what content should be the template for the future?

Or a mix of which content?

I.E. Sutter, Yin, SSA1, Magi, Faultline arcs, DfB?

I have to go with the SSA1 as a template for future content.
1. a series of short arcs, so the time for each bit is reasonable
2. can be soloed or in teams - but counts as a tf for keeping teams together
3. custom maps and content so they feel special
4. rewards built into the arcs rather than tied to some crazy accolade

I don't like the arcs being divided so much by levels - playing arc1 at 20 and then having to gain 20 levels to finish is lame

I could use shorter dialogs in some sections

and I'm not commenting on the actual story - just the format of the content.

The template for future content should be what it has always been: originality.

We need a healthy mix of solo/team/incarnate content.

dark astoria. Strong writing, great sense of tone, and memorable enemies. and a strong ending that makes you feel like your characters are doing something amazing. plus bonus badges for going the hard way.

also, i want more tips. they are a good way of introducing smaller story elements in more of a traditional comic sense, quick one off events that introduce non world threateing events that emphasize what it is to be a hero or villain. I wouldn't mind seeing "chain" tips, tips that lead to short, self contained arcs that can tell a bit more of a story and maybe flesh out the stories of existing but underutilized enemy groups like the sky raiders and vahz and the like. no crazy avs, no need for lots of time prohibitive unique maps, just some quick MA type arcs made by the devs to flesh out the world.

Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.

More arcs need to follow the lead of Dean MacArthur/Leonard Silman and Vincent Ross. Giving the player villain the spotlight of a story arc is the best thing that can be done to quell the "bad villain writing" complainers (such as myself). More spotlight, less lackey. Same with future trials and TFs; the Greater Good plot is old. Add some villain/rogue specific stuff and you'll make a lot of people happy. To top it off, always add a solo path. Solo paths should never come "later." They should come alongside the 'fast track.'

Just update the MA and I will make my own new content tyvm.

Yeah I'd say DA is a pretty perfect template for future content. It's got just about everything I like in my story arcs.

It's written with less hero bias than most of the co-op content to date, it offers a variety of options from villainous choices to optional objectives for added flavor/mechanics, it's very well written and sufficiently epic, and there's enough different things to do among the missions and the arcs it doesn't feel like I'm just doing the same thing over and over. There are some small caveats of course, like I'm not thrilled half of the contacts are strictly Cellphone only, but it's pretty minor (and largely aesthetic).

For trials, I think MoM and Magisterium are pretty good templates for iTrials. MoM is good because it has complex mechanics but it has several break points to cool down, prep, and let leaders explain stuff. Magisterium is pretty much a straight up beat down, which has it's own kind of merits.

Design-wise, stuff like Dark Astoria, the ITF and the level 1-20 Preatorian arcs have a good mix of text and action, fancy and simple mechanics, decent arc and mission length, and they avoid a lot of stuff that just annoys players (except for the constant ambushes in Praetoria.)

Storywise, I'm going to pretend every bit of text just says "click here to fight mobs" until I see evidence of a total turn-around in the development team's philosophy toward storytelling and world-building.

Barring the usual 'for the greater good' nonsense and the lack of villainy (that irks me no end too), I've always maintained that any future zones should follow the Rikti War Zone format. In that zone alone, you have:

1) Decent non-facepalming story arcs (great for soloists and teams alike),
2) A fun, fast Task Force (great for teams) and
3) The Mother Ship Raid (for leagues).

Also, this zone also introduced Vanguard Merits. Although more or less redundant now, they matched all three paths above in terms of speed so we had the slow, fast and extremely fast methods of obtaining them. I'd say in terms of balance, it's about the most complete package the Devs have ever delivered in a zone. Now if they would follow this way of thinking for all things Incarnate, I wouldn't be so put off the whole system.

As for villains, agreed, we need more stories about being the bad guy and not some hired goon. D-Mac and Leonard again set the standard here. I want to see precisely no more co-op content introduced with some kind of 'heroes and villains must team up to defeat... blah blah blah' kind of baloney. Sick of it to my back teeth by now.