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Overwatch |OT11| Have Mercy

antitrop

Member

DEVELOPER - Blizzard Entertainment | RELEASE DATE - May 24, 2016 | PLATFORMS - PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
                                                Thanks to Azoor for the title and Dance Inferno for the text!​


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Content and Events:


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Overwatch is Blizzard's first new IP in 19 years and is a multiplayer FPS that pits two teams of 6 against each other in short, objective-based modes. The game is available on next-gen consoles and PC and currently has 4 multiplayer modes: 3 asymmetrical (one team attacks, one team defends) and 1 symmetrical (king of the hill). There are 22 heroes, each with unique abilities to choose from and fitting a specific role: Offense, Defense, Support, and Tank. Heroes have 2-3 abilities and an ultimate, which is charged up by doing damage to enemy heroes (it also charges up slowly over time). All abilities function on a cooldown and do not cost any resources to use, so you are free to use your abilities whenever they are off cooldown. There is also no ammo to pick up or run out of. You do have to reload when your clip runs out, but you have an unlimited supply of ammo. This helps focus the players on playing the objective rather than rationing their ammo during intense firefights.

What makes Overwatch unique is its hero selection and the ability to switch heroes in the middle of a game. This allows teams to change tactics on the fly as a match is progressing, and often a change in team composition can be the impetus for breaking through a defending team's chokepoint or halting an attacking team's push!​

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Overwatch takes place in a fictionalized version of Earth, in which humanity lives alongside a race of robots called the Omnics. However, this peace was not to last. 30 years before the start of the game, the Omnics, many of whom were military peacekeeping robots, went rogue and turned against humanity. This marked the beginning of the Omnic Crisis.

In response, the United Nations scoured the world for the best that humanity could offer and formed an elite strike team called Overwatch. With its strength and expertise, Overwatch managed to beat back the Omnics and end the Omnic Crisis. This ushered in a new era in which Overwatch expanded into a global peacekeeping force, operating all over the world. Over the next 30 years, Overwatch grew to become a vast coalition of the world's best soldiers and scientists and was revered all over the planet.

Under the surface, however, cracks were beginning to form. Accusations of human rights abuses began to surface, strife between members of the group led to an internal civil war, and a UN investigation along with an explosion at the Swiss headquarters led to Overwatch being officially disbanded. The world had lost the organization that saved it so many years ago, and all its members went their separate ways...

Until now. The world is once again in peril. Dark forces threaten world peace. The world needs its heroes. Are you ready?

Click on the images for links to the animated shorts / comics.








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Overwatch launched with 12 maps split across 4 competitive modes. All future maps will be free to everyone who owns the game.

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Attackers have to capture point A, which the defenders must defend. If point A is captured, the defenders fall back to point B and the attackers get a time extension. If point B is captured, the attackers win. If time runs out, the defenders win.

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Attackers must escort a payload from the beginning of the map to the end. The payload only moves when attackers are nearby; it stops moving as soon as a defender stands near it. Each map has a number of checkpoints that give the attackers a time extension. If the clock reaches zero, the defenders win.

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A combination of the Assault and Escort modes. The attacking team must capture a point that is protected by the defending team. If the point is captured, a payload is spawned and must be escorted to the end of the map. Time is extended upon point capture and upon the payload reaching checkpoints within the map.

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The only symmetrical mode in Overwatch. Two teams fight to control a central location on the map. Once it is captured, it slowly ticks up from 0 to 100 for the team that holds it. Whichever team reaches 100 first wins the round. Each map has 3 different rounds set in different areas of the map, and the mode is best of 3.​

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Heroes are separated into 4 categories, but you will likely see all kinds of heroes in all kinds of matches. In other words, don't be surprised to see defense heroes on offense, and offense heroes on defense. Overwatch is designed first and foremost around its heroes, and the interplay between them is what creates the most hectic and fun situations in the game! Certain heroes will also speak to each other in-game, revealing their personal histories and the lore of the Overwatch universe as you play! All future heroes will be free to everyone who owns the game.

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These are heroes that specialize in doing damage and taking out the enemy team. You will want them on offense to break through chokepoints and capture the objective, but you may also want a few on defense in order to hold back the attacking team.

