Leveling: Is it still possible?

[Anonymous]

Well, I know most of you don't have to worry about it, since you haven't been away for the past week and a half and are now all sitting comfortably at a level of 40-49.
But then there are the rest of us who are still relatively low, say 20 or something. Who still can't get missions to spawn outside of westview, where the neighborhood gangs will own you no matter what.
And then of course, the server seems to have become exactly what we thought it wouldn't be (and the whole reason we lobbied to go here): Open PVP.
Yes, I've been back a whole day and a half and I'm already sick of it. You know something just isn't right when you're trying to get to the hardline to upload a piece of data to complete the mission and a bunch of level 50 JoKeRz decide to gank you silly when you're minding your own business.
In fact, I'm even reluctant to finish my RP sheet and rejoin the faction in game. Wearing the FA tag is basically like wearing a big red sign on your back that says "Kill me, kplzthx." I've even ceased wearing the faction uniform, but that hasn't helped at all.
It seems like no matter where you go there are going to be hostiles that won't hesitate to turn you into hamburger meat.
So how are we ever going to make any progress?

I'm very unhappy, because it seems like the hostile server Enumerator has turned into everything that we theorized it would not.

[Anonymous]

Yea.. I'm only lvl 9.... so...

[Anonymous]

Indeed.

I'd like some thoughtful some answers here...

Is this just another case of "fulfill the prophecy"?

[Anonymous]

I'm going to use your post to talk to a couple of people who are keeping their mouths shut.

It's still a walk in the park. Just get someone who can spawn missions in Richland and start in Tabor East. You'll probably run into one group of baddies if you spend sixteen hours leveling. If someone is repeatedly bugging you, ask for help. That's what we're here for. Most people who are having a spot of trouble right now don't ask for help. You have to be proactive. You have to be on teamspeak. You just can't keep up if you're not. That's why we asked if you had a problem using it all the time in the interview. Don't let people step on you. Try try and try again if the channel is noisy, feel free to tell everyone to shut up for a minute. Or send me a tell. I'll yell at them for you. I don't care who I piss off.

If that doesn't work, we'll brainstorm and come up with another solution. We'll adapt and improvise.

If there is a problem (of any type), please please please tell someone about it. I can't tell you how many times someone has completely flipped out with no warning. They never can believe that their problem wasn't obvious to everyone... but they never told anyone... not everyone sees the world the same way as everyone else.

Thanks for sharing what you view as a prob, Midnight. So few do.

[Anonymous]

Im currently only lvl 24, ive been spending an even amount of time just playing out the story, doing some exploring, some investigating, and then spending hours on end leveling here and there, but if there's anything I can do to help ya out, dont hesitate to ask

[Anonymous]

Well, when I was interviewed for FA, I still had my character on Proxy. Since then, I've started from scratch on Enumerator. I don't mind it much, but seeing everyone at insanly high levels compared to my level 6.7 (too much lag last night to get to 7, but am trying to get at least a level a day) it's kind of a discouraging game of catch-up. I'm running missions non-stop since I created my character, and it's doing ok. I give a few hours, get a level. Whenever I'm on, I get on TS... but the 'Loading Area' is usually where the mission team is, so it's nothing but "we're over here at Stamos and there's like 25 of em at the hardline. If we don't strike now and take care of em, they'll just continue to multiply." People talking about how they're level 44, and oh crap! There's a level 46 that just pwned them! That means very little to me as a level 6.

But I'm patient, trying my best to get my player up in the levels. Whenever I can, I stop to kill the green or blue agents to help out witht he storyline. Uploaded 13 frags already. So many useless PDAs... lol. Just as I said in my interview. I'm dedicated. (Even if my skills as a grinding leveler arn't as sharp as some others).

But yea, whenever anyone wants to help me out on a mission team, I'd be mroe than welcome.

[Anonymous]

On the flip side of that coin, think of how much grinding they did to get to 40+ I'd imagine they are burnt out on doing missions and just want to play.  They still however help, but their enthusiam for doing missions isn't as great as ours is at lower levels.  Granted I'm 22, and a Upgrade artist, the only things I bring to a mission team are download map, and a few buffs (currently).  My offense is pretty weak, I have a hard time doing solo missions where I have to kill stuff.

I still ask when I get on if anyone has a mission group running that I could get into.  I haven't had a time where I either wasn't invited, or was told that all of them were full.  I'll ask at different times during the night, because I wanna level too!  Damn you Eruption!

[Anonymous]

yah most people will be willing to help out if you just ask, trying to get to know a few of the members that are lower lvls so you can go around with them, you'll get the group xp which is better than solo and you'll have the protection you need, as long as you can run faster than your teammate, you'll live hehe....j/k  dont worry i havn't even started playing yet, lol im going to be bitching the entire time im in ts, i especially like to bug ratio or broin....god the good ole days...

[Kosila]

I'm still level 24, mostly because it's nearing the end of my school year.

