Memphis_Bill
-
Posts
10557 -
Joined
-
Quote:Bring in your most mez-proof tank in PVE. I bring in my Dominator or Controller. Everywhere else in game, you could really ignore me (ignoring, of course, that it's PVE.) In PVP - you are held, period. Mez protection turns into mez *resistance,* and holds have a (from memory, this could be wrong) four second base hold.Originally Posted by HeroJunkie
EDIT: It's true I don't know jack about PvP.
Now how one translates into the other (mag 15, say, protection = what resistance,) I couldn't tell you. But *everything* in a PVP zone does that - including mobs. Which makes it a bit irritating. And also IIRC hold enhancements enhance the duration - turn off your mez protection and I could hold you for double or triple the time, conceivably (and then there's Domination - which might be the triple time I'm thinking of.)
Of course, the zones have been so empty for so long it catches you by surprise just to run INTO someone else... -
Quote:I'm sorry, you need to get another 8% vowel usage in your posting, and another 6% mild snark or we'll have to boot you from this section of the forum.Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
I get it from complete strangers on the street sometimes, which always strikes me as weird. I mean, I could understand if they were relying on me in a team setting or something, but while I'm standing around talking to a contact? Even inside an MMO, apparently, there are a wide range of relative degrees of people needing to get a life.
-
See, the thing is... Tanks *can* get knocked back or mezzed, if the mag is high enough. (And depending on set, as well.) I've had my tank get insta-mezzed when I got slapped with two Master Illusionists and their summoned friends all at once. They're just tougher to do so with - as they're supposed to be.
Basically, if a tank gets knocked back (non-Fire, non-Dark) you know it was a really big hit - as it should, IMHO, be. "Chance for," I'm not so thrilled about. -
The one thing (as I recall) that threw me when I first started trying is that "Custom" wasn't really a valid choice - it'd always fail creating the match, you had to pick a match type.
After that it was generally easy - though I (admittedly) haven't looked much at it lately. -
First - I'm absolutely against vet players getting priority on names. First come, first serve, and I don't care if it's a newbie that gets the name - good on them.
Second, there's a script that's run on occasion to free up names. The first time it ran, it was (IIRC) 90 days inactive, and on characters under 35 - when run, the names would be marked available if someone wanted them. The second time it ran, it was under level *six.* With that sort of info, I doubt it's *old* accounts that have them. I do expect to find out that the script will be run again with similar parameters just prior to Going Rogue's release.
I don't have a problem finding names, quite honestly. But I wouldn't be against a 60 day name retention policy for trial accounts - if they don't purchase the full version, the names and such are wiped. I don't know how many names are tied up *there,* and they max out at 14 (now,) but you never know. -
Quote:Except of course for those who choose to play on servers with a lighter population.Originally Posted by Frosticus
by definition more people choose to play where players exist. Hence population.
Note that not everyone plays on Freedom. Some of us actually avoid it whenever possible.
People choose to play by various criteria. Some play where their friends are. Some play where it's the "RP" server. Some play elsewhere because the "drunk" server sounds fun. Some play on a certain server because it matches their character's "theme." Or just because they like the name. Or because it was the one they picked randomly.
High population is only one possible factor. And sometimes it's a factor in avoidance. -
Quote:YOU may not ... hold on. *plugs ears, waits for explosion.*Originally Posted by Dark_Respite
Niv, Av, or Mod8 - tell whoever is updating the HeroCon website that it's "In-Canon", not "In-Cannon" - we are not shooting arcs into a net.
YOU may not be. Doesn't mean I'm not.
-
Quote:Let me just say I *hated* that in CO with a passion. HATED. One of many things that verified, for me, I'd never go past a trial with it.Originally Posted by Marshal_Victory
Just a idea but server mergers would not be that big of a deal IF our toons names were tied to our chat handles ( similar to CO) so duplicate names would not be a problem.
-
Quote:Um, the .critter and .cvg files are integrated into the .storyarc file. And honestly, given the number of revisions since MA came out (thanks to updates, group changes, map changes, item changes, etc.) I don't think any of my original files like that are particularly close to what's "live" now. Why not just have the .storyarc file, unless you're looking at the villain group category?
