Dedicated longtime player at a crossroads: What would you do?

Conan Exiles General Discussion Feedback
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Hello everyone,

It’s been a while since I’ve posted something longer, but after today, I feel disheartened and conflicted. This will be a bit long, but I’d appreciate it if some of you could take the time to read and share your thoughts.

First of all, let me explain why I came to this point. I’ve been playing on multiple servers, last few months PvP ones. I’ve been chosing abandoned quiet servers on purpose, so I get any chance to build stuff and create some values, but no matter what, trouble always found me (and other “normal” players as well).

It’s like I never learn with Conan Exiles online dynamics, and I’ve been playing it since 2017. It is neverending vicious circle of griefing which always finds it’s way to ruin the game experience for other people. Imagine building stuff for a weeks, amassing materials, items, pets, thralls, and this all just until one experienced griefer/cheaters steps in because of boredom and manages to destroy everything on that server IN ONE EVENING. Do you get me? Only one evening for one single person with various cheats and styles which are all but legit, and with only one aim: To destroy everything and to make people feel bad for losing their progress.

This person who did this on one of the official PvP servers I play on logged in few minutes after 6 PM and logged out before 11 PM, leaving destroyed server behind him. He destroyed beds, killed pets and harmless thralls, looted everything (even stuff he didn’t need), destroyed beautifully decorated maproom posts for all people around the whole map, and then just fracked off. In global chat people were agreeing on his speedhacks - one clan tried to fight him from start, but then they all ragequit, because he was not even reacting in chat. He was just destroying and killing everything in the most malicious way.

How is it even possible that in this game it’s so much easier to destroy than to build? How come it’s that easy to override the stuff in admin mode, so every bored snot kid can come anywhere and create chaos via exploiting? I can’t see where the balance is, even without cheating. Yep, you could tell me maybe to go play PvE or PvE-C. Well, let me say that I am also playing those modes. But are these safe for real, taking into account what was happening few weeks ago…?

PvP just has it’s thrill and many longtime players will agree, that playing offline or playing only one mode gets boring. So people want to try new things, in some naive idea the game experience will be fair with some challenges. But at this point, CE officials are everything but fair experience.

I bet you maybe think: How about private servers? While these servers are an option, I’ve struggled to find one that fits my playstyle. This is why:

  1. You can never know when the admin gets bored and shuts it down, because it did not met his expectations
  2. No drop on death trend, applauded by players who apparently like no challenge in the game
  3. Starter kits for noobs - what the actual heck? The game has it’s point in the need to get everything yourself. Such “generosities” drive me crazy and takes many thrilling aspects from the game experience from me
  4. Too talkative community or admin, who bug you all the time with their friendly questions or suggestions, I find that extremely unnerving as a solo player
  5. Adding nonsencial and cringy mods to the servers, in the idea “the more the better!”

Then there is offline singleplayer. Yeah, I’ve been doing that for a first year in this game. I hate the fact I can open admin mode and cheat everything in. I hate the fact that if I don’t adjust my crafting speed, nothing will finish until morning, unless I leave my PC heating up, so my mats are crafting. I hate the idea of paying even more for my own dedicated server to avoid these crafting speed problems.

I really feel weary. It’s not about losing some stuff to today’s griefer, as I said, I havy many more on another servers. But it’s just a matter of time until I lose stuff on another server just like this. It’s vicious circle and I am really thinking about moving on, because the terms, flaws and griefer possibilities in this game are ruining the experience for me (and I bet not only for me).

What are your opinions? There must be some kind of way outta here… I’m really at a crossroads and considering my options: Whether to stick with official servers, try private servers again, or even shift to offline play. Has anyone else faced similar frustrations and found a solution that worked for them?

