Dalghryn

These are the ones currently in the arc:

Sewers Standard - CoV Set, Medium #12
Caves Rikti Set, Small #1
Tech Abandoned Set, Small #4
Tech Standard Set, Small #7
Unique Maps, Tech Lab, Demon-Infested Tech

My arc #227331, "Consequences of War," was just fine pre-I17. Now it will not play. It is showing font problems, but when I fix them and try to re-publish, it says, "Unable to re-publish arc: A Mission has too many ambush, boss, patrol, destrpy object details." There are no error messages pointing to where this previously non-existent problem is. My number seem to add up on each mission, but just in case, I actually deleted all the patrols and ambushes from two missions I though could be the problem. Still no luck.

If anyone has any ideas, I'm dyin' here.

I'm dying here, folks! As many of you know, both of my arcs were just fine pre-I17. Now, the first arc (Consequences of War) is not accessible. At first I thought it was because of the aforementioned font problem. I corrected the font and tried to re-publish and got a message telling me there were too many ambush/boss/patrol/ destroy objects in a mission. Unfortunately, there is no orange error message directing me to the (new) problem.

I double checked every mission and the numbers work based on the parameters given for each map. Even so, I tweaked in several places, just in case. The frakkin' thing still won't re-publish and still isn't playable.

Any thought, ideas or sympathy would be welcome. Instead of making some cool changes I'd been waiting for this issue to make, I'm bug-checking withouut any luck.

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, I'm DYING here!" - Han Solo during his first argument with Princess Leia

Um... Me. I dabble in Photoshop on the side.

It was a poppy field, MCM. Is there something you're not telling us?

I fourth that motion. In the words of the bard himself, "One animation bug does not a winning arc make."

I actually played every arc in this one (which amounts to... what? less than three full-sized arcs, so I guess bragging really isn't appropriate). They were all fun, and it was very hard to select the "best." Great work, everyone, and... as always... excellent job, Bubbawheat!

As one of several people who started arcs addressing the problems this patch has caused, and while I agree with many of the posters' comments here, I'll simply go on record as saying, thanks for the update, Dr. Aeon. Personally, I can't understand why they can't rescind the patch with just a couple weeks wait, but knowing there's a fix in the works -- and that the ultimate goal combines eliminating farms while making those of us legitimate MA users happy -- I'll live with it.

Glazius, you're dobbing me not one but two stars simply because you don't like that I've accomplished my goal. The translator issue aside (and, just because you argue in a civil manner, I'll double check my notes and even consider some story modifications to clarify my thoughts on that) I'm telling a realistic tale of the Rikti War. At the risk of patting myself too hard across the back, I do a very good job of it -- not perfect (or I wouldn't still be soliciting feedback), but pretty darn good.

Unfortunately, it's established that the war was a tragedy, but that's the story I'm trying to tell. The player character saves a lot of lives (something that has to be symbolized by just a few due to the limits of the MA and by most play preference -- can you imaging running a mission with several dozen rescues and escorts?) and plays a part in other things that ultimately translate to helping the war effort, so he/she does make as much difference as he/she would in most of the in-game arcs, but he/she simply can't save the world because we know that's not what happens.

I've had reviewers tell me the story is very emotional, and that's my aim. I don't like the end result, either, but, in my opinion, to gig that much me primarily because it's not your cup of tea is -- dare I say it -- poor form. Yeah, there's not much "down" to go, unless you failed to save anyone at all or do anything positive in the slightest, but... sorry... that's the way this story ends.

::insert shrug here:: You're the reviewer, and I asked for the review. Guess I'll just smile, nod, and move on. You won't like part two any better, so, as I've said elsewhere, please don't waste your time..

No, you're not alone at all. It took me weeks to make time to write the first two arcs, and significantly more time to promote them so I could get enough feedback from members of this forum to fine tune them into the best work I'm capable of. If only a very small handful of players even bother coming to play them as a result of developmental mis-steps aimed at stopping farmers, I've got far better things to do with my time than start another arc.

Well, at least I'm in good company. I'll be damned if I'll change my arc. Without my NPCs it won't mean squat anyway. I agree with your edit, Eva. After seeing nerf after nerf because of farmers since the game was released, it would sure be nice if they'd put the same amount of effort into just punishing them that they do in punishing us all because of them.

Rewards in Mission Architect missions that contain more than one allied critters will give progressively lower rewards for each additional allied critter in the mission.

You know, I never thought the nerf for custom enemies was fair, even though it didn't affect me. Now, nerfing custom allies for the same reason -- to spank farms -- hits me right where it hurts, and unfairly so. My NPC allies aren't set to help a whole lot, just enough to interact and act like heroes, and even then some players run off in order to leave them behind. Yet players will be penalized the same as if they were Elite Boss level assisting aggressively through the entire mission. Does this torque anyone else off as much as it does me? Will your arcs be affected?

Rewards in Mission Architect missions that contain more than one allied critters will give progressively lower rewards for each additional allied critter in the mission.

