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Port Mackerel: Analysis and Thoughts Thread

SquiddiamFancyson

Inkling Cadet
Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Messages
180
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DowntownMountain
btw quick question: Is there any load-out with both .52 Gal & Seekers? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
What do you mean (slightly confused on phrasing)? .52 gal loadout comes with the splat wall instead however the .52 gal deco loadout comes with seekers and inkstrike.


Sorry if I'm completey misunderstanding what you're asking.
 

River09

Inkling Cadet
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May 27, 2015
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217
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Australia
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King_Felix
The linear nature of the stage definitely puts an advantage on chargers. Less wiggle-room = easier kills for any weapon but particularly for chargers because of the massive linear range. See where I'm getting at? Not only can they cover turf here very well but can kill foes easier too because the linearity of the map and the weapon itself match up. This is why I believe its the best charger map, more so than arowana mall especially with Kelps. The sprinkler makes covering the wider sections much easier and the killer wail works similarly to the charger itself with massive linear range just on a larger scale. As a charger user, I really like this stage though I won't deny that counters are much harder on this stage than most.

On the flipside, seekers and splash wall work very well on this map. Splash walls already make for a great defensive option but here ots very good as an offensive push. Have someon set up the wall and the teammates get behind him. Seekers work a lot like chargers but here its a really good warding off tool or distraction tool. The enemy will of course be preoccupied with y'know, not getting hit that if they decide to jump over it that's your chance to get them. Alternatively, if they run away, ink turf. Them running away gave you a chance to reclaim ground/push forward.

Edit: When I say linear, I mean the middle grid-like ground. The paths are straight and clumped together. There are small alternate paths but nothing like other maps.

Another point: echolocators work well too since sneak attacks are very viable options. If you know the position of a player, get them. The close quarters nature of the map will limit their options so if you can get behind them, they're gone.
 
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DonkaFjord

Inkling Fleet Admiral
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Aug 6, 2013
Messages
578
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DonkaFjord
They should have a way to climb the middle crates in ranked besides the tower. Jumping between crates is a ton of fun, but there are limited ways to get on each.
 

ILikeKirbys

Inkling Commander
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Jun 1, 2015
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394
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Dreamland
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ILikeKirbys
I despise port mackerel. Thank god it's getting remodeled.
That's not real.
WHY CAN'T IT BE REAL
I don't like Port Mackerel as it is. It's just too... Chokepointy? Corridorish? Cramped? It's gotta be one of those. Maybe it's not my thing, but it's just so rarely enjoyable to play on.
But maybe blowing it up is a bit much. Maybe just-
They should have a way to climb the middle crates in ranked besides the tower. Jumping between crates is a ton of fun, but there are limited ways to get on each.
Yeah, that! That's a great idea! Please do that, Nintendo!
 

DonkaFjord

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DonkaFjord
I despise port mackerel. Thank god it's getting remodeled.
That's not real.
WHY CAN'T IT BE REAL
I don't like Port Mackerel as it is. It's just too... Chokepointy? Corridorish? Cramped? It's gotta be one of those. Maybe it's not my thing, but it's just so rarely enjoyable to play on.
But maybe blowing it up is a bit much. Maybe just-

Yeah, that! That's a great idea! Please do that, Nintendo!
Oh no blowing it up would be fine too. I'd be down to play in the ruins of a freight yard.

But in all honesty very few maps favor chargers so it seems interesting that the maps that are charger friendly are usually the ones people hate.

The only time I dislike chargers are when there is lag because I like to hop back and forth and 'dance' if you will so they can't hit me but when their sight laser is off to what they are actually doing I get wrecked.
 

Smashling79

Inkling Cadet
Joined
Jul 29, 2015
Messages
273
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Linkmaster3000
That's not real.
WHY CAN'T IT BE REAL
I don't like Port Mackerel as it is. It's just too... Chokepointy? Corridorish? Cramped? It's gotta be one of those. Maybe it's not my thing, but it's just so rarely enjoyable to play on.
But maybe blowing it up is a bit much. Maybe just-

Yeah, that! That's a great idea! Please do that, Nintendo!
unfortunately it's not real. I was told it was a fake. No blowing up Port unfortunately
 

ILikeKirbys

Inkling Commander
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ILikeKirbys
Oh no blowing it up would be fine too. I'd be down to play in the ruins of a freight yard.

But in all honesty very few maps favor chargers so it seems interesting that the maps that are charger friendly are usually the ones people hate.

The only time I dislike chargers are when there is lag because I like to hop back and forth and 'dance' if you will so they can't hit me but when their sight laser is off to what they are actually doing I get wrecked.
I don't have a problem with Charger-favoring maps, I rather like most of them despite favoring the Octobrush. My problem with this map is that I don't like the crampedness of it; I feel like it could have slightly wider corridors and I'd be fine with it, or it could have easier ways onto the crates and I'd be fine with it, or it could have both of those and I'd be fine with it, but ithas none of those things, and I'm not fine with it.
And I don't see how Mackerel is favorable for Chargers, to be honest.
 

DonkaFjord

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DonkaFjord
I don't have a problem with Charger-favoring maps, I rather like most of them despite favoring the Octobrush. My problem with this map is that I don't like the crampedness of it; I feel like it could have slightly wider corridors and I'd be fine with it, or it could have easier ways onto the crates and I'd be fine with it, or it could have both of those and I'd be fine with it, but ithas none of those things, and I'm not fine with it.
And I don't see how Mackerel is favorable for Chargers, to be honest.
I really would just want other ways to get across the map. like make the top of the crates more useful or those strange side ledges that are barely anything at all. Those are a ton of fun to put squid beakons in those weird areas.
 

