Make "Devs Choice" and "Hall/Fame" arcs canonical?
By
Dalantia,
Posted on: 2009-04-17 14:06 in Suggestions and Ideas
A chance? Yes.
A good chance? Hardly.
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt
The thing is, many of the DC/HoF arcs aren't anywhere *close* to canon. They don't have to touch on anything in the CHV universe. Or they could directly contradict it. All they need to do is be entertaining enough to get the attention.
Now, IF one had a good arc, solidly in line with canon, *maybe* it could happen - I wouldn't hold your breath on anyone getting paid for it, though. And it certainly wouldn't "free the devs up to concentrate on the rest of the game" - they, after all, have the direction the City Of's various storylines are supposed to go.
Besides, this same tool will, itself, make their job easier.
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The thing is, many of the DC/HoF arcs aren't anywhere *close* to canon.
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Those that don't match up w/ canon wouldn't be considered.
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IF one had a good arc, solidly in line with canon, *maybe* it could happen - I wouldn't hold your breath on anyone getting paid for it, though.
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Maybe the payment wouldn't be money, then. Maybe it would be a free month of CoH/CoV plus some store credit. I think there are people who would settle for non-monetary rewards if it meant they could actually contribute to CoH/CoV history.
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And it certainly wouldn't "free the devs up to concentrate on the rest of the game" - they, after all, have the direction the City Of's various storylines are supposed to go.
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City Of doesn't really have a "meta-story" that it follows (or if it does, it's way too subtle to notice). I'm saying that when players are creating so much content via MA, it doesn't make sense for the devs to be as content-focused in their creative activities (beyond what's necessary for zone creation). They can therefore focus a larger chunk of their energy into creating new facets to the game itself.
All that aside, the real reason I would like to see the best-of-the-best MA arcs become canon is I want to be able to play new content in CoH/CoV without feeling like I'm roleplaying a gamer instead of a hero or villain. Plus, I want the existing contacts in the game to have more content to offer, so that I don't fee obligated to go into the MA to find variety (and consequently lose that heroic/villainous feeling).
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City Of doesn't really have a "meta-story" that it follows (or if it does, it's way too subtle to notice). I'm saying that when players are creating so much content via MA, it doesn't make sense for the devs to be as content-focused in their creative activities (beyond what's necessary for zone creation). They can therefore focus a larger chunk of their energy into creating new facets to the game itself.
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I disagree. I view the player-created content as fan fiction. Some of it is highly enjoyable and well done, other stories are not. But I do not view it as a substitute for work created by the developers of the game and would be saddened if player-created content resulted in less developer-created content. I like the developer-created content, and hope to see more story arcs by them, more task forces, and more strike forces, not just zone creation or costume creation.
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I disagree. I view the player-created content as fan fiction. Some of it is highly enjoyable and well done, other stories are not. But I do not view it as a substitute for work created by the developers of the game and would be saddened if player-created content resulted in less developer-created content. I like the developer-created content, and hope to see more story arcs by them, more task forces, and more strike forces, not just zone creation or costume creation.
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That's fine. It doesn't have to be "either/or". I'm just saying, if some of the MA arcs are "highly enjoyable and well done" and fit with canon, then why shouldn't these stories be included in canon? The devs can still write as much new content as they like.
For example, the CoV side is [u]sorely[u] lacking in content at the lowest levels. If some MA stories (even single-mission arcs) are done well enough, are consistent with canon, and can logically be attached to an existing CoV contact, why [u]not[u] include them into the game?
I wouldn't mind seeing the very best MA story arcs become incorporated into the game. It would certainly provide more depth to the canon (though technically not "more content" because we already have it) and it'd give the writer an extra slot to play with. Win-win, in my opinion.
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I disagree. I view the player-created content as fan fiction. Some of it is highly enjoyable and well done, other stories are not. But I do not view it as a substitute for work created by the developers of the game and would be saddened if player-created content resulted in less developer-created content. I like the developer-created content, and hope to see more story arcs by them, more task forces, and more strike forces, not just zone creation or costume creation.
