Did Events Kill the Game?

[Skyhawke]

Pssshhhht... I got sooooo many TFs done on different characters during October because after the first week, you'll find all the people who got the badges and are back to doing normal stuff. Maaaaaaybe cut it down to 2 or 3 weeks, but as for it killing the game? It'll have to get in line with the other thousands of things that have "killed the game".

 

 

Edited Thursday at 07:39 PM by Skyhawke

[MsSmart]

I do not believe events on to themselves breaks the game, but the duration of the event is what is an issue with me.

 

I find events to give spice to the game, but like any dish too much spice ruins it.

 

I feel that a week maximum for an event is more than enough to get a break of the routine, do something different and really enjoy it.

 

A problem with a significant portion of the population is that they have a strong desire to create as many alts as possible, thus they create an alt and rush to level to 50 as fast as possible and as soon as they accomplish this, they make another and the cycle repeats itself in a never ending fashion. So as a result, these folks are always looking for a way for quick leveling with the least effort possible, so here is where the events become so popular, and when there are no events then there is the MSR a consistent paradise for the alt levelers and if an MSR is not on-going, then you see them posting for a door sitter in a farm.

 

Now, some would think what is the harm with an exp leech paradise?

 

The problem in my experience, is that they seriously deplete the available population in the server to form TFs to do the actual material in the game, another problem is that those folks at times have no earthly idea how to play their alt, and some do not even know how to get around in the game.

 

In a way as much critique against farming, it seems to me, the nurfs to farming should be removed so the exp leech folks can go to farms consistently, maybe some would return the favor by running a farm to repay the community, but I seriously doubt the y would...

 

 

[Bionic_Flea]

Responding to @CoeruleumBlue

 

No, the Halloween event did not kill the game.  Neither did any other event.

 

No, farming has never been against the rules, although the original devs kept tighter reins on it than the HC devs do.

 

 Yes, you can use Fiery Aura to great success in farms, but also in any other part of the game.

 

No, you should not believe everything you read on Reddit.  While I can't say there is never any toxic RP, I can say that there is plenty of friendly non-toxic RP.

 

No, farming and RPing (toxic or not) would not stop if people "just played the game."  Farming and RPing IS playing the game.  Let people play the way they want to play and you play the way you want to.  If you don't like farming, or ToTing, or RPing, or whatever, just don't do it.  Let others enjoy what they like.

 

No, you don't have to change Fiery Aura into a "normal armor set" because it already is.  The reason it is the choice for farming is 1) it can easily be built to resist caps and defense caps on fire damage, 2) you can make enemies that only have fire damage, and 3) Burn, Blazing Aura, and Fiery Embrace can put out a lot of damage on top of whatever your attack set does.

 

Ummm . . . . Comparing farming to crimes and thinking that it leads to predatory grooming is  . . . I don't even know how you reach such conclusions.  It's wrong and highly insulting to people who do like to farm.  

[Rudra]

38 minutes ago, MsSmart said:

A problem with a significant portion of the population is that they have a strong desire to create as many alts as possible,

How is wanting to make and play different characters a "problem"? As someone with alt-itis, I find this comment disparaging in its intent. It isn't a "make as many alts as possible" thing, it is a plethora of character ideas we want to play.

 

39 minutes ago, MsSmart said:

thus they create an alt and rush to level to 50 as fast as possible and as soon as they accomplish this, they make another and the cycle repeats itself in a never ending fashion.

This is an over-generalized stereotype. Yes, there are players that power level multiple characters to 50+3. There are also several of us that play our way up through the content to the same level.

 

41 minutes ago, MsSmart said:

The problem in my experience, is that they seriously deplete the available population in the server to form TFs to do the actual material in the game

What are you complaining about here? How is forming or joining a TF/SF depleting the available server population? Or are you saying they deplete the available population to do so said TFs/SFs? Which is also in an incorrect portrayal/stereotype.

