Can we have a new way to get free Black Lion keys?

[The Greyhawk.9107]

Why would Arenanet want to do this?

[Dondarrion.2748]

> @"Alin.2468" said:

> No. Black Lion Key is a way of making money. It is hard to get from PvE, it is easy to obtain with money. And when you use it, skin rewards are given by luck. This is a money sink, and it needs to remain that way for company profits. Go and buy gems!

 

Well, OP has a point.

Takes very little time and effort for anyone to create a dummy char and play the starting levels and missions far enough to get the free key. Then rinse and repeat.

If Anet wanted less of this, they could rather remove the key from that personal story which people will do weekly anyway, and add a weekly reset quest, a.k.a. to the daily treasure hunter to give you the Ornate Rusted Key.

Time- and effort-wise make the weekly quest/meta which could be a collection of achievements; or simply like in the festivals, complete 7 dailies in order to complete an inifinite Weekly achievement which awards a key.

 

That key will most like give you a statuette, a teleport to a friend and 5 transmutation charges anyway... at least for 90% of the player base ;)

[Dondarrion.2748]

> @"The Greyhawk.9107" said:

> Why would Arenanet want to do this?

 

Well, all those character create/delete repetitions must be a nuisance and unintended part of the game in the first place. Why not improve on poor design? Imagine the good will in the player base if there was a weekly achievement which awarded a BLC key?

[lokh.2695]

"I've been working my way around paying gems for keys, but it's quite the hassle, can I have some free keys instead?"

[Taril.8619]

> @"Dondarrion.2748" said:

> > @"The Greyhawk.9107" said:

> > Why would Arenanet want to do this?

>

> Well, all those character create/delete repetitions must be a nuisance and unintended part of the game in the first place. Why not improve on poor design? Imagine the good will in the player base if there was a weekly achievement which awarded a BLC key?

 

Character creations also means people are incentivised to purchase an extra character slot to allow them to have their key running alt while also maintaining their main characters.

 

> @"Aodlop.1907" said:

> We all know the trick of making a character, completing its personal story and getting a key for it. But it's a rather tedious process.

> Can't they scrap that and give us a weekly challenge to complete once per account that'd give us the key?

 

They **COULD.**

 

But they won't.

 

People spend money on keys. The more keys they give the opportunity to obtain for free, the less people are incentivised to waste money on purchasing keys.

 

Heck, it used to be that there wasn't even a weekly cap on the keys obtained from the level 10 personal story quest, which had people just constantly re-creating characters in order to obtain multiple keys per day. They eventually put the weekly cap there to prevent people from doing this.

[Atomos.7593]

Not while people keep spending lots of money on keys. :p

[Tukaram.8256]

Keys just pile up in my bank. I have yet to open a box with anything useful in it. I would never purposely key farm. There are too many fun things to do in this game...

[Donutdude.9582]

My answer: no.

 

Black lion key openings is a key ( B) ) way that ArenaNet monetises their game. They will not implement an easier method for obtaining them.

 

If you're desperate for free keys, put the work in.

[Hyrai.8720]

Baiting players with lots of chests with nice loot but very few keys is a very common concept.

Now make those keys very tedious to achieve ingame and put them on sale for real currency -> there you got your money printing machine.

 

also:

if you dont like making lvl 10 characters over and over again, try map completion ;)

[Goettel.4389]

I don't care about BL keys, but I'd be fine if one was added to the monthly daily reward options or something.

[lokh.2695]

> @"Dondarrion.2748" said:

> > @"The Greyhawk.9107" said:

> > Why would Arenanet want to do this?

>

> Well, all those character create/delete repetitions must be a nuisance and unintended part of the game in the first place. Why not improve on poor design? Imagine the good will in the player base if there was a weekly achievement which awarded a BLC key?

 

The problem with this line of thought is, that people will get used to get a key per week and then will ask for a key as part of the daily reward. People are greedy, just as companies are, they want more because more is more and more is always better. Much like OP, who is getting free keys, a thing that is already goodwill from ANet, but after a while, the greed sets in and tells the players "I should be getting more of this for less effort" and then you take to the forums and make a """"""""""suggestion"""""""""".

If ANet wanted to save themselves and the servers the workload of "all the characters created to farm keys" they would simply remove the key from the reward and make keys a gemshop exclusive, making more money from keys as a result.

[Dondarrion.2748]

> @"Taril.8619" said:

> > @"Dondarrion.2748" said:

> > > @"The Greyhawk.9107" said:

> > > Why would Arenanet want to do this?

> >

> > Well, all those character create/delete repetitions must be a nuisance and unintended part of the game in the first place. Why not improve on poor design? Imagine the good will in the player base if there was a weekly achievement which awarded a BLC key?

>

> Character creations also means people are incentivised to purchase an extra character slot to allow them to have their key running alt while also maintaining their main characters.