I would appreciate opinions of these people, of whom I can recall now: @Kikigirl, @Cauthey, @stelagel and even others (tried to post way more, but 3 people is max :frowning:)

Thank you guys in advance! :heart:

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I’d suggest Singleplayer offline mode and use a bit of willpower to not press the ‘Make me Admin’ button. Build a watchtower or two as well😋 You can configure it to your liking - no starter kits, no eyesore low effort boxes ruining your view, no uninvited guests logging out in your fortress etc

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I always had the feeling that playing on a multiplayer server, regardless if it was Official or private, should have some permanence. But this is an opinion rather than a fact.

I think of the idea of “fair”. I think I should be able to build a nice base, amass my army, pets and materials, and be ready to face whatever enemies I engage with or come my way. If I lose, I made a mistake. If I win, I made the right choices or was lucky.

PVP has changed a lot over the years. It’s bred into the community that offline raiding is normal, the game has evolved to be too easy, the loot table is highly jacked (you can get DP from Al-M, Warmakers or many of the world bosses), report wars devastating the diversity of the player base and cheating has taken centerpoint.

It’s also become incredibly fluid and information is easily obtained, barring cheaters, there’s many ways to erm, skin a cat - or playstyles if you will. As such, I can also jump on any Official and do as this person did, without cheating, simply with time. I know too much about how the game works (both in experience but how people do things they shouldn’t) and how players behave. Almost every meta build spot, hidey hole, crack and behavior is known. But I run into that pesky thing, morals.

I have been on a PVP Official since AoH dropped and not been raided yet. This is a feat honestly, I am surprised. It is telling of the server I chose. I have seen some cheating but those cheaters are too busy on the most popular servers to care so much about this underpopulated space. I’ve come to the acceptance that even if I lose everything it’s an “oh well” thing, maybe I’ll throw up my hands. I’ll decide then if I move on. If I rebuild. Or, be a righteous PITA.

Being a solo is tough no matter what you do. IMHO to be somewhat safe is in evasion and death by a thousand cuts; drop points, chest stashes, decoy bases, watching behaviors and logins, rotating hidey holes, and being ruthless. Even building in the most easy of found places out in the open with no protection if you can imagine. This type of playstyle is one I’ve noticed only the very careless can do. Careless in that they do not hold any value on their time, efforts or pixels. It’s not for everyone and not even for me. I’ve done it.

So instead I usually find more enjoyment in numbers, it tends to be about 4-6 clan members. A full 10 with rotation is a lot to handle and draws some pretty toxic attention. Even finding active clan members is a challenge… most of my friends have left the game or scattered. I want a pretty base. I like to decorate lightly and outfit my thralls. I should be able to enjoy that AND PVP, you’d think right? I’ve realized that is a dream even against normal, fair, players.

To find every base, every bed, chest: an excellent scout needs time, some good production and patience. A cheater needs barely a night. To find those cheaters? You’re lucky if they’re above the mesh and/or didn’t BV.

I am with you about private servers. The private server community is incredibly diverse and rich, so many wonderful individuals that facilitate their spaces and for many good reasons. But I cannot for the life of me find the experience I prefer or expect and that isn’t their fault. So I just don’t bother because I am tired of looking. At least I know what to expect on Officials.

I can’t say there’s much else you can really do except a changing of perspective if you remain.

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I like the private servers but like you said you run the risk of it being shut down. Another drawback is the active admin with a clan of friends. Doesn’t end well. Jealousy is an ugly thing. Take a break and broaden your horizons. If you can, buy yourself a new experience for Christmas. Lots to choose from, I recommend Witcher 3 and both expansions or Fallout New Vegas. Considering current state of this cluster-f@#& of a game I think we all deserve a vacation from the bracelet that we wear.

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@Archivist Not sure what else to add, Kikigirl summed it up pretty well, plus you already know what you can expect from this game and official servers.

Regarding the private server stuff… :man_shrugging: Since you’re also fine with PvE, I do have a modest and mainly empty one that’s hosted in the UK, you’re welcome to join that if you want as long as the ping is acceptable (no idea where you play from). Up to you.

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@Archivist - I definitely feel you on many of your points.

And of course, my friend @Kikigirl makes loads of terrific points. She and I are almost completely on the same page with respect to CE play and experiences. At least I seem to think so.

