Alter zone choices for missions

[srmalloy]

One of the things that I have noticed, particularly as your character advances into the higher levels, is that missions -- particularly the first mission from any contact, where you have to physically go to that contact, and then physically return to them to turn it in -- are almost always in a zone distant from the contact. While this made sense when the game was live, in that increasing travel time increased the engagement time of a player, extending the time required to gain the same measure of experience. With Homecoming, though, this isn't a particular concern (especially with the ready availability of powers like Mission Teleporter and Team Teleporter), so I would like to ask that this be removed.

 

Now, I'm not asking that the first mission from contacts always be in the same zone; what I'm asking is that, when looking at how contacts assign missions, if there is some code that excludes the current zone from the possible locations of a mission, that this code be removed. So if you, say, went to Anton Sampson for his first mission, you could still be sent to any 30s-and-lower zone for the mission, but Founder's Falls would also be in the choice list for the mission door, rather than automatically being sent to any zone other than Founder's Falls for the mission.

[ninja surprise]

Or just give the cell phone right when you start doing missions for a contact. Cell phones were less common back in 2004 but nowadays everyone except the most trendy Gen Z have them.

[Astralock]

Just another reason why red side is the best side. 😛

[Clave Dark 5]

11 hours ago, srmalloy said:

(especially with the ready availability of powers like Mission Teleporter and Team Teleporter)

Taking it as a given that dev time it a limited resource, sounds like this problem is already taken care of and they might focus their energy elsewhere?  😃 

 

I do know what you mean though; I like the idea of going with cellphones from the get-go.

[srmalloy]

10 hours ago, ninja surprise said:

Or just give the cell phone right when you start doing missions for a contact.

There are a couple of contacts where the "drag out play time" decision by the devs whacks you hard upside the head -- finishing your first mission from a contact, and immediately on mission exit you get a second mission where, if you actually read the mission briefing, says something like "you call your contact, and they tell you..." -- but they (at least back on Live) don't give you their phone number for three more missions, so you couldn't have called them to get the automatic follow-on mission.