Make City of Heroes free to play and make leveling faster
By
Aett_Thorn,
Posted on: 2010-12-20 13:42 in Suggestions and Ideas
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No, not in the least. It's been said 100 times the game is in the content and the story, not in the levels or at the end. Only just now are we seeing serious stuff to do at 50. Leveling is a by-product of playing. I would hate to see it sped up. |
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
I've played for three years on and off. I paid for Going Rogue and the one month that came with it. Then I quit. I payed for one month when Issue 19 came out (it's great haing Stamina and Swift early and for free). I'll quit again after the holidays. I just can't play his game for as many hours as I used to. Gaining levels is still a grind, even though it's much faster than it used to be.
Personally, I'd like the game to be more friendly to the casual gamer, which is what I'm turning into. No subsciption cost, only fees for expansions like Going Rogue and the costume packs and such. I'd also like to see leveling get much faster, so that I can play only a few hours a week and see good character leveling progress. Is anyone else drasitically reducing their playtime and feeling like I do? |
As for F2P, no thanks. I'd end up paying more through the expansions etc than I would on subscription likely.
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No, please don't. I only get to play very randomly during the week, and the leveling time is fine. Having it go free to play means I'd have to spend more money in the long run to get the things that I get for free now. That's a net loss for me.|
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
I've played for three years on and off. I paid for Going Rogue and the one month that came with it. Then I quit. I payed for one month when Issue 19 came out (it's great haing Stamina and Swift early and for free). I'll quit again after the holidays. I just can't play his game for as many hours as I used to. Gaining levels is still a grind, even though it's much faster than it used to be.
Personally, I'd like the game to be more friendly to the casual gamer, which is what I'm turning into. No subsciption cost, only fees for expansions like Going Rogue and the costume packs and such. I'd also like to see leveling get much faster, so that I can play only a few hours a week and see good character leveling progress. Is anyone else drasitically reducing their playtime and feeling like I do? |
The leveling speed has already been increased to a point where it's too fast, IMO. I'd rather not like it if it was increased more.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
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IRL is working me so hard if I reduced my CoH time any more the game would be playing ME. =P|
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
Is anyone else drasitically reducing their playtime and feeling like I do? |
But when I am able to log on there's more interesting stuff to do than ever- in fact, this is the first time I can remember when *EVERYTHING* didn't come to a screeching halt except 'the event' (whichever event it was). Sure lots of people are running this or that winter deal, but I'm still seeing people looking for tip teams, people forming TFs, people looking for Alpha teams, and there are enough people completing Lady Grays for Rikti invasion to be something of a regular occurance- a few times a week I'll log in to check my market traps and catch on with a Rikti team.
I mean, everyone has their own ideas of fun and if you're not feeling it right now, fair enough. But from where I'm sitting there's more stuff and cooler stuff going on than ever before. I wish I had more time to check it all out.
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
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I've drastically reduced my playtime but I don't want it to be free to play nor to level faster. What would be the point to leveling faster with less time to play?
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Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
I've played for three years on and off. I paid for Going Rogue and the one month that came with it. Then I quit. I payed for one month when Issue 19 came out (it's great haing Stamina and Swift early and for free). I'll quit again after the holidays. I just can't play his game for as many hours as I used to. Gaining levels is still a grind, even though it's much faster than it used to be.
Personally, I'd like the game to be more friendly to the casual gamer, which is what I'm turning into. No subsciption cost, only fees for expansions like Going Rogue and the costume packs and such. I'd also like to see leveling get much faster, so that I can play only a few hours a week and see good character leveling progress. Is anyone else drasitically reducing their playtime and feeling like I do? |
total kick to the gut
This is like having Ra's Al Ghul show up at your birthday party.
I personally don't care if leveling speed was increased even further.
Free to play is not happening though. I would gather the rest of this community up, pass out the torches and pitchforks, and rise up as one to slay anybody who was behind that idea if it came true (barring some crazy circumstances) :P
No thanks, and no thanks.
CoH has a wonderful community, I've yet to see a F2P community that compares.
And, I'm already turning off xp so as not to out level content too quickly.
.
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Don�t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary. - R.W. Emerson |
YUMMY Low-Hanging Fruit for BASE LUV
Please, for the love of god, no.
