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Post by zer00eyz on Sept 15, 2017 2:18:09 GMT -5
bronzeknee and Dredd77 both make solid points but you both missed a few obvious angles here that need to be spelled out. Recently we have seen some big buff's to our favorite 4 legged bots. With this launch were seeing a focus on an underdeveloped market for pix, Asia. The look and feel as well as the movement of the dashes screams "armored core" to me. Lets rewind the clock to the anniversary event: we got a breakdown of the odds for each chest but NOT in english... This release not only has an asian theme but is also being delivered in a format that many asians enjoy, gambling. Before anyone jumps on me about stereotyping, go look at how much money casinos spend to attract and keep asian players, were talking about a demographic reality. Dredd77 also noted IP as a form of currency, but failed to note the importance of the underlying mechanism, one that pix has been pushing HARD, Facebook. The anniversary event REQUIRED you to sign in with FB to participate and influence requires you to sign in as well. If your going to target whales in an ongoing manner (and pix clearly wants to do this) then FB is essential. The resetting of the black market makes complete sense if pix is trying to segment/bucket whales. It may SEEM like a "almost Grinch-like punt in the nuts" to most of us, however the reality is that the false sense of urgency does incentivize spending, and should help Pix to develop profiles of who to target. Lastly if you read the article above you might have missed the bit where the author says "No longer do we use off the shelf systems like Flurry. Now it is all in house." It should be noted that Pix at one point was offering these sorts of data collection services (and had a US office to promote and build the product/platform). The remants of this history are visible every time you go through the influence workflow. The pixapi.net/ url that it presents/uses has an app meter landing page (app meter being the name of their old offering). Oddly Mail.ru has a new offering called my tracker corp.mail.ru/en/press/releases/10051/ Though it has a different name, it has hints that it might be an evolution of appmetr with some fresh paint on it.
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Post by imnobody on Sept 15, 2017 4:01:40 GMT -5
DREAD * Thank you for the insightful information.. Nothing more than pix trying to sweep the old currency and bringing out new currency system in a way to attempt to exploiting players, pioneering a new strategy to keep sailing forward and never looking backon the old currency .
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Post by imnobody on Sept 15, 2017 4:33:15 GMT -5
Conclusion: So Pix finally found a way to stop players from stockpiling a particular currency by spending time to play the game. personally I don't like the direction the business is heading towards. I feel now this game no longer encourages more play time. I'll hold my judgement until further releases and see if this game is worth continuing. 'So Pix finally found a way to stop players from stockpiling a particular currency by spending time to play the game'' I want to intercept that comment. A poor excuse. It's just a way to get players to spend money. What about all those useless bots and weapons and all those useless other junks, why can't they let us give them to our clans mate. So I guess we should keep spinning our ?bum-bum? a way till we drop and stockpile those useless junk in our hangar and just keep playing . right, the worst poorest excuse to cover up their lies.
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Post by navyseal101 on Sept 15, 2017 4:35:54 GMT -5
Conclusion: So Pix finally found a way to stop players from stockpiling a particular currency by spending time to play the game. personally I don't like the direction the business is heading towards. I feel now this game no longer encourages more play time. I'll hold my judgement until further releases and see if this game is worth continuing. 'So Pix finally found a way to stop players from stockpiling a particular currency by spending time to play the game'' I want to intercept that comment. A poor excuse. It's just a way to get players to spend money. What about all those bots and weapons, why can't they let us give them to our clans mate. So I guess we should keep spinning our ?bum-bum? a way till we drop abd stockpile useless junk in our hangar and just keep playing . right, the Worst poorest excuse to cover up their lies. Why so mad? Its just a game lol. Chill ur 「huge tracts of land」 out.
