Steampunkette
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Posts
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Those of you with fairly long memories might remember the last time I tried to suggest a Travel power master AT with paired powersets. Unfortunately while the concept was nice the implementation was impossible or, at the very least, infeasible without a major system revamp.
I'd like to take another crack at it, and hope this time it's better recieved. To that end I'll be "reserving" the next four posts to better break down the proposed ATs.
-Rachel- -
Or you could do what I generally do: Re-Write the arc on the fly. Ignore the NPC text and mission text and come up with your own reason for running each arc.
Not one of them has you doing anything that can't be handwaved into heroics. Fighting Longbow? It's a Terrorist Army invading the Etoille. Beating down A Phalanxer? They're mind-controlled and needs to be trapped so they can be cleansed of the evil taint. Mako's Arc involves heading to Sharkhead and fighting a powerful evil entity.
So yeah. Just ignore the contact, rewrite the mission text, and go for it.
-Rachel- -
Here is the answer to why a Nemesis system would be awesome, and impossible.
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=224128
Sorry about that...
-Rachel- -
Quote:This poster is absolutely right. So many problem, so many issues forced onto a playerbase which is, mostly, happy as-is. People would quit in -droves- as their names got taken, their SGs were splintered across multiple servers, and so on.Originally Posted by Dementus
Well I don't usually post but this thread has some pretty entertaining posts in it. So here's mine.
I have seen a few people calling for merging the smaller servers into the larger ones.
But I have a suggestion I have not seen posted here before:
Instead of closing down multiple small servers and forcing all of their collective players into one, I suggest closing down just 2.
Freedom and Virtue.
Closing these two servers down would be the most cost effective. Take their populations and randomly distribute them across all the 'low' population servers. This would eliminate the more robust hardware needs and probably the most expensive servers.
Of course, all players moved would be given rename tokens for free if their current name was taken.
This would then bring the populations on the 'low' servers up to 'medium' across the board.
If this sounds a bit crazy... well now you are seeing what I see when you ask to merge smaller servers into larger ones.
Merging the Servers would signal the end of the game if it didn't outright kill it.
-Rachel- -
Quote:Ehhh... Gotta disagree with you.Originally Posted by Bronze Knight
Eve Online did it right. Single Server for every one that plays the game. This gives you the best sense of cohesion and community. It also solves a number of problems inherent in MMO's. For examtople playing with your friends is easier if theirs only one server its. Its also better for the devs so they can do big events. Unfortunately at this point all our servers are too well-established to effect a server merge, people would scream bloody murder.
Different Servers allow the game to have different Personalities. If you go to Virtue (the unofficial RP server) you'll have a different experience than Freedom (Freedumb) It's a good thing. It means the game can be kept fresh by swapping between different servers.
The problem, in my not so humble opinion, was the Devs didn't try to fragment their playerbase. Wait, what? Why would I say something like that?!
Well. If you've got just 5 servers you can fragment the playerbase into cohesive communities. A Casual, a Hardcore, a PVP, an RP, and an RP-PvP server breaks the community down by what people like to do and hwo they like to surround themselves with. Sure there will be RPers on the PvP server, and Casual Gamers on the Hardcore server, but the people would gravitate toward the style of gameplay they enjoy, without too many pickles landing in the peanut butter.
No. I'm not advocating a server-merge. I'm not advocating different rulesets for each server. Just a designation which leads people toward what they want to do. PvP on the PvP server would still be in the Arena or Zones, just like other servers. The same applies would apply to the other servers.
The single-server model's greatest flaw in the City of Heroes/Superhero mindset is the finite number of "Obvious" names that many players absolutely want to have for their character. Add to that the design of the game leading towards altitis and 36 characters per account? The Single Server setup crumbles fairly fast, unless you intend to design the game around name sharing issues.
-Rachel- -
Gotta agree with Nethergoat, on all counts Except to add two things.
First, roleplay can keep things fresh, if you're into that sort of thing.
