Fury Flechette

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i wish you guys would give up on the whole "solo" thing. you cant solo a LOT of this game, espically post lvl40. just say its a team game and make teaming more of a reward instead of less. dev's say you can solo and in the same sentence they say you HAVE to team to beat certain missions. at least with a game like EQ2 you know you have to team. keep telling people this is a solo game is not the truth. my uncle plays this game for 1-2 days a week, the people he teams with jump 3-5 lvls in the time he comes back. now he cant team with them, he finds a random team that either isnt very good or they just dont get along and he just quits for the day. he would rather just solo, but now he cant. he is lvl40 and hasnt logged in over 2 weeks and he is dropping this account because of this.

this game is not casual gamer or solo friendly anymore (mainly post lvl40), so just tell us that. dont lead people to believe that you can play for 10 hours a week and do just fine, because you cant. dont get me wrong, im a hardcore gamer and its fine for me, i know tons of people to team with, but for someone that doesnt spend every waking moment of spare time on this game... its just no fun

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At the risk of semi-hijacking this thread, I really have to disagree with you. I work 50+ hours a week and can play about 5 to 20 hours a week depending on my schedule. I average around, 12 hours - four 3-hour blocks. I'm also married and have a fairly hectic social life with friends and family. I have a level 50 hero and several alts of varying levels. I have solo'ed about 80% of the time, usually because I'm fitting the game into the gap periods in between things in RL. Among MMORGs, its the most easily soloable game out there IMO.

I'm not stating this to try to show you up, but to make a a point that you can solo effectively in this game. Most casual players that have played consistently since the beginning of retail probably have at least one hero in his 40s, if not at least one 50. If anything, this game is harder on power gamers than the casual set because they go through the content so quickly - and then boredom sets in.

The AVs are a problem as are the disarm x missions, but you can elect not to do these. I'm on Guardian, and even with a low population count, I've been pretty pleased at the response I get from people when I broadcast a request to help with an AV. Plus, the majority of level 40+ people (the one's that haven't been powerleveled) really know their stuff, so pick up groups are usually full of strong players. You also find that a lot of people are stuck with these AV missions - you'd be surprised at the response you'd get if you broadcast for a team that cleared AVs together. I've formed two teams for this purpose, and I had to reject more players than go looking for them...everyone who doesn't have a regular SG or a good set of reliable in-game friends has the same problem, so they're relieved when someone else offers some leadership.

My $.02

Also five stars the thread.

I think it is extremely impressive that you have both listened to your customer base -AND- reversed a controversial change. That is flat out outstanding.

Further, the carrot vs. the stick approach to encourage teaming is a great move.

Great job!

Secret and Confidential

Director 17
Special Operations

Subject: RHM-5

RHM-5, also known by the street name “Superadrine” is a derivative of a Rikti-based hantavirus known to cause severe mutagenic effects on human test subjects. RHM-5 can be ingested or injected. Extreme doses are known to cause losses of higher brain functions with accompanying increases in strength and healing factors.

In 1986, the Rikti secretly contacted the US government for a series of diplomatic and scientific exchanges. During one exchange, the Rikti passed to the government their “cure” for cancer. The cure eliminated cancerous cells in all test subjects. The cure also contained a viral payload which caused death in its test subjects. The payload would remain dormant until activated by an air-born trigger. The US government in cooperation with Crey Research developed a derivative of the cure that acted as an anti-virus. What was unforeseen was that the derivative, if ingested or injected into a subject without exposure to the hantavirus, caused human mutation. The US government and Crey Research began parallel research on applications of the new derivative.

A large shipment of Superadrine was intercepted by a criminal gang in 1989. The same gang along with some new players has set up manufacturing operations, and there is significant underworld trade in the substance. Street variants of the drug have also been manufactured that increase the healing factors at the expense of diminishing the strength gains. This variant has been popular by nihilistic criminal elements seeking a way to take on cybernetic implants without suffering severe trauma.

Crey Industries has developed a more stable variant, RHM-6, that has the beneficial increases in strength and healing without the negative side effects. RHM-6 research has been closely guarded by Crey Industries and field operations indicate that Crey is using the drug to speed up its Paragon Protector research.

Field operations also indicate that the Fifth Column super soldier serum may be based on the one or more of the variants of the original RHM-5 derivative. It is unknown how the Fifth Column came into possession of the derivative or whether their scientists came to similar conclusions in their own independent research.

((You are welcome to post your own Malta secrets as you uncover them. This secret research brief was uncovered by a team of heroes in an undisclosed Malta base.))

Hi Jett,

I love this game, and at times, I would like nothing more than time to play it. However, I have a demanding job, a wife, family and a mortgage. You'll get those too in time.

And as much as real life can get you down at times, there is also nothing in this game that can really measure up to it. I just came back from a week trip to see Victoria, British Columbia. Seeing the Butchart Gardens for the first time with my wife in tow was definitely better than beating up on some level 42 Archvillian for the second time.

Life is full of 'content' - really good stuff. This game, as you can read for yourself in these forums, is not.

As in all things, this game is enjoyed best in moderation. Continue playing the game, but go out, see the world, make friends, find the love of your life, have a successful career and continue to learn.

Best of luck,

Scratch