Dauntlass

Fabulous Video! I'd give you stars just for having the same b/day as my kid, but that was ... just cool.
Stars and cheers for ya!

20/21 ...

not bad considering I've been out of comic collecting for a while... =p

... oh and 3 kids (under the age of 6), one wife also.

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You know that all you americans descend from europeans?

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Good thing too. Now I can stop my subscriptiong to National Geographic!

Ya, someone tell that to my *child* who certainly wasn't entirely descended from any half-barbaric (as of 2500 years ago) lands. Sheesh.

Lotsa stuff here that's too funny to talk about.

Yes Feixeno!
I actually liked that music... And yes, the boys over in CG land really need to put out a 10 mins minimovie of some kind.

I think most of the humor is AT based PvP.

Scrappers: pwned by the *nerf fist* Statesman power, MA/SR still gets no respect (Foreshadow), scrapper doing lame damage versus tanks.
Defenders: hung out to dry with lame damage (Manticore) or lame abilities (notice Posi didn't even bother to drop RI/EF).
Blasters: hey you guys make for nice "puppets" anyway.
Controllers: Yup, once again, pwning the place (Ghost Widow anyone?)
Tankers: what? taunt someone? I'm busy pwning this scrapper!

Sorry, that vid played like a *bad* PvP session for me.

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I went away from the computer to check on some CoV stuff and *wham* I received 5 or so PM's asking "what is the Blaster's role?"

Answer - Ranged damage. Now, the issue is more specifically - what does a Blaster do that a Scrapper can't already do? Or, even worse, is a Scrapper inherently "stronger" than a Blaster. We want each Archetype to have a well defined role, and part of our Scrapper testing is aimed directly at this.

Secondly, I have no intention of removing melee attacks - it's just a "perception" by some Blasters that some of the Secondary Sets aren't as useful as Devices or Energy Manipulation. This is a rather frequent refrain in PM's (and the occasional forum post). This is something that we should also explore...we want all the Secondary sets to be fun.

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States -

Given this redefinition of role from "offensive juggernaut," I would propose some things if a blaster is to be effective at "ranged damage."

1.) (stolen back from Concern ) -5%-30% res to all blaster powers for a short duration (see Radiation secondary for defenders). This would allow a team to receive bonuses to damage aside from what the blaster themselves brings

2.) Benefits to being at range: 2 powers specifically need to address defense at range. The 1st secondary and the last secondary. The first secondary needs to have a ranged/ranged AoE defense benefit in the base 7.5% range provided as a toggle (or click if Devices) to smash/lethal & element(if not Devices).

The last secondary power needs to have a significant boost to that ranged / ranged AoE defense due to the difficulties attributed to the 35+ game. Again, however I propose a stackable base defense of 7.5%.

Combined, I'd like to see the two powers provide capped ranged/ranged AoE defense at 75% provided that other defensive sets are used (i.e. Hasten/Combat Jump/Stealth/Weave).

Does this mean much-loved powers like Total Focus should be replaced? - no, I propose moving them to the 8th secondary power slot, with other less useful powers removed.

3.) The 3rd APP power pool, I'd like to see provide low-mag status defense as a toggle. Something that won't allow the reading of newspapers in a DE-infested zone, but something that will allow a blaster to run-and-gun without immediate fear of reprisal.

4.) Smaller radius 9th primary powerset selections which have a short range (20'), and quicker recharge.

Pros:
1.) Blapping would be preserved, but still dangerous. Blasters retain the role of "ranged damage"
2.) Defense provided at ranged/ranged AoE, will encourage Blasters to stay outside.
3.) Smaller radius, short range, shorter recharge 32-powers will allow some degree of aggro management and greater utility.
4.) Balance is still achieved as the follow weaknesses still may be exploited by Environment or other players:

a.) low hps
b.) low mag status resist
c.) melee range
d.) no inherent resists (aside from PP: Tough)
e.) lack of power selection due to use of pool powers.

