Story missions

[___________ParSalaan]

Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?

Both definately.

Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?

Sided!

Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and at 100, only with tougher opponents?)

Yes

Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?

Again both. For the sense that small quests can give you that sense of accomplishment and that the longer quests can be fun to complete over time and give you something to look forward to everynite.

Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?
NO, NO, NO!

Is it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)

Most definately ok to interweave with mission system.

[______________Squick]

Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?

A bit of both... I want to have my enforcer friend help me with a doctor mission, then go help him with the enf mission, so I get to take part in multiple missions.

Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?

Makes no difference to me, just don't make them in PvP zones where you get ganked.

Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and at 100, only with tougher opponents?)

Yes

Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?

Longer "Epic" quests are really what interests me... make leveling worth something... Your entire life you are trying to finish this one quest, and as you go, you get items at each step.

Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?
Heck yeah! I love camping! Ok... sorry... Camping is the worst thing I hate in ANY game! It brings out the worst in people and serves no purpose other then to annoy people! See below for my idea if you need to keep items ultra rare.

Is it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)

Here is my idea... Every 10,000th mission refresh (globally) the mission machine locks up and only shows you ONE special mission... So you could be going along looking for an item and WHAM... the special mission comes up... You gather up your guildmates and go out and do this special mission... It is a static mission, but it is kept ultra rare because it is nearly random who will get it next. Maybe its not number of refreshes... Have the boss have a 100% chance of dropping their special loot, and do not let him respawn till that team leaves and then at some random time in the next four to five hours the "special" mission is put into the system again.

To keep people from trying to camp the mission term, don't let the same person pull that special mission more then once every other month.

Squick

[______________Hodaka]

• Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?

Both. There's no reason why you can't have generic and profession specific missions.

• Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?

The more static missions available, the better, so I'd like to say open to all. However, to have some story continuity, it would probably be better to have missions for Clan in Clan territory and Omni in Omni territory and Neutral areas open to all. That said, there's no reason you can't get a mission that sends you into enemy territory for a task as long as you can also reasonably accomplish your goal. Getting ganked in PVP zones or by guards is not my idea of fun, but maybe there should be the slight thrill of "risk" (hiding from an enemy patrol) to make the mission exciting.

• Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and at 100, only with tougher opponents?)

The problem with scaling to "my" level, is much like the problem with missions today. What Funcom thinks I should be able to do and what I really can do may be radically different things. If you make the stories interesting and fun, it shouldn't matter what "level" they are.. and obviously, if I get a static mission in Mort, it's going to be more difficult than one I'd get in Tir. Maybe an NPC should simply respond that you need to be a higher level before he can help you if the mission is too difficult at the moment. That way, you can offer both easy and difficult missions in the same areas, but lowbies would simply be unable to take missions that would be far too difficult for them.

• you want many small, or fewer longer quests?

Both. There should be a lot of small, easier to do quests, with the random longer and more detailed quests thrown in. Maybe quests could have multiple parts that you get rewarded for accomplishing goals along the way, and a final reward when you complete the entire static mission. Thus, although a quest might take a month, you'd get rewarded for the pieces you completed daily or weekly.

• it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?

Camping is BAD!

• it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)

Maybe in smaller static missions, but the point behind static missions is really to get away from the boring autogenerated missions you already have. If we wanted to do those, we'd keep using the missions terminals.. Still, I don't necessarily think everything has to be outdoors.. just try and keep static missions from becoming just another way of giving us missions like those in the terminals.






The fact is, Dodga was an interesting diversion, but very poorly done. It was impossible to figure out, had very little story behind it, and left us camping to kill grays and then camping to see if we could get to Dodga before he disappeared again. I was lucky enough to do it before the crowd. If I hadn't done it already, there's no way you'd find me trying to do it now..

To add insult to injury, Funcom can't seem to add a complete quest for Dodga. I did the first static mission not long after it came out. The result was Dodga telling me he gave me a keycard, but not giving me one. After a patch or two, I did this again. This time I got a keycard and got some tokens and a shoulder piece. However, now I hear that a second keycard is being given out (at least for Alvin, I assume Dodga is working the same). Do I now have to run the quest yet again to get the second keycard? Dodga is so heavily camped that I'm not about to do it yet again.. This is just plain ridiculous!

