Thread: Difficulty format for Normal and Savage will remain in 4.0

Originally Posted by Sparktacus

The glamor debacle could easily be solved by SE if they consolidated it entirely and made it so you could glamor any armor piece in the game without actually having it. Heaven forbid they streamline this system that is getting wildly out of hand, AND give EVERYONE access to anything they wanted (glamor wise). Problem solved in terms of unique looks.

So you would kill one of the game's most powerful motivation tools to do content? Okay

Originally Posted by Bourne_Endeavor

Just to comment on this, albeit a bit late. That feeling only stretches so far. The average gamer typically will either lose interest entirely or go to Youtube if frustrated to the point where it's no longer fun. For most people, Savage isn't fun, but an enormous source of frustration. Gating the story behind it won't motivate more people to do it. You'll just risk those players unsubbing instead of raiders. To use a friend of mine as an example. There is no incentive I could offer her to play Bloodborne. She would despise it because, for her, that level of difficulty simply isn't fun. She'll watch, but she won't touch it herself.

And where is this idea coming from that raiding is the only content in the game? 95% of this game is catered to the casual market. If raiding is the one thing that they feel they could not do, then besides that and Primal EX, every piece of content is catered towards casual for them to play. I have a hard time believing they would leave over it. It certainly wasn't an epidemic in 2.0. Raiders on the other hand will easily leave over poor raid structure like we have currently and they have. Midcore scene is in really bad shape and some notable world/server first groups have disbanded.

Originally Posted by Velhart

So you would kill one of the game's most powerful motivation tools to do content? Okay

There are so many ways that this system could be implemented without being a detriment, since you could not think of one let me share one with you. Here is an idea for you, tokens available from only doing certain content. And you know how SE loves their tokens. This is a simple example but you can let your imagination run wild, go ahead try it, its fun.

Originally Posted by Sparktacus

There are so many ways that this system could be implemented without being a detriment, since you could not think of one let me share one with you. Here is an idea for you, tokens available from only doing certain content. And you know how SE loves their tokens. This is a simple example but you can let your imagination run wild, go ahead try it, its fun.

People find the easiest content that drops the most tokens. Buy item. Done. All other content disregarded for this.

Originally Posted by Velhart

People find the easiest content that drops the most tokens. Buy item. Done. All other content disregarded for this.

okay, because you don't like the example given doesn't mean another can't take its place or it can't be refined further to fit whatever you are personally looking for. Also there is a fine line, and the glamor game will eventually in itself not be enough motivation for many. If you think it can last forever I will disagree here. It simply is not enough to sustain and engage the masses permanently.

Originally Posted by Sparktacus

okay, because you don't like the example given doesn't mean another can't take its place or it can't be refined further to fit whatever you are personally looking for. Also there is a fine line, and the glamor game will eventually in itself not be enough motivation for many. If you think it can last forever I will disagree here. It simply is not enough to sustain and engage the masses permanently.

It isn't, that is why the game has multiple forms of motivation and one of them is going to keep the interest of the end game player. It isn't just glamour that keeps people.

Originally Posted by Velhart

It isn't, that is why the game has multiple forms of motivation and one of them is going to keep the interest of the end game player. It isn't just glamour that keeps people.

What? Are we going in circles now because this whole discussion is based on how there is not enough motivation especially in endgame.

Let me add, that I was merely suggesting a means to a middle ground. There are people in here saying they don't as much care about the ilvl difference as much as the glamor and I was simply putting ideas out there to get in the right direction if that is truly the case.

Originally Posted by Velhart

And where is this idea coming from that raiding is the only content in the game? 95% of this game is catered to the casual market. If raiding is the one thing that they feel they could not do, then besides that and Primal EX, every piece of content is catered towards casual for them to play. I have a hard time believing they would leave over it. It certainly wasn't an epidemic in 2.0. Raiders on the other hand will easily leave over poor raid structure like we have currently and they have. Midcore scene is in really bad shape and some notable world/server first groups have disbanded.

For Alexander? No. Nobody cares about that story for the most part. But consider if Coil and Alexander were swapped; difficulty and all. A greater number of people would be pissed off a major story element was gated behind exceptionally difficult content. This can lead to unsubs because frustration overtakes enjoyment if those people do attempt Savage, only to get crushed over and over again. You're more likely to win those players back, however if what they like is gated behind stuff they don't, it will drive them away. Otherwise, we agree. The midcore is where SE needs to find a compromise, and could actually put the storyline. Even more casual centric players can push themselves to that level a challenge. Unfortunately, Savage essentially goes from 6 to 11 with no in between. I wonder if they couldn't stack the difficulties on one another. Normal mode gets increasingly harder; with Brute Justice serving a EX Primal equivalent or thereabouts, then segue that into A5S and scale up from there.

Originally Posted by Archaell

One of the main issues with savage in my opinion is that the content is both hard and basically static locked. Meaning that the progression is close to impossible outside of the static groups, and I am talking about loot restrictions not knowledge of fights, which is one of the main reasons behind the low percentage of players even trying it.

What would you think about this:

1. The savage being free of all the weekly loot restrictions.

2. The savage floors being added to the game gradually instead of at once.

Basically something like this: 3.4 A9S and A10S added, 3.45 A11S added, and lastly 3.5 A12S added to the game.

It would be still time-gated but in more accessible way while allowing easier movement of people between the groups.

Without weekly restrictions, people will farm within a few weeks and have no reason to continue subbing. Some people even had the god awful 210 Anima step down within a few days, though that was hardly the norm. Point is, Square has to gate content, lest we all consume it far too quickly. Making the Savage floors themselves "time gated" still leaves that hole in between A11S and A12S.