The point of the architect is to allow those who enjoy creating their own content, their own stories, and their own enemy groups do so -- and have tons of fun with it. It's not work, it's fun. 
For you, if you don't enjoy creating content, etc., the benefit could be that much more content for you to play. If you have a level 50 character, think of it as unlimited endgame content, if you will.
There are many aspects to MA. Some will love it, others will not. Variety is good.
Neverwinter Nights shipped with a powerful toolset for module design. I "worked" for nearly an entire summer vacation on a module for it (an adaptation of I6 Ravenloft) and I loved every minute of it. I worked roughly an 8 hour day, then put in another 4 hours play testing it each night when my wife went to bed. It was the most fun I've had on a summer Holiday in years.
What you'll find fast is that the single most frustrating thing for people with the AE missions is that finding an audience is harder than telling the story. No matter how good I tweek American Welcome it will always be just one of a thousand 4 star stories floatting around. I think it's good but it's getting it noticed that's hard.
But for the rest we're not doing the dev's jobs for them, we're doing the job we love to do which is develop content we like. And if any of the kids here are good at it, getting a story to be a developer's choice award is a nice little feather in the cap for their resume into the world of game design.
We're not doing their job for them. They gave us access to do what many of us have been asking. The ability to create customized content.
It's the chance to make a mission how you think it should be done. It's the ability to tell a story that you think needs to be told in the game. It's a chance to express ideas and share them with others. It's the opportunity to invite people into your little corner of the game and let them see what you see.
If you don't enjoy creating your own arcs in MA to tell your own stories, don't. Just like if you don't enjoy PVP in the arena, don't PVP in the arena. The game has many aspects, and most of them can be avoided if you enjoy other areas of the game more.
just so you know - the devs have created a ton of characters that can fight.
so if you design characters - you are doing the dev's work
if you are fighting - you are doing the dev's work
hey go easy on the OP, I understand what he's sayin because I felt the same way but BEFORE I14 came out. Like, "why do I wanna spend my in-game time makin a mission when I could be doing something fun like...playing the game?"lol
But then I thought about it. Half the fun IS makin the missions if thats what you are into. Then, the other half is gettin people to congratulate you on how dope your mission is. OR, you could just make a mission the way YOU like missions and play through yourself!
So my attitude changed about it and I never once made a MA mission yet! lol
My issue would be why cant I find any CREATIVE, story-driven missions in the MA? lol
"American Welcome", here I come!
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I paid for this game and feel like I am getting good value for my money. I also feel the Dev's have done a great job offering a lot of variety in the game. They spend a lot of time and sweat making sure the AT's are balanced and the maps are interesting and populated with challenging foes. I enjoy playing the game. Why should I invest my time doing tedious work that takes a long time, for which I will not be paid, only to create something that the Dev's probably already have done or was very similar? I don't object to this being offered, I just don't get the draw. To me it seems an awful lot like work. Or...... I am completely off-base, and missing the point (not an unusual event) and the point of architect is............
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For some of us, making things is a big creative outlet. For instance, I write. Stories, poems (manly poems), nonfiction, and so forth. To me, the MA is a new way to craft a story, and is therefore a pleasure to play with.
To me, the MA isn't there to make missions for other people, but to build stories as I make them up. I publish almost none of what I make, and even when I do, I usually pull it back down after my friends have played it. Someday I might feel like making a mission for other people; until then, my solitary silly one-mission arc is all I've got up there.
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I paid for this game and feel like I am getting good value for my money. I also feel the Dev's have done a great job offering a lot of variety in the game. They spend a lot of time and sweat making sure the AT's are balanced and the maps are interesting and populated with challenging foes. I enjoy playing the game. Why should I invest my time doing tedious work that takes a long time, for which I will not be paid, only to create something that the Dev's probably already have done or was very similar? I don't object to this being offered, I just don't get the draw. To me it seems an awful lot like work. Or...... I am completely off-base, and missing the point (not an unusual event) and the point of architect is............
