Dear DE: Mastery Rank Tests are bugged, and need to be fixed! Or maybe provide an alternative!

[mingnonf]

Edit to add: I have changed the thread's title so that it's more accurate to what players would want (Having Mastery tests fixed), though I still desire some sort of alternative.

I suppose I should have cleared it up too, but I am stuck on MR test 9, the stealth test.

I really don't get why DE devs haven't said anything about allowing us to skip Mastery rank tests, or anything about mastery levels period. It's not much better when every other person says things like "It's not that hard" or "Learn to deal with it", when there are those of us who HATE this one aspect and have on and off told them to allow us some way to figure out how to skip it! 24 Hours of waiting if you fail isn't a short time at all; imagine having to be told to come back to a grocery store - the only one that serves the brand of steak or kind of fruit you want by the way - after a week, just because you broke a rule that you have no way of knowing if you did break it.

And another reason why this is such a big deal to me and others? Because there are MR restrictions on what weapons and other equipment you can use, among possibly other things. So imagine not even being able to buy that steak or fruit because they're reserved only for store club members, and you can't get that membership. Why? Because that requires behaving with the 'utmost etiquette', which they certainly tell you what or what not to do, but again you can't really know at all if you're breaking these rules until after they've thrown you out.

Toothsaw in this thread described further problems with this; the stealth mechanics are in a way that you have no way to tell what the enemies are doing, and even more they can just change directions in a jerky manner. So much as a glance in your direction and you're screwed. So yeah, you're dealing with enemies that you cannot predict the movements of, and can instantly fail you without you knowing what you've done wrong, if you've done anything wrong at all.

So please DE devs, if you're reading this thread, if someone linked it to you, read it all. Consider what you're doing to those of us who can't get through this MR test. Consider some sort of alternative, some sort of fix, some easing of limitations. Because at this rate, you're causing an alienation of players no matter how small of a group they might be.

Edited April 16, 2020 by mingnonf

[(XBOX)Skippy575]

You can practice the tests beforehand, ya know.

[mingnonf]

I know that, but I should say again that you can only attempt the test once every 24 hours. For me it'd be like a random chance game. I'd be successful this one time at practice, but if I tried it for real I could mess up or the test would fail me all of a sudden and then I'd have to wait again.

[lukinu_u]

il y a 25 minutes, mingnonf a dit :

 "Learn to deal with it"

 

[mingnonf]

Just now, lukinu_u said:

 

*Sigh* using quotes that other people have said that I've said against me doesn't make you look mature.

And just because this is the current state of the game shouldn't mean that I have to deal with it. Would you like being told to deal with an obstacle to something you want that you hate?

[lukinu_u]

il y a 3 minutes, mingnonf a dit :

*Sigh* using quotes that other people have said that I've said against me doesn't make you look mature.

And just because this is the current state of the game shouldn't mean that I have to deal with it. Would you like being told to deal with an obstacle to something you want that you hate?

Well, I would say mastery rank are actually badly designed because they are too easy and doesn't require game knowledge. They need some changes to better fit the game, but the idea is cool, so completely remove them is a big no.

Considering a game challenge (not wall of farm or time gate) as an obstacle is a bit weird when playing a game. Honestly, I don't understand why some people want to remove the few things in the game that require skill and ask for more casual. At this point I just don't understand why you play, I really feel like playing a clicker instead is the way to go...

[mingnonf]

1 minute ago, lukinu_u said:

Well, I would say mastery rank are actually badly designed because they are too easy and doesn't require game knowledge. They need some changes to better fit the game, but the idea is cool, so completely remove them is a big no.

Considering a game challenge (not wall of farm or time gate) as an obstacle is a bit weird when playing a game. Honestly, I don't understand why some people want to remove the few things in the game that require skill and ask for more casual. At this point I just don't understand why you play, I really feel like playing a clicker instead is the way to go...

I didn't say that the test should be removed at all. I just stated why I and others cannot pass the test, and have stated that there should be a method to skip the test entirely. Players that don't mind the test and want to do it are free to do that. But there are others that want to skip it entirely. Again, I didn't say it should be removed, just that it's broken and that there should be an option of skipping, or risk the ongoing alienation.

Also, saying that there are only two possible difficulty levels, either a broken and therefore terrible difficulty or an easy but quickly boring difficulty is demeaning.

[DAnextFAKE]

5 minutes ago, mingnonf said:

I didn't say that the test should be removed at all. I just stated why I and others cannot pass the test, and have stated that there should be a method to skip the test entirely. Players that don't mind the test and want to do it are free to do that. But there are others that want to skip it entirely. Again, I didn't say it should be removed, just that it's broken and that there should be an option of skipping, or risk the ongoing alienation.

