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I really enjoyed writing and playing stories from our talented community, and not that I'm anti-farming, but I had such high hopes for AE and just experiencing the creativity and ingenuity of the authors. I still do, but I play most of them solo now as the primary invites are AE.
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I just recently got into the groove in AE mission arc creation. I was having all kinds of fun just putting together the custom stuff.
Then I encountered AE's major problem that isn't Farming.
100k.
Yes, the problem is 100k.
Because 100 kilobytes is all that the mission editor will allow for a FULL MISSION ARC. Not a single mission. Every mission in an arc must fit inside 100kilobytes.
How the hell am I going to write fun/funny/dramatic storylines in my mission arcs if two-three custom mobs have the file size bursting at the seams?
You can't be creative with the MA. There isn't enough room, simple as that.
Not to mention, the editor is very inconsistent with it's file size changes. I removed something earlier on accident, noted the file size change, and then put it back. The file size was larger AFTER the fix than it was before it was broken.
Seriously, in a day and age with hard drives in iPod's that hold enough data that would have required a WAREHOUSE to contain just 25 years ago, you'd think they could spring for a bit more than 100k.
Even if we had the most detailed and epic storyline arcs put together(provided larger file sizes, of course), people are STILL going to abuse the system and PL. Farming isn't as much an issue, because it's farming: Every MMO ever made has farming somehow. People are people, they will take the path of least resistance. Get used to it.
With Hard Disks down to less than ten-cents a gigabyte, there is little to no excuse to limit an entire mission arc to 100k. Absolutely none.
Signed,
-Disgruntled Mission Arc Writer-
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I really enjoyed writing and playing stories from our talented community, and not that I'm anti-farming, but I had such high hopes for AE and just experiencing the creativity and ingenuity of the authors. I still do, but I play most of them solo now as the primary invites are AE.
[/ QUOTE ]
I just recently got into the groove in AE mission arc creation. I was having all kinds of fun just putting together the custom stuff.
Then I encountered AE's major problem that isn't Farming.
100k.
Yes, the problem is 100k.
Because 100 kilobytes is all that the mission editor will allow for a FULL MISSION ARC. Not a single mission. Every mission in an arc must fit inside 100kilobytes.
How the hell am I going to write fun/funny/dramatic storylines in my mission arcs if two-three custom mobs have the file size bursting at the seams?
You can't be creative with the MA. There isn't enough room, simple as that.
Not to mention, the editor is very inconsistent with it's file size changes. I removed something earlier on accident, noted the file size change, and then put it back. The file size was larger AFTER the fix than it was before it was broken.
Seriously, in a day and age with hard drives in iPod's that hold enough data that would have required a WAREHOUSE to contain just 25 years ago, you'd think they could spring for a bit more than 100k.
Even if we had the most detailed and epic storyline arcs put together(provided larger file sizes, of course), people are STILL going to abuse the system and PL. Farming isn't as much an issue, because it's farming: Every MMO ever made has farming somehow. People are people, they will take the path of least resistance. Get used to it.
With Hard Disks down to less than ten-cents a gigabyte, there is little to no excuse to limit an entire mission arc to 100k. Absolutely none.
Signed,
-Disgruntled Mission Arc Writer-
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Admittedly, I'm in the same school of thought that 100K isn't big enough for the serious writer. I think an extra 25-50K would give "just enough" to lessen the constrictions on us to write a fun, creative arc vs what we have now.
I don't see it as a tremendous problem; as some will point out, there's something to be said about being creatively "creative" within the 100K confines, and believe me, it's very doable. It's just that it's not really necessary, in my mind, to "force" such creativity with size constraints.
Anyway, just wanted to interject a little "me too"ness into this post. Back to the OP's "zomg ae is killin teh gaem" theme. Which, if you believe that, you should quit, because nothing people can say or do will convince you, and we don't have the time to try to do so.
Because, hey, I gotta get back to writing my farms, because that's all you see it being.
@TURGENEV - Freedom Server / IRON / B.A.N.E / HORDE
Turg Fiction: Ghost in the Machine Acts III & IV coming 2012!
Turg Fiction: IX is now LIVE on Architect Entertainment!
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How the hell am I going to write fun/funny/dramatic storylines in my mission arcs if two-three custom mobs have the file size bursting at the seams?
You can't be creative with the MA. There isn't enough room, simple as that.
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Totally wrong. I have a 3 mission arc with 13 Custom Critters in it. Plenty of Dialog, Clues, Witty Banter, and a Souvenir. Sure, I'd enjoy having another 25k to work with, but your assertion that 2-3 Custom Critters have the file size bursting at the seams is pure hyperbole.
I've played several very good missions that the authors were able to work within the 100k limits fairly easily.
If you feel that you need more room, make it a multi-part arc and spread it across 2 or even 3 Arcs. Since you can purchase additional arc slots now, it's not as limiting as it was at launch when you had 3 arc slots period.
You can be creative with the limits that are in place. There are plenty of good arcs out there that prove it.
If the game spit out 20 dollar bills people would complain that they weren't sequentially numbered. If they were sequentially numbered people would complain that they weren't random enough.
Black Pebble is my new hero.
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I seldom get involved in the whole MA debate but I had an idea. What if MA put you into an exemped type status no matter what level you were, where you wouldnt earn xp but would earn double influence and prestige as well as the tickets?
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People'd farm it even more for the retardedly easy money generation.
Also it'd kill the whole "alternate levelling route" thing and piss off a bunch of us who arent always farming.
Want comedy and lighthearted action? Between levels 1-14? Try Nuclear in 90 - The Fusionette Task Force!
Arc ID 58363!
As has been stated in other similar threads.
Join chat channels.
Go to Atlas Park/Cap Au Diable (the AE Hubs) and broadcast for team/task force/whatever.
A couple weekends ago, I wanted to run Sister Psyche TF on Virtue and went to Atlas Park and broadcast for the TF. In 30 seconds, I had 4 tells asking to join. I had also broadcast on Virtuebadges09 and filled the other 3 slots from the channel.
Later that afternoon, I switched to another toon on same server and did the same thing with similar results.
That evening, I switched to Infinity to run Sister Psyche with some game friends I had met while on a PUG and did the same thing to fill out the remaining slots.
So I was able to do the same TF 3 times in one day and form TF teams in little to no time at all.
Change happens, but adjust and adapt and the gameplay will be fine.
Yesterday, I saw a post on Virtuebadges09 that someone needed the Skyway safeguard exploration badge, I jumped on a level 17 toon, invited the other hero and broadcast for a radio team in Steel, didn't even have to go to Atlas park and formed a full team in a very short time and we all had a blast running the radio/bank missions.
The fun teams are there, you just have to take responsibility to find them.
I remember when I started playing, I was so intimidated at the idea of forming my own PUG. But I would join a team when I saw one was forming and had a great time. I paid attention to what the leader did and after a while, realized that I could probably do what they did.
I started forming teams and I was overconcerned about making sure everyone was having a great time and running missions and picking missions from their list as well as mine. I finally realized that I was worrying to much and just go with the flow.
I seldom get involved in the whole MA debate but I had an idea. What if MA put you into an exemped type status no matter what level you were, where you wouldnt earn xp but would earn double influence and prestige as well as the tickets?
If you PL'd to 50 just to get an "epic" thinking you'd be �ber, you're going to be sorely disappointed with the HEATs, because the VEATs were designed so that anyone with one good finger and a braincell can rock the toggles.