Everyday when I check Champions Online forums I see complaints about content gaps. See, in champions you earn the bulk of your XP from quests. Completing a Quest can net you like 20k xp (for a L20) while a mob might give you like 100xp.

Anyway I am just wondering if this is normal for a new MMO to release with massive content gaps where you have no quests to do? I remember Everquest 2 seemed to do this around L18 so we quit when we ran into it.

Sadly, Champions was looking like it had plenty of content til launch day when the devs drastically nerfed quest xp.

Any other MMOs you guys can think of that released with not enough content to make it to max level?

I think I heard the same about Age of Conan too when it released

You usually don't see "okay" and "release" in the same sentence.  You're lucky if the game even runs period.  Not all MMOs have bad releases, but missing content? yea pretty common.

This is one of the primary reasons I never play an MMO until it's been "in the wild" for 3-6 months, it gives them time to fix all the bugs and problems that invariably come at release.

I don't get what was the rush for them to launch champions online out so early if they knew how many bugs/content gaps it had. I mean this is only making them lose subs, same thing for fallen earth.

Ah I see. I guess it wouldn't kill me to just take 3 months off. I normally don't purchase an MMO at release. Made an exception for this since its a superhero MMO and wanted to support their classless design. Fun game, but yeah it's going through rapid transition. So I'll just take a few months off then return.

By then they'll have more content and I'll get more value for my money

No, it's not. There will always be some guilds that want to see what endgame tastes like. If they don't like it, they'll moan around, creating large bandwagoons, the recipe for fail within a month.
Of course, we're talking about your typical loot and engame based MMOs.

Its an unfortunate side effect of a linear leveling system. You have the dedicated powerlevelers who have unlimited amounts of time burning to max level. You would think after 10 years developers would innovate a skill/exploration/substance environment that concentrated on immersion games instead of the level treadmill task management item collecting stat management Pokemon race to end level stuff thats out now.

Yeah I feel the post above I am tired of item acquisition and all the leveled based treadmills. Well, tired of all the treadmills.

Would love to play a sandboxy superhero MMO. Will probably just buy Marvel ultimate alliance 2 and see if I can get some friends together and play that for a bit. The other MUA was great fun and was a good break away from MMOs for awhile

The fact is that MMOs are never finished products. They are always adding content to beginning and end game portions. I am unaware of any gaps in Champions which impedes your ability to move forward

Originally posted by bloodaxes

I don't get what was the rush for them to launch champions online out so early if they knew how many bugs/content gaps it had. I mean this is only making them lose subs, same thing for fallen earth.

I can answer this one, its pretty simple, they need the revenue to start flowing in.

No game can stay in pre-launch forever, eventually the people funding it want to see results and they force the launch.

Pretty common really.

edit: and no, its not really "OK" but its a fact of MMO's these days...even Blizzard did it back in the early days.

Originally posted by Czzarre

The fact is that MMOs are never finished products. They are always adding content to beginning and end game portions. I am unaware of any gaps in Champions which impedes your ability to move forward

The devs have officially admitted they are aware of content gaps post Level 30 and are scrambling to add 'repeatable missions' to fill the gaps. what I am typing here is not opinion but confirmed fact. Ironically, I think this might potentially enrich grouping when the repeatable content is added

Currently, its tough to maintain groups in Champions because being quest driven its tough to share quests with your entire team. But nice thing is they do provide group xp bonus. Still, not as great as quest xp from what I'm seeing but its 'decent'

I've been trying to level up alts and halt pre-30s to give them time. But inspite of my best efforts I still cant resist leveling on my main a little and he is closing in on 30 kinda quick heh

Inspite of my criticism of the game I do think its fun and still highly recommend to old city of heroes vets like myself as long as you can deal with limited pvp options.

Originally posted by Cephus404

This is one of the primary reasons I never play an MMO until it's been "in the wild" for 3-6 months, it gives them time to fix all the bugs and problems that invariably come at release.

This, if people didn't pre-order with blind faith based on reviews or open beta, then there'd be more finished, polished product. But for those who bought CO and are gearing up to play Aion, I thank you in advance for paying for my slot and further beta testing the game after release... that way I can enjoy it when I do pay for it!

