The Skyscale Quest Line Is WAY Too Grindy, And Insulting [Merged]

[ProtoGunner.4953]

11 hours ago, Xerxez.7361 said:

Just wait until you start working on a Legendary Armor set and learn that to quickest one is time gated by 6 weeks (30 weeks+ for all 3 Sets) 😄

I work on the legendary wvw set and it takes 29 weeks for one set. Oh to the OP: welcome to MMOs.

[GODh.3892]

There are a few very good guides on youtube that make getting your skyscale a lot easier/faster...

[Akisohida.8963]

8 hours ago, nosleepdemon.1368 said:

I did it all without a guide, save for a single scale that was driving me bonkers which a guildie gave me a hint for... I was actually standing right next to it. Egg on my face... Or should I say, scale!

 

Anyway. It's not that hard. I found it kind of cute watching the Skyscale grow up. It sounds like you don't enjoy the game. Why not take a break?

I have already said I enjoy the game.

I just don't get why a single mount, not even all that powerful (Each mount fills a special form of movement, but none are all-powerful), has such horrid collections and grind to gate it away.

[kharmin.7683]

5 minutes ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

I have already said I enjoy the game.

I just don't get why a single mount, not even all that powerful (Each mount fills a special form of movement, but none are all-powerful), has such horrid collections and grind to gate it away.

Then why do you even want it?

[Akisohida.8963]

3 minutes ago, kharmin.7683 said:

Then why do you even want it?

Because it's useful?

I mean, I have a griffin, but I still use Springer to get up higher cliffs. And there are vistas and MPs and HPs where a Skyscale would be useful to get them.

No other mount took this much effort to get. So why is this one behind 4 laps the island, 55 items to collect, 30 Events fought, and then actual time gates?

Edited May 2, 2022 by Akisohida.8963

[kharmin.7683]

1 minute ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

Because it's useful?

I mean, I have a griffin, but I still use Springer to get up higher cliffs. And there are vistas and MPs and HPs where a Skyscale would be useful to get them.

No other mount took this much effort to get. So why is this one behind 4 laps the island, 55 items to collect, 30 Events fought, and then actual time gates?

Because, as was said before, the skyscale is considered a legendary mount.  It is not required to complete any content -- you said yourself that you can do things with the other mounts.  It's a QoL bump for sure, just like legendary armor.

 

[Akisohida.8963]

Just now, kharmin.7683 said:

Because, as was said before, the skyscale is considered a legendary mount.  It is not required to complete any content -- you said yourself that you can do things with the other mounts.  It's a QoL bump for sure, just like legendary armor.

 

So, because people feel like the mount is amazing, it's locked behind an absurd level of grind?

[Ashantara.8731]

9 minutes ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

So, because people feel like the mount is amazing, it's locked behind an absurd level of grind?

Oh, please! It sounds like you haven't played the game a lot, or at least have not done a lot of achievements, or you wouldn't call it an "absurd level of grind."  This is ridiculous.

In fact, please look up the definition of "grind" -- there is nothing "grindy" about being sent on an adventure to do a variety of tasks.

[voltaicbore.8012]

11 minutes ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

So, because people feel like the mount is amazing, it's locked behind an absurd level of grind?

It's not just a feeling. As you yourself said a few posts back, it's useful.

Arguably, it's a bit too useful, as it's just about entirely invalidated the springer, and carved deeply into the use cases for the jackal and raptor. The ability to gain (quite large) amounts of altitude on command with all the mastery upgrades also makes it far less situational than griffon. What skyscale lacks in terms of superiority in a single category, it more than makes up for in its sheer versatility. If you had to get rid of all of the mounts and only got to keep one, I think objectively the skyscale would win that contest by a huge margin.

I think @Akisohida.8963your initial post was more on point - you simply didn't think the process to get it was fun, which is fair. As other mentioned, the current process actually is a somewhat nerfed version of the original collection. I wouldn't mind seeing the initial collection phases being less like stupid busywork and more of an adventure.

However, the skyscale is unquestionably worthy of a more committed/involved collection process than the other standard mounts. Sure, the collection itself can be improved or made a bit less daunting for some players to get through. But to pretend like there's no justification for it being harder to get than the other mounts is just stupid.

