Congrulations Are Due for 2nd Ultron Run

TheOncomingStorm

Aside from the higher points (which I still say was intentionally designed so that alliances would not get black HB) and the lack of communication in that regard, I think we (meaning mostly myself) are missing bigger issues that resulted from the 2nd run of the Ultron event.

1. Something occurred this weekend that I think was very impressive and got overshadowed by how the event ended for many. Players actually did something that any other company and/or player base would commend. Following MPQ saying that they could not fix the problem of all alliance members not having the opportunity to hit million before the second event commenced, players did not simply sit idly by and complain about that deficiency. Instead players looked for a way (on their own) to address the issue the best they could for their alliance members. Different alliances had different solutions. Some formed smaller temporary alliances (based off the first event, which they had no indication would change (I would even argue the contrary)), while others when their players started getting too far ahead of their alliance mates slowed down so that they could at least get the SW node rewards (even if a million for all was out of reach, they could still enjoy the special tokens of this event).

In the end, players who actually did the right thing (and should have been commended for their good gamesmanship and unselfishness) were the very ones punished the hardest. It was exactly because these alliances took this course of action (doing what MPQ said they could not do) that these alliances were unable to complete Ultron Round 8. Many would have been very close to doing so based on the calculations provided by Mouser and other forumites, but 1 point into Round 8, or 14,999,999 we all knew the results would be the same. Some alliances trudged on till the end based on principle, while others realizing that we were coming off of so many new character events, so many other events running during the Ultron events, and after 9+ days of grinding Ultron nodes told their players to take it easy. I think it would have been funny to see how many would been right at the edge of the finish line, but given the context, I definitely understand people slowing down once they learned the truth that they could not complete Round 8.

2. There seemed to be an overlying problem evident in this event. The problem IMO is that the development team were all on the same page and no one ever stood back from the groupthink and asked the question: How would this event work from a player or alliance POV? Which, let's be honest, happens to the best people and companies.

I think it is far more worrisome that MPQ still does not seem to get why players and alliances are upset or what they could have done better for the second run of this event. 19 person and less alliances were excluded from the opportunity to do well in this event. This was the most grindy event in the past 1.5+ months, yet it was run without a break from the first run with another PVE (I have not recollection when there was ever two PVE's running at once) and PVP going on as well. Alliances were under the impression (intentionally or otherwise) it was okay to try and help their members (based off the first event) rather than needing to kick any members with life events during the second run (because cannot switch after event begins) to have an opportunity to do well.


In closing, I think the thing that speaks the loudest to me was the words of one of the members of an Alliance that beat Round 8. It was their secret to beating the event. That secret, the reason they were able to succeed where so many other alliances failed: They did not TRUST MPQ. Congratulations to that alliance for doing well. Also, congratulations seem to be in order to MPQ. It looks like the second run was successful on one front. Your message (intentional or not) was heard loud and clear by your players/customers.

Unknown

Well Said TOCS.

And to your last point, it was me who said that part about The Tacos not trusting it to the Devs.

Just like all the other top alliances, the Tacos Commanders discussed dispersing our heavies among our 3 crews (Tacos, Order, AARP), so that the most members would have a shot @ completing the event.

In the end, we didn't do this because we felt that we just couldn't trust the Devs to have this event well though and planned out. In the end, we were right this time (sadly).

marc

TheOncomingStorm

I was not going to name drop on you. But, yea, it was you, in the GFC, with some kind of phone or keyboard.

#clue

Unknown

TheOncomingStorm wrote:

I was not going to name drop on you. But, yea, it was you, in the GFC, with some kind of phone or keyboard.

#clue

No worries man. If i said it, i meant it and i don't mind having my name attached to it.

marc.