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Add an option to upgrade some/all bosses to EBs Add a mission type that involves 'arresting' an existing AV More enemy group variety Remove small cave maps from the rotation Utilise more of the doors in the zone rather than rotating through a very small subset of them - low priority Add some of the unique variants of maps to the rotation Generally, I enjoy radio/paper missions. I'd love more variety and challenge options though. One issue I do have with these missions is PI radios at lvl 50+ typically include players with incarnate powers, which trivialises the difficulty, even on +4/x8. So either more difficulty options to make them a challenge or (probably not implementable through this system) and option to disable incarnate powers. I stress the word 'option'.

Can you post your build? I've been thinking of making an elec/martial blaster for a while.

Six-Six has a great response, but here's my experience with a Archery/TA Blaster. He's now 50+3 and so heavily IOed. And he's a beast. Easily one of my favourite characters to play. He does incredible AoE and very strong ST damage. He has CC, debuffs, high mobility, limitless endurance and capped ranged Def due to IOs. But he's been fun since lower levels all the way up. I've always felt like I was making a significant contribution to any team I joined. That said, Sentinels are solid and reliable, if not as spectacular as blasters. What I'd suggest is this: if you're mostly playing solo, try Sentinel; if you're mostly teaming, then try Blaster. Or do both. By about level 40 you'll have a good idea of which you prefer.

I'd like to see Rage reworked so it gives a balance of costs/benefits that doesn't make for clunky gameplay. Currently the -Def and -End on crash makes it annoying, especially with high levels of recharge. Conversely, double stacking and the +ToHit make it incredibly powerful. There are so many good suggestions on how to do this, I'm reluctant to add more to the mix. Just make it thematic, effective and fun.

It's not optimal, but it is fun! On teams you still have your /storm powers to help, but KB->KD IOs are a must. Now, go! Be the Tsoo Sorcerer you've always wanted to be!

Several NPC costumes were given out at special events in the form of cards with unique serial numbers that would unlock the costume via the Paragon Market. https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Costume_Code_Cards It would be great if these were available somewhere on Homecoming, such as through the P2W vendor or as rare tradable drops.

Ah, I've found the problem. That icon is hidden when you select "Hide Autopowers". I always have that turned on to keep icons to a minimum. I wonder if the devs might consider making it not an "autopower" so it shows all the time?

Is there any visual indicator of AF stacks, besides the orange ring around Assassin's Strike at 3 stacks? I find it distracting to continually glance at my try to see when it's up.

Just tried the 64-bit client, and the "vis_scale" command doesn't appear to be able to change the value. By itself, the command returns "2.0", but when I type "/vis_scale 6" and check, it still returns "2.0". Otherwise, amazing work on updating the client!

The -Def aspect of the Rage crash was not on Live. It's here now because of a bug fix the Homecoming devs did that affected many powers. That bug fix cannot be rolled back, although the power can still be tweaked individually. And yes, I find it to be super punishing on Tanks and Brutes. Having a triple whammy that drains a quarter of your end (sometimes dropping toggles), entirely nullifies your damage and makes you very squishy (if you're a Def set) for 10 seconds is crippling whether you're tanking or bruting. It's caused my favourite Tank and Brute innumerable defeats, and forced me to shelve them for now (I otherwise love SS). There's a lengthy thread in the Suggestions forum about the Rage crash with many voices asking for the -Def to be removed, or at least significantly toned down https://forums.homecomingservers.com/index.php/topic,3304.0.html. Get involved if you want to let the devs know your thoughts.

Fair enough Widower, I used the wrong language. By "revert" I didn't mean "undo the powers code change," so I'll stop using the term out of that context to avoid confusion. What I'm suggesting is make a new change to Rage so that functionally it works similar to how it did on Live, meaning dropping the -Def crash or making it resistible. Once that's done, we can have a rich and lively discussion about wholesale revisions to SS, which can be tested on Justin before being implemented. I maintain that the "functional revision" of Rage can be detached from a full review of SS. If people really want the latter (although I personally don't see the necessity), then by all means let's do it, but do so after Rage is changed.

I don't see why reverting the Rage -Def crash has to mean a wholesale review of SS. Why not do both over appropriate time scales? Revert the crash, effectively taking it back to how it was on Live; then seek input on other major changes to SS (possibly including revisions to Rage); then test those changes on Justin. Reverting the Rage -Def crash doesn't need to go through a lengthy beta test. It can be done quickly. It won't break the game, it'll just take it back to a place where most people were already content with it. And it doesn't preclude other ideas for how to balance/improve SS.

I think if Triage Beacon had +recovery, it would be far more popular. Not that I have many gripes with Traps (besides Time Bomb).

Is there any news on this? My SD/SS tanker has just died three times in a row due to the Rage crash -Def, I have been using Hand Clap (with KB -> KD) to help mitigate damage when it happens, but it's usually not enough to save me. If there must be a crash, can we have the -Def balanced with -Res? Or just revert the crash to pre-bug fix and make the -Def resistible?

