Topic

Glitch Fatigue

Again.

Over the weekend, I played a whole bunch, and there was a moment on Sunday where I was like "okay, make some more Aces of Spades to donate to get a bunch of iMG to buy another x1 Quoin upgrade... so why?"  I can speed up the rate I get iMG, or currants or whatever, but after the first couple of times cycling an iMG or energy or currant engine, I find myself wondering why I'm doing it.

The rash of updates recently has been interesting - worth logging in to check them out.  But there's no real transition of play - nothing I can accumulate and say to myself "I did that."  I log in, I play for 15 minutes, or a couple of hours, and at the end I know I'll just need to do it again.  All these upgrade cards I'm buying, or expansions to my house and street ... they're not *going* anywhere.

In the past I've seen this sentiment answered by the Glitch faithful with "try something else - there's fun things to do."  Anticipating that reaction, I have to say "yes, there's lots of fun things ... other than Glitch."

Posted 6 months ago by Yarrow Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

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  • I think that is a VERY healthy response. Let Glitch sit for awhile. Go do other stuff. Come back in two weeks, three weeks, three months. I mean, why not?
    Play it when it is fun for you. Don't play it when it feels like a chore.
    Posted 6 months ago by Lord Bacon-o Subscriber! | Permalink
  • *high fives Yarrow*
    Posted 6 months ago by NO DELETIN BACON>:O Subscriber! | Permalink
  • From experience, though, I know this is a reaction that will build into a sort of "meta-reaction" - I'll give it a rest for a while, now.  Probably I'll go through this cycle one more time, and then I'll be done for good - and if the situation remains as it is now, the cycle will be much faster right now.

    I guess... Glitch seems like I should be more than it seems like it is.  I guess if it's going to be more, I'd like to see glimmers of that more sooner than later.  And if it's not going to be more, it would save me some time to hear so.
    Posted 6 months ago by Yarrow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wow.  My thoughts exactly.
    Posted 6 months ago by Mr. Davbow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I feel like you do and I think it's mostly because the recent updates have mostly been aesthetic or nerfs/bug fixes. 

    I think what Glitch really needs right now is new quests or something that involves a lot of people like street projects (but please humbaba don't create a quest like Peter out Peat. I HATE THAT QUEST)

    The only reason I log in these days is to make sure my piggies don't die. 
    Posted 6 months ago by Piratice Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Lots of fun stuff to do in Glitch here: http://sandbox.verastrange.com/
    Posted 6 months ago by chilirlw Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What I need from Glitch are cycles of play (as used on What Games Are) that are longer than a sitting.  For the last little bit, I've sat down, looked at my upgrade cards and generated enough iMG to buy one.  Typically, that's meant "buy 100 metal ingots, convert into Ace of Spades, donate."  And that's been fun - honestly.  But I need to be able to see some greater progress.

    I want to Not Have To do some things - I'd love it if I could set my meat collectors and milkers to auto-auction (currently I collect from them and run an API script to undercut the current prices slightly).  I'd love it if I could just collect the herbs and seeds from my garden.  I'd love it if I could say "make 6 Spades" and have my glitch go through the churn of smelt/rub/machine/craft to make them.

    All of that would be freeing up my time to... I DONT KNOW WHAT.  That's the huge gaping blank for me.  Run a temple to Humbaba, maybe.  Or at least help.  Plan the war on the Rook (and the Rook's adherents.)  Organize housing a little better.  Something - some level of play on the order of days, and with meaningful collaboration involved.

    Seriously, I'm level 27 now, and I don't do anything *really* different than level 3, and I don't expect to be doing anything really different when I'm level 60.  And for level read - 300k currants, 1000 energy tank, 5 icons - whatever measure of where my Glitch is at.
    Posted 6 months ago by Yarrow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree we need things to do that take several play sessions: larger projects that can't be completed within a few minutes or even a couple of hours. I'm hoping we eventually get to see things like that that develop the story-line of Glitch and make everything seem more meaningful. I'm expecting that we probably will see it, and that it is in the pipe-line, after all of these infrastructural changes are finally completed.
    Posted 6 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • MOAR QUESTS PLZ KKTHNXBAI.
    Posted 6 months ago by Tonya Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What? You've already planted 5003 herbs??? 
    Posted 6 months ago by Eye Wonder Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Well said.
    Posted 6 months ago by Priscilla Parsley Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Agreed.  I find the game a good time waster, but I don't feel accomplishment from playing and there aren't really any collaborative tasks that regularly need completing, so it's kind of isolating.   I only play one other MMO and after playing it for 4+ years I have a group of acquaintances online that I play with regularly to accomplish higher end goals that can't be reached alone.  The game has a much more complex and engaging economic model too. 

