I've got about 120 hours in tarkov just messing about with friends. Still a total noob that plays mostly factory and customs. I've never joined at the start of a wipe so it's always been an uphill battle and I think my highest level was lvl 28.
Starting out with this wipe i've had the most fun ever in tarkov. The first few days I was finally feeling like I could fight these people. I won several 1vs2+ situations and my K/D was great but now with me playing not that much (xmas and everything) i feel like its quickly gone back to how it always is where people are geared out and starting to spray me with their fancy guns.
I feel like the first few days are absolutely the most fun and now i'm not sure what i'm playing for because I don't really fancy becoming that greatly geared and just gear crutching. Thoughts?
It’s also my first time experiencing the beginning of a wipe, I started playing in august and managed to reach level 48 during last wipe.
Hopefully I can shift your perspective or at least give you some points to think about as I feel that your performance at the beginning is easily still achievable by you now. I’m not sure about your playstyle or mechanical skill but considering you are able to win disadvantageous situations without the “gear” crutch as you put it, I feel that your mindset when winning or losing engagements is the core issue.
The beginning of the wipe if you shoot someone in the head they will die (theoretically, tarkov is tarkov sometimes), and I can say from my experience up until the very end of last wipe that most gunfights have that exact same thing in common. I agree with your point on “spraying fancy guns” and “gear crutching” to a certain extent.
I’m sure most players have encountered someone suited up in top end equiptment who is tossing half a case full of grenades while unloading multiple 60 round mags just to barely secure the kill. That type of player unquestionably is leaning on their loadout to limp across the finish line.
The average player isn’t running a setup like that currently, and even if they are – and they are crutching – they are relying solely on something that we have equal access to, while we would be using the gear to improve and enhance our gameplay and skills. If they are only able to rely on their loadouts than you are already at an advantage, you can purchase their whole skillset with roubles.
From my viewpoint the loss is not because of them gear crutching, chances are we are both using the same budget vests with less than desirable stats on our weapons, the loss is due to the combat in the game being unforgiving as well as “realistic” (take the realism with a grain of salt). If he hits me in the head or maybe a few times in the thorax, I die. Whether Im using a level 4 vest and a budget rifle or running exfil with a slick and HK it still doesn’t change any of that, as the people you encounter will be using roughly the same tier of equiptment.
I started this wipe using level 2-4 armor with less than ideal weapons and ammuntion. I was playing earlier today using level 2-4 armor with less than ideal weaponry and ammunition.
I really feel like you would enjoy playing while using mid-high tier loadouts as the wipe progresses because even if you feel your opponent is relying on their gear, you will be have access the same gear, the difference is you won’t be approaching the situation with the mentality that you “need” the gear to win, the gear would just be a tool you use to help you while you continue to pad your KDR.
Perhaps also looking at the tiers of gear in a different light might help as well. When you are using a LVL5 vest, maybe a helmet, etc – Your opponent is way less likely to be able to kill you if they rely only on their loadout. Sure they can still hold left mouse with their eyes closed and HK pointing down range, but you are more skilled. They wont as easily be able to stumble around and luckily land a stray shot to your thorax killing you when your vest can keep you safe from their 12% accuracy assault.
Right now this wipe while compared to the end of last wipe I feel almost opposite in regards of peoples skill and gear. From my viewpoint and experiences the gunfights I had with equally geared opponents last wipe felt more engaging and the gameplay was at a higher level. Its fun to start fresh with everyone, but all the players who struggle to get the gun pointed the same direction as an enemy now have a much higher chance to stumble around and find a kill. Shotguns aren’t hard to use and SMGS/Rifle battles versus no armor/low class armor make it much easier for someone less mechanically skilled/experienced to “woopsie” a kill or two. Later stages of the wipe the kill area for someone to “woopsie” is greatly reduced. This leaves my view as almost the exact opposite to your view in terms of gearing – The lower tier loadouts are more benificial to the less skilled player as it requires much less aiming/positioning/strategy if all you have to do point in the general direction of the enemy to kill them with any weapon.
I feel that with you being capable of winning 1v2’s just a few days ago, you can and will still be able to unless you were taking advantage of the situation and using the lack of survivability/experience of your opponents as a “crutch” to win engagements
The gear isn’t a crutch when both parties are using roughly the same loadouts, they can just as easily be sent back to the menu from head-eyes as you can. For the most part the engagements you encounter during the wipe will be roughly equally geared. At the end of the day you can buy all they have to offer from the flea market because if they are relying on gear you are already a step ahead, as they cant buy your aim/experience/playstyle on the flea market.