Opinions on Gwent's Current State

[ottergog]

McBeard isn't just a steamer though, he's also a castor. Meaning he's on the game's payroll. So when someone like that comes out and says he's lost all interest in Gwent, it's kind of a big deal in terms of the games image.

His main complaint is that Gwent doesn't have a clear roadmap like its more popular competitors (Legends of Runeterra and MTG). It's hard to have faith in the game's future when CDPR apparently has nothing planned ahead.

It's not like McBeard leaving is something new though. All of Gwent's biggest content creators left the game a long time ago.

From his posts on Genshin it is clear that he is a genuine RPG player, so the mindless content is irrelevant so long as there is the challenge to perfect your squad. He will tire of it once he's mastered the mechanics and the content doesn't refresh fast enough to overcome the diminishing returns of maxing out another character. Your point was most valid in that he was clearly a passionate spokesperson for Gwent . From his exit piece up on YouTube, where he did cite the content issue, he also expressed a frustration with his gameplay. When a seasoned player feels that certain match ups are beyond countering, it is time for the development team to take note. I can certainly relate to this viewpoint as Lockdown + Mill or Lockdown + Clogging has become a game of simply playing out cards, or conceding upfront to save time. Who wants to waste 10 minutes on an inevitable outcome. Yes, I have won over both decks, but 9/10 my game was disrupted beyond repair. Without lockdown, the odds are at least even, and my choices matter to the outcome. There are multiple strategies built into my favorite NR deck, but it can't overcome the combo of disruption plus strong finishers that require a lock or final say with yrden.

MisterHabbla also has recently addressed this situation, and I would not be surprised if he looses interest as well. I hope the development team finds a way to limit this prevailing feeling that the better players are not winning. Lockdown never deserves a GG.

 

[StrykerxS77x]

I was honestly looking forward to your initial reappearance and the mandatory LoR comparison
This topic wouldn't be complete without it.

My work here is complete.

 

[Kessman]

Lockdown never deserves a GG.

Lockdown deserves GG because these people don't want to play some op [...], but instead shut it down.
Lockdown is just a good predator vs evil.

You miss the point. The big presence of Lockdown in the ladder is not a problem in itself, it just indicates that there is an Evil that Lockdown is fighting against.
Do some balance and Lockdown will go.

 

[rrc]

Lockdown deserves GG because these people don't want to play some op [...], but instead shut it down.
Lockdown is just a good predator vs evil.

You miss the point. The big presence of Lockdown in the ladder is not a problem in itself, it just indicates that there is an Evil that Lockdown is fighting against.
Do some balance and Lockdown will go.

Until recently this argument made sense where Lockdown was the anti-meta.. but not anymore. Lockdown is becoming the meta. NG players don't need to try anything else as Lockdown itself is very very good and has become the meta. This was the reason NG should never have very strong bronzes or pointslamming option since it would make Lockdown as the meta. Now with all the buffs to NG it has exactly happened like that. I wouldn't be surprised if Lockdown is in top 5 or even top 3 this season.

I don't know about others, but that disgusts me. Auto winning against multiple archetypes and still be competitive against any strong meta decks is just too much.

 

[ya1]

My opinion on current state of the game is that the number of skill matchups has been going down for quite a while, and the binary character of the game has been further increasing - both in matchup and in card interactions. Gwent was always the most binary card game, and part if its identity derives from that but there are limits beyond which the health of the game is affected. Whether these limits are exceeded or not is subjective (yes they are). Also, with buffing clog to T1, draw dependency skyrocketed, further consolidating the most pressing issues. Furthermore, what is often referred to as "toxic" interactions - as in interactions disabling the other player before he has a chance to affect to outcome of the game with skill (and/or interaction overdependent on draw) - have been promoted.

