As the guy who originally responded to the OP I feel I should respond. As there are certain things that need to be said.
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Traits are amazing for the game. They add depth and will offer the devs a way to truly rebalance cards rather the a broad nerf which will cause out cry. Few people have many but that is the whole point of new content, and I for one am excited.
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VIP levels are cool. They offer a reward to the players that are paying for the dev and servers, and the transparency of how they work is so honest that it is surprising in a freemium game and incentive to consider supporting. A little concerning though that level 7 VIPs are saying they haven’t noticed a shift in the game, speaks volumes for how level 1 players must be finding it.
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Kingdom power is great. Who doesn’t like achivements? There’s no point in everything easy, and the rewards are hardly over the top.
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The bundles seem limited. There is lack of choice now, and considering what could have been done with the new layout, it feels lazy. Lazy, as in rushed for those that take offence at the word. Alot of content has come out, so I’m sure it will get reviewed.
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The rebalancing has changed the existing content. With an extra 5 high end levels, souls are now at a premium - which is great, as it will promote game play (especially in the arena) and add to the game. The problem is that it came with a devaluing of arena play. The soul prize was cut on half as a part of a rebalance. This rebalance didn’t adjust trophies or gold noticibly and added 1 depowered key. More to the point people don’t play arena for trophies, gold or keys - pvp is better for that. This rebalance means the devs want us to play twice as much arena for the same souls payout. This is not adding anything to the game to move it forward, in fact it’s moving it backwards. It’s like detention. The larger issue is that the benchmark has now changed, no-one considers a level 15 Goblin to be at the top of his game now, and we all have to upgrade our existing teams to keep up with the power creep.
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Treasure maps are twice as much. Same as souls here - doubling the grind on something and calling it an update is not adding to the game, it’s just lazy. An oversight perhaps, and we can understand it with the amount of content in the update, but undeniably a step backwards for game play.
I queried this topic as it was created moment after the “Transition to Pay to Play” thread got banhammered, and although the tone was a little different, it was stimulating good discussion, and discussion is good for the game.
The number of people who frequent these boards is a fraction of the player base and I love this game and will openly admit I am deeply concerned for the longevity of GOW if it can’t retain players. I went to PAX and saw their booth which was amazing, but as shiny and fancy as it was, it was the people running the booth the enticed me to play as they conveyed a sense of belief and commitment to the game and the community. For that I am most thankful to the team. With out that sense of belief and commitment, this is just another game.
That’s why I play, and that’s why I voice my concerns. I’d be surprised if I was alone.