Farming-Metas are fast food

[lezbefriends.7516]

When you apply for McDonald's, they want to know you can "work in a fast-paced environment." Employees are racing through customers, hoping to get as many tips as possible. The GW2 commander, too, employs this strategy, to get tips from his squad.

 

Maps like Drizzlewood and Dragonfall -- the most popular farming maps -- are rushed through so hard it feels like a racing simulator. It's no surprise, then, that at least one of those maps has a race, as if ANet knew who they were targeting with these map metas.

 

If you miss one jump, you're playing the catch-up mini-game rather than engaging in actual combat. Don't have a Skyscale? Gotta switch to the Springer. That's if you can get out of combat from all the trash mobs. So now you have to run away for 8 seconds--too late, squad has moved on to another event.

 

Enough with fast food maps. There are so many beautiful little things to see in this game. Slow down and just admire the view every once in a while.

[Cuks.8241]

This is why I never do Dragonfall keyfarm (I might join for the Kralk and champ phase) and don't like Drizzle from the start since it just feels like a big loot pinata. 

[Danikat.8537]

That's two maps out of the entire game, and not the most recent ones, so it hardly seems representative of the game as a whole. I think it's good to have a variety of meta-events and ways of completing them and especially if you're just looking at it as a way to farm gold you don't have to go there if you don't like it, you can pick another meta which you prefer and run that instead.

[costepj.5120]

Come to Sandswept north island. Gentle pace, nice scenery, few mobs, easy meta, plenty of farming nodes and VM, even an occasional bounty.

[Gehenna.3625]

2 hours ago, Danikat.8537 said:

That's two maps out of the entire game, and not the most recent ones, so it hardly seems representative of the game as a whole. I think it's good to have a variety of meta-events and ways of completing them and especially if you're just looking at it as a way to farm gold you don't have to go there if you don't like it, you can pick another meta which you prefer and run that instead.

 It seems to me that you missed the point that they were two examples (maps like...) rather than a complete list.

[The Boz.2038]

1 minute ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

 It seems to me that you missed the point that they were two examples (maps like...) rather than a complete list.

Seems to me that you missed the point that it was an exhaustive list.

[Gehenna.3625]

6 minutes ago, The Boz.2038 said:

Seems to me that you missed the point that it was an exhaustive list.

 

8 hours ago, lezbefriends.7516 said:

Maps like Drizzlewood and Dragonfall

This means it wasn't. If the OP made a language mistake then I'd like to hear that from them.

[The Boz.2038]

The list is exhaustive even if OP didn't mean it as such, because the other maps do not fit on it.

[Gehenna.3625]

1 minute ago, The Boz.2038 said:

The list is exhaustive even if OP didn't mean it as such, because the other maps do not fit on it.

Oh like the main Istan meta doesn't fit? I remember rushing to not get behind on that for sure.

[costepj.5120]

The Istan meta takes place in a very small area of the map. Some mobs may die before you get a chance to hit them, but there's no reason to be left behind.

[The Boz.2038]

12 minutes ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

Oh like the main Istan meta doesn't fit? I remember rushing to not get behind on that for sure.

It's a walkathon, requires no mounts, can be easily completed at a leisurely pace, and the chests opened up after it's all done.

So no, it does not.

[Gehenna.3625]

1 hour ago, The Boz.2038 said:

It's a walkathon, requires no mounts, can be easily completed at a leisurely pace, and the chests opened up after it's all done.

So no, it does not.

Well, if you walked you would be forever too late at the next champions. Maybe not at first when it came out but it certainly was hard to keep up after a while because the champions died way too fast. You had to skip looting the chests on the way, to get there on time even with mounts. That was my experience.

So I respectfully disagree with you. And since that's the case I'll bow out of this pointless back-and-forth, because I'm still waiting for the OP to clarify what they meant. However, now that I realize who posted this thread, I'm pretty sure I won't get it. My bad for posting here at all.

[The Boz.2038]

12 minutes ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

However, now that I realize who posted this thread, I'm pretty sure I won't get it. My bad for posting here at all.

Heehehehehehe 🤣

[Linken.6345]

What I mostly wonder about who the hell tip at macdonalds.

[Vyr.9387]

Sure you fine lords and ladies simply can't see the wood for the trees?
Or see any flora or fauna for the author's name to begin with.

