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Umbrathor
Baronet
A few things make me reluctant for this event.
First of all, there is too much chance involved. Which translates to: the number of moments when you feel disappointment / frustration is too high in relation to the number of moments when you have good luck / a sense of achievement.
This is the case both in gathering florins and in whether or not you get parts of the set (the special prizes). In addition to setting players up for many disappointments (only very few will be lucky most of the time) this means that dedicated, active people who are unlucky may do much worse than lucky players who don't put in much of an effort. That does not feel right to me.
Secondly, having a maximum on the number of tickets you can have, without losing the hourly accumulation, hampers strategic play.
You need a hoard of tickets to have a reasonable chance at winning the games when there finally is a good stash of florins to win. But you cannot have more 11 tickets without the timer stopping. So you need to keep logging in to use up tickets and not let the number reach 11. And when you get tickets from a quest, you need to use them up even if there are no good prizes. That is frustrating. A beter option would be for the quests to award a chest / envelope of tickets that you can open when you need them.
I remember that was the case when this type of event was first introduced. Apparently they decided to scrap that option. Not sure why.
Apart from that, gathering florins depends on whether or not your neighbors are active and leave a nice prize pot. Even if you yourself are active, you may not be able to gather a good amount of currency. I don't think players should suffer if they happen to be in a fairly inactive neighborhood.
Thirdly, it would be better if you could win selection kits instead of parts of the set. This is conjnected to strategy: it is unwise tyo spend florins early on. You need a good stash of florins to buy double-your-chances when the pot is full, so you need to wait until later on in the event to be able to afford spending florins in any significant amount. That makes it harder to complete the set.
All in all, I prefer holding out for the cherry blossem sets. I love that design, and the plaza doesn't do much for me (mater of taste, I read that many people do like the design). The event for me has too many downsides to want to invest much in it. I prefer doing the settlements instead.
Finally, I see that many people are voicing that they prefer being able to continue upgrading earlier / existing event buildings, than having new ones for every event.
An option might be to offer both, such as Halloween which offered Graveyard upgrades and a smaller new event building. I'd prefer to have just a continuation of earlier buildings, but if inno has reasons to keep introducing new buildings, than at least offer a choice between the new set pieces as a daily prize, and upgrades for the Grand Bridge.
First of all, there is too much chance involved. Which translates to: the number of moments when you feel disappointment / frustration is too high in relation to the number of moments when you have good luck / a sense of achievement.
This is the case both in gathering florins and in whether or not you get parts of the set (the special prizes). In addition to setting players up for many disappointments (only very few will be lucky most of the time) this means that dedicated, active people who are unlucky may do much worse than lucky players who don't put in much of an effort. That does not feel right to me.
Secondly, having a maximum on the number of tickets you can have, without losing the hourly accumulation, hampers strategic play.
You need a hoard of tickets to have a reasonable chance at winning the games when there finally is a good stash of florins to win. But you cannot have more 11 tickets without the timer stopping. So you need to keep logging in to use up tickets and not let the number reach 11. And when you get tickets from a quest, you need to use them up even if there are no good prizes. That is frustrating. A beter option would be for the quests to award a chest / envelope of tickets that you can open when you need them.
I remember that was the case when this type of event was first introduced. Apparently they decided to scrap that option. Not sure why.
Apart from that, gathering florins depends on whether or not your neighbors are active and leave a nice prize pot. Even if you yourself are active, you may not be able to gather a good amount of currency. I don't think players should suffer if they happen to be in a fairly inactive neighborhood.
Thirdly, it would be better if you could win selection kits instead of parts of the set. This is conjnected to strategy: it is unwise tyo spend florins early on. You need a good stash of florins to buy double-your-chances when the pot is full, so you need to wait until later on in the event to be able to afford spending florins in any significant amount. That makes it harder to complete the set.
All in all, I prefer holding out for the cherry blossem sets. I love that design, and the plaza doesn't do much for me (mater of taste, I read that many people do like the design). The event for me has too many downsides to want to invest much in it. I prefer doing the settlements instead.
