Please explain.

[Looting_Bin]

So I am going through all these forum post and have tested and been playing since head start. I comment here or there and understand the need for a system that can work past the current epic levels.

WHY IN GODS NAME ARE YOU NERFING EVERYONE? Nerfs to certain things I can understand and to rebalance some few things that when implemented were later realized to be too powerful. That being said, your stats squish and U51 which I refer to as stats squish 2.0, nerfs EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE!

I don't like this but I find myself asking, is the time YOU make players play for VERY SMALL bonuses even worth it? Most people that are gamers find that $50-100 a month isn't that bad. But here I am wondering if I should even continue playing at all. Between the dwindling player base and the ABUNDANT nerfs to the time and money I invested I fail to see the rewards for continuing. Today I discontinued my VIP. Something I have not done for years. I am trying to enjoy the game but with the many nerfs to my characters coupled with the fact MOST (well over half) of players are telling you this system is horrible. I can't with a clear conscience pay for a game I can't enjoy anymore.

You want my advise? Either ensure players have more than ONE strike/moment, or let us improve the stats in another way. Since even with +8 supreme tome and every level up point and every available AP spent to increase str, my str build player cant even pull a str lever anymore even with buffs(not including consumables like titans potion). Stop trying to place the carrot farther away. Your only going to lose players and revenue.

[MasterDragonan]

I Agree 100%

[Seph1roth5]

I mentioned it in another post, but it's obvious, even before they said, that they're trying to balance everything around the eventual lv 40 cap.

The problem is that cap is soooo far off. We don't even know when we're going to be able to hit 31-32 (assuming they still plan to raise the cap a few levels at a time.)

The stat squish and ED redo are totally at the wrong end of the roadmap. Right now we have 1-20 and 20-30. They're reducing power all throughout 20-30 so that it's a 20-40 spread, but we don't have the second half of that! It's ridiculous.

What they should've done is saved the stat squish/ED until we were able to get to a higher level. Well technically, I think what they should've done is not listened to the PC and just worked on the supposed legendary lv 30+ system until it worked, instead of going back and messing up everything pre-30.

Even IF that system was a mess, I can't see how it could've been worse than this ED revamp. Because if we had a separate legendary system, there would've been no need to stat squish. At worse they could just make all the lv 29 gear lv 30 and that would just be the new power level. New content for lv 31+ could be created to take that into account, instead of trying to go back and change EVERYTHING epic.

I mean, with the stat squish it means loot is never going to get MUCH better, so (in theory) new quests/monsters designed around a higher level cap will only be marginally harder.

And looking at the sad, sad numbers in the EDs (+2 attack AND damage!) I highly doubt we're going to get much power from those levels either.

I can totally see 5 years from now, finally able to take lv 40, and there being like....a difference of 5-6 in all most of my numbers from 40 and 20. And most of the new stuff we get is going to share cooldowns/be exclusive with each other.

[Looting_Bin]

I mentioned it in another post, but it's obvious, even before they said, that they're trying to balance everything around the eventual lv 40 cap.

The problem is that cap is soooo far off. We don't even know when we're going to be able to hit 31-32 (assuming they still plan to raise the cap a few levels at a time.)

The stat squish and ED redo are totally at the wrong end of the roadmap. Right now we have 1-20 and 20-30. They're reducing power all throughout 20-30 so that it's a 20-40 spread, but we don't have the second half of that! It's ridiculous.

What they should've done is saved the stat squish/ED until we were able to get to a higher level. Well technically, I think what they should've done is not listened to the PC and just worked on the supposed legendary lv 30+ system until it worked, instead of going back and messing up everything pre-30.

Even IF that system was a mess, I can't see how it could've been worse than this ED revamp. Because if we had a separate legendary system, there would've been no need to stat squish. At worse they could just make all the lv 29 gear lv 30 and that would just be the new power level. New content for lv 31+ could be created to take that into account, instead of trying to go back and change EVERYTHING epic.

I mean, with the stat squish it means loot is never going to get MUCH better, so (in theory) new quests/monsters designed around a higher level cap will only be marginally harder.

And looking at the sad, sad numbers in the EDs (+2 attack AND damage!) I highly doubt we're going to get much power from those levels either.

I can totally see 5 years from now, finally able to take lv 40, and there being like....a difference of 5-6 in all most of my numbers from 40 and 20. And most of the new stuff we get is going to share cooldowns/be exclusive with each other.

TBH level gating is already baked into DND with feats and abilities. The devs decided to gate items as well. No DM I have ever played with did that. Then instead of baking up a system that permits more freedom for prestige classes they created the enhancement trees as a work around having 3 class limit on character build. Since they made the monster issue of too many stacking bonuses since they didn't want to fix the initial problem, we are here now.

[Dandonk]

<snip>

And looking at the sad, sad numbers in the EDs (+2 attack AND damage!) I highly doubt we're going to get much power from those levels either.

I can totally see 5 years from now, finally able to take lv 40, and there being like....a difference of 5-6 in all most of my numbers from 40 and 20. And most of the new stuff we get is going to share cooldowns/be exclusive with each other.

Very on-point post. No more + for you, though, too much lately. Oh well.

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

WHY IN GODS NAME ARE YOU NERFING EVERYONE?

I'm not "everyone". Most of my over 20 chars are under level 12.

[Looting_Bin]

I'm not "everyone". Most of my over 20 chars are under level 12.

