'Captain Dynamic, the Great, Faces The Great Face' - Tryouts (190069) has some offbeat elements. There is usually (but not always) a unique objective in the first mission; the third mission has an ally you need to equip.
Hopefully you also find the story worthwhile. 
Arc: 379017: Outbroken See all your old friends in the Outbreak Tutorial sequel!
Arc: Coming Soon: The Incarnate Shadow Shard of Fire and Ice Mender Rednem needs you!
Massively.com opinion poll: Please Help Save CoH!
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Im interested in arcs that use complex mechanics in telling their story. Chained objectives, non-standard use of Allies, Bosses etc, interesting use of animations, that sort of thing.
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"MacGuffin Delivery Service", "All Consuming", "Of Futures Past"
'Tis Nobler in the Mind uses some complex mechanics in it, as does the last mission of Drakule Armageddon 5: This Time, It's Personal!. Both can be found in the link in my signature.
A lot of people asked me how I did the last mission in "The Beating Heart of Astoria", so I guess that qualifies (There's lots of other fancy stuff as well but people only seemed to notice that one).
Info is in my sig.
Astoria in D Minor, a horror arc. Arc ID: 41565 - The Beating Heart of Astoria: A Play in Five Acts. Arc ID: 170547 - Ignition of the Machine, a story with robots. Arc ID: 318983
Captain Skylark Shadowfancy and the Tomorrownauts of Today. Arc ID: 337333 - Signal:Noise, where is everybody? Arc ID: 341194
@The Cheshire Cat - Isn't it enough to know I ruined a pony making a gift for you?
12 second horror stories - a writing experiment.
Captain Skylark Shadowfancy and the Tomorrownauts of Today. Arc ID: 337333 - Signal:Noise, where is everybody? Arc ID: 341194
@The Cheshire Cat - Isn't it enough to know I ruined a pony making a gift for you?
12 second horror stories - a writing experiment.
Secrets of the Lake
174351
Level 20-40
Team missions (Designed with team play in mind)
Challenging, Pulp horror
Mission difficulty ramps with each mission.
Player Comment :: "Good job. Custom critters were a challenge but well balanced. Check out a movie called She Creature and this arc will get another level of appreciation."
DEV d'Arc
232506
Level 45-54
Team missions (designed with team play in mind)- can be solo'd by a 50 if careful.
Challenging, Game History, Save the World
Contains AV's in every mission.
Challenge of the Eagles
261446
Level 19-32
Team missions (Designed with team play in mind) - can be solo'd if careful.
Recently re-released arc.
Challenging, Save the World (Time Travel)
Contains Challenging EB in second mission.
Complexity changes from mission to mission, but many missions include triggered events.
DEV d'Arc contains many non-standard uses of allies and bosses.
I consider all these arcs to be Challenging.
Qr - thanks all. This lot should keep me going for a while!
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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Try either of my arcs. The first 1st mission of the first arc, and the 3rd+5th missions of the second arc should be interesting.
"Honesty is for the most part less profitable than dishonesty." -- Plato
Playing Gods (51106) - Heroic Lvl 5-20
What Rough Beast (255143) - Villainous Lvl 40-50
I like chaining objectives together. Not sure how complex that makes the arc but it seems to help.
In my sig if you want to take a look.
Check out "The Heart of Talos," #175660. It has a specialized ally designed to enable soloists to defeat Elite Bosses in Mission 2. It also features a final AV fight set up to prevent scrappers from simply tearing the AV to shreds.
Also, take a look at "Urban Renewal," which I designed specifically as a "complex mechanics" arc. (I don't have the arc ID # handy, and it may need fixing; I'll check it tonight when I get home.) It features, among other things, non-custom enemies that buff the custom enemies, use of patrols as replacements for ambushes, non-ambush surprise attacks, chained objectives (on a big map, sadly; they didn't fit on a smaller one), enemies designed to support one another, the use of Sonic Resonance in place of an armor set on one kind of enemy, lots of allies with a variety of interesting powers, goofy outfits, and Freakshow with English monocles. And all of this without archvillains.
