The Level 30-60 Deadzone - Revisited

[Azzure]

A few months ago, shortly after the new skill-system was revealed, the subject of "what will leveling up after level 30 give you apart from a few measly stats?" came up. I personally found the topic quite valid and the Beta has only intensified my thoughts on this problem.

As everyone is aware, currently all abilities, passive abilities, skill number unlocks etc are all fully unlocked by level 30 (or thereabouts). This leaves levels 30-60 with nothing but a tiny increase in stat points per level up.

In the Beta, every level you gain gives you at least 1 new unlock. Sometimes its an ability, sometimes a passive, and sometimes an additional skill/passive slot. This provides a certain level of incentive and excitement to leveling up.

Does anyone else feel like this is bad design and will make level 30-60 a little unsatisfying and grindy? It feels a bit broken to me and surely Blizzard could come up with something.

My idea would be to allow your new attribute points gained after level 30 to be assigned by the player. This would make sense because after level 30, players should have enough knowledge to know what these points mean and where they would want to spend them. Secondly, it allows players to customize their characters without significantly changing the dynamics of the class, as all stat points are relative in power and are equally useful to all classes (which wasn't the case in Diablo 2).

A lot of people want to be able to assign stat points, this idea allows them to do so at a time that is appropriate, that won't break their class if they get it wrong and at a time that leveling doesn't do anything else that is meaningful.

Does anyone else have any thoughts or ideas on the level 30-60 "deadzone"?

[Hyliangod]

just wanna point out that after lvl 30 in diablo 2 you already had every skill you could gain access to. beyond that was just upping the damage. if this is just going to be another manual stats thread you might as well title it that.

[xManiaCCCx]

I would like to see anything in this "Deadzone" ..but not attributes.. it's meaningless illusion of customization which offers nothing.

But yea..something here would be nice.. even if you could just develop your crafters or followers somehow..

[konfeta]

http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/com...30-60-deadzone

Just passing by.

[TheDestructor]

Well, considering what was said in Konfeta's link, I predict that the real game starts at 30. At that point, you have an idea of what you want your character to specialize in, and you're working towards that. Diablo is a lot about min/maxing, and those 30 levels will be nothing but that. Your gain in power every level will come in terms of new items gathered that feed into your personal idea of what is the ultimate build. (I don't know what everyone wants from their leveling, but I think I would enjoy this.)

Or at least, that's what I hope. Either way, the lack of stuff to unlock on my character page really doesn't concern me all that much.

[demasked]

Perhaps if your character unlocked stuff outside of the game like new arena areas or arena modes. I hope that there will be some sort of pvm challenge mode that will eventually implemented into the game.

The only worry I have is the endgame value. Just having some pvp game types and the main gameplay isn't as much a thrill as it could be.

Add a few challenge maps where there are endless waves of monsters attacking you and your team and it'll be much more interesting. Or maybe a pvp type game where there will be monsters that attack you while you are fighting the enemy team.

The more "mini games" there are the better.

[Spens]

I would like to see anything in this "Deadzone" ..but not attributes.. it's meaningless illusion of customization which offers nothing.

Not sure how it is an illusion of customization.

[jangoolie]

Not sure how it is an illusion of customization.

Because for almost every spec in DII there was one correct way of placing your stats (enough str for gear, no int or dex, all vit) and placing stats in any other way was just gimping your character. That's not customization that's just adding an opportunity for new players to gimp their characters and adding a chore for experienced players.

[Soval]

I've got two solutions that will put an end to these flummoxing dilemmas once and for all:

First, every time you gain a level, several plus icons will appear on your screen with blinking disco lights, loud sirens, and fireworks so that you really know you gained a level and you really know that they are there.

Then, then you click on one them, they would each bring you to a new menu that would each contain another set of plus icons that you could click on, which would each open another menu that contained another set of plus icons that you could click on, which would each make a Diablo II attribute/skill-up noise whenever you chose to clack on them, and you could click on them as much or a little as you wanted.

Now, these buttons wouldn't actually do anything mind you --since you character already silently improved on all his attributes and skills the moment he leveled up-- but it would give everyone that satisfying, self-empowering feeling that they had really manged to accomplish something when they gained a level and were doing something interesting with their character. That's really important.

Second, while all the above is going on, your own personal life-coach will also appear on screen to provide the player with positive reinforcement. He or she will say inspirational things like:
"Great Job!"
"You da' man!"
"That haircut is very becoming"
"Have you lost weight?"
"That promotion is as good as your's"
"You are a great provider and a generous lover"
Etc.

That way, no one will very feel like they aren't getting something positive when they are leveling from levels 30 to 60.

I mean, it's not like any of us have any irrational need for pointless psychological busywork and unneeded repetition of outdated mechanics from a decade old game to get enjoyment out of D3, right?

[Scorch Hellfire]

Azzure, if they have already made a strong stance against any manual stat allocation, then why would they suddenly decide it's ok to have it for half of the leveling up experience? They seem very content with gear and runes being the only character power increases past 30 and I doubt that will ever change for D3 (aside from new mechanics such as the eventual introduction of the revamped talisman)...