Producer's Letter - 5/21/15

[slarden]

(I won't even touch on the PRR/MRR issue because We've had that conversation before and you have shown an unwillingness to see that there IS an issue. But that partly falls into the broken Buffs/PM focus category anyway

+1

[nibel]

And please , redoing the Eldritch Knight , I do not know that this weaker tree (uselless and not fun ) .

I wonder if current tech allow to make tree based on two classes. Like, making Eldritch Knight a very specific Fighter/Wizard multiclass tree: Something like Core 1 requires at least Fighter 1 and Wiz 1, and Capstone requires at least Fighter 8 and Wizard 8 (but still char level 20).

Or if is possible to make some feats grant access to enhancement trees, like making the 400 Silver Flame favor reward be access to "Silver Flame Exorcist" enhancement tree via a favor feat.

This would solve a lot of problems with trees that are stuck in one class, but are better aimed at specific multiclasses, like Kensei, Eldritch Knight, Henshin Mystic and Warpriest.

[Silverleafeon]

And wait to level 30??? Melees don’t have to wait to 30 for dps!!! A tax feat only for casters??? Melees don’t have any tax feat!!! No!!! Metamagic reductions should go in casters EDs. No more taxes for casters, while for melees all is free!

Eventually I saw those flaws too.

Well, perhaps Epic Power simply needs rewriting:

Epic Power

Usage: Passive
Prerequisite: None

Description

+3 Melee Power
+3 Ranged Power
+10 Universal Spell Power
+15% Universal Spell Crit Bonus Damage

Note This feat is automatically given to all characters each time they gain an Epic level.



Also, each Epic Destiny Innate could have 1d6 Universal Spell Power added to it.
(Or we could use a more scientific method

Although we could create
Epic Empower (anit requisite empower) +75 usp w/o sp cost min level 23
and
Epic Maximize (anti requisite maximize) +150 usp w/o sp cost min level 27

with or w/o the other

[Iriale]

Eventually I saw those flaws too.



Although we could create
Epic Empower (anit requisite empower) +75 usp w/o sp cost min level 23
and
Epic Maximize (anti requisite maximize) +150 usp w/o sp cost min level 27

with or w/o the other

An epic feat is very impractical. There are only three epic feats (lv 21-24-27), and we need them for to increase DC spell and Ruin. And if is anti-requisite of heroic ones, you have to change the heroic feat when you reach epics? It is not practical. The destiny feats could be a option, but it’s a little late (lv 26 min!)

No. melee EDs have improvements to melee heroic feats: improved power attack, improved combat expertise, legendary shield mastery, etc. Why casters can not have improvements to metamagic feats in their EDs? Why caster EDs have to be so dull, so lacking in improvements of our magical skills and heroic feats?

It's my opinion, at least.

[Buffyanne]

Thanks for the update Sev. Lots of good stuff coming this year. A couple questions and thoughts.

1. You said epic Shroud was coming. Will epic greensteel be 'end game' gear? Original GS was the build goal for many years and the best gear you could get. I miss that sort of stability and something to build for. Please include lots of options! One of the fun aspects of GS is that you can make all sorts of different items and weapons. It would be fantastic if you would include prefix/suffix like options for eGS items and maybe introduce some legendary effects like Black Razor's life eating, or a Vorpal ability that works like a true Vorpal from PnP.

2. I am looking forward to the Ranger pass. You did a great job on the mechanic tree, I hope the Ranger ranged options look like this and it would be really good if you made the L18 and L20 ranger cores very powerful.

3. Can't wait for Warlock! Per other casting classes, I continue to think the caster experience would be enhanced if other schools of magic were developed. After years of game play I am just kinda sick of necromancy and would love to play a summoner or illusionist.

4. I know it ends up being a business decision but please remove raid timers. It is great we are getting a new raid, I love raiding, it pains me that the DDO raiding scene is so dead. One big step in reviving that raiding scene is getting rid of raid timers.

