The worrying direction of MPQ and the community as I approach 2 years...

TheChaoGoesMu

I'm approaching my second anniversary on MPQ, I've been a VIP since day one of that feature, and before that I would buy hero points during sales, so I feel like I'm a valuable, consistent customer. 

I play for a few hours a day, depending on what's in game and what's going on in life, circumstances right now mean I'm hitting t20 on PvE, but I only ever play PvP to the season 10-pack, and often not even that. But if I'm on a long contract of difficult work outside the house i might just do DDQ for a week or so. I've never missed a day of play yet! I don't consider myself competitive at all, I consider the rewards I get for each match the rewards I get for playing, anything from placement is just gravy. 

I am a huge nerd and keep a spreadsheet to keep track of my progress and since vaulting and bonus heroes there's something that needs talking about: I feel like I'm both having more fun and progressing faster, and progressing faster because I'm having more fun. Champ rewards, vault tokens, bonus heroes, daily rewards mean I'm about to champ my 4th "Oh no will never be seen again" 4* since they were destroyed forever by evil devs.

I'm a collector,  not a competer, and i have all 4*s bar Mr fantastic at 3 powers, so the increased speed at which I can cover new characters is nice. 

Iso deficit: eh, I get what I'm given knowing full well what I'm going to get for doing what and what things cost to level up, maybe, just maybe, it's functioning as intended and resource management you have to think about and plan, with the possibility of wastage(!), is a designed part of the game???

In general I honestly can't think of a change the devs have implemented that hasn't on balance improved the game (for me) and (my) enjoyment of it. 

I lurk the forums to keep up with news and this is the saddest place on the internet I've ever been. 

I've seen far less bitter resentment in years of AA meetings. This is like an endless meeting were no-one actually wants to get sober... 

Stop spending money on things you don't like, stop playing a game you don't enjoy, sunk costs are a fallacy, especially in a digital economy, I've stopped playing games I've spent money on when I've stopped enjoying them and I don't miss them, regret stopping, our regret spending what i did. 

Just stop. If not stop playing, stop being competitive. It doesn't matter. Being competitive sounds like it turns the world into a terrifying hellscape. 

The forums do not equal the player base, a consensus here does not equal a consensus there. 

I have thoughts about games design, but I am not a games designer, have never been one, and have no knowledge or experience of the reality of corporate games design. Odds are you don't either. 

I'm actually well into conspiracy theories (that term is a CIA psyop, i prefer to use "parapolitics", but for ease of access let's use the standard), i believe we're being ruled by a cackling, cartoonishly evil cabal of reptilian hybrids, but some of the motives and plans you people ascribe to the devs here have even me rolling my eyes. 

Sorry if this has been disjointed and rambling, and it's honestly not intended as a troll. Maybe I am stupid and wrong about everything, and my army of strawmen is kindling for the flames of your righteous indignation, I just felt it needed saying that there are people with positive opinions on even your most hated changes. Maybe I am wrong and stupid, and all who think like me are too, but I bet another wrong and stupid longtime lurker reads this and is less sad about this place. 

I genuinely worry about some of you people. Take a break. Think about things. Figure out why you're playing, and if it's the right way. 

Shouts out to the devs and @Brigby for working in one of the most toxic environments I've ever seen

Alsmir

TheChaoGoesMu said:

I'm approaching my second anniversary on MPQ, I've been a VIP since day one of that feature, and before that I would buy hero points during sales, so I feel like I'm a valuable, consistent customer. 

I play for a few hours a day, depending on what's in game and what's going on in life, circumstances right now mean I'm hitting t20 on PvE, but I only ever play PvP to the season 10-pack, and often not even that. But if I'm on a long contract of difficult work outside the house i might just do DDQ for a week or so. I've never missed a day of play yet! I don't consider myself competitive at all, I consider the rewards I get for each match the rewards I get for playing, anything from placement is just gravy. 



I genuinely worry about some of you people. Take a break. Think about things. Figure out why you're playing, and if it's the right way. 

Well, I kinda worry about you right now, you're in denial and that's not healthy.

dr tinykittylove

Most of us vets on the forum play more than is healthy.

A lot of changes have been made over the past year since before the third anniversary, and on the whole I feel that the changes have been positive for the game. 

But there remain certain niggling issues that concern me greatly, as a lazily competitive collector and a friend who likes the segments of the mpq community I hang with on line. 

The biggest, longest-standing issue among which is how we are all at the mercy of RNGesus. I can't rightly complain and be taken seriously because I am the tinykitty favoured child of this giant tinykitty that is RNG progression but seriously.

Tinykitty this, devs. Tinykitty the 5*s and stop releasing them until you can think up a logical way for people to get them that doesn't involve playing slot machines at MPQVegas and throwing away 4 hard-earned 5* covers in one week because they are 6th and 7th and 8th covers of a colour on an unchamped and unchampable 5*.

