Celtic Heroes

Well, I am pleased to see there are people who can agree with me on this, or at least understand where I am coming from.

I am slightly disappointed, but not overly surprised, that the kind of posts I am talking about continue. The best one I have seen today consisted of someone complaining they can't solo bosses and asking "what about the people who want to solo?". Sorry, but that is just ridiculous. Bosses should never be solo'd unless you are 2 to 3 times it's level, and that might be being generous. This is an MMO afterall, not Jet Set Willy. If you don't know what Jet Set Willy is, type it into the search engine of your choice. That's the kind of game I played as a kid. Hopefully it will give you a giggle and you might appreciate what you have today that little bit more.

I won't do the usual thing of quoting here but,

Death - entirely agree, with your agreement with me. It's a fine line that needs to be tread carefully. A big problem that could occur if some people are listened to, those who have managed to adapt, rebuilt their characters and are now finding success, are going to have to go through that whole process again. They probably aren't the people complaining in an aggressive manner, but they may well complain, and rightly so, if they have to go through the whole process again because tommy who threw his toys out of the pram got his own way.

Gutshank - Totally, portability was something I didn't mention but is another factor in this games appeal. My phone is with me everywhere I go. It's on all the time. Hey, I'm bored, or I can't sleep, what can I do? Escape into a fantasy land and distract myself from the mundane things around me. Hehe. I'm sorry you have rebirthed 7 times but hopefully you are getting somewhere now. I have yet to use my books until I can finalise what I think needs changing. I'm getting along by teaming up with a Druid when I'm on as my rogue, or teaming with a damage class when I'm on as my Druid. I have even teamed with another Druid. This works well, find the right mob and we can take it down and still get nearly 2000xp. I understand for some people that's not enough to level fast but, I'm here for the enjoyment I get from playing and chatting, not being the highest level player. Which is another thing, too many people seem to think this game is about levelling. Those damn fettles have a lot to answer for I tells ya. Hehe. Of course, grouping isn't always something you can do easily when you play in short time intervals, and if your friends are too busy doing their own thing, it's time to ask, are they really your friends? As far as clans go, every clan should be helping their own, if clanmates show unwilling, it might be time to find a new clan. It can be hard to ask yourself these questions and make these choices.

Legion - Always, grouping is the way to go. I'm not sure how late I will be on. I pulled an all nighter in fear of oversleeping for an appointment I had early this morning. Might explain why I feel my post is slightly grouchy this time. I nearly flaked out earlier, but dinner seems to have picked me up a bit.

Guffy - I don't really feel this effect with quickstrike. I do however notice it with rend, a lot. I also agree with your point about autoattack. I used to use everything I had in a fight, now, I start with rend and rarely recast it, then it's autoattack all the way, only using quickstrike to attempt interrupting skill casts and to try to replace evaded hits with something. No sneaky for me as I use an ancient lance. Dagger gets equiped when I've got nothing better to do than level it's ability. If I had an ancient langsax it might be different, but I'm kinda skipping that in hope of getting warden gear fairly soon. I have no issue with people expressing their opinions, I would just like them to do it in a reasonable manner and realise that actually, things were too easy at times, because that's what most of the complaints I see really boil down to. The game has become challenging and it seems most people don't like that. See the opening of this post for example. Yes, at times it can feel like more of a grind, and while the idea of having vendors give different prices for your loot is a good one, I am not entirely sure it has been implemented well enough for people to see it. I did some investigating into this and it's something I am not keen on in it's current form. We all want to get the best price for our drop but test it yourself. I checked with Connacht weapons and glimmerwing weapons. Working out who is going to give you the best deal for something isn't easy and you basically need to visit everyone to check every item. Sell all gems you don't want to quigley though. At least that one is straight forward. I understand your point about people who buy plat to advance their game. Really, at this point all I can suggest is those who are getting upset about wasting their money on idols and rebirths simply stop doing it until they actually work out where things are going wrong, and I don't mean just blame the game and the changes. People are being succesful with the new mechanics, you just need to work them out.

I think that covers everything? It probably doesn't but I feel like I've rambled on too much.

