Achievement Points; very disappointed

[Proudfoot]

My highest character, now level 40, has a born date of early last year. I've been workin on him (Fury) off/on for months now.SOE designers designed a system that punishes anyone who had played prior to the latest expansion. Follow me here, its true.New characters (or existing characters pre-20) will have an 'advantage' over others in the amount of points earned. Now, fortunate for SOE the PvP servers came in WITH the Achievement Points, so they don't have to worry with 'head-start', but on the flip side, why wouldn't they reward back accopmplishments to existing players? Considering the PvP servers came up as fresh new servers, there are no high levels to taint the AP system.It has taken me a long time to get to 40. Took me about 3 years off/on just to hit 50 in EQ1 (Bard no less heh). Why? Because, like some of you out there, I can't sit and play for long stints at a time. I tried to play everyday, just to get some time in, but simple mob killing isn't really exp in EQ2, you have to complete tasks/quests/writs to get a noticable movement in the bar... so it took me awhile.Anyway, I'm very disappointed in this latest arrogance of SOE to punish existing, over level 20 players.There is a completed journal and collections section, as well as a log of the locations that the character has discovered. I hope, not far down the road, SOE manages to patch in the retroactive points. Again, why wouldn't they? PvP was fresh, so you can't toss that one around. Equal start for all on Points? So, if I tell my friend to go pickup the latest bundle of EQ2 plus KoS in a months time, you'll reset all the APs back to 0 so he can have an 'equal' start? No logic is there.<div></div>

[HaCkHaCkER]

<div></div><p>everyone has an equal foot on the AA points, everyone starts with zero.</p><p>i would much rather be 60 with 0 points than 20 with zero, why you may ask, because as soon as i hit 70 all XP will be pushed into AA, therefor earning me a lot more a lot faster.</p><p>no just to let you know, since the expansion went live i have gianed 5 aa points on my 58conj, and only 1 on my 32 warlock, 1 on my 25 fury, and 1 on my 21 pally.  so it is alot easier to gain the points from a higher lvl than it is from a lower lvl.</p><p>the only thing the 20s toons have over the higher toons is the future.  they still have a ton of named they havent killed and places they havnt been.</p><p>i personally think it is completly fair.</p><p>do you think it would be fair to a lvl 20 player that when a lvl 60 logged in that they dinged 25AA i would find that very unfair.</p>

[Ceruline]

<div></div><p>This isn't really near the top of my list of achievement criticisms.  When they still had the level based Achievement points, I certainly felt it unfair to higher level characters.  As is, it's a trifle annoying to not be able to get achievement from that lower level stuff, but it's balanced by the higher level content giving achievement at a much faster rate.</p><p> </p><p>If I want to start criticizing achievement, I'd start with the poor choice of splitting a tree between two classes (For some of the classes this isn't too bad, but for very divergent classes (ie. the Crusader tree for Shadowknights and Paladins) the abilities either seem to only benefit one of the two, or just not be very helpful) and the amount of linkage between equipment type and achievement abilities.</p><p> </p><p>I can think of a lot of issues with the achievement system, but I don't have much of one with how the points are gained, at least at the moment.</p>

[bcbroom]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>Ceruline wrote:<div></div><p>If I want to start criticizing achievement, I'd start with the poor choice of splitting a tree between two classes (For some of the classes this isn't too bad, but for very divergent classes (ie. the Crusader tree for Shadowknights and Paladins) the abilities either seem to only benefit one of the two, or just not be very helpful) and the amount of linkage between equipment type and achievement abilities.</p><hr></blockquote>What I really don't get is the stat connection. Most classes have somewhat complicated interplay between stats, primarily Str/Wis/Agi, but Mages are all about Int.  Why I have to increase Str or Sta to get to the lines I want is beyond me.  Also (at least for the starter ability) the dependance on weapon is somewhat interesting, but only because I dont have a spiffy weapon of a certain type (ie prismatic) that would either be useless or drive me to make choices I don't want.

[EtoilePirate]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>bcbroom wrote:<div></div><blockquote><hr>Ceruline wrote:<div></div><p>If I want to start criticizing achievement, I'd start with the poor choice of splitting a tree between two classes (For some of the classes this isn't too bad, but for very divergent classes (ie. the Crusader tree for Shadowknights and Paladins) the abilities either seem to only benefit one of the two, or just not be very helpful) and the amount of linkage between equipment type and achievement abilities.</p><hr></blockquote>What I really don't get is the stat connection. Most classes have somewhat complicated interplay between stats, primarily Str/Wis/Agi, but Mages are all about Int.  Why I have to increase Str or Sta to get to the lines I want is beyond me.  Also (at least for the starter ability) the dependance on weapon is somewhat interesting, but only because I dont have a spiffy weapon of a certain type (ie prismatic) that would either be useless or drive me to make choices I don't want.<hr></blockquote>Ditto.  I can't fathom an Assassin spending 4 AAs in Int just to get to some poison-based skills.  I'll stick with the STR line, I quess.  and maybe AGI -- although it would be nice if AGI weren't useless to a scout, really.</span></div>

[Purr]

<div></div><div>Most rediculous I have seen so far is the BUCKLER  (yes - tiny tin/wood plates barely covering ones hand) requirement for the Stamina line of my Guardian. Stamina is what I want with her all the way but if I ever have her spotted using a buckler instead of the biggest Tower shield I can find I should be thrown in the deepest dungeon with the nastiest Dev.</div><div> </div><div>But to get back to the original post : I really don't think that there is anything unfair how AAs are given to high level chars. Aside of that: you might be able to make up for what you see as disadvantage by simply mentoring down to the appropriate level. BG posted a nice FAQ about AAs</div><div> </div><div><div><a target="_blank" href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=faq&message.id=27"><font color="#c8c1b5">http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=faq&message.id=27</font></a> </div><div> </div><div>That only helps so far, though. But as said already : hitting 70 will put all experience from that point on into AAs. And let's face it : Some AAs might be sweet, but at least on the classes I play I have yet to see something real great.</div><div> </div><div>Purr~</div><div>Test Server = priceless</div></div>