TheChaoGoesMu

Alsmir said:

TheChaoGoesMu said:

I'm approaching my second anniversary on MPQ, I've been a VIP since day one of that feature, and before that I would buy hero points during sales, so I feel like I'm a valuable, consistent customer. 

I play for a few hours a day, depending on what's in game and what's going on in life, circumstances right now mean I'm hitting t20 on PvE, but I only ever play PvP to the season 10-pack, and often not even that. But if I'm on a long contract of difficult work outside the house i might just do DDQ for a week or so. I've never missed a day of play yet! I don't consider myself competitive at all, I consider the rewards I get for each match the rewards I get for playing, anything from placement is just gravy. 



I genuinely worry about some of you people. Take a break. Think about things. Figure out why you're playing, and if it's the right way. 

Well, I kinda worry about you right now, you're in denial and that's not healthy.

There is not a single contradiction there, and I can take you through it point by point if you like, but I think it's better for us both if you do the legwork on that one

kyo28

TheChaoGoesMu said:

Stop spending money on things you don't like, stop playing a game you don't enjoy, 

I'm one of those who complained vehemently on the forum regarding mostly vaulting. Just a couple of thoughts:
1. I actually did stop spending money. Didn't renew VIP and didn't buy for the first time in long during a sale. Don't plan on spending again anytime soon
2. I didn't stop playing but I severely cut back on playing time and moved to other games, mostly PS4. I told so on the forums as well
3. I don't play competitively, I'm more of a collector and want to get all the characters and play with them, that's all I'm after

But most of all, if I only did that and didn't voice my opinions, how can the devs know what my exact reasons are for fading out of this game? Is it because I found other more interesting games, is it fatigue, is it certain game mechanics? I wanted to explain my reasons on the forums so they at least know and have a chance to course-correct themselves. If they don't, well, then that's on them: either they don't care or they don't need customers like me ... and that's the moment I completely stop playing and move over to other games indefinitely.

I understand it might all seem like a bunch of bile being spit on the forums, but honestly, if devs make one bad decision after another and then blatantly try to cash-grab on top of that, that's the kind of backlash you get.

Ayasugi-san

kyo28 said:

TheChaoGoesMu said:

Stop spending money on things you don't like, stop playing a game you don't enjoy, 

I'm one of those who complained vehemently on the forum regarding mostly vaulting. Just a couple of thoughts:
1. I actually did stop spending money. Didn't renew VIP and didn't buy for the first time in long during a sale. Don't plan on spending again anytime soon
2. I didn't stop playing but I severely cut back on playing time and moved to other games, mostly PS4. I told so on the forums as well
3. I don't play competitively, I'm more of a collector and want to get all the characters and play with them, that's all I'm after

But most of all, if I only did that and didn't voice my opinions, how can the devs know what my exact reasons are for fading out of this game? Is it because I found other more interesting games, is it fatigue, is it certain game mechanics? I wanted to explain my reasons on the forums so they at least know and have a chance to course-correct themselves. If they don't, well, then that's on them: either they don't care or they don't need customers like me ... and that's the moment I completely stop playing and move over to other games indefinitely.

I understand it might all seem like a bunch of bile being spit on the forums, but honestly, if devs make one bad decision after another and then blatantly try to cash-grab on top of that, that's the kind of backlash you get.

Bolded for truth. Some other players have been saying that we should vote with our wallets, and that we should support whatever vaulting solution they come up with so they know that we're still interested in older characters. I say that if they can't understand what we're plainly stating alongside our actions, then the problem isn't with the players and nothing we can do will be accepted.

smkspy

Hey look a wag the finger post. This is when I wish we had a down vote. 

But much like the OP, I'm also nearing my year 2 anniversary and have similar circumstances of play syle. I just champed my twentieth 4 star this very morning.

However, unlike him I see exactly why this community is up in arms. Glad he is having fun playing the game. I am too. Probably more fun than when I hit my first anniversery.  Vaulting has generally worked out wonderfully for me. Nevertheless, when things are broke, things are broken and players have every right to call out developers when it something they put their hard earned money into.

orbitalint

Personally, I come to the forums to discuss a game that I have enjoyed since basically it came out. And it is actually because I enjoy it that I want a venue to discuss the changes, that, in my view, have been in a worrying direction. I actually care.

Over the last few months, devs have made it clear to me that they are focusing heavily on monetization whether it is because of a shrinking player base, lagging growth, a renewed licensing deal that is taking a bigger cut, whatever. While they are focusing on it, the quality of the product has steadily decreased with pretty egregious bugs that go on for months.