So, your argument is that in 10 years of being in ddo... You only have characters under level 13 so when the rebalance that affects everyone happens, somehow a system wide update wont affect you? Maybe you didn't realize it but you would never be able to say that to something that affects everyone..

[dredre9987]

So, your argument is that in 10 years of being in ddo... You only have characters under level 13 so when the rebalance that affects everyone happens, somehow a system wide update wont affect you? Maybe you didn't realize it but you would never be able to say that to something that affects everyone..

This literally only affects Epic levels....

[Annex]

If the new Epic Trait Trees follow the pattern of Heroic Trait Trees, we will see all the really fun abilities appear at Level 32. Level 32 is the Epic equivalent of Level 12 in Heroic trees. I believe this explains why the developers pulled back on so many Epic abilities. The Level 32 Expansion will include yet another overhaul of Epic Trees, bringing them to their final form, vertically, as well as adding the Level 32 Cores.

Feywild offered mostly lateral gains in power so I suspect many players skipped making a cash purchase. Saltmarsh also offered fairly mild gains in power, probably resulting in fewer cash purchases. Since the Level 32 Expansion will contain a sizable jump in character power, all players will have a very strong incentive to purchase it for cash. No Level 32 Expansion, no Level 32 equipment. Players will not be able to sit on their stockpile of Level 30 stuff.

In my opinion, that is the real reason all of this is happening. Standing Stone Games needs to make money by more strongly compelling players to purchase Expansions for cash. The Epic Destiny overhaul serves as the foundation for the next 10 years of Expansion sales. I hope it works because I want DDO to continue on.

[Looting_Bin]

If the new Epic Trait Trees follow the pattern of Heroic Trait Trees, we will see all the really fun abilities appear at Level 32. Level 32 is the Epic equivalent of Level 12 in Heroic trees. I believe this explains why the developers pulled back on so many Epic abilities. The Level 32 Expansion will include yet another overhaul of Epic Trees, bringing them to their final form, vertically, as well as adding the Level 32 Cores.

Feywild offered mostly lateral gains in power so I suspect many players skipped making a cash purchase. Saltmarsh also offered fairly mild gains in power, probably resulting in fewer cash purchases. Since the Level 32 Expansion will contain a sizable jump in character power, all players will have a very strong incentive to purchase it for cash. No Level 32 Expansion, no Level 32 equipment. Players will not be able to sit on their stockpile of Level 30 stuff.

In my opinion, that is the real reason all of this is happening. Standing Stone Games needs to make money by more strongly compelling players to purchase Expansions for cash. The Epic Destiny overhaul serves as the foundation for the next 10 years of Expansion sales. I hope it works because I want DDO to continue on.

I have purchased every collector/ultimate expansion to this point today. I am not about to "buy" back what they are taking away from me after I already purchased it. The method is a big issue, But to the way they are treating players like me is a bigger one for me. When they offer these people "free" adventure packs, they are offering others what I paid full price for. Yet it never crossed their mind to offer those that have those packs and paid full price anything to say thanks for your money that helped support this game for years. I doubt I will be buying anything from them now. But, what can they expect when the product I already spent money on is taken back so they can resell it back? Its not the "power" level they are nerfing that's the cause of concern its the fact they are stealing back the time and money invested. I didn't spend hundreds on astral shards to NOT get what they told me I had a chance to get with my money. The money I spent was to move me closer to my end goal. Either through xp pots or rerolls or dice rolls. The need to remove the benefit I accumulated to "rebalance", cost me both time and money. I am literally losing the value in the things I spent money on. Yet, all the benefits from the stat squish (U50) and later are catered to newer players "feeling" better. How should I feel about this? Yes some aspects are nice, but those are few and far between. As someone that previously spent allot on this game. I only suggest going free to play now. Why would I tell someone to spend if what they buy will lose value each update?

[Cernunan]

If the new Epic Trait Trees follow the pattern of Heroic Trait Trees, we will see all the really fun abilities appear at Level 32. Level 32 is the Epic equivalent of Level 12 in Heroic trees. I believe this explains why the developers pulled back on so many Epic abilities. The Level 32 Expansion will include yet another overhaul of Epic Trees, bringing them to their final form, vertically, as well as adding the Level 32 Cores.

Feywild offered mostly lateral gains in power so I suspect many players skipped making a cash purchase. Saltmarsh also offered fairly mild gains in power, probably resulting in fewer cash purchases. Since the Level 32 Expansion will contain a sizable jump in character power, all players will have a very strong incentive to purchase it for cash. No Level 32 Expansion, no Level 32 equipment. Players will not be able to sit on their stockpile of Level 30 stuff.

In my opinion, that is the real reason all of this is happening. Standing Stone Games needs to make money by more strongly compelling players to purchase Expansions for cash. The Epic Destiny overhaul serves as the foundation for the next 10 years of Expansion sales. I hope it works because I want DDO to continue on.

There is one glaring flaw in your reasoning: The devs have admitted that Saltmarsh was there most successful, highest selling expansion.

They just made scads of oodles of money, yet they are pushing forward with this awful badly thought out revamp of half the game. Why? Greed, pure unadulterated greed.

They would still be making money with what ever they released next, and it was not enough.

Greed is prioritized over fun game play. Pay more for the same power we sold you last year.

Pure greed

[FengXian]

I'm not "everyone". Most of my over 20 chars are under level 12.

Everyone that's part of this conversation, the EPICS update. You willingly excluded yourself from having a say here