MuffinMan295

I just want to start off by saying that this game is amazing. I have been playing for a very very long time and there are few games that constantly have me coming back. However, if there is one thing I have learned from this game is that it has been catering the huge tribes up until the game neared full release with a few questionable updates with the only backlash on the updates being primarily from those large/mega tribes. The backlash was seen after the flier nerf, the turret nerf, and now the structure re-work; my opinion is think about the game, the game that we all play and--dare I say--enjoy playing. The reason for the flier Nerf was to balance the playing field for smaller tribes to be in fairer dogfights with higher level fliers. The developers knew that a ptera with 500% movement speed was fun and extremely convenient but in raids the lag and choppiness was unbearable and most importantly unfair to smaller; lower level tribes. Do not get me wrong, I hated to see my mutated, level 316 ptera with crazy movement speed get nerfed but I understood that it was good for the game's Future. I had Quetzals that could outrun a jet for god's sake. It was fun but game breaking. Then came the turret Nerf. Hell on earth. Only 100 turrets in that tiny area? What on earth are we gonna do? There is a simple answer to this: use skills and tactics. Time and time again I see people complain about the turret Nerf but for the game to feel like a survival game (which it is at its core) there needs to be contemplated risk-reward factors. Now that the Nerf happened tribes are forced to be smart about their turret placement and player skill rather than focus on how many turrets you can fit on one giant metal hatch-frame. I understand the issue. Many people--including me--had many, MANY, turrets lost in the blink of an eye. All the hours were lost and my faith in the game lost as well. But as I thought about it more and more the pros outweighed the cons. The limit in turrets brings a sense of accomplishment when building a tactically effective defense and the raids that ensue will be far more player-based, raw, and immersive with an even more addictive adrenaline rush that comes with an intense raid. Now we have a structure re-work. To be honest the first time I saw it I was so happy (blasphemy, I know XD). I have played in gigantic tribes as well as two-man tribes and despite tribe size, structure spamming was still an issue. With lag and with annoyance. I see time and time again people "marking their territory" and "protecting valuable resources" and it's not beneficial; it is annoying. The whole point of ark is to fight for what is yours. The whole premise is that everything can be gained or lost based on whether or not you are willing to fight for it. I just think that sprinkling pillars everywhere is not a fun; immersive experience but is rather monotonous. I also understand where people are coming from on this issue though. With rapid decay people could build right next to you or the tribe itself could build decent bases all over and cause even more lag. Understandable but not realistic. Players should defend their base at all costs. If someone rolls onto your doorstep, end them. Do not let a structure play the game for you. I want to reiterate that this is MY take on this specific issue for a game in which I invested a lot of time in. I think that we, as a community, need to look at the developers critically and look at ourselves critically. Are we playing the game because we need to in order to protect what we have worked so hard to get or are we playing it because it is fun? Are the developers making fixes for the game's health or simply trying to make us happy? I want to protect what I have worked hard for but have a blast at the same time; I want the developers to improve the game's health while also trying to make us happy. I want to play a quality survival game with an immersive atmosphere/community and a developer that wants more people to experience the game in a great way. And yes, I just wrote an essay.