Glad to be back slashing

pm me if you want to slash hc

For me... I should be taking total control of getting some better items cheaper during this downtime.
Only thing is... I find that getting the funds is harder because I can not sell items to increase my funds.

Bit of a double edged sword. No funds, can not buy, can not sell, can not gain funds to by... hmmm.
__________________

I am sure we will see some increase in time... (yup... I like to hope for the best)

This post was edited by izParagonzi on Jul 9 2012 06:01pm

(I dedicate this wall of text to izParagonzi, a master in his own right of the "Wall of text". But, yet again, I am disappointed with his input in this thread... could he be losing his touch??)

I believe this, what I bolded in the quote above, as one of the main issues in LS right now. It has caused people to quit, it has caused the market to crash, and it has caused a detrimental hit to the motivation of ones self to get better at this game, to build ones character to continually improve and see advancement in killing speed and climb speed, and that characteristic, character and personal improvement, is HUGE in video games of any kind. One of my biggest motivations in this game was to collect high end gear to try and be better than the person next to me, to try and be the best that I could be at this game through gear, to try and build a character that can rip through the arena and catacombs with efficiency and power. That was appealing to me, and it was appealing for a lot of people too. When abilities came out (and when arena left but I won't go there), and made gear sub-par to mine become just as effective to mine in the catas... ugh... that killed my desire and motivation I once had with this game. The efficiency of high end gear has diminished greatly. I'm sorry but upgrading your 180ee dagger with a 240ee dagger isn't going to make your climb any faster anymore, and THAT is why everything has gone to hell, and why the market has crashed, and why people have quit. The effort and tremendous amount of time and Fg of so many people, has all literally gone to waste. And that, is quite disappointing and demoralizing.

Building a character through gear, or any other methods, is probably one of the most, if not the most, rewarding thing a game can offer. It offers a chance to strive to become great. To build a character with pride, and be proud of what your character can do that the other guys character can not do. When some relatively new guy comes along and can one shot an EP with his ability, just like you can with far superior gear.... it's not a great feeling. To think of all the time and Fg you poured into this game to become better, just to be equivalent to a guy who bought a cheap weapon of the MP. I don't think that's right, and that is why I bolded that in your post. The need for high end items drove the market and this game for a very long time. Since I first started this game, the need and desire for quality gear was present and strong. Now it's gone, and all of us who have that gear are set back many Fgs and for some of us here, many years

I'm not anti-abilties. I think its a great add for the catas TBH. In fact, there has been many great adds to this game update after update. As Rex said in a previous thread, there has been lots of good things put into this game. BUT... there is a few major flaws and issues that are apparent and major enough to make people stop playing and dwindle this player base down to laughable levels for any game. What this game needs is a couple things IMO. It needs to find a way to level out the gear to appropriate levels and efficiency based on the quality of the gear. High end gear should become much more valuable and useful than mediocre gear, and should rightfully have a significant advantage. Oh how Arena seems to fix that problem so well... Abilities don't have to be the culprit though, as long as an add to the game gives good gear is edge back, abilities can continue to be great in the catas. Just think, what if abilties were taken out of the game, and everything else remained the same? That would suck. That would be horrible. What we need is more options....

This game needs more diversity. More unlockable characters, more choices than just the catas to level up a character. Choices that allow the good gear to shine again. It needs to have some sort of reward for investing so much time into it. Possibly a reward based on GP's earned? In the past we had several options, the well of evil as a way to level and find items, the arena as a way to level and earn prof, the catas as a way to level quickly and earn many GPs. It gave us, the players, options to keep us doing something new. It allowed us to not become so repetitive with cata run after cata run after cata run. It allowed us, the players, options where you don't HAVE to dedicate two continuous hours (or more for others) to a climb or else you become a bad guy, earn a bad reputation, are not invited to climb, left alone, and get stuck at a level with nobody else your level. Options, choices, diversity... it's all a good thing and the game needs more of it.

