An Open Challenge...


American_Angel

 

Posted

I've already stated this challenge in a few of the threads, but I decided to make it a big, wide, open challenge.

Some people are saying that the game is "dying", and that they can't "find teams". I can't speak for the Euro servers because I'm an American player, but for all the American servers... that's complete BULL.




So I propose a STANDING challenge. This challenge will stand until Going Rogue comes live. I may extend it depending on the public's reaction to Going Rogue.
The challenge is this: If you THINK that this game is becoming a "ghost town" and that you simply CAN'T get a team, post a message to this thread with the following information:
  • A time I could meet you ingame, at least ONE WEEK in advance so that I can get off of work somehow. Any time of the day, any day of the week.
  • The server to meet on, sorry Euro players, US only, and
  • Your character name and/or global name so that I may contact you at the appropriate time.
I WILL form a full team for you of 8 ready and willing players. Within a "short" time frame. Short being a relative term of course, but let's say 15-20 minutes to put a number out there.

Now if ANYONE says that this game is a "ghost town", and they "can't get a team", please kindly direct them to this thread and this challenge.

If you do wish to take me up on this challenge and I somehow fail... if this EVER happens during the course of this challenge, then I will accept defeat and post here publicly that I could not get a full team at X time on Y date. Redside might be a slightly different issue, and I may need to adjust the terms of this challenge for villain side, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

If you do wish to take me up on this challenge, and I succeed, then you must agree to stop your incessant whining and tell OTHER people that you see whining that you have been given proof that the game is NOT dead or dying.

And finally, if you are presented with a link to this challenge, and you do NOT accept the challenge, and yet you STILL want to rant about the game "being dead" or "dying", then I believe that you are a fool and will rant as a fool does. But everyone will see that you have been linked to this challenge and have not accepted, and thus do not wish to be proven wrong. Any arguments you make at that point will be considered invalid, due to your unwillingness to accept factual evidence to the contrary.

So, let the games begin!









P.S. I am now awaiting all the comments from people that believe that the game is a ghost town and will try to "prove" it via alternative means and alternative arguments. I'm not going to engage in such arguments. Why? Because in MY opinion, if I can form a FULL team of people willing to play with me on ANY server at ANY time of day, the game is not dying. Period.


 

Posted

This is a good point there will allays be doomsayers but I would have rather seen this kind of thing before Super Sidekicking was implemented and have you do this with less than 3 SK's or exlampars.

I often run full teams my self and when I leave its allways a pane trying to give some one else the star because no one wants that responsibility for what ever reason.

What this game really lacks is leaders, and an effective team search interface.


Captain Den'Rath 53* Merk/Traps MM, Rivona 50Energy Blast/Time Cor,Victoria Von Heilwig 53* Dual Pistols/Traps Cor, Crab Spider Webguard 53* SOA, Accela 53* Bot/FF MM,Valkyrie's Executor 53* Broadsword/Shield Def Scrap. On FREEDOM! @Knight Of Bronze
"Hypocrisy, the human inherent." "Let not this work be wasted, apply yourself always."

 

Posted

I don't even need a full team. If I can log in and get a team of 6 running, that's already pretty darn awesome. With the SSK system, I've been getting invited to teams, when I'm usually the one forming them.

Improved search interface would be nice, to display:

* Only people who are not teamed at the moment. All those grey names don't matter to me when I'm trying to find people to add to my team.

* Trial Account status. If I know I can shoot a tell then a blind invite to those accounts because they can't reply back, I won't be mortified for blind inviting.

* Some sort of "Looking For More" team status. I can enter some basic parameters (say I want a tank, level 20 to 30) and then a tank can pull a list of teams that are looking for someone just like him. Then I get a little popup saying "Tankname wants to join your team!" and the team size increases like it's some sort of black magic voodoo thing.


www.SaveCOH.com: Calls to Action and Events Calendar
This is what 3700 heroes in a single zone looks like.
Thanks to @EnsonsDeath for the GVE code that made me VIP again!

 

Posted

YOU DA MAN!

Give 'em hell Wes!


 

Posted

The Solitarian Party has prepared a special reply to this well thought-out challenge...

Ahem...

Ghost TOWN?! Dang it, I can't even go into the game without some fool askin' me to team with 'em. My symbol says "Not Looking", my character name is "I H8 Everyone" and my search message is "I'll RSVP now: NO!!" and they STILL send me invites.

So's I go an' set my team response to "Accept no invites", right?! You'd figure that'd stop 'em... Aw, hell no! Danged ingrates are sending me tells sayin' "Hey, how come you got your Invite turned off? How'm I s'posed tah team with you?"

Where in the heck are you whiners FINDING these servers? Is there a way I can rent-a-server for private parties like that? And then you got the gall to COMPLAIN about it?! Holy hand grenades, I'd give anything to find a server where there weren't no other people!

Dear lord, sometimes I think MMORPG stands for "Malignant Mental Orangutans Resembling People Gathering"!!

So please! Please, tell me where these empty servers are! I'll give you all my slots on the servers I'm with now! You can deal with these intrusive putzes and I'll somehow cope with blissful, lovely loneliness.



