I'd love to see some blue only zones become co-op. Specifically:
The Shadow Shard -- The zone itself looks amazing. Just give the missions a makeover so it has a real storyline. I suggest some compelling 45-50 content AND (not or) 50+ incarnate content. If any zone screams incarnate, it's The Shadow Shard.
Striga -- Striga is its own contained island without any real reason why villains can't go there and why there couldn't be villain content there. It can also serve as a waypoint for rogues and vigilantes to crossover from red to blue or blue to red side without using Pocket D.
Boomtown -- Who really goes here anymore except for the odd old mission or badges? The whole zone could use a full on revamp for some 35-50 leveling content. Since it's an old hazard zone and safely gated from the rest of the blue zones, I am sure a good story could bring the villains into the area. They could even use sewer doors or hybrid office to sewer maps for villain missions that use paragon city mission maps (like the section of steel canyon map for example).
Faultline -- Faultline already has a pretty significant Arachnos presence, there's no real reason not to make it co-op. The only thing they might have to adjust is to make sure that villains can't enter Skyway City... or don't 
I'd love to see the nonsensical alignment based barrier go away.
Jem - Ill/Rad Controller Lv 50+3 Nic - Mind/Psi Dominator Lv 50+3 Lady Liberation - Invuln/SS Tanker Lv 50+1 Invicitx - Demon/Pain Mastermind Lv 50+1 Celeste - Emp/Arch Defender Lv 50+1 Nightsilver - DB/WP Scrapper Lv 34 Dusk Howl - StJ/Regen Brute Lv 32 Kyriani - Time/Energy Defender Lv 41Psifire - FF/Psi Defender Lv 50
Star Lighter - LB/LA Peacebringer Lv 30
Actually one note on the shadow shard, and it did sound like the Devs had considered it, is that since it's actually 4 zones and not just one, it would pretty much be a long haul project and require multiple issues spent revamping. Not that players objected to this, but it wouldn't be a simple "Touch up and done!" fix.
I agree though. I'm for seeing old blueside zones revamped to co-op. Personally I wouldn't mind Eden being redone, turned into more of a Devouring Earth 'paradise' and seeing the Hamidon raids merged.
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Not to mention that Arachnos agents are already there working against the Council so there's already the basics for a good story arc. What would be cool is if it was made co-op with red-siders getting their own story arcs that roughly parallel the hero ones (but with more emphasis on figuring out what the Council is up to and less on defending people) and that also unlock the Hess TF (that one works fine as a co-op TF since you're already working for Arachnos as a Hero).|
Originally Posted by Kyriani
Striga -- Striga is its own contained island without any real reason why villains can't go there and why there couldn't be villain content there. It can also serve as a waypoint for rogues and vigilantes to crossover from red to blue or blue to red side without using Pocket D.
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So basically story-wise Heroes come in and get one set of arcs, Villains come in and get a different but both of them lead you towards helping Hess take down Archon Burkholder.
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Not for nothing, but I honestly don't think any real work needs to be done visually on The Shadow Shard. Yes it's multiple zones but what it really needs are compelling story arcs to make you WANT to go there and level. Not only that it needs enough of those arcs to take you from 45-50 at the very least if not 40-50. Adding incarnate content into the later parts of the Shadow Shard just makes sense. It's this otherworldly dimension with incredibly powerful foes which is precisely the type of foes incarnate should be facing.|
Originally Posted by Agent White
Actually one note on the shadow shard, and it did sound like the Devs had considered it, is that since it's actually 4 zones and not just one, it would pretty much be a long haul project and require multiple issues spent revamping. Not that players objected to this, but it wouldn't be a simple "Touch up and done!" fix.
I agree though. I'm for seeing old blueside zones revamped to co-op. Personally I wouldn't mind Eden being redone, turned into more of a Devouring Earth 'paradise' and seeing the Hamidon raids merged. |
I'm not trying to say it would be easy or quick to do this. I know for a fact that it wouldn't be. But I honestly believe if the devs want to make new content for the 45-50 (or 40-50) level range that is co-op, THIS is the zone to do it in.
Jem - Ill/Rad Controller Lv 50+3 Nic - Mind/Psi Dominator Lv 50+3 Lady Liberation - Invuln/SS Tanker Lv 50+1 Invicitx - Demon/Pain Mastermind Lv 50+1 Celeste - Emp/Arch Defender Lv 50+1 Nightsilver - DB/WP Scrapper Lv 34 Dusk Howl - StJ/Regen Brute Lv 32 Kyriani - Time/Energy Defender Lv 41Psifire - FF/Psi Defender Lv 50
Star Lighter - LB/LA Peacebringer Lv 30
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That's exactly what I think should be done with the zone.
