Question for all the blappers..
[Substantively edited; missed a point]
I hate to oppose Bridger being the voice of reason, etc, but frankly there is a right and a wrong here, and the people who've read a little HCI research are right and the other people are wrong. Their opinions are not equally valid because they are not supported by empirical research.
For certain types of task a keyboard is the more efficient device and CoX power selection is such a task. Yes, generally, animation time means this is not a twitch game; nevertheless the less time you spend selecting powers the more time you can spend watching the team display, your own health and endurance, what's actually going on, etc.
Of course for some other types of task the mouse is the most efficient device - for example, pointing tasks of the type seen in first person shooters, which is why mouselook took over immediately there. Indeed, there are some "picking a villain out" situations in CoX where I reach for the mouse for the same reason.
Doulos; I'm sure you're effective. You've been playing a while, and - having an alt-sister in the Rangers - I know you understand the tactics of the game very well. I hope no-one is saying that a clicker can't be effective through a solid understanding of the tactics of the game; just that, by switching to a well-considered keyboard layout, you will save some time and as such improve your play.
However, with the speed of CoH, and the enforced "downtime" due to animations/rooting, I am highly doubtful it would make a lot of difference to someone with good coordination even if it may not be the most efficient way. I think people are overestimating the "twitch" element of CoH.
I would also be highly highly surprised if 90% of CoH players had FPS background. In general when I've spoken to people (outside the SG I play with) in CoH about other games played I've generally met a fair amount of contempt for my main interests (FPS and flight sims), most others' gaming experiences from the people I've spoken to have been along the lines of EVE, Guildwars, WoW, table top RPGs or LARP which really, would have been what I'd have expected.
I certainly don't want to be interpreted as saying it makes a _lot_ of difference. Obviously it doesn't; if it made as much difference as - say - the introduction of mouselook into FPSes, keyboard power activation would be universal.
It depends on AT somewhat. Playing as a Controller or Dominator for instance I find any delay is caused by deciding which power to use, not remembering what to press/click. Any mistakes are when I click the wrong one (Illusion/TA has a huge range of active powers).
Playing a damage dealer on the other hand you just have to click the next power in the chain, no decision needed.
I really should do something about this signature.
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Playing a damage dealer on the other hand you just have to click the next power in the chain, no decision needed.
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That's quite a strange sentiment. At level 50 on my Ice Blaster, I have:
3 single target ranged attacks, 2 single target mele attacks, 3 holds, a sleep, a nuke, a cone attack, a cone slow and a PBAoe Knockdown, plus the usual gubbins like aim, build up, pool powers etc.
My attack chain is fluid depending on the situation, it's how I stay alive and effective.
Also a sweeping generalisation and a slur on damage dealers.
I'm a naughty boy.
I really should do something about this signature.
bad Praf, BAD!1
/e batsmash
Plight
Hi Ji when im blapping with Miss Sparkz, my set up is.
Mouse button 3: Aim
e : Charged brawl (high damage)
q: havok punch (moderate damage)
mouse button 4: Lightning clap punch (extreme damage + group knockback)
With this set up I have usually arrested the first in a mob by the end of the second punch and use the extreme damage and knockback to dirupt the rest of the mob allowing for the punches to recycle (have hasten set to auto some times up sometimes not).
I use the numbers 1,2,3,4,5, to run the ranged attacks /controllerish end drain powers in elec such as electic fence, tesla cage. Depending on size and make up of mob may start off with one of these, would want to put nemesis snipers or crey crisi units in a tesla cage before an attack run.
If im going to use my ranged nuke in a large mob of minion/lts and bosses. I will use it, whipe out most minnions and damage lts/bosses. I would then pop a blue insp then run into who is left, using the end recovery move would usually provide a full end bar (nice little move which stops the usuall suicidal blaster nuke) and start blapping.
Anything that cant be reached by my left hand is clicked by mouse, usually my power pools such as heal self/other and the inherent rest powers.
MJ
edit: wow should have read teh whole thread to see what an enjoyable flame war it turned into.
J, is lightning clap extreme aoe damage? I thought it was minor, plus disorient plus knockback!
I have a standard but slightly varied setup for my keys.
I use keys 1,2.3,4. But have keys 1 and 3 and 4 with ranged powers and 2 for havok punch. Charged brawl is on auto and sits in my 3rd tray.
I then use alt+2 and alt+1 for screech (ranged disorient) and electric fence, respectively.
I have r as heal self, t as build up, f as super speed, c as lightning field. i bind g for conserve power with 46, but will probably use it for amplify with sunrod.
h is always hasten for me.
I have a similar setup on my pb but use mouse button 4 for combat flight and mouse button 5 for flight. Auto-run is shift+r.
On 46 i bind c, v and b as combat jump/sj, v as acrobatics and b as charged armour. basically bottom row as 'defence' powers.
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e : Charged brawl (high damage)
q: havok punch (moderate damage)
mouse button 4: Lightning clap punch (extreme damage + group knockback)
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Sorry to be picky, but I think you've got some of your attacks muxed ip.
Charged Brawl is lower damage than Havok Punch.
