Ideas in Response to Recent Criticism

Marvel Puzzle Quest MPQ Suggestions and Feedback
1

You will notice my ridiculously low post count. Ignore that for a moment. I’ve been lurking for a little while, and playing for about 120 days. There is alot here, feel free to skim.

If you feel like commenting, please state what you are commenting on. Any comments are welcome, even flames. I don’t bruise easy, but I spell poorly.

This post presents some ideas to fix issues that are frustrating in the game currently:

    1. Difficulty with the 2* transition to 3*
  1. Progression reward structure
  2. Season reward structure
  3. The disconnect between the SHIELD simulator and the progression prizes
  4. PVP placement rewards
  5. PVE placement rewards

Also, problems that will peak in about 6 months:

    1. 4* domination. In about 6 months (if not sooner) top tier teams will consist entirely of maxed 4* characters, possibly X-Force Wolverine / Lady Thor + 1 more (Hood?). I believe that it will eventually become a problem, but feel free to disagree. This is really a side point, imo.
  1. Event Unplayability. This simple idea, so please follow the logic. In order to truly compete in PVE events (or compete well in PVP events), you need to have the featured character to get to the essential nodes to enable you to score high enough. When newer characters are introduced, they are generally necessary for essential nodes. Even when recently released characters are not required, a larger available character roster results in lower odds of having the right character. Usually essential characters are offered in PVP, but rosters take time to grow. Even in terms of pure collection, starting from a single 3* cover on a character to a fully covered character is extremely difficult, especially given the competition in PVE and PVP placement rewards. With every new character introduced, collection becomes more difficult (for the complete-ists) and progression becomes highly difficult for the new players, as they simply don’t have roster space and keep getting different 3* character covers and keep needing those characters for the next PVE.
  2. Stale Old Content. Everyone was griping about Heroic Juggernaut–partly because how it was previously balanced (gripes about stun-locks, Yelena repeated stealing, and feeding greens to Juggs) and also partly because of how it scales (Juggernaut does a LOT of damage with a little AP, even at 20 levels below my characters!).

The following are my suggestions. Some of these would be difficult to do, I imagine, but hey–I’m posting on an internet forum. I might as well just throw out all my crazy ideas. I am coining terms below because I have not seen anyone else come up with precisely these ideas.

  1. Story-Book content.

Please follow along with this set up as it is a bit hard to explain. If I were to envision the content right now, I would put together three distinct phases: beginning the game (1* characters, trying to get 2* characters), 2* to 3* transition, and end game (All you Sentry Bombers out there!). Suppose for a moment that players were forced into one of three rooms. Everyone starts at the first room: Dark Reign. This first room has all the story presently in the prologue, but ends with one additional story than we have now: a final, gauntlet style event that is something like Avengers v. Dark Avengers, but not scaled to the player. Instead, it would be scaled to a maxed 2* roster.

While a player is in a ‘Story-Book’ (beginning player aka. Dark Reign / Intermediate player / End Game) whenever they fight in PVP or PVE events, they are in brackets with other players in the Story-Book’. However, rewards are similarly scaled. For the Dark Reign Story-Book, players would only be competing for 2* prizes, except the #1 prize, which would be covers from a narrow list of 3* characters (instead of 4* characters). Right now, if a player places first in a PVP or PVE event, they will get, say, an X-Force cover. For the Dark Reign Story-Book(beginner), they would instead get either a Punisher, Psylock, or Doctor Octopus cover (or a similar narrow list, probably more focused on some of the original 3* characters). Other than the featured PVP character, no 3* would be allowed in PVP in this Story-Book.

All Story-Books participate in the same events (from Real Steel to Deadpool vs. MPU), however both progression and placement awards are scaled the Story-Book that the players are currently in. To enter the next Story-Book, you finish the final story node for that section, sort of like an end-game progression and boss battle. Essential nodes would require characters accessible to that level of play. Alliance rewards would also scale, but a player’s participation in the alliance would still help the alliance. Events like Balance of Power would allow all players to mingle into each other’s brackets–so there would still be some intermingling.

The midgame Story-Book would have Two additional permanent storyline PVE events that would be scaled to the 2* to 3* transition, but unlike the Dark Reign storyline, it would only provide covers for a single 3* character–maybe Punisher or another solid 3* that is a great midgame character. This helps the transitioning player develop a key character while developing the rest of their roster. The #1 prize on each of the PVP and PVEs would no longer be 4* characters, but instead Color Specific Tokens . So a bracket reward system might be: #1 Purple Token, #2-#5 #* Thor covers, etc. After 100th place, remove the 2* characters to tokens (gold), then tokens (silver). Lets face it, no one at this level wants a 2* character, so they would rather have the tokens even though they will likely result in a 2* character. While in the 3* Storybook, you cannot have a 4* character on your teams during PVP. PVE still would allow it.

The first storyline PVE would center around the 3* token hero that everyone gets (maybe 3 covers of each color). The second storyline would be another gauntlet style event (yes, this event is that popular and fun), resulting another boss type battle, scaled to a fully developed 3* roster.

