Changes to Istan Meta Farming (Discussion)

[fixit.7189]

this sucks.

 

i guess they want to push gems sales, eh?

 

lame.

[totaloverride.3240]

as part of many "updates" in last few months,

it seems that main intent is to make TP prices go sky-high (runes, sigils are one example)

[HeartlessVeil.1728]

@"Obtena.7952"

You stated at some point in your argument that Istan is mindless "follow the commander" and that Silverwastes requires a lot of coordination to work. So, my statement to you is that you've either never run Istan or you've never run RIBA. Because if you've run either of them you will know for a fact that you can go to a Silverwastes map and run RIBA **without a commander** because everyone knows exactly what to do with the sheer amount of braindead ease of use it poses (trust me, I've done it before numerous times when there were no "official" commanders around. No one made a squad or anything until a comm came onto the map and tagged up. We all just talked in map chat while running in a fucking mindnumbing circle for an hour). Equally, you'll know that running Istan is actually difficult. It requires knowledge of when the events start and what needs to be done so they don't fail. Silverwastes starts and ends on a set timer that the game displays for you. It's holding your hand so you don't get lost. Which is exactly what makes it so goddamned boring in the first place. Istan doesn't.

 

 

In relation to the nerf itself (A "Deer Arenanet" perhaps? And yes the spelling is intentional):

Another thing about Istan and this nerf is that when they released the map it already had a nerf with the way the events were spaced apart. GH/Aili/Books every so often while waiting to do Pala every two. Nothing about it was wrong. Only when squads and comms started map-hopping did things get complicated and a tinge out of control. It could've easily been one event after the other the way the Silverwastes is but it wasn't. There was time to take breaks in between events (hence "AFK rock" which was and still is absolutely a thing because people didn't have anything better to do while waiting for GH after Akili lol) and it was, overall, a great experience and plenty of fun. **I feel like should've been kept this way instead of doing what's been done; full loot and all chests once every two/three hours, diminishing returns for those two/three hours, at the start of every Pala, DR resets. This way, the main attraction will be (even more-so) Palawadan. Then you do one GH and one Akili at full loot/champs, diminishing returns on subsequent GH and Akili until the start of the next Pala. If you miss that first GH/Akili after the Pala reset then too bad because DR will still apply to those that come after for the next two hours.** Something like this would work out much, much better than what's been done now. At least it would still be farmable while still giving everyone what they want out of it. It might also be more coding but what's more important? A full and happy player-base that will continue to spend money (real or otherwise) on your game? Or a starved and non-existant player-base because you've killed something a whole lot of people enjoyed and drove them away?

 

I think this is a good compromise and I really hope Anet takes this into consideration if they read it. Those that hate Istan will be happy that it's still not going to be what it was before this nerf and those that enjoy Istan for what it is will at least have _something_ worth farming still. I sure as hell am not looking forward to losing brain cells in the Silverwastes again. I literally felt my brain cells dying every time I farmed there. I'd say that's a whole lot worse than anything Istan has done to anyone.

 

All that being said, I guess it's back to Warframe for me. At least I can collect floofs at my leisure and not have to worry about buying something I want with gold or something...

[Kyarra.8912]

I guess by the time I'll open Istan it will be partially dead ( I am a new player (returning after years being inactive), and everyone recommended me Istan as the best place to farm gold for gem store items. Now with the berf I see the last option for newcomers who still don't know hints and mechanics can fade away. It's not a good way to motivate new players (

[Gulbasaur.1865]

Tales from this morning: People saying "istan is dead" in a full quad of 50 with busy map chat, bounties up, ~1700 chococrunch ore, 37 pieces of rare UG in one meta run and an Aki.

 

Honestly, it's once of my best hauls so far and it was nice to see people doing bounties and busy map chat. I've made about 10 gold off the TP while writing this post and I haven't finished putting thing up yet.

 

Calm down, kiddlywinks. Istan's fine.

