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Topic: An old vet's take on the current system.

So, after finally pushing down and dedicating some more time to this client, there are a few stumps and low points that are a HUGE change from the earlier client, and probably one of the reasons we haven't had a huge community in the last few years. Here's a small listing of what immediately pops out from my own experience's over the last dozen years, and the last 2 weeks I've spent dedicating myself to the game again.

Please, realize I am writing these points as a straight new starting character, with no help from anyone else whether its gold, equipment or spells. This is the view of a standard newbie's starting value into the game, and the areas on that alone.  If you have something to comment, please let it be constructive and to the point - I am writing this very specifically to make sure that before a new client is released it will be as fine tuned as can be.




1) Equipment is hard to get as is, currently I've noticed between levels 40-100 there is a HUGE slow-ass stump between player equipment availability, and what you can fight to level with.  I accredit this specifically to blacksmithing/carpentry/alchemy (Not necessarily alchemy, but the lower heals + lengthy drink times of potions keep your survivability rate very very low). 

Ages past, you used to be able to craft out a suit of equipment for yourself and friends, which would help support your character at all various stages up to abot level 200ish, when the grind for the Unique/Artifact items starts taking place.  Over the last week I spent lots of time on a couple characters (Darn you 500 skill point limit!) trying to get to a point where I could get a warrior started in a good manner without resorting to begging.   This is where the game immediately took a large failing stop. Im just under Grandmaster Mining, with enough blacksmithing to craft out the majority of all the items in the list.  The problem herein lies that there is no armor you can craft minus a couple shields that make any difference.  You are still forced to grind your ass off for a few hundred gold per hour to afford an NPC shop item that is vastly superior to anything you can craft.  Then you have to spend the cash to repair said items, or craft new ones as replacements.

I would recommend putting something closer to the old style system of blacksmithing, without the prefix/suffix gain from enchanting; which will help support new players in the long quest of leveling.  Ive been grinding my ass off for hours and hours on orc knights, and zombies, and baby dragons/hell serpents HOPING I can find -anything- better then my current ringmail armor. That hasnt been the case considering the low drop rates we all know on finding a unique item..  it makes grinding in areas typically last for many weeks/months before you find something you can use/want.





2) Solo survivability in the sub-100 level range.

Something has happened between the clients that made the un-supported newbies (Meaning, no help from high level players) die left and right - which I can guarantee is the main cause for the low new-player base.

Its hard to pinpoint if its considered the map design, or if monsters simply start ramping up too much damage at too low of a level.  I personally died probably 20-30 times before level 20 trying to find a place to level at.. and had to resort to killing snakes and rats to afford being able to purchase a set of armor to even take on skeletons/zombies just north of town.  The biggest problem is that I had my blacksmith character already made.. and the only thing I could supply was a couple lousy weapons. 

I think a rework in a newbie area zone should be looked at. 

Just like on the old church map, you didn't have to worry about wandering monsters, or wolves, or slimes that run at the speed of light running up and ganking you.   You had a secure snail area you could grind a few levels out in.. then some rats, and slimes here and there - you felt like you had a comfortable spot to start the game at, which invites more players in.   As the map is currently set up, you have some spawns here and there of low level monsters; but they are IMMEDIATELY surrounded on the sides by much higher monsters that rape you in one or two hits.  Talk about a damned stressful newbie experience!



3) Stats:

Strength -
Works fine as-is, havent noticed any detriments to the stat as it's always worked out just fine in Faldon.

Constitution/Stamina -
I've noticed in a few other posts these were brought up, and I'll put my own views into these.  In prior versions of the game, survivability in PvP was denoted by how much HP you had, and how much damage you could put out.  Fights between mages and warriors very quite well balanced.  The change in this client is that damage has gone up and up, while HP has stayed as low as always.  I would recommend changing Stamina to add 2.5 points of health per point.   With as much damage is tossed around as is, between both monsters and players - you literally die in 2-3 hits.  This was never the case in prior versions because of Agility - but now you will ALWAYS get hit, and that in turn creates a very lopsided PvP Experience.  Constitution is probably fine as is, the biggest change in the latest client was having a separate stat (Energy) relating to how long you can run, with a stat to improve how fast it regens so this stat works out well.. the name might need changed though.. as Constitution generally refers in all games as how much HP you have.. and Stamina is how long you can run.  Maybe swap these two around.

Defense-
Yeah, you all know about this stat.. might as well just remove it, or replace it with Agility again and put the stat to some use.


INT/Mag -
No issues on these, they have always worked out just fine throughout all the versions of faldon.. one thing to point out may be how steep some spells cost in mana vs. there usefulness, but there honestly arent any real reasons to complain really!





Oof.. rather long winded eh?  I'll look over this here and there and fine tune it and probably add more here and there - but realize that while I havent played as much in this client as some of you have.. I CAN guarentee I have put more hours into playing the game throughout all the clients, then 95% of you have put into the entire game.  I have the experience of a HUGE amount of PvP as well as maxing out every usable skill in the game to Godly (250 points in the older clients), so I do have a large repertoire of experience to pull all of these deductions from.

