"Forced" Group Missions

Positron · 09-10-2004 09:13 AM

We have read and realize the concerns many of you are having with some of the new missions in Expansion 2. In our effort to diversify the play-style of the game, we began crafting multi-tasking missions, missions that require multiple players to do things near-simultaneously in order to complete the mission. These missions are clearly marked with the number of players required to complete them. You can still choose them if you dont have the required players, but you will need to assemble a group before you can tackle the mission.

Many of you have stated that you do not like the forced grouping that these missions involve. After going back and looking at all of the missions that require multiple players, we noticed that some occurred in the middle of Story-Arcs or in the middle of multi-stage missions. Obviously encountering one of these while you are casually soloing will gate your progress in said Story-Arc or mission, which was not really our intention we just wanted to spice things up for you in the middle of your Arc.

We have gone back and removed the multi-tasking missions from Story Arcs and multi-stage missions. They still remain as one-off missions with some of your Contacts however. If you encounter one of these and you do not wish to do it, simply take and complete the other mission choice your contact has. When you return, you will be presented with two more (random) missions to choose from. Our goal is not to prevent you from completing Story Arcs or Multi-stage missions you started as a solo character, and we feel that this best accomplishes that with the system we have in place right now.

Positron
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Alistaire_Caine · 09-10-2004 09:17 AM

Are there plans to make story-arc missions with team requirements from the get-go? sort of like a 'mini task force' type of thing? Because I think that would be really neat, as suddenly having one mission in a story arc be team required could be annoying, having an entire story arc with your team could be a lot of fun

Rellron · 09-10-2004 09:17 AM

Good call Pos!

Reika · 09-10-2004 09:17 AM

You guys rock! Thank you so much very much. I wouldn't mind trying out the new style grouping missions, but not in my story arcs.

Again, thank you!

PicassoCat · 09-10-2004 09:18 AM

Thank you, Positron. As someone who has both a 100% team-oriented character & a 100% solo-oriented character, I am in favor of more content, but not content which blocks previously-soloable content. This addresses my primary concern.

A question: If we are ever presented with TWO one-off forced-group missions by the same contact (i.e., cannot progress with that contact except by taking a group mission), & the contact's confidence bar is not full (i.e., additional missions are still there to be done), will this be treated as a bug?

Starsman · 09-10-2004 09:21 AM

Do you think it is posible to (in a future update maybe) randomize the multi-threaded parts of missions so that if you have 4 players with you on one tastk the mission automaticaly spices up to make these players think more strategicaly, but at the same time leave the base mission alone for the ones that decide to solo it?

I love the idea of cooperation and would like to see it on more missions even mid arcs, as long as it obviously does not forces others to do that same mission on a team if they rather solo.

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Luckton · 09-10-2004 09:22 AM

Sounds good to me, but I think ya'll should add an option that lets people surrender/forfeit missions so they can pick up other tasks in case something happens to the team on the multiple-task (or even regular) missions.

Jeremy_Billones · 09-10-2004 09:26 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds good to me, but I think ya'll should add an option that lets people surrender/forfeit missions so they can pick up other tasks in case something happens to the team on the multiple-task (or even regular) missions.

[/ QUOTE ]

We can call it the "Kill 10 CoT in Kings Row" button

_Ilr_ · 09-10-2004 09:27 AM

THANK YOU!!

I don't mind grouping or stepping back out of a misison and Requesting help to complete it when it's really necessary. But I do mind doing it when it's just a gimmick trigger on some Glowies and my chances of actually finding someone to help me has me sitting there spamming channel for an hour or longer.

Humanity_NA · 09-10-2004 09:28 AM

Thanks Posi,

I've got a character I use strictly for soloing and his goal is to complete every mission solo, every Arc solo and to do each TF once(grouped of course). It bothered me to think that this solo guy would have to give up his theme because of this. At least now he can still do the Story Arcs if not all missions.

TheDarkLord · 09-10-2004 09:37 AM

One thing that bothers me about this statement is certain arcs may be ruined by this. Springing to mind are some of the 40+ arcs and more noticable is the Envoy of Shadows arc where you have to fight the AV several times and it's a very tough AV I doubt anyone at that level could solo.

MoonRatt · 09-10-2004 09:39 AM

Heh, and that's all we (er the pro-solo story arc "whiners" ) were asking for. WHOOT!

Now, the additional content in random missions is certainly welcome. Give us more!

I'm not going to go back to the earlier thread, but I made mention of how the Cop (still can't remember his name) in The Hollows gives out group oriented missions.

I think this is a fantastic concept. In essence a TF or Trial that can be worked on as time permits. So....if this is working out, are we likely to see more of these kinds of contacts in the other Hazard Zones?

Would it be possible to add these type of contact in, without having to build it in to current contact. Kind of like the Lvl 30 NPC stores where once you're of the right level they'll send you on a mission and then sell crap to you. In the case of the hazard zones, of course once you're in it's assumed you're of the right level so.....a contact in the 'safe' area who has group missions would be a click away.

