User Interface Make start of chapter more obvious

[DeletedUser1075]

While I like the visual Sir Squirrel created, we would be better off if the scouts were considered part of the next chapter. So I voted for that. If there is an event while I'm moving from one to the other, I'd like the move into the new chapter to be sooner rather than later so I can get the best possible buildings.

This whole "neither here nor there" thing doesn't make a lot of sense to me either.

 

[Dhurrin]

While I like the visual Sir Squirrel created, we would be better off if the scouts were considered part of the next chapter. So I voted for that. If there is an event while I'm moving from one to the other, I'd like the move into the new chapter to be sooner rather than later so I can get the best possible buildings.

This whole "neither here nor there" thing doesn't make a lot of sense to me either.

I would prefer that too, if only because moving from chapter 1 to chapter 2 is done by just opening the chest, so I don't see the logc of having it change to something else later in the game. Gamemechanics should be consistent

 

[Dhurrin]

Just noted in my betaworld:
Chapter 3 is ENTERED by opening the chest, according to the indicator on the research screen. Just as chapter 2 is.
So where the heck does it start that one has to research the advanced scouts before entering the next chapter?
Game is not consistant on this

 

[Sir Squirrel]

I think the indicator moves forward at the chest, but I would put money on the fact that if you where to get a building as a prize for an event it would still count as being in the previous chapter until you completed the advanced scouts.

 

[Dhurrin]

According to Inno it is the INDICATOR that is showing the right chapter, not the place on the screen where the research is shown.
They also claimed that was how people in the later chapter could see which chapter they really are in.
But either way it needs to be made clear.

 

[Marindor]

Hi everyone,

Is this still an issue that you feel we'd need to spend time on? You're entering a new Chapter as soon as you unlock the first tech of that chapter. I think that's quite clear for everybody or do you still think something is confusing?

 

[DeletedUser1075]

Of course it is confusing, and very frustrating as well. The research tree shows the new chapter starting as soon as you finish the wonder research of the prior chapter. Yet you don't get the benefits of that new chapter until you finish the first research. Why? Who knows. Is it confusing? Kinda, yeah. Is it frustrating, especially when you're at that special place when a reward is about to come due? Yes, it is very frustrating.

I guess if you want to keep frustrating us you can just leave it as-is, especially as there are more events going on and we all have more opportunities to have finished a chapter yet not be able to get the benefits of the next chapter. There are plenty of other ways to frustrate players though, so it seems like it would be better to fix this small issue somehow.

Why do you have to research scouts in order to be considered as "in" the next chapter anyway? How does that make sense? If I'm not in the previous chapter, where am I?

 

[Marindor]

@Grace Why is it confusing and even frustrating if you know exactly how it works? I get it if you think something could be improved and we are of course open to feedback/suggestions about that, but could you somehow explain to me why you would feel frustrated if you know how the mechanics work? Once you know that you open a new chapter by researching its first technology, what's there left to be confused about?

 

[SoggyShorts]

@Grace Why is it confusing and even frustrating if you know exactly how it works?

Because 99.8% of players don't use the forums, so many don't know, and learn the hard way.
Every single event there is someone posting that they got the lower chapter reward because they thought the chest was the end of the chapter.
The only players that know have had to learn it from others as it is not intuitive at all.
The dividing line, the chest, everything points to the new chapter starting once you reach Adv scouts, not complete adv scouts.
As for time spent on fixing it, I whipped this up in under 5 minutes

Spoiler: fixed.

 

[Deleted User - 60107]

Once you know that you open a new chapter by researching its first technology, what's there left to be confused about?

Exactly. Once you know how it works it's clear. But how are new players supposed to know that they officially start the new chapter once they have completed the Advanced Scouts research for it? Is that explained ANYWHERE in the game?

