For those interested in an IP-wipe:

[_________TorchDragon]

My take on this whole IP idea is this simply. Its flat out unfair to change them. You spend the "lifetime" of your character developing the abilities. You raise your pistol skill as you need to go because you need it to get better weapons. Allowing any kind of redistribution would be backwards to the development of the character. I lost major interest with Diablo II when I found a "trainer program" that allowed you to instantly generate a character basically from scratch. I had already beaten the game multiple times and figured what the hell. Bam, 95th level druid armed to the teeth. Wee. Look I can mosh through the game, fun fun.

The same thing goes here. Allowing redefinition of the character removes an element from the game. MMORPG, role playing game, not Stat-Optimization-Game. You chose skills because something happened and you wanted it to. I'm building up my meta-physic with an emphasis on Heavy Grinners, (pistol, burst, rifle) That's relatively expensive for my character but I can still advance my primaries and toss a few around on map readers or weapon skills. By allowing people to re-arrange their skills, the development becomes next to meaningless. Regardless of how many IPs you get back whether its +2% or -2%, you're still changing the character completely.

I look at my character and go, wow, I remember spending 300 points on Melee because I started with one of those funky shield things... well, I guess its a waste now but its part of the character...

As far as the skill costs go... Why? Why ignore the rest of the game and sit and ***** about the IP? Oh, yeah, ego. Forgot about that... *shrug* Maybe someone should just grow up, say you're wrong, and walk away. It doesn't matter who's right or if anyone IS right. Go do something more constructive then fire-fight over something trivial.

[_______zeroframerate]

Originally posted by TorchDragon
Isn't there some kind of process I have to go through though?

I think you've got a pretty good summation of the process, but I believe it to be an over-estimation of the quality of the problem.

The recipie for a troll, I believe, is as simple as:
1 Quart angry pimple-faced overweight teenager
1 Pint of sexual frustration
2 Pints of social ineffectualness

Mix it all together in the blender known as the Internet and -tada!- you've got a good time-waster.

[nipsnaps]

No, YOU insist on keeping talking about it.

Pretty much everyone else knows how the system works, heck even you probably understand it now, but you just fail to admit you were wrong and, as was said, keep dodging the issue.

The merits of IP wipe are: fun for casual gamers, irrelevant for power gamers, fixes old exploits if made mandatory, levels playground from IP rings if made mandatory, fixes people who lost IP to bugs, fixes people who lost IP to Funcom skill changes, prolongs character life (can change styles) and makes it easier to make a name for yourself (don't know about you all, but I was known with the same name for the 5 years I played BatMUD, and it is silly in my view if you have to throw to the waste bin a character and start new breed/class again after a major change if you want to keep the same name).

The bad point: Those tweeties who think it is unfair that while they went through the pioneering stage and then re-rolled (meaning those who have lots of time to play the game) that after IP realloc others (or themselves) will not have to reroll anymore. Other bad points are... ... ... ? What, a casual gamer pre-130 can go for a trade-skill (say weapon smithing once it is fully fleshed out) and be a tradesperson for a month and then changing back to a fighting type, and losing approx. 4% of their total experience to do it (welcome level I was at once already...). Oh I see, fun for one person must mean that fun is out of someone else's pocket, so it MUST inherently be un-fun if such a system existed that allows such a simple, fun and flexible thing!

[__________Lucid Flow]

Originally posted by zeroframerate


I think you've got a pretty good summation of the process, but I believe it to be an over-estimation of the quality of the problem.

The recipie for a troll, I believe, is as simple as:
1 Quart angry pimple-faced overweight teenager
1 Pint of sexual frustration
2 Pints of social ineffectualness

Mix it all together in the blender known as the Internet and -tada!- you've got a good time-waster.

So what is worse. A troll or a grown adult who gets his rocks off feeding them? Sorry zero, trolling againts trolls is hypocrtical.

*squelch

[_______zeroframerate]

Originally posted by Lucid Flow
So what is worse. A troll or a grown adult who gets his rocks off feeding them? Sorry zero, trolling againts trolls is hypocrtical.

*squelch

Aww, c'mon, you should know there's no such thing as trolling against trolls. There is trolling FOR trolls, but it's not possible to troll against trolls. I managed to snag quite a few, so I'm happy.

Post away, boys! Something might actually change! Hehehe.

[_______zeroframerate]

Originally posted by ewert
No, YOU insist on keeping talking about it.

Pretty much everyone else knows how the system works, heck even you probably understand it now, but you just fail to admit you were wrong and, as was said, keep dodging the issue.

Keep it going, ewert! Goodness knows that if you type enough text on the forum things will change. Maybe someone might actually care too.

And you'll kindly take note that earlier in the thread I did admit I was wrong on one of the points. But, hey, that actually takes reading comprehension skills for that to work so it's no suprise you and a few others completely failed to see it.

I guess I didn't type in enough caps or made my words out of non-standard characters ... I shall know better for next time when presenting a topic of discussion to just type "UGH UGH BLAH ERG STUFF THINGY UGH UGH!!! HOOPA HOOPA!!!" and then you'll understand better.

Just another forum filled with social misfits. Ah well.

Oh goody ... a few more minutes before I check outta work. I'll post more when I get bored at work tomorrow and need a good laugh. Keep it coming!

[Isisnorfret]

Well I'm glad you're having fun and all zero but its sad to see you deliberately reducing this thread to rigmorale.

This thread started about a serious topic, and you are the one I see as responsible for its degradation. People wrote out thoughtful posts, with elements that were insulting in nature, and it was you who chose to focus only on the immaturity and totally ignore the logical arguments. You are the only troll I see here Zero. So.. I guess you are amusing yourself with your own troll posts.

Anyway, aside from your apparent self-criticism, I rather think its pointless to argue about ip-reallocation anyway, since Funcom already stated that they are not willing to implement such a feature, since it would be too much hassle. Pffft, oh well, case closed.

[nipsnaps]

*yawn*

If you think contributing to a discussion is just trolling around like you do, thinking you are somehow cool, then guess again.

If you want to contribute, then please explain the points of why:

IP realloc is not fun for probably way over 50% of casual gamers

IP realloc is not fun for probably way over 50% of power gamers

IP realloc would shorten the lifespan of the game for casual gamer

IP realloc would shorten the lifespan of the game for power gamer


Because for 1. the huge majority of casual gamers would absolutely definitely love being able to fix their characters. For 2., they would even more love being able to totally optimize their pre-150 characters, or start playing that "prof that my old main was but he is gimped" - character again. For number three, casual gamer is very prone to quit a game if he is put face to face with the option of rerolling or feeling gimped. For number four, the power gamer would sometimes feel the need to follow the uber-flavor of the month and have to realloc, thus losing levels (if done along the lines of my idea) and thus having to get more levels again.

Points 1 and 2 make Funcom get more money because happy players are more prone to keep the account alive even if they play only once in a while, but people who aren't happy with the game are prone to cancel even if they still play sometimes but don't like paying for something they don't like to play that often and even when they play they feel gimped.

Points 3 and 4 make Funcom get more money because.. well duh, the players will play for a longer period of time.

So... Funcom, take a hint?