CC Mark & L Fizzle: Some Event suggestions from a keen UK-based player

[YLL]

Crime City Mark and L Fizzle:

First, I want to say that I do overall enjoy the Modern War Events - thank you for having them. There are a number of suggestions I would like to make, however.

One is to improve the information given to players to reduce chances of their becoming frustrated. A couple of examples:
1) When an Event announcement comes up in the game, it just says that you can get boxes (in the latest one) by attacking people. It does not make clear that the boxes first have to be earned by people doing energy missions first (in my case, resulting in several dozen attacks on other players early in the game for no reward - and indeed the loss of over two dozen superhornets and innumerable other valuable units, resulting in a reduction of my attack/defence points by over a thousand points).
2) As with the Briefcase Event (which was my first, as the titanium one never showed up for me), I got my ninth item by midway through the Event - and then never got the tenth, despite going through great lengths to make the time to open as many briefcases/boxes as possible. It would be really helpful to know the odds of getting the 10th (or indeed the 8th and 9th) so that players can to a trade-off analysis to see how much effort they want (or can afford) to put in. Some of us have jobs to keep, after all, and we probably couldn't play or spend (as much) if we lost them(!), which surely isn't in Funzio's interest.

The in-game Help menus contain no such information, and I only learnt about Example 1 from other players AFTER posting on the forum (you can see I'm a forum newbie). Perhaps a link could be put in somewhere for info like the above (and odds of opening using bare hands versus money versus gold) for those who don't use or don't know of this forum. Some others made mention of complaining to trading authorities and the like, and while I wouldn't go that far, Funzio IS making money from these Events and lotteries in many countries (certainly in Europe) are usually obliged to make available such details.

Another very frustrating issue is event timing. The briefcase one started late on Sunday morning for me, while the box one started on a Tuesday morning. The former isn't so bad, but the latter was terrible. Logically, for efficiency, one wants to play intensely at the start to quickly build a stockpile of briefcases/boxes so that no opening opportunities are wasted. But most of us who work have to work on Tuesdays! Trying to play surreptitiously is difficult and you can imagine potentially hazardous to job security.

What would I like to see timing-wise? Well, I think the fairest thing would be to start the event in the morning Far East time (for the benefit of Asian & Australian players) on a Saturday morning and ending late at night on a Sunday night Americas west coast time - i.e. let the event be nine days long. That way, those of us who work (or study) can play intensely over two weekends and less so during the five weekdays in between.

A third issue is the nature of the prizes. I think most (if not all) players regard grunts as a 'boobie' prize. If this is what was intended, then fine - but if not, please replace them with something else.

Fourth, not sure about what others think here, but one Event every fortnight is just too frequent. I put a lot of effort into the Events, and I'm exhausted by the end of one (not to mention frustrated and dejected that all my efforts don't result in my obtaining the tenth item!). I would not like to miss an Event but I need time to do other things as well!

Thanks again for the Events so far. Please continue to keep them going, but do give my suggestions serious consideration.

[War Priest]

Don't bother man. They don't care...

[Agent Orange]

Sadly I agree with WP, the overall track record for the events is strewn with failure.

The last one being a serious miscommunication and subsequent less than sincere apology.

Funzio is in dire need of someone who has the power and people skills to properly deal with it's customer base otherwise they will eventually not be able to run and hide from their angry customers....

[Thunder Child]

@ YLL
Can't say I agree with all you say, but I think you SHOULD care if you love the game. Of course, it might not change anything, but I'm pretty certain most things at least get read and you never know, something might just change! Keep posting!

[Maverick50727]

Sadly I agree with WP, the overall track record for the events is strewn with failure.

The last one being a serious miscommunication and subsequent less than sincere apology.

Funzio is in dire need of someone who has the power and people skills to properly deal with it's customer base otherwise they will eventually not be able to run and hide from their angry customers....
I agree on better in-game communication of the decreasing odds for the more bars, docs, parts you obtain. I for one like the events. I don't want them to go away and think they should be left as an event of "chance".

I understand where both parties are coming from though. I would be happier if I got the 10th prizes too. However, I understand that not everyone should be able to get them, or else they they add no value or advantage. Only advantage would be over people who are just starting the game and never played the events, but you would never see them anyway.

