Vishalicious

I just watched the Dr. Who parody with Rowan Atkinson and found myself wishing that if MM customization were introduced to the game, I'd love to transform my bots into Daleks.

A friend of mine found this when she was researching something. I think some of you will get a kick out of it:

http://xbowvsbuddha.blogspot.com/201...t-d.html#links

That second update corrected the issue for me. Like a previous poster, I'd suggest that anyone having this problem verify their files if the auto-updater doesn't do it by itself.

I started the game again, to try file verification. Its downloading another update and fixing files. One of them is piggs/texWorldV1.pigg, so I'm going to assume that its world textures. I'll post again once the update's done and I've logged in to check the results.

After today's patch, parts of the ground, signs, walls and other objects are showing up on my screen as white shapes. As of this AM (I logged off a minute before the maintenance) this wasn't the case. I have an Nvidia 9500 GT and a Core i5.

Like many other players, I would love the opportunity to design a mission or group of missions to share with the game community. Based on the posts in this thread, and from Statesman's first reply in it, there are factors which would need to be considered in order to make such ability a safe addition to the game. Here are some thoughts on these topics:


1. Schedule / submission quantity and requirements / staff manpower / quality assurance / testing

Like other resources, the amount of staff time which can be devoted to the testing of player submissions, with regards to whatever considerations/qualities (balance, rewards, story canon, etc.) the company decides are applicable is, limited. A flood of simultaneous submissions might overwhelm any staff, as might a lack of knowing when such submissions are to be expected. Limiting the potential number of submissions can provide a means towards preserving staff resources.

A scheduling system could be put into place in order to help stem the tide of player submissions. This would reduce the potential number of entries offered for consideration within a given period, as well as encourage a minimum amount of time to be alloted towards development of a submission.

For example, if a player with an active account is allowed to make a single submission once every 3 or 6 months, then that player might be more likely to take steps to better ensure the quality of his/her submission, due to the relative scarcity of submission opportunities. The player would also know the timeframe in which to aim for project completion. This could also help staff persons to determine how much time and what schedule is necessary for their own review of qualifying entries.

Additionally, restrictions might be put into place so that only players who have been active for a certain amount of time can make submissions, perhaps only players with a year or more of time spent in-game, using a system like that which tracks playtime for the veteran rewards. Access to such a system might even require purchase of a code, or upgrade of an account.


2. System / tools / balance

At this point, the most easily-foreseeable system by which missions could be created seems to be a modification or subset of the tools which the developers currently use, but altered for player use. It seems like something akin to the base editor may be a possibility, but these development tools are probably not the hardest system to integrate and offer to users.

A method of filtering out inappropriate missions appears necessary, and is likely a harder tool to create. I like the idea of having players upload missions to the Test server, or to another server dedicated to player-made missions, for testing and for critique. The idea of players rating submissions by their peers, and of a specific number of the most popular of these missions (like the top ten) being reviewed by the developers on a scheduled basis might allow quality player-created missions to be added to the game. Prior to submission, however, an automated filtering process must be in place.

I suggest that criteria for consideration for publication include appropriateness, in terms of language (profanity) and objectionable material. Player developers who submit a given number of missions which violate such criteria standards (for example, submitting missions which include offensive language or content three times) should have their development privileges revoked. This would have the effect of weeding out caustic or troublesome player developers from the mix for future consideration.

In terms of balance, I'm sure that the developers will have something in mind to ensure that player-created missions don't get out of hand. Maybe missions will be built using a point system, with costs associated to objects, enemies and other placeable items, and restricted by the level range for which the mission is being built. Perhaps mob placement will follow a similar design to placing objects in a base, so that mob groups must be placed a certain distance from each other. Missions might need the ability to adjust, based on the players' difficulty levels (moving from heroic to invincible). Delivery to players might come from special contacts, of which some might be origin-dependant.

I'm actually going to stop now. I didn't realize I was writing this much...

Howdy. I'm curious to know if anyone has been able to use the layout presented here, but with macros instead of binds. I've been trying, because I like the layout a lot, but I also like to see the buttons I'm pressing and know visually what I'm selecting.

Thus far, I've not been able to figure out a way to select a group of minions and then issue a command to them. It seems that selecting a group and issuing a command must be done together, with the petcom variants. However, this doesn't allow me to select a group of pets and then issue a command.

What I'm looking to create are:
1. individual buttons to select minions of each tier, or to select all
2. another set of buttons to set the selected pets' stance
3. a last set to cause them to attack, follow, stay or go to a location.

Is there a command to simply select a minion group (make it active) so that we can issue a command to only that group, or are we stuck with having to select a group and issue a command simultaneously?