Attach to the email the Mission Architect crittr, .cvg and .storyarc files, as well as five (5) screenshots. The screenshots must be RGB JPG image formatted files. Other file formats will not be accepted. The total size of the email including all attachments must not exceed 5 MB.
What about multi-arc arcs? (part1/part 2?) -
Vet badges have nothing to do with uber (or otherwise,) honestly.
As far as the questions:
- Playing all this time? Everything. I have 170-some characters. At least one of every AT (except Soldier and Corruptor) at 50, with multiple blasters, defenders, Peacebringers and controllers, looks like doms will be added to that soon.
- Played from when I started to now - well, i still have my original (one of my 50s, Fire/SS tank.) Wasn't my first 50. Wasn't my last. Still take him (my forum namesake) out and run him on occasion, but it's not like it's the "only" one (or even "playing once a week") I play.
- Favourite build? No such thing, really. Warshades, my Mind/Fire dom, my Plant/Thorn dom... I've got quite a few I'll switch to depending on what I feel like doing. Least favourite is probably easier - ill/sonic being right near the top of that list. -
Interesting.
And I *really* wish they'd stop twitting and use the official announcements and such first. -
I've got to admit, when it comes to DXP:
Excitement meter: |==|_______________|
... just isn't budging much these days.
I guess I've been XP-smoothed/boosted/patroled/boosted again/debt eliminated out of interest. -
Quote:Um, the CoP was not a failure from requiring multiple teams. It was pulled because of an exploit - which, from commentary, needed a rewrite of the entire thing to root out.Originally Posted by SingStar
It was called Cathedral of Pain and was a grand failure of epic proportions. We don't talk about it. We don't mention it. We try not to think about it.
Um... kay.Quote:short answer: They lack the skills of doing it right! At least we do get the mothership raid with the arena chat as poor substitute of a proper raid interface.
I'd say it's more along the lines of (a) not being able to find a way they're happy with and (b) wanting to keep things accessible. The Positron TF used to be multi-team (if not SG) content. As was the initial faultline raid - the description (from the old, written-in-beta Prima book) had you needing up to ninety (!!!) people (if they were at minimum level - 17) to do it successfully.
Think about that.
MMOs don't need "raids," any more than they need to be centered around dwarves, elves and orcs. As optional large scale content, sure. As something you have to do for the "best gear" or whatever? No thanks. I like having them being completely optional here.Quote:How an MMO can survive without real raids today is beyond me, I'm guessing we're just so stuck in this game we don't really know the competition anymore.
I do see where they fit in with a more PVP-centric game (working my way there in Aion, for instance.)
More along the lines of "Because most suggestions are really, really *bad* and have huge problems," not "from fear of change."Quote:Personally I'm rather amazed everytime I play another game. It really shows how old and dated this one feels, yet we're so scared they'd change it that most suggestions are beaten down hard, very hard.
As far as "feeling dated?" Your opinion, and you're welcome to it. I like that it's different in not having stats tied to costume pieces, that it has its own setting, that it doesn't require the "holy trinity" to do anything, that you can be expected to handle large mobs solo (instead of kiting if there's more than 1-2 even-level enemies around, or requiring a "healer" or whatnot.) That mindset is what feels "dated" to me. -
I'm going with "It seems a bit *much.*" But some of the items do seem like they'd come in handy. Trim it down some.
- Base editing, character creator, mission editor all automatically return a "busy" message, just like AFK does.
- Teams. Lots of things come up with this, from not having the player show up unless they're the leader (which would be fine with me) to having the team leader show up with a star, as well as the "Team LFM" setting.
I strongly disagree with this:
Quote:... as it hasn't been the "only option," well.. ever. Unless you're confusing SKing with power leveling. Especially now with "Super SK'ing." You can also roll new alts (go for a theme,) as well.Farming and Power Leveling. So you and some buddies have been playing a while, got your toons up in the mid-forties, and now another friend wants to join in. Power leveling the new guy is the only option.