I was doing retrieval missions alone last night in international with ease. I will be on all tonight from like 6pm to 6am (or until I pass out) running missions. If any low level peeps see me online (or high levels) who want to run missions, just give me a shout. I can be the spy/mission map. It helps if I have at least 1 other person who is a MA just in case we have to kill.

Our high level people are crazy for PvP. I remember I once casually mentioned that Jokerz (I think it was Jokerz) were killing me and 8 of our high levels totally stopped what they were doing (coding and such) and ran to help me yelling that they want to whop some ass. The Jokerz ran away.

You should never think that wearing the FA tag is a burden. The stronger we get, the more our enemies will get the message not to mess with us for no reason (and we WILL reach that point). It’s a process. Until that point, we will protect each other till the death.

It was brave of you, MidnightMeadows, to speak up. We need more people like you who have suggestions for improvement or change to speak up. FA isn’t trying to step on you. We want to create a positive gaming experience for everyone, and we can’t do that without your input. If we don’t solve your problem, post again specifying what I’ve missed.

[Anonymous]

Things have been chaotic since release, and before they could really start to calm down, PvP and the story content kicked in and got us all back up in the rush of things. With all the "HL battles" and storyline investigations it is easy to feel lost in the 20-30 players yapping back and forth on TS. I think Ratio and Kosila have already said anything I could think to add, so all I really want to say here is, feel free to send me a tell whenever you need a hand. I can not promise to always be able to help, but I can do my best to code, run missions, or chase away any lvl 40 or less (doesn't mean I will not attempt to tackle someone higher for one of my faction mates ;p) gankers that may be harrassing you. In time things will calm down a bit, the first phase of story will relax, people will tire of constant pvp, and the server will calm down to be more of what we expected when we discussed moving here.

[Anonymous]

Just wante dto put my name out there, Im also still level 7 mainly because of technical issues and lack of time (four tests this week, plus fraternity stuff not to mention work and classes) but when I get back in game, probably sunday night I would be glad to team up with anyione who wants missions to spawn in Richland... cause thats the only place I can get them.  So send me a message in game to Appolithenes, one 'L' and two 'P's.

[Anonymous]

On TS yesterday, there was talk (I don't have the overlay, but I think it was Tbone) about splitting ourselves up into three teams whenever we're on. Those that would level. Those that would farm frags, and those few high levels that would camp mero frag collectors. He also said that everyone should try to get at least one or two levels a day to stay ahead in the level race. This is an awesome idea and the sooner the rest of us get up into the high levels the better.

[Anonymous]

I am lvl 21.  I lost about a week of leveling because I couldn't play because of the game locking up every 2 minutes.  It seems like now, things are a little more stable and I can play for an hour or so without crashing.

Now that I can play, almost every 'red' I see is in their 30's at least.  And most of them come after me as soon as I'm spotted.  So I've come up with a few defense tactics:

- Keep Evade Combat on all the time.  Any items that enhance this are a plus.

- Run or hyperjump as soon as you come out of a HL

- If you see alot of Reds nearby, try to figure out who they are and mention it in faction chat or TS.  Then, get out of there.

- If you get caught in interlock, try to escape (TAB).  You are just going to lose if you try to fight someone alot higher than you.

- Hyperjump from rooftop to rooftop instead of running in the streets.  When hyperjumping, you can let go of the space bar early in order to time a rooftop landing.  There are less people hanging out on roofs.

- Hunt for frags on roofs.  Again, less people up there.  Yesterday, I farmed the rooftops in Rogers Way for a few hours and didn't see anyone else.

- Farm red agents near your level, that way you'll get XP.  I almost got a whole level yesterday in Rogers Way.  I've found that you get about the same amount of frags as when you one-shot low level Agents because you don't have to wait around for them to spawn once you wipe them out.  By the time you kill a group of them, the last group you killed have respawned.

- Hyperjump, hyperjump, hyperjump!  Just get out of there if you sense trouble.  If you gotta leave a few NPCs unlooted, it's OK.  You can come back in a few minutes to get them because whoever was gunning for you will probably have moved on.

- Be wary of elevators.  I've seen reds in there either camping for lowbies, exploiting, or both.  Be ready to hit the button to another floor quickly.  When you're on the mission level, run to the mission area because I don't think they can follow you.  Also, try accessing the elevators on the top floor from the roof access.

By using these tactics, I've only been ganked a few times and have only died twice... not counting warzones.

[Anonymous]

Great strategy. Thanks for the tips.

[Anonymous]

I fall into the same situation as Apollithenes where my RL situation right now prevents me from playing alot (really only this past week or so) but I found that when I was one everyone was ready to help me.  They were asking what I was doing, where I was, what equipment I had, etc.  I personally feel if wearing a FA tag is like a sign on my back saying "kill me" then I'll happy to wear it.  The numerous times I'd be ganked is worth the help of the FA.

As for getting ganked I have experience in open PvP thanks to World Of Warcraft.  Subtek covered every tactic possible to avoid being ganked.  Your best bet, and probably most used tactic will be rooftop running.  It's best to be where alot of people aren't...if they can't see you, they can't gank you.