Mastery Rank 24 test using pre-Eidolon Operator mechanics

[FrackingBiscuit]

So this is a pretty simple problem - it seems the MR24 test wasn't updated with Plains of Eidolon.  You have much less base health, you can't slide, and your void beam draws power from the same pool as everything else.  Mechanically is a lot less room for error while maneuvering around the test area, and it's very easy to be left flat footed with most of your mobility restrained.  The health and lack of amp is probably the worst - I could understand if part of the challenge was fighting without an amp (there are lots of test that restrict your weapons), but being reduced to 100 health instead of 250 while also having your evasion tied to energy and being stripped of your ability to slide is very frustrating because of how different it is from actual gameplay, and it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Honestly, I would think that if you want to test my ability to play as an operator, you would come up with something that actually puts my operator skills to the test, not something that rewards me for finding a way to cheese maneuvering.  I have to avoid enemies rather than fight them... aren't Operators supposed to be warriors now?  Why doesn't the Operator test reflect this?

Obviously reworking the entire test would take a lot of time, and on Devstream 100 they said coming up with mastery rank tests is one of the least enjoyable parts of the job.  But you could at least make the effort to bring the test's mechanics in-line with actual gameplay experience (you know, so you can actually test me on what I've learned rather than test me on my ability to take tests) and use the new Operator mechanics rather than reverting to the bizarre legacy system.

Really, this has got me thinking about deeper problems with the mastery system.  DE has said they don't like the 24 hour wait period - players don't like it either.  DE says they don't enjoy coming up with new tests, and the overwhelming opinion of the tests in general seems to be negative.  Why keep expanding on a system that both sides agree is problematic?  Why take steps backward like neglecting to update tests when gameplay mechanics they're meant to test a player on change?  Maybe Junction-style tasks would be a better solution.  There's definitely room in the game for these VR segments, but I think the place they reside has a lot of fundamental, conceptual issues.

[Lukkiete]

This is intended btw

[Xaero]

Actually, the system used in 24 MR test is still present in the main game. Before you get your first amp, you can't slide and the beam draws energy from the common pool.

[FrackingBiscuit]

1 hour ago, Ksaero said:

Actually, the system used in 24 MR test is still present in the main game. Before you get your first amp, you can't slide and the beam draws energy from the common pool.

Wow, that's awful.  I'm trying to wrap my brain around not being able to slide without an amp.

[Xaero]

3 minutes ago, FrackingBiscuit said:

Wow, that's awful.  I'm trying to wrap my brain around not being able to slide without an amp.

Yeah that's just stupid. It's like Sombra hacking Soldier 76 so he forgets how to sprint.

[Vasala]

If the test is not going to be updated to current operator play style then at least could the orb stop regenerating health so quickly? This is a very annoying test.

[Xcaliber83]

I fully agree.Since the initial launch of this test DE made changes so your beam is much much shorter you can't hit the orb from where the guys originally stood on the energy balls the void beam, does approx 600 damage now where most that did the test at the start did 750+ Also,the maggots now seem to spawn more frequent than what is shown from videos in July. With the previous tests at least, you could make changes to your build or the weapon you used or different warframes archwing etc. With this test, your choices are your operator your operator or your operator. With no way to try other tactics or methods just repeat it till you get lucky. YAY....

In Addition, when DE makes changes to the Challenges they must reset all who reached the Mastery Rank as well. Fair is fair. It's not as if they did not reset previous progressions like the star map 3 times and the logon rewards system etc

[Dragore]

i watched the videos and i was ok with what i needed to do, i practiced :), then i got to rank 24 and went to practice again before taking the test ... except it is not the same test, it is 10x harder, invisable walls to stop you shooting the energy orb, nerfing damage to the orb, buffing infested brood mother to respawn faster and spawn faster maggots... i am 52 practice runs and still not close to a win, was the change made to stop progress/slow it to random luck from where the brood motehr respawns? i have tried all the advise from the clan members who are already 24 and one even sweetly (/kiss) re ran a practice test because he didnt not believe me when i said it was rigged... he agrees now.
:( almost 3 hours of practice for a test i can no longer pass...

