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Story and structure
I'm not too keen on using the clues to repeat what's already in the mission. It's not an outright bad idea but could be tweaked perhaps to add different insights or to be spoken in a different voice. I also don't know if you need to outright mention the color schemes and the "(S)tart and (F)inish" notations. If you do, you may want to tweak things a bit to make them even more like a briefing than it already is. Not sure of quite the right way to do that though.
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This is something I've not seen yet, though there probably is some out there. After playing on teams in A/E more now, I was thinking as a non-leader in this situation... I wouldn't have to open "Mission" tab at all once I see it's all spelled out in "Clues" for me and I can just check that. This is something I was wondering is a good idea or not... even if as a soloer it often repeats what the contact said.
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You use a setup similar to some authors in that you use very few clues. This can be potentially good though you shouldn't give up the chance for using clues to elaborate.
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This is the action junkie in me that doesn't want to slow down during the arc to open Clues tab. My thoughts during this experiment were sum it as best I can using "Nav" text + NPC speech and get the details at the end. It's late, and I'm bouncing around in my head which points were critical to saying "Hey, I need a Clue at this point!" to continue on.
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Deadfall doesn't give her text until she reaches the door even though "Please... help me... get to the rendezvous... point." sounds like something she'd say once you meet her. May not be fixable since some escorts can be weird but just noting that.
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When she's rescued, she lets you know she wants to retrieve the nearby files. My thoughts here were, "Hey, she feels safe now that the Tsoo leader is apprehended and she's out of the building (close enough)... but would appreciate if you would make sure she gets back with the others." The girls aren't as experienced as you, and failed to fight off their attackers the first time.
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Perhaps it's just me but "Ambush Leader" seems a bit too...obvious. Perhaps renaming the objective to something along the lines of "Check out the commotion" would be a way to name the objective without giving things away.
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Well, there really wasn't a commotion. He was actually pretty quiet coming in. Problem here to me is... if we could set "Ambush" to Boss only... I would do that right after the file collection and mission over. So, instead I went with "obvious"
in this situation at this time. Would making Phantom Strike spawn in the final room make more sense? Even tho... he could be avoided vs where his spawn location now is static at this juncture?
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In mission 2, you have a situation with multiple glowies. In a ways, it's very unneeded since the false glowies are in the same area, it's not a timed mission, and they don't do anything. Using the false glowies to give out some extra but optional information could be nice. I'd actually suggest running @Paula's Advanced Tutorial for examples and ideas.
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My thinking here with that was just to demonstrate how disorganized Tormas is. Nothing more. Guess that could be summed up with a single glowie with slightly extended time. Probably will change that.
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The final map, well...it's that map. I mean, I use it too but there's some fundamental differences with using it for your arc as opposed to mine. Your customs have stealth while I made a point of giving some of mine auras. Also, you have a mid twenties arc while mine is meant for high levels. Speaking of which, I'd suggest extending the range up to 29 or 30 rather than capping at 27.
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Will look into level range boost tommorrow and if it'll work with the canon enemies. Been a while since I analyzed that aspect of it all. The ones that have Stealth are only the Spectre minions, to keep it minimal. They have no other secondary power except Shadowfall. It's the challenge part of them in my mind. Herd them up, boost their defense/resistance. Seperate them or hit them early from range, easy pickings.
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I know what you were going for and can sympathize since map selection is sort of limited for arcs set in the past or in mystical or otherworldly settings. Two maps that could potentially work, Floating Ziggurat and the Storm Palace, aren't available. I might suggest Unique -> CoT -> Vaults of Mu since it has an otherworldly feel. It can potentially an eyestrain so that's a possible negative.
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I love that map and environmental challenges. This is something I think I share in common with Backfire and how we like cave and outdoor maps that others don't. I tried to make sure all 4 prior missions were short, to the point and easy maps to navigate to offset the one challenging map.
I'm trying to save the Vaults of Mu for later in another arc if possible. Fog element with natural surroundings is really what I wanted here. I know it's not a popular map, but if I make it all too easy... where's the fun?
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Enemy design
"Oh my stars and garters."
What you have is a "Kill Agent M!" situation. (I wonder how many from the AE SG remember that...) Basically, your customs are probably fine, if challenging, solo but start getting really nasty on a team. Individual powers are fine but when you're dealing with Pain buffs + Tar Patch + to hit debuffs + exotic damage + status effects, it gets pretty bad. Main point of argument is that this is a mid to late 20s arc as opposed to a high level arc where a character has more powers and slots to deal with all that. It may take a bit of fine tuning to figure out what needs to stay and what needs to go.
With Dhahabu Kingdom and the Unfathomable Nightmare of Sand, I specifically added the Sand Raven minions and LTs in order to thin out what is otherwise a relatively buff/debuff heavy enemy group. You may want to either swap out some powers or add more customs or repurposed canon enemies. Repurposed canon enemies can be a great option if you're concerned about xp amounts. If available, recolored versions of Living Armor from the Midnighter enemy faction would be a good idea. Also, recolored versions of Red Cap bosses may work as well since their stature is different than regular humans. I state the bosses since lower ranks can potentially respawn as a higher rank and I don't know if they'd retain the coloring. Also contemplating Legacy Chain and CoT Hordelings.
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Perhaps if I make it so less of the Spectres with Shadowfall are present would help? They are probably the equivilant of pain as Sappers... just by that one power. I really, really, really don't want non +Perception builds to know where they are and give a bonus to those that did take a +Perception power. I haven't heard a complaint about the Shadowmancers minions yet... so maybe more of them and less of the Spectres minions will offset this problem? I would still be very cool with that.
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Something Glazius does that's probably good after a first pass at lower settings is to run at +0 x2 with bosses on. It's not a full team setup but should give an eye for some stacking issues with powers that are otherwise fine in isolation. Plus, running in Test Mode means no debt plus special tools so you could potential test x8 situations.
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I always just run AE on standard settings. With custom critters, you can set Minions and Lieutenants as a Boss Encounter... therefore the author has the ability to assure the player will see their entire custom group if that's important to them (such as I have in final mission). But, you are right. I have not tested the group for teams at all as I tend to test them/edit them live/republish vs going through Test Mode because... you know... I like rewards while testing.
Noted and will test more vs teams tommorrow in Test Mode.
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One final thing, despite the darkness theme, straying away from the Darkness powersets may wind up being very helpful in balancing the arc for teams. Also, make sure your xp slider when picking powers is set to 30 as opposed to 50 since lvl 50 customs require more powers to be 100% but this isn't a lvl 50 arc.
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I actually did have the slider to XP at 27 when working their powersets. When they return later at higher level arcs, they will not be a 100% darkness group and they will not be encountered again on
that map.
Typos? I do'nt maek typos! Figures they at the end of the arc where I get tired of proof-reading myself.
I didn't hear complaints/major flaws about the story or details itself from you. I'm guessing for the most part, it was okay? Even if unanswered and open-ended for later...
And I certainly hope at any point you, the player, didn't feel I intruded on your character's thoughts/emotions and assume to know what's going on in your head.
Hey ZAM! You're awesome! Thanx for the Handymanishness break-down. I will most likely be making some tweeks related to aspects you mentioned but nothing major as to where I'll be asking anyone who suffered through it to replay it.
*whispers in the ear...*
That's NOT RIGHT!
behind the question!