[Suggestion]To many currencies presented

[Roziel.5720]

I just want to point out that at least one player has walked away from this game after one look at the currency tab. As my boyfriend put it, "Any game that needs THAT many currencies has one f*ed up economy". Now while I understand that the currency system isn't quite as direct as other games (which isn't exactly a mark in it's favor), one of the things I have been told is that it's definitely jarring coming from other mmos. If you don't know what all the currencies are, it would definitely be jarring to open the wallet as a new player, and depending on the player could turn them away very quickly. If I had seen that many as a fresh player as we have today I honestly might have been one of them.

 

While I do feel the currency system could use an overhaul, a very simple solution might be to simply not show currencies you haven't earned yet. If nothing else, if you don't pvp for example there really is no reason for it's currencies to be showing up in your wallet. It also would make it slightly easier to navigate. But much like how the combat system unlocks over time, it might be better to only give new players data that is relevant rather then possibly intimidate them with what might come across as a massive grind right out of the gate.

[Danikat.8537]

I didn't know this might put new players off, but if that's the case then I agree hiding currencies you haven't unlocked yet is a good idea.

 

For what it's worth the huge number of currencies replaces another system a lot of people don't like - RNG drops. For example in most games each dungeon has 1 or more exclusive items which you can only get there - and you get them by playing the dungeon over and over and hoping the boss/chest drops the item you need (and in some cases hoping your group gives you permission to have it). In GW2 you play the dungeon until you've got enough tokens and then you buy the item of your choice from the merchant. It's roughly the same method, but it means there's a clear limit on how many attempts you'll need.

 

Yes GW2 has some RNG drops too, and people complain about them. But I think the token system does help. My other MMO's forum is full of people talking about how once they get the item/s they need they are never setting foot in that dungeon again because they're so sick of playing it. Or saying they gave up on ever getting the item they want because they lost count of how many attempts they made. On more than one occasion people have literally begged the developers to add a token system to limit the number of attempts you have to make, or even an exchange system so you can swap equally 'lucky' drops you don't want for the one you do (e.g. swapping a staff for a greatsword from the same set).

 

That doesn't happen in this game because you can find out before you start how many tokens the item takes and approximately how many you'll get per run so you know when you start how long it's likely to take. (And they don't just use gold because then a lot of people wouldn't play the majority of content at all - they'd just do the most popular/profitable farm and buy the rewards...and then you'd get the same problem of people complaining that they're sick of it but feel they can't stop.)

 

Given the choice I much prefer a token system over RNG drops. But I guess it is a bit like showing a brand new player the full range of ascended/exotic equipment (which in a sense GW2 does because all the skins are in the wardrobe) and making them feel like they will need all of them.

[Tanner Blackfeather.6509]

Do other MMOs *really* have so much fewer currencies?

I've only played GW1, LOTRO and GW2 and at least LOTRO had a similar amount of currencies, though it was in the form of tokens (unless you purchased a wallet upgrade to store them).

 

I can see the point in hiding some currencies, or splitting it into tabs or such, to clearly show which ones are universal and which are map/activity-specific, but I'm not sure I buy that GW2 has *that* many more currencies than other MMOs...

[Game of Bones.8975]

It also mirrors the real world. Most countries have their own government issued currencies. Even though there are countries who have adopted a more stable government's money.

 

Just be glad there aren't conversion centers to "trade."

[Danikat.8537]

Elder Scrolls Online which is the other one I play currently has 6 currencies:

* Gold

* Crowns - cash shop currency

* Gems - Compensation for getting a duplicate item from loot boxes, you get 1/3 of it's value as gems and can use them to purchase other items or you can trade the trash consumables in for 1 gem each.

* Alliance Points - earned in PvP and used to buy PvP rewards

* Tel Var Stones - earned in a DLC map and used to buy items in that map

* Crafting Writs - earned by doing crafting dailies and used to buy furniture for homes and crafting related items

 

So it's basically the same system as GW2 uses in that gold is the 'universal' currency and then others exist so you have to play that content to get the rewards. The main reason they have less is they use RNG drops instead. And like I said people are forever begging them to introduce a token system for dungeons so there's a cap on the number of attempts you need to make before you get the item you want. I've not played it myself but I think it's the same in World of Warcraft - there's no dungeon tokens or raid tokens, you just have to hope you get the right item as a drop.

[Blocki.4931]

No person should ever feel confused or overwhelmed when they see currencies of all things. To see them you need to check your wallet and until you need them you don't have to care or think about them at all. Most of them are simply an afterthought, something you gather naturally as you play through and on the different maps. Not to mention that there are all the dungeon currencies, which are barely relevant outside of buying specific runes or skin collections.

