BurtHutt

I made a few arcs on Live and got some friends to play them and some PUGs. They were 1 mish, hit it and quit it. Original characters and factions. I received a lot of praise and it was fun to do. Anyway, I feel the AE idea I keep pushing would be worth the front end work but who knows. I appreciate the commentary and discussion. 🙂 We have a pretty solid community here!

It would be more front end work but then it would be less after the set up was complete. Interesting how you simplify the situation into another door. So, since that all it is...another door, let me ask you this: how many times have you seen mission teams do AE Dev choices runs vs. paper/radio/tip missions? Exactly. Why is that? Well, a ton of reasons and I can't answer for all so I won't go into any details. I also think AE has been stigmatized to a degree which is too bad. I also feel if you were to add this content as canon, apart from regular AE, you'd get more interest. Anyway, I would prefer to see this vs. all of what was in the last Page. That's just me though.

I would suggest these missions be at paper/radio/tip level. So, no cut scenes etc and less work for the Devs. Mostly 1 mish and done. Less work to add this than one that has your additional noted features. I did check in and it would be work on the front end but it seems worth it as after the adjustments were made then adding would be easier. Radios, tips etc are run all the time. I think a lot of players like the lesser time commitment play sessions and the ability to bail if life happens and so on. Sure, lots of players still get into the longer play sessions and the Devs will need to go to town on those types of missions. The rest of us could help by adding a pile of quick missions.

My idea is to add a few volunteers that would test the arcs and see if they all work and the material is appropriate and so on. Then if that checks out, placing that mission into the appropriate contact. Getting coders is tough, I'm sure. Having some hardcore players becoming part of the quality assurance team would be much easier. And I am assuming it would not be too difficult to add these to outside AE contacts (that would be disguised not to be AE looking etc). These missions would also be canon and all that. I can see teams of players putting together some pretty high quality missions and could maybe even have artists contribute original art for the mish as it's load screen and so on. I think a lot of the CoX community would be all over this.

I will try and link you to the discussion I had explaining this in detail. I don't rem where it is and I think I first put it out there in 2020.

Interesting response. Do you know that it would be actually labor intensive to implement my AE idea or are you just guessing. To me it seems easy to create new contacts outside of AE but are actually part of the AE system. Then HC team having say in which missions get placed in those specific contacts. Would that be a ton of work? I am sure it would be work but I don't know how much it would be.

I appreciate the response! This is great. So, yes, QoL is VERY broad and I meant it to be broad. Literally all of the QoL changes you mentioned in your post, I am fine without. Page 1 Fraklok arc wasn't for me. It took way too long and there is way, way too much text and info dumped on players. You don't get to read it all and its tough to get a lot of the info if you're not the team leader. Page 2 tours. Again, not really for me but that's just me. Page 3 ASF. Great effort but too much dumped at you. Again, too much text to read and I never really got what was going on or why and so on. I read up on it and that isn't how I want to enjoy a TF etc. Lots of cool elements but some of the parts were far better than the sum of the parts. Page 4 TBD So, what I'd like? This stuff is fine and I think the HC team for all of it. I really do. A lot of it wasn't for me. I've offered to volunteer and help and so on. I work with large teams and work with people a lot so it is a skillset I have. Anyway, my preferences would be: 1) Implement my AE idea that allows players to help make radio/paper/tips level content to the game. This would allow content to roll out while the HC team took time to put together the following items. There would be less of a break between updates because new missions could be added monthly and then an Issue (with some/all of the following) could come out 3-4 times a year. 2) Some of the most popular things to do are things like DFB and the ITF. Maybe some future content should follow those templates. Also, try and make the content new and original. We keep seeing the old factions and groups that've been in game for 10+ years. Be original. Be creative. There have been so many good ideas in the forums. 3) Costume pieces. I'm not sure if this is possible but I'd prefer this over sheathed weapons and the new Page 4 costume locks. The Celestial set, the Valkyrie set etc were all awesome. Does the current Dev team have the ability to do something like that now? 4) New power sets 5) New events. I like the new zone invasion. What about a new GM or GM event and so on. These are the main things I'd like to see. I would be fine if the HC team devoted all their time to this and didn't touch anything like new rewards systems, any QoL adds, re-balancing and so on. This is my wishlist. I am sure many would disagree but who knows. Having said all that, I would be fine if the team did change the look of a few characters like the Kraken (what an awful look for such a historic character). Thanks for listening and reading!