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Post by imnobody on Sept 15, 2017 4:39:13 GMT -5
I disagree with the idea that this was a game design decision. Because as a game designer, it doesn't make any sense. Pixonic had tons of objective feedback on the Dash Robots, and why they were broken. They ignored it. Pixonic also had large amounts of time to test them. Â The argument made is fallacious. I think anyone could see before they even played them on the test server that they would be broken, and to think Pixonic didn't understand that is folly. I called them out with factual arguments the moment I saw their initial stats, as did many others: war-robots-forum.freeforums.net/thread/9324/analyzing-summer-roadmap-conflicted-design?page=1www.firebase88.com/2017/03/06/dash-mk-ii-war-robot-make-existing-war-robots-obsolete/Ockham's razor is useful here. Pixonic would have to be dumb to have released the Dash Robots the way they did if it was a game design decision. It infuriated the most invested members of the playerbase and showed a complete inability to process feedback about how strong the Dash Robots actually are and even understand their own game. It makes no sense. But if they wanted to make money, everything makes sense. Release the Dash Robots knowing they were game breaking using the Black Market. If people want one, they have to pony up, and lots of players have with huge sums of money. When they eventually release them to everyone, they will nerf the Robots. So it is pay to win (or gamble to win to be more precise), with people paying for the right to be the first to own the Robots and to have the experience of piloting an OP Robot for a time. And this isn't a one time thing, this is how everything will be released now, through the permanent Black Market first so people pony up! I suspect that the Dash Robots and Black Market made them more money than any other release by far. The problem is how Pixonic made the money. They have alienated and infuriated parts of their playerbase in an effort to milk the whales. But Pixonic needs a large player base, otherwise the whales have no one to stomp. So this is a bad long term decision, but I've said from the start that I don't think Pixonic is thinking long term. War Robots is a short term ploy, evidenced by the shady deals they've been offering for a while now ($74.99 for a Taran and Magnum? If anyone actually bought that they didn't understand the value of those items, and probably felt had after they realized the true value of WSP). I can't wait for Battle Titans. And I'm learning the Unity Engine right now in case that doesn't satisfy. when you listen to Adrian Chong and dredd and all the other fellows on the conference call you can tell the devs undertone didn't give rat 「bum-bum」 what these guys had to say. The devs were using the community as leverage to generate revenue.
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Post by imnobody on Sept 15, 2017 4:43:46 GMT -5
'So Pix finally found a way to stop players from stockpiling a particular currency by spending time to play the game'' I want to intercept that comment. A poor excuse. It's just a way to get players to spend money. What about all those bots and weapons, why can't they let us give them to our clans mate. So I guess we should keep spinning our ?bum-bum? a way till we drop abd stockpile useless junk in our hangar and just keep playing . right, the Worst poorest excuse to cover up their lies. Why so mad? Its just a game lol. Chill ur 「huge tracts of land」 out. okay Mr seamen whatever you say. Lol
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Post by anjian on Sept 15, 2017 4:44:45 GMT -5
Damn did someone mention "Armored Core"? That's one of my favorite games, and this is one of my favorite missions in the game, played online only as a coop. Note the sudden dashes.
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Post by navyseal101 on Sept 15, 2017 4:54:44 GMT -5
Why so mad? Its just a game lol. Chill ur 「huge tracts of land」 out. okay Mr seamen whatever you say. Lol If u hate it so much u can just uninstall the game u know. Its not worth getting angry for
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Post by Pilot Moby_dic on Sept 15, 2017 5:16:06 GMT -5
Hey folks! I wrote some thoughts about the most recent developments in the game, and what they mean for the business model. Enjoy! Well written and insightful/thoughtful. Interesting to see the evolution and bot releases. I can't remember when I started playing. Think it was relatively soon after the Britbots arrived. Shame if gold becomes like WSP and worthless. I'll just have to buy another Ancilot!!
