Shard drops and a major issue.

First this is not a rant. I like to new system, and eagerly await more!

I see a disturbing trend happening since the launch of i19. Now I know that a lot of this is simply because our high end characters have a new goal to shoot for, which is awesome.

But I have noticed that the lower level players/newbies are having a difficult time starting tf's at their level. I am not immune to this either. I have found myself looking at the various chat channels I belong with; ignoring the request to do a manti, or posi simply to get the high end content for the incarnate shards.

I feel this is creating some alienation between the older community and the younger one and believe to help stop this, it would be better to at least let the common shard drops happen for those that have completed the Alpha arc at the same drop rate they are now at.

Now I would not say to go as far as granting the uncommon shards to be dropped as an reward for completion; as those should remain for high end rewards.

This way the younger group should have an easier time to get the lower end tf's going and all of 45+'s still at least get to work towards our Alpha goals.

Without a doubt it is the newness. I just think this might have been a poor choice by the devs to not include the shard drops at least for the lower end tf for the high end characters. I totally get the concept behind the choice.

I am just afraid that given the choice, long term wise, do i either run a low end or high end that some would decide for the high end.

Hyperstrike hit it just right.. Hey there are players out there with more than 6 years of game time under their belts and with multiple 50s on multiple servers. Suddenly all those 50 levels have something NEW to do. Something designed to make them more powerful .. make them, eventually, the equal of Statesman or Lord Recluse. Of course they are concentrating on it. I can remember what it was like when COV finally upped the maximum level a Villain could be from 40 to 50 (to match the COH heroes) and 40 level villains were rushing around desperately trying to get those next 10 levels.... about the ONLY thing any of them wanted to do with low level content was obtain all the badges they'd skipped. I made MILLIONS letting 40 levels team with me on badge missions when they discovered that now those badges they'd skipped were part of accolades that granted them added powers.

It may take a while but eventually everyone will have their 50 level all slotted with uncomon alphas and until the rare/very rare or another SLOT opens up they will go back to leveling alts.. if for no other reason than to get them to 50 so THEY can start slotting. I'm usually willing to team with anyone these days thanks to SSK but even I have turned donw or completely ignored Tells asking if I wanted to join a 43 level AV team or a Silver Mantis SF. "Hey I am in shard acquisition mode here! I don't have time for that stuff right now. See me in a month or so" :-D


Oh and speaking of badges don't forget you have the serious BADGE Hounds out there right now racing around Praetoria and all the hazard zones grabbing up all the new badges they have access to as well. The very first character I logged on when 19 went live was my badger.. My 50 level Crap Spider [Rogue] and after I got my a common slotted in my Alpha I tool time out to grab ever history, exploration, accolade, defeat and event badge in Praetoria and then made the rounds grabbing up all the new exploration badges/accolades in the hazard zones as well. And trust me I was not alone in the underground beneath Nova Preaetoria, Imperial City or Neutropolis.

Honestly I think incarnate shards should work exactly like vanguard reward merits, except they drop from everything and not just rikti.

Once a character unlocks his/her alpha slots, incarnate shards should gain the very low drop chance from everything, including low level stuff. That way, 50s could still help out lowbies and still get the chance of getting incarnate shard drops without having to feel like they're not making any progress.

I'd be pleased if post-alpha slot 50s could get shards on more TFs, especially the Task Force Commander sextet. That would expand the array of oft-played events.

Since the Very Rare slot takes two Rares to make, it might be worth making another uncommon for when they do release them? I know I will be on Alpha.

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.

If the Rare is anything like the Uncommon, then I'd say save as many shards as possible and make at least two Uncommons for every Very Rare you want. Because if a Rare Costs an Uncommon to make (hypothetical) and a Very Rare costs two Rares (Known Fact) then the components you will need to make the two Rares will probably require quite a lot of shards.

And thats not even counting the Judgement and future slots, which I would assume would use the same salvage, right? Or at least still use Incarnate shards. So...It won't be wasted, I'd hazard a guess.

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.

My suggestion to the OP is to wait until January or even February of 2011 and take stock of the situation then, after things have settled out a bit.