Does anyone just like... play regular?

[Ukase]

On 10/8/2021 at 2:27 PM, Icy Mike said:

Here's what is probably yet another "I played 15 years ago and I don't understand what's going on" thread.

 

The pace everyone is operating at is disheartening to me. I can't get around as fast as everyone... I don't know any of the acronyms... also a ton of this content and task forces are new to me. I feel like Captain America waking up.

 

Does anyone else just play the game at a sub optimal pace? I'm laughing at the LFG chats with a long list of character build requirements to join a team. "Back in my day" we had to pull and herd to get through stuff... are there still strategies and teamwork required anywhere? Do I just need to give it time? Am I the only person that still actually runs around doing regular missions?

Back on live, I started this game in issue 3. I didn't know what MMO stood for, and continued to play the game despite it being an MMO, not because of it. It was a much simpler time, because you'd get various enhancement drops, and if they were your origin, you could slot them, if they were something you could use. Very much unlike now with "Reward Merits, Emp Merits, Astral Merits, Transcendant Merits, Catalysts, Converters, Boosters, Unslotters, ATOs, Winter-Os, everything but Spaghetti-Os. 

So, you're going to have some adjusting to do if you want to fit in with this newer style. Or, you'll have to be one of those who types more than most on the lfg when you describe what it is you're wanting to do and how you're wanting to do it. We just have so many more tools in our tool box that playing in the fashion of the trinity is just ...well, boring for some of us. 
I say that not to be discouraging, but to give some perspective.

The playstyle of people back then ...with the much vaunted @pickle having determined after scouring through combat logs that hamidon was held for a short time eventually turned into a strategy of having controllers (no such thing as Dominators back then) spamming holds on hamidon to beat him. Having never done one of these raids, I'd finally hit fifty and wanted to help hold hamidon with my blaster. I had two holds...freeze ray and bitter freeze ray. This is where I learned about things like magnitude. Controllers had a higher mag with their holds than a blaster did. I was summarily told to go kick rocks, as my blaster's holds weren't good enough, and I'd just add to the lag that everyone suffered from back then during a hamidon raid, despite most of us having a minimal costume with no capes. 
Players back then would search high and low for "heals", "dps" and "tank".  That was literally all they'd want on their team. 
"Blaster? Nah, we got two scrappers already. Kick rocks." 

Is that the teamwork and strategy you're looking for? Having some punching bag herd a group up, while a blaster uses a nuke and an empath heals from a safe distance? 
If you take just a little time and explore the many guides on these forums, you'll find this is still possible, and still done - but that many players who play blasters use the tools like Mids to create builds where a blaster can have as many Hitpoints as some scrappers, and deal out more damage with more defense. (not all, some. A very well built blaster can certainly out-survive a poorly made scrapper.) 
Why should the Fire Tanks of issue 3 have all the fun? Why shouldn't the Dark/Dark Defender with a fast recharging nuke and super high defense play around in the same fashion as some tanks? It's not like it's hurting anyone. 

 

I recognize that you're playing a game and you want fun. Just realize that your version of fun may not be everyone else's. I hope you find what you're looking for, a group of kindred spirits who will enjoy things the same way you would. But, I also want to encourage you to think outside of that tired box. There's countless hours of learning & fun to be had, and more than one way to play. The good news is - none of them are wrong, as long as you're enjoying yourself! 

 

[Without_Pause]

I was on vacation so just got back today and finally got in some playtime outside of just checking the market. Got on a Frostfire mission. A person made a comment how few of us had 2x XP boosters. There was some chatting going around about people coming back and how nice the community is. We steamrolled that bad boy at +4/x8 like the OGs we were and had a gay ole time. My Rad/kin, Damage Cap, went from 7 to 14 in a mission. Oh, I could level a Kin via 2x while sitting in AE because Lord knows I don't need to be taught the ways of Kin, but bah. I'm enjoying it old school.

[TalynDerre]

My suggestion would be to switch shards to Everlasting.  It's the RP server, which to me is always a plus, but more to the point it's a LOT more laid-back about running content.  I've been playing on Everlasting at least two days a week since it went live, and I can count on one hand the number of times somebody even commented on anyone else's build, let alone made any 'requirements.'

[tidge]

On 10/8/2021 at 3:27 PM, Icy Mike said:

The pace everyone is operating at is disheartening to me. I can't get around as fast as everyone... I don't know any of the acronyms... also a ton of this content and task forces are new to me. I feel like Captain America waking up.

 

Welcome back!

 

There is going to be a period of getting (re)acquainted with the modern lingo. Be patient; don't be afraid to ask questions (The General tab is good for this).

 

IMO the biggest difference in play on Homecoming (and this was somewhat true at the end of Live) is that we have significantly more ways to quickly move between zones (and get directly to missions). This will come as a shock, especially to folks that remember not even getting a travel power until level 14. Don't be too embarrassed about this... again, asking questions in General, or asking TF teams about this before the TF starts will get information you can use.

