Thoughts on Level 50-60 Content. . .

For many players, getting to 50 means retiring the toon, it would be nice to give 50 level characters something to work for, I would like to see level 50-60 content added for that reason.

Some suggested options might include:


1: Expanding the Travel Powers.

A. Map Travel. To be taken only after your main travel power in the same set, available from level 51. Click on a spot on the map of Run/Fly/Teleport/Jump there in one movement.

B. Zone Travel. to be taken after Map Travel. Click on this power and a pull down menu offers you options of places to Run/Fly/Teleport/Jump to in a single movement.

C. Team Map/Zone Travel. As above but allowing the entire team to travel together to the same fashion to the same destination.


2. Sidekicks/Minions (Pets).

A. Sidekick/Minion: Available from level 51, players would be able to take this power and summon a sidekick for heroes or a minion for villains. This pet would have a selectable power sets and a custom player designed costume as if it were a low level toon. The pet would have a travel power that mirrors the controlling characters travel powers. This is a very personalized individual power with countless variables, it could be way cool. Ideally the pet would level up with the player, becoming more versatile and powerful as the controlling character nears 60. The Pets powers should be slottable and it should be allowed to continue to level up to a point even after the main toon hits 60.

B. Assemble Team: Available after taking Sidekick/Minion, the player would be able to summon a temporary team of 2-4 Allies/Lieutenants (Perhaps adjusted by players level) which will stand by the controlling character until the mission ends or they are defeated. These would be in addition the sidekick or minion. This power can only be used once per mission.

C. Grand Master/Paragon/Sensei/Crime Lord: The last power in the set, this character is so heroic/great/powerful/evil that he or she has attracted a host of followers always running in and out to assist him or just adore and watch him or her. This would be a toggled power allowing players to turn it on or off as desired.

3. Expanding all the original power sets to add at least one more "Over the Top" AoE power.


Yes I am aware of the Master Minds and their pets, this would not really be the same thing, though I see no reason that an MM could not take this set as well.

So with all the other powers that they DIDN'T take to begin with on their way to level 50, there would be plenty of options as well as those untapped pools giving a character plenty to grow with.

I feel that expanding the game to level 60, with new zones and new NPCs would bring a lot of players back to the game and allow all those inactive 50s to feel the love again!

Please feel free at add your own thoughts and suggestions!

Your statement about getting to 50 means retiring a toon is subjective. Granted you did say 'many' and in a game with as many subscribers as CoH/V has, the word many doesn't mean the majority, just that there are a lot who feel this way. It's vague. In that same sense I can say many people feel that the markets need to be merged. If you read this forum often, you would know that there are a lot of people who feel this way. But you're not addressing at all how many people feel differently. So in that same sense, there are many people who feel the game is the best at 50, and prefer to play lv 50 toons as opposed to leveling up alts.

Also, if reaching 50 means it's time to retire your toon, then what about when you get to 60? Ok, now 60 means retiring the toon. How does this actually fix anything?

In regards to the expanded travel powers... why? Is it just so there are new powers to pick once the level cap is extended? Because these expanded travel powers seem unnecessary. Cool? Maybe, but there really is no need.

To point #2: Again, why is this needed? This would make these characters way over powered. At least in my opinion. There's also the point of lag that this would create. Imagine a rikit ship raid where a bunch of level 55 toons use these pet powers. The number of NPCs on the screen would generate so much lag for even stable machines, not even to mention the people who run the game on the low end.

#3: Again, I have to ask why? What purpose would an over the top AoE power serve? For those power sets that already have one nuke, and possibly 2 depending on their primary, and secondary powers, why do they need another on top of that?

Yes it is subjective, but then what isn't? I am certainly not alone in my feelings, but yes I am aware that there are others who prefer to play 50s almost exclusively.

As for the expanded travel powers the "Why" would be to offer something new, to improve on things as they stand now, but then improvement is subjective as well. I think it would improve things by greatly reducing the "Commute" times and offer the players something a bit different.

We can assume (I would hope) that getting to level 60 will take a lot more time than it did to get to 50, possibly doubling the "Growing" lifespan of a toon. Thats nothing to sneeze at! As for making characters overpowered, they would need NPCs who match them. In a world of funnybook heroes, is there really such a thing as overpowered? Again, that is obviously subjective. The same can be said for an "Over the Top" AoE. I think it would be fun. Same for sidekicks, they are (or perhaps were is a better word) a hero comic book staple and I think they would be fun, I would like to see them have a place in the game. Above 50 seems logical to me.

Lag is an issue for some folks, but not for all of us, again it is subjective, but yes, it could create problems for some players. But then there are other things that can cause lag as well. Perhaps a "Streamlined" mode of play might be considered for players who cannot run in the graphics intense environments so as to help relieve that problem.

I have been playing off and on since the game debuted and I look forward to Going Rogue with much enthusiasm. I hope/I suspect it will help improve the quality of play for me by providing a fuller gaming experience, much like I would hope for from level 60 content.

The devs have been on board many, many times against raising the level cap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dispari I don't know why Dink thinks she's not as sexy as Jay was. In 5 posts she's already upstaged his entire career.

I don't want to come off as rude, but there are just so many problems with this suggestion.

The first and biggest problem is what happens when you hit 60? you get some new powers, but then what? You're essentially left with the same problem, people hitting 60 and then retiring. All it does is prolong the problem.

Also, what would happen to the current level 50 zones? Zones like Grandville, Peregrine Island, Cimerora, and such would become abandoned for the new zones. There are already such ghost-towns around, do we really need more?

As for the powers, Maniac_Raid pretty much covered what I would have said. Would it bring players back? Possibly. Then they hit level 60 and leave, making the whole point of the idea entirely pointless.

