Discussion: Cyborg and Jetpack Boosters
By
Acemace,
Posted on: 2008-09-17 10:55 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
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Although... seeing 20 or so folks pop one during a Hami raid might be hella fun to watch... 
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Presuming the resultant lag doesn't cause mass mapserver
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Although... seeing 20 or so folks pop one during a Hami raid might be hella fun to watch...
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Presuming the resultant lag doesn't cause mass mapserver
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The combined self-destruct was so powerful, it broke the interweb!
<sigh>
Yes, I just shelled out my 10 bucks for these shinies.
Q. Just wondering Posi, where are the new dance emotes we were told would come with GR?
A. Positron: Whoops, my bad.
1387 badges, and counting
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I remember a time not too long ago when even selling costume parts would have been thought way beyond the line. I remember a time when someone would have been called crazy for even suggesting that it could lead to selling powers. Yet here we are.
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I remember when CoH/V was worked on by a staff of about 60, had nearly 200 k subscribed players and the IP was jointly owned by Cryptic and by NCsoft.
Without doubt you have to look at CoH/V in the context of what else is happening within the NCsoft stable. In short: it's downsizing. Lots of people are now on the market from NCsoft titles now looking for new jobs. To date NCsoft NorthCal hasn't seen the impact of this action (that we know of) in part because it is recognised that CoH/V has a loyal player base and because a way has been identified to justify the continued re-investment into the four-year-old CoH/V.
This way is increasing the share of wallet the customers put into the game and generally cosmetic Booster Packs (including the Wedding Pack) is the way forward. How many per year? I don't know. If it was one per quarter, I could accept it (and still buy things on a Pack-by-Pack basis - I'm not shelling out for the Catgirl Booster, but the Alien Timetravelling Ninja Booster is a dead cert buy).
It's nice to say, "I remember when...", but times have changed. CoH/V is facing greater competition moving forward as well as a difficult industry position moving forward (i.e. being an 'old' MMO). I don't think CoH/V will ever sell an 'I Win' button, but selling mostly cosmetic items and powers with questionable (if fun) utility? Yeah, that's fine. You don't have to buy them to still be able to play and enjoy CoH/V.
So, here we are.
I suggest that the use of this power be coded to preclude the use of Vengence.
Self Destruct = Reliable, Instant Vengeance Bait
And that will be exploited.
Together we entered a city of strangers, we made it a city of friends, and we leave it a City of Heroes. - Sweet_Sarah
BOYCOTT NCSoft (on Facebook)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/517513781597443/
Governments have fallen to the power of social media. Gaming companies can too.
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I suggest that the use of this power be coded to preclude the use of Vengence.
Self Destruct = Reliable, Instant Vengeance Bait
And that will be exploited.
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Um, no. As has been repeatedly pointed out, it leaves no body, and can't be used for Vengeance or Fallout.
Arc #40529 : The Furies of the Earth
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does the self destruct option get interupted if hit like the pocket D TP?
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I would highly, HIGHLY reccomend you do NOT zone while the self-destruct power is counting down. There is currently a bit of an issue with the FX script that can cause the camera shake to not stop and increase over time...indefinitely. If this happens, the only fix is to completely shut down the game and restart it.
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hehe first time I got a dev to post an answer to my question
Post Comic book Fan Films that ROCK!
Fight my brute
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Not only -can- you rebuy this $4.99 jetpack again after your first 30 day period expires but that is apparently exactly what the NCSoft Sales and Marketing seem to be hoping that we will do with this.
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Fixed that for you.
As someone who works in Software Development I can tell you that the people who develop the software have zero to do with how it is marketed and sold, and that is often a point of contention. BAB, SexyJ, Posi and gang have not control over how the jetpack is sold, only in how cool it looks and how it works. For which I thank them!
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I don't believe anyone thinks that the $4.99 jetpack is going to be a money-maker...but the cost to offer it for players is practically nill. It's being offered more as a convenience for players who want the 30 day jetpack, but don't want to or can't purchase the game card that it is associated with.
If someone wants to pay $5/mo to 'rent' a jetpack month after month, they're more than welcome to...but it's far from expected.
Frankly, with the cost of fuel today having an unlimited supply of jetpack fuel for $5/mo is a steal. 
