Zombie Man

I like pic #7 -- Feel the Pain emanating from... my groin!

[ QUOTE ]
Is there any interest amongst would be story writers for me to extend the tools I have on my site that I use to record the story arcs of CoX to allow them to be used for you guys to plan/document outside of the game your own created arcs when we finally get a mission creator in i14?

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean like Mid's planner helps us to plan builds, your mission planner will help us to plan Architect Missions?

Hmm.....


HELL YEAH!

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
... I thought Pain Domination was going to have pink ponies?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, but you get a Steam Horse that runs over your foes. Then backs up over them. Then runs them over again. Then backs up over them. Then runs over them.

It's DoT.

[/ QUOTE ]

Was der Kerfluffle is that?!?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's the CoH version of pink unicorns.

[ QUOTE ]
... I thought Pain Domination was going to have pink ponies?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, but you get a Steam Horse that runs over your foes. Then backs up over them. Then runs them over again. Then backs up over them. Then runs over them.

It's DoT.

[ QUOTE ]
I thought a Shield Bash was out? I saw it in the video. Was I mistaken?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's probably Shield's version of Brawl so you don't have to redraw if you have a weapon.

[ QUOTE ]
Whoa, now I feel like dork. 4+ years here and I didn't know we had a Multimedia section.... thanx!

[/ QUOTE ]

It's relatively new. Just this spring, I think.

Hi, Razorboy.

The Multimedia Forum is the place you want to post this.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
IIRC, you just need to be anything that doesn't 'occupy' both hands with a seperate costume bit (ie: No Dual Blades, or Katana). They did mention specifically tweaking a few sets (including Stone Melee) to work with Shields. Not sure if they carried through on that, though.. >>

I'd like to know, personally.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. The only sets that cannot be used with Shields are those with a 'weapon' in or on the left hand. For practical purposes this would be Dual Blades, Katana, Claws, & Spines.

Sets like Super Strength, Martial Arts, Energy Melee, Dark melee, etc have alternative animations that range from being as simple as adjusting the left arm to completely re-animating the power. Stone Melee's Stone Mallet powers use some of the one handed animations of Battle Axe and War Mace.

[/ QUOTE ]

What about Shadow Maul? That uses both hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Sets like... Dark melee... have alternative animations that range from being as simple as adjusting the left arm to completely re-animating the power."

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Badge Hound's lament that they need to get every badge should be vigorously ignored by the development team, for, in the end, it's a demand that the devs do not put in so much content that they can't do it all. In the end, it's a brake on the development of the game. It's the equivalent of demanding an amusement park that's not so large that they can't go on every ride in a single day.

[/ QUOTE ]

Zomb, I like you generally.

However, today, not so much.

[/ QUOTE ]
Quit personalizing the issue. You don't have to hate people you disagree with.



[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I'm a badge hound. Yeah, I'm a vocal opponent of the proposed Day Jobs system. What YOU'RE not hearing (or accepting), however, is the reason WHY.

Here it is. Get ready. Put on your Guide Man cap so you get a grasp.

"Getting a badge for doing nothing isn't fun."

[/ QUOTE ]
For *you*. It's great fun for *me.*




[ QUOTE ]
I'll tell you this right now: If this system went live, I'd get the badge before anyone here. Why? Cuz you're right: I'm a badger. Big freakin' deal. I'd do it at 10 days, 15, and gods forbid, 30.

That doesn't make it fun. That doesn't make it thematically sensible. That doesn't take away from the fact that the badge recording times are REALLY FRICKIN' OUT THERE.

Rewards for being logged out of a toon isn't "content". But that's what you're supporting, while turning a blind eye to the valid (and, I hope, equally constructive) complaints from the segment of the populace that knows WTH badges take to earn the MOST.

[/ QUOTE ]
I reject your implication that badge hounds have more expertise in game design simply because this mini-game involves badges. Would an alcoholic be necessarily the best wine connoisseur in the world?




[ QUOTE ]
A reward for doing nothing is not a badge. You're right: Neither is Empath. Neither is Immortal. Neither are the vet badges. If I had my way, I'd see THEM removed from the badge system too.

[/ QUOTE ]
If you can see why Empath is a broken badge, then a rational person would ignore it. If you can see why the badges associated with Day Jobs are not like the other badges, then a rational person would ignore them. If you're claiming you have the inability to simply ignore it, then you are admitting you have a problem and are in the same company with the one who admits they have an OCD.



[ QUOTE ]
But SINCE we're in a period where we DO have the opportunity to add constructively to the discussion BEFORE The system is implemented, as a caring player it's my right and responsibility to present these arguments to the populace, and to the Developers. THAT's why this is a forum, and not a bulletin page where we can't participate.

Something that people will shoot back to me is that, whenever someone complains about wanting the Vet Badge Rewards earlier on the badges forum, my single word answer is "Cope." That's because the system's already set.

Here, we enjoy the ability to give our two cents to other players, and the Developers, in order to make the game BETTER. By encouraging people to "vigorously ignore those people", instead of rising to the discussion and OFFERING input or compromise, you do NOTHING to add to the benefit of the readers.

Zombie, NEVER encourage the populace to ignore each other. Because at the end of the day, all that encourages is ignorance.

[/ QUOTE ]
Reread please. I said that the *lament* should be ignored, not the hounds. The lament is a demand that all badges should be obtainable on one toon. And that lament is a straitjacket to development of content *and minigames* such as badging. It is that straitjacketing of game development that should soundly be ignored.

Is this the future of CoH/V in that players complain of too much content?

Even before xp smoothing it was very easy to outlevel arcs at lower levels. People complained. They got Flashbacks.

But what will happen when hundreds of players develop missions for the Mission Architect and there is just not enough time in the day to play through them all? Will you demand a limit on player submissions?

What will happen if they develop PvP zones and games such that it will take a year to excel in them all and get their corresponding badges... and as you do so, they keep adding more zones and games such that you can never keep up?

The Badge Hound's lament that they need to get every badge should be vigorously ignored by the development team, for, in the end, it's a demand that the devs do not put in so much content that they can't do it all. In the end, it's a brake on the development of the game. It's the equivalent of demanding an amusement park that's not so large that they can't go on every ride in a single day.

We should be hoping that there's so much content and games and systems that no one person or toon can do it all.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Even if it's your most played character I certainly hope that character spends more time offline than on.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm currently on 23.75 hours a day (on non-maintenance days) in a heal farm. Hurray for existing broken badges, let's just add some more shall we?

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't have to get all the badges. Especially the ones you know are broken. If you know it's a broken design, then you should be able to give yourself an exemption or dispensation from obtaining it. If you truly have OCD as you claim, then this is a sign that you're currently out of control. The paradox of OCD is that your attempt at getting this broken badge gives you the illusion of being in control when just the opposite is the reality -- it's controlling you.

You should be bringing this up to whatever professional is helping you with your OCD. Walking away from that broken badge would be a healthy sign.

OK, let's say the time to get the badge was dropped to 5 days. But let's say there are 73 day jobs and 73 badges possible. That would still mean a full year for one character to get all 73 badges. Are you badgers going to ruin things for the rest of us who'd like to see a wide variety of day jobs, but the devs can't do that because it would upset impatient badgers?

The fact is, this one can't be farmed unless you know how to speed up time in a practical way. I'm sorry the lack of farming these badges to get them all at once is upsetting to you. Playing your character four hours a day on average (which is a lot of time) would mean that it would take 35 days to get the badge instead of 30, so let's stop with the canard that you have to stop playing a toon to get the badges.

Badge Hounds are just like the Content Hounds. When new content comes out, they blow through it and demand give me more! Same with the badgers.

The devs have finally put in a system which should ordinarily be a collector's dream: the gradual release of new/available items that have to be meticulously gathered over time. Just like what happens with stamp collectors or coin collectors who have to wait for new stamps and coins to come out. I wonder how many coin collectors wrote the Treasury demanding that the three year release of the state-quarters be made available immediately?

There's nothing wrong or broken with this system except your impatience.

Oh, boy. We're going to need an intervention.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
consider the possibility that you actually aren't supposed to have every badge in the game on one character.


[/ QUOTE ]

That comment is so outdated, and has already been proven to be a false comment by quite a few people.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? Which of your villains has all four Patron Arc Badges?

We'd like to thank Tom Selleck for posing for all the promotional shots of Day Jobs. Thanks, Tom.

[ QUOTE ]
No matter what they change, or even if they changed nothing, they'd still piss off a lot of people. The only difference is who would be posting the angry letters.


You're right, they shouldn't honor complaints based on popularity. They should honor complaints on their merits.

