Published , by Donovan Erskine
Published , by Donovan Erskine
Developer Riot Games has been quite communicative with fans both before and following the release of Valorant. In an effort to create the most balanced and entertaining tactical shooter possible, Riot has had to jump several hurdles. The developer has used Ask Valorant to take player questions and address them in a more informal setting. Ask Valorant #5 has dropped, and has responses to some of Valorant’s biggest criticisms.
Ask Valorant #5 was posted to the game’s website on August 13 and tackles questions submitted by players. Before the game’s release, when speaking to the shooter’s competitive integrity, Riot Games shared the sentiment that abilities wouldn’t kill in Valorant. Of course, this isn’t exactly true as Raze can throw her Blast Pack and blow enemies away.
“That was our mistake—a big part of that mistake was in missing the nuance (specifically that tactical fundamentals—not just “abilities don't kill”—are a key component).” said Ryan “Morello” Scott, Character Design Lead on Valorant. “In cases where that isn't holding up—like mid-combat Blast Pack usage—we'll fix those as part of our ongoing commitment to tactical gameplay.” hinting at a potential Raze nerf in the future.
As a part of this ongoing commitment to tactical gameplay, Riot Games has several character types and abilities that will never join Valorant. “Specifically, we try to avoid abilities that would remove the high-consequence gunplay. Increased maximum health tends to be a no-fly zone, as do abilities that replace guns (that aren't an ultimate, like Jett or Raze). Said Scott on the matter.
Valorant’s Vanguard anti-cheat program has been pretty controversial, as players are concerned with the security risks that come with the all-knowing system. Despite the hard crackdown, we’ve still seen some cheaters slip through the cracks, ruining lobbies with a variety of exploits. While they don’t have an exact number, Paul “Arkem” Chamberlain, Anti-cheat Lead shares that over 1800 cheaters.
Ask Valorant is a great insight into the minds behind one of the hottest tac shooters out. With an informal approach to fans and concise answers, it reinforces the dedication to transparency that Riot Games is bringing to Valorant. For more news out of the FPS, be sure to bookmark the Shacknews Valorant topic page.