Level Cap Increase Postponed

[Cocomajobo]

For over a year now we've been planning for and working towards a level cap increase to coincide with the release of the Feywild expansion. We believe this is a necessity for the future health of the game and have been very careful to make sure it is done in the best way possible.

We built in a lengthy lead up time to allow us to iterate both internally and with the Player's Council; however, what wasn't accounted for was the possibility of a global crisis. As a result, we have come to the conclusion that, while we could push through and finish implementing the level cap increase and all of the changes related to it (such as a highly rumored Epic Destiny revamp to make sure they fit in the new builds ecosystem) by the end of the year, we don't want to rush forward with such widespread important changes without time to iterate and make sure we get it right.

In summary, both the Level Cap Increase and the Epic Destiny Revamp are no longer planned to be released in conjunction with the Feywild Expansion. Instead, these features are tentatively planned to be completed in 2021 (Subject to change). We understand if some are disappointed, we are as well, but we hope you understand the need to get changes of this type right and not rush them out the door.

[ggmarquez]

Thank you for an official announcement. Looking forward to another great year for DDO. Muchas Gracias.

[Yamani]

For over a year now we've been planning for and working towards a level cap increase to coincide with the release of the Feywild expansion. We believe this is a necessity for the future health of the game and have been very careful to make sure it is done in the best way possible.

We built in a lengthy lead up time to allow us to iterate both internally and with the Player's Council; however, what wasn't accounted for was the possibility of a global crisis. As a result, we have come to the conclusion that, while we could push through and finish implementing the level cap increase and all of the changes related to it (such as a highly rumored Epic Destiny revamp to make sure they fit in the new builds ecosystem) by the end of the year, we don't want to rush forward with such widespread important changes without time to iterate and make sure we get it right.

In summary, both the Level Cap Increase and the Epic Destiny Revamp are no longer planned to be released in conjunction with the Feywild Expansion. Instead, these features are tentatively planned to be completed in 2021 (Subject to change). We understand if some are disappointed, we are as well, but we hope you understand the need to get changes of this type right and not rush them out the door.

So here is the question then: Where does that leave the feywild expansion? Is it just now a bunch of quests we will play at level 30 for level 29 gear, which was what was supposed to be the foundation of gear for these new levels. What will be included in feywild that will make it feel like an expansion and not just a quest adventure pack with a new race?

[Cocomajobo]

So here is the question then: Where does that leave the feywild expansion? Is it just now a bunch of quests we will play at level 30 for level 29 gear, which was what was supposed to be the foundation of gear for these new levels. What will be included in feywild that will make it feel like an expansion and not just a quest adventure pack with a new race?

When we came to the decision that we needed to push out the level cap increase is the moment that we went to brainstorming big cool systems that could replace it to make feywild feel good. Thus, the Augment revamp that Cordovan has mentioned. There will be some new exciting and unique augments present to be found in the Feywild as well as some changes to the underlying system of augments as a whole.

That is the primary "big systems feature" that you are referring to. Combine that with the new quests, new race, new iconic race, new universal tree and it should be a similarly scoped expansion to Sharn and Ravenloft. Honestly, when the level cap increase was a part of it it was... much larger in total feature scope than our past two expansions. Now it should be roughly in line with them.

[rabidfox]

Thanks for the update/info.

[Kielbasa]

This is great news. Delay the level cap increase and destiny revamp until you've done a proper job on them. There are a lot of great concepts in epic destinies but ultimately it is an old system that was designed for levels 20-25 and never got the love it needed to grow beyond that. With all of the new races and classes released since destinies were first made there are many things that do not fit into the current system. I also hope lots of new epic feats are released with the revamp of destinies and increase of the level cap. More class specific and even multi-class specific ones would be very cool.

Extremely glad to hear augments are getting the overhaul we have desperately wanted and needed for a long time. Augments impact every level of the game and finally having them be more useful again would improve every single item in the game and hopefully alleviate some of the loot tetris we've been dealing with lately.

[Memnir]

Measure twice, cut once.
Thank you for the delay.

[SerPounce]

I guess I need to listen to more rumors because this is the first I've heard a bout a "big destiny revamp." That sounds great. Certainly something I'm more excited about than a simple level cap increase.

[HastyPudding]

Thanks Covid-19!

*grumble grumble*

Can you at least give us a basic summary of what you had planned for the epic destinies?

[Natashaelle]

Can you at least give us a basic summary of what you had planned for the epic destinies?

Looks slyly at NDA ...

Basic summary : It's cool.

[karatemack]

When we came to the decision that we needed to push out the level cap increase is the moment that we went to brainstorming big cool systems that could replace it to make feywild feel good. Thus, the Augment revamp that Cordovan has mentioned. There will be some new exciting and unique augments present to be found in the Feywild as well as some changes to the underlying system of augments as a whole.

Hopefully there is a chance it won't ever happen. For now, we celebrate!

