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Thread: [Feedback] Dev Notes Weekly Challenges

  1. #21
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    Over all, I like the weekly challenge. I DO see some serious issues that could be tweeked or modified to make it more successful, reasonable.

    Co Ops requiring 4 people are can be very problematic. Finding people who are available/willing when you are can be a problem. More so this time of year during the holidays.

    AN adventures. AGAIN BB has made requirements of AN adventures of people who, at their level, can not honestly do the adventures on their own. Their level does not allow them to make all the different Elite troops... which requires them to depend on someone else for a LS. Which in turn opens them up to exploitation. BB first Did this with Ventures such as The Compass and A New Threat. I had hoped I wouldnt see this happen again.. but here we are. You honestly, IMO, shouldnt make AN aventures a requirement for players under level 57. Ive seen a lot of high level people Charge insane amounts of money for a LS to these players because they know they cant legitimately do the adv on their own (without unrealistic expenses of time/resources)

    I have a guild member at lvl 55 that needs to do 3 AN First Thief Adv. How do you expect him to be able to do that... much less within a week? SERIOUSLY? Its a single player Adv. He cant even pay for a LS to achieve this!
    Last edited by Springer_Prime; 11-24-18 at 02:15 pm. Reason: Added clerity

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elgin View Post
    You created a unique item that everyone wants: tokens
    Then you created Challenges as the only way to get that unique item.
    Then you offer these Challenges every week.
    But the Challenges were specifically designed so that they "aren't something for everyone."

    The expectation is now EVERYONE should be able to get SOME tokens each WEEK.
    Otherwise people will feel cheated by the game.

    If the tokens were not unique, it would work.
    If the challenge were quarterly or monthly, it would work.
    If everyone could get some tokens each week, it would work.

    It doesn't work to offer a unique item everyone wants, every week, and then say it's not for everyone.
    This creates frustration and resentment.

    The measure of success should be: Everyone gets some tokens each week, with some effort.

    There are a whole range of possibilities between the current implementation of Weekly Challenges, and something "you would click through in a couple of minutes."

    Design the Challenges in stages with increasingly difficult tasks.
    Tokens are awarded for each stage.
    As the tasks get more difficult, you get more tokens.
    But if you only partially complete the Challenge, you at least get some tokens.

    The obvious solution is make the final tasks and stages the rare adventures, and time consuming resource and troop production.

    Thank you for your consideration.
    I hate saying this, but...I do not think people should be handed out tokens....Not counting the adventure requirements of the weekly, if anyone is having issues with the resource aspect, that means they leveled up too fast due to free hand outs. Just like handing them free tokens. I agree this weekly quest has some.....issues and, I think a few tweaks would really make it great but, I do not expect to do it weekly and why should anyone unless they are willing to actually pay for it? It is a reward system in the game (flawed at the moment) but people should not just be handed out free tokens. They are hard to get...for a reason...for those that use that extra population because their islands are already jammed packed and this offers a bonus...at a price. I am OKAY with that aspect. Frodo wouldn't be a hero if he only went halfway to Mordor and turned around. You don't win a marathon for stopping half way... you don't conquer an objective by only doing it halfassed. This is...end game content. For those that can get SOME population boost at lower, levels then that is good for them. they put forth the effort and they should have "bragging rights", but someone getting the same thing (albeit a slower pace) just for logging in daily or semi daily and doing NO work, should not be rewarded. Normal people wont be able to do this every week. that's fine. Skip a week or three, but when a person DOES decide to do it, then let them get rewarded. Heck, I have seen people complaining about water production and they are OVER level 56. If someone is having issues at that level in the game then adding population is the least of their concerns. Too many people want to build TALL buildings without a good foundation. Leveling up too fast is not always good. Same thing with just being handed "free stuff". This game already does that a lot. No real PvP so for the most part, this game is at your own pace. If you can't keep up in the race then you probably got into that bracket via artificial. I am not trying to sound like a ****, but really. people should not be handed stuff for free when others are sacrificing time and resources to get the same thing (tokens). I am a level 63, never had Gem Pits, and ALWAYS built for the long term. I have fairly good production yet, I know, I wont be able to do this every week. Maybe only 1-2 times a month, but despite some of the flaws, the mechanic of the weekly quest, isn't all that bad. As long as they change the adventure/venture/co-op deal, it will be something a person can do on an individual basis.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Springer_Prime View Post
    Over all, I like the weekly challenge. I DO see some serious issues that could be tweeked or modified to make it more successful, reasonable.