[lemming]

1 hour ago, Bionic_Flea said:

Ummm . . . . Comparing farming to crimes and thinking that it leads to predatory grooming is  . . . I don't even know how you reach such conclusions.  It's wrong and highly insulting to people who do like to farm. 

Not sure if I'm mad at you for pointing that comparison out because I had checked out of that reply before the end and now I had to go back and see for myself. Yikes.

 

Some people just can't deal with people playing a different way.   As long as you're not greifing people, I think it's fine to play whatever way.   As people have mentioned, there are some things in the game that were fine, until people took advantage of it.   Like a take a penny, leave a penny, but some people just dumped the pennies into their coin purse.

[Rudra]

5 minutes ago, lemming said:

Not sure if I'm mad at you for pointing that comparison out because I had checked out of that reply before the end and now I had to go back and see for myself. Yikes.

 

Some people just can't deal with people playing a different way.   As long as you're not greifing people, I think it's fine to play whatever way.   As people have mentioned, there are some things in the game that were fine, until people took advantage of it.   Like a take a penny, leave a penny, but some people just dumped the pennies into their coin purse.

Yeah, I was just ignoring that part of the comment. Figured it was just too out there to address. My hat's off to @UltraAlt and @Bionic_Flea for be willing to address it though.

[Skyhawke]

[UltraAlt]

12 hours ago, MsSmart said:

A problem with a significant portion of the population is that they have a strong desire to create as many alts as possible, thus they create an alt and rush to level to 50 as fast as possible and as soon as they accomplish this, they make another and the cycle repeats itself in a never ending fashion. So as a result, these folks are always looking for a way for quick leveling with the least effort possible, so here is where the events become so popular, and when there are no events then there is the MSR a consistent paradise for the alt levelers and if an MSR is not on-going, then you see them posting for a door sitter in a farm.

 

I think at this point there is probably over 50% of the players that only play level 50's.

I think that there are still those out there that only play one character or only a couple with a main.

 

There are seemingly only a very few that want to Pokémon CoH and have a character for every conceivable power set.

 

I am one of those that makes a good number of characters. I'm only up to 210 at this point.

I only have 3 level 50's because the teams I was playing with were excited to get to level 50. These characters didn't power level through doorsitting or events. Everyone else on the static team with these characters was running x2 XP throughout so I did as well to keep up with them leveling-wise.

Once the whole name release thing happened and only 50's didn't have to log in to "save" their names, I was over the whole level 50 thing. I level up to 49 and stop. I have several 49's at this point.

I make characters when I come up with a character conception. Sometimes one just hits me. Other times, a new set is coming out, and I create a character conception to match (or twist one from another character on another shart to make a multiverse version of the character that basically the same character but with a different origin story and their "powers" behave differently).

 

I'm not trying to make as many alts as I can. I'm making alts that I feel are cool to play based on their character conception.

 

12 hours ago, MsSmart said:

In a way as much critique against farming, it seems to me, the nurfs to farming should be removed so the exp leech folks can go to farms consistently, maybe some would return the favor by running a farm to repay the community, but I seriously doubt the y would...

 

Farmers are going to farm regardless.

I often see Farmers sending messages for door-sitters. 

People that post that they are looking for farms don't post more than once, so I'm assuming some farmer is snatching them up to help make bigger mobs.

 

So, yeah, I'm all for the nerfing on farming even though I make mint off off the farmers in the /AH.

 

[skoryy]

13 hours ago, Skyhawke said:

The Game Is Dying Because It Doesn't Make Everyone Play The Way I Want Them To, a tale so old as time that you could have had Angela Lansbury sing about it.

[Bionic_Flea]

4 hours ago, UltraAlt said:

Farmers are going to farm regardless.

I often see Farmers sending messages for door-sitters. 

People that post that they are looking for farms don't post more than once, so I'm assuming some farmer is snatching them up to help make bigger mobs.

