Tweaks to Make Game Better

[Blackwolfe]

These are only my opinions and yours might be different, so please do not flame just because you do not agree. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

As a military NCO I have been taught that when I see a problem that I cannot fix to come up with a solution before bringing it to the responsible person’s attention. If that person deems it not to be a problem then at least I have given them food for thought.

So, Things I would like to see changed.

Problem #1: Large Devil Scale drop rate:
I have 4 capped characters all of whom regularly run the Shroud looking for Large Devil scales as soon as they are off timer. In total, from the time that the raid was introduced, I have pulled a total of 3 large scales. If it was not for the generosity of friends I would still be sitting at tier 2 on most of my items. I understand the randomness of loot rolls but come one. This kind of unluckiness with a certain main ingredient discourages me from continuing the grind. BTW, I love the Shroud and would continue to quest there even if there was no crafting. From most of the players that I talk to/hear from, this is a problem with them as well.

Possible solution: Repurpose one of the NPCs in Meridia to swap other larges like the guy does relics in the Gianthold. I could see making a 5 for one swap or even a 10 for one swap rate and would still see this as a viable solution. Most of the coding is all ready in place and I think this could be done with minimal time spent. The happiness from most of the players from this change, I feel would be more than can be expressed and would be worth the Dev time spent.


Problem #2: Dragon scale drop rate:
I recently was trying to get my caster the Blue Dragon scale robe and was shocked at how long it took to get 25 Blue scales. If I remember correctly it took over 50 TOR runs to get 10 Blue scales and the rest I had to buy off the auction house for an incredible amount. If I was a less scrupulous player I would have considered buying plat to get the stack of 25 I wanted, just to end the misery. As it is, all those Shroud runs paid for most of the scales I purchased at a ratio of about one shroud run worth of vendor/AH sales to one Blue scale purchased.

Possible solution: Create a new quest end-reward system where only the scales are given for quest/dragon completion. This would ensure that a least every time that you complete all three dragons that you would get at least one scale of the color of your choosing. This would ensure that after 25 completed dragon scales runs you could walk away with the armor/robe of your choosing. Watching a certain server-mate run up to 100 runs to try and get scales he was after was disheartening, when I knew that my time was coming.


Problem #3: Quarterstaff non-finessable
I love quarterstaffs. I Love the way they look. I love the attack animations. But I would like a weapon finessable version of this weapon. I have read all the discussion/information on quarterstaffs being like the old English version and I understand that. I also see the Monk class being added with a primary weapon being left behind.

Possible Solution: Add another type of quarterstaffs to the game. You could keep all the graphics, swing animations and just call them Bo Staffs. Bo staffs would be weapon finesseable and would give 2 points of dodge AC to wielder for a drop in the damage output. I would raise the regular Quarterstaffs to 1d8 damage and keep the Bo Staff at 1d6.

Alternate solution: Create a feat/ enhancement line that allows takers to utilize quarterstaffs as a fineable weapon and for each enhancement level add another point of dodge AC added to the total. i.e. +2 for the feat and then Bo-staff level 4 gives you +4 dodge AC for a total of 6 AC at the end. I think that with each level of Bo-staff that you take a bump up in base damage should occur as well, but I have not crunched the numbers on this. Not game breaking but something new to think about

Thank you for your attention. See you in-game.

[Pwesiela]

These are only my opinions and yours might be different, so please do not flame just because you do not agree. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Problem #2: Dragon scale drop rate:
I recently was trying to get my caster the Blue Dragon scale robe and was shocked at how long it took to get 25 Blue scales. If I remember correctly it took over 50 TOR runs to get 10 Blue scales and the rest I had to buy off the auction house for an incredible amount. If I was a less scrupulous player I would have considered buying plat to get the stack of 25 I wanted, just to end the misery. As it is, all those Shroud runs paid for most of the scales I purchased at a ratio of about one shroud run worth of vendor/AH sales to one Blue scale purchased.

Possible solution: Create a new quest end-reward system where only the scales are given for quest/dragon completion. This would ensure that a least every time that you complete all three dragons that you would get at least one scale of the color of your choosing. This would ensure that after 25 completed dragon scales runs you could walk away with the armor/robe of your choosing. Watching a certain server-mate run up to 100 runs to try and get scales he was after was disheartening, when I knew that my time was coming.

One would think that you could pry at least one scale off of the corpse of the dragon (OK, flamebroiled dragon) at the end of it all. I know a guildie who's gotten a total of about 3 scales in the entire time that the Tor has been open, on multiple alts and way more runs than I have. So.....

/signed

Perhaps the other lady with Cydonie (can't remember her name) in the market can be the end reward giver? That way you don't even have to put in a new NPC!

[adam1oftheround]

Can you let me check the auction house before I choose which toon to load in on?

I frequently have to switch toons to bid or join a group that is looking for a different level and class than I have logged in on.

If I could check the Auction House and LFM from the character secection screen I would be able to load into the correct toon first shot. No need to log in twice to get in a group or make a bid.

[adam1oftheround]

I would like to be able to attach an extended version of Haste on my hot bar next to a normal (or shortened verstion) of Ray of Enfeeblement and spam them one after the other without changing stance for the extend spell feat.

