Spiral Knights - Getting more playtime per day

Getting more playtime per day

32 replies [Last post]

Tue, 04/12/2011 - 11:54

Bookish

So, with all those threads on how CE is too expensive and everything should just be for free, I began thinking about whats the real problem here..

Because, the problem isnt really that you dont have enough mist energy or the elevator costs are too high, but that there's literally nothing to do once you've burnt through your energy (exept chatting in the arcade, but you can do that anywhere else, too, right?).

What we really need is an alternative to going down the clockworks. Something you can do without ME/CE. Of course, there would be little (to no?) reward in terms of mats/crowns, so theres still a good incentive to go delving. Now, what could that be? Of course, one possibility would be the PVP like we had in the preview. But I'm sure that there are many other good ideas..

What if the minerals dont turn themselves into gates? There could be a game to build them.. like a puzzle, or whatever other fun game you might think of.
Or a "training gate", built by us knights.. there could be many depths, and you could get something like a reward to show on your knight's page(if/whenever that gets implemented).
I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion on this, and your suggestions!

Edit: Moved to suggestions forum.

Tue, 04/12/2011 - 12:10

Kyajin

Sounds like a good way to

Sounds like a good way to think about the situation! Little social minigames and rewards whether in terms of items or simple achievements to keep players occupied sound good.

I always liked the idea of a public arena where people can go watch 2 people fight for fun or make bets

Tue, 04/12/2011 - 12:30

Game0ver

Legacy Username

I think Duels should be

I think Duels should be allowed in town. A duel would consist of a fight between two ppl. One player could click on another player, and challenge them to a duel, if the duel is accepted then a 5 second timer pops up, after the 5 seconds tick away, the duel is on. First one to lose all their health loses. Nothing is gained or lost from a duel. This could at least hold us over some untill PVP is finally released again! Plus it'd be good weapon/armor testing for PVP. :P

Tue, 04/12/2011 - 12:34

FossaFerox

Legacy Username

Has there been any comment on

Has there been any comment on why PVP was removed?

Tue, 04/12/2011 - 12:35

Zedoshi

Legacy Username

Challenge arenas merely for

Challenge arenas merely for fame to see how long you survive, or a gate that has monsters that drop no items, and your only goal is to speed run through and get the best time.

I do enjoy the thought of challenge arena. Two jelly kings at once, anyone?

Tue, 04/12/2011 - 12:41

Dogrock

PvP was removed because as it

PvP was removed because as it existed in the Preview Event was just a test. PvP will come back with some tweaks and fixes based on what the Dev's observed.

Wed, 04/13/2011 - 05:10

Bookish

Challenge arenas sound cool.

Challenge arenas sound cool. Duels too.. though I think it could get very annoying if some noob continually sent you a challenge to one (had that with trade request, already-.-).

Generally, I think it would be very nice if those little games would be tied to some sort of profile, where you can show off what you have done^^. That would make a profile useful, so it might be implented, which is something that has been asked for for a while..

Wed, 04/13/2011 - 07:54

Kaybol

Legacy Username

/mute

... it could get very annoying if some noob continually sent you a challenge ...

Simple solution: /ignore.

Other than that, pvp is a nice way to spend time when you're not dungeoning. 1on1 pvp would be an interesting option.

Wed, 04/13/2011 - 09:54

Giik

Legacy Username

Exploring the Surface of the

Exploring the Surface of the planet would be fun...
(yeah I made a thread about the surface but it died)

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 01:05

Bookish

another idea: Why not get a

another idea: Why not get a game where you can interact with the snipes? Like "entertain the snipes" or something? Those birdies are so cool and im sure many would like such a game..

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 01:21

#10

Ezzi

I like the idea of an

I like the idea of an infinite depth thing where monsters don't drop anything except consumables and you aim to achieve specific objectives and if you complete them you get a reward for your time. Maybe with highscores for extra incentive for bragging rights. Things that aren't worth doing but you do anyway because it's hard and because you're #1!

In before someone suggests the suggestion thread for an idea that hasn't been finalised yet.

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 05:29

#11

Bookish

Ezzi: Things that aren't

Ezzi: Things that aren't worth doing but you do anyway because it's hard and because you're #1!

What Ezzi said is the whole point in this suggestion. These games aren't meant to be truly worth your time in terms of materials or crowns. It's something that enables you to continue playing just for fun (or for fame), when you've run out of other possibilities to play your favorite game.

