How would YOU improve infinite archive over the years ahead?

Gray_howling_parrot · December 2023

Yo yo, I wanted to ask yall a quick question here: how would you improve the infinite archive? I’m completely addicted and have been since its launch on PC - BUT - we know to keep things fresh, things need to be added over time!

What rewards do you want to see in the future?

Soarora · December 2023

I’d add new trash mobs, maybe new environments, and a save progress function. I think the rewards are fine since they’re a rotating vendor with plenty of options.

Gray_howling_parrot · December 2023

Me personally, I’d love a save & non-leaderboard instance for IA as well as a new mount with each chapter release to keep a constant chase item!

Gray_howling_parrot · December 2023

Soarora wrote: »

I’d add new trash mobs, maybe new environments, and a save progress function. I think the rewards are fine since they’re a rotating vendor with plenty of options.

Ooo yes new cool environments and mobs would be super cool

Necrotech_Master · December 2023

Soarora wrote: »

I’d add new trash mobs, maybe new environments, and a save progress function. I think the rewards are fine since they’re a rotating vendor with plenty of options.

this, definitely want to see more enemy groups/bosses show up

my own suggestion would be upgrades that allow you to "banish" or "reroll" verse/vision selections

banish (like in other rogue-likes) would prevent a certain vision/verse from appearing for the rest of your run (obviously this would have some hard limit like 1-2 visions and 1-2 verses)

reroll (also like in other rogue-likes) would allow you to get a new selection of visions or verses, there could be 2 ways to do this, one is hard limits like 3 verse and 3 vision re-rolls per run, the other would allow you to re-roll as much as you want, but it would cost archival fortunes to do so, with a ramping cost for each re-roll (this would reset each run back to some base value)

both of these could be purchaseable upgrades similar to the one that expands your vision choices, expands verse choices, or the permanent extra thread

El_Borracho · December 2023

I would have locked save points where you can leave EA start again from there. For instance, after every Tho'at round. If you leave before then, you start at the beginning of that Arc. EA is not timed like VMA or the other arenas, so your score is only dependent on how far you get. If you use up all your threads, you can start again with the number of threads you had at the beginning of that Arc. You do not get a score until you opt to not restart at the saved Arc you started at.

I've really tried to like EA, but its the repetitive nature and length that is its biggest drawback. If you do not have at least an hour or more set aside, you are not going to make it past Arc 3 in one sitting. Which means you have to quit and start over every time. I can get beyond the annoyance that is the random bosses (thank you for the all-new version of Lady Belain in Arc 3 yesterday, with the annoying massive AOEs, adds, and AOEs that follow you around while depleting your stamina, super fun!) and the increasing difficulty (actually like this). But starting over at Arc 1 every time is just a time suck.

LunaFlora · December 2023

i would really love
- more threads
- increased fortunes
- more quests to do, like the two Destunzo quests

it would be cool to have either a different version of the archive in some other realm or just more areas in the archive.

Arthtur · December 2023

Well i would like to see "seasons" just like with event rewards. But 2 per year not only 1. So every 6 months rewards would change for new ones (old ones could still show in weekly shop) and we would get new locations, enemies and stuff that would make it feel fresh again.

As for mechanics i would like to see modifiers that let us make our run harder for increase in drop rewards. For example we get 1 more flag bearer per wave (so 3 instead of 2 at later arcs) and we get like 15% increase in rewards. There is many options for that but leaderboards are a problem so i doubt we will see that.

Option to skip early arcs would be nice too.
Remaking class sets into 3p sets would be amazing.

Well there is many ways that would make Archives better but leaderboards are a problem... until ZOS allows non-leaderboard runs i doubt we will see anything "crazy". Most likely we will just get new enemies, locations and rewards.

Necrotech_Master · December 2023

Arthtur wrote: »

Well i would like to see "seasons" just like with event rewards. But 2 per year not only 1. So every 6 months rewards would change for new ones (old ones could still show in weekly shop) and we would get new locations, enemies and stuff that would make it feel fresh again.

As for mechanics i would like to see modifiers that let us make our run harder for increase in drop rewards. For example we get 1 more flag bearer per wave (so 3 instead of 2 at later arcs) and we get like 15% increase in rewards. There is many options for that but leaderboards are a problem so i doubt we will see that.

Option to skip early arcs would be nice too.
Remaking class sets into 3p sets would be amazing.

