future events

[Darkly]

These events we get every few months are quite nice obviously.We have all enjoyed enhanced EXP and rewards but to me it's starting to wear a bit thin.

the pattern seems to be that you find a rare and then an event comes along and everybody has it etc.

rares/rare hunting are starting to feel a little pointless - if the trend continues we'll just have event after event of easy grab rares with a few non event rares that become rediculously rare.

For me i would rather have events where content is introduced etc. with a nice theme but the games drop rates stayed the same.

I'm just curious as to how others are feeling about this 'stream' of events?



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dhylec on 2008-01-05 11:56 ]</font>

[tirith]

doesn't bother me, i couldn't care less about what other people have... and i'd rather group with well equiped players than end up in a random group of lvl 110's that can barely handle an s rank

[Danger_Girl]

the pattern seems to be that you find a rare and then an event comes along and everybody has it etc.

Reverse class envy.

I guess I can't get worked up over someone else having the same rare as I do.


rares/rare hunting are starting to feel a little pointless - if the trend continues we'll just have event after event of easy grab rares with a few non event rares that become ridiculously rare.
I play cause I enjoy the game for what it is. If getting rares before everyone else was my purpose for playing, I guess I would be upset over this "trend of events" as well. But it isn't, so I'm not.

I for one am excited by the winter event. I'm looking forward to it for a variety of reasons, including maybe scoring some rares that I wouldn't normally have the luck of finding.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Danger_Girl on 2008-01-04 17:12 ]</font>

[Golto]

Can you really call it a 'stream' of events when the last one ended almost 2 months ago? 1 event a quarter seems to be the plan ST has.

[Tokagero]

well, yes everyone can have the same item BUT can everyone have a high % 10/10 S rank? =D
even though this is the first event i'll be in it seems like they give out a lot of S ranks so they will give me a chance to get a good percent and grinds then other people
so yes these event will be handing out a bunch of S ranks but it isn't handing out high % 10/10 S ranks http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[Tokagero]

a quarter of a year would be 3 months :S

[Golto]

1up cup started 10-19-07 or so
Winter Festa will start 01-11-08

12 weeks apart thats just about 3 months (depends on if you use days or weeks for what a real month is)

[Darkly]

the thing is i never have had any top end rares, my only high character went corrupt so im not a player who has all the rares.

Infact i would rather have rares be rares just so theres something to look forward to

[Chaosgyro]

That logic is a little flawed however. Before you ever start the real rare hunting you always think it will be nice to "look forward to". The idea sticks in the back of our minds that all we have to do is put our minds to it and we'll get that rare we have wanted for so long. There's this little germ of thought that says 'I should get the item, but no one else should...because it's rare'. We don't question this voice because it makes us feel good, but the truth is that the rare that are actually rare are too unique to look forward to.

There's no way to balance it at all frankly. Either an item is so ungodly that it sends you into fits of rage just thinking about it, or it's common enough to see it in one out of four or five high level parties. If it is obtainable by 'working for it', and it's worth working for, then a lot of people will do so, and we can't exactly say that their efforts are any less valid than our own.

[SStrikerR]

On 2008-01-04 17:47, Darkly wrote:
the thing is i never have had any top end rares, my only high character went corrupt so im not a player who has all the rares.

Infact i would rather have rares be rares just so theres something to look forward to

corrupted? this isn't pso, this is PSU.

And i'm excited at this chance for rares again. In the last event I only bought a ragnus for 1 catilum (lol) and got a free crimson. I was too low a level to do much, even though I could do A. In the aftermath with the luck I managed to find and synth a crea double, and with my level I might be able to solo in this event, if soloing is an option. This is a great opportunity.

[norrisj15]

All i got to say is....these are 10 and 11 star items. woopdeedoo. Nothing big. If you know that there are 15* items in the future, in the grand sceme of things, these items are pointless anyways, but it does make me mad because i spent so much time hunting what I have and lvling all my characters. Now we get an event and anyone's grandma can have a freaking lvl 110 infact most people are onto their alts. IONO about everyone else but these events geared toward the lower lvls is getting annoying. Yes, it has only been two events really, but the samething happens again. I feel my time inbetween these events was a complete waste. We dont have s2 yet so im not gonna start on tha,. but then again we are lvl 110 and not 200 either so iono. Give me a challenge I guess is all I'm asking for.

