Old Complaints ~or~ 'A More Perfect Superhero Simulator'
By
Adeon Hawkwood,
Posted on: 2010-01-08 17:49 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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I don't find it annoying when they talk to me, but I do find it annoying that I can hear them still when they're addressing someone else. It's almost non-stop if you're hanging out in a busy area like the Vanguard Base, I don't need to hear the NPC shouting at everyone who runs past like she's the hall monitor.|
Originally Posted by Kheldarn
1) STSNPCU - Shut The Speical NPCs Up. You know, the Ship Information Officer in the Vanguard Base in the RWZ, or the receptionists at the Vaults, or the Vanguard guys outside the Vuanguard Depots in the zones that connect to the RWZ, who ALWAYS talk when you get near them. They say the same every time, and it's annoying. They should say it once, and then be silent.
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Originally Posted by LittleDavid
Ah, okay. Sounds pretty messy ...And that some people who didn't base their characters on others' IPs but still got in trouble because others mistook them for such is kind of distressing.
Isn't the whole reason why they cause lag is because they're physics-enabled objects? I mean, a hundred characters hanging around doesn't sound like it'd cause much of a drain on frame rate (not considering combat here, mind you). There's plenty of busy places in CoX where you can find almost as many NPCs like that. That was the whole reason they started making physics cards--you can have a great CPU and video card, but when you start dealing with multiple physics simulations in a game, the frame rate will go into a tailspin. Whenever I mess around in Gary's Mod, I can cause my computer grief by tossing a bomb into a pile of ragdolls. Not pretty! So ... instead of having the ability to remove capes, what about an option to display physics-enabled costume parts as not-physically enabled instead? Simple animations for movement/flight, which might not look like the best thing in the world, but it'd save the computer the juice needed to process physics simulations ... |
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I agree yet disagree. I think Galaxy City needs a bit more but it doesn't need to be a mirror of Atlas to do so. I'd say to add a contact that gives out a Perez Park based TF, at a short tutorial style arc for the Arena, rearrange Kings Row spawn points a tad so that the Galaxy -> KR connection isn't quite so murderous on a lowbie, and setup some sort of non-instanced area with the Vindicators since BABs is there.
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Originally Posted by Kheldarn
3) This is for Heroes only: Starting Zone Equality. Galaxy City is treated like a red-headed step child. And I don't like it. Galaxy is far superior to Atlas. It has Badd *** Brawler to train you, instead of wussy Ms. Liberty. But I digress. Galaxy needs to have an Auction House added, and an NPC added inside the Freedom Corp. building to hand out the Cape and Aura missions. Atlas needs to have an Arena added, and an NPC added inside City Hall to do Resepcs.
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I'd rather see Atlas and Galaxy merged - put the HQ from Galaxy under City Hall, and the Galaxy Girl statue behind City Hall.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
In the case of more maps, and "logical" ones, to boot, I agree that some work is needed. The point was driven home recently when I played the guest author arc by Bill Willingham, I think it was, the quest for magic one. One of the missions had you going to one of the villain's mansions to recover an item, and the map turned out to be a standard office map. It struck me as very odd, and didn't ring true at all, that the game wanted me to believe that this was someone's house. It just didn't work for me.
So I thought, why couldn't there be a mansion map? Maybe with secret subbasements for mad scientist labs or dungeons or magic ritual spaces? How useful would that be for architect stories, or new content?
Someone on the forum a long time ago suggested a school map, like an elementary or high school. (Yes, I know there are virtually no children in Paragon City, but ...). Classrooms, a gymnasium, a lunchroom, etc., that your heroes would have to navigate to save hostages and such. That opens new ideas for story arcs and contents.
I would like to see the game also move beyond the City a little bit, to different locales around the world. Send our heroes to a supervillain's tropical island lair, or arctic hideout where a naturally occuring blizzard or environment could add extra challenge. Send them to Europe, or Egypt, or some South American ruins. Or to the moon or some other outerspace destination. Or even an underwater lab (you wouldn't have to swim to the mission door - use the COV subs to "transport" our heroes there.)
These are just a few ideas. I'm sure far more creative chaps can come up with even more.
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Fix't.|
Originally Posted by AzureSkyCiel
BaBs, do you remember those sliding tile puzzles with the eight tiles and the one empty one? Randomize the start and I'm sure there's not a single damn FAQ on the net that can help you solve it. Though that might just be more frustrating than fun.
There's also... Digital Rikti's cube! We already have the model skeleton in game with the invention system! |
A whole world of new possibilities.
