TF/SF Merit rewards: An observation.

I have to correct the assumption that speeders are getting a greater reward. They aren't. They are getting the exact same number of merits that everyone else who completes the TF/SF in whatever amount of time gets. AND the speed group gets less XP, influence, salvage and recipes than the group that chooses to complete more.

Second, every player and every team gets to decide what speed they are going to use, or at least attempt. I can't speak for other servers, but Justice's global channels frequently advertise speed runs as well as "kill mosts" and "kill alls". My personal favorites are middle of the road "kill mosts" -- complete the objectives by clearing a path to them, not stealthing around everything, but you don't have to look in every nook and cranny and wait for the last ambush.

Finally, some people don't have two or three uninterrupted hours to dedicate to playing the game. Should they be excluded from TFs entirely?

I believe it started at 7 and was bumped up to nine. Eden trial started at 2 merits.

If given the opportunity I would probably split merit rewards currently distributed for tasks into two categories.

I'll use the ITF as an example as it is easy to show what I mean.
26 merits (no comment on whether that is fair, or otherwise)

Rather than reward them all upon completion of the final task I would split the reward, so 13 is rewarded when you complete the final task.

The other 13 would be distributed to NON-ESSENTIAL tasks throughout the trial.
For instance:
-the essential task is to rescue the 10 sybils, the non-essential task is to deal with the ambushes. 5 merits would be awarded for defeating all of the ambushes.

-the essential task is to defeat 10 crystals, the non-essential task is to clear the surrounding nictus spawns. 5 merits would be awarded for defeating all of the nictus guarding the crystals.

-the essential task is to defeat the computer, the non-essential task is to defeat all of the robots that wake up from it. 2 merits awarded for defeating all robots before the computer is shut off.

toss in 1 more merit somewhere and done.

If you want to blaze through the content you can and you will still be rewarded for your time. Those that tackle the content and objectives to a greater degree (different than completionist, it is important to note that) will be more rewarded for doing the task more in line with the developer vision*

*argue if you like, but I don't think they intended us to just run past the hordes of ambushes that each sybil spawns. But I like that it is an option.

Anyway, I think speeding through things should be a valid way to play and you should be rewarded for task completion. At the end of the day you achieved whatever the contact sent you out to do it and if you can do it in 10 min vs 60 min you should be rewarded. And they are being rewarded through higher merits/min and more completion bonuses/min.

I also think that completing the tasks more in line with the intended vision should be rewarded. And yes they are being rewarded by defeating more enemies, but they aren't being rewarded through merits, which are a very large part of these activities as mandated by the developers.

Such changes would only result in a different type of speed run! Yes that is true, speeders would now just do whatever is necessary to continue maximizing merits/min. That is inevitable, but the variance in reward rate between someone speeding and someone fulfilling more of the content (again, not a completionist) would be much closer compared to what is currently happening.

This is another reason I don't play villainside much, hardly at all in fact. The only SFs I've done have all been "speed" because the merits were so small. Heroside people are usually at least willing to fight on the way and sometimes even defeat all because the merits (except for Katie and Eden) aren't anemic.

The one SF that I have found myself going 'that doesn't feel worth it' is Virgil Tarikos.

Whenever I have taken part in this it has taken 1-2.5 hours and that is with stealthing when practical, most notably using the midnighters visage to click all the glowies to summon old batty.

I am aware that it CAN be speeded however I have never taken part in speed runs (probably because they are far more infrequent now due to the relatively poor rewards) and don't quite see how it could have been done in such a short period of time as I have heard it was/is. I have been on a team where the second mission alone took almost an hour! Yes, that was an abberation but it is experiences like that and the general feeling of lack of reward that has led me to the state where I just don't take part in that SF at all any more (excluding the first time in order to get the badge).

From my own point of view the disparity is only irritating when I want to earn enough merits to purchase a particular recipe red-side as it takes me far longer to earn the required amount without changing the way I enjoy playing fairly dramatically.

After all that I don't have any ideas as to how it should be changed (or even that it definitely should) which leads me to wonder whether I should even bother to post it...


...but I have written it now so why not...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steele_Magnolia This is another reason I don't play villainside much, hardly at all in fact. The only SFs I've done have all been "speed" because the merits were so small. Heroside people are usually at least willing to fight on the way and sometimes even defeat all because the merits (except for Katie and Eden) aren't anemic.

perhaps there is a factor there then. A vicious circle if you would; speed runs happen often so merit rewards are low; merit rewards are low so speed runs happen more often to make up for it.