Greetings AGS and Lost Ark community,
We have had a literal storm of ideas, reactions ,etc regarding this announcement to nerf content and it’s reasonings. I would like to share a video that perfectly encapsulates what the “data” tries to represent but unfortunately misdiagnoses and ultimately worries players who love the game and want it to succeed in the west.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ_Vs7qEooo&ab_channel=Sywo
For those who did not watch this short video:
TL:DW- The prospective nerfs themselves aren’t too bad since its only T1 & 2 content which at this point is only progression content, BUT this sets a bad precedent and expectation for players who are having a hard time or are intentionally avoid this content currently. Current T3 content and prospective T3 content is and will be MUCH HARDER, the fear is these also might be nerfed flippantly.
Now I know there are varying emotional emotional opinions because theres such a wide array of experienced players and people who are literately playing Lost Ark as their first MMORPG ever , myself included I have been quite vocal. That being said here’s the sad thing and it needs to be stated, internalized for those who need to and truly taken to heart. Too many people are experiencing lost ark through streamers and content creators lenses. Too many of you are so into your content creators, or are so lost as to what this game is and “how to play it” that you default your personal experience and expectations of lost ark to those of your content creators. You are not ZealAmbitions, you are not Stoopz, you are not Asmondgold, etc YOU ARE NOT THESE PEOPLE YOU ARE YOU. You cannot take the progress, the experience, the success and feelings that these people have, internalize them to such a degree that you not only believe it as gospel you try to spread it as such AND GASLIGHT EVERYONE ELSE.
Im experiencing this nonsense real time in game with some guildies, on the forums and even in reddit. Everyones suddenly a “korean vet” with years of experience, yet having such weird takes that don’t take into account people in NA/EU NEED TO EXPERIENCE THE GAME FOR THEMSELVES. That includes failing enhancements, guardians raids, that includes going broke because honing in T3 costs way to much silver (currently me). It’s things like this that as someone who has played a myriad of MMORPGS you experience, learn from and glean back on as something you’re glad you overcame, even if in the moment it felt like the world was ending. Because in those moments you can build community, you can teach other people, you can empathize and sympathize with others and ACTUALLY show them how to overcome obscales while still having fun. The world isnt ending because you aren’t T3 yet or you failed 52 enhancements or Tytalos wiped you 15 times! embrace the failure, YOU WILL OVERCOME IT. I only have about a month and a half of playtime in Lost Ark across all regions, im a noob too, but im also sweaty and have realistic expectation.
Was I chasing people like Zeals, Stoopz and Saint? Hell yeah, but I also swallowed that pill that no matter how hard I try, unless I become a credit card warrior I’m not outpacing them because I literately dont understand the game. Im 1343 ilvl and I still don’t know a quarter of what works or whats going on. I simply just do what others are suggesting and if I deviate I own those consequences when I fail or waste a bunch of resources. It is what it is. Lose the ego learn the game and I guarantee you will love it. You’re not an expert because you read a guide or because “Zeals said so”, or “in this video Stoopz said this!”
And no flame to these content creators they need to keep doing what they are doing. It’s their literal job to show off their skill, their knowledge, share it and then showcase the potential of the game. They bring you in, they enamor you with the fantasy they show you WHAT YOU CAN BE WITH TIME. It’s up to you to have realistic expectations and get there. So thats my bit to the community, now on to AGS.
DEAR AGS, DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT NERF T3 CONTENT, NOR RELEASE HARDER T3 CONTENT FOR SEVERAL MORE WEEKS IF NOT A FEW MONTHS
Now why do I implore this as a noob with no experience the game? Because it’s abundantly clear that people will do what they want. Streamers will stream, youtubers will youtube and the masses will consume said content and continue to be sheeple. Which is fine, but do you give a child a loaded weapon because he thinks Navy Seals are cool? No you don’t. The game is so complex that like or not, myself included players WILL HAVE TO LEARN THE GAME. Too many people wanna speedrun and be like their favorite content creator. Set them up for success then. Sure Nerf T1 and T2, hey I even say implement the increased enhancing bonuses you guys retroactively took on release.
Doing this will allow people who are so headstrong and stuck in their ways to even more smoothly get to that juicy content all their videos have been telling them they “need” to get to. Now once they get there, they will get rolled, they will barely have materials to enhance, etc and thats ok because they will have multiple alts. Couldn’t decide a main because you wanted to rush T3 content and pretend to be a hardcore pro gamer? NO PROBLEM BUD NOW ALL YOUR ALTS ARE AT T3! SWAP MAINS AND EAT DIRT TILL YOUR HEARTS CONTENT UNTIL YOU WISE UP AND LEARN THE GAME. At least at this point you’re forced to take your time, learn by trial and error like you do everything else in life and actually figure out if you like the game, can appreciate it if you do, etc. Guys remember this is an MMORPG not fortnite, not CoD, no LoL. You dont hit an arbitrary “tier” of content and get good, you spend weeks developing your personalized avatar, learning your craft, coming into your own on whatever you “main”, taking pride in that and then being a star. I know theres a lot of “lv26 I 0nLy pvP hurrrdurrr” Andy’s out there and thats ok, but thats not what Lost Ark is in it’s totally. At the end of the day it’s a PvE MMORPG, learn it love it.
Now second suggestion RELEASE MORE SKINS AND NOT 1 OR 2 FOR A FEW CLASSES. This game has been out for years and true to Korean MMORPG fashion it’s INCREDIBLY visual and beautiful. Some came to only cosplay and for the BOOBA, now thats not me… entirely! But nonetheless it’s an MMORPG and the second thing close to TOP DP$ and GODLINESS IS SEXINESS, FASHION, GLAM, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT. I have 6+ ALTS I NEED TO DRIP OUT. I KNOW THERES MORE THAN YOUR RUN OF THE MILL LORD OF THE RINGS SKINS IN THIS GAME. Gimmie the hoodies, the camo, the moko and everything in between. I NEED TO SIT IN TOWN AND FLEX, RP AND ALL OF IT. But seriously besides this being a personal want, I know many people not only want this they need this to feel truly immersed. It’s not fun being some clone Sorceress, Blade, Berserker in a skin you can’t dye or using the same black and white color palettes on YAWNMAKER. If you do this you will also distract, engage and immerse the brainlets who cant seem to stop trying to speed run while giving them a reason to… stop speed running. They’re gonna want to sit in town or carry other noobs in easier content with their flashy new gear. Cause whats better than getting MVP? GETTING MVP BOSSED UP, DRIPPED OUT, GLAMMED OUT (or eating dirt while doing the same). LOOKING GOOD IS ALWAYS BETTER RELEASE SKINS AND A LOT OF THEM AND NOT JUST ARMOR TYPE LORD OF THE RINGS STUFF, ITS 2022!
If you made it to the end, Thank you for reading this very long post, enjoy Arkesia! 