Delay level 80 boost on Steam accounts, yay or nay?

[krz.1327]

> @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> Before your friend/player/etc even gets to know his character, class, the game lore, or basic game mechanics, they use the level 80 boost.

 

why would they have a level 80 boost at the start of the game? they would need to buy expansion first to get one

[Cyninja.2954]

> @"krz.1327" said:

> > @"Cyninja.2954" said:

> > Before your friend/player/etc even gets to know his character, class, the game lore, or basic game mechanics, they use the level 80 boost.

>

> why would they have a level 80 boost at the start of the game? they would need to buy expansion first to get one

 

The benefits of owning the game, especially at the low cost of current PoF, versus playing the f2p version, pretty much assures player access to boosts. True though, this issue would be more relevant to players who start with having the game purchased and less the f2p version.

 

Most people I know did not start with the f2p version (actually none did). Spending 15-30 $/EURO/etc. is really not that much, no matter what some posters on the forums might make you believe.

[DaFishBob.6518]

I trust there will be enough cheapskates among the Steam player base that will stick it out as free to play long enough to get whatever experience they'd get leveling manually before getting a level 80 boost from purchasing the expansions.

[Obfuscate.6430]

I think a warning is good but I wouldn't delay or prevent people from using it.

Recently my friend and their friend started playing the game for the first time. The one who had more time tried both - slow leveling and boosting up. They felt slow leveling gave them a better understanding of the game mechanics and handling but the benefits of boosting let them experience mounts and the newer maps.

I imagine people might be apprehensive about the on coming potential hoard of new players who will boost, not understand anything, then ditch the game - but have faith in the community. We will be there to help them. n_n

[Firebeard.1746]

It's just kind of weird to randomly treat steam players like second class citiziens. Sure it might be nice to keep the core tyria maps inflated for a while, but the F2P players will do that on their own.

[AgentMoore.9453]

In my casual opinion, an account should have to get one character to level 80 through natural progression before getting access to use the boost on subsequent characters. Generally, this lets someone play through the game and learn through the leveling process how things work so they don't wind up frustrated and confused 16 hours after installing the game.

 

...BUT.

 

There are secondary accounts of established players. There's the small matter of boosts bringing revenue to the company. There's the general idea that anyone with the money to buy the game (or have it bought for them) should be responsible enough to decide for themselves whether to play through levels or voop directly to the end.

 

So sure, let them make their own decisions, just make sure they're educated about what that decision is first.

[Zeivu.3615]

I disagree with the lv80 boost in general and think it should be removed from the gemstore. However, I don't see anything good coming from dividing the customer base by letting one group of customers being able to buy something and leaving the other out in the cold for non-legal reasoning. The cat is out of the bag.

[Raizel.1839]

Yes but delay it also on standard game accounts, not just steam and make the requirement for being able to use it to "own at least one other lvl 80 character".

[zamo.7089]

I'd say a warning at most. I have 2 boosts but I'll only use them if I want to level up a class and race I have already played to 80. Otherwise I like learning and getting a feel of a class along the way and a races story if I haven't played them before. Plus if people end up switching over the Steam who have already played, I see no reason they can't fast track to 80.

[Dante.1508]

No some of us will be making new accounts.

[Raknar.4735]

No, makes no sense to force them to play outdated content they don't necessarily want to play.

[Qtar.5817]

If I was asked, I will go in the same way as FF14 for new players. They need to add an option for old/veterans players because I will buy again on steam to link existing accounts if you want to use a boost.

[ASP.8093]

This forum has the weirdest ideas about "Steam players." Steam is just a very popular digital storefront. Most of the game's existing player base probably has Steam installed! Steam users aren't weird sheltered puppies who've never seen an RPG before; nor are they super-elite pro gamers with stratospheric skills and expectations. They're just a really big subset of _the normal range of people who play games on their computers_. (The whole reason getting GW2 onto Steam is a big task at all is that it messes with *monetization* and in-app purchases. That's it.)

 

There's no need to add lots of restrictions to the Level 80 Boost. Using the Boost just gives you all the core skills/traits, access to a few free waypoints, and some basic (good quality but suboptimal stat type!) level 80 gear. It does not force you to skip the starter zones or personal story. Thanks to scaling, it doesn't even completely trivialize them, either. It may not be the best approach for everyone, but it's not at all unreasonable to just go try a class at 80. And the Boost does give you a "temporary" boosted experience before you have to lock it in, so there's time to realize you're in over your head or try a couple of options.

[ASP.8093]

> @"Zeivu.3615" said:

> I disagree with the lv80 boost in general and think it should be removed from the gemstore. However, I don't see anything good coming from dividing the customer base by letting one group of customers being able to buy something and leaving the other out in the cold for non-legal reasoning. The cat is out of the bag.