See my other post to WP here:
http://www.funzio.com/forum/showthread.php?24711-Event-Poll/page3

[YLL]

@ WP and AO: I understand and empathise with your frustrations as I too went all out for the ninth and tenth propellers. However, as Thunder Child said, given we care about this game so much, there is no harm posting and crossing our fingers that Funzio will listen, consider and hopefully implement appropriate changes.

[War Priest]

I love this game, I honestly do. But the way things are going with Funzio, and after getting a cheap apology, I have ended my financial relation with them.

You are losing costumers Funzio all over an imaginary unit that was promised and a cheap apology... That is sad.

I don't blame L Fizzle one bit for making that mistake. She has been there asking for our feedback on how to better the game. She listens to what us customers want. I know that she isn't the decision maker, but maybe she should be. I guarantee things would run so much smoother since she seems to have the proper skills needed to run your business.

[Jp lfs]

CCMark and LFizzle- Do you see how strong the trend is here for the Senior Members to be giving up on you? You can fix this for free!! Why not do something? Clearly an apology is not working. You can do better. Please try before people really start giving up on you completely. My guess is that you have until the end of today to make it right. DO the right thing.

[spectra]

Sadly I agree with WP, the overall track record for the events is strewn with failure.

The last one being a serious miscommunication and subsequent less than sincere apology.

Funzio is in dire need of someone who has the power and people skills to properly deal with it's customer base otherwise they will eventually not be able to run and hide from their angry customers....

I agree with you 100%, they sent me an email, stating that there was 'miscommunication' and that there never was an intend to give a prize for collecting 9 parts.
the worst part is that there is someone in charge of the forum and no one from Funzio posted an apology after the event or during the even clarify on the forum that there was an error and there would be no special bonus.

To me that is miss advertising, and Funzio should honor the statement made by Fizzle, the bonus could be something as simple as giving those player for example another of the units you get once reached 7 parts from the past 3 events, or worts case scenario 10,000 valor points or 8 million cash (we would all most likely prefer the unit of course)

Cheers

[Poopenshire]

CCMark and LFizzle- Do you see how strong the trend is here for the Senior Members to be giving up on you? You can fix this for free!! Why not do something? Clearly an apology is not working. You can do better. Please try before people really start giving up on you completely. My guess is that you have until the end of today to make it right. DO the right thing.

JP, I hate to say it, but its really easy to become a senior member. the title doesn't hold anything. I got mine in a few weeks. But i do believe in what your trying to say. i think there might have to be a different way of quantifying it. as well we don't know total numbers, for all we know it could only be the few people on the forums complaining and not the majority of players.

[Poopenshire]

I agree with you 100%, they sent me an email, stating that there was 'miscommunication' and that there never was an intend to give a prize for collecting 9 parts.
the worst part is that there is someone in charge of the forum and no one from Funzio posted an apology after the event or during the even clarify on the forum that there was an error and there would be no special bonus.

To me that is miss advertising, and Funzio should honor the statement made by Fizzle, the bonus could be something as simple as giving those player for example 5,000 valor points or 5 million cash

Cheers

What email? did anyone else get one?

[ohgoonthen]

There around 10-12 senior members on here as they are referred to.

1.5m downloaded the game in the first week.

If you think that Funzio are going to be worried about these players and their wallets then you are all completely delusional

[Aidan]

@poopenshire u'll only get the email if u create a ticket. I sent it out as soon as i got part number 9. Still waiting fr their reply tho

[Jp lfs]

JP, I hate to say it, but its really easy to become a senior member. the title doesn't hold anything. I got mine in a few weeks. But i do believe in what your trying to say. i think there might have to be a different way of quantifying it. as well we don't know total numbers, for all we know it could only be the few people on the forums complaining and not the majority of players.
I do understand that. And I really just meant that, in general, the Senior Members are the most experienced (with a couple glaring exceptions!!) Also, that their opinion carries some weight with each other and the lower members as well. So when they speak in unison, it might be important to listen.

[L Fizzle]

Don't bother man. They don't care...

You know we do...and you know I send the stuff you guys say onto the dev teams.

[Poopenshire]

At this point, is all this really worth what is going on? I know I missed almost all the topics this weekend due to family plans, but the more I look around and see whats going on, I get the feeling we need to figure things out more from forum community. We are projecting a little too much and too often. We should keep the concerns and comments focused more.

[Jp lfs]

There around 10-12 senior members on here as they are referred to.

1.5m downloaded the game in the first week.

If you think that Funzio are going to be worried about these players and their wallets then you are all completely delusional

But how many people read every word they post? Or lurk the forum for weeks before they post? I think they carry some more weight than you think.

