removal of micro upgrade button does not benefit any player.

[yellowghetto 3,206]

48 minutes ago, Maf said:

"Some dude" = a lot of potential new users/customers, who have dozens of apps advertised to them on a daily basis. If faced with even a minor frustration, such as seeing too many buttons on the interface and having to figure out what they do, they won't think twice before switching to a different app. That's what the competition is like on the online app/software market.

This is not important for the type of users in question. An experienced player will figure out the system and take necessary steps to save crystals and avoid situations where they are forced to pay more. On the other hand, a casual player that's not too invested into the upgrade process, will just press the upgrade button whenever they see that there's an upgrade they can afford. Having less buttons actually does help them make decisions faster.

Sorry, more than 75% of the player base do not know how to manage Crystals and complain here on the Forum.

[1VeryPointyShrub 18]

I've got a feeling that the upgrade button will only disappear if your gear is MkX-0, so if you had already micoupgraded some then you could avoid the whole thing. Not completely sure on this, I'll watch the V-Log again to check.

[wolverine848 13,097]

4 minutes ago, 1VeryPointyShrub said:

I've got a feeling that the upgrade button will only disappear if your gear is MkX-0,

Tis would make sense.  But I highly doubt that is the case.

[1VeryPointyShrub 18]

Just now, wolverine848 said:

Tis would make sense.  But I highly doubt that is the case.

Quote: "it means that you won't be able to upgrade from Mk2-0 to Mk2-10"

They also said you won't be able to microupgrade if the next mark is unlocked, so this is confusing. We'll have to see. Hopefully if it doesn't work the way I said above there's some other balancing mechanic like a discount.

[MEDlC_DageLV 35]

2 minutes ago, 1VeryPointyShrub said:

Quote: "it means that you won't be able to upgrade from Mk2-0 to Mk2-10"

They also said you won't be able to microupgrade if the next mark is unlocked, so this is confusing. We'll have to see. Hopefully if it doesn't work the way I said above there's some other balancing mechanic like a discount.

as i mentioned on top, theyll count in speedups. the last 2 upgrades with speedups cost more than the whole update.

[Maf 32,307]

30 minutes ago, cosmic666 said:

Less time to think about what they are doing, is it the right or wrong decision. Does it matter if i spend all these cry now, are wait awhile for a better offer etc.

Yes, this is what I implied with my post as well. I'm not sure if such a side effect is intentional (and I don't know if it's effective), but seems likely.

[cosmic666 1,055]

3 minutes ago, MEDlC_DageLV said:

as i mentioned on top, theyll count in speedups.

Very wrong if they do that. If they do they will then say that this change is for the best, like i said the devs never miss a trick.

[wolverine848 13,097]

6 minutes ago, 1VeryPointyShrub said:

Quote: "it means that you won't be able to upgrade from Mk2-0 to Mk2-10"

They also said you won't be able to microupgrade if the next mark is unlocked, so this is confusing. We'll have to see. Hopefully if it doesn't work the way I said above there's some other balancing mechanic like a discount.

I upgraded all my protections to mk7.0 just in case during last sale.  Now I'm safe.

But if I was half-way.. say mk6.2 or mk6.3 I would not have had enough time.  I would be quite upset if they disallowed MUs when I was almost there.

[ftp 1,696]

17 hours ago, Maf said:

"Some dude" = a lot of potential new users/customers, who have dozens of apps advertised to them on a daily basis. If faced with even a minor frustration, such as seeing too many buttons on the interface and having to figure out what they do, they won't think twice before switching to a different app. That's what the competition is like on the online app/software market.

This is not important for the type of users in question. An experienced player will figure out the system and take necessary steps to save crystals and avoid situations where they are forced to pay more. On the other hand, a casual player that's not too invested into the upgrade process, will just press the upgrade button whenever they see that there's an upgrade they can afford. Having less buttons actually does help them make decisions faster.

Funny how you're calling the players for "users" and "customers". You just basically admitted to the fact that they are trying to turn this game into a product and get as much money as possible.

And that "too many buttons", do you think the average player is as simple minded as this? If my 7 year old niece can figure out how the games mechanics works, doubt any other teenager would. And most of the players are pre teens and teenagers who don't even buy crystals. Majority of the playerbase are to some level F2P, sure they might've bought the battlepass or premium once but they don't whale like your average saudi princes.

Edited May 18, 2021 by crystalmaiden
spelling

[MEDlC_DageLV 35]

2 minutes ago, crystalmaiden said:

Funny how you're calling the players for "users" and "customers". You just basically admitted to the fact that they are trying to turn this game into a product and get as much money as possible.

