Fire_Drake_NA

Actually, using only 2 bars & proper macro placing, is perfectly possible to synchronize changes with bars (If you need help, PM me and I can send you some macro examples). But when you are stunned or out of end you revert to base shape... This is a SERVER triggered event so there is no way to automatically change the bars. The closest thing I have achieved is synchronizing with a single macro... but that's recently and thanks to the new /toggle commands. That's why I propose the above commands. The server notifies the client of the involuntary change (you see your model changing) so could be possible for the client to detect the event and react changing bars (if configured to do so).

Delay is nice but unpractical. It will require some "world buffering" which is outside the scope of an instanced mission. Any visibility control should be applied real time to drones as could be applied to any other arena entity (players for example).

Posi... great idea but I can't but stress the most important feature for this idea to be a success:

CONFIGURATION

Reading the bits of info on arenas, seems that there is gonna be some kind of "match configuration" stage. Well, I would be sure to include observer options in the match negotiation, at least let the participants control:

-Non-combatant drone mode:
* none. No spectators.
* restricted. Arena accepts spectators requests until a set number is filled. Could be nice to have a mechanism to block specific players to enter (maybe comparing with the ignore lists of participants) or allowing specific players to do so (involved SG members or participants' friend lists)
* free (default). Arena accept spectators until some server-side limit is reached.

-Combatant-to-drone mode:
* none. Participants can't enter observer mode.
* locked. Participants who enter observer mode are effectively turned into spectators (their bodies dissapear from the arena)
* free (default). Participants can enter observer mode and their corpses can still be manipulated (ported, rezzed, etc.)

-Drone damage model:
* invulnerable. Drones can't be destroyed at all.
* fragile (default). Drones will have 1 hp.
* vaporware. Drones will be destroyed if ANY condition affects them (that includes holds, buffs, heals, etc...).
* zap mode. Each combatant is awarded with the "zap camera" temp power (0 END, very fast recharge, sniper range, ultra-fast/none animation). This power should work in 2 modes. if targetted to a drone will destroy it, if targeted on anything else it will destroy the NEAREST drone within LoS. This includes also "vaporware" setting.

- Drone visibility:
* blatant (default). Bright textured model with loud sounds and blinking lights (like police drones). This could be system stressing so specific drone modeling options should be included in the client video configuration to allow users to select the ammount of resources invested in drawing them.
* stealthy. Drones are not visible to combatants. Great for Public Events where all the attention should be in the participants.

- Drone awareness:
* full (default). Drones can see and hear what a combatant in their position could.
* restricted. Drones can only perceive a combatant and his/her effects if that combatant is visible to at LEAST 1 opponent. This way drones will only perceive "conflict zones" where at least 2 participants MAY fight each other.

I think that there are also some things related to general drones/arenas implementation that would contribute to lessen exploits and increase fun:

- Drones should not be real combatants and as such should not interact with the match physics. In particular, should not trigger "contact powers" (like repel or trip mines), attract pet's attention, push other heroes (like pedestrians do) or benefit from players' buffs.

- Do not waste any second of development time on restricting drone communication modes. There are enough third party tools around to bypass ANY restriction applied.

- Instead concentrate on chat exploits. As far as channel filtering is done on CoH on a visibility paradigm, some spam problems could arise if "tells" are allowed to participants in the arena. This could be solved by blocking tell communications from non-combatants. Thus, allowing still private tells INSIDE the arena and requiring the "externals" to relay on GLOBAL CHAT handle to communicate with combatants (this allow also the combatant to mute GLOBAL CHAT in case a spammer is interfering with him).

- Drones should fly like a maxed speed "flight/fly" and with similar inertia to prevent "ducking" tactics in case that players need to "hunt" them.


Well... again a lengthy post. I should stop thinking while posting . But I think that devs need any help with arenas to be a success, and in this case I firmly believe that "The falling rock would not make noise if there isn't someone there to hear it", so observer mode is vital to be able to call them "Arenas" instead of "Danger Rooms".

Just want to add the point of view of a shapeshifter...

- SLASH COMMANDS to assign main and alt bar to each shape

/dwarf_main [number]
/dwarf_alt [number]
/nova_main [number]
/nova_alt [number]
/kheldian_main [number]
/kheldian_alt [number]

(In all commands above an empty number will disable the auto bar change feature for that shape and that bar)

With decent macros and the new /toggle commands it's possible to synchronize changes with bars... But INVOLUNTARY changes (stuns, out of end, etc...) leave you with the wrong set whatever you do.

And I'm not happy with the idea of having to relay on modifier keys or using number keys above 5 for combat sequences. The reason? having to separate the right hand beyond the number 5 forces most of the users of a qwerty keyboard to look at it which is anoying for fast commonly used powers.

Also, it's not elegant to have 30 buttons blocking part of the action If can only use like 4+2 (nova) or 6+2 (dwarf).

