Reward Tracks with stacking rewards

WvW (and PvP) reward tracks have a pretty big problem when it comes to the items you receive. (I believe) every permanent reward track gives a similar combination of items: tomes of knowledge, transmutation charges, siege, and then loot boxes.

Looking at the Triumphant Armor Reward Track, there are 14 unique normal "Loot Box" types and 8 unique Veteran/Champion "Loot Box" types (which themselves contain more boxes). Each of these boxes spawn greens and junk items. None of the loot box types stack with each other. If someone was to complete the reward track without clearing their inventory, they would have 22 slots filled with boxes whose sole purpose was to spawn more items, which would then need to be sold/salvaged/deposited.

The end result is that after playing WvW for an extended period of time, your inventory is a complete mess and takes an unreasonable amount of time to clean up.

The Halloween reward track showed us an easy alternative. Give players 1 item type that stacks, plus any additional tomes/transmutation charges/siege blueprints. Instead of 22+ item stacks, you would end up with 5 or so.

The type of the item wouldn't really matter. It could be loot boxes (but stackable), or it could be an existing or new item that could be opened and/or sold. As an example (following the Halloween track), the reward track could give increasing numbers of Heavy Loot Bags. Players could then choose to open, sell, or keep these items, without it crowding up their inventory.

This change could be applied to existing reward tracks, or 1-2 new tracks could be made with the stackable items so players could choose. This seems like it would be easy to implement, and would solve part of a huge quality of life issue (the inventory management mini-game).

I'm in favor of simplifying.

The original theory was that you'd have a chance to get the low-rate drops from the various different sort of mobs. Each named box is meant to drop stuff from particular encounters in the various paths. Thus, going through the entire track once, you'd end up with a similar variety of loot as if you actually completed the paths. A good idea; the implementation just turned out ugly.

The most complicated alternative to code would be have the boxes stack, but as you opened them, the loot would change, as it does with the Bonus Map Reward system. The first box gives the 100 point reward, the second the 200 point loot, and so on. Simpler would be just to combine all the veteran loot into one consolidated drop table, combine all the champ loot into a single box type. Or as the OP suggested, have one box that consolidates it all.

Much as I like the idea, it's more work than it sounds, because the loot tables have to analyzed and combined and tested. That might end up being a lot more work than ANet wants to put into dungeons. However, it seems like a good principle upon which to setup future reward tracks: fewer types of boxes/loot, with comprehensive drop tables.

I agree, combining the loot tables might be more effort than it's worth. The easiest, lowest effort option would be to make new reward tracks with stackable rewards. They wouldn't have to be loot boxes that drop mob loot, just something that gives players something of value.

I would be incredibly happy if they took the Halloween reward track, replaced all the Trick-or-Treat bags with Heavy Loot Bags, replaced the Halloween Pail with the 20-slot Pillager's Pack, maybe threw in some superior siege, and added it as a new reward track. They could call it the Pillager Reward Track or something. Heavy Loot Bags would give players either crafting materials or money, and people who want normal loot can keep using the other reward tracks.

The whole point is to stuff your bags with various loot to annoy you into buying extra bag slotsFree-to-play business model

@LetoII.3782 said:The whole point is to stuff your bags with various loot to annoy you into buying extra bag slotsFree-to-play business model

Never attribute to malice (or Machiavelli) what can easily be explained by inattention or failure to anticipate the obvious (or what seems obvious in retrospect).

There are plenty of quotes from developers who agree that inventory bloat is an issue and partly their responsibility, the very opposite of encouraging people to buy more storage. They just converted all the local-color karma drops to auto-consume to reduce clutter (and cut down on clicks). If their goal was selling storage, they would not have.

I'd be all over a Heavy Loot Bag track like white on rice.