We are happy to present the new season of the Voltaic benchmarks, including a brand new energy system to acquire ranks, new scenarios to look forward to and better divided difficulties.
Below we’ll explain all the changes and elaborate on why we decided to create a new season and explain our reasoning for the rank reset.
Questions & Concerns
Why a new season?
It’s been half a year since we delivered a large update for our Aim Lab benchmarks. By collecting feedback in the last 6 months we came up with plenty of conclusive changes to improve the whole benchmark experience.
Why are the ranks getting reset?
With the improvements made to the benchmark scenarios and their scoring, combined with the sizable time gap between releases, this upcoming season’s ranks intrinsically hold little relation to the previous season. It also seemed evident by popular vote held in our discord, that Voltaic community members are excited to have new incentives to push themselves and compete to reach their potential within a new and refreshed system.
What happens to the old scenarios and progress sheet?
All of the old scenarios as well as the progress sheet will still be available. These new benchmarks will replace the current integration as soon as possible.
Will the new season be implemented into Aim Lab?
Yes, we will be working with Aim Lab to get the new season implemented as soon as possible!
Does the Auto Updater Tool work with Aim Lab?
Not at the moment, but our developer is trying to make it work with Aim Lab as well. Keep an eye on our announcements and Twitter account for when we have this feature ready.
All the updates for our benchmarks
Three part difficulty division & Iron Rank
When we first released our benchmarks with two separate difficulties, we expected that the benchmarks sufficiently covered all difficulty levels.
However after receiving feedback from our community (particularly on our subreddit), we found that beginners still felt excluded and outpaced at the lowest levels our previous benchmarks offered.
As a direct result of this feedback, our benchmarks are now divided in the following difficulties: Novice, Intermediate and Advanced.
Novice players can achieve the following ranks: Iron, Bronze, Silver and Gold.
Intermediate players can achieve: Platinum, Diamond, Jade and Master.
Advanced players can achieve: Grandmaster, Nova, Astra and Celestial.
More descriptive naming conventions
All our scenarios now start with the VT prefix, this is done for consistency and to avoid having bloated scenario names.
On Aim Lab we decided to rename some of the scenarios that had names similar to other trainers due to the ambiguity for users that may not be familiar with this lingo.
Energy System
Achieving scores on our benchmarks now rewards users with energy.
How it works
- To achieve a certain rank you need to meet the energy threshold.
- Each subcategory awards energy for your highest achieved score.
- Your average total energy determines your final rank.
- Pushing your score closer to the next rank awards more energy.
- The amount of energy needed for each rank follows a linear progression, starting at 100 for Iron and increasing in increments of 100 all the way up to Celestial.
Why did we switch to the Energy System?
We noticed that players were being bottlenecked by some of their weaknesses a little too much. This means that their final rank would be underrepresenting their actual ability which is counter to our benchmark’s objectives. In order to properly measure a player’s overall mouse control skill we should represent them by their strengths, their most proficient subcategories usually pertain to their main game. The new system therefore complements everyone from various FPS titles as each title favors a different subcategory.
Scenario Changes
Aim Lab
Dynamic
Angleshot
Single-click bots travel in straight lines at various angles on a square X/Y Plane, while making unpredictable directional changes and colliding with one of the scenario’s four edges.
- Movement is now smoother and more dynamic, also does not collide with walls anymore.
Waveshot
Single-click bots move in long horizontal, low angle arcs while making slow and easy to read directional changes. The bots are placed at multiple different height levels, and make smooth yet subtle vertical transitions.
- Replacing Floating Dots, because our team believes that the dynamic category should incorporate some sort of reactiveness/evasiveness in the bot patterns.
Arcshot
Single-click bots leap in mid-high arcs on top of a flat surface confined close to the player while vertically being affected by gravity. The bots change depths as they traverse, and may horizontally change directions when they bounce.
- Updated to have less bots jumping in your face, wider POV to incorporate more wrist movement. Lesser probability for bots to spawn into your crosshair and more emphasis on precision.
Static
- Static is now divided in multiple levels: Sixshot for Novice, Fiveshot for Intermediate and Threeshot for Advanced.
Fourshot Wide
Four medium sized bots are placed randomly on a horizontally elongated X/Y plane, moderately distanced from the player. Bots are eliminated with a single click, and will remain stationary for the duration of the scenario.
