I would also like to add that while I don't have BiS anything, I still can do just about anything in the game I want to do. And I don't play full time like a lot of players do. I simply don't have the time anymore. I usually play for an hour or 2 every day. My personal opinion, and it may not be the popular one, is that people are too worried about getting their stuff to legendary or mythic quality. While that is nice to have, it is not needed and the stuff is just going to be replaced with next expansion anyway (probably will always be true, as most MMOs do this). So just worry about getting it up as high as you have time for, and try to have fun in the game while doing it.
I actually agree with the sentiment here, but that is part of the big reason I'm "alienated" - because I want to play a game where I have other things to worry about than grinding RP. Getting gear up to legendary or mythic quality shouldn't be the be-all end-all of the late game, but unfortunately it has been made that way by design decisions in this game. I'd much rather be worried about trying to run dungeons and explore new areas with my friends or accrue more power points to try out different powers and builds on my character than whether or not I'm grinding enough RP, but the game is *not* at all friendly to that mentality.
Dungeon content was cut significantly, and no new ones have been introduced nor are they hinting at when they'll be back except to say "not Mod 7". (I know I sound like a broken record here but this is HUGE - end-game raids/dungeons are a huge component of end-game goals in many other MMORPGs)
New areas are incredibly repetitive and grindy, not to mention level progression in the end-game slows to an absolute crawl. It's more impactful to my character to grind for RP than it is to grind for levels past 70, and that's saying something.
No solid way to participate in the only large group content (Tiamat) as a group other than to try 'timing it' properly.
If want to dump time (and not money) into the game, there really is only one outlet for me to do so - and that's grinding out RP/XP/AD. There are very, very few 'rare drops' a la WoW that you can try to hunt down in dungeons, and none whatsoever in the world at large (Time Lost Proto Drake, anyone?).
Mod 7 hopefully adds a bit more goals to aim for once you hit endgame if you're in a guild, but doesn't help with the idea of having options for less-grind oriented end game goals.
I'm not saying there shouldn't be any grind - it's an MMO after all. But it would be nice to have something to do OTHER than grind, and sadly of late this game seems to be less and less concerned with that and more and more with making the current state very hospitable to trying to "buy your way out of it".
I hear you. I agree with you about several things - they need to bring back the dungeons ASAP. Andy (@StrumSlinger) has stated that he has brought this up to the devs often.
I also wish that we had more "rare" drops. I would love for a mount to actually drop in the game as loot. But this game isn't WoW. WoW has never been free to play, so it's never had to rely on cash shop purchases. Maybe if the game were subscription based, they could offer a lot more things free than they currently do.
As for other things to do than grinding RP, I really would like more of this content too. I want Companion battles, lol. That's just me though.
But it seems to me that Mod 7 is going to be a step in the right direction.
My opinions are my own. I do not work for PWE or Cryptic. - Forum Rules - Protector's Enclave Discord - I play on Xbox Any of my comments not posted in orange are based on my own personal opinion and not official. Any messages written in orange are official moderation messages. Signature images are now fixed!
I would also like to add that while I don't have BiS anything, I still can do just about anything in the game I want to do. And I don't play full time like a lot of players do. I simply don't have the time anymore. I usually play for an hour or 2 every day. My personal opinion, and it may not be the popular one, is that people are too worried about getting their stuff to legendary or mythic quality. While that is nice to have, it is not needed and the stuff is just going to be replaced with next expansion anyway (probably will always be true, as most MMOs do this). So just worry about getting it up as high as you have time for, and try to have fun in the game while doing it.
I actually agree with the sentiment here, but that is part of the big reason I'm "alienated" - because I want to play a game where I have other things to worry about than grinding RP. Getting gear up to legendary or mythic quality shouldn't be the be-all end-all of the late game, but unfortunately it has been made that way by design decisions in this game. I'd much rather be worried about trying to run dungeons and explore new areas with my friends or accrue more power points to try out different powers and builds on my character than whether or not I'm grinding enough RP, but the game is *not* at all friendly to that mentality.
Dungeon content was cut significantly, and no new ones have been introduced nor are they hinting at when they'll be back except to say "not Mod 7". (I know I sound like a broken record here but this is HUGE - end-game raids/dungeons are a huge component of end-game goals in many other MMORPGs)
New areas are incredibly repetitive and grindy, not to mention level progression in the end-game slows to an absolute crawl. It's more impactful to my character to grind for RP than it is to grind for levels past 70, and that's saying something.
No solid way to participate in the only large group content (Tiamat) as a group other than to try 'timing it' properly.
If want to dump time (and not money) into the game, there really is only one outlet for me to do so - and that's grinding out RP/XP/AD. There are very, very few 'rare drops' a la WoW that you can try to hunt down in dungeons, and none whatsoever in the world at large (Time Lost Proto Drake, anyone?).
