Blight Update 190 Discussion

[Riaken]

For the record, if said players don't take this opportunity to login to Blight and actually check the Satyr Island out and then provide us with feedback we can't make it challenging. You talk about how you want this game to survive, then step up and help us make it great. Don't just sit back and complain when things get changed.

In response to Amon, I checked out Blight and the new changes.

Please Don't delete there is test data in here.

I grouped up with two dragons and we went to Doom, the new t6 dungeon. I heard them talk about old epic drops there Rancor, Mace of Intervention and other one. They drop there now? Well anyways, I have spent the last 6 months exclusively hunting there. Selling the lvl 100 stat xstals and holding cogs to people. The Master forms and farming relics from the corrupted guards for the Relic emblem. I'm at 80 something, I hear the next one is 250 that will be a treat.

It will be a treat I never see cause my Frozen/Flame techs DO NO DAMAGE to all mobs in doom. It's bad enough that they proc at 47% on my mithril battle axe, but now they do 0 damage. Why do you do this? Nerfing things I worked hard to get and got used to having for so long.

Ok I work my way to the Satyr Island portal in Dralk and kill a few flame beetles. Like always I stun them before hitting em cause of their ability hardened shell. My frozen tech procs a measly 70 damage. I know they are weak to ice, so damage has been reduced also from these techs? I also use my fine mithril battle axe.

The Satyr Islands, the fist island I go to is the one near Aug under the waterfall. I'm greeted only by the undead/ghosts and zombies. There are many and for a new player with few schools under their belt this can be tuff. Without good Crowd Control, you can see your hp's dwindle fast with the many debuffs they put on you. The Island is also in no short supply of the named green orb Famine. By that I counted like 20 plus of them. Really? If you don't have your special crystal it turns into a mad dash to safety. Many drops with ? icons I heard they are sellable in bris for 10s. That's great cause you gonna need that coin for food.

The next Island I goto is the one in Drak, dragon city. No changes here from what I saw. I got a zombie rib and the description more or less says sell it to a pb. I also heard that Island wasn't depleted of some mobs vexators and such.

My input, I can't say it enough without getting messages that my posts got deleted but I'm extremely disappointed with this patch. My charator has been eviserated, watching these dragons cut through the doom mobs like butter made me cry. No this isnt a dragon/biped thing. I just miss my damage output. I'll wait to see what you decide to do, but if any changes happen to my techs I'm done with this game.

[algenon]

Folks, this thread is getting REALLY off topic.

Please keep your posts to discussing feedback on the delta. Not on veteran players and how to keep them, not about new players and how to attract them, and not about who's derailing the thread and who isn't.

I'm intrigued to know how this is off topic? It is clear to me that a number of 'veteran' players I know will leave the game if you take away the meaningfulness of the main challenge at the top end, which they consider the changes in this delta will do. In fact, it couldn't be any more on topic.

[LOVWYRM]

agreed algenon!
Deleting whole posts ,
only because they are unusual for a bight patch discussion,
seems not wise to me atm.

Riaken: Drags succeed in the doom, cause they use different kinds of weapons.
I`m sure, that multi-class bipeds have even more choices.

[Chasing]

I've done an extract of what tech comps all the Tier V techniques now require

http://www.crimson-dawn.org/download...ompExtract.xls

I don't know which ones are going to be standard or rare drop yet.

[Riaken]

Riaken: Drags succeed in the doom, cause they use different kinds of weapons. I`m sure, that multi-class bipeds have even more choices.

It's not that, bring your toon to Doom on Chaos server where delta insnt live and you won't hear a peep from me. I just noticed how nerfed my toon is on Blight.

[AmonGwareth]

Some changes have been made to help address concerns players have with some of the changes in this patch. More changes will be forthcoming as we work to address player concerns, but I wanted to give you a heads up on some of the big ones.

1. An Exchange Vendor has been setup. This exhange vendor accepts old Tier 5 Obsolete Tech Comps and will exchange them for new Tech Comps on a 1-1 or 1-2 basis.

