At the very least this should be implemented for super ascension, if not for phase unlocks as well. Right now, there’s really only a meta way, and you could scrap most AP offerings and no one would be affected. Changing the criteria allows for more flexible play. I work long days where I don’t get access to my phone, so for example, putting points into idle time and army camp production would help me without delaying getting to Super ascension because they’re not phase 4 upgrades.

+1

The tiers don't make sense once you've SAsc'd, esp the last 100k having to come from phase 4.

Just make the criteria to spend 134K AP total in order to SAsc.

I also do not understand, why AP has to be exclusively spent on the current tier in order to advance. Why does not it count spending AP on lower tiers? To me, it does not look like adding anything to gameplay. It really just forces players to spend AP certain way, reducing possible creative approach.

Can't recall in which context that was, but I suggested this in the forum at some point, too (or something very similar). And honestly, if you would sum up all AP spent in order to judge whether the next phase gets unlocked or not, this wouldn't mean that you would need to turn today's AP-limits into the new limits. Because realistically, no-one will seriously spent EXACTLY 1k AP on phase 1 and never come back to spend a single point more. Sure, phase 1 are the cheapest, but - to some extend - also some of the best ones. So, I'd guess almost everyone will in the end have spent at least 3k on phase 1. With this in mind, phase 2 would still be guarded by "1k AP spent", but phase 3 already could have a requirement of more than today's phase 2 + today's phase 3 and still not being more limiting (in real life game play) than the current situation. Hence, super-ascending might require something like 150k AP spent and that would still be fine (for most players). And it would be your choice on what you spent it. And if maxed out Increased Army Camp Production is your thing, go for it and it will still count towards your next super-ascension. That wouldn't however solve the problem that most of phase 4 doesn't really matter if you super-ascend shortly after unlocking them and they can't really support your play before all benefits are reset again in the process of super-ascending.

+999

Having to buy crappy updates in Phase 3 just to unlock 4 is kinda depressing. Most of my AP is still in phase 1 and 2....

Agree

nudging cause it deserves more attention

Having to buy crappy updates in Phase 3 just to unlock 4 is kinda depressing. Most of my AP is still in phase 1 and 2....

Each phase the requirements suck more and more. 1000 AP to unlock P2 is fine b/c it's only 1000 and there's >4500 AP of useful stuff in P1.

8000 to unlock P3 is mediocre, but 7718 on Inc AP, then Inc AV or Merc Disc to clear 8000.

But 25000 to unlock P4 starts getting ugly, but at least SL, Start w/Tech & Tech Disc clear 25000.

But 100K to SAsc is just dumb. There just isn't enough good stuff there that warrants 100K investment, esp if the intent is just to throw it all away and start over again.

Phase 4 AP Cost Adv Upgrade to level
5518 Better Hospitals 50%
25739 Inc Army Caches 100%
10044 Auto-Draft 0
23300 Inc Clan Req Size 300%
11810 Faster Digging 50%
9460 Cache Visibility 200
TOTAL 85871

Even all of the best options still only get you to 85K-ish, and the rest gets eaten up for AAQ, which you really only ever need @ 5-10% but I put higher just to get 100K, b/c there's nothing else appealing within P4. Tbh only BH, IAC & 5-10% AAQ are truly appealing. AAQ b/c it is a lot better than AQ just for the JS aspect, can be used much earlier in a level and without the care AQ requires to prep.

It would be better imho if it were at least perhaps invest 50K in P4, then another 100K anywhere in order to SASc. That way could max out IACP, Crafter Speed, etc, and maybe do some Tech Runs, rather than just investing in random P4 stuff.

Edited 5/20/2022 04:59:47

1000 AP to unlock P2 is fine b/c it's only 1000 and there's >4500 AP of useful stuff in P1

and it's the only phase you can invest early on... ;) No matter how we re-do the phase unlocking, as long as there still is some unlocking, you will ALWAYS have the situation that you have to spent some amount of APs in the first phase. This only gets resolved, if we totally screw over everything and invent another system to unlock advancements (something tech-tree-like for example, but that's not a popular idea either)

But redoing it for something totally different is a lot of coding work and balancing. I’m suggesting that if we simply change from Phase AP requirements to total AP requirements it’s a huge win for players, and now people can get what they want without worrying about slowing progress. Also, people will actually use a lot of AP things he coded that go unused today.

Agree w/Saltar, don't need a complicated solution, just a slightly tweaked, relaxed version of what's already there. Make it a perk of SASc, even. Give the first playthrough the spend requirements if you must, but beyond that just make it a "spend another 1000/8000/25000/100000 AP" instead of spend each limit in a specific phase.

pls dont lock it away after SASc, i want it now!

You still not SASc'd yet ?? jeepers