Climbing the ladder as a learning course

[Okajin]

Hi Inklings and/or squid !

Behind this title a little bit enigmatic, I'd like to start a debate with you. I didn't see this kind of topic before so, I'd like to apologize if it's already exists ! First of all, I'll probably make typos and other mistakes, I'm not english native speaker, I'm doing my best to be correct.

The introduction is done *checks* Now, the subject. I'm playing splatoon in both classical and ranked matches. I'm playing solo in classical and in duo with my brother in ranked. I'd like to talk about the ranking system. As a reminder, it goes from C- to S+. I like learning things, playing to improve myself. I would like to know if we can establish a kind of roadmap on what aspect of the game to focus while climbing the ladder. It could help me and others to see what they're doing "bad" and why they aren't improving anymore. I know that you'll say me that at a moment, each and everyone will stop improving because they've reached their limit. Where is the limit of anyone?

Here's my example of climbing the ladder of splatoon (It's probably, partially wrong because I played in duo team all the way) :

C- : Learning how to move properly through the map and what the different games modes are. Improving here can be made by paying attention to what the game mode wants you to do (taking the rainmaker, climbing on the tower, defending the splat zones...)
C : Learning how to aim ! Be able to reach an objective is good, but dying on it isn't worth. You'll have to aim better to shoot your foes before they shoot you
C+ : I spent the most of my time there... I don't know exactly what I am supposed to do but I think I have to be more aware of what is happening around me and look at my gamepad more often !
B- : My actual rank (at the time I'm writing this topic). I feel that I have to pay attention on when I can squid jump on a teammate that isn't my brother and start using my gamepad "horizontally" to aim better (at the moment, I'm mainly using the right stick to look left and right and the motion control for up and down).

Here's my thought about the ladder at the moment. I'm stuck in B-. Sometimes I win enough to stay here, sometimes I have a lose streak from 5 to 7 and I'm losing my place in this league and I go back to C+.

Do you feel that the ladder is like a learning course or not? What did you learned the most when doing your ranked match? What are you paying attention that you don't care in classical match?

 

[Hinichii.ez.™]

Pretty good thread. I don't necessarily think ladder is a learning course entirely, but I don't see why it can't be. One helpful thing I learned on my climb, is using the camera to peak around corners. Something you'll learn, as you climb, is what weapons are good, and what used to be good (ie bad weapons). In C rank games you'll see RG, MG, JR and what not. But as you approach A-S+ those go extinct.

 

[memk]

Currently B+ N-Zap and blasters are everywhere. B+ is mostly learning how to dominate a game since everything there is always a 100-0 game score. EVERY SINGLE TIME

 

[Typhlosion09]

Currently B+ N-Zap and blasters are everywhere. B+ is mostly learning how to dominate a game since everything there is always a 100-0 game score. EVERY SINGLE TIME

Don't remember much about B+, but I can assure you that blasters are everywhere from any rank. Oh and I'm an S n zap user. So there is that.

Anyways I love the theory of ranks showing how much you learned. I just don't know if this applies to the A ranks and up. From there I would imagine it comes down to how good you are in general. Like saying that you have to learn these things in these ranks to improve makes sense, but when it comes down to it, improving from B+ to anywhere forward is more of a how can you take what you learned and put it into use in the game, how well you can get kills and (more importantly) not die, and how well you can flat out carry a team. In other words, people A- and up have learned basically everything, it's just a matter of how well they can apply those lessons in a match. But those are just my thoughts on it.

 

[Toadstoolnews]

I don't really remember feeling like I had moments of clarity when I began climbing the ranks. Though I think you are right, the higher you climb in rank the more you learn about the game and how to deal with opponents on the different maps/modes. I feel like learning is mostly in the C ranks and once you hit B you just start getting better at the game the more you play it. I did learn something big in the later stages of my play now that I'm in A rank though and that is I need to start using gyro controls which is a pain in the butt for me to start so late in rank. I guess even at A rank people can learn some big things.

 

[Tentacruel]

Currently B+ N-Zap and blasters are everywhere. B+ is mostly learning how to dominate a game since everything there is always a 100-0 game score. EVERY SINGLE TIME

You should see the amount of Tentatek Splattershots in S and S+. Better learn how to counter them now before they kill you every time you contact one.

