Has MPQ "Jumped the Shark" ?

Unknown

I wonder if D3 has any direction or a plan that is relevant (for lack of a better word) to the Marvel universe?

1. D3 did not finish the Dark Reign storyline, even after the in-game "to be continued"
2. There are only 2 of the Fantastic Four
3. Starlord and Drax are on the outside looking in at their pals
4.Luke Cage is all yang with out the ying of Iron Fist
5.Even the characters that should have been really cool and fun (I'm looking at you, Otto) have a lame or crippled implementation.
6. Squirrel Girl - as 3 - in a heroic; any two out of three of those, okay, but all three...? (Note - I think she would have made an excellent 2 achievable, completable, and fun. able.)

Those are just a few examples. There is lots of starting, no finishing.

Sort of ike getting a new 3

Proceed with downvoting - reputation is over-rated anyway.

DaveR4470

I don't think it's jumped the shark, but I will agree with you on one point: Squirrel Girl should have been a 2* and not a 3*. Specifically, we didn't really need a 2* Captain Marvel. SG should have been the new 2* -- her (theoretical) skillset would have been great with 2* Daken or Storm plus 2* Wolvie. That would be a good new alternative combo for use in 2* - 3* progression. And would open up the new 3* spot to someone more appropriate, like Iron Fist.

NorthernPolarity

DaveR4470 wrote:

I don't think it's jumped the shark, but I will agree with you on one point: Squirrel Girl should have been a 2* and not a 3*. Specifically, we didn't really need a 2* Captain Marvel. SG should have been the new 2* -- her (theoretical) skillset would have been great with 2* Daken or Storm plus 2* Wolvie. That would be a good new alternative combo for use in 2* - 3* progression. And would open up the new 3* spot to someone more appropriate, like Iron Fist.

I don't think we'll ever see Demiurge making a completely new 2* hero. They make 0 money compared to 3* characters since no one buys their cover packs / covers, and it doesn't make sense devoting resources to doing that when you can take the much more pragmatic "make a 3* and modify it to become a 2*" route instead.

Vinny J wrote:

I wonder if D3 has any direction or a plan that is relevant (for lack of a better word) to the Marvel universe?
1. D3 did not finish the Dark Reign storyline, even after the in-game "to be continued"

The main point I agree with. This is the largest loose end that they didn't tie up, and really should be fixed.

Vinny J wrote:

2. There are only 2 of the Fantastic Four
3. Starlord and Drax are on the outside looking in at their pals
4.Luke Cage is all yang with out the ying of Iron Fist

Eh... I don't think it's necessary for them to include every single supporting character associated with characters in the game. It seems more so of a waste when MPQ is supposed to encompass a sampling of the entire marvel universe: it doesn't make practice sense to spend an entire 2 months on GoG characters when 2 is more than enough to get their feel.

Vinny J wrote:

5.Even the characters that should have been really cool and fun (I'm looking at you, Otto) have a lame or crippled implementation.

This just seems nitpicky: most of the newly released characters (Cage, Blade, Mystique, Grocket) have been infinitely useful than the previous set of sucky characters (She-Hulk, Beast, Doc Ock...). If Demiurge has been getting one thing right, it's making significantly more balanced and relevant characters.

My hope is that they finish the Dark Reign story some time soon, but everything else seems pretty reasonable.

orbitalint

It took me awhile to admit it but it jumped the shark for me with 4* Elektra. I'm sorry but she plays like a middle/top 3*, which she probably would have been if they didn't have to cram this 4* "transition" into the game. They let out too many XF/4hor's into the world because of shield hopping and have been playing catch up since they figured out this fact. Funny story, you now can't have any hope of getting a 4* in the PVP environment without said 4*'s and these new shield cooldowns and some of us like to sleep instead of play PVE for 1st...so why bother playing for the shiny new 3* that are mediocre (Edit: NP, you are right, I've enjoyed Mystique immensely, they have been better in this 2nd wave of new characters - point withdrawn)? They need to expand the reward structure now because of how disincentivizing it is to play. I might play more if I had a reasonable shot at getting a cover here and there for XF or 4hor but I don't.

In my view, they have larger issues to address in the game and they are losing veteran interest along the way. I also can't imagine why someone new would pick up this game either since it is equally hard to get any traction in the 3* game with some of the staples being in the vault like Thor and Daken and there being so many 3*'s in rotation.

For the first time in months, I haven't wanted to play more than a game or two when I get home. Jumped the shark - confirmed

IamTheDanger

I agree with OP on a few of the points made. Especially the "not finishing the Dark Reign story". Like only reading half a book or watching half a movie.

