A Thought Experiment

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  • entrailbucket
    entrailbucket Posts: 8,189 Chairperson of the Boards

    @SnowcaTT said:

    @bluewolf said:
    I stand by my assertion that the main reason the devs don't give us more content is because they don't want you to earn too much stuff from play.

    Just like when PVP was all seeds and seals they shut that down once they figured out how.

    Yeah there was a fairness issue for seals, but spending fell dramatically in Sept 2025, which was just after a couple months of "play infinite pvp and earn tons of resources" to the lowest level I have seen,.

    More free stuff = less spending. Simple equation.

    If "player engagement" and "amount of time played" were things that were actually high priorities, then PVE timers and PVP all seeds would still exist.

    They'd only care about this stuff if they had ads, why would it matter otherwise?

  • entrailbucket
    entrailbucket Posts: 8,189 Chairperson of the Boards

    @MegaBee said:

    @SnowcaTT said:

    @entrailbucket said:

    Except why do people want to open up packs and level up characters if they don't care about the match-3? What purpose do the rewards serve? Why do some players want stuff that has no value to them?

    I mean....answer this and create world peace

    It's cheaper and less self-destructive than buying scratch-off lottery tickets.

    So, I get that gambling is fun and the dopamine rush is fun or whatever, but why MPQ then?

    Like there's a million games on the app store, and there are games where all you do is open tokens and get flashing rewards for doing nothing. That gameplay experience is available for those who want it. Why pick a puzzle game with 400 unique characters and endless strategy and combos if you just want to skip all that stuff and open tokens?

    Basically if the game you want to play is Cookie Clicker (and no judgement, it's a fun game!) why not just play Cookie Clicker instead of pretending MPQ is Cookie Clicker, and demanding the mpq devs change their game into Cookie Clicker?

    Why colonize Street Fighter and demand that it be turned into Hat Collector?

  • MegaBee
    MegaBee Posts: 1,366 Chairperson of the Boards

    @entrailbucket said:

    @MegaBee said:

    @SnowcaTT said:

    @entrailbucket said:

    Except why do people want to open up packs and level up characters if they don't care about the match-3? What purpose do the rewards serve? Why do some players want stuff that has no value to them?

    I mean....answer this and create world peace

    It's cheaper and less self-destructive than buying scratch-off lottery tickets.

    So, I get that gambling is fun and the dopamine rush is fun or whatever, but why MPQ then?

    Like there's a million games on the app store, and there are games where all you do is open tokens and get flashing rewards for doing nothing. That gameplay experience is available for those who want it. Why pick a puzzle game with 400 unique characters and endless strategy and combos if you just want to skip all that stuff and open tokens?

    Basically if the game you want to play is Cookie Clicker (and no judgement, it's a fun game!) why not just play Cookie Clicker instead of pretending MPQ is Cookie Clicker, and demanding the mpq devs change their game into Cookie Clicker?

    Why colonize Street Fighter and demand that it be turned into Hat Collector?

    That I can't answer. I like MPQ.

  • DAZ0273
    DAZ0273 Posts: 12,254 Chairperson of the Boards

    @LuxAurae said:

    @DAZ0273 said:

    @LuxAurae said:
    This thought experiment that was never a thought experiment but rather a vehicle for EB to disregard any statement and make arguments ex absurdio about imaginary players and situations and game states, has pretty much run its course by now.

    Neither side is benefitting from this.

    Thank you for your time.

    Wait...did you just decide you can shut this thread down?

    No, just that I won’t be participating in it anymore. It’s leading nowhere but shouting louder and bringing up more absurdities.

    But thank you for yet another demeaning comment.

    It was a question just because it sort of seemed like you were but OK. No interest in being demeaning.

  • DAZ0273
    DAZ0273 Posts: 12,254 Chairperson of the Boards

    I wouldn't be adverse to having something like they did in the Midnight Suns game where you could send characters away on side missions and they could bring you back resources. Maybe you could unlock them via gameplay.

  • Gymp28
    Gymp28 Posts: 341 Mover and Shaker

    @DAZ0273 said:
    I wouldn't be adverse to having something like they did in the Midnight Suns game where you could send characters away on side missions and they could bring you back resources. Maybe you could unlock them via gameplay.

    Perhaps they could also add a dating/ character relationship feature, and we could really find out the answer to your latest polls?

  • DAZ0273
    DAZ0273 Posts: 12,254 Chairperson of the Boards

    @Gymp28 said:

    @DAZ0273 said:
    I wouldn't be adverse to having something like they did in the Midnight Suns game where you could send characters away on side missions and they could bring you back resources. Maybe you could unlock them via gameplay.

    Perhaps they could also add a dating/ character relationship feature, and we could really find out the answer to your latest polls?

    Ohhh good idea! I can't wait to see what happens when Man-Thing (soon TM) and She Hulk go on a date! What would Daredevil see in Invisible Woman? Nothing! He's blind and she's not there! Aunt May might give Doc Ock another go? What could be the arm in it?

