Guild Wars 2

So I just finished obtaining my first full set of exotics on my necro and was going to start farming for another set with different stats for alternate builds but got to thinking if it was really worth it. If the level cap gets increased I would rather have several level 80 chars instead of 1 80 with every exotic set I can since that armor will be void after reaching a new cap. My main question is do you see a level cap increase in the future and how far off would you estimate it to be?

Some other questions would be:
A- How will they raise the level cap without kitten off all the players that worked forever for legendaries?
B- Same thing with ascended items…

I don’t belive level cap will EVER be raised.

I believe they will increase the cap, I seem to remember them saying as such some time ago. I don’t think it will be very soon though.

That said, levelling is fast and gaining your exotics are fast. This is especially true once you have done it once or twice. Also, once you are max level with some exotics, you can get gold pretty quick and buy a full set of exotic gear off the TP for 10-20 gold.

A) Legendaries will be improved with added ascended weapons, I assume this is true with added levels as well. Also, legendaries are mostly for the skin, transmutate it to a better weapon and voila problem solved.

B) Answered B in A I think?

If they raise the level cap they will have truly abandoned the idea of this game being a Guild Wars sequel.

RebelYell.7132:

If they raise the level cap they will have truly abandoned the idea of this game being a Guild Wars sequel.

I did not play gw1 so I can assume they only made expansions for it without cap increases?

This was posted back in November, quoting Mike O’Brien from Reddit

“I hope we’ve been clear that GW2 is not a game with virtually no stat progression in it like GW1 was. That’s why GW2 shipped with a higher level cap, and with a hard separation between PVE and PVP.

“In GW1 we never advanced the level cap through four campaigns/expansions. The game design didn’t allow for it. But GW2 was designed without those restrictions, and we’ve always expected that we will someday raise the level cap in GW2.”

http://www.gamefront.com/guild-wars-2-level-cap-raise-confirmed-for-future/

I don’t see a reason why it would ever need to be raised, and with how quickly we level up it would be just be pointless to raise the cap.

Voodoo.1709:

RebelYell.7132:

If they raise the level cap they will have truly abandoned the idea of this game being a Guild Wars sequel.

I did not play gw1 so I can assume they only made expansions for it without cap increases?

Correct . GW 1 has never raised its cap past 20 ( yes 20 ) and it did pretty well for itself. I should hope they never raise the cap past 80 in GW2

Adine.2184:

Voodoo.1709:

RebelYell.7132:

If they raise the level cap they will have truly abandoned the idea of this game being a Guild Wars sequel.

I did not play gw1 so I can assume they only made expansions for it without cap increases?

Correct . GW 1 has never raised its cap past 20 ( yes 20 ) and it did pretty well for itself. I should hope they never raise the cap past 80 in GW2

There are fundamental differences in GW1 to GW2 that made that possible. For example, skill progression.

Adding more levels in a new area will allow for you to progress through it and enjoy new story content. The levelling can help pace you through the area, so that the new content can be experienced a rate intended by the dev’s. It can also help with adding challenging personal story content.

I expect it’ll raise with the first you-buy-it expansion early to middle next year. (I’m guessing) It’ll probably only raise to 90, is my suspicion, 100 at most. But that’s a long way off. I say, do whichever sounds like the most fun. If you think you’ll have more fun just leveling and improving one character – which is what I do – then go with that; if you think having a ton of lvl 80 alts will be fun, there you go. I will say, though, that chances are an expansion will come with a new class or two (as they did with GW1) so it might not be worth leveling a ton of characters just to hold out for the level increase – since you’ll probably want to jump on one of the newer classes. (I’d figure)

Jemmi.6058:

Adine.2184:

Voodoo.1709:

RebelYell.7132:

If they raise the level cap they will have truly abandoned the idea of this game being a Guild Wars sequel.

I did not play gw1 so I can assume they only made expansions for it without cap increases?

Correct . GW 1 has never raised its cap past 20 ( yes 20 ) and it did pretty well for itself. I should hope they never raise the cap past 80 in GW2

There are fundamental differences in GW1 to GW2 that made that possible. For example, skill progression.

Adding more levels in a new area will allow for you to progress through it and enjoy new story content. The levelling can help pace you through the area, so that the new content can be experienced a rate intended by the dev’s. It can also help with adding challenging personal story content.

There’s already a level scaling system though. If they add a level 1-15 area, I can take my 80 there and enjoy it.

Also, one thing the Manifesto promises is a “branching” personal story. When in truth, you always return to the same trunk. Maybe, instead of forming the Pact with Trahearne, you decide your talents would be better applied in the new lands. Or you’re from the new lands, and decide to join Trahearne, because you’re weird.

