Not allowed to auto-complete some missions
By
Bad_Dog,
Posted on: 2010-10-29 10:35 in Player Questions
People sometimes forget the only reason the Devs gave us the ability to auto-complete missions a couple of years ago was as a means to get past broken/bugged missions on our own without having to call for a GM to help us. Strictly speaking no one should be auto-completing missions just because they "want" to. 
In 78 months of playing I've only had maybe 3 missions that were bugged enough that I needed to use the auto-complete feature to finish them. If the Devs decided to put restrictions on a few missions to make them "non-auto-completable" it wouldn't really bother me in the least.
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
Missions that can't be auto-completed usually have a badge associated with them, or are timed. This has been the case since that feature was put in. I believe that multi-step missions also cannot be auto-completed (like raiding Base A, then Base B, then Base C, where you don't have to call in between each part).
Loose --> not tight.
Lose --> Did not win, misplace, cannot find, subtract.
One extra 'o' makes a big difference.
If I remember correctly, many of the 'Finales' also cannot be auto-completed.
Quote:
It's called auto-completeing and as Lothic explained it's purpose is to report a bugged or broken mission without having to wait for GM assistance. It isn't supposed to be used to skip things you don't like just to get the reward. |
Originally Posted by Super Firebug
(I don't know what the technical term is for calling a contact and completing the mission without actually doing it; I just call it "auto-completing.")
|
Quote:
| Why are some missions set so that you don't get the option to auto-complete them? Montague, in particular, seems to not like auto-completion for lots of his missions. I know you used to be able to auto-complete the raptor-pack mission in KR, but that was changed; I guess they figure you should earn it. But, in general, why are they so adamant about some missions being done manually? Thanks, all. |
Well done. Since you already answered your own question there's no need to repeat the answer.
Quote:
Actually you CAN auto-complete them. But there's a catch. You can only complete ONE of them that way, you still have to manually complete the rest. |
Originally Posted by White Hot Flash
I believe that multi-step missions also cannot be auto-completed (like raiding Base A, then Base B, then Base C, where you don't have to call in between each part).
|
So if you auto-complete the Base A mission, you still have to run the Base B and Base C missions normally.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison See, it's gems like these that make me check Claws' post history every once in a while to make sure I haven't missed anything good lately. |
Quote:
There is no "strictly speaking" reasoning behind the ability to auto complete. |
Originally Posted by Lothic
People sometimes forget the only reason the Devs gave us the ability to auto-complete missions a couple of years ago was as a means to get past broken/bugged missions on our own without having to call for a GM to help us. Strictly speaking no one should be auto-completing missions just because they "want" to.
In 78 months of playing I've only had maybe 3 missions that were bugged enough that I needed to use the auto-complete feature to finish them. If the Devs decided to put restrictions on a few missions to make them "non-auto-completable" it wouldn't really bother me in the least. |
Yes, it was stated by devs that the feature was there to allow teams to auto-complete a mission if it were bugged. No, it was not the sole purpose.
As most people do not read the forums, we can safely assume that if their intention was "solely for bugs" then there would be text/popups/reminders in-game that the feature is solely for bugged missions. There is no such text in-game that suggests that it is a feature for bugs.
I read what was posted when it was released and there was a concern that people would just auto-complete every mission all the way to 50. So it was set to 7 days originally, then I'm sure the data mining reflected that people were not over using it, it was eventually lowered to 3 days.
From the day it was implemented people have been using to skip annoying missions, missions to hard to solo, missions that require simultaneous clicking by more players than you have on your team, missions that are too time consuming, and missions where you just cannot find the last item or enemy. These were also its' intended purpose.
From the day it was released many of us also use it at level 5 to get the bank mission so we can get our temp jet pack. Get your radio, do 2 radio missions, auto-complete the 3rd, bank mish.
There is no "right" or "wrong" when it comes to this feature. Yes, it was given to us to address a problem (bugged missions), but it was constructed and presented to us in a multiple-use fashion and will continue to be used that way. Any potential abuse of the system is buffered by the three day timeout.
That's the great thing about the way the Devs managed to implement this feature. It's primary purpose was to serve as a means to get past broken missions but obviously it can -also- be used for any other reason imaginable. But just because it can be used for secondary non-bug reasons in many cases doesn't mean the Devs are obligated to make it work in ALL cases.
