RARE vs UNIQUE vs NON-RARE

[Pali]

Pali...

If you have a full time job and you play this game more than 15 hours a month you have almost 0 life or responsability outside work (I.E. Kids). Unless you can play at work like some of us.

Think about the common situation, because I guarantee that there are very FEW people here who can play like you think they (should) and have a family. That is why our players dropped, they didn't have the time to stay on top.

There are plenty of periods where I've been able to play very little because of work combined with my social life. I adjusted myself to this by changing my expectations of what I was going to be getting out of FL. I didn't make chars with cabals or qraces in mind, because I think those should be going to those who CAN devote the time. I had all right eq... nothing spectacular, but enough that I could survive long enough to out-fight or outrun my better-equipped opponents. Sure, my limited playtime meant I couldn't use that playtime to be a cabal elder with triple digit killscores... but that's the choice you make. Either you put in the time to earn the really special stuff, or you don't and you don't get it. I'm okay with being in not-getting-it spot myself. I've been there before and shall be again once I can start playing again.

[Anoneemus]

15 hours a month is really not a lot. That means 2-3 months, in general, just to get to 50. 10 hours a week is a pretty reasonable amount of time to spend on a hobby with a full-time job and responsibilities, and even that is not even close to what most FL devotees put in, but it is enough to get yourself a good character in a good cabal with no rare purges.

Really though, casual but skilled players should be happy for FL. MUDs and MMOs are intended to be huge timesinks. I played WoW and was in one of the best guilds in the world. We put in 30 hour weeks anytime we attempted anything new, and that's the norm for hardcore WoW players. In fact, unskilled hardcore guilds usually put in a lot more time because they couldn't get through the encounters as quickly. On the other hand, in FL, all you have to do is put in the hours not to get rarepurged, or you can take a month off and re-equip when you're ready. In most MMOs, if you take a month or two off, you're completely screwed and way behind. Nobody will want you. Despite the bloodthirsty environment and steep learning curve, I really think FL is easy enough on casual players as it is.

[Quigt]

How about we incorporate something a little DII style, where you get bonuses for having like items. For example, wearing full mithril gives you extra bonuses, furthermore than you would if you were wearing just leggings or sleeves.

[Grishnak]

How about we incorporate something a little DII style' date=' where you get bonuses for having like items. For example, wearing full mithril gives you extra bonuses, furthermore than you would if you were wearing just leggings or sleeves.[/quote']

Man, I can't wait til my new cleric gets his Tier 3 set...I'm going to rock!

[Anoneemus]

Man' date=' I can't wait til my new cleric gets his Tier 3 set...I'm going to rock![/quote']

25% mana regen while casting?

[Grishnak]

25% mana regen while casting?

You OBVIOUSLY have never met one of my clerics...

Chance to restore 2% hp on melee hit

AND

Chance to haste self on melee hit

[Shinth]

Frankly' date=' I do not think that people who play 4-10 hours a month should be getting things like full rare suits or cabal memberships, period. If you're not willing to put the time and effort in, you shouldn't be getting certain rewards. One could also add in qraces and qclasses to this... after all, being one of those brings specific pk advantages as well, so shouldn't the casual player also have easy access to them? If you ask me, the answer is a resounding "[i']NO". You want something special (good eq, cabal memberships, quest races, titles, tattoos, etc.) in this game, you have to earn it through time and work. I am absolutely against anything that changes this.

So you are saying that if I have a job/family and I cannot play FL more than a few times a week I should be denied the pleasure of pk/cabals/qraces/qclasses? Basically everything that sets FL apart from a PVE mud?

[Anoneemus]

So you are saying that if I have a job/family and I cannot play FL more than a few times a week I should be denied the pleasure of pk/cabals/qraces/qclasses? Basically everything that sets FL apart from a PVE mud?

