First off I want to say that I love the new ideas that you are contemplating in the test realm. As a Wizard101 addict, I would love to enjoy them in the live realm.
There are things I love, hate, and don't understand.
We'll start with worst to good.
I hate that everything that is being implemented is going to cost additional crowns. I know that this is mostly a kid's game and there are adults who play. Some of those adults are on fixed incomes, are unemployed families due to a recession that we have going on, or just don't have the extra money for this type of luxury. I also realize that you don't NEED crowns to play the game (unless you have a membership) but people WILL want them especially to get some of the new stuff you are offering.
What is costing crowns in the test realm, you may ask? The mounts that the wizards will want to ride. Permanent mounts cost between 7000-15,000 crowns unless you choose to pay gold then they are 90,000. The test came with 20,000 fake crowns and still people were willing to trade treasure cards, clothes, and even their minions for someone else to buy them a mount.
There is an option to use gold for the mounts, some of the clothing items, or elixirs, the price is extra high. I bought the 7,000 broom mount and went to the shop to see what it would fetch in gold. It would sell for 3816 gold pieces.
Clothes with no attributes (health, pips, precision, defense, etc.) are costing crowns. Sure you can get them stitched to clothes that have the attributes you want but you have to pay crowns to do it.
The elixirs cost crowns and some are a good idea like the henchmen for tough dungeons (but they don't last long. only one battle) but others seem pointless. What I don't understand is the point in some of the elixirs. Yes it is nice to be able to change into some of the monsters (I love the fire elf and Krokomummy) but they don't DO anything. They don't help in battles, increase attributes, or scare the enemies.
I realize that the wishing well is a luck based thing but it should at least be reasonable. I tried it out and threw crowns into several around the spiral to see what I would get. I hardly got anything worth a crown but got 20 gold and lots of ore. I'm sorry but I can find that 20 gold in a chest just walking along the street. Same thing with the ore. If you want to do a reagent as a reward or prize at least do a rare item that would be worth the crowns dropped in.
The second chance chests. I went to Krokopatra's dungeon cause I have been wanting a fangbat but I thought I would try out the chest to see what happens. I threw in a few crowns and got a ring that was not in my school, threw in some more (the amount of crowns increases each time you throw) and got some of Krokopatra's clothes until I was up to 800 crowns a throw and didn't have any more to give.
I am not sure I completely understand the name changes on the clothes, but I am also not that concerned with them since they don't affect my gameplay.
WHAT I LOVE:
I love riding around on my dragon, tiger, or broom. It gives me freedom plus I can go faster.
I love the house previews and Myrella (?) Windspar is so professional and humorous. I posted this as an idea that I think the real estate agent should let the players know how many indoor and outdoor items can be held at each house in case they didn't know. I bought the Oasis camp and saw that it had lots of room outside yet it only held so many items and there is still so much unused space.
I love the gift giving option but I have not fully tested that yet. I am not sure if it is only purchased items that can be gifted to a friend or items that are also included in your inventory. I have housing items that I would love to give to my friend in exchange for some of her items but I don't think that is possible. Probably because it is more like a trade. Maybe KI will implement inventory trades between friends just like treasure cards.
I also love the teleportation in Marleybone and think that those in Mooshu should adopt it as well.
Thank you, Thank you for lowering some of the items on the crafting quests. Also Kudos to you for listening to the players about making their own rare hard to find reagents.
I look forward to the new launch but really do think that KI needs to rethink charging crowns for everything. Most of us have already spent more than we could on our subscriptions and the crowns we purchased to buy clothes and items in game.
Yes , I do agree , and i'll add again that members should have a easy access to these mounts and not high priced . I think we need more "free"content (for members are even for freebies are atleast cut the prices .
I always though this is a bit tedious having to pay 10/month + crows to use in CS (yeah optional but needed ) if you want to get X item faster. Members should be granted all the content in the crown shop via any shop or loot (in easy mode) . Or decrease the gold and Crown. needed to buy the mount
Nice review, and I saw some of the same problems as you stated. Now, I don't mind crowns for things, but they are a tad on the high side.
