Changes Coming For 4/30/15

Unknown

Hey All,

Miles from Demiurge here to announce some upcoming changes for the next Season. Not all of these changes are in Versus Events, but will start on Thursday 4/30 concurrently with Season XIV.

Higher Chances of 3-stars in Packs
The percentage of 3-Star covers in Heroic and event packs is increasing! The percentage of the 1x Heroic pack that is 3-Star covers goes from about 23% to about 28% of the pack.

Deadpool Daily Quest and Standard (500 Iso-8) packs aren’t affected by this change.

All 3-Stars Return to Packs
Now that we’ve got room for them, as of 4/30, all 3-Star characters will be returning to heroic and event packs.

The increased proportion of new character releases that are 4-stars, a number of increases to the rate at which 3-stars are earned, and the increased availability of Hero Points mean that we can dispense with character rotation.

Weekly Buffed Characters
We’re bringing back our weekly buffed groups for Season XIV! Every week, a group of characters will be Powered-Up across all Story and Versus events.

This group of Powered-Up characters will include:
2 x 4-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 75 to 350
5 x 3-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 45 to 240
2 x 2-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 20 to 150
2 x 1-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 5 to 85

These characters will be Powered-Up in all of the week’s events.

We’ve reduced the size of the buffs from the last time we did a week-long buff, during Season XII, based on your feedback. We also did some work in the R74 update that allows us to display the buffs in event rules a little more clearly.

New Story Event Schedule
Starting on 4/30 all of our Story events will last either 3, 4, or 7 days and will fit into a week-long cycle.

We’ve removed the downtime between Story events - each one now is immediately followed by the next.

We’ve made some updates to the events themselves too, streamlining them. We’ve standardized sub-event lengths to be 24 or 48 hours, combined sub-events in places where two were running concurrently, and standardized rewards across sub-events.

Tweaks to ending times
Based on player feedback, we’ve also adjusted the available end-times for events. These will also begin on Thursday 4/30 with the start of Season XIV.

In Eastern time:
Old Versus: 10a / 4p / 7p / 1a / 4a (or 10p / 4a / 7a / 1p / 4p)
New Versus: 8a / 1p / 6p / 12 midnight / 3a

Old Story: 9a / 3p / 6p / 12 midnight / 3a
New Story: 7a / 12 noon / 5p / 11p / 2a

Malcrof

Does this patch include the reduced iso costs for leveling?

Also, marvelous news on the returning 3*'s, a few i need to finish!

Unknown

Malcrof wrote:

Does this patch include the reduced iso costs for leveling?

Also, marvelous news on the returning 3*'s, a few i need to finish!

It does not include the reduced iso costs. That's unfortunately tied to R75, which will launch at a later date.

TheVulture

Outstanding stuff, thanks Miles & the rest of the team.

Constant PvE + streamlining parallel subs =

mjh

now the question is do I redeem my tokens now or wait.

all characters in tokens means you have a chance to roll them.

but also a bigger chance you will NOT roll them.

I'm torn.

simonsez

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

Every week, a group of characters will be Powered-Up across all Story and Versus events.

Can I decline the buffs in PvE if it means the resulting increase in difficulty will far exceed the benefit I get from the buffs?

In other words, unless you fix scaling, I don't think you're doing us any favors with this one.

Stax the Foyer

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

New Story Event Schedule
Starting on 4/30 all of our Story events will last either 3, 4, or 7 days and will fit into a week-long cycle.

We’ve removed the downtime between Story events - each one now is immediately followed by the next.

We’ve made some updates to the events themselves too, streamlining them. We’ve standardized sub-event lengths to be 24 or 48 hours, combined sub-events in places where two were running concurrently, and standardized rewards across sub-events.

This is fantastic news, especially the combination of multiple subs.

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

Weekly Buffed Characters
We’re bringing back our weekly buffed groups for Season XIV! Every week, a group of characters will be Powered-Up across all Story and Versus events.

This group of Powered-Up characters will include:
2 x 4-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 75 to 350
5 x 3-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 45 to 240
2 x 2-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 20 to 150
2 x 1-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 5 to 85

These characters will be Powered-Up in all of the week’s events.

We’ve reduced the size of the buffs from the last time we did a week-long buff, during Season XII, based on your feedback. We also did some work in the R74 update that allows us to display the buffs in event rules a little more clearly.

I'm a little bit concerned about the further buffing of characters on top of the recent health buffs. Anecdotally, fights seem significantly longer to me now after the health buffs and the GT/XF nerfs. This seems like that would compound that problem.

Have your metrics shown a notable increase in match length? If so, are there worries about the reward/effort ratio going down, and the difficulty of reaching high scores in PvP due to increased exposure to unshielded hits?

mjh

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

It does not include the reduced iso costs. That's unfortunately tied to R75, which will launch at a later date.

