LordXenite

Or perhaps simply give XP/rewards based on the goals in a mission rather than on defeating enemies in a mission... I'd be very happy with that as well.

I think it's more complex than just the NPC's in a mission. As long as there are rewards to be gained, especially those tickets you gain when a story-arc is being rated by players, people will attempt to find exploits in the system. That, for better and worse, is Human Nature.

I also would not object if XP was stripped from AE. I think it'd remove a lot of the rate-griefing as well.

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Why not have a AE/MA where you finish with a contact and you can create a mission for that contact (not your original contact) and for the level range of that contact, and go zone to zone, or within that zone.
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Something that is more rational or allow for regular teaming. For example, you create a new toon, start with Antonio Nash, do a story or arc. After done, you are introduced to Juan Jimenez. When you finish Juan's arc, it unlocks the MA Options (MA Mission, Create MA, Exchange Tickets).
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When you click on The MA Missions, you can play one that exits for this contact, or this level (in this case level 5 -9). When you click Create MA, you can use custom toons/critters, and/or with the vills for that contact, in this case, Skulls and Hellions. When you click Exchange Tickets, you can exchange it for the same rewards, but limited to that's contact's level.
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It would reducing farming, PL, and zone congestion. Simple, rational, and easy to implement.

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You know, that's not a bad idea, and I personally would love it. However, I don't think it's possible to do without causing a lot of work for the Developers (believe me, being a Developer myself I know how things that look simple from the customer's POV are a nightmare both to design and implement from the Dev's POV), and of course you may eventually annoy plenty of Efficiency Experts.

There's farming... for example getting those missions in the game that spawn outdoor maps full of Fire Demons or Freakshows. That doesn't ruin the game because the Devs are in control of the Risk/Reward factors in those missions.

If however I deliberately create a mission that maximizes reward and minimizes risk and then publish it so that everyone can use it to advance their characters faster than the Devs are comfortable with, that, is defined as exploiting game mechanics to farm.

Farming in and of itself isn't ruining anything. People are expected to farm to a degree if they're hoping to get some of the more coveted rewards. After all, one could argue that everything people do in MMO's from Lv1 to the level-cap is farming because essentially the game mechanics do not vary to such a degree that one could say one was accomplishing tasks very differently at the level-cap than at Lv1.

It's the employment of the exploits that turns farming into something that potentially can ruin anything.

If farming (as in the act of grinding a mission, nearly until its completion but then pulling out just to reset the mission and repeat the grind) was outlawed by the Devs, every mission would've been put on a timer from the moment the first person steps into the map, or at the very least, a repeat-limit would be put in place where you had to wait several hours before being able to repeat the same mission.

Since farming normal in-game missions was sometimes nerfed (some missions actually were put on timers), and farming Task Forces for merits, and now AE missions that are obvious exploits are all being discouraged by measure put in by the Devs, I think the lines in the sand are quite clear.

You know... I've actually met a few Lv50 characters who've leveled quite fast... too fast perhaps to gather all the information about the game that a Lv50 may gather through playing the normal story-arcs.

You know what though? Some of those folks were very pleasant to talk to, and very eager to learn and asked real questions. Others, were quite annoying in their refusal to engage in anything that didn't bring them direct results (i.e. more INF/ticket).

It's not AE that ruined the game for me. In fact, the game isn't ruined foe me, and I just created a new main character, joined a new Supergroup on a new Server and I'm having loads of fun... just not in the AE yet, because if anything, AE is being bombarded now with a storm of changes and tweaks that hopefully will make it ready for all the things I want to do with it.

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Still cant figure out how farmers ruined it for anyone, but im sure when i become brain damaged i will totally understand.

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It's not the farmers who ruined AE. It's efficiency experts who build one-mission farcs* that are designed to maximize rewards while minimizing risk. Those missions cause a disturbance in the Force (read: get datamined/reported/noticed by GM's/Devs) which results in the Devs escalating their methods of exploit-prevention (I'm sure they'd like to think of their nerfs as exploit-prevention, but sadly it simply causes efficiency experts to migrate and flock to other techniques) which in turn may actually cause problems to people who merely wanted to craft story-arcs for their stories.

