Problem:
It is possible to get an OOD-item at lvl 1 by participating in regular events (dungeon keeper & etc) while in “soloist” mode.
Events give solid possibility to get endgame OOD-item from the start. As main feature of ‘Soloist’ mode – traditional roguelike experience when every character have to start from zero and without cheezing later on, such powerful rewards doesn’t fit to ‘Soloist’. In this events you could get !endgame! items, like +10 mana staff or +25/+25 bow from the start (level 1) what just ruins soloist mode idea.
Currently events reward calculated from the view of NE/EL TomeNET modes, where players got loads of loot in their houses and having a top bow isn’t really influence gameplay (anyway real game starts at 45+ lvls). But at ‘Soloist’ mode it works different. EX: my ‘Soloist’ archer which had to enhance bow to +12/+12 at lvl 31 ( http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=22073 ). It was interesting and challenging gameplay. Playing with top weapon just from a start – not-TomeNETish gameplay, it doesn’t fit to ‘Soloist’ (extra-hard) mode.
On discussion of this matter were provided an opinion that sometimes you could find the very best items in the dungeon even at the beginning, with the example that recently someone found speed boots on low levels (<20). Considering finding speed boots example – there is always a tiny chance of spawning OOD monster behind your back which insta-kill you. The same thing with getting speed boots – you could be lucky. But it’s extremely rare occasions – I don’t remember finding any speed boots at low lvls ever, and it doesn’t make me replay low lvls again and again to get them. Getting OOD-item via item is pretty ordinary, probable and repetitive event which couldn’t be compared to the super-rare RNG in the dungeons.
As TomeNET is multiplayer game there is always a competition between playes – you just can’t ignoring events (such HUGE cheeze) – it would give other players huge advantage over. That’s why there is ‘Soloist’ mode – to have fair and equal game rules for everyone… Cause with approach “you can just ignore events” – there is no need to have ‘Soloist’ mode at all, as player “could just ignore possibility to cheeze at regular NE mode”.
So currently if you play ‘Soloist’ – you are obliged to participate in events. For a few minutes you have quite high chance of getting OOD-item. The price which you pay if you would fail is nothing – getting killed at lvl 1 is nothing compare of getting killed at high lvls (probability which you decreas drammatically by getting top item from beginning).
Currently I feel ‘Soloist’ pretty ideal mode and there is not any other critical things to change, except ‘events’ reward. People who wish to get OOD-items from events have a lot of such possibilities at NE and EL characters, where OOD-items doesn’t really affect gameplay cause of loads and hoards of randarts in players storages. At ‘soloist’ OOD-items really matters and break this mode, destroying possibility to have ‘newbie’, legit gameplay experience in TomeNET, which isn’t accessible in other game modes.
This mode is best gameplay experience which I had in TomeNET ever – fair play without any possiblities to cheeze and A LOT of freedom (could go any dungeon when even I like).. So having this OOD-item events make it less fun – it’s removes part of players’ freedom, making participating in event obligatory.. And it creates ‘grind’ experience cause you should repeat it again and again (sometime unlucky to get item), as you don’t have an alternative – you _should_ use this possibility to be effective. And last thing, which is more specific to my personal gameplay experience – I can’t stream new player experience cause if I fail DK – I had to stop my stream and wait a few hours till next DK time.. Of course I could just ignore events and play without them to make my streams more fun; I’m doing this right now. But then I’m not in equal situation to players who using events to get extra-powerful items; it ruins fair competition of multiplayer experience.
Suggestion:
At first I thought that it would be right thing just to forbid participation in events for ‘Soloist’ mode. But it’s also removing a part of freedom from players who just enjoy events and at the same time likes ‘Soloist’ mode. But there is yet another way:
Nerf events rewards for ‘soloist’ mode.
Make it not possible to get any kinds of weapon (high damage makes lvling super EZ PZ); lets it would possible to get only piece of armour with +10 – +15 enhanced armour; with rare occasion to get base resistances (only for body part) or one minor resistance (any other body part).
This reward would be nice, but won’t be too much. I personally would enjoy to participate in event and try my luck everytime to get such boost.. But at the same moment if I’ll fail on stream – I’ll just create new char and start without event, because it’s reward really doesn’t influence gameplay and it totally ok to ignore it and play without it 🙂