Goodbye. Not to the game, but the players. Goodbye. Everyone, remember to have fun. That's all I can say.
A definitive no on Both counts
On Second thought...
Make that HELL NO! on both counts
On Justice
Global @Desi Nova Twitter: @desi_nova Steam: Desi_nova. I don't do Xbox or PS3
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Nope. I don't want to play free to play. Ever. i don't like the scrubs and unwashed masses that 'grace' us with their presence. No thanks. |
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
I've played for three years on and off. I paid for Going Rogue and the one month that came with it. Then I quit. I payed for one month when Issue 19 came out (it's great haing Stamina and Swift early and for free). I'll quit again after the holidays. I just can't play his game for as many hours as I used to. Gaining levels is still a grind, even though it's much faster than it used to be.
Personally, I'd like the game to be more friendly to the casual gamer, which is what I'm turning into. No subsciption cost, only fees for expansions like Going Rogue and the costume packs and such. I'd also like to see leveling get much faster, so that I can play only a few hours a week and see good character leveling progress. Is anyone else drasitically reducing their playtime and feeling like I do? |
I still play lots. I enjoy being on vent and teaming with people. That makes the game much better. I see that CO is going F2P. They are a sinking ship and had to take desperate measures to make profits. They didn't put much care into the game and it seems like a pure cash grab. They have turned me right off and their business practices are sickening.
This game isn't perfect but it's my fave MMO.
I'm with the rest of the responses here, but just as a question and a thought exercise... how would you want them to gate the game, then?
Every city zone beyond Atlas/Mercy/Nova costs $2-10?
Every 5 or 10 levels you're barred until you pay $1-10 per character?
You can only play Fire Blasters, Stone Tankers, and Empath/Psi Defenders unless you pay?
IO's stop dropping unless you subscribe, and you can buy individual ones as well?
Some combination of the above? Or maybe some other F2P model I haven't been witness to yet.
How about hell no and hell no?
And if you level "even faster," what are you going to do? Hit 50, do the incarnate bit and then... exemp down and do all the stuff you skipped on the way up? Why not just *do it the first time?*
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My brute wants to hurl rocks and footstomp NOW not several weeks from now. My brute wants to have a full attack chain, dish out full damage and have full defenses NOW. I really don't like operating at partial strength.|
Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
How about hell no and hell no?
And if you level "even faster," what are you going to do? Hit 50, do the incarnate bit and then... exemp down and do all the stuff you skipped on the way up? Why not just *do it the first time?* |
I want the leveling to 50 to be real quick, then the developers can make all future content for level 50s.
What if I want to try out an illusion controller some weekend? Its weeks of "work" through stuff I've done many times before until I get the higher illusion powers. The content is not "skipped" I've done it all before.
Too bad.
You want the goodies? You put in the time to earn them, or go without.
"I want everything, right now, for free" is an absurd thing to ask for.
My characters at Virtueverse
Faces of the City
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Well, it really sounds like this is no longer the game for you. I'm not saying this to be mean, I've had to move on from a game before. Suddenly the direction they were going didn't fit me, and I came here. I sincerely hope you find something here that makes your sub worth the money.|
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
My brute wants to hurl rocks and footstomp NOW not several weeks from now. My brute wants to have a full attack chain, dish out full damage and have full defenses NOW. I really don't like operating at partial strength.
I want the leveling to 50 to be real quick, then the developers can make all future content for level 50s. What if I want to try out an illusion controller some weekend? Its weeks of "work" through stuff I've done many times before until I get the higher illusion powers. The content is not "skipped" I've done it all before. |
I'd bet that most players that want Free to Play don't have a firm grasp on just how drastically that would change the game.
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what?|
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
I've played for three years on and off. I paid for Going Rogue and the one month that came with it. Then I quit. I payed for one month when Issue 19 came out (it's great haing Stamina and Swift early and for free). I'll quit again after the holidays. I just can't play his game for as many hours as I used to. Gaining levels is still a grind, even though it's much faster than it used to be.
