New Difficulty Feedback: Casual

[Zenako]

Though I can't agree that's only for new players or soloers. I'm a VERY social person and guild leader of a really big guild. But there are times when I'm ****ed, cold, etc, and till Update 3 I needed to stay out of DDO as it would be frustrating to solo. Now I'll be able to play even then. Loot is laughable, but fun is still there, I think.

Alas I am afraid you will be disappointed. If you enjoy being able to overpower quests, then perhaps, but frankly that is generally not that much fun. Like the level 18 Wizard owning Kobold Assault, it can be amusing perhaps, but not all that rewarding. While casual is not quite that extreme, any accomplished soloer/PD player will probably just find that setting boring and pointless. Kinda like playing Whack-a-Mole can be at the arcade...an amusing diversion for a few minutes.

[Oreg]

The reason why it won't happen is because they will just leave after the marketplace, it's the whole point it's going in to begin with, to keep these players.

Yep, that is exactly what i am inferring.

[Sarr]

Alas I am afraid you will be disappointed. If you enjoy being able to overpower quests, then perhaps, but frankly that is generally not that much fun. Like the level 18 Wizard owning Kobold Assault, it can be amusing perhaps, but not all that rewarding. While casual is not quite that extreme, any accomplished soloer/PD player will probably just find that setting boring and pointless. Kinda like playing Whack-a-Mole can be at the arcade...an amusing diversion for a few minutes.

But that's why I would choose quests higher than my chars current level . Here's one quest in House Kundarak, played by level 4th Paladin. I wasn't prepared at all (no pots) and wasn't careful at all, and I failed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOICgeYrEYE

And I don't really think any person wanting a real challenge would choose "Casual". There's still normal, hard and elite, right? Nothing was removed.

[quickgrif]

Yeah scaling then this... if they are going to implement this then they should just get rid of scaling. But of course they will both be there as we all know and the game gets a little easier and becomes less a challenge meh. Completed Wrath of flame quest on normal solo without breaking a sweat and thought man there is no sense of acomplishing anything. Used to be someone soloing a quest showed skill, now its easier to solo a quest then drag other players through them.

[Sarr]

Yeah scaling then this... if they are going to implement this then they should just get rid of scaling. But of course they will both be there as we all know and the game gets a little easier and becomes less a challenge meh. Completed Wrath of flame quest on normal solo without breaking a sweat and thought man there is no sense of acomplishing anything. Used to be someone soloing a quest showed skill, now its easier to solo a quest then drag other players through them.

I think players should be able to choose if they want to sweat while playing or not. And I don't really see the problem. Will it be "leet" to play dungeons on Casual? Not at all.

Plus, I really like that it's called "casual". For me, and I consider myself a good player, "casual" diff will be used causally. For example to test some things, to master a dungeon, or just to have some fun soling quests which are of my level or higher. There are "casual" times, when I prefer to play solo.

I don't really see the problem. Loot is dumbed down, XP... well, there's very little XP for Casual. But you can play, so it's better than not having an option to solo at all. And if we want a real challenge, why don't we chose normal - > elite like it is now on live servers?

"Casual" will greatly improve accessibility of DDO, which is a good thing imho. More players will always tend to produce more LFMs and grouping and more players again. 'cause if you want some real loot or XP, you will still NEED to group. Or rather, want to group for it.

[Devonian]

I think players should be able to choose if they want to sweat while playing or not. And I don't really see the problem. Will it be "leet" to play dungeons on Casual? Not at all.

Plus, I really like that it's called "casual". For me, and I consider myself a good player, "casual" diff will be used causally. For example to test some things, to master a dungeon, or just to have some fun soling quests which are of my level or higher. There are "casual" times, when I prefer to play solo.

I don't really see the problem. Loot is dumbed down, XP... well, there's very little XP for Casual. But you can play, so it's better than not having an option to solo at all. And if we want a real challenge, why don't we chose normal - > elite like it is now on live servers?

"Casual" will greatly improve accessibility of DDO, which is a good thing imho. More players will always tend to produce more LFMs and grouping and more players again. 'cause if you want some real loot or XP, you will still NEED to group. Or rather, want to group for it.

So very much agreed. I have friends I never get in touch with except via IM. I have only so many hours in the day. So I tend to IM while playing DDO. Upshot is I am distracted. I muddle along soloing quite merrily, why should any one complain what difficulty I choose?

