cranebump

I've had similar issues with defendable objects in the past, so I don't use them as mission objectives anymore. I DO use them as window dressing at times. If you continue to have spawn issues when using defend, you can instead change it to a normal glowie and make the objective Secure the database or something like that. Place the glowie in the area you want it to appear, along with patrols in same area. Then spawn an ambush to simulate them trying to get to the DB. Or have an ambush after the Cit contact to simulate the same effect. They'll chase the player right to the computer. End result: the player then has to go through patrols and bosses to get to the computer (along with an ambush), simulating its importance without dealing with the spawn headache.. After that, assuming the goal is to secure and retrograde, the bosses could be listed as optional, or just left as possible impediments. If the map allows a boss at the front, I'd place one there, esp. if it has a discernible chokepoint (hallway, for example). Another possible fix is cutting back on the #/patrols, bosses, until the thing works.:-)

To set Objective to "get to the exit," go the main mish settings screen and look for the verbiage where it says "Players exit normally..." Change it to the other choice ("Find Mission Exit..." Iirc).

I agree. My comment about settings was in reference to the general ease of play. Players who join a team with full knowledge of expectations, only to consistently ignore them (and subsequent warnings), deserve what they get. Be a dick, get kicked.

Good question. I tend to agree, though I somehow ended up in a team with 3 scrappers last week. Just when you think ‘X,’ freakin’Y’ shows up…:-)

And here I thought Water Blast was the obvious king of this category.:-)

Once of my newer toons is a Water Blast/Rad Armor Sent. Doesn't blow anything away, damage-wise, but WB gives you some soft control in the form of knockdown and disorient (from consuming Tidal Power), plus your attacks reduce target SPD and DEF. The combo also gives you a good mix of damage types (mainly smashing, cold, and toxic, with a bit of fire/energy at T8/9). Ground Zero also (minor) heals allies while damaging foes, so, if you do happen to get on a team, you've got that to contribute, as well. I've run my version of this solo at 0/x3 comfortably, but I'm sure he could handle more than that. I'm just not much an envelope pusher.

Believe me...I noticed...:-)

Any level can go in (as evidenced by lowbies being door sitters on farm maps). If you're looking for story content, you can tailor your search by using SFMA in your search string. You'll find player-made content of all levels. If your toon is below level for the mish, it will raise them up to min mish level. If your toon is higher, the opposite occurs. There are quite a few multi-arc stories, and some "mega-stories" consisting of dozens of mishes. Be advised: player-created content is often a bit tougher than default story content. Best to come prepared.:-)

Does one of them use Dual Pistols?

Correct. It will exemplar you up to min. mish level.

I'd look up actual mobster names and hodgepodge them. Or crib the Godfather. Corleone. Andolini. Tessio. Clemenza.

Okay, so I took out Marko, but it was a fairly tough fight. The other boss (starts with a T), I waded into a bunch of adds without seeing them. REALLY had a tough time. Gobbled insps, did a strategic withdraw. Picked off the beamers where I could, then ID'ed him. Stunned him right off, then slugged him down, but he hit pretty hard. I don't think it's the bosses as much as it is the bosses AND the minions. The beamers set you up, and if you haven't taken care of the boss (or the minions), you're in for a fight. Bear in mind, I'm running with a L50 Nrgy/Rad Tank who, while not optimized, is pretty damned tough. Feels like this should be a L50 mish. It's a a full-scale invasion, for one thing. I wouldn't sweat getting the bosses "right." They were tough enough on the big map. And I was only running 0/x2.

Which mish is it? There are two posted. Disregard. I'm in the right one.

