Santorican

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow

Yes, forums. Do remember me, please.



Some tasks, yes. Some REWARDS, no. "MMO" as a term gets thrown around willy-nilly, but all that means is a large, persistent world that we all share. The term does not inherently assume that we have to interact with each other, and the decision to FORCE interaction is development prerogative. The decision to EXCLUDE solo play is just the same.

I have no problem with TFs and SFs as a general concept, unless they wholly and exclusively gate certain rewards. Right now, I can get everything I could possibly want from the Market, even if it's normally restricted to team-only content. Can't run Hamidon raids? That's OK, I can still buy Hamidon enhancements off the Market. Shards are this mechanic for the Incarnate system, and you'd THINK that solo-friendly, until you remember that it takes a fairly serious arc to unlock this.

The Mender Ramiel arc is not a side TF that you can do or skip and which only provides a better, faster route to most rewards. It is the quintessential lock behind which THE ENTIRE INCARNATE SYSTEM resides. This arc will be attempted by absolutely everybody, of that you can be certain, and not everyone will be able to walk right over it. This will reflect in the numbers and the datamining, just as it always has.

The TFs themselves are unlikely to be made any easier. Those are, after all, the challenges for which the Incarnate system is designed, so difficulty is their point. The Ramiel Arc is NOT one of those TFs.

Originally Posted by Zortel

After getting a character of mine to 50, I've realised something with all the teaming and TFing that's been going on.

I hate my Stone Armour Tanker.

I hate him because if I'm on a team, and there's no Kinetics using character with speed boost, I feel I'm a dead weight.

What awaits me is a series of missions of either getting to the fight last, or of constant toggling and de-toggling as I bring up granite, then drop it, then hope it's recharged by the time I get to the next mob.

And as I do this, it leaves me thinking just one thing:

Why the hell didn't I roll Invun?

As much as I love Rushmore's costume, his style and roleplaying on him, I hate his primary power set (I do love Stone Melee though), and I level slow enough that the thought of rerolling him makes me want to cry in how far he'll be from 50 again.

That's my character I hate. What's yours?

Originally Posted by Scarlet Shocker

It does seem very strange that skins replace existing assets within the game - that's odd and seems to go against Paragon Studio's regular culture to add to rather than replace.

I hope we don't lose skins as a result of this addition but I do like them

Originally Posted by MrCaptainMan

I'm one of the 'easy, please' players. I tried 3 times against tge Honoree with my en/en/flame mastery blaster, and then auto-conpleted. The Minotaur wasn't too onerous for me.

I still advocate making everything in the game soloable via scaling tech. Scale rewards too. I don't begrudge the OP his challenge at all, but I don't need Or want the content to be that hard.

Eco

Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill

This needed another thread. I'm so relieved to see one finally made!

Originally Posted by TonyV

I have to plee.

Originally Posted by Symar

Temporal Overthruster could be a good name. Fire/Kinetic Corruptor?

Originally Posted by Crimson Vanquisher

My main's name is Pallas and it's pronounced "palace"

Other oddly named toons of mine:

Zocalo = SOW-cah-low

Ciuhualcoatl = see-WALL-co-AT-uhl

Bodhisattva = bow-dee-SAT-vuh

Originally Posted by Hindenburg

heya Sant. Your really not gonna be able to use all those melee attacks in PvP..

If it were me, I'd only slot 1 or 2 melee attacks.

If yer taking Soul Mastery you might as well pickup Soul Storm. The hold can set up your melee attack then can be followed up with a Dark Blast.

I added some thoughts to your build and some kb protection (only 32)

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.90
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

WiFry: Level 50 Science Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Fiery Melee
Secondary Power Set: Regeneration
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Scorch -- HO:Nucle(A)
Level 1: Fast Healing -- Numna-Heal/EndRdx(A), Numna-Heal(3), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(3)
Level 2: Reconstruction -- Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(A), Dct'dW-Rchg(5), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(7), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Dct'dW-Heal(13), S'fstPrt-ResKB(15)
Level 4: Quick Recovery -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(5), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(7)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(19)
Level 8: Build Up -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(9), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(9), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(11), AdjTgt-Rchg(11)
Level 10: Super Speed -- EndRdx-I(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(23), Zephyr-ResKB(27)
Level 12: Dull Pain -- Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(A), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(15), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(17), Dct'dW-Heal(17), Dct'dW-Rchg(19)
Level 14: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 16: Integration -- RgnTis-Regen+(A), RgnTis-Heal/EndRdx(36), RgnTis-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(36), HO:Golgi(36)
Level 18: Super Jump -- ULeap-EndRdx(A), ULeap-Jump(25), ULeap-Stlth(25), Zephyr-ResKB(27), Jump-I(37)
Level 20: Tactics -- GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(A), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(21), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(21), Rec'dRet-Pcptn(37)
Level 22: Stealth -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Krma-ResKB(23), Ksmt-ToHit+(33), SW-Def/EndRdx(37), SW-EndRdx/Rchg(40), SW-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 24: Invisibility -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Krma-ResKB(31)
Level 26: Resilience -- S'fstPrt-ResKB(A)
Level 28: Instant Healing -- Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(A), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(29), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Dct'dW-Heal(31), Dct'dW-Rchg(31)
Level 30: Confront -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(39), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(39), Mocking-Rchg(42), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(43), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(45)
Level 32: Greater Fire Sword -- Hectmb-Dmg(A), Hectmb-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Hectmb-Acc/Rchg(33), Hectmb-Dmg/EndRdx(34), Hectmb-Dam%(34), Mako-Dam%(34)
Level 35: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Krma-ResKB(40)
Level 38: Moment of Glory -- LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(39), LkGmblr-Def(40), Krma-ResKB(42)
Level 41: Dark Blast -- Apoc-Acc/Rchg(A), Apoc-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Apoc-Dam%(43), HO:Nucle(45), HO:Centri(46), Cloud-%Dam(46)
Level 44: Shadow Meld -- LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(45), LkGmblr-EndRdx/Rchg(46), Krma-ResKB(48)
Level 47: Soul Storm -- Apoc-Dmg(A), Apoc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), Apoc-Dmg/Rchg(48), NrncSD-Dam%(50), G'Wdw-Dam%(50), UbrkCons-Dam%(50)
Level 49: Phase Shift -- RechRdx-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- IntRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A)

