General Discussion

[Miyata 0]

Hello everyone!
I've been enjoying the latest version of Microvolts for a few weeks now, and I'd like to share my thoughts on the new weapons system and offer a suggestion for its improvement. First and foremost, I'm quite satisfied with the overall weapon balance, which I believe is a crucial aspect of the game, aside from addressing cheating issues.

However, I've noticed that the current weapon system doesn't provide enough motivation for me to keep playing, primarily because it lacks diversity. I'm not a fan of the A, B, C types system, and it bothers me that all weapons sound the same, from the capsule rifle to the basic rifle—they all share the same sound. My most significant suggestion for improvement would be to reintroduce what the original MV version had—an individual weapon for each scenario or player preference.

In my opinion, there should be various weapons within each category, with some being stronger than others. Instead of adhering to the A, B, C weapon types, the game should offer multiple distinct weapons, each with unique characteristics. Let's take the old OG bazookas as an example. We had the Mimic, which had low damage but excellent swap ability and three shots. It was ideal for map control, allowing you to spam potential camp spots or protect your battery or base. Then there was the Pound, which was the overall best bazooka since it offered decent swap ability, good damage, and three shots. It had slightly lower swap ability but compensated with its damage output. Finally, there was the Pocket-Rocket, which dealt massive damage but had really low swap ability and only two shots. Each bazooka felt distinct, and you could choose the one that best suited your playstyle. Moreover, you could easily identify an enemy's playstyle based on their weapon, something that's currently challenging due to the lack of differentiation between weapon types.

Another frustrating aspect is that once you select your weapon from the capsule, there's no going back. Suppose you win a shotgun from the capsule and choose one with easy swapping because you struggle with swapping initially. But as you improve, you might want to switch to a shotgun with higher damage. Unfortunately, you're now stuck with the shotgun you initially chose for the rest of your gameplay.

I truly appreciate the game's balancing efforts, but I believe it's time to do away with the A, B, C system and, instead, introduce a variety of distinct weapons.

WEAPON LEVELING SYSTEM:
 

Now, let's discuss the weapon leveling system—a feature I believe can greatly motivate Microvolts players to invest their time. The original Microvolts weapon leveling system was visually impressive. Weapons looked cooler and felt more satisfying to use. However, they often became excessively overpowered, leading to balance issues. My suggestion here is to reintroduce weapon levels, but with a slight twist in how they're earned.

Firstly, players should have the ability to level up a weapon using both energy and MP. Leveling up a weapon should enhance its stats, but it shouldn't outclass other weapons in the same category. For instance, leveling up the 'Mimic' on power should not surpass the base power of the 'Pocket Rocket.' Up to level 5, weapons should change color, mimicking the original Microvolts system. Importantly, all weapons of the same category should share identical stats at each level. 'ADV-Pound' level 1 should be the same as 'MP Pound' level 1, and this equivalence should continue at levels 2, 3, 4, and 5. The same principle applies to capsule weapons. 'Capsule Bazooka' levels 1-5 should share the same stats as 'MP Bazooka' levels 1-5 within the same category.

For example, the old 'Duke' series of bazookas were similar in playstyle to the 'Mimic' bazooka, so their stats should be the same from levels 1 to 5 for the same upgraded stat. To reach level 9, a different approach is needed. Here, players would need to demonstrate proficiency with the weapon. Instead of boosting its stats after level 5, leveling up the weapon from 6 to 9 would only provide visual enhancements, such as glowing effects. To achieve levels 6-9, players would have to complete milestones specific to that weapon. For example, to level up the 'Sea Eagle Sniper' from level 6 to 9, players would have a progress bar and milestones like "get 1000 kills with THIS sniper" or "score the winning kill of a TDM with this sniper." Each milestone completion would increase the progress bar until level 9 is reached.

Importantly, each weapon's leveling progress should be unique, so changing your weapon won't count toward milestones for other weapons.

Now, how would advanced (ADV) and capsule weapons fit into this system? ADV weapons, which are essentially reskinned MP weapons available for RT, could allow players to choose the level they want to purchase (ranging from 1 to 5). This would make investing in ADV weapons with RT worthwhile, as they wouldn't provide an unfair advantage. A level 1 ADV weapon should be on par with a level 1 MP weapon. Players can achieve the same results as ADV weapons by playing and upgrading their MP weapons. As previously mentioned, upgrades shouldn't be overly powerful.

For capsule weapons, the gold version should start at level 5, the silver version at level 2, and the bronze version at level 0. Levels 6-9 should only be attainable by completing weapon-specific milestones.

I have more ideas for the game if you're interested. These are the basic suggestions, and I'm happy to answer any questions or discuss further. Thank you for taking the time to read this far!