 

[BlackCoMerc]

On 11/7/2017 at 3:05 AM, FrackingBiscuit said:

So this is a pretty simple problem - it seems the MR24 test wasn't updated with Plains of Eidolon.  You have much less base health, you can't slide, and your void beam draws power from the same pool as everything else.  Mechanically is a lot less room for error while maneuvering around the test area, and it's very easy to be left flat footed with most of your mobility restrained.  The health and lack of amp is probably the worst - I could understand if part of the challenge was fighting without an amp (there are lots of test that restrict your weapons), but being reduced to 100 health instead of 250 while also having your evasion tied to energy and being stripped of your ability to slide is very frustrating because of how different it is from actual gameplay, and it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Honestly, I would think that if you want to test my ability to play as an operator, you would come up with something that actually puts my operator skills to the test, not something that rewards me for finding a way to cheese maneuvering.  I have to avoid enemies rather than fight them... aren't Operators supposed to be warriors now?  Why doesn't the Operator test reflect this?

Obviously reworking the entire test would take a lot of time, and on Devstream 100 they said coming up with mastery rank tests is one of the least enjoyable parts of the job.  But you could at least make the effort to bring the test's mechanics in-line with actual gameplay experience (you know, so you can actually test me on what I've learned rather than test me on my ability to take tests) and use the new Operator mechanics rather than reverting to the bizarre legacy system.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Really, this has got me thinking about deeper problems with the mastery system.  DE has said they don't like the 24 hour wait period - players don't like it either.  DE says they don't enjoy coming up with new tests, and the overwhelming opinion of the tests in general seems to be negative.  Why keep expanding on a system that both sides agree is problematic?  Why take steps backward like neglecting to update tests when gameplay mechanics they're meant to test a player on change?  Maybe Junction-style tasks would be a better solution.  There's definitely room in the game for these VR segments, but I think the place they reside has a lot of fundamental, conceptual issues.

 

Hmm...a mastery test that in no way reflects actual game play...

Good thing the rest of them don't have this problem.

/S

Seriously, when can we stop pretending that tests are fun, people like them and they should gate progress in a GAME?

[Vasala]

This test really needs to be relooked at. The orb is regenerating way too fast for us to complete it with the current state of the test. I use my full bar on it while dodging all the infested and by the time I get to the energy orb and can start shooting again it has regenerated almost everything I did to it. This test is beyond frustrating at the current time.

[VoxGray]

I'll run this test again tonight to see if anything's changed, as I beat the practice mode with ease just after PoE dropped. Bugs may have infested this test, and having a fresh set of eyes to examine it may help root them out.

Edit: Didn't get to test due to Ducat grind after work

Edited November 19, 2017 by EmissaryOfInfinity

[(XBOX)UnluckyHydra]

I'm still struggling with this issue. So far the only unhelpful advice I see is "get good." Super insightful...

[shootaman777]

I honestly don't see what the problem is.  After reading this thread just now, I went and completed it with ease, without getting downed a single time.  I literally jumped around the center in a circle while shooting the orb whenever I had max energy until I had no energy, completely ignoring the maggots and brood mothers.  It was a bit of a joke.  The trick is to keep moving, even while shooting.  You've just got to keep that aim on point, especially when the orb shrinks. 

I never even grabbed an energy orb.  Just circled the center platform. I'll go try it with energy orbs this run. 

As it turns out, grabbing the energy orbs was what mostly got me killed in this run.  I don't recommend using them. 

As it also turns out, I found an even better cheese.  When the orb is almost dead, allow yourself to get rekt.  Use the full energy bar and temporary invulnerability from the respawn to nuke the final stage of the orb. 

Edited December 4, 2017 by shootaman777

[Witch]

maybe de should play their game

[(PSN)MashAuto]

DE should rethink this test otherwise too many players will be stuck at MR 23 which is a buzz kill. And to the players who have done it, we get it,  you are skillful no doubt. Personally i have tried everything practised numerous times but still nothing. If the aim is to lock out people from progressing then you have done it. That orb regenerates too fast, the enemies spawn too fast and kill the operator too easily, operator health too low and the speed useless. Come on. 

