Update - Max Level

[GodBeastX]

It has come to our attention that the progression has been faster than planned on Sundren and a few people are capping out at 20 early, not to mention there are those who are just grinding their heads off (AIEEE LEVELS) so the curve for the maximum level is being looked at and reworked. No, there will not be a wipe, we're just looking into ways to handle this change. Expect that some of you that are higher level might find yourself more affected by changes made than lower level players.

It was never our intent for people who spend a great deal more time on the server than others to excel so far past those who spend less time on. While we want to appreciate those who do spend hours a day on Sundren, we don't want to just hand them level 20 for it

[ThePaganKing]

This probably doesn't matter, but I don't mind if people that spend much more time on the server are higher level, I expect that. Most of the higher people that I know I thought received most of their higher levels through RP; however, maybe they spent a lot of time at Veritas?

My one question is for older characters? I only have two characters and one has been on the server since it fully came back. He has been capped at 20 for a long time now and is only 12th now. How far will this change go back and will you lose levels if you are above the cap?

[Raksha]

Nothing regarding the cap will ever cause you to lose levels or XP, as far as I understand it. The only change is that if you are above the cap, you will get no XP for killing spawns. RP XP, including the 30-per-bit and DM-granted, is completely unaffected.

[GodBeastX]

Like I said, we havn't decided a game plan yet. I'm just giving a heads up that something very real is going to happen to change this. And you may lose levels, despite what we said previously.

[Xanderleo]

And you may lose levels, despite what we said previously.

Ouch.

*And GBX felt great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of high level voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced*

[Scourn]

Very good news imo. Keeping people on the same page helps get groups better and invokes more rp.

[GodBeastX]

My biggest issue I have is, I get a plot in mind, I look at who is available to take part in it. And I see the players that I think would be good in it, out grinding. Then I follow them awhile, waiting for them to finish, and they just rush out to the next dungeon, so I end up running the stuff for the people who tend to avoid grinding. It's not that I favor anyone, it's that they are the ones who make themselves available.

[MaDMaX6161]

Hello all!
IMHO if you want lower level PC's to do more RPing then give them what they want at higher levels. Better stats, abilitiies and special items. When it comes down to it most Sundrens can RP their butts off but when it comes time for an ability roll the game can quickly fall apart. Higher levels only service the skills that are in all Sundren gamers already. They already know what they want to do and to furthur the RPing element but are hampered by either low stats or skills. I'd trade good stats and abilities over sheer levels any day. I don't think there a way to train up a stat or ability without leveling up in Sundren. Can I join the military to increase my charisma? Does my armor makeing skills increase as I make more and more armor? Maybe this can be controled by having Faction and Guilds regulated by a head master or such. Good Rping can overcome any level problems we will face. I think that's why people grind so much. They want to be improtant to the Sundren world but can't because they have low skills. And when they develope their skills to the degree they want to (or feel confortable with) then they are toolvl for the "event" or "plot". I think that the Sundren developers are doing a great job so far and that's why I play here. Keep up the good work.

[Kangleton]

Then, Godbeast... let people suffer the natural consequences of their actions? Let the grinders get no DM attention, and miss out on interesting RP. Someone who spends all their time grinding will be entirely oblivious to everything that goes on, and once they finally achieve their desired level and wealth, they'll get bored because there is nothing for them to do. They'll enter a populated area and listen to the discussions about Dragon Tea Parties and Extra-Planar/ Shadowdancer Murderers, conspiracy theories and military issues, and they'll feel stupid being at level 20 and not knowing a thing about current events. What good does five attacks per round do for you when you don't know what to swing a sword at anymore?

Besides, this whole maximum level thing... it doesn't discourage grinding at all. Speaking from my own experience, it encourages it. I've been stuck at 6th level for the better part of a week, and I've spent probably 24 hours of time being in-game, during this week. I've made it half way to level 7 through only RP experience that comes every 10 minutes, in pieces of 30... and the result from all this waiting is going to be the opposite to what you DM's have in mind. When I see that my maximum level increases, I'm gonna go out and smash gnolls for hours until I make it to level 7, because I've been looking forward to that for so long. The longer you deprive somebody of what they want, the more they want it; so it stands to reason that they'll try harder to get it. All thats being accomplished with this maximum level system, is making people wait for irritating amounts of time before they go out and grind their asses off. I'm sure not everyone treats it that way, but I've talked to at least 10 others that agree.

