From someone who actually did quit.

So first... HI EVERYONE! Feels like the good old days of me posting on here.

I do log in now and then just to chat with people, feel free to say hi. No, as of this moment don't have intention to returning to the game yet. I do periodically return to see if game has gotten back to normal and I do read discussion board from time to time. (basically I ask players and check message board to get the feeling of game. Me not having intentions to return should give you a pretty good idea of what most people feel) I will give developers a pat on the back for finally changing things ... and a kick in the shins for taking too long.

I read a lot on this about cap raise to 90 is a motivator. To me it never was. Raise the cap, don't raise the cap it won't change activity in game. Yeah you may get 10-12 big players back but really it won't matter. There aren't very many. What will happen players will rush to 90. (easy enough to do) get there, grind out there stats then complain about rebirth. Rebirth will come. Then quick grind again and back to the same underlining issue, which was a big part of the reason I departed.

The major issue is competition. The faction system. Over my years of playing I saw this first hand. Its not wrong to have two factions but being able to transfer is a fatal flaw. Gamers like to win, period. So what is the best way in a game like this? All join one side. Then you never lose and get all the goodies. Everyone else needs to join you or stop playing because what is the point? Perfect example is Sea Battle system. There will be players like I use to be who see it as a challenge to grow and "Fight the power," but for most that isn't entertaining (remember gamers like to win.) Then the story always end the same way. At some point you will be at the level of the ones who have been in control and you are completely outclassed and time to join them or quit the game. Because there is no point in playing.

Which leads to problem 2. Lack of active clans. When I first started (shout to valor serpents). There were 3 main clans. Elitist, Hellfire, Ninth (IL and IE where there too but they were not determining factors to how the game was played). Little clans like mine basically just did our thing and when we got paired in war with one of those we sit in hall or not log in for that hour. Which in turn meant we would be bc'd constantly and probably for the next few days it wasn't worth playing the game or you played it very cautiously and many times while trying to hop get BC'd and you logged out for the rest of the day because why play a game that isn't fun.

Then get bigger and the decision had to come. Little clans don't survive in this game. We had to disband and join one of the big three. I went to Ninth under WarGecko. Luckily he was of the same mindset as me. Try to even out the powers that be. Because when I say it was Hellfire Elitist and Ninth. It was basically Hellfire and Elitists. They dictated game more then developers did. Which is probably still true today. They could hit who they wanted, when they wanted and any resources was theirs to make the gap so great that there was no other way others could rise. Many players I know got big in valor and eventually left to Sadar to join those clans because they no longer could progress. Then Islands came and Hellfire owned all the left and Elitist all the right. You had to spend hours scavenging to hope to get something and when you did. You didn't hold it long. So they got stronger and stronger and more and more player quit or transferred. Will say Ninth did get strong enough on its own to stand on to fight wars but it was the .ONLY valor clan in game that could compete. That was probably when game was MOST ACTIVE. Atlas it was when I was most active. But also part of that was we had a big influx of strong players from the other server. Time has drawn on and now its all one-sided again. Players don't care about cap, its winning and game play. Yes I know at one point it was Ninth that overpowered server and ruled it all as well. What I say to that is that group mostly moved to radar. It wasn't necessarily the faction it was a group of the strongest players banding together to dictate game. Who could and couldn't play was their call. They bc'd many out of playing game (Another very dumb move by developers. Why let your clients isolate possible customers)

Then letting wars disappear for months upon month... yeah developers really killed their own game. It was on its death bed and they just decided to put a pillow over its head.

So my recommendations... 1. SB should be non-faction 2. Cut off that damn transfer option. If player wants to make two characters in each faction and spend time and money to grow then go ahead. Make players stick to a side which allows growth of each. 3. Remove fee for switching professions... do that and guess what. No toons. I know I would've loved that. Spend a week farming ... switch to prospection so I could actually do crafting. 4. Guild shop... its a common sense one. Then players can't rob guilds. Have guild members contribute to stock but only can buys through shop. Also eliminates players making toon clans so they can stock pile reals. (yes new players you can get by without spending in this game. There are many tricks)

Don't focus on the bigs... Focus on the littles.
Just fun fact. Of the players I was most active with when i first started game.... Eddieson, Nurse, Rhatmes, Storm, I think i'm the last one standing in valor lol. Not saying it was wrong decision for them. They needed to progress. But probably only other option was to stop playing which I choose. The list is too long of my old friends who have left game because they hit that wall. Heck I was one of them.

