Instant leveling fromNCSoft?

The typical response will be that it causes people to get bored with the game too fast. They get their 50, see that there is not really anything special to do at 50, and then leave the game.

I have a few problem with that reasoning.

1) While it would be true in some cases, it would not be true in many others. PvPers for instance would love this idea and have asked for it before. Say what you will about PvP and the people who play it, they are paying customers who usually have multiple accounts. That's money in the bank right there. And if this happened, along with fixing some major issues with PvP, we would actually see some growth in that area. While many people wouldn't like that idea, NCSoft would because that's more money for them. I imagine there are a few other sub-groups that would like this idea as well.

2) This game isn't getting any bigger. Face it people, it's just not going to happen. The population has never seen more than a temporary growth spike, after which it slides back down. That's not a DOOOOOOOOMM statement, it's fact. Those of us that are still here are here for the long haul. Most of us have done the PvE game to death and have multiple 50s. The ones that still love it don't have to do anything different. They can just keep on playing the game as they always have. Those of us that are bored to tears with PvE can use this to keep playing the part of the game we like, and consequently keep paying for it.


The only down side of pay to level is that some newer players would use it and leave before they really played the game. I don't really see that as a problem since it is happening already thanks to AE and RMT PLing services. Those are the people that the game doesn't really need, so just give them what they really want and send them on there way a few dollars poorer. The difference is that NCSoft will get the money instead of the PLers. And if it proves to be more of a problem than that, then level restrict it and make it a Vet reward as has been suggested. Then the only people using it are the ones who are at the point in the game where they are getting bored. IF they are already on the fence about leaving, then this might keep them around for a little longer to easily try new sets without slogging through 50 levels of content they've already see a hundred times before.

Yes, it's a fact. But it's also a fact for near every subscription-based MMO on the market. MMOs have to fight a battle of survival by increasing retention (slowing the downward slide) and constantly updating the game (each update hopefully drawing new customers or bringing back old ones). Some otherwise unsustainable MMOs ride on the backs of other games from the same publisher (I believe EverQuest is in this situation with regard to EverQuest 2). Even Ultima Online still has updates. UO had a game patch as recently as last December, and a major expansion last September.

I believe the only subscription MMOs which do not follow this general rule are WoW (the 800-pound gorilla in the room) and, strangely, EVE Online. While WoW is obvious, I don't believe EVE's subscriber base has decreased over the course of a single quarter more than a few hundred players, and it is generally increasing.

My response is that it doesn't necessarily damages the game itself (although the inflation from NCSoft selling inf would probably not be a good thing) but that it damages the image that the game projects in the marketplace.

Most MMOs do have stores that sell in-game stuff. However for ones which have a pay-to-play model the stuff is almost always things that are primarily cosmetic and have at most a minuscule impact on gameplay (new costumes, mini-pets etc.). Selling things that have a significant impact (cash, faster leveling etc.) is primarily the purview of "free-to-play" MMOs.

If CoX started selling instant level 50s (or even worse inf) directly I think that a lot of people would take it to mean that NCSoft felt the game was no longer able to support itself through subscription fees and that changing to a more micro-transaction based model was necessary to maintain a solid revenue stream (similar to D&DO). This isn't to say that this would be the case but I think starting to sell level 50s or inf would tarnish the game's image.

I wouldn't use it.

I pay to play the game, not to "own" level 50 characters.

I level up so I can experience how different powers interact and how a character performs with those powers at different levels. I can develop attack chains and get comfortable enough with a character to be subconsciously aware of power recharge and animation times, which makes playing the game more fluid and immersive for me. Instantly having a level 50 character means spending most of my time staring at the power tray, rather than at the game itself, and I don't want to do that.

Being level 50 means getting level 50 drops, specifically IO recipes and salvage, and I usually don't want those. I prefer slotting lower level IOs because it gives me more latitude when I'm exemplared down. Doing that at level 50 means spending a lot of inf* at the market to get pool B and C/D stuff, or spending a lot of time exemplared down to get pool A stuff. Essentially, just being level 50 forces me to find ways to manipulate the system or rely on other players to get what I want out of the game, rather than simply playing, if I want anything other than level 50 enhancements. I don't like that and prefer to avoid it if at all possible.

Content. There isn't much at 50. Yes, I can use Ouroboros to experience some of the 1-49 content, but not all of it, and not the same way I'd experience it by leveling up. How many interesting missions/arcs, how many badges, how many unique team experiences, how many new players who I might have met would I miss by skipping everything from 1-49? More than I care to, or can, list, some of which I can't even quantify.

