ArenaNet: Linsey Murdock unveils High End Ascended Gear (2012-11-13)

[Vayne]

Ok good, then you agree with Ruse and the others. Great! The difference that such an apology would make is simple, yet profound. Respect towards the people that bought and supported the game so far. I think ANet owes them at least honesty and an apology, if nothing else.

I don't think what I think they should apologize for is what they think. I'm saying they should apologize for specific things they said, like that exotic weapons and legendaries would have the same specs. Or that the dyes would be unlocked across an account.

But they're saying the entire focus of the game has changed and that I don't believe is true. And I don't suspect Anet would apologize for that. Which is why I think it won't make any difference.

Some people have already made up their mind what these changes portend.

[Jim Hunter]

Some people have already made up their mind what these changes portend.

That's because we are being forced into guessing. The statements they have released are full of corporate double talk which is why I think they are testing the waters to see if they can incorporate a gear grind.

A-Net is going to end up killing the game if they don't figure out which audience they are trying to appeal to. The people that want a gear grind will go to a game that it's clear about what they offer. The people that are dead set against it aren't going to tolerate this maybe we will, maybe we won't crap.

An apology and honest answer would atleast bring me back to the game. If they stick with the gear grind they won't get another cent from me but I will keep playing and while free players don't help as much, atleast having an active world encourages other people to buy the game.

[Vayne]

That's because we are being forced into guessing. The statements they have released are full of corporate double talk which is why I think they are testing the waters to see if they can incorporate a gear grind.

A-Net is going to end up killing the game if they don't figure out which audience they are trying to appeal to. The people that want a gear grind will go to a game that it's clear about what they offer. The people that are dead set against it aren't going to tolerate this maybe we will, maybe we won't crap.

An apology and honest answer would atleast bring me back to the game. If they stick with the gear grind they won't get another cent from me but I will keep playing and while free players don't help as much, atleast having an active world encourages other people to buy the game.

I think the clarification was honest. You choose to see it as not honest and there's nothing that can be done about it. They explained the intention isn't to add gear grind to the game and they're not going to keep doing it. They added a middle level of stuff because there was too big a gap between legendary and exotic. That's not double talk, it's pretty obvious to me. As I already stated, it was obvious to me long before they even annouced the event, or the changes.

Maybe you see doubletalk because you expect it?

[Jim Hunter]

Maybe you are just seeing the answer you want. They said vertical progression is now important but you think they won't keep adding new tiers? Then what's the point of adding the first new tier, especially when legendary were supposed to have the same stats as exotics?

[Centaur]

They added a middle level of stuff because there was too big a gap between legendary and exotic. That's not double talk, it's pretty obvious to me.

Except (I'll repeat that once more) for the fact that there was no gap in stats between legendary and exotic, and there was never supposed to be one. The way Linsey wrote the article, she made it sound as if there was, and this would be a fix that helped many players with that. And until this very moment, ArenaNet have not said a single word to explain why they introduced that gap, what they are hoping to achieve with such a change, and what they intend to do to ensure that the "max stat" exotic gear that many players have acquired, doesn't become obsolete in the long run because it's now only "second rate".

[Vayne]

Maybe you are just seeing the answer you want. They said vertical progression is now important but you think they won't keep adding new tiers? Then what's the point of adding the first new tier, especially when legendary were supposed to have the same stats as exotics?

They saw a gap and moved to fill it. Now they have short, middle and long term goals. Before this they didn't. No doubt with the paid updates they will add more, because that's what often happens, but in between updates, I don't see them adding more tiers. I don't expect them to add more tiers again until they raise the level cap, which they'll no doubt do with their first expansion.

- - - Updated - - -

Except (I'll repeat that once more) for the fact that there was no gap in stats between legendary and exotic, and there was never supposed to be one. The way Linsey wrote the article, she made it sound as if there was, and this would be a fix that helped many players with that. And until this very moment, ArenaNet have not said a single word to explain why they introduced that gap, what they are hoping to achieve with such a change, and what they intend to do to ensure that the "max stat" exotic gear that many players have acquired, doesn't become obsolete in the long run because it's now only "second rate".

What she said in the article, the way I read it was, that legendaries were always supposed to be equal to the highest level gear. So when exotics where the highest level, that was okay. If they added a tier, they had to bump up legendary, because it didn't make sense to have legendaries below the new tier.

It was an adjustment. If that tier had been in at launch, no one would have even noticed it. The only reason they bumped up the stats, is because they didn't have confidence that the content would be taken up if there wasn't some kind of stat increase, even if it is a modest one.

[frunk]

It was an adjustment. If that tier had been in at launch, no one would have even noticed it. The only reason they bumped up the stats, is because they didn't have confidence that the content would be taken up if there wasn't some kind of stat increase, even if it is a modest one.

The Ascended tier would have definitely been noticed if it could only be acquired through one dungeon. That's completely different from other gear.

[Centaur]

Ofcourse they needed to increase the stats on legendaries after they introduced Ascended gear. But it still doesn't explain why they felt that they 'needed' to increase the stats on that ascended tier, instead of just adding another tier in rarity/time spent. Besides, does this new Ascended tier even have special skins that make it worthwhile, or did ArenaNet abandon that path as well, and just give them the same skins as the current Exotics?

Oh, and now that those who asked for gear progression got what they wanted, and we have endgame content that becomes easier with this gear, those gear grinders ofcourse want the next step. So what's next... will ArenaNet give in to the demand and implement this ?

[Centaur]

Here's another angle on this:

Colin Johanson said (Gameovercast podcast, episode 68):

the level cap will be 80 on the initial release of the game, and we absolutely will increase it further into the game, probably through expansions, that's the most likely place we would do that.

Wouldn't make much sense to increase the level cap but leave all the gear at level 80, so I expect that by that expansion at the latest, all your Ascended gear will become obsolete again (no matter how much time and money you spent it), a new tier will be introduced, and the grinding will start all over again. They might up the stats of legendaries again, though, to keep them the max stat long-term gear... (or not)

[Fey]

Except (I'll repeat that once more) for the fact that there was no gap in stats between legendary and exotic, and there was never supposed to be one.

Just to clarify (not that I agree with it) but the "Gap" was time invested. Because exotics are braindead easy to get, and legendaries require a stupid amount of time. There was nothing to get inbetween.

It makes sense when they say it like that. But it doesn't make sense why they increased the stats. Like I said, I don't really agree with it but that's there reasoning.