You like to muse over game economy and related facets. Thoughts?
Personally, I think that in global terms game economy inflation is way too high. The BG store in particular accelerated and continues to accelerate very fast. That's good in terms of attracting players to the mode, but it underlines economic discrepancies everywhere else.
Given where things are now, I think especially at higher tiers there's a case to be made that AQ rewards and the glory store need to be updated because they no longer satisfy the role they are intended to have in the game economy. My main concern is that players want regular updates which is reasonable, but they also want noticeable increases, which is also reasonable, and the combination of the two - regular, large increases - has the potential to be too much too fast. The game economy needs time to adjust to the sudden influx of rewards from BG, and that will ultimately require substantial balancing increases everywhere else, but I'm concerned that when the game equalizes those imbalances the players won't be happy with things returning to a more reasonable pace. They'll get used to the candle burning at both ends and want that pace to continue or even accelerate.
Updating AQ rewards to make them fit into the new context of BG rewards is something that should happen. What shouldn't happen is getting used to every in-game store chasing after BG rewards *and* BG rewards running away from them just as fast.
You like to muse over game economy and related facets. Thoughts?
Personally, I think that in global terms game economy inflation is way too high. The BG store in particular accelerated and continues to accelerate very fast. That's good in terms of attracting players to the mode, but it underlines economic discrepancies everywhere else.
Given where things are now, I think especially at higher tiers there's a case to be made that AQ rewards and the glory store need to be updated because they no longer satisfy the role they are intended to have in the game economy. My main concern is that players want regular updates which is reasonable, but they also want noticeable increases, which is also reasonable, and the combination of the two - regular, large increases - has the potential to be too much too fast. The game economy needs time to adjust to the sudden influx of rewards from BG, and that will ultimately require substantial balancing increases everywhere else, but I'm concerned that when the game equalizes those imbalances the players won't be happy with things returning to a more reasonable pace. They'll get used to the candle burning at both ends and want that pace to continue or even accelerate.
Updating AQ rewards to make them fit into the new context of BG rewards is something that should happen. What shouldn't happen is getting used to every in-game store chasing after BG rewards *and* BG rewards running away from them just as fast.
I think you’re overstating the “sudden influx of rewards from BGs” especially with July 4 here.
The controlling principle this game can always fall back on is that, as far as rankups go, you seldom need the rankup and there are diminishing returns.
They nerfed the 6-star progression from rank to rank. You need 8 champs for war and you can do whatever for AQ since the rewards are bad. The marginal utility you get from a 20th r4 or 30th r4 is low, so the flood of resources doesn’t ruin the game. Plus, you typically rank the best champs first. Later rankups are often lesser champs.
You like to muse over game economy and related facets. Thoughts?
Personally, I think that in global terms game economy inflation is way too high. The BG store in particular accelerated and continues to accelerate very fast. That's good in terms of attracting players to the mode, but it underlines economic discrepancies everywhere else.
Given where things are now, I think especially at higher tiers there's a case to be made that AQ rewards and the glory store need to be updated because they no longer satisfy the role they are intended to have in the game economy. My main concern is that players want regular updates which is reasonable, but they also want noticeable increases, which is also reasonable, and the combination of the two - regular, large increases - has the potential to be too much too fast. The game economy needs time to adjust to the sudden influx of rewards from BG, and that will ultimately require substantial balancing increases everywhere else, but I'm concerned that when the game equalizes those imbalances the players won't be happy with things returning to a more reasonable pace. They'll get used to the candle burning at both ends and want that pace to continue or even accelerate.
Updating AQ rewards to make them fit into the new context of BG rewards is something that should happen. What shouldn't happen is getting used to every in-game store chasing after BG rewards *and* BG rewards running away from them just as fast.
I think you’re overstating the “sudden influx of rewards from BGs” especially with July 4 here.
The controlling principle this game can always fall back on is that, as far as rankups go, you seldom need the rankup and there are diminishing returns.
You are correct about diminishing returns, but the problem is that is the very thing that makes power creep turn into power firehose. We did not get 7* champs when everyone else had 6* champs, we did not get them when everyone had tons of rank 4s (where 7* champs to some degree overlap). We got them when 6* high rank chase was no longer able to serve one of their functions: being the top tier chase objective. Essentially, the actual controlling principle here is that as soon as a rung on the ladder no longer serves any one of its different economic purposes, it gets replaced by something else that does.
Inflation doesn't happen when everyone gets too much stuff. Inflation is the response by the economy team to ensure that never actually happens.
If I’m reading tea leaves, what really looks game breaking to me is 7-star progression. 6-star 3-4-5 ranks were each very modest boosts compared to r1 to 2. (R5 champs are 57% beyond r2. R2 is 38% beyond r1.
Putting aside the very top echelon of the game, which I know the accountants wouldn’t allow, the margins between a few extra rankups are so easily offset in war with boosts, and they’re able to be overcome with sufficient skill.
In the most competitive tiers of BGs, good luck, but otherwise you can realistically get by.
It’s easy to read your comments as an indictment of the generous BG store rewards @DNA3000
Dr. Zola
I was going to say the same thing... Great analysis @DNA3000 and I agree.
As an alliance leader, I'm concerned about the silence on AQ and the new, mind boggling level of BG rewards and what this means for alliance structures and what you ask your team mates to focus on as well as, retention, recruitment....
Comments
Given where things are now, I think especially at higher tiers there's a case to be made that AQ rewards and the glory store need to be updated because they no longer satisfy the role they are intended to have in the game economy. My main concern is that players want regular updates which is reasonable, but they also want noticeable increases, which is also reasonable, and the combination of the two - regular, large increases - has the potential to be too much too fast. The game economy needs time to adjust to the sudden influx of rewards from BG, and that will ultimately require substantial balancing increases everywhere else, but I'm concerned that when the game equalizes those imbalances the players won't be happy with things returning to a more reasonable pace. They'll get used to the candle burning at both ends and want that pace to continue or even accelerate.
Updating AQ rewards to make them fit into the new context of BG rewards is something that should happen. What shouldn't happen is getting used to every in-game store chasing after BG rewards *and* BG rewards running away from them just as fast.
The controlling principle this game can always fall back on is that, as far as rankups go, you seldom need the rankup and there are diminishing returns.
They nerfed the 6-star progression from rank to rank. You need 8 champs for war and you can do whatever for AQ since the rewards are bad. The marginal utility you get from a 20th r4 or 30th r4 is low, so the flood of resources doesn’t ruin the game. Plus, you typically rank the best champs first. Later rankups are often lesser champs.
Inflation doesn't happen when everyone gets too much stuff. Inflation is the response by the economy team to ensure that never actually happens.
Putting aside the very top echelon of the game, which I know the accountants wouldn’t allow, the margins between a few extra rankups are so easily offset in war with boosts, and they’re able to be overcome with sufficient skill.
In the most competitive tiers of BGs, good luck, but otherwise you can realistically get by.
Dr. Zola
As an alliance leader, I'm concerned about the silence on AQ and the new, mind boggling level of BG rewards and what this means for alliance structures and what you ask your team mates to focus on as well as, retention, recruitment....