5. Finally great job on the continual improvements you have made to the game. I have really enjoyed all the new enhancements you have made to the character classes and really enjoy the new harder difficulty in ToEE. I hope epic Shavarath is wickedly hard and the raid is like ToD where Horath was exceedingly hard to beat for most groups for a long time.

[esojiul]

We want Q/A fully engaged with the Warlock release, and our attention fully on Warlock once it goes live because a new class is a big deal for us.

I should not confirm that U26 is an additional release, and that our plan is to still release three more content packs this year since our plans may have to change.

Sev~

70 % of complaints are caused by 30 % of the problems . If you are willing to attack first lag (new server etc etc) and introduce a new class meanwhile, is the right way.
Then you can introduce more quest, balance the classes etc etc.

[Lanadazia]

That pretty much sums it up - just make DDO2. Why the heck not?

if they made it new, they had to redo all of the coding. maybe the IP is identical, but its a different, new game.
a new game takes ~2 years to be coded, also they'd use another graphic engine and then they had to re-do all of the graphics ingame.

"just make ddo2" sounds quite easy, and even if it was it'd take a few years for it to be playable.
so nope. no ddo2

they'd rather put up a complete new game, that is nothing like ddo. like a completely other setting, and not eberron or forgotten realms.
still, very unlikely that this will happen

[jalont]

4. I know it ends up being a business decision but please remove raid timers. It is great we are getting a new raid, I love raiding, it pains me that the DDO raiding scene is so dead. One big step in reviving that raiding scene is getting rid of raid timers.

Removing raid timers is a bad idea. The reason the raid scene is so dead is because a low percentage of the current playerbase enjoy raiding. If you remove raid timers AND don't allow completions to last through TR, no one is going to bother raiding. It's not like any gear is needed when the game is this easy, so stopping the xp to raid is a net negative. If I can run 20 raids in the couple days between each TR, then it at least gives the illusion of accomplishing something.

[SisAmethyst]

Greetings!

... One of the larger projects that we are working on is a transfer of our game servers and other hardware to a new data center...

Update 26 is coming in June, and it will focus mainly on a new class; the Warlock!...

Update 27 will follow in July. It includes an all-new adventure pack that returns to Shavarath, showcasing the Archons’ side of its endless war...

We've also been hearing your feedback that you'd like an improved experience when using the DDO Store...

...Players will be able to use an updated and epic version of Greensteel to craft more powerful gear...

...Robert “Severlin” Ciccolini

Jayyy, new hamster wheels for our servers sounds great! Despite other players being not so impressed about that point I think that is actually a great thing behind the scene that Turbine is putting in some effort to work on the scalability and stability of the game!

I think the June/July gap for the new content isn't as bad as I don't think that a single month would change much in regards of player leaving the game due to missing content. In fact I rather have Turbine take their time to make the content right instead of pressing it and delivering sub par content that isn't worth the dime to run. Because players not only want new quest, but quests that are fun and cool to play and for endgames repetitive.

I also like that we get a look on the other side of an existing storyline, one that was hidden and overshadowed and left a lot of questions open. Please invest a bit in making the lore and story not some flat and empty pseudo reason why we have to fight devils and demons again as some of us who played the pen and paper version or games like Baldurs Gate do indeed care about story and lore.

I also love that one of the best crafting systems like Greensteel get a bump for Epic items and weapons and I am curious in how it will turn out!

A new Store however puzzles me. We already have the DDO in-game store, the DDO market place and now getting a third one? Why and who is asking for that?

[Thrudh]

Jayyy, new hamster wheels for our servers sounds great! Despite other players being not so impressed about that point I think that is actually a great thing behind the scene that Turbine is putting in some effort to work on the scalability and stability of the game!

That also shows that all the DOOM posts about DDO dying soon are junk...

You don't invest in new hardware for a dying game.

