how willing are you to throw down money other games vs MPQ?

Heartburn

I was just wondering how likely are people are willing to throw down money on other favorite games versus MPQ? I just logged into dota2( haven't played for a couple weeks due to AVU 1 and 2) and they had so much new content and international was starting up as well. i dropped ~$60 easily to get the compendium lvl'd to 98 with points for the extra immortal items).

But my point was that i know what value i would get out of it and thought it was a no brainer, as opposed to here at MPQ after making a few purchases, some for 4* wolverine, I stopped considering putting any money in off sales and have to really consider how much i want to spend during sales if i even decide to purchase( last sale i passed because i didn't want to support the 4* thor nerfs and what it implicated).

also let me know what it will take to get back to a point where you would spend casually on this game. for me i think they need to:

1) refocus on 4* and make it so that 3*s (thor, patch, luke cage level can still put up fight but would be close) get stomped by them. i.e. clearly superior to 3*s

2) increase token odds so that 2*s combined only make up 20% of prize pool of current 2* tokens or create 3* tokens in which other tokens can trade up to and make certain heroes have guaranteed pulls in their feature pack ie 1 3*featured per 10pk, 1 featured 3* of each cover color per 42 pack and a random 4*. there is still no way to guarantee to your favorite heros when they come out.

3) end roster slot price for first character copy if you want to build a second one then it will cost but based on lvl i.e. 10hp for 1 , 2 50 , 3 250hp, 4* 400HP

4) when ever changes are made to a character, it will reduce your character to base lvl and de-cover it to 1 while refunding all iso required to level it to the lvl you had it and enough HP to buy covers to the same level you had it. to save time it could pop up a bubble and show a new to old comparison and ask if you want to disassemble it or keep it( could have an ask me later function that pops back up next time you login).

5) have regular weekly discussion at the forum on upcoming characters and events where feed back will be taken seriously and implemented, this can be for game format and mechanic changes, and should end with a Q&A?
6) do not leave characters broken, rework least played(non new character that existed for less then 3 months unless it is voted for) and voted worst heroes to make them fun and playable this can tie into #5
7) keep coming out with new events there should be some for newbies and some for top ranked players maybe make a challenge for players to beat to gain entrance. more co-op events, but keep causal alliances in mind when making. Also solo story missions for iso, hp, and/or 3*+ covers possible back stories or media tie ins, mini events. maybe a funny "target on my back" event where you set your worst teams and fight other teams with regular heroes lighting round style for 100 for each win and 10- 25 iso gained for each hit taken by your bait team.

any ways those are some thoughts.

Azoic

I keep suggesting that tokens, and particularly purchased packs, not even include 2*. You already have a low chance of getting a specific cover you want, and right now, just lucky to get a 3* at all. So why spend cash on it when you could buy a cover? And then, why does 1/13 a character basically cost $10? or $20 for 1/13 a 4*? If you are willing to drop $20 on an IOS game, I'd say you should get a fully covered character.

TheVulture

Personally:

1. Stop adding 4* characters at the current rate.
I think they have enough overheads currently (MMR/scaling) to make them being '3.5* characters* justified (so buff due for some of them), but they shouldn't meddle in the rest of the game e.g. appearing as essentials - just appear as 1st place prizes.
Maybe just 1 new character every few seasons, and have them really count in terms of character and 1-2 abilities.

2. Support 2* more or not at all.
I like attainable characters & some of those who currently only appear at 2* level, but if 2* only exists to serve as a stepping stone to 3* and trash drops in the loot tables then we already have quite enough of them for those goals - adding more 2*s only dilutes the pool and makes it harder for new players & wastes potential characters/art/power-concepts for veterans players.
So either go all in with 2* events or the freedom to choose 2* tiers of events (I certainly would PvP with loaner characters!), or just stop making new ones.

3. MORE VILLAINS
We may have overdosed on Ultron sentries now, but as a model for AP goons who aren't a) passive AP batteries and b) nonsensically more resilient than Earth's Mightiest they are a good introduction - how about more such enemies e.g. Sentinels, Crime Society jobbers, revamp of mutant goons and those darn ninjas.
But beyond that, the game desperately needs more villains (or a lot more Skrull!) - how a bout a villain's month once or twice a year, adding 2 new 3* villains and culminating in a new play-as-villains PvE event...

4. More of the powers people like and use
Why are we getting 2-3 (maybe 4!) new characters each month yet no successors for fundamentally important active powers like Anti-Gravity Device or Aggressive Recon, nor influential passives like Espionage or Pheromone Rage?
Obviously the devs don't want to get stale, but if there's room for Embiggened Bash and a dozen awful (awful!) special tile manipulation powers on new 3*s then I think there is room for new incarnations of powers that people actually like & use/need.
Maybe just alternate experimental/gimmicky new 3* characters with those who are simply a new flavour of a power/archetype people do already like.

5. ##### Horizontal progression #####
And, most importantly of all, some means of horizontal progression - achievements, alternate costumes, special equipment (for boost/TU slots), etc.
More things to chase/do with characters, so unlocking them is the end of the journey.

Unknown

I basically play three FTP games: MPQ, Contest of Champions, and Simpsons: Tapped out.

This one, I've spent about $25 on in total. All of it in the first few months, all of it for roster slots. It's been over a year since I spent money.

Contest of Champions I haven't spent a dime, and probably won't.

Simpsons: Tapped Out, I spend $1 a week on a lotto ticket (that always pays out at least 6 donuts, the game's premium currency). I've spent a bit besides that, too, maybe $50 total in addition to the $1 a week (which means I've probably spent $100+ total in the 18 months I've been playing the game).

MPQ, and I've said this elsewhere, is very poorly monetized. I have an HP reserve that is right now at almost 24k. I've never bought a cover; I was about to buy some Goddess ones when they nerfed her. I had an ISO reserve for a while, but the glut of covers lately (My Scarlet witch is up to 11 covers, my Quicksilver 9, plus some for Kamala Khan, Iron Fist, and Ragnarok lately, plus the 4*s) means my reserve is actually gone, but I only need about 25k to get Scarlet Witch up to her soft cap and then I'll be back to building an ISO reserve.

There's really nothing to spend money on - even if I wanted to buy some ISO, it's such a bad deal that I can't bring myself to do it, and buying 3* covers takes a lot of the point out of playing the game, quite frankly. I'm not taking my 4*s above 180th level (and wouldn't have taken them above 166 if I had known the nerfs were coming) because the nerf cycle on 4*s, plus the implications for PVE, plus the buffed characters in PVP, mean there really isn't any reason to do so. If I could get anything for spending money, I'd probably buy something regularly like I do in Tapped Out, but there's nothing that really feels worth it in this game I can get for my money.

Cabol

I play 4 F2P games currently: MPQ, Final Fantasy Record Keeper, Hearthstone, and Super Stickman Golf 2.
-Hearthstone I've dropped at least $300 on it because... well... I have an issue when it comes to card games ><.
-FFRK I haven't spent money on, I might eventually to get my inventory space upgraded when the game grows more.
-SSG2 I spent less than $2 on to buy an indicator for my power meter to show how much power my last shot had
-In the most recent MPQ sale I finally dropped $20 on the game for HP and bought roster slots. Since that time I'm up to about 3K HP

With the way everything was handled with the Ultron event and "compensations" for when the servers were down, that $20 was the only time I'm spending money on MPQ again.

Unknown

I typically drop ~$100/mo on games, and have no problem dropping money on a game if i play it for more than an hour. I used to spend most of that on (and then some) on MPQ, but you get so little value for your money that I have largely stopped.

I re-upped a Stark Salary after the run of the first Ultron event to let my wallet do the talking because it was actually very fun. I will probably spend it all on roster slots over the next six months, but I feel no desire to purchase covers or tokens any more.

babinro

I've never spent a dime out of pocket for any free to play experience besides MPQ. To which I've spent many dimes..$400.00 worth in fact.

That statement is deliberate though. I've 'spent' $330.00 in Blizzard bucks on Hearthstone packs since it's beta. This cost me nothing out of pocket since it all came from Diablo 3's real money auction house. It's a great game...but I don't plan to spend any personal funds on it. The game play modes are just too shallow.

Other free to play games come off as either too greedy to me (making free to play progression feel WAY too punishing and grindy)....or simply lack any incentive to spend at all (like with path of exiles useless aesthetics only store).

Mawtful

Oh, is it that time of year already? I was going to spend some money on MPQ this month, but The International is just infinitely more interesting.

Unknown

I think in my time I spent ~$40-50 on MPQ. Pretty much what that taught me was F2P or whale, there is no middle ground. The benefit you get from any small spending is so negligible you might as well keep your money. Giving PAD a try now, can't say if I am going to spend there or not yet but the fact that the game has no scheduling makes it a much better choice for me already.

Heartburn

Ben Grimm wrote:

I basically play three FTP games: MPQ, Contest of Champions, and Simpsons: Tapped out.