I wanted to use an elixer to shapechange into a skeletal warrior and ride around on a black horse...it is halloween! No joy on this, you appear as yourself on the mount. Also, the elixer made me invisible in the commons...interesting.
While I think the everyday things, like matching clothes, horses, etc are too high, I actually don't think the battle potions are high enough in price. I think the % increases are excessive, I'd want them for that little extra edge...not such a large change, as it takes it away from my gameplay, and makes it into a buying-play. It almost seems like buying grades at school instead of study. I want the potions to be more like tutors, helping a bit, but you still do most of the work.
It is great that you posted this here, because I was thinking about trying some of the things that you mention. I was wondering if you made a comment about this in the test realm.
The one thing that I found troublesome, was buying a henchmen. You have wait until your turn to buy one, but by the time you get through the list, you miss casting your spell. I am not sure if it is supposed to be that way, but I didn't like that factor of it. On the other hand, I guess you have to wait until it's your turn to summon a minion.
People, this is a TEST SERVER. Nothing is permament and could be wiped at any time.
Buying crowns to spend on the test server is rediculus. You will not get to keep anything you buy there.
For testing purposes each day the crowns should be reissued so all of the features of the TEST server can be tested. That is the point of testing, right?
Also I think that they should copy current player stats to the test server on a daily basis.
And that if you make friends there you can carry them over to the live servers.
Boost potions are a waste of money, real or otherwise.
quote=SorceressMiklai]First off I want to say that I love the new ideas that you are contemplating in the test realm. As a Wizard101 addict, I would love to enjoy them in the live realm.
There are things I love, hate, and don't understand.
We'll start with worst to good.
I hate that everything that is being implemented is going to cost additional crowns. I know that this is mostly a kid's game and there are adults who play. Some of those adults are on fixed incomes, are unemployed families due to a recession that we have going on, or just don't have the extra money for this type of luxury. I also realize that you don't NEED crowns to play the game (unless you have a membership) but people WILL want them especially to get some of the new stuff you are offering.
What is costing crowns in the test realm, you may ask? The mounts that the wizards will want to ride. Permanent mounts cost between 7000-15,000 crowns unless you choose to pay gold then they are 90,000. The test came with 20,000 fake crowns and still people were willing to trade treasure cards, clothes, and even their minions for someone else to buy them a mount.
There is an option to use gold for the mounts, some of the clothing items, or elixirs, the price is extra high. I bought the 7,000 broom mount and went to the shop to see what it would fetch in gold. It would sell for 3816 gold pieces.
<blockquote class="uncited"> <div>I agree with you about how much the mounts are costing. Earlier today cyrus drake interrupted into a pvp match asking us about what we liked about what was coming out. I told him that they should lower the prices for the mounts for they were costing way to much. They costed more then the any castle in the game He told us that they costed so much because they were so helpful. Well if they are so helpful then why not lower the price so more people can buy them? Otherwise making the mounts would have been a complete waste of time and money for Kingsisle. So i say for crowns they should cost from 5,000- 10,000. As for gold it should cost between 20,000- 30,000. Thsi way it would be much more helpful and Kingisle wouldnt have wasted so much into making them.[
People, this is a TEST SERVER. Nothing is permament and could be wiped at any time.
Buying crowns to spend on the test server is rediculus. You will not get to keep anything you buy there.
For testing purposes each day the crowns should be reissued so all of the features of the TEST server can be tested. That is the point of testing, right?
Also I think that they should copy current player stats to the test server on a daily basis.
And that if you make friends there you can carry them over to the live servers.
Boost potions are a waste of money, real or otherwise.
We already pay to have the privledge to find bugs and test features and submit bug reports, comments and suggestions to enhance game play.
We should not have to pay to gain addtional feature in test mode. Why I suggested new crown allocation to players each time they log on.
You cannot fully test a system unless you have the tools to do so. We do the testing (already having paid for the privledge), they need to supply the tools.
There are many people, especially young ones, who think test server items (mounts in particular) can be kept. Or may even get their parents to purchase crowns to buy items on the test server that will eventually go away. Why I think that the option to buy crowns on the test server should be disabled.
We already pay to have the privledge to find bugs and test features and submit bug reports, comments and suggestions to enhance game play.