    Co Ops requiring 4 people are can be very problematic. Finding people who are available/willing when you are can be a problem. More so this time of year during the holidays.

    AN adventures. AGAIN BB has made requirements of AN adventures of people who, at their level, can not honestly do the adventures on their own. Their level does not allow them to make all the different Elite troops... which requires them to depend on someone else for a LS. Which in turn opens them up to exploitation. BB first Did this with Ventures such as The Compass and A New Threat. I had hoped I wouldnt see this happen again.. but here we are. You honestly, IMO, shouldnt make AN aventures a requirement for players under level 57. Ive seen a lot of high level people Charge insane amounts of money for a LS to these players because they know they cant legitimately do the adv on their own (without unrealistic expenses of time/resources)
    These things are always harder at the lower end of the range. What is wrong with just concentrating on other things for the time being, i.e. gaining a few more levels and then doing them. I am lvl 61 and I am betting a lot of lvl 57s have higher population than me and I actually do just fine and rarely run into problems because of population - I just hit 17k population with these challenges.

    What troops can't lvl 57s make ? According to this they can make them all - http://settlersonlinewiki.eu/en/mili...lite-barracks/

    At level 56 they can make all except one and what adventure in that group can't be done without them ?

  4. #24
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    1-Increase drop rate for Heart of the Wood, its only 1% on medium search right now. Takes several weeks to get one.
    2-Selling Woodcutters is a start, however Treasure of Wisdom is the quest, and it rarely drops from 2nd and 3rd thief, which are both followups from woodcutter.
    Having to do 3 advs that are third in line of followups is not happening in the one week time frame. Same for Besieged City.

  5. #25
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    Weekly Challenge is fine except for the following glaring issues, in my humble opinion.

    1.) Forced co-op map requirements is totally erroneous, as you have effectively removed the decision making of continuance, completely, from the owner of the challenge, and placed it in the hands of others.

    2.) Availability of mandatory adventures seems erroneous. This needs to be revamped as well. Not only is this a completely random drop from searches, with unbalanced odds, but it effectively again, removes the option to complete the challenge, from the owner if they cannot beg, borrow, buy, or get lucky enough to find them. Allow for some other manor of acquirement of necessary maps. Consider providing them in the challenge for free ( NON - Tradable ) ( i.e ,you click it to start it, no pixelated ownership of anything needed), or with a mini task (s), or consider purchasing them with map frags and/or resources. You have imposed a higher demand, but it appears the supply has not been adjusted with it.

    Again,the adventure maps availability, or should I say lack there of have totally impacted the current game economy in what I would consider a negative manner, due to the current structuring of the challenges.

    As a side note, if you want to encourage players to use forced co-op adventures more often, then perhaps you should consider addressing that issue as/in a separate manner entirely, instead of placing them in the weekly challenge, and fostering even more frustration with them, then already exists.

    In short, let the player/owner of the challenge have total control over the choice to proceed or quit, and remove the need for the "random adventure find" and "forced co-op" from it.

    Sincerely,
    An old returning player,
    Teatime
    Happy Gaming Everyone !

  6. #26
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    I love the idea of tokens for population. But why can't I earn the tokens in stages?

    A Proposal for Weekly Challenges that would be more fun, but still require considerable effort and resources to reap full rewards.