The fact in this case is that Web Grenade is probably the best power in Weapons Mastery. The only other power that could even compete is Caltrops, and of the two Web Grenade is much more useful. Those are the two powers that will let a Scrapper do something he couldn't ordinarily do. The two attacks are at best conveniences and at worst little more than toys. Scrappers already have plenty of attacks and don't really need more.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. It's hard to believe that datamining shows that Web Grenade is a little-used Scrapper epic power.

[ QUOTE ]
welcome to the dominator dilemma caused by the nerf of roots.

want to drop flying targets? NOPE....

I laugh at those said that it wasn't a big deal

[/ QUOTE ]

While their defenses are suppressed, TP Foe the hovering mezzed to you.

Yay! Thanks, RedTomax!!

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
But I'm not having an aneurysm about this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Who's having an aneurysm? I'm stating it's a bad idea to put in place a mechanism that changes peoples power choices. There has to be a half dozen ways they can do this and not immediately force an unwanted change. It may take time, but it would be worth it. Based on the tanker taunt change, it appears it's already possible.

Changing numbers is one thing, logging into to find I have focused accuracy two slotted for slow and with two damage procs, *requiring* a respec to fix is just silly. I have damage procs in the other two powers as well. While the thought of FA turning into a self damage power is amusing, I'd really rather keep what I have.

Even if it was a power I took just to get another one, like boxing, wasn't slotted at all, and was replaced with focused accuracy... something many players would drool over, I'd still be against it. I'm against changing characters without the player doing it themselves.

Logging in to find your characters power lineup changed is an ugly solution. It should only be required upon the next respec. I'm not yelling, I'm not screaming. I'm pointing out a bad design decision in the hopes it can be changed before live. There must be a better way than this.

[/ QUOTE ]

Plus on top of all this is the fact that no one wanted or asked for powers to be swapped around to begin with- Villians want Epics. It's just that freaking simple. Some heroes want Patrons (LMAO). Not this mish-mash of crap with swapping a power out that the player picked to be given a power they did not choose in the first place. If I wanted FA on my scrapper I have that option- I do not because I did not want it. Now, it looks like the devs will be makiing the decision for us. What line of thinking propeled this decision? Serioulsy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Get your facts straight.

Plenty of people have asked for powers they don't have access to.

Plenty of PvPers have complained Power Boost is too powerful.

If you're going to scream NIMBY, your input will be given the regard it's due.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What logic is going into changing Hero Epics?

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean how like a power like Power Boost was so overwhelmingly unbalanced that if you had to chance to take it, you would, and then no other APP was ever taken for that AT?

We knew at least this one was coming.

There's going to be changes and no amount of screaming will stop it. If you playtest it and post results with recommendations, you may have the opportunity to shape those changes. If you preemptively scream NIMBY, they'll just tune you out.

And you can bet big money they'll give at least one freespec with this. They passed out freespec for far lesser changes.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't even KNOW what AT gets power boost in their epic (I think it's contollers?) - because epics were NOT the issue- the issue was that Patrons SUCK compared to the Epics. So they are going to force changes on to heroes who might not want them or just don't want the changes at all instead of just giving the god damn epics to villians??

[/ QUOTE ]

Dude, they'll be buffing the Patron Pools and not by simply nerfing the APPs.

However, there are some powers in the APPs which are so overpowered, that even if City of Villains never existed, they'd have to nerf anyway.

Before you have an aneurysm, why don't you wait until you see what the changes are.

[ QUOTE ]
What logic is going into changing Hero Epics?

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean how like a power like Power Boost was so overwhelmingly unbalanced that if you had to chance to take it, you would, and then no other APP was ever taken for that AT?

We knew at least this one was coming.

There's going to be changes and no amount of screaming will stop it. If you playtest it and post results with recommendations, you may have the opportunity to shape those changes. If you preemptively scream NIMBY, they'll just tune you out.

And you can bet big money they'll give at least one freespec with this. They passed out freespec for far lesser changes.

[ QUOTE ]
You missed two points, Zombie:

1) If the updated War Mace overperforms, Castle thinks it'll more likely be because of Crowd Control's max number of targets, and not because of the change to Clobber.

2) As one example of the Epic/Patron changes, Castle mentions that Weapon Mastery for Scrappers will now include Focused Accuracy. If his memory is correct.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks. Updated the post.

