up the behind by loose enemies.

[Squal_FFVIII]

Done! Woohoo!
Last few days, I had several runs that ended at M7-8.
A few went to the end of M9, and Arms of M10.

The last one, we were very low on time at the end of M9.
I used Agito + Katana Combat + Gekka Zakuro spam to flatten the Banthers.
3500 per Banther from Katana Combat. I wonder if that made a big difference?
Gekka Zakuro with a good weapon really feels like it mows stuff down.

Anyway, we somehow made it to the last room of M10. That multi had huge DPS.
Even though there was this guy who wouldn't let go of Skull Sorcerer until Interval 4.
I knew I shouldn't have dropped it~

Someone dropped Heavenly Kite for our Fanji-er, but someone else picked it up and never gave it back.
Nobody was using Dual Blades, so it was probably an EN user who can't read or something.
Luckily, the Fanji-er (my friend) made do with Disperse Shrike.




Challenge Quest 1 in a nutshell.
I've noticed that I tend to screw up more when everyone else is screwing up.
Probably because I can't cope with clusterfxxks everywhere all at once.
Good groups will keep other stuff in check so that you won't get rammed up the behind by loose enemies.

Oh man, that post hit home. I'm exactly the same way. When i'm in a MPA that sucks I become demoralized and I start fucking up too. Because at that point I don't give a fuck anymore since no matter how hard I try it will be useless because everyone else is useless dying left and right. It's like why should I put effort into it when no one else is?

However when I play with people who are decent and can get to M10 I always bring my "A" game because if they are doing good then I feel "forced" to perform great aswell and that brings out the best in me. I find Cmode to be super fun. I can't believe I never tried this before. I love how we have to work as a team in every aspect t get through it. Even knowing when to use shifta/deband and stars makes a difference.

The only problem is that if there's a couple of "fuck ups" then it really messes up the whole MPA pretty badly.

[jiasu73]

got bored decided to host a duo room in english to see if any jp come and banned myself from speaking any japanese, someone actually came and cleared duo no problem haha

[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/i8fACHU.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

[Sacrificial]

It takes 5 seconds to learn how a weapon type works -- mess around with them.

Plus it's likely to be only 1 PA! unless its techs im not touching that xD

[TaigaUC]

Yay for rappy lovers!


I also don't feel like playing anymore when everyone else is playing like shit.
It's exactly that - why put effort in when other people aren't?
That's why I've just been doing VR manager. It's less stressful.
But I also try to deal as much damage as possible in-between.

That, and nobody else ever seems to want to do it.
We get started 20 minutes faster when I bring a party of friends who handle all the main roles.

[Flaoc]

got bored decided to host a duo room in english to see if any jp come and banned myself from speaking any japanese, someone actually came and cleared duo no problem haha

[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/i8fACHU.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

dat rappy doe

[final_attack]

Someone dropped Heavenly Kite for our Fanji-er, but someone else picked it up and never gave it back.

I know that feel o-o JP player asked to call which item each person want at Interval 1 ..... I called Yash and SatAim since no one seems to want it .....

Saw SatAim dropped by other person, going to take it, but it's gone. And it's never drop again ;w; Since I got the Yash (Cougar drop it for me), I decided to drop it for the one who get SatAim ...... and he didn't pick it up (called in chat) .... then I saw SatAim spam with Shop's Tmg =_=;

Then, I went as BulletSquall + Yash until next interval (went as Knuckle after that) :wacko:

[Rakurai]

I don't understand why avoiding death is so difficult for most people.

Haven't even seen Vomos in mission 10 yet due people somehow getting ruined by the normal enemies that spawn with Burn Draal.

[Cyber Meteor]

Yeah! I finally did it!!!:D with random JP mpa btw
[SPOILER-BOX]http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t650/CyberMeteor/Rare%20Findings/pso2.exe_2015-08-17-09-53-49-166_zpswnbqxuwo.png~original[/SPOILER-BOX]
[SPOILER-BOX]http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t650/CyberMeteor/Rare%20Findings/pso2.exe_2015-08-17-09-54-41-590_zpsvhqx2vgj.png~original[/SPOILER-BOX]

[Squal_FFVIII]

I hope I can make like 500K CM miles atleast before the boost ends lol.

[TaigaUC]

Was in some group where someone dropped Zanba + Nova Strike next to each other.
Just as I was about to grab them, some Wand user grabbed both and then refused to drop them.
They never used either of them. Then they didn't even drop them at the next interval. Asshole.
Wish I paid more attention to the name as they picked it up, so I could blacklist them.

The multi was weak and slow. I was doing VR, but if I had Zanba it would have gone better.

@ Cyber
Grats.

[Lockon Stratos]

Is there any blocks in the shared ship for english players?

[jiasu73]

Cleared duo again today with random jp!

[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/zFV9nw2.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

Still really want to clear duo challenge with a fellow english player though :(

[Ce'Nedra]

Cleared duo again today with random jp!