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That's fine. It doesn't have to be "either/or". I'm just saying, if some of the MA arcs are "highly enjoyable and well done" and fit with canon, then why shouldn't these stories be included in canon? The devs can still write as much new content as they like.
For example, the CoV side is [u]sorely[u] lacking in content at the lowest levels. If some MA stories (even single-mission arcs) are done well enough, are consistent with canon, and can logically be attached to an existing CoV contact, why [u]not[u] include them into the game?
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There has been a "mysterious fourth rank" hinted at in the various interviews (published, Hall of Fame, Devs' Choice, XXXXX), promoted to canon might be that fourth rank. I know that every mission I write, I make an effort not to contradict canon, and, hopefully, fit into and enhance the canon. (alright, I do have one joke arc, it doesn't contradict canon, but it certainly would never be inducted into it, either).
There is also the intimation being made that Architect Entertainment is nowhere near as benign as it is being presented to Paragon City and the Rogue Isles. Look who is responsible for it. Crey? There's a Corporation known for its long years of selfless contribution to the community and strictly ethical business practices. Dr. Aeon? Here's the guy who hooked up the Rogue Isles Power Transfer System to the heart of the demon that Cap au Diable was named for and doesn't think it's dangerous. There is no way that Architect Entertainment is just an innocent diversion.
New story arcs coming soon (ARC IDs will be aded when I finish the arc):
So, you want to join the Hellions? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
Sparks & Steel (level 5-20 Heroic arc)
and
So you want to join the Skulls? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
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What irritates me, though, is the in-game context of MA. MA = Virtual reality entertainment for your toons? Great, so instead of roleplaying a superhero who fights crime and helps save the citizens of Paragon city, I'm roleplaying a GAMER??? Put another way, I'm foregoing doing something useful, choosing instead to kill time playing a virtual reality game (CoH), and yet rather than having my character do something useful, I'm choosing instead to make him kill time playing a virtual reality game (MA).
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Heh. Sounds like the old Dream Park RPG. You RP a gamer in a future world who goes to an amusement park to play RPGs.
If it helps, you can always think of the Mission Architect adventures as training simulations or "danger room" situations.
Forum Game: Lower the Rep
Hall of Fame is a popularity contest (or simply an exercise in garnering/farming votes). HoF shouldn't even be considered for something like this.
Never surrender! Never give up!
Help keep Paragon City alive with the unofficial City of Heroes Tabletop Role Playing Game!
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There has been a "mysterious fourth rank" hinted at in the various interviews (published, Hall of Fame, Devs' Choice, XXXXX)
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Guest Author.
Dawncaller - The Circle of Dawn
Too many blasted alts to list, but all on Virtue.
I've only played a few single-mission story arcs in MA so far, and I'm already getting hooked. What irritates me, though, is the in-game context of MA. MA = Virtual reality entertainment for your toons? Great, so instead of roleplaying a superhero who fights crime and helps save the citizens of Paragon city, I'm roleplaying a GAMER??? Put another way, I'm foregoing doing something useful, choosing instead to kill time playing a virtual reality game (CoH), and yet rather than having my character do something useful, I'm choosing instead to make him kill time playing a virtual reality game (MA). I feel just like the guy on www.theonion.com playing "World of World of Warcraft." MA has instantly become a sad, ironic commentary on my life.
So, is there any chance that the MA arcs which (1) are either Devs Choice or in the Hall of Fame and (2) fit into the overall canonical story of CoH/CoV be assigned to actual CoH/CoV contacts? Like, if somebody comes up with an excellent story involving the Corulax, can NCSoft offer to pay the creator for his/her contribution and make that arc an official CoV story attached to, for example, Mr. Bocor? Doing this would bring in lots of great content into the world of CoH/CoV and would free up the devs to concentrate on further enhancing the overall game (e.g., new boosters, new powersets, new zones, etc.).