Image Retrieval - November 05, 2008

This thread is for discussing Image Retrieval, posted November 05, 2008 on Data Node One. 

After November please use this link.

Looks pretty sweet.

Glad im not merv

What's the Zion reward?

;( Dissapionting.

I have to say I'm not a big fan of the earpiece. The wireframe intruders were unique, the wireframe orb/deathstar was fun for a visual FX and the idea of an FX reward of a wireframe overlay (like what was shown in the Dev's screenshot thread a while back) is pretty cool. A wireframe item just seems a little bit silly to me. I know I've previously said that there are plenty of black items of clothing and I stand by that, but I would prefer a black earpiece over a wireframe version.

Thats just my opinion. It's nice to see rewards targetted at individual orgs with the ability to be traded if people want to.

Needs more wireframe pants.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the rewards!  The Hel Stompers are top on my list to get.

Want that earpiece. Looks sweet.

I'm not crazy about either of these. I think wireframe gloves might have worked better.

Ear piece doesn't look so cool. The boots look like what Persephone wears now or what she wore on the Halloween Mask, I'll be getting a pair of those.

I kinda don't get it. "These only available through Merovingian operatives" ? Does that mean Zionites have to buy them from Merv operatives? Or run Merv missions to earn them? 

Also, even though I'm sure I will earn my pair of boots, why aren't these boots *white*? We have plenty of different kinds of black boots already. What we need are *white* ones

The earpiece is neato, does it have buffs?

/as

Asna wrote:

I kinda don't get it. "These only available through Merovingian operatives" ? Does that mean Zionites have to buy them from Merv operatives? Or run Merv missions to earn them? 

Also, even though I'm sure I will earn my pair of boots, why aren't these boots *white*? We have plenty of different kinds of black boots already. What we need are *white* ones

The earpiece is neato, does it have buffs?

/as

Buy them from Merv operatives.

Asna wrote:

I kinda don't get it. "These only available through Merovingian operatives" ? Does that mean Zionites have to buy them from Merv operatives? Or run Merv missions to earn them? 

Also, even though I'm sure I will earn my pair of boots, why aren't these boots *white*? We have plenty of different kinds of black boots already. What we need are *white* ones

The earpiece is neato, does it have buffs?

/as

Yes, we'll have to have a Merv operative farm them for us.

Also, I'm pretty sure the earpiece will have buffs.  Unless they're like the gold dress.

I hate to say it, but they're both kind of lame.  The wireframe earpiece is just...  yeah.  The boots look like any other boots available.

What are hellstompers?  Someone mentioned that above.

The biggest concern I have with this new 'system' is that it seems like it'll be alienating our lower level players.  A quest for downtown?  What about the newer players to MxO who are under level 30?  They'll have to wait until they're higher level to enjoy MxO's story?  I don't know how I feel about that.

Fen wrote:

The biggest concern I have with this new 'system' is that it seems like it'll be alienating our lower level players.  A quest for downtown?  What about the newer players to MxO who are under level 30?  They'll have to wait until they're higher level to enjoy MxO's story?  I don't know how I feel about that.

The idea is to use the existing 3+ years of archived backstory to get them to that point. 

I like the boots. Black clothes own.

i am not really that interested in either of those and since i am a zion i cant get the boots anyways...not sure if i would want them even if i was a merv...

I like the earpeice looks different afterall everyone got the others now.

The boots seem a bit pointless to me without seing the buffs.

As mentioned before White boots would be cool.

Awell More pics please Rare!

I guess it wasn't a total waste to level up 3 50's on syntax now was it?

Fen wrote:

I hate to say it, but they're both kind of lame.  The wireframe earpiece is just...  yeah.  The boots look like any other boots available.

What are hellstompers?  Someone mentioned that above.

The biggest concern I have with this new 'system' is that it seems like it'll be alienating our lower level players.  A quest for downtown?  What about the newer players to MxO who are under level 30?  They'll have to wait until they're higher level to enjoy MxO's story?  I don't know how I feel about that.

I know how I feel about it.

KoenhX wrote:

I guess it wasn't a total waste to level up 3 50's on syntax now was it?

Yes

I'll get the boots, but the eair piece is a no go

The wireframe stuff was and is never going to be Matrix Matrix Matrix Matrix Matrix. Not like the movies were and in comparison I have to say I could fit Unlimits in that movie landscape however hard it was for me and some others to phantom the cheat vials, but it was a heck of a lot easier than some wireframed dudes that comes in and starts waking people up by walking around like a shining silver surfers and at this point I just don't know why we're even getting them as rewards, honestly I'd rather much see a SWAT commando vest (not SSR but a SWAT Captain or a SWAT regular soldier one blue or black) at least after that I'd think my char looked somewhat close to the movies typa style. The caretaker boots are nice enough though but maybe make some snakeskinned ones at one time. Snakeskin/and Croc... Matrix.. black leather. Remember?

Wait, does the earpiece have a bright glow?

