[Survey] Level squish IS coming per Blizzard

[jackofwind]

Fake.

These surveys doesn't come "once in a while". In fact, since I started to play in early TBC they have come a grand total of ZERO time.

Super duper not fake, just FYI.

[Vynestra]

Fake.

These surveys doesn't come "once in a while". In fact, since I started to play in early TBC they have come a grand total of ZERO time.

Theyve done surveys before - it's not fake.

Just because you haven't been chosen doesn't mean they're not real.

[Revamp Man]

If they need it I imagine all levels will be like 5 per expansion
So 60+5+5+5+5+5+5+5=95
They could also cut the original cap to like 30 but they already have to deal with a balancing nightmare this way

[Whitedragon]

Why do I never get these surveys... I'll never know...

Although, I'd strongly favor a level squish. Grinding 120 levels (130 next exp.) without any meaningful rewards is so boring. I'd prefer it to be reduced to 50 or 60 and add something every time you ding.

Ya it's funny, I have a few friends who got all anxious when I floated the idea past them, but after a few things like "honestly what do you get from level to level now?" or "Do you really enjoy filling that bar 119 times to hit max?" all of them have actually came around and said they actually wouldn't mind a level crunch.

- - - Updated - - -

If they need it I imagine all levels will be like 5 per expansion
So 60+5+5+5+5+5+5+5=95
They could also cut the original cap to like 30 but they already have to deal with a balancing nightmare this way

how would it be that bad? Just make the "All old content" cap at 60 (1-30 for old wow 30-60 for all the old expansions), then just implement a system that cuts all level reqiuerments in half, and round the odd numbers up. make the new expansion add 10 levels then squish it again when the prepatch for the next launches.

[SirCowdog]

Number of levels means less than what happens during those levels.

No amount of level crunch is going to matter if the leveling content remains a disjointed mess of conflicting lore and poor character progression.

So just crunching the levels isn't actually going to change anything. Blizzard would need to completely overhaul the open world to fit the current lore and resolve the jump in the timeline while leveling from cata, to tbc/wotlk, back to cata/mop, then finally WoD onward.

They'd also need to make skill and talent progression meaningful as well. As it stands there's nothing after level 100 besides gear. Simply crunching levels and rearranging what level you get tiers of talents doesn't actually solve anything either. It's just shuffling appearance. Leveling up needs a better progression system for abilities and talents where players always have something to look forwars to in the short term. Each level should be more than just additional hitpoints.

[Alyajna]

I never really had a strong preference either way on the level squish but leveling 110-120 was awful with absolutely no new talents or abilities. Leveling from 1-120 is also feeling really thin and unrewarding now. Something needs to be done about how unrewarding leveling feels and if a squish will fix it, fine. However, I don't want the time taken to level to be extended. The time to reach max level right now should remain the same as the new max.

[Tiwack]

I could see them put everyone at 40 or 50 and give them 10-20 levels to seek out. Scaling is everywhere in form or another already.

[Shaetha]

I kind of find it hard to believe they would call it a "squish" in official data gathering. Not saying it won't(or shouldn't) happen. I just find the verbiage in the images suspect.

[Frostyfire14]

there is no way something this big could happen mid expac. it's either pre-expansion patch or we're waiting another 2 years.

Definitely pre-expansion material.

[Soon-TM]

Level squish? Oh yeah, it was about damn time. Now they only need to arrange the level brackets again, with the "main story" taking place in Kalimdor/EK from 1 all the way to [New player cap - 9.0 intended starting level] while leaving old xpacs content as optional levelling avenues.

E.g. if the 9.0 level cap was 60, you can level 1-50 in the old world, with 50-60 taking place in 9.0 content. Optionally, you can visit any previous xpac content starting at level 20, and level 20-50 (in this example) in Outland or Pandaria, w/e fits your mood.

Now, a level squish alone won't do much. They will need to seriously rethink the way we gain talents and character (non-cosmetic) customisation in general, much like @SirCowdog put it.

