What is "Too Much Grinding?"

[ljfa]

I would like to see a cheaper early game alternative to the autonomous activator which is only able to sieve say one stack and then breaks.

PS:

That's the definition of "early game skyblock maps" too. Lots of waiting, and not much else. The fun well and truly must be EARNED!

It's actually worse that you can't predict how long you will wait. For example, sifting dirt until you get enough stone for a furnace isn't that bad because you always get at least 2 stones from sifting dirt. But finding your first two diamonds and emeralds is just a tedious fight against the RNG.

 

[Lawbroken]

I shell be watching, Any more of that and I will hand out more warnings.

 

[Pyure]

I would like to see a cheaper early game alternative to the autonomous activator which is only able to sieve say one stack and then breaks.

This would be a nice addition.

 

[YX33A]

I would like to see a cheaper early game alternative to the autonomous activator which is only able to sieve say one stack and then breaks.

PS:

It's actually worse that you can't predict how long you will wait. For example, sifting dirt until you get enough stone for a furnace isn't that bad because you always get at least 2 stones from sifting dirt. But finding your first two diamonds and emeralds is just a tedious fight against the RNG.

Still doesn't sound like it's not early game Skyblock... And the bit that @Pyure quoted? That's needed. I swear, if it didn't go against how hard AgS is I'd suggest that the Jaded One make such a thing, or find someone who can make it!

 

[GreenZombie]

Still doesn't sound like it's not early game Skyblock... And the bit that @Pyure quoted? That's needed. I swear, if it didn't go against how hard AgS is I'd suggest that the Jaded One make such a thing, or find someone who can make it!

I disagree with the assertion that grinding == hard. Timesinks are a lazy way to emulate a hard activity - they demonstrate a lack of imagination.

 

[Golrith]

I don't really call Arg Skies hard, just a long (and in some cases) tedious grind to gather resources. There wasn't really any need to change the AutAct to require emeralds and diamonds, it actually breaks the progression of the Learning to Skyblock chapter (I'd built many things after the quest to build an AutAct while I was waiting for RNG to bless me with 1 more emerald).

I don't mind a long involved process (that much), if the reward justifies the time/effort/resources invested. One example are some of the AE2 recipes, some have some needless extra steps, in my personal world I'm going to be putting in some alternative recipes that bypass the extra steps, but still have the same resource investment.

 

[ljfa]

Still doesn't sound like it's not early game Skyblock... And the bit that @Pyure quoted? That's needed. I swear, if it didn't go against how hard AgS is I'd suggest that the Jaded One make such a thing, or find someone who can make it!

I think it would just be a tiered progression. Right now you only have manual sieving and the autonomous activator.

 

[YX33A]

I disagree with the assertion that grinding == hard. Timesinks are a lazy way to emulate a hard activity - they demonstrate a lack of imagination.

I agree, Grinding == Hard. And also, GregTech == Grinding. However, GregTech = Hard. Timesinks that cost nothing but time and a handful of cheap resources that one can get a LOT of really quickly? That Timesink == Grinding. And, that Timesink == Hard. That Timesink = A Timesink.

Really, Timesinks == Grinding. That's what it can be boiled down to here.

I think it would just be a tiered progression. Right now you only have manual sieving and the autonomous activator.

Oh don't get me wrong, it's a great idea. But AgS is hell, and why would one ask for less pain?

 

[ljfa]

Time is your most precious resource in Minecraft. When people say they got "infinite X" they're wrong unless they have e.g. a creative energy cell. It's more like "I'm automatically producing X without me intervening (and thus spending time)".

 

[Feniks]

I also class as a grind processes that involved million steps. Gears for example. 1st steam wooden gear, 2nd step stone gear, 3 step iron gear, 4th gold gear 5th step diamond gear etc. I would rather have alternative recipie that will cost me the same resources or even more but I can get it in one step.

 

[McJty]

I also class as a grind processes that involved million steps. Gears for example. 1st steam wooden gear, 2nd step stone gear, 3 step iron gear, 4th gold gear 5th step diamond gear etc. I would rather have alternative recipie that will cost me the same resources or even more but I can get it in one step.

Yes, that can be annoying. These kinds of recepies are usually the first I automate in my AE system

 

[Celestialphoenix]

[For me] Its too much of a grind when the action of doing so doesn't actually engage the player.

If we take the AgS example; yeah sitting there slapping a sieve is pretty boring. You could tie in the hunger overhaul (all the sieving is rather draining), having to stop and think about food would break up the monotony of it.
As previously mentioned; a cheaper, but less effective alternative to the activator. (A steam powered one would be pretty cool).

