Elite Frustration
I really like the new expansion, the setting and new pets and gear all look great. I really enjoyed levelling up to 26 and gearing my rogue up as a pirate. I even enjoyed my endeavour to have super high dps as i searched for ever better amulets and rings to get that really high stat.
But now I'm losing my motivation for the game, as are a LOT of people. I know because I am part of a big guild and the feeling is definitely widespread, and it is concerning Elites. So as not to waffle on for too long I'm going to try to bullet point the problems I'm experiencing:
1. The times are far too long especially considering the loot which drops. 1-2 hours a run is far too long when at the end you may face a green or a purple dropping from the boss, something which I could also get running a normal lower level map. Yes the chance is there for something better, but with such long run times it just doesn't feel worth it. Also for a game which people play on their phones on the bus to work, such long runs seem a little exaggerated.
2. Lack of skill - although I have bought great gear for my rogue and have rogue a few elites with great teams, I don't really feel like its giving the opportunity to develop and strengthen my character and her fighting style. I feel like the only thing skill required to run an Elite map these days is being able to spam potions, and being able to afford potions to spam.
3. Parties. Running maps is also becoming near impossible because no-one else even wants to try. Before the expansion if I asked in our guild if anyone wanted to party for elites, there would be a huge flood of responses and it was easy to form a party because everyone was motivated and enjoyed them. Nowadays noone replies... no one wants to party for Elite maps because they can't afford the potions (especially not warriors), or because the loot dropped is just not worth the effort. Even when a party does get together, inevitably someone leaves before finishing the map because they get frustrated halfway through, or its taking too long, or they can't afford more potions. Entering zones without a party and forming one in the map is even worse a nightmare often with all 3 other party members just leaving halfway through.
A positive note:
4. Southern Seas: The only Elite map which I really enjoy at the moment (and would run more often were it possible to find other people who wanted to run elite maps) is the Southern seas. Yes its frustrating and I die often, but there is an intense level of difficulty for a short burst of time - the average group seems to take 8-12 minutes - which means that it is less frustrating, and at the end of the hard work I often get a copper, silver, or golden pirate chest mixed in the odd green/purple. The work is rewarding and just at that right point where when I run it and get a green I want to go back in and try again.
I guess my main suggestion that there needs to be a balance between difficulty, length of time, and reward. These need to be carefully balanced so as to present players with an inviting challenge rather than an off-putting onslaught of ridiculously hard to kill minions which you can only beat if you invest in thousands of gold worth of potions.
Thankyou for all work you do on this game, I look forward to seeing how the new expansion is going to continue to develop and take shape.
Kjalisi
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