I agree this should be an optional field. That said, this is likely a holdover from early, *early* in COH history where origins had a HUGE impact. They're still one of the four things that are seen to define a character (along with AT, primary, and secondary.) Everything else is changeable. Those four are "foundation" items.Quote:c) origin(s) (default none) {why, oh why, is this a concern?}
In short - I agree the search could use some updating and revising. I just think this is a bit much taken as a whole, though there are some good (and some often requested) items in it. -
As a "purely out of curiosity" thing... yeah, actually, I wouldn't mind seeing that either. I'd *assume* (there's that word) that either the file or database entry would have some creation date, as well.
Though if they ever got the Vault up and running, I'd think it's more likely to see it *there.* -
Quote:Looking for this?Originally Posted by Rebel_Scum
Oh look, another powerset respec thread. Anyone got the copy/paste response as to why this is a terrible, terrible idea in any form?
And, something to add along with it, Castle's comment on this.Quote:Welcome to the forum. You have posted one of the oft repeated suggestions, "Give us a full respec."
Disclaimer
Yes. This is a cut and paste reply that I keep handy, as well as a quick bit of instruction on how to search. Neither are meant to cause fights or to be insulting. The search instructions are in, not just because forum rules say flat out to search, but to help you and anyone else reading this use the search tool effectively.
The body of the cut and paste reply is the way it is because we've seen these arguments numerous times before. They're a summary of the salient points that come up each time. They are not here to insult you, make you feel stupid or otherwise "bring you down a peg." Instead, they are meant as instruction and information. Please read through the points and the explanation behind them to see the issues that are commonly brought up in response. They may not always match your suggestion 100% - in fact, you may have explained around one or two of them - but they're there for consideration and refinement of your idea.
Yes, I do look forward to the time, with some of these suggestions, that someone not only addresses all the points, but does so exceptionally well. It'll probably be added to the end of the cut/paste reply, with credit. For now, though, read and consider the points. They really are just there to help you, and move discussion along to help ideas evolve.
If you're going to see this and say an "evil forum vet is just shooting down your idea," or "You think you're the last word because of your post count," you're wrong. Heck, if you say the second, you've just worried more about my post count than I have in the last four plus years.
TL,DR reply
No. It breaks things too badly.
Now, on to the topic at hand....
Why a full respec is not a good idea for COH.
So, you've played your Apathy/Dual Wet Noodle Tank to 50 and decided you don't like him. You've come to the forums and said "Why not let me completely respec the character!"
Well, people consider a "full respec" to be different things. I'm going to cover a complete and total character respec. If some of them don't apply, well, this comes up enough for this to be a copy and paste reply.
There are four things that define your character:
1. Archetype
2. Origin
3. Primary powerset
4. Secondary powerset
When people talk about a full respec, they're either talking about the powersets or the whole enchilada.
A Respec is short for respecification - altering what your character can do. This can be through reordering the levels you took powers, reassigning slots, and/or changing power pools. You'll note that none of this touches on changing the four listed items. The reason being that if any of those change, it's not the same character. A respec is not recreation or reimagining. It's tweaking your character a bit.
Now, let's go through some of these "full respecs."
Primary/Secondary
You're sure to hear this repeated a good bit - Just because you've played one set, doesn't mean you know how to play them all.
For instance, my namesake tank is a Fire/Superstrength tank. I know how he plays. The most similar powerset to him at the time of writing is Dark Armor. It's resistance based, it has no knockback protection, it has a damage aura, a self heal that does damage - it even has a self rez as its tier9.
They don't play anything alike. (I can say this, because I also have a version that's DA/SS.) Fire has no Psi protection. It has no stealth. Burn has a far different effect than Oppressive Gloom, and nothing similar to Cloak of Fear. It calls for a thoroughly different style of play. With Fire, I can leave my toggles on and go to town. With Dark Armor, I have to be selective, or the times I have to herd stragglers (for instance) won't work exceptionally well. Dark Armor also does not have anything like Consume to help out with Endurance - that's in Dark Melee.
With "similar" sets being that different - try Fire vs Stone. Or Invulnerability. You now have a set at or near 50 (when most people seem to mention wanting this - "I have a 50 that...") that you don't know how to slot effectively (which means you'll be doing *at least* one more respec) and don't know how to play effectively.
That's just changing *one* side of the equation. Now add in, say, going from Stone Melee to Dark Melee. Different effects, with *very* different affects on your survivability. And you won't know how to slot that, either, or how well they synergize.