Nice! I've used some of my AE stories as the basis for short stories in the super hero novel I'm working on. And it was in fact doing AE that got me to thinking I could go long form. I've self-published some plays (and had some of them performed in various locales), but something sustained like a novel always felt super heavy. I ended up with a narrative throughline that ties the various stories together so that the whole thing suits my style. I think that's key. Stick to your style. And don't talk your way out of doing anything. I've had lots of students over the decades who wanted to be writers (or at least expressed an interest in it), many of whom thought it wasn't worth it because they didn't have anything "unique" to say. I always told (and still tell) them that the minute they put the words down, it IS unique, because no one is going to tell the story quite like you do. And we continue to tell ourselves the same types of stories anyway, so don't worry about that. Anyhoo, best of luck with all that. Just keep chipping away and the rock will eventually split. It's not magic. It's just effort and belief.

Oh, yeah. For sure. These are improvements, no doubt. I don't recall how crappy I felt, but waiting for 20 before the capes...yeah that was, um...that was a thing.

Giving it a run!

It is perfectly reasonable to ask that people not go through the door until the leader zones. I've run with Blapperella (I'm most likely misspelling that, sorry) on their flashback TFs several times, and this is a standard announcement given at the beginning of the TFs, and when we switch zones. Never witnessed someone screwing that up at all, much less screwing it up, then being unapologetic about it. That person got called out, didn't like being wrong (or being called out), and was trying to twist the circumstances to where they were right. A plain ol' apology would've sufficed. And I agree you'd be well within your rights to kick them, though I'd give them a private warning after the first offense.

I WISH I could run with a tight group of people on a regular basis, but scheduling is tough. I currently have THU nights and Friday mornings. The closest I have to a "regular" run on anything is when I happen to get on Blapperella runs (on whose flashback TFs I've been about a half dozen times), and, of late, I've caught a global friend's teams a few times (once by a direct invite, which was cool). I'm thinking now that, if I want this sort of shared experience, I'm going to have to be more committed to making it happen. But I also have stints where I spend a lot of time making AE stories, and I want the freedom to do that (plus I run my old Dungeon World via online play, so I have to balance that). So I'm solo mostly, or run Pugs/TFS others start, due to being a bit selfish about my time.

My comment, above, was (evidently not so) obviously a sarcastic retort. What I really think of all this bullshit is that people can set the level of challenge however they want. You can make default, mission-based play more challenging simply by not taking the shortcuts (seeding new toons; taking all the P2W goodies; running "optimal" powersets, etc., etc., etc.).* That said, I do think the default game, in team mode, running with PuGs, tends to be a rapid curbstomp, especially in Task Forces, which are routinely set on +X/x8. That was not my experience before shutdown. Now, if I'm going to jump on a TF (esp on Excelsior), I have to have my motor revved from the get go, because it's going to be a bumrush all the way through (show me where that is not demonstrably true) Again, not the case before shutdown. Not even close. Not saying it's better or worse, but it sure seems, eh, "breezier." All I know is this: I'm 60 now. At some point, I'm not going to be able to keep up. Unless the whole population hits decrepitude the same time as I do. (2032: "Pos1 TF forming. Turtle Run. -1/+0. Geezers only.):-) *FYI: the mere presence of QoL freebies through P2W automatically makes the game easier from the get go. Just moving from one place to another is much easier now than it was (which jibes with how travel powers became available at lower levels). We could argue that it always should have been this way, but it does show the gradual, steady arc toward "ease."

That’s exactly what I meant. But then I should know if you go to a forum and post “Flip!” Someone will respond with, “Are you crazy? What about FLOP?”

Don’t worry. The arc of the game is hurtling inexorably toward no challenge whatsoever, so…we’ll get there.:-)

Right? Simple things like "Snipers will stay at a distance and try to pick you off" (speaking of which, shouldn't every sniper have some form of stealth?). These guys fall right into mobs for easy destruction. Bosses that hit and run. Bosses that dive under cover when you're hovering and waiting on them. Bosses that try to pull you into the lava. Tactics. It'd be nice...

Well, if you don't mind someone non-legendary doing it, I will give it a run either THU evening or Friday morning. And welcome to the madness!:-)

I just recently made a toon named Gunson Rosas.:-)

Short-lived troller (and talk-show host turned vigilante) Opera Windfury. I'll let you guess the powersets.:-)