Early Access Events Is This Healthy For The Game

[tm63au]

i have been playing for over 5 years and even I know i have plenty of things to learn.

But I have a little more experience than quite a few of this new generation of players.

They can speed boost there way through the access levels and now be eligible to go into these early access event and if they spend Doubloons grab a tier 9 ship.

Besides that particular situation they get tokens get ships so quick and possibly only playing minimal amounts of games in them and bang they have the next tier ship up.

Sure some some may master the game quite quickly but the vast majority are jumping from ship to ship so quick and its showing in rank, random, every where, this games skill base is dropping rapidly.

 i am beginning to question if this is the best path for these players, is this what WG really wants a small % of competent / experienced players and then the vast majority basically sailing around shooting ships without a clue putting it bluntly.

Sure grinding can be painful but you still learned from it.

I got the Italian tier 4 from twitch, had to buy it again, tier 5, close to getting tier 6 and at the end of the event will get tier 8 and if I am lucky and want to spend I could grab the tier 9 in the space of a 27 day event.

Back in the day it would take months or even almost a year to get to tier 9 or longer if you just decided to cruise.

I am of the belief this is not a good plan for the newer players.

          

    

  

[warheart1992]

The fun part is that if you don't take into account the value of permacamos, using FXP is a much better option without RNG and lootboxes.

But if early access events have to stay, I would prefer it if the maximum tier of unlock would be tier VII, with the permacamos being offered for tiers VIII-IX.

If you remember anyway WG toyed a bit with the whole concept; RN BBs were guaranteed unlocks up to tier V. FR BBs brought a collection and Operation Hermes. RN DDs were tied to a 100% free premium (Warspite or Gallant), very generous options and the ability to get a strong tier VIII for a dollar. Now the landscape is more barren.

[Taylor3006]

You are probably correct that these events are not good for new players. I think the early access stuff is geared towards veteran players though so they can skip the lower tier ships and get into the top tier stuff quickly. Personally I like the events because I can get the 5-7 or 8 ships quickly and then just ignore them until a snowflake event comes around. 

I was trying to remember the last line of ships that was released in the normal way and all I can think is that it was the German BBs. I recall that so clearly, everyone playing Nassau laughing and having a great time in chat. It was glorious and IMHO, it was the heyday of the game. The game peaked at that point and has been on a slow decline since. 

[warheart1992]

4 minutes ago, Taylor3006 said:

You are probably correct that these events are not good for new players. I think the early access stuff is geared towards veteran players though so they can skip the lower tier ships and get into the top tier stuff quickly. Personally I like the events because I can get the 5-7 or 8 ships quickly and then just ignore them until a snowflake event comes around. 

I was trying to remember the last line of ships that was released in the normal way and all I can think is that it was the German BBs. I recall that so clearly, everyone playing Nassau laughing and having a great time in chat. It was glorious and IMHO, it was the heyday of the game. The game peaked at that point and has been on a slow decline since. 

You can argue that the RN BBs were the last ones with a  somewhat normal release. The event gave guaranteed access up to Iron Duke, no RNG involved.

As for imo the peak, I would say RN DD arc, much later. Generous rewards, fun ships, Cossack for a buck.

[Wombatmetal]

They can buy a T9 ship outright in the cash shop. The horse is out of the barn. 

[BrushWolf]

What I would like to see is early test where all experience earned on the "test" ships in order from the first.

[Dareios]

when was the last time I had to fully grind a whole new line.. UK cruisers??

[tm63au]

1 hour ago, Wombatmetal said:

They can buy a T9 ship outright in the cash shop. The horse is out of the barn. 

well some how people have lepento 

[SKurj]

they should just put the early access ships directly into the armoury for dubs instead of trying to obscure it

[buglips]

1 hour ago, tm63au said:

well some how people have lepento 

Right, and to get there - unless very lucky - they may have had to spend enough doubloons on lootboxes to buy all three of Azuma, Agir, and Pommern plus change.  That's what Wombatmetal is saying - that even without an early access event and Lepanto, if the question is about getting Tier 9s too quick with doubloons there are already cheaper paths to do so, and therefore the horse has fully escaped already.  

[Khafni]

3 hours ago, tm63au said:

i have been playing for over 5 years and even I know i have plenty of things to learn.

But I have a little more experience than quite a few of this new generation of players.

They can speed boost there way through the access levels and now be eligible to go into these early access event and if they spend Doubloons grab a tier 9 ship.

Besides that particular situation they get tokens get ships so quick and possibly only playing minimal amounts of games in them and bang they have the next tier ship up.

Sure some some may master the game quite quickly but the vast majority are jumping from ship to ship so quick and its showing in rank, random, every where, this games skill base is dropping rapidly.

 i am beginning to question if this is the best path for these players, is this what WG really wants a small % of competent / experienced players and then the vast majority basically sailing around shooting ships without a clue putting it bluntly.

Sure grinding can be painful but you still learned from it.

I got the Italian tier 4 from twitch, had to buy it again, tier 5, close to getting tier 6 and at the end of the event will get tier 8 and if I am lucky and want to spend I could grab the tier 9 in the space of a 27 day event.

Back in the day it would take months or even almost a year to get to tier 9 or longer if you just decided to cruise.

I am of the belief this is not a good plan for the newer players.

I agree it's probably not a very good way for new players to learn the game but, you said it, "if they spend Doubloons" and "I am lucky and want to spend". It all comes down to money so WG will do what it takes to earn your dollar. That's what for profit businesses do, of course. 

[desmo_2]

I think the early access events were created to prevent mobs of people playing the same Tier 4 ship the day a new line is released.  These early access events spread access to several of the lower tier ships across many players, thereby diluting the new line release saturation.

[x_Quinn_x]

No... But it sells doubloons and that is all that matters.

[GRIMLOCK__]

If they didn't do early access, people wouldn't try these lines.

 

Like, if we relied upon reviews, nobody would have driven Kansas...ever.

[TheArc]

3 hours ago, tm63au said:

Besides that particular situation they get tokens get ships so quick and possibly only playing minimal amounts of games in them and bang they have the next tier ship up.

Sure some some may master the game quite quickly but the vast majority are jumping from ship to ship so quick and its showing in rank, random, every where, this games skill base is dropping rapidly.

Things like these events are not what causes bad players to play badly. I actually look at it the flipside, these players who have the money to throw at such an absurdly poor return on investment for something that they can have freely with a little patience, are the ones who keep the rest of things going at a more reasonable price for the rest of it. There are plenty of terribad players at high tier, whether they just outright bought something, or have been in game long enough to just stockpile the coal, or FXP for it.

[Skpstr]

2 hours ago, tm63au said:

well some how people have lepento 

I think that's his point.

What's the difference between dropping dubs to get to Lepanto through early access, or buying a T9 direct from the premium shop?

[Croda]

Nothing added in the past couple of years has been good for the game.  That isn't even a consideration anymore.

The only consideration in what is released and how it is released is what is good for the company's bank statement.

[Wye_So_Serious]

51 minutes ago, desmo_2 said:

I think the early access events were created to prevent mobs of people playing the same Tier 4 ship the day a new line is released.  These early access events spread access to several of the lower tier ships across many players, thereby diluting the new line release saturation.

Anyone here for the German BB line release can attest to this.

[cgbosn4]

Well, I must say I like the “token” method better than the random container/mission method.

At least with the token method you have the same chance as everyone else to earn these ships early. Complete the tasks, earn tokens, purchase ship. 

The container/mission method was left to luck with regards to getting the mission or not. This I didn’t like since I would receive all the containers that I could earn but came up short compared to others that did the exact same thing. I like the equity in the token system better. 

Is it good for the game? New players can buy T10 ships now so whatever...

[TheArc]

5 minutes ago, cgbosn4 said:

Well, I must say I like the “token” method better than the random container/mission method.

