Factions and Hard mode - Anet consider please

This may be a bit premature as we don't know what all they have planned, but I really hope Anet takes a moment to consider how they will implement hard mode in Factions. Just making more/harder enemies while maintaining the same time limits in standard mode for bonus would be horrible. Some of those missions can barely be eeked through as it is now. If hard mode maintains the time basis as bonus criteria (which we have no reason to believe they won't) Then up the time to a reasonable amount to compensate for increased difficulty in the mission.

Why would anyone want a hardmode in the first place. Factions is an easy campaign to get masters in but most players are already beyond it, who really wants to do it again. There are other ways that the game could be improved that should be fixed before this, name changes, adding quests to the old campaings that have skills from the new ones.

/not signed

I hope hard mode means 'more random skill sets for mobs and more monks in mob groups'.
lvl 60's doing quadriple dmg is not a good idea.
And who wants hard more? I do! and everyone who thought PvE was too easy.

Hardmode is the worst idea Anet has come up with anyway. It will be even harder to find PUGs to join as everyone will be...

"LFG for masters and hardmore"

....and any/all newbie players will be stuffed to find help.

Is it not enough that they made the end parts of NF more or less elite zones. Now they want to crank it up even more and it wont be as if you have a choice whether to play normal or hardmode, because every PUG leader will want to do the hard setting.

You wont have a choice about it.

Plus hardmode wont add any intelligent AI or actual improved gameplay. Anet will just add increased mob numbers, sizes and give the creatures impossible over-powered abilities.

Most likely more interupting, degen, ressing and multiplying. Casters will be stuffed.

Hard Mode... I hope it's not "higher level, more HP and more damage". Better AI, Time limits and more skills are better imo. Or even Environmental Effects.

What optimism by you and the OP. Nobody knows what it is going to be exactly. Stop complaining before it even comes out. Geez, preemptive whinning is the worst.

Have some confidence people!

The grand-motto that ANet has been using in all decisions is based around: will it be fun?

A harder mode is a great idea to provide a challenge and some extra replayability. However it's implemented, it'll be an improvement. But knowing ANet, they'll keep it balanced, and they'll keep it fun.

As for all groups going "masters at hard", maybe, but then again, maybe not. Not everybody is interested in hard mode, and many leaders will look for regular mode. Some people want to get to the elites with all the chars they have. Others want the end-game items. Hard mode is only for the title & perhaps better drops (provided you survive it, that is).

Except the fact a.net is very predictable and very lazy when it comes to improving the current gws.

The easy programming to make hard mode? Change everything to lv28, add inherent double dmg. A "new" addition with minimal amount of work done.

If Hard mode means 'enemies at level 28' it's not a problem, if they make them in 'normal' mode be 20-24.

If hard mode means 'enemies at level 56 (28*2)' that is something we don't need.

Given that hard mode isn't even in the game yet, making guesses and whining about it is pointless at this point. There are quite a few possibilities ANet could follow, ranging from higher level mobs, fewer party members, fewer skills in your skill bar, etc etc etc. Wait till it's in the game before jumping to conclusions, start jumping now and you'll just bash you skull on the ceiling.

I suspect that Cantha will be the easiest Hard mode to implement - just cut the time allowance for masters by 2 or 3 minutes in some areas, more in others. Leave the monster levels, party size and skill bars alone - its not necessary.

A lot of players struggle to get masters in the currently allocated time - so by taking some away = instant hard mode.

Not environment effects or lame time limits...

I've had enough with having to rush much much faster than i'd like to just to get masters (Grand Courth anyone?). As for environment effects, as they proved in Urgoz, The Deep and DoA they have no idea wtf they're doing when it comes to them.
15 degen... sure, lets have a cookie cutter Lod or HP Spammer in there.
Exhaustion/no spells? Here comes the trappers or warriors.
50% miss chances? How the f*ck does an attacker get through this without been forced to 'tank'.
Scorpion Aspect... it would've been a reasonable effect if they'd actually fix the f*cking thing.
Energy Draining... hit n run.
Energy Surge thingy... BiP anyone?

I could go on... but environment effects are just lame and call for cookie cutter builds.

I've always wondered about the bonus to Blacktide Den... every other bonus in the game (non time related) has actually been connected to the mission in some way. Dasha, stealing treasures for Marge. Bastion, keeping defences intact. Gyala/Grove, keeping the Turtles/Singers alive.... Blacktide Den, kill 5 Monitors.... wtf does that have to do with ANYTHING?!

I've heard a theory that hard mode is...

*gasp*

No heroes!

Oh noes! People might have to work with other people in an MMO! What is the world coming to?

o.O heh hard mode sounds silly. Domain of anguish hard mode will be funny as hell.

No damn hard mode please,i dont want to see and get frustrated by it, its enough that i cant do anything in doa.

hard mode -> special monster with awesome skill and better ai spawn?
or
hard mode -> insanely high level monster with riddiculous damage?

whining about other peoples whining about hard mode is even more pathetic than just whining about hard mode.



Not that I'm saying those against hard mode are whining, just using the words of those before me for emphasis.

I recently went through factions heroway.

It was a joke. Vizunah square, as one of most feared ones, cleared twice in a row (capping as well) in 18 and 19 minutes.

The others were much easier.

Well, actually, does it say that you need to get “masters” on hard mode for Guardian? I can't remember.

It's possible that Vizunah Square, for instance, might be made more brutal, but maybe all you have to do is just finish, not necessarily finish in the masters' time limit.

/speculation off

Heh, imagine if they buffed Afflicted Soul Explosion and made it do Chaos damage instead of cold xD

Damage Monitor:
-240x2 from Flare
-1,984,837x2 from Mind Burn
-380x6 from Afflicted Soul Explosion
-60x256 from Sliver Armor

WTB PROT BOND...