Issue 12 Discussion: Hollows Zone Makeover
By
Aakan,
Posted on: 2008-03-12 09:27 in Developers' Corner
Hollows got a revamp? Hollows? Thats makes no sense. Hollows is a relatively new zone. lol. When does perez park get a revamp? Or Boomtown?
A hospital in the hollows? FINALLY!!
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A mobile hospital? Sounds interesting....
Maybe some new tech they can add to the Hami trial later? 
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It'll probably be an ambulance and a few stretchers like in Safeguard Missions. I.e., not a new hospital built, just a trauma center. The logic behind not having hospitals in hazard/trial zones is somewhat lacking, and is broken by Dark Astoria and higher zones as it is.
I wouldn't prioritize the Hollows for a true makeover, but overall, it sounds like it's just a nice "fresh coat of paint" and probably just matched with the dev time available. Saying it's getting a mobile hospital implies to me there will not be any zone reconstruction, just misc spawn and mission adjustments. And that, I think, is fine.
Sweet, I can't wait to take a new hero in there.
As long as Frostfire is still available, I'm happy. That's a staple of low-level hijinks. And even high-level... Everything else sounds good, I only played the Hollows once, then got bored when I took my other lowbies in there. I just hope I can get the trial in before they change the zone... unless it'll still be available.
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They need to add a GM to the zone. Maybe a giant troll named Grendel that spawns down in the gulch.
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Awesome idea. +1
I'm shocked by how many people are giddy over this. It seems like the developers are taking all of the challenge out of this game. I liked the fact there was no hospital in the Hollows. It helps develop the players appreciation for the zones that have them. New story arcs are always fun, but there was enough content already to get players to the levels needed before moving on to bigger security level zones. There were many characters I had that outleveled the arcs before I could finish them, so why more is needed at this level is beyond me. I definitely will create a new toon and play the arcs to see how interesting it is, but I just don't see the need for it. If players don't like this zone as it is now because they have no patience for it, that's what radio mishes in Kings Row are for.
Leveling up will not be fun if the developers keep handing it over on a platter. XP smoothing for example, has made it less of an accomplishment to hit those tough levels like 40 and up. To the developers I just want to say please leave some of the content that requires some effort alone for those of us who want to feel like we are actually accomplishing something.
I'll just add my vote to Boomtown. Many people didn't like the Hollows, but at least it was a zone with story arcs and trial. Boomtown is literally next to nothing.
I'd like them to redo Frostfire's mission. But keep the old one available in Ouroboros if we start feeling nostalgic, we can run it. That would be awesome.
-Largo
Founder of A.G.O.N.Y. Supergroup on Victory
Member of Thought Sanctum VG on Victory
Member of St0rm Batallion SG on Guardian
I hope they keep Frostfire the way he is now. It's really the first "big" bad guy new heroes face, and it's a real accomplishment for a level 10-12 hero to triumph over him. I still like fighting him with new alts I create.
Maybe give him a second chance to get even with heroes or something. They could add this in place of some of the "defeat 20 xxxx villains in yyyy location" missions that Julius the Troll and the Mystic guy give you.
Please try my arcs:
Arc# 63910 "Why Do Bad Girls Like Bad Boys?" (length=Long, levels 40+)
Arc# 401500 "How to Be a Successful Professional Criminal" (length=Very Long, levels 1-10)
I hope they make FF a woman....it's a very feminine name.
It will be interesting to see how this turns out. The Hollows turned some people off due to the absence of a hospital and the size of the zone (and its perceived difficulty), but it was already a fairly busy zone with a lot of content. I would've preferred a revamp of Boomtown, but this has potential nonetheless.
I'm curious about the level range for the new contact with repeatable missions. There are already numerous alternatives for leveling up low heroes, so will Meg Mason be a new high level contact?
While it will be nice to see a few new things in The Hollows, I'm forced to wonder (like so many others) why priority was given to this zone instead of Boomtown.
I look forward to seeing new mobs and new mission arcs. I believe the newer arcs tend to show more depth than many of the original storylines from release. In particular, I really enjoy all the Croatoa arcs, as well as the Hess TF in Striga. I'm excited by the appearance of a new storyline in The Hollows. And again I agree with the people requesting a giant monster for the zone. However, I'm a little disappointed with a mobile hospital in the zone removing my favorite, fastest travel power ever - The Death Express
It sounds mostly like they're turning it in to a viable zone for solo players. I don't expect them to change too much else, though I'd be happy to be wrong.
I think it's smart to allow people to solo this zone, as I suspect most players solo most of the time. The low level hero game was in some desperate need of some love, and it looks like this delivers.
I'd still like to see them revisit AP and GC, though.
bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonner-
ronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenth ur-
nuk!
I hate the Hollows with a passion. It was easily the worst zone in the game, even before Faultline got a makeover. I have done whatever I could to avoid setting foot in that gods-forsaken place since it has existed. Seems that may change now.
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While it will be nice to see a few new things in The Hollows, I'm forced to wonder (like so many others) why priority was given to this zone instead of Boomtown.
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Probably because hollows is one of the most common low level zones done, and one of the most complained about. And when you are trying to bring in new players, you don't wanna be frustrating them at level 6.
Maybe they will also fix the issue where the Hollows _seems_ like a manditory place to go at level 5, when you get a mission from one of your contacts to go talk to Wincott.
There has got to be a better way of introducing the zone.
I've never had an issue with the Hollows, the upgrade to it sounds pretty cool to me. But I think Boomtown needs the facelift more.
If any zone was in need of a makeover, this is it! I've avoided it like the plague since it was added. Yes, it has been more preferable to me to hunt CoT across the rooftops of KR than hopping around the Hollows. Looking foward to checking it out.
I think doing hollows before boomtown was a very smart decision. As it stands, boomtown could not exist from one day to the next and it wouldnt affect anyone really. Why not improve a zone that people play and complain about, before a zone that nearly no one plays and complain about? This was a smart decision. Good work devs.
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I'll just add my vote to Boomtown. Many people didn't like the Hollows, but at least it was a zone with story arcs and trial. Boomtown is literally next to nothing.
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Boomtown is one of my favourite zones as it is.
This is great news and a long-needed change. It will really improve the early game for new players who didn't realize they could skip the Hollows.
I just hope it isn't a little too late.
Welcome change but I'll be one of the few that will miss Old Hollows. It's one of the only zones left that really provides much challenge and is one way to teach plaers how to navigate safely around spawns w/o grabbing agro. Personally, I think people are getting spoiled rotten with the ease of travel/difficulty and general access to things. I remember when there were no temp travel powers or paper missions..back in my day, we had to Sprint through Grendell's Gulch fifteen miles..both ways uphill..in 4 feet of snow! Surrounded by lava people. 
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The win on this issue is getting kinda silly!
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QFT
(though I am feeling a bit nostalgic for the old hellish zone)