Changes in the game and how to fix it.

DAZ0273

therightwaye said:

Brigby said:

As is specifically evident with Professor X being available for Hero Points, on top of the usual Command Points options, you can tell that our team is looking to try new things; seeing what works and what doesn't.

I read statements like this and various other comments here and elsewhere that really suggests to me that D3 didn't know about the CP store. The initial announcement didn't even include a CP store notion. 

It really seems there is a lot of bad communication or simply lack there of. 

Are you suggesting that the CP store was a change of plan to what was originally intended and we were not gonna get one? I'm note quite sure I buy that, the CP store seems to line up with the Boss Event and the usual token reward for 5*, it is just the release has been brought forward to monetise the HP store.

DAZ0273

Sm0keyJ0e said:

Daredevil217 said:

And I didn’t even touch on you requiring a 5* not yet available in tokens to fully compete in PVE. Add that on top of everything I mentioned, and if you’re wondering why people are upset... there’s your answer. 

Feel free to “discuss with the team”. 

Also... Bishop.

Also...Kitty.

bluewolf

Brigby said:

Hi @pheregas


Will there be some growing pains? Sure. But hopefully we can work through this process to find some way where we can both improve the experience for players while also being able to sustain it moving forward.

Maybe I'm reading too much into things, but the last part of the statement is interesting as we don't usually see comments suggesting a concern about "being able to sustain" the game.  I really am wondering how the game is doing lately.

Case in point:
 
Reading through @pheregas describe how he approaches the game and his HP use/budgeting suggests to me that he is not spending much on the game (maybe VIP).

Many vets who have almost all the characters champed can very easily coast without spending money.  All over the place at this time of year you'll see people talk about saving for the Anniversary etc.  It is pretty easy to skip stores and things if you want to control your HP use once you have your roster slots covered.  I certainly fall into that category.

My basic observation from tracking 2 months of PVE brackets shows that the upper end of the playerbase isn't growing whatsoever, at least recently.  Not growing means you need to ratchet up spending pressure on the existing players in order to increase revenue.

If the game is full of high end players who are easily able to budget their HP use and avoid spending pressure, what should we expect the developers to do?

I know, every time we predict the game is dying etc people say "everyone says that and it's still here!"

But this recent stuff is really a different animal.

captainheath

bluewolf said:

If the game is full of high end players who are easily able to budget their HP use and avoid spending pressure, what should we expect the developers to do?

I expect them to keep the long term players who have been regularly paying at least the VIP each month having fun.  We have invested in this game and are the best to recommend it to others.  Once you start squeezing the small group at the top it is the beginning of the end.  They should embrace a growth model for a game with a lot of resources and depth.  Enhance those resources and depth by focussing on the fun.  

I used to spend more, but won't until it becomes more fun.

HoundofShadow

I interpret it as improving the players's experience and sustaining the experience as well.

pheregas

bluewolf said:

Brigby said:

Hi @pheregas


Will there be some growing pains? Sure. But hopefully we can work through this process to find some way where we can both improve the experience for players while also being able to sustain it moving forward.

 
Reading through @pheregas describe how he approaches the game and his HP use/budgeting suggests to me that he is not spending much on the game (maybe VIP).

FWIW, I only occasionally get an HP pack when bundled with some covers, but it's been a long while since I've put any other money into this game.  That being said, I spent more than enough to cover future playing a couple years ago.  

Being post-iso, any other purchase rewards are also a waste of my personal resources.

bluewolf

By the way, I'm not saying any player is obligated to spend money on the game for any reason.

It is up to the developers to provide content/value such that spending makes sense.

Some people spend money on the game as a "Thanks for the entertainment!" but even that should be the result of seeing a value in what is being offered, in my opinion.

None of that fixes the problem of having a bunch of players who are in control of their resources to the point that spending feels completely optional and of marginal value to boot.  (Thanks to dilution and the extremely high likelihood that actually spending on items won't do much to advance your roster meaningfully.)

This is avery mature game in terms of mobile games and many of its problems are a result of its longevity.  4* champ rewards being this sustainable/profitable was probably not foreseen as something that would apply to vast numbers of players when it was created vs trying to create incentives for whales to keep spending.

Come to think of it, maybe that's one reason that pack dilution is so bad.  It certainly keeps new people from building up their 4's into the high range of champ rewards, other than if they bonused one toon for a very long time.

shap328

I'd like to see adjustments to placement awards in PVE. I don't play for placement because I can't commit to two hours in a row of playing each day. 48 hr subs I do 7 clears, 24 I do 6 or 7, depending on when I can play. However I don't do it optimally. I get the feeling I am not the only one who goes with this approach. My alliance is like this too, although I think I'm the only one that plays beyond full progression.

Since we play like this, it is impossible for us to get tangible placement rewards. So we get 4*s from progression and champ rewards only. PVP 4s are hard to get to because it requires more time than we can commit to the game.

Currently the placement 4s in PVE are only for the top 10 players, maybe some for the alliances. I can't get to that, and neither can 99% of the player base. Let's be real - those top 10 finishes are almost always the same people.

I'm not saying give out 4*s to everyone, but maybe adjust the rewards so that it's more attainable, and then adjust the top ten rewards accordingly. With so much dilution, maybe add LL token compensation for top-10 finishes to distinguish them above the rest, but allow the rest of us to build our rosters out.

It is discouraging for me to know that one method of receiving in-game currency via placement is practically unattainable.

If the whole point is for us to be in 4* land, and if there is going to be a never ending train of 4*s until the end of time, then making it more attainable will probably keep more players around.

EDIT: It's not like adding more rewards for these top players impacts anything either - it's probably just another champ level for them. Think of it more like helping the middle class of players out.