Getting real on this one, the founding fathers are concerned, so I'll give my last heartfelt input.
For me it boils down to 3 main issues, probably in order of importance for why I left and continue to stay away:
1) Arena system is horrible. I don't even need to explain the reasons, they've been discussed ad nauseam, with plenty of quality solutions proposed.
2) Bugs. Also, nothing more to add, it's clear NF will never get a hold on them and limp this game along. It's more important to find and exploit bugs than it is to discover the true meta of the game.
3) Lack of content. People can propose cool ideas all day long, new worlds, awesome new gaming modes, new social aspects, but just like the bugs, it's clear NF can't handle any of this either. See BNW as a Prime case study, most mobile games push out new real content constantly. here? Oh you'll have to wait a year and even then it'll be broke. Again just limping along with cash grab events to distract people that don't know any better.
All of the above are why I switched to a new game, which solves all of these issues for me, if NF could produce quality even for a month I'd be back. I can see why people like MJM like it and continue to stay, cool music and graphics, but the actual game doesn't hold water past collecting stuff anymore. It's built to waste time while you're riding the bus or taking a shit. For someone like me who comes from a gaming background and isnt just a blind Maiden fan, there are just so many better options out there.
I toyed with leaving for months and figured things would get better, course was never corrected by NF so I switched to more satisfying avenues for my gamer side. I'd rather play F2F and listen to Maiden lol. Cool music and graphics just isn't enough for me. I need a game to play that isn't broke, misleading, border line bait and switch.
And meta changes exist in all games, but here it's just way too extreme and frequent, other games do it with much more grace. Unless you're king whale who has every toon imaginable and resources at your disposable this is a model for a pissed off player base. I've played tons of other meta based games for over a decade and what I've seen here is exponentially worse in all aspects. There is no quality testing of decisions made, knee jerk reactions, we are the testers. Despite all the rage, we are still just rats in a cage.
I think they are better off at this point just making cool characters to collect and squashing bugs to keep the Maiden fans happy. They can't handle pleasing them and gamers like me at the same time and just rush shit out so it's a perpetual cycle of broken stuff and disappointment.
Same discussions, same complaints, same responses from NF, month after month with no change. I'm starting to wonder if long standing forum members suffer from amnesia lol The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, I just couldn't take it anymore.
Hope this doesn't classify as a rant Nicko, tried to lay out my honest reasons for leaving and staying away and be as real as I can positive or negative aside. I'd be positive and propose solutions, but they've already been discussed so many times by Tritium, etc there's really no need anymore. Sat on the merry go round for too long, until I see change in the game, and not just words, it'll get my real attention.
Love Maiden, but I have other ways of supporting the band if I desire, and since I'm a gamer who knows better, supporting a broke game isn't it. I can't count how many times I used to end posts with hope or give NF encouragement, but nothing ever changes, again, only action will change my mind at this point.
This game was never ready for someone like me and still isn't, when my passion for Maiden met my passion for gaming. Maidens held a pivotal role throughout my life for as long as I can remember, same with gaming. But I exhausted the game aspect with LotB after realizing there's nothing there. The least I can hope for you guys, because you're all amazing people and deserve some competition, is that until NF can make a real game, someone else with passions for both like myself might come along and spark energy until things are fixed, if they ever are. The players make the game.
For now, I'm tired boss. Like Gmac said, with this game the better you are, the more PvP system and meta changes you'll get slapped with by NF. It's a game for collectors, not gamers.
Hallowed be the name of us gamers, the Sands of Time for us ran out long ago. action is the only resolution now, forum communication is a dead end, Tritium, etc confirmed that. I'm not in the camp of "oh but NF communicates with us so there's hope!". Distraction for fools. I'd say I hope NF is listening, but been there done that, at the end of my rope until I see real change, 5 o clock came, and good friends with the LotB gallows pole...