 

Edit: ~~23 ~~ ~**45 gold profit so far for one 'full' meta** ~~within 5 minutes of putting things on TP. Not everything sold yet.~~

[Kyarra.8912]

Changes like this won't make impact in one minute, you know. Just opposite, for some time Istan will be overpopulated, people will be all like "Istan's dying, let's farm before it's too late!!1". It can take week or even month for the changes to have effect on ppl and events.

[Gulbasaur.1865]

> @"Kyarra.8912" said:

> Changes like this won't make impact in one minute, you know. Just opposite, for some time Istan will be overpopulated, people will be all like "Istan's dying, let's farm before it's too late!!1". It can take week or even month for the changes to have effect on ppl and events.

 

Okay, but either way, I made about 45 gold, all in all, in an hour and a bit from the metas and a few of the usual events. Commanders switched in and out in the middle and the squad was between 30 and 50 people, which isn't bad for early morning. I just think people are being alarmist.

[Yolanda Hardass.8045]

> @"SpinDashMaster.5680" said:

 

> Any farming effort involving daily elements in this manner would be horribly disrupted. It would be more efficient to go pick up a part time job, **pay for gems with that money, and then convert it to gold.**

 

Which is of course what this is all about . . .

 

 

[SpinDashMaster.5680]

> @"Yolanda Hardass.8045" said:

> > @"SpinDashMaster.5680" said:

>

> > Any farming effort involving daily elements in this manner would be horribly disrupted. It would be more efficient to go pick up a part time job, **pay for gems with that money, and then convert it to gold.**

>

> Which is of course what this is all about . . .

>

>

 

Mhm, I saw this for what it was the instant it was posted: a cash grab.

 

P/S: If anyone intends to quote this and ask for that basis, please read my other responses in this thread. I've already well-covered this topic as well as what a lot of people are resurfacing in this thread without reading what was said before, including (and especially) [the comparisons to AB](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/comment/806284/#Comment_806284 "the comparisons to AB").

[Lilyanna.9361]

> @"xFlashx.6247" said:

> An absolut disaster.

>

> Why are you doing a grave of this Map? Gold farming is the life essence on this map - without nobody would playing it.

> In my opinion are SW and Istan the only active maps in the entire game.

>

> Playing a meta there und here is like... just an 5 min event. And after that? Entire maps are completly empty after a meta ended, isn't that sad? why would you do something like that? I play Istan for more variation in farming Gold. It is actually fun farming gold with all the differents events like: carawan, pirates, akili, bob, great hall and palawadan. It's so nice to have such a wide varity. SW - the only other option: is boring like hell. In SW are you doing the same stuff over and over again and I mean the very same stuff (you all know how it works).

>

> I don't want chopp down10.000 trees for 80g or WvW or PvP thats just not fun. I am mostly a soloplayer who hates puzzles so fractals are out too.

> Only raids would be an alternative but without ascended gear it will not work.

>

> And now tell me a effective funny farming method for actually playing the game that is not wasted time...

>

> You Anet put me in a really difficult situation.

> ALL(literally everything) my gold is from Istan what after that?

> I can't buy anything in the future?

> Why am I playing this game in the first place when I can't choose a farming method thats fun for me?

> Why are you trying to force me to do something that I don't like?

> I think about that since I heard this sorry... b****.

>

 

You can raid without ascended. Exotics are fine.

 

Many people have.

That is not a viable excuse.

You can do whatever you want but don't give out blalantly wrong information.

[kharmin.7683]

> @"xFlashx.6247" said:

> ALL(literally everything) my gold is from Istan what after that?

> I can't buy anything in the future?

 

Of course you can by anything in the future. Maybe just purchase gems, then, and support the game?

 

[Emberstone.2904]

> @"kharmin.7683" said:

> > @"xFlashx.6247" said:

> > ALL(literally everything) my gold is from Istan what after that?