So what really got my attention was the part about "starting and not finishing". It reminded me of my English Proffessor in high school. He was also the soccer coach and the volley ball coach. So when he had coach related things to do, he would put in a movie for the class, and sit in the corner at his desk doing his own thing. Then the next day, instead of finishing the movie, he would go back to teaching the class. Over the course of my senior year in high school, the class started 17 movies,(over half of which had absolutely nothing to do with the English class what so ever), but did not finish a single one. Basically, when my Proffessor had something better to do and wanted to distract the class so we would be quiet and leave him alone, he just popped in the first video he could find. Even though the entire class made constant jokes about this, it was still kind of irritating not being able to actually finish these movies, (a couple of them were even pretty good).

Not sure why, but this game, (and the OP here), make me think of that class for some reason. Hmmmm. Can't imagine why.

On a serious note, I don't think MPQ has "Jumped the Shark" just yet. (For those unfamiliar with this phrase, it refers to the show Happy Days with The Fonz. After the episode where Fonzy jumped a shark on water skies, the once great show went down hill. So "jump the shark" means that something that was great has reached it's peek and has started to decline). D3 has made a lot of improvements lately, and it's an ever changing game. Not every change will be something the players like, i.e. "true healing" and shield cool downs. But overall, I'm very happy with the game.

Of course I would be much happier if D3 would finish up a few loose ends as stated in the OP. Like Drax, Starlord, Mr. Fantastic, Thing, Sabertooth, (seriously, 3 Wolverines and ZERO Sabertooth), and Prof. X. (again, all these X-Men, but no Xavier?). Not finishing what they already have starts a bad precedent. What happens if they do Civil War, or House of M? Will they just do half the story and move on to something else?

JamieMadrox

Vinny J wrote:

I wonder if D3 has any direction or a plan that is relevant (for lack of a better word) to the Marvel universe?

1. D3 did not finish the Dark Reign storyline, even after the in-game "to be continued"

They've said they're still working on the wrap up to this story. I imagine we'll see it at some point this half of 2015.

Vinny J wrote:

2. There are only 2 of the Fantastic Four

Neither of which are great. Also, Marvel has no FF books on the go right now and the new movie is likely to be a steaming pile so they're likely not jumping at the chance to license them on other platforms. Remember, a license needs to be secured from Marvel (or the rights holder) for EVERY character individually. Just because a character isn't part of the game, doesn't meant he devs don want them in the game.

Vinny J wrote:

3. Starlord and Drax are on the outside looking in at their pals

Again, licensing. It's likely that they only got he licenses for the character we currently see.

Vinny J wrote:

4.Luke Cage is all yang with out the ying of Iron Fist

I'm positive Danny Rand is coming soon. Likely the next character or shortly thereafter.

Vinny J wrote:

5.Even the characters that should have been really cool and fun (I'm looking at you, Otto) have a lame or crippled implementation.

I'll give you that, but I'm fairly certain these characters will be better when they get rotated out, tweaked, and put back in.

Vinny J wrote:

6. Squirrel Girl - as 3 - in a heroic; any two out of three of those, okay, but all three...? (Note - I think she would have made an excellent 2 achievable, completable, and fun. able.)

She's not my favourite character either, but she does have a new book out and is an old cult favourite. Will she be good as a 3*? Hard to say. Do heroic events suck a lot? Absolutely.

Nellyson

I agree wholeheartedly about finishing the Dark Reign storyline! As well as the Punisher's The List story. Those two I really want to see end. As for the characters, it would be nice to round out the teams. I feel like that is what Marvel is all about. The teams. Then from the teams, people have their favorites.

This heroic to introduce a Squirrel Girl is at least new. It's not the set 8. I think each sub will add 4 different additions to the set of 8. That's cool and new. I like it. Not quite what I wanted in being able to pick 3 or 4 that you want, but still a much better improvement to the heroics.

Unknown

Judge actions not words.

Based on the fact that they continue to ignore fundamentally broken elements of the game while investing time and resources into crippling the game further...the answer seems obvious.

Unknown

I think that finishing the storyline is a moot point until they hire writers who can judge good dialogue from bad. I skip all the dialogues now because they are a terrible read.

But once they get someone to punch up the dialogue, they need to continue the story through Siege and finally Osborn's return and the reformation of the Dark Avengers. You'd think they were heading that way, considering they've just added Gorgon to the game, and he becomes Dark Wolverine in that story, and Ragnarok doesn't become a Dark Avenger until then, either.

