New Feature in R191: Shards

145791032

Comments

  • DAZ0273
    DAZ0273 Posts: 9,572 Chairperson of the Boards
    There is far too much going on in this thread to really get a handle on this thing for me.

    I may have missed it but what happens with pulling a 3* out of a Standard token with shards? Do we get the equivalent of enough shards for a 3* cover to replace the guaranteed bonus hero that was there before?

    I will echo that whilst this should be an improvement for 5* cover acquisition it is adding layers to 4* and 3* cover management that I don't really want - with these tiers I was quite happy with the bonus hero function (although nothing is perfect, right?), this seems to add an extra layer of roster management in terms of shard acquisition. Unless we get some "neutral" shards that we can apply to anybody we like (not likely) we are going to chasing fractions of covers through gameplay I am guessing as well as our favourited characters. I dunno, maybe I have that all wrong? I wont pretend to have this locked down and understood at all.
  • DAZ0273
    DAZ0273 Posts: 9,572 Chairperson of the Boards
    OJSP said:
    The chance of getting a 3* from a Standard token is 2.5% (1 in every 40 pulls). We need 50 Standard tokens to get 300 shards (6 3* shards per token). So, the rate of acquisition for all tiers is lower than Bonus Heroes.
    Hmm. This may just be me but this new system is also far less pleasing at the lower tier levels on a psychological basis. When you get a bonus 3* from a standard it is like a little *high five* from the game that gives you a small buzz. This is just full on grinding, open tokens, collect shards, grind towards level total.

    A small thing no doubt in the larger scheme but not a fun one.

    OK, enough moaning and switch to wait and see.
  • Kletvar
    Kletvar Posts: 91 Match Maker
    nordhofsweden said:
    Why do I bh 4*?
    Mostly to champ them (but also or to get a 5* cover). It's kinda risky to target a character you're about to champ. If you get that cover in a pack you'll either "waste" your shards or continue fighting to get it from 270 to 271. (Ok, that means you'll get the LL-token so at least it's not a complete waste.)
    Would be better if the shards went in to a pool rather than be specific to one character.
  • JDFiend
    JDFiend Posts: 37 Just Dropped In
    edited November 2019
    I maybe wrong, but think this system was designed as way to feed stable five rewards into events.

    They've always considered 5* covers to valuable as a reward. But what about a percentage of a five? 

    Percentages on a standard token might be lower statically, but you gain shards for 3* across several tokens. Playing DDQ every day for a week and getting the elite will net you 91(13 x 7) shards. In conjunction with the standards earned it is 121. So you're getting over a third (?) of a 3* from the easiest event with a low token yield.

    Factor in progression rewards, and and node clear standard tokens ( just how many do you get on average per sub? ) and you'll most probably be getting more than one three cover a week from steady sources. Without bringing in shield intercept bonuses, and daily resupplies.

    Though maths was never my strong suit.

    Edit: bad maths, was going off standard tokens being three not six shards. 
  • MadScientist
    MadScientist Posts: 317 Mover and Shaker
    edited November 2019
    AXP_isme said:

    3) what happens when I cross the threshold. Does it go to 501/500 or do I lose the extra shards? It would be rubbish to lose 20+ shards because you were at 299 for a 3*. 

    I doubt that the extra shards will vanish, after all a 40-pack gives 485 3*-shards.
  • MegaBee
    MegaBee Posts: 975 Critical Contributor
    Looks good. Thanks for the update!
  • crackninja
    crackninja Posts: 444 Mover and Shaker
    I'd like to point out that they have now given us a mechanism to earn 1/6500th if a character.  I mean I love numbers, but I just can't see how psychologically it's a good idea to make it so transparent to the player.  #pleasedontgiveusoneshardinrewards
  • MrDupaTM
    MrDupaTM Posts: 64 Match Maker
    jamesh said:
    I guess another way to look at this is that it removes a gambling mechanic from a game that appeals to children.  That alone seems like a good thing on principle.
    It doesn't remove anything significant really.
    You get all the characters at random from the vaults and tokens.

    It only removes a very small part of the rng system.
  • MrDupaTM
    MrDupaTM Posts: 64 Match Maker
    I'll reserve judgement until I see it in action, but my initial 1st impression from reading the post is that completely doing away with the free bonus hero cover is rather mean spirited.
    It's not mean spirited but it is pretty stupid solution to the randomness of bonus cover and not a solution at all to the dilution problem.

