darkSpyro

Quote: Tigorus

Expectation:

: a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen

: a feeling or belief about how successful, good, etc., someone or something will be

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expectation

Yes they do expect us to purchase as much as we can, at the very least enough to complete the game at 100%. They ship the game with posters that show kids all the bright shiny pieces of plastic to ask their parents for. Collectors get to see what they want as well. You really think it's the top figure franchise because the majority of the player base is only purchasing around 15% of the available figures and not gaining access to 100% of the game? You guys are totally blowing my mind with your train of thought but so be it.

Getting back on topic, for me personally, I'd like to feel like I'm making some kind of contribution to the actual toy's individuality. That was answered in Heroics (even though I hated the execution, the experience was there) by giving an option to customize your Skylander through stats. That went away in Swap Force on an individual basis but was made a global benefit with the Treasures and their pedestals. Overall I liked this as it wasn't so much of a grind doing the same Heroics on each Skylander. Then in Trap Team there's nothing. We have the hats but they've been in every installment. What the hell was the purpose of the outfit accessories? In earlier videos I thought they were going to be Hats version 2.0 but they did nothing? Why not add stats like the hats? They could have been a kids early entry into RPG gearing mechanics. One hat and 3 accessories. How cool would that have been? Instead we lost treasure and gained cosmetic items...what a waste of resources.

Yeah, best served agreeing to disagree on this one. Those types of expectations are why the Tomb Raider reboot which sold extremely well, was considered a failure.

I think everyone wants more 'customization', its what made Swap Force stand out, you were in essence making your own skylander out of the pieces provided. They gave us 'outfits' (I use the term loosely), but took away customization of strengths. While heroics bored me after a while, maxing out the movement speed for Crusher was awesome until the figure reset (still POed about that). I really hope that the next entry has a more streamlined Kaos Mode (let me skip the talking and speed up the overall process to keep the adrenaline pumping), a story mode about the same length as TT, and while I'm not asking for heroics to return, a system to allow the same kind of 'buffs' would be welcomed. It could even be implemented like Amiibos in Smash Bros where you get items that will add +21 to speed, but take away -17 in defense, so I've turned my Bowser into a Glass Cannon. I don't care if the info isn't even stored on the character for tech reasons.
- Unreall

Quote: Unreallystic

Quote: Tigorus

Expectation:

: a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen

: a feeling or belief about how successful, good, etc., someone or something will be

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expectation

Yes they do expect us to purchase as much as we can, at the very least enough to complete the game at 100%. They ship the game with posters that show kids all the bright shiny pieces of plastic to ask their parents for. Collectors get to see what they want as well. You really think it's the top figure franchise because the majority of the player base is only purchasing around 15% of the available figures and not gaining access to 100% of the game? You guys are totally blowing my mind with your train of thought but so be it.

Getting back on topic, for me personally, I'd like to feel like I'm making some kind of contribution to the actual toy's individuality. That was answered in Heroics (even though I hated the execution, the experience was there) by giving an option to customize your Skylander through stats. That went away in Swap Force on an individual basis but was made a global benefit with the Treasures and their pedestals. Overall I liked this as it wasn't so much of a grind doing the same Heroics on each Skylander. Then in Trap Team there's nothing. We have the hats but they've been in every installment. What the hell was the purpose of the outfit accessories? In earlier videos I thought they were going to be Hats version 2.0 but they did nothing? Why not add stats like the hats? They could have been a kids early entry into RPG gearing mechanics. One hat and 3 accessories. How cool would that have been? Instead we lost treasure and gained cosmetic items...what a waste of resources.

Yeah, best served agreeing to disagree on this one. Those types of expectations are why the Tomb Raider reboot which sold extremely well, was considered a failure.

