Casual mode damaging the game

My point is as simple as the title suggests, here is my reason why.

Everyone's objective whilst playing game is to get progressively better. Ranked gamemode is the perfect way to measure progress; gaining infamy shows yourself and other people that you have improved your ability to control your boat and/or to a lesser extent upgraded your items on your boat. This progress is rewarding for the player and keeps them engaged with the game. Here is where the problem with casual gamemode lies, people no longer care about infamy and so people don't play ranked. Ranked gamemode is subsequently damaged because the system has less players to choose from, thus making the quality of games worse (less competitive, playing against the same players over and over, etc....), and so making the game less rewarding to play as the medium for progress and achievement (ranked) is now extremely inaccurate. For these reasons I think casuals are damaging the game because it consumes the majority of the player base and doesn't really serve a purpose unlike events which keep the game fresh.

Potential solutions (preference ranked, 1 being the best in my opinion)
1) Remove casual entirely
2) Remove the ability for casual games to contribute to guild quests
3) Limit the amount of casual games that can be played per day
4) Increase the incentive to play ranked (better rewards)
5) Ranked season reward locked until a certain number of games played

Please tell me what you think

 

...so are you a new player or a veteran? Responses to your suggestion vary depending. This thread is not the first of its kind, nor the last. I read many of them and suggest you search and read them too as different threads give different incites. I present some fact checking discussion on this topic:

MYTH - Your claim is based on that longer matchmaking times is based on less players for ranked because everyone is playing casual.
FACT - There is no data to support this. If that is the case, then events should be pulled too.

MYTH - Infamy is a good indication of your progress.
FACT - You MUST be new to this game. The progress is somewhat rewarding in the beginning, but wait until your captain level is capped and enjoy the slide.... Just search forums for "infamy". Infamy has more to do with RNG and luck than your play skills. If you are short on time, the conclusion is that all players have had a rocky experience with infamy. The system is far from perfect.

MYTH - If casual is removed, ranked will get better
FACT - not guaranteed. Matchmaking times might be shorter but cray cray matchmaking algorithm will still be running wild.

MYTH - People don't play ranked because they don't care about infamy.
FACT - People play other modes because casual is less stressful, and events have tons of loot. I care about my infamy, I just wish I could raise it to where it should be.

Ripping a mode from the game is never a good idea. I suggest not trying to force people, but rather entice them. Goose up Ranked if you want to lure more players there. Give ranked matches 2x guild quest boosts instead of suggesting causal takes it away.

TL : DR NO.

 

That is the only decent option you gave to encourage more ranked game play
Restrictions on casual will only make people play ranked for lack of options! A lot of people will simply play less when there’s no event on so it won’t bring many players back and many of those who will play more ranked will only do so grudgingly.
Un happy players don’t stick around

 

Unlikely

Instead of this, I prefer giving ×2 bonus for completing non-dmg quests in ranked.

Likely, make them consume tickets or tokens.

Yes, I prefer reducing casual rewards by 50% and improving ranked rewards by 100% (only gold and sugar).

Too much is forcing players to play, and couple won't change anything.

 

Lure us away from casual with candy! Don’t flush us out with fire
The idea of forcing people to play a mode that they don’t want to play, or are avoiding for what ever reason, by reducing thier options is just crazy! Those people will still not want to play ranked and if forced to, will not be happy about it! How would you think upsetting player base is the answer?

 

I was a fan of tickets in events because it kept people in ranked.
Ranked should be always the primary mode.
They need to make casual as unappealing as possible.
tbh, I asked for nerfing gold/sugar in casual/events except special events and significantly increasing gold/sugar in ranked yesterday.
I still believe that the only way to make them fairly appealing is adding risks to events and limiting casual.

 

See my post just above lol I was editing when you posted this
Maybe ranked should be primary mode? Not every one feels this way and your not gonna change thier minds or convince others to be happy about playing it by pissing them off with nerfing other modes

 

I'm against forcing players to play.
The main reason people avoid ranked because they risk their infamy while they don't risk anything in other modes.
I asked for some minimal risks in events.
All of this is to balance risks/outcomes.

 

Once upon a time there was a mobile game developing team called Proletariat. They produced a agame called world zombination about 5-6 years ago, it was by far the greatest mobile game I’ve ever played!
At some stage of the game they introduced a new mode that drastically affected the way the main mode could be played and the older players were up in arms about it, the new mode however brought in a whole life of players, but a few months later the devs (maybe due to older players complaints and threats to leave) nerfed the new mode making the old mode relevant again but completely destroying the new mode that so many had come accustomed too. This move did not sit well with the new players and the old ones who happily switched over and it had a far worse long lasting effect on the game as a large portion of the player base quit right then and there and the rest dwindled slowly for the next few months lol
Finally the devs reverted thier decision and buffed the newer mode again but the damage was done and the player base never recoverd and one by one every player left and a year later their servers were finally shut down

 

Un true! Maybe at nightmare lvls people avoid ranked to avoid losing infamy but the rest of us for the most part play casual and events for many other reasons
And regardless of thier reasons forcing a particular mode on people will not make them happy to play it

 

The harm was done when they added the new more appealing mode in first place. Same when they added legendary pieces events in BB. They took some bad decisions, and there's a need to bring in some balance between the modes.
I'm not saying kill casual. I just asked for less outcomes since there is no risks. For ranked, it's high risks, so I asked for higher outcomes.
In events, they can add some risks.

 

I’m ok with better rewards for ranked! Just don’t do it by nerfing rewards for casual!
Making one mode as un appealing as possible is forcing the other mode on people

 

Not forcing, less gold/sugar is because the risk-free mode. More gold/sugar in ranked will make it more appealing for ppl who are trying to level up fast.
It's like making it like one ranked battle is equivalent to 5 casual battles when it comes to outcomes (gold/sugar).

 

It's more like fairly appealing, but because there is no risks, then it should be less appealing.

 

It is forcing them! I like casual mode cos it’s easier especially while questing and the majority of my time playing I like to have fun in easier modes while still earning enough to progress lol ranked mode is simply too much stress for my liking the majority of the time
Preventing us from being able to progress by playing casual IS forcing us to play ranked

Restricting rewards on casual will only make people play ranked for lack of options! A lot of people will simply play less when there’s no event on so it won’t bring many players back and many of those who will play more ranked will only do so grudgingly.
Un happy players don’t stick around

 

A large portion, if not the majority, of my time in the bay is during short free moments I have during the day casual mode is perfect for these moments and I’m encouraged to make the most of them by decent enough rewards that I can still maintain steady progress!
I suspect there are many who love casual mode for the same reasons
I love ranked mode but for the most part my head is simply not in the game so I’d just be a hindrance to my team. Before events and casual came along my game play time was very restricted cos I didn’t want to just jump on have one game and lose 24 infamy so I’d only play when at home in the evening for half an hour or so.
With out casual I would hardly play when events aren’t on and if the rewards weren’t that good I’d further lose interest
Lol I’m a pretty average person so I imagine I’m in the same boat as many

 

I would not be inclined to return to ranked play just for the additional gold or sugar. If you really want to get players back into ranked play, give them a real incentive which is a way to avoid the RNG. If I could gain my choice of an epic weapon/perk for advancing to a higher ranked level, that would be a real reward.