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Saving Marathon in 11 (not so easy) steps...

Which suggestions are most valid? Choose all that apply...

  • 1. PvE only "bunny hill" map

  • 2. Scrap Cryo Archive

  • 3. High kill players radiate a sci fi Jaws theme

  • 4. Nerf shotguns

  • 5. Buff Free Kits for low season rank players

  • 6. Remove blood trail from knocked players

  • 7. Add a DBNO shield players can buy

  • 8. Make bosses stand out more

  • 9. Increase amount of unbreakable glass

  • 10. Add Social Contracts

  • 11. Add keys that incentivize grouping up

Results are only viewable after voting.
Men_in_Boxes

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
I know every Live Service game has fans (and devs) who say this, but I really do think there's enough here with Marathon to right the ship. Here are 11 suggestions that hopefully address it's core issues...

1. Make a small, PvE only map that helps new / low skill players learn the majority of Marathons systems without the threat of PvP. Marathon is dense and difficult. It needs its Bunny Hill / Kiddie Pool.

2. Scrap Cryo Archive. The map sucks. It takes the 10 best parts of Marathon and removes 7 of them by reducing everything to bullet sponge waves and close quarter PvP. The aspirational end game map should take the 10 best parts of Marathon and add 3 more cool aspects. The map should feel like Disney World rather than a meat grinder.

3. Play the equivalent of the Jaws theme from any player who gets 3+ kills in a match so the rest of the lobby knows a shark is nearby. Increase the warning tempo and volume as the shark gets closer to you. Sweats are a primary reason people are falling off Marathon. This is the burden they must endure...at least on Perimeter and Dire Marsh.

4. Nerf shotguns more.

5. Buff Free Kits to the benefit of new players. Once they're buffed, ween players off them by reducing access according to season level. Example: Level 0 - 10, you get unlimited Free Kits. Level 11 - 20, you only get 3 Free Kits every 24 hrs...

6. Remove blood trail from knocked players so they can escape / hide more effectively. The better team already has a large advantage.

7. Give players DBNO shields (similar to self rez patches) so it's more difficult to finish off a knocked player. The better team already has a large advantage.

8. Make the Bosses more obvious by making them stand out more from regular UESC.

9. Increase the amount of unbreakable glass in the game. Improve the viewing angles of doors with windows. It's fun to see your enemy and be able to escape, strategize, or talk sh*t because the unbreakable glass separates the two of you. This would reduce the number of "instant 3 v 2s" the game currently suffers from.

10. Add a 3rd contract to Factions called Social Contracts. These contracts would require a deeper level of coms and strategy than Priority and Standard contracts. Players would choose these if they were currently on a team they liked and everyone was using mics.

11. Incentivize grouping up with randoms by creating special keys. When you pick up this key, it imprints the names of the other 2 players on your squad. When you extract with this key, it reveals instructions how the 3 of you can unlock a high tier loot room or event.

Also, very curious to hear other people's suggestions...

bungie-marathon-new-marathon.gif
 
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They should not deviate from there vision just to "save it".

Let it be a niche game and work on something new that will sell a ton if thats what they want.
 
- 4v4 call of duty deathmatch

- PVE only kiddie mode

- solo endgame so ppl can invis camp for hours on end

- speeder type vehicle for getting around maps

- little sidekick pals, like Pickle Rick (IP $$$)

- 6 person boss fight vs "Fhulk"
 
It's almost like it wasn't Microsoft's fault that Bungie's output was shit.

Game is dead. No one asked for this game except OP
 
But why save it, when seeing it burn is more fun to see. I vote with my wallet against this Sony strategy.
Gimme more single player games!
 
I think they would be better off pulling it and then relaunching it later rather than trying to slowly fix it over time, assuming the number of players keeps dwindling.
It's pretty hard to make a comeback, and can take years. Once people have decided they don't want to play it any more, they will move on to something else and forget about it, even if the game has gotten better.
If you relaunch, you'll get eyeballs back on it, people will try it out again (do another test week or something before it comes out) and if you've really improved people will stick around.

It might be smarter to just cut your losses and work on something else though.
 