Mod 7 hopefully adds a bit more goals to aim for once you hit endgame if you're in a guild, but doesn't help with the idea of having options for less-grind oriented end game goals.
I'm not saying there shouldn't be any grind - it's an MMO after all. But it would be nice to have something to do OTHER than grind, and sadly of late this game seems to be less and less concerned with that and more and more with making the current state very hospitable to trying to "buy your way out of it".
I hear you. I agree with you about several things - they need to bring back the dungeons ASAP. Andy (@StrumSlinger) has stated that he has brought this up to the devs often.
I also wish that we had more "rare" drops. I would love for a mount to actually drop in the game as loot. But this game isn't WoW. WoW has never been free to play, so it's never had to rely on cash shop purchases. Maybe if the game were subscription based, they could offer a lot more things free than they currently do.
As for other things to do than grinding RP, I really would like more of this content too. I want Companion battles, lol. That's just me though.
But it seems to me that Mod 7 is going to be a step in the right direction.
If I felt that their cash shop was oriented positively, I'd agree with you. but far too many things in this game require AD to purchase, or Zen. too many things are gated behind either having to spend your AD on things, or they are just in shop items. If this was simply a f2p issue...it wouldn't bother me. but I play many other f2p games that don't have the issues that NW does...and I don't' feel like I'm being nickled and dimed to death in those games.
I'm a person who likes to spend money on a game (you can check out my thesis I wrote earlier for details). This is one of the few games where I feel like I'm nickled and dimed to death, and where I feel like everything needed TO progress is gated behind personal expenses. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind logging in and running a few campaign quests and killing a few dragons (in the areas I feel are not horribly balanced, i.e. areas that are not 70), but at the end of the day, every time I have to spend AD on something, whether its ID scrolls, or trying to actually craft something (I just about dropped dead when I noticed that some of the coolest new items in crafting also costed AD to CRAFT). everytime I open another screen and see that I have to spend more AD (like on campaign advancement as well)...I want to grind my teeth. I have other f2p games that do not make me feel like this...this one does.
I've stated it before...the future of the industry is not moving in the direction of "wedging" players into buying from the store to progress your game. There are plenty of f2p MMO's that do not do this, instead they provide you with reasons you WANT to buy from the cash shop. WoW isn't the best example...better to use something like GW2. they offer rare drops from boss encounters, and unique items that you can craft and sell. They don't lock your end game progression behind spending cash shop currency...but at the same time they have a profitable cash shop. they key is carefully mixing in items that people WANT to spend money on....cosmetic items, extra bag space (this is in this game, so not debating that), special companions, etc. but without locking out progression.
which leads me into my next point... they also have to have a game that makes people want to play. right now the desire for people to do that is at an all time low. Which is why I'm not sure that mod7 is a step in the right direction. locking XP boosts behind guild doors? requiring advancement of guild strongholds for the very boons that should be baseline in the game? While I certainly applaud their innovation in guild development, I don't think that strongholds in itself is what the game needs. It is sadly in need of some very large mechanical changes and balance changes, not to mention more focus on the bugs and severe imbalances across the spectrum of leveling.
perhaps there's something in strongholds that changes this. perhaps there's some magical item you get when you join a guild with a stronghold that fixes all the game issues. But I have yet to see anything from the PTR commentary or forums that makes me believe any of these things are going to change. The only thing that IS going to change is they're locking allot of the stuff that people were expecting a decent game to provide behind a guild stronghold...another progression path that is sure to involved allot of grinding...
With all of the issues this game currently has, all I can say is, Strongholds had better be THAT GOOD. It has some pretty stiff competition out there.
Strongholds wouldn't be that much of a problem, if there were a way for solo players to still get also equal rewards through solo play...
But i doubt, that there is a way...
And it looks like a lot of other players think the same...
My current solution to the end game grind is to run the odd couple of quests in the new areas with my 60 plus chars, is slow but they rise in level slowly , and buy more slots and create another char for fun play... that still isn't old yet...
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theycallmetomuMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 1,861Arc User
Someone needs to start a guild for solo players to do Strongholds. Like, no drama or anything. Just "Oh hey, run the quests if you want. We'll all sit here not doing guild PVP because that's too much effort but like there's some buildings and stuff for boons, just in case you want em."
No talking necessary, for us anti-social solo players
This cash shop model is crass and exploitive, in comparison with other free to play games. With the way things are, now, this game is incredibly disingenuous. I keep checking back with the forums, hoping to hear something positive from Cryptic.
I actually agree with the sentiment here, but that is part of the big reason I'm "alienated" - because I want to play a gam
I hear you. I agree with you about several things - they need to bring back the dungeons ASAP. Andy (@StrumSlinger) has stated that he has brought this up to the devs often.
