Would you play more foundry missions if there was Purples?

boomba66 · August 2013

Just a quick question for the general tab. If they added foundry coins like they have for GG and each dungeon with purple items purchasable by doing so, do you think you would be more likely to play more missions?

Say 2 coins per 15 minutes played in foundry. You can only receive coins from same author twice a day to prevent abuses with gear set more solo friendly at merchant and a cool companion like Unicorn and Drake seals provide. Would that get more of the general players to give foundry a play each day?

powereddjinn · August 2013

I already play a lot of foundry, something like this would add an incentive, but much better search and sorting would really help, tagging missions etc.

brataccas · August 2013

boomba66 wrote: »

If they added foundry coins like they have for GG and each dungeon with purple items purchasable by doing so, do you think you would be more likely to play more missions?

Probably - but not the kind you'd want me to play. I'd just hit the farming maps until I got all the (hypothetical) gear I wanted.

mytgroo · August 2013

Would like coinage gold instead of terrible items as an award at the end. That would make it better.

hobokenboy · August 2013

I would like the xp to return to normal, not have some enforced rate cap at which I can earn xp. There's no xp gain cap in regular play, why should there be any in the Foundry?

Also, Foundry content was touted as being "equivalent or superior to normal game content." This is currently not true, with the drops one gets. It is inferior, and remains such. This is what keeps me out of the Foundry and the game.

agentjaspor · August 2013

Award 2 GG Coins at level 60 per 15 minute average duration of the quest. Just finished an epic hour long quest? 8 GG coins. Limited to 20 per day. Done and done.

No need for a new currency or reward and it gives some incentive for level 60s to do Foundry quests.

darkchlor · August 2013

powereddjinn wrote: »

I already play a lot of foundry, something like this would add an incentive, but much better search and sorting would really help, tagging missions etc.

QFT. I'd love to see better equipment, but really would like better organization.

agentjaspor · August 2013

Tagging is coming with the Fury of the Feywild.

apocrs1980 · August 2013

Of course people would, the problem is there would be those A-holes that make exploit foundry maps like "EPIC GEAR EASY AS 1-2-3!!!"

rogu3ish · August 2013

If you're talking about the actual content then I agree with the statement that the Foundry already provides content "equivalent or superior to normal game content." At least most of the quests I've played do so.

If you're talking just about gear, then you're kind of missing the point of Foundry quests anyway.

As for the XP cap, you can blame exploiters for that. If people would stop rewarding exploit quests with hundreds of 5 star reviews, they wouldn't get played and you could have your XP back.

lonnehart · August 2013

What if the chance of getting "Purple" level items increases the longer the quest goes on? And not just through time either, but a combination of time, enemies slain, objectives completed, distance travelled, etc... with kills and time not counting as much as distance and objectives?

bobmdq · August 2013

I believe it is a good idea, specially if you play foundries at level 60. I think that getting some of these coins, even just one (just saying) instead of un-needed exp points and completely useless items might just be the spice needed to have more people playing foundries. I am thinking that it may even be related to quest duration, let's say, under 15 min they give 1 coin then add another for every 10 minutes of duration, that would also give more incentive to play longer quests instead of just fullfilling the daily.

brataccas · August 2013

bobmdq wrote: »

that would also give more incentive to play longer quests instead of just fullfilling the daily.

May I ask why you feel players need to be coerced into playing longer quests? I know a lot of Foundry authors have epic ideas for adventures but look at one of the most successful Foundry quests to-date - Bill's Tavern - it's successful because it's simple, fun(ny) and because it's short - people can blast through it 4 times to get their daily and have a little silly fun at the same time.

Why not tell a story across 4 x 15 minute Foundry quests? That's still an hour of gameplay and I'm pretty sure if you're looking for the kind of success Bill's has had, then that's a far better route than trying to get players to complete a single, hour-long dungeon.

I'd love a few 4-story campaigns like that - I'd play them for my daily and the more the better - but so far I haven't found any so I play Bill's, Bloody Pit, May's Trick Jumping etc. Short campaigns would be *way* more interesting (especially if I could play a new one every week or so).

Maybe y'all should consider thinking a little smaller?

rogu3ish · August 2013

brataccas wrote: »

May I ask why you feel players need to be coerced into playing longer quests?

I think 'coerced' is way too strong a word.

Right now you're effectively penalized for playing longer quests, considering you have to complete X amount to get credit for the daily, and drops from the Foundry are poor compared to other content.

As for why you can't always break up a story into multiple quests:

Continuity - some complex stories can suffer if there's a break in the experience
Mechanics - some limitations of the Foundry might require the story be presented during one quest
Available Space - we can only have 10 total Foundry quests

In the latest quest I published I didn't flesh the story out nearly so much as I wanted, mostly to keep it to ~20 minutes so people would at least consider playing it. I understand if long quests are not for you - I don't always have time to play long quests either. All some of us are asking is that you make playing long quests at least as attractive as playing short ones so more people at least consider them.

sockmunkey · August 2013

lonnehart wrote: »

What if the chance of getting "Purple" level items increases the longer the quest goes on? And not just through time either, but a combination of time, enemies slain, objectives completed, distance travelled, etc... with kills and time not counting as much as distance and objectives?

