Producer's Letter

[Uska]

Lots of good stuff and stuff I'll hold out judgement on until it's live.

Warlock makes sense last core class missing in DDO (using 5th edition), just PLEASE make it very different in spells or style from Wizard or Sorc.

Temple of Elemental Evil? Good Stuff.

Level 30? Do it sooner rather than later. Need to know what those 2 last levels look like, before we can even begin to see what an "endgame" for DDO will look like and whether your Epic Shavarath and Vale stories (and raids) will be up to snuff. Please re-work the exp needed to get to 30. Currently I find levels 25 to 28 to be a drag, not because we don't have enough content (we do in my opinion), but it's just grind.

Lag isn't a huge problem for me, but it is for some. Glad to see it's a priority.

Always looking forward to the things you haven't talked about. Those often turn out to be the best.

Good luck in 2015!

Warlock isn't a core class since we aren't 5E soulblade would be a much better choice since psionics are so much a part of eberron

[Missing_Minds]

Warlock isn't a core class since we aren't 5E soulblade would be a much better choice since psionics are so much a part of eberron

If the 5E soulblade is anything similar to 3.x soulknife, that seems to be more psi flavor than actually psi driven, where in the biggest issue is trying to apply loot gen/named powers to character created weaponary. I just don't see that happening.

Also 3.x, 4.x, 5x.... You know I really don't care any more. This is a DnD video game with its own homebrewed rules. Pick what you like, double check for balance, and make it fun. Screw "purist" attitudes, we are gamers.

"By now, you should be familiar with the rules in the "Players Handbook. You've probably already noticed things you like or things you would have done differently. If you have, congratulations. you've got the spirit every Dungeon Master needs. Curiosity and the desire to make changes, to do things differently because your idea is better than the other guy's-- these are the most important things a Dungeon Master needs. As you go through this rule book, I encourage you to continue to make these choices." - David "Zeb" Cook, 2/9/89, page 3 Dungeon Master's guide, 2nd ed.

[FestusHood]

Yeah about that, please stop doing that. People want new content not a rehashing of older content.
IMHO all the content that has both Epic and Heroic Versions should become one or the other and the other version shut off.

Should be kept:

• Heroic Phairlan Carnival
• Heroic 3BC
• Heroic Red Fens
• Heroic Sentinels of Stormreach
• Heroic Demon Sands
• Heroic Gianthold
• Heroic Wheloon
• Heroic Litany of the Dead
• Heroic Secrets of the Storm Horns
• Heroic Heart of Madness
• Epic Vault of Night (The Raid needs to be level 32 though)
• Epic Druids Deep (Needs an explorer area though)
• Epic High Road of Shadow

The other version of each of those needs to be reimagined into new adventure packs with new content. We can only take running the Gateway to Khyber soooooooo many times.

Why?

While i can understand if you would prefer they don't upgrade any more existing packs, what would be the point of going back and doing more work to remove existing content? Content that many people actually do like?

If you don't like some of it, don't run it. It really is that simple.

You do realize that the "Golden Age" of DDO endgame/epic that so many vets hearken back to consisted entirely of upgraded heroic packs?

The original version of High Road was only epic and Druids Deep was only heroic. They put in the heroic/epic versions because people asked them to.

[MadCookieQueen]

If the 5E soulblade is anything similar to 3.x soulknife, that seems to be more psi flavor than actually psi driven, where in the biggest issue is trying to apply loot gen/named powers to character created weaponary. I just don't see that happening.

I think if they wanted to do Soulknife (within current game play) they would need to allow Weapon Attachment as part of the class and grant them Artie weapon augmentation spells....with a few tweaks...enhancement trees could mirror EK and Kensai...after all they are one with the blade.

3.5 Soulknife wasn't psi flavor...they were straight up base Psionic class. The idea was that they channel the Psionics in them through limited spells and in the tangible form of their blade.

[FestusHood]

But sorcs already don't run risk of running dry, thanks to regenerating mana, cheap slas, mana pots and shrines everywhere.
Warlock would need to foucs on CC/debuffs- low damage, but each spell adds CC or debuf effect.