Really, I just want everyone to chill out and actually take the time to understand the new mechanics rather than just moan about them in aggressive ways and expect everything to go back to how it was. I'm not saying things are perfect and don't need tweaking a little, just they're not as bad as people make out. If they kept the content and put everything else back to how it was before, as some members have requested, I'd be disappointed, but I might get to level 100 before the end of the year. Haha. Making it easy again is not the answer I feel.

Again, new abilities, get them and level them before really judging how unbalanced the new mechanics are. Beta, as far as I am aware, did not have to level them up. They were given at max or close to max level. This is where things have gone wrong perhaps.

And to the guys, or girls, who I have not given direct responses but have replied to my original post, thank you, I hope you are enjoying the game.

I think that there are without doubt real reasons for the community's anger and while I don't agree with many of the posts myself, some really crucial aspects still need to be tweaked.

Now I would personally relate these needed tweaks the community needs to like Bench Pressing with One Thumb Mobile as your spotter. Let's say it's a free gym, but you pay a little extra money to use the special equipment and OTM is spotting you. And you go back to yer weight training program and you can't lift SHIZNIT. And yeah the reason why is because the training system has changed and you need to relearn it. But after you do, and by after...I mean after many kept paying money thinking (incorrectly) that just a few more extra purchases would help them...you have a largely rabid weight lifting team.

But One Thumb, even now, just needs to spot the bar a bit. Nothing drastic, just tweak the skill page drops so people can get the skills they are supposed to have, not never achieve after countless hours. Tweak taunt mechanics and a few bosses and mob's, nothing drastic, but just help the community lift that bar. A few safe spots in Otherworld to rest at, again nothing major, but something to allow for some sort of assistance.

My point is, yes, I certainly agree with the spirit of the post, and I have tried hard to beat that same drum.. And yet even though the community is filled with some angsty complainers, it's doesn't mean that they are all across the board wrong. The company need to do more, and I think accountability to do so is part of the reason to voice issue sometimes.

So again, not disagreeing, but definately I think there is reason for the fervor more often than not.

Heh, Papi I was writting my rather long addition while you posted. Tea, you were probably writing yours as I was finishing mine. I do ramble a bit. I will keep this one short....I promise.

Papi - Sadly no, never owned an 8 track. I do have to this day a two track reel to reel though. I hope that counts for something. I have used 2 inch 24 track tape also, if only once. And I remember Betamax. Come on, how many clues do I have to give to my age, hehe. Thanks for the welcome. I agree too, too much in one go in some ways.

Teaweasel - good analogy. I'm not saying everything is perfect. I've kind of covered this ground in my response to what's gone before. People today expect everything now and don't expect to work for it. Instead they want to pay for it, and I can see if they feel they are throwing their money away they'd be upset. The pages I can't comment too much on as I am not really in pursuit of them due to my level and not being able to get in the other world. I can say I have enough cerridwen stones for one of my characters and need one more for the other I think. Also, members of my clan have them and some have new skills. So, while it might be harder than planned or expected, they are achievable. I'm not saying people with issues shouldn't raise them, it's just the manner in which they do. Some of the issues strike me as nonsense though, not being able to solo bosses being one of them.

Ok it sounds like you chose not to by an 8 track so that counts for extra wisdom. Though they did have some things going for them better than cassette.
Welcome to the club. Do you still have a vinyl collection? I still play my 33s.

Its just nice to have another person with thoughtful comments. Even if you disagree there is something to point at you disagree about.

Re: topics I believe the new energy math has brought on a series of problems that are not worked out yet, and I don't think using PVP as the tool to balance classes was a good idea, some classes have significant issues leveling, grouping and bossing that didn't exist before.

Old man... Ramblings from another old man.

I tried reading your post but when I got to the point where you said characters are still under level 60 I stopped reading. And I will explain why.

The developers have done an EXCELLENT job redoing the game for under level 60. The beginning quests and story lines are awesome and the gameplay is pretty much the same as when I started playing the game over 6 months ago. It is a fun addictive little app on your phone.

There are no complaints (or very few) about the low level areas / monsters / bosses / quests.

The complaints are about the high level content, and that is why I stopped reading your post. While it had some good basic points it lacked the perspective of the higher level issues that I and many other people are complaining about. I can ramble off dozens of reasons why we are complaining but it boils down to this:

You have to WORK at the higher levels to achieve anything. Even to kill a basic 1 star monster requires work.

