Some thoughts about XP cristals...

[lemoi]

Anyway the bottom line is, I dont agree with them, but could be persuaded to tolerate them for lower level players, to maybe get to level 50 or 100 faster.
But as they stand, they are an insult to the people that stayed on and grinded their levels to 250, when the less faithful like me, left for other games ....

My tuppence worth

Really don't see how that's an insult. It's not like old players don't have access to them. Yes! Some level 2h Sword all the way to lvl 250 w/o crystals, but now that the crystals are around they can level staff or boxing.

[oldmess]

I will never use them on my foraging skills (they have too much value anyway for me to be 'wasted' in foraging heh). I wouldn't use them for elem either, as this skill is rather easy to grind.

Agreed on foraging - those trees don't split as much as something like armor or jewelry. So, it's easy without crystals to keep your forage level well ahead of your crafting.

For elem, I only disagree on the last few levels. Since we're stuck farming plods for that, it just gets too tedious. For levels 1-225 or so, elem is fun enough to level without the crystals.

I didn't get any xp crystals for personal use yet, I'm still looking for a guild willing to trade some

Contact me ingame. I'm on most evenings (US time) as well as during the weekend. I'm sure we can set something up.

If you can't find me, look for my guild leader, Heavyn. She's on more during the day time.

[dhuberma]

Disclaimer: I haven't read the rest of this thread yet; only the original posting!

I've been playing this game non-stop for a month now. I'm level 51ish in some of my skills, and mid-30s in other skills. I don't belong to a large guild. I have never received any XP crystals. Until a few days ago, I didn't even know they existed! I'll reach level 200 in one of my skills... well... it'll be past the year 2010, let's put it that way I am in no race with anyone, and my experience playing MMORPGs since 1999 has taught me that the ride to the higher levels is what I will most fondly remember. Learning the game, exploring the game, EXPERIENCING the game is what's fun for me. In turn, I have no use for XP crystals. If someone gives me a stack of 999, I'd likely give it to someone else. If someone gave me one XP crystal, I'd likely use it, laugh at how fast the levelling is for 15 minutes, then go back to enjoying taking my time.

But that's me. That's what works for MY playing experience. What works for you? What works for the person next to you? I have no idea, and it's none of my business. As far as I can see, our only job when playing a game is to ensure we're each having fun. I'm having fun doing it my way. You have fun doing it yours.

Best regards,

[lemoi]

Will be good if:
1) delete q 250 cristals...200 maybe too
2) immposible to use xp cristals in craft and harvest
3) honour points for killing with PvP flag on, it good for PvP and you can buy xp cristals without OP
4) 14k a day is to many as i said allready
And Kosto will be happy

I'm not going to comment the fact that you want to delete content for players lvl 200+ and harvesters/crafters, since those 2 points are asinine... But saying that 14k crystals a day per OP are too many is just ludicrous! Specially since crystals degrade just like anything out there.

Now, point #3 is a good idea. It has been sugested before, not sure why it isn't in place yet.

[marct]

* That boosting xp rate means only players getting faster to the top, getting bored faster, and not enjoying the trip. Of course, this varies a lot according to play styles, so if players get more xp faster, more power to them (oh, bad pun)

* That xstals are even more fostering greed and bad feelings.

Yes, I wholehartedly agree and have stated this opinion in anohter thread "And the strong get stronger." And yes, some are clearly borne with greed about them. Personally I have used 3 stacks of Crystals. I have determined where it would make sense for me to use them, and where it would not. There is no sense for me to use them to Power level somehting in Craft that I can get from someone else. Whether a guildie, an allie, or a friend. (Noin is really not a power leveler so this is a jaded opinion. I just got my first 250 after 14 months, it is in dig and my closest skill behind that is 188. My mats have all been going to a good friend. Mostly I know how to enjoy myself and pretty much not level anything in the process.)

* That it is pretty reasonable to state that stablished and relatively big guilds hold the higher outposts. Do you think this can cause the demise of smaller guilds and a snowball effect where players tend to join a established guild rather than going their own? thus powerful guilds getting more powerful. Does it come down to "join an well established guild holding an OP, you'll powerlevel twice as fast" (exageration for dramatic purposes)

I don't think this is true at all, at least from what I have seen.

- Do you think we risk ending up in a "permanent regime" where each guild has his OP, setting up a status quo where the OP dynamics will estabilize?

Stabilize? I hope so. Being in a guild that holds an OP, I know we talk about that in terms of wishing everyone could have one. I think the FvF properties would come even more into play if there were enough for everyone. In actuality they would truly become what the pacifists want at that point, in that the PvP hungry would fight the PvP hungry. The rest would just sit by and watch. The contention for resources for the coming war has in my mind built a huge FvF element into the supposed GvG feature.

My opinions of course.

Noin.

