MA: I weep metaphorical tears of despair
By
3dent,
Posted on: 2009-04-10 24:12 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
I knew there was a reason for my habit of always staring in Galaxy 
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I knew there was a reason for my habit of always staring in Galaxy
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It is actually rude (and unheroic) to stare.
By my mohawk shall ye know me!
my toons
Funny: Ee-Ai-Ee-Ai-Oh! #3662 * The foul-mouthed Handyman! #1076 * City of Norms #132944
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Union Atlas is a mess as well. Horrible (even moreso than usual).
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I agree. I moved out of Atlas. When i last logged on there i noted that within 30 seconds of loggin in the first four broadcasts were all requests for farming teams...
I feel it's a shame that new players to the game are going to see this all over broadcast now. It might put some people off? Are new players getting dragged into MA teams from day one now and missing all the other content? I hope that's not the case, but it's worrying. 
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That's one of my concerns about MA as well.
What it's doing, or has already done, is to basically change this game from what was a plot/story based one to a game which is all about XP first - story second.
New starts can't help but notice the spamming for MA farming teams, both for players looking to get on one and farmers looking for bodies to up the mob numbers.
This simply should not be happening in a low level zone like Atlas.
I wonder if the devs even realise that they are causing horrendous damage to the game, every day that MA continues to exist .....
It's such a bloody shame, but this game is being ruined.
Proud member of FOXBASE ALPHA and coalition associates.
Hero 50's - 25
Villain 50's - 1
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Union Atlas is a mess as well. Horrible (even moreso than usual).
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I agree. I moved out of Atlas. When i last logged on there i noted that within 30 seconds of loggin in the first four broadcasts were all requests for farming teams...
I feel it's a shame that new players to the game are going to see this all over broadcast now. It might put some people off? Are new players getting dragged into MA teams from day one now and missing all the other content? I hope that's not the case, but it's worrying.
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That's one of my concerns about MA as well.
What it's doing, or has already done, is to basically change this game from what was a plot/story based one to a game which is all about XP first - story second.
New starts can't help but notice the spamming for MA farming teams, both for players looking to get on one and farmers looking for bodies to up the mob numbers.
This simply should not be happening in a low level zone like Atlas.
I wonder if the devs even realise that they are causing horrendous damage to the game, every day that MA continues to exist .....
It's such a bloody shame, but this game is being ruined.
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Oh so thats why a majority of pug teams was paper/radio spamming? For the brilliant story?
Fact is, a lot, probably the majority, of players (and indeed the players of all MMOS) just want to get as powerful as possible as quickly as possible. They never read the story, it is irrelevent to them.
Where did all these farmers come from? They sure wheren't all in PI. Many of them are actually new and returning players, attracted by the MA, making it a massive commerical success.
Another fact: CoX needs to have someing that CO doesn't in order to compete. Since CO stole the suggestions list, MA is it. It sure can't compete by adding new content. However much they add, CO will have more, a whole new games worth more.
I really should do something about this signature.
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Union Atlas is a mess as well. Horrible (even moreso than usual).
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I agree. I moved out of Atlas. When i last logged on there i noted that within 30 seconds of loggin in the first four broadcasts were all requests for farming teams...
I feel it's a shame that new players to the game are going to see this all over broadcast now. It might put some people off? Are new players getting dragged into MA teams from day one now and missing all the other content? I hope that's not the case, but it's worrying.
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I logged a lowbie alt in this weekend into Union Atlas, was horrified with what i heard over broadcast there. If i was new player it would not be a very welcoming introduction to the game. they would think that COH is nothing but one big huge farming game, and theres a lot of good content in COH , but they may not ever find thier way out of Atlas due to the farmers shouting all come join farm plz, pl you is no prob. is very very sad to see the first zone you enter as a lowbie to be swamped with loud obnoxious broadcast spam from farmers.
Atlas on Union at the moment seems to be a very unfriendly place, not friendly at all for your average new player or any one starting off a lowbie alt there. 
@Snow.
Defiant: Snow + many other alts
Arc ID 61069
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I knew there was a reason for my habit of always staring in Galaxy
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It is actually rude (and unheroic) to stare.
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Ah but Galaxy Girl is so pretty...for a pixellated statue anyway...ahem
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Fact is, a lot, probably the majority, of players (and indeed the players of all MMOS) just want to get as powerful as possible as quicklyas possible. They never read the story, it is irrelevent to them.
Where did all these farmers come from? They sure wheren't all in PI. Many of them are actually new and returning players, attracted by the MA, making it a massive commerical success.
Another fact: CoX needs to have someing that CO doesn't in order to compete. Since CO stole the suggestions list, MA is it. It sure can't compete by adding new content. However much they add, CO will have more, a whole new games worth more.
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The problem with that approach is Churn PRAF. People are going to hit 1-50 in a few weeks, do the small amount of high level content we do have and then move on to other things since "there's no endgame. This sucks"
At the same time they are alienating a lot of the people who have been around for ages, looked forward to the MA and are now awash in a sea of Farm spam
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Union Atlas is a mess as well. Horrible (even moreso than usual).