"Bombarding the CoH/V fora with verbosity since January, 2006"
Djinniman, level 50 inv/fire tanker, on Victory
-and 40 others on various servers
A CoH Comic: Kid Eros in "One Light"
Not sure if it qualifies as complex mechanics exactly, but I just counted, and "Freaks, Geeks, and Men in Black" has 56 unique objectives. Most of them are optional flavor stuff, but a lot of the story is told in clues. Missions 3 and 4 have the player learn about the bad guys' plan through chained objectives, which I've managed to set up so there is no backtracking required.
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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Missions 3 and 4 have the player learn about the bad guys' plan through chained objectives, which I've managed to set up so there is no backtracking required.
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Can i review this for my review thread? A few times ive got 'out of my control, it's impossible to eliminate backtracking' responses from ingame feedback of mine suggesting looking at this again; if yours is a good example of success in this area, i'd like to spotlight it.
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:
|
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."
|
[ QUOTE ]
Im interested in arcs that use complex mechanics in telling their story. Chained objectives, non-standard use of Allies, Bosses etc, interesting use of animations, that sort of thing.
Eco
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You can look at the Arc in my sig It uses such 'tricks' in missions 2 - 5. (and especially the 4th mission)
Also, if you want to do a review of it in your review thread, please feel free as I'm always looking for feedback.
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Missions 3 and 4 have the player learn about the bad guys' plan through chained objectives, which I've managed to set up so there is no backtracking required.
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Can i review this for my review thread? A few times ive got 'out of my control, it's impossible to eliminate backtracking' responses from ingame feedback of mine suggesting looking at this again; if yours is a good example of success in this area, i'd like to spotlight it.
Eco
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You probably don't want to play it, it has two Malta missions, and you've made your hatred of them pretty clear. I'm just putting it up here in case anyone else is curious.
Making sure there's no backtracking required is pretty simple: First, I chose maps where front, middle and back actually means front, middle and back. Mission 3 has a front objective triggering a middle objective, triggering two back objectives. Mission 4 has two front objectives triggering a middle and back objective. All of them have triggered ambushes and patrols too. I am a big fan of missions that evolve as you play through them, it gives the immediate impression that the player is affecting events.
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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Missions 3 and 4 have the player learn about the bad guys' plan through chained objectives, which I've managed to set up so there is no backtracking required.
[/ QUOTE ]
Can i review this for my review thread? A few times ive got 'out of my control, it's impossible to eliminate backtracking' responses from ingame feedback of mine suggesting looking at this again; if yours is a good example of success in this area, i'd like to spotlight it.
Eco
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You probably don't want to play it, it has two Malta missions, and you've made your hatred of them pretty clear. I'm just putting it up here in case anyone else is curious.
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Bah! Damn! lol
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Making sure there's no backtracking required is pretty simple: First, I chose maps where front, middle and back actually means front, middle and back. Mission 3 has a front objective triggering a middle objective, triggering two back objectives. Mission 4 has two front objectives triggering a middle and back objective. All of them have triggered ambushes and patrols too. I am a big fan of missions that evolve as you play through them, it gives the immediate impression that the player is affecting events.
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Yeah, me too, although I don't like it when the Nav instruction just changes. I see the Nav as information for the Player, not the character, so with chains i like there to be info delivered to the character via clues, dialogue, etc, that makes the character know what the player knows through the nav.
I've just realised that i count System messages as a valid form of info-delivery to the character, which seems odd from an IC point of view...
I also have found it, well, I was going to say relatively easy, but maybe that's going too far. i have found it possible, let's say, to make objective chains spawn consistently in linear maps without backtracking too, which is why i'm sometimes perplexed by MAuthor's claims that 'it's impossible' etc. I don't know, maybe we have overly high definitions of 'thorough testing' or something.
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."
|
Also, in regard to the Front, Middle, Back thing, I've found maps where Front Middle and Back don't mean Front Mifddle and Back, but where they consistently mean, say, Middle, Back, Front. With those maps, it's still possible to get good results, it's just extra fiddly, especially as sometimes, you'll have a situation for example where Front Middle and Back are correct for Collectobles but another way for Destructibles, and even another way for Defeat Bosses. That's maddening, when you've found the otherwise perfect map lol.