[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/zFV9nw2.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

Still really want to clear duo challenge with a fellow english player though :(

I would give it a go but I don't think I'm good enough for that ^^;

[Rakurai]

I actually made to Vomos for once, and we probably could've killed it if not for the random idiots who don't speak up about their lack of challenge dolls.

They don't talk even when people are offering dolls, so I assume they're just being extremely overconfident and hindering the group because of it.

[Dammy]

got 4 clears with pugs, finished CM bow and decided to stop, because groups are horrible lately.
waiting for CM2

[TaigaUC]

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people still don't know what Challenge Dolls are for.

[Kondibon]

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people still don't know what Challenge Dolls are for.As someone who's never finished CM and only ever did 3 runs. They revive you when you die without spending VR time right?

[Nyansan]

As someone who's never finished CM and only ever did 3 runs. They revive you when you die without spending VR time right?

Actually, although moons restore a portion of VR everytime someone dies, it restores only a fraction of the VR lost upon death. Also, deaths waste the DPS of both the person/s who is to be revived AND the person reviving. So, in the later stages Challenge Dolls are key to whether you clear or not. I once messed up my own first time in M10 by forgetting to get 2 dolls instead of 1.

[martinmeegan]

Having never really touched CM until this week I kinda wished I had as I'm really enjoying it. I thought it was going to be difficult and mega frustrating. I guess before the VR drain adjustments it probably was?

I can't wait for CM2 to be released now.

[Sora3100]

Actually, although moons restore a portion of VR everytime someone dies, it restores only a fraction of the VR lost upon death. Also, deaths waste the DPS of both the person/s who is to be revived AND the person reviving. So, in the later stages Challenge Dolls are key to whether you clear or not. I once messed up my own first time in M10 by forgetting to get 2 dolls instead of 1.

It restores the same amount of VR as when you die when someone is revived.

[bagtransient]

So how do duo parties (or parties less than let's say 8 ) work for this? Is the VR decrease just that slow that you have days to deal with the mobs? Or does the run change in some way...

[pkemr4]

got 4 clears with pugs, finished CM bow and decided to stop, because groups are horrible lately.
waiting for CM2

dont expect cm2 to be any better

[jiasu73]

So how do duo parties (or parties less than let's say 8 ) work for this? Is the VR decrease just that slow that you have days to deal with the mobs? Or does the run change in some way...

the exact methods and stuff depends on the people running but in general duo is a lot different and harder compared to running 8-12man. vr decrease is a ton slower and you can die and go to campship a few times while still maintaining 100% VR for each interval until like interval 4. Even though this is true though you still need to be very aggressive otherwise you wont be able to clear or go very far.

Also got another duo clear today :D

[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/NrtB8Io.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

[fay]

Can I join you're party? I need some good players lol. Fed up with all these idiots I'm getting.

[jiasu73]

Can I join you're party? I need some good players lol. Fed up with all these idiots I'm getting.

If you promise to be cooperative sure thing

[yuln]

the exact methods and stuff depends on the people running but in general duo is a lot different and harder compared to running 8-12man. vr decrease is a ton slower and you can die and go to campship a few times while still maintaining 100% VR for each interval until like interval 4. Even though this is true though you still need to be very aggressive otherwise you wont be able to clear or go very far.

Also got another duo clear today :D

[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/NrtB8Io.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

Hyodo! I know that guy lol

[fay]

If you promise to be cooperative sure thing

I'm very cooperative. Pretty much know the run inside out as well. Never really die either. Only time I've ever really died is if I'm trying to hold off on using a mate so my level boosts me back. I really need to get over that now that I think of it.

[BlankM]

My CM boost week was terribly unproductive because of DC's and inexperience on my end, but coming back to the game and spamming it was really fun. See you all in CM2. Hopefully I can run it with some english players and we can form strats.

[jiasu73]

yaaay finnaly cleared duo with a fellow english player! made my goal before cm2 comes
shout outs to z-o/zyn
[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/P5AmFlC.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

[TaigaUC]

Was in a weird run last night with a guy named Kirito (in Katakana).
JP friend joked that we would win easily with him around.
Unfortunately, Kirito just stood around hiding behind stuff and got killed by the Kartagos in M3.
I said I'd do the trap switch, but they ran ahead and triggered the trap.
Then they just hung around idling near battles until halfway through M4 and left.

After that, other people started dropping like flies until we had 7 left by Interval 2. It wasn't even a bad run. We had full VR.
One of them was a confirmed net disconnection.
I have to wonder if everyone's net is super unstable or they're just assholes.

This was around the time Magatsu hit, so some people thought maybe they were just passing time before Magatsu.
I don't understand why anyone would bother starting Challenge and leave before receiving any miles.

@jiasu
Grats. I didn't offer to join because I don't think I have the patience for 2-man Challenge.
12 man already feels like it takes forever. Or I'm just too burned out from Challenge.

