Bushpig

Hello all---


I wanted to thank everyone for their thoughtful replies to the subset of posts regarding respec. Thanks for letting me air my concerns. Thanks for all of the constructive conversation.

Bushpig.

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LOL, I finally figured it out. You have no earthly idea what content means. Content, in a very broad and general sense, can be defined as anything and everything your character is able to do, or intereact with in the game. From the city streets to the mission maps to the powers your character is able to use - all content. Guess what my friend - the ability to alter how your character functions within the game world, otherwise known as respec - CONTENT . It is an activity that occurs only while you are logged in and interacting with your character. Call it a simple game mechanic, call it a reward for participating in the Hitleresque regime of forced teaming, whatever - it's all content. And as such, because you choose to be a be solo player, you in turn also choose to forfeit any benefits, rewards, goodies, and yes even that simplest game mechanic of all - respec.

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One of my characters existed before the Issue three changes went live. When I logged in I had a free respec waiting for me. I received it without doing anything and without interacting with anything in the game world. I think this argues strongly that the respec is only a game mechanic and is not content as you define it. How you use the respec will affect the way you experience the game and in that regard may be considered part of content as you define it.

Next, this is not about choosing to be a solo only player. This is about access. If I could make the time investment to find a team and stay long enough to complete the trial then I would certainly do that. I cannot. Others like me cannot. The point of this entire "Solo and Team Play" thread is an acknowledgement by the Devs that there needs to be equal access to quality content (even if we are talking about seperate content). Currently, there is no access to the respec ability (content as you define it) for the solo player.

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"I am not suggesting anything be made easier"

Huh? When you suggest that the respec be given as a reward to a solo player, that is exactly what you are suggesting. You want to do, by yourself, what now requires a team to accomplish. I dunno bout you, but I tink you want it to be be easier to get a respec....


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I say what I mean. I mean what I say. Don't translate.

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The respec is content, plain and simple. And as such, is justly awarded to those players who choose to work together with other players to accomplish a goal. It is, I believe, as the dev team intended. Accept it, and move on.

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I respectfully disagree with your sets of definitions. That being said, respecs were awarded to everyone indiscriminantly at the beginning of Issue three. Every character got one whether they "merited" one after many power changes. Level 1 characters parked in the Tutorial mission got one. The world did not spin off it's axis as a result. The respec reward is justly rewarded to the team that works together to complete a goal. The fact that a whole player population doesn't have access to that respec is an injustice if you believe in seperate but equal content. I believe the respec trial is working as intended. I believe the Devs should consider a new intent....to provide seperate but equal access to this important game mechanic (Content if you like).

Bushpig

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First, respec is not a crucial game mechanic.

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If it is not a crucial game mechanic then there is no need to prevent a trivial way of obtaining it. If it is unimportant or mundane then provide an unimportant or mundane way of achieving it.

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Second, respec is not married to team-only content. You can respec having never teamed, ever.

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How?

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Third, a solo "respec trial" would, necessarily, have to be either trivial for some ATs or impossibly difficult for others.


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Is this not true of teams. A well built team can "sail" through the respec trial in 90 minutes or so I am told in a previous post. A poorly built team will fail or so I am told. Furthermore, there is more than one way to prevent triviality than to ramp up difficulty of the mission. If you haven't thought that one through I would be happy to elaborate.


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Fourth, the current respec trial has no AVs or do-multiple-things-at-once in it, and is theoretically winnable by a solo player who made a team to start the TF and then booted the other 3 players.


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I am look for ethical ways to live my life. I'll pass on this idea on smell factor alone.


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The way I read Statesman's post is that a player who is soloing should not get to a point where he can't continue playing solo. It does not logically follow that players who solo only should have access to all game mechanics, but should have access to enough to be able to continue playing. But that point is moot in this case because, as I mentioned before, respec does not require team play.

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If your character is broken because powers do not work as described or powers are changed by the Devs in a way that makes the character unplayable or undesirable...then this satisfies even your stringent definitions

I would like you to juxtapose and reconcile these two thoughts. 1) Respec is not a crucial game mechanic. and 2) Respec is too crucial to allow for trivial means of acquisition.


Thanks. Bushpig.