I attribute much of the problem to how easy it is to obtain ungodly vast amounts of dragon powder.

When the game first launched, I recall how SLOW collecting materials was. x1 makes everything feel expensive. And the first time I was raided - everything was gone. Carelessly “scooped out.” All my IRL friends bailed. They complained that the game was far too grindy then. And it was too easy to lose everything.

Still - I could not bear the cost of moving to PvE. For me, most of the fun and the thrill is the risk of losing things. I could never completely wrap my head around the idea for PvE. What happens when you have a dispute with your neighbor? First to punish the other with block spam wins? I simply do not comprehend this game when you cannot punish your neighbors or enemies with a few well placed explosive jars. Like - why even have dragon powder in the game if you aren’t going to use it to blow people up?

So - I keep playing PvP. The truth is I am not a very good PvP’er. I’m maybe a 5 or a 6 on a scale of 1-10. But I do make a decent bomber and bagman. So, PvP play for me continues.

I thought I found my people on an RP server. But much like ANY private server - these communities are often rife with clichés, friends of admin, and admin abuse. Hell - one RP server even banned me for another player’s actions. And gaslit me in their global announcements for “undermining” the server staff. :rofl:

I have a hard time finding a happy medium. So I end up bouncing about to find something that suits me. Usually lower population servers. Usually far away from toxic types, sweaty types, or cheater/exploiter types.

I do enjoy the stuff I build and create, and the raids I conduct and defend. I definitely have plenty of enjoyable and memorable moments. But in Conan Exiles - one must remember that EVERYTHING is fleeting. And you must find a way to make peace with that. And restart in the Stone Age. Either on the same server ur on. Or on a new server.

Find your fun. Play the game you want to play. If it’s not your jam - you should change it up or find something a little different. Cause your downtime and game time should be pleasant and enjoyable. If it is not - then you might be doing it wrong.

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One last thought…

I think that survival games and player versus player games sometimes bring out the worst in people. I don’t exactly know why. Maybe because the abused can escape RL for a moment, and can instead be the abuser. That, of course, makes me sad.

So many times I have faced shit-talkers in /global. I try to tell them that I have no ego to stroke, and I don’t take trash talk bait. No matter what I say - often they must keep spewing their toxic garbage. So I simply ignore. Or I bomb the ever loving mess out of them until they stop. Or - I despawn everything and move on.

I wish that Conan Exiles did not draw the kind of players with so much negativity. But - it do.

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I’ve played Single-Player exclusively for seven years. I think the only time I’ve admin-cheated anything was when I killed the Bloon-Moon beast repeatedly for a challenge and it failed to trigger, so I admin-spawned all variants to test if one of the variants would trigger it, and discovered it was not the one actually depicted in the challenge window…

The crafting speed adjustment exists to compensate for the fact that the SP “server” isn’t running 24/7, so I don’t see any problem there. Of course, your experience may be different.

Having your own private server would solve the issues you have with private servers owned by other people, but of course, that will cost you some extra, and you still end up struggling with the temptation to admin-cheat your way through.

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That tracks.
This one has experienced grief-a-palooza as the general way of things on official PvP.
Mind you, this one has learned to stop worrying and love the bomb in this regard. But then there is the issue of what to do when there isn’t a griefer to grief…
Innocent, or even innocent adjacent victims just offer no allure.

The issues with crafting in single player are likewise somewhat vexing/amusing.

Persistent private servers are also a thing. Your concerns are understandable.
Sadly, as this one is on PStato, this one has no useful leads there.

Perhaps a good long sit down to ask what it is you specifically want out of your game experience is in order. It’s easy to pick apart what we don’t like, but what do you actually want? This may not be available and may require a personal server… or hunting a private server with very specific settings.

Good luck?

But seriously, before you can find what you are looking forward, be certain what that is. That can at least narrow the search.