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Hrm. That makes me think about my own characters. I can help myself and my teammates improve our framerates if each toon has a tactical uniform that has no moving parts on it and no auras. When we enter missions that are known to be framerate intensive, I switch to the tactical uniform.|
Originally Posted by Steele_Magnolia
I remember the Old Hami raids and "no capes, no auras" costumes. I wonder how much it would improve lag if people did the same at Mothership Raids?
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Sure, his test involved hundreds of NPCs. But every little bit helps, right?
Also, I suppose we should have guessed about this phenomenon earlier. Anyone who's been to the AE building, Wentworths or Atlas's statue where folks are spamming their powers left and right knows what a drag it can be when your framerate takes a nosedive. Seems like lag; it's not. It's costume effects. Lots of costume effects.
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Heck, I'd love:|
Originally Posted by Noyjitat
So I guess it would be a bad idea to offer you cookies in hopes that you one day implement performance options such as
Hide other players: Capes, auras, wings. Hide other teams:Capes, auras, and wings. Hide other players: Buff effects Hide other teams: Buff effects Hide player pet: buff effects Hide player pet: aura effects Hide NPC: Capes, auras, and wings. Hide NPC: Buff effects |
Completely hide ignored players.
Because blocking somebody's text doesn't even mostly eliminate their ability to grief you.
Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
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If you couldn't see them or their power effects, wouldn't that make it *easier* for them to say, follow you around and kill everything you target?
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Originally Posted by Kelenar
Heck, I'd love:
Completely hide ignored players. Because blocking somebody's text doesn't even mostly eliminate their ability to grief you. |
Character index
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Use the "Complete Mission" option. Unless you WANT to run the actual mission for some reason.
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Originally Posted by Kheldarn
2) Tutorial Mission Doors - For Outbreak, the mission should always be at the set of doors at the building behind Coyote. It sucks to have to run to the far side of the zone, because by the time you make it back to Coyote, and pick your starting zone, your Level Up Buffs have pretty much worn off. For Breakout, the door that's to the left of the Arachnos Pilot should be the mission door. Granted, you don't have to run nearly as far, but it's far enough.
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OTOH, it's nice to have a nice, quiet zone to go to to pay SG rent.
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Originally Posted by Golden Girl
I'd rather see Atlas and Galaxy merged - put the HQ from Galaxy under City Hall, and the Galaxy Girl statue behind City Hall.
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I guess, but I'm more used to them doing /e boombox, teleporting into people, summoning hordes of pets, self-destructing, casting shields on people, and just generally being an ***. With how little combat content is outdoors, I think it's a fair tradeoff. Maybe make it go both ways, so you can't see people who are ignoring you, either.
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Originally Posted by Silver Gale
If you couldn't see them or their power effects, wouldn't that make it *easier* for them to say, follow you around and kill everything you target?
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Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
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...What server do you play on and what kinds of people do you associate with that this is a regular problem? |
Originally Posted by Kelenar
I guess, but I'm more used to them doing /e boombox, teleporting into people, summoning hordes of pets, self-destructing, casting shields on people, and just generally being an ***. With how little combat content is outdoors, I think it's a fair tradeoff. Maybe make it go both ways, so you can't see people who are ignoring you, either.
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Originally Posted by PRAF68_EU
Dispari has more than enough credability, and certainly doesn't need to borrow any from you.
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Aside from all the other awesome suggestions:
- Targeting. Give me a targeting option that I can bind and, when used, it selects the nearest target within the 45° angle directly in front of my character. Sometimes, cycling through targets is a pain. And trust me, you never want to hear my blaster say "Oops!"
- Hazard Zone Contacts. I really loathe having to guess which part of a guard's anatomy I have to click on to gain access to the Hollows. Please fix them so that you can click anywhere on a contact to gain entrance to a Hazard Zone. I don't want to feel like a gropy spandex-wearing perv anymore. And believe me, that one guard at the Hollows seems to always want you to click him in his Extra Special Place.
- Detectives. Give them cell phones. Please? It's insane that we have to run all the way back to these guys to get a bank mission and then run all the way to the bank, and then run all the way back to the contact to clear it. You've worked really hard to simplify contacts everywhere else, and these guys are a glaring omission.
- Caves. Eliminate blue caves. The Cimmarora caves are awesome. Even the brown caves are better than blue caves. Design new cave types that actually look like caves: stalagmites, stalactites, massive vaulted ceilings, puddles of water, crystal veins, and so on. Study your other NCSoft titles for examples: Guild Wars and AION. You don't have to copy their work, just use them for inspiration.
- Magical Mystery Doors. I shouldn't open an office door and land in a warehouse. Or click on a cave entrance and land in an office building. Or, for that matter, do two missions in a row at the same door and have the map completely change on me.
