Electric-Knight
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Posts
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I'm not entirely sure (I want to go test this more), but I think it mostly occurs after using the quick one-two attack in Street Justice (Initial Strike).
It very well may occur after other attacks as well, but I'm pretty sure that one triggers it.
I think it comes from using attacks with the shield hand...
My only other experience with Shield Defense is with Super Strength and I never noticed it with that combination.
I am curious if Sands Of Mu (Shadow Maul / Furry) causes it as well.
As I said, I think the problem is actually the stance the character goes into after certain powers. Instead of the usual shield-user stance, they go into more of a brawler stance and the shield-hand is through the shield.
Maybe I'll check it out some more today! See if we can pinpoint the cause(s) and find out if they can do anything about it. -
Quote:I just want to point out that "Blappers" and "Exclusively Ranged Players" may be the two extremes, but those of us who play at ranged and in melee to use all of our powers are not "Blappers".Originally Posted by Winterminal
I do not think anyone is calling for a Blaster secondary completely devoid of melee options. At the least, I am not. But since their secondary category is currently called "Support" rather than "Melee," I think there should be an even balance of powers in those sets for "blappers" as well as exclusively ranged players.
No problem between us or what you're saying, but I know that you're coming from the standpoint of being an at ranged blaster! And you have to remember that your position is an extreme.
I definitely understand that! It is an odd choice, really. It's cool, because it can result in much more of a benefit, but, yeah... it has its drawbacks, for certain! And certainly forces one to enter into close proximity... and, likely, at the start of a fight!Quote:Originally Posted by Winterminal
My biggest problem with Darkness Manipulation was the absence of the traditional Build Up.
I think the real disparity may just be someone using all of the tools available vs. someone only using some of them.Quote:Originally Posted by Winterminal
To a player like me, who prefers to stay at range, Fire Manipulation does not have much, but I can at least use Build Up to make sure my ranged attacks count. With Darkness Manipulation, yes, there is the T1 standard immobilization, but that's really it! Sure, there's Dark Pit, but with a base accuracy of .8, and a brief stun that only works on minions, it is an abysmal power for any archetype to use. With nearly every other secondary, the performance of one of my ranged-only blasters has been comparable to a blapper with the same power set line up. Maybe not completely on par (I'm not that big of a number junkie), but nothing too noticeable. There is a huge difference in the performance of my ranged Dark/Darkness and that of a Dark/Darkness blapper, and that disparity is the crux of my argument.
Really, the term "Blapper" has grown into confusion and misuse and has maybe done more harm towards the perceptions of what isn't a "Blapper".
And I am not trying to sit here telling you the way it is... I'm honestly just thinking out loud and could be wrong!
I have found that my Dark/Dark blaster (and most any blaster I've played) is completely capable of performing well with just using the blasts from the primary. However, I enjoy using the secondary as well and find that, while it is a different experience and approach, it usually creates a greater performance (at the very least, it gets me more exhilarated, haha).
And I believe this to be the crux of this particular discussion.Quote:Originally Posted by Winterminal
So in the case of Martial Arts, while I would prefer a mixed bag power set, there are obviously those of us blaster-enthusiasts who would prefer to have a set heavy in melee for Martial Arts. You all are probably right since a Martial Arts set should be, well, chock-full of kicking and punching! But if a set like that is released, I am sure players like myself would like to see a different set that carried more utility for the ranged players.
This specific secondary could easily (and possibly should) be heayily focused on the melee aspect.
However, I am all for other secondaries that differ from that, for certain. Not necessarily for balance purposes between extreme ranged or melee focused playstyles, but just because the AT is versatile enough to allow for it.
Again, while I think I understand what you're saying and I don't have a big problem with it, I tend to think that your appraisal is slanted in thinking that any Blaster that regularly uses powers within melee is a "Blapper", and then using that as a balancing point against your preference of entirely-ranged.Quote:Originally Posted by Winterminal
If the Devs take a look at Blasters and decide that their secondary category should be called "Melee," (as was the original intent according to that article posted up-thread) then I will shut up, drop my argument, and adapt my playing style. Until that hypothetical time, I am just looking for an even spread of powers for all styles of play.
In the end, though, I don't really mind if some ranged-only love is given. I like outliers and variety and definitely feel like that is an area that could be explored more. However, I do think that's what ranged-only is.
While some may think of me as a blapper, I most enjoy using my holds and drains and saps and leveraging any advantage I can in order to stay alive and deliver the hurt. I just find that being in melee (as an E3 blaster... *coughblaptrollercough*) works out great.
