AspieAnarchy

OK! Finally got around to editing per feedback!

It should; I do mean to fix that.

...Most characters can solo, sure, but why in particular? ALSO: - Heyhey, a sneak-preview of what the shorthand slang would be! - Anyone else a little bothered by the fact that the "Thanks" Emote is on the far side of the menu? - What the heck is your avatar??? Reminds me of the Maruchan guy.

Any more feedback to my feedback to your feedback? It feels to me like one more round of processing is called for before I make edits.

Yeah, I thought about the latter; it should. I just wasn't ready to do more work on it, but now that I've gotten feedback, I guess I can. I figure an earth/stone Buff set SHOULD be especially good at defensive buffs, so that was my thinking (as well as struggling to settle on just one); think of it like some of the Shield Defense powers, which also grant both. I'm trying to make it different from just a heal, is my thinking - and that may be where your complaint about too much resist-buff may be coming from. Other sets (e.g. Thermal Radiation, Pain Domination) heal AND buff resistance, and since protection is "preemptive healing", I figured I could exchange healing for more resistance buffing; since you make it so clear I overdid it, I accept that, but does my explanation make sense at least? I don't care to cut it, but sure, I can expand the resistance types it affects; my thinking was 'what kind of damage would a blast of scouring sand make someone more vulnerable to?' (e.g. not Psionic), but in hindsight I could include Smashing; the idea was also, if I didn't make it a universal resistance debuff, that would allow the resistances it DID debuff to be debuffed MORE; Semper Quid Pro Quo. I appreciate your remarks about how a Corrupter SHOULD be able to directly exploit its own debuffs; notice how I've generally tried to differentiate Corrupters from Defenders by making the former more debuff-focused (but not without the occassional variation/deviation)? I think it was one of the first things I came up with when conceiving of this set, too. Well, that's not too out of line, is it? Some Buff sets (e.g. Force Fields, Sonic Resonance) are meant to emphasize defensive buffs and give several; surely you'll agree this is still more eclectic than either of those. I do understand what you mean about Mineral Infusion (again, see my rationale), but Loam Layering and Stone Plating were specifically meant to be akin to the two defense buffs in both Cold Domination and Thermal Radiation; view Mineral Infusion not as a third, but as a heal that's been adulterated with +resist (like Alkaloid from Poison, but moreso). Yes, I felt a wall was kind of mandatory for an Earth-Buff set, glad you appreciate the idea! Like I said in my OP, it's meant to be big enough to block most but not all of a typical indoor hallway, so that makes it more useful indoors where fliers are more restricted anyway. Of course it just sits there and doesn't do anything; you've seen walls before, right? It's supposed to be good for those who can get tactically creative with it, like in various puzzle-games where you can accomplish all sorts of things simply by knowing the right place to throw a wall. You could, for example, use it to: - create a chokepoint to really restrict how many enemies can come at you at once - throw it up as an "Oh Shit Button" when you're forced to retreat, or to give you even a moment's respite while you use the Physician Accolade power to raise allies - not totally block, but simply reduce the amount of fire you're taking - divide and conquer! Yes, some enemies can fly, but many others can't! An aggro-draw mechanic might not be bad; seems like the sort of thing that could be tested for necessity and added during playtest if this were to actually be accepted by the devs. Notice how many Buff sets (coughcoughSTORMS!coughcoughTRAPS! - sorry, all this working with rock and dust must be getting to me!) already dabble in more fields than most other Powerset-categories do? Besides, this is still primarily a debuff, totally in line with existing things; it doesn't deal damage, mass-knockdown is a pretty tame form of "control", and otherwise its main appeal is the debuffs it leaves. I like it the way it is. Well, my thinking regarding DoT was it's like a condition - when you're suffering DoT, you'll see an icon of the DoT effect in your buffs/debuffs lineup, so I thought it could periodically remove such effects; if I'm wrong about how that works or what's possible, your "small damage absorption" idea is a good alternative (maybe better, I'll admit - means the power could take Heal/Absorb Enhancements). Think of it like Force Field Generator from Traps, but more specialized (and hence granting a bigger boost); perhaps more obviously, it's like Minerals from Stone Armor, but adapted to a Buff set; I did think about making it do something more, so if you think what it offers as is isn't good enough, maybe I will - hmm, maybe a weak taunt so it also actively draws fire? I wouldn't call it an "identity crisis", I'd call it 'multipurpose'. Yes, it only grants one resistance, but it's the only source of Negative Energy resistance in the set. It's situational. An immobilizing 'trap-field' may be gilding the lily when you're on a team with plenty of control, but sometimes you're not, so here you have some when you'd otherwise have none (not to mention its use when soloing - Defenders will appreciate being able to keep melee bruisers at bay, and Masterminds will be able to provide their minions with a convenient shooting-gallery!). If you can think of any other way to improve it or manifest the theme, I'm "listening". Glad you like it! This was one of my later ideas; think Invisible Woman or Magneto just striding through as their powers remake the world around them. It does more than grant resistance, though; what about the rest? I admit, I had some trouble coming up with how to do this right; what I'd REALLY have wanted to do is right there in the name, but THAT level of terraforming is beyond the game engine, so I had to compromise. What would you think if I made it more offensively-oriented? ...And a cyber-cookie if you can name the precise pop-culture inspiration for it! ;) I'm glad you approve; as for your "pets" complaint, bear in mind that both only SOME Archetypes would get it, AND there is most assuredly precedent for pets/pseodopets in Buff sets (e.g. Storm Summoning, Dark Miasma, Traps) - in fact, when designing it and picking its powers, I specifically modeled it after Dark Miasma's Dark Servant. Thank you for the thoughtful feedback!