Cons:
1.) Coding and testing and balancing (gotta mention it)

Summary:
If a blaster is designed to be a master of ranged combat, then significant changes will be required to make it so. As is, a blaster is too fragile for the SL 35+ in either a solo or teamed environment.
Edited for content.

Just wanted to post my small guide for Blasters on Kinetics:

here

Waaaaaaagghhhh!

Can't I get some of these outfits ... um now?

Ok... how about... now?

or ... now?

Forget PvP, Icon 4 teh w!n!

(ack, jerk hacked again by leet speak!)

Question about Kin/Elec ...

Power Build Up seems to be a simply. *awesome* power. Question: does it boost defense for that short period of time as well?

Got a new one here!

Repel: 100 end used in 40s, placing one skul (appropriately) in permanent knockback against a corner. No enhancements whatsoever (nice empty slot).

Should equal 2.5 eps.

Tested with a SL 8 Kinetics/Electric Defender on live.

Edit:

Oops forgot to account for base regen of 10/6 EPS (+1.667 )
That should equal 4.167 EPS unenhanced. Ow.

OMaGosh!ilikemadethisclawsregenFOTMscrapnamed7337w olverineofdoomthenfollowedtheGo.Hunt.KillSkuls.Gui deandIneversawanyskuls
canyouplscritiquemybuildcauseicantfindthesearchbut tonthatslikebythemainindexlinkorbebotheredtohitali nkinsomeonessighalf
thetimeohandidontknowhowtosavemoneyoncarinsurancee ithercanyoupostaguidetothat?!one!!!

(aagh! - I've been jerk hacked!)

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DARK ASTORIA (if anybody can tell me what relation this has to undead, I'd be very happy. I did find a guy who had a D&D campaign started in 1992 in a land called Astoria, which had been overrun by undead in the near past, but I figured that was too much of a coincidence. The guy's name is Brad Dunker, and I tried doing some searching to see if he had any connection to NCSoft, Cryptic, or CoH, but came up empty).


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This was always a running joke between me and my SO... She's *from Astoria, OR* and every time a zombie wanders by and she happens to be in the area, I go "Hey isn't that <fill in the name of one of the town's residents>?" *Whacks my head*

The town is touristy, and only lately is getting some tourist buzz due to the anniversary of being the end of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. If anyone was *from* there though they might mistake it for an Evil Dead movie...

Very cool indeed Posi...

Nice job of thinking about both sides...

One thought?

So do the cameras have speakers? If they can talk on the "local" channel, we could have the fun of post-KO verbal quips, with the ever popular option...

KO'd-Hero mocks his assailant, "oh I could have done that with more *style*..."
"Oh shut UP!" the victor mutters- *Zap*
(mocking person see's a flash of light in first person, followed by static)
*crash,boom of the camera*

Neato... =)

/agree

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How long does it take to organize a respec team? Add that time cost to the actual mission. I have small kids. I have a job. I have a wife. So, the answer is no. I really do not have the 2+ hours it takes from start to finish in one seating. Also, I am not alone in this.
Bushpig

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And that's the reason why my Altaholism / Sleep Loss is where it is. Still, *one* of these nights, I'm stayin' up late on a weekend to do a respec just to do it.

Wow. Like you need more stars, but 5 for you!

States,

I haven't read the whole thread, and I'm sure not everyone agrees with your reasoning, but let me say that I do.

Although initially I subscribed to the game because of the genre, I stayed because of the service. After working in technical customer service in various capacities for several years, I know good service when I see it.

I don't agree with everything that is executed, but I do agree with your commitment to service. I truly admire a group that can admit when things need changing (notice: I didn't say "when things are wrong"). I like both the short, intermediate, and long term plans and look forward to all of them.

Specifically, I like the effort your company places in developing a game that tries to be fun for everyone. Thank you.

I like the idea of leadership auras a lot!

Hey, weird idea, why not give each pre-I3 boss, one of the leadership pool powers?

Why not give the Pre-I3 AV's all of them?

Then surround each with *a lot* of minion spawns!