No one is taking Elite, hard and normal away. No one is going to summon the vengeful might of Kaus the first to crush you if you play for a challenge.

And as for it making noobs worse? I fail to see how. Honestly the challenge derived elitism in this game is toxic. As bad as arguments over play style in pen and paper. Let people play in the manner best suited, while you yourself enjoy the same freedom.

[Orry]

Yeah scaling then this... if they are going to implement this then they should just get rid of scaling. But of course they will both be there as we all know and the game gets a little easier and becomes less a challenge meh. Completed Wrath of flame quest on normal solo without breaking a sweat and thought man there is no sense of acomplishing anything. Used to be someone soloing a quest showed skill, now its easier to solo a quest then drag other players through them.

/signed

I would like to be able to get groups for low level quests because they would be designed for 6 players to go through instead of one.

[Horrorscope]

So very much agreed. I have friends I never get in touch with except via IM. I have only so many hours in the day. So I tend to IM while playing DDO. Upshot is I am distracted. I muddle along soloing quite merrily, why should any one complain what difficulty I choose?

No one is taking Elite, hard and normal away. No one is going to summon the vengeful might of Kaus the first to crush you if you play for a challenge.

And as for it making noobs worse? I fail to see how. Honestly the challenge derived elitism in this game is toxic. As bad as arguments over play style in pen and paper. Let people play in the manner best suited, while you yourself enjoy the same freedom.

From reading replies about this since announced in various threads, some vets are worried some day you will group with them and be so bad you'll wipe them and cause a bad day. These people always seem to worry about the worst case scenario no matter the probabilities of it all and what better place is there then a forum to announce such fears to the world? How about those that will run casual and never PUG, those people will never interfere with a vet. I'm prepared to deal with a bad PUG if it happens and it happened back in 2006 just like 2010, big whoop. Most like to think their cool and keep up to date, but many have become the old stogy parents they said they never would, change is the enemy.

Between Casual and Scaling, I'd pick scaling. It just allows you to play all the time instead of waiting/gathering a team. Great for duo's/trio's +hirelings. I'd go as far to say this is what has kept me this time, the other times I left there were simply too many times you wanted to do "x quest" but it just wasn't possible to quickly gather a team and play it. I would have my friend(s) on the ready and we'd setup a group and then wait, alt-tab browse the inet, wait, give up and sign out. THAT IS NOT GOOD.

[Epox]

Yeah scaling then this... if they are going to implement this then they should just get rid of scaling. But of course they will both be there as we all know and the game gets a little easier and becomes less a challenge meh. Completed Wrath of flame quest on normal solo without breaking a sweat and thought man there is no sense of acomplishing anything. Used to be someone soloing a quest showed skill, now its easier to solo a quest then drag other players through them.

If soloing on normal no longer gives you a sense of accomplishment, why don't you try something like hard and elite? If you don't like scaling, elite is just for you - and you'll get that sense of accomplishment ... if you survive.

[omastar444]

I personally love the new difficulty. So heres how I see it:

Newer players will do the quest on Causal. From there they learn the quest and find it easy so they do the other difficulties. But you see now when you group with them so they can do the higher ones they wouldn't make common mistakes because they know the layout now.

See? In the long run it's good. You're all just being doom sayers. No offense but many said F2P would be the end of DDO but it wasn't. Many thought the new enchantment system would be the end of DDO but it wasn't. You must learn to calm down and stop with the doom saying. It never really is true in the end.

[quickgrif]

I think players should be able to choose if they want to sweat while playing or not. And I don't really see the problem. Will it be "leet" to play dungeons on Casual? Not at all.

Plus, I really like that it's called "casual". For me, and I consider myself a good player, "casual" diff will be used causally. For example to test some things, to master a dungeon, or just to have some fun soling quests which are of my level or higher. There are "casual" times, when I prefer to play solo.

I don't really see the problem. Loot is dumbed down, XP... well, there's very little XP for Casual. But you can play, so it's better than not having an option to solo at all. And if we want a real challenge, why don't we chose normal - > elite like it is now on live servers?

"Casual" will greatly improve accessibility of DDO, which is a good thing imho. More players will always tend to produce more LFMs and grouping and more players again. 'cause if you want some real loot or XP, you will still NEED to group. Or rather, want to group for it.