- Giant Rampaging Monsters. I'd love to see a giant five-storey fire-breathing beast that rampages through Steel Canyon, setting buildings on fire. (Or some other similar creature.) It requires every hero in the zone to take it down. Big rewards for doing so. The beast should move from zone to zone, and when he spawns there, engaging him should be just like it is in a Rikti invasion, so that everyone can help.
- AE Inspiration Vendors. I don't understand why these guys don't sell wakies. You realize it's just a time sink, right? I can actually buy 3 cabs and convert them to a wakie for 150, which is actually cheaper than the cost of a wakie. If that's by design, then so be it (but then I don't understand why you don't just globally reduce the cost of wakies). If it's not by design, you might want to look into it.
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Virtue. It shows up now and then in any sort of public RP place. Pocket D's not as bad about it as Gemini Park used to be, but there's still occasionally a guy who thinks it's fun to stand in the middle of a crowd of roleplayers, spamming Warmth with Whirlwind on or such. (in before lolrp, etc.)
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Originally Posted by Dispari
...What server do you play on and what kinds of people do you associate with that this is a regular problem?
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Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
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Unless the whole city got bombed and, somehow, GG's statue didnt get smashed up, I see no believable way of that happening.|
Originally Posted by Golden Girl
I'd rather see Atlas and Galaxy merged - put the HQ from Galaxy under City Hall, and the Galaxy Girl statue behind City Hall.
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From an RP standpoint; How about no? GG Unionside is an RP spot since...well, since most of the goers remember. It used to be a meeting/rally point in Beta, irrc, and carried on ever since.
So, no. No zone merging. Improvement, sure. But the rest makes no sense.
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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Which is why we definitely appreciate when you do pop in for little discussions like this. As a whole, I think the players and forumites truly appreciate all the work you put in (I know I do).|
Originally Posted by BackAlleyBrawler
If we attempted to answer every question or concern directed our way, we'd 1) fail and 2) not have any time to actually work on the actual game.
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As far as the next part, I know others have already commented, but I really need to as well.
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Originally Posted by BackAlleyBrawler
A fine example of how two players have two completely polar, and opposite desires for content. One wants more unpredictable, random maps...the other wants maps with more carefully planned, and logical layouts.
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If you look at the person that wants unpredictability, they are referring more to the placement of assorted objectives within an existing map. I think we all recognize that randomizing the actual maps would be a nightmare from a programming/capacity standpoint, and for anyone who doesn't already realize that, think about how much power it would take to randomize a map, then make sure that all the rooms with an objective link up, don't overlap, etc.... for every single mission.
The problem that I see with the predictability is that for a given office map there are (for arguments sake) 20 spawns that will show up and need to be dealt with. But there are only 24 or 25 spawn points that they can possibly be in. Therefore we know exactly where every mob is going to be. I may be misunderstanding their comment (from their own reply, I'm pretty sure not, though) but this would be made much greater by adding many more spawn points to the maps, so that there are 20 spawns and 50 or 60 different locations for them to show up in. I'm sure this would be less processing needed than actual random maps, but also that it would certainly be more than is needed now. What I don't know is how prohibitive this additional required capacity could be.
Assuming that this additional power is not prohibitive, I'd think that adding the more random placement of spawns combined with a building layout that makes a little bit of sense would actually satisfy both posters' gripes with the current maps.
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Well, there are already missions that require two teammates to click glowies, so this would be no different. Just make sure to put the same disclaimer on the mission text that says, "You need a least one other teammate to complete this mission."|
Originally Posted by Golden Girl
I think any puzzles like that would have to be only on TFs - putting missions that require teams in the middle of arcs that people solo might not be such a good idea
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As much as I wouldn't want to add more content that can't be soloed, I think if this was still fairly rare it would be okay.
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I always like that this question comes up. I also find it a little funny that it came up here, although I suppose indirectly it is on topic. (The more options you have to utilize your character in the game world, the more fleshed out it likely becomes as an Intellectual Property) |
Originally Posted by LittleDavid
Ah, okay. Sounds pretty messy ...And that some people who didn't base their characters on others' IPs but still got in trouble because others mistook them for such is kind of distressing.
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My understanding is that ANY work is individual and protected by copyright law at the moment of its creation. If the work is based on a previous work, then it is a derivative work, and the owners of the copyright on the previous work have a right to the derivative work as well. Since we as players of CoH are assembling property created by Paragon Studios (originally Cryptic) into a new derivative work, we have to share the copyright with the owners of the game that lets us visualize them.
