Thoughts on the Anniversary Event

[Arrabell]

I detest the beer brawl and refuse to participate in it but the lotteries have more than made up for my disappointment. I have been able to purchase three of the items that I wanted and will probably pass on the horse in favour of all the other items. I have not been happy with the Anniversary Celebration and the way it was implemented but I feel that amends have been made. Of course if you havent been lucky with the drawings that would be a different story.....

[Aloro]

I calculate, conservatively, that I've spent 15 hours so far in the festival trying to get either a horse, a house item, or a cosmetic item. Something. So far I have three anniversary tokens.

This, right here, is a perfect example of how this event is being experienced by players.

This does not sound like fun to me. This is the kind of grind I'd weather for something I really cared about, not for fluff items with no actual value to me.

In 15 hours' work, back in SoA, I could run the Rift 5 times and very probably get a piece of what was then the very best equipment in game. Seriously. Compare these two rewards.

[debegray]

Things are bad. I just checked in on WoW's Easter celebration, and it looks like it might be fun.

I'm more bummed out by this event than I thought.

[silverblade5445]

Ok frankly.... 66 pages..... many of it consisting of people not satisfied with the festival....

And maybe I am too simple minded, but I do not understand all the hate... I mean firstly, avoiding the festival "grind" in no way affects your gameplay negatively....theyre not giving top class armor or weapons in exchange for the tokens.....and they have more than made up for some of the grind with the lotteries.... of what I have read till now, the anniversary steed did not appeal to a lot of people, and yet then they complain that its a grind to get that steed.....I mean I can see this issue arising if it was a very epic awesome looking steed that everyone loved and wanted and it was a grind to get it.....but if you dont like it, end of story you turn to a nice raid or good quests or some peaceful roaming around middle earth.... if you enjoy the beer brawl (I loved the beer brawl...one of the most fun festival/special things they designed imo), just go ahead do it.....the main reason why everyone hates the festival is becoz everyone is doing them for getting the tokens ONLY.... instead of enjoying the festival....and its not that we were sooo eager and waiting for a festival since we dint have one since a long time to break the monotony of a game without updates....thats not the case at all....we had the spring fling fest just some time ago.....we had update 2 just a lil while ago.....i mean so much new stuff to enjoy....

For turbine..... its like being a goalkeeper....no matter how many loads of goals you save, people always remember and discuss the ones you missed....

[SixFootDwarf]

Meh. I'd rather quest and craft. One of my friends gave me some weapons and I need to bang out some tools and armor for him. Much more fun, much more rewarding.

[Van'cali]

Ok frankly.... 66 pages..... many of it consisting of people not satisfied with the festival....

And maybe I am too simple minded, but I do not understand all the hate... I mean firstly, avoiding the festival "grind" in no way affects your gameplay negatively....theyre not giving top class armor or weapons in exchange for the tokens.....and they have more than made up for some of the grind with the lotteries.... of what I have read till now, the anniversary steed did not appeal to a lot of people, and yet then they complain that its a grind to get that steed.....I mean I can see this issue arising if it was a very epic awesome looking steed that everyone loved and wanted and it was a grind to get it.....but if you dont like it, end of story you turn to a nice raid or good quests or some peaceful roaming around middle earth.... if you enjoy the beer brawl (I loved the beer brawl...one of the most fun festival/special things they designed imo), just go ahead do it.....the main reason why everyone hates the festival is becoz everyone is doing them for getting the tokens ONLY.... instead of enjoying the festival....and its not that we were sooo eager and waiting for a festival since we dint have one since a long time to break the monotony of a game without updates....thats not the case at all....we had the spring fling fest just some time ago.....we had update 2 just a lil while ago.....i mean so much new stuff to enjoy....

For turbine..... its like being a goalkeeper....no matter how many loads of goals you save, people always remember and discuss the ones you missed....

The point of it is it is a customer appreciation event that is harder to grind for then most items in the game. There should be little freebies being given away left and right. Well, they don't really have to do that. However it was made out to be a celebration, not a PvP grindfest for cosmetics, house items, and a wedding cake horse.

Like someone else posted, you want to under promise and over deliver. Not vice versa. That is the issue at hand.

[Alcaniel]

Ok frankly.... 66 pages..... many of it consisting of people not satisfied with the festival....

And maybe I am too simple minded, but I do not understand all the hate...

I'd like to point out that many of the posts in this thread are from people who, like myself, are disappointed, but still would like to obtain some of the anniversary items. We have calmly stated our disappointment. Disappointment ≠ hate. Some folks are much more upset by this, but I would say the majority don't fall into the realm of "hate"...

