Update 15.2.4 Release Notes – PRELIMINARY AND NON-FINAL - BULLROARER ONLY

[Vulcwen]

I remember people working like hell April from last year to get those two golden pieces of armours from Fangorn, only to get a new update 3 months later with new and better armour. I really think that all we need right now is a better way to get Star-lit Crystals and Crystal of Remembrance to put in our LIs before we start leveling them up. Level 100 already had most of its gear, we didn't have golden armours, but I don't care about getting them anymore now. Increasing the level cap wouldn't only get us more Class Trait Points, it would probably increase the cap for Critical Chance by 5% and maybe other stats since I don't know if there are other stats whose caps increase with some specific levels.
I don't see why not giving us a new level cap.

In order to keep giving options, turbine has to introduce new stats, considering we are getting close to capping a large portion of the stats that exist (which is one of the reasons we won't really need to get better gear atm).
I'd say, reintroducing source mitigation, and giving a counter stat, that reduces that could work. Of course, this would require some PvE and PvP balancing by giving mobs and creeps access to these stats (audacity can be changed to just give some of these defence ratings instead of stacking with it past-cap, although I'd prefer to see audacity discontinued).

[Erethal]

There is just a key difference. Levels are strict gating, it specifically disables players to do content far above their level. This restriction wouldn't be there with progression at level cap, instead this will be implicit in the characters/players abilities. This in turn also allows more players to play together.

But indeed, there has to come more variety in difficulty at level cap once this is introduced (including for solo quests), and this also has to be displayed in some way.

I see your point. It surely would be nice if they could soften the gating, though I think it could still be done by simply removing restrictions in the leveling system. They could remove the Deflect ability with higher level mobs, remove the level restriction on instances, and scale down XP from higher-level mob defeats. That would then allow low-level characters to participate in higher-level content, if at a lesser contribution.

Of course, they could also implement scaling tech in all of the classic instances and skirmishes. In fact, this might become crucial as the game population slows and the amount of time and effort it takes to go from level 1 to fully maxed at cap increases, be it whether there's a leveling system after 100 or not. It's hard to get people to start playing this game when they realize the daunting process it will be before they can fully participate in content with groups at level cap.

[Scirocco]

I remember people working like hell April from last year to get those two golden pieces of armours from Fangorn, only to get a new update 3 months later with new and better armour. I really think that all we need right now is a better way to get Star-lit Crystals and Crystal of Remembrance to put in our LIs before we start leveling them up. Level 100 already had most of its gear, we didn't have golden armours, but I don't care about getting them anymore now. Increasing the level cap wouldn't only get us more Class Trait Points, it would probably increase the cap for Critical Chance by 5% and maybe other stats since I don't know if there are other stats whose caps increase with some specific levels.
I don't see why not giving us a new level cap.

We probably will get additional levels within another 12 months. Someone noted above that Turbine simply may not have the resources for additional levels more quickly.

What I don't understand is that underlying a lot of the complaints about leveling are two things: (1) avoiding the leveling "grind"; and (2) not discouraging new players. However, some of the Alternative Advancement suggestions in this thread (and elsewhere) would make both points WORSE.

AAs in EQ, and paragon "levels" in Diablo 3, demonstrate this. You thought the grind for an additional 5 levels is bad? The grind for another 500 paragon levels, or 700 AA points, is far worse. And if it is depressing for a new player to see level 100 players, seeing 100.54 players will cause them to shut down their computers.

There are several good aspects to raising the level cap:

1. Ring my bell! Many players derive great satisfaction from leveling. Why else do my kinmates announce in chat every time they reach a new level, and we all congratulate them? Because the obtaining of the level itself is significant. A form of Skinner box, perhaps, but we do love the ding.

2. Grey is good. It is good to outlevel old content. Many of us like to be able to go around old haunts without aggroing everything in sight, and to one-shot grey mobs for a slayer deed. The RT runs are a recent example of this. Imagine if everyone stayed at a single level. Ugh.