    I now absolutely want to send my roster on dates!

  • LuxAurae
    LuxAurae Posts: 93 Match Maker

    @DAZ0273 said:
    I wouldn't be adverse to having something like they did in the Midnight Suns game where you could send characters away on side missions and they could bring you back resources. Maybe you could unlock them via gameplay.

    This is something Demiurge toyed with as an idea alongside team-ups (the refresh time on sending team ups basically denotes side mission and they wanted to expand on that). You would get small rewards when they came back.
    They never followed through on that idea though, but they suggested it.

  • DAZ0273
    DAZ0273 Posts: 12,254 Chairperson of the Boards

    @LuxAurae said:

    @DAZ0273 said:
    I wouldn't be adverse to having something like they did in the Midnight Suns game where you could send characters away on side missions and they could bring you back resources. Maybe you could unlock them via gameplay.

    This is something Demiurge toyed with as an idea alongside team-ups (the refresh time on sending team ups basically denotes side mission and they wanted to expand on that). You would get small rewards when they came back.
    They never followed through on that idea though, but they suggested it.

    Yeah, I seem to remember that. Oh well, you never know.

  • Blackstone
    Blackstone Posts: 902 Critical Contributor

    I feel as though the heart of the question in the OP is "would you play the game solely for the enjoyment of playing the game? No incentives, no pressure to keep up, just playing because you enjoy the game play?", and my personal answer is that I really don't like the option you've offered.

    I would likely not use it at all, except when I was so busy it was the only practical way to keep up with resource gains.

    I do genuinely enjoy playing the game, but if I had the option I would play it somewhere in between reality (play these nodes at these times as quickly as possible) and your suggestion (don't play at all).

    My preference would be to play each PVE node of each event once as it came around in rotation, with no pressure on time, character effects on, experimenting with teams, I'd get the full experience of playing the game and not bother grinding...

    I do this occasionally anyway, sacrificing placement to actual play.

  • entrailbucket
    entrailbucket Posts: 8,189 Chairperson of the Boards

    @Blackstone said:
    I feel as though the heart of the question in the OP is "would you play the game solely for the enjoyment of playing the game? No incentives, no pressure to keep up, just playing because you enjoy the game play?", and my personal answer is that I really don't like the option you've offered.

    I would likely not use it at all, except when I was so busy it was the only practical way to keep up with resource gains.

    I do genuinely enjoy playing the game, but if I had the option I would play it somewhere in between reality (play these nodes at these times as quickly as possible) and your suggestion (don't play at all).

    My preference would be to play each PVE node of each event once as it came around in rotation, with no pressure on time, character effects on, experimenting with teams, I'd get the full experience of playing the game and not bother grinding...

    I do this occasionally anyway, sacrificing placement to actual play.

    That's part of it, but it's really meant to expose the absurdity of "I only play the match-3 game for the rewards."

    Because if you'd skip all of the events, like I suspect many would, then what are you going to DO with all the stuff you get? Why do you want the covers and tokens and ISO when their only use is to play the match-3 game?

  • Scofie
    Scofie GLOBAL_MODERATORS Posts: 1,750 Chairperson of the Boards

    I think it's an interesting question. There are some days I don't have enough time to play the game and get a good night sleep. I play the game but I complete it quickly to max the points. It's not even rewards - even at 2am I still play beyond the green tick. And it makes no difference to my placement either. Why, you ask? I don't know. And will I change my behaviour, you ask? Probably not. So I think I'd press the button a few times. But then I wouldn't. Interestingly, I miss whole PvP events and don't care. I could use my time better for optimal rewards but I don't. It's routine and habit and it's probably not one I'll break. I'd need to replace it by pressing a button, but that wouldn't be interesting. I'd miss the fall of the gems, the cascades and the random outcome every now and again that either makes me laugh or makes me angry.

  • entrailbucket
    entrailbucket Posts: 8,189 Chairperson of the Boards
    edited 6 February 2026 00:37

    @Scofie said:
    I think it's an interesting question. There are some days I don't have enough time to play the game and get a good night sleep. I play the game but I complete it quickly to max the points. It's not even rewards - even at 2am I still play beyond the green tick. And it makes no difference to my placement either. Why, you ask? I don't know. And will I change my behaviour, you ask? Probably not. So I think I'd press the button a few times. But then I wouldn't. Interestingly, I miss whole PvP events and don't care. I could use my time better for optimal rewards but I don't. It's routine and habit and it's probably not one I'll break. I'd need to replace it by pressing a button, but that wouldn't be interesting. I'd miss the fall of the gems, the cascades and the random outcome every now and again that either makes me laugh or makes me angry.

    I think what's most interesting to me about the whole conversation (and this is going to sound condescending but I promise it's not) is how many people do stuff they consider very important without knowing why they do it, and actively refuse to even consider why they do it.

