How important is the integrity of the game?

alphabeta

Genuine question where I'm interested in views.

We've had major unpopular nerf's.
We've had Bonus hero exploits going unpunished despite blatant cheating on a near industrial scale.
and we've now got a well known Uber account being used by someone else rampaging through PVP

and yet the buy clubs keep rolling and I myself just reupped VIP

So I'm genuinely asking despite all I profess to hate it I'm still playing still spending - has anyone had the courage of their convictions that failed me and if you are like me and haven't what is a bridge to far if not this?

Vhailorx

Sure, lots of people have quit, and lots of new people have started playing.  Churn is inevitable.  But I think we can make some guesses that the player base is not as happy as demi/d3 would like.  There have been some small indications that they see a potential problem on the horizon. 

(1) They gave out the unannounced no more heroes tokens to some players after the OML nerf
(2) They introduced vintage heroic tokens (which suck, but also show demi knew it needed to do something)
(3) the lead game designer posted answers to questions here on the forums and expressly said that enough player outrage would end vaulting (compare that to demi's response to Boss Rush, when they said "we have nothing else to say" and then shut down all discussion of the issue even AFTER asking for feedback).

Demi is sensitive to player feedback.  But it takes an awful lot of outrage here (and on reddit and other feedback channels), and probably some slippage in their sales numbers. 

And while there are definitely still buy clubs rolling along, the pace does seem to have slowed a bit (at least in the buy clubs that I follow).  Not too much, but 1-stark buys used to happen every 24-36 hours, but now happen every 2-3 days based on my unscientific observations. 

bbigler

In terms of sales, my alliance is spending much less than before.  5 months ago, someone was buying a Stark every few days, now no one is buying Starks.  There are some $50 purchases once every week or so.

On a side note, they said that people who exploited the token bug would be punished.  I'm disappointed if that's not happening.

JVReal

Moral Integrity means everything to me.  I will not play a game, support a game, encourage people to play said game, that does not stand by their moral center that they clearly express to believe in their written code of conduct... hold on, my turn to buy ...

Ok, where was I?  Oh yes... moral integrity... I will not financially support a game that treats its players this way.  We need to band together and send a crystal clear message to the devs that this kind of behavior, this kind of two-faced shenanigans will not be tolerated!

Got to go, have to do my final clears to stay in top 10.  TTYL

babinro

I'd say the integrity of the game is 'fine'.  I don't play many games hardcore enough to understand or learn about that side of the game but this sort of garbage seems commonplace.

One of the MAJOR issues here is the player base. 

Maybe I'm pointing the finger in the wrong place but IMO, if players were INFORMED of problems they'd be more vocal about them and put more pressure on the devs to actually act/punish offenders.

The fact of the matter is that many of these issues don't even surface on the forums until SEVERAL MONTHS after the fact.  Players should be reporting this stuff ASAP and making forum threads about its existence for mass awareness.

For the record, I don't consider character balancing an integrity issue.  Especially when nerfs are supported by buffs and lately buffs are far more common.  These things are done with best intentions to improve the game as a whole.  Its a patch feature, not an integrity issue.

ngoni

There's been some sandboxing maybe even some rollbacks but it would be nice to hear about it officially.

FaerieMyst

The courage of my convictions. 

I'm literally laughing out loud now as my family looks at me as if I've lost my mind. Okay, so that part isn't unusual. 

The courage of my convictions compels me to sit naked in front of a video camera 2-3 times a week to talk about abuse recovery issues. 

The courage of my convictions has no relationship to device games I play.   Seriously, get some perspective. 

I play because I enjoy the game.   I spend money because I chose to.   

carrion_pigeons

That isn't true for everyone, Myst.  Some people are genuinely addicted to this game and it's hurting them, financially or socially.  And like all addictions, many of them don't even necessarily realize it.

FaerieMyst

Yes but addiction isn't about game integrity or courage of convictions.

We just quit Game of War.   The cost/benefit just wasn't there.   I still have to turn my alliance over to someone.  Someone being addicted to a game isn't on the game developers. 

StarScream

I do not know why anybody would give money to a company who only cares about their bottom dollar and certainly not the players. 

atomzed

StarScream said:

I do not know why anybody would give money to a company who only cares about their bottom dollar and certainly not the players. 

because the game, at its core, is still fun?

i have cut back on my spending, simply because i reach a stage of progress which is acceptable to me. 

2 months ago, i purchased a few starks to chase that final dr Strange cover. Barely got it, and it became a 5* i was excited to use. 

I have refrained from buying starks, though i have been supporting the VIP.  Still feeling happy about my progress (like i manage to get my thanos fully covered!)

Azoth658

StarScream said:

I do not know why anybody would give money to a company who only cares about their bottom dollar and certainly not the players. 

Well most videogame companies really don't care. I'd actually say we don't have it bad here at all. We are listened to quite closely even if it seems like we are ignored. You can tell because when we put forward suggestions that wouldn't hurt longevity of the game or fundamentally change things they are sometimes incorporated or acted upon. Carnage rework one month later for example.

Generally we spend money though because for all the complaints we still find this game fun.

Pogo

I wouldn't stress too hard over qualifying the integrity of the game, unless you're asking about the stability of the code.

As far as player addiction goes, that is largely on the developers. Most of the features in IAP-driven games are tailor-made to prey on people and prioritize the microcurrency shop over game design concerns.

