So Solo Friendly Incarnate Path=Team?

I can haz RAM? I'm running 2 GB on my laptop with intergrated video. It's so awesome!

She needs that 16 gigs so that it's easier for her to develop her master plan to divide by 0.

You bet BillZ, though the guy you really need to thank is Leandro. I just try to spread the word since it helped me so much. I had noticed myself that the network traffic since i20 went live has gone up enormously. Enough so that I'm going to have to increase my bandwidth allocation. Took reading Leandro's suggestion to realize why I was crashing at least once in about every trial from a "red bar" network lag-out. Once I shut off the buff data, I was back to the normal false corrupt pigg file crashes every once in a while.

That area in the Lambduh is a geometry problem, so the only cure until the devs get it fixed is a really high end system. One of mine copes without anything but dropping 5 or 10 FPS, the most I get is a bit of a stutter. My backup machine is a bit older, and it lags down pretty good when you hit some spots. I upgraded the video card in that one a week or two ago, gotta remember to try it now.

Anyway, you're right, that's a separate issue the buff data tip won't help with. But the buff data throttling WILL help any time you are in a league. That is one of the reasons the Praetorian surge events have been hellishly laggy, everyone wants to run them in a huge league. Which automatically hammers anyone who hasn't turned off buff data. Again, though, this only helps, the server side lag in those and to a lesser degree (now) the BAF prisoner escape phase is the worst I've ever seen. I think Paragon needs to feed their hamsters better.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the first hint 20.5 is bringing something else: the ability to earn astrals and empyreans somewhere else besides the three trials. It will most likely be a rum deal, but if they are dropping occasionally say as arc completion bonuses or something you'd at least have a way of continuing to earn them reliably as the iTrials wear out their welcome.

Reiella, I'm a prime example. I *hate* being forced into large groups. The waiting drives me mad, for starters. But I for the most part confine my growling about it to my long-suffering friends in our global channel and coming to the forums where it conceivably might be noticed by developers.

I even got tagged by the folks running trials as someone who worked well in organizing and leading leagues. Which task I only do and try to do well to get the damn things over as fast as possible so I can get back to something enjoyable. So I'd caution you and others, ESPECIALLY the Paragon Studios others, should be very careful when you judge participation in iTrials or any other enforced content as approval and/or consent to those systems.

The BAF lag is definitely server side -- disabling sending of buff info won't really help unless you're getting disconnects or rubberbanding because you don't have enough bandwidth to receive it all. The server has to process the buff info whether it sends it to you or not, so it won't really save any CPU time on their end.

I have a couple theories about the increase in server slowdown problems in the last few issues. One of them is that the powers team is getting more creative and starting to figure out how to use the powers system in new ways that they hadn't conceived of before, to accomplish complex behavior though interactions between powers.

A good example are chain powers, which are fairly complex behind the scenes, involving multiple spawns of psuedopets that grant powers that spawn additional pets.

Interface is another one. It's implemented by the somewhat bizarre method of a power that grants a global enhancement (enhancements are themselves powers). When that enhancement procs, it grants another power (or two depending on the tree) to the enemy. The enemy can end up with several copies of that power -- that's how the stack limit is implemented to be independent of whose interface procced it. It's a bit convoluted, but is the only way to make it work as intended without code changes.

Multiple overlapping ally-affecting auras are another problem (see also: Cimerorans). This is probably because they incur constant range check calculations, which likely happen every server tick, and the number that have to be done increases geometrically the more entities that are active.

Even fairly basic powers like Destiny are getting more complex and pushing the limits. The basic tier 1 Barrier for instance has no less than 71 separate effects. Multiply that by the number of players who are in range of it. On a 24-player league, one click when everyone's in range means that the server has to apply 1,704 power effects; and maintain them for 90 seconds! Depending on how the code is implemented, it may make a speed vs. memory tradeoff that would allow a chunk of those to be discarded after the first 5 seconds when they expire. Then again it may not, and might have to scan the whole list every time a check is made.

All that being said, I'm not sure exactly why the slowdown gets so bad in the escapee phase. They are running the confusion aura, true, but it's fairly short range so the server should be able to efficiently eliminate most of the possible targets right off the bat. And there aren't that many escapees out at any given time. It shouldn't be much more CPU intensive than a big sewer run or the ghoul zone event in Neutropolis.

My best guess is that it's something related to whatever mechanic they're using to force the AI to run along the paths rather than use their attack powers.

But, none of that content excluded anyone from progressing their characters from levels 1 to 50. If you teamed or not, your character could still progress. The Incarnate system is a way for level 50s to continue to progress. Except, you pretty much have to team in order to do so. Now, character progression is gated behind having to team. which, is a complete turn around from the last 7 years.

Except, I still get lag spikes on occasion when I run as minimum settings. And my computer exceeds the minimum requirements. Also, I have very few services running in the background. I have found that certain maps, or even certain areas of some maps hit my system with a huge lag spike. And its not just me.

Really? the group I team with regularly is comprised of 5 50s and a soon-to-be 50. I'm the only one in that group that has run any iTrials. Are you sure that the massively huge numbers of 50s are (mostly) all doing I19+ stuff?

Or, they might be using a stick (sans carrot) to get us to play their teamed stuff. Because their teamed stuff is just so much squishy fun!!!!!?

