Meet Broken Circle Studios - Developer Blog (6/2/22)

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  • fight4thedream
    fight4thedream GLOBAL_MODERATORS Posts: 1,973 Chairperson of the Boards
    DevpoolMPQ_BCS said:
    fight4thedream said:
    Hello James,

    Welcome to the MPQ Forum!! It will be great to have some dev interaction here again. I am sure you have piqued a lot of members curiosity. Speaking of curious minds, I noticed you named dropped Hellfire Gala. Nice! Hopefully Judgement Day is also on your radar?

    Also good to see that rebalances are going to be monthly, if I understand correctly. I noticed you used the terms micro/macro rebalances and I was wondering if you could expound a bit more on that topic. Seeing better affiliation bonuses has long been something I have wanted to see and I am hoping that might fall under macro rebalance.  While certain characters do have these bonuses, I just think it would make sense for, say, a team consisting of only Avengers characters to get an additional damage or defensive bonus or some other perk. So I would like to see team bonuses be a thing. Teammates should work better together, no?

    Finally, if I may ask one more question, will the reintroduction of 3* characters mean they will be variants of the new 5* release or a totally separate character?  For example, when 5* Dr. Strange was released they also released a 3* version of him. Ideally, for the sake of variety, I hope they will be separate characters but thematically relevant to each other.  For example, a 5* Spiral co-released with a 3* Longshot.  

    I am going to stop myself here as I am sure others will pick up on some of the other things I would like to ask but I am very excited to see what you and the team have cooking up for the game. Wishing you and the Broken Circle studios all the best! 

    A true believer,
    fight4thedream

    Thanks! It's great to be here! Hellfire Gala is something we're very excited about, and personally I'm bursting at the seams for Judgment Day. As new developers coming into MPQ, you can imagine we have our hands full and have to be selective about what we take on at the moment. We were able to work in some fun surprises for the Gala, but can't be everywhere at once to celebrate all of the cool things happening in Marvel right now. 


    The rebalances are something we're kicking off later this year, and when we do start to roll them out you can expect a rather normal cadence to them. Micro and Macro are pretty vague words. The key takeaway should be that we're looking to do what's right for underperforming characters who are sitting on the shelf. In the cases of some characters, smaller stat adjustments are in order. For other characters (many of which the fans are keenly aware), we're taking a deeper look at abilities that just aren't shining. In other words, we're trying to take a holistic approach. As for your direct concern over affiliations, it's too early for me to speak too much on this, but know that I share your position on this and that affiliations are something we are looking at. This isn't simply a matter of broadening the affiliations; it includes doing meaningful things with those affiliations. Suffice it to say, it's important to us, we're looking at it, and our efforts towards it will be thoughtful and deliberate. 


    As for your last question, please allow me to refrain from response for the moment. We have some upcoming plans to share more information about what's in store for MPQ and the 3* / 5* release cadence will be best shared in that format.


    and @IceIX thank you both for the thoughtful responses. I can definitely appreciate where you are coming from; there is a lot going on in the Marvel universe this year so I can understand you can only do so much. I will lay my cards on the table and just say that I was hoping we might get some more Eternals characters since they will be featured prominently in Judgement Day (and maybe an "Eternals" affiliation as well) but I understand there are a lot of things going on movie and TV-wise and I'm sure you have your own personal favorites you would like to see in game, too. 

    Still, a 5* Kingo & 3* Sprite combo release would be kind of cool ;)

    I'm really looking forward to this new chapter of MPQ and wish you and the Broken Circle team all the best! 
  • RTA3000
    RTA3000 Posts: 41 Just Dropped In
    This sounds fantastic, I’m so looking forward to what you guys are going to do with the game next. It’s come so far since I first picked this thing up over 6 years ago! I also wish you guys at a Broken Circle the best and excitedly anticipate the next wave 😊
  • JHawkInc
    JHawkInc Posts: 2,605 Chairperson of the Boards
    I'm a little late to catching up on threads, but welcome to the new devs! Excited to see what new things  you have in mind, excited about the limited chatter seen already. Been playing MPQ a long time now, looking forward to a new era (and honestly grateful that the game is even continuing to last long enough for a new era to exist in the first place!).
  • Aueio
    Aueio Posts: 18 Just Dropped In
    KGB said:
    Aueio said:

    All those who don't see any reason for more 3* why don't you just skip them?
    You can't. They are required for PvE/PvP.

    KGB
    Of course you're you can skip them. I would even say it would be good and healthy for you to skip them if you're a "can't skip, required for being competitive every day" kind of guy.
  • Chipster22
    Chipster22 Posts: 299 Mover and Shaker
    It is understandable that the developers may not wish to reduce slot costs over 300 to 1000HP retroactively because of the sudden large HP windfall many players would receive.  

