Please remove teleport scrolls

To preface this, I am pro-teleport. I'm not telling who's on my friends list because it's embarrassingly low so I don't use them in the abusive fashion mentioned.

From what I've read, the Baron really doesn't mind if you have a ton of friends on your friends list. After all, that's what it's there for. It's the fact that the list acts like a huge network of teleportation destination points that let you get practically anywhere at anytime if enough of those people are on. Add strangers as you go and your network increases. The economy is defeated as all of these people can zip across the map adding to and taking from the different regions as they see fit which basically means there are no regions. If something is low in one region, hop to the next one and buy it out. Likewise, take your wares gained from another region (gem mine mentioned, for example) and sell them wherever you can earn the biggest profit. Control points aren't necessary then. You could just make them optional scenes to enter like all of the others. That is my understanding but correct me if I'm wrong.

However, I vote balance over removal. Scrolls are my friends. I'd miss them. *sniff*

 

Your right on how the boats are supposed to work. They are not just the click click click that they are now but the point is they still avoid the control points. Also, how does this exactly interfere with economy? Perhaps I am missing your point here.

Let us take this example in our directions.

I have Obsidian Chips for sale. I can choose to sell them in Radio City (less then a screen away from where I got them). Or, I can choose to sell them in Owl's Head (where my other house is located). I can walk, ride or teleport to either of these places but the item is still getting where I want it to be.

How, does this change the economy any? The item is still where i wanted it to be, still being sold for what i want it to be sold for.

Please explain in this example how .... my choice of transportation changed anything? Other then instead of 5 minutes .. it took 2 minutes to restock my vendor?

 

Consider that people outside Drachvald, South Paladis, and Parennial Coast don't need to go through the control points to haul goods. Shaping off extra 3-5 minutes to travel via teleporting instead of going on foot will not mess up with the economy. What it's gonna mess up would be the ability for people who have limited time in their life to actually enjoy the game.

Isn't the goal of this game is to provide something people can entertain themselves, so they can invite more people to be part of the game? At the end of the day, the economy would mean nothing if there are no consumers around to keep it active.

If the fast travel scroll were to be rid of the game, there must be more features that make it worthwhile for people to travel on foot. Pulling cold turkey right at this moment only take away the fun from the game.

 

Great question, and in terms of Obsidian Chips that doesn't have a direct impact the way you've described it. But let's assume you walk to Gem Graff Mines to sell your reagent there? Doesn't that mean you have to walk through a control point?

In the future, the regions will be FAR more diverse than what they are now. At least that's the plan, and the devs don't usually comment too much on this because (I believe) that they don't want to over commit themselves (and they probably also don't want other games stealing this awesome stuff). But I've been listening and watching this entire time and what I believe is going to happen is the following:
1. Crafting will be impacted by astronomy. Make a sword today and it might give you a plus 5 to dex. Make it tomorrow when the moon is full and it might be a plus 7. Make it during the very rare eclipse of all the planets and it may give you a plus 10 and three extra spell abilities!
2. Gathering resources in different regions will matter. A tree near Verdantis will not be the same type of tree that you find in the Hidden Vale. I'm not talking about Maple vs. Pine. I'm talking about Verdantis Maple versus Vale Pine verses Midras Pine verses Drachvald Spider Oak!
3. Crafting will vary at different locations. Try enchanting in Desolis! Now try it in the Kas Ruins. Now at the Temple of the Shuttered Eye.

Jumble all of that up and you'll have an idea of how amazingly cool this regional economy could be. Crafters, traders, adventures, they would all have reason to visit other places at different times of day and season and star alignment and location. This could really get complex and meaningful enough that 5 to 10 minutes would REALLY matter because if you were in Owl's Head now, you wouldn't have time to make it to the Gem Graff mines before the love constellation passed through the lunar eclipse that won't happen for another 11300 Novian years. Only the people that live there and happen to be in the area would have the rare opportunity of making Verdantis Swamp Oak Chest Armor.

But yeah, that's speculative and that's in the future, right now we don't have much of that (just little tiny hints of it). That's why I fight so hard for this though, because THAT image is something that no other game has ever had and that we could have if we don't give in to convenience over substance.