 

Just leave one slot available and not fill all with your alts... I know I would and have because the current key farm is a weekly free 15g in ~15 minutes... then again, I cannot be arsed to do it ;)

Every xpac also gave an extra char slot until now, so there's not really been any need for me to buy extra character slots. But then again, I'm not an altoholic so it's easier.

 

(Now, pls disregard the couple of characters in my signature wrt. altoholic ;))

[Dondarrion.2748]

> @"lokh.2695" said:

> > @"Dondarrion.2748" said:

> > > @"The Greyhawk.9107" said:

> > > Why would Arenanet want to do this?

> >

> > Well, all those character create/delete repetitions must be a nuisance and unintended part of the game in the first place. Why not improve on poor design? Imagine the good will in the player base if there was a weekly achievement which awarded a BLC key?

>

> The problem with this line of thought is, that people will get used to get a key per week and then will ask for a key as part of the daily reward. People are greedy, just as companies are, they want more because more is more and more is always better. Much like OP, who is getting free keys, a thing that is already goodwill from ANet, but after a while, the greed sets in and tells the players "I should be getting more of this for less effort" and then you take to the forums and make a """"""""""suggestion"""""""""".

> If ANet wanted to save themselves and the servers the workload of "all the characters created to farm keys" they would simply remove the key from the reward and make keys a gemshop exclusive, making more money from keys as a result.

 

I'm not advocating it should be an easy way, like the OP. Mechanically, it's quite boring going through character creation and make your noob go through the starter scenes (although some skip those, I think?) Anyhow - that process takes about ~15-20 minutes to get you a free, weekly key.

 

What if the "free" weekly achievement key was the reward from completing a weekly meta achievement that either required 7 dailies, and perhaps a few more tasks, to incentivise PLAYING the game, and not just running like a bot through the starter missions and contributing nothing to the noob areas where you've got real, new players running around. I can assure you, those key farmers are all about doing this as quick and painless as possible, I'd chance a guess at 90% of them being less than helpful to new players in starting zones.

[Yggranya.5201]

> @"Dondarrion.2748" said:

> > @"lokh.2695" said:

> > > @"Dondarrion.2748" said:

> > > > @"The Greyhawk.9107" said:

> > > > Why would Arenanet want to do this?

> > >

> > > Well, all those character create/delete repetitions must be a nuisance and unintended part of the game in the first place. Why not improve on poor design? Imagine the good will in the player base if there was a weekly achievement which awarded a BLC key?

> >

> > The problem with this line of thought is, that people will get used to get a key per week and then will ask for a key as part of the daily reward. People are greedy, just as companies are, they want more because more is more and more is always better. Much like OP, who is getting free keys, a thing that is already goodwill from ANet, but after a while, the greed sets in and tells the players "I should be getting more of this for less effort" and then you take to the forums and make a """"""""""suggestion"""""""""".

> > If ANet wanted to save themselves and the servers the workload of "all the characters created to farm keys" they would simply remove the key from the reward and make keys a gemshop exclusive, making more money from keys as a result.

>

> I'm not advocating it should be an easy way, like the OP. Mechanically, it's quite boring going through character creation and make your noob go through the starter scenes (although some skip those, I think?) Anyhow - that process takes about ~15-20 minutes to get you a free, weekly key.

>

> What if the "free" weekly achievement key was the reward from completing a weekly meta achievement that either required 7 dailies, and perhaps a few more tasks, to incentivise PLAYING the game, and not just running like a bot through the starter missions and contributing nothing to the noob areas where you've got real, new players running around. I can assure you, those key farmers are all about doing this as quick and painless as possible, I'd chance a guess at 90% of them being less than helpful to new players in starting zones.

 

I don't see what you could contribute to starter areas, except by being another faceless mook in the world boss zerg. Or do you expect people to stay there with mentor tag spamming the usual "Are you new/returning player? Ask me anything(and send some tips)."?

 

Your idea would be nice for me though. I don't bother making a new character every week.

[Dondarrion.2748]

> @"Yggranya.5201" said:

> > @"Dondarrion.2748" said:

> > > @"lokh.2695" said:

> > > > @"Dondarrion.2748" said:

> > > > > @"The Greyhawk.9107" said:

> > > > > Why would Arenanet want to do this?

> > > >

> > > > Well, all those character create/delete repetitions must be a nuisance and unintended part of the game in the first place. Why not improve on poor design? Imagine the good will in the player base if there was a weekly achievement which awarded a BLC key?

> > >

> > > The problem with this line of thought is, that people will get used to get a key per week and then will ask for a key as part of the daily reward. People are greedy, just as companies are, they want more because more is more and more is always better. Much like OP, who is getting free keys, a thing that is already goodwill from ANet, but after a while, the greed sets in and tells the players "I should be getting more of this for less effort" and then you take to the forums and make a """"""""""suggestion"""""""""".

> > > If ANet wanted to save themselves and the servers the workload of "all the characters created to farm keys" they would simply remove the key from the reward and make keys a gemshop exclusive, making more money from keys as a result.

