Implementing a basic, and I mean BASIC AA System?

[Acillatem]

If you cap them, you force people to choose rather than just get them all.

Without some form of randomization tho, you once again run into "cookie-cutter" syndrome, where everyone will choose the same path.

I agree with Spitty's sentiments regarding "shit I got /randomed into Innate CHA? WTF?". Maybe the random one can be tailored by class to not be "useless".

There will still be many similarities by class, but with caps and variance, it would create an AA system as it was originally intended to do (differentiate yourself from others of your class).

[Ferok]

Originally Posted by Acillatem [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

If you cap them, you force people to choose rather than just get them all.

Without some form of randomization tho, you once again run into "cookie-cutter" syndrome, where everyone will choose the same path.

I agree with Spitty's sentiments regarding "shit I got /randomed into Innate CHA? WTF?". Maybe the random one can be tailored by class to not be "useless".

There will still be many similarities by class, but with caps and variance, it would create an AA system as it was originally intended to do (differentiate yourself from others of your class).

You're creating elaborate solutions to problems that don't exist. I think AA's did exactly what they were intended to do; provide additional progression options for players beyond raiding.

[Acillatem]

They did HALF of what they were intended to do. The other half, as stated by Sony's description of Alternate Advancement, was to "differentiate yourself from others of your class". That didn't happen becuz everyone chose the same path, and/or was able to get all the AA's that mattered.

Just like regular levels - it just became a timesink where some people finished faster than others, but in the end it was all the same.

[Ferok]

Originally Posted by Acillatem [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

They did HALF of what they were intended to do. The other half, as stated by Sony's description of Alternate Advancement, was to "differentiate yourself from others of your class". That didn't happen becuz everyone chose the same path, and/or was able to get all the AA's that mattered.

Just like regular levels - it just became a timesink where some people finished faster than others, but in the end it was all the same.

They worked for that as well. If you had 200 AA's but casual gear, and someone else had 50 AA's but raid gear, you had some decided benefits where they had others. That's why it's "alternate", as an alternate to raiding. Of course, you could (and many did) do both.

It was not intended to be customization Diablo 2/WoW style. How do I know that? Because it was clearly not designed in a way that had tradeoffs.

Additionally, I still am failing to see what the actual problem here is.

[Kika Maslyaka]

the AA paths/choices would need to be design better to be useful, so there are actually more than just 1 cookie cutter build. 9at least 2 or 3)

The problem of course lies with inherit EQ classic ultra specialized mechanics. Take cleric for example - you can't offer a cleric one path that improves healing and another path that improves anything else - the healing will be instantly preferable. And any cleric which didn't choose healing, would be considered an idiot. Unless of course the paths you can chose would not include healing improvements at all.... But its hard to imagine such paths...

Thats why i said system has to be redesigned from the scratch for it to work properly. Which most likely not going to happen [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Acillatem]

Wishful thinking am I right? lol