I believe that this would take the tension out of the discussion about energy, because you aren't left without something to do. And I also think that this would result in a higher chance that players, especially new ones, will come back the next day to use their regenerated energy.

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 08:33

#12

TheAurablaze

Legacy Username

Minigames? Awesome!

I love the idea of minigames in these kinds of games. It gives us casual and new players something to do in the game that's entertaining. As for pvp, as great as it is(and in the game), I'm not really happy about it. Lets face it, some kind of ranking system needs to be implemented in it so players with 4-5* gear don't dominate the pvp.

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 15:28

#13

SirNiko

Legacy Username

Ezzi's idea is great. So long

Ezzi's idea is great. So long as the dungeon does not generate heat, materials or crowns it doesn't matter if it's completely free to run - players can run it as many times as they like. Leaderboards or collectible achievements would satisfy the Achiever types. Goofy, randomized versions that are more silly than difficult would be great for socializers.

Players would continue to gripe about having their progress per day limited by energy, and that would not change, but it would alleviate the genuine concern that there is nothing to do when your energy runs out without harming the monetization model of the game.

Mon, 04/18/2011 - 18:38

#14

Sketchytexas

Legacy Username

@Ezzi

Great idea, that sounds like a great way to spend some extra time without having to spend ME or CE.

Tue, 04/19/2011 - 11:39

#15

Sirrocco

Legacy Username

I'll note that these things

I'll note that these things would still burn developer time and server cycles. They're not a bad idea, but you'll do better with them if you can find some way to tie it back around and make them produce some profit for Three Rings.

Thu, 05/12/2011 - 06:55

#16

Tennispro

@ Sirrocco

Bit of a bump, but in response to your comment, the OP's title pretty much said it all. "Getting more playtime per day".

I believe the concern here is that new players are growing restless, and although I have seen the complaining subside, at the release, there were a number of new players opposed to the "pay-to-play" system. Personally, I believe the current system works wonderfully, but many new players have never gotten attached to the game because they want more game material, or playtime; hence, they leave the game and move on.

What the OP is suggesting may not produce an immediate revenue for Three Rings, but it WOULD increase player retention. And ultimately, as players stay for longer periods of time, there is a greater chance that they will spend money on the game.

Having said all this, do I think that Three Rings will implement these ideas soon? Not necessarily, but maybe in the future. Right now, the game is still very new to the majority of players, and the initial novelty has not worn off, and most likely won't for a significant period of time. In my opinion, Three Rings doesn't need to waste manpower on releasing new features quite yet, but should focus on beefing up the backbone of the game first; i.e. fixing bugs, introducing features such as the Auction House, and improving server function, (especially for those poor folks in Australia, though this one might be a bit unrealistic).

Thu, 05/12/2011 - 13:09

#17

spookas

Legacy Username

+1 to Ezzi's idea. Given

+1 to Ezzi's idea. Given that what we're suggesting is, essentially, that the game provides more free entertainment for non-paying players, it's unlikely that the devs will want to spend a lot of effort developing it. So something that uses the game's already-existing mechanics - training rooms against specific monsters/types, challenge rooms, etc. - is the best bet.

Thu, 05/12/2011 - 13:16

#18

Fenix-Stryk

+1 +1 +1

+1, we've had threads for Ezzi's idea before, but I really think we nailed it in this thread. Give us that infinite dungeon, Survival mode, "How far can you get?" challenge we're dying for!

Thu, 05/12/2011 - 21:37

#19

Kauro

Legacy Username

random generated infinite

random generated infinite dungeon, how far can you go :O

They may impliment something like this. but as it stands when i run out of ME or CE... i buy more T_T....

I like playing, forcing me to buy energy or spend crowns to keep playing is helping their pockets....

Oh how I desperately want an infinite dungeon though, or an arena.... make it so that it costs 1 ME to fight in the arena... and the winner takes all =D
there could also be a free "Skirmish"

D: ....im so tired of spending money.

Thu, 05/12/2011 - 23:22

#20

Pawn

@ FeinxStryke

Yes, yes, yes, yes. And i like the idea of it putting on the inspect screen how deep you've made it too.
I would soooooooooo want to be able to pay energy and collect mats while you are at it. Even if they are rare/seldom. Studies show certain things about rewards at random intervals that imply we would miss mat drops maybe more than we realize.

Furthermore, i kinda think no mats and i'd do it a couple times. Mat drops, and i'd do it over and over. Maybe mats/heat, but no crowns and pay 5 energy per floor? Maybe make it optional pay energy and u get mats/heat drops, don't pay and u just grind for depth--either way deepest depth shows up on inspect screen? IDK, i just like discussions :) Either way i want this.