I do wish they'd explain this in greater detail. I hate farms as much as the next guy, but both of my arcs will suffer greatly from this, and for no good reason. The allied NPCs are either set to be fairly low-key in the assist department, or they're set to be in the back of the mission so they really don't assist much at all. Penalizing players for this at all gets my dander up, but If players get penalized the same as if they were fully active and assisting the entire mission -- sorry, but that's just wrong.

I also changed the second map, switching it from an office/Rikti bunker to just a small Rikti bunker. I got tired of trying to work around the computers appearing in the office, which was just a dumb place for them to appear. I kept it small (much to Glazius' probably chagrin) because I'm thinking a larger complex would have created more discovery issues and would likely have been found sooner.

One Mission Arc:
1. Storming Citadel #379488 - @MrCaptainMan
2. Don't Freak (Customs Version): #384769 - @Gypsy Rose

Two Mission Arc:
1. Death to Disco #84420 - @Wrong Number

Three Mission Arc:
1. PENGUIN #29205 - @Tubbius

Nope, even wide awake, my perspective's the same...

...despite improvements made based on tons of well qualified reviewers and yourself, you still rated me an overall star lower than before, even though the things you most complain about are virtually the same.

For the record, I have tried to find the original map I used for the first mission since I liked it better anyway -- to no avail. If anyone remembers it and can tell me what I'm looking for, I'll be forever in his or her debt.

You know, I was going to address this point by point, but... you know... it's four in the morning and it'd just be a whipping. Thanks for the points you made about Tro'Naht. I should have addressed them before. Consider it done. As for everything else, yet again, it's a matter of not being able to please everyone. The things you complain about (such as the smaller maps), are points other people have had issues with in reverse. Sometimes you can't win.

For the record, in war sometimes it just isn't pretty and it doesn't make sense. Sometimes, people die for no good reason. The attacks on the hero bases are documented CoH history as a means for the Rikti to end a virtual stalemate they had with Earth's heroes -- a stalemate that had taken place despite the Rikti numbers. Hundreds of heroes died for no reason save the Rikti wanted them dead. Regardless of sheer numbers, the heroes DID present an obstacle the Rikti hadn't prepared for, and the war WAS grinding on slowly for the Rikti. Diversions and feigns are part of every war effort, and -- as you point out -- the Rikti had plenty of troops to create these types of maneuvers. It makes sense that they'd do this kind of stuff since they WEREN'T getting the job done through shear numbers.

You came down harder on me for things that were basically the same the first time you ran the arc, and you criticized things you didn't mention before. Maybe it was a mistake asking for a re-review.

In any case, thanks for your time and for not gigging me with three stars in-game. Maybe my perspective will change if I can get some more sleep.

Ouch! Well, to each his own, I guess. I'll address your points in my thread. In the mean time, I tell you what... There's no sense in subjecting us both to unneccessary agony. While you made a couple of valid points that I've already corrected, it's pretty obvious that re-reviewing my arcs wasn't something that filled you with glee. Don't feel obligated to take on "Casualties of War" unless you're just feeling masochistic. Somehow I get the sense that, regardless of everyone else's opinion, you'll find it painful.

"Suppression" is an incredible tribute arc. I'll definitely THIRD that motion.

I got nuttin... I've read few arcs that are more serious, and bigger downers than mine. I just HATE not being able to reccommend my own stuff.

PW, thank you very much for your kind words. Not to be dismissive of other reviewers, but this 5.09 means an awful lot. I'll fix the Billy Bad Boy clue title, Cap's clue, and McKnight's glance at Billy ASAP. As for this...

"Don't understand: Why does Empathy leave and Dr Lexis stay to help the player? Wouldn't it make more sense the other way around, since Empathy is the hero and the character we are supposed to build up (pardon the expression) empathy for, while Dr Lexis is a civilian?"

Both characters are super-powered with an empathy base. Empathy is the last surviving member of the SOLUS Collective that can keep her teammates healed. Her place is with her teammates and husband and she understandably leaves to be with them once the cavalry arrives. Dr. Lexis is the MASH unit coordinator and her place is with the unit, seeing to the evacuation. She'll stay with the sinking ship.

In any case, thank you... again... very much. Your input has been more valuable than you know.

OK, before I created the mission, I Googled Alistair McKnight until my fingers were bleeding and couldn't find a picture of him. After I read your review, I went back in to try to find something closer (I don't have enough memory until I17 to make an exact representation). I guess what I found could be seen as a younger version, but it's still not nearly close enough. Rather than remove McKnight, however, I'll leave it until I can create a custom. It drives me nuts they don't have him in the MA characters somewhere.

I tried to find the typo you mentioned. Either I just can't spell whatever the word was, or I looked in the wrong place.

Plus points back at you for looking up the coordinates. You're the first one to do that.

BTW, I originally had the traitor running, but got called down on it so many times (given the small map), I decided to remove that.

Thanks a bunch for all the nice comments. As before, I really appreciate the time you took to give the arc a run.

Check out Mychyl's flattering review in "Yet Another MA Review Thread?" at http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showp...3&postcount=46.