Personally, I'd like the game to be more friendly to the casual gamer, which is what I'm turning into. No subsciption cost, only fees for expansions like Going Rogue and the costume packs and such. I'd also like to see leveling get much faster, so that I can play only a few hours a week and see good character leveling progress. |
Leveling faster? This game is ridiculously easy to level in.
And I have multiple alts on multiple servers, that may get just a couple hours a week of play and I see progression quite comfortably. In fact, I stop playing them and move to other alts simply because I don't want them to move too quickly.
Flawed premise is flawed.
And free to play? Get out with that crazy idea. I like the pace of new stuff being added because we pay them...
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Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
Is anyone else drasitically reducing their playtime and feeling like I do?
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City of Heroes was my first MMO, & my favorite computer game.
R.I.P.
Chyll - Bydand - Violynce - Enyrgos - Rylle - Nephryte - Solyd - Fettyr - Hyposhock - Styrling - Beryllos - Rosyc
Horryd - Myriam - Dysquiet - Ghyr
Vanysh - Eldrytch
Inflyct - Mysron - Orphyn - Dysmay - Reapyr - - Wyldeman - Hydeous
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*Tilts head*|
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
I want the leveling to 50 to be real quick, then the developers can make all future content for level 50s.
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Are you SURE this is not a troll?
No, seriously, there are far too many MMOs like that. Why in the world would you want to be given everything, and ONLY THEN be given something to go do with it? To me, that is boring. I do all this work, do all this grinding, finally get my character to level 50 so I can go out and run missions -- for what? What am I gaining? What reward am I getting for playing? My character is ALREADY everything I could want in him. What purpose is there in playing him any more?
To me, the purpose of an RPG is in the earning of a level. Earning that footstomp or that Phantom Army is my goal in playing. Once I've GOT them, it's either off to the next goal, or start something new and fresh. And I shouldn't NEED that footstomp prior to earning it, unless I'm teaming with friends that are all over 30 and I'm in my teens. (And I've been there before, and its awkward, but can be fun in its own way. Besides, it usually doesn't last more than a couple of weeks) The game is designed to increase its challenge as you level, so you should not be "at partial strength", although the system is certainly not perfect.
Even the Incarnate system, or "raids" in some other MMO, are just another way of levelling and achieving new goals. You are never given everything to start with. Each time some other MMO raises their level cap and adds new goodies, they make obsolete all of the old "goodies" that everyone worked so hard to own. So then you start off earning your Hurl and your Footstomp (Omega Hurl and Hyper Footstomp, now) all over again.
You may want that rat race, but I don't. And since this game is well known for going 180 degrees from that direction, I'd hazard a guess most other players don't either. We want an endgame that supplements the journey to 50, not forces us to grind to 50 so we can start it.
And I'll add that your stated goal above would be completely the opposite of what you claim you want. The LAST thing the casual player wants is a grind to 50. If you are truly serious about ensuring there is content for people who can only play occasionally, for a few days or weeks every couple of months, you would demand more low level content. You know, like GR. Perhaps more powers or items that could be opened up in the lower levels. It seems like the last thing you should be asking for is for the whole game to start at 50.
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Funny thing - those enemies you fight are set to deal with you at your strength at any particular level. You want those powers? Play that character more consistently. It doesn't take that long to level NOW. |
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
My brute wants to hurl rocks and footstomp NOW not several weeks from now. My brute wants to have a full attack chain, dish out full damage and have full defenses NOW. I really don't like operating at partial strength.
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| I want the leveling to 50 to be real quick, then the developers can make all future content for level 50s. |
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| What if I want to try out an illusion controller some weekend? Its weeks of "work" through stuff I've done many times before until I get the higher illusion powers. The content is not "skipped" I've done it all before. |
If you see it as "work," maybe you should take a "break."
I'm not interested in seeing CoH going F2P anytime soon, although certain measures could be taken to ensure a healthy community (such as charging for forum accounts). After seeing the success of other subscription games that went F2P I'm not as averse to the concept as I was a few years ago, but I don't think CoH needs to go that route yet.
@Demobot
Also on Steam
That's going to have to get a big fat no from me as well. The thing I don't think you understand is that this game is built to be very alt friendly. A lot of people, myself included, enjoy creating new characters and coming up with new concepts and power combinations. I only have two level 50 characters, and I do enjoy plating them from time to time, but I also like playing new characters.