We should not have to pay to gain addtional feature in test mode. Why I suggested new crown allocation to players each time they log on.
You cannot fully test a system unless you have the tools to do so. We do the testing (already having paid for the privledge), they need to supply the tools.
There are many people, especially young ones, who think test server items (mounts in particular) can be kept. Or may even get their parents to purchase crowns to buy items on the test server that will eventually go away. Why I think that the option to buy crowns on the test server should be disabled.
i miss understood you , i apologize but yes I do agree with both OP and you .
From the announcement page: "There's a new Crowns Shop icon on your screen and it is a one stop shop that players have access to at nearly every point in the game. Zeke will no longer be a Crowns shop." I looked for Crown Items under the new "Crown Shop" but all I saw was Mounts, Matched Equipment sets, Elixirs, etc...., but none of the individual crown gear currently being sold by Zeke. If Zeke no longer sells the Crown Items, are they going to be added to the Crown Shop or worse...now just available as Boss drops? If the second path is where KI is going with the individual Crown gear items now being sold, we better stock up on them now while we can still pick the color when we buy it.
SorceressMiklai, I totally agree with you . The only thing I'd like to add about the test realm is that the new quest in Wizard City is too hard. I have gone in there 3 times already with all grand masters and each time we get close; but are killed off each time by a massive meteor storm of 10,000 damage. How are you supposed to beat the level when he beats everyone in one shot? I think you should lower his meteor storm to maybe 2,000, this way it is still challenging but beatable.
i do however understand that mounts should stay their price reason is they are trade able and they can be switch to other accounts with ease... of banking..
the henchmen are a little bit rough because its a random thing
the advantage i like about henchmen is i could have a level 50 grand life use his attacks and summon a minion so that way i have 3 people in my match but it will increase the more numbers in my battle so technically its an ok ok idea but can get more quest done and more amounts of people and monsters to kill
PLEASE keep updating and adding more to the game above 50 level
Everyone is offering valid points and those points should be consider, but posting them here won't be recognized. Have you informed KI on the problems, concerns and accolades in the test realm? It won't help fix or improve the new features, unless you inform them there.
Sorry for the unclear communication on that subject, young Wizards. Zeke's current inventory of items will available at the regular shopkeeps in the worlds of the Spiral for both Gold or Crowns.
roguealien wrote:
From the announcement page: "There's a new Crowns Shop icon on your screen and it is a one stop shop that players have access to at nearly every point in the game. Zeke will no longer be a Crowns shop." I looked for Crown Items under the new "Crown Shop" but all I saw was Mounts, Matched Equipment sets, Elixirs, etc...., but none of the individual crown gear currently being sold by Zeke. If Zeke no longer sells the Crown Items, are they going to be added to the Crown Shop or worse...now just available as Boss drops? If the second path is where KI is going with the individual Crown gear items now being sold, we better stock up on them now while we can still pick the color when we buy it.
Mounts: Yes they are expensive but thats why they made it so you can rent them, i like this cause i will buy one with cash i have saved it like a good reward for saving. Pluse they are not as cool when everyone has them. And as we all know there are no crown items in the game that KI dont give as a monster drop as well so for the super poor there is always farming.
Potions/elixers: Great they help allot, still a few kinks to work out. The only thing i dont like is buying them in battle if you run out of time on your turn it shuts you out of the shop just give us a pass and let us continue looking for what we want.
Teleports: All i can say is sweet
Card Packs: Never been in to them
Clothes/Stitching: ok to get sweet looking clothes with the stats you want is sweet. Cost 100 crowns to stitch a item thats is as worth it as they come. Most of the looks of the clothes you can buy can be bought at the shops or drops way cheaper.
