qaccy
Emperor
I don't think alternatives to tasks are suitable for DCs. There's already an exhaustive list of tasks, and attaching alternatives to them just doesn't seem necessary when you're unlikely to see the same task more than once a week anyway. By now, players should have been able to adapt to the tasks DCs require if they're interested in completing them, but it still sounds like some essentially want the rewards handed to them for no effort each day rather than changing how they play. If, after 5 months on beta or a month on live, you still have trouble completing production quests for example, that sounds more like you're being stubborn than DCs having 'unfair' requirements. I built 6 Boatyards and 8 Cider Mills for the sake of completing production quests, and since they're not otherwise useless like blacksmiths are I don't feel the need to complain about being 'forced' to use them. Why aren't more people doing what I'm doing?
Yet, despite my rant above about production quests, I can't help but invalidate all of it by saying I'm sympathetic to the non-fighters being locked out of a lot of DCs by all the battle requirements. But although that choice is actually one not made lightly, I nonetheless think there should still be a penalty for failing to complete a DC that you've already begun by choosing a reward and I'm not really sure how or even if it's possible for the game to 'see' whether or not you're someone who avoids the battle system.
GE attempts are consumed as soon as you enter battle or begin negotiating, regardless of whether you win or lose, but there's no cost if you don't initiate the encounter. To me, that draws a good parallel to how the DC penalty could best be changed - if you do nothing, no penalty. If you initiate the challenge (picking a reward), there's a penalty for failing.
Yet, despite my rant above about production quests, I can't help but invalidate all of it by saying I'm sympathetic to the non-fighters being locked out of a lot of DCs by all the battle requirements. But although that choice is actually one not made lightly, I nonetheless think there should still be a penalty for failing to complete a DC that you've already begun by choosing a reward and I'm not really sure how or even if it's possible for the game to 'see' whether or not you're someone who avoids the battle system.
GE attempts are consumed as soon as you enter battle or begin negotiating, regardless of whether you win or lose, but there's no cost if you don't initiate the encounter. To me, that draws a good parallel to how the DC penalty could best be changed - if you do nothing, no penalty. If you initiate the challenge (picking a reward), there's a penalty for failing.