Did the Arc Improve the Game?

[DeletedUser29726]

I see....and agree. I guess by this you mean "power-creep"?

I suppose I didn't look at it from every perspective... If each GB is an amplifier, than the Arc amplifies the amplifiers. I do wonder, though, how easy it would be to attain the massive attack bonuses people say need to be attained in the highest ages without hyper-leveling. Maybe the real problem is that the Arc is available at lower ages and that high-level whales swim in the same pond with the small fish (by whales, I mean just huge players in general).

Define "need".

To fight GE4? Because you should bear in mind GE4 wasn't meant to be for everyone anyways - and if that's the only reason you want the boost negotiating difficulty 4 weekly is an easier option than getting your boost higher.

You don't need high boost for the continent. There's maybe 1-2 provinces per age that are meant to be challenging for someone with 90/90 boost.

You don't need high boost for GvG. It might allow you to be lazier/faster/more persistent, but it's not like you *can't* do it at all with 90/90 boost. And more fighters is a better asset than stronger fighters.

You do need high boost for killing people with way too many watchfires in the hood if that's your game - but there's very few people that still play that game.

 

[*Arturis*]

Just put in 106 stc
http://prntscr.com/nd723r
Hitting the super high defense cities in the hood is fun for a while.

 

[DeletedUser32973]

3- It significantly stunts actually learning many aspects of this intricate game.



I disagree. The myriad of interrelated aspects of the game are very much on newer players' minds. They simply don't understand yet how to make best use of it all. Using the Arc to "reach comfort levels" means that inventory/units spent & mistakes made from that point onward matter less & less, until they don't matter at all - it's very nice to be in a position where game nuances aren't terribly important.

We learn an awful lot from not yet having all we wish for & from our mistakes made along the way to achieving our goals. With the Arc + no GB level cap, the only thing you have to know for many aspects of the game is to keep hyperleveling the appropriate GBs. And, that's learned very early on.

The most obvious example of this is fighting. I'm 100% convinced that at least 75% of those with Arcs + any fighting GBs have no clue of fighting strategies. They never had to learn any of it.

I completely disagree here. Mostly because Forge of Empires isn't a complex game with or without the Arc. Fighting is not complex. Production isn't complex. City building isn't complex. Daily challenges aren't complex. Events aren't complex. GE isn't complex. None of it is particularly complex or intricate, and it never was. FoE is more about following a very long term strategy and sticking to it. I equate playing FoE to managing a garden, and the Arc is some crazy fertilizer. Just my 2 cents. (I think the most complexity you get is with social networking honestly)

In any case, for better or for worse, I believe the Arc was Inno's way of increasing the longevity of the game, and I do believe it worked. Yes it makes GB leveling faster, however I think you'd see more people quit leveling GBs at 10 and getting bored if they didn't have the Arc. Are there some balance issues at certain levels? Maybe, but it's not a big deal imo.

 

[DeletedUser38090]

crazy fertilizer

Another man's crud is another man's crazy fertilizer, if you get what I'm saying...

 

[Emberguard]

You can always buy someone else's account with a level 80 arc for a lot less.

That's strictly against game rules and if you're ever found out you've lost all your money

GE64 just hitting auto battle (other than 1st putting your solo unit in the corner) with total disregard for troop loss.

I have never done that even prior to getting a Arc and have yet to hyper lvl anything from the Arc. I almost always use auto. It's just arranging which troops to go in with regardless. Alcatraz lvl 7 so again, using the same troop layout each time isn't from the Arc - it's from the Alcatraz and Rogues.

What I did learn was which combination of troops are useful against what prior to using Rogues and was getting quite good at it

These people already exist. Many plunderers are VERY entitled a**h***s in my opinion. Doesn't mean I care.

Interesting. I would have thought the entitled ones are the players that swear at the plunderers instead of trying to negotiate or get help in regards to countering plundering. This is a game of war so it's unreasonable to expect to never lose to the opponent or be so attached to your stuff that losing a single thing is a major deal. If you can never lose then you can never grow as a player

What makes someone think they should be able to play isolated from all consequences of connections while still benefiting from connections? Or that the competition should ignore their presence / go easy? ​

 

[DeletedUser30900]

What makes someone think they should be able to play isolated from all consequences of connections while still benefiting from connections? Or that the competition should ignore their presence / go easy? ​

stupidity.

 

[DeletedUser33179]

I have never done that even prior to getting a Arc and have yet to hyper lvl anything from the Arc. I almost always use auto. It's just arranging which troops to go in with regardless. Alcatraz lvl 7 so again, using the same troop layout each time isn't from the Arc - it's from the Alcatraz and Rogues.

