Have you ever considered changing the PVP system?

Xiu99

As a player who had just returned after 2 years of hiatus, I am pleasantly surprised to see so many new characters and systems (bonus hero etc. ) introduced into the game. But something did not change - PVP. It is screwed up beyond human understanding. As someone with a rather old and weak roster, getting to 800 points is not as easy task. When I got to it, before I can even activate my shield, I dropped to 600+. Thereafter, reds continuously appeared on my screen, -100, -80. Wow, an hour of effort ruined within seconds and minutes. 

This screwed up system is extremely frustrating. The stronger just gets stronger and the weaker just get weaker. What is the point of playing at all. People may tell me just avoid playing PVP, but does it work if it consists of 50% of the game? Fix this. Seriously. Even after years you think this is alright? For goodness sake, at least limit each player to attack the same person ONLY ONCE. And limit maximum point deduction to be 100 per half and hour. And UPDATE THE POINTS FASTER (Only after I activated my shield and oh, deduct 200 points and afterwards activated the shield for nothing). 

Instead of focusing on other things, fix this. Seriously, fix it.

Wumpushunter

Most seem to only play for progression rewards as its a good source of Iso and do not waste their time on trying to place. If D3/Demiurge Studios wanted different from PVP they would have fixed it by now so obviously they are making enough money on PVP for it to stay just like it is right now.

Magic

I have not worries about placement in PvP for years (with the exception of a successful sniping effort when Carol D was release couple of months back and a non-successful effort to snipe the bracket again when she was top10 prize last week).

Set a progression goal in the PvP and be happy when you obtain it. If you get it in the range of the shield - drop one to end the event and get some more rewards from placement (and later season score). 

If you care to fight for placement - pick PvE and grind your soul out there for top10-5-1 (whatever rocks your boat). 

And a pro-tip on the shields. The moment you pull the shield go to the leaderboards and refresh it. This action sends message to the server and your shield is active in 2-5 seconds after you've spend the HP. Otherwise it might take a while to be registered and the hits come in.

Starfury

Magic said:

And a pro-tip on the shields. The moment you pull the shield go to the leaderboards and refresh it. This action sends message to the server and your shield is active in 2-5 seconds after you've spend the HP. Otherwise it might take a while to be registered and the hits come in.

Actually, the hits have already come in by that point, it's just the notification that's delayed by a few minutes.

You generally see this in action when the score at the end of the battle doesn't match the score shown in the node selection screen. The damage is already done, it just takes a while for the game to tell you the whole story.


As to the topic, yeah. Anything to replace the feeling of futility the current pvp system gives you.

Magic

You are correct that some hits might be already in but the leaderboard ping might prevent couple of them as well. So no harm doing it

OneLastGambit

The alternative is play when everyone at the top of the board is shielded. You will get far fewer hits and therefore the climb will be easier. The downside is that you have to climb on 30 point matches instead of 60 point matches.

I do this and find it way easier and less stressful.

Starfury

Just don't try to climb above 700 during the last three hours without at least 2 boosted 4*

You'll just end up being the 30 point match OneLastGambit mentioned

Qubort

Xiu99 said:

 For goodness sake, at least limit each player to attack the same person ONLY ONCE.

If this was in place, you'd be in que hell very quickly and way too often.

kidicarus

I'm pretty sure they have been running the same lightning rounds for what seems like 3 years now.  It's a time capsule for returning players like you!

killerkoala

lightning round hasn't changed since 3* vaulting

mpqr7

My choices are 20-30 point matches with 4*s or less or else 60-70 point matches with double-champed 5*s, so I guess I'll just stop when I hit that wall. I win one match, lose a whole bunch of defensive matches. I'll do my best to hit my alliance mins, but if I can't, then I can't. I just don't have the right roster.... you need to either stay with champed 4*s or else make the jump to champed 5*s... or else program your life around the proper times to do shield hopping. Oh well.

Sometimes I do luck into 1200+, but it's just random and not related to how well I play / strategize.

DyingLegend

I'd be fine with a check point system. Lets say the 4* reward is 1500. You get a check point at 250, 500, 750,1000, 1250 ETC. So once you hit those checkpoints you can never fall below that no matter how many times you get attacked. Also they could stand to take the 3 nodes and label them easy, medium, hard. First node is more catered to your roster level, medium is slightly higher and hard is challenging matches but winnable. Each node could be worth 25, 50, 75 points. If you lose to someone with a similar roster you lost 15 points, medium 10, hard 5 etc. Just throwing out some examples.

mpqr7

A checkpoint system would be great. It's a huge pain to fight a bunch of battles at around 880 points, trying to get to 910 points.... ending up at 790 points 

I totally get that it's my fault for not shielding immediately, but logically it doesn't make sense that I should be punished for trying harder and rewarded for immediately giving up the moment I suffer my first defensive loss.

We_are_Venom

The "PvP" system sucks. Easily the worst thing about mpq. 

Beer40

I'd be lying if I said I understood PVP at all. I simply have gotten the impression that its a good generator of revenue in its current form, so it probably will not change.

My experience with it is:
Beat 3 seed teams (if I'm lucky enough to join and get 3 seed teams)
Look at my 3 new matchups. Then its either:
A) Use my fee skips to see if there is anything I can win. If not, then I'm done with the event.
Find 1 or more winnable matchups. If this is the case, then I start playing. 
Then, depending on the matchups I see it goes 3 routes:
a) safely get to 200 but no way I'll get to 300. Stop at 200.
b) safely get to 200 and see I can go further. When this happens, I can usually go for 575. This is my ideal scenario currently.
c) actually hit some luck at 575 and I can go further. This is seldom.

I have almost everyone rostered. All 2* and 3* are champed. 3* champs are primarily in the 200-183 range. Four 4* champs all at 270. All non-champed 4* at 188 or lower (many at 70 because they are severly undercovered) 5* all at 255 except 285 OML (all severly undercovered).

I was routinely seeing top leveled 3*, 4* champs and 5* before I got my 4* champs. I was lucky to get to 200 then. Now that I have some 4* champs of my own I've achieved the current scenario. This isn't fun to play. Its better now that I can sometimes hit that sweet spot and advance, but still not what I'd call "fun". Its just achievable. 

I don't know if they'll ever fix this, or how, but it would go a long way to making the game more enjoyable for me. I know that.