Challenge Change Proposal: Triple Rounds Out.

Vane · March 2019

Hi there, guys!

As the work towards better time-balancing of game mode continues, I want to bring a new proposal forward to you: removing Triple Rounds from the Challenge and adjusting the rewards accordingly. So the point, similarly to previous balance in Challenge (moving triple rounds from 27 to 32), is to achieve the same progress with having to spend less time.

Just for a quick reference: Triple Rounds are currently present for every Challenge round of level 32 and higher. By removing it, Challenges will ever have only 2 rounds per level for any level. This would help players to achieve higher and more challenging levels faster with keeping rewards on the same level as before.

Below you can find 3 tables, which list changes done to
a) Reward per completing the round
b) Reward for achieving X personal stars
c) Reward for achieving X guild stars

Table A: Changes to rewards per completing the round:

With the golden line in the middle, I marked where the changes are starting - right at the point where the third round is removed (levels 32+)

Table B: Changes to rewards for achieving certain number of personal stars:

Again, golden line marks the start of the changes. So basically two things are happening here: higher scaling starts later, and 50 scaling step is the biggest step. So in other words, for every 50 stars past 1100 you receive a new reward - also more convenient to follow that way.

PLEASE NOTE: GW gas is not included here!

Table C: Changes to rewards for achieving certain number of stars as a guild:

Same thing, golden line marks the start of the changes. For the guilds it starts way earlier, due to the fact that the contribution of members in different guilds can vary a lot, but also trying to account for guilds making 1k+ stars at the same time.

____________

Please let me know what are your thoughts about that, guys. If everything goes smooth, we can already go Live with these settings together with the start of Spring Quest campaign, which begins next week's Wednesday (6.3.19)! If there are any questions, please feel free to ask here

TJS · March 2019

You had me just by the thread title.
'Triple Rounds Out' AWESOME!

Everything else looks fine too.
(I didn't notice GW gas in the rewards, I guess that still needs to be edited in)

Vane · March 2019

TJS said:
You had me just by the thread title.

'Triple Rounds Out' AWESOME!

Everything else looks fine too.

(I didn't notice GW gas in the rewards, I guess that still needs to be edited in)

Yep, I didn't include it for the ease of seeing the changes, as it breaks the logic of star steps a bit. I will add a note about it, thanks TJS!

Troublemaker · March 2019

The grind is a perpetual problem in this game. And the whole idea of NML is to keep players online 24/7 so we have a serious issue here.

That said, we will take anything to reduce it. Which is why this post was nice to read, but also a sad thing overall.

I hope this does not have placebo effect and aims for better gaming experience.

The insane grind is the main reason why players quit.

Austin_Shiong · March 2019

What about the round passes?

WellyLuga · March 2019

Hallelujah! A very welcome change, hats off to you @Vane.

You're off to a flying start with these proposed changes! To add, does this have any effect on the 30 gas for TG available each day?

bladgier · March 2019

Thanks for listening!
Yes I'd definitely would like to try that BUT please can we make sure that the transition from current to no .3 version is as smooth as possible.

I'd propose to decrease the round passes we get on the challenge prior to the changed one, and then when the change comes bring back the passes as they were.

That way it'll minimise the number of people that will end up not being able to progress far enough to use their round passes (double stars)

JayZ · March 2019

Yes, yes, yes. Thank you so much NG. I can’t wait.

As for @bladgier’s comment: although that would be nice, I don’t view that as a huge priority. One bad week is easily worth the long term fix, and I don’t even think the transition will be bad.

As an example: I currently usually stop after 38.1, which means I earn 14 round passes. That means I have to be perfect through 33.2. After this change is implemented, I have to be perfect through 34.1, which really isn’t a huge difference. I might lose 6-12 stars from this transition, at most. I will easily take it.

No need to decrease round passes or make any change that affects a lot of players. At most, just don’t pick a super easy challenge before this goes into effect (so no Kaboom).

JayZ · March 2019

Btw, I view this as the perfect solution. Currently, the players that are most fed up with the grind are end-gamers. Most mid-gamers seem happy with challenge progression. This change exclusively affects end-gamers while not changing the quality of life for anyone else.

Also, I’ve been advocating for lower gaps between high tiered rewards for a long time (dating back to the @Teeceezy days). This is a great change. It motivates people to push to try to finish that one more round.

Drhoo · March 2019

Rewards didn't improve so far, just new way to increase gold-consumption. Decrease grind? This is a a grindgame...

Clanranald · March 2019

Reduce time spent grinding - yes please!

andy75 · March 2019

Love it. That would save me approximately 50 maps a week and probably 3 hours of screen time. I usually play to 39-40 but stop there not because I’m stuck but because I’m burnt out.