 

[Fuchslein.8639]

1 hour ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

So, because people feel like the mount is amazing, it's locked behind an absurd level of grind?

The Skyscale is grindy, because its cheap. The Griffon was expensive(for most folks) and therefor had a easyer collection tied to it, as most say. But for me personally, Griffon and Skyscale aren't so different. So now you have the griffon, did the collection and spend so much money but now whine about the repetitive collection of the skyscale which is super simple checked off, is somewhat ironic for me.

Is the grind stupid? Probably, so was the grind for the Griffon. But did you do it and played the game? Yeah?
So now you see, why anet design's stuff the way it design's stuff.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Fuchslein.8639

[Obtena.7952]

Another example of people doing content they don't like. Advice: don't do content you don't like. The content itself isn't a problem. I have YET to play an MMO that doesn't have some sort of grindy content in it. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Obtena.7952

[Akisohida.8963]

1 minute ago, Fuchslein.8639 said:

The Skyscale is grindy, because its cheap. The Griffon was expensive(for most folks) and therefor had a easyer collection tied to it, as most say. But for me personally, Griffon and Skyscale aren't so different. So now you have the griffon, did the collection and spend so much money but now whine about the repetitive collection of the skyscale which is super simple checked off, is somewhat ironic for me.

Where the irony?

The griffin took some collecting and sure; the gold cost was kind of high. I found that odd, but I had the gold.

 

The skyscale has arbitrary stop-posts after every step for...vague reasons. It does not respect the player's time. Hell, it even laughed at the player with the whole 'The medicine was never going to work! Ha!' bad-taste 'joke'.

[Akisohida.8963]

1 minute ago, Obtena.7952 said:

Another example of people doing content they don't like. Advice: don't do content you don't like. The content itself isn't a problem. 

And if I don't do this content; I don't get a mount. Sure. I'll just not have a skyscale, so HP trains I run with fly ahead and leave me scampering behind.

'Don't do content' is not a valid reason when something good is locked behind said content.

[Obtena.7952]

1 minute ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

Where the irony?

The griffin took some collecting and sure; the gold cost was kind of high. I found that odd, but I had the gold.

 

The skyscale has arbitrary stop-posts after every step for...vague reasons. It does not respect the player's time. Hell, it even laughed at the player with the whole 'The medicine was never going to work! Ha!' bad-taste 'joke'.

Wait ... you play video games like MMO's and think they need to respect your time? You don't seem to realize how an MMO works as a business case. 

[Fuchslein.8639]

Just now, Akisohida.8963 said:

Where the irony?

The griffin took some collecting and sure; the gold cost was kind of high. I found that odd, but I had the gold.

 

The skyscale has arbitrary stop-posts after every step for...vague reasons. It does not respect the player's time. Hell, it even laughed at the player with the whole 'The medicine was never going to work! Ha!' bad-taste 'joke'.

You know that you don't have to get the skyscale in a day? The only person he, who dosn't respect it's time is you yourself.

I know a lot people who enjoyed the Skscale Collection. God forbid people have different opinion about what is enjoyable and play after this. When it's stressing you so much, just don't do it. You said yourself, the springer does almost the same stuff the skyscale does.

[Obtena.7952]

9 minutes ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

And if I don't do this content; I don't get a mount. Sure. I'll just not have a skyscale, so HP trains I run with fly ahead and leave me scampering behind.

'Don't do content' is not a valid reason when something good is locked behind said content.

That's right ... you don't do the content, you don't get the loot. That's fundamental to EVERY game EVER. It's simply weird to complain there is grindy content in an MMO, especially if you don't need to do that content. 

Let's be clear here ... even Anet states they don't expect all players to engage with all the content they put in the game ... so if you don't do something for whatever reason, that's not unreasonable, especially if you are capable of doing it. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Obtena.7952

[kharmin.7683]

4 minutes ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

The skyscale has arbitrary stop-posts after every step for...vague reasons. It does not respect the player's time. Hell, it even laughed at the player with the whole 'The medicine was never going to work! Ha!' bad-taste 'joke'.

