Leveling speed

We know that Steven intends for leveling to 50 to take about 45 days at 4-6 hours a days. So, 180-270 hours. Presumably, that that estimate of leveling time is intended for those who join on day 1 of release. Players that join on day 1 and play actively will have a slower time to level as those players will need to wait for the nodes to develop or the player will need to level against mobs much lower level than the player or complete quests that are intended for much lower level players. So, players that start on release take 180-270 hours to level but that is very slow leveling due to undeveloped nodes.

If all this is right, then a new player joining a few months after release and going to a metropolis area while reading a couple leveling guides will probably level to max in far less than the projected 180+ hours.

I think that when the leveling speed balance is tested in A2, IS should aim for the 180+ hours to be the target for players that join late and can immediately go into developed areas. This means that the leveling speed would be much slower on release; but, the intended effort of leveling can be maintained for the life of the game.

What do you guys think?

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Mag7spy

novercalis wrote: »

FuryBladeborne wrote: »

We know that Steven intends for leveling to 50 to take about 45 days at 4-6 hours a days. So, 180-270 hours. Presumably, that that estimate of leveling time is intended for those who join on day 1 of release. Players that join on day 1 and play actively will have a slower time to level as those players will need to wait for the nodes to develop or the player will need to level against mobs much lower level than the player or complete quests that are intended for much lower level players. So, players that start on release take 180-270 hours to level but that is very slow leveling due to undeveloped nodes.

If all this is right, then a new player joining a few months after release and going to a metropolis area while reading a couple leveling guides will probably level to max in far less than the projected 180+ hours.

I think that when the leveling speed balance is tested in A2, IS should aim for the 180+ hours to be the target for players that join late and can immediately go into developed areas. This means that the leveling speed would be much slower on release; but, the intended effort of leveling can be maintained for the life of the game.

What do you guys think?

My Hot take

Leveling should take 500 hours.
Add in Hell Levels at 10,20,30,40,45,48,49

These Hell levels are 4x the required XP.

Let's enjoy the inbetween stuff instead of players rushing to max.

This will SLIGHTLY discourage sweaties trying to no-sleep 2-3 days grind and hopefully chill them out as they realize it's a mountain of a climb. It's an endurance not a race.

500 / 12 hours = ~42 days
500 / 10 hours = 50 days
500 / 8 hours = ~62 days
500 / 6 hours = ~82 days
500 / 4 hours = 125 days

ASSUMING there is great content and fun stuff to do as a level 10/20/30/40. Events, dungeons and lots of areas that requires grouping.

Everquest - even today standard on P99 it takes 2-3 months to hit max level and the leveling in Everquest is enjoyable.

This won't work, you are only affecting the casuals. Level as people know is a system to protect them but there needs to be a balance.

The more time you put as a gate for leveling the more ahead hardcore players will be with casuals having a longer time before they can even catch up to them.

No hardcore player is going to be like that is so much time I'm not going to level, they will grind and book all the time they need off and play for 15-18 hours a day and refuse to sleep.

RazThemun

Myself being a player that will likely be on 3-4 hours each day during the work week and 10+ hours a day on the weekend... I hope that my leveling experience will take 6 weeks minimum. I can see myself spending a good 30 hours a week if this game pans out to be all they aspire to be. 6 weeks at 30 hours is 180 hours. I have no issue of leveling taking someone 180-200 hours to reach max level at a minimum. There will be videos and min maxing content out there.... so hopefully even with that considered, leveling will still take over 4 weeks to level while playing 30+ hours a week. If I hope to play a game for years... why not have it worthwhile and it not feel like the same old grind 100 hours in ?....
As far as for new players entering the game. CREATE MEANINGFUL CONTENT that rewards the experienced players for helping the new players. Create content that does not feel like a boring chore for the one helping the ones in need of help. I hope as a level 30 I am still excited to jump in and help level 5 Guild members to clear content beyond just having the feeling of " This is necessary in growing the guild and being able to attack higher end content in a few months." If they can do this, the leveling to 50 or whatever ceiling they decide will be much more enjoyable!

