Indeed, tailoring the game for lower budgets is needed. A MMO with this large area sure is meant to be played by more than 3k/5k active players.
And if the same old players only want to grind for the sake of cycle they should not be that surprised to be losing in the end... or even moan about it.
I have been here since almost the beginning, we actually had to do TP runs on foot. So yeah everything is really easy for new generations of players if you compare to that. I fail to see what else is there to make life easier for them. Its not making L items cheaper that helped them for sure. Thats just a poisoned gift, with shrapnel as a ribbon.
Dont take my criticism as a everything is wrong. Its noticeable that MA is making efforts to get this on track. And you win some lose some while at it. Thats life.
Its indeed the stalled potential of this platform that is frustrating not being taken advantage off. The value of the time entropia has its doors open is an asset with a lot of value on its own. The platform itself can be developed into a game much more complex, entertaining and challenging than any other avaliable around that includes managing assets/skills and has bit of gamble/variance included (poker and monopoly are two examples of these kind of games just to put it simple).
But two major things need to happen for a new player to stick around:
- A fix to the economy that sets the rules for the game - An economy that does not favour any profession, but is based on resources production/consumption entirely so people can look at it and understand its not manipulated.
-A clarification of stance in regard to what the game is about from MA. Is it a platform to wager ones against the others or is it a "pay to play" exclusevely platform where one should not even consider the chance to grind it as a work/sport like so many unL minions already do for a few pecs/hour, and we should just enjoy the fantastic lore and game mechanics we have?
Im no uber nor have a big bankroll. But with 5kped BR I was happy in 2012. I produced a lot of metal residue from my excess ores, mined all day long with lvl7 amps and was able to grow my avatar just from playing the game. No deposits or trading needed. It was risky and I complained to myself about bad variance like anyone else does. But the good times definetly made for the bad times as I usually got enough MU on my globals to repay my bad days. Not this shrapnel/oil/lyst BS we get on almost all globals now.
I was happy competing for MU. and thats what I believed the game was about. On an economy thats has an av. MU of 105% or below, there simply is not enough MU avaliable to cover the "rake" MA charges. And fixing that starts with fixing the economy.
Residue at 107%, amps at 114% and resources at 120/150% is not that much different of a game. Its just closer to the actual cost of crafting, instead of a manipulated costs we have. The main difference is It takes some balls to actually play it and you actually need to have a plan on why you are using/doing somethings. Not just go on a hunsh that today is the day...
On current system (loot2.0 pre december VU) im ok with using lvl5s+dsec with 1k BR, cause the variance now is so low that you can easy achieve the balance with that little of a BR.
In this kind of games (RCE or with money value attached to it) people tend to value the time they input in, together with the cost to play to create a ROI/hr value. The degradation of this value is what made many of the "profitable" L users quit playing and turn their heads to somewhere that offered a better return for the amount of time/money they put in. Its not a guarantee they would win, here or in their new adventures. But simple math told them that it was not worth it anymore to input more time, cause PEDs they all had a plenty. It would be naive to think all players are just looking for a good time. And if they think like that they are probably the prey of other players.
All play styles should be respected. But also the same conditions of fairness must apply to all bugdets or professions.
. You will have to anyways. Lots profitable stuff will not stay profitable forever either.