> > I can't buy anything in the future?

>

> Of course you can by anything in the future. Maybe just purchase gems, then, and support the game?

>

 

Microtransactions is what it always comes down to.

[Jura.2170]

> @"Obtena.7952" said:

> A few that take longer to fix or are not a priority to fix right away is not 'lingering'.

 

Well, how long would a bug have to last for you to say it was lingering?

 

Here's some bugs that have been in the game for years

 

Dragonhunters, [Warriors](

"Warriors") and [Deadeyes](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/53956/deadeye-rifle-shots-obstructed "Deadeyes") always get an Obstructed message when they shoot at npcs in WvW at the top of towers and in camps. Sometimes other players also Obstruct

 

One of the cats in my home instance is bugged and missing

 

WvW maps show [white lines](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/49290/wvw-maps-have-white-borderlines "https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/49290/wvw-maps-have-white-borderlines") especially on reset. You can't see who owns what, and you can't guild claim anything because all places are invisible

 

When you look at a guild roster, there's a blank entry where someone left the guild

 

Some people who buy gems are [double charged](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/17584/double-charged-for-800-gems-on-account-no-way-to-attach-screenshots-for-support "double charged")

[Obtena.7952]

If Anet didn't work on them, I would say they are lingering. Anet does work on them.

[Obtena.7952]

> @"Rhein.8197" said:

> > @"Obtena.7952" said:

> > You're going to have to define grind then because all ascended gear can be crafted simply by the mats you earn playing the game (i.e., not needing to grind anything) or purchase off the TP. If you grind for mats, it's because you CHOOSE that path to get the mats for the gear you want, not because you NEED to play that way.

>

> Ok. Let's say you just play the game for materials...aren't you then just grinding different events, or farming?

 

Maybe ... but that's and odd reason to play a game. If I want to just 'farm' a material ... I would get a second job and 'farm' money. I play games to have to fun ... lucky for us, in this game, you can do that without resorting to 'farming' materials to get things you want.

 

Again, you are going to have to get into a discussion about what 'grinding' means to you if you want to argue you have to grind in this game to get something like Ascended gear. I'm also under the impression that if you think this game is forcing you to grind, your experience in MMO's is pretty limited.

 

So how do you define what 'grinding" is?

 

 

[Gulbasaur.1865]

Out of interest, of the people who posted today, how long were you in Istan for today and how much did you make from it? Would be cool if people could report back so we have an idea.

 

Like I said, over one meta and a few map events over an hour and a bit (which felt okay as Istan is usually quite chill in the morning) I made more than I did under the old system.

 

I've never been one to camp it for six hours, but I do stop in now and again and today felt much more profitable.

[NightSky.9741]

Thank you anet. we now have another POF dead map. i really enjoyed istan farming. i understand ppl who dont like it but do i complain about ppl who like hot events or any other part of the game? to each his own but this nerf killed the only replayable map in pof.

[Hirukaru.4539]

> @"Gulbasaur.1865" said:

> Out of interest, of the people who posted today, how long were you in Istan for today and how much did you make from it? Would be cool if people could report back so we have an idea.

>

> Like I said, over one meta and a few map events over an hour and a bit (which felt okay as Istan is usually quite chill in the morning) I made more than I did under the old system.

>

> I've never been one to camp it for six hours, but I do stop in now and again and today felt much more profitable.

 

if you are able to run every day, you might make more. But if you can only play 1 day a week what then. ;-) I normally do 3 to 4 pala runs on a Saturday if I have time but I nearly don't play during the week.

[Bish.8627]

Play the game your way they once said. Unless of course, the way you want to play is follow a commander around and relax farming some gold. This is what, the third massive nerf to a gold farm? I can see the economic worry from players, all that would take is some tweaks, but once again Anet try surgery with an axe and ruin the experience for a lot of players.

