5* democratization, 6*s? 2016 crystal ball thread

bluewolf

Here's what I would like them to do. Just acknowledge/announce the end of the game. Add some new actual end of story content. Make it feel like PVE takes you through a story that ends (as much as comic stories CAN end). Create a lasting PVP leaderboard over multiple final seasons for bragging rights and rewards. Maybe for MPQ2?

I agree that the 4* tier will fill up soon. I am not sure I see a way to add another tier. It just seems like it would make new players even more likely to stay away and make the experienced players - who know how truly hard it is to make progress at the higher levels - leave the game at an increasing rate.

I would recommend they work on MPQ2 instead of another tier. I do not know if they can do that as far as contracts rights Etc.

One thing we can all (Devs and players agree on) is that this game has been active for longer than expected AKA the average life of a mobile game. I don't think there would be any shame in just saying that the game did better than expected and the Devs are going to go out while its still doing well.

optimus2861

The 5* tier had to be more successful from a $$$ standpoint than even Demiurge's wildest dreams. We all know there's at least one 550 OML out there, and that one user keeps the lights on for, jeez, thousands? of freebies. If they think they can pull that same rabbit out of the hat with a 6* tier, they'll try it. If not, they'll just keep pumping out 4* & 5* characters until the token pack sales dwindle, then start the process of winding down the game.

I admit I was wrong about the 5* tier. I'm one of those who argued with Vhailorx about its feasibility and what it would do to the game, and I thought I'd insta-quit when they started, but I guess the champion feature has kept me around. But 6*? Yeah, then it would be time for me to go. Future Fight, despite its recent evisceration of its PVP system (from one of the most player-friendly systems I'd ever seen to just another frustrating elite-players-only experience), still gets more of my attention and positive thinking than MPQ has in a long, long time.

Vhailorx

Is a sequel really an option in mobile freemium?

I know that in the mmo space on pc, there are basically no successfull mmo sequels (ultima, everquest, etc all had sequels that were basically doa, wow's sequel never even got released, etc), even when the first game was wildly successful. Unlike traditional, discreet games, mmos (and mobile premium games) don't ever stop having revenue potential, so releasing a sequel just splits the playerbase while doubling development costs.

So I am not sure how mpq2 will ever happen.

GrimSkald

Vhailorx wrote:

Is a sequel really an option in mobile freemium?

I know that in the mmo space on pc, there are basically no successfull mmo sequels (ultima, everquest, etc all had sequels that were basically doa, wow's sequel never even got released, etc), even when the first game was wildly successful. Unlike traditional, discreet games, mmos (and mobile premium games) don't ever stop having revenue potential, so releasing a sequel just splits the playerbase while doubling development costs.

So I am not sure how mpq2 will ever happen.

Agreed. Why play a sequel where you have to start all over again?

Calnexin

aesthetocyst wrote:

Vhailorx wrote:

Is a sequel really an option in mobile freemium?

There is great opportunity in taking the good, and starting over. What would be really great, would be the launch of a sequel that ported existing users over. So MPQ 2 would launch with a full range of characters in place, and players already active at all levels of development. Porting the existing game to a new architecture. Like a super-patch, haha.

Alright, that's a dream. If there is a sequel it will start over from scratch.

PS--Mark me down in the "There will be no 6*s" camp.

The option to go to a new version is rational for traditional MMO content. You can get better graphics, framerates, your console/PC specs change, widen out your server to accept more people, etc.

I agree with Vhailorx here. This game does not require bells and whistles, just quality, balanced content. More animations and slicker graphics are more likely to anger players, because they take more time to load and hog more space on devices. Nothing to the core gameplay need be added - it's the content cycle that dominates here.

If it were to happen - that they move to a sequel - I would play if the scenario you present where you get to carry over progress were implemented. Starting from scratch? I wouldn't. There are plenty of addicting gems in the F2P mold, and I have a stack of console games for the last gen systems I haven't gotten to. Dumping more time to re-earn progress (and the cash spent on the first iteration) would be a nonstarter for me. When the servers shut off, I'm out.

ErikPeter

From the avid, but not hardcore player perspective, new characters are fine and dandy but I haven't champed a 4* yet. I'm not excited by new dead weight on my roster.

