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[Hawkian]

Welp, got my half day on Monday.

I have to say, I think I might skip out on WvW entirely this time around, just because I know I'll get caught up in it and the whole thing will be over before I realize it. I think what I'll do is try and rush my Necro to as high a level as I can, and try out as many weapon combos as possible.

 

[inky]

I'm not really worried about end game content, but I can see why some people would think it lacking. Hopefully those people will realize that they are not paying for a subscription that makes them feel that every second they are not playing ultra new and never seen content is like wasting money and can just enjoy what is there. Plus maybe ANET will have the sense to add new events constantly to keep people in beyond launch.

I think the whole idea behind GW2 is that leveling is not the climbing a mountain it is in other games, and that those cool item sets and "cool content" (like raids) is happening all the time during your journey and it doesn't unlock until you hit the level cap and, on top of that, you always have the option of WvW and dungeons. IDK, hardcore MMOers are a weird bunch, and my experience with it has only been LOTRO in which end game for me has been logging in every 7 days (which is when the timer for my crafting guild crest resets) so I can craft the 3rd best set of armor for my class, which seems to be the minimum requirement so that people allow you to run the only lvl 75 raid with them. *shrugs*

Speaking of, I wonder if people will complain about 70-80 not taking twice the time it took you to get from 1-70. You'd think this is a good thing but you never know. People always think they want different things in games, but the first complaint usually is that something doesn't work like it does in another comparable game. In that sense I think ANET is taking a lot of good risks, but in other parts it is still constrained by the usual MMO template. I mean, they are making it differently and accessible and fresh, but it is still the same kind of game. I also agree with a lot of Haly's points as per the game being absolutely ready for launch, I don't see why people jumped on him.

 

[Vano]

New Blog

Firstly, the number of people who pre-purchased the game far exceeded our expectations, and we had to temporarily disable pre-purchases. In the end that wasn’t enough, and even with 48 worlds we didn’t have enough server capacity to meet the huge demand.

This was definitely a real beta, designed to find problems, gather player input, and learn what work still needs to be done before we ship the game. We’ve listened to your feedback and we’re making some important improvements to the game for the next Beta Weekend Event.

http://www.arena.net/blog/mike-obrien-on-the-guild-wars-2-beta

 

[Ferrio]

Which ones? For me, only Mortal Online comes to mind, but I might have forgotten some, and MO is surely not "fine", even if I kinda like it.

Do tell, I'm searching for those kind of things!

Ultima Online. The granddaddy of MMOs

 

[RepairmanJack]

New Blog


http://www.arena.net/blog/mike-obrien-on-the-guild-wars-2-beta

So we're using the same build for this? Guess that means this test is for server end only? Hope it's overflow fixes.

 

[BrettWeir]

So we're using the same build for this? Guess that means this test is for server end only?

Seems so.

I usually start the client every day to get any updates they have made.....which at this point, is none to our client.

 

[Sephirus]

Considering it's just a stress test I'm not too surprised we're using the same build. Might as well use a build that's functional rather than risk using a newer one that hasn't been thoroughly tested.

 

[VanillaCakeIsBurning]

I'll be busy that day so I'll be lucky to get an hour in. Since it's a stress test I'm assuming there will be server issues as well.

I really can't wait for this to get out. The questing experience felt so fresh during the BWE. Like I could just explore and take things in and participate in events if I wanted to. The world just felt alive, at least compared to other MMO's.

Like right now I'm playing TERA, and while the combat is fun, the questing system is horrible. Horrible as in bringing back memories of my PTSD experience with leveling a char in WoW to 80.

It really feels like that system of quests just tells the player "Click through this stuff, it's garbage, don't pay attention to the story".

I would be enjoying TERA a lot more if it had Guild Wars 2 questing system with the DE's, personal story(voiced of course) and stuff. Oh well.

 

[Complistic]

So we're using the same build for this? Guess that means this test is for server end only? Hope it's overflow fixes.

He stated that pretty clearly. It also sounds like they'll be wiping characters for other BWEs. Or at least there's a possibility they will.

