[[Heroic] [35-54] A Hero in Need - Arc ID: 54140]

I just ran this and found it enjoyable and worth the time, especially for a first try!  I left a bit more detailed notes in the comments... great NPCs yes!  I hope you're still working on more.

[Talking from too far away]

The problem of some unaware dialogue (feels like "most") firing off the second you enter the mission was a problem that cropped up during Live and has persisted ever since.  I don't know if they know what causes it and it's too hard/time consuming to fix, or don't even know why it does this. 

 

It too has spoiled a couple of my jokes.  Such is life, sigh.

 

ETA: whenever I'm messing with maps for this, I start by testing it with all the dialogue blanks filled in with their label, "UNAWARE DIALOGUE," "AWARE DIALOGUE," "PLAY INFLICTS DAMAGE," etc.  Then I run a test and see what's popping up where and when, and if it's going to work for my plans; then I adapt and try to make my plans work for it.  I hope you have good luck!

[Mission Architect Sunday Special: Story based teaming in AE!]

Maybe I've been lucky but I've never had this problem that I know of - and I use Unique maps a lot!  *gulp*

[Coalition of Creators: Mission Architect.]

On 9/2/2025 at 9:14 AM, ZamuelNow said:

Ah.  I guessing this was posted in General and then got banished to the Shadow Realm here?

Can't have the general populace exposed to non-farming AE, it frightens the horses.

[Dominator Gravity Singularity lack of pet controls]

8 hours ago, JediDave said:

Keeping in mind that the balance of the game is intended to be focused on basic SO level builds, I believe the pet change was only on controllers because they are much more pet dependent than dominators. Yes, a proc'd out controller can clear all but the bosses in a group pretty quickly without pets, but base level controllers really need the pets in order to do much damage. And solo they have a whole secondary set that is usually very team oriented and can benefit their pets. It made more sense to give them some control over such an important aspect of their AT. Meanwhile, most dominators will do just fine with or without their pets, since they have a whole secondary to deal damage as well as higher base damage on their primary. 

 

Really, my controllers with pets use them as a key part of their game plan, but my dominators use the pets more like my crabbermind does, just drop 'em and start blasting.

 

All nice theorizing, but not what was shared with us, IIRC.  If anything it's just another bit of power creep.  Also, yes, both ATs used to "drop and start blasting" (or holding) because they didn't have these controls.

[Post your best costume designs here!]

Well rats, I've discovered that I won't be playing on Halloween, I wanted to run this guy in a costume contest, but, (work) duty calls.  So instead, here's my consolation prize, posting him here!  The name came to me first, and then all I could think to do with the costume was "marching band, but evil spooky."  Ars/Rad Controller, with the most trombone-like rifle, of course.  Last but not least for some reason I got a bug to write his bio in verse.  He really should be redside not blue, but I like teaming.

 

The Paranormal Trombone

 

 

Happy early Halloween!

[Simple Enhancements Question]

Welcome back!  I think I remember that avatar (how could one forget it).

 

The answer is, it's all very complex and there's no easy pat answer.  It all depends on context:

• What slotting does this power need to be effective? 
• What set bonuses do you need to be effective, or to at least work towards that goal?  Chances are you'll need the cumulative effect of a handful of similar bonuses to make things get great - "+6.25% Recharge" starts to add up after you get it a few times, for example.
• What powers do you choose to take and choose to slot or underslot?
• How many slots do you have to spare or to NOT spare?

The question is kind of like asking which color you need to paint a painting with.  😃  Best thing you can do is check out builds other people have made and consider the choices made, ask questions, read other people discussing these things, etc.  It's terribly complex, but I enjoy treating making builds as a complex puzzle to wrap my headbone around.

[Dominator Gravity Singularity lack of pet controls]

On 8/12/2025 at 7:17 PM, EnjoyTheJourney said:

It's not the end of the world either way, of course. But, hopefully pet controls proliferate from controllers to dominators at some point. Even better would be if players can choose the default stance for their T9 pets. Some may prefer their pets always default to aggressive, some may prefer defensive. 