And I agree, it would have been good if the boots were white.

Eleutherophobia wrote:

Fen wrote:

I hate to say it, but they're both kind of lame. The wireframe earpiece is just... yeah. The boots look like any other boots available.

What are hellstompers? Someone mentioned that above.

The biggest concern I have with this new 'system' is that it seems like it'll be alienating our lower level players. A quest for downtown? What about the newer players to MxO who are under level 30? They'll have to wait until they're higher level to enjoy MxO's story? I don't know how I feel about that.

I know how I feel about it.

I brought this up in the feedback thread and I don't think it was answered in a satisfactory manner.  Sure you can use the old archives, etc to get up to 30 relatively quickly but can you really imagine telling a new player "Sorry, but you can't actually participate in the current storyline until you've reached level 30... you can however do old story missions from two years ago."  Either this is going to turn a new player off completely or they will force themselves to burn their way through to at least 30 as fast as possible.. and probably miss out on all of the level specific content (collector items, constructs, exile dungeons, area exploration, access nodes, etc.) along the way.  Good idea?  Not so much.

As for these items themselves.. I'm not excited by either as seen.  I do want to see what the male boots look like.  Maybe if we're lucky the male version will be black seraphims like the Merv wears.. or at least some other good looking boot style that you're not forced to tuck your pantlegs into (Hello, I'm wearing chaps over my pants.. why am I tucking them both into my boots again?).  The earpiece just looks silly and would have been better off (though not really any better) as a visual fx reward.

I am wondering about the rest of the rewards though.  Will they be completely different items per level, or will they be variants of the same type of item like we see with the Valk trades?  If it's the second, that could mean us earpiece wearers might yet be getting an earpiece with good enough buffs to totally replace having to wear a hat.  And what of the Zion items?  No mention of them seems to point at them either being quite awesome or quite unexceptional.

Indeed, Shinryu.  Although I am warming to the more permanent structure of the new missions, the fact that everything is 30+ really seems a turnoff to any hope of new players.

Shinryu wrote:

but can you really imagine telling a new player "Sorry, but you can't actually participate in the current storyline that you won't understand at all until you play the old missions anyway until you've reached level 30... you can however do old story missions from two years ago." 

Fixed.

cloudwolf wrote:

Shinryu wrote:

but can you really imagine telling a new player "Sorry, but you can't actually participate in the current storyline that you won't understand at all until you play the old missions anyway until you've reached level 30... you can however do old story missions from two years ago." 

Fixed.

While the original and fixed versions are true, not every new player will want to 'review' previous missions. I would imagine many would want to jump into the current storyline. It's easier to do that of course, now that critical missions won't be pushing the story along and only the odd occasional LE which could require a fairly decent understanding of the current part of the story.

I started right at the end of the Unlimit saga, which was a pretty decent place to start without requiring knowledge of the past storyline. The only reason why I did previous archives is because I wanted to have the background information for RP but not everyone is going to want to do the same.

Yeah, I suppose it depends on where the storys at at the time of joining. Half way through a big arc or just starting up a new one.

Hopefully the new Archivist newbie tip makes special care to point out the archive missions and their intended use.

Vinia wrote:

cloudwolf wrote:

Shinryu wrote:

but can you really imagine telling a new player "Sorry, but you can't actually participate in the current storyline that you won't understand at all until you play the old missions anyway until you've reached level 30... you can however do old story missions from two years ago."

Fixed.

While the original and fixed versions are true, not every new player will want to 'review' previous missions. I would imagine many would want to jump into the current storyline. It's easier to do that of course, now that critical missions won't be pushing the story along and only the odd occasional LE which could require a fairly decent understanding of the current part of the story.

I started right at the end of the Unlimit saga, which was a pretty decent place to start without requiring knowledge of the past storyline. The only reason why I did previous archives is because I wanted to have the background information for RP but not everyone is going to want to do the same.

Yeah, looking back there aren't many plots points that need to be experienced via critical missions that can't be covered in a short recap, particularly if you're referencing things that still impact the story on a "daily" basis.  And even with the old crits, you're still only getting part of the story without the Live Events that happened at the time anyway so they are hardly a perfect method of getting someone caught up on things.

Ive missed something like a year and a half worth of the story and all ive heard about is these wireframe things.

Whats that all about?  To be quite honest i think they make a mokery of the Matrix series and now you get rewards related to them?  Cmon man.. i know we have an understaffed and underappreciated DEV team but  are you getting lazy or what.  Is this just a token gesture and a quick attempt at a reward while you work on the important things?

Quite frankly i think this earpiece is terrible!

Get the wireframe crud outta the story its not remotely matrixy!

aisuru wrote:

Get the wireframe crud outta the story its not remotely matrixy!

I disagree, wireframe intruders using a different technology to hack into the simulation is just as matrixy as cheat codes and corruptor/fly monsters. We are basically in a computer program and the wireframes are basically unskinned (lack of surface code) objects being revealed. Although the interaction (and lack of side effects) between the intruders and Bluepills was interesting, but that can be explained as well.

