Vincent Ross Arc (Spoilers)


Blood_Beret

 

Posted

So I ran Vincent Ross's Arc. The story line was pretty good. But there are parts of the missions got monotonous. I was set to +0 x1

Ambush triggers in 2 or 3 of the missions after defeating each amush another follows, and so on... they had to be atleast 5 or 6 chained ambushes.

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Find Bolt mission.

First room has 2 potals. One portal leads to the next section of the map(like elevators/lifts). The other teleports you to a cave room full of Spectal Lts(lots like 2 spawns of 10 for me they were +1). The portal out is on the other side of the room.

The end of the second section is 3 portals. 1 allows you to continue, the other 2 are to another Cave room.

The end of the Third Section there were 6 portals. I did not check one of them, but 1 went to the next section and the other 4 was the cave room.

When exiting the cave room, you back at the begining of the mission.

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Fight the Legacy Chain Army.
Similar to the first mission of the Alpha Slot arc, you are buffed. I quit counting the waves of massive ambushes. 4 boss(LT scaled with stone pet) 2 oe 3 Lts, and 6 or so minions. You only get xp for minions. On a Bots FF it took forever to kill all these masses.

Overall I felt that the mission was so monotonous that it took the fun out of the mission. Anyone else get that feeling.


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blood_Beret View Post
The end of the Third Section there were 6 portals. I did not check one of them, but 1 went to the next section and the other 4 was the cave room.
Only 1 of the final 6 Portals take you where you need to go.

Supposedly, the correct one looks different. I've yet to see it, however.




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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kheldarn View Post
Only 1 of the final 6 Portals take you where you need to go.

Supposedly, the correct one looks different. I've yet to see it, however.
It's the arrangement of the torches in front of the portal.

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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blood_Beret View Post
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Find Bolt mission.

First room has 2 potals. One portal leads to the next section of the map(like elevators/lifts). The other teleports you to a cave room full of Spectal Lts(lots like 2 spawns of 10 for me they were +1). The portal out is on the other side of the room.

The end of the second section is 3 portals. 1 allows you to continue, the other 2 are to another Cave room.

The end of the Third Section there were 6 portals. I did not check one of them, but 1 went to the next section and the other 4 was the cave room.

When exiting the cave room, you back at the begining of the mission.
In the briefing of the mission, you're told that you'll want to go into the correct portals as dictated in a clue dropped by the boss (Well, Lieutenant but he's spawned like one) you fight towards the entrance. Otherwise, you'll end up in the cave room like you did. With the first two portal sets, the clue pretty much outright says whether you should go into a portal with a red color or not. With the last one, the portal that looks different is the one you want, but the difference is sort of subtle. If you want a hint, look at them from the side. If that's not enough, look at the way the torches are arranged in front of each one.

EDIT: Curses, beaten by Samuraiko!

I personally thought having a little puzzle mission was a nice touch but I imagine not everyone agrees.

Quote:
Fight the Legacy Chain Army.
Similar to the first mission of the Alpha Slot arc, you are buffed. I quit counting the waves of massive ambushes. 4 boss(LT scaled with stone pet) 2 oe 3 Lts, and 6 or so minions. You only get xp for minions. On a Bots FF it took forever to kill all these masses.

Overall I felt that the mission was so monotonous that it took the fun out of the mission. Anyone else get that feeling.
It seems that how fun this mission is depends on whether you're AoE or single target oriented. My bots/traps had a lot of fun with it due to his plentiful AoEs but single target oriented characters will probably find it to be a slog. Maybe the buff you get with the mission should give you a damaging aura so those who don't have as much AoE potential can decimate the army in short order. Both AoE and single target oriented characters, though, can probably agree that having to defeat each ambush entirely before the next ones come was probably not a very good idea since the survivors love to run all over the map.

