Weekly Newsletter 03_17_08: Time To Have Some Fun

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Updated Fri, Jan 02, 2009 by Dalmarus

Time To Have Some Fun

March 17th, 2008 - By Dalmarus

Another time of change has come upon us with the recent implementation of Game Update #4 in Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. Per the usual routing, it really does go to show that you can't please everybody and would drive yourself crazy trying to. Some people love the helmets, some people hate them. Some people think the changes to looting rights for group 4 in a raid is overdue, while others disagree (and others also disagree but insist on calling everyone that agrees with the change a noob that shouldn't be here). The new riftway has been a blessing for some while others feel it was poorly executed.

I could go on here for quite some time and debate the pros and cons of each change, but in my mind that kind of defeats the whole purpose of playing Vanguard. I'm not a game designer, nor do I have aspirations to attain such a goal. I am a player of multiplayer games, and happen to enjoy Vanguard the most out of all my other choices.

When everything is all said and done, shouldn't your overall enjoyment of a game be the measuring factor of a game rather than nitpicking the various systems scattered throughout the game mechanics? Rather than going on about how a change has completely ruined your game play, take a few moments to really think about that. Is there one single aspect of the game that is so important that if it's changed in any way, it becomes a deal breaker for you? Let me give you a small example of what I mean.

Due to an amazingly long streak of bad luck, my necromancer went over 30 days without getting a single graft from a corpse. That's not an exaggeration, that's a simple fact. As any necromancer can attest, the grafts your pet has can make an immense difference in not only your ability to take on various mobs, but it can also make a large difference in the tactics you choose to use.

In a previous interview, I asked about the drop rate for pet grafts. Thom stated that there is an equal chance of getting a graft every time you cast necropsy. Think of it like you would a slot machine. Even though you may feel like a machine has to spill it's jackpot sooner or later, it has the same random chance to hit any combination each time the lever is pulled.

While this can be an inconvenience at best and a real pain at worst, is it something really worth getting riled up about? In having to use older pet grafts, or a non-ideal combination of grafts, I can choose to look at this in a couple of ways. On the one hand, I can choose to rant and rave about how I'm quitting the game until there's a checks and balance system in there to increase the odds of getting a graft that adjusts depending on how many times I've cast necropsy without getting one. Since I still enjoy the game though, I chose to take a different approach.

Rather than thinking of the game being ruined, I like to think of it as altering the game play in a manner that requires me to continually adjust my play style. This has a two-fold effect upon my attitude in the game. First off, it ensures that I don't feel the gameplay becomes stagnant and keeps me on my toes. The second effect of this is it provides a natural sense of longevity for the game. I don't know anyone that wants to do the same thing (in the same manner) over and over. This just isn't fun.

So instead of initially lashing out against these changes that you may not like, take some time to try and adjust to the new systems. You may find they add an intriguing aspect to the game for you. If you're still not happy with it, ask yourself if in the overall scheme of things, you still find the game enjoyable. I'm willing to bet the majority of players will come to the conclusion that they're still having fun after adjusting.

There you go. That's my rant/advice for this week, haha. On to some other topics!

I want to take a quick moment to thank a couple of our forum members for taking time out of their day this past Saturday morning to go with me into Trickster's Haven so I could get it mapped out. That's right everyone, Ten Ton Hammer will soon have a map of Trickster's Haven available on the site (with the exception of the "Beyond the Painting" area for now). I'll be sure to let everyone know when I get it posted. Without the assistance of Dreadalus and Ciellart it wouldn't have been possible. Be sure to send them a quick "Thank you!" PM when you have a moment, especially if you're a Trickster's Haven fan. I also want to thank the other members of the forum that offered their assistance, but were unable to attend due to the time we scheduled. Even though you couldn't make it, I greatly appreciate the offer of help!

As a quick reminder, there's one week left to submit your questions for an upcoming interview with the Vanguard team. I'll be submitting questions at the end of next week, so if you're interested in participating, be sure to submit your questions in this thread and read the disclaimer.

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