I think the answer is to steep the skill curve and cater to the casual players better. Get new players and say "there's 2 years of content and roster growth here", by focusing on fixing events so every player is competing within their own tier.

The current advancement step of "PvP rewards are meaningless, just progression matters" is lame. I remember that early period where I could get first place in an event, and it was so exciting and fulfilling (...those proud screencaps of the "you win a **** IW power!"). I'd love it if PvP was more rewarding than "get a 4* at 1000 if IMHB is buffed, otherwise, here's another 2* Storm cover".

And PvE, ugh, yes I can still sometimes manage top 10 if I don't mind setting aside my social life and sense of reasonable commitment to a game, and possibly harming my marriage. Otherwise it's all about getting lucky late starts.

I don't think they need a new tier. Sure, they'll have to figure out a way to get more money from the Max Champ OML guy, but I get the feeling most players would rather have a better avenue for advancing their existing rosters than a whole new feeling of inadequacy.

tldr
I don't know what the devs will do, but pushing any further or faster might do more harm than good. I think they need elective divisions for players, e.g. at the start of a season you choose a specific 3/4* who becomes the reward for many events (and you compete against other people who want them) or just bunches of LT (which would attract the most hardcore competition).

To keep the content cycling for more casual players (who care less about new characters), they could power up a different color each month. E.g. "Hey it's season XXIV, black powers cost 2 AP less."

ShadowX1984

To me a possible solution is to keep generating new characters at all levels (as pointed out, there's basically an infinite supply of characters and variants in the Marvel universe), but begin creating events and tokens that really separate out the generations of useable and obtainable characters. This could look a lot like the Magic the Gathering structure of Modern vs Standard event formats; experienced players can play in events that use all the characters ever released, and have a broad range of awards. Newer players can focus in on characters released in a more limited timeframe and have an easier time completing these characters without feeling penalized for not having all 44 3*s fully covered and leveled. Whales can still pay out to be competitive at all levels of play. They can even re-release popular older characters into the newer rotation, so newbies can get excited about the chance to build up Luke Cage before jumping into the deeper waters.

I have several friends just starting this game and they're talking about quitting at the 2-3* transition because the prospect of getting meaningful numbers of covers for 40+ 3*s is so daunting and random. Make this a rotation of the dozen or so latest 3*s and I bet you'll see a lot more retention from early players.

ShadowX1984

aesthetocyst wrote:

ShadowX1984 wrote:

To me a possible solution is to keep generating new characters at all levels (as pointed out, there's basically an infinite supply of characters and variants in the Marvel universe), but begin creating events and tokens that really separate out the generations of useable and obtainable characters. This could look a lot like the Magic the Gathering structure of Modern vs Standard event formats; experienced players can play in events that use all the characters ever released, and have a broad range of awards. Newer players can focus in on characters released in a more limited timeframe and have an easier time completing these characters without feeling penalized for not having all 44 3*s fully covered and leveled. Whales can still pay out to be competitive at all levels of play. They can even re-release popular older characters into the newer rotation, so newbies can get excited about the chance to build up Luke Cage before jumping into the deeper waters.

I have several friends just starting this game and they're talking about quitting at the 2-3* transition because the prospect of getting meaningful numbers of covers for 40+ 3*s is so daunting and random. Make this a rotation of the dozen or so latest 3*s and I bet you'll see a lot more retention from early players.

Devs tried "vaulting" and caved to player complaints.

However, there are more characters in the game now, and IMO a primary reason for the player outrage at vaulting was that the devs continued to run events that required vaulted characters....and the characters being vaulted hadn't been out for very long. It was tried way before it's time.

Also, MPQ still hasn't grown beyond the gotta have'em all model. It encourages, even forces, players to have all characters, and gives the impression that getting them all is feasible. It's not a game in which players can compete well if they choose to focus on a limited number of characters. Further the cover distribution model makes focusing on a limited really hard and very slow.

I agree... the problem with vaulting was that the characters continued to be used and required, creating a big gap between experienced players and newer ones (even beyond "newbie" status). I'm suggesting creating a play area where the "vaulted" characters cannot be used at all, and are removed from the prize and token pool. And it would be a very specific set of parallel events, so that older players still get to use the full range of characters in their own PVE and PVP events. MPQ is still in the "gotta have 'em all" model, but that model gets more and more ridiculous as the n in "all" increases.