Flags.....

**.no** · 03-22-2015, 02:26 PM

Do like others, Don't level to 46 in expansion. Stay and flag with the handful that also stay for flags.

**Serancha** · 03-22-2015, 06:31 PM

I don't see how 5k / 10K flags makes one a top player. They may be eligible for the "most immune to boredom" or "biggest time waster ever" awards, but let's be honest - carrying a flag across a room that many times doesn't take skill, it just takes a hellofa lot of time.

The majority of players who got these ap, got them before the time-to-flag was increased exponentially by the "one flag at a time" insanity, and very very few of those people actually did it as intended, fighting for it. Most free flagged it. So how does this make you a good player. "In before flag change", "Free Flagging", "Other nefarious flagging methods" which made it easy for those who did it early, are no longer options for those who didn't. This means players who are new have virtually no way to get on the top player board, at least for rogue, and soon for other classes.

Personally, I got my top player banner in season 4, and was lucky that it was a pretty colour (yes, I'm vain) so I don't care about it for myself - especially since this was before the free flagger infestation of the boards (I have no respect for that kind of thing, personally). I do feel that people who are newer players should have an equal chance at all leaderboards, which is why I support the implementation of seasonal leaderboards. That way at least everyone would start at the same place each season and then it really would be whoever worked hardest THAT season, not 5 seasons earlier to secure their spot, like on the PvE kill boards, for example.

**Redezyx** · 03-22-2015, 06:45 PM

I think implementing seasonal Leaderboards is a great idea but also they should keep the all time leaderboards. I also think that sts shouldnt change anything with flags making it easier or harder it should stay the same say but like energizeric said they should remove the aps but keep the lb

**Dalmony** · 03-22-2015, 07:39 PM

Seasonal leaderboard would work for things like PVE kills, PVP kills, Flags, etc but I don't see how it would work for the top players and the top players of each class - since this is calculated by achievement points and a seasonal leaderboard would be whoever earned the most APs in that particular season: new players can earn up to 17k(ish) APs in their starting season while older players will earn maybe 1k.

That aside I do agree: If CTF was played as intended, with teams working together to be first to bring home all the flags and thus winning the game, then this AP would make sense because it would demonstrate a huge amount of skill in that area of the game. As it stands it really doesn't.

That's not to say that if the flag APs were removed or reduced to just granting a title and 0 AP, they shouldn't be replaced with some other AP which would be long a difficult to work for. Energi is saying that he wants to have something which it feels productive to work towards, not that he want all the APs he doesn't have to be removed so he can leap onto lb and then sit doing nothing in the game - that would leave him in the exact same position he is in now anyway.

There is another thread with some awesome suggestions for long term PVE Aps which could be added, and even an AP for 10 or 100 Trulle kills would hold a lot more value that any of the flag APs at this stage in the game.

**Trollish** · 03-22-2015, 11:28 PM

ill teach you.
make l1 warrior
enter ctf map
download bot maker
program bot
sit and act like your mlg as you bot your way to the top like everyone else on the leaderboard

**epicrrr** · 03-22-2015, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by Sodaisgood

I have nothing helpful to add. But i really want to say ive always wondered why people dont use ctf room to actually play ctf.. that was beyond fun in pl. It also adds that different edge.

I too dont have a clue, maybe its becaues of the games weve been exposed to before AL. I certainly enjoy pure clash head-on but maybe with the proper initiative people might start fighting for the score. I'd like to try it but the low-level bracket pvp scene does not care about who wins with flag score, we mostly like to inflict the most kill count after each clash.

Originally Posted by Serancha

I don't see how 5k / 10K flags makes one a top player. They may be eligible for the "most immune to boredom" or "biggest time waster ever" awards, but let's be honest - carrying a flag across a room that many times doesn't take skill, it just takes a hellofa lot of time.

Kinda wrong description of "most immune to boredom" or biggest time waster ever" take note that playing this game requires hand movement, so this "free flagging" thing can be the same as you running elite - which can be the same as to what youve mentioned above.

Take note that most bracket does not tolerate free flagging - as i target them when i see our flagging being taken but being in a establish guild gives you instances where you can flag until enemy guild comes.

