Support Request Is Still a Widely Ignored Feature in The First Descendant, The Players Debate Why

Of all the new features, some are way underutilized. One just like that is the Support Request, and The First Descendant players debate on why it is widely ignored.

Support Request can still be considered a newer feature. The initial idea is for it to serve as an “SOS beacon”, for when you need help during a mission. You can check what and how many Support Requests there are when you visit Eckert in Albion (the creepy one, with question marks for eyes). There is even an Achievement in your Journal, where you get a reward for answering 500 Support Requests. Unfortunately, it seems that practically no one is using this feature, and the fans debate on why.

Why Is the Support Request Feature Still Ignored in The First Descendant?

In a recent discussion on Reddit, one player stated that the Support Request Achievement is almost impossible, due to players simply not using the feature (and you need to answer 500 of them).

For starters, this feature is still unknown to a lot of players. It flew under the radar when it was added (there was more important stuff to talk about at that time), and the newer players, who are arguably the target audience for this feature, don’t even know it exists or how it works. “New players have no idea they can request help so easily, the game simply never tells them it is an option they can use,“ said inquizit0r.

But the main issue is simply the nature of the game and the way Support Requests are designed. First off, TFD is too fast-paced that you either blaze through everything or don’t even bother. You rarely have the thought of requesting assistance during a mission. Furthermore, it can only be done on a public, open-world server. Lastly, even if you do manage to call for support, the “ticket” lasts for only two minutes, so you are basically hoping that someone is actively looking for Support at that time. “I’ve checked this multiple times every day since it’s been out and have never seen a request,” said another player.

It is believed that if they made the whole “calling for aid” mechanics more natural and interactive, like dropping an SOS Beacon in Helldivers 2, or shooting an SOS Flare in Monster Hunter, more players would do it. As it stands, it is located in a menu that is rarely opened (except for exiting the game).

On the positive side, when you lose a life during a mission, you will get a popup asking you whether you’d like to submit a Support Request. But still, people who are struggling with open-world missions are few and far between.

What would be a massive improvement, as noted by B4ngo_O, is to have the option to request assistance automatically when you start a mission. “They must add an option when someone starts a mission, besides pressing E to start, there should be another button saying ‘start with help request from other players’. This is the only way they bring this feature to life, and it’s gonna help a lot of new players who don’t know how to request help and suffer at the beginning of the game“.

Sure, if playing with a friend, you two can “hack” the Achievement by constantly answering each other’s Support Requests, but the issues remain. Support Requests should be a bit more accessible if Nexon wants this feature to have a greater purpose.