Farming & PLing

[Strykyr]

I'll probably get some flack from friends on this one but here goes. One issue I have with COX is that there are people that just sit around and farm missions or sit and PL a character. Yes, I have indulged from time to time in these activities, mostly to get a character past a certain level that I seemed stuck at (which shouldn't happen now with the recent XP Smoothing) but for the most part, I enjoy playing all the game content. Does anyone know if Cryptic is doing anything with CO to make these things not possible in this game?

[Firi]

as long as there is RMT there will ALWAYS be farming and PLing
-Firi

[High_Beam]

We Babes of War openly discourage farming and are very tyrannical against Powerlevelers. We will do everything we can to limit their taint.

[Varmint]

I don't care how other people want to spend their time in game. The only problem I see is when other people try to tell you how you should spend your time in game.

[justicefishy]

Well, farming and PLing will probably happen no matter what the end result of the game is. What would be great is a system in which you don't need to farm/PL just to get to the "good stuff" (ie: higher level content and cooler powers).

[john.doe]

I don't care how other people want to spend their time in game. The only problem I see is when other people try to tell you how you should spend your time in game.

QFE.

You pay your sub-fees and I pay mine.

[snbatman]

QFE.

You pay your sub-fees and I pay mine.

Agreed, but what tends to happen is the PL's and Farmers unbalance the game. The Devs re-balance aka nerf in reaction, and the vast majority of the playerbase that are not PL's or Farmers suffer the ramifications.

My only problem with the practices in question is that they do affect everyone else in game, and that's where your right to play the game as you see fit ends, when it effects someone else.

[Arkane]

I wouldn't ever pay to have a character leveled or pay for gold because I have a ton of time to play games. I don't mind when people do though because I understand that some games make it so that you can not really compete unless you have a lot of money or reach a certain level and for some the grind is too heavy. I do my best to still be respectful though once they reach max level. I don't mind showing people the ropes or giving tips and advice. Just don't ever spam me with "Service" sites.

[john.doe]

Maybe I don't share the same sentiment as others, but I've never seen a change made by a Dev team to be a "nerf".

In my opinion, if you're playing a game, and one (or more) aspects of the game changes, either you change with it - or you don't play it. I see ongoing changes as part of the game, and not external balancing/modification.

Granted, when comparing an MMO to, let's say, real life - such a thing would never happen. But seeing as it's a game, developed by people, there is no way every possible outcome of player behavior can be anticipated. (Some) People will inevitably exploit anything they can to "level-up" faster, be stronger, or better than other people.

Kind of related to the "Leveling?" thread.


My point:
Every multiplayer game undergoes changes. It's better to expect it, than to combat it.

[Stormbringer]

Well, farming and PLing will probably happen no matter what the end result of the game is. What would be great is a system in which you don't need to farm/PL just to get to the "good stuff" (ie: higher level content and cooler powers).

i have to imagine this isn't that difficult.

the devs simply need to incentivize things like completing missions, taskforces, whatever and deemphasize things like killing mobs.

how to do this?

in the CoX games they could easily lower the XP per mob and significantly increase the reward for completing a mission.

the same could be done for loot drops.

[AK]

As much as I myself don't enjoy power leveling that much, I really don't care too much if other people do. I'm not sure if power leveling really...makes dev's nerf. I'm not trying to sound rude, but I seriously don't remember a case where there was a nerf because of power leveling.

If getting to the level cap as fast as possible someone's way of having fun, then fine, let them do it. They are paying just as much for the game as you are and have the right to play the game just as they do.

In terms of talking about nerfs, MMORPGs are an ever changing genre and sometimes changes are needed. Developers wouldn't really nerf anything just to **** off the user base, they have a good reason.

Well...I guess Foxbat would do it to **** us off. There are always exceptions. :)

[Vampill]

Its not the level of your charcter that matters it is how they use them.

I personally don't understand people who PL and Farm. To me, I pay to play and it doesn't make sense to rush to the end game right away just so I can add a high level character to my belt. That's kinda like getting a new video game then using cheat codes at day one to get God Mode to beat the game. It seems once you start the PL'ing, you get lazy and no longer want to simply play the game. Now, you are simply going through the motions just to get a mediocre toon. This then results in PL'ers who don't know how to play the game or their character.

Bottom line, they are going to do what they want to do. I'm not sure how you stop them from doing that but at the same time I don't see why it matters. If I get somebody in my group who is at a high level and they are unable to play well enough to stay in the group, if I'm the lead, they get booted. By high level I mean level 30 or so. By this time you should know your toon well enough to play it.

