This is how much it costs to level up a unit

[iLikeToSnipe21]

Simple grind? I don't know what level you're at, but I'm assuming not very high. It can take several days to train one level 10 unit just once. In the meantime, you're facing units in the level 11-13 range. With the current meta and the strategies I'd like to use, Shock Troopers would be a key unit to have. However, mine are stuck at level 9 due to lack of cards. Meanwhile, my opponents have level 11-12 Shock and Flame Troopers leaving mine completely helpless.

As for being a professional gamer in Rivals, I don't see any way to make any serious money off of this game; at least right now. Either way, this game is billed as competitive and a test of your skill. Having unit levels that can be gotten around by pouring money and time into the game has nothing to do with skill. Not only that, it is an anti-skill gameplay mechanic.

It's a shame they've gone this route because the core game is amazing. That's what makes the leveling prices and bundle "deals" so insulting. I would pay $30-$60 for this game to be complete. Any higher is unreasonable due to how the video game market prices games. You can buy fully featured PC RTS games at $60 or less. Why do I need to pay thousands if I want the complete experience from a mobile RTS with no campaign?

If you look at the big picture of how games are priced and what you get out of them this is complete insanity. Obviously those running this aren't insane, so what could be driving them to set these prices? Again, it's obviously driven by greed.

I don't say this lightly. I've never accused anybody involved with a game of being greedy before; I don't make toxic, baseless posts like the ones you see around here. But this is the only reasonable explanation for how the game is being run. The leveling system isn't fun at all, it doesn't add any positive value for the player. On top of that, the prices for the microtransactions are completely unreasonable. Their "big holiday deals" are the price of a decent PC game, and that's at a supposed "2.0x value" discount! Is leveling one unit to level 8 really worth two AAA PC games on a normal day? Absolutely not!

Yeah, I could afford to spend enough on this game where I'd be on par with the higher leveled players. But that's an insane waste of my money and I will not financially support a game driven by greed. It's fun enough that I'll keep playing without paying. But it's wrong to expect to be treated this way just because "I'm a F2P player". I'd pay for this game if I could, but the devs have chosen not to give me that option.

[RedAshphoenix]

Fair point. But maybe we should focus less about the possible (may or may not be probable) cash grab intent and more about how to solve the problem. 

If us players are seeing unfair match ups, then maybe there's an issue with the matchmaking that needs addressing by EA.

TBH, the main issues i'm seeing is

- people really want to play the game but are strangely getting punished for it as they advance too quickly up the league to be faced with heavy cashers

- players expect a fair fight all the time but are not getting it. 

- players expect to hit the same levels as the heavy paying players and are frustrated they are not able to (disconnect in expectations)

- there is no avenue for players who want to play the game and not be punished for it (in the form of being too high in the league that leads to frustration when met with more leveled opponents)

@iLikeToSnipe21 outta curiosity, how long ago did you start Rivals?

[iLikeToSnipe21]

I started playing during the beta, started during the middle and rapidly climbed up. Took a break when the matchmaking was really bad.

I do agree with you on what would alleviate it, but that's only doing so much to make it less of a problem. As long as unit levelling is in the game you're going to have major problems no matter what you do. For example, let's say a brand new unit comes out. Well, I can't play with it until it's levelled up. So I've got to wait weeks or months to use it.

[WADofFORCE]

I don't agree with OP, reason being is regular and rare card you can get free from clanmates.

The only cost would be coins which after level 11 is quite high.

So for your math you should only be counting epic cards.

Then do a coin cost compared to diamonds bet it be higher

[RedAshphoenix]

@iLikeToSnipe21

If the introduction of new cards (units) is going to be an issue for you then the execution of this game is just not for you and you might have a better time playing a fixed cost (don't know what the actual term is) PC/ Console game. 

i'm used to this type of introduction of units in games because most mobile games I play (Clash Royale, Boom Beach) all follow the same format. Is it a potential for developers to earn $$$? Probably. But they do have to earn money some how and there's only that many business models for games. 

I'm afraid, you're coming into this with the wrong expectation that it's going to be similar to your preferred or past gaming experience. I'm guessing you aren't the only one with such disappointments since CnC IS known to be RTS with no such limitations. But keep in mind, this IS also for mobile and they have to work within the constraints of a mobile platform. 

[RedAshphoenix]

@WADofFORCE

That's what I figured as well and have been REALLY stingy with my credits. 

in theory, you get enough credits daily from bounties and crates to purchase a common and rare card from the shop and still make some (at least at my level anyway). I figure (based on prev. expererience with such games) is that the main limiting factor would be the credits. 

I'm glad that's been partly verified. 

Epic cards have always been (in most instances) meant more for the players who pay. They're always 'cooler' with different mechanics but it's something us F2P players have to accept and manage with the system. 

[iLikeToSnipe21]

@RedAshphoenix

My expectation isn't so much the way the game works and you level up units. I do think that's a mistake, but it can be made to be an okay system. As for the rest of the game, I think it's amazing for a mobile RTS. I've enjoyed it far more than I expected and have no complaints on the gameplay itself.

However, the pricing is absolutely unacceptable. $25 is what I might spend on a fully-fleshed third faction. I would need to buy two of the $19.99 holiday bundles to get a unit up to my level from nothing. So, $40 for a brand new unit when it's "on sale"? No thank you.

Nobody should ever expect to pay that much for ONE unit. First of all, the actual technical effort required to design it, program it, do the unit animations, voicework, etc cannot possibly justify the prices they set. I work as a software engineer and project manager in an industry rife with overcharging customers for the effort actually put into the software. I can say with certainty that the percentage they're charging you for these bundles is absolutely insane. I would pay $4 at most to get one unit to my level and I'd even hesitate at that.

What is being charged is not a fair price and goes against the expectations we should have as customers. Again, $59.99 is the average market price for a AAA game. Now compare the effort required to make a unit to making a AAA game. Do you really think it's a $10-$20 difference in effort?

To recap, the gameplay exceeds all of my expectations. It's quite simply amazing. However, the pricing for the microtransactions is simply insane. Make them reasonable and the leveling of units will be more palatable.

[BattaIia]

But there are two sides to that coin.

Situation: crates are too expensive, and not very beneficial.
Direct Result: Most players will avoid them.
In-direct Result: "Pay to win" isn't a common occurrence. Most matches are instead decided by skill and to a more extent account age over money spent.

Situation: Crates are cheap and have a much higher impact on level
Direct Result: Sales are high, most players won't mind a level or two for 10 bucks
in-direct result: Those who want to go free to play are punching bags for the paying elite.

The game can't be P2W and too expensive at the same time. While I wouldn't mind pitching in 10 bucks a month or so, seems I'll just have to put it in a jar and wait for reasonable deals.

[punishertrd]

no its a pay to win 

i just seen a post of a guy complaining about his lvl 15 max units and getting cards for those units 

so he really did P2W on the game it does happen. what needs to happen is that the unit lvls need to go away to balance the field so then it is all about skill 

the player should be the only thing with a lvl to unlock units 

[RedAshphoenix]

@punishertrd

You know, the current card system that Rivals is using isn't that new. Hearthstone has it. Clash Royale has it. Heck, even that game Marvel Puzzle Quest has it. If players want to p2w, by all means, go right ahead. No one is disputing the presence of P2W being an advantage. Higher level stacks the cards in your favor. Though there is still some level of skill involved as we've all met that overleveled player that doesn't know what he's doing. 

But i reckon, your main gripe (and most of the forum) really is the inability to have a game mode within Rivals that allows for leveled play.

If there's a separate mode within the game that allows for that, and there still exist the league tiers, would that sit better with you?