Men_in_Boxes said:
I will not be held accountable for the clownish behavior of others. Marathon is one of the most interesting game releases of the generation and it warrants real discussion. NeoGAF should be able to handle a thread like this.
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But it cant. How long have you been on this forum? You should know better.
 
There should be more random events/enemies that threaten squads between POI's. Enemy variety needs a change. Everything should not be a bi-ped robot
 
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Exede said:
But why save it, when seeing it burn is more fun to see. I vote with my wallet against this Sony strategy.
Gimme more single player games!
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Absolutely... Sony can go to hell... I have a PS5... And the only exclusives I've bought are Demon's Souls... Stellar Blade back in the day... And I didn't know it at the time, but Ratchet & Clank...

But after that, I told Sony to go to hell... I don't support Spider-Man 2,Returnal or The Last of Us... or Horizon, God of war or any of that other garbage.

And they can go to hell... I want my Gravity Rush 3 back and Japan Studio to return.
 
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Men_in_Boxes said:
The nature of Live Service is that the vision is never complete.
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Sorry bro, this marathon hoe cant be saved even by jesus christ himself, she is condemned to 7th circle of hell 4ever together with mustache man, stalin and all the other most horrible ppl who ever lived on earth :messenger_smiling_hearts:
she-was-a-ho-ho.gif
 
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Cryo is awesome, so not sure what you on about there. Maybe an Easy and Hard mode for it would help. It needs to be more accessible for normal people. The boss anyway. Ive extracted on my first time, but it was lucky as shit.

But some of the other stuff you mentioned can be used. Keep the blood. Its good to spot and shows signs.
I dont need more music in the game, the sound and music is good.


-A PVE map with optional PVP zones like the Lockdowns in Dire Marsh etc would be good. Its simple to do for Bungie. You get less Rare loot, but will let people do PVE, and dab in PVP if they want to stay in or go the lockdown zone. So they can do this with Perimeter and DireMarsh, and a new map.

-Training mode. Solo or crews. PVE, check the map out, die, respawn, play, no loot. People get to try the top gear they find and enjoy it here before losing it lol

-Beginner mode for people lower than level 10. Get 1 self revive, can use dcon to extract items before exfil, PVE with Ai runners. Gets beginners use to the game, solo and crews

-Easy and Hard Cryo modes.

-Make Proxy better. Maybe be able to communication to people close by, or the whole map. Theres been some good times, people in proxy linked up. I didnt even know the med drone can be picked up. Its my sign of a truce lol

- Announce Destiny 3 to stop those haters. We all know there making it, might as-well say it.

- A story campaign tying in the last trilogy to current Marathon. Doesnt even have to be long. 1.5/3 hours. Can be played offline.

- After that they get to do 30 factions Runs, (online or offline) can be against Ai runners, coop, not super loot, but lets people build vault and get use to the game before jumping into the main mode.

-And whatever else the hardcore want. Im happy with the game mostly as a casual online gamer. I'd like another map, night modes for Perimeter and Dire Marsh would be cool. Another Cryo/Marathon map soon would be great. And an easier mode for Cryo, because the route to the boss, and boss, its a tough one, especially with PVP

And maybe some kind of insurance so i can use my favourite gear a couple times before losing it, dont mind paying way more for it, I guess its psychological lol. So if your gear cost 5k, you pay 25k to use it 2/3 times.

The game is easier during the weekend, when pro's are playing ranked and cryo. So some better match making in the week would be cool. Im having much more equal gunfights and getting alot done with factions and map side missions, both solo and crew since ranked started.
 
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Yesterday I was watching a YouTuber talking about Marathon and how good it is, blaming today's gamers for not wanting to be invested in a so frustrating yet rewarding game when you learn how to play.

Then he said with a straight face that you need to play 2-3h every day to enjoy the game.

So, maybe make something that could be enjoyable from people that don't want a second job just to enjoy a game could be a good start to appeal some more gamer. But I think is too late anyway, the ship is sinking too fast to invert anything.
 
Sakura said:
I think they would be better off pulling it and then relaunching it later rather than trying to slowly fix it over time, assuming the number of players keeps dwindling.
It's pretty hard to make a comeback, and can take years. Once people have decided they don't want to play it any more, they will move on to something else and forget about it, even if the game has gotten better.
If you relaunch, you'll get eyeballs back on it, people will try it out again (do another test week or something before it comes out) and if you've really improved people will stick around.