This one, I've spent about $25 on in total. All of it in the first few months, all of it for roster slots. It's been over a year since I spent money.

Contest of Champions I haven't spent a dime, and probably won't.

Simpsons: Tapped Out, I spend $1 a week on a lotto ticket (that always pays out at least 6 donuts, the game's premium currency). I've spent a bit besides that, too, maybe $50 total in addition to the $1 a week (which means I've probably spent $100+ total in the 18 months I've been playing the game).

MPQ, and I've said this elsewhere, is very poorly monetized. I have an HP reserve that is right now at almost 24k. I've never bought a cover; I was about to buy some Goddess ones when they nerfed her. I had an ISO reserve for a while, but the glut of covers lately (My Scarlet witch is up to 11 covers, my Quicksilver 9, plus some for Kamala Khan, Iron Fist, and Ragnarok lately, plus the 4*s) means my reserve is actually gone, but I only need about 25k to get Scarlet Witch up to her soft cap and then I'll be back to building an ISO reserve.

There's really nothing to spend money on - even if I wanted to buy some ISO, it's such a bad deal that I can't bring myself to do it, and buying 3* covers takes a lot of the point out of playing the game, quite frankly. I'm not taking my 4*s above 180th level (and wouldn't have taken them above 166 if I had known the nerfs were coming) because the nerf cycle on 4*s, plus the implications for PVE, plus the buffed characters in PVP, mean there really isn't any reason to do so. If I could get anything for spending money, I'd probably buy something regularly like I do in Tapped Out, but there's nothing that really feels worth it in this game I can get for my money.

that is a good point i forgot to mention revamping the money costs of pretty much everything, i tried doing it in other posts but i can't fully do it cause then it starts to break the game making it easily pay to win.

JVReal

FTP.

Never spent a dime on a game that wasn't a physical disc for a game console. This was the first mobile game where I was really tempted to do it... but still didn't. I get frustrated, but I understand, being FTP means Frustrated, Tired and Patient.

Unknown

TheVulture wrote:

Personally:

1. Stop adding 4* characters at the current rate.
I think they have enough overheads currently (MMR/scaling) to make them being '3.5* characters* justified (so buff due for some of them), but they shouldn't meddle in the rest of the game e.g. appearing as essentials - just appear as 1st place prizes.
Maybe just 1 new character every few seasons, and have them really count in terms of character and 1-2 abilities.

They need to keep adding 4* characters at the current rate and they need to give them as rewards to the top 50 of each PVP group. Then, they should occasionally make a new 5* character and never, ever make another 3* character again. There should also be 4 different PVP groups, one for each star. Players can only enter one group at a time and must have a character of the appropriate number of starts to join.

Raffoon

Cryptobrancus wrote:

I think in my time I spent ~$40-50 on MPQ. Pretty much what that taught me was F2P or whale, there is no middle ground. The benefit you get from any small spending is so negligible you might as well keep your money. Giving PAD a try now, can't say if I am going to spend there or not yet but the fact that the game has no scheduling makes it a much better choice for me already.

I've been shopping around, myself.

-Already played Clash of Clans, but much less to do there.
-Puzzle and Dragons is fun. I started 2 weeks ago, already spent 10 bucks on it, since I like it so much. Their login rewards and willingness to give away free stuff to players generates a lot of good will for me.
-The latest one that I just started 2 days ago is Terra Battle. I thought it was just a tactics game, but it's kind of like a tactics/flanking type game with Puzzle and Dragon type bumping turns and level up components. I think this might be my new favorite. There doesn't seem to be much need to spend money, but I probably will spend some after playing a bit more, just to support the devs. This one is so fun!

MPQ I've spent hundreds on and wish I could take it back. After the last 3 months (I guess we can call it 3 months now instead of 2) of changes with 4Thor, Xforce, and all that, I've been convinced to never spend a dime on this game again. Completely gutting the 2 best characters so that they're barely usable, rather than tuning them, dishonest timing of sales without announcing the changes in game, and so many more shady or incompetent tactics? As it stands, I'll be sure to turn anyone that I can away from this game and re-rate with a 1 star review every time the opportunity pops up. And it's a damn shame, because I used to feel good supporting the developers by paying into this game.

GrumpySmurf1002

Ben Grimm wrote:

MPQ, and I've said this elsewhere, is very poorly monetized. I have an HP reserve that is right now at almost 24k. I've never bought a cover; I was about to buy some Goddess ones when they nerfed her. I had an ISO reserve for a while, but the glut of covers lately (My Scarlet witch is up to 11 covers, my Quicksilver 9, plus some for Kamala Khan, Iron Fist, and Ragnarok lately, plus the 4*s) means my reserve is actually gone, but I only need about 25k to get Scarlet Witch up to her soft cap and then I'll be back to building an ISO reserve.

