ToySoldierZolgar

Now.. now we just need to get the devs to read this >.>

Sam, the issue here is you're using "Hardcore, powergaming players with far too much time to devote to the game." as the 'common player'.

I STILL haven't run all the 'end game' content blueside.
Going Rogue will mean that I'll have the end-game content redside to play with, too (with one character), not to mention the flashback system, in which I can play the non-end game content that I've missed (on both sides)

I don't deny the system I proposed needs work.
I also don't deny that it could lead to a grind fest for some, and I would like a way to prevent that. The factor here though is.. it's only going to be a grind fest if you're continuing to play your character just to improve your power, which if you're just playing to improve your power, the entire game is a grind fest.

But can you propose any fair method of increasing the "power cap", without it either leading to an endless grind, or requireing the devs to CONSTANTLY add new end-game content.

The first idea would be a good system for 'personal bases'. Do pretty much the same thing blue side (only blue side it would be "cleaning up the streets" and making it "Safer for the civilians") Allows for single players to make a base pretty well, without only rewarding those who farm for mass quantities of (*insert resource*).

The second idea...
I love the concept of it.
Certain things could work, but .. a full control of it? Naw, I don't think so.

I'd say special Strike Forces at levels 25, 35 and 45 (perhaps multiple at 45).
Each one would trigger a zone event. Some red side, some blue side. Most would have no minimum number of people. (like AE and Oro)

25 SF would trigger a minor zone event in one of the "less used" zones blue side (Offer the players in the SF the choice of a few zones, whatever zone got the most votes (from SF members) would be used. In case of a tie between multiple it'd be determined by an RNG)
By minor zone event I mean like .. small-time gang riots, arsons, things like that.

The 35 one would be to unleash a giant robot on one of the "big name" zones. Atlas, Steel Canyon, Talos or Founders.
A blue-side alert would pop up saying "Strike Force *name* has unleashed *insert randomly generated death robot name* on *zone*!"

The 45 ones would unleash various things, maybe a few that would trigger invasions, and each one would tirgger in a specific zone.
One might trigger an Arachnos Assault on Atlas.
Another might unleash several giant monsters on Pergerine.
Yet another would unleash a giant robot on Mercy.
etc.

All of these SFs would be failable, including at least certain missions in them would have a timer. For every mission in the SF you suceed before failing, it increases your chance to cause a Longbow invasion in the zone of origin for the SF.
At higher level ones, it might even include some generic, or even signature heroes (like Mayhem Missions.)

Blue side would get a few similar missions (perhaps not as many), that would trigger increased Longbow patrols, outright Longbow invasions, or perhaps experimental protector-bot-thingies. ("Good guy" giant Monsters.)

Each one of these SFs would hold certain limitations.
1: Account-wide rate limitations. No single player could trigger an event more than once a week. No single player could trigger the same event more than once a month. (This would mean if a group of 8 players ran one, and then immediately ran another, it would not trigger a second event. However if a group of 7 ran one, then an entirely new player who had not been involved in an event triggering SF in the last week were to join them, and they ran another, it would trigger a zone event)
2: there would be a rather significant cost assosciated with the SFs. Probably a sum of inf. that wouldn't be bad split between a group, but costly for a single player.

At the start of any of these SFs the leader could choose to run it to not trigger a zone event blueside, and instead earn reward merits for it. This would still invoke the cost (and thus would be worth a bit more reward merits than a standard SF of equal length (like maybe 5 at most)). The gaining of merits from these would not be restricted the same way triggering a zone event is.

This has probably come up before, unfortunately I wasn't able to find it.. >.>

As the title suggests, I would like the ability to customize ambushes in AE missions, or at very least allow us to include a specific enemy in them, like the 'defeat boss' style objectives.

Basically, what lead to me wanting this, is an arc I have been working on, the AV gets reinforcements from some of her lts. as she gets beaten..

Except of course for the fact that I can't make that work. Because sure, I can set up custom enemy groups with JUST the EB in it, I cannot make it spawn them AND lower tiers with them... This prevents the idea from working, and puts me back to the drawing board for how to make it work.

I know suggestions for raising the level cap come up all the time, and, on consideration... As much as I would LOVE to see the level cap increased, I know it's not exceptionally likely. It would require such a massive amount of work, new zones, new enemies, new powers new this, new that.. all of which would only really be that much of a boon to certain players. (As there are many who are still perfectly happy playing their 50s AT 50.)

But, there are also those like me.. who tend to have a bit of a hard time playing their 50s, because... there's just something really fun about pushing to that next level, and just getting stronger for your efforts.

With the IO system, we have that option, a little bit... but unfortunately the IO system requires us to pretty much either grind TFs, AE missions/farms, or work the market. Or just sit there and farm for inf.

