nokowi
04-29-2014, 01:08 PM
DDO is the best game I have ever played. As I read through the forums about exploits, bugs, lag, and the end of DDO I can't help but notice how much potential this game still has.
Here is what I would like to see moving forward:
1. Give the players what they want, but make them work for it. Give them the option to spend $
2. There should always be something to do regardless of level/class
3. Player time, not player resources, should be the important commodity
4. All content should be useful (there is so much content that is rarely used). Add variety.
5. Each classes should useful, even if just for a month. Wipe that dust off your barbarian!
6. Promote a community of players that help each other
1. Players love the vale. Make this area epic with level 30 content. Make GS items upgradeable to tier IV and tier V using the current vale crafting model. Make Amrath epic with TOD set upgrades.
2-5. There might be many ways to accomplish 2-5. The idea is to reward gameplay while reducing the benefit of exploitation (raid timers and bag materials). XP should be the important commodity. Moving forward, DDO makes their $ though VIP status, buying XP potions, and yes Otto's Boxes.
Level 20-25 gear should be upgradeable but should require time spent questing. I would require finding and making the base item, with a number of quest/raid completions for each upgrade (run each GH quest ??? times and run FOT ??? times). Requiring non-raid completions with the raid reduces the importance of quest timers (which have been duped).
There is a huge opportunity in crafting. Epic crafting should cost XP. It should be powerful but expensive (XP cost + Questing Cost) to do. My preference is that not every class should be able to do epic crafting. Require magical training and make this an Intelligence based process (minimum Int to craft various effects) along with crafting level. Artificers should be the best (most efficient) at this. I would avoid specific magic creation feats, however. Examples would be adding an augment slot to an item, changing the color of an augment slot, adding +1 to weapon modifier, or adding +1 to a DC based effect. Each one of these might cost 5-10 million XP, and might also depend on the item level. Ideally the crafter has to quest for ingredients as well (How about using a counter similar to the quest completion counter (1 ingredient drops in each chain) so that there are not items that can be duped? Maybe you even need to complete your monster manual bat achievement before you can find that elusive bat dung)
End game (level) items should also exist. These items could require XP to improve their abilities. I would suggest a curve so that it gets harder and harder to improve an item, but it is always possible. I would think about a class requirement for certain abilities (6,12, or 18 levels in xxx class). This is a great chance to fix imbalance issues between classes (or make them worse).
Each month, something new and interesting should happen. These should not be announced. Maybe Harry learns a new feat, finds a new Artifact, or obtains an apprentice. This provides a built in mechanism for power creep and game balancing without nerfing actual player abilities, and some fun times for the players. Each server might have a different change. Some changes may stay after the month, some may disappear. It might be really fun to be a bard this month....
6. Lastly, guild amenities should be tied to guild accomplishments. Think of a Guild Compendium that is similar to the monster manual but also based on service to the community. Tasks might include training new DDO players, running raids with at least 3 of a given class, leveling so many of a given class from 1 to cap, etc. Achievements would result in new guild ship upgrades. Some of these should be cosmetic. The idea here is to encourage gameplay of all classes and a community of players rather than elitist or isolated guilds.
Let's all work to make this game better!
-Nokowi (Sarlona - High Lords of Malkier)
I joined this game when it became FTP. I played a rogue and solo'd almost all missions. Rogue is about the worst class you could ever pick for soloing as a new player. I made it to level 20 in a little less than a year, without ever using a hireling. I didn't buy anything from the store and I didn't have the gp (yes we used gp back then) to buy potions. I didn't have enough UMD to use scrolls (I couldn't afford them anyway). At times, I relied on my infinite cure minor wounds wands. Reflecting back, there was so little I knew about this game, but I also learned so much including tactics, controlling aggro, and positioning (this is actually important for a rogue).
After a year I joined my first guild. Now I had a fun group of people to quest with. By and large, we all still had no idea what we were doing. As my gear and resources improved, I learned how to heal/rez which came in handy with all of the soul stones carried around in those days. The heroic TR grind began and I learned about each new class. At some point DDO introduced Bravery Bonuses. I had about an 1100 elite bravery streak before I moved on to level 20+ content.
Today I am in a level 100 guild (High Lords on Sarlona). We have a great mix of experienced players along with a stream of new players that are slowly added and trained. I think DDO has gotten better and better through the years I have played. I still play my Rogue exclusively. 56 lives and counting....