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When AE came out it wasn't all that famous, nor was it "anticipated". Many wanted to create their own missions, but the smart people knew it was going to get nerfed somehow. Que the PLing "exploits" and easy badge collecting, that turned out. When people just knew of it as a player created event, it didnt get much shine. Sure people still posted, but it got flooded when people found ways to hit lvl 1-50 in days, even hours.
Without the huge exp bonus and or "exploits", AE settled down. My point being, the "draw" was putting the content in the players hands. The nerfs we're probably the dumbest thing they could have done if they wanted huge numbers, but the dychotomy is resonating and or is and shall always be.
"If you can make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything"
"You're like Giraffe's, the way you look down on me, with your vegetarian scorn."
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Why should I invest my time doing tedious work that takes a long time, for which I will not be paid, only to create something that the Dev's probably already have done or was very similar?
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First of all, for me, it's not tedious work. It's creative work. Big difference.
Yes, it can become tedious due to limitations and bugs in the system... but, so far, the pay-off outweighs the headaches. And it's still fundamentally creative work.
Secondly, the devs cannot do what I (and others) have been doing with MA. And that is: create dynamic content tailored for specific characters.
The stories are new, the villains unique, actions have genuine consequences, and if the Big Bad is permanently dealt with, it stays permanently dealt with.
You can't get that in regular content. Defeat Countess Crey as many times as you like. She won't go anywhere, Crey Industries will continue to operate, the world will remain static.
Another strength of the MA is the ability to step outside setting limitations, which the devs also cannot do. We can make Space Operas and Westerns, Noir Mysteries and High Fantasy Epics.
Yet another thing we can do that the devs really can't do is: explore the various groups of the City game much more deeply.
For example, the Banished Pantheon have been in the game since the beginning. There's a lot of story potential there. But are the devs ever going to take advantage of that?
Given that it's been five years now without any embellishment at all... probably not. But even if they did build a future issue around Astoria and the Pantheon... that still leaves a host of other groups they'll never get to. There just isn't enough time.
But with MA, we can do our own development in that regard. If someone has a character that's directly opposed to a particular group, and they've done all the content involving that group, MA gives them a whole new avenue of potentially limitless playability.
So, there's just a few answers to your question. I'm sure other people will come up with more.
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I think of the MA as the answer to "I've played all the dev's content, what's left?" (Incidentally, I personally haven't come anywhere NEAR playing through all the dev's content, but I know that people have.)
And as many others have said, it's a chance to flex creative muscles, to tell the stories that they wish were actually part of the game. The Powers That Be simply don't have enough people to write missions for ALL the backstory stuff they reference in the game, so giving the players a chance to do their take on it was a nifty idea. Help the Regulators put the fear of BAB in the drug cartels? Create an arc. See how Astoria fell to darkness? Create an arc. The possibilities are numerous (I'd say endless, but not quite.)
Sure, it could use some finetuning, and with luck, one day we'll get the level of control over it that some of us would really enjoy. In the meantime, though it might take some work, there are several diamonds amongst the rough.
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
PS - for those who are looking for actual 'story' arcs, yes, She Who Makes Vidz did two - "Dyne of the Times" and "Hell Hath No Fury". The third is strictly for fun... search for Samuraiko and you'll find it.
Dark_Respite's Farewell Video: "One Last Day"
THE COURSE OF SUPERHERO ROMANCE CONTINUES!
Book I: A Tale of Nerd Flirting! ~*~ Book II: Courtship and Crime Fighting - Chap Nine live!
MA Arcs - 3430: Hell Hath No Fury / 3515: Positron Gets Some / 6600: Dyne of the Times / 351572: For All the Wrong Reasons
378944: Too Clever by Half / 459581: Kill or Cure / 551680: Clerical Errors (NEW!)
THE COURSE OF SUPERHERO ROMANCE CONTINUES!
Book I: A Tale of Nerd Flirting! ~*~ Book II: Courtship and Crime Fighting - Chap Nine live!
MA Arcs - 3430: Hell Hath No Fury / 3515: Positron Gets Some / 6600: Dyne of the Times / 351572: For All the Wrong Reasons
378944: Too Clever by Half / 459581: Kill or Cure / 551680: Clerical Errors (NEW!)