And that "too many buttons", do you think teh average player is as simple minded as this? If my 7 year old niece can figure out how the games mechanics works, doubt any other teenager would. And most of the players are pre teens and teenagers who don't even buy crystals. Majority of the playerbase are to some level F2P, sure they might've bought the battlepass or premium once but they don't whale like your average saudi princes.

he says too many buttons, BUT THEYRE LITERALLY REMOVING ONLY A SINGLE BUTTON NEWBIE SEES FOR HOURS till he ranks up to sergant and then it just disapears on some equipment pieces.

[Maf 32,307]

19 minutes ago, crystalmaiden said:

they are trying to turn this game into a product

What are you talking about?

This game IS a product. Always was, always will be. It's the main product of AlternativaGames, which generates the majority of their revenue and supports their business and employees. Of course they are trying to get as much money out of it as possible, while also maintaining player happiness (a.k.a. customer satisfaction) to keep them interested. 

21 minutes ago, crystalmaiden said:

And that "too many buttons", do you think teh average player is as simple minded as this?

Yes and no. It's not a case of being "simple minded", but instead it's millennia of evolution, which shaped our brains to work the way they do. This is just how we process and filter the abundance of information that we're bombarded with while using computers and phones. If we are given too many choices or shown too much unimportant stuff, the brain subconsciously decides that whatever we're doing is not important enough to focus on it.

I should note that my neuroscience knowledge only extends as far as watching a few Vsauce videos, so all I said above is just my personal interpretation of this update, but I think it's a reasonable theory.

[MEDlC_DageLV 35]

Do you see how mafioso seemingly cannot see even one of my messages and pretends i hadnt said what i said A SINGLE MESSAGE above his? XD

Edited May 18, 2021 by MEDlC_DageLV

[ftp 1,696]

5 minutes ago, Maf said:

What are you talking about?

This game IS a product. Always was, always will be. It's the main product of AlternativaGames, which generates the majority of their revenue and supports their business and employees. Of course they are trying to get as much money out of it as possible, while also maintaining player happiness (a.k.a. customer satisfaction) to keep them interested. 

Yes and no. It's not a case of being "simple minded", but instead it's millennia of evolution, which shaped our brains to work the way they do. This is just how we process and filter the abundance of information that we're bombarded with while using computers and phones. If we are given too many choices or shown too much unimportant stuff, the brain subconsciously decides that whatever we're doing is not important enough to focus on it.

I should note that my neuroscience knowledge only extends as far as watching a few Vsauce videos, so all I said above is just my personal interpretation of this update, but I think it's a reasonable theory.

At first the game was going from arcade to mainstream, now you're saying the game is getting updated back into arcade mode?

(arcade as in simple, the game had 3 modes, supplies and tanks with modifications)

[alkyng 3,080]

1 hour ago, crystalmaiden said:

once but they don't whale like your average saudi princes.

Saudi princes are the same of any politicians in the world, for sure they have money.

Does Biden or Trump live under the poverty line?

[DestrotankAI9 1,513]

I completely agree with the OP, that is is an idiotic and terrible update. Maf outlined the developer's likely thinking on this - and let me preface my reponse to that by saying that I'm currently studying Computer Science and have taken modules in Mobile and Web developement, so hopefully I should have some idea of what good UI design should look like.
 

23 hours ago, Maf said:

"Some dude" = a lot of potential new users/customers, who have dozens of apps advertised to them on a daily basis. If faced with even a minor frustration, such as seeing too many buttons on the interface and having to figure out what they do, they won't think twice before switching to a different app. That's what the competition is like on the online app/software market.

First of all, I don't think the interface for Tanki is too complex in relation to microupgrades/buying the next modification. I never had a problem understanding it, even from the days I first used Tanki, and I highly doubt the majority of other users had either.

Now I get the logic that you want to have a good interface that is understandable to the users, and won't put new players off by being too complex - but we also have to take into consideration that the game must be well designed, and not have features that cause frustration/ are deceptive, which is exactly the case once this new change is made. There will be NO WARNING to players that once they rank up, the "microupgrade" button will become unavailable, and any crystals that they spent on microupgrading their current modification will be effectively wasted, towards getting the next one. Players will only LEARN about that by making the mistake at least once, which is a TERRIBLE design.

I can't imagine players quitting Tanki (especially new players) because the MU/buy new modification buttons were too complex, but I can certainly anticipate that that players quitting when they have spent crystals on microupgrades - only to rank up and find that their crystals have been wasted towards getting the next modification, without any warning about this. I can anticipate that there will be an occasional, or even frequent amount of complaints to help@tankionline.com after this idiotic change implemented about this very issue, and also that this will contibute to players quitting, as it will be yet another frustrating, badly designed part of the game to add to the list.