Well, I am excited about Vikings. Yggdrasil is an amazing building, easily outdoing many other main event buildings on 3x3. I'm playing settlements on beta (Yggdrasil currently at lvl 4) and on 5 live worlds (doing my second settlement) and still going strong!
Finally, I see that many people are voicing that they prefer being able to continue upgrading earlier / existing event buildings, than having new ones for every event.
An option might be to offer both, such as Halloween which offered Graveyard upgrades and a smaller new event building. I'd prefer to have just a continuation of earlier buildings, but if inno has reasons to keep introducing new buildings, than at least offer a choice between the new set pieces as a daily prize, and upgrades for the Grand Bridge.
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DeletedUser5160
Guest
Inno wants more money.....
DeletedUser5160
Guest
Currently very disappointed in this event. I think the prizes in the chest have become worse and worse with each passing event. It's great to generate revenue, but terrible for the players that want to feel like they're earning something. I will repeat that Inno has fallen a long way since I first started playing and players can outright buy what they wanted with their effort in the event.
I've spent about 4k worth of free florins and only have gotten 1 piece of the set. This excludes the free piece from the quests. At this pace, it only seems like I'm going to get lvl 1 of the entire set.
@Zarok Dai Why did Inno decide to remove the direct buy option? It actually motivated me to want to buy florins directly with diamonds so I didn't have to risk 4k worth of florins for a <10% chance at a single piece.
I've spent about 4k worth of free florins and only have gotten 1 piece of the set. This excludes the free piece from the quests. At this pace, it only seems like I'm going to get lvl 1 of the entire set.
@Zarok Dai Why did Inno decide to remove the direct buy option? It actually motivated me to want to buy florins directly with diamonds so I didn't have to risk 4k worth of florins for a <10% chance at a single piece.
Feanor II
Baronet
I had asked that same question previously, still waiting for an answer. I think the combination of low percentages in the chests and the large number of set pieces that must be acquired makes a direct-buy option the only feasible route to make this event at least salvageable.
Maybe if enough of us ask they'll put it back in
DeletedUser6484
Guest
The same event is back with the same negative aspect of requiring players to be lucky enough to win a successful chance occurrence TWICE in order to get a set piece and the odds are such that very few will get a full set for free by playing the casino game. This event is and has been in the past, an incredibly frustrating exercise for players. Why put everyone through the pain of this?
It would be better to just have a more simple little side game that is actually fun and doesn't lead players to believe that they will win when it's highly unlikely. Then open a temporary store for 20 days where players can go and buy the sets for a limited amount of time. Except for a very small percent of participants, players have to pay to get the pieces anyway. The event is just a more labor intensive process to purchase than a storefront and it's hides the true cost. So, why have this big set up that lacks transparency as to the actual probability of success at winning a set without spending and hides the cost for those that want to purchase? Just be straight and say we'll hand out 20 free sets (or whatever number Inno has predetermined will be distributed for free) and let everyone else know they must pay to get one and create a standard cost for the purchase.
It would be better to just have a more simple little side game that is actually fun and doesn't lead players to believe that they will win when it's highly unlikely. Then open a temporary store for 20 days where players can go and buy the sets for a limited amount of time. Except for a very small percent of participants, players have to pay to get the pieces anyway. The event is just a more labor intensive process to purchase than a storefront and it's hides the true cost. So, why have this big set up that lacks transparency as to the actual probability of success at winning a set without spending and hides the cost for those that want to purchase? Just be straight and say we'll hand out 20 free sets (or whatever number Inno has predetermined will be distributed for free) and let everyone else know they must pay to get one and create a standard cost for the purchase.
Hilary Briss
Merchant
Another 'vote' for 'what on earth is going on with the Special Prize win percentages'. Spent nearly 5000 florins and not one single 'Special Prize' won !
Feanor II
Baronet
I'm not even going to bother trying to win the set. With the combination of absurdly low success rates from the chests, no direct-buy option, and no Grand Prize function this is the worst event in recent memory.
