20 replies to this topic

[hbklives]

Hi there.

 

It's 1:35 in the morning where I'm from. There are 517 people online on FS. I've closed my browser trying to write this three times.

 

Basically, I've been here for a couple years and watching this game slowly evolve. 

 

Well, I guess I will cut to the chase. 

 

 

I feel like this game is losing it's population, completely. 

 

I feel like only a few simple changes will help change FS for the better.

 

• An instant messaging system along with a newbie chat.

The messaging system would make it so much easier to communicate with each other about subjects. I mean, some people just want to send a quick request, but you won't see it right away.

 

Newbie chat could be a system where new players are sent in chat with experienced players. Basically like the mentor system, except it allows you to chat with them quickly and learn without waiting periods at a time.

 

• A revamp of the Player vs. Player system.

Come on PvPer's, you know what I am talking about. Leveler's aren't satisfied with the way they are smashed. Some people get bullied out of the game. Other's can't stand the mechanics. Well, I feel like we need a revamp of the old PvP system. Whether it is how you defend, steal or bounty hunt. Just something to make it more interesting and will draw more players in.

 

I love PvP. I'll take a hit anyday, but most people hate losing their progress. I have seen the thread talking about a practice battle arena where you could practice PvP with friends with no XP/gold loss. I feel like that could be fun for learning new mechanics. I could go on in this topic for a while.

 

• Leveling progress & content.

There are a lot of players sitting at EOC bored. They are bored because they have nothing to do. I mean, they can titan hunt or PvP. But, some people do not have the means or desire to do either. 

 

Why not mirror content? I've heard this suggestion before in other threads, but mirror the content so that when you get to a certain level, you can go to the "shadow" world. Basically all the same maps, but creatures with tweaked stats and XP/gold. Heck, even put some bosses in there to make it more difficult. 

 

Maybe when you get to a certain point, you can "reincarnate". You'd go back to level 1, but you'd have a total level on your profile that showed how many levels you've gone up. Along with more ideas, I'd like some suggestions here.

 

• Competitions.

A while back, FS had the picture competition. You took a picture with the FS logo and entered to win 500 FSP and other things. I feel like we should have some more competitions, whether it is avatar making, advertising, etc. It would just be interesting and fun for all. Besides, it would give some lower level players a chance to earn some higher up rewards. I dunno. Ideas here would be nice as well.

 

• Revamp of the temple system.

The temple system to me seems like an outdated system. It's purely chance and all. But, why not give little requirements or goals of the day to try and earn new gear or gold? It'd be a fun little achievement each day and allow more people to participate.

 

• More medals to achieve, new tiers to get.

I love medals. Medals are shiny and show what you could be good at. I feel like there should be more medals for each aspect of the game, not only that, add way more tiers. Once you hit the top tier, you can get a small bonus or something. Again, ideas are welcome here.

 

• New upgrades for your character and/or guild.

Basically, make the tiers of the upgrades higher and allow some new upgrades to come in. Ideas welcome.

 

• Allow some weekly or monthly tier lists.

It'd be for leveling or PvP hits. Anything really. Just a list of who is great that week. At the end of that week or month, you could get a little badge saying that you achieved that. (I know it sounds like medals, but it's a different concept.)

 

• Revamp of the bounty board.

People love bounties. Bounties are a fun way to pass time and earn gold/FSP. But, there are hardly any bounties, if there are, they are usually unhittable or countered to an extreme.

Just add some new features to the bounty board. Again, I'm thinking of new ideas, but I'm at a loss for right now.

 

• Universal currency through all HCS games. (Zukira's idea.)

http://forums.hunted...showtopic=56483

 

• Updating guild chatting system.

The chat system is nice now, but it'd be better if it was updated to automatically update the chat or such.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know right now. I'm rambling. I finished this at 2:09am and I'm ready to go to bed.

Any ideas are welcome and I would love a comment from HCS as well.

[Pardoux]

Commented on the universal currency idea in the actual thread.

 

As for other ideas, there's some good ones, but, rather than continually bombarding the cows with more and more ideas, shouldn't we let them focus on 1/2 implemented ones through to completion ?

 

Too often a "new shiney" comes along which jumps the queue and stops a part-developed idea from ever being completed

[Saxon]

• An instant messaging system along with a newbie chat.

Yes, why not

• A revamp of the Player vs. Player system.

