BlueRaptor

Trick-or-Treating has been pimped a ton since last year, especially as a rare monster spawns goes. Last year even on a team you needed often several evenings to get 20 ghosts to coem ouf these doors, let alone GET them as the loved to run off back then. And instead had several thousand zombies and pumpkins. This time the formerly rare stuff and bosses spawned like crazy, and on a team of 4 everyone had all their defeat badges in half an hour or so. I also feel you dont have to wait so long anymore before you can click another door.

Yes.
I shall also rerepeat:

More decorative items - but I dont demand insanely unique fancy stuff that noone but me would need. No.
There's just some very basic simple things that would allow a lot of rooms themes and flair but that you cannot possibly mimick with what there is.

(bunk) Bed.
Locker.
Fridge.
Normal TV.
Microwave.
Coffee machine.
Computer without table attached to it.
Non-Restrooms door.
(blind) Window.
(Bar) Stool.
Normal Table. (Like dining table. One you can actually sit at.)

And then there are some patterns that are not available for all walls / ceilings. Like What was it, Dingy I think (Game is down right now). You can only use it for "high" and "low" ceilings, but its not available for "the middle ones, "Arcane" (the one without the pattern) is not available for "low" ones...
Same goes for some wall patterns, making it sometimes hard and sometimes impossible to match a room wall with the wall beneath a bit of raised floor or lowered ceiling. Why?
They should finally make all patterns available for all surfaces they are made for, instantly more options and no new textures needed.

edit: Oh, and the long desired "none" option for floor and ceiling trim.

I find the number of tickets you get is insanely high to start with. They should rather lower that, then the limits will be fine.
Ever compared AE tickets amounts to normal content's Reward Merits?

Sorry to hear that.
On the other hand, I find missions in which you can NOT just park your character inside and be totally safe because everybody is standing statically at their spawn points and waiting for you very refreshing.
There are some missions where you get a Wailer ambush right upon entering red side*, and I enjoyed that and wish there was more like it, for that places are not supposed to be safe following the story.
Though if they are too close to the door people with really slow machines would need to apply a bit of timing upon entering. Or preloading of the mission before entering.

(*not sure if there are Wailers blue side too now, but following the rule that red side must never ever have anything that blue side doesnt, I guess so. )

Yes, it will open the door to abuses and create lots of problems that I dont think we need, (both account-wide influence sharing and a mail function for inf and items have been discussed to death too btw) and influence is indeed not meant to work that way, ideally.

Influence may look already too much like money (infamy even more so), but it's still meant as a non-monetary recognition of your deeds, whether it is direct or Hero Corps keeping track of them and seeing to you getting what you need.
And such influence doesnt grow from sitting around and not saving anybody.

/signed.

I agree. Especially after a recent hard drive crash and loss of my hero builder files, I'll have this very very hard time of trying to remember which power I took at level 6 when all I wanted is to swap something at level 44. I recall I was hoping a respec would be like a big undo-list, where you can go back step by step.
If it doesnt allow that or the suggested feature, it should at least show what you chose at each level last time.

On the original topic: I find it rather far-fetched to assume that new players usually did recognize each power and thus deduct archetype and powersets from the look of it and then use a strategy specially tailored against this combination of powers, and now are doomed because they cant do that anymore.
Really new players likely haven't even seen a lot of powers before, and since they are new to PvP they clearly never fought against them, so I'd say it makes much less difference to them if they are hit by a green or red ominous power that stuns them than to the experienced PvPers that know all the powers and how to react to them.
I'd even go so far to claim that it gives really new players that dont know all the powers and thus cant tell what just attacked them an advantage compared to before, as now more experienced players have similar problems.

On PvP in general: Yes, it has lots of problems, and different-colored powers are surely the least of them. Rather that there's not really something in it, the zones are small and mostly generic. I'd also sign that it is not end game content since there's only one zone where you can PvP without having some of your powers stripped and are prone to weird exemplaring effects.
Warburg is at least moderately exciting, but it also isnt level 50 content, and I dont see why there's no truely free-for-all zone where Heroes and Villains can team in PvP, now that there are so many co-op zone where they work together.

