[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1) MA - 100% cool!
2) Dev handling of problems with it - 100% overreacted to.
I figure there's probably one other important percentage to go here:
3) Player Base Upset about #2 - .5%
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Statistics to back up above statements- 0
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Everyone knows 99.873% of all statistics are made up.
[/ QUOTE ]
i agree with this on a 99, 873% basis. 
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[ QUOTE ]
1) MA - 100% cool!
2) Dev handling of problems with it - 100% overreacted to.
I figure there's probably one other important percentage to go here:
3) Player Base Upset about #2 - .5%
[/ QUOTE ]
I agree wholeheartedly.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah but you're a geek.
The City of Heroes Community is a special one and I will always look fondly on my times arguing, discussing and playing with you all. Thanks and thanks to the developers for a special experience.
[ QUOTE ]
1) MA - 100% cool!
2) Dev handling of problems with it - 100% overreacted to.
I figure there's probably one other important percentage to go here:
3) Player Base Upset about #2 - .5%
[/ QUOTE ]
proof? or do you just pull numbers out of your [censored]?
Lots of 50's yada yada. still finding fun things to do.
Cthulhu loves you, better start running
I�! I�! Gg�gorsch�a�bha egurtsa�ar�ug d� Dalhor! Cthluhu fthagn! Cthluhu fthagn!
You are in a maze of twisty little passages
[ QUOTE ]
1) MA - 100% cool!
2) Dev handling of problems with it - 100% overreacted to.
I figure there's probably one other important percentage to go here:
3) Player Base Upset about #2 - .5%
[/ QUOTE ]
Did you consider when you were making up this statistic that assuming CoH still has 130,000 subs, that's approx. 650 people upset about this? That's actually quite a bit. And if we're defining 'upset' as people who feel strongly enough to actually say something about it, that's even more striking.
My guess is that there's more truth to this than you realize. We can probably safely guess that the majority are at worst mildly annoyed about the devs' recent moves. I'd even sign on to the statement that most don't care. But in any game, only a small number of folks (you'll forgive me for not making up statistics, I like to know what I'm talking about) are deeply committed to the game. Pretty much everyone else is fluid.
Babs said once that the swings in players is fairly broad. There's always people coming and going from the game even if the overall numbers are constant. So in reality the population we're talking about here isn't the whole player base. It's that number of committed players who care enough about the game to talk about it, get others to play it, etc.
So, while you might very well be correct that only 1/2 of 1% of the playerbase is really upset about the devs' actions re: the mission architect, that might be a much larger percentage of your committed gamers. The people who talk up your game, get their friends to play, etc. If you have 650 people ticked off at you and they are among your opinion leaders, that's not a good thing.
The City of Heroes Community is a special one and I will always look fondly on my times arguing, discussing and playing with you all. Thanks and thanks to the developers for a special experience.
Here is something odd.
For me anyways.
Ingame, my global list has about 20 people on it. I have never really had loads of people on my list.
When the PvP changes happened, I think 1 person on my list of pals quit the game. It was sad. I got over it.
When the MA thing happened, I can count 8 people on my friends list that I have not seen log back in.
These people on my list are people me and my husband have known for years. And, Boom. Gone. Or so it seems, they havent send us any tells saying hey we are goin out of town etc. Which they normally do. Yanno.
When this stupid post by Synapse happened with the changing of badges taking some away. I got 3 PMs saying our friends are quitting when their subscriptions run out.
I don;t really understand what their big plan is, but I hope when all is said and done. That they stop pissing off all their Vets. Because this [censored] just isnt that cool. None of the people on my list are newbies. ALL of us have been subbed for over 36 months.
For me, these changes are ruining the game. Not so much because they effect me, as for the most part they don't but... All our friends are leaving based on stupid stuff.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1) MA - 100% cool!
2) Dev handling of problems with it - 100% overreacted to.
I figure there's probably one other important percentage to go here:
3) Player Base Upset about #2 - .5%
[/ QUOTE ]
proof? or do you just pull numbers out of your [censored]?
