Season XXXII: Highlights & Changes

scottee

Coordinated hopping existed before cc's became a thing. It will continue to exist.

This change mainly affects everyone whose climbs to 1000 or 1300 were made easier because of kind bakers. The top players can still do whatever they want.

Basically, if you were able to climb to what you want on your own merit, you'll still be able to. If you were reliant on cc's to hit above your weight class, you're screwed.

~~~~~~~~~

I agree that they want to reduce the top ridiculous scores, because it discourages new players. But this isn't going to do it. They only thing that would is eliminating shields or reducing them to one-time use only.

This will return PVP to what it was earlier on, when you actually had to fight to achieve progression rewards.

simonsez

Astralgazer wrote:

Thirdly, kudos for D3 who surely has calculated the possible income loss because people rage quit. And still goes on with their plan. That's integrity.

I don't think they do any sort of serious calculations. They just ask the mega-whales if they're ok with what they have in mind. No integrity required.

Phumade

aesthetocyst wrote:

For PVP players this will be a new wrinkle in roster management. Trying to keep certain characters "stronger" (once we figure out what that is ....), so they will "stick" on defense.

I think the converse will actually be true.

Its all a guess, but I think the best players will experiment on figuring out which teams are the best glass cannons at each tier, and won't displace the meat shield at the respective tiers.

I.e. if you start with a 3* shield, which 3* teams can you use without displacing that team, and so on for 4* and 5* tiers.

One of things D3 has never been good at is undertanding how teams combinations change as new rules are implemented.

PorkBelly

I agree with most that these are pretty bad changes - for both hitting 1300 and for team diversity.

Honestly, though, I would be ok with it if they would remove the shield timers. Hitting a team and losing or getting hit while playing a match wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to wait 8 hours to try again.

zodiac339

Astralgazer wrote:

Firstly, winfinite ProX-gwbw-switch in PvP is overated. I've taken out winfinite teams in Balance of Power. With the right combo, luck and a lot of health packs, at least 50 points will be mine.

Not so much overrated. It just needs a conscious brain behind it. I beat Charlie's Angels in SHIELD Simulator. I wanted to tank and bait for retaliation, so I used IM35, Modern BW, and Modern Storm. Expected to lose , 'cause it was a team of 2 166 rares and a slightly lower (140~150?) legendary, but 5-turn stun, some protect and attack tiles, and ultimately a Black Panther team up (Battle Plan I think) won. I was shocked, and psyched, and I sort of understand the idea of "fun challenge", but it was a total fluke, based entirely on where Arcane Incantation landed. Like any other AI situation, you can't match it, it goes off and makes a 5-match, and your day's going to suck. Reality (along with the chances of you winning) are likely to be Crushed.

Vhailorx

PorkBelly wrote:

I agree with most that these are pretty bad changes - for both hitting 1300 and for team diversity.

Honestly, though, I would be ok with it if they would remove the shield timers. Hitting a team and losing or getting hit while playing a match wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to wait 8 hours to try again.

I have been griping about this since Jan. 2O15. Glad to see someone agree with me. I hate shield cooldowns and think that we players accepted them way too quietly.

JVReal

Vhailorx wrote:

PorkBelly wrote:

I agree with most that these are pretty bad changes - for both hitting 1300 and for team diversity.

Honestly, though, I would be ok with it if they would remove the shield timers. Hitting a team and losing or getting hit while playing a match wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to wait 8 hours to try again.

I have been griping about this since Jan. 2O15. Glad to see someone agree with me. I hate shield cooldowns and think that we players accepted them way too quietly.

I've never understood an 8 hour timer on a 3 hour shield.

"SHOULD"
Smile, Hand Out Useless or Little Details

Vhailorx

JVReal wrote:

Vhailorx wrote:

PorkBelly wrote:

I agree with most that these are pretty bad changes - for both hitting 1300 and for team diversity.

Honestly, though, I would be ok with it if they would remove the shield timers. Hitting a team and losing or getting hit while playing a match wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to wait 8 hours to try again.

I have been griping about this since Jan. 2O15. Glad to see someone agree with me. I hate shield cooldowns and think that we players accepted them way too quietly.

I've never understood an 8 hour timer on a 3 hour shield.

"SHOULD"
Smile, Hand Out Useless or Little Details

Umm, so you have to buy an 8 hour shield sometimes? It's been a while, but I think the official explanation was fun/challenging/helping people sleep through the night and not play all the time.

Soitswritten

Hi-fi, you guys planning to elaborate on this stuff today? Or should we just expect to go in blind?

Linkster79

madsalad wrote:

A rising tide lifts all boats.

Must be why there are no boats on the sea bed

I think Demiurge are doing only great things with these changes and only have the players best interests and the interest of the long term health of the game first and foremost. Making changes like this that have never even been suggested are inspired, they have made many changes recently that have been suggested on the forums with all the quality of life improvements and now it is the creative minds of the development team time to shine.

