User blog:Tecku/Some More Random Thoughts

Here are just some random thoughts that I've been having lately.


 * The new deck system is really nice. It's now a lot easier build decks around certain themes, and they have let me play the game in ways I didn't think of before. Yes, each deck probably had some listing on the community page, but I think that the official ones a nice option for players who don't know about the wiki.
 * Event cards are now craftable. Nice! You can also craft cards directly with Gems instead of Sparks, which is more cost-efficient. Nice! But you can only use Gems for crafting if you're completing a deck. Oh well... (If anyone does know how to craft each individual card with Gems, I would just love to know about it.)
 * Impfinity is really going to get some mileage out of the Garg-Throwing Imp when he comes out. With his Pain-in-the-Deck set, he'll have both Barrel o' Deadbeards and Fireworks Zombie to get extra Gargs from. Z-Mech will also probably get a good workout with Rock Wall.
 * Personally, I really think that Sting Bean should be like a bee or something. I mean, I know we have Beeshooter, but Sting Bean (which has the word sting in its name) has Amphibious and Bullseye. Why is it Amphibious? Most Amphibious plants have good reason to be amphibious. They're based on sailors, they're based on animals that can swim, they can hover... wouldn't it make more sense if Sting Bean was a flying bug-like plant? Like... a bee? That can sting?
 * Have you ever noticed that the plant and zombie sides of Aqua Center should be swapped? The zombies spawn in the synthetic garden near the gate to the forest and the plants spawn in the loading dock further in the city. It should be the other way around. Heck, it was the other way around in the first game. Why did they change it? This was actually going to be on the Baffling Descision list until I forgot it along with Miner Diner's outside stretch.

Lastly, there's my biggest thought: the new levels that are coming for PvZ2. It really looks like they're just doing the same shtick. Same zombies, just more health/attack/power. Now, I know that the Chinese team is seperate from you guys. But I do know that you guys are inspired by them sometimes, like with Hammer Zombie becoming Jester Zombie. I really wish we could see new stuff like the Chestnut team or the Desert Death Zombie. I don't demand 5 new plants or a whole slew of zombies with new mechanics. But if you're just gonna make stuff tougher, what's the point?

Do you know what I see when I see the new levels? I don't see a great amount of new content with many hours of heart and soul added to it. I don't see something that I want to play again and again. Heck, I don't even see greed or monetary gain. You know what I see? Desperation. To me, it feels like EA is just jumping down Popcap's throat, trying to get them to earn more money from the game. And unlike PvZH which was designed for more content in the future, PvZ2 has hit its finale.

Now, honestly, I've probably thrown more money at PvZ games than most. I've spent money on premium plants in PvZ2. I've spent money on packs in PvZH. I bought Commando Corn and Scallywag Imp outright. So when I say that I'm not spending a dime on the upgrade system, you know that there's something wrong. In fact, making money off of me wouldn't be that hard. Wanna know how to do it? Create a whole new world with new plants and new zombies, and charge around 5 bucks to acess it. Done.

Popcap, listen. PvZ2 is dead. I'm sorry, but... actually, no. It's not bad that the game is dead. The way it went out was spectacular. Modern Day Part 2 was a great finale with great levels, and while I've been unfairly harsh on some segments like Lost City, the game has had a good run on the whole. But now we've reached the crossroads. If you want to continue, you need to go big.

My next blog will probably be about how I would have done PvZ2 differently. I did something like this in the past called The Great Balancing, but it didn't go well. I've come a long way in analyzing things, and I really hope you guys will be there to leave some feedback. Until then, this is Tecku.