About the Angry Birds 2 Arena

[floppy birdface]

I had the update load automatically. I am a Level 48 and mostly level 8 birds. I did well in the arena and was almost always in the top 3. Now I can’t get past the second prize in the arena. I am either up against someone 20-30 levels higher with all level 11-12 birds or someone my own level, but my birds seem really underpowered. I guess I won’t be playing the arena much anymore…

[AngryPlayer]

Treasure chests now giving x3 of certain spells. I just got x3 Ducklings and later on x3 Pig Puffers.

[Buzz1]

I posted the paragraph below a while back. I have also seen 3 of the same bird in an opponent’s starting inventory. In short, maybe the birds shown as his starting 3 aren’t in the order he used them.

I have a bunch of screenshots showing two of the same bird in an opponent’s starting three. That includes some with the same bird in the first (leftmost) and second positions. Could someone evaluate this possibility: If the opponent has flung 11 birds when he played the game, those 11 birds are displayed to us in random order and not in the order in which he flung them.

[Epic Buttstomp]

I have 6 games today so far and managed to get the winning streak going to the end again. Some opponents are still in lvl 15 and 16 but they are no longer the ridiculous supermen of yesterday. Either Rovio has listened or certain factors start balancing themselves out with enough people running the new version.

Structures strength seems to be back down to pre-update levels.

Others in front of me are no longer growing as fast as they used to.

More observations are needed.

[Anonymous]

For the first time in a loooooooong time, I am into the new week of the arena within seconds of last weeks arena ending.

[Davetv]

Me too

[hamvestor]

Can someone explain how the “beachwear” hats (x2) fit in with the crowns, etc.? If a bird has all of the x2 hats, does that mean that the score is multiplied by x6? Should I buy a x3 cowboy hat for one bird instead of adding beachwear hats to 5 birds? Is any of this explained anywhere? Thanks!

[DDeck]

@james-simon

I think that it is only multiplied by x2, no matter how many x2 multipliers you buy.

I am assuming that if you buy one full set of x2 hats, you get the silver sling. You’re next full set gets you a gold sling. Your third full set gets you whatever comes next. (But because a full set of cowboy hats apparently gets you an azure sling, I have no idea what comes next.)

As I’ve shown, under the current conditions of the game, you only face opponents with the same sling. So I don’t see the point at all to add more modifiers (hats) of the same level. If you already have one full set of x2, then move on and start buying x3.

Now that we can see which hats the other players are using, it’s even more clear to me that the strange hat usage we see from our opponents (e.g., silver sling but many birds with party/no hats) is not real. It’s most likely manipulated post-run, server-side, by rovio.

[hamvestor]

@ddeck, thanks much for the lucid explanation. I will go for the additional cowboy hat… And I also got into the new Arena and my gems and pearls within seconds of the contest ending.

[Nevermind]

@james-simon

Regardless of the multiplier, you need to complete a set to update your sling.

[Katydid]

Also your not just matched to players with the same sling shot. I have had opponents with all kinds. Everything from no upgrade to azure. I can’t comment on the hats because I really don’t know what they will do for us. As usual no explanation from Rovio.

I waited 30 minutes to try logging into the arena. I was shocked when it connected!

[DDeck]

@katydid

I have also had opponents all over the place too, with different slings, etc., but that was only during the first week or so after the introduction of hats. Since that time, I have only ever had opponents with my same sling and my same star level (excluding the initial botched release of this most recent upgrade).

If you are still seeing opponents with a different sling than you, then you and I are in different groups within Rovio’s grand experiment of tweak playing conditions while observing which positively impacts revenue the most.

[kelshe]

Got back in almost immediately. In less than 45 minutes a player has 145 points. Can’t compete with that.

[Nevermind]

@katydid Each hat set levels your Sling in the same way you advance in the arena – absent Vanilla – starting with Bronze and ending with Diamond. There are 7 hat sets so you have the potential to get Diamond once you’ve bought all the hat sets.

[Katydid]

Yes still getting all levels of slings. Not only that but the arena ran a commercial that quit running causing AB2 to crash taking from level 6 to start again at 1.

Has anyone else notice a lag time in the arena? Sits for a minute before searching for an opponent?

[Jon S]

@ddeck This is how the slings upgrade work, and it actually doesn’t matter which sets you complete

1st hat set (HS): bronze +1 multiplier
2nd HS: silver +2
3rd HS: gold + 3
4th HS: Azure +4 (you can get the azure without buying cowboy hats)
5th HS: Emerald +5
6th HS: Amethyst +6 (all lesser hats + cowboy hats are required)
7th HS: Diamond + 7 ( you get everything)… I already have seen a player in this weeks tournament that has such

@katydid

I have noticed it several times. Must be at their end. Also something very weird…I came to collect my weekly arena winnings simulataneously on both my Ipad and IPhone, and somehow landed up in 2 VERY different tournaments with one player Nifty being the common player in both tournaments. That’s the 3rd week in a row I’m seeing her. I’m 2nd on the Ipad and a distant 5th on iphone (1st guy Jet is leading with 195). Of course, what’s complete without having a player who likely cheated his way into getting all the pirate hats and diamond sling shot.

On a brighter note..I finally upgraded my slingshot to Azure. Problem is I have 2375 pearls banked. I collected 2 cowboy hats (need 5 to upgrade to emerald). Dilemma is should I continue with cowboys or start buying pirates?

