This is my problem with HEX. I got into the beta a few weeks ago, loaded it up, and was like ok how do I start building my collection. Then I found out it was pay or go home, so I pretty much haven't played since. After hearthstone, duel of champions, solforge, infinity wars, and whatever other online CCG's, will this game really have a strong playerbase if it's cash only? If and when PvE is finally added sometime in the next decade, and if it's more than just a minor sidegame, I'll take back what I just said.Hex offers nothing new without the PVE aspect, and I think they are going to alienate a lot of potential customers by the time it ends up coming out. Every message in chat from new players is along the lines of 'So, how can I get new cards without spending money?'. Releasing a pay to play game in a world that's become accustomed to F2P grinds is going to be a hard pill to swallow for many players.
Opinions on this vary. There are a lot of arguments among backers about how important a strong pve element is. I would have said it was a requirement but I have been surprised by the number of people spending huge money on the beta, so I think it is probably possible to build a profitable player base without it. I still think it will be far more of a success with the pve stuff they have promised in though.After hearthstone, duel of champions, solforge, infinity wars, and whatever other online CCG's, will this game really have a strong playerbase if it's cash only?.
For the most part every concern you have has been addressed many times in the Hex forums. Asynch play is something they are working on as I agree with you that I hate sitting in front of my computer waiting and waiting to play a game. Player verse environment is crucial for this game to succeed. This is the main reason why I have said very little to a couple of friends I have that play Magic. There needs to be a way for a player to earn cards besides purchasing them. Even if it takes a player a long time to get an Angel, the method has to be a part of the game.My take on it:
It's a decent MODO clone. Pros: It's cheaper than a MODO habit is. Cons: It's not MODO.
As it exists, the client is fairly buggy and there doesn't seem to be many people online at any given time. Draft Queues are firing every ~30 minutes tonight, which seems low given the # of Kickstarter backers and people they've admitted over the year. I'm hesitant to drop a load of cash as Hearthstone has spoiled me a bit on both T and CCGs. Not necessarily with how cheap it is, but it is honestly really nice to be able to stop an Arena run whenever I feel like it and come back after dinner or the next day/week. After not playing MODO for the last year, 2+ hr draft queues where you need to actively be at the computer are a bit frustrating. I understand it's the game genre, but the convenience of the HS Arena mode cannot be understated for anyone who has real life commitments with children and spouses.
I do enjoy that they priced themselves somewhat competitively compared to Magic and think the VIP program is a great idea for casual folks like myself, but after reading why they're discontinuing it I'm a bit concerned about pack price inflation over time. The game obviously caters more to the MTG crowd who wants to spend lots of cash, but I have doubts that the market can support a second game that is 100% MTG. If I have to pay $7 per draft (assuming AH prices rise closer to retail), I might just consider going back to MTG. Hex offers nothing new without the PVE aspect, and I think they are going to alienate a lot of potential customers by the time it ends up coming out. Every message in chat from new players is along the lines of 'So, how can I get new cards without spending money?'. Releasing a pay to play game in a world that's become accustomed to F2P grinds is going to be a hard pill to swallow for many players.