Well there is many ways that would make Archives better but leaderboards are a problem... until ZOS allows non-leaderboard runs i doubt we will see anything "crazy". Most likely we will just get new enemies, locations and rewards.

i think starting in arc 3, there is already 4 elites per add stage (first wave spawns 1, 2nd wave 0, and 3rd wave has 3) (i think this does vary a little as some enemy groups dont spawn an elite so it is possible to only get 2 elite on the 3rd wave)

the first arc is very forgiving, as there is almost no elites in the add stages, the 2nd arc starts to add a few more elites, and arc 3 is usually where it settles into the same pattern for the rest of the run

Arthtur · December 2023

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Arthtur wrote: »

Well i would like to see "seasons" just like with event rewards. But 2 per year not only 1. So every 6 months rewards would change for new ones (old ones could still show in weekly shop) and we would get new locations, enemies and stuff that would make it feel fresh again.

As for mechanics i would like to see modifiers that let us make our run harder for increase in drop rewards. For example we get 1 more flag bearer per wave (so 3 instead of 2 at later arcs) and we get like 15% increase in rewards. There is many options for that but leaderboards are a problem so i doubt we will see that.

Option to skip early arcs would be nice too.
Remaking class sets into 3p sets would be amazing.

Well there is many ways that would make Archives better but leaderboards are a problem... until ZOS allows non-leaderboard runs i doubt we will see anything "crazy". Most likely we will just get new enemies, locations and rewards.

i think starting in arc 3, there is already 4 elites per add stage (first wave spawns 1, 2nd wave 0, and 3rd wave has 3) (i think this does vary a little as some enemy groups dont spawn an elite so it is possible to only get 2 elite on the 3rd wave)

the first arc is very forgiving, as there is almost no elites in the add stages, the 2nd arc starts to add a few more elites, and arc 3 is usually where it settles into the same pattern for the rest of the run

I wasnt talking about elite enemies but about the special ones. Suneaters etc. Currently they max out at 2 per wave and 4 per stage if i remember correctly (2 first wave, 2 third wave). If we count Elite enemies from whatever pool of enemies we got it will be more but i didnt think about them when writing the example. Well its just example anyway.
My main idea was an option to make run a lot harder with few modifiers so we wouldnt be bored in early arcs and the run would take less time as we would run faster into the wall while still being rewarding.

Necrotech_Master · December 2023

Arthtur wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Arthtur wrote: »

Well i would like to see "seasons" just like with event rewards. But 2 per year not only 1. So every 6 months rewards would change for new ones (old ones could still show in weekly shop) and we would get new locations, enemies and stuff that would make it feel fresh again.

As for mechanics i would like to see modifiers that let us make our run harder for increase in drop rewards. For example we get 1 more flag bearer per wave (so 3 instead of 2 at later arcs) and we get like 15% increase in rewards. There is many options for that but leaderboards are a problem so i doubt we will see that.

Option to skip early arcs would be nice too.
Remaking class sets into 3p sets would be amazing.

Well there is many ways that would make Archives better but leaderboards are a problem... until ZOS allows non-leaderboard runs i doubt we will see anything "crazy". Most likely we will just get new enemies, locations and rewards.

i think starting in arc 3, there is already 4 elites per add stage (first wave spawns 1, 2nd wave 0, and 3rd wave has 3) (i think this does vary a little as some enemy groups dont spawn an elite so it is possible to only get 2 elite on the 3rd wave)

the first arc is very forgiving, as there is almost no elites in the add stages, the 2nd arc starts to add a few more elites, and arc 3 is usually where it settles into the same pattern for the rest of the run

I wasnt talking about elite enemies but about the special ones. Suneaters etc. Currently they max out at 2 per wave and 4 per stage if i remember correctly (2 first wave, 2 third wave). If we count Elite enemies from whatever pool of enemies we got it will be more but i didnt think about them when writing the example. Well its just example anyway.
My main idea was an option to make run a lot harder with few modifiers so we wouldnt be bored in early arcs and the run would take less time as we would run faster into the wall while still being rewarding.

i count those elites as the same as the fabled enemies, because they provide the same (or in some cases more) difficulty

honestly you could add like 3 more suneaters per wave and it still would not be hard because those are the easiest of the fabled as long as your not standing in melee range right in front of them when they are throwing the spheres out

i also dont really think that even adding more fabled/elites to even arc 1 would really increase the difficulty much, just increase the time it took you to clear the stage because its more things you have to kill

Erickson9610 · December 2023

I wish the Infinite Archive had:

More enemy types. I know there are many more kinds of enemies in the game than the ones that are shown in the Archive.
More Cycle bosses. The current roster of bosses is decent, but I know there are many more bosses that could be there.
More rooms in the Archive. I would've preferred if the Archive had the visual diversity of arenas like Maelstrom Arena, Dragonstar Arena, and Vateshran Hollows.
More (Class) item sets. We don't know where the other two Class Sets will be given from, but if the Archive is meant to be the ultimate time sink, then it makes sense to tie the other Class Sets to content like this. Though, maybe some other feature like the Infinite Archive will be announced in the future, where we can obtain our second Class Set.
More Verses and Visions. The variety is decent, but seeing more would make the experience more interesting.