I also wish that we had more "rare" drops. I would love for a mount to actually drop in the game as loot. But this game isn't WoW. WoW has never been free to play, so it's never had to rely on cash shop purchases. Maybe if the game were subscription based, they could offer a lot more things free than they currently do.
As for other things to do than grinding RP, I really would like more of this content too. I want Companion battles, lol. That's just me though.
But it seems to me that Mod 7 is going to be a step in the right direction.[/quote]
Subscription....ewww....RRRUUUUUNNNN!!!!!
I still maintain that NW is a neat game with more potential now than ever because of the new content it has added over the years. It's not everyday you get periodic new content from a game you purchase for $60 at a retail outlet, but at the same time....I'll never pay a monthly subscription fee for any game. It was for that reason the only time I ever played on WoW was when I went to my brother's house cause he bought a sub to it, but otherwise for me...never. I was quite happy with the Sims 3 and then when Skyrim came out and shortly after all them free designed by other players mods...tons of fun and by far was the one exception to getting a boat load more for a one-time retail purchase. Skyrim online...monthly sub fee...nope not even gonna bother purchasing it.
I much better like the idea of a free to play game like NW. Cause it gives me the option to be able to selective buy into what I want to buy into. Neat new mount exclusive to the zen store at a reasonable price....well....maybe I'll go pick up that Perfect World Entertainment gaming card at Wal-mart, but a forced buy in to stuff I don't want...not for me.
Besides....it would be the final nail on the coffin if NW did go subscription only cause the free-to-play with option to buy in market has grown substantially over the past couple of years due to the fact people got sick of trashing an insane amount of money a year. So the players that are still around would likely decrease by 2/3...over half of which would be bots...but the others just cause it's not free at all anymore. The 1/3 left would likely and soon follow suit since there is no one left to play content with anymore.
I like where the conversation is going. Keep all the comments going, the more the merrier.
I am the monk, martial skill transcends the battlefield
It is my my life style, my doctrine and my state of mind,
You fight well, but without focus and discipline, you will fall.
Someone needs to start a guild for solo players to do Strongholds. Like, no drama or anything. Just "Oh hey, run the quests if you want. We'll all sit here not doing guild PVP because that's too much effort but like there's some buildings and stuff for boons, just in case you want em."
No talking necessary, for us anti-social solo players
...well, I happen to be captain of an all but dysfunctional Guild of former greatness and glory, and I'll happily invite any soloists to the Order of the Raven who ask me nicely. Whether the Stronghold will be built, and whether this will provide any significant boons or infrastructure, however, will entirely depend on everybody's contribution...
...and as far as i can foresee, this WILL involve a significant amount of group play - HEs, DDs, and maybe even PvP. I won't do any roll calls or such, and when no contributions are made, the Stronghold project will probably tank, but such is it. Without a decent helping of fatalism I'd probably have left this game about a year ago...
It will.. Every module, guild members are dissapearing / becoming inactive faster. It is hard enough right now to maintain an active player base in a guild. ATM guild are there to help their members and for mutual benefit in terms of character building. Now players will have to be there to support and help the guild and have to grind/spend on their own characters at the same time? I don't see how that can work in the long run. Initially people are just excited to see the new content and then they will be put off by the additional burdens and become inactive in no time at all.
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theycallmetomuMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 1,861Arc User
Eh, for all the griping, there's still people who spend all their time and money getting BiS gear and all the boons (for the record, I never got the last two tiers of Dragon boons; beating Tiamat 80 times? no thanks). I imagine it'll be similar with guilds.
The value of the new content / reward / value / fun / etc, never balances out the investment required. Also, having your character made obsolete each module, becomes demotivating. Also demotivating is that when we figure out way to get some value out of the game with farming dungeons, dailies, HEs or what ever is left that is some what rewarding, it is eventually nerfed and creates more demotivating. Another thing is the long delay in fixing bugged new features as well as many bugs being unresolved, ruins the experience of the new content.. A couple of modules ago I decided to never put any expectations on future mods because it will drive me to dislike the game. There should be more community involvement to assess the impact of major changes to the game, which will also bring more transparency and loyalty. Surely the community should have a major influence in terms of game development and content / features (not saying the economics of it).
Idle poking around has me stumbling into this forum after a hiatus of 4 months or so (I think). Which isn't to say I'm interested in returning. That ship, I think, has sailed for the time being.
But that hiatus does mean I'm a little out-of-date on recent changes. I can only give an account of my experiences up through around the end of March. I'll try to keep it concise (partly because I'm fatigued after a long day and my brain is a fog).
The main thing that alienated me would probably be the blatant money grabs that occurred over time. I realize funding the game is important, but the methods PWE/Cryptic employed just felt... dirty. I've started forum posts criticizing and critically examining things in the past (see "Thoughtful or Engaging Quest Gameplay" and "Black Ice Corrupts Marketing Team?"). The alienation, ultimately, wasn't why I stopped playing, though.