 

[birdchili]

I really wish they just got rid of levels. Then the whole game would actually be seen as "endgame".

if they started you with a full bar of skills too, perhaps.

that'd be a lot less fun though... having a character grow/change as you level is the good times... yearning for that new skill or hp bump that would let you explore that cave guarded by that *thing*...

make the fighting fun and i'll keep logging in with my fave capped character to mess about now and then... but give me something to hunt down that will give me a new gameplay option and i'll be a lot more motivated, since once i get that, i can play a bit differently, or "beat" an area that wasn't possible before.

people who treat levelling like a "job" to get to "endgame" are likely to consider "endgame" a job too...

 

[birdchili]

He stated that pretty clearly. It also sounds like they'll be wiping characters for other BWEs. Or at least there's a possibility they will.

the chances that the whole character file changes a bit is high... they're tweaking abilities and such, presumably... it's *far* simpler for them to just do a wipe. no one *really* wants them wasting time making all of the beta characters compatible with all of the beta builds.

 

[ShaneB]

if they started you with a full bar of skills too, perhaps.

that'd be a lot less fun though... having a character grow/change as you level is the good times... yearning for that new skill or hp bump that would let you explore that cave guarded by that *thing*...

make the fighting fun and i'll keep logging in with my fave capped character to mess about now and then... but give me something to hunt down that will give me a new gameplay option and i'll be a lot more motivated, since once i get that, i can play a bit differently, or "beat" an area that wasn't possible before.

people who treat levelling like a "job" to get to "endgame" are likely to consider "endgame" a job too...

But everything you've just said fits into old MMO tropes that more games should be trying to get away from. The idea of everything having levels and progression, etc etc.

The game is fun because the game is fun, not because you're making numbers go up.

I can understand what you're saying, but when games do things differently, they should be applauded.

 

[birdchili]

The game is fun because the game is fun, not because you're making numbers go up.

making the numbers go up is also fun.

collecting cool gear is fun.

getting new abilities and being able to play in new ways is fun.

(i'd love to see a good action-ey mmo with a very terrain-relevant combat system get a really high-quality random environment generator)

 

[birdchili]

I can understand what you're saying, but when games do things differently, they should be applauded.

trying new things should indeed be applauded. that said, if the new things are less fun, or if (in the case that we haven't actually tried the new things and are just grumping on the internet) they seem like they'd be less interesting for the style of play you like... you bring up questions about them...

 

[squidyj]

But everything you've just said fits into old MMO tropes that more games should be trying to get away from. The idea of everything having levels and progression, etc etc.

Yeah, Fuck D&D. What do they know anyway?

 

[Warrior_Keoni]

if they started you with a full bar of skills too, perhaps.

that'd be a lot less fun though... having a character grow/change as you level is the good times... yearning for that new skill or hp bump that would let you explore that cave guarded by that *thing*...

make the fighting fun and i'll keep logging in with my fave capped character to mess about now and then... but give me something to hunt down that will give me a new gameplay option and i'll be a lot more motivated, since once i get that, i can play a bit differently, or "beat" an area that wasn't possible before.

people who treat levelling like a "job" to get to "endgame" are likely to consider "endgame" a job too...

This I agree with so much. End-game "raiding" become a full-time job that it just got seriously boring to my tastes.

 

[Jira]

I really wish they would have went with no levels like they'd planned to, but as we've seen first hand people were confused by the DEs and why they were dying and such so I guess it turned into a somewhat good idea not to abolish levels entirely. People would have end up being VERY confused if they outright destroyed every convention they were used to.

 

[FutureZombie]

Any good info on how many players each server held and what race/class numbers were during the BWE?

 

[Jira]

Any good info on how many players each server held and what race/class numbers were during the BWE?

They've said multiple times hundreds of thousands were playing and the beta forums had over 200k views for the getting started thingy. So assuming let's say 200k with 48 servers that's 4100 per server, probably more than that since that's the low minimum.

As for race/class numbers there was a poll on reddit with a pretty good sample size, I can get it in a bit if you still want it.

 

[Mr. Luchador]

There was a really old MMO (MIR/MIR 2 I think it was called) where your guild could hold forts and walls throughout the world. That's what I'd really want from any 'end game' scenario in an MMO now. It sort of looks like that's where Guild Wars 2 is heading with the WvWvW idea.

 

[BrettWeir]

So....

Monday = Stress test.

Tuesday = Diablo 3. Even though I'm not really excited about it, someone got it for me as a gift, so I guess it will tide me over until the next BWE.

Wednesday until the next BWE = depression/withdrawal symptoms.

This is my future.

 

[Mr. Luchador]

Everyone seems so downbeat about Diablo III - was the beta that bad?

