I'm sorry to say but this is going to be a problem in any skill/ability based game just the same as it is in any class based game. In class based games people gravitate towards the most powerful class. Why would players in a ability/skill based game not do the same thing? They are going to gravitate towards the most powerful abilites. This is why I have never gotten into the whole class based vs skill based debate because in the end it's really the same. In the end a skill based system will end up one of two ways depending on how its balanced. If there are "caps" keeping you from only going so high in one "tree" then half way up another tree you are still going to end up with the same style as a class based system. There will be tanks, DPS, healers, etc. On the other hand if there are NO caps and everyone can learn everything then everyone is just going to be the same. It's a class bassed system based on skills instead of a class name. In the end the issue isnt classes, skills, abilities or whatever. The issue is that there are certain ROLES that need to be filled. Stuff needs to die so you are always going to have DPS characters. It doesnt matter if it's called a Assassian or if someone put a bunch of skills together to make a DPS class. Characters are always going to require healing so it doesnt matter if your character is called a priest or just has a bunch of healing skills. See where I am going with this?
In CO, you always have access to all the power sets. However, most powers with in a set have a simple pre-requisite for purchase. The pre-requisite is either the number of powers you have purchased with in that power set, or the total number of non-travel powers you have purchased across all power sets. e.g. a Force power may require you to have 4 powers with in that power set, or 9 non-travel powers across all sets. This means that the more powerful skills in a set are available much earlier if you specialize in that set and also some of the highest tier powers in each set may only be available for those who specialize almost entirely in that one set.
Early on, mixing and matching between two power sets is pretty productive and allows for good, solo friendly builds in many, many possible combinations. As you progress, you open up additional build slots. These builds can be entirely different that you other builds, so players can afford to be more focused in these additional builds. Also, there are four build types to chose from. One is balanced and the other three are role specific. The three non-balanced give boosts and penalties to certain types of powers. This allows you to make group builds that are very good at specific roles, but not nearly as self sufficient as the balanced build type.
Even if you make a focus build for let's say a DPS role, there are a number of DPS friendly power sets, a number of viable power combinations with in those sets and still the ability to mix in powers from other power sets.
So, yes, building groups that mix characters that specialize in a particular focus is very much rewarded in this game. You still have a lot of variety in how you assemble your DPS, Crowd Control or Healing centric builds. Remember, as well, you can have multiple builds that vary widely. You can swap outside of combat easily, no need to visit an NPC and pay a fee. At the highest level ranges, if someone really wanted to, they could have four different builds, one for each role. This allows people to maintain a solo (or even PvP) capable build, while also being able to offer role specific support with the same character.
This is the exact point I was making in another thead and the same conclusion. Make stats king for abilities and you will make characters that are different. You will need to do skills that align with your stats and you will have to choose what skills to upgrade which will drive a specific build rather then all builds being equal. You will still have a jack of all trades characteristic but players will need to choose what they will excell at you won't be equally good at everything.
I'm not sure stats alone is enough but it is a start they just need to make sure that stats are significant and add that characteristic to each power set. Archery power sets are primarily dexterity and secondary endurance for example. Maybe dex is twice as significant as endurance and the sum of the two create a significant enhancement to the powers in that build. Significant meaning more than all other stat effects.
This will mean that if you are a telepath you will want to focus on a specific set of stats to enhance your core skills. Because of this you will also want to focus your skill upgrades on the core skills. Sure you will add powers from other trees but the stat requirements for those powers will be different so you won't be as effective at them since you will have stats that focus on telepath skills. You also probably will not want to make a build where you try to focus on the other stats because then the majority of your strong skills will be gimped. So as a telepath you might take invulnerabilty and some melee skills but even if you have a defensive build and equipment set that enhances those abilities it will be making a big sacrifice to your primary skill sets.
Things they could do to make this really work is to do the following
1. Make stats have a big impact on power effectiveness.
2. add stats to each power description so when you take a power you know the governing stats.
3. provide more intrinsic stat upgrades and layering. You get two superstat upgrades and 7 talent upgrades but the upgrades only give limited upgrades for any stat. I'd give more varieties as you level up enabling you to focus more on one or two stats. Right now you can focus on one stat mostly and end up spreading points to random stats in the talent upgrades if you try to build one stat to max.
4. Maybe deepen the upgrade tree for powers. Change the upgrades from 5 points per power to 7.
Doing this would tend to make people focus more on specific frameworks or framework groups that are related. It would reduce the jack of all trades track that the game currently forces you down.
The result would be that you would have heros that are tank heros, or healer heros or dps heros or CC heros for their major strengths while still being able to have abilities across a spectrum but would focus their gameplay on their strengths so ultimately every character wouldn't end up being a ranged/dps class with tank and healing abilities.
They just removed the ability to fully respec a character. (You can only respec the 10 most recent skill purchases, with stat boosts and power enhancements included in the 10). So min/maxed cookie cutter builds will be the name of the game. People who don't use a proven cookie cookie cutter build will run a large risk of being gimped, making that character worthless and requiring a re-roll.
It will also discourage people from making a focused build character, unless they intend to group all the time.
When you have a game with thousands of possible character builds, some that will be uber and many others that will be gimped, but then remove the ability to respec, you guarantee major problems.
Unless they reverse course on this, the game is done.
I take back most of what I said. They just removed the ability to fully respec a character. (You can only respec the 10 most recent skill purchases, with stat boosts and power enhancements included in the 10). So min/maxed cookie cutter builds will be the name of the game. People who don't use a proven cookie cookie cutter build will run a large risk of being gimped, making that character worthless and requiring a re-roll. It will also discourage people from making a focused build character, unless they intend to group all the time. When you have a game with thousands of possible character builds, some that will be uber and many others that will be gimped, but then remove the ability to respec, you guarantee major problems. Unless they reverse course on this, the game is done.