[Sychosis]

The time spent between events really does start to feel like a waste. People who quit months ago come back for 2-3 weeks and all of a sudden they have better equipment than yours and are the same (capped) level. I can certainly understand why some people take breaks now, you make the same amount of progress with 1/5th the cost.

What's the incentive to play when you know you can cancel, and come back 3-4 months later and do everything you would have done during those 3-4 months in 2-3 weeks? If SEGA really feels their events are so uninteresting that they need these types of bonuses and that the fun factor alone isn't worth it...maybe it's time to re-evaluate what you consider an event?

[Danger_Girl]

On 2008-01-04 19:04, Sychosis wrote:
The time spent between events really does start to feel like a waste. People who quit months ago come back for 2-3 weeks and all of a sudden they have better equipment than yours and are the same (capped) level. I can certainly understand why some people take breaks now, you make the same amount of progress with 1/5th the cost.

What's the incentive to play?



Forgive me for saying so, but I find the question bizarre. Is the game really that big a drag that you consider playing it to be some sort of sacrifice?

maybe it's time to re-evaluate what you consider an event?
Or perhaps it would behoove you to re-evaluate what you consider a game, or at the very least re-evaluate your choice of entertainment.

Now I understand people have different reasons for playing, and I'm not going to pretend one is right and the other is wrong, but honesty, when you start making statements like, "you make the same amount of progress with 1/5th the cost," it honestly sounds like you're referring to an occupation rather than a game. I'm not trying to bash you, and I realize from the time you invest here and elsewhere that you're obviously a big fan of PSU, so I just don't understand where you are coming from on this.

If anything, I see the progression up to a 350% exp bonus as an opportunity for some of my lower level friends to catch up so we can do more challenging runs together. I might be naive, or perhaps getting senile in my old age, but isn't that what it's all about?

[Libram]

I see those experience boosting missions as a chance to move all four of my equally leveled characters closer to everyone else and more capable to defend and contribute to the group instead of just sitting there occasionally going "Hey! I killed an enemy!" while everyone else has beaten the rest of the four or five spawns that enemy came with.

[GreenArcher]

MMO's are all about progressing your characters, and nine times out of ten spending hours upon hours doing so. MMO's can very easily be compared to occupations as well. Do I want to go level Killer Shot, mindlessly pressing one button while soloing? Of course not, but I do it. Some portion of fun in this game to many people who have been here a while equates to the status of your characters, and is somewhat depressing to see this "Get 35 levels in the time I gained 10!" kind of crap, and I completely see where that train of thought is coming from

But I look at it this way.

I don't need to worry about the experience. I can be in an optimum party, hunting down these nice 11*s at a much faster rate than the rest, that's my reward for being high leveled and whatnot. I'm sure everyone figured out during 1up that if you're a level 55-85 trying to get a group for A runs, chances are that you're going to have a hard time, while the level 100+s are grouping up quickly and getting lots of rares.

[Danger_Girl]

MMO's are all about progressing your characters.

I emphatically disagree. For me that's a minuscule reason I play MMO's. It is vastly more about the people I meet and play with online. But as I stated previously, different people have different reasons for playing, and to each their own.



Do I want to go level Killer Shot, mindlessly pressing one button while soloing? Of course not, but I do it.
So I'm assuming you would find the opportunity to accelerate the leveling of some of your other bullets to your advantage? I would certainly enjoy an event where I could speed up my tech leveling.


Some portion of fun in this game to many people who have been here a while equates to the status of your characters, and is somewhat depressing to see this "Get 35 levels in the time I gained 10!" kind of crap, and I completely see where that train of thought is coming from.
I'm sorry, I just refuse to look at it like that, not this game. Indeed, only an idiot would pretend there wasn't considerable grinding time in MMOs, but pointing fingers and whining about a free ride because of these events seems self-centered and petty. Especially considering how easy it is to get character levels in the post AOI game.



I don't need to worry about the experience. I can be in an optimum party, hunting down these nice 11*s at a much faster rate than the rest, that's my reward for being high leveled and whatnot. I'm sure everyone figured out during 1up that if you're a level 55-85 trying to get a group for A runs, chances are that you're going to have a hard time, while the level 100+s are grouping up quickly and getting lots of rares.