    I like the way experience is available for each task.
    I want to earn tokens in stages for progressively more difficult tasks.
    But every player can earn a couple of tokens each week with some resources and effort.

    For example:
    Town Construction at level 57 has 2 branches with 3 tasks each.
    Each task rewards for 17K – 29K experience
    Completing the Challenge rewards 66K experience and 21 tokens.

    CURRENT MECHANICS
    Branch 1
    Task1: Defeat Foreign ship with 150 Normal provisions
    Task2: Defeat Foreign ship with 215 Normal provisions
    Task3: Defeat Foreign ship with 29 Large provisions

    Branch 2
    Task1
    Gather and Produce 1450 gold coin. Pay 1450 gold coin
    4 very long adventure searches
    Complete 2 Ali Baba and Second Thief
    Task 2
    Train 270 Bowmen. Delegate 270 Bowmen
    Train 125 Soldier. Delegate 125 Soldier
    Train 350 Knight. Delegate 350 Knight
    Task 3
    Produce 8700 Marble. Pay 8700 Marble
    Produce 7550 Hardwood planks. Pay 7500 hardwood planks
    Produce 2700 Exotic planks. Pay 2700 Exotic planks
    Produce 750 Mahogany planks. Pay 750 Mahogany planks



    NEW MECHANICS WITH PROGRESSIVE AWARDING OF TOKENS
    Branch 1
    Task 1: Defeat Foreign ship with 150 Normal provisions
    Task 2: Defeat Foreign ship with 215 Normal provisions
    Task 3: Defeat Foreign ship with 29 Large provisions
    Reward: XP only

    Branch 2
    Task 1
    Gather and Produce 1450 gold coin. Pay 1450 gold coin
    4 very long adventure searches
    Reward: 2 tokens + XP

    Task 2
    Produce 8700 Marble. Pay 8700 Marble
    Produce 7550 Hardwood planks. Pay 7500 hardwood planks
    Produce 2700 Exotic planks. Pay 2700 Exotic planks
    Produce 750 Mahogany planks. Pay 750 Mahogany planks
    Reward: 4 tokens + XP

    Task 3
    Train 270 Bowmen. Delegate 270 Bowmen
    Train 125 Soldier. Delegate 125 Soldier
    Train 350 Knight. Delegate 350 Knight
    Reward: 6 tokens + XP

    Task 4
    Complete 2 Ali Baba and Second Thief
    Reward: 9 tokens + XP

    TOTAL = 21 tokens + XP

  7. #27
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    Interesting comments by all, I agree with a lot and also disagree with a lot.

    I think one of the major problems currently from what I have heard in guild and game chat is: People get through one stage or two then find out it will be almost impossible for them to finish the weekly quest. If they had known that in advance they probably wouldnt have started the challenges and wasted so many resources.
    In part it is their fault for not checking the wiki where they are listed, but there are some ways I think this could be improved by BB.

    Information: All tasks from the start should be viewable to see the requirements, this lets people either plan in advance to achieve the weekly challenege or if they believe currently they are unable to do it.. leave the weekly quests and wait for the next one without wasting thousands of resources.

    Coops - Bone of contention here... I hate them personally as you are reliable on others... who can be unreliable. That said I have seen a massive surge in cooperation and community togetherness trying to get the WW's for example done. This adv is more than plentiful which is good. The problem may come when nearing the end of the quest line and suddenly you find you have to do 3 of these in a day say. Solution would be to open up all 3 tiers of quest from the start so that people have all week to be able to get the coops done. This allows for those times when Real Life gets in the way for a player and the coop sits for an evening or whatever. Also include an option to remove a player when they go afk.