 

[ParityBit]

Everyone seems so downbeat about Diablo III - was the beta that bad?

They just removed a lot of features and beat it with the ugly WoW casual stick.

 

[BrettWeir]

They just removed a lot of features and beat it with the ugly WoW casual stick.

Pretty much this. And to me, the gameplay style is just........old and stagnant.

In D3 it's not "Swing a sword. Swing a sword again. Heeey, neat, I just swung my sword".....but "Click, click again. Heeey, neat, I just clicked again".

 

[GasProblem]

I loved the Diablo 3 beta. Spent like 15 hours on just the first 1/3 of Act 1, even had fun playing multiplayer with randoms.

 

[ParityBit]

I loved the Diablo 3 beta. Spent like 15 hours on just the first 1/3 of Act 1, even had fun playing multiplayer with randoms.

Don't get me wrong ..... I have the CE on order and bought the digital version just so I can play until I get the CE. But I was explaining why people seem so down on Diablo 3. I also agree with the sentiment. BUT, I reserve the right to change my feeling once I play the full game and not just the beta for 100's of hours

But GW2 is why I bought my new rig. It was the tipping point for me!

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

I'm going to have to disagree that it's a shallow endgame considering most of the content in the game serves a dual purpose and can be geared to any level.

Shallow end game. Shallow end game. I am trying to use my brain to figure out what this means.




In terms of WvW and PvP, ain't the end game deep *if* it's so good that you just want to keep playing?
A battleground in World of Warcraft is pretty fun. But after 50 matches? How about 100? I would argue that those are shallow because the gameplay is not fun enough to be lasting!



Or is shallow in the sense of time to unlock? and keep being occupied? For instance - How long will it take to unlock PvP skins in PvP? How long will it take to get those ultra rare crafting scematics/top tier Glory vendor rewards/titles/achievements?

Sure. I certainly feel a pull towards Battlefield 3. I am not good at the game, and in many cases, the matches are not that fun for me. I need to play it in small bursts of 30-60 minutes or I get frustrated. But I keep coming back for the deep meaningful unlock system. I find BF3 very well put together in terms of unlocks.
At this point, COD might have more, but COD is FUCKING crazy!









Please everyone - Tribes Ascend is trolling on metacritic. Warface, AVA, Ghost Recon Online, Aion, Vanguard, Fallen Earth, Conan, LOTRO, League of Legends... I mean. The list of meaningful free to play games is getting incredible large.

Spending thousands of hours is not a problem. GW2 does not need to keep us occupied like every fucking day. It doesn't. It really goddam does not. Because there is no way in hell that a game will bring a meaningful pull. Instead let's get 1/3 the dungeons, the pvp maps, and have 3 times the quality. Can't we all agree on that being the deepest end game?

I would rather run Ascalon catacombs a hundred times, if its fun, than 10 average dungeons. Maybe I have ADHD, but I won't waste my time. Thats why I want to play Guild Wars.

Jeff Strain always spoke about this franchise as one that wouldn't waste my goddam time. Give me short but great bursts. We all know what will happen with the long hardcore dungeon crawling raid type stuff. People will rage on themselves, forums, and everything. There is nothing wrong with the content, but the stimuli has gotten softer due to over expousure and burning out of the game.
No combat system or quest system or amount of rewards is going to change that.


So I say - Make some dungeons that are super hard at 80. Perhaps.. (a random out loud thought) four different hour long explorable mode dungeons. With three paths each, thats 12 different experiences (hopefully). 4 pvp maps. a big WvW zone! I think something like that seems fair to me.
Perhaps 3-6 months down the road they will include some new dynamic events were it's lacking, and hopefully 1-2 years down the road we are playing the first new big campaign (cantha, woopp woop).
But we can't expect WoW style retention. That would be purposeless. There is no fee here. We don't need to think about end game like this.




And good riddence. Look at Bioware. Those poor bastards at SWTOR. Think about what fucking horrible job they have. What a goddam mess to keep those guys occupied. there is no way you dont exhaust the developers trying to play catch-up. Maybe that is how Blizzard lost their flair and spark over the years?

 

[BrettWeir]

Well endgame really just means whatever you do after you finish getting to the max level cap/finish the story.

but to the typical MMO person, it means "What raids does this game have?"

