Topic

Access projects from the rock, instead of from street vendors

I wrote this in another thread, but it belongs here:

After months of hearing project complaints (most of which I find absurd, by the way), I just had an idea: get rid of the project location on a particular street, tied to a particular vendor.

Instead, let everyone look at the project window by clicking on the magic rock.  Donations could be made on the fly, and work could be performed from wherever players happen to be. 

This would remove much of the communal aspect of the projects, but eliminate all of the bickering.  Some people would still organize barnacle parties, share blockmakers, etc., but those who find other people annoying could participate from the comfort of their own homes.  No one would feel that he's missing out by leaving a project street to go find loam, since there'd be no project street. 

In order to slow the rate at which we've been completing projects, the developers could simply raise the requirements.

There would be no project lag, since there wouldn't be large numbers of people congregating in one place.  At the end of the project, the free teleports to the new street could be offered every few minutes, first to the top ten contributors, then to the next ten, and so on.  Also, teleports could be deferred (normally I'm in the middle of doing something else when I get the TP offer, and I often have to decline). 

Additionally, I'd like a project-themed chat window which automatically opens when players look at the project window, and stays open until the player chooses to close it.  This would facilitate communal play.

Posted 19 months ago by glum pudding Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • Seems to remove the one big thing about projects (the communal aspect) just to remove "bickering" (which will ALWAYS) exist with anything communal. 
    With EVERYONE, regardless of where they are able to donate, all projects would end instantly. Unless demands are HUGE. So now you've moved resource issues (see Trees vs Dirt) to the entire world.
    Also removes any sort of grounding of the world. Distance means nothing. Personally, I think auctions do a similar thing and would love to see post offices or drop boxes or trading houses so you can't do things that break the "reality" of the world.
    Posted 19 months ago by Lord Bacon-o Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I am not against project chat windows automatically created for each project.
    Posted 19 months ago by Lord Bacon-o Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The most exciting aspect I found for recent projects is the communal effort that was created with people on site selflessly giving resources to other players to make complicated items (like blocks) that were needed to complete the project. If projects could be completed remotely, this sense of community and getting together for a common purpose would disappear, and I find that very sad. Also, if you want to contribute to the opening of a new street, I see no reason why you shouldn't be required to visit the adjacent street first---just imagine someone sitting at home the entire game, just visiting the areas immediately nearby to gather resources to contribute to projects, even though they have never actually visited the region the project is located in. Bleh.
    Posted 19 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The gist of the complaints I've seen:
         I can't access resources quickly enough to donate
         I can't get to the project quickly enough to donate
         My house is too far from the project
         There's too much lag on the project street
         I didn't know there was a project
         I can't compete with hoarders
         There's not enough coordination
         Competition is bad
         Projects are over by the time I get to them
         We're not all on a level playing field
         I am not kept up to date on the status of the project
         People working on the project were rude or in a hurry to finish
         Lack of a second teleport point has stopped me from participating
         People stand around, waiting for the work phase to start, not donating

    As I said, I think most of this is silly, but I don't like seeing people frustrated or unhappy about such a large part of the game.  Removing the physical location requirement completely eliminates most of the complaints. 
    Posted 19 months ago by glum pudding Subscriber! | Permalink
  • At one time we were talking about a HUGE project which would take a long time to complete.  I think this would be a good candidate for accessing through the rock.

    I understand some of the problems with the projects but if people don't enjoy them they don't have to take part. They could take part in the world-wide project instead (whatever it is!)

    I would like the rock to tell me if a new project starts, I forget to look and then it is half-done and I am too late!  But then I think there would have to be more projects at the same time, because if everyone knows about a new one it will be even more crowded than it is now.
    Posted 19 months ago by Cassandria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Glum, those that are committed to the project don't give any of those complaints because they make an effort to get involved and get past the obstacles. There's nothing special about them, except that they are willing to take the effort to become informed and the time to gather the necessary resources (which any monkey with minimum computer knowledge could do, really... it's not that hard). There is not a level playing field because the projects are designed for higher-level, more committed, and experienced players--they are NOT for newbies. Casual players that pop in for a few minutes at a time should expect to only be able to donate a handful of items at a time, and that should be fine--the purpose of this whole thing is suppose to be for everyone to contribute what they can, big and small, and everyone works together to open up a new area.

    If an individual's only goal is to beat out the other players and come out on top in contributions, even though they don't have the time to do so, then they have only themselves to blame for these self-inflicted, unreachable requirements. It really isn't hard to earn trophy pieces if you put a slight amount of effort and organization into your activities--I've done it many times (although no full trophy yet), and there's nothing super-human about me. Also, I don't hoard--I gather all those things I donate in between projects and during them, and keep a close eye on the status of the project so I can be sure to be there during the work phase. I do other things too, like explore and complete skill-related, and personal quests. It really isn't that difficult.

    I see no reason to dumb down the game for people that think it's "too hard". Challenge is good. Without it, life gets boring. Sit down and think, and try to figure out how you can improve your strategy to get top billing if that's what you want. If others can do it, you can do it too.
    Posted 19 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Shepherdmoon, I actually agree with most of what you said, and do not agree with most of the complaints I listed, but unfortunately, the complaints are pervasive.  I don't think this change would remove any of the challenge of working on projects (and, as you pointed out, there's not really much challenge anyway).  

    The wide-scale problem I foresee is one which I'm already experiencing personally: after learning all of the shorter skills, and completing the related quests, there are very few opportunities for structured, goal-oriented play.  I've seen the "you should make your own fun" argument, and while I appreciate the fact that the game doesn't force players to participate in anything, I also know that a lot of people will not be particularly motivated to return to a game with few discernible goals, and comprised largely of repetitive tasks.  Socializing only keeps certain people interested, and only if they've found a good group of friends.  Bored players will simply move on to another game.  I also know that the developers are working on back story and building more and deeper levels of play, but a lot of people aren't as mesmerized by the process as I am, and won't stick around to find out what comes next. 

    That was a long way of saying that in the absence of quests, projects are important for a lot of players, and making them more accessible to everyone may keep more people interested in the game longer.
    Posted 19 months ago by glum pudding Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree with you, glum, but I'm not sure that allowing the rock to take project donations is the way to do this. Perhaps something else, like making it much easier to find out where new projects are and what they need. The rock could supply this information. Once we are allowed more than one teleport point, and the ability to teleport to any location on the map (which is coming), getting to projects will be much easier, and that issue will largely go away.
    Posted 19 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree with your latest arguments glum. It is ok for people to work hard to collect items and donate; but there should be a good way of knowing project status rather than depending on the mercy of a group chat channel, or trying to search for a lighter shade of a street (which on a low resolution screen is pixel hunting). If not rock a page as I suggested in this post.
    Posted 19 months ago by gia Subscriber! | Permalink