This right here.

Right now, its all about getting the daily done as easily as possible. With the most played maps being the ones closest to 15 minutes. Having an additional reward, but one offered at the other end of the spectrum, the longer missions. Would be a simple way to help balance things out.

brataccas · August 2013

rogu3ish wrote: »

All some of us are asking is that you make playing long quests at least as attractive as playing short ones so more people at least consider them.

Well, the thing you have to take into account is that the majority of the player base are those people in zone looking to run 'fast' dungeons during DD - if they run Foundry quests *at all* it's for the Daily - the actual content is irrelevant provided they can do it quickly.

Scaling rewards *might* attract players to longer quests but for all the wrong reasons - they're not playing your Foundry for the story or the atmosphere, they're playing it for Astral Diamonds/Seals/Epic loot/whatever - and if there's another Foundry that gets them that gear quicker (and there always is) then that's what they'll play.

For those looking for neat quests and stories, the Foundry quests *already are* their own reward - but that's always going to be a niche part of the community - it's like any media sadly, if you want to appeal to the broadest possible range of people you have to target it at them.

Discussions like this have gone on for years over on the STO website where Cryptic has tried various methods to encourage players to try out Foundry missions and it always ends the same way - with the majority playing 'grind' maps to get whatever the current shiny of the month is as quickly as possible. Ultimately the reward gets nerfed then people stop playing the Foundry stuff again.

The limitations you've listed above are your limitations for the quests you want to make - which is fine, the Foundry is a means for creative expression and if those are the kind of adventures you want to make then you should make them. But if you want lots of people to play your quests then you need to look at the motivations behind why the majority of players run Foundry missions (i.e. the Daily) and try to come up with some quest ideas that will connect with them.

apocrs1980 · August 2013

personally I think the rewards should just be purely cosmetic if anything.

dzogen · August 2013

brataccas wrote: »

May I ask why you feel players need to be coerced into playing longer quests? I know a lot of Foundry authors have epic ideas for adventures but look at one of the most successful Foundry quests to-date - Bill's Tavern - it's successful because it's simple, fun(ny) and because it's short - people can blast through it 4 times to get their daily and have a little silly fun at the same time.

Why not tell a story across 4 x 15 minute Foundry quests? That's still an hour of gameplay and I'm pretty sure if you're looking for the kind of success Bill's has had, then that's a far better route than trying to get players to complete a single, hour-long dungeon.

I'd love a few 4-story campaigns like that - I'd play them for my daily and the more the better - but so far I haven't found any so I play Bill's, Bloody Pit, May's Trick Jumping etc. Short campaigns would be *way* more interesting (especially if I could play a new one every week or so).

Maybe y'all should consider thinking a little smaller?

Many authors think long gameplay, funky effects that crash lower end systems, and wall of text equates to epic. You I and I think majority of gamers think the exact opposite.

By the way, Bill's no longer qualifies for daily. Finally went under 15 mins.

brataccas · August 2013

apocrs1980 wrote: »

personally I think the rewards should just be purely cosmetic if anything.

I really believe that if what's important to Foundry Authors is story, atmosphere and ideas that there should be *no* rewards for playing Foundry missions (not even XP) - since a good Foundry quest is its own reward.

Think about it - if a Foundry mission didn't award *anything* there wouldn't be a single 'grinding' map in the Foundry, and the people playing these quests would be doing it because they want to be entertained by a good story.

Exactly the kind of players you authors want.

dzogen wrote: »

Many authors think long gameplay, funky effects that crash lower end systems, and wall of text equates to epic. You I and I think majority of gamers think the exact opposite.

By the way, Bill's no longer qualifies for daily. Finally went under 15 mins.

Hey dzogen

Yeah - you can blast through it with a team of 5 eh?

I think I single-handedly unqualified May's Trick Jumping 'cause I got so good at it

But the success of Bill's is a lesson for all the other Foundry authors out there - whether by design or by happy accident, you hit upon a formula that connected with the majority of players - and Bill's is still my favourite out of all the 'quickie' Foundry quests I play because it's got a sense of humor (ermagaad braains!!)

saerrael · August 2013

boomba66 wrote: »

Just a quick question for the general tab. If they added foundry coins like they have for GG and each dungeon with purple items purchasable by doing so, do you think you would be more likely to play more missions?

Say 2 coins per 15 minutes played in foundry. You can only receive coins from same author twice a day to prevent abuses with gear set more solo friendly at merchant and a cool companion like Unicorn and Drake seals provide. Would that get more of the general players to give foundry a play each day?

Personally, no, I would not play more Foundries. I already play more Foundry material than not.

