[rushl]

Originally Posted by Grim

Guessing the amount of threat I am generating from a feeling is not skill.

I suppose here is where our difference lies. I've seen hunters who have no clue stay in Strength and pound DPS. They die quickly, usually. Often with experience though, they learn how far to push it. When to drop to Endurance. When they can switch back to Strength. The decision process there comes from experience, and the ability to gauge Threat. It's not just "guessing". As an experienced hunter, I have a good idea of how long to wait and let the guard build up Threat before I start wailing. And I can usually judge when to back off, so I don't pull the mob. Sometimes I screw it up - and I hope I can learn from those mistakes, and improve next time.

That's experience. And it's meaningless if there was a little bar telling me when to do what. The bar becomes a substitute for experience, and I think that's what people generally don't like.

Originally Posted by Grim

Yes, there is judgement and knowledge needed to play the game. A threat meter would not remove that. As I stated previously, you would be given the option to exercise even more judgement about what you should do.

Eh, the only judgment it takes to correctly use the Threat meter is the ability to read, or more likely just the ability to identify color. Sure, that's a "judgment" - but it's one a 7 year old could do. "If the meter becomes RED, switch to Endurance and stop shooting." That's not a skill. That's just reading. I want more from my gaming experience that to just read off a meter which skill to use when and press the button.

Originally Posted by Grim

In your line of thinking, we may as well get rid of our vitals display and start guessing what they are because that would make it too easy.

That's exaggerating the argument. Sure, getting rid of all informational displays would increase difficulty. But being as difficult as possible isn't the goal here. There's a balance between too hard and too easy - and we want to stay in the middle of that. Getting rid of all information makes things too hard. Threat meters makes things too easy. Ergo, keep the information we have now, and don't add Threat meters.

Originally Posted by Digital_Utopia

Whenever I see a discussion come up about something that will "trivialize the content" or "make the game too easy", I always wonder whether the individuals that claim such things are doing so only because it isn't in the game. So saying such a meter would make the game "too easy" is the opinion of the individual - especially if they have no problems playing the game without it.

This could be true to an extent - but we have knowledge of what adding Threat meters has done to other games. Therefore, we know the difference between having it and not, and most people believe that not is better.

Originally Posted by Digital_Utopia

That being said - it is possible for a threat meter to reduce some of the challenge in an instance. However, unless DN is a completely different ballgame, most of the challenge in instances aren't due to simple threat mechanics. Between random threat, strategy, and execution of said strategy - only the worst groups fail an instance because the guard was in the bathroom, and the hunter thought going 4 deep in BM in strength stance was a great way to live longer.

Perhaps that's true, but if Threat weren't a key factor in most encounters, people wouldn't be asking for meters. If Threat were removed as a factor in an encounter, and knowing it didn't make things easier or harder, I don't think people would care if there was a meter. It's like asking to know your hobbit's shoe size. If the data doesn't affect the game, there's no harm in knowing it. I believe however that Threat is a key component to most encounters (well, group ones anyway). That's why some are asking for a meter.

Originally Posted by Digital_Utopia

Should Turbine decide to make this mechanic more transparent, then I would agree that Threat Meters should be available - but as long as Turbine's hiding this mechanic behind a curtain, then I think it should remain there.

I have no doubt that if we're given access to that data we'll see a meter in minutes. I would also be inclined to believe that if Turbine gives us that data, then it would be a statement that they didn't think Threat management was a key component to the game. Essentially, it's on them to determine exactly how important Threat is. Unless they can be convinced that it's not a key component, our discussion is largely academic.

rushl