Class based systems.
In my opinion just about every problem most folks have with Tera and the majority of today's MMO's can be traced back to the developers/product managers continually deciding to go with class based systems.
Just about every class based MMO implements them the same way. You choose your race, gender, and class, then it's either a skill tree type system or an upgrade system like Tera, Vindictus, etc. The overall customization of your character is very limited.
Which leaves you with gear. So naturally gear becomes THE END ALL BE ALL since it's the only real way plays can differentiate themselves from the 8,458 other tanks/healers/dps on the server. Thus the game ends up revolving around grinding gear since there's nothing else you can do with your character at max level. Tack on a kick in the nuts RNG enchantment system and you have Tera where everyone gets bored at endgame and quits.
Which brings us yet again to another aspect of what made Asherons Call so great... a SKILL BASED SYSTEM.
No classes, everyone had the same bank of skills to choose from. No waiting for class X to run a dungeon. Gear was irrelevant compared to how you built your character and how you choose to spend your XP points (on not only skills but attributes!) and specialize your skills. Endgame didn't revolve around grinding gear as there wasn't even a level cap and you could keep pumping XP into your skills and attributes even after you hit the lvl 126 soft cap.
Yes, there are disadvantages to a skill based system but IMO they're worth it compared to classed based systems which have much worse negatives.
Sure, you can argue that skill based systems lead to FOTM builds and gimping your character but I'd counter that FOTM builds still exist in class based systems and you can just as easily gimp your character by picking the wrong tree skill combination or whatever.
Personally I just think class based systems suck because they pigeon hole your entire game to revolving around gear. IMO they are the personification of how the industry has dumbed down the genre so even little 8 year Billy can enjoy WoW by taking away almost all player choice. Instead of giving us the freedom to completely customize our characters to our liking we're given a very linear path of progression and decisions which inevitably leaves us at endgame where everyone is the same except for their gear.... LAAAAME.
In my opinion just about every problem most folks have with Tera and the majority of today's MMO's can be traced back to the developers/product managers continually deciding to go with class based systems.
Just about every class based MMO implements them the same way. You choose your race, gender, and class, then it's either a skill tree type system or an upgrade system like Tera, Vindictus, etc. The overall customization of your character is very limited.
Which leaves you with gear. So naturally gear becomes THE END ALL BE ALL since it's the only real way plays can differentiate themselves from the 8,458 other tanks/healers/dps on the server. Thus the game ends up revolving around grinding gear since there's nothing else you can do with your character at max level. Tack on a kick in the nuts RNG enchantment system and you have Tera where everyone gets bored at endgame and quits.
Which brings us yet again to another aspect of what made Asherons Call so great... a SKILL BASED SYSTEM.
No classes, everyone had the same bank of skills to choose from. No waiting for class X to run a dungeon. Gear was irrelevant compared to how you built your character and how you choose to spend your XP points (on not only skills but attributes!) and specialize your skills. Endgame didn't revolve around grinding gear as there wasn't even a level cap and you could keep pumping XP into your skills and attributes even after you hit the lvl 126 soft cap.
Yes, there are disadvantages to a skill based system but IMO they're worth it compared to classed based systems which have much worse negatives.
Sure, you can argue that skill based systems lead to FOTM builds and gimping your character but I'd counter that FOTM builds still exist in class based systems and you can just as easily gimp your character by picking the wrong tree skill combination or whatever.
Personally I just think class based systems suck because they pigeon hole your entire game to revolving around gear. IMO they are the personification of how the industry has dumbed down the genre so even little 8 year Billy can enjoy WoW by taking away almost all player choice. Instead of giving us the freedom to completely customize our characters to our liking we're given a very linear path of progression and decisions which inevitably leaves us at endgame where everyone is the same except for their gear.... LAAAAME.
Edited by: TotallyNotBroc
10 months ago