    The other MMO is completely designed around collaborative activities for players.   Glitch, not so much.

    Glitch is goofy and colorful and weird, but it's also too smart-alecky for its own good.   The onscreen message "Wait! You were just about to win the game!"  every time I quit was funny ONCE.   The tenth or fiftieth time you see it, it's just annoying and makes you want to never log in again.

    I'm still here so I still have hope, but nothing that's been added to-date addresses what I think is lacking...
    Posted 6 months ago by Corduroy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Corduroy  What is the other game, if you don't mind saying?

    Edit: nevermind, I see it on your profile page. I am going to check it out...
    Posted 6 months ago by Smashin Grab Subscriber! | Permalink
  • haha What about we get weapons and have a Team deathmatch?
    Posted 6 months ago by T-Flip Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oooooo! Dibs on the Big Friendly Cherry Shooter.
    Posted 6 months ago by Pancito Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I feel you, Yarrow.
     I feel like all of my time in Glitch is spent doing the same things over and over, every day. I can never be in world for longer than 30-45 minutes so my sessions all start to look the same after a while. Log on, Reflect, Harvest, Hoe, Water, Plant, Pet, Nibble, Water, Pet, Harvest, Collect, Collect, Refill, Harvest, Harvest; over and over. That burns up so much time that I don't have time/energy to go into the world Ur and meet people, explore lost streets, or join the sand box group, or any of the other fun Glitchy things that await me off of my home street. 
    I find myself thinking that my standard Glitchy day sounds a lot like the Farmville game on FB. I haven't played that, but if all I have time for is to "water my plants," "feed my piggies," and "harvest my crops," how is it any different? 
    Posted 6 months ago by Squiggle-Squee Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Not intending to disrespect everyone's very valid opinions, but I disagree. I think a lot of it is based on what you like about glitch. I like the community, personally. I like chatting in global, even if I do nothing else. I like collecting lots of silly items, using them to make sillier items, and giving those away or selling them. I like grinding to achievements and being surprised when I actually get them. I love learning a new skill and getting to use it. I love saving up for that upgrade card and then (when applicable), using it/benefitting from it.

    Do I ever get bored? Sure! But I also get bored of Skyrim, Dragon's Dogma, Minecraft, writing my novel, drawing, blogging, painting, Etc. But I do cycle, like you said. Rarely, I fail to cycle back. Or it takes me a long time. In either case, there's nothing wrong with that. I'm having fun, and the game isn't sad that I'm not playing it.

    I think if you're feeling compelled to log in and play a game that maybe you're interested in leaving, that's the real issue. We will miss you when you go, but really, we understand. And maybe in a few months it won't feel like a chore, and you'll be excited because maybe there's all sorts of new stuff built up for you to come back to!

    I definitely don't think that the issue is Glitch, or would even be alleviated by it being changed. If you're looking for a sign from stoot saying "yes, I promise you will love what glitch is becoming," you're unlikely to get it. Maybe you'll love it, maybe you won't. Maybe it'll change, maybe it won't. Just do what you want to do! It's your free time, after all, and no one is making you play one thing or another.
    Posted 6 months ago by Abby Cadabra Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It cut off my comment because I wrote a less-than-three. Basically, I just said that you can do whatever you want, so you should do what makes you happy!
    Posted 6 months ago by Abby Cadabra Subscriber! | Permalink
  • If you feel your life in Glitch turns into a series of repetitive chores (and I do know that feeling well), in the immortal word of Thoreau - simplify. Sometimes I don't pick up my crops for days and treat the herb patch as the flower garden, which I plant in pleasing colours and patterns. Sometimes I just leave my trees alone, letting them grow. Feeding piggies takes one minute, and then I am free to explore. For me, exploring and walking the world of Ur never stops being thrilling (not a social player by any means), So far, not bored. I also make my own silly quests (mine till you get 5 diamonds. That one took one freaking week LOL)