This has been a message from the Solitarian Party. The views expressed here may not represent those of Steelclaw Studios, its parent company or subsidiaries.


My mind wanders so often you've probably seen its picture on milk cartons. - Me... the first person version of the third person Steelclaw

 

Posted

I agree that you can find teams with effort*, but all your challenge is showing is that a long time vet of 5+ years (with the implication of a large global friends/chat channel list) can find a team (consisting of any level?) with a weeks notice.

* effort in your example being 15-20 minutes

Note that I dont believe there is a problem finding people, or that it requires 15+ minutes to form something and go.


I don't suffer from altitis, I enjoy every minute of it.

Thank you Devs & Community people for a great game.

So sad to be ending ):

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steelclaw View Post
Dear lord, sometimes I think MMORPG stands for "Malignant Mental Orangutans Resembling People Gathering"!!
BUWAAHHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

I am so useing that alongside

MMORPG "Mostly Men Online Role Playing Girls"


Captain Den'Rath 53* Merk/Traps MM, Rivona 50Energy Blast/Time Cor,Victoria Von Heilwig 53* Dual Pistols/Traps Cor, Crab Spider Webguard 53* SOA, Accela 53* Bot/FF MM,Valkyrie's Executor 53* Broadsword/Shield Def Scrap. On FREEDOM! @Knight Of Bronze
"Hypocrisy, the human inherent." "Let not this work be wasted, apply yourself always."

 

Posted

Quote:
(with the implication of a large global friends/chat channel list)
WRONG! I have virtually no friends in game. And I haven't used any global chat channels in months. Haven't had any luck with SGs either, too much work.

I play in nothing but pick up groups, almost always have. So I KNOW what I'm talking about when I say anyone can get a team together. And the timeframe is only for my JOB. If I didn't have a job that took up so much of my time, I'd open the challenge without a warning time frame in it.

It's not like I'll be preparing or anything, I just have to have that much time to get off of work.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Westley View Post
WRONG! I have virtually no friends in game. And I haven't used any global chat channels in months. Haven't had any luck with SGs either, too much work.

I play in nothing but pick up groups, almost always have. So I KNOW what I'm talking about when I say anyone can get a team together. And the timeframe is only for my JOB. If I didn't have a job that took up so much of my time, I'd open the challenge without a warning time frame in it.

It's not like I'll be preparing or anything, I just have to have that much time to get off of work.
I'm aware that your intentions are honest, but as a challenge you are still saying 'I can find a team in a week' not 10-15 minutes. The fact that reality (ie work) wont allow you to do the challenge as you want is unfortunate. Though most of the complainers would say 'anytime I log on I never ever can get a team) so an after hours one might work.

But as the challenge stands, it wont automagically make anyone who doesnt agree with taking your challenge an 'invalid fool'. It means they don't like the restrictive terms of the challenge.

Out of curiosity, do you mean a team with any level members or a team with a close level range to the person looking?


I don't suffer from altitis, I enjoy every minute of it.

Thank you Devs & Community people for a great game.

So sad to be ending ):

 

Posted

Wes

Anyone who tries to take you up on this challenge doesn't know what they're doing. You're 100% right, the game is not dying and it's pretty easy to form teams


There is no such thing as an "innocent bystander"

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Westley View Post
WRONG! I have virtually no friends in game. And I haven't used any global chat channels in months. Haven't had any luck with SGs either, too much work.
You're on my friendlist, we're just the kind of friend that have only talked once or twice


"Null is as much an argument "for removing the cottage rule" as the moon being round is for buying tennis shoes." -Memphis Bill

 

Posted

My god I am lazy. really that my answer.


Doom/Batman in 2012

The Resistance has boobs too, and better hair!

 

Posted

Definitely an interesting proposal.

Although I would like to point out you've already made an exception for Redside.

Well if the proposed 10-15 minutes won't work Redside that would be indicative of a decline in Redside activity. A decline in activity means less players overall, less players overall can lead to game dying.

Not saying I believe that though.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by DMystic View Post
Definitely an interesting proposal.

Although I would like to point out you've already made an exception for Redside.

Well if the proposed 10-15 minutes won't work Redside that would be indicative of a decline in Redside activity. A decline in activity means less players overall, less players overall can lead to game dying.

Not saying I believe that though.
If it makes you feel any better, I thought the same thing when I read it. It can easily be construed negatively by those wishing to do so... I don't personally, but can see how someone would read into it if they did want to.



 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by DMystic View Post
Definitely an interesting proposal.

Although I would like to point out you've already made an exception for Redside.

Well if the proposed 10-15 minutes won't work Redside that would be indicative of a decline in Redside activity. A decline in activity means less players overall, less players overall can lead to game dying.

Not saying I believe that though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thirty_Seven View Post
If it makes you feel any better, I thought the same thing when I read it. It can easily be construed negatively by those wishing to do so... I don't personally, but can see how someone would read into it if they did want to.
Or it could just be that Wes is less familiar with Redside and not as confident in his abilities. Folks that follow his posts know he only got his first 50 villain a few weeks ago because he doesn't play there as much as a personal choice. He can respect that fact about himself, and know that a lot of people feel the same way, without it being some kind of hidden hint that red side is dead and the rest of the game is following.