    This should work along the bonus hero and ONLY to unchamped characters. This way the newcomers could catch up and the elite players champ the new characters quicker rather than level the already too powerful heroes.

    It's such a terrible idea.
  • Tony_Foot
    Tony_Foot Posts: 1,698 Chairperson of the Boards
    Despite all this faff I would still rather they just changed the BH percentage on each tier as they added to the dilution. Seems a lot of work for something that could have been implemented in seconds.
  • Kletvar
    Kletvar Posts: 91 Match Maker
    edited November 2019
    If someone needs statistics for further arguments, here are my pulls in the past 10 months:

    Standard tokens: Total=2158.        1*=1810.          2*=296.         3*=52.

    Elite tokens: Total=978.       2*=747.      3*=170.       3*(+ bonus included)=61.

    Heroic tokens: Total=539.       2*=378.        3*=107.     3*+BH=25.        4*=20.       4*+BH=8

    10-pack Heroic tokens: Total=100.       2*=65.       3*=20.     3*+BH=10.    4*=5.        4*+BH=0

    25 CP tokens (Latest legendary and special stores): Total:82         4*66.         4*+BH=2         5*=13        5*+BH=1

    Classic Legend tokens: Total=145         4*=125        4*+BH=6            5*=14          5*+BH=0


    I don't have much time right now to calculate how many pulls on average were required for a specific pull, but i'll do it later. Or someone else can do it.
  • DAZ0273
    DAZ0273 Posts: 9,572 Chairperson of the Boards
    Kletvar said:
    If someone needs statistics for further arguments, here are my pulls in the past 10 months:

    Standard tokens: Total=2158.        1*=1810.          2*=296.         3*=52.



    I don't have much time right now to calculate how many pulls on average were required for a specific pull, but i'll do it later. Or someone else can do it.
    Do those 3* include the automatic Bonus Hero?

    Anyway - 2158 x 6 = 12938/300 = 43.16 so you are way down on 3* from Standards.
  • The rockett
    The rockett Posts: 2,016 Chairperson of the Boards
    bluewolf said:
    For all those who asked:  If you have shards in a person that you get a cover for, those shards remain stuck in that character forever until you eventually add enough shards to convert them to a cover.

    No switching shards to a new character or anything like that.

    At least they can become a champ level?  Which is of dubious help if you are in the purgatory of trying to cover the 4 tier, obviously.

    This was answered on Discord.......  ducks
    Wow so this could really hurt you in the long run. This is truly disappointing that you gain some control and lose a ton of control overall.  
  • Kletvar
    Kletvar Posts: 91 Match Maker
    edited November 2019
    DAZ0273 said:
    Kletvar said:
    If someone needs statistics for further arguments, here are my pulls in the past 10 months:

    Standard tokens: Total=2158.        1*=1810.          2*=296.         3*=52.



    I don't have much time right now to calculate how many pulls on average were required for a specific pull, but i'll do it later. Or someone else can do it.
    Do those 3* include the automatic Bonus Hero?

    Anyway - 2158 x 6 = 12938/300 = 43.16 so you are way down on 3* from Standards.
    Yes, it's 3+BH. I didn't think it was necessary to write it because a Bonus Hero is guaranteed with every 3* pull from the standard tokens.
  • ThaRoadWarrior
    ThaRoadWarrior Posts: 9,125 Chairperson of the Boards
    helix72 said:

    1) Until we know how much/how often earning shards will take place in other areas of the game (e.g. progression rewards, placement rewards, vaults, HfH, etc), it is too early to tell if the straight expected value of the change is in our favor or against us. As many have pointed out, without any additional ways to earn shards this is a loss, because we go from 0.75% (15% x 5%) of a bonus 5* each LT/Classic pull to 0.60% (3/500), a reduction of 20%.
    I'm not sure that math works out as you have it worded here - your chance to get a bonus hero doesn't drop by 20%, it goes away entirely. So you don't have a 0.6% chance to pull a "bonus," you are just getting a 5* cover of your choice every 166.667 legendary pulls (not inclusive of supplemental shard economies) straight up. We have traded "the chance" for reliability.