Playing Hard Ball with Skyscale

[Shianni.9173]

Any tips on how to play hard ball on the Reflexes achievement? Which class I should use? My old reflexes can't keep up with Hard Ball mode, So I won't be able to move forward with skyscale mount. :'(

[Cragga the Eighty Third.60]

My only tip--you run faster forward than backward, so always back up after you throw. Getting to a ball that lands too far behind you is hard.

[derd.6413]

equip a speed Signet if you've got one

[Shianni.9173]

I tried those things, I am oceanic timezone, ping is 220 to 300, I don't the the reflexes of a young whippersnapper. I tried over 70 times, get to ball 4 or 5 and it all over. I tried sigil of speed, speed boosters, different classes. So now the results are I can no longer finish achievements, or get Skyscale Mount after all the work put in.

[JustTrogdor.7892]

I noticed a pattern when I did it. Of course since I can't repeat the activity I can't test it again to further evaluate it. When I threw the ball and it went to the left the Sckyscale would throw it back to the right. When thrown to the right the ball would return left. And the middle, some where in between. Of course where it went in the left, right, and middle areas were still sort of random but it helped me get in better position to catch it. So if I noticed the Skyscale move to the left for example I would move my character over toward the right to get closer to the possible area the ball would return. Also you can dodge into the marked area if you are just short of it when the ball arrives. As long as you are even just inside the edge of the circle you should catch it.

[Cyninja.2954]

If available, take Mirage (mesmer PoF elite Specialization) for Jaunt (https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Jaunt) and permanent swiftness (equip the Signet of Inspiration and give yourself Initial Swiftness with Focus 4).

Also, always make sure to walk back to the middle position. Don't just stand there after throwing back the ball. There is a spot which is sort of at the center of all available positions the ball can get thrown to. That way you can cut the distance you need to travel to the next spot by close to 30-40%.

[Witch of Doom.5739]

@Cyninja.2954 said:Also, always make sure to walk back to the middle position. Don't just stand there after throwing back the ball. There is a spot which is sort of at the center of all available positions the ball can get thrown to. That way you can cut the distance you need to travel to the next spot by close to 30-40%.

THIS. I too am older with not the fastest reflexes, and not until moving more to the middle position after each catch was I able to complete the mini-game. Just a couple of steps made a big difference. Also, don't try it when you're tired and frustrated (easy to say, hard to do, I know). Good luck!

[Lofty.1235]

I'm stuck at the same location.. I have nerve dmg in my hands.. they don't move quickly enough .. Another one of my bffs has MS and plays one handed.. Guess he's out permanently as well.. Which is highly disappointing! I was enjoying the collection up till this point ! I've been trying for over a week to get past this point. .

[videoboy.4162]

I've been unable to complete this part as well. I've been trying for the past three days too =(

[Forda.6359]

My best advice for this is to pan the camera directly above yourself so that you can only see your character and the ground. The ball always lands in a relative area so if you zoom out sufficiently you can see that entire area, use the right button so you can quick turn as you run fastest moving forward as opposed to backwards or side to side. (I recommend an actual mouse as it's near impossible to do on a laptop mouse pad)

[Eros.6801]

My advice is using Action Camera, this allowed you to move(run) freely at any directions without walking but run, each times you caught and threw the ball a brief slow down will happen but after that you can run. Next is eat endurance regen food + swiftness buff from skills or passive 25%, this help you dodge more often and run faster with action cam, another one is by playing a daredevil with dash trait (idk if this gonna works in there but worth a try), last one is too adjust your camera angle in settings, make it so that your field of view as wide as possible and covers more surrounding.

Good luck.

[Shianni.9173]

Thank you for all the advice, I used a daredevil, with a short bow, and got the achievement. Thanks for the help

[Xena.1263]

I did enjoy playing this game for all 6 -7 yrs. until now. I don't mind the Go-fer/search for items. I don't mind the gold expense--that would have been more preferable than this Hard Ball playing with a skyscale . I am Handicapped with a broken left elbow with an implant and 3 paralyzed fingers on my left hand. The Sun's Refuge is slightly bugged for me as well--there is some lag , my character freezes from time to time in there and the circles don't always appear on the ground. I tried with 3 different characters -Ranger/human, Mesmer/Asura, and Revenant/Charr .Anet show US Handicapped, Old timers and people with Slow Reflexes some love.Here's an Idea: Just make each Hard Ball catch count and stick and not have to be redone from 0 making us start all over again. If we catch 5 it should stay at 5 not go back to 0, allowing us a chance to eventually reach 12. If we leave the instance then it can go back to 0, but if we stay in the instance (hour after hour trying) the count meter should keep our score allowing us to continue. Hopefully to get the skyscale we worked so hard and long for. Thank you for all the good years I had before this one.

[Miki Thahan Phran.9182]

I was just going to post more or less the same I have a spinal cord injury and my reflexes are not the best. Lots of content I have had to give up on as soon as dexterity/dodge is mentioned and it's not for want of trying

[Scruffy.7820]

I just got it at last. I played at 2:30am my time (usually I'd be asleep but I thought I'd give it a try! I get lower ping at this time).

