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Apr 29, 2007 19:17:01 GMT
Post by gammagm on Apr 29, 2007 19:17:01 GMT
I like to start out positive and offer suggestions for change, when I have something to gripe about. I have to be honest, this is little more than a complaint about something that reduces the playability of Higher Ground in my own experience.
I thoroughly approve of the increase in difficulty in the hells areas. The recent changes have scaled the difficulty of Tia, Dis, Min, Phleg, and Stygia proportionately. Some of the mobs are a real pain, and this is also good.
I would like to see a reduction in the numbers or reduction (nothing drastic) of the hit points each monster has. The overall effect being a reduction in how long it takes to complete a run, rather than the difficulty (hopefully).
Even in a thoroughly winnable situation I find my attention wandering as my toon is beating some creature's hit points down. Only to move on to the next.... and the next.... The over all effect being that what was a once three hour run turns into a five hour run (ex: last night's trip thru Stygia). This appears to be the result of the addition of more monsters that most of the time take time just to grind into submission.
I started this thread with the label "Time" because I like to get away from my every-day cares, and I also cannot continue to realistically jeopardize time not sleeping or time not playing with my kids to spend 5 hours on a run through hell. If its the grand finale, I suppose such a time commitment might be expected.
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Apr 29, 2007 22:21:14 GMT
Post by FunkySwerve on Apr 29, 2007 22:21:14 GMT
I think most runs until Maladomini are completeable in 3 hours, in a good party. Phleg would prolly be the longest of those, and we managed it in 3 a few days ago. A major factor is party composition, as well. Probably won't change hp, but I'd expect the runs to take less time as people get acclimatized to them and get their hands on a little hells loot. Also bear in mind that all the class changes we do have the net result of incrasing player power and decreasing difficulty/time costs. Funky
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May 1, 2007 1:09:30 GMT
Post by gammagm on May 1, 2007 1:09:30 GMT
Perhaps gathering some data on the average length of a run might help determine whether my concern is valid or not.
In full deference for your skills and those you party with (that has included myself at various times) your crew has the highest skill, best equipment, and some are computer programmers by trade with inside knowledge of the mechanics of the server. I have never seen any DM take undue advantage of their knowledge or communicate that for party benefit. You still have the knowledge and this does add to your strategies picked up on by other players. You have the best subbies. For those folks trying to acquire similar resources (not even speaking of myself because I've got a few nice things to use) the level of challenge may be disheartening. This translates into very loooong trips.
I will repeat, the DMs of Higher Ground are fair, take their lumps and are the best players among us. I personally have admiration for the skills of the DMs.
You are likely right that as folks acquire new gear and better subs it will go faster.
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May 1, 2007 3:27:45 GMT
Post by FunkySwerve on May 1, 2007 3:27:45 GMT
There were only 3 dms with me in the party I was in, as far as I can recall, the rest were players, and iirc some were in phleg for the first time. Funky
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May 1, 2007 5:15:28 GMT
Post by Stormchaser on May 1, 2007 5:15:28 GMT
Not sure why I decided to do this ... but its done now. Here are the portal to boss-death times of some of my hell runs. -------AVERNUS------ [Sat Apr 14 16:49:36] You plummet from the portal to the ground. Apparently Zerial's portal was NOT particularly close to the ground. [Sat Apr 14 18:33:12] Flexa killed Tiamat Total Time = 1hr 44mins---------- [Sun Apr 01 17:33:53] You plummet from the portal to the ground. Apparently Zerial's portal was NOT particularly close to the ground. [Sun Apr 01 18:52:43] Aldriana killed Tiamat Total Time = 1hr 20mins-------Dis------- [Sun Mar 11 23:27:42] Kyrie Stormbringer: Send me to Dis. [Mon Mar 12 01:17:04] Entropy killed Archduke Dispater Total Time = 1hr 50mins---------- [Tue Apr 17 22:06:46] [Server] You are now in a Party PVP area. [Wed Apr 18 00:15:11] Menagerie of Flynn killed Archduke Dispater Total Time = 2hrs 10mins--------Minauros------- [Sat Mar 17 01:04:05] Kyrie Stormbringer: Send me to Minauros. [Sat Mar 17 02:56:52] Rastazan killed Quimath Total Time = 1hr 50mins---------- [Sat Mar 31 23:06:59] Dolgan Howlingblade: Send me to Minauros. [Sun Apr 01 01:05:11] Maelephant killed Quimath Total TIme = 2hrs---------- [Mon Apr 02 23:54:26] Aldriana: Send me to Minauros. [Tue Apr 03 01:56:07] Georg Philip Telemann killed Quimath Total Time = 2hrs------Phlegethos------ [Thu Apr 12 22:23:20] Aldriana: Send me to Phlegethos. [Fri Apr 13 00:56:37] Georg Philip Telemann killed Fierna Total Time = 2hrs 33mins------Stygia------- [Sat Apr 28 23:20:17] Dolgan Howlingblade: Send me to Stygia. [Sun Apr 29 02:30:27] Balastion killed The Nameless Pit Fiend Total Time = 3hrs 10mins------Malbolge------- [Mon Apr 30 17:17:36] Aldriana: Send me to Malboge. [Mon Apr 30 19:13:44] Divinity 'O'Toole killed Ancient Baatorian Total Time = 1hr 56minsSeems fine to me PS. Were you on that stygia run gammagm? May have seemed like 5 hours ...
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May 1, 2007 5:26:24 GMT
Post by FunkySwerve on May 1, 2007 5:26:24 GMT
Accourse, there's a health chunk spent prepping first, but that's one reason we added the new scroll pcks... Funky
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May 1, 2007 5:30:27 GMT
Post by Stormchaser on May 1, 2007 5:30:27 GMT
Thats the part I don't particularly like. Sometimes getting a run started can take longer then the run itself. Only suggestion I have to fix that is using a guild's organizational powers ... or get a regular group to go with.
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May 1, 2007 8:06:33 GMT
Post by chainlink on May 1, 2007 8:06:33 GMT
And that Malbolge run was pretty impressive as the party contained no mages (to grab stuff) and no shifters, I believe my cleric was effectively the only offensive caster. No DMs in that party either.
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May 1, 2007 12:45:56 GMT
Post by illandous on May 1, 2007 12:45:56 GMT
Heh, this beats my 4 hour Ssith runs that I've been on lately.
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May 1, 2007 16:23:02 GMT
Post by stonewarrior on May 1, 2007 16:23:02 GMT
Thats the part I don't particularly like. Sometimes getting a run started can take longer then the run itself. Only suggestion I have to fix that is using a guild's organizational powers ... or get a regular group to go with. I agree with Stormchaser...getting a party together can easily take as much time as some runs. I think this is especially true as a good party will be comprised of many different classes / builds. To me this is one of the best aspects of the Hell. Peace, John.
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May 7, 2007 13:50:24 GMT
Post by gammagm on May 7, 2007 13:50:24 GMT
Thanks for all your replies! (Especially Stormchaser). Data doesn't lie (well,, liars use data). Funky seems to have nailed it down to party composition, which seems to be the main time drain (i.e., finding the right toons). Perhaps I need to spend a bit more prep time allocated to rounding up guild members for runs.
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May 7, 2007 14:30:19 GMT
Post by zerragon on May 7, 2007 14:30:19 GMT
Yes, the run itself isnt too bad in terms of length (+- 2 hrs) The time it takes to start the run, and to finish and split loot, can easily increase it to +-4 hrs, which of course is frustrating because waiting is waste of time.
Sometimes youre lucky and can jump into runs allready planned, but when you decide to start one yourself from scratch, it can be painful...
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