Observations of a Passerby

[Deleted User - 849120185]

I have greatly enjoyed my introduction to Evenar which I had not really heard of before my guest escaped from DC C19 house arrest and found refuge in our spare basement apartment. He had briefly mention being an Arch-Mage when I was explaining my Civilization 5 conquests (and defeats) but not enough to catch my interest in elves and magic. However, after recruiting him for a Civ 5 multiplayer team which achieved world domination in the 1600’s I felt obliged to check out his time sink of choice. In addition to showing me the bare minimum of getting started, he also gave me access to an account on vacation in his fellowship which allowed me the daunting task of climbing the tower while still an apprentice. This was fortuitous because it kept me in the game after burning down my 1st City, otherwise there was zero chance I would have got to page 2 much less completing Chapter 1.

In spite of the wonderful graphics and all of the clever pathways to success, the game is too much of a whak-a-mole click fest to justify the long term time sink for me. And while that is a snap judgement, I have numerous other time sinks (other than Civ 5) where I can reach success without feeling “they” are deliberately wasting my time. Because my primary motivation is to have a gaming partner, I am likely going to continue to participate while we are sharing the same C19 cell block. While doing this I am going to share my thoughts on how to fix this magnificent game.

All of my comments are made from the perspective of someday having a sedentary retirement pastime which piques my interest and does not wear out my hand or what is left of my brain. Some of these comments may have been made but I do not see a consolidated list of the recommendations made, accepted and rejected in the feedback channel. The extended posting of ideas appear to be in limbo although some of them seem already adopted.

Another factor which will weigh heavily in my musings is the fact that I am past my prime and in 3 months will be on Medicare. But beautiful Elvenar is a harsh mistress and not kind to those with short term memory challenges. This aggravates my click-fest problems but simple in game tools/links would go far to alleviate some/most of that. Visual acuity is also an issue. The blinding beauty makes it difficult to appreciate the fine features which obscure the pathways to success. That also is not going to improve with age, and I would like some help with it.

 

[Deleted User - 849120185]

After two weeks of hoping to find lasting redeeming value of playing Elvenar, I am throwing in the towel. This game is not for me. In spite of having wonderful graphics, initially interesting tasks, quests, events and tournaments, it all sours with the sameness after a couple of times through. The terrible click click deliberate click click inefficiencies of click click completing the simplest click click routine mindless activities click click becomes pointless. I understand the deliberate inefficiencies are necessary for the revenue model but they make the game too painful for me.

The one recommendation I would make is to see if some of the routine tasks can be made more interesting. I never understood the click click pointless tasks of Neighbor Visits which could have been so interesting. Trade agreements, puzzle solving, treasure hunting could be made interesting and worthwhile, and might take longer than the click fest it takes to collect resources in mindless busywork.

Have fun.

 

[AtaguS]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @AbnRgr1978 . They help me better clarify what I have been feeling for a while now. I have wondered at times how newer players view this game, what sort of time they give it and where their loyalties are formed, since it is such a different game now than the one I started. That said, I'm glad to see new players here and enjoying themselves because it does still mean something to me too. And at the same time, these sentiments, expressed so eloquently above, are what I've been feeling lately about this game too. And by lately, I mean a creeping disappointment over this last year.

Three years ago, when I started my city on Elvenar, it didn't feel this way. The game was a marathon - a slow amble through a fantastical landscape (But with the option to play harder, faster, etc), a challenging slide-puzzle and beautiful retreat from an otherwise gray real world a few times a day. I didn't worry about how well other players were doing, or whether they were better at the game than me. I just loved my fellowship and learning, and seeing what came next. With fewer events in a year I looked forward to the next one and the new scenery they would bring with them. I used to love scanning the hillsides for event droplings because also out there were little characters, little hidden works of art decorating my city's fields that were fun to explore. Elvenar was my morning coffee routine, my mid-day break and my evening chill session.

Then, I took 2019 off - real life called - and upon returning this past January, was amazed at the changes I saw. In addition to portal profits, time instants, troop instants, an evolved mobile option, teleport spells and an endless, endless event/FA cycle....

• The Spire - cool and a new, engaging challenge for my little city. Part slot machine, yes...but with enough skill and city-building strategy involved that I was excited.
• There were incredible evolving pets with profound powers - out of reach for me having missed the events but mystical and alluring nonetheless. Then I saw how they meted out those pets in subsequent events for the low low price of many many diamonds and a bit of luck.
• Seemingly constant events and an FA on its heels. Prizes and flashy instants, spells and leg-ups dangled at all times before my eyes so that I began to strategize how best to grab at them and pull them down instead of investing time and creative thinking into my city design.

All this while Inno reminded us that balance was the key to the game...all while introducing element after element which threw the balance wildly off, then nerfing hard earned elements to correct their mistake. Whiplash hardly goes far enough to describe the feeling. I mean, does Inno want us to build and flourish and grow prosperous or does it want us constantly scrambling for the goods to get the thing to build the thing...the thread seemed to get a little lost along the way. I could barely find the time to fantasize about how I'd like to design my city next or suss out what on earth the guest settlers wanted now, but rather relied on gems of elvenar for layouts and chased after those flashy, dangling thingies...after all they offered me what a lack of time to build or imbalance of resource made otherwise scarce. Oddly, I found myself missing a time in the game when the grand prize was out of my reach or when the only cure for a lack of troops was to work toward or level an AW. And I couldn't understand why at first. But it's coming clear.

Like @AbnRgr1978 , I do understand the purpose of this trend is to generate revenue and don't begrudge a game for wanting to pay its developers. From the beginning I thought a small investment once a month was a worthy expense in exchange for the world I was building and getting to hang out in. I just wish Inno had resisted the temptation to chase the extra buck, just a little more. I love my city, I am loving being part of a fellowship with interesting and intelligent players and don't feel ready to jump just yet. I do still want to see each upgrade and what my factories will look like next. And I'm truly hoping that being forcibly slowed down or shut out of the tournament race will give me a chance to spend more time getting back to the basics of city development. Maybe I'll even learn to ignore the flashy dangling thingies one day. But, I can feel it creeping in, my time limit here. Which feels sad. Most disappointing of all is the clear knowledge that Inno doesn't much mind if I abandon my city or fellowship at some point. Their sites are set on new players, on the next event and on any player willing to purchase the chance to whack the mole again and again before boredom hits them too.

 

[Darielle]

According to Inno's own stats, people who are new to within six months of playing are the ones who spend the most money. I guess that's why they cater to those players. But that's so foolish and short sighted, because games do not attract new players forever. Games get old and there's always something newer to attract new players. It's those who stick with the game who are more likely to spend, at least a little.

I hear what both of you are saying, and while I have no intention to leave any time soon, I do feel a bit of sadness at the way events are changing... they seem overtly designed to grab the most bucks without thinking through the game play. I guess maybe I feel that way more today because I hate the halloween event, but I loved it last year. Everything changes.