    Maybe I'm the weird one -- if some part of a leisure activity stops being fun, or ever feels like work, I'll just go do something more fun.

  • Scofie
    Scofie GLOBAL_MODERATORS Posts: 1,750 Chairperson of the Boards

    @entrailbucket said:

    @Scofie said:
    I think it's an interesting question. There are some days I don't have enough time to play the game and get a good night sleep. I play the game but I complete it quickly to max the points. It's not even rewards - even at 2am I still play beyond the green tick. And it makes no difference to my placement either. Why, you ask? I don't know. And will I change my behaviour, you ask? Probably not. So I think I'd press the button a few times. But then I wouldn't. Interestingly, I miss whole PvP events and don't care. I could use my time better for optimal rewards but I don't. It's routine and habit and it's probably not one I'll break. I'd need to replace it by pressing a button, but that wouldn't be interesting. I'd miss the fall of the gems, the cascades and the random outcome every now and again that either makes me laugh or makes me angry.

    I think what's most interesting to me about the whole conversation (and this is going to sound condescending but I promise it's not) is how many people do stuff they consider very important without knowing why they do it, and actively refuse to even consider why they do it.

    Maybe I'm the weird one -- if some part of a leisure activity stops being fun, or ever feels like work, I'll just go do something more fun.

    Yeah, I know what you were getting to and I don't disagree with the logic. But there is a real power in ritual or routine. I fall asleep playing regularly and I still finish the clears, otherwise I can't sleep properly without waking up several times.

    There's another game I started playing a few months back with daily quests and I do those too. For no other purpose than to complete them. They're not fun either. I'll probably give that one up soon.

  • DAZ0273
    DAZ0273 Posts: 12,254 Chairperson of the Boards

    @Scofie said:

    @entrailbucket said:

    @Scofie said:
    I think it's an interesting question. There are some days I don't have enough time to play the game and get a good night sleep. I play the game but I complete it quickly to max the points. It's not even rewards - even at 2am I still play beyond the green tick. And it makes no difference to my placement either. Why, you ask? I don't know. And will I change my behaviour, you ask? Probably not. So I think I'd press the button a few times. But then I wouldn't. Interestingly, I miss whole PvP events and don't care. I could use my time better for optimal rewards but I don't. It's routine and habit and it's probably not one I'll break. I'd need to replace it by pressing a button, but that wouldn't be interesting. I'd miss the fall of the gems, the cascades and the random outcome every now and again that either makes me laugh or makes me angry.

    I think what's most interesting to me about the whole conversation (and this is going to sound condescending but I promise it's not) is how many people do stuff they consider very important without knowing why they do it, and actively refuse to even consider why they do it.

    Maybe I'm the weird one -- if some part of a leisure activity stops being fun, or ever feels like work, I'll just go do something more fun.

    Yeah, I know what you were getting to and I don't disagree with the logic. But there is a real power in ritual or routine. I fall asleep playing regularly and I still finish the clears, otherwise I can't sleep properly without waking up several times.

    There's another game I started playing a few months back with daily quests and I do those too. For no other purpose than to complete them. They're not fun either. I'll probably give that one up soon.

    Jump off the wheel!!!!

  • Scofie
    Scofie GLOBAL_MODERATORS Posts: 1,750 Chairperson of the Boards

    @DAZ0273 said:

    @Scofie said:

    @entrailbucket said:

    @Scofie said:
    I think it's an interesting question. There are some days I don't have enough time to play the game and get a good night sleep. I play the game but I complete it quickly to max the points. It's not even rewards - even at 2am I still play beyond the green tick. And it makes no difference to my placement either. Why, you ask? I don't know. And will I change my behaviour, you ask? Probably not. So I think I'd press the button a few times. But then I wouldn't. Interestingly, I miss whole PvP events and don't care. I could use my time better for optimal rewards but I don't. It's routine and habit and it's probably not one I'll break. I'd need to replace it by pressing a button, but that wouldn't be interesting. I'd miss the fall of the gems, the cascades and the random outcome every now and again that either makes me laugh or makes me angry.

    I think what's most interesting to me about the whole conversation (and this is going to sound condescending but I promise it's not) is how many people do stuff they consider very important without knowing why they do it, and actively refuse to even consider why they do it.

    Maybe I'm the weird one -- if some part of a leisure activity stops being fun, or ever feels like work, I'll just go do something more fun.

    Yeah, I know what you were getting to and I don't disagree with the logic. But there is a real power in ritual or routine. I fall asleep playing regularly and I still finish the clears, otherwise I can't sleep properly without waking up several times.

    There's another game I started playing a few months back with daily quests and I do those too. For no other purpose than to complete them. They're not fun either. I'll probably give that one up soon.

    Jump off the wheel!!!!

    Yeah, but.... things. I have amassed a great fortune of resources which I can do little or nothing with. Yet!

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