[Mattykins]

Me and my friends/teammates noticed a pattern of Kiritos being insanely bad at CQs. Dunno if it's a coincidence of if all experiences are the same guy, but either way it's annoying :V

[LunaSolstice]

Only found two MPAs that didn't become Gel Wulff food out of several runs today lol

First run was the best though.

[Rakurai]

I started taking it upon myself to grab aggro on the Gel Wulffs whenever possible after having people die on the first movement they make far too many times.

[Allen Skyy]

This is why solo is the only way to go. ._.

[TaigaUC]

I always try to grab Gel Bulf aggro, but then people still can't seem to use the turret cannons.
I can't be everywhere doing everything at once, dammit.

[Achelousaurus]

Had some terribad mpas yesterday.
Nearly 3 hours of people leaving. It goes like this, 12 people arrive, then nothing happens apart from meaningless chat and one or two people calling out roles but not all roles.
Then a whole lotta jps leave cause people didn't announce roles instantly.
Not asking who does this, who does that. Not offering to do a role even if they have no experience, just leaving when stuff isn't done for them instantly.
I'm usually afraid to say much cause I don't want to come off as leeching gaijin.

So that was bad enough but then the last run killed it. 2 japanese people talking a lot to each other foreigners and frogs. Frogs! The chat translator was super useful for a few days but suddenly it went to all and literally everything that ever came out of google translate was incomprehensible gibberish without even a shred of information I could make sense of.

So, tired of everyone leaving my friends and me decide to take roles ourselves even if we have little experience with them.
I announce I got no experience but want to do Fanji (all in kanji and kana). Friend of mine sets his online stats to vr manager (all kanji).
But the jps kept bitching about foreigners not communicating and doing no roles, despite me talking to them a lot and trying to figure out wtf was going on and who was doing what.
They continued to mock us but was hard to tell what they were really saying cause google translate went fubar. Hell if you go there now the romaji transcription of japanese text will not even match what the speaker voice is saying.

The jp people continue bitching about foreigners and mocking us and don't actually discuss anything about roles (pretty sure they didn't but google was so ridiculous I'm not entirely sure).

There was a lot of confusion about roles cause they kept talking about vr a lot but did not actually outright say they would do it, just kept chatting about it and "foreigner" would pop up in these sentences.

When we somehow got started, they complained about my friend, having said he'd do vr, actually doing it.
In English.
Perfect English.
At least one of them was fluent and made fun of us for not being fluent in Japanese and ruined the run from the start by being a racist jerk.
And continued like that. Intentionally being vague and refusing to cooperate just for the sake of being able of saying the foreigners are the stupid.
The other guy swallowed everything I dropped in I1 instantly before anyone else had a chance to even see it drop.
And I dropped like 5 discs and 8 weapons, all wasted cause he hoarded them for no reason.

So in short, some jps master race assholes decided to bitch about foreigners and intentionally botched a run from the start without trying to communicate even when people were talking in japanese to them. And that would not even have been necessary cause one spoke English and we could have instantly decided on roles and got a good run.

I didn't want to do any roles yet cause I only got good at cmode like 3 days ago but doesn't look like there is much of a choice. A lot of jps expect others to do roles and then ragequit if others don't take them instantly instead of even trying to communicate. Feels like B1 all over again tbh, even if their actual skills are better.

[Searaphim]

I feel you, I'm not sure about the whole racist thing tho. What veeeery frequently happens to me is when you reach 12/12 nobody talks. Most times I bring myself to say in japanese that we should distribute roles. Then like only 2 players will reply and say something like "I can do Fanji" or "Can anyone do VR?" and then everything goes silent. Then some people start leaving instead of talking.

The only "racist" thing I've seen is when there's just too many players with roman letters for names and then they don't feel like taking the risk of having poor communication and non-japanese people not understanding who's doing what role or not understanding when they're asking for items and thus hurting the run. Instead of taking that risk they just leave right away.

I did see at one point 2 guys talking about how foreigners do not communicate enough and/or doesn't take roles. All I can say is that there are as many japanese people that are not talking or taking roles than there are foreigners doing the same thing.

In my case, the worst person I've seen in CM was a japanese person leeching runs. He would make it appear that he's there at the start of the run and go afk. He kept on doing it. Didn't take long for me to blacklist him but I kept seeing him entering our runs because obviously not everybody has him in their blacklist.

[Squal_FFVIII]

I cleared it 6 time yesterday. This was with random MPA too. I guess I just got supper lucky lol.

Before the boost week started I had never done Cmode in my life now I have slightly over 700K miles.

[Searaphim]

700k? What? I don't even... What?


(Max I always reach with somewhat good groups is M10 80% and I maximum find 2 random groups able to do so in a whole day. Most times the DPS is good enough to beat the whole thing but then theres always that one or two guys that we keep on reviving on harder maps)

[TaigaUC]

You could post the log if you're really wondering what they were talking about.
I haven't seen any openly racist JP yet, they usually just say "I think so and so is a foreigner".

Also only seen that one EN guy pick up VR capsules then leave.
Nobody else did it since, which is a nice change from the last time I did pickup group Challenge.