Real talk: Roller Beetle

[AliamRationem.5172]

> @"Carighan.6758" said:

> I actually like how it doesn't **truly** have a niche (it only excels on super-long-distance travel over flat ground, which waypoints do a lot better and faster).

>

> Because, this way, the "proper" mounts don't get superceded by further additions which are - frankly - a pain to get now that interest in the new map has tapered off significantly. Rightfully so, considering how unfinished it is. Give it a few months, and it'll be ~impossible to get the meta step of this for most players without way-early organization, it's better if this mount is quite unnecessary for functionality.

 

I've yet to see a single prediction of "impossible" events come true, so I'm just going to toss that concern on the pile with the rest. The meta on DoK is awful, but very easy to complete and with a collection behind it, you can rest assured people will still participate.

 

As for mount overlap, you really have nothing to worry about here. The beetle can't jump. It's been said a thousand times. They could easily afford to make this mount usable without making it the go-to mount for everything because it simply isn't suitable to much of the terrain. Further, there are a range of potential solutions available between 100% speed boost on demand and the interminable 15 second wait every single time you mount up!

 

Making this mount less annoying to use would be greatly appreciated. Nobody is asking for all speed boost all the time here.

[Curunen.8729]

Having used the beetle for quite some time now, I feel more able to know what kind of adjustments I'd like to see in the future, hopefully. Let me preface this by saying the beetle is still my second favourite mount, right behind the skimmer, so I love it anyway. That said it would be nice to see:

 

1 - as many have said it would be great if it started at 50% endurance. Or potentially if there was a buff effect on your bar as soon as you dismount which lasts for say 10 seconds - which preserves the remaining endurance you had on the beetle should you remount it before the buff effect expires. This will allow short hop on/hop off for say harvesting, etc while saving the previous endurance state so it isn't such a chore

 

2 - allow drifting sooner after boosting. Just a small/minor adjustment for quality of life.

 

3 - Big Air is too punishing on failing to execute a full trick - the endurance loss on landing needs to be looked at because currently there's no point even trying to do a trick unless you get a HUGE jump, as you're better off letting the endurance passively refill.

 

4 - potentially allow partial endurance boosting (just like the springer allows partial endurance use with the effect of smaller jump height). Either that or split the endurance bar into a number of parts (ie 3), that allow different levels of boost (ie 1 bar full = small boost, 2 bars = medium boost, 3 bars = max boost) - that would raise the depth and increase the skillcap while also being more flexible on varied terrain.

[sorudo.9054]

to me it's useless in design and only made for fun, most maps have way to many obstacles to make the beetle even remotely useful.

i use the jackal for the most part because i can survive falls that way, get to places other mounts cant get to and can change direction instantly.

what can the beetle do, be fast.....that's it, any bump slows it down and every change of direction is a pain. (i know "get gut", drifting is done wrong so nope)

 

overall, i rather be slower but there then be fast but take 2X longer to get there since it's useless anywhere but flat places.

[JDub.1530]

> @"sorudo.9054" said:

> to me it's useless in design and only made for fun, most maps have way to many obstacles to make the beetle even remotely useful.

> i use the jackal for the most part because i can survive falls that way, get to places other mounts cant get to and can change direction instantly.

> what can the beetle do, be fast.....that's it, any bump slows it down and every change of direction is a pain. (i know "get gut", drifting is done wrong so nope)

>

> overall, i rather be slower but there then be fast but take 2X longer to get there since it's useless anywhere but flat places.

 

Think of the number of maps with little to no water (All of HoT, Dry Top, Silverwastes, even Crystal Oasis and Desert Highlands have little content in their watery parts). So is skimmer in a much better place when it comes to being "remotely useful"? Beetle, IMO has a higher skill cap over other mounts and requires a lot of planning ahead...including while you're screaming along at 100 MPH. But I think it offers a lot of reward for those who will be able to master it.

[sorudo.9054]

> @"JDub.1530" said:

> > @"sorudo.9054" said:

> > to me it's useless in design and only made for fun, most maps have way to many obstacles to make the beetle even remotely useful.

> > i use the jackal for the most part because i can survive falls that way, get to places other mounts cant get to and can change direction instantly.