River09

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King_Felix
Honestly I love it for Turf War for how it makes you be aware of all the pathways else you'll get flanked. I don't mind it for Splat Zones because its similar to Turf War but stalemates just happen a little too often because the zones are so close to spawn. On Tower Control I really dislike it. I don't mind compact maps but Tower Control is brutal is how cramped it is. Plus, it heavily favours .52 gal which in itself isn't bad but I honestly think its kinda broken. I know one person's experience does not necessarily indicate 'broken' but I won every single game I had on Port with the .52 gal which was a decent 8 or so. Splash Wall and killer wail just shuts down all of what the opposition can do.

Edit:
I don't have a problem with Charger-favoring maps, I rather like most of them despite favoring the Octobrush. My problem with this map is that I don't like the crampedness of it; I feel like it could have slightly wider corridors and I'd be fine with it, or it could have easier ways onto the crates and I'd be fine with it, or it could have both of those and I'd be fine with it, but ithas none of those things, and I'm not fine with it.
And I don't see how Mackerel is favorable for Chargers, to be honest.
Allow me to explain how chargers do so well on this map. The fact that it is so cramped with straight corridors is the reason. This is the golden rule of any weapon: less room to move = easier to hit. It is especially effective with chargers because they outrange everything and can just 'pop' enemies. The cramped corridors just favour that kind of weapon especially since they are straight. Chargers ink turf the best when the turf to be inked is narrow and straight. Try it. They ink the fastest and most consistent (ie. the least amount of holes in the ink) out of any weapon class
 
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meleesplatter

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meleebrawler
Honestly I love it for Turf War for how it makes you be aware of all the pathways else you'll get flanked. I don't mind it for Splat Zones because its similar to Turf War but stalemates just happen a little too often because the zones are so close to spawn. On Tower Control I really dislike it. I don't mind compact maps but Tower Control is brutal is how cramped it is. Plus, it heavily favours .52 gal which in itself isn't bad but I honestly think its kinda broken. I know one person's experience does not necessarily indicate 'broken' but I won every single game I had on Port with the .52 gal which was a decent 8 or so. Splash Wall and killer wail just shuts down all of what the opposition can do.

Edit:

Allow me to explain how chargers do so well on this map. The fact that it is so cramped with straight corridors is the reason. This is the golden rule of any weapon: less room to move = easier to hit. It is especially effective with chargers because they outrange everything and can just 'pop' enemies. The cramped corridors just favour that kind of weapon especially since they are straight. Chargers ink turf the best when the turf to be inked is narrow and straight. Try it. They ink the fastest and most consistent (ie. the least amount of holes in the ink) out of any weapon class
This is why I highly favour bringing echolocator to this map: knowing where the enemy is in the hallways while they don't is a huge advantage. Though the narrowness of the corridors is pretty annoying for rollers, despite the potential for surprise rollovers; the walls tend to block your spray, especially dynamo.
 

AtmosJake

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Aug 7, 2015
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Breakfastfoods
This is by far my favorite map. Especially for Splat Zones. If you stay back at your team's splat zone, if feels like your defending your own little castle. And if you go for the other team's, it feels like your storming one. It's so much fun.
 

aceofscarabs

Inkling Fleet Admiral
Joined
Aug 16, 2015
Messages
606
Location
Singapore
Brush users can harass amazingly well on this map. Octobrush users can sneak Squid Beakons in tricky places, canny Inkbrush users can do the same with Sprinklers, Noveau users can deny lanes with Ink Mines, and if you're quick you can circle around and flank enemies who don't check their six.

You can easily rush the laterals to set up ink lanes for your team's Splating to set up flanking positions from the top and drop Sprinklers from above, plus it gives reasonable cover for an uninterrupted early Inkstrike if you somehow build one while finishing up your Special up on the sides.
 

Las7

Semi-Pro Squid
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Jun 8, 2015
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Las7man
Twas my favorite map on Splat Zones but I don't like it as much in Tower Control and still haven't played it in Rainmaker. I'm guessing it's going to better in Rainmaker since it does allow you to not just go one set map and it's actually the one map that favors the person carrying the rainmaker, he could pretty much hold one path until he dies and as long as his team mates do their tasks the other team cannot even get closed to the rainmaker.

On other maps I've seen for example on Rig the person with the Rainmaker retreat into the back of the map once you are ahead just to ensure the other team has no way of winning in the last 30 seconds. On the Port you could shut down the entire map with 2 chargers and a the person with the Rainmaker should make for some interesting Rainmaker games especially in the last 30 seconds.
 

aceofscarabs

Inkling Fleet Admiral
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Aug 16, 2015
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606
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Speaking of Splash Walls on this map, you can use them to funnel opponents into lanes that are covered by your teammates.

Earlier in Turf War, I ran into a Splash Wall user who used it to herd my teammates into his partner who had a .52 GAL and ambushed them as they circled around.
 

Sol64

The RNG God of /r/Splatoon
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May 9, 2015
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459
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London
Twas my favorite map on Splat Zones but I don't like it as much in Tower Control and still haven't played it in Rainmaker.
Same here, I've usually been able to recklessly push into their zones all the time especially when the enemy team has both zones and always expects the team to challenge the zone they're all defending (at the front) so I will usually sneak to the back causing them to retreat and then I kill them on sight and reverse the game.

Many people dislike it for some reason. I've also yet to play Rm on it but i've watched it on steam and it seems really hectic.
 

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