XP Range changes coming


45th_Parallel

 

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Now, something else, Statesman, do you realize that simply lifting the restriction from instanced missions, just leaves the whole issue open? People will still bring alts inside a mission (outdoor or not) and park them on a safe spot while the rest give him free xp. This was what you set off to fix on the first place.

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Technically, what he set out to fix in the first place was not so much powerlevelling in general (though he implied that it was) as it was powerlevelling where people stand around the tram station, Portal yard, Ghost Falcon, etc. and cause big lag as their teammates hunt to level them up. I have to admit, this fix should do that. It would almost be satisfactory if it didn't break things for people doing street sweeps too.

I still say a better fix would be to enforce the XP elimination not on folks who are too far away, but rather on folks who were more than 5 minutes idle. The only problem is this doesn't do anything to stop people from putting staplers on their keyboard and going away.

I just don't think there is a good solution to this. (And no, zone-restricting non-hazard zones is not a good solution.)


 

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Thank you Dwimble-san! While I actually pieced together the explanation and did understand, your clarification still helped immensely.

I always thought it was Portal missions that were the problem--I guess i'm wrong. Certainly I don't understand what causes all the lag. If PLing contributes, shame on the PLers.

But I'm not sure I see this as a solution. The tank could stay at range, pull targets remotely, and bring them towards the tram. Right? That's what you're saying. As long as you make certain to bring everything to a central location it's cool.

Do MoBs really repopulate that slowly or will this just lead to people bringing large clusters of mob to the trams?

Do any teams really still do outdoor hunting? With the difficulty slider, missions seem a vastly better investment of time and energy for a team. Solo, well, my poor blaster can't always handle the bosses that spawn in a mission. But this is a team rule...


 

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Well then people are idiots that need to have their perceptions realigned. A nerf to scrappers has no effect on blasters so it shouldn't make the blasters worse in game. It has no direct effect on them so it's not hindering their own performance, and any perception of something otherwise is just... silly.


 

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...So you're wrong when it comes to mobs, right when it comes to contacts.

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Actually, I never said anything about mobs, or even contacts for that matter. I just listed one thing that I happened to notice last night when I had to visit one particular NPC in the game over and over again. I also said I didn't think to test targeting, but I know that targeting is certainly farther than visual range because hitting tab shows that all the time. Another thing I did notice however...there are a bunch of Tsoo all over that dock where Alexander stands. I couldn't see them any further out than I could see him. So, those mobs definitely couldn't be seen further out than 300'. However, there are probably many factors that govern the visual range of things. Graphics settings, graphics cards, the particular zone you are in, whether you are flying or at ground level, and so on might all have an affect on visual range. For all I know the person coming up behind me, playing on a super computer with a top of the line graphics card might have been able to see Alexander from 1000' away.

It really doesn't matter to me one way or the other. I was just stating what I noticed last night.

Dwimble


 

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I actually wasn't directing that at you, I just chose you to reply to because I'm lazy.


 

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Why are we being so concerned with small minded folks that will kick "slow" players at the drop of a hat? Who wants to play with people like that anyway?


 

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Conceptually nothing. These changes have no effect on your personal xp gain. A lagger left behind would drain your experience exactly as much as it does currently on live. Sure, the total team xp is lower, but who cares if the guy who decided shopping was more important doesn't get any xp? You're still getting the same xp as you do on Live. A person sitting in a team not doing anything is ALWAYS a drain on team xp, regardless of whether or not they themselves get any xp by it.

So this has no effect on your experience gain, only on the people who fall behind.

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Actually, this hurts flying characters period. Many of them fall behind due to preference in travel power choice. If I play a flier, I am inconvenienced.

As my earlier statement, it does effect me. I WANT to be able to trickle some XP to shoppers. I want them to do the same for me. It is something i prefer to do. I'm not trying to convince you I am right and you are wrong. I am making a point that THIS change is to target PLers however, even in a small way, will effect my teams enjoyment. I enjoy helping a slow flyer get a little XP because they are sticking to concept and not taking Super Speed because they feel they have to keep up. Even if it is small, it is there. I can site you a specific scenerio.

