So, how about a low-level Strike Force?

[Paradox Fate]

As you noticed, Red Side is lacking of anything of a Strike Force before level 15. And even then, you tend to run Tarikoss as a level 20 anyway.

To compare, Blue Side has two Task Forces and a Trial before level 15, which adds a lot of replayability and more targets for the WST.

 

So it would be nice that Red Side gets a level 8 -15 Strike Force in Port Oakes, so they get something to be busy with and team up for quick XP/merits, some replayability due to badges and being a WST for players to come back to.

In terms of mission size we could copy Positron TF's - 7 or so missions, 12 merits. EB's or AV fight at the last mission.

 

Regarding DFB and DiB to be used instead: They lack reasons for higher leveled players to come back to after getting the badges, plus getting groups for those is hard enough for Red Side. I tried. Even on prime time at a Saturday, I only got 6 people for it on Mercy. And honestly, I kinda get exhausted of running DFB all the time.

 

Thoughts?

Edited September 16, 2020 by Paradox Fate

[SeraphimKensai]

I support this idea, but to expand on it think we should have some gold side assault and subversion forces as well.

 

Wouldn't it be a grand idea to get people gold side too?

[Super Atom]

I like it, shouldn't be too hard to string some "Do this for Arachnos" missions together. Maybe possibly a snake/infected focused SF?

 

 

1 minute ago, SeraphimKensai said:

I support this idea, but to expand on it think we should have some gold side assault and subversion forces as well.

 

Wouldn't it be a grand idea to get people gold side too?

Praetoria is kind of a story-based leveling experience and It's almost forced to be solo due to story arc locking. Making TF's for goldside kind of kills the point of goldside if you're just gonna bypass the story arcs.

[Paradox Fate]

7 minutes ago, Super Atom said:

I like it, shouldn't be too hard to string some "Do this for Arachnos" missions together. Maybe possibly a snake/infected focused SF?

Given it's Port Oakes, I figured you get involved with the Family vs Mooks.

 

"For a long time, the leaders of the Family and the Mooks have feuded against each other over the Goverment control of Port Oakes, but suddenly there is a chance for a compromise. A few parties, however, are not keen on this development and send you in to sabotage their relations and reignite the flames of grudges - Be it for money, fame or just enjoying the carnage!"

[Super Atom]

9 minutes ago, Paradox Fate said:

Given it's Port Oakes, I figured you get involved with the Family vs Mooks.

 

"For a long time, the leaders of the Family and the Mooks have feuded against each other over the Goverment control of Port Oakes, but suddenly there is a chance for a compromise. A few parties, however, are not keen on this development and send you in to sabotage their relations and reignite the flames of grudges - Be it for money, fame or just enjoying the carnage!"

I could see that but i mean. Snakes tho amirite

 

seriously though, Positron is about the Vaz and a close second in lowbie danger is snakes. Could make for a good but challenging low level SF.

Edited September 16, 2020 by Super Atom

[MTeague]

23 minutes ago, Super Atom said:

I like it, shouldn't be too hard to string some "Do this for Arachnos" missions together. Maybe possibly a snake/infected focused SF?

 

 

Praetoria is kind of a story-based leveling experience and It's almost forced to be solo due to story arc locking. Making TF's for goldside kind of kills the point of goldside if you're just gonna bypass the story arcs.

Not untrue, but I've been a strong proponent of "I shoudl be able to walk up to any contact, at any level, and be auto-exemplared down to the right level for their missions if I accept the mission"

Hasn't happened yet of course, but I hold out hope nonetheless.

[MTeague]

5 minutes ago, Super Atom said:

I could see that but i mean. Snakes tho amirite

There could be a Tunnel Snakes splinter faction. And they could rule.

[Super Atom]

6 minutes ago, MTeague said:

Not untrue, but I've been a strong proponent of "I shoudl be able to walk up to any contact, at any level, and be auto-exemplared down to the right level for their missions if I accept the mission"

Hasn't happened yet of course, but I hold out hope nonetheless.

this is the dream

[Super Atom]

5 minutes ago, MTeague said:

There could be a Tunnel Snakes splinter faction. And they could rule.

A new snake-mook offshoot

[FoulVileTerror]

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/19655-weekly-discussion-53-how-to-increase-villain-population/page/7/?tab=comments#comment-222763

 

 . . . I need to clone my brain.  Get some of these projects under way . . . 

[Darkneblade]

There was Heart of the darkness arc I think. It's final AV could repurposed to be TF AV? We never knew what happened after the end after all. But part 2 is range of 15-19 so it is not low level.

