Board Thread:Game Discussion/@comment-11482499-20131024035856/@comment-11490363-20131024172108

Godofcyanide wrote: I don't see much mathematical basis for doing it.

The most extra points you can receive is 25k for MVP on the top L8. I could see if you're doing it with less than one hour left and you're looking for any advantage you can to slip into a preferred tier. I don't see the logic in doing it as soon as the first L8s drop, as it's still quite early, and anything can happen. Yet I see it done then, and fairly often. Some people don't have the luxury of playing 24/7 or as much as is necessary to optimize the strategies the T1 players are suggesting, so we do the best we can.

If it's being done for rubies, there is no sense to it whatsoever. Just seed six bosses and you'll get at least six rubies. This doesn't get you the same number of rubies though. Seeding 6 bosses nets you 6 rubies. MVP'ing an L8 gets you 5 rubies per boss in your queue. That is a 400% increase. Now if I had the choice of getting X rubies total for Y cubes in an event or getting 5X rubies for 10Y or more, I would choose 5X, that means more MTMs for me, and that is better whatever the cube cost or efficiency.

- "I don't have the time to play so much, and I need the point boost." This is the weakest explanation. As so many are fond of saying, "If you want MVP so bad, put the extra cubes into it." Well, if you want the prize, make the time for it. I ran up my points last episode (and finished third!) not because I wanted third place badly, but because I knew there were going to be points on Monday and Tuesday where I would have to be out of game for extended periods that weren't sleeping, including the first ninety minutes of the last three hours. I ran my points up all episode to ensure that my late absences would not jeapordize my placing. You don't always succeed when doing these things, either (and our team has seen multiple cases of this - most recently with KUB4$KIE this past episode), but we all must be able to admit when we don't have control over our fates and plan accordingly. And sometimes the only option is to over-cube because time isn't an available resource as it is to you. There is no right or wrong strategy, just what you can do with your available resources, time included. If you don't have time, then your strategy will be different than one where time is available, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a calculated risk for all involved, whether it is under cubing and hoping you retain MVP or over cubing and hoping you still make the cutoff.

- Scarcity of L8s. This is a larger problem, though solutions (notably joining chat and seeking out allies) have been offered that could mitigate this issue. As mentioned above, this is partially caused by the higher HP totals of the L8s leading to more queue clog on the part of T1 players, causing them to scan less, especially on the last day. Most T1 players are so deluged with requests from players that most of us don't just add random players on indiscriminately, and lower-tier players need to understand that. If you're interested in improving your standing in game, find other players and connect with them. That's what I did when I started being a T1 player.

Ultimately, everyone is trying to maximize their efficiency. What ARO and I are suggesting to lower tier and/or less experienced players is that there are other ways to accomplish your goals without shredding a large number of BC on a single boss. No one has to listen, but there is no reason to not present it as a viable option that should at least be investigated by lower tier players. All this assumes these players read this forum and can speak enough English, which I think is unreasonable. I don't know what the percentage of players frequent this forum, but I doubt it is very high. Best case: Assume everyone that reads this forum agrees with the OP and forms an alliance and stops wasting cubes, the rest of the people that are not will still be doing their own thing. That assumes that all the arguments for doing it are valid, and some are, depending on the circumstances. Spreading the word is great, for people that are just not knowledgeable about stuff, yes they should form alliances rather than waste cubes, but not everyone is in that category.

We have a number of consistent T2 players in our chat who don't do these things and don't spend (much) money, yet still T2 with reasonable effort. I would love it if some of those players came forth and discussed their feelings on these matters, as they're living proof of what works and what doesn't. Your wish has been granted ;)

That said, if you do have the time the OP approach is not a bad one. But if you are desperate for rubies, it is not the strategy for you. T1 players must understand that and accept it, it is a valid argument. The math is very clear on this, math does not lie.