Unbalance & Possible Fixes

[Immy]

So as we know there is horrible faction balance on both servers. Siel has an overwhelming majority of Asmos and Isra has Elyos overwhelmingly winning. Leaving both opposite factions unable to do anything at any time in any real form of PVP content or Abyss. NCSoft allowing people to swap servers during the 100% buff only made it worse. So now we are at a pivotal point in the game for NCSoft based on their continued bad decisions or lack there of.

How do we fix this issue? Will NC ever fix these issues or are they just content in letting a nostalgic game for most here die horribly?

The obvious answer to this dilemma is to just merge servers. Since we can no longer expect gating of creation for factions with numbers that are 3 to 1 in most high points of the day. What other options are there other than to just let the game die as people quit due to having no fun on either side? Would any sort of pity system even truly help as this point? Probably not unless they are just going to flat out give AP or gear to people (which takes away the fun of earning gear).

So I ask what does the community think NC could do to fix the horrid faction balance so both sides are having as much fun as they can while this version persists?

[Saitamasensei]

Actually, Siel has a good balance in terms of population during Siege. Winning and Losing is more on leadership I could say.

As far as I could tell while attending sieges in Asmo side, the leadership and command is clear and executable also players are somewhat obedient to the command (with very few rogues). This is why the leaders can manage the race easily.

Idk with the situation in Israphel, but as far as I heard, its failure in sieges is more like a leadership issue at the start and continues to downward spiral until some of the players make their toons in Siel.

If there will be a merge, I doubt that there will be big changes as Siel's leadership is established on both Elyos and Asmos. I can see an improvement in IS-Asmos as they can go with the flow to the current reigning leadership of Siel-Asmos. But on Elyos side, if both IS and Siel will be alpha males, it will turn into much more chaotic scenario in leadership.

Eitherways, combining servers if not studied well may do more harm than good. Note that when the two server will be merged, the gatherable is technically divided by two, there will be as twice as many crafters in the server, lesser space for abyss grind, more gank in low level maps and other factors that affects the continuity of the game.

The longevity of game is determined not only on the current population, it is also determined on how many new players are registering and will play the game up to the end game (Basic Formula: In - Out = Accumulation). This is where Aion became so brutal to new players as older players are so well-geared they can wipe clean the other faction maps so easily. A lack of end-game content also result to Twinking where people stays at lower level (with very high end gears) just to enjoy mid level PvP resulting to easy burnout of aspiring new players.

[Gladzilla]

On 7/27/2021 at 12:09 AM, Immy said:

So as we know there is horrible faction balance on both servers. Siel has an overwhelming majority of Asmos and Isra has Elyos overwhelmingly winning. Leaving both opposite factions unable to do anything at any time in any real form of PVP content or Abyss. NCSoft allowing people to swap servers during the 100% buff only made it worse. So now we are at a pivotal point in the game for NCSoft based on their continued bad decisions or lack there of.

How do we fix this issue? Will NC ever fix these issues or are they just content in letting a nostalgic game for most here die horribly?

The obvious answer to this dilemma is to just merge servers. Since we can no longer expect gating of creation for factions with numbers that are 3 to 1 in most high points of the day. What other options are there other than to just let the game die as people quit due to having no fun on either side? Would any sort of pity system even truly help as this point? Probably not unless they are just going to flat out give AP or gear to people (which takes away the fun of earning gear).

So I ask what does the community think NC could do to fix the horrid faction balance so both sides are having as much fun as they can while this version persists?

saying siel has over amount of asmos is actually like you are a window licker eating crayons and sniffing glue. try leveling as a asmo right now u have to fight against parties of ely i actually enjoy it but im sick of seeing LFG being treated like a QQ therapist. ANYWAYS back in the day we were also still outnumbered 3 to 1 its about the same nowadays. dosent matter considering firebrand and trevon with a full group jumped a party of 6 lvl 45-48s in blue gear and still got smoked NUMBERS and GEAR dont mean NOTHING when u dont have SKILL GG.

[Immy]

6 hours ago, Saitamasensei said:

Actually, Siel has a good balance in terms of population during Siege. Winning and Losing is more on leadership I could say.

As far as I could tell while attending sieges in Asmo side, the leadership and command is clear and executable also players are somewhat obedient to the command (with very few rogues). This is why the leaders can manage the race easily.

Idk with the situation in Israphel, but as far as I heard, its failure in sieges is more like a leadership issue at the start and continues to downward spiral until some of the players make their toons in Siel.

If there will be a merge, I doubt that there will be big changes as Siel's leadership is established on both Elyos and Asmos. I can see an improvement in IS-Asmos as they can go with the flow to the current reigning leadership of Siel-Asmos. But on Elyos side, if both IS and Siel will be alpha males, it will turn into much more chaotic scenario in leadership.

Eitherways, combining servers if not studied well may do more harm than good. Note that when the two server will be merged, the gatherable is technically divided by two, there will be as twice as many crafters in the server, lesser space for abyss grind, more gank in low level maps and other factors that affects the continuity of the game.

The longevity of game is determined not only on the current population, it is also determined on how many new players are registering and will play the game up to the end game (Basic Formula: In - Out = Accumulation). This is where Aion became so brutal to new players as older players are so well-geared they can wipe clean the other faction maps so easily. A lack of end-game content also result to Twinking where people stays at lower level (with very high end gears) just to enjoy mid level PvP resulting to easy burnout of aspiring new players.

I'd agree with the gathering and crafting issue, but as it stands dont you think prices should drop a bit in the market since there is not regulation prices seem to have gotten out of hand everywhere.