And that is a good point.


It would be nice if the level cap was raised with the January 11th update so everyone could benefit from the exp bonus, but regardless I just don't think the lower level player base closing the level gap is worthy of consideration, negative or otherwise. Truthfully, given the population of the PC/PS2 servers, more people available to do the more challenging runs is to everyone's benefit.

[Sychosis]

On 2008-01-04 20:13, Danger_Girl wrote:

On 2008-01-04 19:04, Sychosis wrote:
The time spent between events really does start to feel like a waste. People who quit months ago come back for 2-3 weeks and all of a sudden they have better equipment than yours and are the same (capped) level. I can certainly understand why some people take breaks now, you make the same amount of progress with 1/5th the cost.

What's the incentive to play?



Forgive me for saying so, but I find the question bizarre. Is the game really that big a drag that you consider playing it to be some sort of sacrifice?


Don't misunderstand me. I enjoy the game just fine. I love the friends I've made and would continue to play the game even if I got bored of it if for no other reason than to hang out with them.

I can just totally understand why some people like to take long breaks when they have no friends online and only play in random games.

There isn't much reason to hang around when you know you can catch up in a few days time and essentially miss nothing as far as character progress goes.

For the guy who jumps from random party to random party all day looking for rares, I can't see much reason for him to stick around, sadly.

[Danger_Girl]

For the guy who jumps from random party to random party all day looking for rares, I can't see much reason for him to stick around, sadly.

If you'll allow me to speak on behalf of this hypothetical lad, I would suggest that he'll probably take advantage of the winter event when it occurs, and with any luck he'll attain some of the rares he'd been looking for that he hadn't yet been able to find. Then shortly after the event, in addition to new content SEGA will very likely be unlocking something like 12* weapons or rare items that weren't available prior to the winter event. If he's so inclined, that might be reason enough to keep him joining those random parties.

I don't mean to come across as a contrarian, it's just that I feel these events are good for the game, and something to get excited about. I can only speak from my own experiences, but I'm not aware of anyone in my circle that expressly plans to play the game only during events. And assuming there were, even with increased experience and drop rates I find it unlikely they would be able to keep up with the rest of the community.

[Sychosis]

I can't see much reason for him to keep playing knowing full well that an event in which those new 12*s will be made uncommons as opposed to rares will be released in a few months.

I mean, you really can't deny that both communities see rather noticable population spikes during events, which inevitably trail off once the event is over. There has to be some people who already follow the "I only play during events" formula. Even here on PSOW you see posts like "A new event? Might have to start playing again."

[Danger_Girl]

Here on PSOW you see posts like "A new event? Might have to start playing again."
So the obvious question would be are people leaving because the events are making items too common, thus they don't want to waste their time playing the game, or are people who otherwise wouldn't come back, coming back because the events are fun.

I mean, you really can't deny that both communities see rather noticable population spikes during events, which inevitably trail off once the event is over. There has to be some people who already follow the "I only play during events" formula.
Of course there are spikes in population during events. Further evidence they're a draw to the game, not a detriment. I'm trying to follow your logic here...so your solution would be what exactly? Remove the events, or perhaps remove the prizes from the events? Would your goal be to stop people who play only for the events from resubscribing? Do you think that by removing the events or prizes you would have fewer people canceling their accounts? Because why exactly? They got a rare item easier? Someone else was able to level faster than they did? It sounds like bullocks to me.

[Noblewine]

I'm more of a challenge seeker. The rares are my second agenda though being able to get to Giga/Bullet PP Save would help. I also like the insane MP rewards.

[Kylie]

*shrugs* Rare hunting isn't important to me anyways, so whatever.

I just like the new stuff to do...

[Sychosis]

On 2008-01-05 12:30, Danger_Girl wrote:

Here on PSOW you see posts like "A new event? Might have to start playing again."
So the obvious question would be are people leaving because the events are making items too common, thus they don't want to waste their time playing the game, or are people who otherwise wouldn't come back, coming back because the events are fun.

I mean, you really can't deny that both communities see rather noticable population spikes during events, which inevitably trail off once the event is over. There has to be some people who already follow the "I only play during events" formula.
Of course there are spikes in population during events. Further evidence they're a draw to the game, not a detriment. I'm trying to follow your logic here...so your solution would be what exactly? Remove the events, or perhaps remove the prizes from the events? Would your goal be to stop people who play only for the events from resubscribing? Do you think that by removing the events or prizes you would have fewer people canceling their accounts? Because why exactly? They got a rare item easier? Someone else was able to level faster than they did? It sounds like bullocks to me.



