Do we really have to grind these same 2 zones over and over?

Doing a TF 5-6 times to unlock a slot does not seem like grinding to me. By which time you will probably have collected enough threads/components to slot that puppy up. How many TFs did you run to get the very rare Alpha slotted?

Oh yeah, IMVHO.

Why?

...

To unlock A slot. Then work on a second one. Then grind away on the OTHER tree. Then grind away for more threads/coins/buttons/whatever the hell else they've come up on.

Then you get to do it all over again on any OTHER character you might want the slot on. (Y'know, on this formerly alt-centered game.)

That's the very definition of grind. Yes, I did run on one last night. 27% into one slot. So one tree, two slots = 8 runs. 16, if the other side's similar. For one character. If I just want one fifty on each server I have a 50 *on* to unlock that, not even "all my 50s," that's a good 40 runs through.

I don't do that with ITFs. I have this funny thing about actually liking to run a *variety* of content.

Oh, wait, that's right. You can convert... with idiotic INF costs.

/golfclap for the devs.

No, running the same crap over and over and over again = grinding. Which is precisely what this is.




I remember when we had a great deal of effort put into new zones, storylines to go through, etc. I guess the devs looked at all the speed runners and decided that's what they wanted to focus on. It's a shame, really. Though I guess it makes future writing easy. "Kill stuff, then come back and do it again."

See my Guides and Tutorials

Given that I have never done any TF 6 times on one character, it does sound a bit like grinding to me.

Best case scenario is 8 times and that is only the tip of the iceberg.

I very much want other ways to get reasonable thread and component drops. But I think you make an unfair statement. The issue has 2 new task forces for our alts or for new players leveling up, level 20-40 content. That is likely more "content" than the two new trials. Prometheus is there for any Incarnate (or maybe level 50, not sure if he will talk to a 50 without a slot unlocked) to chat to for more story (no gameplay with him though).

Sure, this issue is focused on leagues, trials, and level 50+, but it included other stuff and while level 50 stuff will be included in future updates, so will level 30-50 (or maybe still 20-50) stuff.

To unlock one slot, on one character, I don't think you'd need more than 6 runs on one trial. I know I ran lambda 2x on one character last night and had around 40%.

Bill, I do understand that for people with dozens of alts, it will take quite a while to unlock and fill the slots. [I have 12 L50 characters myself, and I intend to slot (nearly) all of them up... eventually.] Only thing I can think of is, as much as Devs want to encourage alting, providing characters with more and more power too easily might make the game seem trivially easy at times, and devalue the achievement of the upper tiers of performance. Perhaps they are moving towards people having one or 2 truly exceptional characters, and a host of others who could achieve that level of exceptionalism someday in the further future. You have to admit the powers are quite exceptional, and I'd say game changing in many ways.

But the argument that it should be easier because people have lots of characters.. I think there's a logical flaw in there somewhere, but I'm apparently running into a logic-block. One complaint I DO have is the crazy complicated Incarnate Salvage model - I wish they would simplify that. And I wouldn't complain if they made it, say, 30% easier to get the upper levels of the Incarnate abilities... but I think the rewards are worth the effort, from what I can see now.

I'll be interested to see how fast people achieve the higher ranks in the different slots, and how that affects the trials we can do now.

That's very, very grindy to me.

Except that end game content has essentially been non-existent for 7 years. Maybe it's about time that part of the game actually got some attention. And now that it FINALLY is, people are having hissy fits (yes, hissy fits) about it.

There is more than enough content available for characters to level from 1-50 without overlapping too much in content currently. AND, they did just add two new TFs in the 20 - 40 range. If you're already saying there isn't enough stuff for lower levels, you're probably just bored with the game in general.

Or even in between as with Issue "19.5".

Translation: Screw the players that like the new low level TF's that were just added, and the low level qol's. The issue sucks because the devs didn't focus solely on stuff you like.

Because it will probably take the entire 2011 calender year to wrap up Incarnate content. This isn't like the time when AE or Villains were introduced, and so we are heading into uncharted waters with this direction...indeed very murky future yes.

I'm sorry, what low level qol's are you talking about? The helper/help me system? I'm looking at the I20 info page and that's the only possible one I see. The other stuff (black helicopter change, league creation, and Respec change) isn't going to do much for any low level character. And if you meant the god-awful new UI then I'm really confused.

This isn't a balanced issue no matter how much you want to pretend otherwise. If you take out the incarnate slots and the two trials you are left with just the new TF and new SF, both are level 20-40 so certainly not for low level characters. Unless, I suppose, you're going to define low level as being under 50.

When's the last time we had an issue that didn't include something for the Character Creator? Even if it's minor like the Buttcapes or requires unlocking like the craftable costume pieces or completing the ITF, we've been given something new. Not this time.

And I don't want to drag this into a solo vs teaming debate, but when was the last issue where none of the new content could be started solo?

Very well written post.

That doesn't change the fact that 6 runs is still a lot. That's very likely running every TF I would get a chance to run for a month and a half at my usual play rate. The fact that people keep talking about how it's not a big deal while simultaneously talking about how they did a dozen runs in the last day, leads me to believe that the rate is being normalized around people who play an inordinate amount.

I seem to not understand how one does that... what do you get shards from? I've gotten a few from Rikti Invasions but that's about all.

Prior to I20 shards dropped from any level 50 enemy. Now they should drop while running any content (I think the enemies must be at least equal to your level).

Hmm. 2 Points.
1. I just remembered, didn't the Vanguard pieces get unlocked? Would you count that as something minor for the character creator? I sure would.

2. "...minor like the Buttcapes"
This statement makes me believe that you are woefully uninformed about how the buttcapes was a VERY complicated costume piece to put together and make work in the costume creator.

In an issue titled "Issue 20: Incarnates". Crazy!!