Dysmal

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Neither are in I7 (fyi)...BUT Geko and I have talked a little about Shields. We're thinking that Shields would be a Primary AND a Secondary Power Set for Tankers - and a Primary Set for Scrappers...but this thinking might change. I'd imagine the set is mostly about Defense, but again, nothing has been designed yet.

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Something else that might come down the pike with Shields...

Customizable powers/weapons.

I mean, it's entirely a guess, but if and when States rolls this out, does he boat anchor everyone with a lil' round shield? Some medieval surfboard? Or does he open this up for the folks, thusly showing they can open up some weapon selection options for the rest of the sets, as well as some customizable powers for the non-weapon types like color changes.

Sounds mighty sexy if you ask me.

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Well, he has said that he wants to get a signature weapon system into the game this year. It was in the "Ask Statesman-Answers thread" in response to a question about the ugly AR gun.

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We're thinking that Shields would be a Primary AND a Secondary Power Set for Tankers - and a Primary Set for Scrappers...but this thinking might change. I'd imagine the set is mostly about Defense, but again, nothing has been designed yet.

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Are you sure you don't mean secondary for scrappers? (Since the set is about defense.)

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I'm pretty sure what he means is that there will be two Shield sets, one "Shield Attacks" and one "Shield Defense." It sounds like they're thinking of giving both sets to Tankers, but only the attack set to Scrappers.

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Neither are in I7 (fyi)...BUT Geko and I have talked a little about Shields. We're thinking that Shields would be a Primary AND a Secondary Power Set for Tankers - and a Primary Set for Scrappers...but this thinking might change. I'd imagine the set is mostly about Defense, but again, nothing has been designed yet.

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Sooo, now that we know which powersets arent in I7, how about telling us which ones are? Other than CoV APPs that is, we know those will be there.

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Foreshadow is obviously MA, but also has "chi blasts",

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Who's Foreshadow? Is he the one that was in the CoV promo movie? He was hawt!

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Yeah, thats the guy. He's also in the CoH Asian Launch video.

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Criticals and Scourge are probably no better than Defiance at adding meaningful damage over the course of an evening of play. Criticals and Scourge are cooler looking and make the team go oooh-aaaah. Why is that? Because when they happen everyone sees the word Scourge or Critical (Domination too) and more numbers. When blasters get Defiance, the target should have the word Defiance fly above his head and the extra damage done should be a seperate number. As goofy as this sounds, I believe this would make Defiance more fun. If an inherent is not overly useful, at least it should be fun.

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I like this idea.

I also agree that the possibility that lag is a factor in Defiance damage or the Defiance bar should be investigated. Those people who can easily manipulate Defiance might have faster systems or something than the people whose testing shows it does not work.

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Scourge is actually very effective at adding damage. Primarily because you can plan for it. You know when its going to occur(almost all the time when the mob is at >15% health), so you can plan your attack chain so that your minor damage powers get the Scourge, effectively doubling the damage of those powers.

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I am guessing the Thug MM powerset would use a pistol for attacks (just my guess).

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I "hear" that it does.

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I grabbed a copy of the "Defender Issues" post a couple weeks ago and am working through it in my spare time. Considering the length of it, I will probably have gotten through it sometime in Janurary.

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Just a quick update: It's probably going to take longer than expected for this. I'm sorry, but things are busy, busy, busy here. I'm pretty much booked solid, but I'll find time to get through this as soon as I can.


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Thanks for communicating with us and letting us know whats going on. Keeping the community informed does a lot to create good-will towards Cryptic in the playerbase

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They're 'Signature Characters' and thus not necessarily constrained by what's available for players. Just keep that in mind.

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It's also a marketing tool, designed to wow people. Much of what you see in promo videos isnt possible in game.

I mean, its been months since the CoV video and there's still no "use a blaster as a Corpse-puppet" power.

Edit: Thugs are coming for MM's, and a tech based melee defense set is coming. In CoV beta Castle mentioned he was redoing Dark Armor and Dark Melee for Stalkers, though that may be just a design exercise as opposed to something thats likely to see the light of day anytime soon.

If you just have CoV, I would think it would default to the CoV screens no?

As for bypassing the updater, yes you should be able to do it if you only have CoV. I imagine the .exe may be cityofvillains.exe instead of cityofheroes.exe, but since I have both I couldnt tell ya.

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FYI: Darkest Night

Its base Scale is 1.5. It has been since at least I3 (that's as far back as I checked.) Defenders multiple is .125 and enhancements are 1.98 (my calcs before were thinking ToHit Debuffs were Schedule B.)

1.5 * 0.125 * 1.98 = .37125 or a tad over 37%.

Any guide that says it is Base 30 Probably meant 30% mitigation, since that lines up with the 1.5 base.

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*Blink* *blink*

Well, as mentioned previously, it was on the boards here that a developer told us that it was a 30% (divisible) debuff (which would match the the -15% to the base_to_hit that you were talking about earlier.)

The new numbers you are talking about don't make sense from what we were previously told.

(IIRC, Darkest Night was 30% base debuff accuracy, smoke and smoke grenade were both 15%. They used Cat A SOs, so were 33% each (now up to 95% increase for 3SOs.))

I don't understand your numbers above at all other than Defenders are at 125% of the "base" debuff.

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Bolded for what the heck? I dont think you cleared much up here Castle.

Guides have talked about DN being a 35% base To Hit Debuff unehanced.

For example, this guide

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I *think* he's trying to say the base of Darkest Night (after the 125% boost from being a defender) is -18.75% to the Base_to_hit.

This is actually a little higher than the 30-35% we were told (it is effectively 37.5%.)

3xSO would get that to -74.25% -ACC debuff (or -37.125 to the base to hit.)

That means the old, pre-ED Darkest Night with 6xSOs was actually a -111.75% debuff! (WOWZA!)

I am no longer totally confused. Just moderately.

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Thanks. Last time I did much math was Grade 12, and that was many years ago. I wasnt very good at it then, and I certainly havent gotten any better.

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FYI: Darkest Night

Its base Scale is 1.5. It has been since at least I3 (that's as far back as I checked.) Defenders multiple is .125 and enhancements are 1.98 (my calcs before were thinking ToHit Debuffs were Schedule B.)

1.5 * 0.125 * 1.98 = .37125 or a tad over 37%.

Any guide that says it is Base 30 Probably meant 30% mitigation, since that lines up with the 1.5 base.

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*Blink* *blink*

Well, as mentioned previously, it was on the boards here that a developer told us that it was a 30% (divisible) debuff (which would match the the -15% to the base_to_hit that you were talking about earlier.)

The new numbers you are talking about don't make sense from what we were previously told.

(IIRC, Darkest Night was 30% base debuff accuracy, smoke and smoke grenade were both 15%. They used Cat A SOs, so were 33% each (now up to 95% increase for 3SOs.))

I don't understand your numbers above at all other than Defenders are at 125% of the "base" debuff.

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Bolded for what the heck? I dont think you cleared much up here Castle.

Guides have talked about DN being a 35% base To Hit Debuff unehanced.

For example, this guide

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Using your numbers for DN, and rounding things off nicely, that 30% debuff is going to be slotted to 60% (we're dropping ED for now).

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But that number is wrong, since castle said 3-slotted DN is -30%, not 60.

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I don't think I can reconcile a 15% base (30% 3-slotted) with practical experience in game. There is no doubt in my mind that +0 minions are floored by 3-slotted DN, even on a Corrupter, and that shouldn't be possible with that base.

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Yeah, I have to agree that DN 3-slotted with to hit debuffs only equalling a 30% total To Hit Debuff does not match my in game experience very well.

I really hope they arent nerfing accuracy debuffs. Or using an internal build with them nerfed.

Of course, if players had access to base power numbers in a complete fashion as opposed to the occasional dribble of information that occurs, we wouldnt have things like this happen.

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Rain or Arrows just got a whole lot better".

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I hate "Rain or Arrows"

I always get rain...

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Dude, where I live its rained for 29 straight days.

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We just received tech that will allow players to pass buffs onto certain powers (such as Blizzard).

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Let me help clarify this. Currently, due to limitation, target based powers, such as Rain of Fire, Blizzard or Rain or Arrows, cannot be buffed. So if you cast Build Up and then cast Blizzard, it would not do any more damage. This change will now allow such powers to be affected by buffs just like any other powers.

This change affects targeted based powers, but not targeted summoned entities or built devices or traps (you cannot pass build up and fortitude to your trip mine or fire imps). This change will, however, fix other powers that may seem unrelated, but were coded in similar ways. This includes powers such as Twilight Grasp and many Kinetic powers (typically, powers that affect one type of target one way, and another target in another way).

If you are confused, that’s ok. Lets just say "Rain of Fire, Ice Storm, Blizzard, Burn, Ignite and Rain or Arrows just got a whole lot better".

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Geko, could you perhaps post a complete list of all powers effected by this change. Lots of people are thinking that this will effect Ice Slick/Patch, Lighting Storm, etc. If thats not the case, then it would be good to know. In developer speak, is an Ice Patch a trap? Or a Lighting Storm a summoned entity? Players dont have the information to know these things.

It seems clear that all "rain" class powers (Blizzard, Rain of Arrows, Ice Storm, Fire Rain, Freezing Rain, Sleet) will be effected by the change, as well as Burn and Ignite. Other powers are unclear.

Edit: Also, is the powers team currently considering any changes to the base damage of these powers due to this tech change that allows buffs to effect Rain powers?

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NM: It was Revolution_Pr0/Backagain/Diva_Dauntless

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He was one of my faves. Miss him. He could be a clever monkey at times.

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ZOMG! He put me in his ignore list. OH NOES.

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Do you get a message or something when you get ignored? If thats the case, no one has ever ignored me. Which I find somewhat suprising.

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I mean, I really don't care how skilled you are, your .44 bullets are not going to hit 10x harder than someone else's .44 bullets.

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No, but someone with the skill to reliably deliver that bullet to your head is far more likely to kill you than someone who's random spray is going to hit you in the arm instead.

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Except that bosses and lt's have actually had their accuracy reduced while minions were left alone.

Really, it's a game mechanic, nothing more. As Kali said, it doesn't require a "realistic" explanation, it's just the game's shortcut to making tougher opponents tougher.

Mind you, having a Hellion boss pull out a bazooka instead of a capgun with uber-damage *would* be interesting.

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People who breath fire probably shouldnt carry around explosives. Probably drives up their life insurance rates.

Hmm. I wonder if this effects all defense powers. If it works on Parry too, that would be grand.

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Puffy was a king among trolls. No one has yet to come close to his level.


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I don't know about that.

UniqueDragon reached his level with one post just for sheer insanity and off the wall lunacy of it all.

Ripperjack was heading near there before he figured out he got more attention by doing a character and thus ruined it by laying it on too thick.

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Hmmm. That PainfulDeath guy was pretty bad. He managed to get all the beta forum accounts banned.

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We just received tech that will allow players to pass buffs onto certain powers (such as Blizzard).

[/ QUOTE ] Um...what does this mean exactly?

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Attacks that are actually pets will now be affected by buildup type powers? HOLY COW!

Can that pretty-please be added to Dark Servant?

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I dont think this will affect pets. Dropping inspirations on Henchman seems like an MM only thing. However, I think DS should be slottable for damage with the beating he got in I5 and ED.

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We're tweaking with toggle dropping...mostly decreasing its overall effect.

We just received tech that will allow players to pass buffs onto certain powers (such as Blizzard).

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/em Evil Laugh

My Ice/Dark corruptor just got even better! By buffs, I assume you mean things like Build Up and Aim? Or will external buffs like Fortitude and Forge now affect dropped summons like Blizzard, Lighting Storm, Freezing Rain, etc?

And thumbs up to decreasing toggle dropping. I think its a decent mechanic that is too prevalent right now.

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Nice change. Since I've been [censored] about use of development time with regards to the stealth change, this AV change is what I call a great use of development time.

And a question for Positron. Whats a World Spawn?

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A World Spawn is a spawn that takes place in the game-world, not in an instanced mission.

The Hamidon Mitochondria are an example of an Arch-villain World Spawn, and thus will not be reduced in any way by this change.

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I'm assuming the monster spawns are also unaffected, but just for giggles, what would you consider the Kronos Ambush to be?

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Kronos is a giant monster isnt he? He'd be unaffected by these changes then. Hmmm. I wonder if the Adamastor in the portal mission is classed as a monster or AV. They might need to reclassify him for this change to work on him.

You know, while this change may need some tweaking with what numbers are required to spawn an AV, I really like it. AV fights can be tedious affairs (Shadowhunter, Madame of Mystery etc). It will also let people solo, if they choose, lower level story arc AVs like Doc. Vahz and Maestro.

Speculation: The reward for AVs will be a new type of enhancement: AV'os. People will farm them and the boards will asplode.

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Trust me folks, nothing we say here could be worse than what the devs will think up.

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Ain't that the truth!

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Yeah. I'm pretty sure that none of the playerbase was sitting around going "hey, I bet the devs are going to make it impossible to click a glowy when you're under anyform of stealth."

Fortunately theres a bit of reprieve on that. For now.

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And a question for Positron. Whats a World Spawn?

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A World Spawn is a spawn that takes place in the game-world, not in an instanced mission.

The Hamidon Mitochondria are an example of an Arch-villain World Spawn, and thus will not be reduced in any way by this change.

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Ah, thanks. I didnt remember those guys. I think they're the only outside of a mission AV at the moment.

Nice change. Since I've been [censored] about use of development time with regards to the stealth change, this AV change is what I call a great use of development time.

And a question for Positron. Whats a World Spawn?

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Game launch: April 30, 2004
Issue 1: June 30, 2004 (2 months)
Issue 2: September 16, 2004 (about 2 1/2 months)
Issue 3: January 4, 2005 (a little over 3 months)
Issue 4: May 4, 2005 (4 months)
Issue 5: August 31, 2005 (a little under 4 months)
Issue 6: October 31, 2005 (2 months)

Average time between issues: 2.91 months!

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That actually is very helpfull....I need to keep that list somewhere.

Maybe I'll add in the "events" too, since they do fill up the time between issues.


It also makes it clearer for me why I4 left a bad taste in my mouth. Not only did we not get any real story elements with it, but it was also the longest wait.

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As I recall, I4 was on the test server for a much longer time than the devs intially expected. Since it was the first glimpse of PvP for the game, that was probably for the best. But yeah, I4 and I6 have been more or less "non-updates" to CoH in terms of story changes or new zones (PvE)