Feedback: "new" event style + ideas

Laeuftbeidir

So, some time ago before Oktagon released their first event, they told us that they could change older events to the same setup.

The things they changed were the mostly tribal focusing indestructible supports as well as general node "effects".

I personally don't mind them, but don't care for them either. They have no relevant effect on my playstile (except for the pve 5.3 & 4.3 nodes), and sometimes are counterintuitive. But I'm one of those advanced players with a nice collection,so others might be liking them more?

Next thing is, I don't find the approach creative at all. Not that it would be bad : It's some kind of nice flavor, that definetely adds a bit of story feeling, but the overall event structure did not change at all. I'd like to hear ideas, creative new ones and old ones as well (pauper, planechase), or any design idea that is really be a change, to maybe make a poll what players would prefer later on.

Mburn7

I'm okay with how it is, no need to change old events

I like the node rules, but I'm afraid it will become the new Enraged.
When Enraged first came out (for Terror in the Shadows, which I'm starting to realize was the best designed event ever) everyone loved it and said how they wished more events were Enraged.

We quickly realized that having EVERY event enraged was an incredibly bad idea, but by then it was too late.

I'd like to see either "normal" events made in the future, or events with a new flavor, not the same thing over and over again.  At least this has more room for creativity than Enraged did, though.

Blazer

I like the idea, but please make it more.. /change them to..

I think a balance between the two would be good. I like the new interesting ways to play to take advantage of the effects but there is no way to play test with those effects to make an optimized deck, maybe have a toggle to activate the certain effect for TG or AX after you meet progression? I do also like just using my best deck with no side objectives besides winning so I would be in favor of changing some old events but have a balance of the two.   

Tilwin90

Please get rid of the node effects. They're..

I think the new approach is focusing in the wrong gimmicky direction, with a "forced" implementation. Let me explain... Having special indestructible supports clumps the board, adds extra rulings on specific cards (such as support removal), while also interacting with already existing cards that care about supports (Thopter Spy Network being the first example that crosses my mind). This is not what I expect from these "node effects", I don't enjoy any kind of default skews in events.

Another big thing about these effects is that they are very difficult to follow. My opponent gets dino activations as well as me. I have to check for every activation whose it is before doing the matching... and that just complicates the gameplay for no reason. Keep it simple, stupid! 

Now there are many directions in which events can be made more interesting and keeping us busy deckbuilding and enjoying various formats.

1) Objectives
They are not creative, they are not interesting, and they are very swingy. Objectives that heavily rely on the opponent, on luck and don't really test deckbuilding skills that much are kind of boring. Sure, there are some Johnnies here who don't mind "lose big, win big", but if I see more "lose with 10 or less hit points" I'm going to flip!

There are VERY MANY directions for subobjectives. Decks that require you to put at least 3 different creature types in them, play with no multicolored spells, play 3 or less spells that cost 15 or more, play at least 2 creatures with berserker... and the list could go on. Heck, even lifegain objectives would be fun to see (real lifegain objectives).

2) Formats
We see standard and legacy. Okay, that's cute. But what about block constructed? I would die for an innistrad event where you can only play with Innistrad cards (okay, maybe Origins too to make it more appealing for everyone). I get you're trying to sell new content, but this doesn't mean you should neglect old content either. You are not selling those SOI/BFZ/KLD packs for nothing now, are you?

3) Planeswalker restrictions
I'd actually like to see multicolored planeswalkers being restricted every now and then. There is little reason now to play monocolored planeswalker, at least many of them. I know some newer players will groan at this, but hey, at least we should get some diversity. Or maybe penalize multicolored planeswalkers in some way. Objectives are a way to achieve this too (all played cards are of the same color). Or maybe limit planeswalker level. (all planeswalkers get level 30 for instance...)

4) Real differentiation between tiers
Right now tier differentiation is very... boring. I get lower tiers get worse rewards, and that's somehow fair, but not in PVE where they are facing the same difficult bosses. This just doesn't sound fair. Find new innovative ways to make a difference between tiers. Maybe those effects that I groan can be adjusted. Even opposing decks could suffer modifications. 

And the list could go on... bottom line is that I think the new effects were chosen as a quick and dirty solution. 

Froggy

I'm a neutral option and maybe only want to peek at the results

I’m neutral on the basis I have no better suggestion than those I’ve already seen on the forums. I just despise enraged games and I’m glad to see they have been almost removed from the game. (I don’t even play TiS anymore).

Sarahschmara

I'm okay with how it is, no need to change old events

I really liked the planeswalker arena when it came out; it was a great excuse to dust off some underused PWs and I had fun building new decks. 

And then they started recycling the secondary objectives and they didn’t complement the PW of the week’s strengths and that wasn’t fun. 

And then they abandoned the event. Bummer. 

FindingHeart8

Please get rid of the node effects. They're..

hatehatehatehatehate.  The indestructible "many rules" nodes makes smoke come out of my ears.

1) There's no way to interact with them.

If you're not playing tribal, you're at a disadvantage, and there's nothing you can do to change that.  "Play Vampires," is not very conducive to creative and strategic deckbuilding.

2) They screw your supports up.