It's a chain reaction... it's the circle of... AE.



__________________________________________________ __________________
*Farcs (n) : Farm Arcs.

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Tickets from ratings, probably.

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Bingo!

What's better than building a farming mission so you can farm it yourself? Build a farming mission that enables others to farm tickets using your very own mission and reward you with free tickets for which you didn't even have to be logged-in! It's an efficiency-experts' wet-dream... tickets for nothing and purples for free...

Glad you're having fun

PB/WS duo can be perfect seeing as a PB can self-heal without requiring enemies around it and while this helps the PB be good at tanking, the WS can use their numerous tools to decrease the threat both by disorienting enemies and doing nice damage to boot with the aid of their Extracted Essence pets.

Oh... ummm my bad then, I thought that actually was a question!

Well, you don't really have to... but it IS fun

OMG! I'd gladly give up rewarding players with XP/l00t from actual defeat and keep just mission completion rewards just so the Devs will stop removing animations and leave our goals and enemy-groups intact!

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...How about a little help for the new guys? No I am not new, but I have no problem playing with new people and helping them get better. If it bothers you so much teaming with a new player then don't.

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I have no problems teaming with new people, not even when I play on my Lv50 characters. After all, that's why we have such a great sidekick/exemplar system like I've seen in no other MMO.

I do have a bit of a problem teaming with people who're looking to maximize their XP/l00t gains because it tends to render the whole game experience rather boring for me, so I usually politely quit those teams.

<ul type="square">[u]Darth Khasei said:[u]
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I help new people ALL the time (just ask LordXenite ) because I got helped when I came to this game new.

[/ QUOTE ][/list]QFT, DK helped me face some Kheldian issues when I decided to give my Kheldians a 2nd chance, and I too was helped by others when I came into the game.

I just don't really understand someone who just got into the game and wants to gain 50 levels in a week or less without investing the time to actually play their character and learn how it functions in both solo and team situations. People like that I simply cannot help because what they may want from me, i.e. powerleveling, is something I cannot provide because it very much goes against my way of thinking.

I'd say, consider 5-slotting Pulsar with a stun IO-set that will at least give you global bonuses other than the specific enhancements to Pulsar itself. You can of course frankenslot Pulsar but if you're not using it often enough, it may all go to waste.

Warshades are more complex than Peacebringers, and pack a lot more options to stun enemies, having three powers that inflict disorients.

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Gotta disagree a little here...Endmods in the form + Frankenslotting will mean you can go indefinitely in Dwarf form and never see your end bar move. At least, that's been my experience.

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Yeah, two good enhancements and it's like having unslotted Stamina. Three and it's Stamina with a DO. Nothing to sneeze at, I'd say.

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I have my Dwarf frankenslotted with +Res/+EndMod/+EndRdx set mixture as well as my Dwarf powers frankenslotted for +EndRdx and other bonuses... and it definitely makes a huge difference when trying to tank for teams.

One awesome way for the Devs to make Pulsar wonderful, without even changing Pulsar itself, is introduce a new Stun IO-set that will contain Chance for ??? Damage and Chance for +2Mag Stun and other proc IO's. Here's hoping...

It's a good power if you have another stun-power to stack it with. If for example you're playing a PB in a duo with another PB, when both of you will Pulsar, hopefully hitting everything in a spawn, you've disoriented all the minions and lieutenants, possibly even Bosses.

I've also noticed that Pulsar sometimes stacks with White Dwarf ST melee attacks, especially once I slotted Pulsar for disorient duration, it's awesome when it happens, but it's not a reliable tactic.

I mainly use Pulsar in conjunction with Photon Seekers nowadays since I can time Photon Seekers and Pulsar to actually activate on the same enemies around you. The result is that the enemies blown away by the Photon Seekers are also stunned by Pulsar, if they're minions and if the enemies are not stunned, at least they're out of melee range.