It might be smarter to just cut your losses and work on something else though.
Click to expand...
This is not an insane take, but I think the player base is still too high for that.

Bungie should plan for another PlayMA or vidoc near the end of Season 1 and talk about issues they've identified from S1. If they have a 10 - 15 minute chat that goes over solutions they're ready to implement, I think you'd get a number of people back on biard. I also think a number of solves from the OP are relatively easy to implement by June.
 
Cakeboxer said:
At this point, better save Bungie and take Marathon behind the barn.
Click to expand...

Or let is carry on like the extraction shooter it is.
I dont know why it bothers people they tried a new genre, and done a good job. Its just hard and niche. Not for everyone, but the core gunplay and game is good.

Their gonna make Destiny 3 and hopefully something else in the future. Just let Marathon be, its gonna have a small hardcore base. Good gunplay, good loop, just very hard and unforgiving. Im glad they done the genre, and now can move on to something else. Ill be playing it for awhile hopefully
 
Men_in_Boxes said:
This is not an insane take, but I think the player base is still too high for that.

Bungie should plan for another PlayMA or vidoc near the end of Season 1 and talk about issues they've identified from S1. If they have a 10 - 15 minute chat that goes over solutions they're ready to implement, I think you'd get a number of people back on biard. I also think a number of solves from the OP are relatively easy to implement by June.
Click to expand...

Making a version of Perimeter and Dire Marsh map, with PVE and optional PVP Zones. Plus a training mode for these maps, wouldnt take much work at all.
 
ChorizoPicozo said:
I doesn't need to be saved. It's alive and well and it's also peak and aura farming
Click to expand...

It doesnt need to be saved. But it can use some modes to help casuals improve.
A simple Perimeter and Dire Marsh with optional PVP zones like how Dire Marsh does lockdowns, can get people use to combat, while being able to do some faction stuff. Obviously that mode can have less great loot.

Also a training mode for Perimeter and Dire Marsh, no loot, just fuck around solo or crew, check your weapons and gear, learn the map better.

This wont take anything from the main game, but lets people improve

I'd like an easier and harder mode for Cryo. Becasue getting to that boss, and surviving PVP is something only a small percentage of people will be able to do.
Maybe not when they launch Cryo type maps/Marathon etc, but after some time, add a harder and easier mode. Maybe when they drop a new cryo, they do that for the old one.
 
Concord flashbacks
Men_in_Boxes

Thread 'Saving Concord. A prescription for Firewalk to save their burning wreck...'

So I jump on Concord right before the open beta ends. I sort of had this "Let me make sure I don't like this game" mentality.

First game on...was awesome. Both teams played together. Teams were evenly matched, no one left. Pace was slow and tactical, most rounds went into overtime. It was exactly how I imagined Firewalk wanted the game to be played.

Second game on...my team plays like kittens being dumped out of a cardboard box.

That's the problem with Concord. Most games there's zero cohesion with your crew. Very few people are on mic. Very few people pick the correct team...
  • LOL
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But is Marathon at the spot on the market where it needs to be saved? Steam user score 88%, 25k ccu, is not too bad is it?
 
Add a single player (optionally co op) 30 hr campaign with good writing and world building/lore…and I'd be in…I'd then bleed into the multiplayer side on occasion.

Otherwise it's just not for me and never will be.
 
I regret not buying this day one. It's only 40 bucks and I think it would've been fun to take part in the early zeitgeist while people were still learning the game and maps. Buying it now I feel like I'd get completely annihilated by everyone and turn it off. The TTK is pretty fast, right? I'd probably get obliterated by sweats in seconds and not even see where they came from.

As someone who hasn't played Marathon, a prospective buyer, that's the stigma I feel for the game. How does Bungie fix that, Men_in_Boxes Men_in_Boxes ? Because I doubt I'm alone with this line of thought.

Or maybe they don't want to address those concerns and keep the game a niche hardcore experience witn 20k CCU or whatever it is now, but something tells me that's not exactly what Sony wanted after the huge investment.
 
