Discussion: Issue 14: Mission Architect - FAQ

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I didn't see this question answered (not sure if it was asked actually) but will trial accounts be able to rate missions/arcs?

[/ QUOTE ]Hopefully not, lest we get flooded with arcs full of RMT ads. (I had to have this pointed out to me, I must admit.)

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(emphasis mine in inner quote)

They definitely should not be able to rate arcs, the griefing potential is just too great.

As for creation, I'm on the fence. Part of me says "No" for the reasons given in the outer quote, but part says "Yes" so that they can "try before they buy."

The ideal solution would be some sort of personal mode: you can write an arc, play it yourself (maybe with a team), but it can't be seen by the general public.

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Scrappers are just like chainsaws. Somewhat hard to handle, EXTREMELY dangerous, and by far the most fun when wielded by the slightly insane.
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The ideal solution would be some sort of personal mode: you can write an arc, play it yourself (maybe with a team), but it can't be seen by the general public.

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Yes, the Devs have already stated that this is already in, and called 'Test Mode' where the server loads/runs the file from your local PC; and only you (or you and your team at the time) will play it. HOWEVER, in this mode, no XP, Skeeball Tickets, nor any other kinds of rewards are given - that's why they call it 'Test Mode'.

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Uninvited, just busting in.

Gotta say, though, I agree with this. I may number myself among the throngs of adoring Acolytes of Arcanaville, but (to paraphrase Joe Morrisey) NCNC is 80 people trying to out-think a couple hundred thousand of smart (devious?) players.

Regarding a major release, conventional thinking - regardless of how brilliant - has to be back-burnered eventually to allow for wild-and-illogical, no-math-required-to-break-stuff play-testing by "regular" people.

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I have one question I have not seen an answer to. I know we can save the arc with all details. It looks lilke you can save the costumes created as we do for our characters. My question is if we create a custom villain and a custom villain group, is there a way to save the NPC charcter data as a separate file. I would dislike creating a custom group, but would have to edit a previously created arc to use that group in another arc.

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My guess is that this is not going to be a problem.

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Everyone knows you're in beta Arcana.

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Although I would not rule it out, I would not take it for granted either. Arcana does not get a free pass at the first wave of betas just because she is Arcana. There is actually a high chance that she does not get into certain stages of certain betas precisely because she is Arcanaville.

Sometimes developers need a less knowledgeable yet dedicated mind to go through things so they get a real idea of how the general population will react.

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Considering Posi wants to give her her own badge, I am going to say that this isn't the case.

I'm sure they are quite happy to get the feedback of "regular" players while at the same time letting Arcana get to work tearing apart their carefully contstructed machinery.

I would really question their methods if they thought there was an upside to holding her out of Beta for any length of time. The one you described doesn't seem to be worth it, just about the only thing I could think of would be if they had an investor who was willing to put $100mil into COX, on the condition that Arcana be held out of Beta for 1 week.

Then I would concede it would be a good idea, but if it was 2 weeks they might have to throw another $25mil on the pile.

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When other people play your MArcs, tickets will be added to a global pool, which any of your characters can pull from.

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Right. I got that. My question was… is there anything that currently works that way - a global pool that all of your toons (on all servers?) can pull from?

And if not, I am specifically curious about how this will work from a UI point of view... I wonder if its simply when you go shopping with your tickets, your current balance just shows up in a little window, no matter which of your hero's you have.

Or if it’s more involved.

A bit off track, was just curious on how it will function and feel.

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The ideal solution would be some sort of personal mode: you can write an arc, play it yourself (maybe with a team), but it can't be seen by the general public.

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Yes, the Devs have already stated that this is already in, and called 'Test Mode' where the server loads/runs the file from your local PC; and only you (or you and your team at the time) will play it. HOWEVER, in this mode, no XP, Skeeball Tickets, nor any other kinds of rewards are given - that's why they call it 'Test Mode'.

[/ QUOTE ]Apparently, there are badges which can only be achieved in Test mode, though.

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http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt

The closest currently is the Veteran Rewards, although that's not a pool of things.

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just about the only thing I could think of would be if they had an investor who was willing to put $100mil into COX, on the condition that Arcana be held out of Beta for 1 week.

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Heck, I'd sit out voluntarily for fifty mil.

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[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]

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Arcana does not get a free pass at the first wave of betas just because she is Arcana. There is actually a high chance that she does not get into certain stages of certain betas precisely because she is Arcanaville.

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Quite off there my friend, quite.

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I didn't. Time to reread all 75 pages with an all new spin on things!

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There are some who say that Arcanaville is in each Beta before the devs. Some even say Arcanaville never actually leaves the test server, even when it is supposedly off-line...

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There are those who believe that beta testing here, began out there, far across the universe.

With tribes of testers who may have been the forefathers of Galaxy City, or Numina, or Blue Steel. That they may have been the architects of Crey's Folly, or the lost tracker of dev posts.

Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to beta test, somewhere beyond the heavens...

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[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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just about the only thing I could think of would be if they had an investor who was willing to put $100mil into COX, on the condition that Arcana be held out of Beta for 1 week.

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Heck, I'd sit out voluntarily for fifty mil.

[/ QUOTE ]I'd voluntarily stay out of beta for dinner & a movie! >.>

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http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt

My only comment I have is that, I hope, you'll consider expanding the number of arcs one can publish. Maybe make it it linked to veteran reward badges. 3 just sounds so very very small, even with hall of fame or dev choice helping expand that.

