666 Soul Event - 6x Chance for 3 Awesome Characters!

[Sparton_LOTB]

I think transparency is the goal. Gaming has been heading this way for a while. It’s old news in China and Japan. I’d be more impressed if you guys would get everything out in the open, rather than trying to figure out what you have to disclose. If your reluctant to release certain information on drop rates, it looks to the player like you know they’re bad. If that’s the case, make them reasonable and release the info.

The problem is that people lose track of the fact that even free to play players who are highly engaged with the game open literally hundreds of Rare-quality souls in the span of even just one year, and the natural evolution of the game means more Ironite and more Rare-quality souls are able to be earned on an average day as time goes on. The odds are made based on those kinds of assumptions.

Don't get me wrong, I also think it's good that the industry as a whole is moving in that direction. But I also know the underlying odds of many of my competitors (either because I've worked on them, I know people who work on them, or I've found sources I find reliable enough that have datamined/crowdsourced results for the game), and the end result is most games are not far from each other, and it comes down to games that seem more generous just have other demands in their economy to make up for the perceived generosity.

[GrimDusk]

So, if you don't mind me asking, what are the "communication odds" you are having with Apple? I just checked the website, and it was pretty clear that they said, under Section 3.1.1 on the developer page, that "Apps offering 'loot boxes' or other mechanisms that provide randomized virtual items for purchase must disclose the odds of receiving each type of item to customers prior to purchase." So, where's the unclear part in that?

[MrFreeze]

The problem is that people lose track of the fact that even free to play players who are highly engaged with the game open literally hundreds of Rare-quality souls in the span of even just one year, and the natural evolution of the game means more Ironite and more Rare-quality souls are able to be earned on an average day as time goes on. The odds are made based on those kinds of assumptions.

Don't get me wrong, I also think it's good that the industry as a whole is moving in that direction. But I also know the underlying odds of many of my competitors (either because I've worked on them, I know people who work on them, or I've found sources I find reliable enough that have datamined/crowdsourced results for the game), and the end result is most games are not far from each other, and it comes down to games that seem more generous just have other demands in their economy to make up for the perceived generosity.

I remember when this game dropped rare souls from all cosmos levels. I also remember when the rates were adjusted for LoL. It used to be a lot easier to get rare souls. There’s more ways to buy them now but that’s not the same. So in my opinion, it’s gotten much harder to get them in LotB, not easier. Now legendary souls I’ll give you, because at the beginning, you could only obtain one without a purchase.

I’m not a programmer so I don’t know how the details of the math works, but isn’t it just a number that determines the odds? Like .02% for a rare soul to drop in LoL.

I think it’s likely there will be legislation in more countries regarding this issue over the next couple years. I say you guys should stay ahead of the curve and release the information as soon as possible. It’ll go a long way with the players. At least I think it will, I’m no expert on this stuff.

[Askora]

My impression is that rare souls are actually more abundant now than they used to be. They don't drop in the cosmos worlds, but they are relatively common in sacrifice even on low tiers. That, and fragments from SQs make them fairly easy to accumulate.

As far as odds, they're not necessarily straight odds. If they're using a technique I read about using an animation curve, it allows them to have what would be straight odds that can be skewed for events and at certain times to favor more people getting new toons when they're released. That makes it a lot harder to give exact numbers.

Game economy-wise and Apple store compliance, I would think the big question becomes whether they're required to release odds for anything that can't be directly purchased with real world money. If you can't buy souls with real money, and instead are limited to in-game currency do odds still need to be given? Ironite can be used to buy things other than souls, so it's not simply substituting to skirt the system. Therefore, making souls available only via in-game currency could keep the odds hidden.

I don't know for sure any of this, but it's what I would be looking at, if it was me. Yes, the odds suck a bit when viewed as an individual player. A few characters that I don't seem to be able to pull. But the truth is, usually when a new toon is released, it is only a matter of days (if that long) before at least a few of my troopers are putting the new toon as champion.

