So, to kick that off, please continue conversation with the following questions in mind:
- WHAT is it that you do not like exactly, and WHY?
- HOW can we improve that for you? Give us your ideas and suggestions!
Thank you for the chance to be heard on this and I truly hope all these replies are being considered before a decision to continue this format is made.
What is it that you do not like exactly, and why?
1. The requirement of 'leveled' workshops and manu's. If this was done to prevent people from making large numbers of tier 1 buildings for events, my first statement is 'WHY"? What was the REAL problem with this action? Since this is a game in which people come to relax and enjoy themselves, why would it matter if some people's playing style included demolition their cities to put in large numbers of tier 1 buildings during events? ANYONE is free to do this, so it is not an unfair tactic or something sneaky or only allowed for 'specific' groups of players. If we were competing for some big prize that required 'equality' or a job that had a higher pay for how far we go, then I might understand the desire of those not wanting to do these things, but this is a game in which people should be able to play in the manner that brings them the most enjoyment. If someone made 100 workshops and hence, finished a 'fixed' quest game quickly, then that should be their choice but ALSO their responsibility when the event ended. (as other's have said, even this situation could easily be fixed by having both set quests and then random quests after a certain point.
2. As I mentioned above, the change to random 'unlimited' quests. Myself, and many others as I have noticed, greatly enjoyed the strategy portion of the quests in the events. Part of selecting a 'strategy' based builder game is the enjoyment of using your brain to problem solve and find ways to plan and accomplish things. The 'random' quests completely remove the 'brain' usage and give ONLY random luck. Now, having some luck can be enjoyable, but the chests provide all of that we need. If we were wanting a game of 'chance', then we would play gambling based games. Part of my plan with selecting this game was to keep my mind active and problem solving, in addition to the enjoyment of playing with a team. The actual city building for me is a simple necessity to allow me to enjoy the others areas that I USED TO enjoy but has now been removed in the event (and from what I am hearing, I greatly fear might be about to find it's way to the FA's").
3. The idea that this should be an almost impossibly hard accomplishment in regards to obtaining a fully upgraded grand prize! Again, my same question as before... WHY??? If this is a game and NOT a real life situation, why in the world do we have to try to make it so people can barely squeeze by successfully? I am not saying to make it SO easy that everyone is done it 2 days, but why the need for such high requirements unless it is to force the use of as many of our time boosts and/or to try to get people to buy more diamonds. I have purchased diamonds occasionally, but I do so BECAUSE I am enjoying the game and NOT because I am being forced into it. So, if that is the plan, I believe there are going to be so many 'lower level players' that throw up their hands, that it is going to backfire in the end. If this is NOT the reason, then I again ask why the idea seems to be to make it so hard. Like many have said, we are being FORCED to scout SOOOO far ahead that our entire game is put into a negative state because we have all 'very hard' provinces (I for one was always very careful to keep my scouting down as far as I could and part of that was in the strategy of preparation for upcoming events that require scouting and completion of provinces). As I said earlier, that is a large part of the game I enjoyed and this event went WAAAY to far and now I am at hard in all of my worlds. If the Scouting quests didn't push you far enough, then the relic ones repeatedly have done it (especially when the crafting doesn't offer any relics time and time again). The repeated requiring of large numbers of KP purchases is a very similar situation. Since the cost never resets, we are being FORCED to increase the cost of these KP to such a level that it becomes impossible to progress and will only get worse as we go further in the game. When it becomes this hard to do, why do it??? If there is a reason I am missing that so many people feel it has to be 'hard' to earn a fully upgraded grand prize, I would sure like to know why. (please understand that I am not saying that it's ease should allow people to get all of the prizes they want, but I think it should sure be easy enough for your 'average' player to get one fully upgraded grand prize. I spend HOURS on here everyday (well, I have cut down now because I keep getting 'stuck' and see no reason to steer at a screen in frustration), but even at my playing level now, I am STILL not going to be able to make it and I am in the 80's on quests and I have used MANY MANY boosts to get here.
How can we improve?
There have been MANY great ideas out there, but what I have heard most I agree with. GO BACK to set quests that people can strategize for and remove the requirement for leveled buildings. These 2 areas completely changed the entire dynamic of the game related to the events.
1. Set the quests back to ordered and known. If there is enough need for people to progress, but you don't want an unlimited number of grand prizes out there, then simply remove them from the the options after earning the first ones. If you don't want people to have more then 4, then stop after 4. You can easily pick the highest number of grand prizes you want to allow by not putting anymore in the listing. If people want to keep going for 'other' rewards, like the random buildings, then let them keep going for those and the rewards you earn from chests. If the desire is to allow people to play 'endlessly', then something as suggested before regarding a set line-up that will allow your 'typical player' to achieve at least 1 upgraded grand prize, and then have a second quest line that kicks in after the 'set' one has been completed. This quest line an be random AND HARD!!!!!!! Let people that like to push themselves do so, without penalizing those that want to enjoy a fun and relaxing game.
2. As for the leveled buildings, there isn't a lot to say except there is no reason to require this except to slow down the players that like to 'plan ahead' and strategize. As I already mentioned, it is a fair method for all because anyone if free to do this. There is no punishment for anyone not wishing to make room for extra tier one buildings, just as there is no punishment for those wanting to push further in the game then others. IT should all be up to the playing style and desire of the person playing. There is NOT a $100 prize we are all competing against each other for that would require us to be so worried about what the other person is doing in their game. We should be allowed to play in the manner in which we most enjoy.
3. Make the quests easier! I know people love a challenge, but there is non reason to kill everyone to get that. There would be NOTHING wrong with starting out extremely easy even and SLOWLY build up harder. Again, keeping it 'doable' for most every level of player to be successful for at least 1 upgraded grand prize should not be a negative. Figuring out what area that would be around should not be that hard either. Once that level was determined, THEN start making them progressively harder. Let the people WANTING a REAL challenge to get it, but get it after a reasonable level of accomplishment has been made by all. There is just NO reason that these quests have to push us past reasonable scouting levels, run out KP costs to unreasonable levels, and use up all out boosts, just to manage to get 1 upgraded grand prize (if you are lucky enough to even make it with all of that because I haven't and I have sure tried). Someone mentioned earlier the use of other types of quests such as visiting neighbors, or trading goods, or other 'simple' tasks. Yes, I said 'simple' to begin with and at least up to a level where each person has obtained the one grand prize. This would NOT be a cop-out because the quests can get as progressively hard as you wish, just later for those that like the punishment.. LOL
I will end with the broken record that I have kept saying over and over again, this is a game that we come to play for fun and I do NOT understand why it has been changed to be made as hard as possible to accomplish and have success at. If it were real life or some 'prize' of value that we were competing WITH or AGAINST each other for, then I would understand; but it's not and we are not competing for anything that someone else doesn't have the chance to get. PLEASE consider going back to allowing the game to be strategy like it was and NOT luck, nor so darn hard that our worlds are destroyed in the process of trying to enjoy an event.
Thank you again for asking for feedback and I sure hope it is truly being considered and not just a 'smart' social reply to 'calm the ranks' (smart plan if that was the real reason though).