I do, however, maintain that I'm not a big fan of equipable wireframe clothing/items.

Vinia wrote:

aisuru wrote:

Get the wireframe crud outta the story its not remotely matrixy!

I disagree, wireframe intruders using a different technology to hack into the simulation is just as matrixy as cheat codes and corruptor/fly monsters. We are basically in a computer program and the wireframes are the bases of objects being shown to Operatives.

I do, however, maintain that I'm not a big fan of equipable wireframe clothing/items.

Makes me wanna vomit its that bad!

A wireframe earpiece? I think we might be stretching it a bit for ideas here.

I've accepted wireframes into the Matrix canon, but I can't make sense of them appearing anywhere other than over the Intruders' bodies. The Override Orb is just an effect and has no canonical standing (as far as I'm concerned), but items of clothing... Eh, I think they need to be taken a bit more seriously.

Why are there now random clothing items programmed in Override code? Shouldn't they be banned for disrupting the Matrix or something? Are the Oligarchs throwing their advanced tech around willy-nilly now?

Shinryu wrote:

Eleutherophobia wrote:

Fen wrote:

I hate to say it, but they're both kind of lame. The wireframe earpiece is just... yeah. The boots look like any other boots available.

What are hellstompers? Someone mentioned that above.

The biggest concern I have with this new 'system' is that it seems like it'll be alienating our lower level players. A quest for downtown? What about the newer players to MxO who are under level 30? They'll have to wait until they're higher level to enjoy MxO's story? I don't know how I feel about that.

I know how I feel about it.

I brought this up in the feedback thread and I don't think it was answered in a satisfactory manner.  Sure you can use the old archives, etc to get up to 30 relatively quickly but can you really imagine telling a new player "Sorry, but you can't actually participate in the current storyline until you've reached level 30... you can however do old story missions from two years ago."  Either this is going to turn a new player off completely or they will force themselves to burn their way through to at least 30 as fast as possible.. and probably miss out on all of the level specific content (collector items, constructs, exile dungeons, area exploration, access nodes, etc.) along the way.  Good idea?  Not so much.

I agree, I agree, a thousand times over I agree.  This is by and large my biggest misgiving about the new system.  So, a new player is expected to wade through approx. 170 archived critical missions while they are fully excluded from the current storyline until they hit 30?  That seems a little sadistic.  And point extremely well taken about the pressure given now to just burn through your first 30  levels without smelling the roses along the way as it were.  Its just going to be a tiresome and joyless grind.

I remember the excitement I felt when I got my first graduation missions ages ago, basically saying "We are now going to entrust you with more sensitive missions from now on," followed by new access to critical missions.  I guess this will make graduation missions completely nonsensical now.  And standard missions are a joke, thats not much of an option, those have been unchanged for four years now, they were all written back in 2004 by Lith and still have the same crappy pattern with stupid canned dialogue, ie "I put a present in my gun but I forgot to wrap it!!11!"  Hardee hare har.  "If you kill me, please tell them my story."  Lol okay.  And don't get me started on the rep point system, if anything is FUBAR in this game its that.  I've been here since beta and I'm still stuck at 125.  I think that whole system needs to be entirely reexamined now.

I dunno its gonna be sad for two of my alts now, I'm Merovingian with two 50's, but I have a zion and a mech each at lvl 25 that I got there by only doing mech and zion crits over the past two years every thursday, it was great getting involved in the other sides of the story that way.  Looks like I'll be putting them on the back burner for a while until I can get them sorted.

Don't get me wrong I think the new quests might be a big improvement, think about it the crits were 5 missions with 4 phases each, so if the new quests are at least equal to or better than 20 mission phases I'll be a very happy camper; its just the level caps that don't sit with me well at all.

I could say it otherwise... non-skinned items are boring! /shrug.

I hope the Zion item is good, not really a fan of the earpeice or boots.

This is good incentive to get my non-mech alts to level 30!

Lyr

Illyria22 wrote:

This is good incentive to get my non-mech alts to level 30!

Lyr

This, all told, is really what this update seems to be about to me.. it's not about the new players, as we've been told.  It's not about the people who are confused by the storyline as it was presented to this point, as we've been told.  It's more about the fact that we have a small but relatively stable base of players, so let's just focus on giving them something to do.

Can anyone post the full list of items at the collectors... none of the Zion stuff interests me as an MA ...it seems geared to hackers.

also the earpiece is at the zion collector... I want to see Widdows moor glasses buffs on the green void glasses.

actually I want to see appearance and buffs being separate. The new mission structure also requires more of my inventory space that is already at a premium.

On the upside... the new cinematic and plot developments are total WIN Rarebit!

As much as I like your sketch shilohuette style of drawing Rarebit... it's frickin' impossible to see what's going on in the cinematic... can we get a storyboard artist in?.