In a recent podcast, Cory said something like (definitely not a precise quote) "we can't just release more dungeons and encounters for the campaign, people want features too"
I'm writing to say that I vehemently respectfully disagree.
I love new features. Mercs are fantastic*! I'm really looking forward to Strongholds (and guilds and raids and...).
BUT
I'd be really happy to have just more content. AZ3 with no extra features at all would be extremely welcome****. Alternatively some mini-updates that add a node here or a dungeon there -they don't even need to bring new cards*****
The campaign isn't big enough and even with the replay value of mercs and classes** the content is very limited. It is my impression*** that new features are much the biggest timesink in new PVE content at this point. Clearly art and encounter design do have costs (time and $) but I know HXE have people who could throw interesting decks together very quickly (Dino's already got a whole bunch from 4Keeps!).
Possibly if I knew the actual requirements for everything and the current state of development, I'd agree that it wasn't worth it but I definitely disagree with Cory's sentiment that new features are so necessary to PVE updates that their absence precludes new content.
(if that's not what he meant then that's certainly what it sounded like)
* Though we should have non-merc nodes as well or at least some incentive to play the actual characters
** Why oh why only 12 slots?!
*** please correct me if I'm wrong
**** not as a substitute for those features but as a gap-filler while we wait -you would have to be clear on that and there would still be some complaints but there will always be some complaints about anything.
***** a whole dungeon without any new cards would be a bit of a misfit but new mechanics certainly aren't needed ..and a dungeon that dropped Alachian Sea packs (so they can be obtained without starting a new character) would be very welcome (especially if it could drop Alachian Sea Primal packs! -without the junk and with at least a Rare)
I'm writing to say that I vehemently respectfully disagree.
I love new features. Mercs are fantastic*! I'm really looking forward to Strongholds (and guilds and raids and...).
BUT
I'd be really happy to have just more content. AZ3 with no extra features at all would be extremely welcome****. Alternatively some mini-updates that add a node here or a dungeon there -they don't even need to bring new cards*****
The campaign isn't big enough and even with the replay value of mercs and classes** the content is very limited. It is my impression*** that new features are much the biggest timesink in new PVE content at this point. Clearly art and encounter design do have costs (time and $) but I know HXE have people who could throw interesting decks together very quickly (Dino's already got a whole bunch from 4Keeps!).
Possibly if I knew the actual requirements for everything and the current state of development, I'd agree that it wasn't worth it but I definitely disagree with Cory's sentiment that new features are so necessary to PVE updates that their absence precludes new content.
(if that's not what he meant then that's certainly what it sounded like)
* Though we should have non-merc nodes as well or at least some incentive to play the actual characters
** Why oh why only 12 slots?!
*** please correct me if I'm wrong
**** not as a substitute for those features but as a gap-filler while we wait -you would have to be clear on that and there would still be some complaints but there will always be some complaints about anything.
***** a whole dungeon without any new cards would be a bit of a misfit but new mechanics certainly aren't needed ..and a dungeon that dropped Alachian Sea packs (so they can be obtained without starting a new character) would be very welcome (especially if it could drop Alachian Sea Primal packs! -without the junk and with at least a Rare)