Current issues with Hexathalons, and how to fix them

Hey @NianticBrian, I really appreciate what you're doing to try and fix the events with Umbra, and I think the Hexathalon approach is not a terrible way to try and fix this for starters, but the format poses a lot of potential issues. I'll bullet point the issues I, and a few others, have seen, and break them down in further detail. Hopefully, all of this works out and this does end up adding more to the game, and I'm willing to give it a chance :) The vast difference of these sites. and rule formats, from anomalies creates a format which is less involving than an Anomaly, and more like a First Saturday, which is okay, but it definitely creates some major issues.

For starters, these are way less involved than anomalies, and badging for each unique one feels like a great way to **** over badge hunters. PLEASE MAKE TIERED BADGES FOR THIS! You could make two badges for this, one that is tiered based on how many times you are in the top 10% of a given hexathalon and one based on how many you participate in, or some other form of tiered badges! Making tiered badges would make it easier for agents to obtain the badge for those who cannot attend a future one (like many, including myself) and would be greatly appreciated.

Hexathalons are just not frequent enough to merit attending them for many players, and more of them should be run. Only fifteen of them globally means people may have to drive upwards of ten hours to attend one, and there is no attached mission day, no teamwork, no planning and you run around and do your own thing for a few hours. I can convince myself a ten hour roadtrip is worth it for an anomaly, but I can't for these events. PLEASE HAVE MORE THAN FIFTEEN FOR EACH WAVE OF HEXATHALONS. There should be more of them so they are easier to access. If server load is an issue, you could offset the events by times or dates (have some on Saturday and some on Sunday), which would be miles better than having none at all!

To connect to the last issue, cities have no way to attempt to add themselves to the roster for a specific Hexathalon date, or at all. This should be rectified. PLEASE OPEN SIGNUPS FOR OTHER CITIES! Many cities did not have the ability to sign up during the field test and have now been seemingly left out of the mass majority of future events, with no way to participate. Rectifying this would be very appreciated.

If these are intended to be a sat anomaly replacement, there needs to be something more team-oriented to go with these! An event that allows teams of agents, not just factions, to work together (maybe in teams of 4-6, give or take some?) to compete in a more strategic way would be very appreciated and would make non-anomaly events much more appealing to others! Please consider something like that for the future! Having small teams coordinate on their own, rather than as an anomaly, for media, shards on a special target, making a longest link, etc, could be super cool! Maybe there could be mini, rainbow colored factions for such an event? Or just something more like a team-oriented mini-anomaly where the two factions compete would be cool!

Thanks Brian! I do hope these work out, your attempts are definitely appreciated. :)

Comments

  • mortuusmortuus ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree, just 15 cities first and nothing close to me means i cant go to any event... They should open up signups for more city to apply.

  • HydracyanHydracyan ✭✭✭✭✭

    How do you know how the medals will work?

  • There hasn't been a single hexathlon (the field test was just that, a test of what will likely become a hexathlon) and you already seem to know what is wrong with it?

  • Why use a tier system? You go, badge... you get top 10%, special badge. Otherwise let’s teir anomalies as well...

  • mortuusmortuus ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think they will work like field tests, just a different name, 6 challenges for each solo player means no teamwork .. so yeah.. we know how it works... unless they re-do it and teamwork will play a big role but i doubt it..

  • I understand what they will be.

    But those aren't issues, those are things you don't like.

  • mortuusmortuus ✭✭✭✭✭

    really? so u are saying majority players want travel far to solo events with no teamspirit ? thats not the picture im reading from all TG groups etc....

  • HydracyanHydracyan ✭✭✭✭✭

    Majority probably not, but enough to make it happen.

  • What if all that solo play adds to your faction score, and faction score is the average of the individual efforts?

    In many sports this model is used (cycling, running, etc..).

    While I acknowledge that the strategic factor is eliminated, the team play might not be, the better your individual score is, the better you help your faction!

  • Jarekk82Jarekk82 ✭✭
    edited January 2020

    First of all: I appreciate that Niantic is trying out new events. Even if they don't suit my taste, it's a lot better than nothing happening. The period of standstill in Ingress around the release of "Pokémon Go" was really gruelling.

    So I'd like to say that even though I'm critical, I'm grateful that Ingress is evolving.

    Some of my criticisms have already been addressed above. The Hexathlon is not a team game. It awards the individual performance of different agents. It's less ENL vs. RES, but rather a free-for-all mode. I think this is a pity, because there is no incentive for any agent to engage or play together with other agents. Sometimes this can even be counterproductive for their own performance. That makes this event format for me one that is rather unsuitable for Ingress. In addition, it makes an event out of what "HPWU" players actually have every day: The Hexathlon practically corresponds to the daily tasks for the wizards. 

    Even Raids in "Pokémon Go" have more functions to support team-play: I know, everyone plays by themselves and tries to catch the Pokémon. Nevertheless, there are mechanics that reward interaction (friends, colour of the arena and damage from the team with the same colour). Hexathlon also requires such mechanisms. For example, if instead of (or if really needed in addition to) the Elite Medal, a medal for the better faction was awarded, then the team play aspect would be present again.

    I understand that it will be necessary for Niantic to have an event format that is less elaborate or complex as regular anomalies are. And more automated so they require less manpower.

    But sometimes I'm not quite sure what your cornerstones or core values are in creating new challenges. And that's something I'd be interested in, Niantic. What are your priorities when you develop something new?

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