I'm really worried that Istaria will fall apart.

[Phillip]

Lov, there's a difference between a nerf, and something rendered completely F'd up. Like I said it's not the items or the nerf or how many, but rather the fact someone could actually do that.

Those jewelry went from being somewhat useful straight to the Istarian Special Olympics.

It's that kind of so called development that's been killing this game for years now.

Why do veteran players leave? Read above.

Why don`t new players stay? Same reason.

Which is the best target group for our game (on the base of the features we already have) ---> people who don't mind spending 90% of their playtime pulling a cargo disk.

Istaria - Chronicles of the Cargo Disk Zombies.

[LOVWYRM]

Phillip- its far away from being that easy- and you know that

Craft-system is our competitive advantage- and therefore it should be developed rather than be reduced. And discussion about it ends for me exactly at this point.

But I agree, that adventuring needs more love (or is it a prob on order only, cause our population is that low?).

Nerfed items: Those powerful weapons/items (e.g. PV-scale, BHM, jewelry aso)where given us by the gods when the world was young, WA was invincible, and the fighters far away from being uber- but times have changed.
Some bosses can be soloed by a single player- a few ubers in group can fight everything in Istaria without a challange-and without those old mighty waepons.

For the sake of game balance and (if even possible) equal chances for new players- those relics have to fade away- to make place for other, new weapons/items which are adapted to the new Istaria.
Change happens^^ and is necessary

And we should really try to collect serious answers to the questions I have brought up in my last post- maybe in a new thread.

[Phillip]

Answer me one question: The craft system is our advantage to compete with what?

We can't even retain our own players.

I like the crafting system - I don't have an issue with it - but I will say that the imbalance of craft vs. adventure in the game model that is why things are this way. New players drop out because of it. Hell, I been saying this since beta.

On the justification of why things nerfed - not acceptable. Good one though, but the reality is that's just how they do it around here. Nerf the old, historic items is to cater to the squeaking have-nots, no other reason. The gods didn't hand them to us, we earned it. Plus hey, nerfing the adventurer side is status quo. Why so few adventurers playing? Duh.

You know, somethings in Istaria are so essential - not just because they are rare and useful - but because they didn't come from the static crafting system. They came from history of the land.

That's the problem with people & development of this game. The have-not squeaks, changes made. See what they did to Valkor/SoG spawn time? If anything, the spawntime should have been even longer than ever before. By lessening the spawntime, those items are no longer essential. What a great way to cheapen the epic stuff. Well done indeed.

The basis of understanding for the adventuring mind does not exist in development, or most of the playerbase (all 12 of them). Yet they exchange ideas/dialogue/feedback with each other. The blind leading the blind.

[Ahael]

Nerf the old, historic items is to cater to the squeaking have-nots, no other reason.

I resent your tone, Phillip. See the bolded part.

[Phillip]

The truth hurts.

[Sigi]

The truth hurts.

Albert Einstein: Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.

[avguste]

in-fighting wont help this game or help keep/bring more players.
keep it civil please

[velveeta]

unfortunately, avg, there are certain peeps and viewpoints that can't be argued with or have a conversation between. i have been one of those peeps, and i recognize it when i see it. i have learned to just not take part in any discussion about certain things or with certain peeps.

this discussion is a very old one that keeps rearing its head over and over thru the years i have been playing this game. it is a conversation that will apparently never be over or concluded.

it makes me wonder why some peeps are still here, if the game is so problematic for them. if there are other games out there that are so much more satisfactory, why are they not playing them? why spend your precious time complaining about a game you don't enjoy?
i have never understood the mentality, but such is life, eh?

[LOVWYRM]

lol Phillip- you even called me a cargo disc zombi cause I used my disc as a pillow,sleeping in Bris, cause nobody wanted to go out hunting with me
But seriously- I totally disagree with you concerning the bosses:
The reasons, why the spawn time have been lessened might be unknown to you. But this is another story.
Ask around-who has ever fought a boss on order, who has one or even all items of SoG/Reklar/ Valkor? How many are able to go for it?
I doubt if you will get the same answer on chaos, so I insist its a special prob of order and its low population. A population who loves to rp and build things- more than adventuring.
But I`m out of that discussion now- do not want to bore you all.
I`ll keep on debating that issue with Phillip in our guild chat.

[Phillip]

it makes me wonder why some peeps are still here, if the game is so problematic for them. if there are other games out there that are so much more satisfactory, why are they not playing them? why spend your precious time complaining about a game you don't enjoy?
i have never understood the mentality, but such is life, eh?

