Fist Report - Q3 Winners and How New Games Get Approved
Introduction
This is a brief but important report as I will discuss the factors we use to approve/remove games as supported platforms. I'm also doing some retooling on the project front. But first some winners...
Quarter 3 2022 GMRG Winners!
I’m proud to announce the winners of the Q3 GMRG Leaderboard
| Placement | Member | Guarding |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Tasha’Vel Versea | Fist |
| 2nd | Thran Occasus-Palpatine | Voice |
| 3rd | Rayne Palpatine | Headmistress |
| 4th | Locke Sonjie | Justicar |
| 5th | Konar Auryus-Saas | Deputy Grand Master |
| 6th | Jafits Scrumm | Regent |
| 7th | Hector Von Ricmore | Herald |
| 8th | Sanguinius Tsucyra Entar | Grand Master |
| 9th | Darkhawk Sadow | Seneschal |
| 10th | Aurora “Aura” Ta’var | Master at Arms |
Their names have been inscribed in the litanies of remembrance.
Overwatch is Dead, Long Live Overwatch
Blizzard completely pulled the plug on Overwatch 1 as it is no longer playable on any platform. As such Overwatch has been removed from official DB support.
While a strong argument can be made that Overwatch 2 is essentially the same game, the developer/publisher re-released it and slapped a 2 on it so it’s a sequel. As a matter of policy, game sequels are not automatically approved for support. Sequels have to meet the same factors as every other game. For the sake of transparency, I try to apply the factors as objectively as I can before making a recommendation for adoption as an official platform. I have over 1000 hours in Overwatch and since the server issues have subsided, I’ve been enjoying Overwatch 2. I want to see Overwatch 2 adopted, but I also have to look at what’s best for our gaming community and that means OW2 needs a critical mass of people playing it.
So like any other game, if you want to see Overwatch 2 supported then submit matches to casual gaming queue. I’ll be submitting as many matches as I can because even the Fist has to follow the same process.
Game Approval / Removal Factors
For the sake of transparency here are the factors we consider for game support or removal. These can be found on the Gaming Information wiki page
New Game Approval
The Fist of the Brotherhood is the proponent for all supported gaming platforms in the club. Adding a game to the DB's library is a relatively simple yet detailed process. When considering a game for support, the Fist considers the following:
Feasibility - In order to be supported a game must have a score screen or some other screen that allows the Fist staff to validate that a game was played and who played in it. There are numerous examples of these in the existing Supported Games page. It is worth noting that the standard for a supported screenshot is higher than a screenshot that is valid for casual gaming queue. A screenshot for a supported game will ideally include things like match time for PVP or difficulty modifiers for PVE; such metrics are important for cluster balancing purposes.
Sustained Interest - If a game is feasible for Fist staff purposes, e.g. it has a verifiable screenshot with sufficient information, then the biggest factor in determining official support is sustained interest in the game. This is measurable primarily through submissions of the candidate platform to the casual gaming queue. The best way members can get a platform approved is to get as many members as possible to submit matches of that platform to the casual gaming queue over a sustained period of time. There is no set period of time but a rough guideline is 30 days of sustained activity. The number of members submitting is also not set but the guiding principle is enough members to show sustained interest in the club beyond a small group of friends. Officially supported platforms should have broad support across unit and social group lines.
Cost - While purchased games can be approved for official support there is a strong preference for free to play or low-cost games for official support. Games with a mandatory subscription model such as World of Warcraft will face heightened scrutiny. Games with egregious pay-to-win mechanics will also face heightened scrutiny. Because supported games form the backbone of vendetta gaming competitions it is important that supported games have a low barrier to entry and a reasonable degree of fairness (in regards to real money giving an in-game advantage).
Other Factors - The Fist staff considers other factors as well in approving platforms for official support. Star Wars games have a high priority for consideration and approval given the nature of our club but must also meet the base thresholds of feasibility and interest. Duplication of existing platforms is another factor, albeit not a major one. This isn’t to say that the club will only have one card game, one MMO, one shooter, etc supported at a time. But what games are currently supported, how much they are played and how closely the candidate game is to the existing ones both in form and player base is something that is considered.
Overall, getting other members to play and submit matches of a game via the casual gaming queue is the most effective way to get a new platform supported. The data from the casual gaming queue is the biggest factor in the Fist staff deciding whether or not to support a game. If you want a game supported, go get people to play it!
