Congratulations A-team/MA, Aakas is now ghost town

So, 2 days after patch, just as i feared, Aakas is a ghost town. Just yesterday there was 20-30 people in service center and outside, everyone busy with instance related activities. Today, i find one afk avatar at storage inside service center, and 1 treasure hunter underground who just completed the instance. And having spent 1h afk'ing ingame while writing this post, i have only seen instance globals from 2 persons so far. Some key prices almost halved.

I am frustrated myself, but i will try to be as objective as possible and share my impressions of what went wrong.

1) Items Armor dropping only first few hours when instances were introduced. I can understand the concept of hooking people up, but even drug users get it easier. Everyone gets their first dose free. So when i got here 1 week later, armor drops were a story of a distant past already. And it doesn't have to be armor, can be small things, like housing decorations, some ceremonial armor (meaning no protection, just looks), small cool looking weapons (just a bit above tt stats), anything your imagination can come up with, just give people items.

I have had quite a bit of experience with instances in Lotro, they are exactly what keeps people ingame after leveling up. They are fun, there are always some kind of rewards (even if it's token currency, like arkoins), and most importantly you get to loot items. Of course some items are rare, some take lots of run throughs to get, but most importantly you always get something for your efforts. Here, having run over 15 instances now, i got item once.

I understand that MA controls items, but it doesn't have to be anything super-fancy. Like that Bukin blade, from one of FPC missions, it's small, low dps, but it is a very cool item. Something like that with an arkadian design and you get people running instances just to get it for themselves.

Another solution would be having bound items. (Just like many other MMORPGs have btw). Any items you loot, has to be rolled on, or randomly asigned to one of looters, like it is now, and it becomes bound to that avatar. You can use it yourself, but you can't sell it. I understand it goes against accepted norms in our RCE, where everything can be traded, but i am only suggesting this for instance loot. Think how many more people would run instances just to collect that special armor set for themselves, or help other soc members to get it.

2) Arkoins The concept of a barter currency is great, and is used in may other MMOs. However, first of all, usually it is fixed amount per instance. And barter brokers are released together with barter currency, not 2 weeks later. So people just after update, go to brokers, go "Wow, i must have that!" at items, and off they go grinding at instances. Fixed amount dropping is good because you know exactly how many instances you need to run to get that special item that you desire. Even if is hard or frustrating, you know that just 1 more instance and you have it. That's what keeps people running same instances over and over again. As well as items dropping inside instances themselves, as mentioned earlier. And of course the amounts have to scale with the level of instance.

The way system is now, it is simply unsustainable. All my arkoins that i've got were before the patch. Since then, not a single one, despite running many high lvl ones. So you really must have fixed barter currency drops to give people at least something, besides robot tt junk. To avoid market saturation and/or 24/7 bots, there are ways for that. You can make 2-tier currency, one sellable, another bound. You can make it only dropping once per 24h period. Once again, i'm referring to Lotro, which has imho mastered this system. There are daily quests, which give you barter currencies, but you can only do them once per day. There are daily and bi-weekly quests inside instances, for which you get barter currencies. You can run instances more often than that of course, but you won't get barter currency, only (chance of) items.

And returning to other MMOs. Nobody would run instances if there was virtually no chance to loot items, and only once in a blue moon chance of barter currency, even if people only spend their time there, unlike here where they actually spend time and money.

3) Design/Fun Factor
First of all, let's get one thing straight. What we have here, is not 10 instances, it's 1 instance which is scalable, or has 10 difficulty levels. Usually in other MMOs, what is released are so called instance-clusters, that is several different instances united by one theme.

Design is lacking. While some rooms do look cool (the bridges, or the one with overturned chairs), others look like having been mashed up in quake editor by an undergraduate student. Also it is in essence one big copy-paste exercise, too many parts are being reused over and over again. It gets dull and boring very soon.

