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What is Ruining Motivation in Events?

mamboking053

Well-Known Member
We have a beta-spoiler section and I can't imagine why because I've never heard someone vocalize that they wanted to be surprised by what was coming out, and....there rarely is a surprise. Particularly for the events. By the time an event goes live, most people who bothered to look will know everything about it, and those who didn't look will often ask those who did about this or that. In the end, beta-players sort of ruin the game because they pass on their knowledge of it and the event loses any sense of discovery, risk, or challenge because it's merely about how well you followed the steps laid out for you. When this is the case, the event is a non-event. Any excitement to be had seems to be based on the event rewards. I think a few basic concepts of the game should be released so people aren't totally disoriented, but beta gives people too much. At this point, knowing everything about anything released by the game is culture.

I felt that this was what was killing some of the joy in new events the most. Well, that and...

Entitlement. Many people pass or fail an event based on the prize given, and each prize is compared to former prizes. It seems like the idea that you can actually fail has become blasphemous, and that one expects to be guaranteed a full event building for each event. To me, it seemed like a full-event building was sort of like the championship trophy. You don't get one simply because you participated, you get one because you earned it. If you didn't get the highest level prize, you got something. If it gives you 6fp instead of 10, it still gives you more fp than you had. If you want better, prepare yourself to do better in the next event.

The problems I think that are presented with this philosophy is that older players often have cities full of buildings they have won and will often look to replace those buildings with something better. If the event does not offer something better, than there won't be much motivation in playing it outside of stocking up on daily prizes or items to eventually pawn at the Dealer.

The next problem is that more difficulty in events means that the event must have a little more room for error. But this will mean that those who are very good at solving such events will be able to get more prizes from the event. This didn't seem so bad as the amount of prizes the would get should not be so much as to gain a second event building, but I'm just noting it.

In short, I think the current events are basically low-risk, copy/click scenario's that are very hard to fail at except for operator error or a very unfortunate RNG turnout. I didn't like the Patty's event when it was revealed and so didn't bother looking at the guides. But three days after it started, I started to play just for something to do. It was actually pretty fun to figure out the strategy AS I was playing. I'm definitely not getting the full level 2 set, but that doesn't bother me. I'm likely not even going to put the building down in my city because I don't like event sets (high maintenance). But it was fun to play, a change of pace, and yeah, eventually it becomes monotonous, but anything will.

I think the major thing interfering with player satisfaction concerning events is that players view events as a place where they are guaranteed victory and prizes, rather than a place where they have the chance to complete the entire thing and gain prizes. Like in any other game or sport, failure to win the super bowl does not mean the universe short-changed you (sometimes...? I often wonder just how much corruption is in sports. There is a LOT of money riding on it) It just means you have to try harder and everyone cant be the champion. It would be nice if there were things people can have in cities that showed off their exceptional game-play vs everyone always being able to get the complete main prize and it sort of being..meh. Twas easy.

Also. I haven't played the Egyptian settlements, but I'm really looking forward to that battle system. I made a proposal once that said that combat buffs from the city should be removed in order to increase the challenge of combat in certain areas of the game. If GE5 ever becomes a thing, I think this is one of the ways it will actually become at least more of a challenge.
 
I get what you’re saying, but this is a very long winded post over something that isnt restricted to Forge of Empires. This is just our culture. People go to the movies already knowing all the spoilers. Which I personally think it’s absolutely ridiculous. I rarely even watch trailers for films anymore because they give everything away. That being said, it’s just a game, and not even a game with a real story. It’s just a city building game. Not something complex like final fantasy where i have to play with a no spoiler guide to help me get through it successfully. Anywho, i just don’t think you should waste your energy on this.
 

