Solution for NODROPS in level-locked dungeons

[______________yankoo]

The talk about new agent-only items in 14.78 prompted this comment from a distinguished member of agent community:

The thing that stinks the most about this? Its in that lowbie dungeon thats level locked. Why does that stink? Because those of us agent post-lvl60 can't get any.

It's nodrop, in a lvl locked dungeon, thats crap. If they make profession specific items AND NODROP the place where you them should be FFA, not level locked.

Now... the solution for this conundrum is quite, quite simple. As the level checks are already done on some present dungeons on entering/trying to enter... It wouldn't be too difficult to drop everybody who exceeds these limits to a different copy of same dungeon.

So let's say, the new Temple reportedly allows chars up to level 60 to enter it. Nice, keeps the uber ones from messing with their hunts and games. But... the ones restricted acces, these from 61-200 should be allowed to roam in another copy of the said dungeon. That way they still have the chance to aquire the NODROP items, and can compete amongst similar level ranges for these.

Comments?

[________________keni]

yeah not a bad idea.
if dong have 4pf like tara lets do 2pf for 60- and 2pf for 60+
or 3-1 coz it's a low lvl dong

[Intenseheat]

I suppose that could be considered a good idea. There are possible hangups but I'm too lazy to list them right now and the geniuses at FC I'm sure can fix 'em

[Thyrra]

generally a good idea.

[_____________Poachie]

This could turn out pretty well if they put some work into it.
Give this one a thought or two...

*bump*

[Alvador]

Bump!!

[Tzorcelan]

I agree that the 60+ deserve the chance for some of that stuff to. But if you make a exactly identical dungeon for those ppl it will be too easy for a lvl200 char to go inside and get all the items that isn't nodrop and sell or use on twinks. Those items that should be hard to get are then trivial to get.. which they won't allow.

[Darkbane]

Remember, there are two versions of this dungeon already, one for up to 60 and one for 125+. There is a bit of a gap I'll admit. Your idea isn't bad though... just make a third copy to fill the gap, set the MOB's levels to be more suitable and put in variations of the loot.

[______________yankoo]

Hmmm... but are you sure the loot tables in these dungeons are identical? I'd bet the dungeons themselves aren't.

[Darkbane]

We're talking about a clone of the 1-60 dungeon for mid levels (60-125). No, the loot tables would need to be different to some extent, the MOBs tougher, but the layout could be the same.

[Bima]

Originally posted by yankoo

Now... the solution for this conundrum is quite, quite simple. As the level checks are already done on some present dungeons on entering/trying to enter... It wouldn't be too difficult to drop everybody who exceeds these limits to a different copy of same dungeon.

I've been thinking along these same lines recently about even the existing non-level-locked dungeons. I remember when I went to Steps of Madness and Biomare in the early days, with teams of an appropriate level for the design of the dungeon. We had to pull, we had to use strategy and had plenty of time to soak up the overall mood of the place.

Now when someone asks me about what level is appropriate for them to try to get a Neleb's Robe, a Gamma Ejector or a T.I.M. scope, I ask them whether they want to experience the real content of the dungeons as it was intended, or whether they just want the item -- and then have to give them the caveat that even if they do want to experience the content, they might very well get to there, all psyched and ready to go, and find someone much higher level has either wiped out all of the mobs or pulled them all way out of place. (I am not faulting the higher level players for this; the problem is elsewhere.)

So what I think would be good is if you are a certain level or higher, you go to one playfield instance and below that level to another. Do the check on all the members of a team, so that if any member of the team is above the level they go into the playfield intended for higher levels. This would allow high level players to still help lower level people without messing up the experience for pure lower level groups.

[______________yankoo]

Originally posted by Darkbane
We're talking about a clone of the 1-60 dungeon for mid levels (60-125). No, the loot tables would need to be different to some extent, the MOBs tougher, but the layout could be the same.

Nah, that'd take some work. Whereas, simply dropping each level bracket into their own copy of the same dungeon would take next to none.

[Bionitrous]

God forbid they make the NCU ring NoDrop.

[_______________Jonus]

Any Character that was past lvl 60 when the new stuff goes live should get a key to the lvl 60 dungeon, but maybe the have allready got that idea ...

[_____________Peaches]

The point is that this stuff is NODROP. So it doesn't matter if the mobs are really all that trivial because it's not like a high level character can go in there and farm the stuff anyway. Perhaps making more of the items NODROP would help this?

Making more things NODROP causes some problems, but allivates some as well. Making something NODROP makes you actually have to work for it, which increases it's value to a person. However, it means it's harder to get, camping can arrise, and of course, it's harder to make twinks.

NODROP items make no sense in terms of the real world, but in terms of making a balanced game world, I think they fit nicely.

Let the higherlevels into a different playfield. Let them camp for all that NODROP loot they need so badly, because we all know it's uber at the high levels.

[clandestinee]

1. Don't make Subway-style loot NODROP...Getting loot that richer higher level players want but can't obtain themselves is one of the few ways lucky newbies can generate significant amounts of cash for themselves. If everyone can get it, it's the low-level players who lose out economically. Destroying the market for these items by making them NONDROP hurts the newbies, not the higher level players who are literally swimming in cash and cash-making opportunities comparatively.

2. Don't change level bracketing on EVERY dungeon that has or is scheduled to have it. Doing so has almost the same effect on the economy as NODROP does--market plummets for highly desired items because it suddenly becomes trivially obtainable for a HUGE portion of the population. If you want the item for your main or just want to see what the dungeon's like, then make a twink.

The real problem with dropping loot that nearly EVERYONE in the game desires but that only lower level players have direct access to is of course the use of twinks to farm items, thus benefitting the already rich, experienced players to an extremely unfair degree.

It seems to me that a simple and kind of fun solution that would dramatically limit farming could work like this:

Immediately upon levelling to the bracket minimum for a particular dungeon like the Subway, you are given a NODROP key to that dungeon.

HOWEVER, certain loot, like the Basalis ring in the subway, comes in a NODROP container that can only be opened with the NODROP key to the dungeon. Once the key is used on the 'container', both the container AND the key disappear, to be replaced by the normal NON-NODROP version of the ring, which may then be traded, used or sold as seen fit.

Without another key, players will be unable to make use of any further instances of the 'super-loot' container they may farm.

That is, at least not without greasing another low-level player's palm to use their 'only' key on the item. That or spending the additional time and tedium to raise 'key mules' to meet the minimum level requirement of the dungeon in question.

flame away ;P