What I did learn was which combination of troops are useful against what prior to using Rogues and was getting quite good at it
​

Glad you're actually learning how to fight. I've still quite a ways go to be proficient, but enjoying the process.

My point is not that all aspects of the game can only be accomplished very well with an Arc. Nor is it that an Arc is only useful for hyperleveling. And, of course, we're all free to choose not to bring it above 10 or to not get the Arc at all.

The issue, as I see it, is that the tool set - no GBs level cap & the Arc - is an overpowering combination.

All other GBs only compliment those other GBs with similar benefits (such benefits are stacked, but each GB's separate values/numbers are not directly increased). The Arc is unique. It directly & massively increases every GB's power/benefits without exception. In the process of hyperleveling any GB with a swap group, the process itself can provide almost all the fuel (bps & fps) required to keep hyperleveling it. The rate of proliferation of hyperleveled Arcs - as well as that of those Arc80s helping increase any level of any GB (think of how many fps one such player has the potential to donate & to how many different GBs) - is exceptional.

From the perspective of a great many players, it's awesome what the Arc can do. I don't begrudge Arc owners using their GBs to their fullest potential. Go for it.

But from the perspective of the city building (+ some PvP) game itself. That's much too much obtained much too quickly. Accumulation of inventory/etc, att/def, GBs & their levels, etc are all supposed to, by design, require time & effort. GBs improve & speed up the process, like driving on an expressway instead of a city street. All GBs except the Arc, that is. It speeds things up at warp speed.

 

[DeletedUser33179]

I completely disagree here. Mostly because Forge of Empires isn't a complex game with or without the Arc. Fighting is not complex. Production isn't complex. City building isn't complex. Daily challenges aren't complex. Events aren't complex. GE isn't complex. None of it is particularly complex or intricate, and it never was. FoE is more about following a very long term strategy and sticking to it. I equate playing FoE to managing a garden, and the Arc is some crazy fertilizer. Just my 2 cents. (I think the most complexity you get is with social networking honestly)

In any case, for better or for worse, I believe the Arc was Inno's way of increasing the longevity of the game, and I do believe it worked. Yes it makes GB leveling faster, however I think you'd see more people quit leveling GBs at 10 and getting bored if they didn't have the Arc. Are there some balance issues at certain levels? Maybe, but it's not a big deal imo.

I disagree with your disagreement.

Consider the average hood in any given Age. How many hoodies have the fully leveled Main Buildings from each of the Events from over the past 6-12 months? Those maxed Event buildings were obtainable by a basic city setup with good game fundamentals, even in the lowest of Ages - and without diamonds, without spending all day playing, & without an Arc (or most other GBs, really). How many hoodies only have 2-4 event buildings of any kind (I'm not talking about high ranked players who may be choosing not to place what they won as it isn't needed)?

FoE is a wonderful dynamic game with alot of interrelated components. It is complex. If it wasn't, there wouldn't be such a dearth of players able to complete all Events & gain max-leveled buildings

But, to you with your knowledge base/etc, all that complexity isn't difficult for you to manage.

 

[Emberguard]

How many hoodies have the fully leveled Main Buildings from each of the Events from over the past 6-12 months? Those maxed Event buildings were obtainable by a basic city setup with good game fundamentals, even in the lowest of Ages - and without diamonds, without spending all day playing, & without an Arc (or most other GBs, really). How many hoodies only have 2-4 event buildings of any kind (I'm not talking about high ranked players who may be choosing not to place what they won as it isn't needed)?

Now that you mention it..... I do have under lvl'd events on my main world without advanced GBs, but only because it saves me from needing reno/one-up kits. Got all the upgrades needed in inventory.

 

[DeletedUser32973]

I disagree with your disagreement.

Consider the average hood in any given Age. How many hoodies have the fully leveled Main Buildings from each of the Events from over the past 6-12 months? Those maxed Event buildings were obtainable by a basic city setup with good game fundamentals, even in the lowest of Ages - and without diamonds, without spending all day playing, & without an Arc (or most other GBs, really). How many hoodies only have 2-4 event buildings of any kind (I'm not talking about high ranked players who may be choosing not to place what they won as it isn't needed)?

FoE is a wonderful dynamic game with alot of interrelated components. It is complex. If it wasn't, there wouldn't be such a dearth of players able to complete all Events & gain max-leveled buildings

But, to you with your knowledge base/etc, all that complexity isn't difficult for you to manage.

On the topic of events, you basically complete them by just logging in everyday. Almost everything is automatic just by regular city play. A couple of things you might plan for like 24 hour productions, but that's not strictly necessary. Hoodies who are struggling or have incomplete buildings probably play FoE very casually. Not to mention very fresh newbies or poorly planned campers.

