Relic Question: Why did it take so long to release?

[Yonanja]

Why it was released so late? Cause if it were in at the launch of HW, the players would have done this while the zones/dungeons/etc still felt new... It was released at this time to force players back into content they've already completed. Why? There's a few possible options to pick from, but I'm leaning towards them just trying really hard to hide the fact that they arn't really doing anything new with this game, and that there's hardly any content worth doing (for alot of people) other than one raid.

[eagledorf]

I would guess it was released late so that they could release KotR EX with i205 weapons and call it a day as if that was sufficient motivation for anybody to run it more than once to begin with.

[Alberel]

simple reason. to give players something to strive for, while there is nothing else usefull or new to do. if they put it sooner, what would they put now? nothing

If they'd put it in sooner, the majority of players wouldn't have been half way through it yet.

Given that 3.2 is likely to drop around February/March most people won't be done with this stage by the time it goes live. People are gonna be spending the next couple of months grinding for a weapon that will be guaranteed to be outclassed by regular loot in the next patch. There's seriously no point in doing this relic because it's gonna take so long to finish for most players that they'll never actually get to use it!

[xvshanevx]

simple reason. to give players something to strive for, while there is nothing else usefull or new to do. if they put it sooner, what would they put now? nothing

This is incorrect; although I know what you mean.

First off, those that have Zeta already skip step 1, so that takes about 5 mins to do. And those that haven't done it will spend maybe a day or two grinding FATEs for Atmas. Having step one during launch, especially as an alternative weapon to the ilvl 170 law gear would've been fine. The second step is just a romp through some old dungeons. Even if this was released at 3.1, I am sure many players would still be doing this step. But even so, this step realistically takes little time. I am already seeing many players on my server with their Awoken weapon.

All we needed for 3.15, and for the holiday layover, was to have the final step. This step is the true meat and bone of the grind. See, this is where I am questioning the Devs. The first two steps couldv'e been released to old people over and get them excited about their relics. But now, instead, well, you see what is happening.

Did you see the state of the instance servers right after 3.15 dropped? Filled to bursting. People were finding themselves in parties ready to go and waiting for instances to become available. Imagine it that had happened when 3.1 launched.

Yes, actually I have been watching our PF here on Levi, and it is jammed with players running old dungeons and 3.0 FATEs. It is a sight for sore eyes especially being that PF has been dead for a few months. But, even so, this is content needed for the relic that has been out for over 5-6 months. Ya... thinking it over, it has given a little breath to FATEs and Dungeon running. (For me, personally, I dislike FATEs and Dungeons, so the relic grind is even further out of my grasp XP)

[Chocolate_Rain]

simple reason. to give players something to strive for, while there is nothing else usefull or new to do. if they put it sooner, what would they put now? nothing

What about actual content?

[Brian_]

Apparently weapon glow effects, weapon models, a few vendor adjustments, and turn-in items took months to "develop."

Everyone I knew got to the last step, did the research into what they needed to do... and instantly burned out. Nobody I knew was like "wow I look forward to this." We already grinded Alex Normal hundreds of times for our drops. We already grinded massive amounts of law and poetics. If you have access to the 2.X beastman dailies, then you already did that grind. We already did all this stuff before. And now, you'd have us do it all again? It's just insulting. When this is what we have to look forward to, how are people not supposed to burn out and quit?

[Whiteroom]

simple reason. to give players something to strive for, while there is nothing else usefull or new to do. if they put it sooner, what would they put now? nothing

How does this answer why there wasn't more work put into it? they put no effort at all into making it.

[Sunako]

Or maybe they do not wanna ppl have that big adventage progress alexander with ilvl 210 weapon? Would be pretty unfair that ppl who grind more, would progress more in savage. You are supposed to try savage at first as low ilvl possible and after each week you will gain more and more gear until it is not gear issue anymore. If you have still not beaten savage, now you have chance grind relic and diadam gear make it even more easier. Relic is never gonna be bis once content is relevant or gonna give you much adventage for anything.

[Whiteroom]

Or maybe they do not wanna ppl have that big adventage progress alexander with ilvl 210 weapon? Would be pretty unfair that ppl who grind more, would progress more in savage. You are supposed to try savage at first as low ilvl possible and after each week you will gain more and more gear until it is not gear issue anymore. If you have still not beaten savage, now you have chance grind relic and diadam gear make it even more easier. Relic is never gonna be bis once content is relevant or gonna give you much adventage for anything.

Soo.... they couldn't have released the ilvl 170 or 200 steps way back why?

[Evilperson]

We all know the answer. They wanted to stretch content out as much as possible to keep people subscribed. Grimy business tactics.

I have no reason to believe it is anything other than this. Every piece of this relic grind is nothing more than recycled content. Adding a few basic crafting recipes and beastmen tokens does not take months to develop. I don't feel guilty saying how pleased I am to see so many people unsubscribing. As many others have said, vote with your wallet, because it is the only thing SE is going to understand, considering all of the feedback over the past 1-2 years regarding relic grinds (which have been utterly ignored). "Fun comes first" is nothing but bullshit lip-service.