Why is it that so many solutions and features rely on luck of the draw?
Some players will end up in a dense map section, some won't. This will affect their coins and supplies. It will affect their ability to win in Tournaments.
Placement is a long term, permanent advantage given to players in a random fashion. How does this encourage anyone to begin or continue playing?
We also have random luck affecting our Rune Shard wins. Now we have it as the primary driver for Summer Solstice rewards, with posted odds.
For some reason, Inno is determined to introduce features that are guaranteed to give some players legitimate cause for disappointment. Given the fact that players have reached a critical mass of frustration with regard to the World Map, some of us - the unlucky ones whose replacement ends up being less fortuitous - are going to be furious. It won't be simply a matter that the Neighborhood is broken for everyone, it will be that some players gain permanent advantage over others.
Since we're stuck with this non-correction correction....why select players from the outer regions first? If they follow this method on live servers, it will be the newer players who are moved into the best positions. Long term players - everyone who has been faithfully playing and waiting and waiting and waiting - will have less likelihood of getting a good placement, won't we?
This Neighborhood concept was a fundamentally poor design in a game promoted for builders. Inno never mentions that this is also a game of chance - it needs to be added to the introduction of the game. "
Build your city....placed in a neighborhood that may or may not help you grow". Alternately, they could advise players that they have to focus on building up their neighborhood. Best solution though - abandon this neighborhood concept utterly and let players enjoy Tournaments with fellowship members.
Forum reactions are going to fall into several camps:
- Players who want to hold Inno to a business standard, and don't appreciate a solution that merely repeats the fundamental error
- Players who are so tired of the NH problems that they're just grateful for any level of improvement - the nice people who want to enjoy a game
- Players who get good placements - and will give glowing reviews
- Players who don't get good placements - and will give furious reviews
- Players who tend to advocate for Inno regardless, often due to good experiences with other Inno products
And when the advantaged players start reaching Tournament rewards that are unattainable to others...we can expect yet another Furor.