As there a quite a few threads with the recent upset of the latest update, I'm hoping one thread will help all to express their feelings towards the new update.

However with this thread I'd like to point out moving backwards isn't the best decision as expanding on ideas already made to perfect the game even more is the optimal solution.

So what would you like changed with the recent updates, without reverting the game back to its old stage?

Sorry Andy but to me that question sounds something like 'how would you fix a broken car without changing any of it's parts', not the best metaphor but i hope you get my point. I just don's see that system they currently have ever working out for me.

Sorry to sound so grumpy but maybe i'm just too oldschool about this and couldn't see anything positive about it even if there was something. Guess it's time to move on and find a new game

Offtopic: You got promoted to an official SM-Mod ? Congratz that's awesome

I'd like to echo Soul's comments exactly. I think I've given each iteration since the major overhaul a fair chance but frankly find the game so boring that it isn't worth playing.

1) Effectively removing the ability to play any level other than what used to be 30 was bad beyond belief. The variety that different levels provided was obviously hugely popular. Even if you want to retain the new weight system (which I will address later), keep the old levels and assign a max mech weight based on either mech level or on torso.

2) While entirely unnecessary, the idea of a weight system isn't horrible. However, the weights assigned to various item abilities is ridiculously out of whack. The formula for calculating an item's weight needs a serious overhaul. To accurately do so, you need someone who has an extremely firm grasp on the relative values of each characteristic. I think this was lacking in the initial roll out.

3) I was initially very keen on the new ranking system for its potential to prevent cheating. I think that in most ways it is substantially worse than the ladder point system (particularly that it clearly rewards the people who play the most, not who play the best). However, at the risk of having a random pile of garbage in the form of unfounded accusations show up in this thread, if no one wants to ban cheaters (which is obvious and beyond dispute, please don't give me some line about how evidence *can* be faked so therefore it must be faked), you aren't going to design a system that can prevent them. The failing of the ranking system can't be placed entirely on the devs' shoulders as the players had ample opportunity to test it and didn't bother (I never saw more than 3 people on the beta server). However, the fact remains that it has failed to both prevent cheating (it ought to be plenty clear by now how much easier it is now) and to enhance game play. If you want this game to survive, you need to bring back the ladder point system and ban cheaters. It's the only way.

I hate to sum this up so harshly but the game is simply unplayable now. It was one of the best games around before thanks to its attention to actual game play rather than "click, click, bonus, buy tokens, yea!" Like most MMO games. It used to require planning and strategy which are largely ignored in the MMO world. This latest update completely ruined the good things that the game had going for it.

It sucks, the last few weeks I've both missed playing SM and had no desire to play at the same time. You can stubbornly hold on to the idea that players will cool off and come around to the changes. However, I think an honest assessment of the situation will lead youto the cconclusion that the changes were largely unnecessary, we're detrimental to the game, and need to go. I don't think that I overreacted to the changes or reacted emotionally but certainly by now I've given them a fair shake and have cooled off. I still find the game in its current form boring and unplayable.

why not? this has always been presented as a beta version. A beta version that has not been tested, because of a few beta-tester in development area.

BTW a beta-release is itself an unknown. If it works must be developed, if it does not go retreat. This is the point.

And we all agree that it does not work.

The game has become ugly and boring. before this infamous update was one of the most fun online games ever seen. Before this update number of players constantly growing. Now the number of players has collapsed. and as if that were not enough, the problem of cheating persists and has also become much more serious than before. Another bad thing, as written by J^8: "Particularly that clearly it rewards the people who play the most, not who play the best".

What else to add? there is nothing good in this update ... maybe just the skulls.

This beta version is to be considered a complete failure and should be deleted and never come back.

Dottore

I strongly agree with this. I've suggested in the past before a leveling system that still uses the current weight system. With this different fighting levels will be opened up again rather than being forced to all fight at the same level.



This hasn't crossed my mind before, however makes sense. Just like any game constant balancing is needed to perfect it. To get it first time round would be seriously impressive Still some balancing could be required for the new weight system, I agree.