3. Level does serve as a decent indicator of relative power. The longer we are stuck at a level cap, the greater the possible differentiation can be in the existing game. Imagine if we have an AA system. A level 100.1 would be half as powerful as a 100.50 (or however you term it). Either that, or the AA system gives such small power boosts it is largely irrelevant, and we have stagnation.

Give me 5 or 10 levels every year, please.

[Vulcwen]

We probably will get additional levels within another 12 months. Someone noted above that Turbine simply may not have the resources for additional levels more quickly.

What I don't understand is that underlying a lot of the complaints about leveling are two things: (1) avoiding the leveling "grind"; and (2) not discouraging new players. However, some of the Alternative Advancement suggestions in this thread (and elsewhere) would make both points WORSE.

AAs in EQ, and paragon "levels" in Diablo 3, demonstrate this. You thought the grind for an additional 5 levels is bad? The grind for another 500 paragon levels, or 700 AA points, is far worse. And if it is depressing for a new player to see level 100 players, seeing 100.54 players will cause them to shut down their computers.

There are several good aspects to raising the level cap:

1. Ring my bell! Many players derive great satisfaction from leveling. Why else do my kinmates announce in chat every time they reach a new level, and we all congratulate them? Because the obtaining of the level itself is significant. A form of Skinner box, perhaps, but we do love the ding.

2. Grey is good. It is good to outlevel old content. Many of us like to be able to go around old haunts without aggroing everything in sight, and to one-shot grey mobs for a slayer deed. The RT runs are a recent example of this. Imagine if everyone stayed at a single level. Ugh.

3. Level does serve as a decent indicator of relative power. The longer we are stuck at a level cap, the greater the possible differentiation can be in the existing game. Imagine if we have an AA system. A level 100.1 would be half as powerful as a 100.50 (or however you term it). Either that, or the AA system gives such small power boosts it is largely irrelevant, and we have stagnation.

Give me 5 or 10 levels every year, please.

I haven't seen an AA system discussed yet that I really liked.. We have those trait points now and I don't really like that either (I far prefer the older approach of having to work for specific traits).

What would work is improving gear as far as time goes, as it gives advancement for existing players, and gives new players a chance to catch up. The existing gear would have to become easier and easier to obtain as time continues, as there is always a next generation of gear to get. This progression would need to be expressed in the quest progression, so that if you use a regular progression you would obtain the gear you'd need for the newer regions. With group content and trading you should be able to take the quick path to the most recent generation of gear.

[DiogoVP]

lol Some people are getting too much excited and starting to make specific suggestions that could be suggested elsewhere - I think suggestions can be made here, but I am seeing some complexes suggestions and I think this isn't the proper place to make such suggestions, they should have their own thread :P But I understand the excitement of some of you guys. I also get excited when I start to think of all the ideas I keep to myself
I don't own the threads or anything, so I apologize if I seem "bossy".

[DiogoVP]

1. Ring my bell! Many players derive great satisfaction from leveling. Why else do my kinmates announce in chat every time they reach a new level, and we all congratulate them? Because the obtaining of the level itself is significant. A form of Skinner box, perhaps, but we do love the ding.

2. Grey is good. It is good to outlevel old content. Many of us like to be able to go around old haunts without aggroing everything in sight, and to one-shot grey mobs for a slayer deed. The RT runs are a recent example of this. Imagine if everyone stayed at a single level. Ugh.

3. Level does serve as a decent indicator of relative power. The longer we are stuck at a level cap, the greater the possible differentiation can be in the existing game. Imagine if we have an AA system. A level 100.1 would be half as powerful as a 100.50 (or however you term it). Either that, or the AA system gives such small power boosts it is largely irrelevant, and we have stagnation.

As silly as those points seem to be, it is probably true.

[Cenifh]

Now do you know what would force 90% of players to do the RTs? Class Trait Points. LOL

This is wrong on so many levels. Why would you want to force players to do RTs? Don't you think that a good reason for them to not do them is because they are not fun and a huge time consuming activity? Content is there for the people that like it, Don't make other ppl do what you like just because u think its fun.

