Addressing the limitations of level based content and itemization in ESO.
Rioht
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This post is purely to help shed light on some on the possible options to the current level limited content and content limited itemization. Mind you, many players do enjoy the current system, but there are many that feel there is room for improvement. I urge you to read this with an open mind before attacking any ideas simply because of your attachment with system A or system B. Obviously, as there are some big changes (hopefully) happening in ESO with VR/CP this may be more or less relevant. However, I feel its never a bad time to discuss ideas that may help shape this, or future games futures. Also, for those players who will inevitably post "that's how mmos have always been". Sorry, but THATS not how the world works. There's always room for improvement and we would never see new genres or revolutionary games if devs stuck with that kind of mindset.
Level based content:
One thing that many fans of Elder Scrolls found difficult when beginning their adventures in ESO, was the limitations placed on their exploration based on character level. While many who were used to MMO’s (myself included) accepted this system, there are some fundamental flaws to these limitations that become more apparent post-level cap.
Currently, as a VR14 member of the Daggerfall Covenant, there is absolutely no reason for me to interact with the players in my own alliance in my own alliances area. If I travel to Glenumbra and want to play with some new/low level players, I have no incentive for doing so.
Additionally, it becomes clear that there is really only a small proportion of the games content available to players at any given time. A level 35 player receives no xp/loot from mobs in any area lower than 30 and cannot explore further than they are able to due to mob levels.
As a result of this system, we see players funneled into a small proportion of the games content (especially true at end-game) and the vast majority of the world is redundant as there is no reward for playing there.
How to overcome these limitations?
One way that some games have overcome this form of level based limitations, is to scale the mobs to the players. For example, in Oblivion and Skyrim, as the player levels, the mobs in the world scale in difficulty/level to match the player. OF course, this wouldn’t be possible in a world such as ESO where there are many players.
Alternatively, we can attain the same effect by adjusting the player to the mob’s difficulty without altering the experience of other players in the same area.
· A player who is the same level as a mob would not have any limitations on their damage, or receive any additional damage from the mob.
· A player who is a higher level would have their damage limited, and their damage received increased to scale the difficulty to a respectable level.
· Players of course need some feeling of development though. If a mudcrab in Glenumbra always felt like an epic fight, it takes away from the feeling that your character has progressed. Therefore it would be best to alter the scaling to make a player many levels above a mobs level to roughly 3-5+ levels above the mobs. For example, a VR16 character fighting a level 5 mudcrab would experience that fight as if they were level8-10. The fight would still be easy, but they wouldn’t simply faceroll through the areas.
A scaled difficulty system that adjusts the player to the content would open up the ENTIRE world (assuming they have opened that content via quests) of ESO to players of every level. DC players could explore their starting areas, play with new friends and complete missed content, all while not feeling like they are wasting their time by not playing the highest level content available. Further, players would not be funneled into playing the latest and greatest content if they choose they want to explore rather than run VDSA repeatedly.
Itemization:
In a system like this it is important to ensure that players still receive rewards for completing ANY activity in the game that they enjoy doing. Sure, it’s important to ensure players have an incentive to group up and try the difficult content. I fully agree with that. But players who choose to roam solo, explore and quest should not be limited in their item customization because of their different play styles.
Personally, I find it hard to go to my Caldwell’s silver/gold zones to complete any of my missed side quests because I know there is a 0% chance that I will receive any items/gear worthwhile to my character, or to anyone’s character. I don’t even bother looking at the items I receive from mobs and just blindly vendor them. This isn’t exciting itemization.
As such I propose the following:
· (Please keep reading before bashing this single point) Implement an open world (including dungeons, delves etc) mob-loot table that includes the top gear/weapons in the game (including trial/VDSA/PVP gear). Whoa! Slow down there buddy! Right? Okay, it sounds extreme but bear with me.
o These end-game gear items (dropping at your characters level) would be available to drop from any mob you encounter, however the chances of receiving any of them would be VERY small. Think 0.001% chance to drop for example. Not so much of a chance that they are found all the time, but enough of a chance that players still have that thought of “This next kill might land me that helmet ive always wanted” kind of chance. I would be happy if I found 1 of these items for every 10 hours of gameplay.
· This system would not take away from the incentive to run end-game content. You will have a much much better chance of getting those items from the content they are attached too.
· The only thing this system would do is encourage players to not feel limited to spending all of their time doing activities they may not enjoy, simply because there is no other option for finding end-game loot.
