Do packs that allow players to abuse D1 really need to exist?
Day 3,539, 15:39
•
Published in USA 
•
by
•
by Liracy
Admin's Mood Music and Thought Process. (Warning, strong language.)
This one is going to be a bit of a rant, if you're not in the mood I understand. If you are however, a bit disenfranchised with things feel free to read on.
Let me start by saying that I understand that the game is here to generate revenue. This is fundamental to the game existing. I don't have a PROBLEM with this in the least, I've even spent money on the game myself but there should absolutely be limits to what is and is not sold. Things that directly hurt players should NOT be sold. Namely ANY pack that allows for the continual monthly abuse of D1 to get Medals, removing ANY Chance of any new player to obtain BH. Nearly every round of every fight I see is someone with 150k + strength topping the charts in D1.
This is unacceptable and has no place in the game.
Problem: There is no real way to force those players with massive strength counts out of D1 quickly.
Solution: Divisions are now locked to strength. Once you hit a new strength tier you are LOCKED to a new division. This coupled with the MANDATORY removal of all packs which allow for abuse of the division system would solve the issue.
My suggestions on things that I feel SHOULD be sold for money.
Energy. Sell energy. Be it boosts, refills or whatever you'd like. Couple this with more ways to spend energy and people will still purchase packs.
Gold. (Obviously.)
Resource Boosts for companies. These don't harm new players. If anything, a company owner who purchased said boosts might actually be able to HIRE new players.
Additional Storage.
Further, I'd love to hear thoughts from older players who actually use these packs that allow for D1 abuse. Are they important to you? Do you feel they're fair? Would you be horribly upset were they to be disabled? You should have a voice too, and I'd not be opposed to hearing ANY and all counter arguments for this point, though it is my sincere hope that you don't take some kind of (sick) pleasure in abusing new players.
What do you feel the game needs to breathe life into it? If the packs were removed what would you like to see replaced? What do you think belongs in the cash shop and what do you think does not? I understand that D1 BH's are a source of gold income from some players.. but making it impossible for new players to obtain them isn't the way to go about it.
We don't need to be at each other's throats.
Lets work together and MEGA™. (Make Erepublik Great Again.)
Facebook
Twitter
Discord
Comments
o7
This is a good point. I can agree, above all for high level players with low strenght.
Helps players with high experience but low strength.
But what about the abuse of low experience but high strength... and still in D1, D2 sure can not be a very good for the new players.
If you just divided divisions by a strength level and added more overall divisions it would keep it leveled regardless.
Example- level 28 player with 150k strength would be in Division X. (High Division)
And level 120 player with 2k strength would be in Y. (Low division.) So level would not calculate division at all.
I feel like the one tweak I'd make is that maybe have the maverick perk (switch divisions freely) only work on a division that is losing significantly or is completely empty. Then kick them out when those are no longer true. The perk still has some value and can get BH's, but is not too OP.
If a division is losing badly that should encourage new players to get in their and change it, rather than a tank swooping in and crushing it entirely with 4-5 hits. One hit from a player with 170k strength is more than an army of players with low strength totals.
That is a good point, plus if it took a while to catch, an auto-clicker could sweep divisions.
i see how annoying this is now. lost a BH and a Divion because of these people, and the guy who took my BH didn't even push back, he's just a BH stealing scumbag. I just wanted some gold. 🙁
It's helped active tanks win battles more easily and their countries to register a few more points in their wars.
But you're right. It's killed off any incentive for new players to compete and put the need for mentors and education outreach and use of new player support programs at an abysmal low.
Incidentally, this game once housed a vibrant and creative group of economic minded players. Killing the complexity of the old econ system and introducing DIY Work as Manager caused a big drop off in some of the brightest players with very valuable contributions to make.
The Division switching has all but eliminated the education and support class of player next. Not only is it a deterrent for new players but it's discouraging for existing players who wish to help build their communities.
Which is better? Regular revenue from a small group of established customers or irregular revenue from a larger pool of less frequent customers?
Heh, well said... From the sound of it the Admin prefers the former to the latter, which is a shame because player retention feels like it is at an all time low.
From business point of view the regular income is better...
from a business point of view, I disagree when you rely solely on a shrinking base of regulars. Ideally, you would serve both equitably and provide benefits to your existing customers they value without diminishing the worth of your new and prospective customers. More buyers is always better than fewer.
Where did you study business?
If 10 "big" customers spend 10 times more then 100 "little" customers, then losing one of them is worse then losing all those 100.
The goal is to not lose any customers and to gain more at both ends BUT once you lose all 10 big customers, I guess none of it will matter. You won't have a business to worry about.
