Work In Progress Mid-Year Development Update: Announcing Large Content Releases, Open Episodes, and Summer Plans

How large is large tho?, because we're used to having a DLC of 2 solos, 1 duo, 2 alerts and 3 raids, or 1 solos, 2 duos, 1 alerts and 2 raids, so what would large be?.

Another good question while is it on my mind, will we possibly see the Return of open world content with the Larger content?

There's quite a lot of stuff here that I've personally advocated (opening up content to everyone, fixing 1-30 to make it more enjoyable, more content to bridge the gap between 1-30 and end-game, a product to skip the levelling phase) it's nice to know that my ideas are in line with the direction the game is heading.

The transition from monthly to quarterly(?) DLCs is going to be brutal, though. We'll get episode 26 in late-July but if we aren't getting Episode 27 until December/January, then we're basically being left out to dry for 4 months with nothing to hold us over. I know there are plans for PVP improvements in August, but are there any other contingencies in place to hold our interest over the time between the last monthly episode and the bigger episode? Might I personally recommend a new Survival Mode and perhaps a new 4-player Survival mode, too? Doesn't have to be anything fancy. Would be nice to face the Flash's Rogues Gallery though.

Also, if you are going back to quarterly episodes, what provisions are being taken to ensure that we don't end up back in the rut we got ourselves into which resulted in monthly content being implemented in the first place? (such as 2nd/3rd month burn out). A lot of people are against monthly content, but a lot of those same people are more irritated about progression than the fact we get a new instance to run each month.

My two cents - well I have to be brief, so my one cent.

Announcing Large Content Releases

I may be one of the very few that like both ways of dropping content. So I'm happy regardless.

Status of Current Initiatives

Game Updates

Episode 27 will continue with the conclusion of Amazon Fury.

Yay. It will be great to resolve the storyline and return to not-so-furious-but-still-kind-of-testy Amazons.

#StatsMatter, Stats Revamp, and Removing CR Differential

Waiting to see how this is implemented out first.

Midrange Balance

The midrange balance pass is also continuing as planned, and weapons are next, followed by the remaining four powers (Nature, Electricity, Sorcery, Earth).

Would prefer the other way round, but as long as it's done (and done well or is that well done? - like ruining a steak.)

Alternative Character Progression

Definitely can't wait to hear more about this! Knock my socks off guys.

Water Powers

While I have been waiting for water powers for years, I can't argue with the logic. Better to get it right than have to deal with the endless (probably mostly justified) complaints before and after.

Style and Gear Unlocking

Very disappointed. I was really, really, really hoping at least for style unlock, even if it was partial list of the styles. Really. Is our only option a letter to Santa?

League Tools

I wasn't aware what concepts were discussed, so I can't comment one way or the other.

Announcing New Initiatives

New PvP Map and Gear Set: Suicide Squad

Not a PvP'er but it sounds cool. SS looks to be a hit - hopefully it is - so the tie-in is great.

Level 30 Missions

Bravo! I've been around a long time, but I recognize the need for this big time.

Early Leveling

Not sure if this is part of the baggage, but the quest tracker is a bit too simplistic for those levels and new players. Given that it only tracks one quest and you often have two in the set.

Skip Tutorial and Level 25 Auto Boost

Both excellent moves, although I doubt I'll use the Boost (many might and that's good for revenue). I still love leveling a new alt. (Just wish I could start them off in styles I've already collected that better reflect my new alt - see my entreaty above).

Announcing Open Episodes This Summer

Finally, we are incredibly excited to announce Open Episodes!
I think this is a great idea, but I think the accountants will have to weigh in after it's been going a while to see if that boosts sales and increases subscriptions.

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You do know 90% of the player base, cannot even get into a sm correct...we aren't deemed good enough to play....

I am glad you guys are updating us on whats going on, totally looking forward to these updates thank you so much.

Announcing Large Content Releases

I liked the monthly episodes. I liked having new things revealed on a monthly basis. And doesn't this just go back to an original problem with people beating the content quickly and complaining about being board for the next few months? And if Episode 26 launches this month, presumably at the end, and Ep 27 doesn't launch until Dec. or Jan., does that mean five to six months between releases will be the new normal? But hey, what every is best for the game, I'm behind, and you guys have the numbers.

Status of Current Initiatives
Alternative Character Progression
Water Powers
Style and Gear Unlocking
League Tools

That's all sad to hear. What tools and changes were you planning for League Tools. That would help us know what direction you were planning to go.

Announcing New Initiatives
Announcing Open Episodes This Summer

These all sound good.

Opening content to all players, new PVP gear, and seasonals are there for players to run. The opening content for all with longer lockouts I believe is a start for DCUO for a true F2P model.

