City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

Halloween Issues & Zombie Apocalypse Frequency

7thCynic

By 7thCynic,
Posted on: 2008-10-22 10:51 in ALL ACCESS Gameplay Technical Issues Bugs

 

Posted

I was afraid that nothing would be able to be done for this year, since everyone's tied up in I13 testing and the test server is already in use for I13. But PLEASE, for next year, look at the sort of things Zombie Master suggested.

As much time as I've put into working to get the Buster badge, and as annoying as it is that I don't have it yet (and at this rate likely won't)...I don't think changing the numbers required for Buster is a good idea. It's a new bug this year, and there's no way to change the number for just people doing it this year.

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Posted

[ QUOTE ]
2) Too easy to get all the Zombie badges -- I got all 4 badges my first round with the zombies. After that, fighting zombies got real pointless, real fast.

[/ QUOTE ]

This was intentional...a lot of people have many characters, so they wanted to make it relatively easy to get them on a lot of characters.

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Posted

[ QUOTE ]

<ul type="square">[*] Low Spirit Spawn: In reading through feedback and playing the event we've seen comments about the relatively low spawn rate of Spirit NPCs during Trick or Treating. In investigating this, it looks to be a bug with how those NPCs are being spawned. Unfortunately, we won't be able to correct the issue before the event is over, so at this time we can only make you aware of the issue and apologize for any inconvenience caused.[/list]
[/ QUOTE ]


&lt;QR&gt;

If the bug itself can't be resolved in time, could the number required for the badge to be awarded be changed for this year, or does that have bigger ramifications that just changing a number in some DB?

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Posted

wellhow abut a fix that is fast? just force all to be spirits for 1 day, should only take a table change,remove the pumpkins and say witchs and replace with spirits, unless I'm wrong n how its done, the same coudl be done for jack, just reverse the tables,and soon we will be up to our armpits in jack goo

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Posted

QR

That's too bad about the Spirit issue. Is it ironic that the first hero I used for this event obtained that badge first?

It actually took a couple hours to get the dang vampire badge.

 

Posted

would it be possible for Zone alerts to let us know exactly which instance has an event? (like Grandville2) This would also help the arachnos flier, which is hard enough to find as it is, and is spelled wrong on the zone alert.

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Posted

I love this event! Zombie Appocalypse baby!!! w00t!

Seriously. However, that being said there are a few things I'd like to suggest to improve it. Hopefully changes can be implemented this year, or perhaps NCNC will consider reactivating the event for a short time after said changes are made before next Halloween.

1) For my suggestions regarding testing and Q&amp;A please see Zombie Man's post. Not only has he completely read my mind he has also stated it much better (and probably far more politely) than I could.

2) If NCNC isn't going to change the ToT spawns to levelless then can you at least have someone actually respond to our in-game petitions and ban the griefers?

3) I'm a bit disappointed that this event is so completely like the Rikti Zone Invasions. I get that it's far easier to copy and paste code, especially for an event that only happens once a year, but can't something be done to make it seem like it's not a compete rip off of the Rikti Zone Invasions? Ok, I realize that suggestion is vague and unhelpful, but I can't think of a good way to accomplish that. I'm certain that someone who is far more creative than I am will suggest something.

4) Zombie Appocalypse doesn't really seem that appocalyptic. Me and a friend were in a back alley fighting zombies and they were coming at us two or three at a time. Not very appocalyptic. My understanding is that large teams (or a large ratio of players to defeated enemies) cause LTs and Bosses to be summoned. Perhaps a system can be set up where if the team doesn't qualify for LTs or Bosses to show then more minion level zombies will start showing up. After all, being overwhelmed by hordes of zombies is what a zombie appocalypse is really all about. And this way there really would be "Safety in Numbers."

5) People outside during a Rikti Zone Invasion are safe if they stand underneath something. No such luck for the Zombie Appocalypse. I'd like to suggest that people standing on rooftops be safe and not targeted by the zombie invasion.

