This exactly is of key-importance in this discussion. I understand why you were avoiding to write suggestions, but the very first suggestion you make does directly give your posts another turn.
I also agree with all of the advantages different type of players should have over others. If someone decides to spend thousands, then I’m totally fine with him or her having a big advantage over me. Without guarantees, this advantage is not as big as it would be.
Despite that I love creativity, I also think that ‘‘demanding’’ a change of or in the actual foundation of the game is sometimes too much to ask for. The moment players can obtain guaranteed heroes then one of the games’ foundations changes. I think you’ll need reasonable and strong arguments for that and that’s where creative possible solutions or options come in useful. They usually illustrate what you’re actually meaning and support your arguments.
So does this one. I think it’s a nice option to consider. It still favors the ones who spend money, but not a lot and especially not a lot when there’s no guaranteed specific 5* hero.
Let’s consider this suggestion and say that we only have F2P and P2W players. P2W buys VIP and the Gem offers before every Challenge Event.
VIP = 900 gems each month
Gem offers = 1000 gems each month (5x 200 gems)
Total = 1900 gems each month
Total per year = 22.800 gems
This equals a bit more than 8 times a 10x pull per year. In this example, combined with your suggestion, P2W will have at least eight random 5* heroes every year.
Let’s say that a F2P player obtains on average 15 gems per day. I have no idea about the actual number. This means they will collect 5475 gems a year, which is enough for two 10x summons and thus at least two 5* heroes.
If we would bring C2P into this example, I would replace P2W with C2P and assume that P2W obtains twelf 5* heroes each year.
Distribution then is: F2P two 5* | C2P eight 5* | P2W twelf 5*
Seems totally fine to me.
The other downside is that the current rate of obtaining ascension materials will probably be not enough to catch up with the possible twelf 5* heroes per year. This could lead to an increasing amount of purchased offers, which include ascension materials. SGG’s revenue then increases also.
Seems totally fine to me again.
But it still revolves around spending money in order to ‘‘win’’. A change as this would actually allow us to spend less money to obtain the stronger heroes, but it would also encourage us to spend money in order to get the stronger heroes and improve them.
Returning a guaranteed certain desired value for your money is a desired change by many players.
But…
Would the game with such changes not head more towards a real P2W direction? And won’t that direction be actually more harmful to the game/playerbase?
Exactly this was the issue one of the biggest threads on this forum expressed concerns about; Are we heading to Pay2Win? Plus, other concerns.
You will need one hell of a balanced feature regarding guaranteed 5* heroes not to shift the game towards a P2W direction. I believe it’s pretty difficult to achieve. Your suggestion could be a nice start.
The first thing I think of is Atlantis Coins. They are collectable through map levels (limited) and wanted chests. Unfortunately for us they do not provide us with guaranteed 5* heroes. But they do allow us to possibly obtain a 5* hero without spending money and without needing the luck for the coins to drop. We do rely on luck for Epic Hero/Troop Tokens. We can farm (limited) the Atlantis Coins and then try our luck.
These coins are a great example, not fine-tuned for the much requested change concerning guaranteed 5* heroes, but it’s a nice start which actually doesn’t shift the game into a P2W direction.
So what if a suggestions is aimed on:
- Guaranteed / Guaranteed random outcome; i.e. 5* hero
- Possible at the cost of no money
- Based on time/activity level
It would not take away the disappointment after not receiving a 5* hero after spending quite a bit of money. But it would also not alter the foundation of the game, while still giving us the opportunity to make steps towards competing on a more balanced level with each other.
Another out of the blue suggestion based on yours, variables can be changed:
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Each Xth (10th) Atlantis summon will give you a guaranteed 5* hero
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A player can only obtain X (1) guaranteed 5* hero during the period the Atlantis Summon Portal is available
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If the draw decides to give you nine 5* heroes before your 10th guaranteed 5* hero, then so be it
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Any regular 5* hero along with the Atlantis and Featured Past HoTM 5* heroes are inside the guaranteed 5* group
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For each Epic, Event or Season summon you obtain X (5) Atlantis Coins
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Each replayed normal Atlantis map level gives X (1) Atlantis Coin / Each replayed hard Atlantis map level gives X (3) Atlantis Coins