Zamuel

Ah, I won't be of any help then. Good luck.

What server are you on sir/ma'am?

Recent updates has moved the level range to 41-54.

If this is in the works, I'd argue that for interiors you could possibly have people use base building functions to work on designs.

Ah, I meant to mention those. Plus, I figure Quinch's idea could at least partially be solved with my concept for Khelds/SoA.

Something else I meant to suggest but isn't as high priority is the option for failed missions to repeat upon failure instead of moving to the next mission.

I'd say 0 recharge. It's incredibly dangerous to use mid-combat and has a long startup on its own. I'd also advocate allowing it to accept Healing and End Mod set IOs.

While a number of my villains are rather sympathetic, you make a valid point that points to the fallacy of the thought process that there should be no new villainous content and that all new stuff should be co-op. Even the nicer villains have a different thought process than most heroes.

While the devs can't use this excuse, a lot of the problem is that we lack the ability to setup actual events so the only way to design a finale is with a big bad. Made to Wave the Flag is one of the few arcs with a boss encounter that feels like an event instead of just the norm. What would be nice is if we as authors had the ability to setup the arc to swap out an AV for a different boss if it detects that the player is running at +0 and x2 or lower. Well, and if we could setup full encounters but that's a different topic.

To my understanding (and admittedly this applies to some of my own stuff) AVs and length are because the author is trying to design their arc as a TF/SF with an epic experience. Sometimes it works very well and sometimes it doesn't.

Mission Architect Feature Suggestions
MA has a fair bit of missed potential in allowing more control over arc creation. Some things seem very hard to do at face value so I thought of these and tried to think of possible ways they would be done easier (though I'm sure Standard Code Rant is rather heavily in effect).

Arc Clutter

Difficulty in searching for arcs has always been a problem with the AE experience. The best idea I've seen is not mine and I am not taking credit for it. However, I do heavily support it.

Spawn Control

Greater control over spawns has been heavily requested for a while. However, there's any number of problems ranging from difficulty in setting it up to potential exploits. What I think may work is a numbered system.

From what I can tell from using Test mode, spawn points and objectives are actually internally numbered. So, in addition to Front/Middle/Back, we could get a brand new "Numbered" option that creates another drop down list that allows us to select a spawn point by its internal number. Add in a visible highlight to the editor's mini map so the player doesn't have to zone into the map every time. This would seemingly avoid player error of sticking a spawn in a wall and would also lessen exploit-ability due to being spawn points the devs have already created.

This feature would not only open up the door for other features that would otherwise be unfeasible, it also has the 'two birds in one stone' factor of clearing up a lot of other spawn problems. This would give control over outdoor spawns which is a godsend for creators. It would allow you to place enemies in specific places to act as sentries for a stealth mission. It could also solve the often requested feature of having a specific unique enemy guarding a hostage. And it give players the power to "solve" buggy spawn points by allowing the player to set required objectives in places where they won't get stuck in the geometry.

Sentries, Locks, and Keys

This is connected to the idea of precise spawn points. With more spawn control, we can now lock certain doors and give keys to enemies while making sure they are in the right place. Sentries would be a new objective that would be a non-moveable camera like the ones in the pawn shop Mayhem mission that triggers ambushes. The sole purpose would be for it act as a trigger for other objectives. It allow the writer to spawn ambushes or perhaps even allies if the player is seen. Sentries would come in a few visual styles based on cameras an SG base defense weapons that already exist so that they are easier to match up with an arc's setting. Ceiling and floor variants would allow these to be indoors or outdoors.

Environmental effects

With more spawn control and various sentry and lock+key systems in place, this opens up the path for Environmental Effects. For this objective, the writer would be able to select Front, Middle, Back, or a Numbered spawn point and the effect would be placed in that area. You could use visual fog, fog with an actual visibility debuff, fires, CoT crystals, repel fields, and more. This with previous things in place would allow arc writers to actually craft events within their arc instead of just linear fights.

New Betrayal and Ambush options

Something requested often is the ability to have ambushes that have a specific unique boss leading the charge. Mayhem missions and the redside cape mission are the best examples of this. Rather than altering ambushes, add a new option to bosses for them act as an ambush. This would allow the option to exist and it would also avoid clogging up the hard cap of ambushes per map. Bosses should also gain betrayal options that go both ways (ally to enemy or enemy to ally) and a new selection in the defeat condition for Objective Complete Upon Betrayal. This allows you to defeat a boss by converting him/her to your side due to either chickening out before they lose all life or perhaps finding a clickie that remove your ally's brainwashing, etc.

Kheldians and Soldiers of Arachnos

Their powersets have been requested in the past for Mission Architect but not granted. Presumably there's a quirk about them that prevents their inclusion. One suggestion is to allow them as entire, non-editable sets based on the NPC versions of Arachnos and the PPD Kheldians with a 'blank' secondary as a placeholder. Using NPC powers helps assure that they are balanced while allowing players to make thier own custom outfits as needed, especially if the full SoA outfit pieces are made available. The interesting thing about doing whole NPC sets like this is that it actually opens up room to use it for other NPC powers like the various gunner/slicer/chopper variants you see lowbie gangs using and isn't available in the MA since we can't use two weapon sets.