1. Multiplayer matchmaking is supposedly improved. From the looks of Z2s facebook page, the matchmaking is off to a rough start with many players waiting ... and waiting... Hopefully there really is some improvement here once they work out the initial issues that they're having. From what I've read in some of the forums, this should be a big improvement in removing most of the hackers in this game! They have switched to a new server which may cause auto-match waiting delays until things settle. This morning I had to try a few times but eventually got a vs match so maybe it is improving.
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| Note from the CEO |
2. Boosts have been removed. I didn't see the problem with boosts - added a little variation to the game, but alot of players didn't like them. They are no more!
3. New Currency. "Medals" have been added. Oh great, now we get to keep track of credits, coins and medals.
Now I'm sure that the use of "medals" will enhance the playing experience of the game right?? Doubtful. At first glance, it appears that all upgrades are now credit and medal driven which could be good since you can earn medals quicker than coins. But the amount of medals needed for the upper level upgrades look very excessive. See the following info from one reader (thanks for the post!):
From my calculation, it now takes 1865 medals + credit coins to fully upgrade a plane. (correct me if wrong) It use to take 160-170 blue coins to fully upgrade a plane and now they're like asking 450 blue coins for the 1800+ medals...? Like wtf?
On the good side, all you have to worry now is to save blue coins just to buy new planes (and/or buy coin missiles meh).
Places to find medals:
Campaign - 10 medals per stage (only tested the first two. I received no medals when I didn't complete the three missions for the stage)
Versus - none, or 1-15 medals; 5 medals/game on average(?). This is based on winning all my matches and I usually received them every 3-4 matches with different opponents.
Survival - the best place to collect medals, esp. if you can reach wave 20.
When I reach wave 20, I usually gain 35 medals on average at 80% chance (sometimes it doesn't reward you). So far, I've experimented and received 15-20 medals (similarly around 80% chance) when I gave up sometime in between 13-19 waves.
Thanks again - great post!
4. Additional bug fixes, crash fixes, stability and graphics improvements ... I hate when developers add this line (which is pervasive). It is just lazy. Give a few examples as to what your talking about here. At least list one example of what bug you fixed, what crash situation you fixed, what stability issue that you fixed, what graphic improvement that you made. Else don't mention it at all.
Overall, version 5.0 does not get me very excited. I find it a bit discouraging that Z2 again is looking at new ways to fleece its players. Getting rid of hackers is great and long overdue, don't get me wrong, but where are the cool new capabilities? New campaigns?
Lets hear from you guys - Are you seeing less hackers in vs matches? Are there bright spots to version 5.0 that I'm missing?
It now costs the equivalent of 50 coins to upgrade my C-101 (Armor Overdrive) vs. 15 coins (one level only). Holy crap. I'm already frustrated with an unresolved TapJoy credit failure (dropped well over $50 on FTD flowers - don't try that at home, folks) and now this. I was just getting to the point of figuring out friends and getting good and now I'm considering dropping this game. Angry Birds HD, here I come???
ReplyDeleteno noticed differences except for medals. at the lower level upgrade it costs 20 medals or so each time which is better than coins since they easier to get but near the end of the tree its 200 medals each time! so glad i upgraded my favorite planes now that they cost much more to upgrade.
ReplyDeleteMedal system does not work, at least for me. First two times I played survival, I racked up 7 medals each play. Now I've played about 15 more times getting above wave 12 each time and no medals have been given. I wonder if anyone else had this problem.
ReplyDeleteHey Lugggg
ReplyDeleteHere's something I found in the upgrade tree, you'd better update your upgrade tree guide :)
3 coin upgrades are now 30 medals each
2 coin upgrades are now 100 medals each
5 coin upgrades are now 20 medals each
10 coin upgrades are now 100 medals each
15 coin upgrades are now 200 medals each
Cool. Glad I was helpful.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to make an update to say for survival, it's more like:
Wave 20+ = 90% chance of getting about 35 medals.
Wave 15-19 = less than 50% chance of getting about 15-20 medals.
