New players are being discouraged from starting L2. New players cannot type to anyone until lvl76. there are no academy benefits for new players. this update absolutely discourages any growth for L2 and is, i believe, the beginning of its ultimate demise.
The new clan hall and fortress system absolutely takes away from the younger, smaller clans' ability to take and maintain them. the strengthening of the fortresses and clan halls enables only the older, stronger clans to take them and those clans do not need the benefits of the siegable clan halls and fortresses as much as the younger clans need them. this update injures the younger, smaller clans by limiting their ability to grow. this update discourages clan growth.
Drops from mobs and bosses continues to be a serious problem in the "new" L2. everything is geared toward spending real money that not everyone has in order to progress in the game. please give back an ability to work hard and earn items and adena in the game.
The dwarven race was made obsolete a long time ago. give them back their power to spoil and craft and make some money. spoil rates have dropped so low it is pointless to even create a dwarven character.
personally i am extremely disappointed in the direction L2 has gone. it is no longer about the player base, it is about ncsoft's bottom line on the quarterly financial reports. while i understand the necessity for a company to be profitable is it not also necessary to keep a happy player base in order to continue an uptrend in profits? without your player base ncsoft is nothing. isn't it time to start giving back to your players and make L2 more new-player friendly? to give back to the younger, smaller clans so they can grow and keep L2 alive? or... don't give back and kill this game. because at this rate it is a matter of time before your servers are empty of all but your high donators. and when they no longer have smaller, weaker, poorer clans to bully, they too will leave.
i view Salvation Chapter 1 as another step closer to the death of L2.