To tie everything together, the new Verses, Visions, stages, enemies, bosses, and so on should be on a "seasonal" cycle, similar to the weekly rotating selection of overland item set drops in the Archive. Doing so would make the Infinite Archive more interesting on repeat visits throughout the year.

Enemy-of-Coldharbour · December 2023

Add save points and make Arc 1 easy enough (Arc 1 final boss needs nerf) so ANYONE can complete it to knock out the daily.

Sordidfairytale · December 2023

I would enjoy it if there were additional Archives. Similar concept to the current one, but different class items so you could choose the archive you wanted to run based on the set you wanted to get.

Infinite Archives based on thieves guild abilities or healing would be rewarding for other playstyles as well.

FlipFlopFrog · December 2023

Along side the solo arena make it 4 player like a proper dungeon.

CameraBeardThePirate · December 2023

How about we start with making sure the sets that drop from there actually function?

The Necro set is still bugged over a month out from release, despite ZOS citing a fix in the latest hotfix.

AcadianPaladin · December 2023

It is clear that quite a few players are happy with the idea of the current Infinite Archives and I've no problem with tweaking it around the edges to improve the concept.

That said, IA is of no more interest to me than any other progressive arena - tedious and not enjoyable.

What I do like is prioritizing exploring over combat. I'd love to see an additional and very different type of endless dungeon. Still a discrete instance for each player (or their party) but where the focus is exploring, not so much combat. Difficulty need not be any more than a delve for this purpose where the focus is on discovering and exploring an interesting endless dungeons. It seems to me that artificial intelligence might be able to help continuously change and evolve the dungeon. Think more Indiana Jones than Hack & Slash.

AzuraFan · December 2023

I'd add a difficulty setting.

Sarannah · December 2023

One: Chase upgrades which cost millions of fortunes and make the gameplay in there more fun:
-Upgrade: Have a 5% chance per stage to grant one of each of the transformations, without having unlocked all the visions for it. (Cost 1 Million fortunes)
-Upgrade: You permanently keep 10% of each and every verse choice throughout the archive as if it were a vision. (Cost: 2 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: You get to pick one verse and have a 50% chance to spawn that verse at every verse choice(can change this choice at any time with master Malketh, which will only activate from the next run on). (Cost: 5 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: When dying, you have a 50% chance not to lose a thread. (Cost: 10 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: Instead of the second wave of mobs at every stage, have a 10% chance to spawn a marauder. (Cost: 1 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: Treasure scamps drop a 100% increased fortune amount(double). (Cost: 2 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: Pick your favorite unknown portal and have a 50% chance to spawn this unknown portal at any unknown portal spawn(can change this choice at any time with master Malketh, which will only activate from the next run on). (Cost: 4 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: Terrorizing the archive: When you damage a mob, you have a 2% chance to kill them instantly(does not work on boss stage adds, bosses, and Tho'at). (Cost: 2 million fortunes)

Two: As a small chance let the archival fortune pouches leads of all rarities drop again even after completing them once.

To keep people playing the archive, and to keep it fresh for those spending a lot of time in there.

Necrotech_Master · December 2023

Sarannah wrote: »

One: Chase upgrades which cost millions of fortunes and make the gameplay in there more fun:
-Upgrade: Have a 5% chance per stage to grant one of each of the transformations, without having unlocked all the visions for it. (Cost 1 Million fortunes)
-Upgrade: You permanently keep 10% of each and every verse choice throughout the archive as if it were a vision. (Cost: 2 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: You get to pick one verse and have a 50% chance to spawn that verse at every verse choice(can change this choice at any time with master Malketh, which will only activate from the next run on). (Cost: 5 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: When dying, you have a 50% chance not to lose a thread. (Cost: 10 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: Instead of the second wave of mobs at every stage, have a 10% chance to spawn a marauder. (Cost: 1 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: Treasure scamps drop a 100% increased fortune amount(double). (Cost: 2 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: Pick your favorite unknown portal and have a 50% chance to spawn this unknown portal at any unknown portal spawn(can change this choice at any time with master Malketh, which will only activate from the next run on). (Cost: 4 million fortunes)
-Upgrade: Terrorizing the archive: When you damage a mob, you have a 2% chance to kill them instantly(does not work on boss stage adds, bosses, and Tho'at). (Cost: 2 million fortunes)

Two: As a small chance let the archival fortune pouches leads of all rarities drop again even after completing them once.

