Staff Fighting will be released on April 17, 2012

I've met some of these folks, and they seem to be pretty cool, really nice people. I won't lie, I've been a bit frustrated at them for various things, but never to the point of being angry. Mostly just some things that I felt were missed opportunities. Overall, I agree that they do a pretty good job. They could probably do better, but I suspect that has more to do with NCsoft budget constraints than anything like incompetence of failures on the part of Paragon Studios personnel.

To everyone else, chill already. I mean seriously, you're that worked up over a release schedule? If your spirit is lifted or broken based on when such-and-such a power set, so-en-so a costume piece, which-and-whatever a vanity pet comes out, you really need to calm down, take a breath, and watch some television or something.

This ain't rocket science. Stuff will come when it comes. It might get delayed. This is a very common occurrence in the software industry, and if anything Paragon Studios has an awesome track record in getting everything out on time compared to the vast majority of other companies. Trying to goad the devs into feeling guilt or shame for not meeting your idea of what their release schedule should be is a little like, I don't know, trying to make Mother Theresa feel guilty because, you know, she really could have done more for poor people.

They have a plan, just like pretty much everyone in the industry has a plan, for when stuff will be announced. They shoot for far enough in advance so that people won't be caught off-guard, but close enough to the actual thing they're announcing so that people don't get jaded in hearing about it. Maybe you think it should be longer in advance. Or shorter. Such is your prerogative, and when you own a software company, by gummy, you can make that happen. In the meantime, they're going to be making these decisions based on the data they have available and their knowledge and experience.

Maybe you don't think it's a good plan. It's definitely not a perfect plan. But hey, it works for them, and if it were as hideously broken as you think it is, they'd be changing it. Contrary to popular belief, they really aren't stupid.

One thing that kind of makes me sad is that every time I see a thread like this, it makes me think that they're just that much closer to never releasing any information about anything. Why should they? Every time they let us peek under the hood or into the crystal ball, they almost invariably get inundated with complaints ranging from petty to vitriolic. I mean, look at this thread. Really? We're worried about when exactly within a window of at most a few weeks one measly powerset is going to be released?

Ponder this, too. When every molehill is a mountain, how exactly are they supposed to know what really are mountains? Over the course of eight years, there have been a handful of changes in the game that I would say caused some serious unhappiness within the community. Invariably, people ask with righteous indignation, "How could you DO this when everyone was yelling and screaming about how awful it was?" The answer is, hell, they yell and scream about everything. How exactly should they have known this was any different?

I know, things aren't going to change. No matter how cool things are, no matter how hard they try, there will always be detractors and complainers. Still, I hope the saner people among this crowd and at least try to understand what happens on the other side of the fence, why they do things that sometimes, to you, seem kind of brainless.

Well said.

Careful.

Someone might think you are discussing other games.

I know, right?

I have to admit, if it were Titan Weapons that had been pushed off like this, I might've been in the crowd going "Just RELEASE it already *sob*."

Staff...I don't know. I'll probably buy it anyway just to try it out, but it hasn't caught me up the way TW did. And quite frankly I'm pretty melee'd out. After TW everything else pales.

Note: not a specific date .

It's ok...I just want people to recognize and treat the people making the decisions as human beings. This is something I always preach to the guys and gals making decisions here, and sometimes we're reminded that truism goes both ways.

Okies. This thread is horrible...just bloody horrible.

What, they're not robots?

Sure, now you tell us.

I don't recall posting previously that the devs had a bad time handling the announcing previously about new content. I do think more people are subscribed through facebook than monitor the tabloid posts in City Life. I rarely use "always" or "never" to describe the actions of most generally the majority of posters I do not imply. I sincerely state that the current community team does as good a job of appeasing the masses as well as any in the past. I stated this time, this situation was different. I don't think anyone in City of Heroes is incompetent. I expressed my dissatisfaction of the nature and timing of the discussion preliminary to the release date during the short time span of April 3, to April 10

I also am aware that posts by our community rep Zwilinger probably go through more thorough monitoring than say, oh, MY posts, and I do expect it's a voice of a community of developers not one person who I am here supposedly trying to stone.

That's not a total view of the set and as such one has to wonder have you played it on BETA yet? If so....I am clueless that you missed 1/2 of what the set is about....

I don't think you were replying to me, but I do want to be clear that I was not saying that at all.

<----- Check that name over there again.

No. No, I'm not on Beta. Beta is for the die-hard fans and people with more time on their hands than I have. There have been some summers when I've had some extra time to spare to help the devs hone their game, but certainly no time in the last 9 months.