Lezbefriends's three closing sentences clearly indicate the main point being brought up in this post is the breakneck speed the optimal way of playing inevitably (d)evolves into, which doesn't come naturally to most people, causing all the good stuff like anger, burnouts, even hatred towards things a player previously loved.
And all of that is "easily" countered by simply stopping in your tracks and remembering that games are, first and foremost, supposed to entertain, no matter how many psychologists instead of developers companies hire to relieve you of your time (and cash, but that's just a physical representation of time, anyway) as efficiently as possible.

True, Dragonfall and Drizzlewood might not be alike anything else - I actually like them exactly because of said aspect; there always being movement, always something happening - but that's still a mere example used to illustrate the rush as the prime subject of the OP.

Sometimes, all it takes is for somebody to come up to you and say "hey, this is not okay," because the devil's in the details and our enormous brains are strangely keen on overlooking them.
And that's exactly how this proposed idea - if read to the end - seems like: a reminder of an astonishingly obvious concept that still takes a lot of effort to unearth alone.

[Danikat.8537]

I still don't see the point in objecting to how other players choose to play just two of the meta-events available in the game. If you want something slower paced there are plenty of other maps and meta-events to choose from. Or you can go to Dragonfall or Drizzlewood and do your own thing instead of trying to keep up with the fastest groups. I don't go to either map very often because I don't like the metas that much, but when I do that's my approach - I focus on what I want to do instead of trying to do everything as fast as possible just because other people are doing that.

I don't see any reason to change meta-events I know a lot of people really enjoy just because it doesn't suit everyone's preferred way of playing. I like to take my time with things but I'm not going to insist everyone should do that just because I like it. If that's not the point of this topic then I'm not sure what point the OP is trying to make because as many people have already said there are many other options available and those two maps are not representative of the entire game or Anet's intentions in future.

[HnRkLnXqZ.1870]

2 hours ago, Linken.6345 said:

What I mostly wonder about who the hell tip at macdonalds.

As far as I've got it, you work there when you are in desperate need of a job. In my region, people often feel ashamed when they say they work for that company, because the wages are not very good and the working conditions are difficult. On the other hand, they do have donation-boxes at the counters here, where you can tip money for charity. Do you really think this is funny?
-
I run the maps in question with separate goals. When I want to farm key, I do only that. If I want to do the meta-event, I do only that. With the keepers in Drizzlewood coast, I travel at my own pace. The bosses are in most cases long dead, but the chests remain active until the timer runs out. If I was after the keepers for the achievement, I would pick a few per run.

A lot of the speed is enforced by the players themselves. It is not very clever to bring high-dps builds to a meta-event, where a lot of people want to get a hit on that boss for loot. It dies faster, but you cut off other players. None of these events have an enrage-timer. Instead of slowing the groups down, so everyone can get their loot, the commanders push the speed even further. Counterproductive if you ask me. Loot and efficiency wise, a total disaster. For what? A few extra seconds, which summed up barely last for a toilet-break? Make a rough guess: If you kill a Keeper in Drizzlewood Coast 20 seconds after spawn, how many people will miss it? How many loot-bags, how many materials and how much gold is wasted for the pride of a few egoists? My voice does not count in these discussions, I know that. But that claimed maximum efficiency became a meme of itself. 

Before we talk about changes of the meta-events, we should probably change the way we run these events. 

Edited January 4, 2023 by HnRkLnXqZ.1870
phrase correction/typos

[Vyr.9387]

18 minutes ago, Danikat.8537 said:

I still don't see the point in objecting to how other players choose to play just two of the meta-events available in the game. If you want something slower paced there are plenty of other maps and meta-events to choose from. Or you can go to Dragonfall or Drizzlewood and do your own thing instead of trying to keep up with the fastest groups. I don't go to either map very often because I don't like the metas that much, but when I do that's my approach - I focus on what I want to do instead of trying to do everything as fast as possible just because other people are doing that.

Standing tall against the current is an unfortunately rare virtue.
One would think that the virtual anonymity packaged within an online presence would help it, but more often than not it seems like "it's just a game" matters very little when interacting with humans, regardless of physically staring them down.
Even simply looking at the amount of people on these very forums arguing solely from positions of defending their egos already paints a bleak picture.

