一旦は完全にルートゲームに舵を切ったかに見えたアップデート1.4、がMassiveはMassiveだったようです。ワールドレベルティアを導入しながら、フェーズ3(ウィーク3)で完全にその本質を踏み外してきました。
ワールドレベルティアのポイントは、アクティビティのクリアで入手できるアイテムの装備スコア(GS)がティア毎で決まることです。例えばティア4で入手できるアイテムはGS229、これはミッションの難易度がノーマルだろうがチャレンジだろうが変わらない、ただしアイテムの数は難易度が高いほど多い・・・分りやすい。これならアクティビティの難易度調整すらまともにできないMassiveでも(取りあえず)筋の通ったメカニズムを構築できます。
フェーズ2では、ミッション難易度に対するクリア時入手アイテムの数が減らされました。ただしGSは変更されませんでした。まぁ、踏みとどまった訳です。しかしフェーズ3でMassiveは一線を越えます。
フェーズ3では難易度ノーマルのミッション報酬はティアの上限より低く設定されました。ワールドレベルティアシステムの本質は無視されました、もしかすると、Massiveがワールドレベルティアと言うものの本質を理解していなかったことが露呈してしまっただけなのかも知れません。
ティア4のメインミッション、ハードまたはチャレンジならば報酬アイテムはGS229です。これはティア通りですね。
ところが、ノーマルではGS185(パープル)となります。ティアは何処へ行ったのでしょうか?
「ノーマルが簡単過ぎるだけだろう、当たり前の対応じゃないか」と納得する人もいるでしょうし、おそらくMassiveの判断もそんなところなのでしょう。しかし、個人の思いとしてはこの期に及んでこの対応は無い、あり得ないものなのです。
Massiveがすべきだったことは、「ノーマルの実質的な難易度をGS229に相応しいようにミッション内容を再設計すること」です。つまり、ワールドレベルティアを導入した以上、ミッションをティアに相応しいものに変えることが本来やるべきことなのです。故に、Massiveはワールドレベルティアの本質を外したとしか言いようが無いのです。
ワールドレベルティアの導入にあたってMassiveの説明はこういうものでした。
「PvEプレイヤーがプレイするアクティビティの難易度をより細かく選べるようにする」
でもこれは実現されたのでしょうか?
チャレンジの難易度はアップデート1.4でも決して低いとは言えません。ですからこれから本格的にGS229装備を整えようというプレイヤーにはノーマルかハードかの選択肢しかありません。フェーズ2ではどちらの難易度でも(数は違うものの)GS229アイテムが報酬として入手可能でした。しかしフェーズ3ではハードを選ばなければ報酬としてGS229アイテムは入手できません。これは意味あるアイテムの入手の観点からは実質的にハードしかプレイする意味が無いということになり、実のところアップデート1.3以前とさして状況は変わりません。
もしハードでも難しかったら?もはやGS229アイテムの入手は他の手段に頼らざるを得ないということになります。アップデート1.4で一体何が変わると言うのでしょう?
繰り返します。ワールドレベルティアシステムを導入しながらその本質を踏み外し、曲げることで、本来アップデート1.4で期待された変化は大きく損なわれました。確かに敵NPCのレベルに対するHP、ダメージのスケーリングを見直すことで、これまでよりはPvEプレイヤーの高GSアイテムへのアクセス機会は大幅に増えました。しかし、それはワールドレベルティアシステムの導入とは独立した別の話、関係ありません。両者を一緒くたにしてアップデート1.4を論じてはいけません、プレイヤーはMassiveの低いレベルに合わせる必要はないのです。
おまけ
Steamの掲示板に10/3改訂時の古い「PTSの既知の問題」の投稿が残っていたので転載しましょう。番号はこちらで付けたものですが・・・この時点で既知のバグが131もあるということでいやはや。なお、Massive、Ubisoftはアップデート1.4の10月中のリリースを公言しています。
PTS Known Issues (Last Update - 10/03)
We will do our best to resolve every issue possible, but can't
guarantee all of them will be addressed. We will prioritize them and
share visibility on this process with you.