Of course you won't be denied PK, or quality RP, but there are certain factors involved with the other things you mentioned. Firstly, a cabal is a commitment, it is something you join when you know you will be able to actively participate. If you don't participate, you are hurting that cabal by taking a slot (there are a max number of slots) away from a more active player. And, not sure of all the specifics, but for certain quest races/classes, there can also only be a certain number at any given time, to keep them cool and secret-ish. If this restriction were lifted, everyone would roll a vampire. So of course when you're given one of those things you're also expected to learn it, use it, love it as often as possible. I think getting approved and then playing only 3-4 hours a week is a big slap in the face of all the people who got denied.

[Shinth]

Of course you won't be denied PK' date=' or quality RP, but there are certain factors involved with the other things you mentioned. Firstly, a cabal is a commitment, it is something you join when you know you will be able to actively participate. If you don't participate, you are hurting that cabal by taking a slot (there are a max number of slots) away from a more active player. And, not sure of all the specifics, but for certain quest races/classes, there can also only be a certain number at any given time, to keep them cool and secret-ish. If this restriction were lifted, everyone would roll a vampire. So of course when you're given one of those things you're also expected to learn it, use it, love it as often as possible. I think getting approved and then playing only 3-4 hours a week is a big slap in the face of all the people who got denied.[/quote']

AAAAAAH!

Sorry, didn't know that, ignore me!

I should stop talking about things I don't know anything about... *mutter*

[Kyzarius]

Anon as some decent points, but shinith's concerns are valid imho.

The problem, in truth resolves itself in the mechanics of FL's approval system. If you play just a few hours a week the % chance you will get snooped is slimmer, and you have to get snooped in order to gain any of the exclusive things in FL. Full suits and things like that should not and never will be restricted so that someone who plays just 4 - 10 hours a week cant have them. However, it is currently harder for said person to acvhieve qrace/class or cabal status since they have less time in which to show their stuff to the imm's

Those with less time must merely shine brighter in the time they have. I doubt people like Eshaine and Malch (as imms whom I have worked with as a player countless times on countless characters) would EVER deny you something if your rp was exceptional, even though you only get to play 4 - 10 hours a week. I dont think their (imms in general) is to make FL a forced time sink. If you bring exceptional play then you will get exeptional reward, this is the FL Rule.

[Iusedtobesomebody]

as one whose play is limited to about 10 hrs a week, I don't tend to apply for qraces/classes mainly because I do not feel I would be able to fully devote what is needed (not required) to play one.

that being said, I do not believe people with such time restraints should be denied solely on that basis. if your RP is solid and you impress the appropriate IMM, it should be yours. but be prepared to be booted from your cabal in short order due to auto-cabal house cleaning.

with great power, comes great responsibility I.e. TIME.

[mya]

People who play less time can still have Qraces, and should seek it if they crave it.

They should also join Cabals. It might be hard to stand out with less play time per week, but if you play your character consistently and are not rude you can expect to get in.

The key for all of this is stability and dependability. If people know they will find you at X Time on Sunday, they will start to log on just to interact with you.

I for myself prefer a player that logs on every weekend night for a mere 3 hours of fun. Than those that pump 40 hours a week then sudently disappear for a month, or delete after a bad death.

I personally think it is a waste when people rage delete Qraces.

[Kyzarius]

wow mya, your english is way better lately.

[Shinth]

wow mya' date=' your english is way better lately.[/quote']

Shush, it was all forum RP before.

[The End]

As soon as you get maxed cabals, you can throw that out as a reason. Not that we are talking about that....AT all!

I did the calculations, and if I didn't get to play at work I would only play about 5 hours a week, so twenty hours a month. That is still PLENTY of time to devote to a cabal. But not enough time to stay on top...But that could aaaaall change if you change the suits.

[Raargant]

My thoughts will come shortly. And yes, you are free to debate here as long as you like

[Minotaur]

This was one of the main resons i quit the game, i played for about 3 months, put in the time and effort, got into 2 cabals... got a decent set of half rares, and got constantly steamrolled by the avatar paladin a ogre ranger and a halfling blademaster ... most of them did so well because of a certain excotic that can lag you, and items that poison, etc. the rares make a HUGE difference, if you cant see that then perhaps you should brush up on math.

