Why?
Free Respecs don't expire unless you were still sitting on one from earlier. It's not like there's a deadline to use it before it goes away. They also tend to give a week's notice before they drop them, giving you time to use the one you already have so you don't lose it.
Based on the way you worded it I really don't understand what the problem here is. The respec will still be there in a week. The only way I can see it being an issue is if a level 50 tries out a changed power and doesn't like it, but that is probably a rare situation, as most level 50s already have a pretty good idea what works and what doesn't by that point.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison See, it's gems like these that make me check Claws' post history every once in a while to make sure I haven't missed anything good lately. |
I concur.
Going beyond OP, IMO freespecs are given out too liberally. Like for issue 15, why was it necessary to give freespecs to anyone but dominators? Along with vet rewards (and to a far lesser extent, respec recipe drops), there is little incentive for many players to bother with respec trials any more. So I would suggest freespecs only be granted when there was a significant change to a given archetype, or some sort of global change that affects everyone. (An exemple of the latter would be the raptor-pack stores, allowing many players to opt out of the Fly travel power.)
{edit add}
ClawsandEffect, I guess the answer would be, to protect us from our own poor impulse control. But you do make a good point.
{/edit}
-- Rich
* Thresholds CoH: What to do When
* My Comics Collection
Well, there are many reasons one could put Respecs to good use. With many extreme value IOs out there, that's one reason (flame away). Also, many people (like me) don't have ample time to 'study' how game changes affect power choices, slotting, as well as how to optimally slot a power without playing the changed power for a while.
Also, I am slow. So forgive me if I need a few days (of which I may only play 1 or 2), not to mention all of the alts... to 'get' the changes on the powers.
So I might actually need 2 respecs to get one "Character Respecification" done the way I want.
(BTW, unless I'm crazy, Respec trials only grant you a respec on the first time you do one. So I suppose that's three respecs right there, but they are not unlimited).
Yup, it is a significant request, because it would save me influence/infamy, time, and effort. That's why it is a Suggestion.
Arc #6015 - Coming Unglued
"A good n00b-sauce is based on a good n00b-roux." - The Masque
So, lemme see here. If I assume that your reg date is close to the date you started playing you would have access to about the same number of respecs as me (my forum reg date is about 2 months after I started)
That would make:
3 vetspecs granted, soon to be 4 when you hit 45 months.
3 trial respecs you can earn.
A freespec granted for each issue since November of '05 (so that would be Issue 7, the first one I was here for the release of) for a total of 8.
That's 14 respecs, not counting any respec recipes that may have dropped or been bought. With a minimum of 6 for a brand new character that didn't get the freespec drops. 7 if you count THIS respec, which you seem to be doing.
[ QUOTE ]
Also, many people (like me) don't have ample time to 'study' how game changes affect power choices, slotting, as well as how to optimally slot a power without playing the changed power for a while.
[/ QUOTE ]
With 14 respecs it shouldn't matter if it drops right away or in a week. Vetspecs and trial earned respecs are not consumed like freespecs are.
A far as any freespecs you may have had before the new issue drops, you can read the Test server patch notes, even if you don't log on to Test yourself. It should give you enough of an idea of whether you want to try out a power that is being changed or not.
If you DO want to try it out, spec into it a day or two before the issue goes live. They give you advance warning so you can use your freespec without losing it. If you do that you won't lose your freespec when the new issue goes live and you can test out a power change, because you already specced into it.
There's a big difference between "studying" a power change and doing a little advance research. I read all the patch notes on Test so I can get advance warning if something is changing for a powerset I use. Ignorance of what is changing and not changing is a poor excuse in this case because the information is so readily available if you choose to read it. It doesn't even require you to study anything, I can tell just by reading the description in the patch notes if it's something I want to check out or not.
I'm not really against the idea of freespecs dropping a week after the issue goes live, because it doesn't really affect me that much, I just don't understand the reasoning you're giving.
Edit to clarify:
[ QUOTE ]
Yup, it is a significant request, because it would save me influence/infamy, time, and effort. That's why it is a Suggestion.
