Nova [1570883] —
Original article
For as long as I have played Torn, chaining has been an integral part of the experience. It was as important to the very first players as it is to those who battle today. For anyone who might not be aware, chaining is a feature which allows warring factions to gain respect when their members perform repeated attacks within a certain timeframe, which can later be used to purchase specials to help enhance gameplay for their members. The specifics of the system can be read about here, but first, you may want to find out why chaining is so crucial in Torn City.
Factions are and always have been a major part of gameplay in Torn; from building a small Faction with a couple of friends to being a part of one of the largest and battling it out in the Hall of Fame, Faction gameplay will have influenced your Torn experience in some way or another. Therefore, with chaining being the main function of Faction gameplay, any changes made were always likely to be scrutinised by the majority of Torn's citizens.
After being alluded to in the Autumn newsletter, then announced by Chedburn to be released in October 2017, but then delayed, chaining 2.0 was finally released on the 10th November 2017. Factions of various sizes immediately set to unlocking the chaining branch (part of the Faction upgrade tree core) as fast as possible, only to be disheartened by the seemingly low respect gains and an initial maximum chain count of 100.
However, this was quickly remedied as on 14th November 2017, Chedburn increased the maximum chain count to 1,000. This increase allowed Factions to test out the new warring system properly and to get a flavour of what it was all about. Over the coming days, multiple threads were created in the Bugs & Issues forum, outlining flaws and potential improvements, which was to be expected considering the magnitude of the update and impact it had on many Torn players.
Commendably, Chedburn in turn replied to all of these threads and implemented many of the changes suggested by the players. One notable example of player feedback in action was the adjustment of chaining multipliers to increase the amount of respect gained by Factions for their efforts.
Under the amended system, Factions can achieve a chain of up to 10,000 and the details of every 1,000+ chain can be viewed in this thread created by HippoHugger. The Faction Chains Record, which is updated with help from other players, provides a list of the Factions which have achieved certain milestones. If you want to see who has hit each of the various chain lengths, gained the most respect from each chain length, and those who have chained in the shortest amount of time, this is the place to find out.
If you are still struggling to understand how the new chaining system works, I would recommend you read the useful guide written by Proxima, which can be found here. Amongst other things, Proxima's thread states the various multipliers which improve the respect gained from individual attacks, and it also outlines a method of maximising the bonus hits within a chain.
[Pictured: List of chain multipliers]
At the time this article was written, the new chaining system had been released for exactly two months. Having carried out multiple chains of every length available with my Faction, Milk & Cookies, I believe that I am in a prime position to evaluate the new system and would like to share my feedback with the rest of the community. Also, having spoken to many other Faction leaders on the subject, I feel my account accurately reflects the opinion of the community.
Firstly, drawing comparison with the old chain system, there are three main differences; chain length, bonus hits and chain cooldown. Previously, Factions would repeatedly carry out chains of 100 in length, but now Factions opt to carry out chains of the greatest length possible, which at the moment is 10,000, but in time I believe will be 100,000.
This difference has come about due to the second main difference between the two systems; that on the old system bonuses were only located between 10 & 100, whereas they now range from 10 to 100,000. In the past, this meant that once respect per hit was calculated it was more efficient to only carry out chains of length 100, whereas on the new system respect per hit increases with chain length.
The other difference in bonus hits despite their placement is that on the old system bonuses had a fixed value determined by the number of hits made in the chain. On the new system, the bonus hit value is dictated by the multipliers pictured above. And with regards to the chain cooldown, on the old system, this once had a fixed value of 5 minutes; today, this figure is now relative to the number of hits made in the chain and can range from a few seconds to several hours.
As for the advantages of the new system, I believe that chains of over 500 in length yield greater respect per hit than they did under the old system, provided the bonus hits are carried out according to Proxima's guide. Also, Chedburn has eradicated the problem of 'filler Factions' being used when chaining, by removing warbases and allowing attacks made by Faction members on any Torn citizen to count towards the chain.