1) True.  That's why you can't "ban" farming.  Players will just find what the most efficient path is and run on that path.  If you close that path, they will find the next most efficient path.

2) True.

3) Incorrect assumption.  Door sitters are not required to make bigger mobs.  You just set your self for +4/*8 and go to town.  Having door-sitters actually reduces the farmers income as drops are distributed to everyone on the map, not just the farmer.  They are offering door-sitters to have company and to pay-it-back (or pay-it-forward).

[ShardWarrior]

17 hours ago, MsSmart said:

another problem is that those folks at times have no earthly idea how to play their alt

 

I have encountered a surprising number of "veterans" who have no idea how to play either.  This is not a phenomena of new players only.

[Snarky]

On 11/4/2025 at 8:56 PM, CoeruleumBlue said:

Did events like the Halloween event kill the game? Honestly it made me want to play the game less, people aren't playing the content because they just levelled during Trick-or-Treat, and someone got onto me for being "obsessed with psionics" when I just like the concept of psionics, not because of getting annoyed at "enemy groups" (see also: my forum signature from a book about telepaths.) People don't even seem to get that the City of Heroes world isn't just Second Life/real life with metas because they don't play the game, and it seems the main culprit behind people not playing the game is the ability to level during events like ToT. Maybe we should just get rid of those events if they might be why the game ended in the first place? Those are just my thoughts. Thanks for your consideration! 

For as long as I have been here (the drop of Redside… “event?” This has been the case.  Whether it was an abusive X-farm in aE on live, double exp weekend, new/updated powers, or seasonal event.  This has been an endless cycle of chasing the new shiny. 
 

To now ask “ Did events kill the game?” Ignores twenty years of history of how players have played the game.  Events did not kill the game.  Events have been a solid enjoyable steady experience our players have enjoyed for years and years.  

[Troo]

1 hour ago, ShardWarrior said:

I have encountered a surprising number of "veterans" who have no idea how to play either.  This is not a phenomena of new players only.

 

Hey now! At least use @Snarky's name if you're gonna throw 'em under the bus like that.

 

😛 

 

[ShardWarrior]

29 minutes ago, Troo said:

Hey now! At least use @Snarky's name if you're gonna throw 'em under the bus like that.

 

I know you jest. 😄  I found Snarky to be very competent and capable.  

[BurtHutt]

Kill the game? Interesting, I didn't know it was dead. The player population seems to be consistent and I think the population numbers have been similar for the last 5 years (since I found HC). So, maybe a bit too much drama here, OP.

 

Events are always nice. They add some change to the usual. Most of the content is 13+ years old. HC is doing a great job here and keeping the game in a great state. However, I hate to say it but I am not enjoying the HC content. I don't like the design and style of most of the new content; it seems my friends that play would agree. But I digress.

 

I also think it's fine if the event is on for a bit longer than a week or two. I don't have time or don't want to play a ton of CoX. I have a variety of toons that didn't have these badges and they all got a bit of a run. That wouldn't have happened if it was a 2 week event. I can see the argument for making it shorter but I think the happy compromise might be 3 weeks?

 

That made me think of the summer blockbuster event. That event definitely should be reduced. I'd suggest May-Sept.

 

So, no, events did not ruin the game. They add a nice little change to the usual. I hope they add more events. As for the content, most of us have played it and don't need to keep playing it with every toon in the same way.

[MsSmart]

On 11/6/2025 at 4:22 PM, Rudra said:

How is wanting to make and play different characters a "problem"? As someone with alt-itis, I find this comment disparaging in its intent. It isn't a "make as many alts as possible" thing, it is a plethora of character ideas we want to play.

 

This is an over-generalized stereotype. Yes, there are players that power level multiple characters to 50+3. There are also several of us that play our way up through the content to the same level.

 

What are you complaining about here? How is forming or joining a TF/SF depleting the available server population? Or are you saying they deplete the available population to do so said TFs/SFs? Which is also in an incorrect portrayal/stereotype.

