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15.0 Alliance Wars Update Discussion Thread
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I'm fairly sure that is not the scenario Kabam Miike is describing. He didn't refer generally to people not attacking for strategic purposes like you mention, he explicitly mentioned the case of someone dying first and then being discouraged from attacking the same node again.
In fact the absolute highest echelon of any MMO is usually played so different from the entire rest of the game that most MMOs don't make any changes to address what they are doing except to prevent them from breaking the game at the top. They generally don't reengineer gameplay to accommodate their problems.
What are you talking about. Yeah its not EOW, but its end of skill in AW. Now you can just use up items with high lvl revives/heals to take down boss nodes without being penalized for dying. Then whats the point of war when skill is not rewarded anymore. By eliminating defense kills only alliances that can spend more will win. We won many wars just coz opponents kept reviving n gave us more kills. Spenders will always spend no matter what, but before everyone had a chance of winning by virtue of their skill rather than their wallet. And what crazy nodes are you talking about that you cant take down by using up high lvl items.
I think you got it wrong about what everyone is complaining about. I dont think anyone has issues about ppl spending. As you said before it was not all about spending, ppl with skill had a chance. Now kabam took that away by eliminating pts for defense kills. And pleased stop with 15 items cap. someone using 2 lvl3 single heals is not equal to other using 2 lvl4 team heals, even tho both have same item usage count.War was more balanced before because skill is rewarded. Not anymore
The strategic value of not attacking to your death stems from being discouraged of hurting your alliance by continuing to attack. Maybe that hesitation happens in lower tier wars too, but a lot of comments were saying that situation never happens to them and they have no idea who does that. So I was giving them a situation where it happens often. Not saying this change was influenced by problems at the top cause no one was complaining and monitoring your deaths gets expensive as hell, but I disagree that they do monitor closely what the top does. They will cater to their biggest spenders and the biggest spenders usually make it to the top.
I find your response quite amusing as this thread is not a poll. If anything, my thread just supported the discussion we currently have in the most constructive way.
But thank for reacting anyway.
There's a big assumption being made that this helps "whales". Most also assume that top alliances have that status because they are whales. This isn't correct. There are very highly skilled players at the top that are able to move through AW with minimal item usage. Defender kills as a factor is what usually decides wars at the top.
With these changes, defender kills will just be replaced by this new defender diversity factor, replacing top defenders with someone different just for those points. Champs that aren't ideal for AW defense. So really, it makes AW easier for those at the top.
It's really Kabam's very poor logic that people should be upset about, not complaining (again) about the whales.
Concerning the class "diversity" issue
While good in concept to diversify classes used in AW, as mentioned in the post, it will not add significantly to the AW score. It will help break ties if I remember correctly from the post.
My suggestion--add class specific buffs on certain nodes plus earn AW points for number of class specific nodes used correctly. Call it a "Defensive Utilization Bonus"
Example: Node 23--standard node buff is 100% Health and attack, however using a Mutant or Skill on this node adds 50% Armor. Node 16--unblockable L1 with 30% enhanced damage, however using a Tech or Science on this node changes it to unblockable L2 with 30% damage. Could also add a "max attempts-death limit" type of class specific buff
This accomplishes at least these 3 things.
1) encourages diversity of champs used across the board in very specific ways addressing the MD/Mystic champ concentration issues
2) using two classes on these types of nodes keeps from predicting what classes are there. Could even do a "wrapper" combination--either Skill or Mutant. Do you risk using a Science against that node? (See next item)
3) maintains the value of the detect masteries (my AW design would be like current--classes aren't revealed except on boss, maybe the mini-bosses)
4) the class specific "max attempts" buff overcomes the "only spenders will win" concerns voiced since the announcement. May actually encourage spending through the purchase of higher cost revives/heals--make sure you heal up high enough to take out the node bc you only have 6 attempts
These are non-specific examples
War rewards should be based solely on exploration. Currently a tier 1 win with roughly 80% exploration grants about 650 5* shards. Using this as a base and to keep numbers simply both winner and loser in this tier should get 75 (5*) shards for every 10% explored. This would ensure maximum effort for both teams.
As for the winning team this is where the NEW Alliance war crystal comes in. It could very by tier, but for tier 1 you could have a rare chance at a full t2a or t5b, with increased chances for shards of both and more 5* shards. This would push a lot of top alliances to keep pushing for the win.
These rewards could be valued based on tiers and change from t2a to t1a and t4c and so on.
It's a win for both groups in war along with your player base and it's a win for you as we will use units to keep pushing for more shards.
This is most constructive statement I have regarding the new AW.
There is this thread, but there wasn't a poll. You should've left it to let the community share their voice with statistics.
Which tier of war are you currently in?
In a tie match in higher tiers (1-4), unless we run in a top top alliance, we can basically explore at least 70% map and kill all bosses if 1/3 or 1/2 members are willing to spend some items, let alone all of them.
There are two parts in AW: Attack and Defense. If you want to win a war, you need good attackers as well as good defenders. In really tight matches, good defenders can decide the outcome of the match. Now, with new system in place, it's the size of your wallet that decide the outcome.
You remember after 12.0 when Kabam said they would start testing their new releases with end users? Apparently that didn't last very long.
doubt it lasted past that one 'update' (I still call it a downgrade, or mortal wound)
So can we just agree that this bs about the defender kills is all just a ruse encouraging spending so you can line your filthy pockets with even more money now that the whales and ppl that don't care to spend to win will just throw units to take down a boss.
Where the hell is the skill going!
Hey Miike,
Any update on the detect masteries? A lot of class cores and loyalties were used to unlock them at various level...considering everyone gets them for free now what will be the future for these?
Possible Suggestion: Detect Masteries become Hidden Masteries and will prevent your AW opponent to see the class of that opponent...just a thought.
Thanks for all you do!