Door Mission Location - Stupid Placement
By
Airstrike,
Posted on: 2004-12-14 20:30 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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Awwww.... poor widdle muffin. Did the Howwows Huwt You?
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Is there some reason you felt compelled to attack the OP just because he doesn't want to die trying to accomplish his missions?
I'm sure you're an incredibly gifted, brilliant, and handsome player. No doubt women swoon at the mere mention of your name. However, some of us aren't so good. Some of us, maybe even HALF (though I'm just guessing) are below average.
We don't want to die getting to a mission.
Hazard Zones are primarily designed for group play. But right now, you are essentially forced to fight in the Hollows when you first leave AP/GC as a lowbie. And it happens again at higher levels. The excuse that "the devs want you to see the zone they created" is BS ... I pay to enjoy the game, not gratify the devs.
I've been killed, even in groups, plenty of times trying to get to a door mission in the Hollows. I've watched teammates die. I've been part of whole teams that were wiped out. Maybe we all suck. Fine. I'm more than willing to accept that. We're just asking that there at least be options for missions for those of us who suck. Does that make it more palatable for you?
Sending a L5 toon to do a door mission that requires him to travel through a mile of +8 mobs that come in groups of 8 or more is just stupid. Especially in a zone where they frequently spawn whole groups right as you are running through the spawn point.
BTW, the option to "move slowly and avoid all the mobs and be careful and take the long way around" is also pretty poor. I didn't buy this game to play a stealthy spy sneaking his way to an op. I have Splinter Cell on my XBOX for that, thanks. Spending twenty minutes earning zero xp just so I can (possibly) do my door mission, then another twenty earning zero xp just so I can (possibly) get back to my contact ... it's just stupid. And when the debt you earn trying to get there and back more than outweighs the xp you earn in the door mission ... also stupid.
If you want to sneak through the Hollows tempting the deep-purple armies, you can do that any time you want. It's your choice. The rest of us would also like a choice.
TBH, since Issue 2 came out, I've received a mission in The Hollows from the first 2 contacts (barring the Wincott mission) precisely once. *shrug*
HeroGuy, I gave you five stars just for an intelligent, courteous, non-confrontational post. Too bad there aren't a couple thousand more like you to post. 
To chime in: I play solo & in small (four people & under) groups. We do not min/max, & with the exception of the group my dark/dark defender is in, we do not usually take "stealth" powers. We avoid hazard zones like the plague. We play for the fun of beating up bad guys, not to sneak slowly & cautiously through zones designed for large groups with spawns many levels higher than we are.
Running (or, actually, carefully sneaking) a mile or more across hazard zones to reach a mission door - when the mission isn't timed & we have no option to remove it from the task list - is not fun. It's good to hear from Statesman that this is being addressed.
I think I was around level 10ish and in the Hollows. We had one member of our team who was running into trouble getting out to the mission, so I started back to help. I think I was just running sprint and Focused Fighting (Katana/SR scrapper).
Raced (as much as sprinting can be considered racing) toward where my teammate was. Got across the street, clipped something as I was running...and then there were suddenly a bunch of red numbers flying over my head.
I think that's about when the group of purple-ish Trolls I ran into appeared. Dead scrapper.
I wasn't being very careful when I ran, but if I'd been able to see the Trolls that hadn't appeared yet, I would have been able to avoid them.
You can only really navigate around a hazard if you know the hazard is there. 
Not having to navigate through a minefield of purple baddies is a good IMO.
Zuri
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We will be revamping some of this stuff so crazy sitations like being put in an area that's WAAAAAYYYY too tough doesn't happen.
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Yay. I'm really looking forward to this. Not that I, er, started threads about it in the technical issues forum or anything.
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
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Just for the sake of argument, i have no trouble getting across any zone at any level... EVER. No travel power, no stealth, just me and my 2 feet. In fact just the other day i lead a group of my friends from the atlas gate all the way around gredels gulch to a mission on the other side. Everyone was lvls 6-10, everybody followed me, and nobody died. We walked back without dying too. It requires being aware of your surroundings and paying attention but its not really that difficult. I mean you cant seriously expect to be able to put on auto run and step away from the keyboard in the Hollows, right?
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That's a red herring. Even if you're paying attention with the camera zoomed out and avoiding all the spawns, you will often have stuff spawn right on top of you (I usually have it happen 2-3 times if I have to go into the hills).
Without that spawning, lots of us would have an easier time getting around.
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I understand your complaint, how some people are less skilled then others and you shouldnt HAVE to slalom your way across a difficult zone for every mission, but seriously how often do you have to do this? Just thought you should be aware that while im sure your not the only person with this problem, its far from universal. Theres no zone thats so hard the mobs arent spaced far enough apart that you cant sneak thru with alittle effort.
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Except the Hollows.