PVP is part of the game, embrace it.

The system isn't broken. If you want to avoid lost XP either XP lock or PVP protection = very cheap now

 

• Leveling progress & content.

Players bored at EOC - WHY
I have been at or around EOC for years and always find it hard to even save my stam to even level up for new content which I usually do every 6 months or so.

Being bored at EOC shows that players are not doing anything else in the game of which there are lots of aspects to do

Do more stuff in game and don't sit on max stam waiting for new content, leveling is JUST a way to access more of the game, its not the actual game itself.

• Competitions.

Competitions are good

• Revamp of the temple system.

Yes

• More medals to achieve, new tiers to get.

I lovez my medalz, so yes, more medals and a small bonus for medals has been discussed before but flamed down, I am all for 'small' rewards of some kind

• New upgrades for your character and/or guild.

Drop achievements for players, keep medals and achievements for guild - we need more guild achievements

Maybe choosing a class like on Eldevin for additional focused bonuses?

 

What needs to happen is remove luck based buffs like GS, HG and especially DEFLECT from the BB - Keep deflect for all other aspects

• Allow some weekly or monthly tier lists.

We have a top monthly XP list, but other monthly lists wouldn't hurt for new medals. It gives newer players something to strive for while aiming at their game medals.

• Revamp of the bounty board.

I have been bounty hunting a lot recently and the BB certainly isn't dead - except when I have cleared all the bounties - maybe that's the problem LOL

Thanks to WK's and TED for keeping it packed to the rafters

 

Just remove DEFLECT from the BB

• Universal currency through all HCS games. (Zukira's idea.)

Yeah, why not, that would help play other games, BUT that takes players off FS which you stated is a problem at the mo

• Updating guild chatting system.

Yes, this would be great as its a rather old chat system

[evilbry]

What gets me about topics like this is people talk about the dwindling numbers, but don't take into consideration the resource (coder/artist/writer/grim) time which is needed.
Even things which seem simple, such as a new LE or a new SE take a fair amount of time to keep up a decent level of quality. Down to designing the creature, story, artwork, set and so on.
Sometimes even simple things take a lot more time than people may realise from a coding perspective. Hoof even does a lot of coding out of office hours. There's bugs which they are fixing on a regular basis as well as trying to implement new things.
 

There will be a lot of conjecture that improvements will bring more money in. But that's just that. Conjecture. There's an overabundance of FSP being stockpiled with less and less to spend them. Flow on from that is less need to donate.

Really as players we need to take a big step back, look at what fallensword is, and be realistic about the leveraged resource which works on the game.

HCS is not Zynga, Blizzard, Bethesda or any of these other companies with a massive assembly line of staff in battery hen cages churning out updates.
Fallensword is not a simple game, it's evolved and has a lot of different facets such as titans, arena, pvp, and so on.

Fallensword has a small team who do their best to try and keep everyone happy. In doing so they have often become their own worst enemies. Such can be seen with the way it appears they always refer to the community for ideas now, rather than just putting them in. This takes up more time with the bickering and so as threads degrade into ego battles.
We can also see the uber potions working against HCS, while players like them, they are also the root cause when it comes to things such as boredom. "Oh I have an xp event and a global container. Watch me get hundreds of levels for little cost!" then a week later "There's no content, you guys suck".

 

 

 

Could things be done better? Yes.

We just need to find a way make clones of the staff. Except maybe forn. Another forn would be scary, and lead to world domination

 

In the mean time being constructive on the forums with meaningful and accurate information provided to cows in threads will often help us get nice things sooner.

 

 

 

[NOOSE]

I like almost all of these suggestions and the implementation them would completely shift the game for the better. Sorry I don't have a lot of suggestions or criticism but it is early in the morning and I am tired. But I would LOVE to see a cross game currency, something to promote activity on all HCS games. It could cause people to be active on 3-4 games at once to be able to work towards upgrading one game. Really should have new content each week, 10-25 levels. IMO the best MMORPG is the one you can't beat, we shouldn't be able to reach the end of the content.

[watagashi]

hmmm actually 517 people online around midnight in the US is pretty good for lately in FS

 

Then theres the word "evolve",,,evolve suggest something a creature or entity does to keep up with changing enviroment and a survival mechanism and well not exactly a word id describe as something the game has done for the last couple years.