This is Elvenar, not Forge of Empires. In FoE you enter a new Age/Era by completing at least one technology from that age/era. And when you do a few things happen:
- you get a pop-up telling you about the new premium buildings and expansions now available to you. In later ages you also get some free bonus Forge Points (can't remember if you get such free Forge Points in the earlier ages)
- the appearance of your Town Hall changes - each age/era has a different look for the Town Hall
- at least in some ages the sounds and music in your city change
- you get a limited-time promo offer to buy some stuff from your new age. Three different packs - one with units, one for research (contains goods from the new age and some Forge Points), and one with Premium buildings

So you get plenty of different indicators that you have reached a new age.

What do we get in Elvenar? You complete all research in your current chapter, you finish enough provinces, you open the chest that blocks your research... and it's really easy for a new player to get the (wrong) impression that he has entered the new chapter! Hell, I am an experienced player, and still, when switching chapters, I sometimes get confused whether I am in the new chapter or not yet, and have to check the research tree to see if I have completed Advanced Scouts yet.

Other than new Magical Residence and Magical Workshop in the buildings menu what indication is there that you have entered the new chapter?

At the very least the chest should be separated from the Advanced Scouts research, to avoid confusion.

 

[Marindor]

Ok thanks guys, that makes it more clear for me what exactly the problem is

@Dhurrin : Could you please edit your first post with some concrete ideas for solutions on how to make it more clear to the players when they entered a new chapter (like @shadowblack summed up the FOE indicators in the post above)? Then afterwards we can start a poll on those ideas

I will now remove the current poll by the way, so we can start a voting poll when there's a specific idea.

 

[Dony]

Other than new Magical Residence and Magical Workshop in the buildings menu what indication is there that you have entered the new chapter?

on world map your town changes, thats how i check other people if they entered last chapter for example

 

[SoggyShorts]

@Dhurrin : Could you please edit your first post with some concrete ideas for solutions on how to make it more clear to the players when they entered a new chapter

@Dhurrin
Feel free to just copy my pic from above and add it to the original post if you like. I think a simple graphic change to place the Adv scouts before the line would be easiest to implement.

 

[Sir Squirrel]

I like the idea of it in the middle of the page like my first post here in this thread. As the tec to transition into the next chapter. But before the line is fine too. Thanks for bumping this suggestion, it is one I think should be worked on and shouldn't take to much time for the Devs to fix! Thanks!

Spoiler: Chest

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[SoggyShorts]

@Sir Squirrel
I like the aesthetics of yours better, but it could still be confusing if the tech that you need to finish is straddling the line.
I think the chest is the cause of most of the confusion- It can very easily be interpreted as
"I opened the chest, so I'm done with chapter 5, I am now in chapter 6"
To counter this, the chest needs to be before the line, so that only after you finish Adv scouts do you cross that line.

 

[Sir Squirrel]

Yeah your right about the chest and having it in the middle might not be clear enough for new players, so yeah guess having it before the line to the next chapter gives the clearest picture that you need to complete the adv scouts before you are in the next chapter.

 

[Dony]

To counter this, the chest needs to be before the line, so that only after you finish Adv scouts do you cross that line.

or they can just move chest after you research advanced scout and no other work will be required

 

[DeletedUser1767]

or they can just move chest after you research advanced scout and no other work will be required

This is my preference, personally.

 

[SoggyShorts]

or they can just move chest after you research advanced scout and no other work will be required

This is my preference, personally.

Move it to where? On top of a tech that comes after Advanced scouts? Which one?
Moving the chest would require actual programming, and even if it's simple programming, that can take a long time on Elvenar.
Also this would actually change the game as you can only open the chest once you have cleared xxx provinces, but if the chest was after Adv scouts, you could research advanced scouts and then start clearing provinces at a lower price/troop count before actually reaching the xxx/xxx threshold.


A simple graphics change should be doable very quickly as we have already shown.

 

[Deleted User - 60107]

Even if it will take time I think separating the chest from the techs would be best. However, I would prefer to move it before the Advanced Scouts tech, right after the last tech in the previous chapter. Opening the chest will be the last thing required to finish a chapter, and researching Advanced Scouts will be the first thing required to start a new chapter.