As for the XP issues, I thought we were lucky to get any XP at all in that mission, since nothing in the mission posed even the slightest threat thanks to the buff we had. I suspect the Devs probably didn't want people to farm the mission but didn't want it to be a total waste of time either, hence why we got some XP but not a whole lot.


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Posted

Hmm, I'm assuming that the Legacy Chain Lts. in this arc count towards the gladiator badge for the Legacy Chain?

I still need to get that one on my badger and if there are a lot of Lts that get spawned....


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Posted

I must have missed those clues, but I don't remember any of the NPC's saying anything.


@Blood Beret(2)Twitter
I am a bad speeler, use poorer grammar, and am a frequent typoist.
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You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. Winston Churchill

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blood_Beret View Post
Find Bolt mission.
Botis, not Bolt.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blood_Beret View Post
I must have missed those clues, but I don't remember any of the NPC's saying anything.
The very first NPC you meet, the Portal Keeper drops a Clue.


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Posted

the first portal is the one shrouded in the color of anguish

the second portal is the one not the color of anguish

the third portal is which is unique to all the others.

Or some mumbo jumbo

Here are the portals in Question


notice the one in the very front, the one that is unique to all the others. Thats not the unique one you're looking for. The unique one you're looking for is in the 3rd row.



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I think this is the best arc in CoX, but I wouldn't play through that last mission solo on a MA stalker. My favorite part is fighting off Task Force Overdrive


 

Posted

So I am doing it on another character. The portal hints aren't said by the NPC, you have to look in the clues.


@Blood Beret(2)Twitter
I am a bad speeler, use poorer grammar, and am a frequent typoist.
MA ArcID: 1197
You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. Winston Churchill

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zombie Man View Post
The Clues provide a clue?! Unpossible!!
Well I was under the impression it was like Darrin Wades arc, where the NPC tells you the phrase. Guess that is why I never saw the hints.

But that is what I get for Assuming, and everyone knows what that means


@Blood Beret(2)Twitter
I am a bad speeler, use poorer grammar, and am a frequent typoist.
MA ArcID: 1197
You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. Winston Churchill

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mekkanos View Post
I personally thought having a little puzzle mission was a nice touch but I imagine not everyone agrees.
I loved it! I was actually stuck for a good few minutes looking at the six portals and wondering which one is "different".




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Posted

I just found out the temp disguise power you get in Darrin Wade's arc keeps the demons from attacking you if you pick the wrong portal.


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by warden_de_dios View Post
I think this is the best arc in CoX, but I wouldn't play through that last mission solo on a MA stalker.
Try a Claws stalker, fresh from Praetoria. It's a fun mission, but there's a distinct feeling of "Haven't they figured out they won't win yet?" after a while. Though Overdrive's TF does make up for it. Getting to be the AV was pretty awesome.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Energizing_Ion View Post
Hmm, I'm assuming that the Legacy Chain Lts. in this arc count towards the gladiator badge for the Legacy Chain?

I still need to get that one on my badger and if there are a lot of Lts that get spawned....
I think they do, although gladiators don't have progress bars so it's hard to be sure. Overdrive's Task Force definitely counts toward Hero Slayer.


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blood_Beret View Post
Ambush triggers in 2 or 3 of the missions after defeating each amush another follows, and so on... they had to be atleast 5 or 6 chained ambushes.
There are, as a point of fact, 10 ambushes per trigger. I counted their NPC dialogue entries when it was all said an done.

I'm not sure what the thinking was behind including nearly a dozen ambushes per mission. Maybe that you'd hurry and complete the mission while fighting off the ambushes. This doesn't work, because the game is incapable of spawning infinite ambushes without separate triggers, so you can bet that any ambush spam will eventually end. At such a point, simply waiting for them to end is the easiest approach.

As far as the arc itself goes, its' one of my favourites, as well. The writing in that arc is exquisite! I keep using Vincent Ross as evidence that Paragon Studios still employ talented writers. The lore of the arc is... A mess, but at least the arc's internal logic is sound, the writing is solid, the plot strokes the ego and it does at least SOMEWHAT tie into existing canon. I give it an A- for effort, but needlessly making up lore where it isn't required.