DeletedUser9513
Guest
Based on everyone's feedback so far (myself included) and my own experience with game design, I think there are five relatively simple changes that Inno could implement to make the Carnival event more fair and enjoyable for everyone without requiring any major workaround or redesign:
1) Increase the ticket cap from 11 to 15
This would let us wait a bit longer for the right time to spend them based on the accumulated pots, without having to rush because we hit the maximum and stopped earning hourly tickets.
2) Rotate the special prize every 8 hours instead of 6
This would help with those unable to login that frequently, as well as anyone that sleeps for longer than 6 hours and might lose one of the specials entirely. It'd also let players plan and think a bit more when a special is available instead of rushing in, while still keeping a high variety of specials, with 3 different prizes per day.
3) Rework the percentage of chest prizes
Since the chests are already the second game of chance you go through in order to win prizes (converting tickets to florins being the first), I suggest increasing the overall odds of earning those special prizes, starting at around 12% even for the cheapest chests and getting rid of those 7% or 9% chances. In addition, I believe Inno should increase the chance of specials in more expensive chests to something close to 25-30%, otherwise, there's no way to justify spending that much on a chest if you can get a similar special percentage for half the cost.
4) Change all special prizes to selection kits
Much like the Cherry Garden set, we should earn a selection kit for each building of the set instead of a level 1 building OR the upgrade. This would eliminate the frustration of having upgrades for buildings players don't own, or ending up with a lot of leftover level 1 buildings or upgrades you can't use without the other when the event is over.
5) Adjust league prizes
To help with the great amount of randomness and luck of the event, I suggest Inno adds a Selection Kit to all leagues, excluding hobby. Amateur would win 1, Bronze 2, and Silver/Gold 3 kits. This would help those in Amateur and Bronze tremendously, especially because they are the ones that will most likely need those kits the most when compared to Silver/Gold. To me, this is the irony of leagues - players that earn the best added prizes (Silver/Gold) are the ones that need them the least because they had diamonds to spare and earned a lot of prizes already. I would also suggest changing the Bronze league percentage to 25% like the Forge Bowl event.
Overall, I think the above changes would make the event a bit more reasonable and enjoyable without altering too much the mechanics of it. Of course I'd also like to see a shop where you can trade tickets/florins for buildings, a main grand prize (which could be as simple as 1-2 Piazza Selection Kits), or even the removal of one currency (tickers or florins), but realistically, I think those changes would require more work than can be done at this time.
With regards to the buildings themselves, I don't really have any complaints, which adds to my frustrations as I really want a full set in my main city. I love Venice and Carnival, so for me, the visuals are great and I'd build two full sets if I could get them. I also think the total production/boosts of the set are well balanced and will help a lot in my city, so to me, this is a very useful set of prizes. Only downside of having a 5-building set is the need for a ton of reno kits when you advance an age, but I like that the Piazza Mask Vendor is an all ages building.
1) Increase the ticket cap from 11 to 15
This would let us wait a bit longer for the right time to spend them based on the accumulated pots, without having to rush because we hit the maximum and stopped earning hourly tickets.
2) Rotate the special prize every 8 hours instead of 6
This would help with those unable to login that frequently, as well as anyone that sleeps for longer than 6 hours and might lose one of the specials entirely. It'd also let players plan and think a bit more when a special is available instead of rushing in, while still keeping a high variety of specials, with 3 different prizes per day.
3) Rework the percentage of chest prizes
Since the chests are already the second game of chance you go through in order to win prizes (converting tickets to florins being the first), I suggest increasing the overall odds of earning those special prizes, starting at around 12% even for the cheapest chests and getting rid of those 7% or 9% chances. In addition, I believe Inno should increase the chance of specials in more expensive chests to something close to 25-30%, otherwise, there's no way to justify spending that much on a chest if you can get a similar special percentage for half the cost.
4) Change all special prizes to selection kits
Much like the Cherry Garden set, we should earn a selection kit for each building of the set instead of a level 1 building OR the upgrade. This would eliminate the frustration of having upgrades for buildings players don't own, or ending up with a lot of leftover level 1 buildings or upgrades you can't use without the other when the event is over.
