by Brohg » Wed Mar 01, 2006 4:22 pm
I think many things about monster missions could have been different for them to fit better in EQ. Mostly, they should have been more challenging. Simply entering should not guarantee completion. If there are infinite respawns allowed for players, there should be similar respawns for mobs. Bindrushing and battle rezzing is actively worked against in real EQ, it should be similarly discouraged in the "MM" subset of EQ.
Secondly, the shrouds should have had some relation to the base character in archetype (tank base = tank shroud, melee base = melee shroud, caster base = caster shroud, priest base = priest shroud), to more closely translate real groups into shroud-based missions. Real groups are being nudged that way as much as possible, with clear mission statements from EQLive producers that war/pal/sk should be equally desirable (in an overall sense) as tanks, and cle/dru/shm as healers. Clear role definitions, that were thrown out the window for Monster Missions.
The challenge (<avoids the word "risk", though "risk" [of wasted time] could easily be applied) of all things should be equal to the reward. To be real about it, MM challenge should exceed the reward slightly, imo, with non-material "novelty" filling in the gap. My group of friends is, to say the least, very advanced in terms of personal progression and ability in EQ. We still do a MM here & there, as part of seeing all the game has to offer. This isn't 100% wasted time, since there is a little exp back, but when we want real solid rewards for our characters, we play our characters in real content. That should be the model for all levels of play. Have fun, fill in some game lore, get a little progress perhaps, but attempting to use MM's as a true advancement path should about equal roleplaying the Emperor of Antonica and trying to hit 70 by conquering city guards and hill giants.