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
:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kjalisi

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.

:)

---

Not sure if STS can develop that. Some players would go AFK at start and wait like a hour for a legendary drop :P

Maybe a anti afk would solve it. Example : Player must move every 30 seconds?

As New Elite is really hard n time-consuming, I suggest STS-band introduce us better gear from Kraken expansion, with good chance of drop after we run those hard maps. So that when we get this new gear new elite dungeons would be easier to run. Mb +30% of current overall gear, though making -30% dmg correction in PvP and +30% to current mythic/arcane items (no, I haven't any of these)

Agree 100% Time does not equal difficulty.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ManWithStyle

Not sure if STS can develop that. Some players would go AFK at start and wait like a hour for a legendary drop :P

Maybe a anti afk would solve it. Example : Player must move every 30 seconds?

---

They HAVE already developed it. In the old Elite maps, I never ever ever had a problem with someone joining and going AFK, nor in the normal maps, nor anywhere. It rarely happens, especially if you party with friends or guild members. The only place I saw that happening was the Hauntlet and even there rarely. Further to this - AL cannot control what a minority of unethical players are going to do. I am constantly getting messages in town akin to "give me some gold" "give me a legendary item" and I just ignore it. Its more important to cater to the majority of good players who have stuck with the game this far, who play by the (unspoken) rules.

The game works as do many, on a system of setting goals which are just out of reach, which become more obtainable as players develop their characters and gameplay until they eventually manage to obtain the goal. But the balance needs to be right - as I said before if I play southern seas and get a green item it doesn't make me despair but instead I want to try again. I wish I didn't have to use so many potions and that it was easier to get a party together but hey ho, the reward seems obtainable and that it will eventually outway the money I have spent so I keep trying.

Its all about obtainable goals. If the goal is JUST out of reach but you feel like with some effort and improvement you can reach it then you are motivated to keep trying, especially for a reward. If the goal seems almost impossible, you might try once but you will quickly lose your motivation to try again. If the goal seems ridiculous, there's no way you're going to even bother considering it.

If I asked you to take a taxi from LA to New York (1day17hours... $8000) with an 80% chance you would win a chocolate biscuit and 20% chance you'd win a house... you might try it once but once you inevitably got the chocolate biscuit you'd unlikely be in a hurry to try again. And you probably wouldn't enjoy your $8000 chocolate biscuit. Nor would you recommend the challenge to your friends.

If I asked you to fight a lion, with a 80% chance you would win a chocolate biscuit and 20% chance you'd win a house. Would you do it?

If I asked you to complete a Sudoku with a 99% chance you'd win a chocolate biscuit and a 1% chance you'd win a house.... would you do that? I certainly would because theres that chance to win, and if not at least the challenge might be fun in itself.

I'm undecided whether the current Elite situation is the taxi ride or the lion.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kjalisi

If I asked you to take a taxi from LA to New York (1day17hours... $8000) with an 80% chance you would win a chocolate biscuit and 20% chance you'd win a house... you might try it once but once you inevitably got the chocolate biscuit you'd unlikely be in a hurry to try again. And you probably wouldn't enjoy your $8000 chocolate biscuit. Nor would you recommend the challenge to your friends.

If I asked you to fight a lion, with a 80% chance you would win a chocolate biscuit and 20% chance you'd win a house. Would you do it?

If I asked you to complete a Sudoku with a 99% chance you'd win a chocolate biscuit and a 1% chance you'd win a house.... would you do that? I certainly would because theres that chance to win, and if not at least the challenge might be fun in itself.

I'm undecided whether the current Elite situation is the taxi ride or the lion.

---

Those are some good analogies. I would argue that they are both the lion and the taxi ride. It will probably cost you a fortune in pots and most likely your team will bail on you before the boss is killed.

Problem is the random people you run with, after one death they run... wtf is that?

I like it, but I had to change strategy to survive (sorc, so quite squishy). But now I can do fairly well, rarely die before the boss (even if the tank dies, I can manage to stay alive and still fight with smart use of time, ice and fireball). On some bosses (yes, I'm talking KI elite) I've been the only member to not die, it's not easy, but I've managed to kite that boss (clyde can help) and keep fighting until the tank returns.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kjalisi

I'm undecided whether the current Elite situation is the taxi ride or the lion.

---

It's the taxi ride with a lion in the back seat with you...