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These are the heroes that specialize in zone denial, long range damage, or fortifying an area. Basically, their job is to make it difficult for the attacking team to advance. However, don't be surprised to see them on attack, as their crowd control abilities can be useful in many situations.

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These are the damage sponges, the initiators, and the front line fighters. They take damage so their team doesn't have to, and they allow their teammates to flank and do their jobs more effectively. Every team needs a good tank if it hopes to successfully withstand a match.

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Don't call them healers! Yes, support characters provide healing, but in Overwatch they are so much more than just that! In addition to putting out decent damage, supports can provide AOE speed boosts to help teams reach objectives quicker, fly around the level providing damage buffs to their damage dealers, and set up mini-turrets that damage and slow enemies. Don't be afraid to give them a shot; these are some of the most fun heroes in the game!

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  • PRACTICE RANGE - Visit a training area and experiment with your abilities against practice bots. Use this mode to hone your skills or learn a new hero
  • PLAY/PRACTICE VS A.I. - Play against AI-controlled opponents on any map you choose. Use these modes to try out different maps and learn how multiple heroes work
  • QUICK PLAY - Square off against other players at your skill level.
  • CUSTOM GAME - Change the rules of the game with custom modifiers (like disallowing heroes, increasing Ultimate ability charge rate, etc.).
  • ARCADE - Experimental matches with unique and seasonal rules, plus weekly rewards!
  • COMPETITIVE PLAY - Compete against other players and work your way up the ranks.

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As you play games you earn XP, which is applied to your profile after every game. You earn 4 XP for every second you are active in a game, as well as an XP bonus for the highest medal earned in a match. A gold medal is worth 150 XP, a silver medal is worth 100 XP, and a bronze medal is worth 50 XP. If you receive multiple medals, you will only get an XP bonus for the highest medal earned. For example, if you earned 3 gold medals, 1 silver medal, and 1 bronze medal, you will only receive an XP bonus of 150 XP. You also receive a 500 XP bonus if you win a match, a 250 XP bonus if you lose a match, a 200 XP bonus if you complete consecutive games in the same lobby, a 1,500 XP bonus for your first win of the day, and a 20% multiplier to all XP gained in a match if you're grouped up with friends. You do not gain any XP if you quit a match before it ends.

Every time your profile levels up, you unlock a loot box which contains 4 random cosmetic items. These can include skins, voice lines, sprays, victory poses, profile images, and Play of the Game intros. In typical Blizzard fashion there are rarity tiers for each cosmetic item, which range from common (white) to legendary (orange). You can also sometimes get credits in a loot box, either as its own drop or as the result of a duplicate item. Credits can be used to purchase any cosmetic item for any character, and prices for items vary based on rarity. At the high end, you will need 1,000 credits to purchase a legendary skin.

At low levels, leveling up is quick. The amount of XP required to level up increases up until you hit level 23, at which point it remains constant until you hit level 100. You will receive a new portrait frame every 10 levels. At level 100 you are ”promoted," which gives you a new portrait frame theme and resets your level. Your cosmetic items are never reset. Overwatch also has achievements, which can be earned for performing various tasks in-game. Certain achievements will unlock general and hero-specific sprays that can be equipped.​

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When you have reached at least level 25, you can join Competitive Play. After playing 10 placement matches, you are given an initial Skill Rating. You then spend the rest of the season trying to climb as high in the rankings as possible. Rewards are given at the end of each season for participating and based on your peak Skill Rating.

Welcome to Season 6 of Competitive Play

Key Differences from Quick Play:
  • Teams take turns attacking/defending on asymmetrical maps
  • Control (KOTH) was BO5, later changed to BO3 to save time
 

Veelk

Banned
I did not realize I was so salty as to be the 4th most frequent post.

I apologize to all of the overwatch community.
 
Its dwindling in competitive mode at least. wait times are long as hell

I have not played since before Doomfist was added just to spite the guy who said not to play Overwatch and got a PotG with Zarya and a win in my first competitive match that I found so fast, I didn't have a chance to browse what arcade games were available to play.
 
Yup, stay far away. Go play a game that's actually good.

I'm just killing time until South Park and Super Mario Odyssey come out at this point. It's laughable at how bad competitive, matchmaking, and pretty much everything about the game has become.
 
