Time to give up on Hoyoverse?

 After my recent "fun" with Honkai: Star Rail and my trial of Honkai Impact, I've updated Genshin Impact and visited their new area, Natlan.

I found that I ended up in a battle I couldn't win.  I also couldn't leave.

I'm only at account level 42, although my main character is at level 70.  Genshin Impact developers apparently feel depressed over negative feedback.  I'm considering removing their games from my devices.

This isn't the first time they've put me in a situation that was impossible.  I'm sure with all the money they've made that they're constantly thinking about the money and not how it feels to play when you're not fully leveled up.  If I return in one year, maybe, it will be okay, similar to the Knights of Beauty mess that happened in Honkai: Star Rail.

I appreciate that they're working on ways to make it fresh.  It's always been a struggle to play.  Maybe, this will save me some disk space.

Update 2024.08.30: After I lost the battle a few times, they gave me the option to downgrade my World Level to 4.  I finished the battle successfully.

While I was avoiding being in a loop, I made some progress in the other account on a quest that was taking too long, which got me into another quest that will take too long.

There is a common theme to upgrade the other characters and I haven't had much luck getting the materials, due to battle problems.  Is this the outcome of not spending real money?  It probably hurts.  I still haven't seen Inazuma because I haven't completed some huge quests since I can't figure out the puzzles.  I've tried a couple of walkthroughs.

Natlan is agreeable and there seem to be fewer enemies, but I haven't got into the two specific World Quests.

Solo Leveling: Arise after three months

 I'm at character level 70 and Reputation level 36.  I started playing on May 8, 2024.

I have several SSR-ranked characters:

• Amamiya Mirei
• Meilin Fisher
• Yoo Soohyun
• Alicia Blanche
• Lee Bora
• Woo Jinchul
• Choi Jong-In
• Silver Mane Baek Yoonho
  

I have several SSR-ranked weapons for Sung Jinwoo:

• Moonshadow
• Vulcan's Rage
• Thetis' Grimoire
•  Demon King's Longsword
• Shadow Scythe
• The Huntsman
• Skadi
• Secured Marlin Surfboard
• Demonic Plum Flower Sword

and, more SSR-ranked weapons for Hunters:

• Overdrive Exclusive for Yoo Soohyun
• Sword of Light Exclusive for Cha Hae-In
  
• Bunny Bunbun Exclusive for Amamiya Mirei
• Howling White Tiger's Soul Exclusive for Silver Mane Baek Yoonho
• Ice Witch Exclusive for Alicia Blanche
• Hook, Line, and Sinker Exclusive for Meilin Fisher
• Another Level Exclusive for Woo Jinchul
• Unparalleled Bravery  Exclusive for Seo Jiwoo
• Sturdy Shark Water Gun
• What Never Was Exclusive for Lee Joohee

Building up to level 70 has been interesting.  I was surprised a few weeks back when the enemies were at level 85.  How do you defeat someone 20 levels above your characters?

I keep trying to get weapons to their maximum level, and on Sung Jinwoo's weapons, get the weapon's skills to their maximum level.  The main problem is a lack of credits and other resources.  Thetis' Grimoire and Vulcan's Rage are most used right now, but Shadow Scythe and Moonshadow are equally important, along with Demon King's Longsword.  I may still need SR-ranked weapons but with further drawings, more SSR-ranked weapons have arrived.

Getting the Hunters to their maximum is equally important, and equally dependent on resources.  Amamiya Mirei, Yoo Soohyun, and Lee Joohee are my top three at the moment.  I got a number of Lee Joeehee during drawing and therefore, she's very powerful for an SR-ranked character.  She's equipped with the Sturdy Shark Water Gun.  I recently became aware that I could craft an exclusive weapon for her, What Never Was, and I'm getting that up to level 60, but I'm not sure it will be as powerful as Sturdy Shark Water Gun with multiple levels of Advance.

At this level, certain gates are incredibly easy to finish and others seem impossible to finish.  An S-ranked red gate with bears are sometimes possible to finish, but not often.  One thing that was holding me back was that I had Semi-automatic engaged.  That works fine on a normal gate but not on a red gate.  As I've switched to manual, the system isn't fighting me.

I almost always do extra gates after the 15 keys are finished, if just for the weapon upgrade materials and credits.  I don't bother with gold gates at all.  Red gates come in handy occasionally, but as I've leveled higher, I don't see as much return for the effort, even with an SSS result.

Solo Leveling: Arise or Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail?

There are a lot of similarities in how things work.  The technical terms may be different, .e.g. Weapons vs Light Cones but they aren't so totally different.

Obviously, the open world of Genshin Impact is amazing.  Teyvat has a lot to see.  I still haven't seen that much, even though I'm at account level 42.  Honkai: Star Rail has some, limited movement, like an open world on rails.

Solo Leveling: Arise is very limiting at the moment.  Outside of each dungeon, there is no movement.  Even the lobby feels like a dungeon without combat.  Story mode is sometimes engaging, but I'm not sure I would put it on a level with the other two.

