[Hero Wars Guide]Why does AoC exhaust even the top players?

Message regarding growing fatigue with Area of Conquest

• I’ve been hearing more and more complaints about AoC (Area of Conquest). Many players – even those in top guilds – are expressing that they’re tired of it and don’t want to play anymore.
• I’ve outlined the current state of AoC and will explore the idea that maybe we don’t need to push so hard. I’ll also take a closer look at the background of how AoC came to be.
• I hope this article helps everyone to reflect on their own perception of this game mode.

Current Situation

• The appeal of events like the Area of Conquest is that they bring people together for a fun, competitive experience in the pursuit of victory.
• It also requires a unique approach to hero composition compared to modes like CoW, as teams must balance both offense and defense.
• A major problem, however, is that AoC is structured as a 24-hour competition on weekdays.
• None of the current top guilds are well suited for AoC because they cannot fully commit to the competition. To form a guild specifically for AoC, you would need to gather players who can put the game above everything else in their daily lives. In the past, some online games had guilds where players went so far as to quit their jobs to devote themselves entirely to MMO gaming. However, there are no such extreme guilds in Hero Wars today.
• Traditional hardcore Hero Wars guilds are known for embracing the challenges of CoW and guild raids, while consistently achieving high scores. For top players, economic freedom, strategic thinking, and individual skill are key, and a reasonable amount of play time is acceptable for the overall success of the guild. These players value serious competition with a flexible time commitment – a quality that has long been a hallmark of Hero Wars. In general, however, the longer a game requires a significant time commitment, the faster players tend to leave, a trend that is especially noticeable among paying users.
• In my opinion, even the top guilds in CoW aren’t fully committed to AoC. Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, CEOs and employees have returned to the office – people work during the day and sleep at night. What about the Area of Conquest? During waking hours, one should keep the screen on, not take their eyes off it during meals, and check the battle situation every two hours while sleeping. The top players required for AoC are those who can do this. Those who cannot will not win against those who can. Additionally, various forms of cheating have begun. Many people are criticizing this current situation.
• In Hero Wars, Guild Wars, Clash of Worlds (CoW), and Guild Raids are the backbone of the game. Players strive for the best possible results in a limited number of tries each week. Each battle is a high-stakes, two-minute showdown that requires careful preparation and strategy. This sense of tension and urgency is what makes these battles so compelling. The ToE follows the same principle, reinforcing the core challenge that defines Hero Wars. Meanwhile, the AoC introduces a different kind of competition-one based on gameplay time. When viewed in the broader context of the game, it offers a unique competitive element that sets it apart from other battle modes.
• Some might argue that Arenas and arena events like Cosmic Battle are also real-time contests. However, in Hero Wars, where team-based combat is the main attraction, these modes are not considered the main content. Many players share this view. In addition, because Arena Battles are individual challenges, certain aspects have been more leniently accepted. Unlike guild-based battles, where your performance directly affects your team, Arena battles allow players to participate at their own pace. There’s no pressure to push yourself too hard because your efforts don’t affect your guild. Because of this flexibility, players are less likely to feel overwhelmed or consider leaving their guild because they are struggling with Arena Battles.
• Some may feel that my perspective here is extreme. However, when striving to win in this game mode, players inevitably go through this thought process and experience its limitations.
• Of course, for those facing opponents with vastly different power levels, this mindset may not be an immediate concern. Instead, I believe the real issue right now is matchmaking.

Policy Setting

• Given all these factors, how should we approach AoC?
• It’s clear that we shouldn’t take it too seriously-taking it to the extreme leaves little room for work or sleep.
• However, the mode is designed to capture the fun of real-time competition in the pursuit of victory.
• Players’ attitudes toward AoC vary: some want to put in all the effort, while others feel they’ve had enough. I personally experience both of these feelings. Human emotions aren’t static; they ebb and flow like the tide.
• While AoC has its appeal, its current problems make it a challenging addition to Hero Wars. Overemphasis on this mode could have long-term side effects.
• For now, I believe the best approach is to either engage with AoC within reason or consider stepping away from it altogether.

Supplement: Why introduce this game mode?

• It seems that Hero Wars recognized the challenge of filling idle time, as suggested by comments in the commercial.
• There was also a desire to broaden the user base – from casual players to more dedicated players – with the goal of improving long-term retention. However, the core audience for Hero Wars is unique, and standard operational strategies may not apply.
• In addition, there may have been concerns about the limitations of traditional competitive metrics in preventing cheating.
• In response to market trends and the successful strategies of other games, the focus shifted to events such as AoC.
• However, it appears that user evaluations may have been misjudged in certain aspects. For instance, Golden Threads and Patterns are offered as ranking rewards even to F2P players. Many users find these event rewards extraordinary, which leaves them in a position where they cannot accurately assess whether CoW or this event is more advantageous.

Are you having fun? Or are you tired already?

Event Guide

Area of Conquest

[Hero Wars Guide]Area of Conquest

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[Hero Wars Guide]Best Teams in the Area of Conquest 6

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