I wouldn't mind knockback being changed to knockdown for the Energy Cones/AoEs.
Of course if the "concept" for Energy blasters is to knockback absolutely everything then I guess that idea is SoL.
WHAAAA???? cool!!
Wait, what is wrong with Fire/ again??
<QR>
I PM'd Statesman in January and asked about this (PM below). He replied that there were no plans to change the sets and it was still something for the future.
Castle, has this changed, or are you just taking a look at things in your spare time and making a few tweaks?
My PM from 1/12/06
I read in one of your QA posts or Stratics chats that you were going to look into Blaster secondary power sets with the possibility of changing or radically altering the sets.
Is there any news on this? Many in the Blaster community are eager to know if this is in the works and if so, when we might expect to see it. If it is not even in the queue, knowing that would help.
My specific questions are:
* Are changes to Blaster secondary power sets in the queue? If so, which set(s)?
* If there are changes, can we expect them in I7 or I8? Is so, in which issue?
* If there are changes, will these be tweaks to the existing powers; minor changes in the power set(s); or a complete retooling of the set(s)?
Please let us know.
Thanks.
@Griffyn
"40 characters is my limit... okay, 50... 50 is my limit... okay, 60... 60 is my limit... okay, 70..."
AYE
Oh, and yeah, Electrical Blast could use a tweaking here and there, but mostly to its 8th tier power, Voltaic Sentinel. Give it a second attack and a PBAoE Lightning Field-esque power (y'know, like the description implies) and we'll be satisfied.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A very minor improvement for Gadgets...I mean, Devices! (Yeah, it was a dumb mistake -- typing in haste and all of that.)
[/ QUOTE ]
/em crosses fingers that this "minor improvement" includes a minor damage boost to Targeting Drone to compensate for the nuetering this set has been through and it's evident lack of a Build Up type power.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not me, I'm hoping for that "minor" improvement to be Smoke Grenade not suppressing Stealth or being Auto-hit or both. Ever since I started my /dev blaster I've felt that SG is the key to the set and right now that key is stuck in the garbage disposal.
[ QUOTE ]
AYE
Oh, and yeah, Electrical Blast could use a tweaking here and there, but mostly to its 8th tier power, Voltaic Sentinel. Give it a second attack and a PBAoE Lightning Field-esque power (y'know, like the description implies) and we'll be satisfied.
[/ QUOTE ]
That would be spiffy, but the real reason I'm here is to say "Aye" to re-naming Devices "McGyver."
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I like _Castle_, however this post isnt going to win me over or make me hop on the Yay Devs! bandwagon that everyone seems like they want back on.
Last time a dev (Geko) said they were even looking into /Devices, we received no further notice of anything being decided. Over a year later, the power in question gets a nerf.
The boards actively say AR/Dev needs the most love, and Defiance is a PoS. Where is the love going? Fire/Fire? I dont think I have seen many blasters say Fire/ was lacking anywhere (especially on the resistances issue AR and Arrow get
), and I have the feeling if /Fire wasnt shared by tankers it wouldnt be looked at either. Overall, the general consensus of the forum doesnt seem to be the focus here. Sure /Devices is getting a minor tweak. Nothing major like it needs.
I have a feeling they are removing the stealth suppression from smoke grenade as this minor tweak. If so, it isnt a tweak IMHO, but a **** bug fix a year too late and the power will still be fairly trivial to take.
Is SG going to get anything to make it on par with flash arrow even?
Is web grenade going to ever be anything other than damageless chilblain?
Will Cloaking get at least something other than laughably low supressable defense? -
Taser be anything other than a slightly better stun with less range than my origin one?
Trip mines refusing to go off be fixed?
Targeting drone get a bonus as you reduced the SO schedule it took?
Any of the AR/Dev lack of Buildup and Aim to be addressed?
Auto turret going to ever be looked at as it is one of the worst powers in the game, and especially for our final 38+ only power?
Answer to those is a likely no, and all would be more than a minor tweak. Im not holding my breath on seeing this tweak or going to change my feelings the devs really dont get blasters at all as this further shows they dont. When we say we need Chinese take-out and you bring us the hubcap of a 67 Studebaker with a grain of rice under it
.
Oh, and I really bet when devs up blaster range on novas, they still will ignore the fact Full Auto has nothing to make up for having a much smaller target cap or overly long rooting or which RoA kicks its butt in every aspect for the same recharge rate. 
[ QUOTE ]
and we'll be satisfied.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not very likely
and yeah, glad to see */devices (heh...Mcgyver) is getting love...who elses hoping for cloaking device to not have the auto stealth supression when activating devices powers? I get the whole suppress when interacting with an item, but I miss my:
*sneak, sneak, sneak* *plant trip mine* BOOM!
