[TERA PC & Console] En Masse is closing, but TERA lives on! We will continue to support TERA PC (NA) and TERA Console until service is transferred. Stay tuned for more information.
[TERA Console] The Grotto of Lost Souls update (v85) is now live! Read the patch notes here: https://bit.ly/TERACon_v85
[TERA PC] The 64-bit update (v97) is now live. Check out all the changes delivered on August 11 here: https://bit.ly/tera64_patchnotes
[TERA PC & CONSOLE] Summerfest Part 2: The Beach Bash is on from August 11 until September 1! Participate in event activities to earn tokens redeemable for costumes, consumables, mounts, and more! Details: https://bit.ly/tera_sf20
Comments
Complexity is normal in MMO's. In almost every MMO I've played, there have been redundant systems, like alchemy. It's normal, because you WANT some complexity in your MMO, or it will be too easy.
Also, I think it should be noted, that BHS is going against what the majority wants, on this. And that is pretty much always bad.
For most solo stuff buffs are simply a way of speeding up the farming, but GG, Celestial Arena and the Ace dungeons aren't exactly the most challenging solo content ever released, in IoD they're helpful but hardly a "must-have".
You sound like a friend of mine who actually is a hardcore tabletop RPG player, he always advocates for having complex systems available for character customization and that's understandable, however, he also realizes it tends to drive newbies away, I've seen so many neophytes quitting on RPGs because their whole first roleplaying session consisted solely on making their character profile sheet.
I think Tera's view is trying to adapt to the fact that the new generation of videogame consumers isn't like ours, the new "gamers" (I don't consider myself a gamer, though, I just happen to have played a few titlles through my life) aren't like you and me, they won't sit down and think how to solve a puzzle in a survival horror game, they probably would quit any TLoZ title when they reach the Temple of Water, they will expect their character's OP-ness to carry them in LoL or whatever instead of thinking strategically, and so on, they want things not necessarily "easy" but they indeed want them "fast". Is it a surprise MOBAs and FPS games are still at the top?
Currently Tera isn't appealing enough to hardcore audiences to become a finnancial success among them again, and it isn't straightforward enough to draw and keep casuals engaged, this is probably the consequence of having the original dev team gone and getting a new one with a completely different PoV.
The game started pretty much like an old school MMORPG with the addeed layer of real time action combat built in, I remember lots of Tera reviews where the main complaint -other than optimization- was that the questing system and leveling was terribly outdated, many found funny -and annoying- the fact that the game had such an engaging fighting system with such old-fashioned subsystems (crating, questing, etc...), so much it felt weird. I think it's too soon for me to speak, and the new devs can always surprise us with even worse ideas, but sorc's revamping and the simplyfication of consumables and boss mechanic indicators makes me think perhaps -only perhaps- whoever is in charge at BHS and Nexon finally decided to focus development in the aspect Tera truly shines: action combat, even BDO and BnS's disguised tab-target haven't been able to kill Tera for good thanks to it - and because those also have lots of problems on their own.
Tera no longer depends on niche audiencies paying a monthly fee fo receive updates and more content in the same fashion it was developed 4 years ago, as an F2P game it depends on having waves of players to come periodically and enjoy the game whether they can play 6 hours straight or only 2, so they can really feel like spending money in the game.
And I agree such modifications weren't necessary, but perhaps this is more related to "rebuilding" the game towards another direction rather than fixing the tons of old unused system leftovers it has, at least that's only thing I can get out of all the recent developments. We might not like the path the game is being taken through, that's for sure.
Anyway, sorry about the wall of text...
The systems that actually ARE complex and confusing, are not even being touched by BHS's little finger.
And as far as rebuilding goes - ever heard the term, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it?" No one ever complained about consumables or charms being too confusing. Have you ever met a noob who said that charms and consumables were too confusing? I haven't, and I'm quite sure you haven't. It honestly sounds like, to me, that your complaints have to do with OTHER complex systems, and NOT the ones that are being gutted and/or removed, but for whatever reason, you're just lumping them all together, as if they actually have something to do with each other. They don't.
Sure, the random charms could maybe be removed. The extra RNG is stupid and could be slightly confusing, though the item, if you actually spend the 5-10 seconds required, actually explains exactly what it does.
Also, not one bloody thing was said about rebuilding, so what am I supposed to do? Go off of blind faith and happily believe that BHS will actually do something good? Do you honestly believe that they will, or if they do, that it will be better than what we have now?
As far as stamina goes, I personally liked it. It was an inconvenience, but that was the point. With a few adjustments, it could be improved, no doubt, but its issues did not warrant a complete removal of the entire system, when no fix was even attempted.
As I commented in another thread, I really don't think BHS sees going back to the past as a way forward, so I strongly suspect that people who lament the trends and want to go back to the old days are probably going to feel more and more alienated, particularly if BHS thinks the changes are showing signs of success. For now, we'll see what happens...
Maybe next visit? I'm sure he'll get around to my foot, then? You know, that part of my body that actually IS hurting?
Until then though, I'd still like to know why my finger was amputated!!
...I guess I don't actually NEED 5 fingers. The fifth one just complicated it too much, I guess. Thank you doctor!
UPDATE: The next visit he amputated my foot!! It was a broken toe, but he said it was easier this way.
Sometimes pulling a rotten tooth and replacing it is more practical than going through endodontic treatment.
Let's face it. Even if the majority of players of this game were veterans(a claim I know not about so I won't really dare say is true or false. but IF), it seems to me that most of the gaming industry's user base out there right now is composed of casuals and people who want quick gaming sessions. As someone else said, this is one of the reasons(not THE reason but one big factor, mind you) why games with simple management that toss you into the action as quick as possible are still on top. So it's natural for companies to try and experiment and try to grab the attention of those quick action seeking gamers. This all happened since gaming went main stream.
Now, as a counter argument, PC gaming may still be niche. More in this smart phone and tablet world. So what would BHS get from simplifying a game for a population that doesn't even have a PC? The answer is in the middle ground of console gaming. Thing is, apparently console gaming is also seeing a rapid dwindling as more people and companies prefer the convenience of mobile gaming. But to this date, consoles are still rather strong and they won't die tomorrow. And if the whole VR thing works, we might see a resurgence. So I assume the decision to simplify Tera (which I strongly believe this simplification will continue) is to make it ready for console gaming, as seen by the current exploration into consoles that BHS is doing.
So in the end, hang tight, but if you have to go because the change is something you dislike and no matter how angry you get you won't get a revert, then move on and good luck out there, as Tera won't be the only simplified game you will meet. As always, blame money for it.
Dash scrolls are actually used a lot more often than some people think - they've saved my behind many, many times in places like FIHM, SCHM, BRHM where you have to get somewhere fast or you die. They probably aren't as useful for super mobile classes, but try to see it from a tank or healer point of view - it can be the difference between dying to a oneshot or getting out of range. This is something that should've been added to an NPC at the very least, if they're intent on ruining all uses of alchemy, because there is literally no replacement for them that gives the same buff.
Not being able to keen charm isn't a huge deal - I got lazy myself after Everful Nostrums were implemented and stopped keening every time I died - but the crit power scrolls are fundamental and not optional if you're doing anything alone. What's the point in buffing healer damage so much only to nerf it again by blocking the use of DPS scrolls?
You can talk about simplifying the game all you want. Fact of the matter is, some of these things didn't need to go. They aren't confusing. What does a Scroll of Dash do? Oh, probably what the name implies. And if it's really that confusing, you can always hover over it for the nice and clear description. There was legit no reason to remove it or some of these other things, so trying to defend it by saying they were confusing players...well, it's just not true. Unless you're a child. In which case, developers shouldn't be dumbing down the game to match your comprehension level.
They also literally gutted Alchemy and made it useless all in one go. If that's to simplify things...well, say goodbye to superior brooches, ladies and gentlemen, because BHS is coming for Weaponsmithing and Armorcrafting next.
Since the change is already done and not optional, we can only ask as a group to bring back those things that were removed in some other way, so people can still benefit from the effects of dash or power or anything needed for healers to do solo vanguards properly. Say, a passive for healers that increases power or crit power or whatever is needed, when not in a party. As for dash, make it more viable to use the combat movement speed crystal, or add a greater move speed roll to leg armor.
I know right. What a way to listen to the people that have actually spent money to get those mounts too. This is just another way of encouraging people to not spend money on the game anymore.
That isn't enough. it's just a trickle really. more like a drop of water when you need a gallon.