SCL 10 PVE : Does anyone enjoy playing the game for that much time?

LavaManLee
LavaManLee Posts: 1,434 Chairperson of the Boards
edited March 2020 in MPQ General Discussion
I really love this game.  I do.  Been playing for over 5 years, have all 3s, 4s and meta 5s champed (well, not IH yet).  But I am really disliking the amount of time it takes to play SCL 10 PVE.

Maybe it's me (and I'm ok if it is) but I feel like it is a slog yet it I don't play SCL 10, the rewards aren't as good and then I get further left in the dust.

Sigh.  It might be time to stop the game but I really don't want to do so.  But also trying to balance the amount of time it takes vs the amount of fun the game is providing.  Again, this could just be me but curious how others feel.
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Comments

  • Bryan Lambert
    Bryan Lambert Posts: 234 Tile Toppler
    I know if I had my druthers, I’d prefer new rewards with old play time to new rewards with new longer play time. But I still prefer both to old rewards old play time I guess.

    One thing that helps is that I’m finding that with the slices I always play and the late start (5ish hours in), I can stay competitive while doing as much of the 5E and challenge nodes as I can. When they’re easier, I can do them 4 or 6 times and so can everyone else and when they’re tougher I can do them 0 to 4 times and so can most everyone else so my usual placement in the 90’s has been pretty consistent. If I were playing this much time and ending up consistently 200 or below instead of 1q00 and above, I’d probably be dropping down to 9 more often.

    I’ve never been really clear on how the developers benefit from making me play an extra half hour a day, though. What’s in it for them?
  • Wonko33
    Wonko33 Posts: 985 Critical Contributor
    I love cl10, I don’t play for placement though. If you don’t like cl10 I don’t see why you feel the need to play that level. What’s your thinking there ? Why play something you don’t like? It’s not a job you know. 
  • 658_2
    658_2 Posts: 235 Tile Toppler
    I love the challenge node. I love the 5e. The rest is borderline torturous. Challenge node is fun enough for me to make it all worth it.  

    Weekly boosted 5s would be most welcome.
  • Glockoma
    Glockoma Posts: 555 Critical Contributor
    I have to agree with OP. Been playing 6 years this summer. I Have had my vacations from the game due to burn out. Scl10 gladly ramped up rewards. The challenging nodes are the only thing of interest for me; I really enjoy them, especially if they can be different for each iteration of the event.

    But they are not enough to engage me after the all the other monotony. I’d rather not play the “easy” nodes and save 10 minutes of my life. Mindless attacking mixed with having to use mostly the same set of characters is taxing. They should adjust these two parameters. (One of them I thought was coming...rebalancing)

    For example: Just answer this question to yourself, Have you ever performed your initial clear only to realize you have been on your phone about an hour and haven’t made it to the essential nodes yet because you were to distracted by the TV? I doubt I am the only one. 

    Anyway, it’s an old game. And we know how the system works around here. If it’s frustrating, just put it down and enjoy some other pleasures in life. Not much to see here. 
  • wymtime
    wymtime Posts: 3,759 Chairperson of the Boards
    for CL10 it does take me longer to complete closes and openings.  I can be mentally tough to grind through.  Luckily when it is feeling too much I can drop down a CL or 2 and play more casually.  To me the game is about balance.  Yes the best rewards are in CL10 and I have the roster to compete in CL10.  I also know for me if it is feeling too much of a grind I have options rather than all or nothing 
  • ThaRoadWarrior
    ThaRoadWarrior Posts: 9,455 Chairperson of the Boards
    I've found that having the boosted 5e champed makes all the difference in the world on play time; like Webbed Wonder with Jessica Jones champed has been a breeze compared to other events with no champs. I think it's time to implement multiple boosted 5*s per event and Quality of LIfe in PVE will go way up for me, at least.
  • Vins2
    Vins2 Posts: 183 Tile Toppler
    Wonko33 said:
    I love cl10, I don’t play for placement though. If you don’t like cl10 I don’t see why you feel the need to play that level. What’s your thinking there ? Why play something you don’t like? It’s not a job you know. 
    Rewards were cut for scl9 and below, and your roster falls behind.  It's the double edged sword of 'more rewards for more play' and 'less rewards for same amount of play' that d3's been swinging for years.  
  • Vins2
    Vins2 Posts: 183 Tile Toppler
    658_2 said:
    I love the challenge node. I love the 5e. The rest is borderline torturous. Challenge node is fun enough for me to make it all worth it.  

