Can we get a bit more of a wrap up to First Ward?

I completed First Ward last night. My very first point is that I loved it. The writing, the zone, the enemies, all were fantastic. There's only one problem. The ending left me feeling really hollow. On a normal arc, you get a definite "Nice job, call me again some other time" thing, usually after stopping a major event from going down. In Praetoria, not only did each arc wrap up with you stopping a major event, but you also left getting to see how you'd affected everyone's life.

First Ward didn't really have that. Everything's still broken and messed up. You seem to just leave everything in the lurch at the end of the final arc, with a fairly bland "Fate says we're going apart now". You haven't undone all the bad stuff you had to do to get there. You never really get much closure on what happened to the mastermind behind all of it after the final mission. You've never really helped the survivors after stopping the assassination attempt. Apparitions seem to still be everywhere, as is Diabolique.

It's doubly unsatisfying because all of the previous arcs made you feel like you were a real force of change in the area. It felt like, because of your actions, the survivor compound was turned around, the Carnies were growing back together, and you were finally getting to the bottom of the Apparitions. Even the lengthy Apparition bit made you feel like a badass. (The Seers bits and the Asylum were quite chilling as well). But after the last few parts, everything seems to suddenly get worse again and then you're just sort of pushed away. No, we'll deal with it now. By ourselves. Because you'll be back on Primal.

Did anyone else get this feeling or is it just me?

There are two more Incarnate Trials coming. I wouldn't be surprised if they wrapped up First Ward and the whole Praetorian Invasion arc.

I would, ideally, prefer if it could be wrapped up within its own level bracket, with possible references to the First Ward stuff. As it is now it feels like you're leaving the place with a lot of unfinished business, I'd prefer if I didn't have to wait another 25 levels for closure.

The biggest problem I have with the new arc is that there aren’t any badges for finishing the long new story arcs. They are cool and all, really love doing them. But why no badge?

And I’m feeling the same way as the OP. It was over so sudden and no real ending. Though very cool zone and there are some of the best missions in the game in this zone.

I think the reason you don't get any closure is because the First Ward isn't that kind of zone.
It's not a zone where you get closure, much less a happy ending. The First Ward is the first missions a Native Primal would be able to take in Praetoria canonically, and for Praetorians, this is either your chance to return or find yourself casted out from the wonder of Praetoria proper and into where anything that's considered a rising threat to Cole goes.
You're at a level range where you're becoming a heavy hitter, one of the big boys, but the First Ward is meant to remind you that in the end, at this stage, you are still but a leaf on the wind, helpless and unable to help against forces much greater than yourself, and with how even Diabolique and Mother Mayhem's Seers seem to only have minimal effect, it shows that even level fifties are simply trying to stop only to get rolled under the wheel of inevitability.

In summary, I tend to look at the First Ward as sort of a warning to characters who might not think Praetoria is half-bad as a: "Behold the inevitable fate of this world and despair."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow City of Heroes is a game about freedom of expression and variety of experiences far more so than it is about representing any one theme, topic or genre.

I was told that no matter which choices you made, you couldn't ever be a Loyalist properly and side with Cole or Mother Mayhem, even if you are a villain.

This turned me off right form the start, so I never did the arcs. It sounded like just working with the good guy carnies and never having the moral choice to change sides and help Tilman or the Seers, so I didn't see any point.

My character is on Diabolique's side, so fighting her is out of the question

So the repeatable contacts give aligned missions? Villains can act like villains?

I haven't found these yet, do you need to fight through the 8-part arc to unlock thew repeatable contacts?

Thanks!

Guess I'll go see what Angela has for me to do.

I'd like some more closure as well, particularly for a certain character that I've become attached too. Leaving the fate of that character uncertain, without any other choice, leaves me wanting more.

I hope it's not resolved in a trial. As fun as the trials can be, and as interesting as their stories are, some of these plot threads I would prefer to be resolved in a setting similar to First Ward - that is, a zone rather than a trial.

I just took my first character through First Ward, and, while I thoroughly enjoyed playing through the arcs, also was left with a "Huh? That's it?" feeling at the end. I'm hoping for some level 30-39 content in the future to continue on with the story.

Just to give one big example of what I mean...

Spoilers incoming.






Let's give it a bit more space
















That should do.




Mistress Nadia can apparently restore Makara's spirit sight. But, not right now, because Talons are attacking. After that you go back to Vanessa and she's off to the next bit, and eventually you stop Serene (kill? I'm not sure, that wasn't clear either) and then are sent off. Did Makara ever get help?

Or Noble Savage and the Forlorn. We know they took heavy losses. Is Noble okay? We know he's alive, sure, but we don't even get to go back and give a "thanks!" or "how's it going?". We just kind of have to abandon the Forlorn and Noble Savage presumeably with crippling injuries and losses. We don't even get a "Thank you, <name>, but I'm alright. We will manage without you." I just have to go because destiny said so. What gives?

This totally discounts what happens with Katie or Diabolique, anyway, and if anything First Ward's problems are even worse now the Apparitions are just free. There just seem to be a lot of loose ends that not only do you not clear up but you are explicitly told you're not wanted to help clear up. It just feels a bit weird after all you've been through with that fledgling community.

I agree that the ending of First Ward did not feel cathartic or final in any way. I kept thinking there was something more . . . a new contact . . . maybe something unlockable that I hadn't discovered . . . but no, there was nothing else.

At a minimum, I think that Vanessa should introduce players to one of the zone's repeatable missions contacts. It took me a while but I found at least 3 of them, I think there may be one more villain contact that I haven't found.