    Adv - This is one of several ways BB has shot them selves in the foot. They are asking on some to donate several days worth of ali troops being built and donated and yet still running adv.. which ofcourse you need to build troops for. The solution of which they brought in the training grounds and previousely brought in the buffs made by things like the stronghold. The big problem here: For the rich in game and real life..this is easy and doable... they can pay there way through the game buy buying training grounds, buffs or strongholds etc. For regular players / the majority i am guessing they can not. Personally my luck on MCC is terrible.. i have a small forrest but no building drops as yet after many many runs. Solutions: Give a gaurnteed building drop. This could be first run perhaps or over 10 runs.. If people had better access to these buildings (not just the lucky or rich, who have bought several!) the quests would be more doable. Other ways: I understand you want training grounds to be difficult to achieve but again you have left it open to only the rich getting multiple either with gems or gifted. I understand you need to make a profit so I can see why you have done this. However, you could consider making more available for stalks just at an ever increasing cost say: elite 39k stalks 2nd doubles stalk cost 3rd triples etc or doubles again. Making it possible for all to do these quests. I also think the training ground should have been brought into the game before the weekly quests so people could have prep'd and got one in advance...yes i know some regulars did but I am talking all. The other issue about availability of adv. This is also cart before horse.. sayng you may introduce a way of getting these adv through merchant after the introduction of the weekly quests is just wrong. Please start thinking ahead BB and dont create such barriers it only makes people angry at you and the game, which makes people leave either short term or longterm. This could and should have been added in the last hotfix! Or as many have said allow a tier of adv options if you want to keep it more challenging e.g. any thief adv etc. but again give people a full week to get and do adv by opening up the tiers.

    Update: kk 3 Wisdoms on 3rd Tier so your looking at last few days of week to do.. now if your lucky thats 3 woodcutters, 3 thieves, to do before you even get to be able to have 3 wisdoms... that is not in any way manageable let alone doing 3 wisdoms that you give upto 42 days total to complete in a 2-3 day period. BB, did you think about the toop costs and production times in previous quests and add them to doing the above chain of adv to get the follow ups and the poor drop rates you have put in? I don't think you could of at all!! As others have related to previous failure events, nice idea but completely inconcieved.

    Resources: I get it should be difficult but again not seeing or being able to do all 3 strands at the same time from start makes this a bottle neck where people might be unable to do the quests producing 8700 marble for example in 3rd phase with only a day or two left might be impossible for many. That said over the course of the one I have just done it cost me around 750,000 water if not more by only the second tier quest.. thats not including what went into brew etc for the massive amount of ali troops.. thats just producing the supplies for ship and making and paying... thats exess water on top of what I use... how many people in the game really make that much excess weekly?! Can't imagine many especially when you take into account brew etc (which I also had to make and pay a massive amount). The problem is with the new way of speeding up production in multiple buildings rather than levelling you have taken away yet more space for production buildings. You have tried to negate this by giving more islands for space (only gem available) but thats only for rich and increasing building pop... but this is *** about face: You created a solution that people cant achieve (increased building pop) without completing the quests that require a massive change and increase in production buildings. Solutions: As above.. let people see and run all tasks from start so they can work out what they need so they can readjust and prep for. Let people get islands with stupidly large amounts of resources. Lower the amounts you either have to pay or make or both. When you add up all weekly tasks pay, make to pay, create troops to pay, troops for adv you have to run etc.. is this really sustainable for most people? (I am not talking about those who have been playing game for 6 years and hoarded millions of resources)

    These are only my opinions from what I have seen and done so far. But as a major note: BB make these token improvements permenant! If I want to remove say a mag res I have fully upgraded costing millions of resources and stupid amounts of time I want its improvements to stay when I place it again. This is my major bug bear now and I am sure down the line when people realise its effects you will get an ear full then as well.. maybe think in advance and solve this early doors. Update: I honestly now think this doesnt need hotfixes I think it should be removed, thouhgt through properly and reintroduced when you have implemented what you need in place first, then have achievable chains that can be completed not with ease but doable by many and an actual balance to what you have to put in (everything calculated, including pay, barracks time for all parts of chain, resources for all parts of chain including barracks costs.