There's really nothing to spend money on - even if I wanted to buy some ISO, it's such a bad deal that I can't bring myself to do it, and buying 3* covers takes a lot of the point out of playing the game, quite frankly. I'm not taking my 4*s above 180th level (and wouldn't have taken them above 166 if I had known the nerfs were coming) because the nerf cycle on 4*s, plus the implications for PVE, plus the buffed characters in PVP, mean there really isn't any reason to do so. If I could get anything for spending money, I'd probably buy something regularly like I do in Tapped Out, but there's nothing that really feels worth it in this game I can get for my money.

Pretty much sums it up for me. My total is $75 on MPQ, for roster slots here and there, though technically some of it went to shielding I suppose.

I dropped $5 on Gems of War just as a "this is bringing me enough entertainment" charge, but that was because I had money lying around on an iTunes card and won't pay for that game again.

Otherwise, free is free. Even the juggernaut that is Candy Crush couldn't crack my wallet.

Unknown

I've spent more on Contest of Champions in 5 months than I've spent on MPQ over 18+ months.

I would rather burn a $5 bill than spend any money on MPQ.

Taganov

Spent close to $500 over at Path of Exile. Love that game, and have always come away feeling good about supporting it. May drop another $300 on the new supporter packs, pending how good the new expansion is.

MPQ probably $100 or so when I was a little more wide eyed and hot to support the game. Now that I've been here a bit, not so much. The pricing model is way off, but even setting that aside, everything customer service related leaves a bad taste. If I didn't feel robbed/taken advantage of I'd be inclined to open my wallet again.

slidecage

they really need a 50 buck level that is half of what 100 gives you. There has been 2 times now on sales i would loved to got a 50 buck deal

when the sale is going on you can get like 25,000 HP for 100. i would be more then happy to give 50 bucks for 12,500 HP

50 isnt a bad toss but i cant see tossing 100 at once

other games in the past

Toon town dont ask me why

wizard 101 got it for my cousins kids and got hooked on it. I mean hooked on it back i remember screaming at people in my house when i could not beat a boss to get their spell LOL was on gather i think it was called (aol membership thing) that allowed me to pay 5 a month, that went belly up so i paid 60 bucks for a year of it back in JULY... Found this in Oct and never went back..so mostly flushed 9 months and 45 bucks

Would say POGO but had to love when Pogo and mcdonalds hooked up and was doing the monopoly promo about 10 years back. I was able to get 25 years of pogo for like 30 bucks LOL

PuceMoose

Hmm... thinking back on my purchase history, these are the purchases I can recall:
MPQ: $60 (HP)
Little Alchemist: $30 (gems)
Tiny Dice Dungeon: $12
Gems of War: $5 (starter pack)

I haven't spent money on MPQ in over a year. I really wish they would add some sort of non-consumable purchases; base upgrades, perhaps. I've often idly thought about the idea of replacing the +25% crit boost with "construction materials". Get 30 construction materials, and you can build a base upgrade. Something like +1 AP in a random color at the start of battle, 10% faster hero healing, free heal to any hero with <5% total damage after a battle, life insurance where you gain 50 ISO for any hero that falls during a battle, etc.

Clintman

When I started I spent quite a bit of money. That ended when I got hardcore, I played hardcore because the cost of covers is too stupid to justify spending money on them.

If they changed their monetization scheme to where it costs $15-20 to cover a character versus the current $100 I would play to max out my Cage, IF, IMHB, Nick Fury... whatever because I have money and I would spend it to enjoy the characters. The problem is they value their covers far to much to make it worth it in any way to purchase them.

I would pay a reasonable amount of money not to have to slog through the horrible game mechanics of the PVE and new MMR PVP.

Now I play because the game is undoubtedly fun and addicting, but I will not spend because the ROI is just too awful to justify.

Malcrof

Considering for the past few months i have played MPQ almost exclusively, i do not mind throwing in some money for roster spots or shields etc. My XBox One is basically a glorified Roku at this point, so much easier to play on your phone while watching a movie or something, don't have to worry about pausing or other players waiting on you if you have to stop and do something.

I was getting a game a month for the xbox before i got tired of it, at $60 a piece, not to mention DLC and season passes.. i would rather put that into something like MPQ, where when there are major changes etc, i do not have to pony up another $60 for an expansion and more DLC for 10 different games.

