Locking the high level maps for low level players make no sense

3. applying direct pressure.
Closing the maps is not applying direct pressure, closing the maps is like telling you there is no wound, you're not bleeding, here, take this pill and you'll be fine. From here to real fix no. 3 is a very long way that BP will not do.

And, in the end, is not even that hard if you thing about. All this is to protect the new players in PVP, in their first week, until they get to level 35 or so, so they are not killed by twinks and have a bad experience. Fine, the old twinks are already centurions, knight of the order or above. Just don't put them in arena together with recruits, job done. Anything else against twinks ? They don't follow the rules, they don't play the game as it was designed.. so what ? As long they don't bother anyone and have fun between themselves I see no issue.

 

...and closing the wound.
That is what they did ... they closed them to prevent the new players go away.

no I am not ... but the game was bleeding.
The old twinks will level up ... eventually ... the new ones will have a tougher times until the organism is treated and healed.
So what they did is prevent the bleeding ... treating and healing the body is next.

The problem with you is:
1. You have no knowledge of the past
2. You are not aware of the present
3. You have no vision for the future

Everything is achievable ... you only need to work hard.

No thanx. I never use medications ... my organism is strong and accustomed to natural healing.

 

Which is why I made a suggestion of a gem overhaul months ago. Of course, BP ignored it, but it was still a good idea with valid points. That being said, it is still only one of many measures that would need to be taken to fully address the Twink Disease.

Some other examples:
You should not be able to upgrade any item more than 5 levels above your current XP level.
There needs to be stricter match making requirements for PVP level. If you can't get a match because you have too high of a PvP level, then that should be a hint that it is time to level up.
XP blocking should be eliminated, or at last highly penalizing to both the high level who is pushing and the low level who is exploiting.
... And may more. The problem can be fixed, BP just needs give a darn.

 

Everyone is getting same amount of XP just like playing with +5 levels character in the group ... no mater if there is +5, +10 or +100 levels player in the group.

 

The gem overhaul idea was brilliant, that is why DSO couldn't employ such an idea.

They could lock every map until you finish the quests (some are already that way).
They could limit gear upgrades to 5 above your level.
They could limit pvp rank per level.


For all the worthless talk about creating balance, DSO puts their heads in the sand when it comes to twinks. Until they decide to fix the twink issue, there will never be balance.

 

I meant ... "everyone should get"

 

That makes a lot more sense. I wasn't sure what you had meant there.

 

If you didn't notice... There's actually an edit button for those kind of mistakes. (In your face! mods )

I've noticed the +5 lvl group exp block around lvl 30-something , and I was like ... that's just stupid, I couldn't think of a reason on why they would do that.
But now I know that they did it to stop fast leveling... What?! Think again DSO! If you level up fast... you're pretty much screwed in PWs, not to mention PVP.

Anyway... I'd say... limit grouping on that 5 lvl difference of yours.

 

Really? Where?

 

Even if they "fixed" the twink problem...(imho the best way is still to make you gain your share of XP no matter what lvl the players are that you are grouped with and all of your drops would be your lvl as well) The "Unbalanced" nature of this game would persist.
BP/DSO devs wouldnt know balance if it came up and punched them in the teeth. If "Balance" walked up and kicked the living crap outta each one of them... not one would be able to pick it out of a police line up. That is how far from recognizing "TRUE" balance the BP/DSO devs are. Which is why I literally cringe when anyone mentions guild wars. You think regular PvP is unbalanced now?????

 

I agree, but fixing twinks would be one step in the right direction.

Even if things were perfectly balanced, guild wars would cause a ton of hurt feelings. I've seen it in other games and it never works out well. You end up with 1 or 2 monster guilds and everyone else ends up as prey.

The OP talk will rain from the skies.

 

Almost accurate except for this part:

I feel that they do not put their heads in the sand but they actively promote twinks.

Everything that has been done to this point to reducing twinking has only been PR spin. I will try to hit some of the more obvious but I ask you take a hard look at all the aspects of this game then tell me this is not true.

The first anti-twink move:
Lets go back to the beginning and look at R039 in Feb 2012 which added xp gain to arenas (note that matches were had fixed level brackets back then.) Within six months of that move bigger, badder twinks existed. I know because I was one of them. When the Road to Fame quests began the was no reward. Early spring 2013 the crown was introduced and I wanted to be one of the first to get one. As it turned out the sw (Magicbus) I used was THE first on Tegan and the first on any server below level 40 to get it (lvl 34/35 at the time.) I did this mostly by teaming up with some some pre-R039 twink friends in 3v3.