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Originally Posted by Adeon Hawkwood
Not to mention that Arachnos agents are already there working against the Council so there's already the basics for a good story arc. What would be cool is if it was made co-op with red-siders getting their own story arcs that roughly parallel the hero ones (but with more emphasis on figuring out what the Council is up to and less on defending people) and that also unlock the Hess TF (that one works fine as a co-op TF since you're already working for Arachnos as a Hero).
So basically story-wise Heroes come in and get one set of arcs, Villains come in and get a different but both of them lead you towards helping Hess take down Archon Burkholder. |
Jem - Ill/Rad Controller Lv 50+3 Nic - Mind/Psi Dominator Lv 50+3 Lady Liberation - Invuln/SS Tanker Lv 50+1 Invicitx - Demon/Pain Mastermind Lv 50+1 Celeste - Emp/Arch Defender Lv 50+1 Nightsilver - DB/WP Scrapper Lv 34 Dusk Howl - StJ/Regen Brute Lv 32 Kyriani - Time/Energy Defender Lv 41Psifire - FF/Psi Defender Lv 50
Star Lighter - LB/LA Peacebringer Lv 30
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+1 awesome point to you
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Originally Posted by Adeon Hawkwood
Not to mention that Arachnos agents are already there working against the Council so there's already the basics for a good story arc. What would be cool is if it was made co-op with red-siders getting their own story arcs that roughly parallel the hero ones (but with more emphasis on figuring out what the Council is up to and less on defending people) and that also unlock the Hess TF (that one works fine as a co-op TF since you're already working for Arachnos as a Hero).
So basically story-wise Heroes come in and get one set of arcs, Villains come in and get a different but both of them lead you towards helping Hess take down Archon Burkholder. |
There is but one truth. Time is limited. ndnw its over
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I'm curious where you got that number. The last official breakdown I saw it was 40% redside and 60% blueside, but that was a while ago. Is there some newer info that I missed?
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Originally Posted by gameboy1234
The problem is I think that less than 30% of the customer base plays on Red side
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Not really but something to keep in mind is that the 40/60 split is based solely on the number of characters of each faction it doesn't necessarily follow that population splits are also 40/60.|
Originally Posted by Zaloopa
I'm curious where you got that number. The last official breakdown I saw it was 40% redside and 60% blueside, but that was a while ago. Is there some newer info that I missed?
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And considering that the total inf value was off by at least three orders of magnitude (and possibly a lot more) I'm not sure ow much faith I'd put in that chart.
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Hmm, good points.
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Originally Posted by Adeon Hawkwood
Not really but something to keep in mind is that the 40/60 split is based solely on the number of characters of each faction it doesn't necessarily follow that population splits are also 40/60.
And considering that the total inf value was off by at least three orders of magnitude (and possibly a lot more) I'm not sure ow much faith I'd put in that chart. |
There is actually far more Redside content than Blueside. It's a little-known secret. Unfortunately, all the villain players keep stealing it and hoarding it for themselves. You'd think they'd at least try to ransom it.
- Ashley
[Rocker Girl (Earth/Earth Dom); Sweet Venom (Plant/Time Ctrl)]
On virtue, there's sometimes 4 atlas p to 1 mercy. Just based on that, 2 heroes to 1 villain, minimum. As much as 4 to 1 on small servers.
Also consider the superhero themed movies out there. The hero wins in the end. Who doesnt want to win?
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Actually, there are still plenty of spawns like that around--they're all over Atlas, Kings, Steel Canyon, Talos, etc. I'm not sure why you think it's just limited to a "few legacy spawns," because that's nowhere near to the truth. Just last week I created a new character and because I was bored with running the intro missions so many times, I ran around Atlas park defeating Hellions that were mugging people until I hit level 5.|
Originally Posted by Eldagore
I actually miss making a new hero, entering Galaxy City and patroling the streets near the hospitol, rescuing citizens from thug activity like muggings. Saving that lady who was getting assaulted by some purse snatcher, and then having her run up to me to thank me after just never got old. I would save people while traveling between missions, against grey cons, just because it was the right thing to do, even if it is just a silly game. It was HEROIC. It was what originally made my wife start playing the game, she watched me save a few helpless ladies and wanted to "save people too". There's still a few legacy spawns around town that you can still do that in, but really those types of little things have gotten left behind in favor of stopping the aliens from destroying the multiverse. But I suppose I am just being nostalgic.
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I agree that the Devs shifted the balance of rewards (particulalry XP) more in favor of missions vs street sweeping, but if you were defeating greys, then it doesn't sound like xp was ever much of an issue for you when it came to the fun of saving people. No reason why you can't still be doing that.
