How to finally fix the Challenge leaderboard issue

Burmeliinis · January 2022

Quick background:

With all the new powerful heroes, supports and tools, the Challenge became too easy for many, and hundreds of players got the top score of 4878. So NG introduced the star hero, which was supposed to make it much harder to finish the challenge with the top score, now 5358. Unfortunately, the past few months has shown that we still have the situation that 100+ players get the top score every week.

So here's a new suggestion on how to finally fix it.

Give a skull (similar to the one you get when playing LS Expert mode) when you finish all missions of a round without tools (i.e. you get 1 skull if you finish the master mission, or all single missions, without tools). These skulls do not give you challenge points, so max score is still 5358, but if you are tied on the leaderboard with other players, these will be ranked based on amount of skulls. So if there's 2 players with 5358 points, the one with more skulls will be ranked #1, and the other #2.

This would mean that all players could still chuck tools as they like and get all the rewards from completing the challenge with max points, but the much smaller pool of players that are willing to fight it out for the top place on the leaderboard, will get the chance to buy gas boosters and spend gold on healing to retry missions countless times to get that perfect spawn that allows you to finish a mission without tools.

FuriousMoldovan · January 2022

Great idea here, fully support it.
Maybe worth a shot @Lexia?

ADPaq · January 2022

Why have a distinction between gold usage and tool usage?

If you go this route, there will need to be an icon alongside the skulls to indicate how much gold you used, perhaps a giant pile of gold?

zeeblack · January 2022

Great idea @Burmeliinis. Instead of awarding "skulls" for completing a round without tools, award an additional star for completing a round without tools. The additional stars for not using tools may be awarded after "player level + plus 10/20/30" mission level.

Another idea would be extend the length of challenge from the present 80 to 100/120 rounds.

Another idea would be a dynamic challenge - where the maps, walker types and mission objectives change after 5 to 10 rounds.

Burmeliinis · January 2022

zeeblack said:

Great idea @Burmeliinis. Instead of awarding "skulls" for completing a round without tools, award an additional star for completing a round without tools. The additional stars for not using tools may be awarded after "player level + plus 10/20/30" mission level.

Another idea would be extend the length of challenge from the present 80 to 100/120 rounds.

Another idea would be a dynamic challenge - where the maps, walker types and mission objectives change after 5 to 10 rounds.

My feeling is that a lot of players feel the current length of the challenge is perfect. You can finish it without buying a gas booster, but it's not too short either. And having a clear end point gives you something to aim for. Adding more rounds would not really solve anything.

And awarding stars for not using tools is a discussion we had countless times, and it's not gonna happen, and it's also not a good idea. Tools are a resource meant to be used, and in the current meta you only really need them for the Challenge and Last Stand (if you want to get the top spots so entirely voluntary there).

The point with the skulls is that players that use tools liberally will get all the same in-game rewards and support their guild just as much as players doing it the extra hard way and not using tools. But for those players that feel they want an additional challenge, and the bragging rights for topping the leaderboard, the "skull" approach would be the answer.

Pros
+ Much fewer people would get max score (I guess there still would be a few people that would max it anyway)
+ Additional challenge for people that now finish the challenge during the first day
+ More revenue for NG as people would be incentivized to retry missions more

Cons
- Some players might feel pressured to try without tools and spend more than they like on gas/healing

Bassreactor · January 2022

1.Score = Stars;
2.Score = Score + hours left to end;
or
2.Score = Score + (6d*24h*60m - pure game time in minutes)/100
3.Score = Score - number of deaths;

example: Stars=5358, pure_game_time_in_minutes=120, number_of_deaths=30, hours_left_to_end=24
1.Score = 5358;
2.Score = Score +24 = 5 382
or
2.Score = Score + (8 640 - 120)/100 =5 443
3.Score = Score - 30 = 5 413

dan1411 · March 2022

I average about 2000 stars per challenge, someone please explain to me how in the world people are getting 5000+ stars? What heroes are you using how do you level up to beat these level 45+ walkers?

ADPaq · March 2022

dan1411 said:

I average about 2000 stars per challenge, someone please explain to me how in the world people are getting 5000+ stars? What heroes are you using how do you level up to beat these level 45+ walkers?

