[Shujin]

2. PvE is being used as a stepping stone to get to PvP.

3. Somewhat tied into #2, but progression boils down to leveling up to 60 however many times and either hassling with RNG to get the gear you need, or (in the far more likely case) doing some OOC trading to get the gear you need. In a way, it's 'gradual', but the system's ability to provide a long-term growth for players is completely shot with the current economy and rate of EXP gain. Nowadays, you're more likely to have players lose due to meta than any real difference of power.


I'd also take a closer look at character progression, but that's for a different topic.

I'll agree with the most things that have been said, but these points are what I find a bit frustrating in this game aswell.
I am coming and still sorta playing a game which is a so called "Longterm RP" since eleven years. The progress in that game is reaaaaally slow, but if you stick with a character, it actually shows after a while. I am sorta missing this here. Back in the days, I always remember that one scene where four people where sitting at Risus pub and suddenly someone noticed OOCly "Wait a sec...We are all level 60? Shit we could take out half the server!", while a joke it still kinda showed something. That Level 60 actually had a meaning back then. it was an achievement, something to feel good about, feeling rewaded to have reached that point. Now adays you are either level 60 or you are nothing. Many people actively avoid RP till they reach this state cause it's not taking long to reach 60 for either getting some full cleared dungeons or be Training Day grinded at the arena or now the tower. (Chaging the tower to not be worth it won't change this by the way, people just go back to Arena and full clear grind. Tower is just more steadily avaiable which is the main reason why people go to it.)

I can understand that people want their characters to be quickly on the most possible effectiveness, but the "Gradual" progress that I love aswell is kinda missing because level 60 which is the current max is just mandatory for people in a sense. But that means that the Characters that have been forged in the RP for 4-5 OOC years are always caught up to in not even one day. And that is one of the main aspects I do not like about this game. The progress of a single character basically means nothing and holds no value anymore because of a level 60(max) inflation. So I would really love a progression system that isn't just exp. Something that isn't only grind but something that can build up over time to give the long introduces characters that tiny edge over others that are just made on the fly because a new meta popped up and are suddenly the strongest guys ever seen for the next 3 weeks till the stuff has been nerfed and they suddenly vansih from existance again. (yes, that actually happend a few times now)

I, and I believe most people, aren't really sticking around in this game because of the fun mechanics (which they really are and I love) or the story, for years. But it's actually the RP and the stories between people, and the emotional bond people made with each other. The game after you have seen it a few dozen times becomes stale at some point, which is normal for most games. so people who have experinced it already just want to skip it cause it's nothing new and since they have the know how, also do not really provide a challange. RP is still always sorta changing but at the same time? SL2s world building is near non existant. I know that you, Dev, are willing to add stuff if players work towards it, like you allowed me my Laws End blackmarket (Which one day happens, I promise tm!)
or saws attempt to murder the emporer and stuff. But damm does it feel hard to climb this wall from our perspective, to actually leave a little mark in our beloved Sigrogana, because we feel utterly powerless in the world dominated by god emporers, Imperial Guard army with badass ex-Churchknight commander, Kinus, Ashes, Voices of mercala and some out of control mud mutt breeder.

Long story short, I believe that character progression should simply not boil down to just grinding, but a longterm motivations for characters to stick around and involve them more and more in the story where people actually know "Oh yeah they have been around" over that random person who pops up "I have been around 200 years! I am super strong, you never saw me!? WHAT!? -Oh yeah I just made yesterday, but check out this fancy meta-build, so I deserved to be respected ICly!". Then there are of course the points Chaos mentioned, simply some more challanging late game content, Quests that are refreshed once in a while to get some inks so you do not have to LE everytime to go through the grind again and avoid RP for the time being cause it makes no sense for you to be suddenly this weak again, so more fleshed out enemies with maybe a few more skills and mechanics.
And what I personally would love to see more? Non-combat aspects for characters that are worth it! How cool would it be to be actually a legendary blacksmith, that can forge weapons much better than anything you have seen, with traits and talents tree simply focused on THAT. Just as an example, since currently sadly combat between players is the only real late game content. (Tower is fun, but that will also just last so long cause fighting NPCs is sort of heart and meaningless.)