Maybe because we want the game to be better? I mean geezuz, isn't it a wonder why we got 12 people on at primetime? Like this one, thinking it's all good. Game is great lol.

[Lillyjo]

Phillip, The problem with the game is people keep wanting something new and different and then when the changes come they complain, ..this game has the best craft system of all the games out there and although its low on numbers it has the best community spirit of any game on line, Call us die hards if you like but this game has quality, and if it has bugs they are taken care of so you have to work to earn your levels and skills, and its worth 10 times more then any game with cheats in it or on line somewhere where you can look them up.

I don't know your problem, but why are you worried about the game if you offer only complaints? really floors me to see you post that. The Dev's are working hard and trying to make things new for new people to enjoy, most of the new items are in low level towns, me..i remember the raids in the towns and enjoyed that, having to rez then npc etc.. but when one enraged wisp happened to spawn on wisp island it was a constant complaint from the lower level players, ..instead of calling for help they sent tickets.

I enjoy the game its not a stressful full blown dungeon where people wait hours to go on raids and hope their skills are good enough to get picked for the groups.

Long live Istaria

Lillyjo_chaos server

[avguste]

On this one I do agree with you Lillyjo

[AamerKhan]

Well said LillyJo.

Let me make this very easy...

You can't EVER have what you want, just because you want it. There has to be a reason. Anytime something is "nerfed" there is a reason. Normally a good one, and sometimes the good reason backfires and it turns out badly.

Is that the case with the Jewelry? Were they "nerfed"?

NOPE.

They were adjusted. And today, I would most certainly NOT want them in game as it would make the game very boring, and would drive off the remaining adventurers we have. We don't need them to have fun here.

I would wager that the most vocal complainers don't actually play the game, they just want to try and make those that do play think they are missing something that they deserve.

I believe the real reason such ones post here it to tear down the game. The options today for the game are limited. The team working on the game is limited. I am very happy with the additions I have seen since I left. I don't believe any miracles will happen and we will get a new engine. I do hope they use what they have currently and just advertise a bit more, and I bet we get plenty more players to have fun with.

[Phillip]

Is that the case with the Jewelry? Were they "nerfed"?

NOPE.

They were adjusted. And today, I would most certainly NOT want them in game as it would make the game very boring, and would drive off the remaining adventurers we have. We don't need them to have fun here.

Aamer, you have no idea what you're talking about do you?

My point is, taking something semi-useful and making it beyond useless, is to emphasize the state of mind that is the basis for what's dearly missing in Istaria.

I've wrriten enough here and it's apparent that not many will understand, because you don't have what it take to do so. You skim over, dumb it down and move along as always. It's contagious.

[Ry]

I think that those pieces of jewelry have quite a penalty for the benifit gained . Removing a mez every ,what is it every 15 or 20 seconds? but with a hefty reduction on healing spells and not to mention that the jewelry has lower stat values than crafted varieties as I recall.

Probably would want to use more than one at a time to get a real usefull anti mez effect , so you are giving up quite a bit.
Yes its seems an item that you would have to wiegh up wether to use or not, which seems like a good thing to me. More choices are good.

I think possibly for fighting Daknor would be the one time I would consider using it ,if it still worked, but as it is fighting Daknor is just a pain and really not worth it. (its not fun to have all except one in group perma mezed)

Now though it seems to be an item that no one would use. Less choices.

As for the raiding of towns and atempting to destroy Imperial buildings, I think this would be a logical thing for the enemy to attempt. However carefull consideration as to what buildings are destroyable is needed. Destruction of portals might be a bit much , depending apon the frequency of destruction and the requirements to rebuid.
For example if the gate in Dalimond were destroyed it would not bother me as I never go there but it may be a huge problem for someone else that does. If the gate that is destroyed is one only a few use then it might be that it is not rebuilt for a long time and thus those users may give up on the game as they cant do what they need/want to do.

At the moment there are various "buildings" such as the magical shrine? large statues and others. These were supposed to generate some effect or benifit once constructed though I dont think that was ever added to the game?

At any rate, maybe these could be used . Perhaps they could give a spell effect that uses a gift slot say one that is 150 % better than a gift spell that lasts 2 hours cant be dispelled doesnt get removed on death or log out but you have to travel to the "shrine " or whatever it is for that particular "gift". These could be one target of such raids and have to be rebuilt, if the raid succeeds, before the "gift " is available again.