Thanks.

And no, gating more trait points on another grindy boring content is not the solution.

[DiogoVP]

This is wrong on so many levels. Why would you want to force players to do RTs? Don't you think that a good reason for them to not do them is because they are not fun and a huge time consuming activity? Content is there for the people that like it, Don't make other ppl do what you like just because u think its fun.

Thanks.

And no, gating more trait points on another grindy boring content is not the solution.

You obviously didn't read my other posts, I was saying it would force players to do RTs, now if I would like it or not is your interpretation. The fact is that many people would feel forced, and if you read my other posts you'll know I wouldn't like that to happen

[Kelleran]

I hope we never get another increase in level cap, and instead, just higher item level weapons, armor and more powerful landscape enemies in new lvl 100 regions.

Yes, I realize that would make scaled instances even more face-roll than they already are, but they're also 5-8 years old.

Almost everyone I know is completely satisfied that we are staying lvl 100 and growing our characters without new level caps.

Agree, be more than happy to stay at level 100. Leave old instances as they are, create new and challenging ones, btw challenging does not mean just to increase npc morale and damage.

And almost no one I know would be happy to stay at 100. Nothing you've described would be considered "growing your character." It's really stagnation, albeit with a change of clothing. Tolerable on a temporary basis, but not permanently.

If there were a true alternative advancement system, that would be another story. I don't want incremental armor increases, I want more trait points. And I can't see any need for an imbue system without additional leveling. But, as discussed elsewhere, AA is just disguised, partially hydrogenated leveling.

Almost everyone I know would be happy to stay at 100.

Nothing wrong with incremental armour increases, stat increases, weapon increases, why would we do it should be the reason. In the past for me anyway it was to do instance and raid content.

Levelling up and completely re-gearing just to do the same old instances is not the way to go.

I would really prefer addition of new smaller instance clusters, One 3, one 6 and one 12 person raid, every 3 to 6 months. Multi wing raids, some ok and some were great (some raids slotted Supereme Essence of Garbage i'm looking at you Erebor-FttLM), but the time in between receiving them way too annoying.

[Knossa]

Best in Slot.

Cost wise 500 tokens is nothing you can earn 45 tokens a day for a few hours work.

If 500 is nothing, why not 1000? Whether I agree with the cost of 500 or not, unless you have the luxury of playing LOTRO 24/7; a few hours chasing war bands all day then playing the content you actually enjoy for the rest of the night, it is a pretty significant cost. The idea of spending what time I have in Middle Earth for the next 12 days doing nothing but chasing war bands is not appealing and is a significant cost in my time and enjoyment.

[Findun]

If 500 is nothing, why not 1000? Whether I agree with the cost of 500 or not, unless you have the luxury of playing LOTRO 24/7; a few hours chasing war bands all day then playing the content you actually enjoy for the rest of the night, it is a pretty significant cost. The idea of spending what time I have in Middle Earth for the next 12 days doing nothing but chasing war bands is not appealing and is a significant cost in my time and enjoyment.

The RTs are no Warbands. And if you think 12 days in an MMO is a lot of time to acquire a best-in-slot item then youre playing the wrong type of genre. period. back then you need like months to get the best gear in this game. because of people like you (Im sorry) this game went down the drain ....

[RoyRogersMcFreely]

This is wrong on so many levels. Why would you want to force players to do RTs? Don't you think that a good reason for them to not do them is because they are not fun and a huge time consuming activity? Content is there for the people that like it, Don't make other ppl do what you like just because u think its fun.

Thanks.

And no, gating more trait points on another grindy boring content is not the solution.

Let me just replace every instance of RT here with Boring Battle for you to get a new perspective on what you're saying...

[Faimeram]

When will Bullroarer open?

[Faimeram]

[Jillymala]

When it is ready.

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