Competition

Calnexin
Calnexin Posts: 1,078 Chairperson of the Boards
edited October 2016 in MPQ General Discussion
I played way more than I should have in the Gwenpool release event.

I managed 4 clears in 6 hours. Then I ground the nodes to 1 with 4 hours left to go. After my final grind, I was ranked #2.

Then I went to mow the lawn for an hour. Dropped out of top 50. Barely managed a T100 Gwenpool cover. Wish I had access to more, because she seems really fun.

Anyone who's like me - a guy with kids, a job, and responsibilities - give up hope of top 20 placement. It's just not going to happen. You cannot get there unless you have the time in the front for 4 clears, and time at the back for 3+ more. The competition is just too fierce. I gave up a long time ago, but I really tried this time and managed somewhere around 70.

I might need a break.
«134

Comments

  • tanis3303
    tanis3303 Posts: 855 Critical Contributor
    You started your final grind WAY too early. Not justifying the system in any way, I agree that it's insane what you have to do to actually win events...just saying, if you want to score top placements, you have to time it so your final grind in the sub ends with as little time as possible left on the clock...then grind the new one 4x immediately. Fun, fun, fun!!
  • fmftint
    fmftint Posts: 3,653 Chairperson of the Boards
    70 is better than 105, better than 90% of the player base who didn't qualify for Gwen. But reading your OP you took too long to get to timers (6 hours) and did your final clear too early (4 hours)
  • Calnexin
    Calnexin Posts: 1,078 Chairperson of the Boards
    tanis3303 wrote:
    You started your final grind WAY too early. Not justifying the system in any way, I agree that it's insane what you have to do to actually win events...just saying, if you want to score top placements, you have to time it so your final grind in the sub ends with as little time as possible left on the clock...then grind the new one 4x immediately. Fun, fun, fun!!

    Exactly. That's the time I had. "Play when you want" is ****. It's not that, at all. I had a rare weekend where I could afford to do the clears, and it netted me the bare minimum to get the character.

    I know how it works. I can't manage that. There are many people like me that can't, either. I like this game, but my life does not revolve around it. That's on me, but it's also a sign. People like me can't place well. I like competition, but even with this effort I barely made a cover. In most events it seems pointless to try.

    The Best Buds event isn't helping. I climbed to 450 and got smacked down to 270. Haven't seen a single team I feel confident I can beat since.

    This leads me to believe this game is for the "haves". Putting in the time is not enough. You have to have scads of free time, a powerful alliance, wads of cash, or some combination thereof to come out on top. I've been engaged with this game for almost two years, but I'm thinking my time would be better spent elsewhere.
  • Fightmastermpq
    Fightmastermpq Posts: 995 Critical Contributor
    tanis3303 wrote:
    You started your final grind WAY too early. Not justifying the system in any way, I agree that it's insane what you have to do to actually win events...just saying, if you want to score top placements, you have to time it so your final grind in the sub ends with as little time as possible left on the clock...then grind the new one 4x immediately. Fun, fun, fun!!
    Exactly this....unfortunately.

    I have a job, family, kids, etc. - still squeezed out a T20 finish by playing from 9:30-12:30 every night of the event. The top guys were finishing in just over an hour, but my 5* scaling takes me a little longer so I have to settle for only 2 covers.
  • Calnexin
    Calnexin Posts: 1,078 Chairperson of the Boards
    edited October 2016
    I have a job, family, kids, etc. - still squeezed out a T20 finish by playing from 9:30-12:30 every night of the event. \

    Yes. Everything this. If I want to succeed in the game, I have to sacrifice every scrap of free time I have to it. I love the game, but sometimes I need to do something else. If my kids have a bathroom emergency, or there's a PTO conference, or I work late - progress gone. For 1k iso, 25hp, and a 3* cover, I shouldn't have bothered. I should've made some progress in a 3* title I paid 1/4 the amount I have for this one.

    The anniversary has some nice rewards, but I can't reach a lot of them. I don't expect to be catered to, but I also know that I'm free to take my wallet and go. I need to read more.
  • Quebbster
    Quebbster Posts: 8,070 Chairperson of the Boards
    If you didn't get top 100 in Simulator... You probably can't do the 4* Essential nodes in Venom Bomb. You should be able to get Gwenpool when she's the final progression reward in the SHIELD Simulator next season. Assuming you didn't get her in her PvP, that is. At the very least you should be able to roster her before she's a PvE essential again some time in 2017.
    Covers are plentiful. Don't get too worked up about missing a few.
  • Calnexin
    Calnexin Posts: 1,078 Chairperson of the Boards
    Calnexin wrote:
    I have a job, family, kids, etc. - still squeezed out a T20 finish by playing from 9:30-12:30 every night of the event. \

    Yes. Everything this. If I want to succeed in the game, I have to sacrifice every scrap of free time I have to it. I love the game, but sometimes I need to do something else. If my kids have a bathroom emergency, or there's a PTO conference, or I work late - progress gone. For 1k iso, 2hp, and a 3* cover, I shouldn't have bothered. I should've made some progress in a AAA title I paid 1/4 the amount I have for this one.

