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Balance is everything.
Progression is just an euphemism for treadmill.
Is gameplay improved by everybody grinding another 40 hours to have the same gear?
In the end the balance between gears is the same.
With the difference that people are possibly forced to do something which isn't fun - but work!
A game isn't supposed to be work, but enjoyment; so please for God's sake, stop the grinding madness.
If you want progression go and play Cabal, enough "progression" for a lifetime.
Mixture of both.
PVE: Progression
PVP: Balance
Guild Wars 2 did this, your Weapons and Armours affected your stats greatly in PVE, but only slightly in PVP. It's a very balanced system and really, balance is only a complete necessity in PVP.
Balance>progression
The problem of most mmo's is the daunting challenge to get into the game.
If you look at the massive influx of new people to most mmo's they happen around the same time as expansions when you have a mass normalizations. Points in the game where the "endgame gear" is replaced by quest gear in the new expansions. That's when most mmo's get the biggest influx of new people. Problem with that is you dont sell alot of copies over the years you have peaks and valleys in sales. Which is often the death knell for games.
By using the balance method your friend can by the game 1yr from now and won't be so far behind you that he can spend a few days playing and be competitive right along side you. Instead of the standard "well first you have to level for 3weeks, then you have to gear up so you can run with me"
This game isn't bad when you factor in slightly better gear the fact someone with 5000 ego will have alot more perks at max level (level of the perks themselves not character) it will be fine you have to level your character and progress them, not get carried by the fact your gear hits like a freight train.
I dont know how many mmo's devolve into elitism "your gear score isn't high enough, go level ya noob" which causes two things the person ends up hating the game and its people and quiting or they spend the next month working on their gear and ends up becoming they same creature that shot them down. Perpetual elitists machine. (not all mmo players are that way)
With having a game the is more balanced from start to finish it is alot more inviting then the one that seems like a 2-3month process to see the end of the game you paid for.
Play the game because you enjoy playing not because ya have to spend months chasing that carrot on a stick, don't worry the new expansion is going to give ya new carrot so you can spend the next few months working towards that.
look at the state of mmo's now the last few expansions of wow have each made it easier and easier for casuals and non-elitists to join and play and feel competitive. The gear is still insane they just made it easier to level and get gear.
When you make a game built for balance you save alot of headaches. No class needs to be nerfed. Weapons dont get ridiculous. I mean it is a shooter and the weapons are already pretty insane in power. With the expansions they plan for this game and if it was a progression system. The missles would end up being tactical nukes the smg would end up being hitting as hard as rockets currently do. Would you keep playing a shooter where you couldn't walk 10feet in pvp without getting instant killed.
You make this a progression system expect to start hearing a new phrase instead of pay to win it will turn into pay to be competitive.
Liking the discussion here. As for me, I would also like the GW2 approach.
Invisi bump :cool: