[POLL] A followup on my thread about how Leveling/Questing feels really easy and a suggestion

Deyirn · February 2019

A few days ago I posted a thread how the leveling and questing in ESO feels really easy - you can turn off your brain and faceroll through the leveling/questing process and before you know it, you will be at the end, the only danger is it's so easy and monotonous you may get bored.

So I read what people had to say - some agreed, some didn't, and I came up with a solution, but it got buried in the thread so I decided to post it again as a standalone post and focus on the solution part. So here goes:

To combat the boring and easy leveling in ESO, there needs to be a feature introduced something like the Leagues in Path of Exile (link for reference https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/League#Permanent_leagues). There needs to be a Hardcore League, which players can select by checking a checkbox when they create a character.

A Hardcore League in ESO would mean that the character will have their starts reduced by about 30%-50% (random numbers, just for example) so that they have more trouble when fighting normal mobs in the overworld. The characters will most likely get absolutely murdered, so they will have to actually put some effort while engaging mobs - doing proper pulls, thinking how many mobs they can take on at once, etc. The incentive will be that the loot they get from mobs will be a lot better, to the point where they can gear up as if they went to dungeons or something.

The idea behind this suggestion is to provide a means for players who want a bigger challenge to have that while the players who just want a fast leveling and to enjoy the story without much hassle can do that as well and one group of players doesn't affect the experience of the other. I also think that the scaling system in the game can help this be realized. In the end, it will be a win-win situation for everyone. In fact if the loot rewards are goo enough, previously casual players may even consider giving the Hardcore League a try.

Mind you, Hardcore League is just a name for reference. xD

That's about as much as I have given thought to it, I hope you like my idea, I'd like to hear your thoughts on it.

Below is a poll you can vote on.

https://www.strawpoll.me/17392841

zvavi · February 2019

Just change to crap gear, same effect imagine sorting out achievements with your idea

Raammzzaa · February 2019

I don’t think questing and leveling are supposed to be hard. There is a wealth of content in ESO with greater levels of difficulty. I don’t think most questers and roleplayers are looking for a challenge there, or when they are leveling a toon.

If they do, they can always just do the content naked. There is a nude fishing guild if you want an invite to that.

Zathras · February 2019

Deyirn wrote: »

A Hardcore League in ESO would mean that the character will have their starts reduced by about 30%-50% (random numbers, just for example) so that they have more trouble when fighting normal mobs in the overworld. The characters will most likely get absolutely murdered, so they will have to actually put some effort while engaging mobs - doing proper pulls, thinking how many mobs they can take on at once, etc. The incentive will be that the loot they get from mobs will be a lot better, to the point where they can gear up as if they went to dungeons or something.

So..in order to make content harder, you want to gimp yourself. Then, as a reward for doing that, you want special gear that will make the content easier again.

Ok.

Holycannoli · February 2019

Questing used to be incredibly difficult in spots, so much so you had to overlevel to get through it. I remember a harvester-type boss in an early guild quest (Doshia - just googled it. It was 2014 for me) and a clannfear boss in main quest that were incredibly tough. If you weren't around for it you probably can't imagine any quest being difficult.

It's better this way. The old way was frustrating. Let vMA and vet content be the difficult content.

VaranisArano · February 2019

The problem with increasing difficulty for overland is two-fold.

Either ZOS takes the easy way out and just debuffs players, in which case you can easily debuff yourself right now and thereby customize your difficulty to the level you desire.

Or ZOS implements a full hard mode revamp with more mobs and better mechanics suited to current end-game players, closer to the original Craglorn. In that case, ZOS needs to be persuaded that there is enough potential profits to make the effort to design and balance for this new hardmode worthwhile.

Deyirn · February 2019

VaranisArano wrote: »

The problem with increasing difficulty for overland is two-fold.

Either ZOS takes the easy way out and just debuffs players, in which case you can easily debuff yourself right now and thereby customize your difficulty to the level you desire.