Here is what I would like to see moving forward:
1. Give the players what they want, but make them work for it. Give them the option to spend $
2. There should always be something to do regardless of level/class
3. Player time, not player resources, should be the important commodity
4. All content should be useful (there is so much content that is rarely used). Add variety.
5. Each classes should useful, even if just for a month. Wipe that dust off your barbarian!
6. Promote a community of players that help each other
1. Players love the vale. Make this area epic with level 30 content. Make GS items upgradeable to tier IV and tier V using the current vale crafting model. Make Amrath epic with TOD set upgrades.
2-5. There might be many ways to accomplish 2-5. The idea is to reward gameplay while reducing the benefit of exploitation (raid timers and bag materials). XP should be the important commodity. Moving forward, DDO makes their $ though VIP status, buying XP potions, and yes Otto's Boxes.
Level 20-25 gear should be upgradeable but should require time spent questing. I would require finding and making the base item, with a number of quest/raid completions for each upgrade (run each GH quest ??? times and run FOT ??? times). Requiring non-raid completions with the raid reduces the importance of quest timers (which have been duped).
There is a huge opportunity in crafting. Epic crafting should cost XP. It should be powerful but expensive (XP cost + Questing Cost) to do. My preference is that not every class should be able to do epic crafting. Require magical training and make this an Intelligence based process (minimum Int to craft various effects) along with crafting level. Artificers should be the best (most efficient) at this. I would avoid specific magic creation feats, however. Examples would be adding an augment slot to an item, changing the color of an augment slot, adding +1 to weapon modifier, or adding +1 to a DC based effect. Each one of these might cost 5-10 million XP, and might also depend on the item level. Ideally the crafter has to quest for ingredients as well (How about using a counter similar to the quest completion counter (1 ingredient drops in each chain) so that there are not items that can be duped? Maybe you even need to complete your monster manual bat achievement before you can find that elusive bat dung)
End game (level) items should also exist. These items could require XP to improve their abilities. I would suggest a curve so that it gets harder and harder to improve an item, but it is always possible. I would think about a class requirement for certain abilities (6,12, or 18 levels in xxx class). This is a great chance to fix imbalance issues between classes (or make them worse).
Each month, something new and interesting should happen. These should not be announced. Maybe Harry learns a new feat, finds a new Artifact, or obtains an apprentice. This provides a built in mechanism for power creep and game balancing without nerfing actual player abilities, and some fun times for the players. Each server might have a different change. Some changes may stay after the month, some may disappear. It might be really fun to be a bard this month....
6. Lastly, guild amenities should be tied to guild accomplishments. Think of a Guild Compendium that is similar to the monster manual but also based on service to the community. Tasks might include training new DDO players, running raids with at least 3 of a given class, leveling so many of a given class from 1 to cap, etc. Achievements would result in new guild ship upgrades. Some of these should be cosmetic. The idea here is to encourage gameplay of all classes and a community of players rather than elitist or isolated guilds.
Let's all work to make this game better!
-Nokowi (Sarlona - High Lords of Malkier)
I joined this game when it became FTP. I played a rogue and solo'd almost all missions. Rogue is about the worst class you could ever pick for soloing as a new player. I made it to level 20 in a little less than a year, without ever using a hireling. I didn't buy anything from the store and I didn't have the gp (yes we used gp back then) to buy potions. I didn't have enough UMD to use scrolls (I couldn't afford them anyway). At times, I relied on my infinite cure minor wounds wands. Reflecting back, there was so little I knew about this game, but I also learned so much including tactics, controlling aggro, and positioning (this is actually important for a rogue).
After a year I joined my first guild. Now I had a fun group of people to quest with. By and large, we all still had no idea what we were doing. As my gear and resources improved, I learned how to heal/rez which came in handy with all of the soul stones carried around in those days. The heroic TR grind began and I learned about each new class. At some point DDO introduced Bravery Bonuses. I had about an 1100 elite bravery streak before I moved on to level 20+ content.
Today I am in a level 100 guild (High Lords on Sarlona). We have a great mix of experienced players along with a stream of new players that are slowly added and trained. I think DDO has gotten better and better through the years I have played. I still play my Rogue exclusively. 56 lives and counting....