Solo and Team Play
Is ranged defense for invulnerability still in the works or is it being shelved
This is fabulous news.
Short term:
The boss changes seemed to be too much for some of my Defender/Controller/Blasters. Even rolling back the changes are too difficult for some of my Defender/Controllers. Can you look into a long-term solution of a -1 difficulty slider (and you devs can figure out how/when it applies, how much xp to reduce it by, etc.)
Team XP bonuses increased. That's great news. Playing on a soloing server means that there might be more chance of people LFT or interested in teaming up.
The mid term changes from named Boss to named LT is also welcome. Since a solo player may not be capable of a boss in some builds/configurations, this gives them a fighting chance to have the option to do missions until I can create or find a team to group with.
Long term solution. Flash back would be so welcome. Just please assure us that we will be able to do all of our old contacts/missions/TFs/Trials as if we were that level again. Again, my Controller/Defenders so many times outleveled their contacts, had their missions marginalized because they were below the high level team member's missions (people rarely want to spend 20-30 minutes traveling to and fighting in a mission of greens and grays), and missed out on some experiences that I might be able to solo if I respecced the characters properly. Plus, there was a time when missions were not very interesting and very repetitive.
I think you should consider adding more temporary powers to missions, like what has happened in the Striga Isle contacts. I think the Hollows should've been like that too. Maybe at least 1 temporary power per contact? Just to add some spice.
I like the new content too. I think the Dr. Vahz room was changed for I2 or I3. The new changes made the encounter quite enjoyable. I definitely felt more like I was in the lair of a mad scientist as compared to just another room in a sewer mission.
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Despite the fact this will likely get me flamed, I actually rather agree with this post and posted similar thoughts a few months back. I've long since given up on playing on Test for any purpose other than to look at the new stuff and try different builds for my characters for the very reason geekchick states: the experiences of the testers doesn't seem to be listened to very much.
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I'll actually agree with you somewhat, whereas I have nothing but flames for insult-hurling whiners like geekchick.
I will first point out that several changes were reversed and/or polished on TC (Regen, anyone?). Same with some items from Issue 2. They clearly listen and consider the TC feedback.
I think its more a matter of the dev's sometimes intentionally ignoring some feedback. As players, it's very difficult for us (if not impossible) to be unbiased, and when the 'greater good of the game' conflicts with our immediate gaming experience, we tend to scream and shout regardless. The dev's know that sometimes they have to 'tune out' the community in order to ensure the longevity of the game. They were wrong to do so in this case, and we are now seeing that they have recognized this.
I do agree with your final point: hopefully the dev's learned from this experience. In the future, if people are really up in arms on TC about something, take that extra minute to pause and think hard about this boss-change reversal, and then reconsider your course. Reversals like this are expensive...they cost you a bit of credibility..maybe a few subscribers...and we all incurr the opportunity cost of having your dev team work on this AGAIN instead of developing brand-new rockin' content and features.
Live and learn.
Statesman,
This looks really good.
I've had a great time solo my controller and my blaster and would not like to have to go through the time scrounging up a team if i dont feel like it.
Plus i would hate to lose all my event badges beacause a boss suddenly hits me for 480 points. I dont mind the beating its why i have the damage taken badges just like to be able to umm use respites to heal.
Thanks anyway looking forward to returning to solo mode without so much stress
Only one question remains in my mind States (et al); how will I ever manage to divide my time to play other games besides CoH?
Well, two questions I guess. Is there an estimated timeline for the rollback, names lieutenants, etc? Something like "When we get to it" or "with i4 in a few months" is fine by the way
@bpphantom
The Defenders of Paragon
KGB Special Section 8
Statesman.
Thank you very much!
Prof. Entropy.
Thank you for listening!
With the mission drop will you also be able to drop clues? I have all the clues that lead up to the Cavern of Trancendence, but the odds of me getting a group of 8 together to do the last mission are very, very slim and it will be a pain if I have to sort through the same clues all the time.
Thanks, States. That seems well-planned. Simple things like being able to drop missions and more indicators on what to expect in a mission will help loads. Nobody should be complaining, since anyone can use the mission slider to make it harder if they want. And thanks for listening. There have been some bumps, but I get the impression Cryptic is starting to get the hang of things. Most importantly, I don't think any other game company could claim to have as many actual high level developers and designers directly interacting and listening to the customer. The game needs some help, but I have faith in you all.
My husband and I are concerned with missions such as the Hollows mission requiring the simultanous disarming of 2 bombs that the developers are again moving the game emphasis toward forced grouping as they did with all the darned eyes wandering around in the previous expansion. Obviously this mission CANNOT be done solo. If we wanted to be forced to group, we would have stayed in Everquest.
We fear that the developers are moving toward forced grouping increasingly in each expansion and as casual solo players we are afraid that a game we are greatly enjoying is going to be ruined because some idiot head honcho wants to make CoH more like the other online games out there.
Please return this mission back to where it can be done solo and don't change the game emphasis where it is impossible to solo.
Heidi Ho (22 illusion controller Infinity) and others
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Dr. Grey (22 dark blast defender Infinity) and others
A further concern regarding solo and grouped play.....I miss the days before The Hollows were introduced when you finished with your contact in City Hall where you would be sent to King's Row.
I don't like The Hollows as the next zone for missions because it is virtually impossible to get to the missions in The Hollows as a solo player because of all the groups of mobs in the zone. If you run on the ground you get killed and if you hover you get killed trying to get to your mission.
I wish there were a choice when you are finished with Atlas Park or Galaxy City as to whether you were sent to The Hollows or to Kings Row.
Heidi Ho (level 22 illusion controller Infinity)
The Hollows missions aren't compulsory. Your first or second contact will send you to Lt. David Wincott as a mission, & to complete the mission all you have to do is speak to Wincott. You don't have to take any of his missions, & can simply return to your other contact & proceed normally.
I believe you'll outlevel your first contact's missions this way before getting the Kings Row contact, so you'd need to street sweep a bit if you don't do the Hollows.
Although I agree, it's not very clear that Wincott is entirely "skippable."
Devs, any chance we can get a second "normal" city zone for the Kings Row levels (SL 5 - 9, roughly), for those of us who are soloists or small-team players? My normal team of three tends to avoid the hazard zones as well, due to the spawn size.
((This is great news. Finally I will have something better to do than standing around scouting for a ghost ship that rarely shows up, which I have been doing for a couple of days now since my missions are virtually impossible to solo. Yeah, carnival of shadows bosses weren't really that easy even before the boss upgrade, were they...))
//Evilmeister - level 41 Radiation/Electricity solo defender.
((Woohoo! So now you're saying I won't be kicked into little pieces within two seconds after entering melee with a boss? Yes, I was defeated in 1,5 seconds by a red boss. Two hits, and down. My controller didn't even see the kicks coming in on me.))
//Blade of Future - Level 33 Katana/Regen Scrapper
((Well, I don't really know if I'm going to notice this. After all I head straight on in, sparkling and sizzling and take out more of them before they get the better of me. Until I meet a boss. They always beat me up if I'm unprepared, so I'm used to it. It was fun on the respec though, which has become virtually impossible since bosses can't be taken out in large numbers anymore...))
//Teslaya - level 25 Electricity/Electricity Blaster
Okay.. 8 pages down all the same so I'll post now.
BOTH fixing the solo/low setting missions to having no bosses AND fixing the bosses back to their old more puny selves, isn't this like solving the same problem twice - or have I misunderstood something here?
I thought the boss bumping was for a reason not connected to the higher challenge (we have the slider for that) but to have threats left after the usual alpha-strikes, and something for the Tankers to do. If people avoid bosses with lowest setting solo, why do they have to be rolled back as well?? (Not that my controller minds at all - just a question here!!)
As an observation of the current state, we did have a BP mission with lots of single Totems and it was a lot of double-hold/endless blast+hold repeat ad nauseum (repetitive to say the least). But the many extra hold we had to stick made it dangerous in the long run and well (if slow) earned xp.
//AtCbM// www.crystalblue.dk
Victory - Mare,Dagger of Pain,Keep,Hogun and Bloodpetal
The Keep-Arcs: 164260, 188373, 192610, 196090 and funny side-chapter 218575.
Mender-Arc: 266163
I play a 43 tank, I usually solo on invincible difficulty and have no real trouble with the enhanced difficulty bosses, provided I stick to villain groups that don't steal all my end. I don't touch malta/carnies if I can help it as sappers/ring mistresses are just fatal solo. The I3 changes made the game fun again as nothing challenged me at my level, and also allowed me to keep up with the scrappers by killing the hard bosses and getting the good XP they provide. If you are going to drop the difficulty and increase the team XP, can I ask that if you do a 43 mission on invincible, you actually get mission experience for the 45 mission you've done. It seems silly that if you are in a duo, you on 43 invincible, the other person on 45 normal, and you do the same mission twice, one of yours, one of theirs, they will get credit for 2x45 missions, you get a 43 and a 45. It makes it better to do other people's missions than your own at present.
Mr Minotaur Stone/Axe tank Freedom
It's true. This game is NOT rocket surgery. - BillZBubba
Thank you Statesman and everyone else on your team.
The mission difficulty "slider" was a real blessing for solo players or just players having a hard time picking up a team. It allowed for this changing or roll back of game mechanics....very good States, and thanks.
Don't mess with Texas!
--moo
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Whats our goal? Simply put: if a player wants to do something solo, it should be CHOICE. Teaming shouldnt be required, but rather encouraged. If a player gets a mission with an Arch Villain, hell be able to drop it and get another.
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Bravo!
Thanks for listening.
Great news and glad to hear it.
Just one question. When does it go into effect?
It doesnt seem to be in effect right now.
This has probably been answered at some point, but I don't have time to read 35 pages before bed. When is this going into effect? My SG and I racked up a ton of debt today (mostly them not me thankfully ).
Troy Hickman:
"Neo, you're Leonardo DeCapitator!"
CoH: NeoMuppet, lvl 50 Eng/Dev Blaster
CoV: Tekk, lvl 31 Rob/Trp Mastermind
Statesman,
Just wanted to thank you for listening to the players and making good, reasonable judgments about the game we all love so much. I've never experienced a design team so receptive to the needs of its customers. WELL DONE, keep up the excellent work and many, many thanks from the crowd!!
Another thank you in what seems to be a long list of thank yous. I am also all for upping what a boss can do especially when it comes to his troops. However, what you are heading towards seems to be a great solution. Thanks again and I love this game!
So, Statesman. When are these changes going to be rolled in? I got a mission tonight that had at minimum 5 bosses in it. Solo. Seems like some things haven't been tweaked yet. Just curious as to a timeline. Thanks!
Lab_Ratt
This post by Statesman is why I love this game so much. The Devs care about allowing us to have fun playing our heroes. The want us to have the "superhero" experience. The LISTEN to us... and they are commited to us.
Bravo Statesman and the rest of your team. You all do an excellent job. Job well done. Keep up the good work.
Statesman,
You rock. Period. I am very happy to have returned to CoH after a month off to find my fav and first character fixed with Inv, and now this wonderful news.
You guys rock. Superheroes keep me sane.
VD