Oneirohero

It's that time of the month again when I resuggest a rather well-received suggestion of mine to the forums in the hopes it gets a 'we'll look into it' by the devs.

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Day-jobs v2.0, proposed suggestions to improve the QoL of the existing system and adding new content to add some more depth to day-jobs as we know it.

Replace timer-based day job bonuses with charges
The reason people don't have much faith in the day-job bonuses these days is because how awkward they're given out. Many DJ bonuses with mission completion requirements are on timers, which means to make the most of the bonus you need to get to a mission and complete it before it runs out. This doesn't work out well because people might want to get a team together before running content and the timer doesn't wait for anything, encouraging recklessness for those who really want to take advantage of the bonus, and woe to those who don't finish a long mission in time before it goes out. >:|

The Solution? Turn timers into charges.

The reason Patrol XP works so well is not because it accumulates from logging out anywhere, but because it's only lost through ACTION. Defeating enemies or being defeated. Auction-house bonuses actually give out charges for powers, you know you'll never lose them unless you use the power or delete them yourself. Also include the jetpack powers which have timers but only count down when you use them. And lastly the tailor discount coupons which are only spent when you use them at the tailor.

All mission complete bonuses should be turned into charges which basically say "Every time you complete a mission, one charge disappears and the bonus is given", when all the charges are gone, just log out of the DJ-location and get some more!

Graveyard's Mortician can act a little differently, charges that are spent every time you are defeated to reduce (or pay off) debt.

PvP's Predator, Transit's movement-bonus, Pocket D's end-recov, Arena's End-bonus, Cime's Resistance, Hospital's regen are trickier ones since they're not mission completes. Solutions could see each of them turning into extra powers-like-toggles where you can choose when you want them active, though this might clutter things. But I still believe that these bonuses should be lost only through action. It's the whole reason people see Day-jobs more as awkward-to-get badges these days.

They could even be click-powers or have different bonuses altogether to ensure they stay around unless they're used, however I'd imagine changes like that would need to be well-thought out to avoid player backlash.

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Day-Job Representatives & Story arcs
If the devs wanted to go even farther, they can try pushing a content angle with Day-job story arcs!

So your character has been working at Wentworths (or the Black market) long enough to have earned their Day Trader/Marketeer badges. Normally that would be the end of it. But this proposal is that day-job representatives will appear in the earliest zones that job features in, in official or unofficial capacities. These contacts contact you when you achieve your badge to alert you that they need your help! Maybe something important from the market has been stolen and they want you to get it back, but only trust you with the task because you know the JOB well enough!

The story-arcs would be relevant to the job at hand, just to add a bit of depth to the system that makes it less of "that badge that takes 21 days of idleness to get".

Additional Perks to Day-Jobs
The second part of the representatives and DJ story arcs would that successful completion of the arc will grant you extra perks related to the day-job.

Maybe by doing good for the Hospitals they'll allow you to purchase some medical temporary powers? Working for the police or arachnos allow you to purchase weapon temporary powers? Or even more interestingly allow you to explore new places in establishments, like behind the scenes in Icon or extra costume parts unique to the group in question? (Per character but with an account-unlock version for Paragon Market)

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That's the end of that suggestion, but let's hear from you discerning folk and jrangers out there!

I want to be able to transfer a Brute on Freedom to Virtue, I hate the name I made for him the first time AND the brute in question has a better chance at being in character than I'd ever get on Freedom.

One free transfer a month might mean the end of free transfers events!

I thought I saw somewhere that it was a 'use it or lose it' server transfer, inferring no stacking. Then again the overview page wasn't specific on the stackablity of the perk. I could be mistaken and VIPs can have as many transfers available as they wish

Too many posts, cannot wait to read everything before posting... D:


What kind of things would I like to see FX wise? Two things! Barrier Auras and a revamp to Inspiration usage effects!

I REALLY liked the look of the Victorian Decor aura not just because of the pattern but because of the way it's overlaid like some sort of shaped forcefield around the body. There should be more auras like this, maybe tech themed ones with beehive barriers and magical ones with runes. And depending on the way it looks, some tinted bubble auras would be a pretty good neutral one as well.