6) The zombie zone invasions don't happen often enough.

7) Zombies should spawn and attack mobs in the zone, and the citizens should either all disappear into doors or be attacked by and converted into zombies during a zombie zone invasion. Yes I realize that this is a teen rated game, but zombies attack people and convert them. It's what they do. Zombies that don't attack people and convert them aren't zombies. If I can light people on fire for the crime of loitering then surely having a few people converted into zombies isn't going to be a problem for your ERSB rating.

8) While I realize that the real reason behind the Zombie Appocalypse is because it's fun. And it is fun! An in-game reason for it, something mentioned by a contact somewhere or perhaps a clue in a newspaper mission, would be a good thing for immersion.

9) Finally, when I realized that we weren't going to be getting Tier 3s for ToTing I figured that it was done on purpose to preserve their rarity and to prevent people from simply using the event to farm for Tier 3s. However they are a nice treat that people really enjoy getting. Is it possible to set it up so that people can have a small chance to get Tier 3s from ToTing? Perhaps with it set on a timer like the TF rewards. Something like you can't get a Tier 3 from ToTing more often than once every 30 minutes or so.

 

Posted

Well, I mean, couldn't they retain some value by only being available as a treat two weeks out of the year? LOL

[ QUOTE ]
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How do you receive "treats at a faster rate?" It might just be my own experience, but I rarely get treats this year... it's easily 80% trick, 20% treat, but maybe that's just my luck. It's not uncommon for me to knock 5 times in a row and have all 5 be tricks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe Lighthouse is referring to the fact that you can now knock on a door every 10 seconds this year, instead of every 60 seconds, and a door is no longer unusable for 30 seconds after somebody else has clicked on it. The chances to get a trick or a treat are the same, but the frequency in which you can click on doors is drastically increased.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks for clarifying that point, Dixileta.

[/ QUOTE ]

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Posted

[ QUOTE ]
I love this event! Zombie Appocalypse baby!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

/agreed

For happy news, at least for me and around 8 others:

Last night I got on my badger and went looking for Jack. I thought it might make a difference if I checked all the zones in which he spawns, so I searched all spots in IP and Talos. Finding myself incredibly bored, I dropped that line of attack and headed to PI. Found Eochai and some teammates who shared my determination to find the big dope. Killed Eochai, went hunting and BAM! there was Jack!!! It was a wonderful time.

Regarding the Tier 3 Insps:
I honestly don't see the big deal. I mean, Tier 3s are nice and all but my game experience is not slighted in the least by only receiving Tier 1s. The sliding chance scale that somebody mentioned earlier would be nice, but again, not necessary to me. My opinion on the matter was solidified after reading a couple posts from people who were disappointed in the change to Tier 1s for the sole reason that they were hoping to horde Tier 3s and sell them at an inflated rate later on. Eff doze peeps, yo.

Love the apocalypseseses, love the Nightmares, love the ease in which the badges come, and I just generally love the event.

Chill.
============
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Posted

[ QUOTE ][*] Lack of Tier 3 Inspirations as Treats: We've also seen feedback that some players miss receiving Tier 3 inspirations as Treats. This change is intentional. In making changes to Trick or Treating from last year, it's possible to open doors and receive Treats at a faster rate. In order to keep Tier 3 inspirations something of value, we removed them from rewards to Treats.[/LIST]
[/ QUOTE ]

This really isn't all that major an issue anyway. After all, solo and duo, tier 2 insps drop frequently from door spawns, and of course, there's always the salvage and recipe drops as well (which makes even a trick into a treat.)

And on larger teams, there's still a decent chance of getting a Tier 3 as a drop. In fact, since it seems only the one who clicks the door gets a chance at a treat, but one or more people on a team can get drops from any given monster, you have a better chance of getting a tier 3 this way than if they were available as treats.

