6*s are they now inevitable?

Tony_Foot

I know the last time the question was asked was probably over two years ago and it seemed the majority of the forums were dead against the idea. Now though the 4* tier is twice the size, CL10 is out there and the release pattern looks to have changed. Yet two years later and there still doesn't seem to be an answer for what to do with 4* releases other than increase 5* to 4/5/4/5/4.

Would now people prefer to end the 4* releases and see 6* and 5*s to buy another 2 years while we watch the 5* tier bloat?

What options are there? What would you do?

Personally I think they could shelve 4* releases and just do a five star per month and look to increase revenue in other areas more successfully, costumes, supports, token deals etc. But I'm not privvy to the numbers new releases increase revenue, if 4* even do at all anymore. I still don't want 6* but I think they are inevitable with the current set up.

bluewolf

On the one hand, prior to SCL 10 there was absolutely no space in the game for a 6* tier.  However, I am not sure that the devs truly intend that you would ever be able to trivialize SCL10.  The insane scaling and grind and time is a major trade off for getting what remains the best prize in the game - a 5* cover (ok, part of one).

I suppose they could add yet another tier and some kind of new currency you chase but I think they are reaching the end of the game and they know it.  I still have some trouble conceiving of a way to make 6's useful other than just scaling up match dmg and such. But there are already 205 or so characters so it's just going to be more powerful combinations of already existing effects in terms of abilities.

The fact that you are seeing weekly offers (or more frequent than that, even) allowing you to directly buy covers for 5's is their acknowledgement, in my opinion that the playerbase is mature and their best bet is to convince vets to keep spending, trying to keep those people engaged by making the feel like they are making progress when they've already been playing for years.

People always say that games give away their resources as they reach the end.  IMO making reasonably-priced (or at least deeply discounted vs somehow using buy clubs to chase 5s) 5* covers is approaching that point, especially for any game that is trying to stay in business/keep the money rolling in at the same or a higher level for as long as possible.

That said the game keeps bringing money in.......so what do I know.

It's funny.....5's were introduced in September 2015, 4 1/2 years ago and people have been predicting 6's for at least 3 years, I'd say.  Probably longer.

The day that 6's roll in is the day I delete the app.  I am sure many people would do the same.  I just am feeling increasingly worn out and done.

Borstock

I'm fine with 6's as long as you can't bring them into PvP. I don't want to have to chase the tier. I know a lot of people are down on supports, but they way supports are now would work for me for 6's. They're a total luxury and if you happen to have a leveled good one, it helps quicken up your PvE clears so you're not spending all day playing the game. But I also don't feel like I have to chase them if I don't want to. It's not really holding me back.

Vhailorx

There have traditionally veen good reasons to be skeptical of any 6* rumors. in 2016, when the Uber whales started to get nervous that their 5* investment would be rendered obsolete by a 6* tier, my understanding is that Demi staff repeatedly made private statements to whales that 5* would be the end game for years to come.  Since keeping uberwhales happy was and is a huge part of the financial sustainability of mpq, I see no reason to doubt the veracity of those statements.

But it has now BEEN several years.  I don't think those statements, unless renewed by the dev team, hold much weight any more.

Additionally, pve 5* shards is a democratization of the 5* tier by any measure.  And when the trophy tier at the very pinnacle of the game becomes available to significantly more players, logic strongly suggests that (1) the game is about to end live development, or (2) the endgame is about to be shaken up by the rollout of a new trophy item to chase.

That doesn't necessarily mean 6*s, but it means some new, very-hard-to-get thing that will keep the 550 whales grinding away.  Personally, I think that supports, especially 5* supports, were intended to be this sort of new trophy item without superseding 5*s. But they were basically a failure from that perspective.

bluewolf

Borstock said:

I'm fine with 6's as long as you can't bring them into PvP. I don't want to have to chase the tier. I know a lot of people are down on supports, but they way supports are now would work for me for 6's. They're a total luxury and if you happen to have a leveled good one, it helps quicken up your PvE clears so you're not spending all day playing the game. But I also don't feel like I have to chase them if I don't want to. It's not really holding me back.

It's a good point that Supports seemed like the 6* tier, really.

Nearly impossible to chase - purely RNG with several levels of RNG at play.  A separate currency that there is really no way to chase/build.

I really doubt they will ever put 6's in the game.