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Post by imnobody on Sept 15, 2017 5:31:13 GMT -5
okay Mr seamen whatever you say. Lol If u hate it so much u can just uninstall the game u know. Its not worth getting angry for okay Mr seamen. Your still here swimming around at your guard post waiting to take another shot at your suspicious victims with your irritated comments. If Nick Diaz had a baby with your mom this what the product would turn out to be =) . First of all.. I'm not even mad. so how can you assume their emotions based over a font? Secondly, I enjoy this game (exlude out the scam from pix)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2017 5:36:54 GMT -5
anjianDifferences between AC and Dash bots in War Robots: AC: -All parts available through game progression -All bots can Quick boost/Boost Drive/Overboost/Glide boost/Jump/Scale walls/Wall kick -Combat is fully 3 Dimensional -Fire fights are long and drawn out except for the unlikely scenario of your opponent having a hard counter to your specs -Every setup can be hard countered -Mech is assembled piece by piece balanced by stats such as: weight, EN drain, Munition specific defenses, Firing accuracy, Lock time/Distance, Turn Speed, detection radius, ammo count, stability -heavy weapons are regulated with stationary fire, or movement penalty on tank leg parts -All game mode objectives are win/loss (damage is not a scoring factor, it's dead or it's not) War Robots: -Real money items cost more than AC games as a whole -Only 3 bots can Quick boost -Only 3 bots can move vertically (Jump) -Combat is 2 dimensional(Z axis is automatic) -Mechs are Pre-assembled, weapon load out is marginally factored into base stats. Mechs are leveled linearly with no other stat modifications available. All Mechs can lock on through walls and at all distances up to 1100M. There is no weapon stun or recoil. -Few mechs have inbuilt defenses -All Mechs without inbuilt defenses take the full damage of the weapon as it's printed -Defenses against munitions nullify damage and thus score, from their assigned types -All game modes are scored solely on damage. For Armored core, there is just as much skill involved in building an AC as there is Piloting one, and knowing your own playstyle and limitations molds your AC to your image(as I'm sure you know) In War Robots, its smack the most firepower on the most nimble or heartiest bot you have access to. The Armored core reference I made was pointed at the differences in performance between NEXTs from 4 and FA and the ACs of 1-Last raven and 5/V-Day. The Dash bots simply don't belong in War Robots. P.s. If you've never experienced 4 or FA, Look up some Japan vs America matches. American players gravitated towards DPS and Missile boats, while Japanese players move in ways that can give the faint seizures.
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Post by navyseal101 on Sept 15, 2017 5:51:52 GMT -5
If u hate it so much u can just uninstall the game u know. Its not worth getting angry for okay Mr seamen. Your still here swimming around at your guard post waiting to take another shot at your suspicious victims with your irritated comments. If Nick Diaz had a baby with your mom this what the product would turn out to be =) . First of all.. I'm not even mad. so how can you assume their emotions based over a font? Secondly, I enjoy this game (exlude out the scam from pix) At the end of the day, u just need that somebody to give u an affirming pat on the back and say, 'well done, u did us proud'. Cuz from wut im seeing its actually that case no? And wazzup with that mom insult again aww cmon, dat 「dookie」 is so old.
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Post by anjian on Sept 15, 2017 6:01:58 GMT -5
anjian Differences between AC and Dash bots in War Robots: AC: -All parts available through game progression -All bots can Quick boost/Boost Drive/Overboost/Glide boost/Jump/Scale walls/Wall kick -Combat is fully 3 Dimensional -Fire fights are long and drawn out except for the unlikely scenario of your opponent having a hard counter to your specs -Every setup can be hard countered -Mech is assembled piece by piece balanced by stats such as: weight, EN drain, Munition specific defenses, Firing accuracy, Lock time/Distance, Turn Speed, detection radius, ammo count, stability -heavy weapons are regulated with stationary fire, or movement penalty on tank leg parts -All game mode objectives are win/loss (damage is not a scoring factor, it's dead or it's not) War Robots: -Real money items cost more than AC games as a whole -Only 3 bots can Quick boost -Only 3 bots can move vertically (Jump) -Combat is 2 dimensional(Z axis is automatic) -Mechs are Pre-assembled, weapon load out is marginally factored into base stats. Mechs are leveled linearly with no other stat modifications available. All Mechs can lock on through walls and at all distances up to 1100M. There is no weapon stun or recoil. -Few mechs have inbuilt defenses -All Mechs without inbuilt defenses take the full damage of the weapon as it's printed -Defenses against munitions nullify damage and thus score, from their assigned types -All game modes are scored solely on damage. For Armored core, there is just as much skill involved in building an AC as there is Piloting one, and knowing your own playstyle and limitations molds your AC to your image(as I'm sure you know) In War Robots, its smack the most firepower on the most nimble or heartiest bot you have access to. The Armored core reference I made was pointed at the differences in performance between NEXTs from 4 and FA and the ACs of 1-Last raven and 5/V-Day. The Dash bots simply don't belong in War Robots. P.s. If you've never experienced 4 or FA, Look up some Japan vs America matches. American players gravitated towards DPS and Missile boats, while Japanese players move in ways that can give the faint seizures. Nice. Someone who played Armored Core. I played 4 and 4A but not online. Only in story mode. During that time my online activity was either on Chromehounds or Phantasy Star Universe.
