The shimmering violet orb has been removed as a prize from the Black Swan Castle Quest. From now on, runs will not have this RPA orb as a prize option.
~Vanah
GS4-VANAH
GS4-VANAH
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/12/2014 12:21 PM CDT
The 1x green orb has also been removed from the prize pool.
~Vanah
~Vanah
GOAT
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/12/2014 01:53 PM CDT
You guys really want to tamp down the RPAs, eh? I see how it makes sense, but damn I still miss them.
COYOTERRE
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/12/2014 02:11 PM CDT
>You guys really want to tamp down the RPAs, eh? I see how it makes sense, but damn I still miss them.
Why are RPAs being stifled? Most of the time I spend in game anymore is roleplaying, and the RPA's were a nice way of being able to keep pace with my friends, in terms of experience gained, developed skills, etc, who were out hunting while I was not. I recognize that RP is its own reward, I just wonder why the understood ideology behind RPAs is being re-evaluated.
~ Bill, Coyote.
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." - Marcus Aurelius
Why are RPAs being stifled? Most of the time I spend in game anymore is roleplaying, and the RPA's were a nice way of being able to keep pace with my friends, in terms of experience gained, developed skills, etc, who were out hunting while I was not. I recognize that RP is its own reward, I just wonder why the understood ideology behind RPAs is being re-evaluated.
~ Bill, Coyote.
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." - Marcus Aurelius
GS4-VANAH
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/12/2014 02:14 PM CDT
Not my call.
~Vanah
~Vanah
BHTM
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/12/2014 03:02 PM CDT
Translation: Look for them in the simucoin store soon?
-Richard/Fjalar.
-Richard/Fjalar.
ROBLAR
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/12/2014 05:48 PM CDT
<Translation: Look for them in the simucoin store soon?>
Not sure about this, the quests were basically that (plus time/effort).
Not sure about this, the quests were basically that (plus time/effort).
GS4-WYROM
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/12/2014 10:46 PM CDT
RPAs will not be something available in the SimuCoin store in the foreseeable future. The reason for tapering down on RPAs is we don't want to put a USD price value on them. As for RPAs in general being tapered down, we want them to be more of a reward, and less of an expectation.
~Wyrom, APM
>>They call him Wyrom, not afraid to get dirty; work all day, in game by 5:30; loresongs eloquent, item embellishment, double speed development... ~Silvean
~Wyrom, APM
>>They call him Wyrom, not afraid to get dirty; work all day, in game by 5:30; loresongs eloquent, item embellishment, double speed development... ~Silvean
RATHBONER
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/13/2014 05:36 AM CDT
>As for RPAs in general being tapered down, we want them to be more of a reward, and less of an expectation.
You ought to make them closer in value. The fixed value ones are a damning with faint praise that can actually cost experience if you get them when you have XXX running, and the multipliers are freebie levels. (approx 0.2 TPs vs. 100 TPs post cap)
If you have a whole bunch of people and some are getting multipliers and some aren't thats an enormous difference between the ones either side of the multiplier/fixed line. GM favorites get levels, and the others don't. With that size discrepancy its impossible to draw a line thats fair. (which is why I reckoned they had got ubiquitous, the line was being drawn between those who were with the GM and those that weren't because it was impossible to avoid favoritism otherwise).
>Why are RPAs being stifled? Most of the time I spend in game anymore is roleplaying, and the RPA's were a nice way of being able to keep pace with my friends, in terms of experience gained, developed skills, etc, who were out hunting while I was not
They give far more than catch up exp. People spending similar amounts of time in game as me were levelling twice as fast because they were in game at the times when the GMs were normally handing out RPAs and I wasn't. RPA multipliers are a freebie level for a couple of hours RP belled in front of a GM. You don't get a level in a couple hours hunting. RPAs make it impossible to keep up with friends that have them, they don't allow catch up with friends that don't.
You ought to make them closer in value. The fixed value ones are a damning with faint praise that can actually cost experience if you get them when you have XXX running, and the multipliers are freebie levels. (approx 0.2 TPs vs. 100 TPs post cap)
If you have a whole bunch of people and some are getting multipliers and some aren't thats an enormous difference between the ones either side of the multiplier/fixed line. GM favorites get levels, and the others don't. With that size discrepancy its impossible to draw a line thats fair. (which is why I reckoned they had got ubiquitous, the line was being drawn between those who were with the GM and those that weren't because it was impossible to avoid favoritism otherwise).
>Why are RPAs being stifled? Most of the time I spend in game anymore is roleplaying, and the RPA's were a nice way of being able to keep pace with my friends, in terms of experience gained, developed skills, etc, who were out hunting while I was not
They give far more than catch up exp. People spending similar amounts of time in game as me were levelling twice as fast because they were in game at the times when the GMs were normally handing out RPAs and I wasn't. RPA multipliers are a freebie level for a couple of hours RP belled in front of a GM. You don't get a level in a couple hours hunting. RPAs make it impossible to keep up with friends that have them, they don't allow catch up with friends that don't.
