Kitsune9tails

I find the Graves arcs to be entertaining on a "watch the movie" level.

I am sure the writer who wrote them put in a lot of effort: really, it shows in the amount of time put into the NPC personalities and interaction. I appreciate that. I really do. Thank you for these arcs and continue to write. However, there is constructive criticism incoming.

However, they (and to a large extent the corresponding hero arcs) fail on nearly every other level:

- They are designed as an extended tutorial; but they are so easy to skip that noobs will probably end up invited into lowbie underground trials and outlevel them.

While in the underground lowbie trials, these noobs will ask for help at every turn: how do I train? Why is the word 'enhancements' red on my display? Why is the word 'inspirations' red on my display? What power should I choose? What are enhancement slots? This is fine, but the tutorial needs to pull its' own weight by being a viable alternative to this.

If this is intended as an extended tutorial, it should be popped up in your face as the primary option, as in full screen, must click 'no, I don't need more basics' and 'yes I am sure' to dodge it.

- The levels that they teach you things are far too late. A newbie Freem, with their limited ability to communicate and the spam on Help channel (due to the limited ability to communicate) will likely be unable to complete the arc, if as it assumes, they don't know how to train or slot Enhancements.

You should be taught to train before level 3.
You should be taught how to con enemies before being sent out of the zone.
You should probably be taught how to bring up your map display if you have accidentally disabled it before being required to use it.
You should be taught how to slot/use enhancements/inspirations before your 5th or so mission (by which time your enhancements/inspirations should be full).

Since the first thing they do in the Graves arc is send you to a warehouse to talk with a bunch of NPCs, this would be a great time to have those NPCs teach you these things (Twinshot could do similar in her base). Put a trainer and vendor in the instance, along with training dummies.

Heck, on the Graves side, instead of a warehouse let us invade a Longbow base, defeat everyone, and then use their trainer hologram, vending machine, and training dummies, then show what the redside versions look like.

- The 'character voice' for the Twinshot arcs is reasonably generic, but the one for the Graves arc (particularly the section where you play stupid and are called stupid and smile and like it) in order to learn how to train at trainers is really bad. I roleplay tabletop, and many of my friends who are quite capable of playing and enjoying a villainous character already hate the 'lackeyness' of red side. This section would put them in 'throw the keyboard across the room' mode.

Just add optional dialogue along the lines of "Graves thinks we are both idiots, so he sent me here to trick you into teaching me how to get trained. But you already have orders to train me. Please explain the process and I won't waste any more of our time."

Once the AE filter is fixed, I will not only write a better arc, I will write a better Doctor Graves/Twinshot arc.

And I am sure that you, whoever is reading this, can do the same.

On the subject of "Who Will Die?"

I want them to let US pick.

I don't know what all they have planned for the 'aftermath', (probably a Task Force tossed into Ouroboros, maybe a cut scene, them being replaced as a trainer) but it is 7-plus months away.

Let US pick.

- Let there be a dialogue box in the penultimate mission where we pick who to sacrifice or save, then fade to a "To be Concluded". Over the course of the next month the results are tallied, some dialogue and 3D models are switched, and then we see who died.

- Let us vote/poll secretly via ingame email over the course of the 7 months.

- Let hero characters spend store points to buy special ally NPC resurrection temp powers based on the members of the Surviving 8, with the purchases counting as votes. Conversely, let villain characters buy similar signature attack temp powers based on who they want to see go down.

I don't care how you do it, devs, but please... allow us as players to make this choice.

Please let us affect, even if it is only once or twice a year via Signature Story Arcs, how the game progresses. Please let us collectively make a real mark on the world.

That would be emotionally engaging.

That would be worth money.

That would be fun.

I am against retcons in the general case, especially when they can often be avoided with a handwaving bit of dialogue.

Something as simple as, "But how can it be like this? It wasn't like that before!" can turn something from a retcon to a sloppy, but consistent bit of story progression. Especially when you have Menders you can be sent to who can then say, "Someone has messed with it!"

That's not even mentioning things like having the being from which a bit of info originally came turn out to have been mistaken or lying.

Otherwise, you suddenly have people turning into Skrulls.

Retcon: er, I mean, suddenly always having been Skrulls.

An unavoidable pair of questions:

1: Are the rewards (including the content itself) worth the cash price paid by Preems for access?