It's one of those things *shrugs*

This is sad. I honestly feel sorry for those that missed out on DAoC. PvE was it's worst area. RvR was its "end game", and it was damn amazing.

Sickens me that WoW has pretty much set the precedent for end game and what players expect.

Thank God for ArenaNet having the balls to get away from that abysmal model, and very, very happy about the way they have implemented WvW.

 

[ParityBit]

This is sad. I honestly feel sorry for those that missed out on DAoC. PvE was it's worst area. RvR was its "end game", and it was damn amazing.

Sickens me that WoW has pretty much set the precedent for end game and what players expect.

Thank God for WvW.

DAoC had amazing endgame WvW content. DF was the best dungeon/idea ever.

 

[BrettWeir]

DAoC had amazing endgame WvW content. DF was the best dungeon/idea ever.

This x 1000. I really hope they do something like this for future content in GW2. Gives even more purpose to WvW.

 

[Hawkian]

The potential for WvW is just limitless. The mind boggles.

 

[commish]

Don't get me wrong ..... I have the CE on order and bought the digital version just so I can play until I get the CE. But I was explaining why people seem so down on Diablo 3. I also agree with the sentiment. BUT, I reserve the right to change my feeling once I play the full game and not just the beta for 100's of hours

But GW2 is why I bought my new rig. It was the tipping point for me!

After playing GW2, D3 is shaping up to be quite disappointing, I won't lie. As I said a few weeks ago, the gameplay just seems stuck in 1998. I'm definitely looking forward to D3, and I will put 200 hours into it the first 3 days and love it I'm sure, but I just hoped for a bit of innovation and moving the sticks forward. But I only played the open beta of D3, so perhaps the full game offers a lot more. I'm much more intimately familiar with GW2, so I'm sure that colors my perception.

 

[Kem0sabe]

DAoC had amazing endgame WvW content. DF was the best dungeon/idea ever.

Still, as WoW and other "successful" mmo´s proved, the large majority of the player base looks to PVE instead of PVP.

Personally, i don´t see an addictive PVE component as the holy grail that every developer should follow to have success with their product. PVP, as DAoC, EvE, Ultima, GW1, have proven to an extent goes a long way to generate the user content that´s needed to maintain a healthy player base.

It´s interesting tho, that only one current successful MMO features a completely user driven experience, EvE online, while other AAA launches have come and gone with varying degrees of disaster, EvE still hangs in there and makes money... i think there´s a lesson there for developers everywhere.

 

[LowParry]

After playing GW2, D3 is shaping up to be quite disappointing, I won't lie. As I said a few weeks ago, the gameplay just seems stuck in 1998. I'm definitely looking forward to D3, and I will put 200 hours into it the first 3 days and love it I'm sure, but I just hoped for a bit of innovation and moving the sticks forward. But I only played the open beta of D3, so perhaps the full game offers a lot more. I'm much more intimately familiar with GW2, so I'm sure that colors my perception.

We're talking about two completely style of games here. The D3 changes make sense and they work. 'nough said. Either way, I'm a FoS bastard. Looking forward to Monday to try out the caster classes next.

 

[Hawkian]

raaaar

 

[J-Rzez]

Naw blizzard didnt lose their flair and spark from burnout, they just realized that the majority of their fanbase were obsessed lemmings. Their disgusting and rampant recycling of content and art despite having the money to not let this happen was because they knew their superfans would gobble up any crap they got from them like catfish. So they thought "less effort, less costs, and more profit". They didnt have any competition worth its salt to pull ppl away as well. Zero threat to their laziness.

There was lots for them to do. Unique armor, weapons, effects, and other arts. They could have updated their vanilla models for ppl so it wasnt glaring compared to the new models. They could have delivered on their talks, guild housing, player housing, dance studio, etc. They didnt because they were lazy and their superfans attacked everyone who were miffed. Now though even some superfans came around. Theyre losing subs and they have real competition but its too late.

Considering how bad of shape "titan" seems to be in suggests theyre aware of the new trends and threats and have to adjust accordingly.

Sorry for the long response but that company really made me a pissed they put so little effort in equal returns to their fans for their money gained. And this just isnt WoW, this new model of lower effort can be spotted in SC and D3. This is Anet's chance to really put a finisher on them. They just need to folllw through their model and release content accordingly to keep ppl happy. They need to with f2p anyways for their own success.

