eustace

January 27

Done and done.

April 11, 2023

1 hour ago, TurboRaptor said:

Beanbag is atrocious. Ignite is atrocious.

I understand doing a major change and removing a power in favor of another is a huge change. It's hard to keep people happy with something like this. However I don't think removing more potential damage for a set that's supposed to do damage for a very minor CC is a good move. It's also very thematic for a weapon you should be aiming with to have a power that is called Aim.

Reworking Ignite into Incenerator is a cool idea, and I can see having it stun. It might justify taking it despite it not doing the best damage, especially for ATs that only have their primary and epics to rely on for damage.

And personally, I don't think it needs it at all considering you can juggle a boss with Slug, Snipe, M60 Grenade and Buckshot already. That or just outright kill it.

My first 50 on live was AR/DEV blaster. One of my regulars now is AR/TA blaster. From my perspective, neither of these powers was or is "atrocious." Ignite became much less atrocious with TA, because I have holds (hold, burn), and I have Oil Slick.

Putting a KB proc in Beanbag makes it KB bosses reliably. I like having the flexibility to do that, vs having to rely on a damage power to do that, or slot a damage power to do that.

I suppose upping the KB chance on Sniper Rifle or Slug might balance it out.

Also, if they're gonna replace Ignite with something, why another fire attack? If I wanted a fire blaster that had a single target fire attack and a cone fire attack, I'd roll a fire blaster. Make the existing, somewhat unique power more attractive or replace it with something else unique.

April 10, 2023

9 hours ago, Gobbledigook said:

Why are we discussing what sentinels do? It was about Full auto.

There are big differences but i am not getting into that here. Full auto is in beta Scrappers are not.

One of your first posts was comparing Blaster to Sentinel damage. Ok, focused on FA, but still seeming to (unless I'm misinterpreting something) suggest that the difference in damage was a disparity that needed to be addressed.

The counter is that Sentinels dont need to do 1:1 damage with Blasters (or other AT's), because other advantages balance out their not having damage on par with the other AT's.

April 9, 2023

I don't get these posts stating that a disparity between Sentinel and Blaster damage is a problem, and that any solution needs to bend toward equalizing that disparity.

So then Blasters would still be glass cannons and Sentinels would be steel cannons.

Doesn't seem like a solution to me, certainly not any equitable one.

On another hand, after playing my DP Blasters in a few Tinpex's lately, I feel like one of the best ways to increase the overall DPS in the set (for every AT) would be to speed up the animations.

I feel like Dual Pistols is the worst one, as it's not just the delay in shot but then the delay in return to neutral stance that make the whole thing feel cludgy.

And, apparently, long animation time is part of the complaint about Piercing Rounds, too.

They already sped up the animation of Hail of Bullets, which was great.

I love all the animations themselves. It's a key part of what makes the set great.

But maybe just speed things up a bit so that getting attacks out is more fluid.

Or else give the set an overall buff to further compensate for all that extra movement between shots.

April 8, 2023

39 minutes ago, Gobbledigook said:

Full Auto.

Sentinel version is 152.13 damage + 10% chance 62.92 damage. 90 seconds recharge. 40' cone 90 degree arc.

Blaster version is 189.53 damage + 10% chance 62.56 damage. 60 seconds recharge. 80'cone 90 degree arc. More damage and 30 seconds faster recharge.

Blaster damage scale 1.125

Sentinel damage scale 1.1

Maybe this needs looking at.

As if everything else was equal.

The Sentinel also gets a buttload of damage mitigation that a blaster can only scratch at with an epic pool power.

April 8, 2023

7 minutes ago, ScarySai said:

Assault rifle is one of the worst performing sets in the game on live, even on a blaster. The changes made are a very significant bump, particularly sniper rifle, aim, and flamethrower.

I don't really care what happens with ignite, as long as all that other stuff stays relatively untouched. The idea that only sentinel AR needs changes is completely untrue, though.

Fair enough. One of my favs is AR/TA, and I dont think she has damage problems. Maybe if I stood next to a fire blaster all day, I'd have more to complain about.

Of course, I'm typically a fan of any buffs to my damage.

Just keep the hands off my beanbag, please. 🙂

April 7, 2023

Sorry if this has already been suggested, but maybe, judging from the dialog here, these changes - at least the AR and DP ones - would work better as Sentinel-only adjustments.

In short...

Blasters, overall, are good with damage, but need survivability.

Sentinels, by comparison, have survivability, but could use more damage.

Instead of messing with Blasters and powers they need, just change Sentinels, swapping powers they don't need for ones they do.

I'm not a hardcore number cruncher, so if anyone that is has the figures to dispute those claims, then that's cool.

April 7, 2023

26 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

Right. Like the sets fine on aoe without ignite, I just don't like losing it cause it's one of the only unique powers to leverage with the right synergy.

The problem IMO comes more from its small radius cause it makes it awkward for aoe, st, or as a "place at your feet keep away" power.

So, perhaps a better "fix" would be increasing the radius, instead of replacing it with a more token single target shot.

Or if everyone's day is really gonna be saved by replacing it, then maybe swap it with something that's another kind of "rifle shot" that AR doesn't have yet.

All of the other attacks are representative of various rifle-like weapons - automatic rifle, sniper rifle, flame thrower, non-lethal (...at least for now).

Maybe there's another type of gun that can be added to the AR's array of functionality, instead of just a generic "fire shot."

And it could be another utility power - stun, hold, etc, or, even better, a power that can be slotted heavier on utility or on damage... kinda like the current Blaster flavor of DP's Suppressive Fire that everyone seems so keen on ruining.

April 7, 2023

18 minutes ago, ScarySai said:

I can safely say we all agree that it's good riddance to beanbag, yes?

I don't.

Either present it as an option or find another way to help the perceived shortcomings of AR.

I have at least three AR toons, and I find it to be an invaluable GTFO power (when slotted with Stupefy kb proc) when an enemy is closing for melee attacks.

It's also 100%+ proc chance with no recharges in it. So, you have some options if you wanna try something creative on this or that alt.

To me, replacing it (especially with Aim) is lame.

April 7, 2023

1 hour ago, oldskool said:

I do respect your thoughts here, but I think your argument needs some help.

"Ability to reliably proc..." needs to be viewed in the context of what it supports. Using procs in a reliable way is a means to increase damage. The above suggests that the change to Suppressive Fire would lower its damage when using procs. That just isn't true. That isn't how it works on the Sentinel in the live part of this game, and that isn't how it works on the beta right now. [Sentinel is relevant since that AT has had that damage version of the power since at least 2019.]

The reality is, if you want to leverage procs less of damage will be left up to random chance and more of your damage will consistent in the power itself. This also doesn't account for the fact that bumping the base damage can be enhanced in a meaningful way.

Let's put this more into perspective. I use just 1 purple proc in my Suppressive Fire. The other 3 are standard PPM. I also have 125% damage enhancement due to Musculature Core Alpha. All things considered, Suppressive Fire is my second highest DPA ability next to Executioner's Shot. Yes, both powers eclipse even Hail of Bullets, the T9 but are of course limited to single target. And that's on the Sentinel AT.

Now, even without all the bells and whistles of my build the exact same slotting will net you around 204 expected DPA using the current Sentinel and the unchanged animation time. Using the exact same loadout on the Blaster AT the DPA of Suppressive Fire is 163. That's a bit less than using a procced out Dual Wield. It is substantially lower than Executioner's shot. Now, I happen to have a bias on using Apocalypse in Executioner's shot, but maybe other ATs want to put it in Suppressive Fire. That's a valid choice. You're DPA will go from 163 to 180 assuming no other damage effects on the Blaster. That's still lower than the Sentinel, and doing the same thing on that AT raised the DPA to 224. And, in both cases Apocalypse is still better in Executioner's Shot (hell, the whole set is better in ES on Blasters than piecemealing it in SF on live).

All that to say, the damage component of SF and procs is overstated.

HOWEVER....

There aren't a lot of better options in the current version of Dual Pistols in order to raise its overall damage output when considering a purely ranged damage rotation. Piercing Rounds, in its current state, isn't a really a strong alternative due to its long animation time. Hell, even loading it up on procs doesn't make it better than Suppressive Fire. This also means it isn't better for DPA on single targets than.... A proc heavy Dual Wield which is a T2 power. Of course, this is assuming no resistance reduction and on Live if you're using Incendiary Ammo for its damage component you aren't getting benefit from the resistance debuff (so this is a net loss for PR in that context).

So, Dual Pistols *does* have some numerical deficiencies built into its core kit. These are hard to ignore. Proc bombing Suppressive Fire is a smoke and mirrors approach to making that power viable. The test version of that power makes it better... for doing damage.

That last bit there is bolded and underlined because here comes the REAL argument.

Does Dual Pistols need this specific solution for ALL ATs?

Could there be an alterative approach to allow Suppressive Fire to keep its CC method while making Piercing Rounds more attractive given it is a higher tier power?

Could there be design space where the Blaster remains unique in having Suppressive Fire left alone because God knows that AT doesn't need more ST damage options?

Corrs/Defenders abusing procs in a power like Suppressive Fire grants them DPA on par with the Blaster AT in that specific power. [Defender vs Blaster is a difference of literally 2 DPA, that's laughable] This is its own balance problem and this change could be taken as a means to correct that problem (though it likely won't).

I think the point of my post is missed.