And Inspiration FX, for many years we've had the simple, traditional coloured light from our character's heads whenever we pop an inspiration, but I feel with the effects of today, inspirations could do with some cool effects. Funnily enough I had a CoH related dream about this very idea. I would think that each inspiration type would have it's own visual effects to differentiate itself outside of colour.

Maybe some upward flowing, swirling light-trials from the ground up for health and endurance recovery, signifying raised vitality?

An outward burst effect for Rage, much like a release of power or emotion?. A prominent 'star-wink' around the eye for Insight to show the character gaining 'insight' into an enemy's weakness "Aaahh...!"?

And for Sturdy/Luck? Why not give those shaped auras a try to create some kind of armour-looking FX for Sturdy and maybe ripples for Luck?

Break frees could be a another shaped aura that expands outwards signifying you breaking free of anything holding you. The only inspiration I think is okay how is it in the Awaken line of inspirations.

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Do with this information how you will Tunnel Rat!

I've tried looking for the screenshot that showed this, but I was very sure I saw something with buttons and the words 'wish' or 'wishlist' written on it for various products on the page that you could also buy yourself. Assuming the information is correct and will make it into the final build,

YES!

I have friends I care about and those that are able to play City of heroes I've wanted to make sure they have a good time, if they want something that locked by monetary gates, it's good to know they can now use a wishlist so that I may legitimately buy costume pieces and services for them. Dealing with credit cards sneakily is just a bit too risky for the parties involved.

It would be cool if someone brought something for me too, but yeah, go wishlists!

Another radical idea from myself, my last suggestion was baaad, so I'm hoping this quality of life suggestion might get better results.

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The idea is simply this:
Removing TO enhancements as a physical entity and give characters the ability to set a training focus on any empty enhancement slot. A training focus gives a TO-grade boost to an attribute until it's overridden by a physical enhancement or change of mind.

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How this works,

Whenever you gain a new power and when you add new enhancement slots you'll be given the chance to click onto an empty slot and reveal a number of enhancement symbols surrounding it, ones applicable to the power in question.
Cursoring over each one will explain what it enhances, how much it enhances and how much more powerful it will improve that aspect. Selecting the aspect you'd like to improve will set that slot as a training focus, which in essence is a ghostly TO enhancement that doesn't really take a spot but improves the power's attribute nevertheless.

In the end, when you get new powers and when you get new slots for powers, you're able to enhance those powers immediately with the attributes you want, even if you have no enhancements on hand. The logic of this change is to give precedence that when you train for enhancement slots, you're training to improve your existing powers as opposed to gaining new ones. And that your character alone is able to self-train themselves to gain small improvements to their powers without outside interference.

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• How powerful are the inherent training enhancements/focuses?

The enhancement attributes you can 'fill' an empty slot with will be the same as an even-level TO enhancement we have today. But like IOs, these attributes will not decay with levelling and are assumed to be the same level as your character. You could say that this proposed change would turn TOs into very weak IOs you can get free with every open enhancement slot you get!

While I do start to see some doubt about why powers can't be used while walking, I myself would be pleased if you could at least suppress toggle powers instead of turning them off, also automatically turning [Walk] off when you're attacked by an enemy!

At least then you'll be ready to fight when something breaks out. I'd still have to say that buffs shouldn't break you out of [Walk], I like to defy Speed Boosters with my ability to ignore their powers with my [Smug walk], muhahahaha!

I think it would be pretty cool if a bunch of players recreated the costumes on the splash screen as accurately as possible (With signatures omitted) to appear in game for the fun of it, perhaps even give them some characterisation!

Wow, that Hotel Geneva sign has been there FOREVER!

It's really interesting to see what City of Heroes used to be and what could've been. And also the distinct lack of AE Buildings :P

They did say they were thinking about bases in recent comments, they could do a double-whammy and do a bit of AE upgrading along with bases to allow missions you can customise the layout and spawns too!

Though when you think about how it all panned out last time.

I'd be afraid for the devs too...!

I figured if they did a tier 4 healing inspiration it would be called [Full Recovery] based on the phrase "(S)He'll make a full recovery". But I am sort of saddened they haven't created a T4 version of the inspiration, I would've settled for something like 75% or this 'wasted health gain' that people have been talking about.

Welcome to City of Heroes HiddenLeafNinja!

I do have a bit of advice on mind that could help you with your brute, or just about any character you make in the future.