The AI loves to sandwich my supports between the indestructible "many rules" nodes.  Not only do they destroy my preciously defended supports (sometimes that I've buffed up to 10+ shields), but then the AI gets like 50 mana to cast their entire hand.

For all the players that hate how much the AI already cascades, this is an easy extra way it can do that.

3) It's unnecessary extra rules!

I'm already trying to decide how to strategically overpower my opponent's defenses while functioning within the constraints of the secondary objectives.  Having a third layer of remembering how the unique rules of each node can turn the match upside-down is just too much work to achieve a primary goal of me playing this game: to have fun.

4) Uuugh.

To me, they're basically mtgpq's version of emblems.  However in mtg paper you can at least stop the planeswalker from using their ultimate abilities to activate them, you can't do anything here...

babar3355

I'm okay with how it is, no need to change old events

I do really like some of the overlays... like Azor, Zacama,and the AX overlays.  I really hate some of them like Elaida which makes the game take forever (although the best fix would be able to not see animations or speed them up dramatically).  

However, rather than messing with old events, I think they should really look to create new and innovative content that makes the game feel new an different.

Bil

I'm okay with how it is, no need to change old events

  The idea of the node effect isn't bad, even if i dont really care about it ... But those indestructible gems are just ridiculous ...
  How many times did i see the AI make 25 mana and destroy two supports in a row just because they poped around that bloody gem ... ( I feel it particularly as those supports cost me a first tier reward in RTO twice ).
  And i'm not even talking about support removals that always fall on the indestructible support instead of the one that you're willing to remove.

  Node mechanics and effect are fine by me ... But i hope we'll never see those indestructible supports ever again ...
  

DBJones

I like the idea, but please make it more.. /change them to..

I like the potential of this new way to add tweaks to events (the supports should really go on two different colors automatically, though…). However, I don't think they should spend time on old events (besides bug fixes), new content is more important. Personally, I'd really like events with different ways of doing well. My current favorite idea is a Training Grounds type event (unlimited tries) where the leaderboard is based on the shortest time you've won in. Whatever animation setting they add would have to be temporarily changed to the least animations seeing for this event, hopefully automatically.

gogol666

Please get rid of the node effects. They're..

I'd rather remove the effects, because they drag the game longer and they rarely change the outcome of a match

Gilesclone

I'm okay with how it is, no need to change old events

I like the node effects, but hate the indestructible gems. 
The objectives should be made compatible with the node effects.  They really screwed up on the objectives.

Sirchombli

I like the idea, but please make it more.. /change them to..

I'm fine with the idea of the perma supports. I just feel like they're, mostly, unimpactful. I feel like they should make it foolish not to utilize them, but the effects that they provide just don't matter enough . I think it would be cool, for instance, to give negative effects to non pirate creatures on a pirate node. Don't just make me want to play pirates . Make me need to play pirates . I'm still seeing mostly the same old decks I always see. I'm going to miss akh , but the fact that people won't be able to cycle cycle cycle should breed some creativity. ID will still be a thing, but there are far less of those floating around than the cycling enablers 

jtwood

I like the idea, but please make it more.. /change them to..

I like the idea, but please change them to different colored gems to minimize the likelihood of them gravitating toward each other and causing huge match cascades.

[Deleted User]

I like the idea, but please make it more.. /change them to..

jtwood said:

I like the idea, but please change them to different colored gems to minimize the likelihood of them gravitating toward each other and causing huge match cascades.

Minimum this. 

I actually enjoy BoFT node 1.3 and 3.3. They feel somewhat fun. 2.3, 4.3, and 5.3 not so much. 

1.3 allows for some randomness but its the 5 match which really gives you that feel good sensation when playing the match.. of course if the opponent matches.. poo poo. 

3.3 is nice as both sides benefit in card draw and mana so the match feels much more intense. 

2.3 is no fun for me because... my dinos suck (drop rates man drop rates; without cards to play new and fun things i recently realized the game feels empty... which is sad) and with the node objective of not taking damage while casting dinos takes too much of my attention while on edge. Hard to feel the fun when you are praying they dont cascade into a zacama. I believe the same kind of thing applies for node 4.3.. sure could use some vampires.. any mythic vampire... as i have NONE. i dont even have any of the rare ones i think... so go go forerunner or conquistador with no real synergy other than casting my vampires for the objective.. sigh

Why not set up an entire line of unmatchable indestructible gems for special rules? Each gem can hold a rule. And later on you can add more or take em away as necessary but also maybe it will allow for randomly generated rules in the future? 

Froggy

I'm a neutral option and maybe only want to peek at the results

There should just be one indestructible gem and that applies to both players. Putting two on the board is the problem. Sure, you could still be unlucky (and most likely will be) as Greg will have both of your supports between that one gem. But the chances will be markedly lower.

DBJones

I like the idea, but please make it more.. /change them to..

Based on the way they code things, I think making two invincible supports on different colors would be an easier option than combining the two supports into one. They really need at least one of these fixes though.

tfg76

Love it! Change as many events this way as possible

The supports make each node unique and drives deckbuilding in cool directions. I'd love if they made the supports more synergistic with the objectives. For instance, don't limit the number of spells on the node where merfolk get boosted by playing spells.