Tree of Savior Forum

Monsters distribution at the world map isn't that great

Gameplay Feedback Monsters
#1

While playing beta I’ve noticed that every map is inhabited by unique monster types. Leaving that location means that you will unlikely meet those mobs again.

In my opinion this is terribly wrong idea, since it harms engagement with the game world. I don’t like when I pass content and never see it again. I don’t feel any emotional connection to games like that, they look too generic and cheaply made.

I’d suggest to alter mob distribution so that same monster kinds spawns in a few adjacent locations (or some fractal distribution, which is even better). I can see next benefits from doing so:

  1. Less content is needed to fill game world. This allows to throw additional resources to improve quality of assets (i.e. monsters) or other needs.
  2. People can hunt same monsters at different locations, which is huge plus for relief and exploration (who knows where the best spawn is).
  3. Progression becomes more smooth. Players won’t always meet significantly stronger mobs at every new area as it is now.
  4. Fewer mob types can make hunting them feel more engaging and rewarding. Why? Because monsters will drop more item types and getting specific one becomes a slot machine. And let’s admit it, slot machine mechanics works excellent in computer games.
  5. Last but not least, players will meet weaker mobs they remember from previous locations along their journey. This builds emotional binds to game and allows players to test how much their might have grown. Don’t you agree that it would be awesome to meet a few popolions at level 40+ location and squash them with your newly learned Rank 3 skills? =)
13 Likes
#2

I have to agree with OP.

For what I have lurked in the forums and the beta intel it seems maps have a non-lineal level progression.
If mobs are also confined to one map only we won’t get any attachment to them.

Having a random number of lower level creatures roaming maps and, even a couple of higher level creatures too will not only make adventures to be remembered but will increase the lore and the attachment to the game.

Trust me.

This guy is the most loved thing all over the world. And that’s for a reason!

All ■■■■ the Poring!

6 Likes
#3

I agree but only if it fits the location. Like if ToS had orcs for example. There should be an orc dedicated map but they should also appear in forest-type areas as well. Also the areas should not be restricted to just lvl 40-45 monsters and nothing else. As long as it fits, throw in a few lower level monsters.

2 Likes
#4

I know this isn’t really what you’re talking about about but you do at least see the same mob by species throughout the maps… A couple examples off the top of my head

I think it’d be kinda weird/pointless to have a lvl 7 enemy in a lvl 85 area – but I guess I really don’t mind if it made other people happy. :slight_smile:

#5

Yeah something like that would also be alright. I don’t mind reskins as long as they’re a little different than their original version. Take for example Poporing from RO. It’s just a leveled up Poring, but it can also poison.

2 Likes
#6

I think this is a great idea. It’d help make the world seem more real since monsters would be moving around and inhabiting different areas of similar terrain. Yes, there are different versions of Kepas, but with a different reskin and stats, they are essentially different monsters of similar type. It would be nice to have a mix of levels within any given map instead of having all monsters within the same map within a 5 level range. It’s true that it might make grinding a bit less efficient, but it’s not like it’ll be any harder to defeat a lower level mob in the way. You’d also be able to hunt for specific item drops on different maps. I’d love to see more Popolions too!

2 Likes
#7

Popotigers, popokittens, popomews, popopanthers… ^

Imagine!

3 Likes
#8

Wow, is this really a serious topic? Usually people complain when all the monsters look the same but have different colors, i was super happy to see how creative IMC was by making different monsters for each area.

1 Like
#9

@chilly0123, it’s more than enough serious topic! At least I didn’t complain here but stated a problem I clearly see from my point of view.

Besides, I didn’t mean that a way to deal with the problem is reskinning monsters. What I mean is that SAME monsters should inhabit different areas. Just like @Medianoche mentioned, it would be cool to meet some familiar monster more frequently along your journey.

#10

Yup yup!

I would definitely love to be hunting and find from time to time a lovely pair of popolions.

Or a poporing~

#11

Completely agree. Unique monsters in every map isn’t good for world building.

#12

You haven’t payed attention then or you haven’t leveled far enough as this is untrue. There are a lot of related monsters.
Woodspirit at level 1, at level 50, 100. Mushcarfung at 3, 30, 50, etc.

1 Like
#13

I know well there are “related” monsters of same KIND in the game, but this is not the main point of my original message =)

The main point is that you can’t meet SAME monster in adjacent locations or anywhere in game. 1 location = 1 monster set. Even though “related” monster might do the trick of reminding you of previous content, they fail at other points I mentioned.

P.S. Yes, I haven’t leveled far enough. I’ve finished at level 43 to be specific.

1 Like
#14

Well, I know what the point was but I hoped you would understand assigning monsters levels based on their location is a horrible and unreasonable idea. It would change this game’s design and simplify it with little to no benefit to the player.
That’s why there are related monsters who look and behave similarly but have different drops and levels.

1 Like
#15

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Indeed what I propose is significant change and chances that IMC will implement it is very low. One of the reasons for that is that the idea I’m speaking about is actually more complex than current one, which allows to tweak game content without influence on other locations/monsters. This is cheap trick and players are smart enough to notice that, IMO.

Same monsters at many locations create interdependencies which are difficult to control, but also provide emergent gameplay to players. And emergent gameplay is usually followed by higher replayability and higher player engagement, so I wouldn’t call my idea worthless =)

1 Like
#16

You mean it is more complicated because now you only look at the monster levels or remember the attacks based on the location and level instead of the appearances?
And how avoid influencing other locations if you want to adapt all locations to offer more often the same types? Finally, how are the exact same spites better and more immersive than related/similar ones if you have to modify the levels, attacks and skills based on the zone level anyway?

2 Likes
#17

I believe we don’t understand each other at all =)
Sorry, but this conversation is not productive since we just talk about different things.
Anyway thanks for your opinion!

#18

He does not understand what we are talking about. XD

#19

Don’t worry, you’ll see rehashed mobs around level 150 or so xD. There’s quite a bit of recoloring, which isn’t that bad anyway.

But yeah, I also think that having all mobs in an area correspond to the same level kind of sucks, but it goes along the ToS way of doing things I guess.

1 Like
#20

I do know what you’re asking for. Basically, you want more RO in ToS or something very similar. But several of the claims both of you made are wrong and partly incompatible with the mechanics in ToS.
Mephilin complains that monsters usually appear on exactly one map and neither on the adjacent nor on later maps. Since the assertion the progression were non-linear or not smooth is very untrue, the occasional jumps in levels well intended and the distribution of mobs to adjoining maps wouldn’t tackle the supposed lack of an emotional connection to the game world I ignored that point and focused the ‘later maps’. After all, even if mobs appear on neighboring maps you still won’t meet those mobs ever again, nor would less diversity of mobs improve the quality of the game as has been baselessly argued.
Now, to re-engage the player with previous ‘assets’ you have the option to either place low levels on high level maps, or vice versa, feature much higher level mobs in low level areas. Considering the linearity of and the form of progression in ToS, to implement the former, other than occasional spawns only for the aesthetics and nostalgia, you have to adapt the levels, skills and drops of such monsters. That is what I covered in my comments above.
The other idea might work in some places if it is a - again - just occasional roaming or summonable boss but you can’t add patches of monsters with set apart level ranges as in RO where you might have 35 lvl 1 mobs, 40 lvl 20 and 30 lvl 40 ones. You might say why not since all mobs are passive anyway, however, ToS maps and gameplay still differ significantly in design, for instance, players are encouraged to grind in certain pockets whereas in RO we are expected to teleport and run over the whole map.

1 Like