DeletedUser4441

Spot On. Many players feel they should get top level stuff just for showing up. The Participation Trophy mentality run amok!! :(

Also. I haven't played the Egyptian settlements, but I'm really looking forward to that battle system. I made a proposal once that said that combat buffs from the city should be removed in order to increase the challenge of combat in certain areas of the game. If GE5 ever becomes a thing, I think this is one of the ways it will actually become at least more of a challenge.
The Egyptian CS is going to be much more difficult than previously released cultures. Think of it as an "advanced" CS version. Players are going to have to learn to fight without taking losses and no monster attack boosts. Will be refreshing in a way.
 

Lannister the Rich

Well-Known Member
Other than the entitlement thing, which is not Inno's fault, I disagree with pretty much everything you said.
Like 80% of his post was about “the entitlement thing”, which may not be entirely INNO’s fault but they definitely contributed to it for several events last year by making it incredibly easy to get the big reward.

So, you don’t disagree with everything he said, you just don’t think beta spoilers ruin the events...

Is there a point to this, or do you just like typing long posts.
This is section of the forum is called “forge hall”. Where people can discuss whatever they want about the game. There doesn’t have to be a point.

...

That being said, I noticed how you @mamboking053 mentioned beta spoilers ruining events, then proceeded to provide a beta spoiler about the Egyptian CS
 

DeletedUser32973

Hrm entitlement? I think it's more that if you put in the effort, complete all tasks, and log in every day a player should expect to get a full event prize. Rng really shouldn't be a factor imo. If you're not going to get the prize even after doing everything the event asks of you, then why participate? I have diamond farms as buffers in case I mess up, but I don't think it's asking much to guarantee a full event building when a player diligently completes all available options for an event. I also disagree with comparing this to a sport or competition. It's nothing like that at all. It's more comparable to meeting a quota and getting your due pay imo.

Now most events I think Inno makes it pretty obvious what path you need to take to get the event prize. Others take more research pre event, and I'm not really sure how I feel about forcing a player to research an event from beta to fully succeed in it.
 

Emberguard

Well-Known Member
If you're not going to get the prize even after doing everything the event asks of you, then why participate? [...]

Now most events I think Inno makes it pretty obvious what path you need to take to get the event prize. Others take more research pre event, and I'm not really sure how I feel about forcing a player to research an event from beta to fully succeed in it.
If an event asks you to make choices then the choices will impact the outcome. This isn't a step from A to get to B the entire way. It's a here are your resources, now decide how you want to spend them

This is a strategy game. Like all strategy games you can't expect a guaranteed win if you're not going to employ strategy to maximize the output. That'd be like showing up to a boss fight, spamming the A button without any consideration of the game mechanics and then wondering why the boss was able to counter the attacks or beat you. Collecting equipment leading upto the boss fight isn't completing everything the game asked - you still need to do the boss fight

If this wasn't the case we'd have events with questline rewards as the only prizes. Those are the guaranteed prize for doing what the event asks upto that point. Beyond that it requires actively making choices.

A player doesn't need to research on Beta to complete events to get the top prize. But it will give them a edge by taking away all risk involved by no longer needing to work out what's effective for themselves.
 
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DeletedUser36145

Well, it all comes to the fact, that Inno never cares to explain the event clearly in the announcements.
As we've seen with the current event, three or four tutorials were released on Facebook, and there are still a lot of people who don't understand the idea or the mechanics. And for other events there are no tutorials at all. So, in case a player wants to know what to do in other to get the prize, he/she needs to look for info on beta forum or elsewhere.
That wouldn't have been the case, if Inno took their time to explain clearly and correctly their events in the announcements. But why bother, when beta players can do that instead. And much better in fact, as they really play the game.
 

DeletedUser

As we've seen with the current event, three or four tutorials were released on Facebook, and there are still a lot of people who don't understand the idea or the mechanics.
To me this is very sad, as this is probably one of the least complicated event mini-games I can remember. At least it is to me. It is really a lot like the actual game itself in that you have to figure out how to produce goods and then progress your town with them and your available Pots of Gold (Forge Points?). It can be time consuming and a little monotonous, depending on how you play it, but so is the main game. All the mechanics of the mini-game are pretty darn obvious.