I used daredevil with the speedy dodge forward trait. It still counts as a catch if I've run through the circle and out the other side.

Also, I had a speed boost buff on (combat enchantment) plus signet of shadows.

Plus I did a lot of attempts!

[ragingpuma.4618]

I say keep moving also, that is what i did. Alot easier to get to the destination while moving rather than from standing still

[Taelac.7036]

I was afraid I was going to have to press the household teenager into service to finish hard mode, but I finally managed despite arthritic hands, an average FPS of 12 and an average ping of about 135. What ended up working for me was turning down a lot of graphics settings, hiding my minipet, stowing my ranger pet, popping a speed boost on top of the Signet of the Hunt, and swapping my weapons to stop having the Kudzu footfalls. Anything that reduces the visual clutter seems to help.

Finally, turning the camera to look down on the target area meant no longer seeing the animation of my skyscale or the periodic groups of NPCs and dolyaks passing by, and I think that removed a psychological block of feeling like I had to be facing my skyscale to catch. Once I was willing to catch with the back of my head, it got more manageable.

One final tip, start moving again to re-center as soon as the "catch" completes, before you've started your "throw" animation, since that will save a precious second or two in getting back to first position.

tl;dr You're not playing "catch," you're playing "laser dot"--and you're the cat.

[Miki Thahan Phran.9182]

Excellent! I went back just now and got it on my second attempt :)

[jinxykat.6519]

You guys, you saved my life! I was ready to give up but thought..eh, i'll follow their advice and see what happens..did it on the fourth try! *happy butt dance THANK YOU!

[Sirbeaumerdier.3740]

With a ping of 700, this game (hard mode) is effectively shutting any hope of getting a skyscale for me... And, yes, I aimed to positionned myself at the center of the receiving zones from the very beginning to maximize my chances. After 4 hours non-stop of pure stuborness, I managed to get 10 success in a row ONCE... It is mathematically near impossible to achieve with the ping I have, and my sanity has suffered enough... No skyscale is fine...

[melandru.3876]

how can anyone have issues with this?

the balls get bounced back in a rather small zone, you have plenty of time to run to where the whire circle is.

standing in the middle is obviously best as you have to close the least distance.

its just modern day tennis; "camping" one side of the field gets you punnished on the other

---

support my girl!making top-notch guides

just look how easy loldid all 3 easy, medium and hard in less then 5 minutes

if this is allready hard for someimagine trying to do 100cm/regular 100 frac and they have to bounce the orb

[Lexi.1398]

just throwing my coin in;once you throw the ball for the first time you can do the whole thing mounted, and you'll find the zones for an acceptable "catch" quite large on the raptor at least- larger than the circle. with raptor it took me only 4 tries once i realised wtf was going on, though i imagine gryph might be a slightly better mount for mobility here too.

[Randulf.7614]

@"melandru.3876" said:how can anyone have issues with this?

the balls get bounced back in a rather small zone, you have plenty of time to run to where the whire circle is.

standing in the middle is obviously best as you have to close the least distance.

its just modern day tennis; "camping" one side of the field gets you punnished on the other

People have stated they have disabilities and/or lag issues.

Not everyone is appropriately dextrous for all content or has consistent ping, and so look for advice to assist with what may otherwise seem “easy” to others

[Graymalkyn.8076]

@Witch of Doom.5739 said:

@Cyninja.2954 said:

Also, always make sure to walk back to the middle position.

Don't just stand there after throwing back the ball. There is a spot which is sort of at the center of all available positions the ball can get thrown to. That way you can cut the distance you need to travel to the next spot by close to 30-40%.

THIS. I too am older with not the fastest reflexes, and not until moving more to the middle position after each catch was I able to complete the mini-game. Just a couple of steps made a big difference. Also, don't try it when you're tired and frustrated (easy to say, hard to do, I know). Good luck!

Yup...that's what I did too. Got it on my second try on a char with no speed boost.

[Sirbeaumerdier.3740]

@"melandru.3876" said:how can anyone have issues with this?

the balls get bounced back in a rather small zone, you have plenty of time to run to where the whire circle is.

standing in the middle is obviously best as you have to close the least distance.

its just modern day tennis; "camping" one side of the field gets you punnished on the other

---

support my girl!making top-notch guides

just look how easy loldid all 3 easy, medium and hard in less then 5 minutes

if this is allready hard for someimagine trying to do 100cm/regular 100 frac and they have to bounce the orb

If you actually take the time to read why people have problem with this you wouldn't reply such a thing. When you have a ping averaging around 700, by the time you are given the visual cue as to where the ball will land, it is too late to process the info, and move to the zone.

From my POV, I always get inside the catch zone way before the ball is shown landing. However, the sad reality is, the ball was almost already on the ground by the time I get the visual clue. I just didn't know it (even if I use a teleport skill since the skill trigger is so long its useless).

And, again, yes, my very first reflex was to position myself smack in the middle of all possible landing zone and lower every setting to the lowest possible. It changed nothing.

Maybe with some jedi precognition...