Thanks Statesman. We really appreciate this!
"To crush your enemies,
See them driven before you,
and to hear the lamentation of their women."
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Team up XP bonuses will be increased.
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YES! YES! YES!
Wow.
I mean really... Wow.
With these two simple changes you have restored my faith in the direction the game is taking. Kudos.
I believe that these will help to do what I and other posters had suggested for quite some time now, to reward group play instead of punishing the soloer.
Looking forward to all future developments in paragon city, knowing that the decisions will be fair ones indeed.
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If anyone has ever played Star Wars Galaxies, they know how really great this game is. The devs here are amazing.
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The devs there were great, too. Until the dark times. Until the bean counters. But that was a long time ago, in a company far, far away.
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I want to make this very, very clear...these changes are due to not only the "data", but the well reasoned posts on these boards.
I really do read & really do listen! The "devs" aren't cooped up in an ivory tower; we love this game just like you do! In the end, we're all players. I have the privilege of being the lead designer. I want to do what's BEST for the game.
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Thanks, Statesman. It's nice to know you all read these posts and that good customer service isn't dead. 
WOOT! Okay, I gave in to a little woot. Excuse me. It won't happen again...much. 
Thanks for the reset! Now if I could just get my blaster out of debt from trying to take down Ulor last night. There was only one other person available to help, and both of us (as blasters) got treated to a death fest by that named Council vampire boss. It was a timed mission and one of only a couple I've ever failed.
I had even RESPECd to add more knockback and such to my Energy/Energy blaster, to keep bosses on their butts and make me more survivable. I guess it will still come in handy later on down the line, when things get tougher. At level 35, I hear the fun is just beginning.
I come from Horizons where I had played since beta. I came to CoH at the urging of a friend, about three weeks into live play. If anyone wants to know what customer service is NOT, play Horizons. I'm loving CoH more and more every day.
Thanks again for the change, JE! Make Mine Cryptic!
All the best...
Power Play
(squishy lvl 35 En/En blaster on Guardian)
(I'm a proud signatory of THE PETITION. See the Marvel Lawsuit Thread for more info. Marvel shall NEVER get another penny of my money! This thread is just one more reason I can proudly say Cryptic/NCSoft rocks.)
Hey Cookie Monster, if "C" is for cookie, what is "N" for?
Golden Age & Early Silver Age Heroes (RPers) Wanted!
Batman PWND by The Insidious Termite!
The Internet
Statesman,
Thanks for all of this. I think these changes will allow ALL players of all styles and intensity levels to play in the same game world, as they choose. Much appreciated!
Lewis
Random AT Generation!
"I remember... the Alamo." -- Pee-wee Herman
"Oh don't worry. I always leave things to the last moment." -- The Doctor
"Telescopes are time machines." -- Carl Sagan
Statesman,
First of all let me say, Thank You. City of Heroes has become my favorite pc game of all time. It is truely a game of heroic magnatude. I have enjoyed every minute I have played the game. Although I was not overjoyed with some of the changes that were made I did understand why they were made. I must confess that I am a lone wolf out of time constraints and was sorely vexed when it started to become impossible for me to get through some of the missions because my character was outclassed. I know that sometimes it sounds like whinning and I agree that teaming is an essential part of the game.( I would like nothing better than to go on some TF missions.)But please remember that there are some people out here that cant spend hours on end playing. I thank you again for the memerable times and hope one day I will the have time and perhapse the fortune to fight along side up with the Legendary Statesman.
Good Hunting
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Contacts give out another series of missions story arcs. These are linked missions that form a much larger tale. Players normally receive story arcs only after theyve leveled their Contact up to the highest level. Whenever a named character occurs, hell be a Lt. for the solo player at the lowest Reputation level and a Boss for teams or solo players with higher Reputations. Arch Villains, Elite Bosses and Giant Monsters will remain as they are; but, for the early and mid-levels, players will not need to defeat these foes to complete the mission. In the high levels, this is not the case.
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Currently contacts give out the story arcs pretty early on in the mission sequences that they give you. I'm concerned that at the default level of difficulty, it takes quite a while indeed to get to the maximum alliance level with contacts, and that I think you may well out level the standard 5 contacts before this cold happen. in fact, doing the Story Arcs is a great way to raise you reputation with a contact, much more so that doing mission after mission.
I'm in the 30-35 range, and I work through each contact until I get ths story arc anc then play through that story arc. So I've pretty much only done the story arcs, and now I am 33, having completed them all. Not all my contacts are maximised yet.
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Well, I may be one of the few, but I don't care at all for the decision to rollback Bosses. I could STILL solo a changed Boss with my SS/Invun Tanker and Grav/FF Controller (my only to alts besides Armsman); and BOTH these alts were built to CHAMPION character concepts (had these two since 1985 as well).
