Changes to Versus Matchmaking [Update]

franckynight

Dauthi wrote:

*sigh* Here are some facts:

The first time slices typically sucks. Playing PVP too early typically sucks. You all are combining both of those and trying to judge the new system. Settle down and see how it goes when the rest of the player base jumps in to contribute points.

Don't listen to the hype, having a good roster is always helpful. Many of the actual 4* folks chimed in a page or two ago about that...

I dont know what game you re playing at this very moment but its not mpq.. Because if you have experienced in the same day going through a 395 Cmag/hood node in pve, a 249 pun/gamora/dd as the opening node of the LRs then in pvp after skipping through the seed teams coping with a 290 hulk/270 xf/270 gt you wouldnt be here preaching for patience..

Unknown

I'm confused about the additional Kamala Khan rewards. Will they be the reward cover for the PVP after smash hit?

Malcrof

I didn't get any low level seed matches, it went right in on the maxed 94's (unless as a transitioner those are my seeds...???)..

Unknown

Why don't you place these most recent changed to a vote to see what your loyal, long term customers think? I think that this would be most instructive. The system in use for Smash hit is too shield intensive, you are taking too many hits, and personally, I'm ready to quit over these changes. The original system is better. Just adjust the points lost by the lower level,players without affecting the points earned. It is the simplest fix that will probably irritate the fewest people

tanis3303

Corwin400 wrote:

Why don't you place these most recent changed to a vote to see what your loyal, long term customers think? I think that this would be most instructive. The system in use for Smash hit is too shield intensive, you are taking too many hits, and personally, I'm ready to quit over these changes. The original system is better. Just adjust the points lost by the lower level,players without affecting the points earned. It is the simplest fix that will probably irritate the fewest people

That was already done. The results were overwhelmingly negative.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=26893

They don't care. F-U loyal players.

*edit: I'm very bad at internet...this time the link should work

spccrain

They did put it to a vote for the last PvP. It was a resounding hate towards the system but they reimplemented it anyway

Ludaa

Haven't started Smash Hit yet, but I know what to expect from all the posts here. They don't want us "ruining" the noob experience, fine, but don't ruin ours in the process!

I'm wondering, could a possible fix be to add higher level 2* seed teams? Maybe they're only seen by rosters with a top 4 charactcer average of 166 or something?

Unknown

I made a post under General Discussion and I am curious what everyone's thoughts were on it. The gist is that my alliance is about to lose 5 members (including 2 commanders) because of these changes. My 1st match after the seed teams was a maxed out Hulk, 200 XF and 200 4hor. Luckily, I was able to crawl to 253 points and I only lost 9 overnight! Voice your concerns in my post also if you'd like. I'm interested in hearing how everyone's alliances are going.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=27212

AE_Fios

I understand the reasoning. More players = more money = more viable = better for the overall long term heath of the game. I just don't understand the rational behind the changes.

How about reducing the completely out of control ISO prices? Just let newer players buy their way up the ladder. I don't think anybody would object to this, but the prices are insane for the B currency and nobody is going to pay it.

How about a couple money only characters? Nothing over powered and nothing overly expensive but you might get the HP rich top 0.5% to throw down a couple bucks to complete their rosters.

I mean, there are a bunch of ways to help hook newer players and generate revenue without constantly tinkering with the mechanics of the game.

I want this game to be around for a long time and I don't want newer players to have an unenjoyable experience. However, I'm uncomfortable investing anymore into a game that doesn't seem to want me around anymore. If I buy a character you will probably nerf it, if I score too high you will nerf my matchups...how can I continue to invest in a game that changes the rules, seemingly at random?

PorkBelly

I just started Smash Hit (Slice 4) and my experience is identical to what I experienced in Heavy Metal.

And that experience is terrible.

Cleared the seed teams and straight to level 290 Hulks and maxed 4*. My highest level character is a 220 X-Force.

It seems like players are being penalized for developing their rosters. What is the point in creating a strong roster if your subjective experience in the game is identical to someone who's only been playing a month or 2?

Just change the MMR back.

Unknown

tanis3303 wrote:

Corwin400 wrote:

Why don't you place these most recent changed to a vote to see what your loyal, long term customers think?

That was already done. The results were overwhelmingly negative.
They don't care. F-U loyal players.

They don't really care what you think. Not really. I mean, individually I'm sure some of the developers care very much if the players like the game they pour so much energy into. But the "they" that is the greater enterprise behind this game doesn't care in the least. "They" only care what you do, specifically spending money. If you rage and hate and spit venom and revenue goes up, it's a good change.

Chances are they're looking at this as an opportunity to pick up a lot of new players from the launch of the Daredevil show and new Avengers movie, and they don't want new players coming into the game, getting smashed by vets, saying "Screw this!" and immediately going back to Candy Crush. Most vets are already so invested even a change that makes them mad isn't going to make them quit, and forum rage is easily weathered. And if they lose a few vets to attrition but pick up ten times as many new players who they can hook into buying roster slots and some cover packs before they wisen up, that's a win.

It's just another awkward, heavy handed "solution" to a problem that could have been addressed in many better, smarter ways, many of which have been suggested here on this forum by people who have a much better grasp on how people actually experience this game than they divine from pouring over their precious metrics.