Gorgon and Ragnarok would barely exist in the comics if not for the latter day Dark Avengers. Ragnarok especially, since before then, he was just Clone Thor.

We're going to need Ai Apaec and Toxic Doxie, though, to add to the confusion. Oh, and Skaar. Son of Hulk.

Unknown

^ No, thank you.

Unknown

Vinny J wrote:

5.Even the characters that should have been really cool and fun (I'm looking at you, Otto) have a lame or crippled implementation.


This just seems nitpicky: most of the newly released characters (Cage, Blade, Mystique, Grocket) have been infinitely useful than the previous set of sucky characters (She-Hulk, Beast, Doc Ock...). If Demiurge has been getting one thing right, it's making significantly more balanced and relevant characters.

True - the later set are much better; my comment was directed almost specifically to Dr Otto Octavious - Doc Ock. Seriously. The dude has 8 limbs - how can he be that lame? <ba-dum-PAH!>

Try the veal; I'm here til Sunday...

Trisul

Honestly, from when I started playing, the game has gotten much better.

CMags/Sentry/Hood nerfs --> good (for game balance)
X-Force/Doom/Loki buffs --> good
Massive flood of new characters --> bad for transitioners, good for veterans
Time slices --> good
Season character rotations --> arguable, but mostly good
Gauntlet PvE --> good

Personally, I wish we had more gauntlets and fewer heroics, but that's just me.

By the way, a lot of the new/updated characters have very interesting abilities, so I'd say D3 has done a really good job introducing fun characters as of late (let's try to forget Doc Ock and Beast).

Unknown

Vertigozooropa wrote:

I think that finishing the storyline is a moot point until they hire writers who can judge good dialogue from bad. I skip all the dialogues now because they are a terrible read.

Agree with dialogue requiring attention whole-heartedly, also shield cool-downs are hurting, and the Thorverine glut that's now dried up - wish I'd tried for all
covers so that I could buy them now we know how essential that team is to progress.

Not sure if they have killed the game just yet but I'm taking the first break in 98 days of daily-play from the start:
I'm personally taking a break because:

Punisher, Human Torch rewards - They've not been playable for my entire MPQ experience, as they were vaulted - and I get along fine without them.
so they seem pretty unessential & not a whole lot of fun.
Squirrel Girl is... ...ridiculous. Seriously - I don't know what it is but this makes me want to stop playing. (why is that?)
Oscorp Heroic event is really horrible. Forces me to play really awkward, unpleasant team combinations that are a chore to play with.
I have literally walked away from my phone mid-match out of disinterest. Not a conscious decision - just something more exciting was passing down the street/flying by the window.
This never happened with Gauntlet - I think I have played 2 Gauntlets - the first one went-by unappreciated as I was still new but the second was great fun!

I hope they haven't jumped the shark - I still want some Goddess of thunder covers! and to see my theory-crafting of team combinations come to fruition when I finally accrue enough ISO to level 5 characters to a respectable level.

Unknown

1. D3 did not finish the Dark Reign storyline, even after the in-game "to be continued"
2. There are only 2 of the Fantastic Four
3. Starlord and Drax are on the outside looking in at their pals
4.Luke Cage is all yang with out the ying of Iron Fist
5.Even the characters that should have been really cool and fun (I'm looking at you, Otto) have a lame or crippled implementation.
6. Squirrel Girl - as 3 - in a heroic; any two out of three of those, okay, but all three...? (Note - I think she would have made an excellent 2 achievable, completable, and fun. able.)


1. They definitely need to finish the story.
2. Who cares? Sure some people, but that's no worse then no Rogue, Nightcrawler, Iceman, Havok or Rachel Grey...etc. If you're a X-Men fan, which I am.
3. Again same a #2, they just introduced the other two covers and granted a Star-Lord would have interested me more then a Gamora in theory but there are too many character and they're already chugging them out at a rate I think is excessive.
4. Again, too many characters to cover, it'll be nice when they do add Iron Fist better yet if they build his power set to compliment with Cage's. But until then...just enjoy the Cage!
5. Not every card can be a 'winner'.
6. I have to agree, she'd have made for a better 2*.

Chrono_Tata

Jamie Madrox wrote:

Neither of which are great. Also, Marvel has no FF books on the go right now and the new movie is likely to be a steaming pile so they're likely not jumping at the chance to license them on other platforms.

Well, they have Ultimate FF running right now and the game actually has 4 of the 5 of the current line-up (Invisible Woman, the Falcon, Iron Man and Dr Doom, missing Machine Man). If you count the 616 versions and their Ultimate counterparts as the same character anyway.