Insta-Level 85 (280 AA?) (Heroic Characters)

Do we really need to draw these kinds of distinctions, when what really mattters is whether or not they can learn the game?

I recently did something like this instant 85 business when I returned to EQ this spring. I had been out for two years and quite frankly I was a newb again. I was 85 with a couple thousand AAs. I remembered how to play in just a week's time and eventually worked my way to 100. Not to toot my own horn, but I still play better than some who haven't taken a break.

We still don't have all the details on these heroic characters, so talking about incentive to level from 1 is pointless at the moment. We don't know how many will be allowed or what classes will be available.

Yup we sure do because people like to show off what they worked for...call it human nature. Right or wrong? Natural. Course one could make the argument "The Veteran" title sums it all up...

Lol-If, in fact, it takes so little effort to level nowadays, then why the resistance to "insta-85's"? People constantly post/brag about how simple it is, and how easy the game is to reach max level...then what do they care if someone is instantly 85? according to some of these same posts, there is little to no effort/skill needed. This game is either so easy, that leveling is a trivial non-issue, or being level 85 is a sign that you are good at the game-you can't have it both ways, lol

Its the same reason we hand out high school diploma's to kids that can't read. Sure high school is easy for some but its just not fair to those that don't want to do the work. /eyeroll Might as well give them a lvl 95, they STILL won't be able to do anything meaningful with it.

Yet, there are those doing college level school work in high school..

Gamers are smart, they will use the resources they have to evaluate all those abilities and they have 10 levels of content to figure it out before they're exposed to others. That is *plenty* of time.

I'd argue the majority of your insta-85s will be vets, and they don't need any time. When you look at truely new players, most of them are being brought to the game by current players, there are very, very few true newbie players that have no social capital available to them to assist figuring out how to play. Fortunately, if insta-85 is still too daunting for that true lonely newbie with no friends to help them out, that newbie can still chose to play the old way.

The only thing key to this decision is SoE has finally acknowledged, that nothing in the game before max tier matters, something the majority of the player base has felt for quite some time.

Sony has pulled the data and it showed any new players they do get quit at early levels from loneliness and boredom. Therefore they need to get them to endgame so hopefully they will one day find someone to play with.

After having recently returned to the game, it feels very lonely even in the 50s. Currently the only character I have which actually gets involved in things is my templar who is near level cap. Most of my characters are around level 50ish, and I'm starting to realize why that's the case. I have bad luck finding a group up to that point, and it's boring grinding levels without company. I lose interest by the time I level past Lavastorm and Everfrost. It's gotten to the point I can't even be bothered to level new characters because I know that most the way will be a sore and boring trip.

I don't think rate of leveling matters. If it's boring and if there's no one to play with, it will turn new players off. More experienced players know what they're getting into, and they know that things improve the longer they play and open up more options for things like housing, grouping, and some of the more memorable quests such as heritage quests.

I remember my first heritage quest, the one for the tomahawk in Thundering Steppes. It is still one of the most memorable quests I've ever done. This is because I had an awesome group who role played through the whole thing (something generally not accessible to new players now), and because the reward actually felt rewarding because we had to work for it. It still feels rewarding, but I generally do this quest alone now, and it's a lot easier. Most my characters have low level HQ items scattered throughout their houses, because these quests are actually awesome. But newbies who drop out before this point will never experience the richer content this game has to offer.

The few friends I have that still play are generally too busy doing end game stuff to help. Not that I blame them, as the end game is a bit more interesting, since it's actually challenging. Some of the best moments I've had leveling were those of being power leveled, because I actually had someone to chat with and interact with.

You know, if this is the approach they want to take to close the gap, they have my support. If I could, I'd jump start all my characters to level 85 and actually do things with other people. That sounds really nice right about now. I can just go back and putz around to get all the stuff I missed another day. I'd be able to solo it all easily at that level.

you are either misunderstanding my reply or plain ignoring it - the comment is a remark on how simple and quick it is to get to 90 into todays game. It is a no brainer and takes little time or effort, even without power leveling. Don't really care if they hand these on a silver platter with full raid level gear, full masters and 320 AA, it is just the reflection of the entitled ideological view that is the controlling mentality of the gaming world that is currently held.

The reply was just a pointed comment that 1 - 90 is NOT a long road as the person stated in their original comment

You seem to think it's EQ2 or nothing for new players. Even if brand new players read your post that they can get to 90 in 184 hours (which is not possible following the solo timeline that they are always directed too) that is way to long and boring to play an mmo solo. And solo isn't why people play mmo's, at least I don't. I too have made countless toons and got them to 50-60 then started new ones because it got just too boring.

There are dozens of NEW mmo's on the market that are more newb friendly and have hundreds of people out in the world that you can actually see. And they are cheaper to get into the whole game with a better ftp model.

It's about choices. Your complaint about entitlement attitude doesn't hold water but since it makes you feel better, enjoy.

I remember thinking that level 1-70 was long road...even 1-50...but seriously, I am quite sure they are losing potential players by having them getting bored with lack of groups in the level 1-89 range. I've just played up a zerker to level 87 so far and it has been a long and lonely road. Even with guild members coming to help me out every now and then. Though I am pretty sure if the clock turned back to a few years ago I would not be even level 40 by now, but that road didn't seem so long since I always had groups.

