New game mode: Level Playing Field

Muirna · August 2022

This new optional game mode would have no rewards, just a leaderboard, and would cost same amount of gold each week to enter/play in it (so that there would be some point for NG to consider implementing it) -- maybe 400 gold per week for example like the cost of a Distance reset. I am proposing this idea in light of all the threads calling for more challenge because they are bored, which at their core all have a common denominator of wanting to prevent as many people from tying with them on the leaderboards.

The mode would run parallel to the weekly Challenge, but each player participating in Level Playing Field would be playing with the exact same team, same traits, badges, etc. -- so reminiscent of how we play with what we are given for the first parts of all the season missions. And have the same gear or choice of gear. Same level supports. Same starting number of tools, or no tools. Etc. The purpose of this mode would be to create the only environment in the game where you could really see a true differentiation in skill and strategy while eliminating all other differentiating factors that don't relate to skill or strategy, such as someone having better $ weapons, more pink stars, better supports, or whatever else. Take all of the other stuff out of the equation and let strategy and skill reign.

LeonPlayon · August 2022

I like that idea! What would the maps/mission types look like? Same as challenge?
If you really want a level playing field however, it shouldn't cost gold to participate. Then again, problem with that is that NG would not get any income from this mission mode. And they do need income to keep this game fun and operational.

Muirna · August 2022

LeonPlayon said:

I like that idea! What would the maps/mission types look like? Same as challenge?
If you really want a level playing field however, it shouldn't cost gold to participate. Then again, problem with that is that NG would not get any income from this mission mode. And they do need income to keep this game fun and operational.

I think the easiest thing would be for it to be the same maps/missions as the regular Challenge each week so they don't have to create extensive new content.

Yeah, the reason I'm suggesting it cost gold to play each week would be that I can't see any way the mode could otherwise have any possibility of generating revenue for NG. And even then, you can earn gold without buying gold with $ so it could still be f2p.

ADPaq · August 2022

While I think a skill based game mode would be very interesting it seems to be completely counter to the current game mechanics and monetisation model that NG have built. I.e. people levelling up their characters, buying special gear, rerolling traits etc.. Therefore, I find it unlikely that such a game mode would ever be created.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I'm not sure such a gamemode would actually make any difference to the problem of too many ties. I believe there are enough people who have mastery of this game that we would still end up with a large number of ties. The fundamental problem here is that this game is essentially a puzzle game which means you can either solve the puzzle or not (and we know lots can solve it). This invariably means ties. If this were a truly competitive game, such as a first-person shooter, you could pit raw skill against skill and have a single victor.

For what It's worth, I am personally quite happy with the existing challenge format and have only managed to complete it with a perfect score 3 times and the idea of drawing with others doesn't upset me or detract from the enjoyment I get from the game.

I'm conscious of the fact I've offered critiques and no alternative solutions. So here goes:

1 Modify the existing leaderboard such that anybody who ties will see themselves above those they tied with. Then sort the rest alphabetically.

2. Create 6 curated maps beyond round 80 which are significantly more difficult than any map type we have encountered so far. For example, one of the maps could involve killing a boss walker that is immune to status effects. Another example, could be be that one of the maps may have a preselected team you have to use. Another only allows a single attempt etc.

None of these are perfect and I don't believe there ever will be due to the nature of this game.

Burmeliinis · August 2022

I like the idea, but with these modifications
- It's like a parallell challenge, but starting at a relatively much harder level. Maybe have the team start at lvl 20 and walkers at level 30 - and have it open ended so you can go on forever
- Give XP and crate rewards but not other challenge rewards for completing missions, but have leaderboard rewards for the ones topping the leaderboard (maybe support tokens)
- Make it free to enter, but it would obviously use gas, incentivizing players to buy gas boosters
- Allow tools, which again incentivize players to guy tools

- With a predetermined team with predetermined weapons and no supports, it will become much harder. Make the teams interesting and focus on some aspect of the game, for example Beta lead with two scouts as a herding challenge, or 2 bruisers and a hunter/shooter for old school stun wall tactics.