Can we please get a comment with more details of this "reduced iso costs"

notamutant

So when you say that there is now room for all the 3 stars, that is because they now make up 5% more of the pack in total? But pulling any specific individual 3 star is going to be less likely now, correct?

Great news about the standardizing of times on events. I definitely prefer 3 day events over week long ones though. Makes it so if I need to take a day off, I can. Also great news that the events will now end at 11 PM for PvE! Before, I would have to grind up until midnight, and then clear all the nodes until 1 AM. Now I can start the next sub at 11 AM and be in bed by midnight. Not so good that new events will likely start at 11 PM though. I like having some breathing room between events. Although starting at lunch isn't that much better, it is annoying to have no break.

I am conflicted on the buffed character rotations. Will have to see how it works out with the lower levels compared to last time. Afraid of seeing Ares all the time.

Any update on ISO changes? Many people are holding onto ISO and afraid to spend it lest they end up wasting ISO.

Thanks Miles!

Wobby

No more 12 hour subs!

SnowcaTT

Months ago I kept putting out the rotation/transition solution: at least double 3* drop rate and rotate none.

Done and done! Thanks D3! Another of my ideas is 500HP cap on roster slots.....

3* transition really has been improved, with high token drop rates, DDQ, and incoming ISO reduction. Any news on 4* transition help?

Ducky

Since there are no longer breaks in PvE could you please, please, please not release characters back to back (to back) anymore?

Unknown

mjh wrote:

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

It does not include the reduced iso costs. That's unfortunately tied to R75, which will launch at a later date.

Can we please get a comment with more details of this "reduced iso costs"

Unfortunately due to the variability of 1st Party certification testing, We can't give an exact date as to when these will land, but there will be an announcement with additional details when we do know the date.

Unknown

I think I like all of these changes. I would have preferred if the end times for PVE were shifted another hour earlier, but I think I can live with an 11pm end time - just might mean a few late nights during new character launches.

Token odds are great news, as are the sub standardization.

I'm hoping the schedule standardization means some of the PVEs end on the weekend. The biggest problem I've had lately with PVE is that it always seems to end during the week.

SodaPopinski

Miles....any word on progression rewards being reduced?

We are now going to have newly boosted health for most characters and buffs on top of that...sounds AMAZINGLY slow, for PVP, to me. PVP progressions are going to be even more ridiculous to reach and I used to be able to make a go at them regularly.

Nonce Equitaur 2

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

New Story Event Schedule
Starting on 4/30 all of our Story events will last either 3, 4, or 7 days and will fit into a week-long cycle.

We’ve removed the downtime between Story events - each one now is immediately followed by the next.

We’ve made some updates to the events themselves too, streamlining them. We’ve standardized sub-event lengths to be 24 or 48 hours, combined sub-events in places where two were running concurrently, and standardized rewards across sub-events.

Any chance you'll be rotating out some of the villains on nodes in the story events? I suggested this in Villain/Hero rotation in PvE events. Currently, Juggernaut, Venom, Yelena, Daken, Bullseye, Ragnarok, and Moonstone are far and away too overused in Story events. Pylgrim had a good idea.

Pylgrim wrote:

In Thick as Thieves there is ONE node where you have to face Iron man and Magneto. Turns out they are Skrulls! Such a convenient flavourful way of allowing you to fight against heroes even in villain-themed stories. It is so silly that they never brought them up again.

That suggests some new PvE Story events
Skrull Unstable ISO-8

---

Skrull The Hunt

---

Skrull The Hulk

---

Skrull Thick as Thieves

---

Skrull ISO-8 Brotherhood
Skrull Prodigal Sun

---

Skrull Deadpool VS MPQ

---

Skrull Enemy of the State

---

Skrull Meet Rocket & Groot

There might be one extra frame in the story mentioning skrulls, but it would be the same event with Juggernaut, Venom, Yelena, Daken, Bullseye, Ragnarok, and Moonstone replaced by other characters.

Unknown

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

Hey All,

Miles from Demiurge here to announce some upcoming changes for the next Season. Not all of these changes are in Versus Events, but will start on Thursday 4/30 concurrently with Season XIV.

Higher Chances of 3-stars in Packs
The percentage of 3-Star covers in Heroic and event packs is increasing! The percentage of the 1x Heroic pack that is 3-Star covers goes from about 23% to about 28% of the pack.

Deadpool Daily Quest and Standard (500 Iso-8) packs aren’t affected by this change.

All 3-Stars Return to Packs
Now that we’ve got room for them, as of 4/30, all 3-Star characters will be returning to heroic and event packs.