2: Without the reward table, what would need to be added to the arc to make it worth it.

Infinity bonus points for answering question 2 non-subjectively.

Oh, and unless Death by Lava is the intended preferred method of defeating Lemkin, he at least needs one of those ranged psychic blasts the Lost are known for.

Is there anyone who would object to the option being added to the game, were it possible, to set an apocalyptic villanous goal at some point and pursue that goal via dedicated Contacts, Salvage, and Recipes to the point of creating a semi-generic apocalyptic alternate future?

If so, why?

Here are my suggestions:

1: Instead of the Mission Kick alone if the timer runs out while you are escaping the first mission, please add a cutscene with some falling rocks and damage (Heh, "Rocks fall, everyone dies"). Having it just kick you from the mission feels anticlimactic.

2: Please add a badge for clicking the three glowies before the ambush timer runs out during the Pumicite ambushes in the second mission.

3: In the final mission on villain side, please have the Freedom Phalanx (all of them, at full AV power and level 50+) actually show up at the very end and let us fight them if time runs out (actually, I will have to double check to ensure this is not already the case, but I beleive it just Mission Kicks you). They have their teleporters, they won't get too beat up.

4: If we are going to be exemped, hand wave it with a line of dialogue at least. The artifact is draining our powers. ??? knows we are interfering and limits our power. Time Travel. Planetary alignment nanite bla bla bla. Something.

5: Please add a page of comic book exposition to the splash page. This will help non-mission-holders potentially get more of the story.

Okay, like all missions it makes a lot more sense if you are the mission holder.

<spoilers>









CoT mage has found a power-stealing obelisk that he wants to use to empower his bodyguard.

Lost renegade attacks Oranbega and steals the Obelisk to empower ALL of the Lost.

Lost captive tells the PPD to prevent the Lost from being empowered by magic, since it is a sin to them.

And it's all a plot by ???

Makes perfect sense, actually and rather clever.

Trying it now solo with a level 12 Hero, 100 Cuts (Katana, Dark Armor, Speed, Fitness...hmmm may need to Respec...)

<spoilers>

In the second mission of part one, "Catch up to the Lost", you have a timed portion. Running out of time (I was defeated by a misstep into a bed of lava, heh) does not seem to do anything (I may have missed a message while in the hospital).

A similar thing happened with a group with the same non-result. Reentered the mission; no timer, no failure.

Is the timer just for the ambushes?

Just finished it. <spoilers>

...Before I get to the spoilers, let me say one thing.

Devs, please engineer it so that we as players get to choose/determine "who will die". If these monthly missions are our way of participating in the evolving story of the game, please let us actually do so.

Maybe the number of times each mission is run for each member of the Phalanx is significant. Maybe in the penultimate mission, we choose via a dialog entry and the aftermath is played out in the final mission. Maybe we vote/poll on the boards. Whatever; please allow us to do something (preferably in-game) that directs/diverts the story, even if it is just a matter of which Trainer is standing where.

...for bonus points, it could tie into the 'You are experiencing the world created by your deeds' tech...








...and now the spoilers.

As a 'Not the team leader' person on this mission, I felt a little Lost (heh) near the beginning: A CoT mage is trying to steal Synapse's power and give it to the Igneous? The Lost are involved? Someone flooded the Hollows with lava?

The final (mysterious) cut scene (perhaps un'bombable' since it apparently takes place distant from the action) and the text narration was greatly appreciated and helped give a sense of story.

Due to the comic splash page with the 'enter mission' button I was hoping for a page of intro/explanation (Is that possible, Mr. Nakayama? A page of comic between each mission with a recap/preview would be a great way to set these missions apart). That would have helped a lot.

The missions were fun and quick, with a few cool mechanics and timers.

I would say that so far this mission is above average but short of exceptional, and quite fun. Thumbs up!

I also had to come to this thread to find the Paragon City Contact, after getting the popup and then not finding the Contact under my Active or Inactve Tabs. Nor was it available under Find Contact.

Word on the Street is that the minimum level is 11.

The way to make a group or Real World Superheroes would be with tights.

The point of superheroes is to inspire and transform society to emulate their efforts on a smaller scale...to make people better.

So here is a thought:

Instead of employing secrecy as in the OP, you go totally public.