    However, maybe there is another way to approach the problem and spread the HP refunds over time.

    Instead of refunding HP, treat the 2000HP purchases after 300 slots as if they were purchasing 2 roster slots instead of one and retroactively give out the extra slots.  So if a person already has 350 slots, 50 more would be added immediately for a total of 400.  Future purchases of slots would still be at 2000HP but would buy 2 at a time.

    The new 50 slots would save the player HP overtime but would not be as much of an overwhelming windfall as refunding 50,000HP all at once would be.  The player would only make use of the extra slots as they gain characters.
  • HoundofShadow
    HoundofShadow Posts: 8,004 Chairperson of the Boards
    edited June 2022
    If you put yourself in the shoes of the finance, this will not happen. First of all, they will ask the dev, "How does this benefit the company financially?" or How does it affect the company's revenue? The answer is, "Zero financial benefit" and "possible revenue reduction". 

    In the event they do reduce roster slot cost, be prepared to see resources like CP and HP reduced in the game permanently.
  • Chipster22
    Chipster22 Posts: 299 Mover and Shaker
    edited June 2022
    HoundofShadow said:
    If you put yourself in the shoes of the finance, this will not happen. First of all, they will ask the dev, "How does this benefit the company financially?" or How does it affect the company's revenue? The answer is, "Zero financial benefit" and "possible revenue reduction". 

    In the event they do reduce roster slot cost, be prepared to see resources like CP and HP reduced in the game permanently.
    It might leave them in about the same financial position they are at right now.  The added 3* is the driver of new HP demands.  The reduction of slot prices beyond would help address that and bring it back closer to the status quo.

    This issue of added HP pressure for those not yet at 300 should also be considered and those players should also receive some sort of assistance in my opinion.
  • HoundofShadow
    HoundofShadow Posts: 8,004 Chairperson of the Boards
    Players who are pass 300 slots are usually swimming in HP anyway. The reason why they want to keep so many dupes is just in case the dev decided to pull a surprise shardmas again in the future and they can benefit tremendously from this. 

    1* - 1 roster slot
    2* - 13 or 14 roster slots
    3* - 47 roster slots
    4* - 125 roster slots
    5* - 70 roster slots
    Total 256/257

    From June till August, we'll have another 6 releases. From September to December, we'll have 12. In 2023, we'll have 36.
    In October 2023, everyone would have hit 300 roster slots.

    Anyway, asking the dev to reduce roster slot cost is a futile effort. If doing this is beneficial to the company or it maintains status quo, players won't be bugging the previous dev for roster slot sales for years. It happened only twice and the last time it happened was in 2019/2020. Even if we succeed, everyone is going to get resources like CP and HP gained via progression and/or champ rewards reduced permanently. When shards were introduced, cps and hps were traded. Do we really want to go through such trade again?
  • TheRiddler
    TheRiddler Posts: 291 Mover and Shaker
    I had an idea about the 3s and them adding to the roster slot issue.

    It seems like these are gonna be duplicates again like they done in the past. A 3 and 5 of the same character and skill set. A comment earlier about it seems to point that out.

    "The idea here (well, one of, has knock-ons in a lot of other places too) isn't to put yet more HP pressure on people, but to allow lower end players to experience new characters and interact with the game during tie-in events and the like. Take for example the recent Moon Knight release where a new player would come in from an ad or Marvel tweet and have the game basically say "You know that reason you're here? Yeah, you're not going to really get to use him for 2-3 years after this Versus event ends." That's not the best user experience for someone coming on board during a 5-Star release, and even less so than during a tent pole release."

    It seems to me that if that is something they are wanting to resolve then the 3/5 will be duplicates. Otherwise the new player would still be looking at not getting to use that 5 for 2-3 years.

    So. If these are duplicates then what if they found a way to make it where the 3/5 duplicate versions were interchangeable for required nodes outside of pvp. A person in 4/5* land could use that version and not have to roster the 3* version. And newer players can just roster the 3* version.

    They wouldn't have to lower roster slot costs. Players wouldn't feel they have to get both version. But some players would get them both anyways.


  • HoundofShadow
    HoundofShadow Posts: 8,004 Chairperson of the Boards
    Someone asked the dev about roster slot cost. I guess we'll know their answers this Monday.  :D
  • KGB
    KGB Posts: 3,236 Chairperson of the Boards
    edited June 2022
    Chipster22 said:
    It is understandable that the developers may not wish to reduce slot costs over 300 to 1000HP retroactively because of the sudden large HP windfall many players would receive.  