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Post by Tatamat on Sept 15, 2017 7:58:13 GMT -5
Thanks Dredd77, a nice summary of what can be seen and heard. However, my personal note to whole Dash issue is that it hasn't touched me at all. Being in Android Gold II, I'm still looking forward to meeting my FIRST Dash bot or Scourge in-game, red or blue. Have to admit that I don't spend the whole afternoon in front of War Robots, however still...not even one? So, I believe that this IS a pain in pro leagues, however I dare to say that the whole turmoil leaves Android Bronze, Silver and Gold leagues virtually unaffected. Because of this (and seeing the disturbance Dashes can cause in game), I'm surprisingly more likely to say THANK YOU Pix for this market model
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Post by T34 on Sept 15, 2017 9:42:14 GMT -5
Currently if someone wants to play at the top the player has to be a whale. No ifs no buts. This was a deliberate goal in strategy by pixonic. Any other argument is simply flawed. This game is now P2W and those who are not whales can only build and improve their obselete hangers.
The majority who are not whales are left with some choices along these lines
1. Put up with the seal clubbing received from the whales and reset expectation that the top is not reachable unless the pockets are very deep. 2. Play the game as is 3. Sink to a lower league where the old gear is competitive. But then in all probability the player will sink either too low or not enough and hence can't gauge where the competitive zone is. So not fun. but for those who don't care too much about the competitive zone this is a viable option. 4. Move on 5. See what happens "next" in terms of game rebalancing and re-evaluate participation options 6. Consider if any further financial investment in the game is warranted.
For me it's option 5. This is not the same game I started playing and if I have to put on my reasonable cap I really have to eveluate how much of my time such a game can take.
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destroyism
Destrier
Posts: 33
Karma: 18
Pilot name: Destroyism
Platform: iOS
Server Region: North America
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Post by destroyism on Sept 15, 2017 10:10:06 GMT -5
okay Mr seamen. Your still here swimming around at your guard post waiting to take another shot at your suspicious victims with your irritated comments. If Nick Diaz had a baby with your mom this what the product would turn out to be =) . First of all.. I'm not even mad. so how can you assume their emotions based over a font? Secondly, I enjoy this game (exlude out the scam from pix) At the end of the day, u just need that somebody to give u an affirming pat on the back and say, 'well done, u did us proud'. Cuz from wut im seeing its actually that case no? And wazzup with that mom insult again aww cmon, dat ?poo-poo? is so old. Guys this person(navyseal101) made a new account just to troll people. If you view his profile and his karma/typical comments look like it is blatantly obvious. Stop giving him attention and hell stop acting like a child
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destroyism
Destrier
Posts: 33
Karma: 18
Pilot name: Destroyism
Platform: iOS
Server Region: North America
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Post by destroyism on Sept 15, 2017 10:11:53 GMT -5
At the end of the day, u just need that somebody to give u an affirming pat on the back and say, 'well done, u did us proud'. Cuz from wut im seeing its actually that case no? And wazzup with that mom insult again aww cmon, dat ?poo-poo? is so old. Guys this person(navyseal101) made a new account just to troll people. If you view his profile and his karma/typical comments look like it is blatantly obvious. Stop giving him attention and hell stop acting like a child Btw i wasnt trying to call out anyone in specific other than navyseal101 but that was just his most recent post!
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Post by shakingrabbit on Sept 15, 2017 10:35:32 GMT -5
Currently if someone wants to play at the top the player has to be a whale. No ifs no buts. This was a deliberate goal in strategy by pixonic. Any other argument is simply flawed. This game is now P2W and those who are not whales can only build and improve their obselete hangers. The majority who are not whales are left with some choices along these lines 1. Put up with the seal clubbing received from the whales and reset expectation that the top is not reachable unless the pockets are very deep. 2. Play the game as is 3. Sink to a lower league where the old gear is competitive. But then in all probability the player will sink either too low or not enough and hence can't gauge where the competitive zone is. So not fun. but for those who don't care too much about the competitive zone this is a viable option. 4. Move on 5. See what happens "next" in terms of game rebalancing and re-evaluate participation options 6. Consider if any further financial investment in the game is warranted. For me it's option 5. This is not the same game I started playing and if I have to put on my reasonable cap I really have to eveluate how much of my time such a game can take. I'm trying to go with #3. I prefer my light bots anyways and am trying to sink back down to Silver2/Silver1 and play with a lvl5 light bot hanger.