BriMan2222

I could have sworn the devs said in the past that they are adamant that 5 star will always be the top tier and they have no intention of ever introducing a tier above it, but things change and minds change so who knows.  I personally would not be in favor of it as 5 stars are already so powerful and so hard to get.  I can't imagine what the odds of a 6 star would be.  a 1 in 35 chance for 50 cp per pull?

bluewolf

BriMan2222 said:

I could have sworn the devs said in the past that they are adamant that 5 star will always be the top tier and they have no intention of ever introducing a tier above it, but things change and minds change so who knows.  I personally would not be in favor of it as 5 stars are already so powerful and so hard to get.  I can't imagine what the odds of a 6 star would be.  a 1 in 35 chance for 50 cp per pull?

As I said earlier, I don't think 6's are coming.  But also as I said earlier, the devs said you would never be able to buy a 5* cover back in the day.

The game is very old and things change, you shouldn't be surprised if things they said years ago no longer apply to their decision making in the current environment.

BriMan2222

bluewolf said:

BriMan2222 said:

I could have sworn the devs said in the past that they are adamant that 5 star will always be the top tier and they have no intention of ever introducing a tier above it, but things change and minds change so who knows.  I personally would not be in favor of it as 5 stars are already so powerful and so hard to get.  I can't imagine what the odds of a 6 star would be.  a 1 in 35 chance for 50 cp per pull?

As I said earlier, I don't think 6's are coming.  But also as I said earlier, the devs said you would never be able to buy a 5* cover back in the day.

The game is very old and things change, you shouldn't be surprised if things they said years ago no longer apply to their decision making in the current environment.

Yes, that's basically what I said in my comment "things change and minds change"

Chipster22

There has to be something to chase and drive spending, but does it have to be characters?  Would it be plausible to end the 4* releases and offer playable content behind a resource paywall?

Maybe create a 100 level gauntlet type event that requires HP to open the next round or something like that.

I would prefer the paywall to be based on ISO for those of us post ISO.

Cash to open a level would be my least favorite option.

Perhaps a choice of HP, ISO, or cash to get some kind of new playable content.

ThaRoadWarrior

When Gladiathor was released, it initially took the form of Sakaar Arena giving out tokens to a Vault that had a token to a store in it that had a chance to land you a Thor. RNGeezus help us if a chance to get a chance to have a chance at something becomes the next phase of the game at scale...

Though I suppose this is currently the only way to earn supports now.

StevO-J

First Sakaar Arena gave out tokens that had a minute chance at a 5* Thor cover, there was no Vault involved there. I remember because I was one the the lucky VERY few that acually got a 5* Thor cover (1 in 266 I believe, or there about). Only thing I can't clearly remember is whether it was a normal bracket LR system or the 20 person bracket variant.

OT: I personally don't think 6*s are inevitable, but considering the recent state of the game and the forum and such things it feels more and more like the end is nigh... The recent 'So long and thanks for all the fish' post that was Brigby's goodbye had me thinking it was the final announcement of the game closing, at least for a few seconds.

bluewolf

StevO-J said:

First Sakaar Arena gave out tokens that had a minute chance at a 5* Thor cover, there was no Vault involved there. I remember because I was one the the lucky VERY few that acually got a 5* Thor cover (1 in 266 I believe, or there about). Only thing I can't clearly remember is whether it was a normal bracket LR system or the 20 person bracket variant.

So basically, the "new" HP release store model for new 5's is just using the same token structure from Gladiathor.

Chipster22 said:

There has to be something to chase and drive spending, but does it have to be characters?  Would it be plausible to end the 4* releases and offer playable content behind a resource paywall?

Maybe create a 100 level gauntlet type event that requires HP to open the next round or something like that.

I would prefer the paywall to be based on ISO for those of us post ISO.

Cash to open a level would be my least favorite option.

Perhaps a choice of HP, ISO, or cash to get some kind of new playable content.

The only way they would implement that would be if it cost HP or cash.  I realize the game is already trending towards pay to win at an accelerating pace, but pay to play would be a step I'm not sure they would take.

DAZ0273

Release 6* Super Adaptoid - they can have any sets of power in the game, make it cost 50,000 CP. Done!

crackninja

Well, I posted about this 3 years ago, and my feeling then is the same as now...if they do it, make 6*'s be something different, where they alter the game in some way/have special rules vs just being another scaling of power up.
Personally, I want to see 6*'s, but I would definitely not say they are inevitable. 

PiMacleod

I can only see this coming (6*s) if they make 5*s a whole lot easier to gain.