I tried to sum them all up where likely more MA users look, and where there's analogous threads about MA map requests and MA bugs already:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showt...87#post2324387

I tried to sum them all up where likely more MA users look, and where there's analogous threads about MA map requests and MA bugs already:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showt...87#post2324387

Analogous to the MA Map Request Thread, I thought we could use a clean single list of requests for features or options in the mission architect. Including the suggestions from http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=194571 and http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=194961, I'll list them here and shall add yours if you post them here plus add the names of those who'd like to sign a request, so the devs can have a vague idea how popular or pressing a request is. For easy referring the requests / ideas / suggestions are numbered.
Each * under the number stands for one supporter, the first name is the original suggester.

If you think they should add another map to the MA please use the MA Map Request Thread instead, and if you think something is bugged or not working as intended please go to Mission Architect Bugs and Problems list .

rough category guideline to allow finding things faster:
c - (custom) critters visuals
c - (custom) critters powers
c - (custom) critter mechanics
m - mission mechanics
s - story telling
t - technical issues

OK, here they go:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) Wider range of Enemy Group Scaling. c
***
"I have played a few arcs in which the level fluctuated as i progressed, from level 15 to level 30 to level 50 in one arc, and it was down to the Enemy groups that were wanted in the arc. My idea is to have enemy groups scale a bit more widely and have NPC's such as AV's and specific bosses span the entire level range. For example, the Circle of Thorns head man is lvl 35 to 41 because of the TF he appears in, but this means you cannot create a level 50 mission with the COT leader in it despite the group being a level 50 enemy group, surely this can't be right..."
NeonPower, ReclusesPhantom, FredrikSvanberg

(2) Cannon Models for Custom Characters. c
******
"With the cannon enemies in the MA the most you can customise them is to change a little of their colour, but they still keep the same powers and level range. I would like to see cutom enemy skins avaliable to choose as a custom character e.g. The Wailers are level 30-41 and they are very demonic looking, but if i wanted to create a wailer that used fire powers was level 50 and with darker skin, the most i would be able to do was colour the skin slightly and change the name. Surely adding in an option like this would allow for greater customisation potential in story arcs, leading to a better more creative use of the MA?"
NeonPower, ReclusesPhantom, FredrikSvanberg, BlueRaptor, Zamuel, Tainted Shade

(3) Some choice in how custom enemies die. c c s
***
"I'd like my ghosts to poof into nothing and not leave a body."
Lycanus, Fluorescent, Eva Destruction

(4) Clues attached to patrols and ambushes. m s
****
Clues attached to patrols and ambushes, especially for when said ambushes are foreshadowing events for later parts of the arc or even later arcs.
Lycanus, BlueRaptor, Eva Destruction, Zamuel

(5) The option for clues to appear on the first time a multi-quantity objective is clicked. m
**
The option for clues to appear on the first time a multi-quantity objective is clicked.(especially collections).
Lycanus, Zamuel

(6) Locational triggered events. m
***
Come Alive events such as the traps in Imperious and Hess. Comes with options of enemies standing stock still (like the mech men in those TFs) or coming out of the ground (like Banished Pantheon zombies). The mobs connected to a single glowy item that is either clickable or destructable, maybe with options for multiple spawns connected to said item.
Lycanus, BlueRaptor, Zamuel

(7) Customizeable enemy powers. c
*
(I assume he means the visual effects, as in power customization for players)
Lycanus

(8) More specific Spawn locations. m
*****
"Front, Middle, and Back don't really cut it when you're trying for a cinematic sequence of encounters. I.E., one of my missions has the player fighting several Nemesis robots modeled after Arachnos. Once the Recluse bot is at low health, the real Recluse is supposed to show up dramatically to finish it personally...Except he's halfway across the map. So he winds up shouting "Fools! No mere machine can substitute my power!" to...absolutely nobody. Kinda kills the moment. At the very least it would be nice to spawn allies on the player's location. That alone would fix half the dramatic failures in my arc."
AkuTenshiiZero, BlueRaptor, Eva Destruction, Zamuel, Tainted Shade

(9) Cutscenes. s
*
"On that note, I would also love the ability to set up cutscenes, though that might be a bit of a stretch."
AkuTenshiiZero

(10) A flag for default content. t
*
"Picture this; I want to make an arc that uses default content (no unlocked stuff) but I've already unlocked one or more (in my case; all) parts for use in the architect. The arc server goes down and I can't make use of the unlocked parts anyway but I might be part way through creating one or decide to create/polish an arc for someone else. It would be nice to know what parts are part of the basic package."
Tyger

(11) "Ambush" placement option for boss fights. m
*****
When selecting 'ambush' as the placement for a boss fight (instead of front or back... ), the boss group will be spawned as an ambush, charging you.
BlueRaptor, Eva Destruction, Zamuel, Ssyrie, Tainted Shade

(12) A "required" checkbutton for ambushes. m
*****
Just like with other objectives, it makes defeating the ambush a mission requirement, so you cannot simply ignore it and hit the exit button if its at the end of a mission, but have to fight through it.
BlueRaptor, Eva Destruction, Zamuel, Ssyrie, Tainted Shade

(13) "with you from the start" placement option for allies. m
****
When selecting 'with you from the start' as the placement for an ally (instead of front or back... ), the ally will enter the mission with you, already counting as rescued. It will likely count against the 'front' limit for allies.
BlueRaptor, Eva Destruction, Zamuel, Tainted Shade

(14) A "timer" trigger. m
****
You can set a timer that counts down from a given number of seconds, and can use that timer as a trigger for events to be created (e.g. ambushes or things to spawn). Events set to happen on the trigger are activated when the timer reaches 0 or, if the event is required for the mission, when no other mission objectives are active anymore (to prevent people sitting there without an objective and having to wait for it to spawn).
BlueRaptor, Eva Destruction, Zamuel, Tainted Shade

(15) "first blood" and "first aggro" triggers for each enemy group used in the mission. m
**
This trigger becomes active as soon as you defeat / aggro the first enemy from that group. It can be used to create a sort of alarm going off as soon as you are spotted, or create mission where you are not supposed to defeat someone with the 'Mission Failed' event below.
BlueRaptor, Zamuel

(16) A "Mission Failed" event. m
*****
When this event is created, the mission is failed, with an optional message and clue. (It has of course to be triggered by something, or the mission would be impossible.) You can thus set conditions of what the player is NOT supposed to do (defeat a certain mob e.g., or accidentally blow up a delicate destructible object, or hurting any of the guards with the 'first blood' trigger above.).
BlueRaptor, Eva Destruction, Zamuel, Madcat_88_NA, Tainted Shade

(17) "defeat 90%" and "collect x amount" option at defeat and collect objectives. m
**
An option at 'Defeat all enemies' and collection objectives that lowers the requirement to defeating only 90% and finding only x of glowies instead of all, so you dont have to run around endlessly looking for the last one you missed. Optimally would come with a 'stop glowing if x amount is completed' option for the glowies.
BlueRaptor, Zamuel

(18) A "must exit through door" mission objective. m
added with Issue 17
When added, the mission cannot be exited via the exit button, but players have to make it back to the entrance to exit the mission. (Like when you destroy the council robot and the cave comes down, e.g.)
BlueRaptor, Eva Destruction, Zamuel, Lazarus, Madcat_88_NA, Tainted Shade

(19) Higher filesize limit than 100K per arc. t
added with Issue 17
Come on, this is ridiculous. Webmail sites gives you several gigabyte at your disposal for free, and we cant even have a single megabyte for our content? Dowloading times can hardly be an argument either, even with an ancient 28kbit modem you can download 210K in a minute, and I doubt anyone can play the game with such an antiquity anyway. But a more efficient way to store costumes in AE missions would help too, a critter with powers shouldnt need more than 200 bytes plus text, instead of the 4K or so it needs now.
BlueRaptor, Tainted Shade

(20) An "escort to object" objective. m
added with Issue 17
where you must lead the escort to an object within the mission. (example: the Oracle in the ITF)
Eva Destruction, BlueRaptor, Zamuel, Madcat_88_NA, Tainted Shade

