Game needs an overhaul

Welcome to F2P. *sigh*

OMG you free players are always complaining about the CSers, how about a "thank you" because without all the CSers you wouldn't have a game to play at all... GAWD!b:chuckle

Ok, now that I've provided the mandatory CSer's QQ to a valid issue I can move to my real post.

I agree, it was the massive gap between hardcore CSer's and the other players that turned me off to the game in the first place. I have spent real $$ on the game, I'm not going to sit here and act like I'm a 100% free player but even casual CSers cant keep up because we can't spend that kind of cash on rep gear + badges+ ref + shards, or buy the gold needed to get NV/ high end gear because now every ones obsessed with what wep/gear you have to even have a hope at a group... Its totally time to balance this thing out before it shatters, its already badly broken.

Wickedbrew - Raging Tide wrote: »

I wouldn't say I'm a major cs'er, but I've spent enough since I started, that I could have gotten six or seven 50+ in televisions. But I will say this, I won't be spending any more money. I enjoyed it at the time, when the game was healthy, but now, I would be a fool to continue spending money on it.

I do not blame you. But that doesn't mean there are some enjoyable aspects left. I enjoy logging in to tw and check on some of my friends who still play. But it is true the game is on its last part of its journey. Only a fool will deny that.

This might sound like I'm slating the OP's post, but I'm not, since this is a great topic. I'm also sorry that this is a fat post.

The way I see it, for F2P games to stay F2P, they need either donations given by generosity alone(f:hehe) and/or cash shops. For players to be motivated/encouraged to buy from those cash shops, there has to be a big enough advantage over buying it instead of with game money. It usually feels unfair for the non-buying players in one sense because cash shop items are always expensive and epic, but economically if it were easy to get with game coin then no one would bother buying and what would pay the game-running bills?

There are definitely flaws that need to be addressed, as with any mmorpg (not just the free ones), yet I don't think cash shopping is causing most of those flaws. Especially with the goodies and events that everyone (as far as I know) gets access to lately (ok, Anniversary gifts being the glitchy exception! b:avoid ).

I think it is the progression through the game, which I guess cash shop people can counteract with shiny boutique items. I personally enjoy some of the slogging and work in the game, but instead of working on playing the class (and I'm relying on forums more and more to learn about being a cleric), I feel there is pressure to work on high level gears, high leveling, getting rich and pwning everything in your path instinctively and quickly. That kind of attitude can suck the life out of the game being entertaining and make it more like extreme work. It isn't that leveling should be fast OR slow - I think the option for fast comes from power leveling, leveling in groups, hyper stones, etc; but it should feel enjoyable to be playing even if you're not leveling, at whatever level. Even when the event gifts run out.

If I were the-people-who-sort-out-game-content for PWI, I'd get myself, my staff/team/family/friends to start new toons (of every class at least) and get a sense of how people play the game. It is 5 years old, you've added new content and classes in all that time, so you need fresh eyes!!! f:ponder

In fact, it would be especially good if they were "virgin" to PWI, so that they'd have to play from a new person's point of view. They could gain insight from actual players in the game while playing and in squads, as well as their own opinions. Perhaps they could do some polls on forums too. They could have surveys on events, surveys on dungeons, surveys on general leveling areas and classes and spells, etc. Yes, I like surveys a lot, but they could be especially useful in this case if done right (e.g. if they plan on adding/changing/expanding some of those things for a further expansion or patch).

I also think higher levels should be looked at. What would keep people who have invested in the game interested? Once someone has committed real money and that much time (many people still playing for 5 years!), it is unlikely they'd just float away over minor changes. Plus this may be the opportunity to really keep the good stuff, and to get ideas for a new expansion. The kind of things for current and future high levels to be kept interested in. Including the buying ones. f:money

Why bother doing this? From PWI's position it would help their cash shop income. From a player's point of view there's a hell of a lot of good stuff about PWI, and it would be too easy to nerf that. Adding all these events is pretty nice, but there's also existing content that is good, and some which need tweaked or are somewhat ignored. And then gaps where it feels like there's no content at all.

My opinion of some things to change:
The in game "encyclopedia" thing doesn't seem as handy as it could be, and could be a really beautiful thing. Not things like *what build should bm be*, that is something each player should figure out. Perhaps a brief list of names of features, then at least players could go away to look it up or ask. This could be listed in order of 1- anyone and any level can do 2- level requirement features 3- boutique items available (see the potential for sliding that in there?). It could show up to date information on events- and even that the silver and gold card PW lottery event DOESN'T work! b:chuckle

Perhaps a server time clock somewhere, so that a message like "Lucid Chests from 20:00 to 21:00 Server time" means something. This would also make it easier for people to plan stuff to do together, as there would be a common time to refer to than "in 10 minutes" or "in an hour", or "once I've finished bh".

