Why I Stopped Playing CLOK

[Dakhal]

So.. basically, as nobody truly uses the other tuners outside of random reports and the little cliques there are in the game...

They don't get to RP with anybody unless they track them down in the world.

This isn't really the place for this discussion, so perhaps a new one should be opened to speak about what may be done- but as the death mechanics are still being worked out, I imagine this falls into that category.

[Vitello]

Elystole made some great points; and none have been addressed. I've spent the past few days trying to play clok, trying to figure out what is fun and worth all the work. I was clinging to and looking for what clok was ages ago. Simple and fun. It isn't anymore.

[Dorn]

In regards to Elystole's post, the changes to Tactics Offense in terms of training were actually reverted.

I also agree a fair amount of a lot of what he said. Though I don't think Clok has ever been "simple" and it has always been "grindy", some of the grinds are pretty ridiculous and it is a contributor to my lack of desire to log on myself.

[ydia]

A lot of what Alexander said applies to the monks as well.

[Fayne]

As yet another player who hasn't logged on and played in ages, I have to agree with a lot of what Elystole said, even though I couldn't have pointed out those issues myself beforehand. Now, while these issues aren't why I stopped playing in the first place (real life is to blame there), it is playing a huge role in my prolonged absence. I want to return to CLOK, I really do, it has been one of my favorite games I've ever played, but lately every time I think about logging in, I have to convince myself to do so, and ultimately fail.

I personally am a bigger fan of RP than I am of grinding, though I don't mind the grind being present in CLOK simply because it makes sense with the nature of the game. It's been present from the beginning, and it is at least half of what makes CLOK fun. However, I feel as though the rate at which skills progress is entirely too slow. It almost feels as though it were designed around a free-to-play structure, but the option to buy power-ups and boosters was forgotten about. It isn't impossible to get really good at what you want your character to do, but it requires almost as much commitment as a job in order to do so. Able to play all or most of the day at least 50% of the time? Well, you're in luck; it'll take you a few months to get to that point where you're happy with your character's skills. Unable to devote that much time? Well, then you have to devote a year or more toward that goal, depending on how often you are able to play and whether or not you want to devote more time than absolutely necessary to RP.

I really would love to come back to CLOK. I miss being able to RP. However, I don't want to create a new character and go through the lengthy process of building their skills up to a half-decent level, and I don't want to log in on any of my existing characters because it feels like basically doing the same thing, except I have a slight boost to my skills and I have to play that character according to a predetermined personality. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I want a game that I can just pick up and play, not one that I have to invest hours upon hours upon days into before I can play the way I'd like, and CLOK is very deep into the latter.

Do I have a solution? Not at all; if you reduce the grind enough for the casual player to really enjoy themselves without weeks or months of dedication, then you run the risk of boring the super-dedicated players who are on almost all the time. At this point, though, it seems obvious that some changes are needed, as even the super-dedicated players aren't enjoying the game anymore and aren't sticking around like they used to. I wish I could offer suggestions as to how to fix this problem, but any of my solutions would be biased toward the more laid-back, casual players, as that is always what I've been.

I hope that something happens soon that draws me back into CLOK to stay for a while. Eventually I'll manage to convince myself to play again, and when that time comes, I don't want to grow tired of the same old thing after a week or two.

[Dakhal]

I don't care about the grind. The grind is whatever. It shouldn't impact a person's RP at all, unless they want to be "I AM DE BEST DURR". You can play a cocky character that's full of themselves and yet never win a fight and there's nothing wrong with that.

I play Dakhal and I feel like he is a very underappreciated character. I put a lot of effort into him and I've gone after a singular goal from the time I started playing, only to see multiple people reach this goal before him. But I take it on the chin and say 'w/e mang, i'll just keep on keeping on'. Sure, I do take lapses in the times that I play as I run out of steam to keep being the Train That Could, but ultimately I enjoy Dakhal's RP and the dynamic he brings.

It makes me happy when players pop me a little message commenting on things, even if it's something dumb. At times I feel like I'm at a block since we don't really receive any feedback, and I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or what due to that. But hey, such is the nature of the game.

I lost a lot of my steam when the GMs that were present in Clok when I first joined suddenly were gone. Those guys made me smile a lot, and I was happy when I was around- every day I logged in hoping to see them, to see what was coming next. Now I log in solely to continue my character's story that I'm convinced that only I care about. Which is to be fair, he's a hard guy to swallow.