Complete lack of play testing combined with general managerial issues that CDPR obviously has (which violently blew up to obviousness with the CP77 release) - which issues realised themselves by the team taking a two month winter vacation right after releasing a new untested expansion - this reflects quite badly on the game. Furthermore, the team keeps addressing micro problems focusing on how single cards perform within decks instead of how decks perform within metas. Past nerfs to NG mainstays and Formation and now the nerf to Justice and the buff to Viper Mentor are evidence of that. At times, the opposite happens where entire broad archetypes are getting nerfed because of how violently overtuned a single card was (ofc talking about Viy and OH). However, most balancing efforts are quite okay. Nevertheless, they seem kind of lazy...? After two months of complete absence - let alone the absence after releasing a whole new expansion - the audience would expect devs to make more changes than this.

 

[ottergog]

Complete lack of play testing combined with general managerial issues that CDPR obviously has (which violently blew up to obviousness with the CP77 release) - which issues realised themselves by the team taking a two month winter vacation right after releasing a new untested expansion - this reflects quite badly on the game.
[/QUOTE]

Criticism does feel like a pile on given what they are addressing with Cyberpunk, but I hope they will take your points to heart. I have been a fan of the group since the first Witcher release. This Gwent card game is beautiful, the reward structure is generous, and the dedicated international community clearly presents challenging matches. Feedback was great for both the Xmas and the Valentine mini games, so clearly they should continue those offerings with rewards that are not win dependant. Historically, their greatest strength has been listening to the audience, knowing them intimately because they too were veteran RPG players who had lurked on community boards, drinking in the wish lists and making notes. May they be similarly inspired to find a workable balance!

 

[Gwentsan]

I quit. Currently rank 2.

I'm bored fighting the same few deck after deck.

It's either Maddoc deck
or Witcher deck
or some kogrim deck
or some viy deck..

Basically ever deck is some new expansion card centered deck.

Bye, I'm gonna go play something else.

 

[Selestes]

Unfortunately, there won't be any balance ever.
It seems that they don't know how to do it and certainly DON'T WANT to do it.

 

[Damashiuchi]

I feel your frustration. I have cut way back lately myself. Actually lurking here now a lot more than playing
In my opinion, if you just want some fun and don't care about rank (like me), then this is a great time to brush off - or create anew - some really annoying meme decks!!

 

[MANYUE2003]

I been playing for 7 months and a gwent addict. I play average 10 to 15 games per day. Recently though I am getting bored, started playing lor and cut down on gwent.

I blame a few things

1. Bored of lack of variety of competitive decks in pro rank as mentioned by most above

2. Got almost all the cards hence even keys and kegs doesn't really mean much. I think 2 expansion a year isn't enough. Now people are bored of wotw cards and lack of balancing doesn't help.

3. Arena replace by draft mode. This for me is a big killer. I don't find playing draft interesting at all and I hardly play seasonal (only first few days). In the past when I have a tough time in ladder, I take a break and play arena and arena is always bonkus but fun. Now I have no mode to play besides ladder. In LOR there are so many variety of game mode. I love gwent and don't really want to quit so I am hanging on.

Today I played only 3 games and won 0. Wanted to take a break from pro rank ladder and play another game mode but there is nothing interesting.

 

[MikeBiazzo]

3. Arena replace by draft mode. This for me is a big killer. I don't find playing draft interesting at all and I hardly play seasonal (only first few days). In the past when I have a tough time in ladder, I take a break and play arena and arena is always bonkus but fun. Now I have no mode to play besides ladder. In LOR there are so many variety of game mode. I love gwent and don't really want to quit so I am hanging on.

Completely agree with you on that point. I have the exact feelings. Arena was a perfect way to get distracted when I was tired if playing rank, and now I have no option. Please bring Arena back; dont delete draft, but give it to us again!

 

[Messyr]

3. Arena replace by draft mode. This for me is a big killer.

Absolutely agreed here.
I'm usually that sort of guy who enjoys the game as it is in the ranked/standard format, however I have to admit, the removal of Arena was a big loss for me too. Draft just doesn't compare, it is a totally different form of play, one that is simply not interesting for me - Arena, on the contrary, was one of my favorite formats.

