COH: Mission Architect

With issue 14, the City of Heroes franchise will be rolling out a new feature called Mission Architect. This feature has received quite a bit of press lately since it may be the first time that you’ll be able to create your own missions (everything from designing levels to customizing enemies) in a MMO. Sure, there have been level editors in other games, notably first person shooters, but having this feature built into a massively multiplayer game is unique. Further, the best content could win the author a bit of fame or even notoriety since developed missions can be made public and shared.

For City of Heroes, this is the killer app. This is the feature that may draw a host of new subscribers to a game that is very much showing its age (City of Heroes released in 2004). It also allows the game’s content to be much more dynamic as the player base can now generate content on its own. One of the biggest problem of any MMO is that the hardcore players can consume new content far faster than the developers can release it. Mission Architect neatly solves that problem. It also inherently raises the bar for developer based content since new content updates from the dev team *should* surpass what a player can create on her own.

When I first heard about this feature (well over a year ago), my first thoughts were how such a feature could be potentially abused. It’s easy to imagine a player creating a long hallway of sitting ducks that would allow them to generate the most xp and loot in the shortest amount of the time. Apparently, the dev team has thought about that and loot rewards come in the form of refundable tickets instead of actual drops. This may be a feature to discourage gold farming which has picked up considerably in City of Heroes when recipes, invention origins and the market (Wentworths, Black Market) were introduced a few issues ago. I suppose there’s nothing to stop a player of using these mission to gain xp quickly, but honestly, that sort of xp farming can already be done in several choice mission maps already.

It will be a matter of time before a mission will show up that will allow you to cavort with the super heroine of your dreams.

The second issue with Mission Architect has to do with inappropriate content. City of Heroes extensive costume creator is both a boon, it allows unlimited player creativity in customizing their look, and also somewhat of a curse, players routinely create near nude or very scantily clad heroines.  It won’t be long before a lonely player develops their customized porn mission with Mission Architect. The Mission Architect FAQs address this somewhat. A language filter will be put in place as well as a means to flag inappropriate content. City of Heroes *is* a Teen rated title so this sort of restriction is necessary. However, I suspect many players will easily get around such measures.

The Mission Architect comes just at the right time. Champions Online is set to launch sometime in 2009 (rumors suggest spring 2009) and DC Universe Online is set for 2010 launch date. Both games feature superheroes in a much more recognized setting (e.g., being able to help out Superman or Wonder Woman), and feature updated graphic engines that make City of Heroes look rather dated. However, neither will ship with the ability to customize your own content, and that may draw players to City of Heroes.

Further, Mission Architect is a major enough of a feature to warrant its own retail box. The City of Heroes franchise hasn’t had a retail offering in years, and the only way you can subscribe to the game is via a download off their site. Even though many PC game purchases is done through download services like Steam or Valve, a retail box offering provides visibility and a means for players with low grade connections to join the game.

Anyway, this should be a feature that is very well worth checking out. I may have to renew my old account just to see it for myself.

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