We have a concept group. We are trying to keep our levels together but be efficient in our xp earning. So, we send 1 level 12 guy with stealth and Recall Friend to hoof it across dangerous Hollows to our mission door while the rest of us hunt. Stealth/Recall Friend guy is risking his butt to get us safe passage. We are risking our butt to hunt while we wait. Stealth/Recall Friend guy is cheated in this scenerio for doing a good deed. Well, we can't use that tactic anymore. Losing that tactic may appear small to you, but that directly effects my enjoyment.


That scenerio THOUGH I ADMIT, is very specific, directly effects me and frankly that scenerio should not be classified as power leveling since all are taking risk.

If the minority PLers cause change that effect normal players and their normal tactics even on a small level, non-PLers are punished as a whole for a small percentage of bad seed.


 

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I actually wasn't directing that at you, I just chose you to reply to because I'm lazy.

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LOL...teach me O Great Lord Couch Potato!


 

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Probably been said already but I haven't read all 16 pages.

How does this stop PLing? I'm starting to wonder since I'm on champion Server alone I'm wondering at a whole if PLing is down outside missions. There is no way, 100% positively no way this plan stops PLing. Its more annoying then anything. On champion PLing is done in missions not outside hunting streets. I just don't see what you guys are thinking, but like I said my view is based on what champion does.


 

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Well, if you're flying to the store, not helping the team out directly, and getting "free xp", then yeah you're powerleveling... sort of... and shouldn't get any xp trickled down to you. We all shop, so it all works out. You just take a little longer doing so.


 

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Still confused about one point: if (for example) you've got a three person team, each person on the team is 400' away from each other person, and person X defeats a bad guy -- does person X get "solo XP" or XP for being on a 3 person team?



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He'd get XP with the 3 person team multiplier...BUT that XP would still be divided appropriately between each teammate. The others, however, wouldn't receive their shares.

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I see... So we have been encouraged to team with changes in the past, and now with a change like this it's actually looking like it's more beneficial to solo. If I run a chance of losing out on XP because we spread out too far, or if I am doing work that isn't benefiting my team and getting less XP for it at the same time... Why? I understand you have some personal vendetta against PLing because it doesn't fit into your vision of how things should be, but try listening to the customers. This is such a trivial thing considering everything else that needs to be done in the game, please stop wasting your time and ours with it.


 

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I dont like this change. I can only assume you are trying to prevent powerleveling? Try fixing the sidekick system so a level 2 cant team with a level 50.


 

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Okay, I get the impression that most people do not understand the 300 feet is really far away. Put a thumbtack on the city map. Now set yourself 300 feet away from it. What kind of combat is your team in where you risk not getting any XP and still think you are entitled to a share?


 

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How does this stop PLing?...

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It's not meant to stop powerleveling in general. It has one clear purpose, which it will succeed at to some degree. It is meant purely to hinder those who wish to gain XPs while standing at the tram, in the store, at the zone line, and so on while their team runs around the zone fighting things. That is the only form of powerleveling it is directed at, and the only one it will hinder. Those exact same people can still PL the same character in the same zone, but now they will have to follow along with the group, always staying within 300' of the mobs being defeated.

It has a very narrow purpose, but it will probably be pretty good at accomplishing it. The only "workarounds" I can see are herding things to the tram, store, etc. OR getting the player to /follow you while Phase Shifted. But of course the latter would require the person to be at least 20th level and have Phase Shift (actually probably higher because PS uses so much endurance), and he still wouldn't be standing idle at the tram.

Dwimble


 

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Well, if you're flying to the store, not helping the team out directly, and getting "free xp", then yeah you're powerleveling... sort of... and shouldn't get any xp trickled down to you. We all shop, so it all works out. You just take a little longer doing so.

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Let's set aside shopping down time and people silly enough to keep flight. (I still love you fliers. I have a couple myself)

I have asked people to purchase inspirations during hunts while tanking. I could go myself but the Team doesn't want the 'meat shield' making a 'snack run'. They 'fetcher o' goodness' are doing me a favor and will bring me back resources that will quicken our fights. They will miss out on xp for leaving the area to do something that benefits myself and the team.

Also, I have described a specific scenerio concerning early level Stealth/Recall friend builds in my last post where all on the team are contributing and taking risks but one is deprived of XP.

Again, I know these are very specific, but it happens.

EDIT: apparently I hit submit a little early so had 2 similar copies of this post go up at once. My appologies if you are receiving emails on this and saw my double shot of text craziness.


 

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Actually this change doesn't really hurt people who want to PL. As mentioned the only type of PL it stops is the lvl 1 sitting at the train station while his team kills things and PL's.

However as others have pointed out, 300ft is quite a distance. That being said, as long as the PL team has a tank on it, the lvl 1 can easily stay within 300ft of the combat with little/no risk to them at all. In fact all you need are 2 things, a Ill/* controller and a tanker of any kind. The tanker aggro's the mobs, herds them, then the Ill/* controller (with tp) teleports the lvl 1 within the 300ft range. making sure the lvl 1 has invisability on him at all times. In fact the lvl 1 person can still be afk as teh Controller Tp's his invisable body around safely. The only diffrence is now the lvl 1 won't be in the train station.

This however opens up a situation where griefing might be a problem. Here is teh situation, TP the lvl 1 character to a store in SteelCanyon. The lvl 1 sits inside as the tank herds stuff just outside the store to kill them. Someone just wanting to shop for enhancments comes to the store and may get killed by the mob the tank herded close to the store in order to keep the lvl 1 in that 300ft range.
(though I see the last point as highly unlikely but a possiblity)

I do see my first point working just fine there would be little to no risk in an Ill controller Tping an invisable lvl 1 around to be PL'd as long as you had a good tank to keep the taunted mobs in check 300ft away. Heck a mob 300ft away from a lvl 1 wouldn't aggro to him anyway so it will still be easy to pl even if not invisable. Any debt you get while keeping in that 300ft range if you do make a mistake and get to close to a mob will be removed while getting PL'd


Jade Pictures

DoIDD

Lady-Jade's Power Suggestion Thread

@Lady-Jade

 

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You can barely tab target something 300 feet away. Only way you can snipe something is to put in a bunch of hami range and boost range it. Already on live this often doesn't register in the combat log. And even then when you snipe something in FF from the entrance to the nearest 5th near the square if they run away from a snipe such as moonbeam you don't get credit for the defeat since they run out of visual range.

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The point is that you could do something non-damaging to help the battle (Fearsome Stare, buffs, heals, etc...) and then pretty easily go out of range for some reason (fell off a Skyway overpass, moved away to help a different team member, etc...) Or the mob could jump off the overpass (they do this all the time), or decide to fly away.


 

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Just another negative addition to gameplay....

Now, I cant...

1. Create a team in Perez park and have two different groups hunting on opposite sides for fun fast xp in the early levels.


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Why would you even bother with this? If you are going to be in two sperate groups on two seperate sides of PP then you ARE in effect two seperate teams. Seriously why not just hunt in the same group or near each other.

This is an extremely minor hit to gameplay well worth the price of admission.

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2. I wont be able to get the experience from the battle I died in when buffing because the battle ussualy takes longer than a minute and so does most rez powers.

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So in some magtastic fashion after you buff the teamates and then die in a street mission the entire battle wanders off 300ft away from your body? Oh yes that happens all the time... or wait how about nearly never. Again well wroth the price of admission.

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Which basically means that - as states has refused to address one of the major topics - split teaming WHEN STREET HUNTING - since it's allowed in missions - is against the rules.


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Well since you are in two seperate teams then either act as seperate teams or jsut quicky complete the kill task, since everyone gets credit and then do somethign else. Heaven forfend this bloody curse of thrice damned logic that has been brought down upon us!!!
But oh yes this change clearly indicates it is against the rules any fool can see the logic in that statement. Oh no wait... thats suppose to be anoyone would have to eb a fool to see the logic in that statement I get those mixed up sometimes.

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Ya know, I often get together with SG mates in PI or the RCS & we just split up & hunt the zone for xp. This tactic completely eliminates that opportunity, & from that perspective it's pretty annoying. I don't suppose anything I have to say will get any attention, but I thought I'd share that anyway.


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I can empathize with this actually. I fully understand that this si stomping on this time of play style unfortunatly this is a sacrifice thats just needs to be made for the long term benefit of the game. Sucks that you get dinged by it.

To the person that was pointing out that you can slot moonbeam to 400ft.
Assuming that you were trying to shoot a foe 400ft away and every shot missed and then a meteor fell from the sky and smote the villain for you, then yes, in that situation you would not get exp.

Jebuz save us.
I can not believe some of these questions.


 

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I can't say I don't disagree with this on a fundamental level.

The original proposal I recall describing as: a ham-handed attempt to solve for a non-issue.

This modification upgrades it to: A slightly less ham-handed attempt to solve for a non-issue.


I'm appreciative of, and laud you Statesman and the rest of the Development team for your willingness to listen to feedback, as well as to commmunicate with us on what others might consider rather sensitive and proprietary development issues.

This is a step in the right direction, however I still feel this measure lacks a cause worthy of its scope. I will continue to keep tabs on this expectantly, however in the hopes that the most reasonable solution can be worked out.


 

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Conceptually nothing. These changes have no effect on your personal xp gain. A lagger left behind would drain your experience exactly as much as it does currently on live. Sure, the total team xp is lower, but who cares if the guy who decided shopping was more important doesn't get any xp? You're still getting the same xp as you do on Live. A person sitting in a team not doing anything is ALWAYS a drain on team xp, regardless of whether or not they themselves get any xp by it.

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So, you've got a group of four friends and you're all hungry. You decide to buy a large pizza for everyone, and everybody can have two slices.

But oops, one of your friends is late and hasn't arrived yet. Instead of letting anyone have an extra slice, though, the pizza delivery guy just throws out the extra two slices before he lets you have the pizza.

The next night, you're the one who's late, and you pick up the pizza on your way there. You pay for a large, but this time they only give you two slices and throw the rest in the dumpster.

And each time, when you find out about this policy and ask if you could buy a smaller pizza so nothing's wasted, they tell you that's against the rules unless you swear nobody else is going to show up. If you're going home to eat alone, they'll sell you a small, but if you've got three people there it's a large or nothing.

You're getting two slices each time, but is this pizza place giving you a fair deal?


 

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You can barely tab target something 300 feet away. Only way you can snipe something is to put in a bunch of hami range and boost range it. Already on live this often doesn't register in the combat log. And even then when you snipe something in FF from the entrance to the nearest 5th near the square if they run away from a snipe such as moonbeam you don't get credit for the defeat since they run out of visual range.

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The point is that you could do something non-damaging to help the battle (Fearsome Stare, buffs, heals, etc...) and then pretty easily go out of range for some reason (fell off a Skyway overpass, moved away to help a different team member, etc...) Or the mob could jump off the overpass (they do this all the time), or decide to fly away.

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Or you could fall off a walkway (or get KNOCKED OFF it- via the new villian Knockback abilities) in one of those very difficult maps, like the Oranbegan ones so many players love to hate for their uncanny ability to defy all attempts at sane navigation (lovely art, BTW, but then again so are hedge mazes).

I suppose if you're lucky enough to have a conscientious team, they'll wait for you. On the other hand this ~rare~ courtesy adds yet another form of downtime to the game unique to team activities, and contributes to team divisiveness.

I'm sorry to say I still find this leash idea repugnant, and lacking any provocation that equals the profound effect it's going to have on us ALL and not just the minority of powerlevelers it's meant to target.


 

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Why would you even bother with this? If you are going to be in two sperate groups on two seperate sides of PP then you ARE in effect two seperate teams. Seriously why not just hunt in the same group or near each other.

This is an extremely minor hit to gameplay well worth teh price of admission.

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Because spliting up or 'scooby doo'ing as some of us call it is faster xp. We do it all the time mainly in brickstown. It makes no sence for a team of 8 to be beating down the small street mob size. However 2 teams of 4 or 2 teams of 3, hunting on diffrent spots in brickstown can effectively double the amount of xp you get. I have done this sort of thing since week one of game with several teams, PP and in Brickstown are big for this at least with some of the people I team with. heck in PI I was on a team of 4, 2 tanks, me a scrapper and a PB we split up and each hunted in a diffrent part of the map, it makes for fast xp that adds up over time.

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2. I wont be able to get the experience from the battle I died in when buffing because the battle ussualy takes longer than a minute and so does most rez powers.

So in some magtastic fashion after you buff the teamates and then die in a street mission the entire battle wanders off 300ft away from your body? Oh yes that happens all the time... or wait how about nearly never. Again well wroth the price of admission.

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Actually the secnario I was thinking is you call your team to gatehr for buffs (300ft+) from mobs for safety, you and your team rush in to kill the mob but you get killed in the mob alpha strike, it takes your team more then 1 minute to kill the mob and you don't get the xp. Dispite the fact your team probably handled the mob easier with your buffs on.

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To the person that was pointing out that you can slot moonbeam to 400ft.

Assuming that you were trying to shoot a foe 400ft away and every shot missed and then a meteor fell from the sky and smote the villain for you, then yes, in that situation you would not get exp.

Jebuz save us.
I can not believe some of these questions.

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Actually I have a friend that has sniper shot 6 sloted with range hami-os. What he does is targets a friend. That friend (lets say a tank) runs in and attacks the mob, it is very easy for my blaster friend to shoot that mob with assit on the tanker. Most of the time he can't even see on his screen the mob. Now this is in the extreme but it is very possible to use this tactic and I know its used.


Jade Pictures

DoIDD

Lady-Jade's Power Suggestion Thread

@Lady-Jade

 

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OMG *SOB*
So Kronos shows up slaughters the half the team, then the other half of the team drags the titan 300ft away from the bodies, so what, 3 times the distance between the IP tram and the steel gateway,

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Uh, no. The base of the IP tram ramp is 154 yards away from the Steel entrance. That's 462 feet.

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and then the survivors kils it after you have been dead for 1minute and no one has bothered to raise you then yes you would not get exp. Also lightening could strike me three times in row while I type this because those odds are roughly the same. Though I admit a 2-5 minute probably would not be much of a problem and might make some sort of peace.

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Now who needs to re-read the XP range rules? There's no need for the battle to wander 300ft away; they can be right on top of you, and if you've been dead for a minute, you'll get nothing (if you did no damage).


 

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Your point is completely true, but it presents the devs with an interesting conundrum that I mentioned earlier in this thread. If they changed it so that XPs were calculated based on only the number of people in range, so that you get the "right" amount of XPs that you deserve, then it would be instantly exploited by powerlevelers. Using the common SK/Mentor (Bridging) method of powerleveling, the sidekicked player would stay in range of the guy fighting and the mentor (bridge) would stay in range of the sidekick but not the mobs being fought. That would give the SK even more XPs than if this change had never been implemented.

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But the PL'er is now in range for the battle, and "at risk" (at least, by the logic that prompted the XP range in the first place). Isn't that the point of this change, to get the PL'ers out of the tram station and at least within viewing distance of the fight?


 

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I Really Happy about the Door Mission not be included, I've stated since day 1, (on hearing this). That it shouldn't be this way. Also 300' for the street is a reasonable range.

I could live with this setup.