If you have problems with bot, why not limiting AD on Leadership per Account? Let's say 4 characters in an account only give AD from Leadership. Atleast we can still use what we have invested on leadership particularly assets and VIP.
If they really wanted to go after botters, all they had to do is search for sales of junk on the auction house for huge amounts of AD. 1+ million AD for some grey junk item for example, tag that auction and then check up buyer and seller with real GM power.
When people get banned for buying AD from botters, the botters will have a hard time finding buyers for their AD...
But as allready mentioned, this recent change with removing AD will only work out for botters and AD sellers, and they will make a lot of money.
Money, that could have ended in PWE/Cryptic pockets, but looks like they're only in the bussines of making it easier for bots and harder for normal players.
Wouldn't it be a very easy thing to remove these spammer selling stuff/AD? They exist, because their business works. They wouldn't be here if they didn't get customers. They "break" the "economy". Whatever exploits exist, fighting the spam and sellers would be better for everyone. Please make that a priority. All exploits and bots are probably funneling out of these spammers.
1. Update algorithms to detect spam websites in chats and ban accounts (EASY - programming time: 15 minutes.). 2. Catch players who buy into these things and (time?) ban their accounts too (EASY - auto-detect algorithm, and review suspicious purchases in AH?). 3. GET TO IT.
As a programmer myself, I see so many ways to fix it, it's either bad will or an overblown organization wasting time in meetings: just find a good and motivated coder, and tell him to "simply fix it now" without overthinking it.
pseudo --HOTFIX start declare hitcount=0; declare list1 {"\/\/\/.", "anniversary stock auction", ETC} if msg.contains(list1) hitcount++ if hitcount>2 ban(active_player);sendtohell(active_account); --HOTFIX END
I'm not a forum dweller, so I probably won't see answers; I just hope someone from Cryptic can take some action. Cryptic's lack of action there, is almost suspicious. There are some very easy measures you could implement. I'm too lazy to do it now, but has someone tried to look into these spam websites, find domain owner and check for connections to Cryptic? That would be hilarious if it were true.
Just in case anyone was wondering, the removal of AD change is now in place and affects any tasks you set running before the latest patch was installed, i.e. you don't get the AD you might have been expecting for tasks you set running before the patch went in.
What I wonder as a new player, is why they even have copper/silver/gold drop period. The real meaningful currency is AD, so why are mobs dropping coins? This is so very far from when I used to play D&D 1st edition. Kind of embarrassing that this system has D&D's name on it. Gygax is spinning in his grave.
Also, due to the fact you have never put any effort into play anything but your two toons (by your own words in this posting) you have no legitimate right to comment on the topic.
So only those with leadership AD farming armies have legitimate points of view? What is this idiocy?
Just in case anyone was wondering, the removal of AD change is now in place and affects any tasks you set running before the latest patch was installed, i.e. you don't get the AD you might have been expecting for tasks you set running before the patch went in.
Why doesn't this surprise me. It is just one last slap in the face to the players to remind us that they don't give a damn about their player base. We should expect nothing less by now. After all, they went ahead with this idiotic change ( like so many others ) while totally disregarding 45 pages of 99.9% negative comments and suggestions for alternatives. So if you don't want to run dungeons/skirmishes/pvp, and/or your a solo/low level player there is nothing left for you here. At least if you wanted to ever ( albeit extremely slowly ) progress your character(s).
Ok, so I just checked leadership on gateway and ALL AD was removed despite the patch notes stating :
"Astral Diamond Changes: The Leadership Profession has been modified to reward significantly fewer Astral Diamonds. Most tasks that used to reward AD no longer do so. Some tasks reward XP instead of AD. The rare level 4 task "Gather Diamonds" has been removed."
I guess they either don't communicate between departments or they just tell us whatever they think will mitigate the damage for these decisions ( at least until they go live. ).
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urlord283Member, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 1,084Arc User
So only those with leadership AD farming armies have legitimate points of view? What is this idiocy?