So yes, I've spoken with my money and haven't supported the game in months (not a whale but an occasional spender during changes that I want to say thank you for). I think it is vital to an ever-evolving game to have these discussions and not just speak with our wallets or game play. Otherwise, false conclusions without context can be made based on play/pay metrics in game. I do hope the devs take some of the feedback to heart because we (forumites) are actually the ones that care the most about a game that is really good at it's core.

@Brigby

Frustrated1

"Shouts out to the devs and @Brigby for working in one of the most toxic environments I've ever seen."

An environment they created through their treatment of the game and their customers. 

LLohm

I'm with OP.

Stop asking for more of this and more of that without putting some cash or time.

This only escalates into 6* faster and we all know that everybody's progression will be set back even more now.

I want only bug fixes which can be annoying in game play since the character may not work as intended.

liminal_lad

Here's a good example. The last cover I need to champ Wasp is the Hero for Hire today. The offer I'm getting is 3600 for her 10k ISO, 8 elite tokens, and 3 command points. I would almost have considered this if I didn't know other people were getting a deal with the same cover for 2500 and less additional resources. I'm voting with my dollar to show this is not the deal we want.

liminal_lad

I also wanted to say that this forum is one of the LEAST toxic places I can think of on the Internet. I'd like to say it's because of the good people here, but the moderation probably also helps, as much as I want to imagine we'd be ok without it.

GurlBYE

These threads and insights are always kinda weird.

First if this is the most negative place a lot of you have been on the internet, you haven't been on MMO boards, or anything far. far worse then things game related.

Most F2P games have similar situations as this board because the developers and players play a tango where they try to give feedback, but changes are mainly made to hit sales goals.

The biggest missing figure in your points are bugs and changes with little announcement.
Those tend to cause ire.

I've seen some horrible horrible places on the internet. 
if this is the worst you've seen, count yourself lucky and stay here. 

JablesMc

Hardly the worst place on the web, but definitely the most "sky is falling" of any place I see discussing MPQ.

astrp3

JablesMc said:

Hardly the worst place on the web, but definitely the most "sky is falling" of any place I see discussing MPQ.

Agreed. I visit other forums on the web dedicated to MPQ and the difference is night and day. Yes, these are complaints about vaulting and other features, but they are not nearly as prevalent, shrill, emotional, or hyperbolic and the general tone is much less toxic. Not sure why. Maybe it's because the mods on those forums try to foster such an atmosphere. Maybe there's an echo chamber effect here where a handful of more vocal posters set the tone (though I doubt that's the case).

liminal_lad

I think this is also the "easiest" forum for people to end up in so that may influence the comments here vs discord or line or even Reddit which attract more hardcore players. The comments on the Facebook page get pretty negative too.

orbitalint

astrp3 said:
Maybe there's an echo chamber effect here where a handful of more vocal posters set the tone (though I doubt that's the case).

I've actually found this forum to be pretty diverse in terms of perspectives. I've had a ton of lively discussions over the years and actually came around to the other side on a couple of things because of the discussions. Old skool winfinite (mystique, 2* mags and someone else, can't remember. Maybe Switch?) was broken and it took me a few months and this forum to realize it.

But I'd agree. I think the tone was set long ago by mods and early forumites and, thankfully, it has remained. I mean, we do have a ton more analytics from the players (trackers, drop rate distribution testing, etc.) than I've seen anywhere else on a game. So, I think many are looking for deeper conversations about this games meta than a typical game.

Starfury

astrp3 said:

Maybe there's an echo chamber effect here where a handful of more vocal posters set the tone (though I doubt that's the case).

Maybe there's less complaints there because there's even less of a chance of the complaints being heard by the devs.

smkspy

Not that I go to these others "forums" but I doubt any of them are nearly as active or dedicated as this one. This is THE place to go for the game and therefore it is naturally THE place where customers are.going to be the most passionate about the game. 

carrion_pigeons

The forums exist, in theory, so players can give feedback to the publisher.  When people complain, that is what they're doing.  Of course, certain kinds of complaining are more useful than other kinds, but it's pretty much completely d3's fault that many players don't know how to give usable feedback, because they don't let us know what kind of feedback is useful.

I have plenty of complaints, but few of them have to do with my lack of desire to play the game.  Many of them, in fact, have to do with exactly the opposite: how my desire to play is abused, as an excuse to offer a subpar experience.

astrp3

smkspy said:

Not that I go to these others "forums" but I doubt any of them are nearly as active or dedicated as this one. This is THE place to go for the game and therefore it is naturally THE place where customers are.going to be the most passionate about the game. 

You're probably right. Though I'd prefer that people voice their complaints in a more constructive manner that's more likely to get results and less likely to be ignored. Many of the posts I read here seem counterproductive, if not deliberately crafted NOT to get results - calling developers liars (which, if true, is pointless, and if not tends to put them on the defensive), asking the devs questions which are only a step removed from "Have you stopped beating your wife?,"  making exaggerated claims that give devs reason to dismiss them, etc.