There is no issue, with wanting to create as many alts to experience the different power sets, that is the positive side of it; but when I am forming a TINPEX and the player is sending me tells how to get to RWZ and they are level 50! Now Houston control we have a problem... I will admit it is not frequent, but it is more often than it should. I had level 50 players asking me how to get to Oro and one had no idea where red zones were and how to get there, the list goes on...

 

The use of power level activities, is fine, if the end purpose is legitimate and as an a truly experienced player bringing a new concept to the top and meant to be played as opposed to be another unread book in the library...

 

When these activities (events/MSRs) are pushing for the 40 players, and maybe the server has all 50 to 55 players on line, the event pretty much zapped the population available to form TF/SFs, maybe Rudra you don't form TFs habitually, but participate on them if someone else goes through the trouble and had not experienced the recruiting effect directly. I do consistently form TF and SFs and when MSRs and events kick in, what would have been a 5 to 10 min recruiting effort for a TF/SF now becomes a 15 to 25 min enterprise! This is more of an observation, than a complaint proper.

[Rudra]

45 minutes ago, MsSmart said:

There is no issue, with wanting to create as many alts to experience the different power sets, that is the positive side of it; but when I am forming a TINPEX and the player is sending me tells how to get to RWZ and they are level 50! Now Houston control we have a problem... I will admit it is not frequent, but it is more often than it should. I had level 50 players asking me how to get to Oro and one had no idea where red zones were and how to get there, the list goes on...

So, as long as all my alts use different power sets, then it is okay for me or anyone else to have multiple alts? Gee, thanks for the permission, but now I guess I better go back and start deleting some alts for not having different power sets. Yes, players not knowing how to navigate the game is a problem, but there is a massive difference between a power leveller with lots of alts that has only been to AE (or wherever the power levelling was done), a power leveller with lots of alts because that player prefers to have a fully kitted out character before tackling content, and a player with lots of alts just because. (Edit: Character concept is not just power sets. It is also background and character personality/interaction style. So yes, a single player can have as many say Dark/Dark Scrappers as that player wants, and each one can be wholly unique in how that player plays them.)

 

  

45 minutes ago, MsSmart said:

When these activities (events/MSRs) are pushing for the 40 players, and maybe the server has all 50 to 55 players on line, the event pretty much zapped the population available to form TF/SFs,

Nonsense. If someone is forming a TF/SF, iTrial, raid, or what have you, and the recruiter is having difficulty recruiting for it, that is not players with too many alts or with too high level of alts currently on depleting your available pool of players. Those all level 50 to 50+3, because there are no level 54 or 55 player characters, that won't join aren't doing so because they are too high level unless you are refusing to accept them for being too high level. They are doing so because they do not want to run that particular content at that particular time. Just because someone recruiting for something aimed at level 40s, or 30s, or 20s wants to recruit characters of those levels does not mean that players on characters that are too low level for that content or too high level for the recruiting player's wishes are somehow depleting the available pool of players. And any claim to the contrary better have some damn good proof that is the case if the person/people making that claim don't want to be told (s)he/they are full of shit.

 

Yes, recruiting for non-event content during events is problematic, in the first week or two, but that has nothing to do with players having too many alts of too high a level. That is the typical "Ooh! Shiny!" response people have for something new or not normally available.

 

Edited 17 hours ago by Rudra

[dangeraaron10]

On 11/5/2025 at 12:23 AM, CoeruleumBlue said:

 

There's no way that I'm aware of to stop stealing, lying, murdering, etc. but those are still against the law, so I'd still make farming against the rules, and try to make it harder rather than easier. I also never said to get rid of AE because as you said people farm regular missions too. It might not even be that dramatic to compare farming to real-life crimes because farming seems to enable the toxic RP community that according to other places on the Internet encourages people to engage in way too much predatory behavior like grooming minors and the like, so farming is probably actually worse than shoplifting from Wal-Mart even if it isn't murder. Bad things will probably always happen, but people should probably still try to discourage them as much as possible rather than giving up. 