This had come as a blessing to smaller Factions, whose members no longer have to see a white screen 24/7. Additionally, the removal of the warbase limits the targets of a Faction to 500. This amendment has massively sped up chains and on the whole made it far easier for everyone to chain, regardless of level or battle stats, because everyone can beat someone.
Another advantage which comes to mind is the removal of the requirement that hospitalisation must be inflicted for attacks to contribute to a chain. Instead, any form of attack now counts, and this provides additional benefit to the players taking part. While chaining will often be the primary goal, players are now free to pursue other objectives simultaneously, such as mugging or gaining level experience, while still achieving respect for their respective Factions.
However, it seems there are still many disadvantages within the new system which need to be addressed. My primary concern is the way in which bonus hits have to be carried out in order to achieve the maximum respect. In my opinion and the opinion of many others, this system is widely over complicated and far too detrimental to the chain if not carried out most efficiently.
[Pictured: MarlonBrando trying to work out how to hit a bonus]
In simpler terms, the fate of a chain of over 10,000+ in length comes down to eight hits. This is currently my main issue with the new system and one that needs to be addressed before competitive warring is released. Additionally, although Chedburn may have attempted to discourage the use of filler Factions, the problem remains since players have now turned to battering level targets (high level players with low battle stats), many of whom have quit the game since the launch of this new system.
[Pictured: Tear collection from the level targets in Torn, realising their poor life choices]
Another unforeseen consequence of the new system is the huge increase in the average level of Torn citizens. Thanks to the improved opportunities to gain level experience from chaining, the average level of Torn citizens has been massively inflated - in the two months since the system was released, the number of level 100s has almost doubled.
Finally, although I have not experienced this problem myself, I can sympathise with the small Factions who have been rendered virtually unable to chain due to the dismal respect gains from low length chains. This is another issue which I hope is addressed, but overall, I have mixed opinions about the new chaining system.
Chaining 2.0 definitely has its merits, but it also has an awful lot of flaws which need to be seen to. I feel that the present system is far more focused towards larger Factions, which is a shame, because many smaller Factions who were managing to gain respect at a respectable rate on the old system have now been crippled. I will reserve judgement for now until the competitive warring system is released, but while I believe this new system has great potential, there remain a number of flaws which must be addressed beforehand.
Factions are and always have been a major part of gameplay in Torn; from building a small Faction with a couple of friends to being a part of one of the largest and battling it out in the Hall of Fame, Faction gameplay will have influenced your Torn experience in some way or another. Therefore, with chaining being the main function of Faction gameplay, any changes made were always likely to be scrutinised by the majority of Torn's citizens.
After being alluded to in the Autumn newsletter, then announced by Chedburn to be released in October 2017, but then delayed, chaining 2.0 was finally released on the 10th November 2017. Factions of various sizes immediately set to unlocking the chaining branch (part of the Faction upgrade tree core) as fast as possible, only to be disheartened by the seemingly low respect gains and an initial maximum chain count of 100.
However, this was quickly remedied as on 14th November 2017, Chedburn increased the maximum chain count to 1,000. This increase allowed Factions to test out the new warring system properly and to get a flavour of what it was all about. Over the coming days, multiple threads were created in the Bugs & Issues forum, outlining flaws and potential improvements, which was to be expected considering the magnitude of the update and impact it had on many Torn players.
Commendably, Chedburn in turn replied to all of these threads and implemented many of the changes suggested by the players. One notable example of player feedback in action was the adjustment of chaining multipliers to increase the amount of respect gained by Factions for their efforts.
Under the amended system, Factions can achieve a chain of up to 10,000 and the details of every 1,000+ chain can be viewed in this thread created by HippoHugger. The Faction Chains Record, which is updated with help from other players, provides a list of the Factions which have achieved certain milestones. If you want to see who has hit each of the various chain lengths, gained the most respect from each chain length, and those who have chained in the shortest amount of time, this is the place to find out.
If you are still struggling to understand how the new chaining system works, I would recommend you read the useful guide written by Proxima, which can be found here. Amongst other things, Proxima's thread states the various multipliers which improve the respect gained from individual attacks, and it also outlines a method of maximising the bonus hits within a chain.
