2020 Producer's Letter Has Arrived

[FlavoredSoul]

How about we DO pass that level cap, like we have done many times before, and get to where we need to be. You dont invalidate content, you simply make it part of leveling in ddo, but for your sake, DOOM!

Being blindly optimistic towards a level cap increase when it has caused problems the last several times it's happened is foolish, you can't dismiss obviously bad decisions with "DOOM".

How many Shrouds or Abbots (Mark of Death doesn't count... and even if it did it barely gets run too) get run anymore? Caught in the web? Old endgame/raids get left in the dust every level cap increase, it's not just raids either tons of content just gets completely ignored because it's gear is no longer relevant, even slavelords is basically obsoleted by sharn.

And really the obsoleting of content is the smallest problem with a level cap raise, the population as it is is horribly spread out over 30 levels right now, adding any more will only worsen the problem of dead LFM. A server merge or crosserver play could alleviate this issue but if we don't get that then I cannot support anything to make grouping even harder than before.

While It's perfectly possible for them to pull this off and make it work... I highly doubt it given Turbine/SSG's track record.

[Bradik_Losdar]

Being blindly optimistic towards a level cap increase when it has caused problems the last several times it's happened is foolish, you can't dismiss obviously bad decisions with "DOOM".

How many Shrouds or Abbots (Mark of Death doesn't count... and even if it did it barely gets run too) get run anymore? Caught in the web? Old endgame/raids get left in the dust every level cap increase, it's not just raids either tons of content just gets completely ignored because it's gear is no longer relevant, even slavelords is basically obsoleted by sharn.

And really the obsoleting of content is the smallest problem with a level cap raise, the population as it is is horribly spread out over 30 levels right now, adding any more will only worsen the problem of dead LFM. A server merge or crosserver play could alleviate this issue but if we don't get that then I cannot support anything to make grouping even harder than before.

While It's perfectly possible for them to pull this off and make it work... I highly doubt it given Turbine/SSG's track record.

Well said.

Moving past Level 30 is a huge mistake and will make the playerbase become/feel even smaller.

[Gniewomir]

I might sound like a pessimist, but honestly i see really nothing to be excited, only a lot of dissapointment.

New expansion? Well, since they noticed expansions makes a lot of money, it's like a regular, every year thing now. 3-4 updates per year, 1 expansion per year, just a regular thing.
New packs? Race? See above.
Progression past lvl 30? Pure evil, already too much grind in game.
Harcore? I see no reason to waste time, still got 2398342 past lifes and 10393mln rxp to get on normal servers.

Nothing really new, nothing suprising, no major changes. Just more of the stuff we're getting every year.

[Maraq]

Oh no!
This is how it ends! - 64-bit client...

Another one MMORPG I can't play :_(

Or there will be 2 clients?

[SerPounce]

Everything else sounds cool, but I just don’t understand the point of adding more epic commoner levels. None of the epic level stuff (as opposed to destinies which are entirely separate from levels) has made character building more interesting or gameplay more fun. Cap increases have just made good content obsolete and added bloat to leveling.

This dev team does so much right. If you look at my comments they’re overwhelmingly positive, but I don’t get this.

[RockHeavy]

Oh no!
This is how it ends! - 64-bit client...

Another one MMORPG I can't play :_(

Or there will be 2 clients?

I would think there will be both clients available... but why would a 64-bit client prevent you from playing?

[Cantor]

I would think there will be both clients available... but why would a 64-bit client prevent you from playing?

b/c they play on a potato.

I've had a few friends in game who don't play anything else and use an old garbage pc.

[salmag]

Shifters - Very Nice. Good to see an Eberron core class finally in game.

Cap increase would be a good idea, if cross server questing or merge was to take place. Otherwise, the player base would be spread too thin.

Hardcore League is another thing that spreads the player base too thin, causing dead servers. It was nice as a "one-off." Maybe make it truly hardcore by not allowing ships and buffs (although that was a seller in the store).