 

"I feel like this game is losing it's population, completely. "

Yes sadly I see that too,, maybe some of these changes can help that

 

instant messaging system,,, I think you can find that under player/log but I think you mean more of a chat for newbies and from my experiance in SS2 you get a pile of trolls and idiots who dont even get past the training level but love to hang in chat and annoy everyone. Next comes piles of,,, well noobs, and yea it gets to be a bit of a chore especially after you answer and they once again post "can U hlp plz I need know how do dis". The only real good that came from SS2 chat was to be able to talk to people not in your guild/faction and for the most part we all checked out real fast when ignoring those who were disruptive wasnt available. Seems to me this will find the same here in FS where those who are excited about the prospect quickly get disillusioned and eventually everyone tunes out of the global chat.

 

Revamp PvP system,,, a raw nerve for me here because the fact its a ghost town on ladder is totally due to the many revamps that just chipped a part off each time. Other pvp is just a sad example of how activity has dropped,, its not that pvp isnt something worth doing you just cant find anyone worth it to hit nowdays.

 

Leveling, a true end to content and way to start again was put out there in many ways all never made it past a suggestion

 

Competitions,, I never heard of the logo contest you mention but yea it could be fun,, or a huge pain. From what ive seen in other places all this tends to do is break bigger rifts in player base especially when "that one guy who is friends with admin on twitter" won,,, ohhhh yea that killed that game fast. Otherwise I know they removed the FSP lottery because they want to avoid gambling and any hint of it including competitions.

 

Temple revamp would be fun maybe but not gonna help keep anyone enough to make it a priority.

 

More medals wont hurt activity at all and many have been suggested several times in particular a pvp and gvg one.

 

More upgrades/new upgrades,,, im all for new upgrades but most are set at a max for a reason. I would be very much against the option to max stam gain over 200 at this point after it wasnt available long ago, same with exp gain its set to prevent people just buying a way to keep them at EoC without work. Most of the others are really just cosmetic,, im sure someone will max out to 500 allys but not that many and not gonna be the reason anyone stayed

 

New upgrades for guild (because we addressed player ones in the last line) again not gonna be the one thing that changed anyones mind to leave but there also have been many great ideas for guild structures,,, including one very active and recent one to add a gvg scout tower, most havent been jumped on and added. Also again like with player ones some guild upgrades cant be raised without breaking the system.

 

Weekly or monthly tier lists,, yes it does sound like a medal in fact there is a medal for being the top player for your join month. A weekly top 10 for pvp gvg bountys arena wins SE kills and other? Great thing!

 

Universal currency? Nice idea bad reality ill post about that on that thread.

[hbklives]

What gets me about topics like this is people talk about the dwindling numbers, but don't take into consideration the resource (coder/artist/writer/grim) time which is needed.
Even things which seem simple, such as a new LE or a new SE take a fair amount of time to keep up a decent level of quality. Down to designing the creature, story, artwork, set and so on.
Sometimes even simple things take a lot more time than people may realise from a coding perspective. Hoof even does a lot of coding out of office hours. There's bugs which they are fixing on a regular basis as well as trying to implement new things.
 

There will be a lot of conjecture that improvements will bring more money in. But that's just that. Conjecture. There's an overabundance of FSP being stockpiled with less and less to spend them. Flow on from that is less need to donate.

Really as players we need to take a big step back, look at what fallensword is, and be realistic about the leveraged resource which works on the game.

HCS is not Zynga, Blizzard, Bethesda or any of these other companies with a massive assembly line of staff in battery hen cages churning out updates.
Fallensword is not a simple game, it's evolved and has a lot of different facets such as titans, arena, pvp, and so on.

Fallensword has a small team who do their best to try and keep everyone happy. In doing so they have often become their own worst enemies. Such can be seen with the way it appears they always refer to the community for ideas now, rather than just putting them in. This takes up more time with the bickering and so as threads degrade into ego battles.
We can also see the uber potions working against HCS, while players like them, they are also the root cause when it comes to things such as boredom. "Oh I have an xp event and a global container. Watch me get hundreds of levels for little cost!" then a week later "There's no content, you guys suck".

 

 

 

Could things be done better? Yes.

We just need to find a way make clones of the staff. Except maybe forn. Another forn would be scary, and lead to world domination

 

In the mean time being constructive on the forums with meaningful and accurate information provided to cows in threads will often help us get nice things sooner.