FIXED
- Gear Set Descriptions
- Spelling Error in the Recovery link description "leathal"
- Translation errors
- 4 Piece Final Measure not defusing APC mortar shells in Falcon Lost.
- Named NPC's turrets counting toward named NPC kills
- Bullet King "farming". NPCs in the Open World should not longer respawn when you go to a safe house.
- Dark Zone Supply Drop displayed timer
- Booster Shot talent not providing damage resilience buff
- All First Aid modifications reviving downed players
- Recovery Link heal not applying if you are aiming with a skill
- Recovery Link not correctly reviving you
- Support Station not reviving you if the person who used the Support Station is also downed
- Mobile Cover Countermeasures not hiding you from Pulse
- All 3 Stats on weapon modifications aren't properly displayed in the UI
- Settings reset every time the game is launched
- World Tiers Tutorial popping up every time you enter The Terminal
- Valkyria Blueprint not showing up at the vendor
- PEQ-15 Laser - Orange only rolling minor stats
- Appearance menu not showing items when you scroll all the way down
- Not able to scroll down the extracted items list with a mouse
FIXEDFOR UPDATE 1.4
****Please note that some of these changes may not be present on the PTS.****
UNDER INVESTIGATION
- First Aid falling through the ground when using it while rolling or aiming
- General Assembly dropping 4 High Ends. Please note that we are still investigating what rewards we would like to give.
- Critical Save Talent not working/displaying buff icon
- Game crashes when an explosion occurs in Falcon Lost
- Using First Aid while reloading can sometimes lead to an infinite reloading loop.
- Subtitles are always on despite turning them off in the options
- NPC grenade animation doesn't occur until a grenade explodes
- Invisible Cleaners in Dark Zone 1 extraction point
- Steady hands does not refresh when you enter cover
- Not able to interact with objects in the Underground Operation Center
- Pulse Activation Delay
- Not being able to use any weapons besides your secondary or skills after Ballistic Shield is put away
- Missing Footstep sounds
- Dark Zone extraction bag not showing sealed Caches
- Missions on the map showing recommended levels higher than 30
- Dark Zone transfer message while you aren't in the Dark Zone
- Getting stuck on ladders
- Gear graphical bug
- Backpack Capacity issue
- Smart Cover destroyed by enemy grenades while protected by cover
- All game sounds are sped up
- Recovery Link does not revive you if you have a status effect on you
- Invisible Enemy Turrets
- LMG animation breaks when shooting from cover
- Vigorous talent does not apply to Support Station
- NPC's shooting through the wall in the food area in Madison Field Hospital
- Able to go through a wall near Hudson Yards
- Skills are not working/grayed out
- Reclaimer Support Station bonus not applying healing speed bonus
- Enemies spawn after objective to Eliminate Hostiles is complete
- Not
able to use a Skill before your deployed skill finishes deploying (e.g.
until the Turret lands on the ground and becomes active)
- One is None jamming your gun
- Unable to remove Gear or Weapon mods sometimes
- Veteran enemies become normal enemies in DZ 205+ after leaving a check point
- Strange Icon appears on a weapon mod after opening a sealed cache
- Final Measure defuses friendly grenades
- Daily/weekly assignments providing the wrong Gear Score reward
- Xbox One controller not recognized
- Not possible to leave the HVT mission selection screen when you try to start a mission with insufficient Intel
- Being revived by your own First Aid when downed
- In combat notification when leaving the Dark Zone
- Inventory sorting filters reset to default when relogging.
- Empty friend suggestion list
- Cleaners are able to shoot through train walls in Underground
- Missions not starting, switching World Tiers solved the issue
- Sidestepping in cover causes enemies to not shoot at you
- Dark Zone level up animation stays for too long
- Reload speed display goes negative when equipping a different extended magazine
- Enemies will not shoot you if you sidestep in cover
- Match making inside a DZ entrance causes Delta Error
- Looping audio when the helicopter explodes at the end of General Assembly
- Arms Deal mission does not start if you kill the enemies with a Turret Only
- Invisible walls in the Underground
- Underground Vendors display an Underground rank requirement when buying back an item
- Gray background on the menu bug
- Unable to pick up Supply Box during side missions after putting it down
- Directional Audio issues
- HVT not starting
- Sticky Bomb damage delay
- Recovery Link revive does not work with 2 piece Nomad
- Cutting the rope attached loot instead
- LMB medic is able to jump through a wall during an Undergorund mission
- Immunizer effect is still being applied to the player, even though the station has been destroyed.