Then don't do it.  It's an optional mount.  All content can be completed without one.

 

4 minutes ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

And if I don't do this content; I don't get a mount. Sure. I'll just not have a skyscale, so HP trains I run with fly ahead and leave me scampering behind.

'Don't do content' is not a valid reason when something good is locked behind said content.

Don't you have a griffon?

Start your own HP trains without flying mounts?

Nothing is locked behind the skyscale.  That's hyperbole.

[DragonMoon.6098]

8 minutes ago, Akisohida.8963 said:

Where the irony?

The griffin took some collecting and sure; the gold cost was kind of high. I found that odd, but I had the gold.

 

The skyscale has arbitrary stop-posts after every step for...vague reasons. It does not respect the player's time. Hell, it even laughed at the player with the whole 'The medicine was never going to work! Ha!' bad-taste 'joke'.

I gather you haven't gone for the Aurora or Vision...both of which have time-gated steps...one of which takes...I think...something like 16 days minimum to complete...

What I'm getting here is that you want instant gratification. The griffin took minimal effort because you had gold...so instant gratification. The skyscale you can't just dump gold into it and have to put in the time. That doesn't seem like an issue with content. As I said before, if it were locked behind group content, it'd be one thing...because I have that issue with the turtle (you have to do a strike mission), but the skyscale is utterly and completely obtainable for a solo player. So again...what is the problem other than that you don't have instant gratification? It is a game...you kinda have to play it.

Edited May 2, 2022 by DragonMoon.6098

[Akisohida.8963]

4 minutes ago, Fuchslein.8639 said:

You know that you don't have to get the skyscale in a day? The only person he, who dosn't respect it's time is you yourself.

I know a lot people who enjoyed the Skscale Collection. God forbid people have different opinion about what is enjoyable and play after this. When it's stressing you so much, just don't do it. You said yourself, the springer does almost the same stuff the skyscale does.

Where did I at all say no one was allowed a different opinion from me?

The only people I even snarked at were the ones who called my post 'whining' or decided to act superior.

[kharmin.7683]

Well, to me, it did come across as whining.  I don't seem to be the only one who had that impression. 

[Tyncale.1629]

In my day we had to do it WITHOUT the "Return to" achievement which now literally throws all the needed zone currency right in your hands. Kids these days. 

[Akisohida.8963]

11 minutes ago, kharmin.7683 said:

Well, to me, it did come across as whining.  I don't seem to be the only one who had that impression. 

It was frustrated feedback. Seriously, why do some people see any negative feedback as 'whining'?

And don't tell me you don't, because my feedback, while frustrated, was inoffensive. I laid out my views and my points, and why I was unhappy with what I have gone through so far. I did not insult the devs, or insult anyone who enjoys it. I did not say anyone who disagrees is wrong.

 

So why was it whining? Feedback is useful, good or bad. Mine happened to point out things I did not enjoy about the first steps towards a Skyscale. So, again; how is it whining to give feedback?

[Obtena.7952]

I can already anticipate the response:

 "Thanks for your feedback, we will take it into consideration"

<<Nothing changes>>

Why? because the implementation of obtaining skyscale is not unreasonable. People can complain about grind or time gates in an MMO if they want to ... but that won't change the reason content is implemented with these things. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Obtena.7952

[Stx.4857]

I'm sorry I can't get on board with these complaints.  I was happy to do the skyscale quest chain because it actually sent me around the world map instead of just being a gold sink or gem store purchase.  My only complaint is that too many collections were centered around dragonfall, I would have preferred going to other zones sooner but whatever.  

 

This mount might seem like everyone has it but it's supposed to be a big achievement to obtain.  And really?  Complaining about a 3 to 4 day time gate?   That is nothing compared to older MMOs or even legendary gear in this game.  What do you want?  To spend 3 hours or just snap your finger for it?

[Xelqypla.6817]

I think we could all agree that the first part of the Skyscale collection is excessively dull. It's not that it's grindy. It's that it is very boring to do a scavenger hunt after scavenger hunt after scavenger hunt in one area.