(21) "Teleport upon defeat" and early defeat options to allow bosses escaping. m s
*****
where the boss teleports away when defeated (example: Antimatter). Also an option to have a boss objective complete at a certain level of health, rather than needing to defeat the boss completely. Both of these options would allow for a required boss who escapes, without failing the mission. See also (49).
Eva Destruction, BlueRaptor, Lazarus, Tainted Shade, Ultimo_

(22) Defend an object or critter from multiple waves. m
**
An option to defend an object or critter from multiple waves of enemies, such as in the Terra volta respec trial.
Eva Destruction, Zamuel

(23) "random" setting for captives and allies. m c
***
Selects a random member of the group selected for the captive / ally, thus allowing e.g. hostages to be randomly chosen form a group of models instead of having to make several copies of the captive detail with different models or rescuing a dozen clones.
BlueRaptor, Zamuel, Tainted Shade

(24) Higher or no limit on details per mission. t
*
Scrap or raise the limit on 'mission details' per mission (currently 24). The amount of ambushes or allies or whatever is limited by the spawnpoints of the map already, and if people want to have 10 unique glowies and hostages and patrols instead of one detail each with 'quantity: 10', they should be allowed to, imo.
BlueRaptor

(25) Optional categories for custom critters that give them special features. c c
*
(like 'ghosts', 'robots', ... ) "I want full control over custom critter strengths and weaknesses without resorting to giving them a specific armor type. At the very least, allow us to put enemies in pre-defined categories that give them special features." (examples below)
EmperorSteele

(26) Access to all unique critters / characters. c c
***
"For the love of all, can we please have Baby New Year and Snaptooth? PLEASE?"
Not_Epsilon, Tainted Shade, malvineous2000

(27) Non-linear / branching story arcs. m s
****
"I think what I want the most right now is non-linear arcs. I have an idea for an arc.. whereby the first mission is set, but then, from there, you are able to choose which of the 3 middle missions you do. And you are given that option until those 3 missions are complete... and once those are done, you are given the last mission." Also plain branches.
Aisynia, Zamuel, Madcat_88_NA, Tainted Shade

(28) Locked doors. m
**
"I want locked doors and being able to specify who has the key. Of course that will be a bit complicated as it will need code to make sure that you don't accidentally place the keyholder behind the locked door." Also activatable by a glowie.
Lazarus, Zamuel

(29) Kheldian powersets for custom critters. c
**
"Can we get the Kheldian sets in the custom critter maker already? PPD Quantums handle the forms just fine so I don't see what the big deal may be. Also make it so that the Forms are NOT Standard powers so we can make human-form Nictuses and such without losing the XP."
Lazarus, Tainted Shade

(30) Ambushes and bosses spawning with a teleport animation. s
****
"Also, it'd be cool if we could set it so that an ambush spawns with the teleport animation like Malta do when they spawn on the streets of PI."
Lazarus, Eva Destruction, Zamuel, Tainted Shade

(31) Allowing the same name for multiple groups of details. s t
*****
Currently, if you want some of your captives or glowies or bosses to look or behave different than the rest, you need to give them another name because you have to make another mission detail with another name for them, and that is the name that shows in the mission. The requests is that when you make e.g. another group of "Citizen"s to be freed that wear different clothing or give you a different clue, you should have the possibility to call them "Citizen" too, and analogous for items and bosses.
BlueRaptor, Eva Destruction, Zamuel, Tainted Shade, Ultimo_

(32) NPC powersets for custom critters. c
**
"This would obviously be limited to powersets used by human NPCs, and I'd understand if some "signature" powers were excluded, but it would 1) allow more flexibility, 2) let custom critters better blend into groups with standard critters, 3) allow custom critters balanced for lower levels, 4) allow critters that aren't insanely difficult and yet give full xp."
Eva Destruction, Zamuel

(33) Temp powers available for MA missions. s
**
"Let us be able to give the player temp powers [even limit it to one of a kind to avoid exploits] which expire when they exit the mission. Would open up a whole lot of options to make a mission seem more viable." Would have to only work inside the mission or it will be used to pick up a power for travel or hunting purposes.
EU_Damz, Zamuel

