Urban Jungle Event (And Apparel Events Going Forward)
This first Apparel Event since the expansion has, unequivocally, been a horror show. And it's not even over yet. Let's take a look here, shall we?
First, the folks who didn't buy WONY (or haven't yet). They are completely locked out of the Apparel Event because its progression is locked to SHD Levels, not character levels as it was over the course of the first year. There may be folks who are hearing that the expansion isn't as much fun as it sounds. Or they may be feeling a pinch financially and figure they can get the expansion later, but they've already got the base game, so that's at least something. Either way, they're screwed. Sure, they might get those items later. Once they buy the expansion and an unconscionable amount of Premium Credits. But there's not any way to look at this event as a gratuitous insult to a segment of the player base. And if Massive is genuinely concerned about "engagement numbers," this is a fantastic method for those numbers to take a hit which may not be recoverable by new players.
Second, the grind. Every four SHD Levels, you get a key. Seems a little stiff at first. 'Course, I'm seeing people rolling around with SHD Levels in the low 200s at this point, which absolutely mystifies me. In theory, if you started right when the event did, you have to earn 136 SHD Levels (4 times 34, since everybody who bought WONY got one key to start). I'm averaging about three SHD levels a night. Over the course of 21 days, that would be 63 SHD Levels, less than half the ultimate number. You can point to half the world being locked down from the real world pandemic sweeping the globe and say, "You've got plenty of time! Just play longer!" You can offer up arcane XP maximization strategies involving CP4s with every Directive possible active. You can be obnoxious and dismissive, saying, "It's just apparel, dude. Why are you getting worked up over clothes that don't do anything?" And all of that indicates that the grind is too nakedly voracious, bordering on exploitative. Some of us are trying to get through this particular crisis without adding excessive amounts of stress, which this Apparel Event has been generating.
The Apparel Event mechanics which finally got hammered out in the last event worked. Projects which helped people who didn't necessarily have all the time in the world. Keys every three character levels. Why throw away a perfectly good formula? Yes, they're cosmetic and they have no actual gameplay impact, but they're fun. The last couple events were a small wrinkle that added a little bonus for playing anyway, an event that flavored the game without necessarily shifting the focus. But now, it feels like the event has become the focus, or Massive is trying to make it that way. The event is no longer fun. It no longer adds enjoyment to the game. It has, literally, become a case of the haves and the have-nots. Don't have the expansion? Sucks to be you. Don't have more than a couple hours a night to play, despite working from home? Sucks to be you. Don't have the build to solo CP4s or the good fortune to fall in with randoms who know what they're doing? Sucks...to...be...you.
If this is how Apparel Events are going to be going forward, I think we're going to start seeing a lot of very fatigued players and a base which will start shrinking every time one of these events shows up. I think that would be a completely avoidable tragedy.
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