I actually find it quite fun in Westview

Always need to be weary of you're surroundings, and think of the best path to take between the mission areas. Of course it is annoying when you have to escort people. Stupid npcs and not hyperjumping ha ha oh and of course the shape of the mission areas. Annoying as heck ha ha especially no mish map

It does seem as though you get sent to some of the places a bit kinda early, like being lvl 19 running about with lvl 24 gangs or being lvl 24 and running about with lvl 28 - 30 gangs. But hey, i didn't expect/want the game to get easier. If i have to die a couple of times in a mission, its not the end of the world. Recon and out another hardline.

God, I hate Westview with a passion.

Seriously, I seemed to be stuck dealing with theoASP for so long, I really hated them. It was getting to the point where I was going to quit.

If it wasn't for the fact that international was so much fun, I probably wouldn't be here!

The_Bruceter wrote:

I actually find it quite fun in Westview

Now that I know what I'm doing, I find it rather fun too... outside of escort missions anyway, but as a new player the first time around.. not so fun hehe

It took me a few characters to finally realize the actual flow and how screwy it is.

I think for some wacked out reason Richland and Westview are put right close together - but the lvling flowchart is actually intended as:

Richland --> International --> Westview --> Downtown

Not:

Richland ---> Missions send player automaticaly to ---> Westview (regaurdless of lvl) ---> International ----> Downtown

You missions start sending you into Westview from Richland about level ... 13-14 or so >.o  And it's 20 - 30 area where International is your 1 to 20 area.  I believe this is more due to the fact that Richland and Westview are all one big piece, and so close together, and International (Chinatown) is more or less a completely separated construct, like Downtown.  You can thank Monolith for this ... they set the play flow order order of the gang lvls all wrong in my opinion.  How it SHOULD be is Richland and Westview should be more like Richland and International - switch the lvls of the Westview gangs with the Chinatown gangs (in theory).  And then you should have a proper play flow. 

Most new players don't even know they are supposed to go to International as their next step in their teen lvls, since it just starts pushing them into Westview by default. I know back in '06 when I started I spent so much frustrated time being sent to Westview - and didn't even know Chinatown existed.

But ... it's MxO ... for whatever reason it wasn't done the logical way.  But, if you like the challange - of course it's always there and you are free to continue braving the wilds of Westview if you please.

Those are my just observations and my opinions on the subject.

Proposed solution

1. Quests by level, starting as zion, with option to betray after RSI level 5. Depending on your actions, Tyndall recommends you for promotion, retirement from the simulation, or "freelance" without an org. You are then coached behind the scenes during the final intro missions by merv and mech reps (Gray and Flood piping in with their two cents about Tyndall and Zion ways) until you have full selection for standard missions. This gives you flavor and impression.
2. Level 15, you are sent by your org rep to unlock an international district. Now you have a HL and one area unlocked, and can do whatever, org missions or archives or farming or etc. until you are experienced with international.
3. Level 20, you are sent by your org rep to unlock a westview district. Now you have a HL and one area in WV unlocked, and can do whatever etc. until you are experienced in Westview.
4. Lvl 30, you are sent by your org rep to unlock a Downtown district. Now you have a HL and one area in DT unlocked, and can do whatever etc. until you are experienced in Downtown.

• Special: at lvl 15, you are sent to retrieve a cosntruct analysis by your org rep. This gives you knowledge about how archivists work, how much the cost, and now you have knowledge of things to do that aren't just farming or missions, in the constructs.
  
• At lvl 35, you're sent to retrieve another analysis, but by an opposing org rep. Should you succeed somehow, you lose ten rep points but gain a sweet "infiltrator" badge which you can turn in for any one archive construct reward item.
• At lvl 30, you are sent by your org rep to steal something from the Archaeologist. This gives you awareness of him and can get you started on Pandora boxes.

Hopefully this basic layout will improve the flow of the game for soloists as well as team players, and keep new folks from giving up in sheer frustration and lack of direction.