Aside from the fact that I cant speak much to DP sentinels (as I only have one, and I've barely played it, while I have multiple DP blasters), I wasn't exclusively focusing on damage. I was focusing on the fact that lowering that power's recharge means that, even if you don't slot it with recharge, its proc chance (according to the google docs sheet available through proc monster posts on these forums) drops by more than half, to around 55%, whereas it is currently over 100% when no recharges are slotted.

So, if you're looking at it from a pure damage perspective, the damage becomes wildly variable (any combination of 4-5 enhances proccing about half the time, vs all 4 or 5 proccing all the time).

But my main issue is that it makes slotting other more utility-based procs (like Lockdown or Stupefy) equally unreliable.

Again, I'm all for the continuation of that noble (even if eternal) quest to balance the AT's.

But I'd prefer it be done in a way that doesn't sacrifice such a wide array of possibilities just for more damage, especially as if THAT adjustment will fix whatever legit gripes someone might have about DP's overall damage output.

April 6, 2023

2 hours ago, Judasace said:

Please do not do this. I use this power to do numerous things the new power wouldn't do: Control where mobs stand and move, ignite my oil slick, throw it into the doorway in the Terra Volta reactor or similar places where mobs jam themselves up. This also strips the set of some of its AoE. I have enough ST damage, leave ignite alone and let us use it as intended.

This, too. Sometimes even just a quick patch of Ignite by itself serves as enough deterrent for at least a few would be melee attackers.

April 6, 2023

Regarding AR...
For my blaster, Beanbag is a great power. It's invaluable when those Cimeroran ITF bosses are running up to kill me, and one of my options is just to send them flying.
I have Ignite and I use it all the time. Even if it's not a killer power, it's good. I find it effective after I hold/imm/slow someone, to DoT them down. It's also a handy way to ignite Oil Slick for my AR/TA Blaster.

And I've played AR blasters since live (my first main 50 hero), and continue to play them regularly on Homecoming, and I've never wished I had Aim.
Not every blaster set needs to be Aim+Build based.
Not every blaster set needs to be perfectly aligned with another.
If you go AR/DEV, you don't get Aim or Build, but you get other kinds of utility.

If you want one of those powers, go AR with some other secondary.

Even Full Auto... Like ok if you wanna add a huge cone to the long range, I'll take it. But, classically, it was cool to have a blaster nuke that was unique with its long range and narrow cone. It informs that in-the-moment play strategy for how you use it. Changing it so that I can just face a direction and mow down practically everything in my field of vision just seems more like watering it down.

Regarding DP...
I find Suppressive Fire invaluable for similar reasons.

I can't help but wonder if the recharge changes in some of these powers is specifically to remove the ability for them to reliably proc. Right now, Suppressive Fire has a huge range of possibilities because it can reliably proc. One or two of my toons slot for damage procs, but most of them add a knockback proc in addition to Lockdown, making it like a Beanbag power that also briefly holds.
Not sure why anyone would want to remove that wealth of possibilities from a power.

If there are real numerically provable deficiencies in these or any other power sets, I'm all for trying to make things more equitable. But these changes as they are don't seem focused on that, while also removing quality build and play options.

July 13, 2022

This sounds great... my brain is already working on new toons.

It would be really, really great if, when I make the inevitably female /sonic dominator, she doesnt sound like a man every time she uses her powers.

Any chance we can get scream sounds to automatically match the gender, or perhaps be selectable, like one of the choices in the power customization, or an accompanying selector? Even if it's reused screams - like from scrapper secondary activation sets, etc - just some way we can elect our female characters to sound like female characters.

And, while I've got mug in hand... it would also be great to have such a change proliferate across the existing sonic ATs.

And even if it cant make it in this patch, maybe on the roadmap for next patch, to compliment this one?

March 2, 2022

I would like to add my support for this idea, for two specific reasons.

First, because, as pointed out by everyone else here, it would (hopefully) require very reasonable tweaks to add customization to sonic blasts to use the musical effects that already exist in game. Looks like there are at least a few of us excited at the prospect of musical themed characters.

Second, it would be to finally be possible to make female sonic characters that don't make male yell and growl noises when using their powers.

I feel like that second point should extend to a bit of a refactor, where even if you don't select music-based customization, female character models are still permanently changed to use female screams and shouts. At the very least, just reuse the existing female screams that have been in the game practically since the beginning.

February 26, 2022

Made it. Thanks to everyone at HC for all the hard work, and to the whole community.

November 29, 2020

Every time I enter the game, my refresh rate is set back to 60Hz, from 144Hz.

I discovered this because I noticed some weird stuttering at times when I would travel through a zone.

Started looking over the settings and noticed it set at 60Hz. Setting to 144Hz fixes the issue.

I thought maybe it was just a case of the specific setting not being carried over when importing from Tequila to the new launcher, as I've had it set to 144Hz in Tequila since Homecoming started.