Mostly, I just lost interest. The quests were repetitive and unengaging... Advancement became more and more grindy... Power creep was undermining all the hard work I had put into my characters... gold farmers spamming zone chat were a constant annoyance... the only things worth checking out were certain seasonal events (my favorite is the winter event). After the Tiamat module went in, I just couldn't stand how much grind was expected of me in order to progress further. It wasn't a fun game, it was annoying and unrewarding work.
I was not being entertained or engaged, I was just becoming depressed. Elder Scrolls Online was dropping their subscription requirement and had fixed many of the issues riddling it during their first year. I am a big Elder Scrolls fan. So, I migrated to ESO. Things got happier.
I've spent less money on ESO (even buying three copies -- one for my sister, one for a friend) and got more enjoyment out of it than I have in NW. It's not without its hitches, but I've been satisfied overall. Even if I end up eventually dropping it for something newer and shinier, I have some really good memories and fun times not only from interacting with other players, but from the game world itself.
As for NW... ever notice how there's 3 slots in the Protector's Garden, on the ground between the prayer circle and the merchants? After 2 years, two slots are filled (I and II). Does that mean even the developers didn't have faith that the game would last longer than three years? There have been some criticisms regarding PWE in the past, using MMOs as cash grabs until they were no longer fresh or fashionable, then discarding them. Unable to quote any at the moment (see "too tired" above), but I imagine someone could find some examples if they tried (and please do -- never take one person's word for anything).
I may return briefly for this Winter's event, just for some slalom fun. Last year was fun, teaching Akromatik how to light the torches. I wonder if there will be anything new for this brief return to make it worth downloading the patch...
And that's enough of my rambling. So much for keeping it concise. Hope it has some useful insights for you, Denvald.
If they had combined the removal of Leadership from The Gateway with a real profession update, that would have been something... but nothing new to see there.
Or if Strongholds would offer us some kind of "workstations" for professions right from the start... but also nothing new to see there too.
I do believe in killing the messenger...
Want to know why?
Because it sends a message!
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theycallmetomuMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 1,861Arc User
I still think they should tie weaponsmithing/artificing into Strongholds. "Perform special profession tasks to arm your henchmen, allowing them to aid you in battle in guild versus guild combat!"
They had the chance to improve professions with every new module, to bad they did not used that chance...
Same with the content, ripping dungeons from the game, and nothing about when they will be back again...
Idle poking around has me stumbling into this forum after a hiatus of 4 months or so (I think). Which isn't to say I'm interested in returning. That ship, I think, has sailed for the time being.
But that hiatus does mean I'm a little out-of-date on recent changes. I can only give an account of my experiences up through around the end of March. I'll try to keep it concise (partly because I'm fatigued after a long day and my brain is a fog).
The main thing that alienated me would probably be the blatant money grabs that occurred over time. I realize funding the game is important, but the methods PWE/Cryptic employed just felt... dirty. I've started forum posts criticizing and critically examining things in the past (see "Thoughtful or Engaging Quest Gameplay" and "Black Ice Corrupts Marketing Team?"). The alienation, ultimately, wasn't why I stopped playing, though.
Mostly, I just lost interest. The quests were repetitive and unengaging... Advancement became more and more grindy... Power creep was undermining all the hard work I had put into my characters... gold farmers spamming zone chat were a constant annoyance... the only things worth checking out were certain seasonal events (my favorite is the winter event). After the Tiamat module went in, I just couldn't stand how much grind was expected of me in order to progress further. It wasn't a fun game, it was annoying and unrewarding work.
I was not being entertained or engaged, I was just becoming depressed. Elder Scrolls Online was dropping their subscription requirement and had fixed many of the issues riddling it during their first year. I am a big Elder Scrolls fan. So, I migrated to ESO. Things got happier.
I've spent less money on ESO (even buying three copies -- one for my sister, one for a friend) and got more enjoyment out of it than I have in NW. It's not without its hitches, but I've been satisfied overall. Even if I end up eventually dropping it for something newer and shinier, I have some really good memories and fun times not only from interacting with other players, but from the game world itself.
As for NW... ever notice how there's 3 slots in the Protector's Garden, on the ground between the prayer circle and the merchants? After 2 years, two slots are filled (I and II). Does that mean even the developers didn't have faith that the game would last longer than three years? There have been some criticisms regarding PWE in the past, using MMOs as cash grabs until they were no longer fresh or fashionable, then discarding them. Unable to quote any at the moment (see "too tired" above), but I imagine someone could find some examples if they tried (and please do -- never take one person's word for anything).
I may return briefly for this Winter's event, just for some slalom fun. Last year was fun, teaching Akromatik how to light the torches. I wonder if there will be anything new for this brief return to make it worth downloading the patch...