[WowIsDead64]

Yeah, let's remove levels and all old content. Wow is more and more like session-based game and less and less RPG. Solution of leveling problem is pretty simple. JUST BUFF HEIRLOOMS. Or may be OFFER BOOST TO MAX LEVEL FOR FREE. Both are options - not mandatory changes. Problem solved? No! Blizzard are too greedy to do it. They nerf heirlooms and sell overpriced boosts instead.

[Gref]

I never get why people are angry over level squish. it is just numbers and if you ask me, the damage and hps we did/had was the most relatable numbers.

[Biomega]

Number of levels means less than what happens during those levels.

No amount of level crunch is going to matter if the leveling content remains a disjointed mess of conflicting lore and poor character progression.

So just crunching the levels isn't actually going to change anything. Blizzard would need to completely overhaul the open world to fit the current lore and resolve the jump in the timeline while leveling from cata, to tbc/wotlk, back to cata/mop, then finally WoD onward.

They'd also need to make skill and talent progression meaningful as well. As it stands there's nothing after level 100 besides gear. Simply crunching levels and rearranging what level you get tiers of talents doesn't actually solve anything either. It's just shuffling appearance. Leveling up needs a better progression system for abilities and talents where players always have something to look forwars to in the short term. Each level should be more than just additional hitpoints.

Agreed, and my guess is that's part of why they're doing a level squish. Right now, you just don't have enough stuff to give players for 120 levels. So most of the levels feel empty, with just a few breakpoints in between (crucial spec abilities and/or talents). With less levels overall, they could give out more stuff each level and so it would actually feel like a meaningful change if you level up.

[Big Thanks]

Agreed, and my guess is that's part of why they're doing a level squish. Right now, you just don't have enough stuff to give players for 120 levels. So most of the levels feel empty, with just a few breakpoints in between (crucial spec abilities and/or talents). With less levels overall, they could give out more stuff each level and so it would actually feel like a meaningful change if you level up.

One can only dream of a talent system re-design...

[Biomega]

One can only dream of a talent system re-design...

It seems to at least be on their radar. And it's sorely needed. I think the majority of specs just run one setup, or at most switch 1-2 talents between ST and AOE fights. There's a truckload of talents that might as well not exist because NOBODY takes them (or should take them) for any form of content.

[Big Thanks]

It seems to at least be on their radar. And it's sorely needed. I think the majority of specs just run one setup, or at most switch 1-2 talents between ST and AOE fights. There's a truckload of talents that might as well not exist because NOBODY takes them (or should take them) for any form of content.

Yeah, im dreaming right now, after seeing the Ion Q&A answer where he says "we are considering a level squish and making each level feel rewarding with new spells, new talents, new rank of a spell"

But i wont get my hopes up.

[qwerty123456]

If its true I bet those fuckers would keep the lvling exp grind making leveling even worse. But if they don't then it would probably be better to wait on leveling any allied races until after the squish.

[schwarzkopf]

If its true I bet those fuckers would keep the lvling exp grind

The levelling grind for most of those levels was removed years ago ... 1-90 is super fast now. You don't even have to do all the expansions (BC or LK, then Cata or MoP). I got from 60 to 80 by doing half of the LK content.

[luciano]

I assume anything I can't authenticate is BS until I can authenticate it.

That said, if Blizzard ever DID do a major level squish, I'd be down. Dump the max to 60 in 9.0. Let current content take us back up to 70, and let all the old content (from vanilla thru bfa) serve as 1-60 leveling.

I'd absolutely roll a new character and level him entirely in one expansion pack's content. Next character, different content entirely. It'd make it a bit more manageable to collect all the allied race armor, especially for new players.

[Byleth]

I got the survey also, it was worded exactly as shown by OP, the official survey worded it like it was a done deal, and then the following questions were around if we would feel less compelled to purchase a leveling boost if levels were squished.

I wonder what they mean by dramatically lower? I'm guessing this will happen to address the new ability drought while leveling.