How to fix the roster slot prices

_RiO_

fmftint wrote:

they want you to buy HP because that is their bread and butter

Have you had a look at the obscene costs for roster slots at higher slot numbers?

You'd think Demiurge/D3P could make do without having an entire stick of real dairy butter melted out over a single slice of bread.
Maybe they should switch to margerine, ey? I heard it's better for the heart in the long term as well...

fmftint

_RiO_ wrote:

fmftint wrote:

they want you to buy HP because that is their bread and butter

Have you had a look at the obscene costs for roster slots at higher slot numbers?

You'd think Demiurge/D3P could make do without having an entire stick of real dairy butter melted out over a single slice of bread.
Maybe they should switch to margerine, ey? I heard it's better for the heart in the long term as well...

Yes, I have. I've got 45 slots in my roster. They already said they aren't doing anything about the cost but might increase Iso/HP flow slightly

Whub Whubz

Hmm first post here! Hi!
Character tier prices were brought up, and i'd like to expand on that. I think that a possible way to go if the programming isn't to deep is to have different tier of characters to cost different prices,I think you need to move away from the view point that your game is one of hard choices and roster swaps and more towards a (Marvel Puzzle Quest - A Collectible Match 3 Game!) frame of mind. I think this idea would stimulate players on all levels to adapt a more collect them all gaming style.
These are just suggestions on the price points but as this would go a 1 star slot would cost around 100 hp, a 2 star roster slot would be around 200-250, a 3 star roster slot would be around 400-500, and finally a legendary slot around 650-700.
As I see it I believe most "casuals" are playing the game "wrong" anyways and not advancing in the tier list, but simply collecting the 3 stars or better and potential harming their play experience by playing on a budget and dumping a 2 star they put work into for a 1 covered 3 star that won't do much work at all.
I'm not sure how much room for movement there is for this; but you should be looking into stabilizing this subject as soon as you have the resources. Increasing the roster slots gradually has toxic effects on players that see the cost of the game steadily increase and might see this as a good excuse to see what else is on the market once the cost of a roster slot slot hits past whatever price mark they are uncomfortable with. The tier cost system feels right imo but maybe other players feel differently about this?
Overall tho I think putting a stable price tag on your products, and announcing any planned price changes at least a month in advance would be greatly appreciated by players on every spending level, I think most players are seeing a raising price tag and asking themselves how much more time, and money am I going to have to spend to "enjoy" the game on the level that I am accustomed to. Phew that was long thanks for reading!

MarvelMan

fmftint wrote:

_RiO_ wrote:

fmftint wrote:

they want you to buy HP because that is their bread and butter

Have you had a look at the obscene costs for roster slots at higher slot numbers?

You'd think Demiurge/D3P could make do without having an entire stick of real dairy butter melted out over a single slice of bread.
Maybe they should switch to margerine, ey? I heard it's better for the heart in the long term as well...

Yes, I have. I've got 45 slots in my roster. They already said they aren't doing anything about the cost but might increase Iso/HP flow slightly

Wait, you have only 45 slots? Lucky you: that is still cheap. Im at 60, and I dont even have one of each char (I do have a couple dups).

Colognoisseur

This is probably the thing in the game that has to be the most frustrating to trasitioning players.
The idea you have to make a decision on something you worked hard to win. Whether to sell or keep.
There are going to be a few players getting Elektra covers and agonizing on keeping her or not.
This simply should not be. If you win it you should be able to keep it.
I would feel differently if as you progressed there was never ever any use for the 1* and 2* characters.
We know that is patently untrue as Balance of Power tourneys and Combined Arms reward those who have kept those characters.
In my opinion the cost for roster slots should only be high for adding them for duplicates and it should be egregiously high.
You want 2 X-Forces then the roster slot should be equivalent to the cost of a 4* cover same for each star level all the way down.
With 58 characters in-game after Elektra release the roster slots should be reasonably priced through at least thirty if not forty-five so a playuer can keep most everything they win for a modest cost.

FaustianDeal

Another funky notion when it comes to roster slots would be to think of them more like 'available space' than a fixed number of 'slots'..