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Post by bronzeknee on Sept 15, 2017 10:43:00 GMT -5
Currently if someone wants to play at the top the player has to be a whale. No ifs no buts. This was a deliberate goal in strategy by pixonic. Any other argument is simply flawed. This game is now P2W and those who are not whales can only build and improve their obselete hangers. The majority who are not whales are left with some choices along these lines 1. Put up with the seal clubbing received from the whales and reset expectation that the top is not reachable unless the pockets are very deep. 2. Play the game as is 3. Sink to a lower league where the old gear is competitive. But then in all probability the player will sink either too low or not enough and hence can't gauge where the competitive zone is. So not fun. but for those who don't care too much about the competitive zone this is a viable option. 4. Move on 5. See what happens "next" in terms of game rebalancing and re-evaluate participation options 6. Consider if any further financial investment in the game is warranted. For me it's option 5. This is not the same game I started playing and if I have to put on my reasonable cap I really have to eveluate how much of my time such a game can take. I'd like to say that #5 will work, but as I stated I believe Pixonic has found the way they want to release new content for the future permanently. The Black Market is permanent, and everything will be released on the Black Market. The reason the Black Market resets is because people could stockpile keys like they used to stockpile gold, and Pixonic didn't want that happening. People could have the new content immediately on release for free if stockpiling keys was allowed. That is what Dredd77 was missing in his analysis, and why Pixonic resets the market and won't ever let people stockpile keys (or even save super chest progress). We all know we'd save thousands of keys prior to the release of new content so we could get it immediately. I've been playing for 7 months and I still have 10k gold saved for the Dash Robots. The game is now pay to win permanently. I want compete with people and win because I am skilled, not because I paid money. Battle Titans can't come soon enough.
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SlamCatalina
Destrier
Posts: 96
Karma: 40
Pilot name: ᴄ ᴜ ↄ ᴋ ᴏ ᴏ
Platform: iOS
Clan: [•Ω•] ΩMΣGΔ
League: Champion
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: Thunder Carnage (RIP)
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Post by SlamCatalina on Sept 15, 2017 11:22:26 GMT -5
I've said this several times but there will be some nice year end bonuses distributed at Pixonic this year!
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Post by SunTsu on Sept 15, 2017 12:20:38 GMT -5
Sounds like a lot of 12/12 Ancilot owners are pissed that there are new OP bots out there. Ask yourself...do you run a Ancilot? If you do (which it seems like most of the expert and up player base does), then your really just being hypocritical of something you don't have yet.
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Post by bronzeknee on Sept 15, 2017 13:03:38 GMT -5
Sounds like a lot of 12/12 Ancilot owners are pissed that there are new OP bots out there. Ask yourself...do you run a Ancilot? If you do (which it seems like most of the expert and up player base does), then your really just being hypocritical of something you don't have yet. You know what happens when you assume... That screenshot is about a month old, I am Expert II right now. But I'm running the same five Robots. I don't own a Lancelot. And there is a difference between the Lance, which anyone could purchase at anytime, and a Dash Robot, which is won by gambling.
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Post by Poopface on Sept 15, 2017 13:12:34 GMT -5
Sounds like a lot of 12/12 Ancilot owners are pissed that there are new OP bots out there. Ask yourself...do you run a Ancilot? If you do (which it seems like most of the expert and up player base does), then your really just being hypocritical of something you don't have yet. You know what happens when you assume... Yes. You're taking what you know and extrapolating what you think to be a logical conclusion of the scenario.
