MrCaptainMan

Qr - the problem I have with the 'movie trilogy' concept is that depending on yr viewpoint, 5 missions might be seen as the equivalent of 20mins of screen time. There are loads of great 20-minute short films out there, but nobodies suggesting Star Wars would be as good if it was only 20mins long.

I'm not saying every arc needs to be as long as possible here. I've played some arcs that could have lost a mission IMO and been better. But I've also played some 5-mission arcs and thought that the idea had scope for more.

I think it depends on the story. As has been said, few of the canon arcs are 5 or fewer missions long.

Eco

Qr - I think I'm going to try to make a mission that isn't actually farmable for any gain that a real farmer would be interested in.

Eco

What's your opinion on multi-arc stories?

Too long, no matter what they're like?

Mmm, more stuff-yes please?

Do you think that each arc in a multi-arc story HAS to work as a standalone story as well as contribute to the overall piece?

Can the first arc of three, for example, end without a resolution? Do you treat the 'break' between arcs as an accident of the 5-mission limit, or as a hard limit that signals it's time to form a judgement?

Or do you judge each case depending on individual merit?

I ask because I already have a two-arc story, The Audition, which is just one 6-mission arc as far as I'm concerned. It's in two 3-mission arcs, and I have made the third mission more 'epic' than the preceding two, for those who like a finale-ish sense from the mission that ends with the MA rating screen, but it isn't a standalone Chapter One on it's own. In also working on a 3-arc story ATM, and I'm wondering how to approach the end missions for the two first parts.

Eco

Qr olantern, jadkni - seeing this type of thought put into the MA is great. I think a lot about objective manipulation, but I hadn't given a lot of consideration to powerset mixes yet. Food for thought indeed.

This thread is really good.

Eco

I originally planned to just try to simulate the battle maiden map, but now that AEvfarming seems to have taken over PI in this aspect, my job got harder!

T might not be clear from my OP, but I am not trying to make a viable farming mission-I'd like sth that looks like one but isn't worth it.

Eco

I'm working on a story arc, and one of its missions would work well in terms of the narrative if it looked and seemed like a 'farm' mission. I don't actually want it to be useable as a farm, however. I'll be putting it as one of the later missions in the arc so that the other slower lower-reward missions have to be done first, but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or advice as to how I should approach its design. It would be ironic if my 'farm' parody got reported as a farm!

I assume that the customs for it should have 2 melée sets and no flight? Is that a typical sort of farming setup?

Eco

Can you review my arc The Audition, please? Its ID is 221240. It's a 6-mission comedy arc in 2 parts. I recommend a high level damage dealer and strongly advise (I'd insist if I could LOL) difficulty lvl one, which is what it's balanced for. Hope you enjoy it.

Eco

Its only a matter of time, surely, before some young Romeo on Virtue crafts an arc wherein his Main proposes to her Main at the culmination of the arc.

Ally Rescued Animation: Lecture (Soapbox)
Ally Rescued Dialogue: My beloved $Name, If you marry me I shall endeavour all our lives to make you the happiest $Class in the world! Don't quit, i need the tickets

When it happens, remember you heard it here first.

Eco.

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If I had to rate Prime Time TV I'd rate it PG-13. So is this the same way here?

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Quote:

"Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language."

Emphasis mine.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board

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So the gambling is always simulated, but the blood is (or can be) real blood? Lol

I always laugh when I see that 'suggestive themes'. Suggestive of what? "Tonight, on 'House and Home':Autumn porch colors - Suggestions from a panel of experts' WARNING:RATED T FOR TEEN"

Eco.

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We're supposed to keep our AEs relatively clean I suppose, but what is a clear boundary for what is acceptable and what is not? I'm not suggesting writing pornographic material for instance, but is putting mild suggestions and/or suggestive themes ((including alcohol?)) ok? What line do the mods take with content?

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This is a tricky question because of the response of the players. My arc "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" is all about adultry - but has never had one negative comment about its content.

On the other hand, it does contain one mob - the "Sex of Diamonds" - and one of the recurring comments I get is of the use of the word SEX.

It must not be a big problem because right now we have 179 players and a 4 star rating ... but it does point to how approach makes a difference. The adultry theme is delivered with sublty and humor. The word sex is ... the word sex. So when you create your arc, be aware of that.

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'Sex' gets through the profanity filter but 'nip it in the bud' doesnt.

I don't know wether to be thankful for small mercies or just /facepalm again

Eco.

utilising the 'single objective triggers lots' trick can give some cool effects. Set a Collection objective using the wallsafe object at the Back of a map, and off that trigger loads of patrols and a Defeat Boss set to Front, and you've got your basic bank/safecracking mission. The player enters a completely empty map, goes to the end, breaks the safe, the alarm goers off and his way out will be a fight against the swarms of mobs that are now everywhere, finishing woth a fight against the Captain of the cops or what have you.

Patrols can also give a much more organic (or mayhemic) feel to a map when used in massive quantities than normal spawns. If you set loads of patrols they'll encounter a full map but all the mobs will be on the move, which can add challenge.

Eco.

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Qr

Just don't mention Chunnelling, Twinback Lugeing, Sminting, catherine-wheeling, blindfold piggybacking or Hackensack Mud Pies and you should be ok.

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::Heads over to Google::

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While you're there, don't forget to look up Ladling, dead-elbow dogs, Flating, Three Legged Bowling, Scranton Sandwiches, Mister Miyagi-ing and the Mississippi backscratcher. All of which terms should be avoided for the sake if the children when creating your masterpieces.

Eco

Edit: because one of them actually turned out to be a real rude act! LOL.