 

Now, all about me:

 

As far as "slow play"... I don't mind a 'slow grind' to get familiar with a new AT/power set. There often comes a point when I simply don't feel like repeating certain content, or I just want to get a character to a certain level where it feels more like unique character. I'm definitely not an "end game is the only game" player... I will admit that I've "rushed" a small number of characters to higher levels when they were slight variants of other characters... in one of the two (personal) cases it was specifically because the new character was going to have a very clumsy melee attack chain without Global recharge bonuses. I still played non-farm content, but I was focused on XP with only a minor consideration for working on Accolades while leveling.

 

 

[UltraAlt]

On 10/8/2021 at 3:27 PM, Icy Mike said:

Does anyone else just play the game at a sub optimal pace?

 

I think you are looking for "does anyone play the game at less than breakneck speeds"?

 

On 10/8/2021 at 3:27 PM, Icy Mike said:

"Back in my day" we had to pull and herd to get through stuff... are there still strategies and teamwork required anywhere?

 

If you are looking for old-school-teaming, it is mostly in sub level 35 door missions and more likely to occur on a team you are running.

Why a team you are running? Because then you can ask others that are running around berserk to leave the team or give them the boot if you have to.

 

If you see a level 50, you can pretty much bet that they are rapidly on their way to or already at the point that they are on Bull-in-the-china-shop mode all the time.

The end-gamers aren't looking for group synergy.

 

On 10/8/2021 at 3:27 PM, Icy Mike said:

Do I just need to give it time? Am I the only person that still actually runs around doing regular missions?

 

You aren't the only one that runs regular missions.

It is common in City of Heroes that everyone wants to be on a team but no one wants to recruit.

So lead team. Recruit for the kind of player you want. - it's no different than what the other players are doing with the end-game stuff.

Depending on the server population level and what is going on, you are very likely to get a team together if you recruit, run missions with who you have, and keep on recruiting until the team is full, recruiting again when it thins out, and repeat until you are ready to call it.

[Erratic1]

10 hours ago, Without_Pause said:

I was on vacation so just got back today and finally got in some playtime outside of just checking the market. Got on a Frostfire mission. A person made a comment how few of us had 2x XP boosters. There was some chatting going around about people coming back and how nice the community is. We steamrolled that bad boy at +4/x8 like the OGs we were and had a gay ole time. My Rad/kin, Damage Cap, went from 7 to 14 in a mission. Oh, I could level a Kin via 2x while sitting in AE because Lord knows I don't need to be taught the ways of Kin, but bah. I'm enjoying it old school.

 

Don't suppose this was on Torchbearer last night?

[Without_Pause]

6 minutes ago, Erratic1 said:

 

Don't suppose this was on Torchbearer last night?

Excelsior. I was on Torchbearer to start, but moved sometime after Excelsior took over as the most popular server.

[Erratic1]

1 minute ago, Without_Pause said:

Excelsior. I was on Torchbearer to start, but moved sometime after Excelsior took over as the most popular server.

 

Ah, okay. 

 

I do not regularly do Frostfire but joined a +4x8 one last night on Torchbearer that went very smoothly.

[Ukase]

1 hour ago, TalynDerre said:

My suggestion would be to switch shards to Everlasting.  It's the RP server, which to me is always a plus, but more to the point it's a LOT more laid-back about running content.  I've been playing on Everlasting at least two days a week since it went live, and I can count on one hand the number of times somebody even commented on anyone else's build, let alone made any 'requirements.'

A fair suggestion. The only issue is when someone is roleplaying a very annoying character! 

[tidge]

55 minutes ago, Ukase said:

A fair suggestion. The only issue is when someone is roleplaying a very annoying character! 

 

I'll have you know that it is part of Olympia McQuiverbottom's personal backstory that she only travels via [Walk] and she expects her teammates to do the same.

 

 

[AboveTheChemist]

On 10/8/2021 at 3:27 PM, Icy Mike said:

Does anyone else just play the game at a sub optimal pace?

Without going into too much detail, one man's sub-optimal pace is my optimal pace.

[TheZag]

When i first joined homecoming i was extremely slow to get around as well.  I was in atlas park and headed to rikti war zone.  First i had to ask if low level characters could even get into the zone (they can now).  Then i headed over to the train to hit up steel canyon.  I noticed brickstown was on the list after i clicked steel canyon so i went back in the train after loading steel to go to bricks.  Turns out the trains are all linked now.  From brickstown i go to creys folley and finally rikti warzone.  I didnt learn there was a portal from atlas park to rikti warzone until after that group was finished.  I was ultra slow reaching the group and nobody was irritated.  

 

Ive since learned how to get around really fast but i usually choose the train or ferry when available over using the long range teleport or mission teleport.  Ill take and drop the team transport so everyone can get around but ive still not had any problems from group members by going the 'slow' way.