The increased proportion of new character releases that are 4-stars, a number of increases to the rate at which 3-stars are earned, and the increased availability of Hero Points mean that we can dispense with character rotation.

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

Weekly Buffed Characters
We’re bringing back our weekly buffed groups for Season XIV! Every week, a group of characters will be Powered-Up across all Story and Versus events.

This group of Powered-Up characters will include:
2 x 4-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 75 to 350
5 x 3-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 45 to 240
2 x 2-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 20 to 150
2 x 1-Star characters who will scale up to a level range of 5 to 85

These characters will be Powered-Up in all of the week’s events.

We’ve reduced the size of the buffs from the last time we did a week-long buff, during Season XII, based on your feedback. We also did some work in the R74 update that allows us to display the buffs in event rules a little more clearly.

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

New Story Event Schedule
Starting on 4/30 all of our Story events will last either 3, 4, or 7 days and will fit into a week-long cycle.

We’ve removed the downtime between Story events - each one now is immediately followed by the next.

We’ve made some updates to the events themselves too, streamlining them. We’ve standardized sub-event lengths to be 24 or 48 hours, combined sub-events in places where two were running concurrently, and standardized rewards across sub-events.

Thank you! So much good stuffs....

babinro

I dread the return of weekly buffed characters.

I feel this had a VERY negative impact on PvP as it adds too many random elements to your success. Do you need a specific prog reward that might only come up once every month? Well you better hope you have some of those boosted characters cause without them you'll be at a SEVERE handicap.

Buffing a select group of characters is the same as NERFING THE REST.

It's okay when the featured character is buffed because that's just 1 of 3. You have plenty of roster to play with and work around this potential benefit or drawback. Having a group of 3* elevated to 4* tier is devastating to anyone who doesn't have a diverse roster.

Maybe the fact that they aren't boosting quite so high will make all the difference but I've got a bad feeling this change will not be met with positive response or an added sense of fun.

Thought: We've been taking a LOT of steps towards creating a more balanced game experience between 3 and 4* tier characters. PvP has been more diverse than I can ever remember it. Doesn't this design choice go completely against the new direction of this game?

************

Love all the other changes ESPECIALLY the end to vaulted characters and the removal of 12 hour subs to better respect people's schedules.

slidecage

In Eastern time:
Old Versus: 10a / 4p / 7p / 1a / 4a (or 10p / 4a / 7a / 1p / 4p)
New Versus: 8a / 1p / 6p / 12 midnight / 3a

Old Story: 9a / 3p / 6p / 12 midnight / 3a
New Story: 7a / 12 noon / 5p / 11p / 2a

RIght now how i do PVE
Tuesday 10pm est end time maybe 4pm est weds
Friday 10am or 7pm
Sunday 10am or 4pm (hard time here)
NEW EVENT.....
Tuesday 6pm only event i have a chance ( 8am maybe in summer) BLAH
Friday again only 6pm
sunday 1pm or 6pm again fawful

STORY
Can end at either 3pm or 6pm
NEW 5pm only


new times will really push me away from PVE and mostly PVP as well (since booted people will push me away from PVP)

o well

Unknown

simonsez wrote:

Demiurge_Miles wrote:

Every week, a group of characters will be Powered-Up across all Story and Versus events.

Can I decline the buffs in PvE if it means the resulting increase in difficulty will far exceed the benefit I get from the buffs?

In other words, unless you fix scaling, I don't think you're doing us any favors with this one.

The characters buffs are never taken account for scaling. If they did, it'd hammer the weak rosters in the sense that getting +90 levels on a level 100 guy is going to double his scaling versus getting +90 levels on a level 166 guy will only increase scaling by about 50%. In fact, if it worked like that, we probably wouldn't have issues with scaling in the first place.

That said don't expect too much help from buffs because community scaling has a tendency to immediately cancel everything out. It looks like PvE characters are now buffed by a % of their levels which will close the gap between veterans and weaker rosters as our 166/270s will actually get a meaningful increase in power roughly proportional to the expected scaling, as opposed to getting +30 levels that is way less than the power you need against expected scaling.

Unknown

I am a little hesitant about the PVP buffs making pvp that was recently made harder even harder on top of that. (Barely hit 10 season progression, when normally I'm well over due to MMR changes)

Also a little hesitant about the back to back events with no break.

However, I am willing to give both a shot and otherwise love the other changes being made. Especially changes to standardizing and revamping existing PVE's

Now we just need a revamp of the Simulator progression rewards and I think we're pretty well set.

And I realize that a specific date for release can't be given for R75, but any details on what effects it's going to have would be appreciated so that we can decide if its worth continuing to wait till the update and hoarde ISO, or go ahead and start spending again.