[u]Topic: PvE Power Changes.[u]


[u]Why Kheldian changes?[u]

1. Power disparity v. VEATs.

2. Are VEATs popular? Yes.

3. HEATs are hard (to learn) and will still be hard. But some QoL: e.g., AT inherent buffs will remain on all forms, so, no worrying about those buffs dropping; multi-builds will help in having two different builds that can specialize the forms.

4. Range of the AT inherent buff isn't changing because how intensive the server needs to work to check on buffs.

5. Kheldian damage increase is because VEAT damage was higher and because of data mining.

6. Kheldian tanking? Can cap out Resistance, but no stacking defense and no pool powers for defense... so, not really Tanks.

7. Kheldian inherent new info: 10% resist to recharge slows for every H/VEAT on the team.

8. Other Kheldian details being saved for Hero Con



[u]Power Toggles Not Detoggling Anymore[u]

1. Since I4 Castle had been looking for a coding change to allow an end to Toggle dropping. Unbeknownst to him, Shannon Pozniewski (a cryptic programmer) added it in. Castle only recently found documentation on that, so, now it's in.

2. Bigger effect for squishie ATs that are more easily mezzed.

3. What is suppressed during a mez: Anything that is not a status protection will get suppressed. Exception: Kheldian flight will still fly, but speed is suppressed. Kheldian forms don't drop. Suppressed team buffs are suppressed for teammates.

[Chat on what happens if a Group Flier is mezzed... everyone loses the buff and drops. <laugh, laugh> (But they forget that would happen anyway if a Group Flier is mezzed <shrug&gt.]

4. Effect on Power Toggle and game play: In internal tests, no more having to pay attention to toggles. But that could lead to not noticing a power that is detoggled for some other reason. It will be a significant change for PvPers.

5. No more powers that detoggle a foe in PvP.

6. Critters will not get the same toggle protection -- the few that have toggles can be detoggled.





[u]Most Negative Feedback? Barrage.[u]

1. Because it effects low level tankers who don't have an attack chain yet.

2. What about Vet Reward powers? Doesn't effect newbies!

3. Why long recharge? To give it more damage to fit in an attack chain (but, again, that hurts low level toons).

4. Castle is still 'looking at it'. He's been reading the forums about it.




[u]Movement (and now Recharge!) Protection for Temperature Protection[u]

1. Did it for kicks, seemed like the right thing to do at the moment.




[u]Invulnerability[u]

1. Perceived weakness (but wasn't that weak).

2. So, removed Defense Debuff.

3. Tried to make each power as good as the others.




[u]Energy Aura[u]

1. The work of one of Castle's minion. Keep a look at it during beta. If too weak, other stuff they can do.

2. Eventually proliferated to Heroes, no timetable.




[u]War Mace[u]

1. Has been under performing. Has been getting buffs over time. Looking to see if the current change went too far.

2. Clobber changed from stun-only power to partial damage power.

3. If the updated War Mace overperforms, Castle thinks it'll more likely be because of Crowd Control's max number of targets, and not because of the change to Clobber.




[u]Midnight Grasp[u]

1. DOT was too long. Most critters die before it's finished. So, more damage (2.2 damage scale) upfront, and shorter DOT (.6 damage scale),



[u]Patron Pools and APP[u]

1. They all got looked at by Posi, Castle, and minion. Datamined which ones were taken and which were ignored. Buffs, nerfs, and power replacements!

2. If powers are replaced, when you log in, you'll have the new power. No grandfathering.

3. About 20% of the A/EPPs were replaced.

4. As one example of the Epic/Patron changes, Castle mentions that Weapon Mastery for Scrappers will now include Focused Accuracy. If his memory is correct.




[u]Mission Architect[u]

1. Repeat the reason why it's delayed: Players wanted customizable bosses. So, Castle sees himself writing AI scripts non-stop.




[u]Toxic Damage[u]

1. Why no Defense? Originally, it was untyped. When it became typed, they added resistance, but forgot to retrofit Defense. And then it became a lack of time issue in order to code it in.

This is more of a 'personal notes' thing than a guide. All the information here is easily found by a search in the Wiki you link to (and frankly, the info in the Wiki is presented in a nicer format, since you can't do too much formatting on the boards). I'm glad you found this helpful, but it's hard to imagine anyone else needing this particular set of information handy as they play, or going to it to look up information.

[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm I have a couple good (to me) backgrounds for some of my toons... now which one to use???


Or can we send in Multiple toons??

[/ QUOTE ]


[ QUOTE ]
Limit: one entry per person.

[/ QUOTE ]