My Altitis is doing my head in!

[Scarlet Shocker]

So many concepts, so little time

 

Well technically that's not strictly true. I'm time rich but I have so many different toons all half cooked. I have characters on all sides, on all servers at various levels. In one sense, that's a good thing - I'm able to join in with events in most situations with most types of AT (with some exceptions; for example I don't believe I have a single stalker) meaning I can provide assistance at most levels whatever the circumstance.

 

But it also means it takes my focus away from the characters I may actively wish to be concentrating on. If you've read other threads here recently you'll have a sense of where I'm at - but then I get pulled away from that project and hey presto, something else comes along. And then somebody mentions an AT/build/scenario and I'm like "that sounds interesting what if I were to X, Y, or Z that and..." and then I'm off down the road with another squirrelly strangeness.

 

This game is great for altaholics, it gives us so much scope. Working from memory I think I calculated that there are 160+ variants of Controller playable (and possible three builds per character) alone. That means there's probably well over 1000 different builds possible in the game (feel free to count them if you are so inclined) which is... staggering. I've never known a game so rich in its player content.

 

So how do you guys manage your altitis? What do you do to prevent distraction... or do you? Are you an altaholic or are you able to stick to the plan you set yourself avoiding distractions?

[carroto]

39 minutes ago, Scarlet Shocker said:

So how do you guys manage your altitis?

 

It's kind of self-regulating for me.  I don't tend to be driven by concept, but rather interesting power set combos.  Many ATs have few interesting combos, so my problem is often finding something new to try that seems fun.

[kelika2]

be more worried when you run out of ideas

[Zephyr Star]

I have my "main" character, meaning he's the one I focus on badges, TFs/Trials, etc and influence gaining to fund all my alts (which is a frightening amount). I will be playing him in something, then inevitably get an idea for something else. First, I will think of a name and check to see if it's available. If so, I snag it immediately, then decide on powersets/costume/etc.

I do this a lot.

It doesn't take as long to get to max level as it did back in the day, so rolling alts isn't as big of a deal. If you get an idea, make it! The creativity available in this game is astounding, and always has been.

[Falling Stargazer]

+1 to Zephyr, the biggest barrier I use to keep my brain in check is whether I can snag an interesting name for the concept. I'm committed to only using legit names (no added characters/numbers to force it through). If I have a REALLY strong drive but can't get the name, I go in and create them as a character for AE or just save it as a costume for later.

 

My altitis is currently [manageable] but that's probably because I'm focused on experiencing the story content progression with my main hero. Once he's at 50 and through however much of the Incarnate system as keeps my interest, it will probably get dire for a while. Especially once I have enough Prismatic Aether that I can incorporate the costume holograms into my concepts. I'm so doomed.

 

(Totally off topic, but I recommend trying out a Stalker if you have friends to levelup with! I run one with two buds and it's an interesting change of pace getting to be the forward scout in missions. As well as getting to pick one enemy to be deleted before a fight starts.)

[Seed22]

I have 98(?) 50s. Im at the point where I’m done with alts and entering my retirement years with CoH(making AE arcs and running TFs with family who play still.)

 

I say just get your cash cow 50 and get some merits to fund your alts and ride the wave. You will eventually run out of steam and stop making alts or nearly as many alts and become like me, a retired(in CoH) hermit who makes AE arcs and bets on what the next page of updates will be.

[dtjunkie]

I have a spreadsheet.

[MoonSheep]

On 1/4/2024 at 5:01 PM, carroto said:

 

It's kind of self-regulating for me.  I don't tend to be driven by concept, but rather interesting power set combos.  Many ATs have few interesting combos, so my problem is often finding something new to try that seems fun.

 

i agree with this

 

for the last 4 years of HC i have only really played my mind/fire dom or my kin/sonic defender. i have played a poison/fire def and elec/shield stalker to 50 but rarely play them, they gather dust

 

two good alts are all you need. i have high damage and total lockdown on my dom and pure support and debuff on my def

 

i have thought about having a tank, then i remember i can just mash my inspirations as usual and continue herding on the def and dom

[cranebump]

I can't manage it. Which is why I recently did a mass deletion/consolidation. This includes a couple who'd reached 40+. I just knew I wouldn't "finish" them. 

