Electric-Knight
-
Posts
4379 -
Joined
-
Quote:Excellent point and suggestion!Originally Posted by Steele_Magnolia
Explain to them that as VIP they will get points each month. Those points can be used to buy the sets without spending any money.
They may not realize that if they've only just subscribed.
Right. The powersets have all been 800 points (or lower, when on sale) since Freedom launched.Quote:Originally Posted by Spatch
I'm pretty certain powersets have been 800 pts since Freedom's launch. I could be wrong, but that's my recollection.
Early Beta prices may have been higher, but they were never on sale at a higher price than 800. -
To try and give some simple answers/responses...
You, and others, have made a false distinction. There is no dependency on new tech in order to charge for new powersets. They've never said that was the reason for something to be paid-for or free.
It is just something that's been pointed to by the community, due to the extra work, time and resources required, but nothing has ever been said about explicitly attaching new tech to additional pay.
It just stands to reason that things requiring more time and resources to create are more likely to be used to get more money back.
The simple answer to the question is because they are using more income to fuel more additions to the game.
The why this or that is down mainly to marketing decisions. The reasons are somewhat clear if you look at it objectively... and I'm not talking down about it, but the ones we've gotten for free aren't as popular and/or as enticing as the ones they've sold. That's business.
The snarky answer is a patronizing sit-down about the real world and how everything costs money...
Also, there was no talk about "2 free powersets a year".
Also, Mr. Snuffleupagus was real. -
Quote:I'm not arguing your opinion on this, and I actually mostly agree with it, but I also appreciate the fact that chainmail armor is chainmail armor. I'm really happy that it looks to be a no-frill, chainmail base for us to use. That is actually a really important ingredient for mixing and matching and making costumes in this game.Originally Posted by Amanita
yeah, I commented on facebook that I found the chainmail set kind of underwhelming, like it was really meant to be an underlayer for something else, not a standalone set. You know it's rather uninspiring on its own when even the promo pic has to show it mix and matched with parts from other sets, just to make it look good.
I'm really sick of NPCs getting the cool stuff, while we get less than the lowest of minions when it comes to these sets.
While I love some detailed decorative stuff, I also love basic, generic starting points. And that is actually something that people have been reminding them to deliver on too.
I'm sure we'll be getting a lot of detailed and fancy options as well.
I'm wondering if these sets will be a bit light and that is possibly why we're getting two (leather and chainmail). -
I'm stealing this from a friend, because I felt it was especially appropriate in this forum and speaks well of the man's lasting legacy:
See you in 3,000!!
-
Quote:Indeed!Originally Posted by Zwillinger
I didn't say you're never getting it...it's just not what's coming with the Free for VIP costume set. I hope to see the Black Knights' stuff for sale eventually!
Call a meeting and get it set in motion and announce it... just to make Zyphoid happier!
C'mon... look at his avatar... he needs an upgrade!!
-
Not sure how I missed the humor in the title before...
I'm imagining a boss asking his staff members what they think...
Boss: So, staff, what do you think?
Staff: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes...
I think it is super fabulous fantastic, chief!!
Quote:Thank you for wording that so well and politely!Originally Posted by Emberly
Actually, both are subjective, because what makes a set good varies between people. My thoughts, exactly... minus a wee bit of frustration! 
-
Oh, I don't think that name has that problem at all. Including the disclaimer in your bio is nice of you. I don't think it's necessary, but it's good to be prepared!
Have at it!
Suit and tie costume? -
Quote:It's a slap in the face to capitalism?Originally Posted by Golden Girl
Why is there weeping and wailing everytime we get something free?
Seriously... complainers... calm down.
Thanks for the heads up! -
Yeah, your starting point is one thing, but some of the details are possibly pie in the sky... if expected within a single issue.
Also, QoL features, changes and additions are one thing, but actual bug fixes aren't something they can just say, "Okay, now we're gonna fix that!". If they could fix it, they likely would... but I know you know that.
For whatever it is worth... I'm one of the types of players that'd be more than cool with such approaches. I tend to enjoy little improvements, fine-tweaks and expanded customization over new fancy shiny things.
I also think that they do a nice job of including a good amount of that stuff in most issues anyway.
