The 2008 State of the Game
By
Achilles_Rex,
Posted on: 2008-01-10 24:06 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
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The one thing I want to know, now that Statesman is gone, is are there any plans for character advancement (i.e. more levels or Alternate advancement) for level 50 characters?
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More levels = No.
Alternate advancement = IO sets.
[/ QUOTE ]I don't consider IO sets as AA. It isn't good enough for me.
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But its good enough for me. 
[/ QUOTE ]Did you stop leveling at level 40? When COH first came out it was only up to level 40 then it was expanded to 50. Later we got COV. So it can be done.
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The one thing I want to know, now that Statesman is gone, is are there any plans for character advancement (i.e. more levels or Alternate advancement) for level 50 characters?
[/ QUOTE ]
More levels = No.
Alternate advancement = IO sets.
[/ QUOTE ]I don't consider IO sets as AA. It isn't good enough for me.
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But its good enough for me.
[/ QUOTE ]Did you stop leveling at level 40? When COH first came out it was only up to level 40 then it was expanded to 50. Later we got COV. So it can be done.
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Yeah and if they did it we would be done with it in less then a week. Do not kid yourself about it. More levels does not mean more fun.
Shadowy Presence - Absolutely, positively worse than playing a Kheldian... --Myrmydon
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Did you stop leveling at level 40? When COH first came out it was only up to level 40 then it was expanded to 50. Later we got COV. So it can be done.
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Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought that we knew they were going to up the cap from 40 to 50 very early on. I kinda recall hearing about that back before I-1.
But, let's just say that they do up the cap to 50. Now, what happens to the epic pools and patron sets? Hammi? Where are those extra powers going to go? I can fill one tray in the tutorial and all three before 20.
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Am I the only person that thinks its to easy to level already???
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Nope, I have 7 non PL 50s now.. If it was so hard to level I would imagine I wouldnt have any.. or maybe one.
I am also baffled by the smoothing the exp thing.
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Statements like "our plan is to release x new issues in '08".
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Actually, I had this question last night.
If any red names are still reading this, is the plan to still stick with three issues this year? Or will we see fewer formal "Issues" and more "in-betweeners"?
Things are looking good so far, but it would be nice to know the general release plan for 2008 for the Issue Roadmap.
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There's definitely more coming in 2008! But, as we started off saying, we're not quite ready to reveal those larger initiatives. So, for now, we stuck with highlighting what is coming in the shorter term.
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IOW: The Marketing Team will not let you tell us upon pain of death. Got it
Thanks for the reply LH. I won't pry further so that your lives will be spared!
As a typical optimizist who uses sites like Tomax's power quantification guide and Mids' Hero Designer, "Real Numbers" numbers seems like a worthwhile addition to the game.
However,
Care should be taken not to alienate casual players with the extra information. Right now, one of City Of Heroes' strengths over any other MMOs is that it lets players really specialize their character and overtly discourages number crunching. Putting too much emphasis on the tiny percentages will detract from the player's investment in the character (replacing it on the numbers).
For example, the sentiment "I'll hit you ten times before you hit the floor, vile demon!" becomes "Flurry has such crappy DPS. I guess I'll pick Hasten".
My suggestion is to at least keep the "real numbers" out of the level-up screen. Players should be able to check out their stats and tweak to their hearts content if they want to, but if you put the statistics on the power selection screen, it's inevitable that every /Dark will take Gloom over Dark Blast just because 'it does more damage', and so on.
Removing the line between numbers game and heroic experience could destroy the one advantage CoH has over its bigboy competitors. So be careful.
Okay I have read through this thread a couple times. . .Not totally sure why and all i can say is the dev team is full of win.
As for people like PP and one or two others who say leveling is to easy in this game. . . Well, remember not all of us can dedicate a lot of time to this game. I will say when I am off work and have play time it does go by quick. . . But when I am in season and only get a few hours a week to play - leveling is a grind that turns me off to some of my characters and to the game itself.
I dabble in bases and would enjoy seeing some love thrown that way. . . Upping MoG and changing the tier 9 for Dark. . . please no - I dont have room in my builds for another change :-)
Sounds like 2008 is going to be a great year. Pity I wont have much game time until May. . . But I look forward to a few weekends of grind time :-)
Great job Devs. Great job NCNC. Thank you for this game.
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"smooth out the leveling curve" ??? possible hint at upping the max lvl and adding new end game content?? PWEEZ!!!! 
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I doubt it! Smoothing out the leveling curve means we don't have those dreadful lulls in between levels that make it SO hard for those of us who are not hardcore to reach 50 (And no, I am not lvl 50 yet, I hate the mid 20s and the late 30s too much to plow through them!) If they add more levels, then they'll have to go back in and retune the leveling curve all over again!
