Request: Alt Leveling Token

amasuriel · December 2016

So as a long time ESO player, 2 things keep me interested

1) Mastering hard content
2) Trying new builds

#1 has it's limits for a lot of reasons. Limited content available, limited timing on group stuff (hard to find an AA group first thing in the morning) and last relaxation. Sometimes I want to do something less intense but still play

#2 is also great, but the main barrier (for me at least, though I suspect many people) is the grind from 1-50 and an acceptable number of skill points from shards and quests. Now it's vastly easier than when Vet ranks were around, but its still probably 40 hours to go from 1-50, and you won't have many skill points. It stops me from trying many builds.

My proposal is an alt leveling token, which you can only buy if you have a CP 160+ character already, that levels a character to 50, and completes everything in their starting alliance zone (achievements, skyshards, dolmens etc) including Coldharbor.

This would allow people to try different things easily and keep them engaged by the game longer, make some money for ZOS and I don't think would cause any balance issues. Many long term players have more than 1 level 50, and there isn't really any advantage to having 6 lv 50s vs 2 except variety. I guess you could argue they could do more pledges / dailies this way, but anyone with the patience to do 20 pledges a day ((3 + 1 random per char) * number of chars), or crafting writes, is going to grind new level 50s anyway.

You could also have silver and gold tokens to do the same completion for Caldwell siver and gold zones, again you can gate it that one char already has to have completed it.

Otherwise lots of people will follow the same pattern as me. I have 3 level 50s, and will probably leave again after housing for 6+ months because I'm tired of the 3 characters I have, and spending 40+ hours to make a nightblade (the only class I don't have at 50) is unpalatable.

Hanokihs · December 2016

I agree with this, wholeheartedly. A game that forces you to grind the same content over and over to no advantage is a game that's poorly designed.

Easily_Lost · December 2016

Yes, I agree also. Should price it about 7,000 Crowns. Would that make you happy.

Stovahkiin · December 2016

Ehh... not too sure about it, SWTOR did this too, but that was because they had multiple big expansions that got released that could only be played at the max levels, eso doesn't quite have that as much. But if they do get implemented, get ready to spend a ton on them

Stargazer126 · December 2016

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I do agree that leveling to 50 is very tedious once you've done it a couple times. On the other hand, it's just another way that people can 'crown' there way through the game, without actually playing.

But either way, I am entirely against something like this completing all alliance quests, Coldharbor, achievements and skyshards. That is too much to ask for. If you want to buy a level 50 character, fine. You already get the skill points from getting to level 50, and giving all of those skyshard skill points is ridiculous. I get that you are looking for a shortcut, but there needs to be effort on your part. If this suggestion would be implemented, it should only give you level 50, nothing more. You choose a DC character, you'll wake up on the boat with 50 levels and have to collect shards and complete quests by yourself. I'm indifferent on the buying to level 50, but anything more just seems unreasonable. I can understand and empathize with the desire to avoid the tedious leveling grind, but really, there needs to be a line drawn somewhere.

Enodoc · December 2016

No. You want the benefits of a higher level? You earn it.

Stovahkiin · December 2016

Enodoc wrote: »

No. You want the benefits of a higher level? You earn it.

^

Eirikir · December 2016

I'm down with this. I think you should do it the hard way the first time, but alts shouls be exempt. Why play through the same game over and over? Heck trhey meet us almost half way with CP and achievements.

Sigtric · December 2016

I am not opposed to the automatic level 50 itself. It has it's uses and benefits I think. With the CP and One Tamriel systems now, 1-50 is almost pointless.

But it should absolutely NOT grant completion of anything. It should only give the skill points that come from leveling 1-50 and if you want the additional ones and achievements you should have to do the stuff required for it.

amasuriel · December 2016

Enodoc wrote: »

No. You want the benefits of a higher level? You earn it.

I think you are missing the point, its not "higher level" because its for alts, it's not even the same level, since they will be missing alliance ranks, skill points, achievements etc. It's just about breaking the tedium by allowing experienced players to more easily level alts.