No interactivity. There are no lever to pull, no hidden doors, no puzzles, all place is just static. If it is treasure hunting, add some fun (think about all the trips that pharaoh pyramids used to have), even if it gets familiar after a while, it would keep the things exciting and people engaged at least for a while.

Too long. Once again, referring to Lotro, the time of long instances is over. There used to be some that would take a full team of 6 people, 3 to 4h to complete. Now what they are doing, is actually redesigning old instances and spliting them up, so that you can complete them in 30mins or so. All raids are split up into so called "wings" or sections, which you can basically do one at a time, over span of the whole week. What adds to the feeling that it's too long is the lack of innovative design, mentioned earlier and same mobs all over. "Boiler room" in key 3 with all the Ubos comes to mind. Sorry, but that just plain being lazy, putting 40 mobs in one room in a neat lines. Who do you think would enjoy doing this, day, after day, after day?


Well, those are my thoughts for now.

TL;DR More various items, fixed arkoin drops (possibly with restrictions), more interactivity inside instance, reduced instance time to complete.

 

You covered it all man, i can only second everything you said. I dont blame A-team i think they are doing the best they can with what MA gives them. Which is why instead of stopping playing i stick to being on Arkadia and doing mission mobs right now. So that Ark still gets money instead of MA's planet Calypso but it sends a message that we are not happy with how MA has messed up instances and brokers. I suggest everyone else do the same. It be nice to drag more people from Caly to Ark to send a message but we have a great community here and i don't want the screwed up by a mass invasion of jerks from Caly.

 

I believe that the initial items were just bonuses for introduction of the instances and for the first discoveries etc. But actually I can see why they restrict items actually, items are hard to split fairly with teams and instances/beacons are meant to be team activities. I think it is a great idea they decided to hand out Arkoins instead, it is easier for spliting loots more fairly, but yes broker should have been available right away I do agree with that point.
I also believe that was the intent of the broker, so instance players can buy the items they want instead of just accept the random chance of stuff until they get what they want. I think the A-Team chose correctly here to do Arkoins and broker over item drops as a main source of items. Just my own opinion of course.

And about design, instances are no different then beacons, beacons are all the same I believe just mobs number and strength increase. I see no reason to blame instances and A-Team here, it is just the same system as beacons, with an Arkadian feel to them. A-Team I am sure have very little control of the engine for instances or beacons MA themselves control this, you could post that complaint on EU forums instead as it pertains to all beacons and instances.
As for length I actually like that it takes awhile, makes me feel that the key cost is worth the play time. Be shitty to pay all that PED for a key for a 5-10 minute adrenalin rush, I am not crack user I am a game player after all, and the more I get out of the game play the better. I like that you can take your time and it takes awhile, and I personally don't want to see this change.
I do however think the mobs should be tougher all around even on lvl 1 instance. I still have fun with teams of 4 or 5 with SI Scorpions and SI Flamethrowers only with 5 PED BLP and 5 PED laser ammo only for each person, in a level 1 instance, it actually make the instance fun to play with these restrictions. I guess I just make the instance fun to play over trying to run through them as fast as possible, trying to make profit. We do all have our own agenda's I guess.

These are just my opinions about your little rant above, not saying I am right about anything but just my view as a player so far regarding instances.

 

Lol and here i am thinking we already have that invasion since a week

 

you guys talk like you can use the arkoins. Anybody know when we can be able to use the arkoins?

 

We do?

As far as I know no use for them yet, I believe we all said that the mission broker should have been available right away.

All I stated is the idea of using Arkoins and broker is better design choice then item drops was all. But lack of broker is kind of annoying.

 

NPC for trading Arkoins for items are already in game ( supply depot )
but MA just add them not tested if they working ...
and even that they say we just turn them whitin few minutes .....

we may start a contest HOW many of them will be tuned on next week ....
my guess all of them will working just dessepar some 100m under ground so you cant reach them anyway

PS real shame taht A-Team did all MA wanted and then once again get creewed by MA

 

The problem lies with Ark team lowering loot possibilities for Ark coins, armour, weapons etc. So most of the time most people will loot robot tt food.