2. Frozen Weapon tech has been returned to its pre-patch levels (both damage and proc rate).

[Knossos]

Some changes have been made to help address concerns players have with some of the changes in this patch. More changes will be forthcoming as we work to address player concerns, but I wanted to give you a heads up on some of the big ones.

1. An Exchange Vendor has been setup. This exhange vendor accepts old Tier 5 Obsolete Tech Comps and will exchange them for new Tech Comps on a 1-1 or 1-2 basis.

Hopefully the Tech Comps given by the Exchange Vendor will be as challenging to hunt as were the Tech Comps being "traded in".

Knossos

[Guaran]

Here is a list of tech comps that will become obsolete (these are the one's that were in my vault on Blight so there may be more)

Blue Vexator Fringe
Corroded Transistor
Corrupted Shade Ectoplasm
Defiled Shade Vapor
Enduring Fyakki Chitin
Kwellen Energy Node
Red Vexator Fringe
Veteran Blight Binding
Vereran Mummy Wrapping
Veteral Skeleton Sternum
Veteran Ghost Vapor
Veteran Abomonation Chest Skull
Veteran Aegror Pus Packets
Veteran Zombie Fingers
Veteran Skeleton Skull
Veteran Zombie Ribs
Zombie Ogre Toes

Thaalia of Order

So what's going to be our motivation to hunt these mobs now?

It certainly isn't for finding techs. There's very little demand for those since you only ever need one of them.

Comps are a consumable item, for which there is a constant demand. The ones that other people find hard to get are the ones that make it worth your time and effort to collect.

Limiting the critters that drop comps to regular mobs will mean fewer players will bother to try to hunt at these places (Satyr Islands) unless they need to do it for a quest, then they'll never go there again. May as well wipe a few of those Satyr Islands from the world, just leave Corvus, that place is like home to me.

I shudder to think of the list of T5 techs and the new comps required for them. I hope it's not going to be a list of: golem bits, beetle bits, spider bits, gruok bits, wolf bits, treant bits. dull dull dull.

...
For me, I like to hunt, and all those vexator fringes, Vet abomination chest skulls, Zombie Toes, Kwellen Nodes etc that I've looted and sold have provided the coin that I've put on my plot for others to build...
Vortura / Twiggie of Order

Huge huge point here with which I couldn't agree more.

Some changes have been made to help address concerns players have with some of the changes in this patch. More changes will be forthcoming as we work to address player concerns, but I wanted to give you a heads up on some of the big ones.

1. An Exchange Vendor has been setup. This exhange vendor accepts old Tier 5 Obsolete Tech Comps and will exchange them for new Tech Comps on a 1-1 or 1-2 basis.

2. Frozen Weapon tech has been returned to its pre-patch levels (both damage and proc rate).

I was just about to suggest a 2 for 1 exchange rate, for WA comps for whatever new ones there's planned. This at least allows existing stockpiles to not go to waste (a change which I know would cause many to leave).

However, if the Wa stop dropping their comps, there's no point in hunting them. They need to CONTINUE to drop the comps they drop, and keep the exchange NPC in the game permanently. Kwellen Energy Nodes should be a 3 for 1 exchange. Same for red and blue fringes, corroded transistors, intact mainboards, veteran zombie fingers, veteran zombie ribs, veteran skeleton skulls, and veteran skeleton sternums (all the difficult and slow dropping ones). Rest of the WA comps can be 2 for 1 exchanges. If they stop dropping comps, there's not going to be much reason to hunt them. Techniques dropping there only isn't enough reason, and for the most part they will go about their WA business uninterrupted by the Gifted.

Glad to see the frozen tech being restored, since I know several people who leveled Tinker to 100 just to get this one tech, myself included. If that isn't epic end game, I don't know what is.

As far as changes to Flaming Weapon and Rune of Flame proc rate, these being tier 2 it is easier to swallow. The attuning part is not easy to swallow and I continue to disagree with that. These changes would be much easier to accept by all players, if there were going to be t5 replacements.

