Pet Training/Leveling has been a part of Wizard101 for quite sometime now. Training your pet can be a very fun process and Hatching can be even more rewarding. But many Wizards have pointed out that the common Mini-game format for leveling is becoming very tedious and boring. There are also many Wizards who won't complete the Mini-games and just loose to feed the pet a Mega snack.
I wanted to make a suggestion to the Pet Training system and how to improve it.
I believe that the game is too far set around Pet Mini-games and there are few ways to get around without coping our sister game's (Pirate101) method of Pet Training.
Instead, I've notice a flaw in Pet Training. As your pet grows in Level, so does the Energy cost, but not the experience gained. How can this be? Doesn't it make more sense to pay more Energy, but get more experience as well? That's only fair.
I want to suggest that as Pets level up, their Engery cost and Experience points from Mini-games should as well.
So instead of the current system in Mini-games:
Baby: 2 Engery- 4 XP and 4 Xp to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+2/+2) or 3 (+2/+1/+1)Stats Teen: 4 Engery- 4 XP and 4 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+2/+2) or 3 (+2/+1/+1) Stats Adult: 6 Engery- 4 XP and 4 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+2/+2) or 3 (+2/+1/+1)Stats Ancient: 8 Engery- 4 XP and 4 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+2/+2) or 3 (+2/+1/+1)Stats Epic: 10 Engery- 4 XP and 4 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+2/+2) or 3 (+2/+1/+1)Stats Mega: 12 Engery- Max
...It should be changed to:
Baby: 2 Engery- 4 XP and 4 Xp to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+2/+2) or 3 (+2/+1/+1)Stats Teen: 4 Engery- 8 XP and 8 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+4/+4) or 3 (+4/+2/+2) Stats Adult: 6 Engery- 12 XP and 12 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+6/+6) or 3 (+6/+3/+3)Stats Ancient: 8 Engery- 16 XP and 16 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+8/+8) or 3 (+8/+4/+4)Stats Epic: 10 Engery- 20 XP and 20 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+10/+10) or 3 (+10/+5/+5)Stats Mega: 12 Engery- Max
This makes leveling Pets more fair as you get an equal reward to what you're paying. This als helps speed Pet Training up, slightly. Finally, every levels as a varying amount of XP earned, which makes completing the Mini-games more worth it.
There is no 12 cost at any level. Also this makes no sense at all. Doubling the cost while doubling the XP earned makes every level exactly the same. It wouldn't just speed pet training "slightly" as you claim. Right now it takes 1 session to train to Ancient, 2 sessions to Epic, then 4 more to Mega. So it can be done in less than a week without using any potions. Under your proposal it would only take 2 days without any potions.
There is no 12 cost at any level. Also this makes no sense at all. Doubling the cost while doubling the XP earned makes every level exactly the same. It wouldn't just speed pet training "slightly" as you claim. Right now it takes 1 session to train to Ancient, 2 sessions to Epic, then 4 more to Mega. So it can be done in less than a week without using any potions. Under your proposal it would only take 2 days without any potions.
Ah, I just checked and you are correct. All levels after Epic (Epic and Mega in this case) only cost 10 energy. I don't play mini-games with Mega pets, so I never knew that. That was misinformation on my part. My bad.
The main focus of my suggestion, however, is that I think if you're going to spend more Energy with each level of the pet, I think it's only fair you gain a little more XP as well. Take buying Membership or Crowns for example. For $10, you get 5,000 Crowns or 1-Month Sub. For $20, you get 10,000 Crowns or 2-Months Sub. It doesn't make sense to spend $20 for the same 5,000 Crowns or 1-Month Sub. It's only fair to increase what you're getting if you're spending more.
This also came about because I have heard players state here and there in the KI community that Wizard101's form of Pet Training can get a little tedious after awhile and I've read instances where players will intentionally loose a game at higher Pet levels because 4 XP is minimul to the Mega Snack or big snack they will feed it. Shouldn't the XP seem worth it at each level and not the same 4 XP, especially compared to the 1,000 or 2,000 max you're working to fill?
I wish I had stated that the increments don't have to as high as they are in my original post, but better late then never.
The increments don't need to be as high as stated about. Should they speed things up as much as you've said (2-Days) then yes, it's much. It's not my intention to make things amazing easy, just fair for price. I only increased things by 4 (4, 8, 12, 16, 20) because the Pet Mini-games are centered around the number 4 and I figured that made things easier to calculate and disperse XP.
So instead of what's above how about this. The XP could increase only every 2 levels rather than each level:
Baby: 2 Engery- 4 XP and 4 Xp to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+2/+2) or 3 (+2/+1/+1)Stats Teen: 4 Engery- 4 XP and 4 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+2/+2) or 3 (+2/+1/+1) Stats Adult: 6 Engery- 6 XP and 6 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+3/+3) or 3 (+3/+2/+1)Stats Ancient: 8 Engery- 6 XP and 6 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+3/+3) or 3 (+3/+2/+1)Stats Epic: 10 Engery- 8 XP and 8 XP to 1 Stat or Divided among 2 (+4/+4) or 3 (+4/+2/+2)Stats Mega: 10 Engery- Max (Same as Epic)
Some love the pet training system as it is. Others crave improvement/s and efficiency over lengthy training timeframes.
Its possible to combine the best of both worlds.