[/ QUOTE ]
Emphasis mine. I'm not trying to tear your idea down, I'm just trying to prompt you to give a better reason why it should be implemented. I can pretty much guarantee that "Because it would be convenient to this guy on the forums" is not a good enough reason for the devs to do this.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison See, it's gems like these that make me check Claws' post history every once in a while to make sure I haven't missed anything good lately. |
The explanations you are giving as to how to maximize the use of freespecs is geared toward people who look at the forums, understand how the powers work in detail, and know what theyre after. Thats about 5-10% of the players out there, imo. (I have no numbers for this, a blind guess.) I hazard to guess that an equal ratio actually read the patch notes.
Few people can get an idea of how a power would feel different from notes like, increased recharge from 2 sec to 4 sec, reduced damage scale from 0.85 to 0.76, and increased end cost from 2.5 to 4.3. Thats WAAAY too abstract for even me, and I have a math degree. (which only means that I wasnt that smart in picking specialties) 
Theres really No difference between studying a power change and doing a little advance research. Im talking about Casual players here. Who would most likely go by the Feel of a power, rather than the numbers
and once the issue hit Live, they would not be able to compare the numbers to the previous iteration anyway.
So if, for example, they had Psi Shockwave, and now it feels less super, they might have trouble identifying the difference for themselves, or even not care to do that research, as it is time they might better spend playing.
(tl;dr)
A specific example: For the I15 Live drop, we got a notice on Friday that the issue was going to drop soon and that we should use our respecs. I did not look at the forums on Friday (things to do). I never look at the forums on the weekends (for shame). My friend had a marathon 2-day event planned, in which I participated when I could, because not only do I have things to do, but I also have a wife, who likes to see me from time to time (go figure). So I got to play in about half of the event, Aand I really had little to no time to actually do a respec, (much less 4 of them, which is how many characers are due for one) since for me they take about 90 minutes to 2 hours conservatively (repick the powers in the right order, replace enhancements, save the ones you want to save, and replace powers in your power trays. Thats a lot of work) Oh yeah, and I even have a spreadsheet guide I work from.
All this whine is for a reason: I am NOT a casual player. I play a significant amount of time (for a person not in college and with a family). So if it is hard for me to use these respecs, I have to imagine that casual player has a harder time than I do. (And I said me only because I can only speak for myself, but I suspect my problem is not unique to me alone.)
In conclusion, I think freespecs are great, but often I dont get to use them in time. Id love to have some notice and a real chance to use the respec. And I think others would as well.
Arc #6015 - Coming Unglued
"A good n00b-sauce is based on a good n00b-roux." - The Masque
OK - but I also don't see why delaying the drop of a freespec until at least a week after issue release helps you out.
The changes in the issue release that prompt the freespec are there when it drops and are the same exact power changes a week later (generally, barring some weird circumstances). And the power changes stay that way until the next tweaking, typically with the next issue release, which we all know will be at least a couple of months if not half a year away.
How does delaying the drop of a freespec help?
I'm not much of a numbers person myself, but I do follow the threads created by those who are numbers people. I test stuff out for myself on the Test Server. I make my own observations about changes to powers, using my own measurements like "eh, not so much" and "OMG!" and maybe then use a freespec.
But I know that my saved freespec that dropped with the issue release is still sitting there after I get my chance to make my observations. The date it dropped is meaningless and if they waited another week after dropping it would have no effect either way.
So it goes back the Claws' point of "why spend effort to make it so?"
Altoholic - but a Blaster at Heart!
Originally Posted by SpyralPegacyon
"You gave us a world where we could fly. I can't thank you enough for that."
it takes me about 10 mins to do a respec. that is because i use Mid's hero designer. plan the build there and use it when doing your respec. it's a no brainer. as for not having enough warning, we get at least 7 days warning which is ample time for anyone who reads the forums to let others in game know this.
They should allow you to accummulate multiple freespecs (i.e., if you haven't used the one they gave you last issue, you will have two available when they give you one for this issue).
if they have not already made this change...
As I said in my previous posts:
1. Most people neither 1) follow the forums, 2) use Mids, 3) read the patch notes before the issue release.
They play the game. Because most people don't have the time to do the other stuff.
