Quote Originally Posted by Kensei View Post
I thought the exact same thing when I finished reading it. I think this was just a smoke screen for two possible reasons:

1. The negative feedback to some of the things they did in 1.18 has made them make changes to things that would be introduced in 1.19 as they realized players will not like them, and now he dare not say them as they will just bring even more complaints.

2. He just wanted to buy time because he didn't felt like going into detail about 1.19 this week.

Edit: The one thing I can take from the letter is that he admitted they made mistakes and went too overboard with some changes so all those fanatics barking at anyone who didn't agree 1.18 was the best thing ever and the exact vision of the producers can finally shut up. Players that had some issues with the patch were right.
If your issues were r20-30 guildleve rewards, and whatever "further balancing" entails then maybe you got some validation. What of this is news though? Because they said prior to 1.18's release that 1.19 would largely balance abilities and XP methods (which will also be balanced in 1.2).

I didn't see anything in there about how:
  • ARC/ARC/ARC/ARC/CON/CON/GLA/GLA is the only possible, or intended setup to kill the ogre.
  • Or about how XP is totally broken now and impossible to level.
  • That Enmity system is BROKEN!!!!!!
  • Or about how a certain class was completely useless and would need to receive an emergency balance fix just so someone, anyone would actually play it!

I saw him saying he didn't want to make direct responses to all the complaints but that balancing would be examined in the coming patches. I think it is pretty safe to say that leve-linking/solo guildleves probably won't be returning as the primary form of leveling, that the enmity system and MP changes (while they may be adjusted) are here to stay, that Darkhold will stay the same, and that they haven't rethought adding auto-attack to the game.

I'd hold off before proclaiming that everyone who complained about the patch was "right".