I actually liked Tales of Tribute!
Eric_Prince
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So... I was perhaps a minority, but I was looking forward to play card game when it was announced. So the first thing I did after logging to PTS was playing a few games.
To be honest, at first I actually disliked the game. Tutorial was okay...ish. And left me wondering: 'So, the whole strategy and tactics is, like, throwing cards in a hope you'll have enough gold to buy good one or what?'. All the power, prestige, patrons... It sound a bit too complicated. I couldn't help but compare ToT to Gwent, which I like a lot. So at the end of tutorial quest I thought that I was wrong. Maybe I'll play occasionally, but meh.
I was wrong - about that. Actually, tutorial games are the worst! It's getting much, much better! Especially when playing with real people. I took my dailies (win 1-2-3 games against NPCs and similar, but against players). Had zero trouble defeating NPCs, and while destroying them found my first strategy: maormer rules. I just loved to throw my pirates at the enemy, card after card. Especially when I have bonuses from their patron. I bought every maormer card I could and ruled the game.
I built a little confidence and queued to play with another player. We started playing, I was doing my maormer thing. I was winning, my opponent had around 20 prestige out of 40, I had 36. I was absolutely sure I will win. Imagine my face when this guy, who spent entire game hoarding gold giving cards, beats me in just one turn 54:36. He used all his powerful Court of Crows cards to build a huge combo, got a load of gold and just spent it on a crow patron - which game him insane amount of prestige! Pure grace. I applaud him.
Later, I tried the same strategy with another player. And it was awesome. Then I tried another patrons, different strategies. Every game was different, every game gave a challenge, demanded me to think (at least a little), plan my actions, try to read my opponent, maybe make a few traps which let me win quite a few games.
So, after evening of playing Tales of Tribute, I must say: it may seem to be confusing at first, but give it a try. Get familiar with decks by playing with NPCs, invent a strategy or two. And then play against real people, that's where this game shines brightest.
About rewards. They're okay. Quite similar to crafting writs. Gold is good enough, and you receive a little for every game you played. So maybe it's not something worth grinding, but a good bonus.
To be honest, at first I actually disliked the game. Tutorial was okay...ish. And left me wondering: 'So, the whole strategy and tactics is, like, throwing cards in a hope you'll have enough gold to buy good one or what?'. All the power, prestige, patrons... It sound a bit too complicated. I couldn't help but compare ToT to Gwent, which I like a lot. So at the end of tutorial quest I thought that I was wrong. Maybe I'll play occasionally, but meh.
I was wrong - about that. Actually, tutorial games are the worst! It's getting much, much better! Especially when playing with real people. I took my dailies (win 1-2-3 games against NPCs and similar, but against players). Had zero trouble defeating NPCs, and while destroying them found my first strategy: maormer rules. I just loved to throw my pirates at the enemy, card after card. Especially when I have bonuses from their patron. I bought every maormer card I could and ruled the game.
I built a little confidence and queued to play with another player. We started playing, I was doing my maormer thing. I was winning, my opponent had around 20 prestige out of 40, I had 36. I was absolutely sure I will win. Imagine my face when this guy, who spent entire game hoarding gold giving cards, beats me in just one turn 54:36. He used all his powerful Court of Crows cards to build a huge combo, got a load of gold and just spent it on a crow patron - which game him insane amount of prestige! Pure grace. I applaud him.
Later, I tried the same strategy with another player. And it was awesome. Then I tried another patrons, different strategies. Every game was different, every game gave a challenge, demanded me to think (at least a little), plan my actions, try to read my opponent, maybe make a few traps which let me win quite a few games.
So, after evening of playing Tales of Tribute, I must say: it may seem to be confusing at first, but give it a try. Get familiar with decks by playing with NPCs, invent a strategy or two. And then play against real people, that's where this game shines brightest.
About rewards. They're okay. Quite similar to crafting writs. Gold is good enough, and you receive a little for every game you played. So maybe it's not something worth grinding, but a good bonus.
To be the Chosen One really sounds like lots of fun,
But in the end you'll just be someone's lunch (c)
But in the end you'll just be someone's lunch (c)
18
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SpiritKitten✭✭✭✭✭Thanks for the review! Questions: does playing against npcs also give rewards? And also, you said there are dailies? Can these be against npcs?
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Eric_Prince✭✭✭✭SpiritKitten wrote: »Thanks for the review! Questions: does playing against npcs also give rewards? And also, you said there are dailies? Can these be against npcs?
Yes and yes.
1) does playing against npcs also give rewards
You get reward for every single game. It comes in a form of a bag in your mail (just like Undaunted and PvP rewards). If you win, you'll get green bag, if you lose - white. Loot is all the same (gold, ingredients, transmute crystals and green/blue grade crafting material), but it's better in a green bag. Also, in this mail you receive around 250 gold or so. So you can make a little money by just playing games. No cooldown, nothing.