"Null is as much an argument "for removing the cottage rule" as the moon being round is for buying tennis shoes." -Memphis Bill

 

Posted

Quote:
WRONG! I have virtually no friends in game. And I haven't used any global chat channels in months. Haven't had any luck with SGs either, too much work.

I play in nothing but pick up groups, almost always have. So I KNOW what I'm talking about when I say anyone can get a team together
Seeing as there are no connections,channels or sg's involved inexperience with the redside game would have no bearing on Wes' ability to form a team. My conclusion is that the exception is being made because of the known population disparity.


 

Posted

I couldn't care less if the game is dying or not. I like the game so I play the game. Maybe I'll be the last to jump off a dead and decaying corpse but I'll ride that corpse for as long as I'm enjoying it... (kind of gross imagery there if ya have a perverted mind...)

as for the challenge, I would find it amusing if enough people banded together and arrainged challenge times such that the OP either had to surrender his challenge or lose his job for never coming in... I'm just mean that way.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by DMystic View Post
Seeing as there are no connections,channels or sg's involved inexperience with the redside game would have no bearing on Wes' ability to form a team. My conclusion is that the exception is being made because of the known population disparity.
Perhaps you simply should ask him why (withOUT the sarcasm-slash-suspicion).

My guess is that he really is not confident that he could easily form a good team if he has to try it on a level 1 alt.
I believe there are servers he does not have villains on at the moment, and would have to run a newly created one.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by DMystic View Post
Seeing as there are no connections,channels or sg's involved inexperience with the redside game would have no bearing on Wes' ability to form a team. My conclusion is that the exception is being made because of the known population disparity.
PK posted his confidence that he can form a team blue-side because he has, because he knows he can, and because he knows the population. He's not as confident he knows red-side because he hasn't played as much. Is it really that hard to understand that instead of suspecting?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Arcanaville View Post
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow View Post
PK posted his confidence that he can form a team blue-side because he has, because he knows he can, and because he knows the population. He's not as confident he knows red-side because he hasn't played as much. Is it really that hard to understand that instead of suspecting?

It's easier to bash someone or disbelieve them.That's the problem with alot of posters.


 

Posted

I like this challenge, it's a great idea. Maybe to avoid the heat about the weeks notice, you can list some times that you will likely be online, and also maybe your global so someone can send you a global tell and, if you're free, you can go to their server of choice and take up their challenge.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow View Post
PK posted his confidence that he can form a team blue-side because he has, because he knows he can, and because he knows the population. He's not as confident he knows red-side because he hasn't played as much. Is it really that hard to understand that instead of suspecting?
Actually looking at my post now, I want to apologise a bit. It was more confrontational than I intended it to be. I'm just saying that it really isn't fair to look for flaws without trying to look for justifying reasons.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Arcanaville View Post
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Diggis View Post
I like this challenge, it's a great idea. Maybe to avoid the heat about the weeks notice, you can list some times that you will likely be online, and also maybe your global so someone can send you a global tell and, if you're free, you can go to their server of choice and take up their challenge.

Good idea, but my job is as a service repairman, so my hours are... to put it mildly... "weird". I'm on call every other week, so I could have to go fix a broken machine at 3 AM sometimes, and that has happened.

And I would give out my global name, but that would take out the PUBLIC aspect of this. The point of this challenge is to show others, that's why those that accept the challenge need to post here. Do it all ingame, and it becomes more private, thus defeating the purpose.


 

Posted

As far as redside goes, the PRIMARY reason why I'm less sure about redside is NOT because I doubt "my skills". Honestly, the reason why I wrote my teaming guide is to take skill out of the picture, as my guide shows my entire process to forming a team. Now everyone can "do what I do".

It's also not because of the population disparity, which does indeed exist between redside and blueside.

No, the reason WHY I'm not as sure on redside is something else entirely: culture.

In my "adventure" taking my villain up to the top level recently, I've seen a DISTINCT difference in culture between the two sides that I'm not sure anyone has realized before. Heroes LOVE to team whenever they can, villains are more ambivalent about it. I'm not sure if that's because of the nature of their POWERSETS, with villains being more "self-sufficient", or if it's in the nature of the game's "story" that conditions villains to be more "selfish" and thus dislike to team as much. But the fact still remains, from my experiences I got a LOT more "nos" trying to form teams villain side as a PERCENTAGE of the population's answers than I ever did hero side.

Villains just simply say "no" to teaming MORE than heroes do, it's that simple. At least that's been my experience. And teaming is ENTIRELY based on someone ELSE'S willingness to join you.


P.S. I really like "quotation" marks for "some reason".


 

Posted

Quote:
Villains just simply say "no" to teaming MORE than heroes do, it's that simple. At least that's been my experience. And teaming is ENTIRELY based on someone ELSE'S willingness to join you.
That couldn't have anything to do with the fact that villains are designed for self-sufficiency far more than their hero counterparts.

I solo. I'm known for soloing. Yet even *I* can build a small team in little time redside on Pinnacle should the mood strike me.

And I'm dealing with the drunkards.


Be well, people of CoH.