Hard Mode Content Participation Poll

[Seed22]

I understand the poll is rather simple, so please feel free to elaborate moreso in the comments! If you do run HM content, could you please state which star difficulty you run it at? How often do you run HM content and do you personally plan to run the content more or less once Page 4 drops?

[The_Warpact]

Nope, at any given time there is usually only 4 of us on in my VG, sure those numbers increase in the winter and we might run malicious once when numbers allow it.

But, generally nah no interest.

[Marbing]

The hard mode content is an absolute blast. I just don’t usually have enough play time in one session to participate all the time.

[Spaghetti Betty]

I had to put myself down as "sometimes". As much as I wanna run Hard Mode stuff more often, I hardly ever have the 1-3 hours of uninterrupted playtime it requires to do the stuff. I do catch 801 runs the few times I do catch Linea hosting one, but that's about the extent of it.

 

Working late nights over the weekend kinda sucks in that regard.

[Nemu]

Sometimes. I occasionally participate in 801s and relentless Aeons but my experiences with the former has really soured me on actively participating in such activities.

 

To me, hardmode represents a fairly rare opportunity in this game to work together as a team. However, more often than not when I join an 801 it's just a bunch of people soloing and leaning heavily on their builds. I think any hardmode content that involves "vanilla" groups of mobs can be overcome with intelligent play and I'd love to see more teammates pull, position tactically, use line of sight, and employ any number of basic game mechanics to overcome difficult odds. Instead I just see people with a speed running mentality zerg such content and overtune their builds to compensate, it's not the experience I want.

 

Like @The_Warpact, my SG is a bunch of casuals that sometime even has trouble running LRSF (yes, those folks exist. Not everyone can speed run MLTF/LRSF in under 30 minutes), and I tend to PuG a lot which is both a blessing and a curse. PuGs are not the best option for difficult content when badges are involved, unfortunately.

 

If I run such hard content I do it to see how my non-overtuned/optimized for hard content build can go on my skills alone. Whether the team succeeds or not, it's rewarding enough for me to know that I can hang.

[TheZag]

6 minutes ago, Marbing said:

The hard mode content is an absolute blast. I just don’t usually have enough play time in one session to participate all the time.

 

Same for me,  i cant usually commit the time in 1 session.  The character is able,  but the operator is out of time.

 

 

[Coyotedancer]

Sort of 2 here, sort of 3?

 

I tend to run them once just to see it and to say that I have. After that... nah. Not really my "thing".

[Bionic_Flea]

I ran Aeon on max level when it first come out to try it and get the badges.  And then I run it from time to time at lower settings for fun or the rewards, especially if it's the WSF.  I expect the same for ITF, although I think I may run that one more than Aeon.

[Black Zot]

The time when I would have had any use for hard mode anything came and went over a decade ago.

[Shred Monkey]

I generally do whatever PuG is forming when I log in.  I prefer hard mode over easy/speed.  But I prefer starting now over waiting.  If I saw more hard mode groups forming, I'd jump on it.

 

[ShardWarrior]

Our group ran the ASF on Hard Mode once for the badges, then never again.  Will do the same for the ITF, assuming we stay here.  Zero interest in turning TFs into lengthy slogs really.

[Mezmera]

I think if there were a bit more Hard Mode content available that would familiarize people with it more beyond just the Aeon and now the ITF I'd think it would be run a bit more.  I get these are actually hard and make teams pause to consider team composition but that's not a bad thing as opposed to running 8 fiya blastas through all of the current content.  

 

I like these quite a bit and do my part to organize them when I can.  I have no problem with carrying a PuG through one of these, that's why I tinkered with my dom and tank so that I could get teams through this as the point.  I'll be sure and not push what I'd like to do with what the PuG that has been built could realistically accomplish so I organize an Aeon at the medium difficulty with the caveat that it could be a Relentless run if we have a team dedicated for it.  

 

Another thing I'd like to see is rewards for doing these things to be commensurate with running an Apex/Tin Mage which at worst is a 30 min commitment for 80 merits.  And it doesn't need to be just merits, I'd like to see unique costume pieces available for unlock for running these things, especially once they get more Hard Mode content available.  Some of those D-Syncs are quite nice though but you can get those at the minimum risk run.  

Edited August 15, 2022 by Mezmera

[Luminara]

It's team-oriented content, so I haven't experienced any of it.  If/when it comes to solo content, I won't bother with it.  I did the "hard mode" thing in I5, when I played a Kin/Elec defender with pool melee attacks instead of blasts, and I6, when I soloed a TA/A to 50.  I'm not doing it again.

[Doomguide2005]

     Well I would probably fall mostly into #1 but it'll have to wait until I can actually get in game.  But I definitely like pushing my characters and particularly joining teams doing so and doing so with themed teams.

[Frostbiter]

I'm a filthy casual. I solo and that's it.

[ZorkNemesis]

I play on Indom and at such a late hour that nobody is doing anything anyway.  I'm not even sure I've seen a shout for Aeon in any capacity when i'm around.  I wouldn't mind trying harder content but schedule conflicts typically prevent me from doing anything group focused.

 

Edited August 16, 2022 by ZorkNemesis

[Ukase]

I can see myself running the content on Hard Mode to accompany certain in-game friends. But, it wouldn't ordinarily be something I would recruit for to run, unless there were a badge only available in the hard mode run. 

I mean, there's nothing to compel anyone to run it, other than in-game loot which doesn't really mean much to me. The only reason I'll look into acquiring the new Prismatic Aether Particles is for the badges. After that, they're pretty much without utility for me. 
I can make more merits doing something easier, due to the time commitment hard mode often requires. The story of the new HM ITF isn't any different, the cut scene is the same, so other than badges, no reason to run it, unless, as I stated, some friends needed a hand. 

[Excraft]

I saw hard mode being advertised in LFG the first week or so after it was launched.  I never see it advertised now.  Complete waste of time and effort in my opinion.  Rewards are garbage for the added time and effort involved.

[Clave Dark 5]

I don't think I've done any of the hard mode stuff yet.  I guess I would know if I had right?  I'm not a min/maxer nor a twitch gamer, and its dispiriting to keep dying on a mission.  I wouldn't mind giving it a go perhaps, but I'm also not terribly excited to try, either.  Last Aeon I went on was bad enough with a player berating me for not knowing what I was doing, even though I'd already stated I've only done it once before.; I know that's just one jerk, not "the system" or whatever, but it still left a sour taste you know?

[-Kobi-]

Love hard mode playstyle. That's, in my opinion, the best add content in game. I was about to stop because of the disconcerting ease of the game in general, even if I hear that the game is more focused on fun and testing several combinations of powers.

 

However, having developed content based on team spirit and a minimum of tactics has been a nice addition that should spread on the incarnate content. We just need in general better rewards scale on difficulty to encourage people playing this playstyle.

[MrAxe]

Not played it but want to at some point.

[KC4800]

I have a few alts that I feel could possibly do well in hard mode content, although I have never attempted it on any PuG. I am a solo player. The one good friend I played this game with stopped playing many months ago. Is this new currency being implemented going to be enough of an incentive to get me to pursue this remains to be seen. I kinda doubt it, being a mini me is cute, but a blob is really of no interest.

[Guffnat]

In addition to being an EU player on Excelsior and having a new born at home I don't really have the time I had back in 2005. I'm happy enough if I can design some cool costumes, join a low lvl TF, DfB, SBB, DiB or a nice radio missions team. I would consider myself happy casual. No considerable amount of influence on my hands, no level 50(+), just a lot of toons in the level 10-45 range I enjoy playing; mostly Controllers.

 

I might try the hard content when I'm on paternity leave for 3 months in 2023 but there is no rush.

Edited August 16, 2022 by Guffnat

[Top Gear]

If I wanted to waste my time grinding away for 3 hours, I'd rather find a big rock and try rolling it up a hill than taking advantage of hard mode for the pathetic rewards it gives.

[arcane]

I don’t think the point of hard mode was to have the most optimal and efficient rewards. In fact that’s hardly ever the case in any game. Might have something to do with the word “hard” or the perhaps the word “challenge”.