Now, suddenly they decide to do what you're saying and start only making content for 50ies. Congratulations, guess which characters are now obsolete? Now I'm forced to rush to level 50 just so I can get to all the "good stuff."
And the F2P thing is just plain stupid. Now only does it attract a lot of unwanted players, but it also takes away a big source of income for the company. Then they're going to have to start charging us for thing we usually got for free. Do you want to pay for each issue? How about they take away all new costume pieces added for free and start charging us for them? Sure, now there's no subscription cost, but now everything else is put into micro-transactions. Sorry, but it sounds like a lot of "not fun" to me.
Arc ID: 348998 - Becoming a villain
Arc ID: 373341 - To Save a Hero
Got Inf?
I don't want to beat a dead horse but I'd like to make one more point by way of an example. I have a PS3 and the first game I bought for it was Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. I have bought several other games for it and they have all been traded in for new games, except Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. That game is so good, the controls so smooth, that I've played the entire campaign 3 times.
Mostly, though, I just jump on once in awhile and do a few quick Special Ops missions. There is no leveling and no subscription fee. That's what I wish I could do at this point with City of Heroes. Jump on and play a few missions without it being a lifestyle choice of dedicating hours and hours in order to make progress towards those powers I want. And of course, I wouldn't pay $15 a month to do a few missions once in a while. That's why the subscription has to go.
I actually have two friends who used to play CoH with me. But they are casual gamers and they refused to spend $15 a month and grind out the levels. I bet I could get them both to play the game with me once a month or so if there were no subscription and no leveling.
Thanks for all the replies by the way. I expected much worse but you have all been polite.
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So, given your example, what you really want is a console game version of CoH. That might actually be pretty cool. Why not just ask for that as a new, stand alone thing instead of recommending that they gut the MMO version of CoH? That way, you'd get your console game (that doesn't charge a subscription rate), and the rest of us would get to keep our MMO (that recieves regular free updates, new content, etc)?
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Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
I don't want to beat a dead horse but I'd like to make one more point by way of an example. I have a PS3 and the first game I bought for it was Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. I have bought several other games for it and they have all been traded in for new games, except Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. That game is so good, the controls so smooth, that I've played the entire campaign 3 times.
Mostly, though, I just jump on once in awhile and do a few quick Special Ops missions. There is no leveling and no subscription fee. That's what I wish I could do at this point with City of Heroes. Jump on and play a few missions without it being a lifestyle choice of dedicating hours and hours in order to make progress towards those powers I want. And of course, I wouldn't pay $15 a month to do a few missions once in a while. That's why the subscription has to go. I actually have two friends who used to play CoH with me. But they are casual gamers and they refused to spend $15 a month and grind out the levels. I bet I could get them both to play the game with me once a month or so if there were no subscription and no leveling. Thanks for all the replies by the way. I expected much worse but you have all been polite. |
Feel free to try out my AE mission arc, # 473452: Praetorian Redemption
@Valerika
I also have a PS3, and CoD:MW2, and I do agree it's a fun game. But the thing is, Call of Duty isn't constantly expanding. They aren't adding any new campaign missions, or spec ops. No new weapons being added, or new options. They have added some map packs, but those cost money.
Now look at any other MMO. They are constantly adding new content, weapons, items, zones, enemies, and what have you. The "campaign" if you want to call it that, is different every time. There are multiple contacts spread throughout city of Heroes and Villains, and no two characters can really level up the same way.
That's the difference between games with a subscription and games without. With a subscription, you're constantly getting tons of goodies and items added. With games like Call of Duty, you pay a flat $60, and that entire game is all you get. Nothing new is added with the exception of patches to fix bugs and maybe some paid content packs.
And really, $15 is hardly expensive. I could pay the same price for a movie ticket and some popcorn, which gets me about 2 hours of entertainment. Or, I could drop $15 on this game, and get a whole month of entertainment on my own time. I understand you don't like the idea of constantly paying for a game, but there are reasons we have a monthly subscription.
Arc ID: 348998 - Becoming a villain
Arc ID: 373341 - To Save a Hero
Got Inf?