Second, the Fusionette Task force. It's an MA Arc and not official content, but it is one of the best arcs I've ever played through. To whomever wrote it: WOW!
-Rachel- -
Quote:Interestingly, Yahtzee -has- played City of Heroes. Once. And didn't toss off his usual -scathing- review. you can see it, here, on Youtube in a show called "Game Damage" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXvdoTYlVtk&fmt=18Originally Posted by Crim_the_Cold
Why not have one of the more popular website game reviewers do a review on the finished product. Some one like Zero Punctuation from escapistmagazine.com. Of course that might be a double edged sword since he could honestly dislike it but I know that I check out his newest review every week and sometimes check out a game because the review got me interested enough.
21 minutes, 24 seconds in.
-Rachel-
*PS!* In fact! He actually says he likes it! o.0 -
My SS/Inv brute ( http://virtueverse.com/index.php/Hardcastle ) wound up with a Widow/Nictus Blast combo. And somehow managed to survive, anyway!
-Rachel- -
We don't need the Devs to change anything at all! We've got all the Power we need! =-3
-Rachel- -
That is, in my not so humble opinion, the cutest catgirl stalker, EVAR!
-Rachel- -
I, for one, have created a Dual pistols/Devices Blaster who makes good use of the various temp powers as a gadgeteer... And an MA/Will scrapper who does the same.
-Rachel- -
No. You will never get rid of the stigma. It's not the "WoW" approach, either. It's -far- older.
Try D&D Older.
The "Holy Quartet" has been in play since the 70's. The Holy Trinity is what happens when you cut out the skill-system.
It's not going away. Campaigning about it to raise awareness won't help, either. You've got to educate on an individual level and then stick with the educated... Form long-term bonds rather than PuGs.
-Rachel- -
Fairly certain "Noble Savage" is Wretch... or something like him. He looks like he's missing his right arm from the bicep down...
-Rachel- -
Quote:I really REALLY hope they do. XDOriginally Posted by Suspicious_Pkg
They should do it right after GR and the market merge.
Can you imagine the market mayhem associated with 2xp weekend combined with a merge!?
-Rachel- -
Quote:Your wish is granted >.> Yesterday. http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=227981Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
Part of me wishes GG would read that. The rest of me just knows she'd respond with a one liner and that damned wink.
-Rachel-
*edit* Beat by 2 minutes. XD -
A year ago I would've pointed out how an upgrade of this type wouldn't be terribly useful, since many players don't have the sort of high-end computers required to handle the locational lighting. And then I'd have gone on to explain how the Devs have been trying to create new content and touches usable by all members of the playerbase or, at least, most.
i17 blew that argument out of the water, though! So yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay Lightsourced powers!
/signed
-Rachel- -
Quote:That is PART of the tech limitation. Here's more.Originally Posted by Diggis
The Tech for these isn't the animation problem, its to do with the costume nodes on the back. They are tied to the skeleton, not the surface. Make a huge character and equip a jetpack. See how the bulk of it's INSIDE the body? Now imagine if your quiver was there too... Could have some cool outcomes, but mostly annoying.
Now make a small character... see how the jetpack is not attached to your body?
THAT is the tech limitation.
Whirling Hands. Spin. Fire and Ice Sword Circle. Focus.
Just some of the powers that cause your character to twist their upper body and back in such a way that a jetpack or backpack mounted at the shoulder and reaching down the back to your waistband will clip so horribly with your body it comes out of your belly, or sticks out from your body at a right-angle to your lower spine.
A Fixed, Flat, structure pressed to your spine limits mobility. They would have to either change dozens of animations to accommodate for the rigid pack (since the engine can't support a flexible backpack and jetpacks should pretty much be fixed in place) or revamp large parts of the engine to allow for an anchored physics option on the player's back.
