Why not Feats? the answer to VIP

[Abilbo]

For many many years now, people have come to the forums and said that VIP should get more than they currently do. For many many years people have posted lots of interesting ideas, with many of them being things that would impact the financial gain of the company. As someone suggested recently, a permanent sentient tool kit remover. I can't see this ever happening, as I am sure that SSG sells these things like hotcakes, and giving a tool that does it for free cuts into their bottom line. So then the problem exists that what can the company offer the players, that makes VIP feel more valid?

Why not feats?

Other than a fighter, I can't think of any class that has to many feats. I mostly played artificer all through my leveling and they get extra feats every 4 levels, and at times it didn't seem to be enough.

If VIP players were given extra character feats at say level 1, 15, 25, this would help almost any build and no matter how good the player is, extra feats are always welcome, and currently in the game, there is no way to "buy" feats, so giving them away to VIP wouldn't impact the money the players currently are spending.

I know the argument that this would just make people way to over powered, but I disagree. Those players that are already monster stomping through DDO, are doing it, and adding more feats won't really change that. Yes, it makes them more powerful, but it also helps those players who are struggling.

3 extra feats spread out isn't crazy over powered. In early heroic leveling, you get 1 extra feat, and a 2nd one in the teens (i suggested 15 as that is when Iconics come into play). For builds that struggle, extra feats would be a good thing. Its an extra meta magic for casters, or an extra ranged feat for shooters. Most importantly though, at end game, you have an extra 3 feats to help you build your end game character for reaper or for raids.

Its just a thought.

[Caarb]

For many many years now, people have come to the forums and said that VIP should get more than they currently do. For many many years people have posted lots of interesting ideas, with many of them being things that would impact the financial gain of the company. As someone suggested recently, a permanent sentient tool kit remover. I can't see this ever happening, as I am sure that SSG sells these things like hotcakes, and giving a tool that does it for free cuts into their bottom line. So then the problem exists that what can the company offer the players, that makes VIP feel more valid?

Why not feats?

Other than a fighter, I can't think of any class that has to many feats. I mostly played artificer all through my leveling and they get extra feats every 4 levels, and at times it didn't seem to be enough.

If VIP players were given extra character feats at say level 1, 15, 25, this would help almost any build and no matter how good the player is, extra feats are always welcome, and currently in the game, there is no way to "buy" feats, so giving them away to VIP wouldn't impact the money the players currently are spending.

I know the argument that this would just make people way to over powered, but I disagree. Those players that are already monster stomping through DDO, are doing it, and adding more feats won't really change that. Yes, it makes them more powerful, but it also helps those players who are struggling.

3 extra feats spread out isn't crazy over powered. In early heroic leveling, you get 1 extra feat, and a 2nd one in the teens (i suggested 15 as that is when Iconics come into play). For builds that struggle, extra feats would be a good thing. Its an extra meta magic for casters, or an extra ranged feat for shooters. Most importantly though, at end game, you have an extra 3 feats to help you build your end game character for reaper or for raids.

Its just a thought.

No VIPs should never have a numerical advantage (no matter the magnitude) over premium players (that have purchased everything available to them).

[mikarddo]

I am VIP and will remain thus till I stop playing.

I think your idea is awful.

VIP should not give more direct power but should give convinience.

[Wizard1406]

Yeah no power creep for VIPs, that's TOO much pay-to-win.

If VIPs get feats it should be convenience feats, like teleport to VIP area that has everything, vendor, bank, AH, airship portal etc. Feat is better than an item, because that doesn't take inventory space.

[FuzzyDuck81]

I agree with the above posters, even in a PvE game rather than one with significant PvP elements, VIP shouldn't give additional power. The benefits currently granted are all about convenience & easier access to things that can be gained through normal play & they should stay that way. And yes, I'm VIP player myself.

[GramercyRiff]

If the perk is good enough to entice more people to sub then SSG makes more money. A permanent sentient remover along with other great perks could see SSG making much more money than they do when people can just grind DDO points for the sentient things. It's just 245 points for 10. It's also possible that many people just refuse to mess with their filis due to the cost. I have often done this myself. I've thought about playing something different but then nah'd the idea because of the fili removal cost. If it was a perk of vip though, some of those people might be willing to sub that haven't subbed often in the past. SSG potentially makes more money. If they make vip more enticing, they will probably make more money from subs. It's all how they go about it.

I also don't think making the game more pay to win is a good idea. Three extra feats is huge for the builds that have a plethora of great feats. Casters have the best feats for whatever reason. It's kind of LOL at this point. This is on top of the fact that spellcasting, which is granted at little to no cost, is by far the best thing in the game. So three extra feats for already OP casters is a terrible idea. I am not saying nerf casters here. I'm saying don't buff them. They are busted as it is.

[axel15810]

Disagree, 3 feats is way too power creepy. That would be a huge power advantage. VIPs should get convenience, XP boosts, saga skips, etc. but not direct power.

It'd also introduce the problem of if your VIP expires you couldn't play any of the your characters presumably since you'd probably have to reincarnate to get rid of the 3 feats.

[fatherpirate]

There are a lot of things that could be added to VIP (or premium for that matter)
that do not add power creep.

Player housing exclusive to VIP

HCL VIP gets 2 free REZ per season
(Prem. should get 1)

VIP should be able to call a portable Teleporter (public area only)

and so on.

and a whole bunch of VIP players will jump in here and
call all of that JUNK ... they want POWER CREEP.
they want MORE POWER
....
then they will complain that the game is getting too easy
so they make it harder
......
then they want more power

and so on
etc.... forever.