I have an idea how bout just add another tray available to have out at one time simple solution
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Am I the only person that thinks its to easy to level already???
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Nope, I have 7 non PL 50s now.. If it was so hard to level I would imagine I wouldnt have any.. or maybe one.
I am also baffled by the smoothing the exp thing.
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I must ask this. . .do you work any time during the 24 hrs alotted in each day?
TA
Been Playing since Issue 3(Account Back Online)
Champion Server - For Life
Titanium Alloy- (50 SS/ELC/Mu brute)
Rendorul- (50 Em/ELC/Ghost brute)
Ventor The Sacred -(45 EM/EA/Ghost brute)
Platonic Shift -(43 EM/Stone/Mu brute)
Wish Master - (32 DM/Fire brute)
DexRon -(50 Fire/SS Tank)
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but if you put the statistics on the power selection screen, it's inevitable that every /Dark will take Gloom over Dark Blast just because 'it does more damage', and so on.
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Ah, but what if, say, the screen says that Gloom does more damage, but dark blast has a higher DPA rating. Then what?
Before you answer, I can write a textbook that answers "then what?" My point is that players will choose based on which feature is more important. With or without the numbers, isn't that what we want people to be able to do? Pick which one hits harder, or which one hits "more concentrated?" Aren't those valid conceptual choices, completely separate from the numbers?
The numbers are just the language that best describes what the powers do. Not all concept choices are based on what hand motions you make when using the attack, or what color the projectiles are. Some are based on qualitative but measurable criteria. How many people know that shadow maul does a lot more damage per endurance point than the average attack? If they did, would that improve the image of the power? Isn't that a good thing? Some people won't take it because its slow. Some will take it because slow or not, its far cheaper to run. That is the sort of numbers-attention we *want* to have.
It *will* be misused. I can guarantee it, and its something I've been cautioning people about for as long as this subject has been discussed. But I've also said that in spite of that fact, I'm still in favor of releasing the information, just doing so in the right way. The right way makes it look like the information is offering choices. The wrong way makes it look like the information is dictating the "right" choice. You just have to pick the right way.
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In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
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Am I the only person that thinks its to easy to level already???
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Nope, I have 7 non PL 50s now.. If it was so hard to level I would imagine I wouldnt have any.. or maybe one.
I am also baffled by the smoothing the exp thing.
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I must ask this. . .do you work any time during the 24 hrs alotted in each day?
TA
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I have a full time job and a social life, yet I've managed to accumulate 9 lvl 50s and a host of high 30s/low 40s. But I've been playing for 3 1/2 years...
actually, getting certain badges and bonuses are like alternate advancement in a way. you can get extra slots of salvage storage or a once every 30 minute power or something like that, which is the same kind of thing alternate advancements give.
Benefits of Real Numbers #34:
When in in-game chat channels, you can tell people that slotting Swift for flight speed to increase your battle-Hover speed is useless and the numbers back you up.
"I put a Fly SO in Swift and my Hover speed only went up .4 mph!"
"Yes, I told you so."
Speeding Through New DA Repeatables || Spreadsheet o' Enhancements || Zombie Skins: better skins for these forums || Guide to Guides
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The one thing I want to know, now that Statesman is gone, is are there any plans for character advancement (i.e. more levels or Alternate advancement) for level 50 characters?
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More levels = No.
Alternate advancement = IO sets.
[/ QUOTE ]I don't consider IO sets as AA. It isn't good enough for me.
[/ QUOTE ]
But its good enough for me.
[/ QUOTE ]Did you stop leveling at level 40? When COH first came out it was only up to level 40 then it was expanded to 50. Later we got COV. So it can be done.
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Yeah and if they did it we would be done with it in less then a week. Do not kid yourself about it. More levels does not mean more fun.
[/ QUOTE ]Speak only for yourself. I don't power level and won't be there at the end of the week. Also, if you take the time to read what I said, it was levels or Alternative Advancement. IOs are not AA to me, but other games have had AA mechanisms.
This is my opinion so people don't take it as some kind of personal lifestyle attack. I want to see options for character advancement beyond level 50 by some method but not the IOs as they stand today.
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actually, getting certain badges and bonuses are like alternate advancement in a way. you can get extra slots of salvage storage or a once every 30 minute power or something like that, which is the same kind of thing alternate advancements give.
[/ QUOTE ]That still isn't advancing the character to me, that is more like new gear.
I love the smooth XP thing and more Double XP weekends.