SP management is still an acquired skill, and i see casters of all types running dry all the time. Sans exploits, SP pots are not infinite, unless somebody is willing to constantly buy them from the store. If people are willing to do that, then it's a good source of income for the game. I don't have a problem with that.

[Qhualor]

SP management is still an acquired skill, and i see casters of all types running dry all the time. Sans exploits, SP pots are not infinite, unless somebody is willing to constantly buy them from the store. If people are willing to do that, then it's a good source of income for the game. I don't have a problem with that.

sorry, but im just not seeing casters run dry of sp unless they are just around the corner from a shrine. raids might be a different story though.

[Missing_Minds]

I think if they wanted to do Soulknife (within current game play) they would need to allow Weapon Attachment as part of the class and grant them Artie weapon augmentation spells....with a few tweaks...enhancement trees could mirror EK and Kensai...after all they are one with the blade.

Which could cause problems given the GUI. It would be nearly as bad as handwraps in the best of cases.

3.5 Soulknife wasn't psi flavor...they were straight up base Psionic class. The idea was that they channel the Psionics in them through limited spells and in the tangible form of their blade.

I know where they put the soulknife, but it never felt psionic other than 'I create a blade with my mind." They never had a power pool to do anything "psionic". Heck, remove "wild talent" from the class but leave everything else. Emm.. yeah. Flavor. But that is my opinion of them. *shrugs*

[MadCookieQueen]

Which could cause problems given the GUI. It would be nearly as bad as handwraps in the best of cases.

I can't state what kind of issues it would create...but as a quick thought that's how I would envision them to use those mechanics as a jumping off point into adding them to the game.

I know where they put the soulknife, but it never felt psionic other than 'I create a blade with my mind." They never had a power pool to do anything "psionic". Heck, remove "wild talent" from the class but leave everything else. Emm.. yeah. Flavor. But that is my opinion of them. *shrugs*

This could be a long and lengthy debate, which would derail this thread and fast...but at least it would bring out all the PnP players ^^

I disagree but respect the heck out of your opinions

(woot! hit 1000 posts with this baby ^^)

[The_Human_Cypher]

I might stomach more FR if they did put in some more low level quests but so many are against adding any new low level content. I don't really ever want to seem them try to do dark sun or Dragonlance as they cant do it right either of those would take special rules or restrictions and would really require their own games.

The Temple of Elemental Evil may begin as low as level 7 from earlier comments made on this forum by the devs (but with an Epic version, of course) so that the content is accessible by new players immediately. The TOEE update will draw in an entirely new group of people who may have never played DDO before.

[Vellrad]

Why?

While i can understand if you would prefer they don't upgrade any more existing packs, what would be the point of going back and doing more work to remove existing content? Content that many people actually do like?

If you don't like some of it, don't run it. It really is that simple.

You do realize that the "Golden Age" of DDO endgame/epic that so many vets hearken back to consisted entirely of upgraded heroic packs?

The original version of High Road was only epic and Druids Deep was only heroic. They put in the heroic/epic versions because people asked them to.

1.
Druid's deep (AKA droids derp) was epic on release, I'm 99,9999% sure.
2.
Its in turbines best interest to release new packs instead of updating and revamping old packs, because they can't sell a pack twice. I don't have the numbers, but I can bet my money that most of people that are playing game for years alrady have all pack, and even if not, they miss 2 or 3 that are rarely run.
The only point of updating pack to epic, is if it was a very low priority purchase, like 3bc.
Vale is one of packs that is at top 3 in priority of purchase list, and epicing existing content won't sell much vale quest packs, because people already got it.
They should update RI, RR or DD packs to boost their sales.

[sebastianosmith]

Also 3.x, 4.x, 5x.... You know I really don't care any more. This is a DnD video game with its own homebrewed rules. Pick what you like, double check for balance, and make it fun. Screw "purist" attitudes, we are gamers.