Personally what I would have done to promote roster diversity would be to make it so characters could not be selected twice in a row, that way both A and B teams would have to be used.

Still never mind, Demiurge and D3 forever

simonsez

Linkster79 wrote:

Personally what I would have done to promote roster diversity would be to make it so characters could not be selected twice in a row, that way both A and B teams would have to be used.

And then your B team gets queued by at least dozen people and you lose a **** ton of points, regardless of what sort of point tweaks are on the way...

Fightmastermpq

Astralgazer wrote:

Firstly, winfinite ProX-gwbw-switch in PvP is overated. I've taken out winfinite teams in Balance of Power. With the right combo, luck and a lot of health packs, at least 50 points will be mine.

Ummmm, you won't see the winfinite team. The point is you can win a battle with winfinite that you could never win with your defensive team, and not have to worry about winfinite becoming your new defensive team.

DeNappa

I'm interested to see how this change will play out. Even though I don't really do PVP much.

Gotta wonder though: will you also finally be implementing a feature that allows us to see what defensive team currently holds for you?

It seems to me that this will be a much needed feature, seeing that some calculated team 'strength score' might be difficult to predict because the formula is unknown. 'Last winning team' is a lot simpler metric.

Ruinate

How are people planning on using Winfinite when you can only choose 2 characters at a time? Or are we talking about shield sim where cupcakes and defensive teams don't really matter?

Soitswritten

Only need GsBw/PX for win finite. Switch just helps you get started faster.

jobob

Ruinate wrote:

How are people planning on using Winfinite when you can only choose 2 characters at a time? Or are we talking about shield sim where cupcakes and defensive teams don't really matter?

Well, obviously they can use it during the SW/GSBW PVPs, but I think the point is more that any glass cannon offensive team can be used once you "set" your defensive team. Why even bother with 5* when you can climb more quickly with Ice/IM40 and others are only seeing your A team?

Ruinate

Soitswritten wrote:

Only need GsBw/PX for win finite. Switch just helps you get started faster.

Fist/Gsbw/Px vs Fist/Oml/Phx. Gl hf. Also if the featured isn't pink and your gsbw isn't boosted, it's not going to work.

jobob wrote:

Ruinate wrote:

How are people planning on using Winfinite when you can only choose 2 characters at a time? Or are we talking about shield sim where cupcakes and defensive teams don't really matter?

Well, obviously they can use it during the SW/GSBW PVPs, but I think the point is more that any glass cannon offensive team can be used once you "set" your defensive team. Why even bother with 5* when you can climb more quickly with Ice/IM40 and others are only seeing your A team?

At what point do 4s do more damage than 5s? Because my champed 4s don't do **** compared to my champed 5s.

STOPTHIS

Ruinate wrote:

How are people planning on using Winfinite when you can only choose 2 characters at a time? Or are we talking about shield sim where cupcakes and defensive teams don't really matter?

For events that don't feature a character with high purple match damage just use GSBW/Prof X/loaner. Guaranteed to be your weaker team, if a weak team is determined by collective level, and purple is your strongest color again. It'll also save a little bit on health packs thanks to the loaner.

jobob

Ruinate wrote:

At what point do 4s do more damage than 5s? Because my champed 4s don't do tinykitty compared to my champed 5s.

Well, IM40 doesn't have to do ANY damage to speed a match up more than most 5*.

I think I noticed a big rise in 4* power around 320 where their actual power damage overtook the 5* (though obviously match damage never does). But because you have multiple 4*s that pair really well with AP batteries, they are quicker to climb with, and require less health packs than a team of two 5*. IM40 paired with either a boosted Ice or boosted GT in particular is faster and more reliable than any 5* combination.

Astralgazer

madsalad wrote:

Astralgazer wrote:

Firstly, winfinite ProX-gwbw-switch in PvP is overated. I've taken out winfinite teams in Balance of Power. With the right combo, luck and a lot of health packs, at least 50 points will be mine.

Secondly, I think the threat to rage quit has been around since MPQ first introduced a nerf. People adapt and find new things to enjoy. Or new exploits.

Thirdly, kudos for D3 who surely has calculated the possible income loss because people rage quit. And still goes on with their plan. That's integrity. Or the calculation says that the loss will be insignificant in the long run.

The point is that you won't be able to see a player's winfinite team because it will not be their strongest team on defense. If I play 2 5*s plus required on 3 seed teams, I can then, theoretically, proceed to climb with winfinite without worrying about reprisal on a weak defense team, as my 5*s are running interference for me. That's why we need more information about what a "much weaker team" is, and whether or not retaliation nodes still work the same way or not.

Good point. However, I think the devs mean that the comparison will be between your ultimate and penultimate team before calling it a day. In your case, winfinite will be present as your defensive team. If you want IMHB as your def team, you would need to use him in your very last fight.