Personal Issue with AE and the slower slog of normal content.

[Black Zot]

Just now, eldriyth said:

Not trying to make anybody suffer my dude. More-so make normal content especially for a solo player a much faster and smoother experience. I even added a suggestion of 10 elite bosses worth of exp/infamy for completing missions that require you to kill enemies.

 

Bullshit.  Your intro post bluntly demanded taking away the tool that makes the lion's share of builds and characters on this server possible, and then you edited it to add a pittance of compensation for enduring YET ANOTHER slog through bad writing in exchange for killing AE.  The post is right there, don't try to lie to me about its content.

[Blastit]

1 hour ago, Lines said:

I keep eating junk food. The government should shut down McDonalds.

Governments do in fact do things about health crises that affect their population. Shutting down a company because it has more of a negative effect than it has a positive effect is perfectly reasonable for a government to do.

 

What things people are incentivised to do within a game and the environment this creates is something that game developers do have to consider. It's a sensible concern. I don't have an opinion either way because I don't have whatever demographical, economic and playtime data the HC crew likely have access to.

[Abraxus]

Whatever our opinions on the topic, let's try to at least keep it civil.  Yes? 🙂

[biostem]

1 hour ago, eldriyth said:

I am frustrated because every single character that I create and try to get through the normal game solo, ends up going to AE because the experience of normal content can't even come close to matching it. However, if the AE option was not there players would be forced to go through normal content regardless. Having this 2 hour boost to 50 option just ruins the game completely. I think something needs to be done to make old content worth it again. Why even allow this monstrosity to exist? This is coming from a dude with a Alpha + 3 unlocked Spine/Fire brute. I have actually deleted over 2 level 50s I power leveled because I just can't get into them. I feel like I didn't even earn them.

 

And if AE is dealt with, make normal content more plentiful for a solo player. How about making missions where you have to kill all NPCs reward like 10 elite bosses worth of exp at the end? Something that feels nice as a reward.

Think of the AE as a tool - just like the P2W vendor's temp powers and XP boosts.  I can certainly sympathize with the rate of progression feeling slow when compared to what you can get out of the AE, but why is this an issue, when you do in fact have options available to you?  Use the AE or don't;  Play regular content or not.  Run storyline content, or Newspaper/Radio missions to 50 if you like...

[JetMalakai]

I love AE because it offers a choice. Want an insta-50? You can get one in 4 hours, give or take. Want to play the content? Don't go to AE.

[ShardWarrior]

7 minutes ago, biostem said:

Think of the AE as a tool - just like the P2W vendor's temp powers and XP boosts.  I can certainly sympathize with the rate of progression feeling slow when compared to what you can get out of the AE, but why is this an issue, when you do in fact have options available to you?  Use the AE or don't;  Play regular content or not.  Run storyline content, or Newspaper/Radio missions to 50 if you like...

Not to mention that - at least to me - if the XP on missions were boosted to the extent the OP suggests, they'd be getting to 50 much faster and then wind up being bored all over again.  Not to mention you'll outlevel quite a lot of the story content, so the suggestion of adding "10 elite bosses worth of XP" isn't really solving the perceived problem.

Edited October 15, 2019 by ShardWarrior

[MisterBernie]

43 minutes ago, Abraxus said:

The problem is, this is still essentially a rogue server, operating on voluntary monetary contributions, being tended to by all volunteer staff. 

That of course is also an important point to keep in mind. I can understand not wanting to overinvest if at this point it could all be rendered for naught with a C&D. 

 

Still, one can dream and hope and try to spread the mood that reviewing old content would be a great step no matter how tempting it’d be to add completely new content 😉

[Frostbiter]

If we're going to review old content, let's start with the "Speak to the Security Chief" missions. All these do is send low level players into hazard zones for no reason. They're a real PITA.

[Lines]

I’m all in favour of turning this thread into a discussion of ‘what could the old content become to be rewarding and interesting’. That’s a wholesome topic.

[ShardWarrior]

5 minutes ago, Lines said:

I’m all in favour of turning this thread into a discussion of ‘what could the old content become to be rewarding and interesting’. That’s a wholesome topic.

This would assume that the older content isn't rewarding or interesting.  That's entirely subjective to the player.

[MrSnottyPants]

I don't AE.  There's enough newer content that you can skip old content without running dry - at least through 30 (where my highest is at).  In fact, once you get off the old-contact tract it seems hard to get back on it - you rarely get introduced.

 

It does mean all your Alts run through the same stuff.  As such, I've got an Alt running through the old to experience something new 😁

[MunkiLord]

1 hour ago, eldriyth said:

I could understand completely if I was some nub cake complaining people were getting power leveled. That would be unfair of me. However, I have actually deleted level 50s I power leveled because I just feel like I didn't earn them.. I know this is a strange ass personal feeling and some people couldn't give two shits less. I just overall think the experience of normal content needs to get boosted up big time. Exp is way too slow for a solo player. Where (I hate to say this because I am sick of WOW) games like WoW give the solo player a fast and smooth exp to max level without gimmicks like AE. Of course, some people just buy their level 110s now too.. *sigh*

I'm all for boosting the XP on normal content if that is what people want. But I don't like the idea of removing/nerfing AE(that's how the first post came across to me).

