Ways to make the game playable

[ForeverNoob]

I've been playing on a new server, spending only for a prestige pack (under the theory that the $15 for the pack was the price before P2W came along).  First, I must note that it has been fun just worrying about how good a character I can develop, not how good a one I can buy.  However, as you go up in level obtaining proper gear without spending more money is difficult to impossible.  Based on this experience I have some suggestions to make the game more playable by folks with limited funds.

1. Make the twilight gift set given on awakening permanent.  Add a permanent R-95 gift set (weapon and armor, the jewelry is fine the way it is) on reaching 95 and a permanent R-99 gift set (weapon and armor only) on reaching 99.  These R-95 & R-99 sets should be clean, and untradeable.  In every other way, they should be just like any other clean gear, with full potential to augment, soul crystal, attribute, etc.  This will add to NCSoft profits by encouraging players to buy items with n-coins that are needed to properly develop the weapons and armor.

2.  The recent additions to the Prestige Pack are very helpful, but there should be one more addition -- 400 n-coins a month.  This will allow the players some choice on what to receive in their package, and add to NCSoft profits by getting people who otherwise would not do so interested in the idea of spending money to buy things with n-coins.

3.  Redo the drop rates of adena and items to what they were ages ago.  It amazes me that no matter how many people ask for this and no matter how obviously necessary it is, NCSoft still hasn't done it.  Do it.  BTW, I notice in doing the lower level quests (the ones I haven't done in years) that many quests that used to give good, valuable, drops now drop mostly completely useless and worthless weapon and armor modify scrolls.  Dumb.  Bring back the decent drops.  Get rid of worthless junk.

4.  Start new people in awakened state at level 85.  Leveling 1-85 is now a complete waste of time, with the elimination of the academy and the elimination of adding clan rep by leveling 1-99.  

5. I know you won't do this one, because it would require more re-programming than you are willing to do, but allowing changing of the main class would be very helpful to newbies who discover they don't enjoy the class they chose when they did not have enough experience to know which to choose.

I suppose in the end NCSoft must decided if it really wants to have anyone play the game who is not willing to spend a fortune in real money.  If it does want to attract and keep customers with limited funds it needs to do the things outlined above, and perhaps much more.  If it doesn't, it will continue to drive them away as it has been doing for years now.  Of course, when only the big spenders are left, they will get bored and quit, too, killing NCSoft's golden goose (and, btw, the best game of its kind ever written). 

[Dargor]

1 hour ago, ForeverNoob said:

 

1. We used to have bound twilight gear once upon a time. R95 and R99 sets are just fine the way they are now and having an untradable armor or weapon augmented or enchanted or whatnot would be impractical to put it politely.

2. 400 ncoins cost 5$, there's no way they'd lower the price of the prestige pack to 10$ a month.

3. Drops and drop rates need to be adjusted.

4. Then why even have 85 levels? There's worthwhile stuff pre-85 and it would take a couple of days at most to get a toon to 85 if you're just after the xp. I'd be more concerned about 105-106 than 1-85.

5. Not gonna happen for free.

[ForeverNoob]

Dargor, thanks for your responses:

1. How can one afford R95 & R99 gear without spending money?  Especially with the drops as they are now.  How many Modify Armor scrolls = 1 amaranthine weapon (snarky question, don't answer )?  Whether it should be tradable or not is a different question.  I just very much doubt NCSoft would be willing to give away tradable ones.  If you don't want to enchant, augment, etc. that's fine.  But you can used the clean versions to hunt and level while you are saving for the tradable kind.  Why not?

2. Why not?  It would profit them in the end.

3. We agree.

4. Took me 3 days without any vitality items (they don't even give the 1-hour 100% scrolls anymore), but sure, it's not hard.  It's just a waste of time.  The sooner new players get to the more interesting parts the better.  I agree about 105-106, but my concern here is how to make the game playable for people who don't have a lot of money to spend.  The way things are now, such players are likely to get discouraged and quit long before they reach 105.

5. Not going to happen at all, never mind free.  Too much re-programming involved, and they won't commit the resources, at least to do it for all classes.  It should happen, though.

[Dargor]

2 hours ago, ForeverNoob said:

 

1. You can get to 99 with r grade gear. Clean r95 would be a waste of adena if you were to buy it just to get to 99. Obviously they shouldn't give away tradeable ones it would screw the prices.

2. Just not how they operate.

4. Define "more interesting parts". F2p players are doomed to a routine of doing dailies for all eternity. Plus if we didn't get the 1-85 thing with the salvation update, we're just not getting it ever.

[ForeverNoob]

Yes, you can get to 99 with R grade gear, but how do you get R-99 gear without spending money.  I kind of agree about not needing the R-95 gear, but if it is not tradable, might as well give it.

[ForeverNoob]

Sorry, I forgot to answer your question in 4.  More interesting part are the parts that we play the game for.  Who plays the game for 1-85?  After awakening, getting to at least 92 is a snap with the adventure guild quests.  An awakened player will mostly do dailies, but can find parties more easily; join at least a fun clan (though not the main ones yet); participate (though not win much yet) in sieges, oly and c of c.  By your reasoning "F2p players are doomed to a routine of doing dailies for all eternity," this whole discussion is pointless.  I think we, and NCSoft, should be focusing on finding a way for those players to have some fun, too,  BTW, this is the kind of discussion we should be having with NCSoft.  Wouldn't it be lovely, and useful, to have an on-line discussion between players and developers on a pre-determined topic, such as how to make the game fun for those who don't have a lot of money to spend.  Maybe do it once a month with a different topic each time.
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