Starsman
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Posts
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Joined
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Quote:Or kill her off. It's not like MJ is too interesting of a character to keep around if she is no longer related with Spiderman, and her death can trigger an interesting story arc (in the right hands.)Originally Posted by BrandX
Not only that, ending the marriage the way they did was the worst idea ever. A simple divorce would of been better (and I say that as someone who hates divorce stories). -
Quote:This is all... well rather wrong.Originally Posted by DrGemini
In my experiences, the difference between Tankers and Brutes is that Tankers have the ability to command the aggro more easily. Yes, Brutes can taunt and manage aggro. But, from my observations, they have to put more effort into it.
However, the greatest difference to me is explained like this...
If you want to play a melee AT that can tank, play a Brute. Those who play them can easily get away with being poor at tanking by using the excuse of "I'm not really a tank."
If you want to play a character through which you can force your opponent to move and act according to your whim and herd them like cattle, then a Tanker is what you want. Yes, others can step into the role of "tank" when coming up against certain situations. But, they can never really replace your ability to step up and make the mobs completely ignore your team with Taunt -- a power that is as effective as any other power and requires no additional slots to be useful (though the Taunt IO sets do offer some good bonuses).
And, it also relies heavily on how well the person behind the Tank/Brute plays. Anyone can jump behind a Tanker and do OK. But, there is a level of "skill" that only shows with experience.
The only advantage tankers have over brutes for gathering aggro is Gauntlet. There are two problems with Gauntlet: Taunt is just a magnifier for aggro. The multiplier is based off duration. On it's own it does little (unless it has a huge duration like Taunt The Power.)
This makes tanker Taunt powers not do much unless you also hit them with some attack, and since the attack that hit them taunts, at that point Gauntlet is not helping you get aggro, the damage attack did.
Brutes have that same capability. All their single target and AoE attacks can taunt. Their auras can taunt. And their Taunt The Power is identical in every aspect to the Tanker version.
The brute has zero disadvantages to do all you listed above (other than surviving the aggro, something you didnt list above.)
I mentioned this earlier but here it is again (and revised) this is what the tanker would need to comply with the "it's easier for tankers to gather aggro":- All Single Target tanker attacks should have a 17ft Gauntlet Radius.
- All Gauntlet effect must land some form of debuff in order for the Taunt effect to actually make a real impact.
- All Taunt Auras should have a 15ft radius.
But once you have a support AT in the team, the brute can be also supported to the level of survivability needed for them to do the job. This results in tankers being ideal only if the tanker is facing content that favors their build (S/L content for Invuln) or are IOd (but the game must catter also to the F2P players that can't IO.)
This is not to mention the fact that teams with enough support find the role of the tanker nearly entirely redundant.
In short: Although a tanker can be proven useful if you want to prove him useful, there are too many situations that make one of the worst picks on too many teams, even to fill the job he is designed to fill. -
Quote:The devs toy a lot with things that never go into production. Lots of things. If the devs say they are not working on a new AT it means they are not working on a new AT. No more to it.Originally Posted by Thunder Knight
No, it's ambiguous because it doesn't acknowledge the powers that were seen on beta.
Saying "We are not working on a new AT" by itself is not ambiguous. But it becomes ambiguous when coupled with the known existence of two full powersets that explicitly reference a new AT.
I'm not sure how much more clearly I can explain this without running afoul of the moderators. I could spell it out the source of the ambiguity more specifically in PMs, if you like.
What you may see if you look about poking in data files is just remnants of an abandoned project.
Does this mean you will never see a new AT? No. But at this point it's more likely whatever new AT you see a year or two from now (if any) will be an entirely new project and not that one.
Why was it abandoned? Beats me. It may have taken too long to produce. It may had just been too hard to balance and retain it fun. Or it may simply had been considered entirely unfun. It's irrelevant because it was never actually announced. -
For what it's worth, I would had liked a Hybrid that was full time but imposed a sacrifice.
I'm not even looking at the mechanics, just the general description of these (since I only unlock the slots I can solo in DA) but basically:
Using Assault or Control would lower your survivability.