And yet there are people saying that those of us that have been playing for YEARS, have spent money on leadership assets, zen and what not, in order to play multiple toons are "repsonsible" for all the "botters", we're "one and the same" as the "botters" and all our hard work and investment should be removed, 'cos YOU whine and opine, "it's not fair, 'cos they have it and we don't."
What they did is stupid and they know it. Lowering AD IS NOT THE SAME as REMOVING AD. TGhe patch notes are a lie, plain and simple. They are to afraid to tell it how it is, bc of the well deserved shitstorm from the player base.
Way to make ppl belive nothing you say, promise, claim etc. You my friends dont deserve any credit or loyality from the player base and a law suit from WOTC, for willfully destroying their franchise.
When is this happening? Please reconsider putting this in next week BEFORE you have a solution for solo players, at least. Geez.
GOOD: Fixing the hourly system is good. So, yay there.
SOLO ISSUE: Where are the AD for campaign tasks, daily task, SOLO TASKS????? Playing the game does not = Skirmishes, PVP and Dungeons for all your players. Those need to go in WITH this change not at some unspecified future date.
Promises of "we are looking into it" are probably not going to tide them over. Maybe some of them will come back... "news very soon" is also not good enough. We don't trust you. Fix that.
ECONOMY ISSUES: How are we *ever* supposed to afford GMOPSor STRONGHOLD upgrades (AD sink, surplus equipment- no one is going to want to donate their purples if that is a lone sorce of AD) in your new economy? How are new people or characters (since apparently we will now instead need to gear up a *DUNGEON* army instead of a leadership army)- supposed to afford rings from professions, black ice combines, etc.
Also please address the price of leveling up companions- it is stupidly high with this change.
Again, "we will be looking at this at some future date" is not good enough. A promise to refund us any differences in current and future prices on in-game Ad purchases (at least from the Wondorous bazaar) would sure be more likely to make me actually do anything except wait on these theoretical adjustments. Is that possible? If so, it would go a way towards trust...
MORALE ISSUES: I've been looking forward to 2xRP for EVER - remember it was supposed to be a reward? Now I feel like I can't afford the GMOPS I needed to take advantage of it... guys you ruined my Christmas.
VIP- This feels like bait and switch. Buy months into the game while we yoink your ability to afford to play it! Can you at least fix the items from boxes that give out completely junk rewards (I'm looking at you, trove of artifacts that is almost always 1 blue + 2 green marks) to be more likely to give out better rewards (I'm looking at you, GMOP and Coal Wards).
LEADERSHIP When you take away with one hand you better give with the other. We are talking *massive* investment in this profession and removing AD without adding something else is stealing from us. Please figure something out. Perhaps some account bound ways to make GMOPS and/or Coal Wards? Remove the cap on doing each task only three times?
SUMMARY: It's insane to announce this change without a tandem source for true solo players and addressing the current AD sinks in the game- especially the one that JUST launched in the last mod.
I agree with everything you say......I grow more frustrated with this game every update.
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crypticnotionMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 45Arc User
I am on board with this change completely. With my limited game time, the only way I have been able to afford anything is by having a "Leadership Army" and that turned into a catch-22. All my available time each day was spent working Leadership. With these changes, I will be able to stop my "leadership army" and instead spend that 30-90 minutes actually playing the game AND earning AD.
I feel the pros definitely out-weight the cons and while yes there will be upset folks that can no longer rake in near endless AD (like me), what this does is turn the game economy back on track to what it should be. I feel too that these changes will allow far more people will be able to enjoy the game than those upset. Especially new and returning players. This sounds great to me. Looking forward to actually being able to play the game and not work it.
im just ready to see all the bots quietly disappear into the darkness and fade away like headlights from a car being burned off on.
if you spent 90 minutes each day doing leadership to get the AD you needed you SURE won't get it doing dungeons and pvp so save the praise. NOT even if you spend 18hr a day playing will you make that kind of AD. you will be lucky to get 1/4 as many AD in a day. Then I will look for your comment
This will kill my ability to "play" Neverwinter." If your intent is to only cater to players who do skirmishes, PVP and Dungeons, then this is NOT my game. It was my game until now. I just bought 7 months of VIP, but doubt that I will continue to log on if this goes into effect. I actually enjoyed doing leadership on my 12 characters every day to watch the astral diamonds accumulate to the point where I could afford Greater Marks of Potency for my main character.