And that's enough of my rambling. So much for keeping it concise. Hope it has some useful insights for you, Denvald.
Theycallmetomu, i have same situation like you have, i still got last 2 WoD boons not able to finish, getting 80 linu's favor is impossible, and to get 1 linu a week from hoard get old and easy to get burnout. they need another way to add, hopefully come with lockboxes.
winning at Tiamat should be getting 5-10 favors, and those in failed Tiamat would get 1-2, top 5 or anyone who makes or meet amount of damages could earn, and those afkers will get nothing but hoard coins.
and the dragon heralds should add Linu's favor if you successfully kill all 5 dragons.
then why didnt devs done anything to make players motivated for extra linu's, right now, it is too hard and players feel aliened and fed up.
changing requirements wont fix or block unwanted afkers.
Someone needs to start a guild for solo players to do Strongholds. Like, no drama or anything. Just "Oh hey, run the quests if you want. We'll all sit here not doing guild PVP because that's too much effort but like there's some buildings and stuff for boons, just in case you want em."
No talking necessary, for us anti-social solo players
...well, I happen to be captain of an all but dysfunctional Guild of former greatness and glory, and I'll happily invite any soloists to the Order of the Raven who ask me nicely. Whether the Stronghold will be built, and whether this will provide any significant boons or infrastructure, however, will entirely depend on everybody's contribution...
...and as far as i can foresee, this WILL involve a significant amount of group play - HEs, DDs, and maybe even PvP. I won't do any roll calls or such, and when no contributions are made, the Stronghold project will probably tank, but such is it. Without a decent helping of fatalism I'd probably have left this game about a year ago...
Ever the optimist
Actually, suicidalgodot and I talk about these issues often -- almost every night, in fact. While on the one hand we're gladly accepting any "ronin in a world full of samurai", as he so well puts it, more often than not, when guildies ask for help, it's usually available (for me, at least, it's a lot more fun than dragging yet another alt through yet another EE quest). Fielding a full group for a dungeon run is still problematic, though. Numbers don't lie: from my standpoint, Cryptic *has* alienated their playerbase, in vast numbers.
We're beginning to get a sense of how far we as a guild might be able to take a stronghold, though admittedly suicidalgodot is much better dialed into it than I am (I can be a real Mr. McGoo when it comes to scuttlebutt). I'm anticipating having to break out my at-or-near BiS alts to help out with HE's and DD's, though with the current sad state of dungeons in NWO I suspect that DD runs will be few and far between. In the meantime I'm trying to gear them up as well as I can in anticipation of a need for this or that class to help someone out.
I'm definitely one of those "cats who doesn't like to be herded", so I can understand the mentality. When I first joined the guild, I was reluctant in the extreme. I'd had my share of "guild politics" back in my EQ days, so I tend to run from drama like the plague. To say that I'm concerned that we're all being forced to play a certain way is an understatement. Someone at Cryptic needs to be re-familiarized with the maxim, "you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink".
Do I feel alienated? You betcha. There's a reason why I stopped transferring Zen into the game a couple of months ago. Mod 6 has really left me feeling sour about the game and Cryptic's attitude toward its players, so much so that I've refused to start a paladin alt. They piled on one survivability nerf after another to force us into a single playstyle: "never do group content without a paladin". To me, this was a terrible way to treat players, and to be blunt it's left me feeling angry and insulted. I also can't escape the feeling that some of the mod 6 changes were deliberately intended to take certain aspects of play away so they could sell them back to us later. Now that *really* rubs me the wrong way.
Long rant short, I think that solo play is a vital aspect to NWO and I'm prepared to do my best to keep it alive, especially since I also enjoy it much more than group play. It's looking like we'll have to use our guild in some novel ways to try to make that happen though...
Harper Chronicles: Cap Snatchers (RELEASED) - NW-DPUTABC6X Blood Magic (RELEASED) - NW-DUU2P7HCO Children of the Fey (RELEASED) - NW-DKSSAPFPF Buried Under Blacklake (WIP) - NW-DEDV2PAEP The Redcap Rebels (WIP) - NW-DO23AFHFH
My Foundry playthrough channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Ruskaga/featured
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crypticnotionMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 45Arc User
I have sit and waited in hopes someone with a mind would repair the damage done when they upgraded the game so you could NOW got to 70. For the people who were already lvl 60 like me and doing daily contend on Dread ring, Sharandar and Icewind Dale also having Black Ice armor you have really screwed us over although you still give me missions on these places and I have access to them I CAN'T do them against lvl 73 npcs. I have waited in hopes someone with a small amount of common sense would fix this but no. it is still BROKE. This looses customers, gamers, real people. Then to add insult to injury you leave me with Drowned bog as the place to die of repetition trying to level up in this mindless quest of 10 new levels that all you really did was set me back 10 levels add a small amount of new contend and find new ways to suck the life blood out of me. Fix the game or shut it down at this point I really don't care which.