It's all about perspective I guess. Imo the arc adds more complexity, not less. I think it actually forced a lot more social interaction and coordination into the game. Just from personal experience, my family was very solo and almost anti-social in FoE. The Arc is what forced them to actually start interacting with others.

 

[Salsuero]

That's strictly against game rules and if you're ever found out you've lost all your money

It may be against the rules, but I've pointed out several accounts that were "sold" after the original owner quit the game... with direct communication from the player admitting as much. Nothing happened to them. I don't know what the criteria is for Inno actually taking action, but it doesn't appear to be equal across the board.

Interesting. I would have thought the entitled ones are the players that swear at the plunderers instead of trying to negotiate or get help in regards to countering plundering. This is a game of war so it's unreasonable to expect to never lose to the opponent or be so attached to your stuff that losing a single thing is a major deal. If you can never lose then you can never grow as a player

I never said there aren't many plunderees that fit that bill either. But the plunderers I'm speaking of have worked there way into a position of strength and take advantage of what they've built. I simply mean to point out that gaining an advantage in this game doesn't necessarily create the a**h***e. There are plenty of them that just start out that way and are further enabled by the style of play they've chosen.

 

[Emberguard]

[…] But the plunderers I'm speaking of have worked there way into a position of strength and take advantage of what they've built. I simply mean to point out that gaining an advantage in this game doesn't necessarily create the a**h***e. There are plenty of them that just start out that way and are further enabled by the style of play they've chosen.

Ok, that I can agree with then.

 

[DeletedUser]

It may be against the rules, but I've pointed out several accounts that were "sold" after the original owner quit the game... with direct communication from the player admitting as much. Nothing happened to them. I don't know what the criteria is for Inno actually taking action, but it doesn't appear to be equal across the board.

There is a provision in the rules for accounts to be transferred, but not sold. I find it odd that you would believe the claims of random players and then assume, based on their specious claims, that Inno is not fairly applying game rules. Especially when you have no way of knowing either the truth of whether the account was actually sold or whether Inno actually did or did not take any action.

 

[DreadfulCadillac]

There is a provision in the rules for accounts to be transferred, but not sold. I find it odd that you would believe the claims of random players and then assume, based on their specious claims, that Inno is not fairly applying game rules. Especially when you have no way of knowing either the truth of whether the account was actually sold or whether Inno actually did or did not take any action.

so wait technically u can sell your account and the person who bought it can countinue playin? #justcurious

 

[*Arturis*]

It may be against the rules, but I've pointed out several accounts that were "sold" after the original owner quit the game... with direct communication from the player admitting as much. Nothing happened to them. I don't know what the criteria is for Inno actually taking action, but it doesn't appear to be equal across the board.
.

Sad but true, your tickets ended up closed. If support doesn’t believe me, check their own automatic answers from my last ticket lol. Something like this and dead end close, nothing happened:

Hello LacLongQuan,

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We appreciate all players that help the Forge team to keep our game running without rule breakers. LacLongQuan, I will investigate and take the appropriate action(s) if I find rule breaking.

Kind regards,

CooperR
Ingame Moderator
Forge of Empires, U.S.

 

[Salsuero]

I find it odd that you would believe the claims of random players

I find it odd that you would assume these were "claims" made by "random players" actually.

assume, based on their specious claims, that Inno is not fairly applying game rules

It's not an assumption. I know what happened to the accounts I reported because the owners, who I'd been dealing with for a long time in-game told me what they were doing. Inno also told me they don't allow passwords to be shared, but that's exactly what they allow.

Especially when you have no way of knowing either the truth of whether the account was actually sold or whether Inno actually did or did not take any action.

Ok, boss. I don't need you to question what I do or don't know when you don't know either. You're simply taking Inno's side on something you weren't involved in. That's not any better than what I've done in my opinion.

 

[DeletedUser]

That's not any better than what I've done in my opinion

Nor any worse, so what's your point?

I know what happened to the accounts I reported because the owners, who I'd been dealing with for a long time in-game told me what they were doing

So you only know what these players have told you. And no one ever says anything untrue, do they? You assume that they are telling you the truth.

You're simply taking Inno's side on something you weren't involved in.

And you're simply criticizing Inno on something you weren't involved in. Stalemate.

 

[DeletedUser]

so wait technically u can sell your account and the person who bought it can countinue playin? #justcurious

No, you can't sell your account. You can transfer it within the rules, but only if you go through support and there is no payment involved. That's what the game rules state.

 

[DeletedUser36020]

So as off topic as this discussion is., it is ironic because #2 in my main world, Q, is in their own guild called "For Sale"
2 accounts. Only statement in guild status is "for sale"

That's blatantly obvious selling.

 

[DreadfulCadillac]

No, you can't sell your account. You can transfer it within the rules, but only if you go through support and there is no payment involved. That's what the game rules state.

ok ty