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So I started playing the day Dauntless was released on consoles which my platform was PS4. The cross play was a big reason to my interest before playing it. Immediately i was hooked for the most part. It has continuously gotten better and better over time except the immersion shattering ridiculous use of invisible barriers used to stop those who like testing every nook and cranny just for fun. those could be don't so much better like an actual wall if there's gonna be any, or maybe not put something in a place that allows ppl to get outside of places the players aren't supposed to leave. Or problem areas that cant be addressed turn it into an Easter egg and make it something whether it be funny or not. Add some flare to the little things.
All fun things aside i would like to express my disappointment in the way this reforging of dauntless was done. Luckily i was asked to test it out prior to release, and i am thankful for the opportunity to take part in that and would be open to further unless this continues to be the norm in the way the future of the game is chosen when foundational changes as monumental as this are made and released. The testing and information in it and also the information wasn't clearly elaborated on enough for good feedback to be accurate enough to see if it was a good move to follow through with because had everything else been in the test I'm sure the feedback would have been a lot different and you would have a lot more accurate and informative data to go off of besides "were the gliders fun, hows the skill tree, thoughts on new hunt?". Starting the test without the gear on my main gave me the impression I'm supposed to be looking at it from the viewpoint of a new player and how the experience would be in that case. It was pretty fun from that perspective. Now fast forward to release, even though the information about the update came out shortly before the update arrived, it gave off the impression it was more of a new system to bring more mechanics that make for more play-ability and maybe a little loss in certain aspects.
THEN here we are, login, and start looking at the awaited content. Then it hits me and a lot of others like a majority of the community like a big ol 3 meter thick concrete wall while going terminal velocity(boosters included but sold separately). The existing gear that we have all worked hard on to work in like you do a new sofa to bring it to standard. Right when it finally is holding the contours that make it comfortable and enjoyable, you go and set it on fire. While players were still sitting on it. All the work we did and the support we gave to pretty much have it all destroyed and only get aetherhearts as compensation that for most who got enough to do something with, is just not right. when I saw the over 40 of them, at first was kinda okay before actually upgrading. So you take all my gear pretty much, or at least put it through a shredder before giving it back, then give me a little supply of coal and a furnace for me to put it back together, but in order to do so I have to pay the resources THAT I HAVE ALREADY PAYED AND PUT INTO THE ITEMS TO BEGIN WITH, and not just a little amount of resources your asking for but far far far to much. I cant even use an 8th of them anyways with how much you took away and then decided it was a good idea to charge an ungodly amount to upgrade slightly. Not only that, you go and throw the crystals for upgrading onto the store for real world money. That's a big kick to were the sun dot shine, and then you go and kick me while I'm down. That right there is the most plaguing thing to see. it was fine and fun getting things from store that only serve cosmetically and if effecting game play stayed limited to bounty tokens and tonics. But to put the currency that is used to to surge and forge the weapons you destroyed yourself with the update and then put something in for people to pay to progress quicker when those said items were already leveled and payed for just destroys one of the biggest appeals i held towards the game. It shouts cash grab but using a megaphone with stadium speakers.
The fact that almost all aspects of the payed stuff was cosmetic was agreeable and a reason i saw as a developer that had qualities to offer my loyalty to and show support. i haven't missed a hunt pass and have gotten things here and there to offer support beyond just playing the free only side. It was in a way of seeing it how i do, a way to help with the financial burden of the development and to show that i respected and wanted to help a team that i thought was creating more then just a game aimed towards getting as big a check as possible like other, well established devs that have ruined there reputations with the manipulative ways of monetizing every possible chance, and as a team that wanted to work with the community to make a true, enjoyable game for the players and supporters like a good down to earth team. Now i do understand and don't aim any discredit to the coders, graphics engineers, and those doing the legwork because i know you only have the choices that are given so with that you guys are doing good with what you have to work with, but as far as the management that does have the say so and makes the choices that the team has to follow needs to take a step back and re-evaluate there business plan. People are getting tired and fed up with working hard and sacrificing time they will never get back once its past just for a larger paycheck that is already large enough to support and leave plenty to do whatever with, like that new second house or Aston martin that you drive to work everyday and still its squeeze more out of them despite how it effects us. Its so bad of a choice to have basically stripped everything off of everyone leaving so little in its wake that you should have released a new edition of dauntless because you basically made it as if we just started a new account and now we have to re grind from scratch with the joke of a what you called generous compensation. Its like losing my entire life savings and getting my 401k revoked with no payout for 100 peso's.
It is sad and hard to say but i really don't see a speedy recovery from this at all, IF there's any recovery at all especially when the decks been dealt and you've shown your hand. If you can do this to us as easily as you have thinking it would be a smashing hit, what are you going to take that we work for from now, later on down the road if we risk even allowing you to do so since you its clear what kind of foundational changes you can implement this far into the game that have already been established and obtained. If your going to take back what i have worked to get then its only fair you allow us to take back what we have spent throughout the period of time that we played that went into gaining to get to where we were whether it be time, effort, and money. It should be given back in a blank cashiers check with a signature and a free all payed vacation. I feel robbed, not just mugged, but like having my door picked, breached, then house ransacked, all while my family sleeps thinking we are safe then being woken up as our car door slams shut while it drives away with all our stuff to the chop shop and pawnshop.
Kudos to those who actually read this rant. I mean no disrespect to anyone, i just feel that those making the decisions should have something that can give them an idea, one they ultimately don't really see as one that matters, but none the less a rough idea of how there choices make someone feel who held them with high regard and supported the efforts of the hard work the team they make the decisions for that will get most the flak for all this in the end who don't deserve the negative backlash because they have to do there job if they want to keep it. Everyone please don't put this on the entire team and keep in mind they have little say in a lot of the final decisions but still for what they do create do a fantastic job at what they're allowed to do.
P.S. im no writing major, i do know how to write and punctuate properly but this isn't a newspaper column that i need to be top game on writing because its not my career. I'm just a gamer and enthusiast and when i feel like offering a word i do so here it is. There's going to be SOOOOOO much wrong with all this but its already taken long enough to type, I'm not going over the entire thing again to edit it as if it was for final draft in a book being published. with that, have at it grammatical minded, tear it apart
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