AE, Farms, Arcs, and the rest the game


Aura_Familia

 

Posted

Hello, I'm still new to the game and I'm trying to understand some of the issues that I've seen here. Rather than troll everyone else and ask the questions I figured I'd ask them here. Why would you remove the AE buildings from low level areas. I've noticed in load screens that it says something to the effect of You can level your character from 1 to 50 running AE ARCs Then you have the Arch Edition that is being sold now. Why buy something if you cant play it? When I first started playing (3 months ago), I seen sewer runs a dozen times a day on blue side. Ran them myself a couple of times. Then I figured I'd try this AE thing out. I made a story arc ran it with my wife and we had fun. We both thought that was pretty cool that you could do that. Then I joined a farm run, a bunch of glowie eyed women running around a city block with sledgehammers and shotties. Great xp and quick levels. Other toons I made went to KR and did bank jobs, ran the Hallows and such. On red side completely different story. No sewer run to grind up levels, large massive walls making it treacherous for level one to even get to an AE building, and snakes o.0. Still the missions were fun. Again after getting to level 12 went to AE and ran some things there. Then I noticed people I ran the lowbie quests (both blue and red sides) LEVEL 50. I see them in AE buildings shouting out things like AE TEAM FORMING! LEVEL 40+ only! These are people that 2 days before hand were level 3. Now I'm not saying everyone that complains about the AE Farms are guilty of this, more likely there are less than one would expect. But how can you go and power level to 50 in 2/3 days and then be a hypocrit and gripe about pl'ing noobs and restrict your team levels to 40+? As I seen somewhere else, Pandora's Box is open. Now you have to deal with it. In case anyone needs to know, I have only 1 level 50, just got him there last week. Did I run AE, yes. Did I run regular maps, yes. How long did it take him to get there? 2 1/2 months. I'm not trying to start a flame war, just trying to understand the logic behind some of the posts I've seen.


 

Posted

your question obviously has no correct answer but i have come to appreciate AE. Now im not a PL type player. Im one who enjoys the journey and once you've reached the destination of 50 in this game you realize there isnt any end game content.

AE does two things for the game one good for the veterans who choose to play the old fashioned way and one that will put a serious hurt on the game as a whole forcing either a shutdown of the game or a complete rethink of what CoH is.

AE (for PLing) attracts all the new players and sucks them in. they burn through levels 20X faster than any other player. they in return get burned out. now two things happen at this point. some will say hmm wonder what the other parts of this massive game are like and will actually play the game. but all the greedy non team oriented players will disappear out of boredom. which means we wont have to deal with them later on a STF or LRSF.

the other thing to consider is how AE affects everyone rather they use it it any capacity or not. people have been leaving since its launch. CoH is loosing its hardcore dependable player base at an alarming rate. sure the new players bring in revenue but most of it im sure is temporary and they are bound to get burned out and leave. but loosing the veterans is really bad for business. they are the ones who help bring in consistent revenue. consistent revenue is what keeps all businesses flowing.


 

Posted

Well, don't expect large heaps of logic - this has become a rather emotional issue and tends to go flame war anywhere it comes up. Here are the sides, as best I can tell:

Rabid AE farming fan: ZOMG! Don't tell me how to play! If I want to farm, I'll farm. If other people want to farm, they'll farm. AE changes nothing - I can farm without it - anyone can farm without it - so why complain about AE? I'll farm if I want to, and you can't stop me so nyeah!
(Alternatively, replace every instance of "farm" above with "PL" - shorthand for "power level", i.e. level at a pace beyond what can be achieved through normal play. Works just the same. Well, until you get the *really* rabid PL junkies who claim that power levelling *is* normal and everyone else is just an unoptimized snail.)

Rabid anti-AE activist: Aaugh! Why are there all these level 50 players running around who are totally clueless? How can someone be expected to learn the game when they get suckered into one AE farm mission and hit level 50? This is horrible! Doom! Death to AE, farming, and kheldians!


So, why would someone suggest removing the AE buildings from low level areas?
Because it's a good middle-of-the-road solution. Solution to what, you ask? Well, look here, for example. First few posts only - after a page or two it degenerates into the standard flame war.
Is this a perfect solution? No, of course not. But it addresses the issues that the anti-AE folks have brought up, and does so in a way that won't hurt anybody.