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Post by SunTsu on Sept 15, 2017 14:22:05 GMT -5
Sounds like a lot of 12/12 Ancilot owners are pissed that there are new OP bots out there. Ask yourself...do you run a Ancilot? If you do (which it seems like most of the expert and up player base does), then your really just being hypocritical of something you don't have yet. You know what happens when you assume... That screenshot is about a month old, I am Expert II right now. But I'm running the same five Robots. I don't own a Lancelot. And there is a difference between the Lance, which anyone could purchase at anytime, and a Dash Robot, which is won by gambling. Well I did say most....That means not all, and you my friend are included in the not all category!
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Post by bronzeknee on Sept 15, 2017 15:08:09 GMT -5
But the fact you said most doesn't change how Ancilot owners aren't being hypocritical. Anyone can purchase a Lance at anytime. Dash Robots are won by gambling.
That is a pretty significant difference.
I don't understand why you are going to these lengths to defend Pixonic in such an odd way. I'd love to understand.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2017 15:09:47 GMT -5
Well I did say most....That means not all, and you my friend are included in the not all category! Add me to the list too. Ancile or no Ancile, those bots are blatantly OP.
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Post by T34 on Sept 15, 2017 16:14:50 GMT -5
Currently if someone wants to play at the top the player has to be a whale. No ifs no buts. This was a deliberate goal in strategy by pixonic. Any other argument is simply flawed. This game is now P2W and those who are not whales can only build and improve their obselete hangers. The majority who are not whales are left with some choices along these lines 1. Put up with the seal clubbing received from the whales and reset expectation that the top is not reachable unless the pockets are very deep. 2. Play the game as is 3. Sink to a lower league where the old gear is competitive. But then in all probability the player will sink either too low or not enough and hence can't gauge where the competitive zone is. So not fun. but for those who don't care too much about the competitive zone this is a viable option. 4. Move on 5. See what happens "next" in terms of game rebalancing and re-evaluate participation options 6. Consider if any further financial investment in the game is warranted. For me it's option 5. This is not the same game I started playing and if I have to put on my reasonable cap I really have to eveluate how much of my time such a game can take. I'm trying to go with #3. I prefer my light bots anyways and am trying to sink back down to Silver2/Silver1 and play with a lvl5 light bot hanger. Understandable. The only issue is that the sinking process is time consuming until the LQ has sufficient number of people in it. I will be curious to see what happens in lower leagues once league readjustments become a piece of cake as they used to be prior to 3.1.
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Post by T34 on Sept 15, 2017 16:27:00 GMT -5
Currently if someone wants to play at the top the player has to be a whale. No ifs no buts. This was a deliberate goal in strategy by pixonic. Any other argument is simply flawed. This game is now P2W and those who are not whales can only build and improve their obselete hangers. The majority who are not whales are left with some choices along these lines 1. Put up with the seal clubbing received from the whales and reset expectation that the top is not reachable unless the pockets are very deep. 2. Play the game as is 3. Sink to a lower league where the old gear is competitive. But then in all probability the player will sink either too low or not enough and hence can't gauge where the competitive zone is. So not fun. but for those who don't care too much about the competitive zone this is a viable option. 4. Move on 5. See what happens "next" in terms of game rebalancing and re-evaluate participation options 6. Consider if any further financial investment in the game is warranted. For me it's option 5. This is not the same game I started playing and if I have to put on my reasonable cap I really have to eveluate how much of my time such a game can take. I'd like to say that #5 will work, but as I stated I believe Pixonic has found the way they want to release new content for the future permanently. The Black Market is permanent, and everything will be released on the Black Market. The reason the Black Market resets is because people could stockpile keys like they used to stockpile gold, and Pixonic didn't want that happening. People could have the new content immediately on release for free if stockpiling keys was allowed. That is what Dredd77 was missing in his analysis, and why Pixonic resets the market and won't ever let people stockpile keys (or even save super chest progress). We all know we'd save thousands of keys prior to the release of new content so we could get it immediately. I've been playing for 7 months and I still have 10k gold saved for the Dash Robots. The game is now pay to win permanently. I want compete with people and win because I am skilled, not because I paid money. Battle Titans can't come soon enough. Could not agree with you more. over all I don't believe this current situation is healthy for the longevity of the game. I am also of the opinion that pixonic knows this and am curious what mechanism/strategy they will use to reestablish balance without alienating the whales or the other significant and neceserry majority of players (non whales).
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Post by tonyfla on Sept 15, 2017 18:21:49 GMT -5
OK, my penny.
