Honestly? Most people do expect some sort of xp and ticket reward for playing through story-based content. If your mission gives few or no rewards, the description should say so.
On the other hand, someone complaining that an MA mission gives no merits, salvage, enhancements or recipes is unlikely to have their complaint taken seriously.
Eva Destruction AR/Fire/Munitions Blaster
Darkfire Avenger DM/SD/Body Scrapper
Arc ID#161629 Freaks, Geeks, and Men in Black
Arc ID#431270 Until the End of the World
I can see both points here. Generally, somebody playing a MA mission would expect *some* sort of reward, be it xp, inf, or tickets. If your mission will not have much of those, it probably should say so in the introduction so that players will be forewarned can can choose to skip over your mission if they want to.
But on the other hand ... reporting your mission for content as a "Rikti Monkey Farm" -- especially when you CAN'T farm rikti monkeys for badges using MA -- then complaining it doesn't give any rewards is just being petty and vindictive. So any points the player might have had is instantly void.
Still, you should probably add a warning in the introduction just to be on the safe side.
Play my MA arcs!
Tracking Down Jack Ketch - ArcID #2701
Cat War! - ArcID #2788
If I wanted a story...I'd read a book.
Like I said, I did take the 'tagging' bet of his comment seriously, and even altered my arc description. With the sheer number of arcs and mission available, I simply don't think authors have the luxury of 'surprising' their players with the story contents.
If I pick up a book that says 'Sci-fi', I'm going to be a little disappointed if I get a modern political drama with no sci-fi elements. By the same token, if I pick up a mission that says 'Long, story focused', I'm going to expect 3-5 missions of fights with a few clues to read.
However, I think a far harder topic to guage is 'how much info do I need to give ahead of time?'
If I read a book that has a description indicating 'A gripping sci-fi tale of sensuality and exotic romance', I know I'm probably going to get some romance novel scenes with my aliens and space ships, and maybe some R-rated reading about the space captain and some green-skinned slave girls, depending on the author.
My arc is now tagged 'Very short and silly'. Combined with 'Rikti Monkeys', I *think* it says everything that needs to be said about the arc without saying, 'Hey, you're going to be fighting some monkeys in this one and probably won't get a lot in the way of merits^H^H^H^H^H^Htickets.'.
For the record, I took the scrapper I was playing through the mission, freed the hostages, and bapped the patrols and came away with about 16 merits^H^H^H^H^H^Htickets.
It's tickets, not merits. 
It's hilarious that he chose to report you for having a Rikti Monkey farm. You'd have to be really, really dumb to think there's anything about AE mish Rikti Monkies that would make them worth farming. 
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My arc is now tagged 'Very short and silly'. Combined with 'Rikti Monkeys', I *think* it says everything that needs to be said about the arc without saying, 'Hey, you're going to be fighting some monkeys in this one and probably won't get a lot in the way of merits.'.
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No, actually it doesn't. A lot of people just can't comprehend that people would deliberately create and play missions for reasons other than rewards. Unless your description clearly states "very little in the way of tickets and xp" expect some low ratings.
If you don't care about ratings call it whatever you want, I doubt a mission that gives almost no rewards would have any complaints against it taken seriously by a GM.
Eva Destruction AR/Fire/Munitions Blaster
Darkfire Avenger DM/SD/Body Scrapper
Arc ID#161629 Freaks, Geeks, and Men in Black
Arc ID#431270 Until the End of the World
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My arc is now tagged 'Very short and silly'. Combined with 'Rikti Monkeys', I *think* it says everything that needs to be said about the arc without saying, 'Hey, you're going to be fighting some monkeys in this one and probably won't get a lot in the way of merits.'.
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No, actually it doesn't. A lot of people just can't comprehend that people would deliberately create and play missions for reasons other than rewards. Unless your description clearly states "very little in the way of tickets and xp" expect some low ratings.
If you don't care about ratings call it whatever you want, I doubt a mission that gives almost no rewards would have any complaints against it taken seriously by a GM.
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Ever see the movie tankgirl ?
I got dragged to see it when it opened. The friend I went to see it with loved it and I thought it was complete crap. Turns out she wanted to see a movie, that was little but goofy fluff. I thought the movie was going to be scifi with a decent amount of explosions.
If you are going to make an arc that has no rewards SAY SO. That way you set expectations correctly.