Though to be honest, I think the level 85-90 road is going to be the longest one of all...a lot of these dungeons are hard to do with a merc. Well, parts of them. Like the black smith in Runnyeye the gathering for example will summon hammers and even with poping every AoE attack and encounter taunt I cannot get them off of my Merc...plus then there are too many mobs so Stamper will just sit there and be afraid. I think stopping that would be enough make level 85-90 road shorter and less worrisome...and would do a lot for the level 1-85 road too.

But yeah...I am coming in the level where I might actually start getting into groups and I probably should have no clue how to actually play my character in a group. Though being a returning player I think I will catch on fast. If had the use of a version 5 of a spell pretty well mastered I shouldn't have too much trouble with version 7. It is just going to be learning the dungeons and the Mobs more than the abilities.

So I certainly have no issues with an insta level...however, is there going to be a reward for doing it the old fashioned way? I personally believe that playing the lower level content is enough of a reward in itself...I love the 1-60 game play...not really a fan of 60-70, but 70-80 found me loving the Loping Plains. This is my first time through 80-90 and haven't really formed that opinion yet, but I don't really want to just ding over this content. However, the typical MMO mentality is that if some one spends time doing something...they should get a reward that some who didn't do it doesn't get...like lab rats pressing a switch for a food pellet. Is there going to be a reward for doing something the hard way? Do my fellow players believe there should be? What should it be? Perhaps higher innate resistances? Or a higher cap? like let a long road character reach 85% resist of damage rather than just the normal 75%? I don't really want some gear that I would just out level anyway. Perhaps a insta ding for trade skills to 85 if you reach level 85 the old fashioned way?

don't think so - everybody has a choice on what game to play, personally I have about 5 in the stable that I play, including one that embraces permanent death, you die and you start over. Sorry to disappoint following the solo time line it IS possible to do it. Besides where exactly do you interpret I play a "solo" mmo? the majority of my 95 toons are raid geared that was earned by participating in guild raids not with SLR gear. I think the statement "there are "dozens" of NEW mmo's that are more newb friendly is a slight exaggeration. Nor are they "cheaper", you want something, you buy it with rw funding. Not sure how that is cheaper.

No where am I "complaining" about "entitlement", that is a statement on the way the game is heading, last time I looked an opinion has no relation to a complaint, you can see the basis of the opinion by reading the dozens of threads on this forum.It is an opinion based in fact that a little research on your part will allow you to verify it

Unlike you, I don't get bored and make countless toons just to delete them at 50-60, I make then because I get bored of raiding and try something else.

The biggest concern I have with the 'insta lvl 85' toons, is the hints that people who take that short cut will get extra bonuses (armor, AA and perhaps spell upgrades) that people who actually play through the levels won't get. It seems wrong to penalize people who choose not to take a short-cut.

Yeah this is my wonder as well...I don't think I would ever skip over the lower levels. They are the most fun for me even if I have to solo them for the most part. Though I might consider skipping levels 70 to 84, but at that point it isn't worth it. There probably should be a reward for going to level 85 the old fashioned way...and I still think the best reward is an insta level item to take your trade skill of choice to level 85. I mean we are worried that new players are going to get to bored leveling adventure level and AA so they need an insta ding...what about when they realize they have to level 80 levels of a tradeskill before they can make something their character could use?

The game is dying, if it wasn't, they wouldn't be making these changes. It's because it's boring. Believe it or not, new players who come here not knowing anything about the game and follow quest lines won't stay long if they don't have friends to play with. All the bs about "I leveled in X days so anyone can do it" doesn't apply or matter to someone who see's the world as dead. Kill 10 of this all the way to 90 solo doesn't get it anymore. There ARE fun games out there with tons of active players in the world that makes the game alive. Someone who try's out a couple of the new games isn't going to stay here long.

At one time I loved this game but as my friends left so did my enthusiasm. It's time for me to move on. Good luck everyone and enjoy. When giving everyone an 85 doesn't work I'm sure they'll put the game on auto pilot like EQ and you can keep playing for as long as you like.

how many characters do you have at end level?

7 and counting on my raid account
0 in the secondary gold, this is the first level 90 on the account.
0 on the other 4 silver membership

now give me a 90 to 95 and 280 to 320 loyalty token and would be happy. 22 hours additional on the character and only 30 percent in to 91. 1-90 is a cakewalk, 90-95 280 to 320 is the nightmare

I for one, do not believe it. I started the game, and within a month SOE had been hacked and it shut down for a month. The friend who'd told me about EQ2 going F2P never came back, but I'm still playing. I love the lore aspect of the game and find the stories quite enjoyable. Always finding quest lines I missed. For example it was probably my 3rd toon before I learned about Sundered Splitpaw and checked it out.

To each their own, I suppose.

I'm a returning player, currently deciding whether to stay or leave again. Frankly, I play MMOs to play with other people, I have no interest in leveling solo to the cap.

If I can't group up to level, I'll go find an MMO I can do that in. So far, I've not found many people to group with pre-60, if this skipping to 85 helps eliminate that problem, I'm all for it.

Yup we sure do because people like to show off what they worked for...call it human nature. Right or wrong? Natural. Course one could make the argument "The Veteran" title sums it all up

I guess this is what I always find curious, this concept of "worked for". I don't care one way or the other about the instant level, because it is my choice whether or not to use it. It really isn't a whole lot different than going into beta and getting the beta buff. But the idea that someone equates what is done in a game to a life achievement, I find kind of disturbing. This is a game. It is not a job, it is not a relationship, it is not real life. And sometimes I wonder if that perspective is lost.