Sylk! - My Newbie Mage
Behemoth! - My Newbie Warrior

Any of the old school players feel more then welcome to toss me a PM on here, I'll add you onto Skype or any other messenger, would love to get back in touch!

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Re: An old vet's take on the current system.

I can see you put a lot of time and effort into this and so have a lot of other people who have posted ideas and  want the game to be changed. Very very good ideas i would say smile  But its completely useless to post something on the forum like this. No GM takes anything the players say into consideration. They know whats best for the players. Not the people who actually play the game. Kinda sad that most ideas put on the forum are just ignored.

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Re: An old vet's take on the current system.

I can make vswords for 2.2k copper, 500 iron, and 50 gold if you don't feel like buying one

*stalks forum goers*

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Re: An old vet's take on the current system.

Forest Haven wrote:

I can see you put a lot of time and effort into this and so have a lot of other people who have posted ideas and  want the game to be changed. Very very good ideas i would say smile  But its completely useless to post something on the forum like this. No GM takes anything the players say into consideration. They know whats best for the players. Not the people who actually play the game. Kinda sad that most ideas put on the forum are just ignored.


Well, I've known Zer and the other developers for a long while - while it seems like they dont take too many things into consideration.. its because so many peopel complain about this and that.. and many things dont really need changed - its just a players view on things.

Its best to at least get a post that states certain areas that can be worked on - mapping can be accomplished by a GM given some time and a bit of effort.. I've honestly been half considering giving a try to see if there is a way for me to help in development of the mapping in any way.  I was a Dev Editor in Ultima Online - did lots and lots of world editing/scripting through it, and would oh so love to try my hand at supporting Faldon in the same way.  But again, that consideration is completely up to the developers of the game, and what they feel is needed to support the community.

Sylk! - My Newbie Mage
Behemoth! - My Newbie Warrior

Any of the old school players feel more then welcome to toss me a PM on here, I'll add you onto Skype or any other messenger, would love to get back in touch!

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Re: An old vet's take on the current system.

:-) Yep, I fully understand how that works as well!  I think most people under-appreciate just how much work Zer has done with the game in general..  the best part is, alot of it can be worked on because of how the server/client integrates.  Lots of newer games nowadays it takes an arm and a leg just to add an item, much less implement it - The Faldon community has been extremely negligent over the last few years on certain areas..   But, we all gotta admit - Faldon is still fun once you get those hookups to get out of the newbie stage -laughs- :-)

Sylk! - My Newbie Mage
Behemoth! - My Newbie Warrior

Any of the old school players feel more then welcome to toss me a PM on here, I'll add you onto Skype or any other messenger, would love to get back in touch!

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Re: An old vet's take on the current system.

Master Wu wrote:

Yes, retaining new players is a major concern. We have many downloads, but few new people stick around. Maybe 1 in 500-1000 actually stay.

I think its partially the Faldon community as well. tongue

because the players we currently have played for years and years as it is, nobody will part with 1gp on the game, noobs ask for some help and get bashed immediately, i myself know i helped atleast 40 noobs over the last year or so, some stayed and some left, yes, it may be begging, but come on people, you have millions and millions, and wont part with 1k to help a noob get a new set of basics? not needed really, i pass out berserker talismans, claymores etc to help the newer players, but i cant really do it alone, i know you might all say i bash them, but i only bash you, because your a bunch of arrogant selfish mother fuckers. the game is weak as you start out, there isnt enough ways to make money, the gp that npcs get isnt enough to even pay for your repairs on items, there is no balance at all. the drop rate is completely retarded, you need to tweak that very much, i mean .003 to get a rare, but you could also get a ringmail instead of that awesome bliss or divine sword on the same %, yeah u can get drops, but the only ones that do are the ones that afk camp for months which is completely illegal, but its fine with yous, it would eliminate people cheating if you had a reasonable drop rate, think.. theres not very many rares in the game, and its been around for 10 years. thats the problem, you get so far and then cant progress without putting countless hours into the game, which simply people dont have to kill, the only ones that make it in faldon are the no lifes that have nothing better to do then go to school and play videogames. anyone with a real life will get nowhere, especially with no prior experience as to how the game works, try adding some new quests that give xp, therse an npc in game atm that turns 10gp into 100 for every level you get, so u get level 20 u can earn a whole 1k gp, since it starts at 10, most people just starting it would take them a whole day to get that level, for 1kgp i think thats a bit extreme. remove npc gold limits, and i just noticed now that you can only sell up to 4 items every 50 minutes, at like 100gp ea maybe? yeah.. so 400gp every 50 minutes, thats well worth it .... not, i see no reasons for this... yes there may be dupers with millions of furs, who gives a fuck, dont make the rest of the game suffer because of it, im sure you could easily find the high amounts of furs and dragon scales, if you really wanted to. and you know as well as i do, you know the legit players from the cheaters so dont say you cant prove it, theirs 10 active players. you CAN fix the game, its just nobody puts the time or effort in to do so.

Last edited by Kr0nic (February 20th, 2011 7:34 PM)

Best Player Alive.

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Re: An old vet's take on the current system.

I too help noobs when i can. I stopped though because most of the ones i helped quit like 2 days later hmm