[/ QUOTE ]
Every number has been scientifically determined by the finest statistical methods available on the internet. Seriously.
Taking away badges pisses off the vets probably more than anything as they are likely to be the ones that care the most about them (yes I realize this is a generalization). They should just leave them all alone imho, did they really affect things like the meow farms did,... I think not. And no, I am not a badger.
I am a vet, all the way from I2. I care about badges, but I would not call myself a "badger" as I am not that hardcore.
I do not mind the removing/reworking of these badges. but I also am not compulsive when it comes to the things, especially the epic ones thta take hours and hours of badge grind to get.
What I do not like about this change coming, is that the folks that did do the badge grind will get pretty much no compensation for having the badges yanked. Compensation has a lot of weight but I feel it fits this context.
Badges are rewards, trophy style accomplishments. The players that cherish these things get a great feeling of accomplishment and achievement when they see that badge award message come up. many of the badges have no other value besides that.
Bam! now some of those badges are gone. Your "work" wasted- your trophy is gone.
To me, there should be some type of exchange when this patch goes in. If it was me, I would reward tickets to the players losing those badges. At least then, there is something there that they get out of the time they put in to get the badges.
Liberty server
Eldagore lvl 50 Inv/ss, co-founder of The Legion of Smash
3.5 servers of alts....I need help.
May the rawk be with you.
Arc #'s
107020 Uberbots!
93496 A Pawn in Time
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We have been having a great time, both playing other peoples' story arcs and making our own. Since we weren't using the MA for farming, our experience hasn't been altered.
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This. I've not experienced any changes to my ability to play MArcs.
i13 pvpers.
i14 farmers & MA creators.
i15 could be you.
Shenanigans
LotD - JaL - POWT/SMD - SoCo - AJs
[ QUOTE ]
i13 pvpers.
i14 farmers & MA creators.
i15 could be you.
[/ QUOTE ]
*cue dramatic ominous music*
Oh noooes.... it could be ... ME!!
*insert record scratch noise*
If Posi WANTED to chase off the game population, say, to a certain superhero-themed MMO currently in beta testing that I cannot confirm or deny having experience playing, he'd probably do something a LOT WORSE.
Yanno, like, say, yank the MA right back out, nerf level pacting, put timers on every instance mission, and double the effects of ED and the GDN. All in the same week.
Oh, and make all the zones free-for-all PvP. That'd definitely chase folks off, there.
How's that for dramatic baseless extrapolation? Was it too over the top? cos I can never tell....
"City of Heroes. April 27, 2004 - August 31, 2012. Obliterated not with a weapon of mass destruction, not by an all-powerful supervillain... but by a cold-hearted and cowardly corporate suck-up."
[ QUOTE ]
i13 pvpers.
i14 farmers & MA creators.
i15 could be you.
[/ QUOTE ]
Hmmmm.
Issue 1: rolled a katana/regen scrapper. Heavily nerfed until what? Issue 4? I lived, and quietly agreed that yeah, regen scrappers were MASSIVELY overpowered at the start. I also got alt-itis and didn't get that scrapper past 40 until they were done nerfing. Bad timing. *shrug*
Issues 2-12: survived ED, miscellaneous other nerfs -- some good, some bad.
Issue 13: rolled a fire/kin-troller which sat idle until AFTER that particular pet nerf. *shrug* Bad timing.
Issue 14: still haven't published an arc, didn't really "farm," but have enjoyed the heck out of some of the well-written arcs others have worked on.
Issue 15: holds no particular fear for me. Nor do subsequent ones.
"But it wasn't anything some purples and oranges and lots of screaming in fear couldn't handle." -- Werner
30 level 50's: 12 scrappers, 7 other random melee types, 11 blaster/blapper/support squishies, two accounts, and a TON of altitis since 4/28/04
[ QUOTE ]
*cue dramatic ominous music*
Oh noooes.... it could be ... ME!!
*insert record scratch noise*
If Posi WANTED to chase off the game population, say, to a certain superhero-themed MMO currently in beta testing that I cannot confirm or deny having experience playing, he'd probably do something a LOT WORSE.