Using Melee or Support would lower your damage output.
This gives a reason to stop using them, for one, keep balance a bit in check. -
Quote:So... you want Ninjitsu proliferated?Originally Posted by BrandX
A mix of Positional Defense/Regen (that means a clickie self heal) and a side of Psi/Smashing Resist. It'd make for a good durability set imo. Something that would fit the likes of Wonder Woman and Spider-Man imo (since they can take the beating...less the sharp pointies).
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IF Rage gets changed. The first thing to go out the door will be the ability to double stack it.
So... carefully what you wish for.
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The issue with the word "balance" is that its heavily tied to at lest 3 variables:
Designers intent
Player enjoyment
Content
See, you may consider a game that has the following:
Extremely sturdy characters that deal next to no damage
Insanely powerful damage dealers that can't survive a gaze their way
A character that is unable to fight but can disarm traps.
Some may consider such a game inbalanced an broken, unless:
The game is intended for all 3 players to always play together
The game provides the tools so that those players always can find eachother easily.
The game provides content that makes sure all enjoy activity during the play-session.
One thing I usually dislike of games like WoW is that the thief characters are reduced to backstabbers that just need to deal damage in a special way and next to no content takes advantage of their disarm traps/lockpick/sabotage skills, thats the kind of thing you must design content around.
Stalkers in this game were "broken" because they also basically needed their own specialized content to function, but it did not exists.
Anyways, back to this game: It's up to the designers to determine the rules of balance. They may be fine with characters like defenders progressing slower solo, but being able to somehow to dramatically boost team performance.
Thats a form of balance.
The two extremes I see right now in the game (as far as AT design goes) are Blasters and Tankers. Blasters dont really improve teams drastically, happen to be some of the first to die in any team and don't have the most stellar solo performance.
Tankers solo also slowly although safely, bring little but their tanking capabilities to the team, a task that is too hard to share efficiently and happen to actually slow down teams that passed on any other DPS or Booster AT instead.
Then there is intra-at balance based off powerset balance, something thats too long running for me to cover in a single post. And then we jump even further on the impact of IOs and incarnate abilities.
Everything goes back to intention, and its a bit easier to tackle balance one step at a time, first dealing with the class and set segments before you even attempt pursuing the IO/incarnate ones. Heck, some changes at the earlier levels may indirectly fix other issues that we see at the IO/Incarnate one. -
Quote:Then they can stick to zones that would work.Originally Posted by Agent White
part of the problem there is how limited CoH's phasing tech is. Sure, Atlas Park could work it. but most other zones can't, as we've been told a lot of 'zone events' would interfere with zone phasing.
Also, zones that don't but they want to "revamp" can entirely drop the events (or have them re-configured) and force players to go to an Echo version to get those badges (if they so desire them) -
Quote:Just a note: what we are seeing in that screen may not be automatic. The tech exists now for story arcs you complete to change the world for you.Originally Posted by Scythus
Event A causes Event B but Event B takes place before Event A?
Perhaps a lvl 1 character that starts today will see Ms Liberty. An incarnate player that completes the story arc required to see Praetor White switch sides, will see White instead.
Got to wait and see. -
Quote:The "problem" with GR was that it forced you out of Pretoria at level 20. From that point forward you basically see everything from the eyes of Paragon heroes or RI villains and stop seeing things from inside.Originally Posted by Siolfir
Unless your main's initials are both the 7th letter of the alphabet.
And even then, after the initial concept with GR they certain tried to ensure with every subsequent issue that we knew how clear cut everything was by ignoring the characterizations and motives that they wrote into the stories from 1-20.
I quit the game when the expansion launched due to a composition of 3 issues:
1) Tanker balance issues with Brutes introduction to the overal game.
2) The fact that the expansion "ended" at level 20.
3) My own quest to make bad games.
As great as it was, I feel they overkilled with the branching system in GR, that time may had been better served doing more content and showing the entire "behind-the-scenes" world at least up to level 40.
