Dear Settlers,
The Dev Diary for Christmas 2017 was just published and we can't wait to hear your initial impressions and overall feedback.
Thank you,
BB_Odhran
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Dear Settlers,
The Dev Diary for Christmas 2017 was just published and we can't wait to hear your initial impressions and overall feedback.
Thank you,
BB_Odhran
Start time for the event is Listed as 7:01 EDT. Did you mean EST?
Now, if they would only 'Improve' the RNG ranges to actually drop some of the good items for those of us who are poor and cannot afford 100+ Mysterious Boxes to try and meet the odds! Seems thes things always drop worthless items (squeaking bunnies, etc.) 1399 gems is a lot for the average player banking on a shot in the dark.Quote:
A new mysterious box has been added to the event shop: "Improved" Christmas Surprise
Great. Now one can share the squeaking bunnies with your FL... see how long you stay on that FL! ;)Quote:
The old mysterious box is now giftable
Regarding the EDT/EST thing, obviously it has to be EST since we are currently on EST and EDT won't come back until March. Bottom line on that question is that it will be the same time that is currently resetting GQ (0400 PST currently).
Dang! Must be inflation or something! Presents are worth-less than Pumpkins!
Quote:
Conversion rates: The final amount will be rounded up.
1 Present = 0.4 gold coins
1 event collectible = 0.04 gold coins
It's quite obvious you have failed to even look at what you are complaining about, if you had you would know that the value of all options possible from that box exceeds the gem price of those items in the architect's tab of the merchant. The rewards are 1 or more imp buildings depending on normal gem price, no deco's, refills, buffs, resources or any other item costing less than the price of the box.Quote:
Originally Posted by SmartyPants1
We opened over 300 "Improved" Christmas Surprises on the test server back in October. No guarantees similar droprates will carry over to the live server, but if you want a look at the droprates for the test server, here is the list: https://forum.tsotesting.com/threads...Surprises-2017
PS. And here is the same table for the regular boxes, albeit from 2016, so keep in mind it might be outdated. Just to give a rough idea of what odds you can expect: https://forum.tsotesting.com/threads...3699#post43699
Stavros
Whatever details we quibble about, I think we'll find the great majority of us will participate and grow from the effort. I've always been better off after and event than I was before it. Let the fun begin.
Yes I meant EST. It became a habit to write EDT, since that was what I was trained to use by BB_Ayline. Sorry for the confusion. When does this EDT thing start?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kanesh
EDT starts in the spring (second Sunday of March) and runs through the first Sunday in November, fairly close to the CET changes.
Would it be better to just use ET from now on? Maybe save the confusion from happening.
Precisely the reason why day light saving time is retarded and needs to be removed. Also, google, because knowledge is reserved for less idiotic things -.-'
I thought previously we agreed on Bing.
Just got done simming Mary, and I was surprised to find that I could put her almost everywhere I had a Veteran farmer previously. More useful than I anticipated.
Glad that Mary is useful!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gwalben
Bing? People use that?
The original times for the removal and deactivation phase were incorrect. The Dev Diary has now been corrected to reflect the in-game timer:
Removal phase will begin on January 2nd at 04:00 ET
Deactivation will occur on January 9th at 04:00 ET
Hotfix!!! Yay!!!
Thank you, I've been waiting for it since the event started... I can relax now, finally... :D
I find this morning's maintenance to be just plain bad business. Mary taking up a BL is not a critical issue.
That issue is less troublesome for players than taking down the game first thing in the AM for US players during an event where the main event progression comes from explorer utilization.
People get up and can't resend their explorers out before going to work?
I can play pretty much all day so I'll just send my explorers out when the game comes up and I figure out it's back. That's not true for much of the player base.
Seriously, this was a crap call on the timing. And this very issue was recently discussed in this forum. Way to not listen to your customers.
