Currently, one of the most common ways to level your melee combat skills is to get someone to grab a torch and hit you in the ankles/shins (to cause minimal damage) over and over and over again. This is one of the fastest, easiest and most boring way to level combat skills. Even with a good food multiplier, this method still takes along time. I really don't think its a good placeholder, let alone a good feature.
I.e. This for hours and hours and hours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FuTuLKmZ6M&t=1s
In fact, as I write this post, I am afk getting hit by someone else to level my combat skills. The person hitting me is playing another game! (assassin's creed odyssey) I don't know of any other games where you level up by going afk and playing another game.......
And..
I really do think the arena could be used for more than it is currently.
As it stands, we have a "Free-for-all" 20 man Arena. The ironic thing is that most of the time its not free-for-all; its more about have a big team.
I think that it would be better design to encourage individuals to level combat there skills in the arena. It would be more immersive, more enjoyable and just better in so many ways. Being whacked by a torch for hours and hours makes absolutely no sense and its putting off a lot of potential players.
So what could you do to achieve this?
Increase the combat skill gain in IB/arenas.
What is the current incentive to join an arena? For new players, maybe fun and the chance at getting some coin. Ultimately new players are not going to get any coin and they wont have good armour and weapons, and as a result, they are even less likely to have any fun. (They'll just get mobbed by more experienced players with between gear and skills) As a result, a lot of players have had bad experiences with the arena and no longer cue up.
So why not increase the skill gain?
So currently a player can get 5 skill points per 20 minutes by getting hit by a torch, well then make it so that players get 5 skills points per arena in there chosen skill. (basically make fighting in arenas the fastest way to level combat skills) - the skill gain would also scale like 0-30, 30-60, 60-90 and 90-100, but doing arenas should still be the fastest
If they do well, they get more skill gain, and if they do not do so well... they should still get more skill points than bashing each other with a torch. Plus they will have fun and hopefully get better at fighting.
*You would also want some form of anti-AFK mechanic, whether its a AFK timer or a AFK report feature.
It would be great to have lancing arenas and archer competitions, but I understand the challenges there and maybe certain combat skill gains should be treated differently.
In doing so, you would get many many more people joining arenas. As it is now, its often hard to get 20 people to join. People often feel like there is not much point even queing for a arena as they take so long for 20 players to join. Its such a high barrier. Some players that live off timezone will never get the chance to join a arena.
And therefore, the Arena should also have so many different options. I.e.
Different Arena types such as;
1v1
2v2
3v3
5v5
10v10
Even if there is just 2 players online wanting to fight, they will be able to. The monetary rewards would obviously have to be scaled.
Another nice thing to have would be an ELO rating system. This would mean that newbies would often fight other newbies and veterans would often fight other veterans. And with more people using the arena for skill gain, an ELO rating system could really create a more positive experience for all.
Players could take pride in their ELO Arena Rating, as they do know in many other AAA games like WoW.
So in summary;
- Increase skill gain in Arenas for melee Combat
- Add more options for the Arena, 1v1, 2v2 etc
- Add an ELO ranking system for arena
- Potentially add a archer competitions for Archer Skill gain
- Potentially add a joust competition for lancer skill gain.
- If the above arena skill gain is implemented, reduce skill gain/diminishing returns from repetitive hits in-game
I know it would be a little bit of work, just my feedback on it. Same as many people have said before in the past.
In the 2 hours to write this post I went from 32 swordsman to 53. I would much rather get those 20 skill points by playing the game, fighting others in combat in a arena where players actually get better at fighting.
Let me know if you think I have missed anything that should also be included, relating to combat levelling or arena tweaks.
Voting Page Link:
https://lifeisfeudal.com/Discussions/question/suggestion-4-increased-combat-skill-gain-in-arenas