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ZOMG!!! BaB's has a way to fix our economy!!! Vote BaB 2008!
Post Comic book Fan Films that ROCK!
Fight my brute
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Bought my Cyborg booster pack as planned. 
While I'm sure the Devs may sell a few of the temporary jetpacks I'm not going to bite for that one. Had the Devs decided to make it a permanent costume item instead of a rentable flight power they would have had another $4.99 out of me instantly. I will always be willing to buy any permanent booster pack the Devs offer for this fine game. But something about toying with 'rentable' powers just rubs me the wrong way. Consider this a vote against that kind of scheme for the future...
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Second to that!
though I have a slightly different take on what SHOULD be done. $5 for a silly little jetpack? I paid $10(gogo gadget discountbin) for GvE WITH the jump pack, AND free game time! there are VERY few times when the jump pack won't "fill the gap" in exsisting travel/temp powers.(superspeed plus hurdle, plus judicious jumppack = win!)
MY idea for a proper pricing scheme would have been...
$15 for "We fixed the fricken base editor, reinstated Cathedral of Pain, and managed to make non-purpled-out PvP Fun again"
$5 for the cyborg pack(let's face it, it's lible to be the 69 month vet reward anyhow)
$0 30 day flight pack to all NEW accounts, regardless of which "version" of the game they bought.
MINUS $15(aka they pay US) for any storyarc created with i13, that gets put into "permanent play". Rikti invasion was fun... If someone comes up with an equally fun "The RE-generation : Troll make a comeback", and it's voted(simple majority over 3 months?) into the game lore, then the developer of said storyarc gets a free month or two of play(plus honor and glory, and the right to be %)*$&-slapped by players about the bugs in their mission! )!
I can't decide if it's sad or funny that people are willing to pay for something they know will vanish after 30 days. It makes me remember a couple of old sayings.
"There's a sucker born every minute."- P.T. Barnum
"A fool and his money are soon parted." -Thomas Tusser
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What if they start selling access to new zones? Selling access to new archetypes? Selling access to task force/trial rewards?
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You mean, "What if they release a paid expansion box, just like all the other MMO's out there do?
Horrors!! Think of the children!! Oh Dear Lord... who will save the children???
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Straight out selling influence/infamy/prestige for cash?
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(1) The RMT spammers will go away because they won't be able to compete.
(2) The impatient kiddies and/or adults with more dollars than sense may buy some.
(3) The players who enjoy playing the game will still earn plenty of influence and use the upcoming merit system to get those expensive IO recipes without paying any RL dollars.
(4) NCSoft will make a little more money off of CoX, giving a better return on their investment.
(5) The additional profits will allow for more development of improvements to the game that benefit even those who don't shell out RL money for influence.
(6) Dogs and cats, living together... MASS HYSTERIA!!
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Well, one of the reasons I play CoH instead of EQ is that NCSoft charges a monthly rate (CoH) or for expansions (GuildWars) but not both.
I like the occasional booster pack but I certainly hope that doesn't become the standard means of getting new features.
But I am seriously opposed to offering powers of any sort on a pay basis, especially a monthly fee. Then it becomes "He who can afford the best toys wins" and there is no point in playing the game anymore at all.
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I can't decide if it's sad or funny that people are willing to pay for something they know will vanish after 30 days.
[/ QUOTE ]I can't decide if it's sad or funny that people are willing to spend the same $5 on a cup of coffee that will vanish after 30 minutes.
I bought it both to see what it looked like (I bought one of the cards soon after they came out), and to allow my SJer to actually travel in the Shard so he could get some Rularuu claws. Other people have other completely valid reasons to buy it. Who are you to call them fools for how they spend a fairly trivial amount of money?
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While I can't speak to everyone's financial situation, I'm not the wealthiest guy in the world either. While I like the packs, I understand that my purchasing them goes beyond nifty costume pieces and powers. I don't mind paying an extra $15 bucks total because I know that goes towards development costs for this game we all love. I do and have always given extra financial support to something I believe in and want to succeed. I see this game as a tiny entertainment investment that is included in my budget. But that's just me.
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Oh, I'll happily shell out $15 for a good booster but I won't shell out an extra $5/mo just so I can get a flight pack at level 1.
