opprime28

My two cents on this and on f2p in general as a 6.5 year vet:



I think making VIPs purchase sets is a bad idea. You have NEVER had to pay for powersets before. Demon Summoning and Electric Control were not bought sets, but you COULD buy "early access" to these sets. They came included with the expansion which they were part of, as did all CoV archetypes. You were paying for a complete expansion to the game, which insured you would get ALL new content the MINUTE it was released for those games. This included arcs, TFs, powersets, zones, and events. Making you now "pay" for those sets, or "wait" for them and save up to get them is a HUGE change from what many players have come to expect. The "established contract" we've been workng under is that our sub fees get us all the new content and new powersets. Like it or not, this is a slight deviation from it IF the monthly VIP points we're given doesn't cover the new sets AS they come out.

I was a HUGE supporter of the f2p move, because, as I understood it, VIPs would basically continue to get all of the "normal" content they always got for the cost of their subs. This would include any new arcs, TFs, zones, events, and POWERSETS. The way you could get these sets, even if they were for "purchase" was by using the 400 points a month you got. The game would get even MORE cool stuff that you could buy, and this new stuff wouldn't come at the expense of dev resources since the free players and VIPs who purchased them would bring added revenue.

The problem I have is that that isn't how it seems to be panning out.

At least not with powersets.

Issue 21 has been out less than 1 month and we've had three new powersets, all of which we knew were coming ahead of time and were part of issue 21 beta. Only ONE of them was released as "part" of issue 21, the second was for sale in the market for a "sale" price of 440 pts, if I recall. The third was for sale in the market for 860 pts. In short, a VIP would have to spend over three months of points to get those powersets (1300 pts). To me, that is simply unreasonable. It either means that new sets will be coming out faster than my sub gets me points to buy them, meaning I have to "Wait" and "Save" to get, which I never had to do before, all while hoping that next month a set doesn't comes out that I want even more, or it means that they'll be releasing them more sparringly and in waves, and this was just an initial wave. If that's the case, having them for "sale" to VIPs makes no sense for either party. There is no benefit to either VIPs or NCsoft. To me, there is only one reason why you would make VIPs purchase some sets with points: you know that some VIPs wont have enough points and wont want to wait, and you'll get money from them. That goes against the established expectations I mentioned above. When you begin to factor in the fact that what they've done for ALL of us is suddenly give us a choice: spend 15 dollars a month and get access to all the stuff freebs get +incarnate stuff and signature arcs, as well as 400 points a month (which equals roughly, 5 dollars or so) -or- save your 15 dollars, lose incarnate stuff, lose the signature arcs, and put some of all of that money toward the market to buy what you want. If you did that, without spending ANY more than you currently spend. you'd have about 1320 pts a month. That would buy at least one powerset per month and still leave you around 500 points to bu any extra stuff you need (access to Inventions and the Market, for example, are only 160 points.)

For me, the incarnate stuff is very "meh." Im not a raider, and find the lag and being part of 20+ member teams kind of boring. That's an opinion piece, but I know Im not alone with it. So I lose incarnate stuff and it doesn't affect me a ton. The first part of the first Signature Arc was -three- missions long. 3. It's a 20-25 minute arc. So basically, while I got two things that were "ok" but nothing special, I also had to spend three months worth of my points to get the new powersets. If I were freeb, I'd have enough points from just the first month alone to buy both powersets AND have points left over to buy, say, an AE license or a few of the other small things I'd lose.

I am, for the first time since I started the game, seriously considering dropping BOTH of my subscriptions. Not because I dont like the game or am somehow being a baby or having a tantrum, but because the pricing and the points system is so thoroughly not like I expected and not beneficial to me. I may get more out of being a freeb. It just means that NCsoft will likely be getting less money from me each month, and I think that's worriesome.


This is part of a growing dissatisfaction with the market prices on just about everything. If things like costume pieces, etc. were cheaper, I would probably literally be dropping 2 dollars a couple of times a week getting little trinkets here and there. When they're 5-10 dollars a pop, I hit the mental block that says "not worth it" and the get zero from me. From a marketing standpoint, if they lowered their prices they'd get a ton more revenue from most players.



And before someone says "be patient. Dont want it all now" I say "too late for that in this game" I have 6.5 years of history of associating my monthly fee/expansion costs with access to new powersets and conent as soon as it is released. I absolutely "want it now." That's why I sub. Now Im beginning to think if I "want it now" I need to go free...

I think that's a big mistake on their part. I hope that they adjust the pricing, or make powersets non-market things for VIPs like Time Manip was.

I would support the idea of a salvage store, so long as it only sold, never bought, and had a purchase throttle. Set the prices at what Devs consider the "cap" level for a given salvage based on drop rate and demand for recipes. That way, when the market gets sapped/inflated for a given salvage, it would give less experienced/inf carrying members who aren't on daily a second option to craft that IO that they're wanting to craft.

I could ALSO support the ability to combine salvage the way that you current can inspirations. Allow someone to combine 3-5 common salvage into on specific common salvage item, or 3-5 rare into one specific rare. This could both help casual players more easily get what they need in a timely manner AND allow marketeers to earn a buck here and there by monitoring demand and actually "filling it" as needed.

Just ideas, but Im not entirely unsatisfied with the way the market works now.

/signed


Primarily because it's already equal quality to several of the TFs we have, and redside is sorely lacking in SFs comared to blue side. This would help with both WTFs and fostering more desire for redside players.

So I posted this in suggestions a couple of weeks ago, but saw a thread on radioative armor here and figured I'd throw it out here as well.

Toxic Aura:
Your body has been exposed to deadly energies, and you've become a walking environmental disaster. Through sheer will, you've mastered these energies and now use them to become a true force of power.

This set requires you to choose a "source" for your power. Each source offers different benefits to your powers. You may only choose one source per build. The sources are:

Radioactive: Your body is fueled by radioactive energies, making you a nearly exhaustless fighting machine.

Chemical: Your body pulses with chemical toxins which can increase your own damage and weaken the attacks of nearby foes.

Biological: Your body has been exposed to various biological contagions. This can increase your healing and sicken the foes around you.



Power choices:

Tier 1: Resistant skin: Self +Res (Smash, Lethal, Toxic, energy) (Toggle)
Your body has become hardened by exposure to toxic energies. Your tough skin protects against incoming physical attacks. You have gained strong resistances to Smashing, Lethal, and Toxic attacks, as well as some resistance to energy based attacks.

*This would have weaker resistances than some sets when it comes to s/l damage, more on par with fire and dark, due to other powers in this set. Toxic resistance would be high, however in this first power.

Tier 2: Toxic Emission: PBAoE Minor DoT, Toxic. (Foe -dmg if Chem, -Regen if Bio, Self +Rech. if radioactive) (Toggle)
Your body literally oozes with dangerous energies, damaging all nearby foes, and possibly aiding you. The secondary effect depends on your chosen power source.

*this toggle seems OP at first, due to it being both a damage AND secondary effect at the same time. The damage would need to be scaled properly, perhaps 65% of a normal damage aura, inexchange for the secondary effect.

Tier 3: Particle cloud: Self + Res (Fire, Cold, Energy, Negative Energy, slow) (Toggle)
You surround yourself with a cloud of toxic particles which protect you from the elements.

*fairly standard toggle +res power, again, similar in % to dark and fire as opposed to invul or Electric, etc.

Tier 4: Noxious fumes: PBAoE Foe choke, vomit, Self + Res Knockback, Sleep, Disorient, Hold, Immob., Psionic. (moderate rech.)
You release a noxious cloud around you. These vapors will stimulate your mind and body, leaving your resistant to status effects for a while, but can also cause weaker foes in melee range to choke and vomit.

* This mez resist is a click instead of toggle, but has the unique function of creating a localized patch of mitigation when clicked.

Tier 5: Phsyical Regeneration: Self heal, (if Chem +Dmg, if Bio +Regen, if radioactive + Recovery, for 20 seconds) (recharge 60 seconds)
You unlease the energies within your body, briefly healing you and boosting you physically for a short while. The boost depends on your chosen power source.

* This heal would be weaker that those of dark and fire, and instead leave a 20 second buff to the player after healing.

Tier 6: Biological infusion: Self +Perception for 40 seconds, (+DMG if Chem, + HP if Bio, +Recovery if radioactive) (Recharge 120 seconds)
Your body becomes fully infused with the toxic energies around you, exciting every molecule. You are given added perception, as well as a secondary boost depending on your chosen power source.

*This power can be used one of two ways: saved for fights with mobs like Arachnos or Knives for the +percept, or used primarily as a personal buff when desired.

Tier 7: Localized Infection: PBAoE Foe slow, (-tohit Chemical, -regen if Bio, -recharge if radioactive).
You release a localized infection which slows and weakens foes in very close range.

*This would have a very narrow range, small enough that it really only protects the user, not his team. It would likely be used primarily to help when suddenly overwhelmed.

Tier 8: Cesspool: Location PBAoE Moderate DoT (Toxic/energy if Chem/Bio, fire/Energy if Nuke)
You create a cesspool of raw toxic energy beath you, damaging all foes who enter the sludge. The types of damage depend on your chosen power source.

Tier 9: Meltdown: Self +Res all, +Regen, + DMg, + Rec. (PBAoE moderate toxic damage, Self -rech. 1000% unresistable for 1 min after 90s)
Your body goes in to meltdown, making you an enraged, unstoppable warrior. During meltdown, you quickly begin gaining extreme resistances to all forms of damage and gain incredible regeneration and recovery as well as increasing your damage output for the next minute and a half. As you reach critical mass, you unlease a damaging burst of toxic energy which both injures and debuffs your foes. However, you are left powerless, with your powers unable to recharge for the long while. This power is not affected by recharge rate boosts.



So that's it. This is designed primarily to fit those toons who want to be the toxic beast ripping through the city. It clearly wouldn't stand up to WP, Stone, or Invul for survivablity, nor would it surpass shielders in terms of damage buffing and output, but it has enough unique possibilities to make it a solid, fun, survivable set and offer something new. Its much more click heavy than most of the sets, only having 3 toggles.


Here's a link to the original discussion, which was short but suggested a couple of valid changes.

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showt...ht=toxic+armor

I like it.

I posted a similar concept for a "toxic armor" set a couple of weeks ago in Suggestions>. The main variations were that "toxic armor" was a resistance set with secondary effects on some powers that could be altered ala Dual Pistols by what "Source" you chose as your source of power (chemical, radiation, or biological.) This was couple with the fact that the set functioned similar to fire and dark armors in that it had lower resistance numbers in place of a self heal and mitigation in the forum of debuffs, which ANY radiation/toxic based armor set should be chock full of. It won't be a will power, but it will be unique and fun enough to really feel like you're a walking ball of destructive energies.

Here is my original idea's thread.

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=251793

But I like yours as well, and yours takes a more "standard" approach to armor sets.

Hey Rangle.

A couple of weeks ago I posted a somewhat similar concept for a "Toxic Armor" set that could be set for either radioactive armor, chemical armor, or biological armor in a vein similar to dual pistols.

I know people have wanted a radioactive/toxic armor for a long time, so I'm all behind either one of these!

Here's my original suggestion. Check it out and see what you think.

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=251793

Interestingly enough...

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=252990

Someone just posted a radiation armor set again, in both the Tanker and suggestion forums.

Please, get rid of the screen where two enhancements possibly combine, for 1-2 seconds, for no real reason. It makes reslotting take about 2-3 times longer than it needs to, and really offers nothing to the players except annoyance.

Just have the enhancements say "combined!" or "failed" when you toss it in to the slot.

Is it irony or coincidence that I had to log back in to post my /signed?


While they're at it, adding an easier way to add special text features like bolding, italicizing, and coloring to text wouldn't hurt.

Not only would I support this, but I'd LOVE to be able to have more than 5 missions in an arc. I can understand the limitations when the AE was first introduced, but it'd fairly clear since all of the nerds that AE arcs being given more than 5 missions (say, a total of 8) wouldn't overwhelm the system, which is barely used anymore by the general populace.

Of course, I think AE needs major overhauling in general, but fear it's been dubbed unsaveable and thus, will get some real fixing just after they invest in adding more to bases and fixing the gladiator system in PvP.


In short, I think they've all but given up on it, which is sad, since it's the one thing that really should have put this MMO on the map. It's an amazing concept with an amazing execution, and I think only a couple small things are really holding it back.

Removing title restrictions: /signed. Not even sure why on earth they would be linked to origin in the first place.


Getting rid of DO/SO enhancements tied to origins: /Signed. It really is nothing but hassle, offering nothing to game play or character concept or fitting in with standard comics.

Making origins totally pointless: unsigned/. I think most in here know why, and I actually think this thread is just a thinly veiled response to another thread right now, but just in case...I think origins should count in the "story" of the game. While it doesn't have to be tied to "mechanics" in ways that incoveniece or limit players of any given origin (which the two issues above actually do) it should count in the "story" development of your character, whether via a few unique contacts and storylines, a few unique in game experiences for each archetype, or something else.

Not at all unlike how villains, heroes, Preatorians, and Kheldians each have -some- aspects of the game that make their experiences and origins "matter" in the story of the game. Origins should have something to contribute.