Anniversary Updates

Omega Red

IceIX wrote:

Wanted to update you all on some changes we’re making to the Anniversary in response to your feedback.

Anniversary Tokens
Our aim with the Anniversary packs this year was similar to last year: a pack that we could give out lots and lots of tokens for. We increased the availability of Anniversary tokens relative to last year and kept them roughly comparable (higher odds of Iso-8 and Hero Points rewards, lower odds of Devil Dinosaur since many players already have all the covers they need of him), but that led to an unsatisfying experience for a couple of reasons:

Other packs in the game have gotten much better since last year, and the Anniversary packs are unsatisfying relative to them.
It seems like most players would rather have fewer, more valuable tokens than more, less valuable ones.

So in response to your feedback, we’re making these packs much more valuable:

The odds of Devil Dino in the 1x pack are getting doubled, and they’re getting increased in the 10x and 40x packs by about 10%. The odds of 3-stars are increasing by about 50%, to be about 20% better than a Heroic pack. The odds of 4-stars are increasing by 140%, to be about 20% better than a Heroic pack. The odds of the Iso-8 and Hero Points rewards are unchanged.

That change will be going live in today’s patch.

To reward the folks that already purchased Anniversary packs, we’ll be giving out the following tomorrow:

Everyone that played during the Anniversary through today will get two additional Anniversary tokens. Anyone who bought an Anniversary 10-pack before this change takes effect will get an additional three Anniversary tokens for every 10-pack they bought. This also includes the 10 pack from progression rewards. Anyone who bought an Anniversary 40-pack before this change takes effect will get an additional Anniversary 10-pack for every 40-pack they bought.

Galactus
Slightly more alliances than we expected (111) made it to round 7 of Galactus, and 49 alliances met the final score target in round 8. But we got lots of feedback about the experience of getting there that we want to act on, so we’ll be significantly re-tuning the event for its second run this weekend.

In particular:
We’ll be working to make sure that even in later rounds, there are multiple interesting strategies to tackle Galactus.
We’ll be aiming to make each individual fight against Galactus feel meatier and more satisfying, lasting longer than a short, predictable number of rounds for more players.

We’ve got fixes for some bugs and miscellaneous balance issues as well.

Introducing new and different gameplay always involves balance risks, so your feedback is especially valuable when we introduce something like Galactus, and we’re looking forward to hearing what you think of the changes.

A few players that completed round 8 hadn't received their third Cyclops (Classic) cover yet. Those covers have gone out now, so you should have them waiting for you.

Versus
There was a bug with Black Vortex where in some cases, an opponent would remain on a pin after the mission was complete. We’re still investigating the cause of this. We haven’t seen the issue with the Class of 2015 event - please let us know if you run into it in that event or any others.

Server Issues
We had two episodes where some players couldn’t reach the game servers at the start of the Galactus event.

We’ll be sending out 100 Hero Points and 2000 Iso-8 to everyone who played on 10/8 or 10/9. Those Hero Points and Iso-8 will go out today.

To conclude, we’ve been reviewing all of the Anniversary feedback throughout the forums, and we’ve taken it into account. If you've got new questions and comments, feel free to bring them up here.

We're committed to making this the best Anniversary yet. Thanks for sticking with us and offering extremely valuable feedback along the way.

As a more (kinda) off topic thing, sorry about the relative radio silence from me for the past couple days. NYCC was pretty crazy this year, really cut down on my ability to pop on here. I'll be back to relative posting normalcy tomorrow. Pardon the grammar mistakes in this post, trying to get it up using a chiclet with in-flight wi-fi. Yay for that!

I'm glad that the boss node is being reworked. I appreciate the intent to innovate and bring new mechanics to the game. Didn't work this time but don't let this experience stop you guys from trying. Just make sure you test your events better before going live!

Don't care either way about the anniversary token odds. I always thought they're a bad investment unless you are early in the game. But it looks like a lot of guys love burning their money on them so I can see why you guys improved the odds.

ZeiramMR

lawboy18 wrote:

Lastly, if the expectation going into the Galactus event was for the player to lose (i.e., do less than full damage), why in tinykitty would you make the top progression reward 1.25m? I haven't & won't do the math, but from my experience, this required near optimal timing & to regularly BEAT Galactus. I can get a Legendary Token for far less effort in any old PvE, but this event was supposed to kick off a "week of celebration." Somewhere there's a disconnect & I don't think its with our expectations of this event.

For what it's worth, our alliance came up a little short of completing Round 5 and I was 150K from the Legendary. I think the points were there if people could still beat the later Rounds or do reasonably damage before losing.