Another possibility would be to have a "shrine " for each of the gift spells that are in game at the moment and if they are destroyed then the corrisponding gift spells become unavailable untill the shrine is rebuilt(maybe have all str type gifts on one shrine etc).

[Ahael]

Aamer, you have no idea what you're talking about do you?

He is entitled to his opinion just like everyone else. I can see his point clearly.

I've wrriten enough here and it's apparent that not many will understand, because you don't have what it take to do so. You skim over, dumb it down and move along as always. It's contagious.

You've written enough, that is a given. Many have understood you've managed to insult others several times. I resent such arrogant attitude. Nobody will be receptive to your thoughts if you keep insulting them.

[LOVWYRM]

ohh I love your ideas, Ry

Pls devs- look at that

[Sigi]

I've wrriten enough here and it's apparent that not many will understand, because you don't have what it take to do so. You skim over, dumb it down and move along as always. It's contagious.

It must be so lonely at the top ...

[Xzchatchyk]

Just about the attacks:
During the first year, when the WA raids happened, I havent participated as much as I wanted, but some of the major events I have seen.
It was very thrilling just to log in and read about a new attack in a far away region and to hope that the stronger gifted ones can stop the undead so that the beginners (including me) stay save.

Or to go to the attacked region after the attack, to see what was destroyed. That definitively was thrilling!

I guess that an attack is hard work and that it takes a huge amount of manpower but it is fun.
But it takes an audience, otherwise its useless.

I think those attacks nowadays have to be different.
The WA have been very quiet for some times, concerning attacks.
So it would be enough if they'll send small scouting squads. At first. Than from time to time a squad thats a bit larger. And those can start to destroy/sabotage buildings.
Something like a pinprick to test the empire and the gifted ones.
The attacked building dont have to be completely destroyed just to a percentage.
So that it may not be of use anymore but could be easily repaired again.
Percentage depends on how long the gifted ones need to stop the WA attack.

On the other hand. All the time since my first day i hoped for something like a cleansing of istaria off the WA influence. Yes we did that in Feladan, but let say rather like where an area is influenced by its content. A WA-building will spread its influence in the areas surrounding it and the landscape gets blighted.
To stop that we have to (lets say) chop of the blighted plants to lessen the influence.

In short terms: If the WA is able to destroy the empires building...why isnt the empire (the gifted ones) able to destroy the WA-building. Same rights for every party!
They could rebuild them afterwards like we do. (Doesnt have to be set on ressources just a time delay...So no animation needed.)

About PVP-GVG-and such things for istaria...
Just a simple NO !

about that nerfing thing
It often happens that requirements are changed after a while, so that goals could easier be reached. I dont like that, too. I too would like to have some of those long gone special items, just to have them for my special items museum. But if thats not possible, than thats just the way it is.
Those special items were good at those days but things change.
(Several people want a change and when it happens they change their minds)

Wasnt it one thing that dragons do need the demons claw to fight the monsters in DD?
And the only way to get ones claws on such a thing they have to fight a Boss for it. So its quite ok that the respawn-time of this monster has been changed.

Lovwyrm wrote:
"Ask around-who has ever fought a boss on order, who has one or even all items of SoG/Reklar/ Valkor?"

In September 2009 it was my "first-time" for SoG.
The other ones I havent fought yet.
One reason for that is, that i "have" to build my lair in those few hours I have.

So each time the first players feel like pioneers and the next generations are smiled at, for the requirements and other things were changed.
Why that change came only those know who did that change.
Anyone knows "The Caucasian Chalk Circle" by Bertolt Brecht. In here some players want that, some other want this and some other want their. To keep "our" child istaria in the best position for the most and in a good shape to satisfy many needs is a very difficult task. And to prevent it from harm you sometimes have to go with the flow. I dont envy the responsible persons.
I guess not every discission is welcomed by every player. But I think VI is doing good.
What i would like to get is simply a more informative way of changing the system.
Except new content, that I dont want to be a spoiler.
But there are some things that where changed without information. So many player react as if it was a bug but it was done "by design" or by fault.
And that information was very hard to get out of those responsible.
I mean there has to be progress that lead to a descision to alter something. Why is it so hard/difficult to share that with the player base.
I feel like that may be a reason for leaving. That happend way back in 2004 and it still remains in 2009. Very sad.

Sorry, many words but I hopefelly made made it clear.
Best wishes and have fun in/with istaria

[Nisse]

Well, I will agree somewhat with Phillip. Istaria is a very grind-y game. I'm only saying this objectively, fwiw.