I think everyone wants more 'customization', its what made Swap Force stand out, you were in essence making your own skylander out of the pieces provided. They gave us 'outfits' (I use the term loosely), but took away customization of strengths. While heroics bored me after a while, maxing out the movement speed for Crusher was awesome until the figure reset (still POed about that). I really hope that the next entry has a more streamlined Kaos Mode (let me skip the talking and speed up the overall process to keep the adrenaline pumping), a story mode about the same length as TT, and while I'm not asking for heroics to return, a system to allow the same kind of 'buffs' would be welcomed. It could even be implemented like Amiibos in Smash Bros where you get items that will add +21 to speed, but take away -17 in defense, so I've turned my Bowser into a Glass Cannon. I don't care if the info isn't even stored on the character for tech reasons.
- Unreall

I can respect that.

Regarding the items that add stats to the figure, they could totally do that with Legendary Treasures. Instead of just gold (or maybe in addition to) the treasure also added a permanent stat increase to that Skylander. They just need to program in the stat boost but not do anything extra like a heroic. They would need to change the item to spawn in the level each time so each Skylander would have access to it. The system could recognize if that Skylander already had the item or not to determine if it spawned at all. If you remove the Skylander and swap to another the system removes the treasure. It's not ideal but it's something. Something else that would add GREATLY to re-playability (and a tech they are already familiar with in the Diablo series) would be random level generation. The level layout is never the same. Hell maybe that could be a theme for the game. Some bad guy (probably Kaos) cursed a series of Islands to constantly change and rearrange. Fits the story and adds re-playability. The incentive to replay the level would be the permanent stat gain from the hidden treasure.

Quote: Unreallystic

Quote: Tigorus

Expectation:

: a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen

: a feeling or belief about how successful, good, etc., someone or something will be

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expectation

Yes they do expect us to purchase as much as we can, at the very least enough to complete the game at 100%. They ship the game with posters that show kids all the bright shiny pieces of plastic to ask their parents for. Collectors get to see what they want as well. You really think it's the top figure franchise because the majority of the player base is only purchasing around 15% of the available figures and not gaining access to 100% of the game? You guys are totally blowing my mind with your train of thought but so be it.

Getting back on topic, for me personally, I'd like to feel like I'm making some kind of contribution to the actual toy's individuality. That was answered in Heroics (even though I hated the execution, the experience was there) by giving an option to customize your Skylander through stats. That went away in Swap Force on an individual basis but was made a global benefit with the Treasures and their pedestals. Overall I liked this as it wasn't so much of a grind doing the same Heroics on each Skylander. Then in Trap Team there's nothing. We have the hats but they've been in every installment. What the hell was the purpose of the outfit accessories? In earlier videos I thought they were going to be Hats version 2.0 but they did nothing? Why not add stats like the hats? They could have been a kids early entry into RPG gearing mechanics. One hat and 3 accessories. How cool would that have been? Instead we lost treasure and gained cosmetic items...what a waste of resources.

Yeah, best served agreeing to disagree on this one. Those types of expectations are why the Tomb Raider reboot which sold extremely well, was considered a failure.

I think everyone wants more 'customization', its what made Swap Force stand out, you were in essence making your own skylander out of the pieces provided. They gave us 'outfits' (I use the term loosely), but took away customization of strengths. While heroics bored me after a while, maxing out the movement speed for Crusher was awesome until the figure reset (still POed about that). I really hope that the next entry has a more streamlined Kaos Mode (let me skip the talking and speed up the overall process to keep the adrenaline pumping), a story mode about the same length as TT, and while I'm not asking for heroics to return, a system to allow the same kind of 'buffs' would be welcomed. It could even be implemented like Amiibos in Smash Bros where you get items that will add +21 to speed, but take away -17 in defense, so I've turned my Bowser into a Glass Cannon. I don't care if the info isn't even stored on the character for tech reasons.
- Unreall

I can respect that.

