Anniversary Event 2023 Feedback

[Emberguard]

This game has been poor. This is my first game board. With such poor instructions I tried to spawn stuff to merge as is supposed to be. Obviously that can’t be done. Contacted support several times and they don’t seem to understand what happened and said I got keys from this somehow. Just want my energy back, but not a very customer friendly support person. Asked several times where they would have made a key but they won’t say because of course you can’t. They need better support.View attachment 20116

Images are amazing for identifying what you need help with. If you're finding you're not being understood, I would 100% recommend uploading a image of what you're having trouble with as that may catch an issue you're not even aware exists.

Your verbal description in this thread lends itself to focusing on how to merge two pieces and not much else, but from looking at the image I now see that's not the problem that needs solving. You needed to be directed on how to reset the board.

Bottom left, button with the pink present. Click on it to reset the board. That's what you need to do in this instance.

 

[Plague Masque]

Pretty sure I'm not going to get the full building. Unlike the last event, a level 10 doesn't produce fragments for a final level. Yes I watched Mooingcats videos but I'll be damned if I use the keysolver. I already have a full time job I hate, I don't need another one. Since this is the direction Inno seems to be going in where to get a full building you have to be lucky/not make any mistakes whatsoever in increasingly complicated/time consuming events I think I'm most likely done with FoE.

 

[CDmark]

Found this in Wikia,

If you have a lot of pieces left on the board, you will gain some bonus keys when you progress to a new board! You will always recieve 1 key for each of the following:

• 10 same colour pieces without a key
• 4 same colour pieces with half a key
• 1 same colour piece with a full key

The 4 same color with half key did not work for me, I got nothing. Even with 6 same color half keys, nothing. All I got was 4 more files on my hard drive...lol
I doubt the other ones work too. It may have been in beta but not in live. In case someone reads it and wonders. I didn't test it on purpose, just had the situation to test it, would have rather had no half keys and all full keys. ))

 

[LoveNkind]

Finally, someone else remembers the trauma of the carnival events. I'm always pointing those out as an example of a really bad event.

I loved the Carnival events. This one gives me brain strain. When I sizzle too much, I go off and relax and come back to figure out another set of keys.

 

[LoveNkind]

Is it okay to open a 21 pointer for the daily bonus or does it need to be 27 points?

Today's the first day I didn't get a 27 pointer left over but I do have one that's 21 points.

Just get some more keys until you can open the best one. It's only 6 points difference, but why throw them away?

 

[Darkest.Knight]

In response to CDmark same happened to me and I found that I had to do a lesser chest to get my "hidden" keys back. Submitted a ticket and response was meaningless, didn't seem familiar with the details of the event.

 

[Emberguard]

Found this in Wikia,

If you have a lot of pieces left on the board, you will gain some bonus keys when you progress to a new board! You will always recieve 1 key for each of the following:

• 10 same colour pieces without a key
• 4 same colour pieces with half a key
• 1 same colour piece with a full key

The 4 same color with half key did not work for me, I got nothing. Even with 6 same color half keys, nothing. All I got was 4 more files on my hard drive...lol
I doubt the other ones work too. It may have been in beta but not in live. In case someone reads it and wonders. I didn't test it on purpose, just had the situation to test it, would have rather had no half keys and all full keys. ))

Only if you’ve fully cleared the board of locked pieces. It works, but you must complete the board for it to do so

 

[Fauntleroy]

Hey InnoGames, I have all ready stopped doing this games' Event Quests and do not intend to play this game even with the free Energy items I have! There, that is my quick, concise review of this 11th Anniversary 2023 Event!

Innogames should design games that even an 11 year old can quickly understand the game. Active players should not have to a). create a video to help other players understand the mini-game, and b). look for other players videos of how to play this mini-game!

 

[Dursland]

Does anyone know if the units chest is age locked when you obtain it, or can you save it for when you age up and get current troops?

Someone on the social event thread in Dilmun is asking.

 

[CDmark]

Only if you’ve fully cleared the board of locked pieces. It works, but you must complete the board for it to do so

Hmm, so along with the list Dursland posted earlier, the reward for clearing the WHOLE board, unlock everything, you get one of these game changing items
One-up kit: 20%
Renovation kit: 20%
Finish Special Production: 20%
Epic Historical Questlines Selection kit: 15%
Epic Anniversary 2023 Selection kit: 15%
Finish All Special Production: 10%

AND, (thanks Emberguard)
A couple of keys if you make one of the 3 specific combinations. Any way I could get a 5th place participation ribbon in addition, any color except red.

How about 25 progress and X water and wind keys. No, not fire, please, the fire department knocked on my door last night, told me someone said they saw flames in my window. I said no no, just an abundance of fire keys. Why can't the keys just be random, why have one type of key more abundant by design.

On a positive note, I finally got the hang of the the game. Many thanks for the mooingcat video, it got me over the hump.

 

[Wabbits]

Images are amazing for identifying what you need help with. If you're finding you're not being understood, I would 100% recommend uploading a image of what you're having trouble with as that may catch an issue you're not even aware exists.