COYOTERRE
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/13/2014 11:02 AM CDT
>They give far more than catch up exp. People spending similar amounts of time in game as me were levelling twice as fast because they were in game at the times when the GMs were normally handing out RPAs and I wasn't. RPA multipliers are a freebie level for a couple of hours RP belled in front of a GM. You don't get a level in a couple hours hunting. RPAs make it impossible to keep up with friends that have them, they don't allow catch up with friends that don't.
Well, that's on the assumption that the only time RP is going on, is when an NPC is in the game.
If I spend 20 hours a week in the game, maybe, MAYBE 3-6 hours are spent actively powerhunting/bounties/absorbing. A good week is actually getting a few tasks I like (BANDITS!) and using up all of my weekly Gift of Lumnis. The rest of the time is spent in conversations with folks, or eavesdropping, or doing silly things alone in front of the shrine, or spelling up in preparation for any of the above.
If an NPC is present, then yes, that's a couple hours of listening, advancing the story, and maybe having something to add to that, but RPA's being handed out for simply being present while Pylasar or Stone or Cross or whomever else is around - I haven't gotten anything like that in a very long time. Which is understandable, because sometimes I just sit there and listen, which is RP'ing to me (as that's certainly what my character would do), but not worthy of an award.
He's at cap, so I'm not gathering "level". You don't mean the 2500 exp = 1/1 MTP/PTP, because that's not too hard to get. Do you mean, like 100k exp?
Anyway. I simply disagree with your assessment of their value. If someone wants to powerhunt, they are going to get more out of 3 hours of hunting while the NPC is around and 10 hours of hunting when the NPC's are not around, then someone like me, who drifts from one RP conversation to the next, and maybe, just maybe, when no one is around, I can sneak over to Icemule and see if they'll let me do a task.
This is me responding to you, personally, RATHBONER. If I had to characterize or generalize about the situation in general, then I suspect that most folks, even the avid RP'ers, are probably maximizing their RPA's and XXX exp modifier to advance at a good pace. I am certain that my own personal behavior is more on the extreme end of the non-advancing scale.
However, ideologically, I do not see a problem with that, in what is supposed to be a Roleplaying game. There should absolutely be an advantage and awards for roleplaying, attempting to roleplay, etc, etc, rather than just grinding out the levels and hunting. This is not a judgment towards those who would rather hunt/rest/hunt, as I have friends who do exactly that - but, if I'm RP'ing in an RP game, I should be able to keep up with them, one way or the other.
In reality, I do not, whatsoever. A guy I know hit cap at around the same time as I did, and for awhile, I was keeping up with him, relative power wise. Maybe, even surpassing him. Lately/currently, he has throttled past me. I did not actually consider how much the RPA's helped me keep up, until they were notably less frequent. Honestly, though, that's just one perspective, and of course, there's a few hundred to consider.
I also agree that the RP awards should be a gift, and not an expectation, and frankly, I mildly resent paying the lost opportunity cost in rewards due to some select few who are gaming the system of rewards, in order to accumulate levels, and who otherwise have no interest in the storyline or character interactions, which the GM's have spent an inordinate amount of time and effort towards.
Anyway, I appear to have babbled on, yet again. The reality of the situation is that I'm not going to change what I'm doing, regardless of the awards or lack thereof. The RP is why I'm playing the game (certainly not the hurling mechanics or the sheer frustration of archery vs incorporeal undead, gah), the relationships developed, the challenge to my storytelling skills and the fun in all of the above.
It's not a "thing" to me, just something I noticed and I was curious, so that's why I asked. It's all good, your mileage may vary.
~ Bill, Coyote.
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." - Marcus Aurelius
Well, that's on the assumption that the only time RP is going on, is when an NPC is in the game.
If I spend 20 hours a week in the game, maybe, MAYBE 3-6 hours are spent actively powerhunting/bounties/absorbing. A good week is actually getting a few tasks I like (BANDITS!) and using up all of my weekly Gift of Lumnis. The rest of the time is spent in conversations with folks, or eavesdropping, or doing silly things alone in front of the shrine, or spelling up in preparation for any of the above.
If an NPC is present, then yes, that's a couple hours of listening, advancing the story, and maybe having something to add to that, but RPA's being handed out for simply being present while Pylasar or Stone or Cross or whomever else is around - I haven't gotten anything like that in a very long time. Which is understandable, because sometimes I just sit there and listen, which is RP'ing to me (as that's certainly what my character would do), but not worthy of an award.
He's at cap, so I'm not gathering "level". You don't mean the 2500 exp = 1/1 MTP/PTP, because that's not too hard to get. Do you mean, like 100k exp?
