Obsession with TAing CMode

[MT7218]

I have always wondered, what is the obsession with people trying to TA Cmode? What is the point of getting a time just below S Rank? To me, I'm having enough trouble with CMode as is, and will be happy if I can even get TO S Rank, let alone, get a good TA time. It just seems pointless outside of having possible bragging rights, but that's about it. Then agian, this is coming from someone who's never finished CMode once, either ep (Olga Flow hates me... >.<), and has been playing for over two years, most of that being online, so I may be missing something.

[Sitka]

For me, c-mode is about the best thing online with PSO.

Don't get me wrong, I love finding rares, playing incredibly difficult quests like PW4 and running a high level team on Tower Runs and such, but with c-mode, you know that everybody in on a level playing field.

When you're running with a good c-mode team and you have a chance to watch a good player take a room down, it can be a bit humbling.

When you fly through a c-mode game with a good team and shave minutes off your previous best effort, it's a great gaming experience.

That happened for me last night. We finally finished E2C4 and we were elated, until the checker offered me a yellow ring. Damn.

But the c-mode team rallied, asked what my other times were including a real crappy C1 time and we ran that challenge. With Snow, Shigecki and Curacklin, it was very easy, I took 20 minutes off my time and got my s-rank needle.

Good stuff and well worth all the frustating runs leading up to it.

No rare will ever mean as much to me as my first s-rank Sitkas Shot or my s-rank Sitkas Needle.

[Ryna]

Even though Challenge mode is supposed to be one of the hardest portions of the game, it can be relatively easy to clear with a good team. After a while, it can become pretty boring to clear the same stage for the 20th time. Naturally, people sought to make the mode more challenging by seeing how quickly they could go through stages.

Since enemy spawns (at least for episode 1) and weapons drops will vary each time you play the challenge, TA players will keep playing a level in hopes of getting the perfect game. This entails having a team of experienced players, good weapons, and few enemies. There is no bigger thrill in PSO (save for hitting level 200/finding a very rare weapon) than playing through one of these perfect games. While there is little material benefit to be had from engaging in TA games, having a low time will indicate to other people that you are a good player.

Also, TA players have to be very skillful. You have to know how to go one-on-one with an enemy and dispatch them quickly. Going through a few TA games can make you a better player and show you how to kill enemies more quickly in regular play.

There a bunch of other reasons people like to TA, but these are the main ones.

[rena-ko]

playing TA is a good training for normal gaming as well. and after a while this will be the only really challenging you can do in the game...

plus, a decent time is pretty much the only way to impress the japanese *laughs*.

[seiryu]

I want to try cmode online but I'm not very good so I don't think many people would want to play with me.. >_<

[Ryna]

On 2005-01-28 15:05, seiryu wrote:
I want to try cmode online but I'm not very good so I don't think many people would want to play with me.. >_<



Where there is a will (and the ability to follow directions and share items), there is a way.

[hucasts_rock]

On 2005-01-28 15:58, Ryna wrote:


On 2005-01-28 15:05, seiryu wrote:
I want to try cmode online but I'm not very good so I don't think many people would want to play with me.. >_<



Where there is a will (and the ability to follow directions and share items), there is a way.



I agree. I was never, and I'm still not very good at challenge stages, but it's probably best just to go through the stages. It's amazing what you can learn by having three good challenge mode players in your team. It doesn't take too long to catch on in each stage, either.

[theonlyHNIC]

Time Attack in challenge mode is the only redeemable value remaining in this antiquated game. Normal mode is boring and pointless. All the rare items are hacked to death and everyone has them. Battle mode is so overwhelmingly geared towards characters with techs it's not even funny. Unless you are beating up on a newb who has no concept of how battle mode works, like the morons on Apatite Lobby 1-1 for instance, Force characters will hold an overwhelmingly decided advantage.

Challenge mode on the other hand offers balanced gameplay without the possibility of cheating. If someone is suspected of cheating it is very easy to disband the team and regroup with less dubious mates elswhere.

It is unfortunate that challenge mode was never very popular on the US XBOX. There c-mode was at it's best with voice chat and 0 possibility of cheating. Even the most hardcore abusers of the game with the ability to hang out in Apatite Lobby 1-1 with SONIC THE HEDGEHOG SKIN confirmed with me it is impossible to enter a c-mode game and attempt to cheat on XBOX online. The GC on the other hand has a lvl 200 action replay cheat which greatly tarnishes the legitimacy of any player who obtains times under 3 hours. I'm sure these illustrious individuals are great team leaders and are very skilled but there is always that lingering doubt in my mind.

I feel the best aspect of TA is it seperates the champs from the chimps. Players who are truly serious about this game can associate with others of their own calibur. Like Sitka stated previously there is nothing better than cruising through a stage in challenge with a fully cooperative team that lacks newbies, cheaters, item grubbers, cheaters, and whining babies. My fondest memories of PSO were playing very, very early Saturday morning my time to join up with the international crowd on the Dreamcast Jp Ship Io 11-1.

[Sitka]

Nice post.

You might be a little surprised, but there is something happening right now on xbox with challenge mode.

We've had more folks playing c-mode than I can ever remember.

Last night on Dav 10, we put three full teams together for Ep. 2 - that was a first.
I mean, we had 12 x Bu-EI's in the lobby at the same time trying to decide who was going to go for E2C4, E2C3 and E2C2.

Even some of the "retired" people are starting to take notice and play a bit more.

It's very cool, baby!

[SLON]

There may be people who have cheated to get under 3 hours, but I would say none of the players I know who have got under 3 hours are cheaters. Why? because they are still playing cmode day in and day out; because I have played with many of them , and I have never seen anything unusual about their gameplay.
Trust me, if there is even the hint of someone cheating on Alcyone 6, those players will soon find themselves unable to join in TA games with any regulars.
As for why people play TA? Probably like me they have got bored of the normal game, and want something more than endless runs looking for rares.