@The5secondrule wrote:
It's fairly evident that there is disparity between two groups of Hitman players in the community. While 'speedrunner' and 'roleplayer' are pretty broad terms, I feel they adequately summarise the different play-styles of these two groups. It is interesting that the Hitman formula invites and encourages both, something which is pretty unique.
The problem presented to IO Interactive is how to cater to both groups. How can a game with such distinct play-styles ensure that both are represented fairly? It seems that IOI have attempted to solve this with the rating system. The time bonus is obviously geared towards speedrunners, while the other categories (never spotted, no recordings etc) appeal to roleplayers. Yet I feel that roleplayers are misrepresented simply because the time bonus does not interest them, while the other categories that appeal to them ALSO appeal to speedrunners. I mean, who doesn't want to get Silent Assassin? Naturally all of the top scores on the leaderboards are SA times.
And so I can understand why roleplayers might feel forgotten at times. The reward for speedrunners is global recognition. The reward for roleplayers is... a feeling of accomplishment? One common suggestion is to add more categories to the leaderboards, like a suit retrieval bonus, no distractions bonus, no evidence left bonus etc. I attempted to explain why this wouldn't solve the issue in a recent thread here:
In short, the compromise I propose is to partition the leaderboard. Make it so the leaderboard counts SA runs and the only variable is time. In the current leaderboards the top 100 or so scores are all Silent Assassin runs anyway, so why bother with the other categories when time is the only distinguishing factor? Then you would be placed globally, the fastest time sitting in first place. You could then have a separate rating system that considers how clean the hit was, using an expanded set of categories (but with Silent Assassin still defined as it now). Ideally this would determine your pay, used to buy gear and customise weapons. That is indeed the ultimate Hitman fantasy, something I'm sure roleplayers would appreciate.What do people think about this idea? Does it appeal to speedrunners and roleplayers? Is it better than the current system? I would love to hear your thoughts or own solutions.
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