    Weekly boosted 5s would be most welcome.
    This was my exact thought too for 1st day of webbed wonder.  Just finished the challenge node clears and I was fine.  Then realized I still had clears of dark avengers for Northstar, Ragnarok and the other hard nodes still to go.  What does a max level 365 Ragnarok's node have to do with level 500 dark avengers?
  • Tony_Foot
    Tony_Foot Posts: 1,814 Chairperson of the Boards
     Now I’m playing more and more of it I love it. I usually play 8 but 10 when I have spare time. Right now I have loads of time but still as I don’t have to chase placement I think the time is about the same as I was spending on CL8 doing 6 plus clears. On 10 for instance in Howard’s I did 6 clears of everything day one. 4 on day two and that only leaves me 12k points to get progression today. 

    If you’re grinding this for placement I imagine it’s a nightmare. But please stick that challenge node as it is in CL8 and 9 too. Split up the scores.
  • Projectus2501
    Projectus2501 Posts: 218 Tile Toppler
    Well, I think it makes sense that, when a new higher difficulty layer is introduced it will be harder. Usually harder means longer if the format is the same. 
    You will see that, for the best rosters, this time will be reduced over time. As was with cl9. 

    Ps: the main problem is the meta. I played a game in the challange node in cl10 yesterday that took me more than 15 mins to win... 15 minutes is ridiculous but that's because of the meta team I used. Kitty + brb
  • bluewolf
    bluewolf Posts: 5,819 Chairperson of the Boards
    edited April 2020
    Well, I think it makes sense that, when a new higher difficulty layer is introduced it will be harder. Usually harder means longer if the format is the same. 
    You will see that, for the best rosters, this time will be reduced over time. As was with cl9. 

    Ps: the main problem is the meta. I played a game in the challange node in cl10 yesterday that took me more than 15 mins to win... 15 minutes is ridiculous but that's because of the meta team I used. Kitty + brb
    I find it unlikely that most rosters will ever be able to significantly decrease the time spent clearing in 10, like you can in 9.

    You basically need a very large Okoye (seems like the best route) or maybe Kitty to start making your clears speed up, and shards and such mean you're chasing her covers for a couple years before you see a major change.

    Many players who aren't already deep into the 5 tier will have a very hard time advancing any specific 5 appreciably.  Which is I suppose an implicit acknowledgement of the game's playerbase, people in 10 are mostly longtime vets who needed some new goal to keep their interest.

    This has been my issue with 10 from the introduction, that there isn't really a path toward "feeling powerful" for non-whales beyond bonusing a meta 5 for a very very long time.  But perhaps that is the entire point of putting the enemy levels so high, to create that time barrier to make the reward (half a 5) feel appropriately hard to get as well as creating incentive for people to spend on those covers in all the bundles that we see continuously (and avoid that insane 9-12 hour+ time sink).
  • Polares
    Polares Posts: 2,643 Chairperson of the Boards
    edited April 2020
    I think the same as the post creator, for me PvE scl10 has been a disaster. And if I go back to scl9 then I get less CPs that I used to, but now the release 5s way faster so I can keep up!

    They have made scl10 required for all 5 players to keep up with 5s new release cicle, but the difficulty is more for 500+ level 5s players!


    Scl10 is too difficult or it should require less repetition. It is either one or the other. I would prefer current difficulty but less repetition myself (2 clears instead of 4), but I would also agree on making it easier.

    Also, the extra node was supposed to be EXTRA, it should not be required to get to max progression! 30min per completion is nuts! And if you make a mistake you need to start over (and use 3 health packs).

    PS: And there are enemies like the Mindless Ones that clearly need a nerf. They are BONKERS at scl10.
    PS: I guess if you have a very strong Kitty, 480+ it is not that bad, but for the people like me that we dont have her covered (the only meta char I dont have!!!!), this is a BIG pain. But again, no single char should be required!!!!
  • Tony_Foot
    Tony_Foot Posts: 1,814 Chairperson of the Boards
    The extra node isn’t required? I already said I rarely get 4 clears on it and if 6 clears done on the first day of every thing else I don’t even need to touch it if I don’t want to. I did 2 clears on it yesterday and third day I can ignore it if it’s a health pack sponge.

    I did 6 lazy clears of everything and 2 of CN on day one
    4 clears of everything on day 2 and 2 of CN
    Today I need 11200 points.

    Thats pretty easy going in my opinion. I have nothing but baby 450ish five stars and never use more than 5 or 6 health packs on a clear.