Watch the many videos posted and you'll see just how it's done.

Here's a very good example.

https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/49527/quarry-junction-challenge-videos#latest

Read the guide. Join a strong guild you can learn from.

Burmeliinis · March 2022

dan1411 said:

I average about 2000 stars per challenge, someone please explain to me how in the world people are getting 5000+ stars? What heroes are you using how do you level up to beat these level 45+ walkers?

Basically, you need several things. You can manage without some of these, but it will make it harder:
1. All heroes (due to star hero) unlocked and the main ones at 2-3 pinks stars at least
2. All good weapons (tactical DCM, winter harpoon, import .57, Morning Star, lucky assault armor, Bulldozer)
3. Dog & Mask support at lvl 2
4. Enough tools
5. Understanding of walker movement mechanics
6. Good badges
7. Understanding of how to best utilize hero leader traits so you know which team to bring to which map
8. Understanding of weapon mechanics, i.e. cripple & push weapons

My suggestion is to join a good guild which can guide you in all of the above

WellyLuga · March 2022

Whilst @Burmeliinis is absolutely spot on and his tips are very extensive he has forgotten to add the very important and obvious details

.

You need to complete the challenge to maximise your round passes the week before and to use the star hero in lead as often as you can. You basically need to do both in order to have a chance of breaking 5k. For instance, if you maximise your passes but don't use the star hero then your max score will be 4878. If you don't play the week before and start with 0 round passes I'm fairly sure you can't break 5k even if you play through the entire challenge with the star hero in lead.

Shezza10 · March 2022

I believe you can reach 5014 stars if you had 0 RPs and used the Star Hero all the way through.

JayZ · March 2022

Shezza10 said:

I believe you can reach 5014 stars if you had 0 RPs and used the Star Hero all the way through.

Oh shit. @WellyLuga just got mathed

WellyLuga · March 2022

JayZ said:

Shezza10 said:

I believe you can reach 5014 stars if you had 0 RPs and used the Star Hero all the way through.

Oh shit. @WellyLuga just got mathed

No math was involved in my comment whatsoever

ATLAS-Z · March 2022

Lol a little further and some simple subtraction and we see the value of those round passes... It's a fair amount.

Oof

Burmeliinis · March 2022

Ok new idea. With the current meta people are already finishing the challenge without tools, and that number will only grow as we get new traits, weapons and supports. So instead of the skull system I suggested in my op, simply increase the star hero to 3. For each star hero you use, you get one additional star, up to +3 if you use all three.

This should fix things for a while

ghost_pepper · March 2022

To clarify, increase the number of star heros to 3 star heros per week?

1 star per hero per map completed. A star hero always has to be in leader spot, or any spot?

Some maps might be more friendly with certain groups of certain star heros while other maps we're lucky if we can fit just 1. I see where you're going with this.

I can see an mm requires a star hero in lead but a regular mission maybe shouldn't have to require a star hero in lead. A star hero in any slot could give a bonus star. This would lead to more desire to grind out solo missions (at least to get around some maps) for extra stars, which puts more use/demand on gas and increases overall playtime. Let the top .01%'ers complain about that!

We're maybe halfway through a cycle of all of the heros. It would be good to discuss this stuff and be prepared for implementation when the hero cycle is completed.

ShadowWalker · March 2022

What if the star hero didn't need to be in the lead, but you have to get at least one kill with them?

ghost_pepper · March 2022

Bruisers? On level 54 walkers?

ShadowWalker · March 2022

ghost_pepper said:

Bruisers? On level 54 walkers?

Yes, good luck killing them.

Burmeliinis · March 2022

Ok, another idea. We got the Elite walkers, but they aren’t really very elite as they are just as easy to stun or kill with SMY as any other walkers.

So: make it so that Elite walkers are more immune to status effects. Regular ones get crippled instead of stunned, and tanks also get crippled instead of rooted.

And have them in the Challenge’s Nightmare missions (including spawns).

🥶

ghost_pepper · March 2022

Now I'll never play up in the 70-80 range.