*sneak, sneak, sneak* INFERNO (or whichever you have that goes ultimately) BOOM!
You know, looking thru this thread there's quite a bit of dev hate going on, then as soon as _Castle_ posts it's nothing by joygasms and happiness.
At the risk of further alienating myself from the CoX forum community I have to wonder. Since when did it become fashionable to bash the devs and Lighthouse at all. Now with Lighthouse I have some issues, which I stated in a post that got removed (chuckles). But all in all I think they've done a great job with the game, the changes are coming so slowly because there is so much to do and so little people around to do it. That's not the dev's fault, that's NCsoft or Cryptics fault on a financial level. So unless we're all ready to start screaming for more people to work on stuff in exchange for paying for our free issues (and I do NOT want that!!!1) then we have to learn to be a bit patient. Now then, for the devs it might be wise if they added something to the forums like a "In production" thread where they list out what they're doing. We're not their bosses, so they dont have to give us a minute by minute on how they spend every day, but just some general idea to shut some of us up. 
Like when am I getting my killer clown villain archtype. I want to bash on longbow with a pogo stick while giggling madly....
'If Champions Online is what "CoH was supposed to be", I'm glad that I have what I have rather than "what it was supposed to be".' - The Alt oholic
"I solo'd Hamidon...but I also totally cheated." - Back Alley Brawler
"It is still early. Someone is going to get stabbed tonight I can feel it." - Ishmael (said in Jello Shooters chat)
This post can only lead to two things. A) Castle is being replaced or B) Castle is about to start on another large project, similar in scope of that of the Inventions System. The last time a Red posted in here was about a year ago, and was Castle, just before he got put on the Inventions System.
Humor aside...
I'll just say this: I'll believe it when I see it on Live.
I'd also like to add this:
[ QUOTE ]
I can understand why you think that would be the case, though.
[/ QUOTE ]
QFE.
I'm not doubting Castle, I like Castle, but this is a tune I have heard many times before. Unfortunately, this tune tends to 'vapor'ize before it finishes. Blaster changes remind me of a game called "Duke Nukem Forever". Yeah...someday...
Cyclone Jack
-= idspispopd =-
[size=1]Arc ID: 3155 - Project Prometheus (Seeking Feedback, now with less invalidation)[/size]
[ QUOTE ]
A very minor improvement for Gadgets...I mean, Devices! (Yeah, it was a dumb mistake -- typing in haste and all of that.)
[/ QUOTE ]
So when you type in Haste, does the preview screen load twice as fast? Or does you keyboard go twice as fast? Does the Dev Power Set haste last longer then the Pool power, recharges faster, or does it more then double your recharge speed?
Dev Haste is broken!! Too powerful, I say! Nerf Devs!! 
Before all of you /Devices (sigh: /Gadgets) blasters get all worked up, he did say "very minor". My guess is that you'll all go: "That's it?!? What about fixing the problems with the set?" Once the change is announced.
My guess it that it will be: Caltrops fixed to tick 20% faster or something else that nobody asked for.
I'm reasonably certain it won't be one of:
1. Giving targeting drone an inherent damage boost to make up for the fact that ED destroyed its purpose in life.
2. Fixing Trip Mines so that they actually explode when stepped on.
3. Making Smoke Grenade not unhide you, defeating its entire purpose
4. Making Time Bomb remote detonatable (say by damage?)
5. Tweaking Autoturret in some way to make it useful or at least worth the time and endo it takes to set up
[ QUOTE ]
So unless we're all ready to start screaming for more people to work on stuff in exchange for paying for our free issues (and I do NOT want that!!!1) then we have to learn to be a bit patient
[/ QUOTE ]
True to an extent. But, it does not apply in most circumstances.
The time invested to prevent autoturret from being ported by recall friend is not less intensive than preventing cloaking device from supressing from using various devices.
The time invested in making defiance increase damage as health drops is not less manpower intensive than making defiance increase damage and mez protection as the blaster suffers from mez (or any of the other dozens of suggestions)
There is a very meaningful difference between wanting more done, and wanting something done differently.
The "developer hate" is simply a common sentiment among the masses in any MMO. It's to be expected.
[ QUOTE ]
In an upcoming patch, here are a few things you'll see:
Increased EDIT:Maximum ranges for attacks like Blaze.
