71 replies to this topic

[Khalija]

It's been a while since we were told about the precursor scavenger hunt that ArenaNet wanted to implement in-game. Last night, with the intention of being as transparent as possible, Colin Johanson has updated the community with its development timeline:

Quote

Just a quick update on where the whole scavenger hunt system stands since I know that’s a topic many of you have brought up recently. We’re not currently actively working on building any sort of legendary precursor scavenger hunt, this is something we want to do in the future and we’re in the midst of designing how this would function, but no one is actively building this feature and you should not expect in the Jan/Feb/March releases at this point.

We are however working on expanding reward systems to make them more re-rewarding across all parts of the game, making the open world more rewarding, and adding new ways you can earn precursors as rewards via new reward systems taking advantage of our open persistent world.

Some of these additions will come as early as the January release, and will get covered in more detail in the next week or two as well release all the details about this release once testing has signed off it’s all ready to go in January. (we’ll also provide a high level summary of our goals with reward systems, etc. in our 2013 blog post, which should be out next week) [Source]

Update:

Quote

To clarify since I think these two statements could be confusing without context, Linsey is indeed working on designing the system by which we’d add precursor scavenger hunts to the game. We are not actively implementing that design yet, it hasn’t been finalized, and building it that will involve a much larger team.

No conflicting statements here, as a game designer when they are working on something, usually that means they are designing it, as that is their job.

Good catch and thank you for asking for clarity! [Source]

[Captain Bulldozer]

I'm curious to see how they'll make open world more rewarding... they'd have to do a lot to make it more desirable that the current dungeon runs.

As for the scavenger hunt, something like the Moa chick mini quest in GW1 could be fun, but it would have to be done carefully so as to not flood the market with precursors.

[NuclearDonut]

A bit disappointing, but I'll be patient. It's not like the Legendaries are going away anytime soon.

[Reason on Cooldown]

[quote name='Captain Bulldozer' timestamp='1357955035' post='2140712']
I'm curious to see how they'll make open world more rewarding...
[/quote]

They could follow my suggestion and make high end drops in more areas--even low level areas--for high level characters.  E.g. veteran/champion icebroods everywhere have a chance to drop a corrupted lodestone.  More event chains around the world like the Orr temples that end with a karma vendor who has desirable, albeit expensive, loot.  Lock certain loot to certain areas (like the corrupted lodestones from icebroods), so that farming for legendaries/exotics/and forge recipes could take you all over the map, instead of just Orr/Frostgorge/and temples.

[Flaming_Foxx]

I'm starting to loose a little bit of faith in Anet.
There must be an awful lot of miscommunications going on since they announce things like the precursor scavenger hunt and then wait a month before letting people know that it isn't even something that is being worked on >.> (personally don't care because a legendary is the furtherest thing from my mind).

I just feel like they've gone a bit backwards since released. They did an amazing job of letting the community know about things before and shortly after release. I really think they need to start up with that kind of transparency again. I'm also for small consistent updates, it's getting a little annoying the way they seem so reluctant to release anything in any way other than a large patch release.

[Zedabi]

[quote name='Flaming_Foxx' timestamp='1357955827' post='2140719']
There must be an awful lot of miscommunications going on since they announce things like the precursor scavenger hunt and then wait a month before letting people know that it isn't even something that is being worked on >.> (personally don't care because a legendary is the furtherest thing from my mind).
[/quote]

He did say their in the midst of designing it, which could mean while they're not working on implementing it, they are working out how to implement it. Take what you will from that.

-------------------------------------------

I'm going to wait and see how I feel about this:

- If the coming updates vastly improve the core of the game, address some of the reasonable complaints, then the scavenger hunt, in my eyes, can wait. Even if they make a good go of it and fix a few things, then at least their working on improving the current game before adding more.

- If the coming updates are just somewhat gimmicky, and there are still a tonne of problems, then I don't know what to say.

On the whole, more transparency and updates can't hurt. Maybe a monthly blog post to inform us of what they're working on?

[malevolence]

[quote name='Flaming_Foxx' timestamp='1357955827' post='2140719']
I'm starting to loose a little bit of faith in Anet.
There must be an awful lot of miscommunications going on since they announce things like the precursor scavenger hunt and then wait a month before letting people know that it isn't even something that is being worked on >.> (personally don't care because a legendary is the furtherest thing from my mind).

