I believe that if they plan on implementing anything to do with our ep including increasing needed amounts for already acquired skills, removing attribute bonuses and effects, and reducing our present effectiveness with the ep we already have, they need to tell us immediately.
As a new player (3 months), I am confused on how the developers intend on increasing the player base or increase the viability of the game for present players by changing the ep or the extensions of characters to the negative. But my confusion aside, I cannot abide by a developer’s surprise attack on a player created character. Finding out about this idea in a side remark in an ‘idea’ thread is unacceptable.
If the change, if any, is for the better of my character, then I would say little; however, if this secretly planned change has a negative effect on my character, I would feel betrayed and belittled by the developers.
Being new and many months behind veteran players in ep nic, was a frustrating, yet acceptable part of the game. Regardless of how more advanced another player was, the game was still enjoyable. But getting ready for pvp or to enter into industry is just something where a new player cannot compete against a veteran (well planned) character. I’ve read all the posts about how viable a new player can be in pvp and still do some t1 industry…bull. New players are fodder, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just 3 months into the game I can see the effectiveness of my skill gains and the usefulness of my ep choices. If you can’t, then you planned poorly.
So here is my grief: I like the game. I enjoy the combat and the industry. Recently I started creating items with my industry character and miner, and I have been killing harder and harder mobs and increasing my nic substantially. I have planned my both my characters in order to experience most parts of the game, and I enjoy them all. From artifacting, to missioning, to PVE and plain old farming plasma. I’d like to continue on my industry track and start making higher level equipement, and I’d like that to stay on track with my combat characters in increase in abilities.
Will any ep change change all of this? Will I lose parts of the game I have come to enjoy and use as a total experience? Will I have to streamline my characters in order to just keep 1 of the skills I am using? Will parts of the game disappear for me and force me to play for many more months and weeks just to attain the level I am at now?
Perhaps not. Perhaps any change will be minimal and almost imperceptible. But, if there is a thought of a change in character growth coming, for any reason and in any magnitude, the developers need to let the players know immediately. And seeing this comment in the forums from an ingame chat challenges my beliefs in how a game staff should inform and work with their players.