Faultline - Croatoa, the perfect story zone or what?
By
Agent White,
Posted on: 2012-01-04 24:43 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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I don't think we really disagree very much. My putting it second had more to do with how unsatisying I found the other zones to be. In particular I don't like the way the last arc in all three ends by sending you to a task force/trial contact who basically says, "OK, that's as far you're going. If you come back with a bunch of friends I'll let you see how it ends."|
Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
Mr. Morbid, I agree on most of what you said about First Ward, but we seem to disagree on the implications of it. To you, those are problems that don't detract from the zone being a favourite, whereas for me what you mention as negatives are deciding factors. The enemies being hard isn't such an issue, but the story doesn't end AT ALL, it drops off on both a cliffhanger and a downer one at that, and it's so laden with "Sit back and watch the mission designers pat themselves on the back!" missions that it just becomes a chore.
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As far as First Ward, I do believe it is a zone worth doing. But only worth doing ONCE. The pacing of the missions with lots of dialogue isn't so annoying on that first time through, in fact for me it makes the missions feel a little more 'alive.' But now that I've seen it I don't think I could stand taking another character through. And I totally agree with you regarding the 'ending.' There is no end, it just stops and you're told to go bother someone else.
PS I also hated that Master Midnight's bio was put up on the main site. I think his true identity is something that most players would enjoy more working out for themselves or at least seeing the in-game reveal if they haven't figured it out already.
_________
@Inquisitor
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I totally agree with this assessment. Which is a damn shame, given how much effort was put into First Ward. And how it's blocked off by the golden VIP-only rope.|
Originally Posted by Mr_Morbid
As far as First Ward, I do believe it is a zone worth doing. But only worth doing ONCE.
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--NT
They all laughed at me when I said I wanted to be a comedian.
But I showed them, and nobody's laughing at me now!
If I became a red name, I would be all "and what would you mere mortals like to entertain me with today, mu hu ha ha ha!" ~Arcanaville
I agree with that. But I think that is the problem with most storyline driven stories. If you play it to find out what happens - once you know there is no point to doing it again.
Whereas action films have a storyline as a macguffin while you enjoy the action and can watch it again and again.
The missions have to be fun, not just furthering the plot.
Mr. Morbid, I agree on most of what you said about First Ward, but we seem to disagree on the implications of it. To you, those are problems that don't detract from the zone being a favourite, whereas for me what you mention as negatives are deciding factors. The enemies being hard isn't such an issue, but the story doesn't end AT ALL, it drops off on both a cliffhanger and a downer one at that, and it's so laden with "Sit back and watch the mission designers pat themselves on the back!" missions that it just becomes a chore.
No game is ever perfect, and City of Heroes is not exception. However, usually there's something I really like about what I'm doing, so that I don't really mind all the things that annoy me. In First Ward, there really is nothing that I particularly like, and so the annoyances end up deciding for me. I mean, it's pretty... I guess, if that ever really mattered (not to me, not for zones, anyway), but beyond that? The story is a continuation of Pratoria, yes, but Praetoria itself is a storyline that I'm not too fond of, a sort of needlessly cruel dark and horrible future where no good deed goes unpunished. Then First Ward turns around and recasts all the actors. Vasilokos wants to wear people's neck veins where before he was a kind man, Noble Savage hates the Resistance where before he was with them, Katie Douglass - one of the few purely good characters - is transformed into an annoying insolent ***** (and stuffed in a frigde) and the whole "Warden" angle to the resistance has been flushed down the toilet. They don't exist and the Resistance is evil now.
The storyline lost me right after the stereotypical black voodoo woman, the enemies are creative but annoying (especially the bird-feet women), the Gozer building isn't enough to impress on its own it all ends in what may well be the most unsatisfying conclusion in the game's entire history. First Ward, to me, is a prime example of how the little things can fail what is otherwise a high-concept, genuinely good idea.