To keep people playing the archive, and to keep it fresh for those spending a lot of time in there.

ill be honest ive spent a LOT of time in the archives and those costs are insane

even with all of the time ive spent in the archive ive only maybe earned like 600k archive fortunes (it costs about 125k to buy all of the current upgrades, then i spent another roughly 150k on ichor to finish the mount, and about 60k on style pages, maybe another 30k on treasure maps and have about 250k fortunes sitting around right now)

people who are barely clearing arc 1 or 2 are barely making 15k fortunes to be able to buy the monster style page each week as is

i also see the suggestion of a 10% chance to spawn a marauder as the 2nd add wave in each add stage to be a massive massive nerf considering how hard they are in later arcs (especially gothmau) its usually a death sentence and i doubt anyone would buy that lol

KlauthWarthog · December 2023

I would remove a trash pack from each stage.

jad11mumbler · December 2023

Seconded for more variety in locations, even if it's a reuse of existing areas outside of the archive.

I'd like to see more permanent upgrades that you can buy over time and later push further into the archive / making earlier arcs easier.

Maybe that you can swap out, and/or trade for. Say you're allowed X amount of upgrades at a time, one run you could have upgrades that focus on one thing, then swap them the next run for another.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=aoVVCwx6k1w

Maybe I've just been watching too much decked out recently from a Minecraft server, but I'd take some inspiration from that.

One of my least favourite things about IA is how repetitive it gets with the similar locations and meaningless trash fights to progress each round.

Artim_X · December 2023

I would make it so that one can start from any arc they previously cleared. So although progress isn't saved, one can get to the more challenging content faster.

Bobargus · December 2023

I know i have written this more than once in the past, but i would have added seperate difficulty options for those who care about using the correct builds, skills, and gears, and also for those who don't care about - or don't want to need - any of those things and just want to have a casual and chill experience.

tl,dr: normal/casual and veteran difficulty options.

Necrotech_Master · December 2023

Bobargus wrote: »

I know i have written this more than once in the past, but i would have added a seperate difficulty options for those who care about using the correct builds, skills, and gears, and also for those who don't care about - or don't want to need - any of those things and just want to have a casual and chill experience.

tl,dr: normal/casual and veteran difficulty options.

arc 1 is already the "normal" difficulty, people have cleared it with no gear equipped, and you could use pretty much any gear to clear it, especially now that companions are virtually immune to 95% of the dmg from the archive they can actually tank bosses (with only a few exceptions)

using "the right" gear just allows you to clear it much faster (on a dps spec character ive cleared arc 1 in ~15-20 min at the fastest)

Bobargus · December 2023

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Bobargus wrote: »

I know i have written this more than once in the past, but i would have added a seperate difficulty options for those who care about using the correct builds, skills, and gears, and also for those who don't care about - or don't want to need - any of those things and just want to have a casual and chill experience.

tl,dr: normal/casual and veteran difficulty options.

arc 1 is already the "normal" difficulty, people have cleared it with no gear equipped, and you could use pretty much any gear to clear it, especially now that companions are virtually immune to 95% of the dmg from the archive they can actually tank bosses (with only a few exceptions)

using "the right" gear just allows you to clear it much faster (on a dps spec character ive cleared arc 1 in ~15-20 min at the fastest)

I disagree. A couple of days ago, i have tried to do the infinite archive with a level 25 nightblade in a solo setting, with no companions, good build or gear, and i got my behind handed to me by the adds. First turn, first stage, first arc.

That needs to change.

CameraBeardThePirate · December 2023

Bobargus wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Bobargus wrote: »

I know i have written this more than once in the past, but i would have added a seperate difficulty options for those who care about using the correct builds, skills, and gears, and also for those who don't care about - or don't want to need - any of those things and just want to have a casual and chill experience.

tl,dr: normal/casual and veteran difficulty options.

arc 1 is already the "normal" difficulty, people have cleared it with no gear equipped, and you could use pretty much any gear to clear it, especially now that companions are virtually immune to 95% of the dmg from the archive they can actually tank bosses (with only a few exceptions)

using "the right" gear just allows you to clear it much faster (on a dps spec character ive cleared arc 1 in ~15-20 min at the fastest)

I disagree. A couple of days ago, i have tried to do the infinite archive with a level 25 nightblade in a solo setting, with no companions, good build or gear, and i got my behind handed to me by the adds. First turn, first stage, first arc.

