Dear elite players: pls consider an AMA (or pls humour me)

Marvel Puzzle Quest MPQ General Discussion
1

I don’t suppose one (or a few) of the elite players would do an AMA or answer some questions below? I’m very curious as to how elite players play the game.

  1. Please describe why you are considered “elite”? Where do you typically rank in events?

  2. How much do you play on a typical day? On a day where you are grinding to top rank?

  3. Do you enjoy playing, or do you enjoy winning?

  4. How long have you been playing?

  5. How much money have you spent?

  6. What is your fave character to play with that isn’t typically considered top tier?

  7. What is your alliance like? What do you have to do to produce for the alliance?

  8. What is your favorite artwork? What about your favorite skill usage animation?

  9. What would you tell a new player starting today?

  10. What would you tell the designers (one negative, one positive)

  11. Do you play other video games? What ones?

  12. What is your fave combo in game?

  13. Anything else you want to add?

I appreciate this everyone! Add other questions if you guys want!
-jaycat

2

What is your favorite SINGLE power.

What character’s powers do you feel best represent that actual character? Least?

The Ultron event, for all its complaints (justified and otherwise) has been the only ingame example of Alliance team gameplay. What would you like to see added to further encourage teamwork among alliance members?

3

Hope that was helpful - Good Luck!

4

I basically win PvE at will. I’m told I’m pretty good at PvP too. I question the sanity of those people. Shrug

  1. How much do you play on a typical day? On a day where you are grinding to top rank?
    Depends if I have to/want to grind PvE something like 4 hours…without PvE almost no time at all.
  1. Do you enjoy playing, or do you enjoy winning?
    I enjoy playing PvE PvP is just a needed chore. Duh losing sucks.
  1. How long have you been playing?
    I’d have to check for an exact number but something like 570 days.
  1. How much money have you spent?
    $0.00
  1. What is your fave character to play with that isn’t typically considered top tier?
    I no longer pay attention to what people consider top tier. I’ve really enjoyed using CMarv pretty sure no one has ever claimed her to be top tier?
  1. What is your alliance like? What do you have to do to produce for the alliance?
    Like most I assume. What do I have to produce or what do I feel I need to produce since those are probably wildly different numbers.
  1. What is your favorite artwork? What about your favorite skill usage animation?
    How 'bout my least favorite artwork instead that’s easy. Squirrel Girl.
  1. What would you tell a new player starting today?
    I’m pretty sure the game has changed so much since I started it’d be nearly useless advice.
  1. What would you tell the designers (one negative, one positive)
    This is one of those if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all situations. It honestly feels like the devs just accidentally fall into the few things they do right.
  1. Do you play other video games? What ones?
    In the past. I played Final Fantasy entirely too much.
  1. What is your fave combo in game?
    The one that wins.
  1. Anything else you want to add?
    Nope.

EDIT: changed 470 days to 570. Stupid number keys being hard to hit.

5

I don’t think I’m elite by any means, but I do think I’m above average with my roster and rankings. I finish around 20th for most PVE’s, and only go for top 100 for PVP’s. I scored over 7500 last season for the first time.