Don't forget you never really outlevel story arcs once you get access to the Flashback system via Ouroboros. It's a great way to experience stories and generate merits.

This thread shows how to modify in-game sounds: https://forums.homecomingservers.com/index.php/topic,3642.0.html You might find a way to silence or reduce the volume, or replace it with another sound.

Many thanks for all your hard work! One possible bug: Radiation Armor (all ATs) - Particle Shielding can accept End Mod enhancements but adding them doesn't change the Recovery on the Effects tab.

My SD/SS Tanker has a similar issue, with three wanna-be-auto-powers: Rage, Hasten and Active Defense. After trying all manner of single key binds that failed, I now auto Rage, and use two thumb mouse buttons for Hasten and AD. It works, but it's not ideal. I do neglect the latter two sometimes - which can be annoying in the middle of a long fight forgetting to refresh AD, and I get mezzed. I'd love to see many or all affect-self powers able to be autoed. I don't see any reason why that would detract from gameplay. Removing these clicks is QoL not easy mode.

Great suggestions. Endorsed. That said, I've always found the recharge on many TA powers a bit long. You don't think any could be reduced, perhaps with a corresponding balance to their effects? That might allow more to be used on each group of mobs.

I'm not sure I get the resistance to rolling back the change coming from some quarters. Even if no-crash Rage gave SS an edge, I didn't see it preventing people from playing other powersets and making them very effective. Am I wrong about that?

As a long time player of both (although CoH is my all-time favourite MMO), I agree with much that's said here. I totally agree that CO fundamentally represents superheroes in a different way to CoH. CO is almost a parody, and it's not pleasant to feel like the game you're playing is making fun of your passion for superheroes. CoH has a measure of gravitas - but more silver age gravitas that also allows for a bit of campiness (we're wearing a lot of spandex, after all). CO also has very poor animations. It's hard to overstate the impact that animations can have on the feel of a game. CO animations lack momentum, impact, flow and a sense of power. The martial arts powers - energy builder in particular - are terrible. Even walking and running look uncoordinated. CO's lore and villains are dull, and many are shallow copies of CoH villian groups (eg Red Banner a weaker version of Tsoo). Some of CO's core powersets just aren't satisfying. Super Strength has massive knockback that makes playing it irritating. The same goes for Force. I think one reason the CoH community is generally nicer is that CoH is very team oriented and very forgiving about builds. Just about any build is welcome on any team. Therefore just about all teams & players are welcoming. In CO, there's a strong zero-sum optimisation mentality that writes off many builds, and it's much more solo focused. When you feel that teaming is going to slow your progression, you're going to be lot less welcoming or forgiving. There's also an idea that "a game is defined by its limitations." If you tell someone they can be anything at all, at any power level, there's not much of a game there. If you say they must make decisions and trade-offs, then it's more interesting. CO's Freeform is a cool idea, but it tends towards the same basic build with only cosmetic changes. Once you've made a level 40 character with powerful offence and defence, there's not much reason to make another, as it'll end up playing much the same. In CoH, there are real trade-offs, and they deliver real differences in playstyle, which fuels alts, which keeps people playing. I could go on, but I'll just link to a post I wrote in 2012 about some of the things that CoH got right: http://www.tremblinghand.net/2012/09/11-things-mmos-can-learn-from-city-of.html And another post about one possible source of CO's woes: its "Chief Creative Officer" http://www.tremblinghand.net/2009/09/why-roper-has-to-go.html.

Thanks for the tips. Good to know it's possible, if expensive. And good advice on slotting things like Boxing. I also noticed some of the Epic pools have immobilise, which can take some S/L Def IOs, as well as other melee attacks.

I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to slot /Energy Aura, specifically to boost typed defences, and Smashing/Lethal in particular. It seems most of the typed defence IOs are for melee or taunt powers, which makes sense given EA originated with Brutes (I think). But there are few ranged or AOE powers that offer them. Positional defence secondaries, like SR and Ninjitsu are at less of a disadvantage, with several sources of +Def. I'm building an Energy/EA Sentinel at the moment, and finding it hard to get above ~42% for S/L, including a Steadfast Protection. Any suggestions? Or do the devs need to tweak/add some IOs that offer greater positional defences to ranged attacks?

I wouldn't be averse to allowing multiple use of powexec_auto only on self-buff powers, like Hasten, Rage, Active Defense (using my current SD/SS Tanker for example) and not on attacks, team buffs, etc. I don't know if it would be possible to restrict which powers it applies to in the code, which might be why it is the way it is.

As a fan of the Tsoo, I've always wanted to play Kinetics/melee or melee/Kinetics. Zipping around, speed boosting, whacking, healing. That said, you'd probably need 15 minutes in a quiet darkened room afterwards to prevent overstimulation.