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MrBones -> RE: EpicDuel: Evolution (12/23/2014 13:48:56)
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I have been out of the game for almost a year but still log in to play new missions and grab any new cheevo available. These [cheevos & missions] are the only things bringing me back to game.
I consider myself an old player, joined the game mid Gamma. Like many, I had high hopes for this indy game and spent over 1k real dollars on it.
Battle enough to reach emperor rank, legendary rank, keeping an average of 90% wins. Currently 3 blue stars. Won the daily 1vs1 during the highest traffic this game has seen (end-Gamma beginning of Delta phase).
Does my opinion matter more because of all these personal achievements ? Absolutly not, but I believe I should be taken very seriously.
I know most of the old famous players, the ones that put a lot of efforts (and money) on the game when it started. All but a few are long gone. They are many reasons why, but to me, here is the one that stands out from the rest.
As much as I was fed up back then with enhancements, over powered promo packages coming out every months, I now realize that it was not that bad. By changing the core and foundation of the game, the game lost it's soul.
It as been very well documented that the 'pay-to-win' gaming model do not work in north america or europe. Although being perfectly acceptable in asians countries to buy a 5000$ sword and run around killing everybody, it just doesn't work here.. Or does it ?
The varium advantage enhancements and the promo packages was the glue that kept the game together. Players kept coming in to see what new items would come out.
These new items, with fixed stats, could be the key to a new and crazy build.. but only if you had them and they were out for a limited time! New players that joined the game at that time, like me, started dreaming about owning some of these premium items.
Oh the things I could do if I had (insert any gear). They kept playing, leveling, trying to get powerful enough to be able to buy and use these weapons. Remember back then they had a minimum level.
An old player had a definitive advantage because he could make builds combining different promo items (auxi, guns, and swords) over a newer player that bough only one promo, or none, and just gotten started. Having 'seniority' actually meant something and had a tangible advantage.
As for one of the biggest problem in ED now, clone builds, I believe they were less noticeable back then. Don't get me wrong, they always existed and forever will with a game like this. Why?
Due to the fact that for most of the high powered build you needed the perfect combo of gear. That meant some builds could only be available to you after playing through a whole year, carefully choosing among seasonal rares.
Missed the item you desperately needed for the crazy build you invented? No problems, keep playing until it get back or better, wait until something new comes out and make your build even more perfect.
Oh I can already hear some of my fellow forumites scream (>_> looking at you Remorse). Enhancements were so bad, we hated them!! But that is how the game was build. That WAS the game.
Numbers never lies. Nobody plays the game anymore and even worst, nobody sticks around. I truly think the 'pay-to-win' model worked with that game. I recall the discussions back then, just before the company made a 180° turn.
People were arguing, and I was with them, that we needed more free-to-play players. Varium was too strong we said. They were so many threads about that subject. But what has become of varium nowdays? AND were are all these new players that we were supposed to get with the new system???
To me, varium is only artwork now. That is all. Realistically, you don't need a lot of gear now to get by. One or 2 maxed out items of each kind and your ok. Why would a player invest more just for artwork ? Some do of course, but they are a very small minority.
They could at least encourage the ones that do invest and collect (some call them committed, others hoarders) with an upgradable rarity cheevo for example. Back then, high prices for premium items were justified by the strength and usability in-game.
Now, for that same price, all I get is artwork. Not worth it in my opinion.
I am well aware that discussing money is frown upon here. I hope that I did a good job explaining my opinion, without stepping over the line.
And for the ones that still thinks that the game is going down because of balance, you should learn to let go. True balance cannot and will never be achievable.
How can you have 100 % of the player population win at least 90% of theirs fights ?? Everybody wants to win. But for every winner, there is a loser.
True balance at 50% win ratio, making the game a 'coin toss'? I for one, would never enjoy such a thing. Bring back support. Open the game. Let focus go. No more diminishing effects. Let players go crazy.
AND for god's sake fix the energy issue. Don't wait for me or the community for the genious idea. You guys [devs] fix it. You are the pros, I loved your game at first sight back then and trust you will come up with a decent idea.
In a nut shell, the game feels less exciting in general. I feel the game is not as good as it used to be. Lost the flavor. Look at the numbers of players in the server (notice no 's' at the end of server for there is no need for more than one anymore).
Am I the only one feeling this way ? As I stated previously, numbers never lies . . . .
Thank you all,
DBag
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