> > what can the beetle do, be fast.....that's it, any bump slows it down and every change of direction is a pain. (i know "get gut", drifting is done wrong so nope)

> >

> > overall, i rather be slower but there then be fast but take 2X longer to get there since it's useless anywhere but flat places.

>

> Think of the number of maps with little to no water (All of HoT, Dry Top, Silverwastes, even Crystal Oasis and Desert Highlands have little content in their watery parts). So is skimmer in a much better place when it comes to being "remotely useful"? Beetle, IMO has a higher skill cap over other mounts and requires a lot of planning ahead...including while you're screaming along at 100 MPH. But I think it offers a lot of reward for those who will be able to master it.

 

the skimmer has the highest speed on water yet has better control, the beetle is only slightly faster and controls like hot butter.

however, even without water, the skimmer has allot more use since it can glide upwards without slowing down and get over obstacles that would stop a beetle in it's tracks

[Kal Spiro.9745]

> @"Oglaf.1074" said:

> What's the verdict on it? Is it a proper, generally useful mount worth bothering with or is it just another Skimmer/Bunny that you just bust out when you absolutely have to bypass a mount-specific obstacle?

 

Generally useful, no. It has only one use, getting long distances fast. It has some problems, the most important being that too many things that seem like they shouldn't impact it will stop it flat, but it is by far the best for map clearing. If you want to get from one end of any map to the other the beetle will do it fastest. I've been riding the beetle in place of waypointing, even over multiple zones because it can cross them so fast, it just makes it more fun.

[JDub.1530]

> @"sorudo.9054" said:

> > @"JDub.1530" said:

> > > @"sorudo.9054" said:

> > > to me it's useless in design and only made for fun, most maps have way to many obstacles to make the beetle even remotely useful.

> > > i use the jackal for the most part because i can survive falls that way, get to places other mounts cant get to and can change direction instantly.

> > > what can the beetle do, be fast.....that's it, any bump slows it down and every change of direction is a pain. (i know "get gut", drifting is done wrong so nope)

> > >

> > > overall, i rather be slower but there then be fast but take 2X longer to get there since it's useless anywhere but flat places.

> >

> > Think of the number of maps with little to no water (All of HoT, Dry Top, Silverwastes, even Crystal Oasis and Desert Highlands have little content in their watery parts). So is skimmer in a much better place when it comes to being "remotely useful"? Beetle, IMO has a higher skill cap over other mounts and requires a lot of planning ahead...including while you're screaming along at 100 MPH. But I think it offers a lot of reward for those who will be able to master it.

>

> the skimmer has the highest speed on water yet has better control, the beetle is only slightly faster and controls like hot butter.

> however, even without water, the skimmer has allot more use since it can glide upwards without slowing down and get over obstacles that would stop a beetle in it's tracks

 

My point wasn't to compare beetle and skimmer head-to-head, it was to highlight that both have a vary narrow niche. The skimmer's capabilities on land aren't really the point, because it will get outpaced by other mounts in both speed and altitude.

[Gemnaid.4219]

Fun but just a gimmick.

[Xenon.4537]

It's pretty much useless to me.

* Takes way too long for the endurance to fill

* Turning is difficult

* Way too slow going uphill

* Bunny is superior for getting up cliffs

* Raptor is superior for quickly getting from one activity to the next on flat ground

* Jackal is superior for going uphill quickly or dodging enemies

* Skimmer is superior for water

* Griffon is superior for pretty much everything

 

The biggest contradiction is that the beetle needs elevation to go fast. Well, so does the griffon. And the griffon starts at full endurance and can cross giant chasms by flying over them. Literally the only reason to use the beetle is to quickly go from one end of the map to the other on the ground. And we have waypoints for that. Anything less than the distance of a waypoint can be crossed faster and easier by one of the other mounts.

 

Suggestion: Beetle starts a full endurance, and the drifting is made into a skill 2 slot button to make activating it easier.

[Zephyr.5382]

My fingers are crossed for this comment from the recent AMA:

http://dulfy.net/2018/07/02/gw2-long-live-lich-developer-ama-summary/

> "While I can’t promise anything, it’s possible there are some ways to soften the pain points of using the beetle while still keeping the other mounts desirable."