Returning to the OP... Having a third bar attached to CTRL is an OPTION and as such I find it a nice idea, but, could be worhty to investigate also the possibillity to extend EACH bar from 10 to 12 buttons? (Using the 2 keys between 0 and backspace)

That's precisely the point... SSers can invert power picks in boosting other aspects of play, a luxury, that flyers, do not have.

Also SS performance as a travel power can be dramatically improved with the user knowledge of the geography (and the help of hurdle) so only Faultline & Shard are really a problem. Nothing compared to the ever slowness of fly... Specially when you take into consideration that the 3 more popular "hub maps" SC, TI & IP can be traversed by a speeder very fast (only surpassed by a well configured Teleport)

I concede your points but keep in mind the POWER OF THE SS PACK.

Even the best second travel pool (SJ) cannot compete fairly with the ammount of gameplay options that the SS pack offers.

Also this thread is about Fly... You don't even mention what happens when you chase a flying freak and he stuns you. Also, to benefit from "fly protection" you need to slow down to change heights (even more if you suspect sniper or flyier activity). I wonder what flyiers say about Strigga Isle flying patrols .

In the Hollows there are not invis piercing foes so a SSer has no problems traversing.

I think that the perceptions are heavily based on your level:
- at L14-19. Any SM power is fun and nice to have because anything is better than sprint.

- at L20-24. You start to feel the END bite and wished to have STAMINA so you are more END aware and start to realize what the real END sink holes are.

- at L25-30. You see what Superspeed pack users can do regularly and you feel the "Min/Max Dark Side" call so some users "claim" their respec to be able to do what SSers do.

- at L30+. You realize how important initiative is during missions or while in teams and thus you learn the value of FULL INVISIBILITY. Also at this levels you start to see the effects of perma-hasten... Specially if you are the user of multiple long recharge effects.

It's not a power vs power comparison... It's a blatant power pack advantage.

How can you say that fly is popular?... Heh ... it's popular because new low level players rush to get it... Just to drop it on L24 respec.

Just keep an eye on your team experiences... Count and note... you will see it... specially on post L24 game. Even more, note the ammount of players that have Fly as a secondary travel power because they like it but do not wisthand been always the last one to reach the next mission spot while on teams.

Vertical movement??!?... For what? There is nothing there to do.

If you want a good datamining experiment go to the shard and you will see why there is so few ppl there... Ppl DO NOT WASTE A TRAVEL SLOT on fly (the best SM mode to travel through the shard). And you aggravate the issue more with the Ancillary Power pools... More powers and same picks = Less room for RPG decissions.

Devs even unvoluntary recognize this... Any1 with a kheldian in Nova form knows this... Fly without acc penalty is not that unbalanced and really rocks.

Geko... pls understand that travel powers are not balanced at all because simply the BEST combination is the following (speaking entirely on power pools only to avoid interactions with specific ATs, and slots specified when they affect travel speed. Also SOs are assumed):

Hasten
Superspeed (2 slots)
Hurdle (1 slot) Increases your jump height enough to reach 1 standard floor (which avoids most of the hard obstacles)

The above setup yields good speed INSIDE or OUTSIDE missions... Plus with a few extra picks yields the following:

- END balance (with stamina and another power of the fitness pool)
- Full invisibility (with ANY other stealth power...)

So let me recapitulate... With this 6 power "package" the character obtains:
- Very good END balance
- Very good overland speed (with hurdle you can access shortcut paths in most of the complicated environments with the exception of the Shard)
- TOTAL travel security (with the exception of invisibility piercing mobs)
- Perma Hasten effect
- COMBAT tactics that ONLY SS user can use (i.e. kitting, etc.)

The problem is that sometimes you don't realize the interrelated effect of power picks... Now try to achive this level of functionality substituting Speed with ANY of the other pools related to supermovement.

And you keep insisting in "vertical" component?. Well I have kept fly in my main because... I like to fly, period. it's relaxing. But there is another strong reason... I hope that when PvP will be implemented then there will be an advantage to "go vertical". But reading on the plans... I'm starting to think that, as the mayority of players DO NOT FLY, PvP engagements will be restricted to Warehouse-like sets (HQ Bases sound like them) so I'm starting to see just suttborness in keeping flight as a degraded power pool instead of "misterious Dev balance reasons".

Sorry for the harsh tone... But this unbalance is SO OBVIOUS and been overlooked for that long time that seeing you using the same reasonings again makes my blood boil.

NOTE 1: I hate following power recipes... Most of the appeal of this game is based on power picks so if you blindly follow others advices you are depriving yourself of a big chunk of fun. Instead ask the Devs to balance this blatantly superior combinations by boosting alternatives.

NOTE 2: If you make characters based on RPG concepts rather than taking game efficiency into account then you will have a nicer experience. But usually, RPG concepts have "Actions my character should do" built in and that's when game mechanics enter so don't be surprised if the above "power pack" allows a character to perform those actions better than yours. So if you are a Concept-oriented player do not overlook this kind of problems, they will affect you anyway.

The respec... Good topic. Winter Princess has been turned into a "specialist" on it... now it's 13/15 success ratio (87% success... The failures where the first and the third) and 2 of them has been under "new" Boss behaviour... The first time after I3 I died twice in genuine one-shot deaths because as an Ice/Kin controller I prefer to be close and personal with foes... But I consider that Ice powers are PERFECTLY attuned to TV respec... And with them I'm ONLY slightly above 80%. I think this statistic is an OLD one. The last respec for example was the Freak version with a FULL team and we did it with 0 deaths... But there where groups with 6!!!! L+3 Bosses. I have to stess that my char haven't even used ANY of her 3 available respecs (I have to admit that I enjoy the TV trial and I'm very content with my build) but I cannot imagine the nightmare of going into 6!!! L+3 Bosses with a crippled character after a "nerf".

EDIT: Oops... Statistics without information on the gathering means nothing. By success I understand a saved reactor, happy faces and the MISSION ACOMPLISHED message ... By attempt I understand finishing at least the first preliminary mission (so, for example, retrys to avoid leader difficulty setting or late exemplar effects do not count as an attempt)

Well... a solution could be contained into your own words...

Decouple offensive from defensive on Bosses: Keep the HP and reduce the damage output to previous state... That way you avoid one shot deaths and they are tougher still.

Actually the problem is that difficulty is higher because they do more damage and they can spend more time doing it.

As a collateral issue, I wish to add that to controllers (at least the ones with pets) the boost in bosses is irrelevant so their SOLO capability has been increased by this change (relative comparison with others ATs )... And I'm not completely sure that's the effect intended.

If I would have to make a decission on making a Boss encounter more challenging to the point that a team is needed, instead of boosting the Boss I would be sure that the Boss should always be FOLLOWED by special minions (i.e. bodyguards) that BOOST the boss instead of attacking the character (like Tsoo Sorcerers do but ONLY on the Boss) so the hero has the options of fleeing, trying skirmish tactics to remove bodyguards or call for help. (The same goes for AVs... Reaching the top of a villain organization would be difficult without the aid of trustfull bodyguards)

Much more difficult is the L25+ team interactions... I wonder if could be possible to use the dynamic spawn engine into missions to meassure the team performance and increase or decrease the difficulty based on that meassures. It's a crazy idea but in a "Defeat All" mission for example, time spent per arrested foe is a good meassure of how good a team is so if a group defeats fast, the spawns could be larger or harder until the "advancement rate" reaches an equilibrium with the "team skill". In any case, you will reward good teamplay with increased XP and you always keep a feeling of danger because good teams can face higher challenges.

First... Look at my main character...

Stateman... Are you thinking in implementing warnings like "this combination of primary and secondary is much less powerfull than the common hero... Are you sure you want to proceed?" in the power pool selection at character creation?

First, dev team removed the SG protection and nerfed it to nothing but a cheap stealth power below common pool performance. This has a DIRECT impact on AoE performance... and you know why.

Now you say that AoE is a problem so Fire primary which is all about it will get the shaft... Not to mention that the other still usefull powers on devices are... AoE also.

/[sarcasm on]Are you aware that respec do not allow change on primary/secondary pools? /[sarcasm off]

You are thinking in nerfing PRIMARIES (and SECONDARIES in the case of devices) accross the board!... OMG they can't be changed unless you make another character... So I only request some respect for high level players invested time in characters they love to play.

I don't want to came after a patch, do a FORCED respec in an absurdly difficult TF just to have a build like:
- Flares
- Fire Blast
- Aim
- Blaze
- Fire Bolt

- Web Grenade
- Clatrops
- Targeting drone
- Cloaking device

And the rest of the 11+ powers will be in power pool powers because my primaries and secondaries suck.

Do not base your gameplay decissions on OLD ways to play... Go around and do some research on how the life of an AoE blaster is this days.

Basically AoE could be performed better by tankers or scrappers because they COULD survive the extended beating triggered by ANY FORM of AoE nerf... Either solo or in groups. Coupled with the ACTUAL fact that scrappers are finally able to fit the role of LT+ hunters (which makes sense... not a nerf call here) then... What blasters will do? I forsee the overnumber technique: "Hey!... once of you launch first AoE... The rest... Attack! Some of us will survive!".

I know that this words lack impact just because there are 4 other AT that claim "AoE is overpowered" and this changes will be implemented... But after doing it, pls update the description of the blaster AT in character creation tool so new players are not fooled in taking an AT that is not working as advertised and remove things like:

"The blaster is an offensive juggernaut"

or

"This hero deals a ton of damage from a distance"

And remark more important details like:

"But the blaster must be careful, becuase he's somewhat fragile compared to other heroes"

And add more detail on the "fragile" statement, something like:

"From L20+ it's common to find in big groups 1+ foes that can keep you unable to do anything but watching your health bar dropping and offering you a direct free ticket to the nearest hospital"

An angry fire/devices blaster