1) F2P will have longer lockouts
2) Premium players who purchased the content and Legendary will share the normal lockouts
3) RB can be used by all to open unlock content

Now if DBG goes with a true F2P model I would be fine with RB being available only for older content for all players. Once new content is release, say episode 27, that content should be available only to Premium and Legendary until Episode 28 is launch and NO ONE CAN USE RB on episode 27 until Episode 28 launches. If DBG does this, than I would be happy to sink my money back into this game, but like all other things here is a mid year announcement.

How much of it can they actually deliver on or is it just more empty promises they cannot deliver to its players.

I would love to see all that was listed delivered and on time and hopefully they can do it, but given the current track record, I will simply wait and see what happens between now and XMass.

Mepps do you actually think its reasonable to expect us to be entertained for 6months with a monthly episode from july? I remember amazon fury part 1, we had to deal with an alert for the main event for 3 months and it was the most boring period ever.Then with the sons of trigon dlc i quit for months until February as Assault and battery came. Now you are giving us something designed for a month at max to last us 6 months? Did you even read the post i made about long waits for episodes having a negative effect? An episode expected to last 43 days like ep23 and 41 days like ep 24 was already bad enough, now you expect an episode to last over a 180 days? I honestly feel like you saw my post and decided to do exactly the opposite of what i recommended.

One thing I can see with the spread out content delivery dates is it will actually give some newer players a chance to get caught up. sure some of the elitists will leave because they have nothing to do. but those who do stay I can actually see helping out the younger less experienced players.

And if I could possibly at all make a suggestion for the next big update. Can we please get something more dynamic. something that will get people out of the WT and HoD and actually back out in to the cities turning them in to living breathing environments. I know I had brought it up in another thread. and I'd like to put the idea out here as well.

What I would like to see added is some sort of "Looking For Action" type game play, where you activate it in the On Duty menu. and when you're out in either of the two cities. it starts a random timer that say anywhere from 5-15 minutes you get a message that pops up and depending on your side gives you say, a bank robbery in progress or hold up a night club type small little 2 to 3 room instance that you have to travel to. you could even add in some open world type content as well where 2 to 4 people get the message to go to the same area and they have to work together to complete an objective. You could even go as far as adding in more open world PvP using this approach as well.

All in all though I am interesting to see how things progress for the game. and hope to hear more as more information becomes avaiable.

It's happening....


Downloading DCUO! Large DLC content is back! Stat and CR Changes! and NEW PVP :O

Hopefully the change back to more content at once results in a balance of content released. Over the past year we have had 8 raids and duos, 4 alerts and 4 solos. I personally how to see a more balanced approach to raids and alerts as well as duos and solos. Meaning all should be around 6 pieces of content with some of the solos being dailies and maybe one of the raids being a 8 man bounty, etc...

So some good news and some bad news.

Bad:
Water delayed.
Style sharing delayed.
Gear sharing delayed...how would that work anyway?

Good
Going back to large episodes. Very exciting. I even am ok with the delay because it will give me time to catch completely up -summer is busy for me.
Open episodes, good idea
Updated leveling, that's good.
Level token -concern: would new players be able to use these? Could cause issues.

Lots of information here, will have to take some time to digest it all.

EDIT: idea for Leagues, being able to send mass emails to everyone. Being able to place caps on how much/what members can donate for prestige.

I want this too (very much so and have posted about it in a number of threads), so consider it a question from me as well.

LOL you know they will never stop people from using RB's. Im sorry but that is a pipe dream lol. I hope they realize how long 4-5 months of zero content will be for the community. They are going to lose a lot of subs over this and risk players finding new games to occupy themselves with during this time and not come back for the new content. Imo making your game stake during the holidays is the worst time to pick because that is the most game heavy time of the year. People will play new games and forget about DC is what i am afraid of.

Now some things that weren't mentioned, and since this will be flooded and most likely locked within a week, I would like to ask even if it's not answered about other things up in the air.

1- It was mentioned that weapons would cancel AM effect for all powers except 4, is this still in the works?

2- Any plans on doing anything with the Marketplace and player bases, please we need something there that isn't replay badges.

3- Will drops still be better than vendor gear for Episode 27, or equal in level but drops higher in stats which is still better than what we have now, my point is we can't solely rely on RNG to progress, because it then turns into replay badge progression system.


Well ball is in your court now, as I said I don't expect my question to be answered with the barrage of comments this will have within today alone.

One last thing tho, you guys say membership has benefits but honestly it doesn't fell much like it anymore, any plans on improving memberships after Episode 27. And since you mentioned we would still get the small story lines like Legends, will we still get like an alert or something after Episode 26, not 2 pieces of content, but at least something to finish it off before Episode 27.

Oh yeah I forgot, will we have open world content again, because one thing AF 2 had was content for everyone, even open world.