    And oh, devs - can we have Thoreau doll? And Einstein doll? Please? *flutters her eyelashes fetchingly*
    Posted 6 months ago by Verea Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What I've been wishing for all along is a way to have an affect on the world that actually matters.  I think this is why so many of us liked street projects, even though they were grindy and laggy.  Even though the streets were pre-programmed, they would not be available to us until we did the work to unlock them.  Of course, what we really wanted was to be able to decide if the new streets would be mining or spices or swamps, and to be able to influence the terrain configuration.  I think this desire is also why wars break out over tree and animal populations.  The only choices we had that affected the world and other players were whether to plant gas or spice or wood, and where to leave piggies and butterflies.

    The housing upgrade has been very good in the amount of control it gives us over our immediate surroundings and environment.  The resource routes are the most recent example of users taking control of their environment, and I find it very interesting that the staff, as far as I can tell, are standing completely aside from promoting it or building into the game mechanics.  Lots of space in these forums has been devoted to requests for even more customization options, and some very functional ones, not just cosmetic.

    It's the promise behind these updates that keeps me hanging around, the hope for more choices in customizing my home environment, the future Group Hall projects, whatever replaces the street projects for adding to the world.  I very much agree that more longer term projects will help maintain interest in the game.  Having them be a little more intellectual than make-a-lot-of-stuff-out-of-the-same-old-recipes would also be an advantage, given the age and other characteristics of the general user population in Glitch.  I want actions and choices of users to have some ability to push the world in certain directions, such as, does accumulating currants become more important or less important than imagination, does the most popular Giant in the leader board start influencing the nature of the world, are more areas going to be devoted to resources or quoins.  Or I want to delve into the story of the previous ages of Ur, and the Giants vs the Rook.  These are the sorts of factors that make a game seem to me like something with a story and a purpose, rather than just a time-waster.
    Posted 6 months ago by KhaKhonsu Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yarrow... some of the things you mentioned that you want to be about to "Not Have to Do" are things that are on the agenda - the Craftybots (which are hinted at by the presence of the series 2 cubimal of the same name), I would imagine will handle the "make 5" of something. 

    There has been hints of home street vending, which would take care of your auction issue... 

    I'm choosing to find fun in doing things that aren't TS directed... I mean, not to plug my own thread, but here are some examples of things that myself and other people have done with our time when not grinding out iMG to buy an upgrade card, or make all the currants, or to have all the cubis... some of those are pretty funny - I would pay particular attention to Carl Projectorinski's - his are quite hilarious. 

    If that's not your bag... cool. Take a break, check the updates every now and then, and when you see something interesting, come back. Or not. Either way is cool. 
    Posted 6 months ago by Kristen Marie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Things like the ghost hunt and the dna hunt I found great and exciting.  It's more stuff like that we need, we need something to do apart from chores.

    Who the hell wants to go mining these days?  It's so boring but necessary if you want currants (well, one way anyway).  It really is like going to work!

    More stuff to occupy our minds please :-)
    Posted 6 months ago by ghoul Subscriber! | Permalink
  • God, I found the DNA & ghost quests pretty tiresome.
    Posted 6 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I have to wonder what you, the OP, hoped to accomplish with this thread considering that suggestions of other things to do were outlawed before you were done posting.  Just venting?  Hoping for a personal apology from Tiny Speck for not entertaining you enough?  

    I've felt this way about games before but have never brought it to the community unless I was looking for ideas from the community.  Otherwise, I just quit.  That's fine to do you know.  You don't need our permission.  If Glitch isn't fun for you, do something that is fun for you.  
    Posted 6 months ago by Red Sauce Subscriber! | Permalink
  • At the end of the first beta, we were told that content for higher-level players would be created after the game launched.  Obviously, TS changed their minds, so for the most part, we're still waiting for the content.  In the mean time, a ton of people have simply stopped playing, and staff doesn't seem too surprised about it; after a certain number of activities, you are forced to repeat some, and the grind is unpleasant for many. 