5) Adjust league prizes
To help with the great amount of randomness and luck of the event, I suggest Inno adds a Selection Kit to all leagues, excluding hobby. Amateur would win 1, Bronze 2, and Silver/Gold 3 kits. This would help those in Amateur and Bronze tremendously, especially because they are the ones that will most likely need those kits the most when compared to Silver/Gold. To me, this is the irony of leagues - players that earn the best added prizes (Silver/Gold) are the ones that need them the least because they had diamonds to spare and earned a lot of prizes already. I would also suggest changing the Bronze league percentage to 25% like the Forge Bowl event.
Overall, I think the above changes would make the event a bit more reasonable and enjoyable without altering too much the mechanics of it. Of course I'd also like to see a shop where you can trade tickets/florins for buildings, a main grand prize (which could be as simple as 1-2 Piazza Selection Kits), or even the removal of one currency (tickers or florins), but realistically, I think those changes would require more work than can be done at this time.
With regards to the buildings themselves, I don't really have any complaints, which adds to my frustrations as I really want a full set in my main city. I love Venice and Carnival, so for me, the visuals are great and I'd build two full sets if I could get them. I also think the total production/boosts of the set are well balanced and will help a lot in my city, so to me, this is a very useful set of prizes. Only downside of having a 5-building set is the need for a ton of reno kits when you advance an age, but I like that the Piazza Mask Vendor is an all ages building.
DeletedUser9410
Guest
Yeah between the Victory ( now there's a contradiction in terms ) towers from here and Forge Bowl i can start a large forest of the damn things.
I never thought i would see the day i hated getting these things.
Iv even got them stored in inventory because i cant place them.
Absolutely my least favorite event.
WykkenFenn
Viceroy
I love the set buildings for this event...can't wait to mix them with the incomplete Cherry sets in a couple of my Live cities.
Thunderdome
Emperor
Guess the Inno gods had read my piece to side me with disappointment this time around. Spent like 4k Florins (stored and stocked) and barely got one grand prize (set building) before the timer reached 0.
My neighbors had kind of stopped playing so each time I go in, I would see the pots at base amount. I guess no more competing to snag it for me, lol.
The only one downside I had with this event is that the prizes change every six hours as opposed to daily... thus making it hard for me to know when a good prize is coming up so I can focus on that instead of just skipping the six hour segment on a useless (one I have so many of) grand prize. It can be during the six hours I am sleeping something good comes up and then I miss it, or the six hours I am on the road or at work and the same happens. The Winter event had something like "next prize" when it comes to winning the grand prize and letting us know ahead of time so we can set our alarms if needed or plan around such.
I, too, would love to see upgrades for past buildings on any event so I can focus on such and get them completed as well as I am favoring towards them for my city on this beta. Whether or not I would want to go forth on it with my live city hangs in the balance (and hoping improvements, not last minute ones, will sway that).
My neighbors had kind of stopped playing so each time I go in, I would see the pots at base amount. I guess no more competing to snag it for me, lol.
The only one downside I had with this event is that the prizes change every six hours as opposed to daily... thus making it hard for me to know when a good prize is coming up so I can focus on that instead of just skipping the six hour segment on a useless (one I have so many of) grand prize. It can be during the six hours I am sleeping something good comes up and then I miss it, or the six hours I am on the road or at work and the same happens. The Winter event had something like "next prize" when it comes to winning the grand prize and letting us know ahead of time so we can set our alarms if needed or plan around such.
I, too, would love to see upgrades for past buildings on any event so I can focus on such and get them completed as well as I am favoring towards them for my city on this beta. Whether or not I would want to go forth on it with my live city hangs in the balance (and hoping improvements, not last minute ones, will sway that).
DeletedUser8048
Guest
NOT thrilled ... I have opened over 3700 florins worth of chests and have not gotten a single Piazza piece.
Feanor II
Baronet
This seems to be a recurring theme...
