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The Rift is Killing My Enthusiasm for DBD
I know there have been many threads with feedback regarding the Rift, but I feel like I need to express my own concerns about the Rift and my future with DBD. To put it simply, the current system of near constant Rifts being active is making me want to quit playing DBD altogether. I have completed each of the first 3 Rifts with 1-2 weeks of time remaining. In each case, I completed the Archives and landed at about Tier 65-67, and was able to grind out the rest of the tiers, but it left me exhausted from playing DBD. After reaching Tier 70 in all previous Rifts, I ended up taking breaks from the game and did not play until the next Rift started (which ends up being a few weeks).
This latest Rift, however, is pushing me over the edge. Despite playing a similar number of hours and keeping the similar playing patterns (usually getting at least the 2 games min per day, and more when time is available), I have completed the Archives, got to Tier 61, and have a week to grind out 9 tiers if I want to complete the Rift. Mathematically, it would take about 20 hours in game to achieve this. This does not count for queue times, loading times, BP spending, and max XP efficiency (i.e. getting out of the game right at the 10 min mark when xp gain/second stops). I do not think this is feasible to accomplish this in a week without ridiculous sacrifices, but it is obviously my choice whether to attempt it or not. What bothers me most, though is that I'm put in this position at all.
As a big fan of DBD, I've played about 1,350 hrs over the past 4 years, and never have I felt more irritated and annoyed about the game. I've participated in all the in-game events DBD has offered, including the crazy community challenges from year 1, and completed them all. I'm perfectly willing to do limited time events, but not ones that are 70 days long and restart a few weeks later. Because of the daily nagging to play (to get the bonus XP for Survivor and Killer), DBD has become more of a chore that I feel demands far too much attention, and consequently drains my willingness to play.
Obviously to some extent this is a self-inflicted wound. Sure, I should just "not care" about the Rift, but the Rift is designed to MAKE you participate in it. Regardless of what you do, the challenge widget pops up after every game and reminds you and gnaws at you that the Rift is going and you have challenges to do/prizes to claim. Again, this is fine for shorter events that last a week or two, but the Rift has become something that I frankly hate and despise. So much so that I am going to be more annoyed and pissed off that I got so far in the current Rift and didn't quite reach the goal; which feels like my time was wasted, which ultimately makes me not want to play at all. This endless cycle of Rifts is unsustainable (for me), and I really hate it.
Please... for those at BHVR that have any empathy for people's time, stop doing Rifts to often, and stop making them harder to complete (yes the community has done the math, we know you did this on purpose).
Comments
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I'm feeling a similar way. Been getting a lot of rubberbanding in games, to the point where normally I would take a few days to a week off and hope it gets fixed, but instead I'm forcing myself into unfun, bugged games because there's only 5 days left to get those last 5 tiers.
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You guys do know you don't have to do the rifts, right?
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I finished this rift several days ago, but I get what you mean. It is a hell of a lot of grind, which is why I took an extended break after completing the second rift and didn’t do the third one at all (not having Kate Denson made it an easy decision for me to make).
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I mean....I don't have to play the game at all. I play because it's fun. I liked doing the rifts because they were fun.
Plus, though I personally don't spend AC up front, I'm sure a lot of people do, and feel obligated to finish it for that reason.
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If the rifts are no longer fun, then you stop doing them, the same way you stop playing a boring game.
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Same. I feel pressured to get the items or I'll miss out.Even if I dont use them. They should have done what Paladins did and make all previous rifts still available. Current design preys on the fear of missing out and is pretty anti consumer. But if you could get them whenever there goes the end of season panic "Level buys" with auric cells.
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I have to grind out 20 levels in 4 days. Wish me luck.
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@Tactless_Ninja Good luck, hope you make it 🙏
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To a degree i agree with this, but do you really think the grind should be that hard for the price you already paid the game?
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Let us have a moment of silence for our brothers and sisters who have lost all hope of completing the Rift.