As I said before merely "wanting" to skip missions doesn't mean every mission MUST be skipable. People have gotten so used to using it in non-critical situations that now they're whining when they can't use it all the time. Too bad.
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
Quote:
Half right. Missions that require simultaneous clicking, missions where you can't find the last item or enemy yes. Everything else no. |
Originally Posted by Bad_Dog
From the day it was implemented people have been using to skip annoying missions, missions to hard to solo, missions that require simultaneous clicking by more players than you have on your team, missions that are too time consuming, and missions where you just cannot find the last item or enemy. These were also its' intended purpose..
|
The auto-complete feature was not *intended* to let people drop annoying missions or things that were too time consuming. It was a side effect, one they knew about but it was NOT it's intended use.
You're correct when you say there's no right or wrong way to use it in that the auto-complete police won't come running if you drop a mission that isn't bugged. But you can't argue intent like you were and if you use it to drop an annoying mission you risk not having it when you get a truly bugged and impassable mission.
To those who say there is no need for all missions to be auto-completeable, what if one of those is bugged?
In my opinion, every mission should either be timed or auto-completeable so that we never need a petition to get past a bug.
"Hmm, I guess I'm not as omniscient as I thought" -Gavin Runeblade.
I can be found, outside of paragon city here.
Thank you everyone at Paragon and on Virtue. When the lights go out in November, you'll find me on Razor Bunny.
As far as I can tell, the design intent is that some missions absolutely must not be auto-completeable since they give significant rewards. This seems reasonable to me.
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
Quote:
Biggest example of this : "Talk to Perez Park Security Chief" - autocompleting this mission merely moves it onto the "Defeat X of Y Group in Perez Park" that the Security Chief gives you instead of moving you straight to "Return to Contact"|
Originally Posted by ClawsandEffect
Actually you CAN auto-complete them. But there's a catch. You can only complete ONE of them that way, you still have to manually complete the rest.
So if you auto-complete the Base A mission, you still have to run the Base B and Base C missions normally. |
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by GavinRuneblade
To those who say there is no need for all missions to be auto-completeable, what if one of those is bugged?
In my opinion, every mission should either be timed or auto-completeable so that we never need a petition to get past a bug. |
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ironblade
As far as I can tell, the design intent is that some missions absolutely must not be auto-completeable since they give significant rewards. This seems reasonable to me.
|
Orc&Pie No.53230 There is an orc, and somehow, he got a pie. And you are hungry.
www.repeat-offenders.net
Negaduck: I see you found the crumb. I knew you'd never notice the huge flag.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ironblade
As far as I can tell, the design intent is that some missions absolutely must not be auto-completeable since they give significant rewards. This seems reasonable to me.
|
I may be wrong but I seem to recall one of the rednames saying that very thing shortly after the put the feature in the game. They popped into spmeones thread and answered the question but I think that thread has long been lost.
Quote:
I think this is speculation to be honest. I don't recall a single Dev post saying this is the primary reason. Please correct me if I'm wrong.|
Originally Posted by Lothic
People sometimes forget the only reason the Devs gave us the ability to auto-complete missions a couple of years ago was as a means to get past broken/bugged missions on our own without having to call for a GM to help us. Strictly speaking no one should be auto-completing missions just because they "want" to.
|
I know I'm probably in the minority, but I think any and all missions should be able to be auto-completed. Many end missions that give rewards(merits, badges, etc) also have dangerous Bosses/EBs/AVs at the end. From a solo perspective, I'd just as soon auto complete those missions depending on AT.
This is a QoL issue, however. For me, it isn't a game breaker or I'd be long gone.
I know most (if not all) badge missions are not auto-completable. Otherwise it wouldn't suprise me if missions with significant rewards weren't either.
I often use it to clear arcs that my toons have levelled past so I don't have to waste time fighting level 15 trolls when I'm like 40th level or whatever.
Quote:
The dialogue in the window when you choose to complete a mentions says for difficulty or bugs, so I'm inclined to agree. The original design intent for the feature in the first place was probably for bugged missions that simply wouldn't complete, but they realized at some point that this would also be useful for missions that turned out to just be too difficult for some builds to handle solo, so they gave explicit consent in that dialogue.
|
Originally Posted by Ignatz
I think this is speculation to be honest. I don't recall a single Dev post saying this is the primary reason. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I know I'm probably in the minority, but I think any and all missions should be able to be auto-completed. Many end missions that give rewards(merits, badges, etc) also have dangerous Bosses/EBs/AVs at the end. From a solo perspective, I'd just as soon auto complete those missions depending on AT. This is a QoL issue, however. For me, it isn't a game breaker or I'd be long gone. |
"I wish my life was a non-stop Hollywood movie show,
A fantasy world of celluloid villains and heroes."