    The anniversary has some nice rewards, but I can't reach a lot of them. I don't expect to be catered to, but I also know that I'm free to take my wallet and go. I need to read more.
  • Calnexin
    Calnexin Posts: 1,078 Chairperson of the Boards
    Quebbster wrote:
    If you didn't get top 100 in Simulator... You probably can't do the 4* Essential nodes in Venom Bomb. You should be able to get Gwenpool when she's the final progression reward in the SHIELD Simulator next season. Assuming you didn't get her in her PvP, that is. At the very least you should be able to roster her before she's a PvE essential again some time in 2017.
    Covers are plentiful. Don't get too worked up about missing a few.

    I got T100 in Simulator. I specifically tried to do that so I could get a cover to do the essentials in the next event. In that I have 4 clears on each sub node, but won't have access to my device for another 3 hr, so I'm automatically behind the curve.

    I'm garbage at PvP. The best I've ever got is ~ 600. I've been trying, but most of the plausible matches I find are worth 20 pts and will require 3x heal packs.

    Like I said, I'm probably doing it wrong. Somehow. I don't know how you can do a match-3 game wrong, but there it is. I'm just that kind of stupid, I guess.
  • kobu
    kobu Posts: 165 Tile Toppler
    The current system is less stressful to me than the previous 8 hour cycle, but I still feel your pain. There really ought to be some sort of performance based scoring to determine placement instead of a timer. Higher scores could be awarded for fewer rounds taken to complete and less damage taken. Do four runs of each node whenever you want in a 24 hour window, best score wins.
  • Calnexin
    Calnexin Posts: 1,078 Chairperson of the Boards
    kobu wrote:
    Higher scores could be awarded for fewer rounds taken to complete and less damage taken.

    That would be very nice. It would make defense tiles relevant.
  • Quebbster
    Quebbster Posts: 8,070 Chairperson of the Boards
    Calnexin wrote:
    Quebbster wrote:
    If you didn't get top 100 in Simulator... You probably can't do the 4* Essential nodes in Venom Bomb. You should be able to get Gwenpool when she's the final progression reward in the SHIELD Simulator next season. Assuming you didn't get her in her PvP, that is. At the very least you should be able to roster her before she's a PvE essential again some time in 2017.
    Covers are plentiful. Don't get too worked up about missing a few.

    I got T100 in Simulator. I specifically tried to do that so I could get a cover to do the essentials in the next event. In that I have 4 clears on each sub node, but won't have access to my device for another 3 hr, so I'm automatically behind the curve.

    I'm garbage at PvP. The best I've ever got is ~ 600. I've been trying, but most of the plausible matches I find are worth 20 pts and will require 3x heal packs.

    Like I said, I'm probably doing it wrong. Somehow. I don't know how you can do a match-3 game wrong, but there it is. I'm just that kind of stupid, I guess.
    Hence my point about not getting too worked up about it. Missing out on covers here and there isn't a big deal. Play in a way that suits you and don't stress out about the ones that play more than you.
  • TheOncomingStorm
    TheOncomingStorm Posts: 489 Mover and Shaker
    I reinstalled for anniversary. Sadly, I will be uninstalling afterwards. The development team just does not get it or they do not care. People want to have lives and be able to successfully compete with the top players.

    It's a shame. So many great characters and abilities. The gameplay is so much fun. The game itself is highly addictive.

    Unfortunately, pve is still set up as PvP with a story instead of true pve. IMHO, if I'm going to support a game with my two valuable resources, time and money, I should not have to "settle" for lower tier rewards because I have a job, family, and a life.

    Don't get me wrong, I don't mind PvP features. I'm sure some players thrive on those. I don't expect to do as well on those. But when a game advertises that it has a pve feature, which fits my life for every other game that I play, it genuinely hurts that it's a lie and I can't really play the game I would prefer.

    Just got clarification, dpdq is a true pve. That is how rewards for other "pve's" should be set up.
  • JVReal
    JVReal Posts: 1,884 Chairperson of the Boards
    If they keep Clearance Levels in the PVE's, just focus on getting your 4 clears throughout the day to get the CP from the nodes, and from max progression. If you place well, consider it a bonus. I like to pretend it's a progression based PVE and that helps me feel like I truly can play as I want. That CP gives me a 4* and a shot at a 5*. I much prefer it.

    I too am free to play, have a family with children and a job. Oops, got to get back to work.
  • OneLastGambit
    OneLastGambit Posts: 1,963 Chairperson of the Boards
    Sadly until they put clearance levels in New releases at least half of every season will be play when d3 wants.

    With CL I just play when I feel like it and grab covers from progression is so stress free.

    Right now I'm 7th in venom bomb after grinding every node to 1 so far which took a fairly large part of my day....dam my obsession with Bucky...
  • Fightmastermpq
    Fightmastermpq Posts: 995 Critical Contributor
    JVReal wrote:
    If they keep Clearance Levels in the PVE's, just focus on getting your 4 clears throughout the day to get the CP from the nodes, and from max progression. If you place well, consider it a bonus. I like to pretend it's a progression based PVE and that helps me feel like I truly can play as I want. That CP gives me a 4* and a shot at a 5*. I much prefer it.

