Gemstone: Getting Easier?

[Fallen]

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel that changes on the whole have been making the game easier?

The biggest change that I would say counts against this trend is FoF, otherwise, it seems every update makes a class more viable, and more fully prepared to handle everything critters can put out. Even changes like putting critters on BCS makes them easier, as it allows for more effective disabling.

Possible changes which could make this game more difficult is the Hide/Ambush/Armor changes that may go through, as well as the Dodge/Maneuver changes.

What are everyone elses's thoughts on the matter?

[Davenshire]

I don't think they have dumbed it down. At least from my limited experience. I think a lot of changes didn't so much make hunting easier, as streamlined a lot of our skills/spells to be more usefull early on and less repetative.

I don't know how much as been giving in to people QQ'ing and pussing about high level hunting areas, as I have not had to much experience with that as of yet.

As far as BCS changes, it looks as if Kiramon aren't a snore anymore. I think with future updates you'll see some critters with a lot more options, etc...

Mostly I think people are getting more squared away. You play one class through you are pretty much experienced and knowledable for any alts you mihgt make. Preparedness really hooks you up. From being on teras the temple doesn't seem easy from all the corpses I see coming into the statue 24/7.

I think the only bad thing I've seen is GS giving into the crowds pussing about losing gear etc. Everyone is way to attached to there virtual gear. Without being able to take a lot of this crap out of the system, it doesn;t really give them a lot of leeway to introduce new items, etc....

[Fallen]

The Ruined Temple and Thanatoph's Bowels are two very deadly areas. This is true. Yes, you can make a build that never dies there, but that doesn't prove that the areas are hard.

[Fallen]

I think the only bad thing I've seen is GS giving into the crowds pussing about losing gear etc. Everyone is way to attached to there virtual gear. Without being able to take a lot of this crap out of the system, it doesn;t really give them a lot of leeway to introduce new items, etc.... >>-Davenshire

They could raise AS's to the point of where they take 7x as the standard, and raise Wizard enchants back up to 10x.

[Artha]

Gemstone as a game is never really "hard". It just takes lots of perseverence and patience to succeed, and absolutely no intelligence or skill. Case(s) in point: Warclaidhm, Vif, etc.

"Hard" in GemStone consists of randomly dieing to maneuvers or spells.

[Martaigne]

As someone who has come back after a 7 year hiatus, I think the game is no easier nor harder than what it was in GS3. If anything, some bits are more challenging, since I've noticed it's tougher to solo some classes, but overall the game seems more balanced between the classes.

The introduction of multi-opps was great, I like the FoF penalty, and the fact that you can train it away and gain access to mstrike. Cmans were a good change too, and these things combined make warriors a much more viable profession, whereas they were nearly useless in GS3.

Since I only play a warrior and a square rogue, I can say this: Things got easier for warriors (which was needed) and a little harder for combat pure rogues (which was needed). I can't really make any claims about pure casters and semis, though.

[Davenshire]

A lot of good points.

I really look forward to them putting in a super area for all the hard core players. It'll be nice seeing them have to team up in groups to actually have a chance. I have heard a lot of rumors on the 130 area, but not a lot of fact, what's up with that? just specualtion at this point, or is someone actually working on it?

[Celephais]

They could raise AS's to the point of where they take 7x as the standard, and raise Wizard enchants back up to 10x.

Why stop there? They could monty haul it... make wizards able to enchant up to 20x (as quickly as it takes to enchant to 7x now), now all the sudden all those 10x items people were hording are worth a hell of a lot less.

This sort of thing is what kills an MMO, look at burning crusade for WoW. GS has been around for how many years and really the only thing that's been added power wise has been enhancives. They've done a really good job of keeping things in check... except because of it things have started to stagnate...

[Fallen]

<<<Why stop there? They could monty haul it... make wizards able to enchant up to 20x (as quickly as it takes to enchant to 7x now), now all the sudden all those 10x items people were hording are worth a hell of a lot less.

This sort of thing is what kills an MMO, look at burning crusade for WoW. GS has been around for how many years and really the only thing that's been added power wise has been enhancives. They've done a really good job of keeping things in check... except because of it things have started to stagnate... >> -- Celephais

If they uncapped things up to 20x, that would indeed be interesting, as so long as each enchant took the appropriate amount of time. Getting something up to 20x would takes several years, and a ton of skill.

[Celephais]

I meant to just follow the vein of thought you had brought up... raise monster AS/DS to make 15x "the norm" (if 5x were "the norm" now), and then make enchanting 3 times easier/cheaper from merchants (readily availible). Effectively reducing all current 10x equipment to 3x.

[Danical]

Just as an aside.

It was a fuck of a lot easier to uphunt in GS3. With the addition of EBP, uphunting is a real bitch sometimes.

It'll be really interesting to see what happens when they roll dodge into maneuvers.

[Fallen]

Constant Fixskills and the addition of an obtainable Fixstat potion definitely made this game much more simple. Fucked up your build? No need to reroll or cope. Just wait a bit, or spend some silver and fix everything.