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My issue would be why cant I find any CREATIVE, story-driven missions in the MA? lol
"American Welcome", here I come!
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Eeep... the pressure.
Hmm... I'm thinking that no one actually told you that you had to interact with the Mission Editor in any way. So, the answer to the original question is... "You don't."
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I paid for this game and feel like I am getting good value for my money. I also feel the Dev's have done a great job offering a lot of variety in the game. They spend a lot of time and sweat making sure the AT's are balanced and the maps are interesting and populated with challenging foes. I enjoy playing the game. Why should I invest my time doing tedious work that takes a long time, for which I will not be paid, only to create something that the Dev's probably already have done or was very similar? I don't object to this being offered, I just don't get the draw. To me it seems an awful lot like work. Or...... I am completely off-base, and missing the point (not an unusual event) and the point of architect is............
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I think the reason your "completely off-base" is because your drawing your conclusions from a series of false assumptions:
False Assumption #1 "It's tedious work": Like most things, its only tedious if you don't enjoy it. I'm a writer and I love my job - and some days I feel like the day is just getting started. My wife, on the other hand, hates to write ... and for her writing is a horrible and tedious chore. For those of us who want to write, MA is FUN. Making your story sparkle becomes obsessive and compelling ... and that's fun, too.
False Assumption #2: We don't get paid. True, we don't get paid in CASH. But we do get paid in ego-stroking. When someone plays my arc and stops to tell me that it was a lot of fun or that loved my custom mobs, it makes me feel great! And when I see my arc - which I thought only my 5 friends were going to play -- get up to 140 plays with an average 4-star rating -- I get bragging rights! In life, there are a LOT of different ways of getting paid.
False Assumption #3: MArcs just repeat or are very similar to what the dev's have already done. While this may be true in many cases, there are so many wonderful MArcs out there with custom mobs you've never been pitted against before and stories that are so outside of "canon" that they are unlike anything dev's have ever done - or ever will do. Try the arc in my signature, for example. Or just do a search with the key word "custom" and then browse among what comes up until something tickles your fancy.
The best part, of course, is that you don't have to create any stories of your own to enjoy MArcs. All you have to do to enjoy MA, is to play a few. Especially when you create a new lowbie toon, you can enjoy wonderful new content and not have to do the same old, same old arcs in Atlas, Kings Row, Perez Park and the Hollows.
I was a bit intimidated by MA at first, but since I got my feet wet, I've jumped into it head first. It does take a bit of work to dot all the 'i's and cross all the 't's, but when you get to try out the story you've created, it is a whole lot of fun. Some people that aren't all that creative can try their hand at it, too. Some arcs out there are rough around the edges and some of them are close to in-game quality. Some are fun, others not so fun. Some are well written, but others look like they were written by third-graders.
What it all boils down to is that, at least we can all have a good time making new enemies to fight and writing stories that other people might really like to play, over and over. It gives us an outlet to see if we can create something that other players might enjoy as much, or even more than they do the regular missions in the game.
Even if we just do it for ourselves, it's still a good way to see what the devs have to go through in order to create new content. I think, for the most part, people are finding out that it's not as easy as some of us might have thought it was. It might help us to better appreciate their problems in trying to create interesting content and in finding solutions that work when there are problems, when we have the same kind of problems in setting up our own scenarios. Most people will probably have a little more respect for what the devs do as a result of their experiences with MA. Or not.
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The OP's complaint is silly.
It's like going to a store, pointing at the video cameras on sale, and complaining "Why should I do a movie studio's work, and pay to do it out of my own wallet!" Or pointing at blank canvas and oil paints for sale and asking why you should do an artist's work.
You don't *have* to. You can if you think it may be enjoyable. The devs are going to put out their own content whether you use MA or not.
I understand where the OP is coming from. He's just wondering why some people do enjoy it. I can't say for sure why, I just do. The same reason I like GMing pencil and paper games I suppose, It's fun to create, and see other people interacting with my creations.
Now if I could just get a few more people to interact with them. As a previous poster proclaimed, the hard part is getting people to play your arc, when there are thousands of them out there.
