Are bases obsolete?

The one thing I would really like to see, base wise is the ability to use the medical facility in the base and then use the exit portal to stick you right outside the mission door you just died in. That would actually justify having a medical facility in a base.. otherwise there's not much point in having one.. Nobody uses it and you can buy inspirations at the hospital.

2 cents worth

One idea to freshen up bases might be to let mission maps be used as base plots.
Scrap the requirement of needing certain rooms before you can place objects, like computers, generators, TP pads and so on, and instead just allow a certain amount of poer/control/TP pads/defensive items based on the size of the map.
The mission maps are already indexed in the MA, and graded by size too - if they could be somehow made able to be opened in the base editor, then I think that'd be awesome - and with no base raids, the ability to clip, stack or hide objects wouldn't really matter at all.
Player could have sewer bases, or bases in Cimeroran tunnels, or CoT dungeons, or Praetorian labs - a magical SG could have the Cimeroran templs as its base, and a tech villain SG could have the Hess TF final map as its base - there really would be a huge amount of new possibilities.

Are bases obsolete? To quote The Tick: "Egad. I hope not. That's where I keep all my stuff."

To answer the thread title: Yes. Bases are obsolete. It sucks, but that's the truth of the matter. Bases provide no compelling functions to justify going to one. Beyond beautification and storage (which, as others have pointed out, has limited usefulness) purposes, they are entirely useless. The merger of the monorail lines and the Rogue Isle ferries was the final nail in the coffin.

Bases are useless now. It really sucks, too, because having a secret lair is awesome.

Salvage transfers
Bases are still superior to glee mail for transferring salvage between alts Each piece of salvage tales 1 email where one rack in a base allows me to leave 30 salvage for my crafter toons.

Enhancement tables allow me to outfit my entire SG in common IO enhancements without eating up my entire play time creating emails to send common IO's to alts.

While I use teleporters less with the merger of trains there are a great deal of zones, hero side, that do not have a train connections.

Empowerment buffs are a cost effective way to buff for specific encounters in some task forces. I don't use them a lot but they are there.

Are there things for bases that could use improvement? Yes, but though they are not the only option for zone transport they once were they are still useful for a great many players.

I am kind of addicted to the Shadow Shard.

That makes Bases very important to me in case something goes wrong.

I also love the power to design my base.

And there is still some places easier to reach from base telepads than from using something else. DA, Eden and Crey's Folly, for an example.

Base storage is pretty usefull for me. My base is pretty big, with lots of storage bins. And there is only 3 RL members. So we pretty much divided invention bins among ourselves and named then. Its personal, and there is no need to enforce it with a system. This couldnt be done with a large group, but it works for us.

Besides... its home.

For the most part I regretfully must admit that bases have become largely obsolete. However, that being said, I still feel as the division head of a large SG that it's my duty as base builder to provide a kick-*** base for our SG. To me it's a matter of pride in my SG players that they've provided us with enough prestige to build such an elaborate base . It's my duty and responsibility to give them something that they can call their base that they can be proud of having had a hand in. Yes, it may only be a trophy base at this point, but it's still our base.

As a casual gamer, I find bases interesting, but not compelling. I like being able to use the base for storage and navigation (so much easier to TP from base than remember how to get where how), but upkeep and maintenance on the base is so far away from what I want to do with my limited game time.

It seems to me base issues are part of the larger picture, which (to me) looks an awful lot like a trend toward keeping the interest of casual gamers over (but not necessarily instead of) power gamers or role-players. I may be way off, but just about every change in recent issues has made it easier for me to play without spending 20+ hours a week on this game. I like that, but I can see how it makes some things--notably bases--fall by the wayside.

Just my thoughts.

It's a pity that the Empowerment Stations only buff yourself, and not ... everyone in the Supergroup logged in at that time ...

It's the end. But the moment has been prepared for ...

Randomly, another thing that might help revitalize base use would go beyond anything mentioned and involve a new system of missions.
Basically, what do we see Batman and various other heroes do in their bases of operations? Examine clues and evidence they find for bigger leads.
So basically a new type of mission (or an adaptive add-on to some existing things like newspapers and tips) would involve a clue being dropped that you can keep with you until you take it to your base (or for those without a base, a police precinct. They don't do much as it is) and take to a special base item an have it examined which leads to another, related mission.

of course, this would be WAY more troublesome than anything else suggested so far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow City of Heroes is a game about freedom of expression and variety of experiences far more so than it is about representing any one theme, topic or genre.

...base missions to unlock base items...that would buff sg members?!

*/em tantrum*

I know... I'm adding my own spin to it. Not a big deal. Feel free to ignore it.

I think Zube was referring to the original designer/programmer.

And I suspect there is the ultimate kernel of the base conundrum... nobody has a handle on the code anymore. Folks like Sunstorm tried dipping their toes in it, and unfortunately the tangle got worse. Now, nobody wants to touch it with a ten foot pole.

I still think, however, that it's a job in need of doin'.

I love how folks are still willing to put ideas out there for consideration.
I only hope that some Dev "out there" is paying attention to the forward thinking that this community has exhibited.

Bases have evolved (devolved?) from their original incarnation. The question now should be; do we continue to ask for band-aids (new shineys!), or do we press for a more advanced evolution and development of this feature?

Do we want them to continue building on the existing (broken) code?
Or, do we want a whole new system?
Would WE, as a community, be willing to start from scratch?

.