I find this thread really interesting. I wonder really how the money is doing?
I mean I wonder what the actual "sales" figures are like?
So many people are not renewing VIP [I am one of them] who would have renewed in the past [I am one of them] that I wonder if this is causing any Red Flags for the business? I know we will never know.
But its a fact, there is less content now to play than there was a couple of years ago - again, surely that is going in the wrong direction?
I find this thread really interesting. I wonder really how the money is doing?
I mean I wonder what the actual "sales" figures are like?
So many people are not renewing VIP [I am one of them] who would have renewed in the past [I am one of them] that I wonder if this is causing any Red Flags for the business? I know we will never know.
But its a fact, there is less content now to play than there was a couple of years ago - again, surely that is going in the wrong direction?
Most players are bored and have nothing to do!
Well, I can bet sale figures are not nice, but not terrible if company still keep game operational..
First what VIP gives. While most of it's features are OK, some can be exploited for AD gains. The one of main stuffs is Enchanted keys.. One key per day, and vip cost 1k zen. 10 Enchanted keys alone cost 1.1k zen. So players usually bought VIP for the keys and some extra features.
Since account share/wide mounts/companions feature implementation, needs to open lockboxes highly declined. If I get one legendary mount, all characters in account get it too. So what happens if I open lockbox and get same mount again? Or get companion from dungeon chest as reward or as invoke reward. I dump it to Auction house.. More and more players does that, their values highly decline. The legendary mounts can be bought for up to 500k ad.
Most of them serve just for boister increase,, only some of them are for their combat/passive powers. Since they are cheap in AH, why should I buy VIP? 500k is not big thing.. Each day you can earn 100k AD anyways.
Also once player get legendary mount, what he/she does? Stockpile enchanted keys, and use when new lockbox get introduced. Once player have 100% boister for companion and mounts, all is matter become if their combat/passive abilities are better than your previous owned ones or not. If no. Then most players will skip companions/mounts.. Only some "collectors" may still try obtain them.
The getting stuffs is one of mmorpg gameplay elements, too easy obtained, means faster you hit end and then it's game over..
It;s like fast food, taste good, also good time to time. But in long term it ends in bad ways to your health..
Same with the games.. Too quick progress, means too fast reach end game and it's game over..
Lot of changes through times was done due system reworks and etc, but it was ignored in game economy.. Due we have ZAX feature, the game ecomony is more sensitive and it's more impactfull to playerbase..
The current game issues didn't come in one or two years,, it stockpiled through loong time avoiding adress certain issues. And now it's seems Brett Norton ( Executive Produder) will have to solve this issue.. I wish you luck Brett Norton. It's a collosal task you will have to take..
The other thing what's suprise me is that, Neverinter online have lot of create features and mechanics. But most of them where forgotten, and never used again. Why waste time and try invent same stuff which is already invented and implemented in game?? It's make no sense.. But thats what where happening...
For example, Heroic encounters. The issues with the is that they don't scale. If there is one or two players, it make no differences..
Now take Demonic Heroic encounter, thats a different storry.. More players join in HE's area, more and harder enemies spawn ( scale to group). And when you have certain quantity of players it may trigger second phase HE, when spawn stronger demon..
Staff could reuse same mechanic and make as base for all HE..
For big heroics, like in Dragon_vale, why not use similar what in Well of dragons( spawn minions/adds), or even Strongholds Dragon Flights mechanics.
We have Master/Warden/Fragmented expeditions with undermountain sotry arc( campaing). There you can UpScale enemies by adding runes. Each rune upscale base enemies strengh. Why not add this feature to dungeon private queues? Players could pick difficulity by themself. Want easy quick, no extra upscaling, want some more fights, add one rune. Want serious fight add two runes,, and for craizy players lets leave three runes..
So same dungeon would have multiple difficulity.. Players could learn mechanics by doing simple non upscaled version duneon.. And latter try harder versions..
Same can be said about runes increase chances get best rewards..
After moment I though it would be interesting to have like 30 min chat with Brett Norton, just to his thoughts about game and what kind vissions he have. Also share my thoughts how I would change stuffs and what implement..
But I doubt he have spare time in his schedule..
Post edited by hadestemplar#9918 on
======================================================================== “The masses have never thirsted after truth. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim. Gustave Le Bon. ==================================================
Great post above - especially abotu why dont they re-use the COOL stuff they have made?
Remember how much fun Barovian hunts were? Dragon Run is still fun Add Monsters to treasure maps - that would be fun.
This game still has SO MUCh potential! The grapple hooks in DragonBone Vale are awesome...
Grapple hook can be a big problem if some one has a lag. It could be instant death. I like that mechanics but it is what it is, due to one server across the ocean... And no matter what i still play randoms on daily base. Mostly with random people. But one thing is for sure. If you want to play this game as f2p end gamer you need to play it almost daily. Few months of vacation and you'll fell far behind.
Great post above - especially abotu why dont they re-use the COOL stuff they have made?
Remember how much fun Barovian hunts were? Dragon Run is still fun Add Monsters to treasure maps - that would be fun.
This game still has SO MUCh potential! The grapple hooks in DragonBone Vale are awesome...
