Shields and server lag.

RandomViking

So recently I was hit through a shield, and it was a pretty big one, so I was annoyed. I submitted a ticket to hopefully clear this up and boy did it piss me off.

Greetings D3 Go! Customer,

Thank you for contacting D3 Go! Customer Support.

We would be happy to explain the functionality of the Shield feature for you!

If you have shielded and you receive attack prompts with point loss within the first few minutes, then the issue you are experiencing is due to client-server latency.

In these cases, this is what happens:

1. You are attacked by another player. This player completes their fight, defeating you.
2. You purchase a shield.
3. The server is notified you purchased the shield immediately, but the other player's fight is already completed and you have lost points.
4. The server informs you you have lost points.

From your perspective, it looks like you were attacked with the shield up. In reality, you were attacked beforehand and had already lost those points by the time you put up the shield. It may seem a bit confusing, but it is normal game play for multiple matches to simultaneously occur and resolve while you are actively battling a player.

Please note that the game does not update in real time, therefore notifications are staggered until the server updates. To force a server update you need only to force close and restart the app outside of a battle.

It is important that you take care to remember the 'outside of battle' part as force closing during a battle will activate the game's anti-cheat provision which will force a retreat for your team. This, of course, incurs the consequences of a retreat: lost boosts, team damage, etc.

Many questions can be answered by visiting our helpful Marvel Puzzle Quest FAQ at: www.d3go.com/mpq-support/

If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free in contacting us again.

Best Regards,
D3 Go! Customer Support Team (KHY)

That the bulk begins with "We would be happy to explain the functionality of the Shield feature for you!" as if I don't understand, but then goes on to talk about the server side lag like it's part of this "feature". Why then does it not explain in the game you may experience server lag? Why does any part of purchasing a shield not poll the server for attack updates? Why is it my duty as the player to suffer the consequences of something out of my control and have to go out of my way to discover not only is this not a bug - it's a feature. Seems like a this is all just a way of shifting responsibility on to players and that the fact there isn't a warning or suggestion to restart your game or this will happen until you go to support just means they want to pretend it won't and not take the blame when it does.