Quote:
Original Mission Dropping Feature Patch notes:|
Originally Posted by Ignatz
I think this is speculation to be honest.
|
* You will now be able to drop missions that you receive from Contacts. Dropping a mission will carry with it everything that completing the mission successfully does. It will advance story arcs, improve Contact XP, grant special powers, give Mission Complete XP, etc. You will not be able to “replay” the mission you dropped. This is done this way so that you are not stuck on a Story Arc, or are missing a vital Temp Power needed later on in the mission chain, etc.
* In order to drop a mission, you must be the mission owner, and you can talk to the Contact that gave you the mission. If the mission is droppable, an option to drop it will appear.
There are a few caveats to the Mission Dropping Feature:
* You can only drop one mission every 7 days with this feature. If you need to clear a mission, but have already used this feature in the past 7 days, you will need to contact Customer Support as normal.
* You can not drop timed missions.
* You can not drop missions that are part of a Task or Strike Force.
* You can not drop missions that give badges as Mission Completion rewards.
* Some other missions are marked as "undroppable." These are missions that have rewards that are well above average.
* You will not be given the choice at all to drop missions that are undroppable. You will need to contact Customer Support in order to clear these missions.
* If you are on a team with someone who drops a mission, you will receive no rewards for the mission.
* Missions that are dropped are logged so we can more easily debug bugged missions.
Quote:
While i recalled this as well, i couldn't remember the details, but that's okay, as i was reading your post i thought that i recalled it being stated in the patch notes as well, and lo and behold...|
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
I may be wrong but I seem to recall one of the rednames saying that very thing shortly after the put the feature in the game. They popped into spmeones thread and answered the question but I think that thread has long been lost.
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Master-Blade
Original Mission Dropping Feature Patch notes:
* You will now be able to drop missions that you receive from Contacts. Dropping a mission will carry with it everything that completing the mission successfully does. It will advance story arcs, improve Contact XP, grant special powers, give Mission Complete XP, etc. You will not be able to replay the mission you dropped. This is done this way so that you are not stuck on a Story Arc, or are missing a vital Temp Power needed later on in the mission chain, etc. * In order to drop a mission, you must be the mission owner, and you can talk to the Contact that gave you the mission. If the mission is droppable, an option to drop it will appear. There are a few caveats to the Mission Dropping Feature: * You can only drop one mission every 7 days with this feature. If you need to clear a mission, but have already used this feature in the past 7 days, you will need to contact Customer Support as normal. * You can not drop timed missions. * You can not drop missions that are part of a Task or Strike Force. * You can not drop missions that give badges as Mission Completion rewards. * Some other missions are marked as "undroppable." These are missions that have rewards that are well above average. * You will not be given the choice at all to drop missions that are undroppable. You will need to contact Customer Support in order to clear these missions. * If you are on a team with someone who drops a mission, you will receive no rewards for the mission. * Missions that are dropped are logged so we can more easily debug bugged missions. |
Bravo, good sir. i tip my hat to you.
Dr. Todt's theme.
i make stuff...
Quote:
Indeed, thank you.
|
Originally Posted by Schismatrix
Master-Blade supplied the relevant notes. Bravo, good sir. i tip my hat to you. |
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Schismatrix
Master-Blade supplied the relevant notes.
Bravo, good sir. i tip my hat to you. |
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ignatz
Indeed, thank you.
|
Quote:
I think it's been around that long, Blade. But the dropped it to once in a three day period a couple of years ago. That's probably what's sticking in your mind.|
Originally Posted by Master-Blade
No problem at all. It just took a quick search in the Wiki. The thing I found odd was that those patch notes were from September of 2006. I didn't remember the feature being that old. I only started playing in July of that same year. time is just flying by! haha
|
Edit: Yep, in the Feb 12, 2008 Patch notes.
Quote:
Well yeah, I didn't disbelieve the Wiki. It just surprised me. I bet you are right about the change to 3 days sticking in my mind.
|
Originally Posted by Red Valkyrja
I think it's been around that long, Blade. But the dropped it to once in a three day period a couple of years ago. That's probably what's sticking in your mind.
