Q4 Dev Q&A Stream Recap
- What happened with the Medal of Cedric? Why did it get nerfed?
– Programming error. Design intention was to be a multiplier on the base chance. Original design was to provide a stackable 20% boost to the base modifier to cleanse per round (10 + 20% = 12% on turn 1, 20 + 20% = 24% on turn 2, and so on). Coding team implemented the medal’s effects in a different way than was designed.
– Went live at a flat 40%. Was missed by practically everyone, including Sirrian.
– Nerfed version (an additional 10% chance per medal per unit per round) is still stronger than the original designed version of the medal, from the devs’ viewpoint.
- Why don’t you implement all the feedback from the beta test?
– Not always compatible with the vision of the game.
– Often, beta players way report feedback not knowing what the devs have intended for the item the feedback is being given on.
– May be too late/risky to fix before an update has to go for certification.
Side thought: Pop-ups for mini-bosses and bosses in Explore. Was put in to protect newer players from accidentally racing into these fights and wiping, as losing at the mini-boss and boss fights ends the run.
Side thought: Balance feedback (Starlite) → All feedback is read. Devs are apprehensive about replying to everything without researching the issue first. Also, to avoid situations about fostering an environment where players expect dev responses to everything on-demand.
- Why did you change Explore?
– To make Explore more interesting than just a grindfest.
– To fix flaws in old difficulty system.
– To better align difficulty with rewards.
– To lay some foundational features for 5.0 and beyond…
Side thought: Soul farming in new explore → Each mode is specializing in a specific currency going forward. Explore → Gold. ??? → Souls.
- Are you worried there might be a bit much to do in game now?
– Devs feel that daily schedule is “full” currently.
– Devs want players to realize that they should not have to clear everything every single day to avoid burnout. Sirrian prefers players working on a specific game mode per day, might encourage this in the future.
Side thought: Average player plays 26 games per day, which Sirrian thinks is high.
- How do you balance adding new things vs. fixing old things? How do you prioritize that?
– Items with clearer solutions tend to get priority over items with vaguer solutions.
– The effect on newer players with changes are considered. (Sirrian gives an analogy about a new player entering a 5 year old MMO)
Side thought: Sirrian talks about designing methods of advancement in the game to be tied to a given currency. Once each mode has its own currency for its advancement method, no more will be added.
Side thought 2: Nim and Sirrian talk about the original design errors of the early versions of the game based on traditional game models and how the newer patches are correcting these early errors.
Side thought 3: Keylime → Balance of troops is focused on PvP, over game events. Sirrian talks about how the game lives and dies, in his opinion, on PvP mode. Nim talks about how she has a list of curated troops that are under review for balance changes.
- Will you ever update Treasure Hunt & Arena?
– Treasure Hunt → Not in 2019. Maybe in 2020. Big worry about players with giant stockpiles of maps. Under consideration, but not a top priority. If it happens, it will definitely be after the Arena update.
– Arena → Something is coming. No comment yet. Sirrian teases about Arena Events. Likely Q2 2020.
- When will we get more Deeds?
– Something is coming in the future. End of 2019/ Q1 2020 (4.7)?
– Won’t ever be in chests.
Side thought: Sirrian talks design philosophy on lootbox systems. He doesn’t want deeds to be a grindfest to earn, nor be locked behind bad chest draw rates. Again re-emphasized a solution is coming; vaguely teases the “solution” as preparation for the 5.0 update in 2020.
- Are there any more plans for the medal system? How can I give medals to all my troops?
– Medal system isn’t finished…
– Medals were implemented now as a foundation for something coming in 5.0.
Side comment: Sirrian notes that all of the systems that are being implemented are incomplete until 5.0 launches and ties them all together…
– The intent is not to medal all the troops.
– Medal system intended to be the “final” upgrade system for troops and is meant to be a truly end-game system in terms of difficulty.
– System is designed to be endless.
