Aura_Familia

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I never understood why the Developers decided AE buildings needed to be in so many zones. Out of all the things to put into practically ever zones, they did AE?

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Well I have to agree with this statement. AE everywhere? Why not a second University on Red side instead?

Low level Villains already have to go to a 3rd level zone to get to the tailor (are actually expected to for Arachnos ATs) and noone is wailing about that, so I assume moving the building out of low level zones won't slow down veteran players at all. It could however slow down newbies provided someone isn't providing teleports.

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Another radical option is to have a cheapo (5000-50000 inf) 5-10 use at a time AE teleport becaon sold in Wents or stores. And then place the AE buildings in one central location. If you can teleport to them pretty much whenever you want, it really doesn't matter WHERE they are.

Also has the added advantage of by the time a newbie gets that much inf they'll at least have SOME basics down. Not at all attached to the inf price btw.

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When it was launched I remember seeing some. They had a nice ad campaign at launch from what i remember.

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5 years is a long time for a game.

They need more advertising.

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Super Hero games are a niche market.

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Unless they're a franchise licensing deal based on the lastest Batman/Spiderman/Stupidman movie - not that Paragon Studios (did I get that right?) can touch that sort of money to throw around.

Still, these days superheroes from well known universes as a marketable commodity are hardly niche, unless you're talking the comics themselves.

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Fixed. If a DC or marvel game is coming out sure. I'm not sure too many folks know what the hell the Paragon City/Rogue Isles universe is.

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(QR)

I've gotten used to just calling it City of Heroes. Nobody knows what CoH stands for. And not that many people I've talked to have even heard of the game.

You folks should advertise more.

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This. Has anyone ever seen an ad for this game anywhere on tv?

Also want to add that there should be incentives to at least try out the regular content from lvl 1 before you jump straight into MA. Perhaps bumping the merit rewards for regular missions?

Or even more radically: Allow each regular content mission to drop 1 merit for the mission owner upon completion, not just dropping merits at the end of an arc. This would also help mission leaders spread around "who's mission we do next" on regular teams as well.

EDIT: Another option is to up the drop rates in non-AE missions by 5-15%. Xp would be the same but the chances at loot would go up. This would also give regular content a nice incentive without mucking aobut with the game's xp curve yet again.

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The concept isn't what its being used for though. That is the major issue. They designed a system with idealistic expectations and now its being used in ways they did not wish it to be.

Whether its nerfing rewards, or exp in some way, intended use needs to be enforced if they want it to succeed the way they envision it.

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or face the fact that the way they envision it may not be what the playerbase wants.


They can do much better things than nerfing the rewards. numerous BETTER ideas have already been stated by multiple people in this thread. I'm leary of any suggestion that could outright kill the AE, especially since we spent so many months without new dev content while they worked on building the damn thing.

EDIT: The overall goal should be to keep it as a valuable alternative leveling path while also keeping it as a valuable story-focused path. The additions in issue 15 helped a bit: specifically tagging.

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I think increasing the xp/inf/prestige from normal content would probably be the best way to go along with a slight increase to mission completion xp. Especially the xp from bosses and lieutenants. Oh and remove hami mitos from AE.

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Increasing these things is a bad idea from a design point of view. The more items you increase the harder is to take away later, especially in regards to static things like xp caps. Where there is exceedingly high caps in place, like influence, and these are relationary to the player-base (ie. economy) these inter-ralationary models will become broken in time.

It's far better to lower (or do nothing) the parts that are having the earliest negative effect than changing things which are outside the scope of the issue.

In short, bad idea for numerous reasons.

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Well its either nerf AE rewards or buff normal content. Which do you prefer? A buff is usually more favorable because a nerf would have to be pretty massive to actually make people think of doing normal content. Unless they want to make it so you can't do boss farms anymore and have a balanced minions, lieutenants and bosses. And that would probably do more harm than good.

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I wouldn't mind having balanced mobs 1 boss, 1 lt, 1 minion. However they COULD NOT do that unless the tripled the size of data missions can hold. Custom Critters take up too much room already.

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I'm fine with it in the RWZ, as it's the only co-op zone it would make sense in.

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*coughcough*PocketD*coughcough*

I still scratch my head at the decision to put such a thing in a war zone...

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True. Forgot about that one.

As a personal aside I wouldn't be caught dead in Pocket D on a certain RP server that will remain nameless without turning off my local chat.

Have to agree with the above poster. When I first heard about MA/AE I thought the missions would be able to be placed in the game. I was disappointed to find out that wasn't possible.

Allowing creators to put their mission doors in preselected spots in each zone (pick 10-12 zone doors per zone--you could even then include CIM in this for missions set in that time period) would in fact push the rp apsect more.

Imagine an author creating a story about Portal Corp being under attack and to do the actual arc, the team has to actually go to PI, clicks on a the PC door and then zones into a map with custom mobs fighting with PPD. You get the general idea.

The question is, with everything else the devs are doing, how hard would such a thing be to implement?

Castle? BaBs? Posi?

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AE buildings out of Atlas, Galaxy and King's Row, yesterday.

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And Mercy, Port Oakes, Peregrine Isle and Grandville. Also, any zone it makes no sense to have a "public entertainment facility" in... such as the Rikti War Zone.

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There are AE buildings in PI and Grandville? Could have sworn there weren't.

I'm fine with it in the RWZ, as it's the only co-op zone it would make sense in.

It CAN'T be in CIM as that'd make the most illogical sense of all.

I'm find with them being in Port and King's. The starting zones they should be moved out of.

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I usually slot my Dwarf forms with +Res; +Res; +Res/+EndRdx; +EndMod; +EndMod/+EndRdx; +EndMod. Where both the first +Res and first +EndMod are simple IO's and the other IO's are from their respective sets.

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Hmmm, think I can get that from set IOs.

(already have the first three slots with +Res set IOs for an hp boost.)

thanks.

think I will post the build after I'm done.

Ok, made a 2nd build for my lvl 50 PB which I haven't played in ages. She has the dwarf 6 slotted in the base slots and attacks and heal.

My question is after using the first 3 slots for Dam Res, what should I slot in the other 3?

Which is my valuable END MODS or End REDUX?

Should I go 2 END MOD, 1 End Redux or 2 End Redux and 1 END MOD? Or just slot a combo of 3 of the Efficacy Adapter IO set (thus giving some extra health--she is already at like 1176 health and 1195 in dwarf form btw. Trying to get her up into the 2000s, which is comparable to my IO'd out Stone tank who has like 2315).

Decisions, Decisions.

Ofcourse these would be all IOs.

Any advice?

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Hm, the question is now "was that the only icon fixed?"

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They also fixed the mission teleporter icon graphic.

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I love this. Please get upset when a booster is released with bugs. Please get upset when the booster is tested to prevent bugs being released.

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Yeah really.

In general to the thread: Testing is so that you don't have to buy something that doesn't work for a week or two people! Relax and wait for them to get it right.

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No, they'll never have a /duel command in this game, ever, because the playerbase is very strongly anti-PVP besides a minority, and because it has massive griefing potential. We have arenas for that.

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Well, I'm *not* a PvPer by any means. I've gone into the PvP zones a few times, fought a bit, got ganked a bit, but PvE is my thing...

However, I fail to see how one zone (Shadow Shard) allowing a /duel command would be problematic. It's the kind of zone where I see Co-OP needed ("hey' we're surrounded by these chtuloid aliens - let's join forces!"), but on the other hand it's also a lawless frontier, not under the jurisdiction of any Earthly power, so I'd think fighting ('dueling') would be more common, just like in the Old West...

Finally, You could always ignore challenges, and even have an option to not even get prompted, then it's no different than normal play. Sure you can have someone nagging you on in the chat box to duel with them, but I've had that happen with the Arena too. That's what ignore is for...

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As long as the default is to have it off, sure.

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Sure it is, in a level appropriate zone. I would hope no one would be advocating someone learn this where mobs are +4 to them?

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Someplace like the "old" Hollows maybe? Now that was a learning experience! Come on, you remember.

Whoops.... killed again, damn back to atlas.... sprint back to the far side of the map through lvl 12,13,14's and your just a lvl 6.


BC

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Yeah that zone was soooo much fun back then.

Err no. Thanks to newspaper missions in kings row, after my second toon ever (ice/kin) I have never been back to the Hallows. Ever.

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Because learning to navigate thru a zone without getting killed by mobs is a valuable skill.

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Sure it is, in a level appropriate zone. I would hope no one would be advocating someone learn this where mobs are +4 to them?

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Why not? I've been doing it for 5 years whenever a new release has added new costumes and I ran dozens of my lowbie alts to the Steel Canyon or Independance Port Icon Stores to tweak their costumes rather than reroll the entire alt.

It's one of the easiest skills to learn in the game.

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It's easier to learn in Atlas park also as you level up.

I've always been of the opinion that frustration is not a good teacher.

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Because learning to navigate thru a zone without getting killed by mobs is a valuable skill.

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Sure it is, in a level appropriate zone. I would hope no one would be advocating someone learn this where mobs are +4 to them?

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I used to do it in the Hollows all the time.

Getting to the second or third mission from Mr. David "I'm gonna git ya" Wincott usually involved navigating your way through streets packed with purple-conning mobs. I learned, real quick, how to avoid those guys.

And that was IN a level-appropriate zone, technically. At the low levels, a +4 is not going to kill you, and the AE building could be moved right across the street from the tram, eliminating the need to avoid anything anyways, since there are no spawn points there.

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And interestingly enough I could have sworn navigation issues were one of the reasons that the devs revamped the Hallows.

I don't think frustration is a good teacher. But that's just me.

I distinctly remember many breathing a sigh of relief that they no longer had to do the hallows when kings row became even more viable due to newspaper missions.

I don't think you encourage folks to visit other zones via (potential0 frustration, which is what the whole point of moving it out of Atlas is supposed to accomplish.

But as I said before having the level contact appear at lvl 5 is a great idea. Moving it directly across the street from the tram is also good.

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I understand your intent behind level gating the MA to "force" people to realize that it's not the entire game. But at this point I think all that would do is slow down the MA farmers, not stop them.

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If I'm reading the OP's post correctly, he isn't mentioning farming, rather there are new players who think that the AE building and Atlas Park are the entire game and do not know of any other zones or content.

I personally get all sorts of questions like "how did you get that cape" or "how do I change my costume" ... from level 40+ players with only AE badges in Atlas Park.

Sure, some of them are farmers, but every now and again I run across someone who truly doesn't know there is more to the game. For this reason, I could get behind the AE contact showing up after level 15. If it were me, I'd make the AE contact level 30+.

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Nope. LVL 5 is fine.

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Because learning to navigate thru a zone without getting killed by mobs is a valuable skill.

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Sure it is, in a level appropriate zone. I would hope no one would be advocating someone learn this where mobs are +4 to them?

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This is the same business that wouldn't allow our dev team to put a patch (publishing freeze) to get rid of obvious exploits which they forced them to release issue 14 with live btw, because of some arbitrary anniversary.

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I know this may start an argument I regret, but what the frack are you talking about here?

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disregard. Not necessary for this thread and shouldn't have posted.

My overall point HOWEVER, still stands. Which was that the devs WON'T be allowed to put in restrictions on something that they've been touting could be used from level 1.

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But they haven't been "touting" that. They haven't stated that there were restrictions, but that's not the same as touting that it was usable from level 1. Also, removing the AE buildings from the starting zones wouldn't be putting restrictions on it.

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Restrictions on it were not put on the retail box that is currently selling in stores.

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Nor was a statement that there would be no restrictions. However, there -is- a disclaimer that content changes.

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If the goal is to get folks to experience other parts of the game then incentives to do that should be implemented. In addition AE missions should be allowed to spawn in level appropriate zones.

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But there are incentives to do that. Not the least of which being the amount of content outside of AE that exists. They're not going to hand out free levels for doing non-AE content, but that's pretty much what it would take to get some of the new players that went straight to AE to go try out the rest of the content. At least moving the AE buildings would make them move out of the starting zone and at least learn that a) there are more zones out there and b) How to travel between zones.

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Go and read up on some developer comments about the AE. The devs have been stating it IS completely viable to level from 1-50 in the AE. Read up on what has been going on before you post.

They also said it in closed beta that they want AE to be a viable 1-50 path.

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Again, a lvl 1 should not be sent to a higher level zone in which there is a chance to frustration of dieng repeatedly. I just don't like the sound of that. Especially with this being the first mmo for many players. I can tell you I would have gotten frustrated back in the day with something like that.

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Put it across the street from the King's Row train station. If you're removing the building from one zone, why not move it in another to eliminate the risk?

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People need to read the thread.

Not going to respond to any of these, as Aett and I already came to an understanding on this ages ago.

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The developers want it to be possible to go 1-50 within AE.

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AFAIK, no developer has ever posted "We want our players to level from 1 to 50 in AE only and never experience everything else the game has to offer".

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No they just said they want it to be a viable path from 1-50. Has jack shite to do with whatever else is in game.

so again, The developers want it to be possible to go 1-50 within AE.

There is no qualifiers there about any other content, as what content you do in game is totally 100% up to you.

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It is indeed slower than regular missions for xp. Notice I said regular, not farms. All for the reasons already stated.


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MA includes regular and farms. There is no distinction. They are all task forces created in the MA. So when i refer to MA i include all forms of content, not just the one type that suites my argument best.

But at the risk of blowing your mind, i will simplify....

MA Farm XP >>>> Regular Content Farm XP.

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uhh no. With patrol xp and the missh bonus regular content DOES give more xp than MA mission xp.

Farms ARE in fact a different story.

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So how about this?

If you are higher than the zone level range, you cannot enter the data stream. You get a message saying you are too high in level to use this data stream, and you should go to the AE building in [zone(s) appropriate for your level].

If you are within OR BELOW the range, no problem. I repeat, within OR BELOW the zone range. (People seem to miss that part of this suggestion. )

No restriction on new characters using AE in the starting zone. No restriction on leveling all the way to 50 in MArch, except they have to change zones periodically (just like with regular content). Doesn't even prevent a level 1 from teaming with a level 50, they just have to both be in a zone appropriate for the level 50.

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Not a good idea. For lower levels to go team with higher levels they would have to go to a more dangerous zone. NOT a good idea at all.

At that point you might as well just get rid of the auto sk. Also, it's a restriction that doesn't exist anywhere else in game.

EDIT: For vets this is no issue, as I can easily manuvear my level one toons from zone to zone to get to PI easily. Folks making these suggestions need to keep in mind we are talking about lower level toons here who may not be vets.

[/ QUOTE ]If they're a friend you're introducing to the game, you should be helping them out. Log onto a lower level character, or help them get to the AE building. Just like it was before AE...you had to help the lowbie get to the high-level zone if you wanted them to join you there.

If you don't know them, helping them get to the right AE building will help the game by giving them a better impression of players. If you don't want to deal with helping the newbie, then just kick 'em. ("LOLing" them is optional. )

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See my other posts. Only thing I agree with is moving it to KR. No other restrictions are necessary. Especially not ones that restrict veteran lvl 50 players.