Anyway. I simply disagree with your assessment of their value. If someone wants to powerhunt, they are going to get more out of 3 hours of hunting while the NPC is around and 10 hours of hunting when the NPC's are not around, then someone like me, who drifts from one RP conversation to the next, and maybe, just maybe, when no one is around, I can sneak over to Icemule and see if they'll let me do a task.
This is me responding to you, personally, RATHBONER. If I had to characterize or generalize about the situation in general, then I suspect that most folks, even the avid RP'ers, are probably maximizing their RPA's and XXX exp modifier to advance at a good pace. I am certain that my own personal behavior is more on the extreme end of the non-advancing scale.
However, ideologically, I do not see a problem with that, in what is supposed to be a Roleplaying game. There should absolutely be an advantage and awards for roleplaying, attempting to roleplay, etc, etc, rather than just grinding out the levels and hunting. This is not a judgment towards those who would rather hunt/rest/hunt, as I have friends who do exactly that - but, if I'm RP'ing in an RP game, I should be able to keep up with them, one way or the other.
In reality, I do not, whatsoever. A guy I know hit cap at around the same time as I did, and for awhile, I was keeping up with him, relative power wise. Maybe, even surpassing him. Lately/currently, he has throttled past me. I did not actually consider how much the RPA's helped me keep up, until they were notably less frequent. Honestly, though, that's just one perspective, and of course, there's a few hundred to consider.
I also agree that the RP awards should be a gift, and not an expectation, and frankly, I mildly resent paying the lost opportunity cost in rewards due to some select few who are gaming the system of rewards, in order to accumulate levels, and who otherwise have no interest in the storyline or character interactions, which the GM's have spent an inordinate amount of time and effort towards.
Anyway, I appear to have babbled on, yet again. The reality of the situation is that I'm not going to change what I'm doing, regardless of the awards or lack thereof. The RP is why I'm playing the game (certainly not the hurling mechanics or the sheer frustration of archery vs incorporeal undead, gah), the relationships developed, the challenge to my storytelling skills and the fun in all of the above.
It's not a "thing" to me, just something I noticed and I was curious, so that's why I asked. It's all good, your mileage may vary.
~ Bill, Coyote.
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." - Marcus Aurelius
TARQUAN
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/13/2014 11:06 AM CDT
>RPAs will not be something available in the SimuCoin store in the foreseeable future. The reason for tapering down on RPAs is we don't want to put a USD price value on them. As for RPAs in general being tapered down, we want them to be more of a reward, and less of an expectation.
I don't quite understand why you wouldn't want to put a price on them. It seems you have a decent range based upon the number of times it was selected as a prize from both events. It would be a large income generation based upon the sales you did generate.
If you were able to put a price on things like guild and bounty skips you would think something as easy as the RPA or XXX reset would be pretty easy to nail down.
I don't quite understand why you wouldn't want to put a price on them. It seems you have a decent range based upon the number of times it was selected as a prize from both events. It would be a large income generation based upon the sales you did generate.
If you were able to put a price on things like guild and bounty skips you would think something as easy as the RPA or XXX reset would be pretty easy to nail down.
GS4-WYROM
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/13/2014 01:41 PM CDT
>>I don't quite understand why you wouldn't want to put a price on them.
We don't want to put a cost on experience gain. We don't want people to be able top spend money to advance in the game like that. We have things in the SimuCoin store that are to help remove some timesinks. It's just that simple.
~Wyrom, APM
>>They call him Wyrom, not afraid to get dirty; work all day, in game by 5:30; loresongs eloquent, item embellishment, double speed development... ~Silvean
We don't want to put a cost on experience gain. We don't want people to be able top spend money to advance in the game like that. We have things in the SimuCoin store that are to help remove some timesinks. It's just that simple.
~Wyrom, APM
>>They call him Wyrom, not afraid to get dirty; work all day, in game by 5:30; loresongs eloquent, item embellishment, double speed development... ~Silvean
GOAT
Re: Black Swan Castle - Removal of a shimmering violet orb
10/16/2014 02:26 AM CDT
> The fixed value ones are a damning with faint praise that can actually cost experience if you get them when you have XXX running.
My last 2 RPAs has been very brief multipliers, good for maybe 5000 extra exp. I do appreciate that way more than the flat "here's exp for your bucket" ones, especially when on Lumnis, as Rathboner mentioned. It seems like a small enough boost that GMs could hand them out fairly freely when they see decent RP (if not to everyone present at the end of an event). Yeah, I miss the big ones, but thanks for these.
My last 2 RPAs has been very brief multipliers, good for maybe 5000 extra exp. I do appreciate that way more than the flat "here's exp for your bucket" ones, especially when on Lumnis, as Rathboner mentioned. It seems like a small enough boost that GMs could hand them out fairly freely when they see decent RP (if not to everyone present at the end of an event). Yeah, I miss the big ones, but thanks for these.