While the Auction House is under-used and underrated, what deters me from using it is that I have to look up for example (I know level might be wrong) "lvl 29 arcane leg", "lvl 29 arcane armlet", "lvl 29 arcane chest", "lvl 29 magic ring", "elf flyer sparklebright", instead of say "all arcane armor", "all elf flyer", "all magic rings". Then there's some divisions for special gears, and better equipment might have been in that when I've already bought something. Why not group all axes, all daggers, all arcane boots, all hats, all pet food, all metal materials, all herbs?

Also in Auction House here's no way of doing a level range search for things, so a sword that might be a step down from the most up to date one might have far better stats, or be one of the epic ones, than the ones initially shown in the "lvl 50 magic sword" option.

(And again!) With Auction House, I wish there was a price range filter, because while it is nice to know that there's Giant Lobster mounts and nice bundles of level 10 shards for sale, I rarely have over 1 million coin to spend.

When this topic comes up in game, everyone knows that for the Supply Stash level 50 when a perfect iron hammer is needed or whatever (and later on at level 75 or something?), the hammer costs more than the contents inside. I think that while it is easy to blame high cash shop prices for this, there could either be 1) no hammer needed, which I think lots of people would like, OR 2) a 50 silver(half a gold) lottery item (permanent for boutique, not the event lottery). Chances to win hammers (rarely, but still a chance), or 1 hyper stone or other cheap stuff(more chances of cheap items of course). I dunno, I just feel it is a waste of a supply stash when I think every player knows this isn't a profitable thing to pay to open by level 50.

If anyone disagrees with my opinions or suggestions, that's fine by me, and feel free to contradict or disagree in your post. I am no expert and my suggestions may not improve the game at all, but I only think that they might.

For some reason I cant post new topics.

I have just one problem with this game, and that is the fact that the players move too slowly to enjoy the game fully.

it is the best f2p game under rift, but I can not play rift due to a weak pc.

if you guys have seen what I mean, post below cause its a grind to get to grind as is.

Apostasy - Raging Tide wrote: »

that would still only amount to around 1240... i have spent at least 3-4 times that amount... in a game that is all about "my wallet is bigger than your wallet" and player skill is absolutely meaningless...

because you somehow managed to make a fail build.

Apostasy - Raging Tide wrote: »

the funny part is... another 6k $ and i would be able to josd/deity like those others and have +12's... just like those others... so is r9 fail without +12 and jposd / deity stones too cause i wipe my *** with them b:chuckle b:bye

in case you missed it I showed that even your dream stats are strictly worse than a vanilla r9rr build: http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?p=19757411#post19757411

Almost every game you play it's the same argument about CSers to farmers every day i hear in my faction i play in farmers say i wish i had this or that an some of the CSers are the same way that sadly is a part of every game. the people who farm cry foul on Cser's an if pwi closes the gap between CSer's an farmers the CSer cry foul.
The game is way too unbalanced an the list is very long.
i would say most likely 85% of the players here are at end game an most likely looking for the pwi team too break them from the mundane daily events that happen in game. this is on the PWI team too come up with something worth while I had played other games an watch this happen before too many people at end game with nothing to do someone finds another game to play an slowly but surely a mass exit of game players begins to happen it starts with a few a then its 10 to 20 than 50 than 100 soon the servers are half empty an it dawns on those who still play that people are leaving an then the game is done.
Reason Why simple Tech Teams of the game couldn t keep the people happy anymore

I agree with the title of this thread, but the cash shop system is honestly not whats killing the game, its the lack of improvement on old content along with constant adding of new shoddily assembled content.

PWE seems to case less about their flagship game now then they do their newer products. They need to go back, and do a runover of the game and iron out all the tiny old flaws, jazz up the early game and instances, without just adding weird new bosses that waste time and just dont make sense in bh 100s

Maybe add some more farming instances with gear comparable to that of nirvana or maybe g16 so players have more options, with more customization.

Also they need to fix seems on new features to old features, alot of them just dont match. These new monsters in Abbadon don't fit the theme of abbadon, which was an evil land disguised as paradise. I think before new areas with better graphics are implemented, maybe do a run through of the old areas, and jazz them up with shiny new pixels, most of them having been updated since this game was first made over 5 years ago. Also, the original 6 classes could use a little changing appearances too, the new classes are graphically superior, and there isnt any reason you couldnt change the old classes a little . I mean they finally gave males a decent and shapely rear end with the earthguard, but the old classes still all have that flat buttox x.x (maybe mail out a single bound makeover scroll to everyone so they could play with new appearances too?)

Alot can be done to overhaul the game, but the cash shop system is what keeps the rest of the game f2p, so thats something that should stay

MageMERC - Harshlands wrote: »

...

Your logic fails at one big point: You can't compare a games marketing strategy where every new player generates you profit with PWI, where you don't have to pay anything.