 

I could insta-level like 20 new characters using just the Scrolls and Tomes in my bank. The canned Level 80 Boost item is a tiny little perk for "deluxe editions" but horribly weak compared to the options already available to established players.

[Excursion.9752]

The list of cons sounds like pros to me.

 

So many people rush the content in this game and they miss so much. Like how to actually play the game, the UI, their class. I can't prove this but I believe that the people who complain about the game being "too hard" are the very same ones who rushed to the end game content.

 

Warnings are pointless and are like a end user agreement you just click past it anyway without reading anything other than check this box and click OK. I think people need to experience the game as it was so they can fully appreciate what you earn in later parts of the game. I like the idea of getting one level 80 character before this becomes available because I would like everyone have the ability to eventually obtain and use one after you have earned it.

 

I also believe this should be activated for non steam versions as well.

[IndigoSundown.5419]

GW2 is listed as a free to play game on Steam. Isn't the boost only available for those who buy the XPac (or pay for it in the Gem store)? That said, there should be some kind of warning for anyone who does spend the money about the knowledge deficit they will be facing. Of course, then there's the issue of getting them to _read_ the warning if they are already inclined not to look at their skills, traits, etc.

 

I agree that a new player who boosts to 80 is going to be playing max level open world content without knowing much at all about how to play their character. However, free players who run through the core content are not necessarily going to be a lot more knowledgeable. The combination of poor conveyance and very easy core encounters is not good preparation for HoT _or_ PoF.

 

Maybe ANet will surprise me and will have come up with a way to better convey "how to play GW2" to a new audience. Somehow, though, I doubt it.

[keenedge.9675]

How is Steam such a factor? They don't offer ANYTHING similar to GW2.

As said in other posts, Anet should stick with their formula. It's unique and offers a different (better) RPG experience than other games.

 

I've tried many of the RPGs on Steam from boredom. The only one that appeared promising was BDO but I deleted that 8 hours after buying it.

[robertthebard.8150]

Nope, at worst, they'll be level 80 and suck at it. If playing to 80 guaranteed that that wouldn't happen, then sure, but since it doesn't, there's no point in penalizing any new players that may result from opening up on Steam.

[Caedmon.6798]

I dont understand why new people use this anyway. If its your second or third char etc sure. But for me personally,i always enjoy starting out new as a low level noob where you slowly notice you getting stronger,slowly getting better gear,slowly getting new skills and getting the hang of your class and rotations. The sense of exploration ontop of it is more satisfying as insta boosting to max level,i just dont see the point.

[Morvran.8265]

> @"kharmin.7683" said:

> This, to me, makes no financial sense. Of course ANet wants players to level 80 boost so that they will then buy the expansions.

 

The level 80 boost comes from buying the expansions, so at that point they already have them.

[Super Hayes.6890]

You folks make a lot of good points but no one has explained how I get those cookies I voted for in the OP

[Anchoku.8142]

New players should be warned they are skipping the leveling experience, which is not that long in the first place.

 

The actual core personal story is one of the best things about GW2 so, whether leveling normally or boosting to 80, the story is still recommended and, of course, players will be scaled down to the area.

 

In addition, new players should be warned that L80 rewards players with L80 equipment that is less valuable than lower level equipment because of materials salvaged.

[ASP.8093]

The surest way to ruin the game for "Steam users" is for the rest of the community to treat them like big dumb babies who are not allowed to make any decisions for themselves.

[kharmin.7683]

> @"Morvran.8265" said:

> > @"kharmin.7683" said:

> > This, to me, makes no financial sense. Of course ANet wants players to level 80 boost so that they will then buy the expansions.

>

> The level 80 boost comes from buying the expansions, so at that point they already have them.

 

it is also offered in the gem store from time to time.

[sorudo.9054]

> @"Croc.1978" said:

> As kharmin said already, this would make no sense from a business viewpoint. Instead of blocking the boost for new players, the focus should be on making the gaming experience after using the boost as positive as possible.

>

> For instance, they should switch the exotic Soldier's gear you get for free when you use the boost for something more reasonable (e.g. Marauder's). I used the boost I received from buying PoF on an Elementalist and was pretty irritated when I realized I just got a full set of Soldier's for a class predominantly used for squishy ranged builds. Sure, I want lots of toughness on my ele so all the mobs will head straight for me (/sacrcasm)! For most classes this prefix just doesn't make sense at all.

 

the point of soldier gear is exactly that, so you will buy other armor from the TP.

if ppl just get the best stats from the start then a lvl 80 boost is a cheap way of going perfect with a credit card. (and in a way, P2W)