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My arc is now tagged 'Very short and silly'. Combined with 'Rikti Monkeys', I *think* it says everything that needs to be said about the arc without saying, 'Hey, you're going to be fighting some monkeys in this one and probably won't get a lot in the way of merits.'.
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No, actually it doesn't. A lot of people just can't comprehend that people would deliberately create and play missions for reasons other than rewards. Unless your description clearly states "very little in the way of tickets and xp" expect some low ratings.
If you don't care about ratings call it whatever you want, I doubt a mission that gives almost no rewards would have any complaints against it taken seriously by a GM.
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Pretty much this. It was rather stupid of him to report it as a content violation, but you should still specifically state in your description that it offers no tickets and little XP.
You can't really fault people for having an expectation of rewards. The devs have created that expectation in how they've structured the game. You need to reset that expectation if you want your low-rewards arc to be well received.
So the complaint was that it's a farm that doesn't give you anything? Isn't that like an anti-farm?
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I can see both points here.
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Yes, I can too.
The complainer is completely within his rights to whine about a mission that's a total waste of time. But he obviously lacks a sense of humor, or doesn't appreciate the depths of irony and pathos that monkey poo jokes engender.
And the author is completely within his rights to write a mission that's a total waste of time. But he obviously lacks insight into the psyches of 98% of the people who play this game.
Your arc should wear the title "Total Waste of Time" with pride. Everyone will five-star you for brutal honesty!
QR
Why would someone think AE missions gives merits? Should have told them to learn how to play, only TF's give merits.
I don't see why MOO should suffer because the devs gave underlings inappropriate rewards.
Obviously, the player was complaining that there was nothing to farm in this farm. If you're going to create a farm, by golly, you should be able to farm something from it! Obviously!
This mission is nothing but farmer griefing!
The Cape Radio: You're not super until you put on the Cape!
DJ Enigma's Puzzle Factory: Co* Parody Commercials
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QR
Why would someone think AE missions gives merits? Should have told them to learn how to play, only TF's give merits.
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Lrn 2 pl4y, n00b: Hamidon raids give merits too (and so do Rikti raids - they're just Vanguard Merits instead of Reward Merits). So does completing story arcs.
You're right - I DO feel better!
On another note, I will add my voice to the general consensus that while this fellow seems to ahve taken things rather personally, if your arc provides few or not measurable rewards, you should clearly state this in so many words. I have played many arcs that are 'short and silly' - in some cases, the comedy even came close to being funny - but all of them gave tickets, influence, and would have given the generally expected amount of XP if I werent already 50th level.
Recieving rewards for compelting content is a basic underlying assumption of every RPG ever made in any medium or genre. If you intend to violate it, it is only common courtesy to make certain people understand that before getting involved. Just as it is commong courtesy to inform people if your custom mobs are especially difficult, or your mission is filled with archvillains.
QR
All this sounds pretty dumb to me. What MOO wants to do with their MA arcs is entirely up to them. I would never EXPECT to get juicy rewards for doing someone's arc, what I'm looking for is the content of the arc.
If the game weren't in such a state one should never have to point out that their mission "isn't for farming purposes."
It just seems silly to me to tell someone they should put a warning that they won't get inf/xp/tickets in an arc. There is a "Quit TF" button after all in case you see you're not getting what you want in a mission.
@Mojo-
Proud Member of Fusion Force.
I think I'm going grab my SG friends and spam this arc and make sure everyone gives 5 stars. Or I will break their fingers. With my psychic mind rays. And a crowbar. A psychic crowbar of iron!
In other news, I think we need a new tag for this kind of MA arc. Total Waste of Time: [TWOT]
Caution: This post gives no XP, inf, tkts, merits, cookies, or catgirls.
"...his madness keeps him sane.": My Profile on VirtueVerse
Can You WIN the Internet? MA Arc #85544
Inhuman Resources - At Work with IE #298132
Task Force Mutternacht #349522 <-- 1st AE Challenge
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If I wanted a story...I'd read a book.
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You're in the wrong game. Pacman is just down the hall to your left.
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If the game weren't in such a state one should never have to point out that their mission "isn't for farming purposes."
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Umm... Im sorry you havent noticed this beforenow, but even when you dont farm them, missions, and enemies, give rewards. XP, salvage, recipees. Tickets instead of the latter two of its an MA mission. Even when you're more interestd in the story than the tangible benifits, you sill GET the tangible benifits.
