Dear NQ Team,
Actually I didn't want to write to you, because I think what's the point of my opinion. However, I have now decided to do so because I am at a point where I am currently losing motivation to play. Unfortunately.
Basically, we all know that a wipe is necessary. We just don't want to admit it.
How else are we going to get the community to the necessary size so that DU becomes profitable and development continues? With the current player base that won't work and in the end we will have lost what we love so much as a community. Us and the game...
I have some people around me who have clearly said, with so many changes, exploits and possibilities that are no longer there, we won't get back in without a wipe. I think this is a pyschological thing and cannot be dispelled with any arguments. I think that's how a lot of new potential players will feel.
Why is this a problem?
New players will be happy to start DU. Then they realise that there are other players in DU who can produce EVERYTHING and dominate the market through talents, quanta and mega factories. And then? New players will be even more frustrated when they realise that they are making these players and corps even richer and stronger with their purchases on the market and, above all, that they themselves do not see any possibility with their goods on the market. It will most likely escalate when they hear, well, we have filled up our endless stock with meganodes and there were one or two exploits back then. We can't pretend this is normal in an MMO... the situation at release is completely different. New players expect to find at least similar conditions and the number of players will be massively higher if we offer them. Without a wipe, NQ's real money invested in the marketing campaign will be wasted. After a strong start, comes the collapse. DU dies quietly. Honestly, I want a large player base, to play DU actively in the next few years and preferably with as many players as possible, because that is the only way to ensure DU's further development. We need a strong start and we have to manage to keep the new players in the community, that's the only way to make it happen. I am convinced that the chances are better with a wipe than without. The project is at a critical point in my opinion and needs the money of new players to offer us more content.
I am a relatively small player, so the wipe won't hurt me much. But I understand all those who have invested their heart, time and money here for years and so I ask NQ for the following: offer these important pillars of the community fancy stuff (maybe not necessarily a game advantage) so that we can admire their great work again after the release. DU live and fall with these creative and great people!!! How about a special avatar, which no one else can get in the course of his DU life or a not exaggerated headstart. Please decide the wipe soon and present in the same time your ideas how you want to show the existing Commuity the appropriate recognition.
But...
Before you do a wipe and send our beloved DU into release. Please take care of the economy. Doing away with schematics will not be the solution here. On the contrary! Many in the community have already mentioned it. We need a functioning cycle between production and consumption. You (NQ) really have to sit down again and work on this topic intensively! If you don't succeed, we will most likely run into the same issues we see now.
- Products in abundance
- Everyone produces their own needs
- No one has to buy anything because nothing breaks or needs to be maintained
Just a suggestion:
What if we link the number of goods produced to a talent and no longer to schematics that have to be bought? Learn Industrial I so you can operate 10 machineries, level II for 30 etc.? Components could possibly be linked to specific talents as well. I think this way we can regulate the amount of goods and strongly encourage cooperative play. Specialisations and playing a subcontractor could be realised then. That needs hard work on balancing. So please start asap with these thoughts!
Please take a closer look at the topic of the economy before the release and in the best case involve the community. I have already read so many great ideas here from greate people. Another win for the release would be, in my opinion, PVE content (pirates / alien hunt or similar). For all those who can't warm up to PVP.
Kind Regards & thanks for listening
Steffstoff