Official : Ascension Update

[Avaia]

The team met last night and finalized some additional details regarding Ascension, which I’m now opening up for player discussion.

* A character can’t participate in the Ascension system until level 20. After that point, they can divert a percent of their normal experience toward Ascension experience at the rate of 1 percent per level (e.g. 20% at level 20, 50% at level 50, and 100% at level 100).
* Characters will be able to earn milestone Ascension Training Points (ATPs) for completing certain activities, in addition to earning ATPs by converting a certain amount of field experience to Ascension experience. Our goal is that the average character will easily earn 10 ATPs by level 100, with an additional 5 or so ATPs being possible for more dedicated characters. As an example, you might be able to earn 1 milestone ATP per 20 levels earned on your character. When possible, any credit for these activities will be retroactively applied.
* Characters will earn 1 ATP per 50,000 Ascension experience earned.
* Common abilities, which include +stat/skill/resists, act as enhancives, that stack with enhancive items, but are not subject to the enhancive limit and require no recharging.
* Each rank of +stat ability is +1 stat, not bonus. Each +skill rank is +1 skill bonus. Each +resist is +1% resist, but resist items and abilities do not stack and only use the largest bonus from all categories.
* The first 5 ranks of each +stat/skill/resist Common ability will cost 1 ATP each. Every 5 ranks after that, the cost increases by +1 ATP. As such, it will require approximately 9 million Ascension experience just to reach rank 40 in any one individual Common ability, and there are over 70 of them.

Please keep in mind, this system is mainly intended for post-cap development and to ensure longevity in the game. It’s our goal that no character should ever maximize every ability, or even more than a handful of them. In addition, this represents just the Common abilities. The Elite and Legendary will potentially be significantly more expensive, but also more impactful and character defining. Lastly, once we have most of this system in place, we hope to introduce new post-capped hunting grounds that are significantly more difficult, but offer greater rewards for the effort (more Ascension experience and treasure) compared to existing options. Let us know what you think!

GameMaster Estild

http://forums.play.net/forums/GemSto...et_newest=true

[Taernath]

It’s our goal that no character should ever maximize every ability, or even more than a handful of them.[/url]

I think they underestimate the playerbase.

[Luntz]

I'm all torqued up over here

[Tgo01]

I think they underestimate the playerbase.

"People will never reach such a high level that it will literally break the game."

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

So basically, people who've invested years of time and effort to 1x, 2x, 3x post cap will be penalized? Am I misinterpreting this?

[Astray]

That slow ass leveling? Do it slower, idiot.

[Avaia]

So basically, people who've invested years of time and effort to 1x, 2x, 3x post cap will be penalized? Am I misinterpreting this?

Sort of yes, sort of no, if I understand how it will be implemented. It is true that they won't grandfathered in or whatever and get to automatically have ATPs, but at the same time their skills will be far more complete than someone who hasn't earned that much normal exp. You don't do both at 100% at the same time.

Which would you want... +40 in any one ability, or 9 million experience to spend on normal skills?

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Which would you want... +40 in any one ability, or 9 million experience to spend on normal skills?

I'd want months and years of my life back.

Is the goal to drive away long time players?

[Avaia]

I'd want months and years of my life back.

Is the goal to drive away long time players?

.. I think it is intended to give the Roblars and the Melivns and Methais' of the game something to work towards that means something.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Also, as a background. I've worked in analytics my whole life. Every model shows retaining clients is more cost effective than attracting new clients. I'm curious the logic behind penalizing long time players. What's the business model?

I will offer my services to do analytics on any actual data they have that can be modeled. I suspect there is none, but hey, I'll do it for free. I do marketing models and ROI models every day.