New quests and adventures are always welcome. ALWAYS.
Feywild seems interesting.

64 bit client is welcome as well. Maybe that will help alleviate some lagging concerns.

Just don't nerf IPS. Only nerf Inquisitive "Universal" tree.

[Mizyrlou]

I'm really intrigued over what QoL stuff they've got in the works. I'm looking forward to anything that'll make organizing the shared bank easier and I still dream of someday having a proper guild bank available.

[myliftkk_v2]

And really the obsoleting of content is the smallest problem with a level cap raise, the population as it is is horribly spread out over 30 levels right now, adding any more will only worsen the problem of dead LFM. A server merge or crosserver play could alleviate this issue but if we don't get that then I cannot support anything to make grouping even harder than before.

Yep, let's make the slice of bread bigger and spread the players out over it like an even thinner layer of butter.

Does an MMO fail to be an MMO when one can no longer find another player in the game?

[LurkingVeteran]

The content in Sev's letter is interesting, but I think content is not everything. The most noteworthy change in DDO over the last several years may be that they finally added an interesting gameplay feat in the new Spring Attack. Don't underestimate gameplay aspects. A new quest provides some variety the first N times you run it, but after that only fun gameplay keeps people from burning out on the game. If a 64bit client by some magic fixes lag, that would be really amazing though.

[myliftkk_v2]

I'm really intrigued over what QoL stuff they've got in the works. I'm looking forward to anything that'll make organizing the shared bank easier and I still dream of someday having a proper guild bank available.

A truly organized single common bank would be a real carrot to longtime players like myself who can barely keep track of inventory spread across tens of mules. I'd pay a premium for that, provided I never ever have to create and log onto another mule again to find some piece of twink gear for a specific class and level range.

[DRoark]

Yeah, if they raise the cap, the character spread will thin out the server more. It's just not a good choice. I can see earning XP post-30 for
alternate rewards (like a token to turn in for a random list of named loot), but adding higher levels is just the wrong way to go.

[Kutalp]

[SiliconScout]

Yeah, if they raise the cap, the character spread will thin out the server more. It's just not a good choice. I can see earning XP post-30 for
alternate rewards (like a token to turn in for a random list of named loot), but adding higher levels is just the wrong way to go.

THIS.

This idea is a scquillion times better than raising the cap.

Raising the cap will NOT help the game, it just won't.

+1 sir.

[Andu_Indorin]

How about an update on customer service?

"Out with the old, in with the new … "

[AlmGhandi]

How about an update on customer service?

"Out with the old, in with the new … "

In game customer service?

Recall, reset and restart.

[AlmGhandi]

That is not a cap.

[Anuulified]

Being blindly optimistic towards a level cap increase when it has caused problems the last several times it's happened is foolish, you can't dismiss obviously bad decisions with "DOOM".

How many Shrouds or Abbots (Mark of Death doesn't count... and even if it did it barely gets run too) get run anymore? Caught in the web? Old endgame/raids get left in the dust every level cap increase, it's not just raids either tons of content just gets completely ignored because it's gear is no longer relevant, even slavelords is basically obsoleted by sharn.

And really the obsoleting of content is the smallest problem with a level cap raise, the population as it is is horribly spread out over 30 levels right now, adding any more will only worsen the problem of dead LFM. A server merge or crosserver play could alleviate this issue but if we don't get that then I cannot support anything to make grouping even harder than before.

While It's perfectly possible for them to pull this off and make it work... I highly doubt it given Turbine/SSG's track record.

Obviously good decisions, since their decisions have kept the lights on for over a decade now. Also I tend to raid every Sat and Sun and am hoping those same raids are again bumped up for the level cap. Come to Khyber our population is very healthy.

[Faltout]

Obviously good decisions, since their decisions have kept the lights on for over a decade now. Also I tend to raid every Sat and Sun and am hoping those same raids are again bumped up for the level cap. Come to Khyber our population is very healthy.

No, no it isn't.