Maintaining interest

[Darteous]

To keep people playing a bit longer with the low content level how about having a random chest every week gametime respawning random content so that there's something to gain while still playing and giving feedback as minor updates come through. Until the bigger updates come through. And have it just be the one chest and it must be found before another respawns. Us completionists would like finding more of the game items and becoming a tad OP.

 

[BetterCallCharles]

To keep people playing a bit longer with the low content level how about having a random chest every week gametime respawning random content.

I like this idea seeing as the chest drops are already random, so some gear may never be seen in one playthrough; however, that might make the game a little battlepass-ee or mmo-ee. I think something like the town hall quests from Exiled Kingdoms would work better for the game format, and will likely being considered/implemented at some point unless I miss my guess.

Until then, you might want to consider trying cruel (if you haven't), or what I am doing, which is a no caster run i.e. no healer/spell dps. Weird challenge runs and EK Town Hall copium might keep me satiated until April/May

 

[DavidBVal]

I definitely don't want people playing the early content again and again for a whole year, it would make you all sick of the peninsula!

In fact it worries me that people burn themselves out, after a playthrough or two I recommend going and playing Wizardry 8 or something, then return when more content is available.

 

[VDX_360]

Good god, no.

Not only does that type of reward system conflict with the game's vibe and mechanics; it's also way too close to being a log-on incentive.

Giving rewards and incentives to player for logging on is a growing problematic aspect of games. To the extreme, it can reek of using gambling tactics to hook children into playing.

A game is best played for it, not a reward.

David, The Developer, is an old school style person. That means designing games to have a beginning, a middle, and an END. (It also means killing characters way too often, but that's another issue).

 

[Darteous]

I don't mean for logging on, I mean for running around and taking a second look at stuff to possibly get additional items from chests already opened and thereby having a second look and possibly catching more bugs/glitches/errors to be fixed. Seemed like a win-win, but alright.

 

[VDX_360]

Yes, that's basically a called a logon reward. It's a random, lottery style incentive for a person to play a game on an repeating, or ongoing manner.

We can debate definitions of logon rewards , but it's just not going to happen.

Play the game for the game. If you need an incentive to play a game, maybe not play the game.

On a related note,

One of the recent updates locked loot drops for chests to avoid abusing a save to get better drops. Since those chests are all now locked in at game creation, multiple playthroughs will result in various loot drops. That variation will satisfy the random aspect of the proposal.

 

[stonedwolf]

I like a beginning, middle, end to a game but I do think there is a place for NewGame+ too.

 

[BattleLord]

I like a beginning, middle, end to a game but I do think there is a place for NewGame+ too.

Maybe, but we aren't even at the middle part of the game yet, so something like that would be for much further in the future.

 

[stonedwolf]

Wasn't thinking of Archelund specifically, gaming generally and EK wistfully.

 

[VDX_360]

The NG+ feature is pretty common and can an an extra dimension to a game with relatively little work. And NG+ goes way back to the early days of gaming.

The challenge is how to implement a NG+ feature in a game that isn't complete, or in the case, of EK, not linear in progression.

It's worth noting that NG+ and Logon Incentives are very, very differnt.