VALUSIA
Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/27/2019 12:14 PM CDT
Not sure if F2P is still supported anymore or we're semi-officially in the dreaded "maintanence mode". But anyway giving it a shot.
So, I play mostly Paladin and I often use a lot of spells that are mass attack. The problem is the "Mass Attack Reset" SimuStore item doesn't quite work in any practical terms especially in combat where it's probably used the most the vast majority of the time.
I.E. if I cast say 1614 (30 sec CoolDown) and I want to get rid of the 30 sec CD and cast again, I really couldn't do it using the "Mass Attack Reset" Token in any practical or workable way. I would need to stow my weapon or shield, get out the token from my backpack, REDEEM the token, get my weapon out again and then finally cast by which time the CD is probably already halfway down and most likely I'm dead or about to die from the swarm that I'm trying to immobilize or debuff.
The easiest fix would be for me to purchase say 100 "Mass Attack Reset" Tokens and REDEEM them prior and then have them automatically deducted as I use them while hunting.
This has probably been thought of before by the Development team just saying there is indeed a demand for these items if it works properly. Thanks anyone for reading. :)
GS4-AULIS
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/27/2019 04:00 PM CDT
If you use Stormfront it's very possible you could set up a macro, or two, to do all those commands in one or two button mashes.
You set could F1 to "/xstow right/r/xget my token/r/xredeem my token/r" and then set F2 to "/xstow right/r/xget my <insert weapon noun here>/r/incant 1614/r"
If that doesn't work specifically you could set each command to a different F-key macro and just go down the keyboard really quickly.
~Aulis
Platinum Co-Guru
Forums Manager
QC'er
You set could F1 to "/xstow right/r/xget my token/r/xredeem my token/r" and then set F2 to "/xstow right/r/xget my <insert weapon noun here>/r/incant 1614/r"
If that doesn't work specifically you could set each command to a different F-key macro and just go down the keyboard really quickly.
~Aulis
Platinum Co-Guru
Forums Manager
QC'er
VALUSIA
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 04:58 AM CDT
Come on Aulis you’ve been out hunting before, when you’re swarmed by 5+ critters (where you would be using a mass attack spell anyway) even a second can mean life/death and you’re telling me stand out in the open with no weapon or shield as I play Mozart on my keyboard just so I can cast this single spell which I’m paying RL money for.
You know the F2P in GemStone isn’t very favorable to begin with but when you pay money to remove the limitations and it still doesn’t work properly it’s a bit ridiculous.
I’m trying to play and pay for your game even under these trying conditions and I’ve already sunk hundreds in the SIMUCOIN events, but these very obvious and probably EZ to fix issues is really turning me off.
Anyway thanks for listening and the reply, I wasn’t expecting even that much.
GS4-AULIS
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 05:20 AM CDT
<<Come on Aulis you’ve been out hunting before, when you’re swarmed by 5+ critters (where you would be using a mass attack spell anyway) even a second can mean life/death and you’re telling me stand out in the open with no weapon or shield as I play Mozart on my keyboard just so I can cast this single spell which I’m paying RL money for.
I'm actually curious. Does it really take BOTH hands to be empty to use the REDEEM verb? I was suggesting just having one hand empty for that split second. Also, a good tactic for nearly everyone with 5 critters in the room is to RUN. Force-on-Force can be BAAAAAD for your DS once it hits that many critters; especially if lower in level. I've never played a Paladin before, however. So not sure what other good general hunting tactics there way be.
~Aulis
Platinum Co-Guru
Forums Manager
QC'er
I'm actually curious. Does it really take BOTH hands to be empty to use the REDEEM verb? I was suggesting just having one hand empty for that split second. Also, a good tactic for nearly everyone with 5 critters in the room is to RUN. Force-on-Force can be BAAAAAD for your DS once it hits that many critters; especially if lower in level. I've never played a Paladin before, however. So not sure what other good general hunting tactics there way be.
