Rainmaker: Two possible issues

[unforgiven]

Hello there,

I tried the new Rainmaker mode, it's very fun. But after playing and watching a few streams, I see two issues with it.

1. The goals and the Rainmaker are too close from one another. This problem mostly because one of them isn't placed properly, not both. The goal should be close to the enemy team's spawn point to allow them to come back after being splatted.

Saltspray Rig

The location of the Rainmaker could be further back. The area I'm proposing isn't used at all and I feel it should be.
Plus, it would make the trip longer and the players will have a reason to use the alternative ways to reach the new Rainmaker location.

​

Camp Triggerfish

This location of the goals are quite isolated. With the long respawn time, the defending team will have a very hard time catching up the attacking team.

​

2. Squid Mode makes teamwork irrelevant
Being allowed to move in squid mode bring two problems.

First, you can move very fast to the goal. Because you have a very powerful weapon, you can get to the goal fast by yourself if you score two or three splats. If you were limited to just walking (or something a bit faster than walking), teamwork would play a more important role.

Second, you can stay hidden at all time if you choose to. The player who has the Rainmaker should be visible at all time. Even if there's a marker on him, he should be visible even in squid mode. In Unreal CTF, any flag bringer has a colored glow that will allow the defending team to find him if he's hiding.

I know this one is quite debatable, because of the map designs and the game mechanics like wall climbing and slopes.
So I guess my proposition would be you're allowed to walk or move slower in squid mode.

Blackbelly Skatepark

Both goals and Rainmaker have good positioning, but the games can be very quick because of squid mode.

​

These are just my impressions and I speak from past competitive experiences. I haven't played the other maps in Rainmaker. What are your thoughts? Do you see balancing issues in Rainmaker?

 

[StaffofSmashing]

Bubbler needs to be nerfed in Rainmaker.

Seriously. I can use a Junior and 9-0 a team (and I have) with 2 special charge ups because bubbler.

 

[Dreamy Luigi]

Squid mode isn't a problem, the Rainmaker doesn't need to be more defenseless than it already is. Call me crazy but the Rainmaker is useless, it barely covers the ground, it doesn't go very far, and it moves slow. For it being charged, it barely having range makes no sense, and it's fairly easy to dodge it if you're not trapped between two walls. If it went father or moved faster, either (both would make it too strong), I'd appreciate the mode more.

 

[BluEyes]

Once you bear the rainmaker for 60 seconds it explodes and splats you or anyone near its blast radius. Therefore rainmakers primary purpose is to ink your path as it has a very far range. Using it as a weapon slows you down. There is absolutely no point getting a couple of kills in the expense of advancing. I have been guilty of this many times. I played it like an inkzooka. Since your are going to get splatted anyway, might as well die nearer to your goal and give your team the advantage. Thats how i approach this game.

 

[SlimyQuagsire]

Second, you can stay hidden at all time if you choose to. The player who has the Rainmaker should be visible at all time. Even if there's a marker on him, he should be visible even in squid mode. In Unreal CTF, any flag bringer has a colored glow that will allow the defending team to find him if he's hiding.

There is a glow on the rainmaker holder.

 

[Dish]

Um if you look at you game pad it shows you where the rainmaker is LOL. so it is important you have excellent map awareness or else you're gonna walk into something nasty.

 

[[Obnoxshush/Dasshizer]]

Bubbler needs to be nerfed in Rainmaker.

Seriously. I can use a Junior and 9-0 a team (and I have) with 2 special charge ups because bubbler.

I don't know if this is true or not, but I don't think you can use the bubbler when you're holding the rainmaker no matter how many times your shielded team mate tires to make it work.

 

[CutestFish]

There's more maps this mode works really poorly on then maps it works well on, and this is due largely to the fact that the objective is traveled with the players, and players can be really scummy individuals.

Also the framerate problems can get dramatic on large maps.

 

[ILikeKirbys]

I don't know if this is true or not, but I don't think you can use the bubbler when you're holding the rainmaker no matter how many times your shielded team mate tires to make it work.

You can't. Not even if you pop Bubbler before grabbing the Rainmaker. I've tried it, the Bubbler stops protecting you (and presumably any teammates you passed it to, if it's your Bubbler) when you grab the golden tornado fish. Probably just a balance thing.

Squid mode isn't a problem, the Rainmaker doesn't need to be more defenseless than it already is. Call me crazy but the Rainmaker is useless, it barely covers the ground, it doesn't go very far, and it moves slow. For it being charged, it barely having range makes no sense, and it's fairly easy to dodge it if you're not trapped between two walls. If it went father or moved faster, either (both would make it too strong), I'd appreciate the mode more.