I do not mind the hotfix as much as I mind that since I have been playing this game, every new explorer/general/geologist has taken up a building license when they are first introduced to the game. One would think this problem would have been nipped in the behind years ago. The consistency is kind of nice though. :p
I know the time frames are not great for everyone. The game servers go down for maintenance at the same time for every server. We work on all servers at the same time. The time difference is the main thing that is causing issues for the US servers. The 7 am ET maintenance makes it 1 pm CET time. I know this isn't an idea thing, but seeing as all servers are worked on at the the same, it is something that will take a bit to get changed.Quote:
Originally Posted by TboneX
Since I doubt any but a few crazy people who already have Mary on day 1 of the event and have pigeon-holed themselves into 0 BL remaining are affected by this, a one-day notice would have been a nice touch. Most people that far advanced in the game would have some patience, as they've been playing for years.
To second TBone's point: The 2-hour maintenance window exactly covers the time from when I get up, help get the kids ready / to school, and leave for work.
Not only are my explorer's probably sitting idle, something they're not allowed to do (they are pretty rowdy when left to themselves), but Snow White is taunting me from her castle and I wanted to remove a few more of her defenses before taking a break. You'd be surprised the language that girl uses - even my veteran soldier is learning new words.
I'm ok with the hotfix, really, it's part of the game.
About the time, again, don't forget the servers and devs are in Germany and they have to be at work to do something, sorry, but no one can ask them to work 24/7 to cover all time zones. That's my opinion...
Oh, and a suggestion... if possible, can you implement a SERVER TIME? A whatever hour (I really don't care what hour you chose) to make things easier for everyone? Now we can see our current time in chats... and it is a problem anyway, at least in our guild, we are from all over the globe and it's a pain to convert time over and over again...
Having a server time does sound like a good idea. I think a lot do forget that we are located in Germany and we do have a time difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by ghannima
I don't forget that there is a time difference. I stated the inconvenience in terms of what it does to the customer base right here, where I am. Because that's what matters to me, the customer, right here.Quote:
Originally Posted by BB_Odhran
As a customer, I have the right to do that. Any business that fails to recognize and address things on the terms of what appeals and does not appeal to their customers is cruising for a bruising. Take care of your customers - or someone else will. That's pretty elementary. Taking down the game at that time to address, what was an admittedly a problem that did need to be fixed but was not game stopping for anyone was not customer friendly.
I like the game, play it every day. Spend some money now and again. I like the community. My criticism is of the situation, not of the people but it's real and it's serious. I wouldn't bother to say it unless I wanted it to be heard and taken seriously. This is not venting.
I don't see enough new players and things like this morning's timing are real turn-offs for people, most especially those who have a smorgasbord of other game offerings out there in the world and no vested interest in the game already the way most of those who have been around a year or more seem to do.
While a single event like this won't kill the community, failing to grow it by customer friendly decisions eventually will.
I hate that timing as well because it throws off my ability to do anything before I go to work (even an hour earlier would have worked) and agree it was not a critical issue, but they always provide adequate compensationevery time there is an eventwhenever something goes wrong.
About time we had a Summer Christmas - to represent the other half of the world who has bbq, beachparties and Summer sports. Stop polarising the world into the stereo typical commercial crap
As I've said previously on this matter, all servers got taken down. Just because it was not an issue on the US server, does not mean other servers were not sending in a lot of complaints about it. I know it stinks having the servers go down that early in the morning and that it did not seem like a big deal on the US server, but since our Dev's work on all servers at once it happens.Quote:
Originally Posted by TboneX
Timing on a lot of games is horrible. I can remember one as a teen that went down every Tuesday right after I got home from school. Talk about horrible timing... I still played and was addicted to it though.
I ran Wood Cutter with Mary instead of a Vet, attacking 4 no loss camps (there are 2 others I see that I don't yet attack that way). XP increased from 157k to 176k or about 12% plus double the mercenaries and star coins with no additional losses. Very nice improvement.