But it turns out I have to set it every time I start the game.

I glanced into gfx.json, but I dont see a property that appears to correspond to that setting.

August 29, 2020

Thanks everyone. Love being a part of this community.

May 6, 2020

Cool. I truly appreciate you taking the time to explain.

May 5, 2020

Looks like you're probably correct about the misunderstanding.

I forgot about that interim phase - between "only normal snipe" phase and current "your choice of normal or fast snipe" phase - where it was fast if you had high enough To-Hit.

And I thought that the EM enhancement in question existed back in "only normal snipe" phase.

This is why I saw it as an utter step backward to work toward getting an enhancement, only to permanently lose tactical choice and damage.

But if that EM enhancement now essentially represents the 1-slot way of going back to that interim "To Hit" phase, then I guess it still has a purpose.

I'd still argue that it's a decision nobody would want to make, but maybe that's just the limits of my imagination. I mean if people were willing to slot the hell out of To Hit to get to that point before (or always take /dev, or a pool with the right +Acc buff), I guess the same crowd will happily apply the same effect with a single enhance.

Last question, if you know...

Does snipe damage still scale with ToHit if you use the EM IO, or do you always just get the low-end fast snipe damage?

May 4, 2020

To clarify, I keep using the term "enhancement" when I'm really focusing on the Fast Snipe "buff" part of that enhancement.

May 4, 2020

I'm implying that the enhancement (a not-so-common PVP enhancement) is now far less useful, to the point of being irrelevant.

Here's the situation, as I see it:

Before snipe changes:

No Fast Snipe enhancement
- Full damage
- Interruptible
Fast Snipe enhancement
- Less damage (my corruptor shot went from something like 550 down to 290)
- Not interruptible

After snipe changes

No Fast Snipe enhancement
- Your situational choice of two applications, at all times
  - Normal
    - Full damage
    - Interruptible
  - Fast
    - Less damage
    - Not interruptible
Fast Snipe enhancement
- Always this way, no choice
  - Less damage
  - Not interruptible

Before the snipe changes, the enhancement provided you a different option, not otherwise available - lose something (damage), gain something (not interruptible, fast cast). You could decide if that was right for you, and if it was, spend the time/inf to obtain it.

After the snipe changes, all the enhancement does is completely remove the tactical choice of slow/stronger vs fast/weaker.

This is why I allude to it needing to be "fixed."

I think it should either have the fast snipe buff replaced with something else, or else change the recipe to a purple and let it bestow the "having it both ways" scenario being maligned, where you get full damage fast snipe all the time (maybe rebalance the bonuses accordingly, and/or balance the effect between PVE/PVP).

May 3, 2020

Thanks for the reply.

Hopefully it gets fixed, eventually.

May 3, 2020

What about the Fast Snipe buff from that particular piece of the Experienced Marksman set?

I just slotted the full set for the first time, today, in a 50 Psi/Rad corruptor, and, effectively, all this enhancement does is permanently nerf snipe damage.

Without that specific enhancement, you have the choice of opening with your snipe (interruptible) for full damage, or using it once combat has started (non-interruptible) for less damage.

With it, all snipes are always the latter version.

Was this always the case with this enhancement, even before the patch changes, or did the patch changes leave a little rift where this enhancement is massively less desirable?

January 23, 2020

Quote

Mastermind pets which have been commanded to Stay or to Go To a location will hold that position and will not chase after targets or move closer to use powers that are out of range. Be aware this also means they will not move out of damage patches on their own.

T H A N K Y O U ! ! !

September 11, 2019

More power synergies, like how fire can be used to ignite Oil Slick Arrow.
Customizable MM minions, including body type (huge, female, scales, etc)
Female voice FX for all Sonic blast powers on female characters (even if it's just reusing the existing female yell/scream FX).
Some light hair physics. Probably shouldnt be as heavy as the cape FX, but so that the different hair styles can move, be pressed down or to the side by costume pieces, affected by powers like other physics-laden objects, etc.
More interactions with the environment.
- Destructible objects.
- Power:object interaction (fire occasionally catching things, water freezing, etc)
The zone maps are wonderfully laid out and detailed. As awesome as the game is, more events or missions that can make use of the zone maps - especially the more unique corners - would be awesome. Even if it's just slices of them turned into new instance maps, it means the work that went into creating them would reap benefits aside from just look and feel.
More complex boss/AV fight mechanics.
As many costume pieces as can be generated at a humane rate, and can fit inside the game.
More separation of body parts in the costume creator - style right/left arms separately, right/left gloves separately, right/left shoulders, right/left legs and boots, etc.
Minimal FX theme to more toggles (especially Radiation Armor).
Even more natural placing and activities of mobs - more patrols and/or them actually doing things. Less of them just standing around in groups... unless of course their reason for being there is guarding something.

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