Originally Posted by ABC123

I thought the idea behind this game was that teaming was optional and that everything could be acquired solo.

Now with this release I can't progress my 50's unless I do TFS, do the devs realise how hard it is to get a team together on some servers outside the US ?!

The time zone difference kills us. I am afraid if this doesn't change then this is the end of my 6 year run with this game.

:-(

Originally Posted by bAss_ackwards

Did some more Apex and Tin Mage TFs. People are really wowed by them, but I am beginning to notice that between the two, more like the Apex TF better. Now that is just awesome!

Each run I've done have been clocking in at around the estimated time of 1 hour or less, to which the participants are amazed by the rewards they get at the end compared to the TF time.

Originally Posted by Fritzy

Incarnate System: an insult to skilled players

1. Using the RNG (Random Number Generator) to distribute Incarnate Shards puts them in the hands of undeserving players and can deny the shards to worthy players. Randomness should not be used to determine who obtains Incarnate boosts but should be rewarded to those who succesfully demonstrate mastery of their individual skills.

Individual players need to have their skills tested before being rewarded with something as important as an Incarnate Shard. Using the same type RNG system as is used to determine the pick of real world lottery and slot machine numbers is an insult to the Incarnate System and the Incarnate characters. Skill, not luck, should determine who becomes an Incarnate.


2. I am concerned about the lazy programming that we seem to be heading towards with the future of the Incarnate System. Indications are that the future holds nothing but Raids involving many players. This means that the programming staff only need to create a couple of new TF's for each Incarnate slot release and throw them out to the user base while letting the RNG determine who gets the good stuff and who doesn't. Skilled players not required.

Look at the new content for Incarnates in issue 19. Two new difficult TF's...and that's it. Let the grind begin as these two TF's (and the others that give Incarnate rewards) are farmed over and over again by every type of PUG that can be assembled. Surely, the programming staff and management of this game can do better than that to weed out those deserving to be Incarnates from those not so worthy.


3. The Incarnate System should be totally skill based throughout. There are multiple ways this could be implemented but I will suggest two:

a. Create a huge arc wtih Ramiel as the primary contact where the rewards at the end of each mission is a Shard and the reward at the end of the arc is a Component. Each mission would fit with the Incarnate lore and would reveal more as the arc progresses. Missions could be done in teams or individually with equal rewards for a successful (not auto) completion. Arc could be repeated via Ourobouros.

b. Create a large, related series of Shard missions that are offered randomly to level 50 players who have opened the Alpha slot. A similar system is already in game offering TIP missions and a Shard Mission system could be derived from that programming. Yes, it would take a lot of work to create quality missions but this game deserves to have that work done so that individual players have a fair chance to demonstrate their skills to the esteemed Incarnates like Statesman and Lord Recluse.

4. RNG based rewards inevitably leads to incessant grinding which, most players will acknowledge, is the bane of any MMO game. Skilled players want content and massive amounts of meaningful content that provides them with a story line they can follow and be rewarded accordingly at the end for their diligence in completing it. Unskilled players just want the rewards without the thoughtful work and those players should not be Incarnates.

5. The Incarnate System could and should be much more individually testing that what it is and seems to be headed for in future releases. As it is now, the laziest, most unskilled players can join a TF PUG and be rewarded richly while more highly skilled players receive far fewer rewards (or none at all). In the lore of comic super heroes, the lesser skilled pretenders fail while the more highly skilled ones succeed. Allowing the RNG to determine who moves forward and who lags behind runs counter to everthing super hero lore is based upon.

Summary: Even with the first inteeration of the Incarnate System, the players deserve better and more than what has been done to this point. Allowing the RNG to control the system is an insult to the player base and to the Incarnate characters and lore. Change the thinking soon or risk the system crashing into disuse due its denial of skilled players the challenges and rewards they so richly deserve.

Originally Posted by Deus_Otiosus

You do realize that a team full of support ATs is already more powerful than any team of all melee?




There are no other options.

For melee the choices are:

• Build for Defense and be extremely survivable and then try to squeeze in as much Recharge as possible.
• Squeeze in as much +HP & recharge as possible on a resistance based set - have a self heal, or a self rez - or both - because you will be using them often.'

There is simply nothing else to actually build for in any meaningful amount other than DEF & Rech. HPs help, but not as much as DEF.

Originally Posted by Nihilii

Heh, I just ran this mission yesterday and the waves came in so slow I actually thought it was bugged, didn't know what I was supposed to do and almost filed a bug report. From one extreme to another, it seems.

Originally Posted by GuyPerfect

The Random Number God, who chooses those he adores and those he despises, has smiled upon me today with a blessing. He bestowed on me two Incarnate Shards, with not so much time between them that the "Incarnate Shard Bonded" message from the first could tarry away before the second one was placed in the queue. For these Shards were not merely close together, but came from consecutive enemies.