Yanno, like, say, yank the MA right back out, nerf level pacting, put timers on every instance mission, and double the effects of ED and the GDN. All in the same week.
Oh, and make all the zones free-for-all PvP. That'd definitely chase folks off, there.
How's that for dramatic baseless extrapolation? Was it too over the top? cos I can never tell....
[/ QUOTE ]
*applauds Soul_Train*
Over the top? On THIS forum? Nah, you're good. Great, even! 
"But it wasn't anything some purples and oranges and lots of screaming in fear couldn't handle." -- Werner
30 level 50's: 12 scrappers, 7 other random melee types, 11 blaster/blapper/support squishies, two accounts, and a TON of altitis since 4/28/04
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
We have been having a great time, both playing other peoples' story arcs and making our own. Since we weren't using the MA for farming, our experience hasn't been altered.
[/ QUOTE ]
This. I've not experienced any changes to my ability to play MArcs.
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Ditto. My family is loving it. In fact -- even with all the forum drama -- we decided to get my daughter her own account so the three of us can play and create together.
The MA was and still is the clincher. We're having a blast.
It's the Devs game and forum. They can do what ever they want.
It's the player's money. They can spend it however they like.
Hopefully, the game is entertaining for enough people who are willing to pay for it that it has a long life and brings joy to the players.
But when you have long term veterans with multiple accounts and lots of friends leave, it has a ripple effect beyond $15/month times x accounts.
Even if you are happy with everything about the game, you should be worried about too many people unsubscribing.
50s: Inv/SS PB Emp/Dark Grav/FF DM/Regen TA/A Sonic/Elec MA/Regen Fire/Kin Sonic/Rad Ice/Kin Crab Fire/Cold NW Merc/Dark Emp/Sonic Rad/Psy Emp/Ice WP/DB FA/SM
Overlord of Dream Team and Nightmare Squad
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Even if you are happy with everything about the game, you should be worried about too many people unsubscribing.
[/ QUOTE ]
And we come full circle, for the thousandth time!
Maybe the powers that be are hoping that the shiny "Architect Edition" boxes will bring in as many as they lose. Maybe they're looking farther down the road and hoping "Going Rogue" will bring in fifty times that many new players.
I really like the idea someone had in the first, original, 600+ plus page thread: we should make every thread that degenerates into this argument into a drinking game!!! Everybody has to drink when someone says one of five catch-phrases?
Or maybe we should make it like an office football pool and everybody gets a number from 1-100 for various re-re-re-re-re-posts? How long from when someone says "it's officially degenerated -- start counting!!" until someone says one of the following?
"I'm leaving and taking my friends with me!"
"Can I has your stuff?"
"Doom!"
"Farming is/is not ebil!!"
Or of course, how many posts between the "okay, start!" and when they lock the thread.
"But it wasn't anything some purples and oranges and lots of screaming in fear couldn't handle." -- Werner
30 level 50's: 12 scrappers, 7 other random melee types, 11 blaster/blapper/support squishies, two accounts, and a TON of altitis since 4/28/04
I'm not leaving. You can't have my stuff. I don't care if you farm or don't.
But I do think a little joy has been lost in this game and on these forums in the last few days.
Is it wrong for me to think that?
50s: Inv/SS PB Emp/Dark Grav/FF DM/Regen TA/A Sonic/Elec MA/Regen Fire/Kin Sonic/Rad Ice/Kin Crab Fire/Cold NW Merc/Dark Emp/Sonic Rad/Psy Emp/Ice WP/DB FA/SM
Overlord of Dream Team and Nightmare Squad
Nope.
But look on the bright side.
It's springtime in the northern hemisphere, fall in the southern, not too hot OR too cold, great time to be outside instead of on the computer reading the emo whiny crap us mopey negative wet blankets are writing, anyhow.
"City of Heroes. April 27, 2004 - August 31, 2012. Obliterated not with a weapon of mass destruction, not by an all-powerful supervillain... but by a cold-hearted and cowardly corporate suck-up."
