Woot, Super Packs!

That brings us to the larger question of what a fantasy game (like an MMORPG) provides as entertainment.

If the emphasis is on the "fantasy" part, in CoH's case the adolescent power fantasy of superhero comic books, then failure becomes problematic since it breaks that fantasy's illusion. For those players looking for that kind of fix, then naturally other fantasy games - swords 'n' sorcery fantasy (Orcs vs. Dorks!), sci-fi fantasy (Space Wizards!), action-movie-style fantasy (Modern Gorefare!) - would be more attractive than a game that frustrates them. "Theme park" games cater to this type of MMO player. Additionally, F2P MMO players are notorious for bailing at a moment's notice for greener polygonal pastures since they tend not to make lasting commitments to their virtual communities, say, a simple subscription payment.

On the other hand, if the more important aspect is, well, the game, then winning every time would sap the satisfying challenge from the experience. A game you can't lose isn't a game any longer, and a game that doesn't require teamwork, on some level, isn't an MMO. For players in search of competition-driven stimulation, whether PVP or PVE, faceplanting is just another experience to be learned from*. This kind of player thrives in a sandbox online world—which CoH wasn't much of one to begin with.

So, yes, the Super Pack inspirations will appeal to a certain type of player. They'll tip the odds in their favor for a nominal price and keep them playing CoH Freedom. They'll make them feel more "super". ("And when everyone's super... no one will be.") This is hardly a deal-breaker issue as far as I'm concerned, just another recent decision from Paragon Studios where we part company.


* These are classified as "Achievers" in the Bartle Test.

Long and hard-won experience has taught me:

Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.

lol! :d

Yeah the heroes never lose mentality is what I was alluding to, but only partially. I was alluding to the more aspect of the typical mmo player being more a casual player, that a F2P game will appeal to . . . which like it or not this game now is.

Learning by frustration is an old mmo standard that just isn't realistic in the mmo market environment we are in.

But as you explained it's not a deal breaker.

Also I'm not so sure that for the typical player "the game" is all that important. The typical COH audience over the years has not been one that is all that into competitive play (see how pvp failed on so many levels here) or extreme cooperative play of raiding. I just don't think the majority of players of this game have been in to either. Ever.

Case in point: As many people that welcomed the Incarnate trials, there are many that didn't and wanted a different type of reason to play their 50s more. I think that the devs were honestly surprised that so many asked for a smaller teams or more traditional teams (8 players) option. Based on my experience with this community over the past 6+ years it didn't shock me at all. Most COH (notice I said MOST) players (expect for a minority of min maxers) aren't a hardcore players who are interested in "fail till you get it right". They'd rather quit the team and go do something else.

Indeed. The irony was a bit too rich that these newbies were teaming up with the estimable TonyV, who runs the best information repository for this game, but couldn't follow his directions on this task force. "Casual MMO player" was once a contradiction in terms, yet now it's the Next Big Thing. Maybe it's the games industry, maybe the economy, maybe just the way of the world.

It's all three. What's funny is I think the "hardcore mentality" seems to be more acceptable for single player games (See Skyrim, etc.) than for mmos now.

When just sometime ago it used to be the other way around. (I mean in recent times, I'm well aware that some people loved their old NES games cause the beat the pancake out of their thumbs. When I was younger and didn't have obligations, I too was like that ).

I think the "pay" issue is also critical like you alluded to. I say this while epitomizing this myself. Lately I've been playing FFXIII (forgive me if we still can't mention other games here but it's the only way i can get this point across Zwill ) and it's gotten very punishing very fast unless you do a significant level of grinding to upgrade your characters.

The level of which I (and I suspect many other mmo players) would not accept nowadays. However I would not accept in an mmo because I pay a monthly fee and I think my time is being wasted by such things for something with a reccurring payment. Yet I got FXIII nearly free (used) and thus don't mind taking my time on it and grinding it out. Why? Mentally to me it's not costing me anything every month so wasting time on it doesn't matter.

yes I know it's silly, but I think similar rationalizations are made by modern (also read younger :P) mmo players today when dealing with pay vs free to play mmos.

sorry for the ramble, but I just find the Free vs Pay issue now in MMOs over the last 4 years fascinating.

And LOL at another recent space faring mmo doing very well even though it's a pay one (though I have heard that it's super casual also)

The dreaded grind is what MMO designs used to inflict on subscribing players to fill the time. I'm not sorry to see that unchallenging game mechanic lose popularity (although I appreciate that some old-school players got into its rhythms).

You mean Space Wizards of the Ancien Régime? To nobody's surprise, it features a large amount of content that's more or less a single-player experience, while other MMO facets like PVP are in dire need of bug-fixing. Odds are it will go F2P as soon as Sony is confident enough they can recoup its ~$250M budget.

LMAO!!!

What? You've been paying attention to the mmo market for the last 5 years or something?