  1. How much do you play on a typical day? On a day where you are grinding to top rank? I probably play 2-4 hours, but I don’t know for sure and I’m definitely not going to keep track. This is from Deadpool Daily’s, getting a clear or two in for PVE, and grinding for placement in PVE/PVP’s.
  2. Do you enjoy playing, or do you enjoy winning? I enjoy the game and it’s simplicity layered with complexity. It’s just a match-3 game, but once you get into it you see there’s a lot more depth. And of course winning (well, placing high and getting new covers) is what keeps me coming back.
  3. How long have you been playing? 319 days.
  4. How much money have you spent? $5 for HP for roster slots. That was before I joined my current alliance, which has made my HP income more than adequate to keep up with new character releases.
  5. What is your fave character to play with that isn’t typically considered top tier? I’ve always liked Colossus. I don’t really know why. There are a bunch of better tank characters, he needs some slight tweaks, but I love his red and enjoy chucking a teammate into the air.
  6. What is your alliance like? What do you have to do to produce for the alliance? My alliance is awesome. They are friendly, helpful, and understanding. We are a top 100 PVE/top 250 PVP alliance. We all shoot for the top progression rewards but usually score much higher. There aren’t strict guidelines, but you can’t get away with slacking.
  7. What is your favorite artwork? What about your favorite skill usage animation? I think my favorite artwork is Iron Fist, but my favorite animation is Cyclop’s Full Blast. It’s just… so satisfying when you see it go off.
  8. What would you tell a new player starting today? Find an alliance that fits you as a player and shares your goals. Also, only spend HP on roster slots. Also, OBW. Get yourself a 3/5/5 OBW as quick as you can if you don’t have one yet.
  9. Do you play other video games? What ones? No other mobile games for me.
  10. What is your fave combo in game? I’ve been using DP/KK/Cage as a simulator team and I’ve really enjoyed it. Quick abilities mean lots of heals, all three are annoying in their own ways on defense. Also, Blade/Patch/Daken. Strike tiles for days.
6

Thanks to those that took that time to answer so far, they are great to read. I hope more veteran players take a moment and add their comments.

7

I think veteran players would be a better description, elite sounds like we are better players, but in games like this it is all about time spent playing.

  1. Please describe why you are considered “elite”? Where do you typically rank in events?
    I hit 1k or more, in most cases I can walk to 1.1k+ and take top 10 and only use one 3 hour shield.

  2. How much do you play on a typical day? On a day where you are grinding to top rank?
    It depends on what is happening. If an important PVE event going down and a PVP is ending, then up to 6 hours. On Sundays when a season is ending and usually a PVE that is important I will spend the whole day playing. Typically though, about 2-3 hours to get ISO from unimportant PVEs and DDQs.

  3. Do you enjoy playing, or do you enjoy winning?
    Both.

  4. How long have you been playing?
    Since about October 2013.

  5. How much money have you spent?
    I funded an alliance by myself, and got it all refunded back when they made alliances free to make. Other than that, nothing.

  6. What is your fave character to play with that isn’t typically considered top tier?
    Quicksilver. His black is fun and gambling with green can turn a game around.

  7. What is your alliance like? What do you have to do to produce for the alliance?
    I run two alliances, a 2* alliance, Chicken Tonight, who we help so they can eventually populate our top 100 alliance Shake N Bake icon_e_biggrin.gif

  1. What is your favorite artwork? What about your favorite skill usage animation?
    Deadpool’s is hilarious, but that is to be expected. Squirrel Girls new cover is probably my favorite. I also like her animation for “Nuts from Above”, not only is the name funny, but she looks like a crazy cat lady jumping out of a bush or something.

  2. What would you tell a new player starting today?
    Welcome! If you need any advice on what 3*s to keep, you can check my guide here: https://forums.505go.com/discussion/30187

  3. What would you tell the designers (one negative, one positive)
    PvP is a well polished product, keep working on PVE so it ends up just as good!

  4. Do you play other video games? What ones?
    I play mostly PC games, i’m a big Steam fan. I would have beaten Arkham Knight now if it wasn’t so horribly flopped to PC.

  5. What is your fave combo in game?
    I found a fun combo when Loki was revamped that I call my infinate AP combo. Despite XForce’s nerf, it still works well: Loki, XForce, Cmags.

  6. Anything else you want to add?
    The bigger your roster, the more fun the game gets. Have patience and things will just get better.

8
9

Well since the standard of elite has been dropped, I’ll chime in too.

10
11

not really elite- partly retired for the last 4 seasons - I play with a selective PvE alliance now, we vote on how hard we will go when PvE is announced. We finish top 20
Before that I use to finish top 5 in PvE and top 10 often top 5 in PvP but that burned me out.