    I suspect that most of us who've stuck around are largely swayed by the community, but hopefully the addition of more puzzles, quests, and mini-games will renew our interest in the game itself.  The larger problem is that of story: a bit was added, but removed again, and until it returns, even the most enthusiastic of players will probably still be wondering if anything that we're doing actually has a higher purpose.  In the mean time, it's fine to take a break!  :)
    Posted 6 months ago by glum pudding Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I dont know, lately I just try to think whatever I want to do and sometimes they are pointlessly fun-- except when I have no time which then means I will just reflect to my icons and harvest my stuffs. I think what TS trying to make is a rich world where you will make your own quests. Like I mean, what are the use of most food recipes beside making them into decorations or some sort of game (role playing, guess the food, etc). And there is no need to grind for level or money either :) .
    Posted 6 months ago by rosedragon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • These concerns will arise over and over until there is more story and more raison d'être in the game. We know it and TS knows it. At present there is little intellectual stimulation or strategic challenge to be had in Ur (which is why I spend as much or more time in the forums talking about Glitch than playing it).

    Those of us who need to find our place in a narrative arc are biding our time—making up our own has only limited effect in the current game context.
    Posted 6 months ago by Pascale Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Two points:

    1) We are still in beta (albeit the second one) with the relaunch at an unknown point in the future.
    2) Stoot loves to keep secrets, give a few (sometimes misleading) hints and then surprise us.

    It seems to me that, if all that were coming in the future were more of the kinds of tweaks we've seen since the housing launch, then the game could launch now - but it hasn't. TS knows what we want and my guess they're going to give it to us. I suspect something great is coming. When? Soooooon!
    Posted 6 months ago by Hawkwell Subscriber! | Permalink
  • One thing that keeps me playing is my silly goal of filling an SDB with almost every conceivable thing. Sure, it's an unfathomable amount of grinding to reach the goal, but because there are so many different recipes, it stays interesting. And I'm not in a hurry to reach this goal, either. Some days I just run around Ur looking at the scenery, with no thought toward the ultimate goal. I, too, hope that there are future community building projects (as well as community-building projects), but until then, I'll have fun building toward my own silly goal, little by little.
    Posted 6 months ago by dm Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Saucelah,

    When I joined Glitch during the first beta, there was an active encouragement for feedback and ideas about ways to improve Glitch.  The devs, especially Stoot, have always been responsive, even when they disagreed with the ideas.  I haven't heard anything to the contrary ("Okay, fun's over - keep your ideas to yourself") so I felt like some feedback was warranted.

    Primarily, I'm recognizing that my motivation to play (and to encourage others to play) is drooping again, and looked at why.  If the devs read my comments, I hope what they take away is that, if they're seeing a fall-off in player base, maybe this is one cause: that all the variety in Glitch right now eventually becomes a grind.  When I wrote it, it was with the earnest intention to share one player's experience - an experience possibly representative of a larger group.

    Given the responses, apparently I was right about the larger group thing.  And, maybe I wasn't clear enough about the fact that, for me "make your own fun in Glitch" is less interesting than "make your own fun, full stop," since there have been a handful of "I set myself little challenges."

    In its current incarnation, Glitch is a thousand pebbles scattered around - each shiny and interesting, but ultimately they're just pebbles.  The recent updates haven't really changed that except to add more pebbles.  Housing is an especial letdown because it's so close to letting us at least stack the pebbles.  I've gotten the feeling in the past that the plan is to set up all the building blocks to build something ...more... but that something isn't here yet, for me, and it seems for a lot of others.
    Posted 6 months ago by Yarrow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Mmm.... I don't often get time to play for long stretches, so it fills a lot of nice small gaps for me. Aiming for small goals I'm slowly getting through some of the achievement list.

    I can entirely see why it can be a grind, and I definitely think TS have some bigger ideas up their sleeves, but I can also see the players getting itchy..

    Which means only one thing to me. IT IS TIME. We need some more crumbs from the top to let us know what is going on and a hint at what some of the new ideas are. We love the toys we have but it's not showing us the way forward.
    Posted 6 months ago by jiva Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I suspect that most of us who've stuck around are largely swayed by the community

    I've played Tiny Tower for 18 months.... I like games with pointless activities that have no direction and no purpose...