The work that went into all three of them is amazing.  The other two are more refined but had rough edges when they were new.  I'm sure that Solo Leveling: Arise will be amazingly smooth at some point.

The various battle modes are good, but it almost always feels repetitive.  There should be more venues, different magical beings, or something else that will surprise.  I'm not suggesting that they have a crossover, as they do with the mobile games but something a bit different would be interesting.

Update 2024.08.13: Reputation level is up to 37 and Character level is halfway to 71 now.  Little by little, everything will be up to maximum.  I've played several battle modes lately, but I can't be sure that there has been progress.  At times, the victories are so easy that I'm not sure that I was playing an S-ranked gate, until I get to a red S-ranked gate and I lose.

I continue to make comparisons with Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail because there are so many similarities.  Nothing works the same but increasing power certainly has similarities with a distinct difference or two.

One question: will Solo Leveling: Arise be around for its first anniversary?  It's moving so quickly, I wonder how it will continue.

Update 2024.08.15: Character level is 71 now.

Update 2024.08.17: Reputation level is up to 38.  Did a 10-ticket Custom Draw and got Phoenix Soul, which seems to be more powerful than Vulcan's Rage, which I've been using.

 

Update 2024.08.21: New codes available and I'm up to Reputation level 39 and Character level 72.

Update 2024.08.25: Character level is 73 and Army of Shadows is up to level 26.  Got Phoenix Soul to level 60, but don't have the Precision Design resource to level break.  I had several of them from the lower levels but can't seem to be lucky enough to get them during Dungeon Breaks.

I've noticed a problem with Dungeon Breaks and Undead Knight Eldhelm.  Sung Jinwoo can't move until attacked.  I haven't noticed a problem with the other bosses.

There seem to be loads of little things to do in the Happy 100th day area and in the Guild area.  The Guild boss is quite frustrating to fight but there are goodies to be had.

 

Reputation level 40 doesn't have any surprises.

Update 2024.08.26: I just slid through Chapters 15.5, 16, and 17.  Character level is now 74. I was working on the Side Chapter from Chapter 16 with Cha Hae-In and the demo version of her was not powerful enough.  Through the battle, the game was automatically switching back to her.  The first time through it, she was killed, so I had two of my own Hunters and they were doing okay, but no better.  With all three at the end, it ended poorly.

The trouble with Chapter 18 is that the battle at level 70 is probably going to be too much.  I haven't had much luck with level 70 battles so far but the battles at 60, 61, and 62 have gone pretty quickly.  Maybe, it could work out okay.

Also, have Sung Jinwoo up to Monarch of Shadows: Rebel Leader.  Now, Character level is 75.  There were 30 extra points for the job change and 5 more points for the Character level rise.  Battle Tier is also up, of course.

Update 2024.08.27: I've got Go Gunhee and Han Se-Mi, along with Emma Laurent.  I've also got the exclusive weapons for the first two.  I was splitting the crafting bits and finished the weapon for Han Se-Mi not long after I got her and then, one of the 100th day celebrations handed me a choice for either weapon.  I can still craft another weapon for Go Gunhee and get an Advance, since I have more than 50 crafting bits.

Also, I'd pretty much forgotten about the Challenge list.  I didn't have enough power to get far at the beginning.  Now, I'm trying to do it all at once.  I will be waiting for Character level 76 to finish the next item in the list, but there is a lot more to go.

Update 2024.08.30: Character level is 76 and Reputation level is 41.  Just got Seo Jiwoo and her weapon was already at level 51.  I've been attempting to complete the Guild Daily List every day, which seems considerable.  The Challenge List is up a couple of Chapters, with Custom Draw Tickets for each completed Chapter.

There are only three of us in the Guild, out of the 50 slots available.  The Guild is only at level 1 and 10% of the points to reach level 2.

Update 2024.09.04: Character level is 77 and Reputation level is 42.  The Summer promotion is almost finished but there are still some weapon fragments to use to craft weapons.

I keep finding bugs, so I hope they're getting them fixed, as well as adding new content.  The Power of Destruction doesn't seem to signal that there has been a second battle finished.  It's not showing up in the Guild List.  The Shop delays seem to be fewer.

They've come a long way in a short time, but to reach the success of Hoyoverse, they're going to need more.

Update 2024.09.07: Reputation level is up to 43.  Trying to hit all of the Challenges to catch up but there are many.  It's like cleaning.  You clean a little every day, it's not bad.  You wait for a week or two, and it's bad.  You wait longer and you need to call for a dumpster.  I think I'm in Challenges Chapter 11 right now.  It's moving pretty well and those 10 Custom Draw Tickets every time you complete a chapter are useful.

Update 2024.09.08: Character level is now 78.  That's only another 7 levels from maximum.  Isn't that strange that it's been about 4 months from level 0 to level 78?  100th Day celebrations are almost gone.  Will there be an update shortly?

Update 2024.09.09: I crafted new SSR-ranked weapons for Hunters.