 

And if you are ever on a Mothership Raid and get an Ambrosia,  thats just a very rare drop from the rikti and has nothing to do with me being around. 

 

Also,  on a totally unrelated note,  if any of my friends see this i need to run some Eden trials.

[MHertz]

Some people power-level through content. Some people join farms. Some people sit by the door, and some people steamroll the whole map and destroy it. Some people run Trials and Task Forces. Some people run missions. Some people street-sweep. Some people have to be on teams. Some people solo.

 

Sometimes it's the same person at different times.
 

If you're in the mood to form (or join) a team that has a particular flow or pace, carpe diem. Make that group. I bet there's somebody out there who'd rather be playing your way than playing solo.

[Wavicle]

I MOSTLY "play regular". So yes, we are here.

[Erratic1]

3 hours ago, TheZag said:

Ive since learned how to get around really fast but i usually choose the train or ferry when available over using the long range teleport or mission teleport.  Ill take and drop the team transport so everyone can get around but ive still not had any problems from group members by going the 'slow' way.

 

If you are a member of super group with a portal equipped base, Ouro->Talos is your friend because both a base portal, the tram station, and the TUNNEL network are all a skip, hop, and a jump from where you arrive from Ouro, hence allowing you to choose the best option. For Cimerora, its probably easiest to just super base portal to Croatoa which puts you right outside the local Midnighter's Club.

[Bill Z Bubba]

7 minutes ago, Erratic1 said:

For Cimerora, its probably easiest to just super base portal to Croatoa which puts you right outside the local Midnighter's Club.

 

Another option is the Midnighter's Mansion in Night Ward, accessible from the Tunnel portals or base porter setup, so that you can get the badge without having to run the arc, then LFG to Imperious Strike Force.

[Wavicle]

A few months ago I joined a Redside team and the leader stopped inviting people at 5.

I asked why, and they indicated that they preferred small teams and asked politely if I'd still like to come along.

I was surprised, simply because it's unusual, but I stayed and we had a great time. On teams that size everyone has to really pull their weight.

 

So teams like this DO exist, though they may be fewer, and people DO like playing this way and will join your team.

 

Just inform people ahead of time what the plan is.

[voyager2001dl]

Yes, as said above, we exist.  I do have Incarnate abilities unlocked on a couple characters,  but after 2 years I only have 4 lvl 50s.  I do a lot of alts, and honestly play other games too, (not to mention having job, wife,  kids, and a couple other hobbies).

 

I run a very small, very casual SG, with only a couple regularly active members on Excelsior.  One or two of us do farm AE most of the time, but even those will stop at a mission end to run storyline when asked.

 

If that's what your into, and if your also on Excelsior, shoot me an email ingame at @Galelleo.  I check that far more often than the forums.  Or feel free to start your own group. 

 

Welcome back, and happy gaming.

[wmtyrance]

Man i thought i was the only one too. Played the game at launch and didn't remember hitting max level and having to redo all my enhancements like people were telling me or no one would play with me. I think i will switch servers now to everlasting if it's more of a relaxed server. I never played MMO's to have to grind gear and do crafting. I never liked doing any of that stuff. I just want to play a super hero.

[Wavicle]

1 minute ago, wmtyrance said:

 hitting max level and having to redo all my enhancements like people were telling me or no one would play with me.

 

Whoa, who told you that? The only time I've seen anything like that is for The Really Hard Way attempts...

[theDarkeOne]

Welcome back home. . . I returned the day after Homecoming launched. . . and again after it disappeared for a week over "stuff" and have been here since. (started the OG on issue 4 and played until the doors closed and the torches went out).

 

I have 2 accounts since I enjoy most of the post 35 stuff more than lower level. . . I get my toons to 35, IO them to some extent, then level to 50 through missions, teams, radios, TFs, and so on. . . And at current count have about 100 characters between 35-50+ across all the servers (on both accounts). Anytime you are looking for a group in that 35+ content feel free to shoot me a tell! Always happy to have a partner or group to run with!

[wmtyrance]

2 hours ago, Wavicle said:

 

Whoa, who told you that? The only time I've seen anything like that is for The Really Hard Way attempts...

I was grouped up as a new player and was told this.

[Wavicle]

1 hour ago, wmtyrance said:

I was grouped up as a new player and was told this.

They lied. Slot whatever you like. The only time I’ve ever seen it be an issue is with that one badge.

[wmtyrance]

1 hour ago, Wavicle said:

They lied. Slot whatever you like. The only time I’ve ever seen it be an issue is with that one badge.

OK thank you so much. I was afraid of end game lvl 50 because of this.

[A Cat]

On 10/11/2021 at 1:52 PM, Erratic1 said:

For Cimerora, its probably easiest to just super base portal to Croatoa which puts you right outside the local Midnighter's Club.

Another way is to use the LFG tab. Go in there, find the ITF, click the lock teams toggle, and then it will tp you right to Imperious. It's really useful since Cimerora is seriously behind the times transportation wise.