I haven't tried yet (waiting for Wishing Wells) but I'm concerned that virtually everyone seems to have the same experience so far.
DeletedUser9815
Guest
Well, just my 2ct für Carnival2019:
- The Artwork ist great. I'd love to place these buildings in my RL city.
- The need to check every 6 hours for new prices kicks me out from the event: due to my >10 hour shifts, I need the sleep in between.
- Selection Kits instead of Lvl1 vs. upgrade kits would really help to reduce the mental pressure (aka stress) on players.
- Despite the great artwork: The overall set of buildings isn't really better than previous kits. So, having cherry gardens, xmas 2017, ... sets in the city, I cannot find any real benefit in building this set. Of course: for "new" players, it's really cool. But for those that are in the game for multiple years now, the add on benefit is really low.
- I will not participate the event in my RL city with the current setting: I will help my neighbors to fill the 15% quest chance, but today I see no benefit since I played all events since mid 2015. No space, no real benefit compared to other event buildings.
More generic, I'd love to see in further events:
- Expansion space that cannot be bought with diamonds: In my RL world, almost all players would love to see something benfitial that cannot be bought with money. Not because they dislike spending money, but because of social justice: have something in the game that you need to work for.
- buildings with either different effects or different artwork: To honour players that are in the game for multiple years, they should have some real benefit: Different artwork between event buildings from 2016 an 2019, higher benefit for older buildings, ... Thats somehow about customer retention: make some benefit for loyal customers, that are in the game for years now and that act als partner to get new players.
- The Artwork ist great. I'd love to place these buildings in my RL city.
- The need to check every 6 hours for new prices kicks me out from the event: due to my >10 hour shifts, I need the sleep in between.
- Selection Kits instead of Lvl1 vs. upgrade kits would really help to reduce the mental pressure (aka stress) on players.
- Despite the great artwork: The overall set of buildings isn't really better than previous kits. So, having cherry gardens, xmas 2017, ... sets in the city, I cannot find any real benefit in building this set. Of course: for "new" players, it's really cool. But for those that are in the game for multiple years now, the add on benefit is really low.
- I will not participate the event in my RL city with the current setting: I will help my neighbors to fill the 15% quest chance, but today I see no benefit since I played all events since mid 2015. No space, no real benefit compared to other event buildings.
More generic, I'd love to see in further events:
- Expansion space that cannot be bought with diamonds: In my RL world, almost all players would love to see something benfitial that cannot be bought with money. Not because they dislike spending money, but because of social justice: have something in the game that you need to work for.
- buildings with either different effects or different artwork: To honour players that are in the game for multiple years, they should have some real benefit: Different artwork between event buildings from 2016 an 2019, higher benefit for older buildings, ... Thats somehow about customer retention: make some benefit for loyal customers, that are in the game for years now and that act als partner to get new players.
DeletedUser
Guest
I am not sure of the reasoning behind it, but I have let them know players would like it back
DeletedUser
Guest
Which gives me solid points to discuss with game design to get changes made.
Keep it up Beta
Feanor II
Baronet
Which gives me solid points to discuss with game design to get changes made.
Keep it up Beta
I hate to be persistent about the same point, but the question I'd love to get an answer to is why the direct-buy option was eliminated? This is extremely disappointing. Is it possible this will be restored? Doing so wouldn't be changing anything in a radical way; it would simply be giving the same option that was available in last year's Carnival Event. It would also take care of the complaints about poor success rates from the chest, since it means the player in question decided to chance it rather than go for the (presumably more expensive) sure thing.
EDIT: I didn't notice that you had already addressed this in reply to Nodge on post #137; I apologize for the double-up. My fault for not reading through the whole thread before replying.
I am not sure of the reasoning behind it, but I have let them know players would like it back
Is there any way I can hit the "like" button 42 times or so in response to this?
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DeletedUser8887
Guest
I don't believe the percentage chance to win. 15% should mean on average you win 1 out of 7. I did 26 in a row and didn't win any. I give up. I don't want the set pieces and with unreal chances of winning I see no point in wasting time on this one.