Others take more research pre event, and I'm not really sure how I feel about forcing a player to research an event from beta to fully succeed in it.
I don't look at it like that, I look at it as you have to have been through that type of event mini-game before. Once you've been through the Forge Cup, for example, you should have learned that you need to choose between Daily Prizes and the main event prize when choosing your players/strategy. Similar choices for other event mini-games become clearer the more you go through them. The over-dependence on obtaining quest knowledge pre-event takes a lot of the fun out of the events, in my opinion. I have played this event without knowing anything in advance and am doing just fine with it. To me it is much more relaxing and entertaining to wait until the new quest shows up and then figure out how to go about getting it fulfilled. And none of them so far have taken over 24 hours to fulfill. The misconception ("entitlement" mentality) is that players feel they should be able to get the full prize and the best side/daily prizes in an event the first time they ever play that particular event or type of event. For example, no one should feel like they've been cheated if they don't get the fully upgraded set from this event, because it is the first time for this mini-game. And if they haven't figured out the best strategy for them by the next time it appears, that's on them, not on Inno.
 

Graviton

Well-Known Member
Well, it all comes to the fact, that Inno never cares to explain the event clearly in the announcements.

It was a brand-new mechanic for this game, and I will say I wasn't entirely sure how it worked after reading the announcement, but it became rather self-evident very quickly after I started it.

Hrm entitlement? I think it's more that if you put in the effort, complete all tasks, and log in every day a player should expect to get a full event prize.

I disagree. RNG should be a factor. Choosing the right strategy should be a factor. This is a game, not a paint-by-numbers. Even the simplest of games have factors of RNG and/or strategy; you're either rolling dice or depending on the dealer giving you the cards you need, or you're having to adapt your plan according to what your opponent does. In no true game do you simply follow the same A to B to C every time and win the big prize.

If you're not going to get the prize even after doing everything the event asks of you, then why participate?

Because:

This is a strategy game. Like all strategy games you can't expect a guaranteed win if you're not going to employ strategy to maximize the output.

Emphasis added.
 

Mustapha00

Well-Known Member
I understand that my reply is not exactly on topic here, and I hope you'll indulge me.

My enthusiasm for Events has been dramatically reduced by the sheer, overwhelming number of them.

"Back In The Day", there were perhaps four major Events throughout the year, with a number of smaller "Mini-Events". Those "Mini-Events" usually involved a historic figure or event in history, and the reward was typically a quite creative though hardly game-changing one (as I think was proper).

Now, it seems that there is a major, weeks-long Event almost every month. We also have Daily Challenges. And Guild Expeditions. And the new Guild Battlegrounds. And Cultural Villages. My time available for play is limited, and I just cannot keep all those plates spinning on the tips of the poles. In my opinion, it's overkill.
 

DeletedUser36572

Well, it all comes to the fact, that Inno never cares to explain the event clearly in the announcements.
As we've seen with the current event, three or four tutorials were released on Facebook, and there are still a lot of people who don't understand the idea or the mechanics. And for other events there are no tutorials at all. So, in case a player wants to know what to do in other to get the prize, he/she needs to look for info on beta forum or elsewhere.
That wouldn't have been the case, if Inno took their time to explain clearly and correctly their events in the announcements. But why bother, when beta players can do that instead. And much better in fact, as they really play the game.

We have a forum here.
Many beta players also post here.

There is a sub-forum titled “Questions”.
Many players will help others in that sub-forum.

Each Event also has specific Event Discussion Threads.
Many players/posters will help others there.

Long story short ... If a player doesn’t know something, Inno has provided them with a forum/sub-forum where they can ask for help. If a player is too lazy to ask for help, then that isn’t Inno’s fault.

Help Yourself

.
 