2) And also, you said there are dailies? Can these be against npcs?
Yes. After the tutorial you'll get access to 2 dailies, each one with 3 stages. One of the dailies tells you to win games against NPCs in different taverns across the world. You can win just one game and turn quest in, or you can win another game (you will be given opportunity to turn quest in again), and then another one. You'll get the same green bags as a reward, one for each game won: turn quest in after one win, get one bag. Win all three games, three bags are yours.
Again, you'll get bags after each game! So, 3 bags from the daily + 3 bags from winning games = at least 6 bags (and also maybe white if you lost some games).
Second daily demands you do all the same, but with players. Also 3 stages, but rewards are slightly better: blue bags with better loot. I had few provisioning recipes and more ingredients.Edited by Eric_Prince on April 19, 2022 10:04PMTo be the Chosen One really sounds like lots of fun,
But in the end you'll just be someone's lunch (c)6 -
SeaGtGruff✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Eric_Prince wrote: »2) And also, you said there are dailies? Can these be against npcs?
Yes. After the tutorial you'll get access to 2 dailies, each one with 3 stages. One of the dailies tells you to win games against NPCs in different taverns across the world. You can win just one game and turn quest in, or you can win another game (you will be given opportunity to turn quest in again), and then another one.
That sounds a bit similar to some of the Thieves Guild jobs where you break into lockboxes in different zones, or pickpocket from NPCs in different zones, and can choose whether to turn in the quest after each phase or keep going until you complete all 3 phases.
Thank you for your comments and answers. I haven't logged onto the PTS yet, and I'm not sure just how I feel about trying my hand (no pun intended) at the card game-- I don't have experience with any of these types of card games aside from Legends, and it's a struggle for me-- so it's good to hear how other players are reacting to ToT.I've fought mudcrabs more fearsome than me!2 -
Toxic_Hemlock✭✭✭✭✭
✭How many, on average, transmute crystals can you get per game for winning/losing?
If it is usually zero, I will skip it even though I usually like games such as these. 15-20 minutes per game without a descent reward structure means I would rather run a daily dungeon on a low level. Thanks for answering.0 -
Eric_Prince✭✭✭✭SeaGtGruff wrote: »Thank you for your comments and answers. I haven't logged onto the PTS yet, and I'm not sure just how I feel about trying my hand (no pun intended) at the card game-- I don't have experience with any of these types of card games aside from Legends, and it's a struggle for me-- so it's good to hear how other players are reacting to ToT.
My only advice is: don't make any opinions nor decisions until you play at least 5-6 matches outside the tutorial. At first game really looks like it's too complicated in some areas, or lacks anything of interest. It get's better after you understand the rules and how you're supposed to use your resources.
I never played Legends, so I can't compare the two. ToT has its own charm, it just needs a little getting used to. One needs to understand the pace of the game, built up at least a simple strategy instead of throwing cards without thinking (which makes game boring, yes).Edited by Eric_Prince on April 19, 2022 11:22PMTo be the Chosen One really sounds like lots of fun,
But in the end you'll just be someone's lunch (c)0 -
Eric_Prince✭✭✭✭Toxic_Hemlock wrote: »How many, on average, transmute crystals can you get per game for winning/losing?
If it is usually zero, I will skip it even though I usually like games such as these. 15-20 minutes per game without a descent reward structure means I would rather run a daily dungeon on a low level. Thanks for answering.
It was about 2-4 from a green bag for me, and I got them... well, maybe in 70% of the bags. Didn't play THAT much to have a good statistics, though.
Once again, there's nothing to grind there (well, maybe there will be leads for mythics, I don't know, but usual rewards are no better that crafting writs). If you don't enjoy the game itself, rewards won't make you happy.To be the Chosen One really sounds like lots of fun,
But in the end you'll just be someone's lunch (c)4 -
propertyOfUndefined✭✭✭✭✭It does sound interesting, but probably not the best use of my time if the rewards are comparable to “Rewards for the Worthy”. Was hoping the rewards would offer something totally unique…2 -
Toxic_Hemlock✭✭✭✭✭
✭Eric_Prince wrote: »Toxic_Hemlock wrote: »How many, on average, transmute crystals can you get per game for winning/losing?
If it is usually zero, I will skip it even though I usually like games such as these. 15-20 minutes per game without a descent reward structure means I would rather run a daily dungeon on a low level. Thanks for answering.
It was about 2-4 from a green bag for me, and I got them... well, maybe in 70% of the bags. Didn't play THAT much to have a good statistics, though.
Once again, there's nothing to grind there (well, maybe there will be leads for mythics, I don't know, but usual rewards are no better that crafting writs). If you don't enjoy the game itself, rewards won't make you happy.
