Beta Block Wars CTF Bedrock: My thoughts

[Maomi]

I'm going to be talking about the new mechanics that were introduced to Bedrock's version of the game, and my thoughts on comparing it to the Java edition.

I'm going to be honest with you; allowing people to break open the map and farm resources kind of ruins it for me.

It makes it too similar to Lifeboat's version of the game. Too many of the mechanics don't allow the teams to defend their base properly. There's no wall at the start to block people from immediately bridging over. People don't get teleported back to spawn after build time ends, which is really jarring. I think Build time needs a higher amount of time to help each team.

Mining diamonds and iron feels alien to me. Block Wars had an excellent resource management theme in the Java edition by having limited weapon usage and limited ways to patch holes in your base.

Block Wars needs all of the kits in order for the gameplay to have replay value. The gameplay is really stale at the moment.

Players die way too quickly as well. The lack of Mining Fatigue allows the base to be crippled extremely easily.

TL;DR Most of the new mechanics in the Bedrock edition of the game are inferior to the Java edition's mechanics at the moment.

 

[Salty_Shadows]

They have to be different to Java as it uses completley different Code so it comes out differently and the mechanics of the games will have to be different

 

[ChooseyAtol9156]

Mining ores did seem a bit odd to me and in some games the players just stay there mining ores instead of helping. Kits would work better imo and building time should be a little longer. I don’t know what to say about modifying the map but it can act as a trap when players try to get the flag and fall to the void. They should also add trap blocks.

 

[Darkninja27]

Hi there
I actually like that the didn't copy the game fully. the new ore makes it fun to grind for some better gear and weapons to be able to get the enemy flag. I like that you don't get teleported back If you don't want someone to rush you you can always build a wall so that they don't just run over to your flag. I don't know if that was a bug but there is a wall at the start of the game.

I like the new blockwars and fined it refreshing to find a good strategy.

 

[Queen Ualala]

TL;DR Most of the new mechanics in the Bedrock edition of the game are inferior to the Java edition's mechanics at the moment.

I havent played too many games but it’s better than Java. Java blockwars is utter garbage.

I like blockwars on Bedrock. It’s good. It’s not perfect, but it’s not an abomination.

 

[Maomi]

I havent played too many games but it’s better than Java. Java blockwars is utter garbage.

I like blockwars on Bedrock. It’s good. It’s not perfect, but it’s not an abomination.

The Java edition of Block Wars was extremely unique and had a metagame. Not sure why it's made like it is in the Bedrock network.

 

[Maomi]

They have to be different to Java as it uses completley different Code so it comes out differently and the mechanics of the games will have to be different

The only thing that separates Bedrock from Java is 1.8 PvP, different client architecture and having less functionality.

 

[Maomi]

Testing the Bedrock version of the game for a while more. It doesn't feel as bad now that I've had time to play more of it.

I'm at a loss as to whether I want the current version to stay as it is, but I will say that I wish there were kits added, to be honest. I like using Ninja to sneak past my opponents.

 

[Eli]

There’s a reasoning behind every single change that was made to BlockWars, and I would like to give you my perspective as a Moderator that was able to help test the game and contribute with ideas.

The Problem with Java’s BlockWars​

The first time we got to test it, the game was basically identical to BlockWars. The kits, the mining fatigue, not being able to break the map, no iron generators, nothing. Our first games weren't very exciting; it was mostly left in a stalemate where no one would capture the flag, and it started getting boring quickly. You were always fighting on the same ground, respawning over and over again to traverse the same paths and die the exact same way, just like FFA.

So with this developers came to a realization after having tested the game, BlockWars needed a big change. It was made evident that copying the same game into Bedrock was not going to work. Allowing players to modify the map together with the iron generators was made with the intention of adding more gameplay variety to it.

The Changes​

And so we tested it, games weren’t stuck in a stalemate as much as before, we experimented with the iron farm since we had concerns that it would end up being too overpowered. But to my surprise, Bedrock’s style of PvP made it so iron gear isn’t really that much of an advantage. We tunnelled inside maps, and bridged under them, and overall it was a lot more fun because the possibilities became almost endless.

The game is a balance between defending and attacking, you respawn with more blocks so you can patch your defenses when the few seconds of the build phase is over.

The other smaller changes; no mining fatigue, stronger tools and smaller teams made the game a lot more exciting and fast paced; and the addition of wood blocks made us have alternate defences for our flag.

Kits are no Good​

At this point I questioned the fact that there were no kits, thinking that they were necessary since the Java version had them. But kits became unnecessary, since you were able to recollect your own resources and create your own gear. You said that kits are what bring BlockWars a replay value but I would mostly disagree, nowadays on Java you just see people using the same 2-3 kits and that’s about it.

Not to mention that kits take balancing, and usually no one is ever completely happy with a set of kits, there’s always something to change. For which it seemed much more convenient to just allow players to “create their own kits” if they wanted to, with the iron generators.

Bedrock’s BlockWars is for Bedrock​

That’s when all the big changes concluded, and they just started focusing on bugs and minor inconveniences. Hopefully having understood the process this game went through, and what took it to the point where it is now, makes you realize that wanting it to feel more like Java is just not viable. Bedrock’s BlockWars is by now a completely different game, and we should think of it as such. Bedrock has incredibly different mechanics, and a completely different demographic, having the exact same game ported over was just not going to work.