Happy Musings Thursday my friends! I’m back with another musings post for you. I’ve got some thoughts, so let’s get to ’em…
Time to wrap up THOH XXX with a pretty little bow. Because we all know, there’s no better time to talk about an update that just ended than in the middle of a new update that just hit! Of course, I’m saying that with a bit of tongue in cheek.
I would have loved to have wrapped THOH up last week, while it was still going on, but time, life, and content just got away from me. And, silly me, I did not see the Thanksgiving update coming. I don’t know why the timing makes total sense…given that Thanksgiving is next week. I guess all those time/space leaps we make on Addicts Live have finally caught up with me! 😉
Anyway, as I like to do after each update, it’s time to wrap up and review the 2019 Treehouse of Horror TSTO update…
And I’ll try to keep this short since I feel like we’ve dragged Halloween out long enough this year…
The Good
-As we’ve been saying for the last year, the storyline was once again the start of this update. Great dialogue all around.
-NEW prizes were good. 5 brand new, free, full characters in a 4-week event is a definite plus. I also enjoyed the Act 4 new prizes. It’s nice to finally have a Rigel VII to go with all the other Alien stuff I’ve collected over the years.
-Cash for old Halloween decorations, instead of crafting currency. This is probably my favorite of them all. I hate grinding for crafting currency when most players have hundreds of millions of TSTO dollars just going to waste. Bringing back old event decorations, and even adding some new ones, that would typically be part of crafting…and making them available for cash is great! More of this, please.
-New Premium content was also great. Only 5 new premium items, combos basically, was nice. It didn’t feel like new content was out of reach or a money grab. Plus the characters were great! Dr. Griffin is probably my favorite, 150 donut combo, character with this event.
-We got God! 777 donuts was a steep price to pay, and it really didn’t feel like he fit in with this event, but we got him and he’s glorious. Almost all tasks are visual, he earns $777,777 every 24hrs, and he’s freaking voiced! We may not see his face but we can hear his voice!
The Bad
-It started too late into October, which pushed it to run too long into November. Even at 4 weeks, this event felt EXTREMELY long. And that’s because it didn’t end until 3 weeks AFTER Halloween. Too long. Poor planning.
-The multi-event format is now past stale and into expired territory. The format felt stale in June. Now it just feels like meat that was left on the counter for a month and has turned rancid.
I love the four-week concept, but it needs some major tweaking! (and major tweaking does not mean bring back crafting!)
-Returning items on the prize track. I’m not a fan of this. I get it. But I’m not a fan. It feels like it really punishes long-time players. If EA wants to utilize a character from a past event for a current event (a concept that I love by the way), then they should make that character available in store as a cash purchase. Don’t put it on the prize track. OR if you want it on the prize track for newer players, don’t make the alternate prize (for those who already have it) 12 donuts. Come up with a special, new, prize as the alternate. Similar to what was done during the Casino event. There was a premium bundle offered of Miss Springfield, the Sleep Eazy, and Hostess Miss Springfield. If you already had Miss Springfield and the Sleep Eazy, you could just get Hostess Miss Springfield and a special casino sign as an alternate. This was nice, and it rewarded players for already owning Miss Springfield. (for those that don’t remember, more on it here)
Overall, I’d give the 2019 Treehouse of Horror event a solid C-. It was average, but it earns the – because it’s a big letdown for a Halloween Event. (the premiere TSTO event each year). The dialogue was great, prizes were great, but the concept at this point is rancid. And that alone kills the grade.
Thoughts? How would you grade the THOH event? Sound off below, you know we love hearing from you!
I agree with all your points, Alissa but I have some more of my own pros, cons and middle road on Halloween and partially multi events in general. (This does get lengthy by the cons part of my comment just a heads up) 🙂
Pros:
* The mystery boxes had some returning Halloween items that were not available in the Yearbook Mystery Box.
* Some of the prizes like Zia, Count Dracula, Dracula’s Castle were used more than once in the main questlines instead of being unlocked then moving on to the next prize.
* Most of the new items were Halloween related apart from God and the Ten Commandments, Malicious Krubb, Zia, Haagen Death, and Seven Sisters.
Middle road:
* The main questlines’ tasks were 8 hours instead of 4 hours which was annoying when the currency earners like Homer and Marge were sent away for 8 hours.
* The format wasn’t very demanding and only needed the characters being sent for 4 hours to earn event currency.
* The Halloween items could be added to a Halloween area in Springfield with previous years’ items or in existing places in Springfield.
Cons:
* Little things that would’ve made the event better includes an item limit increase by about 500 since the last increase was in March, land tokens in the prize tracks instead of the 12 donuts (I would’ve preferred 8 land tokens instead of the 8 lots of 12 donuts as alternate prizes to the returning prizes) or land tokens with some items, music playing in the background, darker screen or spooky ambiance, friend actions earning event currency (maybe 1 or 2 currency per building tapped with a max of 50 per day) along with the usual cash, xp, friend points and occasional donuts, and premium buildings and decorations that generate currency or returning items generating event currency. This could improve the multi event format if at least half of these were included.