When I had Solar Flare, I used it a lot with Pulsar and I'm working on getting Solar Flare back into my build so in conclusion, Pulsar on its own isn't exciting, but coupled with other powers, it can change the tide of battle quite a bit.

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The essence of what you say, im in agreement with mainly because people don't RTFM.

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There's another thing... did you actually take a close look at a game manual lately? They've gotten so slim, small and useless in comparison to what they used to be, that I can't really blame anyone for not reading the manual that comes with the game.

Now, if only there was a Class Manual... you know? ... Oh... wait... there's GUIDE FORUM SECTION!!!! Woo Hoo!!!! Hey, here's an idea, what if the CoX Client actually LISTED those guides and let players open specified guides from within the game itself and read the guide IN the game?!?

You know, NCSoft/Paragon could actually take some of the guides and re-format/edit them so that the game-client could actually reference the guides in real-time in-game... wow would THAT ever make things easier... huh?!

On second thought, it would also validate the contribution the community has given the game.... do we want that?!

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I'm mostly worried about not being up to snuff when compared to the "real" damage, I mean I play to have fun of course. But I feel bad if I'm lagging behind people on average.

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Yes, and it's not that you can't build your PB to emphasize its damage potential, however, the case is that the PB damage potential is already lower by-design than that of Scrappers/Blasters for example.

Even in it's pure Human-form, Kheldians were never designed to be Tank-Mages and have great survivability and great damage [u]at the same time[u]. That's not to mean that you can't dish out damage, but it does mean you go about defeating enemies in different ways than Scrappers/Blasters do, and you have to employ all your tools to survive the battle.

That's basically what I use at the moment.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]

Ascendantia: Level 50 Natural Peacebringer
Primary Power Set: Luminous Blast
Secondary Power Set: Luminous Aura
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Presence
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Fitness

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Glinting Eye -- Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(A), Dev'n-Hold%:50(3)
Level 1: Incandescence -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Gleaming Blast -- Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(A), Dev'n-Hold%:50(3)
Level 4: Essence Boost -- Dct'dW-Rchg:50(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:50(5), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:50(5), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:50(50), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:50(50), Dct'dW-Heal:50(50)
Level 6: Bright Nova -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 8: Radiant Strike -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(9), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(45), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(45)
Level 10: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(11), RechRdx-I:50(11)
Level 12: Build Up -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(13), RechRdx-I:50(13)
Level 14: Provoke -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Intimidate -- N'mare-Acc/Fear:50(A), N'mare-Acc/Fear/Rchg:50(17)
Level 18: Incandescent Strike -- Acc(A), Acc(19), EndRdx(19), RechRdx(46), Hold(46)
Level 20: White Dwarf -- ResDam-I:50(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx:50(21), TtmC'tng-ResDam:50(21), EndMod-I:50(23), Efficacy-EndMod:50(23), Efficacy-EndMod/EndRdx:50(25)
Level 22: Reform Essence -- Dct'dW-Heal:50(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:50(25), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:50(43), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:50(43), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:50(45)
Level 24: Pulsar -- Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg:50(A), Stpfy-Stun/Rng:50(42), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx:50(42), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun:50(42), Stpfy-Acc/Rchg:50(43)
Level 26: Conserve Energy -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(33), RechRdx-I:50(33)
Level 28: Invoke Panic -- N'mare-Acc/Fear/Rchg:50(A), N'mare-Acc/Rchg:50(40)
Level 30: Super Speed -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 32: Photon Seekers -- ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg:50(46), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg:50(48), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg:50(48), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx:50(48)
Level 35: Restore Essence -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 38: Dawn Strike -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(A)
Level 41: Stealth -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 44: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 47: Health -- Heal(A)
Level 49: Stamina -- EndMod(A)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Cosmic Balance
Level 1: Energy Flight -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Combat Flight -- Empty(A)
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Level 6: Bright Nova Bolt -- Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(A), Dev'n-Hold%:50(15)
Level 6: Bright Nova Blast -- Acc(A), Dev'n-Hold%:50(15), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(34), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(36), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg:50(37)
Level 6: Bright Nova Scatter -- Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(A), Posi-Dam%:50(7), Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(34), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(36), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(37)
Level 6: Bright Nova Detonation -- Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(A), Posi-Dam%:50(7), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(17), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(34), Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(36)
Level 20: White Dwarf Strike -- Acc(A), Dmg(40)
Level 20: White Dwarf Smite -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(39), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(39), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(39), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(40)
Level 20: White Dwarf Flare -- KinCrsh-Rechg/EndRdx:50(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(29), AnWeak-Acc/Rchg:50(29), AnWeak-Acc/Rchg/EndRdx:50(31), Achilles-ResDeb%:20(33)
Level 20: White Dwarf Sublimation -- Dct'dW-Rchg:50(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:50(27), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:50(27), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:50(31), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:50(31)
Level 20: White Dwarf Antagonize -- Zinger-Dam%:50(A), Zinger-Acc/Rchg:50(37)
Level 20: White Dwarf Step -- Range(A)

