Well done... an excelent first foray into the world of slagging off this game.
A couple of quick things: Most of these issues about difficult missions etc... vanish when you make some friends and join a faction. This game was DEFINATELY made to play as teams.
SOE came in and have done a much better job at the maintenance of this game, but I still think blizzard might have done better. If you think current game support is cruddy ... you should have been here before.
The only real advantage to hitting lvl 10 is being able to load hyperjump. the matrix is still a really tough place until you're into the 20s. Some of those programs cost 10 mem buffer to make you use that skill tree (keeps things balanced) otherwise you could be a doctor/hacker and then it would get **bleep**.
ranged combat... specialise in firearms (load the skill set), don't use the rifles (-5 firearms skill) use pistols instead(+5) and take on someone close to or less than your skill level. There are plenty of buffed items that boost your firearms skill, also if you want to become a firearms user... level your attributes appropriately. Boost your focus at the detriment of reason (better gunner, worse hacker)
And yes I agree ... the entire game has been based on an RPG (paladins, warriors, spell casters, medics, etc)
