A Look Ahead - Producer's Letter January 2020

[Sam-u-r-eye]

Are we not going to get our racial variant from last year?

The following quote is taken from 2019 Producer Letter.
"Some other things we are hoping to do this year is to work on Epic Destinies, with a few targeted changes per destiny along with additional work to Knight of the Chalice, and the debut of a new racial variant!"

Generally speaking, we only get half of what is in a Producer's letter. (E.x., no Isle of Dread, Stonelands, etc)

[kmoustakas]

So we still won't find out what's up with the mad archon and the cage in Shavarath.

Meh.

[CeltEireson]

I just want to point out something devs have said before, and that I agree with...

EDs are not tied 1:1 with classes, nor should they be. They're designed around playstyles...and playstyles can overlap between classes. Some do align very closely with a given class' skillset - GMoF and Fatesinger, for example - but they arent by any means exclusively useful to those classes.

We dont need additional EDs for every class as long as the playstyles that a class allows are all supported. E.g., Artificer can build for martial RXB damage, or caster. A martial Arti might take LD or Shiradi, while a caster might take Draconic or Magister. Those fully serve the playstyles of the class.

Likewise, Alchemist might spec more martial darts in VC, or more caster in Bomb, or more group-heal in Apoth, and might take Shiradi or Draconic or EA, respectively.

If you want to see more EDs, you'd need to delineate a unique playstyle that really isnt adequately served by any of the existing trees...e.g., maybe an Undead-themed tree that gives some of the flavor of PM to a non-PM build (Necro Cleric, Poison/Neg Alch, Sorc EK) or enhances the existing functionality of PM EKs.

Having not played warlock or alchemist I can't comment on them but having played artificer a lot I'd say that they are one of the classes which is 'jack of all trades' - they may specialise in one of their areas but use all of them to one degree or other. They have ranged/melee, offensiveness/buffing casting, runearms, trapping and pets - but each ED only allows for improvement in one of those areas. It would be nice to have an ED that allows them to make better use of all their abilities rather than forcing them down one path.

[Jerevth]

With absolutely no idea how they intend to implement the level 30+, so long as it doesn't stretch the xp requirements for EDRs (I suspect 31+ will be a brand new, stand alone format myself), it's difficult to cry doom and gloom over this and retain credulity. Let's see what they come out with first.

The Feywild concept looks incredible, and I look forward to seeing the devs' execution of it; the art and stories in Sharn and RL were stellar (my humble opinion). I'll keep a toon capped so I can see the new expansion when it comes out.

Looking forward to 64 bit: I just hope my POSCPU is up to the task (2017 Lenovo craptop).

Sortable shared bank will be great- Level search would be spectacular. (Kudos to the one who posted that idea, above.)

Shifter: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/shifter nifty. Sounds like a new race. At least it isn't another elf branch.

-Prediction: A Fey race to accompany the Feywild release.

Hardcore: I enjoyed it the first time but I think this time around I'll pass (Life is getting busy again). Curious to see the incentives- hopefully they remain cosmetic only. It was fun and worth the time, though. I still wear my red scarf.

[kelavas]

Generally speaking, we only get half of what is in a Producer's letter. (E.x., no Isle of Dread, Stonelands, etc)

We got everything in the producer letter but the racial variant, and am really sad because would've liked another racial variant D:
technically U45 but that is still coming

[Aelonwy]

I just want to point out something devs have said before, and that I agree with...

EDs are not tied 1:1 with classes, nor should they be. They're designed around playstyles...and playstyles can overlap between classes. Some do align very closely with a given class' skillset - GMoF and Fatesinger, for example - but they arent by any means exclusively useful to those classes.

No current ED supports warlock pacts, adds pacts, or adds to, changes, or gives alternate eldritch burst styles. No current ED does much of anything for forged, partially forged characters, adds to or improves rune arm use, adds to or improvements to conjure bolts/construct specific spells, changes or improvements to the construct puppy specifically. Alchemist, not out yet and I didn't get to try it out ...so difficult to speculate.