I just feel like they've gone a bit backwards since released. They did an amazing job of letting the community know about things before and shortly after release. I really think they need to start up with that kind of transparency again. I'm also for small consistent updates, it's getting a little annoying the way they seem so reluctant to release anything in any way other than a large patch release.
[/quote]

As far as I know, they never announced it officially, one guy had the idea, and he thought it could be implemented. Now Arena Net is trying to figure it out how to implement it first and then [b]announce it[/b]

[caballo_oscuro]

I would like for their public relations to be on the same page, for their claims initially not to set huge expectations and then be countered by claims either to the contrary or completely in denial.

But what i would truly like is for their updates to be as entertaining as they claim. So far the game has not lived up to expectations. Prelaunch was great cos it was new and shiny and so much lay undiscovered. All the promises were waiting for after launch. Halloween was good fun and spirits were high.

Then more people started hitting higher levels. Repetition and grind set in. Features promised prelaunch were shelved. The cash store became the clear focus for everything.

Then the lost shores update truly split the community and many souls were lost. Those of us who stayed on are either thoroughly enjoying their time in-game or slowly running out of ways to feel entertained.

A lot of us are waiting patiently for a nice big update to bring the game more in line with the vision sold to us for years. Anet have to either get the finger out this time or face the inevitable *-storm that we'll see once this update lands... of course the Anet censor drones will wipe all traces of dissent from their shiny happy forums...

TLDR we're waiting for answers.

[Zedabi]

Colin just replied:

[quote]
To clarify since I think these two statements could be confusing without context, Linsey is indeed working on designing the system by which we’d add precursor scavenger hunts to the game. We are not actively implementing that design yet, it hasn’t been finalized, and building it that will involve a much larger team.

No conflicting statements here, as a game designer when they are working on something, usually that means they are designing it, as that is their job.

Good catch and thank you for asking for clarity!
[/quote]

[I'm Squirrel]

So what is ArenaNet working on exactly? A few bugs and fixes?

[Zedabi]

[quote name='I'm Squirrel' timestamp='1357964275' post='2140757']
So what is ArenaNet working on exactly? A few bugs and fixes?
[/quote]

There's going to be a blog post in the next week or two outlining everything. So far we know:

* They're working on a new reward system for the open world - [url="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Where-s-the-Scavenger-Hunt-post/first#post1190541"]Source[/url]
* They're looking at revamping the bosses, both in dungeons and open world - [url="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Why-do-PvE-bosses-seem-to-equate-to/page/3#post1176040"]Source[/url]
* January will be relativly small, preparing for the bigger Feb and March updates - [url="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/January-updates-Any-sources/first#post1136181"]Source[/url]

[jonasklk]

Sounds interesting i must say. Guess we Will have to wait a bit longer for more Info.

[I'm Squirrel]

[quote name='Zedabi' timestamp='1357964813' post='2140760']
There's going to be a blog post in the next week or two outlining everything. So far we know:

* They're working on a new reward system for the open world - [url="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Where-s-the-Scavenger-Hunt-post/first#post1190541"]Source[/url]
* They're looking at revamping the bosses, both in dungeons and open world - [url="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/Why-do-PvE-bosses-seem-to-equate-to/page/3#post1176040"]Source[/url]
* January will be relativly small, preparing for the bigger Feb and March updates - [url="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/gw2/January-updates-Any-sources/first#post1136181"]Source[/url]
[/quote]

Or so they say...



Just kidding, I really appreciate the sources. But, I just don't trust their word anymore. At this point, I have to see some pictures or videos of development to know this isn't false advertisement.

[Zedabi]

[quote name='I'm Squirrel' timestamp='1357967935' post='2140772']
Or so they say...



Just kidding, I really appreciate the sources. But, I just don't trust their word anymore. At this point, I have to see some pictures or videos of development to know this isn't false advertisement.
[/quote]

Well, Colin said that the reason they haven't released the blog posts yet is because they're waiting for testing to say that it's ready.

So I think it's safe to say that anything the upcoming blog posts say is going to be in the updates is actually going to be in the updates.

That being said, I'm waiting to see as well.

[Just Horus]

[quote]...adding new ways you can earn precursors as rewards via new reward systems taking advantage of our open persistent world...[/quote]

As much as I would have liked a precursor scavenger hunt to put some context/story in the making of a legendary, at least this [s]will[/s] may stop people from having to either buy precursors for ridiculous prices or be trolled by Zommoros.