The most important thing this this brings to my attention is, how are they going to handle the PL advertisements? Recently in CoX, before the level 10 email block, I was getting daily advertisements from PL'ing sites. I would most certainly hope that they are already thinking of how to limit these unneccesary emails. Like for example, allowing you to setup globally acceptible users to email you or the ability to hide your email address. A blocked senders list will do little to stop this.

[Sariond]

Eh, I'm kind of torn on this issue. While I enjoy content extremely, there is also a certain satisfaction in things like obtaining the highest level, and getting all of the best gear. There are always going to be people that look at it as 'a game', and not 'an immersive role-playing environment', and I think they should be able to enjoy what the game has to offer in their own way.

Beside that, if their style of playing is 'breaking the game', then it is definitely a patch and not a nerf as far as I'm concerned.

[Golden-Girl]

I dislike PLing, and while it shouldn't be encouraged by the devs at all, it's a bit mean to cut off every source of leeching for the PL types :p

[Perfect_Pain]

I really hope they eliminate the need to sit in one mission a million times over for the chance at a piece of booty...

That being said, how I or anyone else choses to use their account - as long as it doesnt break the EULA or other game stated rules - isnt really anyone elses buissness.

[Generalama]

Farming will never end asl ong as there are still MMO's.

[Golden-Girl]

I really hope they eliminate the need to sit in one mission a million times over for the chance at a piece of booty...

That being said, how I or anyone else choses to use their account - as long as it doesnt break the EULA or other game stated rules - isnt really anyone elses buissness.

Your sig - revealed, your thoughts are ;)

[Perfect_Pain]

Your sig - revealed, your thoughts are ;)


In Cox, I am to the point where if I dont min/max my alts I feel I am wasting my time playing... its not fun to me anymore.. if I cant be all that I can be.. So.. doing regular content is out because I cant make the $ I need doing that.. The only way is to run family or behemoths for money and recipes and salvage.. Other than doing that my alts wont get all the stuff they need.

Thats why I said, I hope in this game.. I wont feel that way.. Prior to loot being in Cox.. I played because it was fun. My alts werent min/maxed.. They were just there.. I cant seem to break the min/max feeling on Cox..

[Golden-Girl]

In Cox, I am to the point where if I dont min/max my alts I feel I am wasting my time playing... its not fun to me anymore.. if I cant be all that I can be.. So.. doing regular content is out because I cant make the $ I need doing that.. The only way is to run family or behemoths for money and recipes and salvage.. Other than doing that my alts wont get all the stuff they need.

Thats why I said, I hope in this game.. I wont feel that way.. Prior to loot being in Cox.. I played because it was fun. My alts werent min/maxed.. They were just there.. I cant seem to break the min/max feeling on Cox..

You must try - you don't need IOs - unless you're a hardcore PvPer ;)

[BlackArachnia]

as long as there is RMT there will ALWAYS be farming and PLing
-Firi

Co* had farming and PLing WAY before there was an invention system. PVP did not help the PLing because some people wanted to get certain powers or just get to the zones. Khelds did not help PLing because people wanted to get to 50 for their Kheld.

People are going to find a way to farm and power level even without an economy. The devs can't stop it. Their best bet is to mitigate it or minimize the desire for those activities.

[Mython]

Personally, I have participated in the farming/PL'ing mostly for the inf. I can't, however, do that all the time as I've seen some do. To me it would just be so boring doing the same thing time after. I know people who run STF every single night; I couldn't do that.

PL'ing every toon seems cheap to me. If someone gets to that point, it would seem the game isn't altogether satisfying anymore and maybe time to take a break. Although, I know people who are just in it for the PvP, which is fine. I like to do zone PvP occasionallly to break up the mish-to-mish monotony.

Ultimately it comes down to how people want to spend their time in the game. I don't wag my finger at the farmers/PL'ers because who am I to do that? They have fun with the game that way then good on them, then. I've been on CoX for 19 months and still have fun running contact mishes with friends. I still follow storylines and enjoy my earned temp powers that I have gotten on a dozen toons before.

As some friends of mine from the game say: "Play what ya want!"

...and HOW you want! :D

[DocShocker]

I'll admit to farming on occasion. Usually when I'm really close to leveling.

Never really PL'ed.

I don't care if other people do it. I just get irritated when somebody asks REPEATEDLY for me to PL them. It's also annoying when they get ****y after you tell them "no".