Edited December 9, 2017 by (PS4)MashAuto

[(PSN)GodMadeMeDoIt_]

DeeThe test is also inconsistent, one time I'll finish with 50 secs left while training, then the next 3 times are utter failures, then finish with 15 secs left, then fail, always while using the exact same method.

There doesn't seem to be a strategy or logic to the whole thing, funny that my operator is the strongest weapon in the universe, but i get killed by 3 maggots....

I hate operator mode with passion, it's a useless mechanic that feels DE is trying to force down our throats one way or the other, just creating random stupid activities to make us use the thing instead of making it actually viable to use.

I'm used to the "old style" operator mode in this test, but i wonder what the new players who will only get to play the "new" operator feel when they have to run this test.

/End rant

 

So just in case this helps anyone, this is the strategy I used to finish this test, it's not guaranteed, I've failed a couple of times running the test, but eventually it worked:

- when the test starts run to the left and void dash or use circle attack to push the brood mother off the map, then turn around and do the same for the 2nd brood mother.

- focus on damaging the orb while running back and forth on 1 side to collect the energy orbs, you should be able to get the orb down to almost half health.

- when the mothers respawn, stay in the middle and keep using your beam until they kill you.

- when you respawn, shoot the orb a bit to stop it from regenerating health, then use circle attack to push all brood mothers off the map again.

- repeat the orb damage and collecting of energy orbs, keep shooting it until either you destroy it or new mothers spawn and allow them to kill you, respawn and finish the globe.

I managed to finish eventually with more than a minute left on the timer this way, sometimes the mothers would not fall off map and get stuck on invisible barriers, or hit me before i even saw them, then I'd have to restart the test.

Edit 2: here's a video tutorial, first time I've ever done this using sharefactory so it's pretty basic, but i hope it helps..

 

 

Edited December 15, 2017 by (PS4)GodMadeMeDoIt_
Added detailed strategy for test

[UncaIroh]

Yeah I did find this weird. In almost any other MR test they'd let you keep your current loadout for WF or for AW.

They should rework this to allow you to have an amp and use all the powers at your disposal. You can just make it that you gotta kill a bunch of of things, sneak past some security in void mode, etc.

[DaGhostDS]

Best advice I have for that test :

-Run clockwise or counter clockwise around the Sphere.

-Dont stop shooting at the Sphere, ever, even with no energy.

-Collect the energy Orb to burst that Sphere.

-Start moving to the next energy Orb, don't stop shooting so it doesn't Regen.

-Ignore the broodmother, ignore the maggots (at worst you die and get full energy to burst that sphere even more)

 

I got it with 2min (more or less) on the clock.
I wish DE would look at that test, it's not fun, it's just obnoxious (and confusing post PoE).

Edited December 16, 2017 by DaGhostDS
Clarity

[Browncote]

On 12/15/2017 at 8:58 PM, DaGhostDS said:

Best advice I have for that test :

-Run clockwise or counter clockwise around the Sphere.

-Dont stop shooting at the Sphere, ever, even with no energy.

-Collect the energy Orb to burst that Sphere.

-Start moving to the next energy Orb, don't stop shooting so it doesn't Regen.

-Ignore the broodmother, ignore the maggots (at worst you die and get full energy to burst that sphere even more)

 

I got it with 2min (more or less) on the clock.
I wish DE would look at that test, it's not fun, it's just obnoxious (and confusing post PoE).

Thank you for this method. Was overthinking it before. Made it super easy.

[BlackCoMerc]

On 12/15/2017 at 11:58 PM, DaGhostDS said:

Best advice I have for that test :

-Run clockwise or counter clockwise around the Sphere.

-Dont stop shooting at the Sphere, ever, even with no energy.

-Collect the energy Orb to burst that Sphere.

-Start moving to the next energy Orb, don't stop shooting so it doesn't Regen.

-Ignore the broodmother, ignore the maggots (at worst you die and get full energy to burst that sphere even more)

 

I got it with 2min (more or less) on the clock.
I wish DE would look at that test, it's not fun, it's just obnoxious (and confusing post PoE).

None of their other tests actually resemble anything we do in the game. Why should this one be any different? In fact, I think its a microcosm of the entire game's design: Intending to test players on their ability to PLAY and interact with your game, while in fact all it does, is encourage players to use the most efficient method of cheesing annoying content.