I don't think it takes anything away from anyone else if I have the choice of 40 hours or crowns to get my fourth or 5th lv 50.

Enodoc · December 2016

amasuriel wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

No. You want the benefits of a higher level? You earn it.

I think you are missing the point, its not "higher level" because its for alts, it's not even the same level, since they will be missing alliance ranks, skill points, achievements etc. It's just about breaking the tedium by allowing experienced players to more easily level alts.

I don't think it takes anything away from anyone else if I have the choice of 40 hours or crowns to get my fourth or 5th lv 50.

It most certainly is a higher level, as you're wanting to immediately grant the benefits of Level 50 to a Level 3 character (50 is a higher level than 3) without earning it. To get the rewards of Level 50, you need to put in the effort to earn it. No effort, no reward.

amasuriel · December 2016

Enodoc wrote: »

amasuriel wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

No. You want the benefits of a higher level? You earn it.

I think you are missing the point, its not "higher level" because its for alts, it's not even the same level, since they will be missing alliance ranks, skill points, achievements etc. It's just about breaking the tedium by allowing experienced players to more easily level alts.

I don't think it takes anything away from anyone else if I have the choice of 40 hours or crowns to get my fourth or 5th lv 50.

It most certainly is a higher level, as you're wanting to immediately grant the benefits of Level 50 to a Level 3 character (50 is a higher level than 3) without earning it. To get the rewards of Level 50, you need to put in the effort to earn it. No effort, no reward.

I can see you have strong feelings on this, so it's unlikely I'll change your mind, but I have the urge to try one more time

If you gate this to accounts that already have a CP 160+ character, I don't see the value of forcing people to grind through content a second / third / fourth/ nth time. It doesn't impact anybody else in the game if I have more access to different characters. The only thing it impacts is the chance to stay engaged in the game because I can try new builds more easily, or take a break if I cannot. Given that it impacts nobody other than the purchaser (aka doesn't provide any competitive advantage), and could cause more people to stay with the game longer (and game population is good for the game), I don't really understand where your hard stance comes from.

If I was suggesting being able to buy CP, or Maelstrom weapons or something, I totally get your stance, but this is about variety, not competitive advantage, so I don't really see where effort is relevant.

Enodoc · December 2016

amasuriel wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

amasuriel wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

No. You want the benefits of a higher level? You earn it.

I think you are missing the point, its not "higher level" because its for alts, it's not even the same level, since they will be missing alliance ranks, skill points, achievements etc. It's just about breaking the tedium by allowing experienced players to more easily level alts.

I don't think it takes anything away from anyone else if I have the choice of 40 hours or crowns to get my fourth or 5th lv 50.

It most certainly is a higher level, as you're wanting to immediately grant the benefits of Level 50 to a Level 3 character (50 is a higher level than 3) without earning it. To get the rewards of Level 50, you need to put in the effort to earn it. No effort, no reward.

I can see you have strong feelings on this, so it's unlikely I'll change your mind, but I have the urge to try one more time

If you gate this to accounts that already have a CP 160+ character, I don't see the value of forcing people to grind through content a second / third / fourth/ nth time. It doesn't impact anybody else in the game if I have more access to different characters. The only thing it impacts is the chance to stay engaged in the game because I can try new builds more easily, or take a break if I cannot. Given that it impacts nobody other than the purchaser (aka doesn't provide any competitive advantage), and could cause more people to stay with the game longer (and game population is good for the game), I don't really understand where your hard stance comes from.

If I was suggesting being able to buy CP, or Maelstrom weapons or something, I totally get your stance, but this is about variety, not competitive advantage, so I don't really see where effort is relevant.

