My take on unlockable contacts.
By
8_Ball,
Posted on: 2006-02-24 19:12 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
I agree.. or something to let us know we've unlocked something.
Unless ofcourse, the whole point of the thing is to only find these unlockable NPCs by luck.. which would be weird..
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The concept of having unlockable content is good.
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We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I like to thing the content itself should providethe challenge and entertainment value, thought means integrated in that content. I do not like the idea of having to work first to unlock the content through some mostly unrelated action that isn't even made aware to me.
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The stories from them (from the ones I have done) are good.
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Might depend on Taste a whole lot. Johnny Sonata's story arc was truely reat. Arbiter Leery's story arcs, not quite so much. Not at all, in fact.
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They're hard to find, so unless one knows they're there, it's unlikely one will stumble across one until after one has outleveled the contact.
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Percisely. If ever there was an uninformed decision, unlocking (or not) unlockable contacts is definitely just that.
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CoV just doesn't have enough content yet (especially in the higher levels) to warrent having any contacts as being secret
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Percisely. It wouldn't bother me quite as much if I didn't feel it was eating at my content. I don't want to have to patch up content holes because some contacts were arbitrarily locked.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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CoV just doesn't have enough content yet (especially in the higher levels) to warrent having any contacts as being secret
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That's my concern. It feels as if we're expected to do the unlockable contents to fill in the gaps. But most players aren't going to have the information on unlockable contacts, and may never realize they even exist. These contacts should be an interesting alternative to existing content, but the existing content is lacking in places.
My problem is that the hidden contacts are for a 5 level range, instead of being larger. Is there any reason they can't be allowed for 10 levels, at least?
Dungeoncleaners! (ID#125715): Slay the Adventurers! Rescue the Monsters! Return the Treasure!
Peppermint Cat-- Lv50 Mewtant Ice/Eng Bls
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My problem is that the hidden contacts are for a 5 level range, instead of being larger. Is there any reason they can't be allowed for 10 levels, at least?
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Probably repeating myself here, but I agree. The ones I especially don't like are the ones where completeing the task to earn the badge earns you so much exp that you end up outleveling it. Veluta is a good example of this. Exp goes so fast from 10-15, that you might outlevel her while killing those ghosts. The ones that require something like just killing the Ghost of the Scrapyarder are much better in my opinion.
But overall, my biggest problem with them would be what was said above. There's no ingame indication whatsoever that these contacts exist. It's also not alway clear what the contact wants you to achieve. Veluta just tells you to kill ghosts, not that you have to trap them. I don't want to have to rely on spoiler sites to know how to play the game.
I think the best route would be to have an early contact like Kalinda talk about the hidden contacts, and then maybe have your contacts give drop a hint or two about them. For example, Mr. Bocor says, "It's good to have some help accomplishing my goals. That Veluta Lunata has been stealing too many of my cohorts away. People would rather hunt ghosts than recover ancient artifacts. Go figure." It doesn't have to be limited to contacts. You could have civilians saying things like, "Veluta and Marco's story is so sad," and "Why are so many Arachnos soldiers heading over to Fort Hades. Don't they know that place is haunted?" and "Someday I'm going to prove myself to Veluta. She'll pick me over Marco."
If you're going to have something hidden, at least provide clues to its existance. Something like this would be a lot more fun than just finding a spoiler site. It'd require thinking about what was being said and trying to figure out what the hints meant.
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I do not like the idea of having to work first to unlock the content through some mostly unrelated action that isn't even made aware to me.
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Yeah, like why does defeating the Ghost of Scrapyard unlock Crimson Revenant? Why do you need the Obessessed badge to unlock Johnny Sonata?
And while Slot Machine is a fun contact, why the heck do you need to kill two hundred Marcone bosses to unlock him. I had to street sweep greys in Port Oakes for three hours to get that badge so I don't see how anyone could be expected to get that badge during normal leveling.