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I understand where the OP is coming from. He's just wondering why some people do enjoy it. I can't say for sure why, I just do. The same reason I like GMing pencil and paper games I suppose, It's fun to create, and see other people interacting with my creations.
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Great analogy!
Why do I write songs?
Why do I write stories?
Why do I draw pictures?
Why do I create an arc in the Mission Architect?
It's difficult to explain the drive to create to someone who doesn't have it. Hard to put words to the sensations you get when your brain is thinking something up and you are compelled to express it.
Live arcs: 517377 and 517381
Virtue: Quickshot. Swiftwind. Aliuneidis. Gizmodeus. Dasher. Fiver. Inuit Acer. Daniel Darke. Cerebral Flame. El Halcon.
Intel Core2Duo 2.4 Ghz 4 GB RAM**NVIDIA Geforce 9600 GT set to 1280 x 1024**Windows Vista 32 bit
I know why I create story arcs. It's my opportunity to kill every last one of you, and some of you more than once. At least virtually...
Boardthug, I have to admit to making virutals of some of our more colorful forum members and whacking the snot outta them from time to time. I put up Filliet the Forumites when the mood strikes me. 
The development team and this community deserved better than this from NC Soft. Best wishes on your search.
I do it quite simply because I miss GMing that old Paper and Pen game I probably shouldn't mention here. It's just fun to hear the comments for my arcs (well arc so far, but working on it.)
Also the chance to make my own baddies...for sure.
Try out my Arc # 11529 Behind the Painted Smile..It's fun with a nice story. There is a little bit of Rad so be careful. But most of all enjoy.
Enjoy your day please.
and the point of architect is............Never having to do a Golden Roller story arc, ever again...
NCSOFT may take away our servers and beloved dev team, but they can't break our spirit and community. with all your power, NCSOFT, your victory will be bitter-sweet. I, personally will be there to laugh at you when you face-plant into the ground.
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I do it quite simply because I miss GMing that old Paper and Pen game I probably shouldn't mention here. It's just fun to hear the comments for my arcs (well arc so far, but working on it.)
Also the chance to make my own baddies...for sure.
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Absolutely, same here. In fact the last arc in my sig was based on one of my most well-received paper-and-pen scenarios, when the gaming group was still gathering regularly. It was fun to see my villains and that storyline come to life in the MA. It got a great review here: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showflat....e=2&fpart=4
The MA is nothing short of brilliant, hands down. Ever see those surveys which would plot what type of gamer you are? You had the Advancement types who played to gain skills, levels, etc and get to the top of their class, the Explorer types who wanted to see and experience new things and a low level "lost temple" was worth more than an endgame generic monster. You had the Social type who was just as happy sitting in zonewide chat as they were actually "doing" something and... you had the Creator archtype. The ones who want deep crafting systems and when people click on their Calico Leggings, it should say "Crafted by Starrydawn Moonwolf". The ones who want equipment dyes and to build their own house.
If you're primarily a Creator archtype then the MA is designed to feed you and keep you in the game because you won't find anything like it elsewhere in the major MMORPGs. Better yet, having the Creators tinking their happy hearts out in MA means that the Advancement types get to collect xp & tickets for rare items (even ignoring farming), the Explorer types get a wealth of new arcs to experience and the Social types get more grouping opportunities and the joy of a bustling Atlas Park AE building (along with the costume contests and all that).
It doesn't need to appeal to YOU to create arcs (and, if we assumed every archtype was equal, there's a 4:1 chance it won't be your cuppa tea) but it makes one class of player happy and, thusly, gives all the rest more content should they desire it. Brilliant.
I paid for this game and feel like I am getting good value for my money. I also feel the Dev's have done a great job offering a lot of variety in the game. They spend a lot of time and sweat making sure the AT's are balanced and the maps are interesting and populated with challenging foes. I enjoy playing the game. Why should I invest my time doing tedious work that takes a long time, for which I will not be paid, only to create something that the Dev's probably already have done or was very similar? I don't object to this being offered, I just don't get the draw. To me it seems an awful lot like work. Or...... I am completely off-base, and missing the point (not an unusual event) and the point of architect is............