I think have challenge keep cycling after it's finished and as the levels keep going up so too do the number of these elite walkers with the special status defenses.

HellJesus_ · March 2022

Введите свой комментарий

echonap · March 2022

I like the idea of 3 star heroes every week. You can get an extra star with each in the lead, or use all 3 at once for 3 extra stars (you get to choose which one leads).

ATLAS-Z · March 2022

echonap said:

I like the idea of 3 star heroes every week. You can get an extra star with each in the lead, or use all 3 at once for 3 extra stars (you get to choose which one leads).

I agree with 3 star heroes, but definitely NOT agreeing with possible 3 bonus stars.

1 star for star hero, no matter if you use 1 or all 3, and no matter if they're in the lead, or following.

I suggested this to @Lexia some time ago, and others have also. It's a good compromise.

Also, change to reward 1 star for star hero regardless of earning 1, 2, or 3 stars on the mission...no more forcing perfect. This all or nothing for star hero should go bye bye.

ghost_pepper · March 2022

The all or nothing for the star from star hero really is crap.

If we use the star hero, there should be a bonus star on top of the 1 or 2 or 3 stars earned. It's that simple. That's how everyone thinks it's supposed to work anyway. We have to explain otherwise for each new player.

It's just wrong.

WellyLuga · March 2022

To be completely honest I think we should do away with the bonus star for the star hero full stop. When it was first implemented I thought it was a cool idea, I was convinced it should make the leaderboard more interesting as the idea of playing through the entire challenge perfect with someone like Sniper Morgan in lead was just unfathomable to me. I just didn't consider the power of PY on their own.

They tried, it didn't work. So let's come up with something different to try to solve it. All it does right now is stop me from using a variety of teams across the 6 missions which changed as the levels got higher. I'm not as bothered about the leaderboard as I used to be but the early levels where it is more fun to use the variety but it's double stars so you take a big hit in stars if you don't use the SH. My stance has changed so much since it was implemented, not sure whether anyone feels the same.

ATLAS-Z · March 2022

Well, the cap wasn't my idea (nor do i recall @Tux77 memories from above) but I have proposed solutions.

Challenge concludes as it does now, complete with the finishing screen and Congrats!

Then leave it open for continued play, with no rewards, and only 1 star MAX per mission, with no master mission.

You want no ties? That would 100% solve it.
Only the truly determined and masochist would keep pushing on for no reward and paltry points.

Firekid · March 2022

@ATLAS-Z have you seen the last stand leaderboards? Those at the top are getting 1 trade good per wave after wave 100. You’d get quite a few going for ages for little reward. Then you’d just get the massive ties from where people stop after the 100 phones.

I’m personally very confused about what I want from the challenge nowadays. I think I’m happy with a challenge cap now and would prefer a move away from star hero and back to allowing people to use a variation of teams again. We’ve got some really nice new leader traits and reworks and no real chance to use them anymore without taking a hit on the rewards you get. If there was a way to reward varied teams without penalising people who want to just use SMY/SPY all the way that would be perfect.

Maybe 6-7 ways to earn stars but can only score a maximum of 4? So the 4 we have at the moment. Plus a star for no tools, and one for using at least two of a specific class, and one for using at least one non hero. Manage to do it with all 7 conditions met, still only get 4 stars. Or No tools, star hero, a non hero and completing the map (even if heavy injured) is still 4 stars.

Obviously the above isn’t perfect but NG have shown willing to listen to the players and have made some amazing changes recently. I’m sure they’ve got some great ideas in the pipeline.

ATLAS-Z · March 2022

Yeah @Firekid I proposed same thing to @Lexia a week or 2 back. Many ways to earn a star with a Max of 4 or 5. That would be nice.

Virtus · March 2022

I could get behind that idea, but it seems a little like a band-aid. They need to create walker types that are resistant to effects and have damage reduction to overcome the latest superheroes introduced. It's the only way to get the challenge back to its original idea, which was that it would be a grand challenge to even get to level 50. Now, even my year old alt account can do that and more.

How to finally fix the Challenge leaderboard issue

Comments

`Zee Black - SG Woots - Playing since 2015.`

Categories