I appreciate this. However, are you able to tell us if you're going to do balancing? New power? QoL? I just wonder because the recent pages haven't been for me so I am debating checking out other servers. Sadly, it sounds like the other servers aren't as well run and far less populated.

This. I never liked the costume 'toggle' pieces we'd get for Halloween. I have no desire to use them. Ever. I could not be less interested in this stuff. I do like making costumes and that is awesome but not these toggle/complete costume transformations. Pass.

I think making a more responsive/realistic AI is a good call. I always found it odd that enemies who were once aggro.ed kinda just stop going at you or wander around or hang out. I have no issues with this. So, Six, would it be possible to have an address from the Dev team that will let us know the direction they want to take or a rough idea of the near future? It seems like the HC team spends a lot of time improving QoL and going over previous systems and powers etc. Maybe implementing some changes to existing game play. I guess I'm wondering what is the priority for the team. Personally, I would like to see just new stuff added. I think the QoL is good. The balancing will always be an issue so let it be. Or maybe these things don't take much time so they're done? Honestly, my preference would be adding a new TF, arc, iTrial, powers, ATs, costume pieces and that sort of thing (and of course implementing my AE idea 🙂 ). Hopefully some clarification can be provided here. I don't need specific details but just an idea of what the Devs are thinking of adding to CoX.

I don't really farm but will get into them once in a while. When AE was introduced, the Live Devs thought it'd be a great tool to add content. I disagreed then and I still do now. There are lots of good missions in there but they fall under the AE stigma and then also are lost in a MASSIVE pile of missions. How is one to tell?! You never see any groups forming to do regular AE missions. A few friends have gathered to give it a go. I am always willing. I'm indifferent to the AE changes. I feel it's a powerful tool that can expand the game but it hasn't been used to do so. Maybe one day.

This. This, in a way, is always going to be the case. No matter what is added, there will be a group that likes the adds and another that doesn't. This is part of the reason why I suggest not spending too much time on balancing and changing what's in game. I am hoping the push is to new stuff and adding content. I am not worried about balancing either. Sure, do it if there's a glaring issue with a power or AT (Sentinels) but otherwise...I'm OK with the game. I think it really hit home when I made my new Symphony controller - here I go again with very familiar leveling paths. Let's add something new and fun! 🙂

I think this is pretty spot on. There is no way the game/HC team can sustain its initial momentum. The players will dwindle and some may return. There is no way the HC team can keep up with demand. This is the main reason I keep suggesting using the tools available in HC and have players generate content. I also feel this would cause a big increase in player interest and may get a number of players to return or give the game a go. Earlier in the thread there was a list of concerns with HC. I didn't agree with most concerns but HC did make things a bit too easy. I cautioned against this several times in the past. The 'grind' is there for a reason. It should take time and effort to level your toon. Sure, PL if you want but don't make things even easier - the P2W vendor should not be able to hand out 2XP. Why add a Pocket D entrance in AP? These are just a couple of concerns. I like HC. It's very professionally run. However, I feel they may improve their product with some more input from players or even using our ideas. The HC and Live Devs made mistakes. Sure. I suspect the Live Devs faced a ton of pressure from above to get results and maybe that pressure caused for some poor decisions. Going Rogue is cool and all but to have split the playerbase yet again was a disaster. There's a reason it's a ghost town. They would have been better off to add 6 ITF-level/quality TFs and just put that into the game over the expansion. Live Devs really did seem like they ran out of ideas and things became redundant, tired and it was obvious there was a lot of player fatigue - especially with the Praetoria angle. I don't play the game as much as I used to. I have some time to play but I am bored. I come in once in a while and give it a go but quickly log off. Another break might be in store. The new Page didn't offer much I liked (I want to try Symphony and maybe give hard mode a go). I used to like costumes a lot but not much of interest was added there. Finally, I'd like to, yet again, thank the entire HC team. You guys brought back my fave game. This game is why I kinda played video games again. I don't play many but this one got me back into them. I just really hope the HC team doesn't follow the same path as the Live Devs - specifically, not embracing the community as much and get stuck in one direction or idea. Thanks for listening!

