Agent White

I kind of agree and disagree. I don't think the game has too many zones per se, so much as Heroside has too many zones that are essentially ghost towns. IE, the hazard zones. There's really just so little to do and it is so easy to get around that pretty much the only time you spend any time in them is either A) when they have story arcs (Faultline, The Hollows, First Ward, Croatoa) or B) When missions send you there (Dark Astoria, Perez Park, Crey's Folley, Eden, etc).

And even the ones with story arcs, it's always just a -single- story thread usually spread over about 4-5 contacts, sometimes ending in a Task Force.

Compare it to the 'City' zones that have a plethora of contacts, anywhere between 6-10 usually covering different plot lines and different enemy groups, plus all the amenities like stores, markets, etc. There's just more to do in them. So I'm kind of glad that an old fairly unused zone like Dark Astoria is getting a face lift to turn it more into an Incarnate Hub (at least that's my hope, but they've said it'll have story arcs and shops and things).

Anyway, whittling it down to 25? Ok.

Villainside is already small and lacking content as it is. Same with praetoria. So all of those zones stay. First Ward... yes too, but it needs more content, at least another story arc if not a Taskforce and another live event like the seed.

Heroside, I don't really see a major reason to cut out the main city zones, so Atlas, Skyway, Steel Canyon, Talos, Founder's, Brickstown, and Peregrine. They all have lots of content to do and they're generally active player hubs, especially Talos and Peregrine.

Faultline, Striga Island, and Croatoa I could take or leave. I really enjoy the story arcs in both of them, but there just isn't that much to do. Croatoa at least has the 2 GMs, the halloween costume vendor, and a Taskforce. But none really have 'enough' to do.

Hazard zones... well, new Dark Astoria, totally. I love the feel of the old one, but it goes so unused and is such an empty place. I'd keep the Hollows too, but it needs more content too. Another arc and trial/taskforce.

Realistically, I'd probably trim Perez, Crey's Folly, Eden. I don't dislike the areas, but there's next to nothing in them except mission doors and GMs.

Co-op zones... I'd really like a few more to be honest. I haven't bothered with the PvP zones so, again, take or leave. But Co-op is kinda neat. Pocket D isn't bad, I like the different year round events. I wouldn't mind something you could do any time. Rikti War Zone is excellent. It's got all the amenities you could ask for, all centrally located, it's got several task forces, it's got a major zone event, nice wide level range and Repeatable missions (Psstt devs <--- This is what I want the new Dark Astoria to be like. Give me lots of things to do in it). Cimerora.... needs an update.

Don't get me wrong. The graphics are fine. It -looks- beautiful. But there's -nothing- to do there except the ITF, the *tiny* Senator's arc and then the single Hero/Villain arcs that largely take place -outside- of the zone. It's a crying shame because it's a gorgeous zone with an interesting villain group and it's a complete ghost town, not to mention kind of a pain to get into.

Yeah I guess I've gone offtrack horribly. Basically, less 'cut zones' more 'revamp zones'.

That is odd. probably something they forgot to fix since anyone can go to First Ward already.

I'm thinking at least one of the next 5 will be a high damage ST attack, since we have AoE covered with judgement.

Also thinking at least one will be a click power that only affects self. What it does, I dunno, maybe shifting intangibility like what Carnie illusionists have and some other personal variables, like different auras (damage auras maybe?)

Actually, wonder if we'll see an incarnate Toggles. Seems -kind- of doubtful, since they're all meant to have a cooldown.

I still think one of them will involve branching out into different 'inherent' skills, like allowing different ATs to have an ability similar to the AT of another. Though, not -all- of them are so readily transferable (Ex. Doms).

Honestly I think the devs kind of like when we sit and kick out theories because it helps give -them- ideas. I'm sure a lot of the hold up with the next 5 is trying to figure out exactly what to do. They really covered a lot of the big basics with the first 5.

Yeah, Epic archtypes don't get to choose where they start. Soldiers of Arachnos will always be in the Rogue Isles, just likeKheldians will always start in paragon.

And you can always run DFB to power level and skip up through a lot of the low level content.

Also keep in mind, VEATs (And HEATs for that matter) get special contacts and mission arcs within each 5 level bracket. it's not really enough to get you -through- the level brackets on standard difficulty, but it's something new to try.

Actually you should be able to at least take a character to tour through Praetoria without having access to Going Rogue. There's no content to do there for non-praetorians except the live events as it is.