Problem is scaling was implemented to make it easier already and now this? I have no problem with casual but the problem is scaling effects everyone. I can not choose to turn that off.

[quickgrif]

If soloing on normal no longer gives you a sense of accomplishment, why don't you try something like hard and elite? If you don't like scaling, elite is just for you - and you'll get that sense of accomplishment ... if you survive.

You missed the point its the fact me a non power gamer could solo the quest with my 3yr old out of date Ranger who is soon to be TR and did not break a sweat. And I solo many quest elite. ::shrug::

[Babumbalaboo]

One thing to keep in mind... DDO is extremely focused on burst damage. Fights are usually over very quickly, then you're on to the next set of enemies. If you don't have elemental resists for a fight that's full of casters, you're screwed. If you're a solo player facing a bunch of earth elementals, you're even more screwed.

Drastically reducing elemental damage, and implementing a major nerf for enemy crowd control on casual difficulty is what would really make solo play on reality.

[Catholicon]

With all these people complaining about Casual difficulty, you'd think they were removing Elite from the game.

*headdesk*

Grow up and stop whining.

[kebin131]

Adding another difficulty setting = more "first time completing quest" bonus xp.

[toncaloe]

I want more solo quests/settings

My schedule and daddy duties make it extremely hard to group with others and have no toon above 12th as those almost all require groups or LONG QUESTS that i am unable to sit through without interruptions.

As a retiree, I have plenty of time, but, just as I did in WoW, I prefer solo questing and general adventuring. Thus, when I'd played through as much of the game as I could as a solo, that ended my WoW game. So, if DDO can come up with a way for people like me, who aren't competent enough to feel comfortable in groups/raids, to do quests solo, I personally would give up the higher-value drops for more and varied questing.

I do understand that for ventures such as WoW and DDO and most other MMOs, having players that are teamed up with friends makes for longer-lasting memberships in the game, so I know better than to complain when instances are too tough for a solo character, because the games aren't really geared for my type of play, usually.

I just recently signed up for this game, so obviously I don't have a clue as to what difference casual-level play entails. I guess I just wanted to "represent" for the noobs/spazzes like me. hehehehe.

[quickgrif]

With all these people complaining about Casual difficulty, you'd think they were removing Elite from the game.

*headdesk*

Grow up and stop whining.

Or how about come on and post something worthwhile without name calling.

[Tiggyr]

Yes, for a completely twinked level 4 vet character with carniflex and addy armour etc casual might not mean much of a challange... but a has been said numerous times - nothings being taken away from them - they can still lolo-elite WW if they so desire.
I think another point that should be made is that the type of people who casual will appeal to are not *really* the type who'll be trawlling the forums to champion such a change. And this is the type of change that *will* add to the enjoyment of the game for them.
All those vets worried about raiding with an inexperienced PUG who got there through casual should ask themselves "Hey wait a minute - sure that would be bad - but how often do *I PICK UP GROUP FOR A FREAKING HOUND RAID ANYWAYS?!*"
By 14 up I would think all good raiders are part of a guild anyways, and if not then I'm sure they're used to the fact that P.U.Grouping never works anyway!

[Shassa]

A lot of us wouldn't really need Casual until later. Yes, fresh account, new character, no twinking, you should be able to steamroll into your teens no matter what. But being an avid soloist, I'm unable to enjoy Vale and Reaver quests on my own because I have no Greensteel or raid loot in general. Vets call Path of Inspiration and Dreaming Dark easy and soloable, but I do not have the same experience at all. I think some people forget what it was like to start out fresh.

As an aside, I'm taking note of Sarr's opinions here. Look at what he said last June, in response to the hand-wringing over how the new DDO store was going to be abused:

Those eStore items you've mentioned. I don't see anything bad at using most of them. Maybe permanent res shrines are a bit too much, but items which may resurrect you after soloing for 2 hours and doing some stupid mistake, like falling to a trap or falling from heights, are OK I think.
Don't forget that you will need to pay for them, and those Turbine points won't be won't be free when beta ends. So we may get somewhat "deranged" picture, having it for free.
But Turbine points will cost. So my bet is that people would prefer to spend them on more adventures, more UI features, more classes and races than just to keep them from dieing.

Bingo!

[Catholicon]

Or how about come on and post something worthwhile without name calling.

Okay. People who are complaining about Casual difficulty: Come on and post something worthwhile without name calling.