Your verbal description in this thread lends itself to focusing on how to merge two pieces and not much else, but from looking at the image I now see that's not the problem that needs solving. You needed to be directed on how to reset the board.

Bottom left, button with the pink present. Click on it to reset the board. That's what you need to do in this instance.

I attached pictures and referenced that I had done so. They either didn’t look or didn’t know what they saw they just said that somehow I had gotten keys from it which was blatantly false. Beyond frustrated.

Even more amazing is I am not a habitual complainer to them, why piss a customer off when solving it is free and simple.

 

[Wabbits]

Sorry, empathy is not my strong suit. The Devs gave us a brief tutorial and a video to introduce us to the mini-game. In addition, @MooingCat unselfishly produced three detailed youtube videos that describe, in detail, how to play the mini-game. Unless this is your first event you should know that INNO doesn't do a very good job of providing step by step instructions on the event mini-games. Others, however, pick up where Inno left off. I suggest that you take some time to watch MooingCat's material. This event is very easy once you get the hang of it....but time is tight.

Honestly have been able to figure out every event for the last 10 years. I have never heard of mooingcat until after this occurred, and of course the mod did nothing to help point in that direction either. If their instructions are so poor why not start with a link to that for everyone? I am just amazed that when fixing it is free and simple and not a recurring issue, why not build the good relationship with your customers instead of damage it going forward?

 

[Johnny B. Goode]

Does anyone know if the units chest is age locked when you obtain it, or can you save it for when you age up and get current troops?

Someone on the social event thread in Dilmun is asking.

If it works like they have in the past, you can save it for when you age up and you'll get current era troops. Just to be sure, refresh the page after you age up but before you open the chest.

 

[Johnny B. Goode]

Honestly have been able to figure out every event for the last 10 years. I have never heard of mooingcat until after this occurred, and of course the mod did nothing to help point in that direction either. If their instructions are so poor why not start with a link to that for everyone? I am just amazed that when fixing it is free and simple and not a recurring issue, why not build the good relationship with your customers instead of damage it going forward?

I can't address support's lack of sympathy for your issue, but I do know that they don't point people to third party content, which is what those videos are. And the tutorial seemed pretty clear in that you moved on to a real board after doing the mandatory "blue arrow" actions. (And while I know of mooingcat, I never watch those videos or pay attention to any of his postings.)

 

[Pericles the Lion]

Honestly have been able to figure out every event for the last 10 years. I have never heard of mooingcat until after this occurred, and of course the mod did nothing to help point in that direction either. If their instructions are so poor why not start with a link to that for everyone? I am just amazed that when fixing it is free and simple and not a recurring issue, why not build the good relationship with your customers instead of damage it going forward?

Heck, I don't know. Anytime I reach out to Support I find them helpful. I suppose that anyone can have a bad day. My question is have you figured the game out? Personally, I'm finding it fun and easy. YMMV

 

[Emberguard]

just said that somehow I had gotten keys from it which was blatantly false

Your feedback that clearer communication is needed is of course valid, however you definitely should have created 1 Fire Key prior to where you got up to in the screenshot you provided

For reference here's an untouched tutorial. As you can see there's just enough pieces to assemble 1 key. It's likely what they were seeing

 

[Xenosaur]

Many of us have made suggestions that, as complexity increases in older events, AND new and unfamiliar minigame designs enter FoE,

Inno should embrace a broader education policy that would probably fix the litany of event complaints. I'm not talking about a single try with arrows that point you through the mechanics, OR, even giving you extra free energy to try it on your own for 10 of 11 moves.

In the case of brand-new minigame engines (like Anniversary), I'm talking about breaking out the mini-game engine for a few days BEFORE the event starts, and allowing people to succeed and fail at learning it with an investment of time - again - BEFORE the game has playing accountability.

To Inno's credit, what you got here was better than what beta got. I commend Inno for the small upgrade to education that was done - but it's not enough.

However, if I were a program manager for events, and was tasked with move a community into more complex AND difficult event games (for better monetization to the company...), I would propose that a part of the event (pre-event time) that gives members a chance to learn it, is essential. No rewards or costs - 2 or 3 boards a day for free, 3 days before the event starts in earnest.

Inno MUST get people from fearfully manifested negativity - to a least neutral or hopefully positive and anticipatory of participation.

With Anniversary event, first look reflects complexity, which is only overcome with education. The game, once adopted, is fun - but to get it adopted by all members of the community (not everyone learns at the same pace as the PhDs here...), they have to get their feet wet, and hands dirty to have the mini-game ephipany and build a strategy.

Then...

Adoption rates will go up, complaints will go down - and the community itself will push back on those who want to whine about how difficult it is, that didn't avail themselves of the sandbox and time investment to play at it to learn it - for free.

What @MooingCat does is spectacular, but it should be on TOP of what the company is responsible for. It's crazy to spend a LOT of money on engineering design for these new and upgraded FoE events - and let them languish because you didn't build the RIGHT KIND OF BRIDGE for the player community to learn it.

