Feedback: "Who Will Die?" Part 1

I've run both versions, though I have yet to do so as the team leader, so I haven't seen the contact dialogue or clues. On the whole, I thought the arcs were entertaining, though not the best ever. I'd rate them about the same as one of the better AE arcs or tip missions (i.e., far better than i0 content; not as good as, say, many Going Rogue arcs).

I'd also like to take this opportunity to beg and implore the developers to please, please, please make some story arcs for ranges above the 20's. I assume the devs focus on the 20's because it's easy to balance content for this range, but after issue after issue that adds arcs to this range, I'd like something higher in level. (When's the last time we got some arcs for levels above 29? I think it might've been i13, with Daedalus and Sister Arlia.) The teens and especially the twenties are groaning with content, such that each alt can take a different path through them. The thirties, by comparison, are a desert, where each character must do the same thing in order to level because there's so little to do relative to the leveling rate.

I will also add to the feedback that the map work was AMAZING! Good job artists! Now if we could just talk about the awful Statesbro & Warwork splash screen...

I kid, I kid... mostly... okay, not really, I do hate that splash screen with undying vitriol, but the maps were still stellar. I wish the Hollows really looked like that!

As far as the story goes, I will reserve my judgment until the writers have shown more of their hand.

I24 Proc Chance = (Enhanced Recharge + Activation Time) * (Current PPM * 1.25) / 60*(1 + .75*(.15*Radius - 0.011*Radius*(360-Arc)/30))
Single Target Radius = 0. AoE Non-Cone Arc = 360.

Here are my suggestions:

1: Instead of the Mission Kick alone if the timer runs out while you are escaping the first mission, please add a cutscene with some falling rocks and damage (Heh, "Rocks fall, everyone dies"). Having it just kick you from the mission feels anticlimactic.

2: Please add a badge for clicking the three glowies before the ambush timer runs out during the Pumicite ambushes in the second mission.

3: In the final mission on villain side, please have the Freedom Phalanx (all of them, at full AV power and level 50+) actually show up at the very end and let us fight them if time runs out (actually, I will have to double check to ensure this is not already the case, but I beleive it just Mission Kicks you). They have their teleporters, they won't get too beat up.

4: If we are going to be exemped, hand wave it with a line of dialogue at least. The artifact is draining our powers. ??? knows we are interfering and limits our power. Time Travel. Planetary alignment nanite bla bla bla. Something.

5: Please add a page of comic book exposition to the splash page. This will help non-mission-holders potentially get more of the story.

Something I forgot to mention: I didn't like having to click past the loading screen, simply because I kept forgetting to do it. Is this "click twice to start the mission" system going to replace the "just click on the door" we've had for several years now? If so, I need to start looking for it.

I'd just like to say that Super Speed + Lava = Thank Deity for Rocket Board!

I like how Penn Jillete is the bad guy. Must mean Teller is the mysterious voice.

Oh, and unless Death by Lava is the intended preferred method of defeating Lemkin, he at least needs one of those ranged psychic blasts the Lost are known for.

There was a story in this? I was too busy running from stuff trying to beat a clock in two missions and the last mission, I was too busy trying to fight ambushes to notice a story. Kinda reminds of writing on Khan TF: a cure for sleepness.

I´m not a native english speaker and i´ve got a feeling that i do misunderstand this.
Please enlight me someone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Positron A player who starts playing SSAs in the middle or the end of the arc isn't gated by the week-long cooldowns.

What is meant by "middle or the end of the arch"?
Is it meant to be the middle or end of the first part of the story arch we just got to play?
If so, how do you start in the middle or end?

Or is it meant to to be the middle or end of the whole WHO WILL DIE Story Arch?
So that you start with for example part 3/7 or 6/7?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Positron They can play each SSA and get the good reward table every time. Only after they have done the "First Time" will they be gated further by the week-long cooldown.

So there is really a possibility to get H/V Merits or anything else of the 4 options with the same char again and again without the 7 days cooldown, and thats alright by the Dev´s?

How do you do the "First Time" thing?
How do you avoid it?

From a mission design point of view I really enjoyed the story arcs. There's no defeat-alls which is an absolute blessing but the missions do have some nice surprises along the way to mix things up from a standard defeat-the-boss fare we're so familiar with. While I know it's a controversial bit, I enjoy the 'escape' mission objectives. I do feel that it would be more interesting if escaping didn't simply involve backtracking. I know the first mission sends you to a different part of the Organbegan map but I feel like having an actual cave-in or something blocking the way out of the final room and having to find an escape route from there would have allowed for a more continuous feel of progression. But of course, I understand there are environment limitations from a practical perspective.

The plot was interesting and has a really good hook at the end to keep players invested, but the hero and villain sides were so similar in structure that it was a bit disappointing. If I had to say which side I thought was more interesting it would be a clear victory for villains. Being able to assert yourself with the Circle as an ally or an independent villain added some flavor as well as some depth to how you could approach the final mission. Frankly, I also thought Alastor was a more interesting contact than the Lost whats-his-name contact for heroes. Villains also get a more substantial fight at the end with a few waves of ambushes by heroes. If the arcs are going to remain this closely linked in structure I do hope that we'll see more ways to deviate from the static adventure that heroes have in this arc for both sides.

I also was a tad disappointed that it was only three missions for what is a paid product for premiums. I hope we get more lengthy adventures as the signature story arcs continue. Finally, I hope we won't be stuck at level 20 for this entire arc. Let us use those abilities we've been working on in those incarnate trials!

One thing that I want to point out that I continually enjoy is the vastly, vastly improved sound design in the game. The music cues that we're getting these days are fantastic and I hope we only see more of them.

Overall a good first effort but I hope to see some minor tweaks as the arcs move forward. Keep the fun coming!

On the UStream today, they called the unseen person in the blue side cutscene "he".