It's time for another patented @lesotheron Wall O' Text! Those of you familiar with them will know what to expect, but I should warn you that this may be my Longest Wall Ever! This is a complex subject and there's a LOT of ground to cover.
For anyone who doesn't know what they're getting into:
Preface: Dark Clouds Ahead
There's been a lot of really good discussions in the past month or so about the Systems Updates. Talents, Traits, Items, Infinity Points, Difficulty Sliders, QoLs...it's all exciting stuff and it's waiting just around the corner (hopefully). Even people who aren't hyped are able to make some really interesting points to explain their lack of enthusiasm. It's a good time to be on the Forums.
But there is a dark cloud looming over everything. It's not heavy enough to completely block out the light, but things are certainly looking more dim to some people.
Is Gaz dumbing everything down to cater to casuals? Are they embracing the min/maxers by giving them more powerful gear that's less reliant on RNG? Are these Systems Updates just to attract new players, or are they vital to retaining the Veterans? Both? Neither? All of these questions and more are from people who are all wondering the same thing:
What direction is Marvel Heroes heading in?
I'm going to take this opportunity to examine the concepts of Balance, Power, Flavor and Design Philosophy. I've talked about several of these things before, but I'm going to concentrate them into one topic and expand on them with thoughts that were inspired by other threads. They may not seem connected, but I hope to show how important each is and how they feed each other.