Producer's Letter - 5/21/15

[dunklezhan]

we got cannith crafting dead,

Darn it you're right. i was so distracted by the shinies I somehow missed that there was no mention of Cannith Crafting. I take it to mean then, that they have indeed had to bench it again.

*sobs* all I wanna do is make all that time I spent relevant in terms of crafting stuff for people other than just new players I might meet and want to twink. Even though we didn't get what Fernando originally enthused about (I no longer refer to that as a promise. It's unfair. I kinda realise now that he was just overexcited, bless his little hamster cheeks, annoyed though I still am we didn't get to swap effects about). Even though we didn't get that - Cannith Crafting was such a good idea.

Everything about it is a good idea - tradeables, easier skill checks for 'self only' crafting, artificers getting a bonus for it, House Cannith Favour rewards, the random drop and deconstruct essence system and the way it reused collectibles, it was absolutely spot on in terms of verisimilitude with the Eberron world system. Heck it even neatly explained without anyone having to write a single word, where all that trash from chests comes from. Now? Now the question is - how come we never see this kind of loot in chests? Its so easy to make, you'd think it would be everywhere!

Its not perfect, of course it isn't. There are tweaks that are needed beyond an effects pass (deconstruct interface revamp required for sure, and it certainly needs the lag issues fixing urgently). But in conception? Brilliant.


And Sev hasn't mentioned it. I know he warned us it might have to get put back but...

*wails*

...I might be about to go right off Warlocks.*





*for clarity - I'm not that petty. If Warlocks are fun, that's all I need. But I will be bitter about it. Plus ca change, plus ca la meme chose on that score for me, I guess

[geoffhanna]

Seems like my desicion to let the VIP run out was correct. Have been waiting since MOTU was releaced to get epic spells. Dont want to wait another year so i will silently leave the game.

Honestly I don't understand this response, since we said we intend to address caster's weakness with high hit point bosses by, in part, introducing a new epic spell, and you voiced your dissatisfaction at not getting new epic spells.

Sev~

Maybe he meant something more like this http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/spellsIntro.htm rather than a new DoT for improving DPS.

[sharachan]

I can empathise that the epic levelling system is lacklustre at best. I can't get on with it at all really. But you can't tell me that the way EDs and twists overlay all the possibly different heroic builds does not allow for caster growth or build complexity. I can appreciate that because there are only 9 destinies it can all feel a bit samey across different characters in terms of some of the main things you use on your hot bar at those levels, but I've seen plenty of casters laying down their earthquakes/icestorms/firewalls/other persistent AOEs quite successfully in Epic.

I'd like to see them even out the epic level advancement system so it's not so devoid of choices in the first five levels, but unless you simply don't have access to the destinies I can't understand where you're coming from in terms of caster advancement at all. If you don't have destinies then I'd say you're quite correct. Turbine do want you to buy the destinies. And you should - many of them increase things like maximum caster levels and introduce new SLAs you can use.

Your last comment about devs not playing... well I don't even know where to start. Maybe read the weekly DDO newsletter from time to time and watch some of the videos.

The best ED is a non caster. I think that would cover everything...

A pure sorc in draconic should be the strongest sorc, but i felt like a gimp last life. All the bosses and champions with debuffs and imune to everything non melee was a pain. Only way to feel more usefull is to TR. At heroics my spells work as they should.

[Blackheartox]

Honestly I don't understand this response, since we said we intend to address caster's weakness with high hit point bosses by, in part, introducing a new epic spell, and you voiced your dissatisfaction at not getting new epic spells.

Sev~

Because he wants to play the game with his caster now and not feel like a burden compared to melles he plays with, and he doesnt have the patience to wait 1-2 years til you guys finally decide to buff this because you think that rangers/fighters/melle druids are more important then dc casting wizzards/sorcs/clerics/fsouls/druids AND soon to be on list warlocks?

My guts tells me this is the reason.
I might be wrong of course

[Portalcat]

I can only level my sorc to 20. After that i got 8 levels of commoner. Almost all my spells are capped at 20. Its like a barb could not use his weapons after 20.

While you make even more passes to melees you want to fix casters by giving us a single spell to use on bosses. What is the point of that? At the moment i get more from leveling from 19 to 20 then i get from all epic levels.

Since no devs is playing this game i dont think you understand what the problems with casters is and will probably make some changes that dont help us at all.

Most of what one gets out of epic leveling is the ability to wear high level gear (which substantially increases DPS via spellpower and crit chance). You also become much more survivable from the saves and HP.

I won't deny that it's unexciting compared to getting new spells every level, but you do get a lot of improvement to your character from that leveling.

[Dorian]

Because he wants to play the game with his caster now and not feel like a burden compared to melles he plays with, and he doesnt have the patience to wait 1-2 years til you guys finally decide to buff this because you think that rangers/fighters/melle druids are more important then dc casting wizzards/sorcs/clerics/fsouls/druids AND soon to be on list warlocks?

My guts tells me this is the reason.
I might be wrong of course

Someone understands.

[Thrudh]

Casters do need more low sp options at epic to get away from shiradi. Devs have that part spot on. Is this the biggest need... no.. the get hit once and blow up cause we can't wear heavy armor is probably #1...

oh wait we have displacement...

oh wait champoin has true seeing and fort bypass... and double damage...