I have not played since before Doomfist was added just to spite the guy who said not to play Overwatch and got a PotG with Zarya and a win in my first competitive match that I found so fast, I didn't have a chance to browse what arcade games were available to play.

Either you got lucky or it varies depending on rank

This game is ass and this thread is only worth it because icecold is the only one fighting back against you guys

Im the hero they need
 

TrueBlue

Member
Fuck it, I'll be positive.

17 months on and I still really enjoy playing Overwatch. I'd go as far to say that no other game has grabbed me to the extent Overwatch has. As someone who generally avoids multiplayer FPSes, this is a pretty impressive feat.

I'm not sure why OW has struck such a chord. It might be the fun and memorable cast of the characters, or it might be the variety of playstyles that said characters support. It might be the events that allow the game to cut loose, or the skins that scratch that customisation itch.

Of course, this game has flaws. Anyone who lurks the OT will see that they are discussed with an insight that I am mostly incapable of matching. Game balance, community toxicity and lack of features are very tangible issues that will hopefully be addressed.

But I'll contend that OW at its best is a fantastic time. I suppose I should count myself lucky as a console player that I've almost completely avoided OW at its worst - but there you are. The fandom outside the game also seems to be generally lovely, FWIW.

If anyone is on the fence, take advantage of a free weekend and give it a shot.
 

Chance

Member
Fuck it, I'll be positive.

17 months on and I still really enjoy playing Overwatch. I'd go as far to say that no other game has grabbed me to the extent Overwatch has. As someone who generally avoids FPSes, this is a pretty impressive feat.

I'm not sure why OW has struck such a chord. It might be the fun and memorable cast of the characters, or it might be the variety of playstyles that said characters support. It might be the events that allow the game to cut loose, or the skins that scratch that customisation itch.

Of course, this game has flaws. Anyone who lurks the OT will see that they are discussed with an insight that I am mostly incapable of matching. Game balance, community toxicity and lack of features are very tangible issues that will hopefully be addressed.

But I'll contend that OW at its best is a fantastic time. I suppose I should count myself lucky as a console player that I've almost completely avoided OW at its worst - but there you are The fandom outside the game also seems to be generally lovely, FWIW.

If anyone is on the fence, take advantage of a free weekend and give it a shot.

This is very much my experience. I tried and failed for literal decades to enjoy multiplayer shooters until Overwatch happened.

My distaste for the genre was so established that my opinion of Overwatch was merely that it would be more successful than Battleborn and Lawbreakers (hah!), but I was feeling down one day and bought it on a lark and my gaming expenses have taken a complete nosedive in the year since.

I'm either playing Overwatch or something really special like Horizon.
 
or it might be the variety of playstyles that said characters support.

It's this for me.

No customization or unlocking abilites too. This was my first and only online fps for those reasons.

I look at other online FPS in the market and I just can't get their appeal, not for me.

Glad this game exists even though comp can be depressing.
 

CaptNink

Member
Fuck it, I'll be positive.

17 months on and I still really enjoy playing Overwatch. I'd go as far to say that no other game has grabbed me to the extent Overwatch has. As someone who generally avoids multiplayer FPSes, this is a pretty impressive feat.

I'm not sure why OW has struck such a chord. It might be the fun and memorable cast of the characters, or it might be the variety of playstyles that said characters support. It might be the events that allow the game to cut loose, or the skins that scratch that customisation itch.

Of course, this game has flaws. Anyone who lurks the OT will see that they are discussed with an insight that I am mostly incapable of matching. Game balance, community toxicity and lack of features are very tangible issues that will hopefully be addressed.

But I'll contend that OW at its best is a fantastic time. I suppose I should count myself lucky as a console player that I've almost completely avoided OW at its worst - but there you are. The fandom outside the game also seems to be generally lovely, FWIW.

If anyone is on the fence, take advantage of a free weekend and give it a shot.

I feel exactly the same way! Thanks for the positive post!
 

ISOM

Member
I don't know why so many people who hate the game and don't play it anymore still stick around in the Overwatch community thread saying how much they hate the game. It makes no sense and is just annoying for the rest of us who still enjoy it. There are tons of stuff that irritate me about the game but I still enjoy it. And if I didn't enjoy Overwatch anymore, I wouldn't stay around their community thread. This is getting fucking weird.