If you don't want to grind, then don't grind. But don't complain if your character is weak as a result; you shouldn't expect power to fall into your lap and the GMs aren't just going to hand out skill levels for RP. You don't need numbers to make a good story.

[Jaster]

Umm... I am de best. Durr.

[sona]

I'm not quite sure how to tackle this one, more recently. I know I've stopped playing a bit, interest lagged. I might come back though, things might change, etc. For me, it's more about creativity, the stories, the challenges, building, making, changing, impacting. In my own style, that would in the present scheme of things be somewhere between player and builder, I think. Perhaps expanding crafting, generally and specifically. I don't feel like Clok is that kind of game presently, and it may never be. That's also ok, it's just also part of why I've been more easily tempted away from Clok lately.

I thought taking a step away and trying a different route would keep me engaged. Going a more combative route with a Tse Gaiyan character took my mind off those frustrations for quite some time, but it started edging more towards being about numbers, towards pushing my limits within that design. I never really neared those numbers, but I just realized along the way that playing a primary combat character is more of a crutch to me than a whole hearted love. I'm just too set into a crafter/builder archetype in my head. I love those successes, the growth, working that way to affect positive change, even if it doesn't always mean a win.

a bit TL;DR, but hey, I miss Clok, and keep up with the forums more or less now still, just thought I'd drop a note.

[Lassyn]

Stumbled across this thread earlier. We've been in to the new skillgain system for I think over a year now? What do people think? Has it addressed the grinding issue? Made it better? Worse?

Also, just an fiy, the game logs your think commands and ritual commands and sends them to staff in an e-mail. I read those e-mails every morning. Sometimes it's while I'm walking to work, but I read them. The best way for me (can't speak for the team) to know what you're up to? Think and ritual. I read them. I enjoy them. I'll make use of them if I can.

[Dakhal]

It's been pretty decent. Makes a lot of things easy and more bearable, but at the times that I played, it seemed that people were more interested in grinding with said gains that proper RPing. Although firearms is still like pulling all of your fingernails and then teeth. I've dedicated days worth of time to raising it, so much so, that I could probably cap at least two or three weapon skills that work on reasonable RT.

All in all, it's still pretty chill. I should use think and ritual more.

[Zeldryn]

Bump.

The grinding isn’t as much of a concern anymore, but there are a lot of valid points in this thread that I think folks here should read.

Also keep in mind that every single person in this thread, spare three of them, are no longer here for various reasons, grinding aside. Of particular note are the posts by Alexander and Dakel.
This isn’t me saying I’m not playing anymore, but this sure is me saying not to expect me around as often. I’ve got no interest in being casually ignored for another 3 months in favor of server optimization.

[Loona]

I must admit a little confusion at the previous post. I would've never guessed you were feeling ignored. All the same, I'm sorry if that's how you feel. I love watching you guys play, and, while it's a lot of work designing plots in ways that is fun for everybody, sometimes we fall short of that mark. I'm sorry if this has ever been the case for you or any other players. I wish nothing but the best for you in the path that you walk.

[artus]

It's just the fact that sometimes when things get hardcore and players try to voice it, we get shut down in a way that actually scares some people (me to an extent as I myself have ptsd over this kinda stuff but I know someone has it worse). But I usually wait til you guys cool down first before I start to talk. I may have been overboard and inappropriate myself, in which case I'm sorry. And really, thank you for the pendent change. It really helps. You guys have been working hard on everything. While some plots, like this scam thing, are hard to play along while it's still active, and some plots take forever to continue, all I can do, as player, is provide people with something that makes it easier for them to live through the plot til it finally progresses again. I hate seeing people go, and I appreciate everyone here, old and new. If you need anything and I can help, feel free. Also, can't leave because this heartfelt jumble or soundpack is smiling at me whenever I turn on my laptop, ha. I'll be annoying you guys forever on here.

[Alila]

Hi,

While it is true a significant number of semi-consistently frustrated players and reticent developers may be symptoms of something deeper than one or two devlogs, it feels a little unfair or not doing them justice to poke an older issues thread. Maybe there are echoes of it buried here, but in many of the respects this thread concerns itself with, CLOK has well and properly made improvements. The social atmosphere has been truthfully the most volatile I have ever experienced it, publicly on chat and semi-privately through tels, and it would be nice to discuss any communication problems which might be leading to all of this discomfort and negativity, but maybe making a tangent of it here is not the most eloquent solution?

-Alila