Instant levels, whatever the rationale or restriction, is one of my personal red lines on the slippery slope of P2W. Something that grants an immediate advantage to a character should never be allowed. Just because you've got one character to 50, and some RL money to spend, why does that give you the right to immediately have 12 characters at 50? That gives an advantage over players with characters of a lower level who've been playing for the same amount of time, as you've immediately got access to Lvl 50 gear and skills which they will have to earn. It also gives you 12 separate avenues for earning CP, whereas other players won't be able to do that until they've first earned their 50s.

Nestor · December 2016

It takes 20 to 30 hours to reach L50 and this can be done by just getting the skyshards, the Dolmens, and the Public Dungeons in 6 to 7 zones. I could probably even get it done faster if had used Exp Potions, all I used was Training Trait Armor.

An hour after I reach L50, I did a Vet Dungeon on this character with my Guildmates. So it is a fully viable character.

No need to pay for this. Besides, it used to take weeks to get to max level, and a ton of grinding and completing each zone, not just parts of half a dozen zones.

Sigtric · December 2016

Nestor wrote: »

It takes 20 to 30 hours to reach L50 and this can be done by just getting the skyshards, the Dolmens, and the Public Dungeons in 6 to 7 zones. I could probably even get it done faster if had used Exp Potions, all I used was Training Trait Armor.

An hour after I reach L50, I did a Vet Dungeon on this character with my Guildmates. So it is a fully viable character.

No need to pay for this. Besides, it used to take weeks to get to max level, and a ton of grinding and completing each zone, not just parts of half a dozen zones.

I did it in 10.5 hours on my mDK, and there's people much faster than I am.

While I am not strictly opposed to a 1 to 50 token, I really don't see much need for them.

Granting completion of things as proposed on the other hand I am very much against.

Easily_Lost · December 2016

Be sides the cost ( my earlier post ), It should only include the skill points for those levels. No Skyshards, Achievements or anything extra.

Malamar1229 · December 2016

People dont like this, and historically ive been against shortcut items in an MMO. However, I hate grinding. I want to spend my time playing, not "preparing to play."

You get makkirs seal of approval

Malamar1229 · December 2016

and FYI, its only a matter of time before the instant level 50 appears in the crown store. it will happen

Ragemar · December 2016

Hanokihs wrote: »

I agree with this, wholeheartedly. A game that forces you to grind the same content over and over to no advantage is a game that's poorly designed.

And you are not farming the same things over and over at max level?

Hanokihs · December 2016

Ragemar wrote: »

Hanokihs wrote: »

I agree with this, wholeheartedly. A game that forces you to grind the same content over and over to no advantage is a game that's poorly designed.

And you are not farming the same things over and over at max level?

Yes, but I'm completing self-imposed challenges and having fun with dungeons; others prefer PVP, which is entertainment of another sort.

We're not following a blind man down a hill for the 8th time while ignoring his speech and wishing he'd walk faster through his stupid memory; that's the part we want to skip. Running to the same skyshards over and over for different characters? Tedious. PC even has a map add-on that leads you right to them; how is this a vital grind? Same with lorebooks. Same with each region's quests.

I've always been against this garbage; it's false difficulty - Nintendo Hard, where it's a time sink that substitutes for real content. Just because it's an MMORPG doesn't mean half the game has to feel like pulling teeth. If anything, it's disengaging, just like others have said.

Enodoc · December 2016

Hanokihs wrote: »

Ragemar wrote: »

Hanokihs wrote: »

I agree with this, wholeheartedly. A game that forces you to grind the same content over and over to no advantage is a game that's poorly designed.

And you are not farming the same things over and over at max level?

We're not following a blind man down a hill for the 8th time while ignoring his speech and wishing he'd walk faster through his stupid memory; that's the part we want to skip.

BTW, I would have no issue at all if ZOS decided to introduce a skip for this specific quest. It involves no effort.

Elsonso · December 2016

amasuriel wrote: »

My proposal is an alt leveling token, which you can only buy if you have a CP 160+ character already, that levels a character to 50, and completes everything in their starting alliance zone (achievements, skyshards, dolmens etc) including Coldharbor.

I figure you have the attention of ZOS with this. How many Crowns are you willing to pay for this?