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:
|
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."
|
<QR>
Check out "The Heart of Talos," #175660. It has a specialized ally designed to enable soloists to defeat Elite Bosses in Mission 2. It also features a final AV fight set up to prevent scrappers from simply tearing the AV to shreds.
My 40 Fire/Shield Scrapper pretty much just tore the AV to shreds. The only thing that made the fight even remotely difficult was the massive spawn around him, which did take me down the first time because I evidently hit keys too fast for OWTS to actually trigger. The second try went much more smoothly. I had more trouble with Talos because of the high Fire resists. On a thematic note, I have no idea why anyone would think Odysseus (leader of the Warriors) should be an Archery/Trick Arrow build that uses the laser sight bow....
I didn't use the ally in act II, either.
Also, take a look at "Urban Renewal," which I designed specifically as a "complex mechanics" arc.
Haven't tried it yet but I'm not optimistic.
Making sure there's no backtracking required is completely impossible
Fixed. Unless the entire objective chain is not required for completion, of course, but then I'd have to wonder why you'd bother.
First, I chose maps where front, middle and back actually means front, middle and back.
Which is the best you can do, and it's not enough. If the player misses or skips a trigger he's going to have to backtrack. Unless it's physically impossible for the player to progress past a trigger -- and we don't have the tech for that yet -- it's always going to be possible for the player to confound the Architect's intent.
Current Blog Post: "Why I am an Atheist..."
"And I say now these kittens, they do not get trained/As we did in the days when Victoria reigned!" -- T. S. Eliot, "Gus, the Theatre Cat"
[ QUOTE ]
<QR>
Check out "The Heart of Talos," #175660. It has a specialized ally designed to enable soloists to defeat Elite Bosses in Mission 2. It also features a final AV fight set up to prevent scrappers from simply tearing the AV to shreds.
My 40 Fire/Shield Scrapper pretty much just tore the AV to shreds. The only thing that made the fight even remotely difficult was the massive spawn around him, which did take me down the first time because I evidently hit keys too fast for OWTS to actually trigger. The second try went much more smoothly. I had more trouble with Talos because of the high Fire resists. On a thematic note, I have no idea why anyone would think Odysseus (leader of the Warriors) should be an Archery/Trick Arrow build that uses the laser sight bow....
I didn't use the ally in act II, either.
Also, take a look at "Urban Renewal," which I designed specifically as a "complex mechanics" arc.
Haven't tried it yet but I'm not optimistic.
Making sure there's no backtracking required is completely impossible
Fixed. Unless the entire objective chain is not required for completion, of course, but then I'd have to wonder why you'd bother.
First, I chose maps where front, middle and back actually means front, middle and back.
Which is the best you can do, and it's not enough. If the player misses or skips a trigger he's going to have to backtrack. Unless it's physically impossible for the player to progress past a trigger -- and we don't have the tech for that yet -- it's always going to be possible for the player to confound the Architect's intent.
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Wow. Who stole your lunch? 
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
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First, I chose maps where front, middle and back actually means front, middle and back.
Which is the best you can do, and it's not enough. If the player misses or skips a trigger he's going to have to backtrack. Unless it's physically impossible for the player to progress past a trigger -- and we don't have the tech for that yet -- it's always going to be possible for the player to confound the Architect's intent.
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Players can skip an objective that isn't part of a chain of triggered events too, and have to backtrack, so it amounts to pretty much the same thing: If you hate having to go back over an empty map, make sure you search it on the first pass.
I have about as much sympathy for the guy who just runs to the end of an MA mission "because that's where the devs always put stuff" and then complains that he has to backtrack as I do for the guy who says an AV is overpowered because he can't solo it with his FF defender.
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
[ QUOTE ]
My 40 Fire/Shield Scrapper pretty much just tore the AV to shreds. The only thing that made the fight even remotely difficult was the massive spawn around him, which did take me down the first time because I evidently hit keys too fast for OWTS to actually trigger. The second try went much more smoothly. I had more trouble with Talos because of the high Fire resists. On a thematic note, I have no idea why anyone would think Odysseus (leader of the Warriors) should be an Archery/Trick Arrow build that uses the laser sight bow....