You find and train Alpha Team, a group of idealistic, dedicated veterans with a sense of theatre (probably recruited from the ranks of professional wrestlers and sport fighters). You give them colorful code names, bullet resistant costumes, neat gadgets, and a published code of conduct.

Practicality is a secondary concern: they aren't assassins or soldiers (although they may have specialized gear for special missions); they are icons. The lack of truly 'super' gear will help keep you from being targeted by world powers, since it' s stuff they all have anyway, just packaged in colorful (and often deceptive) forms. Wrist blasters that are basically guns with laser sights, helmets with incorporated night vision goggles/cell phones/SCUBA, cool vehicles, that sort of thing.

You monitor and direct them from an island base.

You see to it that they operate "just inside the law" (gross violations of the code are cause for summary expulsion and they agreed to transponder implants when they signed up). Their primary objective is public relations: cleanup in the wake of disasters, promoting charities, etc but they also investigate crime as citizens (or deputies where applicable).

Fighting crime is simplicity itself (although dangerous); you find out a certain residence is likely a crack house? Walk in, camera crews and all. If the residents open fire before you can so much as get inside, all the better; police are called and the situation is dealt with. They lie in ambush? It's all on Livestream and anything you do is self-defense. They lock up and won't appear on camera? Time to sweep the area for building code violations or squalid living conditions and get the local slumlord/city official on helmet-cam.

Everything is played for drama and bigger than life: tears are shed, heroes rise high and fall hard. Each spends a lot of time on camera, filmed by your crews and livestreamed to the Internet. Merchandise is produced and sold, although sponsorships and bribery are very publicly disdained. Mistakes and accidents are explored in detail, as are successes and milestones.

You build an Academy. Subsequent teams are fans that are recruited and trained, for a price (but scholarships are possible). Anyone can become a superhero, but only an elect few do. More selective than the marines, more selective than the Green Berets. This process is also public, with the reason for every washout given (though even the failures are directed at a career in show business or public service).

The main thing here is to promote the values (and stick to the values) that you beleive heroes should represent. Stay on message above all else. Do not compromise those values, whatever they may be. Whether they love or hate you, the world should understand you. Publish books on the subject.

Anyone who comes after you will be doing so on camera. This will encourage some (some gangs, terrorists and politicians) while discouraging many others.

Thoughts?

...says the Blue Rabbit...

Great Stuff, folks! Keep it coming!

Although Statesman is an Incarnate of Zeus and Lord Recluse is an Incarnate of Tartarus, the current Incarnate system doesn't require or enable you to pick any kind of 'theme' for your Incarnate powers.

But what if it did?

If you had to pick a theme, what theme would you say your Incarnate embodies? Stuff like "Kicking Butt" and "Power" need not apply, but "Excellence in Battle" and "Energy" are just fine.

Please elaborate on how your choice is reflected in their powers, history, and personality.

Bonus points for being the Incarnate of an ancient deity.

My brand new first ever Incarnate is Hero1ne, who as the name suggests, is descended from Hero 1 and Hero One. I like to think of her as the Incarnate of Legacy, destined to inherit Hero 1's powers and responsibilities and pass them on to her own descendant (as it was with Hero 1 and his antecedents, possibly back to King Arthur).

Some day she is going to have to have a talk with Ms Liberty about that sword she's carrying...

Anyway, this is about YOU. What do you Incarnate (now that you've thought about it) and how, and why?

[QUOTE=McNum;3881254] CoV doesn't let you ultimately win with taking over the world and gaining ultimate power, so I made characters that didn't care for that. QUOTE]

If there were an option for that, would you make new characters that would go for that? Would it make you feel any differently about these characters or making new characters like them?

Interesting, McNum:

It seems to indicate that no 'win scenario' can be written for either of these characters because one already has won and for the other, winning is effectively losing.

I wonder how common that is.

For me, they in general seem to fall into the category of villains in the vein of the Juggernaut or Luthor: all they really want is more of what they have, and to be allowed to enjoy it as amorally as they want.

They wouldn't even necessarily welcome Ultimate Power and would possibly defend society if it came to that because to a certain extent they need it in order to continue to live in the manner that they enjoy.

'Rogue' or 'Scoundrel' might be a good alternate term for villains of such a nature.