Static quests need to be plentiful. It shouldn't take weeks or months to find one. If I ask around, I should reasonably find one in 30 minutes. This doesn't have to be a grand quest, simply a story related static mission to gain some XP, a reward, and maybe a token. Maybe on the more rare and grand quests, the rewards would be greater.

Having a conversation with a mission giving NPC should be a lot easier than it is now. There should be a key starting phrase that is the same for all NPCs and we work from there. None of this guessing every possible question in the book and hoping you get the correct phrase..

More NPCs should be able to point me in the right direction too. If I walk into a bar and ask the right questions to the NPC bartender, he should recommend someone I should go see. In fact, he should maybe give me several names of people to look for. After all, bartenders hear everything. Maybe greasing his palm with a little cash would loosen his lips even. Other NPCs that don't have static missions around Rubi-Ka could also pass on rumors they hear.

Also, when I whisper to an NPC, it would be nice if the whispered back vs broadcasting their answers to everyone around. Think about it? I *always* ask my questions using whisper vs vicinity..

It would be interesting if maybe a rogue element could be involved in static missions as well. Occassionally, we could get jumped by some thieves or the like when following a "tip" or "rumor" from an NPC. What we thought was going to lead us to a static mission, instead leads us into a trap. If we successfully fight them off, we can loot their hideout, etc.

Anyway, I'm sick of autogenerated missions and hunting and have just not felt like playing at all. Changes like these would definitely boost my interest again..

[______________Neikos]

>Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?


NO, PLEASE NO!

[______________Ramzul]

no camping please causes to many headaches if you must implement make respawn super quick. Professions specific
missions I think are a must as well as general. Missions based on
sides are also a must. I think you should vary the length of different missions some long but few tasks some with alot of
small tasks. auto generated areas for story missions is fine with me

[______________Thoram]

"Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?"

Yes I do very much want that. Also maybe make the professions be able to do what they are suppose to be able to do.

"Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?"

As long as all 3 sides are represented (Clan, Omni, Neutral) then Yes. I have no use for Omni only stuff

"Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and at 100, only with tougher opponents?)"

Either way will work. Will the loot be nodrops then sure. Atleast I will know I can get one that I can use at higher levels as well then.

"Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?"

Both. Long and big for when you got time and maybe do them with teams. Short and many for when you are pressed for time

"Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?"

>>>HELL NO!!!<<< Camping mission booth for a useful reward is bad enough.
Camping the Quest NPC's you have now are even worse.

"Is it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)"

I would like that. My eyes are sensitive to the light, so indoor mission woudl be best for me

[Bionitrous]

In order to fairly distribute unique items such as those dropped by Tarasque to the other 95% of the gaming population who would rather play with friends than 300 strangers something needs to be done. It needs to be done in such a way so as to not detract from the playstyle that the uber-guilds enjoy as well. Never want to make anybody mad. Just want to make MORE people happy.

So if a mission pops up that is REALLY special, it's like winning the lottery or having Wonka's golden wrapper. I bet my guild and some good friends could take on Tarasque if left to ourselves. I bet we'd have a blast both getting to him and suffering numberous casualties on the way. The problem comes from the jackasses who train mob groups on you (them bastards should rot in hell) and the massive group of 180+ characters who are parked in front of it 24 hours a day (hey, I'd probably be there too if I were 180+).

But .... if FunCom could revisit it's promise that players would not have to deal with the B.S. and spawn at least TWO Camelot Dungeons (only asking for TWO now). And have the global one and one that a key rotates around the mission terminals for it would make a lot of people happy. I'm sure that our guild would get a shot at the key sometime before we all quit or the game folds. At least we'd have a chance to see the hard work that the graphic and monster designers put forth.