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow View Post
As far as the arc itself goes, its' one of my favourites, as well. The writing in that arc is exquisite! I keep using Vincent Ross as evidence that Paragon Studios still employ talented writers. The lore of the arc is... A mess, but at least the arc's internal logic is sound, the writing is solid, the plot strokes the ego and it does at least SOMEWHAT tie into existing canon. I give it an A- for effort, but needlessly making up lore where it isn't required.
What do you mean by this? I'm not a lore junkie by a long shot, but as far as I can tell all the arc did was explain the leviathan-golem-coralax-merulina connection (which we knew existed), basically tying up the Sharkhead storyline.


 

Posted

I didn't even know he existed until someone told me. Luckily I have an up-and-coming villain who should get him in 5 more levels.

Speaking of not knowing about him... someone should update the Sharkhead wiki page to include him as a special contact.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by SlyGuyMcFly View Post
What do you mean by this? I'm not a lore junkie by a long shot, but as far as I can tell all the arc did was explain the leviathan-golem-coralax-merulina connection (which we knew existed), basically tying up the Sharkhead storyline.
Merulina was related to the Coralax. The Leviathan was summoned by the Coralax to get rid of the Mu. Merulina was not connected to the Leviathan, until now. Merulina was a space god. Some mysterious "entity" powering her was just made up for Vincent Ross's arc. The Blood Coral was just made up. The demon bound by the Midnighters was just made up. The Coralax twisting people's memories was just made up.

The other problem with people you just made up is that they ask us to trust them but we have no reason to, especially redside. Virgil Tarikoss is more trustworthy than this Vincent guy I just met...and he tried to have me killed.


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eva Destruction View Post
The Coralax twisting people's memories was just made up.
I'm going to take issue with this last bit. The Coralax didn't change Vincent's memory, his exposure simply...tinted his worldview, and we already have precedent for that bit, since Barracuda's origin is effectively the same thing.


 

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lazarillo View Post
I'm going to take issue with this last bit. The Coralax didn't change Vincent's memory, his exposure simply...tinted his worldview, and we already have precedent for that bit, since Barracuda's origin is effectively the same thing.
Ok, fair point.


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Arc ID#161629 Freaks, Geeks, and Men in Black
Arc ID#431270 Until the End of the World

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eva Destruction View Post
Merulina was related to the Coralax. The Leviathan was summoned by the Coralax to get rid of the Mu. Merulina was not connected to the Leviathan, until now. Merulina was a space god. Some mysterious "entity" powering her was just made up for Vincent Ross's arc. The Blood Coral was just made up. The demon bound by the Midnighters was just made up. The Coralax twisting people's memories was just made up.
Well, the mysterious entity behind these powerful beings we already knew about - this is just a rare moment of candour. The demon was a bit of decorative detail on the side, not really related to the Leviathan's lore. The only really new news is the relation of Merulina to the Leviathan, and the use of the Blood Coral. Speaking for myself, my constitution is sound enough to withstand two revelations per arc.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by SirFrederick View Post
Well, the mysterious entity behind these powerful beings we already knew about - this is just a rare moment of candour. The demon was a bit of decorative detail on the side, not really related to the Leviathan's lore. The only really new news is the relation of Merulina to the Leviathan, and the use of the Blood Coral. Speaking for myself, my constitution is sound enough to withstand two revelations per arc.
We knew about a mysterious entity behind...Merulina? Funny, I thought Merulina was a mysterious entity in her own right, being a space god and all.

These aren't revelations. "Oranbegans wear humans like cheap suits" is a revelation. "Rikti are mutated humans" is a revelation. This is stuff they just made up to shoehorn the Well in there (Merulina), give us the illusion of choice (Botis) and give us a temp buff while pretending they're "making villains feel powerful and evil" (Blood Coral). There's a difference.


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