By:
Filters
What's new
Embers Adrift

Register a free account today to Ignite your Adventure! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate with the Embers Adrift community. Your active account will also be the same account used to purchase, download, and login to the game.

QA April 5th, 2024

I can't say that I agree with the level compression plan.

1. It already takes a long time to get through levels after level 20 or so. This means that now this pain will start even earlier and be even worse. (If you wait too long, eventually even Pavlov's dog will stop trying)
2. Even with the modest player base, there is already contested content, ESPECIALLY solo loops, this will compound this issue.
3. I don't see this move winning over any new players, only chance it really has is to agitate your current players.

Unless the plan is to allow for more expansional in the relatively near future for more content and add levels 31-50 back on with additional content. But I assume this isn't the case judging by what I have read previously so, I wouldn't make this change.
 
Yeh the more I think about it, the more I agree that while it makes sense design wise, from an engagement point of view it's an own goal.

The game needs more fun, and more variety in activities, and making people rethink their mind maps is just going to piss them off.

To be brutally honest, as much sense as it makes, I don't think you can sell it.

However, I'd takes Zig's FD2 ideas and implement them in a heartbeat.
 
Embers Adrift currently has 2 big issues:
1. Small Playerbase
2. More Content needed
Sure you could change it to where a lvl 2 could do lvl 50 content and still get exp and value out of it, but it doesn't change the fact that the playerbase is still small and we still need more content.
I've been saying it for a while, but Embers needs to find that special something extra that really makes players want to log in aside from hanging out with the players they like.
Now, that content doesn't have to be more dungeons even though those are nice but all levels of the playerbase need something else to do besides "leveling and crafting."

Faction systems, Alternate Advancement, whatever. I don't know what it is but we need more horizontal progression.
Also like a friend of mine said, just because a lvl 50 can group with more lower players for exp doesn't mean they will. Because there is zero reason for them to do lower content except from the goodness of their heart.
 
Not convinced this compression is the right way to go.
Can see some benefits - but it will annoy some players, and won't really attract new ones, (and there's always unexpected problems.)

You have a solid foundation here and it's growing nicely, if perhaps slower than hoped for.
I'd keep on with expanding and maturing your content (but if you do go with compression, still all fun for me.)

I think it is truly an excellent game with some really great ideas, wish I knew how spark more players' interest - US summer holidays coming soon, maybe a bit of cheap advertising somewhere ?
 
Last edited:
I noticed on test my lvl 43 gear changed to lvl 26, which means I am unable to equip now that I am lvl 25 on test. I am thinking its likely because of the odd lvl requirement of 43 it doesn't seem to scale appropriately where I can continue to use it. (Lvl 43 Kings quest rewards are quite powerful so hoping this can be tweaked) if we move forward.

I actually like the idea of compression. It gives more options to xp and you dont outlevel areas as much. Its not really making the journey to max level any longer or shorter, and will allow you to group with people you previously would not have been able to and have more content available to you to keep the xp journey fresher.
 
Last edited:
zabatiz said:
I noticed on test my lvl 43 gear changed to lvl 26, which means I am unable to equip now that I am lvl 25 on test. I am thinking its likely because of the odd lvl requirement of 43 it doesn't seem to scale appropriately where I can continue to use it. (Lvl 43 Kings quest rewards are quite powerful so hoping this can be tweaked) if we move forward.

I actually like the idea of compression. It gives more options to xp and you dont outlevel areas as much. Its not really making the journey to max level any longer or shorter, and will allow you to group with people you previously would not have been able to and have more content available to you to keep the xp journey fresher.
Click to expand...
This is a result of item/quest/etc requirements being integer values whereas player levels are floating point values (includes decimal places). The remapping takes level 43 to 25.857142857142854 and we then have to decide if we round the item up, or round the item down. Currently we are rounding up if the resulting decimal is over 0.5.
 
During the community show some people including Genrah suggested changin the mob con to accomplish the same goal without having to reinvent the wheel. At first I was skeptical but after some thought it might accomplish the same thing without alienating so many people. What if the window a mob in considered white (equal level) was instead more broad and ecompassed -1 or +1 level above your current level. Yellow/Blue con would be increased 1 level on both sides to compensate and would create a similar effect of broadening the amount of zones you have access to.

I took the idea and inputed it into my handy dandy spreadsheet and sure enough it increases the amount of zones available per level from 3.9 to 5 (compared to 5.2 with the 3/5 compression proposal).

See the below screenshot for more details. I'll also provide a web accessible link for those that are interested. Use the 3 tabs to compare the different level models side-by-side.

Embers Adrift Zone Level Spread - Google Drive

docs.google.com docs.google.com

Scaling.png
 
Expanding the cons to higher levels encourages players to fight content that was not designed for them. The higher we allow players to punch up the higher they go, leaving even more people behind and making it that much more difficult for them to join their group. We've been through this debate before before we introduced GEL, and is the precise reason we introduced GEL at the time rather than just expanding the upper level range. The upper level range remains, and will remain restricted to encourage players to fight mobs designed for their level.

To change this paradigm we would need to revamp the entire NPC difficulty curve which would require a significant amount of time; it is roughly equivalent to rebalancing the entire game in one go. Hopefully you can appreciate why this is not something we are keen on doing.
 
Undone said:
Expanding the cons to higher levels encourages players to fight content that was not designed for them. The higher we allow players to punch up the higher they go, leaving even more people behind and making it that much more difficult for them to join their group. We've been through this debate before before we introduced GEL, and is the precise reason we introduced GEL at the time rather than just expanding the upper level range. The upper level range remains, and will remain restricted to encourage players to fight mobs designed for their level.