[Danical]

True, true.

But with proper planning, it shouldn't be a problem.

I hadn't thought of it before but with the fixskills option, GMs are afforded the ability to make sweeping changes to combat systems. Changes which are generally needed or desired.

[Fallen]

Yes, and Fixskills should be given out when said changes go through, either profession specific or game wide. No reason to hand them out for free.

[Danical]

No reason to hand them out for free.

Agreed. The yearly thing is bullshit. How hard is it to get 250k BPs or pony up 10m?

[Fallen]

For people that are lower level it can be tough, but you're a low level. If you fucked yourself up that bad, either reroll or tough it out. No one can deny that there are plenty of hunting grounds most people can hunt with crap gear while near fall-down drunk.

[Celephais]

No one can deny that there are plenty of hunting grounds most people can hunt with crap gear while near fall-down drunk.

Fall-down drunk is how I started most of my alts... wake up and I'm like "what did I do last night... and why am I logged into GS... as a level 5 sorc who's dumped all his points into thrown, armor, dodge and transference lore..."

[StrayRogue]

Gemstone is not challenging. Whether or not it's always been like this is another story. I'd have to say it was harder in the olden days of droppage and gear loss.

With the addition of the EN (easy mode for GS), the old days of having to hunt the slightly harder areas (like teras), are long gone. I guess thats why many find the game boring.

[Danical]

Fall-down drunk is how I started most of my alts... wake up and I'm like "what did I do last night... and why am I logged into GS... as a level 5 sorc who's dumped all his points into thrown, armor, dodge and transference lore..."


:lol:

[Sean]

I don't know that I think the games been made easier I just think they've shifted the focus from owning items to making the game a joke to having skills that make the game a joke. Basically they balanced the poor vs the rich more so than making the game easier or harder in my opinion.

[Danical]

Gemstone is not challenging. Whether or not it's always been like this is another story. I'd have to say it was harder in the olden days of droppage and gear loss.

With the addition of the EN (easy mode for GS), the old days of having to hunt the slightly harder areas (like teras), are long gone. I guess thats why many find the game boring.

That's a really good point. I remember fire mages WAY back in the day when Edward, the hasting wizard, was dying nearly every hour. Dark Stone was hard if you didn't know what the hell you were doing. Thankfully people can still roll up characters to hunt shan and illoke at like level with no outside help.

The temple in EN is a fucking joke. It's so retardedly easy. Hopefully, they will review the creatures in there soon.

[StrayRogue]

The entire EN is a bit of a joke, to be fair. But thats an epidemic of GS at large; if you can script hunt from 0 - 100 there's something wrong. I dunno, the lack of challenge really turns me off.

[StrayRogue]

While not an ease issue, "balance" has really dullened the game also. Considering you can't use from the rift and OTF upwards any nice weapon or shield, I think, is really fucking stupid. Consider that some people save all their careers for that super weapon either to have to locker it or lose it to some stupid disarm maneuver.

[Asha]

Bang on, Stray.
Pissed me off more than anything once I'd got there.

[Danical]

It does suck donkey balls I have to use 45 of my Cman Points for rank 5 in disarm for defense.

[Fallen]

You can certainly LOOK for challenging hunting grounds, or you can LOOK for easy ones. When the rewards are basically the same, however, it makes it hard to take the long road.

Maaghara's Tower, Skull Temple are both stupidly easy. The treetops make the Black Forest too easy. The Griffin's Keen can be pretty tough.

On the whole, though, EN is a joke.

[Anebriated]

Constant Fixskills and the addition of an obtainable Fixstat potion definitely made this game much more simple. Fucked up your build? No need to reroll or cope. Just wait a bit, or spend some silver and fix everything.

How many people complained about that over the years though? Didnt people have like basketweaving and other random skills after they went out of use way back? They are finally just giving in to what players want more often nowadays it seems.

[Stunseed]

I agree with the gear thing, but to me it symbolizes an evolution of your skill. For 65 levels you get to cheat your ass off, but from 66 ( more like 80, personally ) on, you have to rely on skill and not uber gear.

Pay a service for soul-bonding like WoW. Pay ten million silvers to stick your sword in your hand and lose parry DS when disarmed/cursed, only to have it slide back in your hand. Ithzir picks it up? BAM, like Blade's weapon, spikes come out and asplode the hand.

[Danical]

BAM, like Blade's weapon, spikes come out and asplode the hand.

Pure Coraesine?

[GS4-D]

Blade as in the movie.

[Danical]

Huuurrrrrrr.

Not sure why I didn't pick up on that one.

[Martaigne]

I remember fire mages WAY back in the day when Edward, the hasting wizard, was dying nearly every hour.

LMAO

Deadward!

You could practically tell time with:

* Edward just bit the dust!

[StrayRogue]

You can certainly LOOK for challenging hunting grounds, or you can LOOK for easy ones. When the rewards are basically the same, however, it makes it hard to take the long road.