I can appreciate that. But, as well, you could allow the players to create content. 

Three players got to create legendary creatures for FS. Well, why not open up a competition for suggestions for creatures or other content?

 

Also, HCS does have it's new summer interns right now. But, I just want to be of some use. Doing whatever I can to help.

[Dulcharn]

Nice post, hbk

 

I like the idea of players participating in competitions to come up with ideas for conent.

HCS couls stipulate the format in which this happens, to make their work lighter, possibly in a spreadsheet template.

 

For example:

 

Creature name:

Creature stats/ enhancements:

Creature description:

Creature image:

Creauture drops:

 

This could be done for Relics, Realms, Items, Quests.

[gomezkilla]

 

• Leveling progress & content.

There are a lot of players sitting at EOC bored. They are bored because they have nothing to do. I mean, they can titan hunt or PvP. But, some people do not have the means or desire to do either. 

 

Why not mirror content? I've heard this suggestion before in other threads, but mirror the content so that when you get to a certain level, you can go to the "shadow" world. Basically all the same maps, but creatures with tweaked stats and XP/gold. Heck, even put some bosses in there to make it more difficult. 

 

Maybe when you get to a certain point, you can "reincarnate". You'd go back to level 1, but you'd have a total level on your profile that showed how many levels you've gone up. Along with more ideas, I'd like some suggestions here.

 

• More medals to achieve, new tiers to get.

I love medals. Medals are shiny and show what you could be good at. I feel like there should be more medals for each aspect of the game, not only that, add way more tiers. Once you hit the top tier, you can get a small bonus or something. Again, ideas are welcome here.

 

I like the "shadow" world idea a lot! If they started doing this now, the EOC could be endless! And I would assume easy to create.

 

I believe more medal tiers was suggested and is supposed to start being worked on after Composing got implemented.

[Pardoux]

I like the "shadow" world idea a lot! If they started doing this now, the EOC could be endless! And I would assume easy to create.

 

I believe more medal tiers was suggested and is supposed to start being worked on after Composing got implemented.

 

I just don't see why a "shadow" realm would be created - it's time and effort for the cows and it would get no return for them. There's plenty of other stuff for folk at EOC to do with their stamina anyway

 

Medals ? - yeah, Hoof has said that the next tier is ready to go - so ... bring 'em out

[gomezkilla]

I just don't see why a "shadow" realm would be created - it's time and effort for the cows and it would get no return for them. There's plenty of other stuff for folk at EOC to do with their stamina anyway

 

Medals ? - yeah, Hoof has said that the next tier is ready to go - so ... bring 'em out

Yes, it would take a little time and effort to design the baseline of the idea, but it would less effort than creating completely new realms that extend the EOC. The "shadow" realms is just taking the realms already created and then adjusting the creatures stats.

 

I think the medals are in the designing stage now or they are made and HCS is just waiting for Composing to be implemented before bringing them in.

[KrypWalk]

Quick add on for more medals.

There should be a medal for achieving a certain amount of medals.

[Pardoux]

There should be a medal for achieving a certain amount of medals.

 

Are you Kim Jong-un playing FS ? - medals for having medals ? LMAO ... 

[Pardoux]

Yes, it would take a little time and effort to design the baseline of the idea, but it would less effort than creating completely new realms that extend the EOC. The "shadow" realms is just taking the realms already created and then adjusting the creatures stats.

 

But creating new content could be just as easy too - re-use old maps. Tweak and rename the critters - just as easy - and more productive I think ?

[gomezkilla]

But creating new content could be just as easy too - re-use old maps. Tweak and rename the critters - just as easy - and more productive I think ?

Good point, that'll work too.

[yotwehc]

Yeah. I say reuse all the maps and make the creatures invisible so low level folks don't hit then by accident. U can even use the same creatures but color then different. Silver rats! Then gold rats!

[evilbry]

Before I start my post I am not trying to be a debbie downer. I am simply highlighting the realistic side that many don't see(or want to see) of companies such as HCS.

 

There's a perception that a "quick and easy" solution will only take a couple of hours to be done and it will be in the game. This is simply not the case for 99% of the time. The players peception of quick and easy is different to the staffs

 

I can appreciate that. But, as well, you could allow the players to create content. 