As for folks who PL themselves up and then shout "AE team forming, level XYZ+ only" - well, those would be hypocrites, yes. Roughly on par with the folks who, at level one, start an AE team and then demand that everyone else be 20+. They're also not the people on the forum posting that AE should be slightly less in your face from the moment you start playing - they're much more likely to be in the zomg don't tell me how to play camp.


 

Posted

you cant please everyone. its virtually impossible on this kind of scale. the game is changing. its no longer what it was a couple of years ago thats for sure. but as in life everything changes. some people embrace it others do not.

Im not a fan of AE (the PLing side of it) but if the majority embraces PLing and thats where the game goes then thats fine. i had my fun. i dont own this game nor do i have the right to tell others how to play. so fair is fair in my eyes.


 

Posted

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your question obviously has no correct answer but i have come to appreciate AE. Now im not a PL type player. Im one who enjoys the journey and once you've reached the destination of 50 in this game you realize there isnt any end game content.

AE does two things for the game one good for the veterans who choose to play the old fashioned way and one that will put a serious hurt on the game as a whole forcing either a shutdown of the game or a complete rethink of what CoH is.

AE (for PLing) attracts all the new players and sucks them in. they burn through levels 20X faster than any other player. they in return get burned out. now two things happen at this point. some will say hmm wonder what the other parts of this massive game are like and will actually play the game. but all the greedy non team oriented players will disappear out of boredom. which means we wont have to deal with them later on a STF or LRSF.

the other thing to consider is how AE affects everyone rather they use it it any capacity or not. people have been leaving since its launch. CoH is loosing its hardcore dependable player base at an alarming rate. sure the new players bring in revenue but most of it im sure is temporary and they are bound to get burned out and leave. but loosing the veterans is really bad for business. they are the ones who help bring in consistent revenue. consistent revenue is what keeps all businesses flowing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I love how you spout all this BS without a single fact to prove any of it.


Want comedy and lighthearted action? Between levels 1-14? Try Nuclear in 90 - The Fusionette Task Force!

Arc ID 58363!

 

Posted

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Hello, I'm still new to the game and I'm trying to understand some of the issues that I've seen here. Rather than troll everyone else and ask the questions I figured I'd ask them here. Why would you remove the AE buildings from low level areas. I've noticed in load screens that it says something to the effect of You can level your character from 1 to 50 running AE ARCs Then you have the Arch Edition that is being sold now. Why buy something if you cant play it? When I first started playing (3 months ago), I seen sewer runs a dozen times a day on blue side. Ran them myself a couple of times. Then I figured I'd try this AE thing out. I made a story arc ran it with my wife and we had fun. We both thought that was pretty cool that you could do that. Then I joined a farm run, a bunch of glowie eyed women running around a city block with sledgehammers and shotties. Great xp and quick levels. Other toons I made went to KR and did bank jobs, ran the Hallows and such. On red side completely different story. No sewer run to grind up levels, large massive walls making it treacherous for level one to even get to an AE building, and snakes o.0. Still the missions were fun. Again after getting to level 12 went to AE and ran some things there. Then I noticed people I ran the lowbie quests (both blue and red sides) LEVEL 50. I see them in AE buildings shouting out things like AE TEAM FORMING! LEVEL 40+ only! These are people that 2 days before hand were level 3. Now I'm not saying everyone that complains about the AE Farms are guilty of this, more likely there are less than one would expect. But how can you go and power level to 50 in 2/3 days and then be a hypocrit and gripe about pl'ing noobs and restrict your team levels to 40+? As I seen somewhere else, Pandora's Box is open. Now you have to deal with it. In case anyone needs to know, I have only 1 level 50, just got him there last week. Did I run AE, yes. Did I run regular maps, yes. How long did it take him to get there? 2 1/2 months. I'm not trying to start a flame war, just trying to understand the logic behind some of the posts I've seen.

[/ QUOTE ]

The only real change that the Mission Architect needs is that the holographic contacts need to be put in locations within the existing city zones so that travel time is still an issue. Even if every mission in a story arc is in the same zone it would make a difference. You just set it so that the mission door is chosen at random by the game system at the time that the mission is accepted.

I like the idea behind AE and the mission architect but I don't like the Matrix/arcade feel of the current set up. If you stop and think about it, it's almost like Paragon City got it's own version of an MMO and all the heroes are hooked on playing it. They don't go outside the AE building unless they have to train, slot or sell loot, they've stopped fighting crime on the streets and they are all getting lazy about leveling.

