Update to Progression Rewards in Story Events (5/18/17)

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Comments

  • Dotproduct
    Dotproduct Posts: 217 Tile Toppler
    I'm wondering if the guaranteed 3*, 3CP and 50HP from SCL8 is better than 7 event vault tokens? As a 3*-->4* player I can do SCL7 and get an event token every time (>300) or even heroic (since it is better value now?). But in SCL8 I found it's pretty hard to rank up and I usually end up only >500s when I used to try it.
  • Alsmir
    Alsmir Posts: 508 Critical Contributor
    Either this is false outrage or an inability to properly understand the info provided by D3Go!.

    Everyone who's been complaining has been doing so under the assumption that they have an absolute finite amount of time to play every day, and this amount of time is somehow immutable.

    If you were doing 4 clears for every node, that's exactly the amount of time you can spend, and there's absolutely no way you could do any more. Not on the weekend, not when the wife's out with her friends or the hubby's watching a football match, not when the kids have gone to bed early, or when you've got half a day off from school.

    I don't buy that premise for a second.

    Everybody gets days that they're busy doing other stuff, and everybody gets days when they're bored out of their minds and grab a video game.

    Yes, if you play exactly the same amount of clears, and that number is lower than 5 per node, then you're gonna lose out on some CP. You'll also lose out on Iso-8 which is given out when clearing 5/6x, and you'll lose out on boosts and XP.

    The number of rewards has not only increased by adding more rewards at more points. You get rewards at shorter intervals. That means if you had to get 3000 points for 400 Iso-8 (and I'm pulling that number out of my ****), now you get an Elite token for 1000 points, 200 Iso-8 for 2000, and another 200 for 3000. So if you're extremely busy and only managed to get 2500 points, in the old system you got zippo, nothing, nada. Now you've got an Elite token and 200 Iso-8.

    And lets not forget that the maximum progression is calculated on doing 5 clears successively. Points increase as you progress through the event, with the most points given on the final day. Points also recover as you wait after the 4th clear. I'm convinced that you can still easily make max progression if you only do 5 clears on the more difficult levels, or on the final day, with the initial 4 at the start of the level, and the fifth an hour before the event ends. Making maximum progression by no means requires you to play every node 5 times. You may however need to play a little bit smarter.

    Everybody's seems to be focusing only on what they get less, while ignoring what they get more of and how easy it is to benefit from the extra rewards.

    Honestly, if getting more rewards for more play is the excuse you need to quit as some have said, then it's probably best that you do. You're obviously not playing this game because you enjoy it or for a sense of accomplishment.

    What if I'm unable to play in a single sub? Under the old system I could go crazy in the other ones and make up for the loss of points, by doing 6th clears.
    With 5 clears required now, I doubt there will be enough points, to hit progression just by doing 6th clears.

    Moreover, we're not saying that we absolutely can't do the 5th clear, we're saying that we are forced to do them or we go from 25 cp to 8cp.
  • vinsensual
    vinsensual Posts: 458 Mover and Shaker
    sh81 said:
    When it was 3 clears per node, I did it pretty religiously.  When it was 4 clears per node, i did it once in a while on the weekends if my schedule lined up right.  With 5 clears per node, I imagine I'll do it once in a blue moon, and feel grumpy about it the whole time.

    Sucky change, guys.  You could have put the 15 CP reward somewhere around 4 clears and then put 10k Iso or something above it for the big grinders.  Nobody would have whined *too* much about that, I think.  But now instead, players who don't want to be super grinders and undershoot your unreasonable targets will just get less rewards overall.
    Clearly you are putting in the minimum effort required.  Im not judging, thats your call, but I think Im right in saying that based on your post.

    So answer this, given you are putting in *just* the minimum required, how much/what do you expect to get out of it?

    This is clearly a game where effort is rewarded.  To a lesser/greater degree depending on quite where you are in it.

    Im in the 3/4 transition, and honestly, I think its the worst aspect of the entire game.

    Im working hard at getting through it, and its taking a concerted effort to do so.