I don't know one single, solitary person who has quit. I do know a few who have resubbed and we have some honest to God new folks that have joined, too. So any anecdotal evidence that the sky is falling is easily shuffled off by mine that it is, in fact, still there.
[ QUOTE ]
Nope.
But look on the bright side.
It's springtime in the northern hemisphere, fall in the southern, not too hot OR too cold, great time to be outside instead of on the computer reading the emo whiny crap us mopey negative wet blankets are writing, anyhow.
[/ QUOTE ]
Too right...
I quit for a time because they broke stuff, as in really broke stuff. Invisible walls blocking your path and mobs on invisible catwalks broke. If folks are crying DOOM, or quitting because they can't get a toon they started at lunch to 50 by dinner instead of actually *gasp* PLAYING THE GAME, then those aren't the ones I want to spend my online time with anyway.
I don't see the wailing over removing the "big numbers" MA badges, either. So you ran missions with a couple hundred glowies each all weekend. Yawn.
Moggie's big forum-brother.
"I'm a tech. I tell it how it is. I'm incapable of the sunshine blowing necessary in their field." - BillZBubba
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So after the big hammer descending on the MA with the last patch I haven't really used it. I just decided to go back and check it out on a whim. Not only is it empty, but half the arcs I choose do not even start. I'm guessing that they were invalidated when the patch hit and the players just decided it wasn't worth fixing them.
So great work on wrecking the entire thing. I doubt I'll bother with it any more, either. I get the feeling it's not worth it, much as the mission creators must have.
[/ QUOTE ]
Um... the AE building in Atlas on Freedom is still packed.
That said, I'm not happy with the changes myself but I can't blame the players - I blame the Devs. It was blatantly obvious in test that MA was ripe for abuse but they put it out anyways.
[ QUOTE ]
Off the top of my head I can list the following problems I've noticed with Dev handling since issue 14, and again I stress that I LOVE this game and the things Im about to list are disappointing to me. Also Im not a farmer or exploitter.
(List snipped)
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I would've quoted the entire list, but it was too long. But ... THIS!
An excellent summary of all of the things the devs did wrong with issue 14.
MA was an excellent idea, and an excellent feature that I still use and still plan on using. But the devs handled it horribly. They screwed up on many parts of MA (allowing known xp/inf/tickets exploits to stay in, making the ratings system too easy to grief -- both by the 5-star cartels and the 0/1-star cartels -- then adding badges to that, attaching over 100 badges to AE (including yet another dev's whim badge), then getting pissy at the players when they play with what they were given).
The devs *need* to come out and say something like "Guys, we messed up. We were warned that certain things would happen and we didn't listen to the player base. We made mistakes, and we are now taking steps to correct our own mistakes."
I'm not saying the devs are entirely to blame. The people who set up the MEOW farms and then PL'd their toons from 1-50 in a few hours were clearly exploiting the system, and I'm OK with them being punished for it. But the majority of the fault lies with the devs and their actions, IMO. They need to man up and admit it. I'm not saying that if they refuse to, I'll run off to check out Champions Online -- especially since it's being created by the same guy who drove me away from CoH in the first place (I came back when Inventions came out), but who knows what other MMOs lie out there ready to grab my attention?
Play my MA arcs!
Tracking Down Jack Ketch - ArcID #2701
Cat War! - ArcID #2788
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Maybe the powers that be are hoping that the shiny "Architect Edition" boxes will bring in as many as they lose. Maybe they're looking farther down the road and hoping "Going Rogue" will bring in fifty times that many new players.
[/ QUOTE ]
The problem I see with that concept is that "Going Rogue" is going to appeal to current players, not NEW players who havent tried either hero or villain, so they don't even know that certain archetypes are limited, etc. You lose the current base, then Going Rogue will have the resale value of a new expansion to Star Wars Galaxies or Tabula Rasa.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1) MA - 100% cool!
2) Dev handling of problems with it - 100% overreacted to.
I figure there's probably one other important percentage to go here:
3) Player Base Upset about #2 - .5%
[/ QUOTE ]
Statistics to back up above statements- 0
[/ QUOTE ]
Everyone knows 99.873% of all statistics are made up.