Black Atom Project Captain
Posts: 146
(6/17/04 4:13 pm) Reply
Team size?
It has been brought up by some that having a full team can be a disadvantage in learning your character's particular tactics. Playing in a smaller group may also have more roleplay time/opportunity.
Do any other members have a preference in team size?
Yes, I do. I'll answer it with a question. Who will I leave out?
I can't tell someone- gee, we're up to five now. Why don't you and x get together and team up? That way we have two teams going. Just not in my personal make up. I'll let a team grow until it's full, and still I feel bad for people who can't be in it.
I think the roleplayability of small groups over large groups is overstated as well. The smaller group has more input per person over time. The larger group has fewer personal inputs but more input overall, more variety. Each player or character as a flavour they add to the roleplay. Time is the roleplay limiter, not size; racing through missions increases experience and limits roleplay, while many stops to roleplay limit experience. It's all in what the mix you're looking for.
The initial premise is tactics. The tactics of a group of two and the tactics of a group of eight are different, yes, but not necesarily better for each archetype. For that matter, tactics vary depending on group makeup as much as they do over size. I could expand that concept, but I'm sure we've all hashed it to pieces. Personally I have to say that as a controller, the more things I have to control the happier I am.
I believe in the curtesy of asking the group before it is expanded. I have yet to be in a group where Project folk say no, leave it as is, when it's one of our friends that needs grouping. If someone is happier in a smaller group, hey... they can split off and form it. We're at the point of growth where there's enough people to form groups to everyone's desire.
As for me, since you asked preference BA... I can never have enough of my friends around me. Eight is a small number.
Re: Team size?
Personally I prefer to be grouped with as many people that fit in a group that need a group. In other words...if I'm in a group with 4 people and 4 more are looking for a group in a compatible level range then they are welcome to join.
I'm not in a hurry to get to whatever level. For me the game is about having fun with friends not tactics. Yes, I understand that sometimes tactics can be an issue. Having 5 out of 8 group members being empathy defenders is not effective..I understand that. And still I would choose to group with them over being tactically correct. Somehow we always manage to get through the mission
I've seen in other games where people will only group with certain classes and their teams MUST consist of a certain make-up. Many times this leads to bad feelings in a guild.
Having said that...I understand power gamers and their need to be tactically correct and uber. If those people want to be in small groups, let them. I will group with as many friends as I can squeeze in. Everyone should play the game the way they want to..it's their nickle.
Re: Team size?
RP-wise, I don't care what size the group is.
CoH game system-wise, though, I prefer a team of 4. That seems to be the size where missions are a challenge, but don't spawn the hundreds of minions thing. Also, I get lost and confused in gigantic combats.
Re: Team size?
Personally, I like full groups and being surrounded by as many friends as possible. I'm not the greatest roleplayer under the sun, and with more people around, I find that I do better when given more opportunities to further develop Ama's personality.
Actually, there are times that I curse the 8 person group limit. Maybe that's just me...
Re: Team size?
I too prefer the big groups for many of the same reasons already listed. I hate having to have some people ungrouped, struggling to solo and get exp, and I hate being the one doing that.
I have a selfish alterior motive as well, though, for liking the big groups. The bigger the group, the less likely people are to notice when I screw up. And cause I feel like I screw up a lot, having a big group around me makes me look better.
Re: Team size?
Well, I've already gone on record as preferring teams of 3-4. The embarassing truth is that I have a really hard time keeping up with chat and battle in larger groups.
The way I see it, there's no way I can invite everybody I want to group with anyway. The game isn't designed for groups of 30+. My tendency is to invite the first few ungrouped friends I see online and just leave it at that. It lets me catch more of what's being said, and better manage what's going on in battle, particularly since my Archetype requires so much situational awareness.
Part of the reason I like small teams, too, is that it gives me leeway. If I'm capping myself at 4, I still have the option of breaking down and turning it to a team of five or six if I choose to do so. It helps to avoid the Nine Syndrome - y'know, when there are nine Project members online and eight of them are teamed. Small teams also allow me to do things like break up my existing team to go help someone who's soloing.
That said, I'm not going to whine if I get an invitation to a larger team - my "small teams" policy really only applies to teams I'm leading, and I'm not going to cry a river if I'm with 6-8. Sometimes it can be fun, and variation is a really good thing.
Anyway, I'm not a big fan of policy - do what you enjoy! As a captain, I try to take some responsibility for including new inductees and such, but, y'know, I fall down a lot. The only fun anyone should be overly worried about is their own.
Also - and I want to make sure I state this explicitly - if someone in one of my teams would prefer to be in a Big Team and wants to break off to go do that, that's okay! I'm not going to be offended. I wrote that big, long post in order to make sure people understood where I'm coming from in terms of teaming. My favorite style of gameplay is a little funky, and it's not for everyone. Frankly, I just don't take anything seriously enough to take those kinds of things personally. While for me, the aesthetic may be duos > small teams > big teams > soloing > crochet... I just can't get myself really worked up about it.
But thanks for posting and asking about it! I'm finding it interesting to read others' responses.
-Thundergirl
Re: Team size?
Big groups especially during indoor missions.
Even though my comp drags like crazy and I get like 4 frames a second, it's the best.
It's like watching the Xmen cartoon on TV when the whole team is together, each doing there roles. No time for comments except for the occasional macro, the energy flying. I love it.
Also with a full group you don't have to worry about getting crippled if one or two have to leave. Which always happens.
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