Demoth

My observations as a newer player 'only played briefly back in 2004' is that this game after issue 16 is far more tedious for the new player. Even on Virtue, it's just mainly sewer groups until around 12 and then it's a lot of running around, pretty much begging for a group.

Vets already played around with alts, know the areas, have friends, ect. Changes like this do not effect them. New players, frustrated with CO and wanting something fast paced and fun would have more likely been hooked in like I was by the fast paced AE group dynamics.

The fact is, this game does not have the population to facilitate a spread out player base. I really don't care, I also can make my own team and fill it with 8 almost anywhere because of the fact most people do not want to be responsible for organizing or take the blame for other idiots. I'm having fun exploiting other people's fears on that front, but I suspect the devs vision here is going to cost them a lot of subs.

Maybe a solution would be a more global channel for team requests and more access to TPs. Even on a low pop server, players will have better luck in the 20s in a zone like Thalos vs something like IP. A new player could end up hunting anywhere though and may never find a team for long periods. A channel that covers all zones within the character's level range and maybe a team TP inspiration could be added to the drop list to make getting teams at lower levels together easier.

Either way, I'm still having fun but I suggest the devs keep a close eye on those sub numbers after the first month of incoming CO players expire.

Well, mainly this was posted to warn the developers not to listen to the small but vocal minority that wants to nerf the AE and force more super grouping into the game.

Now would be the worst possible time to cave to the people whining about not being able to find PUs anymore.

I also feel that many new players have been lost to this game because it does start out pretty difficult for a new player. Leveling to 14 is the most tedious part of the game, constantly running out of endurance and having to street travel with sprint. You really do not feel like a super heroe at this point. A few wrong choices in powers and now the new player is looking at what seems forever to get his travel power and stamina. No respec until 24.

For veteran players this is all meaningless. But I do feel it's the first 20 levels or so that should be made even easier with architypes like brute and scrapper pretty much hand held in the direction of stamina and a travel power each level.

Let people coming out of CO start soloing around quickly with actual super powers and not constanty resting for endurance. This would tend to retain many more of them. Maybe get rid of training enhancements and just replace em with DOs then drop SOs to 18. And explain to new players about the 3 enhancement cap. Something that major should be documented in game. Perhaps even a easy to obtain and solo respec quest at level 12, and bumping stamina over health in the fitness pool.

I think a problem with this game is it seems really tedious for the first 20 levels and then, if you made your build right, it totally kicks ***. I personally have a few friends who have tried this game and did not continue past the first 20 levels. It would not effect overall balance in any way to simply make the lower and tedious levels into easy mode.

Just some thoughts...

Simple fact is there is a large chunk of players who want to be able to solo. Getting teams together and keeping them intact is often frustrating when you got a kid to take care of or are on limited time or you just want to take breaks between missions.

Lots more people will be attracted to this genere ala Champions Online. Lots will get frustrated with the forced grouping dynamics. Many will be directed here.

As it stands now, AE missions provide good soloing ability to level 50, however, the ability to take a ingame mission to -1 and -2 from the fate vendor might work. Dropped enhancements should also be +4 so they are actually useable.

Also, better explaination and instructions for getting a travel power should be explained in the generator. Maybe even open the travel powers up at level 6- that's the one thing that hooks in new players as it makes the game 1000% more fun and playable.