Game Removal
If a supported game does not see sustained activity for a period of six months, the Fist will consider it for removal from the gaming library. Sustained activity is not one submission inside a six-month window.
There will be a three to five week window where a game can be "saved" from removal. This time period is for members to re-energize interest in a platform. One match inside that window is not enough to save a game. The Fist will make the final determination on a game's status after the probationary period expires.
Once a game is removed, members can submit activity for that game via the casual gaming queue. A removed game can be brought back into active status with enough sustained activity through casual gaming queue submissions.
Games can also be removed due to removal of official support (such as game servers being shut down, or a game no longer being available for legal purchase) or obsolescence (like when Destiny 2 replaced Destiny 1). This is evaluated by the Fist staff on a case by case basis.
The “Whiteboard”
I’m reorganizing and reprioritizing the Fist office projects over the course of this month. Live events will continue as will our support of the ongoing Pro Bowl, which requires matchmaking similar to a vendetta. Major ongoing initiatives such as the GMRG overhaul and video content projects will also continue.
Closing
Remember that while the factors require a bit of judgment on my part I do try to apply them as consistently as I can, even to games I avidly play like Overwatch.
Until next time gamers!
Rajhin Cindertail aka Turel Fist of the Brotherhood
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If OW2 is basically the same game as OW I wouldn't think it needed to be as extensively vetted with OW being shut down. It isn't like the people that played OW will not support the new game because they are still playing the old one. Granted I know you don't want to give the appearance of just adding games you like to play (and rightfully so) but this isn't exactly a reach that fans of the original will play the new game.
That's the thing Korvis, people haven't been playing Overwatch. So far in calendar year 2022 we have had a grand total of 10 matches of OW submitted, most of which were probably by me. For context in 2021 we had 80 matches of Overwatch played. As I often say, if people want a game supported then all they have to do is play it with others and submit.
In consideration for Overwatch 2, while it may be considerably on most levels the "same game", on other aspects of the game it is not the same. The play style is different. It's a 5 man team with main focus on 1 tank, different maps, almost half the heroes play differently, and as Rajhin said people have not shown interest in Overwatch in general. As a previous example would be when Destiny 1 was approved and Destiny 2 came out, the game still required approval though the approval was obviously easier to get approved. The same would be said for Overwatch 2.
Destiny 2 was supported the day it was officially released. I think the issue with OW not being popular was that it was a game released in 2016 with a sequel of sorts being released this year. Mechanics aside OW2 is essentially the exact same game.
I am not the Fist so it isn't my call. I was just stating that the games were similar enough that a case could be made to make it supported from the get go just like Destiny 2 was.
It’s not the same game. I think Turel’s point on slapping on the 2 was meant to be more of a joke than holy truth.
One big change is that heroes are now locked behind a battle pass for new players. And every hero after this current battle pass is going to need to be grinder to get.
So one of two things we’d to happen:
1) Enough people who had OW1 need to return and start submitting matches to the site.
or
2) Enough new players need to be willing to play the game and grind the battle passes to be on even playing field.
For me? I played OW1 all the time. Didn’t even match dodge it during the Vendettas (sarcasm there). But I think it meets two of the things that Turel speaks to: first that you have to pay for battle passes to get new heroes and second you could buy your way into getting more heroes. This is essentially a subscription model or a pay to win model. In a game that relies on competent hero switching and countering, not having access to some of the counters unless you shell out lots of money (or a little bit and grind the hell out if the game) means you aren’t able to fully access the game.
Plus the entire game has been reworked around these “micro”-transactions (nothing micro around a 20 dollar skin).
One might say “Apex Legends has a similar model” but Apex doesn’t rely on switching and most of the game is gunplay. Guns aren’t locked behind the paywall either so you’re fine there.
Gist is that OW2 is not the same as OW1. Very different game.
The game is identical. You keep the same skins, all your currency, the concept hasn't changed. It keeps your settings and preferences from OW1. Hell, my OBS didn't need for me to reprogram it, it immediately recognized that OW2 is OW. It's the same game, any argument otherwise is pedantic.
...the concept has wholly changed. 5v5 with added role abilities, focus on buffing tanks to be more dps like and a lack of good shielding meaning any defensive OW is gone. Most heroes had ability changes. Currency also changed, with legacy tokens being worth almost nothing now. Most of the same skins one had are now at markups of 10-20 dollars.