No EDs are not 1:1 with the classes and yet for the most part they support unique class features such as raging, bard songs, turn undead, assassinate & rogue skills, smites, etc. Where is the support for the unique class features of warlock, artificier, and soon to be alchemist?

You're right there isn't an ED to uniquely support Pale Master, don't you think there should be?

[SiliconScout]

.... experience necessary to push past level 30 for the first time in DDO history.

are you ****ing kidding me. Who's harebrained idea was this? That's what this game needs MORE levels to spread what little of the population is left across. That'll sure help grouping up and playing with your friends ... yup yup.

**shakes his head in disgust and walks off**

[Olds-cool]

...

2020 will also bring a long-standing community request to the game: a 64-bit client. The 64-bit client can improve the overall performance of the game for many, and we look forward to its release later this year. We also have user interface improvements planned for the Shared Account Bank to make it easier to store, sort, and access the items you've collected. Other quality of life improvements are in the planning stages as well, and we'll talk more about it later this year.

...

Sev~

So... maybe standard scaling for 4k (and beyond) resolutions?

[Sonoma]

I would like to see an AI pass, that is, a level of magnitude improvement in the intelligence of monsters, pets, hires, and even NPCs.

[Carpone]

Looking forward to pushing past level 30. There's already enough XP in the game to get to level 34/35 without factoring in expansion quests.

I'm concerned about season 2 hardcore league cannibalizing the live server player population like it did in season 1. There was a steep decline in the number of people available at level cap for raiding and doing high-skull content, and it made me not want to login. How does SSG plan to address this?

[CaptainSpacePony]

Mostly sounds good, but I am apprehensive about lvl 31+.

If just more epic levels, I hope it's not more than 2.I heard in game that it's 5. That seems excessive to me, but would serve to slow ETR, if that's a goal.

If Legendary levels are to epic levels what epic levels are to heroic, that could be interesting but would have the consequence of scattering the character base further when many of us lament the difficulty in filling LFMs.

[CaptainSpacePony]

I was hoping to see some more epic destinies.

An arcane that's geared toward artificers (and alchemists).

A ranged ED in the martial sphere.

Breaking up primal avatar into a casting tree, and a melee/shifter tree would be cool.

No idea what to do with the divine sphere...

[LOOON375]

This all sounds fascinating, but I could do without the level cap increase. Every single time time you guys have increased the level cap historically three things have happened:

1. All of the existing endgame gear has been completely invalidated.
2. Most of the current LEVELING gear has ALSO been invalidated or broken by some new corresponding loot update.
3. There isn't enough current endgame content, so only a tiny smattering of builds that can get ahold of decent endgame gear are valid for endgame now.
4. The next 5/6 updates become a desperate attempt to reinvigorate the now horribly narrow and limited endgame.
5. Reincarnating gains a new level of headache.

I won't launch a protest or anything, but I'm very skeptical that you have any plans where raising the level cap will actually bring something new and interesting to the game as opposed to options like:

1. Adding new legendary feat options.
2. Adding new epic/destiny feats.
3. More expansion of the sentient weapons system.
4. A new epic destiny circle.
5. New universal enhancement trees.
6. Account-based options

I concur with just about everything here.

[Hafeal]

Dear Sev -

I appreciate your letter and look forward to the game enhancements to DDO for 2020.

I know you understand that some of the vagueness in your letter will spread unhappy speculation, as seen in this thread. DDO has gone from the "no grind MMO" in 2006 to the game that married grind is now having grandchildren. Anything you can do to alleviate this concern would be appreciated.

Personally, I was truly hoping for some relief from the TR train and something that made playing alts way more viable (a shared xp bank, account xp? something? - all discussed as far back as the inaugural PC on which I participated) Wishful thinking it seems.