Narnia · March 2019

Is there a plan to also adjust round passes?
This strategy might also mean I have to play more lower round maps, which isn't a big issue, but still is time consuming and counterproductive.
Would it be a possibility to award a round passes to help compensate in with reward crates?

Narnia · March 2019

The strategy of removing the .3 rounds is a great idea. Fewer rounds means longer NML gamer trajectory for me.

Killdozer187_ · March 2019

> @andy75 said:
> Love it. That would save me approximately 50 maps a week and probably 3 hours of screen time. I usually play to 39-40 but stop there not because I’m stuck but because I’m burnt out.

Dont you mean "out of time" from grinding to get there. 😆

Killdozer187_ · March 2019

I welcome any change that reduces me having to play mindless rounds early on in the challenge. I wish i could start at 34 rsl every week but i understand there's other players to consider.

aafr99 · March 2019

Thank you! THANK YOU!! Thousand times THANK YOU!!!!

Governator · March 2019

I say test it for a couple of weeks before fully implementing it. Then, we can compare how it really reduces the grind. I usually get to 33.1 and 9 RPs, so there's not a huge lift for me. But, I already reduce my grind by stopping early. This looks promising.

vshield50 · March 2019

So sounds like we are getting closer to the Ultimate challenge again which is awesome to me! I remember lots of people hating on that something fierce before but looks like times are changing.

The lack of triple rounds also brings the end gamers closer to the general field star wise. Then again it affects everyone equally so I really hope the "losing stars" is not as passionately fought for since the rewards are the same...

I am in great support of this! I hope it is one step towards multiple steps to reduce the grind 🤗🤗🤗

Bod · March 2019

Great idea just waiting for people to come on here to complain lol

tabernac · March 2019

Support this idea fully and as @JayZ mentioned I really like the fact that this is a more targeted strategy that doesn't impact new players at all and mid level players only slightly if at all.

TransmuteJun · March 2019

Wow... I am flabbergasted...

A suggested change to the challenge that DOESN'T negatively impact those who choose not to pursue it to insane levels! It's amazing!

And even more, for me personally, it looks like I might pick up another 1-2 crates toward the end, since I usually finish between 1000-1100 stars.

Thank you for making changes that are considerate of the main player base, yet still answering the complaints of those in the top 100 guilds.

ATLAS-Z · March 2019

> @bladgier said:
> Thanks for listening!
> Yes I'd definitely would like to try that BUT please can we make sure that the transition from current to no .3 version is as smooth as possible.
>
> I'd propose to decrease the round passes we get on the challenge prior to the changed one, and then when the change comes bring back the passes as they were.
>
> That way it'll minimise the number of people that will end up not being able to progress far enough to use their round passes (double stars)

__________

Dude, just have the challenge prior to this set include the mission INSIDE AND OUT.

Should solve that little problem for you

vshield50 · March 2019

I just have to put this out there. If you eliminate the triple rounds PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF RUFUS, do not implement the No Body Shot event as a new permanent standard! That would be dirty.... Lmao

S100200 · March 2019

Thanksssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

No_Name · March 2019

100% YES! Please & Thank you! I've finished my current highest rsl without losing a single star, but never gone further souly because of grind-time.

romeo · March 2019

🙏 Thank You

And to celebrate this can we have gold components in the Distance tomorrow ?

Double Thank You 🙏

Cronus · March 2019

To me this is a well thought out solution. I to begin with wanted the Ultimate Challenge as the norm so I leaned already to liking these types of changes. Also I was a bit worried with a council upgrade in the near future how that was going to even further increase the grind. I'm all in favor of this.

JediMasterYoda · March 2019

Yes!
At first we resist change...then later we embrace it.
@Vane you have some great ideas here, thanks.

JediMasterYoda
GutsAndGlory

Sebi · March 2019

This will be better than any update... Make it real... PLS

rchap · March 2019

This is a step in the right direction for sure, but will not eliminate the grind.

I suggest that you think about what is healthy for a dedicated end gamer to spend on the game time wise each day. For example, is logging on twice a day during the challenge to spend a full tank of gas considered highly engaged? Is it supposed to be more or less? Gas maxes at 29, so twice a day means you have 58 gas to use each challenge day, not counting boosters, events or finding gas in crates. For simplicity, let's say you use 60 gas a day in Challenge mode. That allows you to do 12 missions a day. Over 5 days of Challenge, that means you complete 60 missions. So, you can play 10 rounds being dedicated and logging on twice a day and using all gas. Maybe round passes mean your progress takes you to 13 rounds total.

Of course, the chart shows that many go much farther in the game, and we also have to consider other game modes that take time/gas too.

I like these changes as a baby step, but I'd suggest you start with an idea of how much time is healthy to devote to challenge mode, and then design a challenge progression that accommodates that.

Challenge Change Proposal: Triple Rounds Out.

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