Dark Astoria profiled on Massively.
By
Cobra_Man,
Posted on: 2009-05-30 11:00 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
"I spent a good hour or so super-jumping about Dark Astoria, partly tracking down the Exploration Badges and History Plaques, but also just absorbing and enjoying the atmosphere, which was only half a thing of initial world design. The sheer emptiness of the zone was also an important part too. There is always time for the bustling action of travel hubs and group missions, but it is also nice to escape to the really wild places now and then, to enjoy a therapeutic bit of solitude even in an MMO, and this is something that would be hard to do if every land in the world was a bustling hive of activity."
Seems like you might need to l2read, as there's a definite subgroup of MMO players who actively enjoy low-traffic zones - as the Massively article goes into great lengths to illustrate, citing a number of examples. From my own experience, I can think of at least one close CoX-buddy who fell into this group.
@Synaesthetix
"Here, take some more bees with you. You may need them."
Union: FU//LoUD
"that Syn is that that" - Mothers Love
editimo: scooped! darn you, Syn. 
Agreeded! fits with the zone description for it to be empty, really. Development wouldn't necessarily be bad, but it's not hurting much as it is.
Character references! Artz! Whatnot!
But with all the fog, would you even be able to tell if it was busy or not?
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Thing is about that Syn is that that may be okay the first couple of time you visit DA, [u]certain areas[u] of SS and The Hive - but afterwards?... I think its a bit of a stretch to say they were designed for a bit of pve solitude. They have little purpose and little to do save grinding endless mobs.
"that Syn is that that"
I most certainly am!
"I think its a bit of a stretch to say they were designed for a bit of pve solitude."
You're missing the point, again - these areas weren't designed for areas of PvE solitude, but that's how they've evolved to be, at least in part. One hero's unused zone is another hero's patch of brooding solitude is another fire meleer's farming paradise - vive la difference.
@Synaesthetix
"Here, take some more bees with you. You may need them."
Union: FU//LoUD
"that Syn is that that" - Mothers Love
I'd be more inclined to spend time in DA personally if the Devs in their wisdom granted us The Moth Cathedral the RP'ers have been hankering after since the zone was released, re-did the fog to be proper volumetric fog (GFX candy aside) and give the zone some purpose. Even if you are solo and grinding mobs, whats the purpose save going for a BP Masks badge or something.
What I think they should do is implement a mechanic where if you don't keep the numbers of BP down to acceptable numbers and break up gatherings, they could get together and summon a properly massive Adamastor who could then wreck havoc in DA or break through the gate and attack Talos.
Dark Astoria would be my favourite zone, if it actually had anything in it.
It seems a very large zone to just have the occasional mission spawn there.
How about a perminant zone event.
Keppe the streets low of BP and the fog goes away, the sun comes out and it's a nice zone.
Let them gather in the streets and graveyards, the fog and gloom comes back.
Give it a couple of badges for bringing the light and it'll be sorted.
On the plus side there's no farm broadcast and plentful mobs. As said above good for a 15min street sweep.
[ QUOTE ]
if the Devs in their wisdom granted us The Moth Cathedral the RP'ers have been hankering after since the zone was released
[/ QUOTE ]
In there wisdom the devs try to stear as far away as possible from RL religion. Don't expect to ever see a church, mosque or synagogue in Paragon City.
I really should do something about this signature.
[ QUOTE ]
How about a perminant zone event.
Keppe the streets low of BP and the fog goes away, the sun comes out and it's a nice zone.
Let them gather in the streets and graveyards, the fog and gloom comes back.
Give it a couple of badges for bringing the light and it'll be sorted.
On the plus side there's no farm broadcast and plentful mobs. As said above good for a 15min street sweep.
[/ QUOTE ]
sounds fun, but it has to be a place where the mobs are depending on your level like the rikti, so it's not an exclusive high lvl place.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
How about a perminant zone event.
Keppe the streets low of BP and the fog goes away, the sun comes out and it's a nice zone.
Let them gather in the streets and graveyards, the fog and gloom comes back.
Give it a couple of badges for bringing the light and it'll be sorted.
On the plus side there's no farm broadcast and plentful mobs. As said above good for a 15min street sweep.
[/ QUOTE ]
sounds fun, but it has to be a place where the mobs are depending on your level like the rikti, so it's not an exclusive high lvl place.
[/ QUOTE ]
As long as they didnt con JUST white/yellow i would be happy. Seriously a white connin enemy is ZERO threat whatsoever in an event! Its a case of button bashing! Whereas if they were automatically made more powerfull then boo! Tactics! 