Aside from these there is The Radio contact on Port Oakes.  Which makes you fight against wyvern most of the time so clearly TF focused on wyvern with wyvern AV could somehow work. Like Tac Lt. Chelman. (Only boss). (There was respecification trial focused on this boss so maybe not ideal to simply copy-paste)

 

Edited September 16, 2020 by Darkneblade

[Sakura Tenshi]

Honestly, I'm all for adding more strike forces redside, especially because about all the present ones with the exception of Mortimer Kal and Tarikoss involve you working for Arachnos in some capacity.

 

I think an alternate chain of SFs should focus around villain players doing things to gather resources, influence, and people for later schemes. Like doing the ultimate bank heist where you take on a Swiss Bank vault and loot tens of millions of dollars to start up an evil empire, then you gather people by subverting the armies of unstable countries and gather things to get them from ragtag formerly state officialized terrorists into a legitimate minion force. That sort of stuff.

[Greycat]

I wouldn't argue with more low level stuff to do redside.

[Lines]

Wretch absolutely must be the contact or I'm not playing anymore.

[tidge]

I have absolutely no objection to the OP suggestion. I'd like to see some elements of the Lore be 'backfilled', especially in a non-incarnate, non-endgame way. As far as villain groups: Snakes get revisited at the highest Villain levels, but certain Port Oakes enemy groups feel (to me) like they don't get much attention. If I had to pick the group I'd want to see featured in a new, hypothetical Port Oakes TF it would be Spectral Pirates. I'm selfish, but I'd like a non-world-clock way to encounter these guys (and possibly trap some as well)... I'm thinking how the Moonfire TF can get players deep into a couple of the defeat (Werewolf/Vampire) badges.

 

I will point out that for Red-Siders looking for Merits at low-levels should consider the Mercy Island missions, either through Ouroboros or through level-appropriate contacts. They aren't particularly long arcs, and the travel between missions is (generally) pretty easy as you can expect for low-level characters. Blue side has a few of these 'quickies' as well, but there are more PUG opportunities for starting heroes.

 

Of course: these low-level missions won't be as easy to PUG as a TF, and they won't have weekly rewards.

[Greycat]

COntact - Brick Johnson (the VEAT contact, yes.)

Arc - Track then beat down an uppity soldier/widow who's getting a bit too full of themselves.

 

Just to play that arc from the *other* side.

 

🙂

[Patti]

I like the idea of making it one long series of mayhem missions to teach a jerk a lesson about trying to use villains without paying them respect.

[Brutal Justice]

I agree with the OP.

 

I form a lot of teams.  I form mostly task forces unless I am specifically trying to run some contact missions and avoid task forces... for a while.  I have been thinking about why I do this and what keeps me mostly blueside.  

 

Most of the reasons, I feel, directly result in staying blue or are a byproduct of people staying blue.  

 

The list:

 

Population - this is a big one but I think it’s partially a result of other things on the list.  

 

TF Commander vs Invader - another big one. You are doubly rewarded for doing tf’s as opposed to sf’s.  I get TF Commander by just earning merits and xp.  You can out level those bank jobs and not be able to come back to them.  I feel if invader was tied to the sf’s and not paper missions people would run more sf’s.  They did it to push a new mission system but I think it was a mistake.  

 

Defeat badges - It has already been stated that Moonfire helps to attain several defeat badges that are tied to another accolade.  Penny Yin - freakshow badge.  Synapse - clockwork badge.  Again with the accolades and “double rewards” of task forces.  

 

Level ranges and XP - this is directly related to the OP.  I know I can hit lvl 8 and start a Posi 1.  Then I can tf all the way Into the mid to late 20s, sometimes farther if I’m in sync with the WST, before I even need to see a contact or get a radio.  I’ve now blown through levels, earned a good chunk of merits, and put in solid work towards some valuable accolades.  

 

I feel these couple things greatly affect side population.  The bang for your buck is so much higher for tf’s than sf’s.  People join tf’s much more than normal missions because they also earn merits, not just the mission holder.  If the Devs could rework merit rewards for story arc completions to reward teammates as well in some manner, then I think that would help contact mission teams form and subsequently help redside as well, since that is the main gameplay redside.  

 

Create a Wretch 1 and 2 with snakes and gang buster progression.  Also auto exemp for paper missions so you can’t out level the banks.  If you open the paper or radio you should be able to get a zone appropriate mission.