I've said many times that the XP curve in the upper levels is insane and it is the main reason I don't seriously level up alts.
And yay to MoG changes. My DM/Reg was 25 when they nerfed IH and that killed the entire concept. It's nice to see the set it getting a tweak.
It is a positive tweak, right?
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actually, getting certain badges and bonuses are like alternate advancement in a way. you can get extra slots of salvage storage or a once every 30 minute power or something like that, which is the same kind of thing alternate advancements give.
[/ QUOTE ]That still isn't advancing the character to me, that is more like new gear.
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That's the thing you're not understanding. In most MMOs, Gear is Character Advancement.
This is true for any MMO that has gear-granted stat boosts, and becomes even more true when that gear is level-gated and/or bind-on equip. Just because you personally don't find this method of character advancement compelling doesn't mean it isn't character advancement, and it certainly doesn't mean that it isn't compelling.
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Am I the only person that thinks its to easy to level already???
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Nope, I have 7 non PL 50s now.. If it was so hard to level I would imagine I wouldnt have any.. or maybe one.
I am also baffled by the smoothing the exp thing.
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I must ask this. . .do you work any time during the 24 hrs alotted in each day?
TA
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Yep I work from home, and have an active wife buissness *giggle as well... I have only been playing 30 months.. So that other guy has me beat by what ? 2 50s and about a few months...
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Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought that we knew they were going to up the cap from 40 to 50 very early on. I kinda recall hearing about that back before I-1.
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Technically, I don't think the level cap was ever "raised." Levels 40-50 always existed "on paper" but just weren't finished in time for release. The intention was always for the game to have 50 levels, as I understand it. In fact, I'm pretty certain everyone knew that the very first expansion was going to be levels 40-50 for precisely that reason: it was always intended to be part of the game.
However, the design of the ultrarares suggests that they are operating on the assumption that level 50 is and will always be the "top of the game."
Anything is possible, but I think there isn't even a hint of work or thought going into a level 51.
[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]
In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
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I have an idea how bout just add another tray available to have out at one time simple solution
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Ooh, tray talk! Since I haven't done the whole "randomly throw out there what you want" thing, I'll throw out something positively game breaking. Would it be possible to make it so you can change the insp tray from three rows of four columns to two columns of six? I think some PvPers'd love this, and I know I'd love this as a PvEr. If full player costumization of the UI isn't possible, then maybe just like.. the option to choose from different insp tray setups available?
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Am I the only person that thinks its to easy to level already???
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Get more debt, that'll slow you down.
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Am I the only person that thinks its to easy to level already???
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Get more debt, that'll slow you down.
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hahaha....truer words have never been said.
Also, in relation to Real Numbers (sounds like something dirty you might see on HBO) this thread brings up some great ideas as far as making the numbers they are going to show us actually mean something to the non numerophiles out there...uh....or in here.
Not trying to pimp my thread but there are some good ideas in there.
Also, KUDOS NC2! I think I geekified my wife just in time! You guys are doing great things.
Ignorance dies from exposure to truth.
I am the hunter of ignorance.
I am the truth.
- The Seeker
The thing that excites me the most is the part about "real" numbers.
Second, I would like to ask that NCSoft also take some time to look at customer service. It's not horrendous, but its' not great either. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Ten times out of ten, if I report a violation of a Marvel copyright, that character is genericed. However, nine times out of ten, if it's not Marvel, it seems they don't care. I've reported a guy with a nearly exact copy of Spawn (by Todd McFarlane) three times now, he's still in the game with the same costume. I could give many other examples. Also, I'd like to see better logging and tracking of what goes on in the Consignment House/Black Market, because I've "lost" over 25 million due to glitches that customer service can't find any info in their logs, so they can't recompensate me.
Overall, I love City of Heroes, but like all games, it has it's problems, and for me the problem with City of Heroes is not up to par what I expect for a game I pay $15 a month to play. Also, I will again say, I am not saying customer service is horrendous, just that there needs to be some definite improvement (especially on the issue of only seeming to protect Marvel copyrights. While I understand Marvel is the company that sued NCSoft, if they don't fairly and consistently protect all trademark and copyright violations in their game, another company may sue, and if they can show inconsistency, a judge will not be nice to NCSoft a second time, and neither will the suing party.)
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The one thing I want to know, now that Statesman is gone, is are there any plans for character advancement (i.e. more levels or Alternate advancement) for level 50 characters?
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More levels = No.
Alternate advancement = IO sets.
[/ QUOTE ]I don't consider IO sets as AA. It isn't good enough for me.
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But its good enough for me.
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!