• Free to play and available on major mobile stores, in order to draw in the largest crowd possible. This way, if even a tiny fraction of the player base includes massive spenders, it makes up for the resource cost of serving a vast majority made of free players.
• IAP is spent on currency, not on unique content.
• Imposed scarcity of resources to drive spending
  
• There is no spending cap whatsoever.
• Players' access to the game is limited with some sort of cooldown, but players can pay to continue playing without waiting. The cooldown is a source of stress because it takes away the agency of the player to decide when it's time to stop the session. This also makes the player follow the game's schedule and discourages them from playing other (competing) games.
• Events typically involve a lot of grinding (see also: the player follows the game's schedule)
  
• Players can form groups and earn/share trivial resources, indirectly placing pressure on each player to never skip a day, etc. to ensure they're all pulling their weight.
• Players are given rewards largely at random, and have little-to-no control over their own acquisitions.
• Disappointing rewards usually outnumber satisfying rewards.
  
• Acquisitions are given an expiration date, so players must be sure to have inventory space (or, of course, pay to increase the capacity)
  
• Currency sinks are constantly added in order to avoid letting players get comfortable.
• New game assets are limited to such things that can't be avoided (New character art, for example)
• A paid subscription feature is available, and its benefits are weakened if you don't play every day.
• The game does not have a discernible end and is not "beatable" per se.
  

None of these features are unique to MPQ, and not all players are affected in the same way. Mobile game devs have conferences and seminars built entirely around using psychology to get players to spend on IAP, especially encouraging whales and converting free players into first-time spenders (it's a "once you pop, you can't stop" mentality).

Do I think that the presence of these features in MPQ means that the devs are evil? Not at all. Generating new media based on licensed content is almost always messy, and the IP owner (or investors, or whoever) may make certain demands as a condition of allowing the game to be made (allowing film/tv releases to dictate the game's updates, for example). On top of that, the features are such common practice in the mobile market at this point that the devs may see them as literally the only way to make a profitable mobile game outside of banner ads.

I do think that when certain gameplay/design elements are passed over or outright refused because they don't prioritize the IAP/profits, that shows a lack of integrity. I do think that taking a popular series of single-purchase freestanding games and steering new entries into the IAP zone is questionable at best.

Ultimately, some of the gameplay decisions in this game prevent me from being able to consider it "a good game", but I still find it fun and I still play it regularly. I don't judge other people who spend if that's something that makes them happy, but there's nothing available for sale in the game that I find to be worth its asking price, and I will likely never spend any money on the game at all.

With all of that in mind, game integrity was never a factor in determining whether I would start playing or whether I continue to play.

Alsmir

It is quite discouraging.

Look at the vaulting. Massive amount of characters vaulted. People have lost tons of progress. Despite numerous suggestions to add a new "classic" token, nothing changes. Instead we get two new stores.

Obvious cashgrab.

I'm not sure if the game is dying, but devs are sure trying to squeeze every single penny out of it, no mattter the consequences.

Echoseis

As long as people play and spend, there are no consequences. If they can do something as egregious as nerf a 5* for "reasons", and it barely slows anyone's gaming, then they know they have you hooked and can do whatever they please, hence the obvious cash grabs. I haven't played since the nerf, and it didn't really even affect me that much, I quit on principle. I am quite amused at all the complaining online by people whom probably just left a buy club, finished a grind, or took heavy losses in pvp. Your words mean a lot less than your money, and the time you invest in the game, and until those change nothing else really will. You'll get a small token here and there, "thanks for sticking with us token, that could have pulled you a dupe that CS wouldn't exchange". 

Do I miss the game? I give it a thought sometimes, but I don't see the purpose in playing anymore if the characters will be nerfed at any time for "reasons". These forums are pure comedy gold for the blind leading the blind though. 

broll

At this point I have to ask what integrity?

Borstock

I believe that the company has the right to make money any and every way they can as long as it is legal and doesn't violate basic human rights. I also believe in the free market, and that the market will dictate where the balance between satisfying content and money grabs should be. I don't fault the company AT ALL for putting in pay to play content... ever. It doesn't offend me. I don't consider it an integrity issue. They are running a business. The people employed by that business are working a job in exchange for money they use to feed and support their families. When playing the game becomes too expensive, I simply won't play anymore, but I won't get offended that they asked for more money.

It's not offensive when a seller asks you to spend more for their product. It's not offensive when the buyer declines to spend more on said product either because it is too expensive or because they're unsatisfied with it in some way. It's business. That's all.

An integrity issue would be if they were using data gathering information to hack my phone. An integrity issue would be if they simply started charging me for VIP Access without telling me and it showed up on my Verizon bill without explanation. An integrity issue would be if they knew that one of the animations in the game was causing life-threatening seizures but left it in because it would cost them money to remove it. Stuff like that.

Jonny1Punch

All integrity,trust and goodwill was gone as soon the 5* oml nerf hit. The devs showed complete disregard for our trust, energy, money and time. A completely self-serving decision that was made without any of our input being taken into consideration. To me personally it marked the beginning of the end for this game. No amount of money or time you put into any character will ever be safe again.

Many have quit and many just stopped spending. Regardless I can't wait to see the whining and moaning that erupts when thanos is inevitably nerfed.

Thanos is next. Get ready for it. You'll probably get some **** tokens if you sell him and a courtesy 200 ISO for " sticking with us through the thanos rebalance".

Echoseis

Borstock said:

An integrity issue would be if they were using data gathering information to hack my phone. An integrity issue would be if they simply started charging me for VIP Access without telling me and it showed up on my Verizon bill without explanation. An integrity issue would be if they knew that one of the animations in the game was causing life-threatening seizures but left it in because it would cost them money to remove it. Stuff like that.

No, those are legal issues. Integrity is more along the lines of making changes for one reason, but saying it's for another.  

Daiches

Integrity issues is more like having an EULA/TOS that only applies to people beneath a certain spending level.

...

MissChinch

Subscription and sales numbers should be the driver, integrity matters only in how it impacts them.  I want a fun and fair game as a free player, but it would be absurd for me to stand on a soapbox and say they're somehow morally obligated to provide me that.