[Urud.4925]

I'm not a fan of hidden contents (currencies or achievements. The only thing that I'd hide are glowing effects on skins).

If you don't have any coin/token of something, that currency is already grayed-out and moved to the bottom of the list, so it shouldn't bother you that much. And the main currency of the map you're playing in, it's highlighted (you see your gold, unbound magic in LW3 maps, volatile magic in LW4 maps, Badges of Honor in WvW), and I find it quite in handy.

 

I played other MMOs with a lot of coins/tokens required to buy armor/pvp sets and so on. They usually allowed conversion. But I find the GW2-way good enough. The most important thing, is that currencies are automatically stored, so we don't need slots in our inventory. I don't care if they are a lot, unless I don't have to waste inventory slots.

[phs.6089]

You don't need most of those, most of the time e.g dungeon tokens. But hey you went to have a fun in wvw and one day you unlock elite on alt without going trough HP trains and such

[VAHNeunzehnsechundsiebzig.]

well, I wish they had not introduced volatile magic - and kept the map currencies down a bit. But.. at the end it is ok. It is not like the stuff is hard to get. And some time restraints keep the game from being flooded with certain items. So that is good.

[Urud.4925]

Eh, I also would like to have only 1 type of "x magic". I still have a lot of stuff that I'd like to buy with unbound magic, that I find much harder to gain than the volatile one. Maybe one day they could allow us to convert it, or simply increase the rewards.

 

But I understand why Anet did it (I think): having different currencies, force us to still play on some particular maps, even old ones. Other MMOs have usually less currencies, true. But also way fewer maps. If you have specific currencies for them, you can keep those maps/contents still relevant, even after many years.

[Zahld.4956]

Maybe the new-player-experience system should be revisited and revised, given all the new yearly revisions made since the launch of the game.

[Roziel.5720]

> @"Tanner Blackfeather.6509" said:

> Do other MMOs *really* have so much fewer currencies?

> I've only played GW1, LOTRO and GW2 and at least LOTRO had a similar amount of currencies, though it was in the form of tokens (unless you purchased a wallet upgrade to store them).

>

> I can see the point in hiding some currencies, or splitting it into tabs or such, to clearly show which ones are universal and which are map/activity-specific, but I'm not sure I buy that GW2 has *that* many more currencies than other MMOs...

 

Well my BF and I also play FF14, and it only has a handful of currencies...one of which is only for the "casino" of mini-games and has nothing to do with progression. But the main currencies are:

* Gil (gold)

* Three tiers of lorestones

* Raid 'parts'

* Beast tribe currency (of which only two are relevent currently)

* Wolf marks (pvp currency)

 

Each time new content gets released the lorestones 'progress'. With the highest given a decent weekly limit, the previous highest being unlocked from the limit, and the lowest being moved to a generic tier that can be used to help alt jobs get gear and buy older content rewards. All three have a 2k limit, but unless you go out of oyour way that isn't much of an issue. Beast tribes are only relevant to the current content with a side quest to craft a legendary weapon...and again that is only relevent to current content, you can do previous content tribe rep grinds to basically unlock skins for the wardrobe. Raid parts basically are like GW2 currencies, you get so many and trade them in for better gear that has a slightly different stat allocation then lorestone gear, making it a good way to bypass the weekly limit as well as gear up alt jobs.

 

It's very simple and straightforward, and all content can help you progress whether doing an alt job or playing a max level job. Which compared to this game I can easily see why my BF isn't keen to deal with it. I've been max level with my mesmer for about a week and trying to navigate where to go for what to get my character geared to where dungeons don't smoosh me in seconds (let alone trying fractals) has been...unclear. But if I start looking up guides to navigate my progression he is going to take that as proof positive the system is to complicated for it's own good.

 

I like the combat system (LOVE my mesmer) and I like the pvp is actually worthwhile, the story isn't half bad either...but the currency system isn't attractive at all, which is why I suggest bare minimum they simply don't show what you haven't gotten yet.

[Roziel.5720]

> @"Blocki.4931" said:

> No person should ever feel confused or overwhelmed when they see currencies of all things. To see them you need to check your wallet and until you need them you don't have to care or think about them at all. Most of them are simply an afterthought, something you gather naturally as you play through and on the different maps. Not to mention that there are all the dungeon currencies, which are barely relevant outside of buying specific runes or skin collections.

 

Compared to my previous post with say FF14...you can clearly see why newcomers might be turned off quickly. Most mmos are very straightforward in their progression, and GW2 seems to be trying for a more sandbox approach. Which is fine...but until you adjust your mindset and get used to how GW2 does several things differently, opening up the wallet and seeing THAT many currencies would make the average mmo player think they are looking at the grind of a lifetime.