[Sapience]

I'd like to point out that many of the posts in this thread are from people who, like myself, are disappointed, but still would like to obtain some of the anniversary items. We have calmly stated our disappointment. Disappointment ≠ hate. Some folks are much more upset by this, but I would say the majority don't fall into the realm of "hate"...

This is a very important point. While we appreciate that there is disappointment with the anniversary and we have certainly heard that feedback, hate is probably an overly strong word. Large post counts or page counts for a thread can often be misleading and misrepresent the true tone of a thread, especially if the tone of some is more stringent than the overall tone of the majority of posters. For example nearly 50% of all posts in this thread are from just 25 posters. Nearly 25% of the posts are from just 6 posters.

[GregJL]

I just want to point something out to those who are talking about the slow increase in tokens for the festival horses. I believe the number of tokens went from 6 to 12 after mounts became permanent additions to your skills, instead of trading one mount for another. I also believe the number of tokens went from 12 to 20 at the time the price of the document of ownership dropped to 500s/200s. So the increase in tokens in both cases was an offset to other reductions. As for the "not-so-great anniversary" horse...I dunno what the heck Turbine is thinking with that one.

[Einarr]

I'd like to add my two cents about the anniversary event:

-I love that we have special cosmetic items and a fancy horse to commemorate the event. I'm a big fan of the cosmetic system and always love having new outfits - especially special ones that only come around once a year.

-I love that (so far) the item is said to not be available now or in the future in the store...finally a reward we can be proud of earning that you can't just buy with TP after the special event. (I'm not fond of festival or rep items being available for TP as it takes away the specialness for those that worked for the items.)

-I am disappointed in the high cost of rewards vs. low output of tokens. Too many tokens needed and not enough ways to get them. I think if the price had been equal to what we're used to in festivals it would have been more successful. Or, keep the higher price but give us an additional way to earn anniversary tokens. Like maybe we can trade in a certain number of on-level metal tokens for anniversary tokens? Or give us a couple quest levels in the beer brawl like we see with the shrew-stomp.

-I am disappointed in the lack of info in-game concerning the event. If I hadn't read the festival guide on http://www.casualstrolltomordor.com/ I would have been extremely uninformed and confused.

1. Getting an invitation in the mail for the festivals is a great way to instruct people on what there is to do and where to go to enjoy the festivities. That is missing from this event.
2. The traders are not found at the usual festival locations, adding to the confusion.
3. The horse race master answers questions about how to obtain the horse - but the answers are the same as for the festival horses which are slightly different than the special anniversary horse.
4. Having an NPC in the Thorin's Hall tavern directing you to the special room and telling you about the beer brawl is needed. Having a quest to complete one round of the beer brawl with a quest-giving NPC at the entrance would be a great way to introduce newcomers to the event and give us a free token just for trying it out.

Overall, I love the idea of this special anniversary event, I just think it needed better implementation.

[bigsix66]

This is a very important point. While we appreciate that there is disappointment with the anniversary and we have certainly heard that feedback, hate is probably an overly strong word.

I agree. From a personal standpoint, I find it hard to believe that there's much in an online gaming activity that can generate true hate. In most cases, the word "hate" is not used in the sense of its true dictionary meaning, connoting malice, as in "We hates Bagginsses forever!," but more like, "We hates broccoli." In this case, I think the word is used by most people who have expressed an opinion in this thread to represent varying levels of disappointment.

Large post counts or page counts for a thread can often be misleading and misrepresent the true tone of a thread, especially if the tone of some is more stringent than the overall tone of the majority of posters. For example nearly 50% of all posts in this thread are from just 25 posters. Nearly 25% of the posts are from just 6 posters.

This is true, but is also an example of how statistics can say pretty much what you want them to say, depending on how they are used. Using your numbers above, it can also be said that more than half of the almost 1,000 posts in this thread are from a widely diverse number of people, and that hundreds of different people have posted in this thread to express their disappointment in one form or another.

[ToffeeAnn]

I love Turbine's festivals, but I simply can't complete the beer thing. I tried when it was part of another festival in the past and can't do it even with many fewer players. The only way I could complete it once long ago was when my husband deliberately stood where I could select him and club him. There was hardly anyone else around. I also have a hard time completing the horse races sometimes. Those jumps are hard for me.

I'm very saddened that Turbine has restricted this festival in this way. Can't this be fixed? I am glad the lotteries exist or else I would get nothing.