Hentchmen: with the grandmaster life one healed
And also the crown shop has sales so if you tight on crowns wait and the item you want will go on sale
Sorry for the unclear communication on that subject, young Wizards. Zeke's current inventory of items will available at the regular shopkeeps in the worlds of the Spiral for both Gold or Crowns.
roguealien wrote:
From the announcement page: "There's a new Crowns Shop icon on your screen and it is a one stop shop that players have access to at nearly every point in the game. Zeke will no longer be a Crowns shop." I looked for Crown Items under the new "Crown Shop" but all I saw was Mounts, Matched Equipment sets, Elixirs, etc...., but none of the individual crown gear currently being sold by Zeke. If Zeke no longer sells the Crown Items, are they going to be added to the Crown Shop or worse...now just available as Boss drops? If the second path is where KI is going with the individual Crown gear items now being sold, we better stock up on them now while we can still pick the color when we buy it.
Mounts: Yes they are expensive but thats why they made it so you can rent them, i like this cause i will buy one with cash i have saved it like a good reward for saving. Pluse they are not as cool when everyone has them. And as we all know there are no crown items in the game that KI dont give as a monster drop as well so for the super poor there is always farming.
Potions/elixers: Great they help allot, still a few kinks to work out. The only thing i dont like is buying them in battle if you run out of time on your turn it shuts you out of the shop just give us a pass and let us continue looking for what we want.
Teleports: All i can say is sweet
Card Packs: Never been in to them
Clothes/Stitching: ok to get sweet looking clothes with the stats you want is sweet. Cost 100 crowns to stitch a item thats is as worth it as they come. Most of the looks of the clothes you can buy can be bought at the shops or drops way cheaper.
Hentchmen: with the grandmaster life one healed
And also the crown shop has sales so if you tight on crowns wait and the item you want will go on sale
Teleports: Announcement said Marlybone was getting them, but I also found them on Mooshu in Ancient Burial Grounds.
Clothes/Stitching: This even works on Crown gear! I bought the Overlord set and tried it out with my best gear to make complete set that finally matches. Looks really close to the Warlord PVP gear without the negative effects. ;)
Not sure if it was a bug or not but, I tried to buy the "On Sale" items but never seemed to get them. I wasn't losing crowns so the transaction never seemed to finish. It was the first day and servers were busy, so i ckalked it up to store being sold out or something.
Thank you everyone for your feedback and concerns regarding the Wishing Well system.
We are reconsidering how these Wishing Wells function, and they will not be going to the Live Realm with the other updates. We may choose to revisit the Wishing Well in the future, but with a dynamic that is more favorable to all our players.
It's players like all of you that help make Wizard101 safe and fun for everyone.
1 thing to point out: Awgeewhiz said this "Also I think that they should copy current player stats to the test server on a daily basis"
Do you even understand how this works? For them to copy EVERY POSSIBLE TEST REALM users stats each day would take forever. The test server would need to be shut down daily. too much time and not worth it. It to test new features, not to gain levels on.
Now, as far as the new updates coming: i for one will NEVER buy crowns to pay for anything else in the game, if it cant be bought with in game gold, i will NOT be getting (neither will my son). I already pay every month to play... I dont see how we should have to pay for anything extra!
I own many other games, a few are old.. one in particular was released on June 21, 2005... this game STILL gets patches and updates. The latest being a HUGE update. I paid once for the game... and thats it.
Now I cant say for sure how many subscribers there are of the 5 mil accounts.... lets say 500,000 monthly subscribers. 500,000 x $9.95 = $4,975,000 / month! even if you cut that in half.... So, as much as I do love the game, I HATE the idea of spending REAL money to purchase an in game item. I understand there are servers to run... but I cant see that it costs that much to maintain some computers.
And even more to this... The idea of GIFTING ITEMS THAT COST CROWNS! are you kidding!?? I will cancel my subscription if I have to walk through the commons and now see people yelling "GIFT ME ITEMS FOR CARDS!"
SERIOUSLY YOU NEED TO RE-THINK THIS IDEA!!
Fine if you could gift items bought with gold... but not real items. You know how many kids will get scammed and parents that will be blowing real money so their kids can give it away!?????? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE NO!
He told us that they costed so much because they were so helpful. Well if they are so helpful then why not lower the price so more people can buy them? Otherwise making the mounts would have been a complete waste of time and money for Kingsisle. So i say for crowns they should cost from 5,000- 10,000. As for gold it should cost between 20,000- 30,000. Thsi way it would be much more helpful and Kingisle wouldnt have wasted so much into making them.[