I believe that a system like this would further emphasize the play the way you want idea that I feel ESO has tried to represent. It would open up the world to players and encourage them to engage in the activities they enjoy, play with friends, explore and work towards their goals while never feeling handicapped because of their choices made on how to spend their gametime.
Level based content:
One thing that many fans of Elder Scrolls found difficult when beginning their adventures in ESO, was the limitations placed on their exploration based on character level. While many who were used to MMO’s (myself included) accepted this system, there are some fundamental flaws to these limitations that become more apparent post-level cap.
Currently, as a VR14 member of the Daggerfall Covenant, there is absolutely no reason for me to interact with the players in my own alliance in my own alliances area. If I travel to Glenumbra and want to play with some new/low level players, I have no incentive for doing so.
Additionally, it becomes clear that there is really only a small proportion of the games content available to players at any given time. A level 35 player receives no xp/loot from mobs in any area lower than 30 and cannot explore further than they are able to due to mob levels.
As a result of this system, we see players funneled into a small proportion of the games content (especially true at end-game) and the vast majority of the world is redundant as there is no reward for playing there.
How to overcome these limitations?
One way that some games have overcome this form of level based limitations, is to scale the mobs to the players. For example, in Oblivion and Skyrim, as the player levels, the mobs in the world scale in difficulty/level to match the player. OF course, this wouldn’t be possible in a world such as ESO where there are many players.
Alternatively, we can attain the same effect by adjusting the player to the mob’s difficulty without altering the experience of other players in the same area.
· A player who is the same level as a mob would not have any limitations on their damage, or receive any additional damage from the mob.
· A player who is a higher level would have their damage limited, and their damage received increased to scale the difficulty to a respectable level.
· Players of course need some feeling of development though. If a mudcrab in Glenumbra always felt like an epic fight, it takes away from the feeling that your character has progressed. Therefore it would be best to alter the scaling to make a player many levels above a mobs level to roughly 3-5+ levels above the mobs. For example, a VR16 character fighting a level 5 mudcrab would experience that fight as if they were level8-10. The fight would still be easy, but they wouldn’t simply faceroll through the areas.
A scaled difficulty system that adjusts the player to the content would open up the ENTIRE world (assuming they have opened that content via quests) of ESO to players of every level. DC players could explore their starting areas, play with new friends and complete missed content, all while not feeling like they are wasting their time by not playing the highest level content available. Further, players would not be funneled into playing the latest and greatest content if they choose they want to explore rather than run VDSA repeatedly.
Itemization:
In a system like this it is important to ensure that players still receive rewards for completing ANY activity in the game that they enjoy doing. Sure, it’s important to ensure players have an incentive to group up and try the difficult content. I fully agree with that. But players who choose to roam solo, explore and quest should not be limited in their item customization because of their different play styles.
Personally, I find it hard to go to my Caldwell’s silver/gold zones to complete any of my missed side quests because I know there is a 0% chance that I will receive any items/gear worthwhile to my character, or to anyone’s character. I don’t even bother looking at the items I receive from mobs and just blindly vendor them. This isn’t exciting itemization.
As such I propose the following:
· (Please keep reading before bashing this single point) Implement an open world (including dungeons, delves etc) mob-loot table that includes the top gear/weapons in the game (including trial/VDSA/PVP gear). Whoa! Slow down there buddy! Right? Okay, it sounds extreme but bear with me.
o These end-game gear items (dropping at your characters level) would be available to drop from any mob you encounter, however the chances of receiving any of them would be VERY small. Think 0.001% chance to drop for example. Not so much of a chance that they are found all the time, but enough of a chance that players still have that thought of “This next kill might land me that helmet ive always wanted” kind of chance. I would be happy if I found 1 of these items for every 10 hours of gameplay.
· This system would not take away from the incentive to run end-game content. You will have a much much better chance of getting those items from the content they are attached too.
· The only thing this system would do is encourage players to not feel limited to spending all of their time doing activities they may not enjoy, simply because there is no other option for finding end-game loot.
I believe that a system like this would further emphasize the play the way you want idea that I feel ESO has tried to represent. It would open up the world to players and encourage them to engage in the activities they enjoy, play with friends, explore and work towards their goals while never feeling handicapped because of their choices made on how to spend their gametime.
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Sausage✭✭✭✭✭
✭Thats why these games are called Themepark games, you go from one machine to another and devs hold your hand all the way, just in case you dont get lost in the massive world. I understand why they do it, but ffs, give us something else even once.
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Faulgor✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭I think there are better solutions to itemization, but the analysis of the problem is spot on.Alandrol Sul: He's making another Numidium?!?
Vivec: Worse, buddy. They're buying it.0