[/ QUOTE ]
I agree. I moved out of Atlas. When i last logged on there i noted that within 30 seconds of loggin in the first four broadcasts were all requests for farming teams...
I feel it's a shame that new players to the game are going to see this all over broadcast now. It might put some people off? Are new players getting dragged into MA teams from day one now and missing all the other content? I hope that's not the case, but it's worrying.
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I logged a lowbie alt in this weekend into Union Atlas, was horrified with what i heard over broadcast there. If i was new player it would not be a very welcoming introduction to the game. they would think that COH is nothing but one big huge farming game, and theres a lot of good content in COH , but they may not ever find thier way out of Atlas due to the farmers shouting all come join farm plz, pl you is no prob. is very very sad to see the first zone you enter as a lowbie to be swamped with loud obnoxious broadcast spam from farmers.
Atlas on Union at the moment seems to be a very unfriendly place, not friendly at all for your average new player or any one starting off a lowbie alt there.
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Eurogamer are currently doing an old MMO face-off at the mo, where you play 10 levels of 2 competing games in a similiar setting and the winner moves on to the next round. City of Heroes is facing off against Star Wars. At first I thought there'd be no contest. But now I'm curious to see what the authors experiences will be, especially if he starts in Union Atlas.
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Fact is, a lot, probably the majority, of players (and indeed the players of all MMOS) just want to get as powerful as possible as quicklyas possible. They never read the story, it is irrelevent to them.
Where did all these farmers come from? They sure wheren't all in PI. Many of them are actually new and returning players, attracted by the MA, making it a massive commerical success.
Another fact: CoX needs to have someing that CO doesn't in order to compete. Since CO stole the suggestions list, MA is it. It sure can't compete by adding new content. However much they add, CO will have more, a whole new games worth more.
[/ QUOTE ]
The problem with that approach is Churn PRAF. People are going to hit 1-50 in a few weeks, do the small amount of high level content we do have and then move on to other things since "there's no endgame. This sucks"
At the same time they are alienating a lot of the people who have been around for ages, looked forward to the MA and are now awash in a sea of Farm spam
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Sure, and a lot of players actually like to churn through games, that's one of the reasons they farm, so that they can getb through in a month without having to renew thier subs (which is an issue for younger players especially).
However, the problem is with the rewards, not the MA itself, and I'm sure the devs will soon get on top of that. the farmers also think that, which is why they are so frantic now, they know they only have a short time before all their farms are nerfed.
I really should do something about this signature.
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Fact is, a lot, probably the majority, of players (and indeed the players of all MMOS) just want to get as powerful as possible as quicklyas possible. They never read the story, it is irrelevent to them.
Where did all these farmers come from? They sure wheren't all in PI. Many of them are actually new and returning players, attracted by the MA, making it a massive commerical success.
Another fact: CoX needs to have someing that CO doesn't in order to compete. Since CO stole the suggestions list, MA is it. It sure can't compete by adding new content. However much they add, CO will have more, a whole new games worth more.
[/ QUOTE ]
The problem with that approach is Churn PRAF. People are going to hit 1-50 in a few weeks, do the small amount of high level content we do have and then move on to other things since "there's no endgame. This sucks"
At the same time they are alienating a lot of the people who have been around for ages, looked forward to the MA and are now awash in a sea of Farm spam
[/ QUOTE ]
Sure, and a lot of players actually like to churn through games, that's one of the reasons they farm, so that they can getb through in a month without having to renew thier subs (which is an issue for younger players especially).
However, the problem is with the rewards, not the MA itself, and I'm sure the devs will soon get on top of that. the farmers also think that, which is why they are so frantic now, they know they only have a short time before all their farms are nerfed.
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Question is how will the devs nerf things?
History leans towards a brutal sledgehammer which kills off people playing through MA teams altogether. Which would be a bit of a waste of all the resources put into it.
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Fact is, a lot, probably the majority, of players (and indeed the players of all MMOS) just want to get as powerful as possible as quicklyas possible. They never read the story, it is irrelevent to them.
Where did all these farmers come from? They sure wheren't all in PI. Many of them are actually new and returning players, attracted by the MA, making it a massive commerical success.
Another fact: CoX needs to have someing that CO doesn't in order to compete. Since CO stole the suggestions list, MA is it. It sure can't compete by adding new content. However much they add, CO will have more, a whole new games worth more.
[/ QUOTE ]
The problem with that approach is Churn PRAF. People are going to hit 1-50 in a few weeks, do the small amount of high level content we do have and then move on to other things since "there's no endgame. This sucks"
At the same time they are alienating a lot of the people who have been around for ages, looked forward to the MA and are now awash in a sea of Farm spam
[/ QUOTE ]
Sure, and a lot of players actually like to churn through games, that's one of the reasons they farm, so that they can getb through in a month without having to renew thier subs (which is an issue for younger players especially).
However, the problem is with the rewards, not the MA itself, and I'm sure the devs will soon get on top of that. the farmers also think that, which is why they are so frantic now, they know they only have a short time before all their farms are nerfed.