I didn't use the ally in act II, either.
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Thank you for the feedback.
Odysseus has a bow because stringing a bow (admittedly probably a hunting bow, not a war bow) plays a significant role in the finale of the Odyssey. Also, I just wanted to try something different.
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Also, take a look at "Urban Renewal," which I designed specifically as a "complex mechanics" arc.
Haven't tried it yet but I'm not optimistic.
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That's just uncalled for, Venture. Criticizing an arc is fine (though I question the point of doing so in someone else's thread), but criticizing someone's intelligence or ability is, in this context, in poor taste.
"Bombarding the CoH/V fora with verbosity since January, 2006"
Djinniman, level 50 inv/fire tanker, on Victory
-and 40 others on various servers
A CoH Comic: Kid Eros in "One Light"
The last mission of Celebrity Kidnapping contains my most complex sequence of triggered objectives.
The basic set up is a small, fairly linear map, with a hostage and a boss in the very back. The sole required objective is to first free the hostage, then lead the hostage to the door.
Fighting the initial boss and freeing the hostage both trigger the first of a long chain of ambushes and (optional) objectives. Despite all the triggered objectives being optional, you end up having to face most of them because you rescue the hostage in the very back of the map, and having to drag her to the front of the map results in the player aggroing and having to fight just about everything along the way.
It's still possible to miss some of the objectives through the vagaries of random spawning and/or player purposely not cooperating with the script, but overall it's pretty reliable.
@PW - Police Woman (50 AR/dev blaster on Liberty)
TALOS - PW war journal - alternate contact tree using MA story arcs
=VICE= "Give me Liberty, or give me debt!"
"Celebrity Kidnapping" also features an interesting use of an ally-aligned, triggered escort NPC as an optional goal. Or, at least, it did the last time I played it, sometime last month.
"Bombarding the CoH/V fora with verbosity since January, 2006"
Djinniman, level 50 inv/fire tanker, on Victory
-and 40 others on various servers
A CoH Comic: Kid Eros in "One Light"
Qr - Celebrity kidnappings a great example of a consistently working chain.
We must learn to ignore Venture's trolls. I find it helps to bear in mind the possibility that there's something amiss with his mindbox. He often seems to confuse his opinion with fact, illustrated for example by his 'fix', above.
I used to feel annoyance and other kinds of Dark Side emotions at his arrogant nasty treatment of other people; i find sympathy for his condition is a much better attitude to take. It's certainly better for my ulcer, and probably better for my karma too.
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:
|
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."
|
Players can skip an objective that isn't part of a chain of triggered events too, and have to backtrack, so it amounts to pretty much the same thing: If you hate having to go back over an empty map, make sure you search it on the first pass.
The difference is: if someone skips or misses a single objective, he has to go back for one objective, but if that objective triggers a chain, he may have a lot more running around to do.
That isn't to say that one should never use triggered objectives. I've used them. "Splintered Shields" has an objective at the back of the map in act II that triggers a new objective at the front -- but as commentators have noted, the fight back to the front is at least as entertaining as the original pass through the map. You just have to stay aware when using triggered objectives that you are creating the potential for some frustration no matter what you do. Ask yourself if your story really requires them, or if you're just making the player run all over hell's half acre because you want to show off how clever you can be with triggers.
(Also, pohsyb confirmed something to me a lot of people have noticed -- there's about a 10% chance that any given triggered event won't happen. It's an intermittent bug they're having a hard time nailing down. For now, at least, if you're using triggered required objectives at least some of your players are going to get skunked, which will probably affect your ratings.)
Current Blog Post: "Why I am an Atheist..."
"And I say now these kittens, they do not get trained/As we did in the days when Victoria reigned!" -- T. S. Eliot, "Gus, the Theatre Cat"
Im interested in arcs that use complex mechanics in telling their story. Chained objectives, non-standard use of Allies, Bosses etc, interesting use of animations, that sort of thing.
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)