(34) A "Total Party Kill" trigger. m
**
Lets you choose the wipe-out of the entire party as a trigger condition for details to be created. Especially in combination with "Mission Failed" event (16), so total party defeat can make the mission fail.
Madcat_88_NA, BlueRaptor

(35) A 'despawn' condition on objectives. m
*
A 'despawn' condition on objectives as well as a spawn one.
Madcat_88_NA

(36) Selectable light, color and fog effects for maps. s
***
"Cosmetically, I'd like the ability to set ambient light level and colour, and fog depth and colour on maps. To see what a difference this makes compare something like Infernal's summoning room map to its equivalent standard CoT map."
Madcat_88_NA, BlueRaptor, Tainted Shade

(37) Option that captives or allies only count as 'rescued' once you find them. m s
**
Currently they count as rescued as soon as they have no guard left, so if you put no guards around them they complete upon entering the mission. You e.g. cant put an npc into your mission that just stands there and gives you a clue or new mission objective when you find him. Counting as rescued if someone else frees them can be desired too, so it should be an option when they shall count as rescued.
BlueRaptor, Tainted Shade

(38) Unique, named critter as part of a guarding group. m s
*****
"The ability to have a specific, unique, named critter as part of an objective's enemy group, and have that critter say relevant dialogue and perform emotes independently of the rest of the group. For example, if I set Boss 1 as a "fight a boss" objective, I would like to be able to have Boss 2 in his surrounding enemy group. The critter could also be used to guard an captive, guard a destructible object, etc."
Eva Destruction, BlueRaptor, treboreleets, Tainted Shade, Nonexistence

(39) A "negotiators" option on boss objectives. s
*
A "negotiators" option on boss objectives, where the objective consists of two critters interacting with each other and both must be defeated for the objective to complete.
Eva Destruction

(40) Standard minions and lieutenants as "fight a boss" objectives. c
*
The ability to use standard minions and lieutenants as "fight a boss" objectives.
Eva Destruction

(41) A "random passersby" menu to populate a map. s
***
I'd like a "random passersby" menu to populate a map - Paragon City street pedestrians (they wave to you heroes, run from villains), RI (back away from you villains) and mayhems (target-able and running around like chickens with their heads cut off), etc. Even having those ghosty ones from Dark Astoria (I think) would be cool too.
Clave_Dark_5, BlueRaptor, Tainted Shade

(42) A "fake fight" mission detail m s
**
Mixed groups of enemies fighting through emotes, instead of really damaging each other, with all the appropriate animations as options, and they would apply to both combatants to have them in sync with each other.
treboreleets, Eva Destruction

(43) Pets enemy groups. c c
*
"Having player spawned pets as an enemy faction would be very cool. Enemy spawned pets are already present, so this shouldn't be hard. Having groups of Genin or Fire Imps running around your map could create some interesting possibilities."
malvineous2000

(44) Giant Monsters. c c
added with Issue 17
"Putting a GM in your mission would be pretty useful. This would improve the system a lot. There would probably have to be a limit on the number of GMs allowed on the map to prevent farming, and the difficulty should be toned down so you can take them down with a single team. Not every GM in the game can be included though, such as Lusca or Hamidon for obvious reasons, but there is no reason that we can't have Jurrassik or Ghost of Scrapyard and such."
malvineous2000, Nericus

(45) Complex triggers composed of several requirements. m
**
E.g. have the final boss only spawn when Objective_1 is completed AND Objective_2 is completed. Could have a selectors for two or more requirements and the operation in between (AND, OR, AND NOT). So your guards can come when when either the computer OR the crates are meddled with, or something horrible happens when starting the machine is completed AND NOT adjusting the controls is completed yet. (see (16) e.g.) Of course that makes checking for valid mission goal chains difficult, and would likely have to just give warning that the editor should double check that, but I think that would be worth it.
The_Cheshire_Cat, BlueRaptor

(46) NPC response text upon object completion. m s
*
"Another random feature that I think would be neat is for allies/Escorts to have "Response" text - basically just have them say something when you complete an objective. It'd be the same as how betrayals work now, only they wouldn't turn hostile. Ideally, you would be able to give a particular ally/Escort as many responses as you want, rather than just limiting them to commenting on only one objective completion."
The_Cheshire_Cat