To change this paradigm we would need to revamp the entire NPC difficulty curve which would require a significant amount of time; it is roughly equivalent to rebalancing the entire game in one go. Hopefully you can appreciate why this is not something we are keen on doing.
Click to expand...
I assumed there was some logistical reason you didn't attempt to solve it via this manner, so thank you for explaining!
 
The reason people choose Free Hold over FD2 is because it's too big with no butt hole (exit hatch) and harder to access.
Clear through FD1 or Clear through from shrieks in GC. That in itself is already a time sink for little to no exp.
Whereas FH is easier to access, lots of solo mobs, lots of harvesting, extremely better loot.

People go through FD2 just for the sake of finishing quests that has junk rewards. That in itself is a turnoff.

Same for Dryfoot, it has so much potential. But people rather see green environment over desert. Very little incentive to go there other than doing the Emberstone upgrade. Some decent loot, but gets overshadowed by better loot in Meadowlands / Undercroft.
 
More to do, more engaging combat, more endgame.. maybe just look to expand the Gel?

Trying to level at the moment in Redshore solo ( 26-27 ) when 14 people on. I last 15min before I get bored and log. Making that all somehow more interesting over all might affect the entire game. With the new suggestion while sounding good, wont affect my experience personally and entice me to continue to play.

EDIT: Also want to say if it wasnt for BBQ, Thug, Kallel and a few others I wouldnt have made it that far! the Community is amazing! but they shouldnt be the ones carrying the game to try and make it enjoyable for others. Also level 50 need more end game :)
 
Last edited:
Hi @Enesis whilst you are completely correct, the game need more content (and we are currently working on more content), content take months to create.
This is a solution proposed to make things easier whilst at the same time we are creating more content.
No matter how great new content would be, this is not going to be solved next patch. This, however, could be put in place next patch or the patch after.

We have been contemplating expnading GEL, obviously before to work on this, and decided against it.
 
I am going to offer a different solution, Its not that there is not Content, it is that it is congested into limited areas and competes for players of the same levels and need s to be shuffled slightly. I often heard from players I started with they felt there was large gaps for certain levels and flow to progression. I thought of some of this trying to apply Logistics and rerouting Read it all before you lose your minds, I have bounced this off more than a couple of people already. This is some basics but its an Idea fore better flow through the zones and leveling and more players of a closer level playing in the same zones.

1 ) EV's in low level areas. With the present set up we have 2 EV's and a dungeon in NR, unnecessary. Take the Bat EV and move it to Dryfoot , raise it up one level or 2. This still leaves all out door content, a Dungeon and an EV to help level 10 to 16. The dungeon is a good size and rarely fully utilized, and cold be far more exploited with some minor tweaks. Before you go you just did the same to Dryfoot Read 3

2) 3 EV's 2 dungeon , and a Cave in ML: Overall most people only Use Karst ,spider/wolves cave and UC and the content competes to close to Dryfoot. The EV's have been largely ignored by the player base , with some recent interest with the added solo loops. Similar to NR remove one, move it to another zone in this Case I will suggest 2 solution's. Move the Spider EV to HH lower level area ( A rather large area underutilized ) and raise it up to to match the entry content, this will give a smoother Progression to level 24 . Alternate option, and the lesser of the 2 as its more difficult : Mire EV to Redshore , again scale to level 22 to 24, Bumps up Existing EV a couple of levels, smooths out progression and keeps more people working through the zone.

3) There is a lot to do in Dryfoot, so no it would not need 3 EV's, but it might. frankly more so then ML does At present it not only presently competes with itself it competes with ML , reopen it up to its full size , Make the BB's Like HH, One for the higher area , one for the lower area. Ant EV goes to level 2o to 22 . Why? The Alchemy quest is for level 20 might as well make it worth peoples time to exploit this Large sized EV properly. Basi EV can Stay but get bumped up to 23 to 24 It could still be moved to another zone as well I have also thought This could go to either HH lower level area instead of spider, I think the mob type match less then spider if it is moved, my only hang up but it can be made to work, leaving it under this scenario though with the zone fully reopened would work best

4) Redshore EV bump it up one or 2 levels, The gear is for level 25's make the mobs up to 25 to 27 so its progress more in line with leveling to take you into UC and then on to FD 1 which would now be properly leveled up 30 to 33 level players thus prepping people for Grimstone.

5) More Merchs and more anvils : Less time running off to get something done keeps players engaged and Playing in groups ,not going , " Man I got to run way the ( put in colorful expression here ) to repair and bank, might as well just log now" Dont even argue this, Stop all your BS no hand holding arguments in your own mind. If it can be done in Dryfoot it most definitely can be done in ML, Redshore, and the lower level of HH. Even add Grimstone for that matter as well . There is no lore breaking, Game breaking or even Hard work here copy and paste what you did in Dryfoot. More time PLAYING , Less time on monotonous and unnecessary running around. I am not asking for a shared bank at every Fire or bank even, just some basic common sense.

This could be tweaked even more in various ways and is as much about getting some different thinking not only for the Devs but amongst the players. Lastly I will agree with another note made my someone else, Places that are a PITA to get to like FD2 and UC are underutilized at times, no one wants to run a gauntlet every time they go in , and they are Horrible for getting a replacement player to let alone to near the group once inside.


Discuss
 
Love this.

I for one want MORE players to come and enjoy this game without feeling like they missed the boat. Flame me, but I think the relearning is a good price to pay for a fuller world. But I am a bigger picture fella.
 
All sound like good ideas! another random idea... is scaling world and mob levels. All can play together etc.. end game starts at 50 or 30 with paragon points etc... So many good ideas and suggestions, I have faith!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back