They would then be *bosses* of things. You know, like leaders?

Disadvantages:
1.) Dev coding ( a little change to the boss's/AV's powersets)
2.) Single target AT's having to work a little harder

Advantages:
1.) Gives Knockback AT's something to do (separate out the bosses, and their aura's won't affect as many)
2.) Give AoE people something to do (now you need them to clear out the newly unbuffed, but plentiful minions
Edit:
3.) Give the FF Defenders something to do: put in that fine isolation bubble on those bosses, or else not on the AVs if you want to still make AVs the show stoppers...

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Not to sound like an old fogey remembering war stories, but I remember back in beta that any mission I attemped with ANY AT with any build I could solo.

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OK, I would be frustrated if that's your experience. Hey, in the comics don't all the solo heroes, well solo?

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Oh well, D&D online will be out in the second part of 2005.

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*sssshhh* I'm still looking at that!

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What is a "Defender" specific AT mission? Protect/heal so many "friends" in a mission?
Poor FF!

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I could think that with nearly no coding you could do a "protect" mission for a specific amount of time over a certain area.

Could be one person going over a specific shown route on a map, going from one end to another. THe FF in this case has a couple of options: bubble the objective, and arrest everyone on the route... or arrest each as they come.

This wouldn't be very solo friendly, but since when are protection details very solo-friendly in the first place?

Another alternative would be to have the defender defend an objective (stationary or mobile) for 30-60 minutes against all comers...
again, difficult solo if there is more than one way into the the target.

Then again, there could be multiple glowies that need to be hit to shut down doors maybe so that only one or two entries could be open... ooh that's starting to sound fun...

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Hey I'll still build Soloers out of the Support AT's myself though, or try to, and if I fail, why should I NOT accept ridicule from players who told me I wasn't supposed to solo? ...It's just this simple... A superior player will find a way to overcome the difficulty anyway. And a Humble player will accept their role in a team.


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Good thing that if I can't be humble, I can just be superior?

Hmmm. I was hoping that those two states aren't exclusive.

I have a non-optimized rad/rad build (no Hasten, no NB use; using X-Ray and CBurst) and I feel that at Tenacious, I'm a very viable build. I use tactics from the 3B club that Concern started and uses, I use my debuffs and cluster the bad guys. When I hit 31, I want to try Rugged with a 6-slotted CBurst.

_Ilr_, I think that two things are needed for this I3 to go well....
1.) good tactical solo advice for players from the players for this release for each primar/secondary combination (already done in many forums)
2.) some changes to the current bosses from the devs: keep the DPS the same if you must (I'd prefer it toned down), and look at those one shots (didn't believe it myself until I saw the report in the global tab: no critical, just one clean shot past all the debuffs: ~741 damage when I had full health at 639).

Otherwise? (directed at those folks favoring the "everyone can solo" camp) I really have to believe that not *every* possible build can be soloable. If you 6 slot Brawl, Rest and Sprint, I'm sorry, you're just not going to be able to solo.

Concept builds are cool. I have one myself. Still, realize that there are some costs to concept builds. Like real life, concepts change when they hit reality. Some concepts can't solo 100% of the time. I've had to change AT's and now builds to survive in I3. Kinda like my own life where I've had to change careers 6 times before I was 30.

I think both sides need to step back, calm down and look at what they need to do to survive in I3. Those people who want to play alts while the devs sort this out? I'm happy for you! Those who want to play through and figure themselves out? I'm happy for you too and I'll help you if you're on the Virtue server...

There are some smart people on these boards. Some are very cool build experts. Some a good tacticians. Some don't even come on these boards and just build and succeed anyway.

Guys and gals, take a deep breath, and calm down.... it's a game, and I think this cool community can help each other get through it...
=)

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I liked City of Heroes for one reason mainly. I could play solo. I am a Dad and when things come up with the kids and the wife I MUST leave the computer you just can't REASONABLY stress reasonably do that in a group. Its not fair to the group. You say MMP shines with a group that may be true. But yours was different it finally was a place solo players could fight solo and just chat with other people. You did not have to fight as a group. But as time goes by each change seems to move away from that. I just feel you are working against me now. As a dad I may need to look elsewhere for an online game.

