Hiya DEV's!
First of all, I want to say this has been a sort of godsend game for me. I won't go into details, but I have for the past year or so, had to make some major changes in my life that now have me spending far more time at home. I was introduced to the game by one of my mom's ICU nurses who basically swore by it. So, I bought it and have rarely gone a day without putting some time in on Champion since then. Now I mention this to give you some sense of where I am coming from and put into perspective what I am about to say regarding badges in the game.
At this point, I have had a level 50 character that I worked very hard to get to that level and that is still my favorite toon. She has nearly all the badges currently available, though she is missing all three of the Healing badges, the final damage badge, I believe that one is called Unbreakable, and the Isolator badge that one gets in the tutorial zone. I haven't respeced her yet for the healing PP, so those will come when I do. The Isolator badge I can't get because of having already been part of the game prior to badges being introduced--I did plan on petitioning that once I get all the others though
. As for the damage badge, well, I guess I just need to take more damage. lol Still, as a Super Reflexes Scrapper, that means dieing a great deal more too. So, you now realize that I have quite a few under my belt already, and know a bit about badges and what it takes to get them. Alright, that having been established, let's move on to my perspective regarding badges.
For many of those I have come across in the game who, like myself have at least one level 50 toon, there is not much more for us to do in the game and achieve other than badges. Those who do not already have a level 50 toon are so busy doing their best to get one, that they don't seem to pay much attention to the badges. For them it seems to be all about leveling. I have read that you all are working on the end game, and it would seem that this is more related to the powers themselves and tweaking them, one way or the other, rather than creating more levels for us attain or new areas at our levels to explore--I don't wish to go into FBZ and the areas associated with it, as I very much dislike the transportation system there, though I have read on the test server that this has changed. Anyway, from my point of view of a long term player with more than one level 50 toon, it seems to me that it is important to have something for us, those who do still love playing the game, something to look forward to for our highest level toons. The auto-exemp. feature is a great step forward in this regard, but this thread is about Badges, and they too are a great thing, as they are about all I really play my level 50 Scrapper for now, at least in terms of things she can achieve in the game. I am nearly out of contacts, so missions are pretty much out. Badges are about all that is left to me at this point. So, I say, bring them on!!!
I have read a few of the posts asking for minor changes to the sizes of badges, their colors and organization, and how tough it will be to attain some of them. Well, I say who cares. The harder they are to get, the better! They will mean more to me and to my toon if they are difficult to attain. The other issues don't seem very important as long as there are plenty of new badges out there to be had. You have given those of us who have level 50 toons very little else to play for in the sense of an achievement, and I would suggest that the more badges you can come up with the better. Be sure and make them tough, as this will only increase their value in the minds of us who work for them. There could be badges for Monsters or Hami--now that there seems little reason to bother mounting a raid, it seems to me that if you want us to attempt to defeat Hami, then you need to give us an incentive to do so. A badges associated with number of successful raids might be one way to do it. Basically, it seems to me that if you want to REALLY look at the endgame, then it is important to keep in mind that we, those of us with level 50 toons, need something to shoot for and achieve if we are to continue to feel good and interested in playing out level 50 toons. This is also likely true of the game in general, though people play for so many reasons, I am feel less certain about this statement's truth. In either case, though the level of damage and so on needed to attain some of the proposed badges seems incredible and not attainable, it will say all the more for those few who stick with it and do manage to get them. The organization, size and color of them are all small issues compared to giving us more reasons to play and enjoy playing. I would hope that is the over all goal of Statesman and the rest of you fine folks in development.
Thanks for listening/reading and for a great game. I am not always happy with the changes, but I will learn to live with them. The fun, at least for me, is in the playing and striving, not in how quickly or easily I manage to defeat an enemy.
Yours, Fashion-Pixie
Level 50 MA/SR Scrapper
Champion