I play solo. Solo does not mean dungeons, PVP or skirmishes to me. I thought this game was supposed to be "solo friendly," but it's not anymore.
Even for groupers and guild players, I don't see how advancement will NOT plummet if they have to rely strictly on the character that is currently logged on for all their Astral Diamonds. I overhear my spouse and her guild-mates saying this on TeamSpeak as I'm typing this.
just another DUMB move to a dieing game. I have tried to adjust for the sake of really liking the game but I find I am loosing interest very quickly to even play anymore. And I sure won't pay money to get the shaft every time I turn around.
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theycallmetomuMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 1,861Arc User
I am on board with this change completely. With my limited game time, the only way I have been able to afford anything is by having a "Leadership Army" and that turned into a catch-22. All my available time each day was spent working Leadership. With these changes, I will be able to stop my "leadership army" and instead spend that 30-90 minutes actually playing the game AND earning AD.
I feel the pros definitely out-weight the cons and while yes there will be upset folks that can no longer rake in near endless AD (like me), what this does is turn the game economy back on track to what it should be. I feel too that these changes will allow far more people will be able to enjoy the game than those upset. Especially new and returning players. This sounds great to me. Looking forward to actually being able to play the game and not work it.
im just ready to see all the bots quietly disappear into the darkness and fade away like headlights from a car being burned off on.
if you spent 90 minutes each day doing leadership to get the AD you needed you SURE won't get it doing dungeons and pvp so save the praise. NOT even if you spend 18hr a day playing will you make that kind of AD. you will be lucky to get 1/4 as many AD in a day. Then I will look for your comment
But the thing is, no one else is getting that much AD either, so AH prices should fall, and the AD price of zen should fall.
Of course, the problem is fixed costs like GMOPs. Which, of course, the dev team has yet to address at all.
I kind of thing they might be deliberately holding off on addressing it, hoping that people with fat stacks of cash will be using said cash in order to purchase GMOPs, and then once they've siphoned some of the "excess AD" out of the market, only then will they finally address the issue with fixed costs.
The problem is only one: $. At Cryptic/PWE, they have numbers, figures and stats. There are so many 3rd party websites where you can buy whatever you want for some $: you do your calculation and you discover that it's worth to buy a RK 12 enchantment for 30$ instead of buying zen for 100++++$ and refine for months. This business is very healty. How can these 3rd party websites do it? One source is the farming of AD.
They are losing potential revenues due to the AD: you can be a legit player, you can complain all night long, at Cryptic they don't care who you are and why you're playing. The decision implemented today may kill some low-end chinese bots, it doesn't kill professional IT exploiters and programmers.
As a player, you've two options: - Keep on playing and accept the decision - Quit this game.
Do you want to speed up your toon? Buy Zen or grind forever. This is the F2P model of this game: F2P doesn't mean fast grow. If you play for free, you've to accept that Cryptic wants you to be a weak-to-mid player: free playing must have a (hidden) cost. Like it? No? Then quit and close your wallet...there are so many alternatives and new game are released often. Up to you, not to Cryptic.
My guess: this is another epic fail. None will pay $$$ for a ruby which gives you 50K RPs only or 1.000 zen for a coalescent. I accept that AD are removed, but I would like to have more value when I buy zen.
Oltreverso guild leader Maga Othelma - DC | Svalvolo - SW | Dente Avvelenato- GWF
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theycallmetomuMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 1,861Arc User
Yeah, I've generally held the position that the zen cost for items needs to be cut dramatically. In fact, pretty much all fixed costs need to be cut by a staggering amount.
Comments
Oh yeah...
http://store.steampowered.com/tag/en/Economy/#p=0&tab=NewReleases
thats what you need
1+ million AD for some grey junk item for example, tag that auction and then check up buyer and seller with real GM power.