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@Orion has a good point that you don't have to do the rifts... they even specifically give you an option "not" to do them just like every other battlepass. If your need for "completing" everything is causing stress then I gotta wonder do you also own every other "cosmetic" in this game (Whether you like their look or not)?
Edit: The battlepass system is directly designed to increase games played by people "grinding" and "no-lifing" the game rather than going to something else and why it was so wildly popular in Fortnite and emulated by other companies. A fully multiplayer game that "requires" a reasonably active playerbase for queue times is only helped by this, especially since the cells allow renewal to keep those time-dedicated "value seeking" players. If you are shelling out cash to buy every cosmetic like the whale that microtransactions already target anyway - then buying a few rift levels shouldn't be hurting your disposable incoming any further than just buying every new cosmetic anyway
You can play normally as much as you think is fun and then buy the rest of the rift levels to complete the rift and even get "some of that auric cell" value back for getting the rest of the cosmetics. The grind is completely optional just like the cosmetics that come with it... it has basically no actual gameplay implications to finish the rift each time... the challenges are free bloodpoints and goals (albeit stupid goals at times) to help keep interest and reduce the sheer tedium, not making it worse.
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Orion I actually agree with you here. I honestly think the rifts are nothing too bad. I get them done with multiple weeks left typically.
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You should read the rest of his post.
Also, think about this whenever you make this comment. It's a rough analogy, but I'm focusing on the feelings of the people involved more than the technicalities of it.
Ice cream truck parks at the park and kids run to get ice cream.
The kids who take the longest to get to the truck may miss out on ice cream because the truck will leave before they get there.
So the kids ask for help from the ice cream truck driver to park a little closer so they can have ice cream too.
Of course you as an adult can tell them that they don't need ice cream, completely ignoring the feelings that these kids had of wanting ice cream and lamenting the distance they had to travel to get it.
Try to consider the player's feelings about why they're posting and then respond.
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I think for me it's because this is my 1st Rift, and had no idea what to expect. I've put in the grind but the last chapter of the tome I've barely been able to complete, and freely admit it's due to not having enough hours in the game or having enough perks built up to help complete them. Still frustrating, though.
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This is by no means the worst "Battlepass" system I've seen, though it's certainly not the best either.
I mainly just wish that the grind itself felt more rewarding. There are plenty of cosmetics that I'd love to unlock spread throughout the Rift, but it always feels like I have to slog through several undesirable charms to reach them. There's little more disappointing than climbing up a tier just to get an uglier Iridescent version of a charm I unlocked on the first page.
I'd rather remove these clutter-charms entirely and just have a shorter Rift or push the charms into the Free Rift and replace them with something of higher value on the premium track (like more cosmetics, Iridescent Shards, or even bundles of Rift Fragments to speed up Premium Rift progression).
We'll see if there's anything that I really want in Rift 5, otherwise I'm planning to just do the relevant Tome for the BP and lore and skip out on the Rift.
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I do not own all the cosmetics in the game by a long shot, however I DO own all the ones that have been given out as challenges such as David's Donkey Jacket, Huntress' Hound Mask, etc. Again, the limited time event is not really a problem, it's the duration of the Rift, frequency of the Rift and the intensity (grind) all combined that is making the Rift extremely unfun for me.
Another thing that I tried to point out in my original post is, participation in the Rift is NOT optional. Regardless about your attitude or willingness to play the Rift, you WILL participate in it, and you WILL get notifications about it ad nauseum. This is intentional to trigger an emotional response to continue participating and therefore investing in the Rift. The time you spend playing = time investing. Constantly moving the goalposts (the end of the Rift) by manipulating the number of fragments you earn is a clear sign that too many people were completing the Rift, and therefore they made it harder. To be fair, it isn't a bad thing that BHVR is trying to get you to play their game, so at some level we are all manipulated into playing DBD. The issue, as I see it, is that it becomes a chore to participate in, and that the Rifts are too long/frequent/intense.
