With all these threads blaming different aspects of the game for killing it, I’m curious to see what the most popular issue plaguing the game is. I realize it’s probably a combo of things they cause people to quit but if you could fix one thing instantly, what would it be?
0 voters
Its even for me between bots, optimization and exploiters… i think optimization takes it though.
I think the results of this poll are going to be quite predictable.
This is a very well made poll though. It should give some excellent feedback to the staff, despite the fact that they already know the issue just as much as we do this gives them some pretty clear numbers to show to upper staff members.
To explain my vote. Optimisation followed by balance. Other things are issues, but on a much much smaller scale. Even the biggest games have people complaining about bots, just type “wow botting” into google and you’ll come up with a decade of results including countless complaints this year. It’s not really a fixable issue, it can only be fought constantly and never truly solved.
Exploiters are actually getting solved on a week by week basis. I’ve lost count of the number of known exploiters and hack users that are no longer in game now.
So for me that really leaves the two big ones - Optimisation immediately followed by balance. Balance is secondary because optimisation is really the reason people struggle with a lot of the game, balance can be solved after people are actually able to play all the features of the game consistently without crashing or dropping below 30fps at the stated minimum specs with the lowest game settings.
I agree with pretty much everything you said. Th results so far pretty much line up with what I thought they would be. I guess I did leave out a big problem that I’m going to bring up right now; the lack of communication from IMC. This poll only took a minute to create so why has the staff not done anything like this? Granted there is a whole subforum for feedback and this may well be in the wrong forum, but I decided to post here because this is the one that most people read.
I chose optimization, because as Awoooo said, that’s the kicker. You can’t really have a discussion with someone about Tree of Savior without that popping up some where as a topic, because nearly everybody seems to struggle with it to some degree.
I agree about balance as well, was one of my reasons for a small break from ToS. If you love melee, and you’ve leveled a few Swordies to 200+, it can become quite frustrating. Balance is an issue across the board for many classes, though it’s kinda cute on Sadhu since you can say they are “Sad hue…” xD Anyway, I decided to pick up classes I know for now work better to alleviate some irritation. For a game about class versatility, you shouldn’t have to do that.
Lastly, advertising. I know a lot of gamers online, and I meet more daily outside of ToS. Not one person I’ve met in the last five-six months has had a clue what ToS even is. Sure, ToS had a great start, but we’ve all seen the population declining threads pasted everywhere. Once the first two things are fixed, because these are the biggest factors driving people away from the game - not much point in pulling new people in for them to just leave - I hope they start throwing out more advertisements to their Western market.
I voted Other only because I think these issues can all be roped under one general problem: Lack of attention by IMC staff for iToS.
I realize this is a primarily Korean game,and that the main market would always be South Korea.I think a lot of us knew that to begin with.But other companies also release their games in other countries,and they manage them pretty similarly other than the Korean versions getting content a bit earlier than others.
They’re a small company,this seems to be fact at this point even if they won’t say this.But they knew they would be releasing this internationally.Why were they not more prepared? Why did we not get staff more fluent in English and Spanish? Why doesn’t the forum at least get more regular attention? If I could sit down with even 1 staff member of IMC,I would have so many questions for them.A lot of what they do has me confused beyond belief.
So yeah,I think this is currently the biggest issue only because these other issues would get solved if iToS was taken more seriously.We love this game,we play just as much as the Korean players do,and we also give them our money.We deserve more than this.
I should add that even though some of these issues a significant number of people consider to be more important, I agree with you on communication.
I think exploiters and bots would be regarded as a significantly less important issue if the playerbase were properly educated. This should come in the form of communication and in game content that seeks to address the issues that the playerbase considers the most important.
What often happens in games is that the playerbase has a different view of what’s important compared to the developers. This is because both sides have different information. Exploiters are probably a very very small minority of the community and are thus regarded by the devs as not really as important as issues that might affect a large number of the community. Many developers however make the mistake of failing to realise that despite the fact that they might be correct in their assessment that it is a small scale issue the perception by the playerbase itself is that it is a very very large issue.
This causes negative thought spirals that negatively affect the community and game, in a lot of games.
All it takes is a little bit of assertive reassurance to make the issue go away in most people’s priority lists.
For example : “It may take us some time to hit those exploiters, but rest assured measures ARE coming to hit them. Everyone that exploits is wasting their time because they will inevitably be caught and banned losing countless hours they could have put into a character playing legitimately.”
This kind of thing regularly addressing any major outbreaks of fear or worry would completely dispel certain issues people consider important, allowing them the time to deal with them and leaving the community feeling like they’re not ignored.
I don’t believe that we are ignored here. But I do agree that there is a significant lack of feedback addressing concerns. A response like that on issues would do wonders for their PR.
Agreed - all the nonsense about cheaters are crap are in every MMO - i played BnS before this and it was the same situation, bots and hacks everywhere. BUT that didnt ruin my playing experience because the pvp was equalized. If they can fix channel crashing (should be easy) then iwould be happy.
I just want to run the game at 60+ fps and have it look smooth as the trailers. C’mon IMC, go back into the code and fix that crap scripting.