 

[zulfate]

More like a *meow*

 

[RepairmanJack]

Considering how bad of shape "titan" seems to be in suggests theyre aware of the new trends and threats and have to adjust accordingly.

Where does this come from? Honest question. How does it seem Titan is in bad shape?

 

[Retro]

I really wish they just got rid of levels. Then the whole game would actually be seen as "endgame".

Fun fact: Early in development, Guild Wars 2 had no levels, but it quickly became apparent via testing that players need a familiar progression system, both to tell them where to go and provide motivation.

I agree with you though, vertical progression systems are really only good for gating content and giving you bars to fill. The sense of progression players crave could just as easily be skill based (i.e. Player gets better at the game = player can play in more dangerous places), but it doesn't provide a simple metric which players can track or compare progress.

Firstly, the number of people who pre-purchased the game far exceeded our expectations, and we had to temporarily disable pre-purchases. In the end that wasn’t enough, and even with 48 worlds we didn’t have enough server capacity to meet the huge demand.

Data, data, data, Mr. O'Brien, give me data. I cannot make hype kool-aid without numbers.

that'd be a lot less fun though... having a character grow/change as you level is the good times... yearning for that new skill or hp bump that would let you explore that cave guarded by that *thing*

I'd rather have them drop level/experience and have them hand out stat boosts the same way they hand out skill points; by getting out in the world and doing stuff. Rather than getting an arbitrary stat increase whenever you fill the experience gauge, have it work like Zelda's heart containers; HP (and other stats, in theory) would be increased by finding items or 'growth challenges' out in the world. Maybe even after beating especially nasty chapters in your personal story too.

 

[ParityBit]

Where can I download the beta client again? I have it on my old machine, but I want to install on my new machine.

 

[Hawkian]

Where can I download the beta client again? I have it on my old machine, but I want to install on my new machine.

Tis in the OP

 

[ParityBit]

Tis in the OP

hangs head in shame

Thank you kind sir

 

[RepairmanJack]

Fun fact: Early in development, Guild Wars 2 had no levels, but it quickly became apparent via testing that players need a familiar progression system, both to tell them where to go and provide motivation.

I agree with you though, vertical progression systems are really only good for gating content and giving you bars to fill. The sense of progression players crave could just as easily be skill based (i.e. Player gets better at the game = player can play in more dangerous places), but it doesn't provide a simple metric which players can track or compare progress.

Yeah, that's what I was referring to. I wish they went through with it. I can understand why they didn't though. Not only are people more familiar with the play style, but a lot of the stuff they do is sort of gated by XP and levels in a way. It would have been cool though to have a new form of xp, change the name and treat it as a currency you can spend on skills and other things. Maybe that's where Karma came from?

I think the game would seem more crazy and in depth if it wasn't level based. It would be nice to consider zones as hard or easy as apposed to level 15 or level 40. I think in this way it would open up the world a lot more for exploring, no more next area for a specific level, just go out and do whatever. Also would force people to learn new ways of playing because you know if you got your ass kicked by a mob it wasn't because you were too low a level.

 

[flyinpiranha]

I'm probably against the main sentiment in this thread but I love levels. I think there may be different ways to do it but in the end it's still just a level. Whether you get to level 12 to unlock Skill A or if you attack XX number of things to get Skill A it is still leveling.

I'm actually glad they left some aspects of an MMO in. I won't always want to log on and go WvW or do a dungeon, I sometimes just want to craft or mess around with auctions for a couple hours or gather or w/e ... I think that's what makes this game so special for me, is that I can do ALL of this and not pay monthly.

I'll probably spend more in the cash shop than I would on a monthly fee but it's for stuff I directly want/need and I have the choice of not paying and still enjoying the game.

I'm worried because it seems to address all the issues I've had with MMO's over the years and fixes them, it's almost too good to be true! I keep telling my gaming friends that this is the MMO that will break what MMO's should be, much like other games were "gamechangers".

 

[birdchili]

I'd rather have them drop level/experience and have them hand out stat boosts the same way they hand out skill points; by getting out in the world and doing stuff. Rather than getting an arbitrary stat increase whenever you fill the experience gauge, have it work like Zelda's heart containers; HP (and other stats, in theory) would be increased by finding items or 'growth challenges' out in the world. Maybe even after beating especially nasty chapters in your personal story too.

that's just levels by another name though. you're just changing what you get "xp" for. ddo (for example) only gives xp for completing quests (that's not strictly true, but close). if you wipe on the final boss, you don't get xp.

what's the advantage of just giving "hearts" and stat-boosts over levels? i don't understand why this is in any way a better system.

