Improved PVE XP reward structure

DeNappa

(Note: I posted this in the Feature Info: S.H.I.E.L.D. Rank Is Here!-thread already, but I realized this would make more sense in the Suggestions & Feedback forums, and I don't know if the other post will be read by the devs)

A point of criticism: I don't really like the 'grind a single node 6 times for 10xp' format in PVE.

First of all, PVE is already biased enough towards pointless grinding:

• Want the max progression reward? Grind all nodes 3-4 times.
• Want to compete for 'ranking'? Grind even more than required to reach max progression
• And now: want some XP? Oh, just grind this node 6 times.

I'd much rather see a system that rewards ALL work you put into clearing out a node. E.g., every time you win a PVE node, give an XP reward, with increasing returns.

With a system like this, you will still reap the benefits of winning a node, even if it's only one win. And beating higher scaled opponents gives better XP, so you do have an incentive to try and beat the higher scaled versions of the nodes too. And if you get stuck on a difficult node, because it scales too damn high after 4 wins, or because you run out of time, you won't have wasted all that time and health packs for nothing...

A hypothetical reward structure with some made up numbers:
Easy nodes: 1-1-1-1-2-2 xp (6 clears = 8xp)
Difficult nodes: 1-2-2-3-3-5 xp (6 clears = 16xp)
Required nodes (2*): 1-1-1-1-2-2 xp (6 clears= 8xp)
Required nodes (3*): 1-1-1-3-3-3 xp (6 clears = 12xp)
Required nodes (4*): 1-2-2-3-3-5 xp (6 clears = 16xp)

MPQ_Daywalker

I like this idea a lot. Even getting 1 XP feels like you're making some progress; I rarely have time/health packs to do 6 clears of a node, so this still rewards people for playing the game, and could even reward people additional XP for playing the game more (as your hypothetical numbers show, if they wanted to, they could make the more difficult nodes worth more than 10 XP for 6 clears).

I've got to say, though, I never thought I'd actually enjoy/look forward to play-once/single reward missions in PVE until now... 10 XP for playing a node once? Even a DDQ node? Yes, please and thank you. But that 10 XP for playing a node once makes the repeated grinding of one node six times for the same amount of XP seem silly.

DeNappa

Yeah I agree, although they probably did the numbers on XP requirements vs playtime/XP rewards to come up with something not too unbalanced. That's why I also didn't want to change the numbers too much.

I realize this proposed staggered XP reward structure still rewards a full grind. It just doesn't punish those who do not. And as a bonus, a better developed roster can get better rewards as well.

On a side note: I also proposed a similar structure a few months back towards the max progression reward on PVE; if you fall short of the max progression target even 1 by point, you get zilch CP rewards to show for your efforts. But that is a different discussion.