The AE building is great for setting up and testing missions and story arcs but the actual published content needs to feel more organic to the game world so that we're all still superheroes battling evil rather than gaming geeks in tights.


"I am a Tank. I am your first choice, I am your last hope." -- Rune Bull

"Durability is the quintessential super-power. " -- Sailboat

 

Posted

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I love how you spout all this BS without a single fact to prove any of it.

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well sir i do apologize for having an opinion. if the forums allowed me to edit my post at this point id gladly like to put up a warning. something along the lines of

"warning: this is all opinion. some people cant grasp the idea that not all conversations revolve around cold hard facts. so take notice this is opinion".

but hey thanks for turning another post into a flame war.


 

Posted

I think it was pretty much inevitable given the topic.


And for a while things were cold,
They were scared down in their holes
The forest that once was green
Was colored black by those killing machines

 

Posted

yea pretty much. thats why i stopped using the forums all together. guess ill just go back to doing that.


 

Posted

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I love how you spout all this BS without a single fact to prove any of it.

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well sir i do apologize for having an opinion. if the forums allowed me to edit my post at this point id gladly like to put up a warning. something along the lines of

"warning: this is all opinion. some people cant grasp the idea that not all conversations revolve around cold hard facts. so take notice this is opinion".

but hey thanks for turning another post into a flame war.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just posting the topic was enough to create a flamewar. This has been a hot debate for weeks now between people convinced the sky is falling and those of us who are still playing TFs and teaming with friends and never even touching the AE and wondering what on earth you're talking about.


Want comedy and lighthearted action? Between levels 1-14? Try Nuclear in 90 - The Fusionette Task Force!

Arc ID 58363!

 

Posted

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people have been leaving since its launch.

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What people? What is this claim based on?

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CoH is loosing its hardcore dependable player base at an alarming rate.

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According to... who? Where is this information coming from?


The Cape Radio: You're not super until you put on the Cape!
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Posted

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well sir i do apologize for having an opinion. if the forums allowed me to edit my post at this point id gladly like to put up a warning. something along the lines of

"warning: this is all opinion. some people cant grasp the idea that not all conversations revolve around cold hard facts. so take notice this is opinion".

[/ QUOTE ]

Or you could use phrases like, "in my opinion", "I think", "my impression is", "it appears to me", and so on.

Basically, if it's just an opinion, frame it as such. Don't expect other people to be mind readers. Seems to me the problem isn't their grasp, it's your delivery.


The Cape Radio: You're not super until you put on the Cape!
DJ Enigma's Puzzle Factory: Co* Parody Commercials

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
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well sir i do apologize for having an opinion. if the forums allowed me to edit my post at this point id gladly like to put up a warning. something along the lines of

"warning: this is all opinion. some people cant grasp the idea that not all conversations revolve around cold hard facts. so take notice this is opinion".

[/ QUOTE ]

Or you could use phrases like, "in my opinion", "I think", "my impression is", "it appears to me", and so on.

Basically, if it's just an opinion, frame it as such. Don't expect other people to be mind readers. Seems to me the problem isn't their grasp, it's your delivery.

[/ QUOTE ]

In your opinion ....


 

Posted

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well sir i do apologize for having an opinion. if the forums allowed me to edit my post at this point id gladly like to put up a warning. something along the lines of

"warning: this is all opinion. some people cant grasp the idea that not all conversations revolve around cold hard facts. so take notice this is opinion".

[/ QUOTE ]

Or you could use phrases like, "in my opinion", "I think", "my impression is", "it appears to me", and so on.

Basically, if it's just an opinion, frame it as such. Don't expect other people to be mind readers. Seems to me the problem isn't their grasp, it's your delivery.

[/ QUOTE ]

In your opinion ....

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh... hence "seems to me".


The Cape Radio: You're not super until you put on the Cape!
DJ Enigma's Puzzle Factory: Co* Parody Commercials

 

Posted

I may be wrong...

But didnt we have an official farming thread? Naaaaa... i must be mistaken...


** Guardian�s Crazy Catgirl **
************* 22 XxX 10 *************

Yes. I can get lost on a straight-line map.