    The difficulty is perfect but I agree it could do with cutting down 1 clear off everything.
  • SnowcaTT
    SnowcaTT Posts: 3,486 Chairperson of the Boards
    I enjoy the rewards...

    I've never enjoyed the precise time of PVE's so I rarely play optimally. I'd still prefer the whole thing take less than an hour - progression with fewer clears (like 4x only) would be great.
  • jackstar0
    jackstar0 Posts: 1,280 Chairperson of the Boards
    Wonko33 said:
    I love cl10, I don’t play for placement though. If you don’t like cl10 I don’t see why you feel the need to play that level. What’s your thinking there ? Why play something you don’t like? It’s not a job you know. 

    Rewards. He said so in the OP.
  • Daredevil217
    Daredevil217 Posts: 3,966 Chairperson of the Boards
    Polares said:
    I think the same as the post creator, for me PvE scl10 has been a disaster. And if I go back to scl9 then I get less CPs that I used to, but now the release 5s way faster so I can keep up!

    They have made scl10 required for all 5 players to keep up with 5s new release cicle, but the difficulty is more for 500+ level 5s players!


    Scl10 is too difficult or it should require less repetition. It is either one or the other. I would prefer current difficulty but less repetition myself (2 clears instead of 4), but I would also agree on making it easier.

    Also, the extra node was supposed to be EXTRA, it should not be required to get to max progression! 30min per completion is nuts! And if you make a mistake you need to start over (and use 3 health packs).

    PS: And there are enemies like the Mindless Ones that clearly need a nerf. They are BONKERS at scl10.
    PS: I guess if you have a very strong Kitty, 480+ it is not that bad, but for the people like me that we dont have her covered (the only meta char I dont have!!!!), this is a BIG pain. But again, no single char should be required!!!!

    This is it right here.  I'm a 450-460 baby champ 5* player who has all the PVE meta champed (I believe IHulk will be PVP meta and obviously don't have him champed).  I actually like the challenge of 10 and the rewards are spectacular- even for the effort.

    They ruined everything by rapidly accelerating 5* releases.  I now play twice as long to make less traction than I did before 10.  10 Should have been a choice for 5* players who would be incentivized by the awesome rewards.  But really, any F2P 5* player or 4-5 transitioner will HAVE to play in 10 if they have any hope of keeping up.  That part really sucks. What it means is the game becomes even more of chore/grind and "if you don't like it, just play down" is not really viable for those who want to keep up.

    So 10 is fine by me.  The rewards are fine by me.  The option to choose your CL is fine by me.  Accelerating 5* releases so you play more in order to progress less is NOT okay by me.
  • PiMacleod
    PiMacleod Posts: 1,786 Chairperson of the Boards
    For me, i space my plays out.  Since im just progression...  A few plays at breakfast for DDQ.  A couple at my desk at work (home or office).  Some in the bathroom.  Some on lunch.  Probably done by then.

    But if not, im not far away when i get off work.  Just a few here or there.

    Its not hard.  Its just spacing it out so i dont get bored, and so that im not staring at my phone for so long at once.

    Sure its longer, but im getting more 5*s than i ever used to.  And champing 4*s pretty quickly.
  • helix72
    helix72 Posts: 996 Critical Contributor
    edited April 2020
    Polares said:

    ...the difficulty is more for 500+ level 5s players!


    Also, the extra node was supposed to be EXTRA, it should not be required to get to max progression! 30min per completion is nuts! And if you make a mistake you need to start over (and use 3 health packs).

    My experience is counter to this statement. I have zero champed 5* characters but have managed to hit full progression on SCL10 10 out of 13 tries. Of the other 3 I didn't, I got all but the last 4* shards on 2 of them and only missed the big CP reward on 1 (Deadpool vs MPQ--and this was before I figured out the stunlock team below).

    I do have a 5/5/3 level 330 Kitty who is absolutely essential to my clearing: Juggritty on all the non-essential nodes and Gritty on all the essential nodes except the Hard Node where it's the stunlock team of Gamora, my 2/2/2 5* Hawkeye, and CapWorthy. I always use supports but never use boosts.

    My standard (except wave nodes) is 4 clears on every node except the easy nodes, where I do the full 7 clears. I'll usually do hard goon-only nodes 7 times also, depending on the goons, just to make sure I have cushion. And while I haven't kept detailed track, there are absolutely nodes I didn't clear 4 times (though usually it's the 5e not the challenge node).
  • Projectus2501
    Projectus2501 Posts: 218 Tile Toppler
    Players that don't have the roster or think cl10 takes to long can always play cl9. There are 9 levels below