So I am almost to Tier 3. I've been chatting with my evil nemesis, Soral (long story). He is T3, and says that the game is kind of slow and boring after you reach 5star.
So may I ask: is there an Endgame? Does the game become boring after 5*? Is the Arcade fun still? Is there life beyond Vanaduke runs?
Please answer my question.
depends on how you look at it. Its not boring to me since I have very deep ambitions, but for some it is since there isnt too much endgame exclusive content. Is there life beyond vana in T3 well no & yes. if you care about making money to get all the items you want then NO. If you play tbe game for enjoyment and dont care to much for money then YES. the only problem is their is more people with the first option so its very hard to find like minded people who pick the second option.
You can get a few accessories, and plan your second set. One set is usable, but a second really increases your flexibility. You can also play lockdown if you wish.
After that, it's up to you. Running shadow lairs is pretty fun, and I bet the expansion is fun too. I appreciate how quickly you can reach end-game here. I don't need to put in ridiculous hours to get to max level like in some games.
Depends on your moral of why you play Spiral Knights.
Depends on what you are trying to do in Spiral Knights. I've been able to endlessly entertain myself at endgame for several months now. However from the point of "content" (like levels to do and such), I've completed the game.
Yeah it gets a bit dull... but last time I got bored I picked up a Shivermist and have begun bombing ever since. I still have a MASSIVE self-made to-do list that is keeping me busy.
If you are almost endgame then there is plenty of fun left to be had. You can grind Vanaduke for a long time, going from a dead bump on the floor to an epic hero capable of solo'ing the duke. You can craft those other 5* gears you have always had your eyes on, but were to focused to get one full set up, to reach T3 levels.
You can go back and solo Jelly King. You can gain your full Ancient plate vanaduke killing trophy, complete with shield. You can get that FOV and go cripple jelly in seconds. You can collect crowns, build a costume above and beyond the 5* gear you use. You can gain and collect some max UVs (believe it or not, play long enough and you'll start getting some maxes, and some good ones!!!!). You can pick up that gun or bomb you always looked at--assuming since most people go swordie first. But if you went something else first, you can grab a sword for novel stimulation.
But alas, there are only so many hours of replay the game can provide. After a certain point, nothing short of new content can renew that original passion. You can still get a new toy, and enjoy it while leveling it up, but its not the same. You become disenchanted, you find you spend more and more time in have, and less and less playing. Then you find you spend less and less time logged, and that time, again is more of standing around talking to friends, or checking AH.
Then you find you even log in less and less. And you finally come to the point of so many of us jaded, bored, but still wanting, players. You log in, you play a couple days in a row, for old times sakes, then you go back to standing around and watching, and waiting and waiting and waiting. then you get further jaded as all your waiting never amounts to something new to do.
But if you are like us, you'll continue to hang on, to hope, if not entirely believe. You spend more times on the forum as a way to stay attached to the game, while not really being attached to the game. If you are like me, you'll turn your sites to some in game mini-game, i play Rommil Inc, Mawashimono plays the fashion appreciation game, and many players engage in lockdown. Some select few make a game of doing it as fast as possible, others of making it as difficult as possible.
What do all of us have in common? We are all struggling mightily to create our own new content in game, since triple O isn't doing it for us :( It shouldn't be our job to make up new content, but alas, again, we wish to stay involved, and involved in some meaningful way.
So yes, the game ends up fizzling out quite dramatically, once you rich your T3 saturation point. But if you are not T3 yet, then you have quite a bit of fun T3'ing to do before you reach your saturation point. And more importantly, build strong friendships in game while doing it, as those are what make the game meaningful once you burn out and become fully saturated--or even supersaturated--on T3, and effectively SK.
Altho, you have more hope than those of us who are already here. As we are, and have been, forever waiting. There is hope that by the time you reach our breaking point, that the new content (that we all hope but don't quite believe is coming) will be out!!
Lets see, I've been full 5* for.... 6 months now?
And no, if you want gear, you have to beat vanaduke or pay up.
But Rommil is 120% correct. As Avixi once put it- "Become like me you shall.- http://i.imgur.com/QWagc.png"
It should go without saying how outdated that picture is.
well, you could always play Lockdown, and get those awesome bomb head masks
I'll be honest - at this point I'm pretty much just sitting around for more content.
However, some users are creative enough to come up with special challenges and whatnot to do in Spiral Knights. Take this, for example. I'm sure you'll be able to find something to do besides constant Vanaduke grinding, so don't worry.