That is the primary "big systems feature" that you are referring to. Combine that with the new quests, new race, new iconic race, new universal tree and it should be a similarly scoped expansion to Sharn and Ravenloft. Honestly, when the level cap increase was a part of it it was... much larger in total feature scope than our past two expansions. Now it should be roughly in line with them.

Is the new race and iconic with Feywild the Shifter/Razorclaw? Or are those actually part of U47?

New augments sounds fun. Looking forward to the new quests/raids as well!

[GoldyGopher]

Is the new race and iconic with Feywild the Shifter/Razorclaw? Or are those actually part of U47?

New augments sounds fun. Looking forward to the new quests/raids as well!

The new race and Iconic are a part of the Feywild expansion. These items will be available with the pre-sale of the Expansion, which may begin as soon as U47 is released or at a later date. This is similar to the pre-sales of Masterminds of Sharn and Ravenloft. In MoS (update 42) the pre-sales items (Tiefling and Inquisitive) were available with Update 41 Patch 4 which was on the same date as the pre-sale began.

[barecm]

A lot of things dropping out of Feywild like this level cap increase and longbow fixes to name a couple. So I am assuming there will be an equivalent price reduction since we are hearing about things getting cut and nothing about things being added of value.

[PsychoBlonde]

I've been kinda expecting some schedule slips for a while now due to all the BS that's been happening in the world generally.

Ya'll stay safe and healthy and take care and get it out when you get it out.

[PsychoBlonde]

A lot of things dropping out of Feywild like this level cap increase and longbow fixes to name a couple. So I am assuming there will be an equivalent price reduction since we are hearing about things getting cut and nothing about things being added of value.

Why? Global changes aren't a PART of the paid package. It's not like only the people who bought the expansion would be able to level to 31 or whatever it was going to be, so why does those things not happening at the same instant somehow reduce the value of the stuff that's in the expansion content? If you go out for dinner and a movie and find out that the restaurant is closed because someone set the kitchen on fire, that doesn't mean the movie tickets are cheaper. :P

[fatherpirate]

When we came to the decision that we needed to push out the level cap increase is the moment that we went to brainstorming big cool systems that could replace it to make feywild feel good. Thus, the Augment revamp that Cordovan has mentioned. There will be some new exciting and unique augments present to be found in the Feywild as well as some changes to the underlying system of augments as a whole.

That is the primary "big systems feature" that you are referring to. Combine that with the new quests, new race, new iconic race, new universal tree and it should be a similarly scoped expansion to Sharn and Ravenloft. Honestly, when the level cap increase was a part of it it was... much larger in total feature scope than our past two expansions. Now it should be roughly in line with them.

If you have Divine scroll vendors stock 'SUMMON NATURE'S ALLY' scrolls so my half-elf Druid Dil. can summon animals instead of monsters
THEN and only then will I forgive you.

humph !

[droid327]

I'm only disappointed inasmuch as it's merely delayed and not cancelled. The chatter recently seems to suggest a level cap raise is deeply unpopular. I think it would be good to expound a little on exactly why you came to the conclusion it was necessary for the health of the game. I'm open to hearing a reasoned and supported argument to change my mind, but I think we need a little more than just "we said so", essentially.

[mikarddo]

Fair enough, things chance and an augment revamp sounds ok even if much less in scope than an ED revamp.

An honest question though. How has the global crisis impacted development in a way that matters?

It would seem to me that a small studio developing computer games would be very little affected unless the crew itself got ill. It is, afterall, not the job with the most face-to-face interaction or travelling

[Kebtid]

So what is the selling point of this expansion?

Help me to understand.
No system changes, no gameplay changes, nothing unique to the expansion.
Augments are a qol fix, not something that should not be tied to expansion alone.

Motu as friend said, had most content, class, iconics, challanges. level cap, destinieis, gear with crafting, first entry in into forg realms, and many other changes.
Shadowfall was terrible.

Rloft had system changes, new race sentient and a established endgame.

Sharn had... Sentients... 1 area and a nice 1 hub all chain quests aproach.

Exp will have,... What exactly is unique to it alone? Augments are a qol thing that the game needs and not something unique to the expansion.

Is its selling point slightly higher bonuses on sets?

I am honestly not impressed.
Explain to me why i should as customer buy that product.
I know why i will buy a 3080 or a ps5 or a xbox.

But i have no clue why i should consider buying feywild as expansion beside maybe to see plotline.

[KoobTheProud]

So what is the selling point of this expansion?

New content centered on a unique area of play, just like Ravenloft and Sharn.

The level 30 endgame is growing not being obliterated by a level cap increase. This means all of the new content is relevant and none of the old level 30 content is newly irrelevant.

I don't know if you lived through the MotU era when the old level 20 end game was obliterated at the turn of a switch but it took years for DDO to feel like it had an actual endgame again instead of a dozen instances and one raid repeated ad nauseum. I know that I was not willing to go through that experience again for the sake of a rolling level cap increase that would profit nobody in the end.