Originally, flaming weapon was it. There was no Rune of Flame. Players leveled new toons just to get an extra copy of this tech. Not epic end game I will grant, but a pain and fair amount of work. Hunter's Retribution and Withered Bane also added around this time, and players put these techs on weapons, up to tier 5 weapons even. Then along comes Bone Seeking and Rune of Flame. Awesome! A little bit better replacements for Hunters and Withered Bane! Now they being changed/nerfed. Bone Seeking's change in % chance I don't really agree with. This tech only works on WA to begin with... But back to my point: It will be fine to change these tier 2 techs, if there will be stronger, higher tier versions coming...

Also, when are we getting the t5 versions of the banner techs and the banners? Sounds like some fun quest writing there.

[Riaken]

Glad to see the frozen tech being restored, since I know several people who leveled Tinker to 100 just to get this one tech, myself included. If that isn't epic end game, I don't know what is.

Rune flame is just as epic, took me a week of quests to get it. And I'm used to it's power and having the versatility of both an ice/flame proc on a weapon. They can't both be applied to same weapon. I still don't understand these tech changes. Nothing says "I don't wanna play" like the fear of the nerf bat hovering over me.

[Vahrokh]

However, if the Wa stop dropping their comps, there's no point in hunting them. They need to CONTINUE to drop the comps they drop, and keep the exchange NPC in the game permanently. Kwellen Energy Nodes should be a 3 for 1 exchange

I think this is brilliant and should be here to stay.

Give the chance for weaker / lower level characters to tech their stuff by killing "standard" mobs but also challenge + increased profitability (due to the higher exchange ratio) to the big adventurers.

[Guaran]

I also want to clarify that by 3 for 1 exchange on say Kwellen Energy Nodes, I mean 3 new comps for 1 Kwellen Energy Node.

Also, this exchange process needs to cover all 5 tiers of WA comps.

And what about stuff like Frost Hellhound Manes (t6 comp) thats used in t5 Freeze spelltech? Seemed to make sense, the comp for the tech. Something like this should just be left alone.

[Shian]

However, if the Wa stop dropping their comps, there's no point in hunting them. They need to CONTINUE to drop the comps they drop, and keep the exchange NPC in the game permanently.

This idea is interesting. Can I subscribe to your newsletter?

[Trust]

2. Frozen Weapon tech has been returned to its pre-patch levels (both damage and proc rate).

Thank you.

My opinion on the others even though I see your point on them being T1-2: if someone has the fortitute to wait 100 levels and then go back and get them, I say let them have their fun. you also should consider that many people who went back and got these techs may have also used another 'one-off' tech on the same weapon, adding further insult to injury.

[Holth]

Uther and I spent some time on Blight today. Went to Alged to hunt. 90% of the mobs are now all satyrs .. mummies, skellies, ghosts and zombies. A few spiders , a few blue vexators (patch notes say these were both removed), a few blights and 2 or 3 Avatars. And over 25 Famines running in groups of 5-6 each! I would ask that the Famines be toned down alot, this is a very small island. Have to say the hunting was not as much fun as it used to be. With the removal of so many mobs it's kinda blah, blah, blah, boring. We hunted for about a half hour. All the loot was basically the same as before, except now there are rare trash items that sell for coin to the new npc in Bristugo. As a veteran player I have to say I will have no reason to go back to that island. Please don't do this to Elnath, Corvus and Dahibi. Maybe put usable trophies on these mobs or other loot that would be rare/desireable. As you are going to put in a new npc to trade comps maybe leave the old comps to drop so we can choose to hunt the islands or the new comp dropper? Also noticed drops of zombie limbs from the blights, and ectoplasm goo from blights and zombies - these don't seem right?

Then we went to check out the Bhal'kuk Chieftan. He is supposed to drop a molar that is now listed on at least 5 techs. We killed him 4 times and got no molars. If this one mob, that respawns only every 5 minutes or so, is going to drop a comp that is needed now for many techs I forsee camping issues. (On live shards this is really hard to get, but it's only used for one dragon drag-and-drop tech). Maybe change the molar to non-chieftan and put it on the warriors too? And shouldn't ogres drop coin as loot?