I mean, heres the deal... 5*s are endgame right now.  They are put behind this giant requirement of harder to obtain resources and/or cash.

Could you imagine a newer player... Even a currently 3* player, or fledgling 4* player, after seeing those 'goalposts' move so much?!

That would be crazy.  "Im doing good!  Im closer to endgame!  Im.... Wait.  Whats this?  6*s?!  But i can only gain them by spending 300 CP per token pull on a 10% chance of getting a 6*, 40% 5*, 50% 4*?!  Tinykitty this game!!"

They'd have to make 5*s SO much easier to obtain, to make 6*s obtainable at a level and frequency that players can tolerate.  If that carrot isnt close enough to us, we wont chase it.  It would be outrage.

On the flip side, imagine if the bump in power was so great that a 6* character just LAUGHED at Hammercap and Bishop teams?  Itd feel really good to just thwart them without a second thought.

But it does bring about the notion... If you have the likes of Phoenix, Silver Surfer, and other cosmic beings as 5*s already... Who's the 6*s?!  

Oh wait... Nvm.. okoye is a 5*.  And hella good too.  I retract my statement.  Any normal comic book character can be a 6* with the right passives! 

Vhailorx

Umm, they just added ~50 fixed, colorless 5* cover rewards  a year to the game from regular pve progression (and more from pve and PvP placement). 

If that isn't making 5*s easier to get then what is?

(Also, remember that "easier to get" does not mean "easy enough to get." Ymmv as to what you think the right availability should be.)

captainheath

I doubt it will happen.  

After the fact, I wish they would have only allowed one 5 on a team as a design from the start.  That would have let the 5 and 4 new characters thrive together.  It would be a very different game though.

PiMacleod

Vhailorx said:

Umm, they just added ~50 fixed, colorless 5* cover rewards  a year to the game from regular pve progression (and more from pve and PvP placement). 

If that isn't making 5*s easier to get then what is?

(Also, remember that "easier to get" does not mean "easy enough to get." Ymmv as to what you think the right availability should be.)

I hope you dont actually think that qualifies as "easier to get", when we're talking about adding a tier of character above it...

Sure, its TECHNICALLY easier.  But thats no where near where it would need to be, if you wanted to keep players baited enough to chase a 6*. 

The 6* has to be harder to get than the 5*, and enough so to make it feel special when you get it.  Kinda like it does right now... You pull, you get 4*s, but when that purple cover shatters on your screen revealing its 5* gooey center, thats the feeling we're looking for.

So, if you kept it the way it is now, and made 6*s exponentially harder (because thats how you show how rare and special they are, naturally)... Interest would plummet across the board as all players (even whales, i presume) would be forlorn about their very miniscule chance of ever obtaining a 6*.

Yuck.  Just the thought of it is horrible.  Talk about taking the joy away from spending your hard earned resources.

skittledaddy

What if 6*s were made so strong that they had to fight solo? Like in a Boss Event, but now we are the Boss.

PiMacleod

skittledaddy said:

What if 6*s were made so strong that they had to fight solo? Like in a Boss Event, but now we are the Boss.

Thatd be somewhat intriguing...

If they were allowed in PvP, they'd be extremely vulnerable to stun lock conditions if there werent some safeguards in place.

For example, if one 'boss'/6* was like SS and immune to stun...
A different one gets TWO moves per turn, thus stuns would really only last half as long....
Another one retaliates by hitting countering for a nice chunk of damage, HP regen, and stealing AP any time they are hit with stun...

You get the picture.  Each one has its own 'puzzle' to play around, making it not too easy to stunlock, but not too hard to beat either.

....or they can make them like supports and just not valid in PvP. 

Warbringa

I imagine 6* are not in the cards.  I think supports: better supports and more opportunities are the way to get more revenue and allow people to complete more in SCL 10 PvE and reduce the time burden.  

They just need to figure out how to do so and still make decent revenue off of it.  I am really thinking they should consider a 5*/4*/new support/5*/4*/new support release schedule.  Make new supports more like character releases and perhaps make it so the new supports have a new support circuit event roll out with them every time etc.  Make it so there are more varied supports and supports keyed to most of the characters in the game.  The key is you need to make supports generally much better than the original ones (which are usually too weak) and more available to most players without being a direct pay to win distribution model.  

Finally, support management needs to be better so you can see who each character has each support equipped from the support screen, not just the character screen.