Lastly, purchasing Rift tiers is essentially paying to win. At that point, why even bother playing at all? Could I afford paying for the whole Rift, sure. Is that a good use of my money? I'd argue, no, it rewards BHVR for what is a manipulative and borderline predatory game mechanic.
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Feel like the rift causes more burn out than enjoyment. I finished a week or so ago and would've started a break but been helping my brother get through since he was behind me (he now has 5 tiers left). Once he's finished I'm not touching the game until the next rift comes out, maybe longer, because now it feels like more of a chore than fun.
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It is sooooo easy to max out the rift. Always get it done way too fast and early. This is a troll post.
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Please explain how cosmetics (outside of blending dark ones), belt and hook charm cosmetics is helping you "win" the game or specifically any gameplay interaction?
The closest thing to "pay to win" in DbD is the existence of Licensed Killer/Survivor perks that are time locked from F2P players through Shrine, as that has direct gameplay implications (Would be more willing to be critical around those mechanics). Heck even arguing that the bloodpoint grind to access each teachable and have them available on all killers or any one survivor would be a valid complaint in my eyes.
The cosmetics are very low monetary "cost" in exchange for the number of cosmetics you would get compared to buying specific ones directly. Time is Money is the common concept that comes up around Pay 2 Win - but the grind here is for "cosmetics" specifically not for reaching a specific end goal of a gameplay build.
You obviously enjoy playing the game - and even go about to finish all the tome challenges but feel that the last 50~300 game push is too high of a grind... I understand your feelings but you've already significantly reduced the price of finishing the rift by buying those levels of cosmetics (by inherent design of battlepasses) by playing the game up to that point. It's not time wasted no matter how you spin it because you're still recreationally playing the game naturally not under gunpoint...
"Being forced" to see those rift notifications and participate in the rift "is not" a bad thing. A lot of players actively forget to set their next challenge even with those notifications, missing out on potential bloodpoint/time value if they aren't planning to 100% each tome anyway. If all you are asking for were to be able to turn off the notification that covers your text box at the end of each game then I wouldn't even respond to that QoL suggestion (but that's not your topic's main concern even though you brought it up twice now).
"But I shouldn't have to play any further nor should another rift come up if I want to take a break from the game for a significant amount of time (more than the current time inbetween rifts)." While that's already a subjective amount of time as it is - it's the same as overworrying about not logging on at a minimum of every 3 days to finish dailies. These things can be viewed as a bonuses as intended, not a chores... it's your perception that does it.
You also admitted that you're not going out of your way to "buy" every single cosmetic available either because obviously throwing those up on an ad when you load up the game is "predatory" as well, but not being able to receive a charm or final cosmetic is a "must" now without shelling out a few dollars worth of auric (significantly less than not playing at all and just buying the entire rift pass.. but who plays cosmetics for games they don't even play?). I'm still trying to point out to you and other players who complain about the rift grind that it has NO direct implications on your gameplay, if anything it helps your bloodpoint grind significantly just by participating.
Buying that first pass (maybe even this one) was a value preposition you "decided" to subscribe to, more transparency on the numbers would be "ballpark estimates" by each player anyway much like the projections players go out and do since the information IS available even before your purchase if you wish to crunch them.
Edit: I don't see how having MORE time where there are less active players in a game where you NEED those active players to form matches is any healthier for longevity and keeping the game alive. Personal mental and physical health isn't and should not be on the onus of the gaming company but something you have to police yourself and step away from video gaming if it is negatively impacting you. If you are living a healthy and working lifestyle - you just play to have fun and "choose" to drop money on additional cosmetics like any other microtransaction in this game (whether microtransactions are predatory isn't even the argument here). The rift COMPLETION is fully optional whether you were "forced" to participate in it or not and earn some free bloodpoints.
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I just got it done but I do wish it wasn't so grindy I mean we got the bloodweb too how grindy the dev want this game to be?
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I'm gonna be honest since I hit 70 I don't think I've played more than 1-2 games.
