Doesn’t matter what you think or if you are not affected by it, but it is true. The honing part is a minor issue by itself, but you really get the picture once you see how it combines with all the other predatory design tactics. Their main goal is to get people to pay money, and that’s the main goal of systems like this.
Yea sure, in the same way the design of a pringles can or the calorie count in cakes is predatory.
Same with flavored alcohol and the flavored vapes being banned because they “appeal to kids” (better argument I’m making for you here).
Unfortunately, the issue of things being designed around “dopamine kicks” isn’t limited to Lost Ark. It works that way with Facebook, Instagram and social media (the little ticks and notifications you get do the same as a ‘SUCCESS!’). Edit: Life in 2022 is unfortunately designed around this, the idea of capitalizing on FOMO to rob people of their time and/or money, it’s non-unique to Lost Ark. Posting here wont change it, build up some mental fortitude.
This “preying on customers for their dollars” is unfortunately a design of capitalism but this is not the place for a discussion about political-economic ideology.
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As I said, the fact that you can reframe your perception of the system with enough time and game knowledge, and the fact that it is possible to resist the predatory nature of the design, doesn’t make the design not predatory. It is incredibly manipulative and predatory.
There is no “conversely”. The design is predatory. Period. It being possible to resist it doesn’t change the nature of the design. No con is 100% successful and not every mark is going to take the bait, but a conman isn’t less of a conman for those being true.
I mean, yes, all marketing is predatory to some degree. It’s not nearly as predatory as Lost Ark, because most marketing is at least trying to manipulate you into buying their product by either selectively extolling its virtues or by giving you a separate product (entertainment) that you enjoy, even if it’s unrelated to their actual product. Ethical marketing would look more like a infograph.
Lost Ark is far more predatory because it is far closer to a full-blown con, as it intentionally manufactures a specific (negative in this case) emotional state through a convoluted system.
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Not even a good troll 
No one had to reframe anything, some people just had this mindset going into it…
Then you already have experience with this kind of system and did your reframing elsewhere. 10/10 people that come into Lost Ark from, say, WoW, will experience the system as I described, and that is the purpose of the system.
Yea sure. Again, its the unfortunate reality of life in 2022 when it comes to how corporations treat people.
Go read any George Orwell. Go deep into Dystopian literature and art and you’ll see this is literally an unfortunate outcome of a very predictable future. Thank Ronald Reagan and the ‘New World Order’ for this.
Don’t like the leeway corporations are given? Then start taking a close look at your local and national politics and find someone who endorses your views. I guarantee you, complaining about Lost Ark’s predatory design on the game’s forum will not resolve this issue.
It’s like going to McDonald’s and yelling at them for making you fat. They just dont care (and that is a sad reality of today). We’re all expendable, each and every one of us including myself.
Just enjoy Lost Ark for what it is, and if you don’t have fun or it brings out the worst in you? Why stick with it?
The fact that other things are predatory as well doesn’t excuse this game having predatory mechanics. I really dislike this term, but it is whataboutism. You acknowledge that these issues do exist. Why is it weird that people come here to complain because they don’t like such design?
People want to play the game to escape the reality and have fun.
So we should all just ignore these predatory practices of modern society/capitalism, and “build up mental fortitude”. I’m gonna repeat this once more: People want to play the game to escape the reality and have fun. This isn’t an issue with Lost Ark only, but in LA it’s cranked up to 11. These issues do exist elsewhere and in other games, doesn’t mean they are right and moral, or that they should exist.
And here we can absolutely agree.
Oh 100% agree with this:
My point is that you’re advocating for change in the wrong place. AGS and whoever else is in charge here doesn’t give a rats ass that they’re taking money out of people’s wallets and making you write forum posts.
You know who is more likely to be receptive? Your local officials. As much as I hate Asmongold and his merry band of 12 year olds, he made a very good point: The only people that can actually rein in this kind of behavior is government.
The sort of psychological manipulation and predatory stuff rampant in modern games isn’t going to go away on its own because it’s very effective, and unfortunately due to a large portion of consumers just not caring enough i.e. obiwanxshinobi or being willfully ignorant i.e. OP, I don’t believe consumers will enact any sort of change either
I think the only way it would ever get better is if there’s serious regulation from governing bodies, which is a shame but that’s the way it is
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Pew pew I misread
I said OP was wilfully ignorant, I said you don’t seem to care enough
“Just enjoy Lost Ark for what it is, and if you don’t have fun or it brings out the worst in you? Why stick with it?”
Which to me reads as “just ignore it or leave”
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No not “just ignore it or leave” more like “go somewhere where your efforts are more likely to be valued”
Well, the point stands regardless
Well, some companies probably do care about players’ feedback. I have realized it’s probably not worth complaining here because they don’t want to change this stuff, but many haven’t.
Besides, they could change some of the systems to be less frustrating, while still getting that profit they still care about. I’m sure they’re smart enough to come up with something that would still bring them money. But designing new systems would cost them money, and they’re content with how it is right now. So in the end, they do not care about the game or players.
I’m more disappointed than angry or anything. Because Lost Ark really is a good game without these systems.
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They won’t change anything as a result of complaints like this, but even so I think it’s good to at least spread awareness of how all this stuff works because a lot of people, particularly if they’ve grown up with games like this, have never actually thought about the design intent behind all these little irks and frustrations
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agree with both of you @iccerr and @bendelbinio
Awareness would be good. My issue though, is when advocating for people to reframe their thoughts on how to hone / approach these systems I get called all sorts of names.
Really refreshing to have an actual conversation about the systems rather than some shitpost fiesta where we’re all using expletives.
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Who would have thought it was possible to have a discussion in good faith on the Lost Ark forums 
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The honing rates are intended to be 100% for t1 and t2 even with +2 success.
Honing rates from 1340-1370 should be 20% higher iirc, plus 20% from 1385 research.
This is made specifically because of the deadzone.
We are missing a lot of content, the honing rates are just a part of the missing content making the game more fun and enjoyable.