Dear Next Games...
Karajoca
Member Posts: 364
Before i start this letter i should introduce myself, so you know from who and where is all this coming from.
Playing this game since January 2017, with one larger break(when you introduced badges and when wrestler trait was way to win) ,come back, catch-up, helped forging one of the most dominating guild families in this game's history. When i accomplished my goals there, moved forward, organizing virtual events for whole community, bonding players together, searching for ways for all of us to enjoy more while playing your game. Why ? Well, simply because game are not offering us enough fun and i personally believe all this what we have here is only 20% of full potential this game can reach.
I was close to give up... I think i outgrow all this, and that my time is wasted here, that is time for next step, something new. But i wouldn't be me if i at least don't try to make it better, to reach out, try to fix things before is too late.( i guess it helped also that Homescapes, and Raid: Shadow Legends, completely sucks and i can't understand who the hell play all those games.
They have 100M users more then you guys. How ? Why ? 
)
I will go straight to the point :
Why are we in this mess right now ?
Constantly adding new game-changers who are also affecting game modes, while you are not trying to invent a new approach but only "building on" - giving round passes, master missions, etc. to Challenge instead of making new design .
You are afraid of big changes, and lack of ambition you are showing is best reflected through leaderboards in all game modes, who are totally not competitive, not fair and screams "important is to participate". Trying to "take it easy", keep everyone happy , not losing long-term players with some big, upsetting changes... resulted in having now 90% of community, playing this game on lazy, boring way, without trying to catch-up, improve... they do what's needed, time passes... until when, i wonder ?
"Milking" same 10% of people who are competing, instead of making other 90% interested and becoming your income resource is very, very wrong...
Inability to make newly introduced stuff ( reinforcement, re-roll tokens, tools, components) important and giving you money in longer period is also a problem. I was thinking introducing re-roll tokens means we will have new heroes, new traits very often, but looks like i was wrong. Long time passed, and even complete f2p re-rolled every important hero.
Need to understand that all things we could buy so far(weapons,armours, radios, tokens, components) are helping to improve team, increasing chances in mission but skills are still needed to pass. Tools are something that directly "Buy Win" during mission and that part is making players very upset. This is why you need to be extra careful with tools, and removing in-mission purchase is step in right direction, so i won't comment this matter more .
For one thing i can definitely say well done - that is communication with players, and almost instant reaction to satisfy their needs, do what is asked. I doubt there are many games where you can reach to developers like we can. But that makes me wonder, WHY, OH WHY, you don't give beta testing, and discuss with players BEFORE every major update ??? You are obviously willing to listen to players, so doing it in front of changes/updates will save a lot of time and i just don't see any bad side of it. (please point out if i am wrong)
I will now give my own suggestions/ideas of what need to be changed ASAP to help the game going
Playing this game since January 2017, with one larger break(when you introduced badges and when wrestler trait was way to win) ,come back, catch-up, helped forging one of the most dominating guild families in this game's history. When i accomplished my goals there, moved forward, organizing virtual events for whole community, bonding players together, searching for ways for all of us to enjoy more while playing your game. Why ? Well, simply because game are not offering us enough fun and i personally believe all this what we have here is only 20% of full potential this game can reach.
I was close to give up... I think i outgrow all this, and that my time is wasted here, that is time for next step, something new. But i wouldn't be me if i at least don't try to make it better, to reach out, try to fix things before is too late.( i guess it helped also that Homescapes, and Raid: Shadow Legends, completely sucks and i can't understand who the hell play all those games.
They have 100M users more then you guys. How ? Why ? )I will go straight to the point :
Why are we in this mess right now ?
Constantly adding new game-changers who are also affecting game modes, while you are not trying to invent a new approach but only "building on" - giving round passes, master missions, etc. to Challenge instead of making new design .
You are afraid of big changes, and lack of ambition you are showing is best reflected through leaderboards in all game modes, who are totally not competitive, not fair and screams "important is to participate". Trying to "take it easy", keep everyone happy , not losing long-term players with some big, upsetting changes... resulted in having now 90% of community, playing this game on lazy, boring way, without trying to catch-up, improve... they do what's needed, time passes... until when, i wonder ?
"Milking" same 10% of people who are competing, instead of making other 90% interested and becoming your income resource is very, very wrong...
Inability to make newly introduced stuff ( reinforcement, re-roll tokens, tools, components) important and giving you money in longer period is also a problem. I was thinking introducing re-roll tokens means we will have new heroes, new traits very often, but looks like i was wrong. Long time passed, and even complete f2p re-rolled every important hero.
Need to understand that all things we could buy so far(weapons,armours, radios, tokens, components) are helping to improve team, increasing chances in mission but skills are still needed to pass. Tools are something that directly "Buy Win" during mission and that part is making players very upset. This is why you need to be extra careful with tools, and removing in-mission purchase is step in right direction, so i won't comment this matter more .