As for changing alignment, you do tips. When you're level 20+ enemies will have chances to drop Tips, which are special 1 time missions you get under your contacts tab. They let you choose between 2 different objectives based on the alignment you're working toward.

To change alignment, do 10 tips of the Alignment you want to move toward, then do a Morality mission. It goes in a cycle. Villain -> Rogue -> Hero -> Vigilante -> Villain.

So if you want to move from Villain to Hero, you will do 10 Rogue Tips, then a Rogue Morality mission. This will change you from Villain to Rogue. Then you can 'tour' in Paragon City to accrue tips that let you choose between Rogue/Hero. If you do 10 hero tips, then a Hero Morality mission you'll change to a Hero.

Currently, in as far as I recall, the AT specific IOs will be available via random drop in the Super Packs and through merit vendors, I'm not sure which ones.

Yeah, we only get 1 a month.

Honestly since all the contacts are in place now I really expect they're going to go live the first Tuesday of every month from here on til the next Signature arc starts up (if it doesn't just continue seamlessly with that).

Forget if I suggested this already or not, do't think I did?

But ok, a few weeks ago I got dragged into the tail end of a league taking out the Seed of Hamidon. I wasn't in long enough to get credit for Germinator Terminator (especially since I was assigned to the team in charge of taking out Seedlings) but I did get the temporary power that came from getting it.

So, it's an auto power that lasts 30 minutes after you kill the seed.

Seriously, what crap is that? Who thought it was a good idea to make it an auto power that starts the moment you kill the Seed? Cuz yah, that's the -first- thing I've got lined up after taking out a giant monster in the middle of a zone essentially int he middle of nowhere, some high value mission or speed task force so I can actually take advantage of having boosted XP & Inf for the next 30 minutes.

If this temp power is actually intended to be a reward for killing the seed besides just the badge, reward merits and bragging rights then it needs to be a click power that activates when I want, like the Experienced power or similar. Otherwise it's a complete waste of time and game space.

Kinda varies. Some of my characters have been a concept that the power sets allowed for and just fit right. Others were trying different ATs and power sets and building a concept from what sounded appealing at the type. To that end, some of them have turned out nicely, others, not so much.

Like I really love my ill/rad controller werewolf illusionist mage, and there are a lot of goodies that fit into the concept well. It was a concept first and the powers fit together for it just right.

But I'm not so keen on my dual blade/invulnerability femme fatale mutant. The concept is sound, just not thrilled with the execution thus far, and likely to delete and reroll because I find myself letting her go longer and longer unused. She was an example of something where I looked at scrappers, looked at sets, then kind of threw stuff together til I was satisfied.

Conversely, I did the above with a plant/fire bird mage and I'm really enjoying the concept that I've developed from just experimentally trying out a plant/fire dom.

So, it just kinda varies. I've had a bit more success with taking a concept first and trying to fit powers to it, but I've still come up with some good & fun stuff taking power sets first and developing a concept out of them.

because horror movie characters are always stupid and people don't know how to write anymore where you have smart characters and smart villains that have to act and react to each other instead of ''OMGFLAILMONSTERSAAAHHHHH*DIE*"

Well all of it is really just indicative that a lot of the older content needs to be overhauled and/or replaced to become up to standard with current content. We shouldn't have to groan about getting eden/numina 'again', we should get to see the list and be excited.

So why exactly don't they use the low level range like Tarikoss/Synapse, Silver Mantis/Psyche.

And there's always Apex & Tin Mage >>

The average times are never really correct and never seem to update properly.

The big problem is that DFB and the Incarnate Trials have trained most players to form up teams -before- joining the queue, which means they just join in instantly. Which also means you pretty much have to rely on there being 11 other people that decided to join in by themselves without forming up a team first.

Which unfortunately means you're kind of better off advertising to start your own league or hunt about if anyone else is doing one ;p

So far I've turned on bosses for everything I've played. No AVs though. But depending on the toon I will drop it to -1 lvl.

I'm kind of hoping for an Incarnate level Taskforce shows up in the new Dark Astoria. Something like Apex/Tin Mage would be great.

As for smaller trials, yeah. I think there should be a variety, but then I also think the rewards shoul dbe adjusted accordingly. Whereas underground is long and has a higher upper limit and you get a guaranteed rare/very rare, I don't think it would be too unreasonable to have a smaller trial that was weight toward common/uncommon.

But then I'd also just like to have more trials in general in the 20-50 range, non-incarnate. I'm kind of sick of seeing so many requests for 'sewers, easy xp'. At least let there be variety.

It was announced the New Year's pack will be this week, running til the end of January like the Winter pack.