I do, however, think that those playing Foundry should not be punished for it.

mytgroo · August 2013

Personally, I think there should be cosmetic items in the Foundries that are not available in the regular game. Items of clothing, axes, spears, etc. that aren't any more powerful than anything else which you can put in the Foundry. This would be a nice touch.

zaodun · August 2013

brataccas wrote: »

Why not tell a story across 4 x 15 minute Foundry quests? That's still an hour of gameplay and I'm pretty sure if you're looking for the kind of success Bill's has had, then that's a far better route than trying to get players to complete a single, hour-long dungeon.

Campaign: "Delera's Tomb"
Author: @zaodan

4 Parts, all qualify for daily, all about 15-20 mins each (depending on your class and level).

rogu3ish · August 2013

brataccas wrote: »

Well, the thing you have to take into account is that the majority of the player base are those people in zone looking to run 'fast' dungeons during DD - if they run Foundry quests *at all* it's for the Daily - the actual content is irrelevant provided they can do it quickly.

Scaling rewards *might* attract players to longer quests but for all the wrong reasons - they're not playing your Foundry for the story or the atmosphere, they're playing it for Astral Diamonds/Seals/Epic loot/whatever - and if there's another Foundry that gets them that gear quicker (and there always is) then that's what they'll play.

Believe me, I understand that the majority of players might see Foundry quests as a means to an end...they just want to do their 2 or 4 a day and move on. I agree that for those looking for a story, just playing a good quest should be a reward.

But we don't all play 4+ hours per day. If you have an hour to play, even if you wanted to play a longer foundry, you're passing up your opportunity to complete the daily in favor of doing that. What's wrong with letting the player decide to run two longer quests instead of four short ones? Or providing some other equivalent compensation? You're giving the player an option to do what they would prefer to do without feeling like they're falling behind.

brataccas · August 2013

zaodun wrote: »

Campaign: "Delera's Tomb"
Author: @zaodan

4 Parts, all qualify for daily, all about 15-20 mins each (depending on your class and level).

Thanks for that zaodun! I'll check them out!

rogu3ish wrote: »

But we don't all play 4+ hours per day. If you have an hour to play, even if you wanted to play a longer foundry, you're passing up your opportunity to complete the daily in favor of doing that. What's wrong with letting the player decide to run two longer quests instead of four short ones? Or providing some other equivalent compensation? You're giving the player an option to do what they would prefer to do without feeling like they're falling behind.

I agree - more choice for the players as to how they spend their 'Foundry time' would be nice - if a one hour quest rewarded the same quantity of AD's as 4 x 15 minute quests then I'd be more inclined to give longer quests a shot.

The only problem with this idea is that Cryptic aren't very good at implementing these systems (the history of rewards for playing STO Foundry maps is evidence of that) and also, the exploitability of any quest that rewards solely on length of time committed to it (STO had missions that you could quite literally AFK and let your Bridge Officers do for you).

I'm not saying that these systems shouldn't be tried though - quite the opposite - but I'm skeptical Cryptic will allocate the resources to it to make it happen

fr0gurt · August 2013

It will be important to have anti-farm measures to prevent an explosion of exploit missions. A combination of a player-based timer and mission-based timer could do the trick.

I think that the 15-minute requirement for the daily AD quest should be removed. It puts an artificial restraint on authors and in the end only benefits speed-runners. Instead, put a RAD reward in the end chest based on the player and mission timers.

Give foundry authors the ability to place special versions of profession nodes and intermediate chests in their quests. Again, they will only appear based on the timers to limit exploiting.

I think the best way to award purple gear is via a Foundry Seals ("Harper Coins", perhaps) that are rewarded from the end chest, and can be redeemed at one of the Harper agents. This will make longer missions more rewarding, but still give the player the options of gaining them from multiple shorter missions.

Have a different reward structure for under-60 and level 60 players. Give green gear and XP for those under 60, and Foundry Seals for those at the level cap.

mokah · August 2013

hobokenboy wrote: »

I would like the xp to return to normal, not have some enforced rate cap at which I can earn xp. There's no xp gain cap in regular play, why should there be any in the Foundry?

Also, Foundry content was touted as being "equivalent or superior to normal game content." This is currently not true, with the drops one gets. It is inferior, and remains such. This is what keeps me out of the Foundry and the game.

QFMoreT

+1 for me as well. Currently the Foundry is a joke in poor taste.

apocrs1980 · August 2013

hobokenboy wrote: »

I would like the xp to return to normal, not have some enforced rate cap at which I can earn xp. There's no xp gain cap in regular play, why should there be any in the Foundry?

Also, Foundry content was touted as being "equivalent or superior to normal game content." This is currently not true, with the drops one gets. It is inferior, and remains such. This is what keeps me out of the Foundry and the game.

THIS is one of the many reasons why we can't have nice things.

Would you play more foundry missions if there was Purples?

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