I should mention a couple of things here. Tegan has always been the least populated server and at that time the SW was a truly OP class. In fact shortly after getting 1000 wins R055 was released. That was the only patch in the history of this game to RADICALLY alter the mechanics of a single class. Everything from skills to enchantments on SW gear and all points in between were changed. Not a problem for me. My favored class is DK anyway so I simply shifted my twinking efforts to some other toons

Lets look at Gems and GoP:
When gems above polished came along there was absolutely no reason for these to exist for the PvE side of the game. Today these are useful for the toughest bosses but I guess DSO was not not selling enough of these to PvPers so the steady march of making the hardest bosses tougher began.

Upgrading was once and Ander only thing. Bring on GoP... everyone is like "Yippie!"... oh, wait a sec... what do you mean the twinks can use these too?

Removal of ess in areana:
lol, do I really have to go over this one. Which would you rather have? Something you have to constantly replenish or Royal offensive gems along with upgraded offensive stats on gear?

Back to the thread title:
Locking the high level maps makes no sense. It only makes sense for players that are prone to believe spin doctors. The only "balance" the design team is interested in is the balance between perception and reality. Twinks, by definition do not exist in this game.

The ability of a low level toon to be OP IS normally available in this game by design. The only real change has been to lock out the new F2P. Any new player that wants to "twink" at low level is going to have to throw some cash BP's way. What a shock (OK, maybe not so much )

Bottom Line:
While I agree with the ideas that have been floated to eliminate the BP approved twinks lets take a look at a few.

• cap gem levels = revenue loss
• cap usable wisdom = revenue loss
• cap gear upgrade level = revenue loss
• lock maps by quest & make xp blocking impossible = revenue loss. I guess I need to explain this this one a bit. This is PvE revenue. Players do spend money on PvE. So think what would happen if all a player had to do is group with higher level players to level up and reach endgame. This is the PvE equivalent to twinking called rushing.
  
• cap usable honor... well they have not started selling honor. But do you know where most low level twinks put their honor points? Crowd Favorite. A well built twink does not need them anywhere else. Honor is only useful at high levels so the goal is to get as much as possible.

And would any of these affect any of my old low level twinks that I made prior to 2015. Nope. In fact it would make them stronger than a lot of existing twinks here on Tegan.

Just a bit more:
(and thank you if you have read this far ) The twinking problem in DSO is not the players fault. Rather, it has been very cleverly marketed to them as something that can be done here. One of my motivations for leaving this game for a year was to seek out games designed for balanced PvP. Pretty much just to see if my 60-something motor skills could still hang

The only way PvP will ever become balanced and an equal partner to PvE is to throw the whole thing out (yes, baby with the bathwater.) and start over.

Whether to lock maps or not? Pfft, gimme a break.

Luck be with ye,
Mikey,
Tegan

 

Wait, so I'm confused... was that a post endorsing Twinks or saying something needs to be done?

 

I honestly think he wants to vent and he has hurt built up.

Surprisingly his suggestions he make have never been seen by me before.

Cap gem level.
Why not cap gem level based on to on level. Polished 20 ect 30..50.

Wisdom = Toon Level.
You can still build it to level 50 but not use the points til your that level.

Capped gear level.
Hey I have an idea. Cap the GoP acquisition value. Higher Level more GoP you can aquire.

Make everyone gain XP would promote Power Leveling and or lower level grinding and story skipping. BLAH

Capping use able Honor said this already....

Since r155 I have exited PVP. I really don't see needing an overhaul due to the fact that this game is not a pure PVP game. People that want to PVP only will tend to burn out.

 

Both
Just hoping to get folks to look at the big picture and stop being distracted by little issues like this. Btw, distraction ranks near the top in the PR (spin doctor's) toolkit.

Locking maps is one of the biggest of these little issues. A very nice job of smoke and mirrors to make it appear something has be done. If it actually had accomplished anything twinks would not be discussed near as much as they are.

Warning: Rambling post ahead

I do support twinks (sort of.) I have seen LLD (low level duels) work fine in other games. Would anyone care about twinks if they were fighting other twinks? Well, those players that think fun is pwning some hapless blue geared newbie would mind but with the proper pvp design they would be forced to find another game.

I rarely pvp with my old LLD toons since returning to the game 3 months ago. It's really only fun when the last toon standing has very little red showing in their HP bar. Either me or the other, doesn't matter much to me. I can count on both hands the number of times that has happened since I came back.

Nope. Not it at all. PvP in this game was dead to me late in 2014 when I left. (What was R155 about anyway? I see it mentioned a lot but I was not here for it.) I came back to level my old 45's & 40's. New map, new PW and all that. All of my old LLD toons have seen their winning percentage drop. I actually have more fun stripping off gear and helping newbies complete dailys or the 10 win quest while I wait for that elusive competitive battle for their daily. Much of the time if these toons get a Win 2 daily for wisdom I don't get it done.

I am also in the "something needs to be done" camp. Not the band-aid or PR cosmetic changes that have been the trend these past years but a radical rethink of the whole system. It's funny how this game over the years has tried so desperately to become all things to all players... except for PvP.