I sneaked across the Rikti Crash Site with a first level character, and I'd say that it is sometimes of comparable difficulty because Rikti teleport in - and groups of villains just spawn around you in the Hollows - and take you out before you can get away.
I was once standing outside a mission door waiting for the rest of the team to exit when a spawn appeared, a ruin mage locked me in a stone cage, and then I got shredded very quickly. Sure, they were only six levels higher than me (15 to my 9), but still...
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
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Then run straight east (perpendicular to wall) to your mission, usually over Julius's bridge which further reduces chances of accidental aggro.
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And how do you propose getting past the level 15 Madness Mage that is sitting outside your mission door?
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Just so you know ... there are no ambushes in hazard zones.
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When did that change?
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HeroGuy, I gave you five stars just for an intelligent, courteous, non-confrontational post.
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Five stars for you, as well, for being such an incredibly shrewd judge of character.
I actualy wrote a guide about this kind of thing, mostly with the Hollows in mind. Here it is: How to travel without dying.
Now I realise that there are some errors in the text, but I've not posted an update as of yet, but all the ideas in it are sound. Hope this helps those of you who are finding some travel difficult.
Well yeah if something spawns on top of you, thers not much you can do. Most of the time however (most not all) this is due to latency issues, the spawn was actually set to pop when you got near, but because of a minor lag spike or just your normal ping, your client doesnt show it until its too late. It would be nice if they could fix this but... meh. After playing for awhile you get a feel for where there should be spawns and where its more likely to be safe. Even if youv never been to an area before, its a safe bet that theres gonna be a spawn at that intersection of alleys or the little cul-de-sac near the street, or right around that corner, but not right in the middle of the road (generally) or near the edge of a cliff where i normally make my path.
Besides, if your walking around and you notice you dont see any mobs, especially somewhere it seems like there should be, stop and wait a second so you dont walk right into the middle of a group you didnt see. This is probably a main cause of mobs popping on top of people.
One thing i failed to consider is when theres a high level spawn directly outside your mission, theres not much you can do at that point if you cant even take aggro to pull them away without getting one shotted.
So yeah, fix = good i suppose... but im gonna miss those long romantic walks through the hollows 
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Awwww.... poor widdle muffin. Did the Howwows Huwt You?
Get a grip. The mission placement should be a challenge. Do you just want every contact to hand you a door mission, that happens to be a block away, that happens to have REALLY easy foes to kill, which gives you enough exp to get 10 levels per mission?
People will complain about the stupidest things. Sure, I've had alts that have died in the Hollows... but my stupidity is to blame. I decide to shortcut through the red zone, and get my [censored] handed to me... lesson learned.
Any time I've had a difficult-to-reach mission, I've merely taken my time, and taken safe routes... and I've never had a problem that way.
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Um, I don't think you've ever had an under 10 character with a mission in the back of the Hollows. There ARE no safe routes. The zone is huge and because of this you can run into enemies you can't even see until you're right on them. It takes one volley of a gang of level 14s or 15s to kill you.
I don't think anyone expects anything to be handed to them on a silver platter. I don't think anyone doesn't want a challenge. But there is a HUGE difference between challenge and suicidal. Right now I have a level 8 scrapper with 3 missions I have no chance of reaching (a group of level 8-10s is going to get chewed up getting to these areas). I'm better off just starting over once these changes go through. Or, maybe I should just grind until I hit 13? No thanks.
Arc# 92382 -- "The S.P.I.D.E.R. and the Tyrant" -- Ninjas! Robots! Praetorians! It's totally epic! Play it now!
Arc # 316340 -- "Husk" -- Azuria loses something, a young woman harbors a dark secret, and the fate of the world is in your hands.
While you're doing that, can you also address missions in King's Row for lvl 30+ where the door is as far away from the shortest path from Talos/Brickstown as possible. It's been so predictable that when I get a mission in King's Row I go all the way through Skyway instead of Independence Port.
/whine off
^_^
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I sneaked across the Rikti Crash Site with a first level character, and I'd say that it is sometimes of comparable difficulty because Rikti teleport in - and groups of villains just spawn around you in the Hollows - and take you out before you can get away.
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Anyone else want to call Shenanigans on this?
I mean, you must be totally UBER to get through Crey's Folley with a level 1 character (min level =30) just to GET to the Crash Site. I am in total AWE of your skills.
Arc# 92382 -- "The S.P.I.D.E.R. and the Tyrant" -- Ninjas! Robots! Praetorians! It's totally epic! Play it now!
Arc # 316340 -- "Husk" -- Azuria loses something, a young woman harbors a dark secret, and the fate of the world is in your hands.
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BTW, may I be the first to say... IMPOSTER!
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I was wondering who took the name "ninja pirate" in Test...
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Wasn't me, oddly. I have a character on Guardian named Pirate-Ninja that I copied over to test... I was quite surprised how THAT was still available, on both test and Guardian. So, bug someone else about that.