[ohgoonthen]

But how many people read every word they post? Or lurk the forum for weeks before they post? I think they carry some more weight than you think.

They probably do lets say each of them will make 1000 people stop spending money.

So the "senior/most frequent posters" (the more you post the more senior your ranking becomes nothing to do with quality) might effect 10-12k players. still less than 1% of the total at least.

[L Fizzle]

Also....it's Monday morning. People are coming into the office slowly and I have already been talking with our dev teams about a solution for this. We've been emailing all weekend.

I promise to have some sort of statement/resolution/explanation for you guys as soon as I possibly can.


Stay with me and trust that I'll do everything in my power to make this right for you guys. :)

L Fizzle

[Jp lfs]

Also....it's Monday morning. People are coming into the office slowly and I have already been talking with our dev teams about a solution for this. We've been emailing all weekend.

I promise to have some sort of statement/resolution/explanation for you guys as soon as I possibly can.


Stay with me and trust that I'll do everything in my power to make this right for you guys. :)

L Fizzle

Thank you for continuing to keep us updated. That alone is worth a lot. Even when we are unsatisfied with the answers, at least you are listening. Thanks!

[marebear]

You know we do...and you know I send the stuff you guys say onto the dev teams.Nice to see you Lauren. You had us worried about you.

[Aidan]

We do trust u Lauren. It's them tht we dont trust. It's like everythng u told them they just brushed it aside. The casualties not to forget is wayyy long overdue an explaination or solution. N now the events. It's like others said, they seems to... not care.....

[L Fizzle]

I was here all weekend. I was posting at like 2-3am and weird times. Tons of PMs and internal emails. It's not just about the forum. :)

[Crime City Mark]

There are some good ideas in the OP here. Let me try to address a few of them:

We have limited space in the event popup to work with, but we're interested in hearing suggestions. Maybe photoshop together a couple of ideas and post them? Really probably the best way to deal with this is going to be a link in the popup that leads to the forums or the help page.

I don't think we're going to see a day where the drop rates are posted. Since the drop rates vary depending on how many of the item you have and how you open it, and we want to maintain the option of tweaking the rates to improve the event, it wouldn't really be sound. Too much room for mistakes.

The in-game help menus are in the process of being revamped. I'm hoping to have new help menus by the end of May. All of the information is being updated and corrected, which screenshots being added. We'll put up some posts in each of the game forums where you can suggest topics for the help page.

The events are still in their infancy, and are still being tested. Things like timing are in flux, but I imagine within the near future we'll see more stability.

I wouldn't say any of the prizes are "booby prizes". Sure, there are less good prizes, but there isn't anything that is completely useless. We're not giving anyone a box of tissues or anything like that.

[Jp lfs]

I wouldn't say any of the prizes are "booby prizes". Sure, there are less good prizes, but there isn't anything that is completely useless. We're not giving anyone a box of tissues or anything like that.

Although I appreciate the response to some of the issues, the last part comes off a little sarcastic. Box of tissues? So we can wipe our whiny, crying eyes and stop bothering you?

[Crime City Mark]

Although I appreciate the response to some of the issues, the last part comes off a little sarcastic. Box of tissues? So we can wipe our whiny, crying eyes and stop bothering you?

No, it's a cultural thing. I forget the name of it, but there's a Japanese gambling thing where if you don't win the prize they give you a packet of tissues instead. It always struck me as really odd.

[Aidan]

I am liking this involvement frm the devs vry much. Thnks fr proving me wrong tht u guys r going to shy away frm the forum evenmore after the fiasco.

However, could u please enlighten us on the grunt as a prize? I cant think of it being any usefull fr any plyrs. I rlly dont.

[War Priest]

You know we do...and you know I send the stuff you guys say onto the dev teams.

Fizz I know that you listen. I even posted about you should be top dog and running the business. =)

[War Priest]

There are some good ideas in the OP here. Let me try to address a few of them:

We have limited space in the event popup to work with, but we're interested in hearing suggestions. Maybe photoshop together a couple of ideas and post them? Really probably the best way to deal with this is going to be a link in the popup that leads to the forums or the help page.

I don't think we're going to see a day where the drop rates are posted. Since the drop rates vary depending on how many of the item you have and how you open it, and we want to maintain the option of tweaking the rates to improve the event, it wouldn't really be sound. Too much room for mistakes.

