When I say I want +0 ...

Recently, i've been having entire missions spawn as +1's when i've specified for +0's. And in one case, recieved +1's on a mission set to -1.

What I sincerely would like to see is a "And I want only this level to spawn." option at the Fortunata/Hero Corps person.

Now, this isn't a way to just eliminate any sort of a challenge. If I wanted a challenge, I would agree to have a challenge set for me, not dumped on-top of me without my known. Kind of like say, a Task Force, where I sign up knowing there will be a challenge, rather than walking into a standard mission where oops, everything is suddenly a step harder than I wished it to be.

Leave the option there for people who like variation in their enemies, but for me it is beyond frustrating, as I choose to play many squishes (At low level, before SO's, dont y'know?) where landing an attack on a +0 enemy let alone +1 is a task enough.

+1's have always spawned inside +0 missions, since before you could choose. Every once in a while, the random number generator hates you, and gives you maps full of only +1's. It happens, but it's rare. On other occasions, the enemy group you're fighting has a minimum level range, so setting the mission lower than that would have no effect. The same can happen the other way, where you've set the mission for +3's, and the mob group caps out at +0, so you get a map filled with +0 mobs.

While I don't necessarily think that your suggestion is bad, I don't really see the need for it, either. Even squishies can take out +1 enemies, as they've been doing this since issue 0.

I haven't made an AE arc in a while so don't know what the options is called or if the options are still available but...

Maybe what you're seeing is that whole 'ramp up' mechanic going on? I know there is/was other options when setting enemy groups on a map, but the one I remember is that ramp up one, where the enemies start out weak but get stronger the further in the map you go.

Basically what I'm saying is, it might have been *designed* that way to wave the levels of the spawns on a map so some spawns would be harder than others or harder toward the boss or the ambushes being tougher or whatever. In which case, I'd more likely side with the author having the say in how things spawn in an arc rather than the player. Sure, you can still say no bosses or AVs, but where and how they spawn should be left to the arc/author.

Sometimes, for effect, you want the level of the enemy to vary. Or just to mix it up some or keep the player on their toes.

Yeah, I find it annoying sometimes too when certain enemy groups spawn two levels higher than I asked...but the other times for the other enemy groups, I usually don't mind. You get to see if you can pull out that extra stop, use that BU/Aim, use that tier 9, pop those inspirations or bust out with the temp power to make the spawn just as dead as the last. And when the whole map is tough, then mayhaps the mission was suppose to be a rough road compared to others? Annoying as it may be, if you can still handle it, then you could have been running that difficulty the whole time.

T'would be nice for the option there. Since I mostly play alts these days, un-buffed enhancements tend to miss a lot, whilst enemies tend to hit a lot when they're +1.

My point is, I would prefer to subscribe to a challenge (I.e., set to the difficulty I desire) rather than have it pushed at me. Sometimes, now I will admit, I enjoy these challenges, for a character like my pitifully weak FF/Psi Fender .. well .. that ends as would be expected.

And, to state again, this idea would be optional and turned off by default, so that people who still want to occasionally face enemies higher than specified can do so in peace.

On the 'Ramp Up' issue, I think that is sometimes the case. Though I can thoroughly say i've been on missions where the only correctly conning enemies were one at the front and one at the back.

And finally, yes. The god of Random Generators hates .. just about everyone

/signed

At higher levels, +1 isnt that big a deal. But below 30, it can be brutal for some archtypes. Especially when some missions feature an EB.

+0 should mean exactly my level - period.

This would be great. I hate soloing on low level defenders and be stuck facing orange lieutenant ambushes that I simply cannot defeat without popping all my inspirations.

While you're at it, could the fortunatas and hero corps have an option not to spawn Void seekers, similar to the don't spawn bosses?

Voids are meant to be the unavoidable downside of playing an "epic" Archetype, the Kheldian equivalent of kryptonite. Whether they actually fulfill that function, or are needed, is a matter upon which opinions vary.

I've suggested this many times before, and I will agree with it again. I want to see an option which removes level variance. If I picked +0, +1 or -1, then spawn enemies of that level, not enemies one level above what I asked for half the time.

I've nothing against keeping existing options as they are, provided I have an extra option, call it "Prefers to fight enemies of a consistent level." Let me pick that if I choose to, and let other people looking for more challenge or more variety choose to disable it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcanaville Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

Maybe I'm just crazy or my memory is playing tricks on me, but I swear the whole +1 mechanic changed with our new advanced difficulty settings. Previously when you were fighting at default difficulty you could get three minions at +0 or two minions at +1, or a minion and a lieutenant at +0 but just a lieutenant at +1. Basically, when you get a higher-level group you get a smaller group to make up for it and get basically the same difficulty.

Now with the new system we get three minions at +1 or a lieutnenant and a minion at +1, which is naturally an increase in difficulty, maybe not a noticable one to a tough melee toon, but to a squishie that can make a world of difference.

Then there's also the issue that where the whole +1 to your setting dealio may have worked with the old system, but I dare say it doesn't with the new one. With the old the highest group-size multiplier was just x2, now we can solo up to x8 if we choose to. Only, the bigger the group is, the bigger the difference a single level makes. Say, you can have high-action battles at +0/x4 but +1/x4 is just a frustrating brickwall. Or say, you and two buddies can deal with an AV at +0, but at +1 it becomes an insurmountable obstacle.

So long story short, in all the ways the new system encourages customisation, the whole random +1 code just ends up discouraging getting too fancy with it and erring on the side of too easy than on too hard just because otherwise the game will flip you the bird. Oh, and before anyone says they like the current +1 code thingamajig, naturally that would still be an option. After all, we all like having more customisability and options and all that shizniz.

I have the same impression as you, Samuel, at least concerning vanilla Paragon City.

I think the devs forgot about their own little rule of balancing +1 spawns around the CoV launch, meaning anything designed after that no longer holds to that rule (like 40-50 content and things like the Hollows). Praetoria is no different, which is one of the reasons it seems so much harder than hunting hellions for Azuria in Atlas park.