+1

[bonscott87]

I think that the FR setting in DDO is probably done, no more new content which frankly I am perfectly fine with. I think "the powers that be" made DDO go to the FR as a marketing move and frankly it didn't work as the game continues to contract as it ages (which is normal really). I wish they had spent all that dev time on more Eberron content. I loved the FR campaign setting but fine with it not being in DDO.

Why do I say this? Nothing in 2015 and the dev's have already talked about scrapping things like the desert because they don't have the budget anymore to create new assets. Thus why doing things like more Madness quests and Sharavath, they can reuse a lot of assets already in the game and this makes it a lot cheaper to add new content.

I think they can generate more interest in the game to new players and returning old ones by continuing to adapt the older classic modules like Temple and Haunted Halls. Get some more of those classics and you'll see more interest like what is already being generated with the Temple announcement.

Either way I am just glad the game is continuing to grow content and not be left for dead just yet.

[GoldyGopher]

Why?

While i can understand if you would prefer they don't upgrade any more existing packs, what would be the point of going back and doing more work to remove existing content? Content that many people actually do like?

If you don't like some of it, don't run it. It really is that simple.

You do realize that the "Golden Age" of DDO endgame/epic that so many vets hearken back to consisted entirely of upgraded heroic packs?

The original version of High Road was only epic and Druids Deep was only heroic. They put in the heroic/epic versions because people asked them to.

The Golden Age, to me, never was what you were referring to. I am more of Module 8 Prisoners of Prophecy kind of Dwarf.

Turbine created Heroic/Epic Versions of High Road of Shadow and Druid's Deep because it was a quick way to add content at the appropriate level. The problem is it was a short term gain and a long term loss. As stated else where I am totally cool if Druid's Deep stayed Heroic and as others have said wouldn't be too bother if it lost a level or two.

As for removing the other version, to kill cancer you don't treat the symptoms you remove the cancerous cells.
Way back in late 2009 when the Developers at Turbine decided to Make Vault of Night Epic. It was a short term solution for a problem that individuals like Fernando Paiz thought was a short term issue as Turbine was already in discussion with Wizards of the Coast for the rights to create Epic Version of the Game set in the Forgotten Realms. I'm sure that the mind set at Turbine was Level 23 was coming in late 2010 as opposed to June 2012 when the made the decision in 2009. But that is an assumption based on what Fernando said in a variety of places.

I have posted on this topic before and to be clear I don't feel you just tomorrow turn off Epic Demon Sands, rather create a new Epic Adventure Pack set in another section of Menechtarun reusing much of the same artwork with new quests and new adventure area. Give players who own Demon Sands a deal on the new content and go on with life.

Additional I have posted a paraphrasing of what Fernando and Aaron have stated that creating Epic Versions of exisiting content costs almost as much as creating new content, if that is true creating epic version of existing content makes no sense in terms of how many players have left this game out of shear boredom in terms of the quests to run.

[sebastianosmith]

I think that the FR setting in DDO is probably done, no more new content which frankly I am perfectly fine with. I think "the powers that be" made DDO go to the FR as a marketing move and frankly it didn't work as the game continues to contract as it ages (which is normal really). I wish they had spent all that dev time on more Eberron content. I loved the FR campaign setting but fine with it not being in DDO.

The FR content was released in conjunction with the WotC/Hasbro-driven content push of 2012-2013. Eliciting interest through combined media efforts was a decision made far above the pay grade of most, if not all, Turbine employees. Now that the 5.x rule set has landed I don't know where those marketing dollars will be assigned, but it would appear that NWO is the current child of favor.

[FestusHood]

The Golden Age, to me, never was what you were referring to. I am more of Module 8 Prisoners of Prophecy kind of Dwarf.

Turbine created Heroic/Epic Versions of High Road of Shadow and Druid's Deep because it was a quick way to add content at the appropriate level. The problem is it was a short term gain and a long term loss. As stated else where I am totally cool if Druid's Deep stayed Heroic and as others have said wouldn't be too bother if it lost a level or two.