The in-game help menus are in the process of being revamped. I'm hoping to have new help menus by the end of May. All of the information is being updated and corrected, which screenshots being added. We'll put up some posts in each of the game forums where you can suggest topics for the help page.

The events are still in their infancy, and are still being tested. Things like timing are in flux, but I imagine within the near future we'll see more stability.

I wouldn't say any of the prizes are "booby prizes". Sure, there are less good prizes, but there isn't anything that is completely useless. We're not giving anyone a box of tissues or anything like that.

Mark, I don't see why some can get all 10 after opening only like 60 boxes, but others open 200 and still can't get ten.

It would be better with set drops and keep the random chance factor.

Such as:

Open 4: 1st plane part
*
*
Open 18: 4th plane part
*
*
Open 90: 10th plane part.

[el_gringo]

No, it's a cultural thing. I forget the name of it, but there's a Japanese gambling thing where if you don't win the prize they give you a packet of tissues instead. It always struck me as really odd.

In Britain its known as a 'wooden spoon', although it's usually given to the person in dead last. It's quite common to actually award a wooden spoon as this prize!

[el_gringo]

War Priest -

I quite like your suggestion although its not even that necessary. I was a bit peeved after the documents event as I'd used a fair bit of gold to try to open the early boxes. It was only at about 6 or 7 that I noticed the boxes were becoming harder to open - had I known that from the start I would have spent the gold right at the end.

Basically, if i'd had the changing odds communicated to me via in game info I would have been perefectly happy, wheras now I feel I wasn't properly informed of what I was spending my irl cash on.

[Agent Orange]

Although I appreciate the response to some of the issues, the last part comes off a little sarcastic. Box of tissues? So we can wipe our whiny, crying eyes and stop bothering you?

The north americans call it a crying towel....

Poor Mark can't win for trying.

[Agent Orange]

Thank you L Fizzle for trying to help us.

[War Priest]

War Priest -

I quite like your suggestion although its not even that necessary. I was a bit peeved after the documents event as I'd used a fair bit of gold to try to open the early boxes. It was only at about 6 or 7 that I noticed the boxes were becoming harder to open - had I known that from the start I would have spent the gold right at the end.

Basically, if i'd had the changing odds communicated to me via in game info I would have been perefectly happy, wheras now I feel I wasn't properly informed of what I was spending my irl cash on.

I mean, it would make so much people happier. It takes out the unfairness and the gamble. Yet it is still about chance because if you don't use gold, you might never open that amount of boxes, yet if you prefer to just open with gold, it is still achieveable.

You guys might see it differently than I do, but I believe it would play out much better. What people like is a game of chance, not gambling our gold away. If I wanted to waste really money gambling, I would play the slots as a hobby instead.

[Pace]

To the OP: Bravo. I agree with all of your points. Even more importantly, however, I applaud that you posted your thoughts in a concise, positive manner (which I admit I couldn't seem to do).



I don't think we're going to see a day where the drop rates are posted. Since the drop rates vary depending on how many of the item you have and how you open it, and we want to maintain the option of tweaking the rates to improve the event, it wouldn't really be sound. Too much room for mistakes.


And to CC Mark: While I understand you might not post exact formulas, your comment actually alludes to the misunderstanding that I think increased information about game mechanics would help with. I think your player base thought of the chance of opening and the chance of the resulting item (from an open) being one of the 10 parts/documents/bars as being totally unrelated events. The way you phrased it above, the tool you use to open (free open, in game cash for medium chance, or gold) does have an effect on what you get... I don't think anyone realized that! If you can't post the odds (and I accept why you may choose not to), at least provide a better understanding of the mechanics. If I had known gold was not only 100% open, but also increased my chances of getting a part/bar/document, woulda bought more gold!

[Colonelbob]

. . . If I had known gold was not only 100% open, but also increased my chances of getting a part/bar/document, woulda bought more gold!Speaking as someone who blew through $100 worth of gold trying to from 9 to 10 I can assure you it didn't help me.

[War Priest]

Speaking as someone who blew through $100 worth of gold trying to from 9 to 10 I can assure you it didn't help me.

With you on that buddy..!

[Colonelbob]

I for one know that if we did have an idea of the stats and mathematically could work out whether spending gold would work I would be much more willing to do it again.But this last event I didn't even spend any in game cash, let alone gold, and I got up to 8 parts, without really trying. Seems to me there is a disconnect between the odds and what we are actually experiencing in the game play.