It makes sense to maximize and empower that flame strike but the commet fall. I just want to knock stuff down with it.

No sense extending hold monster in the vale (my banisher will crit first hit).

Can you make a hotbar link for the spell "your way" so you don't have to switch stances to cast different types of spells.

We all want to extend that Haste, but don't want to have to change stances every time we use it.

[tihocan]

Possible solution: Repurpose one of the NPCs in Meridia to swap other larges like the guy does relics in the Gianthold.

It's something we really need.

[Mistinarperadnacles]

Problems 1 &2 - no problem - suggested the same things myself as have many others. Fact they're not here yet means somebody doesn't agree...


Problem 3 - sorry, no way Jose. No more dodge bonus! 90 AC monks? No ta. I might as well delete all my melees right now. Simplest method is to have more quaterstaffs with the Finesse weapon descriptor on it like the Onyxhorn dagger etc.

[shane1122]

All good suggestions.

With regard to large scales it is a double whammy because 1) Large Scales drop less, and 2) They are needed in more recipes than any other item. There are 11 Focus/Essence/Gem combos. 8 of those 11 require a Scale while all other ingredients (Bones, Shrap, Stone, etc) are called for 7 or less times. Why make the drop rate for most need item the lowest?

My other suggestion... please allow deconstruction of crafted items. The people that experimented to publish the various crafting recipes out there are being heavily penalized for bringing all that information to the community.
-Shane

[Calozz78]

I would like to have a QUE spot for raids in the LFG section. It would be nice to look at each Raid and see how many people would like to do the quest instead of waiting 40minutes for a cleric to join.

It would work like this, my cleric is off timer for the Shroud and I have an hour and half. Instead of waiting around putting a group together and worrying about whether or not I can get the group together in time to complete. The QUE would be an indicator of how many people are ready and willing to do the raid.

For Example, I then could see that only 7 people are online who are off timer, so it’s pointless for me to start a LFM with the limited amount of time before I have to log. I would put myself in the QUE just in case people started logging on. This could also be implemented for all quests but mainly used for raids. I believe this would shorten wait times and people wouldn’t be waiting hours for the right personnel to accomplish the objective.

Anyone else think this could work?

[Pwesiela]

For Example, I then could see that only 7 people are online who are off timer, so it’s pointless for me to start a LFM with the limited amount of time before I have to log. I would put myself in the QUE just in case people started logging on. This could also be implemented for all quests but mainly used for raids. I believe this would shorten wait times and people wouldn’t be waiting hours for the right personnel to accomplish the objective.

Anyone else think this could work?

Except that I often switch to a different character in order to join a raid that is forming. You may only have 7 online that are off timer, but if you have any amount of people on, you're going to have alts that are flagged and off timer. How do you code that? You don't.

[Turial]

All good suggestions.

With regard to large scales it is a double whammy because 1) Large Scales drop less, and 2) They are needed in more recipes than any other item. There are 11 Focus/Essence/Gem combos. 8 of those 11 require a Scale while all other ingredients (Bones, Shrap, Stone, etc) are called for 7 or less times. Why make the drop rate for most need item the lowest?

My other suggestion... please allow deconstruction of crafted items. The people that experimented to publish the various crafting recipes out there are being heavily penalized for bringing all that information to the community.
-Shane

The devs have stated that large scales drop at the same rate as the other ingredients. So unless they are lieing to the player base there is some poor guy out there that every run is "*** **** it another **** scale!" while the rest of us are saying it about bones and arrows.

This isn't to say that I am against increasing the drop rate, I am very much for an increase to the drop rate.

[Calozz78]

Except that I often switch to a different character in order to join a raid that is forming. You may only have 7 online that are off timer, but if you have any amount of people on, you're going to have alts that are flagged and off timer. How do you code that? You don't.

I would just like to log onto my ftr who is off timer for hound and vod. Put my spot on the raid if anyone wants to start one. OR I see 19 people who are off timer for vod and I put up the lfm knowing its going to fill fast.

[Lehrman]

You forgot #4

If it ain't broken, don't fix it. (for an example simply log into one of our fine servers this weekend and try to play in the lag storm)

[sirgog]

The devs have stated that large scales drop at the same rate as the other ingredients. So unless they are lieing to the player base there is some poor guy out there that every run is "*** **** it another **** scale!" while the rest of us are saying it about bones and arrows.

This isn't to say that I am against increasing the drop rate, I am very much for an increase to the drop rate.

In my experience, I'm pretty sure that the Devil Scale drop rate is equal to the others, as I'm the lucky person you're talking about that gets heaps of them.

My suggestion - instead of the current 16% scale, 16% stone, 16% chain, 16% arrow, 16% bone, 16% shrapnel, 4% Horn on all difficulties, change it so that on Hard it's 25% scale, 25% stone, 12% arrow, 12% chain, 12% shrapnel, 12% bone, 2% horn and on Elite it's 40% scale, 24% stone, 9% arrow, 9% shrapnel, 9% bone, 9% chain. That way, more of the most frequently used ingredients will drop.

A second solution is to add new recipies that use few scales. (Currently +saves is such a recipe but is pretty underwhelming).