DCUO Source Wall Idea: Improvements for Artifacts
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Artifacts have been in the game since Nov 1, 2017 now and have been both welcomed with certain aspects hated. Artifacts allow players to try out different playstyles and loadouts to allow a different experience. This op-ed article is to provide suggestions on how to make the Artifact Experience better for the DCUO Community. Nothing is ever perfect in an MMO game and this system could certainly use an upgrade.
One of the problems the Community dislikes about the Artifact system is the heavy monetization behind it. The in game grind versus purchasing on the MP is vastly in favor of the MP route.
Nth Metal: A Better Experience
The experience needed to level the Artifacts can be daunting, especially when you look at the amount of Nth Metal XP you need versus the amount you get when playing. While Nth Metal drops from all enemies, we need to see either an Increase of Nth metal in the Drops or the Nth Metal XP needs to be increased. Lets take a moment that the XP Increase itself wont be increased so instead, we’ll look at the Nth Metal Drop increase.
Firstly, any Nth Metal below 100 XP needs to be removed from the game. Random Nth Metal drops are certainly fine to stay but the addition of Guaranteed Nth Metal Drops on Bosses would help with the leveling and encourage players to run the content. A simple breakdown could look like this:
Solos/Duos - 200 Nth Metal per Boss
Alerts - 500 Nth Metal per Boss
Raids - 1000 Nth Metal per Boss
Of course still following CR Relevancy, you can only get a Max of them without using Replay Badges. This will certainly help with the leveling and feel like we are truly working towards the goal of leveling the Artifacts.
This is for those within CR Relevancy. For the older content, it could be an option within the Loot Table either at the same XP or a lowered amount. Another idea is adding a nice loot bag that drops with the bosses and inside has a chance to give Nth Metal, Quarks, or bonus Source Marks.
Breakthrough Hassle
Breakthrough success rates are terribly low once you reach over Rank 100. It forces players into purchasing the Seals of Preservations or Completions from the MP in order for their purchase of Catalysts to matter. When a Breakthrough fails it puts a strain on the player that isn’t healthy and deteriorates the player wanting to continue participating in the system and ultimately the game itself.
To help with this, we need to streamline the amount of Milestone Rank Breakthroughs of Artifacts. Breakthroughs only occur for the Ranks that give the Buffs for the Artifacts, while stat increases could be bundled from earlier ranks into the new Milestone Ranks. With these changes means also changing the Breakthrough %s.
Rank 40 - 100% (Used as an introduction to the Fortify process)
Rank 80 - 80%
Rank 120 - 60%
Rank 160 - 40%
Rank 200 - 20%
Another suggestion is to sell the Seals of Preservation on the John Constantine vendor. Seals of Completion can stay on the MP but the SoP are not worth the money to buy them compared to getting the SoC. Adding the SoP to purchase with Source Marks will give a sense of protection for players when buying Catalysts.
Sparking Joy with Catalysts
With changes to the Breakthrough %s above means changes to Catalyst requirements. Below is our suggestion:
Rank 40: 2x Dio, 2x QFE = 34 Source Marks
Rank 80: 5x Dio, 5x QFE, 4x Paradox = 145 Source Marks
Rank 120: 10x Dio, 10x QFE, 7x Paradox = 275 Source Marks
Rank 160: 15x Dio, 15x QFE, 9x Paradox = 390 Source Marks
Rank 200: 20x Dio, 20x QFE, 12x Paradox = 520 Source Marks
Total: 52x Dio, 52x QFE, 32x Paradox = 1364 Source Marks
With an overall decrease in cost by 18 Source Marks from our current system (1382 Source Marks) for Catalysts but we believe the pricing is solid given our next section.
Alt-ifacts
The Artifact leveling process is again, daunting. Working on One Character can take a long time in of itself but working with Alts doesn’t make it an easier process. An idea that came from DCUO Community member MissMeganMartian:
If a Player gets the Artifact to Rank 200, tie it to a Feat and the leveling of that Artifact halves the XP Requirement to level it for other Alts that Buys the Feat with Replay Badges.
We really like the idea and took it a step further to half the Catalysts required for the Artifacts.
A generic 3 Star 50 Point Feat when any 1 Artifact Rank reaches 200, grants all Artifacts’ XP and Catalysts decreased by 50% for that character or alts that you Replay Badge that Feat on!
Artifact Feat discount breakdown below for Artifact XP differential:
Rank
40
80
120
160
200
XP Needed
7984
39920
167659
678722
1678722
XP Needed with 50% Discount Feat
3998
19960
83830
339361
839361
With the proposed feat, Ranking any subsequent Artifacts will only need 160639 XP more to max out to Rank 200 than one would normally need to attain Rank 160 as it currently is.
Artifact Feat discount breakdowns below, using our newly suggested Catalyst requirements in the section above:
Option 1: Halving Catalyst Requirements
Rank 40: 1x Dio, 1x QFE = 17 Source Marks
Rank 80: 3x Dio, 3x QFE, 2x Paradox = 81 Source Marks
Rank 120: 5x Dio, 5x QFE, 4x Paradox = 145 Source Marks
Rank 160: 8x Dio, 8x QFE, 5x Paradox = 211 Source Marks
Rank 200: 10x Dio, 10x QFE, 6x Paradox = 260 Source Marks
Total: 27x Dio, 27x QFE, 17 Paradox = 717 Source Marks
Option 2: Halving Catalyst Prices on Constantine Vendor
(Dio from 7 to 4 SM, QFE from 10 to 5 SM, and Paradox from 15 to 8 SM)
Rank 40: 2x Dio, 2x QFE = 18 Source Marks
Rank 80: 5x Dio, 5x QFE, 4x Paradox = 77 Source Marks
Rank 120: 10x Dio, 10x QFE, 7x Paradox = 146 Source Marks
Rank 160: 15x Dio, 15 QFE, 9x Paradox = 207 Source Marks
Rank 200: 20x Dio, 20x QFE, 12x Paradox = 276 Source Marks
Total: 52x Dio, 52x QFE, 32x Paradox = 724 Source Marks
Option 3: A feat that unlocks the option to purchase 2 of the same Catalysts in a pack for the price of 1, in order to not split Source Marks, which would total to 682 Source Marks.
Total Source Mark cost for breakthroughs for your first Artifact from start until 200 without any feat comes to 1364 Source Marks with our suggested Catalyst requirements.
1364 halved is 682 if we could completely halve prices or Catalyst, but they must be rounded up in the first two options, while the last option provides that exact amount if feasible.
Better Storage
Given that the Fortify Tab works for both Artifacts and Augments, and the sheer number of Artifacts being introduced as more Episodes launch, it would be extremely beneficial to have Artifacts be upgraded to being saved in our inventory in the same way Augments are in the current Augment Tab, since currently to have a set for both roles at least requires 3 inventory slots, and then to factor in all the other possible combination options a player may want to try as more are released. For the most part, we would hope the Artifact slots could migrate from the gear slots into the Augment Tab section too, with the only exception of maintaining how it currently is being the Bottled City Soder due to being also a Consumable, and any other possible Artifacts in the future that may be made instead of Artifact slots but Gear slots, (Trinket/Utility Belt, Ring, Neck, etc.)
Closing
This isn’t a total write up of ideas out there but we wanted to bring a majority of them together to continue the conversation of bettering the experience of using the Artifact System. We hope you enjoyed this Op-Ed and we may continue this down the road as there is much more in DCUO that could certainly be better for the community.