Accelerated time for new(er) players

[Johnmoc]

Hello,

Nexon, is there anyway when a new age is released, you could cut the time commitment on the older ages? WarCraft does this (or used to, I stopped at lvl 80) to make the game more enjoyable for newer players. I have been playing for a year and have had my workers going most of the time. I have spent some money in the game. I am mid GA about lvl 150, but I will never catch 200 plus level AA players, assuming they play any more than casually. I am not asking to ever catch those players, they have committed more time, given I started less than a year ago, and more money than me; they deserve to always be ahead. But, it would be very nice to at least have a shot, some day, at end game level content. As it is, that will never happen.

 

[Quovatis]

I agree something like this is needed, even now. It's hard to attract and keep new players once they find out there is no way they can possibly catch up to older players unless they invest a ton of money. The game needs as many players as we can get, and the retention rate in the future will be less and less.

Compare to a game like clash of clans, where a new player can reasonably catch up to existing players in about 1 to 2 years. That's just simply impossible in Dominations.

 

[JMoney]

Compare to a game like clash of clans, where a new player can reasonably catch up to existing players in about 1 to 2 years. That's just simply impossible in Dominations.

One to two years is actually longer than it takes to get to global age in Dominations. The alt I started around Q3 of last year is already a lvl 165 global. If I really wanted to, I could probably upgrade to atomic age on that alt. I do however think that a player that doesn't know what to prioritize on army and building upgrades will end up taking a lot longer to get to the current age.

 

[Manifesto]

Life isn't a level playing field, so why should games be? People should be taught this at an early age instead of everyone 'getting a go', it should be the best and the most willing should advance.
There will always be someone ahead of you in life, especially if others are willing to put in the effort and time to get ahead.
Dominations is fine as it is. Sure, there will be players who pay to get ahead but as JMoney said, getting ahead is not a problem if you put in the effort!

 

[FroggyKilla]

Quovatis has a point, this game needs new players. More players= more of each nation = more opportunities for NTG's. Fixing some of the large price and time jumps is a start.

 

[AbbyVille]

The early ages is already fast. It take hours and a day or two max to upgrade. It starts to get pretty bad in industrial and global. I could only what would imagine Cold War be like a month to upgrade something I suppose. I took 21 days to do my last forest clearing. Wow!

 

[SiuYin]

One to two years is actually longer than it takes to get to global age in Dominations. The alt I started around Q3 of last year is already a lvl 165 global. If I really wanted to, I could probably upgrade to atomic age on that alt. I do however think that a player that doesn't know what to prioritize on army and building upgrades will end up taking a lot longer to get to the current age.

I would say high end players are around LV 200 now, with full Atomic upgrades in offensive side, and in defensive side, all building is at least Industrial, and most worker are study in University.

LV 165 is a relative low level now. I able to crash it without losing a single troop.

But 165 still take you 1 year, and you dont have a single chance when facing atomic army.

As I always suggest, there should be more benefit when you upgrade into later age, ie
1.building time /cost discount for early age (after you upgraded)
2.more worker in later age, like a new house in global age

Imagine that, if you join now, and advance into lv 165 after 1 years, but player joined in Q4 2015, already in lv 250, I believe you will drop within 3 months

 

[SiuYin]

I would suggest that
Enlightenment Age: reduce 1 day in Armory research and Building upgrade time (4 days -> 3 days)
Industrial Age: reduce 4 day in Armory research and Building upgrade time (8 days -> 4 days)
Global Age: reduce 2 day in Armory research and Building upgrade time (10 days -> 8 days),

It will allow a new player go into Industrial Age around 3 months and Global Age in 5 months

 

[Motaz Tarek]

i suggest a balance change in lower ages (below IA) by cutting upgrade times by 70-80%, IA should be achievable in 2-3 months
from IA and up, it's ok for upgrades to take it's times, but in a year or so new players will be well advanced to enjoy the game
currently, i can assume the rate of new players who continue to play the game is 0

another downside of this game is the huge gap between Atomic and global age, X2 age upgrades make it as a 2 age difference, hence maxed AA can smoothly crush Maxed GA players, so if this game is establishing fun and enjoyment for the last age there has to be something wrong, I couldn't take it seeing how my maxed GA fighters get obliterated by AA SAMs and had to prematurely jump to AA to upgrade them, really one of the worst aspects of the game to force players to do so, and it's all started since GA and continued in a worse manner in AA

 

[SiuYin]

your suggestion will introduce a huge population in IA.
but I prefer that there should be 20% of active player in latest age, 40% in second last age. So I prefer GA to be achievable in 4-5 months

 

[SiuYin]

your suggestion will introduce a huge population in IA.
but I prefer that there should be 20% of active player in latest age, 40% in second last age. So I prefer GA to be achievable in 4-5 months

 

[JMoney]

I would say high end players are around LV 200 now, with full Atomic upgrades in offensive side, and in defensive side, all building is at least Industrial, and most worker are study in University.