 

What the hell are you babbling about?

[Jacke]

10 hours ago, ShardWarrior said:

I know you jest. 😄  I found Snarky to be very competent and capable.  

 

From what I've heard, @Snarky has killed his role, dead.  😺

 

 

[UltraAlt]

17 hours ago, Bionic_Flea said:

3) Incorrect assumption.  Door sitters are not required to make bigger mobs.  You just set your self for +4/*8 and go to town.  Having door-sitters actually reduces the farmers income as drops are distributed to everyone on the map, not just the farmer.  They are offering door-sitters to have company and to pay-it-back (or pay-it-forward).

 

I guess.

I thought spawn size was based on the team size and the /# increased the number of bosses and LT in the spawns. But I don't ever /8 so I don't know for sure.

I know that /2 or /3 sure seems to increase the number of bosses and LTs.

 

 

[Skyhawke]

8 hours ago, Jacke said:

 

From what I've heard, @Snarky has killed his role, dead.  😺

 

 

 

I thought he sucked? 🤷‍♂️

[Bionic_Flea]

3 hours ago, UltraAlt said:

 

I guess.

I thought spawn size was based on the team size and the /# increased the number of bosses and LT in the spawns. But I don't ever /8 so I don't know for sure.

I know that /2 or /3 sure seems to increase the number of bosses and LTs.

 

 

 

If you are solo and under x6 you can avoid bosses if you set no bosses.  If you add a player at x6 and over, they become bosses.  But if you set at x8 with bosses on, you get bosses, even if solo.

[MsSmart]

13 hours ago, Rudra said:

So, as long as all my alts use different power sets, then it is okay for me or anyone else to have multiple alts? Gee, thanks for the permission, but now I guess I better go back and start deleting some alts for not having different power sets. Yes, players not knowing how to navigate the game is a problem, but there is a massive difference between a power leveller with lots of alts that has only been to AE (or wherever the power levelling was done), a power leveller with lots of alts because that player prefers to have a fully kitted out character before tackling content, and a player with lots of alts just because. (Edit: Character concept is not just power sets. It is also background and character personality/interaction style. So yes, a single player can have as many say Dark/Dark Scrappers as that player wants, and each one can be wholly unique in how that player plays them.)

 

  

Nonsense. If someone is forming a TF/SF, iTrial, raid, or what have you, and the recruiter is having difficulty recruiting for it, that is not players with too many alts or with too high level of alts currently on depleting your available pool of players. Those all level 50 to 50+3, because there are no level 54 or 55 player characters, that won't join aren't doing so because they are too high level unless you are refusing to accept them for being too high level. They are doing so because they do not want to run that particular content at that particular time. Just because someone recruiting for something aimed at level 40s, or 30s, or 20s wants to recruit characters of those levels does not mean that players on characters that are too low level for that content or too high level for the recruiting player's wishes are somehow depleting the available pool of players. And any claim to the contrary better have some damn good proof that is the case if the person/people making that claim don't want to be told (s)he/they are full of shit.

 

Yes, recruiting for non-event content during events is problematic, in the first week or two, but that has nothing to do with players having too many alts of too high a level. That is the typical "Ooh! Shiny!" response people have for something new or not normally available.

 

Gee Rudra your need for extreme negativity and condesendence is just overwhelming

[lemming]

2 hours ago, Bionic_Flea said:

If you are solo and under x6 you can avoid bosses if you set no bosses.  If you add a player at x6 and over, they become bosses.  But if you set at x8 with bosses on, you get bosses, even if solo.

I don't even see that.    If solo and bosses off, no matter the team size # is set to, the bosses appear as lieutenants and elite bosses as bosses.   The # will affect the spawn sizes as if you had more team members.