S0ur | I got the Atomic camo, for some reason @S0ur | Uploaded 2 years ago | Updated 2 days ago
I've earned Vanguard's atomic mastery camo, but at what cost? Aside from a quick showcase and tips for the 'fixed' Panzerfaust, this'll be a mental dump all about Vanguard and the state of CoD. Starting with a brief review and my initial positivity towards the game, then the downward spiral of Season 1's gameplay and Warzone's issues, and then into my personal contention with the unaddressed XP inconsistency or 'throttling' - feeling symbolic of the engagement-optimized path recent CoDs appear to have chosen over fun. When taken too far, it's an oppressive feeling that supersedes whatever may be good or bad about the gameplay itself, since when the game feels it has no purpose or goal, either in self-improvement or challenge/progression wise, then it appears structured more as an artificial chore and a store than a game.

So, that all leads into a self-reflective ramble contemplating how I can continue covering the franchise - a ramble I hate to make and be all dramatic about, but unfortunately I feel is necessary to express; all I can do is try to be honest. I've always enjoyed mostly sticking with the same thing, and I've always respected that it's what most people have come here for, but it both feels as though that's less and less the case as more and more people become disillusioned with where the franchise has headed, and I've simply run out of topics that I think make sense to cover in my style as the game grows apart. What can I sincerely cover in Vanguard, when it feels hypocritical to expect anyone to care about testing minutia in a game that I've just described as lacking any aspirational purpose.

With Atomic, I feel I've completed the one true objective laid out, despite what feel like attempts for it to be slowed down, and I did my best to guide other people to it with breakdowns along the way. So, this feels like it serves as a conclusion.

I don't fundamentally hate CoD's gameplay, and could always see checking in to discuss the current games, but I have no real plans for the channel currently. This has always been more of a casual hobby, where I find fun in sharing fun stuff with others; forcing it to chase numbers being the opposite. I apologize to any who have started to develop certain expectations.

Thoughts always change with time, but here's a window into the present.

Timestamps:
--Atomic camo earned--
0:00 - Atomic: the Panzerfaust finale (tips)
1:31 - Stats & combat record, other challenge completion

--Vanguard gameplay reflection--
4:49 - Vanguard Campaign & Zombies
5:45 - Multiplayer: Gameplay likes / initial positivity
7:11 - Season 1 gripes: the incendiary nade
10:20 - The patch before the break & Panzerfaust
12:22 - Spawns

--Progression integrity & fun--
15:48 - XP throttling? Progression integrity, retention deception
20:49 - Grass break
21:05 - Back to progression integrity

--Self reflection & current era CoD coverage--
23:59 - Self reflection, current era CoD, boomer burnout?
32:13 - Cod popularity vs disinterest
33:18 - Cod going forward?
37:07 - Devolving tangent
38:20 - End

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