I do believe, and I want to believe LS will slowly become more active as time goes on and this much touted "Big Update" is released in the future. The developer of the game needs to pay a little more attention, or at least try a little harder advertising is game though. I see a lot of potential with this game. I really do, but it's not going to grow unless the word gets out. And right now, LS isn't even advertised on the main JSP portal page anymore like it used to be. Why? The site gets thousands and thousands of visitors a day, why not advertise and take advantage of that. I see and think of many things that can make this game great. There is so much room to build, and it's frustrating for all of us I know to see it not being built! As I said before, there has been a lot of cool things added to the game, but they have been minor, or didn't fix the bigger problem. I hope in time things start to become more balanced and the desire we all once had to play, comes back within us and a whole new generation of slashers.

/end thought.

One hell of a thought, read bits and pieces of it.

You're right as far as I'm concerned.

MrMojo you forgot to bold and red the parts of the text you wanted us to read.

Texandiablo used to do it successfully...

I did bold the part I wanted people to read... the rest is just optional which is why I ended with /end thought, just my insignificant thoughts

E: But I didn't red, so I guess your right

This post was edited by MrMoJoRising on Jul 9 2012 08:26pm

I disagree with gear being the most fun part of games. Either building skill, or in a no skill game like LS, building your characters strength by other means(proficiency) is more enjoyable. Thats just my opinion tho. I wish there was something else other than proficiency to make you stronger, or I wish proficiency did more like before the abilities update(for casters at least). I like collecting gear, but ya its not even close to #1 for me.

I also agree with you when you say making amazing gear unnecessary to play hurt the game pretty bad. I miss trying to get stronger to try to extend chains or kill difficult wells.

As far as advertising goes, you can advertise a bad game, but at the end of the day it just makes it a bad game more people know about.

You are correct. I tried to encompass a wide range by making sure I said "or other methods" and "one of the most" instead of laying it all down on gear being #1. But, you are correct, not everyone is as gun ho about gear as me, but also I am not alone. More or less what I was getting at in general was character building. Whether it be through gear, or profs, that is a very important aspect to any game. And I liked what you said about profs being weaker now too with abilities. Very true and something I overlooked but falls along the same lines as what I was trying to say. Character building has taken a huge hit.

And advertising, I just think it's silly not to put the game right on the front page. Especially when the sites creator is also the games creator and the current state of the game is in dire need of more people. We don't need thousands, but every little bit helps and eventually can help rebuild. If people think it's a bad game, they don't play. And they have that right. As for me, I still going to stand by what I said about potential.

This post was edited by MrMoJoRising on Jul 9 2012 09:09pm

Yeah I mean, back in the day there were no skills so collecting gear was the interesting part. When profs came into play and LS was nerfed, the game really shifted to not only building a setup, but trying to predict what the next change might be and fortify my setup with a bunch of different gear. Experimentation with some gear that was cheap at the time, but made for a solid solo mcc or helped gain a large portion of a level without healing. When No Maze Cata was around it was exciting to work with a team and try to knock out all nine waves the quickest. We had a lot of competition within our own guild to see who could do it with the fewest people. Now I just sit back, obliterate mobs and laugh afterwards as I take my +1 monk. At least for me, I'm sure everyone has their own reason and goals as you stated.

This post was edited by danomak on Jul 9 2012 10:08pm

Oh thanks... woot a dedication... even if it is a tad facetious... it is most welcomed...
Oh... btw... not argue'ing here... considering I tend to agree...



Decided to split the quote so that I can either agree or differentiate (sp) on some of the things based on how some (minor as it maybe) may enjoy game.

Had to delete... was going to create a massive wall of text that was getting WAY off topic...