For one thing i can definitely say well done - that is communication with players, and almost instant reaction to satisfy their needs, do what is asked. I doubt there are many games where you can reach to developers like we can. But that makes me wonder, WHY, OH WHY, you don't give beta testing, and discuss with players BEFORE every major update ??? You are obviously willing to listen to players, so doing it in front of changes/updates will save a lot of time and i just don't see any bad side of it. (please point out if i am wrong)
I will now give my own suggestions/ideas of what need to be changed ASAP to help the game going
Searching for a guild ? Join Wild Walking Family here
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
35
Comments
In my guild we used to recruit new players, help them, develop and they become stars, top players. In last two years i don't think anyone managed to ever catch up completely. They reach survivors lvl 19-20, their camp reach 48-60 and that is the breaking point. Going up to lvl 19 is ok, fast, interesting. But from there you need like 600 Million tomatoes more to reach lvl27. Add on top of this all the badges they need to craft, all the weapons they need to find/ buy and reinforce, all the radios... It's TOO MUCH.
Game is almost full 5 years old, correct ? Whoever join now must see the light on the end of tunnel, otherwise they stop trying.
Simple solution : Adding new resource (whatever it is potato,cucumber or wood, silver, metal...i don't know) for end-gamers exclusively. Removing tomatoes for their future progress completely. At same time, for fresh survivors make farming tomatoes 3 or 4 times faster. They will still need a lot to do, massive experience to gather for training, badges they need to craft to catch up with long-term members is huge.
Point of this is having more and more people on lvl 27 involving them in "real game"
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
Completely removing this from game and instead add something else to drop at same frequency is a must. I don't know if it's possible but i would like to see "tool pieces" that we need to collect and then bring them to Craftsman and turn into Tool. (having in mind how often 1-2star equipement drops, i would say 50 or 100 pieces are needed to create 1 tool )
Or, collecting pieces that you can bring to Craftsman and turn into legendary weapon with desired traits - would also be nice .
People just like to be able to create something on their own, to work for it... something that keep us busy, and not being stuck in pure completing missions without real goal.
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
At least this is easy to make, right ? Just make it start from lvl 30 and end on lvl 50. Some players are completing hard mode without casualties or with only 3 survivors used for entire distance. They are doing this to have at least some fun while completing it. Many have outgrown this mode and need new thing. Not to mention that rewards in hard mode (components,tokens, legendary random gear) are also not so important anymore for some players.
Simple solution - keep easy & hard mode with same rewards, add nightmare mode - with tools, tokens(some new heroes instead of aaron&old ones) as rewards. Players will feel better if they can EARN tools with playing, not getting them for free and buying with Gold.
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
In newest introduced map set i had to notice we had same maps appearing but with different goals(go to exit, search clues, kill all...) spawns different, starting points reversed, etc.
This is also done in challenge sets, completely same map just different mission/walker spawns ...
I believe this is all we need. No new map designs, just easy change mission goal in current ones. Why not having "search for clues" BBQ Map for a change(with of course, less tanks
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
Most important mode, IMO, can never give up on it ! Lot have been said about it recently so i won't continue... just giving support. Bonding with team-mates, fighting together is what can keep us long in this game.
I would just suggest - 2 week fights, 1 week mid-season break, 2 week fights - is definitely better solution. Only then, after season end we can have larger break(2-4 weeks) Those larger breaks are more important and are showing difference between seasons, having break every week is like non-stop playing same season, same pace. This option will also result in more seasons per year.
Altough, time of the year is also important, and is not wrong that this season which is going to start soon will be spread for 2 months period. It's summer and people are playing less, i am sure you were considering that factor also
and i can add that i will do my best to make virtual community games during season breaks - with challenge mode as main focus
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
Chuck agrees... And so does ATLAS
TWO THUMBS UP
Are you Lost? Alone? Looking for a killer team to have your back?
Join ZOMBREX! We have a tiered guild structure so players of every level and ambition can find a home they fit in.
Remember, search ZOMBREX SATISFIES.
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1. This game is a niche game. If you like the TWD series or zombies, you play the game. However, not many people especially young kids like this genre or the game.
2. This game has realistic graphics but kids prefer cartoonish/colourful-type games and that's where the real income comes from. Examples, Fortnite or Candy Crush.
3. This game is not like some other PvP games. It doesn't have a solid real-time PvP such as Clash Royale etc.
4. This game is like most other games in terms of business perspective. It's free but you need to grind till death. That's why the dev listens to the '10% of the players'.
5. This game has fewer programmers now. Many of them have already shifted to other projects. It's not getting enough revenue to warrant the numbers.
6. This game still have new players coming in. They join a guild, play awhile and then they quit. Why? Because it's not fun, it's boring and tedious with the 'same maps'.