Some may like this and say the game is going in the right direction. But for me, there needs to be a balance. Work is real life and you get rewarded for it. I have taken a break from this game because I don't think it's a good idea for me or my kids to invest work into a fantasy iphone game. If I am going to "work" it will be doing things around my house, my job and my family. Old man stuff! I made this point 24 hours after the update went live and very little has changed.

I had about 30 mins today where I could have logged in and played but after taking a 4 day break I have very little desire to play. Before the update this never happened.

So while your post is well written it is uninformed. I have a new perspective about this game after the update and that perspective is my life doesn't need it.

Anexander

Old man... Ramblings from another old man.

I tried reading your post but when I got to the point where you said characters are still under level 60 I stopped reading. And I will explain why.

The developers have done an EXCELLENT job redoing the game for under level 60. The beginning quests and story lines are awesome and the gameplay is pretty much the same as when I started playing the game over 6 months ago. It is a fun addictive little app on your phone.

There are no complaints (or very few) about the low level areas / monsters / bosses / quests.

The complaints are about the high level content, and that is why I stopped reading your post. While it had some good basic points it lacked the perspective of the higher level issues that I and many other people are complaining about. I can ramble off dozens of reasons why we are complaining but it boils down to this:

You have to WORK at the higher levels to achieve anything. Even to kill a basic 1 star monster requires work.

Some may like this and say the game is going in the right direction. But for me, there needs to be a balance. Work is real life and you get rewarded for it. I have taken a break from this game because I don't think it's a good idea for me or my kids to invest work into a fantasy iphone game. If I am going to "work" it will be doing things around my house, my job and my family. Old man stuff! I made this point 24 hours after the update went live and very little has changed.

I had about 30 mins today where I could have logged in and played but after taking a 4 day break I have very little desire to play. Before the update this never happened.

So while your post is well written it is uninformed. I have a new perspective about this game after the update and that perspective is my life doesn't need it.

Anexander

I agree. My mage (68) was rocking Stonevale the past few days. She kills very fast for awesome xp and money drops. My lvl 88/90 on the other hand grind with MUCH less xp and MUCH longer killing time and MUCH higher difficulty. Now, I don't mind the difficulty. I enjoy grouping with people for easier killing. However, xp and money drop does not reflect the difficulty, which is very frustrating.

Anexander - I appreciate your perspective, I really do. Maybe as I play more I will come more into line with your way of thinking. I've been there before with a certain space oriented MMO. Why do I want to pay to have a second job? I intentionally put my levels in to highlight that I am not speaking as a high level player. That doesn't make my points entirely invalid. Primarily the post was about the attitude of the reactions the update was getting. I just don't think it's right and when people complain the way they have been I just see irrational thoughts. As I have said, there are things that need sorting, it's not perfect, but crying out to put it back exactly how it was isn't good either.

I really hope you did read beyond my levels because I do say it must be a pain for those high up the food chain, so to speak. While I cannot speak with direct experience, I do know high level players. Most on my world seem to be getting on, adapting and succeeding. At least from what I see and hear from those I talk to. Maybe they are just younger, have less things to worry about beyond their gaming and enjoy the grind.

Please, if you didn't read beyond the 2nd or 3rd paragraph, have another go. You might disagree with me even more, who knows? If I was a developer of a game and I received some of the reactions I've seen after all my hard work, I would probably be wondering if there was any point in carrying on. I work in live entertainment and give my all every event. At the end of it, if people don't show any gratitude for my efforts in making the event as good as possible I start to wonder if there is any point. Fortunately, I have never had responses to my efforts like OTM have with this update, but if I had, I may have given up long ago. This is ultimately my point, what appears to be a lack of understanding of effort and just flaming.

Papi - alright, you got me here, I'm not old enough to have a serious vinyl collection. I have about four 7 inch singles and no turntable to play them on. All cassettes are a thing of the past. The reel to reel is a hand me down. Hehe. I was born in the 70's and did most of my growing up in the 80's through 90's. But I did say I suspect I'm not the oldest. I just feel it, although, now you're making me feel young. Haha.