Here's a radical concept:
1. Let players know in advanced what powers, spells, talents and traits their pet will have How to make this work: Provide clickable button option: Reveal or Random Surprise This way players that want to know everything; get instant access for free, gold or crowns And players that prefer randomness and surprises continue to train their pets the traditional W101 Way
2. Training pets to mega level still takes time
Upside: Players put in the required time to level their pets Players have the option to know or be surprised what traits their pets get
Some love the pet training system as it is. Others crave improvement/s and efficiency over lengthy training timeframes.
Its possible to combine the best of both worlds.
Here's a radical concept:
1. Let players know in advanced what powers, spells, talents and traits their pet will have How to make this work: Provide clickable button option: Reveal or Random Surprise This way players that want to know everything; get instant access for free, gold or crowns And players that prefer randomness and surprises continue to train their pets the traditional W101 Way
2. Training pets to mega level still takes time
Upside: Players put in the required time to level their pets Players have the option to know or be surprised what traits their pets get
Downside: Kingsisle loses tons of money from the drop in sales of Snacks, Seeds and Potions.
I believe anything that improves game play that brings greater value and investment will be appreciated and welcomed by most players.
Seethe42, can you offer any positive suggestions for pet training? Can you at least explain how and why KI will lose money through an efficient pet training process?
Wizard 101 opened beta in 06 August 2008; and has been evolving and growing ever since. Although its target audience is 8 to 16-year olds; the game appeals to all ages. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard101
My son has been playing since Beta; and I joined two years later. And with all the changes we've both observed and experienced; we continue to put the time in to train our pets to mega level, as well as invest in mega snack packs, seeds, potions, and other items we want our wizards to have. And we'll continue to play for years to come.
So your argument KI will lose money hasn't been proven true in our house.
I believe anything that improves game play that brings greater value and investment will be appreciated and welcomed by most players.
Seethe42, can you offer any positive suggestions for pet training? Can you at least explain how and why KI will lose money through an efficient pet training process?
Wizard 101 opened beta in 06 August 2008; and has been evolving and growing ever since. Although its target audience is 8 to 16-year olds; the game appeals to all ages. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard101
My son has been playing since Beta; and I joined two years later. And with all the changes we've both observed and experienced; we continue to put the time in to train our pets to mega level, as well as invest in mega snack packs, seeds, potions, and other items we want our wizards to have. And we'll continue to play for years to come.
So your argument KI will lose money hasn't been proven true in our house.
Sorry I think it's pretty obvious how it would cost them in profits. If players know in advance all pet talents, it virtually eliminates the need for snacks, potions and training because pretty much every pet would never be trained. No one will train pets unless they finally get the perfect talents listed. It totally removes trial/error from the process. Claiming that my argument hasn't proven true is also impossible. KI hasn't made those changes to the game in your house, now have they?
I personally think the biggest improvement to training would be a new kiosk in the Pavillion for feeding your pet. I have suggested it before. Allow players to feed snacks directly to pets foregoing the minigame before each snack. The feeding station would cost the same energy as a game but wouldn't give the extra +4 improvement. This would allow people a choice to avoid the tedium of minigames and wouldn't impact sales/use of snacks and potions.
Sorry I think it's pretty obvious how it would cost them in profits. If players know in advance all pet talents, it virtually eliminates the need for snacks, potions and training because pretty much every pet would never be trained. No one will train pets unless they finally get the perfect talents listed. It totally removes trial/error from the process. Claiming that my argument hasn't proven true is also impossible. KI hasn't made those changes to the game in your house, now have they?
I personally think the biggest improvement to training would be a new kiosk in the Pavillion for feeding your pet. I have suggested it before. Allow players to feed snacks directly to pets foregoing the minigame before each snack. The feeding station would cost the same energy as a game but wouldn't give the extra +4 improvement. This would allow people a choice to avoid the tedium of minigames and wouldn't impact sales/use of snacks and potions.
I like that idea. It would definitely work. I think I'd also like with an introduction of this Feed-A-Pet Kiosk, a new game to play. I was really excited for the openning of Grumpy Gobbler and Way of the Ninja Pig (which are both references to popular app games) and I think there are other games they could expand into.
Opinions are great because we all have, and are entitled to them. It's important to recognize that stronger arguments are supported with fact based research and recorded observations. While opinions that don't; are weaker, and have little or no merit.
Take for example: "KI will lose money by letting players know pet traits in advance." What fact based research or recorded observations have been conducted or provided to back up this weak claim and argument; none.
Here's an example of a much stronger argument, backed by recorded observations and research:
"Based on years of training Wizard 101 pets to mega level; the pet training system can be improved and made more efficient in three specific ways:"
1. Increase the experience pets earn in pet games and derbies played 2. Pets earn experience when used in battle 3. Players know in advance what traits pets earn, up through mega level
It is believed by incorporating the above recommendations this will cause more customers to actively engage in the pet training process, as well as motivate customers to increase funding this process using crowns and money; generating additional streams of revenue for KI.
What research and recorded observations have been made to support the above recommendations?
Over the last seven years, tens of thousands, and hundreds of thousands of crowns and real world dollars have been spent in this process, Online gamers who train pets were consulted, to include searching forums discussing pet training, all available pet training material was read, with multiple approaches to pet games and pet derbies conducted, as well as experimenting with hatching.
The following observations were concluded:
1. Players want a better way to train pets faster and more efficient 2. Pets with desired traits continue to be trained 3. Pets without desired traits were no longer trained or used in battle Conclusion: KI can create additional revenue generating streams through improving existing pet training system.
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