Qr

Just don't mention Chunnelling, Twinback Lugeing, Sminting, catherine-wheeling, blindfold piggybacking or Hackensack Mud Pies and you should be ok.



Eco

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I wouldn't know as I always 1 star Defeat All containing arcs. That's a hint.

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That's pretty idiotic, really, considering a ton of maps have 12-8 spawn points or less for mobs. If that's too much for you to handle on occasion...

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I 0 star them ...

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That's pretty sad, but whatever floats your boat I guess. If that's what you have to do to get your kicks in game, well, I suppose you gotta do what you gotta do.

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Yeah, it's sad ... I cry every time I give out a 0 star vote .....

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I used to be annoyed at your avatar and location-someone who zero-stars arcs like that, for example, would never be taken on board the tardis by the Doctor. I just realized that it's not only companions who have been aboard. so have the Sontarans, for example. You're a villain, not a companion.

Eco

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Riiight .. Because it's impossible for someone who plays CoH to like doctor who.

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Not at all (in fact i'm amazed at that sentence). I just..

I can't be bothered lol

Eco.

If your captives are staying put, thats a bug.

"Once the captive is free, they will flee to the nearest exit" - from the tooltip info for 'Release Captive' objective in the MA.

Eco.

PS Maybe you mean Hostage?

I just played Aliana Blue's Bikini-Clad Vampire Samurai Babes Form Outer Space arc (not entirely sure if i've got it completely right there, but searfch for vampire, samuraiu and bikiki and Im sure you'll get it lol.

Top stuff, v funny. lvl 20 ish humorous arc parodying Ed Wood stuff.

Eco.

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Someone said on another forum that the way the extra buyable slots had been implemented would mean an increase in story arcs, changing the ratio if story arcs to farm arcs in the MA.

I'd like to ask any farm map creators out there if they'd be likely to buy any more slots. Would a farm arc creator feel the knees to make more than 3 different farm arcs?

Eco

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Yes ... Despite what many people think, a farm can contain a viable story and be a farm at the same time. I have about 4 other farm/story arcs I don't have room to publish. I may buy 5 more slots to fit them.

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I'd like to play your farm/story hybrid arcs. If it is possible to make creative works that also give iuthigher than normal rewards, it might be a good way to get more plays fro. Both camps. How do I find them?

Eco

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Someone said on another forum that the way the extra buyable slots had been implemented would mean an increase in story arcs, changing the ratio if story arcs to farm arcs in the MA.

I'd like to ask any farm map creators out there if they'd be likely to buy any more slots. Would a farm arc creator feel the knees to make more than 3 different farm arcs?

Eco

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Yes ... Despite what many people think, a farm can contain a viable story and be a farm at the same time. I have about 4 other farm/story arcs I don't have room to publish. I may buy 5 more slots to fit them.

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I'd liketo play your farm/story hybrid arcs. If it is possible tomake creative works that also give out higherthan normal rewards, they might be a good way to get more plays from both camps. How do I find them?

Eco

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I say this with the deepest sincerity, OP go outdoors and try to stumble upon a non facetious life.

When you're old you'll thank me.

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When I'm old? I'm 39. I'm not a pensioner, it's true, but im no puppy either LOL.

Eco

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I wouldn't know as I always 1 star Defeat All containing arcs. That's a hint.

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That's pretty idiotic, really, considering a ton of maps have 12-8 spawn points or less for mobs. If that's too much for you to handle on occasion...

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I 0 star them ...

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That's pretty sad, but whatever floats your boat I guess. If that's what you have to do to get your kicks in game, well, I suppose you gotta do what you gotta do.

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Yeah, it's sad ... I cry every time I give out a 0 star vote .....

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I used to be annoyed at your avatar and location-someone who zero-stars arcs like that, for example, would never be taken on board the tardis by the Doctor. I just realized that it's not only companions who have been aboard. so have the Sontarans, for example. You're a villain, not a companion.

Eco

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I have yet to encounter an arc where *not* using a defeat all would have at all hurt the suspense of disbelief.

I don't rate down an arc specifically for defeat alls (Although if they end up making the arc less enjoyable its rating may suffer for that), but I really see no reason authors should be using them, they've added nothing to the gameplay experience or the story in all the times I've encountered them both in MA and in Dev content.

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I have one defeat all in my arc The Audition. It's on a tiny bank map, one floor. There's probably about. 8 spawns tops. The arc is designed for solo play, and I'm quite clear on this in thedesc. The mission can be completed in about 10 mins. The reason for the defeat all is that the plot explains that the bodies are being teleported away and after the mission there is no evidence that anyone apart from the player has been there.

If you have the time and are interested, please check my arc out. If after playing it you van suggest an alternative way to get the same narrative result, I'd be open to changing the mission objectives.

It may present you withevidencr that defeat alls are not A LWAYS unnecessary, on the other hand.


Eco

I'd like to be able to remove the ingame email system from my characters completely. This would a. Hide me from RTM spammers, and b. free up my ignore list, which I could then fill with people who send me tells asking if I want to join farms.

Eco.

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Yanno... I was wondering when someone would try something like this... one of my arcs has wall-to-wall Succubi (which can really mess with a team, but solo it's actually a little easier, tho' still not a cakewalk).

Then I ran it on MY succubi (who has both confuse and Mass Confuse) and it... got weird.

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So that's like wall to wall full on succubi-on-succubi action!

Eco

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i wont buy more slots. I got enough of 1 farm.

PS: We play in the same ae building, see, im a very quiet farmer^^

and, lemme see.. i feel my knees!!

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/wave. Hello neighbour!

Eco

I'd like:

Escort to another objective.

All maps available.

Boss teleport away on defeat animation.

Spawn point selection.

Eco