- Name change and only included in Advanced to add more options for the Advanced players.
Threeshot
Small stationary bots spawn in random locations on a square X/Y plane. The target surface is relatively close to the player, and the bots placed upon it are eliminated with a single click.
- replaces 1w4ts, only 3 targets instead of 4.
Multishot 180
Several medium to small sized bots spawn randomly within the horizontal field of view outlined by the scenario name, being either 120° or 180°. The bots are stationary, single-click elimination, and will appear on the three walls in front of the player as well as the floor.
- 180 Static name changed to Multishot 120 for Intermediate and Multishot 180 for Advanced.
Precise
Suavetrack
One thin invincible bot makes long, moderately fast strafes in a rectangular prism with the player placed at the center of its 360° movement pattern. The bot will change directions at various frequencies with smooth transitions between them.
- Smoothpill renamed and revamped
- Smaller at advanced to put more emphasis on precision
Steadytrack
One invincible spherical bot makes wide circular-esque motions on a rectangular X/Y plane at varied speeds.
- Replaces Angelic Sphere. 120 degree scenario with an orb that moves/floats around the map at varied speeds.
Minitrack
One small invincible spherical bot makes tall and fast leaps around the player, while traveling at a constant speed, and makes predictable direction changes at either the apex of its jump or at the end of its descent.
- Adjusted so it stays relatively far away from the player model and doesn’t become untraceable at times, increased speed to make the scenario smoother and more difficult.
Reactive
Blinktrack
One invincible spherical bot makes medium to small erratic strafes vertically and horizontally, while occasionally making a single imperceptibly fast strafe to force a sudden adjustment. The bot is placed on a rectangular X/Y plane.
- A better ZacXYZ scenario that stays on one wall and has varied hard to track strafes that require you to react constantly.
Pilltrack
One invincible pill-shaped bot makes erratic horizontal strafes, both long and short, around the player’s 360° view. The bot will remain anchored to the floor shared with the player for the duration of the scenario.
- A horizontal exclusive reactive scenario with a cylinder shaped bot with blinks.
Spheretrack
One invincible spherical bot makes various vertical and horizontal strafes with different levels of consistency, ranging from long and predictable to short and erratic. The bot will execute these movements around the player, making use of the full 360° horizontal view space.
- A sphere that strafe erratically on both vertical and horizontal angles and rotates into different strafe profiles.
Speed
Swayswitch
Several spherical bots make long horizontal strafes with subtle vertical wave movements, occasionally changing height levels and direction. Each bot needs to be tracked for a short period to be eliminated.
- Replaces pillTS. Very distinct and linear wave-like pattern with targets spawning at different elevations, sphere shaped.
Sphereswitch
Several spherical bots make long and fast horizontal strafes while making relatively sparse direction changes. The bots are placed at extremely distinct elevations, making verticality a core aspect of this scenario. Every bot needs to be tracked for a short period in order to be eliminated.
- Targets no longer overlap, similar to SwitchTrack, but more emphasis on speed and chaining.
Skyswitch
Bots move in slow, long horizontal lines in a deep rectangular prism at various depths and heights. Horizontal direction changes are very slow and predictable and the bots need to be tracked for a short period to be eliminated.
- Name changed from berryTS to Skyswitch.
Evasive
Dodgeswitch
Bots move back and forth horizontally within a rectangular prism, with sizable vertical space given between each bot height. Each bot needs to be tracked for a short period to be eliminated.
- Replaces siniTS and has a relatively varied and evasive pattern with higher ttk.
Angleswitch
Several bots travel in straight lines at various angles on a square X/Y plane, while making unpredictable directional changes and colliding with one of the scenario’s four edges. Each bot needs to be tracked for a short period to be eliminated.
- Added a slightly more complex dodge pattern, pushed the player model back, and increased the size of the map. Health bars have been fixed, and the fire rate for the weapon has been increased so that the weapon is more accurate.
Arcswitch
Several bots leap in mid-high arcs on top of a flat surface confined close to the player while vertically being affected by gravity. The bots change depths as they traverse, and may horizontally change directions when they bounce. Each bot needs to be tracked for a short period to be eliminated.
- Same improvements as Arc 180, but with more horizontal bias and bigger targets.