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Solo missions are trivial for a number of reasons. They aren't very hard. The player, for the most part does not receive much beyond xp and influence. Not much strategy or thought is required in order to complete your regular contact missions. From the moment your character is created, they have the ability to run solo missions. Running solo missions is a fun and easy way to level up your character and experience some of what the game has to offer. - Hence "Trivial"

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Your assertion that solo missions are hard and require no strategy is a subjective truth at best and is outright false at worst. Also, your response did not answer the question of how a series of solo missions is more trivial than the current trial.

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Now respec. While yes it does appear to be nothing more than a "simple game mechanic", it is in fact, extremely valuable to the player. Again, I point out how desperately you're wanting to be able to just talk to a contact, run a few missions ( in 30 minutes or less ) and then have the option to completely change the way your character operates . Being able to do just that would definitely "trivialize" the awesome feature that is Respec.

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A simple game mechanic can also be valuable to each player. I wish to distinguish the simple game mechanic from the team content to which it is married. I am not suggesting that you earn the respec after a small series of missions. If you read my post, I suggested a similar or larger investment of time and effort to achieve the respec. I am not looking for a way to "trivialize" the respec ability. I am looking for a way to make the respec acceessible to solo players. This is a huge distinction and something you never got out of my previous posts.

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Now, lets look at the Statesman quote you posted, as supporting your argument.

What’s our goal? Simply put: if a player wants to do something solo, it should be CHOICE. Teaming shouldn’t be required, but rather encouraged. If a player gets a mission with an Arch Villain, he’ll be able to drop it and get another.

You are indeed correct that the respec trial does in fact require the player to team in order to gain access to the respec feature.

However, what I think you missed in Statesman's quote is "If a player gets a mission with an AV, he'll be able to drop it and get another." Meaning, the player chooses to not kill the AV, not complete the mission, not receive the rewards, and....wait for it..... not experience the content created by fighting an Arch-Villain . To further clarify - the player makes the choice to forego game content because he/she is solo.

Following your logic, lets say respec was made soloable. It would have to be a really, really easy set of missions, because ANY archetye must be able to complete it. Now you have a powerful and valuable game feature within access to anyone who has 30 minutes to blow. What about the rest of the trials and TF's? Here we have a series of team oriented missions that dont give out half the reward that a solo player can receive from the respec trial. OK, lets make them soloable too.

Little Johnny videogameplayer says "Gee Statesman, you said I should be able to choose to do whatever I want in your game. How come I cant solo Hammidon? Why is Hammidon being held hostage by a level requirement and a team requirement? You said I should be able to solo anything!!"

Sounds silly doesn't it?

I really dont think Statesman meant to say a solo player should be able to do anything he/she wants. I think what he meant was a solo player should be able to do what he/she wants until they encounter something that requires a team. At that point, the solo player can choose to skip that content and move on to something else.

As a solo player, playing a "Team Encouraged, Solo Friendly" game, you are going to run into situations where you simply will not be able to experience what is offered unless you have a team. It is the nature of the game. I myself, love to solo. But I know there are things that I want to do that require a team, and some time. It's how this game is played.

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Once again, you completely failed to seperate the ability to respec from the content to which it is currently married.

I am not suggesting that soloers be able to solo team content. I am not suggesting that anything be made easier. I am not asking to be able to experience "team-oriented content". If Hammidon had a crucial game mechanic as a "reward" then I would be equally for a solo-capable alternative.

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At that point, the solo player can choose to skip that content and move on to something else.

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I agree with this point entirely. However, we are talking about a game mechanic and not content.

If the Dev's current position on solo v. team play revolves around the thought that Team play should not be required for access to CONTENT...it logically follows that Team play should not be required for access to GAME MECHANICS. The thought is that a solo player can just move on and access other CONTENT. However, the solo player cannot move on and access any other form of GAME MECHANIC that relates to respec.

It is my belief that giving access to a game mechanic as a reward for team-only play was a mistake and should be corrected by allowing a solo alternative.

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What’s our goal? Simply put: if a player wants to do something solo, it should be CHOICE. Teaming shouldn’t be required, but rather encouraged. If a player gets a mission with an Arch Villain, he’ll be able to drop it and get another.

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This quote is from Statesman. Access to a simple game mechanic does indeed REQUIRE teaming.

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WOW! Interesting thread. I thought this whole thread was about SOLO'ing and Team Play. Not about how Respec is. But hey! That's just me.

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An important game mechanic is held hostage in team-only play. It is unavailable to the solo player who doesn't have time in large increments. Some feel that this is a major and unnecessary difference between Solo and Team play.