-Rachel- -
Quote:To answer the first part! The damage keeps the sleep from stacking with other sleeps, to mitigate it's overall power. It can never be used in conjunction with another player's hold or sleep power to stack on, say, a Boss. But in return it does a DoT of pure toxic damage while mostly maintaining the sleep. However the pulsing Sleep would activate in the 10th of a second -after- each tick of damage. Thus re-establishing the sleep effect on the target just after they take a tick of toxic. The second Sleep (AoE Paralytic) does not have a DoT and, instead, does a single tick of damage to a group of foes and then puts them to sleep. The reason I put that in was as an Area Control for players to handle aggro from large spawns.Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
interesting -
Though I'm trying to think if we have anything else like:
Paralytic Slime; (Single Target Minor Toxic DoT Pulsing Sleep
Mezmerize does damage and sleep, yes, but it does its damage first, then puts the target to sleep. Just wondering if this would be countering itself if someone wanted to use it *for* the sleep.
Otherwise, the only thing I can think of off the top of my head would be someone asking "Why would I take this other than dark blast, if they're on the same AT?" I know blasters don't have it yet. The only *answer* I can see is the toxic (less resisted) especially on the DOTs. (Then again, being DOT-heavy, I can see my Corruptors loving this... fairly appropriately.)
Edit: And also, related to the first point... with all the DOTs, why two Sleeps?
It's basically designed so a player can toss off the AoE Sleep, then hit Corruption, and then start tossing off the AoE damage and single target spikes while debuffing their targets damage resistance to their damage type. It's an aggro control power that would, likely, be considered "Skippable" on teams, much like Siren Song of Sonic Blast.
As for the second part:
Dark Blast is actually quite different! With knockback, disorient, and immobilize powers, it's generally lower damage, and Accuracy debuff it's often considered a support blast set, useful in controlling enemies and protecting a team against incoming damage. Meanwhile Corruption Blast focuses on damage, more like Fire Blast, but also with 2 control effects and a unique Tier 9 power in that it can be interrupted and causes a greater penalty to the player in the form of the Endurance Discount debuff causing attacks to cost more if the player does choose to use inspirations to recover from their tier 9's crash.
However if the Devs or players feel that negative energy is more powerful than fire effects (due to lower overall enemy resistances) the powerset could easily become fire/toxic like the Hellfire powers of the Demon Summoners and be explained as chemical burns.
-Rachel- -
The concept of "Corruption" attacks combines many things. Poisons, acidic attacks, and powers from "Beyond the Stars" it also keys into the idea of super-beings who fling destructive energy or matter that simply -is- corruption or decay.
How would this fit into the City of Heroes mechanics? I'd suggest Negative Energy attacks with Toxic DoT effects added on. These powersets would have no further "Mitigation" effect such as -acc or -def. The toxic DoT would be the secondary effect of the set. Specific powers might forgo the Negative damage for a Toxic attack followed by a debuff similar to "Toxic Ray" of the bane Spider power set.
Without further explanation, I present the Corruption Blast powerset.
