Some thoughts about XP cristals...

[norvic]

Have used crystals and will continue to do so subject to availability but would not be upset if they were taken out of the game completly either.

[ghyselsj]

I like them too. Whenever I have suited crystals, I use them, but I mainly use them for ele (240-250 is hella slow if you dont find hunts often) and crafting. Double xp for same amount of mats? Any day, even if it means I have to tap into my stash of higher q ones.

However, since I get plenty of 250 ones from our OP, I trade about 70% of what I get for lower quality ones. If I only need q150 ones, I will trade my 250s for 150s with people without access to 250 crystals. That way nothing goes to waste, and I still get double XP.

[26101987]

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

[riveit]

I agree with Anissa's observations. Atys would be better if the crystals stayed in the temples.

In general, I like the crystals because the rate of progress above 200 is too much of a grind and that's where I've used them most.

... So, in a sense, XP Crystals actually help us by encouraging that personality to come and go even quicker.

Others have made this point to new players better than I am - "Don't power level. Spend your time enjoying the world in as many ways as you can think of and you'll enjoy it longer." This is more true now than ever before.

So Pegasus gathered 80 homins to defend their outpost so that you could give the crystals to powerlevelers and be rid of them?

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.

[kostika]

I like them. But not for the reasons you'd think.

I only really use them for my harvesting. Desert harvesting was my everest, but now I'm working on jungle along side my pike crafting. So I need to keep my harvesting ahead of the crafting. They've been really handy for that. But that's not why I like them.

The reason I really like them is for the interaction they have brought, for me, to the game. The trading and haggling and deals have been constant. I've had more constant interaction with more players in the last couple weeks than I think I have in the last year. I rarely get to work my skills these days cause I'm constantly doing trades and deals. And while I may moan sometimes, I love it.

That's why I like the crystals. They've improved my game in a way that I don't think was intended on purpose.

[iphdrunk]

I agree with Anissa's observations. Atys would be better if the crystals stayed in the temples.

I tried to remain as balanced as possible to be honest I have no erious opinion yet, just random thought, since I just came back.

[oldmess]

Will be good if:
1) delete q 250 cristals...200 maybe too
2) immposible to use xp cristals in craft and harvest

1. Disagree. The progression from 200-250 is the slowest in any tree. It's the lower level ones that aren't necessary. Leveling from 1-100 in something is where you learn most of what you are going to learn. The rest is grind.

My counter suggestion would be just the opposite. Only allow people to use crystals for a range of 100 levels near the actual level of the crystal. i.e. a 250 can only be used for skills from 150-250. Not the entire range.

and dump the 50/100's. Give the level lower level OP's 150's instead, but produce less.

IMO, the trouble is speeding up an area that doesn't need it: The 1-100 range.


2. Why? The craft tree for things like jewelry and armor is already slower than **** because you have to craft the same level 5 or 6 times. By the time you throw in crystals, it just about makes it bearable.

[ayurveda]

I will speak in my name, without commenting any thoughts posted here, just to add my "testimony" . Will comment later maybe

I spent most of my honor points to get q150 and q200 xp crystals already after Episode2, so I could taste them and I confirm too, this is yummy

I used/wish to use these crystals to grind my armor crafting, my 2H ranged skill (side-effect = saving bullets ), and to grind heal branch (which I hate and grinded for guild's needs only so far). As being a "casual gamer" in a small guild, gathering mats is really a pain, so these crystals are really helpful on this point.

Other than that, I tend to think like Ali. 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. But that are personal choices, it's mostly a question of pride

I didn't get any xp crystals for personal use yet, I'm still looking for a guild willing to trade some (as Kostika said, it brings new interaction, but it's hard to get something hehe).
I managed to get q50 so far for our lowbies (thanks to Reapers of the Dark ^^).

[iphdrunk]

2. Why? The craft tree for things like jewelry and armor is already slower than **** because you have to craft the same level 5 or 6 times. By the time you throw in crystals, it just about makes it bearable.

True, but one could say that it only makes it bearable to players having the xstals. Is a reward given to members of a guild holding an outpost a good solution for a grind that seems -- according to what you say -- to affect to everybody?

On the other handm I agree that some good reward needs to be given to owners of an outpost. Although some players may want to be involved regardless of the rewards, be for the PvP aspect, for the interaction they provide whatever, they need to be worth having them imho.

[kgrieve]

OOC: Thanks Anissa for posing such an interesting question. These are my own thoughts and do not represent my guild or opinions expressed therein.

I think that crystals primarily were added to allow new players to participate after a shorter time and is a method of bringing new players into the game.

I see Outposts as a resource, they produce desirable materials, Elevation Crystals, Flowers (Intelligence, Wisdom, etc) and crafting materials. They are also closed off, unlike harvested materials or quartered materials, and that is done deliberately to create a desire to own one. The envy, greed and distrust that we see is a result of seeing something that you don't have access to or wanting more of. The Outposts are deliberately arranged so they belong to one guild and this is solely to create a potential war situation.

A significant factor is Nevrax's financial position. Since the most successful games, such as Eve, Guild Wars or War of Warcraft have a significant amount of PvP then it was probably easier for Nevrax to raise money by citing these as elements that would increase the number of players and revenue. It is much easier to 'sell' financial recovery by comparing to a successful game than to strike out on some new and bold path. Only based on experience of a similar situation, I guess that the Outposts, towers and other PvP elements were part of the conditions to get the finances.

Nevrax obviously have a plan to increase PvP content and are following it alongside the R2 development.

The Outposts and their materials are supposed to be the trigger and reason for war.

As everybody has different levels, every guild wants a variety of different crystal qualities. Whilst there are enough Outpost materials there will be trading of crystals between guilds. With trading a Q250 or Q150 outpost is almost as valuable as a Q200. If the number of crystals were reduced then would the outpost be worth fighting over?

______________
Kindle