 

[Fauntleroy]

Many of us have made suggestions that, as complexity increases in older events, AND new and unfamiliar minigame designs enter FoE, Inno should embrace a broader education policy that would probably fix the litany of complaints. I'm not talking about a single try with arrows that point you through the mechanics, OR, even giving you extra free energy to try it on your own for 10 of 11 moves.

In the case of brand-new minigame engines (like Anniversary), I'm talking about breaking out the mini-game engine for a few days BEFORE the event starts, and allowing people to succeed and fail at learning it with an investment of time - again - BEFORE the game has playing accountability.

To Inno's credit, what you got here was better than what beta got. I commend Inno for the small upgrade to education that was done - but it's not enough.

However, if I were a program manager for events, and was tasked with move a community into more complex AND difficult event games (for better monetization to the company...), I would propose that a part of the event (pre-event time) that gives members a chance to learn it, is essential. No rewards or costs - 2 or 3 boards a day for free, 3 days before the event starts in earnest.

Inno MUST get people from fearfully manifested negativity - to a least neutral or hopefully positive and anticipatory of participation.

With Anniversary event, first look reflects complexity, which is only overcome with education. The game, once adopted, is fun - but to get it adopted by all members of the community (not everyone learns at the same pace and the PhDs here...), they have to get their feet wet, and hands dirty to have the mini-game ephipany and build a strategy.

Then...

Adoption rates will go up, complaints will go down - and the community itself will push back on those who want to whine about how difficult it is, that didn't avail themselves of the sandbox and time investment to play at it to learn it - for free.

What @MooingCat does is spectacular, but it should be on TOP of what the company is responsible for. It's crazy to spend a LOT of money on engineering design for these new and upgraded FoE events - and let them languish because you didn't build the RIGHT KIND OF BRIDGE for the player community to learn it.

First, great post @Xerosaur! While they want to "move a community into more complex AND difficult event games (for better monetization to the company)", Innogames may need to realize that now may not the time to move this game in this direction. Many active players may be experiencing the increased stresses of this economy in the form of increased rents, utilities, and groceries, etc. Many of these active players may be coming home from a needed, hard days work, and simply want to advance their game playing a simple, stress-less game without racking their brain trying to figure out how to play this new mini-game.

In addition, InnoGames needs to understand that there is a subset of active players that either can not or will not pay money to play this game!

Again, great post @Xerosaur! Just my two-cents worth on your excellent post.

 

[Lorendar]

Worst event ever.

 

[Xenosaur]

I've been a player for a while, and I've always loved this CAVE. No one's done anything with it, and frankly - it's a great place to put a

FoE Education Academy for Event Learning



I was working with Bard (Google's public AI model) , to see if it could build an cute acronym, but it's a work in progress to do that.
Anyway - I've always love the CAVE game "Adventure" or aka "Colossal Cave Adventure" and figured this could be a great spot to act as an entry point to the Cave of FoE Event Learning.

Not that I"m designing it - but here's my thinking:

1) Engineering would design the events with the strategic plan to technically allow an easy break out of the minigame mechanics no scoring or prizes. When you open the chests, it could say "good job! You get to play via entering the CAVE academy. This is the same concept as a sandbox, you'll hear many CS types in our community talking about that. @MooingCat is a big fan of the idea, as he's built a rudimentary one for Anniversary, and also for Aztec Settlements. People rave about learning via immersive play, vs just reading an event announcement.
2) The Cave is usually locked (in general), but a week before event is to start on LIVE servers, the Cave would open up, and allow people to click on the black area, and enter.
3) There is no cost or rewards for playing in the Cave of Learning - it's sole purpose is to warm the user community to the mechanics and get them to feel comfortable and ready to play the upcoming event. You can ONLY play for FREE 1-2 times each day to learn it. If you want to play more and get advanced hits (For example: Anniversary has lots of discoverable strategies...), you might be able to pay diamonds for a session with hints or suggestions on a better way to do something, so you can learn deeper event strategies. I'll leave that to Inno to figure out.

Benefits to Inno would be:

1) Reduces player pressure on immediately learning an new event just by reading a long text document (even with pictures) a day or 2 before general live release. Those that learn via a "hands on approach" will warm to being positive, vs holding their nose and publicly bashing it.
2) Reduces the major barrier to adoption (learning in a relaxed atmosphere, and pace ) - across the entire spectrum of players (veterans and newbies).
3) Does not reduce income to Inno, but may substantially enhance income because of #2, and because people have learned enough to chart a path to their own success.
4) Allows everyone, no matter what pace they learn, to try it first so they can ask questions from their own experience. Nothing but upside to them, and to Inno.

It's not JUST so much - IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL PLAY. <-- Editorial license on "Field of Dreams" Movie. (thank you Kevin Costner)

Its - IF YOU BUILD IT AND EDUCATE THEM, MORE will PLAY.