AS noted earlier, the system of recieving a reward in the form of XP, and ussually loot, for killing bad-guys and completing tasks, is common to every RPG ever made. It is a basic assumption of RPGs. In fact, it is a big part of what seperates an RPG from an adventure game.
Providing a disclaimer to the effect htat you intend to ignore this assumed MO is not just for the benifit of farmers (althoguh there's nothing wrong with being polite to farmers too), but for the benifit of eveyrone who has ever played any RPG before.
QR - So this arc gives ZERO 'rewards', and he reported it as a farming arc? What was he accusing it of farming? Fun? "This arc provides too much fun per hour". What a tool.
Eco.
MArcs:
The Echo, Arc ID 1688 (5mish, easy, drama)
The Audition, Arc ID 221240 (6 mish, complex mech, comedy)
Storming Citadel, Arc ID 379488 (lowbie, 1mish, 10-min timed)
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
[The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."
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It broke his fun meter and now he gets no joy out of life.
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If I wanted a story...I'd read a book.
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You're in the wrong game. Pacman is just down the hall to your left.
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No thanks.
Just because I don't play the game for the same reasons you do, doesn't make my reasons of playing any less of a reason than yours.
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AE Player: Feedback on Architect Mission Day of the Monkeys: Zero merits for having done what appears to be "rikti monkey" farm mission. Waste of your time and mine.
Someone voted on 'Day of the Monkeys'.
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This would be arc #1302, 'Day of the Monkeys'. It's the arc I used to test MA when I first gained access to the I14 beta and was experimenting with the different features. It's been through a number of revisions and bug fixes and has remained in my first mission slot because I haven't yet finished the arc that I'd like to replace it with.
It's a very short mission about Rikti monkeys escaping from the sewers and rampaging around City Hall. There are a few hostages to save and a few Rikti patrols. Mostly it's about running around under the Statue of Atlas and bapping monkeys for 5 minutes or so and listening to monkey-poo jokes. Because underlings don't drop merits, the only way a player is going to earn merits is by bapping the patrols. Even then, there are only a few, so merit gain is obviously not the objective of the mission.
I was in a quarrelsome mood, so I decided to engage the player who'd rated it.
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Me: Why would you say it's a waste of time when you get the joy of bapping rikti monkeys? I don't build missions to max merits or for badges, so if that's what you're looking for, I'm sorry to dissapoint you.
Player: i'm not a AE farmer at all, I've soloed all AE maps. Also, I can easily go to Crey's Folly to smack monkeys around. At the least, was expecting some kind of "reward" that could be used tangibly. No merits, enhancements, salvage or recipe drop
Me: I'm building for story, not rewards. If you're not interested in story, I'm sorry to dissapoint you. I prefer saving Atlas from the monkeys because it's the heroic thing to do and not because I get a shiny medal.
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It's Sunday morning and I'm a bit grumpy after going to bed late the previous evening. What can I say?
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Player: *rolls eyes*...kind of wrong place going on a "crusade" of some sort. After all, it is generally assumed/understood that players are to be "rewarded" for doing AE missions. You could atleast clearly state that others "should not expect...
Player: should not expect rewards. One mission designer actually had the courtesy to state that...so people weren't misled.
Me: Why should I expect that heroes wouldn't want to save Atlas just because? I think you are out of order, sir.
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I'm not making any progress here and being pretty silly besides, so I decided to chase him off. He's likely lost as a player to me anyway for my arcs that DO have enough content to generate significant rewards.
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Me:: Go play a farm map and trouble me no more!
Player: enjoy perma ignore, you are just trolling and not responding with anything intelligent to say.
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Yay!
However, he did have one point. The mission is marked as 'Short' on the AE browser because it contains a custom group that contains nothing but monkeys, so I can do things like have a wave of monkeys appear and ambush you after rescuing the poor, beleaguered, monkey-stained citizens. I built the mission before people started tagging their arcs, so I hadn't really bothered with this one. It would be nice of me as mission arc author to let people know that this wasn't a serious arc.
I went to the local AE building to add '(Very Short and Silly)' to the arc description. Lo and behold, I found that my player had given me my very first Report for Content complaint!
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This story has received the following complaints: * Mission appears to be nothing but a rikti monkey farm map. Also received zero merits for time spent. Or even any kind of salvage drops/enhancements or recipe drops.
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I love Mission Architect! It truly has something for everyone!