I've gotten my MP slowly up to a fairly high level and I see soon the time coming where there is nothing for this character to look forward to while the martial artist half of the population continues to go up (That's not a swipe at martial artists, but a swipe at what has been done to many of the other professions that there are so many more MAs).
I sent an email to feedback about not wanting to be a high level xp leech - Mocham's dispenser in a 6 person team. I for one prefer just 2 or 3 person teams with a couple friends rather than meeting unknown ninja looters and griefers.
The response made me hit the cancel button minutes later. MPs "have high level content" (I guess level 110 is "high level") and no profession is meant to solo, we're all supposed to HAVE to find 6 person teams. Solo missions are just their so you have something to do when you can't find a 6-person team. This from a person who I've come to think of as one of the more helpful ones in support.
I started this game almost precisely one year ago, I created my current main char a year ago last december. In that year NOTHING of note has been done for his profession.
I lost the interest in my fixer because what used to be unique has now become an "Ubergank" clone to a quarter of the other players. I play my advents just fine, but I prefer to play these characters with just one or two close friends/guildies and don't like it when they feel forced to get 6 people to accomplish anything significant at all.
I also had a miserable teaming experience today with a friend because of one of these specia "6 man teams". The team consisted of 2 of us wanting to play as a team, 1 xp leech, 1 ninja looter, and 2 running off without the team aggroing everything on the level without a care.
I asked these people why they got a team mission if they didn't want to play as a team? The answer was team missions are the only good way of getting xp & loot. The worst part is that they're right, and this setup is screwing over the rest of us who want to have fun with friends in a team.
Anyways I've noticed the new MMORPGs are advertising solo, team, and org play instead of just one. They're also emphasing complete skill developments systems where your character develops continously. In other words everyone else is trying to be what AO had the promise and vision to originally be. Only sadly enough AO is losing its way.
I'll continue playing for a while, but my 3-month subscription is canceled until someone at Funcom can give me some good news worth playing for.
(and if you're a player and this message upsets you, don't bother responding)