Is anyone at trion even talking about threat levels and how to fix them?

[oldbear]

I just need to vent a bit about the state of defiance PC NA and general gameplay - the lags and crits have seemingly calmed down somewhat after the maintenance this morning, although there is still about a .25 - .5 second of delay on most actions. But the bugs and the way threat level "works" right now is terrible.

I know it isn't new but the mechanics of threat levels are awful. I just left a volge siege with 3 people at it, I was first to arrive at ego 2567 and TL was 3... Not bad, one other arrives and starts the event TL is now 4. First volge appear and are quickly dispatched and 1 more player arrives pushing TL up to 6. Round 2 starts and before the round is 5 seconds in TL moves up to 8 with no new visible players. Since there are only 3 players it's easy to draw volge fire from lots of targets and wind up dead in very short order even using cover, stims etc. So now though it's only round 2, there are volge everywhere with no one able to kill them, and players chain dieing at the extraction point.

I realize these events are meant to be completed with far more players but with almost no one around, people would be waiting for quite awhile before starting an event. So I can understand why players (esp those at higher ego) will start events with the expectation that they can solo them. Unfortunately due to threat levels this creates a horrible experience for anyone below 5k. Also if it's so important to wait for more players why is one person of any ego able to start the event, why not 5 or 10 players all standing at the pillar or clicking something before starting. Or even better, don't massively inflate the TL when only 3 players are present?

I'm sure this has probably been said before but I didn't see any threads in the first few pages talking about it, and I'm mainly wondering if the mechanics are supposed to function this way, or if it's something the devs (dev? doesn't seem like many ppl working on this game) realize is in dire need of an overhaul.

Does one 5k player = TL 10 right off the bat? What ego levels correspond to TL 3-9? Why does it push the TL so high with so few players at an event?

Frustrating, rage-inducing and still unplayable is the way I would describe defiance right now. Oh and the reward changes are awful too.

[Arctic]

Just my thoughts mate

Well don't expect Trion to answer your cause I bet even they don't know how these things work ahahahaha

[teppic]

I'm seeing this all the time. Swarms and sieges at level 8-10 with just 2-3 players against 30 Volge. It's especially frustrating when you've been doing well at a lower level, then someone will just happen to come through briefly, the level jumps to 10 and it's all basically over.

[Snib]

Does one 5k player = TL 10 right off the bat? What ego levels correspond to TL 3-9? Why does it push the TL so high with so few players at an event.

Depends on the site, but typically a single 5k player = TL6, 2 of them TL9 or TL10.

And yep TL is a major turn-off.

[DrTogobban]

They anger me. The incursions, I can handle, it's a collective effort. What gets me though, is when they show up at conflicts that new players may need in order to progress the story. How is someone who's been playing a few days expected to complete a t10 event? Seems to me they'll just say screw it and toss in the controller and rage quit.

Personally, it's angering me because I'm nearly finished my Snake's Bite II - the reward wasn't really designed to be completed without going into expert dungeons, but with threat levels, I see them all the time.

[nathanpbutler]

That's actually why some of us who are at max EGO or just below sometimes will avoid bigger events. Unless we're trying to knock out a daily contract, we'll try not to jump in unless the TL is already at 10, lest we end up pushing it to 10. Granted, there are probably more who don't care or are oblivious than recognize this effect and avoid unnecessarily pushing up the TL for lower level players, but there are some who make the effort.

[bertonmai]

I start sieges, as they have been my favorite since inception.

My theory is simple;

If I am by myself when starting, anybody that joins needs to assume that the TL is going to bump up. if I arrive to one already started, i assume the ppl there know that others "may" join at any time.

I'm at close to 56xx. I was enjoying a siege last night that I had started. When it was done, 6 others had joined. The TL never went over 7.

Call me selfish, an a.sshole, or what not. It's an MMO. Things are happening on the map designed for me to participate in and enjoy. I'll not let the design of the game deter me from joining those events just because I'll raise the level of the playing field.

[Bonehead]

Pretty sure threat levels are as "fixed" as they are gonna get.