Your underlying issue is also mine - No way to really affect the game world. If I fail a mission/task does it matter? No.
Clearing an area, defeating the big bad guy so that his minions don't spawn throughout the zone (at least until he is replaced...), etc.
"Shut up Mr. Burton, you are not brought upon this world to get it!" - Lo Pan
@MadGremlin
I don't disagree with your frustration, but we are in the comic book medium.
On that note, let's ask the question, does anything in comic books truly matter? How many times has the Joker been put away? Heck, Spider-Man was a clone for years, and entire years of storylines and 'progress' were wiped away.
In fact, other than Crisis on Infinite Earths, I can't think of a mainstream comic that's had an everlasting effect. Even with Crisis, we eventually saw the return of Supergirl and Kid Flash.
The comic book medium has a way of perpetuating its conflicts, characters and storylines. It's just part of the genre.
Again, I understand your frustration, but realistically, we should not be surprised that mere days after we put Dr. Vahzilok away, he seems to be out on the streets again. It happens in comics all the time. Nor should be surprised that you know two hero groups fighting a particular villain at the same time, because Daredevil and Spiderman clashed with Kingpin in issues released at the same time as well.
The *only* thing I'd like to see is a longer life line for stories and characters. After I defeat Vahzilok, why is it I never get another story line with him again, with a new story? Why does he not remember me? Why isn't he hunting me?
I know those things are a challenge programatically, but while I can concede I can't make a different to the universe my character lives in, I would like it, if I at least annoy and become true enemies of the villains that I thwart.
The *real* enemies too, not the COV vs. COH battles that are coming, which for my money, will likely descend into games of DOOM pretty quickly after the COV release.
I don't know about this. If you were able to manipulate the game environment like this, wouldn't it also mean less and less content for newer players?
If Person A buys the game today, and manages, in a fluke, to take out major NPC X, and person B gets the game tomorrow, there's no more NPC X...
It'd be like the first team of heroes to get to the Hamidon will defeat it and it'll be gone forever. Granted, Developers can think of a new badguy to put there, but would you want to have the job of going through ALL the changes ALL the players made and make substitutes for everyone to follow?
TechDefender Rad/Ele Defender
D'20 Gladiator DM/SR Scrapper
Cyclonite Cat Fire/Fire Blaster
[url="http://www.dutchfurs.com/~taross/w/screenshots/Ferretgal/Ferretgal.jpg"]Ferretgal Claw/Inv Scrapper[/url](Virtue)
@Cyclonite Cat
(Names changed at GM 'request')
Failing missions does affect some story arcs, as you cannot proceed on that arc if you fail some. Some badges are the same, War Walls, is just one. You can pick it up later, with another character, but all the same.
Here is an example of what I want to see in a computer game that labels its' self as a RPG (using star wars as a backdrop)
Game has to offer a simulator mode similar to Tie Fighter vs. X-Wing.
The game has to offer you multiple ways a story arc can end and have it affect the way the world reacts to the character (ie: if I killed Darth Vader as a Padiwan, I certianly would be feared and/or sought after by the populace of empire/rebellion).
The game would offer times when it would be more strategic, as in you could control armies of storm troopers or rebels to fight each other.
The game would have to offer more personal type team missions (similar to battle grounds).
Finally, Characters should be able to manipulate the environment ie: build houses, dig for resources, hide secret messages in a trash can, assassinate major characters (if character has the capability to do so).
Now I know this is a dream, but hey for all of you super game creators here is an idea that would make you more money than you could imagine (Han Solo ~I can imagine a lot) and gain a player base bigger than any of the two-three top MMORPGs ever created. Now all you have to do is design several game engines and then put My name in yellow letters with a space scene backdrop every time a player loads up the game 8)