Agreed. I also like the fact that this time we can just simply get the tier 7 from the missions. I don't think I've seen them give us a shot at simply earning one of the tree ships (aside from the tier 4 maybe,) in the past. I'm spending all the Italian Tokens on the flags at this point (I have plenty of camos.) Although I wish there were a bit more variety to the flags, it's always nice to get more FXP (I've not been concerned about credits for a while now.) 

[Nevermore135]

35 minutes ago, TheArc said:

Agreed. I also like the fact that this time we can just simply get the tier 7 from the missions. I don't think I've seen them give us a shot at simply earning one of the tree ships (aside from the tier 4 maybe,) in the past. 

They did this for the first time with Kansas a few months back.

[Edgecase]

Early access events are the filler content that lets WG deliver one tech tree line every three months while keeping the lights on in between. That seems to be the max rate their development pipeline can produce new content, so if it weren't this, it would be some other form of junk food event. Not saying I love it, but it may actually be the least bad alternative.

The form of the events also staggers the starting point of players on the new line, as others have pointed out, without resorting to the literal ship drop lottery they used in the past. So I guess that's something.

[Herr_Reitz]

The game exists for those who created it as a means of providing income (food, clothing, shelter, etc) for them, by creating things from nothing which exist strictly in digital, virtual worlds. The goal of the game is the transfer of real life wealth from one group of individuals to another, freely, willingly. It is primarily, as are all games, a wealth transfer system. AKA, a business. 

It really is all about money, bottom line. Can't get away from it. 

Therefore, my conclusion would be they settled upon this method/means of releasing things because financially, it works for them. It has nothing to do with you, me or us. All things are constantly adjusted to ensure maximum wealth transfer. This way of doing things clearly checks off many boxes in the best way to trigger wealth transfer. The only challenge? 

Push the transfer to the very limit of sustainability but not beyond it. What is another few single digits increases to the wealth transfer if it causes the entire system to collapse? This is the line they constantly monitor to ensure they stay close but do not cross it. Keep all those psychological triggers getting tripped to sustain a stead stream of wealth transfer. 

If I'm correct then what to do? Just play the game as it is. Do not want nor wish for things which in the short or long run will affect the wealth transfer process. I'm not participating in the Italian stuff because, FOR ME, it isn't a valuable exchange of my time/life for another digital boat. 

I have just over a HUNDRED of them - Good Lord, when would I play them? You can only play one at a time. 

Apologies if this is off-topic as intended by the OP. 

[bassmasta76]

6 minutes ago, Herr_Reitz said:

The game exists for those who created it as a means of providing income (food, clothing, shelter, etc) for them, by creating things from nothing which exist strictly in digital, virtual worlds. The goal of the game is the transfer of real life wealth from one group of individuals to another, freely, willingly. It is primarily, as are all games, a wealth transfer system. AKA, a business. 

It really is all about money, bottom line. Can't get away from it. 

Therefore, my conclusion would be they settled upon this method/means of releasing things because financially, it works for them. It has nothing to do with you, me or us. All things are constantly adjusted to ensure maximum wealth transfer. This way of doing things clearly checks off many boxes in the best way to trigger wealth transfer. The only challenge? 

Push the transfer to the very limit of sustainability but not beyond it. What is another few single digits increases to the wealth transfer if it causes the entire system to collapse? This is the line they constantly monitor to ensure they stay close but do not cross it. Keep all those psychological triggers getting tripped to sustain a stead stream of wealth transfer. 

If I'm correct then what to do? Just play the game as it is. Do not want nor wish for things which in the short or long run will affect the wealth transfer process. I'm not participating in the Italian stuff because, FOR ME, it isn't a valuable exchange of my time/life for another digital boat. 

I have just over a HUNDRED of them - Good Lord, when would I play them? You can only play one at a time. 

Apologies if this is off-topic as intended by the OP. 

Well put sir. 

B

[SkaerKrow]

These early access events have no appreciable impact on the quality of play in randoms. Bad players are bad players no matter what they sail, and it’s really not that hard to fail your way to tier VII or VIII in a tech tree, or wallet yourself there immediately.