If a new mission was designed...

[Techwright]

Just a thought discussion here, not pushing for the devs to do anything.

 

If someone were to design a new mission arc to formally add to the game (and not in AE for this discussion), which arcs would you want to point them to as guideposts for uniqueness, replayability, and just all around fun for the full team?  And why specifically would those be your picks?  

 

Oh, and where might you recommend putting the contact and/or door missions, keeping in mind that it probably affects level range.

Edited June 3, 2021 by Techwright

[DreadShinobi]

Probably taking a hard look at the ITF, LRSF, STF/ms lib and considering what makes those task forces unique and applying them to mission context.

 

Itf has a wide array of mission objectives that can be approached in a variety of ways unique to your play preference. You can play it as a kill all, ambushes and mob density can make this fun or you can be more objective based. It has unique encounters such as all EB spawns. Surgeons that must be considered in kill priority. Relevant debuffs. Enemy godmode effects. Exploding cysts. 2 factions, nictus and cimerorans. The final boss fight with romulus is imo one of the best designed in the game with the stun on death mechanic, aoe healing, and ambushes. The fight with Romulus is also one of the only instances in the game that can challenge standard mez protection values and it shouldnt be (and no, the ghost widow hold is still stupid)

 

I love the LRSF and STF because of all the AV fights. I like the mission objectives where team members can split up and take on different objectives that suit them simultaneously. (I also like the Numina TF for this reason, and the LGTF). I like the multi spawn AV fights where there is some degree of coordination and priority to consider. New Posi TF with team member clones also did well with this. 

 

The Apex and Tin Mage TFs are also favorites. War walkers are fun to fight because they are EBs that heal, they have enough hp to try to mez them b4 they heal or debuff their healing potential. I love the battle maiden fight with ambushes (including spawns that matter and spawns to ignore), and the blue flames mechanic. I am also quite fond of the neuron bobcat fight with considerations around how to approach the fight, who to take down first, ambushes, and bobcat's godmode. 

 

I like the impending doom in kahn tf when unkillable reichsman appears and you must escape.

 

Any of these or other unique encounters in task forces (or trials) could be present in standard missions.

[Techwright]

While I am not conceptualizing mission as task/strike forces, I do understand your points.  Actually, I'd love to have the nictus cysts back as random opponents in the missions. The idea of rounding a corner and coming on an unexpected random  serious threat keeps things exciting, for me anyway. Likewise when quantum gunners were actually dangerous made things interesting by changing tactics on the fly.

 

[VulnaviaPhibes]

Very interesting! I like the idea that planned spawns and spawning behavior, not just unique enemy/faction design, can lead to more interesting mechanical challenges that require more forethought and planning than normal. And objective design too, maybe with more objectives being added with larger groups, instead of just more enemies, if that's possible. It might help avoid the rolling death ball and make the mission more dynamic.

 

I will say in terms of narrative design and storytelling, I think looking to the Vincent Ross / Mr G method of incorporating old contacts into new content is a smart idea. It makes the choice of what contacts you spend your time with in a given level range important in the long term and adds weight to that choice, like you're actually building up a powerful network of allies that can help you in your long-term plans.

 

I think it might be interesting to offer multiple choices of these as well. For a magical problem, you could call Vincent Ross OR Mr Bocor OR Mortimer Kal, depending on whose missions you'd completed. Maybe they all give you the same info with different dialogue, or maybe they each give a different clue that adds a different side-objective to the next mission, or maybe they use branching mission tech to give you different missions.

 

I really like the middle option though- clues that add new side objectives, Vincent Ross style, because it doesn't seem overly taxing and complex, but allows missions to play out very differently depending on what choices you make and who you choose to side with.

 

This is very villain focused but you could probably do some hero stuff with this as well. Sort of like the investigation mission from the new Vazhilok arc, but instead of a branching mission based on a specific dialogue, a situation where calling up different people would give clues that let you pursue different elements of your investigation within the mission and pursue the mystery from different angles. You could even do it where you could work with a traditional detective or a magical investigator or a crook on the inside, and explore the same mystery from different angles.

 

It seems like it would a cool way to add more personal choices and more replay value to a lot of story arcs.

Edited June 4, 2021 by VulnaviaPhibes

[Marshal_General]

I like the rogue missions and the way they are done.

 

Except Silver Mantis showing up as an EB and killing my blaster 6 times.

 

I hate that part.

[Heraclea]

Of the more recently introduced contacts I would consider the Graham Easton storyline in Steel Canyon the masterpiece.  I try to get this one in on every character from 15 through 24.  He is a walkup contact, requires no introduction, and immediately gives you his story line; that's all he does.  Nothing is hidden behind street hunts or security chiefs. 

 

The mobs (Tsoo) are interesting and consistent.  The storyline makes sense and is mostly free from padding.  Several missions can be milked for XP or beelined to objectives at the player's options.  I have not run the last mission on anything more than a 2 person team so I don't know how well it scales,  The story line has repeatability in case you want your choice of temp powers and badges, of which there are two alternatives for each, and contains a moment of decision that your character can play out in character. 

 

It also avoids the flaws in some other recent material.  The maps are useful, unlike some you see in Admiral Sutter, Apex, and Tin Mage.  You are not constantly being left wondering where to go next and how to get there.   There are no floor funks and nuisance mechanics to avoid, like there are in Sutter and Apex.  Given the amount of funks and glows players can put on the floor, these are never a good idea.  You can remain in melee range of all the mobs, and are not constantly being sidelined.  There are no Arachnos, Longbow, IDF, or Neuron clockwork mobs in the missions; those are overused and monotonous.

 

EDIT: The Shauna Braun vigilante contact in IP shares many of its virtues as well.

Edited June 4, 2021 by Heraclea

[VulnaviaPhibes]

The Graham Easton arc definitely has really tight and well-designed missions. Efficient and particular and with variable amounts of combat depending on your build and choices. Beeline to the end on your Stalker and get out, or brawl for a while on your Brute. I feel the story could be fleshed out slightly though at the end though. My absolute favorite thing about it is the option to more or less side with the Tsoo and tell off Easton to his face. I love when Hero storylines have Vigilante~ish "I care more about my personal code of ethics and justice than the letter of the law" options. I definitely see the comparisons with Shauna Braun, both in terms of mechanics and in terms of narrative. Both very clean, fast, streamlined stories.

Edited June 4, 2021 by VulnaviaPhibes

[tidge]

I would STRONGLY recommend against any 'escort' type missions: They are miserable for any character with any sort of movement increase, and for characters with some sort of Stealth (ehem, Stalkers) they become outright painful.

 

I like the mechanics of the first SSA1 mission, especially redside as you get more agency and can make an actual choice that alters the way the arc completes. The 'click on object' aren't that bad either.

 

I enjoy the frustration of the various 'protect objects from being destroyed', but the triggers need to be better implemented for some of them (because of random maps, it is possible to never stand a chance of saving an object).

[Judasace]

If it were just a new mission arc, I'd say the Mirror-Self arc in Talos is one of my favorites. But I'm of the opinion that standard mission arcs should be designed for solo play, and team content, like TFs, are another thing entirely. For team content, personally I'd make it short, 3 - 4 missions like about Penelope Yin's TF size. However I'd make most of the missions kill alls of objective-dense so that it's something that can't be turned into another "Speed Run". We have enough missions in the game where 90% of the content can be raced through, make something that actually has to be played to be completed.

[Hew]

Mr G is an excellent arc, and so is Marchand.

 

I REALLY like Mr G, since it gives villains and rogues a real feeling of being villains and rogues.

 

Marchand is the same, but with more flexibility, and for heroes.