Random Encounters

No, I'm not going to make a long post about how to improve random encounters. This is going to be a short post:

after leaving a random encounter scene, I return to a nearby but seemingly random point on the map. This kind-of disorients me and I have to look around to realize where I'm at.

I'd like if if we upon leaving a random encounter scene, I'm right back where I was. Might not be "realistic" but I'd like it.

Also: can we have a countdown on random encounters? Entering a random encounter, killing skeletons, leaving and then almost immediately entering another random encounter to kill spiders is annoying. This isn't Final Fantasy where the combat depends on random battles. Please add a timer to remove consecutive random encounters.

 

The idea about a cool down is a really good one. But I'd like to see it based on doing something that earns you the cool down. Running away from a random encounter shouldn't earn you a break, imo.

 

I think we should be paid every time we're forced into a random encounter, to compensate us for the torture.

 

I have decided I'm against "making them earn it". Why? I just went through a random encounter where I wiped out a group of skeletons without taking any HP, barely getting any XP for my troubles, and not even bothering to pick up the loot.

 

I enjoy the random encounters now that there are plenty of nodes in them because it's one of the few places where I can harvest and hunt in peace.

In contrast, I'm not a big fan of regular scenes because I'm frequently wasting a lot of time in them just trying to find nodes that haven't been harvested (and I also make an effort to avoid fighting and harvesting nearby other people so we're not stepping on each others toes). Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like most of the people I've encountered share the same attitude as they seem to have no qualms about running right into the pack of mobs I'm fighting and the nodes I'm harvesting, grabbing what they can from under my nose while I'm busy finishing off a mob that I was clearing so I could easily harvest that node.... =/

I also don't like zoning into a scene only to discover several felled trees and harvested nodes all around me as I start to explore. It just gives me the sense that I am taking the road most traveled and scrounging for the table scraps left behind by others. For this reason, I've started to just run around the map hoping to trigger random encounters and I spend very little time in the normal scenes.

I'm sad to admit that getting used to GW2's harvesting and cooperative loot/kill/xp-sharing mechanics has ruined harvesting and hunting in SotA's normal scenes for me.

 

Yeah, agreed on the shared node things, gw2 nailed one thing it's that you don't despise seeing other players like in wow. Get off my herb! Ninja tagging mobs...

 

Yep. I fully understand why a system like GW2's would make a mess of SotA's economy though, so I'm not advocating for a change or anything. It just feels really strange to come back to a play style where I find that I'm not happy to see other players in the same area that I'm hunting/harvesting in... It's too bad too because I've come to enjoy having other players around me harvesting and helping me kill mobs over these past 2 years (even if we never say a word to each other, it still feels a lot less lonely and solitary to fight with others nearby and to actually be happy they are there).

Now I feel like I'm going to back in time to my Aion/WoW/FFXI days where I'd be grinding my teeth and cursing the person who was running in front of and managing to harvest every node and kill every mob in our path, leaving me with table scraps... It's ESPECIALLY annoying if they turn out to be a gold-farming bot who never gets banned despite being reported repeatedly (I'm looking at you, Aion/NCSoft!).

Oh well, I guess one nice thing of playing a variety of games is that it makes it easier to better appreciate the enjoyable aspect of each game (and the differences between them too). I know that SotA is catering to a very different crowd, most whom aren't fan of themepark games that coddle "casual" play styles. Almost makes me regret the last 2 years of playing GW2... almost

 

Personally I like the random encounters. Honestly I think there should be more of them and populated with more difficult enemies, maybe based on the level of the person who triggered it or group leader if it's a group. Maybe adding in a bit more resources in them would be good to.

 

I enjoy the random encounters now, but I would like to see

1. mobs appropriate to the character level, gets way too easy fast
2. more frequent encounters, the farther away from the road you get. I sometimes have to walk a lot to get a random encounter even far from the road.

 

I like the random encounters as well...it adds some challenge to the game...also, it does need some tweaks...like not be able to easily run away etc...already talked about this in the other thread.

 

RE currently add zero challenge to the game, IMO.

 

Really?

Im pretty sure this is the first time yiu complained about it.

Lets look at solutions to make them more challenging.

 

random encounters are still in their very early, and easy, Testing iterations. In the future there will be much mreo difficult encoutners with greater experience rewards and materials, a wider variety of type sof encounters, as well as roving encoutners you can see ont he map (such as travelling gypsy wagons that can sell you stuff, or ambush you) as a wagon travelling down the road.

Right now there are 3 tiers of encoutners, each only slightly more difficult than the last.

^ this is the latest of what i heard was planned.

 

Not complaining, just stating stone cold fact even though you go on pretending RE are actually challenging.

But yes, they should be more challenging.

 

I think I have been pretty clear they have to be adjusted to be tougher...even if that goes against your opt in system for everything.

 

You have been pretty clear that you think they are already challenging: "I like the random encounters as well...it adds some challenge to the game."

Back to the topic, Heradite's suggestion for a timer is awesome.

 

Why complain? Why not give constructive suggestions on how to improve the random encounters?

I know this is pre alpha and we will see better encounters later on but I would really like to see something more challenging and perhaps not only combat ones. We need to see more bandits along the roads that are trying to rob you, they have a reason for being there while a lot of current encounters seems bit off sometimes, can't for your life figure out why the skeletons are where they are.

 

Morkul, take the time to read other threads on this and you'll see that I and countless others have made all sorts of constructive suggestions.

Agree with the rest of your post.

 

@Morkul

If Budner is making you crazy, look at his avatar and relax.

 

Theres NPC's everywhere that mention an Undead problem, and a couple that explian or hint at why the undead are roaming the island to begin with.

There are plans to put in other types of encounters (wanderign gypsies were mentioned specifically by devs as an example) that may sell you things, or request help from you, etc.