I lucked out yesterday then >.> (not saying I haven't experienced the new sensation that is Stop Motion CoH)

I actually have two, and I keep my brother's account alive in case he ever wants to pop in. Trial accounts can access the arena though, so I got five of those.

I wonder how many people actually run real Swiss Draw matches though. It was doing really wonky things to me, like advancing the losers. Took me six tries to get my main through to the end.

I like this game, but not enough to subscribe to eight accounts. Although since I subscribe to three, that probably sounds a bit hollow.

I don't know about actually awarding astral and empyrean merits outside of trials or some future incarnate-based alternate content. I could see converting Notices into them, though. Logically, they are time gated in one sense, but if you create a path from NotWs to astrals and then to vouchers, that means you can in a sense earn multiple NotWs in a week by running the WST on multiple alts, but still voucher the results to a single character. It would be a way to reward alt play, but it would also be a violation of the NotW time gate. I would have said that was highly unlikely a week ago, but today I don't think my reasoning for saying that currently applies.

If the devs want to have people running the WST 27 hours a day 500 days a year, that would be one way to encourage that.

Which planetary conversion table are you using?

Or was it some beverage that I haven't tried yet?

I have two responses to this.

First of all, that's a pretty narrow definition of "progressing." The best counterexample I can think of offhand is that there is a sizable contingent of players who consider the number of badges they collect as "progressing." This isn't just a facetious argument, I've been around for a long time and I've seen firsthand the s*** that hits the fan when the devs do something that affects people's ability to earn and/or keep badges. Remember the ragequits that happened when they pulled all of those Architect Entertainment badges?

Yet there are a lot of badges gated by team-only content. I really do fail to see how this is much different. It even affects gameplay: In order to get the Gaes of the Kind Ones badge, you have to complete Katie Hannon's task force, which is nigh impossible solo. Yes, technically, it may be possible, but it certainly isn't possible across all build and powerset combinations. And it most certainly is impossible to start it without a team.

I don't want them to see a "solo path" made available to earn the Gaes of the Kind Ones badge without teaming up. Personally, I don't see what the big deal is with hopping on a Katie Hannon task force and just getting it done. Similarly I just don't see what the big deal is with hopping on trial teams and getting your Incarnate stuff unlocked is. Does it take longer? Sure, but such is the price of having those specific shinies; you have to do the work and earn them.

Second, I have to point out that none of the Incarnate stuff excludes you from progressing your character from level 1 to 50. I'm not just being technical here; I don't care how many trials you do, you will not reach level 51, period, end of story. Yes, people try to act like a "level shift" is level 51, but it's not. Let's be honest here, as a non-shifted level 50, everything in the game is pretty durn easy. The only thing I can think of where being a level-shifted 50 is practically necessary is... well, more Incarnate stuff, most of which is team-oriented. I guess what I'm saying is that if you don't care for the stuff past getting your level shift, what practical difference does it make whether you're level-shifted or not? It's not like Maria Jenkins is going to tell you, "Pfff, come back when you're 50+1, noob."

I heart EvilGeko.

I tend to throw hearts (and livers, and spleens, or whatever else is at hand) at him.

See my Guides and Tutorials

I expect better game knowledge of the creator of Paragon Wiki than this. You know you don't have to run any iTrials at all to unlock Alpha, right? I do thank you for running Paragon Wiki, though. Amazing resource. BTW, solo is a valid play style.


Seconded! BillZ is a great guy and not just because he plays SR, though the fact he plays SR does help a bit.


Well I do appreciate having some opposition EvilGeko. Helps me refine my arguments. I agree, what can we do? Wait, hopefully patiently lol. It would be nice to see what the rationale for a team dependent solo feature is, I'd still like to know, and you must admit: that does sound a bit contradictory, doesn't it? Anyway, GL&HF EvilGeko!

That's a great idea. Refinements needed, numbers adjustments needed, yadda yadda, but yes, I like it.

This is some strange semantic quibbling. It seems obvious to me that the people complaining about progression aren't griping about access to badges and accolades that are not required to actually level up in the game. They're complaining about growing their characters, getting access to primary powers, secondary powers, slots to improve their powers, and cash to pay for those improvements - things you need to survive in this game as the challenge difficulty increases.

If there's anything people in this thread don't seem to be bent out of shape it's your throwaway accolade power, badge, and possibly, your witchy hat.

X-Com? I loved me some X-Com until they ruined it.

Wait, you can do that? *smacks forehead*

I do find that mission fun, though. But yeah, dropping every now and then sounds pretty good. Missions that cut your Endurance bar in half are annoying.

There was a dev chat recently I see. Did no one ask about the "play alone by teaming" thing there? I'm guessing not.

I think they mean: "Why unlock alpha solo when you can do the trials and unlock it...oh, did we mention there's a new trial coming up?"

If they want to continue trying to get people to keep doing trials, that's up to them but yes, that description of the alpha voucher should be reworded.

Its a bit of a pain in the backside since you have to go back to Ramiel in order to drop it after you pick up the mission from Lady Grey then go BACK to the RWZ to talk to Lady Grey, then wait a couple of minutes to let your orob portal recharge.

Worth it.

Yummy!