Then I spent an hour hunting bloodskulks. Got all the normal loot and 2 bloodskulk fingers (tech comps). There are 4 tech comps that these mobs should be dropping. Fingers, ears, hair and fins. If 1 hour of hunting garnered me 2 fingers .. folks are gonna be spending alot of time in the swamps. Maybe nudge the drop rate of comps up a bit? And if this one mob is going to drop 4 different comps they will be hunted to extinction. Maybe redo 2 of these to other mobs that only drop 1 comp now? Saw 2 sets of bone golems in the swamp lvl 95s with 15k health. Are these supposed to be there?

Listing tech comps on Sir Aidan for no consignment fee is awesome! Will Lady Aida in Aughundell do the same?



Thaalia of Order

[AmonGwareth]

As a veteran player I have to say I will have no reason to go back to that island. Please don't do this to Elnath, Corvus and Dahibi. Maybe put usable trophies on these mobs or other loot that would be rare/desireable]

The other three islands will be readjusted, I am sorry but I cannot help that. There is no other way to accurately control the spawn rates or loot drop rates without doing that.

However, the reason I asked folks to please go there and give us feedback was to try and make it challenging again. Thank you for the feedback you have provided. I have taken notes and will be adjusting the island for the next patch to try and make it far more challenging.

As far as what they drop, we have stated that we are and will continue to work towards providing things from the Withered Aegis and the Undead that players will want to fight them for. That will be an on-going process.

Hopefully the Tech Comps given by the Exchange Vendor will be as challenging to hunt as were the Tech Comps being "traded in".

The techniques offered by the exchange vendor are ALL tier 5 techniques, regardless of new difficulty. We are making no choices for players about how they exchange their old techs. We're simply providing you with a way to acquire the new ones so that the value of your old ones is not totally lost.

Also, this exchange process needs to cover all 5 tiers of WA comps.

It does, all obsolete tier 5 techniques are accepted as exchange.

However, if the Wa stop dropping their comps, there's no point in hunting them. They need to CONTINUE to drop the comps they drop,

Negative, the Withered Aegis will not be dropping technique components.

The exchange ratio will be 1 old tech to 1 or 2 new techs. Its based upon level of the monster you get the tech from. Again, the difficulty of old techs was nearly impossible to determine from our point of view, hence part of the big reason for this loot revamp in the first place.

Then I spent an hour hunting bloodskulks. Got all the normal loot and 2 bloodskulk fingers (tech comps). There are 4 tech comps that these mobs should be dropping. Fingers, ears, hair and fins. If 1 hour of hunting garnered me 2 fingers ..

This depends upon what skulks you are killing. Unlike before there is no single tech that all bloodskulk drop. You get specific ones from the Spearfishers, from the Bloodmages and from the Soothsayers.

Maybe change the molar to non-chieftan and put it on the warriors too? And shouldn't ogres drop coin as loot?

They do, as junk loot that can be sold for coin. As far as the molar, I'll work on his spawn rate and locations.

And what about stuff like Frost Hellhound Manes (t6 comp) thats used in t5 Freeze spelltech? Seemed to make sense, the comp for the tech. Something like this should just be left alone.

As Tier 6 hasn't been touched yet, no exchange will be setup yet.

Rune flame is just as epic, took me a week of quests to get it. And I'm used to it's power and having the versatility of both an ice/flame proc on a weapon. They can't both be applied to same weapon. I still don't understand these tech changes. Nothing says "I don't wanna play" like the fear of the nerf bat hovering over me.

I'm sorry, but the Rune of Flame is NOT epic. It is Tier 2 and a Tier 2 player can do the quests to get it. Yes, it might take them weeks, but it can be done at a fairly low level. That is why it is being altered. If it were epic it would take days or weeks to acquire but you'd have to be level 90+ like for the Frozen Weapon tech kit.

