As the game currently stand I think there is a definite need for a category of mob between green and grey. While it is understandable that Funcom must balance play for combat optimised characters, the current harsh cutoff of experience gained is a fun killing insult to the diversity of the player base. Any characters who "waste" IP in non-combat categories can find themselves unable to advance through solo missions or hunting, and that is not acceptable to me. Blue mobs, truly easy for all, would provide lower experience but still allow players options other than team hunting.
My understanding is that mobs go gray on players to encourage them to accept new challenges. Grays are worthless in experience and tokens, and players finding themselves reduced to killing grays are often feeling worthless as well. I think that is one of the reasons we see players quitting or re-rolling characters rather than working to fix a "gimped" character. While many find green mobs easy, many others find certain numbers or types of green mobs to be difficult or even fatal. For those players, team hunting sadly becomes their only option. While team play is a vital part of any MMORPG, many of us came to AO on the promise that it would not be always required.
Casual gamers, support or trade characters, even players who want to invest IP in cooking can now find themselves denied large chunks of the game because their solo combat capability has fallen too far behind the norm. Why should such players not be able to take advantage of the lower half of the difficulty slider and still enjoy the game? Why should such players have to worry that balancing done for the "haves" or "un-nerfed" will make their ability to play solo impossible? Why should such players not be allowed to trade combat prowess for a longer, slower, varied, yet still viable path?
We don't all want to be PvP champions, nor are many of us in a hurry to advance, yet we all need to be able to partake in all aspects of the game. The current system fails to take into account the great diversity in player capability and in doing so, loses much of the fun and life it would otherwise offer. All players ought to be able to take a solo mission and achieve some experience. All players ought to be able to invest IP where they please knowing they might be slowing, but not stopping their advancement through missions. All players ought to have the freedom to develop their characters as they see fit, and enjoy their progress gauged against themselves and not against combat optimised characters.
Many of the changes to the game make no sense to me other than as part of an overall effort to slow leveling. The grey/green setup fails there as well, practically forcing players into faster team play. Nor do I think the answer is to make greens easier, as combat proficient characters who can already handle them need to know what kind of experience they will earn. But for those of us who find the three grays in the mission not without risk, Blue mobs would be the answer. For those of us considering dropping a couple levels worth of IP into a trade or vehicle skill, Blue mobs would be the answer. For those of us who want to optimise our characters to help the team, yet still would like to be able to solo hunt or mission, Blue mobs would be the answer.
Please embrace and encourage the huge diversity of the player base by letting everyone gain some experience wherever there is risk. Please consider Blue mobs for those of us who fall behind, yet wish to enjoy all the game has to offer. Please consider that a padded floor rather than the harsh gray concrete we currently fall on to would reduce much of the worry that balancing done for the combat optimised will impede our fun. Please consider Blue mobs.