[Ael]

I don't. Hell, I'm the reason (literally) why we have 1,000 slots (per server). 😂
 

Edited January 6 by Ael
for clarity

[Scarlet Shocker]

18 minutes ago, Ael said:

I don't. Hell, I'm the reason (literally) why we have 1,000 slots. 😂

 

5000 slots

 

 

Edited January 6 by Scarlet Shocker
x10

[Ael]

5 minutes ago, Scarlet Shocker said:

 

5000 slots

 

 

Not per server. =P

[Scarlet Shocker]

12 hours ago, Ael said:

Not per server. =P

Pedant! 🤣

[Saiyajinzoningen]

On 1/5/2024 at 12:59 PM, MoonSheep said:

 

i agree with this

 

for the last 4 years of HC i have only really played my mind/fire dom or my kin/sonic defender. i have played a poison/fire def and elec/shield stalker to 50 but rarely play them, they gather dust

 

two good alts are all you need. i have high damage and total lockdown on my dom and pure support and debuff on my def

 

i have thought about having a tank, then i remember i can just mash my inspirations as usual and continue herding on the def and dom

 

I have about 50 characters

40 of them are fully specced out

20 of them are actually fun to play

10 of them are actually good

2 of them are fun + good

 

Fun is    = not so strong that they can easily steamroll things mindlessly (steamrolls are boring)

Good is = not so complicated/clicky/strategic that they are frustratingly exhausting to play (constant clicks, aiming and repositioning is annoying)

 

Some folk like to steamroll and that's ok

some folk like to micromanage pets and that ok too

The best part about this game is that there is something for everyone 

no matter how you like to play (unless you are like my son who swings endlessly through nyc, yes just swinging, seriously...)

[Skyhawke]

On 1/4/2024 at 11:21 AM, Scarlet Shocker said:

So how do you guys manage your altitis?

 

 

[wjrasmussen]

On 1/4/2024 at 8:21 AM, Scarlet Shocker said:

So many concepts, so little time

 

Well technically that's not strictly true. I'm time rich but I have so many different toons all half cooked. I have characters on all sides, on all servers at various levels. In one sense, that's a good thing - I'm able to join in with events in most situations with most types of AT (with some exceptions; for example I don't believe I have a single stalker) meaning I can provide assistance at most levels whatever the circumstance.

 

But it also means it takes my focus away from the characters I may actively wish to be concentrating on. If you've read other threads here recently you'll have a sense of where I'm at - but then I get pulled away from that project and hey presto, something else comes along. And then somebody mentions an AT/build/scenario and I'm like "that sounds interesting what if I were to X, Y, or Z that and..." and then I'm off down the road with another squirrelly strangeness.

 

This game is great for altaholics, it gives us so much scope. Working from memory I think I calculated that there are 160+ variants of Controller playable (and possible three builds per character) alone. That means there's probably well over 1000 different builds possible in the game (feel free to count them if you are so inclined) which is... staggering. I've never known a game so rich in its player content.

 

So how do you guys manage your altitis? What do you do to prevent distraction... or do you? Are you an altaholic or are you able to stick to the plan you set yourself avoiding distractions?

It is like an itch which you have to scratch.  And the way to scratch that itch is to make another alt.  That's what I do.

[Scarlet Shocker]

1 hour ago, wjrasmussen said:

It is like an itch which you have to scratch.  And the way to scratch that itch is to make another alt.  That's what I do.

 

you got it!

[Greycat]

On 1/4/2024 at 10:21 AM, Scarlet Shocker said:

So how do you guys manage your altitis? What do you do to prevent distraction... or do you? Are you an altaholic or are you able to stick to the plan you set yourself avoiding distractions?

 

I don't. About the only thing that "manages" it for me is the other people I RP with, because I want certain characters on for certain things. On the other hand, it also tends to lead to *other* characters being built.

 

When I don't have something I'm making time to be somewhere for, I'll sometimes just pull a random character and get another level to several levels on them, or work on an AE or something.

[Skyhawke]

I did do a housecleaning a few weeks back. Any alt under level 20 got the "does this bring me joy" treatment and some pruning ensued. Other than that, I've also taken to keeping my main in the #1 slot, current projects on the first 2 pages, all my 50s go on pages 3 and 4, there's a buffer page for more 50s then on page 6 onwards is the land of misfit toys. All over 20 and kept around to tinker with.