Every week we get on average 3 players in global chat that are new to WZ and have wasted their 700 coin ML on one of the early levels or some even on the tutorial.

The ML urgently needs a new description that makes it obvious its a 1-use-only power (and maybe the tip to save it for later levels as well).

Agreed, 700 coins isn't nothing and you shouldnt want people to waste it

Aren't all powers 1-time use?

I think the description is clear enough in describing what you can do with a ML. You can play another level simultaneously, "an" other level, "one" other level. Sure, it could have something that says you select from a list in the basic description, even though it says that in the pop-up description when collecting it, but the descriptions in the powers menu are suppose to be basic. Maybe the buttons to use the powers, could instead be buttons to open a pop-up that gives more details about how each power works, and on that pop-up is the button to use the power. I, myself, don't think this is a must there being a menu that pops up to select the desired second level to play, but I can see how this would be helpful for newer players who would just got their first ML, or first of any power.

As for there needing to be something saying that powers are 1-time uses, maybe there could be a line at the very top of the powers menu saying this, but I think players paying attention to the game would have notice by, at latest, Final Earth that all other powers are 1-time uses, so they could assume that MLs are 1-time uses as well.

All powers except for ML and MR have a time (TW, SM, SA, FC) or a number of uses "one" (IM, SL), 150 (FB).

Simply updating the description for ML to "lets you play one level simultanously with your current level" would already be an improvement, even if it could still confuse players.

As for the popups, that would just be annoying for the cheaper powers.

Assuming players understand ML is a 1 time use power like all others is a wrong assumption, as shown by global chat.

@Splat
It's definitely not clear enough. Part of the issue is that it costs 700 coins - for that price, people automatically expect more than a 1-time use. I'd say in addition to a better description, it needs a link to a wiki that describes how the ML is used. When WZI Beta first opened, I assumed it was a 700 coin purchase for a permanent extra slot to play additional levels on. As a new player, this is not an unreasonable expectation.

Once I understood the 1-time level use factor, I still thought that it would start a net new & totally independent level slot where I could play at whatever pace I wanted, freeing up my original slot to continue going on playing various levels with. So for example, I could be regularly be playing Sengoku (let's call this slot #1), then start an ML with Copper Creek (new slot, let's call it slot #2), finish Sengoku in slot #1 and start a new level (eg: Geopolitics) in slot #1 while continuing to play Copper Creek in slot #2. If I finish Geopolitics, then go on to play Breaking Green in slot #1, or maybe go back and redo some earlier levels like Huruey, Floating Rocks, etc. Then eventually finish Copper Creek, at which point slot #2 is removed, and I'm back to 1 single game slot again. But we know now that it doesn't work this way, it doesn't matter which levels ends first, once either ends, you're simply back to playing 1 level only.

Even after understanding that it was a 1-time activation-based power, I still expected to be able to open different levels side by side, without having to clunkily go back and forth resuming progress in each 1 at a time, 1 dig team across both maps, etc. Technically this isn't even actually playing another level simultaneously; it's starting another level simultaneously, having idle time simultaneously, but you're not actually allowed to play (ie: interact) with each level simultaneously - in fact, attempting to do so will overwrite your progress on the other level, so it's actually not possible at all to play both simultaneously.

So the description is lacking details and clarity on a few different fronts.

Edited 8/3/2021 02:22:54

give me coins or give me death

I think I only used a ML once (because another textual bug persuaded me to do so, powers that you don't collect, don't "go to waste", they will be there for you to collect on a later play through) and that was a long time ago. Therefore, I have to ask, how does the activation of a ML power work? Do you get an option dialog like with the supercharger (that would let you abort the ML activation), or is it just used up and the next time you select a level in the level overview, you can suddenly start a second one in parallel? In case you can't abort a ML I would really want to have this option. I'm no fan of having to confirm every action, but a ML power should only be usable if you directly select the level you want to play with it.

Furthermore, I would prefer having some general explanation on the powers tab with a "?"-Button like there is on the artifact-tab. Currently, idle has no real external resources outside of the actual game. The wiki has almost no information (most players don't even know that there is a wiki). The forum is a bad reference, because posts only stay within sight if they attract replies. And the community guides are (for new players) hard to find for the same reasons. Therefore, the game itself should be more self-explanatory.

IIRC, once you click the power, a screen pops up asking you which level you want to play, and you can cancel it or start the level. Once you start it, the level starts, your choice is made and you can't undo it. I don't recall what description the ML level selection popup has but I think it's clear enough once you understand what MLs are all about and does give you a chance to cancel if it was a misclick.

If you don't understand MLs ... well that's what this thread is all about. There's still a chance to cancel, but if you don't understand MLs, I don't think that popup screen provides any of the necessary details to truly & clearly explain to a new player what the heck is going on.

One of the big things that doesn't help is that it shows up so early in idle (in the level K-PX twice) and never shows up again in any other levels. Feels like we could use at least one more level that has a ML spawn 👀. It is also very likely that most "casual" players (that don't look at forums/chat often or at all) would never realize that the ML is literally exclusive to that one level and the only other ways to get any are rather limited aside from forking coin.

Edited 8/3/2021 02:31:06

^^Very true, JS.

I figured that if there was an ML on KP-X, that there would be at least 1 or 2 other levels later in the campaign that had some as well, so I used mine right away quite non-optimally. :(

I ML'd Sengoku & Copper Creek. And then did KP-X again, then ML'd Breaking Green and Far Land.

And then kept on playing thinking ... surely this next level with have another ML.

lol

Nope. No more, anywhere.

Edited 8/3/2021 02:41:06

i pretty much hate krinid after his example. that is almost the same thing i did, except i multi-leveled sengoku.

Yeah it's rather unfortunate, tbh knowing that K-PX is level 9 (or 8 if you don't include tutorial), I would have thought it'd follow a pattern of one ML in every 9 consecutive (or 8) levels.

RIP.

I didn't assume that there're more MLs. But I didn't know that you can only collect powers for 2 times. So I used ML on K-PX itself hoping to get MLs again and again.

Need a warning that tells player the power collection limit.

@Mathemetician - I did the same thing.

Yeah it'd be cool if there was a "times obtained" notice right next to each power to claim on each unique map.

Example: (Obtained 0 out of 2 possible times)

Although still might have to state that you can only get 2 ever because I bet there's still some ways to misinterpret that too

sorry mates, you all want a cozy life, but life is not a picnic.
I also wish that someone would warn me about all the aspects of the game earlier, but I don't think that the game itself should guide you with every action you take.
"don't go right, go left: there is a hidden hospital waiting just for you!"
ML is no exception. if you waste it on the tutorial, tough luck.
I wasted mine on Australia. So what? WZI doesn't really depend on ML until you unlock it in phase 4

Going left or right at a junction costs you a day in playtime, wasting an ML on the tutorial costs 700 coins.

The average player doesnt earn 700 coins a day, so wasting the ML is objectivly worse.

yes. How many players do you know, who wasted their ML on the turorial?

There have been 3 in global chat alone, and most players never even find the chat at all.

Their thinking its a permanent 2nd level, so they just start their 2nd playtrough.

three? well...

I was also a noob, and you as well. We all started from 0 and none of us came to the idea to spend ML on easy maps.
Also a year ago there were almost no discussions on WZI and we still managed to avoid doing that mistake.
So if nowadays a player can't think on his own and refuses to read through the many chats, discussions, opinions and guides that exist and cover almost all the aspects of the game there is little to be done