- This way the existing model for season missions and challenge,which could be utilized and thus require less development than a completely new mission mode

LeonPlayon · August 2022

ADPaq said:

(...)
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I'm not sure such a gamemode would actually make any difference to the problem of too many ties. I believe there are enough people who have mastery of this game that we would still end up with a large number of ties. The fundamental problem here is that this game is essentially a puzzle game which means you can either solve the puzzle or not (and we know lots can solve it). This invariably means ties. If this were a truly competitive game, such as a first-person shooter, you could pit raw skill against skill and have a single victor.
(...)

Even though many players can 'solve the puzzle', they do use different amounts of tools, turns and time. That could be incorporated into a score that would not result in so many ties.

LeonPlayon · August 2022

ADPaq said:

(...) killing a boss walker that is immune to status effects (...)

I like - and fear - that idea!!

Muirna · August 2022

ADPaq said:

While I think a skill based game mode would be very interesting it seems to be completely counter to the current game mechanics and monetisation model that NG have built. I.e. people levelling up their characters, buying special gear, rerolling traits etc.. Therefore, I find it unlikely that such a game mode would ever be created.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I'm not sure such a gamemode would actually make any difference to the problem of too many ties. I believe there are enough people who have mastery of this game that we would still end up with a large number of ties. The fundamental problem here is that this game is essentially a puzzle game which means you can either solve the puzzle or not (and we know lots can solve it). This invariably means ties. If this were a truly competitive game, such as a first-person shooter, you could pit raw skill against skill and have a single victor.

For what It's worth, I am personally quite happy with the existing challenge format and have only managed to complete it with a perfect score 3 times and the idea of drawing with others doesn't upset me or detract from the enjoyment I get from the game.

I'm conscious of the fact I've offered critiques and no alternative solutions. So here goes:

1 Modify the existing leaderboard such that anybody who ties will see themselves above those they tied with. Then sort the rest alphabetically.

2. Create 6 curated maps beyond round 80 which are significantly more difficult than any map type we have encountered so far. For example, one of the maps could involve killing a boss walker that is immune to status effects. Another example, could be be that one of the maps may have a preselected team you have to use. Another only allows a single attempt etc.
None of these are perfect and I don't believe there ever will be due to the nature of this game.

I don't know whether a boss walker type that is immune to status effects would faze players with a maxed out Mercer and maxed out Cookies? But I do generally like the idea of the game adding new special walker types just because I think it would be fun.

Muirna · August 2022

Burmeliinis said:

I like the idea, but with these modifications
- It's like a parallell challenge, but starting at a relatively much harder level. Maybe have the team start at lvl 20 and walkers at level 30 - and have it open ended so you can go on forever
- Give XP and crate rewards but not other challenge rewards for completing missions, but have leaderboard rewards for the ones topping the leaderboard (maybe support tokens)
- Make it free to enter, but it would obviously use gas, incentivizing players to buy gas boosters
- Allow tools, which again incentivize players to guy tools

- With a predetermined team with predetermined weapons and no supports, it will become much harder. Make the teams interesting and focus on some aspect of the game, for example Beta lead with two scouts as a herding challenge, or 2 bruisers and a hunter/shooter for old school stun wall tactics.

- This way the existing model for season missions and challenge,which could be utilized and thus require less development than a completely new mission mode

I definitely think it would be more interesting if the teams were chosen to have some potential for synergy versus just totally random.

ADPaq · August 2022

LeonPlayon said:

Even though many players can 'solve the puzzle', they do use different amounts of tools, turns and time. That could be incorporated into a score that would not result in so many ties.

I couldn't agree more but there is no way NG is going to penalise people for buying and using a resource that generates revenue for them.

Muirna said:

I don't know whether a boss walker type that is immune to status effects would faze players with a maxed out Mercer and maxed out Cookies? But I do generally like the idea of the game adding new special walker types just because I think it would be fun.