I'm at the point where I'll start reporting people to the mods who stick around after saying they quit the game just to say how much they still hate the game.
 

rulerk1

Member
i think im just gonna make third troll account just so i can experiment now that i care about my second account. These matches are just so bad now. I was never like this prior to the event.
 
i think im just gonna make third troll account just so i can experiment now that i care about my second account. These matches are just so bad now. I was never like this prior to the event.

I'm really tempted to make an alt account just to see where I actually end up placed without my bad starting MMR.

I've now completed the descent into Gold hell, where people think Doomfist and Bastion are a good choice for Defense and the Bastion sits right next to the door to try and get some sweet flanks. How low can I go while I'm actually trying? I wonder if I can make it to Silver before the season's over.
 

Chance

Member
I'm really tempted to make an alt account just to see where I actually end up placed without my bad starting MMR.

I've now completed the descent into Gold hell, where people think Doomfist and Bastion are a good choice for Defense and the Bastion sits right next to the door to try and get some sweet flanks. How low can I go while I'm actually trying? I wonder if I can make it to Silver before the season's over.

At lower ranks, though, isn't Bastion not the worst choice on defense? Give him a shield and a healer and he's gonna' have a ball.
 

Sec0nd

Member
Fuck it, I'll be positive.

17 months on and I still really enjoy playing Overwatch. I'd go as far to say that no other game has grabbed me to the extent Overwatch has. As someone who generally avoids multiplayer FPSes, this is a pretty impressive feat.

I'm not sure why OW has struck such a chord. It might be the fun and memorable cast of the characters, or it might be the variety of playstyles that said characters support. It might be the events that allow the game to cut loose, or the skins that scratch that customisation itch.

Of course, this game has flaws. Anyone who lurks the OT will see that they are discussed with an insight that I am mostly incapable of matching. Game balance, community toxicity and lack of features are very tangible issues that will hopefully be addressed.

But I'll contend that OW at its best is a fantastic time. I suppose I should count myself lucky as a console player that I've almost completely avoided OW at its worst - but there you are. The fandom outside the game also seems to be generally lovely, FWIW.

If anyone is on the fence, take advantage of a free weekend and give it a shot.

Great post. There have been very few games that I've played this gen that I would call fantastic and that I will remember during the next generation. But Overwatch is definitely one of them.

I remember not even being remotely interested in this game. My roommate brought it home on release day and I was seriously asking why he wasted his money on something like that. I stayed and watched a bit. I looked decent. Than I played a few rounds and I was absolutely hooked. Went to the store the second it opened the next day. Now it takes up the majority of my gaming time. And almost always play it a couple of times a week. I've tried playing other games but every time I played something else there is this voice in the back of my head... "You could be playing Overwatch...".

I'd say the game is incredibly balanced for the sheer complexity of it all. And I appreciate all the hard work the dev team puts into it to make it even better. It's just a shame that the community often works hard to try to diminish the amount of fun that you can have. Smurf accounts probably being the most annoying. But that's not something Blizzard can really fix.
 

Data West

coaches in the WNBA
There's absolutely no point in turning the OP into a Wiki, when Overwatch Wiki already exists. It's not worth the effort.

Any purpose having all that basic info in the OP served a year and a half ago is redundant, at this point.

It's not really asking a lot to have the maps and heroes listed. Even the basic site does that, not the wiki.
 

pizzacat

Banned
To all you positive weirdos see you in the inhouse on Sunday come show me how much you like this game, it happens every Sunday at 5pm est

Add dvaritos#1307 or ireadmanga#2895
 

Chance

Member
I've tried playing other games but every time I played something else there is this voice in the back of my head... "You could be playing Overwatch...".

This. The only games I've finished in 2017 are Sundered (excellent!), Horizon Zero Dawn (GotY!) and Gravity Rush 2 (my preferred Magical Girl Action Simulator). Every other attempt at another game has resulted in it being put aside because I could be playing Overwatch.
 