The answer is simple. Make the GAME fun. Not just the events. If the game itself is so bad that people just don't want to play until event time, that's a problem.

Events should not have to cause a population spike. The people participating in the events should be the same happy, satisfied customers that keep playing because the game as a whole is fun. With events being just as much fun.

These new events are only "fun" because of two reasons.

1) For the players that keep playing, it breaks up the boring monotony that plenty of players loathe.

2) For players who are frustrated with the current drop system, rare items are being thrown at them. As if SEGA were bribing them to play.

Make the game fun so players have a reason to stick around between events. Not so poor that you have to throw items at them to come back.

[Danger_Girl]

On 2008-01-04 21:58, Sychosis wrote
Don't misunderstand me. I enjoy the game just fine.




On 2008-01-05 17:17, Sychosis wrote
...the game itself is so bad that people just don't want to play until event time, that's a problem.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Danger_Girl on 2008-01-05 19:07 ]</font>

[Sychosis]

Yes, people. Not me. The people who quit.

I'm a bit of a Phantasy Star phanboy, but seeing as over half the PSU population quit already, there must be something they don't like about it.

[easy]

we shed get new missons once a month or it a rip off
we pay once a month sage you rip off

[Ken_Silver]

I can see why people are upset about the events and how playing the game in the off-season is kind of pointless. I mean it is. I play every once in a while, but I only make it a major issue to play PSU when there is an event. I mean in the off-season, parties are hard and the incentive to play is just not there for an average or less than average PSU player. I love this game, but I just find it hard to find a reason to play at times. So when these events roll around and people do catch up to the players who play all-season, they have a reason to be pissed (even though I still manage to be below Lv110 and I've been on PSU since half year of the first year). On the upside people can use these events to catch up and play to make up for loss time. It's a blessing and a curse: players who don't play often can catch up, but players who play all the time get jipped. If players were excited to play all the time, that'd be a great thing, but that would be too much to expect from SEGA (as pathetic as that is)

My hope is that once the PSO levels return, PSU will pick up some of the PSO fans who have been left stranded since their servers have been shut down and that the end result will be more PSU all-season players and a better PSU community.

But that is of course: Wishful Thinking http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[Poncho_Jr]

Look at Halarods now... D:

[Tamashi]

Maximum Attack G features a bunch of pso stuff. Although it's not "new" persay, but not one person will have the pso content before said event happens.

[Kamica]

I would argue, experience values aside, that Thanks Festa is more like an event should be. Rares are more common, but not to the point in which it could be considered broken(1Up Cup level).

The rares that are most important (the end boxes rares)
are as big of a pain as ever to get even with double the boxes.

Maximum Attack G on the other hand is completely broken. The 9 star weapons are better than their 11 star V1 counterparts and the end box rares are very easy to get.

[Shoobie]

all these points are great.
but the fact is, the game is gonna bore some people no matter what,
it's just gonna happen.

but personally, i quit a couple of months ago, but i am coming back, after realizing this game is amazing (and i really want to be an acrotecher, i'm a buff/heal kid).

[Danger_Girl]

On 2008-01-05 19:24, Sychosis wrote:
I'm a bit of a Phantasy Star phanboy, but seeing as over half the PSU population quit already, there must be something they don't like about it.


Remember in the early stages of the game, back when there were three playable classes, and a level cap of 50, and there wasn't anything to do besides kill De Ragan over and over with nothing in the game item wise beyond B ranks. I can remember a phase during that period where the server populations plummeted, and to this day never really recovered. I think more than anything that's what killed the success of PSU. It was simply too content starved at the outset, and the updates initially were a couple weeks too late to keep any but the hardcore fans sticking around. Granted that was quite awhile ago, so I might be way off base, but I honestly think the game never recovered from that.

Anyway, I'm veering a bit off topic, so I'll leave it at that.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Danger_Girl on 2008-01-05 23:48 ]</font>

[superdood22]

youll never have a weapon that someone else doesnt have. its like you wanna be a celebrity of PSU or something... :/