I should have been clearer. I was classing both Mercer's leader trait and cookies as a status effect.Therefore neither would work or would be greatly reduced. I wouldn't introduce these walkers as a general new walker, but rather have a specifically designed map with a boss walker you have to strategise around killing. This could include elements like setting up trip wires, closing gates and creating barricades that the walkers break through over X rounds.

For the predefined teams, again I would expect a map to be built so it was possible but extremely difficult with the selected team. Although it would be interesting to see how the top players responded to truly junk teams on very hard maps.

Muirna · August 2022

but rather have a specifically designed map with a boss walker you have to strategise around killing. This could include elements like setting up trip wires, closing gates and creating barricades that the walkers break through over X rounds.

Trip wire kind of sounds like you came up with a new tool or support idea to me. I know there's a season mission with trip wire, but your idea to be able to set it is an interesting twist:)

When you mentioned barricades my first thought was stacking up walker bodies lol. Again, probably would be a tool or support idea I think. I like these ideas you have of engaging with the environment.

Firekid · August 2022

I don’t have time for the game modes we do have so I wouldn’t be able to play this, particularly for no rewards. Also paying 400 to play for nothing doesn’t excite me. It would be cool to face off on equal footing with the greats in the game and with the great FTP players out there. Think it’s been suggested before but make it a twice yearly special event or something and I’m in.

Muirna · August 2022

Firekid said:

I don’t have time for the game modes we do have so I wouldn’t be able to play this, particularly for no rewards. Also paying 400 to play for nothing doesn’t excite me. It would be cool to face off on equal footing with the greats in the game and with the great FTP players out there. Think it’s been suggested before but make it a twice yearly special event or something and I’m in.

Burmeliinis suggested some tweaks to clarify the concept -- that it would be the alternative Challenge, expert mode -- choose one or the other, which I definitely agree with since there are too many modes and nobody wants to do two sets of the same Challenge every week.

Curious, do any of you think players would pay gold to play if the rewards were equivalent to what they are now? Or better in Nightmare rounds? Or if there were top 10 prizes? I think I am confused about how much players want to be challenged and how much they want to really have it be about strategy and skill with other factors eliminated as much as possible and how much leaderboard means versus rewards etc.

BenjaminT · August 2022

Firekid said:

I don’t have time for the game modes we do have so I wouldn’t be able to play this, particularly for no rewards. Also paying 400 to play for nothing doesn’t excite me. It would be cool to face off on equal footing with the greats in the game and with the great FTP players out there. Think it’s been suggested before but make it a twice yearly special event or something and I’m in.

Haha! I was thinking something similar… like the NML World Cup! I wonder who’ll end up winning the bidding war for the exclusive television rights

Virtus · August 2022

Muirna said:

This new optional game mode would have no rewards, just a leaderboard, and would cost same amount of gold each week to enter/play in it (so that there would be some point for NG to consider implementing it) -- maybe 400 gold per week for example like the cost of a Distance reset. I am proposing this idea in light of all the threads calling for more challenge because they are bored, which at their core all have a common denominator of wanting to prevent as many people from tying with them on the leaderboards.

The mode would run parallel to the weekly Challenge, but each player participating in Level Playing Field would be playing with the exact same team, same traits, badges, etc. -- so reminiscent of how we play with what we are given for the first parts of all the season missions. And have the same gear or choice of gear. Same level supports. Same starting number of tools, or no tools. Etc. The purpose of this mode would be to create the only environment in the game where you could really see a true differentiation in skill and strategy while eliminating all other differentiating factors that don't relate to skill or strategy, such as someone having better $ weapons, more pink stars, better supports, or whatever else. Take all of the other stuff out of the equation and let strategy and skill reign.

It's not a bad idea. However, I think rewards should be present, and quite high. This is a mode for the best of the best to prove themselves, and should reward as such. Also, starting spawn has to be the same for everyone, not random. We probably can't get rid of the RNG, but with so many even players, that will be determinitive in many cases.

New game mode: Level Playing Field

Comments

Categories