[Hungry_Hobbit]

I really do think its unfair to have to farm 160 tokens to get all the maps they should be way cheaper than a horse
and Ill add my disappointment to the event

[Shinir]

I'm very saddened that Turbine has restricted this festival in this way. Can't this be fixed? I am glad the lotteries exist or else I would get nothing.

I had a Stroke in August 2010, I have trouble with my right hand , but am getting better, I am glad the lotteries exist.

[Valmarill]

I *never* would have tried it were it not free to begin with, and now I am a paying member.

Back when it came out I thought about it but was doing 60 hour work weeks. Then I forgot about it entirely. Then when I read it was free I decided well why not. And I am glad I did--except for people asking continously where to buy a horse if I ever show my face in Bree.

Cheers. I like you have a job. in fact, I have two am in a band and occasionally do festivals on the weekends so a paid subscription was out of the question for me. When it went free I downloaded it and eventually broke down and started the 3 month discounted membership.

As far as the Anniversary event goes (getting back to the original idea of this thread)
The bad
1. The Beer fight is cool and fun. Getting knocked out of the ring ... not so fun but then, it's part of the game and the challenge. Having to grind away at it for hours to get 20 coins for a map. Not so fun. having to click targets is just plain mean. Some of my friend play on laptops without a mouse ... they are completely hosed.
2. Having to get 30 coins for the mount AND a token, PLUS whatever other requirements they make you pay for when you get it ... obscene. There are people out there who have the time and patience to grind this out ... they are likely unemployed because I don't know how you'd have the time otherwise.
The good
1. Cool down timer on the horse race is not as bad as Spring Fest (or is it my imagination?)
2. Maps are trade-able. So, if you and your friends all agree to get different maps, it is conceivable that you can all knock out the cartography deed together by exchanging them between you. There are apparently only 8 available this time and there are I think 12 total. So, the next event where you can get maps will probably aid in the deeds completion.
3. the horse, if you have the time, lack of life and patience to win it is really pretty.
4. turbine doesn't have to really do anything at all or offer us any chance at competing for cool items. so, instead of whining about it we may as well just trudge through. Despite this, I'd still like to dump a beer on the person who decided to charge 30 coins for the horse ... but with a smile.

[Thornglen]

This is a very important point. While we appreciate that there is disappointment with the anniversary and we have certainly heard that feedback, hate is probably an overly strong word. Large post counts or page counts for a thread can often be misleading and misrepresent the true tone of a thread, especially if the tone of some is more stringent than the overall tone of the majority of posters. For example nearly 50% of all posts in this thread are from just 25 posters. Nearly 25% of the posts are from just 6 posters.

I, too, agree that hate is too strong a word. But I'd think disappointment is a more frightening thing.

I'm feeling left out of the analogy crowd, so let me see if I can come up with a LOTRO-appropriate one. Hate is the spike damage that can't necessarily be avoided. You can try to heal through it, but sometimes there is just nothing you can do and it was going to happen no matter what you try.

Disappointment, however, is the damage over time that eats away at morale. It can seem minor at first and then grow as the debuffs stack. It is the thing that can defeat you even after you have won the battle.

You need good healers and good support to survive. I have seen in the past that the Turbine staff has lots of both, so I hope they are allowed to do their jobs.

Related to that, thank you for what you have been able to do with the lotteries.

[Thornglen]

1. The Beer fight is cool and fun. Getting knocked out of the ring ... not so fun but then, it's part of the game and the challenge. Having to grind away at it for hours to get 20 coins for a map. Not so fun. having to click targets is just plain mean. Some of my friend play on laptops without a mouse ... they are completely hosed.

For your friends without a mouse, here are a few things that have helped me. All refer to the default keymapping, so if any have been manually changed, the keys may be different from what I list.

F9 - target nearest player
Delete - target nearest object
U - use targeted object

Using these keys, plus the club on a quickslot, your friends may have a better shot at the beer-fight than if they are trying to target with a touchpad or those little mouse-nubbin things I hate on laptop keyboards.

[Chiot]

Hate is a misleading word when used in this thread, much as Galore is a misleading word (when used in the short phrase Merriment Galore.)

BTW, I am very disappointed in the Anniversary Festival. I enjoyed the Spring Festival. I hate very little.

[Mepheseus]

I find myself not angry about the event, I just find myself very disappointed. For the first time I've even been playing the lottery since Wednseday and have won nothing. I have been told by multiple players on my server that they've won multiple times. Makes it hard for me to feel that even the lottery is random. I usually don't post on the forums but I felt the need to this time. I'm just a very disappointed customer.