 

Posted

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well sir i do apologize for having an opinion. if the forums allowed me to edit my post at this point id gladly like to put up a warning. something along the lines of

"warning: this is all opinion. some people cant grasp the idea that not all conversations revolve around cold hard facts. so take notice this is opinion".

[/ QUOTE ]

Or you could use phrases like, "in my opinion", "I think", "my impression is", "it appears to me", and so on.

Basically, if it's just an opinion, frame it as such. Don't expect other people to be mind readers. Seems to me the problem isn't their grasp, it's your delivery.

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Not to mention, using your opinion without any factual evidence to back it up doesnt work as an argument. tell anyone who's done public speaking or english composition courses that you plan to use your opinion as the sole basis for an argument and they'll laugh you out of the room.

Besides. You cant exactly say "in my opinion" and then spout stuff that has to have a basis in fact to be credible information and expect people to not react negatively.

I could say "in my opinion, cancer is a myth and people who die from it are actually committing suicide" but it wouldnt make it any less of an attempt to deflect me saying something incorrect and silly by using Opinion to hide behind.


Want comedy and lighthearted action? Between levels 1-14? Try Nuclear in 90 - The Fusionette Task Force!

Arc ID 58363!

 

Posted

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Basically, if it's just an opinion, frame it as such. Don't expect other people to be mind readers. Seems to me the problem isn't their grasp, it's your delivery.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you prove he expected other people to be mind readers??!! If it's just your opinion that he did, then you should have said so in that sentence!

Or maybe, instead, people could realize that no one without a red name is some Paragon Studios insider with access to info no one else has, therefore when they spout "facts" that are not available to everyone they are stating opinion.

I don't know, doesn't seem to me that requires much mind reading, just a modicum of intelligence. But, that's just my opinion.

And Cavatina, if we can't state an opinion without factual evidence on a game forum, then there won't be much posting here, will there? There is a great difference between claiming cancer is a myth, which can be proven wrong, and stating that CoH's subscribers are declining, which cannot.

Oh, and just as a disclaimer here, I think all of the OPs opinions are wrong. It's the "you need to put 'in your opinion' in every sentence" crowd that rankles me.


@Doctor Gemini

Arc #271637 - Welcome to M.A.G.I. - An alternative first story arc for magic origin heroes. At Hero Registration you heard the jokes about Azuria always losing things. When she loses the entire M.A.G.I. vault, you are chosen to find it.

 

Posted

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Basically, if it's just an opinion, frame it as such. Don't expect other people to be mind readers. Seems to me the problem isn't their grasp, it's your delivery.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you prove he expected other people to be mind readers??!! If it's just your opinion that he did, then you should have said so in that sentence!

Or maybe, instead, people could realize that no one without a red name is some Paragon Studios insider with access to info no one else has, therefore when they spout "facts" that are not available to everyone they are stating opinion.

I don't know, doesn't seem to me that requires much mind reading, just a modicum of intelligence. But, that's just my opinion.

And Cavatina, if we can't state an opinion without factual evidence on a game forum, then there won't be much posting here, will there? There is a great difference between claiming cancer is a myth, which can be proven wrong, and stating that CoH's subscribers are declining, which cannot.

Oh, and just as a disclaimer here, I think all of the OPs opinions are wrong. It's the "you need to put 'in your opinion' in every sentence" crowd that rankles me.

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My point is, he was treating it as though it was totally 100% factual based on his observations and trying to use "it seems" as an excuse to then go off on a huge rant on it.


Want comedy and lighthearted action? Between levels 1-14? Try Nuclear in 90 - The Fusionette Task Force!

Arc ID 58363!

 

Posted

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well sir i do apologize for having an opinion. if the forums allowed me to edit my post at this point id gladly like to put up a warning. something along the lines of

"warning: this is all opinion. some people cant grasp the idea that not all conversations revolve around cold hard facts. so take notice this is opinion".

[/ QUOTE ]

Or you could use phrases like, "in my opinion", "I think", "my impression is", "it appears to me", and so on.

Basically, if it's just an opinion, frame it as such. Don't expect other people to be mind readers. Seems to me the problem isn't their grasp, it's your delivery.

[/ QUOTE ]

In your opinion ....

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh... hence "seems to me".

[/ QUOTE ]

"Seems to me" was not on your pre-approved list of ""in my opinion", "I think", "my impression is", "it appears to me", and so on." I can only assume if falls under "and so on?" Are we to be mind readers for you list of "so on"s?


