Death Penalty

[Lubber]

I do not know much of as the problem of going down evolved, cause I am new for this game, but I just came from 0 to 5000+ EGO during last month and I have not mentioned any difference according to rate of going down depending on TL. In fact when I think of it now, I am more reckless about it now, when EGO 5000+, often doing stupid things like standing for long at one place with a scope active or standing close to Hive-boss legs. It is just because I am rather tired of the repetitive and dull gameplay, so I just keep my left hand with a food or glass instead of pressing movement keys.
I usually go down from 0 to 2 times during mass-event with TL 10 (a bit more vs. Warmaster because of the need to rush), and do not think of it as an issue. There are in fact two reasons for going down: recklessness, which I know is only my fall and so may be avoided, and been focused by enemies group (like three bombers choose you as a primary target at the same time) - but it happens not so often.
I am currently having a toon that is EGO 1000+ and have all the same perks and there is still no change in going down during TL 10. The only change about TL going up for low EGO toons is that much more bullets usually required to kill an enemy, I suppose because of low weapon skills.
So as someone suggested above: just try not to die. Are not all the shooters about it?

[crazyged]

I kind of like the death penalty.

I use a Respark, although I have higher capacity shields available. The Respark has a great charge rate, but you can still get hurt in WM or any TL10 event.

Makes things more interesting - if I come out with no downs, then I'm on my game!

[Ruinne]

I kind of like the death penalty.

I use a Respark, although I have higher capacity shields available. The Respark has a great charge rate, but you can still get hurt in WM or any TL10 event.

Makes things more interesting - if I come out with no downs, then I'm on my game!

I'm on the fence about it, I had a debate with Nef over it and he made some really intelligent points about Defiance having been too easy for too long. Of course then I think about the new players who need merely make eye contact with most of the TL10 stuff we destroy and they die. It's almost a gate to the content, something Defiance was never designed for, a "your ego must be this big to ride" bar. Telling new players that they need to grind out a few thousand levels solo before they can enjoy the game's primary content is a terrible way to get them to stick around.

I would think this was a great way to have the game if the levelling went away, ditch weapon and shield levels and these dangerous mobs make the game more fun for everyone.

[BlackTalons]

I'm on the fence about it, I had a debate with Nef over it and he made some really intelligent points about Defiance having been too easy for too long. Of course then I think about the new players who need merely make eye contact with most of the TL10 stuff we destroy and they die. It's almost a gate to the content, something Defiance was never designed for, a "your ego must be this big to ride" bar. Telling new players that they need to grind out a few thousand levels solo before they can enjoy the game's primary content is a terrible way to get them to stick around.

I would think this was a great way to have the game if the levelling went away, ditch weapon and shield levels and these dangerous mobs make the game more fun for everyone.

I agree completely.

[SirServed]

Playing to score high is overrated. It stops fighting back when it dies, enemies understand this. Avoid the attacks meant to end you and your score will just happen.

[Riz]

Recently made a new char, just to see what its like nowadays to be a lower EGO. Sure as hell noticed the Death penalty hits in pretty hard at times. Certainly considering the fact that you shoot inferior weapons at a Siege or Incursion (or any other TL 10 event) compared to the 5k+ EGO-club.

Well, that was until i respec my EGO-grid and decided to play with my brains instead of my adrenaline. Some defensive perks, a high cap shield, cloak and a lot of hiding solved the problem. After all, you dont have to actually kill the mobs to gain big points in Defiance.

I agree that the death penalty is on the high side for lower EGO's. Then again it's not a really bad thing to force people into thinking about their actions and strategies before mindlessly rushing into situations they're clearly not able to handle. If you die 25x at an event you're clearly playing it the wrong way and need to find another way to be more succesfull. People that die that much are either in the wrong place and be better off grinding a little more EGO and better weapons or just genuinly bad in understanding the games mechanics. In any shooter death should be severely punished, staying alive is -imo- a very important part of being high on the leaderboards. Just as important as your damage-output.

[Lubber]

I've read all the thread and still don't get it: what is the real problem of been a low EGO in PvE?
1) Inexperience is the problem? I do not believe that much of Defiance audience choose this game as their first shooter ever, so they must be acquainted with basic shooter mechanics.
2) Health and damage is buffed when you enter high TL zone;
3) Perks are the same for everyone and just 4 open perk slots (at EGO 200) is all that needed for survivability cause there is no more perks to make one tough: health, regeneration, armor and blast shield, which are all grouped together at the EGO Grid. There is also Detachment and such for longer run, but those 4 are basic and obvious.
4) EGO 200 is gained on second hour of gameplay, well if you actually play and not stand at one place (in that case you have no need for survivability at all). EGO 450 - in five hours (6 perk slots). EGO 1000 (for all 9 slots) - in 10 hours. 10 hours to get all the same that you will have till EGO 5900. Is that too long?
5) And there is only 2! skills that may help to survive. is it so difficult to master those?

I still believe that weapon skills is the only thing that differ low and high EGO players but it mostly affects damage, not survivability, at lest not directly. This skills are raised not that fast and even slower after recent nerf.

So the conclusion is, if there is no difference, than death penalty should be high for all characters.

[spudster]

definitely agree with that

[Ruinne]

I still believe that weapon skills is the only thing that differ low and high EGO players but it mostly affects damage, not survivability, at lest not directly. This skills are raised not that fast and even slower after recent nerf.

So the conclusion is, if there is no difference, than death penalty should be high for all characters.

Amount of funds for starters, newbs can't keep their guns and shields up to scratch as easily either. Unless they pour all of their money out every hundred levels, of course. But then the death penalty makes that very difficult to do.

But fear not, I have a solution!

Ditch weapon levelling, it simply does not belong in Defiance, the game wasn't conceived with it and it shows.

All of a sudden everyone is on somewhat equal footing and getting spanked at an incursion or any other event is your own fault.


Frankly, if you think weapon skill level is the only difference between between 100 and 5900 you need to try Defiance some day.

[Lubber]

Frankly, if you think weapon skill level is the only difference between between 100 and 5900 you need to try Defiance some day.

I admit, that high EGO players have more time to find cool legendary stuff with cool rolls, that make life easier, but my experiment states, that it is not essential for comfort gameplay, just a bonus, that is the motivation and goal of endgame content. So it is normal, that players with hundreds of hours invested in the game feel themselves more comfortable, than noobs.

I have EGO 5100+ toon and recently started new one. The new one is EGO 1200+ now. The main idea of new toon is to try to level it up without using arkforge at all. And you know what? It feels good.
1) Have no issues with dying a lot and still own top places at mass-events.
2) No problem of finding/purchasing from vendors new (matching EGO rating) guns and modding it.
3) Admit, that it is a bit of a problem with outleveled shields (I have to use rare EGO 444 shield up to EGO1000).
4) It looks like there is no need for epic or legendary stuff either. Using mostly rare stuff is enough to play comfortable (I've found some epic and even one legendary guns - but those are all crappy).