Repurposing the Difficulty Slider?

Now that we have the phase tech, can we finally get:

1. the Difficulty Slider to affect open world (non-instanced) spawns? (even as an option selectable at the difficulty selection menu [ie. "_ Apply to zone maps."]

and/or

2. Mobs that spawn to our level regardless of the zone map we're on (in at least the high difficulty neighborhoods)?

Neat idea. Not sure if it's possible or not, really.

I'm not sure the phasing tech could do this. Everything I've seen regarding phasing has been binary. Either you see the Hellions and their fires rampaging or you see the cops. Nothing in that suggests to me that the tech is capable of having mobs scale in any way to individual players. In fact, I'd imagine something like this would likely never happen, as it would require every mob spawn in open zones to actually spawn from -1/x0 to +4/x8 for every level of character in the game or, in other words, spawn over 2000 mobs for every spawn point, each keyed to a different phase and difficulty.

Much more likely, would be to use the level-less tech that is used for zone events for every mob spawn. It still wouldn't reflect difficulty, but at least then no mobs would ever con grey.

Phasing tech also breaks zone invasions, so that's pretty much a non-starter.

the only additions i would like to see on the slider is to give us the ability to select higher difficulties than we have now

once you get incarnate powers, especially in DA, its almost trivial to run at +4x8

i would like to see the ability to increase our spawn size up to like x12 and/or increase the baddies to like +5 or +6 (so they could get 1-2 level shifts past lvl 54)

the +5/6 option would be limited only to lvl 50 VIPs who have at least unlocked their alpha so that poeple dont go overboard on the low lvls

Eeh... I see this as possible grieftastic.

High level Incarnate set at +4/x8 gets spawns in Atlas set to his level while around lowbees...

Intentional or not (I know me and my SG typically use Kings Row as our Tip Missions zone, even on our high level Incarnates), this would upset those who ended up faceplanted by those mobs.

Much like ambushes can do.

I know I'd be PO'd.

I think the main problem with this is that it would put almost everyone on a different phase, so it'd make zones seem really empty. So if I set my outdoor spawns to be +0x8, then the person standing right next to me (who's set to +0x1) wouldn't see or be affected by either me or the enemies. Though the good thing is that using phasing for this would make it so you couldn't grief with it, since anyone not on the same difficulty as you (or the same team, I guess) would be in a different phase.

I SUSPECT (though can't say for sure since I have no access to the code) this is the problem with zone invasions and phasing. If phasing is used too much, then a zone could get cut up into dozens of different phases with players being in different ones depending on what missions they've done in the zone. This could make it harder for players to gather up and fight in a big chaotic melee that our zone invasions all tend to be centered around. There might also be problems in the game decided which phase to spawn enemies in, and might be problems with the "more players in the area = larger spawns" code, if said players are all in the same area but spread over multiple phases.

I just wish the difficulty slider worked in DA. If I am 50+3 and my slider is set to +4.... just saying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paladiamors I love you, I Burnt the Toast!

Alright... Here is my more in depth explanation:

If I go into DA at level 50 with no incarnates slotted...and my rep is at +4x8 the baddies would be 54.

Now DA recognizes incarnate shifts...as a combat level.

So let's say I get to 50+2... I would want the baddies...still at the setting of +4x8 to be:
54+2.

This does not affect people playing the DA content who are 50 and wanna run it at 50.... because +0 would still make them 50. I just think the incarnate shifts should play into the equation.

I like running the DA arcs on my toons, but I usually do it when not a lot of friends are on or I am bored. With the current settings...even at +4 it is not much of a challenge for my toons....just want the fight to feel like a fight

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paladiamors I love you, I Burnt the Toast!

Someone mentioned GM-coding the zone mobs; would this be an easier to implement alternative?

Or allowing the players the option of prompted/auto exemping to the level of the zone they're entering (at least downwards)?