ESPECIALLY with classes like warriors that can use nearly every rare vuln weapon available.

If you can honestly tell me you do just as well with mithril helm as helm of spellturning or crown of might then, your not only wrong, your arrogant.

[Pali]

If you can honestly tell me you do just as well with mithril helm as helm of spellturning or crown of might then' date=' your not only wrong, your arrogant.[/color']

Nobody will say you can do just as well in mithril as in a full suit of adeptus. That is obviously not the case. However, that doesn't mean you can't win fights in mithril.

[Twinblades713]

Nobody will say you can do just as well in mithril as in a full suit of adeptus. That is obviously not the case. However' date=' that doesn't mean you can't win fights in mithril.[/quote']

I think of it as two levels in the form of bars. You're skill bar, and your eq bar. If your skill bar is high, with a low set of eq, you can beat someone who's combined eq bar and skill bar are lower than yours. Then you get their eq and your eq bar goes up, making you stronger. If you have enough skill to overcome the "imbalance" of eq, then you will become better (ie more powerful). And through fighting alot your skill bar will slowly increase too.

[a-guitarist]

This was one of the main resons i quit the game, i played for about 3 months, put in the time and effort, got into 2 cabals... got a decent set of half rares, and got constantly steamrolled by the avatar paladin a ogre ranger and a halfling blademaster ... most of them did so well because of a certain excotic that can lag you, and items that poison, etc. the rares make a HUGE difference, if you cant see that then perhaps you should brush up on math.

ESPECIALLY with classes like warriors that can use nearly every rare vuln weapon available.

If you can honestly tell me you do just as well with mithril helm as helm of spellturning or crown of might then, your not only wrong, your arrogant

You picked up some decent things. If you're getting poisoned, did you get cure poison consumables? For every Maladiction, there is a wand, pill, herb, or vial or something somewhere that can fix it...and the only one that is rare is the remove blasphemy one... at least that I know of.

As for Warrior's hitting every vuln? That's the perk of the class. They need the gear to win. An Invoker can hit for tons of damage, and wreck 90% of everyone with the same gear.... a warrior has to pick his set up based on who he is fighting. If a warrior Warmaster was fighitng a Savant Invoker, he'd be geared differently than if he was fighting a Berserker Nexus.

Also, DK's and Zerks can hit almost every vuln as they have almost all the weapons available to them, themselves.

You don't NEED the top gear to fight, you really don't. I've killed a level 30 thief who was decked with a level 30 bard.... when I had squat. Why? Well, I did have a group, but they didn't follow when the thief bolted, I took him solo. Point? I killed him. Then I got his shinies... guess what happened after that? He killed me and took them back. Circle of life? Bingo. So do you need the shinies? Nope... but the sure do help.

Today a DK thrashed me, just raped me. I mean, I feel dirty, I'm going to not be able to sleep tonight, and I'm seriously thinking of calling Detective Benson and Stabler for this one... No clue what he was wearing, last I saw him he was just wearing nice things that were common enough... what was I wearing? A bunch of typical stuff for my level and some rares.

"The Suit doesn't make the man, but it sure does help." is what I was told growing up. It fits in FL, too. Be the best you can, even if you're naked, and you'll still have a fighting chance.

a-g

[Minotaur]

well, for the most part i agree with all of you. Just tired of it being used as an excuse, "All the decked players who don't die wouldn't die without that gear either so why does it matter, blah blah blah."

The pro's of rare/unique gear:

- is necessicary for some melee classes to survive

- allows you to further customize the way you play your character

- gives you that warm fuzzy feeling when you finally get it.

The con's of rare/unique gear:

- #1 cause of character suicide ( delete's)

- top reason for OOC pk

- one of the main reasons for inbalince in cabals. ( some people follow the decked out ogre rangers, whever they go *cough* *cough*. -if you cant beat them join them mentality)

example:

your skill bar ----------

your eqip bar ----------

total: --------------------

newbie skill bar ---

newbie equip bar --

total: -----

chances are the newbie will get discouraged and quit, just my 2 cents.