Regarding the items that add stats to the figure, they could totally do that with Legendary Treasures. Instead of just gold (or maybe in addition to) the treasure also added a permanent stat increase to that Skylander. They just need to program in the stat boost but not do anything extra like a heroic. They would need to change the item to spawn in the level each time so each Skylander would have access to it. The system could recognize if that Skylander already had the item or not to determine if it spawned at all. If you remove the Skylander and swap to another the system removes the treasure. It's not ideal but it's something. Something else that would add GREATLY to re-playability (and a tech they are already familiar with in the Diablo series) would be random level generation. The level layout is never the same. Hell maybe that could be a theme for the game. Some bad guy (probably Kaos) cursed a series of Islands to constantly change and rearrange. Fits the story and adds re-playability. The incentive to replay the level would be the permanent stat gain from the hidden treasure.

Quote: Tigorus

Quote: Unreallystic

Yeah, best served agreeing to disagree on this one. Those types of expectations are why the Tomb Raider reboot which sold extremely well, was considered a failure.

I think everyone wants more 'customization', its what made Swap Force stand out, you were in essence making your own skylander out of the pieces provided. They gave us 'outfits' (I use the term loosely), but took away customization of strengths. While heroics bored me after a while, maxing out the movement speed for Crusher was awesome until the figure reset (still POed about that). I really hope that the next entry has a more streamlined Kaos Mode (let me skip the talking and speed up the overall process to keep the adrenaline pumping), a story mode about the same length as TT, and while I'm not asking for heroics to return, a system to allow the same kind of 'buffs' would be welcomed. It could even be implemented like Amiibos in Smash Bros where you get items that will add +21 to speed, but take away -17 in defense, so I've turned my Bowser into a Glass Cannon. I don't care if the info isn't even stored on the character for tech reasons.
- Unreall

I can respect that.

Regarding the items that add stats to the figure, they could totally do that with Legendary Treasures. Instead of just gold (or maybe in addition to) the treasure also added a permanent stat increase to that Skylander. They just need to program in the stat boost but not do anything extra like a heroic. They would need to change the item to spawn in the level each time so each Skylander would have access to it. The system could recognize if that Skylander already had the item or not to determine if it spawned at all. If you remove the Skylander and swap to another the system removes the treasure. It's not ideal but it's something. Something else that would add GREATLY to re-playability (and a tech they are already familiar with in the Diablo series) would be random level generation. The level layout is never the same. Hell maybe that could be a theme for the game. Some bad guy (probably Kaos) cursed a series of Islands to constantly change and rearrange. Fits the story and adds re-playability. The incentive to replay the level would be the permanent stat gain from the hidden treasure.

I actually really like your legendary treasure idea. Except I am not a fan of things that try to make you replay story levels over and over until you dislike them. It does add replaysbilityy, but a 5 minute heroic challenge seems more efficient then doing a whole story level every time just to reach the treasure . may as well just make the stat boosts rewards for completing the story level, early levels are easier/shorter but only boost a stat a little . Later levels are harder/longer but give a greater stat boost

. Or give us better reason to play Brocks arena combat and reward us with stat boosts.

I think they could even make " ingredients " collection through the story mode / shop purchase , that you can combine in different ways to make different stat boosting protein shakes or something lol. We do need something else to do with our money. Or simply just purchasing the stat upgrades in the shop/upgrade menu.

I myself achieved 100%, and I agree, now it's just boring to me. The only thing I still find amusing is collecting the figures and playing Kaos Doom Challenges.

I love the series, the whole thing, every installment, without exception. We have all 4 games for the Wii and I can see the writing on the wall. Trap Team is probably our last go at it as the kids are getting older and interests change. What I have found is that we do not rely totally on what the particular game mode offers, we tweak what's there. To my point, my son recently completed the game mode. While watching his sister and me play the story in her file he concocted an idea. We each chose a trap master and went to Brock. We took turns in each arena until someone did not complete it and were eliminated, gathering stars along the way. Just a new way to approach the mode.

Sure I miss the pvp, but only in as much as the three of us will not be able to use the TT characters in our holiday/snow day/just because tournaments. We rarely just sat down and fought each other. My daughter still gets charged up for "the reveal", who is being used by her competitors.

I guess to sum up what I am feeling is, these games are to a certain degree designed to stimulate our imaginations. Shouldn't we use those imaginations a little to create different ways to use what the system offers?

Have fun!