I would dare say it is generally accepted by players that the dev's are ignoring fixing the PvP system. Does anyone realize that we are enabling that behavior. By keeping our focus on line item topics then the devs only have to focus on those single items. This topic, for example, allows the devs to pat themselves on the back since the majority feels that maps should be locked. No need to worry about the overall fact that PvP is still in decline.

Nebulous topics such as matchmaking can be put off indefinitely. I've seen plenty of posts complaining about legionnaires fighting marshals. Just saying, "fix it" without offering a specific solution leaves this issue comfortably in the gray.

I'll toss this out there just for the factor... Remove player level and honor rank from the matchmaking consideration. Using a true ELO ranking for matchmaking instead of the psuedo-ELO we got would render moot most of the other suggestions that have been floated.

I am not very hopeful of meaningful changes though but I already came to terms with that before I decided to come back. I can always go play (sry, can't tell you) or (can't say this either) if I want to have some good ole pvp fun.

Still confused? Well then, my job here is done

Luck be with ye,
Mikey,
Tegan

 

R155 brought Level 50 and removed old school PVP skills from outside of the arena. Cynite Shield is now on Mage with Wizdom.

 

You are correct. That is what I meant by putting their heads in the sand.

A couple of years ago a player posted on the forum looking for exp blockers. The thread was locked by a mod explaining that twinking was against the rules.

I started a thread asking about it. The same mod said they would get an "official" explanation and locked my thread. Of course an official explanation was never given and the silent promotion of twinks continued.

If they chose to, DSO could nerf the old twinks. A level cap would effect everyone at that lvl, new or old.

As you pointed out, more money is spent in pvp than pve, therefor short term balancing becomes a tricky issue. A smart business person would consider the long term and see how balancing would help. It is the newer players who quit because they run into a blender. Balancing would spread the money out over many more players, but that requires thought and taking the immediate hit in revenue in order to save future income.

The only advice we can give new players now is to quickly lvl up and get past the twinks before doing pvp. That is a sad fact and one that needs to be addressed for the long term health of the game.

 

I put that line in there as a tease to see if anyone remembered my fondness for old Darbmoor legendary gear and how well they upgraded. I'm pretty sure most of my posts about them were on the old vBulletin forum. A max crit line on these goodies hits +200 around lvl 35. The other enchantments on other gear (except for weap & offhand) follow suit. Even if upgrades were capped at +5 over these are still stronger than current legendary gear. Also on my toons upgrades much past +5 are the exception. +5 is good enough and for me good enuf has always been... well, good enuf.

I had so much fun farming and crafting these (crafting was free back in the day and when premium came along you only need CoT for the legends which had a much higher chance of good stats than today.) I kinda went overboard. When I returned to the game I found a lvl 12 (the lvl were xp gain stopped in Darbmoor, no gapper needed) DK of mine sitting in Jarlsofn, fully equipped, that had never fought a battle, lol. If anyone sees mid to high lvl DKs with headbands or Rangers with linen masks running around Tegan it is most likely me The right side gear did not work out in the long run for my SWs. Darbmoor was shut down shortly after SM's came along so not much to speak on those.

Even though I am pretty much out of PvP these days these item still rock in PvE. Especially in events. Mobs may be scaled to my toon's level but they are not scaled to my DARBMOOR POWER

Luck be with ye,
Mikey,
Tegan

 

So, going back the the subject of the thread, locking the high level maps is fine tuning against twinks. There are so many obvious things that can be improved to bring balance to the game, locking the maps should be somewhere at the end.
However, if all the other things are not done (like limiting gear upgrades, limiting gem rank you can equip at low level, limiting wisdom levels) then the maps shouldn't be locked either.

 

Hi all i have a "twink" that was lvled up to 40 through a glitch in the last dragan event, which im sure you all know about. when i was lvl 40 i didnt think BP was gonna reset me back down to my lvl which was 23 b4 the glitch so went around doing quests and now i have all maps unlocked, so whehn they reset me to 23 i had all maps up to lvl 42 or 43 and i can fast travel there with those travel stone things, this wouldnt be a problem to the community if it only happened to a few players but the fact of the matter is, is that this glitch happened to thousands of players including many twinks and the fact that now all these twink who were not old enough to have the maps unlocked already now have them unlocked and have ANOTHER advantage over the new players and thats not OK im not saying theyu should unlock the maps but nor am i against it, many of these "twinks" i play with are cashers yes but gems dont make everything thats for damn sure they now farm these high lvl maps and get free GoP's just wanted to tell you all that,


Oh and just saying im seeing some people saying that u HAVE to have a lvl 50 on the account to do pw's which is downright not true thats only required if u made the account after the pw update, anyone who had a lvl 30 or above on their account can enter the pw city at any level and can enter pw's at lvl 10

cheers yall