Not once, not twice, but three times...
By
008Zulu,
Posted on: 2006-01-10 16:26 in Developers' Corner
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First...I confirm that we're working on right now (as in pohsyb in the next room) to add CoV costume parts into CoH if you own both games....
Then we repeal the hated stealth nerf. The reason why: many well reasoned posts. It's that simple. You guys pointed out the problems.
AND now...we're changing the way Archvillains spawn. A ton of forum goers disliked adding so many AV's into missions a while back...so we've come up with a solution. If the team size and mission difficulty are ABOVE a certain level, an Archvillain spawns. Below that, players will face only an Elite Boss. If the mission is set on the first two levels of difficulty, it takes 4 heroes or more to spawn an Arch Villain. On the third level, 3 heroes or more. On the fourth level, 2 heroes. On the highest (Invincible), a solo hero will spawn an AV. Note this works in BOTH City of Heroes and Villains.
In order to incentivize larger teams, Positron is going to add a bonus to AV rewards!
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Very good news on all fronts, I do have a question about the AVs though.
Will the EB/AV still count for badges that require the the AV? Like the Praetorian storyarc for example.
My Deviant Art Page
I just want to say that the AV spawn change is a great change all around from the way you and Positron have described it. Elite bosses can be very challenging solo, but are certainly doable with some luck and strategy. They have always felt more "heroic" to fight than AVs to me anyway. AV fights usually all end up being the same long, boring series of encounters. AVs are really aren't particularly fun to fight in my opinion, and they were "blocking" too many story arcs for small groups and soloists.
Increasing the rewards for the AVs makes the change good for everyone all around. People that solo or have small groups can get the elite boss versions; while larger groups or more hardcore players can fight the AV versions with better rewards. And no one gets "stuck" with two story arcs they can't complete because they each have AVs in them.
Thank you.
P.S. I'm looking forward to all of the costume pieces showing up in CoH too. One of the Starburst split capes will really fit my invul/em tanker 
Huzzah!
#2409 - The Mystery of the MAGI vaults. Azuria has contacted you to help her stop the thefts from the MAGI vaults.
#68054 - Out of the gutters. Left for dead, you swore that you were through with being a victim (alt villain beginning story)
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But these are certainly not worth offering one's firstborn for...
But then it occurred to me that maybe this just shows how starved for something positive the players of this game really are. These reactions are not unlike giving food to a starving man, or water to someone that has just walked across a desert. Maybe you should take this as a sign to give some positive changes to this community rather than nerf on top of nerf.
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I was thinking pretty much the same thing. 
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That sounds like a smart implementation, but when you say an Elite Boss, I hope you don't mean that the AV will spawn as an Elite Boss.
AVs are supposed to be special. I would prefer that when my group size is too small, etc. that they AV not be in the mission, but at least I got one of the factiosn bosses.
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I hope what you said isn't what he meant. I would prefer that when my group size is too small or difficulty too low, that I still get to fight Anti-Matter or Infernal.
The rankings as minions, lts, bosses, etc are all arbitrary and metagame definitions anyway. Why else would a boss' pistol do so much more damage than a minion's?
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
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AND now...we're changing the way Archvillains spawn. A ton of forum goers disliked adding so many AV's into missions a while back...so we've come up with a solution. If the team size and mission difficulty are ABOVE a certain level, an Archvillain spawns. Below that, players will face only an Elite Boss. If the mission is set on the first two levels of difficulty, it takes 4 heroes or more to spawn an Arch Villain. On the third level, 3 heroes or more. On the fourth level, 2 heroes. On the highest (Invincible), a solo hero will spawn an AV. Note this works in BOTH City of Heroes and Villains.
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Woohoo!
The reduction in non-soloable missions is more than enough for celebration, but I also find that I'm drooling over the opportunity to face the signature heroes and villains on reasonably even terms...
I'm going to have to recreate my main so I can catch all the AVs I finished earlier....hmm....and if the hero-villain swapping goes in, I could create two versions and go through both sides....
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In order to incentivize larger teams, Positron is going to add a bonus to AV rewards!
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Eeeeenteresting....
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First...I confirm that we're working on right now (as in pohsyb in the next room) to add CoV costume parts into CoH if you own both games....
Then we repeal the hated stealth nerf. The reason why: many well reasoned posts. It's that simple. You guys pointed out the problems.
AND now...we're changing the way Archvillains spawn. A ton of forum goers disliked adding so many AV's into missions a while back...so we've come up with a solution. If the team size and mission difficulty are ABOVE a certain level, an Archvillain spawns. Below that, players will face only an Elite Boss. If the mission is set on the first two levels of difficulty, it takes 4 heroes or more to spawn an Arch Villain. On the third level, 3 heroes or more. On the fourth level, 2 heroes. On the highest (Invincible), a solo hero will spawn an AV. Note this works in BOTH City of Heroes and Villains.
In order to incentivize larger teams, Positron is going to add a bonus to AV rewards!
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Well, I'll say this quite simply, I am very glad to see this. The AV idea is very interesting and can help soloers as well as helping out the bigger teams with greater reward.
In my last post I was somewhat harsh on the devs, and due to this, I will in part retract what I said, I hope to see more listening between dev and player like this in the future.
In closing, I bow to you Devs, thank you for listening.
Deg
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Why else would a boss' pistol do so much more damage than a minion's?
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The boss has better aim, more skill with handling a pistol, and/or more modifications to his firearm (Both legal and illegal)
Ah, just when all hope is lost and I feel the devs have forsaken me... They rise from the ashes and I praise them once more.
Gonna like these changes.
@Lasher
First Of The Year
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Edgar Allan Poe
I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.
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Why else would a boss' pistol do so much more damage than a minion's?
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The boss has better aim, more skill with handling a pistol, and/or more modifications to his firearm (Both legal and illegal)
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No, you have a minion and a boss.
Both have a pistol.
The minion shoots you, and it stings.
The boss shoots you, and you get knocked on your [censored] and need a blood transfusion and possibly an organ transplant.
It's for dramatic convenience, there is no realistic justification, nor does there need to be.
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
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WOW!! OMG!!! YOUARETEHBEST!!!
PvP is still awful compared to the other PvP choices out there(5 million customers=doing something right).
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Umm? I've played the "5 MILLION CUSTOMER" game, and neither the PvE or PvP can compare. Can you transform into a flying squid while your opponent jumps 100m in the air and a third person irradiates you while running 80mph?
No?
Not as good, sorry.
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Can a mage punch my warrior's armor clean off?
No?
Then CoH's PVP can't be as good, can it?
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Heh. Interesting point.
I'll admit my own bias, I'm heavily anti-Blizzard and pro-superhero, so that colors my opinion.
One thing is bothering me after reading the replies, it's the people who are saying "But now I can't have an AV in my mission to solo unless I set the difficulty up but then its a higher level and I still can't solo it."
This ^^^^ is why we get nerfs people. You aren't supposed to be able to solo an AV. If the game just isn't challenging enough try upping your difficulty or teaming up more, it can be a whole new type of gameplay when you are on a team. but seriously, whining because now you don't get to solo an AV? If you can solo an even level AV you should be able to handle having your difficulty turned up.
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One thing is bothering me after reading the replies, it's the people who are saying "But now I can't have an AV in my mission to solo unless I set the difficulty up but then its a higher level and I still can't solo it."
This ^^^^ is why we get nerfs people. You aren't supposed to be able to solo an AV. If the game just isn't challenging enough try upping your difficulty or teaming up more, it can be a whole new type of gameplay when you are on a team. but seriously, whining because now you don't get to solo an AV? If you can solo an even level AV you should be able to handle having your difficulty turned up.
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In theory you could solo a av, heck i was in a duo wit ha blaster way back in I2 and we almost soloed a av.
but it takes a obsecne amont of planning
basicly said blaster built a mine field and i, the scrapper lured the av into it.manged to stack up explosions to take Vandel down to half but we count do it....
AE # 67087: Journey through the Looking Glass - Save the World
LLX VirtueVerse! - Check out my crazy Toons
This is the size of group that we have balanced AVs for, 6.
-Positron 06/07/06 07:27 PM
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First...I confirm that we're working on right now (as in pohsyb in the next room) to add CoV costume parts into CoH if you own both games....
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Works for me. More is better (except for nerfs. Those should be used sparingly and only when appropriate)
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Then we repeal the hated stealth nerf. The reason why: many well reasoned posts. It's that simple. You guys pointed out the problems.
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Works for me. This is more like the Issue 3 Devs I remember rather than the Issue 5 & 6 Devs.
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AND now...we're changing the way Archvillains spawn. A ton of forum goers disliked adding so many AV's into missions a while back...so we've come up with a solution. If the team size and mission difficulty are ABOVE a certain level, an Archvillain spawns. Below that, players will face only an Elite Boss. If the mission is set on the first two levels of difficulty, it takes 4 heroes or more to spawn an Arch Villain. On the third level, 3 heroes or more. On the fourth level, 2 heroes. On the highest (Invincible), a solo hero will spawn an AV. Note this works in BOTH City of Heroes and Villains.
In order to incentivize larger teams, Positron is going to add a bonus to AV rewards!
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This last part... it sounds intriguing. I like it. (please ignore my previous text. Apparently I can't read.)
Virtue: multiple characters.
CoH/V: Woot! Maybe Fun is to be had once again.
Ack! RUN! Regen is glowing mean & green!
If it reduces you, it's a nerf.
If it buffs the mobs, it's challenge.
They are not the same.
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Fully understandable. Especially since its not like your going to be soloing SF/TF's nowadays anyways.
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*cough* speak for yourself.
Next up is Citadel.
[removed due to Cats mis-reading 4 heros does spawn the Av - you go tthe numebrs spot on there]
@Catwhoorg "Rule of Three - Finale" Arc# 1984
@Mr Falkland Islands"A Nation Goes Rogue" Arc# 2369 "Toasters and Pop Tarts" Arc#116617
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Heh. Interesting point.
I'll admit my own bias, I'm heavily anti-Blizzard and pro-superhero, so that colors my opinion.
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More about the toggle-dropping than about your biases. 
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Hoo-freaking-rah! Thank you so much Statesman! There's several AV-type characters who I'd like to solo and this is will be a major blessing.
Also, thanks for the costume additions! You guys didn't have to do it but I'd darned considerate of you to take the time to allow us to have more costume options.
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This means no suppression either, right? That would incur most of the same problems the original nerf brought, so I hope we're sticking with stealth as-is.
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If you read Statesman's comment on it, yes supression of stealth will be coming in a future patch. They will be pulling the current method so they can code supression in.
Its only being pulled because otherwise idiots would use group and castable invisibility abilities to grief and harass players.
But it's MY sadistic mechanical monster and I'm here to make sure it knows it. - Girl Genius
List of Invention Guides
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This means no suppression either, right? That would incur most of the same problems the original nerf brought, so I hope we're sticking with stealth as-is.
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If you read Statesman's comment on it, yes supression of stealth will be coming in a future patch. They will be pulling the current method so they can code supression in.
Its only being pulled because otherwise idiots would use group and castable invisibility abilities to grief and harass players.
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Urge to quit Rising...rising....falling...rising
AE # 67087: Journey through the Looking Glass - Save the World
LLX VirtueVerse! - Check out my crazy Toons
This is the size of group that we have balanced AVs for, 6.
-Positron 06/07/06 07:27 PM
Fantastic changes! Thanks a ton for the heads-up
You're starting off 2006 with a bang States.
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AND now...we're changing the way Archvillains spawn. A ton of forum goers disliked adding so many AV's into missions a while back...so we've come up with a solution. If the team size and mission difficulty are ABOVE a certain level, an Archvillain spawns. Below that, players will face only an Elite Boss. If the mission is set on the first two levels of difficulty, it takes 4 heroes or more to spawn an Arch Villain. On the third level, 3 heroes or more. On the fourth level, 2 heroes. On the highest (Invincible), a solo hero will spawn an AV. Note this works in BOTH City of Heroes and Villains.
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I have nothing to say but thanks.
I'm not a child. I can play with dead things if I want to.
I think my jaw may have actually dropped a bit when I read this post. To the dev team, allow me to throw my thanks upon the rapidly growing pile.
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This means no suppression either, right? That would incur most of the same problems the original nerf brought, so I hope we're sticking with stealth as-is.
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If you read Statesman's comment on it, yes supression of stealth will be coming in a future patch. They will be pulling the current method so they can code supression in.
Its only being pulled because otherwise idiots would use group and castable invisibility abilities to grief and harass players.
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Hate to spoil the fun but you do realise those who predicted abait and switch were...right
The devs AI is as predictable as a vazalok cadaver without a mortie
AE # 67087: Journey through the Looking Glass - Save the World
LLX VirtueVerse! - Check out my crazy Toons
This is the size of group that we have balanced AVs for, 6.
-Positron 06/07/06 07:27 PM
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Um...
Wow...
Holy....
You guys just keep finding new ways to earn my money.
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Urge to quit...falling...falling...RISING....falling....
AE # 67087: Journey through the Looking Glass - Save the World
LLX VirtueVerse! - Check out my crazy Toons
This is the size of group that we have balanced AVs for, 6.
-Positron 06/07/06 07:27 PM