I just started this week with the First Ward content, and as much as I like it it feels too neutral entirely ditching the complexity of the initial GR. They should had done this from the start, keep things "simple" but still show the content.
Oh well. Thats history now. But man, was such a missed opportunity. -
Quote:If you play the Pretorian story arc starting lvl 1 there, you will see he is a big softie. Tough. But a softie.Originally Posted by Hqnk
Maruder is NOT A GOOD GUY!!
*breathe*
NOt...good...guy!!!!
Edit:
Alright, it's time to choose a Praetorian graduate and play through all of the post 20 Praetorian content.
He is not exactly a fan of Emperor Cole, something you find out if you opt to take care of Cleopatra.
The entire point of Pretoria was that things are not as clear cut. Especially, from my experience, Cole and White. -
Quote:Well I also did jump into the character concept being possible if they do create a Chi Blast (or Ki Blast, if you prefer that spelling.)Originally Posted by Siolfir
He was talking about Martial Assault, which will be a Dominator secondary. Energy Blast wouldn't work because that's a separate Assault.
A Chi Blast set also can end up being used as part of a Scrapper/Tanker/Brute/Stalker Epic pool further spreading the possibility of a Street Fighter that properly matches the Street Fighter mantra. -
Quote:Not really. Now, Water Blast and Kinetick Melee on the other hand, have the perfect animations. The projectile in Energy Blast is also wrong, has to be more round with glowing/fiery aura.Originally Posted by Mad Grim
Energy Blast animations don't need to be changed to look like that. They already do.
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Quote:Ki blast would not be so much energy. At least not the Street Fighter inspired one. It would be more of a Fire/Smashing thing. Not to mention: going back to the animation thing. If you make the animation, may as well just make the full set.Originally Posted by Mad Grim
A Ki Blast set would be great, but I think for now Energy Blast will do. Same look, same damage type, probably the same effects.
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Quote:I got to say I am a bit disapointed with Martial Assault, out of personal expectations mostly.Originally Posted by Arcanaville
We've been asking for it for about that long. But we know the set's been in development for probably about six months.
I keept daydreaming of a Street Fighter inspired set that would use melee attacks and Hadouken fire balls for the ranged attacks.
I guess the concept still can happen if they end up creating a Chi Blast set in the future. -
Quote:Actually, I will side with the other guy in this one. He said "Brute taunt".Originally Posted by Siolfir
No, the part he quoted in his reply did. I even highlighted it, now in both of my previous two posts. Reading comprehension FTL?
I am not sure others, but I have taken the habit of being very specific while refering to Taunt The Power (capitalizing and then following it with "The Power") precisely because of this. I also refer to the AoE effect tankers have in single target attacks by it's proper name: Gauntlet.
It's easy assume if he says "Brute taunt is single target" that he means the "taunt" in brute's attacks. If you decide there is room for confussion, you can always declare it as a clarification.
With all that junk out of the way:
Tanker Gauntlet effect has, in many attacks, absurdly short range and duration. The radius tends to be so low that it may only affect enemies that would likely already be affected by your taunt aura or simply already aggroed on you.
The true aggro tools for tankers end up being PBAoEs that do damage and taunt combined, and those tend to be shared with brute counterparts, with the brute version being more effective thanks to higher damage. As it stands, tankers dont really have much of a true advantage at aquiring Aggro over brutes.
I would standarize all tanker attacks so they have a 17ft radius gauntlet effect (the same as now Knockout Blow has) and I would boost the range of Taunt The Power to 20ft plus increase it's cap to 10 foes.
Finally, tanker taunt auras should have a 15ft radius, however all debuff effects, damage effects, and any self buffs the power grants should be limited to the current power radius. This will make things like Invincibility for tankers be able to taunt enemies that are 15ft away, but only yield +Def for enemies within 8ft.