What I liked most about barovia hut is wanted posters and cards for scaling.. You can go as easy mode or be craizy and do it on extreme difficulity.
Now engine capacity is limited even it's updates. There for we have instances based contents. Dungeons, maps/areas, thats all is instances..
Now what developers could do is take advantage of it.. Simply a whole map and it work as instance as like dungeon. For example just take undermountain areas, and use it as dungeon.. Add enemies, add some bosses, maybe secret boss.
Maybe even reuse same element as what we have in Strongholds Dragon Flight. When players have fight four dragons at same time..
Even game engine is not great when compare to other games,, the mater is how take advantage of what it can and expand on it.
Grapple hook can be a big problem if some one has a lag. It could be instant death. I like that mechanics but it is what it is, due to one server across the ocean... And no matter what i still play randoms on daily base. Mostly with random people. But one thing is for sure. If you want to play this game as f2p end gamer you need to play it almost daily. Few months of vacation and you'll fell far behind.
The grapple hook can be used only when you are not in combat, so I doubt it would be issue if you have or not have lag spike.. But one thing is clear, in older maps it can't be implemented.. The old areas roof like stuffs. Which block players from climbing higher. Though in some maps you can climb on the same roof. Or like players in Protector enclave manage climb so high that you could not see the City itself..
Now as F2P player.. I am such player.. I play in this way since I stared. And only spent some money for game. Usually for few stuffs which have no impact for my gameplay. And 3 times where VIP's.. First time when VIP just got introduced, second few month latter.. Third I can't remember.. Other VIP's I gained for free ( gift/promo) way.. I still have one of VIP token in my bank. . Maybe one day I will use it..
As for progress in game as F2P player. Its easy as never before and actually VIP is not even required.
Only players who want min/max their stats it's require hard grinding.. Other than that, game is so forgiving.
Fresh player, just passed game introduction part and by doing lv up stuff, gain gear which is supperior to that of mod 16 and older content. Then doing adventures you gain other stuffs,, like mount collars, also via adventures you can also get combat enchantment.
THen simply asking some guys to carry you via dungeon few times, you gain seals, which you exchange for gear in seal vendor.
Then buy 10 companion/mounts per rank from AH. 10 rare, 10 uncommon, 10 epic. Both companion and mounts will give nice boister increase, which boost your stats and IL. Then campaings like Echos of Propercy gives artefact set. As far I so it's epic mythic rank, on top of that, in same campaing you may get epic collar( again).
Also insignias up to epic rank are cheap in AH, get some of them. Some gear parts like rings are cheap in AH too..
With that you gain IL suficient to unlock random advanced dungeon and trials. Then every day you getting 100k AD. and progress just speed up.. Legendary mounts cost somewhere 500k, thats 5 days daily dungeon/trial run.
I know dozen players who within month or two got over 50k IL toon. And with that you can clear LoMM without big issues, not mentioned all older content.
IF player would be too active, the game quickly become boring, and then player leave..
======================================================================== “The masses have never thirsted after truth. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim. Gustave Le Bon. ==================================================
The grapple hook can be used only when you are not in combat, so I doubt it would be issue if you have or not have lag spike..
Well try to use it with lag... And try to doubt again. What's the point to write about something that you never experienced ?!?! That's one thing that annoying me here in this forum. Everyone knows everything, but they don't know a s... Well not everyone, there're few players who know a lot, but they have only few posts here. Sadly...
Well this would be a positive and constructive thing for developers to fix. My damn Warden! Just make COtS proc whatever weapon enchant I have equipped. Flurry gives me double damage every 3 seconds so no need to change magnitudes. Just fix it for Christ Sakes! In case you “forgot” THERE IS NO LONGER A LIGHTENING ENCHANT!!
Comments
I mean I wonder what the actual "sales" figures are like?
So many people are not renewing VIP [I am one of them] who would have renewed in the past [I am one of them] that I wonder if this is causing any Red Flags for the business? I know we will never know.
But its a fact, there is less content now to play than there was a couple of years ago - again, surely that is going in the wrong direction?
Most players are bored and have nothing to do!
First what VIP gives. While most of it's features are OK, some can be exploited for AD gains. The one of main stuffs is Enchanted keys.. One key per day, and vip cost 1k zen. 10 Enchanted keys alone cost 1.1k zen. So players usually bought VIP for the keys and some extra features.
Since account share/wide mounts/companions feature implementation, needs to open lockboxes highly declined.
If I get one legendary mount, all characters in account get it too. So what happens if I open lockbox and get same mount again? Or get companion from dungeon chest as reward or as invoke reward. I dump it to Auction house.. More and more players does that, their values highly decline. The legendary mounts can be bought for up to 500k ad.
Most of them serve just for boister increase,, only some of them are for their combat/passive powers.
Since they are cheap in AH, why should I buy VIP? 500k is not big thing.. Each day you can earn 100k AD anyways.
Also once player get legendary mount, what he/she does? Stockpile enchanted keys, and use when new lockbox get introduced. Once player have 100% boister for companion and mounts, all is matter become if their combat/passive abilities are better than your previous owned ones or not. If no. Then most players will skip companions/mounts..
