SideshowRaheem

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Statesman: Thank you very much for responding to this issue. To me, it really comes down to this: I want the option. Sometimes I want to group, sometimes I don't (or it's not practical, due to my playing hours or whatever). Sometimes I want to play my scrapper, other times my defender or controller.

The boss boost takes away some of those options, IMO. If I don't feel like grouping, but am required to do so in order to make progress with the character I want to play, I won't log in. This is true in both the short and long term.

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I'm quoting the above not because I'm replying to it, but rather because it expresses my feelings on the issue quite well.

Statesman: I appreciate that you want to encourage me to group because you think it is the best way to play the game. I disagree somewhat in that being forced to socialize with strangers is not my idea of fun, but I'm at least willing to entertain the suggestion.

Despite my inclination to play solo or play with people I already know, I do group with strangers on occasion. I group with strangers, for example, to do task forces. I think task forces are a perfect example of how to encourage grouping, they offer rewards for grouping that I could not get otherwise, but it in no way impedes my progress in the game if I choose not to do them.

I think the key here is reward, not punishment. Making a large number of my missions undoable if I don't play ball is punitive, and as I'm sure you know, people do not react well to being punished. If the game becomes an exercise in choosing between something I'm not inclined to do or suffering the consequences, then this just isn't a whole lot of fun.

Part of my initial attraction to this game was that it offered so many options ... costume options, character type options, and the option to play by myself or with others. If I'm faced with fewer options, then much of my incentive for playing is removed. I'm in no way saying "roll back the changes or I quit". I'm saying that I think the sheer number of options is part of what makes the game great, and removing options diminishes it's greatness. More options that encourage grouping seems like a good thing. Less of an option to play alone if I choose is not.

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The trick is to avoid the ambushes, knowing how to avoid those, will leave you with normally spaced MOBs for a hazard zone, wich should be relatively easy to navigate, be prepared to take the long road sometimes though.

Ambushes cannot spawn too close to a MOB that has already spawned.
So instead of running in a direction that is clear of MOBs, you should actually aim to run in the direction of already spawned MOBs, get close to the MOB, go around it, then aim for the next spawned MOB and continue like that.
By avoiding free clear roads or large open squares, you deny the possibility of ambushes. The faster you run, the quicker you die

I have taken 3 characters through Hollows now, and still havent died, I do pop 1 or 2 purples just for good meassure.

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Just so you know ... there are no ambushes in hazard zones.