Content gaps are inexcusable in a themepark game.

If you reach a point where your only choice is to grind for hours 'til you reach the next available content then in my book the developer is doing something very, very wrong.

I can understand why it happened with Champions Online; they nerfed the XP rate JUST prior to release so it's hardly surprising that doing so caused content gaps. Still shouldn't have happened though.

Originally posted by Lansid

Originally posted by Cephus404

This is one of the primary reasons I never play an MMO until it's been "in the wild" for 3-6 months, it gives them time to fix all the bugs and problems that invariably come at release.

This, if people didn't pre-order with blind faith based on reviews or open beta, then there'd be more finished, polished product. But for those who bought CO and are gearing up to play Aion, I thank you in advance for paying for my slot and further beta testing the game after release... that way I can enjoy it when I do pay for it!

I don't pre-order, I don't even play beta anymore, I want a finished, polished product and I'm not shelling out a single penny until I can be reasonably sure I'm going to get it.  I hold companies to high standards, it's disgusting how few people do though.

until gamers  stop buying products that are half finished and buggy this will always be the way it is... i mean why finish a product now when you can make a bunch of money now.. and finish it later all the while raking in the cash

Originally posted by Briansho

Its an unfortunate side effect of a linear leveling system. You have the dedicated powerlevelers who have unlimited amounts of time burning to max level. You would think after 10 years developers would innovate a skill/exploration/substance environment that concentrated on immersion games instead of the level treadmill task management item collecting stat management Pokemon race to end level stuff thats out now.

Pretty spot on...

With a different kind of progression, something more open and flexible, the game could feel less frustrating since it's not the same old path getting more boring at xx level due to the lack of content, or how the first 20 levels felt awesome compared to the rest of the game, and so on.

Originally posted by Ilvaldyr

Content gaps are inexcusable in a themepark game.

 

It didn't start with content gaps. But the players complained that the game was too easy. So nerf happy Cryptic nerfed EVERYTHING. Even exp. So now it takes 10 times longer to level and there are now content gaps.

Moral of the story, never ever ever EVER say the game is too easy, or a skill is OP when Cryptic is the developer, they will nerf you so far into oblivion you won't know what hit you.  People should have learned this from CoH.

And by the way the game is still to easy, even though some people say it's so hard they can't play any more, that's what you get with an open skill system.

Originally posted by GreenChaos

And by the way the game is still to easy, even though some people say it's so hard they can't play any more, that's what you get with an open skill system.

I think it's intended.  Some super hero is just more powerful than another.  I mean do you really think Spiderman can beat Superman?  Or can Robin be as powerful as Batman?  I think not :)

Originally posted by laokoko

Originally posted by GreenChaos

And by the way the game is still to easy, even though some people say it's so hard they can't play any more, that's what you get with an open skill system.

 

I think it's intended.  Some super hero is just more powerful than another.  I mean do you really think Spiderman can beat Superman?  Or can Robin be as powerful as Batman?  I think not :)

The original Robin, Dick Grayson, is Batman now.

 So Dick has to be over 70 years old by now right... since his first appearance was in 1940?

Originally posted by Ilvaldyr

Content gaps are inexcusable in a themepark game.

If you reach a point where your only choice is to grind for hours 'til you reach the next available content then in my book the developer is doing something very, very wrong.

I can understand why it happened with Champions Online; they nerfed the XP rate JUST prior to release so it's hardly surprising that doing so caused content gaps. Still shouldn't have happened though.

 

Keep in mind that in a game like CO, a content gap means that a player would have to run public quests, do existing repeatable missions, look for timered "Help a Citizen" missions, do PvP scenarios, look for bank roberies, and look for Nemesis missions. All of which grant experience. The content gap is really just a lack of linear and obvious quest hub missions. Its not like your only choice is to go out and grind random MOB's for a 2 levels.

Considering the options available to the player, its not half as bad as some people might make it out to be.

Originally posted by Lansid

 So Dick has to be over 70 years old by now right... since his first appearance was in 1940?

But superheroes live longer than us mere mortals. Just look at Christopher Reeve. Oh wait...