I know that it would ruin their side switching system they really need to completely combine both sides.
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The problem is, there's very few ways to spin it that it would make sense or wouldn't involve adding villain content blueside and hero content redside. And trust me, rogues and vigilantes have shown that just getting to play tourist is a very one trick pony if you don't have friends on the other side to play with.
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Originally Posted by Tater Todd
I know that it would ruin their side switching system they really need to completely combine both sides.
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I agree. It sad really I Love, LOVE, LOVE Red Side...but due to lack of teaming...I just avoid it now and it's a shame because it's chocked full of awesome levels and content *sigh*. I don't think there's any possible way of fusing the two worlds.|
Originally Posted by Agent White
The problem is, there's very few ways to spin it that it would make sense or wouldn't involve adding villain content blueside and hero content redside. And trust me, rogues and vigilantes have shown that just getting to play tourist is a very one trick pony if you don't have friends on the other side to play with.
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Maybe if the made a COH2 they could Take the Praetorian approach that way you can have both sides in one world. *Day dreams*
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The problem with the Praetorian approach is that in a world of Heroes and Villains it's a bit immersion breaking (unless you want to go all out and have open world PvP). It works in Preatoria since it's more morally ambiguous and no one really cares if you beat up members of your "own" faction (heck, I think Marauder says in an early mission that he doesn't care if you beat up the Preatorian Police).|
Originally Posted by Tater Todd
Maybe if the made a COH2 they could Take the Praetorian approach that way you can have both sides in one world. *Day dreams*
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In Paragon City though it's more immersion breaking. Imagine that the Unbelievable Man is walking down the street in Steel Canyon and he sees a group of proud members of the PPD being set upon by a villain. He'd certainly want to help them out wouldn't he? But he can't because the villain is a player character and this isn't a PvP zone. It also opens things up for griefing since Unbelievable Man could potentially start buffing or healing the PPD (who are allies to him) with the villain fighting them unable to stop him.
I think one option that would have been interesting is if Heroes and Villains had different instances of the same zones. So there would be two versions of Steel Canyon that were physically the same but have different spawns and such for the the two alignments.
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They do, they're called Mayhem missions |
Originally Posted by Adeon Hawkwood
I think one option that would have been interesting is if Heroes and Villains had different instances of the same zones. So there would be two versions of Steel Canyon that were physically the same but have different spawns and such for the the two alignments. |
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Kind of becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, doesn't it? Unless you're on a lower pop server, anything non Virtue or Freedom. |
Originally Posted by Tater Todd
I agree. It sad really I Love, LOVE, LOVE Red Side...but due to lack of teaming...I just avoid it now and it's a shame because it's chocked full of awesome levels and content *sigh*. I don't think there's any possible way of fusing the two worlds.
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I've found that, when I have the get-up'n'gofor it, that I can still form my own team redside on those two servers most of the time.
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That would be really, really foolish. No solo content is autofail.
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Originally Posted by Eldagore
I am fairly certain the shard will see a revamp similar to dark astoria(though possibly not with solo content in mind) as a place to work on things like omega slot. Whats scarier then Tyrant? How bout Rularuu. Incarnate level eyeball enemies....shiver.... take that defense bonus IO builds!
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Stand UP.
FIGHT BACK!
It's pretty much like that right now as it is. What's there now is nothing better than newspaper missions. I mean, besides the omghugelong taskforces
They've gotten a little blunter lately with actually having people die (and not just states.) But that rating concern, I think, also really held back what they could have done with redside.
However, yes, I think that wall (motivation) was a bigger obstacle. While there are... degrees of heroes (from superpowered boyscout to vigilante,) they don't make *much* difference - you're still fine saving everything from a kitten in a tree to multiple worlds. A villain, though... some just want everything for themselves, some have specific agendas, some think they really *are* doing good by their own yardstick, and some, as stated, "want to watch the world burn." Short of flat out asking at the beginning and having four (or more) storyarc tracks from 1-50, I'm not sure how they could accommodate all the various villain flavors. (And they'd still leave some out, I'm sure.)
I understand your issue with not feeling like an independent villain rather than a lackey, even though it doesn't particularly bother me. Of the original content, it feels like the newspaper missions provide that feeling of agency the best. I think they've really been trying to change that in the recent additions, though. The two newest ones are particularly good (I liked the option to establish that mind control wouldn't work on you in one of them), and the clone/Protean ones do a pretty good job as well. Even the older Mercedes Shelton villain arc has you decide to double-cross her at the end, which is a nice touch.
One small edit that would do wonders to the feel of some existing arcs is to set up the mission dialog such that you come up with the plan, not the contact.