Three players got to create legendary creatures for FS. Well, why not open up a competition for suggestions for creatures or other content?

few points here.

- There used to be a section in the old forums for 5 years encouraging players to create quests for use in game. This was never utilised by the cows to the best of my memory.

 

- Players got to create LE's, yes. But even with all the information(story, level, artwork suggestions for creatures and gear, suggested stats on gear, suggested stats on the creature), it still took a while[weeks] before it came in. It's a nice idea but not an overnighter or a panacea

 

- This would need to be done in private. It could absolutely not be done on the forums given the nature of the people who use the forums. As can be seen in most threads they quickly degrade and there will never be 100% and may struggle for 80% approval. Either wrong slots, wrong stats, stupid description or a multitude of other reasons.

 

 

Also, HCS does have it's new summer interns right now.

Summer interns actually create more work than they produce, especially in the first couple of weeks. During this time existing staff put their time into upskilling the interns which means less time spent on cody/artisty/questy/biggrimmy things.

My understanding was that they were brought on to be given experience in the whole realm of company operations (all their functions). a couple of months will fly by and as soon as they start picking up thier skills their internship is over.

If there was an unpaid internship for a couple of months SOLEY for Fallensword, Then I am sure we could see a lot of little things done.

 

 

What I didn't mention in my last post and is something I possibly should have but didn't feel it would be well received was:

HCS has limited resource which they pay for from revenue they receive. If Fallensword was making a significant revenue, they would be able to throw a lot more resource at it. Hell even get a coder on a 3-6 month fixed term contract.

The hard reality is, there are less and less reasons to donate as the endgames are so much more achievable. The global potions and xp events to an extent have removed a lot of donation needs as people don't need to spend anywhere near as much to get to end of content.

[Soldier302]

I think this is an extremely great idea!! The one and only thing i object to, is the "Temple" idea. I think that that should be strictly change for a random player as it is now, but the gurgriss  and lindarsil prizes should be greater in value to at least equal the value of the others. GREAT IDEAS!!

[iTzBiLL]

I love this game and I really don't want to see it fizzle out. I understand that HCS is allocating many of its resources to Eldevin. This is understandable ... this game must be ready for release ASAP to help HCS revenue. This is another reason why I enjoy FS so much is I have donated... alot... in the past. I really haven't lately b/c the AH market is in shambles, the rich get richer, hording those pretty little dots they are so proud of .... Do we really need an FSP sink in this game, LOL?? 

 

My view is this:  While many of the changes suggested seem interesting, one must keep in mind that HCS isn't MS or Google with thousands of staff members arriving at work each morning.  This is a grass roots company that has done very well in the past, and are hard at work coming up with ideas that will keep their success moving forward. 

 

Would I like to see updates in different aspects of the game every week:  Heck yes, I feel like I've paid for it... but I also understand it isn't possible.  The few HCS staff that work FS fulltime do just that... Work at it full time...

 

It's work for them... not a game... We log on after work, or school, or whatever your situation is... They log off and leave work, maybe go play basketball or cricket or whatever you chaps do. This isn't their "relax" time, but probably more of their "pain in the arse" time b/c we are constantly bickering-in game and out, begging for more content, updates, fixes, items, monsters.

 

Let's let them do their job... if the community happens upon a groudbreaking idea, that might make HCS job more effective without sacrificing efficiency, then HCS will take notice.  But the lists of wants we have listed for them would stretch to the moon. 

 

Play the game, embrace what you have, not what you have not, and enjoy the community. We are all people and even the most deuch-er-ific trolls out here might have a soft spot... if only you take the time to find it. 

 

 

Good luck HCS, Thanks for what you've done, what your doing, and best of luck to your future.

[RebornJedi]

 

• Competitions.

A while back, FS had the picture competition. You took a picture with the FS logo and entered to win 500 FSP and other things. I feel like we should have some more competitions, whether it is avatar making, advertising, etc. It would just be interesting and fun for all. Besides, it would give some lower level players a chance to earn some higher up rewards. I dunno. Ideas here would be nice as well.

that picture contest was a blast to see    really wish they did more things like that.. art competitions are always fun! it's good to blur the lines of real life and virtual life every now and then.. 

 

they could also do in game competitions.. where they pop out of no where randomly and you'll have a day or five to compete.

 

bringing the community together for some good ol' fun is always a good idea