Bushpig

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It's funny people are talking about soloing the respec trial.

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What is being discussed is the ability to have access to a game mechanic as a solo player. The trial itself and all other trials/TFs would remain team-only content.

Bushpig.

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But I still have to disagree with the suggestion of making the respec TF soloable. It would trivialize respec itself. Look at how much you're fighting to get respec at anytime. The free one that was given out was like gold. If anyone could do it, whenever they wanted, it would no longer have the value it does now. It would be "trivial".

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Please explain why solo missions are "trivial". Can you design a series of missions like a story arc that is non-trivial...at the end of which you earn a respec? How is this more "trivial" than finding a group and doing the exact same thing?

I am not suggesting that any player can have a respec at any time (although others have). I am suggesting that the solo missions have the same level requirements as the team-trials have. I am suggesting that you only get a few chances over the lifetime of the player just like the team-trials have. You can have the same amount of time needed to be invested or even ramp it up...as long as the time investment can be broken down into smaller increments.

Bushpig.

Hello--


I find it ironic that one poster suggests that the team-oriented nature of the respec trial prevents triviality. Another poster suggests that the "90 minutes" required is trivial and anyone should be able to make that investment. Regardless, you can create solo missions that are substantial in challenge and time investment to compensate for the subjective need to make the respec "earned".

Please do not underestimate the positive nature of the most recent "Free Respec". Everyone was given the ability to respec their character (regardless of need) and the world did not spin off it's axis.

I strongly urge everyone to re-examine the need to keep this game mechanic married to team only content.

Bushpig.

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With a good team, it takes around 90 minutes to start and complete any of the respec trials - you really dont have 90 minutes to spare?
Not even on a weekend? Holidays? During a leap year??


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How long does it take to organize a respec team? Add that time cost to the actual mission. I have small kids. I have a job. I have a wife. So, the answer is no. I really do not have the 2+ hours it takes from start to finish in one seating. Also, I am not alone in this.

Bushpig

Hello--

If the rationale for keeping the respec mechanic in a team-only environment is to prevent triviality then you needlessly exclude a whole playing population.

You can create a series of missions that are not trivial where the reward at the end is the ability to respec. To exclude a whole player population on the basis of triviality is irrational.

You can continue to have the same limitations on number of respecs and level ranges when they can be acquired. All you would have to do is set up a series of missions to complete.

To be frank, I think this problem has less to do with Team vs. Solo play and more to do with how long people can sit and play the game in one stretch. I personally team all the time but I cannot do Trials or TFs because of the huge time commitment.

Bushpig.

Hello--


I brought up the issue of allowing the game mechanic of respec to be solo accessible. Every response so far has cited the need for certain content to remain Team oriented. This I do not deny. Do others see the distinction between content and game mechanics? Can you have plenty of Team-oriented content and yet allow all players (Team-oriented, solo, and everything between) have access to all game mechanics?

I'm interested in hearing some rationale why soloers should not have access to this game mechanic. Anyone?

Bushpig.

Hello--


I am not arguing for content to be easier to solo. I am not asking for soloable Task Forces or Trials. I am not asking for current Team content to be made soloable.

What I am asking for is a game mechanic to be made available to soloers. I really do not understand why this is objectionable. Perhaps someone could enlighten me. Please.

Thanks in advance. Bushpig.

Hello---


I think solo and team players should have equal access to all game mechanics. One game mechanic that I would like to see solo accessible is the ability to respec.

A series of soloable missions with a respec as the reward would do the trick.

What do you think?

Bushpig

Hello--


<<If the mission is group-required and was not marked as such in your contact's text before you accepted it, please /bug it so they know to fix it. >>


Thanks for your timely responses. I do appreciate them.

I suppose the mission was described as needing a partner to complete when I accepted it from the contact. I've done so many missions that I barely read the descriptions any longer. Please tell me this is not a case of "buyer beware" and "you should have read the fine print". That is no consolation for losing the serviceability of my third mission slot.

Why is it that we cannot concede a mission? What is the rationale?

Thanks.

Hello--

I just took a mission that requires two chests to be opened simultaneously. As a soloer, this mission is impossible to complete as designed. I'd like to be able to cancel or concede the mission to free up my 3rd mission slot.

Is it currently possible to concede a mission? If not, why not?

Thanks in advance.