Eiko-chan

My forum interaction implies a level of desire to engage in Incarnate content that is not actually the case. Until I see evidence that the developers are not dead-set on making the system of teams, for teams, by teams, I'm really not that interested in it any more. (And no, the mere existence of a conversion recipe for a Notice is not evidence of this.)

They are free to choose to take the game in a direction explicitly away from my desires. But I don't have to pay for it.

It's a system designed solely for teamers. Just like Task Forces, Trials, and Raids.

Also: I have run every single Strike Force and co-op Task Force in the game. I'm choosing not to run them again, because I've been there, done that, and didn't have much fun.

This is the only one on your list you can actually claim is "only" for Soloists. And once Turnstile is in the game, it's completely outmatched.

I prefer not to run Task Forces. Quick frankly, I don't need any other excuses. It doesn't matter why I prefer not to run Task Forces. I am allowed to prefer not to run Task Forces, and I'm allowed to oppose content that tries to force or encourage me to run Task Forces.

I have never asked for people that enjoy or tolerate Task Forces to be denied the ability to do so, or the ability to gain rewards from doing so.

When, in seven years, has my group been given an entirely new system solely for our own use?

"I would prefer not to team. I have reasons for this."

"The only problem here is you, then."

Why do arguments against what I would prefer always end up becoming personal attacks?

At the time I made those posts, it was impossible to gain the reward without teaming. The craftable option was only announced a few days ago.

And the way you create a preferred method is by encouraging it. By making teaming more efficient than soloing, it is encouraged.

Are you operating under the grossly false assumption that I think "encouraged teaming" is a bad thing?

You should be able to convert them into shards.

Provided I'm allowed to add the modifier "extremely strongly" to it, yes.

If the only way to get something is through a team, it's forced. If teams get those things quicker and easier, it's encouraged.

Pretty much what we have for tips already, but balanced with Incarnate buffs in mind. Instead of Alignment Merits, it could reward some number of shards, or an Incarnate Component, or something similar, at the end of your Incarnate "Morality" mission.

There are ebbs and flows. As I have already mentioned, eighteen years ago I was playing a game that was, at the time, as big as WoW (the "market" was significantly smaller at the time, of course). This game had teams and things teams did, but it also had soloers - some classes, in fact, we specifically designed for solo play. These classes often required a bit more time investment, but they could tackle anything in the game by themselves.
I was taking an extreme against the arguments being presented. And I still don't agree that "one hour vs. half a year" is even remotely reasonable a "teaming bonus".

I'm not sure CoH has enough stuff that would be "purchasable" to make F2P profitable. I'd really hate to see it go the "gating content" way that LotRO did, and LotRO has gear and potions and such that they can sell in ways that CoH cannot.

But that was released last year. And, for that matter, corresponds with the latest big dip in sales figures (Q4 2009).

These figures will not reflect any effect that game may have had; it was released in 2011, and the figures we just got were for the end of 2010.

I'd like to see a lot more Story Arcs and several Task Forces (we've already got two) balanced around Incarnate boosts. Task Forces are pretty popular things (the ITF seems, currently, to be the epitome of design for what most players want in a Task Force) and Story Arcs are nice because they're largely self-balancing affairs with scales from 1 to 8 already in place.

An Incarnate "tip" system might be a good addition as well.

I just wish that once - just once - some MMO designer would decide that, instead of trying to slow those people down, they'd just tell them "Nothing, sorry, we'll get new stuff when we do. Maybe slow down a bit, try to enjoy the ride instead?"

Because I really am truly, deeply, intensely tired of having my progress robbed because they need speed bumps.

There's a number of us that think designing it as an "end-game, team-based system" is a bad idea. That number would be smaller if the target team size was 2-6 instead of 8-12, though.

I first played with the release of CoV. But I didn't love the game and subscribe until after the Cryptic buyout.

Preface: I do not believe this is actually the case. I believe Vanden is extremely wrong about this.

However, if you're right, Vanden, then we're looking at a situation of the Devs more or less actively trolling their solo players. Do you really think that is healthy behaviour for a game?