More game related, but I swear a game called Oaken Tower knows exactly when I get on and decides to have me face off against players whose builds can counter mine a good 85% of the time. Then like 99% of the time I will need a specific item to make a build work during a time where I cannot change builds. So, what does the game do? Give me every other single item I do not need! Same applies when I need copies of every item I am gonna use or are using, except it only appears after I have maxed it out or cannot afford it in the shop.
I believe it so much that I made an angry Mastodon post I really shouldn’t have about how much I wanted the solo developer to suffer a slow and painful death.
As the other comment said, nearly all “competitive online” games do this. It’s MMR/rank/matchmaking/etc.
It literally ranks you and puts you up against similar opponents. If you start winning more it ramps your opponents up to match, if you lose a lot, it gives you easier opponents.
Same with item drops and “loot boxes” or anything “random”. They aren’t at all random, they are strictly controlled and the percentages and rates are preset, the only random bit is if you or someone else gets the preallocated good item.
The do the math before games launch and adjust over time to make sure people don’t get everything they need too fast. Gotta spread it out and give them bites at a set rate so you can maximize their engagement and spending on DLC/Season Passes/Cosmetics/Unique Items/etc.
They artificially make an item rare then charge people $ to get it. It’s all fake, all bullshit, you have almost no say in your own experience on most online games now.
I doubt it’s anything more than me not being good at the game and getting too heated over it. I tend not to play PvP games often and this is a good example of why I shouldn’t.
no like legit the whole point of mmr is to do this (keep you engaged)
on the darker end people have whistle blown about companies fudging weights around purchases and other behaviors like a long break so you associate your new skin with winning etc
More game related, but I swear a game called Oaken Tower knows exactly when I get on and decides to have me face off against players whose builds can counter mine a good 85% of the time. Then like 99% of the time I will need a specific item to make a build work during a time where I cannot change builds. So, what does the game do? Give me every other single item I do not need! Same applies when I need copies of every item I am gonna use or are using, except it only appears after I have maxed it out or cannot afford it in the shop.
I believe it so much that I made an angry Mastodon post I really shouldn’t have about how much I wanted the solo developer to suffer a slow and painful death.
Either way, fun game. Would recommend.
As the other comment said, nearly all “competitive online” games do this. It’s MMR/rank/matchmaking/etc.
It literally ranks you and puts you up against similar opponents. If you start winning more it ramps your opponents up to match, if you lose a lot, it gives you easier opponents.
Same with item drops and “loot boxes” or anything “random”. They aren’t at all random, they are strictly controlled and the percentages and rates are preset, the only random bit is if you or someone else gets the preallocated good item.
The do the math before games launch and adjust over time to make sure people don’t get everything they need too fast. Gotta spread it out and give them bites at a set rate so you can maximize their engagement and spending on DLC/Season Passes/Cosmetics/Unique Items/etc.
They artificially make an item rare then charge people $ to get it. It’s all fake, all bullshit, you have almost no say in your own experience on most online games now.
there are patents for this shit
black patterns maximizing engagement and retention > fun
I doubt it’s anything more than me not being good at the game and getting too heated over it. I tend not to play PvP games often and this is a good example of why I shouldn’t.
no like legit the whole point of mmr is to do this (keep you engaged)
on the darker end people have whistle blown about companies fudging weights around purchases and other behaviors like a long break so you associate your new skin with winning etc
Dead by Daylight is a great example of this.