The contacts are also vague about their requirements. Slot Machine, for example, just tells you to kill Family. Doesn't say anything about it requiring specific types of Family mobs.
The only one who isn't so annoying is Archmage Tarixus, he only requires a history badge that you can get from reading plaques on the first few islands and he is pretty clear about that.
Also, it'd be nice that once you found a locked contact they would be added to your contact list, even if they won't offer you missions yet. It'd make it much easier to find them again afterwards.
Alright, so there seems to be a concensus (spelling?) that there's something stinky about the unlockable contacts.
Anyone disagree?
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Alright, so there seems to be a concensus (spelling?) that there's something stinky about the unlockable contacts.
Anyone disagree?
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Actually, I agree with pretty much the whole idea here. They don't make sense, there's nothing to point you to them in-game, and they're a pain in the ***.
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Alright, so there seems to be a concensus (spelling?) that there's something stinky about the unlockable contacts.
Anyone disagree?
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I didn't mind the requirements to unlock them (except Veluta), but... they really do need a text indicator or Nav Point on the map. It's just a pain to find them. I can only imagine how it is for people who don't even know they exist.
Why not treat them like a seperate line of progressive contacts? Have Kalinda point you to the first one, and then once you have completed that arc or outlvl'd that contact, have them introduce you to the next one. This keeps them unluckable, but also ties them all together so you can actually find them.
I does spoil some of the fun of stumbling across a contact you had previously never heard of, but as many pointed out, the chances of finding many of these guys on your own is pretty slim. I have taken 2 seperate brutes to 40 already playing mostly solo, finishing every mission I had available from lvl 15 onward, and still only stumbled on Doc Buzzsaw once. And that was several lvls after I had passed her missions.
I dont know of a single secret contact yet, havent gotton any, dont know how to get them and I have a lvl 40 Brute:/
Frikin sucks 
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I dont know of a single secret contact yet, havent gotton any, dont know how to get them and I have a lvl 40 Brute:/
Frikin sucks
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If you have the obsessive badge (50 badges badge), you can find Johnny Sonata inside the golden giza. He's a little hard to spot though.
Hey thanks Flying_Carcass 
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Hey thanks Flying_Carcass
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NP! 
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I dont know of a single secret contact yet, havent gotton any, dont know how to get them and I have a lvl 40 Brute:/
Frikin sucks
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I had cheated and used Hermod's guide to find them, because I didn't want to miss out on my main. =(
Is anyone else outraged they changed Arbiter Leery's requirements to using a respec? I'd done most of his arc, but was waiting for the AV patch to go after Indigo, and then it comes out and he tell me I can't talk to him anymore! I don't need to freaking respec, my character is perfect, I have all the moves I want and I like my slotting, it would just be a nuissance and a waste! And now I'm gonna be stuck with his story arc in my clues for the rest of my character's existance, wonderful!
Or just respec into what you already have.
If you weren't planning on USING the respec, it's just as wasted as if you used just to unlock the contact.
"I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You're wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides." Lord Vetinari, Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett.
I believe Positron said they'll be awarding an invisible badge for earning a respec which never disappers, which would solve that problem.
The only contacts I've ever unlocked were Johnny Sonata and Arbiter Leery. Johnny I came accross when I did a sweep of the Giza just looking around. I later heard I needed a badge I already had. Leery I found because he hangs within spitting distance from Mu'Drakhan.
I don't like unlockable contacts for several reasons. I have no idea how to unlock them, and there isn't any indication anywhere to any of them. Even if you come accross them (and that's a big IF), they're still vage to the point of uselessness. Also, they require actions that in no way correspond to the contacts themselves, and the reasons behind these actions are never explained.
This is just straight up aggravating if you want to unlock them, and outright waseful if you don't feel like going way, way out of your way. Having a way to track the contacts down would help, even if it's not a direct waypoint at their feet. Being told how to unlock them would help as well, even if it's not a blatant explanation of exactly what you need to do point for point. Putting the contacts in more public spaces would help as well.