Easy to understand and use UI - YES. But at the expense of important functionality - NO. I would argue this makes the UI HARDER to understand, and NOT EASIER, because as I say there is no warning that you will not be able to MU after you rank up, so a new user will waste crystals, so this is a pointless and terrible change. If they think it is that hard to understand - then scrap microupgrades altogether - but that would be bad as microupgrades are a cool and interesting part of the game, which add to the economic and character development aspect of the game.

 

23 hours ago, Maf said:

This is not important for the type of users in question. An experienced player will figure out the system and take necessary steps to save crystals and avoid situations where they are forced to pay more. On the other hand, a casual player that's not too invested into the upgrade process, will just press the upgrade button whenever they see that there's an upgrade they can afford. Having less buttons actually does help them make decisions faster.

I think not making players angry and frustrated by poorly designed changes is pretty important, be they new players or experienced. Experienced players also bring in money for the game/help flesh out the player base,  and if they quit that is lost money for Tanki/longer queue times - and bad changes like this have undoubtedly contributed to them quitting faster. So if angering and frustrating experienced users is "not important" to the Tanki devs, then I suggest they re-think their development strategy before the game dies.

Bottom line, this is a bad change, that will make Tanki that little bit more poorly designed and frustrating - for both new and experienced players.

Players HAVE given there feedback on this - NO-ONE has been positive about this change other than helpers, but of course in the great wisdom of the Tanki developers, as usual we might as well speak with our nearest brick wall as no player feedback is taken into consideration. Once the developers have an idea for a change in mind, no matter what the players think it will be implemented - no matter how idiotic it is. This failure to take into account player feedback is yet another reason why Tanki is making bad decisions and losing players, while other games which do take player feedback into account are growing and thriving.

Edited May 18, 2021 by DestrotankAI9

[MEDlC_DageLV 35]

i grabbed this screenshot for another topic, but... GenBi, he is going to quit the game, if the micro upgrade button is not removed, but he will stay, if he has to fight tank with 36 times higher gear score

[cosmic666 1,055]

5 hours ago, Maf said:

while also maintaining player happiness (a.k.a. customer satisfaction) to keep them interested.

Nope all wrong as usual. maintaining their P2W players is the only thought process that enters their head, which would be fine if they also thought about the rest of the players, F2P, which the don't.

 

5 hours ago, Maf said:

Yes and no. It's not a case of being "simple minded", but instead it's millennia of evolution, which shaped our brains to work the way they do. This is just how we process and filter the abundance of information that we're bombarded with while using computers and phones. If we are given too many choices or shown too much unimportant stuff, the brain subconsciously decides that whatever we're doing is not important enough to focus on it.

So the average brain will see the upgrade button as to much of a distraction and not be able to focus properly as intended.

Have to say your a die hard dev supporter, keep up the good work.

 CONTAINERS THAT REWARD DIFFERENT ITEMS 

EMP

AP

CRITICAL  HITS

ARMADILLO

SUPPLY CHANGES

DRONES AND THEIR VARIOUS MECHANICS

ALL THE AUGMENTS FOR TURRETS & HULLS

OVERDRIVES AND HOW THEY WORK IN BATTLE

MAPS/MODES

CHANGING EQUIPMENT DURING BATTLE  etc, etc.

None of these of course will ever confuse any new player, just the upgrade button.

All of the above take a lot to work out collectively. Any new player having to deal with all this and trying to work it out as they go along will have a meltdown.

The devs want their game to survive and that takes money. I totally agree with making money for the game, but as well as making money they have got to get this game balanced out so it becomes less of a grind for the F2P players, who lets be honest, have no chance at all of taking on there P2W counterparts and invariably leave the battle well before the end.

How is what the devs are doing on a regular basis bringing any satisfaction to the majority of players. They are doing quite the opposite and only cater to their P2W players.

This update will further widen the already gaping chasm between those that can continually take advantage of whatever the devs change in this game, and those players that cannot.

Taken away the ability to upgrade within your means is a big blow to many players, especially those mid rank players, colonel-marshal who will have MK5/6 equipment that they have steadily upgraded and were waiting for a sale to complete their upgrades.

Best case scenario, the devs forestall on their update until after tanki's birthday. At least that will give all players a chance to acquire the next MK without having to shell out tens of thousands of more cry, which many will not have. Doing this will not affect new players at all, but it will help out players who have invested a great deal of time and effort to get their garage as good as they can. This i believe is THE VERY LEAST the devs can do for their players.