Thanks. BTW normal crafting writs without the anniversary event give ZERO transmute crystals EVER hence why I wondered. Daily dungeon on a low level gives a guaranteed 10 for APX 10 minutes work. This method is only doable once per character and hence not grindable, so I was more or less hoping for a way to get a few dozen daily if I needed to make a piece of gear.
I guess I will see when the final product is released as this is still, more or less, an early release at this point.1 -
Eric_Prince✭✭✭✭propertyOfUndefined wrote: »It does sound interesting, but probably not the best use of my time if the rewards are comparable to “Rewards for the Worthy”. Was hoping the rewards would offer something totally unique…
Well, you can get some titles, furnishings and a houseguest. They're tied to achievements which you get by just playing and progressing through ToT story, so it's a reward of a sort as well.
If you'll be on PTS, just check all the achievement rewards. You'll see the whole list for yourself.
But yes, I was a little disappointed by the rewards as well. Hopefully someone will eventually make a list so we could see what we can get by playing.Edited by Eric_Prince on April 19, 2022 11:36PMTo be the Chosen One really sounds like lots of fun,
But in the end you'll just be someone's lunch (c)5 -
ListerJMC✭✭✭✭✭
✭I only did the tutorial on PTS and had absolutely no idea what was going on, I found it really frustrating coming out of it so confused. I'm not really a cards person though so I wondered if that's why I had a hard time getting into it, but it sounds like I wasn't the only one who was lost.
Do they give you any more hints after the tutorial phase, or is it just a case of throwing yourself at NPCs until something clicks basically?PC NA & EU || Mammoth Guilds - Victory or Valhalla || Altmer sorcerer main
"Wood Elves aren't made of wood. Sea Elves aren't made of water. M'aiq still wonders about High Elves."0 -
tsaescishoeshiner✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭I only did the tutorial on PTS and had absolutely no idea what was going on, I found it really frustrating coming out of it so confused. I'm not really a cards person though so I wondered if that's why I had a hard time getting into it, but it sounds like I wasn't the only one who was lost.
Do they give you any more hints after the tutorial phase, or is it just a case of throwing yourself at NPCs until something clicks basically?
Throw yourself at NPCs, and there's a whole new Tales of Tribute section in the Help menu. Until I read it, I had no idea what the difference was between "Contract" cards and non-contract cards in the tavern. I don't even think the lost little scottish man explained it.
Based on the PTS, I think they vastly underestimated how much work it would take to properly make a card game tutorial. I'm somewhat sympathetic, because it IS a totally different and more complex system than anything else we've gotten.PC-NA
in-game: @tsaescishoeshiner2 -
ListerJMC✭✭✭✭✭
✭tsaescishoeshiner wrote: »I only did the tutorial on PTS and had absolutely no idea what was going on, I found it really frustrating coming out of it so confused. I'm not really a cards person though so I wondered if that's why I had a hard time getting into it, but it sounds like I wasn't the only one who was lost.
Do they give you any more hints after the tutorial phase, or is it just a case of throwing yourself at NPCs until something clicks basically?
Throw yourself at NPCs, and there's a whole new Tales of Tribute section in the Help menu. Until I read it, I had no idea what the difference was between "Contract" cards and non-contract cards in the tavern. I don't even think the lost little scottish man explained it.
Based on the PTS, I think they vastly underestimated how much work it would take to properly make a card game tutorial. I'm somewhat sympathetic, because it IS a totally different and more complex system than anything else we've gotten.
There's a help section for it?? I didn't even think of that. I don't recall the NPC saying it, I'm not sure how they would in character but maybe some kind of pop-up would be nice?
Thanks for the info, I'm definitely going to need to read it because the tutorial didn't do it for me.PC NA & EU || Mammoth Guilds - Victory or Valhalla || Altmer sorcerer main
"Wood Elves aren't made of wood. Sea Elves aren't made of water. M'aiq still wonders about High Elves."0 -
Eric_Prince✭✭✭✭tsaescishoeshiner wrote: »Throw yourself at NPCs, and there's a whole new Tales of Tribute section in the Help menu. Until I read it, I had no idea what the difference was between "Contract" cards and non-contract cards in the tavern. I don't even think the lost little scottish man explained it.
Based on the PTS, I think they vastly underestimated how much work it would take to properly make a card game tutorial. I'm somewhat sympathetic, because it IS a totally different and more complex system than anything else we've gotten.
Hey, I didn't know that, thanks! Hope it'll help me understand game better.To be the Chosen One really sounds like lots of fun,
But in the end you'll just be someone's lunch (c)1 -
Drammanoth✭✭✭✭✭Okay, I'll stick with what I had said earlier - ZOS could have devoted their time and effort into dealing with some more pressing matters - BUT I will say that from the moment the ToT were announced, I have been curious about this.
You've piqued my curiosity even more.
Thanks for the review @Eric_Prince4