[Penz]

Oh great, did not know that. Just spent all my pearls buying the full cowboy hat set and was wondering why I only got the bronze sling?? Should have bought all the cheaper sets 1st then,sigh.

[Maiasatara]

TWICE already this morning the Arena has frozen at the point where I should be watching a video for an extra bird!!! Once at the fifth round and now again in the SEVENTH! I only need 100,000 points and this set of 500 feathers will rank my bird up to a 12. Everything is pulsing but can’t select. The first time I gave up and tried selecting everything, video, play on and X to close but none worked. I always open another AB game first which usually works. This time I’ve opened THREE others and played levels but get back to AB2 and it’s still frozen. Of course, when I force close the app it doesn’t reset to the level where it froze but resets back to 1. Amazing how, in the face of the game’s own failure the player is the one punished. I’ve suggested before that the game owes me a variety of all items – spells, gems, pearls, tickets, etc. and I’ve been about 75% serious. Now this is absolute, outright inexcusable greedy bullshit, Rovio, and I’m serious now. YOU OWE ME @hank. I actually got promoted to Amythest (after being demoted two weeks in a row.) I think because I was a lucky player who got into arena right away. This week, after an hour, the leader had 167 to my 46. I’m sorry, but if Rovio thinks it’s reasonable that the only way to win again is to set my alarm for every three hours and spend a week of my life never entering REM sleep, they are insane. I lived very well during the two demotions. I just have to quit. You’re banking, literally, on finding players who don’t quit when things in our real lives get tough. This is finally my breaking point. It’s bad enough with all the ploys while the game is working. But to start freezing us out in a variety of ways is the epitome of kindergarten childish greed. If this resets me back to zero and no attempt is made to compensate me it will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. I will be done. And if you think I’ll be spending money in the bullshit daily challenges in Seasons think again.

[sierrahtl]

Ok, so I haven’t ever posted before to the forum though I have been playing for well over one year. No, I don’t have 35 wins in the weekly challenge but I have won one, also have a silver and several bronzes. I have spent money. (perhaps a lot). Here is what I think I need to mention to all the players at levels 7-12.

Stop freaking out when the game (but especially the Arena) changes.

What I have noticed, and you should too, is that when you first start playing the game and your birds are weak, is that the games “teaches” you not to try some things. Aim at that with Red and it doesn’t fall over, aim at something else with another bird and it never works. Now that you have been at it a while, your birds have gotten stronger, your aim better, but you haven’t noticed.

Whenever the game changes, try new stupid shots, especially when playing the regular levels. And if you have maxed out all the regular levels and all you wait for is each upgrade for more levels, go back to the beginning and play from there to see if you can increase your scores. (Without using spells). No doubt you can. Unlearn what has been learned, (that sounds a lot like Yoda) and you will see results without playing spells in the daily challenge or any where else.

Forget winning the weekly challenges for a while and learn what is possible.

[KLM13]

I haven’t received a special, other than the DC, since Friday. Anyone else noticing the same?

[Katydid]

I’m with you Maiasatara I had the arena freeze because of a commercial glitch. Dang thing played then would close no matter what I tried. I had to exit the game which took me from the 6th level back to the 1st. Thanks Rovio!

Today the daily challange on the boss level tossed Terrence thru a pass-thru and he stuck at the top of both ends??? Just vibrated until the game crashed. At least rebooting took me to the start of the boss level again not level 1. Have not sent in a help ticket yet, waiting to cool off so I don’t say anything obscene.

[DDeck]

@katydid @maiasatara

I often have problems with the UI becoming unresponsive when the game is paused. Yesterday, I was down by a few thousand points on the 6th match of a streak. The UI became unresponsive on the watch a video screen. Had to close the game and of course reset the streak.

Took a video. You can see me attempting to tap the different buttons to no avail.

You can see the video at google photos.

[Davetv]

Everyone has been quiet. Looks like rovio finally tried to step up and lose a little greed. Nope that was just a pipe dream. The new king pig challenge is like a carnival game. If you want to win you will have to spend money (gems). OH those coveted black pearls. Since the update I have won one without spending gems. Today I went through all of the regular DC levels on the first run. The KP Challenge I went through with flying colors like every time so far. Today I had 5 birds on the final level oh but none were chuck. So 300 gems later and 9 more birds I get chuck who is the only bird that can reach the king pig. I’ve just been learning over the last few days that you can back out of the KPC once and it gives you 3 minutes to get back in. If you back out after that or if you back out on the final level you’re done for the day. Like I said it’s a money maker for rovio.

[Jon S]

@davetv

Right you are. Yesterday I managed to get to the of KP boss (bamboo forest thing) and the damn king positioned himself right below the portal where he intially came out of at the start of the level. 240 gems later and absolutely NO BIRD could get to him.

Played on my Iphone, this time he landed a few mm behind my slingshot. This time 180 gems were spend and managed to pop him with the most minute flings. Sickening, especially for a measly 50 pearls.

So far the arena matching is back to fair, but geez it frustrates me to see people get 300-400 star lead in just a few hours. Very odd that I’m playing 2 very different tournaments. One I’m second place with 720 stars, while I’m a distant 5th (1st guy has over 920).

[Katydid]

My matches went back to being semi-fair. At least all the players show gold slings. I don’t really think they. They are just set to mimick mine. I mean who has a gold sling and plays birds with party hats or no hats?

I turned in a help ticket on the commercial hang up in the arena that took me from level 6 back to 1. Also on Terence vibrating at both ends of a pass thru on the daily challenge. I finally got a response asking me where I was located????