Edited by Horus Moonlight, 12 January 2013 - 07:08 AM.

[Psydrome]

Time to sell my precursor... Let's hope that the price on them will start to drop.

[Cures]

just to be clear: it doesnt matter on what they are working or what they are doing
people will bitch, whine and moan anyway.
its unbelievable where this genre has gone to. One event per month, countless patches with no downtime, tons of stuff to do - and all that for the price of a crappy sp-title - all they get is "im a bit dissapointed blabla, what are they working on actually??! blabla."

Hopeless - forums are just not good for my blood pressure - good that i know they are in no way a mirror of the playerbase.

[Serris]

[quote name='malevolence' timestamp='1357960764' post='2140742']
As far as I know, they never announced it officially, one guy had the idea, and he thought it could be implemented. Now Arena Net is trying to figure it out how to implement it first and then [b]announce it[/b]
[/quote]

no, one of the Anet staff responded on the forums that he was tasked with making  a scavenger hunt for the precursors, but that it would take a while since he wanted to do it right. that was about a month ago.
https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/crafting/Patch-fixing-precursors/first#post761776

[quote name='Horus Moonlight' timestamp='1357974490' post='2140795']
As much as I would have liked a precursor scavenger hunt to put some context/story in the making of a legendary, at least this [s]will[/s] may stop people from having to either buy precursors for ridiculous prices or be trolled by Zommoros.
[/quote]

i'm kinda worried this will mean you throw stuff into the mystic forge, and you get tokens out of it which you can trade in for something.

[Lordkrall]

[quote name='Serris' timestamp='1357983950' post='2140841']
no, one of the Anet staff responded on the forums that he was tasked with making  a scavenger hunt for the precursors, but that it would take a while since he wanted to do it right. that was about a month ago.
[url="https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/game/crafting/Patch-fixing-precursors/first#post761776"]https://forum-en.gui...irst#post761776[/url]
[/quote]

Linsey is a woman.

And the post you quoted is still correct.
They have never officially announced a Scavenger Hunt. They have ONE person WORKING on a system that MIGHT be used for a Svavenger hunt at some point in the future.

[escada_assassin]

IMO if they will ever come up with a so called Scavanger Hunt for a precursor, it will be something like this :
go to point A and kill boss X, which has a small chance of dropping some kind of token (small chance = 0.001%);
go to point B and kill boss Y, which has a small chance of dropping some kind of token (small chance = 0.001%);
play path 3/4/5 in Arah and at the end chest you have a small chance (small chance = 0.001%) of getting some kind of token
and so on, multiplied by 1.000 or 2.000
The end : trade 500 / 1.000 of those tokens to get a precursor from NPC X located in LA.
Chances given, it should take even more to get a precursor that way than simply buying it from the TP.
That's how I see the future precursor scavanger hunt, judging from how's ANet doing things right now.

P.S. Yeah, no matter what they do, they will still have people complaining about one thing or another. And that's entirely ANet's fault. If you wanna come up with some kind of hunt to get a precursor, don't make it harder than getting it by just buying it from the TP. And no killing same boss for 1.000 times isn't fun, doing same path in a dungeon for 1.000 times isn't fun, running same event for 1.000 times isn't fun. At least try being more creative than with the whole Karka fail.

[P4ndora]

[quote name='escada_assassin' timestamp='1357985331' post='2140849'] P.S. Yeah, no matter what they do, they will still have people complaining about one thing or another. And that's entirely ANet's fault. If you wanna come up with some kind of hunt to get a precursor, don't make it harder than getting it by just buying it from the TP. And no killing same boss for 1.000 times isn't fun, doing same path in a dungeon for 1.000 times isn't fun, running same event for 1.000 times isn't fun. At least try being more creative than with the whole Karka fail.
[/quote]

?
They haven't even said what will the scavenger hunt be, how do you know it'll be harder than buying from TP?


Oh and this time I hope they will [b]really[/b] improve the open world rewards. LS event just fckd a lot of things up. Many people experiencing shitty loot, or who knows, maybe their accounts have been bugged with permanent DR. Just farmed in Orr for 2 hours yesterday, not a single rare/exotic drop, like 4-5 green and a few T6 mats, rest of the drops were junk/blues. Yes I know it's faster to earn money by playing the TP or by running AC/TA/CoF/FotM, but then why did anet want to make an open world MMO, if the best ways to get money is doing instanced stuff?
They also said champions are almost guaranteed to drop loot, yet 90% of the time I don't get anything and even if I do it's just a blue or junk item.