[/ QUOTE ]
It would be great if this meant a buff to Shout, Blaze, and Power Burst to Bitter Ice Blast Range, or at least close to BiB range. (say, 40 compared to BiB's 50)
[ QUOTE ]
Some improvements for */Fire (No, no powers were switched out. No Fiery Embrace, I'm afraid. )
Some improvements for Fire/*
[/ QUOTE ]
/Fire definetly needs some help. Not sure what needs to be buffed in Fire Blast other than Blaze's range, which you already mentioned. I suppose a new animation for Flares would help, since its pretty much universaly skipped right now, unless youre a /Fire Dom who has to take it.
[ QUOTE ]
A very minor improvement for Gadgets...I mean, Devices! (Yeah, it was a dumb mistake -- typing in haste and all of that.)
[/ QUOTE ]
Make AT portable again? Stope Smoke Grenade from suppressing Cloaking Device? Please tell me it isn't something silly like increasing Caltrop's range.
[ QUOTE ]
I have some ideas for other changes/improvements, but there is no ETA on when or if I'll get them in.
[/ QUOTE ]
When everyone else is on lunch. Or I suggest giving Positron something to sign towards the end of you office Christmas Party. After he's had a few "refreshments" of course.
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Saer Maen
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Illuminance
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Taiga Dryad
Tarranos
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A very minor improvement for Gadgets...I mean, Devices! (Yeah, it was a dumb mistake -- typing in haste and all of that.)
[/ QUOTE ]
So when you type in Haste, does the preview screen load twice as fast? Or does you keyboard go twice as fast? Does the Dev Power Set haste last longer then the Pool power, recharges faster, or does it more then double your recharge speed?
Dev Haste is broken!! Too powerful, I say! Nerf Devs!!
[/ QUOTE ]
I suspect it's got a higher recharge buff than the pool power (so the "hit a key" power recharges quicker), but it obviously carries an accuracy debuff. I figure it's probably balanced.
And if they changed it to the McGuyver set, they'd have to change the powers to things like "Chewing Gum", "Baling Wire", "Lumber", and "Random Piece of Junk", and it would be up to us to find ways to make them useful. Oh, and we couldn't pair it with AR anymore. 
(Oh, and I'm all for making Smoke Grenade as "good" as Flash Arrow. Maybe then we could use the primary > secondary argument to talk them into buffing Flash Arrow all the way up to "marginally useful, sometimes...maybe". Still bitter about Flash Arrow.)
The Way of the Corruptor (Arc ID 49834): Hey villains! Do something for yourself for a change--like twisting the elements to your will. All that's standing in your way are a few secret societies...and Champions of the four elements.
[ QUOTE ]
A very minor improvement for Gadgets...I mean, Devices!
[/ QUOTE ]
This could make my whole year.
I predict the very minor change to Devices will be changing its name to Gadgets.
[ QUOTE ]
Not at all true.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not saying that there is that attitude. I'm expressing a concern that there could be that attitude on the other side of the screen. And I'm not saying you don't give a crap. Unless you're the only cat over there developing this puppy. I got fully honked off over the Gadgets thing. I freely admit that. You posted (something someone who didn't give a crap wouldn't do) and said it was a legacy thing and that pretty much was that. Then folks started going on about people flipping out over something that was "just a name slip". So, I had to point out that it wasn't the name slip, but what I feared it meant. Something you'd already addressed.
Was it a dopey thing to get honked off over? I guess. But, disregarding the disregard we've disregarded, it felt like insult to injury. Announcing another Devices nerf, especially to a power that's already hinky enough as it is, was bad enough without the name slip. I mean, if you're going to "punch" someone's "donkey", the least you can do is get that person's name right. Or, you know, give them some of the merlot you made in the toe-let.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry Castle but you let the cat out of the bag. They will hence forth be known as Gadget Blasters or the Macgyver set.
[/ QUOTE ]
I second that Devices be renamed Macgyver set. All those in favor, say "Aye!"
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, but then you wouldn't be able to use it with AR/*.
[ QUOTE ]
Taser be anything other than a slightly better stun with less range than my origin one?
[/ QUOTE ]
Tech: Taser Dart is a hold, states it in the power when you hold the mouse of the button. An incredibly short hold which half the time doesn't work.
[ QUOTE ]
Fire/Fire? I dont think I have seen many blasters say Fire/ was lacking anywhere
[/ QUOTE ]
At least my blaster brother and sisters are getting a tweak. Hopefully they add some kind of reliable secondary effect.
[ QUOTE ]
Oh, and I really bet when devs up blaster range on novas, they still will ignore the fact Full Auto has nothing to make up for having a much smaller target cap or overly long rooting or which RoA kicks its butt in every aspect for the same recharge rate.
[/ QUOTE ]
Its improved range on the short range powers like Blaze or Power Burst, not the 32 powers.
[ QUOTE ]
You know, looking thru this thread there's quite a bit of dev hate going on, then as soon as _Castle_ posts it's nothing by joygasms and happiness.
[/ QUOTE ]
Devs visiting the blaster boards is like looking for Sasquatch. You kvetch and moan you can't find it, but when you finally see it your happy. The devs had said they would look at blaster secondaries over a year ago, many blasters got pissed nothing was being done, and when something was finally done. Wouldn't you be happy?
And I have never bashed Lighthouse. He is the new guy, gotta cut him some slack
[ QUOTE ]
1. Giving targeting drone an inherent damage boost to make up for the fact that ED destroyed its purpose in life.
2. Fixing Trip Mines so that they actually explode when stepped on.
3. Making Smoke Grenade not unhide you, defeating its entire purpose
4. Making Time Bomb remote detonatable (say by damage?)
5. Tweaking Autoturret in some way to make it useful or at least worth the time and endo it takes to set up
[/ QUOTE ]
Wait? I thought /Gadgets!?! was supposed to act like it currently does? *is so confused* (and being humorus)
[ QUOTE ]
When everyone else is on lunch. Or I suggest giving Positron something to sign towards the end of you office Christmas Party. After he's had a few "refreshments" of course.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, make sure he has had alot of "refreshments" and isn't distracted by Sister Psyche and Ghost Widow.
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, but then you wouldn't be able to use it with AR/*.
[/ QUOTE ]
Isn't that the current problem when you theme AR with /Gadgets!?! .
[ QUOTE ]
Increased EDIT:Maximum ranges for attacks like Blaze.
[/ QUOTE ] Oh thank you. Definitely a welcome change.
[ QUOTE ]
Some improvements for */Fire (No, no powers were switched out. No Fiery Embrace, I'm afraid. )
[/ QUOTE ] Also something that's been needed, though I honestly think switching out some powers would be more of a help, but who knows mebby they're really good changes.
[ QUOTE ]
Some improvements for Fire/*
[/ QUOTE ] Not that any improvements are a bad thing ... but out of all the primaries that could use help, why Fire? It's one of the better ones out there.
[ QUOTE ]
A very minor improvement for Gadgets...I mean, Devices! (Yeah, it was a dumb mistake -- typing in haste and all of that.)
[/ QUOTE ] Pardon me if I don't jump for joy about this one before I see what the change is. Given the singular nature of that statement, it'd have to be a really nice change for me to get excited about it. Sure help is nice, but there's far more than just one thing wonky with the set. It's a start though.
[ QUOTE ]
I have some ideas for other changes/improvements, but there is no ETA on when or if I'll get them in.
[/ QUOTE ] Ok, not to sound terribly pessimistic here, since you are trying and the like. Something I'm very pleased to see. However, I hope you don't mind if I don't hold my breath waiting for any other possible changes. That way I can be pleasantly surprised when they happen, and I won't be disappointed if they never show up. (Like almost all the other dev comments about 'looking into' blaster issues in the past.)
MA Arcs: Yarmouth 1509 and 58812
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, but then you wouldn't be able to use it with AR/*.
[/ QUOTE ]
Isn't that the current problem when you theme AR with /Gadgets!?! .
[/ QUOTE ]
MacGyver had a hatred of guns stemming from the accidental death of a childhood friend.
[ QUOTE ]
Ok, not to sound terribly pessimistic here, since you are trying and the like. Something I'm very pleased to see. However, I hope you don't mind if I don't hold my breath waiting for any other possible changes. That way I can be pleasantly surprised when they happen, and I won't be disappointed if they never show up. (Like almost all the other dev comments about 'looking into' blaster issues in the past.)
[/ QUOTE ]
"That is of course the advantage of being a pessimist; a pessimist gets nothing but pleasant surprises, an optimist nothing but unpleasant." - Nero Wolfe
[ QUOTE ]
but there is no ETA on when or if I'll get them in
[/ QUOTE ]
_Castle_, you know I love ya' bud but that's just not cool.
What do blasters need to do to get some legit dev attention?
[ QUOTE ]
I really don't know why they think they need to call a power set by one name internally and another name externally.
[/ QUOTE ]
Happens ALL the time with legacy code. It's usually a total nightmare to rename labels in a large and complex in-use program, for very little gain apart from the very occasional point of confusion with external users.
[ QUOTE ]
A very minor improvement for Gadgets...I mean, Devices! (Yeah, it was a dumb mistake -- typing in haste and all of that.)
[/ QUOTE ]
/em crosses fingers that this "minor improvement" includes a minor damage boost to Targeting Drone to compensate for the nuetering this set has been through and it's evident lack of a Build Up type power.
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