Swinglines!

Ironically I have nothing against the idea that -some- swingline systems could be based on some kind of gravity-defying magic/tech that anchors to "thin air". I actually had a Thief who had a magic item in a D&D campaign some years ago that worked just like that.

My main problem with something like that for this game is that my suspension of disbelief is not quite big enough to assume EVERYONE who would use a swingline in this game would have access to such magical/techy versions of them. Sure a hero with a magic background or a "billionaire vigilante" background might reasonably have a magic and or high tech equivalent. But I just don't want to have to assume every hero/villain is using something so relatively specific just to "explain" it. What if, for the sake of argument, I actually wanted to make a Spider-Man clone and explain his swingline as a web filament. Using the implementation that ALL swinglines can attach to "thin air" doesn't even fit for this kind of character - webs don't "stick" to thin air do they?

As funny as it sounds the idea that people can for example fly or shoot eye beams (using any rationalization you want to dream up) just seems that much more "believable" to me in this game than the idea that ANYONE using a swingline must be using a version of one that can miraculously attach to thin air. Sure some super-powered people might have special swinglines that can do that, but every swingline in the game world working like that? Nope, can't quite accept it. Sorry. *shrugs*

I'd love for this power to be in the game, but like many I'd want there to be some sort of height limitation depending on the local geography. Basically, I'd say you couldn't swing higher than any nearby structure (how far away that structure must be is another decision).

Swinging direction shouldn't be influenced by the position of nearby structure. You can swing in any direction (hey, just like you can change direction, even full 360, when superjumping), but you can't go higher than local structures.

I wouldn't care if your swingline didn't actually attach to any nearby structure, just so long as it sort of pointed toward one of them (even have a limited visual distance, sort of fading after a 100 feet or so...).

Finally, if there are no nearby structures of any kind, your 'swing' powers just lets you jump as if you had Ninja Run (and you instantly start swinging again once you are near enough to a structure)

The above shouldn't be unsatisfactory except to the most OCD of us. Appearances do matter, but the above should be good enough. It's at least as good as Mastermind minions coming in from Metal Openings or Manholes in floors, or on Motorcycles, or Helicopter Droplines, even when inside caves, office buildings, etc. or Tankers pulling a chunks of rocks from metal girders for throwing.

Shatter, when the devs say something would take forever to get it to look right and not look stupid, that is them saying it won't happen in this version of the game.

So you would rather they spend all of there developement time trying to get swinging to look right and not give us more content which would be a lot easier to do? I don't see that happening. And honestly, no, there is no reason to keep up with this idea, or any of the others like AT respecs or more storage, that the devs have already come out and said no to.