Thread has quieted down, I'm pretty sure there's alot more to be said though
I am the monk, martial skill transcends the battlefield
It is my my life style, my doctrine and my state of mind,
You fight well, but without focus and discipline, you will fall.
theycallmetomuMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 1,861Arc User
Eh, a lot of people seem to be happy with how the VIP packs are being implemented, and may feel silly for being so angered lately because suddenly they're singing Cryptic's praises.
Yeah it does seem like the general vibe people are liking VIP status so far. I still think every point mentionned here is valid however
I am the monk, martial skill transcends the battlefield
It is my my life style, my doctrine and my state of mind,
You fight well, but without focus and discipline, you will fall.
VIP might be just another bait of cash grabs and "Wait and See" situations for many players. it may look good on paper, i dont want to be to regret and really concern by famous old saying.
"Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me", then players will decide if this is another diverting gimmick from main problems with the game.
Kessel run are very bugged, should be pull off from the Que list, so is epic Tuern skirmish has gone buggy too.
we really need this game to be More playable, take out those elite 73 lvl mobs soon as possible, but not putting off for next 6 months or later, players want it soon as within weeks or less. tired of having NW's game not being fixed. it been going for 2 months and still "counting".
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theycallmetomuMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 1,861Arc User
Well, I suspect few players will buy zen with cash to get the VIP, but as a zen for AD affair, the VIP pass is just objectively a good deal.
Opening 30 lockboxes gives you enough trade bars for a Coalescent Ward, you get to sell everything that dropped from those boxes (though, the price of those items is going to tank), and if you just so happen to get an awesome drop, hooray! You got an awesome drop instead.
Comments
I hear you. I agree with you about several things - they need to bring back the dungeons ASAP. Andy (@StrumSlinger) has stated that he has brought this up to the devs often.
I also wish that we had more "rare" drops. I would love for a mount to actually drop in the game as loot. But this game isn't WoW. WoW has never been free to play, so it's never had to rely on cash shop purchases. Maybe if the game were subscription based, they could offer a lot more things free than they currently do.
As for other things to do than grinding RP, I really would like more of this content too. I want Companion battles, lol. That's just me though.
But it seems to me that Mod 7 is going to be a step in the right direction.
Any of my comments not posted in orange are based on my own personal opinion and not official.
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If I felt that their cash shop was oriented positively, I'd agree with you. but far too many things in this game require AD to purchase, or Zen. too many things are gated behind either having to spend your AD on things, or they are just in shop items. If this was simply a f2p issue...it wouldn't bother me. but I play many other f2p games that don't have the issues that NW does...and I don't' feel like I'm being nickled and dimed to death in those games.
I'm a person who likes to spend money on a game (you can check out my thesis I wrote earlier for details). This is one of the few games where I feel like I'm nickled and dimed to death, and where I feel like everything needed TO progress is gated behind personal expenses. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind logging in and running a few campaign quests and killing a few dragons (in the areas I feel are not horribly balanced, i.e. areas that are not 70), but at the end of the day, every time I have to spend AD on something, whether its ID scrolls, or trying to actually craft something (I just about dropped dead when I noticed that some of the coolest new items in crafting also costed AD to CRAFT). everytime I open another screen and see that I have to spend more AD (like on campaign advancement as well)...I want to grind my teeth. I have other f2p games that do not make me feel like this...this one does.
I've stated it before...the future of the industry is not moving in the direction of "wedging" players into buying from the store to progress your game. There are plenty of f2p MMO's that do not do this, instead they provide you with reasons you WANT to buy from the cash shop. WoW isn't the best example...better to use something like GW2. they offer rare drops from boss encounters, and unique items that you can craft and sell. They don't lock your end game progression behind spending cash shop currency...but at the same time they have a profitable cash shop. they key is carefully mixing in items that people WANT to spend money on....cosmetic items, extra bag space (this is in this game, so not debating that), special companions, etc. but without locking out progression.
which leads me into my next point... they also have to have a game that makes people want to play. right now the desire for people to do that is at an all time low. Which is why I'm not sure that mod7 is a step in the right direction. locking XP boosts behind guild doors? requiring advancement of guild strongholds for the very boons that should be baseline in the game? While I certainly applaud their innovation in guild development, I don't think that strongholds in itself is what the game needs. It is sadly in need of some very large mechanical changes and balance changes, not to mention more focus on the bugs and severe imbalances across the spectrum of leveling.
perhaps there's something in strongholds that changes this. perhaps there's some magical item you get when you join a guild with a stronghold that fixes all the game issues. But I have yet to see anything from the PTR commentary or forums that makes me believe any of these things are going to change. The only thing that IS going to change is they're locking allot of the stuff that people were expecting a decent game to provide behind a guild stronghold...another progression path that is sure to involved allot of grinding...