I like this idea, because I enjoy base editing and I share creation/editing responsibilities with other members of both a SG and VG. I'd like to see what other people could create, but I think that many don't want to experiment with what we've created for fear of destroying some of the functionality of what's already been created.

Having a personal area would be an interesting way to let other players add to the overall environment of a SG or VG. I do think that limited functionality would be nice to have though, especially personal storage space. This makes me worry about some of the more chaotically-run groups, though, where infighting might lead to people kicking other players from a group. In cases like that, losing a space with any sort of personal investment, be it in-game objects, or simply the time which was invested, could lead to very sour situations for some players.

If a system could be created to insure the safety of personal inventories, then I think that the inclusion of personal spaces to bases would be a great addition to the game. It would serve both a creative and functional role to players, which is what I look forward to when new systems are added to games.

I also don't like the idea of having the players make a choice between separating prestige for personal or group use. I think that if players are earning prestige, and a count has to be kept, have a separate tally for each that increases as normal. However, I'd have the personal prestige increment at a slower rate than the group prestige, because the space they're using it for is somewhat more limited. I'd also make sure to not have personal space development use influence over personal prestige, because this may lead to some members not playing in SG mode. It makes more sense to me that additions to the base, even personal ones, use the appropriate currency to do so.

Performance Database/Achievement Codex
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Workshop (but can be placed wherever Storage items are allowed)
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: This item appears as a computerized database or an album on a stone pedestal. Players can rifle through the contents of each to learn of the accomplishments of their peers. What this means is that these items track SG/VG members' badges. This is useful for coordinating badge missions amongst members, or amongst members such as myself, with many alts.
Limitations: If a player leaves the SG/VG, all record of that character's accomplishments are struck from the device. Badge progress is not accounted, only currently held badges.

Limited workarounds have been found to allow base builders to use Origin symbols for various reasons, most commonly to distinguish Enhancement Containers which are intended to hold Enhancements of a specific Origin. The decorative items proposed below would allow base builders to make this distinguishment with more ease, and could also be used for solely decorative purposes.

Origin Stands/Banners/Plaques/Floor Tiles
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Room Details, Wall Details
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: These stands and banners (like the SG floor stands and wall banners), plaques (like the teleport beacons), and floor tiles (like the SG Floor tiles) contain Origin images, which can be used by base creators to distinguish items such as Enhancement Containers which are intended to hold only Enhancements of a specific Origin, or simply as decorative items.
Limitations: Purely Decorative. The items could be made to include Dual Origin images and Generic Enhancement images as well, but over a long time period, I think the 5 normal Origin images would prove most enduring.

Sometimes, through the course of play, we come across Enhancements which increase just the aspects of a power which we'd love to augment. However, said Enhancement is useable only by another Origin. Other times, we find Enhancements which we'd love to give to a friend... who is not of the correct Origin to truly appreciate our generosity. As such:

Adjunct Conversion Appliance/Annex Transmorgification Apparatus
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Workshop
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: Through complex machine re-rendering, or occult practice, this device allows Enhancements of a specific Origin to be converted into Enhancements of another Origin.
Limitations: Single Origin (SO) Enhancements can be placed into this device and, once it is activated, the very fabric of their design can be altered and reconstructed to tune them into synchronistic accord with the essence of another Origin. Enhancements will retain their bonus and affect the attribute which was originally effected. For example, a level 40 Mutation Accuracy SO can be converted into a level 40 Magic Accuracy SO. This device cannot be made to operate on Enhancements other than SO's.

I realized last night that my villains had no way to see what time it is while in base. For meeting rooms or council rooms, this would be a handy decoration to have.

Clock
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Room Details/Wall Details
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: Clocks of various sizes which can be placed on flat surfaces/tabletops, or placed on a wall.
Limitations: Purely decorative.

This idea came to me because the Base Entry Portal in our Entrance Room could only be framed on one side by a Small Arch based on our current configuration. I wanted to place an arch on either side, but found that I'm unable to do so due to what I believe is the placement of items in the three rooms connecting to the Entrance Room.

On Test, if I remove some of the rooms, I can place two Small Arches very close together, so that from above they are angled like the letter L. With the entry portal in a corner, this frames the entryway nicely, but adding items in the connecting rooms causes the arches to become invalid. They end up needing to be placed with a space between them, which I don't like, since it breaks the look of continuity between them.

Small Dual Arch
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Arcane
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: This item looks like the current Arcane decoration, Small Arch, except that it covers two adjoining sides, where the arch only covers one. The top of the arches may need to be angled inward slightly, to make it look nicer.
Limitations: Purely decorative.