- Alarm box respawned during Underground mission with full health, after it has been destroyed.
- It's not possible to take cover in General Assembly near Domino boss.
- Mines dropped by a sniper will stay active upon the death of the sniper and cannot be destroyed or explode.
- Nimble talent not always working, re-equip needed
- Crash to desktop (CTD) during loading screen
- Texture floating in the air near the Q building
- Toughness disappearing when changing tiers
- White background in character selection when "Neutral Lighting" is set to "Yes"
- Mission objective stuck to "Investigate the police acedmy" during Police Academy mission
- Players stuck in Hard Underground mission after failing it
- All other applications are muted when the PTS has been launched
- New items count is not always correct and seems to be inconsistent between menues
- Unable to jump through a window on 9th Avenue and stuck to a wall on the 2nd floor in a server room
- Deaf effect is applied to a player during the entire Underground mission
- Loss of audio (climbing) during Hudsson Refugeee Camp
- Dialogue repeats several times in Russian consulate mission
- Gear Stats overlapping still present
- NPCs disappeared after returning to a previous room during Underground mission
- Elevator door does not open in the Underground
- Elevator does not work when trying to go to the Underground
- "Underground DLC required" notification appears when going to the Underground
- Rebind of "F" key resets to default after the Underground train sequence has finished
- Not all Weapon skins stored in the stash have been transferred to the PTS
- UI issues when opening the stash and moving items to the inventory.
- Floating weapons issue
- Weapon talent not unlocked even though the requirements are fulfilled
- The health of the APC in Falcon Lost completely regenerates after being destroyed
- Smart cover instantly available after being destroyed and non-EMP grenades can destroy it
- Inventory is sometimes not accessible during Underground missions
- NPC animation during cover is repeating over and over again
- Shared mods cannot be used as long as sharable timer is active.
- Wrong value is displayed when trying to recalibrate.
- Revive via button press is sometimes not possible in UG
- Armor Damage mitigation capped at 60% not 70%
- HVT missions not displayed on HUD, when changing the world tier
- Field proficiency caches always give 229 items
- All world tiers are accessible in the Underground, even though requirements are not met
- UI remains blank when opening the Stash
- Alphabridge bonus remains active, even when it has been replaced with another gear set item
- Legacy SMG's still have the 25% crit hit chance, instead of damage.
- BLIND gear sets still available
- 4 set piece bonus of striker is not activating
- UI is very slow when changing weapons
- Re calibration menu does not open instantly
- The UI disappears and does not respond after re-calibrating certain Gear sets
- Inventory UI disappears when AlphaBridge gear is equipped
- An unusual high requirement is getting displayed after converting multiple materials.
- "Out of playable area" when going in cover at certain walls in Underground missions
- Typos in 3 piece talent of Nomad description
- Belzer (Named PvE enemy) is not spawning, re spawning after 24 hours
- Level 30 and Level 31 mod stats are overlapping
- Gate in Hudson Refugee Camp doesn't open under certain circumstances
- Gear sets missing after transfer to the PTS
- Performance mods cannot be applied to gear sets transferred from the live environment to the PTS
- Wrong Underground rank or XP is displayed on terminal display
- Robust is still capped to 60% and not 70%
- Blind weapon skins and outfit disappeared
- Inventive bonus randomly stops working
- Next Critical Search & Destroy (S&D) safehouse is not showing after the previous one has been completed
- Alarms in Underground cannot always be triggered by NPC's
- Piano in Lexington Event centre has no bullet collision, resulting in players being able to shoot through it
- Entering Phase 2 in Underground might cause a teleport back to the Terminal.
- Adept talent not working with Smart Cover
- Enemy group gathered together and one point in Lexington Event Centre
- Invisible walls in Grand Central station mission
- Interaction with objects, going into cover, existing the UG is not always possible
- Framerate limit option causing stuttering
- Banshee Gear Set translations missing