I then came up with a system that might actually work. I was thinking at first, basing it off XP gain, but that would make it a little harder for the devs to control, especially post I16, where you'll gain XP even when exemped. But the Merit system is what I finally settled on for the idea.

For the moment, we will call these 'Epic Merits' or EM for short.
EM would never be awarded to anyone under level 50.
EM would never be awarded for enemies under level 50.
EM would not drop in Architect missions.
EM would be non-transferable.
EM would not drop on Mothership Raids.

(please note, all numbers are examples)
EM would be earned through the following methods:
Mission completion of a level 50 mission would grant a bonus based on the XP bonus the mission would award.
Enemy defeats:
Minions: 15% drop chance, 5% chance to drop two. (Effectively for every 100 minions killed, you'd get 20. 10 dropping 1, 5 dropping 2)
Lt: 50% drop chance, 25% drop chance for 2, 5% drop chance for 3. (100 lts would = 85)
Boss: 100% drop chance, 50% for 2, 10% for 3. (100 bosses would = 170)
EBs: Boss drop +1.
AVs: 5 EM.

For enemy levels above 50, it would earn a slightly higher drop chance (or higher chance for increased numbers from bosses), AVs would get +1 per level (so a 54 AV would drop 9)

Any instance you would earn Reward Merits, you would also earn EM.

Rewards:
For 500 EM, you could add a single slot to a power.
For 1000 EM, you could add a 7th slot to any 6 slotted power. (This could only be done once per power)
For 1000 to 3000 EM, you could add a 5% 'enhancer' bonus to a power. (This bonus would be applied like any other enhancer, other than it would not take up a slot, nor would it be effected by diminishing returns. It could replicate any standard enhancer. Cost would depend on what you were enhancing.)
For 5000 EM, you could choose an additional power standardly available to you.
*removed*For 9,999 EM, you could choose a single power from any set which you would then have as an inherent power. This could only be done one single time per character.*This idea is hereby removed from the concept. It's being left in the post so that certain posts later make sense.*
For 5000 to 9,999 EM you could choose a 5.1% 'global' buff like those awarded from IOs. As with IO set bonuses, you could only benefit from 5 of any identical one. Cost would be based off the bonus taken.

Potentially for various amount of EM, you could also get special 7 piece Purple IO sets.


The idea behind this system is that it adds very little to the game above and beyond what IO sets already offer. But it would allow for level 50s to continue to grow in power by continuing to be heroes (or villains of course).
I don't feel any of the options are exceptionally game breaking, except for perhaps the unrestricted power, which could perhaps be a touch (.. okay quite a bit) broken. But, for someone to save up until they had 9,999 EMs, and only be able to do it once.. I'm not sure it would be that bad.
If it would be perhaps too broken, some restrictions could be put in.

It is possible that this would lead to, over time, them possibly needing some slightly harder 50+ content. But, we already see a need for that with these people who can comfortably solo +4/X8 missions, or AVs, or Rikti Pylons, or any number of other things that were not intended to be soloable.

Thoughts? (Preferably on the concept, and ways it could be better balanced.)

One thing I'm toying with for balance reasons is either not granting for Minions at all, or further reducing the numbers for minions.

I like it. but I would also hate it with a firey passion.
Why? because res sets all suck, this one wouldn't, therefor it would be impossible to get it, unless you were a billionair.

Way I see it..
People are gonna do it regaurdless.
People have their own "in game realities" for their characters. It's honestly a pretty major stretch to assume that my two chars don't know eachother, at least in passing, when they both frequent the same areas.

The QoL change wouldn't really change anything, other than it'd stop people from ******** about it.
As such, I see no "real" reason for them not to do it.

(by the way, want to send some of that obscene wealth my way? )

*blinks at people "throwing away" more money than he has on any character*

I like this idea.
Lotto is across all servers and hero/villain

Pot starts at 1 million, increases by 500 inf for every ticket sold and 100K for every week it goes un-won. Tickets cost 1K inf. Tickets are tranferable. Tickets remain valid for 1 month after the drawing, after which point they are deleted.
Have smaller prizes for not having every number, perhaps (ranging from 500 inf (2 numbers), to 100K inf (only one off))

NPCs would be placed at certain points (maybe vaults?), which would express what the winning numbers were, and you could have them check you for winning tickets, and redeem them if you have any.

I think the easiest system for tickets would be to have them store like Salvage. Have the salvage title 'Lotto ticket for (drawing date), numbers (numbers)' This would make an easy check to ensure ticket was for a given drawing.

How about when Lev sends you to RESCUE Longbow agents?
The team I was on last night was mostly villains, and mostly roleplayers.. We had a field day with that!

But yeah.. totally /signed, or whatever the monkey here is. I hate how my Arachnos Agent is treated like a frelling HERO in the RWZ.