With all of the issues this game currently has, all I can say is, Strongholds had better be THAT GOOD. It has some pretty stiff competition out there.
But i doubt, that there is a way...
And it looks like a lot of other players think the same...
No talking necessary, for us anti-social solo players
I hear you. I agree with you about several things - they need to bring back the dungeons ASAP. Andy (@StrumSlinger) has stated that he has brought this up to the devs often.
I also wish that we had more "rare" drops. I would love for a mount to actually drop in the game as loot. But this game isn't WoW. WoW has never been free to play, so it's never had to rely on cash shop purchases. Maybe if the game were subscription based, they could offer a lot more things free than they currently do.
As for other things to do than grinding RP, I really would like more of this content too. I want Companion battles, lol. That's just me though.
But it seems to me that Mod 7 is going to be a step in the right direction.[/quote]
Subscription....ewww....RRRUUUUUNNNN!!!!!
I still maintain that NW is a neat game with more potential now than ever because of the new content it has added over the years. It's not everyday you get periodic new content from a game you purchase for $60 at a retail outlet, but at the same time....I'll never pay a monthly subscription fee for any game. It was for that reason the only time I ever played on WoW was when I went to my brother's house cause he bought a sub to it, but otherwise for me...never. I was quite happy with the Sims 3 and then when Skyrim came out and shortly after all them free designed by other players mods...tons of fun and by far was the one exception to getting a boat load more for a one-time retail purchase. Skyrim online...monthly sub fee...nope not even gonna bother purchasing it.
I much better like the idea of a free to play game like NW. Cause it gives me the option to be able to selective buy into what I want to buy into. Neat new mount exclusive to the zen store at a reasonable price....well....maybe I'll go pick up that Perfect World Entertainment gaming card at Wal-mart, but a forced buy in to stuff I don't want...not for me.
Besides....it would be the final nail on the coffin if NW did go subscription only cause the free-to-play with option to buy in market has grown substantially over the past couple of years due to the fact people got sick of trashing an insane amount of money a year. So the players that are still around would likely decrease by 2/3...over half of which would be bots...but the others just cause it's not free at all anymore. The 1/3 left would likely and soon follow suit since there is no one left to play content with anymore.
It is my my life style, my doctrine and my state of mind,
You fight well, but without focus and discipline, you will fall.
More threads by me / Click on it
My Support Warlock/Temptation Thread
...well, I happen to be captain of an all but dysfunctional Guild of former greatness and glory, and I'll happily invite any soloists to the Order of the Raven who ask me nicely. Whether the Stronghold will be built, and whether this will provide any significant boons or infrastructure, however, will entirely depend on everybody's contribution...
...and as far as i can foresee, this WILL involve a significant amount of group play - HEs, DDs, and maybe even PvP. I won't do any roll calls or such, and when no contributions are made, the Stronghold project will probably tank, but such is it. Without a decent helping of fatalism I'd probably have left this game about a year ago...
But that hiatus does mean I'm a little out-of-date on recent changes. I can only give an account of my experiences up through around the end of March. I'll try to keep it concise (partly because I'm fatigued after a long day and my brain is a fog).
The main thing that alienated me would probably be the blatant money grabs that occurred over time. I realize funding the game is important, but the methods PWE/Cryptic employed just felt... dirty. I've started forum posts criticizing and critically examining things in the past (see "Thoughtful or Engaging Quest Gameplay" and "Black Ice Corrupts Marketing Team?"). The alienation, ultimately, wasn't why I stopped playing, though.
Mostly, I just lost interest. The quests were repetitive and unengaging... Advancement became more and more grindy... Power creep was undermining all the hard work I had put into my characters... gold farmers spamming zone chat were a constant annoyance... the only things worth checking out were certain seasonal events (my favorite is the winter event). After the Tiamat module went in, I just couldn't stand how much grind was expected of me in order to progress further. It wasn't a fun game, it was annoying and unrewarding work.
I was not being entertained or engaged, I was just becoming depressed. Elder Scrolls Online was dropping their subscription requirement and had fixed many of the issues riddling it during their first year. I am a big Elder Scrolls fan. So, I migrated to ESO. Things got happier.
I've spent less money on ESO (even buying three copies -- one for my sister, one for a friend) and got more enjoyment out of it than I have in NW. It's not without its hitches, but I've been satisfied overall. Even if I end up eventually dropping it for something newer and shinier, I have some really good memories and fun times not only from interacting with other players, but from the game world itself.
As for NW... ever notice how there's 3 slots in the Protector's Garden, on the ground between the prayer circle and the merchants? After 2 years, two slots are filled (I and II). Does that mean even the developers didn't have faith that the game would last longer than three years? There have been some criticisms regarding PWE in the past, using MMOs as cash grabs until they were no longer fresh or fashionable, then discarding them. Unable to quote any at the moment (see "too tired" above), but I imagine someone could find some examples if they tried (and please do -- never take one person's word for anything).
