Will this be like WoW where gear becomes obsolte THAT fast?

[Gramul]

That's how it should be. That's how every successful MMO does it. Don't like it? You're free to go back to an archaic MMO like FFXI.

Every successful MMO?
You mean the very large pile of WoW-too attempts sitting in the F2P zone of irrelevant-opolis?
Or do you mean successful MMOs that have lasted for over a decade without needing to rely on cashshop gimmicks. Like the wicked old FFXI.

Try to discount WoW all you want but it's a model that works.

Yes. It's a model that worked FOR WoW. No so great for every mimic that came out after.

As for FFXI, well its dwindling subscription numbers speak for itself.

XI's low numbers can be attributed to the totally screwed up game dynamic brought on by Abyssia and the fact the game is chained down by a 14 year old console. WoW has no such restriction, and even then its subscriber base is starting to fall, even with constant expansions.

If the so-called horizontal progression model was something that the masses desired, we'd see it in every MMO that came out. We do not, and for a good reason.

What reason might that be? What on earth is so terrible about horizontal progression? The lack of nerfing old content just to make sure new players catch up? The variety in ways you can raise your character? What has made this idea so toxic to you?

[Legionius]

Every successful MMO?
You mean the very large pile of WoW-too attempts sitting in the F2P zone of irrelevant-opolis?
Or do you mean successful MMOs that have lasted for over a decade without needing to rely on cashshop gimmicks. Like the wicked old FFXI.

Wow. I can't tell if that poster needs aloe or a fire extinguisher now.

[Nekodar]

The main concern does seem to be gear in the ilvl50-i110 range atm.

A lot of people between CT, myth, and coil have i80 and i90 gear all ready for alts. DL is going to the waste side and everything under it for sure, aside from the rare vanity gear that is actually cool.

I don't even think most people wear their AF body as 50 nowadays on most alts since they likely have better ilvl Body pieces ready.

A new player that hits 50 likely need to progress through all the gear levels... i55, i60, i70, ... (not necessarily full sets of each gear level)
Aside from vanity i55, i60 and i70 drops can be turned in for GC seals, that you can buy crafting mats or ventures or other things with.
GC seals are actually useful now, which they weren't previously.

[RegnumMagik]

It's good in the sense that people won't feel left behind if they miss a patch or two, because they can catch up when the new ilvl tier is out.

But it's also bad since you don't have THAT much time to enjoy the gear that you spent months trying to earn BIS.

Personally, I don't mind it because it makes me want to progress more. But I can't deny that FFXI's system might be a better idea. Honestly flat stats upgrade isn't that creative to me.

[Nana_Balthazar]

It's good in the sense that people won't feel left behind if they miss a patch or two, because they can catch up when the new ilvl tier is out.

It's the other way : players coming back after a break have to go through a catch-up phase before doing any new content because of vertical progression.
With horizontal progression, it's possible to start with new content immediately after coming back.
Which doesn't forbid new awesome skills and gears.
And it doesn't forbid some verticality either, just less steep.

[Haprimac]

Wish there were sets with bonuses and/or different stats. Like if you have 3 pieces of certain set, your skill X will be get a new effect, say, a damage over time -effect or sleep is increased by 5 seconds. Just. Something. :s

I really loved that about LotRO, could do different set combinations to make the class more like "my own". Since, you know, everybody is using the same cross-class abilities. Might as well give us something else to toy around with.

[Felis]

DL is going to the waste side and everything under it for sure, aside from the rare vanity gear that is actually cool.

DL is still good for seals.

[abzoluut]

If you geared from the start (got Coil pieces withing the 1st two months), that gear would be good up until now since i90 is the way to go if you want to attempt T6 and up. It's been about 6 months and i90 is still very powerful (primals including Levi EX). If you consider this to bee "too fast outdated", then I think it's you. Same goes for the i110 gear. If you started right away, you now have one or two pieces of i110 (extremely lucky people have like 4 lol). I don't think this is unfair, since groups take the time to clear new content. They deserve better gear. Most of them walk around in atleast 70% i90 gear too..

[Nicobo]

I feel the life cycle for CT gears is a little bit short as it took 5weeks to complete a CT set with the lockout,
just wonder since 2.2 is there any reason to run CT but not farm myth for gear up?

[Pandastirfry]

It's the other way : players coming back after a break have to go through a catch-up phase before doing any new content because of vertical progression.
With horizontal progression, it's possible to start with new content immediately after coming back.
Which doesn't forbid new awesome skills and gears.
And it doesn't forbid some verticality either, just less steep.

This is only true if level cap stagnates for 7 years allowing the meager differences in top teir gear to stay relevant long last their sell by date, oh and also if gear swapping was also a "thing". Otherwise all horizontal progression ends up being is actually inventory bloat and stagnation as "why increase the level cap, just recolor some old gear, slap a new name on them, and shuffle the stats around"