I was wondering if any attention was going to be paid to the public battle groups before a 'release' occurs after we are farther along with the revamp. Prior to the revamp the public battle groups were alright and fun but now it seems with the new upgrades and abilities moving around that they don't function the same. In the Vengeful Dead Shadestriker no longer has Surge: Spirit at base and a lot of the units feature auras which makes positioning them a pain around your other units. I'm sure there are more instances. I'd suggest they all be looked at and remade with the revamp in mind as well as to showcase a few things: 1) A rune of each rarity. New players should know what to expect from design and how a rune that is Legendary or Limited will play. It doesn't have to be a fancy rune and could even be a limited reskin if need be. But new players shouldn't have to wonder what it's like to play with their 'first legendary'. 2) Different strategies. Most of the current public battle groups aren't really defined as working on a race or theme, somewhat mixed up, mostly like the definitions. I think it would be a good idea to more identify a theme from a racial and make sure the public battle groups feature a mix of both. Also battle groups such as Poison/Knock back and Death Benefit could be made into public battle groups or something similar so players will have a chance to play with battle groups actual players use. 3) Choosing Upgrades. While I understand it's best for the game not to have these runes be tradeable or gifted, (especially since I suggest at least one rune of each rarity be in the battle group), I don't understand how preventing them from cping them and upgrading them is a positive thing. Once a player sees how much variety they can have with public battle groups and the different combinations of runes they will want to start building their own battlegroups. 4) Unlockable booster. I'd suggest that achievements be implemented with rewards for some of them, such as if a player wins so many games with a public battle group in the training grounds or ranked that they unlock a core set pack. This allows a happy medium between player's earning their rewards and not just handing them a mess of free stuff and discouraging them actually spending anything. You could also allow an unlockable of one free booster pack of the same kind the first time a player purchases a booster themselves with owls. A sort of buy one get one free to begin with and a way to encourage the first pack bought for new and existing players after the game has switched hands to DOG. 5) Split battle groups. While some people seem to have a negative connotation for split battle groups the game clearly supports them with split runes as well as entire split themes such as Stitched, etc. I think making some of the public battle groups free introduces players to all the wonders of the game instead of a few. Again, these are just some suggestions and it's late for me so other players may have better ideas or think these are bad. The point being is that we all want a successful revamp and for Pox Nora to grow in player base and attention. For that to happen I think looking at all of the New User Content, such as public battle groups, ranking, acquiring runes, rune acquiring rate, etc. is important. Since public battle groups are such a large part of that I think they need especially good attention. Thanks and please share your thoughts and feelings about this!
There hasn't been any general theme polishing yet, that has to happen before you can even start considering fixing the public battlegroups.
I'm still a fan of the idea someone brought up some time ago where players could create their own BGs to submit to the public BG pool. Then, other (newer) players could pay a small gold fee to play with them in the Training Grounds for X games/hours/days. It was suggested that the BG "authors" receive a small portion (5-10%) of the rental fee, but I fear this would cause greedier folks to spam the pool with BG lists they stole from other players. I do, however, support an adjustment (and recosting) of the existing Theme BGs with more emphasis placed upon periodically rolling out new ones.
1) Be able to purchase the BG. 2) Balance the BGs. 3) Be able to see the BG in Manager. 4) Show runes LOCKED till bought. 5) Be able to select upgrades in Manager even if LOCKED. 6) Buying the BG allows you to use the runes in other BGs, otherwise the BG is fixed. 7) Re-evaluate how many/what type of BGs: (one for each theme? one for each faction + split factions? just 8 - on for each faction? 2 per faction? generics per faction?) 8) Make the contents more like Theme BGs from the marketplace. Also, reworking the reward system, as in pt. 4 of OP, is something completely different.
@GabrielQ : Incorrect, and here is why. The themes do need reworked and balanced and made fit, I agree wholeheartedly. But, you can't leave the Public Battle Groups broken considering they are what new players will have the most if not all their interaction with in the beginning and possibly the whole time they give this game a try, which won't be long if the decks don't make that much sense. @Morfeas: I'm not entirely sure about allowing them to be usable in other battle groups just because it could hurt sells, but it's not an idea I oppose, just one i'm wary about. Especially considering I suggested all rarities being represented. I do think making them more akin to the theme battle groups, which need a looking at as well, would be very nice. Also, Part 4 I don't see as something entirely different and i'll tell you why. In the Pokemon Trading Card Game Online (PTCGO), they allow you to enter codes gained from purchasing real products to gain cards as well as purchase them with currency earned through play. Whenever you purchase a new theme deck they all have a counter on them that after 12 wins you unlock a free booster pack. This encourages players to use their theme decks and purchase them as well as allow new players who start with those theme decks or existing players moving to new strategies to be rewarded for testing/playing as well as get a booster pack to introduce them to building their own decks or fixing up the theme deck. So to me I don't see it as a separate part entirely: Yes, I do see the discussion of reworking the whole of the reward system and achievements as a different topic. But my goal was to tie earning a booster pack into part of the New Player Experience with public battle groups and possibly theme decks. I merely suggested Achievements because they were already in place.