**Avshow** · 03-23-2015, 03:53 AM

lol,i lack of flag 5k,10k aps for 4seasons.....otherwise my pve kills can make me top rogue rank 1....
i tried flag when it was easy....and gave up... there's no life if you r going for that aps..

Originally Posted by Energizeric

I've played this game as long as anyone, and have put in as much total hours as probably anyone since this game was released. I made the Top Sorcerers leaderboard in seasons 2-5. But I was stupid and last year I didn't make an effort to reach 5k or 10k flags back when flagging was easy. It just seemed totally boring.

In season 6 I got knocked off the leaderboard even though I have every other achievement besides 5k & 10k flags. So now the only way I can return to the Top Sorcerers leaderboard is to reach 5k flags. I need 1330 more flags to reach 5k. So 2 weeks ago I decided that I would worry about nothing else between now and the end of the expansion and spend all my time flagging....

Unfortunately that hasn't turned out so well. For example, tonight I played for 3 hours and got a grand total of 1 flag. It's really hard for us sorcerers, and when you enter a CTF room, you get ganged. I'm in Karma and even still I get ganged. It's pretty much impossible to get to the flag and make it back alive. So in 2 weeks of playing at least an hour per day, I got around 20 flags total. At that pace, I'm sure the game will have been discontinued before I would reach 5k.

Is it hopeless to even bother at this point? If I'm unable to compete for the leaderboard, I'd become very bored and look for another game instead where I can still compete. I feel like I've put in so much time in this game over 2 years, it's a shame that one single area holds me back from making the leaderboard.

Since nobody really plays CTF anymore (they just use the CTF room to play a completely different kind of game), I suggest removing the flag achievements. Keep the flags leaderboards for those players who still like to flag, but there's no reason to make it part of the achievement formula used for the "Top Players" leaderboard.

**Ladysophie** · 03-23-2015, 04:35 AM

Impossible means that you can not obtain something no matter how much effort you put into getting it. Difficult means you will probably have to flag 2 hours each day for 60 days like everyone else does (and did) to get the flag ap necessary to be classified as "Top", just like the 25 mages did before Energizeric to get their top mage spots on the LB.
If you can't work as hard as these 25 players did then maybe you are not worthy of being a "Top mage" or taking any of their spots afterall.

**epicrrr** · 03-23-2015, 05:37 AM

Originally Posted by Ladysophie

Impossible means that you can not obtain something no matter how much effort you put into getting it. Difficult means you will probably have to flag 2 hours each day for 60 days like everyone else does (and did) to get the flag ap necessary to be classified as "Top", just like the 25 mages did before Energizeric to get their top mage spots on the LB.
If you can't work as hard as these 25 players did then maybe you are not worthy of being a "Top mage" or taking any of their spots afterall.

Agreed. Im pretty sure those on TOP PLAYER category worked their as*es off harder than most.

**Noobx** · 03-23-2015, 05:57 AM

So you're in karma and can't happen to free flag? This is the most contradictive statement I've heard. Just call karma to make the other team leave and then call more to block those spots so you can free flag. I mean, that is what karma does, right? Ganging and spot blocking to prevent fair fights and let members free flag? Gee, step up your game. If you can't beat em, just call karma. Simple as that. Surely all the "pros" will be happy to spot block for you while you flag

**Candylicks** · 03-23-2015, 06:29 AM

Maybe people are ganging you because they know your name. Just change it to a random and save it on an alt and try to play more anonymously. And say 'flagging' when you go in and generally people will leave you alone.

**Alhuntrazeck** · 03-23-2015, 10:16 AM

Why would you want to free flag though. Fight for your APs. Think of it this way - you want flags, they want kills. Everybody's selfish.

**Serillia** · 03-23-2015, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Alhuntrazeck

Why would you want to free flag though. Fight for your APs. Think of it this way - you want flags, they want kills. Everybody's selfish.

Flag's hurt you too. So you're essentially fighting 2 people if another guy attacks. 2vs1 Not Cool Bro!

**Remiem** · 03-23-2015, 01:29 PM

This is a very interesting conversation and one that does bring up some interesting thoughts about AL and how PvP (CTF in particular) is played. At this time we don't have any plans to make changes to the existing AP's, but I will definitely keep this in mind to discuss with the team in the future as a bigger part of the state of AL PvP. Thanks all.

I'm going to close this one up now.