As for removing the other version, to kill cancer you don't treat the symptoms you remove the cancerous cells.
Way back in late 2009 when the Developers at Turbine decided to Make Vault of Night Epic. It was a short term solution for a problem that individuals like Fernando Paiz thought was a short term issue as Turbine was already in discussion with Wizards of the Coast for the rights to create Epic Version of the Game set in the Forgotten Realms. I'm sure that the mind set at Turbine was Level 23 was coming in late 2010 as opposed to June 2012 when the made the decision in 2009. But that is an assumption based on what Fernando said in a variety of places.

I have posted on this topic before and to be clear I don't feel you just tomorrow turn off Epic Demon Sands, rather create a new Epic Adventure Pack set in another section of Menechtarun reusing much of the same artwork with new quests and new adventure area. Give players who own Demon Sands a deal on the new content and go on with life.

Additional I have posted a paraphrasing of what Fernando and Aaron have stated that creating Epic Versions of exisiting content costs almost as much as creating new content, if that is true creating epic version of existing content makes no sense in terms of how many players have left this game out of shear boredom in terms of the quests to run.

A cancer eh?

I'm still not seeing any benefit of altering the entire game to accommodate your lack of self control. I hate Brussels Sprouts, but i have never demanded that they be removed from the market. You know why? Because i can just not eat them.

Why would they have to remove current Epic desert quests to put in new ones? Is it full or something?

I personally think it would be a good idea if every quest pack they made had both a heroic and an epic version. Again if you prefer that each quest be either epic or heroic only, you can easily simulate that by simply not running the version you wish wasn't there.

[FestusHood]

+1

This is the version of the game that i played. What version is this known as?

[FestusHood]

1.
Druid's deep (AKA droids derp) was epic on release, I'm 99,9999% sure.
2.
Its in turbines best interest to release new packs instead of updating and revamping old packs, because they can't sell a pack twice. I don't have the numbers, but I can bet my money that most of people that are playing game for years alrady have all pack, and even if not, they miss 2 or 3 that are rarely run.
The only point of updating pack to epic, is if it was a very low priority purchase, like 3bc.
Vale is one of packs that is at top 3 in priority of purchase list, and epicing existing content won't sell much vale quest packs, because people already got it.
They should update RI, RR or DD packs to boost their sales.

I have no numbers, but i am curious if development costs are recouped typically entirely by people purchasing newly released packs?

I can see expansions, but let's be honest, the vast majority of players who have been here a while have more than enough free turbine points from questing to buy any new pack that comes out. Only newish players will be likely to invest large amounts of money to acquire content. Making the content as appealing as possible helps with this, especially for older packs.

Whenever people in game ask me for advice about which older packs to buy, i generally tell them to get ones that have epic versions available. One of the guys in my channel is fairly new, he has only one epic character and he never plans to do a tr. He bought Demon Sands, Von, Gianthold, etc. ONLY because they had epic versions. Take those versions out, and he doesn't buy them. I doubt he is the only person like that.

As to your first comment about Druids Deep, the end reward lists are the evidence.

[Uska]

This is the version of the game that i played. What version is this known as?

Real d&d

[Flavilandile]

This is the version of the game that i played. What version is this known as?

AD&D First Edition...

Contrary to Uska above...
Real D&D is the boxes ( Red Basic, Dark Blue Expert, Light Blue Companion, Black Expert, White Immortal ) or the Rule Cyclopaedia.

[Hafeal]

I have no numbers, but i am curious if development costs are recouped typically entirely by people purchasing newly released packs?

I can see expansions, but let's be honest, the vast majority of players who have been here a while have more than enough free turbine points from questing to buy any new pack that comes out. Only newish players will be likely to invest large amounts of money to acquire content. Making the content as appealing as possible helps with this, especially for older packs.

ToEE will bring a bump in new players. And, as I recall with the last paid expansion, they did not release it for purchase with TPs right away. So, if you wanted any of the "bonus features" offered with the pack, you paid cash. I can't imagine why they would do it differently this time.

As for "vast majority" having enough TPs - not among my friends and guildies. Among my friends 4500+ TPs is rare. Probably a few have more now because they bought during double TPs but that won't last, plenty of things in the Store to spend TPs on.