Anyway, I just wanted to mention that I am not a brawl-it-out with no regard for utility powers sort of player... and, honestly, no successful Blaster/Blapper is.
I think the term "Blapper" comes from two places...
1) people who took on the extreme approach of Blasters only using melee powers and showing that it could be done and carrying the name, "Blapper" as a badge of pride and accomplishment.
2) people were scared to enter into melee (despite the design of many of the secondaries and/or because the melee powers in the secondaries were seen more as panic buttons for situational use) so anyone who willfully enters into melee became a "blapper".
I'll stop rambling about it now...
Just going to add this...
If you used Shocking Grasp more, you may find survivability in melee much greater and you might find other powers much more friendly/useable/to-your-liking! Held enemies being hit with my Lightning Field, for example, works out rather nicely and safely!Quote:Originally Posted by Fulmens
[2] I've used Shocking Grasp very occasionally. Thunder Strike barely fits in "good" for me. -
Yeah, I've always been in favor of a stronger name purge (but, I can understand holding off due to the new business model).
Months is too small of a time-frame to go by, but years, I am all for opening up the names (remember it is not an automatic loss of names... they just become open if anyone happens to grab one).
I think 3 years is a great/fair time-frame.
If they want to be more lenient than that, they certainly could be... and there'd still be benefit to it.
With an 8 year old game, I'd bet you'd get some good mileage out of opening up names of accounts that have been inactive for 7 years. The early names grabbed that have not been active for that long could very well house some monickers that'd make current and future players happy to use.
I don't know that they'll ever make any changes along these lines, as Forbin is correct, the arguments of disgruntled/pleased work both ways.
I just see it as active accounts should trump long inactive accounts. Just my opinion on it.
For me, it's not about names being impossible (or even near impossible) to come up with... it's just about names being indefinitely held by people who haven't played this game for years and years and years (and years!).
Those without global names... that's a long time!
I think the cases of people quitting over any of this (on either side) are outliers.
If I come back 4 years later... and my name has been taken... hey, that's on me. Thank you, CoH, for keeping my characters and levels and Inf. and so on in your database!!
I used to play a game that stated, very clearly, that any length of inactivity could result in your characters going bye-bye from their database.
I never heard of this actually happening, but I always thought it was a reasonable warning. -
Thank you, and everyone involved, for compiling and sharing this!
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Quote:Thanks! Too right. The approach is not limited to steamrolling.Originally Posted by I Burnt The Toast
I am not into steamrolling... I like to play and chat and have fun.
...
Thanks for the kind response. So, yeah, there's just the simple aspect of wanting things to go without more of a fuss than what you'd consider ideal.
I can understand that.
I tend to enjoy it most when things don't go according to plan, haha, but I can certainly understand what you're saying.
(And I certainly understand about your example of Oil Slick!) -
While I am certainly not opposed to throwing in one or two ranged mez or some otherwise helpful benefiting power into new Blaster secondaries, I don't think a heavy melee attack focus for a Martial Arts secondary is an odd thing to offer.
I also really don't believe it'd be a detriment numbers-wise.
Still... maybe add in a stunning shuriken attack or something and make it a bit more rounded?
Fulmens and Nethergoat, since you both brought this aspect up...
While I acknowledge that there may be some slight tweaks that may help players who don't particularly like Blasters (or just their secondaries) to actually enjoy them, I also caution against drastically changing things for those who don't like something.
Maybe you (anyone who finds that they don't enjoy playing blasters) simply are not the types of players that Blasters are made for.
There does become a point where we must admit, 'eh, I guess that's just not for me'.
The only reason I say this is because it often seems like people who don't like what I love are championing for changes that don't go along with what I do enjoy.
If they ever went the route that some people ask for... I guess then it'd be my turn to ask for Blasters to be changed!
(not that you two are championing for such changes, as far as I have seen. However, there are people that do and I just saw some dismissing remarks about Blasters and it made me think... maybe Blasters just aren't for you).
For the record, it seems like Controllers just may not be for me. I haven't given them a fair shake yet, but the little that I have makes me think this might be the case.
Anyway, I completely agree with Strato about wishing they'd kick out Blaster Secondaries when introducing Melee powersets. -
Quote:Ramble on!!!!!Originally Posted by StratoNexus
...
I think I am going to ramble a bit...)
StratoNexus... I had no idea... You speak for me!!!
I love everything you said. I am right there with you on this.
It's funny, really... the Blaster secondaries somewhat bleed into being more like additional primary powers, as I see it.
I think all the players that love Shield Charge and Lightning Rod probably understand and relate a little better to this feeling that some of us Blasters have with our secondaries.
