The REAL Problem with Shards

[Rutarete]

He's lost touch with his game... and until his revenue starts falling off, will probably not care too much to do anything.

Incidentally his revenues have already fallen off considerably.  I don't think the single act of reworking shards, even if they were done perfectly, would change that, though.

Where is this information about revenues falling from?

[Hyroen]

I found it a little ironic that this is coming from the winner of Shard Revolution. Hah.

Thoroughly enjoyed the read. Shards are truly a large impact on the game, and perhaps the issue with each one is that they are -so- innovative that they bring some potent mechanics which only they can do, and few cards can counter.

As a Card Designer however I can understand that despite the fact that Elements the game does lack a lot of back-story, it also tends to introduce cards of particularly classic tropes. Don't expect to see an Altruistic Guardian of the Shining Castle any time soon. In this regard, shards (and for that matter, pillars and pendulums) do seem like rainbow sprinkles of revenue atop trope mashed potatoes.

Having said that however, I also wouldn't just like to see Shards just disappear or be drastically changed nor zanzarino's design completely changed. Perhaps what could change though, is how the game functions, at least for these highly particular cards. Normally every card, excluding the "pillar" category can be included in the deck in copies of 6. If the amount of copies of shards that could be included in the deck was limited to a reduced number such as 3 (which would also complement their rarity), then the game might start to seem more like Hot Dogs and less like Lettuce.

[majofa]

He's lost touch with his game... and until his revenue starts falling off, will probably not care too much to do anything.

Incidentally his revenues have already fallen off considerably.  I don't think the single act of reworking shards, even if they were done perfectly, would change that, though.

If that hasn't motivated him, then the game might be reaching its end.

[dragonsdemesne]

I don't think Zanz has any revenues from Elements to speak of, at least not directly.  He gets some donations from players, and whatever ad revenue might come his way.  I doubt that amounts to much, though; the shard donations are worth $5, and I don't know what he gets on ad revenues, but that sort of thing is worth very, very little.  He does also apparently have some sort of exclusivity agreement with Kongregate, but I have no idea what something like that might be worth, as the only thing I know about Kong (having never used it) is that they say a lot of really silly things that then get quoted in main chat :p  Elements exists mostly as something Zanz can show his clients to say 'look, I made a successful website that attracts X thousand people per day, so you should hire me'.

[eaglgenes101]

Shards were a sort of thing that wasn't meant to be a series, at least not initially. That might explain a bit of it.
My specific changes to each shard:
SoD: Moar focus on max HP and less on current HP, maybe? (Increase your max HP by 30. Also heal 10 HP if your mark is .)
SoG: If there needs to be a new mechanism, I'd also make it heal creatures. (Heal 4 HP each turn. Also heal each of your creatures 1 HP each turn if your mark is .)
SoSa: Shouldn't stack, and also can't chain (1 turn cooloff). Allows for burst strategies as a soft counter better. (Drain 40 HP and all but your quanta. Reverse HP changes for 2 turns. Does not stack or chain.)
SoBe: Just increase the cost. (3/2 )
SoFr: Cut the dodging for air part. 'Nuff said. (Flying creatures have a 25% chance per shard to deal critical hits (50% more damage and momentum.))
SoI: Too dependent on large numbers of shards. Modify the mechanics of the shard to make it better for small numbers of shards. (I think I have a spreadsheet with that.)
SoR: Just make it remove the ability cost and recharge any creature's ability. (Target creature's skill has no cost and is recharged.)
SoW: Make the attack buff part of the spell when immortal ability. (Target creature gains the stats wise: Deals 4 extra damage each turn and deals spell damage if immaterial.)
SoF: More HP, fewer uses. (0|5. Accretion: destroy a permanent, gain +0|+15, and generate a black hole. One use only.)

[Kuroaitou]

Great read 10 men - I think I was part of the 'Pro-shard' group (the third time, where more cards = more awesomness), but now I just don't care anymore. I just want the game to keep evolving regardless of what happens to shards in general. Your advice to him is sound; just stop dealing with shards, and move on if you're not gonna 'replace' them. (I don't like the idea of replacement, but I'll save that argument for later; customer POV regarding bait-and-switch tactics is always nasty to talk about)

That being said, this small exchange called my attention moreso than any shard problem:

He's lost touch with his game... and until his revenue starts falling off, will probably not care too much to do anything.

Incidentally his revenues have already fallen off considerably.  I don't think the single act of reworking shards, even if they were done perfectly, would change that, though.

If that hasn't motivated him, then the game might be reaching its end.

First off: kev, I don't know where or how you found out about the game's declining revenue, but the phrase "fallen off considerably" in regards to finances is something most people shouldn't overlook. I now have thoughts ranging from, 'well that completely sucks' to '...does he now have a NEGATIVE NET PROFIT from trying to host this game?'; I'd like to see some numbers, if you have an estimate, because aside from finances, the community needs to find a way to entice zanz before we have an apocalyptic meltdown.

And second, majofa - while your comment might indicate the final stretch, whose to say that this isn't technically the epilogue? I know that sounds depressing, but with the way things are now, this entire situation honestly feels like one tireless epilogue that keeps on truckin' along rather than an 'end' or a conclusion.

Maybe that's how he sees us. I don't know.

[Vangelios]

if you take into consideration its text, nymphs should be rejected more that shards.
*Overpowered
*Same art for all
* Ultra rare
  I ask because there were rejected? I answer, because the few players that have multiple copies, do not want to lose your advantage.

  And I can not accept it some people's in the forum manipulate and induce a reasoning mistaken of shards, give the printout is mandatory that you use shards, otherwise lose .. What is definitely not true. I play in a competition BL free of restrictions and I can say that I win 40% of my matches without using shards. (And shards are 12 cards), now imagine you separate 12 cards of each element, such as weapons, go on free competition and then see if at least 20% of their matches were unarmed. (ok, weapons are in the game and we have a special slot for them)
 I will then select 12 common cards of each element (firebolt, sanctuary, grabroid, dimensional shield, steal, antimatter, poison, nymph queem, flying weapon, reverse time, mitosis and gravity pull.), now if they are like rare and have the name of shards, now we have a bunch of players complaining about the whole group just because they are rare and powerful!!
 though I confess it SoFo was OP, and very unpleasant, but now claim is an exaggeration, really overkill.

[mega plini]

People are using Shards because a game is not a buffet where you can just pick the parts you like and ignore the rest. If Shard decks are the best for farming then you have two options: Quit playing, or put up with it and use the Shard deck.
Also do keep in mind that in the occasion where people actually do have a choice to ignore shards (in PVP Events that are organized parallely to the game) they do so almost anytime.

I think that the banning of the shards in most PvP events proves that there is still work to do.
I think that a new cycle of rares would be nice, but let's be honest. Thats unlikely to happen.

@Vangelios: Shards are everywhere, there is no point in denying that, it is not a doctine, it's reality.
also: how are nymphs overpowered?



Off-topic: you should make a new thread to discuss the game's finances and keep this thread about the shards :p

[Marsu]

Actually, Vangelios is right. In unupped PvP, shards are not dominant.

[Vangelios]

Actually, Vangelios is right. In unupped PvP, shards are not dominant.

Marsu thanks, and you made an important observation in "unupgraded," I really do not know how be the gameplay in this CL, then let someone CL answer.

[Absol]

I liked one of the suggestions of reworking Shards completely under different names but similar effects.
Still, shards are bad thematically IMO. Mechanically, i only really hate two of them. (guess which)

[ARTHANASIOS]

I liked one of the suggestions of reworking Shards completely under different names but similar effects.
Still, shards are bad thematically IMO. Mechanically, i only really hate two of them. (guess which)

SoSac & SoFo

Back in topic, some of the Shards have really interesting effects: SoV is UP (so it needs work to be done) but its effect is very clever, SoR is just right now after the nerf and it has a really nice effect too, SoSer is also a great idea, SoB is a nice way of drawing more cards and we need it due to the nasty habits of RNG, SoI can make powerful Shard Golem decks which needs some balancing but I find Shard Golem an awesome idea which also gives a common theme/purpose to Shards and make them to feel less alien in the fantasy universe of ETG. However, I admit I dislike SoPa (it became utterly OP with the later patch imo), SoF (it is much better now, but it is still a bad design imo), SoSac (all honest, terrible card idea, either completely OP or completely useless), SoG (good stalling card, but not original enough, feels like a common card), SoD (not bad, but it could be more original), SoFre (bad design, Air with SoFre is countered by nothing while Air without SoFre is countered by everything), and SoW (Aether already stalls like a maniac, does it really deserves a super buff that can also bypass shields and make it a supreme rusher too?).
However, I would agree there are common cards which need buffing/nerfing more than Shards. And yeah, Nymphs are pretty powerful with the latest stat boost, but I wouldn't consider them OP in general, due to the need of NT and/or high cost in playing them and high cost in activating their abilities.