Sheep Tag Community

/agree

CTF - I've only played this a couple times, but the fact that people who aren't very good at all in ST (Wrda?) are considered top players makes me think that CTF isn't really much of ST game at all.  I don't have enough experience to really judge the game for its own merits, but I all the spells/items detract from the core element of ST, this is why skill in the game seems to have no correlation (maybe even a negative correlation?) to skill in revo.  Instead it's based on who mastered the new things, which have almost completely eroded classic ST dynamics.

I think the most glaring problem with CTF is that massing (aka trying) is discouraged, and leads to a more boring/broken game.  Any game where trying too hard is ruinous and so you have to start imposing arbitrary limits = BIG sign that you have a real problem.

BD on the other hand seems more of a condensed form of the skill/intelligence in ST revo.  There is less to it, but this doesn't mean there's less skill / less to master, because instead there are fewer boring parts and more constant wolf/sheep interactions.  You're always near a wolf pressuring them -- or else you're on a break away to scoring.  Revo you can go several minutes without seeing a wolf sometimes.

BD is a much more vigorous testing of positioning and awareness, and intelligent players quickly rise to the top.  It's amazing how some people may be very good at revo, survival by themselves, but when placed in an atmosphere where they have to account for the positions of all their teammates and all the wolves they suddenly look extremely mediocre.  (CMK comes to mind here). 

BD also rewards technical micro skill as well, but in a much more purposeful way.  Small and dynamic jukes are the key to manipulating the wolves and gaining ground or making a breakaway.  Mediocre players tend to either do predictable set up trips (where they're basically hoping the wolf won't click on them after a jump), and repeat their same 2-3 go-to tricks every time.  Most damaging is that even when they pull off these tricks they're rarely good ideas in the present situation, and they end up getting past a wolf only to find themselves exposed and image blocked. 

In revo there are essentially four situations where you show off micro skill, and 3/4 of those situations = are "playing to have fun" and not "playing to win".  A game where those two have a huge disconnect is a poorly designed game.

1. Zak Syndrome - where you are bored, in a safe position and you decide to try to mess with the wolf in the middle of a mass for very small gain.  80% of the time you look good, but 20% of the time you die for no reason.
2. Switch tricks - or when you put on a RT show in the wide open arena.  The problem here is usually you're not trying to get back to your ally's farms, and you're not trying to maximize how long you survive (as this would involve just running to a corner and tanking).  Instead you're playing for fun and to show off -- which is all well and good, but there's a disconnect where this doesn't match "winning" in the game.
3. Unnecessary Risk - Where you are definitely under pressure and starting to be isolated, but you decide to make a move on your own 1v1 against a wolf.
4. Necessary Risk - Same as #3, the difference being the situation.  Sometimes it's wiser to wait for allies or to bend the wolves out of position.  It's only smart "game-wise" to make a move on your own when there is no reason to think stalling would benefit you.

In BD most of the time you can aggressively micro against wolves, and have it be the smart choice at the same time.  In revo the vast majority of the time, the right play is the boring one. 
The result is that people who look good aren't necessarily the most skilled players, but the ones who show off the most.