 

There's a cost in development and testing time for any change and that needs to be weighed against what else can be done instead. But, in terms of game balance there doesn't seem to be any harm in offering both controllers and dominators a choice about the default stance of their T9 pets. 

I asked about why Controllers got it but Dominators didn't during beta and they basically said "because we said so" so I wouldn't hold my breath, ha ha

[A solo villain test: +4/8 bank robbery (no AV)]

I haven't run one of these solo since my early days on Live, because I kept getting ganked a lot ha ha. 

 

I want to love villain bank missions so much more than I do, because blowing up &@%# around town should be so much fun, but the constant Long Bow ambushes just squashed me too often.  Which is why I felt the need to tell you Stalkers are bad at this solo: Long Bow starts out by already seeing thru Hide, so you take damage and lose Hide before they even reach you; as a Melee character, that's rough.  This was before some of the later stalker buffs, and also in my early days so maybe I'd know how to build better these days, I don't know.  Probably didn't help I was doing these "in the correct order" at say level 14 or something. 

 

I keep thinking I want to take a strong MM into one that I've set for low difficulty level some day, just for the joy of ridding the map of every cardboard box and dumpster that I can find...

[Variations in a custom group. There has to be an easier way.]

On 8/28/2025 at 6:45 PM, Jiro Ito said:

 

I wish we had metallic colors 😕

I think that's more a "texture" than a "color," which means a whole nuther kettle of coding ("codding"?) fish to create for the game.  But I too wish we had a true color grid, as the current favors cooler colors far more over warmer ones.

[Dominator vs. Controller]

12 hours ago, BasiliskXVIII said:

...letting you play more like a controlling scrapper than a controller. 

Funnily enough, I've recently had some fun turning a couple of scrappers into Dom-type toons recently based upon how and what I put in their builds (see also the thread about "Support Stalkers"). 

 

Doms are a kind of jack-of-all-trades depending on their power sets in ways Controllers usually aren't* - they can do decent damage without the usual proc crutches, both at range or in melee, do holds/mezzes, etc.    *I haven't run too many Controllers I have to admit, but based on what I've seen anyway.

 

Doms are mainly made to lock everyone down then take them out while they stand by helplessly - you don't need lots of armor for melee if no one can attack you.  Think of a spider - catch the prey in the web, get all wrapped up, then eat at your leisure.   

 

Perma-dom is nice, but you don't even need to have it to to still Dom effectively. 

 

You can find some good info on Dom Strategy on the uh "Dominator Strategy" page from the wiki:  https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Dominator_Strategy

[Looking for an AT for Psi/Fire, Fire/Psi]

I was seriously thinking "Blaster" too but have settled on a Fiery Melee/ Psi Armor scrapper.  I've run so many Doms that I just didn't want to face that again yet, much as I love them.

 

Thanks everybody for your suggestions, I may end up making more variations on this theme!

[TV Guide: Zhym's index to TerroirNoir's "Cable Channel of AE!" Reviews]

9 hours ago, sponazgul said:

 

As someone who only shows up every-so-often, these threads are great documents, when I'm in an AE mood and want to find arcs to play.

 

I think new folks must wander in here and are helped out, much more so than the in-game interface.

Pretty much this.  I mean, I know this section of the forums is fairly dead, but if we can get one or two in to check out some stuff, anything helps right?

 

[Looking for an AT for Psi/Fire, Fire/Psi]

I tend to team too, so the Sent does sound like a good choice.

 

I also lean Dom, so @Auroxis and @Octogoat's suggestions are strong.  Meanwhile, the venerable @JJDrakken posted no less than 4 builds across other various ATs for me on his page. 

 

I haven't closed in on a choice yet, so anyone who wants to speak up, please feel free!

[Looking for an AT for Psi/Fire, Fire/Psi]

Just like the label says:  I have a character concept that is vague enough for any AT or power sets, long as one is psionic and the other is fire based.  As usual, I'm looking to embody the concept so "what role do you want to play?" or something is moot here.  What's worked for you, on what AT?  I'll take pretty  much any AT other than squids or VEATs (sorry fans of those!).

[Knockback, Stil a Dirty Word?]