> >

> > I'm not advocating it should be an easy way, like the OP. Mechanically, it's quite boring going through character creation and make your noob go through the starter scenes (although some skip those, I think?) Anyhow - that process takes about ~15-20 minutes to get you a free, weekly key.

> >

> > What if the "free" weekly achievement key was the reward from completing a weekly meta achievement that either required 7 dailies, and perhaps a few more tasks, to incentivise PLAYING the game, and not just running like a bot through the starter missions and contributing nothing to the noob areas where you've got real, new players running around. I can assure you, those key farmers are all about doing this as quick and painless as possible, I'd chance a guess at 90% of them being less than helpful to new players in starting zones.

>

> I don't see what you could contribute to starter areas, except by being another faceless mook in the world boss zerg. Or do you expect people to stay there with mentor tag spamming the usual "Are you new/returning player? Ask me anything(and send some tips)."?

>

> Your idea would be nice for me though. I don't bother making a new character every week.

 

Oh, just generally stopping to answer questions from new players in earnest. I've started new chars and just played through starting zones myself and sometimes seen new chars/players asking questions in say/map chat and then stopped what I was doing and given answers to help them progress. A key farmer, as per the current method, is so used to running on automatic, I doubt they will answer questions. Just an assumption though!

[Dante.1508]

Would be awesome but i believe keys are Anets strongest money maker in this game.

[TwoGhosts.6790]

Do you not imagine that, in the end, you would just be trading one form of tedium for another. Any repetitive task tends towards tedium.

[Hannelore.8153]

For the record the Personal Story keys at lv40 and lv60 are unlimited per week, only the first key is limited.

[Game of Bones.8975]

Only if they would limit the "free" keys to Uncommon drops and below. Keep the purchased keys for high-end for Rare and Super-rare drops.

 

I see the keys as a teaser for what you_ could _get if you purchase more.

 

Another reason to add an alternate way toward the keys is some areas are not able to purchase keys, due to it being "gambling."

[lokh.2695]

> @"Game of Bones.8975" said:

> Another reason to add an alternate way toward the keys is some areas are not able to purchase keys, due to it being "gambling."

How is it not gambling, please elaborate.

 

[LuRkEr.9462]

> @"lokh.2695" said:

> > @"Game of Bones.8975" said:

> > Another reason to add an alternate way toward the keys is some areas are not able to purchase keys, due to it being "gambling."

> How is it not gambling, please elaborate.

>

 

Yep, this. It is a lootbox. (see the whole EU law making going on about it)

 

The good thing about GW2 is there is free ingame ways of getting them + gold to gem conversion which I use all the time. Stock up while they are on sale or pay alittle more gold for them at regular prices.

[MithranArkanere.8957]

Any such sources would have to be very limited.

 

For example:

 

* A weekly purchase with LI/LD. This way once someone has used all the LI they needed, they would still be able to spend it on something, and LI would stop being a tool to gatekeep raids.

* They could make 2 BL keys one of the choices for the Chest of Loyalty. But you would have to give up the other choices, like Laurels.

* From a new weekly achievement category that would give every week several different tasks in a different living world map so every week one of those would become as lively as they were on release.

* From remaking Monthly achievements into Quarterly achievements, which would no longer require the repetitive tasks Monthlies used to have which could be done in a day, like "kill 1000 X ". They would require a wide variety of individual unique tasks, like completing every explorable dungeon path, fighting a number of strikes and raids, defeating every world boss, completing every fractal, winning a number of matches in every PvP arena, conquering or defending a number of unique WvW objectives...

Quarterly achievements would no longer share the cap with dailies, which would keep their own 15K cap, and the new separate cap for Quarterly would be high enough to fit the AP of all currently unobtainable achievements, then rounded up to the next multiple of 5000, then another +5000. Completion of quarterly achievements would give something like 50 AP, plus tiered rewards that would end with a stack of 3 boxes, and each will let you you choose one item among a lost of things like tons of tomes of experience, a few BL keys, some legendary shards, several bags of materials, and other nice stuff.

Then all unobtainable achievements would no longer have any AP tied to them, but all the AP already earned would not be lost, but moved to the new quarterly cap. Unobtainable achievements would thus become "feats of strength" with no points tied to them.

This way new players would be able to catch with veterans in terms of AP, but old players would not lose any of their AP nor any of their achievements.

[Qtar.5817]

Just no lol, they need to make money from something. You have already tons of free stuff.

[titje.2745]

Would be nice. I got many trash runs and didn’t do key runs anymore till I saw my key run character was already 4 months old. Now it is 6 months old so I don’t want to delete it.

[Super Hayes.6890]

> @"titje.2745" said:

> Would be nice. I got many trash runs and didn’t do key runs anymore till I saw my key run character was already 4 months old. Now it is 6 months old so I don’t want to delete it.

 

Wouldn't want to miss out on another sweet Queen Jennah mini... ??