Generally I prefer caving over branch mining- caving has risk and adventure. Its dark. Its dangerous. You might not be coming back out again.
Branch mining seems to involve a repetitious cycle of breaking stone and walking forward.​

 

[epidemia78]

I know I have no right to dictate to anybody how to play but I think mods have confused a lot of people about what the whole point of the game is. Direwolf's videos have become so boring to me because he doesnt play the game, he plays the mods and it all seems so pointless. The mods are a means to an end, not the end itself. Building stuff is the goal, and mods make builds easier and more diverse. Which is why Traincraft is a big part of my latest personal pack. Minecraft is like legos and Traincraft adds some actual working trains to the set of blocks. Using trains for automation purposes only would be silly. I will try and get them to do stuff but the joy comes from planning it out, making it a reality, and seeing it working. Not because I need trains.

I havent played it but in Agrarian skies it seems the ultimate goal is to oh so gradually grind your way out of having to grind quite so much. ugh, no thanks.

 

[Skyqula]

I agree, Grinding == Hard. And also, GregTech == Grinding. However, GregTech = Hard. Timesinks that cost nothing but time and a handful of cheap resources that one can get a LOT of really quickly? That Timesink == Grinding. And, that Timesink == Hard. That Timesink = A Timesink.

Really, Timesinks == Grinding. That's what it can be boiled down to here.

I read this as:

I agree, true.  And also, true.  However, GregTech = Hard.  Timesinks that cost nothing but time and a handful of cheap resources that one can get a LOT of really quickly?  That true.  And, that false.  That Timesink = A Timesink.

Really, true.  That's what it can be boiled down to here.

Please guys, lets not use programming syntax when writing our arguments. Type the words!

 

[ljfa]

Lol, I once almost wrote "!=" in a math exercise.

 

[Eruantien]

I know I have no right to dictate to anybody how to play but I think mods have confused a lot of people about what the whole point of the game is. Direwolf's videos have become so boring to me because he doesnt play the game, he plays the mods and it all seems so pointless. The mods are a means to an end, not the end itself. Building stuff is the goal, and mods make builds easier and more diverse. Which is why Traincraft is a big part of my latest personal pack. Minecraft is like legos and Traincraft adds some actual working trains to the set of blocks. Using trains for automation purposes only would be silly. I will try and get them to do stuff but the joy comes from planning it out, making it a reality, and seeing it working. Not because I need trains.

I havent played it but in Agrarian skies it seems the ultimate goal is to oh so gradually grind your way out of having to grind quite so much. ugh, no thanks.

Often, I get so caught up in building infrastructure that I forget what I'm going for in the "big picture" view. I keep telling myself that, eventually, in the endgame, I'll have enough resources to build whatever I want, and it's true. It's good to have a long-term plan; however, let's not forget about living in the moment. We should build things to serve a purpose, to last, and to suit our architectural and aesthetic design ideas.
In short, in my opinion at least, we shouldn't build to play, but play to build.
... if that makes sense.

 

[1SDAN]

Okay, so now that I have a good reference consensus to work with I'll continue with a question:

Do you find that, in a normal survival world, wood is too easy to get and grow in comparison to it's uses and do you think the added grind of making it take longer and more dangerous would be too much, or a well-balanced idea?

 

[Pyure]

I read this as:

I agree, true.  And also, true.  However, GregTech = Hard.  Timesinks that cost nothing but time and a handful of cheap resources that one can get a LOT of really quickly?  That true.  And, that false.  That Timesink = A Timesink.

Really, true.  That's what it can be boiled down to here.

Please guys, lets not use programming syntax when writing our arguments. Type the words!

public static void DoComment(Poster poster)
{
if (poster.Name == "Skyqula")
{
poster.ComplainAboutSillyThings();
}
}

hugs

 

[ljfa]

Okay, so now that I have a good reference consensus to work with I'll continue with a question:

Do you find that, in a normal survival world, wood is too easy to get and grow in comparison to it's uses and do you think the added grind of making it take longer and more dangerous would be too much, or a well-balanced idea?

I'm not sure. Maybe it would be diversity, but it shouldn't become frustrating.

 

[ScorpioOld]

Time is very expensive for most people who must work for leaving. I am looking for new things in games that help me experience something different. In a moded minecraft it is fun to go thru new staff or explore world, I like to find nice place to set my base and start building what my imagination might tell. I enjoy taking risk when I want. In the same time when I need to "cook" virtual food during all time I can afford for game without any hope to escape from such burden or to spend a few evenings clicking mouse button for sifting this is clear very indication of grinding. I do not buy stories about progression or mysterious reward, especially when authors enforce appealing to the most basic instincts such as Hunger Overhaul or stealing basic tools. And of course they "forget" removing such burden by introducing alternative to escape from tedious repeating what has been done hundreds times already. Usually this is claimed as hard or challenging. Taking away freedom of making decision is the most pronounced indication of too much grinding.