Edit: Yep, in the Feb 12, 2008 Patch notes. |
Quote:
Funny thing about that is that I still agree with that sentence of his post in reply to what he quoted. The dialogue says that missions can be dropped for bugs or difficulty, so dropping for bugs isn't "the only reason" that we have this feature. I don't think that we should be able to drop any mission that we feel like dropping just because, so I probably should have read the rest of his post a little more thoroughly. I honestly hope that they read the logs of the Carnie hunts in PI in Harvey Maylor's arc that I always drop because, while they aren't bugged, they are poorly-designed, given how scarce Carnies can be in that zone.
|
Originally Posted by Master-Blade
Original Mission Dropping Feature Patch notes:
* You will now be able to drop missions that you receive from Contacts. Dropping a mission will carry with it everything that completing the mission successfully does. It will advance story arcs, improve Contact XP, grant special powers, give Mission Complete XP, etc. You will not be able to “replay” the mission you dropped. This is done this way so that you are not stuck on a Story Arc, or are missing a vital Temp Power needed later on in the mission chain, etc. * In order to drop a mission, you must be the mission owner, and you can talk to the Contact that gave you the mission. If the mission is droppable, an option to drop it will appear. There are a few caveats to the Mission Dropping Feature: * You can only drop one mission every 7 days with this feature. If you need to clear a mission, but have already used this feature in the past 7 days, you will need to contact Customer Support as normal. * You can not drop timed missions. * You can not drop missions that are part of a Task or Strike Force. * You can not drop missions that give badges as Mission Completion rewards. * Some other missions are marked as "undroppable." These are missions that have rewards that are well above average. * You will not be given the choice at all to drop missions that are undroppable. You will need to contact Customer Support in order to clear these missions. * If you are on a team with someone who drops a mission, you will receive no rewards for the mission. * Missions that are dropped are logged so we can more easily debug bugged missions. |
"I wish my life was a non-stop Hollywood movie show,
A fantasy world of celluloid villains and heroes."
Quote:
If you read MasterBlades post of the Patch Notes for the auto-complete feature you will see there is no "strictly use for bugs caveat", therefore it was provided to players to use as we please within the stated restrictions. I was not in error.
|
Originally Posted by Frost
Half right. Missions that require simultaneous clicking, missions where you can't find the last item or enemy yes. Everything else no.
The auto-complete feature was not *intended* to let people drop annoying missions or things that were too time consuming. It was a side effect, one they knew about but it was NOT it's intended use. You're correct when you say there's no right or wrong way to use it in that the auto-complete police won't come running if you drop a mission that isn't bugged. But you can't argue intent like you were and if you use it to drop an annoying mission you risk not having it when you get a truly bugged and impassable mission. |
Mmm..
I love the auto-complete/drop feature...
I do agree devs primarely made this feature to assist with the
at the time" high opportunity of missions being bugged. I think, today bugged missions are seldom.
A secondary reason for mission to be droppable or autocomplete, had to do with AT "soloability". Some AT builds can go thru any content and complain about challenge or lack of; while some ATs and particular builds within the AT set just don't have a chance under certain environments. Imagine an Emp Defender in a Carnie heavy with Illusionists mission doing the thread alone; while after a ton of break frees, enourmous patience may finally defeat the mission, one could wonder if that was actually fun or just tedium?
This second reason, maybe now questionable with the itnroduction of the difficulty slider.
The introduction of the "red indicator" of las mob or clickie, may also make the auto complete function to come into question as well.
For myself, I confess to wantonly use it when I think the mission is essentially a "bs" mission or one that has retarded travel, like you are in Perez Park, and your next exiting mission is to Kill All in a cavern, just like you had in the past 3 missions but this time at Dark Astoria.
A BS mission in my book, for instance, is in a Heroes' Hero, towards the end, you are supposed to defeat Siege, but its a kill all, in a power plant filled with clockwork. You ahve stairs, you easily and consitentenly are knocking away clocks chasing them all over, etc. A very annoying mission. This is one, that sane people should skip and complain to devs about.
Stormy
(I don't know what the technical term is for calling a contact and completing the mission without actually doing it; I just call it "auto-completing.")
Why are some missions set so that you don't get the option to auto-complete them? Montague, in particular, seems to not like auto-completion for lots of his missions. I know you used to be able to auto-complete the raptor-pack mission in KR, but that was changed; I guess they figure you should earn it. But, in general, why are they so adamant about some missions being done manually? Thanks, all.