* The prize buildings only gave permanent 4 hour tasks to the freemium characters that already have many 4 hour tasks. The prize characters should’ve had at least one permanent task at the prize buildings (like Game of Games done) apart from Lucy Fer Sa’tan having a task at the Manger and Rigel VII. Count and possibly Countess Dracula should’ve had a permanent task at Dracula’s Castle, Gelatinous Homer, Martin of the Opera and/or Zia having a task at Haagen Death, Zia having a task at the Seven Sisters, Gelatinous Homer having a task at the Three Bears Home are some possibilities.
* The Halloween outfit tasks for the kids of Springfield didn’t get used this year and haven’t been used in an event since 2016. Maybe upgrade the Nightmare Pile to send all the kids on the tasks instead of one at a time or add some Halloween outfit tasks to new kids like Lewis, Wendell, Allison etc.
Overall, it was an ok event which I would give a C as the average grade. Not a terrible Halloween event like some in the past but not the best one either. If some of the little things I mentioned were included then I would’ve gave it a B grade. This was also the first Halloween event to last 4 weeks while the past ones were 5-6 weeks long which was different since I remember the burn out from previous years and it was nice to not experience that in this event.
I know that the crafting of game content in major events can be (and IS) very tedious, but I don’t think that EA should completely eliminate crafting from future major events. Instead, I think that they should make it possible to buy extra crafting currency using game cash, then, maybe, the tediousness of crafting might be mitigated through the spending of game cash in order to keep crafting.
I know this won’t be a popular view but … I don’t have a problem with seeing old characters and buildings from previous events. I mean, I get it, I spent a load of donuts on Bleeding Gums Murphy, only for him to show up in an event a couple of weeks later, that was annoying, but here’s the thing, I got him and his tasks before those just playing the event, I got some donuts back (result), and the reasons I bought him in the first place hadn’t changed. So what I had I really lost? What did other players taking from me? Nowt, nada, not a sausage, buggy all.
Games like this live or die on new players and if you restrict old content why would they stay? That’s not punishing long termers, it’s attracting new players which the game needs so long termers can keep playing. As it is there are real benefits if you’ve been playing the game a while that have been hard earned and that includes content. Will new comers get the Golden Goose Realty? Almost certainly not. They can get a load of planes from the year book, can they get the airport? Nope. Then there is the cumulative benefits of longevity, having a few thousand in bonuses and generating a gazillion donuts a day is something that has to be earned and which new players can only dream of.
Me? I’m happy that my favourite game is still attracting new comers, it means that the game will continue to be developed. That’s a small price to pay for seeing old content show up occasionally, especially if I get some extra donuts along the way.
I’ve finally reached 939 but I’m a looooong way from earning the sort of reward most 939er have, even with bloodmobiles and the collider going constantly. So what? That’s the game, at least I can grind away and achieve those donut levels, eventually. I’lI probably never get the GGR, fair enough, but if thought I had no chance of getting my most popular characters, simply because I missed an event from a couple of years before I started playing … I wouldn’t have hung around.
Now, all that being said this wasn’t exactly the most engaging of events, was it? Badly timed, poorly plotted and a very strange mix of rewards. Seemed rushed (well it did until the thanksgiving event showed up, now that’s rushed). Again, who am I to complain? I got everyone’s two favourite aliens, and I paid precisely nothing for them and you know what? Imma gonna keep playin’ and I’m guessing for all the complaints most rappers on this site will too.
I’ve got a bug. I put most of my characters onto buying latest promotion at krusty krab for a daily. When i tap on it the money and experience comes out (and counts) and a dozen of the 30 or more characters. Then the characters go back in. The krusty krab doesn’t show anyone there. It didn’t register with the daily which i have now finished with some characters that were at a different krusty krab. It’s interfering with the event such that i set characters to the task but when i go back they haven’t been assigned.
I’ve restarted my phone and gone in multiple times with the same results. I’m tempted to store the krusty krab at fault but am afraid of losing all my characters. Before i contact EA do you have any suggestions?
Thx
Store and replace the building
Thanks. I was going to do that but wasn’t sure if I’d lose everyone. I’ll do that now.
Halloween is my fave event of the year, so I was disappointed. Fortunately, I was able to get all the previous THOH content I missed through the mystery boxes, so the event wasn’t a complete wash.
Events this last year has been 💩, since maybe the zoo event there has not been a big event in which they give us big pieces of land and all the prizes are related. I want events like the old west event or the scifi event😢
julius19
I think Flanders Family Reunion was the best Event this year (so far). We got everything cohesively related to Ned Flanders (you even got a chance to obtain what was available prior, even though that was always in the Mystery Box) and that meant lots of new voiced Characters.
The problem is Event Prizes that are prior Prizes (and given 12 🍩’s instead if you have them already) gets stale quickly.
