20 Questions – Big Battles

[LorenNell]

No. There are no plans to do so. Big Battles are our new instanced content.

So sad , the players of my kin will begin gradually to stop playing, is difficult to hold the good players that way.

[Crell_1]

I can't really express how excited I am about the idea of being able to join level-capped players in content that's actually relevant to them.
One thing I'm wondering: should we expect upscaled characters to be more-or-less on the same footing as players who are actually level 95, or will there be an obvious difference?

In my mind the tag line for upscaling is "Click, Enter, Play". That simple and straightforward. That means no new skills, no more trait points, no new virtues, no new equipment, nothing to configure or setup or learn. Your existing stuff is statistically scaled and away you go.

This plus the 'Satisfactory experience' for those low level players, makes me wonder what kinds of differences the spaces will have.

[Yulin-Gladden]

Does the work on "Big Battles" mean that there will not be any additional older instances that will be scaled with HD? i.e. Moria, or GA?

Assuming that the answer above is yes, is there any thought to doing the reverse of upscalling for said instances? i.e. letting a 85/95 "downscale" to run the Moria instances at level?

What's the base level difference between the "Big Battles" and a skirmish, other than the number of mobs on screen?

[RavnDottir]

Quote Originally Posted by Grimdoin_EU View Post

"Not just yet"? Where does that fit within "Definitions of Time - by Sapience"?!? Is that like 'soon' or 'MoreSoonerish"?

I interpret that as "not soon".

I may even consider it pre-soon

[PKCrichton]

Does the work on "Big Battles" mean that there will not be any additional older instances that will be scaled with HD? i.e. Moria, or GA?

Assuming that the answer above is yes, is there any thought to doing the reverse of upscalling for said instances? i.e. letting a 85/95 "downscale" to run the Moria instances at level?

What's the base level difference between the "Big Battles" and a skirmish, other than the number of mobs on screen?

I would assume that like with RoR anything that currently scales will continue to scale like In Their Absence cluster, Annuminas cluster, Dol Guldor cluster, Great Barrows cluster, Erebor cluster(since these have scaled since they came out) and all Skirmishes.

[RavnDottir]

So sad , the players of my kin will begin gradually to stop playing, is difficult to hold the good players that way.

how do we know until we try it?


I think it sounds like a very different but imaginative & challenging experience.

Wyllo

[Stephen1981]

so it seems this just skirmishs all over again since it goes from 1,3,6,12 people just a lot bigger battles and probably won't give marks,medallions, and seals

[Sapience]

This plus the 'Satisfactory experience' for those low level players, makes me wonder what kinds of differences the spaces will have.

The 'space' is the same. A level 95 and up-scaled level 10 can share the same space.

[Elderban]

Sounds interesting, though I'm a little iffy on entry level players beign able to jump straight into end-game at Helm's Deep without having to work their way through the game's content. I've never really had a problem with things becoming more and more easy and accessible...until now. This might be a little over the line.

This is something akin to what GW2 did with their PvP systems. They scale the player to the instance.

However, like GW2, a level 95 player will have an advantage over a level 10 player, as mentioned, because they will have more skills, traits, etc.

So, working their way through the content would be to their advantage.

Furthermore, I am guessing the rewards scale to the players level as well, so getting a level 10 reward won't be as good as getting a level 95 reward and, obviously, at 95 you can keep said reward, at 10 it's only gong to last a few levels before you have to replace it.

[LorenNell]

how do we know until we try it?


I think it sounds like a very different but imaginative & challenging experience.

Wyllo

I'll try, but do not you think that over time people will get bored, logging less time in game, things are really easy in this last expansion. Challenger was the time to do Watcher was almost impossible, the last cluster was a shot in the foot.

[Eartholloth]

Given the fact there won't be the usual instance cluster with this expansion, can we say that everything that is included in this expansion will be released on the release date?

Is there any housing upgrades coming with this expansion?

[Eartholloth]

I'll try, but do not you think that over time people will get bored, logging less time in game, things are really easy in this last expansion. Challenger was the time to do Watcher was almost impossible, the last cluster was a shot in the foot.

I doubt it'd be any different if they released a new instance cluster. It's the same ol same ol with some. They get bored & leave the game.

[Stephen1981]

well that probably just about stops any hope of any of my kin members comming back to play helms deep that is why a lot have stopped playing to solo friendly of game and not enough group content

[Crell_1]

The 'space' is the same. A level 95 and up-scaled level 10 can share the same space.

Physically. Yes. Functionally, they have to both accomplish the same tasks.

Or will there be different tasks offered to a natural level 95 player? That's the fundamental question. What is the replayability of any specific Big Battle, at L10 vs at L95. Are new mechanics introduced? Or is the difference simply the 'munged scaled loot' 's output level and the 'amount of currency' awarded?

