In the recent update OOO reduced the cr drops in jk runs (and other levels) to be more consistent across the gates...
This leads to some pretty blah game play as some mobs will pop and ... not drop <_< anything...
Here is what I suggest OOO do to both balance cr payout AND balance game play satisfaction from all dives, regardless of being boss level or not:
Have the 2nd strata in every tier end in arena only options, with at least 1 other arena mixed in to the dive!
Remember that Emerald gate with 4x arena? That was awesome!! Not just for the cr payout, but also for the fun of taking on all those arenas.
By making every dive end in an arena, every tier will have a sort of "boss" type feel to it. Also making every 2nd tier have at least 2x arena options will balance their payout to be closer to what a player could have earned doing jk grinds.
I think it's not too late for OOO to recall this "cr drop balance patch" and come out with a solution that keeps players from getting zero drop mobs, while also giving them incentives to adventure in non-boss gates for both challenge AND crowns ^_^
It seems they want t make it more difficult to buy energy with crowns. It seems, because they could balance every other stage to pay as much as Royal Jelly Palace. If somehow they think it'd be good, it's up to them, I wouldn't dare to interfere.
However, enemies without payout? What they could do is to increase heat payout in these cases. They should leave something after their defeat, no matter how minimal it shall be. It'd make those Heat Amplifier a little useful at last.
However, I don't think hey would recall this. They didn't do this about the infamous 2011/5/17's patch of chaos. Using Nick's (not fulfilled) words, "Over the next month, we plan to implement a new store that will allow players to "unbind" items. There will be a fee for doing so, roughly equal to the cumulative cost of crafting that item.", and no sign of reverting back the CE cost for craft (that subject wasn't even addressed).
Well... maybe it's a start for recalling that update... *----*
ILHedhehogs pokes the devs. Poke!
:3
Side-note: Please, take my comments lightly, OOO. Since I'm a very casual player, most of those "issues" doesn't bother me. But many of my friends gone out because of this. They said something that I didn't believe, but it seems more true as time passes: old players who helped making this game get mad because of it, they leave, fresh players come in, give income, and all those complaints are forgotten because there's no witness left from the past about how it was. In the end, even if it's not true, the image passed is that you don't care about your old base players.
I don't know how to ask it, or if I should... but please, bring my friends back.