Lvl 200 isn't endgame Atomic at all. Unless they never leveled their resource making buildings at all. I would know, my main account is Atomic lvl 204. It doesn't even have all three barracks at lvl 9 atm. My alt has a lvl 202 Global on its alliance. Endgame Atomic is something like lvl 220+.

 

[SebQuattro]

We already know what the endgame level is, it's level 500. Given how the build times and citizen requirement both increasing with age, it will take an eternity to get level 500.

 

[Motaz Tarek]

SiuYin I don't think it's wise to bring all players to pre-max age, current GA players will be very upset for the time they spent in game, it's almost a year or year and half they spent in that age and if new players achieve it in 4-5 months it will be unfair

 

[JuDomines]

We already know what the endgame level is, it's level 500. Given how the build times and citizen requirement both increasing with age, it will take an eternity to get level 500.

How do you know that?

 

[Green Bird]

I am a Global lvl190 and this is my last age in this game. I have been playing for 18 months exactly.

I am not planning to be upgrading ages any further. I will still play casually, do university upgrades, whatever is left. With waiting times and citizen requirements being what they are I do not want this stress any more. Also, I find the Atomic artwork too cartoonish and out of sync with the rest of the game, so even an easier decision to make.

 

[SebQuattro]

How do you know that?

Because it says so in the update notes.

 

[Johnmoc]

I would say high end players are around LV 200 now, with full Atomic upgrades in offensive side, and in defensive side, all building is at least Industrial, and most worker are study in University.

LV 165 is a relative low level now. I able to crash it without losing a single troop.

But 165 still take you 1 year, and you dont have a single chance when facing atomic army.

As I always suggest, there should be more benefit when you upgrade into later age, ie
1.building time /cost discount for early age (after you upgraded)
2.more worker in later age, like a new house in global age

Imagine that, if you join now, and advance into lv 165 after 1 years, but player joined in Q4 2015, already in lv 250, I believe you will drop within 3 months

SiuYin - This is exactly what I am talking about. I have done all the right things, I haven't age rushed, my workers spend most of their time in the university (I am a math guy), I have a solid base layout for my age, but every once in a while, someone with a 200 plus AA player just stomps me. I can never close the gap against that player, at all. Sure, my forests clear in 7 days, their last one was 21 days. I get that, but at some point, I will wait the 21 days for a forest while they are getting the shinny new toy of the latest update, which usually focus on the atomic age.

At some point, I will tire of never being able to compete with players whose list of attack targets I appear on as I am one age down. Also, I will not rush things or buy the estate, as that this costs almost as much as the new Zelda game did.

 

[SiuYin]

i suggest a balance change in lower ages (below IA) by cutting upgrade times by 70-80%, IA should be achievable in 2-3 months
from IA and up, it's ok for upgrades to take it's times, but in a year or so new players will be well advanced to enjoy the game
currently, i can assume the rate of new players who continue to play the game is 0

another downside of this game is the huge gap between Atomic and global age, X2 age upgrades make it as a 2 age difference, hence maxed AA can smoothly crush Maxed GA players, so if this game is establishing fun and enjoyment for the last age there has to be something wrong, I couldn't take it seeing how my maxed GA fighters get obliterated by AA SAMs and had to prematurely jump to AA to upgrade them, really one of the worst aspects of the game to force players to do so, and it's all started since GA and continued in a worse manner in AA

It is easier to reply in a post.
In my point of view
1. Most new features are only available in latest age, ie latest defense upgrade, latest troop upgrades, Some features are available from second latest age, ie SAM. It is a good direction that save development effort and prevent more bugs, given that the game is already lot of bugs.
2. All players should have a chance to play with new feature in a consistent time, say 6 month. but current situation is: when Industrial is the last age, player can rush into IA in 3 month and play with air troop in 4 month, it is a nice gaming experience. But when Global introduce, it cost a new player at least 6 month to rush, and got 4 plane after 7 month, it is not as fun as before.And now, it is Atomic age.you need at least 9 month to archive.
3. Being a player start playing from Q4 2015, you may not feel the pain of long upgrade period, but it is painful experience for a new player ( and he would not be able to catch up the progress of an old player in same level)
4. University is a good compensation for those who are loyal and played more than 1 year. You still have a big advantage over those age rusher.

And in Nexon side
1. Most active World War player are in latest 2 ages
2. Active WW players are (significantly) more willing to spend money


In short, I believe
1. Players should rush into latest age ASAP to enjoy the full feature of Dominations
2. Nexon should encourage players to rush into latest age, instead of staying IA / GA and try to upgrade all defensive stuff
3. Nexon should help players to rush into latest age, not only resource reduction, but also time reduction

And I don't think current player in global age need to unhappy that new players will upgrade into global in half of the time spent. they should upgrade into AA ASAP, and enjoy the fun to smash those newly upgraded base

 

[Manifesto]

SiuYin , the game is there for anyone to play at their level or preference. Nexon shouldn't make it easy for everyone, where's the challenge in that?
I have two accounts, one Atomic and one Gunpowder. If I spent more time on the gunpowder one I could get to Atomic in less than 6 months, it's not hard.
What you get from the game is what you put into it. If everything in life was easy, everyone would be doing everything!