tbf getting Huyang to 7 stars can be done ftp how much of that is expected in their assumptions
Getting all newly released characters to 7 star within 14 days cannot be done f2p. I mean you can do one every now and then, by farming up crystals, but there aren't enough crystals to do all of them, and there are probably better things to spend crystals on.
So 65 shards is what is expected for free. Anything above that has a price. I have never paid to get shards, and I'm not starting now - so likely I won't have to pay attention to the character quests at all.
That being said, I do think it is too early to completely dismiss their new era/episode design. We will have to see how it is at the end, and perhaps they will take some feedback to change it, if it is horribly disappointing for either f2p or p2w.
Capital Games Team