Yes, Pix definitely has moved toward the sleazier end of the freemium spectrum by introducing the Black Market. Anything that incorporates gambling with real money into a game is a step in the wrong direction, ethically and morally.
While it may benefit Pix financially, it exploits the weaknesses of players and imbalances the value-given-for-value-received dynamic.
Also, even though everyone keeps talking about whales - who are people with significant disposable income - I strongly suspect the majority of the Black Market spenders are people more like me. Those are people who spent more than we intended, in amounts that hurt a little, because Pix's carefully considered strategy hit us right in our weaknesses (a diagnosed compulsive personality disorder, for me).
And regardless of what bots we won, every one of us who spent on the Black Market ended up paying a good deal more than the value of the entertainment we received in return.
As someone said above, what we are buying from Pix is entertainment. The problem is, as with most mobile games, the price of that entertainment is far, far out of line with almost all other forms of digital entertainment. The Black Market makes it even more so.
For the majority of players, it took what, a minimum of $100 to get a Dash? That bot will give maybe a couple hundred hours of entertainment for the most die-hard players before they get bored with it or it becomes obsolete. Even less time for more casual players.
That same amount of money spent elsewhere would go considerably further. Nearly a year's worth of unlimited movies and TV from Netflix. More than six months of unlimited access to WoW. Two or three, or more, games on Steam with unlimited play and no in-app purchases. Personally, what I've spent on War Robots in the last 3 months would have gotten me a PS4, a new big-screen, and at least a couple games.
So, the whole point of the Black Market is to lure us into spending more and getting less, much less. That's predatory, no matter how you look at it. And no amount of Pix spin - 'we're trying not to disrupt the meta' - will change that.
But here's the real kick in the nuts, the cold bucket of reality in our faces. This is an us problem, not a them problem.
Remember the story of the frog and the scorpion? Well Pix is a scorpion, like almost any for-profit company, and we can't blame a scorpion for being a scorpion. Pix is gonna do what's in its nature, which is sting frogs for as much money as possible. And to be honest, Pix isn't the worst scorpion on the river.
The onus is on us - the frogs - to always be aware of that nature and take steps to protect ourselves.
We know what they'll try to do, and we know what our weaknesses are. Sure, those weaknesses make it hard for us sometimes, but ultimately it's our decision, our choice alone whether to carry the scorpion across the river. Remember, he never forces the frog.
So if Pix is using unscrupulous means to get your money - and they are - then you gotta sack up, grit your teeth, and not give them any. That goes for me, too, even more than most, probably. I can't complain about getting stung if I keep picking up the little firetrucker.
(By the way, got stung by an actual scorpion when I was 14. Know why? Cause I was working with a stonemason, collecting flatrock out in the woods, and didn't wear my gloves like he told me to. Wasn't the scorpion's fault then, either.)
If enough frogs refuse, Pix won't have any choice but to adapt. Otherwise, it's the one that will drown.
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Post by bronzeknee on Sept 15, 2017 18:55:28 GMT -5
Also, even though everyone keeps talking about whales - who are people with significant disposable income - I strongly suspect the majority of the Black Market spenders are people more like me. Those are people who spent more than we intended, in amounts that hurt a little, because Pix's carefully considered strategy hit us right in our weaknesses (a diagnosed compulsive personality disorder, for me). Very well said tonyfla , I especially liked the part I quoted. It is probably true, I even wrote a post about this but then didn't post it and I am glad I didn't because you presented it much more eloquently. While some whales probably do help Pixonic out, it is mostly regular people who are overspending and would be embarrassed to show their family what they spent their money on. I don't ever gamble (never even bought a lottery ticket) and never will, so it was easy for me to resist what Pixonic is doing (I don't mind spending a bit of cash on a game I like though, I bought both starter packs for War Robots). And the fact so many people on this forum dump literally hundred of dollars into this game and then tell everyone about it normalizes the behavior. But it isn't normal. It really isn't normal to dump hundreds of dollars on a phone game, especially to only gamble for prizes. And as you mentioned, Pixonic has been downright predatory with the Black Market. I do believe that more than enough people have thrown money at the Dash Robots, and so this is easily their most successful product. And now the Black Market is here to stay.
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