Why is AFK leveling OK?

octa

Seeing as there's a community manager that posts here I'd like an answer from him as to why AFK leveling is OK with K2.  Isn't it a bad sign when your playerbase has to resort to not playing your game to play your game?  I think you guys need to re-think your excessive grind requirements.

For those that don't know or never played the game, there is a hot key that allows your characters to "auto attack" creatures.  This will last until your characters are knocked down or killed at which point you have to hit the hotkey again to re-enable it.  People will use this to sit in a corner and level up while they are away from their keyboards.

Let me also say that I love the environments, graphics, story line, and having multiple characters to control.  It's really only the grind I have an issue with. 

trancejeremy

While I don't necessarily disagree with you, it's not like K2 has any input into it, really.  That's just the way the game was originally designed, for the Korean audience (which does seem to like grinding game).

The US version does apparently have a 200% EXP rate.  And really, I've only AFKed my alternate characters (I'm AFKing my Romina as we speak, trying to get her to 80 so I can use her instead of my scout).  In 4 months, I've made it to level 97, which isn't a terrible pace.

The real grind (and probably where I'll stop playing the game) begins when you hit Veteran.  Apparently it takes as long to go from Vet to Expert as it does from 1 to Veteran.  And you don't get any improvements in your character at all, until you finall do hit Exp (where you get them all as a lump)

 

 

octa

That sounds absolutely terrible.  Those "end gamers" must be masochists.

If they can tweak something like the xp rate then they can also tweak level requirements.  There's no excuse for it.  Also, the stereotype that asians somehow love the grind is unfounded.  I've seen many reports that the asians hate the grind as much as anybody, and apparently there's also a prevalent use of bots to get around the grind as well.  Catch 22 isn't it?

If they were somehow making ad revenue I could somewhat understand it but it seems to me the grind is there just for the sake of it.  Lack of content maybe?

jmerriex

 

Originally posted by octa


That sounds absolutely terrible.  Those "end gamers" must be masochists.
If they can tweak something like the xp rate then they can also tweak level requirements.  There's no excuse for it.  Also, the stereotype that asians somehow love the grind is unfounded.  I've seen many reports that the asians hate the grind as much as anybody, and apparently there's also a prevalent use of bots to get around the grind as well.  Catch 22 isn't it?
If they were somehow making ad revenue I could somewhat understand it but it seems to me the grind is there just for the sake of it.  Lack of content maybe?

 

Actually, we cannot change the XP rate.  That is all on imcGAMES and we definately have no control over the leveling curve, again, that is set by our developer imcGAMES.

Our current XP rate is twice what it was when we launched and we are currently working to introduce new Combat and Tactics Manuals that will double the current XP rate as well.  In the 3.0 Expansion we will also be releasing several ways that F2P and P2P users alike can purchase these books.

Also, in our 2.9 Expansion later this year we will be introducing a new "team leveling" system where high level players can help level low level players faster than they could level by themselves and receive rewards for doing it.

Finally we are aware of the concerns that players have in the past brought regarding the leveling at certain areas and in our 2.6 patch (due out on June 25th, 2008) several of those areas will be easier to level through.  But for the most part imcGAMES is happy with our current leveling system and feel that the plans on deck will make it an issue of the past. 

trancejeremy

Another thing, the way it works in the game, it greatly encourages people to use items to access cash shop only areas, the Forgotten and Ancient areas, where apparently leveling is much, much, much faster. I think most people who have actually even gotten to Expert have either botted or used the Ancient Area pass.