Items 1, 2 and 6 are based on my students' feedback on the game when I told them to play NML.
Let's see if NG will listen and do something since Karajoca is one of the '10% of the players'. Perhaps a poll will do the trick. For your info, I am one of the '90%' and I doubt NG hear me at all. I decided to stop giving ideas. But I still play the game until it shuts down or unsupported, whichever comes first.
But then I got to your last sentence. Yes, @Karajoca is one of the 10%. One of the 10% of players that tries to improve the experience for himself and the vast majority of others. One of the 10% of people who spent hundreds of hours organizing two successful competitions that included 4000 star players and 400 star players, allowing members of the community to make new friends, learn new strategies, and remotivate themselves to play the game. One of the 10% that probably spent a little too much time coordinating in GW over the last few months. One of the 10% who may not have perfect ideas, but come from a good place.
Hell, he might not be the 10%. There aren’t that many people like him in the community, so I don’t blame NG at all for choosing to engage with and listen to players like him.
Message me on the forums or on Line (ID: jayztwdnml) if you're interested in joining the Mavericks family of guilds.
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGSePrANMyf_S_YKJyfJodg
Strategy compendium: https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/41787/jayzs-nml-strategy-compendium
Message me on the forums or on Line (ID: jayztwdnml) if you're interested in joining the Mavericks family of guilds.
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGSePrANMyf_S_YKJyfJodg
Strategy compendium: https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/41787/jayzs-nml-strategy-compendium
There are lot more ideas coming from me but i decided to stick to basics, and mention only things that are very important to fix . @Thunderstorm here is right, i know all that very well. but with all respect you sound just like some of those people who designed this game, looked at (for them) disappointing numbers and run away, abandon developing, moved to something else.
I am one of the people who don't give up that easy, who would try to fix things, and try to look outside of the box. Admit mistakes, search for ways to improve!
It's very easy to say - aha, zombies are not good enough, kids don't like it, they like Pokemon Go, let's make Walking Dead Go(or whatever their new game is called) That's the point when all this went down, and slowly but determined this game is dying. I have a feeling their employees get instruction to just keep it going while they can, avoid big changes until complete end.
For me, this game is a masterpiece turn based strategy and there is no better mobile game currently on the market ( Please PM me list of other games if i am wrong
There are dozens of zombie games out there, i will never understand why, but this genre is actually extremely popular currently so i don't believe that is the problem at all.
Problems are, to repeat :
1 - New player have to farm around ~1 000 000 000 Tomatoes to progress from lvl 0 - lvl 74. Players, especially young ones give up as soon as they realize this mission impossible. But instead of giving up i believe there are plenty of easy solutions and i offered one.
2 - Leaderboards, meaning of all in-game modes are too casual, not worth trying, pushing, no rewards to fight for. I have no idea how many times my guild was "On Top" after challenge week which makes us thinking why the hell are we even trying
....
I can add more but no - this two things, attracting more players + letting them reach max level faster + engage current ones with adding little bit of competitiveness and goals to achieve on weekly/monthly basis as guilds is crucial to awake the game
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
Why not offer lower level non-max players the opposite?
Exchange 1000 trade goods for 200,000 tomatoes
Exchange 5000 trade goods for 1,000,000 tomatoes
Run it as same event, endgamers can spend tomatoes, others can buy tomatoes?
Are you Lost? Alone? Looking for a killer team to have your back?
Join ZOMBREX! We have a tiered guild structure so players of every level and ambition can find a home they fit in.
Remember, search ZOMBREX SATISFIES.
Our page :
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I stopped grinding at SLVL 23(9months back) and now im SLVL 26. Cant catch up maxed camp till another council upgrade while having fun, just no way.
Are you Lost? Alone? Looking for a killer team to have your back?
Join ZOMBREX! We have a tiered guild structure so players of every level and ambition can find a home they fit in.
Remember, search ZOMBREX SATISFIES.
Our page :
https://m.facebook.com/Zombrex2015/
Firstly, I said your ideas are good.
Secondly, I don't sound nor am I a game designer. I'm a Physics high-school teacher. I based on facts. You said I will abandon when things go south but funny, I did say "I still play this game until ...". I didn't abandon the one thing I was commenting on it.
Thirdly, you said "...It's very easy to say - aha, zombies are not good enough, kids don't like it, they like Pokemon Go...". Well, wake up and face the reality, check the facts cause that is the truth. Go check the behavioral of kids. They want instant gratification/results, cartoonish, colorful etc. Even some adults like these. You may not like these, but let others do. How old are you?
Fourth, you said "...looked at (for them) disappointing numbers and run away, abandon developing, moved to something else...". Well, what do you know, NG really did that with The Walking Dead: Our World." They did move to another game. Are you disappointed? But they didn't abandon NML, they just keep it going. I didn't say NG nor NML are bad.