They did this because of the complaints they were getting on this forum for dropping too many items and not enough for treasure miners.

Consequently we now have a situation where SOOTO treasure items are easier to loot and item drops from instances is lowered.

What they really need to do is obviously balance the two and have decent rates for both. Not too high or low.


There are other problems too apart from drop rates. Ark instances are so boring that I remember we were joking in soc chat they at least had a good part i.e. when they end

They are boring because of the small physical size of some mobs e.g. snake, endless route which is repetitive and essentially the same. I didn't think it was possible to make instances more boring than caly ones but these are in my opinion. Calypso beacons are by far better than Ark. Ark do have better graphics though and beacon missions have pretty lame graphics but graphics I guess are of the least importance...

The treasure hunting system is not complete. Let's hope when it is it is more intresting and worthwhile doing because at moment they are pointless to do i.e. do them to loot tt returns? There really is little benefit or incentive to do them...

How do you know NPC for arkcoins are not active because Ark team have not set that part up yet?

 

"How do you know NPC for arkcoins are not active because Ark team have not set that part up yet?"
When they were introduced we meet an Ateam member by the NPC telling us everything works but an MA official needs to come here and turn em on manualy. Not sure why but thats the reason we know.

Al in al for me.
arkoins im willing to think that we have to many out I think this will settle as they kick the NPCs going.
SOTOO im willing to say the drop rate here has become what we want it to be? 1k peds bout cyckled 1 loot. Ok for me and the MU on treasure is quite decent atm. Will become better in time as we get more BPs

 

I have done level 1 instance with a friend of mine, we used tt weapons was very dull and boring, but a great instance for newbies.
We have done a level 3 with a 80% return
We are doing a level 4 tomorrow and have high hopes.

I think Ark do have the best ideas, best items, best armors, there L guns do not have stupidly high TT.

P5a - 200tt
herman cap 202 desert 80 odd.

I had quit hunting due to the high TT of L items, but since being on Ark i have hunted a lot.

Basiclly Ark do a great job, MA are the ones that have limited them to what they have, a real shame I wish Ark would have more control over EU tbh, i think they know what they are doing.

 

http://arkadiaforum.com/showthread.php?4791-Instance-Bug-Thread&p=46988&viewfull=1#post46988

 

This has been a PE/EU bug since the beginning fo time. Those lucky enough (or smart enough) to have ped on their card during a VU, actively doing somethign get all the loot. It will never change unless the loot pool system is rebuilt.

 

i think this is very very true and why ppl that live on the North American side of the world get screwed. And it's not like we can book a day off work either cause thats almost a guaranteed way to make a VU late and waste your vacation day.

 

I lol'd








Tippin'

 

Elitism and isolation leads to stagnation... That's probably why the auction house/economy on Ark cannot provide the materials I would like to use in crafting.

 

yeh the OP has some very strong arguments and suggestions how things could be fixed. I really liked the idea of bound items as part of instance loot as those could be made slightly superior to normal counterparts without instantly destroying the MU of old items. So there would actually be a motivation to go through instances more than 5 times. Having said that the arkoin traders may have provided that if MA didn't screw them up... who knows?

 

What are those?

 

You can get the materials you want, as long as you are prepared to pay the price that makes it attractive enough to provide the materials. Put and order in for the right price and watch it get filled. Otherwise, feel free to grab a finder and best of luck in locating your desired Treasures in an endless stream of junk finds and a sea of red dots.

There was abundant supply and near-zero demand for treasure before the instances arrived. Now demand is larger and supply cumbersome so prices go up.

I really hope the Balancing Managers can resist the urge and keep their fingers away from the knobs to tweak the loot, and let basic economy rules settle out.

 

Mostly advanced type extractors... for texture manufacturing.