Looks nice, if you've got the INF.

I'd avoid the Chance for Lethal/Smashing and instead try for Chance for Negative/Energy or for Chance for -Res in your AoE/Cone powers as high-level NPC's resist Smashing/Lethal damage quite well.

Health and Stamina could both be modified to include the Chance for +Regen/+Recover/+End procs, and you left out a Lv12 power selection... so, how'bout getting the fastest blast power and slotting that with Chance for BuildUp?

I understand you're going to use White Dwarf as an emergency Break Free kind of power... not a bad idea for this build especially if you decrease White Dwarf endurance costs and use it as a cheap option to staying in the game when the shields cost too much, Lightform is unavailable (or has crashed) and you need to teleport away asap.

Just so you get things straight. AE like any technology, is neither good, nor bad. It simply enables. It enables people to make wonderful missions and story-arcs, that are fun to play and interesting to read... but it also enables people to make farms, and by doing so, increase the level of exposure of both farming and using exploits as tempting concepts.

If you're looking for someone to blame, don't blame the tool, don't blame just the Devs who probably knew or were at least warned about the impact AE may have... if you're looking for someone to blame, blame also those people in the community who could not resist the temptation to create farming missions left and right and made a point to use AE to level up and gain rewards using the most effecient methods while not considering what impact this would have on the game, and its community.

We're all in this boat together... well, except those who leave..

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It's been a good 4+ year run though and I had fun while it lasted... This game just isn't fun anymore.

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Good luck with whatever and where-ever you decide to join.

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You're right in that I was looking for PUG's - but thats because I stayed on the game longer than my friends because they have all quit the game over this same issue.

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Most of my old in-game friends have also left, that's why I constantly make new friends.

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You are also correct in that its just a game - but now its a seriously broken game. I won't be paying to play a broken game system.

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While I myself would have designed and implemented AE quite differently than the Devs, I definitely cannot consider the game seriously broken because of AE. Even when the most wonderful Kheldian trick of being able to double-stack a form power together with a Human-form power was taken away from us, I never thought the game was broken, and for a while, that change has put me off of playing my Kheldians... but having a game mechanics that affects the game community in a way that is reasonable considering the Human tendency to attempt and find short-cuts to sweet-spots? I mean... come on... that's not broken, that's just natural.

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There are other superhero MMO's on the horizon to explore...

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See... to me, this all sounds like you're just trying to convince yourself it's time to migrate to another Superhero MMO. Allow me to make life much easier for you... you don't need reasons! Just quit CoX and enjoy the other MMO. No need to find justifications because really, you owe nothing to no-one. It's your time, your money, your fun and you're free to seek it wherever you may find it.

By definition, an MMO is a game where you play with others, and as long as you can do that, the game isn't broken. That definition does not include the exact specific nature of the gameplay activities... does it now?