Question for JC only

[gustavohvg]

I'm playing for less then 1 month and I really liked the insanity system IN GENERAL. It gave me an early aim for the game: staying alive. But I also think there is a problem:

I - and I think most of newbies - only really learned about lowering madness levels when it was considerable high - 3 levels (the first two I gained letting the char logged in at my base while I read about salem). With low silver, skills, and affluence, my only way to deal with the problem was to use my most valuable item (pickaxe) and mine a lot to find sterling geodes - but I was really afraid that the pickaxe would break. So for a few days I only tried to make and sell things to buy a teddy bear (without success because Popham's market in forums is very slow...)

Luckily a random player begun conversation and eventually offered me some aid with geodes. I don't know if I would be playing without this happening. I already had asked help to 3~4 persons without having any clue of success...

CONCLUSION: Newbies could ignore madness problems until it's too late for a reasonable solution. They really can stop playing even liking all the game aspects. Even teddy bear is not strictly necessary, but a way to poor and mad chars to decrease a madness level IS necessary - even if it requires a considerable effort.

[Flink]

i dont see how chipping stone with an axe to get geode is considered expensive?

[RainbowMoostache]

Insanity's not difficult. I don't see why most cry about it when really the things you do daily on Salem such as studying, foraging, cooking or whittling sticks for food recipes is what lowers it in the first place. Teddybears and tobacco's are just one of the nice luxury things you get as a trophy of hard work. It's been approx month's since the mechanic was added and I haven't got a single madness level not because I am some rich sod who can afford 10k teddybears, but I actually bother to do the things that anyone could, even new players, that would calm the mind.

New players don't have to worry about insanity because the constant foraging and cooking they do early game will keep it at bay. If you gain a level either way, you're doing it wrong. It's not harsh and neither is it a penalty when you're actually playing. At times you'll even forget that it's there.

If you still don't know how to lower insanity and madness levels, the wiki's are there to help you.

[er-queent8r]

I'm playing for less then 1 month and I really liked the insanity system IN GENERAL. It gave me an early aim for the game: staying alive. But I also think there is a problem:

I - and I think most of newbies - only really learned about lowering madness levels when it was considerable high - 3 levels (the first two I gained letting the char logged in at my base while I read about salem). With low silver, skills, and affluence, my only way to deal with the problem was to use my most valuable item (pickaxe) and mine a lot to find sterling geodes - but I was really afraid that the pickaxe would break. So for a few days I only tried to make and sell things to buy a teddy bear (without success because Popham's market in forums is very slow...)

Luckily a random player begun conversation and eventually offered me some aid with geodes. I don't know if I would be playing without this happening. I already had asked help to 3~4 persons without having any clue of success...

CONCLUSION: Newbies could ignore madness problems until it's too late for a reasonable solution. They really can stop playing even liking all the game aspects. Even teddy bear is not strictly necessary, but a way to poor and mad chars to decrease a madness level IS necessary - even if it requires a considerable effort.

Your first wrong move was selecting Popham for your server. Any noobs should really play on Providence to get a feel for the game before exploring a pvp server. I wouldn't be surprised if your base now gets raided from the goodies you received. If you go back and read the patch notes for insanity/madness you should have no problem managing it. Please keep the tears flowing they are so good.

[Claeyt]

What about if you were able to get rid of 1 level of madness by gaining a skill or 2 or 3. This would make it much easier for new players who have no tobacco fields or bear hunting skills but can gain skills quickly. It would keep it hard to cure for top end players with all the skills done.

I actually enjoy the madness and insanity mechanics. I've never gone over 2 or lost a nice tool tho. It hurts top end monster hunters more than anyone. It's actually really, really easy to lower insanity. Just study stuff, pick flowers and hang out by the fire for awhile. Don't pluck turkeys, skin frogs or go too far into the darkness until you get a teddy bear or a tobacco field.

I like this more than the disease mechanic tbh, the disease mechanic is death for noobs who can't read the wiki because of esl or no english. I've had to try and explain the disease system to esl noobs many, many times.

[Dallane]

What about if you were able to get rid of 1 level of madness by gaining a skill or 2 or 3. This would make it much easier for new players who have no tobacco fields or bear hunting skills but can gain skills quickly. It would keep it hard to cure for top end players with all the skills done.

Sounds dumb and broken. Now a murder alt can learn whittling and be good.

[Procne]

Just make madness' most severe effects (like questionably effective tools, embers, timber terrors etc) happen only at higher level madness.

[Claeyt]

Just make madness' most severe effects (like questionably effective tools, embers, timber terrors etc) happen only at higher level madness.

This could work also.

Insanity/Madness and disease mainly hurt new players or players unwilling to change their play-style. Driving off new players is just stupid (but common here it seems) and if you are trying to change peoples play-styles what is the reason?f

Insanity is much, much harder for monster hunting top players and murderers. It's actually really easy for noobs to avoid it if they understand it.

I agree with you tho that disease is harder for noobs.

The reason insanity exists is to make the game harder for disease alt's, afk's, long crime debuff afk's, stocked afk's, murderers and top monster hunting players. Basically it's a mechanic to make the game harder for top players and griefers imo.

[Otis]

How about playing the game? Harvesting crops or pots, planting crops or pots, woodworking, cooking, basically any crafting?

Planting, woodworking, and cooking already lower insanity.

Farming does not seem to do much, if anything. I did 50 cotton fields last night without studying much as a test, and gained a madness before finishing. This includes harvesting, cleaning, making cloth, and re-planting.

Interesting that most people responding enjoy the abuse. If this has fixed the AFK "issue" I guess you achieved your goal, but beyond that I just don't see it adds anything else of value to the game. Both Gluttony and Inspiration have an easily understood purpose. Thank goodness we have less AFK players I guess? May have less players in general.

[Kandarim]

Your first wrong move was selecting Popham for your server. Any noobs should really play on Providence to get a feel for the game before exploring a pvp server. I wouldn't be surprised if your base now gets raided from the goodies you received. If you go back and read the patch notes for insanity/madness you should have no problem managing it. Please keep the tears flowing they are so good.

Yeah, kinda like the server choice window states! Imagine that, following the hints given by the game! *shudder*