Johnny Sonata is tucked away in a side room at the giza. Leery is on a barren island in the middle of nowhere. Doc Buzzsaw is under a shed by a hut around a corner somewhere in a Freakshow ghetto.
And that's the only contacts I've actully seen. I've seen Traxus as well, but I had thought he was just an NPC you were being sent to. Never occured to me he was a contact. The auras around the feet of active NPCs have enough colours to put a rainbow to shame, so I can never remember them all.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Alright, so there seems to be a concensus (spelling?) that there's something stinky about the unlockable contacts.
Anyone disagree?
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I'm sure most would agree, but we'd likely differ on what we'd want changed. 
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Also, they require actions that in no way correspond to the contacts themselves, and the reasons behind these actions are never explained.
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I like how Veluta is done. Given her storyline, it's not unusual that she'd require trapping ghosts to start talking to you. Having to get the Bling back (1 million inf) for Doc Buzzsaw doesn't really.
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Is anyone else outraged they changed Arbiter Leery's requirements to using a respec?
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Positron's explanation on this makes a lot of sense. Apparently, they can only have contacts unlocked via one badge. You get a badge for completing the respec trial, but using the respec replaces that badge with a new one. So, the way it was set up previously made is so it you used your respec, he'd stop talking to you.
If they can reward an invis badge for this like Samual_Tow says, all the better.
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Having to get the Bling back (1 million inf) for Doc Buzzsaw doesn't really.
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"Miners, workers, evenmembers of groups such as the Sky Raiders and Arachnos; I give aid of my skills to all. Unfortunately, often the desperate men who hite my services cannot afford to pay when the bill comes do." - Doc
I can only guess that the good doctor wanted to employ someone who values currency as much as she does. In that light, it makes sense. =P
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Having to get the Bling back (1 million inf) for Doc Buzzsaw doesn't really.
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"Miners, workers, evenmembers of groups such as the Sky Raiders and Arachnos; I give aid of my skills to all. Unfortunately, often the desperate men who hite my services cannot afford to pay when the bill comes do." - Doc
I can only guess that the good doctor wanted to employ someone who values currency as much as she does. In that light, it makes sense. =P
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But we've been told in the past that infamy/influence isn't currency, so it doesn't.
It'd be better if he said something along the lines of, "I don't recognize you, and that means you can't help me. I have a very difficult task, and a neophyte like you is better off making snakeskin boots for Mongoose. Come back when you have enough infamy where I've actually heard of you."
I know Influence and Infamy aren't currency. I'm talking about the relation of Bling to diamonds and the like. After all, with all the Infamy we gain, we're apparently getting invisible cash from our contacts.
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Alright, so there seems to be a concensus (spelling?) that there's something stinky about the unlockable contacts.
Anyone disagree?
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I didn't mind the requirements to unlock them (except Veluta), but... they really do need a text indicator or Nav Point on the map. It's just a pain to find them. I can only imagine how it is for people who don't even know they exist.
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Agreed, this thread has made me realize just how many of them I've missed....little peeved at that. It also irks me that tha arcs you get from them are more entertaining than the regular ones.
Even a little in-game text from a normal contact stating "have you heard about this person? He might be able to get you some work if you do such & such" would go a long way to helping players.
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I'm just annoyed that I missed the contact that gave an arc that involved fighting Mynx and the Backally Brawler.
The following is my take on unlockable contacts.
The good.
<ul type="square"> [*]The concept of having unlockable content is good. [*]The stories from them (from the ones I have done) are good. [/list]
The bad
<ul type="square"> [*]They're hard to find, so unless one knows they're there, it's unlikely one will stumble across one until after one has outleveled the contact. [*]CoV just doesn't have enough content yet (especially in the higher levels) to warrent having any contacts as being secret [/list]
Personally, I think that after one meets the requirements for the contact (like after getting the Hammer Down badge, or the obsessive badge) the contact should appear in that individual's contact list.