Starter Pack

[killybob]

you'll notice some wording just beneath the donation button. it reads "help keep elements free". what make elements different from other CCGs is that it requires NO money to play or to gain rare cards/normal cards. this uniqueness is what draws new players in and this should never be breached. besides as it's already been said: it would be unfair on all the people who have already just finished their many hours of grinding. imagine how you would feel if you'd just done about 2000 games, got all the cards, and were now working on upgrading as many as you could. then SUDDENLY(!!!) you discover that if you'd just waited a few days or weeks you would have been saved a HUGE amount of work and now someone who'd only just joined, and was about as experienced as toddler joining the marine corps, was about 100 steps ahead of you. NOT worth it. elements should never ever cost anyone anything. if you haven't time to grind then wait until you do. Manipul8r, after a while (providing you've set up a good, well thought out business) it should start pretty much running itself leaving you a huge amount more time. realistically though elements is not the ideal game for an entrepreneur who has a newly set up sole trader/partnership. until you have time i would stick to things you can quickly set yourself up in since elements will ALWAYS be free.

[Manipul8r]

I would be fine with that, if I had the time to grind I would.  I did it in League of Legends even though I could have bought everything.  There are noobs there with plenty more stuff unlocked than me and I don't care at all.  Why?  I enjoyed the grinding there and I had time for it back then.

That aside, your post is a massive fallacy.  If you grind to get all the cards, even just to get a couple of upgraded cards, even if you just get some rares, you'll still be ahead of someone who buys the starter pack (worth 2k or so, less than sell value of 2 upgraded cards).  I'm not sure how far 2000 games will get someone, but I'm pretty sure a starter pack as we have been discussing here would not put a newbie 100 steps ahead of that someone with 2000 games.

Thanks for suggesting that I don't play the game, I should probably listen.

[killybob]

I would be fine with that, if I had the time to grind I would.  I did it in League of Legends even though I could have bought everything.  There are noobs there with plenty more stuff unlocked than me and I don't care at all.  Why?  I enjoyed the grinding there and I had time for it back then.

That aside, your post is a massive fallacy.  If you grind to get all the cards, even just to get a couple of upgraded cards, even if you just get some rares, you'll still be ahead of someone who buys the starter pack (worth 2k or so, less than sell value of 2 upgraded cards).  I'm not sure how far 2000 games will get someone, but I'm pretty sure a starter pack as we have been discussing here would not put a newbie 100 steps ahead of that someone with 2000 games.

Thanks for suggesting that I don't play the game, I should probably listen.

sorry for using exaggerations to set a point down. if you minus the persuasive exaggeration you still get someone who has wasted a lot of time and is therefore unhappy. massive fallacy is not the word to use as that was the only point you picked up on. you maybe fine with lower members than you being ahead, but for most others that idea sounds both absurd and irritating.

[Manipul8r]

What do you mean?  Do you regard me as a lower member than you?

[killybob]

*sigh* no i mean if you experience a lower member getting ahead of you you'll be unhappy. sorry if i explained it badly.

[ninjamaster1991]

Which idea do you like best? (That question went out to the viewing ppl)

[RootRanger]

*sigh* no i mean if you experience a lower member getting ahead of you you'll be unhappy. sorry if i explained it badly.

Not really.
People grind because it is worth their time.
If they don't like grinding, they play another game.

[Manipul8r]

I could add a poll, what options do you want to see on it?

[ninjamaster1991]

I'd like to see:
1: no packs!
2: Money packs only!
3: Electrum packs only!
4: Money and Electrum packs!


and:

1: preset packs for each element!
2: random packs for each element!
3: random cards from 2-3 elements each pack!
4: Random packs for 4-6 elements!
5: Many different packs from different numbers of elements!
6: One completely random pack!
7: Packs with customizable elements!

[killybob]

*sigh* no i mean if you experience a lower member getting ahead of you you'll be unhappy. sorry if i explained it badly.

Not really.
People grind because it is worth their time.
If they don't like grinding, they play another game.

and? i was talking about noobs getting ahead of longer playing members quickly.

I'd like to see:
1: no packs!
2: Money packs only!
3: Electrum packs only!
4: Money and Electrum packs!


and:

1: preset packs for each element!
2: random packs for each element!
3: random cards from 2-3 elements each pack!
4: Random packs for 4-6 elements!
5: Many different packs from different numbers of elements!
6: One completely random pack!
7: Packs with customizable elements!

i think they do that already in the form of your starter deck.

[YoungSot]

I think some sort of a starter pack is a great idea! I don't think this game needs to be defined as "if you like grinding you'll like this, otherwise find another game". I finally have reached a point where I have enough electrum/cards to try whatever sort of deck I'd like, and that adds a lot to the enjoyability of the game, but it took a long and rather boring grind to get there, and I imagine we lose quite a few players who otherwise would have been great contributions to this community, simply because they aren't part of that minority that enjoys grinding.

Starter packs should of course only be purchasable once (whether they cost real money or electrum). This way you don't have to balance them vs grinding, it just allows a newer player to have more options more quickly, so that they can actually experience the real fun of this game. I like the idea of upping the cost of each subsequent starter pack, so that there's still an accomplishment to having all un-upped cards. I also would agree that the SP's should not include all cards, just enough that it's possible to start say, a basic shadow deck, without either restarting your account or excessive grinding (a little grinding's fine).

And Veterans will still have their upped cards, their rare cards, their nymphs, their forum status, their much higher score, and their experience/skill. As long as the SP idea is well thought out in it's details, I don't think the Vets would in any way need to feel that their hard work was for nothing. I imagine they are all mature enough to be glad the game will be more enjoyable for the newbs.

[johannhowitzer]

At the same time, there is much to be said for the enjoyment of earning what you use, and the necessity of buying cards in the Bazaar means new players won't try ten different decks, burn themselves out on the game versus the AI, and go seeking greener pastures when there's nothing left to do.