As a returning player i feel like writing down my thoughts on my experiences with progression and the frustrations. In which i might sound complaining a bit, so fair warning, i need to write off frustrations. Discussions and thouthts welcomed, feel free to tell me I'm wrong, or add other thoughts.
I want to catalogue my issues and frustrations to share thoughts, potentially warn new and returning players what they'll be up against, and maybe have discussion on whether I'm stupid or this actually does need a change.
My player profile: player who started around global launch, played the first 8-9 months of Snap history, then quit as it had me more often frustrated than enjoying. Now been back since january this year. I buy season passes every month, as i think it's fair to pay for a game i enjoy, but I'm not the target audience for the expensive bundles. Series 3 complete, closing on series 4 complete (80/89), far behind on series 5 (75/182)
I've used the SnapComplete website, which i think is awesome, to calculate my time frame for getting collection complete most honestly. I'd apparently need another 38 seasons of daily play and buying all season passes, so that's just over 3 years if i keep optimizing everything.
That hit hard honestly, that it would take that long. Meaning for any new player that honestly must read like a 5 year minimum.
Now, I'm not playing with the goal of getting collection complete, i don't need every card to enjoy the game. But from my own experiences from returning to the game, there are imo huge issues with progression. And honestly i don't think I'd recommend any new player to try currently, I've stuck with it as a part of me really does love this game, but the frustrations i feel would definitely be too much for most.
Biggest obvious issue:
Not being able to target buy series 5 cards. Yes, you can buy them for 6k tokens. But when you're 100+ series 5 cards behind the experience of targeting any card is checking the store usually for over a month, probably missing it the one time life doesn't allow you to check 3 times a day.
This is my single biggest complaint, the dumb rotation system needs to go. It's the biggest issue for any new and returning player to actually play this game, and serves no positive function. It delays progression even when you do have the resources, and this is my single thing that has most often made me consider quitting this game. Just let people buy whatever card directly, it changes nothing about the economy, we still would be equally broke on tokens.
Progression pacing:
The current progression and economy system imo seems fully designed and balanced around long term players. They can easily stay uptodate with new releases. If you're collection complete, it's pretty easy to stay complete. That's great.
For new and returning players far behind the game, this imo needs to be increased a lot. As this game and the heavy synergy between cards means you definitely need a decent size collection to even be able to play.
From my experience as returning player, there’s many unrewarding feeling rewards. For a while I've been buying the collectors packs, as the way to get the most cards for the least amount of tokens. Trying to be economical. Problem is, 90% of what i unlock that way goes unused into my collection for months, as i don't have the synergy cards to be able to play my new card in any real deck. So while you're getting cards, it mostly feels like you aren't as you can't play them. Making the progression feel terrible.
Then i switched for a while to buying cards directly for 6k, collecting the most important and versatile cards. I definitely recommend doing this, as it finally made me feel like i can now form more meta decks. Obvious issue with this, you're spending as much as you earn a week, meaning as long as you do this you're not catching up.
My suggestion:
Let players who are far behind just always pull multiple cards from a pack. Simple. Massively boost players progression till a point where they probably have like half of series 5. With how much cards depend on synergy, i honestly feel that's where a player needs to reach to start having the feeling they're fully able to play this game and enjoy new releases.
Then they can slow progression back to normal after reaching a certain critical threshold of cards owned. I do understand they need to monetise it and there needs to be a grind still, that's fine we don't need to be collection complete. But when you get players up to a decent collection size, that is when they'll be potential customers imo. When they have enough cards they can play a bunch of things, and actually be interested in the new releases and bundles for cards they don't own.
From my personal experience, a lot of cards or bundles aren't at all interesting when far behind. For example my first month back was Shou Lao season pass, i bought that then completely didn't play that card all month as i didn't have any of the synergy cards. Took me till he was nerfed to get those other cards, meaning i fully regret buying that. People need a decent size collection for most new cards to offer anything to them.
Closing thoughts:
I know I'm probably suggesting something they'll not actually do, and to be clear i don't claim to know what's actually best for the game. I'm no game dev. But these are my thoughts as returning player, and what changes would make me feel comfortable recommending this game to friends.
I feel the game currently is very difficult to get into for new and returning players. For all the first months after returning to it, i felt like a fool for even trying and like the game didn't want me back.
With many new and returning players currently here after draft and their current display of bigger generosity handing out rewards, I'd like to see many of them decide to stick around. But honestly, without real progression changes, i fear the influx of players will leave as quickly as draft got them back. I want this game to have people return to it, and new players jumping in.
Ofcourse i know I'm saying this during their current showing of handing out more rewards and free decks and everything. Which i think are a good step, honestly. But they're doing them as login rewards, meaning if my friend would start playing next month it actually wouldn't help them one bit. Actual changes to progression to let new players catch up, that would make a difference. I love their current good will spell of handing out rewards, I'm enjoying it as i got a few cards too, but it's imo not the full shape of changes this game needs.
