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GU61, level 20-80 completely re-itemized incl raid gear
Nadia
Member UncommonPosts: 11,798
in Everquest II
http://eq2wire.com/2011/06/24/level-20-80-being-completely-reitemized-including-raid-gear/
http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=502066&post_id=5574530#5574530
We have a full itemization plan in place now and we'll be unveiling much of it at Fan Faire.
I'll tell you this much though. We're going to itemize *all* of the level 20-80 items by GU 61.
Yes. "All" includes Raid items.
http://eq2.zam.com/story.html?story=26220
Game update 61 is expected in August
Comments
Any idea how they are going to change things? Are they going to simplify things to just stats or add the other crazy things to lower level gear like block and double attack, aoe, etc.?
last I heard they were bringing back the secondary stats
http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/the-tattered-notebook-smokejumper-talks-gu60/
He said the team realized that players didn't care for single stats on items, so it's going back to adding secondary stats.
no details were given yesterday
-- will have to wait for the fanfaire in 2 weeks to hear more
EQ2 fan sites
I can't access any of those sites.....so does that mean AGI will provide avoidance like before?
unknown -- the previous newstory said they well be adding back secondary stats but no details what it meant
SOE fanfaire is in 10 days and more info will be revealed
July 7th - July 9th
EQ2 fan sites
yep, can't wait to hear about Fan Faire....wonder what will come out in regards to EQ Next.
btw Nadia, thanks for answering my questions. I won't have the game for about another week, I should be satisfied by then and can pester my guildies....once I find a guild.
Honestly, this is a sad joke. The latest expansion completely screwed itemization, making progression completely linear and making it so there is only one possible item for every gear slot. They've completely removed the concept of a "cool rare item with special ability" and instead made everything in the game have a % increase in base stats over another item. So whereas before you could have 2 items with +10 agi and different abilities, now you just have an item with +10 agi and one with +11 agi and no specials.
So instead of fixing itemization for the latest expansion which is the REAL problem, they're going back and updating itemization for a level range where gear is completely irrelevant. (There is no point in putting together a set of level 70 gear considering that it takes no time at all to get to 75 or 80 or 90 and completely outlevel that gear anyway.)
SOE massively screwed the pooch on itemization for EQ2 and unless they start fixing the real problem, they're going to start losing people. EQ2 is a great game for it's PvE, group dungeons, quests and raids. The DoV itemization has made instances and quests pretty much completely irrelevant, because even the worst raid gear piece (which is easier to one-group than some of the group dungeons) is still better than anything you get in those dungeons. Previously, dungeons featured items with desired abilities by all players, this is no longer the case. About a month ago 3 all-new instances were added to the game and virtually no one does them because there is absolutely no point given the itemization.
Anyhow, I am looking forward to hearing about the "itemization fix", but i'm guessing that given the quantity of items 20-80, SOE just plans to run the same "Automatic gear generator" on all those items that they used to create the terribad itemization for DoV.
"Id rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."
- Raph Koster
Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
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Currently Playing: ESO
Changes like this are not being done for the existing playerbase. This is being done to enhance the experience of the potential new player who will be leveling up their character. Just like the change to the user interface, spell particles, animations, starting zones, etc were all aimed at improving the experience for new players.
Itemization has always been a joke in this game and this will not be the last of the major sweeping changes like this. SOE just cannot seem to decide on a single design for the game that works and stick to it. The next expansion will most likely undo all of these changes, revert to a previous itemization system or some other off the wall untested mechanics.
My guess is that since most older gear had a bunch of stats that are now irrelevant, they are going to change the +8wis item for a melee to +strm +agi and +stam.
I agree with the other poster. With all the opportunities EQ2 has its odd they choose one of the least relevant issues to keeping subscribers. Its not like PvE is hard where one needs a few stats points that really don't matter that much.
Except the new player will not get anything out of this. There is plenty of cool existing gear out there to get. It's actually a lot cooler than level 90 gear because the itemization hasn't always sucked.
Not to mention the biggest problem with that logic - that a new player even knows the difference. To a new player going through the game first time, it''s ALL new and shiney. Hell, most of us leveled through teh game with gear that had NO stats whatsoever and we still loved it. I mean, +5 in-combat power regen was the most desired healer item once upon a time. Itemization only matters to new players for the sake of "existing". It really doesn't need to match or be balanced because no new player will "stop" their character long enough to get a level-limited gear set. A player faced with spending 10 hours to get a +5 sword fabled sword or spending 1 hour to level up and get a +7 crafted sword will just get an extra level.
Gear doesn't begin to matter until level 90. So massive revamp of pre-80 gear isn't really beneficial to anyone. If you want to experiment, go to EQ2 forums - I suggest EQ2flames as official forums are likely to ban or censor you for using the word "assassin" - and ask "what is the best gear for a level 37 assassin?" If you get an answer at all, it'll be something like "dude, it doesn't matter until 90". You might be told to complete a certain major game quest, but that's about it.
SOE certainly does have "reasons", but they are seriously out of touch with the reality of their own game. I mean, they don't even test their own content.
"Id rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."
- Raph Koster
Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
Currently Playing: ESO
When I level lock and grind out AAs I like to have MC gear so that does matter to me. But I have never been over lvl 52 so I don't know about all the other gear, etc.
I didn't say I agreed with why they are changing the level 20-80 gear, but it stands to reason they are doing it for the benefit of new players, not existing.
To existing players, that level range is just a grind to get the next alt to level 90. I fully agree with you that gear to existing players prior to level 90 is meaningless and a waste of time for SOE to work on..
To a new player they will see the results of several itemization revamps spread over several expansions. They will be left with items that have stats which do nothing or have no effect for their class. To the new player, these rewards are new and meaningful. They will want to know how stats work and what to aim for while they play.
The question really is who does benefit from this and why is SOE doing it?
Contrary to the belief of the vets who play this game, no not every player is level 90 already. Maybe on live, but on extended which appears to be SOE's baby now, there is a healthy number of us who have no insterest in rushing to max level. This change will benefit that segment of the player base quite a bit. Instead of wearing gear that has SOME beneficial stats on it, we will be able to go out and get gear that has stats that are all beneficial to our class.
Theres a massive amount of content out there to be done at lower levels. To simply dismiss it as unimportant just because its not where the game is RIGHT NOW is stupid.
I like to go out and run dungeons solo at level 40-50. I have a couple of raid peices that I bought off the broker for a few plat, because I knew I was going to be level locked for awhile. Why not make that investment. Its certainly paid off in spades for me. If other players have no vision and want to rush past this awesome part of the game, its their loss.
And actually, now that I think about it, theres a hell lot of players level locked at 39 for BG on extended. SOE is taking care of this part of their player base as well.