The final Story-Book would appeal to the end game. There would be a very difficult final gauntlet. Winning would get you a couple of extra roster slots, so there would still be a purpose to it for end-game players. Rewards would be slightly more generous to endgame players: more 4* availability, more Color Tokens.

Side Effects: this should also reduce the need for MPQ ratings, as appropriately leveled players will only be able to attack other appropriately leveled characters.

This would not change the token system: you are still able to win tokens with random 2*, 3*, and 4* characters.

  1. Color Tokens

These are simple, special tokens ONLY FOR 3* CHARACTERS that you can win off of gold tokens (very rarely), PVE, PVP progression that will act as a cover for that color. A Yellow Token would act as a single cover for Mohawk Storm or for Patch Wolverine–it would work for any 3* with that color. By adding these into the reward pool, players would be able to focus their efforts on some of the characters that they are closest to leveling, which increases the playability of the game

  1. Subscription

I’m certain that this has been mentioned before, but a simple OPTIONAL paid subscription could help fund the game and provide better benefits to those paying. The subscription could pay for things as simple as monthly tokens or something like that.

Well, that is what I have for you.

  1. Non-Season Simulators

Each story-book could have its own simulator, none connected to the season’s pvp, but all supplying scaled progression awards. By dividing it into different story-books, you won’t have the 166 wall problem prior to reaching any worthwhile reward. End game story book simulator can have some real good straight up PVP while Intermediate Simulator can have more experimentation.

2

I’m in a similar situation as yourself (both in the lurking and playing time) and generally agree with your ideass. The problem comes with what I am slowly beginning to accept about this game - which is something I’m sure you also probably feel:

This game is designed for early adapters and whales - not new players and casual spenders.

Now, this seems weird since it is unlike almost every other F2P game (in fact, I can’t think of any other game that operates like this). That’s not to say this is wrong - if this works for D3’s bottom line, then it works for them. But it means that the criticisms you’re claiming to see aren’t really problems for them; they’re problems you (and me). So if the “rich” get richer and upgrade to 4 star rosters and the “poor” stay poor with their 2 star rosters, as long as there are enough “rich” people buying the content, nothing needs to be fixed.

I can’t state that this is absolutely their business model (I don’t work for D3), but consider the experience of a new player:

Who are the most popular Marvel characters? Let’s look at the movie franchises: Iron Man, Spiderman, Wolverine (who everyone associates with X-men), Thor
The average player will come in wanting to play with these characters. So they start off with Iron Man (so far, so good) but then look at the one stars that are thrown at them - Hawk eye, Venom, Yelena Belova (???). Probably enough to get most people to quit before they even start.

Then you start picking up some 2 star covers and see Wolverine and Thor (both of which are playable), but you also get Bagman - and can’t understand why it says this is Spiderman and why the character is so useless.

So you start to level up you Thor and Wolverine and collect covers, but before they’re even maxed, you learn that there is another Thor character that is exactly the same as your Thor, except better in every way. And there are not just one but 2 Wolverines that are better than the one you play with. Oh - and they actually do have a real Spiderman in the game, but you don’t have them.

Maybe you buy some tokens foolishly thinking you can get these character’s covers, maybe you try and win a cover in PvP. Either way, you learn that not only are you not getting these covers - because the rewards system is built to give those covers to established players - and it would take you hundreds of dollar to unlock this content (which in most games would be considered BASIC content). If you’re really smart, you also realize it will take you WEEKS to level these characters as well (or hundreds more spent). This is actually one of the more understated issues - even if every cover was given out for free and ISO was the only currency that mattered, newer players would still be months away from competing with established rosters.

This isn’t even trying to be good at the game (which is reserved for the relatively unknown characters like Sentry, Hood, BP, and Magneto). This is just a new player wanting to play with the Marvel characters they like.

So then you check out the forums, trying to figure out if you’re crazy for thinking the game is like this. And what you see confirms your suspicions - far more interest in UI, new content, character balance, and HP refunds for roster slots (concerns of established players) than concern for getting new players entrenched in the game to fortify the player base. And you end up where I’m at - accepting that this is just the way the game is built and saying “I’ll give it one more season”. Changing it would require a massive overhaul - even more than what you suggest - but that would upset the current established base (which, as we’ve seen, is something that D3 is not looking to do).

TL;DR:

Your problems are not necessarily D3’s problems (and every indication is that they aren’t). If they are, I don’t think you go far enough in your solutions for distributing content.

3

I have proposed a subscription model before… And it was not, to put it mildly, NOT well received.

https://forums.505go.com/discussion/14464

4

If the subscription is mandatory, then I wouldn’t play this game anymore. I’d prefer it be optional for some benefits that F2P players wouldn’t readily have like the OP suggested some tokens or packs for example.

5

In my suggestion, it is meant to be optional. The game should still be f2p.