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Kikorin said:
Then he said with a straight face that you need to play 2-3h every day to enjoy the game.
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It's for people who only play one game or are unemployed. I tried balancing Apex Legends between work and other things and damn near fucked my life up. So if you're committed to it I can imagine it being a good game otherwise its a big ask.
 
Add a tdm mode (with good maps) and make the game f2p.

Then sell skins and release a new character and map every 2 or 3 months.
 
Esquie said:
I regret not buying this day one. It's only 40 bucks and I think it would've been fun to take part in the early zeitgeist while people were still learning the game and maps. Buying it now I feel like I'd get completely annihilated by everyone and turn it off. The TTK is pretty fast, right? I'd probably get obliterated by sweats in seconds and not even see where they came from.

As someone who hasn't played Marathon, a prospective buyer, that's the stigma I feel for the game. How does Bungie fix that, Men_in_Boxes Men_in_Boxes ? Because I doubt I'm alone with this line of thought.

Or maybe they don't want to address those concerns and keep the game a niche hardcore experience witn 20k CCU or whatever it is now, but something tells me that's not exactly what Sony wanted after the huge investment.
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I'd wait until season two when it resets.
 
Doesn't need to be saved, but I'd make these improvements:
  1. Allow to select between human or CPU controlled rival runners (PvE only mode)
  2. New large map targeting newbie/low skilled players with frequent low level loot, weaker CPU enemies, a single enemy team to fight
  3. Better description of the location of POI of the missions, add an image of the object to interact with in the quest card
  4. Before allowing players to go PvP, a few additional extra mandatory missions to learn basic stuff like quick consumable management and usage, social communication messaging, ping system, practice unique skills of each shell type
  5. Training shooting range social area to hang out with friends and test weapons and skills in cases where they are useful
  6. Improve menu navigation making it more traditional, stantard and agile
  7. Differentiate the vault object items from each other, making them more untuitive, self descriptive and easier to identify without needing to hover them one by one to see what they are
  8. Some of the missions ask to do 3 things in a single run: many of them should be either be allowed to do in different runs or the 3 locations should be close to each other
  9. Slightly increase (30% maybe?) player HP to slightly increase TTK when players get hurt
  10. Non uglyfied/androginized robot Alanah Pearce as the next runner shell type and bikini paid skins. Skill 1: summons gaffer minions. Skill 2: stuns nearby enemies and shoots double rockets from the chest
  11. Knack as guest character
 
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Esquie said:
I regret not buying this day one. It's only 40 bucks and I think it would've been fun to take part in the early zeitgeist while people were still learning the game and maps. Buying it now I feel like I'd get completely annihilated by everyone and turn it off. The TTK is pretty fast, right? I'd probably get obliterated by sweats in seconds and not even see where they came from.
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I recommended ARC Raiders to basically anyone who was semi interested in it. I read a number of comments from people that read "I'm a single player gamer and even I'm enjoying ARC Raiders." Marathon is not for single player gamers. It's for PvP players. Problem is that a lot of PvP players are bouncing off the game too.
Esquie said:
As someone who hasn't played Marathon, a prospective buyer, that's the stigma I feel for the game. How does Bungie fix that, Men_in_Boxes Men_in_Boxes ? Because I doubt I'm alone with this line of thought.
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I think Bungie improves that experience by implementing a lot of the ideas posed in the OP.

They have to address the skill gap and make the game a better social experience. Two things that are very possible if they have enough time.

I played with a high level player a few days ago and he said "There's basically no reason for me to play on Perimeter anymore because all my loot is purple and gold". Perimeter generally gives you greens and blues (lower level loot). We were playing on Perimeter because he found a key on Outpost that gave him access to some purple loot on Perimeter.

That guy shouldn't have been there.
Esquie said:
Or maybe they don't want to address those concerns and keep the game a niche hardcore experience witn 20k CCU or whatever it is now, but something tells me that's not exactly what Sony wanted after the huge investment.
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20k CCU isn't the primary problem. The problem is Marathon continues to lose 10 - 15% of its player base each week. Bungie is trying to stop the bleeding so they can eventually grow the player base over time.
 
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