  1. How much do you play on a typical day? On a day where you are grinding to top rank?
    Depends If we have a maximum code on PvE, if we do about 3 hours , if not 60-90 minutes
  1. Do you enjoy playing, or do you enjoy winning?
    I enjoy match games, this one is special because of super heroes and the combos, selecting the right team (more in PvE) - also easily get snagged by addicting behavior, Games are better than other addictions
  1. How long have you been playing?
    Day 574
  1. How much money have you spent?
    100$ + some 5$ for slots not sure how many
  1. What is your fave character to play with that isn’t typically considered top tier?
    I like IW since she saved my butt in Ultron Tetris
  1. What is your alliance like? What do you have to do to produce for the alliance?
    See 1- When I was hardcore I was with a fun bunch too, both PvP ad PvE , really supportive group- used to be top 100 but they are way better now, top 25
  1. What is your favorite artwork? What about your favorite skill usage animation?
    I like the PvP backgrounds I want them all for PC backgrounds
  1. What would you tell a new player starting today?
    My nephew is just starting , I realized I have no clue what it’s like these days
  1. What would you tell the designers (one negative, one positive)
    Pass
  1. Do you play other video games? What ones?
    Not much anymore
  1. What is your fave combo in game?
    4Thor-Cage
  1. Anything else you want to add?
    Know what you are getting into, this is addictive and it consumes a lot of time to be good
12
13

lol… Lower standard… me too! (I’ll qualify that below)

14

I’m bored at work so I’ll give it a shot:

  1. Please describe why you are considered “elite”? Where do you typically rank in events?

I’m by no means elite, but I’ve played for a while. I can run it up to 1100 in pvp if I feel like it and the covers are worth fighting for top 5. I usually lose interest in PVE somewhere after the third refresh.

  1. How much do you play on a typical day? On a day where you are grinding to top rank?

I’ll do DDQ, and play for maybe an hour or two throughout the day when I’m bored

  1. Do you enjoy playing, or do you enjoy winning?

I do enjoy playing again. I took two months off when it was feeling way too grindy.

  1. How long have you been playing?

492 days, but not consecutive. Like I said I took two months off, but that worked out cause it made me want to play again and I had missed enough stuff where there’s actually covers and things I need ot keep me going.

  1. How much money have you spent?

Between $20-$30. I felt obligated to buy something since I’ve played the game so much so I bought HP during two of the sales. It mostly just sits unused, but I think it’s important to support the stuff you do.

  1. What is your fave character to play with that isn’t typically considered top tier?

I play Deadpool a ton. he’s not lower tier, but I don;t think many would call him elite.

  1. What is your alliance like? What do you have to do to produce for the alliance?

My alliance is great. I’ve been in it since season two (they even took me back when I returned). We know when to push and when to make events optional and our offline chat is a lot of game chat, but we chat about other stuff too. i’d say we’re as much of friends as internet strangers can be at this point.

  1. What is your favorite artwork? What about your favorite skill usage animation?

XF is a pretty rad cover, and who doesn’t love Devil Dino’s teeny tiny arms flapping around.

  1. What would you tell a new player starting today?

Find an alliance who lets you play as much as you want and have fun. If you aren’t having fun, don’t play the game.

  1. What would you tell the designers (one negative, one positive)

The recent changes have made PVP a lot of fun again, but PVE is still pretty miserable. Find more ways like Ultron to reward covers that don;t require timing every refresh down to the second in a mad dash competition, after all its PVE not PVP. Also if you’re going to keep it the same expand the progression rewards to reflect the fact that we’re gonna need a ton of points. Nothing sucks more than hitting top progression prize on Day 2 or 3 of a 7 day event and knowing you’ll be grinding away for nothing.

  1. Do you play other video games? What ones?

I play a lot of Destiny, probably more than I should.

  1. What is your fave combo in game?

I love Patch Loki. I use it more than every other combo combined.