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I see 2 different problems, but since the receiver is the same, i can see the connection.
My dear friend you already understand that the form of this mode was not fixed for solo domination. It will never be unless they decide to give this option to the game.
But this won’t change the fact that cheaters will always exist to online games.
Although i understand the thrill that this mode is giving to the player, it’s just doesn’t worth it.

Why the heck do you think i try to do challenges on single player :rofl:?

Is it safe on single player?
No! (i believe that i don’t need to explain why single player is not safe)

But at least the performance is outstanding.

If you don’t wish to use admin panel, then play single player on twitch, as i do. Knowing that someone is watching it gives you a good reason not to use admin panel and guess what? You make new friends too.
It’s a bit annoying that you’ll getting messages from people who wish to fix you a proper Chanel when you don’t really wish to do a Chanel, but all you wish is to play the game and answer questions about it. I don’t use mic, and i don’t pay a single dime on twitch, i do it completely for free.
Trust me you’ll love it sister and the thrill you’re looking for is out there waiting for you. If you reach your goal, use the keystone and create another challenge.
Count me in to any of your challenge, i am here to provide all my experience for you to enjoy your gaming session.

Pvp? No, this game has no pvp… sorry!

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People often conflate two distinct issues: community problems and game problems. While one can influence the other—especially through developer or admin choices—they remain fundamentally separate challenges.

Server Infrastructure and Moderation
Funcom relies on GPortal for server hosting, likely through a partnership. GPortal is neither the best nor cheapest option, and anyone familiar with their servers knows the equipment is subpar. Many of their “national servers” are just VPN-routed from cheaper locations. This setup creates inherent limitations.
Voluntary moderation further complicates the issue. While some enjoy administrating servers, holding admins accountable requires professional agreements and compensation. History, like the problems faced in MSNChat, shows the dangers of relying on unpaid moderation in large communities. Even with paid, full-time moderators on official servers, griefing would persist. As mentioned earlier, griefing stems from community behavior, not from the game, server infrastructure, or moderation itself.

Human Nature and Public Servers
The reality of human nature cannot be ignored. Free public servers often face griefing because they attract a diverse player base, including those who exploit weaknesses for amusement. Games like World of Warcraft illustrate this issue: even procedurally moderated, paid servers experience griefing on scales that smaller games like Conan Exiles haven’t seen, due to sheer player volume and exposure.
This is why tight, rule-heavy private servers exist. As a mod creator, I’ve frequently been asked to implement systems like per-player build limits and restricted base locations to preemptively control griefing without constant admin oversight. Even small public servers with under 10 regular players can suddenly see 20 griefers join in a single day just to disrupt gameplay. That’s not on the game or developer—that’s human nature.
Understanding this truth is key: expecting to find a perfect “grief-free” community is unrealistic. The same behaviors that bother you might be enjoyable for others. EVE Online is a prime example of a game where conflict-driven players thrive.

Game Design and Manufactured Conflict
Many PvP games struggle because they artificially manufacture conflict, leading to oversimplified systems. Developers face challenges like:

  1. New Player Impact: If new players can’t challenge veterans, they’ll complain about “balance” and “unfairness.”
  2. NPC Challenge: Making NPCs strong enough to counter players can frustrate solo gamers, who will flood forums with complaints.
  3. Skill and Strategy Barriers: If organization and systematic play prevent mindless bashing, casual players will complain.
  4. Misguided Marketing: Consultants often push for mass appeal, alienating those seeking a deeper, community-driven experience.

The Business Reality
Interestingly, games that focus on “fewer players, more revenue” models have been increasingly successful. By offering tailored services to a dedicated, higher-spending player base—one less inclined to thrive on others’ misery—these games generate greater revenue. Unfortunately, marketing teams often prioritize “YouTuber-style gamers” who are more interested in controversy and engagement than the actual game.
If marketing focused on fostering harmonious, gameplay-driven communities, developers could cater to a smaller, wealthier audience willing to invest in meaningful experiences. Tencent seems aware of this trend, yet Funcom appears free to ignore it.
Ultimately, balancing game design, human behavior, and business priorities is no small feat. However, understanding the difference between community problems and game issues is a critical first step.