Delaying helps because a) people have alts, b) they can use the powers after they drop on the live servers, get a feel for the new features, and then decide how to modify their build. That takes playtime. Most people have less than 10 hours a week to play. Are you with me now?
It's amazing that some of you can respec in 10 minutes, I cannot. I am a simple man, with simple needs. The game is not made for Uberplayers; if it was, well, nm.
Arc #6015 - Coming Unglued
"A good n00b-sauce is based on a good n00b-roux." - The Masque
If people don't research then they will think they got changed with no freespec and get angry.
They'll create forum accounts to whine and when the delay specs come they'll keep popping in during other non issues and claim whining gets things done around here.
No spank you.
If you don't research before doing something and waste a freespec that's on you.
OK, let me break it down FURTHER:
Currently:
CasualPlayer: playplayplay. Hmm, I wonder if I could make my powers better
Devs: Issue coming use your freespec!
CasualPlayer: Hmm. But if I respec NOW, theyll change the power on me. Better wait til I know what the changes will be. No time to figure out what all that technical stuff in the notes means, Ill just play it and get a feel for it, the respec.
Devs drop the issue and the freespec, Player loses a freespec he might otherwise have used.
OR:
CasualPlayer: playplayplay. Hmm, I wonder if I could make my powers better
Devs: Issue coming use your freespec!
CasualPlayer: Hmm. But if I respec NOW, theyll change the power on me. Better wait til I know what the changes will be. No time to figure out what all that stuff in the notes means, Ill just play it and get a feel for it, the respec.
Devs drop the issue WITHOUT the freespec. Freespec in a week guys, use em!
CasualPlayer: Hmm. Let me play JigglePants for a while, and see if the new issue makes his pants Less Jiggly.
CasualPlayer: (3 days later) Wow after playing JigglePants for 3 hours, people say that Weezel power is better than my current Wubble power
so I feel like I need to switch my Wubble power out for that Weezel power with the special FlimFlam status effect.
(use up the freespec to change his Wubble power to Weezel. For a casual player, this is not trivial.)
CasualPlayer: (4 days later) Wow after playing JigglePants for 4 more hours, I hate that Weezel power that FlimFlam makes it hard for me to build up my Borkplum as fast as I used to. And whats JigglePants without BorkPlum?!? But that other freespec is coming in a couple of days, so I can wait and use that to switch back. Also, the new SuperIronSpiderBatFlashLantern Underpants movie is coming out so I can see that AND eat Real Food, too!
(wait a day, get the new freespec, use up the new freespec to change his Weezel power back to Wubble.)
CasualPlayer: Yay, all is right with the world. Wubble gets my Borkplum up as fast as ever, and faster now that I slotted that new Luck of the Geezer +rech (tm) IO. Go JigglePants!
(Please note: all player, character, power, enhancement, and other names have been changed and sillified for absolutely no logical reason whatsoever, except to make grown men giggle like little girls, and for little girls to mock said grown men derisively on YouTube.)
Arc #6015 - Coming Unglued
"A good n00b-sauce is based on a good n00b-roux." - The Masque
You seem determined to ignore the simple fact the no matter what the devs do, the people that are refusing to 1) follow the forums, 2) use Mids, 3) read the patch notes before the issue release are going to ignore any announcements the devs make as well.
So /unsigned. If they want to pretend to be ostriches and bury their heads in the sand that's their own damn fault.
So your point is that you want 2 freespecs to be available around the drop of a new issue?
One that was held over from the previous issue release and then a week later a new one (that will wipe out the previous one not used, as is done now)?
But what if this mythical Casual Player already used his Issue 14 (for example) freespec prior to Issue 15 dropping? He has no freespec to do the experimenting you are hypothesizing other than the one that dropped with Issue 15. This is what he has right now, with a freespec dropping concurrent with the new issue.
I have to think your Casual Player won't follow the scheme of waiting until the new issue drops to immediately respec into the changed powers only to change them a week later. That really isn't all that "casual".
I think it more likely that CP will play around with the changes and perhaps go through a respec. Or he won't, and will use the respec at a later time.