That needs to change.

You shouldn't expect to clear content balanced for max level at level 25. Normal =/= low level.

I mean cmon, you don't even have over half your skills and passives.

Necrotech_Master · December 2023

Bobargus wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Bobargus wrote: »

I know i have written this more than once in the past, but i would have added a seperate difficulty options for those who care about using the correct builds, skills, and gears, and also for those who don't care about - or don't want to need - any of those things and just want to have a casual and chill experience.

tl,dr: normal/casual and veteran difficulty options.

arc 1 is already the "normal" difficulty, people have cleared it with no gear equipped, and you could use pretty much any gear to clear it, especially now that companions are virtually immune to 95% of the dmg from the archive they can actually tank bosses (with only a few exceptions)

using "the right" gear just allows you to clear it much faster (on a dps spec character ive cleared arc 1 in ~15-20 min at the fastest)

I disagree. A couple of days ago, i have tried to do the infinite archive with a level 25 nightblade in a solo setting, with no companions, good build or gear, and i got my behind handed to me by the adds. First turn, first stage, first arc.

That needs to change.

try doing the same thing in maelstrom or vateshran on normal (functionally equivalent to archive arc 1) on a level 25 character

if you could clear those on a lvl 25 character on normal, you could clear arc 1 on normal

Bobargus · December 2023

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

Bobargus wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Bobargus wrote: »

I know i have written this more than once in the past, but i would have added a seperate difficulty options for those who care about using the correct builds, skills, and gears, and also for those who don't care about - or don't want to need - any of those things and just want to have a casual and chill experience.

tl,dr: normal/casual and veteran difficulty options.

arc 1 is already the "normal" difficulty, people have cleared it with no gear equipped, and you could use pretty much any gear to clear it, especially now that companions are virtually immune to 95% of the dmg from the archive they can actually tank bosses (with only a few exceptions)

using "the right" gear just allows you to clear it much faster (on a dps spec character ive cleared arc 1 in ~15-20 min at the fastest)

I disagree. A couple of days ago, i have tried to do the infinite archive with a level 25 nightblade in a solo setting, with no companions, good build or gear, and i got my behind handed to me by the adds. First turn, first stage, first arc.

That needs to change.

You shouldn't expect to clear content balanced for max level at level 25. Normal =/= low level.

I mean cmon, you don't even have over half your skills and passives.

Why should a pve content have to be limited to being suitable just for beginners or endgame players, when that content can be designed or updated to be flexible enough to work for everyone?

jad11mumbler · December 2023

Bobargus wrote: »

I disagree. A couple of days ago, i have tried to do the infinite archive with a level 25 nightblade in a solo setting, with no companions, good build or gear, and i got my behind handed to me by the adds. First turn, first stage, first arc.

That needs to change.

Nope.
It'll change as your character grows, which is how it should be.

Harder overland / solo content has been one of the most requested changes to the game.
EA / IA is one of their solutions to that, making it easier would invalidate that.

Not every piece of content should be accessible for any level, especially unequipped lower levels.
That's why overland is so easy and why so many complain about it.

Braffin · December 2023

Bobargus wrote: »

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

Bobargus wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Bobargus wrote: »

I know i have written this more than once in the past, but i would have added a seperate difficulty options for those who care about using the correct builds, skills, and gears, and also for those who don't care about - or don't want to need - any of those things and just want to have a casual and chill experience.

tl,dr: normal/casual and veteran difficulty options.

arc 1 is already the "normal" difficulty, people have cleared it with no gear equipped, and you could use pretty much any gear to clear it, especially now that companions are virtually immune to 95% of the dmg from the archive they can actually tank bosses (with only a few exceptions)

using "the right" gear just allows you to clear it much faster (on a dps spec character ive cleared arc 1 in ~15-20 min at the fastest)

I disagree. A couple of days ago, i have tried to do the infinite archive with a level 25 nightblade in a solo setting, with no companions, good build or gear, and i got my behind handed to me by the adds. First turn, first stage, first arc.

That needs to change.

You shouldn't expect to clear content balanced for max level at level 25. Normal =/= low level.

I mean cmon, you don't even have over half your skills and passives.

Why should a pve content have to be limited to being suitable just for beginners or endgame players, when that content can be designed or updated to be flexible enough to work for everyone?

A "normal" mode of IA with guaranteed "I win" button isn't necessary at all.

Besides that: There is already a lot of content only suitable for beginners. It's called overland and completely lacks a veteran option.

Better they adress this issue instead of nerfing an already braindead easy Arc 1.