I'm not sure I'm loving this idea (but its good to look at all the options when you are trying to find solutions) is there value in switching the model so that the roster 'space' a character uses can be variable? If, for example, the 3* and 4* characters took up 2 'units' of space, where the 1* and 2* characters only take up 1 unit? I don't know how this affects pricing of the space and if they do it wrong this will just make things even worse since now you have to sell Bagman *and* Yelena to make room for Elektra (it remains to be seen how good Elektra may be, but that is probably still a good trade).

Having sliding 'space' requirements for different star levels could align well with the 'bench' concept (with a character who was not in the active rotation could take up a smaller number of space units).

alaeth

Another option I see is to change so that each major jump requires a different slot "type". 1* covers go in 1*, 2*, or 3* slots , 2* in 2* (or 3*), 3* in 3* only, 4* in "epic" slots - reserved only for them (like a glass case on a shelf)

This allows for:
* all the 1* slots are free
* a couple free/cheap 2* slots (maybe the story events that you have chances to gain 2* covers also drop 2* slots?)
* 3* slots start where they do now, but cap out around 500hp
* "epic" slots for 4* are 500 for the first, and double for each one (exact scaling tbd... but you get the general idea).

It's not to hard to "grandfather" everyone in to the new format, you check with missions are 100% completed (all rewards) and grant them the appropriate 2* slots (4-6 or so...?). Then check for how many slots they've bought and give them credit towards their roster (3* or 4*) (I haven't checked the math, but the 3* -> 4* transition players should still come out ahead).

MaskedMan

People say the silliest things.

Give a discount on roster slots for new characters? What other kind of characters do you add to your roster?

Gives the impression game is Pay to Win? What made you think it wasn't or that anyone cares about that distinction? I actually know people who prefer Pay to Win games. (which I don't understand either)

Change to help the FTPers? Why would they spend money to make changes to help the only players NOT paying their salary?

Cost wise the biggest issue I see is the cost to upgrade a 4 star power 2,500! plus like a billion ISO to level them to 270. So of course they are adding lots of new 4*s in 2015. Talk about pay to win.

FaustianDeal

MaskedMan wrote:

Give a discount on roster slots for new characters? What other kind of characters do you add to your roster?

Well, there is a valid distinction between 'new to you' and 'new to everyone'. Elektra is 'new' to everyone who wins her tonight. For those who fall short of Elektra, Daredevil will be 'new' to some of them. I think the argument being made here is that roster slot 60 cost 800HP when there were 30 characters in the game, and it still costs 800HP when there are 60. When there were only 30 characters, only whales had 60 roster slots. When there are 60 characters; completionists join the whales on the ouch scale. It will still cost 800HP when there are 100 characters... only by that point almost anyone trying to finish the 2-3* transition will be making hard roster choices or ponying up for the space as they struggle to get their first 3* or 4* covered (without buying covers). It doesn't seem heinous now, but give it a while.

I remember when I came to the forum a long time ago and the big players were bemoaning the costs of roster slots. I had 20 characters then and I thought they were spoiled; complaining that they had to pay that much to have a 3rd copy of Thor or Wolverine. Fast forward to now: I have 60 characters (as does everyone with 1 of everyone, right, or is my count off) and hope to win Elektra tonight... and I will pay dearly for her spot; meanwhile the guys who thought spot 60 was expensive 8 months ago are eating whatever slot 90 costs.

It seems like a 1st world problem now, (it sure did to me 8 months ago), but my experience suggests that the number of players feeling pinched by roster constraints will only continue to grow as the number of available characters expands.

_RiO_

alaeth wrote:

Another option I see is to change so that each major jump requires a different slot "type". 1* covers go in 1*, 2*, or 3* slots , 2* in 2* (or 3*), 3* in 3* only, 4* in "epic" slots - reserved only for them (like a glass case on a shelf)

This allows for:
* all the 1* slots are free
* a couple free/cheap 2* slots (maybe the story events that you have chances to gain 2* covers also drop 2* slots?)
* 3* slots start where they do now, but cap out around 500hp
* "epic" slots for 4* are 500 for the first, and double for each one (exact scaling tbd... but you get the general idea).

It's not to hard to "grandfather" everyone in to the new format, you check with missions are 100% completed (all rewards) and grant them the appropriate 2* slots (4-6 or so...?). Then check for how many slots they've bought and give them credit towards their roster (3* or 4*) (I haven't checked the math, but the 3* -> 4* transition players should still come out ahead).

This actually sounds fairly decent.

(...)

Which is why it will never happen.