The Issue of the 10%-20% Power Differentiation

[Malorn]

Originally Posted by EASyEightyEight

Yeah... they DO need that carrot. That next goal is what drives a lot of players. Simply shooting someone for the sake of shooting someone and taking land for the glory of our empire only works for so many people (like us.)

"Conan, what is good in life?"

"To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women."

Lamentations aside, crushing enemies and driving them out is accomplishment. It served us in PS for many years quite successfully. What was even better was that the act of crushing and the act of driving was fun as hell.

An actual, felt form of progression gives people a sense of accomplishment.

Ahh, no - Actually accomplishing something gives me a sense of accomplishment.

Taking a base. Triumphing over a rival outfit. Prying Amerish from the cold dead hands of the Vanu. Turning the world blue. Inventing new tactics. Successfully leading the conquest of a continent.

All of these things are accomplishments. Next to these things getting handouts for playing the game are garbage. What good is that? Why have that? It is unnecessary, and I did nothing to earn it. You want to give me rewards? Give me rewards for taking a base or a continent or resources. That's why I wrote up some in-depth ideas on that in the PS2 idea vault. You should go check them out. Good stuff in those threads.