Bottom line - I hope the team will add a shared xp system for ANYTHING past 30 - and I certainly hope there will be no more power creep from the level range increase in terms of gear and player abilities - including ANY "universal tree" meant to supplement past 30. The mistake with Reaper, imo, was adding power in a tree thus diminishing the "challenge" the mode was intended to provide. Please do not repeat this mistake and, again, any assurance you can provide in this regard would be appreciated.

Thank you to the entire DDO team for 14 years, both in a great game and in keeping the game alive during transitions between companies. The game has meant many fun times for my friends - those who have come with me from the early days and those I have made along the way.

[GoldyGopher]

Thank you for getting the Producer's Letter out early this year. I know it can be a challenge with the approval process requiring sign off by multiple stake holders.

I am really excited to see a 64 bit client for DDO. I am hoping the 64 bit client will take advantage of the resources I have available in my gaming computer at home.

New Content is a big key to DDO continued success. I hope these are more quality quests that I can enjoy. I would add bringing older content, not just raids, up to current standards and the current metagame (including loot) is equally important. There is so much content that is minimally run because of decisions made 15 years ago make little sense today. (Shan-to-kor, Tangleroot, Threnal, Sorrowdusk).

The quality of life improvements to the game are greatly appreciated. After previewing the Shared Bank i hope that additional changes meet that same high standard. Looking at Reincarnation Cache, the Auction House, playing character sheets....

Shifters are an interesting choice for a new race. Not that I don't approve, just surprised it came before Kalashtar; which I know would require psionics, but that has long been a request of the player base.

While I enjoyed the first season of the Hardcore League I hope that season two isn't for a while yet; preferable not until after the launch of the expansion later this year.

Feywild as the new expansion. Well, umm, okay. Clearly not what I would have chosen. It could be good but I am not jumping up and down with excitement. Considering the reception of the Shadowfell Conspiracy I have my worries.

Epic version of Delara's and the Catacombs. Why? I understand the desire by a segment of the game population to minimize the purchase of content and doubling up is great. A larger segment of the population thinks it is not additional content and the game needs additional content. Having both a heroic and epic/legendary version is a waste as content is only run at one level of difficulty.

Level Cap increase. Uh-oh. I may not have been worried about the choice of location for expansion, but there are multiple issues/concerns about going past 30.

[Vulkoorex]

Current L30 xp required is 8.25Mxp.

We know that epic and improved epic otto boxes can be used in one life. With all the available bonus xp, it works to be about 10.2 Mxp if both are used. Thus to generate sales from whales, increase the levels.

Looking at the scaling, making to L35 should be about 13.5 to 14 Mxp.

Wouldn't be surprised is they rolled out Legenary epic otto box with a 8M xp stone. With all available bonus would take you right up to cap with 13.6M xp.

[Chai]

Is the office pool on legendary reincarnation up yet?

[Kinerd]

We are quite a ways out from being prepared to announce specifics on our plans for character progression past level 30. What we are willing to say at this point, however, is that one of our goals is to NOT increase the amount of XP required to complete an Epic Reincarnation.

can you tell us which goals you anticipate the community being excited about?

[Kinerd]

New content is always great and necessary to keep the game alive

The problem is that older hamster wheels, the ones old vets have long since completed, need to be accelerated when new ones are added. It should be zero sum - there shouldn't ever, IMO, be more than about a year of grind to get essentially caught up, per character.

And really, it's only the PL system that needs tweaking right now. Destinies and Sentience are still reasonable. Create some way to boost chars with low lives, but not chars with high lives, and things are a million times better

agree insofar as the lack of onramps for new players became really striking to me after coming back from other games. two new completionist feats came out while i was away yet a new player starts in exactly the same spot. yikes!

but i disagree and stand with the chorus that raising the level cap is a massively bad idea

[Kinerd]

5. a few clicks through the character creation screen showing off ddo's insane customization with skills and feats with pretty characters in as the model (no gnomes, maybe bladeforged / female humans / male Aasimar / shadar-kai with Hunger Games photographer hair) creating an alchemist? (with some voice-over about customisation awesomeness)

female elves!