I myself had been on the conforming side not as long ago as to forget, but all it took was literally one guy to oppose the status quo for the seed of doubt to get planted. Had it a bit easier, admittedly, considering taking commands always went against my grain, but I'm not adequately narcissistic to think my case is something special.
Grand thing You are confident enough to withstand the social tidal waves, however some people do benefit greatly from seeing or simply getting reminded that such an ostensibly incomprehensible feat is quite possible to achieve altogether.

 

 

24 minutes ago, Danikat.8537 said:

I don't see any reason to change meta-events I know a lot of people really enjoy just because it doesn't suit everyone's preferred way of playing. I like to take my time with things but I'm not going to insist everyone should do that just because I like it. If that's not the point of this topic then I'm not sure what point the OP is trying to make because as many people have already said there are many other options available and those two maps are not representative of the entire game or Anet's intentions in future.

I've read the OP for the seventh time now, and...
The single time Lezbefriends is calling for a change in all thirteen sentences is the last three, and even that's for a change of the players' perspective.
She (assuming it's the same gal behind the previous name of Morti) hasn't said anything about the entire game being all just about Superspeed & Fury us, or that the metas are a problem themselves, or even that people shouldn't do them.
The first ten sentences simply describe her experience. Not even in an overly hostile manner.
She's drawn a picture of a village and everybody immediately started criticizing the buildings' interior. Why?
But the last two perfectly aim at the way the post should be viewed in, and yet it seems like nobody managed to get that far.

Of course, using words is hard because words mean things - and as such being precise in one's presentation is an actual art form - so the only person fully aware of the intended meaning of the OP is Lezbefriends herself, but no matter her notoriety (whose rise I apparently completely dodged with my last break) the value of what a person is saying shouldn't be dictated by who they are - that's basically the good old ad hominem fallacy - and concluding random things never helps any conversation go forward.

[Sobx.1758]

2 hours ago, Vyr.9387 said:

Sometimes, all it takes is for somebody to come up to you and say "hey, this is not okay," because the devil's in the details and our enormous brains are strangely keen on overlooking them.
And that's exactly how this proposed idea - if read to the end - seems like: a reminder of an astonishingly obvious concept that still takes a lot of effort to unearth alone.

I fail to see what's "not ok" here. Maybe other than OP trying to decide what should and shouldn't be released, since the existance of a few maps they don't enjoy (in this case two were listed) apparently somehow doesn't mean "they simply shouldn't play those maps/trains and instead play what they enjoy", it -again, somehow- means that those maps shouldn't be released. I doubt anyone needs OP's -or anyone else's- reminder about that content, since what it is about is ultimately enjoyment of the game, which is absolutely the matter of individual perspective. As such what this thread looks like isn't "look, this is bad!", it's "how dare you enjoy what I don't?!" (or maybe "since I don't enjoy it, it shouldn't be a thing at all!").

Funnily enough, for people to have those farm trains, there needs to be a speific setup. On the other hand for OP to not rush with those farmtrains... they just need to not join a farmtrain and go on their own pace. So what exactly is the issue here?

[lezbefriends.7516]

36 minutes ago, Sobx.1758 said:

 On the other hand for OP to not rush with those farmtrains... they just need to not join a farmtrain and go on their own pace. So what exactly is the issue here?

The system is designed so you have to run speedtrains to make the most gold? Duh?

[Sobx.1758]

27 minutes ago, lezbefriends.7516 said:

The system is designed so you have to run speedtrains to make the most gold? Duh?

So you value your own fun less than the thought that people doing stuff faster than you want them to, make  -rather understandably?- a bit more gold than you? Of course they will make more gold, that's what comes with attempts to optimize combined with actual active gameplay. For that not to be true, you'd be essentially striving to create more afk-farms. Luckily you can make gold in different ways too, going right down to fishing or using tp.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Sobx.1758

[Vyr.9387]

21 minutes ago, Sobx.1758 said:

I fail to see what's "not ok" here.

The overwhelming focus on optimization of gameplay resulting in an overall decrease in enjoyment.
But I meant the first sentence You quoted in a general sense because it's ultimately a question of empathy - a human extending a helping hand to fellow humans - not of ones and zeroes of game design.

