Remove the time limit on the Eden Trial

[Glacier Peak]

Plain and simple suggestion - the second mission of the Eden Trial (2 of 2) has a four hour time limit. If memory serves me correctly, this was added to prevent farming the map way back in the day when there was not an aggro limit. My suggestion is to remove the timer and the reasons for and against are below:

 

Cons: Removes a motivator for teams to quickly proceed through each objective to reach the final Titan monster.

Pros: Gives players an opportunity to enjoy a unique map; badging runs will secure a number of Devouring Earth related badges, abundance of enemies gives players an opportunity to farm (though the enemies are not particularly kind to farming), spelunking(?)/exploring the map. 

 

So that is my suggestion - any posters have more reasons for or against this?

[Hedgefund]

My 2 inf for why not to make the change - it would change nothing at all.

 

The ticking clock is by and large irrelevant.  If a team is so inclined to farm ambrosia or go spelunking in general, they're free to, they have 4 hours, more than enough time.  I've done this before on a team that fought their way through and I remember that being 45 minutes, so I bring this up as the edge case for how long an Eden takes.  I've been on plenty others using the more common "Speeden" techniques and those can be as few as 10ish minutes, more commonly in the 15 minute range.  Again giving ample opportunity to savor the locale should they choose after it's over.

[Glacier Peak]

1 hour ago, Hedgefund said:

My 2 inf for why not to make the change - it would change nothing at all.

 

The ticking clock is by and large irrelevant.  If a team is so inclined to farm ambrosia or go spelunking in general, they're free to, they have 4 hours, more than enough time.  I've done this before on a team that fought their way through and I remember that being 45 minutes, so I bring this up as the edge case for how long an Eden takes.  I've been on plenty others using the more common "Speeden" techniques and those can be as few as 10ish minutes, more commonly in the 15 minute range.  Again giving ample opportunity to savor the locale should they choose after it's over.

I follow what you're saying - the reason not to change the time is the reason not to change the time. Four hours feels like a long enough time to do whatever is required during the trial - okay, fair enough that is a reason not to change the time requirement. 

 

Would you agree that same reason not to change the time also applies to a reason to change the time? I mean if it doesn't affect normal players, speed runners, or what have you, then that sounds like it isn't detrimental to the game experience of many players. 

[Hedgefund]

To that I'll put on a hat I shouldn't and have no right to - the "manager of dev resources" hat.  For them to make a change means someone will have to do something and I don't like for someone to do something when there's literally no benefit to it.

[Greycat]

The only thing I can really add is that,to me, the "pros and cons" part are ... pretty much irrelevant to the timer. Which somewhat reinforces Hedgefund's initial response.  If a team's going to rush, I don't think it has anything to do with the timer - *everything* is faster these days. I last ran this with my SG (fair mix of characters, a couple like tweaking characters, a few - like me - don't bother) and it still was reasonably quick. We weren't *trying* for anything. Wasn't a 10 minute run, included some RP in the mix, nobody was bothered one way or another about a timer.

 

And the pro point you bring up? Well... it's more a matter of the players than the timer. I love seeing the map, and yeah, wish there were reason to revisit it in a non-TF context, having reason to investigate giant bones, that sort of thing (also mentioned in one of the PI badges or plaques in the norther islands.) Some have seen it a bunch and just see it mostly as "a map" now and are going to get through it without payin gmuch attention... again, though, I don't think the timer or lack thereof enters into it.

[Glacier Peak]

These are good points @Greycat and @Hedgefund. I am assuming it would not take a lot of effort on behalf of our volunteers to make this change, but as both of you have pointed out, this suggestion wouldn't really change the player experience enough to justify itself. 

 

Well they can't all be winners! Thanks for providing input, I have nothing further to add.