Only some "collectors" may still try obtain them.
The getting stuffs is one of mmorpg gameplay elements, too easy obtained, means faster you hit end and then it's game over..
It;s like fast food, taste good, also good time to time. But in long term it ends in bad ways to your health..
Same with the games.. Too quick progress, means too fast reach end game and it's game over..
Lot of changes through times was done due system reworks and etc, but it was ignored in game economy.. Due we have ZAX feature, the game ecomony is more sensitive and it's more impactfull to playerbase..
The current game issues didn't come in one or two years,, it stockpiled through loong time avoiding adress certain issues. And now it's seems Brett Norton ( Executive Produder) will have to solve this issue.. I wish you luck Brett Norton. It's a collosal task you will have to take..
The other thing what's suprise me is that, Neverinter online have lot of create features and mechanics. But most of them
where forgotten, and never used again. Why waste time and try invent same stuff which is already invented and implemented in game?? It's make no sense.. But thats what where happening...
For example, Heroic encounters. The issues with the is that they don't scale. If there is one or two players, it make no differences..
Now take Demonic Heroic encounter, thats a different storry.. More players join in HE's area, more and harder enemies spawn ( scale to group). And when you have certain quantity of players it may trigger second phase HE, when spawn stronger demon..
Staff could reuse same mechanic and make as base for all HE..
For big heroics, like in Dragon_vale, why not use similar what in Well of dragons( spawn minions/adds), or even Strongholds Dragon Flights mechanics.
We have Master/Warden/Fragmented expeditions with undermountain sotry arc( campaing). There you can UpScale enemies by adding runes. Each rune upscale base enemies strengh. Why not add this feature to dungeon private queues?
Players could pick difficulity by themself. Want easy quick, no extra upscaling, want some more fights, add one rune. Want serious fight add two runes,, and for craizy players lets leave three runes..
So same dungeon would have multiple difficulity.. Players could learn mechanics by doing simple non upscaled version duneon.. And latter try harder versions..
Same can be said about runes increase chances get best rewards..
After moment I though it would be interesting to have like 30 min chat with Brett Norton, just to his thoughts about game and what kind vissions he have. Also share my thoughts how I would change stuffs and what implement..
But I doubt he have spare time in his schedule..
“The masses have never thirsted after truth. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim.
Gustave Le Bon.
==================================================
Remember how much fun Barovian hunts were?
Dragon Run is still fun
Add Monsters to treasure maps - that would be fun.
This game still has SO MUCh potential! The grapple hooks in DragonBone Vale are awesome...
Now engine capacity is limited even it's updates. There for we have instances based contents. Dungeons, maps/areas, thats all is instances..
Now what developers could do is take advantage of it.. Simply a whole map and it work as instance as like dungeon.
For example just take undermountain areas, and use it as dungeon.. Add enemies, add some bosses, maybe secret boss.
Maybe even reuse same element as what we have in Strongholds Dragon Flight. When players have fight four dragons at same time..
Even game engine is not great when compare to other games,, the mater is how take advantage of what it can and expand on it.
The grapple hook can be used only when you are not in combat, so I doubt it would be issue if you have or not have lag spike..
But one thing is clear, in older maps it can't be implemented.. The old areas roof like stuffs. Which block players from climbing higher. Though in some maps you can climb on the same roof. Or like players in Protector enclave manage climb so high that you could not see the City itself..
Now as F2P player.. I am such player.. I play in this way since I stared. And only spent some money for game. Usually for few stuffs which have no impact for my gameplay. And 3 times where VIP's.. First time when VIP just got introduced, second few month latter.. Third I can't remember.. Other VIP's I gained for free ( gift/promo) way.. I still have one of VIP token in my bank.
As for progress in game as F2P player. Its easy as never before and actually VIP is not even required.
Only players who want min/max their stats it's require hard grinding.. Other than that, game is so forgiving.
Fresh player, just passed game introduction part and by doing lv up stuff, gain gear which is supperior to that of mod 16 and older content.
Then doing adventures you gain other stuffs,, like mount collars, also via adventures you can also get combat enchantment.
THen simply asking some guys to carry you via dungeon few times, you gain seals, which you exchange for gear in seal vendor.
Then buy 10 companion/mounts per rank from AH. 10 rare, 10 uncommon, 10 epic. Both companion and mounts will give nice boister increase, which boost your stats and IL. Then campaings like Echos of Propercy gives artefact set. As far I so it's epic mythic rank, on top of that, in same campaing you may get epic collar( again).
Also insignias up to epic rank are cheap in AH, get some of them. Some gear parts like rings are cheap in AH too..
With that you gain IL suficient to unlock random advanced dungeon and trials. Then every day you getting 100k AD. and progress just speed up..
Legendary mounts cost somewhere 500k, thats 5 days daily dungeon/trial run.
I know dozen players who within month or two got over 50k IL toon. And with that you can clear LoMM without big issues, not mentioned all older content.
IF player would be too active, the game quickly become boring, and then player leave..
“The masses have never thirsted after truth. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim.
Gustave Le Bon.
==================================================