    I too am free to play, have a family with children and a job. Oops, got to get back to work.
    I do this for non-release events and it really fits the "play at your own pace" mold a lot better. If I get all the CP out of an event I'm happy. If I happen to place T100 or better it's a welcomed bonus.
  • Quebbster
    Quebbster Posts: 8,070 Chairperson of the Boards
    Sadly until they put clearance levels in New releases at least half of every season will be play when d3 wants.

    With CL I just play when I feel like it and grab covers from progression is so stress free.

    Right now I'm 7th in venom bomb after grinding every node to 1 so far which took a fairly large part of my day....dam my obsession with Bucky...
    I want Bucky too, but not enough to sacrifice all that time. I'll get the three covers I still need from tokens and PvP eventually.
  • wymtime
    wymtime Posts: 3,757 Chairperson of the Boards
    So I had to do my final clears 3 hours early and fell out of the top 20. Why because like the op I decided to go indoor rock climbing with my kids. I had an absolute blast got top 50 in PVE and figure I will eventually cover gwenpool. This is a game. If I have the time to get 1 extra cover great. If I give up 1 extra cover to spend quality time with my family even better. That means I have my priorities in the right place and the game does not rule my life. I score 1200 in PVP as well. I could go higher but I durring the week I decided to take a kickboxing class with my 12 year old daughter. This game does not need to be a full time or part time job, it can feel that way but it can also be a hobby.
  • D26
    D26 Posts: 16 Just Dropped In
    I mean, I hate to say it, but... duh.

    The smartest thing I learned to do was stop playing for placement in pve. I, too, have kids and a life, and I can't do optimal timing. I also wouldn't want too, because it sounds so tedious, almost like work. I'd rather play and have some fun.

    Long story short, I've learned to embrace RNGesus as my savior, and build my roster via token pulls, by building up cp, through champ covers, and progression rewards. It takes longer, certainly, but given that it takes so long to get the necessary ISO to level anyone, I don't feel in a terrible rush. I'm sitting on a pile of about 300 cp, and I won't cash any in because why? Even if I get good covers, they'll sit unlevelled due to my lack of ISO to level them (and I'm currently sitting on 230k ISO, I.e. Not close to enough to fully level any 4s).

    TL:DR learn to embrace RNGesus and play for progresssion. Treat placement rewards like a participation trophy. The game becomes much more fun.
  • Lightning_Man
    Lightning_Man Posts: 75 Match Maker
    I feel for the OP. I had a lot of social obligations this weekend, and even playing MPQ for about 3 hours a day, I only got ranked at 106...missing out on any covers. I told my alliance I need to step back. MPQ is consuming my life over other things, and I feel I can't succeed at my level without a huge time commitment / coordination / building my life around this game. After 3 years, it's OK to put it on the back burner. Still love Civil War / Galactus type events, and I'll play hard for those.
  • Pylgrim
    Pylgrim Posts: 2,296 Chairperson of the Boards
    It was pointed several times that placing would become harder under the new method of PVE. One of the reasons is that the 24h timer plus the reduced number of clears to 1 (which is not a bad thing, mind you) reduced point variance, so every minute missed from the "optimal way" represent a loss of precious few available points that can easily cost you a dozen positions. The Simulator is particularly bad because the amount of points available through the event is so low, reducing point variance even further.
    Quebbster wrote:
    If you didn't get top 100 in Simulator... You probably can't do the 4* Essential nodes in Venom Bomb. You should be able to get Gwenpool when she's the final progression reward in the SHIELD Simulator next season. Assuming you didn't get her in her PvP, that is. At the very least you should be able to roster her before she's a PvE essential again some time in 2017.
    Covers are plentiful. Don't get too worked up about missing a few.

    I argue that "covers are plentiful" is true only for the more hardcore player. Since OP has trouble placing in PVE and PVP, I doubt he belongs in that category. On the other hand, if covers are not plentiful, one shouldn't stress over missing one or two covers either. The difference between a 1-cover 4* and a 2-3 covered one is negligible and luck alone (from opening tokens) will dictate which characters advance further, faster. Looking at OP's roster you can see how that's true, with most of his newer 4*s lounging at 1-6 covers, while Chulk is, randomly, almost fully covered.


    Speaking of roster, OP, looking at it I see that many, many of your championed 3*s have a poor combination of covers. Not sure if that's just an artifact of the way they were when you championed and you never updated the page when you re-spec them? For example, GSBW and Iron Fist have only 3 covers in purple when that's the one aility of them where you want to have 5 covers. That might be what's holding you back in PVP, where you need blazingly fast and efficient combos. I'd say that if you are constrained for time, PVP is a better bet at progression than PVE in the terms of more bang for your time buck. There's a science to it regarding timing which is not evident and you needn't feel bad for not knowing it. I or most other gentlemen or gentlewomen in this forum would be happy to give you pointers.