I mean, I think most/all ATs and powersets have this to a certain degree, but, obviously, when it is in the form of damaging attacks (or really effective holds or special powers) they just become that much more of a blur as to what we really consider primary or secondary.
The Blasters, especially... they really have two primaries, as far as I am concerned.
And, I think you saying that Blasters are a melee AT is less of an absolute statement, but more of a hey, don't you toss us aside when you think of melee... we are damn-well equal parts melee and ranged!
That's how I play, anyway.
Good stuff, mate!!
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This isn't a knock on anyone or their playstyles, but I just can't fully understand the common mindset/playstyle of pack 'em up tight and AoE and roll on... It's just so boring to me.
It's like putting ducks in a barrel and shooting them.
You can explain to me how the getting the ducks properly sorted into the barrel and kept in there is the fun and challenging part, but I'd still rather enjoy the fun and chaos of running around and blamming, freeming, blapping, smashing everything in this way, that way and/or any which way that sounds fun at the time!
I'm in no rush and I'm not in need of stockpiling anything as quickly and as high as can be.
I don't say this to say that my way is better than anybody else's (other than for my own playtime fun). I just say it to say it and maybe afford a little understanding to the demands for always making everything work within their perceived best way to play.
Thankfully, I don't think anyone here has displayed any stand of everyone needs to play my way... this IO does, obviously, bring the subject up for some people, but that doesn't mean it actually causes it.
This IO will likely come and go with as much impact as any and every other one has had on my playtime - not much at all.
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Hope I didn't ruin it for you, from here on, Thirty-Seven!
And, dug, you may be right...
This was with a Male character using a reinforced round shield.
And, condolences to my queen!
At least we know we're not alone on this.
In before the replies of "And THAT tiny amount of clipping ruined it for you??"
(just kidding... you're a good lot... the lot of you... I mean that a lot...)
Okay, silly overload, I needs to go play!
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I only recently tried out Street Justice with Shield Defense and was surprised/disappointed to see that there were clipping issues with the Shield and my character's hand...
Fortunately, I had already decided that the character would have a different combo (Street Justice/Ninja Reflexes), but I was a bit shocked that the problem was so prevalent.
It seems as though it stems from some of the Street Justice animations and/or it just puts your character into a normal combat stances afterwards, instead of the shield-user stance (I'm honestly not sure).
My character was constantly bobbing around with his fist through his own shield.
Are there other powersets that cause this with Shield Defense?
Honestly, it was bad enough to prevent me from enjoying that (otherwise cool) combo. I'd love to see that get fixed!
I didn't want to sound like I'm ranting about it... but I wanted to mention it. And I was curious if it is just a bug or an unavoidable happenstance of Street Justice's two-hand combos and such.
Both are great sets and I'm surprised that the usual standard of quality is not there for those two sets combined. -
Quote:I am questioning your maths...Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Clearly, Zwillinger was trying to transmit a binary message encoded in his laugh, and in fact the H's and A's form a four octet binary message with a 01 stop, the exclamation mark emphasizing the stop. That can't be a coincidence. The binary message is 168 213 85 85, which is clearly an IP address, which resolves to an address within the PCS-FLA block, which is assigned to the Pinellas County school system in Florida.
Obviously, Paragon Studios is working on a scholastic MMO where players level students from level K through level 12. Its unclear if it is an archetype-based MMO or a skill-tree based MMO although it does appear to have tiered content with gating and strongly discourages PvP.
I'm not sure its a casual-friendly game, since the website suggests the "vision" is for 100% of all players to reach the level cap in a fixed amount of time, and participation in the end game appears to be almost mandatory. Use of the exemplar system is strongly discouraged.
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And I disagree with DarkGob. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Stunrunner
Who?Thank you!Quote:Originally Posted by Dark_Respite
Top.
Men.
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*edited due to suggestive content*
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Names that I'm (somewhat... almost, not so much) amazed I was able to get:
All on Virtue:
I suppose I have to say Amazing Ape, but I'm not really sure how amazing that is. I think my first name idea for my gorilla hero was the Great Ape, but that was taken. While I find the wit in that name to be fun, I think the alliteration worked out far better for the character.
I was somewhat surprised to find Captain Excitement available. I had written a song that talked about a fake comicbook character named Captain Excitement and I logged on later on just to see... it was available and I made the whole costume and persona that worked out rather great.
I was surprised to get the name Truesword quite recently.
And, really, I guess I was very lucky to land my first attempt at my old pen and paper RPG main character Electric-Knight in 2006, because, shortly afterward, I discovered that Electric Knight and ElectricKnight were taken (when I went to try out some alternate versions).
For me, it is the more common-word+cool-sounding names that I'm amazed to land.
I suppose DarkRanger and Dark-Ranger were somewhat nice grabs (but maybe not when Dark Ranger is taken by someone else).
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Quote:This is clearly a hidden message to let a little information slip out to us beneath the radar... Thanks, Zwill!Originally Posted by Zwillinger
HAHAHAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
No.
We have top men working on it right now to deduce what exactly Zwillinger was telling us through this message. -
I would love a Fantasticar! Even just a small, single-occupant Fantasticar (Fantastimini!).
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I've seen a few mention the Mech Armor options...
Those costume pieces/weapons will only be made available through using Paragon Reward Tokens via the VIP Tier 9 Veteran Reward Program.
It is not something that points can be used on. -
Quote:As others said, it has the same stats as Ninja Run.Originally Posted by Nethergoat
I own and love Ninja Run- how does Beast Run compare?
If it's equally cool and functional I wouldn't mind picking it up for my animal-themed characters.
It made a huge, positive difference for my character Amazing Ape. And I happen to love the idle stance for that character (It's a hunched over, heavy breathing sort of a savage type animation. It starts off a bit fast, but calms down quickly to a steady breathing/bobbing rate).
The run is on all fours (more horizontal than would really be possible as a biped, but it looks good) and the jump has no flips or anything fancy (so it can be especially nice being used with the JumpPack to speed things up without giving the ninja flip every tap of the space bar).
Like I said, it made a huge visual difference for my gorilla character, but it is purely a cosmetic option for Ninja Run.
EDIT:
I found a video that shows it off a bit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Egu_uUC616o#t=15 4s
Half way through it starts showing Beast Run and there's some better footage of it later on. You can see the idle stance in this as well.
Also, here's the official Animal Pack trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egjAlnFItQM -
Quote:Great example!Originally Posted by Nethergoat
The closest I've ever come to intentionally playing a game that stunk was Dragon's Lair way back in the day. Gameplay was just ridiculous- memorizing which way to jump- but the animation was a treat and I really wanted to see what the next set piece was.
And truer words have not been spoken!Quote:Originally Posted by Nethergoat
But the ideal way to "play" was, of course, to watch over the shoulder of someone else. =P
Anyway, we all know Dr Aeon killed off Jack's characters because he somehow ruined Aeon's RP back when he was just a player. Right?
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Quote:Originally Posted by rian_frostdrake
so in other words, we turned on the internet
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Sounds like your problems with the game are really that you're a bit burned out (which does indeed happen).
Take a break.
It may only be a week or two, or it may be longer... but most of the time, the desire to play returns and a fresh look of things that seem stale right now become fun and interesting again (or not!).
I always try and change it up when I feel a bit stale. An old alt I haven't played in a long while or maybe just go exploring or do some base building or some other aspect of the game that I hadn't touched in a while.
As far as the store is concerned... The monthly points plus a measure of patience has made it pretty much a non-issue for myself.
I've taken the approach of not getting anything that I don't have a plan to use right now.
And any powersets get tried out on Beta/Test before I buy them (assuming I have an alt in mind that I want to make soon/immediately).
I will say this, I believe it is somewhat true that the focus of a game's design takes a new (and somewhat disappointing) form with a F2P/Hybrid business model than a purely subscription-based model.
The focus becomes about what cool things they can sell, as opposed to anything that could be added to the game to make it more awesome.
Now, Paragon Studios has pleasantly surprised me in the past, so I am not convinced that they'll abandon the latter approach entirely.
I am just saying that I think the things we have been seeing, and the things we have not been seeing, are a result of that general shift in approach.
I'm okay with it and have been enjoying the game, so I'm not worried or doom-and-glooming about it, but it is something that can turn people off and/or could grow to be a problem eventually. -
I'm eager to see what Water Blast will look like and what it'll be like so I can decide on a character I've been sitting on for a while...
I was going to go with Rad/Rad Corrupter, customized to represent toxic water, but now I'm curious to see if a Water/Rad combination may be better!
It's funny though... I may end up sticking with Rad/Rad just because the powers seem to work so well for the concept. I'm very curious to see what I'll think of Water Blast when when I get to check it out.
I don't have any other plans for the sets yet. -
Hehehe, yeah, seriously, I keep imagining this:
Passenger: Google Car, why are you making a left turn here??
Google Autonomous Car: Since it is somewhat along the way towards your destination, I thought you might like to stop at WALMART to buy a TOSHIBA BLURAY PLAYER! -
Quote:Howard Stern is Tony Stark's father?!?!Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
The movie version of Howard Stern is Tony's father. People just have to deal with it.