 

Posted

seriously people you guys are blowing this out of proportion. who gives a hell if i made a post based on observation and opinions but didn't say "this is my opinion"? get a grip guys this is an online video game forum. this is a far cry from actual life.

im not a public speaker and never will be. i also lack any desire whatsoever to become a public speaker. so why should i be so involved in learning all the little nuances? i am a photographer first and a graphic artist next. i don't expect anyone outside of my profession to understand great photography or design nor do i wish to tell them that their snapshots of their child's 5th birthday have absolutely no thought about composition or frame.

I apologize for misunderstanding the point of these forums. i was under the impression it was a place to come and discuss the game. i stand corrected. it seems (just my opinion... not based on facts at all) that this is a place where you can discuss the game so long as you have facts to back up everything you say and opinions are not wanted. sorry it wont happen again.


 

Posted

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"Seems to me" was not on your pre-approved list of ""in my opinion", "I think", "my impression is", "it appears to me", and so on." I can only assume if falls under "and so on?" Are we to be mind readers for you list of "so on"s?

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No, you're supposed to be familiar enough with the English language to know what "seems to me" indicates.

Yes, words mean things.


The Cape Radio: You're not super until you put on the Cape!
DJ Enigma's Puzzle Factory: Co* Parody Commercials

 

Posted

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I apologize for misunderstanding the point of these forums. i was under the impression it was a place to come and discuss the game. i stand corrected. it seems (just my opinion... not based on facts at all) that this is a place where you can discuss the game so long as you have facts to back up everything you say and opinions are not wanted. sorry it wont happen again.

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Oh, grow up. Really.

You made claims. You were asked to back them up, even if it was just with something like "it's what it looks like to me."

That's the type of thing that happens in discussion, whether it's here or any place else.


The Cape Radio: You're not super until you put on the Cape!
DJ Enigma's Puzzle Factory: Co* Parody Commercials

 

Posted

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Oh, grow up. Really.


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aww but i wanna be a toys r us kid

remember Hydrophidian Jefferey the Giraffe still loves you even when your a little uptight


 

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Can you prove he expected other people to be mind readers??!! If it's just your opinion that he did, then you should have said so in that sentence!

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Congratulations! This is one of the most asinine retorts I've seen on these forums in 5 years!

If you think I genuinely believe he was expecting people to read his mind, well... nevermind.

The point is, he was expecting people to read between the lines. It's not a reader's responsibility to do that.


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Or maybe, instead, people could realize that no one without a red name is some Paragon Studios insider with access to info no one else has, therefore when they spout "facts" that are not available to everyone they are stating opinion.

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Opinion based on... what?

There's all sorts of data floating around out there. But, regardless of that, the statements were completely unsupported.

Do you have the modicum of intelligence required to recognize that, I wonder?

"It's just an opinion" is not a magical phrase that absolves one of all responsibility for all claims and comments made.

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I don't know, doesn't seem to me that requires much mind reading, just a modicum of intelligence. But, that's just my opinion.

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When presented with a baseless opinion, you can either...
1. ignore it.
2. ask for it to backed up.

Option 1 doesn't really lead to discussion, now, does it.

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There is a great difference between claiming cancer is a myth, which can be proven wrong, and stating that CoH's subscribers are declining, which cannot.

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The number of total subscribers has been released in the past. It's very possible they could be released in the future.

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It's the "you need to put 'in your opinion' in every sentence" crowd that rankles me.

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And no one in this thread has asked for that.

If the poster in the question had simply been clear in the first place, this whole stupid tangent would've likely been avoided.

Now applying option 1 to anyone who doesn't seem to get that.


The Cape Radio: You're not super until you put on the Cape!
DJ Enigma's Puzzle Factory: Co* Parody Commercials

 

Posted

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remember Hydrophidian Jefferey the Giraffe still loves you even when your a little uptight

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, wait. You throw a little passive-aggressive tantrum multiple times in this thread--because heavens forfend anyone expect you to actually support your "opinion"--and then you have the gall to call me uptight?

Yah, okay.

I'll ask again: on what basis do you make the claim that veteran players are leaving the game "at an alarming rate"?

Due to the ugly turn the dialogue has taken, I'm assuming you're basing this on personal experience.

So what's been your experience? What has brought you to the above conclusion?


The Cape Radio: You're not super until you put on the Cape!
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