Contested Need to Go

Just so you know, database and spell/command lag aren't the same thing. They've said they'll be working on spell/command lag, but it doesn't sound like there will be any single solution like database upgrades that can fix it overnight. That's really why I feel contesteds are simply flawed right now - the lag probably won't go away, at least not if you play on any populated server, so they'll really just be mostly wasted content. It's a waste of time for them to design them.

Hecula wrote:

No one said make the HM easier. Not one person.
I want competition, I'm fine with competition, however killing easy mode isn't competing.
I think the best idea I've heard so far, other than instancing them, is if easy mode dies hard mode spawns and stays up for 5 days.
That way everyone can compete against each other for the hard mode kill.

A contested mob should be a contest, we can all agree there.
Oxdaxius should be "hardmode" all the time...Let him walk around waiting to be pulled. Respawn every 5-7 days with loot comparable to the best in the game. If you want a chance to kill him "easy mode" make him a 1 mob instance unlocked every 5 days. The gear on this mob should be comparable to what you would find on entry level mobs in Labs or Tox.
Klaaktus should also be "hardmode" all the time with no option for easy mode. Don't trigger the event, no. Make him spawn in the cave every 5-7 days as well, with gear comparable to the best in the game. If people want a chance to "trigger" the easy mode version, then he too should be in a 1 mob instance that unlocks every 5 days. The items on the mob should have gear comparable to the entry level mobs in Palace.

Why is there an easy mod Ox to begin with? Isn't his whole loot table on the Seal merchant so that casual raiding guilds can still get the same gear anyways?

Hey guys!
We really like the idea of the easy mode being killed and the hard mode staying up for the duration of the respawn. We are going to go ahead and go forward to make this happen as soon as possible. We are going to also work on a better solution in the interim and plan for it going forward.
The hard mode contested loot will also receive some love as soon as possible. I have gotten quite a few PMs and I will see that this happens post haste.
Time frame? We will try to have the current solution for the contest out within the next week or two.
Loot should be within the next 5 to 10 days.
Thanks for your patience and understanding!

I love you Kander (no ****).

well thats a start, but it will not affect the real issue of contesteds. The lag is ridiculous, even with a mere 40-50 people in the zone it's unbearable, and the zones very rarely get that deserted. I'm not sure about all servers but najena has a pretty large euro and asian population, meaning even a 4am pull is not going to be bearable with lag. I know SOE has "fixes" in the works for what they think is lag(stuck loading), and fixing the zone times is good, but the data transfer issues they are working on is not going to fix static lag in these overland zones not one bit.

Rothgar and Zoltaroth both posted they're working on the spell lag. So if they actually fix it then this change is fine, especially with the loot being made better.

Kander wrote:

Man, it's too bad your beta testers didn't forsee this problem months ago and suggest such excellent alternatives before it ever went live!

oh I agree, if they fix the lag then it's golden. TBH I care much less about the easymode/hardmode part than the lag. Both are issues but the lag seems to be the most important part. Whatever they do on the foriegn servers that makes for nearly 0 lag should be done on every server.

Objectively, I agree that the current easy vs. hard mode mechanic of contested mobs needs looking at.
But the patronising attitude of some of the posters here have towards the "scrub" "mom and pop" guilds is so freaking annoying that I also hope that you guys don't get what you want. Yes, just to spite you, because you're acting like jerks.

You guys are aware that some "scrub" guild killing easy mode taking hard mode out from you IS competition right? I mean this entire thread is basically 'uber' guilds whining that 'mom and pop' guilds actually have a way to compete with them, and they want it back to where only their elite little rivalry of 2-3 guilds per server is put back. Thread was worth it just to see the arrogant guilds cry nerf for lower guilds lol.

That is an intersting approach you have Neiloch. I'm certainly enthralled at your interesting point of view on the subject that I was nearly unable to finish my beverage.
I find it highly entertaining to read how people construe things that are written rather than spoken. You interpret this thread as high end guilds whining that they are losing easy mode mobs to low end guilds?
I consider it another way. I viewed it as guilds who only care about a particular target are unable to kill said target due to a poorly implemented mechanic. Granted, in a skewed view this would be considered competition. However, guilds are purposely not killing easy mode mobs because the loot and effort is not worth the time.
I think Kander's post is a step in the right direction to get this where it needs to be. If not there, then close(r) to it. Now that we'll have lesser guilds getting the other mobs outta the way for us, it will save a bit of time.

GeSar wrote:

They did forsee this issue, They didn't care.

Hard vs Easymode is just dumb, if you have time to make 2 encounters then make them 2 seperate mobs instead of tying then to the same mob. I understand it in instances where having hardmode allows people to experience the whole instance instead of being stuck but seriously that can be done by just making the really hard mobs easy to bypass.

Neiloch@Crushbone wrote:

No, because if my guild really wanted to we'd kill the easymode within 5 mins of it spawning and no one would kill it. This change makes it so the ezmode can be killed by guilds who actually need its loot while still allowing my guild to pull the mob we care about killing.

Glad the changes are going into effect. And if they can ever find a way to fix the lag... well that would make this game SO much more enjoyable.

Neiloch@Crushbone wrote:

It isn't competition at all, because we aren't competing for the same encounter. You are killing something we could 2 group, stopping us from killing something that we can't kill simply because the lag in the overland zones during all but the deadest of hours makes it impossible. When an encounter only needs 420k raid dps to kill, and your guild can put out 700k dps in an instance, yet can't kill the encounter due to lag, then can't even attempt to pull it at an off hour because another guild killed the easy version that you can fight for 2 days and kill with 2 groups. That is a problem, and it is not competition. Competition implies equal circumstances and footing, which is currently not the case.

You can feel free to compete with me on the hard mob all day long.

Neiloch@Crushbone wrote:

The problem though with the current mechanic is that these 'uber' guilds competing against 'scrub' guilds could easily be 1 sided if they wanted to be. We could send a call out and 2-3 group the easymode when it pops and xmute the loot purely to block you from killing it, or letting a rival guild get a chance to practice hardmode if we are unable at the time. Now I'm sure some won't like the thought of us killing it for the sakes of killing it and getting 3-4 Infusions from it.
This change will allow the 'lesser' guilds have their chance at competing for Easymode, and then the 'higher' guilds can step in after have their shot at Hardmode. If they then wish to attempt the hardmode as well then bring on the competition, as it should be.

If they do wish to keep the idea of different difficulty contested mobs that's fine by me. But they should never have the easy/hard choice on mobs. They should remain completely seperate encounters. Easy Oxdaxius for example would be fine as the Easy-only mob. Dropping endgame-easymode loot and a 2-3 day respawn timer. And then harder contesteds have the endgame-hardmode loot on a 5-7 day respawn. Then the casual guilds can compete against themselves for the Easy contesteds, and Hardcore guilds have their game at the Harder contested, with no interest in the easy mob.

Oh, and in future, please don't put them in with the newer overland zones. Dealing with the lag of all the top level players in the same zone is terrible. Please put them in old teir zones, or instance them away in separate, contested dungeons, Temple of Scale style. With only the contested mob per dungeon if needs be. Lag is the single biggest contributing factor in making the hardmodes even harder

The idea of putting them in a contested dungeon is a good one, as well. Have them in their own zone, with just that one mob. That would reduce the lag, in combination with when EM dies -> HM spawns and stays available for X days, would be a really great way to fix both the lag, and the inability to pull hardmode due to EM being killed during prime-time.