Battle of the Four Tribes - first thoughts

Machine
Machine Posts: 857 Critical Contributor
edited March 2018 in MtGPQ General Discussion

Let me start with saying that I really like a new PvE coalition event. It looks like a lot of fun to play. I do have some concerns, some of which have been stated in the past and yet again are seen in this event. I will list them in a random order:

1) The new events are heavy on five nodes. That doesn't have to be an issue, but if each node starts with 2 or more charges, that will require a serious amount of time to be invested, which gets me to the next point...

2)... don't run these kind of time consuming events during midweek / workdays. Last week we had Return to Orazca during workdays immediatly followed by Trial of Strength on the same day. That is 6 days of back to back events you have to play when in a coalition. This week we have this new event which is scheduled to be followed by Return to Orazca again immediately on Friday, again requiring six days of commitment to this game.

3) Max charges on each node seems to be set to three, meaning if you can't play the nodes within the first 8 hours, you will start losing time. This has been mentioned again and again in the past and was actually fixed in Return to Orazca. Why start with two charges again??

4) Personally I think it's lame that only the top 10 coalitions have a shot at exclusive rewards. We have several players in our coalition that score (near) perfect games, thus investing the same amount of time as any other top 10 player. Should these rewards be based on being part of a top 10 coalition? I think not...

Another personal statement: I liked when HoD was skipped as a midweek coalition event with only the weekend event as a coalition event. Having multiple non coalition events to choose from during the midweek enables players that want to invest time in this game to have some events to play while players that don't want to invest time don't have to. This week and last week we had two coalition events (one during the midweek and one during the weekend). Both events were "big events" with a lot of nodes and a lot of charges to be cleared. The first iteration of Return to Orazca made me contemplate about quitting the game. Now, with this amount of time required to participate in a coaltion event during midweek the same thought pops up. Even having one midweek coalition event every two weeks would be an option. Yesterday felt like a relieve of not having to play.

I'm interested in your thoughts, so looking forward to the discussion.

Edit: This event starts at 9 PM my time, so I have to play the first 5 charges if I don't want to hit the max of 3 charges per node.

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Comments

  • Phillmoore
    Phillmoore Posts: 207 Tile Toppler
    Personally. I have no issue with events. In fact I have often criticised the game for having nothing to do at times which is equally frustrating.  Personally I run a coalition. But my only request  is that my team members do not join an event and do nothing. No free riders. I ask that they do what they can but I appreciate real life does sometimes take over. So a small contribution is sufficient and not all out must get every last point possible. I also ask that they let me know if they can’t play so that I don’t assume inadvertently that their interest has dropped and boot them accidentally. Overall we are now in top 100 and all of us are happy to play like this.  The top 10 can make the game into work. It’s a game.  And as such should not be forcing anyone to give up their time. However if you wish to be top 10 and reap those top rewards then I would expect an attitude of pressure and a feeling that this is akin to work as no one should expect to get top rewards without some sacrifice. If you don’t want to be top ten and commit to that type of game play then there are a lot of top teams and players who just have fun and are satisfied that they do their bit as best as life allows and enjoy this game for what it is.  
  • IM_CARLOS
    IM_CARLOS Posts: 640 Critical Contributor
    The lamest part aboit this event is that until now every node can be cleared with N3 cycling decks for perfect score. Now deckbuilding needed. Boring! 

    Of course there are other ways, but I only rush trough max reward and this is still the fastest way.  
  • Gotcha617
    Gotcha617 Posts: 88 Match Maker
    IM_CARLOS said:
    The lamest part aboit this event is that until now every node can be cleared with N3 cycling decks for perfect score. Now deckbuilding needed. Boring! 

    Of course there are other ways, but I only rush trough max reward and this is still the fastest way.  
    Thanks I will use cycle
  • Firinmahlazer
    Firinmahlazer Posts: 417 Mover and Shaker
    I appreciate the new event.  I just wish it was on the weekend. A big event like this is very taxing and better suited for me personally on the weekend when I have more time.
  • Bil
    Bil Posts: 831 Critical Contributor
    edited March 2018
        It just looks like they took the worst things about the first RTO event and made a PVE event with them ... 

       Too much points to grind
       no flexibility with charges.
       Secundaries that look like an invitation to cycle.
       Coalition rewards that dig the gap in the worst        way
      
       I just started it and i'm already depressed when i imagine this event could be scheduled each and every week.
       The fact its the only way to get a few RIX boosters makes it even worse ... 
  • madwren
    madwren Posts: 2,259 Chairperson of the Boards
    I agree, if you want to give people more chances, 2 nodes to start is fine, but don't make them cap out so soon after they start. That's ludicrous.

    Also, it'd be nice to have objectives that didn't scream "use cycling" on every node.