Also, saying that there are only two possible difficulty levels, either a broken and therefore terrible difficulty or an easy but quickly boring difficulty is demeaning.

Skipping the test would result in people straight up not doing it. They are meant to be a gear check of sorts, and test your skill at different parts of the game. Believe it or not, stealth is an important part of being a ninja. Also this feels a lot more like a complaint thread than anything. MR tests are fine if you practice and bother to pay attention to enemy patterns, at least until you no longer require MR to continue progressing.

[(XBOX)Skippy575]

45 minutes ago, mingnonf said:

I know that, but I should say again that you can only attempt the test once every 24 hours. For me it'd be like a random chance game. I'd be successful this one time at practice, but if I tried it for real I could mess up or the test would fail me all of a sudden and then I'd have to wait again.

By practicing you negate messing up. I'll concede on the game just going "nope" and dropping you in the middle of a test. But one of those options is controlled by you. 

Mastery tests are a gear check as someone mentioned before. The game doesn't really ask you to do much. 

[mingnonf]

DAnextFAKE - I am complaining because this problem has not been addressed for a very long time. As far as I know, not even forum mods have commented on these threads. As far as I know, the devs' comment on this problem has been "Eh, I don't see a problem with this," and saying absolutely nothing else after that.

And not everyone has the patience to practice a single aspect of the game that is for the most part optional. Spy missions can be done in a group. But this rank test must be done solo, so you currently have no alternative for help. Sure, not very people would want to take on this test, but the option to be able to do it or to skip it should be deemed important.

Skippy575 - You really don't have control over having to wait if you mess up, which I state again, can happen without expecting it or knowing why.

And I'm not sure how this test is a gear check or even a skill check. I can only really pay attention to one thing at a time.

Further, I don't want to take on this test because I fear messing up. For you guys it may not be that big of a deal, but for me it is. I should further state that I hate this test and I should not be made to take on something I hate to access important features. 

[KitMeHarder]

1 hour ago, mingnonf said:

the stealth mechanics are in a way that you have no way to tell what the enemies are doing, and even more they can just change directions in a jerky manner. So much as a glance in your direction and you're screwed.

For this one use a Gunblade and suck it up. 

50 minutes ago, mingnonf said:

Spy missions can be done in a group. But this rank test must be done solo

Yeah, a group that you should be participating in. You phrase it like you're always the guy to let the other 3 do all the vaults/work.

[mingnonf]

2 minutes ago, KitMeHarder said:

For this one use a Gunblade and suck it up. 

Yeah, a group that you should be participating in. You phrase it like you're always the guy to let the other 3 do all the vaults/work.

Telling people to suck it up is toxic.

I have participated in Spy missions. At least if you mess it up, you still have a chance to succeed, and if you fail a certain objective, you can still complete the other objectives.

[Shalath]

The tests do teach you things. For example I failed one of the early parkour tests repeatedly for several days when I could usually pass in practice. The reason was because my bullet jump control was fine when not under pressure but as soon as that pressure was there (like if I was getting a pounding in a real mission) my control fell apart because I had only just worked out that bullet jumps were a thing. That test taught me that control.

I had a similar problem with the infamous MR9 test (before the stealth changes) and again I had to stop and think what the test was trying to teach me. The answer? Use the environment, those tall pillars aren't for decoration and nobody ever looks up. I will agree that this one probably needs another look these days but players are still passing it.

The tests are there to ensure you have the skills you need to not be a drag on your squadmates. I play solo so not having the skills wouldn't affect anyone but me but I still see the necessity of them.

[Zebiko]

I see more and more strange ideas on the forums.

[(XBOX)Skippy575]

13 hours ago, mingnonf said:

Further, I don't want to take on this test because I fear messing up. For you guys it may not be that big of a deal, but for me it is. I should further state that I hate this test and I should not be made to take on something I hate to access important features. 

Then practice the test! Use the available tools to help you get better. 

[Countess_Hapmuhr]

Due to meta changes, bugs etc there are actually several mastery rank tests are just so difficult now that they're practically RNG. Take the MR28 test for instance, where the bottles are so bugged that there's several ways the test could fail without you ever doing anything wrong whatsoever. And then there's that one spy test which DE still hasn't fixed where the enemy can immediately spot you as the test begins unless you IMMEDIATELY dive into cover. (and ofc, the only reliable way to beat it is to use a cheese meta) 

Unfair challenges like that with a 24h timer is just rage bait and serves absolutely no purpose but to make players quit.