Tier 1: Corrosive Spit; (Single Target Minor Negative Energy, Minor Toxic DoT) You launch a bilious attack at a foe, hurling a glob of corrosive corruption which burns and corrupts flesh. (Damage Minor, Recharge Very Fast) [Same Animation as Envenom, Add a Particle Effect of green splashing liquid hitting the ground around the target]
Tier 2: Corruptive Blast; (Single Target Moderate Negative Energy, Minor Toxic DoT) You form a sphere of corruption in the palm of your hand and throw it at your target, causing grievous chemical burns (Damage Moderate, Recharge: Fast) [Same Animation as Fire Blast, Change the Particle Effect to green splashing liquid hitting the ground around the target instead of flames)
Tier 3: Acidic Breath; (Cone AoE Moderate Negative Energy DoT, Minor DoT) You spray a fine mist of Corrosive particles across a wide area, spattering your foes with a deadly corrosive (Damage Moderate, Recharge Slow) [Same Animation as Neurotoxic breath, applies both the Negative and Toxic damage in multiple ticks]
Tier 4: Corruption; (Click Self Buff Special) You focus your acerbic powers to increase their overall effectiveness, Granting a 30 second self-buff which grants all the other powers in this set a small speed debuff and a large damage resistance debuff against negative energy and toxic. (Recharge Very Long) [This power replaces Aim for the set]
Tier 5: Paralytic Slime; (Single Target Minor Toxic DoT Pulsing Sleep) You launch a volley of a paralytic agent at your target, stopping him in his tracks. Seizures of pain sear the target and cause him to twitch uncontrollably unless external stimuli breaks the effect, which can still return (Recharge Slow) [Similar animation to Tenebrous Tentacles, however the bubbling viscous liquid races to the target instead of dark energy, once it reaches the target it splashes in an upward fountain and leaves the target in the "Choking" animation. Applies a toxic hit at the moment of impact and a DoT at .7 second intervals during it's 7 second duration. It applies a mag 2 Sleep effect at .1 from hit and again at .8, 1.5, etc, ticking just after the toxic damage lands]
Tier 6: Slimeball; (Targeted AoE Moderate Negative Energy, Minor Toxic DoT) You form and fling an orb of toxic malevolence at your target, on impact it bursts into a sticky and clinging chemical napalm which damages foes near the target. (Damage Moderate, Recharge Slow) [Similar animation to Fireball, Again with the spatterings of green liquid instead of small flames]
Tier 7: Corrosive Burst; (Single Target High Negative Energy, Minor Toxic DoT) With a short range and a powerful hit, this toxic attack can hit multiple targets in a small area. (Damage High, Recharge: Slow) [Animation similar to "Howl" you spit a large glob of corrosive at the target, it has a chance to "Splash" onto other targets very close to the primary target (5ft splash) similar to how Blind of the Illusion Control powerset can affect multiple enemies. This power is otherwise similar to other short-ranged high damage blasts]
Tier 8: Paralytic Spray; (Cone AoE Minor Negative Energy, Minor Toxic, Sleep) You fling your Paralytic slime over a wider area, causing less bodily harm to your targets, but still locking them into a cage of burning flesh. (Damage Minor, Recharge Long) [Similar animation to Energy torrent with a particle effect similar to, but wider than, Paralytic Slime. Deals a tiny bit of Negative and Toxic Damage and applies a single Foe Sleep on all targets]
Tier 9: Venomous Destruction; (Targeted AoE Extreme Negative Energy, High Toxic DoT, Self -END -REC) Focusing all of your power into a single blast of acidic destruction takes time, and will leave you dramatically weakened for some time afterward. (Damage: Exteme, Recharge: Very Long, Interruptable) [Uses a very long animation of the character forming an orb of corruption in their hands, then pushing the orb out towards the target in a motion similar to the original Martial Arts Assassin Strike animation. This power is an interruptable Snipe which leaves the user drained of all endurance and unable to regain endurance for some time. It also applies a temporary (15 second) Endurance Discount debuff of 30%. This increases the endurance costs of all powers by 30% in the event the user pops a blue]
The set covers all the basics for a blast set (Multiple single-target and AoE Effects, Nuke, one or two control effects maximum, Snipe) while also creating several new and interesting powers (Corruption, Venomous Destruction, Paralytic Slime) with interesting applications.
It would probably be best to limit the powerset to Corruptors and only utilize it in the event that the "Poison" secondary is proliferated from Masterminds and, undoubtedly, altered from it's current form into a more "AoE" friendly manner.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Opinions?
-Rachel- -
Potentially the Origins from different angles.
We've got the Magic USER pack (witches and warlocks) but could still use a demon pack, or Chimera, or gargoyle... Any number of inherently magical beings that could have a pack devoted to them (Heck! Maybe with Gargoyles we'll get a decent loincloth!)
We've got a ninja Pack for Naturals. but that leaves out Soldiers and Scientists and people who use both magic -and- tech (Dual Origin enhancements mean Naturals can use Natural/Magic and Natural/Tech)
The Science Pack came with size changing options and costume change emotes along with a few new "Scientist" costume pieces (mostly new goggles!) How about a pack where the costume bits are more "BioOrganic" or "Plant" or "Rock Monster" in the form of Science Experiment creations.
Meanwhile the Tech pack came with a bunch of cyborg pieces for robots. How about Gear costume pieces. not Gears the object, but Gear as in utility belts and backpacks (many technical hurdles to leap but not impossible) New weapon options. How about a Steampunk pack with Nemesis styled dual pistols and the like?
And then you get to the Mutant Pack. There's already a call on the forums for an Animal-mutant pack with bestial heads...
So there's plenty of ways to keep hitting the Origins that already exist from different angles with new costume pieces, emotes, and concepts. there's also Dual-Origin packs to consider as well (Magic/Mutant anyone?) So I wouldn't say "no more origin theme" boosters. Not by a long shot.
-Rachel- -
Quote:If the characters were heroes, I'd totally accept this logic!Originally Posted by BrandX
Really? I never get that feeling. More like you've shown him you needed to bring friends to kick his butt (for the majority of players out there anyways).
But as villains you've got a large number of demons and vampires and other "If I defeat you I kill you" characters. By this point Recluse should be a soulless, bloodless, feckles husk and nothing more. "Oh! but we don't -kill- in City of Heroes!" That's all well and good for Heroes. It's even all well and good for my purpleside "Hero in the Isles" characters. But actual evil PC villains should have killed Recluse a long time ago. Yes I realize the final Patron arc mission is set some time into the future. That's simply ridiculous. If One villain can kill Recluse "Sometime in the future!" 8 should be able to kill him, now.
Personally? I'd prefer it. Evil should not be monolithic. Evil should be fractious and scattered. Monolithic Evil requires a single being in complete control over all the other evil beings under him. I hate the idea that a huge quantity of self-serving Evil people will just bow down to one guy's will forever. He's been in charge of Arachnos for decades. He should have been overthrown by now! >_<
-Rachel- -
Not up yet? *cries* But I want my Bramblehammer!
-Rachel- -
Quote:http://www.ventrilo.com/Originally Posted by Elcadar
Voice recognition on the recorded audio can manage keeping people to the script, if there is a business case for it at all. Sounds like most people just don't like the idea. Will be interesting.
On an aside, having audio team chat would be cool (ala Team Fortress).
-Rachel- -
http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Entruste...e_Secret_Badge
-Rachel-
*Edit* Didn't the minimum level requirements get knocked off PvP zones..? -
Quote:How about bumping the hold percentage on Neuro breath a bit? Have it at a mag 2 a certain percentage of the time and another mag 2 at another certain percentage. It would hold Minions and LTs for a short while almost every time and have the potential to hold a boss on occasion... Or it could miss all it's hold chances.Originally Posted by SkarmoryThePG
Hm.
Actually, I think it would run contrary to what the set is.
I mean, it'd be a clear buff, but I feel that'd... stretch what Poison currently is past the comfort zone. Cheapen it.
No, I'd rather either see Neurotoxic or Noxious get a buff that actually helps with dealing with alpha strikes. Perma/Toggle Noxious would be interesting definitely, and raise my interest in the set (though it comes oh-so-late). Neurotoxic... I don't know. It's good at what it does, but it doesn't do what the set could use (see Fearsome Stare, which is both a great -tohit debuff AND a fear that greatly reduces a spawn's alpha).
[edit] the thing is... I cannot in good faith advocate a buff to Neurotoxic. It's great at what it does, just... unslottable (like all -rechs) and it doesn't do what the set could use.
Hmm. I wonder what if Poison Trap was heavily remade into a lobbed glob of poison that exploded and did SOMETHING to a spawn that'd neuter an alpha. It'd also need to be moved earlier in the set to matter.
[edit2] Or a patch! I love me a good, pulsing patch! ....pulsing sleep? hmmmmm.....
I honestly think Noxious Gas should be ported over as is, just turn the target into an ally.
-Rachel-