~Aulis
Platinum Co-Guru
Forums Manager
QC'er
OM1E5GA
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 11:19 AM CDT
<when you’re swarmed by 5+ critters (where you would be using a mass attack spell anyway) even a second can mean life/death and you’re telling me stand out in the open with no weapon or shield as I play Mozart on my keyboard just so I can cast this single spell which I’m paying RL money for.>
I agree it makes sense that these things should be able to be activated without having to remove them from a container.
That said, there really aren't a lot of situations where you're going to find yourself surrounded by 5+ critters where it's catching you completely off-guard. Few hunting grounds gen enough critters fast enough in a small enough area for it to be a regular occurrence (I can think of 3 hunting grounds I've been in where I had any real concerns about it happening).
In most situations where it's going to happen (warcamps, bandit tasks, etc), you're going to know you'll be surrounded by enough critters you're going to need a mass attack spell within the next couple minutes. It's prolly best to just use the token before stepping into the situation or setting up a macro to activate the token right after casting the mass spell if you're going to need it several times in a short period.
<I’ve already sunk hundreds in the SIMUCOIN events>
I'm not trying to tell you how to spend your money.... but honestly, there's hardly anything you can get at any SIMUCOIN event that will have a bigger impact your game then stepping up to a basic subscription. If you're already spending multiple hundreds of dollars on simucoins, it'd be a much better investment to divert $180 of that to pay for a basic subscription for the next year. There really isn't any combination of things in the simucoin store that will improve your experience more then that.
Starchitin, the OG
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
I agree it makes sense that these things should be able to be activated without having to remove them from a container.
That said, there really aren't a lot of situations where you're going to find yourself surrounded by 5+ critters where it's catching you completely off-guard. Few hunting grounds gen enough critters fast enough in a small enough area for it to be a regular occurrence (I can think of 3 hunting grounds I've been in where I had any real concerns about it happening).
In most situations where it's going to happen (warcamps, bandit tasks, etc), you're going to know you'll be surrounded by enough critters you're going to need a mass attack spell within the next couple minutes. It's prolly best to just use the token before stepping into the situation or setting up a macro to activate the token right after casting the mass spell if you're going to need it several times in a short period.
<I’ve already sunk hundreds in the SIMUCOIN events>
I'm not trying to tell you how to spend your money.... but honestly, there's hardly anything you can get at any SIMUCOIN event that will have a bigger impact your game then stepping up to a basic subscription. If you're already spending multiple hundreds of dollars on simucoins, it'd be a much better investment to divert $180 of that to pay for a basic subscription for the next year. There really isn't any combination of things in the simucoin store that will improve your experience more then that.
Starchitin, the OG
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
DOUG
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 12:47 PM CDT
I'll take up the banner from a QoL / UX perspective - we have all kinds of 'hands-free' activation mechanisms available to help players play more easily. Let's not get lost trying to invalidate the use-case of 5+ attackers at once and how those could be handled.
Let's instead ask ourselves the question - if there is no specific game mechanic reason not to, how would we?
Doug
Let's instead ask ourselves the question - if there is no specific game mechanic reason not to, how would we?
Doug
VALUSIA
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 01:45 PM CDT
It does and it’s like having an item in the offhand as well (the token I mean) if you’re THWing.
I just want to use the SimuCoin item so it does what it’s supposed to do (when paying money of course). But right now it’s unusable with this catch-22 riding along with. It’s just silly anyway you look at it.
Evidently, to add insult to injury, the single target version of 1614 also triggers the 30 sec mass spell CoolDown. Ah well, when it rains it pours.
VALUSIA
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 03:26 PM CDT
The best solution is to use some variation of the ADV GLD task waiver system, wherein you can activate the waiver as many times as you have tickets and frontload it, then as you use/consume the tickets it get’s deducted from the “activated pile”.
Listen, this is a rant but I’m going to pipe up about my general feelings I have of F2P for the past year or two of playing it.
