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Hell yes! I recall playing an Emp Def and having people yelling at me that they needed to un-mezzed.
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Originally Posted by FlyingCodeMonkey
This feature is something we've needed since roughly April 2004 (if not before), so with all of the QOL improvements over the years, I'm a little stunned it's never made it to the implemented list. Simply phrased, some visible indication on the Team window when a teammate or pet has been inhibited by a status effect.
Since the game began, the teammate bars and pet bars have changed color to reflect current health, providing a very quick, easy-to-observe indication of when someone is badly wounded, critically wounded, healthy, etc. This quick feedback is very helpful for targeted heals. However, an equally-important bit of information is missing: whether the teammate/henchman is slept, stunned, held, confused, etc. To this day, after all this time, we're still stuck with typing "zzzz" into the chat window, or happening to notice that the guy next to you has pale while Z's floating above his head, dim rings encircling his head, or perhaps one of his two dozen buff bar icons is one that represents a mez attack. I don't know what form it would take, exactly. I probably wouldn't change the bar color from green because that could conflict with the yellow/red health indication. Perhaps change the archetype icon to something visibly obvious or slightly animated (like the little skull that indicates a dead teammate regardless of AT). If all else fails, "target_custom_next friend mezzed," but that would be a last resort. As the unappointed spokesman for buffers everywhere, I reiterate a polite request for a mez indicator that's long overdue.  |
While a mez indicator would be nice, it shouldn't be a high priority. There are several factors involved that make watching out for mezzed team mates easier.
- The mez animation plays.
- They're not doing anything. This is generally the biggest clue.
- They often start taking damage.
- They stop using endurance.
- Their offensive toggles drop (such as Radiation Infection).
- Only certain characters are likely to be mezzed above a certain level: you don't have to worry about tankers and scrappers getting mezzed most of the time.
- Only certain enemies mez. If you're not fighting them you don't need to worry.
- The mezzed character can yell for help.
I'm afraid that adding yet another indicator to the team window would encourage players to "watch the dials" instead of the actual combat. This is counterproductive in the long run. The best thing anyone responsible for watching out for team mates should do is to literally watch their team mates.
To use a chess analogy, you need to see the whole board.
If you're constantly watching the combat you can tell when team mates are getting into trouble. You'll notice a lieutenant coming up on the blaster from behind. You'll notice when another spawn is aggroed and starts heading for you. You'll notice ambushes. Not being surprised is half the battle.
Finally, you should be proactive: prevent a mez from happening in the first place. If there are mezzers in the spawn and you or some team mates are vulnerable to them, make it your job to mez the mezzer first thing. For that reason I always take at least one mezzing attack if it's available.
I find Empathy/Psychic Blast to be a good combination because of the mezzes in Psychic Blast.
Suggestion: Color Code Team Member's HP bars
As of right now if you have the team-window open everybody's health is displayed.
Simply add a color-changing code to the HP bar. If somebody's mezzed, the bar turns from green to say... purple. There we go: even if you are in the simple HP bar mode, you can still see when somebody is mezzed.
Fair enough, this solution isn't really 100% proof since some anti-mez powers don't work on every mez. Dispersion Bubble, for example, won't do anything against sleep. O2 Boost won't do anything for Hold. Thaw won't help with Fear. So just because somebody is mezzed does not mean the anti-mezzer will actually able to do anything.
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I like that suggestion a lot.
