Storming Citadel, Arc ID 379488 (Dr Aeon's 2nd Challenge)

Storming Citadel, Arc ID 379488 by @MrCaptainMan

I thought of the title about a year ago, and the concept came to me a little later. It's not an easy thing to engineer using the maps we have, but I'm happy enough with the result. Originally it was a little more complex, with a defendable object at the end, but repeated testing with a lowbie using no inspirations consistently failed to save the object in question from its attackers, so I reluctantly had to ditch it. I'm VERY happy with the ending, however. I hope players find it unusual and enjoyable.

One more thing which I again reluctantly changed involved the destructables in it. They're all the same object, but originally I made three different versions using the same object because that way you can vary the defenders dialogue some, which i feel enriches an arc. I needed sth to trigger only after all three had been fulfilled, however, so I eventually had to just use one objective for the three objects. I wish we had a 'This Objective triggers when Objectives X, Y and Z are completed' option.

The arc was made over three days this week, it took about 10 hours all told i think. I finally published it and sent the email off with just 4 minutes left on the clock!

It's a single-mission, ten-minute timed arc with the aim of rebooting a de-powered Citadel. It was tested mainly on a lvl 10 DB/WP scrapper.

As it stands, I'm quite happy with this little arc. I hope it provides a fun distraction for ten minutes of your time!

Feedback appreciated, though I'd appreciate no spoiling of the root concept or the post-exit surprise if possible

Cheers!

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

I'm so glad I played this arc.

Nice pun on the challenge idea and a cute, well executed idea overall.

The best part is how it's so short - that alone should net you a ton of plays; I know I'm putting it on my list for every new toon to play so I can avoid repeating the low level content for the nth time. I was able to finish it without too much watching the clock and sweating. Of course, using a stalker might have been cheating just a little.

Great stuff overall as usual.

lol it hit me after reading this that i should qualify my griping with some thanks at Clave 's very nice and appreciated feedback. Thank you for enjoying it and engaging it in the wayn it wa =s intended,

I thinkm I ve got a bit of a thing about RP cillain/Heroc stuff.

But evene so, I'd appreciate my Heroic Arcas being played with herous ance vice versa,

B3est regards

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

I've played this arc 4 times! It was being improved throughout. It is very fast and furious.

And this arc has no typos. Just in case the post above had anyone concerned

(But I don't believe it matters which archetype plays, player characters have unlimited motivations.)

Arc: 379017: Outbroken See all your old friends in the Outbreak Tutorial sequel!
Arc: Coming Soon: The Incarnate Shadow Shard of Fire and Ice Mender Rednem needs you!
Massively.com opinion poll: Please Help Save CoH!

No harm no foul dude.

I played it with a stalker because right now he's the only toon I have that I felt like running who's low level. I think I have only two heroes at that level - one a controller with no solid attacks yet other that vet rewards and the other just didn't strike me a toon I want to play; it's a year old and still at like 8 I think so that should tell you something. Still, I like your arcs and you've been kind to mine so I'll be happy to comply with your wish on this in the future.

If it's any consolation, it's stalker I'm planning to take blueside come GR.

Oh and that was just a couple of vodkas?! I'd hate to see you really drunk!

The couple of vodkas occurred after more than a couple of beers lol.

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

I've had 13 plays now, and until play 11 I got 5-stars from everyone lol (not complaining overly here - no harm done if it's not everyone's cuppa!).

I did get a comment about failing it, though, so i tried it with a lvl 2 therm/rad defender using no inspirations. He managed to get to the final boss intact via ignoring anything but the mission objectoves, but the boss was too much for him.

I downgraded the boss to a lt, but he was still too much without eating a full tray. The story really doesn't work if there's a faceplant along the way, but there's nothing more i can do really. If I make it soloable guaranteed for such a low toon, it's going to be absolutely no challenge at all for sb 5-10. I've put the boss back to boss and I'll just hope that folk play it with characters at an appropriate level range.

