The new drop system in ranked sucks

Thanks 5cczyyyn121w​!
 
It gets really tricky when we get to anecdotes and making claims on behalf of everyone else, because then we're just trading stories about people that do or do not like the system. If I pull up threads of people enjoying it, that doesn't invalidate the feedback from those that don't, right? The feedback's much more meaningful when it's just your own personal experiences with the system.

There are absolutely other metrics and ways to gauge how much people are engaging with this mode or enjoying it in general, but for our purposes here on the forums, the specific personal points you've made are by far the most valuable thing for us to pass along.

From my experience there are always a couple teams nearby at drop, so games actually going 10 minutes without a fight have been exceedingly rare, which is why I was wondering what situations you've been seeing that in. Thanks for the added details!

What I'm gathering here is that you personally prefer to (at least have the option to) hot drop so you can get into a fight pretty much immediately, at least knowing there are enemies looting the same POI. There's a huge difference between taking 2 minutes and having space to loot semi-securely before taking a fight versus just having to pick up the first weapon you see because someone's hot on your tail.

Even with the space between those two situations, I'd still consider both of those the complete other end of the spectrum from the actual 10 minute "looting simulator" games, completely understandable.

People that want to rat and drop safe can still do that on free choice drops, there is no one stopping them.

Out of curiosity, how did you feel about having teammates split off at drop instead of sticking with the team? Sure, someone that wanted to drop safe didn't have to follow their team into a hot drop. The choice may have been there, but in my experience it was usually a false choice and your match was essentially over in those situations. That also doesn't feel great, so ideally there's a middle ground.

Both dropping safe and hot can be viable strategies for ranked and players should be free to choose what they want and not what you want them to do.

Great way to sum it up. Thanks for the feedback and chat!

First let me start by saying that I agree with you about preset drops being a bad idea. I don't play a lot of ranked to begin with, but once in a while I'll give it a go. Usually when they've made some controversial change. Like this season. And I too hate it. But EA_Mako​ is right to point out that many people have seen this in ALGS and asked for it in the game. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around whether it's a specific type of player who likes it or a different specific type who hates it, but that's all beside the point. I get that the people in favor of it like the more controlled pacing and the fact that it makes it easier for the team to stick together. Or harder for them to wander apart. But many an autocrat has used the argument that things will be better for more if they wrest choice from the individual. In some rare cases that may even be true. What is always true is that if a player has choice and makes a bad one then that's on him and no one else. If an autocrat takes my choice away and makes it for me... and makes a bad one then I just leave and go find somewhere else to exercise my free will. In this case, pubs and Wildcard. So no real loss to the developer. But there's still a principle involved. It's still a bad idea. And unfortunately this is an example of a bad idea that has a big impact. As does the squad elimination mechanic in Wildcard (and previously in other LTMs). These two changes are, in my best guess, something you will see adopted into the main game across the board over time. Probably within the next few seasons. They've been flirting with these changes too hard for too long to have them not become the norm. And that, imo, is bad for the game. On both points.

Second:

"Apex is a fast-paced action shooter and the gameplay should reflect that."

I couldn't let that go without two cents. Apex is not definitively a fast-paced action shooter. It's a shooter that uses battle royale mechanics as its primary game mode. And the beauty of battle royale, imo, is that the pacing is variable depending on a lot of different factors, but primarily position, timer, and the discretion of the individual player. In fact, a lot of players would argue, as you have, that the game is too slow and needs help to speed it up. To which I would reply, "Please go play mixtape or Wildcard, and leave battle royale to the patient."  So many people in this game seem to feel entitled to a certain number of engagements per minute and/or a guarantee that they can engage when and where they want without interference from third parties. And the truth is that neither of these things is a feature of battle royale. A match MIGHT be perfectly paced, but more often than not it isn't. And I'm not sure you can ask for faster pacing without crossing the "less third partying" crowd. For whom this change was (mistakenly) made.

I guess where I'm going with this is: Ask for the game to be any way you would like it to be, but be careful which arguments you marshal behind your opinion. Sometimes, as in this case, they make the argument in favor of the opposite opinion as well.