An Open Letter to CG Concerning the Lack of Diversity in the Meta.
An open Letter to CG
Dear CG,
My favorite part of this game is the Brutal, unrelenting decisions that force you to choose one worthy goal over another worthy goal, and I do hope that you sustain that. I, however, do not have confidence that you will be able to maintain the difficult balance of difficult decisions, and I cannot feel secure in any further patronage till I know you will be able to encourage greater depth of choice.
The Problem:
In a game that forces you to choose between Wedge and Mods, Rey and Dengar, Ackbar and Stormtrooper Han. In a game that forces you to agonize over who to give a completed Stun Cuff or Furnace, the game meta is extremely bland. If you buy Chromiums, which many P2P users do not, then you can choose a Sun Fac or Rex team to battle the Wiggs Meta. When you only have three top teams from which to choose, and two of them require winning the lottery, you strip away what should be a very difficult decision of which arena team to farm.
My Proposed Solution:
You're game is worse for this lack of variety and complexity, and sure, the introduction of Shoretrooper and TIE Fighter adds another valid option for Chromium patrons. I would argue it isn't enough to add characters that will simply replace the current meta as Palp Lead, Vader, Shoretrooper, TIE Fighter, and Royal Guard essentially plays the same way as Wiggs, but slightly better. What is necessary is a better variety of playstyles wherein each team has advantages over one or more other teams, but is disadvantaged against other viable teams.
Short Term:
Changes like I propose cannot happen overnight-- I am not unrealistic. In the short-term release Sun-Fac in Cantina 7/8 and Rex in Arena. Sun-Fac is a toon that literally everyone will farm, this makes him the perfect candidate for the highly scarce cantina energy. Rex, I judge to have a lower market value than Sun Fac, will please the players who often complain about cantina energy being overly scarce-- that is what they are essentially complaining about when they state that there is too much to do with Cantina energy. These changes will placate the masses in the meantime and restore purchasing confidence in players while you work towards more lasting and radical meta development for Squad Tournaments.
Long Term Meta Goals I Propose:
A. No team should be a silver bullet that dominates all the meta.
Teams should have advantages and disadvantages over other meta teams. It's good that Sith has an advantage over Jedi and Rebels have an advantage over Empire, but advantages/disadvantages have to transcend tribal affinities. The
Evasion meta could have been fixed if you made some characters gain a bonus from missing. If Ahsoka had the ability (determined assault seems like a flavorful name) to gain a new buff and 100% TM on miss, the Evasion Meta would have diversified rather than toppled. Mods were a complete reshuffle of the meta, and did nothing to solve the exclusivity of the Top teams.
B. Don't add any more evergreen buffs and debuffs.
New Buffs and Debuffs are unpredictable and difficult to balance. New content can appear to solve issues, but typically the unintended consequences of new mechanics outweighs the benefits. I'm a little worried to see Frenzy in a Wiggs team-- Bistan has the potential to solidify Wiggs grasp on the Galaxy. Instead use the current mechanics in new ways. Biggs gaining TM on crit is a move in the right direction. I recommend creating a Jedi tank that taunts and benefits from being stunned-- granting buffs to allies when the toon becomes debuffed. I created joke toons, Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker, to illustrate this in the comments. Wiggs greatest bonus is Biggs one shot move-- make a toon that revives allies with buffs when they are one-shot. Or you could make a toon that gains 100% TM when an opponent reduces his TM. You have all the depth of gameplay with the mechanics you have already created-- focus on finding every Opportunity to more creatively utilize the content you have already created.
C. When introducing powerful new synergies, make only one toon difficult to achieve.
Palpatine requires a Blue Moon event, Shoretrooper requires Chromiums, and Vader is farmed through achievements. TIE Fighter and Royal Guard meanwhile require the ever scarce cantina energy. For a team clearly designed to shake up the meta, you have insured it is unattainable by the more conservative P2P players and F2P players. Until the Meta is diversified, more arena viable F2Farm characters are required.
Waiting on the release of ships, I'm more nervous than ever to spend my hard-earned money on this game. I want to be a confident consumer, but I'm simply not satisfied with with the lack of diversity in the Squad meta. I feel that you're making the mistake many of my competitors in game are: you are focusing on Rogue One gimmicks that aren't doing anything to correct the meta. I predict that if the meta remains uncorrected, you will lose revenue and players in the long term. Stop farming gimmicks equivalent to Mob Enforcer and farm a better Meta.
Dear CG,
My favorite part of this game is the Brutal, unrelenting decisions that force you to choose one worthy goal over another worthy goal, and I do hope that you sustain that. I, however, do not have confidence that you will be able to maintain the difficult balance of difficult decisions, and I cannot feel secure in any further patronage till I know you will be able to encourage greater depth of choice.
The Problem:
In a game that forces you to choose between Wedge and Mods, Rey and Dengar, Ackbar and Stormtrooper Han. In a game that forces you to agonize over who to give a completed Stun Cuff or Furnace, the game meta is extremely bland. If you buy Chromiums, which many P2P users do not, then you can choose a Sun Fac or Rex team to battle the Wiggs Meta. When you only have three top teams from which to choose, and two of them require winning the lottery, you strip away what should be a very difficult decision of which arena team to farm.