[Silverleafeon]

An epic feat is very impractical. There are only three epic feats (lv 21-24-27), and we need them for to increase DC spell and Ruin. And if is anti-requisite of heroic ones, you have to change the heroic feat when you reach epics? It is not practical. The destiny feats could be a option, but it’s a little late (lv 26 min!)

No. melee EDs have improvements to melee heroic feats: improved power attack, improved combat expertise, legendary shield mastery, etc. Why casters can not have improvements to metamagic feats in their EDs? Why caster EDs have to be so dull, so lacking in improvements of our magical skills and heroic feats?

It's my opinion, at least.

So you would suggest, an feat line such as thus:

Improved Metamagic Feat: Pick a particular metamagic feat you have already acquired. The Spell point cost of this metamagic feat is reduced by half (rounded up) before applying all other modifiers to spell point reductions. You can acquire this feat multiple times. Each time you acquire this feat, you must pick a new metamagic feat that you have already acquired. ?



{Having to choose between Ruin and a quality Epic Maximize with zero sp cost might be considered one of those "Tough choices" the Devs like to throw at us?}

[Silverleafeon]

Removing raid timers is a bad idea. The reason the raid scene is so dead is because a low percentage of the current playerbase enjoy raiding. If you remove raid timers AND don't allow completions to last through TR, no one is going to bother raiding. It's not like any gear is needed when the game is this easy, so stopping the xp to raid is a net negative. If I can run 20 raids in the couple days between each TR, then it at least gives the illusion of accomplishing something.

I agree, raid timers basic role in their creation was to allow TR lifestyle to function. It also brings in money which pays for DDO.

[Silverleafeon]

That also shows that all the DOOM posts about DDO dying soon are junk...

You don't invest in new hardware for a dying game.

Aye, and I imagine LotR fans are cheering too!

[Silverleafeon]

1. You said epic Shroud was coming. Will epic greensteel be 'end game' gear? Original GS was the build goal for many years and the best gear you could get. I miss that sort of stability and something to build for. Please include lots of options! One of the fun aspects of GS is that you can make all sorts of different items and weapons. It would be fantastic if you would include prefix/suffix like options for eGS items and maybe introduce some legendary effects like Black Razor's life eating, or a Vorpal ability that works like a true Vorpal from PnP.

One of the mistakes of Thunderforged and the current suggested Warlock Past life feat is:


Charges per day depend upon what the charges do. Having too few charges waste hot bar and screen space.

Attacks should be 10 a day ~~ not 6 a day for a past life and certainly not 4 a day for thunderforged which is bugged at 3 a day. Anything less than 10 a day is a waste of a hot key / easy to click spot on hot bars. The same thunderforged weapon at 10 a day would be actually considered, whereas now barely anyone and merely the curious make this 500ish per attack spell.

Buffs should be 3 a day ~ unless the buff is ultra powerful such as displacement, which could be 2 a day.

Heals and Raises should be 2 a day ~ unless they heroic levels in which case 1 a day.



DCs on items should be competive with monsters of that level. No double jeopardy. If an item procures all the time and is powerful then a low DC is ok. If an item procures only a small amount then the DC should be strong way high. Double jeopardy is an item that procures 2~6% and has a DC = of what elite monsters in a dungeon of the items min level minus 20 {thus creating an item that works {(2~5%)*(5%)= 1 in a thousand ~ 1 in four hundred}

An example of double jeopardy is the current "Epic Freezing Ice" on Lemure blade from ToEE, untested and unconfirmed by me, rumored by others. very small procure rate plus very low DC?

[011775715]

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

when will otto box be able to be bought? or buy form ddo store.

[Jandric]

Greetings!

We’ve made some excellent strides to reduce lag and improve stability, and we are continuing to work towards these goals. One of the larger projects that we are working on is a transfer of our game servers and other hardware to a new data center. The new facility will provide both Dungeons and Dragons Online and our friends over at The Lord of the Rings Online with more stability, greater CPU power, and a better networking capability. This will complement our ongoing efforts to reduce lag. It’s a big project and as the year progresses we will be working toward a date where we will migrate to the new datacenter.