Similarly, a Stormie plays vastly differently from an Empath, or a Dark, or a Rad. Earth Control is nothing like Illusion. Combo-chasing with Dual Blades won't help you with Martial Arts.
How do I know that this ends up being a mess?
Beta testing. The devs have, on rare occasion, bumped up characters to specific levels. The most notable was when Recluse's Victory came out for testing. Everyone was made level 40 - and it was a *mess.* Sure, people made copies of their own characters, and those worked out. Then there were those (many, many of those) who said "Hey, I've never had a X/Y before, I'll make one of those!"
Like I said, it was a mess. You could very easily tell who had done that versus making copies of characters they knew.
Now, yes, over time you'll learn your powerset - but in the meantime, you're not going to be very effective, or very happy.
Archetype
Now, given what I just said about powersets, imagine a *whole different AT.* Your tank is now an Empath? Really? You know how to survive as a Blaster because you played a Scrapper? And don't even get me started on epics.
If *sets* are that different, Archetype is that times ten.
Impact on enhancements
IOs are a big part of the game right now. Think about IO'ing out your character. You get your KB protection, sets and the like, potentially spending millions (or more) on finishing up these sets, or working on merits or whatnot.
Now, you change your primary - again, we'll take a tank - from a resistance based one to a defense based one.
Guess what is now useless to you. You *may* have a power to stick that resist set in, somewhere, but now you're defense based - and those resist sets dont' work for you any more. That Knockback set isn't taken any more. It's even worse when you say you want to switch AT - what is a Blaster going to do with a resist set? What is a Scrapper going to do with Sting of the Manticore or Malaise's Illusions?
This isn't even touching on the fact that *you could only retain ten enhancements.* That's 1 2/3 six-slotted powers.
And you'd have nobody to blame for all that lost time and INF but yourself...
Origin
Origin holds a strange place in this list. I'm just going to touch on it briefly.
Origin used to matter *vastly,* back in pre-beta. It determined how many powers you could learn and how skilled you could get with them. The system was scrapped, and for a long time it was mostly an RP item, as well as determining which enhancements you could use.
It now has *some* impact in the game with some temp powers - the "helper" power you get at level 1 (throwing knives, taser, mutagen, etc.) as well as some of the vet powers. The main impact, though, would be if you'd equipped with DOs or SOs, with the lost INF. That said, you would be able to get some of it back. Origin's probably the least of the problems with a full respec. Though some would, of course, complain that they no longer get a damage bonus or what have you - and who knows what the devs may do with this in the future.
Gameplay
There are also two other things to consider.
1. The game is designed around alts.
Seriously. If this were Guild Wars, for instance, with severely limited slots, I could see wanting to do a complete respec. But by default, you can make over 100 characters before feeling a pinch - and can purchase up to 24 additional slots per server, if you so choose. Don't like one set, make some others and try them out.
2. It's just not that hard to level.
Seriously... it's not. With half debt inside missions, patrol XP, double XP weekends, XP smoothing, XP adjustments (typically up,) debt reduction everywhere... it just *isnt'* hard to level. And levelling "honestly" means you're learning your powersets, how they work with each other and others and hopefully how to use them best - which will only make you a stronger player.
In closing, let me just say "No. Roll an alt."
I am somewhat curious as to why the OP thinks "just the secondary" wouldn't be overpowering or have as much impact. I know, for instance, what a difference it makes in tanks (quite a bit between, say, /SS and /Energy.) You're completely changing the armors on Scrappers, Brutes and Stalkers. Corruptors or Controllers? Go from a somewhat more team-centric, say, Thermal to something like Kinetics or Rad - it's a huge impact. "Just" changing the secondary can have a huge impact. -
Quote:Yes. Automatons. Not "real" females, but female-shaped-shells over mechanical innards programmed for specific tasks. Fembots. Replaced when needed. When it comes to his *living* troops, though - I say again, look at his attitude towards Lady Grey. I just don't see him having a co-ed army.Originally Posted by Fleeting Whisper
The Nemesis Automatons (essentially normal Nemesis troops with citizen models as far as mechanics goes) already includes females. -
Not a "badge hunter," and I don't chase numbers, but one thing I *can* say is that one of the most enjoyable times I had *was* badge related - getting some friends together and doing a "tour" (as far as we could go - I think we were in the high 20s or low 30s at the time, pre-Croatoa, pre- lots of stuff.)