    Thats my choice, I get that, I dont expect everybody to be the same.  However, I do know if I did the absolute minimum required to get rewards, I really wouldnt feel like I had much to complain about, its not like Im investing much.

    And the bottom line is, utlimately, for a little more effort in you get a lot more out under these new rules. 

    Is that really such a bad thing?

    Most complaints Ive read in this thread scream of people wanting their cake and eating it.


    You are clearly judging, because 1.5 hours of play per day just for pve shouldn't be anyone's idea of "absolute minimum," nor is it "not investing much." 
  • Nick441234
    Nick441234 Posts: 1,496 Chairperson of the Boards
    So now, on 3-4 day events, if you do 4 clears then you'll only get 8cp instead of 25cp. Sounds about right for D3.

    It was them that brought the 4 clears in cause they felt the game was becoming too grindy. Well that lasted long.  
  • therightwaye
    therightwaye Posts: 459 Mover and Shaker
    I approve of this change. More is always better.
    Like more time, money and health packs. Always better. 
  • philosorapt0r
    philosorapt0r Posts: 36 Just Dropped In
    Things that flatten rewards, so it's not a big deal if you miss a day / part of a day's clears, are good.
    Things that make rewards more all-or-nothing (like putting so many of the CP in the final payout, rather than spread out) make missing one day push you toward giving up on an event entirely.
    Things that require more than 25% more playtime (because the 5th-6th clears are scaled much higher than the 1st) to not miss out on the main CP rewards risk pushing the game over the edge of 'problematic for real life' that things like competing for placement or worrying about 8hr timers do.  Currently there's a competitive/casual sweet spot of playing 4 clears on most events.  Don't force your players to either play more than they want to, or be screwed on rewards.
  • St1nkf1st
    St1nkf1st Posts: 127 Tile Toppler
    edited May 2017
    Can we still skip 1st sub at 4 days events for max prog? Assuming going at least to green checks in all subsequent.

  • Tee
    Tee Posts: 231 Tile Toppler
    I'm the kind of guy who only goes for top progression in the events I like. May or may not hit it this time despite being on a 4 clear tear.

    So my only question is how much does this change effect the 4* progression since that's what I personally aim for each event.
  • orbitalint
    orbitalint Posts: 511 Critical Contributor
    edited May 2017
    Yes, this feels like a bean counter solution to player feedback. More rewards but you will need to play everyday of an event for more time to do it.

    I'm sure the devs noticed there was a nice sweet spot to stop for rewards once you got the 4* cover. Everything leading up to it were pretty good but after that, the spacing of each progression and rewards for the effort were terrible until the CP. Instead of better spacing, they cluster everything at the top to drive time in app stats. Baffles me that the devs use so many FOMO strategies rather than more positive reinforcement strategies (like they did for the first anniversary) to get people to engage in their game.

    No CP for so long makes me less inclined to even play pve anymore for either progression or placement. This change to go along with too many top 20 finishes at 2x+ progression for what amounts to 3 covers of a 3* that are pretty useless in the 4* realm until base level=240+ and they are boosted. All because I mistimed my final grind by 10 minutes once or twice. That's usually the difference between a top 10 and 20 finish in a competitive bracket.
  • orbitalint
    orbitalint Posts: 511 Critical Contributor
    edited May 2017
    Tee said:
    I'm the kind of guy who only goes for top progression in the events I like. May or may not hit it this time despite being on a 4 clear tear.

    So my only question is how much does this change effect the 4* progression since that's what I personally aim for each event.
    Probably one more clear than you do now, per node per sub, with less CP along the way. Or a smattering of high value nodes a couple more times per sub. The 4* was usually 1/2 way on the progression and they moved it back by that extra node clear.
  • CNash
    CNash Posts: 952 Critical Contributor
    I'm sure the devs noticed there was a nice sweet spot to stop for rewards once you got the 4* cover. Everything leading up to it were pretty good but after that, the spacing of each progression and rewards for the effort were terrible until the CP.
    I called this out when they introduced the 4* cover as a progression reward. I did wonder how many players - like me - got to the 4* reward, saw that full progression was 1.5x or in some cases 2x the points over again, and called it a day? I'd be interested in seeing the metrics for player engagement in that regard.