Fifth, you said "...I am one of the people who don't give up that easy, who would try to fix things, and try to look outside of the box...". You obviously are ignorant about business. You need to maintain the office and equipment, pay the taxes, fees, bills and salaries, develop new games etc. All these needs revenue. I'm going repeat what you said...it's very easy to say what you said. Start your own zombie gaming business and show me your resilience when the going gets tough...or talk is cheap?
I advise you to look through NG's financial statement and portfolio but this time read thoroughly. I have read it. You may be one helluva NML player, a great leader of a guild, maybe not within the 10% as JayZ said, but you are really not good at commenting on others. Go stick to your favorite game.
I can still comment on two more items but I decided to take a break and wait with anticipation.
I never doubt this game is a masterpiece, why else do I still play the game.
Badges: Crafting needs to change, only a fraction of players knows about the badge cycles. I learned about the badge cycles a few weeks ago, passed the info to my guild-mates and none of them knew about it, even lvl74 players... To be fair we should all be able to chose which badge we want to craft. Legendary components are hard to come by and people are just wasting them crafting useless badges. If someone doesn’t know about the badge cycles its nearly impossible to catch up to other players.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are to hard to farm. Like @IgorGGT said, when I play, I spend most of my gas in the challenge but those challenge missions don’t offer much tomatoes. If I spend my gas scavenging for tomatoes I’m sometimes met with a bunch of maps where I can’t safely kill 100 walkers. We need more or better ways of farming those.
Gears/Crafting: One of the first questions I asked my girlfriend after downloading the game was <<In what situation would someone upgrade 1,2 or 3 stars gears?>>. Low level gears are just useless, even at low level I could put my hands on 4 or 5* gears. I like your idea @Karajoca , they should remove low level gears or let us exchange those for parts. Parts that we could use to craft higher level gears and some tools.
Hero tokens: Since the beginning, most of my radios went into alternative calls. I have some of the best heroes in the game at 1-2 pink stars while my common heroes are all 3,4 or 5 stars... It makes no sense to me that “common” heroes are harder to upgrade than some of the best heroes in the game. They should make “common” hero tokens more “common“. Maybe by offering more than 4 hero tokens in the TGS bundles when the featured hero is common, uncommon, etc.. Exemple, if the hero is common, offer 25 hero tokens, if it’s an uncommon, offer 15 hero tokens, etc... Offering better calls for common heroes. Exemple, 15 radios call with 2x hero tokens and guaranteed 3 common heroes, 20 radios call with 2x hero tokens and guaranteed 3 uncommon heroes etc...
Why am i ignorant about business ? Are those small changes i proposed somehow affecting their finances in bad way ? I am talking about small fixes needed to balance the game, to help new players, to give them more users, more downloads, more money. At same time those changes are what players need so it's a win-win situation.
Facts you posted are very real and true. Especially the one about PvP , it's very needed but unlikely to happen. I want to change what can be changed - for greater good. To help the game reach full potential. How big is that potential you and me obviously have different opinion . I believe (or want to believe) that there are many more users that can be attracted, and no i am not talking about kids. I don't think kids were ever the "target" of this game, but adults, who maybe play games less but willing to give more money.
https://forums.nextgames.com/walkingdead/discussion/40263/wild-walking-is-actively-seeking-new-members#latest
Edit: It could also give us a reason to upgrade our farming heroes.
One of my guild mates recently quit at level 70 because he became discouraged. He said he felt like he was always chasing a moving target and could never get to the end.
Then cameback and game had changed and I’ve spent probably 1500 since being back, but game is quickly losing my interest. This past challenge we got #1 guild when we took the top 20 players in our family put them together.
But most challenges I just run MM till I can’t pass one. Around 2k stars, don’t redo missions for lost stars, don’t watch videos or put forth effort.
Haven’t ran a distance since decimator event.
Don’t farm for radios, supplies, or XP
Don’t really login till Wednesday hell one week I didn’t login till Sunday and ran up to 1700 stars and logged off.
I feel the devs just care enough to suck just a little more money out of us. They have some good ones that care, but even @Fluxxx sometimes seems more distant on forums. I feel game will go down once show dies completely.
They are in desperate need of new content and probably would need new servers to make it more real time if they wanna keep it going. If not then it’s just. Ticking time bomb.
I’ve always encouraged people to look up PerBlue and their game Parallel Kingdom. It was ground breaking and designed in 2009 by college kids using google maps and it was so much more advanced and so much more interactive, real time, with so many facets. You could be a merchant and buy and sell to other players live, you could be a Kingdom player and war player. Build a Kingdom then defend it, destroy kingdoms, heck just trying to find a Kingdom that’s in a random place in the world.
But has this game advanced really since it’s start?