In other words, NCSoft/Paragon Studios isn't taking away our right to our characters, just enforcing their own rights. The license that lets them use the likeness of our characters in advertising and their comic books just extends that, so they don't have to make the request of each of us individually when they do choose to use them. The license is pretty limited in its scope, though, and probably wouldn't cover the things we could choose to do with our IP outside of the CoH environment.
My main three characters in this game were created by me originally outside of City of Heroes. I can prove this, because I have posted stories with them on the Internet copyrighted in 2001, before CoH came online. There are subtle differences between the two universes, though, for instance in my original version I was trying to get away from them wearing costumes, and because of the nature of the game there are differences in how their powers work. So I just regard them as two different works, my characters in my own stories aren't exactly the same as the ones here.
Of course, in terms of copyright law it is important that I do own the original, so that I can use them here, but I don't feel that extends the other way, giving Paragon any claim to the original. Plus, if I were actually to be making money off of them, instead of just posting them on my site for free, I would probably change the names or other details to make them more distinct. I might make some kind of a deal, like that couple of webcomic artists who were going to make some MA arcs, as mentioned a while ago, but I'd want to make sure the work was at least recognized, or even paid for.
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Individual missions would be ok - I mean putting one in the middle of an arc.
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Originally Posted by Jade_Dragon
Well, there are already missions that require two teammates to click glowies, so this would be no different. Just make sure to put the same disclaimer on the mission text that says, "You need a least one other teammate to complete this mission."
As much as I wouldn't want to add more content that can't be soloed, I think if this was still fairly rare it would be okay. |
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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Oh, yeah, I definately agree there.|
Originally Posted by Golden Girl
Individual missions would be ok - I mean putting one in the middle of an arc.
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Although if I found a way to implement it in an MA arc, I would DEFINATELY note BEFORE you start the arc that it cannot be completed without a team.
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It's called a retcon |
Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
Unless the whole city got bombed and, somehow, GG's statue didnt get smashed up, I see no believable way of that happening.
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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I emailed him for a pizza roll, and still havn't gotten it!
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Originally Posted by Sapphire7
RedLetterMedia is hilarious
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Like a Runaway Train!
SS's Crey Profile
SS's Virtue Handbook Page
Liberty League: Leave the Justice to Us!
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Eh, my question stemmed from someone saying that they'd like to see more clear-cut guidelines on when a character is violating the IP rules. Poking around this forum I saw other tales of people who got genericized because they were mistaken for plagiarizing a character from someone else's IP.|
Originally Posted by Jade_Dragon
I always like that this question comes up. I also find it a little funny that it came up here, although I suppose indirectly it is on topic. (The more options you have to utilize your character in the game world, the more fleshed out it likely becomes as an Intellectual Property).
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Being a superhero MMO, it's incredibly tempting to want to make characters based off favorite shows or one's own works. I mean, check out some of the videos of Soul Calibur and how people will create fascimiles of other well-known characters to pit in duels. Granted, SC isn't an MMO, but it's the same kind of appeal that drives that kind of thing.
Granted, I should have probably asked about it in a new thread.
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| Well, there are already missions that require two teammates to click glowies, so this would be no different. Just make sure to put the same disclaimer on the mission text that says, "You need a least one other teammate to complete this mission." |
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Originally Posted by Texas Justice
So, basically what you're saying is ...
Costumes cause lag. Bwahahahahahahahaha! You knew it was coming but read it anyway. |
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Originally Posted by BackAlleyBrawler
According to my understanding of what "lag" means, no
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lag Capes (and auras) do not cause network latency, they cause a decrease in frame rate on the client-side. But really pale in comparison to just rendering player models by themselves. Keep in mind that my test used 100 copies of the same NPC. Same geometry, same textures, etc. That would be a radically different result with multiple NPC costume defs, or worse...player costumes. |
- 100 NPCs - 0 capes = 48% loss in frame rate
- 100 NPCs - 1 cape = 75% loss in frame rate
- 100 NPCs - 3 capes = 92% loss in frame rate
So yes, there is a reason that we don't want players loading themselves down with multiple cape systems.I mean, a hundred characters hanging around doesn't sound like it'd cause much of a drain on frame rate (not considering combat here, mind you). There's plenty of busy places in CoX where you can find almost as many NPCs like that.
That was the whole reason they started making physics cards--you can have a great CPU and video card, but when you start dealing with multiple physics simulations in a game, the frame rate will go into a tailspin. Whenever I mess around in Gary's Mod, I can cause my computer grief by tossing a bomb into a pile of ragdolls. Not pretty!
So ... instead of having the ability to remove capes, what about an option to display physics-enabled costume parts as not-physically enabled instead? Simple animations for movement/flight, which might not look like the best thing in the world, but it'd save the computer the juice needed to process physics simulations ...