My Proposed Solution:
You're game is worse for this lack of variety and complexity, and sure, the introduction of Shoretrooper and TIE Fighter adds another valid option for Chromium patrons. I would argue it isn't enough to add characters that will simply replace the current meta as Palp Lead, Vader, Shoretrooper, TIE Fighter, and Royal Guard essentially plays the same way as Wiggs, but slightly better. What is necessary is a better variety of playstyles wherein each team has advantages over one or more other teams, but is disadvantaged against other viable teams.
Short Term:
Changes like I propose cannot happen overnight-- I am not unrealistic. In the short-term release Sun-Fac in Cantina 7/8 and Rex in Arena. Sun-Fac is a toon that literally everyone will farm, this makes him the perfect candidate for the highly scarce cantina energy. Rex, I judge to have a lower market value than Sun Fac, will please the players who often complain about cantina energy being overly scarce-- that is what they are essentially complaining about when they state that there is too much to do with Cantina energy. These changes will placate the masses in the meantime and restore purchasing confidence in players while you work towards more lasting and radical meta development for Squad Tournaments.
Long Term Meta Goals I Propose:
A. No team should be a silver bullet that dominates all the meta.
Teams should have advantages and disadvantages over other meta teams. It's good that Sith has an advantage over Jedi and Rebels have an advantage over Empire, but advantages/disadvantages have to transcend tribal affinities. The
Evasion meta could have been fixed if you made some characters gain a bonus from missing. If Ahsoka had the ability (determined assault seems like a flavorful name) to gain a new buff and 100% TM on miss, the Evasion Meta would have diversified rather than toppled. Mods were a complete reshuffle of the meta, and did nothing to solve the exclusivity of the Top teams.
B. Don't add any more evergreen buffs and debuffs.
New Buffs and Debuffs are unpredictable and difficult to balance. New content can appear to solve issues, but typically the unintended consequences of new mechanics outweighs the benefits. I'm a little worried to see Frenzy in a Wiggs team-- Bistan has the potential to solidify Wiggs grasp on the Galaxy. Instead use the current mechanics in new ways. Biggs gaining TM on crit is a move in the right direction. I recommend creating a Jedi tank that taunts and benefits from being stunned-- granting buffs to allies when the toon becomes debuffed. I created joke toons, Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker, to illustrate this in the comments. Wiggs greatest bonus is Biggs one shot move-- make a toon that revives allies with buffs when they are one-shot. Or you could make a toon that gains 100% TM when an opponent reduces his TM. You have all the depth of gameplay with the mechanics you have already created-- focus on finding every Opportunity to more creatively utilize the content you have already created.
C. When introducing powerful new synergies, make only one toon difficult to achieve.
Palpatine requires a Blue Moon event, Shoretrooper requires Chromiums, and Vader is farmed through achievements. TIE Fighter and Royal Guard meanwhile require the ever scarce cantina energy. For a team clearly designed to shake up the meta, you have insured it is unattainable by the more conservative P2P players and F2P players. Until the Meta is diversified, more arena viable F2Farm characters are required.
Waiting on the release of ships, I'm more nervous than ever to spend my hard-earned money on this game. I want to be a confident consumer, but I'm simply not satisfied with with the lack of diversity in the Squad meta. I feel that you're making the mistake many of my competitors in game are: you are focusing on Rogue One gimmicks that aren't doing anything to correct the meta. I predict that if the meta remains uncorrected, you will lose revenue and players in the long term. Stop farming gimmicks equivalent to Mob Enforcer and farm a better Meta.
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Replies
Mara Jade
Light Side, Scoundrel, Jedi, Support
(Basic) Silent Strike: Mara Jade gains Offense Down, Stealth, and any Luke Skywalker toons are now stunned.
(Special) Assassin's Aura: Mara Jade inflicts all negative effects she has on her opponents and gives the opposite status effects to her Allies. Mara Jade is still Inflicted with the negative status effects. Any Luke Skywalker toons are now stunned. Cooldown 1
(Special) Assassin's Elixir: Mara Jade gains Defense Down and Tenacity Down for two turns. Any Luke Skywalker toons are now stunned. Cooldown 2
(Special) Kamikaze Stimpack: Mara Jade gains 10 stacks of Damage over Time effects at the beginning of her next turn. Any Luke Skywalker Toons are now stunned. Cooldown 5
Passive: Unlocking Mara Jade gives Luke Skywalker the "Man" tag. If Old Ben and Yoda are unlocked Luke Skywalker loses the "Man" Tag and gains the "Jedi" Tag.
Luke Skywalker
Light Side, Jedi, Rebel, Tank
(Basic) Luke Skywalker is ashamed he hits like a wet noodle, and doesn't seem to realize the Sith Lord he's fighting isn't even trying. Luke Skywalker is now stunned.
(Special) Startling Revelation: Luke Skywalker is now Stunned, and there is still good in his father. If Darth Vader is an ally, he is considered a Jedi for the duration of the battle. Cooldown 3
Passive: Whenever Luke Skywalker becomes stunned, he taunts for two turns, gains 100% health, gives allies 20% of his max health, and seemingly single-handedly wins the rebellion flailing around like a fish.
QGJ Lead, Yoda, Mara Jade, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader would not be meta breaking, but would be fun to play.