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Originally Posted by je_saist
Suggestion: Color Code Team Member's HP bars
As of right now if you have the team-window open everybody's health is displayed. Simply add a color-changing code to the HP bar. If somebody's mezzed, the bar turns from green to say... purple. There we go: even if you are in the simple HP bar mode, you can still see when somebody is mezzed. Fair enough, this solution isn't really 100% proof since some anti-mez powers don't work on every mez. Dispersion Bubble, for example, won't do anything against sleep. O2 Boost won't do anything for Hold. Thaw won't help with Fear. So just because somebody is mezzed does not mean the anti-mezzer will actually able to do anything. |
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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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Originally Posted by je_saist
Suggestion: Color Code Team Member's HP bars
As of right now if you have the team-window open everybody's health is displayed. Simply add a color-changing code to the HP bar. If somebody's mezzed, the bar turns from green to say... purple. There we go: even if you are in the simple HP bar mode, you can still see when somebody is mezzed. Fair enough, this solution isn't really 100% proof since some anti-mez powers don't work on every mez. Dispersion Bubble, for example, won't do anything against sleep. O2 Boost won't do anything for Hold. Thaw won't help with Fear. So just because somebody is mezzed does not mean the anti-mezzer will actually able to do anything. |
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Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
I like that suggestion a lot.
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But that would actually be useful.
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Pretty much agree 100% with Rodion on these points (even with my emp/psy def |
Originally Posted by Rodion
I'm afraid that adding yet another indicator to the team window would encourage players to "watch the dials" instead of the actual combat. This is counterproductive in the long run. The best thing anyone responsible for watching out for team mates should do is to literally watch their team mates.
... Finally, you should be proactive: prevent a mez from happening in the first place. If there are mezzers in the spawn and you or some team mates are vulnerable to them, make it your job to mez the mezzer first thing. For that reason I always take at least one mezzing attack if it's available. I find Empathy/Psychic Blast to be a good combination because of the mezzes in Psychic Blast. |
). Maybe add that some may potentially want different colors for different effects (sleep, immob, held, etc.) and make it harder to read. As well as frequency like those KoA darts that sleep for like 0.1 sec (I use to hate so much the old days and retoggling like every 15 sec when one of those darts hit). As to the HP bar suggestion, I have no opinion if it should get added. Like mentioned above, I am proactive and watch the battle mostly, so probably never use it - anyways, I am too old to learn new tricks after playing 6 years with my emp def !
If anything, it would probably mess up me seeing the HP's in case someone needs healing.
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Were this in place I might actually find it somewhat worthwhile to take Clear Mind on an Empath.
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Originally Posted by je_saist
Suggestion: Color Code Team Member's HP bars
As of right now if you have the team-window open everybody's health is displayed. Simply add a color-changing code to the HP bar. If somebody's mezzed, the bar turns from green to say... purple. There we go: even if you are in the simple HP bar mode, you can still see when somebody is mezzed. |
Goodbye may seem forever
Farewell is like the end
But in my heart's the memory
And there you'll always be
-- The Fox and the Hound
This feature is something we've needed since roughly April 2004 (if not before), so with all of the QOL improvements over the years, I'm a little stunned it's never made it to the implemented list. Simply phrased, some visible indication on the Team window when a teammate or pet has been inhibited by a status effect.
Since the game began, the teammate bars and pet bars have changed color to reflect current health, providing a very quick, easy-to-observe indication of when someone is badly wounded, critically wounded, healthy, etc. This quick feedback is very helpful for targeted heals. However, an equally-important bit of information is missing: whether the teammate/henchman is slept, stunned, held, confused, etc. To this day, after all this time, we're still stuck with typing "zzzz" into the chat window, or happening to notice that the guy next to you has pale while Z's floating above his head, dim rings encircling his head, or perhaps one of his two dozen buff bar icons is one that represents a mez attack.
I don't know what form it would take, exactly. I probably wouldn't change the bar color from green because that could conflict with the yellow/red health indication. Perhaps change the archetype icon to something visibly obvious or slightly animated (like the little skull that indicates a dead teammate regardless of AT). If all else fails, "target_custom_next friend mezzed," but that would be a last resort.
As the unappointed spokesman for buffers everywhere, I reiterate a polite request for a mez indicator that's long overdue.
Please try MA arc ID 351455, "Shard Stories: Scavenger's Hunt." Originally created for the Dr. Aeon contest, it explores the wild potential of one of the City's most concept-rich but content-poor settings: the Shadow Shard.