Fantmx

The longer the better. The only reason to rush to max level is lack of meaningful content.

WHIT3ROS3

I like longer leveling, but as long as it is relevant. There should be interesting and dynamic content to complete at level 10 as well as level 50. I also like the idea of having some kind of spec-based leveling that allowed players to gain ever so slight % stat gains for gear through use. Or plenty of horizontal options for character progression. It should feel like your character is progressing and developing over time in an MMORPG. Not just capping max level then chasing an ever-changing BIS gear treadmill.

Songcaller

I don't mind long levelling if there is a support network throughout levelling. Nothing is worse than endless levelling at fractional xp gains just to artificially make the levelling longer. Better plans are required to balance the whole objective of a longer levelling time.

Dizz1

FuryBladeborne wrote: »

We know that Steven intends for leveling to 50 to take about 45 days at 4-6 hours a days. So, 180-270 hours. Presumably, that that estimate of leveling time is intended for those who join on day 1 of release. Players that join on day 1 and play actively will have a slower time to level as those players will need to wait for the nodes to develop or the player will need to level against mobs much lower level than the player or complete quests that are intended for much lower level players. So, players that start on release take 180-270 hours to level but that is very slow leveling due to undeveloped nodes.

If all this is right, then a new player joining a few months after release and going to a metropolis area while reading a couple leveling guides will probably level to max in far less than the projected 180+ hours.

I think that when the leveling speed balance is tested in A2, IS should aim for the 180+ hours to be the target for players that join late and can immediately go into developed areas. This means that the leveling speed would be much slower on release; but, the intended effort of leveling can be maintained for the life of the game.

What do you guys think?

If high level nodes will effect new player's leveling speed because of high level nodes provide more activities and resources etc for new player to gain XP and leveling, I think it's a good thing like 5%~20% faster than players join on day 1 is ok to me.

The acknowledge about the game is the true gap for new player to catch up IMO, how good does the game(and the community IMO) teach and guide new player to learn those things is more important to me.

Vyril

Hands down, if leveling is to long, and an unfun grind new, and casuals won't stick around.

Most gamers will play something else or go back to their previous mmo where it's less effort to enjoy a mmo.

JustVine

Logarithmic curves. The only correct answer and I'll explain why.

With a game like Ashes that has a lot of horizontal avenues for advancement, getting people through the 'tutorial' quickly is important. In order for PvP and PvX to have a good play loop you generally need a certain threshold of abilities and customization in order to actually have a good time. Once you get past this tutorial, feeling a sharp increase in vertical power and a clear correlation between 'effort in and reward in your build/gear out' is a good way to keep new players hooked.

But you eventually must slow down the closer you get to max level in order to nudge players to eventually find the horizontal goals that appeal to them most. Players that don't find horizontal goals, especially in a game with a much smaller emphasis on the themepark, will tend to leave the game. Without that feeling of slower inertia towards the end, most players will just 'assume you MUST be max level for the REAL game to start' and that just simply doesn't sound like the game Ashes has described itself as for so long. So for those compounding reasons I feel like max level itself should take quite long but the journey to that last 10-20% should be in the way described to maximize retention and the over all pleasantness of the leveling experience.

Mag7spy

Vyril wrote: »

Hands down, if leveling is to long, and an unfun grind new, and casuals won't stick around.

Most gamers will play something else or go back to their previous mmo where it's less effort to enjoy a mmo.

Exactly why im against people saying it should take half a year or a year to get max level than plus end on top of it.

Edit* I only mean if people that are playing like 10 hours a day + in time frame so 1800+ hours to reach max lvl.

Raven016

JustVine wrote: »

Players that don't find horizontal goals, especially in a game with a much smaller emphasis on the themepark, will tend to leave the game.

Classes and how you build your character usually are the mean to offer a different gameplay style.
But some want to know the meta and leave the game fast anyway. Because the game is not their main mmo.

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