I don't care what the "Hard Core" players think, they are not the majority, its supposed to be a casual game like all mobile games and the Elite levels are just not casual. Its not just about the quality elite players, its about having millions play their game so they can make money and I am sure STS will listen to our Elite problems. And yes you need to play elite levels to get money, grinding takes too long for a casual game that people play on their brake, on the can etc.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Asaka

I don't care what the "Hard Core" players think, they are not the majority, its supposed to be a casual game like all mobile games and the Elite levels are just not casual. Its not just about the quality elite players, its about having millions play their game so they can make money and I am sure STS will listen to our Elite problems. And yes you need to play elite levels to get money, grinding takes too long for a casual game that people play on their brake, on the can etc.

---

Exactly. ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Yeah you got right in almost evrythink.
Ship, tower and jarl are the only one elites that you can do for drop, ... Other only for achievments... To hard compare to drop.
With god party you could make jarl in 1min... Now 3mins... So its not so much. From other hand old elite chest dont have pirate drop, so dunno that it will be woth of going there soon.
Soon there should be changed drop in 1st kraken map.. So 2 elite chests from 1run will be nice too. So there is hope for normal dung with drop ok compared to time, when there will be time to wait to party, not like on ship... Ship will be history... Ofc if they change, that 1st boss will drop elite chests - actually drop normals.

About no party for elite... You NEED friends nowadays. Guild is not enought. So if you go random runs, or with friends of friends, add them... Maybe there will be time, when guild will be enought... Like in 2 weeks. Well gold, platinium, and friends... Never enought... Only that friend online notifications :-\

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ishyrionek

About no party for elite... You NEED friends nowadays. Guild is not enought. So if you go random runs, or with friends of friends, add them... Maybe there will be time, when guild will be enought... Like in 2 weeks. Well gold, platinium, and friends... Never enought... Only that friend online notifications :-\

---

I have a lot of friends and the guild I'm in has over 3000 members... of course I can still find people for Jarl the elites I'm talking about are the Kraken Elites specifically. Most people I know have given up on the new maps, for all of the reasons stated above and this includes people who have been playing the game from its release as well as newer players. If I enter maps randomly I find people trying them for the first time who quit when they realise how long and painstaking its going to be.

With a brand new expansion and new drops, I would obviously like to be able to play and enjoy THAT area, rather than just going back to Jarl. People looked forward to this expansion because it would bring more variety and new things to do.... instead they find themselves back in the old maps. Surely STS would prefer to have people playing and enjoying the NEW material that has come out rather than have players begrudgingly going back to what they have been doing for months and complaining amongst themselves that they wish the new areas were more user friendly. I don't think any developer wants to spend months planning a new part of the game only to find that on release the majority of players feel like it is a game blocker than a move forward.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Asaka

I don't care what the "Hard Core" players think, they are not the majority, its supposed to be a casual game like all mobile games and the Elite levels are just not casual. Its not just about the quality elite players, its about having millions play their game so they can make money and I am sure STS will listen to our Elite problems. And yes you need to play elite levels to get money, grinding takes too long for a casual game that people play on their brake, on the can etc.

---

Ok I understand your points everyone and they are all well worded and spot on..... But sts also needs to give the elite player incentive. I consider myself elite, and this isn't because of plat....... I like the challenge..... Idk what else to say right now *brain fart*

-Vys

There are continued refinements coming, along with additional PvP balance changes (and some new content too). Stay tuned for more info and thanks for your input and support of Arcane Legends!

I agree with your suggestion Kjalisi. I'm frustrated too about the Elite maps changes. Kill Elite boss many times, use many pots, my hands hurt(too much tap on the attack icon, takes forever for the mobs to die!) , and in the end I get nothing but green or blue items. Not enjoyable. I still love Arcane Legends and I look forward for changes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Asaka

I don't care what the "Hard Core" players think, they are not the majority, its supposed to be a casual game like all mobile games and the Elite levels are just not casual. Its not just about the quality elite players, its about having millions play their game so they can make money and I am sure STS will listen to our Elite problems. And yes you need to play elite levels to get money, grinding takes too long for a casual game that people play on their brake, on the can etc.

---

Very well said!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vystirch

Ok I understand your points everyone and they are all well worded and spot on..... But sts also needs to give the elite player incentive. I consider myself elite, and this isn't because of plat....... I like the challenge..... Idk what else to say right now *brain fart*

-Vys

---

I hear you- I guess a nice division would be nice - maybe a scale of difficulty from the first to the last Kraken elite map, so those of you who really like the extreme difficulty could go to for example the last boss which would be reserved for super perserverent players ^_^

Thanks for that Sam :)