 

There's already been other games where travel was far more difficult than in SotA, so looking at those should give some kind of idea as to whether or not regional economies can ever be a real thing.

The original Everquest release was notorious for painful travel. Half hour boat trips, large world with large zones, agro NPCs everywhere that could run as fas as you could and smash you like a bug, return corpse run trips if you died. Traveling was much, much more of an ordeal in that world than in the current SotA world minus teleport scrolls. And yet, the value of items wasn't ever any different in one part of the world than another. I suspect that's because the value of items worth selling can't really ever be that significant compared to travel time without travel being an absolute disaster.

That being said, teleport scrolls can be harmful in other ways. People can use teleport mules or huge friends lists to endlessly slash and burn prime spots with very little delay. You can't just say to someone "well if you don't like it, don't use them!"in an MMO where other people can use them to gain a competitive advantage.

I don't really see any reason why adjustments couldn't be made to teleport scrolls that would accommodate people in quickly meeting up with their friends without allowing scrolls to be used continuously for more efficient farming.

 

*this* explains why you want to be rid of them. Which makes perfect sense. And with that... I can completely understand why you would wish them gone. In that reguard, should it ever come to pass. Would indeed have teleport scrolls causing a negative impact on things. As that what could have been rare item, is easily and quickly obtainable by anyone with a teleport scroll and a friend there.

The resource collecting I would have to argue would not make a difference, walk, run, sail, fly or teleport. You are going to get them and bring them where you want anyway. But, those rare instances should they ever come to pass. I can see your argument indeed warranting attention. For those occassions, as few and far between as they may be... would be impacted negatively.

Thank you for the example.

With that said - I would say, do not be rid of teleport scrolls.... put a teleport blocker at the events when they happen... so people could still teleport and do things as they normally would day to day. But special occassions such as that.. there would be a teleport blocker set up so you could not teleport to that region/area/location until the period of time that the event was over.

 

I log in to the Game. My nephew found also time to play.
I look forward to 1 hour fun.

Nephew: where are you.

Me: I am in this town.

Nephew: How do i get there.

Me: Not sure what the best strategy is, but best is you wait and i run to you.

Nephew: I am on the moon.

Me: Ok. Will not work today that we play. You need to play through the starting zones first. Will take more then a hour. Sorry. Play it and then next time we play.

Nephew: Can't you start together?

Me: Sorry no.


1 week later.

Hey i got an hour.

Great lets play. I use Teleport - and 2 happy in the family.


Or: Sorry i have a cool down. Need also 500 gold to run to you.

Great. Run to me. Hoe long will it take?

I need to run through a Control Point - maybe 10 minutes.

Really! That sucks. I look around.

10 minutes later: Hey. I am in your Zone. Where are you. I am at the graveyard.

Coming.

Ok what shall we do. ( 12 minutes lost)

 

It shouldn't take more than an hour to get out of the starting zone, though. Maybe 10-20 mins.

 

Unless 1) you are a child or 2) you are an adult who is not entirely experienced with this type of game.

My own father (and GoldenWing was on the phone with me when this happened). Simiar situation happens *Every* time he's in game.

Could only imagine my little impatient ones would be even worse. And then the whining when your hour is up and its time to shut it down "But we only just got started..."

Thank you Myycello for the example. One of many reasons why i think they should stay -- even if the compromise is a teleport blocker in an area/region/instance if a special rare event happens where it would affect the creation of something.

 

@Baron Drocis Fondorlatos I keep seeing you comment that without teleport scrolls it would improve region trade. Whats the logic behind this? Surely putting limitations on teleport will simply mean its harder and takes longer without any other benefit.

 

Why would that surly be the case?

Currently the NPC's in different towns sell reagents and other crafting supplies based on how frequently and how much players buy from them. For example a few days ago it cost 22 gold per black pearl in Owl's Head but only 6 in Kingsport.