Or ZOS implements a full hard mode revamp with more mobs and better mechanics suited to current end-game players, closer to the original Craglorn. In that case, ZOS needs to be persuaded that there is enough potential profits to make the effort to design and balance for this new hardmode worthwhile.

I don't get why they make the game so easy. The combat of the game is so boring after a few hundred hours. It just becomes a pain to play through. OK, you have the story to keep you going, but after you finish the story, then what?

Zathras wrote: »

So..in order to make content harder, you want to gimp yourself. Then, as a reward for doing that, you want special gear that will make the content easier again.

Ok.

So you twist my words so they fit whatever you want and make it sound like I'm saying something I never said.

If you have nothing of value to say, scram.

kathandira · February 2019

Deyirn wrote: »

snip

This should have a Poll to see who would use such a feature.

For me, unless the rewards were totally worth it, I would just choose to face roll the content as it is. The rewards would need to be Purple and Gold. Purple from delves/dolmens/chests, and Gold from Public Dungeons and World Bosses

Otherwise, i'll just take my weapons off, use skills, and punch things to death. That brings your abilities down to a level where a normal enemy no longer takes 1 hit to kill.

Kolache · February 2019

I actually kind of like this idea! People have talked about how easy the overland is and how they want a veteran mode for a long time (just ignore the people that say you should run around naked for fun). "What would be an appropriate incentive?", beyond simply difficulty for he sake of difficulty, has been a hard question to answer.

A chance for mob drops/quest rewards of dungeon set items (untradeable of course) seems like a harmless way to do this without splitting up the population. Veteran overland mode could keep you in the same instance as everyone else, but your CP are disabled and you take 50% more damage or something.

I would totally do this, especially in new expansion areas with new sets. If it's not any quicker/easier than doing normal dungeons for the pieces then I don't see what the harm could be.

Deyirn · February 2019

Kolache wrote: »

I actually kind of like this idea! People have talked about how easy the overland is and how they want a veteran mode for a long time (just ignore the people that say you should run around naked for fun). "What would be an appropriate incentive?", beyond simply difficulty for he sake of difficulty, has been a hard question to answer.

A chance for mob drops/quest rewards of dungeon set items (untradeable of course) seems like a harmless way to do this without splitting up the population. Veteran overland mode could keep you in the same instance as everyone else, but your CP are disabled and you take 50% more damage or something.

I would totally do this, especially in new expansion areas with new sets. If it's not any quicker/easier than doing normal dungeons for the pieces then I don't see what the harm could be.

I'm glad you understand what I mean - the idea is pretty harmless and only affects the people who want more of a challenge, for everyone else things remain as they've been.

It's also a minimal alteration of the game, something that can be accomplished in a couple of months, not something spectacular like a whole chapter and stuff..

kathandira wrote: »

Deyirn wrote: »

snip

This should have a Poll to see who would use such a feature.

For me, unless the rewards were totally worth it, I would just choose to face roll the content as it is. The rewards would need to be Purple and Gold. Purple from delves/dolmens/chests, and Gold from Public Dungeons and World Bosses

Otherwise, i'll just take my weapons off, use skills, and punch things to death. That brings your abilities down to a level where a normal enemy no longer takes 1 hit to kill.

Yeah, see that's what bugs me about this. In a discussion on Reddit about the best version of WoW I said it was Vanilla, because there is no flying and someone said that WoTLK is the best and one can just choose not to fly if they don't like flying. But see, that's not how it works, if there is flying and your group is waiting at the entrance of a dungeon and they got there for 5 minutes because they flew over there in a straight line with their flying mounts and you ride there through 3 zones on your ground mount and take 15 minutes to get there, the group will probably kick you and find someone else who doesn't "roleplay there are no flying mounts".

The same is the situation with what you're suggesting - take off your gear and start punching mobs.... why should I punch mobs when I can slash them with my purple swords?????? This isn't really a solution. My idea was a proposition for ZOS to be more inclusive about the playerbase and to consider including something that will make hardcore players happy too. Leveling and questing should also be an adventure and a challenge for those who wish it to be.