When people get banned for buying AD from botters, the botters will have a hard time finding buyers for their AD...
But as allready mentioned, this recent change with removing AD will only work out for botters and AD sellers, and they will make a lot of money.
Money, that could have ended in PWE/Cryptic pockets, but looks like they're only in the bussines of making it easier for bots and harder for normal players.
They exist, because their business works. They wouldn't be here if they didn't get customers.
They "break" the "economy".
Whatever exploits exist, fighting the spam and sellers would be better for everyone. Please make that a priority.
All exploits and bots are probably funneling out of these spammers.
1. Update algorithms to detect spam websites in chats and ban accounts (EASY - programming time: 15 minutes.).
2. Catch players who buy into these things and (time?) ban their accounts too (EASY - auto-detect algorithm, and review suspicious purchases in AH?).
3. GET TO IT.
As a programmer myself, I see so many ways to fix it, it's either bad will or an overblown organization wasting time in meetings: just find a good and motivated coder, and tell him to "simply fix it now" without overthinking it.
pseudo
--HOTFIX start
declare hitcount=0;
declare list1 {"\/\/\/.", "anniversary stock auction", ETC}
if msg.contains(list1)
hitcount++
if hitcount>2
ban(active_player);sendtohell(active_account);
--HOTFIX END
I'm not a forum dweller, so I probably won't see answers; I just hope someone from Cryptic can take some action.
Cryptic's lack of action there, is almost suspicious. There are some very easy measures you could implement. I'm too lazy to do it now, but has someone tried to look into these spam websites, find domain owner and check for connections to Cryptic? That would be hilarious if it were true.
Ok, so I just checked leadership on gateway and ALL AD was removed despite the patch notes stating :
"Astral Diamond Changes: The Leadership Profession has been modified to reward significantly fewer Astral Diamonds. Most tasks that used to reward AD no longer do so. Some tasks reward XP instead of AD. The rare level 4 task "Gather Diamonds" has been removed."
I guess they either don't communicate between departments or they just tell us whatever they think will mitigate the damage for these decisions ( at least until they go live. ).
I may regret it later
But
Not tody
Yeah, that's logic. *rolls eyes*
Way to make ppl belive nothing you say, promise, claim etc. You my friends dont deserve any credit or loyality from the player base and a law suit from WOTC, for willfully destroying their franchise.
Of course, the problem is fixed costs like GMOPs. Which, of course, the dev team has yet to address at all.
I kind of thing they might be deliberately holding off on addressing it, hoping that people with fat stacks of cash will be using said cash in order to purchase GMOPs, and then once they've siphoned some of the "excess AD" out of the market, only then will they finally address the issue with fixed costs.
At Cryptic/PWE, they have numbers, figures and stats.
There are so many 3rd party websites where you can buy whatever you want for some $: you do your calculation and you discover that it's worth to buy a RK 12 enchantment for 30$ instead of buying zen for 100++++$ and refine for months. This business is very healty. How can these 3rd party websites do it? One source is the farming of AD.
They are losing potential revenues due to the AD: you can be a legit player, you can complain all night long, at Cryptic they don't care who you are and why you're playing.
The decision implemented today may kill some low-end chinese bots, it doesn't kill professional IT exploiters and programmers.
As a player, you've two options:
- Keep on playing and accept the decision
- Quit this game.
Do you want to speed up your toon? Buy Zen or grind forever.
This is the F2P model of this game: F2P doesn't mean fast grow. If you play for free, you've to accept that Cryptic wants you to be a weak-to-mid player: free playing must have a (hidden) cost.
Like it? No? Then quit and close your wallet...there are so many alternatives and new game are released often.
Up to you, not to Cryptic.
My guess: this is another epic fail. None will pay $$$ for a ruby which gives you 50K RPs only or 1.000 zen for a coalescent. I accept that AD are removed, but I would like to have more value when I buy zen.
Oltreverso guild leader
Maga Othelma - DC | Svalvolo - SW | Dente Avvelenato- GWF