 

 

28 minutes ago, Sobx.1758 said:

Maybe other than OP trying to decide what should and shouldn't be released, since the existance of a few maps they don't enjoy (in this case two were listed) apparently somehow doesn't mean "they simply shouldn't play those maps/trains and instead play what they enjoy", it -again, somehow- means that those maps shouldn't be released. I doubt anyone needs OP's -or anyone else's- reminder about that content, since what it is about is ultimately enjoyment of the game, which is absolutely the matter of individual perspective. As such what this thread looks like isn't "look, this is bad!", it's "how dare you enjoy what I don't?!" (or maybe "since I don't enjoy it, it shouldn't be a thing at all!").

Read Lezbefriends's post again.
Everything You're putting into her mouth here has been first said by somebody else and not by her.

Actually, let's dance, so I - or anybody else - can just point at this post in case the thread gains momentum.

16 hours ago, lezbefriends.7516 said:

When you apply for McDonald's, they want to know you can "work in a fast-paced environment." Employees are racing through customers, hoping to get as many tips as possible. The GW2 commander, too, employs this strategy, to get tips from his squad.

 

Maps like Drizzlewood and Dragonfall -- the most popular farming maps -- are rushed through so hard it feels like a racing simulator. It's no surprise, then, that at least one of those maps has a race, as if ANet knew who they were targeting with these map metas.

 

If you miss one jump, you're playing the catch-up mini-game rather than engaging in actual combat. Don't have a Skyscale? Gotta switch to the Springer. That's if you can get out of combat from all the trash mobs. So now you have to run away for 8 seconds--too late, squad has moved on to another event.

 

Enough with fast food maps. There are so many beautiful little things to see in this game. Slow down and just admire the view every once in a while.

Paragraph #1: an introductory comparison setting up the scenery revolving around speed.
Questionable whether somebody's actually keeping track of the amount of events tagged and basing their tips to the leading commander on that, but there's nothing calling for any change here.

Paragraph #2: an example of fast-paced maps, further bringing forth the idea of speed.
I'd argue even the first point of contention within the thread - "...like Drizzlewood and Dragonfall..." - is moot, because nobody during a farm would stop for dialogue on any map, instead actively calling such instances boring, waste of time, etc., e. g. ze Wall at the end of the TD meta, making a player feel like there's a constant rush regardless of design.
And an utterly brilliant connection to racing adventures straight from beneath a tinfoil hat, but still nothing calling for any change whatsoever.

Paragraph #3: another example of how everything is speed first and foremost.
As the audience probably guessed at this point, no change calls.

Paragraph #4: a crescendo giving meaning to the previous three paragraphs more or less purely about speed, calling for a change in how people view the game.
Not. How. It. Should. Be. Made/Played.
Not even as a general rule, Lezbefriends literally says "...every once in a while".

 

 

52 minutes ago, Sobx.1758 said:

Funnily enough, for people to have those farm trains, there needs to be a speific setup. On the other hand for OP to not rush with those farmtrains... they just need to not join a farmtrain and go on their own pace. So what exactly is the issue here?

The only issue here is, from what I can see, people not taking Lezbefriends's post for what it is, but for what they decided it should be based on previous experience and/or loose conjecture, building off each of their own posts instead of what the OP actually claims.
Meaning that, in truth, there's no issue whatsoever, because pretty much nobody addressed anything the OP claimed to begin with.

Most people don't give enough kitten litters to parse through arguments in such a cold-headed manner, though, and the impression of getting reviled tends to bury itself deep thanks to us humans being social animals.
I'm simply trying to minimize that effect.

[Ashen.2907]

17 hours ago, lezbefriends.7516 said:

, hoping to get as many tips as possible

Tips at McD?

[yoni.7015]

6 minutes ago, Ashen.2907 said:

Tips at McD?

Is this a thing? I haven’t been to a McDonald’s in over a decade but never seen someone giving tips there. 

[Freya.9075]

When I first started farming for gold in gw2 I joined riba. My first impression was it was extremely chaotic and fast. And I struggled to keep up with them. As time went by, I learned to keep up and now I don’t feel it’s fast at all. It’s just normal speed. And sometimes I wish it could be faster. Same applies to drizzlewood and dragonfall and other fast paced metas. 
 

My point here is it may not seem fast for the squad you’re joining. So they will not even know you’re struggling to keep up. We’ve all been there. But many players forget their struggles as they get better at the game. Kind of like when adults forget how it is to be a child.