Why don't you just take away the maximum level system all-together? Let players make their own choices! There WILL be consequences to their actions, whether good or bad! Grinders get less DM attention, are clueless to the great plots and subplots of Sundren, are equally clueless to the depths of some of the characters walking around the server, and in the long-term, gain nothing from grinding. So let stupid people make stupid choices, and let smart people make smart choices; its the natural order of things.

That is my sadly unrequested, informal, opinion. Please don't yell at me.

[Blue_Wyrm]

*And GBX felt great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of high level voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced*

I lol'ed.

Otherwise... just as a reminder, and whatever may happen:

This is a beta. Prepare to have your world and your character changed anytime.
The only constant is the fun you'll get by coming online to play on Sundren with other people.

Systems will change, loot will change, xp will change, lore will change... that's what a beta is about!

[Unholy Carp]

It might be nice if more sorts of meeting places are frequented than the Trading Post. Places that would draw people of similar goals and interests that could also serve as RP launching points. I mean, on one given day, you can have:

1. A Thayvian Wizard. Or two. Quietly staring. Don't be alarmed, in spite of what you heard.

2. A nice young couple of cultists licking eachother in various places and picking their scabs.

3. A bunch of elves who, in a hundred years, never bothered to learn that it's more polite to hold private, members-only conversations in private.

None of these people seem approachable or appealing to the innocent bumpkin who just came from the country, and all of them are armed to the teeth and can probably kill a newbie without giving it much thought. So without a network or other framework for finding people... um. I'll be alone in the Library, pretending to study monsters? Or in the Hills, trying to gather together a group of adventurers to chat up while we're killing monsters...

[rustediron]

xD Val's been here so long, it's still at 20...
But yes, I do think people are levelling very quickly now, I miss the time when Hlaine was challenging to me... xD. Actually I guess Hlaine isn't levelling quickly, just doesn't see me regularly so seems to make great level jumps, lol.

But Colas is about to overtake me, and Sammael is getting very close
All this is making me very paranoid -_-

Then again, Etria used to be overpowering but now is merely very difficult... maybe I can get it up to challenging soon 0_o

EDIT: no-one hangs around the exigo expedition camp anymore That used to be a very convenient place for finding fellow low-levels to go adventuring with...

[Janus]

Is there anything you can tell us about how the level cap is worked out?

For instance how long is it envisaged to take to reach level 10/15/20.

I only ask because I started off a new character and found myself capped at level 5 after a week of playing. Just seems a little harsh is all seeing how fast the first couple of levels can be.

Also when might we expect the leveling out event? A week? A month?

[Saulus]

We already have a clear idea of the direction where we are going. This is just a head's up to what is coming.

And yes as Blue Wyrm said, this is what you should expect in a beta, rebalancing, adjusting, changes. That's the nature of this phase of development.

[Rhifox]

It might be nice if more sorts of meeting places are frequented than the Trading Post. Places that would draw people of similar goals and interests that could also serve as RP launching points. I mean, on one given day, you can have:

1. A Thayvian Wizard. Or two. Quietly staring. Don't be alarmed, in spite of what you heard.

2. A nice young couple of cultists licking eachother in various places and picking their scabs.

3. A bunch of elves who, in a hundred years, never bothered to learn that it's more polite to hold private, members-only conversations in private.

None of these people seem approachable or appealing to the innocent bumpkin who just came from the country, and all of them are armed to the teeth and can probably kill a newbie without giving it much thought. So without a network or other framework for finding people... um. I'll be alone in the Library, pretending to study monsters? Or in the Hills, trying to gather together a group of adventurers to chat up while we're killing monsters...

The major problem with this is tha, if every group just hung out with their own people, then no one would ever see each other. As one of said two Red Wizards, I would love to spend more time at the Enclave. However, again, there are only 2 Red Wizards, and, at times, a mostly silent slave bodyguard. While Hlaine and I used to hang out by ourselves all the time at the Enclave, we've pretty much exhausted what various philosophical debates and arguments we could have had together.

Thus, everyone congregates around the same locations because that is the best place to find/watch RP and keep up with the latest activity. I try and keep my time there limited when I'm not directly involved with the conversation or if Hlaine isn't there, but there is only so much wandering around on my own that I can take before I eventually hit up the 'Find Other Players' button, see a crowded Exigo/Crossroads, and make my way there.