 

[EduFerraz]

I quit. Currently rank 2.

I'm bored fighting the same few deck after deck.

It's either Maddoc deck
or Witcher deck
or some kogrim deck
or some viy deck..

Basically ever deck is some new expansion card centered deck.

Bye, I'm gonna go play something else.

Unfortunately, there won't be any balance ever.
It seems that they don't know how to do it and certainly DON'T WANT to do it.

I feel your frustration. I have cut way back lately myself. Actually lurking here now a lot more than playing
In my opinion, if you just want some fun and don't care about rank (like me), then this is a great time to brush off - or create anew - some really annoying meme decks!!

I been playing for 7 months and a gwent addict. I play average 10 to 15 games per day. Recently though I am getting bored, started playing lor and cut down on gwent.

I blame a few things

1. Bored of lack of variety of competitive decks in pro rank as mentioned by most above

2. Got almost all the cards hence even keys and kegs doesn't really mean much. I think 2 expansion a year isn't enough. Now people are bored of wotw cards and lack of balancing doesn't help.

3. Arena replace by draft mode. This for me is a big killer. I don't find playing draft interesting at all and I hardly play seasonal (only first few days). In the past when I have a tough time in ladder, I take a break and play arena and arena is always bonkus but fun. Now I have no mode to play besides ladder. In LOR there are so many variety of game mode. I love gwent and don't really want to quit so I am hanging on.

Today I played only 3 games and won 0. Wanted to take a break from pro rank ladder and play another game mode but there is nothing interesting.

Completely agree with you on that point. I have the exact feelings. Arena was a perfect way to get distracted when I was tired if playing rank, and now I have no option. Please bring Arena back; dont delete draft, but give it to us again!

Feeling The same as you guys.

I am bored of playing The same thing.

Madoc deck? I see madoc on The ground and its insta quit.

Almost The same for lockdown.

Why? Because i play on unranked and i spect to play against diferent things.

Thats enought for me, i Will wait untill next expansion or a great balance change (wich problably wont happening because they will not change on madoc, Tiger tooth and madoc)

 

[Euan_Davidson]

Yeah, agree with most of what posters above have been saying. Got back up to rank 2 this month, then gave up. So fed up of facing the same four or five decks which are the only competitive ones every month / two months.

My real frustration is how little of the total card pool this represents - there are 1100-odd cards in this game, but at least half of them are utterly useless at the top ranks. Imagine an ideal world in which any card could work in the right deck build - with the number of cards in the game, the depth and variety would be fantastic... This should be the developers' aim, and there should be more balancing going on all the time to work towards this, but there is never enough. Really disappointing.

 

[MikeBiazzo]

Feeling The same as you guys.

I am bored of playing The same thing.

Madoc deck? I see madoc on The ground and its insta quit.

Almost The same for lockdown.

Why? Because i play on unranked and i spect to play against diferent things.

Thats enought for me, i Will wait untill next expansion or a great balance change (wich problably wont happening because they will not change on madoc, Tiger tooth and madoc)

Well, I really don't know why you QUOTE me because thats not what I'm saying.
I miss the lack of arena because its lovely to have differents style to compete.

I'm not bored with the game as it is and I personally liked all the new changes (with the exception of arena) .

 

[Messyr]

Madoc deck? I see madoc on The ground and its insta quit.

I lost count on how many times I saw you mention insta quitting once you see <xyz> deck played over the past months.
I can fully imagine you need a break from this, as literally quitting every 2nd match just to wait for the next must be a frustrating experience.

 

[EduFerraz]

I lost count on how many times I saw you mention insta quitting once you see <xyz> deck played over the past months.
I can fully imagine you need a break from this, as literally quitting every 2nd match just to wait for the next must be a frustrating experience.

Can you put it here? I dare you quote this "so many times" you are saying.

