Risk vs. Reward Problem - My MA Rant
In future rants please try to say something I dissagree with.
Everybody loves Crepes.
That better?
I really hope we see a new path of development for MA. It hasn't changed much since its release except removing exploits (understandable), altering power priorities, and harsh warnings given to the player base. I would of preferred the developers encourage seeking exploits so they can be found and fixed. It would also encourage people to make more bizarre missions.
For example, I made a mission designed that only a single AT could possibly do without breaking a sweat, while almost impossible for anyone else. I had a bunch of people test it with me. We had a lot of fun and died more often then I can count, but the rewards were good and we had a blast. It was a mix of SG/PuG too!
If the above example is something that is done by more people, and more often, I'd say MA would be nearly perfected. Unfortunately, I was worried the entire time that what I made could be considered an exploit (even now since I gave you no details to what I really did).
Freeedom
H: Victra Defile (Rad/Dark) & Hot Hits (Fire/SD)
V: Spike Cream (NW) & Crescent Wind (Nin/Storm)
Sub Hero Inc ARC: 1541
--If you don't like what I have to say, it was probably a typo you are refering to.
The million-dollar question is how to balance the rewards between those two difficulty levels automtically, fairly, and in a manner that makes it difficult to game. Frankly, I don't think there is one.
What counts as a harder enemy? It deals more damage to you? It takes longer to kill? It activates more powers during its short lifetime? How do you balance the reward between two members of the same AT who might have totally different experiences with a given enemy, or even two characters with the exact same powersets but different slotting?
Rewarding missions containing a variety of enemy powers and such could be a good start, but even more gameable than the current version if not done extremely well.
Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
The reward for fighting a variety of enemy powers would be a great step in the right direction I would think.
Balance reward based on 1 enemy vs 1 player would be tricky to pull off unless it was dynamic (ex: reward based on how others player with the same AT/powers vs. 1 enemy based on some level of performance). I doubt anyone would attempt this.
Freeedom
H: Victra Defile (Rad/Dark) & Hot Hits (Fire/SD)
V: Spike Cream (NW) & Crescent Wind (Nin/Storm)
Sub Hero Inc ARC: 1541
--If you don't like what I have to say, it was probably a typo you are refering to.
Here is my issue with MA. The rewards for defeating critters is far too static.
Minions = X exp.
Lieutenants = Y exp.
Boss = Z exp.
etc etc etc...
Players want to be rewarded for their efforts. If they are not properly rewarded, they can get a sense of being robbed.
A Scrapper's Tale: I took down the 5 swordsmen with relative ease, and I earned 1000 exp. I then went to fight the 5 radiation robots, and it was a harsh battle, where I had to apply time consuming strategies, but did manage to dispatch them for .... 1000 exp.
If this game, like many others, constantly repeats the mantra "Risk vs. Reward", then why not increase the reward when something truly risky is encountered? Shouldn't defeating more lethal critters be given a larger reward?
A Controller's Tale: I took down the 5 radiation robots with relative ease (and with a pinch of luck). I earned 1000 exp. I then went to fight the 5 swordsmen, and it was a long battle as they bypassed my only defense. After a long battle, I was rewarded 1000 exp.
It would be most difficult to balance the reward, as the risk is different depending certain static choices the player has made. What is easy for a blaster, might be near impossible for a tank. What is extremely difficult for a fire damage user, might be extremely simple for a non-fire damage user. To fix this, I recommend to reward variety. The non-AE critters seem to be balanced based on the enemy group as a whole (for the most part). I like Tsoo for example. They are mostly ninja-fodder, but they have sorcerers and the ancestors to make the group a challenge to any AT. If they gave a flat rate bonus to populating the mission with a mix of ranged/melee/(de)buffs/controls/pets/ranks, then you can create more interesting challenges for rewards that are more difficult to exploit.
Farming should be challenged. Farming isn't going away. It was here well before MA. The difference with MA is that we are able to increase the risk/reward slightly from normal content by removing low risk elements (ex. minions) from the equation. MA can't be just about letting players tell a story. There has to be a meta-game. MA allows the player to construct an unlimited number of scenarios. There should be incentive to make and play the challenging ones. If you increase the reward for doing such, the players will create all the variety of end game content this game needs.
Freeedom
H: Victra Defile (Rad/Dark) & Hot Hits (Fire/SD)
V: Spike Cream (NW) & Crescent Wind (Nin/Storm)
Sub Hero Inc ARC: 1541
--If you don't like what I have to say, it was probably a typo you are refering to.