The rifts changed up the whole dynamic of the game, aiming for challenges and getting through them fast. Once that ends I just lose motivation to play.
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It would be nice if the Rifts were open longer.
I might just straight up buy all 70 tiers next time.
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As An adult I choose not to participate in the rift in any meaningful way. How do I do this you ask?
Firstly I don't care about meaningless cosmetics so I never purchase it.
Second I only do challenges but I don't go out of my way to do them and I only do them for extra blood points.
I don't care if I get rift tiers I care for blood points only.
You see you do have a choice to not let it get to you. Personally I feel those that feel they NEED to finish it want to blame a system rather than look into themselves about why they themselves feel this way.
I feel people are too quick to push the blame onto others for a decision only they alone can make. Its a blame shifting mentality for one's own issues.
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I dunno, I'm still here thinking about @SpaceCoconut 's example and how it perfectly encompasses that feeling. To play off that example, you're basically indifferent to ice cream, so you're not invested in it.
But for those of us who DO want the ice cream (the Rift Tiers), we do feel a sense of disappointment- that despite running as fast and as hard as we could, we just didn't make it. It feels like wasted effort.
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I like doing the challenges but you just don't get enough fragments from them and some of them are incredibly difficult at the red ranks.
I'd much rather prefer they had a rift specific shop that you spent fragments in or every x levels you got a token to buy what you wanted but this probably won't happen for the obvious reasons that battle passes exist to keep you grinding.
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It still all comes down to a want not a need.
That analogy is completely different as everyone in this game has the same opportunity. Its a choice to purchase something knowing you may not be able to complete it and put pressure onto yourself.
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Just flex on all the plebs sweating trying to chase down the ice cream truck by following it to it's next stop in your sportscar. Only the ice cream man is nice enough to give you a discount now for going to the "trouble" following him and because he recognizes that you waited in line previously instead of just going to another ice cream parlor (maybe another game that doesn't have microtransactions) but missing that "Spongbob character popsicle" (cosmetic) or another ice cream truck (a game that also has a battle pass just like this one).
@twistedmonkey's tone may have been more belittling than necessary but that doesn't make the argument wrong because someone would feel offended by it.
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Lol @ZCerebrate I'm giggling at the image of chasing down an ice cream truck in a Maserati 🤣
@twistedmonkey I hope you know that even though we have different perspectives on this subject, I still respect your opinion. There's lots of different reasons ppl play and what playstyle they have objectives in. I'm not a competitive person, but I do tend to take on challenges for completionism. To each their own, and may we all enjoy our time in the Fog as much as possible <3
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This Tome is actually giving less fragments than the others so you have to grind more to reach tier 70 in the Rift. It worries me a bit because I’m scared that BHVR will continue this for future Tomes/Rifts until it’s so grindy that buying tiers is almost required. The next Rift the last one that I’m planning on buying because it’s connected to Hallowed Blight (some of the leaked cosmetics sound BADASS). Everything after that is up to how BHVR handles the fragments.
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I think you make a very valid point and i understand your concern. I especially understand that nagging feeling of having it pop-up in your face after every game. That said, i personally feel like having ongoing tasks really makes me motivated to actually play the game when i might otherwise drop it for weeks at a time. Have a sort of short-term goal in sight makes gameplay far more rewarding for me. Then again, I'm content in the mindset that I'm not going to be able to complete everything and i just enjoy the tasks as they come. Perhaps there could be an alternative trivial questing type aspect to the game that would be less intrusive to those who find it bothersome?
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"usually getting at least the 2 games min per day"
😕
You play "2 games per day" as a minimum and you're getting burned out? Sheesh!
I finished the rift days ago because I did the challenges-didn't even finish em all-which actually made this occasional dumpster fire game a lot more enjoyable 😑 "oh well, another dud trial-but at least I got a challenge done" I said over and over 😃
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Jesus christ, this is worrying. From the looks of your post this game is having a severe psychological impact, I beg you to stop playing it, its not good.
You guys need to learn when to stop before it becomes an addiction.