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And now the world will explode for your pleasure and amusement, as two pirating ninjas is too much for reality to withstand.
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DUCK AND COVER!
It's not just something about "Oh, the client didn't show them because you were moving".. i've had groups of +3 Trolls materialize around me while I was standing still watching the Defender try to work out how to pull.. hadn't taken a step in two minutes.
A no attack "Group-Friendly" Defender is like a "Team Friendly" basketball player who won't dribble, run, or shoot, under any circumstances. "I'm a PASSER."
And don't forget... having to pop a luck or two, turn on your travel power, and some sort of Def buff (shadowfall for me ususally as it is Def and stealth) before you exit a mission in those zones so you can run away from the level 20s outside your mission door when you are level 14
Orc&Pie No.53230 There is an orc, and somehow, he got a pie. And you are hungry.
www.repeat-offenders.net
Negaduck: I see you found the crumb. I knew you'd never notice the huge flag.
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We will be revamping some of this stuff so crazy sitations like being put in an area that's WAAAAAYYYY too tough doesn't happen.
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My favorite was soon after issue 2 when special outdoor zone/missions were added to the game and one of them took place in some sort of oil refinery... an oil refinery that somehow was shrank and shoved into a warehouse in independance port! Sky, war walls and all!
(yes, it was /bugged)
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Awwww.... poor widdle muffin. Did the Howwows Huwt You?
Get a grip. The mission placement should be a challenge. Do you just want every contact to hand you a door mission, that happens to be a block away, that happens to have REALLY easy foes to kill, which gives you enough exp to get 10 levels per mission?
People will complain about the stupidest things. Sure, I've had alts that have died in the Hollows... but my stupidity is to blame. I decide to shortcut through the red zone, and get my [censored] handed to me... lesson learned.
Any time I've had a difficult-to-reach mission, I've merely taken my time, and taken safe routes... and I've never had a problem that way.
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Actually the original theory behind the mission placements (as said by Statesman during an interview at one of the con's I beleive) was that it was intended for heros to street hunt on their way to and from missions. The placement of many missions especially at the lower levels are placed in areas that are nothing but purple cons to the hero preventing this form happening.
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Not only that, but level 20+ (all the way to 50) continually get doors in KR, PP, Steel, and Skyway. What in the world is a level 44 player going to hunt in Kings Row on the way to the door?
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I was wondering who took the name "ninja pirate" in Test...
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Wasn't me, oddly. I have a character on Guardian named Pirate-Ninja that I copied over to test... I was quite surprised how THAT was still available, on both test and Guardian. So, bug someone else about that.
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And now the world will explode for your pleasure and amusement, as two pirating ninjas is too much for reality to withstand.
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DUCK AND COVER!
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Uh, that means there's THREE of us? There went the whole galaxy...
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It's not just something about "Oh, the client didn't show them because you were moving".. i've had groups of +3 Trolls materialize around me while I was standing still watching the Defender try to work out how to pull.. hadn't taken a step in two minutes.
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/Bug it. Not supposed to be happening.
-np
I see myself as witty, urbane, highly talented, hugely successful with a keen sense of style. Plus of course my own special brand of modesty.
Virtue: Automatic Lenin | The Pink Guy | Superpowered | Guardia | Guardia Prime | Ultrapowered
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We will be revamping some of this stuff so crazy sitations like being put in an area that's WAAAAAYYYY too tough doesn't happen.
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Thank you Statesman - I really appreciate that this is being looked at as its a serious issue for me and others.
Thanks, Statesman. Addressing door placement in both the Hollows and Perez (and similar areas) will help a lot; doing it in all the zones, especially the lower-level ones, would be helpful as well. (Sending a level 2 brand-new player fresh from training into the red zone in Atlas is every bit as bad as sending a level 5 to a door deep in the red part of the Hollows -- indeed, possibly worse, since this is the level 2's first game experience.)
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We will be revamping some of this stuff so crazy sitations like being put in an area that's WAAAAAYYYY too tough doesn't happen.
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Could you also look into whether it's possible to sanity-check where door missions are located? With my various alts, I've gotten a number of missions where the mission has been to go to some company's business offices, and the mission location is in a hazard zone. I thought part of the point of hazard zones was that they didn't have civilians in them because they were so dangerous. For example, an operating business with its offices in Boomtown, or an operating warehouse in Dark Astoria.
"But in our enthusiasm, we could not resist a radical overhaul of the system, in which all of its major weaknesses have been exposed, analyzed, and replaced with new weaknesses."
-- Bruce Leverett, Register Allocation in Optimizing Compilers
It's before my time, but I understand that Crey's Folly didn't always have a level restriction (before Issue 1?). I've seen screenshots that looked authentic.
My characters at Virtueverse
Faces of the City
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the Igneous, who are the only real threat in the Hollows.
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Gardvords! Rocks!