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1-11 too slow, 12-45 too fast

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
The 1-11 game is way too slow and boring. So far, multiple people in my gaming group have given up before hitting 11, despite my insistence that the game becomes more involved and exciting when you upgrade your ship and get better ground kits.

Simply put, there is not enough variety in abilities or gameplay styles available in a miranda that handles like a bathtub and has 3 weapon/BO slots only. This causes the 1-11 game to drag on, for what seems like forever. It makes no sense to make someone work this hard so early and then pray they stick it out long enough to get to the "meat" of the game.

On the other hand, tier 2 and 3 seem to fly by like no one's business, with more exciting gameplay due to the plethora of weapon, ship, and ability options that are available, and the general ability to kill things (and advance) with greater speed. Most experienced MMO players would expect the game to slow down the higher you get, but this does not seem to be the case, and at least in tier 2 and 3 it seems to speed up!

This subscription damaging flaw was touted by many beta testers, but appears to have fallen on deaf ears. I only hope Cryptic will listen before they lose many more of their subscribers.

The pathetic 2, 5, and 10 day trials only highlight this flaw, as the trial users have no chance to see the "real" game after level 11, especially if they have any sort of job or real life obligations.

TLDR version: 15-20 hours in a miranda is insane and only hurts the game in the end.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    They've been about the same for me (11-17 has been just as long as 1-10).
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I agree with this as I will never bother to make another federation character even when given more slots. Last time I did so felt so zzzz it was even worse than evezzzzz. It was like trying to stay awake during one of the lectures held by my second math professor.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Reanimated wrote:
    TLDR version: 15-20 hours in a miranda is insane and only hurts the game in the end.

    I have to say, I haven't seen this much time in the Miranda. I've now leveled up two characters past 11 and I had no real trouble getting through the first 11 levels. It wasn't an hour or anything silly, but it certainly wasn't 15-20 hours! Perhaps you're doing something wrong or you're taking defend missions or something and are alone in there? I'm not certain what else could cause you to be spending so much time on those first 11 levels.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I agree that 1-11 is boring as hell, doing it on every one of my alts was a real pain.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Reanimated wrote:
    in a miranda that handles like a bathtub


    Gawds, I hope you aren't a cruiser captain.



    Ironically, though, the Miranda gives you pretty good variety considering how basic the game is at the early levels. Cannons? Sure. Beams? Why not. Torpedoes? Check. Mines? If you're into that kind of thing. Turrets? Let me check- yup.

    Anyway you slice and dice it, the Miranda is as complex and flexible as it needs to be. Its the first ten levels- you don't get the good sh-stuff until later. That's a MMO maxim.

    The first 11 levels don't drag on. They seem boring and repetitive because, well, they are boring and repetitive. Having had leveled 3 federation characters to captain or higher, the problem is not just the low levels- it systemic through out the game. There is no depth to the gameplay, and no thinking required. You start a mission, kill 5 groups of enemies, maybe load to a ground combat phase, and kill more enemies will clicking on 4 interactable objects. Rinse, repeat. No amount of flash from abilities is going to cover up how basically simple 90% of the game is. There are a few bright spots that show hints of imagination (City on the Edge of Never, Briar Patch, Doomsday Device), but they all fail in their implementation.

    The combat system is pretty fun in this game, but unfortunately you only get two venues to use it- in meaningless steel cage PvP, or against mind numbingly easy NPCs. The NPC combat is particularly troubling because there is no variance- once you've seen/fought/ and beaten a certain NPC type, its merely a case of doing the same thing to beat it again.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Dude I don't know who you paid to PL you but for me Going from 1-11, and from 11-21 and now from 21-31 is the same pain TRIBBLE talking process.
    I would assume those who got to Admiral in 4 or 5 days either have no job or are using a cocaine drip to stay awake and play without sleep.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    FACT:

    1-11 is slow abit too slow!

    ( getting out of the generic ship is important )


    OPINION:

    the rest of the levels are for people to debate
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Yeah, agree. 1-11 feels like an effort and they need to do something about it. People have been saying that since closed beta, but at least its not as bad as it was. It will probably turn out to be one of the key reasons certain people quit, even before they really get into the game.

    I found the time to level is actually pretty much even throughout. It just felt quicker, as the content became more interesting. I will say RA1 - RA5 though shoots by, way to quickly.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Dryan wrote:
    the content became more interesting. I will say RA1 - RA5 though shoots by, way to quickly.

    Agreed.

    But basically all I really saw that was truely painful 4-11
    ( theres no real 1-3 in lvls )

    The rest was all fun.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I have to agree that the higher levels feel too fast.

    It took me 2 weeks of casual play to hit admiral. I would have loved more time in my Heavy Cruiser, and maybe even in the Exporation Cruiser. But *zip zip zip* and I'm an Admiral...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Dryan wrote:

    I found the time to level is actually pretty much even throughout. It just felt quicker, as the content became more interesting. I will say RA1 - RA5 though shoots by, way to quickly.

    I'm stuck at RA1. i have no more content to do. :(
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Arcalyn wrote: »
    FACT:

    1-11 is slow abit too slow!

    ( getting out of the generic ship is important )


    OPINION:

    the rest of the levels are for people to debate

    I agree with this... 1-11 is glacier-slow. lol 12-21 is almost as slow, but once you hit 15 and you get more skills and you get used to your ship it gets alot more fun, even if it is really slow. By 18 though youre chomping at the bit for 21 so you can be a Commander.
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