• Night-Thoughts Exclusive for Emma Laurent
• Unstoppable Frenzy Exclusive for Kang Taeshik
• Intuition Exclusive for Park Heejin

They still have a long way to go before they're ready for battle since the levels are fairly low.  Night-Thoughts might be to level 60 in a day or so, but right now, equipping it drops Emma Laurent by about 8700 points.  It's going to need to be at level 80 before it's actually usable.  Unstoppable Frenzy was created a week or so ago and it's at level 27, which was better than the R-ranked weapon he had.  Intuition is still at level 1.

Quitting Black Clover mobile game after 8 months

Here I am halfway through account level 25, trying to figure out how to complete this blog entry about the game.  I guess thing I should be saying is that I'm tired of the frustration and will remove the game.

I haven't had much luck upgrading equipment, as the game will take gear at level 4 and waste 11 of 12 upgrade pieces.  Enchanting gear takes pieces that don't seem possible to find.  I've used the boxes of such pieces and they seem to give the same pieces I have every time.  This makes me feel that I will get the same result if I buy (with real money) the premium boxes.  I was lucky enough to enchant gear 1 time.

Black Clover (Clover being used in Japan and elsewhere for the card suit Club) is an anime that's been used as a basis for a mobile game.  I'd never seen anything of it until I'd downloaded the game.  Tower of God: New World is another game of similar circumstances that I'm playing.

Many of my characters are at level 15--maximum, several of those are LR.  I have some UR and SSR gear but it has barely got the four-player team to over 150,000.

I read someone's experience of using the original beta test game and that it was possible to finish the story in a week.  I looked at the chapters as I finished chapter 4 and there were a total of 10 chapters.  Maybe, it's possible to go more quickly if you spend money.  I haven't.  I also get the feeling that since he had an early version there was less to finish.

Now, the problem I'm seeing is that my characters are under-powered compared to the enemies in chapter 5.  So far, they've been victorious but the difference in power has been about 5000 and suddenly, it's 10,000. More recently, against the final underwater mage, I'm about 5000 over the requirement and still can't win.

How to organize

If I remember correctly, I started with Asta and Yuno.  Then, they give you a few other characters and if you're lucky, you will get an SSR level of character.  I was using Nebra Silva (SR) and Charlotte Roselei (SSR) as the other two on my team.

Right now, Asta and Yuno are both at LR level.  I'm also using William Vangeance (SSR to LR), Fuegoleon Vermillion (SSR to LR), and Charlotte Roselei (SSR to LR) on my team with Asta.  I've switched things around a bit for the task.

I also got Rades Spirito, Vetto, Sally, and (Costume Party) Charmy Pappitson starting out as SSR.  I have many SR characters and too many R characters.  I've been trying to bind the personal (those that have the same character) skill pages to the correct characters but everything is so tiny, it's difficult to see, especially with so many Silva family characters.

With an overload of those skill pages, you can enhance them to 5 levels.  (This is like Light Cones in Honkai: Star Rail or Weapons in Genshin Impact.)  Then, I found that I could bundle those that were extra, through Inventory, and Sell them.  My first thought was "What if no one wants to buy them?" and that's not a problem.  They're not up for anyone else to buy.

Around 1 a.m. Pacific Time (PST), a new day starts for the game.  I'm not sure why.  I've got three games from one Korean publisher and two change days at 4 p.m. and the other at 9 p.m.  Regardless, pick up the free items, summon once for free, and collect Asta's income.

From what I can tell, if you can find enough SR mage pieces, you can upgrade your SR characters to SSR once they reach Bond level 1.  You can upgrade them again, to UR, at Bond level 6, and to LR at Bond level 10.  Even if you don't have any SSR characters, you can end up with high ranking characters.  You can tell the characters original ranking by the color of the label in the character list because it doesn't change.  Finding the mage pieces is not easy, although some show up as you reach higher Bond Levels.  Since four are necessary for one character, you must choose carefully which character will ascend to the top.

 How to increase power

I've been using Normal Challenges to elevate my characters' power, specifically Evergreen Forest and Bond Patrol.  At the top, I've got one character at Bond Level 13 and three others at Bond Level 10.  They're all LR characters now.

I've been switching back and forth with the lower level characters to fight in Evergreen Forest for potions in order to raise their Bond Level, since they're not powerful enough for Bond Patrol yet.  If you use those Clear Tickets you've been getting for free, you can zoom through the level again and again.

My account level is Rank 17 and I've just (2024.03.07) completed Chapter 4.  It feels as though I've just begun to make progress.  It's 2024.03.12 and I'm at Rank 21, a few steps into Chapter 5.  It's 2024.08.08 and I'm now halfway through account level 25, as it's been for months.

I've got to believe that I would have gone further and faster if I had concentrated on raising the Bond Level more quickly for more carefully chosen characters.  I wasted gold on combining R characters, but fully equipped, they're no match, until you turn them into SSR or higher rank, if that is even possible.

I have made progress with characters but no matter, I'm stuck.  It's better than I quit now.  The frustration is so much, and I have many other games (without much frustration) that make more sense to play.