[lemoi]

* That it is pretty reasonable to state that stablished and relatively big guilds hold the higher outposts. Do you think this can cause the demise of smaller guilds and a snowball effect where players tend to join a established guild rather than going their own? thus powerful guilds getting more powerful. Does it come down to "join an well established guild holding an OP, you'll powerlevel twice as fast" (exageration for dramatic purposes)

This is a sword of two edges. Yes! Guild are going to use the XP Crystals as a way to recruit new people. That is good becuase it means that you are going to have access to more active players. It also means that the guild is going to be bigger and stronger, thus able to make/keep the members happy.

Happy people makes for a happy Atys.

But here comes the bad part! A larger guild means a larger need for crystals, or a better way to share the booty (Quotas, or giving them away only at special ocations or as a payment for services to the guild... Or some other way)... Other guilds are going to opt for owning more OPs. Some large guilds my be able to mantain 2 or 3 OPs, but more then that and they're going to have to spend more time defending it then going anything else... And lets be honest! If a guild is able to keep 5 OPs at the time, they trully deserve them (And I'm not talking about false declarations here. False declarations aren't really a problem right now, the moment they really are I'm sure Nevrax is going to come up with a real solution)

[marct]

I've just been told that I forgot to mention an important aspect, the population size, which should be taken into account.

Population size should be taken into account in soooo many things. Number of PR sups and Excellents to name one. In mob spawns, in mob behavior, and in so many other parts.

If you care to hear more of my ramblings do an advanced search through my posts for the word "population".

Noin.

[iphdrunk]

Really don't see how that's an insult. It's not like old players don't have access to them. Yes! Some level 2h Sword all the way to lvl 250 w/o crystals, but now that the crystals are around they can level staff or boxing.

True, but what I think he meant is that provided a long term player cannot have access to them, it could be an "insult" -- personally I would not use this word --in a way similar to what I read about another MMPRG (sorry I don't have a reference/link/cite): a company running a MMRPG offered something like a premium service where if you paid more you could start with a toon with levels. IIRC there was an uproar or the player base.

I'm aware it's a bit unrelated, but what if Nevrax started selling accounts where a plqyer could start with one/several branches at 250?

[marct]

I think the point is that those without an outpost feel their loss keenly. It is more difficult to spend your time enjoying Atys while you are watching your neighbor getting double xp.

I adimately disagree with this. Of course this is a sore personal conviction.

For me enjoying the journey is much more important than if someone else is getting to the destination faster. In fact I, as someone else mentioned do not particularly enjoy treks that just smash through everyhting.

Your position here is one of envy. The most applicable analogy I can give is someone comparing salaries with someone else. Look at yourself and not at what others are getting/doing. If you yourself are happy, then be happy. If you yourself are not happy, then it is yours to change.

P.S. This is not an empathy free opinion I hold. Noin (in RL and IC) is an idealist, sorry.

Noin.

[901941]

• That it is pretty reasonable to state that stablished and relatively big guilds hold the higher outposts. Do you think this can cause the demise of smaller guilds and a snowball effect where players tend to join a established guild rather than going their own? thus powerful guilds getting more powerful. Does it come down to "join an well established guild holding an OP, you'll powerlevel twice as fast" (exageration for dramatic purposes)

This is very possible and from a small fairly new guild point-of-view I can contest that this is a major concern with new members. My guild does not own an OP and I don’t see the possibility of us acquiring one in the near future. Therefore I only have one option, to buy these crystals for low level members. I have manage to maintain good relations with a q50 OP and I’m buying crystals from them, but the downfall is that once my members reach level 50 they will have no more use for these crystals. I can’t buy crystals all the time; I’m paying 500k for ten stacks of 999. (I wonder if that is too much to pay? I had offered 300k for 10stacks) I would imagine that q100 would be dbl the price and lets not even mention q250; that will leave a hole in my pocket. This has left me wondering if what I am doing is wrong.

• That it is creating an imbalance between players that have and players that don't. They may become another currency as mats are, where items are exchanged, in a wat similar to what mats

If this where possible, then the use of crystals lies on the player who can purchase them. The only problem that I see is that there is no price on these crystals yet. There is a trading price amongst the OP houses, but nothing for merchants. I know that they cannot be sold to merchants but OP houses should consider starting a crystal-store where they can sell them. Have a HO whit an apartment to store crystals and then sell from there. They can make a post on the Bazaar thread and start putting prices on these crystals. I’ve heard of a guild that has more crystals than they can handle and instead of selling, giving them away, they destroy them. That to me is a waste. I’m sure this community is smart enough to see how profitable these crystals are, it’s about time someone start selling them.



I don’t think using crystals is wrong I think it helps all levels in someway to work on that one particular skill that we don’t like. For me it is Harvesting; Currently at level 55 and only because I Cp through most of it. I find it boring and can only do it when there is nothing else to do. The problem is I always find a good hunting team or something else to do. (I avoid digging ;p) Crystals would come in handy for me in that skill. But I’m in no hurry….