 

The bottom line is this. You see something you like on the store? Farm gold in Istan for a few days and buy it with gold to gems. Anet now realise this, and the greedy cuckolds they are, they swooped in and cut the head off Istan, instead of doing something useful and finding better ways to fund the game.

 

Also if you think the rare items that are now at a decent price are underpriced you are plain wrong. Cheaper is better and you should celebrate players with less time being able to obtain items for ascended and legendary stuff.

 

At least SW might be populated again.

[Birdack.6714]

Guild Wars 2 is a fun game to play, not a gold farm. It isn't all about gold and Gem store. Play the game, have fun, compete and if you want, farm gold; nobody is denying you from doin that...simply put, you cannot do that every day every minute every second, anymore. Problem? Friends, this is not a problem, this is a solution to one of the few issues the game may still have ;)

Great job Anet, i say. ;)

[TheOrlyFactor.8341]

To the people saying they're leaving the game because of this change:

 

Can I have y'all's stuff?

[Birdack.6714]

> @"TheOrlyFactor.8341" said:

> To the people saying they're leaving the game because of this change:

>

> Can I have y'all's stuff?

 

Which i think is A LOT of stuff ;)

[Etria.3642]

Wasn't in Istan today, won't be tomorrow either. Ran my keyfarmer through, did some of the ap for the festival, did some map completion. Might do some wvw tonight. Kinda bored without my fix, tbh. Might do a couple hot metas. I did get a novel read. It's been on my to read list awhile. Uprooted, by Naomi Novik. Not bad, will read more by that author.

[jwaz.1908]

I think this change is healthy for the game. While people may complain in the moment, it's ultimately better for their experience with GW2. For starters, repeating the same farm over and over will eventually cause burnout and resentment toward the game, since people feel obligated to repeat the most rewarding content. In addition, this should spread out the player-base across GW2 content, who will hopefully start running older metas such as Dragon's Stand which was a ghost town last I checked.

[Rhein.8197]

> @"Obtena.7952" said:

> > @"Rhein.8197" said:

> > > @"Obtena.7952" said:

> > > You're going to have to define grind then because all ascended gear can be crafted simply by the mats you earn playing the game (i.e., not needing to grind anything) or purchase off the TP. If you grind for mats, it's because you CHOOSE that path to get the mats for the gear you want, not because you NEED to play that way.

> >

> > Ok. Let's say you just play the game for materials...aren't you then just grinding different events, or farming?

>

> Maybe ... but that's and odd reason to play a game. If I want to just 'farm' a material ... I would get a second job and 'farm' money. I play games to have to fun ... lucky for us, in this game, you can do that without resorting to 'farming' materials to get things you want.

>

> Again, you are going to have to get into a discussion about what 'grinding' means to you if you want to argue you have to grind in this game to get something like Ascended gear. I'm also under the impression that if you think this game is forcing you to grind, your experience in MMO's is pretty limited.

>

> So how do you define what 'grinding" is?

>

>

 

How I define grind is irrelevant. I already stated the reasons why people use Istan for gold and the evidence is supported by the existence of the Istan farm (or even the existence of the topic itself) as well as other comments you see here. This change is all about taking gold from players and putting dollars in the Gem Store. What you define as fun or how you want to play doesn't serve this topic in any way.

 

Edit: When I said "ANet forces you to grind" that is a common way of using it to suggest that the material and gold requirements of many post 80 collections/weapon armor sets/mounts/etc. are too high. They're intentionally high so that you spend more time. getting it.

 

One side of the argument wants people to be able to play how they want. The other side doesn't, for whatever subjective reasons (you can find them all in the thread yourself). All suppositions aside (including my supposition that their motive is to make more money through dollars spent at the Gem Store) ultimately don't matter when you really get down to the basic argument here.

 

Also I see people are still talking about lingering lol. That's undeniable too. ANet's really out here patching things and not retroactively helping players who were bugged! Give me a break. Lingering is a nice way of putting it.