Fight at range, something melee can't do....

Also CC is a good strategy... I certainly use CC with my casters AND my melee... but I don't have to get into "getting hit" range to use CC with my caster.

[Thrudh]

Because he wants to play the game with his caster now and not feel like a burden compared to melles he plays with

I play my caster NOW and I don't feel like a burden compared to the melees I play with...

So who should the devs design for? That guy or me?

I'd rather they work on Tempest because my ranger TWF guy could use a little love... I'm perfectly happy with my wizard. He contributes quite well as is.

Sure, he could use a little boss DPS help, but Sev already said they are working on that... so I'm happy. Their plans seem exactly right to me.

[Sephenis]

Actually, I can't understand something. There are a lot of threads about the underpowered casters, where we already told a thousand times, what is our problem. And to that, there were never an answer. You will have a new spell. Thanks a lot - but that not is the problem. The problem is that the dev's neglected the arcane casters since lvl 20. For years. If you hate them, and you're never going to buff them (no, not with 1 spell), then tell it. But the I already told you, there will be a new spell from the devs, or the noooooo, the casters are not underpowered from the melee lovers (who cried for years from the beginning that the casters were OP, simply because they are just want to hack'n'slash in terminator mode, and they can't understand the d&d system) is a little bit strange, categorically avoiding the real question.

Don't get me wrong. I love this game, and the quests, the fighting system, the teamwork (if you have friends online),the sneak mode, and in my opinion, the dev's made a very good job with this mmo - but this underpowered arcane problem is a very great, and unnecessary one. And I have a feeling it's not a coincidence. No offense.

[salmag]

*sigh*

still no mention of...

GNOMES!

*sigh*

[Steelstar]

If you hate them, and you're never going to buff them (no, not with 1 spell), then tell it.

We do not hate any particular class, or race, or destiny. That is never a factor in our decision making.

[sharachan]

Maybe he meant something more like this http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/spellsIntro.htm rather than a new DoT for improving DPS.

Letting your normal spells scale in to epics might get some silly effect and give more powercreep. Adding epic spells to use instead of your normal spells give devs controll over the power. Epic spells should be tied to character levels and not work like EDs. This way we could progress when we entered epics.

[Rys]

We do not hate any particular class, or race, or destiny. That is never a factor in our decision making.

Not even monk? I really don't think that you are lying but to be honest it's really hard to believe it at this point.

[sharachan]

Because he wants to play the game with his caster now and not feel like a burden compared to melles he plays with, and he doesnt have the patience to wait 1-2 years til you guys finally decide to buff this because you think that rangers/fighters/melle druids are more important then dc casting wizzards/sorcs/clerics/fsouls/druids AND soon to be on list warlocks?

My guts tells me this is the reason.
I might be wrong of course

You got it. I have waited a few years now and the message is that i should wait longer and probably never get wait i am waiting for.

[CeltEireson]

Fight at range, something melee can't do....

Also CC is a good strategy... I certainly use CC with my casters AND my melee... but I don't have to get into "getting hit" range to use CC with my caster.

That may be more of an issue with epic shavarath and shroud - having epic mobs teleport right next to you somewhat negates your ability to keep your distance. On epic elite a traditional robe wearing mage is likely to be dead before they can get off a spell if a couple of epic devils land right beside them.

[Loromir]

Honestly I don't understand this response, since we said we intend to address caster's weakness with high hit point bosses by, in part, introducing a new epic spell, and you voiced your dissatisfaction at not getting new epic spells.

Sev~

I think his concern is not knowing when to expect this/these new epic spells. Saying it won't take 3 years still leaves room for a long wait.

[Wizza]

We do not hate any particular class, or race, or destiny. That is never a factor in our decision making.

Then explain to me why Paladins, Barbs and Bards weren't nerfed yet (as showed by everyone how OP they are. Not including Rogues because haven't played much after update but I've seen people claiming they do even more dps than Barbs), when you are probably going to nerf Monkchers, 10k stars and Manyshot in the Ranger pass when they are behind those 3/4 classes.

[axel15810]

Not even monk? I really don't think that you are lying but to be honest it's really hard to believe it at this point.

Monks were the flavor of the month for a long time. That didn't change until the armor up pass this year.

As were casters for the longest time. Melees for most of DDO's life have been very underpowered compared to casters.

The devs I think you can criticize for taking as long as they have to balance the classes, but they are clearly trying. It's not so much that monks and casters have been nerfed, they've just gone from amazing to OK. Centered Kensei is still strong. Shirardi Sorc is still strong. Just not the best anymore.

[Wizza]

Monks were the flavor of the month for a long time. That didn't change until the armor up pass this year.

As were casters for the longest time. Melees for most of DDO's life have been very underpowered compared to casters.

The devs I think you can criticize for taking as long as they have to balance the classes, but they are trying. It's not so much that monks and casters have been nerfed, they've just gone from amazing to OK. Centered Kensei is still strong. Shirardi is still strong. Just not the best anymore.

This right here is the problem. Developers don't know what "middle ground" is. They buff one style so much that everything else is underpowered/inefficient. Once it was melees, then casters, then it was ranged, now it's melees.

[Drakos]

*sigh*still no mention of...GNOMES!*sigh*

And there was much rejoicing.