Thanks for listening.

Bambi · 09-10-2004 09:40 AM

I suppose that this was the best way to resolve things... and I'll second the group contact mission concept.

I'm going to miss it a little, though.

SQLCowboy · 09-10-2004 09:44 AM

I hardly ever play solo, and I'm really happy about this change. Consistency is good.

PicassoCat · 09-10-2004 09:45 AM

[ QUOTE ]
One thing that bothers me about this statement is certain arcs may be ruined by this. Springing to mind are some of the 40+ arcs and more noticable is the Envoy of Shadows arc where you have to fight the AV several times and it's a very tough AV I doubt anyone at that level could solo.

[/ QUOTE ]

This preserves the option to solo, but certainly doesn't prevent anyone from gathering a team for missions or story arcs. Having the option remain viable is the important thing for us.

Fortuna_NA · 09-10-2004 09:46 AM

An excellent solution from the devs, keep up the good work.

MoonRatt · 09-10-2004 09:48 AM

[ QUOTE ]
A question: If we are ever presented with TWO one-off forced-group missions by the same contact (i.e., cannot progress with that contact except by taking a group mission), & the contact's confidence bar is not full (i.e., additional missions are still there to be done), will this be treated as a bug?

[/ QUOTE ]

As I understand it, unless you've cleared up all your previous contacts missions, you could always do one of their missions instead and once it's done the 'stuck' contact should now have genereated a new pair of missions as well.

At least this is the way it seems to work.

It really shouldn't happen all that often except at lower levels where you have few contacts and they have fewer missions. Once you're in the mid teens there are lots of contacts and you'll recive more long before you should be down to the last few missions of exsisting contacts.

Worst case you'd have to street farm to get to the level where your contacts are offering the "talk to the security dude in area XXX" mission.

Once you've done that for one contact the rest will start giving you 'real' contacts.

I'm not saying it won't happen, but I don't think it's going to be as big a stumbling block as one would imagine.

Idioteraser · 09-10-2004 09:49 AM

The av can be soloed it you are above it and are real lucky. Luck insps and rage and a good solo build and luck pure luck.

AVs are not meant to be soloed even con but if they are red or orange they can be taken out solo.

But most solo players don't mind getting one more or two more to do the AV even con.

With the changes to AVs regarding cons and pets they can be duoed.

MoonRatt · 09-10-2004 09:53 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I suppose that this was the best way to resolve things... and I'll second the group contact mission concept.

I'm going to miss it a little, though

[/ QUOTE ]

Check out the contact in The Hollows. While the first couple (few?) missions of his don't 'requre' a group, in that area at level 5 while possible to finish a mission it's would be a 1000 times easier with a group.

Later on in his thread he starts giving missions that *requre* a min number of people per group.

But, given that he's setting up missions in a hazard zone, and even the lower missions are prefaced with a 'Should you choose to accept this mission.' warning in the desription of what's needed, there shouldn't be any of the solo crowd complaining.

If they do, they're just wankers.

Idioteraser · 09-10-2004 09:56 AM

Well the Hollows mission givers are prepping you for the trial so the group missions make sense storywise.

Firecard · 09-10-2004 09:56 AM

So the "Disarm Simultaneous" are out of the arcs. What about Crey Security doors?

MoonRatt · 09-10-2004 09:58 AM

[ QUOTE ]
The av can be soloed it you are above it and are real lucky. Luck insps and rage and a good solo build and luck pure luck.

AVs are not meant to be soloed even con but if they are red or orange they can be taken out solo.

But most solo players don't mind getting one more or two more to do the AV even con.

With the changes to AVs regarding cons and pets they can be duoed.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ya while I solo lots (most of the time because of real life/timing/I like it,) the AV boss missions are the ones I'll usually, (not always) leave qued up for when one or two other friends are online. Unless of course I've out-leveled the mission in which case, "It's Clobberin' Time!" to quote a certain orange tanker.

Warcabbit · 09-10-2004 09:58 AM

Thanks, Pos! It's not that we don't like them, it's just that certain of them mess with the plot. Nothing worse than being in a good story and suddenly having to yank people around.

Er. Are there any left that are timed, multiple people, and spawn AFTER an existing mission is completed? I've heard a report of them.

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Idioteraser · 09-10-2004 10:02 AM

Care to tell about that. Been a while since I got a crey mission set going on test.

xboxcutterx · 09-10-2004 10:04 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Are there plans to make story-arc missions with team requirements from the get-go? sort of like a 'mini task force' type of thing? Because I think that would be really neat, as suddenly having one mission in a story arc be team required could be annoying, having an entire story arc with your team could be a lot of fun

[/ QUOTE ]

I would like to see this as well.

On the topic at hand, I'm torn.
On one hand, I like having things "spiced up" a bit mid-arc.

On the other hand, if I'm trying to slam out a few missions before I go to work and get caught in one of those and no one in my SG is on, I'd be kinda unhappy.