And you are assuming that CP has no other alternative possibility of a respec - no vetspecs, no chance to run a respec trial, let alone no chance of the very nice random drop of a respec recipe.
I understand that the timing of the head's up warning was very compacted this time out and that many didn't use their freespecs because they were saving them for some reason. But if you had not used it before, you were satisfied with your character as is (presumably).
Your proposal would only be a help in those specific cases where someone who had saved a freespec from the last issue had an almost immediate buyer's remorse after using it (less than a week of play with the changed powers) and had no other sources of a respec reasonably available. With vetspecs and 3 respec trials - how many times has CP needed to change his character anyway?
Altoholic - but a Blaster at Heart!
Originally Posted by SpyralPegacyon
"You gave us a world where we could fly. I can't thank you enough for that."
I use Mid's hero planner and I'm hardly a "numbers guy". I use it more as a way of planning out what I'm taking when and when I'm slotting things. Some people use Mid's to try and crank out the best numbers they can for their powers. It is by no means a requirement to go into that kind of detail.
Your argument of how casual players use respecs is kind of silly. I know plenty of causal players in the game. Most of them have never respecced their character at all, because they are "casual" players. Being more effective just isn't that important to them. They don't play to "win", they play to have fun. They generally don't care that they can get 3 more points of damage out of their Fireball, or that they can get Hasten back 2 seconds faster by changing their slotting.
How many powersets receive major changes in any given issue? Usually two or three at most. This particular issue Dominators entire playstyle was changed, but that is an extremely rare occurrence.
Asserting that a large number of players change their build frequently enough to make use of a feature like this is, I suspect, not very accurate.
I have used a number of respecs on all of my "main" characters and I don't feel the need to delay a respec grant for a week. For two reasons A) I feel no need to respec into a different power and immediately back again, and B) In the event that I had a freespec still I clearly felt no need to respec at all because I was presumably happy with my character's powers.
Basically what I'm saying is: Your situation is not as common as you make it out to be.
A true casual player generally doesn't respec often enough to the point that they are out of other options.
And anyone who DOES respec that often is usually trying to squeeze the most performance out of their build as possible. That would indicate at least a minimum of research into the differences in powers.
Respeccing for better performance without looking into the powers in question is, sorry to say, foolish. If you don't read anything about the powers and make a poor decision with a power selection or slotting it is no one's fault but your own. And for the record, the Test server patch notes I mentioned looking at? They're usually up on the forums for a month or more before the issue goes live. That's plenty of time to hop on and read them. Instead of posting here, you could be looking at patch notes.
Also, a casual player who "just plays the game", and doesn't read the patch notes, or do any research on power changes, isn't going to KNOW the power is being changed until it IS changed, at which point they have a respec to use if they don't like what was done to the power.
What you're saying is: "I didn't plan my build and screwed up my character, I should be allowed to fix it at no cost to myself." Or at least that's what I'm getting out of it.
When the game was first released there was no ability to re-choose your powers at all. EVER. You were stuck with what you picked whether you liked it or not. Then they released the respec trial, giving you 3 chances to re-select your powers. THEN they started giving out free respecs at issue releases as they changed how powers worked so people weren't upset that a power no longer worked for them and they had no way to change it. THEN they released veteran respecs. Then respec recipes, and now you can spend real money on one. That is an insane amount of power changing available to just about anyone who plays the game.
Also, just as an aside: If you have changed your powers that many times and are STILL unhappy with the character, you probably never WILL be happy with it and might as well delete it.
And just to reiterate: I don't have a problem with the idea of delaying respecs. I just think that this isn't a good enough reason to do it.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison See, it's gems like these that make me check Claws' post history every once in a while to make sure I haven't missed anything good lately. |
This may already be a dead horse, but I'm gonna try anyway.
Could we standardize Free Respecs so that they are credited exactly (or approximately?) 1 week after a new issue hits Live?
Reason being, I can't adequately 'test' a new power modification unless I've had a chance to work with it a little bit while it's on Live (I know about Test, but not everyone can/wants to go to test...)
Thanks for the consideration.
Arc #6015 - Coming Unglued
"A good n00b-sauce is based on a good n00b-roux." - The Masque