Glad that you like it!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gwalben
Guessing that you already skilled other generals in your arsenal with Fast Learner. Replacing my MMA on 3x camps with Mary Xmas netted a boost of Base XP increase of 139,962 to 160,786 (20,824 xp gain); note that no other general in my army possesses Fast Learner. Adding two camps I normally had not eliminated, at a cost of 20MS for one of the camps, brought my total to 169,015 experience (total boost of base exp of 29053). With premium time, netting 253k+ per WC run! :D I am happy with such; though am curious the 6x camps that you are currently using (or looking at) to compare notes. Thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gwalben
Indeed. :general:Quote:
Originally Posted by Gwalben
I skilled everybody with three fast learner, and Vets and now Mary are farmers. Camp numbers from the Hellvena guide, which adds a Camp X to Evil_J. Camp 2, Camp X, and Camp 8 are part of blocks. Camp 12 is an individual attack. Camps 6 and 11 if you kill enough mounted bowmen with sacs. I'm one MMA short of that on camp 11, but I think now I can pull some sacs from Leader 1 or 5 and make those both doable.
Thanks for info. Will review more thoroughly tomorrow when at workstation and see what's what... tbc.
Wonder if I will get enough collectibles for 5 baskets by the end of it, terrible distribution yet again.
Liking Mary so far, got my Woodcutter from 140k to just under 160k without any extra losses (haven't looked at other camps yet / balanced out MMAs sacs etc for more camps). 46C and 282R mercs. Only downside is needing to bring around 500MM now as to not slow down too much on normal runs, back to back runs are another beast that I'll be looking at soon, dunno how much I will like them because my current setup for it I _really_ like as it is. Prolly end up skipping her C2 camp as well as C9, skipping that extra XP as well as troop savings since I also skip Anslem on L1 and L3 hehe
http://prntscr.com/hod3l4
my skills for Mary.
She is a nice toy to play with, thank you, BB, you finally made us to pay attention to the camps outside of the leaders path... :P
Anyway, she is my only gen skilled for experience.
This is for cutter: http://prntscr.com/hod8sq
Not bad at all, considering i got same losses like i had before using her. (i will not increase losses for a bit extra experience, i'd rather run more adv with the troops i save).
As i said, nice toy.
6 days in and barely enough collectibles to make the first basket in collections.
DROP RATE FOR BELLS AND GINGERBREAD ARE TOO LOW to complete the 5 basket achievement.
How many of the 3 potential drops are you getting per day? I agree the gingerbread men and to a lesser degree the bells are not nearly dropped as candy canes; but if you are nabbing at least 2x drops per day, you should be on basket 2 or 3 by now. If you are only getting 1x drop/day and/or are not retrieving all the collectibles per spawn, you are right, not going to happen.Quote:
Originally Posted by AlliNel
There is the problem with RNG, "should be". 100% of 2 drops a day and I am barely past the 1st basket on this account and my French one. Now, these are just useless achievements and there is plenty of stuff to buy in the Trade Office. Might not like the price, but if someone really wants that achievement, it is not going to be a problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by Raubhautz
I get about 2 drops a day. I have made one basket. I have as of now 75 candy canes, 29 bells and 7 gingerbreads. Every drop I get several candy canes, some bells, 0 to 2 gingerbreads. It has been like that every christmas event for me. And gingerbread in trade runs at about 1000 coins each, which tells you everything you need to know about the drop rate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Raubhautz
if you get 2 full spawns a day you are almost guaranteed 5 baskets by the end of the event. maybe youll have to trade a little in the end. the prices will be down by then and you can get bells vs gingerbreads 1:1 all the time. youll have like 200 canes too many - no idea why bells+gingerbreads=canes.
if you ask me 5 baskets in 3 weeks is way too little for all the work that you put in specially if you compare how easily you get presents from explorers. BB should change the requirement from 25 of each res to 10 of each res to make a basket and it still would be unfair. at the very least they should fix the drop rate of canes.
I will have this looked at to see if there are any issues with the collectibles for this event. I am sorry that they are being a bit of a pain for you all.
Always has been that way, and in summer, people will be complaining about sneakers again.
I have found enough candy canes already to make the five baskets, but the other two are in much shorter supply. I'm not concerned I won't be able to trade my way to finishing the achievement, but I'm not sure I would find enough gingerbread on my own.
I think the reindeer are eating the gingerbread before we can find it.
I don't really care about the achievements since I'm already out of things to buy other than grout. That said, there is no way I'm getting near 5 baskets despite 2 drops a day.