Omega Red

smkspy wrote:

Omega Red wrote:

This thread should be titled: "stingy devs vs. greedy players"

So what classifies a greedy player? We know the devs are stingy, but what makes a presumably paying customs base greedy?

Lots of players asking for refunds on tokens already opened, despite the fact they have been told they will receive more tokens with improved odds at no cost. Also, players asking for free covers with arguments like "throw us a bone".

smkspy

ZeiramMR wrote:

lawboy18 wrote:

Lastly, if the expectation going into the Galactus event was for the player to lose (i.e., do less than full damage), why in tinykitty would you make the top progression reward 1.25m? I haven't & won't do the math, but from my experience, this required near optimal timing & to regularly BEAT Galactus. I can get a Legendary Token for far less effort in any old PvE, but this event was supposed to kick off a "week of celebration." Somewhere there's a disconnect & I don't think its with our expectations of this event.

For what it's worth, our alliance came up a little short of completing Round 5 and I was 150K from the Legendary. I think the points were there if people could still beat the later Rounds or do reasonably damage before losing.

That was a major problem for me. Besides not having Jean Grey for that essential, it got to the point where I was only getting between 800-1600 points for losing to galactus while having to use health packs just to complete node. For most of those nodes OBW was just as necessary as fighting against galactus. It basically off set each other and forced me to use junk characters against galactus because I knew that I would lose against him. Basic progression became stagnant at that point.

Omega Red

rawfsu wrote:

I am happy the changes are being made with some time left in Anniversary Week. I jus think there should be WAY more compensation given to those opened their wallets for the 10 and 40 packs with TERRIBLE odds. I think they should get an additional pull if whatever they already bought. I'm f2p, so this in no way would benefit me. Three additional tokens for a 10-pack and a 10-pack for a 40-pack just doesn't seem fair. If a restaurant gets your order, you're compensated a meal. The players deserve the same for what they paid for.

What puzzles me is why would said players pay for tokens if they have such terrible odds? Either they saw value in them to justify the purchase or simply they don't know better? Why should they receive more compensation for their poor choices?

dider152

Can you add an extra pvp event to the PVP anniversary? It's impossible for those who don't hit 1000 consistently in PvP to hit final progression.

smkspy

Omega Red wrote:

smkspy wrote:

Omega Red wrote:

This thread should be titled: "stingy devs vs. greedy players"

So what classifies a greedy player? We know the devs are stingy, but what makes a presumably paying customs base greedy?

Lots of players asking for refunds on tokens already opened, despite the fact they have been told they will receive more tokens with improved odds at no cost. Also, players asking for free covers with arguments like "throw us a bone".

I think a blanket 10 pack across the board isn't unreasonable. Loads of people cashed 20-30 tokens to get **** at purposely lower chance rates. I mean, seriously, two tokens in comparison to that...it's well stingy. It doesn't hurt devs to make a grand gesture to earn back some goodwill especially when people spent money and time investing into this game just to get nothing towards their game progression. You must either have one of those excellent rosters cause you give you off the feeling of "oh well, sucks for you guys, but I'm sitting pretty" or got your desserts and have no empathy for those that struggled with this event when they put a lot of time into it.

SnowcaTT

IceIX wrote:

10 pack tokens are also covered. I'll amend the OP. As for individuals, that's why we're handing out bonus tokens to everyone in general. Do keep in mind that you still got stuff from those original tokens, it's not like they were useless and now they're suddenly useful.

Seriously, I think from the 20-30 singles that I opened I pulled two 3*'s.

I've been completely 3* covered for several months...and those covers are worth practically nothing ISO wise.

I would STRONGLY ARGUE these tokens were worth anything at all. Indeed - I'd argue this is simple theft from folks that have already earned and cashed in these tokens. Rather than a limited amount, folks should be getting equal amount that they paid HP for at the very least.

Unknown

My only wish would be that 900k prize have been a 4* cover that wasn't a required character. I make it to 900k because of having all those required covered a decent amount.

The event was successful...much player defeat. Galactus hungers indeed.

Philly79

smkspy wrote:

Omega Red wrote:

smkspy wrote:

Omega Red wrote:

This thread should be titled: "stingy devs vs. greedy players"

So what classifies a greedy player? We know the devs are stingy, but what makes a presumably paying customs base greedy?

Lots of players asking for refunds on tokens already opened, despite the fact they have been told they will receive more tokens with improved odds at no cost. Also, players asking for free covers with arguments like "throw us a bone".