This has no overpowering side effects, it simply makes it easier for tankers to grab aggro than for brutes. It's a way of making tankers better at aggro management. -
Quote:Darn, love what you achieved there! Love how even the feet look like actual Rhino toes!Originally Posted by Electric-Knight
Since this thread is about rhinos - here's a not very good image of a character of mine:
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Quote:Well... looking at it it seems thats true yet not that bad. I mean, it's an AoE attack in it's entirety (unlike the version Doms will get) that makes it rarely inefficient. Would be nice if it got a secondary effect like -def or Fire DoT chance.Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
Well, not necessarily broken, but the shuriken attacks costs about the same as other ancillary attacks, but have absolutely no secondary effect to go with them, making them rather inefficient powers to use.
Hmmm...Quote:The attacks have no secondary effects, web grenade versus ring of fire is no contest (or any immob that does damage, especially on a Scrapper), Targeting Drone is pretty weak on Scrappers for a decently high End cost, and Caltrops is Caltrops. Basically, the whole Weapon Mastery pool is a bit lackluster, and any other option would be a better choice.
That may be big topic for another thread.
Web Granade does no damage but it lowers recharge by 40%, it's single target but its a big -recharge debuff that translates into a lot less damage taken. If there is an issue with this power, it would be an issue with all powers.
I sort of like Caltrops, its a great CC power.
Shurken is no Dark Blast, but it has decent DPA.
Targeting Drone may be too expensive today (it was mighty useful before IOs but that advantage may be obsolete.)
Not saying it's not worth looking a the set, though. Just does not seem to be broken-bad. But you may be right, this may be as good of a moment as any to bring the power up. -
Quote:What is broken with it?Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
Maybe we can take this opportunity to fix Exploding Shuriken in the Ancillary Pools. Pretty please?
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Quote:I think something like what he says is in the original CoH manual. It also made mention of Tanker's ranged damage capabilities.Originally Posted by Nalrok_AthZim
Not once in my time on the forums have I ever said anything of the sort.
Mind you, thats too old and from a time where the devs didnt consider cast time, and all attacks, in their eyes, were about equally good. So the fact that two tanker sets had Hurl was enough to make this claim "valid" at the time. -
Quote:If the animation already exists, and matches cast time, it's not that hard. If you talking about making a new alternate animation, that gets complex.Originally Posted by daveyj3
arbiter hawk said something about alternate animations not being soooo complicated or time consuming to add but zwill didnt like him saying that and they tried to low key it because if only all the players KNEW!!!!!
MUAHAHAHAHAHAAH
or something like that. -
Quote:Originally Posted by StratoNexus
Animations are costly and I think in general they want us to pay for them. I am not sure if it is feasible for them to release Animation packs.
Spend 200 PP, get 8 alternate animations for Super Strength sounds good to me, but there may be technical and UI issues with that.
So if that is not feasible, making the new animations and tying them to new powersets allows them to reap the benefit of selling them.
There is an additional hurdle: making animations for a new set is technically easier than making animations for an existing set. For one, every alternative animation must conform to the cast time of the existing power set. In a new set, the artist may end up dictating the cast time of the new attacks.
For this effect to work properly in a blaster, there would have to be eye-blast animations for every single attack in each set that ends up supporting them.
There is a final deal with the "missile". So far we know we can change animations, and we can change the color/tint of the "missile", but an optical blast should not be a fire ball that shoots out of your eyes. It should instead be an ongoing beam that goes from face to target for the duration of the animation. -
Quote:No, I refuse to accept this!Originally Posted by Zyphoid
You don't need a full set, just an animation option for sets already there.
I need my pure Optic Blast set with single target and wide cones. No Targetted AoE. No PBAoE nukes. Pure cones or ST attacks.
Edit:
Besides, the same was true for Street Figthing and Martial Arts or Super Strenght. The same thing would had been achieved with "just" new animations for those sets. But animations are more than half the work, if you get there you may as well also make the full set feel appropiately. -
Good. Good. Now... where is my Optic Blast set? I need to make my Cyclops clone already!!!
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Quote:No. Never.Originally Posted by Garent
Or nerfing willpower.
It's nor my intent nor smething I would be ever be able to convince any developer to do, EVEN if I thought it was required (and I dont.)