No, it's not like a stone Buff set, it is a stone Buff set!

TELLURIC BOUNTY (Buff) Available to: Defenders, Corrupters, Controllers, Masterminds Set Color: Sand-on-Hazel You can direct earth, stone, dust, clay, and minerals to fortify those you favor, and bring low those you don’t. This set is slower overall than some other Buff sets, but offers a strong and diverse array of hampering debuffs, (mostly) defensive buffs, and a few surprises sure to either keep enemies on their toes, or to sweep them off. The ability to control and shape the environment is a strong suit of this set, offset by the shortcoming of being much less effective against airborne or teleporting enemies (and to a certain extent, less useful to airborne or highly-mobile comrades). 1) Mudball – You hurl a generous glob of heavy, gooey, blinding mud at your target, briefly immobilizing it, impeding its endurance recovery, and reducing its chance to hit. All but the most vigorous of fliers will be brought down and struggle to go aloft again. Recharge: Fast 2) Stone Plating – You encase your allies in sturdy but light stone, increasing both their defense and resistance to Smashing, Lethal, Energy, and Toxic damage. Recharge: Fast 3) Mineral Infusion (Defenders, Masterminds) – You fortify a single ally with vital minerals, briefly both granting temporary hit points, and increasing its resistance to Toxic and Energy damage. Recharge: Moderate OR Scouring Sands (Corrupters) – you assail foes in a cone with an agonizing sandstorm, greatly lowering their damage resistance. Recharge: Medium OR Plume of Dust (Controllers) – A mighty plume of dust erupts from beneath your target and every other foe in a substantial area around it, causing moderate slowing, reduced perception and chance to hit, and a weaker chance to render them choking and helpless. Recharge: Slow 4) Loam Layering – You insulate your allies in a layer of hard-packed soil, providing good protection in the form of resistance to Cold, Fire, Smashing, and to a much lesser extent, Energy and Toxic damage. Recharge: Fast 5) Wall of Stone (Defenders, Controllers) – You raise a thick stone wall to impede your foes and shelter your friends, about tall and wide enough to block most but not all of a typical hallway. Being a stone wall, it doesn’t move once created, cannot be moved through, and blocks line of sight, but you may dismiss (as one would a pet) it at any time. The wall can be destroyed by damage, and can neither be healed nor buffed save by other Telluric Bounty powers (including those not available to your Archetype); it has very strong hit points and resistances to all damage, but little defense. Recharge: Slow OR Quicksand (Corrupters, Masterminds) – as Controller 6) Mega Mudball (Defenders, Corrupters) – You blast enemies in an area with an explosion of mud, immediately knocking them to the ground and also leaving them with greatly slowed endurance recovery and reduced accuracy for a short time afterward; all but the strongest fliers will find it difficult to take to the air again. Recharge: Moderate OR Cleansing Clay (Controllers, Masterminds) – You bring forth a patch of clean, aromatic, invigorating wet clay in a targeted area; you and any allies gain a modest amount of damage absorption so long as you are in the area, while enemies in the same area suffer a small amount of slowing and become more susceptible to knockdown effects and endurance drain and debuff effects. Recharge: Slow 7) Mineral Orb – You raise a spherical formation of rare minerals to follow along near you; it can be targeted and damaged by enemies, but naturally is very hard to destroy; it can be buffed, but can neither be healed nor regenerate health. Its complex and mysterious properties serve to deflect incoming psionic power in a large area around it, thus granting you and your allies greatly increased defense against Psionic attacks. Furthermore, it causes irritating psychic feedback that is likely to goad enemies into attacking it directly. Recharge: Slow 😎 Fossils (Defenders, Masterminds) – You dredge up a layer of ancient fossils, creating a large area in which all allies receive a small resistance and moderate defense bonus against Negative Energy damage, and in which enemies touching the ground face a periodic chance to suffer immobilization should it run afoul of one of the fossils; while the latter effect is not especially accurate, it is quite strong if it connects and even deals a bit of damage. Damage: Minor Lethal/Negative Energy Recharge: Slow OR Pave the Way (Corrupters, Controllers) – You sculpt the earth beneath your feet and the structures and land around you for the convenience of yourself and your compatriots; so long as this power remains active, it generates a colossal area in which you and your allies gain increased ground speed and ranged defense, and to a lesser extent jump height and area defense, and your enemies suffer a lesser degree of the opposite. Recharge: Long 9) Move Mountains (Defenders, Masterminds) – You imbue yourself and nearby allies with the power of the mountains, granting the following benefits to all affected for a moderate amount of time: Increased maximum hit points and endurance, strong protection from knockback, knockdown, repulsion, pull, and defense and resistance debuff effects and boosts to all such effects when the affected themselves use them, and a further universal knockdown and/or resistance debuff “proc” to all attacks. When the effect wears off, you (and only you) will suffer some immediate endurance loss and a brief period of reduced endurance recovery, damage resistance, and movement speed; the penalty is small, but cumulative and a tiny amount longer for every other beneficiary. Recharge: Very Long OR Boulder of Doom (Corrupters, Controllers) – You unleash a spherical boulder to harass and terrorize groundbound enemies for several minutes. It can be targeted and damaged by enemies, but naturally is very hard to destroy; it can be buffed, but cannot regenerate health nor can it be healed save by other Telluric Bounty powers (including those not available to your Archetype). Boulder of Doom: Bruising Bludgeon – quick single-target attack deals minor Smashing damage but also debuffs resistance Bowl Over – melee cone attack that deals minor Smashing damage, knocks back, and may disorient enemies Invoke Panic – as Presence Pool Spring Attack – as Leaping Pool Fracture – as Earth Manipulation Boulder-Dash – greatly increases land speed, limits jumping ability Recharge: Long Example Character Concept: The Vengeful Cornerstone! (Villainous Thugs/Telluric Bounty Mutant Mastermind)

