EvilGeko
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Posts
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Quote:No bull there. Lady Grey, Hero 1 do not work FOR Statesman, they work WITH Statesman. They are heroes who have their own goals and organizations.Originally Posted by Scarlet Shocker
One of the comments I noticed from a couple of people was "Don't become an Incarnate and you serve Cole." That's utter bull. If you follow that, then Lady Grey, Hero 1 and many others wouldn't work with Statesman but we know they are Incarnates.
That's fine, but you aren't an Incarnate then. The Well seems to be creating this competition among its Incarnate children. A loyal follower of Cole has accepted the Well's current champion. A person who believes in Cole's ideals, but think they can do a better job, is just the sort of person the Well is looking for.Quote:I am coming from the perspective that it is in my character's enlightened self-interest to serve Cole and his vision. Sure, my toon need not be pleasant and nice but Cole is tougher than me, I know what side my bread is buttered and working with him is a good bet. He is the man in control (mostly - yes I take on board the view that Praetoria is also chaotic too) but I can carve a name for myself amongst Cole's greatest henchmen by serving him faithfully and well, thus accumulating power for myself. If the other Praetors can do that, then I can be so much better - after all I believe in myself.
I mean, this is the central point of the Ramiel arc. The Well berates those who show Trapdoor mercy, thinks Statesman is a wuss and Recluse an idiot. The Well is testing folks, trying to find an even stronger Champion than Tyrant. A champion who had their own power before becoming an Incarnate. Staying loyal to Cole means you are no competition for him and the Well has no desire to invest you with more power. -
Quote:Or become strong enough so that Cole ISN'T the only person who can keep Praetoria alive.Originally Posted by Scarlet Shocker
If Cole is the only person who can keep the people of Praetoria alive then it's in my interest as a Praetorian to make sure he succeeds. Assuming that as a Praetorian I have a family, loved ones, friends, colleagues, unless I'm totally dysfunctional, I want them to live and thrive, no matter my own personal morals.
Hmm... Praetoria has armed insurrectionists, psychic gangsters, and molotov throwing drug-addled anachists wandering the streets near Cole's seat of power. Tyrant is no one to talk!Quote:Paragon City is a dive that is as chaotic as the Rogue Isles with its own military militia that forces compliance by the wider citizenry. It isn't difficult to pick up Cole's point that they are not to be trusted and will invade Praetoria to strip it of its assets. 
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Quote:Golden Girl's central point since Going Rogue has been that Cole is an insane madman and that any who follow him are villains. Seems she was right. Not sure how that qualifies as drivel. Maybe these -->Originally Posted by FredrikSvanberg
Cue golden girl drivel in 5, 4, 3...
If you are pro-Cole, then you really have no business challenging the Well's champion. Being pro-Cole means that your character, whether they consider themselves hero or villain, has decided to subordinate their own powers and glory to Cole's vision of a utopian society. Becoming an Incarnate is about taking on more power to create your OWN vision, one of justice or villainy.Quote:Seriously though I think you are right, they are abandoned. All our characters are supposed to realize that Cole is a mad-man by level 20 and willingly escape Praetoria for some reason. There's probably not much to be done about this due to the usual linear MMO storytelling methods.
There are no Loyalists among the Incarnates. You either want to do Cole's utopian vision right or you want to subjugate Praetoria under new management. But there's no supporting that monster. And thank goodness for that. I certainly don't wish the devs to waste time creating content that makes you a bigger lackey. The Patron arcs showed us how well that went over the first time. -
BILL!!!!
What mission was that? How many team members. My characters who need Unveiler will be your best friend if you tell me!
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Quote:The WST was intended to get people doing different forms of content, not farming ITF or LGTF over and over. It's been an absolute smashing success at doing that. I would not want or expect that to change.Originally Posted by Katten
I guess you could say that... there are actually a couple of things I would want.
1.) No more WTF's. It has done bad things to the 50 population, I'm not sure how a better way to distribute notice of the well is, but something related difficulty would be more fitting (as it should respond directly to will to obtain it). That said, we have don't have a strong enough reason now to raise the difficulty, there should definitely be reward reflected on TF's where the difficulty is +2 or higher. -
Quote:I never belittled anyone. I vigorously opposed the following ideas:Originally Posted by Eiko-chan
Then why the bloody hell did you spend so much time and effort arguing against and belittling those of us that were asking for a solo option?
1) That the game was going in a significantly different direction;
2) That the Incarnate trials were not casual friendly;
3) That casual play and solo play can be conflated.
Challenging ideas is not the same as belittling someone. Sam Tow doesn't and probably never will understand that. Many other people can't see that distinction so they get upset when people oppose them. I find you, Eiko-chan, quite amusing, I have no need or desire to belittle you.
It's not and never has been personal with me. I might fight against you on a point then support and defend your position the next. For example, the whole time you all were complaining about the lack of solo options (and saying I was belittling folks), I was in PMs and other places arguing for a solo option. I argue because I enjoy arguing, not because I particularly care about an issue. -
Quote:But how do you make all powers recharge twice as fast? I think Arcana put a trick in there. The buff could give say a 100% recharge buff, but that's not going to make all powers recharge twice as fast because people won't be starting from 0% recharge buff.Originally Posted by Tenzhi
The obvious (from a perspective of ignorance ) solution to #2 would be a PVP-zone-wide unresistable recharge buff.
This is why I reject Arcana's math voodoo!
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Quote:Never was against a solo option. Supporting multiplayer content doesn't mean you don't want to see solo content.Originally Posted by Eiko-chan
So, what finally changed your mind?
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Quote:WOW, that's sounds awesome!Originally Posted by Arcanaville
The scariest thing you could have seen while testing an AE mission in beta: a room that looked completely empty, and as you walked in you suddenly heard a screeching sound coming from all around you in every direction. That was a mission that someone decided to use Ninjitsu in, and you were hearing thirty stalkers pop build up before hitting your team with triple strength uninterruptible assassin's strikes from stealth.
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Quote:I just wanted them to do SOMETHING. Hell at one point, I said just remove it because it was a detriment.Originally Posted by Arcanaville
It was after they changed MoG, and the thing they eventually did was the one thing you didn't suggest to my recollection: turn it into a very short term defensive buff with no crash.
If I remember correctly, over the years you suggested changing it into a burst +regen, keeping the +Def but losing the +Res/-Health, keeping the -Health but allowing heals, reducing the recharge to I2 levels, adding +health, giving it an offensive buff, and turning it into IH and changing IH into something else. Also, after Willpower came out, turning it into an SoW variant.
Also, MA's not actually fixed yet. They need to fix the crit proc in Eagle's Claw because it suffers a timing problem. And I'm still not completely happy about the status effects in the set. It still lags a lot in that area, which really should not be because its intended to excel in that area.
It's like with this idea. I really don't care if they create a Vanguard Hammer or do the mechanics exactly how I want. Just give people a solo option that's reasonable. Whatever they think reasonable is.
Now with you my Queen O' Maths, you actually always have in mind what fixing something right means, often so specific as to even note where to put the decimal point. And since the devs reject your math voodoo (as well they should), you get a lot of what you want, you just don't want what you get!
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Quote:Naw, that's not what you said, my dear. IIRC you accused me of having blackmail materials against the devs. I forgot if it was after the 5-6th time they did something I wanted!Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Actually, what I said was that you have a weird tendency of getting what you want without the devs ever actually implementing anything you ask for.
I think you're just mad that it took longer to fix Martial Arts than it took to change MoG!
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Quote:Arcanaville once expressed, to her visible chagrin, something along these lines. Yes, I do have a great track record for seeing my concerns addressed and ideas realized.Originally Posted by Olantern
Further, since it's an EvilGeko suggestion, it will, someday, come to pass. Seriously, most of the large-scale suggestions I've seen out of the loot-loving lizard, over the years, have been implemented in one way or another. I think he must just have the same kind of brain as the devs do (which may frighten either the gecko or the devs, depending on the context). I am pleased that this time, it's a suggestion I like.
Incarnate Strikes, coming in a future issue. You heard it here first, folks!
Part of that is that I'm very tenacious, but more importantly I think is that the devs probably think about many of these things themselves. They do probably think more like I do about games. But then, while I'm considered "hardcore" here, I'm fairly casual by the standards of other games. I do tend to think I represent a fairly middle of the road MMORPG gamer. It's just that our average player here is further down the casual continuum.
As for this idea, the only dev response I got when it was PMed, was that anything along these lines would take some time to get implemented. I always get encouraged when they don't laugh in my face as they're telling me no!
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Quote:They do a little more than just "post their dissatisfaction."Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
To be honest, I don't think it's as one-sided. Yes, people whose heads explode and come to post about how unsatisfied they are do indeed cause problems, but all too often dissatisfied people will post their dissatisfaction, only to be beset by people saying things like "You're wrong." or "You can't make that claim without evidence." and even things along the lines of "You're stupid! I've been waiting for this for years!" There this almost palpable compulsion from quite a few people to shut dissenters up, lest the developers put their brains on backwards and listen to the "vocal minority" and roll back this much-vaunted change.
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IF that were all then there would be no problems. Many a thread has stayed civil when that happens. But posters who make veiled threats of quitting and act as if it's a great betrayal for the devs to create content like this cause the fights to start. -
Quote:Both Lambda and B.A.F. were completed on the first day they were up.Originally Posted by Nihilii
Now that I see what you're actually proposing... I doubt anyone would do an Incarnate trial past the novelty of the first two weeks.
Lambda gives two Astral Merits; one Empyrean merit; a guaranteed component; physical incarnate exp and whatever threads happen to drop during the trial. You can do in one trial what takes you ten real life days to do under my idea. This is my idea, and I would only do it for filler. It's designed to be slower than the trials, but better than the absolutely punishing rate the devs created so far. -
Quote:The Incarnate Strikes would be substantially faster. Most people aren't earning 10 shards solo in a day. If you are though, you can convert to 6 threads. You need 60 threads to create one common ability in the higher ranks.Originally Posted by Luminara
On the surface, without breaking it down to compare numerically to my expected shard generation rate on my main, my gut says that this would be slower, or at least not notably faster, than simply going with shard conversions.
This idea was constructed in order to allow a person to create an ability in one cycle. In ten days doing 11 missions, a person can earn 40 threads from the salvage bonus, plus a component from the final mission. Any shards earned during those missions are a bonus. The only way this would be slower than someone farming shards would be if they were creating 20 or more a day. That's something that hardcore group players may be able to do, but I don't know any soloist who can.
And even then there's no costs associated with my mission based idea and you don't have to use threads to buy exp to earn the slots. -
Quote:Nothing disclosed so far states that the powers are only usable in the trials. I doubt that would be the case.Originally Posted by Jetpack
Are we certain that the Incarnate powers can only be used in the trials?
I had heard that about the two new level shifts, but not about the powers. -
Quote:This kinda gets to the whole point of Incarnates. You and Sam are not achievers (in the MMO sense, you might be in RL), so the point of the Incarnate content is lost on you.Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
/this.
I want a reason to use them outside of raid for gear to raid for gear to raid for gear.....
Nothing against Geko's idea (surprisingly,) but to me it's pointless without a *reason* to use them. (Which is why I suggest letting us solo/small team folks start directing this new power against Ruularu. Which also helps the lack of attention, updates, or *anything to do* in the Shard.)
But the point is simple. The acquisition of ever more power. Of course, it's circular because you need better enemies to avoid things getting stale. But who cares. Fighting bigger and badder stuff to earn more and more power is A-OK with me.
I have never been against a solo path, but I have been against an easy-mode path. That's just the achiever in me. It's never been personal. -
Quote:It would be awesome if the Praetors attached King's Row, not an instance, but the real King's Row!Originally Posted by Golden Girl
I'd like to see Incarnate-only zone events sometime.
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Quote:I thought the events only played on a schedule? Your critique has merit, but I didn't think it would be possible just to play them over and over like that. And wouldn't the lowbie only get level appropriate exp?Originally Posted by Scarlet Shocker
I think that whilst your idea has some merit there's a number of issues with it - namely you've just described a power leveller's paradise. A couple of incarnates hook up with some lowbies and farm the events ad infinitum.
That then becomes the the content players experience... just like in the early days of MA - and also as a side effect gives away a lot more of the lore to a new player from page one rather than letting them discover the story of Praetoria via the arcs themselves as intended.
Sure, people would farm them, but heck we farm everything else in the game. -
OK, you all know about the controversy so I'm going to skip that and get right to the idea. This is an idea for a solo/small team path which I believe is reasonable, not grindy and includes some of the same time gates that exist in the strike pack. It's based on the daily missions that most MMOs use to allow soloists and small team folks to participate in earning endgame gear.
THE STORY
The Lady Grey, Leader of Vanguard is impressed with the efforts against the Praetorians, but has a concern with the current strategies by Earth's defenders. All too often, our efforts include major flashy strikes against major targets in Praetoria. This is fine for what it is, but it does not endear us to the Enriche addled masses of Praetoria. If hearts and minds there see their unjust attack as illegitimate it might break morale among the people. For that reason the Lady Grey has created a new division to coordinate small targeted missions into Praetoria. THE VANGUARD HAMMER! As a weapon, hammers (like other blunt heavy weapons) are intended to be able to cause damage to even heavily armored foes. So shall it be with the nearly impenetrable Praetorian society.
THE MECHANICS
The Vanguard Hammer will have a NPC leader who will give ONE mission a day to a player. No matter how many Incarnate Strikes you've attempted in the last 20 hours, just as with Alignment tips, you can only get credit for a limited number. In this case exactly ONE per day.
These missions would take on two flavors: One would involve rescuing a Praetorian from the excesses of the Cole regime. The other would be clandestine sabotage intended to show the true colors of various Praetorian heroes (Maurader, et. al.). The first type of missions would reward an Incarnate Salvage bonus (see below) (plus whatever drops) and psychic incarnate exp. The second type would reward an Incarnate salvage bonus plus physical incarnate exp.
