Genefer
Well-Known Member
Neighbors perform the critical functions of acquisition of non-boosted goods and the Culture Bonus. In fact, neighbors are the driving factor in both the growth of my city and the level of enjoyment I have while playing Elvenar. My observations of the myriad and powerfully effective influence of neighborly help and the Boosted Goods production relic bonus demonstrates Elvenar has developed the game to rely on neighbors, because city efficiency is best achieved with the cultivation of Trade & Neighborly Help relationships, as well as Fellowship activities & Events.
Fellowships are of high importance, but it is also fostered with trading with neighbors. However, unless the Fellowship is rigidly developed relative to the composition of each member’s boosted goods, resource production, and Chapter level the member’s neighbors are critical in filling the Fellowship’s goods deficiencies, as well as boosted coins, supplies, and in later chapters Mana production for players to afford to participate in the Spire, Tournament, and in the last Fellowship Adventure the coin badge.
In essence, neighbors are essential, and that is why it costs so much to acquire them. Costs - I pay for my neighbors - resources, troops, and scout time, which of course I pay for with my time. What I do not understand is why the developers have built the game with the clear intent of reliance on neighbors, which we pay for, yet does not ensure we have viable neighbors allowing players to work toward achieving maximum benefits from our neighbors.
For months I have had gold mines beginning with a few and growing to my current 69. I have new neighbors, but the vast majority are below chapter 6 and/or inactive. I estimate 3/4s of the 300 I have paid for - are inactive, below chapter 6, and include 69 Gold Mines. This deficiency of viable neighbors robs me of both trading partners, and not only because of the gold mines & inactive players, but also because most of the active players have city’s that cannot trade in quantities I need for my city, and most carry the same boosted goods.
I have taken great effort to build my city to leverage the Culture Bonus. Though many players do not find the value worth the effort - for me the culture bonus is critical to the growth of my city. I am not talking about a 200% culture Bonus. It is rare that my Culture bonus dips below 300% and my record high is 474%, but I have only reached that high twice. However, I would achieve a far higher Culture Bonus if the majority of my neighbors were not composed of inactive players & 69 gold mines.
Again, I have paid and worked to acquire neighbors, which given the game of Elvenar was clearly developed to encourage interaction and dependency on neighbors, I should have neighbors that are active and viable for both the Trader & the Culture Bonus.
Elvenar is not providing the goods & services purchased, and it is intentional. They know which players are inactive and choose to leave the dead cities on the map, they know which boosted goods are deficient due to inactive players, they know when a chapter 15 city is surrounded by cities that are active but too small to trade in quantities a Chapter 15 city requires, and they know when a player has had gold mines for months in ever increasing numbers. This theft is deliberate and everyday my frustration increases and my enjoyment decreases.
I am only one player, but I am not the only player frustrated by the number of inactive neighbors and gold mines they receive for their time and effort. I wonder how many players have quite due to inactive neighbors, because again the game is clearly developed to encourage neighbor reliance. When active viable neighbors are not provided the game becomes frustrating and discouraging.
After all, a 300%+ culture bonus is not achieved simply by having some culture buildings it requires a lot of time deciding on understanding the culture bonus - how it works and how to increase the value, which requires methodical analysis of the best buildings I can acquire, which requires aggressive effort in Events, and diligent cultivation of neighbor relationships for reciprocal neighborly help. I need active neighbors, because 20 million coins is great, but nothing compared to the value of the Culture Bonus.
I think Elvenar should consider the impact of this deliberate theft and then rewrite the program to provide the neighbors player's purchase.
Fellowships are of high importance, but it is also fostered with trading with neighbors. However, unless the Fellowship is rigidly developed relative to the composition of each member’s boosted goods, resource production, and Chapter level the member’s neighbors are critical in filling the Fellowship’s goods deficiencies, as well as boosted coins, supplies, and in later chapters Mana production for players to afford to participate in the Spire, Tournament, and in the last Fellowship Adventure the coin badge.
In essence, neighbors are essential, and that is why it costs so much to acquire them. Costs - I pay for my neighbors - resources, troops, and scout time, which of course I pay for with my time. What I do not understand is why the developers have built the game with the clear intent of reliance on neighbors, which we pay for, yet does not ensure we have viable neighbors allowing players to work toward achieving maximum benefits from our neighbors.
For months I have had gold mines beginning with a few and growing to my current 69. I have new neighbors, but the vast majority are below chapter 6 and/or inactive. I estimate 3/4s of the 300 I have paid for - are inactive, below chapter 6, and include 69 Gold Mines. This deficiency of viable neighbors robs me of both trading partners, and not only because of the gold mines & inactive players, but also because most of the active players have city’s that cannot trade in quantities I need for my city, and most carry the same boosted goods.
I have taken great effort to build my city to leverage the Culture Bonus. Though many players do not find the value worth the effort - for me the culture bonus is critical to the growth of my city. I am not talking about a 200% culture Bonus. It is rare that my Culture bonus dips below 300% and my record high is 474%, but I have only reached that high twice. However, I would achieve a far higher Culture Bonus if the majority of my neighbors were not composed of inactive players & 69 gold mines.
Again, I have paid and worked to acquire neighbors, which given the game of Elvenar was clearly developed to encourage interaction and dependency on neighbors, I should have neighbors that are active and viable for both the Trader & the Culture Bonus.
Elvenar is not providing the goods & services purchased, and it is intentional. They know which players are inactive and choose to leave the dead cities on the map, they know which boosted goods are deficient due to inactive players, they know when a chapter 15 city is surrounded by cities that are active but too small to trade in quantities a Chapter 15 city requires, and they know when a player has had gold mines for months in ever increasing numbers. This theft is deliberate and everyday my frustration increases and my enjoyment decreases.
I am only one player, but I am not the only player frustrated by the number of inactive neighbors and gold mines they receive for their time and effort. I wonder how many players have quite due to inactive neighbors, because again the game is clearly developed to encourage neighbor reliance. When active viable neighbors are not provided the game becomes frustrating and discouraging.
After all, a 300%+ culture bonus is not achieved simply by having some culture buildings it requires a lot of time deciding on understanding the culture bonus - how it works and how to increase the value, which requires methodical analysis of the best buildings I can acquire, which requires aggressive effort in Events, and diligent cultivation of neighbor relationships for reciprocal neighborly help. I need active neighbors, because 20 million coins is great, but nothing compared to the value of the Culture Bonus.
I think Elvenar should consider the impact of this deliberate theft and then rewrite the program to provide the neighbors player's purchase.