I highly recommend that you try to enhance your offensive powers to accuracy first, that would be the yellow enhancements with a cross hair symbol inside it. For the reason being that no matter how much damage it does, it's a waste of endurance and time if the attack misses, which is why slotting your attacks with accuracy generally helps you land at most 19 out of 20 attacks for a less frustrating experience in combat.

If you need any help in game, you can catch me as @Oneirohero

I felt the Doublefusion advertising system had promise but not enough effort from the original ads was done to make the successful. I wasn't around when the Nike advert was around but I felt they didn't take the ad seriously, maybe because it's 'just a videogame' or something like that. Thinking that a picture of a shoe would be enough for us to get it.

I personally would like to see Doublefusion rebooted, probably with a few adjustments to bring things up to date and then have quality guidelines to ensure that ads that go into the game are actually to the standard that most ads you'd see on billboards.

And if you don't like the ads regardless, we still have that 'hide ads' option don't we?

Since CoH:Freedom is coming soon(tm), they could even add a small incentive for keeping ads unhidden, like a small stipend of paragon points per week for keeping them in view?

On the original topic, I'm not saying I'm against the idea of showing global names above people's heads as an option, I just don't see the benefit myself. I find more use in the stars always being on to notify me and then the attached note to explain why I put that down on their player note.

I am /signed to this idea!

It's possible they could find a solution by grandfathering in the stacking and positioning of base pieces so existing bases can stay but have the benefit of the new features of the theoretical base system. The new system could simulate, replicate or improve on stacking and positioning to shape real rooms and platforms inside rooms and do so with a real UI on it, instead of precariously stacking blocks and hoping you aligned them perfectly and nothing gets stuck.

I'm hoping the new bases have multiple floors, even if it's just an upper level, main level and basement level.

Been a while since I posted a new thread in the forums, sorry if the thread sounds a bit suggestiony, but a lot of the Freedom-related posts seem to end up here.

I've been reading up on the new tutorial zone for Issue 21 and Freedom, the coming storm has finally come and it's going to wreck Galaxy City forever (tear). It's going to allow any archetype to start there so like Praetoria, your heroic ATs can become villains and same reversal for villainous ATs.

The way it's decided sounds like you'll encounter a dying hero at some point and you're given a choice. Save them or leave them. The former leading you to Atlas Park as hero or the latter leading you to Mercy Island as a villain. This is all well and good but it seems a little thin, a little too simple. As praetoria and Going Rogue have taught us, not very everything in City of Heroes is as black & white as this.

There's probably something more to the tutorial than this, but I feel there should actually be a number of choice throughout that makes you think about what your character's motives are. Are they true-blue, pure-evil or a bit of both?

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With this, I think there should be 3 or 5 'tests of character' that determines if your character is truly a hero at heart, or a villain. Or if possible, even a Vigilante or Rogue too!

Test of Compassion
"Save the dying hero?"
This one is the one mentioned officially as the choice you'd make to becoming a hero or villain. Tests whether you actually care about people and want to see them live, or not.

HERO: "Save the hero from dying"
VILLAIN: "Leave the hero to die"

Test of Temptation
"Should I take it or not?"
This test involves the use of gaining something really nice to start off your career, there's something valuable that's certainly not yours but it's not guarded or protected anymore. Do you dare pinch from the pile or leave it where it is?

HERO: "Protect the Valuables from being stolen/Leave the valuables"
VILLAIN: "Steal the valuables for yourself"

Test of Sacrifice
"Should I risk my life?"
I don't know if the test of compassion already covers this, but this test gives you an instance where you must save someone from something typically dangerous. It might not even be an important person, it could be someone's pet or treasured item instead. Would you risk your life to help this person or ignore their plea?

HERO: "Save the person/pet/treasured heirloom, risking your life"
ROGUE: "Save the person/pet/treasure for a price"
VILLAIN: "Ignore the plea for help"

Test of Priorities
"Do I save the people or catch the villains?"
This one tests your character's priorities. You're given an instance where people are in danger however criminals or monsters are also doing something they shouldn't. Do you go over to make sure the people are safe or gives the enemies what's coming to them?