Ah, I wouldn't say it's useless, just that it's not that great as a weapon. But it's not really a weapon so much as it is a flag to be escorted to the goal pillar-tower-volcano-thingy, and its attack functions accordingly: it's only good from a distance and charged, and even there despite its wide and tall shots it's not good for splatting foes generally (slow enough to be dodged reliably at range unless you're trapped or possibly Disruptor'd), but rather for inking a path for yourself when your teammates are dealing with enemies or just elsewhere or making distant enemies move (preferably into an easier place to splat them for your teammates). The Rainmaker requires teammates to work well, but really that's for the best; it's supposed to be a teamplay-oriented mode (at least I think so), with the teammates dropping foes and inking paths for the Rainmaker carrier, who rushes toward the goal and attacks more to clear paths and scare off Chargers than to actually splat enemies. At least, that's what I think. Could be wrong.

There's more maps this mode works really poorly on then maps it works well on, and this is due largely to the fact that the objective is traveled with the players, and players can be really scummy individuals.

Yeah, this is true. How would you fix it, though?
Also, what stages work well with Rainmaker? I think I can guess the stages it's not so good for, Saltspray is a stellar example to me, but which stages are good for it? Based on my own experiences, I want to say Blackbelly and Triggerfish, but I can't come up with any others.

 

[Manta]

In camp triggerfish, your image isn't what the map actually looks like in Rainmaker. From the spawn there is a way to reach the goal without going down and then climbing the wall.

 

[Manta]

Also the framerate problems can get dramatic on large maps.

What framerate problems? I've done several 4vs4s on Camp Triggerfish and Moray and had some pretty chaotic moments and never had any noticeable drops.

 

[SlimyQuagsire]

What framerate problems? I've done several 4vs4s on Camp Triggerfish and Moray and had some pretty chaotic moments and never had any noticeable drops.

I've had more drastic drops playing Rainmaker than all of my other Sploon playtime before. On Moray, too. It's a thing.

And I've played Splatoon a lot.

 

[TheMH]

Skatepark is actually pretty bad in Rainmaker. You can literally win the game in the first 30 seconds here if your team manages to get more kills than the other in the first encounter. Nintendo needs to block this path right through the center here asap.

Also camping strategies got huge already. I have seen people getting an early lead on Rig and then camping all the rest of the match in the north area. Well, at least this area is put to a use in another mode than turf finally, but it feels a little fishy.

I still like the mode currently, just because I haven't lost a single ranked match on my way to S today lol (and yes, I was in an A+/S lobby...)

 

[Manta]

I've had more drastic drops playing Rainmaker than all of my other Sploon playtime before. On Moray, too. It's a thing.

And I've played Splatoon a lot.

Just passed the 100 hour mark and I've never had any big framerate drops, like ever.

 

[Captain Norris]

Just passed the 100 hour mark and I've never had any big framerate drops, like ever.

he... I am at 215+ :D

 

[sammich]

Bubbler needs to be nerfed in Rainmaker.

Seriously. I can use a Junior and 9-0 a team (and I have) with 2 special charge ups because bubbler.

but i use bubbler and it feels almost useless because the rainmaker can't use or receive its benefits.
what DOES feel more overpowered is splash wall that allows rainmaker to charge a blast in complete safety.
and killer whale that clears a mostly-safe area for rainmaker to travel down.

 

[Typhlosion09]

Skatepark is actually pretty bad in Rainmaker. You can literally win the game in the first 30 seconds here if your team manages to get more kills than the other in the first encounter. Nintendo needs to block this path right through the center here asap.

Also camping strategies got huge already. I have seen people getting an early lead on Rig and then camping all the rest of the match in the north area. Well, at least this area is put to a use in another mode than turf finally, but it feels a little fishy.

I still like the mode currently, just because I haven't lost a single ranked match on my way to S today lol (and yes, I was in an A+/S lobby...)

Lol I made my way to S today too and also the one time our opponents attempted that strategy on saltspray we got through their defense, forced overtime, and hiked all the way back to get it past 7 to win.

While I was very lucky in this case I still don't think this is a good thing. Being able to get a big first push and then play defense the next 4 minutes is boring and frankly stupid, not to mention it's possible on most maps. I've played every stage so far except bluefin, and all 9 can do this with good skill and teamwork

 

[unforgiven]

Squid mode isn't a problem, the Rainmaker doesn't need to be more defenseless than it already is. Call me crazy but the Rainmaker is useless, it barely covers the ground, it doesn't go very far, and it moves slow. For it being charged, it barely having range makes no sense, and it's fairly easy to dodge it if you're not trapped between two walls. If it went father or moved faster, either (both would make it too strong), I'd appreciate the mode more.

After trying Moray Towers it feels like the issue about squid mode is pretty much meaningless.
I guess it really depends on the map we're playing on.

There is a glow on the rainmaker holder.

Even in squid mode? I usually pay attention to the countdown over the user.

 

[Captain Norris]

Even in squid mode? I usually pay attention to the countdown over the user.

Yes it does.

 

[ThatsSo]

I think it's pretty clear the stages so far haven't been made with rainmaker in mind. Hopefully future stages will be.