DeletedUser24719

The reason these events are losing player motivation or better yet interest is easy to figure out;
1. They are far too frequent.
2. They are repetitive and thus boring
3. The rewards ain't all that great
4 And last they are just too damn long!
 

RazorbackPirate

Well-Known Member
I understand that my reply is not exactly on topic here, and I hope you'll indulge me.

My enthusiasm for Events has been dramatically reduced by the sheer, overwhelming number of them.

"Back In The Day", there were perhaps four major Events throughout the year, with a number of smaller "Mini-Events". Those "Mini-Events" usually involved a historic figure or event in history, and the reward was typically a quite creative though hardly game-changing one (as I think was proper).

Now, it seems that there is a major, weeks-long Event almost every month. We also have Daily Challenges. And Guild Expeditions. And the new Guild Battlegrounds. And Cultural Villages. My time available for play is limited, and I just cannot keep all those plates spinning on the tips of the poles. In my opinion, it's overkill.
Seems to me the problem is trying to spin all those plates in 5 cities. It simply can't be done. Sounds to me like the time has come for you to shut down your alternate cities or convert them to WW farms. With just one city to focus on, you'll no longer be overwhelmed.

There was a time that there wasn't enough to do in a single city. Now there is. Adjust accordingly.
 

Emberguard

Well-Known Member
My enthusiasm for Events has been dramatically reduced by the sheer, overwhelming number of them.
yeah some times I just skip events altogether in a city to take a break from them.

"Back In The Day", there were perhaps four major Events throughout the year, with a number of smaller "Mini-Events". Those "Mini-Events" usually involved a historic figure or event in history, and the reward was typically a quite creative though hardly game-changing one (as I think was proper).
Not quite. Looking up events Historical started in 2016. Between 2012-2015 you had 5 major events + 1 special. So closer to 6 major events per year.

Historical events only ran from 2016-2018 with 2 historical also being in 2012. Funny thing is major event frequency increased in 2016 to the exact same frequency we have now. 7 + 1 special (2 in 2019)

The historical were basically doubling the amount of events as those were 7-8 per year (with the final year seeing only 5).

So really “back in the day” wasn’t when historical events were around if you’re referring to less frequency of events. It’s only the time prior to that. Whether the length of time per event increased of not I haven’t checked, but even if it did we also don’t have the historical events anyway

3. The rewards ain't all that great
4 And last they are just too damn long!
It can’t only be they’re “not that great” as the rewards have never been better. So much so GBs that used to be considered good or must have are starting to get outperformed by event buildings. You certainly won’t ever get that amount from techtree buildings. But if you’ve already got a city with ”everything” and little space to put something else in then new event buildings aren’t going to be as appealing as the % of ”useable” buildings will be smaller. Not from anything being of less value then it was before, but because you’ve either already got it or would have to delete something else to use it

Events being too long on the other hand I can totally agree with you on. I wouldn’t mind them being half the length
 

RazorbackPirate

Well-Known Member
The reason these events are losing player motivation or better yet interest is easy to figure out;
1. They are far too frequent.
2. They are repetitive and thus boring
3. The rewards ain't all that great
4 And last they are just too damn long!
Every post you have ever made has been to complain. About pretty much everything in the game. Why do you continue to play a game that you hate so much?
 

Mustapha00

Well-Known Member
Seems to me the problem is trying to spin all those plates in 5 cities. It simply can't be done. Sounds to me like the time has come for you to shut down your alternate cities or convert them to WW farms. With just one city to focus on, you'll no longer be overwhelmed.

There was a time that there wasn't enough to do in a single city. Now there is. Adjust accordingly.


RP-

I absolutely do not disagree with you.

For the Christmas Event, I sat it out completely on one World and was so tired of turning in all the tkochkes in another that I quit with perhaps 3k of them left in the bank.

Still...when you've put in a sold year or eighteen months in a particular World, shutting them down is tough. I think I took three months off on E World...and found myself drawn back because of the effort I put in.
 
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