If you look at IMC’s history on addressing the player base, you can see that we are not being ignored per se, it’s that were not being acknowledged. All the issues are left in the dark until a fix is ready to be implemented. Party cut scenes? Only acknowledged right before the patch. TBL / GVG times? Same thing, although arguably it wasn’t fixed; even worsened the problems. Maybe it is a cultural thing (maybe someone with S. Korean cultural background can chime in) where gamers are not demanding information from developers out of politeness or whatever reason. That appears to be the case, which most Western gamers are not accustomed to. With a real lack of community managers, they continue to do business as usual.
Optimization and the tedious gameplay are my choices. I’ve had a few friends (who have played grindy kmmos for quite a while) just try it out and drop it within 2 days because they basically realized early on that the quest mill is all there is to the (long) early and midgame.
no really bugs, the FPS problem is the real problem right now. if they fix it, they can fix the other stuff slowly
IMC themselves is the biggest problem ToS is facing. Like Melon said it boggles my mind trying to figure out why exactly they do what they’ve done here. I would love to give them benefit of the doubt that they are “trying” but every month is a stab to the heart. Then when you piece it all together there’s literally no conclusion you can come to without having a cynical outlook on everything.
I said before in one of my recent posts that they could have literally left this game like it was in iCBT2 forever with no updates and it would be doing better than it is now. Thinking about that statement is absolutely sad but true as to how much everything has regressed.
There is a strong polarization in the leveling aspect of the game. The first 50-70 hrs of the game is all questing, only grouping for the daily dungeons. Everything else after is group grinding, although with all the new quests, that has been alleviated a little and you can break up the grind to finish a few maps worth of quests. Maybe if the whole game was structured the way 210-280 is now, it wouldn’t feel like a quest mill or a grind mill. The only problem is that prior to 210, the leveling is so fast that it would be hard to maintain groups to grind with
I’ve…actually never done group grinding in my entire playtime with a 252 and 226 char. Granted I skipped evac thanks to falling off in the game for a while except to do missions + I just lounge around a lot.
But I can see what you are saying, yeah. The quests suddenly completely stop, I dont think the strength of the polarization is intended versus them just not having the time to add more quests. Grind maps can really only hold two parties at a time with the spawn rates. If they kept it varied, you’re probably right in that it wouldn’t feel as tedious.
That being said, from my experience doing kill counts, grinding is a little bit unfun as it is in this game. I like the combat but I think it’s the mobs being annoying to group because of their weird shitty reaction times (even as pelt on my would-be templar) and the spawn rates in general, though I suppose it might be different with a full group. I might just have a bad experience since both my higher level characters are weak dps wise as a full support and an alchemist. I didn’t mind doing kill counts with friends as much I suppose
Vercetti is that you? Dirty solo’ers.
I voted other.
These all need dire attention. They all create some type of hindrance somewhere down the line and sometimes it’s a combination of them.
Id like to add a little more on the main reason i think bots is up there with optimization.
Optimization is a given since it affects every player. Dont really need to go into more detail on this one.
About bots, i recently made a couple new characters, one of which i rerolled 3 times once i hit rank 3. All throughout the early levels it is filled with bots and afkers. 10% of players you see are actual people playing.
Since the spawnrates are so high in the early levels you can still manage, but think of this from a new players perspective. The first map is fine. Then they get into klaipeda where they will have fps drops and RMT spam which makes fps drop even more from what ive seen. Stuttering every few seconds, big turn off.
Then the next map is fine til they hit miners village and crystal mines. Bots and afkers everywhere. Barely any real people and if they are real they dont talk, but thats a different issue.
Then the next couple maps isnt bad unless you meet the 50 bot horde that i reported a little while ago on the way to tenet chapel. Once at tenet garden again, bots and afkers, exploiters meleeing from a distance. Lots of the same inside the chapel.
By this time alot of players might quit. Its feels like an mmo simulator filled with fake people. This gets better later, but first impressions are important. Thats why i feel bots are right up there with optimization.
This ran a little long…
8( I don’t know who Vercetti is but I shower every day.
Optimization and low replay value.
For me it’s optimizations. I still play the game for what it is, and I know they’re working on it, but I refuse to do PvP or GvG when I know it’s just a slide show fest. Same really with Bossing.
Exploiters/Hackers: These are in every MMO and usually a very small minority. IMC has been behind the scenes getting rid of them. I can fully understand why they’re not vocal about this as no company would be. “We’re banning those who use X exploit!” Better Uninstall before we get you!". Once a cheater, always a cheater.
Class Balance PvE/PvP: In a game that is said to have around 80 Classes you will never see this. Ever. No one will ever be happy. So instead of rolling the flavor of the Month build, why not play something you enjoy.
Bots: Not even an issue. Again IMC is doing what I assume to be their best, but it’s an endless struggle that no one can win. As someone said previously, look at WoW for example. If Blizzard can’t do it, why should a company who isn’t even a 1/100th of the size.
Item Systems: RNG is a bitch. At the same time I have no real issues with the way the system works.
TBL/GvG times: No one will ever be happy with the times they give. Hopefully they can find a happy medium.
Communication: This is a big one for me. I fully understand that this is a Korean company and the English barrier is strong. However, you have people like @STAFF_John who often replies and has been doing some fair moderation of the forums. Moving things where they belong. The guy has an appreciation thread. We need more John’s in this world.