Now this I disagree with. I still think the ladder system has a lot of potential if done correctly. Initially when it was being released I was told you would earn 1 star per win and then half your stars for your current rank for a loss (so if you needed 12 stars at your level to reach the top, you would lose 6 per loss). I believe a system like this would resolve a few issues. For starters it would make cheating a lot more difficult as players purposely losing will have to win many more games to reach the level at which they can give one star over to their cheat account.
Another thing I like about losing more stars than you earn, is it doesn't necessarily mean the most active mech will be the winning mech at the end of the week. I've mentioned it previously before but I'll show you again here:



Then comes the diversity. At different levels, you're able to see many different mechs being used. Along with the leveling system (which I'd really like to see) I believe the game would be more diverse than ever before. With the previous update you were forced to fight opponents with a better equipped mech, regardless of your own mech. With this current system you're able to fight mechs at your own level. This allows you to play around with your mech so you're able to fight comfortably at the level you want to rather than being forced to fight the top players. Playing at different ranks in the game is very different right now. Previously everyone would just copy the top players build (with some tweaking here and there), however now that is only really seen in the top 3 ranks, while all other ranks are open to many possibilities.

You've also mentioned wanting to be able to ban cheaters. It has proven to be difficult to do so, however I do agree that something is needed to catch the cheaters and would like to see something to do so in the future.

Unrelated to what you've said
I believe quite a few problems come around with players wanting to be the top player in the weekly tournament. I'd like to see a similar reward system that BattleDawn uses.

Anyone in Rank 1 gets an X amount of SM creds. (Just like a rank 1 alliance)
Anyone in Rank 2 gets a lowered X amount of SM creds. ETC

To keep some competition still going, players at the top 3 spots still recieve the medals. However players who can't be active enough to reach these spots, or don't have the strong enough mechs are still rewarded for reaching their own set goals.



Thanks

even though no one seems to consider my opinions in this post and in others, I do not know why, maybe for my bad english? or maybe I'm annoying or nasty? BTW I continue to post my opinions, because I think they are useful.

Banning cheaters is very simple: You do not have to check all reports of the player and see all the replays, it would be a crazy job.

You just have to check the player reported the activities of which affect the awarding of medals. Nobody cares if the fiftieth ranked gives points to his friend to get him to thirtieth place. you need to check only the player reported, and only if they are on the top ten. Stop. it comes to control, when it is necessary, only the replay of three or four players.

As soon as come first ban, cheating will decreases. The ban in addition to doing justice, will serve as a deterrent.

A good formula would be:

First ban: 3 day ban and lead to zero all ladder points and remove the last medal obtained.

Second ban: One week ban and lead to zero all ladder points and remove all medals obtained.

Third ban, delete the account.

This certainly will discourage players to try to cheat.

Of course, to work, you need a written policy. Where it is clear that it is forbidden to do, and what you risk breaking the rules.

@Andy: I completely disagree with such a rating system as you describe it. It would just be a revamp of the old system.

Winning 2 stars and losing 1 star is mathematicaly the best way to sort winners out and minimize the frustration of losers. Taking more than giving causes frustration and diminishes the player base, that's why such massive punishments as you describe are NEVER used in a good game, especially not in a MMO. My best so far is silver skull rank 2, so I don't know how is the best player selected (probably by accumulating lots of stars), so I have no opinions on that matter.

If it's about cheating then there are plenty other ways to deal with the rating, like a simple shuffling algorithm that will make sure players from the same matching class will play eachother equally or maybe some sort of cooldown between pairs of players so they won't be matched together very soon (let's say 5-10 min?).

lol
j^8
(jtotheweaknessof8)

HOW stupid you can be ?

blablablablabla

The new system is very good ... I will be happy to start playing in it soon !

;



nice greeting
bestplayerintheworld

P.S.: as biggest cheater ever j^8 you should be very quiet to suggest things, only in hope to be able to restart you cheating !

YOUR cheating j^8 HAD with the NEW perfect system an END !
How cool is that !

NOW everybody can see your true weakness !!!

leciufut you are absolutly right !



nice greetings
bestplayeroftheworld

Another few days and you will be the last one to be happy to start playing.
By now I'm sure you're the only one still support the game by buying tokiens for yours 1000 accounts, but soon you get bored too, like all others. When you will be the last one to play the game together with a few random customer with a lower rank.

And at that point you also get bored and no one else will support and this game will be over.

and all this will be a happened because of you and the short-sightedness of developers, deaf to the advice of the real top players who have made this game a great game.