Also lightning clap is definitely not extreme damage, in fact, it does no damage at all, it's knockdown and disorient. I think you may be mixing that up with Thunder Strike which is a very tight cone, extreme damage on target, and has a chance to knockback.
Was not 100 % sure of teh names of the powes was quite late when I wrote it. Just checked on US forums and here are the 3 powers I meant.
Bound to 'E'
Havoc Punch- Single target melee, endurance drain, sleep, knockback
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 12 seconds
Endurance cost: 16
Range: 5
Brawl index: 7.2223 (Energy/Smashing)
Bound to 'Q'
Charged Brawl- Single target melee, endurance drain, sleep
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 8 seconds
Endurance cost: 12
Range: 5
Brawl index: 5.4445 (Energy/Smashing)
and the 3 attack was
Thunder Strike- Melee AoE, Knockback, disorient
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 3 seconds
Recharge time: 20 seconds
Endurance cost: 21.5
Range: 5
Brawl index: 8.2223 (now slightly greater than Havoc Punch) (Energy/Smashing)
New I sould not named powers can never keep track of wath is what
MJ
Was not 100 % sure of teh names of the powes was quite late when I wrote it. Just checked on US forums and here are the 3 powers I meant.
Bound to 'E'
Havoc Punch- Single target melee, endurance drain, sleep, knockback
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 12 seconds
Endurance cost: 16
Range: 5
Brawl index: 7.2223 (Energy/Smashing)
Bound to 'Q'
Charged Brawl- Single target melee, endurance drain, sleep
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 1 second
Recharge time: 8 seconds
Endurance cost: 12
Range: 5
Brawl index: 5.4445 (Energy/Smashing)
and the 3 attack was
Thunder Strike- Melee AoE, Knockback, disorient
Accuracy: 75
Activation time: 3 seconds
Recharge time: 20 seconds
Endurance cost: 21.5
Range: 5
Brawl index: 8.2223 (now slightly greater than Havoc Punch) (Energy/Smashing)
Knew I sould not have named powers as I can never keep track of what is what
MJ
Cant be bothered to cut and paste this at work again so if multiple posts meh.
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e : Charged brawl (high damage)
q: havok punch (moderate damage)
mouse button 4: Lightning clap punch (extreme damage + group knockback)
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Sorry to be picky, but I think you've got some of your attacks muxed ip.
Charged Brawl is lower damage than Havok Punch.
Also lightning clap is definitely not extreme damage, in fact, it does no damage at all, it's knockdown and disorient. I think you may be mixing that up with Thunder Strike which is a very tight cone, extreme damage on target, and has a chance to knockback.
[/ QUOTE ]cant believe teh Wyx got something wrong abotu a blaster!1?
hate to be picky too, but u muxed ip a tight cone and a PBAoE. as stated above, thunder strike is stupid damage to a target with KB to all and extra damamge in melee range. i'll let u off like tho (oh and mag 2 dis)
Plight
Hope the above post clarifies the position. Will never try and name a power at 2 in the morniing aagain. Will insted use the description of jumpy up smashy down one like the PB powers I got last night on the TF.
MJ
Hope the above post clarifies the position. Will never try and name a power at 2 in the morniing aagain. Will insted use the description of jumpy up smashy down one like the PB powers I got last night on the TF.
MJ
The knockback and extra damage appears to operate like a cone, not a PBAoE. If it's AOE not cone it's certainly a small enough radius that I've never had it effect anything behind me.
Edited, yeah, description says AOE, but it's exceptionally small radius, you really wont get anything that isn't pretty much immediately in front of you with it.
When i use it I get damage to the main target and uaually teh pair beside them like a cone effect. But I do get the entire group being knocked back both those infront and behind me as in an PBAoE. The description is not necessarily wrong just open to interpretation.
MJ
pretty sure its worked as described forever but i will check
Plight
with the nrg set i only have 1 combat move(i think) on my blapper cos if i have more i tend to run in and use it then i die.and the attack i have is a knockback so if an enemy comes within melee range as a blaster i will get splattered so i just knockback and by the time they get back up they are normally dead.
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with the nrg set i only have 1 combat move(i think) on my blapper cos if i have more i tend to run in and use it then i die.and the attack i have is a knockback so if an enemy comes within melee range as a blaster i will get splattered so i just knockback and by the time they get back up they are normally dead.
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The most pwoerful secondary in the game (IMO) and you only have one move from it?
Hehe, my current is /EM and I only have the initial attack and Build Up so far. I'm sure I'll take more melee attacks t some point (Particularly towards the end of the set) but in the meantime I'm focused on keeping mobs at distance... something that I can do nicely with the Ice primary! ^_^
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with the nrg set i only have 1 combat move(i think) on my blapper
[/ QUOTE ]That's not a blapper, that's a blaster...
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with the nrg set i only have 1 combat move(i think) on my blapper
[/ QUOTE ]That's not a blapper, that's a blaster...
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beat me to it, damn you.
isnt it some sort of cod/ferret hybrid?
Plight
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I have played with blasters whose desire is to be a tank
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and I would like to point out that I only ever die when teaming with you, thank you very much.