I did say it works now, right? Anyway, I have reasons for not "upgrading" to 10, but I will look into the former idea.

So, I've tried the above, and while I'm still a little gunshy, I think it worked! I can finally pass the "log into First Ward" test, so that's a definite change!

Getting help on a different forum now; thanks.

Also, I have only just updated my graphics driver from "as of 2016" to "as of 2018", and have not yet tried to see if that has improved anything, but now shall.... EDIT: OK! I just tried again, it hasn't gotten better (at least as far as the "is it at all possible to log into First Ward" test is concerned).

Thank you for your time, here are some specs:

I do not; unless it happens to mean something other than what I think it does, I have no mod files whatsoever (after all, that would require having a mod-installer tool, wouldn't it?).

I've already posted this in Bug Reports, but maybe that's the wrong place if I want help with an answer. Ever since the update, my primary computer's been completely unable to load in many Zones, causing a crash and a system complaint about RAM I'd never seen before - see the link above. Other zones are unreliable, and I know of at least one mission that functioned up until the last part, then crashed. I do have another computer on which the game works better (i.e. at all), but that's otherwise not as good a computer, and as of a day or two ago, I've started having nasty MapServer issues even on it, losing connection and getting spit out from time to time (including right before finishing missions). Any ideas?

*POKE* It's still not working, I still don't know why.

Goodness! Well, at least I don't have that problem!

I was hoping the latest update would improve things; it has not. Grandville is now a crash-trap as well. Would somebody please help?

Which did you have in mind? How do you define a "nuke"? I think powerful single-target powers are in keeping with Assault provided they come with a suitable price-tag, and the AoEs are meant to be on par with AoE powers in existing Assault sets (e.g. Combustion, Psionic Shockwave).

*poke* Still having problems. UPDATE: Steel Canyon seems to work. Atlas Park City Hall interior does, too, not sure about outside....EDIT: Nope, exterior AP is still a crash-trap.

Okay, it now seems to work...BETTER than before (i.e. at all), but it's STILL crashing. I can log into Ouroboros, but it doesn't seem to like First Ward. EDITI: Okay, upon further investigation, Firebase Zulu, Sharkhead Isle, and the Midnighter Club all work, but Atlas Park crashes on arrival too. EDITII: Grandville and St. Martial seem to work, but some missions only work partway through...(it seems not all maps are created equal). EDITIII: Small Praetorian-map instances (i.e. for Valentine deliveries) seem to work, so it's not simply 'anything Praetorian', and Cap Au Diable...I can go there, I can enter the University, but it crashes when I come back out. I'm starting to think getting the new Installer has not, itself, actually improved anything.

OKAY! I'm going to be a dunce one last time: Can you please remind me where I can get the new installer? Because I happen to have another (otherwise less-good) computer with the new installer, and it would seem that IS the problem!

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I cannot even figure out where that is. ALSO, now that I've received some replies (in the interest of being circumspect, I figured I'd ask before telling) I'll try mentioning something else: I'm still using "Tequila"; does that matter? Like I said, everything seems fine until the load-screen, and I have no idea how the launcher works or how much of the game exists therein.

As you may recall, I've been unable to even figure out how to make it possible to install mods. As for "Data directory", I can't even figure out where that is now - but maybe if the answer to the first question is 'no', the second is moot?

How do I do that?

I just tried playing for the first time since The Big Upgrade...and I can't. I get as far as the load-in screen, then it keeps crashing and telling me there isn't enough RAM. This is new; anyone else having this problem, or know what I should do? Also, in case it's significant, the sound effects (but not the music) were unexpectedly quiet as a mouse; maybe that's my hardware, but my other games don't sound any different - nor did the Windows error-crash "bonk" sound. To be precise, here's a (crappy) screenshot: