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Feb-22-2004 20:32

I have a couple of questions I'd like some feedback on. Please Answer by replying to this post.

1) Is the game fun? Really fun, kind of fun, funner than going to the dentist?

2) Can you think of anything that would make the game more fun?

3) Is the game too hard? Too easy?

Thanks
-Ben

Nov-22-2005 04:48

yes this Mojo ppl keep stealing it ;)

Nov-22-2005 15:12

I would also like to get rid of the 10 case limit, or loosen it somehow.

There are two reasons why I haven't, thus far:

1) The limit keeps the server load under control, so the game usually doesn't run too bogged down and slow.

2) Without the limit, only really hardcore teams could ever win hunts, because they could just play non-stop and plow through a case in a matter of hours.

Problem #1 is probably less of an issue than it used to be. The game generally runs pretty well these days, except when it completely crashes, but that's not necessarily directly because of load.

Problem #2 might have a few other possible solutions. For instance, I could limit the number of favors you get in a day, even if cases are unlimited. I would probably also want to limit the number of times a player could travel. Maybe limit it to 1 trip a day.

Nov-23-2005 01:04

Hmmm, I have to say that I like both ideas - having a limited number of favours, and one trip per day.

The only times I have travelled more than once per day, I wasn't doing anything else (of course), and its more realistic (!) anyway.

And even if the case limit per day was merely increased, or changed to a maximum per week [who suggested that? ;-) ], it might place less pressure on agency members to show up every single day, for the good of the agency....

Nov-23-2005 06:51

*hears Ben's threats and nearly panincs*

What?! One trip per day!! Noooooo! Favor limits?! AHHHHHH! That's just cruel!

*listens to Phileas' response*

Hmmmm...maybe you could come back to Mojo then? :D

*wonders how she'd convince the others that limits are a good idea even though she hates it herself*

Nov-23-2005 13:26

1 This game is fun, but since some of my relatives are dentists and there are so many fun things to mess around with in their offices like the X-ray machine I have to admit that the dentist's office comes in a very close second place.

2 Add an unpredictable event or something that isn't predictable. Add new names and pictures. After a long time playing I begin to fall into my standard operating procedure where everything is straightforward and the rules are easy to follow. The scripted mysteries are fun, but maybe something else should be added as well.

3

Nov-23-2005 14:02

I like the limiting the number of hunts per day per agency.

For a subscriber who does not want to be part of an agency (or others just enjoying solving a bunch of cases and favors) limiting the number of favors a detective can do in one day seems to be a punishment.

If the effect of the favors can be limited in regards to hunts, then that would give all agencies an equal chance at them.

2 hunts completed per day per agency? My semi-educated guess is that would keep the same number of completed hunts as we have now even with more cases being available overall.

Nov-25-2005 05:57

I can understand why you would limit the number of favors when "unlimiting" the case numbers. But why limit the travel?
Limiting the favors should be enough. Not that I travel much. But if someone does he might want to come back in the same day and just do normal cases. Limiting the favors would stop him from doing too much for the hunt, no matter where he is. But if he cant travel then it means he cant do normal cases at wanted level. Thats not helping with hunt situation, its just annoying.

Nov-28-2005 08:25

How about allowing the number of cases earned to aggregate (e.g. if I get 10 cases/day and I skip a day, then I have 20 cases) and adding a "time" component to certain actions. Here's an example:

10 cases/day are earned
16 "hours"/day can be used
1 hour to start a case
1 hour to start a favor
x hours to travel, where "x" is the number of cases it used to cost

Lets say I'm in NY with a fresh 10 cases and 16 working hours. I open 3 cases and solve them and solve a favor. The favor moves a hunt to Shanghai. I have 7 cases left for the day and 12 hours. I travel to Shanghai taking 4 hours (a little unrealistic, but hey). I open 6 cases and 2 favor, using 6 cases and the remaining 8 hours. I have one case left which will become 11 cases tomorrow.

The numbers would have to be thought out a little better than above - perhaps hours should be more realistic (4hrs NY - London, 8hrs NY - Delhi, 12hrs NY - Shanghai) and the hours per case started decreased (perhaps 0.5 or 0.25 hours per case). The end result is that everyone is on equal grounds on the number of cases they are allotted and it is the management of when cases are used that will determine how effective an agency is.

Nov-28-2005 09:08

Have to say I'm a bit sceptic about limiting the number of favours one can do in a day. I can see it makes perfect sense in relation to the hunts if the number of daily cases were to be practically unlimited, but for an agency looking to gain particular contacts this could make this task even more troublesome than it can already be at times

Nov-28-2005 09:39

Hmm, I remember an old saying, if it's not broke, don't fix it. If an agency is getting most of the hunts, then maybe another agency needs to upgrade, recruit more people, then try and match the other agency.

The one thing I like to see is maybe more skills to learn or more things to discover like a new city with new organizations. Something like that will make people forget issues like favor limits and case limits for a while. With more organizations though you will need more skills to add and also enemy organizations so it won't be easy and will take time.

Maybe a learnable skill is forced information, when someone is clammed up permantently, this skill will offer you a chance to unclam them a third time. Another version of this for charm might be Perfect Face ( I know it sounds lame, someone can come up with something better then use that) so that charming people have their own version. Also an extra smart skill could be that you could use the crime lab 3 times a day to help people instead of once a day (Super Interpreter or something like that).

We are all use to the limits set forth. Traveling from city to city shouldn't be limited because in life it is not limited except by how much money you can afford. Since the game makes you pay, I think that is enough and shouldn't even cost toward your case load.

I hope my suggestions are decent, figured maybe they see things from a different point of view. Growth in a good game like this is good, but sometimes you have to think if some ideas might take from the fun the game currently is or actually make it better. Too much of a good thing can be bad, too little can be annoying.