-Reaghnf
Comments
THANK U.. finally we have someone who did quit opinion pretty much everything u said was right but I'll also say this.. around a year ago kingmp and fallen as a clan offered to go vaalor so the game can be more even faction wise and well we didn't get a reply on that... Idk if we would do it now since we have a lot more ppl here but if the administration can make it happen without us losing anything or having to pay reals it's possible that we can come to some kind of agreement..
Wow, that was a long read but well worth it to me.

I think, a lot of the conclusions you have were pretty accurate. When you push people and constantly bc them, isolate them, who wants to log in to that? And then it comes to a point of where you can’t progress where you are now. So, you have to pick join people you really don’t like or change your mindset of what is important for you . I focused less on winning but more on helping others grow in my clan so they could come to enjoy the fun parts of the game without worrying they’ll be cursed all the time.
And people that are already good, want to stay there so they dominate and create a large gap. The cycle never ends and as you pointed out, people do like to win. And some, do want to spend some but may not have the luxury with kids or other responsibilities. They just want to play and win for a little while. When things become one sided, it does take the fun out for people, there’s not a chance to fight. I would say half got tired of what they’re logging in to, and half (at least for some of my friends) just cut DE out cause it was taking up too much time / starting to affect their real lives because they were going overboard here.

Oh, and I missed you Doc :) as always a pleasure
Reaghnf When I first started (shout to valor serpents).

yay, hi mate, loved those times
Regarding the bc out of the game, indeed it's a bad part but consider all the aspects: some people get motivated by wins, others by losses,
I wanted to quit many times and I would have had 0 bc rep if it wasn't for trong, I grown my bc rep ONLY to kick his ass,
I am not an aggressive player and had 0 bc rep up to level 55
ReaghnfI read a lot on this about cap raise to 90 is a motivator. To me it never was. Raise the cap, don't raise the cap it won't change activity in game. Yeah you may get 10-12 big players back but really it won't matter. There aren't very many. What will happen players will rush to 90. (easy enough to do) get there, grind out there stats then complain about rebirth. Rebirth will come. Then quick grind again and back to the same underlining issue, which was a big part of the reason I departed. \


Not so fast) Rebirth will be available 3 times... and the 3-rd rebirth will require 810 000 sum of reputations. I've checked ratings, you have only 15 players 810K+... And 70-90 armor require additional 300 000 sydian...

But I agree, that 70+ lvl will not add anything fundamentally new. It just will open a new field for some characters, who want to go ahead and dominate.
OPTIMUS PRlME,

Reaghnf & eddieson, AS + VS were the best days. I miss them too and completely agree with what Doc has taken the time to write.

1. SB should be non-faction Yes, soon? We really do need admin to reply on when.
2. Cut off that damn transfer option. Agreed, and for laker's point of all of Fallen switching, nothing would make me happier than to be a Vaalor again now that the AER bullies are all on sadar side. LMFAO, shout out to the hypocrites.
3. Remove fee for switching professions. I would be very sad to lose my 37k fisher and almost 16k farmer, but I would certainly be happier to switch for free. Admin can see for themselves how often I switch between hunter and prospector. Adding 2 more and free would be something I would for sure make work.
4. Guild shop... its a common sense one. Then players can't rob guilds. Have guild members contribute to stock but only can buys through shop. Recommended so many times... and agreed, common sense. I hope this will finally be considered.
LeaneOPTIMUS PRlME,


(!) INFO ))
Опти рады видеть и спасибо за все
Awww Doc! Just found your post and it is awesome as always. Even still has a hint of your snark

Miss seeing you around...stop in again to say hi!
Thank you for a well written letter. I totally agree.
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