 

[Blast]

I was stuck in the depths of B- to B+ for ages, but as an A rank now in order to win the game seems to require you to keep a level head and know your role in the team more than in the B ranks, which is more about brute force and rushing to the goal without giving much thought to your teammates. At least, that's how I've experienced it.

 

[soujirou88]

Pretty good thread. I don't necessarily think ladder is a learning course entirely, but I don't see why it can't be. One helpful thing I learned on my climb, is using the camera to peak around corners. Something you'll learn, as you climb, is what weapons are good, and what used to be good (ie bad weapons). In C rank games you'll see RG, MG, JR and what not. But as you approach A-S+ those go extinct.

I still see a few splattershot jr.'s creeping around in S rank here and there. Since it is the basic weapon, it's no surprise that anyone can always go back to it and do decent. But getting on subject, Okajin, I'd say you're definitely in one of the hardest ranks to go through before you begin to really blossom. I recall that B- or reaching A- was like the hardest part of my journey to S rank. Or maybe both? But once I got past that, I found that getting to S rank was not as hard of a climb to S rank. Now getting to S+ on the other hand, is definitely the biggest obstacle to go through yet. But that's a different story.

 

[StaffofSmashing]

A Rank right now. I feel A rank is learning how to take your weapon and have some sort of idea how you'll be taking on your opponents's weapons. More technical things like strafing and slow-squiding are almost required to breakout.

 

[Hope]

There isn't really one. You can be good at one aspect of the game and trash at others, but being good at that one aspect can really carry you. For example you can be in S rank and have pretty bad aiming, but your movement and positioning is good so it makes up for it. Everyone learns different things as they climb, it really is quite subjective.

 

[Okajin]

First of all, I'd like to thank you all for your participation !
Your toughts are varied (I don't know if I use this word with the right meaning, please correct me).

I'll try to pay more attention as I'm playing in my ranks. My main weapons are N-Zap (both of them). I'm trying to find others so that I'll be more versatile. I'm an agressive player... I often retrieveing myself in melee range facing a roller or a brush... It's not clever I know but I don't know how to keep this part of myself away yet !

I'm still learning what bonuses can emphasis well with my weapons. For instance, do not stack too many Attack up or defense up, playing with Ink resistance up as a main on my shoes and all those kind of things.

 

[curry time]

Solo q ladder in any game is going to be hell, but it does teach you to carry your own weight on a team. Each rank may have its own abstract requisite skills for ranking up, but there's a constant between all of them. You need to play as if the enemy team were better than yourself, and as if your team doesn't have the capacity to carry you. You need to be resourceful and one step ahead of your competition. Make use of flanks, ink potential enemy approach routes, place yourself in advantageous positions in relation to your teammate (i.e., positioning yourself adjacent to their own so that if they get into a 1v1, you can loop around and flank the enemy while also keeping track of your own flanks).

Most importantly, playing with this mindset forces you to not overcommit to your offense. This is a huge problem for a lot of players in any game, and I'm not exempt from the rule. Playing carefully – but not passively – goes a long way in a game full of quick kills and trades.

~

For fighting Rollers, the best you can do is to just be very cautious about rounding corners/enemy ink puddles/height advantages (areas above you from where enemies can jump on you and dunk you on the head). If you're using the NZAP 89, try throwing a Sprinkler where you think a Roller might approach from, provided you don't have a Sprinkler in an ideal spot elsewhere. If you're using the 85, use your Splat Bombs to discourage incoming rollers while running the heck away, or throw one in a tight corner before you approach it. Splat Bombs can route Rollers away from corners and into other places where they can try to ambush you, so you can use these to scare them away and try to predict where they'll come from next. If you're approaching Mall mid, for example, chuck a bomb into the corner of the pit that's closest to you. Rollers like to hide in that spot and flail at unaware players, so forcing them to move farther away from you can give you a leg up in getting rid of them.

And sometimes, you really just can't avoid getting rolled on. Such is Splatoon.

As for ranking up out of B, a big reason for why it's so difficult is because you get a wide variety of weapons and skill levels in this tier. It's usually where people start becoming aware of what I outlined above, and where they become aware of what the strongest weapons in the game are. I highly recommend using a carry weapon like the Tentatek or the .96 Deco (or perhaps a Blaster on TC) to get through B to A.