[Lines]

6 minutes ago, ShardWarrior said:

This would assume that the older content isn't rewarding or interesting.  That's entirely subjective to the player.

Not at all. “Change nothing; it’s great” is still an answer, and worth talking about.

 

I’d personally like to see the older AVs given a bit more challenge, presence and uniqueness in their encounters. CoH got good at handling climactic fights later in development. Those moments are rewarding in themselves.

 

 

I stand firmly in the “don’t boost xp for normal content” corner. As I said in another thread on an identical subject, AE shouldn’t form the baseline of progression and challenge is important for a game.

 

OP stated that they deleted their PL characters for them not feeling earned - which I relate to - but also suggests that normal content should be boosted. You can’t have your cake and eat it.

 

XP isn’t the only form of reward, currently or potentially. And not all reward need be numeric, it might be intrinsic too.

Edited October 15, 2019 by Lines

[Frostbiter]

2 minutes ago, MunkiLord said:

I'm all for boosting the XP on normal content if that is what people want. But I don't like the idea of removing/nerfing AE(that's how the first post came across to me).

There are already ways to do this with the XP buffs from the PTW Vendor. I know both of our opinions are already in other threads about this but I'll throw out mine again. I'm not in favor of increasing XP rewards without a way to opt out of how fast I blow through content. (I know I can disable XP entirely but that's a nuclear approach to slowing myself down when all I'm looking for is a gentle tap of the brakes to go a bit slower.)  I'm also not in favor of nerfing XP rewards for everyone, AE or otherwise. I understand that the way I play is in a minority so I'm not going to push for my benefit to a majority of players detriment.

[MrSnottyPants]

9 minutes ago, ShardWarrior said:

This would assume that the older content isn't rewarding or interesting.  That's entirely subjective to the player.

If you run the old stuff there's an awful lot of:  Clear this big office building of the same clump of 3 family members.

 

On the flip side, the way they made new content more interesting also makes it unpredictably more difficult.  Endless spawns of bad guys, here's 3 bosses all at once, etc.  I start bumping up mission difficulty at level 25, but I've stopped doing that in First Ward and Night Ward.  Cause ever so often this leads to a blow out.

[DoctorDitko]

Also, it's a canard at this point, but CoH is unique among MMOs that the level 50 game isn't THE game. A lot of us enjoy the journey. And there are definitely features in the game (such as Exemplar/Sidekicking, and whatever the Villain names are) that make it unnecessary to dash to 50 at Super Speed.

[biostem]

2 minutes ago, MrSnottyPants said:

If you run the old stuff there's an awful lot of:  Clear this big office building of the same clump of 3 family members.

 

On the flip side, the way they made new content more interesting also makes it unpredictably more difficult.  Endless spawns of bad guys, here's 3 bosses all at once, etc.  I start bumping up mission difficulty at level 25, but I've stopped doing that in First Ward and Night Ward.  Cause ever so often this leads to a blow out.

It'd be kind of nice to take a lot of the older content, (that isn't the end of an arc), and basically scale back the "busy work" aspect of the missions - turn the 3-floor glowie hunts or "kill-alls" and consolidate them down to only 1 floor.  Keep the end of mission XP the same.  It'd give you a better XP/time ratio, while keeping the "meat" of the content there...

[Lines]

I’d like to see Hazard Zones become more significant and for street sweeping to be a viable and enjoyable progression path for some level ranges. I don’t know how you’d accomplish this, maybe giving hazard zones a strategic ‘PvP-zone-esque’ map event for large teams.

[mcdoogss]

47 minutes ago, JetMalakai said:

I love AE because it offers a choice. Want an insta-50? You can get one in 4 hours, give or take. Want to play the content? Don't go to AE.

That makes a lot of sense for us people with self control.  Sounds like that is not the situation OP is in.

[MrSnottyPants]

9 minutes ago, mcdoogss said:

That makes a lot of sense for us people with self control.  Sounds like that is not the situation OP is in.

To be fair, limited-self-control is the situation many folks find themselves in.  If someone was trying to get money out of us I bet we'd see a heavy clamp down on AE experience - cause lots of folks would fly to 50, get bored and quit.

Edited October 15, 2019 by MrSnottyPants

[chigiabelo]

2 hours ago, Frostbiter said:

Hoo boy. IBPLTFM.

S'funny ... I've never seen that acronym before, but instantly knew what it meant.

[DreadShinobi]

1 hour ago, Lines said:

I’m all in favour of turning this thread into a discussion of ‘what could the old content become to be rewarding and interesting’. That’s a wholesome topic.

 

1 hour ago, ShardWarrior said:

This would assume that the older content isn't rewarding or interesting.  That's entirely subjective to the player.

Merit rewards could absolutely be increased for completing story arcs to make it both rewarding and interesting.

[Widower]

Wow, I was flipping through the first page of this thread, figuring I'd almost certainly have to close it, but this second page hasn't completely degenerated into flaming. Keep it up, or else! :)

[Haijinx]

/jranger

[Abraxus]

3 minutes ago, GM Widower said:

Wow, I was flipping through the first page of this thread, figuring I'd almost certainly have to close it, but this second page hasn't completely degenerated into flaming. Keep it up, or else! 🙂

Give it time.  It could still melt down.  😉🤣