My honest question to you though is this:
For those few of us who liked and enjoyed teh Boss changes would you consider either changing the Invincible difficulty level to KEEP the Bosses spawned for it at the same level they are now; or (imo) better yet, ADD a sixth difficulty level taht is the same as Invincible with regard to how it spawns MOB groups yet KEEPS ant Bosses spawned at the current 'non-rolled back' difficulty?
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I think that's a very good idea; if it hasn't already been implemented, it's certainly worth a look. A truly over-the-top Insane difficulty level would satisfy that sliver of players who really want an extreme gaming challenge. One of those "I'm doing the Terra Volta Freakshow respec mission solo" kind of thing.
And if you do institute it, install an automatic demofile capture system that posts them on the CoH website so we can all watch. 
The Alt Alphabet ~ OPC: Other People's Characters ~ Terrific Screenshots of Cool ~ Superhero Fiction
Sounds pretty good, thanks for listening!
But States, I have a question about the team XP bonus. It won't be a simple XP bonus just for being in a team, but the bonus will grow higher based on the size of the team?
That would encourage full 8-man teams in order to get everyone the highest possible XP bonus. This would mean the odd builds, read: not cookie-cutter, would be asked to team more just to get the higher XP bonus.
For example, my Defender would get kicked less when she gets invited to team and tells them she's a Dark, not an Empathy, Defender. That got real old, real fast and frankly is one of the reasons soloing is so important to me.
Sort of in this same vein, towards your comments about being able to jump on for 30 mins and have some fun. Will the infamous "surprise" timed mission be addressed. I on occasion will jump on for a few minutes at lunch. I've been caught a couple of times when finishing off an untimed kill x of whatever mission causes a timed follow up mission. Once it happened two minutes before you took the server down for maintenance! Usually that means I have to fail the mission and that is very frustrating, especially when trying to butter up the contact so they'll sell you the good enhancements. Generally I don't mind timed mission because when I choose from a contact, I can make the decision on whether I have the time to do it, but when it just happens, you're humped.
Thanks!
Big thumbs up here.
This past week has gone a long way towards restoring my faith in this game and the Devs.
DA stacking, the boss rollback, AND increased team xp? I feel like I'm dreaming.
As you can see, most people have said that your decision to roll back the boss changes was very smart. I too think it was a good idea. But still, I think you are wrong to make us HAVE to group up for bosses. Yes, I think grouping should be encouraged but personally I think everyone should be able to solo doing missions all the way up to level 50 if they wish. Street sweeping is not fun. That's not why we play your game. We play your game to be heroes. In the comics, heroes fight bosses alone all the time. Even the wimpy controller type heroes like Dr. Strange.
Players don't need to be forced into teamplay. We have task forces and a need for friends. We will group up when we feel like. Please stop thinking that you HAVE to force us to group up. I want to be able to choose.
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As you can see, most people have said that your decision to roll back the boss changes was very smart. I too think it was a good idea. But still, I think you are wrong to make us HAVE to group up for bosses. Yes, I think grouping should be encouraged but personally I think everyone should be able to solo doing missions all the way up to level 50 if they wish. Street sweeping is not fun. That's not why we play your game. We play your game to be heroes. In the comics, heroes fight bosses alone all the time. Even the wimpy controller type heroes like Dr. Strange.
Players don't need to be forced into teamplay. We have task forces and a need for friends. We will group up when we feel like. Please stop thinking that you HAVE to force us to group up. I want to be able to choose.
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Gubwhuh? Where does he say that people will have to team for bosses? If they rollback the changes, then bosses will be more easily soloable. States states (heh) that default difficult missions when soloed will have lts. instead of bosses. If you feel you can handle soloing bosses, ramp up the difficulty. All of these proposed changes are to allow soloing, but to give benefit for teaming.
I think you missed the point here entirely.
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Task Forces and Trials will continue to contain Elite Bosses, ArchVillains and Giant Monsters. There will be no changes here.
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Several of us have said by far the biggest problem with the new bosses was when a TF hits more bosses in a small room than there are members on the team. A team of 4 heroes walking trying to get to the reactor are going to have to overcome rooms of 5 or 6 Tank Swipers.
But instead of fixing that you are going to leave it as is and screw with the parts that the majority of players were already adapting to.
Decidedly bleah.
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How does "rolling back the boss changes" == "leaving things as is"?
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DA stacking, the boss rollback, AND increased team xp? I feel like I'm dreaming.
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Well, I can pinch you, if you lile 
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What can I say? Fantastic work Stateso. I fail to see how anyone could be dissapointed by this result.
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They will be though, you can always count on that.
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DA stacking, the boss rollback, AND increased team xp? I feel like I'm dreaming.
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Well, I can pinch you, if you like
I just want to say that I think what you are doing here is great! You've given players the choice again... I know that some of my characters I can solo with and others I can not. Thanks so much State!
Awesome! Personally I enjoy fighting bosses so I will keep my mission dificulty up, but giving us the choise is a GREAT decision.
States you said what I think most of us wanted to hear. Not forced grouping, but encouraged grouping without the dropping of solo-ability in most parts.