Just like with Alignment tips, you have to do ten before you get a big mission. This mission could be done either on the same day as the tenth tip (like alignment tips) or if you wanted more time gating making the person wait till the next day. This mission like Alignment changing missions would be longer and more involved. It would reward either: A Notice of the Well (Rare Alpha); OR a reward for the upper Incarnate abilities on the same terms as completing a trial.
Incarnate Strike missions would obey the character's difficulty slider, but a boss would be mandatory, no Lt. downgrades. The rewards for doing the mission would be based on the difficulty selected.
-1 - No Incarnate salvage bonus
+0 - One Incarnate Shard
+1 - One Incarnate Thread
+2 - Two Incarnate Threads
+3 - Three Incarnate Threads
+4 - Four Incarnate Threads
THOUGHTS? -
One of the quickly forgotten additions to Issue 19, was the Praetorian Zone Events. These little mini-missions allows anyone in the area to contribute to the theme of the event. For example, in Nova Praetoria you can choose to aid or hinder the protesters.
Great idea, popularized in Warhammer Online under the name Public Quests. But the zone events usually lay unused. Why? They are pretty fun from my testing of them during I19's open beta. Well, I think it has to do with the reason I've not done one since...there are shinier carrots to chase. The Zone Events don't offer anything of any value. No exp, no rewards that most of my characters can use. They're fun, but do then once for the experience (or the badges if that's your thing) and then move on. This is a waste.
I offer that with some minimal changes, these Zone Events could draw many players to participate. Following are some ideas I had for changes. These aren't intended to be exhaustive or to necessarily all be used in conjunction.
- Scale the event better
First, I would scale the event to the characters that show up. If there are higher levels there, instead of reducing their power, scale the power up of lowbie who are present and have some of Praetorias more rugged troops get into the fray.
For example, if there are a group of 8 level 50s who show up, then the IDF should show up and be ready to fight. If a level 3 wanders by, they should get sidekicked to the highest person around (if they wish) so they can contribute as best they can.
. - Give meaningful rewards
First, give exp. Make this an option for characters who are leveling. This would allow, in theory, for someone to level from 1-50 in Praetoria. For some folks whose concept demands it, this could be a boon. I would also meld this with improvements to the paper missions in Praetoria.
Second, the reward table should continue to gauge a player's involvement, but the rewards should consist of reward merits and even Incarnate shards if a Praetor shows up (see below).
Finally, for Incarnates, since the NPCs will scale to appropriately, shards should drop. This might not even need to be said since shards will be dropping when exemplared, but let me say it anyway.
. - Use more meaningful enemies
I think when you have higher level characters, that named Praetorians like Reese (up to about 25 or so); Bobcat (for mid-levels) and even the Praetors (if an Incarnate shows up) should join the fray. This would create incentives for folks to recruit people to do them and for folks to jump in.
To conclude, I think the Zone Events could be a great addition to the game, but I fear that they will lie fallow unless they are improved. I know that any changes like this take time, but I hope you will consider them. - Scale the event better
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Quote:No! Arcanaville is the Queen O' Maths, darnit!Originally Posted by Eva Destruction
Arcanaville should have a custom forum title. Mistress of Time and Space is as good as any.
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Quote:What beta testers?Originally Posted by Nihilii
That's strange. Most if not all betatesters, including those who love the I20 trial seem to disagree with you, seeing as they report failing the trial. Doesn't seem so unstoppable to me.
The ones who beat it the first day of the sneak peek? Or the ones who gave up after not being able to steamroll like every other piece of easymode content. -
Quote:And yet, you still play a MMORPG? Puzzling.Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
This is part of my problem. Large orange numbers and purple names don't do it for me. In fact, once the orange numbers get large enough, the game actually becomes boring, as is the case with Ramiel's first mission.
And while I'll agree that taking down a giant robot does feel impressive, to me it feels more impressive when I take one down by myself, rather than when I take half a dozen down with another seven people. -
Quote:Incarnates get the best of pirates v. ninjas.Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
I just hope they avoid applying the law of conservation of ninjutsu to the Incarnate game.
In the trials, players are a Pirate Hoard, unstoppable;
Outside the trials, players are an all powerful Ninja!
This isn't just words, it's true. In the trials, the characters band together to lay waste to Praetoria. Even the Well fueled Tyrant and his Lts. cannot stop the Incarnates. The Incarnates, like a power hoard, pillage and loot and come away more powerful than ever.
Outside of the trials, the characters, fueled with the powers gained by their pillage, are like a Ninja. They can defeat formerly fearsome enemies before those enemies even know what's happening. A single Incarnate, like a Ninja, is like an Army unto herself.
That's how I see it. And that's how it is, if people would take a second and actually play the content.