Well, I'm still hoping the open world rewards will be much better. I don't think the "other ways to obtain precursors" will do anything (if I recall right they increased the drop rate from MF, still the prices are going up and up), in fact I think the prices of precursors will increase even more until the scavenger hunt. But I wouldn't mind it if they at least make open world rewarding.

[escada_assassin]

[quote name='P4ndora' timestamp='1357986965' post='2140858']
?
They haven't even said what will the scavenger hunt be, how do you know it'll be harder than buying from TP?


Oh and this time I hope they will [b]really[/b] improve the open world rewards. LS event just fckd a lot of things up. Many people experiencing shitty loot, or who knows, maybe their accounts have been bugged with permanent DR. Just farmed in Orr for 2 hours yesterday, not a single rare/exotic drop, like 4-5 green and a few T6 mats, rest of the drops were junk/blues. Yes I know it's faster to earn money by playing the TP or by running AC/TA/CoF/FotM, but then why did anet want to make an open world MMO, if the best ways to get money is doing instanced stuff?
They also said champions are almost guaranteed to drop loot, yet 90% of the time I don't get anything and even if I do it's just a blue or junk item.

Well, I'm still hoping the open world rewards will be much better. I don't think the "other ways to obtain precursors" will do anything (if I recall right they increased the drop rate from MF, still the prices are going up and up), in fact I think the prices of precursors will increase even more until the scavenger hunt. But I wouldn't mind it if they at least make open world rewarding.
[/quote]

Considering they made drops crappier, considering they came up with the DR thingy, considering that the only thing in this game that rewards nice for playing is FotM, I dunno...why would I think they would come up with a shitty plan of getting a precursor? Yeah, I wonder...I'm actually starting to think that they might come up with something so idiotic as "play 5.000 hours and you'll get a precursor for free sent in your e-mail by us". I have this pesimistic view because they never tend to come up with an easier than the current one method of getting anything, they never tend to come up with something nice for most of the players, they just tend to make things harder to get, harder to do and so on.

Edited by escada_assassin, 12 January 2013 - 10:43 AM.

[Lordkrall]

[quote name='escada_assassin' timestamp='1357985331' post='2140849']

P.S. Yeah, no matter what they do, they will still have people complaining about one thing or another. [b]And that's entirely ANet's fault.[/b] If you wanna come up with some kind of hunt to get a precursor, don't make it harder than getting it by just buying it from the TP. And no killing same boss for 1.000 times isn't fun, doing same path in a dungeon for 1.000 times isn't fun, running same event for 1.000 times isn't fun. At least try being more creative than with the whole Karka fail.
[/quote]

So it is ArenaNets fault that every gaming community ever (even before ArenaNet existed) have whined about every single thing?
It is in the nature of gaming communities (or well all human communities really) to complain about stuff. It is for some reason easier to complain than to praise.

[Gilles VI]

[quote name='P4ndora' timestamp='1357986965' post='2140858']
Well, I'm still hoping the open world rewards will be much better. I don't think the "other ways to obtain precursors" will do anything (if I recall right they increased the drop rate from MF, still the prices are going up and up), in fact I think the prices of precursors will increase even more until the scavenger hunt. But I wouldn't mind it if they at least make open world rewarding.
[/quote]

Prices are going up because more and more people have the gold to spend.

[quote name='escada_assassin' timestamp='1357987357' post='2140863']
Considering they made drops crappier, considering they came up with the DR thingy, considering that the only thing in this game that rewards nice for playing is FotM, I dunno...
[/quote]

Actually normal dungeons give better rewards.

[escada_assassin]

[quote name='Gilles VI' timestamp='1357988056' post='2140867']
Prices are going up because more and more people have the gold to spend.



Actually normal dungeons give better rewards.
[/quote]

Actually nope. In none of the dungeons I got 4-5 rares / run and maybe a nice exotic 3-4g worth on TP. I don't get an exotic every run, but I do get 4-5 rares / run in FotM. Plus the T6 materials, I'd say FotM rewards ME better than any other dungeon. I'm saying it from my POV. If your luck is better than mine or most of my guildies, then hey - gz to you! Yesterday's run in FotM (my daily lvl 10) got me 11ecto + all the gold from the crap I sold +  onyx core / molten lodestone. Yeah, I'd say that nets me far better than any dungeon run. And it only took less than 1 hour.