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I played official pvp twice. The first time I played on an empty server. The second time, I chose the most full server.
I was very happy on my second playthrough. It was enjoyable. I was among real pvp players.

Cheaters ruined all my enjoyment of the game. There are 30 players online. Not any of them. Only the trickster broke me.

Pvp players were always ignoring me :slight_smile: I actually settled on the middle river and made a last level base. No real pvp players bothered me. Even my neighbor was very kind.

One day, even though there was no hole in my base, someone broke the tables inside and killed me.
When you encounter this for the first time, you lose all enthusiasm. and you face the truth.
If there were no cheats, I would play on the most active official server again.

The biggest factor in the death of PVP is cheating.

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Breaking into someone’s base is not “cheating”.

If you play a few hours uninterrupted based on regular settings, you are pretty much able to make your way into a player’s base that is not made very impregnable by “days” worth of gameplay.

That is the problem I think OP has outlined: The game makes it much easier to break in than to prevent break ins.

And that assuming you are starting to play in the particular server, but you have played the game for some hundreds of hours solo or private server, and know what you are doing from day 1.

If you are still learning, you might not have an impregnable base even if you think you do. You have to know the different HP of building pieces, the structural stuff.

For example, if you have the most sturdy building pieces you might be able to produce, like the less “expensive” walls and ceilings, but you have one still weaker foundations at certain points, a relative “new player” can make a hole in your base by target that specific point.

Even if your base is sturdy, if the player knows the structural schema for the buildings, they can target specific places and destroy a few pieces to put a whole side of your base down.

A lot of the “chearing” people claim happens are on those grounds (pun intended).

that is why most people in pvp covet certain places, like the Southeast desert edge in which a very secluded and natural wall hidden place allows you to bunker down almost “100%” safe from “newcomers”.

The hole in the Savana northern edge. The hole in the savana southeast. The edge of the forest moss covered mesa, the cave beside the glacier east of the aqueduct, among other places I know, and some more I might not, are places you wont see much “cheating”, because to break in there, you need to REALLY know what you doing if the people building there know what THEY are doing.

However what OP seems to imply still stands: The game also facilitates the work of people destroying stuff and make it harder to build stuff that stands it. You need much more playtime to be able to build something a much newer player can destroy.

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I recommend getting your own private server. Then, set and maintain standards/rules for players. Set a password for your server. Only play with people you know. Never allow unknown people to join without an application or review process. Nobody that I have known for less than 1 year plays on our server.

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I believe that it is good that it’s so easy to destroy.
It should be easy,
and there should be the Purge which always comes (like the worm on Arrakis :wink: )

Simply to keep things busy and interesting.
But instead we have dead servers with huge server breaking bases all around.
You want to build castles - go play solo mode.
PvP should be dynamic, and even when there is no PvP the Purge should come and tidy up the server.

As for cheaters, you see the cheater, you switch on your own cheats and ruin his day. These people are looking for an easy target.

What stops you guys from setting up a discord server for cheater hunters?
Someone shouts - there is a cheater on XXXX.
The squad enables their own hacks and goes to XXXX to hunt… This is how this was done back in my days… but then I took an arrow in the knee.

And sometimes you just don’t have to time to game anymore because life… and nothing is going to work for you.

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Maybe some of us would rather play Conan Exiles than Whack-a-Hacker?

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Honestly, after all the hours I put into this game, official pve-c is my cozy home, but rather more for the reason of it being a chatroom to fool around and build on the side.
I totally feel your sentiment and had my fair share of griefing in the last weeks, that made me question, if I finally should move on to something else.

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I’d question if you’re over the hill and you know it by the responses around you.

I just got rid of my pre-2023 games and non-vr games. Licensing already established money is the trend. I mean the fiat choice. Like an added value put onto the market rate.

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the what now?

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:rofl:

Good luck!

:popcorn:

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