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Posi,

We know now that EB's and AVs are allowed in the MA, But will Monsters be allowed too?

Like how Kronos Titan and others are allowed in certain missions?

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Post Comic book Fan Films that ROCK!
Fight my brute

I have a question, if this has been shared or if a dev would like to comment.

Will we be able to pick between different versions of power sets? Will I be able to say whether I want the Blaster (blue) Energy Blast or the Corruptor (red) Energy Blast? Will I be able to pick between Blaster and Defender Psi Blast? Will I be able to pick between Scrapper and Tanker Fire Melee? Will I have to use the Brute Dual Blades, or can I pick the Stalker version if I want BU/Placate?

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Posi,

We know now that EB's and AVs are allowed in the MA, But will Monsters be allowed too?

Like how Kronos Titan and others are allowed in certain missions?

[/ QUOTE ]Might not be the answer you want, but there's very little difference between Monster and AV. I believe Monsters have a bit more HP than an AV, but have no purple triangles.

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http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt

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Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to beta test, somewhere beyond the heavens...

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Battlestar Arcanica.

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Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA

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Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to beta test, somewhere beyond the heavens...

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Battlestar Arcanica.

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I think that's Betastar. You know: "Testing the Aeon functionality, the first Betastar, Arcanica, leads a rag-tag, fugitive band on a lonely quest: A shining event known as Issue 14."

Battlestar Arcanica sounds like the Shield/Mace Tanker she should have tested I13 with. :-p

-D

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Darkonne: Pinnacle's (unofficially) mighty Dark Miasma/Radiation Blast enthusiast!

Be sure to check out this mighty Arc:
#161865 - Aeon's Nemesis

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I have a question, if this has been shared or if a dev would like to comment.

Will we be able to pick between different versions of power sets? Will I be able to say whether I want the Blaster (blue) Energy Blast or the Corruptor (red) Energy Blast? Will I be able to pick between Blaster and Defender Psi Blast? Will I be able to pick between Scrapper and Tanker Fire Melee? Will I have to use the Brute Dual Blades, or can I pick the Stalker version if I want BU/Placate?

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Since when is corruptor energy blast red? is that a i14 thing or something

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just about the only thing I could think of would be if they had an investor who was willing to put $100mil into COX, on the condition that Arcana be held out of Beta for 1 week.

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Heck, I'd sit out voluntarily for fifty mil.

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I am working on the prospectus!

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Dear investor,

We are presenting you with the opportunity of a lifetime. For the nominal investment of $50,000,000, we will be able to keep one of our most talented beta testers from helping us. As you can see, the benefits of this strategy are many, probably too many to even list here so I won't even try.

Please send your check as soon as possible, we are not sure how long we can keep her from productively testing things unless we recieve your funding soon!

You make lot of money we make big money too, every happy.

Sincerely,

Positron

CEO of NcSoft Nigeria

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Hmmm... Maybe it needs something about how an NcSoft employee died with $250,000,000 worth of sick days and no relatives. I'll keep working on it, and hopefully I-15 will be called "The Botnet Cometh".

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Posi,

We know now that EB's and AVs are allowed in the MA, But will Monsters be allowed too?

Like how Kronos Titan and others are allowed in certain missions?

[/ QUOTE ]Might not be the answer you want, but there's very little difference between Monster and AV. I believe Monsters have a bit more HP than an AV, but have no purple triangles.

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Wouldn't there be an issue with Giant Monsters fitting in most maps? Other than warehouses or outdoor maps, I'm hard pressed to think of a map with ceilings high enough for a Kronos Titan or Eochi. You could put them in the three story room in some office maps, but then if you were losing, all you'd have to do is run down a hallway and they couldn't follow you.

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(Sometimes, I wish there could be a Dev thumbs up button for quality posts, because you pretty much nailed it.) -- Ghost Falcon

I have a question there are A LOT of posts here so apologies if it has already been asked/answered.

Will costume pieces of existing mobs/factions be available for new mobs/factions? for example could I use a Fifth Column helmet with Freak shoulder pads and so on for my new creations?*

* This is an example it would look ridiculous ... although now I think on it.

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They're monsters. They don't have to have fashion sense.

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I have a question there are A LOT of posts here so apologies if it has already been asked/answered.

Will costume pieces of existing mobs/factions be available for new mobs/factions? for example could I use a Fifth Column helmet with Freak shoulder pads and so on for my new creations?*

* This is an example it would look ridiculous ... although now I think on it.

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If I interpreted it right... no, sorry. Custom mobs are limited strictly to player costume pieces. To the best of my understanding, there's no such thing as a Freakshow costume 'piece'- the whole thing is all one solid bit.

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"A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head." Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates

MA Arcs: #12285, "Small Fears", #106553, "Trollbane", #12669, "How to Survive a Robot Uprising"

Please tell me that were are getting an MA function for Bases as well.

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I have a question, if this has been shared or if a dev would like to comment.

Will we be able to pick between different versions of power sets? Will I be able to say whether I want the Blaster (blue) Energy Blast or the Corruptor (red) Energy Blast? Will I be able to pick between Blaster and Defender Psi Blast? Will I be able to pick between Scrapper and Tanker Fire Melee? Will I have to use the Brute Dual Blades, or can I pick the Stalker version if I want BU/Placate?

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Since when is corruptor energy blast red? is that a i14 thing or something

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Isn't it? I guess I just assumed. I know my Dom's energy blasts are red. And the electric powers are red villain side. Oh well, still.

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