Edited by escada_assassin, 12 January 2013 - 11:04 AM.

[escada_assassin]

[quote name='Lordkrall' timestamp='1357987885' post='2140865']
So it is ArenaNets fault that every gaming community ever (even before ArenaNet existed) have whined about every single thing?
It is in the nature of gaming communities (or well all human communities really) to complain about stuff. It is for some reason easier to complain than to praise.
[/quote]

First of all, I didn't say anything about the ENTIRE GAMING COMMUNITY, did I? Since ANet don't address to the entire gaming community. Second of all, as I aready said, if their way of solving a problem is like the Karka crap, then yeah, it's their fault. IF people ask for more content / more fun things or whatever and they come up with something like the karka island and the karka one time lag, oops i meant event, then they have a problem with understanding the problem. In what way did that solve the problem? Noone's playing in the karka island area anyway, except for the harvest of the ori node. So they added a deserted area and the weirdest thing is that it got deserted in like only 1 week after it was introduced in the game. What was the point to that? If they wanted to add a rich ori node, they could have done that in CS and leave it as it is.

[Gilles VI]

[quote name='escada_assassin' timestamp='1357988579' post='2140869']
Actually nope. In none of the dungeons I got 4-5 rares / run and maybe a nice exotic 3-4g worth on TP. I don't get an exotic every run, but I do get 4-5 rares / run in FotM. Plus the T6 materials, I'd say FotM rewards ME better than any other dungeon. I'm saying it from my POV. If your luck is better than mine or most of my guildies, then hey - gz to you! Yesterday's run in FotM (my daily lvl 10) got me 11ecto + all the gold from the crap I sold +  onyx core / molten lodestone. Yeah, I'd say that nets me far better than any dungeon run. And it only took less than 1 hour.
[/quote]

Any of the fast dungeons every path can be done in ~20 mins, which nets 2k karma, 26s and 60-72 tokens per run.
Apart from that you can get the bags from all bosses + the rare drops.
+ the chance for rares/exotics.

For example doing AC nets 4g minimum guaranteed, with a chance of getting exotics which sell for 2-8g.
+ you get the karma and tokens which you can use for armor (so in fact you also obtain the gold which you would otherwise spend on armor) or if you already got armor you can trade the tokens for weaps/armor and salvage those for ectos.

In all my FotM runs I only had 2-3 that were more rewarding as this, and for example AC is always guaranteed, while in FotM it's a game of chance.

Edited by Gilles VI, 12 January 2013 - 11:22 AM.

[xerver1]

Aaaaand the filthy rich precursor barons are safe for the next 3 months damn you 1%ters and stuff and things....

[Illein]

[quote name='Gilles VI' timestamp='1357989719' post='2140873']
Any of the fast dungeons every path can be done in ~20 mins, which nets 2k karma, 26s and 60-72 tokens per run.
Apart from that you can get the bags from all bosses + the rare drops.
+ the chance for rares/exotics.

For example doing AC nets 4g minimum guaranteed, [b]with a chance of getting exotics which sell for 2-8g.[/b]
[/quote]

Just a side note - acquired approximately 5000 Ascalonian Tears - Exotics dropped: 0

So that chance, really isn't one - don't think it serves the argument to calculate with drop rates that are even below the chances of getting a precursor in the forge.

But yeah, AC3 is good money for those who don't do the TH.

A pity to hear that it won't be in the Jan/Feb/Mar update - but honestly, with all the stuff lately we hear isn't in this "expansion worth of content" - I am curious as to what IS actually in it and how they plan to make the open world more persistently relevant for us players.

Looking forward, but I dare say that 'expansion' remark will hit them on the arse. Can't hype up a patch like that and then deliver irrelevant trivia.

Edited by Illein, 12 January 2013 - 12:06 PM.

[beadnbutter32]

Generally when a cash shop based MMO says they are going to increase drop rates, it usually plays out that rates go from .05% to .055%.  They get to salve their conscience for a couple of weeks until the player base figures out just how miniscule, irrelevant and cheap it is.