Terry Bailey Sr.

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Do we need to start a "Dad's SG?"

Yech. Ya, the SG, with no one on at predictable times!

OK, States, good job talking about Boss Changes. I like it when the Devs or anyone communicates with players. We may not like what's said, but it's important to say it anyways (talking as one who is in customer service a lot).

Specific Kudos? -
1.) Love the difficulty slider. I play a rad/rad who was starting to wonder about the challenge level to the game and was holding entire SG conversations while running missions. Now I'm paying attention at Rugged. I significantly changed my build to allow for more single target damage and greater endurance.

2.) Love the idea of new content. I'm encouraged now to work on my alts and see it!

3.) Love the respec freebie. Didn't need to do that, yet you did. Thanks. =)

Issues?
1.) A lot of people complain of being "one shotted" by bosses. Mostly I experience "swiss cheese" My hero gets hit with a status effect, toggles drop, and I have to go back to the Icon tailor to fix the holes and body fluid stains out of my suit.

2.) "Social engineering" I'm a Dad. I play at odd times. I still have found a neat SG, but I don't get to see them that often. I play for an hour/day during the week and more during the weekend. The boss changes seem to hurt the casual player far more as there is a huge time investment. OK, this may mean I slip down to Hard-Boiled again. Could the interface between switching levels be a little better? I think so... can we get those fine Hero Corps reps on the contacts list? Heck, I wouldn't mind doing a mission or two for them even if I can get them on cellphone/speeddial. This would keep with game changes being "in game" and would help quality of life...

3.) "Solos and content" I think that, as others have said on this board, that solos are the ones that actually *read* the story behind this great game you have. I like your missions. I like the stories. I'd like even more depth! I'd like even more emersion, maybe an on going contact love affair/friend/relative. As it is, players often ditch contacts after they run dry of missions... Why not at 25+ let us "design" a contact (at least the clothes/costume). They would only appear at the start of the mission, so that server lag is kept to a minimum. But I digress...

Possible fixes?

1.) Let's take a look at how hard those bosses are hitting... If you fine devs like the DPS, maybe just increasing recharge rate and decreasing damage could be the ticket...

2.) Social engineering: OK, honestly I feel like I'm penalized for grouping because the XP actually goes down for me. Killing bosses is a delay in XP gathering, and XP/time is gained by the theory of less xp at increased & safer rates... the bosses aren't doing that. (yes, when given the opportunity: I really enjoy grouping... currently grouping 40% of the hours I spend in game).

3.) Solos and content: A solo only mission called "Loner" could work here as well as making a few missions to place the Hero Corps contact on the contact list would be great, so that crossing zones wouldn't be necessary. Hey, we're in the 21st century, can't I just *wire* him the influence?

Conclusion: Hey, Great Game States! Let's keep remembering there are casual players too! I group when I *can*. Let me (and others) enjoy the game when we can't...

Lotsa good points in your post GrimReaperX2, I'll just address one of them. I still remember thinking that this is a "super-hero" game. My definition of "Super-hero" isn't spending a lot of time in a given 2-3 mob encounter. I'd like to keep those fights short if possible. If anything, I don't mind, less hps and more minions...

'Tis a cryin' shame that the solution is to increase hps. This doesn't mean that I won't adjust, it just means that it is a shame. Hopefully the xp boost will be worth it.

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Any chance of making stores appear on the maps and making them clickable? Or at least allowing us to put tacks on points permanently? With everything else on the map it's kinda silly that stores and Icon shops aren't on there...

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That would be nice
Also, could you please remove the restriction on TF's/trials where you can't talk to npcs or do your own missions or buy inspirations?
This would go a long way in making it easier for the casual people.

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/agree

Yeesh, Love the game, but still need to work in the morning!