Smoothing the Xp curve for new players

[Iaga]

A fair number of people feel that it's hard for new players to catch up to vets with regards to PLs.

What if they tweaked the XP curve.

Instead of requiring 1.9 mil for your first life, 2.9 for the second and 3.8 for every life afterwards.

Make it so it's 1.9 mil for the first life of any race/class. Then 2.9 for the second life and 3.8 for the last one?

That would make it easier for newer players to get class completionists/racial AP - hopefully close the gap a little between newbies and vets with regards to power - maybe get them a little more hooked/vested in the game?

Crazy idea?

[Randomdude1223]

A fair number of people feel that it's hard for new players to catch up to vets with regards to PLs.

What if they tweaked the XP curve.

Instead of requiring 1.9 mil for your first life, 2.9 for the second and 3.8 for every life afterwards.

Make it so it's 1.9 mil for the first life of any race/class. Then 2.9 for the second life and 3.8 for the last one?

That would make it easier for newer players to get class completionists/racial AP - hopefully close the gap a little between newbies and vets with regards to power - maybe get them a little more hooked/vested in the game?

Crazy idea?

I like that idea I don't see how it would affect current players in a bad way as most of them already have those lifes done and this idea could attract more new players to the game adding to the population thus making the game better for everyone one it's a win/win situation although I might be (probably am) wrong

[Yamani]

I like that idea I don't see how it would affect current players in a bad way as most of them already have those lifes done and this idea could attract more new players to the game adding to the population thus making the game better for everyone one it's a win/win situation although I might be (probably am) wrong

Seeing as you choose what you are tr'ing after the life is over, this would be abused for 1.9 mill xp every time.

[Bunker]

I can see this for race maybe, but not class.

Only reason is you can multi class in a life, but can only be 1 race. There would be constant complications with attaching this to classes.

[Chacka_DDO]

The problem with this suggestion is that this is not really doing what is intended.
If you do this, new players get their next past lives faster that is correct but players with many more past lives get them faster too and therefore the gap will remain in most cases.
It would just only help everyone to catch up with players who have currently all past lives.
Therefore the effect is temporary at best and after the flash in the pan is over it is just only faster to get all past lives for everyone.

[adamkatt]

A fair number of people feel that it's hard for new players to catch up to vets with regards to PLs.

What if they tweaked the XP curve.

Instead of requiring 1.9 mil for your first life, 2.9 for the second and 3.8 for every life afterwards.

Make it so it's 1.9 mil for the first life of any race/class. Then 2.9 for the second life and 3.8 for the last one?

That would make it easier for newer players to get class completionists/racial AP - hopefully close the gap a little between newbies and vets with regards to power - maybe get them a little more hooked/vested in the game?

Crazy idea?

I recently came back to ddo, i havent played on thelanis since the cap was 20. A whole lot of the game was pretty much new to me. That being said i dont think they need to earn less xp. Let them work for it if they like the game, like the rest of us. I came back during this covid **** and im doing just fine with the current xp tables...

[kanordog]

I can see this for race maybe, but not class.

Only reason is you can multi class in a life, but can only be 1 race. There would be constant complications with attaching this to classes.

Seeing as you choose what you are tr'ing after the life is over, this would be abused for 1.9 mill xp every time.

Here is how I would do it: pick a race I have no past life yet then level to 20 for 1.9 mill xp and then use a TH of Wood for class PL. (And yes, I successfully run Horc wizard or WF wis based FvS before, and I'm planning a DEX based Dragonborn life next, the slight disadvantage the race gives does not set me back significantly.) Solved as Chaka said:

The problem with this suggestion is that this is not really doing what is intended.
If you do this, new players get their next past lives faster that is correct but players with many more past lives get them faster too and therefore the gap will remain in most cases.
It would just only help everyone to catch up with players who have currently all past lives.
Therefore the effect is temporary at best and after the flash in the pan is over it is just only faster to get all past lives for everyone.

[mikarddo]

Not really a new idea - but much easier done like this:
- The first 10 lives are 1.9m
- The next 10 lives are 2.85m
- After that its 3.8m

If a new player runs 10 lives on "1st life xp" they are hardly a new player anymore
Add in another 10 lives on "2nd life xp" and you're hooked.

[droid327]

Some people can burn through lives so quickly that I don't think the total xp amount is the issue. With stronger gear, new enhancements and more efficient quests at various levels being steadily added in over the years, there's already a bit of de facto acceleration for new players.

I think the more pressing issue is accelerating progress on alts

[mikarddo]

Some people can burn through lives so quickly that I don't think the total xp amount is the issue. With stronger gear, new enhancements and more efficient quests at various levels being steadily added in over the years, there's already a bit of de facto acceleration for new players.

I think the more pressing issue is accelerating progress on alts

Alts are far more accellerated by better gear, knowledge, quests etc though as vets already have the gear and knowledge.

I do not disagree that alts could use speeding up - but why do you feel they need that more than new players?

[droid327]

Alts are far more accellerated by better gear, knowledge, quests etc though as vets already have the gear and knowledge.

I do not disagree that alts could use speeding up - but why do you feel they need that more than new players?

