Why is GGG so against people getting level 100?

I like the idea of no hard cap... let people advance past 100. Have it take forever, but let them try.

It is a free to play game. The way they make money is getting people to play longer. Not letting people get to 100 gives the illusion of an accomplishment. Even though before this patch you literally ran the same 3 areas and killed the same bosses, who's mechanics had long since been memorized, over and over and over.

I would love to see everyone run lvl 82 maps but going from lvl 90 to 100 would take like a year of mapping

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Shagsbeard wrote:

You're really asking "why do we have a soft cap, rather than a hard one?"

Gems have a hard cap. Level 20. It's expected that you'll get your gems to level 20.

Character levels have a soft cap. It's not expected that you'll get your characters to 100.

With a hard cap of 100, everyone would be expected to reach level 100 and the game would have to be balanced based on the players getting there. You wouldn't have the chance to improve, or beat that assumption. Players would simply be expected to all be the same.

With a soft cap, players decide for themselves when to quit. They can surpass that soft cap and become better than expected if they choose to grind it out. There's motivation to continue play after reaching it, but it's not required to complete the game.

Each player defines their own soft cap, but I place mine at n+10 where n is the highest level of content. Since players are saying that level 75 seems to be the point where maps aren't sustainable, I'd place my soft cap at 85. Anything I did past level 85 would feel kind of pointless to me.

I agree with this. Why can't we allow people to strive for more if they want to. Soft cap is great imo. I personally like the map changes, it's much more interesting having a variety of higher lvl maps for one, and while at first I was unsure, I like i'm not just alting for pack size then regaling anymore. I realize I might've been lucky, but I have over well over 20 78+ maps in the new league. But damn, the 80+ maps can be scary with some mods.

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Shagsbeard wrote:

I like the idea of no hard cap... let people advance past 100. Have it take forever, but let them try.

Would love to see it go that way.

And I don't think 100 should be easy, for everyone to hit, or any kind of entitlement whatsoever. The real problem I have is not that I can't get my guy to top level, it's the way I'm prevented from getting there. Instead of progression above level 85 or 90 getting more difficult until I'm unable to handle it, the opportunities for XP just dry up. That's challenge vs frustration and GGG seems to choose to frustrate.

The game doesn't get any harder for 90+ unless you want more one shotting and people to complain that when they run the new 85 maps they lose all of their xp. Then you have people complaining they have to farm for 9000 hours on lower maps to get xp. There is no new content you unlock or anything to do once you hit 100. You literally hit level 100 to farm the exactly same 3 maps you have been doing slightly better, you have an end that doesn't mean anything other to achieve.

If you can perma chain high end maps they'll have to make it nigh-impossible unless for the most optimized builds and high level gear to farm it without dying.

If high end maps are hard to get, they give you a bonus of large amount xp while being moderately challenging.

If it easy to get nor challenging for anyone, then it's just a test of patience on how much you want to grind maps to get to 100. Which then there is no point in a soft cap (since might as well balance at at level 100 and make you start "end game" or a map system and might a well let you open up maps in machines.

Challenging "map system" that's suppose to be built up towards and "easy for everyone to obtain in a casual manner" don't go hand in hand. Personally I don't care either way but a map system is harder to balance then people think.

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Arrowneous wrote:

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Faendris wrote:

I very much prefer a soft-cap. In fact I would really like it, if there were no hard level cap at all. Rather I would like to see an exponential increase in XP needed for the next level. That way you can spend forever increasing the power of your character.

That is exactly what I think would work best too. Have the cap be 100 and we view it as a "softcap", adjust all levels so Merciless final act boss be a level 100 zone and then we could play maps forever until we drop dead if desired.

I believe you're describing what already exists except your scenario's 100 soft cap is lower in the current situation.

You should edit your thread. It's easier to get to 100 than ever before. I am running my old 78s and getting more exp than ever before. So first they bumped exp. then they gave even higher level maps - up to 82 - lessening the experience hit as you cross 95.

People that want 100 will just buy maps, chain with others and do it. Faster than ever. You see this already looking at ladder lvls.

The real issue is "why does GGG so against players having an end game and make your avg player run low end content"

Maps are just a bad design first of all. They are RNG gated content not ability and you spend 90% of your time on content beneath you when mapping unless you do above (buy and chain). Thats just shitty design and makes players bored who are not trade queens. It's like arm wresting your sister. Cool a couple times but really gets old quick cos you can beat her easy due to male upper body strength. Same with these maps. Once characters come into own with lvl 20 gems and ability to wear good gear frag farming and low maps are a joke.

D3 actually does end game right - unlimited difficulty is at your finger tips with endless rifts - all you gotta do is complete lvls before it to prove you're worthy.

I am not understanding the whole map/xp changes post awakening. If someone would like to clue me in or tell me where to go to see some numbers.

I have been having fun taking my old characters through new content, leveling up new characters in new league, and doing dailies and have not run one single map outside a zana daily and that is the truth.

I'm not fascinated w/reaching 100. But I do think it ought to be possible if someone wants to expend the time and effort to do it.