Right now, Going Rogue is set to come out soon, which should bring about a influx of players, both new and returning. Also, Matt Miller (Positron) recently traded his position of Lead Designer over to Melissa Bianco (War Witch) so that he could work on new "end-game" content for players who reach level 50.

If you're getting bored at level 50, you could always just create another character. There are so many different powersets and playstyles that there's always something new to play.

Hah! The Cursed Sorcerer has reached level 50 and he is FAR from retirement!

Dark Jumping Spider on Infinity ftw

I got my first 50 more than three years ago and I still play it all the time. The only reason to retire a toon is if you are bored of playing them.

No, no, no, no. Time and again the Devs have stated they won't raise the level cap. Why do people keep asking for this? It won't happen and it won't solve anything regarding player numbers.

1. This has been suggested many, MANY times, and the devs have come out saying it will basically never happen. Please do a search before posting in the future.

2. The biggest problem with suggestions about raising the level cap is that it's a slippery slope. Let's say they raise the cap to 60. Within a few months (maybe sooner), you'll start to see suggestions talking about how "there's nothing to do once you hit 60 but retire your character, the devs should add level 60-70 content". So at some point, you just have to set a firm level cap and stick to it for good, and that's already happened.

And by raising the level cap, not only will it turn the current level 50 areas into ghost towns, what about those of us who like to play our 50s?

Should I, after spending almost 1 billion influence IOing out Cheat Code just shrug and say "It was fun while it lasted, now I need to spend more money and time to keep up?"

Or the 800 million we spent on Ana's Archery/ Em blaster?

Not to mention, raising the level cap only increases grind time, not fun. Outward expansion, in variety of story arcs, missions and zones is the key. Upward expansion, through raising the level cap, is only a means to keep players reaching toward that carrot at the end of the stick.

So, say the devs take your idea and use it. We all get to 60. Okay, what now?

People begin to wail and gnash teeth. Why are we only at 60? So they raise it to 75.

Etc, all the way to what? 100? 200, 1000? Once you raise the level cap once, what's the logical stopping point from it being done again and again?
And if you find a logical stopping point, what's to keep those who get the final cap from getting bored and quitting?

Nothing at all.

Raising the level cap doesn't solve anything. It's just a temporary change of milestones while the devs, of any MMO, add more challenges. The same challenges that they could have been presented the players at a lower level.

I applaud your thought into your post, but leveling has to stop somewhere.
If you move the cap to 60, then someone will want to move it to 75, then someone else will want to move it to 100, etc.
I'm against any level cap increase.

There are plenty of things to do at level 50 in CoH. If you run out of "normal" content, there is always the AE.
The AE isn't all farms. It was never supposed to have ANY farms. There are good missions in there for all levels. If you can't find a good one, then take time making one that all of us will enjoy playing.

Seriously, if you can get by with the PD VIP TP, Ouroboros TP, Recall Friend, Assemble Team, SG TP (to base and from base), and Mission Teleporter then you are getting a bit spoiled. In fact, I think it's a bit boring to use that stuff all the time as I personally enjoy traveling through the city via which ever travel power (though I do find TP Self still a bit annoying to use).
With Super Jump as my favorite power, I kind of get a kick out of jumping from roof top to roof top or bounding off window ledges on tall buildings.
Sometimes the quickest or shortest path to get some where isn't the best way to go, sometimes enjoying the journey makes fun the best best part of traveling through the City.

I have my Vet Pets. People that really want combat pets can pick Archetypes and power sets which give them pets. There are plenty of them.

If you really want all these pet powers, it is easy enough to make a Master Mind.

I understand that some players just play one character.
I get bored if I just play one character, so I can understand why someone else would (unlike someone that just plays one character, I just switch to another character/side/server). That is one of the major reasons that I'm against PL'ing and farming - both quickly lead a "one character player" into situations where they may feel that they have limited or repetitive game experiences.
I would wager that any player that left because they hit 50 are just going to leave again when they hit 60, so why put in all that work for someone that is probably going to try to burn through those levels in order to "win" and leave the game again (or complain because there is no more content because they hit the level cap again)?
Of course, some "one character players" are simply just trying to reach the level cap, "ding", say "I win", they are done with the game, and can brag to their friends about "how they beat" another MMORPG or how easy and boring CoH is.

I don't understand why players that just play one character think that they have fully experienced playing CoH.
Level 50 isn't the end, nor does it stop you from creating other characters and trying out other power sets.
There is a lot to experience in this game.

Level 50 isn't the end. Level 50 isn't the goal....for me at least...
I don't play my level 50's a lot, but I have many more characters that aren't level 50.
I personally find it fun to play with new players that are experiencing this great game for the first time because they aren't jaded by having a 50 and thinking that nothing new happens in the City.
I see new content in the City everyday. I'm not talking about new maps or new powers. I'm talking about new experiences within the environment generated by interacting with other players and characters with different power sets.

At level 50, you can join any level team and have some fun. The whole game is out there for you to explore.

Retiring a toon at 50 is a waste IMO. You have so many ouro arcs to do at 50 :<

I have 25 + RETIRED 50s. Nothing to do on them why bother.

I would love it if they either made CoX 2.0 or made level 50 to 100 content.

- Yes I would love spending my billions on even MORE epic enhancements, to make my alts even more awesome than they are now.


Sadly this is a way over the top casual game, casual players dont want the challenge.

No to yet another raise the level cap suggestion.

I know you're just posting your opinion, but my character development doesn't stop at 50. It's actually the point where it just begins. I think many (using your definition of "many") people would share this point of view as well.

Also, all the other things you mention in your OP are not something that has to be tied to level advancement. Some powers for example are tied to badges; others could be tied to the completion of certain story arcs or missions.

What I don't want to see is 10 more levels of grinding to reach the new level cap. That's one of the guaranteed ways to get me to quit this game.