Also, got tired of buying the sequels to every game on my XBox, it gets tiring, if MPQ wants to change things or add content, it is a free download.

Even though i have spent probably $200 on MPQ (mostly gift cards i get from work etc..), i have saved hundreds more by not spending on my Xbox.

Although, while the servers were down, the wife and i tore through some rifts in Diablo 3.. didn't realize how much i missed it

SnowcaTT

I spend plenty of money on other games compared to MPQ. Just bought Rollers of the Realm last week off of some steam sale, it was great. Beat it already, had a good end point but only moderate re-playability. Many games have lots of replay value, but still typically have an "end". I generally throw down $5 to $20 (and very rarely more) on games, I'm quite willing to buy them a year later, and usually play them single player only. But I'm sure I throw down $250+ every year.

This might just mean the FTP model is not for me. Things I like in games that might make me more willing to pay here:

1) An endpoint. FTP doesn't ever want to have this, so how about...

2) An "overpowered" point. I love RPG's where I can level up my characters to just annihilate the opposition with no real difficulty. Sure, it took tons of hours to get them there, and I didn't -need- to play that much. But it's a ton of fun to steam-roll lower levels! HOW TO MPQ: Make 4*'s nearly unbeatable by 3*'s, the way 3*'s are nearly unbeatable by 2*'s. Make MMR so you don't -only- see the highest level characters, let the players "run the newbie levels" or "return to earlier levels" like other games - that is, fight the easiest teams for awhile (first three-hundred points in PVP, for example)

3) Not constant difficulty. Some difficulty is great! But just like I enjoy getting a high powered team in games to beat the bosses, I don't want the minions to take forever and wear me down. HOW TO MPQ: Gauntlet, PVP end are difficult: superb! Why should every PVE node be so difficult for the entirety of your gaming experience?

4) Feeling of progression. Even if there is no "end", I like to feel like I've gone along and have achieved something. HOW TO MPQ: like #3, make it so PVE's start to feel -easier-, and not harder through your time in the game. Make the PVP MMR not immediately jump to higher levels as you go, play some easier teams in early points. Make all characters not only usable, but reasons (other than heroic/essential) to -actually- use a larger percentage of your roster.

5) Feeling of "leveling up". It's nice to get that new piece of equipment, that new weapon, that new character! I really don't like the games where you get them and you can use them; I really don't like the games where you get the new stuff and say "how fast can I never use this again?". HOW TO MPQ: Boosted characters are a help! DDQ (getting more covers a bit quicker) help! ISO boost helps! More drops in tokens help! Even out the bad (unused) characters faster, so they see play and don't feel worthless. Continue to give enough ISO/HP to actually be able to level all characters: don't force min-max. One of the biggest "let's buy!" motivations would be some option to perhaps be able to max out a 3* (covers and ISO) for $50, and max out a 4* for like $100. ISO sale prices have always been an ongoing joke right now.

6) Continued play. Many games you can "farm" health somehow. Many games you die, and re-start with full health again. HOW TO MPQ: Character dies? Starts at full health again! (remove health packs). OR: Need more health packs? Here is an area you can go fight a bit with low level characters to get more of them! Possibly the most frustrating part of this game is running out of health, and you simply have to stop playing.

7) Rules explained. Many games come in with a tutorial, and have a FAQ somewhere. HOW TO MPQ: the story is sort of (intentionally) a tutorial. But a nice "?" button that brought you to a FAQ would be great. And actually ANSWERING some of the FAQ's would be great. There are whole sections on this website that maintain numbers like "how much it costs to level to X" and so forth - there is no reason not to share things like this. I still contend MMR is -the- rule of the game, and while I understand some reasons it is not shared, I would like to see it as a player starting out.

8) Consistency of characters. And here is the biggie for me. I don't want my warrior to be the biggest, strongest guy to start out with in a game: throw most of my play-time and XP into him, only to be out-classed by my lower level rogue at the end. I don't want my sniper rifle to have outstanding accuracy and damage (with a limited clip) to have terrible accuracy when it is found to be to strong. HOW TO MPQ: Stop with the nerfs, buff instead. I said I will never pay here again after I saw the "true healing" and CMags/Spidey nerf, and I have not. I became tempted for awhile, but then saw the 4hor nerf followed by XF nerf. If the best characters will continually be made worse, I'm not going to pay for any of the "best characters", right? Maybe take the next best characters and make them contest the warrior and the sniper rifle, rather than taking away the warrior's health and the sniper rifle's accuracy.