[Pali]

I think of it as two levels in the form of bars. You're skill bar' date=' and your eq bar. If your skill bar is high, with a low set of eq, you can beat someone who's combined eq bar and skill bar are lower than yours. Then you get their eq and your eq bar goes up, making you stronger. If you have enough skill to overcome the "imbalance" of eq, then you will become better (ie more powerful). And through fighting alot your skill bar will slowly increase too.[/quote']

Overall I'd agree, though luck is also a huge factor in how many fights play out. I took a warrior in mithril (was re-equiping after a death) up against Arath (Syndi elder vampire played by an elite player) in his prime once and beat the ever-unliving snot out of him (I missed one bash with him at awful which let him flee) because I had the blind chance while wandering around trying to re-equip to walk into the room he was in at noon and I figured "what the hell?" and started bashing immediately (no sanc for either of us, and he had the bad luck of me wielding my only weapon at the time - Power staff). I'd have ended up with a full suit of Adeptus had that last bash landed, purely on me having the good luck to catch him in the day unprepped and him having the bad luck to be bashlocked to death by an unenlarged ogre warrior with staff at 107 hitting his vuln.

Hell, invokers of mine have accidentally killed people while I was blind and thought they were my enemy.

EDIT: How is having good eq a cause for OOC pk? Are you saying killing for eq can't be RP?

[a-guitarist]

well, for the most part i agree with all of you. Just tired of it being used as an excuse, "All the decked players who don't die wouldn't die without that gear either so why does it matter, blah blah blah."

The pro's of rare/unique gear:

- is necessicary for some melee classes to survive

- allows you to further customize the way you play your character

- gives you that warm fuzzy feeling when you finally get it.

The con's of rare/unique gear:

- #1 cause of character suicide ( delete's)

- top reason for OOC pk

- one of the main reasons for inbalince in cabals. ( some people follow the decked out ogre rangers, whever they go *cough* *cough*. -if you cant beat them join them mentality)

I've never said that the decked players would still be what some consider unkillable without the gear. They'd be a lot easier to get, but the reason they get the gear is they're smarter players, they're better players, and they know how to get that gear when they don't have it.

The Cons?

# 1 cause of character suicide isn't rare/unique gear, it's realizing that the Gnome Battlemage you bought from Zroth Inc, has only 4 deaths left till condeath... it's getting ripped off. But, seriously, it's actually boredom of character.

Top reason for OOC pk? I might believe this... maybe. If someone just jumps me out of no where in the game, I automatically assume they found out who I played and hate me from these forums. But, what is wrong with wanting to kill the big bad *** wiht a bunch of gear? He's made himself a target, as long as you RP it in the end, I'm cool with it.

And no one wants to be a the losing team. (read the baseball thread I started. That's kinda part of it.) It's no fun getting killed all the time. But, there are people who want to take up a challenge, and just turn the whole thing around. Hell, if I was getting hosed everytime I made a knight, I'd stop playing a knight. The game would not be fun for me if I'm reequiping six times a night. Would I join the other side? Probably not... but that's just me.

Man, I agree with a lot of what you're saying. But, you've only been here three months before taking off and coming back. Give it some more time. You've, in those three months, done more than I've done in the past year... so you are awesome in my book.

a-g

[Imoutgoodbye]

As nice as equipment is (and Avarix wasn't that mean) an invoker on a kamikaze mission will eventually F*CK you over HARD with no VASELINE!

That said, remember, skill is pretty much almost everything. Knowledge is power. And knowing is half the battle.

[Minotaur]

dont get me wrong here, I'm IN NO WAY trying to be negitave. Not at all.

Out of all the games i've played, somewhere in the thousands now... this is one of those games i always thought to be a diamond in the rough.

But during those 3 months i discovered alot of things. too mention a few:

1) there is a ring of players that use AIM, to share OOC info and scout for gear etc.

2) we are all guilty of it the OOC reasons for acquiring gear. everyone who see's someone wearing full adepus has either a concous or subconcous thought of .... can i take that guy?