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I still find any reference to "grinding out levels" here in COH amusing. You want *grind,* go to Aion. It's one of the things that finally drove me from there. "Oh, you need 1,000,000 gold for your next skill. By the way, you have about six skills to upgrade. Oh, you want some improved wings? 4.5 million. Then run down to the Abyss (where you're still underpowered) and grind away for stigma shards, and be sure to be at every Fort raid you can to try to get medals for the decent gear... which you'll outlevel in a week. Oh, you want *flash* armor? Get 5 characters on the same side to 30 (itself a bit of a grind,) hope they all have the money they need during the quest! Good luck!" |
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
I actually have two friends who used to play CoH with me. But they are casual gamers and they refused to spend $15 a month and grind out the levels. I bet I could get them both to play the game with me once a month or so if there were no subscription and no leveling.
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Honestly, you could probably measure grind by how well the RMTers do. Here, they're almost quiet. There, there's always more RMT ads 9by the time I left) and RMT "stores," among other things, than actual talking.
Edit: I also have to add one other thing, at least personally, about F2P games. I end up basically not *caring* about what I make there - even in the ones without limitations (such as Guild Wars.) Add in limitations (like... I think it's Warhammer that limits you to level 10?) and they likely don't stay installed for a week. Then you're either paying for levels, paying for areas, paying for equipment (or staying an underpowered "froob" - "free noob") - IF the game updates at all.
No, I'll stick with the sub on COH.
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You are looking for this. There's also a sequel. Pick it up, it's lots of fun! |
Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
Mostly, though, I just jump on once in awhile and do a few quick Special Ops missions. There is no leveling and no subscription fee. That's what I wish I could do at this point with City of Heroes. Jump on and play a few missions without it being a lifestyle choice of dedicating hours and hours in order to make progress towards those powers I want.
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This is an MMO. The "making progress towards those powers I want" is part of the idea of the game. If you don't like that, then you don't like that. There's nothing wrong with that, but this sort of game is simply not for you.
This isn't a game you buy once, play for a week, and then throw it away. Or you could, but that's not the best way to play it. What this is, what makes this an MMO, is that it is a SUSTAINING ENVIRONMENT. The game doesn't cease to exist when you're not there. It's always there, always other people playing it, even when you aren't. It's not your own little private virtual world, it's a shared world, that continues to evolve and change. Or at least, you hope it continues to evolve.
There are MMOs that go on a "free to play" business model. But they are either substandard, they make their money by enticing you into additional purchases, or both. One way or another, you've got to pay for this game, it takes servers, and maintenance, and sustained development, and SOMEBODY'S got to pay for that. It doesn't take any additional money to pay for Call of Duty, that game is done, the programmers have moved on to something else, and it's never ever going to change. You're not going to end up paying $15 for Call of Duty for the next month, you're going to end up paying $60 for Call of Duty 2 or 3, of 15 or whatever next number there is in the series.
I don't know what to tell you about your friends that don't want to play more than once a month. I will say that if you or they are insisting that you have to grind to 50 so you can start playing, you have WAY missed what this game is about. You can team with anyone, of any level, in this game thanks to sidekicking. So if you and your friends don't want to spend the same amount of time levelling then you won't have to worry about being able to team. Instead of trying to grind through the game, why don't you try playing it, and enjoying the journey, instead of the destination?
Honestly, if you don't like the game because of the gameplay, you're not going to like it at 50, either. You might as well just decide that now. But personally, I find the fun of this game is in the teammates. It's not in the gameplay, it's that this is a shared world where I get to watch my friends achieve their goals as well.
I've played for three years on and off. I paid for Going Rogue and the one month that came with it. Then I quit. I payed for one month when Issue 19 came out (it's great haing Stamina and Swift early and for free). I'll quit again after the holidays. I just can't play his game for as many hours as I used to. Gaining levels is still a grind, even though it's much faster than it used to be.
Personally, I'd like the game to be more friendly to the casual gamer, which is what I'm turning into. No subsciption cost, only fees for expansions like Going Rogue and the costume packs and such. I'd also like to see leveling get much faster, so that I can play only a few hours a week and see good character leveling progress.
Is anyone else drasitically reducing their playtime and feeling like I do?