-
Quote:Originally Posted by SilverAgeFan
Dink,
Late night thought: If it's not too much work, can we get those three new spiffy belt buckles in this pack ported into the Cape Brooch category. The bat brooch in the Halloween pack was a refreshing surprise and represents the only expansion this category has ever received beyond its initial release AFAIK.Indeed, it would be fantastic!Quote:Originally Posted by BigBlackAfrica
I LOVE this idea.
-
Quote:I eagerly await this report... I hope that it remains highly objective.Originally Posted by SpyralPegacyon
Opinions differ, film at eleven.
-
It's not like I don't use it at all... But, when it first came out, I was whipping up personal story arcs for myself and other people's characters and our groups and it is a tool for us to create the most immersing, specific and fun personal character stories possible. I should be using this a ton more than I do...
And I still do use it, but there have been a few things that have made it almost an afterthought for me, even though my SG mates still run regular original AE arcs every week. I sometimes join them (not all the time though) and that is now about the extent of my AE use.
Why?
Mainly because of the damned AE building (that gets zero pluralization, because it is the same damn building everywhere).
I got so sick of being in the same damn place, the same room with holographic contacts and AE terminal screens and... gah!
Here we are... gathered for the greatest immersion possible within the game, but we have to put on the blinders every time we go to the missions and exit them and continue the story.
It's a bit jarring at best... and down-right disappointing at worst. No matter the story, no matter the plot, it's like being in Bill Murray's Ground Hog Day... without Bill Murray and Andie McDowell (but the occasional Chris Elliot is sure to be around).
It seems like a slightly silly thing... and I don't rant and rave about it... It is just something that somewhat subconsciously grew extremely tiring for me... and it was only after I hadn't set foot in an AE building for MONTHS that I realized just why that was the case. That damned AE building.
I love the AE for the role-play and tailor-made personal content we can create - not for the farming.
I used to create missions very frequently and pretty quickly (some things were more involved than others, but sometimes it is just a matter of a good location and/or a good fight).
The other reason(s) I've had a hard time getting back into it is the lack of updates and improvements to things we can do and options to pick. No power customization, several newer powersets missing, no improvements on NPC dialog options or map placements or features.
We got a lot of reduction of xp and options that'd hurt xp gains (which weren't a big deal, but it impacted the advancement rates), but we got little that actually benefited telling stories and creating and playing good tailor-made content.
That and, after taking a break due to recurring AE building interior fatigue (RAEBIF), I found figuring out which maps were what I wanted to be a lot more troubling than I could muster the endurance for.
So, actually, a better way to preview maps might be another major factor.
Okay, thanks for pulling that rant out of me, dug! -
I haven't even finished working on my Beast Master character yet and you release ANOTHER powerset that I have to use POINTS to GET?!?!?!
Just teasin'!
-
Quote:I wouldn't expect one (not with the launch of the powerset, at least).Originally Posted by Angelxman81
Hope it comes with a Weapon pack.
There's been no sign of one whatsoever.
Unless they've kept it completely hidden from us - and, given the amount of leaks and discoveries recently (and over the years), that seems highly unlikely. I think that the safe money is on one not existing.
Okay, Immature-but-I-stopped-reading-after-that, but I don't know what good it will do.Quote:Originally Posted by Kyriani
Call me immature but I stopped reading after that ^_^ -
Quote:Originally Posted by Erratic
Friend of mine played that combo almost exclusively solo and was quite successful with it. Yeah, I am not surprised in the slightest.
I don't believe there's a combination of any powersets within any AT that couldn't be soloed successfully. That's one of the things I love most about this game.
-
No powersets have bored me.
I tend to get my fun from multiple aspects of playing, so an easy powerset doesn't cause any amount of boredom for me.
I have an absolute blast whenever I play my Bots/FF mastermind. Maybe it is mostly because I love the character... but I also love the looks of it all, enjoy blasting everything into oblivion and tend to micro manage moving and commanding my minions.
I think I'm just far too interesting to ever be bored.
-
Well, as you well know, any suggestion will still perform and will have some possible benefits/synergy that someone can point out, hehe...
As much as I love Electric Blast, I was thinking I'd suggest Electric/Devices, since people so often point out Electric's lower damage and how the endurance drain suffers if not paired with /Electric Manipulation.
However... Psi/Devices could be a great one for this.
/Dark just seems too great (to me) to even consider it for this.
-
Absolutely a huge request/desire among the playerbase... so, you are not at all alone in wanting this.