Because it's one thing to put one character through the grind...It's another to get through it all and then ask them to do it all over again if they want to have two competitive characters at the same time.

[fatherpirate]

Again

If the pay wall on heroic content is not removed, then there will
be no new players that stay past Harbor.

making any tweeks to help 'new' players pointless.

[thedip]

[Please note that these are the insane ramblings of a deranged player and do not invalidate your views if you disagree with them.]

There are a number of simple ways to help alts, many of which have been mentioned many times before.

One of the first things that I would do is to have an item in the store that enables the character/account to open dungeons on hard/elite (I am a VIP, but just thinking what would help others) having a new group of pals joining and then having to run through normal/hard/elite can be a pain and a disincentive. More cash for SSG and more fun for the players.

The next thing that I would do is to smooth out the xp required so that it takes 10 levels to get to the maximum. This is unlikely to have an adverse effect on the sales of Otto's Boxes as there is still a considerable amount of xp to get to 20. I would also consider reducing the epic XP for the first epic life.

Finally (for now), I would consider having day passes for all non expansion dungeons so that it would give players the opportunity to have a taster for all of the dungeon packs whilst they are checking out the game.

[Bunker]

Here is how I would do it: pick a race I have no past life yet then level to 20 for 1.9 mill xp and then use a TH of Wood for class PL. (And yes, I successfully run Horc wizard or WF wis based FvS before, and I'm planning a DEX based Dragonborn life next, the slight disadvantage the race gives does not set me back significantly.) Solved as Chaka said:

Yeah. All I was saying is IF they did this, it would have to be tied to race. With class and multiclassing, which class would be given the 1.9 designation on that life? I think IF this was implemented, giving each race a 3 tier system would be the way to go.

Im not really on board with this idea, as the main characters I play would not qualify for any of the xp reduction of this idea. It isn''t a bad idea, a timer saver at best. It would bring up the freshmen class, but that is about it.

[Stravix]

Some people can burn through lives so quickly that I don't think the total xp amount is the issue. With stronger gear, new enhancements and more efficient quests at various levels being steadily added in over the years, there's already a bit of de facto acceleration for new players.

I think the more pressing issue is accelerating progress on alts

I would prefer a smoother progression, +5% per life, up to 20 completed to get us to the current 3rd life XP requirement. But something like this is the right answer.

[Iaga]

It would just only help everyone to catch up with players who have currently all past lives.

That was kinda the idea? To let new players catch up with vets? There are only so many past lives - once you have them, you're not getting further ahead of anyone?

Seeing as you choose what you are tr'ing after the life is over, this would be abused for 1.9 mill xp every time.

So new players can close the gap with vets a little quicker/easier - once again, kinda the idea of the post?

I can see this for race maybe, but not class.

Only reason is you can multi class in a life, but can only be 1 race. There would be constant complications with attaching this to classes.

Good point - you pick your PL at the end of the life, not the start. That would complicate things

I recently came back to ddo, i havent played on thelanis since the cap was 20. A whole lot of the game was pretty much new to me. That being said i dont think they need to earn less xp. Let them work for it if they like the game, like the rest of us. I came back during this covid **** and im doing just fine with the current xp tables...

Welcome back! Glad you have no problem with the grind. Some folks appear to be put off by the disparity between vet and noob. I was just tossing the idea out.

Here is how I would do it: pick a race I have no past life yet then level to 20 for 1.9 mill xp and then use a TH of Wood for class PL. (And yes, I successfully run Horc wizard or WF wis based FvS before, and I'm planning a DEX based Dragonborn life next, the slight disadvantage the race gives does not set me back significantly.) Solved as Chaka said:

So some people would be able to catch up to vets with regards to PLs faster - how is that a problem? Amber temple farm anyone? HorB farm? You make a good point if you feel that because you worked for your Xp, everyone should work just as hard for it. Others are willing to consider offering new players an easier road to decrease the power gap (a little)

Not really a new idea - but much easier done like this:
- The first 10 lives are 1.9m
- The next 10 lives are 2.85m
- After that its 3.8m

If a new player runs 10 lives on "1st life xp" they are hardly a new player anymore
Add in another 10 lives on "2nd life xp" and you're hooked.

That would work too

I think the more pressing issue is accelerating progress on alts

Open to debate. Counter argument is vets know the tricks and have more access to resources (main farming gear) to progress alts than complete new players. New players may be a better source of revenue? (Opinions here, not suggesting mine is right and yours is wrong)

Again

If the pay wall on heroic content is not removed, then there will
be no new players that stay past Harbor.

making any tweeks to help 'new' players pointless.

There are likely a lot of ways to appeal to new players - I agree we should consider them all!

Im not really on board with this idea, as the main characters I play would not qualify for any of the xp reduction of this idea. It isn''t a bad idea, a timer saver at best. It would bring up the freshmen class, but that is about it.

No offence, but I really wasn't thinking of this to help someone who has been playing since '06

I really should stop combing all my replies, my post count would be much higher!

[MistaMagic]

Again

If the pay wall on heroic content is not removed, then there will
be no new players that stay past Harbor.

making any tweeks to help 'new' players pointless.

If as I assume you saying then removing the pay wall will result in no funds which equals NO Game and no new OR OLD players