I think a blanket 10 pack across the board isn't unreasonable. Loads of people cashed 20-30 tokens to get tinykitty at purposely lower chance rates. I mean, seriously, two tokens in comparison to that...it's well stingy. It doesn't hurt devs to make a grand gesture to earn back some goodwill especially when people spent money and time investing into this game just to get nothing towards their game progression. You must either have one of those excellent rosters cause you give you off the feeling of "oh well, sucks for you guys, but I'm sitting pretty" or got your desserts and have no empathy for those that struggled with this event when they put a lot of time into it.

Again, well said, it does not affect their bottom line and it would save so such time sifting through who bought or cashed in x amount of tokens but I would say 2 10-packs would appease the masses

Maybe offer anniversary tokens in the lightning rounds opposed to std tokens? That would be something to see

Akari

Hey Ice, can you next address why the Anniversary season PvP rewards are so terrible? Moonstone and 2* Wolverine ****?

killerkoala

the 4* Deadpool Daily Quest with Devil's Dinosaur should be a level 1 goon from tutorial that would be a good joke fight. am i right?

DrStrange-616

killerkoala wrote:

the 4* Deadpool Daily Quest with Devil's Dinosaur should be a level 1 goon from tutorial that would be a good joke fight. am i right?

Or some new one-off half-star. And it's like Bambi vs Godzilla.

Ctenko

Akari wrote:

Hey Ice, can you next address why the Anniversary season PvP rewards are so terrible? Moonstone and 2* Wolverine ****?

I don't want to jump to their defense, or anything, because I'm still pretty ticked over BigG. But, They aren't that terrible, the 3k 2*wolvie is Weird, and kinda Out of place, But we are getting a ten pack for for like average 450 points per event. That's not bad at all. And it's no different than the short season otherwise. Just normally that 3k reward would be a 3*. But by no means are the rewards there bad. Better than BigG.

Unknown

dider152 wrote:

Can you add an extra pvp event to the PVP anniversary? It's impossible for those who don't hit 1000 consistently in PvP to hit final progression.

I'll take what may be the unpopular side here, but isn't that sort of the point? If you can hit 1000 each time, but can't hit 1300 you get a 1300 reward without having to actually get to 1300. You just don't get 5 of them. And you get that in a short season. The shorter the season with the same rewards, the harder it should be to get it. I say this since you could run 2+ of these anniversary seasons within the time a full season takes, and get the ultimate progression twice.

Sort of the same as getting the Legendary in a 3 day PVE might be harder than getting it in a 7 day.

In the last full* season which had the token at 7500 and 7 events + Shield sim you could get the token with 850 each event and 1550 sim. So last season had 8 available, and you could get 1 by doing a lot less than it took to get the other 7.

Full seasons going forward I think they mentioned the token at 10k, and those have 10 events plus sim, so 850 each event and 1500 sim. Almost negligibly easier, but when you look at having an extra week on that sim score, it's definitely more achievable for a larger portion of the playerbase. So 11 available, 1 for a lot less than the other 10.

killerkoala

lawboy18 wrote:

slidecage wrote:

lawboy18 wrote:

This changes seem fair & a step in the right direction, but I'll reserve final judgment until after the next Galactus event.

With regard to the tokens, the increased odds are much appreciated, but this is exactly why some kind of update/response was needed. A quick "hold on to your tokens, were looking into making changes to them" would've gone a long way.

Also, can you give any insight as to why the essential nodes saw a drastic increase in difficulty 1/2 through the event? (After you said they should be "trivial") In Round 8, one or two of the nodes had level 395 opponents; which if you didn't know, are NOT fun.

i dont see how a single person can say this is far those who open the tokens at the lower rate got scammed simple as that..

Why not give everyone Some dino covers to make up for it.

love to see another company get away with what this company is trying to do...

HEY ALL OPEN your tokens from 10.8 to now and have XXX chance to do it.. People open them.... HEY Guess what hoarders you still got those tokens we are now going to increase the ODDS even better .. who gives a rat **** about those who already opened them we give them 2 tokens no matter they opened 10X more then that

everyone send in tickets until they give us all of the tokens Back if they say No just keep Resending until the give them to us

My subconscious must be protecting me from a traumatic experience, did something happen over the last 3.5 days?

You're right, I should've specified, but its the changes going forward I'm optimistic about. However, my optimism has been greatly tempered.

I'm a day 720 player & I can't remember being more dishearted by MPQ than I am right now. This sadiversary has felt like it was "rushed to the floor" with little or no testing beforehand.

I get that NYCC was last weekend & I understand why you would be preoccupied with it (for most of the day anyway), but you have a calendar, right? Why did the Anniversary have to start this weekend. Clearly, having the celebration begin on 10/3 was of little importance, so why not start Galactus & BV on 10/15 or even today? If it had to start on 10/8, why wasn't anyone monitoring the events to ensure everything was going smoothly?

