Rethinking beginning story arcs

This may have been mentioned before and if so, I apologize. I searched the forum and found nothing, so I'll assume it hasn't.

One of the big things that's always been tossed around, but never really changed, is the fact that the beginning storylines for heroes mean very little. All they do is introduce you to a new enemy group that you may not have known before. Of course, after making a character from each origin, you start to get the gist of who's who on the other side of the cape and those opening stories start to bore you. So, what do you do?

You form a sewer team, or you street sweep, or some other thing that I'm not aware of. But ultimately, you're still just grinding through the levels.

Another problem that's been brought up is the lack of variety in mission. Go here, kill this, rescue this, click this. Rinse and repeat.

A third problem is the difficulty in finding a good team. Players either aren't sure how to play their archetype properly, but team anyway, or are absolutely certain they don't know how and avoid teams altogether. Why is this a problem? You ever try to solo a lowbie emp defender? Yes, it can be done, but it's much easier to solo a scrapper.

So here's a potential solution to all of these problems.

Instead of making the initial storylines only origin-based, make them origin and archetype based. How?

Okay, so let's say you roll a defender. You're really going to tell me that you should have the same mission as that scrapper? Or that tank? Come on, let's see some variety here.

No wonder it's hard to find a good defender or controller or even tank! They don't know how to play the archetype unless they immediately team up. And if they've never played the archetype? Oh boy... "Hey guys, we got an emp defender!" "Awesome!" ... "Guys, I've never played an emp defender before. What do I do?" Yeah...you're gonna wipe.

Instead, let's make the starting missions appropriate to the archetype. You're a defender? Great! Your job is to keep this (NPC) team alive while they infiltrate an enemy base and retrieve some records. You're a tank? Awesome! Hold the aggro from this enemy group while the (NPC) team escorts the hostage to safety. Etc.

Now, I admit, I haven't thought it completely through for all archetypes. However, I'm sure people who play the various archetypes regularly will know EXACTLY what kind of job would be best suited for that archetype and can contribute accordingly.

(In my opinion, the normal CoX mission is based around damage-dealers like scrappers or blasters, so they're opening storylines will probably be much like they are now.)

So, where does origin fit into this? Well, from what I can tell, origin really only determines the enemy group you fight first. So, easy enough, you're a magic origin tank? Hold aggro on these Hellions while the (NPC) team escorts the hostage to safety. You're a tech origin defender? Keep this (NPC) team alive while they infiltrate a Clockwork base and retrieve some records.

Ta da! We've introduced the various enemy groups AND trained newbies how to play their archetype...or at least, we've done our best. Now, that team's level 6 kinetics defender can actually ACT like one.

I also feel like this will end the whole "make defenders more soloable" issue because - instead - we're teaching them HOW to be defenders.

Thoughts?

(Oh and if it seemed like I was using defenders a lot there, I have a level 50 emp defender, so I'm very familiar with the soloing problem.)

Main problems?

First, you're assuming a LOT about each AT. We'll go back with your defenders. "You've got to keep this team alive!" I bet you're thinking "So heal!" Especially coming from an emp defender.

Ok. So how do I do that with Trick Arrow? Force fields? Sonic? How about the Rad/ that decided to take the debuffs instead of the pathetic heal? (Honestly, early on, EVERY heal is pretty pathetic.) And what about, say, Kinetics or Dark, where that *has* to hit to heal? (I'm not even going into "Training a defender how to be a healer sounds like training them to be a healer is just wrong." I'm sure you'll get enough of that. Oh, for the record - 50 Emp/Rad, 50 Kin/Dark, 50 Rad/Rad, others scattered throughout the levels. And I'd argue with any "soloing problem," thanks.)

Or, tanks. "Keep aggro?" Sorry, but at low levels tanks are barely less squishy than anything else. Hold aggro means you're going *down.* Not to mention that, aside from Gauntlet, tanks at low levels don't *have* aggro holding powers.

The early level missions need to be generic because at that level, the ATs pretty much are.

Now, do the early missions need a revamp? Yes. They're the same missions we've had for years now. And while I wouldn't mind some AT specialization - well, we do get that somewhat in enemy groups later on. But that should come once the ATs actually *diverge* some past "Ranged" and "Melee."

See my Guides and Tutorials

I am Sure GR has a different Starting Point that Villians and heroes can do together, There going be a new Trial Zone or whatever you call it for toons Starting out in Pretoria. New Starting Arcs and Mission, they won't be like the old Content. I am kind of Sure it be Something for all Arctypes can do, What you want them to do seem to be to far out there.

I think the AT/Origin idea is a bit off...

But revamping the old content, especially the lowbie stuff? Hell yes. I know GR will include the Praetorian tutorial...but what about people who don't buy GR? Or people that want to roll a Hero/Villain right off the bat and not do the Praet version for all characters?

Revamp = Good thing, IMO. So, /Signed

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.

I have played a blueside opening story arc exactly once, on my very first character. It is far faster and easier to simply make a sewers team and fight our way to KR than to do any of those tedious and dull story arcs.

Revamp them.

The real problem with writing early level story arcs is that early levels fly by so quickly that if you try to write an arc with any depth to it, the likeliest outcome is that the character will outlevel the range of the arc by the time he finishes it.

Of course, I am speaking of the level 1-5 range here, where you basically gain a level, sometimes 2, every time you enter an instance map. I would say level 5-10, you can write an arc that has some depth to it, but I imagine anyone who starts Night Calls the Weaver at level 5 will probably be level 8 or higher by the time the arc is finished.

Yes please?