[ColorSpecs]

I can't really express how excited I am about the idea of being able to join level-capped players in content that's actually relevant to them.

The prospect of this is so unappealing to me it makes me sad. It's hard enough taking a newly level capped player who's reached it for the first time into endgame content, because they've learned nearly nothing in 85 facerolling levels. Now they don't even need to learn as much as they did. Either we'd have to carry this player or the content has been even more dumbed down so these folks can participate. Going to be hard on kinships as well if the content is challenging because they officers will have to figure out ways to keep the noobs out so the group can be successful.

Turbine, your greed knows no bounds. You are only doing this so you can sell to the players who haven't reached level cap yet with negative impacts to the in-game experience be damned.

[Sapience]

Given the fact there won't be the usual instance cluster with this expansion, can we say that everything that is included in this expansion will be released on the release date?

Is there any housing upgrades coming with this expansion?

I literally just answered the housing thing not 2 seconds ago in the housing area. Short version, housing is slated for this year, not specifically Helm's Deep. Though you may see some first steps release along side the expansion.

[RavnDottir]

I'll try, but do not you think that over time people will get bored, logging less time in game, things are really easy in this last expansion. Challenger was the time to do Watcher was almost impossible, the last cluster was a shot in the foot.

OK .. personal Challenge

How about we both apply for the Bullroarer Beta testing & if we both get in on it ..
I will be happy to see how many ways we can get bored of the Big Battle Content .. with you & as many people as we can get together at 1 time.



(no mockery or anything, honestly wishing to try it out)


Added content:
@ LorenNell .. it is actually my hopes this will keep Kins together, by allowing Everyone to participate !

[Hall0Wx]

how do we know until we try it?


I think it sounds like a very different but imaginative & challenging experience.

Wyllo

Sounds like a bigger skirmish, with a few more goals to accomplish. Still don't know why it'd be so hard to create a 1-boss lair raid to satisfy those of us who've been playing the game awhile and enjoy the old ways.


These "big battles" better have some "big bosses"----and I don't mean some scrub Skirmish boss.

EDIT: I recognize Helms Deep's scale of conflict requires more than some lair raid, but one can dream they'd do something in Dunharrow or Fangorn.
Glad to see a new type of content that depicts large scale battles...but, disappointed that there will be no classic instance structure at all during the entire xpac.

[LorenNell]

I doubt it'd be any different if they released a new instance cluster. It's the same ol same ol with some. They get bored & leave the game.

I'm excited about this new expansion, but what worries me is that whole kinships are leaving the game.
Something is wrong: (

[Nyrion]

Please delete, point moot.

[PKCrichton]

Question:

At one point in this thread or the initial 20 it was stated that non level capped players will be upscaled including their gear. So would that mean that say a lvl 60 player with full DN Gear and lvl 60 1st ages(Or a 75 with ToO gear and 75 1st Ages etc) would be scaled up to be equivalent of a lvel 95 player with Top end gear and level 95 1st ages?

[LorenNell]

OK .. personal Challenge

How about we both apply for the Bullroarer Beta testing & if we both get in on it ..
I will be happy to see how many ways we can get bored of the Big Battle Content .. with you & as many people as we can get together at 1 time.



(no mockery or anything, honestly wishing to try it out)

Course, i see you in Bullroarer \ o /

[Sapience]

Question:

At one point in this thread or the initial 20 it was stated that non level capped players will be upscaled including their gear. So would that mean that say a lvl 60 player with full DN Gear and lvl 60 1st ages(Or a 75 with ToO gear and 75 1st Ages etc) would be scaled up to be equivalent of a lvel 95 player with Top end gear and level 95 1st ages?

No. It means their existing gear would be scaled up to have level 95 stats. Not be be some other level 95 gear. A true level 95 character, item, or gear, will be better than a scaled item from a lower level.

[Crell_1]

No. It means their existing gear would be scaled up to have level 95 stats. Not be be some other level 95 gear. A true level 95 character, item, or gear, will be better than a scaled item from a lower level.

I'll try and put it a different way. Does the scaling only look at the item's ilvl, or does it take into account anything else about it such as 'age' or its ilvl relative to player level (a player wearing say, gear with an ilvl quality above their current level generally acquired it by doing challenging content be it a raid, or a 'Red Quest'.)

[cossieuk]

My biggest issue with the level scaling is will players get all the skills they would have by level 95 or will they keep what they have got. Just imagine you use the instance finder (I know almost no one uses it but just for a moment imagine they do), and you get a level 10 mini as your healer but they only have the skills for level 10, then they are worse than useless.