I think everyone would've been more than happy to wait a week for a properly tested event & having you (Ice/anyone really) around in case something went array to do more than a 15 minute flyby on Friday night to post a terrible response & a ninja update substantially increasing the difficulty of the essential nodes, then disappear into the ether.

Lastly, if the expectation going into the Galactus event was for the player to lose (i.e., do less than full damage), why in tinykitty would you make the top progression reward 1.25m? I haven't & won't do the math, but from my experience, this required near optimal timing & to regularly BEAT Galactus. I can get a Legendary Token for far less effort in any old PvE, but this event was supposed to kick off a "week of celebration." Somewhere there's a disconnect & I don't think its with our expectations of this event.

Funny thing is they shortened season 19 by a week so it would be closer to the actual anniversary date. if they hadn't and we did have a full season 19, then the start would be the weekend after NYCC. they could have still advertise it fully during NYCC and be here during the first 4 days of the meltdown. lol

Omega Red

smkspy wrote:

Omega Red wrote:

smkspy wrote:

Omega Red wrote:

This thread should be titled: "stingy devs vs. greedy players"

So what classifies a greedy player? We know the devs are stingy, but what makes a presumably paying customs base greedy?

Lots of players asking for refunds on tokens already opened, despite the fact they have been told they will receive more tokens with improved odds at no cost. Also, players asking for free covers with arguments like "throw us a bone".

I think a blanket 10 pack across the board isn't unreasonable. Loads of people cashed 20-30 tokens to get tinykitty at purposely lower chance rates. I mean, seriously, two tokens in comparison to that...it's well stingy. It doesn't hurt devs to make a grand gesture to earn back some goodwill especially when people spent money and time investing into this game just to get nothing towards their game progression. You must either have one of those excellent rosters cause you give you off the feeling of "oh well, sucks for you guys, but I'm sitting pretty" or got your desserts and have no empathy for those that struggled with this event when they put a lot of time into it.

The only responsibles of buying those awful tokens are the players themselves. They bought them at those rates, they should own up their purchases. I'm not against giving them extra tokens but asking for a full reset of tokens already opened seems like an abuse from the player side.

Omega Red

SnowcaTT wrote:

IceIX wrote:

10 pack tokens are also covered. I'll amend the OP. As for individuals, that's why we're handing out bonus tokens to everyone in general. Do keep in mind that you still got stuff from those original tokens, it's not like they were useless and now they're suddenly useful.

Seriously, I think from the 20-30 singles that I opened I pulled two 3*'s.

I've been completely 3* covered for several months...and those covers are worth practically nothing ISO wise.

I would STRONGLY ARGUE these tokens were worth anything at all. Indeed - I'd argue this is simple theft from folks that have already earned and cashed in these tokens. Rather than a limited amount, folks should be getting equal amount that they paid HP for at the very least.

I agree, tokens had **** odds heck, they STILL DO.

So, why on Earth did you buy them?!

spectator

slidecage wrote:

spectator wrote:

You know what, just rerun anniversary week. Run pool party, devil Dino, balance of power and combined arms (because the celebration should be accessible to everyone, not just high end rosters), run the new (hopefully fun) galactus and deadpool pve. Only give out anniversary tokens, double iso in all pve and pvp and forget about compensation.

who said anything about a deadpool PVE

I threw in deadpool pve to complete the week and because its one of the few universally loved pve that features just about everyone. 4pool pvp because I think weapon texmex awarded devil Dino last year and the term pool party sort of fits in with the theme of anniversary week

smkspy

Omega Red wrote:

smkspy wrote:

I think a blanket 10 pack across the board isn't unreasonable. Loads of people cashed 20-30 tokens to get tinykitty at purposely lower chance rates. I mean, seriously, two tokens in comparison to that...it's well stingy. It doesn't hurt devs to make a grand gesture to earn back some goodwill especially when people spent money and time investing into this game just to get nothing towards their game progression. You must either have one of those excellent rosters cause you give you off the feeling of "oh well, sucks for you guys, but I'm sitting pretty" or got your desserts and have no empathy for those that struggled with this event when they put a lot of time into it.

The only responsibles of buying those awful tokens are the players themselves. They bought them at those rates, they should own up their purchases. I'm not against giving them extra tokens but asking for a full reset of tokens already opened seems like an abuse from the player side.

Which is why I think a blanket ten pack across is more than reasonable for ALL the players that invested into the event and got squat. But hey, you got everything you wanted so it's all good on your end and look at everyone else as whiners.