P.S. this is the type of thing that would make me want to relentlessly get better at the game!! I love benchmarking.

Thu, 05/12/2011 - 23:25

#21

Pawn

BTW

Does anyone remember (i think it was) Lufia, where there was the never ending dungeon (i think it was never ending, i was young when i played it) and you started out every time with basic equipment and no items? But there were weapons/armors that were awesome called Iris armor/sword/etc and they could be found in treasure chests in the dungeon. And when u went back into the dungeon in the future all gear was reset but you were allowed to take you iris equipment back in and thus grind deeper. My facts might be off, i played it so long ago, before i even understood you could be good or bad at a game, lol.

Fri, 05/13/2011 - 02:33

#22

Kaybol

Legacy Username

Nice idea, but playing

Nice idea, but playing without energy means you can't power the elevators. I propose we substitute the elevators on free levels with holes, which you have to jump down to the next floor. As a result you'll have a hard landing on the next floor and lose some health.

</kidding>

Fri, 05/13/2011 - 02:39

#23

Raul

I'm still in favor of mist

I'm still in favor of mist energy being completely regen'd after 16 hours.

Fri, 05/13/2011 - 02:39

#24

Raul

Nice idea, but playing

Realism win!

Fri, 05/13/2011 - 14:16

#25

SirNiko

Legacy Username

The Dungeon in Lufia was not

The Dungeon in Lufia was not never ending, it had 98 randomly generated levels and the final level was non-random and contained a special boss.

That would be a great model for a Spiral Knights infinite dungeon, especially due to the huge assortment of equipment available in-game. You could find equipment frequently in each floor, and as you progressed you'd have to make tough decisions about what to equip when you reach the next rest area. The result would be as much a challenge of survival as using the resources you find.

Fri, 05/13/2011 - 15:23

#26

Shidara

Legacy Username

A suggestion, but...

Okay, so I heard talk about a PvP arena, and I had a thought.

What if we have a small arena in the Town Square, and like mentioned, you can challenge players to a 1-on-1 duel. Now, the reward for winning a duel would be gaining Mist Energy (amount can be debated), but losing gives you a one hour time-out from doing another duel and also entering the gates and joining parties. This way, players who ran out of Energy can get a chance to earn some back to do more runs, but if they lose they'll be timed out from doing anything else so that the loser isn't completely without a stake.
To not make players with high-level gear too overpowered you can challenge them to lower "tier" duels. Know how your 2* gear doesn't reach full power in Tier 1 and your 4* gear doesn't reach full power in Tier 2? That. You can challenge players to Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 settings and your gear will be adjusted to that level. Of course, vitapods will be provided for higher Tier challenges. Moreover, people who have not reached the respective Tier in the Clockworks can not challenge anyone with that Tier setting, so if you have not ventured into Tier 3 you can not challenge someone with that setting enabled.

So that is the idea I just got. Whether or not this is a good idea can be discussed, but I think it would make things more interesting for those who can not do more runs in the Clockworks.

Fri, 05/13/2011 - 16:19

#27

SirNiko

Legacy Username

The ability to duel and bet

The ability to duel and bet CE on the outcome would be a phenomenal CE sink (if the house took a cut each time) as well as a griefing vector for players with unrealistic expectations of their skills.

Fri, 05/13/2011 - 21:11

#28

Raul

We currently need more crowns

We currently need more crowns sinks not ce sinks.

Fri, 05/13/2011 - 22:10

#29

Shidara

Legacy Username

-Crystal- Energy sink?

Where ever did I mention Crystal Energy? I also didn't mention betting... Or maybe that's a reply to a previous post. Oh well.

Sat, 05/14/2011 - 05:44

#30

smithmummy

Legacy Username

pvp

the ability to duel and bet on the duel would be nice and a guild wars system would be cool to

Mon, 05/16/2011 - 21:59

#31

Elrick

Maybe they could simply allow

Maybe they could simply allow you to enter the clockworks for free but you would get no heat, crowns, drops or recipes? They could simply tag you as a freeloader. Maybe boot you as soon as you die. I don't think it would be to hard to implement and I don't think it would use too much bandwidth or server resources.

Fri, 07/01/2011 - 10:04

#32

Varja

Count Me In

I read a suggestion in the forum about a large Arena to fight enemies. That fits in with what your saying perfectly. Count Me In.

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Getting more playtime per day