HERO: "Protect the civilians from harm until they can escape"
VIGILANTE: "Beat the crap out of the enemies, leaving citizens to fend for themselves"
VILLAIN: "Screw them both"

Test of Mercy
"Should I Kill you, or Arrest you?"
You've taken down the enemy or caught them, and they're begging you to let them go or stop wailing on them. Would you detain them and let the law enforcement handle it? Would you put them out of their misery as judge and executioner? Or would you even let them go, knowing what they've done, perhaps at a price?

HERO: "Detain and arrest the criminal"
VIGILANTE: "Defeat/Kill/Rough-up the criminal before leaving/turning-them-in"
ROGUE: "Let the criminal go, with or without a condition attached"
VILLAIN: "Shake them of their valuables, then kill them"
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These are just a few of the tests I thought off the top of my head. But you can get the idea now. The tutorial, like Praetoria, shouldn't be all black and white. In the same way that your character can't switch alignments like a switch, there has to be a deeper motivation to becoming a hero or a villain or anything in between. A lot of these choices have Vigilante and Rogue thrown in them in the chance that you can start off as a grey alignment, but if you can't then those would be adjusted to be a binary Hero/Villain choice, can't help but dream though?

And why 3 or 5 instead of 2 and 4? Keeping it in odd scenerios lessens the degree of having to do tie-breakers. Also, If done in a group of FIVE tests, even if you did one of each alignment you'd end up with one alignment getting the majority moral choices made and eliminates all tie-breakers.

If done in groups of THREE then I'd have to say Heroes and Vigilantes count as the same and Rogues and Villains count as the other when making tie breakers. Getting a Hero+Vigilante+Villain result would make you a Hero/Vigilante, because there's more 'greater good' decisions than not. Getting Vigilante+Rogue+Rogue would make you a Rogue because it got majority

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Do you think this would make an overall better start to a character or just a more confusing tutorial? Post away forumites!

It would take a true hero to have the heart to save those citizens! Though we at least have the plus-sized citizen model shapes to account for some of these.

Forum Access for All

Every F2P game I've ever tried allows read/write access to their forums. Why? Because they know getting involved with the community gets people to stick around, and people who stick around spend money.

The fear I suppose is gold spam getting posted. But go look at the forums for any given F2P title: how much spam do you see?

I think that Free players should at least be able to access technical forums and the like because of the things that can go wrong in-game that may prevent you from playing or playing enjoyably. Maybe even allow Premium players to access more of the forums or all of it.

Supergroup Memebership for Free Players

Getting involved with the community is very important in MMO retention, and retention is very important in F2P MMOs to get people to spend money. A free player who is allowed to join a Supergroup is much more likely to stick around, and therefore much more likely to spend money.

This also improves the game experience for VIP players as they have a larger pool of Supergroup mates to team up with.

Yeah, I think this would also work as well, most supergroups tend to be very welcoming to newcomers and there's bound to be at least one helper who'll help guide a newbie free player to how the game works and answer their questions.

Consignment House Access for All

The more people involved in an economy, the better that economy is for all involved. By allowing free players access to the Consignment House, they get a better game experience and VIP players get a better game experience as well as the economy is improved by the participation of a larger pool of players.

I'd say it would be best if the Auction house were restricted to Premium and VIPs only, if only to prevent the aforementioned Gold farmers and ease of market griefing.

Mission Architect Play Access for All

Though I agree Arc creation should be limited to VIP/Vet Premium players, the ability to play Mission Architect arcs improves the game experience for VIP players who create MA arcs as one of the biggest issues with MA is getting your arcs played. With more people able to play, VIP MA authors get a better experience than they otherwise would.

Once again, I wouldn't players lower than Premium to get access to AE because I don't particularly like the idea of a AEBabies sequel.

I really have to upload the 'Kinetic Energy Drink' billboard I discovered in Brickstown. Comes in Fulcrum, Speed Boost and Increase Density Flavours!

I was quite surprised seeing that great big coiny thing above Marauder's head, I'm not sure what to think of it. Great for new players who don't know any better but all the same, an eye sore.

Hopefully like most HUD options there'll be a way to turn it off and on to please everybody

I think I've only seen this in Cap Au Diable, but some of the roaming citizens vary in size dramatically, some of them look like they hit the bottom of the tallness slider and sometimes they're just a head shorter than my giant characters.

Maybe those Luddites are onto something...