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The amount of clicking vs dev goals

HappyMofo

Private
After the corona related restrictions being lifted I have realised how much time I've been spending (wasting?) at the game over the last months. I've had enough time to be efficient in every aspect of the game: events, gbg, ge, diamond farms, aiding, sniping, plundering, recurring quests etc etc, and it sped up my progress significantly, at the cost of up to 2h a day. Now, I don't really see myself wasting that much time any more, but the idea of going back to the snails pace race puts me off as well. Most of those 2h per day was wasted mainly due to lack of QoL features, the amount of clicking required to perform simple tasks, the amount of calculations required to be efficient (either manually or through 3rd party websites and calculators), it all adds up. With FoE helper core features removed, I didn't even dare to go back to my daily routine, as it would take an hour more easily. As a programmer, I know that implementation of simple features reducing the required input from the user, would take literally no effort, coded and tested over the lunch break. The fact that the efficient playstyle requires basic knowledge of the game (the strategic depth is just not there imo) and not much decision making, but huge amount of time, makes me think that this actually is devs goal. I understand that it's all profit driven, and there probably is a correlation between time spent logged in and money spent for diamonds, but I'm sure it also has the opposite effect: people who spend a lot of time pushing city in 1 world, would otherwise play more worlds perhaps and indirectly increase player base and competitiveness. People who don't want to spend too much time in the game will skip parts of it entirely. People who want to be efficient with their play, aren't able to keep up with time requirements long term, they are taking breaks from FoE or give up entirely. I just think that quality content and depth + solid player/guild interaction and a bit of competition is the way to keep people engaged with the game. What I see in FoE is more like: "We have no clue how to keep you interested, so we gonna make you click 200+ times to aid your guild and friends, 100 times to spend 1k fp, and tab out to wiki/tools/calculators every time you want to make few extra fp. We think it's fun, don't you?" No, I don't. I wonder if more people feel the same? Or perhaps there is some dev manifesto to prove me right/wrong?
 

Agent327

Overlord
Isn't it up to you to prove yourself right/wrong rather than to come to a conclusion based on assumptions?
 
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HappyMofo

Private
It's not, because I have no insight into their development philosophy. Also, I didn't come to any conclusion, and my opinion is based on multiple ignored ideas on this very forum (the ideas aiming to simplify tedious tasks involving clicking like there's no tomorrow), and QoL features removed from extensions upon Inno request. Your contribution to the topic is invaluable and I'm looking forward to another brilliant input of yours.

(but not really)
 

Agent327

Overlord
It's not, because I have no insight into their development philosophy.

And yet you feel the need to question it.

Also, I didn't come to any conclusion

So what is this?

people who spend a lot of time pushing city in 1 world, would otherwise play more worlds perhaps and indirectly increase player base and competitiveness.

Rather than a absolute strange conclusion, cause players that already play do not increase player base, by starting to play on more worlds.

and my opinion is based on multiple ignored ideas on this very forum (the ideas aiming to simplify tedious tasks involving clicking like there's no tomorrow)

Ideas on the forum are ignored by players, not by devs. Devs don't even know these ideas exist.

Your contribution to the topic is invaluable and I'm looking forward to another brilliant input of yours.

Glad you do, I will try to do my best, but it is hard given the material I have to work with.
 

Galladhorn

Monarch
This subject pops up form time to time and with good reason. Without being able to back it up (Assumptions) I am guessing that the huge amounts of Clicks needed to play FoE as it is meant to be playerd more or less, has to do with engagement numbers. The more engaged players are the better it looks on Inno´s numbers, and that would usually have a positive read for investors and colloborators of Inno Games. Online Economy does not always have to with the money only (in this case FoE Diamonds) – Engaged audience plays a significant role for the market potential of an online services or product.

Nobody that I am aware about has ever answered the question about the number of clicks needed and why, and I know that I have raised the question at least 1 or tow times.

Another thing is looking at games with morale and ethical eyes – of which there actually are some guidelines for. One of them states that clicks needed to play a game should either be reduced over time played or stay about the same. Sigificantly raising the number of clicks needed to play a game is regarded ethically wrong. But it must be said that it is a soft frame, becasue there is a difference between adding a whole new part to the game like e.g a Soccer Event or suddenly needing to click twice to AID a player – it is two different things, one adds new experience and the other just ups the clicks needed with no experience added.

Innos Economy is on the open based on Diamond Sales ususally purchased by players for more City Space and for Event success – but since it is a Free to Play game the other side of this economy must be Clicks and Engagements, and the very reason no one want to answer the question or do anyhting significant about reducing the amount of clicks needed to play FoE. Or at least that is so far the only logical explanation I can get too. And this is not conclusive – I´d actually be very interested in heering other perspectives on this issue.
 
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Praeceptor

Lieutenant Colonel
Nobody that I am aware about has ever answered the question about the number of clicks needed and why, and I know that I have raised the question at least 1 or two times.

There have been many huge threads dedicated to the seemingly endless, ludicrous clickfest that is FoE. The devs and their representatives on the forums have never answered any of the players very reasonable questions about this. I think ignoring players' concerns is rude, and makes me doubt the value of providing Inno with feedback.

I am a programming lecturer, and if any of my students handed in a user interface that required this much interaction to perform simple tasks like repeat quests etc, I would send it back for rework.

If this issue was properly addressed I would definitely play in more worlds (as I ASSUME many others would).
 

syjytg

Master Corporal
There have been many huge threads dedicated to the seemingly endless, ludicrous clickfest that is FoE. The devs and their representatives on the forums have never answered any of the players very reasonable questions about this. I think ignoring players' concerns is rude, and makes me doubt the value of providing Inno with feedback.

I am a programming lecturer, and if any of my students handed in a user interface that required this much interaction to perform simple tasks like repeat quests etc, I would send it back for rework.

If this issue was properly addressed I would definitely play in more worlds (as I ASSUME many others would).

So if Inno is a student in your class will you give a fail grade?
 

HappyMofo

Private
This subject pops up form time to time...
Your thoughts were interesting to read, and I agree with many of the points you made, however, I feel it all would make more sense if there was some form of in-game advertising involved. And I would argue about clicking -> engagement correlation. From my amateur experience - making decisions keeps people engaged. Making decision and clicking to confirm/execute keeps people engaged. Making decision and then having to click hundreds of times to make it happen is a chore, possibly making people avoid that part of the game whenever possible.

I am a programming lecturer, and if any of my students handed in a user interface that required this much interaction to perform simple tasks like repeat quests etc, I would send it back for rework.
This made me laugh and it's one of the reasons I'm focused on back-end. Perhaps Inno gives UI dev jobs to students? :)
But it's actually sad to see how disconnected dev team is from the community. The other thought I've had yesterday was: I've played this game briefly at launch, and that was 6 or 7 years ago. Perhaps the game doesn't bring all that much money any more. Someone at the top decided the only development time FoE gets is for the new content which translates into profit better than QoL updates. They did add things like marks in gbg though, so it's probably not the case. And like I've said, some of the changes suggestes by community could be developed, coded, and tested over lunch break...

*gibberish*
I don't even know what to say to that, your response is lacking logic and substance. Perhaps you didn't fully understand what you've read. I would blame english not being my 1st language, but nobody else is confused. PM me if you need clarification on any of the points I've made
 
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