  • madwren
    madwren Posts: 2,259 Chairperson of the Boards
    To add something positive, I do think that overall, the decks themselves seem to be a lot more synergistic than previous events, where some of the decks seemed either very random, or very "let's just throw in 10 powerful cards and call it a day".
  • Furordraco
    Furordraco Posts: 142 Tile Toppler
    It's Avacyns madness. It's something we have seen and will keep seeing. The event itself is a grindfest which gives the best rewards to those who are already the best. Frankly it's boring rlto cycle against 400 health stuff. And if you want to have more fun then be ready to drop points and feel bad for your coalition. A damn nice double edged sword 
  • Indymon
    Indymon Posts: 35 Just Dropped In
    I like the event. Good objectives. Good opponents. Feels like the right amount of content for the time allotted. 
  • bk1234
    bk1234 Posts: 2,924 Chairperson of the Boards
    bken1234 said:
    1. I'm very happy to have new PvE -- it's my favorite aspect of this game -- and as an alliance leader, my favorite part of getting a new set (seeing everyone come together from coalitions in my alliance -- and our friends from other groups-- to create our amazing event doc [pm me for an invite to Discord if your coalition isn't helping out and you want access] -- and all the new deckbuilding --- I just love PvE).

    2. This event is remarkably well designed -- the decks and abilities are well thought out, they're challenging but beatable -- most of the objectives aren't terrible. I like it so far. 

    BUT

    3. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- this reward structure is bad for the game. Not only the mythic card, taking away the rares, and giving PPs to the 1-2, superpacks to the 3-10 and junk to the rest. 

    4. I don't understand why 2/3 was changed for RtO but not this event. 

    5. Seriously, running PvE in the middle of the week???
    6.  1000 for progression is insane -- it's like setting people up to fail. 
  • Kinesia
    Kinesia Posts: 1,621 Chairperson of the Boards
    6a. And while Platinum and some gold can maybe scrape by Silver and Bronze should also be able to do progression, they already have their prizes scaled down, don't make it so they can't even get them.
  • Marvaddin
    Marvaddin Posts: 129 Tile Toppler
    Seriously: to you guys complaining about cycling related objectives... what do you suggest? Because the main problem aren't the objectives themselves, most times. Ok, if we are supposed to beat an opponent with 400+ HP in 10 turns, few options can do it better. But the point is: cycling is easy to change and can be used to achieve most goals. +/- creatures/spells/supports? Doable. Number of turns? Doable most times. Get less/more than X damage? Mostly doable. Destroy less/more than X creatures? Doable (unless the opponent is creatureless).

    So what? What do you suggest? Play 6 pirates vs an opponent with less than 100 HP? It's there, 1.3. How I did it? Putting Wily Goblin in my cycling deck. The problem is cycling, because it's easy to adapt to almost anything. And easy to get the workning cards, compared to other much more card expensive strategies.



  • Furordraco
    Furordraco Posts: 142 Tile Toppler
    No it's not that. I utterly have no way to make a new deck with the new expansions, simply have no cards to build it, because there is not a lot of access. Across ixalan helps but it's nearly not enough to be able to build a good new theme deck. So old set is the only option. And cycling works, I agree. Without it, not having access to top tier cards I use the stuff I have. With cycling its broken. And without it's also broken for everyone except the elites. 
  • bk1234
    bk1234 Posts: 2,924 Chairperson of the Boards
    Marvaddin said:
    Seriously: to you guys complaining about cycling related objectives... what do you suggest? Because the main problem aren't the objectives themselves, most times. Ok, if we are supposed to beat an opponent with 400+ HP in 10 turns, few options can do it better. But the point is: cycling is easy to change and can be used to achieve most goals. +/- creatures/spells/supports? Doable. Number of turns? Doable most times. Get less/more than X damage? Mostly doable. Destroy less/more than X creatures? Doable (unless the opponent is creatureless).

    So what? What do you suggest? Play 6 pirates vs an opponent with less than 100 HP? It's there, 1.3. How I did it? Putting Wily Goblin in my cycling deck. The problem is cycling, because it's easy to adapt to almost anything. And easy to get the workning cards, compared to other much more card expensive strategies.



    I played 6 pirates without cycling. It was actually pretty easy -- and a lot of fun, I thought. 
  • Marvaddin
    Marvaddin Posts: 129 Tile Toppler
    bken1234 said:
    Marvaddin said:
    Seriously: to you guys complaining about cycling related objectives... what do you suggest? Because the main problem aren't the objectives themselves, most times. Ok, if we are supposed to beat an opponent with 400+ HP in 10 turns, few options can do it better. But the point is: cycling is easy to change and can be used to achieve most goals. +/- creatures/spells/supports? Doable. Number of turns? Doable most times. Get less/more than X damage? Mostly doable. Destroy less/more than X creatures? Doable (unless the opponent is creatureless).

    So what? What do you suggest? Play 6 pirates vs an opponent with less than 100 HP? It's there, 1.3. How I did it? Putting Wily Goblin in my cycling deck. The problem is cycling, because it's easy to adapt to almost anything. And easy to get the workning cards, compared to other much more card expensive strategies.



    I played 6 pirates without cycling. It was actually pretty easy -- and a lot of fun, I thought. 
    I never said it isn't doable, I said cycling is easy to adapt, so you can manage objectives like this one.

    This is a problem IF (I said IF) it is intended that cycling is not used. It is effective, card cheap, and easy to adapt. So I asked for suggestions: which objective would prevent cycling from being used? Just this.

    Suggestions?
  • Coilbox
    Coilbox Posts: 202 Tile Toppler
    There is someone at oktagon headquarters that has a very bad hate towards the poor merfolks creatures... Again, a tribe that goes hand to hand with spells, and a secondary objective that punishes you for using spells.

    Now now oktagon...!

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