Hanokihs · December 2016

lordrichter wrote: »

amasuriel wrote: »

My proposal is an alt leveling token, which you can only buy if you have a CP 160+ character already, that levels a character to 50, and completes everything in their starting alliance zone (achievements, skyshards, dolmens etc) including Coldharbor.

I figure you have the attention of ZOS with this. How many Crowns are you willing to pay for this?

Personally, I'd pay up to 10K per character, depending on what we skip/unlock.

Elsonso · December 2016

Hanokihs wrote: »

lordrichter wrote: »

amasuriel wrote: »

My proposal is an alt leveling token, which you can only buy if you have a CP 160+ character already, that levels a character to 50, and completes everything in their starting alliance zone (achievements, skyshards, dolmens etc) including Coldharbor.

I figure you have the attention of ZOS with this. How many Crowns are you willing to pay for this?

Personally, I'd pay up to 10K per character, depending on what we skip/unlock.

That's it? Just 10k? I guess they would have to make it an Apex level Crown Crate drop, then.

CheverTheShrimp · December 2016

I lie the idea of a token that Insta level you to lv 50 once you hit 160, but that's it. I think that the automatic completion of the alliance quests and storyline might be a bit overboard, plus many do want to re complete for extra xp, want to play that fav quest again and the amount of gold and resources you can gather from it. A high price like 7000 crowns for it would be good too.

TheShadowScout · December 2016

Ye young whippersnapper have no idea how good you have it this day and age! I tell ya, back in my days... we had to quest through a cadwells map And then do a few cyrodil circuits as well just to earn a singe veteran rank! That's like questing uphill both ways, in the freezing snow of Skyrim and the burning hear of the Alik'r! And doing that for 16 veteran ranks for each and every character! ZOS already cut that levelling time to a quater of what it was with the champion system... and you people still are not satisfied! Toughen up, willya!
And now... greeoff mah lawn!

amasuriel · December 2016

TheShadowScout wrote: »

Ye young whippersnapper have no idea how good you have it this day and age! I tell ya, back in my days... we had to quest through a cadwells map And then do a few cyrodil circuits as well just to earn a singe veteran rank! That's like questing uphill both ways, in the freezing snow of Skyrim and the burning hear of the Alik'r! And doing that for 16 veteran ranks for each and every character! ZOS already cut that levelling time to a quater of what it was with the champion system... and you people still are not satisfied! Toughen up, willya!
And now... greeoff mah lawn!

Lol I know you are mostly joking, but FYI I placed since beta, an ground 2 VR 14 chars when VR zones were actually hard, so I know its much better than it was. I also stopped playing around IC until just recently, because I was bored and couldn't handle the VR grind any more.

Nerouyn · December 2016

Trxveler wrote: »

On one hand, I do agree that leveling to 50 is very tedious once you've done it a couple times. On the other hand, it's just another way that people can 'crown' there way through the game, without actually playing.

Done during one of the events with double xp bonus, and by joining one of the many dolmen trains, it's very quick.

It's boring to just repeat the same few dolmens over and over, but possibly less tedious than gearing your character properly for 50 levels of regular play. I appreciate being able to just get a character into gear and not have to worry about replacing it. Or clogging up precious storage space with lower level equipment.

Leandor · December 2016

I am currently farming skyshards on chars 11 and 12. I mean, I have reached the end of it now. Well soon. So I don't need this anymore.

But by the lord, I am fed up with running around hunting skill points. Fed up. Actually, fed up isn't even close to the truth...

Nerouyn · December 2016

Leandor wrote: »

I am currently farming skyshards on chars 11 and 12. I mean, I have reached the end of it now. Well soon. So I don't need this anymore.

Erm....

Both datamining and comments from the game director point to them introducing new classes (eg. Warden), which will most likely also mean more character slots.

Merry Christmas!

Enodoc · December 2016

Nerouyn wrote: »

comments from the game director point to them introducing new classes

Source?