I also won't shell out money for a substandard product because our money is the only "vote" we have. If you spend money on something then that is what they will develop because, after all, it is a business.
Personally, I don't think the Cyborg pack is worth $10 and I don't think the Flight Pack is worth $5/mo. So I won't pay for them. I think the cyborg pack has more costume items than the wedding pack did but they are not to my liking. If the cyborg pack was $5 and/or the items were more visually appealing then I would purchase it. If the flight pack was a permanent power or even say a 2 hour game-time temp power that all your characters got from then on (like a veteran reward) then it would be worth purchasing even at $10. But, as I have said, I think it is wrong to sell powers as booster packs.
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I suggest that the use of this power be coded to preclude the use of Vengence.
Self Destruct = Reliable, Instant Vengeance Bait
And that will be exploited.
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Um, no. As has been repeatedly pointed out, it leaves no body, and can't be used for Vengeance or Fallout.
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I have heard (not personally seen, don't have the pack and haven't teamed yet with anyone with it), if you target people by clicking on their name in the user list, you can use a rez power. If so, you probably can use a vengeance power too.
My arcs are constantly shifting, just search for GadgetDon for the latest.
The world beware! I've started a blog
GadgetMania Under Attack: The Digg Lockout
The detonated person's name is unclickable.
(until they rez/hosp/etc, that is)
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The detonated person's name is unclickable.
(until they rez/hosp/etc, that is)
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This might be a bug. We had 2 people on our team self destruct.
First case:
- The rad blew her own [censored] up! When I tried to click on her in the team Windows, it wouldn't stick.
Second case:
- I blew my own [censored] up! The rad was able to select my name from the team list and rez me.
So I think the [censored] has bugs in it.
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Not only -can- you rebuy this $4.99 jetpack again after your first 30 day period expires but that is apparently exactly what the NCSoft Sales and Marketing seem to be hoping that we will do with this.
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Fixed that for you.
As someone who works in Software Development I can tell you that the people who develop the software have zero to do with how it is marketed and sold, and that is often a point of contention. BAB, SexyJ, Posi and gang have not control over how the jetpack is sold, only in how cool it looks and how it works. For which I thank them!
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I don't believe anyone thinks that the $4.99 jetpack is going to be a money-maker...but the cost to offer it for players is practically nill. It's being offered more as a convenience for players who want the 30 day jetpack, but don't want to or can't purchase the game card that it is associated with.
If someone wants to pay $5/mo to 'rent' a jetpack month after month, they're more than welcome to...but it's far from expected.
Frankly, with the cost of fuel today having an unlimited supply of jetpack fuel for $5/mo is a steal.
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Love the "joke". but talk about FUEL EFFECIENT FLYING MACHINE! By yesterday's price quote around here, that's 30 days of flying, on 4/5 gallon of fuel
On a more serious note... BADGES!
If you're offering the digital purchase version of a in-store only item..... Can we get the OTHER in-store only items as buyable boosters? specifically, CoH Collectors edition? specifically the "in-game item", and the badge? I'll even donate my hero-clicks collection(as opposed to GETTING States-bleh-man it in the box), if it'll help me get the badge! Although, getting a Sexy-Jay hero clix would be the bee's knees! I'm actually thinking of BUYING an etire box, just for the badge! Now that I've found a few, very select, people selling SHRINKWRAPPED(and hopefully not RE-shrinkwrapped) boxes for less than $50($22-30 usd). BTW, will those "free month" codes still work? 
Forget everything else, I'm one of the few, the dedicated(some call us insane) Badge-BLEEPs! And proud of it! (three more healing badges, and I can respec out of Aid Other! and I SADLY miss the old time hami-raids for the aid other/rezz boosts for the badge! darn rikti keep interupting my powers and putting me to sleep)
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Now that I've found a few, very select, people selling SHRINKWRAPPED(and hopefully not RE-shrinkwrapped) boxes for less than $50($22-30 usd). BTW, will those "free month" codes still work?
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Yes, they will.
Not sure if this has been brought up yet. I have a toon with Detail 1 (Blast Goggles). When I activate the ACCAHUD something odd happens.
If you are looking straight at the character's face from the front. The goggles seem to dissappear. if you look at the character from the side, the goggles are still there.