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Maybe I'm misunderstanding you so if I am, sorry but the Rift stresses you out, so then don't do them? Or just don't obsess over doing everything? I mean, holy ****, it's common sense if something stresses you out then you walk away from it. It's a game - most of us have grown up realizing we can't do everything in them, especially when we get older with other responsibilities. Your melodrama though...you are literally saying you might quit the game over the stupid Rift of all things.
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We want the rewards from them since the base game gives us so little. You know what 700,000 bloodpoints will get you to? Lvl 30 on one character, if even that. And that's taking into account how small the first couple of webs are.
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Rift is fine for veteran players who want new challenges to work for.
However, when you're still in that lower to middle bracket of players, the Rift can be way too grindy added into the current grind of Bloodwebs.
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You do know that you don't have to comment in every thread right? Especially when you don't have anything to say. Obviously everyone is aware that we aren't being forced to do rifts.
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I used to play almost every day for hours on end., but when battlepass showed up it took a lot of the fun out of game. The grind is ridiculously long compared to other games. I been playing less and less since it started. Recently took like 3 months away from game. The grind is way to long, the rewards aren't that great. How about putting free items in all those blank tiles. I'd be happy with a med pack. I rarely wear all these cosmetics and charms are the worst part of game. They just invented them to fill spots on rift.
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ok So I’m not the only one who feels like this rift was grindier than the previous ones. Previously, I would finish the rift about the same time I finished the tome 4 challenges. This time, i still had several levels left and each match seems to provide so little progress compared to before....
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I did the rift once. I got so burnt out after that one time I stopped playing the game for months. Almost 2 whole rifts passed before I got the energy to play again.
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The rift is messing with the game. People get so caught up in doing challenges that they forget that there's a match to play.
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OP's a guy who's suffering from FOMO but isn't desperate enough to open their wallet up and cash out. Just because you've a will of iron, doesn't mean everyone else have it.
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I jumped in and bought the rift immidiately because I foolishly anticipated the grind to match the previous one. I was mistaken. What this rift has taught me is that I won't be buying the next rift until I have finished Tome 5 and can see how much needs to be done by grind alone. At least then I can choose to play because I want the cosmetics, as opposed to playing to win my Auric Cells back.
I think you feel the pressure of the grind more if you have already commited your money to it.
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100% my man, the grind is rediculous and we all know why, they want you to pay for the end...which is not very consumer friendly.
This is why I answered on the recent survey that while the game is fun, it is absolutely not worth the time it is costing me right now.
Heck imagine, time is money, and im spending weeks now to finish a rift worth about 10 bucks now......
The rift grind needs to be radically reduced, many ways to do this as well, like for example if you have done every challenge a 5th bonus level opens with hard challenges to get to the end faster if you can manage it.
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That this would become an issue for some people was pointed out even before the first battlepass release, including suggestions how to prevent it (not closing the battlepass for people who bought it so everyone can finish it whenever they want for example).
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And that was my (extremely poorly worded) point.
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I personally feel like I've been playing a ton, more so than ever, and I'm only level 57. So yeah, the grind is real. Honestly about to just give up & it doesn't feel worth it to me anymore.
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I feel the same way
I'm kinda brunt from playing... mostly from the climb to rank 1 (never doing that again)
Also the game not innovating in a way that "jumps off the page" - so to speak
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I agree. He usually trying for the "vote up" comments when he had nothing to say. I also read that he never get exhausted on the ground while using dead hard and works fine for him when the discussion creator said that the perk doesn't work.
I guess he's the only one who beats latency and of course the better player.
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Yeah this one is insane. I thought the first one was a slog, but I've completed literally every challenge and afterward I was still at 61. I'm currently at 68; it's so painful. They shouldn't have decreased the amount of shards we get for challenges.
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It adds a repetitive grind to a game that normally is all about new experiences. That's dull and boring, and humans psychologically are usually inclined to dislike the minor reward for steep effort.
There are neurological reasons behind this stuff.
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