Stuff like that, make an event of it for you and your friends (or if you're on the right server, watch for the taxibot events) and have fun. Deal with the "have to work on it" stuff later. Enjoy the scenery. -
/signed.
I'm assuming, as well, that it's the continual update mentioned before. I'm not sure why it doesn't just take you into an editor and "apply" the changes when done in one fell swoop. (Given the costume, powers, and mission editors, actually, being able to "save" a base and work on it over time wouldn't be bad either.) -
Nemesis I don't see recruiting females into his forces. Look at how he treats Lady Grey. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it." If he needs a female "recruit" somewhere, he seems to stick automatons in.
With the COT, there's also (as mentioned, somewhat) the fact we don't see much body shape at all - just eyes out of a heavy, dark robe. But we do see them performing rites on random female civilians. The Succubi are the only obviously female mobs, yes, but not necessarily the only females.
In any case, I could see this tying in with another thread ("red headed stepchildren") - there's no reason that, while updating with some Luddite arcs, they couldn't add female Luddites, for instance. They're an underused group as is. -
Quote:/this.Originally Posted by Local_Man
But you also make an unjustified assumption -- that the other guys know what they are doing. If I can control the spawn and mitigate damage to the team, but the Fire Controller is immobilizing everything in sight just because he can -- and everything in sight is shooting at us, then I feel a little justified in being frustrated.
Had a (former) SG member who just *did not get* that spamming his Frostbite right on top of my Earthquake (or on the mobs that are strung out via a toggle pull, etc.) was not helpful in the least.
If it happened occasionally, fine. Doing it constantly (making mobs that were not a threat suddenly a threat again) - not so good. (And forcing me to focus *more* controls that could have been spread out dealing with ambushes and such - IE, VG on top of the FB'd EQ'd mobs so they're actually held and not a threat again... yeah, many were glad when he *left.*) -
Quote:I want to say they'd mentioned it was running on Windows. Can't cite it at the moment though.Originally Posted by Kitsune Knight
Considering the vast majority of the client's installation size consists of textures, it's highly unlikely it'd require too much additional disk space (hell, since it probably runs on *nix, you could probably fit the entire server + a minimum linux install into a 2 gig virtual machine).
-
And again, the answer would be "For what?"
Personal answer, the best controller gives the most amount of control. When I think of "Controller," I *immediately* go to Earth, Ice, or Plant, with Mind at various levels in there. Insane control? Earth/TA, for instance. You may not solo fast, but you'll be so incredibly safe it'll be boring.
Fire/Kin comes up a lot, as it's a specific farming monster. (Or was. I have one I rarely play, just because I hadn't made one.)
Want heavy team support? Pair one of the heavy control primaries with, say, /FF, /Rad, /Empathy or /Thermal.
Want annoying, play Ill/Sonic.
Of course, come Going Rogue, you'll have folks bringing Dominators over, with a rather different playstyle, and you'll have to decide just how you want your control served.
Regardless, though, it depends on what you want to do with the controller. My Earth/FF is not, for instance, a fast soloing build. -
As far as size, I think the earlier poster overestimates what the server code (on a single person server) would be like - the server doesn't have to deal with graphics and the like, just call out to the client what's where.
Would I play a single player COH...
I'd play if they released the server for others to run, yes. COH as is now, single player, probably not for very long.
Now, give me a SP game *in the COH universe* (with the character customization, etc. that we know and love,) quite possibly. -
Quote:*points out they're still putting out new albums.*Originally Posted by Thirty_Seven
Pet Shop Boys, eh? You are dating yourself a bit there, Bill. (As for me, I am only showing how old my dad is... he was the one who listened to them.)
That said, if you saw my music collection and tried to date me by that, you'd be adding at least 15 years to my life. (Given most of my siblings are, at a minimum, 10 years older than I am, there's a reason for my musical tastes.)
I will say, though, that Violence (Hacienda version) is one of my favourite songs. Top 50 or so, likely.