potatoskunk
Master Corporal
Yes, this has been suggested before, but it looks like the most recent was a couple years ago. Maybe it's time for a review?
Proposal:
Add an "Aid All" to allow me to aid all my friends in a single click. A similar button to visit all taverns would be nice too.
Have you checked the forums for the same or similar idea
Yes, some older threads but nothing in the last couple years that I could see
Reason:
I've been away from the game for a long time, and just came back. I'm reminded that this is one of the reasons I left.
I don't want to be rude, but to have to spend 10 minutes repetitively click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...clicking the aid button really seems dumb. I get that Inno wants me to spend as much time as possible in the game, but that time should be spent doing something meaningful and enjoyable. I should be spending my time organising my city, managing my army, fighting battles, etc.
I strongly disagree with any argument that this change is about making the game easier. It doesn't eliminate any tradeoffs. It doesn't allow you to develop your city any faster. It doesn't allow you to gather goods any faster. It doesn't help you win battles. All it does is eliminate the mindless click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click for ten minutes. And you have to do this mindless click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click for ten minutes every single day if you want to be a good friend, neighbour, and guildmate. There is no skill involved. No strategic decisions. No tradeoffs. Nothing. Only ten minutes of wasted time on a mind-numbingly boring task.
Seriously. This sort of thing turns people off the game. It's already intentionally designed to be a time sink. But much of that time is spent on things that actually accomplish something. When you fight battles, you are essentially solving tactical puzzles, and making strategic decisions about whether the battle is worth fighting. That's cool! That's fun! I like that! When you plan your city layout, you have to make strategic decisions about what buildings are important and what you can do without. There are tradeoffs involved. That's great! There's time to be spent negotiating with other guilds in GVG. Again, that's great! Strategic decisions and tradeoffs are all over the place in this game, and that's part of what makes it good!
But these aid buttons. Click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click. Mindlessly. For ten minutes. Every day. An hour or more sucked out of your life every week. An hour of nothing but dull boredom spend click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...clicking on these stupid buttons. Over the course of a year, that adds up to two full days. That's time not spent making tactical decisions. Not spent on any meaningful aspect of the game. Not spent with real life family and friends. Two full days every year on utterly stupid click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...clicking. Two full days that could easily be eliminated by a single "Aid All" button.
I also saw some suggestions in some older threads that this should cost diamonds. I strongly disagree with this. People who have been playing the game actively for years have lots of diamonds and can afford it. But these people are committed to the game. New people that don't have diamonds and aren't committed to the game will - rightly - see this is dumb and annoying. There is nothing to be gained by forcing people to mindlessly click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click on Aid buttons for ten minutes. It doesn't make you a better player. It's pure wasted time. New players will see that. And it will turn them off the game. It already was a major contributing factor to turning me off the game a few years ago. I've come back, but while there are some cool new features, the reasons I originally left don't appear to have changed.
I want to have to make strategic decisions. I want to have to make tradeoffs and consider the pros and cons of various courses of action. I don't want to spend ten minutes mindlessly click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...clicking on these stupid buttons.
Click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click. This isn't a game. This is a task. This is work. This isn't the sort of thing I enjoy doing for fun. Nobody enjoys doing it for fun. This is the sort of thing people get paid minimum wage to do.
Click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click. Have I made my point?
Details:
Add an "Aid All" button so I can aid all my friends in a single click. Add a "Visit all taverns" button so I can visit all available taverns in a single click.
Visual Aids:
Balance/Abuse Prevention:
None. There is no possible drawback to this. Or, if you're really concerned that making it easier to aid is making the game easier, cut the reward for doing so.
Proposal:
Add an "Aid All" to allow me to aid all my friends in a single click. A similar button to visit all taverns would be nice too.
Have you checked the forums for the same or similar idea
Yes, some older threads but nothing in the last couple years that I could see
Reason:
I've been away from the game for a long time, and just came back. I'm reminded that this is one of the reasons I left.
I don't want to be rude, but to have to spend 10 minutes repetitively click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...clicking the aid button really seems dumb. I get that Inno wants me to spend as much time as possible in the game, but that time should be spent doing something meaningful and enjoyable. I should be spending my time organising my city, managing my army, fighting battles, etc.
I strongly disagree with any argument that this change is about making the game easier. It doesn't eliminate any tradeoffs. It doesn't allow you to develop your city any faster. It doesn't allow you to gather goods any faster. It doesn't help you win battles. All it does is eliminate the mindless click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click for ten minutes. And you have to do this mindless click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click for ten minutes every single day if you want to be a good friend, neighbour, and guildmate. There is no skill involved. No strategic decisions. No tradeoffs. Nothing. Only ten minutes of wasted time on a mind-numbingly boring task.
Seriously. This sort of thing turns people off the game. It's already intentionally designed to be a time sink. But much of that time is spent on things that actually accomplish something. When you fight battles, you are essentially solving tactical puzzles, and making strategic decisions about whether the battle is worth fighting. That's cool! That's fun! I like that! When you plan your city layout, you have to make strategic decisions about what buildings are important and what you can do without. There are tradeoffs involved. That's great! There's time to be spent negotiating with other guilds in GVG. Again, that's great! Strategic decisions and tradeoffs are all over the place in this game, and that's part of what makes it good!
But these aid buttons. Click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click. Mindlessly. For ten minutes. Every day. An hour or more sucked out of your life every week. An hour of nothing but dull boredom spend click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...clicking on these stupid buttons. Over the course of a year, that adds up to two full days. That's time not spent making tactical decisions. Not spent on any meaningful aspect of the game. Not spent with real life family and friends. Two full days every year on utterly stupid click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...clicking. Two full days that could easily be eliminated by a single "Aid All" button.
I also saw some suggestions in some older threads that this should cost diamonds. I strongly disagree with this. People who have been playing the game actively for years have lots of diamonds and can afford it. But these people are committed to the game. New people that don't have diamonds and aren't committed to the game will - rightly - see this is dumb and annoying. There is nothing to be gained by forcing people to mindlessly click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click on Aid buttons for ten minutes. It doesn't make you a better player. It's pure wasted time. New players will see that. And it will turn them off the game. It already was a major contributing factor to turning me off the game a few years ago. I've come back, but while there are some cool new features, the reasons I originally left don't appear to have changed.
I want to have to make strategic decisions. I want to have to make tradeoffs and consider the pros and cons of various courses of action. I don't want to spend ten minutes mindlessly click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...clicking on these stupid buttons.
Click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click. This isn't a game. This is a task. This is work. This isn't the sort of thing I enjoy doing for fun. Nobody enjoys doing it for fun. This is the sort of thing people get paid minimum wage to do.
Click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click...click. Have I made my point?
Details:
Add an "Aid All" button so I can aid all my friends in a single click. Add a "Visit all taverns" button so I can visit all available taverns in a single click.
Visual Aids:
Balance/Abuse Prevention:
None. There is no possible drawback to this. Or, if you're really concerned that making it easier to aid is making the game easier, cut the reward for doing so.