And Yes, problably Will you see me mention i insta quit against lockdown (and Maybe precision strike) , and thats Will always be until devs change it.

I have coherence, If i dont like something, i Will still acting The same.

NNow i put in my list madocs decks, and thats why I, indeed, have took a break, because 90% of the decks are lockdown, precision strike or madocs decks (or both, Madoc and precison sttikr/lockdown)

But i see a lot of ppl complaining about The (ex) viy deck and for me viy wasnt a problem

 

[Messyr]

Nah, don't get me wrong here, if I exaggerated, I apologize
Simply had the feeling I see so many "if I see this I insta quit" posts, it made the impression somehow.

On the other hand, I'd like to put this into a bit different context. You are obviously frustrated by some of the actual meta decks, at least I saw you mention that over the past months many times. Yes, you were specific about Lockdown, now with Madoc decks (although that is a very huge variety and many of them are far from the unitless variant of SY and SC). I have a feeling you are frustrated if the actual meta forces you into playing differently than what you like, out of your comfort zone so to speak. But meta decks are not always the problem here - there will always be top tier meta decks, and many will use them in non-ladder standard mode too.

Now, you might not remember, but I do - we played against each other in Standard once, back a few months ago, when the cookie cutter Haunt+Detlaff Overwhelming Hunger MO build was Tier 1 meta. I was playing with some random NG deck, and you actually beat me there - can you guess/remember which MO deck you used?

 

[quintivarium]

All of the decks about which you complain can be challenged by ordinary decks using good deck building principles. They may be annoying — that is a personal issue, or they may be OP — that is a matter of tweaks. But they do not break the game. Viy is counterable only by overloading tall punish which is not sound deck building, and is very binary — even nerfed. It can only be remedied by a substantative change.

 

[EduFerraz]

Nah, don't get me wrong here, if I exaggerated, I apologize
Simply had the feeling I see so many "if I see this I insta quit" posts, it made the impression somehow.

On the other hand, I'd like to put this into a bit different context. You are obviously frustrated by some of the actual meta decks, at least I saw you mention that over the past months many times. Yes, you were specific about Lockdown, now with Madoc decks (although that is a very huge variety and many of them are far from the unitless variant of SY and SC). I have a feeling you are frustrated if the actual meta forces you into playing differently than what you like, out of your comfort zone so to speak. But meta decks are not always the problem here - there will always be top tier meta decks, and many will use them in non-ladder standard mode too.

Now, you might not remember, but I do - we played against each other in Standard once, back a few months ago, when the cookie cutter Haunt+Detlaff Overwhelming Hunger MO build was Tier 1 meta. I was playing with some random NG deck, and you actually beat me there - can you guess/remember which MO deck you used?

Well, like i said, i dont have problems with "meta decks" (viy, OH and even Skellige warriors for me wasnt a really problem) but i have problems with lockdown and now madoc.

why? Well, lockdown its just sucks how that sh** kills a lot of decks. And, no, a lot of the times "my cards" cant win for me without the leader abiliy, specialy because almost lockkdowns decks has locks and damage cards that kills/locks key cards.

And madoc? Well, madoc ist a real problem, i just dont like it, and if i am playing in unranked match i just dont like to play against it, its almost the same playing against precision strike, wich is another leader i dont like it.

But what makes me angry its everyone asking to "nerf viy, nerf ursine ritual, nerf skellige warriors, nerf OH, nerf this and that" and one of the most played deck its precision strike (and now lockdown) and i dont see ppl blaming like other times, so i need to blame against it.

And, for the last, OH it was one of my favorite leaders, its the first leader i have got 100 wins and i always love to play with it, beeing meta or not. And well, of course i do play meta in unranked, specially if i am testing a new deck i am not confortable to play it on rank yet.

But lets be honest, we are already at the end of the seasonal, problably almost all the decks has already been played, so problably someone playing meta in unranked its because he wants easy wins, not to learn how to pilot the deck (ok, or maybe he likes that deck and just want to play with it)