As most gamers strive to do... they want to get best gear to be the best... this is what keeps the adrenaline drive going in most games.
Diablo was exactly the same... then what happened? Bots galore... shoot... greed started to become the drive... and now we have LS...
items were needed to excel, just like many games... and there was this massive market to get FG and try to upgrade gear to be the best.
YUP... I am one of those nubs that look at the game... find an item... think "hmmm, this can be used... even if it is crap"... and low and behold
I have hoarded 90% junk items that are only good for beginners or those that can abide wasting time with junk gear. (fvck... going off topic again)

Right... alot of people that have played for years, got great gear, with alot of time, effort and $$$'s invested in LS feel ripped off... in a sense, they should,
but (yeah, the "BUT") it is not the end of the world... yup... it is me time... besides the great help from the community, I still tend to use average gear and still
find it fun... even before the abilities or removal of arena. Our drive to succeed or be the best can be measured by the individual... not the items. There are
many players that game now that I will never be as good as with gear or time... but... when it comes to playing the game as it is now... I can... and also
be of help, and this is where the game has changed... even a beginner with basic gear can help a group. It should NEVER deter the player to strive in getting
better gear to be better and faster... hence... the market place has dropped because PEOPLE have done so... if a person wants to sell an item for 5k (100ee)
then that person should... if no one buys it, then so what... also... if the people did NOT undersell to get a quick fix to build up their fg... then they are the
ones that are ruining the economy... I am one of them... I have been selling very nice items @ 1-5fg, it won't help me or game improve... so... I think it is time
to start using the TRASH can... you find something like 120% ee level 55 items (even on HC) either put to guild usage or trash it... yup... reduce the items available
and bingo... market starts to rise... or we can ask for Drop Rates to reduce? what would it be?





There definately needs to be a major change... maybe more than 1... I noticed you said Unlockable Characters... this reminds me of an OLD suggestion (yup... by me... so I will post link... it is more wall than we need here)
http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=34602353&f=272

Above link is about "Counterclass" to toons available now... maybe it could still be implemented... also from a little thought, another Abilities table just for them.
Idea was that you could either unlock a counter class by passing MQ with opposite toon (well mage would unlock sage etc)... OR... you chose what table to use...
regular or other... anyway... off topic.

You mention that there should be a way to make great gear useful... well... I have had many old ideas that got a bit of a right off... but let us see:

1. Skull Dungeon: "Undead Rule Here... and you become their slave when you die here... DEATH is permanent" (1-5 can enter, but no leaving like old catas)
... This dungeon means two things: 1: Death means death, even in Softcore... 2: A monster is created with your gear that you died with.
... Just like MM where you fight yourself.... now... only thing is this, that monster becomes the head cheese... and those wanting great treasure (the lost gear)
... has to eliminate him. As for no one dying... let us just say that item drops are better, but the monsters are stronger than Evil Presences... mixed like 4 corners with Ambush.

2. Phalanx of Bjorn: "This graveyard is ruled by the Fallen Plalanx of Bjorn... BEWARE... for they are unseen and strive to live off your essence"
... This is an open grave area where you have to travel to on open roads and encounter pitiful bandits... but when you get there... you are never
... aware when (or how many) attack... they become visible by way of stealing 50% of a characters life... and only then can you kill them with melee
... weapons... only casters have the upperhand here... as their spells can hit corporeal beings (hope I used the right word for unseen ghost images)

3. Elder Well: "The elder well holds beings of old... so old that their casting abilities are beyond those of man, and their desecrated bodies absorb 80% of any physical attack"
... The above says it all, the experience you gain here is unbelievable... but death could be instant... yes, you can leave and shrine or regen... but, is it worth the time?
... Proficiency gain, experience and the OCCASIONAL good drop can be found here... death here is the same, but a plaque is engraved on the walls to show the deaths of
... the many people who have tried to live through this area.

The 3 ideas above does not mean there needs to be an overhaul to the game, it just means that certain things could be placed there for people to see... like the plaque of a fallen
gamer (even in SC, they do not die)... it reads their level and the date they died... maybe it will become a hall of fame in some cases.

Right... again I go off topic... but... we as a community could just keep posting ideas... some are implemented and others aren't... we do not need the Arena back... nor do we need the
MCC etc... just other areas where you can either try solo'ing like we do now in cata, but, also have a team of people go through them... and personally... I like the fact that even in Softcore
there should be a place where death is permanent... come on... if you want to get better gear, be able to use your abilities, make it more fun... then there has to be another ADRENALINE factor.

Oh dear... I want to carry on writing up alot more... but I have to get back to work... so I leave this little wall here for now...

Regards
Rex

PS... I am sure people will have their whips at me... bring it...