Great, the incarnate system requires completing a mission arc

I was talking about Incarnate-specific content, and I'll pay any card I want, thanks. If you want a thousand ways to unlock the slot that's trivial to do: the devs can make one for taking three steps forward.

Those other options were stop gaps because actual dedicated content didn't exist. When they decided to take a step back and dedicate resources to making actual story content dedicated to unlocking Alpha, the rationale for that bridge content disappeared.

You're right. Doing the arc IS a Hobson's Choice. We have the choice to either do this arc or go without.

In a way I'm torn between calling the "choices" in dialogue a series of Morton's Forks or just plain unimportant. Nothing you do changes the final outcome. In the end it doesn't matter, because either way it is completely immersion breaking.

However, it is also a Faustian Choice in that the Well is portrayed as an entity with a decidedly sinister motive for granting its power to the character.

Short term sales that don't promote re-reading and causes a high turnover rate in their fan base. Also comic readers eventually grow up and leave because they are not mentally stimulated enough.

I thought the goal was to increase long term subscribers.

If that is where they are headed, that might be slightly interesting. However that would require far more work creating multiple storylines. It would also be a powerful disincentive for players to run the arc NOW. Players wouldn't know if they'd get completely shut out of a future reward because of a choice they made in the past.

Triumph: White Succubus: 50 Ill/Emp/PF Snow Globe: 50 Ice/FF/Ice Strobe: 50 PB Shi Otomi: 50 Ninja/Ninjistu/GW Stalker My other characters

I don't see Ramiel's arc as Incarnate-specific. At best I see it as a prologue (and a poorly written one at that), nothing more. Incarnates are what happen after this arc currently.

And they could have used that time to beef up the rationale for those other methods to unlock the slot as well. Or they could have left those other means for those that were HAPPY with them. That way those that complained could have this new arc to do, while those that were ok with the previous unlocks could do them.

This could have been a win-win situation (people that wanted an arc to explain things and the people that were happy with the TF/SF/Trial/Raid unlocks) rather than having people upset.

Triumph: White Succubus: 50 Ill/Emp/PF Snow Globe: 50 Ice/FF/Ice Strobe: 50 PB Shi Otomi: 50 Ninja/Ninjistu/GW Stalker My other characters

It didn't for me

Incarnate-specific as in story content specifically implemented to be part of the Incarnate system.


There is a presumption by many that more options, regardless of circumstance, is always a good thing. I am not one of them. I've done my time helping to expand options across the board, so I don't have any problems whatsoever in saying that there are times that just proliferating options so everyone can do whatever they want and get the same result is an abrogation of game designer responsibility. They might as well just throw the design docs away and implement the game from a wiki at that point.

In this case, repurposing older content to unlock Alpha sets a dangerous precedent, that being that players will expect the same options to be available for every Incarnate slot. And at that point, its just another purple system, not a progression system. And I would then judge it a waste of time and resources.

I think you're confusing some kind of theoretical definition of 'good' with what people actually enjoy reading. The most popular and best-selling fiction genre in the US suggests that a lot of people find predictability both highly enjoyable and something they're willing to spend money on.

So what's the problem? They put it in an arc to give people lore and let people meet Ramiel so they know where to go for info on the Incarnate system.

The arc doesn't take long, it's not terrifically hard and its additional content.

Do you really want the Devs to start releasing Issues that have only new rewards for OLD content?

Hey Issue 20: New Incarnate powers. No new content, have fun with more ITFs and the same ol arcs.


Is it repetitive? Yes it is to an extent. However no one is forcing people to have 10 alts or get incarnate stuff for 30 level 50s. If people are going to play that many characters, at some point all of it will get repetitive and the devs can't design the came JUST for people with alt-idos.

In my opinion Ramiel's arc is not, and will never be, part of the Incarnate System. Just as I don't consider Montague's arc to be a part of Cimerora.

And, again, I'm not asking for them to throw out the new arc. They did open the door however when they tied those tasks to the Incarnates by the end of task rewards. Even the two actual Incarnate TFs do not award Incarnate Component salvage. They award shards.

So on one hand they are saying "these tasks are related to Incarates" and on the other hand they are saying "these tasks are not related to Incarnates".

Ramiel's arc allows for other means to unlock the ability. It also says that there are Incarnates that don't know they are connected to the Well.

It already is "just another purple system", just another form of loot. It drops, you have to craft the abilities, you have to slot those abilities.

In addition, in this case, re-purposing older content that is already connected to the Incarnate System to unlock the Alpha Slot allows players to avoid the problem that Cimerora has today: people may feel like doing a task (ITF), but didn't realize that they haven't unlocked the zone on that character.

As to the "waste of time and resources", that time has already been spent. The unlocks were already made and tested. The reward tables were modified, twice.

One problem with that: after you talk to Ramiel at the end of the arc you can't go back to see the information. Isn't it great that a helper / background info NPC completely shuts up after you've done what he wants?

Yeah, and if someone just wants to do a harder bit of content, why can't they have the option?

No, but when the new rewards are already being awarded for OLD content, then it isn't a stretch to make that same content unlock the ability.

Nice straw man, I love how you have stuffed him.

That is funny. This MMO is the most alt-friendly game out there. That is exactly what sets City of Heroes apart from every other MMO out there. So you are pretty much for throwing that out the window?

Triumph: White Succubus: 50 Ill/Emp/PF Snow Globe: 50 Ice/FF/Ice Strobe: 50 PB Shi Otomi: 50 Ninja/Ninjistu/GW Stalker My other characters

The game mocks your opinion