It's funny to me that people on these boards dislike that knockback forces them to go chasing the scattered, or at least to ungroup things, and many also stridently defend Fold Spacers who don't bother to tell people they're going to use it or how ("I'll be Fold Spacing onto the tank"), making others often waste their AoEs...

 

Thinking about these two things, I'd put money on the HC team finding some easy/quick work-around to allow us to ignore KB, as they seem to do everything they can to support grouping foes for quick steamrolling/farming benefits.

[Story Structure: Arc-based or mission based?]

On 8/14/2025 at 1:01 PM, Police Woman said:

If I label something SFMA (story focused mission arc), I basically mean that it isn't a farm, and there should be a story with some sort of plot.

 

This.  "SMFA" literally started as a way for authors to tag their works as "I swear this is not another farm!"  if you've ever gone looking for something to play in the AE, you'll understand why it was needed.

 

Past that, a story can be whatever you want:

• I've published a few arcs that are like a collection of "radio stories," meaning each mission inside the arc was its own thing (with some light connecting tissue between them) but yeah, this does mean each one's sort of light on the complex storytelling.  Musically, this would be like one song.
• I have many arcs that tell a single story across the missions inside (up to five each).  Musically, think of a 'concept album' (or CD or whatever).
• Some people have published multi-arc stories.  I prefer to keep mine shorter than that, that's just me, I'm not faulting any who go further; I'm working on a two-arc story (with five mission in each) and finding it hard to keep track of all the spinning plates ha ha... and to keep myself motivated to get the darn thing done, too.  Musically, think of Richard Wagner's Ring cycle, which was a series of operas telling one vast story.

 

Last thing: remember there are no rules to any of this ("SFMA" as a helpful tag aside) beyond what you can make work!  Imagine it,. create it.

[Trying to design a beast girl what AT to use?]

I know many are meh on the AT, but a Dominator who's Plant/Sav might fit that bill too.

[What set bonuses do you chase?]

I once chased +damage on a Dominator just cuz I wanted to; no matter what choice I was faced with, I always chose "whatever adds to my damage, no thought given to anything else."  Installed a little window thingy to keep track of how much % extra damage I was getting, as much of it was like situational based on Incarnates, etc.  Played that toon up to 50 and more, she was a lot of fun, on teams I was often hitting the cap of 300%. 

 

I've thought about trying the same thing on a "real" damage toon, like a Blaster, but that feels too obvious so I just haven't gotten round to it.

[Crey]

I was going to say "or proctologists", but did I see somewhere someone had a toon named "Crey Proctologist"?  

[What is the coolest enemy in the game?]

Eochai 

[What would be the most annoying thing to find in an AE mission?]

One single glowie or similar looking NPC to go meet on big big maps.

[Bring Balance to Homecoming]

22 hours ago, Indystruck said:

Ignore those farming chores, skip your market homework, play any power sets that you want (so long as you only pick two characters to do it with or you can't engage with any endgame content), and ignore anyone who says otherwise.

 

Signature probably won't work as well if that idea goes into effect.

In case it was lost or missed, that was my point yes.  Incarnate powers, perhaps because their numbers are more limited often end up being much more cookie cutter.

[Bring Balance to Homecoming]

1 hour ago, Indystruck said:

 

I think you deserve props for coming up with one of possibly the worst possible solutions to stamp onto a game where part of the incentive is trying fun new combinations of powers.

Fun new combo of powers like the one giant AoE AND the one that gives you lots of Endurance to make up for your limping build?  It's so exciting!

[Bring Balance to Homecoming]

7 hours ago, Lunar Ronin said:

• Limit the Interface, Judgment, Destiny, Lore, and Hybrid Incarnate abilities to Incarnate content only.

Back on Live, I used to play on a lower population server.  I played red side exclusively.  I was working nights, but still had no trouble finding teams.  Then later, I did, so I switched the the highest population server.  Then I started to have trouble there as well.  One night, fresh out of the Zig with a brand new villain, I stepped out to find... no one about.  After some checking, I discovered that something like 80% of all villain characters online at the time were, yep, you guess it Frank Stallone lined up in Pocket D for Incarnate content.  If you restrict people on this again, that is what we'll end up with again, I figure.