Hey there all you NCSoft guys and gals,
First up..... thanks. Thanks for an awesome gaming experience and thanks for all the hard work you put into makin' my evenings fun.
Second up... I just read the forum and it said no suggestion for vehicles or running up walls etc, and I know they are in here, but it took me a long time to write this and I would really like to share this with the community and NCSoft and see what you have to say. Suggestion for how mechanics would work are included as well as many other suggestions.
My wife said to me the other day: "Seth, you complain all the time that there is so much more they can do with a game, so many ideas not put into play, you should damn well write your ideas down and send them, or shut up!"... Well... as my friends would know, I'm never going to shut up, so I am writing my ideas down and sending them to you, do with them as you wish
First up on my list of suggested improvements for CoX:
Transport Powers...
Oh man, how I love to fly, but not all characters are made for flying, my martial arts expert shouldn't be able to fly, it's not part of his backstory. Superspeed won't work, he's fast with his fists but not that fast on his feet. Super jump isn't happening, he is not strong enough to leap that high, he's just human. Well that leaves us with teleport, and that won't work either, it just doesn't fit.
I am sure I am not the only one who has had these thoughts, and everyone just settles with flight or superjump, because superspeed is annoying on the ground and teleport costs too much endurance.
There are so many more ideas we could use for travel powers, so much more spice... and best of all,
these mechanics are pretty much built into your game already , it's just a matter of making it happen. So here we go, travel powers remade:
Flight:
1) I don't want to type ;flypose3 every time I lift off the ground or even have to hit a keybind each time. At least have an option where I can choose my flypose permanently or switch automatically between them while flying for some variety. Variety is the spice of gaming, and since this is the slowest travel power, we spend more time in the air than anyone else. Without variety, we get bored. Maybe a different pose for flying up and different for going down, extending right arm when banking left etc.
2)
Banking: The flight animation when turning is incredibly robot looking, stiff and inorganic. Just a small tilt left or right when turning would make a massive difference.
3) Here is a personal request, but one I have heard many, many a person agree with, why cant we have the
jetpack as a permanent option or power somewhere. Everyone loves it, everyone wants it, everyone only get to use it for 2 hours. Same goes for the Zero G pack, awesome, but limited. We could keep these as temp powers for lower levels, but make it a
permanent option for later on in the levels, maybe even have an option to keep it on your back when not using it. How about a recipe? Like Piston boots?
Super jump:
1) Works well in my opinion... Others may have some more ideas, I personally would take less control in the air for more realism, but that's just me, and more likely that most players would want that control for ease of transport.
Superspeed:
1) By far the most annoying as a travel power for me... very useful for speed but
lacks one mega important option: Up. How do we solve this... read a comic book with the Flash in it and tell me that guy can't run up walls. Hell - why even stop there? Surely if you move fast enough, you could create enough heat, friction and updraft to run on air!
2)
Run up walls, problematic at best and it was suggested that I don't mention it in the forums, so I have taken this idea and it's details out completely.
3)
Run on Air: Well just imagine leaving fiery tracks in the air as you speed past those slow poke flyers. I would give only minimal control in the air, banking very slowly, with a short run up before going airborne and a falling option if you stop, but this could really remake the superspeed, make it fun again, instead of spending hours trying to figure out a way around this stupid wall, you at least have the option to go over it.
4) And what about running on water? Please? Maybe?
Teleport:
1) Let me ask a question, why is it that all the other transport powers allow me to get across a map with full endurance and this one does not? This power is extremely unbalanced, have you noticed that no-one uses it? My suggestion is simple, lower the endurance cost drastically.
2) I also find that teleport is too slow moving and almost
frustrating at times . Yes, I am talking about the 4 sec hold, and yes it is absolutely necessary....
in the air. On the ground we don't need to be held for 4 seconds. Most of the time, I want to be running away from the guys I just landed next to
If you have seen the movie "Jumper", you know how cool it would be to move around like that in game. These 2 changes would make this power an AWESOME choice for transport and make combat a whole new ball game.
3 )Maybe a small
speed up on the activation time as well, it's teleport, it should be the fastest mode of transport in the game by far
4)
Mechanics wise , simple place the 4 second hold on the character when the targeting reticule reaches maximum distance, if it is less than that, it is because we are touching the ground or roof and don't require the hold. Otherwise if you have programming that can recognise a surface you can run on, that would be perfect.
A transport power is exactly that... yes it can be used in combat but is almost never used like that. 99.9% of the time not in a mission, we are spending our time travelling from one mission or place to another. Although it is not an intricate part of the combat mechanics, I would almost hazard to say,
we spend more time using travel powers to travel around your game, than we do fighting for truth justice and all that stuff. My suggestion would be to put some time into improving that travel time for the player, make it more fun, make it enjoyable and you will have people sticking around for alot longer. I know I would
Well that is all about the current powers, but what about more options..... Oh no! say the dev group... but hear me out. My idea's are based on what I would imagine, with my non existent programming knowledge and fair animation knowledge, to be fairly easy (Since I am trying to imagine using what is already in the game), if not simply time consuming to implement.