  8. #28
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    I don't mind challenges or spending resources, it makes it overall more demanding and has you think about economy and balance again, instead of having a million of a resource sitting in star. However, I still think requiring someone to run 3x ToW is problematic, as it is a follow up to a follow up, so exceedingly rare.

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elgin View Post
    I love the idea of tokens for population. But why can't I earn the tokens in stages?

    A Proposal for Weekly Challenges that would be more fun, but still require considerable effort and resources to reap full rewards.

    I like the way experience is available for each task.
    I want to earn tokens in stages for progressively more difficult tasks.
    But every player can earn a couple of tokens each week with some resources and effort.

    For example: <snip>
    Basically an expanded version of what I proposed on the other Thread, so count me in for this.

    The current 'all or nothing' has far too many people voting for 'nothing'. Being able to decide what to pursue strikes a better balance between fun and challenge than the current setup.

    "Last week I only got Stage 1 and 2, but this week I can manage 1, 2, and 4. Score!", instead of "Crap, I can't finish the whole thing, so there's no point in starting."

    Making additional Advs available for Map Frags doesn't change the problem with Advs unless you make the actual Advs required available.

    If you're going to require Advs, then they need to be Advs that are reasonably accessible to players who don't have access to God-mode.

    I'm also fine with making piles of Troops...but I'm not okay with immediately purging them 'just because'. The fact that our Barracks/eBarracks are already running flat out (both mine are L6, with Skunks and Recruit Guides) and can't keep up just with the requirements of the Advs we 'must' do, makes those sorts of losses unreasonable. Especially when they're Troops that are seldom/never used, like Swordsmen. That time could be much better spent making useful Troops for those Advs we have to run.

    Another thing that the game in general needs is to change the Treasure/etc Search requirements to "X Search OR LONGER". Running constant Prolonged means that I often won't get my Explorers back in time to run the required Search.

    Everything I've seen so far leads me to believe that Weekly Challenges are less about adding cool or useful new features, and more about punishing players. Anyone who thought "Gee it would be fun to make Players play in Crisis Mode 24/7!" clearly doesn't understand game design well enough to be in charge of one...and that's coming from someone who used to work in the studio of a major gaming company, so I know what I'm talking about. Too much Crisis Mode burns people out and they either stop playing parts of the game (That's right PvP, I'm looking at you.), or they just stop playing.

    People play games because they are BOTH fun AND challenging. For too long BB has been ignoring the fun and ramping up the 'challenge'.


    As a side note, I will say that they struck the right balance in offering one Training Grounds and Elite Training Grounds for Stalks and unlimited for Gems. I'm far more likely to get one of each (Stalk one now, Gem one at Christmas) than I would have been to get any if they had been Gems only. Ditto the Scout Post. I was able to get one in the Event, so I feel it's reasonable to pay for a second. Good balance between fun rewards and paid rewards.

    *That's* the balance players will reward by spending money.

    Now if I could upgrade a few of these Dark Castles for a reasonable level of effort, I would give away some Pirate Res to lower level Guilders to free up space for the TG/ETG/SP.

  10. #30
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    I like the foreign ship, no issues with free xp on that for some minor conversions.. another bonus to idle questing when your time is limited.

    scenarios and uncoordinated co-ops are just terrible in so many ways. its generally why most people avoided them at all costs prior to being forced to do them which again will be avoided. You have to make them more readily available, TR, GC, HoTW seem on the rare side?
    ToW/sinbad/thieves advs would be is short supply after some time if not owning zero already.

    resources for delegate, produce, seems exorbant at level 66+ for +20 population, xp and the 4 extra token payout. i guess if your not running adv and want to idle xp its a larger loss turnaround for 500-600K, but i dont see much gains at some point, as population is plentiful already done right, and/or XP is not desired. i wouldn't mind some visual upgrades on buildings, or future plans to have different token purchases for something more worthwhile.

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