I read the Intrepid Informer account of the powerset, I've watched the Dream Doctor fight with his staff, and I've seen the early vids on YouTube. That's been more than enough info to tell me this powerset looks and feels like a cheap clone of Titan Weapons and/or Street Justice, which were cheap clones of Double Bladed Weapons.

With all the player hype building for this set, you'd think it was the second coming. But it's doing nothing for me. And I'm prettttty sure anything I'm missing from the "total view of the set" is not on Beta but is rather in the minds of folks who want Staves NAO!

But please... feel free to tell me about the "1/2 what the set is about" that I've missed. Sound effects? The chance to roleplay some old DnD character? The inability to pair it with Shield Defense? What obtuse bit of marvelousness am I possibly missing?

Not just the die hards! It's also for the look before buying people like me.

I try to be good at feedback but I don't ever seem to run across bugs

As for Staffs, it does feel a lot like dual blades, in that the movements and sort of gracefulness feel that DB had.

Except for Titan Weapons, they all use the combo mechanic, but in different ways:

Dual Blades: Three specific attacks must be executed in order to cause a bonus effect. The bonus effect that occurs depends on the specific combo of three attacks used.

Titan Weapons: A non-Momentum attack must be used at its slow speed, then all attacks, Momentum-only and non, may be used at their fast speeds for 5 seconds. This really doesn't use the combo mechanic at all.

Street Justice: Any attack that is not a Finisher will build points, and Finisher attacks will use points, with a limit of 3 points stored. The number of points indicates the strength of the Finisher.

Staff Fighting: Toggles similar to Dual Pistols' Swap Ammo grant you either -End Cost, +Recharge, or +Damage, and each attack builds points. When 3 points are accumulated, either of two specific attacks will expend those points for bonus damage.

Assassin's Strike (all Stalkers): Any attack that is not Assassin's Strike will build points, then Assassin's Strike will convert those points into crit chance.

Again, except for Titan, they're all the same core mechanic but applied in different ways. StJ and Assassin are the most similar, and even they do different things. (I still want to try an StJ Stalker for the heck of it.)

While I've done a bit of beta testing on a few occaissions, much like you, it hasn't been all that much.

I don't find bugs. Ones I do were already found. I like to be suprised with new issues a bit and not be burnt out (beta testers always seem to say "okay what's new and next when an issue is released since they did so much testing ).

You're right in that you have to use any attack that can build perfection, can be used to build perfection and then certain powers get extra damage/whatever when used at a certain point.

That much is very much like StJ.

Then the toggle power is very much like Dual Pistols' Swap Ammo.

I'd say a lot of the want and love for the set that you're hearing is from people who:

1) Love the animations. Eye of the Storm is really what sold the set for me, and while I think all the other attacks have nice animations (except Innocous Strikes ) it was that one that one that had me nodding and saying "Yes! I will buy this set! I can't wait!"

2) Been wanting a non lethal feeling weapon set for their heroes and wasn't tied to super powers or fighting hand to hand (cuz they want a weapon)

3) The basic, "It's new, I love the new! So Shiney!" CoH is alt friendly as you know.

4) It's a melee set! Melee ATs are a favorite of many!

In the end, we'll see a lot of purchases in the beginning. Then other sales will trickle in, and we'll likely see the set not be as popular as say Super Strength. While people who haven't bought it will buy it.

Now, I've bought TW, StJ and I'll buy SF due to my main, but I know I'd drop Staff for my main (then likely make a new staff user ) once Dual Pistols gets improved (if it does, but I hold out hope!).

Which I think many will do!

Also if one thinks about it, MM's are powerful ATs, but in my experience, they're far from the most popular to people. Lots of "Yeah, it's powerful, but MMs bore me."

SF getting tested first, leaked first, all that, I think lead up to all that happened.

Oh wow, CoX just took a turn in a decidedly different direction...

Bosstone's response will do.

I don't really beta test either, but I do login to check out the power set and see the animations, cast time, etc...that's hardly hardcore.

Wouldn't a casual player not really post on the boards, or get so unnecessarily snarky in their posts?

^this

and I thought players from another popular MMO were childish.

Just like dark control is a cheap clone of dark miasma, and fire blast is a cheap clone of energy blast!


I'd love to know what sets you played, cause they weren't Titan Weapons or Street Justice.

I believe it was Zwill that mentioned the devs wanting to avoid alot of ATs in a row as to "balance" releases so that's why we got furries last time instead. It was also requested in the same thread that players get some sort of calendaresque type heads up.



Why Yes, I did simply post based on a single thread response Before reading the remainder...ur point? :-p