You compete at the level you're at, and build and move up, compete at that level, build and move up. At some point you either run out of places to move up to or run out of skill to compete at that level, and adjust accordingly.
Since we're nitpicking. Let me rephrase for everyone's benefit: "do you think a user who realises it will take 2 years of tanking (or more if he's competing) is more likely to stick with a new game rather than someone who knows it will take 1 1/2 years or less"?
Two years of tanking to do... what, exactly? I'm baffled as to why there's a presumption that one simply is required to tank the year and a half to two years (putting aside examples of users dumped in the top league of micronations).
80% is just a guess. 50% would be a problem as well, only the scale would be different. Assuming your entire paragraph isn't predicated on rectal activity either , but you do have something constructive to add to the discussion, would you please be kind enough to clarify whether you think waiting 2+ years to have a 20k arena is:
a) a reasonable time
b) incentivises new managers to stick with the game
I don't have a 20k arena now and I'm one of the people who advocates building an arena over buying players. Should I have quit because it's now coming close to four years and I'm still only at 18k?
I think it's unreasonable to expect a 20k arena until you're at a level where you are able to afford to build it and able to take advantage of it. I could actually use more seats but of course I'm a believer in heavy lower tier investment, so that's cost me more and would cost more to finish, so I'm holding off.
Let's just look at what you're asking, but with something different instead of the arena. Let's say:
"would you please be kind enough to clarify whether you think waiting 2+ years to be in the top level in your nation is:
a) a reasonable time
b) incentivises new managers to stick with the game
Now, as a basketball management sim and not a LEGO arena builder sim, you can imagine that this is even a greater concern for user retention.
Of course, with that aside, nobody said you have to tank two years to be competitive and build an arena. You can build and compete, especially when you're in lower leagues. I mean, I have a pretty nice arena, though I won't really add to it unless I promote again. I started out in V, have never hoarded, never made much on the TL, never finished below fifth, and rarely have had long cup runs compared to my level. Perhaps it's just that my definition of competing includes the crazy notion of being able to have good records and even sometimes win leagues without massively outspending the rest of my league (though, funny enough, I think I do have the highest salary in my league at this point in this season). s season).
I have no reason to doubt that those managers who have stayed like you or me have no problem with this issue. What is your point exactly? That if you and I have done it, so everyone else should be able to endure it?
The stuff that's bolded, that's my point. You're claiming that it'll take new users two years of tanking or more if competing, and I'm of the opinion that you're wrong. Now, of course, if your only goal is to get your 20k arena, sure, that may be the fastest way to do so, but if you play a basketball management sim as a basketball management sim, it's possible to be competitive ( * ) , build an effective arena based on your level of success, and do so without having to endure tanking or having to abuse the transfer system.
( * ) - competitive with my bolded definition. If you're insisting that because a new user can't be at the top in five or six seasons like they could in, say, Football Manager, the problem is that you can't have 90% of the users be in the top 10% of teams.
Last edited by GM-hrudey at 11/3/2014 12:44:04 PM