Shrinking to fit

Been trying to come up with a new concept recently for a small-sized character, but I end up staring at the height scaler and thinking four feet isn't small enough for what I really want to do. I also know at least one character that's supposed to change size and shrink to the size of a button. So, I'm deciding to throw in a suggestion for ways to get the concept of size-changing to a smaller height into CoH. Even got two ways to maybe go about it!

1. A toggle power that allows the character to decrease his/her size and increase manuverability and evasion. This could come with a penalty of a decrease in damage output and increase in damage taken if hit. Alternatively, you could scrap combat effectiveness and cause powers to suppress during. ...Oh, and we can buy from the Market for some amount of points. (Then again, CO has temp and permanent shrinking (and growing!) device items. This might be a bit of a copy.)

2. A "small" body type that can be purchased from the Market. It would work like the three body types we have now, but only scale between 1 and 4 feet. Possibly not usable on character creation, but can be accessed from the Superscience tailor.

I figure that it's a matter of scaling and adjusting hitboxes and whatnot (prolly more complicated with the first rather than the second), but it's my thinking it'd be easier to work down rather than try to break the ceiling with the opposite and nigh-inseperable concept of a growth serum.

Yea? Nay?

I think it would be easier to just lower the minimum height limit from 4 feet to half a foot or something, rather than invent some entirely new mechanic which basically accomplishes the same goal.

I can also see a lot of potential reasons against doing it. For instance, the team defender might find it extremely annoying trying to keep track of the half-foot halfling as he darts around all over the battlefield; lost within a sea of ankles.

I havent checked it lately, but the 'Hit Box' for a character has always been the same size (and viewable) no matter the size of the character. Which meant that Eochai's hit box was the same size as that of the standard Player Character which was the same size as say the Power Drone (buff pet) of the same Player Character. So that 'Chance to Hit' really doesnt have anything to do with player 'size' at all. All 'Chance to Hit' modifications have to do with Power Sets (Shields, Buffs, Stealth, etc.) and nothing strictly cosmetic.

This is also the case for, as Warkupo puts it, the Defender keeping track of a "half-foot halfling" who is "lost within a sea of ankles". The Hit Box for said character is still the standard size although harder to gauge the center of which overlapping Hit Box in said sea of other characters hit boxes. And my guess as to why there is a maximum and minimum character size is definition of animations and character parts. With the advent of the new "ZOMGWTFBBQ" size of the Nightmare (Zombie Apocalypse); the model is no more detailed than it originally was and loses some acuity or definition at the new size. This is also noted comically in the upcoming Holiday Event (Winter Holiday) with the Baby New Year and his hydrocephalic look.

Defenders who aren't using the Team box for selection have no excuse
Honestly, I would have blown every circuit possible if I tried to run my Empath without using the Team box O_o

Quote:

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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain_Photon NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.

I run two empaths and I have no idea what a team box is? Colour me confuzzled (again)?

I believe this is another "It causes issues" one according to the devs, at least from memory.

*shrug*

See my Guides and Tutorials

Oooooh, team window... duh! The box bit threw me out.

Classic team window > new.

But to get back on topic, here, I guess I should have put lowering the height cap on the regular body types as a third, since that did cross my mind... more than the two I actually posted. I've heard before somewhere from someone about the devs expressing the possibility problems with it, but I like to see it as "look at all the stuff we have now that we never thought we could see five issues ago?"

This is probably not the most challenging thing that I'd like to see in game, anyway. *coughduplicationmastermindcough*

Would doing this, cause the same issues as creating all new body types?

All new body types can't be done (well the can) due to having to make all exisiting costume options fit the body type. Would lowering (or raising) the hieght sizes have the same problems?

We already have good scaling from 4' to the current PC cap, but I dunno what the stretch would be to lower or raise those numbers. Shouldn't be... that much of a change, should it?