[Trust]

To be fair, I realize this is just a first pass, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Misted forest: not really a forest. Just one small patch of yew by meadowhill, and a small patch of ironsilk above it. Gloomwolves were fun to fight, lots of debuffs, but they did not last long. Shadow was an interesting fight, not completely over the top like other t5 nameds as far as hp go. Pigs, not real sure about the pigs. Seemed like a weaker bloodsnout. Soldier flies are weak, but sometimes its nice to just go out and blast away at some poor unsuspecting monster. Spawn rates were good, but the spawn points were a little sparse. This may be due to blight's hardware. It's also not a very big area tucked between Meadowhill, the ogres, and the testing grounds. did not see any treants. I think this area could be a lot of fun.

Alged I hesitate to comment on because it is surely not finished. What I think people love (and hate) about hunting on those miserable little spits of land is they are so chaotic. Knowing you are just one step away from ruination at any given time with nowhere to run. in its current incarnation that feeling is lost. Hopefully you wont leave it as 80-84. Its predictable, its tamed, almost canned. I posted more about this in the bugs thread because I dont think it is by design. I like the idea of satyr undead making up the bulk of the population but as you progress inward towards the machine, I think the mobs should become more sinister. leave a couple aegrors by the wraith lord. give them grey flies as buddies. kill off the unwary.

[Vahrokh]

However, the reason I asked folks to please go there and give us feedback was to try and make it challenging again. Thank you for the feedback you have provided. I have taken notes and will be adjusting the island for the next patch to try and make it far more challenging.

I'd like to go try but for some reason I posted on the other forum, since I restarted playing (actively that is, I did not stop being subbed), my client reloads map cache again and again and takes 10-15 mins to re-load the same places again and again.

But one thing I can say for certain: as dragon I used to be SEVERELY disadvantaged at those islands, the DPs would go up fast.
But that incredible feeling of relief at having earned my new T5 gear with sweat and blood was something... nowhere else to be found in Istaria.

Please don't kill that feeling.

[LOVWYRM]

*raises a claw*
here is the only Satyr- hater it seems.
I like the change. I shall tech the scales for others now, I support the idea of tech kits, I shall not visit Satyr without a very good reason,
but I hope there will be a lot of good reasons
(there is a difference if you have to go there cause if not you will die in poor equippment,
or if you have to go there cause you die if you cant have that purple fluff stuff;-) .

Maybe I speak for one or two others

And now come and kill me^^

[awdz]

*chuckles* I agree with you, LOVWYRM - I think those who like hunting on the satyr islands must have been hit a bit too hard with Blighted weapons or something.

That said, I respect that others DO like hunting there in all its deadly chaos, so I'd like to see that experience maintained somewhere in the world. In my experience, they've been proud to supply components to those that cannot/do not want to hunt the components for themselves. If that keeps my Istarian friends in the world, we need to find a suitable way to keep their elite skills busy.

So, since tech comps will not be there, what consumable items can we request that they will have to go get from a deadly chaotic zone for us? And will the ED, if some of the nasties are moved there, suffice as such a zone?

[Vahrokh]

*chuckles* I agree with you, LOVWYRM - I think those who like hunting on the satyr islands must have been hit a bit too hard with Blighted weapons or something.

I am neutral to the whole thing but if this keeps people in game, I am ready to have myself an harder life and fight the nasty mobs.
What I'd like to point out is that in order to understand why some guys like some feature, you have to walk in their shoes and see in their POV.

In this case it's "Adventurers".
This is quite of a rare breed in Istaria and have never been rewarded by the game as much as crafters (which I am one of).

They don't do this to get components, they do this to challenge themselves, to prove their build is made right, to see how better is their latest weapon.
The components "just come in" and help them get even better gear, get money for buying trophies and so on.

Needless to say, the new mobs would be easier to kill (the "farm components" part) but no challenge (the part adventurers care for).
I myself like sometimes to go there to prove how better I do with a new crystal or better teched heal and so on.

This is why they are unhappy: the challenging spawns are being tamed (no challenge), at the same time the money adventurers got to feed their further improvements (selling those hard earned components) won't be there any more.

Double loss => quit.