Four Winds Quest

[Baggis]

I don't need to provide examples of games to make my point.

There was an element of luck, not in being able to complete the quest, only in how simply it could be completed. Removing any element of luck would only make it a simpler and less interesting do A, do B, do C type experience which is no different to the game. I fail to see really how your point does not translate to anything other than expecting the rewards without having to put the effort in. So BB didn't provide everyone with gems, silos and watermills on a plate with a 'good job'. I've seen plenty of people complaining during FW that they have done 1 or 2 of X adventure with 33% chance of completing requirement, not got granite and thrown their toys out of the pram.

I seem to find these events polarise people into two camps, the people who enjoy a challenge, see it adds to the game and succeed and the others who decide it's not worth their time and then complain about BB's decisions and trash the event. This was a big improvement over EOTW and I hope they keep up the progress.

[BobLurker]

Please don't try to patronise me, it doesn't help your argument. The key statement you make is this:

There was an element of luck, not in being able to complete the quest, only in how simply it could be completed.

And this is where you are wrong. In order to complete the quest you HAD to be lucky enough to get more than one specific reward drop. Without them you could not complete the quest. As you can see, many players completed many, many adventures without getting the necessary reward. Getting lucky is not a challenge, it's just random chance with no regard for skill or dedication.

I'm really not trying to be awkward here - the quest required random luck to be completed and random luck on the critical path of a game design is bad design. That's all there is to it. I very much hope BB have learned from their mistake, because it really is a bad mistake and not only should it not happen again it should never have happened in the first place. In future quests I expect them just to require us to complete a specific adventure (preferably hard to get or hard to complete ones) or complete it with certain new restrictions (soldier loss limits and so on). If they continue relying on blind luck, then I will again simply cancel the quest.

[Gerontius]

Yes, the need to get lucky was there to stand in for a challenge. An imaginative design team would have developed an actual challenge.

I wasn't remotely "challenged" by the event, even though my supply chain migt have been. But there was never any difficulty in deciding what I needed to do to meet the requirements of the quest chain.

[Xehivia]

I disagree with the whole bad design thing. If the game threw out loot in a set manner then it would reduce adventures into a boring and predictable experience. There would be no waiting for the loot with bated breath wondering if you're lucky or not today. The whole point of Four Winds was that it was supposed to throw everyone out of their comfort zones, get people doing different adventures from normal, building new buildings, challenging their islands to produce more efficiently and working with their guild/friends to reach common goals. I had to do Motherly love and Surprise attack many times to get the necessary granite and it was all part of the fun. Despite having to do in excess of 15 expensive adventures to get through my quest chain, I managed to do it well within the original timescale but i can see why they extended it as there was alot to do in the time given. Had there been no timelimit then it would have been no challenge and pointless. BB gave us an interesting mini-event with good rewards to fill the gap before Easter. They should be congratulated.

So you had to do in excess of 15 expensive adventures to get through the quest chain. Please could you post how many of your attempts were via loot spots?

[LjepiLeo]

Please don't try to patronise me, it doesn't help your argument. The key statement you make is this:



And this is where you are wrong. In order to complete the quest you HAD to be lucky enough to get more than one specific reward drop. Without them you could not complete the quest. As you can see, many players completed many, many adventures without getting the necessary reward. Getting lucky is not a challenge, it's just random chance with no regard for skill or dedication.

I'm really not trying to be awkward here - the quest required random luck to be completed and random luck on the critical path of a game design is bad design. That's all there is to it. I very much hope BB have learned from their mistake, because it really is a bad mistake and not only should it not happen again it should never have happened in the first place. In future quests I expect them just to require us to complete a specific adventure (preferably hard to get or hard to complete ones) or complete it with certain new restrictions (soldier loss limits and so on). If they continue relying on blind luck, then I will again simply cancel the quest.

what will be with players who can not finish "four winds" because there is no Old Friends adventure available? will we get any reward because we finished 9.5/10 of quest

and I finished adventure 2 times ( <--- strike that - 3 times done) and I did not get granite

[Gerontius]

You didn't finish the chain, you won't get the final reward. It's that simple.

Except that BB will probably realise their mistake, give a half hearted apology and a consolation prize to everyone just as they did after the EtoW disaster.

(I would add that, personally, I didn't mind EotW, it was just really dull having one large adventure with huge amounts of walking to do! This is just an epic disaster)

[BlueFairy]

I do think the design of the event was poor (being polite) and imo that was largely due to the luck element, but also that the original time scale was just 2 weeks. Extending the time frame did not help much for those that looked at the chain and "knew" there was no realistic chance to complete in 2 weeks.

TSO is not a game that requires you to log in for 4-5 hours a day, every day, to play the game successfully. Some might choose to, but it is not a necessity. I think this aspect is one of the reasons why the game is as successful as it is. Many players that are short on time were alienated by the original short time frame.

Challenging... yup parts of this quest could be considered challenging by some. I object to that word being used. Chess is a challenging game, Bingo is not. This chain had more in common with Bingo. No insult meant to those that enjoy a sociable game of Bingo as I myself have enjoyed a few

I just find it the whole "luck" aspect of it grossly unfair. Some people are failing - not because they have not put the effort in, but because luck were not on their side.

I applaud and congratulate those that have completed the chain, and have heartfelt sympathy for those that put time, effort and resources in, but are unable to complete the quest chain through no fault of their own. I understand how disheartening it must feel.

I loved the idea of EotW, and I loved the idea of 4 Winds, just not the execution of it. I think we need events throughout the year apart from Halloween, Xmas and Easter. I am hoping that we will have more events, but - also hoping that what should be valuable lessons and feedback from the player community will be taken into consideration before the next one is let loose on us.


Blue

[Ilwe]

Just to add a point ... after 5th attempt in Old Friends I've dont' found any granite .... GRRRRRRR!
nothing more to add I think ....

[phullfatt]

I completed the quest after having to do 11 bandit nest to get granite, i was lucky with old freinds i got granite first time. had BB not extended i would not have been able to finish. If luck is to be a part of these events then there needs to be no time limits as not every player is able to play for hours everyday or they risk alienating a lot of players who have real life commitments

[Friedewart]

just started the 4th time Dark Priest, i hope i will get the granite this time. Took me already 2 pirates to get the first granite. many thanks to my guilde otherwise i would be able to do it 4 times in a row. Who designed this?