So I am writing this suggestion as a long time CRPG player who really loved certain aspects of the first crpg, and a big fan of the new crpg and some of its new functions. Warning Text Wall, but worth it...
The suggestion I propose really doesn't change many things about the game itself and how it functions currently, it just helps bridge the two versions together better and makes it have love children with strat also.
So here it is:
First off, gold influx between old and new crpg changed drastically, which in essence really killed the first part of the original crpg, which was just being able to afford the cool gear. What I want to see isn't necessarily a huge grinde for new players, but a return to a similar style where in one day of playing you can't afford to own the best stuff. Part of the fun for me was playing for 2 weeks just to afford weapons and studded leather and thinking that I am now amazing.
Suggestion 1: Divide the amount of gold earned per minute by 10. (At 1x you get 5g per minute)
Suggestion 2: Divide item repair costs by 10. Also add another sub currency of silver that is only used for repairs instead of rounding. With suggestion 1 + 2 it should equal the same gold / upkeep ratio that we currently have.
Suggestion 3: To implement suggestions 1 and 2, we first need to address that a large portion of the player base already has all the items they want and plenty of gold. How we do this so its fair, interesting, and sexy is this:
1) All non heirloomed items will be refunded for full purchase value to the characters gold amount.
2) All heirloomed items will remain exactly the same, and not removed but instead will have their purchase value subtracted from the total gold amount. What this does is compensate for the heirlooms core purchase price, without removing it or calling for a reset of any kind. Players who do not have enough gold on their account to cover the prices of their heirlooms after conversion should be put into a negative amount just until they can recoop that amount for their heirlooms.
3) Steps 1+2 need to be completed prior to the gold conversion process.
4) Gold conversion: A players total gold amount will then be divided by 10, with the remainder that would normally be rounded converted into the silver currency.
Suggestion 4: Now that gold is 1/10th of what it was before, you can now seamlessly implement a straight strategus to crpg gold exchange option that would be at 1-1.
What this will do?
After these steps have happened, players will notice that the costs of everything are exactly the same, but their actual gold amount is 1/10th and they will need to repurchase any non heirloomed items they had before if they still want them. The upkeep to gold influx ratio will be exactly the same it is now.
Now after all this is said and done with, people will have to earn the money to get those big ticket items they want, and have a much similar feel to the original crpg as far as the purchase of equipment goes in that sense.
Please let me know what you think, and feel free to add to what I have put here. Please also keep in mind I tried to figure this out in as fair a way as possible to all players, while also trying to return that original crpg feel to how the equipment was perceived.
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