These Weekly Events stretched into 4 Weeks (a different Event Prize group every week) has gotten stale …. time for EA to mix it up.
THOH 2019 was so inferior compared to last year, Item Limits is ruining it, and those without extra Land are punished for that too.
The good thing about the event was that we could play it at ease. I logged in like 3 times a day, and finished each part the latest saturday morning. The bad thing indeed was the returning content in the price track, and the fact that the event was a bit dull. They should really introduce (or re-introduce) things like friends interactions, or some capturing of things. Of all not the grinding. C- would be a mild score
Totally agree with your comments and solutions, a bit of a shake up by EA on some aspects would be good, I must admit I rushed the event a the end, just got bored and fed up with it, on saying that I added/created a new alien area and a Halloween area.
In my opinion Alissa’s C- should be upgraded to a C+ for two reasons. Though not completely gone the Bart Screen of Death has appeared FAAAAAARRRRRR less often for me since the event started and they did not introduce a major bug that made the game unplayable for 30% or more people with this event like usual. In fact, if I remember correctly those who were early to the event even found a bug that helped them enormously, even though I was not one of those lucky early birds.
Thanks again for your hard work, Alissa. I pretty much agree with you. Liked the prizes a lot (God – who is faceless because how can we really put a face on God – and the Rigellian prizes were my favorites). Dialogue was funny and sometimes creative. The overall story was just ok, however. And I agree about a new format, but just don’t think the old one would be right. I give the event a C+.
Wow.. just wow. Can we all just pause and take a minute and thank Alissa for all her hard work on these postings I counted three just today, and extremely detailed. Thank-you for your hard work and your time. I appreciate it very much and I’m sure the others do too.
🙂 As I just pulled myself off my couch to write another post for tomorrow morning…I really appreciate this
For the love of Flanders. We bitched and complained in prior dry months. The game is dead, Disney killed it. Programmers and writers are fed up. No more ideas. No more money put into game servers are dying.
I can keep going..
Can we be happy we are all still here? Playing new Events?
For the record, I’m the eternal optimist about TSTO. Always have been. I’m happy the game is still going. But the musings posts are meant to be my opinions, my thoughts on what the game got right and what could be done better.
Sure. Just not sure if we a celebrating a lingering illness, or not dying from a chronic fatal disease…yet.
Wow not sure how to reply to that..Going to call my Mom tell her I love her and hug my Wife and Kids.. 🙁
Exactly. Mission accomplished.
Or stay upbeat and be optimistic for a good outcome. They say that helps.
Sorry. Pragmatism come more naturally to me.
C – is too generous! I’m giving THOH 2019 a D !
Of it wasn’t for some of the new Premium Character Combos , or the return of Content that was offered up for Simpson’s $ , or the Week 4 / Act 4 Rigellian Collection? This THOH 2019 Event would’ve gotten an F! It does get worst THOH Event ever, because there was nothing cohesive story wise (most of the new Characters earned as Event Prizes sucked, too!)
I’m sorry but the late start sucked, but not as much as too many “here’s 12 🍩’s” for Prizes I already have, or the fact we had a 🍩’s deal you couldn’t even buy (EA epic failed and Item Limits is something they need to increase the most!)
#overit 🤬
Fair enough Alissa. My point is I hope we are all happy we have something to complain about 🙂
After that long dry spell..
I don’t mind getting donuts if I already have the prize. I just wish it was more than 12. Since all the premium items are in the Yearbook, I think we should get at least 30 donuts instead. Just my two sprinkles.
Italian Beauty
Agreed! If given 30 🍩’s (the equivalent for 1 try at the Mystery Box) vs 12 – that would be appreciated!
The constant returning Prizes offered up (when they should’ve been made available via a separate Mystery Box) is a no-brainer.
TSTO isn’t over as a Game App, but it’s definitely under manned, not managed well, isn’t getting the right tech support (then again, EA is under fire for a lot of “no buenos” across every platform they offer Games for).
Again – the discount 🍩’s offer that was a snafu (yeah that lost EA revenue and someone should be fired over it!).
Didn’t like it, I thought the story was lame and boring
I’m still waiting for the events to get back to offering prizes that can be placed together to form a cohesive and identifiable area…ie stonecutters, old west, and even the zoo event. The haphazard offerings that end up all over our towns are disappointing and make designing anything “event-centric” pretty much impossible. It’s fun to be able to remember an old event (and it’s prizes) by visiting that section of our Springfields. I realize that planning an entire event around a theme is harder than putting out 4 separate weeks of mismatched prizes and retreads, but I miss planning out an area and filling it
with prizes that make sense together…sigh…🙄
ebron
Thank you!
The only cohesive Prize wise to create (or expand upon) a section of Springfield were all of the Rigellian Content … we got 3 Weeks of what the hell is this?
a C- at best.. just because of the format of the event.. I can approve that.. ditto on all you have said.