Lastly, getting my Plants/Rad controller from 25 to 28 last night SKed on a big team in PI just from trick or treating was a considerable treat in itself. And when Stellar Jay had his Carrion Creepers up while having AM active and a couple stacked speed boosts, well... Let's just say, "The monsters weren't having fun, as the party had just begun. The spawns included wolfmen, vampires and...er...other stuff."

 

Posted

I can't say I noticed the shortness of supply for the ghosts. The two main characters I have been using lately already have the prior years Halloween badges, so I haven't spent much time doing the trick or treat thing this year. I noticed not getting the tier 3's as treats, but figured it was on purpose, or I just had bad luck and only got tier 1 and 2 treats.

As far as the frequency of the zombie invasions... I don't know. Maybe Guardian hero-side is just lucky. The invasions seemed to be happening one right after another, generally 2 zones at a time (well, within a couple minutes of each other at least).

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Posted

I noticed a sudden burst of Zombie activity last night Hero side around 9pm. I was in Dark Astoria doing a Defeat X mission for the Secuity Chief and the Zombie event started in DA, so i got to fight some of them in addiiton to Banished Pantheon zombies. The Event message showed Zombie activity in Talos, Boomtown, Eden. Followed shortly by Galaxy City and Atlas Park. All with a 15 minute window of time. Now thats an Apocalypse!

The downside of the 10 second timer of the doors this year is Griefing caused by inconsiderate persons who are 3+ levels higher than you who click on the same door and then run off while you are there and their Purple mobs almost kill you. I encountered one such person last night and exchanged a few heated words with him. I followed it up with a /petition for Harrassment and Conduct.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Hi JChaos,

We completely agree that it would be great to fix the issue with the Spirits. A number of people here are upset as well about the badge for their own characters (yes, we play too!). However, getting such a fix out there would impact the schedule for Issue 13. We'd totally do that for an exploit fix, but for this issue we felt, that while painful for those interested in it, is something we'll have to leave as is.

Thanks in advance for your understanding.

[/ QUOTE ]

So how soon till we hear the cries that "Issue 13 PVP ruined the Halloween Event"?

Thanks for the information Lighthouse, it may not have been what we (the players) wanted to hear. But at least we know. And knowing is. . .something, something, something.

 

Posted

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What I don't like is the Zombies are relatively difficult to defeat, yet give next-to-no XP. That really makes me not want to even bother with the Zombies. They need to have their XP increased.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do they give debt, though? I haven't noticed.

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Posted

[ QUOTE ]
We completely agree that it would be great to fix the issue with the Spirits. A number of people here are upset as well about the badge for their own characters (yes, we play too!). However, getting such a fix out there would impact the schedule for Issue 13.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just thinking out-loud here:

Could the fixes be put in soon (post I13?) and then the event re-run? If you can get this out for Christmas, you could run the Halloween event just before the Christmas one.

Tie the two events together Nightmare Before Christmas style.

"Oh noes! The ebil zombies are trying to invade Christmas! Stop them so the Ski Chalet will open and everyone can get their presents! (Now with corrected spawn rates )"

Two weeks of Xmas invading zombies, then two weeks of Christmas. Could be fun....

 

Posted

I'll add another complaint to the Jack in Irons issue- I killed him with a team on guardian last night, it was the first time I had seen him since the event started. Is there some way to fix this?

And some idiot on guardian almost got me killed last night, running around and clicking doors. I was not the only one he did this to, then he had the nerve to whine to the whole zone about his ADD, as if it were an excuse. Then the twit wanted to team with me, after noticing my level. I told him no way, since his "ADD" had almost gotten me killed once before.

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Posted

[ QUOTE ]
What I don't like is the Zombies are relatively difficult to defeat, yet give next-to-no XP. That really makes me not want to even bother with the Zombies. They need to have their XP increased.

[/ QUOTE ]

?!?

I find myself leveling very fast on a zombie team. Are you teaming?

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Just as a thought for next year, it'd be nice if there was a chance of a big inspiration as a treat, say, 10% for a large, 20% for a medium, 70% for a small? With all the fighting, the inspirations are actually getting used pretty fast.