(47) Exact mob sizes. m s
**
The ability to set the size of a guarding mob or patrol as fix number. The current vague size that scales with the difficulty settings doesnt work well with story telling. If you want a group of friendly characters just standing there via a 'boss fight' detail or small patrol, its either only two when solo or a huge army on even a small team. An option to say there are e.g. exactly 4 workers standing around the 'boss' or cops in a potrol would be a great.
Yes, I know, "Exploitable!". Well here's the news: Everything that allows interesting missions is "exploitable". Would also so-so allow a unique character as in (38) when setting the size to 1.
BlueRaptor, Nonexistence

(48) Renaming "Single" guard size to "None". t
****
Currently it says 'guarding group size: Single' for no guards. That fooled many an architect into thinking it means a single enemy. It should better be called 'none'. Not much of a 'feature', but still.
Zamuel, twelfth, BlueRaptor, Nonexistence

(49) An invulnerability option for bosses. m s
*
An option to turn a boss invulnerable to ensure they get away to play a role later in the arc. "I like the idea of having a state of invulnerability at a certain percentage of health, and a retreat (either run away or teleport out). That way, the heroes get a sense of how to fight him early on." See also (21).
Ultimo_

(50) Different contacts for each mission. s
**
"For example, for the first 3 missions, you select "Contact 1" for each one, but they get kidnapped after the 3rd mission, so for the 4th mission, you could set "Contact 2", which would be something like the computer/desk object, where there'd be info on where to rescue the original contact, and once they were free, you could set them to be the contact for the 5th and final mission."
Golden Girl, twelfth

(51) 'Unique per spawn' option for characters. m s
*
"My suggestion is that Elite Bosses and Arch Villains be marked as Unique in any given spawn. That way no more than one of each specific boss can spawn at once. No more duplicates in the same spawn."
Ultimo_

(52) A 'default emote' option for normal spawns in each mission. s
*
"When I choose a group of customs (or pre-existing) foes, I wish to be able to then choose an emote that all the AI-spawned ones do, instead of the generic 'palm-punch'. Maybe most of my foes need to be standing around reading newspapers for example."
Clave_Dark_5

(53) Access to all powersets for custom critters. c
*
"I've noticed that the Traps set is absent from the available powers. Doesn't seem like there should be any reason for that either, as some of the powers in that set are already usable by NPCs, such as caltrops."
malvineous2000

(54) Selectable music or ambient sound. s
**
The ability to select an intro music or background music or ambient sound for a mission (from a dev-provided set). "Being able to select the intro music would be nice as well. Many maps mood could be greatly changed by some different music."
Ascus, BlueRaptor

(55) Ally Emotes upon task completion. s
*
"With the new 'Lead ally to...' function being added, I would like to give them an emote when the task has been finished."
Red Valkyrja

(and last but not least) No zero-rewards ever! c
added with Issue 17
Whatever you do to a custom character that leaves it a viable foe, it must never ever ever give no rewards. I remove a power that gives a little melee defense and add a much higher tier power that gives defense against all to have the boss be more challenging for ranged characters, and because I removed a power the Elite Boss now gives zero XP? Make it less if you like, but dont ruin so many story ideas with the insane hammer of collateral total wipe-out.
No insane overreacting against everyone just because SOMEone could possibly abuse it!
BlueRaptor, Tainted Shade

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I'll (at least try to) keep updating the list and who signed what suggestions as posts are made here. (or you can PM me with the numbers you'd like to sign if you think it would spam the thread too much otherwise)
Oh, and please try to keep your suggestions meaningful and short.

Besides, as far as the devs' current point of view is concerned, if you make a group that only has bosses you are clearly trying to abuse, so they give only 25% rewards.
(And if you decide to remove a puny power that gives a little melee defense and instead add a higher tier power that gives defense against all so your melee-attacking boss isnt too easy for ranged characters and not too hard for the already penalized melee ones, you are purely evil and the boss gives no reward at all.)

So... I dont see any chance for boss encounters like that in the near future.

You can. But, again, the hostage counts as rescued for mission objective and clue purposes as soon as it has no guards anymore. Thus immediately when entering the mission.
That is the point.