    Those players can still get that 4* cover, of course. But they won't get quite as much CP for ducking out "early".
  • Astralgazer
    Astralgazer Posts: 267 Mover and Shaker
    I will keep my judgement in reserve until I play the new prog scheme. What I dread is the new level of competitiveness in future release events. If my current play style can keep up, I will keep playing; if not, well, I'm not losing my real life over some comic covers.
  • Punisher5784
    Punisher5784 Posts: 3,845 Chairperson of the Boards
    Wow so many comments on this.. unfortunately the devs likely won't change it, despite our feedback.

    Remember back in the PvE progression day? There were no 4* covers, barely any HP, with a single 3* as the final progression reward. 

    Everytime a negative change is made, I just simply think about how the game used to be. Yes this, along with the other many recent changes suck but the game is still better than the way it used to be.. the devs know this too. 
  • genapp
    genapp Posts: 22 Just Dropped In
    It sounds like it will take 5 full point clears for max progression. So if you don't time it right or get busy you have to do 6 clears to get max progression. I'm getting this from the announcement stating that green check marks if you don't wait for nodes to refill points will be required to get max progression.  Am I understanding this correctly?
  • Daiches
    Daiches Posts: 1,252 Chairperson of the Boards
    genapp said:
    It sounds like it will take 5 full point clears for max progression. So if you don't time it right or get busy you have to do 6 clears to get max progression. I'm getting this from the announcement stating that green check marks if you don't wait for nodes to refill points will be required to get max progression.  Am I understanding this correctly?
    No, you aren't. The 5th clear is stated specifically as a 2/3 point clear, so like if you would hit it right after timer starts.
    if you do the 5th at grind time, you won't even have to hit the fifth in all nodes in the last sub.
    6 amd 7 clears are not needed for progression, but they are needed for getting al node rewards and Xp (6th hit), sub and overall placement rewards (7th)
  • LavishDragoon
    LavishDragoon Posts: 48 Just Dropped In
    What if this was done to entice completing all six clears for the 10 xp?  Get players to compete at their highest SCL?

    I know that they set max progression at five, but if you're already doing five maybe you're more likely to do six. Maybe it was a multi prong change.  They give out more rewards and find a way to make more people completely clear nodes.  Everyone wants SCL 9 to go live but they have stated there isn't enough people to do that.  Is that people in those levels, people competing in that level, or just people not earning enough xp because they don't know/care that they are missing huge chunks of experience by not completely clearing nodes.  100xp a day is a ton of progress to gaining ranks.

    I'm not denying that there are casual players, players that only clear 1-3 times or even only do part of the nodes when they are in between activities.  I don't believe that their intention is to reduce rewards players are receiving.  It could have been an oversight or even a serious carrot to help them meet the numbers required to open SCL 9.  

    I do think they are playing a long game of getting the next SCL open and that this is a step towards it.  I saw someones post about how many things have improved since they started playing.  Champing was a huge step in a positive direction.  Think about how many covers would have just been 500, 1000 ISO instead of HP/CP/covers.  I think that the bulk of this will be positive.  The change to 7 day events is HUGE.  Two guaranteed 4* covers is an amazing reward.  Its taken years for them to address the disparity in the longer events.  Things take time and they have a plan.  Might not be a great one or even one you agree with, but I'm sure they have one.

    I would suggest that everyone uses the energy they have put into venting into coming up with ideas to promote raising players shield levels and getting SCL 9 open.  I think they definitely have added a reason to play at the highest SCL level you can.
  • Mr_Aziz
    Mr_Aziz Posts: 39 Just Dropped In
    I do love the CP increase. this means daddy can make course corrections for his 4stars much more easily now. the extra covers are neat too, that said I would love to see you people finally roll out SR9 because it's about time plus maybe you could then start flirting with the idea of giving out more than one 4 star cover as a progression reward more than just for 7 day events