One thing that the Admin either does well or hides very well, is the fact that he has a tough skin in dealing with these kinds of things. Having a tough skin and a firm back bone in dealing with player's rants and hatred towards updates is needed if you are going to run an MMORPG for the simple fact that it is impossible to please everyone. No matter what update comes out, there will always be people complaining about it. The sad truth is, usually negative posts are heard more and are able to overshadow the positives.

So, while it might be harder than planned or expected, they are achievable. I'm not saying people with issues shouldn't raise them, it's just the manner in which they do

Because you are lower level, I will explain this to you a second. There are currently two questable skill books, one that is fairly easy to obtain, and one that is (practically) impossible to obtain. The one that is easy to obtain I imagine is what you wrote about in players receiving some of the new skills, the other skill book, no one on my server has been able to get it yet. I am a level 119 Rogue and have not been able to obtain a single page from the book, and the quest requires 5. These pages drop from very rare and hard to find monsters that are 5 Star level 90's that spawn across Stonevale. One of these monsters spawn maybe once every 2 hours on average. This monster then has a chance of dropping any classes page, and any page one, two, three, four or five. So when I go to kill this monster, you only have a one in five shot, that if a page drops, it will be for your class. (A page doesn't always drop either) So four out of five times a page drops, it is not your class. Then, let's say you get a page that is your class, you have to have 5 different pages, so let's hope you are getting the correct numbers you actually need! Now yes, these can be traded with other players to help them out while getting the pages you need, but with the monster spawning on average once every 2 hours, being hard to kill, having a chance of not even dropping a page, these is very near impossible to get. Oh, also, you have to have a Red Book Cover and Red Book Binding which are very hard to obtain, I don't know all bosses that drop them yet but I know the otherworld eye bosses do which spawns maybe once every 5 to 10 hours.

All in all, if you were to have everything go absoutly perfect and kill the bosses one after another getting every drop you needed in perfect order and harmony, it would take aprox 20 hours. However, there are 5 classes and 5 different pages, and chances for the boss to not drop any of them at all.. etc and we are left with people having a near impossible to obtain skill.

Sorry if this was confusing, I was trying to put it in terms a lower level who has not dealt with these monsters may be able to understand.

Guffy - Fair point. I do understand you. While I am not in pursuit of these pages personally I have trundled around stonevale somewhat and am familiar with a number of these mobs and bosses. I was not completely aware of the undertakings required for these pages in the amount of detail you have described. So, there clearly is a problem in acquiring one of the skills.

At the risk of repeating myself, I understand things are not perfect, but threats and demands do not solve this issue. Something like this should be easily solved and really should have been patched already. So there is cause for concern, but it can be done in a more respectful manner.

I talk to people in my world, I play my part as a mid level character within clan. No need for the high level guys to come collecting jasper and such. This might make you laugh, it might make you cry. I have sold a handful of the gems I have collected from drops to merchants. I had every single gem required for the quest in crookback. Enough to supply the clan ten fold or more, with the exception of tigers eye, I had some, just not in the same abundance as the others. This was fortunate more than planned I hasten to add. Being the caring sharing sort, if people shouted to buy gems, I would give them away. Noone needed to hunt down dryads or crown statues. Their time was spent doing otherworldly things while I collected various other items they required.

If I spent as much time levelling as I do the "mundane" stuff, I might be in the otherworld myself. I would be a considerably higher level thats for sure. It all comes down to how you play the game. I'm a team player, always have been, always will be. My generosity and team play is slowly being rewarded and I am grateful for this.

This all kind of going off topic now. Ramble ramble. Be nice, is all I'm trying to say I guess.

From your clues you might be suprized to find you are not the only one with grey in his beard.

This is an MMO afterall, not Jet Set Willy. If you don't know what Jet Set Willy is, type it into the search engine of your choice. That's the kind of game I played as a kid. Hopefully it will give you a giggle and you might appreciate what you have today that little bit more.

I had to Google it but remember playing it.
I didn't actually own the 8-track but had some tapes. I did have a real to real and parents bought a LaserDisc instead of bata. your not alone Man with no name. (do you wear a poncho over your steel plate?) I have at least 3 Clanmates from the same era.