  1. Anything else you want to add?

Nope

15

Turns out I am near-elite, an age-grouper if you will (not a Kenyan).

16

More boss characters make a lot of sense. More missions that require your team to play specific things in order to progress. Maybe something where your alliance can all bring certain characters and no one else can? Our rosters probably aren’t big enough yet…

17
  1. Please describe why you are considered “elite”? Where do you typically rank in events?
    I don’t think there is “elite”. Just hardcore and less hardcore.

T5 pvp, t1 new char pve.

  1. How much do you play on a typical day? On a day where you are grinding to top rank?
    2hours? Up to 5, 6 hours for new char pve.

  2. Do you enjoy playing, or do you enjoy winning?
    I like the pokemon aspect of it.

  3. How long have you been playing?
    Over a year.

  4. How much money have you spent?
    Less than what I pay for a pair of heels.

  5. What is your fave character to play with that isn’t typically considered top tier?
    OBW. Double dipping on strikes.

  6. What is your alliance like? What do you have to do to produce for the alliance?
    Crewsaders.
    Production typically requires intercourse. They have not asked me to produce anything/one.

  7. What is your favorite artwork? What about your favorite skill usage animation?
    I like scythes.
    I also like the sound effects for hulkbuster. And hate gams’ constipated tree chopping sounds.

  8. What would you tell a new player starting today?
    Back. Away. Slowly.

  9. What would you tell the designers (one negative, one positive)
    -ve : We need a good green power.
    +ve : you guys are under-appreciated.

  10. Do you play other video games? What ones?
    only cell phone games. Right now, Sheep happens, and luminosity.

  11. What is your fave combo in game?
    OBW double dips.
    Witch, Prof x, gsbw.

  12. Anything else you want to add?

18

But Bow and Puerto Rico are totally casual. Their scores totally fall within Django’s casual line of 300-1600.

19
20

  1. Please describe why you are considered “elite”? Where do you typically rank in events?
    not sure if i’m considered elite per say, but i just passed 5000 hours on the steam version, so i’ll assume that’s enough…usually rank top 5 in 70% of the events i enter.

  2. How much do you play on a typical day? On a day where you are grinding to top rank?
    2-3 hours per day on non trying days(I.E. No events/subs ending) and 5 or 6 on event ending days, even more on days that have both pvp and pve ending.

  3. Do you enjoy playing, or do you enjoy winning?
    I do enjoy playing, i definitely enjoy winning and the moves they’ve implemented lately have only increased that.

  4. How long have you been playing?
    i am on day 514, just passed 5000 hours on steam

  5. How much money have you spent?
    at least a couple thousand, dropped 250$ in one sitting once to jump start my 2-3 star transition.

  6. What is your fave character to play with that isn’t typically considered top tier?
    my Goon squad team of Prof X/Daken/Falcon, can usually get to 5k/match by the end

  7. What is your alliance like? What do you have to do to produce for the alliance?
    Django is pretty casual laid back, no real hard limit that i know of.

  8. What is your favorite artwork? What about your favorite skill usage animation?
    the first cover of the Deadpool character, the mario themed one was my favorite. Favorite animation is still Devil Dino’s purple, Deadpool’s purple and Ares green.

  9. What would you tell a new player starting today?
    Keep at it, don’t get frustrated, stay commited and don’t be afraid to ask questions no matter how stupid you think they are.

  10. What would you tell the designers (one negative, one positive)
    try to be more communicative on the forums, keep the game going the way it’s going cause it’s nice that you’re doing something positive for vets.

  11. Do you play other video games? What ones?
    i have an Xbox 360 and around 200 games…so basically all of them. only other steam game i have is Town of Salem.

  12. What is your fave combo in game?
    Right now…Carnage/Whoever is good buffed with carnage. Overall, Scarlet Witch/Cap/Hood, still my sim team.

  13. Anything else you want to add?
    don’t go against Carnage/Ant-Man