I tested it with a lvl 8 kin/elec defender using only my attacks, one run and Rest, and one green inspiration during the final boss fight, and succeeded with about minute to go. I think that with inspiration use and some retreat and Rest tactics during the boss fight, it should be doable by a character of lvl 5-10

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

I just rolled up a Dual Pistols/Devices blaster, ran him thru the tutorial, and then after visiting Ms Liberty, went straight to the AE building and put him through Storiming Citadel. The first attempt I accidentally set off Self-Destruct (with nothing near me lol) and after the run back through the map I downed the boss with about 20 seconds left just as his minions killed me too. The second time i ran it, I was able to complete it with just under 5 minutes left out of the ten allowerd.

Obviously, I know where to go (tho there is only one short branch ij the otherwise totally linear map), and I know what to ignore as well, but I used no inspirations and only my Dual Weild and Empty Clip powers (I didnt use Web Grenade).

So it is completable by a lowbie, albeit a damage dealing lowbie. Defenders are still probably going to find it a bit hard.

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

Tried it with 2 different extremes. The exemped Emp/Psi Defender just could not generate enough damage to take out the network defenders with any kind of alacrity and bogged down. She timed out after destroying only 2 of the kill-switches.

The exemped SS/Inv brute (without rage yet) finished with 4:30 remaining on the clock.

You certainly cannot generalize anything from the experience of the one true 'total team' AT in CoH, but I would imagine that the very nature of this kind of challenge arc would cause it to favor ATs that get more damage early on.

Even so, my emp/psi does have 3 attacks, including her snipe. I imagine some of the difficulty also occurs because it seems like the animation times of those psi attacks is long, but the internal defenders seem resistant to psi. Where my brute was knocking them down in 3-4 hits at most, it seemed like my psi was taking 7-8-9 hits to down them.

Hm. Any suggestions on how to make it doable for squishies would be apprAeciated. I thought of extending the timer to 15 minutes, but "we've only got 15 minutes!" doesn't sound as tense as "we've only got 10 minutes!" lol.

Therr's a lot you could do in 15 minutes

eco

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

Hm..I just rolled up a kin/DP defender and did the same thing as with the blaster. Straight from the tutorial, lvl 2, no inspirs, no enhancements, only using sprint, pistols, dual wield, brawl and the origin attack. I got down to about a quaretr health at one stage byt reached the elevators in time, and the boss went down whilst I was at half health. Finished with 4 mins to go. 2 of the three kill-switches conned orange, the other yellow. Boss conned yellow.

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

Still worried about Sister Twelve's ex[erience, I rolled an emp/psi defender, and took him through the tutorial and then straight on to Storming Citadel (DXP made me ding lvl2 half way through the tutorial, so i switched off XP gain so i wouldn't hit lvl 3 before playing the arc). Again, I used just the first two psi attacks, brawl and the starting origin power (mutagen), my self heal, no enhancements and no inspirations.

The first attempt, I defeated the boss at the exact same time he defeated me, so failed, but there was plenty of time left on the clock. The second attempt, I finished without a huge deal of worry with 3 minutes left, despite intentionally going up the wrong branch at the one place in the map where there IS a branch. My strategy in the arc was to just focus on downing the 3 destructables and then the final two objectives and ignore everything else. There are 4 floors in the map, and each floor is very small, so the elevators provide safety even if you get lowish on HP during your assault on the destructables.

After this, it's obvious to me that succeeding at this requires speed. Ignoring everything apart from the actual objectives is the key. If you stop to try to deal with the guards, you'll have trouble.

To avoid this, I've added a heavy hint from the contact to ignore everything apart from what you're there to do.

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

Policewoman was kind enough to run Storming Citadel for her review thread, and gave it 5-stars!

Woohoo!

Her review is HERE.

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

No Allies or destructables in this arc!

Oh wait, there are three destructables, I forgot.

Play it anyway, it only takes ten minutes!

Eco

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

When Issue 17 goes live, this arc's AMAZING SURPRISE ending will change, so I urge you: PLAY IT NOW!

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."

Well, Issue 17 went live, and with it they fixed the weird animation bug that afflicted positron when used as an AE contact. Not to worry, though, the arc's still cool!

I've altered the ending slightly to account for a 'normal' Positron

Eco.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow [The Incarnate System is] Jack Emmert all over again, only this time it's not "1 hero = 3 white minions" it's "1 hero = 3 white rocks."