[Enoach]

As a VIP I agree that "power" advantage in any form is dangerous and not the right road to travel to incentivize VIP

Convenience should be the focus
1. Travel
2. Storage
3. XP (Leveling / Crafting)
4. Access

There are so many ways "Extra Feats" can create problems - Both on the Loss of VIP status or on the gaining of VIP status - For one consider Pre-req feats.

[boredGamer]

Disagree, 3 feats is way too power creepy. That would be a huge power advantage. VIPs should get convenience, XP boosts, saga skips, etc. but not direct power.

It'd also introduce the problem of if your VIP expires you couldn't play any of the your characters presumably since you'd probably have to reincarnate to get rid of the 3 feats.

Yeah, I thought the suggestion would be ONE feat. Three?? I would resubscribe in a heartbeat though. Really for either. As you said, no idea of how to deal with VIP lapsing though.

[charliecharlie]

I too agree with many of the other posters in this thread, that adding 1 or 3 additional Feats as a perk for VIP would be wrong, overpowered, and would create a Pay-To-Win scenario.

But maybe it could work, not with standard Feats, but with a selection from a set of different QOL Feats.

For instance, when I play a caster or a Warlock, I am able to float above the ground. It does not affect game play, does not make anything easier or faster, just floats. It would be nice to be able to select that as an extra Feat for characters that do not have that option.

Or how about walking on water. Years and years ago, I kinda remember it as some kind of a Monk feat (?), but one that never worked (?). I would love to be able to automatically walk across water, instead of sloughing or jumping through it. I cannot think of any reason it would give the recipient an advantage, just a QOL improvement. Of course adjustments would need to be made so we can swim beneath the surface - maybe the Shift Key to turn the ability off and lower through the water's surface.

Or maybe an automatic ladder zip - when you start climbing a ladder, you zip up to the top, without having to climb. It might save someone a few seconds, but nothing dramatically overpowered.

Things like this could be added to a long list of VIP perks, giving them perhaps as rewards for time as a VIP - maybe 1 extra Feat for signing up as VIP, a 2nd after a year of continuous VIP, and perhaps a 3rd after 2 years of continuous VIP. And make a long list, so people can choose what they want, based on their preferences and playstyles. These extra Feats should be able to be exchanged as per standard Feat exchange, and would need to be reselected (and perhaps changed) after a TR.

[Halciet]

no idea of how to deal with VIP lapsing though.

(It/they) could simply toggle off similar to Completionist.

At any rate, I agree that VIP should avoid power creep.

teleport to VIP area that has everything, vendor, bank, AH, airship portal etc. Feat is better than an item, because that doesn't take inventory space.

Could also let us into the back of Lordsmarch Bank a la

[Certon]

The only thing they would need to do is make Kobolds available only to VIP for three months then to everyone else for a price afterward.

Now, you'd release the store DDO PL item for the kobold racial past life so people who don't have access to the class at that point can still get a kobold PL for completionist. Either that or don't make it necessary to have kobold PL until the race is available to everyone. Either way

[boredGamer]

(It/they) could simply toggle off similar to Completionist.

At any rate, I agree that VIP should avoid power creep.



Could also let us into the back of Lordsmarch Bank a la

And if they’re pre req feats? Just toggle them all off ?

[Memnir]

No thank you.

[Eantarus]

Terrible idea. 0 out of 10.

VIP should not add any power to the game.

[adamkatt]

Bad effing idea dude... try again... *** where did the neg rep thing go...

[Uska]

As a long time vip no to feats maybe some convenience stuff or cosmetic or even race or class that doesn’t count for completionist but that could lock characters if you drop vip

[Anuulified]

I am VIP and will remain thus till I stop playing.

I think your idea is awful.

VIP should not give more direct power but should give convinience.

+1

[Bjond]

Why not feats?

The power creep is v.slight. Consider that current builds have enough feats (barely) to maximize their dps. It would be more of a tiny breadth increase -- more focus feats for casters in off-schools, empower heal for a better renewal on melee (or grabbing spring attack on a pure or small splash, which is what I'd do) -- things like that.

Now if the power gain was huge, that would be a no. But, it's far more of a build flex & breadth gain. It's not as if he suggested double tome bonuses or something like that.

I'm perfectly OK with very significant gains via sub versus free, but not a significant power difference. IMHO, a "free" player is only useful when it benefits a paying player -- another fun groupie is the ideal. If the free player is gimpy, that's a carry not a fun groupie. So, we have to keep power effectively identical.

BTW, my own favorite is access. Subscribe and you can XP in ALL content -- even stuff you don't own. You have to own it for favor, saga, or using gear (including feeding), though. More potential groupies is a huge gain to everyone. Added provenance v access checks when using gear on might take a fair bit effort, though (think tagging every item in game with where it came from for a start).

Secondary to that would be to give VIP a kind of "soft" racial AP bonus. Sounds like power-creep, but it's zero if you keep the total available the same as available via RPLs and don't include the stat gains. Instead it's a giant gap closer for new v old characters. Personally, I'll never farm RPLs, but still want to use racial trees.

More gap-closing -- shared PLs (either server-wide or account) between your characters would be nice. I like alts and with something like this I'd make LOTS of them.