Improving the Campaign

[MrJohnson]

@Kulze

A system which lets you choose to raise former content higher up is tenable though, which is a proper level scaling mechanic.
After all corruption levels are also nothing else then a scaling mechanic. So LE already leans heavily into it, in the most boring way though sadly rather then a engaging one where you take distinct steps forward by player agency rather then fluid non-descriptive progression rate.

My main complaint about the level scaling suggestion is the “level” part. Don’t scale monster power on the character’s level. That’s punishing the player for doing something that’s meant to be a reward.

I am all for thinking about how to offer ways to keep areas relevant when you’ve outleveled them, as long as level scaling is kept out of the mix.

@Kulze

Which is not a negative thing. It’s what Grim Dawn does and what makes that game actually fairly special, choosing to farm where it fits you the most rather then enforcing you to have a ‘all doable’ approach.

We aren’t talking about target farming, here. We are talking about pushing all paladins to only play in Ruined Era areas, all rogues in Divine Era areas, etc… because a significant part of their loot drops almost exclusively in those areas. I am all for being able to target farm and specialize, but the suggestion here is something else entirely. Something really bad and limiting.

[Kulze]

@MrJohnson

I am all for thinking about how to offer ways to keep areas relevant when you’ve outleveled them, as long as level scaling is kept out of the mix.

What you’re talking about is the ‘dynamic scaling’, which is a mess, always was, always will be.

Which is why I’m talking about static scaling + player agency behind it.
Hence you have a significant jump in difficulty but you have to personally choose it as well. Too hard? Take a step down again.

@MrJohnson

We are talking about pushing all paladins to only play in Ruined Era areas, all rogues in Divine Era areas, etc…

Yes, that’s called ‘targeted farming’.
In Grim Dawn the same happens. If you need a specific base for an item you run this 1 specific area over… and over… and over.
If you need another one you run another area over… and over… and over.

The point is solely on ‘how’ it’s implemented, not that the game actually needs it.

The focus solely on affix shard drops hence is a good one. Rare affix shards are used sparingly anyway, which doesn’t keep people in that area for extended times, or limits them to a specific area.
Affixes on items though? That would be a disaster if they’re affected, makes balance impossible.

Already if you need a specific boss-drop unique you’re limited to a single timeline, so it’s actually the counter… put the regularly used boss-drop uniques in a different timeline then the affix shards for the same class. Means it’s more spread out. Making content directly more important since you need to diversify what you do.

[WeAreViledNation]

When i was suggesting affixes i was just refering to affix shards- just as a clarification in case its confusing. The idea was that monsters of a specific element would drop shards of that element because you beaten it out of their corpse.