Other [Issue 45] 2015: A Look Back

[Contradiction 1,242]

 

2015 has been a long and tumultuous year, abounding in updates and changes to the game. As we move forward into the new year, I have prepared this article reflecting over the past twelve months. This will review many aspects of Tanki- from the progression (or deterioration) of the game, the development of the Newspaper, and the evolution of the community. Stay tuned for more!

 

How has the Newspaper progressed?

 

2015 has been a busy year for the Newspaper. A number of familiar faces left the paper, and many new Reporters have been recruited. The Reporters that left the staff were: @williew, @S.C.Y.T.H.E, , @mcmonkey25, , @TriNitroToIuene, @Tommy60, and our beloved @hogree. However, only four of these reporters were in the team when the year began. The rest joined and left as the year continued. 

 

We also gained a number of new writers, namely @Shedinja, @greyat, @sonofchrysalis3, @Night-Sisters, @Phoenix-Warbird, and another reporter whom is too unimportant to be mentioned. @Raphael2 and @Vikingsrallentando rejoined the staff midway through the year. In total, we gained a sum of four Reporters on the Newspaper Team compared to when the year began.

 

Over the year, we produced a total of fifteen issues and more than 340 articles and contests. 

We also have begun publishing articles twice a month rather than the previous once a month release, which will mean that you will not need to wait so long between issues. 

The Newspaper is still running strong and will presumably continue for as long as Tanki exists. 

 

How has gameplay progressed?

 

This year provided us with numerous changes to the game and how it is played. Some of these updates were long awaited, some of them were unexpected, many of them were excellent, and a fair amount were exceedingly despised by the community. Let's take a look back and revisit a few of the most memorable and impactful developments to Tanki Online. 

 

Vulcan and the New Paints

 

Early in the year, the new turret Vulcan was released, along with a few new paints containing protection against Vulcan and Hammer. Vulcan is now a very popular turret that is arguably one of the most powerful turrets in the game. It has been nerfed ever so slightly since its release, but it still stands as a weapon you would not want to mess with. 

 

I do not own this turret, but I am a particular fan of it because it requires one to turn their turret. It is practically impossible to play, let alone perform well, with Vulcan if you do not turn your turret. Operators of Vulcan turn their turrets even at low ranks, no doubt boosting their skills on other turrets and aspects of Tanki. 

Vulcan is also a fairly unique weapon. When I learned of its release, I was expecting it to be a copy of Twins, eventually driving Twins into a similar state of popularity as the map Magistral. However, what with the instant shell speed, warm up/ overheating, and extreme auto-aim degree, Vulcan did not resemble Twins very much at all. 

 

As for the new paints, a total of twenty new additions were added to the garage. Some of these paints ended up being the most expensive products in the game, namely Africa and Lumberjack. Others were available from much lower ranks. A few of these paints held quite mesmerizing appearances; Magma, Fracture, Graffiti, and Cherry strike my mind as some of the most beautiful paints out there. 

 

Read more about the update here: Vulcan and new paints are in the game right now!

 

Mouse Controls

 

This was an update perhaps considered not very important in the eyes of many tankers. The developers finally made a break through in the flash technology, and were able to introduce mouse controls into the game. Now, a mouse could be used to turn and fire one's turret. 

 

Mouse controls were still quite glitchy directly after their introduction, and today there are still a few bugs that occur to users of the mouse controls. This was a bit disconcerting for the players that tested out the controls right after the release. However, most of the kinks have been worked out of the update and mouse controls are mostly functional for those wishing to use them. 

 

Shaft is excellent when coupled with mouse controls - however, I dislike using mouse controls in any other circumstance, mainly because I am so used to keyboard controls. There are a few advantages that come with using mouse controls, however. For one, you can change your camera angle much more fluently than with the Q/E keys. Also, you can turn your camera view without turning your turret by holding down the right click button. 

 

Nevertheless, mouse controls may have their fair share of disadvantages. I believe that it is more difficult to aim when using mouse controls. After a certain level of experience, one is so proficient at using the Z/X keys to rotate the turret, that he has an instinctive feel of where his turret is aiming. One does not need to line up the end of your barrel to your target. But, I do not believe that this aiming fluency is as easy to obtain with Mouse Controls. 

 

This update impacts the game by making it easier for newbies to turn their turret. I recently introduced a friend to the game. He is quite poor at using the keyboard controls, but he can perform decently when he uses mouse controls. There is definitely a learning curve where it comes to keyboard controls. But, perhaps in the end, users of mouse controls may be disadvantaged compared to the typical keyboard control users. 

 

This update was largely good. I am sure that it decreased the number of people browsing through games, encountering tanki, loading a battle, and immediately quitting because it is too hard to turn your turret. But I definitely think that it is a better idea to use keyboard controls.

 

Read more about the update here: Mouse controls 

 

Evolution of Micro-Upgrades

 

Micro-upgrades have gone through several transformations throughout this year. They are now more powerful than when the year began, although perhaps a bit more expensive. 

 

One of the biggest changes made is that a fully micro-upgraded parameter is now equivalent to that same parameter, but the modification above. If I fully upgraded my M1 Firebird, it would have equivalent garage statistics to M2 Firebird (unless I happened to be in a Pro battle in which Micro Upgrades were not enabled). A fully micro upgraded M3 currently has the statistics of an M4 (if M4s existed, that is).

 

Another smaller yet essential changes were that certain parameters can now be upgraded. Prior to an update this year, one could not micro-upgrade Ricochet's projectile speed, Isida's range, Shaft's penetrating power, or Smoky's reload time and range. Fortunately, these abilities can now be micro-upgraded. Also, after the update, one could still use his equipment in battle, regardless of whether it was in the process of being micro-upgraded.

 

The second major update to micro-upgrades occurred somewhat recently. This update significantly changed the way micro-upgrades functioned in the game. For one, you can now no longer upgrade individual parameters. There are fifty levels of micro-upgrades for turrets and hulls, and each micro-upgrade upgrades all parameters of your piece of equipment. Paints are similar, but with a varying number of micro-upgrades. Speed ups are now cheaper than prior the update; they cost exactly 50% of the price of the micro-upgrade. Fully micro-upgrading a piece of equipment without using speed ups costs the same price as before, but the speed ups are now a lot cheaper. 

 

These changes proved useful to those who had already micro-upgraded a single parameter. After the update, all parameters on a piece of equipment were upgraded to the same parameter of its highest micro-upgraded feature.  Thus, people who had only fully micro-upgraded damage, speed, or armor now had every parameter fully micro-upgraded. 

 

However, micro-upgraded are now a lot more expensive than before the update. One could only micro-upgrade important parameters (such as damage or armor), and save a lot of money by not having to micro-upgrade less important features such as turret rotation. 

 

Read more about these updates here: Changes to micro-upgrades; Improved micro-upgrades are in the game

 

Daily Missions 

 

This was a long-awaited update that finally hit the game in July. This update replaced the previous daily gift function. Instead of logging in to find a small gift of supplies or crystals, tankers now found three brand-new missions, promising supplies and crystals to those who would complete them. These missions would need to be completed in battles through a number of ways. Missions ranged from picking up a certain number of supplies, destroying a number of opponents, delivering flags, capturing control points, finishing first in battles, earning experience in specific maps or modes, and earning a certain number of experience points.

 

These missions gave tankers significantly higher rewards than daily gifts had, hence most players were quite pleased with the update. However, over the ensuing weeks, the rewards of daily missions were periodically lowered to the amount they are today. Still, daily missions usually give you a higher reward than daily gifts had, but now one needed to work for it.

 

This update aroused mixed feelings among players. Obviously, anyone would wish that daily missions gave out higher rewards. Active players ended up winning more rewards than before the daily missions release, but busy tankers who had very little time for playing tanki came out with practically nothing.

 

One beneficial fact about daily missions is that crystal rewards were now given out many times more often than with daily gifts. Players who do not appreciate supplies still receive many crystal rewards by completing daily missions. Also, daily missions can be used to improve game balance. If there are maps or game modes that are played very rarely, daily missions can induce tankers to play in these maps and game modes more often. For example, TDM was a nearly extinct game type before the release of daily missions. Today it is still less popular than other game types, but it is played fairly frequently. 

 

Read more about the update here:

Daily Missions are Live!; Important Changes in Daily Missions Rewards; Changes to Daily Missions

 

XT Products 

 

Early in the new year, Hornet XT and Railgun XT were temporarily available for rent. This was our first glimpse at XT products. The new year XTs were much more powerful than a regular turret or hull of its modification. But, when XT items were officially released later in the year, they had identical statistics to their non-XT counterparts. They could, of course, be micro upgraded. And, both Hornet XT and Railgun XT could be used in XP-BP battles. XT items could only be acquired by completing an exceedingly rare mission, either "destroy 9,999 tanks" or "earn 99,999 experience points". Generalissimos were the only ones issued these missions.

 

A month or so later, new XT products were introduced. Now, Viking, Hornet, and Wasp hulls have XT versions, along with the turrets Thunder, Railgun, and Firebird. Each XT has a unique metallic appearance. Firebird and Wasp was designed to appear similar to a dragon; Viking and Thunder XT look like a wolf, and Hornet and Railgun XT resemble an eagle. Once again, each XT's parameter statistics was exactly the same as a non-XT. The only way in which XTs differed from regular products is the appearance. Nevertheless, many generalissimo spent hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of crystals on changing missions in order to find an XT mission. 

 

Later on, with the release of Premium Accounts, each XT item was available for purchase if one had bought the premium account. Every XT product costed a sum of 500,000 crystals- almost twice as expensive as any other item in the garage. The XT products were available at the same rank as their non-XT counterpart. For example, XT Thunder is available with premium account at Brigadier, and XT Firebird is available at Commander. Generalissimos were still given XT missions. 

 

This update is an interesting feature of the game. I find it appalling that players would spend piles of crystals simply for a metallic appearance, but I'm not complaining. If I had a million or so crystals, I might purchase an XT item myself. Buyers who would have otherwise spent crystals on micro upgrades, kits, and supplies (hence terrorizing non-buyers) now purchase XT equipment. 

 

Read more about the update here: New XT items are in the game

 

Test Drives, Personal Discounts, Wholesale Discounts, and changes to Purchasing Mechanism

 

As the school year began, we were bombarded with a number of updates making it easier and cheaper to purchase equipment. The first of these updates was the wholesale discount and another feature allowing one to purchase equipment for fewer crystals. 

 

The wholesale discount basically means that if you already have turrets or hulls of the same modification, it gives a slight discount on other items if you purchase them at the same modification. For example, if I had 10 M2 turrets, I would be able to purchase another M2 turret for 30% its regular price. 

 

If you have three turrets of the same modification, purchasing another turret of this specific modification will be 10% cheaper than usual. If you have six turrets of the same modification, it will be 20% off to purchase another turret of this same level. The same thing occurs if you have nine turrets at the same level, but you will get a 30% discount instead. 

 

With hulls, it works in a similar way. If you have two hulls of the same level, you will receive a 10% discount on the remaining turrets of the same grade. If you own four hulls of the same level, the discount will be 20% on hulls of the same modification. And, if you have six hulls of the same modification, then other turrets of the same modification will have a 30% discount. 

 

If managed correctly, the wholesale discount will save you many crystals. Another development that made an even bigger impact was the update allowing one to purchase a turret or hull without already owning the modification beneath it. Before this update, if I wanted to buy an M3 Shaft, I would need to buy both M0, M1, and M2 shaft to be allowed to buy M3 shaft. This is no longer the case, however. I could simply purchase M3 shaft without even owning shaft prior to this purchase. The only downside of this improvement is that one now needs to purchase the highest modification of a product available at their rank. In other words, if I wanted to buy Isida, I would need to purchase M2 Isida, as it is the highest modification of Isida available at my rank.

 

The final update was that of test drives and personal discounts. The title of these updates is pretty self-explanatory: Rarely, you will be offered the opportunity to test out a turret or hull that you have not yet purchased. You can try it out in a single battle, and as soon as you leave or change equipment, you will not be able to use it. Usually, you will be offered a discount to go with it. For example, I might receive an opportunity to test out Viking in combat, and be able to purchase Viking (for a short time) at 35% off the normal price. Personal discounts can be given without a test drive. One might receive a random discount on Shaft M3 for a limited time. 

 

These updates allow tankers to save a lot of crystals. Though I have not yet been given either a test drive or a personal discount, I believe that the chances to receive them, as well as the discount percentage, have been recently increased. 

 

Read more about these updates here: Test Drives and personal discounts; Growing your arsenal is now easier!

 

Premium Accounts

 

This update was widely regarded as completely horrendous. From the very V-Log in which the update was first anounced, it received criticism left and right. When it was finally introduced to the game, tankers were a little more happier as the premium paint had been lowered to only 15%, although this is still significantly more powerful than any other non-special paint in the game.

 

Premium account, as most of you are aware, provides a user with a number of benefits. It gives them a special paint with 15% protection against all turrets and mines. It gives a premium account user a 50% score multiplier pass along with a pro battle pass. It also provides premium account users with the ability to purchase XT items and gives them 100% more crystals per battle. 

 

Premium accounts are the only garage product available only if you spend real money. Never, in all of tanki's history, has their ever been a garage item that requires you to spend real life money in order to attain it. The fact that the game was completely free was partially what made tanki unique, until this introduction of premium accounts. Naturally, many people were highly against premium accounts. 

 

I myself am not a big fan of premium accounts. In theory, premium accounts add nothing to the game other than making it more unbalanced. There may be economic reasons why the developers added premium accounts, but I still greatly dislike the idea premium accounts in tanki.

 

Read more about the update here: Premium Accounts are in the game!

 

Statistics, Ratings, and Achievements

 

This was another long expected updated. Nearly any other popular game is able to show you a statistics screen detailing your performance in the game, and finally tanki can do so as well. The statistics are accessed at ratings.tankionline.com and contain a few things: All of your garage equipment (and the time spent using them), your overall D/L, how many tanks you have destroyed, and how many time you have been destroyed yourself. It also shows how many supplies you have used, how many hours you have spent in specific battle types, and your current position in the ratings. 

 

Along with the statistics update, a system of achievements was also released. There are a total of 153 achievements, ranging from taking goldboxes to owning special paints.

 

The ratings system ranks your performance among other tankers in three categories: experience earned, goldboxes taken, and crystals earned. If you earned more crystals than any other tanker during the week, you will be listed as top place in this section of the ratings. Rating scores are reset weekly. 

 

Though I am a big fan of all of these update, I feel like they didn't go far enough. I wish that statistics were more detailed, showing things such as the amount of time you have spent in each map, how many goldboxes you have taken, your accuracy, which clan you are a member of, and other items. 

 

Many players have complained that the statistics should not be publicly viewable. To be completely honest, I feel like this is an absurd argument. There is no sensitive information in your statistics screen. If you are worried about being seen as a bad player, I believe that others should have the right to know this- but the statistics aren't detailed enough to even come close to showing your skill level. 

 

Read more about this update here: Personal Stats, Ratings & Achievements

 

Changes in garage, paint previews, and reworked CP

 

This was an update that hit the game quite recently. It was introduced in the month of December. The purpose of this update was to make the garage more convenient to use, and to make the control point battle mode more intense and balanced. 

 

Essentially, the the garage was divided into six folders: turrets, hulls, paints, supplies, kits, and special (such as passes). In these folders, equipment was resorted to be more comprehensible. Also, the ability to preview paints has been introduced to the game. Now, one can see how a paint that you do not yet own will appear on your tank. 

 

The reworked control point development introduced a small yet novel change: for every point earned by the losing team, the winning team will lose a point. This renders it much easier to make 'comebacks' in control point battles, and gives each team a good chance at winning during the entire course of the battle. 

 

I am in favor of most of these ideas. The change to control point mode is, overall, beneficial to the game. But, I am afraid to think that the changes to the garage won't make that big of a difference. It takes about an equally long space of time to shift through the folders as it had to scroll past all your garage items. But, there are not any severe downsides to this update. 

 

Read more about the update here: Changes in garage and reworked CP

 

The rise and fall of score multiplier passes

 

Another development over the past year is the introduction, and eventual removal, of score multiplier passes. Score multiplier passes were already in the game- but they were expensive and only increased your score by 30%. During 2015, a few other types of score multiplying passes were introduced. Ranging from 2,500 crystals to 15,000, these passes would increase your score by varying percentages. The most powerful of them all (and also the most expensive) would increase score by 100%- doubling the number of experience points received.

 

Almost everyone was a fan of these updates, and thousands of tankers ranked up at unprecedented speeds. Almost anyone who wished to rank quickly and had the crystals would purchase a score multiplier pass. I myself purchased a 100% pass- and that is how I ranked to where I am currently at (first lieutenant). 

 

However, with the introduction of premium account, (which provided premium users with 50% increased experience) 100% and 25% score multiplier passes were removed. About a week later, all score multiplier passes were completely removed from the game. Currently, premium users are the only ones who can enjoy the benefits of a score multiplier pass.

 

New Kits

 

2015 has also been a year in which we have witnessed the addition of new kits into the game. A little over a year ago, there were other kits- however, most of these kits were removed later in 2014. But, over the course of this year, new kits have been added. 

 

Kits are now carefully balanced; they usually provide you with three items: a turret, a hull, and a paint. Each of these items is generally at a heavy discount, about 40% regular price. Also, these kits can provide you with equipment not normally available at your rank. For example, Tornado kits will grant one M2 Railgun and M2 Hornet at warrant officer five, which is well before the rank at which railgun and hornet M2 unlock. 

 

I am a fan of these kits, although they are very powerful... perhaps too powerful. I have utilized kits quite extensively over my career. In fact, I have not purchased any turret or hull that was not part of a kit since I was a First Sergeant.

 

Learn more about this feature in Rem's detailed review: The evolution of the product kits 

 

How has the Community progressed?

 

Upsurge of XP-BP battles

 

2014 marked the introduction of the popular XP, BP, and XP-BP formats. But 2015 has really been the year when format battles have taken off. The concept of XP-BP battles is simple- they are battles where the only equipment that can be used is Wasp, Hornet, and Railgun. This puts all players at equal footing. The only thing you can rely upon in XP-BP battles is skill. For these reasons, a large portion of the community is now avidly involved in casual XP-BP games. 

 

Head over to RU1 to see numerous XP-BP battles (although, keep in mind that you will need to be the rank of Major or higher to have a good chance of finding games available at your rank). Over this year, there is no doubt that many, many tankers have improved their skill by playing XP-BP battles. Unless you want to carefully organize a battle, XP-BP is the way to go if you are looking for a strategic and exciting game. 

 

I am a huge, huge fan of XP-BP formats. It is the main thing that I find fun about this game; almost all other battles (at my rank at least) are dry and unbalanced. But, personally, XP-BP is an entirely new world. In honesty, I don't understand why they aren't more popular than they are already. If you know me, you would know that whenever I log into the game, I frantically search for XP-BP battles that are playable at my low rank (usually to no avail). 

 

XP-BP battles are simply excellent, and I am glad that they are popular formats in this game. 

 

The end of Star Ladder

 

This year has hosted the final two seasons of Star Ladder. Star Series- and I believe Tanki's affiliation with starladder.tv- has come to an end. However, we witnessed some surprising results at the final season of star ladder.

 

For one, the legendary clan Arcade (aka NooBest) has finally been vanquished. Out of all four seasons of star ladder, this is the only occurrence in which Arcade lost the title of star series champion. Instead, the winner of Star Series was the clan All In. Arcade only made it to fourth place. 

 

Also, for the first time, and English clan qualified for Star Ladder. While Star Series was being watched, Pro Series also took place simultaneously. The English clan All Kind won Pro Series, thereby qualifying for Star Series and winning the Gladiator paint. Unfortunately, it appears as if Star Ladder is over- and they will never have a chance to compete in a season of Star Series.

 

Read more about Star Ladder Season IV here:

The results of Star Series season IV; The final battles of Pro Series season IV; The results of the playoffs

 

Growing Popularity of Parkour

 

Along with the introduction of XP-BP formats, a Parkour format was added as well. This increased players' knowledge and interest in Parkour, and during the past year we have seen many advances in the art. Although I find parkour a bit of a waste of time, (after all, at my rank, parkour battles are practically useless. No one knows how to parkour and no one really plays health-kit games) I appreciate and am impressed by the level of skill that parkourists display. 

 

Just to show the juxtaposition between last year and this year, here are some facts: In the 2014 edition of Masters of Parkour, there were six winning entries. In the 2015 version, there were nineteen winning entries. Also, I would claim that these nineteen entries were more artful than the 2014 entries, but this is just my personal opinion.

 

Read more about masters of parkour here: Announcing Masters of Parkour 2015 winners

 

---

At last, you have reached the end of this article. I hope it was interesting. As we look forward into the new year, I hope that we will reflect upon and appreciate the past of Tanki. Many of us fall into the habit of criticizing the developers. Although there may be reasons to criticize them, and you have the right to do so, there have been some good updates in the past, and there is no reason to singly dwell on all of the negative aspects of the game. We have a whole year of updates to look forward to- who knows what next year will bring.

Edited July 29, 2017 by Hexed

[The.Skilled.Legend 1,459]

Didn't mention me .-.

Shame

[Contradiction 1,242]

Didn't mention me .-.

Shame

Sorry, I just fixed it. I didn't forget you, I just misspelled your name in the [member= user code. 

[The.Skilled.Legend 1,459]

Sorry, I just fixed it. I didn't forget you, I just misspelled your name in the [member= user code. 

Shame on me for even saying that. It's fine, great job nonetheless! :)

[I3loodShot 3,119]

Since these new reporters have been hired, I've lost interest in reading the newspaper. It was once good, now it's getting boring each issue.

[Quarks 2,255]

Typo noticed, the second paragraph mention of premium paint says 25 not 15, otherwise a good article.

[canadarules 1,938]

2015 in tanki= boring

13k

Edited December 18, 2015 by canadarules

[Barra 1,445]

You could write a book about this... Well written :)

[TheGoldenTanker 4,951]

The premium paint gives us 15% protection by the way, not 25%...

 

 

 

Premium account, as most of you are aware, provides a user with a number of benefits. It gives them a special paint with 25% protection against all turrets and mines. It gives a premium account user a 50% score multiplier pass along with a pro battle pass. It also provides premium account users with the ability to purchase XT items and gives them 100% more crystals per battle. 

Edited December 18, 2015 by Unthinkable

[lukey0 27,543]

Nice

[canadian_tank 226]

Good stuff!

[yoshi_micah 0]

I remember the whole thing i cant wait for the new years stuff that it brings

[Mr.Cashier 1,622]

Beginning of 2015 was good for Tanki.Many good Updates and Surprises( Events) but as the year passed and end of the year came some Heart breaking Updates  invaded the game.For example ( Premium xD).Sales were decreasing significantly and so on.....

[comandobob 15]

great article! I always enjoy looking back at the past year and just evaluating, reminiscing and most of all looking forward to the new year and all the potential it holds! (and new year sales of course :D) I'll be looking forward to your next article, keep on writing!

Edited December 22, 2015 by comandobob

[Bugs.meeny 1,013]

Nice job Contradiction. I actually read most of this . . . then skimmed through the titles

[momy950666 960]

Nice

[r_snowleopard0512030 66]

Great article; long, but it still didn't hurt my eyes. I've only just realised how much Tanki's changed in 2015 now that someones pointed it out to me...

[Dawn.of.Legend 1,432]

Not bad