First off, it’s drastically overpriced but even if overpriced it still doesn’t do what it’s intended to do and that is after purchase it still doesn’t unlock that particular portion/mechanic of the game to a “subbed” version of said portion/mechanic.
Second, I just don’t think there is anyone who is trying to actively improve upon/tweak/develop on any of these concerns. Frankly I just don’t think anyone really cares about “F2P”. That’s just my gut feeling though so if there is someone out there who does care, my apologies. But a lot of glaring and obvious (even just blatant bugs) never get fixed or looked at.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, is this F2P thing “a thing” anymore? Because if it isn’t and it’s just some abandoned ship listing aimlessly into the great beyond then speak up so I can A.) act accordingly as a paying customer B.) adjust my expectations (read as: login and use my f2p account for lich chat/locker space).
DOUG
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 04:41 PM CDT
>>First off, it’s drastically overpriced but even if overpriced it still doesn’t do what it’s intended to do and that is after purchase it still doesn’t unlock that particular portion/mechanic of the game to a “subbed” version of said portion/mechanic.
Of all the rant, I think this might be the only thing I disagree with. I say 'might be', because I'm not sure if I do or not.
I'll amplify a bit - I don't believe Simucoin offsets to limitations in F2P model are intended to totally offset a particular limitation. If I recall, the discussion started around redeeming a purchase to offset a 30-second cooldown. I can understand the desire to not have to disrobe to activate the purchase.
I admit that I wasn't dialed into the nature of the 'buy enough to completely offset the limitation' discussion.
Before I do decide to disagree, though, I guess I'll just ask - is it even economically feasible to stack enough Simucoin offset against the 30-second cooldown (no matter how it gets activated) when contrasted against a subscription? At the speed of GS hunting (lightning fast), it would almost seem to me to be a risky area of unmonitored expense.
Doug
Of all the rant, I think this might be the only thing I disagree with. I say 'might be', because I'm not sure if I do or not.
I'll amplify a bit - I don't believe Simucoin offsets to limitations in F2P model are intended to totally offset a particular limitation. If I recall, the discussion started around redeeming a purchase to offset a 30-second cooldown. I can understand the desire to not have to disrobe to activate the purchase.
I admit that I wasn't dialed into the nature of the 'buy enough to completely offset the limitation' discussion.
Before I do decide to disagree, though, I guess I'll just ask - is it even economically feasible to stack enough Simucoin offset against the 30-second cooldown (no matter how it gets activated) when contrasted against a subscription? At the speed of GS hunting (lightning fast), it would almost seem to me to be a risky area of unmonitored expense.
Doug
VALUSIA
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 06:15 PM CDT
So, to answer this question let me tell you why I'm even playing GemStone right now.
So I started playing GemStone because of the F2P. I've played a ton of MMOs prior (DDO, BDO, ESO etc.) and I was very accustomed to the F2P model.
With that being said, I was willing to splurge buy during big events and afterwards go "F2P" (I use quotes here because in GS, it's not really free..unless you want to be stuck at level 20ish for an eternity i.e. leveling becomes insanely slow). That is a typical F2P model, no cyclical fees (sub) but your outlays are punctuated with spikes of spending when a Christmas (not so big in GS)/Halloween/Summer event occurs or for some other minor extras. Makes sense.
However, in GemStone F2P, the F2P part is disingenuous. It's a trial offer masked under a F2P "model-ish" cowl. It's designed to get you to play for a bit then try to convert you to a sub. It leaves a really bad taste in your mouth especially when you were lured in thinking this was F2P. Fine I liked the game enough to the point that I can overlook all that and still play. Cool.
Therefore, I'm not asking for lower prices or a better F2P deal. All I'm asking for is that a product I purchased to work properly for what it was intended for.
Because if they wanted some quasi in-between a F2P and Sub (uh, F2PP2P? I mean what is that?) then the token would lower the 30 sec CD to only 15 sec CD or whatever.
No, the way this is currently reeks of basically someone not thinking things out completely when they created this SimuStore item. Their train of thought was ,"Oh F2Pers have a 30 sec CD after using such and such spells" "OK, then I make this token for the SimuStore that gets rid of that after it's used!" Little did they know that such tokens were only going to be used in split-second combat situations making them absolutely utterly useless.
Again, all I'm asking is for the Car I paid for to go forward when in drive. Not asking for a turbocharged hemi-engine or flames on the side, heck it doesn't even have to go backwards when in rear or have doors. Just absolute basic function.
MENOS
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 06:53 PM CDT
I would like to add in a little. F2P in gemstone is overall pretty bad. Looking at it as a paying customer who is happy with that model, it seems like there was so much massive focus on making sure not one single current (at the implementation) paying customer would for an instant consider going F2P that 99% of the game was carved away. It is really just an extended trial and not a F2P option. I hope that sometime (soon) the things F2P characters can do is reevaluated. The focus should be on giving people a fun time so that they want to put money into the game, not that F2P is so odious that it will "force" people to become/stay paying customers. This game is good enough that people will be willing to buy in if you let them actually play >1% of it.
Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain,
And the stream that falls from the hill to plain.
Better than rain or rippling brook,
Is a mug of beer inside this Took.
Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain,
And the stream that falls from the hill to plain.
Better than rain or rippling brook,
Is a mug of beer inside this Took.
KANDOR
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 08:06 PM CDT
The F2P passes for less than 1 day should be removed. It's more practical just to enable the account for X days at a time, and this eliminates the need to redeem tokens in the wild. Have mass attack passes for 3 days (I have time to play this weekend), 7 days (strangely, I have a whole week free), or 30 days (this month I'll just pay to play). 90 day passes (summer is here!) are nice to have but not as practical.
LEAFIARA
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/28/2019 09:15 PM CDT
I do agree that F2P is more like a trial. Actually, in your words, "some quasi in-between a F2P and Sub" is a fantastic way to describe it! That seems like what most of the passes are aimed at, since they go for 30 days or 90 days.
I think you're on the money that a more sensible version of the mass attack spell reset token would be in that vein... just bump up the price and make it reduce the cooldown time for 30 days.
I'm also with Starchitin, maybe even more extreme about it, that the difference between the F2P experience and being a subscriber is immeasurable. Not even thousands of dollars spent on the most uber pay-event-only gear would close that gap.
https://gswiki.play.net/Leafiara - latest updates: summaries of The Rone Resurgence, Autumnwind of Change
I think you're on the money that a more sensible version of the mass attack spell reset token would be in that vein... just bump up the price and make it reduce the cooldown time for 30 days.
I'm also with Starchitin, maybe even more extreme about it, that the difference between the F2P experience and being a subscriber is immeasurable. Not even thousands of dollars spent on the most uber pay-event-only gear would close that gap.
https://gswiki.play.net/Leafiara - latest updates: summaries of The Rone Resurgence, Autumnwind of Change
VALUSIA
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
06/30/2019 06:47 AM CDT
Fellas, can you at least fix single target version of 1614 so it doesn’t trigger the mass attack CD. Thanks.
GS4-ESTILD
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
07/02/2019 09:17 AM CDT
I agree it's probably not a good play experience the way the SimuCoin item is setup to handle area of effect spell cooldowns. However, it's not an easy or quick fix.
Definitely. That's a bug and is now fixed. Single target 1614 won't cause the cooldown anymore.
GameMaster Estild
| VALUSIA |
| Fellas, can you at least fix single target version of 1614 so it doesn’t trigger the mass attack CD. Thanks. |
Definitely. That's a bug and is now fixed. Single target 1614 won't cause the cooldown anymore.
GameMaster Estild
VALUSIA
Re: Buggy/Needs Update SimuStore Items
07/02/2019 06:40 PM CDT
Thank you, Estild! Even mere acknowledgement of the problem is massive for us. Rock on!
