Back Pool vs. Side Drop (Comparison and Discussion)

[Ehjookayted]

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[*:28ofjkna]Back Pool- easier to shoot, more consistent spawns, not as dependent on a good start
[*:28ofjkna]Side Drop- better when your start is very good, easier to survive, faster spawns

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Ehj~

[way2g00d]

Excellent comm and brilliant tips Eye.

[Superhands]

Absolutely brilliant mate, should help people reconsider their options if they're not getting their desired results.

Just to reflect on what has been said in the video:

The back pool is generally harder to survive in, but it's a pretty uniform train and requires little improvisation and it's easier to get a tight train.

The side drop gives more options for directions and escapes, but requires great improvisational kiting skills. Pretty difficult to get a tighter train, but those who know how to control the zombies will benefit greatly and be able to inflict maximum damage per shot.

All in all - back pool for great players achieving personal records, side drop for the best of players looking to push boundaries.

[shirtlesservice]

I agree with hands, i actually find it easier to die in the back pool, mostly because of the dogs bouncing off eachother and popping where they should not be :x but for the sied drop it just seems (for me) like the spawns are alot harder to control, where in the back pool its really easy... The escape routes are plentiful where in the back pool they obviously are not... Overall i like the back pool better the lack of escape routes is basically made up for by the easier to handle spawns.

[Chopper]

Nice thread eye, and good comments from both Super and Sleeve.

My 2 pence worth -

Remember Eye's condition vs instinct thread; back drop requires conditioning, side drop requires instinct.

The exception to this is the way Super runs the side drop....I always think he takes much wider paths than anyone else, leading me to conclude that he is using conditioning to design his paths, giving himself more room to make his choices, rather than relying on instinct.

I believe that's why he said that it's pretty difficult to get a tight train in this area.

The main issue with the back drop as I see it is the difficulty in cleaning up crawlers and damaged zombies. Due to the water you are forced to take a particular circle, or at best jump through the water.

Either way you are restricted in your ability to stab these last few zombies. Adding in that new zombies will spawn straight into the area, you are just always going to have issues cleaning up.

A key part in NML is cleaning 20 each and everytime......once you start damaging new zombies that are respawning before clearing the prior group entirely you are going to run into ammo efficiency issues.

Regarding the side drop.....I can get really really tight groups there very quickly, but it does require getting very close to the hoard. The down with this is that 1 minor hit can suddenly lead to 3 or 4 other hits as the first one you take gives you that little hit marker delay.

The problem with the side drop is when you have to leave it, either through the cage or through the large pool.

Whenever you have to do either of these things you cost yourself at least 5 seconds, as the hoard will split somewhat and need to be put back together. This might only mean 1 circle, but that's still a lost circle.

EDIT - on rereading this I've come to a possible new conclusion. Whilst the zombies are still 2 hit the side drop is better. Once they become 3 or more the back drop becomes better. Whilst 2 hit you are going to want to stab the remaining zombies. Once 3 or more it will always be shooting with minimal stabbing.

A hybrid could produce the best results as the back drop is probably easier to get tight groups of crawlers.

[shirtlesservice]

Eye, your next road to 330 vid should be on what chopper said, using the side drop first, before switching to the back pool for the remaining of the game, rather than going to the teleporter...

Just a thought ;)

[Superhands]

Whilst the zombies are still 2 hit the side drop is better. Once they become 3 or more the back drop becomes better. Whilst 2 hit you are going to want to stab the remaining zombies. Once 3 or more it will always be shooting with minimal stabbing.

A hybrid could produce the best results as the back drop is probably easier to get tight groups of crawlers.

I had this exact thought during my 374. I went to the back pool for the last 2 clips of ammo, since I knew it'd just be trying to pick off crawlers with my last shots it was convenient to just run a set circle and have all of the crawlers right in the middle of that circle. Even after some horribly slow spawns at about the same time I shifted areas, I managed to use my last shots really effectively.

It's also becoming clear that choosing not to wait around for a few stragglers can actually be a huge benefit, and the back pool is definitely an easier place to shoot while you've still got some spawners coming in.