I dabbled yesterday. Not a lot for me. I made a new Symph/Sonic Controller and am eager to get a build made as well. I am also quite interested in running the new arc as well - a much needed add. I'll definitely get around to checking out the other stuff (I think) but there isn't a lot that makes me want to dive back in. I think the Devs and HC team are doing a great job but this was a bit of a meh Page. I guess it's due to not a lot of new stuff to do? I really don't know. Sometimes a person needs to take a break from a game and I will continue to do so. Once again, I pray my AE idea gets implemented for the next issue. Pray with me, fellow supers.

I don't really do backstories on my toons. I have ideas in mind and that's about it. I spend hours on a toon so, yes, I am invested. However, I don't think I take it too seriously (or maybe you don't take it seriously enough?). I prefer not being attached and hooked into the CoH lore and having it as an option. I think it would be cool if the HC team had an alternate option to the incarnate path. Like make a new system and powers and implement it into game. It could mirror the incarnate system or be very different or maybe even both - players would have to pick one of the two paths. 🙂 Anyway, I think it's pretty pretentious of you to suggest how serious one is to take a game they play.

Ok, so, I've given the new stuff some time and looked over the forums. Unfortunately, I am not a huge fan of this Page. I know some are but I am giving my feedback. Pages come out so infrequently and it is impossible to add a lot to the game. I get that. HC Devs, you're great for doing all you do. The quality is amazing. Personally, I would like to push more towards adding new stuff and not so much revamping of the old stuff (yes, sometimes its needed). I think you can leave most of the old systems and powers alone. Instead of changing rewards and the such, focus on adding new content. I am still hoping the AE idea I keep mentioning actually happens. I think it would really help in the area of adding content. Bring on the new powers, stories, TFs/SFs/Trials, power systems and so on. Maybe even an alternate power path instead of the incarnate route - you can take the incarnate path or this new path (maybe one not so tied into CoX lore that impacts your toon's story).

I've always said this. I really don't like being connected this way. Villains get this a bit as well by being tied to Arachnos or being under the shadow of Recluse and Arachnos and so on. Give me a break. Long ago I asked that the Incarnate Lore power have some generic options or ones where you can design/customize your Lore pet.

Back in the day of Live, having the name Thor would've gotten you genericed. Even regular words like Apocalypse, Tombstone etc would have been genericed (even if there was absolutely no physical resemblance to the comic book character). I know this because I had both names and got them yanked away back on Live. I thought that was a bit much.

I would suggest from here on out for 50 per server. Not backdating it. So, anyone making an account from whatever date and beyond will start with 50.

Hence why I suggested having all counts from here on out start with 50 slots per server. But for some reason this didn't seem like a good idea because people will just go make alt accounts. Some may go do this but others may not bother. I can't see someone making 20 alt accounts so they can get their 1000 character slots per server/shard. If you do go to 50 per then those accounts, if active, will have a mechanism where they can apply for more character slots.

I pretty much agree with this. I also feel the names that will be released will provide a lot of good, new options for most players. The number of people playing has dwindled and it doesn't look like many are coming back anytime soon. I absolutely place huge importance on names but if it's gone then I usually find a decent alternative. HC Devs are doing a great job. There is no win here for them - someone will be....butthurt....see what I did there....regardless of the final policy. I just think if a name gets released then chances are good that player isn't around anymore. I think a ton of people found HC, got their names, played a bit then quit. I still don't play much as it's very much the same old but I do throw in a bit of playtime here and there these days 🙂

I haven't taken a run at this but it's good to have repeatable content. I think it is tough to add materials and this is why I will always continue to push for my AE project to add regular content. I have always wondered why ancient warriors are some of the toughest enemies in the game. It seems a bit off to me lol Anyway, thanks Devs for all your hard work.

I appreciate the info. I will try for the 'troller combo as I have a themed toon ready to go. I hope MIDS gets a quick update! :)

Has anyone tried this with the new Sonic secondary? Seems like a good theme combo. Would Symph/Sonic be better on a Controller? I am definitely wanting to try this power and want to pair it with a Sonic secondary. I just wonder if the combo would be viable and if it would play better for a Dom or Controller.

Devs, thanks for hearing us. I would also encourage you to not give away 1000 character slots on new accounts - please make this change. It's absolutely ridiculous and allows for tons of issues. Maybe start with 50 and leave an option to claim additional slots (maybe allowed to get more every few months - so, 10 more after every 3 months? Something along those lines).