Hopefully theyll gauge the community reaction before any lvl increase. There was a weighty petition against it further back on this forum. I would say the game is less designed for it than gw1. That then leads to items. If you have to grind for new items, that will be a new treadmill. If they level items with you..why have the level raised?

No, a level raise would be silly imo and add nothing to a game working perfectly well doing what it is doing

Jemmi.6058:

Adding more levels in a new area will allow for you to progress through it

I see no reason whatsoever why progression through a new area has to be tied to level progression.

Jemmi.6058:

and enjoy new story content.

I don’t see any correlation between an increased level cap and my ability to enjoy new story content.

RebelYell.7132:

Jemmi.6058:

Adine.2184:

Voodoo.1709:

RebelYell.7132:

If they raise the level cap they will have truly abandoned the idea of this game being a Guild Wars sequel.

I did not play gw1 so I can assume they only made expansions for it without cap increases?

Correct . GW 1 has never raised its cap past 20 ( yes 20 ) and it did pretty well for itself. I should hope they never raise the cap past 80 in GW2

There are fundamental differences in GW1 to GW2 that made that possible. For example, skill progression.

Adding more levels in a new area will allow for you to progress through it and enjoy new story content. The levelling can help pace you through the area, so that the new content can be experienced a rate intended by the dev’s. It can also help with adding challenging personal story content.

There’s already a level scaling system though. If they add a level 1-15 area, I can take my 80 there and enjoy it.

Also, one thing the Manifesto promises is a “branching” personal story. When in truth, you always return to the same trunk. Maybe, instead of forming the Pact with Trahearne, you decide your talents would be better applied in the new lands. Or you’re from the new lands, and decide to join Trahearne, because you’re weird.

If they add a low level area that you can take with your 80 it wil be even easier than if they add a level 80 area, so that would work in the opposite direction of what I was saying.

We could debate about the personal story, but this isn’t the place. I will say this, however. Going back and changing the story would not be a good idea, they need to add new content for the new dragons (or maybe Zhaitan is alive?). Also, I did not hate Trehearne so much as everyone else. IMO he was a better character than many others in the personal story. His only problem is that he steals the spotlight from the hero.

In GW1 I would try to get to EotN as quickly as possible for the Don’t Stop Believing buff. Level grinds are an epic fail.

darkace.8925:

Jemmi.6058:

Adding more levels in a new area will allow for you to progress through it

I see no reason whatsoever why progression through a new area has to be tied to level progression.

Jemmi.6058:

and enjoy new story content.

I don’t see any correlation between an increased level cap and my ability to enjoy new story content.

It is the same as levelling in any point in the game. The levelling slows down your pace through the content, which allows you to move at the intended rate.

Enjoyment is entirely subjective, but I will tell you the correlation for me.

One, when I gain a new level and get stronger, I feel a sense of satisfaction.

Two, if there is an area that is higher level and I go to it and die a bunch, leave and level up and come back, I feel a sense of accomplishment.

Three, if the levels are not in place, I will roll through the content in my decked out max stat’d character in no time at all and then be bored again. Alternatively, if I am forced to level and re-gear, it will take awhile and I will have something to do until they release more content.

A increase in the level cap has been discussed before and I believe Anet are open to the idea and that there IS a possibility of a future increase in max level, the way the games designed allows it apparently…

However, it will probably be some time off, 1 or 2 years at least…by then I think I would welcome a increase in level…

I have gone down the route of levelling all 8 different character classes to 80 and kitting them out in one set of exotic gear…more fun, versatile and stops you being bored with just one set of skills/abilities…

They have already promised legendarys will ALWAYS be upgraded to have best ingame stats…so a legendary will always be best…

On ascended, there will be no higher gear during 2013 but they have not said anything about 2014 onwards…

Jemmi.6058:

darkace.8925:

Jemmi.6058:

Adding more levels in a new area will allow for you to progress through it

I see no reason whatsoever why progression through a new area has to be tied to level progression.

Jemmi.6058:

and enjoy new story content.

I don’t see any correlation between an increased level cap and my ability to enjoy new story content.

It is the same as levelling in any point in the game. The levelling slows down your pace through the content, which allows you to move at the intended rate.

I don’t play B2P games to have my pace manipulated by external forces. I quit Pandaland and came back here for that reason.

I’d be disappointed if they raise the level cap. But even if they do it will be far, far away. I think you are safe to get another exotic armor set.

Level cap will be raised, i’m disappointed too. This can be quoted from something far back in one of the interviews.

Before they increase the level cap, I want there to be more aggressive downscaling for low level areas.

A level cap increase won’t happen for about a year or two, depending on what they do with the living story.

There’ll be around a 6 month notice if it will be increased, since you’ll hear about an expansion coming. Then they’ll officially announce the expansion along with if the level cap will increase. If it’s not, it won’t be until the next expansion, roughly 1.5 years later.

Raising the level cap would be an amazingly good way to destroy any potential of having any customer loyalty ever again.

It’d be an ‘offense’ against the core fanbase equivalent to adding elves, tanks, and healers.

Pretty much a direct shot across the bow against everything this game is supposed to stand for.

Kichwas.7152:

Raising the level cap would be an amazingly good way to destroy any potential of having any customer loyalty ever again.

It’d be an ‘offense’ against the core fanbase equivalent to adding elves, tanks, and healers.

Pretty much a direct shot across the bow against everything this game is supposed to stand for.

Mike O’Brien Quote:

“In GW1 we never advanced the level cap through four campaigns/expansions. The game design didn’t allow for it. But GW2 was designed without those restrictions, and we’ve always expected that we will someday raise the level cap in GW2.”

source: http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/13tuac/im_the_studio_design_director_on_guild_wars_2_ama/

I’m surprised no one has brought this up yet. It is the intentions of the last founder of ANet still working for the company to raise the level cap at some point during GW2’s life.

clay.7849:

I’m surprised no one has brought this up yet.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Level-cap/1836153

Jemmi.6058:

There are fundamental differences in GW1 to GW2 that made that possible. For example, skill progression.

Adding more levels in a new area will allow for you to progress through it and enjoy new story content. The levelling can help pace you through the area, so that the new content can be experienced a rate intended by the dev’s. It can also help with adding challenging personal story content.

You don’t need to increase the level cap to do that, you can achieve the same by using the Personal Story. Level cap increases serve no purpose besides resetting the gear treadmill which, at least in my book, is something bad and completely unnecessary.

I’m aware of the fact that they said they will probably raise the level cap one day. I don’t like the idea and I probably will stop playing GW2 if they really do that.

clay.7849:

Kichwas.7152:

Raising the level cap would be an amazingly good way to destroy any potential of having any customer loyalty ever again.

It’d be an ‘offense’ against the core fanbase equivalent to adding elves, tanks, and healers.

Pretty much a direct shot across the bow against everything this game is supposed to stand for.

Mike O’Brien Quote:

“In GW1 we never advanced the level cap through four campaigns/expansions. The game design didn’t allow for it. But GW2 was designed without those restrictions, and we’ve always expected that we will someday raise the level cap in GW2.”

source: http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/13tuac/im_the_studio_design_director_on_guild_wars_2_ama/

I’m surprised no one has brought this up yet. It is the intentions of the last founder of ANet still working for the company to raise the level cap at some point during GW2’s life.

Well if so, he’s foolishly gambling his fanbase on the hopes of stealing WoW’s… and that’s a poor bet to make judging by the experience of every MMO that has tried.

If someone says they’re going to punch me in the face, I’m going to be very vocal about the fact that I don’t want to be punched in the face.

If they do it anyway, then I’m not going to associate with that person any more, as they have little regard for my feedback.

nachtnebel.9168:

Jemmi.6058:

There are fundamental differences in GW1 to GW2 that made that possible. For example, skill progression.

Adding more levels in a new area will allow for you to progress through it and enjoy new story content. The levelling can help pace you through the area, so that the new content can be experienced a rate intended by the dev’s. It can also help with adding challenging personal story content.

You don’t need to increase the level cap to do that, you can achieve the same by using the Personal Story. Level cap increases serve no purpose besides resetting the gear treadmill which, at least in my book, is something bad and completely unnecessary.

I’m aware of the fact that they said they will probably raise the level cap one day. I don’t like the idea and I probably will stop playing GW2 if they really do that.

Well, since it’s published somewhere, likely it will get a cap increase one day, though not too soon I hope. Maybe when there’s a “proper, full expansion” rather than just monthly bonus contents.

That said, I agree this isn’t really the way to go. With level cap increase I’m sure there’ll be >lvl80 content, which needs/best run with appropriate levels of >lvl80 gear, which of course means once again, grind for gear (mats/gold/tokens/drops etc) just for us to get at the relative top spot of being a “maxed out” and just needing to improve personal skills to do contents, which most of us already are curently.

I sincerely hope they don’t raise the level cap. It would be far better to add new content across the current level range instead of increasing the level cap and shoehorning all new content into that level range.

level cap..? hopefully not. leave the level cap alone. they should focus on content development and improving WvW.

every time a level cap is raised, players will have to grind their new gears to keep up with the level. gear grind = bad decision —> losing players. believe me.

generalraccoon.3857:

Well, since it’s published somewhere, likely it will get a cap increase one day, though not too soon I hope. Maybe when there’s a “proper, full expansion” rather than just monthly bonus contents.

Maybe I’m naive but I’m not so sure about that. Introducing ascended gear didn’t went so well for ArenaNet cause they kitten off a lot of their fanbase with it. Increasing the level cap, no matter whether they said it before or not, will be even worse cause, as I said, its only purpose is to reset the gear treadmill, which GW1 players are aware of.

Crazy Idea:

What if the level cap was raised, but 80 remained the highest gear requirement?

This wouldn’t have the annoying side effect of invalidating all of your hard earned exotics/ascended pieces, but would allow progression possibly in to new tiers of traits or other such core character advancement systems. In addition, new areas could, like they’ve done with some of the update content, add new stat configurations for more options in terms of horizontal progression.

It is a very bad idea. I have all the professions at 80 and it doesn’t sound like much fun—at all. In fact, it sounds perfectly horrible. However, I believe it is almost certain to happen.

I can pretty much guess what theyre planning on doing with the level cap and it doesnt take a big imagination- itll be increased by a relatively small amount (say up to 100) and will be stupidly easy to get to, the same as is usual in GW2. By that time ascended armour and weapons will have been released and these will stay as ‘best in slot’ from 80-100. What will change is the infusions in that equipment. These will be the stat increase as time progresses and I can even see ANET allowing further customisation by allowing you to have both runes/sigils and infusions, allowing you to further adapt your character (eg: create a more tanky character by having +5def on all armour infusions)

PopeUrban.2578:

Crazy Idea:

What if the level cap was raised, but 80 remained the highest gear requirement?

This wouldn’t have the annoying side effect of invalidating all of your hard earned exotics/ascended pieces, but would allow progression possibly in to new tiers of traits or other such core character advancement systems. In addition, new areas could, like they’ve done with some of the update content, add new stat configurations for more options in terms of horizontal progression.

That would be my suggestion. The level cap can be raised to 90, or even 100, in expansions, allowing players more trait points to play around with, but the highest level of equipment is fixed at 80. (In effect, Ascended gear becomes the level 90 equipment.) Furthermore, any characters higher than 80 get downscaled back to 80 when entering WvW or PvP, so it doesn’t affect game balance there either.

All the arguments here against level cap increase were the same ones raised during the introduction of Ascended gear. By some of the same people. You’re still playing.

Would love new maps, skills and story progression than vertical progression.

Thereon.3495:

I can pretty much guess what theyre planning on doing with the level cap and it doesnt take a big imagination- itll be increased by a relatively small amount (say up to 100) and will be stupidly easy to get to, the same as is usual in GW2.

+20 levels is not a relatively small amount, it’s rather huge. +10 would be medium and something like +5 small.
Yes, levels are gained rather fast in GW2 but it still takes you about an hour for each level. The GW1 players among us a probably altoholics and some of us have a lvl 80 char for each profession. If we would have to bring all of them to 100 this would cost us ~160 hours to do so. And by that point we still won’t have maxed out the crafting skills or lvl 100 gear.
In addition it already takes way too long to get a twink to lvl 80. The first few levels are somehow interesting but after that the story is defined by which order you choose to join, every other Priory/Vigil/Whisper char feels the same as your first and interesting turns into tedious.

killcannon.2576:

All the arguments here against level cap increase were the same ones raised during the introduction of Ascended gear. By some of the same people. You’re still playing.

Last time I checked my friend list it made it very clear that a lot of those who didn’t like ascended gear are not playing anymore. And those that came back, like me, decided to not spend any more money on the gem store. Whether people are playing or not doesn’t matter that much, it’s all about whether they spend money on the game or not.

killcannon.2576:

All the arguments here against level cap increase were the same ones raised during the introduction of Ascended gear. By some of the same people. You’re still playing.

I’m not paying a subscription fee. I can’t vote with my wallet on Ascended gear.

However, I do not have to buy an expansion pack that raises the level cap.

nachtnebel.9168:

Thereon.3495:

I can pretty much guess what theyre planning on doing with the level cap and it doesnt take a big imagination- itll be increased by a relatively small amount (say up to 100) and will be stupidly easy to get to, the same as is usual in GW2.

+20 levels is not a relatively small amount, it’s rather huge. +10 would be medium and something like +5 small.
Yes, levels are gained rather fast in GW2 but it still takes you about an hour for each level. The GW1 players among us a probably altoholics and some of us have a lvl 80 char for each profession. If we would have to bring all of them to 100 this would cost us ~160 hours to do so. And by that point we still won’t have maxed out the crafting skills or lvl 100 gear.
In addition it already takes way too long to get a twink to lvl 80. The first few levels are somehow interesting but after that the story is defined by which order you choose to join, every other Priory/Vigil/Whisper char feels the same as your first and interesting turns into tedious.

killcannon.2576:

All the arguments here against level cap increase were the same ones raised during the introduction of Ascended gear. By some of the same people. You’re still playing.

Last time I checked my friend list it made it very clear that a lot of those who didn’t like ascended gear are not playing anymore. And those that came back, like me, decided to not spend any more money on the gem store. Whether people are playing or not doesn’t matter that much, it’s all about whether they spend money on the game or not.

By playing you help the company make money simply by populating the world. People will pay money if the game seems populated and healthy.

killcannon.2576:

By playing you help the company make money simply by populating the world. People will pay money if the game seems populated and healthy.

I think this is theory, not fact, but admit that its possible.

How’s this, then: I won’t play during the free trial weekend, and suggest that others not impressed by how Jon, Johnathan, and the rest of the gang respond to feedback, all do the same.

I hope they don’t raise it. 80 levels, as far as I’m concerned, is already pushing it. 50 would have been better. 20 would have been great. If they do raise the cap – and at this point I’m pretty sure they will – that will be the end of GW2 for me.

killcannon.2576:

By playing you help the company make money simply by populating the world. People will pay money if the game seems populated and healthy.

Yes, playing the game keeps it populated and helps attracting new players, but only players that spend money on the game on a regular base are those who keep it running. ArenaNet can’t sell and unlimited amount of games to earn money, at one point they have to rely on their player base, even expansions wont change that.
Players stopping to spend money on the item store cause of game changes they don’t like is something you can’t ignore if you want to keep your game healthy, you have to deal with their issues and make them spend money again. Or, at the very least, you have to make sure that you lose as few money spending players as possible.

Introducing ascended gear already backfired – at least as far as I can tell based on my friend list. Raising the level cap will probably even be worse, especially if they plan to do it as part of an expansion pack which players need to buy. It is really bad if a significant part of your player base refuses to buy an expansion pack, which you planed on to earn you money, because the disagree with one of it’s main features.

Levels are just an arbitrary and pointless number in games; why do devs bother with them these days? I mean they are fine as a complimentary item to the game for obtaining perks and such, but this old school stat progression that certain devs seem to have a hard on for; seriously this is 2013…

Sollith.3502:

Levels are just an arbitrary and pointless number in games; why do devs bother with them these days? I mean they are fine as a complimentary item to the game for obtaining perks and such, but this old school stat progression that certain devs seem to have a hard on for; seriously this is 2013…

• Cargo cult approach to game design; successful game X has levels, therefore ours must have levels
• Way to get people addicted without actually making the game more fun
• Way to force people to do content they don’t enjoy

With the nature of gw2 I don’t really see what raising the level cap would do other than make you regear.

Minion of Vey.4398:

With the nature of gw2 I don’t really see what raising the level cap would do other than make you regear.

Unless they add new, higher level traits which you’d be able to unlock by leveling. I know I wouldn’t mind more trait points.

Vayne.8563:

Minion of Vey.4398:

With the nature of gw2 I don’t really see what raising the level cap would do other than make you regear.

Unless they add new, higher level traits which you’d be able to unlock by leveling. I know I wouldn’t mind more trait points.

You don’t need a higher level cap for new traits, just add a one or two balanced traits for each existing tier and you increase the build variety by a huge amount.

Increasing the level cap never adds to a game, it just forces the players to grind again.

nachtnebel.9168:

Vayne.8563:

Minion of Vey.4398:

With the nature of gw2 I don’t really see what raising the level cap would do other than make you regear.

Unless they add new, higher level traits which you’d be able to unlock by leveling. I know I wouldn’t mind more trait points.

You don’t need a higher level cap for new traits, just add a one or two balanced traits for each existing tier and you increase the build variety by a huge amount.

Increasing the level cap never adds to a game, it just forces the players to grind again.

Actually I wasn’t think of adding just the third tier of traits, but an entirely new fourth tier. I might be too ambitious though. lol