@Damz Find me on the global channel Union Chat. One of the best "chat channels" ingame!
[ QUOTE ]
Even if you are solo and grinding mobs, whats the purpose
[/ QUOTE ]Do you have any idea of the XPOT an AoE-heavy character can reach on hazard zone spawns? It's the fastest way to level solo.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Even if you are solo and grinding mobs, whats the purpose
[/ QUOTE ]Do you have any idea of the XPOT an AoE-heavy character can reach on hazard zone spawns? It's the fastest way to level solo.
[/ QUOTE ]
Shhhhh they'll remove the other hazard zones if you're not careful and then what will we be left with solo?
"Well, they found my diary today.
They were appropriately appalled
at the discovery of the eight victims
They're now putting it all together.
Women wrapped in silk
with one leg missing
Eight legs, one body, silk,
spider, brilliant!"
Personally, I'd be happy if they just turned the fog off and made it endless night. I remember when that happened due to a bug, and DA is truly a beautiful bit of zone design... that you can't appreciate by design.
Is it time for the dance of joy yet?
It needs more gothic style - like the Bloody Bay buildings, and those narrow turning streets.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
[ QUOTE ]
Personally, I'd be happy if they just turned the fog off and made it endless night. I remember when that happened due to a bug, and DA is truly a beautiful bit of zone design... that you can't appreciate by design.
[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed, Its intricately more complex the way all the overpasses and underpasses and plazas fit together than say something like Skyway which you'd think would take the title. Its a shame its not showcased better and is limited by that horrible limited redraw excuse-for-a-fog gfx.
I just wish someone would pay the electric bill so we could have some lights on 
Happy to be on Defiant.
Global name @mereman
Member of P.E.R.C. Representing Defiant
Alts http://cit.cohtitan.com/profile/4488
CoH faces http://faces.cohtitan.com/profile/mereman
[ QUOTE ]
It needs more gothic style - like the Bloody Bay buildings, and those narrow turning streets.
[/ QUOTE ]
This is what I would go for.
It could be explained by having a storyline and/or TF that the entire neighbourhood is reverting to point in time in the past - perhaps 100 years or so in the past - due to <insert enemy group here> activity.
I would lose the fog and go for the endless night scenario with archaic street lighting and NPC's in period costume clothing.
Maybe even put a few new mobs into the zone as well, or just new to CoH like the ghost pirates from CoV or a variation thereof.
All it needs is a little imagination from our devs and this zone would become a lot more popular.
Proud member of FOXBASE ALPHA and coalition associates.
Hero 50's - 25
Villain 50's - 1
Don't you dare touch that fog i like the fog
[ QUOTE ]
ghost pirates
[/ QUOTE ]
pirate ghosts?
@Rooks
"You should come inside the box... Then you'll know what I mean."
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
ghost pirates
[/ QUOTE ]
pirate ghosts?
[/ QUOTE ]
Lechuck?
@Damz Find me on the global channel Union Chat. One of the best "chat channels" ingame!
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
ghost pirates
[/ QUOTE ]
pirate ghosts?
[/ QUOTE ]
Lechuck?
[/ QUOTE ]
Suffering Sailors! Tis good to be dead!
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It needs more gothic style - like the Bloody Bay buildings, and those narrow turning streets.
[/ QUOTE ]
This is what I would go for.
It could be explained by having a storyline and/or TF that the entire neighbourhood is reverting to point in time in the past - perhaps 100 years or so in the past - due to <insert enemy group here> activity.
I would lose the fog and go for the endless night scenario with archaic street lighting and NPC's in period costume clothing.
Maybe even put a few new mobs into the zone as well, or just new to CoH like the ghost pirates from CoV or a variation thereof.
All it needs is a little imagination from our devs and this zone would become a lot more popular.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd keep the fog - it makes the ghosts fading in and out creepier - plus, it'd be useful for hiding aggressive ghosts who could fade in and out to attack you
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
I like the fog staying there, it allows me to slag my mate about his aura being a foglight when we're there
But I wish the zones felts more active. You barely see anyone outside Atlas and a couple of other zones, the point of an MMO is to be with other players, teaming with them or not.
When do you start addressing abandoned areas of the game that are virtual ghost-towns?, - when the players have been asking you to do it and give the zone back some purpose for the last couple of years?, - or when Its splashed all over the MMO press, or at all... ever.
Please address DA, ShadowShards, The Hamidon Encounter.
Thx.