[/ QUOTE ]

That would be great for next year. That way the third tiers are still part of the event but not ubiquitous. This year, aside from gathering 20 sets of costume salvage to get my SG through the upcoming year, I have no impetus to Trick or Treat. I used to do it in order to get the 3rd tier insps for doing Master STFs and so forth.

With the griefing, you know it's bad when I decided to ToT in Warburg on a level 40 character and there was far less grief than in PI.

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Posted

I agree that no T3 insps is a REAL bummer. As someone already said, once u have all the badges - thats the main thing u look forward too. Yes I do hoard them in my base, but for the SGs use, not resale. And lemme state ahead of time that even the 10% chance suggestions isnt cool. It was fine the way it was, even w/the longer door times.

That's really my only complaint tho.

EDIT: Expanding on the 10% idea...
If last year there was 100% chance/60 sec, and now the timer is @ 10 sec. Then the % chance should be 17% minimum, or 1 in 6. Still not great, but more fair than 10%...or ZERO for that matter.

 

Posted

The current work-around fix for spirits is getting a full team together and finding a spot with a lot of doors clustered together ie. the 2-story 'motel'.

With a full group you get 8 chances per 10 seconds, and if you're in a compact area with a lot of doors there's less travel time in between, thus increasing your chances for the ghosts to spawn.

My experience:
<ul type="square">over 10 hours solo=3 ghosts.
4 hours in a full group=7+ghosts.[/list]
I know 4 hours sounds like a lot, but compared to doing it solo, it's a small price to pay.

As for the Tier 1 Inspirations, you can at least getTier 2s from fighting the ToT mobs, just keep using the T1s and replace with T2s...I know, they're not T3s, but they're better than nothing

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Posted

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[ QUOTE ]
At the risk of sounding ungrateful...

Is there really nothing that can be done about the spirit spawn rate before the end of the event? It will be a full year before we've got the chance to get the badge associated with them again, so being told that it won't be fixed in time to apply to this event is more than just a little disheartening for badge collectors.

Don't get me wrong, I love this event! I just love badges too, and having a "collect them all" mindset being confronted with not being realistically able to is disappointing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi JChaos,

We completely agree that it would be great to fix the issue with the Spirits. A number of people here are upset as well about the badge for their own characters (yes, we play too!). However, getting such a fix out there would impact the schedule for Issue 13. We'd totally do that for an exploit fix, but for this issue we felt, that while painful for those interested in it, is something we'll have to leave as is.

Thanks in advance for your understanding.

[/ QUOTE ]

PVP RUINED HALLOWEE.. wait, somebody already made that joke?

Seriously, though... if it's that big an issue, then it's understandable. I'll just be sure to farm extra hard.

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Posted

I've also had some questions about the Rikti Invasions spawned from the Lady Grey Task Force and the Zombie Apocalypses. They won't happen in the same zone at the same time, but they can still happen on the same server at the same time.

Have fun!

Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager

If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
... We'd totally do that for an exploit fix, but for this issue we felt, that while painful for those interested in it, is something we'll have to leave as is.

[/ QUOTE ]

LH,
Do you realize how high-profile this event is?

I wonder what the "gossip" is around the internet about a game that has such a flaw in a big-time event.

To put a specific annecdote on it, I know 2 friends who re-upped their subscriptions when the event was coming up. They did so partly for the event itself, partly to catch the general surge of population on the server during any event, and just "about time for another go 'round" since they seem to lapse and renew often. They're rather disappointed.

You've created this content. Don't you want to fix it so people can enjoy it?

I dunno, maybe that just came off like trying to guilt trip you into fixing the bugs. That's not quite what I was going for, but I'll leave it since it was a spur-of-the-moment kind of honesty. I'm just suggesting that a lot of people outside your company may not consider it quite so unimportant.


Edit: to possibly be more constructive, any chance of a patch on Test01 without interrupting normal Beta?