Releasing the odds information may mean big changes to the games economy. So while it might be what we think we want, it may not make us any happier.

[Sponholz]

I’m not a programmer so I don’t know how the details of the math works, but isn’t it just a number that determines the odds? Like .02% for a rare soul to drop in LoL.

Usually, this type of games to the math based on some sort of algorithm, well to illustrate more the matter, a quick google returned me this, from MIT.

https://engineering.mit.edu/engage/a...random-number/

But, whatever the reason are that the devs here are "asking" Apple, tend to look, for us players, a little shady thing, we all know the chances are abysmal, take this event for example, x6 chance, but if the chance is like 0.001% of getting Aces High, 6 times that woulv be 0.006, which is still a really low value if you ask me. Hell, this value can even be lower.

The answer to this question is really simple, no FREEMIUM game developer wants to tell you how low your chances of getting some Chars/Items/Whatever are.

Well my point of view on the matter is:

They are trying to found a breach so they can still hide some info. I looks like this to us, players, and no matter what response we get, this is more likely the real scenario.

Otherwise, why the hell there isn't a honest post about the odds of getting anything on this game on the front page of this forum?

And hey, I will still be playing this game, and having a great time with it. I am in no way bashing the game down.

I just find this "we are talking to Apple to check whatever" a lousy excuse. I like you Sparton, really do! And to be honest even in this matter you are doing a nice job on calming people down about the new guidelines, but enough is enough, and I do hope that Apple and to an extend Google implement and take this guidelines really serious.


I wish you all a cheerful guidelined LotB New Year!!! Ed.

[Mizrael]

I’ll tell you what the odds are...NF gets your money and you get butt hurt.

I have opened over 150 Xmass souls (and wasted LOADS of money) just to get Krampus. Did i get him? NO!!!

LotB is by far the least rewarding game i have ever played in my over 25 years history of gaming. i never used to pay for app games before (except for occasional 5-10$ as a thank you) before. But these guys have a brilliant strategy of driving the players to the edge of desperation and draining their wallets dry with very little effort put from their side. (bugs don’t get fixed, we just get fed new characters to awaken the collectors addiction in us...)

Well played NF!

[Rayn13]

This was posted earlier.


Game economy-wise and Apple store compliance, I would think the big question becomes whether they're required to release odds for anything that can't be directly purchased with real world money. If you can't buy souls with real money, and instead are limited to in-game currency do odds still need to be given? Ironite can be used to buy things other than souls, so it's not simply substituting to skirt the system. Therefore, making souls available only via in-game currency could keep the odds hidden.



Unless I am mistaken the trooper bundle in the store contains a rare soul. Cost $9.99. So yes you actually do pay real cash for souls.

[Askora]

But, what if you sell ironite and throw in free souls? I assume they also have a certain non-compliance period they're allowed.

I read the part on the Apple page, and I know in their shoes I'd have quite a few questions. I don't know how much they make from different types of sales, so I have no clue how much impact it might have on revenue. But, if they show the odds and they're so low they end up without any sales that doesn't help them or us. Bump up the odds to keep or improve sales and you've got a pay to play game.

It's a slippery slope and I'm thankful I don't have to be the one to find the solution.

[druid138]

Cool event, NF! I already have these characters, but it's cool to earn the 666 and Precious Souls for Sacrifice just for running Troopers.

Also, I think it's great that you are bringing new ways to get better shots at premium characters (e.g., Valor, 666, class-specific Mythical Souls, etc.). Please keep this up.

In terms of drop rates, I've run Game of Death exclusively:

113 Runs for 205x 666 Frags (1.81 per run) and 119x Precious Frags (1.05 per run)

Given these drop rates, I probably won't be spending any Ironite on SoT refills, but I'm happy to take the free Souls just for playing normally.

[kkkreg5]

I do believe I have them all (at least for the time being)! Aces High dropped today after 36 666 Souls!