Demolira

I've been working on the Hulk PVP for the last day, and I realized that I can live with fighting the 290/270/166 crowd right after seed teams. It just means I have to enter at the start to have enough time for health packs to come back.

My frustration comes from the fact that I was just recently able to start picking up 4 star covers when they dropped to 1000 points, but now 1000 points seems very out of reach. I'm currently at about 600 points, and every fight I do for 25 points, I come out to -28 to -35 points from being hit from people far below me, or multiple hits close to me. Without shielding, just hitting 650 seems out of reach.

Skrimgeour

Like many others, I hate this change to the PvP. Hulk PvP is brutal enough, and this on top of it is killer.

I am a solid 3* player. I am not hardcore enough to do 4* (I stay in an alliance with my two young kids). This is going to significantly change my playstyle.

I will focus more on PvE and Deadpool. I will do the PvP only for a cover I really want, and even then, I am less likely to use shields now since the numbers wont matter as much. I am giving up on season rewards and 10 packs.

I don't mind a challenge. But there is a challenge and there is beating your head against the wall for little reward. This change qualifies as the latter.

Skrimgeour

Unknown

Ive been having some sympathy thoughts for the devs today.

Ive been playing games since the 70's, Pong, Pac Man, Space Invaders, yada yada yada. I love games and so does my brother, we would spend night after night playing Mario Kart in our pants both wondering how we could make the game work to our advantage and how the internal working effected our game play, this is how we both ended up making money from code. Usually coders just want to make the best thing possible for themselves and their users, I don't think ive met many programmers who started off because they wanted to be rich (except for those new awesome html5 ones who have an unusually high love for Mark Zuckerberg) and im sure the guys at Demiurge have a similar outlook. But somewhere along the line their publishers and possibly Marvel have pressured them into changing their product so that cash becomes the guiding principle. Now they have to read legends of programming like Jeff Minter and Edmund McMillen pore scorn on their practices probably without realising the point when they become part of the problem. We all have to pay the bills, so instead of hating the devs, pity them.


Edit: Ive loved Puzzle Quest since the first one, you took a basic idea and made it brilliant, but mobile mentality has ruined it.

Edit 2: Galactrix didn't work but.

Der_Lex

I think a major issue here is that these changes have given the perception that D3/Demiurge care a lot more about attracting new players, even for a little while, than about retaining veteran players. These matchmaking changes are a sizeable carrot for 2-3 star transitioners, whereas 3-4 star transitioners only get a slightly smaller stick than before, although you get hit with said stick more often. In improving the play experience for part of the player base, the play experience of another part has been decreased and made a lot less enjoyable, which has been vocally expressed by said part, but the offical party line seems to be "meh, you guys have it good enough already".

I know it's hard to make changes to a game like this that benefit all types of players. DDQ was one of these, as is the recent drop rate change for tokens, but when the two main play types, Pvp (including lightning rounds) and PvE become frustrating for veteran players due to matchmaking and scaling respectively, it really would be nice if we got the idea that you're at least giving some thought to ways of dealing with these frustrations instead of seemingly only focusing on pulling in as many new players as possible with the likely success of Daredevil and Age of Ultron.

nyark

I'm going to campaign for my idea one more time and this is it.
Put MMR back the way it was.
Add a new concurrent PVP event that is non-season, limited character selection with no 4*. The rewards will be lower for this event but that's fine because new players don't need 4* rewards out of the gate.
Everyone can join both events if they want to.

Basically we will have the season event we are all used to plus an extra event that newbies will feel more comfortable in.

If you think my idea would be better than the current MMR we are seeing in Smash Hit don't be shy about upvoting it.
There is also a separate thread, feel free to discuss or add suggestions there viewtopic.php?f=7&t=27126

Unknown

I've given up on this game. D3 seems to only care about the getting new players and constantly giviving the giant **** you to the veteran players that were loyal to them. If you're a new player don't spend a dime in this game. You'll most likely regret it cause eventually you're going to be the veteran player that's getting **** over by D3.

Agamotto

Change the MMR system solves nothing, not even equality or equal conditions for all. If D3/Demiurge want to change the playing field to be more equal, they should remove all stars and let all the characters to be as they are in the Marvel Universe. No 1 *, 2 *, 3 * or 4 *, it's their abilities, strength and health that separates them. So why all these stars, they have no function or make no use anymore, remove them. Raise the maximum level of all characters to level 270 and MPQ would be the same for everyone.

Why stay here. Increase the health packs to 6, after all we use three characters at a time unless you use the loaner. Decrease the number of players in a bracket to 250 for PVP and 500 for PVE.

Lidolas

I can't bully 2* teams for 500 points?!?!?!111? This sucks!

udonomefoo

MarCr wrote:

Ive been having some sympathy thoughts for the devs today.

Edit: Ive loved Puzzle Quest since the first one, you took a basic idea and made it brilliant, but mobile mentality has ruined it.

Could not agree more. How awesome would this game be if you could just, you know, buy it? And have all characters/abilities available and just have reasonable requirements to "unlock" them? I have already spent the equivalent of a console game on this mobile game and can't even get close to unlocking anything new without spending a couple hours PER DAY at an absolute minimum, that's crazy.