The Root Problem.

I find this to be an odd complaint considering that to get to these personal story missions in the first place you need to run some of the most grandiose content that the game contains and you're in no way discouraged from doing so solo. Did you feel "less heroic" when you ran Solaris' story mission after you soloed what was quite rightly described as an actual army of powerful monsters? What I took away from that arc was that those missions were supremely badass and I was fairly badass myself for refusing help at the end. Getting a small respite for plot thickening after that isn't excusable, it's appreciated.

As a returning player, I don't share the OP's frustration. I really enjoy playing this game. I log in nearly every night, even if only for a half-hour, and I just purchased another game card to extend my VIP status until nearly Memorial Day.

I'm not going to say the OP is wrong, but I don't see things the same way he sees them. I like having well-developed NPCs to interact with, and I can definitely see the growth of the dev and writing teams when comparing missions from older issues with those from the newer ones.

Case in point: Earlier this week I found myself doing the 'Wheel of Destruction' arc given out by Cain Royce in Talos Island. The last three missions are just...odd. The third-to-last is basically just 'take this thing to Atlas Park'; if you start your travel power too quickly you'll miss the ambush. Once there, you're told that MAGI will safeguard the object and keep the bad guys from getting hold of it. Which makes the last mission particularly frustrating when you're told the bad guys got hold of it and you have to get it back, and then you're told after you do so that, no, really, *this* time we'll really, truly safeguard it and keep the bad guys from getting it. Really. We mean it this time.

But there's a mission in between these, and it's just 'drive through Indy Port and visit these five phone booths'. Yes, really. I don't want to dump too much on whoever had to put this arc together, but the idea that having the bad guys immediately swipe the object from MAGI was a bit unbelievable, so we'll just toss in a tour mission to make it a bit less unrealistic that the bad guys could steal the object so quickly? Not sure how that thought process goes. (On the plus side, doing the tour got me a badge, so there's that.)

The thing that really made this mission stand out is that this character had just completed the Vanessa DeVore arc in First Ward. Damn. I'm desperately hoping there are more missions at 30+ I haven't seen yet so I can go back there and clean up the mess I left behind. (Specifically w/r/t Katie Douglas, not to give out any spoilers or anything...) Yes, the devs have more tools to work with to spice things up, but the contacts have much more depth and character too (I laughed out loud at more than one of Master Midnight's dialog windows) and the combined effect is that the missions are just more interesting and engaging than "go beat up 30 Family".

I'm excited to see where the devs and writers take us next. Sure, you're playing a character, and sure, you've got an idea of what your 'story' is, but unless you're playing a villain, the story isn't really all about you -- it's also about the people you help, and those stories, to me, are more interesting the more you know about those people (and the more you can envision how you'd react).

So, despite the OP's distaste for having his character 'second-banana'ed' by a bunch of NPCs, I'm going to ask for more. This is what I play this game for.

--
Pauper

I don't know, Remus... I can kind-of see where you're coming from, and I'm with you on the personal SG issue. (I have a second account just so I can invite characters to my own-) The "not so super"-bit though? I'm not so sure about that.

I know we're not supposed to compare different games here, but I'm going to take the risk, just to illustrate something...

My "other MMO" is that pretty Korean game with the stabby, winged people in over-done armor. (Hush. I have a thing about wings. ) My current favorite over there is a Templar. Think of that as something like your classic Shield/Broadsword Tank. She's a relatively low damage/high survivability meat-shield, with a Taunt and a Gauntlet effect and everything. She's decently equipped for a mid-level toon and I play her reasonably well.

Two even-level Lt-scale enemies can absolutely take her apart if I'm not VERY careful. I'm talking "eat your face before you can blink twice" here. Even using exactly the right things at exactly the right second, she'll still come out of that fight battered and half dead. That's in no way unexpected or unusual for the game she's in, or for many other MMOs out there. It's "standard difficulty".

Now, keeping that standard in mind... Think about what even an SOed, run-of-the-mill City Tank can do in comparison, much less what a kitted-out full Incarnate is capable of. My blue-side main is a 50+3 WP/Dual Blade with a pretty solid build. Even when he was mid-level without all of his fancy toys what he could handle vs what Qinn can survive is absolutely night and day. Palrah feels very much like a superhero to me. He can afford to be a little fearless. My Templar will never be able to do that.

So, maybe it's just a matter of perspective as much as anything. Have you tried any other games, Remus? (I would actually recommend trying others out if you haven't. I think it's useful to see the way different games handle different design goals and different player expectations-) City characters really are a lot more super than most of their digital cousins. They may not be All That when you look at what they face internally in the City world itself, but they really, honestly are worlds away from your average Elyos, Jedi, Night Elf or Hobbit.

ETA: I know you clarified that it isn't entirely a matter of power per se... But I do think that the relative power of player characters has something to do with it. It doesn't feel very heroic getting pummeled to death by a pair of over-grown hamsters. (Trust me. I know. Freakin' MuMus. >_<) Being able to jump into a pack of two dozen Praetorian Greater Devoured and coming out the other side though? Oh HELL yeah. And that's a direct product of the power level of the characters involved.