    However, maybe there is another way to approach the problem and spread the HP refunds over time.

    The idea that there would be refunded HP if they suddenly dropped the HP cost to 1000 after 300 slots is laughable. If you buy a car today for $50K and tomorrow the dealer offers it for $45K they do not retroactively send all the prior buyers $5K.

    If the slot cost changes, it will just change and there won't be any refunds.

    KGB
  • HoundofShadow
    HoundofShadow Posts: 8,004 Chairperson of the Boards
    If that happens, a lot of players will say that they are being punished for progressing quickly.  :D
  • Godzillafan67
    Godzillafan67 Posts: 597 Critical Contributor
    Aueio said:
    KGB said:
    Aueio said:

    All those who don't see any reason for more 3* why don't you just skip them?
    You can't. They are required for PvE/PvP.

    KGB
    Of course you're you can skip them. I would even say it would be good and healthy for you to skip them if you're a "can't skip, required for being competitive every day" kind of guy.
    I could skip them, but then I’m missing out on node rewards and jeopardizing full progression achievement. Before I rostered every 3* and 4* character, I maintained floating roster slots so that I could temporarily roster held covers for the required event (PvE only since PvP has the loaner). During that time of my life, the “upcoming” thread was a vital necessity.
  • nycjonny
    nycjonny Posts: 59 Match Maker
    HoundofShadow said:
    Players who are pass 300 slots are usually swimming in HP anyway. The reason why they want to keep so many dupes is just in case the dev decided to pull a surprise shardmas again in the future and they can benefit tremendously from this. 

    1* - 1 roster slot
    2* - 13 or 14 roster slots
    3* - 47 roster slots
    4* - 125 roster slots
    5* - 70 roster slots
    Total 256/257

    From June till August, we'll have another 6 releases. From September to December, we'll have 12. In 2023, we'll have 36.
    In October 2023, everyone would have hit 300 roster slots.

    Anyway, asking the dev to reduce roster slot cost is a futile effort. If doing this is beneficial to the company or it maintains status quo, players won't be bugging the previous dev for roster slot sales for years. It happened only twice and the last time it happened was in 2019/2020. Even if we succeed, everyone is going to get resources like CP and HP gained via progression and/or champ rewards reduced permanently. When shards were introduced, cps and hps were traded. Do we really want to go through such trade again?
    Lol no one is “swimming in hp” unless they buy it constantly. And those people tend to use it up just as fast.  
    There have been more than two roster slot sales ever. 
    If they release 6 characters a month instead of 4 they are going to do something about the slot cost. That’s not really a futile ask. When the entire player base hits 300 it’s gonna be the most common ask on here if it isn’t handled by then. I’m optimistic they are gonna address it well before then. 
  • HoundofShadow
    HoundofShadow Posts: 8,004 Chairperson of the Boards
    There are. Also, if you are hitting more than 300 slots by now, you should be doing pretty well, given that there are ~260 characters who can be rostered.

    The other roster slot sales must have happened before I join MPQ then. If they release 4 or 6 characters a month, it's a different story. Anyway, they have another 2.5 months to think of way to make this less painful. 
  • ImmortalZodd
    ImmortalZodd Posts: 18 Just Dropped In
    one more quality of life suggestion- please let us use 5 stars for all the lowbie DP daily nodes. An extra 10 minutes to clear those 3 nodes doesn't seem like a lot, but 10 minutes a day for six years adds up...
  • Chipster22
    Chipster22 Posts: 299 Mover and Shaker
    edited June 2022
    HoundofShadow said:
    There are. Also, if you are hitting more than 300 slots by now, you should be doing pretty well, given that there are ~260 characters who can be rostered.

    The other roster slot sales must have happened before I join MPQ then. If they release 4 or 6 characters a month, it's a different story. Anyway, they have another 2.5 months to think of way to make this less painful. 
    The bolded sentence is the one that I believe is key and is the reason the topic of roster slot costs and possible solutions is in the forefront right now.

    They have made statements indicating that releasing more characters per month is going to happen.  So we are assuming that the HP demand will increase.  It seems reasonable to expect an increase in HP supply or a decrease in HP cost elsewhere to make up for this change.  They do not need to pay for it with reduced CP or other resources because the give-back is already there in the increased resources needed for roster slots.

    Personally I am at 381 roster slots and am constantly HP starved.  I know I'm just one data point, but the often repeated statement that people with over 300 slots will have plenty of HP rings hollow with me.  I do keep dupes, so I know that is one of the reasons I am short of HP, but as others have said, there are valid reasons for dupes.  I wouldn't even discount the idea that in the future more 4*s will become feeders.  That would be a lot of resources to throw away if it would happen, although less and less likely.

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