U51 Expectations

[MacDubh]

So I was talking to Hamish, my Hezrou bookie, the other day, and got his thoughts on some U51 questions:

1) Will U51 take the "WORST UPDATE EVER" title away from U50?

Hmmmm, jury be out on that one, lad. U50 hit a lotta folks, severely impacted end game raiding, made many peeps feel alts were less viable at end game, and was a kick in the teeth to average normal folks who spent time, effort and money in gear farming. So lotsa unhappy natives. Ofc the happy clappers still cheered.
But U51 is another huge change, basically trashing 1/3 of the game space and putting a whole new system in place for epics.
So such a huge change is bound to have major problems, but there is a chance that it end up OK and accepted after the umpteen patches get done. Could help Alt play too. The happy clappers will love it and be panting for it.
Personally I still hate the update that introduced gnomes more. They always get stuck in my teef.

So on balance mebbe reckon 2/1 against U51 taking the title

2) Will major changes be done to U51 from the early (partial) preview?

No odds offered on that one, laddie, major changes needed to that stinking pile of demon droppings and must be done, as many good folk indicated - not least all the other Epic destinies. Even the happy clappers begrudgingly know this.

3) What will some of the major changes from the preview be?

Dire Charge/Mass Frog - Still think Dire Charge and Mass Frog will go, they need those shiney abilities to add desirable sparkles to the new trees, so people hass to have 'em
Mebbe 100/1 against them being retained

Builder/Charger/spender mechanics - Aye, this putrid braindead approach is underpinning a lot of their proposals, but has been resoundingly badly received. A very few happy clappers still argue it makes them drool.
It'll still be there I reckons but in a lesser/changed form
10/1 against it including none of these mechanics

Level gating of destinies? - yarp they ain't gonna give on that. It be some diddy's personal idea, and they cannae admit they were snorting kobold scat when they thought it up.
66/1 against the level gating being removed

Twists of Fate - these were much loved and total removal has been mourned. Reckon some consideration being given to maybe allow some twisting, even if it is just one,
Long shot tho', 33/1 against

Animated Tumbleweed, may be needed but they ain't gonna add that in. Too much dev effort when everything is falling apart.
10000/1 against

4) Will the good, fun end game scene, with loadsa raids being run ever come back to G-land?

Och it be coming back a little bit now, but will be blasted again on the next update. Unlikely to ever recover as many folk taking a break/ waiting to see, plus fewer Alts are capable after the Nerfageddon during U50. Then you got a whole load of new and steaming stuff to come when they raise the level cap. So those days be gone my friend, will take take years for some sort of new working end game fun to fully coalesce. They broke it.

[Dreppo]

I'm just really anxious for another preview, or Lamannia build. I love reading about big changes and such.

As much as I loved the "early" preview, the ensuing long wait has been torturous!

[K_9]

U50 wasn't too bad for me in the main.

The bit that makes me nervous is on all the ED SLAs with the large silence we have had so far. If these are are removed from the game or locked behind hard walls it has the potential to be deal breakers. I will be a bit more comfortable after the release notes are anounced on everything from Tsunami and many from Exalted Angel and Draconic Incarnation trees. Would also be nice if they looked at improving some of the Epic Destiny Feats spells like hellball.

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

1) Will U51 take the "WORST UPDATE EVER" title away from U50?

So, Saltmarsh was the worst adventure pack ever ?

[mikarddo]

I like the humor OP, thanks.

I am cautiously hopeful that U51 will bring as many or more new and interesting options as it will remove.

I am mostly worried about the risk of level gating, removal of twists and dire charge / mass frog etc all pointing in the direction of builds getting more uninteresting filler "effects" and fewer build defining, fun and powerful effects.

If that happens the update is a clear loss so I am hoping they have an open eye on every building needing enough interesting stuff - not just at level 30 but also at level 20. If level 20-25 is just "more of heroics" and its only from level 26+ you get the epic effects that define the build then I will consider it a major step in the wrong direction.

[donblas]

LOL I are "happie clapper"! So prowd!