[Pictured: List of chain multipliers]
At the time this article was written, the new chaining system had been released for exactly two months. Having carried out multiple chains of every length available with my Faction, Milk & Cookies, I believe that I am in a prime position to evaluate the new system and would like to share my feedback with the rest of the community. Also, having spoken to many other Faction leaders on the subject, I feel my account accurately reflects the opinion of the community.
Firstly, drawing comparison with the old chain system, there are three main differences; chain length, bonus hits and chain cooldown. Previously, Factions would repeatedly carry out chains of 100 in length, but now Factions opt to carry out chains of the greatest length possible, which at the moment is 10,000, but in time I believe will be 100,000.
This difference has come about due to the second main difference between the two systems; that on the old system bonuses were only located between 10 & 100, whereas they now range from 10 to 100,000. In the past, this meant that once respect per hit was calculated it was more efficient to only carry out chains of length 100, whereas on the new system respect per hit increases with chain length.
The other difference in bonus hits despite their placement is that on the old system bonuses had a fixed value determined by the number of hits made in the chain. On the new system, the bonus hit value is dictated by the multipliers pictured above. And with regards to the chain cooldown, on the old system, this once had a fixed value of 5 minutes; today, this figure is now relative to the number of hits made in the chain and can range from a few seconds to several hours.
As for the advantages of the new system, I believe that chains of over 500 in length yield greater respect per hit than they did under the old system, provided the bonus hits are carried out according to Proxima's guide. Also, Chedburn has eradicated the problem of 'filler Factions' being used when chaining, by removing warbases and allowing attacks made by Faction members on any Torn citizen to count towards the chain.
This had come as a blessing to smaller Factions, whose members no longer have to see a white screen 24/7. Additionally, the removal of the warbase limits the targets of a Faction to 500. This amendment has massively sped up chains and on the whole made it far easier for everyone to chain, regardless of level or battle stats, because everyone can beat someone.
Another advantage which comes to mind is the removal of the requirement that hospitalisation must be inflicted for attacks to contribute to a chain. Instead, any form of attack now counts, and this provides additional benefit to the players taking part. While chaining will often be the primary goal, players are now free to pursue other objectives simultaneously, such as mugging or gaining level experience, while still achieving respect for their respective Factions.
However, it seems there are still many disadvantages within the new system which need to be addressed. My primary concern is the way in which bonus hits have to be carried out in order to achieve the maximum respect. In my opinion and the opinion of many others, this system is widely over complicated and far too detrimental to the chain if not carried out most efficiently.
[Pictured: MarlonBrando trying to work out how to hit a bonus]
In simpler terms, the fate of a chain of over 10,000+ in length comes down to eight hits. This is currently my main issue with the new system and one that needs to be addressed before competitive warring is released. Additionally, although Chedburn may have attempted to discourage the use of filler Factions, the problem remains since players have now turned to battering level targets (high level players with low battle stats), many of whom have quit the game since the launch of this new system.
[Pictured: Tear collection from the level targets in Torn, realising their poor life choices]
Another unforeseen consequence of the new system is the huge increase in the average level of Torn citizens. Thanks to the improved opportunities to gain level experience from chaining, the average level of Torn citizens has been massively inflated - in the two months since the system was released, the number of level 100s has almost doubled.
Finally, although I have not experienced this problem myself, I can sympathise with the small Factions who have been rendered virtually unable to chain due to the dismal respect gains from low length chains. This is another issue which I hope is addressed, but overall, I have mixed opinions about the new chaining system.
Chaining 2.0 definitely has its merits, but it also has an awful lot of flaws which need to be seen to. I feel that the present system is far more focused towards larger Factions, which is a shame, because many smaller Factions who were managing to gain respect at a respectable rate on the old system have now been crippled. I will reserve judgement for now until the competitive warring system is released, but while I believe this new system has great potential, there remain a number of flaws which must be addressed beforehand.
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