"I really do read & really do listen! The "devs" aren't cooped up in an ivory tower;"
For every jaded MMOG player who thinks this way, there are 1000 regular players who know the truth. You obviously love the game just as much, if not more so then it's players. If you didn't, you'd have left from the community pressures LONG ago lol.
While running my solo missions today, at level 28 and my slider on invincible, I took on a BP mission which contained 4 +2 totems all of which I dispatched alone. I have had more fun soloing since Boss changes went live than ever, and will be sad to see them go. But, as this seems to be the ONLY post against this rollback, I see the majority is with you, so my support is as well.
But can I please have some way of compensating? Perhaps a higher slider that will set all my bosses to elite bosses? Monsters in my missions? I understand that alot of people were having trouble with these bosses, but for those of us who were enjoying them we'd like to have something to replace the challenge these bosses had been before, now that they will be rolled-back.
With this rollback I assume the xp for bosses will be reduced as well. Guess its going to mean putting the single-target character back into retirement for the AE one. Will there ever be a way for the non-AE players to solo at the same rate of xp/hr as the AE players?
Statesman, this is great. I enjoy teaming from time to time, but primarily I solo, and this sounds like exactly the sort of solution I have hoped for. I have several alts, some of whom can currently solo bosses and some who can't, and it sounds like this will make it possible for me to solo (at various speeds, of course) with most if not all of them. That's great. That's excellent. I am a happy camper/customer. Thank you for being responsive to your players.
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Solo and Team Play
The recent change to boss difficulty has brought out a long simmering question: what does a solo player do in City of Heroes. Currently, some missions are for the lone wolf hero, but many are not. With the now sturdy bosses, even the most skilled player has difficulty completing these tasks. Worst of all, some players are surprised by the presence of a boss and defeated almost immediately.
On the one hand, this is a MMP. I believe that some of the best features of the game shine when players join forces with other players. On the other hand, Ive always believed that part of our games strength is the ability for a player to log on for a half hour, have fun, then log off. If a mission requires a team up, players spend a lot of time simply organizing. The quick fun element dissipates.
In the short term:
We will roll back the Boss changes.
Team up XP bonuses will be increased.
Lets not start pointing fingers the whiners had their way or the games too easy, make it harder because I think the Boss changes violated a basic principle. Namely: never let a person make an uninformed decision. And right now, people arent clear when a mission requires a team up and when it doesnt. Plus, they have no ability to drop a mission if they dont feel like doing it. Besides, weve introduced our Mission Difficulty Slider to satisfy the demands of those who want something more challenging in the future.
In the mid-term:
There are two types of missions in City of Heroes. The bread and butter missions are drawn from a generic pool. The vast majority of a players experience are devoted to completing these tasks for his Contacts. We will be making it so that a Boss will NEVER show up on the mission for a solo player at the lowest Reputation level (Hard-Boiled, though were changing that to Hero). Instead, any named villain will be a Lieutenant. That Lieutenant will have the same name, powers and costume as the Boss; his villain rank will simply be lessened. In this way, solo players wont miss out on the flavor of the missions story. If a team or a player with a Reputation at Tenacious or higher enters that mission, the Lieutenant will become a Boss.
Contacts give out another series of missions story arcs. These are linked missions that form a much larger tale. Players normally receive story arcs only after theyve leveled their Contact up to the highest level. Whenever a named character occurs, hell be a Lt. for the solo player at the lowest Reputation level and a Boss for teams or solo players with higher Reputations. Arch Villains, Elite Bosses and Giant Monsters will remain as they are; but, for the early and mid-levels, players will not need to defeat these foes to complete the mission. In the high levels, this is not the case.
Task Forces and Trials will continue to contain Elite Bosses, ArchVillains and Giant Monsters. There will be no changes here.
In the long term:
The Mission UI will be improved to designate various elements of mission: timed missions, team up required, etc.
A system will allow players to drop unwanted missions or do old missions that have been passed over (the infamous flashback).
Only until players can drop missions will we look at the Boss difficulty again.
Whats our goal? Simply put: if a player wants to do something solo, it should be CHOICE. Teaming shouldnt be required, but rather encouraged. If a player gets a mission with an Arch Villain, hell be able to drop it and get another.
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Well, I may be one of the few, but I don't care at all for the decision to rollback Bosses. I could STILL solo a changed Boss with my SS/Invun Tanker and Grav/FF Controller (my only to alts besides Armsman); and BOTH these alts were built to CHAMPION character concepts (had these two since 1985 as well).
My honest question to you though is this:
For those few of us who liked and enjoyed teh Boss changes would you consider either changing the Invincible difficulty level to KEEP the Bosses spawned for it at the same level they are now; or (imo) better yet, ADD a sixth difficulty level taht is the same as Invincible with regard to how it spawns MOB groups yet KEEPS ant Bosses spawned at the current 'non-rolled back' difficulty?