Exactly - erep chose to serve the 10 big customers and neglected the 100 small (irregular) customers. However, the big customers were spending only because the small customers were still there. If the latter stop playing, the big customers won't have an incentive to spend, so eRep will lose both its big and small customers.
A good way to make cash in the short term, but ever since the game has been on an autopilot heading towards its end. For the past 5 years I've lost sight of the prospect of where this game might be heading towards...
Mike gets me. ❤
Those packs put new players at a disadvantage
A huge disadvantage to the point where they both feel and realize how pointless they are and just quit.
You are right. Thanks for putting it so eloquently.
NOW, LET'S BURN THIS MOTHERF#%KER TO THE GROUND!
🙂
As long as we do it together.
keep preaching
90% of my game used to be devoted to helping players and creating/supporting micro-communities where coordination and cooperation were rewarded with making a difference on the battlefield.
When Maverick Pack was introduced I abandoned all that and went full tank.
When they introduced Air to Air, I thought maybe there could be a revival of microcommunities and coordination. But they screwed that up too. Now ATA is just another seat for tanking.
It really is sad that the game isn't encouraging growth or placing assets to keep new players coming back. Glad to see someone who's been around so supportive of the idea of letting new players feel like they can make a difference.
I feel like Divisions were an AMAZING idea.. the packs that allow players to abuse it boggle my mind.
"Nearly every round of every fight I see is someone with 150k + strength topping the charts in D1."
That's not true. I got 20k strength and take BHs regularly, 2 -3 per day.
I have the Ik and buy Blitz frequently. Check your facts!
Phil reserves the sole right to use hyperbole as rhetoric which he does liberally.
Anybody else who uses hyperbole gets quickly criticized for "inaccuracy".
Ignore him.
Liars should shut their mouth when I'm present.
Why are you still talking?
You're using the very same "pack" that allows you to have 21k strength and still be level 26. Someone with 180k strength has just been using it for longer. The jump between a new player with a small amount of strength and an older player with 21k strength should NOT have them in the same division, period.
Split division by strength and stop allowing older players to abuse packs for medals. Kill off the IK and the Mav pack entirely.
You hit the nail on the head! I think the problem is the fewer customers, the more room for whales keeps the game profitable but it will kill the game more. New players could be a future but the game should be more interesting for them. Such a change is needed hard. Please keep writing about this and try to get more players on your side.
Thanks for the comment and the words of encouragement. 🙂
I agree 110 percent get rid of division switching in maverick pack! it is dumb to have that in an air only pack when you can only division switch in land battles it makes no sense there are no divisions yet in air battles. WE NEED PERCEPTION FOR THAT! i think ill just stop buying packs till they bring it out and go to minimum activity, or quit all together till i hear they implemented it.
100cc for Hail Mary Mallon
o7
no pack is necessary, really. they shouldn't be exist.
packs should work as; once in a month time eb&gold sale (in a pack with also boosters and rockets).
maverick, blitz, pp is just p2w overkill, it's the result of greed, plato made people stop buying gold because the game come to a point that gold is something too easy to achieve, especially for some players, so plato needs a steady income from these p2w overkill tools.
what it should've done was to reorganize the game, get involved, change and test the dynamics, actually bring new things to game but our plato is a lazy one and there is no hope for erepublik.
It is greed on the Wigs part. Simply put they don't care about retaining free2play peeps.
f2p peeps can turn into paying players if they enjoy the game enough. :/
Wait til the 10th Anniversary then, or Black Friday sales. Not much is worth it otherwise.
Bull's eye 👌
I'd also like to hear the point of view of the 150k str ppl who fight for a BH in d1
Why don't u invite some of them here?
I blame the people less than I blame the game's creator for creating such tools in the first place. Not that I think they're guiltless.. If it wasn't making money it wouldn't exist.
it's not about blaming somebody. it's about getting all sides of the same story in order to be able to portrait it better
Damage has always been bought and sold. In this case, money was diverted from mercs and the black market back to admin pockets. It also freed up some people who operated multis for fighting in different divisions. (Probably reduced the number of support tickets filed reporting those too.)
I don't blame paying customers for utilizing the best strategy for winning their game, especially without cheating. They've paid fairly for an available benefit that ultimately benefits their own goals and their nations 'success'. It's also much easier to coordinate the damage of a few dedicated players than putting in the time and effort to keep your forces on task so you see communication with the masses vanish.
I don't remember the last time I bought gold or any pack...
I don't intend to give Plato a single dime without seeing real changes and a path for the game development...
Voting with your money is not a bad way to be.