Add my vote to nix the brew badges! I also think the bracelet badges need to be rebalanced... I'd rather have the sets of tier 1 mfg on 9-hr productions than to spend a day constantly doing 3-hr productions with mfg enchantments and time boosters; the limited space for chapter level mfg has made this badge one of the most difficult to complete. It takes at least a week to get a later chapter building up to chapter level. (Notice they got rid of the description for required chapter level mfg/wrkshps and instead now require chapter level production amounts, regardless of whether you've completed the tech for it or not. ) Also why can't decaying boosted sentient goods productions be applied to FA badges or event tasks for those types of productions in later chapters?
The Arcane Residue badge is another stumbling block for newbie players who don't have a Magic Academy for crafting. Same for the Druid Staff & Ghost in a Bottle for players who can't yet access the Spire. This makes it difficult to motivate "newer" players to participate.
Why not make it so the smaller fellowships have something realistic to aim for? The ranking system of rewards is skewed. The amounts required for the most difficult badges is prohibitive for completing all 3 stages for smaller fellowships, so the FA's are still going to end up rewarding only the biggest (larger city with the most members) or real $ paying fellowships (is this the real hidden reason?).
Without a better balance and more realistic badge goals for smaller fellowships, I am hard-pressed to ask my fellowship to participate in any future FA's. After getting into the top 100 the last 2 FA's, I'm doubting we'll be able to complete stage 3 this time.
Inno, I do not understand, and do not like, the fact that you're making playing FA's and Events more difficult for smaller fellowships and newer players, with no transparency about the real reasons behind the changes, which I can only suspect has to do with you wanting players spending real $ on diamonds.
Edit @ end of this FA: I just skimmed through this thread again and I have to say... ALL the feedback here is the same as what was in the BETA forum feedback!! Think about that.
Update: my small f/s (6 active players) are stuck at that green 3rd stage waypoint requiring 35 bracelets and we are 10 shy with 3hrs to go... it would cost 233 diamonds per missing badge to just move on...it is very discouraging, as we have all but the residue badge on this path covered.. I had hopes, but without a full f/s with mostly active participants, there is now no way to complete all three stages. The fun in Fellowship Adventures has evaporated. IF this continues, I predict a lot of f/s quit playing the FA's and/or players leaving the game.