There's a bit of history regarding it, but the bottom line is that they surprised us with the first wave of power customization for our primary and secondary powers. It was something that was known to be a major undertaking, due to how the coding of the powers was handled (before they ever thought to do power customization).
So, a lot of coding work had to be done for each and every power in order to make it happen. Then they had Going Rogue coming out and diverted their attention to that and everything else that has come out since then.
Possibly the biggest hurdle left is the User Interface required for Power Pool customization.
And they never tread on UI work lightly.
They need to figure out and design how it'd be handled - see and customize every single power pool power from character creation and on or only as you choose the powers? - and having that many powers to deal with in a menu is no small task.
The thing that disappoints me is that, since Going Rogue, their answers regarding this large request have mostly been acknowledging our desire for it, but saying that other things have taken priority.
Who knows what has and hasn't been done yet for it... They tend to keep everything close to the vest right up until they're going to release it. So, we really can't say whether or not they've been slowly working on this or not.
Hopefully... we'll see it sooner than later, but so far all we hear is "We know you want this... it's not on the calendar yet". -
Quote:I cannot say that this experience/account answers any of those questions solidly...Originally Posted by Zombie Man
How do you know the backpack is a separate piece and not part of a one-piece top for the NPC rig?
How do you know that the backpack 'fits' onto a PC rig the same way it fits onto an NPC rig? For all you know the NPC backpack is attached to a chest detail node. Which means that the backpack would have to be reoriented in how it attaches to put it on a PC rig.
In the past, there was some sort of bug that allowed a player character to wear the Vanguard back item.
I honestly don't recall the details, but I think that Tech is getting these thoughts/beliefs from that.
Possibly also from some demo-editing or something...
I, however, have zero firsthand knowledge about the validity of what tech has said.
I do remember seeing pictures and reading accounts of someone (at least one person) saying that the back packs seemed to fit fine in action.
*shrugs*
No idea what the reality is though! -
Quote:I'll not balk at it if we add, "...We'd have a different problem altogether." to the end of that quote.Originally Posted by Bosstone
While I don't really support some of the decisions made recently, I have to kind of balk at "Well if you'd just do what we tell you to do we wouldn't have this problem."
-
Zwill, was I close about what it cost for you to relay that information to us?
(Also, I hope my jokes were not part of what you've seen as attacks against marketing) -
Quote:I'm not exactly sure what you are saying or asking here.Originally Posted by Psylenz
@Electric Knight, I was mistaken when the official word was released on staff fighting, but as they said in the 4/3/2012 post WHY NO ANNOUNCE THREAD?
Nothing was said about it not coming out in April. And within that thread that Zwill created, he stated that it will come out in April.
Do you understand that Zwill is a middle man.
He could only give us what he was allowed to. And I'd imagine he had to pull a bit to get us as much information as he did give us.
And the amount of information changes as time progresses.
He may have had to sell a few kidneys to Black Pebble in order to tell us that it would be within April.
Then, next week, he may have had to wash and wax Black Pebble's private jet in order to be able to tell us the exact date it'd be coming out. -
You're incorrect...
First, they said it was coming in April. Then, on April 10th, they said it was coming on the 17th.
Dismiss whatever you wish, but your original post is incorrect.
Honest question: Was I reading your post incorrectly or were you implying/thinking that the forum outrage/impatience influenced Paragon Studios to deliver Staff Fighting earlier than they had planned?
Also, no big deal. We all make mistakes.
-
I come from the future!!
And I have seen this before!!
Be warned... this overview will be pulled down!!!
Oh... wait... never mind!!
I'm really looking forward to the two costume sets coming... among other things, of course! -
Quote:I just think our exchange started off on the wrong foot.Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
Something else I want to clear up because I missed this post somehow:
I'm not claiming you're spouting nonsense. Far from it. I just find your claim to be one-sided, valuing "variety" above all else, and at the same time ignoring that variety is really only useful when it works. When a powerset or an AT is considered, it needs to perform in a way that's comparable to most others in its category, and it needs to be able to perform without requiring an abnormally large investment. In other words, you can't make a powerset or an AT that's intentionally.
Yes, I'm sure there are plenty of people who might like a weak powerset, but they will like it DESPITE its weakness, not because of it. "Hard mode" powersets are not a good idea, for the simple fact that City of Heroes did what no other MMO has done, and put my difficulty in my own hands. If I want "hard mode," I can achieve it. I don't need my character to be weak. I can make my character weaker, I can make my enemies stronger, and all of this IF I choose to make my game harder.