Incase it means anything both the goggles and the hud are boht using Black and Red as thier colors.
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I suggest that the use of this power be coded to preclude the use of Vengence.
Self Destruct = Reliable, Instant Vengeance Bait
And that will be exploited.
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How is it exploitable? I can already commit suicide ingame by pissing off a mob and let them open a can on me. Ever been on a RSF. That is just one tactic used. >_>
So I blew myself up last night.
something odd about a guy in a suit sparking and steaming then exploding. what fun though.
The costume parts look great.
Now for the critique.
the combat auras, I would really really like to have access to those from level 1 and then unlock the rest of the auras after the aura mission. This could also spill over to the special holiday auras, like the halo and whatnot. This way the aura mission is still a good thing to do, but special auras can be unlocked earlier.
And now for the self destruct.
I like this power. For balance though I almost wish that wakies wouldnt work at all, nor self rez, however its pretty good as it stands.
all in all, I like it a lot.
Jetpack booster? meh.
Now if there was a Flying Carpet booster...they'd pwn my credit card.
"Destiny's powerful hand has made the bed of my future, and it's up to me to lie in it. I am destined to be a superhero. To right wrongs, and to pound two-fisted justice into the hearts of evildoers everywhere." -- The Tick
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I would highly, HIGHLY reccomend you do NOT zone while the self-destruct power is counting down. There is currently a bit of an issue with the FX script that can cause the camera shake to not stop and increase over time...indefinitely. If this happens, the only fix is to completely shut down the game and restart it.
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Well I tried it! 
(never tell me NOT to push the shiny candy like button)
The srceen shake seems to reach a "critical point" then stops on its own. On the other hand I know have a pretty good idea of what it must be like to play on Pinnacle.
Devs would post more if they could say "hi!" without people whining because they wanted them to say "hello".
-Nethergoat
ugh. It's always so frustrating when they obviously put so much money and effort into something, and then miss so many easy opportunities to make it perfect.
In this case, I only have a small complaint about this new cyborg package, but I'll bet that everyone reading it will say "Of course! Why didn't they think of that?!"
My one small complaint is simply that the classic comic-book cyborg-type character, more often than not, has a divided face, split into a right and left side with one half being mechanical and the other half being organic. This is a powerful design element, and it also can symbolize the character's divided nature.
Off the top of my head I'm thinking of Deathlok from Marvel and Cyborg from DC, but I know there are many other examples that I'm just not thinking of.
It would have been great for them to have included such a look with this package, because the rest of the set is pretty decent. It's not really the best designs I've seen from them, but I would have bought it if there had been a half-face option.
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What if they start selling access to new zones? Selling access to new archetypes? Selling access to task force/trial rewards?
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You mean, "What if they release a paid expansion box, just like all the other MMO's out there do?
Horrors!! Think of the children!! Oh Dear Lord... who will save the children???
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Straight out selling influence/infamy/prestige for cash?
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(1) The RMT spammers will go away because they won't be able to compete.
(2) The impatient kiddies and/or adults with more dollars than sense may buy some.
(3) The players who enjoy playing the game will still earn plenty of influence and use the upcoming merit system to get those expensive IO recipes without paying any RL dollars.
(4) NCSoft will make a little more money off of CoX, giving a better return on their investment.
(5) The additional profits will allow for more development of improvements to the game that benefit even those who don't shell out RL money for influence.
(6) Dogs and cats, living together... MASS HYSTERIA!!
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Ok, I'll say it since no one else has called it yet...
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
On a side note, I was dueling against a friend of mine who was out of the loop on the booster pack. Thinking to catch him off guard, I hit the self-destruct when things started going badly. As he hit the ZOMG button about the countdown, fearing something bad was going down, I exploded and scuffed his boots with my charred remains. I was laughing at his reactions, while his was more of: "That's it? What was the point?" He didn't get the kill, but he didn't press his advantage either.
Honestly, this is just a "fun" power. I have WAAAAY more fun blowing up greys with this power than I ever foresee trying to strategically fire it off in combat. I'm with Arcanaville on her statement. If some dumb tanker fires this off in the middle of a scrap, drop 'em down the nearest smokestack.
Although... seeing 20 or so folks pop one during a Hami raid might be hella fun to watch...