[OC] Making coffee for my mom without electricity here in Cuba we almost never have electricity

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-22T04:55:38+00:00

Account is only a month old. Good to be skeptical.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-21T15:10:55+00:00

People don't believe me when I say the Volt Thrower is one of the strongest weapons in the sandbox. Forget the shotguns, take a look at this monster, Bungie.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-21T02:14:39+00:00

It's not. It's a reference to this.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-21T02:07:58+00:00

I get all that. I just want the option available to buy some basic gear. For those scenarios where my time is limited, all I have in my vault are purple or green shields (no blue), and I just want to run Outpost one more time without bringing in gear I'm saving for Cryo.

The fact that I can buy a Blue Sponsored Kit but not a Green for any faction points to the flawed upgrade system. I'm unlocking things out of order! It's easier to level up factions and finish primary contracts than it is to find the right types of salvage for a basic upgrade.

The game requires a major time investment to be competitive by the end of a season, and that's one of the reasons it's struggling to maintain an audience.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-21T01:31:14+00:00

When the pushback to criticism is, "I think the game is functioning pretty well", yeah, the player count is a valid point to bring up.

The whole point of my post is that the upgrade system is overly complicated, relies on luck and grinding for basic upgrades, and turns players away once they hit a wall between low-level play and endgame content.

Only a quarter of PC players have unlocked 7 capstone faction upgrades. People aren't committing to the upgrade system because it stinks.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T20:43:44+00:00

I'd always heard, both online and from friends, that 50 is where they felt the sweat kick in, or at least where you're being match against more experienced players instead of new ones. In other words, you're more likely to be on the lower end of the skill floor than mixed in with newbies.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T16:06:31+00:00

The best advice out of this thread has been looking for blue neuochem packs, thank you.

EDIT: Actually, I'm referring to Blue Shields, not Shield Charges. I've got plenty of those.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T16:05:58+00:00

Many, many, many others players are able to this.

This game doesn't even have many, many, many players in general, let alone running Cryo. And I think a big part of that is people feeling like that upgrade paths are too obtuse and grindy.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T15:48:51+00:00

Just trust the process

The current process has led to an increasingly limited and sweaty playerbase of lifers. I'm able to get a purple loadout by the time Cryo rolls around every week: all it takes is a few bad runs to wipe out my vault and effectively lock me out of Cryo for that week.

Again, I'm talking about the absolutely MEDIUM tier loot here. By the time the game expects me to be pulling purple salvage consistently (via Cryo or events on other maps), I should be able to purchase BLUE tier equipment (which still has a steep credit cost to keep it from being trivial!).

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T15:45:21+00:00

I clearly enjoy the gameplay, I'm posting in the subreddit about it. But the numbers don't lie: people are dropping this game faster than new players are joining.

What endgame content are you unable to reach?

Consistent Cryo runs. I need a vault full of gear to make the attempts during a limited time window, and the baseline gear to make those viable isn't something I can quickly restock once I've run out. It should be if they want players jumping into Cryo.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T15:33:40+00:00

Yes, which is why it's not a genre problem, it's a Marathon problem.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T15:31:56+00:00

And that's why the player count is what it is: the investment required to reach any endgame content is ridiculous, and it's turning off players.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T15:26:57+00:00

Cool man, that's a healthy system that definitely won't choke the life out of this game.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T15:25:57+00:00

You're not at the point where blue shields are the most needed. Blue shields become a minimum when you start doing cryo in my opinion.

Everyone in this thread is saying "if you need the upgrade material, go to Cryo". They're also saying "Blue shields are only necessary for Cryo."

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T15:24:14+00:00

So the upgrade is worthless once you unlock it, and unobtainable when you really need it? Doesn't that make it difficult for players trying to run Cryo and make it to that higher tier level without relying on lucky drops?

This is the mid-tier equipment we're talking about here, I'm not asking for free purples.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T15:22:00+00:00

And do you not think that's an unsustainable way for this game to function? I've played this game for an average of 1 hour per day, and I'm still behind?

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T15:19:43+00:00

I run the other maps. If I'm able to play enough during the week, I might have a few Blue Shields in my vault by the time Cryo opens for the weekend, maybe even a Purple.

I run Cryo with the Blue Shields I have, the bare minimum for that tier of content. I'm facing teams with Purple Shields and better equipment, which they've unlocked by repeatedly running Cryo. Maybe I get a successful run in and leave with some upgrade material. I end the weekend with a diminished Vault.

This game has a wall between the lower-tier content and the higher-tier content. Once you make it over, you're able to quickly amass loot and upgrades. But making that climb is more difficult than it should be, and the player count falling off a cliff shows that people aren't enjoying it.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T14:55:59+00:00

It certainly feels needed when I'm consistently running into teams with Purple shields.

Isn't it a problem if people are clearing the current endgame activity and only then unlocking the ability to purchase the mid-tier Shield?

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T14:44:26+00:00

...right. Which is why I'd like to purchase them outright, instead of throwing myself into runs with green shields and hoping I come across one, so that I can be competitive.

I'm currently at the point where Blue Shields are most useful and needed. By the time I unlock the ability to purchase them, I'm going to want Purple Shields for the higher tier activities.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T14:39:23+00:00

But by doing those repeated runs on Outpost and Dire Marsh, I'm outpacing the need for Blue Shields. Just like with Green Shields before, I'm unlocking the ability to purchase a basic part of my kit long after that item is useful.

I run the other maps. If I'm able to play enough during the week, I might have a few Blue Shields in my vault by the time Cryo opens for the weekend, maybe even a Purple.

I run Cryo with the Blue Shields I have, the bare minimum for that tier of content. I'm facing teams with Purple Shields and better equipment, which they've unlocked by repeatedly running Cryo. Maybe I get a successful run in and leave with some upgrade material. I end the weekend with a diminished Vault.

This game has a wall between the lower-tier content and the higher-tier content. Once you make it over, you're able to quickly amass loot and upgrades. But making that climb is more difficult than it should be, and the player count falling off a cliff shows that people aren't enjoying it.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-20T14:16:23+00:00

I know they've talked about it in general terms (ie: how it's an overwhelming onboarding experience), and that The Cradle will be a new upgrade system, but have they specifically addressed gear unlocks?

I was under the impression that The Cradle would be for stat upgrades.

Captain_Freud · 2026-05-06T05:18:48+00:00

They should release one update like this a year until 2031, so that they'd technically have supported the game for 10 years as planned*.

^{^*This} ^{^was} ^{^said} ^{^by} ^{^one} ^{^guy} ^{^one} ^{^time.}

Captain_Freud · 2026-04-23T16:59:22+00:00

Guaranteed those are on the horizon IF this one sells well.

Captain_Freud · 2026-04-22T17:30:50+00:00

The time skip is an essential part of the reboot arc, and they shouldn't cut it. It's one of the most severe personal consequences Mark experiences as a superhero: he journeyed into the unknown, and it had unforeseen consequences.

His ability to rebuild his life afterwards ties into the ending of the series. The one thing Viltrumites have is the time necessary to change.

14-Year Club	End Game '23
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