I think full respecs need to be earned, but you can always respec your last 10. In CB after they removed the ability to do a full respec on all powers when I hit a certain level I was given a chance to fully respec at no cost to me, in which I DID take that and I respecc'd all my powers as I was able to at the beginning of beta.
That being said, I'm sure they will still have that ability.... I also bet you will have to pay $$$ via MT for it as theres no set way to earn it right now.
Comments
In CO, you always have access to all the power sets. However, most powers with in a set have a simple pre-requisite for purchase. The pre-requisite is either the number of powers you have purchased with in that power set, or the total number of non-travel powers you have purchased across all power sets. e.g. a Force power may require you to have 4 powers with in that power set, or 9 non-travel powers across all sets. This means that the more powerful skills in a set are available much earlier if you specialize in that set and also some of the highest tier powers in each set may only be available for those who specialize almost entirely in that one set.
Early on, mixing and matching between two power sets is pretty productive and allows for good, solo friendly builds in many, many possible combinations. As you progress, you open up additional build slots. These builds can be entirely different that you other builds, so players can afford to be more focused in these additional builds. Also, there are four build types to chose from. One is balanced and the other three are role specific. The three non-balanced give boosts and penalties to certain types of powers. This allows you to make group builds that are very good at specific roles, but not nearly as self sufficient as the balanced build type.
Even if you make a focus build for let's say a DPS role, there are a number of DPS friendly power sets, a number of viable power combinations with in those sets and still the ability to mix in powers from other power sets.
So, yes, building groups that mix characters that specialize in a particular focus is very much rewarded in this game. You still have a lot of variety in how you assemble your DPS, Crowd Control or Healing centric builds. Remember, as well, you can have multiple builds that vary widely. You can swap outside of combat easily, no need to visit an NPC and pay a fee. At the highest level ranges, if someone really wanted to, they could have four different builds, one for each role. This allows people to maintain a solo (or even PvP) capable build, while also being able to offer role specific support with the same character.
Want to know more about GW2 and why there is so much buzz? Start here: Guild Wars 2 Mass Info for the Uninitiated
This is the exact point I was making in another thead and the same conclusion. Make stats king for abilities and you will make characters that are different. You will need to do skills that align with your stats and you will have to choose what skills to upgrade which will drive a specific build rather then all builds being equal. You will still have a jack of all trades characteristic but players will need to choose what they will excell at you won't be equally good at everything.
I'm not sure stats alone is enough but it is a start they just need to make sure that stats are significant and add that characteristic to each power set. Archery power sets are primarily dexterity and secondary endurance for example. Maybe dex is twice as significant as endurance and the sum of the two create a significant enhancement to the powers in that build. Significant meaning more than all other stat effects.
This will mean that if you are a telepath you will want to focus on a specific set of stats to enhance your core skills. Because of this you will also want to focus your skill upgrades on the core skills. Sure you will add powers from other trees but the stat requirements for those powers will be different so you won't be as effective at them since you will have stats that focus on telepath skills. You also probably will not want to make a build where you try to focus on the other stats because then the majority of your strong skills will be gimped. So as a telepath you might take invulnerabilty and some melee skills but even if you have a defensive build and equipment set that enhances those abilities it will be making a big sacrifice to your primary skill sets.
Things they could do to make this really work is to do the following
1. Make stats have a big impact on power effectiveness.
2. add stats to each power description so when you take a power you know the governing stats.
3. provide more intrinsic stat upgrades and layering. You get two superstat upgrades and 7 talent upgrades but the upgrades only give limited upgrades for any stat. I'd give more varieties as you level up enabling you to focus more on one or two stats. Right now you can focus on one stat mostly and end up spreading points to random stats in the talent upgrades if you try to build one stat to max.
4. Maybe deepen the upgrade tree for powers. Change the upgrades from 5 points per power to 7.
Doing this would tend to make people focus more on specific frameworks or framework groups that are related. It would reduce the jack of all trades track that the game currently forces you down.
The result would be that you would have heros that are tank heros, or healer heros or dps heros or CC heros for their major strengths while still being able to have abilities across a spectrum but would focus their gameplay on their strengths so ultimately every character wouldn't end up being a ranged/dps class with tank and healing abilities.
---
Ethion
I take back most of what I said.
They just removed the ability to fully respec a character. (You can only respec the 10 most recent skill purchases, with stat boosts and power enhancements included in the 10). So min/maxed cookie cutter builds will be the name of the game. People who don't use a proven cookie cookie cutter build will run a large risk of being gimped, making that character worthless and requiring a re-roll.
It will also discourage people from making a focused build character, unless they intend to group all the time.
When you have a game with thousands of possible character builds, some that will be uber and many others that will be gimped, but then remove the ability to respec, you guarantee major problems.
Unless they reverse course on this, the game is done.
Want to know more about GW2 and why there is so much buzz? Start here: Guild Wars 2 Mass Info for the Uninitiated
I think full respecs need to be earned, but you can always respec your last 10. In CB after they removed the ability to do a full respec on all powers when I hit a certain level I was given a chance to fully respec at no cost to me, in which I DID take that and I respecc'd all my powers as I was able to at the beginning of beta.
That being said, I'm sure they will still have that ability.... I also bet you will have to pay $$$ via MT for it as theres no set way to earn it right now.