2 hours ago, Gladzilla said:

saying siel has over amount of asmos is actually like you are a window licker eating crayons and sniffing glue. try leveling as a asmo right now u have to fight against parties of ely i actually enjoy it but im sick of seeing LFG being treated like a QQ therapist. ANYWAYS back in the day we were also still outnumbered 3 to 1 its about the same nowadays. dosent matter considering firebrand and trevon with a full group jumped a party of 6 lvl 45-48s in blue gear and still got smoked NUMBERS and GEAR dont mean NOTHING when u dont have SKILL GG.

Insulting people like a child is no way to debate your point. Articulating a point and speaking like an adult who has grown up since 2012 will get a reply worth both of our time.

[Gladzilla]

sorry i stated actual facts not theories about numbers that are incorrect. 

[Saitamasensei]

28 minutes ago, Immy said:

I'd agree with the gathering and crafting issue, but as it stands dont you think prices should drop a bit in the market since there is not regulation prices seem to have gotten out of hand everywhere.

Everything excessive is bad, price drop is good for consumer but also bad for crafters.

Note that most of the crafters buy their materials.. With the gathering area and monster packsize is "theoretically" divided by two and the number of crafter is doubled, the prices of raw materials will be higher than usual. This means that the crafter will sell their at higher price with less profit margin. This will be both bad for consumer and crafter.

[Immy]

10 hours ago, Saitamasensei said:

Everything excessive is bad, price drop is good for consumer but also bad for crafters.

Note that most of the crafters buy their materials.. With the gathering area and monster packsize is "theoretically" divided by two and the number of crafter is doubled, the prices of raw materials will be higher than usual. This means that the crafter will sell their at higher price with less profit margin. This will be both bad for consumer and crafter.

This maybe true but the overall market needs to be regulated in my opinion. Free markets don't work as we can see with how ridiculous pricing is now in my opinion. The ability to make kinah is way to low for the overall price of current items today.

[Polychrome-DN]

On 7/28/2021 at 12:05 AM, Saitamasensei said:

Actually, Siel has a good balance in terms of population during Siege. Winning and Losing is more on leadership I could say.

As far as I could tell while attending sieges in Asmo side, the leadership and command is clear and executable also players are somewhat obedient to the command (with very few rogues). This is why the leaders can manage the race easily.

Idk with the situation in Israphel, but as far as I heard, its failure in sieges is more like a leadership issue at the start and continues to downward spiral until some of the players make their toons in Siel.

If there will be a merge, I doubt that there will be big changes as Siel's leadership is established on both Elyos and Asmos. I can see an improvement in IS-Asmos as they can go with the flow to the current reigning leadership of Siel-Asmos. But on Elyos side, if both IS and Siel will be alpha males, it will turn into much more chaotic scenario in leadership.

Eitherways, combining servers if not studied well may do more harm than good. Note that when the two server will be merged, the gatherable is technically divided by two, there will be as twice as many crafters in the server, lesser space for abyss grind, more gank in low level maps and other factors that affects the continuity of the game.

The longevity of game is determined not only on the current population, it is also determined on how many new players are registering and will play the game up to the end game (Basic Formula: In - Out = Accumulation). This is where Aion became so brutal to new players as older players are so well-geared they can wipe clean the other faction maps so easily. A lack of end-game content also result to Twinking where people stays at lower level (with very high end gears) just to enjoy mid level PvP resulting to easy burnout of aspiring new players.

 

Yeah, this. As an Elyos on Siel I don't really feel like there's too many or two little of either faction. Though the Elyos do have some infighting problems... (To a point it's amusing, but you do wish people would stop throwing tantrums about who messed up what.) 

I do agree that something has to be done to balance rifting, but my worry is that it ends up like Live did: Gutted. I do not want to lose the Abyss again, so I'm not sure what the real answer is at this point. Honestly I think we could somewhat reign in the "twinks" by making PvP gear useless anywhere except the Abyss (regardless of if  you're in the other folks' territory or not, and I have no idea how this would be balanced for Balaurea). Of course, this doesn't negate the fact that with some classes, it's more down to who gets the drop on the other guy first.

To both sides' credit, so far I have seen that if a twink gets out of hand, there's usually a squad or five of players ready and waiting to chase them off. I have seen this activity on my own side, as well as on the Asmos. 

Israphel is a tough nut to crack, since many Asmos have jumped ship. The sad part is, I eventually planned on making an Asmo there, because I never had a chance to fully experience that side of the story. I still plan to eventually, but I kind of feel like I'm invested in my current character right now.

[Saitamasensei]

3 hours ago, Polychrome-DN said:

Honestly I think we could somewhat reign in the "twinks" by making PvP gear useless anywhere except the Abyss (regardless of if  you're in the other folks' territory or not, and I have no idea how this would be balanced for Balaurea).

Making PvP gear useless non-Abyss area is brutal and it will be definitely thrown into bin.

3 hours ago, Polychrome-DN said:

I do agree that something has to be done to balance rifting, but my worry is that it ends up like Live did: Gutted. I do not want to lose the Abyss again, so I'm not sure what the real answer is at this point.

I am thinking of of putting a player a movement speed (-10%) and attackspeed/castspeed (-3%) debuff when you are rifting on other faction's map. The reason for this is that you can run away if you are ganked. Putting a slight disadvantage on the raider. With this the survivability of the ganked player increases slightly. Also, they can put up a guard/npc which can give a 5min buff which can block a total of 1,000 damage near the safezones, this is to prevent the raider to camp-out the safezones. 

For the abyss, i love the way the abyss works now. No need for it to revise/gut.