– More Elite levels might be coming in the future, if needed over time for powercreep.
- Will medals ever be included in my team, rather than global?
– Big NO.
– Something, something, 5.0 again, as the reason why?
– Sirrian ponders disabling global medals in Guild Wars. Troop stats via Elite levels would still be allowed, if this happens.
Feedback on this topic requested.
- What is in the next update?
– Small update (4.6.5), removes Halloween stuff, includes bug fixes and Quality of Life fixes.
– Nim comments about the retreat bug in Explore.
- What about the update after that?
– (4.6.X, after Christmas event ends) Focus on guilds and QoL issues.
– 27 person Guild Wars scoring being implemented.
– Something else about Guild Wars teased.
– Functionality of guild seals will be improved upon?
Feedback requested on Guild QoL issues requested.
Side thought: Setting inactivity times for eligibility for guild kicking discussed. Under discussion, although this runs into certification issues for Xbox.
- How has the game done in its 5th year?
– +10% player growth year-over-year from Year 4.
– Game is doing financially well.
– Nim and Sirrian believe there is room for further growth, citing competitor games.
– GoW still experiences exceptional player retention rates.
Side thought: GoW 2 in the future? Conventional wisdom says no. Only a possibility when GoW 1 is no longer viable.
- What are your plans for 2020?
– 5.0 will be mid-year (Q2 update?)
– Improvements to base PvP mode.
Side comment: The hero(ine)'s one-liners in quests were a compromise to get the game out the door on time for launch. It’s far, far too late to fix that functionality in the game (years of spaghetti code).
- Do you have a 5th birthday party planned at the studio?
– Not specifically.
– Sirrian notes that his studio is celebrating 30 years this year.
Open Session Speed-Round:
– Pronunciation of Wulfgarok of Wargare.
– Who is Xathenos? Original mage who travel to Karakoth to find ancient gods. Became lich with power.
– Refunds on nerfed troops that are medaled? No clue currently, will cross bridge when that occurs.
– Multiple save teams for delves/pet rescues: Not currently.
– Guild Wars reward update?: “Soon”? (In the guild update?) Bracket 1 is OK, Bracket 2+ likely to be improved.
– Lorekeeper return? Sirrian would love to do so, but no time to do it.
– Flash offers on PS4? Currently not working. Can’t sell gems on PS4, per Sony policy. Considering substituting keys for gems in flash offers. Sony yet to approve a flash offer solution.
– Blue jewel in new GoW logo? Fancy graphic, not a real gem in game.
– Faction team issues? Sirrian isn’t satisfied with current solution. Likely to be tweaked in the future. Nim suggests a possible delve rework down the road somewhere.
– Converting orbs to other orbs? No.
– Lorebook? Would be nice, too busy. Might be outsourced?
– Thoughts on pets? Effect of pets are minor, less than Sirrian wanted. No plans to make pets more powerful in the future.
– Revamp of VIP levels? Under discussion with publisher. Maybe somewhere late in 2020?
– Trophies in Explore? Maybe, Sirrian is considering it.
– 2 Champion XP in high-level Explore? Sirrian is open to it, seems to suggest “yes” in either in 4.6.5 or 4.6.X.
– New Common Troops? Yes.
– Drop rates on Tokens? Sirrian is okay with publishing drop rates.
– Gems of Wars merchandise? In active discussion with publisher currently.
– Event tasks (snotstone) return? No. Sirrian mentions possibly merging the daily dungeons into a third section on the adventure board in the 4.6.5 or 4.6.X.
– Lower rarity treasuring troops merging into higher rarity treasures? Sirrian is strongly against it.
– Pet gnomes in Explore? Sirrian is open to the idea in 2020, if the balance of players shift from PvP to Explore because of the revamp.
– Chaos Shard droprate issue (Mithran)? Will be fully investigated next week. Salty and the devs will be keeping players in the loop on the investigation.
– Next dev Q&A → Near Christmas about 4.7.
End of Stream