In the past, I've thought long and hard about this, and I wondered why exactly there is such thing as a 'level cap.' I understand that for the sake of marking exactly how many main quest worlds there are, the level cap can simply be divided by 10 to find the number. But what truly bothered me about this feature is that once you level up to that provided level cap, any XP you gain from then on out is voided. I'm not talking about simply being removed until the next level cap update, I mean it's gone forever.
There are multiple extraordinarily easy methods to solve this issue. For one, the XP the user gains post-level cap can be stored in some kind of float to be added after the update. This would allow the excess XP the user gained before to overflow into the next levels and therefore the XP wouldn't be wasted. Secondly, the user could also not have a level cap period, or the maximum level could be set so incredibly high (say, level 200) that the user will never reasonably reach it with the given quests. This would allow for some extra play time, and the thing is, the game developers wouldn't even necessarily have to add equipment, spells or quests for those levels until the time comes to add a new world or segment to the game. The only theoretical benefits of reaching a higher level with no equipment or spells is a boost in health, mana, and energy, and that seems like a fair balance to allow for more play time. If users really wanted to get a higher level, they could visit previously completed instance dungeons for half the XP originally obtained, adding even more play time. Users who've completed all quests and goals now have something even greater to shoot for. But to farm for such a thing at this point with the level cap is impossible and pointless.
Overleveling is not an issue either since when the next world comes out, the quests you want to complete cannot be completed until you play far enough into the game. For example, my friend and I had reached level 118 as of late and were requested by our Arcanum teacher to do the pet quest. My friend is a Storm, and his quest required access to the third area of Mirage. By that level, we hadn't even reached Mirage, and do you know what that meant? We had to actually do the pre-quests required for Mirage. Such blockades would prevent the issue many seem to bring up about 'over-leveling' since when those blockades are in place, the game needs to be played.
Now for why a level cap is not good. Once a player reaches max level, they feel like they are unable to progress in the game because any quests they do give no XP rewards. This, in turn, causes the user to wait until the next update to play the game, or not play at all. The only things those users can do while they wait is farm for badges and do other job-based goals. I personally would not like to sit around and wait.
TL;DR - The Level Cap needs a relative increase or not exist at all.
Sincerely, a level 120 Fire Wizard, Blake LegendGlade.
Back when Level 50 was the cap and Dragonspyre the most recent world released, it wasn't much of an issue. Now with Wysteria, Grizzelhiem, Wintertusk, the Four Dungeons, B.O.X.E.S., and the Lost Pages there is a larger amount of available XP to be had. I am one bar shy of level 89 in Azteca and I have not yet gotten to the Zultan Docks.
You are correct that KI doesn't need to make gear higher than the new MAX level nor make quests for anything beyond that level (until the next world is released). But I do think that the XP bar and ability to earn XP should be kept. Banked if you will against the coming of a new world.
Make the MAX level equal to the amount of XP currently available. Why penalize those Wizards who enjoy doing every side quest, dungeon, and event?
There is also yet another approach. Every so often, up the level cap by 20 instead of 10. 10 is the standard, only because it's the standard. It is an absolutely arbitrary number that became the standard. For emperia part 2, raise the max level to 140. This would give everybody PLENTY of room/time to get all of their XP in, and would probably still have room left over. Then, the next few updates, do 10 levels, and one after that, do 20, etc. They could make gear and dungeons etc for those levels. it would not stall development of ANY area of the game. The only reason not to do it, realistically, is that they havent done it before, and that's not a good enough reason not to do it, nor is breaking the standard. They could do it IF they wanted to, but they have to want to.
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