    Having said that,  I do think the Glitch feels like it wants to be more, whatever that is.  It's not enough yet.  
    Posted 6 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hi Yarrow I think you kind of explained what happened.  You spent a lot of time on the weekend and sometimes I find too after relentless hours on the game I just get tired of it too.  It's addictive to play and when it becomes hour after hour after hour for a couple of days it will get to you lol
    Posted 6 months ago by ~Arabesque~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I suspect that most of us who've stuck around are largely swayed by the community

    Not me. I just plain *like* the gameplayed alone. I am perfectly happy exploring, harvesting, growing things, cooking, even mining in small doses. I would love some new longer quests though  - like the ghosts or DNA bits.(Then again, I still play Plants vs Zombies regularly, trying to get all possible plants for my Zen garden, so what would I know. ;))
    Posted 6 months ago by Verea Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh, Plants vs Zombies is another addiction.  I can play Vasebreaker Endless endlessly
    Posted 6 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I wonder when we go back to inviting new players, or if there is a tentative Grand Re-Opening date set?
    Posted 6 months ago by ~Scilly~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "I've played Tiny Tower for 18 months.... I like games with pointless activities that have no direction and no purpose..."

    Have you tried Pocket Planes yet?
    Posted 6 months ago by dopiaza Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I just opened a new airport in Kiev!
    Posted 6 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It seems a little like I'm achieving too much though
    Posted 6 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wow, that's a comparison I wouldn't have imagined TS was shooting for: "I like Glitch, as a mindless repetitive activity like the PvZ Zen Garden."
    Posted 6 months ago by Yarrow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Vasebreaker Endless +1^^
    Posted 6 months ago by Lemo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • what's wrong with mindlessness?
    Posted 6 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • not everyone needs a purpose
    Posted 6 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • *puffs*
    Posted 6 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @ dm - I have a very similar set of Glitch goals and experiences.   I've only filled one SDB to the top so far (milk), so hopefully these will sustain me for a few more years . . .
    Posted 6 months ago by Leites Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Glitch is an interesting crafting and resource-gathering system in search of an actual game
    Posted 6 months ago by Kelti Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I have always maintained that, as in life, you make your own fun in Glitch. When I get bored, I get more involved: pick a group that's doing something that interests you and join in. I recommend the Sandbox group's huge list of secret missions; Civility group's friendly chat, group badge quests, and frequent parties; and the ImaginatUr's delightful online publication (that's always looking for contributors).

    You might give my recent article that addresses this issue tangentially a read. I've left my home and am living on the streets of Ur, on sabbatical. It's been a learning experience.

    I have found that creating more fun for other players is the best way to make fun for myself (and Glitch is uniquely suited to this mode of play). But, ultimately, if the game no longer fulfills your entertainment needs, it might be time to move on.
    Posted 5 months ago by Kip Konner Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I keep my interest by changing the way I play. 

    Back when we owned houses I had a groddle cottage with a big crop garden but after a while I found I was spending all my time gardening and never going out into the world so I sold up and moved to the bogs where I spent much more time on the streets doing boggy stuff till that got boring, then I had a mining spell.... 

    Now the world is so big and there are so many activities that the cycles can be huge. Food making requires visiting the resource routes for ingredients, then cooking up huge batches, my current compulsion is making yellow crumb essence so I've been growing tons of herbs, mixing up the essence and heading into the world to donate it. Furniture making is a skill I haven't explored fully yet so when I'm bored with herbs I may move into that. 

    The key thing is the game isn't going anywhere, so I can take my time doing what I fancy and doing precious little if that's what I want to do. I once spent several sessions being a milkman and dropping one pint on each of my neighbours' doorsteps, decorating trees with tomatoes was another bit of fun. 

    Glitch is an environment in which we can make our own fun. Some people race to get to the top of leaderboards, the dizzy heights of levels, or even becoming currant millionaires, others spend all their time socialising, myself I just pootle about.
    Posted 5 months ago by Momo McGlitch Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Being able to say, "I just pootle about" is the best possible reason to just pootle about. :-D
    Posted 5 months ago by Flowerry Pott Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I have glitch fatigue, its a great game and wonderful community but I think its about 3 weeks since I last played.Maybe its time to pop on once in a while and to quote Momo.....pootle about...sounds fun :)
    Posted 5 months ago by Pippette Subscriber! | Permalink
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