I don't care for grinding, and if I opted to auto-level (or power-level) a character to 50, that's all I'd have to look forward to, grinding. I'd have no inf*, no merits, no recipes, no salvage, no enhancements, nothing to pay for slotting out that character. I'd have to grind relentlessly. I quit playing WoW because I had to spend 2-4 hours every day just grinding (to get consumables or cash to buy consumables for raids and instances) to equip my "end-game" characters. I'm not going to do that here either.

I have several level 50 characters already, but only one of them is interesting and fun enough for me to want to continue playing at level 50, my TA/Dark/Dark, Parthenia. Having more level 50 characters that I likely won't be interested in beyond the novelty of having them or checking out what they might be like at 50... just doesn't appeal to me. Especially if there's an additional fee attached.

Lastly, I'm one of those silly fools who believe that appreciation is directly proportional investment. The harder and more you work for something, the more you value it. I can't love a character that I didn't earn, no matter how much I might love the concept, name, costume or powers. When I play my characters to 50, I value them because they represent investments of time, creativity and effort (what little this game requires) on my part. Being handed a "free" 50 is like being given anything, I'm not going to cherish it or miss it if I lose it, or really care about it while I have it.

I wouldn't use an option to have any character automatically leveled to 50. Such a thing would represent the opposite of everything that keeps me interested in this game.

Or it might just make them lower their prices slightly, or switch to "gold farming" instead of power-leveling.

They'd still have to grind, since they'd be broke and naked at 50. They'd just have to grind broke and naked... or turn to a PL/farm team, or buy inf* from outside sources, thereby completely negating the entire purpose of having a character auto-leveled to 50.

And i'm kicking it even further...Kick the baby

To a point i agree with this. But i can see a value in it as well. DDO, after a certain framework of points earned, lets you begin characters at lvl 4 instead of lvl 1 - not a big deal overall but its nice to get past teh "lowbie fell 3 ft off a ledge and died" phase.

Stamina seems to be when a character - at least for me, can see whether its a good playable toon, again - IMO. Why not a small fee for a toon that stamina lvl?

WTF are you talking about? how does RMT sales falling through the floor have anything to do with how NC markets this game? did you not understand what i said?

You might as well say the same about inspirations.

Or travel powers.

Or enhancements.


Stamina is just one more element of the game that people use or don't. Saying that somebody doesn't know the game because they take Stamina is either stupid or arrogant. I'll let you decide which.

you go try to solo an AV/GM without stamina, gogogo. Couldn't pull it off? didn't think so.

Your obviously playing on easy mode some of us actually like a challenge and need our blue bar hold up that's where stamina comes in.

Note my choice of words more carefully please. I never mentioned JUST them taking stamina. I was referencing them "needing" stamina to be able to play their characters.

You can easily survive this game without travel powers, with the multitude ways to get around.

Enhancements... well I don't know where that comes from, I've never seen anyone running any character without enhancements before, those seem to be crucial. But stamina? Completely optional.

And what I'm saying, since apparently I need to spell it out more clearly, is that if someone feels that they 'need' stamina, then they are doing something wrong. Because then it's no longer a 'choice', using your word.

GMs and AVs were never meant to be solo-ed. That's why you used to have to "cheat" the system to even get them to appear inside your missions.

FAIL. anything can be done without stamina. hell, the bonuses from sets can do more then stamina. go blow that smoke somewhere else please.

Hmm... What this button does?

*press the button*

O.O

*cries*

lol you got pics of you soloing a AV/GM without stamina? Proof please don't just spout nonsense kthxbye.

edit. also caps lock=cool

double edit: you obviously have no exp in doing these things so please keep your troll comments to yourself and try not to say things when they just make you look the fool. kthxbye

NO! You've doomed us all!!!!

D:

Westly seems to have missed the 2 IMO's in there, and nowhere did i say that i couldnt play a toon well without it - it just for me, flows better when i have it. Nice strawman tho. I hate responding to a trollish post - usually i dont have a prob with his, but my question remains.

If ppl were able to pay to get to 14, (6 for long term vets) for travel power lvl, or what have you - would that be reasonable to you all?

But... but... it was a button!

It was big... rounded... red...

And had something written on it...

I was pretty certain that the word was DANCER... I think i need to upgrade my glasses...

Whatever. You're entitled to your opinion.

I'm talking about what's fun for ME.

Your opinions may vary.

Certain toons can do without stamina and still be effective, but name one toon that does BETTER without it than it does with it.

A Warshade. That would be one less awesome power that they could pick from their natural sets that would be useless 2/3rds of the time.

excuse me? i have plenty of experience. all you need is the right sets. so again, you fail. i wasn't trolling and i don't look like a fool. you do.