Two Servers
Thu, 11/25/2010 - 12:55
I would like two servers for a testing period
One with everything in stores, not everything has recipes(like now)
and one where stores only carry 0-1 star items
Recipes make everything else, just to see what would happen between both servers
The reason, players who buy energy can make easy crowns and buy all the good gear right in the beggining of the game
This is unfair to the players who play for free(don't want to pay, or can't)
Its a system that rewards those who pay by giving them a significant leap ahead of the crowd
Thu, 11/25/2010 - 16:37
#2
The idea of two servers, with
The idea of two servers, with slightly different rule sets -- one with just recipes, one with lots of equipment for purchase -- at release might actually make sense. Different rules, different expectations, etc.
> The reason, players who buy energy can make easy crowns and buy all the good gear right in the beggining of the game
This is unfair to the players who play for free(don't want to pay, or can't)
Its a system that rewards those who pay by giving them a significant leap ahead of the crowd
So here is a question for you: Do you enjoy playing the game to get the stuff, or do you want to just jump to the end?
In WoW terms: Do you regard everything from level 1 to (level_max - 1) as just "preparation and training", with the "real game" only starting at level_max? Or is the trip from 1 to max itself fun and part of the game?
For WoW, for me, first month it was out: Bashing creatures too dumb to do much wasn't fun.
Being able to go all the way through an area, but only expected to go 1/3rd of the way, then 2/3rds of the way, and then the whole way, wasn't fun.
Moving around an encounter zone to the rear, and single-shotting the boss from the back and avoiding all the guards was ... well, actually, that gave me a smile.
But the basic combat that you did over and over wasn't fun.
A structure might be fun, but none that I saw that month.
In YPP terms: Is a sea battle fun? Your basic combat is sea battle, over and over. And for me, for a long time, it was.
Here: Is playing with zero-star equipment off Haven fun? How about two-star off Moorcroft?
If the answer is yes, then buying better equipment for Haven changes it from fun to boring. It shortens the fun playtime of the game.
Buying energy and selling it for crowns to make money: Some people want to skip part of the game. Their desire to get crowns now means that other people can play the game for free by buying their energy.
Some people will play and grow at rate "base" (mist energy only). Some will play faster by buying and using energy. Some much faster by buying and selling energy. Some will buy crystal energy from the exchange, going faster than base, but slower than the energy buyer/users.
Choose your desired rate of play and expense level.
Thu, 11/25/2010 - 19:44
#3
Those high level items in the
Those high level items in the Bazaar are not going to last. We currently just want higher level weapons in player's hands for testing each tier. Later on things will get more recipe-centric once I add the rest of the recipes (lots) and make some adjustments to mat drop rates.
Thu, 11/25/2010 - 20:52
#4
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Hi, I'm the 'not so great player' in question. I got invited a couple of days ago by a group of friends. Instead of farming for hours I spent a thousand-ish energy to gear myself up so I could run with them. I'm currently in a position where I have a lot of obligations, and play a variety of games. A game where I can spend a few quid to keep up with my friends is actually pretty ideal right now.
Now I can see where the OP's coming from, I've shared a similar viewpoint before. People should not be able to buy their way to victory. At the same time though, is a micro payment set up like this viable with recipes only? If there isn't people buying energy to convert to crowns, it's going to cost a lot of crowns to buy energy meaning unless you make a ton of crowns you're stuck playing for the 100 free energy a day or buying energy.
OP said - "This is unfair to the players who play for free(don't want to pay, or can't)
Its a system that rewards those who pay by giving them a significant leap ahead of the crowd"
The game developers should be rewarding people that are playing their wages. After playing PP for years and watching a bunch of people coming along throwing a ton of money at the game to get ahead only to fall flat on their face, I'm not worried about people doing what I did to 'jump a few levels'. Remember, a million crowns wont make you a good player. You still have to spend time learning how to use their chosen equipment effectively and leveling your gear.
On topic - I don't actually see how two servers would be beneficial to the testing process at this stage anyway. You have to remember, we're here to test the game. Any fun and achievement you get on top of that is a bonus.
Thu, 11/25/2010 - 22:06
#5
Per Nick's comment
Speaking in purely selfish terms, I actually like that fact that high-level items can be purchased pre-made with crowns: this encourages people to use the exchange, and drives down the prices for testing. Having them all in the haven shops is a bad idea, but somewhere? That'd be ok.
That said, at least part of the need for lower energy prices is the fact that several of my 3-4* weapons/armor were downgraded to 2-3*, and new 4* items were introduced to take their place. Not to sound cranky, but I'd *very* strongly prefer that you never again ask for real money to craft an item, then downgrade it and charge more real money to craft a new item of comparable power to the original version.
I realize that we'll eventually get the energy back when the game launches- but that might be a very long time out for now, and play now thus still requires double-paying. I know that this side consequence of star-nerfing wasn't intentional, but it's something to keep in mind for the future: being charged twice for the same item isn't much fun. That's the awkward thing about charging real money during an early testing phase.
On the other hand- hopefully getting some cashflow now will stabilize things and let you continue all the great development work you're doing, at the pace you need to do it right. Hope you had a great thanksgiving!
Fri, 11/26/2010 - 02:44
#6
>implying that the current
>implying that the current state of SK is how the game will be at launch
Creating servers with different rulesets is, in my opinion, a terrible idea for any game. It divides the player base. It also acknowledges that the game's own rules are not well-designed. If the rules are well-designed, then there is no need to create multiple rulesets. That's the way I see it.
totally agree, seeing as i saw a not so great player (spiral scale equip) with a winmillion as he bought energy and sold it to buy it. maybe counter this with a better chance of getting good uniques? so there is more of a need to craft? i think kyms idea is good as many players arent cashed up at this very moment, and those who are basically win the game without needing any skill.