Here are some images to help illustrate what I'm talking about:

Small Arches with a space between them (this is what I don't like... its the closest I can bring them together)
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...9-12-07-57.jpg

Small Arches with the corners connected (something like this is what I'm after)
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...9-12-10-42.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...9-12-11-04.jpg

My VG's Entrance Room (this is the room with the one arch... I'd like to have the two adjoining ones here)
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...9-12-43-35.jpg

Mission Trajectory Tracker/Leyline Focus
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Teleporter Auxilary
Customizable? N
Type: Unlocked/Crafted
Description: This auxiliary item is unlockable via an SG badge of some sort. The item attaches to a teleporter which does not have any teleport beacons connected to it. Using trace energy signatures, it allows that teleporter to establish a link to a specific area in space, resulting in the character using it to be able to teleport directly to the entrance of a mission.
Limitations: Because overland travel seems to be a desired aspect of gameplay by the development team, the character can teleport only to missions s/he has already entered. By doing so, characters are also restricted from entering missions in zones which they are not yet high enough level to enter.

After editing the base a bit more, recently, I feel that the ability to decorate the floor would be nice to have. Carpeting, or perhaps various arcane or tech runners would look good in many rooms. Even better, runners using the same designs as the new SG banners, which could be placed below other objects, so that you could have a red runner with your SG logo leading to a podium, or an area rug below your SG table would be a nice touch.

Carpeting/Runner
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Room Details
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: Carpets could be relatively large; square, circular or rectangular-shaped, maybe with SG logo on them, for a higher price. Runners would probably need to be rectangular, and the ends may be tapered at one or both ends, also with options containing the SG's logo.
Limitations: Purely decorative.

Here's something else that came to mind, but I forgot to post:

Fireplace
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Wall Decoration
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: Several styles of fireplaces or other hearths which may possibly match the various lower wall styles. Perhaps different sizes as well. If interactive objects are introduced, the ability to light/extinguish the fireplace would also be nice.
Limitations: Purely decorative.

Also, as an extension of my previous post (just above), perhaps 'sitting emotes'. For example, seated on a chair in front of a flat surface, like a table, there could be eating, drinking, newspaper, cellphone, card playing, and other emotes.

My VG is new to base building, and actually only just began to get into it. I'd like to suggest a few more decorative items:

Wall-mounted decorative weaponry
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Wall Decoration
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: Wall-mounted weaponry, like a katana/wakizashi set or muskets or broadsword. Maybe even axe or mace. Working on my base, I found that I'd love to add these to areas where strategy/planning is aluded to.
Limitations: Purely decorative.

Hanging plants/Plants on shelves
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Wall Decoration
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: Small ledges with various small indoor plants. I'd like this for rooms in which I want to add greenery, but don't want to dominate the floorspace with.
Limitations: Purely decorative.

Vines
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Wall Decoration
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: Vines or creepers which can be placed on walls, similarly to pictures or other relatively flat wall-mounted decorations.
Limitations: Purely decorative.

Shelves
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Wall Decoration
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: We already have cabinets. I'd like matching empty or partially-filled shelves or racks.
Limitations: Purely decorative.

Mirrors
Originally suggested by: Vishalicious
Category: Decorative
Customizable? N
Type: Purchased
Description: I've not seen the new reflective surfaces which I've heard about, yet, but using that tech, it might be nice to make shiny surfaces including mirrors of various sizes/styles.
Limitations: Purely decorative.

As an aside, I'd like to be able to interact with objects in the base. I'd especially like to be able to click on a chair and sit on it and click on a light-source to turn it on or off. By extension, lying on a bed or having chairs to match some of the desks so that characters can sit at them would be nice.

[ QUOTE ]
I think y'all should just relax. There's no artistic integrity to maintain by talking about real rpgs vs the denatured MMORPG variety.

And, heck, most fights in PnP RPGs go the same way - people execute their powers/attacks until the target is dead. Having your approach to conflict limited in CoH or WoW isn't that big of a deal.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Kali. I didn't think that this would come across the way that it did. I thought I was just soapboxing aesthetics.

And yeah, most fights do go the way that you described above, but not all of them, and those are the ones I tried to create many times. Setting and motive also plays a role in all of this, of course. I think this is approached in CoH by letting us decide whether we've killed or incapacitated our foes... although some powersets leave little apparent choice. My group was a little odd, and killing the orc someone saw approaching the outskirts of a village was as likely to reveal an ambush as it was to kill the messenger from the orc shaman who was negotiating a truce between their tribe and the villagers. (Of course, even here, my favorite ADnD fantasy setting to run games in was the old Ravenloft setting, so I was predisposed to not having clear mob motives when possible... and my players were smarter than me, so this was hard work. - and there weren't really any orcs... if the enemies were mostly humans, or accepted as such, then killing was perceived a little differently by the common man... who had the right to mete out 'justice' in a country, etc.)

I'm not sure that its artistic integrity I was considering as much as it was choice and consequence. Also, I think that sometimes, in lieu of killing foes (which could be construed as murder, and cast the heroes in a bad light), incapacitating them and allowing local authorities to decide a verdict, which was probably more relevant to them if conflicts were centered on their homes, could be an option.

Wow. I never post this much. I'm going to run away for a while now.

[ QUOTE ]
But what is an RPG but a set of rules that you role play within? In this case, and because of technology, you are just more limited in what you can do. It is still possible to role play in this setting. A PnP just allows for more flexibility due to it's free roaming nature.

Online RPGs could more closely be represented as "limited RPGs", but they still are, in effect, RPGs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Moon. I agree with you that online RPGs can be called 'limited RPGs', but I don't want to make it seem like I'm obsessing the matter. I haven't actually played in an RPG in close to 10 years now. And before CoH, the only computer game I played with any frequency was the second Age of Empires. But, RPGs still interest me. Its fun to see what people are creating, even if I don't get to play.

Anyway, when I did game, I had a lot of fun doing it. But I'd learned that there were two distinct camps in the RPG community, which may still exist today. The first were "role-players". They were interested in creating stories and worlds in which to act out the lives of the characters they were playing. This is what the groups I played with evolved into, to some extent. Other factors influenced this as well, with many being musicians and/or writers (all amateur/semi-professional) and occasional drunkards... among other things. Our game sessions veered from being combat exercises to almost being shared hallucinations, at times. Now and again, I miss that.

The other camp were derisively known as "roll players". These were the players (often younger than us or just newer to gaming) whose focus was more on combat, levelling and gaining items and special abilities. I think we all began like that, actually, and it was fun too.

To my mind, computer RPGs veer more towards the second camp. There's nothing at all wrong with this, and I don't want to make it sound like I thought there was. So long as people are having a good time, and their kids are being fed and cared for, I'm happy.

I do feel, though, that the storyacting games were more fulfilling. When I think of roleplaying, its more this group that I think of. They focused on different dynamics than just combat. I liked it when people tried to use their powers in divergent ways. But, also, I'm a little loopy in that I do perceive every character, player-controlled or not, as being unique and having a backstory. Orcs may be savage compared to most humans, and may be viewed as evil, but that doesn't mean that the orc just wants to kill all day and night. I think that most creatures just want to feel secure and relax. Some things, for the purposes of games are created to be more like 'ultimate evils' or what-have-you, to simplify matters plotwise. I didn't really like that too much, so the games I ran tended to veer towards villains who were really just preceived as villains because their goals or customs were at odds with other peoples'. I'm going to stop now, because I just realised that this is going to sound preachy... and I feel old.

But yeah, maybe 'limited RPG' is more accurate, but I guess if we're talking about selling a game, its moot.

Its not quite like that, Moon. In a real RPG, you're playing a role. You're basically acting. You're limited by your imagination and by what the character you're playing can conceptually do. Online RPGs, like any other computer RPG, single-player or not, are forced to limit your actions to what their game engine can support.

[ QUOTE ]
You as the player can decide for yourself whether you want to be a fighter fighting an orc saying" Taste my steel foul creature of darkness!" while seated around a table with your gaming buddies, or you can be in the same situation and say "I'm gonna fight that orc, what dice should I roll?"

[/ QUOTE ]

There are vast differences here. If you're fighting a Freakshow Tank Smasher in the online COH, you basically execute your attacks until the mob dies. In an actual role-playing session, you could potentially do many other things. You could choose to talk your way out of the fight, if the Freakshow was willing to listen, and that's the core of role-playing. Its storytelling and play-acting. You could jump at the orc mentioned above and kill it, in a computer RPG or in a live session. However, in a live session, fueled by the minds of other players and the game master, you could speak to the orc, find that it was actually a human who was magically shapeshifted into its current form due to some terrible misfortune, join forces with it, find it to actually be a pretty good cook, seek out the source of its troubles, have it changed back and alter the course of its life and the lives of the people it was acquainted with. Or you could kill it and get 8 XP and that would be the end of that.

Due to the limits of technology, its not possible to achieve the same effects with a computer game that you can in a live setting with other players. And that's not even taking into account 'magic' systems or other power systems like the old Ars Magica, or Mage: the Ascension, or Amber... or games where you play entire civilizations instead of just a single character or even a party of characters.

In the end, its about choice. Computer game engines are forced to adhere to finite rules. This limits your choice. Its not possible to program for every possibility. There are problems inherent with changing the colors of our powers in COH, yets its still my favorite computer game. It would never be able to compensate for other harder-to-conceptualize actions, like transforming a vampyrii into a lawnchair and sitting on it and sipping lemonade. You can do that in a live game.