Veelk

Banned
This. The only games I've finished in 2017 are Sundered (excellent!), Horizon Zero Dawn (GotY!) and Gravity Rush 2 (my preferred Magical Girl Action Simulator). Every other attempt at another game has resulted in it being put aside because I could be playing Overwatch.

I've been trying and failing to finish Wolfenstein the last 3 weeks in preparation for the sequel.

I don't really understand how murdering nazi's can not hold my attention long enough to complete the game, but when overwatch calls, you answer.
 
At lower ranks, though, isn't Bastion not the worst choice on defense? Give him a shield and a healer and he's gonna' have a ball.

Yeah, except he literally sat at the spawn of the attacking team and despite all of us telling him to group up on the point, he tried to get a surprise pick all by himself. To be fair, he did, but Mercy just immediately rezzed the pick and then he died leaving us 6-5 for the first team fight, which we lost, of course.
 

antitrop

Member
It's not really asking a lot to have the maps and heroes listed. Even the basic site does that, not the wiki.

I'm far more inclined to just erase all the redundant marketing material from the original OP than to add any more to it.

We're on OT11, people don't need to know that Winston is a hero in the game or what Loot Boxes are, anymore. As it is, the OP is pretty close to the character limit allowed for a single post, anyway.
 

Blues1990

Member
Fuck it, I'll be positive.

17 months on and I still really enjoy playing Overwatch. I'd go as far to say that no other game has grabbed me to the extent Overwatch has. As someone who generally avoids multiplayer FPSes, this is a pretty impressive feat.

I'm not sure why OW has struck such a chord. It might be the fun and memorable cast of the characters, or it might be the variety of playstyles that said characters support. It might be the events that allow the game to cut loose, or the skins that scratch that customisation itch.

Of course, this game has flaws. Anyone who lurks the OT will see that they are discussed with an insight that I am mostly incapable of matching. Game balance, community toxicity and lack of features are very tangible issues that will hopefully be addressed.

But I'll contend that OW at its best is a fantastic time. I suppose I should count myself lucky as a console player that I've almost completely avoided OW at its worst - but there you are. The fandom outside the game also seems to be generally lovely, FWIW.

If anyone is on the fence, take advantage of a free weekend and give it a shot.

I'm still enjoying the game, and the friends that I've introduced Overwatch to (during the last free weekend) are having a blast with it (PS4/XBO). One of my pals will be joining me in April for the Uprising event, as Player VS. Horde is his jam.

It also helps that the Halloween Terror Horde mode has returned, which I'm having a bast with.

You used my suggestion, yay!

"Maximum Mada" is still on the table, no?
 

TrueBlue

Member
I think I would best describe OW as my "go-to" game. I've focused on games like Zelda, Horizon and Persona 5 this year, investing many hourz into them.

But once I'm done, I just go back to Overwatch. The same will probably happen when Mario drops in a fortnight.

I almost feel bad for my copy of Splatoon 2 lol.
 
Oh, I forgot to mention the guy who spent the entire time bitching about how he hates that everyone instalocks DPS and how shitty people are for not playing support/tank and that's why we were losing, except we only had 2 DPS the whole time and he was one of three people playing support.

This community, man.
 

Uncle AJ

Member
I don't know why so many people who hate the game and don't play it anymore still stick around in the Overwatch community thread saying how much they hate the game. It makes no sense and is just annoying for the rest of us who still enjoy it. There are tons of stuff that irritate me about the game but I still enjoy it. And if I didn't enjoy Overwatch anymore, I wouldn't stay around their community thread. This is getting fucking weird.

I'm at the point where I'll start reporting people to the mods who stick around after saying they quit the game just to say how much they still hate the game.

I can't speak for everyone, but I desperately wanted to love this game and am still holding onto a shred of hope that, one day, Blizzard will completely overhaul the experience to be consistently enjoyable (keyword being consistent). They built an incredible framework that's still salvageable. Most of us have just lost our patience after a year and a half.
 

ISOM

Member
I can't speak for everyone, but I desperately wanted to love this game and am still holding onto a shred of hope that, one day, Blizzard will completely overhaul the experience to be consistently enjoyable (keyword being consistent). They built an incredible framework that's still salvageable. Most of us have just lost our patience after a year and a half.

If you have concerns with the game that's fine but that is not what I'm complaining about.
 
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