As it is now, we have little desire to even peek our noses in there because all we've heard of is a-holes completely populating the place. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

If you can't maintain just a measly two Camelots (one global, one based on the mission term 'lottery') then at least provide SOME way for players in the proper range to have access to the items that are being hogged (somewhat understandably) by the pack-mentality guilds. Stick a Tarasque or Mantis Queen in a level 200 mission instead of the Real Means and Aces we see presently. Would that be so hard? I'm sure my guild would have a lot more fun than the mindless lvl200 missions that we get now.

[________________dc13]

Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?

would be nice to be specific

Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?

no opinion

Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and at 100, only with tougher opponents?)

yes

Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?

a good mix

Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?

PLEASE NO

Is it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)

both

[_______________Forth]

Personally, I'd rather they spend time fixing that memory leak, lag/crash problems, client/server sync issues...

(for example, just today I jumped over a table to get to the mission objective, and it refused to let me pick it up, saying I was too far away.)

but, back to the topic at hand:


profession-specific

nice. i like.

side defined or open msns

both! =) I would think it would be best to implement open msns first, and then add the side-defined ones later, after the bugs are worked out, and you get feedback on what people like/don't like.

scaling missions to level

means the designers won't have to create as MANY missions =)
If the reward scales appropiately, sure.

small vs large

small ones will appeal to the casual player base.
large ones will appeal to the hardcore player base, who have more time to invest.

i would think a variety of both would be the way to go.

camping spawns

BAD. VERY BAD.

generated areas vs outdoors only

no opinion either way on that.

[___________Goodpheel]

Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?

YES. It would be nice to get something I actually need vice something I have to sell or trade in hopes of getting something I need.

Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?

Just in case you have missed it somehow in the thousands of posts that have been on this board in the various threads. . . . NO!!!. Five to six people waiting for 3 hours in the hopes of being the first person to get the quest/mission is stupid and does nothing to enrich the game.

Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?

Both. That way I can decide what I actually have time to do before I forget what I was supposed to be doing. If I only play for two to four hours a day, I don't want to spend the next month of game time all to finish one quest/mission.

Oh, and BTW, thanks for asking.

[_____________Na'Roon]

"Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?"
Both


"Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?"
Side

"Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and at 100, only with tougher opponents?)"
Yes and no... More alone the lines of a dynamic quest... the higher level you/your party, the harder it is to complete.

"Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?"
Both

"Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?"
Yes and No... Exp: No... MMD ppls camp the guards there... If a guard gets killed 2 should respawn %25 stronger (but same exp for kill) and so or if one guard gets killed the guard sounds the alarm (possible not always) and all hell brakes lose say10 to 100 guards spawn and attack everyone. This would add a little danger to killing the guards no matter where they are. Yes... there are some spawn points (mobs) out in the sticks that I think it’s ok to camp.

"Is it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)"
BIG TIME YES

[Ashuras]

Er.. the question about whether it's ok to CAMP spawns is a stupid one.

NOBODY with a right mind would answer yes.

Having said that.. here's my contribution:

Do u guys remember MIGHT AND MAGIC ? An old series of RPG, mindless but fun. Know wat's the most fun part about it ? Quests!

Yes.. we can take MUTIPLE QUESTS, spanning over a LOONNNG time in different areas and levels. Some quests are short, some are long. Some takes forever.

The idea is... it's important to have a good quest journal system to keep track of progress, etc. It gives the game a lot more substance.

[___________Castoroil]

I left EQ because you had to literally camp for days and weeks for some items. I love quests, but if I have to wait in some line to get at a mob then I won't do it. Please put any boss-type mobs in personal missions.

[_______________Skara]

Thank you, thank you !!!

This is what I have been waiting for


Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?

Yes. I want themed profession specific missions that require me to use some of my Adventurer specific abilities (maybe only a Leet or a Wolf can do some necessary tasks) to complete the quest.

Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?

Side-defined. Fits in better with the overall theme of the game. Don't leave out Neutrals though

Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and
at 100, only with tougher opponents?)

Yes. If the quests scale, I can go back and do quests that I missed. The QL of the reward will need to scale as well.

Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?

A combination. Epic quests that would take a long time would be nice, especially if they were sided and/or class specific. This would be a good way for the different classes to get class specific items instead of camping the same monster and killing it 30 times in the hopes of getting that item. For really nice items, the quest would take quite some time. For other items that would be beneficial, or just something that fits into the story line, a shorter story mission would suffice. You would also get the feeling of accomplishing something sooner with a short mission from time to time.

Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?

Absolutely NOT!!! I will not camp. It is an absolute waste of my time. If I want to sit around watching TV, I will watch TV. When I want to play, I want to play. Camping combines the 2, and I refuse to participate. No reason for Dodga to ever disappear. Make the acquiring of the robot parts take longer, add steps to the quest if you like, but don't force people to compete with other people for anything in the game other than PvP of course

Is it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)

Yes. Continue to add to the mission sets though. Also, make some of the story missions like the team missions, where they are multi-level and have boss monsters. Though don't do the SOM thing and have the monsters so insanely powerful that even though they are gray, they can still kill me with me giving it my all.

This is not one of your questions, but tying in with story missions, please allow me to assist the guards in Clan and Neutral cities. I realize attacking is out of the question in non-political zones, but at least let me heal them.

Not only do our guards contend with Omni scum spies who are trying to scout out our territories for future military action, but they also have to defend our land from vile Clan traitors (who should hang their heads in shame) who attack them.

Please let me at least heal them!


Skara

[Bionitrous]

One of the reasons I think we have a lot of problems is that too many things are decided on 'not my own faction' rather than 'my enemy faction'.

For this reason we have O-T and Clan NPC's attacking Neutrals because they are 'not my faction'. Rather than them only attacking their realy 'enemies' because .... well ... they are the enemy.

Likewise you cannot heal a Neutral because they are 'not your faction'. I think a Clanner for example should be able to heal a Clanner or a Neutral but not an Omni.

I also think a Neutral should be able to heal anybody. This would promote the 'Clara Bartons' of the world who really just wanted to be pure healers and menders of damage however it may arise.

At the same time, a Neutral would not be able to execute a 'Harmful' nano on anybody further than the existing PvP rules allow for.

Trading is likewise kind of weird. I wonder why they allow trade between Clanner and Omni. But, I guess they need that to allow for hostage ransoms and such. It would be interesting if any cross-faction trades were announced globally in the shopping channels: "JoeTrueOmni just traded 1,600,000 credits to ClanForLife for Battered Freedom Arms"

I'm sure there are problems with a proper faction implementation. (Shudders as he recalls the days of 'Blue Healers' in UO). I also think the current situation is a little simplistic and unrealistic and could stand a day or two of designer attendance.

The habitual nonsense of killing one's own guards or being forced to watch your own protectors get killed really ought to be stopped somehow.

[_______________Karrd]

Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?
Profession specific story missions are great aslong as it fits the profession. eg: Making something like the dodga quest and reward a profession specific mission wouldn't be good. The quest and reward itself too general (+hp and tokens) and other professions would want it.

Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?
Sure. Just aslong as SideX members aren't switching to SideY for 24hrs just to do the mission/equip reward (if its an item).

Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and at 100, only with tougher opponents?)
If I do a story mission for a nice reward item, I dont want to feel like I have to do it again at a higher level to get a better version of the reward item. (if that was implied)

Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?
Small/short quests are good quick fun. Longer quests are also satisfying. Perhaps a ratio 3:1, Short:Long quests?

Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?
No.
There are two reasons I never played EQ. Camping and a lame graphics engine. Camping for more that 30mins is a waist of time. (if dodga isn't there, then he isn't getting the card back, and I move on)

Is it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)
If a NPC gives me a mission with a location inside a autogenerated, random mission area, that kind of defeats the purpose of doing a NPC mission. I'd like to think of NPC missions as unique. If they send you inside a auto-content mission, have a few of the random room-pieces be unique to that mission.

[___________x-genesis]

Aside from the strong desire al payers seem to share AGAINST camping, here's my story-mission wish list:

1) Make them available. Too often in MMORPGs things like this are largely unavailable to average player. It usually requires a great deal of luck or hours and hours of internet-info scavenging to locate your starting point. Make sure everyone has brushes with these encounters at some point or other, after al its the desire of every player to be immersed, engaged and entertained, not a precious few.

2) Make them Creative. Once in awhile, when the ARK is holding a party, you will recieve a message like, "A drunken Opifex runs up to and says, 'there's a party at baboon's hosted by the ARKs of RUbi-Ka...'" This is a great hook, why not have some story missions begin like that? Some story missions that find YOU -by name!

3) Make them varied. Story missions indoor or outdoor? I say both..and beyond. Imagination is key to any roleplayer. In Everquest, their gameworld is comprised of a planet and its moon, as well as other planes of reality. Are you really on the moon? of course not, its a zone like any other. But you feel as though you are there, far away from your friends on the main planet. Why not make mission zones (like the generic zones u enter with a mission key) that are supposed to be other worlds near Rubi-Ka, time travel, busy basements of important government installations etc. And make various types. Variety is the ****e of life!

4) Make them alive! This request applies to the current missions as well as new ones. People don't merely march around empty rooms, they have business! What IS that Rookie Clan Enforcer doing in that room? What is the purpose of the entire mission setting? Let's see Doc's gathered in the Omni-Med section of a standard mission performing surgery when you burst in, or Nano-Tech's busily working on nano-formulas in a lab. Give them lives, even simple themed activities can make a dull, flat NPC come to life. As a stage actor, I can tell you that sometimes the key to making your character seem real is not the long lines of dialogue but the simple activities, "business", that they are performing. Real people are constantly doing something, even if its just chewing a pencil-eracer.

5) (and lastly) Tell your main plot!! We, the players of AO, the citizens of Rubi-Ka, WANT to be part of the STORY of Rubi-Ka. When we retrieve that "urgent sensitive information" how about it actually contain same? A tid-bit of tantalizing info you can bring back to your Org and dissect together. Perhaps it will lead to greater mission, or an event that changes the fabric of the conflict...or even just a clue as to the nature of some political backstory. Weave a complex story, and remember that the stars of AO are not ROss and associates, but your players!

[______________jagnac]

These easily implemented things would solve the camping problem :

1) Make popular items dropped from bosses unique/nodrop
2) Make boss spawn times random.
3) Make boss spawn in different locations of the same area. Then players would have to search a little.
4) Create more bosses. There are too few bosses that drop useful items compared to the number of players.
5) Create wandering bosses.

[kedo]

Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?

Yes

Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?

Sided. For RP'ing reasons.

Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and at 100, only with tougher opponents?)

Yes

Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?

Prefer both. But many smalls is better than few longs I think.

Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?

Why do you ask? Of course it's not ok. I HATE camping, ruins RP.

Is it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)

Outdoor action is cool. Indoor is ok too though.

Way to go Funcom! You're making good progress.

[_______________Mimmi]

*Do you want story-missions that are profession specific or not?*

Yes, sounds like a fun idea


*Do you want side-defined missions, or missions for everyone?*

Both. The more options when it comes to questing, the better.


*Do you want the quests to scale with your level? (So you may take the same mission at lvl 30 and at 100, only with tougher opponents?)*

Yup, also a good idea. Just please make sure that not all missions involve killing stuff, we have enough of that already.


*Do you want many small, or fewer longer quests?*

Once again - both. The more the merrier.

*Is it ok with you to camp spawns, like we see in other MMORPGs?*

NO! Certainly not.


*Is it ok with you if we interweave the normal auto-content mission system in this, so that we can generate areas for you even in these story missions? (Or do you want only outdoor action?)*

I wouldnt mind if you introduced in-door playfields for storyquests, as long as you make them different from the usual missions. Perhaps you could actually find npc's to talk to inside the missionarea or something. Best choice would be outdoors tho, since we already have the indoor missions from the booths.


My wish is that you eliminate npc-camping totaly. Dont let npc's have good death-loot, let them only hand out the items as rewards for a job well done. Dont make them disapear once they have handed out the quest. If you fear this may bring an unballancing amount of unique items in the game, then just make the quests harder or the items less good, just dont force us to wait 18 hours for a npc, only to miss the chance because someone kills/talks to him faster than you do.

Besides from that - I like the idea, keep it coming.