 

[BrettWeir]

I'm probably against the main sentiment in this thread but I love levels. I think there may be different ways to do it but in the end it's still just a level. Whether you get to level 12 to unlock Skill A or if you attack XX number of things to get Skill A it is still leveling.

I'm actually glad they left some aspects of an MMO in. I won't always want to log on and go WvW or do a dungeon, I sometimes just want to craft or mess around with auctions for a couple hours or gather or w/e ... I think that's what makes this game so special for me, is that I can do ALL of this and not pay monthly.

I'll probably spend more in the cash shop than I would on a monthly fee but it's for stuff I directly want/need and I have the choice of not paying and still enjoying the game.

I'm worried because it seems to address all the issues I've had with MMO's over the years and fixes them, it's almost too good to be true! I keep telling my gaming friends that this is the MMO that will break what MMO's should be, much like other games were "gamechangers".

I'm with you on all of the above. Very happy that levels are left in.

 

[J-Rzez]

Where does this come from? Honest question. How does it seem Titan is in bad shape?

Well they got rid of a lot of the big guys in charge of it's development, err, they left, and I believe on the one podcast I was listening to on gamebreakers someone mentioned they heard not only with the people leaving, but that they had to "restructure" the game 3 times now, most likely this time to being F2P and "features/core design", so maybe something similar to what GW2 is doing, especially after seeing how SWTOR is bleeding subs.

 

[RepairmanJack]

Don't get me wrong I like leveling in games usually, but for GW2 and how it is it seems like it could go without.

They want the whole game to be viewed as endgame, they want to put an emphasis on exploring and just having fun with doing what you want to do. What better way to do that then by getting rid of what holds you back? Without levels you would be able to go and do anything in the game you want to as soon as you step into the world.

I would like it if they did some kind of currency with skills. Turn Karma into what is used to buy skills and traits. Make some zones mobs bigger and harder than other places in the game and reward exploration with bigger and more dynamic events. The game is basically like this after level 30 anyways. I just think the number is going to hold a lot of people back from considering the entire game as endgame.

Well they got rid of a lot of the big guys in charge of it's development, err, they left, and I believe on the one podcast I was listening to on gamebreakers someone mentioned they heard not only with the people leaving, but that they had to "restructure" the game 3 times now, most likely this time to being F2P and "features/core design", so maybe something similar to what GW2 is doing, especially after seeing how SWTOR is bleeding subs.

Hmmm, kind of interesting. Will be interesting to see if they show any of it at next years blizzcon. I honestly think f2p would be their best bet they are probably making a fortune off of all the pets and mounts they have sold. Though I can see blizzard fans raging even more than the GW2 fans did with what they put up for sale.

 

[Retro]

that's just levels by another name though. you're just changing what you get "xp" for. ddo (for example) only gives xp for completing quests (that's not strictly true, but close). if you wipe on the final boss, you don't get xp.

what's the advantage of just giving "hearts" and stat-boosts over levels? i don't understand why this is in any way a better system.

Zelda's Pieces of Heart are physical objects located in a specific location, usually behind some kind of puzzle or challenge. You can't just head out into Hyrule and grind monsters to level up; you have to actually go somewhere and do something.

Likewise for the Skill Challenges in GW2: yes, you're getting skill points as you level, but you can also zip around the map and earn them too (again, usually behind some kind of fight, as with the Windmill King in Queensdale).

It's not just "XP under a different name" because it requires you to actually do something specific, not just kill an arbitrary number of enemies or complete quests. The only way to advance in this concept is to go out into the world and overcome challenges. They could be as easy as "kill this skritt" to as difficult as defeating a boss, navigating a maze (or jumping puzzle) or just being very observant and exploring.

 

[birdchili]

I just think the number is going to hold a lot of people back from considering the entire game as endgame.

it really won't. everyone but the most mentally inflexible will play the game and find ways to have fun if they can... some won't like the game and blame x for that, but whatever...

levels make it really easy to find content that's at a fun difficulty level for your mood. feeling brave? go do an area a few levels above your group. feeling lazy/drunk/etc... go run around in the crippled goblin alley newb area.

they're already (anecdotally) having a hard time scaling content to be appropriate for players. dropping levels would make this even harder.