Maaghara's Tower, Skull Temple are both stupidly easy. The treetops make the Black Forest too easy. The Griffin's Keen can be pretty tough.

On the whole, though, EN is a joke.

Exactly. If the rewards were much larger, I could see a reason for choosing to hunt in a harder area. At present though the treasure system is fucking stupid.

[Stanley Burrell]

It's easier for not warriors, yes.

[Danical]

Exactly. If the rewards were much larger, I could see a reason for choosing to hunt in a harder area. At present though the treasure system is fucking stupid.

I think you touched on a great point. The treasure system is effing retarded. Why the fuck don't they release more enhancers? Even +1 to stats would be pretty nifty. I'm not sure why, but I've always been a fan of the Diablo2 Treasure System; you kill hard shit, you get phat lewtz. This segues into my other desire to see "boss" critters around instead of the ones only from the Guild.


Kroderine Constructs. When it hits you, has a chance to flare and dispel shit. More HP, redux, maneuvers, etc. Maybe Krodera ones that are absolutely immune to spells, even ewaves and the like.

Ithzir champions that wield greatswords and has an attack that includes an AS booster coupled with Mblow at rank 5.

Ithzir lancers that spawn on griffins and allow them to shriek and charge on spawn.

Now that's brutal shit.

[Stanley Burrell]

Or at least make a drake dagger look noticably different with the treasure gen so as not to overlook the +2 spirit regen enhancive properties in case you don't happen to loresing. Or do anyway.

[Asha]

I think you touched on a great point. The treasure system is effing retarded. Why the fuck don't they release more enhancers? Even +1 to stats would be pretty nifty. I'm not sure why, but I've always been a fan of the Diablo2 Treasure System; you kill hard shit, you get phat lewtz. This segues into my other desire to see "boss" critters around instead of the ones only from the Guild.


Kroderine Constructs. When it hits you, has a chance to flare and dispel shit. More HP, redux, maneuvers, etc. Maybe Krodera ones that are absolutely immune to spells, even ewaves and the like.

Ithzir champions that wield greatswords and has an attack that includes an AS booster coupled with Mblow at rank 5.

Ithzir lancers that spawn on griffins and allow them to shriek and charge on spawn.

Now that's brutal shit.

Now there's some good shit.

[TheEschaton]

Fall-down drunk is how I started most of my alts... wake up and I'm like "what did I do last night... and why am I logged into GS... as a level 5 sorc who's dumped all his points into thrown, armor, dodge and transference lore..."

Funny, when I'm fall down drunk, I fuck bitches...



...oh, who'm I kidding? I post here.

-TheE-

[budartagnan]

LMAO

Deadward!

You could practically tell time with:

* Edward just bit the dust!

I had a rescue Edward set of macros, before I learned about scripting.

macro 1
prep 225\r
cast edward\r

macro 2
hold edward\r
prep 130\r
cast\r

:)

[Asha]

:rofl: that was good times.
I can't remember where he hunted. Was it teras?

[Danical]

Yup.

[Askip]

Yeah, Coned wasp nests. Brilliant. :D

[Asha]

I remember that, isn't that how Tarakan got his fame, with nests?
Christ I hate that prick, I don't think anyone else agrees with him about anything he shits out on the officials.

[Askip]

Probably, and I think Beautifulgreen too.

:D

[AestheticDeath]

Scintillion got a ton of his fame from wasp nests.

And Tsin got some there I think..

[Sean of the Thread]

I will preface with saying I did not read most of this thread.


Now I'll say this game has always been SILLY EASY.

[Ignot]

I will preface with saying I did not read most of this thread.


Now I'll say this game has always been SILLY EASY.

I agree with Sean2. GS has always been very easy. Alot of us want intense action where we are rewarded for making the right skill selection but im sure there are lots of people who just want the whole RP experience. Maybe they keep it easy for these people.

I dont know. Also, back in the day if you fucked up you were re-rolling, no matter what level you are so I agree that fixskills and stats really killed things. But I guess that goes back to the majority just wanting to have a fun experience.

I also think they fucked up with death sting. Before I could overhunt for more of a challenge and if I died, no biggy. Now if I overhunt and die I gotta burn off the deaths sting. After alot of deaths in a row, you can't help but take the easy road.

[Serops]

I have to agree that GS has always been easy. GSIII IMO was a bit more difficult at least for me early on since I didn't know wtf I was doing. GSIV has brought an even softer curve while making some improvements, but the difficulty is seriously a bummer and is probably what will end up causing me to leave the game after 8+ years.

The largest problem is that risk in most cases is not at all correlated with reward (this follows so many design arcs from experience gain, hunting grounds, treasure system, equipment design and proliferation, outside sales, etc). A good portion of this is due to the design motif that every class should be self-sufficient at any point in the progression of the game.

I've been a cronic reroller for most of my time in game (never having a charater above lvl 40) flipping between pure RP and some mix between mechanic challenge (not tedium) and RP and neither has been totally satisfying.

The MUD that I came from before GS was much more difficult and as a result much more compelling though like all games it had its own flaws.