The chasm between players and builds.

[mikarddo]

As players, if we set our expectations to "we must be able to zerg R10" then most of us will be disappointed. We will look at the mountain of accumulation required to do that and, focused on the grind rather than the fun we can have, we will get discouraged. No one required us to do that. These are our own self-imposed mental fixations that are preventing us from enjoying the game. Are there R10 groups out there? Yes. But there are also plenty of R4 and R6 groups on the LFM board where people can excel and have fun regardless of the character they are playing. I believe in a catch-up mechanic because it is fair but I also believe it is disingenuous to equate how fun a game is versus the ability to zerg that game on the highest setting it has to offer. There is a lot of enjoyment to be had in DDO on many different levels. Find a lane you're comfortable with and go write your story.

Well said. I do play R10 - but some days I am having more fun 2-3 manning R6 or just zerging R4. Not all fun comes from R10 for sure.

[Chacka_DDO]

I thought I used to live 10 miles from the server. But I think its now 300 miles. I still occasionally get lag...

But at least I don't have the here 'press a button'. wait 1 second... 'see the reaction of that button'.

At least some party member from the world that have internet problems can cause lag in the rest of the raid party.

"Lag" can have many causes, it can be your connection, it can be the connection from SSG and it can be server performance issues and it can be also performance issues on your system (graphic card or CP or so) and the cause for lag can also be bad code, this means for the visual effects, etc. and what system you have the DDO performs poorly anyhow because the code is not optimized.
For example in the quest wrath of the Earth, almost everyone has performance issues a high-performance system helps but you cannot say that it is the fault of the player if he doesn't use a "supercomputer" to make that quest run without any graphic lag issues.
I think the player does everything right when he has a computer with the technical specifications SSG recommended for DDO and if DDO performs poorly anyhow it is SSG's "duty" to solve that problem with better code or they have to lift the specifications so that the player knows what computer he needs.

I don't know why it happens to me relatively often that I get a no-hit check even if the monsters are clearly in my hitbox, one cause can be that my latency is ~110 ms but I don't think you can claim that is my "fault", DDO should be designed in a way that even 200 or more ms latency should be no problem.
My feeling is actually that this is a problem on the server and not caused by the latency but I cannot verify that.
But no matter what the cause is, it is in any case an additional factor that makes your tactical feat attempts more likely to fail than for example a spell.

Anyway, I have the feeling that the developers don't consider all the factors when they balance the tactical feats (especially the cooldowns and the DC calculation) also because they don't play DDO like a real player.
And don't get me wrong, the developers have maybe not had the time to play DDO like a real player but maybe they should hear the advice of real players (btw. I have the feeling that some of the "super smart" guys on the forum don't really play DDO too).

[jskinner937]

Multi-classing was also more viable back then.
As a caster we're now forced to stay true/loyal to the class.

Pale DC trapper was so OP
Exploiter Ranger build also
Heck even monk builds faired well as a multi class without giving much up.

Really the best days of DDO builds. Utility has so much more value than today. Now it’s all or nothing it seems for most builds.

[Eantarus]

Pale DC trapper was so OP
Exploiter Ranger build also
Heck even monk builds faired well as a multi class without giving much up.

Really the best days of DDO builds. Utility has so much more value than today. Now it’s all or nothing it seems for most builds.

I miss that era. All the weird deep-level splits, the utility. Just the other day I rolled up a 3 paladin/5 wizard/12 fighter BF alt just for the nostalgia.

[Azoyhn]

This thread is dealing with two separate but interconnected issues; fun within a game and the perceived character power required to attain that fun. The linked 100 hours video doesn't apply to anyone in this thread because you're already playing the game and have decided, well before 100 hours, that something in this game provides you with entertainment. A mantra I have said many times is that happiness is based on expectations. Far too often we hear quotes of so and so hit X numbers and did this. Or such and such build can do X. Mostly these numbers are exaggerated or only apply to extremely small sample points that are simply unsustainable. This is acknowledged in the quoted portion above. The OP said if someone loaded with past lives can hit 900 PRR that's a chasm unbridgeable. Then the person with the 919 PRR responds. They essentially say they don't have 919 most (almost all) of the time they have 660. So we've just seen how a stat metric was used as a base standard but exaggerated by nearly 33%. The funny part for me was the tank player saying they don't even fully understand how their PRR gets that high! Guess everything isn't about that meta-game knowledge which is so often touted as a demarcation point for players. Thank you to Azoyhn for pulling back the curtain on this and sharing the numbers within the numbers.

We can all pour over numbers and yes, adding numbers has been fun since the MMO genre was introduced. That is one aspect of fun. One could argue a new player/alt gets far more from this thrill than a 10-year veteran since they are constantly adding numbers through gameplay while the vet has topped out everything but the deepest grinds. But beyond numbers, does a game offer exciting moments? Yesterday, I was playing R6 Bullwugs on what many in this thread would call an underlived alt (Horizon Walker Monk/Archer 17 reaper points, maybe 6 PLs total). Two other people had first-life characters (tank, cleric). The rest of the party was a strong paladin and two solid archers. Going down one of the fire-trap hallways we were rushed by a Vengeance Reaper and a pack of Bullywugs. So we are all jumping, flying through constant fire traps, avoiding circles, DPSing bullywugs, while trying to stay alive. It was insane, thrilling, and an absolute blast. Only one party member died and we were all amazed at how well we escaped from what seemed like sure death. Most anyone getting a rush like this from a game is going to decide it is fun and come back for more.

Later, after half the group had to log for the night, the party was me, one of the archers, and the first-life tank. We lowered the difficulty to R2 and did Whispers of Return having no problems whatsoever as the tank was able to block halls or doors and we could DPS in relative safety. The first-life tank felt great about themselves and they should - their character, having no past-lives, can do its job in R2 on the newest content in the game. (note: they could not tank in R6) They did not need 919 or even 660 PRR to have fun in the game. And, more importantly, the game does not require them to have these numbers.

As players, if we set our expectations to "we must be able to zerg R10" then most of us will be disappointed. We will look at the mountain of accumulation required to do that and, focused on the grind rather than the fun we can have, we will get discouraged. No one required us to do that. These are our own self-imposed mental fixations that are preventing us from enjoying the game. Are there R10 groups out there? Yes. But there are also plenty of R4 and R6 groups on the LFM board where people can excel and have fun regardless of the character they are playing. I believe in a catch-up mechanic because it is fair but I also believe it is disingenuous to equate how fun a game is versus the ability to zerg that game on the highest setting it has to offer. There is a lot of enjoyment to be had in DDO on many different levels. Find a lane you're comfortable with and go write your story.

I'm not a guy that doesn't like to be honest. I try to be as straightforward as i'm able to get. I've heard of a few things that a certain guild has called me, and my screenshot because of the number. I didn't know we lived in a time where i'm being called names, and especially my screenshot being considered "photoshopped" when it's 100 percent legit. It's a game after all, if you can't seem to hit those numbers, jealousy is not the answer. I worked hard for my stats, and wanted to achieve a situational maximum to just show off that numbers are achievable with hard work, dedication, and a mind set to the amount of buffs you can fit, to boost the PRR maximum. SoonTM i'll hit 1,000 PRR still and show it off-then they'll still complain.

[mr420247]

And now for the new and improved reaper fragment grind

You only need what 200-300 minimum per gearset depending if you can win the rng lottery for a perfect reaper hat - ring

And once you hit 156 on your main thats it levelling it becomes a waste of time the only thing that will make it stronger is that perfect mythic-reaper gear set

So levelling an alt for pls while earning frags isn't too bad