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Well i hope they dont start nerfing the xp in the MA, because when you start stopping things to hinder the few it also ruins it for the many.
I think it is invevitable that they put a % penalty on XP and Inf, at least in the short term. That is something that is technically easy to do, and so can be done quickly. -20% aught to be sufficient.
In the long term, the whole rewards values needs a good going over, but probably the way to prevent farming causing problems with the economy wherever it might be occuring is to put a cap on the xp/inf that can be earned in an hour. A high cap shouldn't have an adverse effect on non-farming players.
I really should do something about this signature.
Time to get those ticket badges.
Well, if they nerf xp and inf, they can balance that by leaving ticket rewards high.
And arcs that don't award tickets (devs choice) could give full xp and inf.
I really should do something about this signature.
I tried one of those 'farming' missions yesterday, more out of boredom than anything else.Funny thing is, it was actually more fun to play than some of the 'proper' arcs I've looked at. only thing it lacked was a coherent story.
To be honest, I'm not finding this MA thing as enjoyable to use for design or play as I'd hoped and I'm on the verge of just forgetting about it and reverting back to the normal game missions - guess I'll be soloing for a while though
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I think it is invevitable that they put a % penalty on XP and Inf, at least in the short term. That is something that is technically easy to do, and so can be done quickly. -20% aught to be sufficient.
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This is a flawed approach. A 20% reduction in the sort of Shedloads of XP a Farming / PLing team can amount isn't a huge amount. To a soloing person playing the arcs as intended though it is significant. End result, MA stays as a Ticket Farming Service with some PLing teams still using it for the auto-sk system. Everyone else gives up on it.
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In the long term, the whole rewards values needs a good going over, but probably the way to prevent farming causing problems with the economy wherever it might be occuring is to put a cap on the xp/inf that can be earned in an hour. A high cap shouldn't have an adverse effect on non-farming players.
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This would be a better approach.
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In the long term, the whole rewards values needs a good going over, but probably the way to prevent farming causing problems with the economy wherever it might be occuring is to put a cap on the xp/inf that can be earned in an hour. A high cap shouldn't have an adverse effect on non-farming players.
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Wont stop power levelling though will it, xp gained between level 1 - 20 and lvl 44 - 45 is vastly different as it is.
@Damz Find me on the global channel Union Chat. One of the best "chat channels" ingame!
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To be honest, I'm not finding this MA thing as enjoyable to use for design or play as I'd hoped and I'm on the verge of just forgetting about it and reverting back to the normal game missions - guess I'll be soloing for a while though
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I sorta feel this way about the MA as well at teh moment. i still enjoy doing the proper missions and running around the zones. The MA is just to handy for staying in one place and never moving, never experianceing the other fab content out there in game, granted its maybe a bit stale to a lot of vets. But to me id rather enjoy coh as it was inteneded.
Not some stand about in one zone selecting random arcs, with OTT mobs and lack of emmersion, over and over.
@Snow.
Defiant: Snow + many other alts
Arc ID 61069
What MA does for me is a great new way to get from those irritating below level 20 levels. Story wise(when I play solo...but then everyone wants to put in at least one EB...sigh...Sir Drake not a happy blaster... ) or just having fun with a few others in a team...at the moment I don't really care in what kind of mission that is.
The M.A.D. Files - Me talking about games, films, games, life, games, internet and games
I'm not good at giving advice, can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?
@Lyrik
Quick solution. Remove the MA building from Atlas. That way the farmers will move to other, hopefully, less obnoxious places.
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Quick solution. Remove the MA building from Atlas. That way the farmers will move to other, hopefully, less obnoxious places.
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That would work to.As well as Galaxy.
they could slap one in Boomtown, maybe get some life out of that old run down zone that no one visits
@Snow.
Defiant: Snow + many other alts
Arc ID 61069
Move it to DA and Boomtown - they need visitors 
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How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could Chuck Norris?
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What MA does for me is a great new way to get from those irritating below level 20 levels. Story wise(when I play solo...but then everyone wants to put in at least one EB...sigh...Sir Drake not a happy blaster...:
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Hehe. Can't win really, I've concentrated on the upper levels since everyone complains about the lack of high level content. Leave the EB's/AV's out and people moan that they are too easy, put them in and other people find them too hard. I tried to compromise with my Lucy's Nightmare arc by having the seemingly mandatory EB's but having an ally appear as well to help you out.
Strangely enough, it's only by actually trying to create an arc that you realise how hard it is to put something really good together. And of course we have everything already in place, the devs had to start from scratch.
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Union Atlas is a mess as well. Horrible (even moreso than usual).
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I agree. I moved out of Atlas. When i last logged on there i noted that within 30 seconds of loggin in the first four broadcasts were all requests for farming teams...
I feel it's a shame that new players to the game are going to see this all over broadcast now. It might put some people off? Are new players getting dragged into MA teams from day one now and missing all the other content? I hope that's not the case, but it's worrying.
Tidgy
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