I may return briefly for this Winter's event, just for some slalom fun. Last year was fun, teaching Akromatik how to light the torches. I wonder if there will be anything new for this brief return to make it worth downloading the patch...
And that's enough of my rambling. So much for keeping it concise. Hope it has some useful insights for you, Denvald.
Or if Strongholds would offer us some kind of "workstations" for professions right from the start... but also nothing new to see there too.
Stuff like that.
Same with the content, ripping dungeons from the game, and nothing about when they will be back again...
Exactly this, in every way
winning at Tiamat should be getting 5-10 favors, and those in failed Tiamat would get 1-2, top 5 or anyone who makes or meet amount of damages could earn, and those afkers will get nothing but hoard coins.
and the dragon heralds should add Linu's favor if you successfully kill all 5 dragons.
then why didnt devs done anything to make players motivated for extra linu's, right now, it is too hard and players feel aliened and fed up.
changing requirements wont fix or block unwanted afkers.
Ever the optimist
Actually, suicidalgodot and I talk about these issues often -- almost every night, in fact. While on the one hand we're gladly accepting any "ronin in a world full of samurai", as he so well puts it, more often than not, when guildies ask for help, it's usually available (for me, at least, it's a lot more fun than dragging yet another alt through yet another EE quest). Fielding a full group for a dungeon run is still problematic, though. Numbers don't lie: from my standpoint, Cryptic *has* alienated their playerbase, in vast numbers.
We're beginning to get a sense of how far we as a guild might be able to take a stronghold, though admittedly suicidalgodot is much better dialed into it than I am (I can be a real Mr. McGoo when it comes to scuttlebutt). I'm anticipating having to break out my at-or-near BiS alts to help out with HE's and DD's, though with the current sad state of dungeons in NWO I suspect that DD runs will be few and far between. In the meantime I'm trying to gear them up as well as I can in anticipation of a need for this or that class to help someone out.
I'm definitely one of those "cats who doesn't like to be herded", so I can understand the mentality. When I first joined the guild, I was reluctant in the extreme. I'd had my share of "guild politics" back in my EQ days, so I tend to run from drama like the plague. To say that I'm concerned that we're all being forced to play a certain way is an understatement. Someone at Cryptic needs to be re-familiarized with the maxim, "you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink".
Do I feel alienated? You betcha. There's a reason why I stopped transferring Zen into the game a couple of months ago. Mod 6 has really left me feeling sour about the game and Cryptic's attitude toward its players, so much so that I've refused to start a paladin alt. They piled on one survivability nerf after another to force us into a single playstyle: "never do group content without a paladin". To me, this was a terrible way to treat players, and to be blunt it's left me feeling angry and insulted. I also can't escape the feeling that some of the mod 6 changes were deliberately intended to take certain aspects of play away so they could sell them back to us later. Now that *really* rubs me the wrong way.
Long rant short, I think that solo play is a vital aspect to NWO and I'm prepared to do my best to keep it alive, especially since I also enjoy it much more than group play. It's looking like we'll have to use our guild in some novel ways to try to make that happen though...
Blood Magic (RELEASED) - NW-DUU2P7HCO
Children of the Fey (RELEASED) - NW-DKSSAPFPF
Buried Under Blacklake (WIP) - NW-DEDV2PAEP
The Redcap Rebels (WIP) - NW-DO23AFHFH
My Foundry playthrough channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Ruskaga/featured
It is my my life style, my doctrine and my state of mind,
You fight well, but without focus and discipline, you will fall.
More threads by me / Click on it
My Support Warlock/Temptation Thread
We'll see how things go at launch.
It is my my life style, my doctrine and my state of mind,
You fight well, but without focus and discipline, you will fall.
More threads by me / Click on it
My Support Warlock/Temptation Thread
Is there though? As much as I blither on, I do get sick of saying the same thing over and over again.
And in my case, thinking VIP is a decent product at a decent value definitely doesn't make the other issues magically go away.
Neverwinter Census 2017
All posts pending disapproval by Cecilia
"Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me", then players will decide if this is another diverting gimmick from main problems with the game.
Kessel run are very bugged, should be pull off from the Que list, so is epic Tuern skirmish has gone buggy too.
we really need this game to be More playable, take out those elite 73 lvl mobs soon as possible, but not putting off for next 6 months or later, players want it soon as within weeks or less. tired of having NW's game not being fixed. it been going for 2 months and still "counting".
Opening 30 lockboxes gives you enough trade bars for a Coalescent Ward, you get to sell everything that dropped from those boxes (though, the price of those items is going to tank), and if you just so happen to get an awesome drop, hooray! You got an awesome drop instead.