But what would be a win condition? Frankly, its not difficult beat a lot of these levels without dying, unless its a double danger room arena level.

while playing these energy-less levels you don't recover any energy. that seems like a fair way to go

"once you run out of energy your basically done playing for the day"
You can:
1)buy more energy
2)trade stuff and get some profit that eventually could lead to point 1
3)PVP--> 3.1 Bomberman/ 3.2 Lockdown
4)find a friend that pays elevator
5) hang out and chat with someone
6)try random stuff at training hall

I've been playing since the game came to steam, bought CE, got my 5* and spend almost as much time on the forum as I do the game. Once you grasp the concept of CE as a currency instead of a resource, the game's methodology is a lot easier to understand. When you boil it down, everything is driven by money management. From elevators, to crafting, to trading, even special items, that mental hurdle is often the hardest to overcome.

Think about it. Your given a 100 energy allowance a day to use however you please. Once its expended, you have to wait for it refill or use your spoils to obtain CE. As your short term goals shift, like upgrading equipment, you shuffle your resources in a way to help speed up the process. Purchasing CE is considered a direct investment, and the sudden attachment of a $$$ value behind it heavily changes your perception on its use.

I think it wouldnt work because three rings wouldnt have a way to earn money.If i didnt know that it wouldnt work i would suggest -5 elevators

There have been discussions regarding the amount and rate of refill for Mist Energy.

I support an option to accommodate more playtime styles.

The current model is a daily rotation with a low cap, totaling a max of about 700 Mist Energy per week. The playtime style this caters to is a short window everyday, assume an hour per day and thus 7 hours per week.

My playtime is not usually daily, so the refill rate is being wasted while the tank is full. As a solution, I would choose an option that allowed me the same amount of playtime per week just in fewer sittings. If I chose to play twice weekly, I'd like to have the equivalent of 350 Mist Energy or 3.5 hours worth of playtime available. I am aware that having more Mist Energy would alter the economy balance. As the counterbalance to this, I may be willing to accept not using Mist to craft or similar restrictions.

Alternate solution: rather than expanding the Mist Tank, purchasing an Elevator Cost Reducer. Much like the Trinket and Weapon Slot Upgrades, this item could have a limited lifespan (time played, elevators taken, or real world clock) and effectively reduces the elevator cost. Thus the same 100 Mist Energy now grants me the same playtime as a larger Mist Tank. The effects on the economy are reduced as the cost of elevators are the only direct impact.

The best of both: A secondary item, Elevator Supplemental Charge, that refills in parallel to the Mist Tank, but both more slowly. As elevators are taken, it reduces the mist cost and both are depleted. As the refill time on Mist is now longer, this choice should not have a tremendous affect on crafting.

For the big CE package, you get 400 energy per dollar, that's 10 levels a quarter. That's like a round of pac-man. Not that expensive.

Lol. You can get the game cards from walmart for 20 bucks. I spent 40 dollars total, figured most consle games are worth that much.

Also, Negatory , I belive these are the fourms you saw concerning "mist tank expansions";

http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/33289
http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/33056

I proved both of them flawed, to a good degree. Increasing mist rate or maximum mist would damage the CE price, allot. Lowering the level costs would probabaly do the same thing, unless you lowered the crowns on those levels to an equal amount.

Yes, we could have a better training ground, but not actuual level gameplay. The current ATH sucks. Kinda like the GH's.