Wave 1-14 = less than 20% chance of getting about 1-15 medals.
There was also an error in my calculation about the upgrade.
(Reading 涼宮ハルヒ's comment, I realized I missed out the 2 coin upgrade = 100 medals.)
So in order of appearance from top of the upgrade tree:
*Before = After (Total in medals)*
3 coin upgrades x2 = 30 medals x2 (60)
5 coin upgrades x2 = 20 medals x2 (40)
5 coin upgrades x2 = 20 medals x2 (40)
2 coin upgrades x3 = 100 medals x3 (300)
10 coin upgrades x2 = 100 medals x2 (200)
10 coin upgrades x2 = 100 medals x2 (200)
15 coin upgrades x2 = 200 medals x2 (400)
15 coin upgrades x2 = 200 medals x2 (400)
10 coin upgrades x3 = 175 medals x3 (525)
Grand total = 2165 medals!
Even if you buy 415 medals (100 coins) + 1700 medals (400 blue coins) for 500 blue coins, you still need 50 more medals lol.
I'm so glad I upgraded all my favorite planes before this update.
Thank you, can I share this information elsewhere?
DeleteAnd even if one purchases all his medals with the Mega Pack (1700 medals : 400 blue coins), he still needs celing(2165/1700*400) = celing(509.412) = 510 blue coins, which is a near 315% inflation!!
DeleteI thought medals are earned and not bought in real-life.
What's up with all this purchasing medals, Z2?
@ Anonymous
DeleteSure, I see why not.
@ Sean
Yea, the cost to buy medals with blue coins is simply NOT worth it.
Save those blue coins for new planes (and coin weapons) and be patient and work hard in campaign, versus, or survival collecting medals.
If you can reach wave 20 consistently, you can probably collect 2165 medals in less than 70 games of survival. (Which would take me about 15-20 hours if I played non-stop lol)
Fuck Z2Live
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for the upgrade tree info - I will dig up that old file and update it! (if I can find it hopefully - haven't touched the thing in over a year)
ReplyDeleteAs of 5 am, pacific standard time, I'm still having problems with the auto matching as well as getting medals. hmmm
ReplyDeleteOn 5.0 weekend through Tuesday now, I was only able to automatch three times. All other attempts on various networks led to a timeout. Pleas to Z2 Support have yielded a classic shuck and jive while their coders undoubtedly scramble to fix the systemic problem.
ReplyDeleteHey Guys... this is By Cyclone... I just got back in town and I saw this update and I was excited... but based on your comments... do you recommend me to upgrade the new v5.0 or keep the old one? I know that all eventually we'll have to migrate to the new version... but what do you think? ... I hate that the new version has eliminated the boosts...
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if the author of this blog could chart out before+after : purchase and upgrade of a sample plane (one commenter has noted a cost 315% inflation...is this true?) It would also be interesting to see a timeline (something like a gantt chart describing the time it takes to collect MSWM currency through play before+after.
ReplyDeleteYeah.i quit this game and went to sky gamblers after this update.i at least have the option of playing or paying.this is just retarded
ReplyDeleteDo the Hawken, Red Widow, and Eagle all rank the same as weapon class planes?
ReplyDeletesorry i made lots of mistakes
ReplyDeletei am glad the survaival mode has been fixedd im was getting tired of being paired with a guy with 1 GAME PLAYED! They died at wave 2!
But we do need more campains.:)
If everyone stops playing then maybe they will make a cheaper version. This game is a rip off.
ReplyDeleteWhat the fell, Z2? It was pretty obvious to most of us that two currencies was one too many (or in SGAS's book, two too many). So what did you go and do? Add another one!! Makes perfect sense. Just a friendly reminder of why I quit this money-hungry planewreck of a "game" all those aeons ago.
ReplyDeleteI just feel that Z2 is one of those companies who don't listen to their players and come up with stupid money-making ideas. That's just my opinion
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteCan someone advise how can I send text message via game centre request/invite ?