You can't ignore technical problems with powersets just because you like their style. Almost without a shadow of a doubt, those technical problems can be fixed without ruining what you like about the powerset. Niche appeal is no excuse for sub-par performance.
A few quick points (I think you do fully get some of these, but they are just some things that were on my mind about what I'd said):
- My initial post was not intended to be a wet blanket on the idea of fixing things.
- And it wasn't something I thought was overly complex and doesn't really require a great amount of thought or anything (partly why it struck me as annoying to be accused of making things overly complicated).
- It's also not something I was using to validate or defend or protect any personal preferences or save things under the cottage rule or anything. It was honestly just a simple observation on how people have different subjective views for what the "objective" standard of measurement is regarding gameplay performance.
- I also replied after a very long and intense day of writing and recording in a studio and I'm not sure that I did the best job wording things!
- I don't know why I said that Trip Mines shouldn't be touched, hehe. It may or may not deserve some improvements. I honestly don't have any strong cause to not improve it, so I really don't know why I stated that (It's really inconsequential, but I remembered typing it later on and wondered why, haha).
Directly to what you've said above...
I absolutely have zero desire to ignore game mechanics and playability for the sake of diversity. I can understand why you would think I was coming from that angle. I intentionally left my post without much personal desire in there, because I didn't want to cloud what I was talking about. I am pretty sure that you and I agree on more of this quandary, that we've explored mostly in the theoretical, than this exchange has demonstrated.
I truly despise game experiences that have clear, uninspiring gaps in capability of achievements between presented options (ATs and powersets in this case). It's no fun when your choices keep you extremely held back, while other choices reap in the rewards.
Where we might disagree in this instance is the degree of separation within City Of Heroes. It seems to be so well balanced in being able and capable with any and everything, that the lowest outliers do not feel like a major hindrance to me. In addition to that, the earnings and the desirables do not feel out of reach and are relatively easy to attain (they have several options to acquire what you might want and you really don't need any of the highest end things to be successful). These factors are clearly different within CoH when compared to other games. This game really does a great job of allowing "everyone to win", while still maintaining enough elements to fine-tune, min-max and push yourself, should you want to.
There has been a bit of a creeping towards a different way of playing over the years that I have been here. It's pretty rampant now, actually. Things continue to be focused on faster pacing, full teaming, AoE, wipe and move. And that can (and mostly has) become the standard by which people wish to measure things.
I know that you are not the average, mainstream player, so don't think that I've been lumping you into that category.
When I've been saying that you're basing things off of your personal preferences, you think that I am overly valuing diversity... because you believe that you have found the objective standard for balance measurement.
In truth, only the designers can decide what that is. I'm not saying it is wrong for anyone else to come up with their own. I'm saying that we can come up with it all we want... we can express it... we can apparently dismiss other people's standards (as we see all the time), regardless of their enjoyment of specific options, but whatever we come up with, it is not necessarily true.
What most individuals deem as the objective standard of measurement is, at least partially, based off what they believe the standard playstyle approach should be and/or their own personal preferences.
You'll get people from all extremes touting that this should be changed or that this shouldn't be changed. You'll get that from every far extent of things.
I absolutely didn't come in here to battle over what I felt didn't need changing.
I honestly just wanted to offer the viewpoint that many people should look at these types of things with a more open mind. That was the extent of my reason for posting what I did.
I am quite certain that the developers and designers do this. So, I have little fears about such things. I just tire of seeing the claims that clash against other people's claims... when, so very much of it stems from personal preference and what they deem to be the appropriate standard for measuring game balances.
Again... what do I mean by that? What is too slow, quick enough, too quick?
Does "too quick" even exist any more? It just seems like the "quickest it can be" is the standard. If things were to continue on that route, there would be a great number of variances completely lost to us all. It's already lost to those who follow that path of playstyle... but if we balance all around that standard, it is lost to us all.
While that's not something I'd, personally, like to see... it's also not something I believe will happen. And, so, I just figured I'd mention that people should open their minds to a greater degree of disparity for a game that really doesn't punish you for any choices you can make.
We could, indeed, argue about this in circular fashion... but I think we agree... we may just have a different middle point for our degree of balance and fun. Or we may just both like to spout on about such things in our spare time.
I hope this made some sense and offers something worthy of the time it took to read, hehe.