A case against new zones

while i can understand why they'd prefer to make new co-op zones (easy cop out method for new content on both sides)
it does smack of wee bit of laziness on their side, that said maybe they do have something planned but in the face of competition the current mind set the devs have isn't exactly a healthy one for a aging but good game.

It would be nice to not have zones hero side that are basically pointless. There is no point to boomtown or astoria. You can go from 1 to 50 without ever setting foot in them. Revamp or close them I say. Instead of a hike across to the other end of the map for a mission just to come all the way back.

Co-op zones are the only ones that will keep both sides happy-ish but not everything can be done lore wise in a co-op environment.

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You forgot the Hollows as a rewamped zone, Leif.

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Hollows wasn't revamped -- just given a small facelift. (Which was good for what it was, but nobody sold it as a major zone revamp.)

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Personally i prefer Croatoa over RWZ any day. Can't say much about old Faultline as i didn't know it.

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Croatoa is a great zone, by all means, but its reception was certainly mixed and it still feels tacked on and not really part of anything else.

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As you said Hero side have many zones and Villians need new zones. So adding a co-op. zones will be best idea.

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Or turning Boomtown or even Perez into coop zones. Hell, with a bit of it creative map-design and some well placed arachnos drones and force-fields, it should be quite possible to turn Boomtown into two zones in one: a hazard zone for heroes and a regular zone for villains. (Or vice versa.)

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So in the end New Zones is better than Rewamping old ones.

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I don't see how that follows, or even how you've gainsaid any of the reasons I gave for why revamps are better than new zones.

I understand your reasons and they are well thought, Leif. My main points are:

1- If any hero zone will be turned into a co-op zone (RWZ is a war zone and every single one is welcomed in the state of War if they will fight on your side), that will sound a bit weird. According to your idea that can be good. Like Arachnos/Longbows in Faultline but again it will gives villians/heroes very limited area to move.

2- As they will make new maps for MA already, using them for a new zone doesn't sounds bad. For Boomtown or the Perez Park the maps you can use is limited to existing ones. I think devs are planning to hit two birds with one stone.

So let me correct myself like this; New Zones possibly please player base more, Rewamping is a good idea and really needed but not as urgent as new zones. Also if devs will pump in new zones constantly they will become like DA or Boomtown in future.

PS: Ain't there rumors about rewamping Shadow Shards last year or so?

I'm in agreement with Leif as well, the last thing the game needs is more zones.

In fact before I got all jaded and went to pastures new I remember having a discussion about reducing the number of zones heroes side. Iirc we ended up with a list that required somehow deleting close to half the zones in the game, and rejigging a few to a slightly different mob level to fill the gaps slightly.

I wonder what it is about being head honcho for this game which makes people completely bonkers.

I still remember the day when I lost completely the little respect I had left for Statesman... When he said that his method of tanking was to taunt the minions and let the squishies deal with LT's and bosses, because LT's and bosses did so much damage to him... OH... MY... GOD!! what a complete moron! And unfortunately, it seems from his latest few "announcements" that Positron is a chip off the same old block...

I completely agree with you, Leif - well said!

At a bare minimum every zone should have contacts in the Striga/Croatoa/CoV style, giving the story of that area and the enemy factions present - that brings believability and life to a game world.

As a fan of the game's background I want to see progress in the world, so I'd rather the Devs added to existing content and lore, rather than just bolting-on zones/factions/stories that have few previous connections to existing ones.

I think the real reason behind Posi's statement is that revamps are probably not as exciting to work on for the Designers/Devs as completely new zones are, as they have more restrictions and less creative freedom.

Btw out of all the zones you quoted, RWZ is easily my favourite - co-op, a fun TF, a unique raid event with a GM, 4 contacts with escalating arcs, repeatable contact, unlockable costume pieces and temps, both solo and hazard-size spawns plus in-zone EBs, and a wide level range - that zone has it all - something for everyone.