The grappling hook (Not swinging)
1) Where does he get those wonderful toys? Yeah, we all saw that Batman, and we all wanted one after the movie. I am sure many problems come to mind with making such a travel power. First off, moving like Spiderman is a no no, the copyright infringments in that are not even worth mentioning, so how do we move around using a grappling hook without looking like Spiderman?
2) Well, up is easy,
using the flight mechanics and teleport targeting mechanics and a simple straight line, we can go straight up to a targeted location on the side of a wall. Once arriving on the wall, the character can stick against the wall with a neat little animation, allowing the next target or movement to be placed, or jump option to get on top of the building.
3) Down would be different though, 2 options I see are available:
The zip line and the glider. Zip line could use the same mechanic downwards as upwards, or the glider could simply use a flight mechanic without an upwards option.
4)
Simple, but fun as hell and I guarentee you alot of people will go mad for this. All ninja's included.
The car / bike / boat / plane / hover jet thingy - take your pick:
1) Oh yes, you have roads on almost every single map, wonderful byways and bridges. Oh how I would love to race down the roads of Paragon City on my superpowered bike. OK OK, you are worried about many things here, the car can't get everywhere, what about up, how are we to implement car mechanics, what about running over citizens, this is a PG game!!!
2)
Implementing car mechanics? Simple... don't! Use the normal "run around" mechanic coupled with the "summon pet" mechanic with a new 3d model and a few adjustments and people will be happy with it. Simply allow only a forward a backward option, with no strafing, while steering using the standard rick click and drag mouse option and you have basic, but acceptable car movement. Running mechanics are not that realistic to start with and I am sure players would be happy with some unrealistic movements of their vehicles if they at least get to drive them. Improvements can be made at a later date, or over time.
3) Maybe a
ejector seat and parachute / glider will solve the, "I cant get on top of that building" thing, could be fun
) Again, gliding and parachuting is simply flying downwards slowly with a new animation.
4) Possibly
4 options for vehicles, depending on where you want to travel could solve the "I cant get there" problem, Founders Falls or Peregrine Island would be wonderful for boating around, Atlas Park for those super fast bikes, Cimerora for the planes / hover jets and The Hollows for that off road 4 wheeler
5)
A simple spawn animation, like you do with the pets could suffice to bring in your vehicle, right click get in and select power to get out and dismiss vehicle, or something to that effect. Using the jump into hole animation, to get in and out of the car, and the "sit in chair" option for open top vehicles. Dismissing a vehicle as you do with your pet once done.
All these mechanics are already in the game, driving would simply be running fast without jump, planes could simply be flying with a new model.
6)
A possible passenger option could be wonderful for getting teams and colleagues around. Make things alot more fun taking a trip in your team leader's 6 seater hover plane, to the next mission, or trusting your life to your fellow team member's bike riding skills. Mechanics wise, it would be linking each toon to follow the leader in a certain formation, I don't know how tricky this would be, but I am sure it's possible.
7) Even further, to help keep your team together (And alot of the times teams disband because travelling together becomes and issue),
imagine a Supergroup vehicle (Possibly part of the base building options) that any supergroup member of a high enough rank, can summon and / or borrow. An 8 man hover jet of sorts with all the "Zone's" coordinates selectable. Having the option to choose which zone you would like to go to with your team and taking them all there in one easy go, then flying / hovering the rest of the way to the next mission.
8) All of these vehicles should have a
customizable option or at least a few different models with colour choosing options, either at the Tailor (Similar to weapons option) or at a ""garage" as a new introduction to the game. Some spray jobs / texture maps and a few mods, like suspension height, bonnet, body, boot, roof, sides etc. You could even introduce a new company like WW to the game, who specialise in selling vehicles for those superheroes who cant get around quickly or haven't chosen a travel power.
9) Having each vehicle as a separate power option or a vehicle travel power with all 4 as an option, I think is really up to you or the gaming community. Personally, I think each vehicle as their own power allows for more powers to choose from, more variety, and 3 extra powers for each vehicle, like side mounted gun attack, bike with grappling hook, super jump / turbo boost for the car and so on.
Pede pede, that's all folks
Well not actually, these were just my ideas around travel powers. I have a billion other ideas floating around in this little cranium of mine and none of them have a home... if any of you wish to hear more, let me know... otherwise feel free to add your suggestions and improve on my ideas.
Otherwise if I am being a numpty and wasting my time with these suggestions, let me know.
Thanks,
Seth
P.S. Yes I am aware these suggestions have been made before, you don't have to comment on it.... no really, you don't. How about you add to it, or improve it instead. Let's try and get some of these features implemented