The Katie Douglas situation will be resolved at some point

I've been telling you guys time and again, this isn't the story of our heroes and villains, it's the story of The Hero and The Villain. We get to relive moments of their lives. Now, The Praetorian, too. I suppose you could even include The Peacebringer, The Warshade and the Arachnos Soldier to those ranks.

For your own personal story? I suggest you take up roleplaying or writing, because it's the only way you're going to be satisfied with it. Everything else in-game is going to fall short one way or another.

Me? After playing much of the New Dark Astoria content, I gotta say I'm having a blast. Questions I've posed time and again have been answered (albeit in a quick "Oh yeah, this is what happened!" manner, but I'm fine with it). Situations left open have been addressed in a way that serves as a plot hook for the future. The game is PROGRESSING and showing no signs of wanting to slow down.

I'm happy with this. I want more.

I was feeling burned out before I-22. Now, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat again.

Bravo, Devs.

I am kind of floored by the RP elements of the complaint. Really, you object to the devs giving NPCs their own story, as opposed to letting you create one for them?

I think it makes complete and total sense that your ability to define the world around your character starts and ends with that character and their actions. I get people who complain about the limits on our actions to actually define the world, though I also get why that's not easy for MMOs to deliver. But I don't get objecting to the devs providing lore for characters who aren't your own.

Like many others here, I completely do not agree with the "no longer feel heroic" bit. But you're not the only one with that objection, at least. I've never heard anyone complain about NPCs getting a story before.

That trying to skip the solo-only narrative missions can block other missions I agree is less than ideal.

A bit confused by this...you are saying we are FORCED to do teh personal missions in order to progress in DA? Leaving aside the fact that said personal missions are 5 minutes each at teh worst...answer me this.

I went to DA with a friend. We started the arcs together. On getting Heaters solo mission..we both said..'Oh, its solo. Let's keep going with the contacts and do the solo one whenever we have time.' And..you know what? The game had NO ISSUE with this. It let us be introduced to the new contact, go see said contact, start and progress through his arc...all without going near these 'evil' personal missions.

So...again..please tell me..WHEN are we forced to do them??

Oh...I see. The limit of story arcs that has been in place since..I started playing? Which has..you know..NOTHING to do with the personal story missions at all. And..if he did have to many arcs open..doesnt that just mean he has a lot of NON personal missions active, meaning he maybe needs to take his own advice and go do arcs that are not the personal ones..

I really liked the personal stories. Seeing how my actions had greater effects than on the immediate story, how I influenced events that will be of great import in coming events was really cool, and the delivery method made those revelations more meaningful than simply recieving a bit of text detailing those events, or hearing about them from the mouth of an NPC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything_Xen I must be wired backwards. I know exactly how powerful my main is... and he's REALLY powerful. The fact that I'm facing enemies that require over a dozen people just as strong as me to defeat just impresses on me how powerful my enemies actually are and how important it is they be defeated. And I feel damn heroic when we win.

It's not just you. When a couple dozen individuals of near-godlike power have to gang up on one dude to take them out I don't think "man, I guess we're really all wimps after all". I think "Holy wacamole, this guy is TOUGH".

Quote:

Me? After playing much of the New Dark Astoria content, I gotta say I'm having a blast. Questions I've posed time and again have been answered (albeit in a quick "Oh yeah, this is what happened!" manner, but I'm fine with it). Situations left open have been addressed in a way that serves as a plot hook for the future. The game is PROGRESSING and showing no signs of wanting to slow down. I'm happy with this. I want more.

Agree entirely. Just about every mission, something made me go "HOLY CRAP", "Ohhh, that makes a LOT of sense", or "I can't wait to see how THIS turns out" regarding the overarching plotlines.

The devs have been putting effort into tying bits of the world together and moving things forward, and I really like it.

I have to side with the OP. NPC's should not be the focus of the story.

I won't be happy until hellion's are trying to steal my purse in Atlas Park

NPC's should not be the focus?
Um..hello..this is an MMO. You know..massive..multiplayer. Yes, it is an RPG..but it does not state 'mmorpg, you will be the focus and most important person online at ALL times, we promise!'

Surely it is MORE credible, especially in an MMO, that instead of 100,000 people who are ALL the most important character in the game, all at once...that instead we are just inhabiting the universe that the game takes place in? Sure, sometimes we are super important and can do it all. Other times, we work for someone, help someone, fight in a league of other people.

Duuh, if you don't get it, there is really no point arguing. MMO..not always the focus. If you want everything in the game to just revolve around you..go play a single player RPG. There is a GOOD reason they are called..ya know..single player.

Telling stories..instead of making a game. Hmm that is funny..since you could argue that every single type of game is just..telling a story. Things happen, cause other things to happen..it progresses, further, backward.

And yet..you are moaning that we have ONE zone which has 6(?) personal missions in which we are not 'us', in order to advance the game. Sorry! Not the game..the STORY.

Still not seeing why this is a problem..besides you thinking it is. And you even admit to playing a ton of single player games. Are you honestly expecting an MMO to have stories as focused on you a SP game?