Straight to the story arc please

[Ukase]

I suggest each contact list which mission/story arcs they have for us to choose from. 

Why in the world do we have to waste our time doing some one-off mission that gives no merits? There's just no reason to suffer through these one-offs other than to get to the story arc. If we can't get rid of them, make them part of the arc and increase the merit rewards by a merit or two. 

It makes no sense to me now that it's a non-profit game that we need people to sink time into a meaningless activity. 

In my mind, every contact should be like Lord Schweinzer. You go up, ask for the list of missions available, and choose what you want. 

Mind you, I don't want to do every arc with every character. I like how the contact gives me a choice - this or that. But when I know the contact has an arc, and my choices are some 90 minute timed mission or talking to a security chief, I know that neither one of those are what I want to do. I want the arc. 
Now, I'm left to outlevel the contact and go direct to the arc - which locks me in for the duration of the arc making doing other things, like help with a zone event or a gm problematic. Or, suffer through one of the options. 

Pitfalls: 
I'm sure it would be damned tedious for some dev to do this for each and every contact. I know I wouldn't want to do it! I don't even know how they'd manage to do this by level range. So many damned contacts! A good problem to have! But, Christmas is coming, and no harm in asking, as far I can tell. 

 

[lemming]

I'm not sure how this would work, but I can see the appeal.

If data was taken, one could then see which missions were done.  (Pretty sure that's not a trivial bit)

There are some throw away missions that are somewhat amusing.

[Darmian]

11 minutes ago, Ukase said:

no harm in asking, as far I can tell. 

Don't ask don't get.  It's like the lottery.  You might never win but if you don't buy a ticket then it's guaranteed you'll never win!

[srmalloy]

2 hours ago, Ukase said:

Why in the world do we have to waste our time doing some one-off mission that gives no merits?

You're proving to the contact that you're responsible enough to handle being given a story arc. There are contacts that will always give you an introductory mission like this before they will give you their story arc(s) -- Gordon Stacey, for example, will give you only the mission that gives the badge "The Doctor's Ally" before he gives you any other missions. However, if you're being given a choice of missions, it can be tedious, but you already have an option:

1. Take one of the missions the contact offers you.
2. Abandon the mission from the mission list window.
3. Click on the contact (not the open contact window) to get a new list of missions they offer.

Repeat these steps until you get the mission you want -- I routinely use this with Trevor Seaborn/Haley Phillips/Hugo Redding to get the "Rescue the Mystic from the Circle of Thorns" mission as soon as I get the introduction to the contact, so it's in my mission list and I don't accidentally outlevel the contact. For other contacts, keep doing this until you get a mission offering that has an arc name prefacing it, then pick that.

[tidge]

Those times when Maria Jenkins send you to Seige before starting her arc: Jackpot!

[Psi-bolt]

19 minutes ago, tidge said:

Those times when Maria Jenkins send you to Seige before starting her arc: Jackpot!

 

That is really a treat when it happens.

[Ukase]

5 hours ago, srmalloy said:

There are contacts that will always give you an introductory mission like this before they will give you their story arc(s

You clearly missed the entire reason for my post. 
It's past time they stopped ALWAYS giving an introductory mission. I don't want to do the introductory mission, unless it gives a badge. And sometimes, not even then. I don't pursue badges with every character. 
I just want the story arc because it gives merits, and I'd rather not do the arc through ouro for reasons already stated. 

I already am familiar with the accept, abandon tactic. If this worked for every contact, I wouldn't have bothered making the suggestion, but it doesn't. 

[Skyhawke]

Hello, Sky-Hawke, I have a request for you. Would you take out 40 Malta in Peregrine Island?

 

"Sure!" <accepts then abandons mission>

 

Hello, Sky-Hawke, some Crey have hit a lab in Brickstown. Will you sort it out?

 

"Sure!" <accepts then abandons mission>

 

Hello, Sky-Hawke, Anti Matter is up to something. Will you investigate?

 

"Fiiiiinally. Yes!"