The incarnate system....something doesn't feel right

DeathStroke

I can't put it into worlds exactly, but the incarnate system just feels wrong for CoH, at least for me.  I've been playing since launch and I really appreciate that there is FINALLY some end game content, but I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong.   I'm not sure if the powers are game changing, or what at this point, i just know it doesn't feel like classic CoH any longer.  Does anyone else feel this way?  Or am I way off base here?

Cyrosphere

Well let's see...

-Raiding and grinding. Endgame Incarnate powers can only be unlocked by grinding the same taskforces over and over, disguised by the fact that you can only earn one loot component per week per character, making earning the powers an unnecessarily protracted affair. I suppose it's a not so subtle way of making people keep paying subscription money.

-Forced teaming. Now you need somewhere upwards of 12 people (who may or may not know what they're doing, and may or may not be polite) to run content in a game which has traditionally been very anti-raiding, both mentality and mechanics wise.

-Power homogeneity. Character diversity was the foundation of CoH, yet incarnate trees are not really an extension of your character powersets, but a common pool into which everyone grabs a little something from. Doesn't matter if you're a blaster controller or tank, you all get a nice cone nuke power. The Patron Pools with CoV's expansion had some similar complaints, because it overrode character creativity with imposed lore.

-General endgame 'feel.' One of the conundrums of MMORPG design is that the more powerful you get, the enemies have to scale accordingly to provide a parallel challenge, yet this challenge must be justified reasonably. For example, the level 54 Prisoners who cannot be mezzed and hit like trucks basically make you question why a superhero is being whacked left and right by everyday commoners. The turrets in the current Issue 20 BAF testing suffer from the same problem: Incarnate powers and shields or not, they stomp you flat in no time. If these turrets for example shot you with some ice beam that absolutely floored your recharge and speed, but would be removed once someone else killed the tower, these things pose a different type of challenge for team dynamics without throwing the HAX hammer at you. Power shouldn't be introduced if it's going to be nullified right thereafter; power should be counteracted by different, tangential challenges which make you think about what you've gained.

DeathStroke

I think your point about everyone picking from the same pool is where my problem comes from.  Its removing the diversity in the game.  I know the argument can be made that these powers take 2 min to recharge, but they hit like a ton of bricks!, or heals for a boat load giving regen on top of that.  

 

I just really don't like it at all.  I'm considering just leaving.  I don't have the time to grind for hours to get these powers so when the content is adjusted to scale to the new powers I'm going to be out in the cold because I'm not +2 or 3.

Cyrosphere

If you're not enjoying it, it's a no-brainer decision to stop subbing. That's what I'm doing anyway, future updates may bring me back.

Hoplites

Good news: Incarnate powers can be customized with colors, and the end game raids are not too difficult once the concepts are learned.

Bad news: Everyone has access to a crashless nuke now, which leads down the path of homogenization of the game, and grinding of the same two trials is very similar to other end game systems found in other MMORPG's.

Summary:  I would rate the CoX end game as a C+ currently given the participation mechanic that measures participation is borked, but it has room to improve upon that C+ to a B- if that is worked out.  I still can't justify given an A to this end game sysstem given, that,  not only is the foundation of this end game system too similar to others, but even right down to the tree structures that expand (Incarnate trees).

Hard to say as to what it will do to the future of the game as I am reading, and hearing mixed reviews from many people.  What I will be looking for is not necessarily what existing players think in the coming months, but what returning players, and new players think of this end game system?

Wicoa

I understand that you may not enjoy it and with that notion you have the right to unsubscribe however for me at least: The Incarnate System Something Does Feel Right

Arglebargle

Some real world issues factor into the Incarnate deployment:  They can't release as many Incarnate raids as they should've.  Just too much work and testing, realistically.  We know that there are other Incarnate raids in the pipeline, so it shouldn't end up being just the same two recycled.  I expect they will get at least another one per issue (say three a year).   They did also release a lower level SF/TF for each side as well.   You can only do so much in a particular time period.

 

For some of my alts, this system is just perfect.  Others may not go up the route.   But for my character who was made from a sliver of a goddess, this system is perfect.  I am prioritizing who goes incarnate, and trying not to overdo it to the point of madness.