Hamlet defense feedback from a top 20 provisioner: Critical problems and solutions

[Picoman]

HQ mats and items seems to give way more points. Going to test how much next time round.

[Duuude007]

HQ mats and items seems to give way more points. Going to test how much next time round.

I can already tell you that.

10 NQ DoL Mats = 1,000 points
10 HQ DoL Mats = 10,000 points
1 NQ DoH Item = 1,000 points
1 HQ DoH Item = 10,000 points

[Duuude007]

This is from (at this point) at least 40 Linkshell completions, both Level 1 and 2. Scores at level 2 were consistently over 40k, those at level 1 over 20k.

Chest Rewards Confirmed:
Magicked Prism (Indigo Star) [only if completion score is less than 10,000-15,000]
Dark Matter Grade 5
Random Ixali Currency (very rare)

Captain rewards confirmed: [exclusive to top 20]
Dark Matter Grade 5
Militia Barbut
Militia Bracelets
Militia Wristlets
Militia Sledgehammer
Militia Mortar
Militia Culinary Knife

[Matsume]

This is from (at this point) at least 40 Linkshell completions, both Level 1 and 2. Scores at level 2 were consistently over 40k, those at level 1 over 20k.

Chest Rewards Confirmed:
Magicked Prism (Indigo Star) [only if completion score is less than 10,000-15,000]
Dark Matter Grade 5
Random Ixali Currency (very rare)

Captain rewards confirmed: [exclusive to top 20]
Dark Matter Grade 5
Militia Barbut
Militia Bracelets
Militia Wristlets
Militia Sledgehammer
Militia Mortar
Militia Culinary Knife

Great, so the gear is more or less dependent on being in the Top 20. Thanks Duuuude

[Duuude007]

Great, so the gear is more or less dependent on being in the Top 20. Thanks Duuuude

I really hope that wasn't intended. It is already becoming a huge deterrent from participation.

[Matsume]

I really hope that wasn't intended. It is already becoming a huge deterrent from participation.

I think it was indeed intended to create competition amongst suppliers and thus a driving force for increasing phase level. On the other hand there are probably other items, if not the same, that can drop from the chests albeit with a much lower drop rate. This encourages the former players to supply during the non combat phase ad infinum.

What might not be working properly is the chest reward system, in which case i would assume that an increase in points and an increase in phase would correlate to an increase drop rate. Unfortuneately this does not yet seem to be the case.

Let's be honest though, these militia items are of incredible value and are unparalleled in the game. They should be kept rare.

[Rogue]

its stupid, SE should take a note out of thier own book and just do it over again.

/facepalm

[Duuude007]

If it were purely meant for top 20 then they are encouraging the top 20 strangers to team up with each other? Because if linkshell members know the chest will not yield a reward, they will not be sticking around for long, no matter how popular the "provisioner" may be.

Your assessment seems to treat hamlet defense like it would be a huge waste of content, for the time they took to implement it.

Ask yourself:
If top 20 averages 1 drop every 3-4 wins...

If everyone else averages zero drops after 40-50 wins...

and you are part of the latter group...

...How likely are you to spend a full day of playing, running hamlets?

[Matsume]

If it were purely meant for top 20 then they are encouraging the top 20 strangers to team up with each other? Because if linkshell members know the chest will not yield a reward, they will not be sticking around for long, no matter how popular the "provisioner" may be.

Your assessment seems to treat hamlet defense like it would be a huge waste of content, for the time they took to implement it.

Ask yourself:
If top 20 averages 1 drop every 3-4 wins...

If everyone else averages zero drops after 40-50 wins...

and you are part of the latter group...

...How likely are you to spend a full day of playing, running hamlets?

Just about as likely as I am to spend a full day doing AV speed runs... which is to say, never.

Although, I have done a good deal of AV speed runs, I never once got a Darklight Drop. I saw a couple pieces drop, but they did not go to me. In any case I still plan on doing AV/CC speed runs occasionally. In the same sense I will attempt Hamlet.

That being said, I would be a fool to attempt hamlet not having prepared myself. I have lvl 50 mining and botany, so I don't mind spending a few hours a day for a couple of weeks just hording an obscene amount of supplies if it will ensure my place in the Top 20 and thus increase my chances at obtaining militia items.

I understand how this might seem to exclude battle classes, but up until now you could say that DoH/DoL classes have been excluded from content such as primals. But for now we really don't know what the drop rates are like beyond phase 1 and 2, or if there might be some hidden factor to increase the likelyhood of items dropping (other than top 20)...

[Kiara]

If it were purely meant for top 20 then they are encouraging the top 20 strangers to team up with each other? Because if linkshell members know the chest will not yield a reward, they will not be sticking around for long, no matter how popular the "provisioner" may be.

Your assessment seems to treat hamlet defense like it would be a huge waste of content, for the time they took to implement it.

Ask yourself:

If top 20 averages 1 drop every 3-4 wins...

If everyone else averages zero drops after 40-50 wins...

and you are part of the latter group...

...How likely are you to spend a full day of playing, running hamlets?

Hi Duuude,

Well said.

I love gathering (Botanist was one of my favorite early classes when XIV first launched), but if the drops are *realistically* only limited to the Top 20 Contributors on the list, then you'll have... 20 players on the *entire server* who have any hope of getting a drop, and basically no one else on the server has a chance.

That's not really balanced, nor fair.

The other part is, even if one wants to argue that it's a rare reward just for the Top 20 only... the actual Militia Defense is for Full Parties of 8. So even if you bust your butt to get to the Top 20, if pretty much everyone else has given up hope and never want to participate in Hamlet Defense again, what does that gain you?

Nothing. You can't even cash in on the result of your effort (unless you had a dedicated LS willing to help you out).

Even for Primals or Dungeons, ALL players can participate, and they don't have to be the "Top 20 Fastest Clear Times of the Week" to get a chance at Darklight Gear or Primal Weapon Drops.

Word of the bad drop rate has already gotten out and many people no longer want to go to Hamlet Defense even after just the 1st weekend.

Yoshida-san and SE need to improve on this system.

Side note: The actual Hamlet Defense is quite fun! Interesting, and they get Crafters, Gatherers and Disciples of War & Magic to participate together in some way (very nice idea).

But after trying it a few times, the only reason to go back right now is for Anima replenishment for many people.

That's a problem that should be addressed soon.