Woot! On Thelanis, it's become a ritual to enter the quest, check to see if we got stuck on server i2049, recall, reset, and re-enter. Otherwise you get hit with massive lag and 10 minute freeze ups.

Update 27 will follow in July. It includes an all-new adventure pack that returns to Shavarath, showcasing the Archons’ side of its endless war. With your help the Gatekeepers have gathered enough Mysterious Remnants to continue their research. They’ve tracked the Remnants back to Shavarath, the Plane of Battle. You need to travel there to recruit the help of the Archons in unravelling this mystery. The Archons, however, will only aid those who are worthy, and you find yourself embroiled not only in their tests, but in their eternal struggle with the Devils and the Demons. This adventure pack will include three new dungeons and a new raid, and as usual will be free to VIPs.

I've been looking forward to seeing something done with the Archons since Shavarath was released. Hopefully a tie in is made to the mad archon in Amrath.

We'll have more updates this year as well, of course. Players will be able to increase their character level to 30. We’ll have more adventure packs for you. We’ll have an Epic and extended version of our popular Shroud raid and a new adventure pack that relates to the Vale of Twilight. Players will be able to use an updated and epic version of Greensteel to craft more powerful gear. We are excited to bring this content to you!

Epic Vale will be awesome. Hopefully a return to the days where you could always find a Shroud run on LFM is coming. Now we just need Sands to get some loving...

[Buffyanne]

Removing raid timers is a bad idea. The reason the raid scene is so dead is because a low percentage of the current playerbase enjoy raiding. If you remove raid timers AND don't allow completions to last through TR, no one is going to bother raiding. It's not like any gear is needed when the game is this easy, so stopping the xp to raid is a net negative. If I can run 20 raids in the couple days between each TR, then it at least gives the illusion of accomplishing something.

The raid scene is dead because there are only so many people per server who feel comfortable leading raids. Those people usually run the new raid to death in the first 3 weeks that it is out using timers. After that initial month the raid is no longer run. Your argument that people don't enjoy raiding doesn't hold much water because MoD raids filled constantly when the raid first came out. And now? You don't see any LFMs for them. No raid will have any longevity as long as raid timers exist in the game. (Unless it is a high XP raid like VON)

[Stoner81]

I would've liked to see a mention about updating Cannith Crafting, even if only as a throw-away "and time permitting we're still hoping to take a look at cannith crafting toward the end of the year."

Not mentioning it at all makes it seem like it's no longer even a possibility.

+1 although to be fair updating Cannith Crafting properly will probably take a whole update (imho) on it's own to do since there is so much to do with adding all the recipes etc.

I still live in hope though

Stoner81.

[phillymiket]

The raid scene is dead because there are only so many people per server who feel comfortable leading raids. Those people usually run the new raid to death in the first 3 weeks that it is out using timers. After that initial month the raid is no longer run. Your argument that people don't enjoy raiding doesn't hold much water because MoD raids filled constantly when the raid first came out. And now? You don't see any LFMs for them. No raid will have any longevity as long as raid timers exist in the game. (Unless it is a high XP raid like VON)

I don't think the why's and wherefores even matter at this point.
IMO just about anything that brings in cash for the game without completely destroying it is a pretty good thing.

In days past maybe we had the luxury of complaining about Ottos Boxes, Raid Timers or SP Pots but at this point if you took those things away the loss of revenue would probably cause bad things to happen almost over night.
Even if you made a good argument that those things caused the game to lose players in the first place, taking them away would be a mighty big shock to the game's ability to keep the doors open (in my view).

[Silverleafeon]

A player brought up about Mark of Death raids.

Personally when I want to log in, kick back and have a good time with my friends I lean toward Double Dragon and Shadow raids. Mark of Death is an anti magic death trap that can easily go wrong especially w/o a Flesh to Stone Wiz/Sorc.