How to Fix AE Rewards, in One Step

Hi Devs,
you've created a great system with the AE, but custom critters have been nerfed beyond recognition. Really, they're way too hard for the rewards on offer.

Here's how to fix that without upsetting anyone:
Short Version:
Allow players the option of full rewards on AE missions with custom critters, if they accept a cap on the percentage of xp they can earn off of AE missions (per week) equivalent to approximately 3 levels.

Longer Version:
Codewise, the solution involves calculating what percentage of a given 'level' a player earned off of AE missions. If I got 25% of a level off of an AE mission, then I've used up 1/12 of my allotted maximum, for instance. Once you max out on levels gained, you get a popup informing you that custom critters are reduced to their (lower xp) versions. I think that this solution lets people try new arcs without feeling like they are wasting resources that would better be spent leveling, etc. At the same time, it does nothing to penalize those who are using the current system to its fullest.

Comments appreciated.

-IridiumMaster

Still easy to farm, just have to switch characters instead of staying on one. So, instead of farming one character to 50 in a week, you farm 7 over 7 weeks, or whatever.

Custom critters that are very, very weak, should give out less rewards.

Like PvP, AE as it is now needs a thorough look over and balance, not half measures.
Tbh, some of the Custom mobs should give MORE exp than standard mobs, based on what sets they have, and what combos they have. While others should give less, down to a baseline for something with no attacks
(I say that because Cimeroran medics still give minion exp, despite having no attacks. They DO have a godpowerful heal and, worse, a rez. They can be nasty in their own unique way.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwillinger GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain_Photon NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.

Whenever I see 'Give AE foes more XP' I automatically jump to 'the person suggesting this is a farmer'.

Why? Because AE is something often meant for fun; something to do to break away from the missions of the game in order to have some fun with some user-created content. If you were to ask me, I'd have them give NO exp, and only Architect Tickets. Why? Because to me, it's something to do for fun; it's a minigame in itself.

Again, that's just my perspective. Not that popular, I know.

The issue I have with the present AE system is that it has been implemented in such a way as to punish players from using the biggest feature, the critter creator in a plausible, non-exploitative manner. The mantra of risk vs. reward is simply out of whack when a minion with full armors and build up is given the same reward as a dev minion with a punch attack and couple gunshots.

The only way to fix this is going back to the dev reward metric, which rewards based upon the difficulty of the abilities. This gets real tricky, but I believe is the best way to do it. Fulcrum shift is simply more dangerous than targeting drone.

In other words: How to break AE in a single step.

Like or not, the current system fits the advertised bill of AE pre-I13. It's not made for leveling. It's not made for rewards. It's made for players to share story content with each other.

If you don't like that, and If you don't think the rewards are right, YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT AE IS FOR OR WHY IT WAS PUT IN THE GAME.

I wish I could say I was sorry about saying this, but I'm getting a little more than tired of the constant AE's not the same anymore threads, put it back, when the intent behind AE was made perfectly clear before the concept even went into beta. AE now fits the description of AE before I13. Period. Stop. End of Story.

Although no matter how many times I put that line in a post, some smart alek always comes back with a but... but.. but.. but... that leaves me either helpless with laughter, or trying to figure out a polite way to put in an epic facepalm picture, normally deciding to do neither since there wasn't any point in responding.

I think the problem here is that AE did launch with rewards. Players entering the game at that time probably thought that the reward set for AE was... normal... or intended, since they didn't bother to keep track of AE's long development path. In some aspects, some players have been pre-conditioned into thinking that everything in a game must come with an equivalent kill to reward ratio. Well, there is no guarantee by the developers that every defeat in the game is equal. Players are not granted an automatic boon that's equivalent for every action or event that is completed.

Thing is with AE is that there is nothing to fix on the reward side. A lot of players approach AE with the idea that the concept is somehow broken or nerfed because they compare the AE of now with the AE of launch, and the developer-created-content. At best that's a faulty comparison. AE has to be judged by how it accomplish's it's stated goals, and on that front, there are some legitimate complaints.

The file size for stories is actually a little small, although we know the size will double with Going Rogue. The system has a habit of not uploading changes to an already published arc, although since only I, and maybe 3 other people judging from various forum posts have run into this bug, there doesn't seem to be enough data to generate a fix or pinpoint a problem.

These are the kinds of issues the developers should be looking at. Not re-imagining the purpose of AE to fit players desires to level.

I think maybe Greg Dean put this disconnect between what AE is for and what players try to use it for in perspective with a commentary on the MMORPG genre as a whole. Check this link out: http://www.reallifecomics.com/archive/091203.html

JE Saist, AE was advertised as an alternate leveling path from level 1-50. It just was. On the AE Edition boxes, it was specifically listed as such.

So, if people want to use it to level from 1-50, it should remain so.

I'd have to look, but I could swear Posi himself said the leveling 1-50 thing as well. Not sure where you're getting the whole "it's not for leveling" thing je_saist.

It can still easily be used for levelling from 1 to 50, I'm partway there on a AE only alt of my own.

No Dev said it was to be a faster way than other content (which it still can be btw).

"Alternative" does not necessarily imply "as fast, if not even faster". Assuming you take at least some AE missions that award some xp, you can eventually get to 50 without leaving the building. You just can't do it in three days anymore.

One of the AE Tips explicitly says you can use it to level from 1-50.

I'd be curious to see just how dismal the numbers for AE usage are now, probably comparable to the ghost-town that PvP has become I would guess.

Just my unscientific observation, but this game seems to be more and more about penalties and limitations, and even though we were promised that in time ED would all make sence, I don't find Inventions to have been such a great boon to the game. It's definitly something else to do, but it's no more than a distraction as is AE now.

It must really be discouraging to put SO much time and effort into creating and then loudly touting portions of the game that can be, and are, ignored by so many.

I remember when I first started playing, I was in The Hollows trying not to get killed, when I saw this high level hero casually Super Jumping by me heading for the Atlas Gate. A few minutes later hundreds of baddies appeared like a giant swarm of locusts pouring by in pursuit, flowing over buildings, cars and fences like tsunami chasing after the other hero. It was one of those Holy Shite! moments we don't get to have in this game anymore. And I for one miss it. The pre-ED Heroes of this game could have demolished the Rikti Mothership and rebuilt the city with the scrap metal on their way to breakfast...

The only thing I'd say about AE rewards is that it seems to make sense to me that if regular missions and Oro missions give an end of mission and end of arc reward bonus, AE missions and arcs should too. I don't know if that's feasible or not though. I missed the whole AE farming period.