I don't think MR tests could be skipped or that the timer should be shortened, but I really think DE needs to fix them as soon as possible since they're a pretty important part of player progression. 

[mingnonf]

1 hour ago, Countess_Hapmuhr said:

Due to meta changes, bugs etc there are actually several mastery rank tests are just so difficult now that they're practically RNG. Take the MR28 test for instance, where the bottles are so bugged that there's several ways the test could fail without you ever doing anything wrong whatsoever. And then there's that one spy test which DE still hasn't fixed where the enemy can immediately spot you as the test begins unless you IMMEDIATELY dive into cover. (and ofc, the only reliable way to beat it is to use a cheese meta) 

Unfair challenges like that with a 24h timer is just rage bait and serves absolutely no purpose but to make players quit.

I don't think MR tests could be skipped or that the timer should be shortened, but I really think DE needs to fix them as soon as possible since they're a pretty important part of player progression. 

Thank you for your supportive comment.

And yes, DE does need to fix these tests, if they're not going to add some sort of alternative.

[vomder]

The 24 hour wait period is annoying, but not the biggest deal. Bugs that can and will fail the test for you are, like the MR 28 test. I had to do it at least 3 times because the canisters glitching. I suppose they could do something for those that repeatedly fail a test, but of course you would have those that lose their mind if they did something like that. A lot of the test though are about just using specific setups that make them easier. A bunch of the test are just not how the game is played most of the time anyway.

[mingnonf]

12 minutes ago, vomder said:

The 24 hour wait period is annoying, but not the biggest deal. Bugs that can and will fail the test for you are, like the MR 28 test. I had to do it at least 3 times because the canisters glitching. I suppose they could do something for those that repeatedly fail a test, but of course you would have those that lose their mind if they did something like that. A lot of the test though are about just using specific setups that make them easier. A bunch of the test are just not how the game is played most of the time anyway.

"I suppose they could do something for those that repeatedly fail a test, but of course you would have those that lose their mind if they did something like that."

That is something I hope for, or even a small plat fee. And yes as you've seen in this thread, there are those who are adamant about people having to go through the test like they have. Supposedly, this is something that is done only once unless you choose to take it again. So I fail to see how a skip option would make things worse.

"A bunch of the test are just not how the game is played most of the time anyway."

EXACTLY. You've worded this a lot better than I could.

[kapn655321]

On 2020-04-14 at 10:03 PM, KitMeHarder said:

For this one use a Gunblade and suck it up.

Is it a gunblade test, or a skill test?

[mingnonf]

3 minutes ago, kapn655321 said:

Is it a gunblade test, or a skill test?

The one I'm stuck on is supposed to be the stealth test.

[kapn655321]

Just now, mingnonf said:

The one I'm stuck on is supposed to be the stealth test.

I know. There are no, "gunblade," tests. MR9 is something either you cheese, or you'll be seriously wondering wtf is wrong with the game. For some reason, people feel that the fact you can cheese it qualifies as good enough.. can't say I personally agree with that notion.

[mingnonf]

3 minutes ago, kapn655321 said:

I know. There are no, "gunblade," tests. MR9 is something either you cheese, or you'll be seriously wondering wtf is wrong with the game. For some reason, people feel that the fact you can cheese it qualifies as good enough.. can't say I personally agree with that notion.

And I thank you for that. I can't understand that mindset either.

[KitMeHarder]

20 minutes ago, kapn655321 said:

Is it a gunblade test, or a skill test?

He wants a way to circumvent it completely. I'd say cheese is better than asking the Devs to make it so he can just skip it.

Not to mention the MR 9 test is easy. My mind immediately jumped to the MR 19 test without even thinking about the context, because that is the stealth one everybody complains about.

And he and anyone else is free to do these as DE intended. But I offered a "cheese" and a "suck it up" because this is one of the most trivial complaints I've seen, and only perpetuates a generation of "participation medalist" that expect everything to be handed to them even if they didn't work for it.

[mingnonf]

1 hour ago, KitMeHarder said:

"participation medalist"

You do realize that it is a very toxic mindset perpetuated by those who think, "In my day I had to push a boulder the size of granma's wart up a mountain and I turned out just fine". A deliberate exaggeration, but I hope you see what I mean. If not I'll explain more clearly:

Just because you can do it with the greatest ease does not mean that everyone else can.

Edited April 16, 2020 by mingnonf