6

I’m in a similar situation as yourself (both in the lurking and playing time) and generally agree with your suggestions. The problem comes with what I am slowly beginning to accept about this game - which is something I’m sure you also probably feel:

This game is designed for early adapters and whales - not new players and casual spenders.

Now, this seems weird since it is unlike almost every other F2P game (in fact, I can’t think of any other game that operates like this). That’s not to say this is wrong - if this works for D3’s bottom line, then it works for them. But it means that the criticisms you’re claiming to see aren’t really problems for them; they’re problems you (and me). So if the “rich” get richer and upgrade to 4 star rosters and the “poor” stay poor with their 2 star rosters, as long as there are enough “rich” people buying the content, nothing needs to be fixed.

Now, I can’t state that this is absolutely their business model (I don’t work for D3), but consider the experience of a new player:
Who are the most popular Marvel characters? Let’s look at the movie franchises: Iron Man, Spiderman, Wolverine (who everyone associates with X-men), Thor
The average player will come in wanting to play with these characters. So they start off with Iron Man (so far, so good) but then look at the one stars that are thrown at them - Hawk eye, Venom, Yelena Belova (???). Probably enough to get most people to quit before they even start.
Then you start picking up some 2 star covers and see Wolverine and Thor (both of which are playable), but you also get Bagman - and can’t understand why it says this is Spiderman and why the character is so useless.

So you start to level up you Thor and Wolverine and collect covers, but before they’re even maxed, you learn that there is another Thor character that is exactly the same as your Thor, except better in every way. And there are not just one but 2 Wolverines that are better than the one you play with. Oh - and they actually do have a real Spiderman in the game, but you don’t have them.

Maybe you buy some tokens foolishly thinking you can get these character’s covers, maybe you try and win a cover in PvP. Either way, you learn that not only are you not getting these covers - because the rewards system is built to give those covers to established players - and it would take you hundreds of dollar to unlock this content (which in most games would be considered BASIC content). If you’re really smart, you also realize it will take you WEEKS to level these characters as well (or hundreds more spent). This is actually one of the more understated issues - even if every cover was given out for free and ISO was the only currency that mattered, newer players would still be months away from competing with established rosters.

This isn’t even trying to be good at the game (which is reserved for the relatively unknown characters like Sentry, Hood, BP, and Magneto). This is just a new player wanting to play with the Marvel characters they like.

So then you check out the forums, trying to figure out if you’re crazy for thinking the game is like this. And what you see confirms your suspicions - far more interest in UI, new content, character balance, and HP refunds for roster slots (concerns of established players) than concern for getting new players entrenched in the game to fortify the player base. And you end up where I’m at - accepting that this is just the way the game is built and saying “I’ll give it one more season”. Changing it would require a massive overhaul - even more than what you suggest - but that would upset the current established base (which, as we’ve seen, is something that D3 is not looking to do).

TL;DR:
Your problems are not necessarily D3’s problems (and every indication is that they aren’t). If they are, I don’t think you go far enough in your solutions for distributing content.

7

People still wouldn’t like it, then? Maybe because it has a potential to turn into P2W? I dunno.

8

  1. Seems reasonable, but seems like a lot of work for not a lot of payoff for d3.
    I don’t understand how you enforce the starting time/brackets.

  2. Color covers would have a host of other problems:
    A. It devalues the difficulty of getting new character covers.
    B. It’s too valuable.
    …

  3. Subscription - I’ll leave it to the other thread.

  4. So really this is maximum sharding, purely based on roster and not play history?

9
  1. This proposal does not help with starting time. Brackets are enforced through story-book progression. There is no good reason to stay at an earlier stort-book because your prize progression quickly becomes only grated to that level.

This game is going to become unprofitable soon without a change like this. With no end game content and a player base that is shifting to higher levels, it will not survive without good middle midgame and early game content for new players.

  1. Rare color covers would not devalue covers, if they are appropriately rare, they just allow for greater focus in the climb.

  2. I would pay for a cheap subscription for minor benefit, even if it were nothing but boosts or fun team-ups.

  3. The point of the color covers is not roster sharing, but giving players viable rosters. I don’t want an easier climb or an accelerated climb, but a focused climb.

The shield simulator is something they should disconnect from the season either way. Maybe create a secondary “arena” for pure PvP style combat that goes up 1500 points of nothing but token rewards and have that score factor into the season.

10

My personal experience when I started the game and others’ who tried to start with fresh accounts recently suggest otherwise. New players can win new covers easier than transitioning players (2* to 3*). It is like honeymoon. After I scored 600 a few times in PvP and got many new characters via PvE, it progressively got harder to get new characters and sometimes even 800 wasn’t good enough to get just one 3* cover (top 100) from PvP. I think it is still good for new players and why wouldn’t it be good for casual spenders? I’m not an early adapter nor a spender. I still don’t have any 3* cover maxed and I’m hanging. Barely though.

11

I think this could work well IF they basically took on the role of 1250 HP for any existing power.

12

Two of these as the 3000 and 5000 pt progression marker for seasons and you’d suddenly make 2* → 3* transition players a lot happier.