[Starrywisdom]

This is a very important point. While we appreciate that there is disappointment with the anniversary and we have certainly heard that feedback, hate is probably an overly strong word. Large post counts or page counts for a thread can often be misleading and misrepresent the true tone of a thread, especially if the tone of some is more stringent than the overall tone of the majority of posters. For example nearly 50% of all posts in this thread are from just 25 posters. Nearly 25% of the posts are from just 6 posters.

You forgot the most important stastic, all but one poster is displease/aggravated/downright angry over the disappointment of the festival. The sheer number of posts mean nothing, what matter is the the tone of the majority of replies. If 99% of the populace says something is terrible(especially on a forum with so many trolls on both sides) I think that is telling enough. We can all twist the statistics the way we want them to go, but the fact of the matter is the grand majority of players - posting or not - are displeased with the festival. I would also like to note, that even if you were to remove all the posts by repeat users, this thread would be the longest and most disgruntled 'sucks' thread that's been on this forum -- ever. So debating the number of posts is irrelevant, as even with repeat users not counted this thread is still the largest.

Side note: There are also have been hundreds of unique users posting threads about their disappointment about the festival, to only be locked / deleted and pointed here(in which they don't ever come here to reply). Let's also not forget the scary statistic that many people that uniquely posted in this thread never post on the forums(IE: <5 posts) so they must be quite disapointed to actually come and post here, when they never did before. So let's not forget about them either

[hobbit1968]

I dont understand the lottery myself. How is it I have been playing everytime and only won once, one character, in the past nine days, while people are winning multiple times with multiple characters? I am gratefull just to win the once, please dont get me wrong, but seems the lottery, that are trying to help/fix this mess, does not seem to be equal in itself. Oh, and, I am very "DISSAPOINTED" in this festival. Wosrt festival I have ever seen in this game, and I have been playing this game in beta before it went live. What a shame.

[GodzillaX8]

This is a very important point. While we appreciate that there is disappointment with the anniversary and we have certainly heard that feedback, hate is probably an overly strong word. Large post counts or page counts for a thread can often be misleading and misrepresent the true tone of a thread, especially if the tone of some is more stringent than the overall tone of the majority of posters. For example nearly 50% of all posts in this thread are from just 25 posters. Nearly 25% of the posts are from just 6 posters.

Ah, the first dev post in 3 days, they must obviously be here to communicate their desire to fix the horrible event and provide proper ways to earn the rewards.

... oh nevermind, I guess they are just here in a lame attempt to downplay the mass disappointment with some meaningless statistical manipulation... ಠ_ಠ

[Starrywisdom]

I dont understand the lottery myself. How is it I have been playing everytime and only won once, one character, in the past nine days, while people are winning multiple times with multiple characters? I am gratefull just to win the once, please dont get me wrong, but seems the lottery, that are trying to help/fix this mess, does not seem to be equal in itself. Oh, and, I am very "DISSAPOINTED" in this festival. Wosrt festival I have ever seen in this game, and I have been playing this game in beta before it went live. What a shame.

That's the issue with them attempting to use the lottery system to 'calm' the masses. I have 9 characters and have entered every possible lottery(barring maybe 2-3 of them) and I've only one once on one character. It was my hope that I would at least be able to get a cloak or other cosmetic item without grinding one PvP event for 4 hours ; but it doesn't look like it. The issue with the lottery system is that it has no 'balancing' built in(IE: you could lose every single lottery on 15 characters from when the lottery system came out till today, if you are unlucky; while someone in my guild has won over 100 tokens combined just in the past 2 days[on 5 characters]). Not saying it's broken or 'stupid' but that's an inherent flaw in it being a 'lottery'; although I will admit that it's disheartening to check the lottery page 10+ times a day and constantly enter lotteries to absolutely never win and then look at the exploits of my guildmates on our forums.

[Sapience]

Ah, the first dev post in 3 days, they must obviously be here to communicate their desire to fix the horrible event and provide proper ways to earn the rewards.

... oh nevermind, I guess they are just here in a lame attempt to downplay the mass disappointment with some meaningless statistical manipulation... ಠ_ಠ

This is my 12th post in this thread in the past 3 days. I've stated in previous posts that the event is working as the team intended and designed it and there will be no changes to the content or cost of rewards.

If the thread is now to become simply a place for misinformation and provocative posts lacking in facts, then it will have run its course and be closed.

[Domineaux]

Lotteries are an ok band-aid but I still think that item values need a more balanced approach with this "Celebration" much like with the new armour.
Speaking of which, anyone else get a nice laugh about the 1 medallion of the north men in the "Medallions of Middle-Earth" lotto? (oh wonderful, 1 down and hundreds to go..for a single piece of armour!)