There are pockets of trade that have benefits and disadvantages all over the continent. If you can simply teleport anywhere you want, you are more likely to get the cheapest price. Remove or restrict teleport scrolls and that's far less likely to happen. The benefit being that the PLAYER driven economy can then take hold as intended and players selling reagents and other crafting supplies will be sought after more because the cost (either time or financial) for teleporting makes it more attractive to buy from players.

That's one example. (that I have reposted several times in this thread)

 

So taking that as a simple list:

1: You buy regs from SouthTown
2: You walk for 10 minutes
3: You sell in NorthTown
4: You make Profit
5: You increase trade

With Scrolls:
1: You buy regs from SouthTown
2: You teleport
3: You Sell regs in NorthTown
4: You make Profit
5: You increase Trade
6: You then go find a scroll vendor to replace the scroll you used
7: You increase Trade for a second time.

Why would scrolls be a detriment?

 

@Scoffer missed one important point that if it's too easy, there won't be a market in NorthTown since everyone in NortTown and just teleport to SouthTown to get what they want the cheapest.

Anyway, this is all way too speculative. Nobody here knows the actual outcome. Everyone has made solid points.

 

So, the basic premise to this is that if its easy, everyone would do it.
If its harder to do then less people would do it and those that choose to could earn more profit, is that right?

 

The opening post of this entire marathon states that "The game is not that difficult to move around in."
If that's the case, then the scrolls really aren't affecting much, just adding a timesink and delay factor.
If there's profit to be made by going from Place X to Place Y, surely there is still profit to be made whether you walk there or teleport there. If its worth doing, people will do it by whichever method.

There is a cost to scrolls, so you make less profit if you use one.
If the issue is people are using them too often, as I've said numerous times, a cooldown should satisfy all parties.

People aren't clustering in certain towns because oh noes, we don't have a teleport scroll, so we have to stay in Owls Head. We're trapped!
People are clustering in towns because that's where people have homes and vendors and are selling stuff, and/or because its near where they are adventuring and/or because its a town that's got a blacksmith who pays you more for crap.

 

Yes, exactly. I thought I spelled that out well enough in my reply to him. Thank you for stepping in and saving me from repeating myself, Tahru.

 

I apologise for making you repeat yourself but I'm just trying to understand the logic of it. If there is a market in Northtown for regs because people don't want to walk 10 minutes to get them cheaper then surely there is a market in Northtown for regs who don't want to spend 200g on a teleport scroll.

 

I don't think the devs designed the economy to hinge entirely on where the blacksmith that pays more resides.

I also don't think the devs designed this huge map thinking "I can't wait to give people teleport scrolls so they can ignore it".

Look, it's one thing to ask me questions guys, it's another thing to never concede when a good point is made or look for a working solution. It's kind of frustrating talking to people that appear to have blinders on when it comes to the problems with teleport scrolls. I get it, you guys like them the way they are. Point taken.

 

See, I disagree? Because if I've got to spend 200g on a scroll to get to Southtown and 200g on another scroll to get back to Northtown (assuming that's my bind point) or 200g on a teleport scroll to find a suitable 'friend' then I've spent 400g on travel when I could have just used the 'regional market'. Chances are, folks in Northtown who are selling goods are going to get my business because alternatively I've have to pay 2x teleport scrolls in Tax and sit through at least two load screens.

If I didn't have the teleport scrolls, I'd have the same choice - buy it here, or spend time to walk to Southtown.

Since "the world isn't that difficult to get around in" if I really wanted a discount, I'd still walk.

 

Using the occasional teleport scroll doesn't mean you're ignoring the map.
I agree that I don't think the intent was for people to be zipping back and forth using "friends" as anchors and that this should be fixed. I have conceded that point. I've also offered an alternative solution - a cooldown. I think outright removal of a convenience item is a bit of an extreme reaction. The only solution you've presented is to make them "cost 20x as much" which is ludicrous.

Teleport scrolls (and recall scrolls) were removed from the only purchasable place (travelling merchant) early this release.
They now MUST be crafted by players.
Surely they are a commodity item in their own right, stimulating trade?


Furthermore, your veiled insults about "people with blinders on" aren't necessary. The only person here who isn't conceding anyone else's good point - is you.