Tempest's Roleplay Suggestion Compendium

[Andreah]

On 2/22/2021 at 1:43 PM, Nayreia said:

2. PvP FFA toggle command for SG bases: I have a lot of things in my roleplaying comic project I want to convey to the participants; Things like training activities with sparring, or combat aptitude examinations for new recruits. Or other concepts like a certain character being a Nemesis-type (Resident Evil, not our local Prussian Prince of Automatons) where they're just simply a threat we run away from because they're so far out of our league.

This is a cool idea, really awesome in fact, but I hate it. 

 

I wouldn't hate it if there were also a character setting I could set that would prevent me from ever entering a base which has the FFA flag on, and that instantly ejected me if the flag turned on while I was in one.

 

One could also have a variant of this FFA flag -- Group + Coalition vs Non-members. That could possibly get a lot of use in story based RP-PvP.

 

Oh, and have a base setting for a super-sidekicking level to be set. You could have the base set to FFA Level 20, or Group-vs-Others Level 44, and so on. Everyone who enters would instantly take on that level until they leave, just as if they were on a team with the leader's level.

 

Finally, have a base flag setting for Walk Only. In this setting, everyone who enters is put into Walk mode and all powers are suppressed until they leave.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Andreah

[Cobalt Arachne]

5 hours ago, Andreah said:

This is a cool idea, really awesome in fact, but I hate it. 

(Disclaimer: My original post in this thread was written before I became a member of the Homecoming development team, so please don't read into things too deeply! 😅)

I understand your concern! As it has existed in City of Heroes, the idea of PvP causes a lot of players to back away, even worse, the idea of being pulled into PvP unwillingly and griefed.

Player vs. player is not something that will appeal to everyone in the community, and that's totally fine, but the system itself has applications that could see use beyond competitive play. The idea of using the PvP system as a creative tool involving organized players to put towards anything their creativity can think of has value. Roleplaying, mini-games like capture the flag, or player-created boss raids...
The applications I had in mind for the concept are anything but competitive, it's more about giving players more options to work with on the realization of their creative outlet in City of Heroes.

Without even needing to check I can guarantee, if a PvP-enabled SG base system were to be introduced (reminder; there are no current plans!), every precaution would be taken to ensure that griefing was impossible and it always remained 100% opt-in. If this criteria couldn't be met, the system likely would not see implementation.

When I wrote that previous post, my thinking was that you would get the 30-second countdown with a pop-up, (like PvP zones currently have), with an opt-out button to leave the base on it. Both the countdown and the pop-up would be prompted if the base had PvP enabled before you entered, or if the base's owner toggles it on while you are inside.

With these measures in-place my thinking was that it shouldn't be possible grief somebody with this feature unless you AFK in untrustworthy bases.

 

5 hours ago, Andreah said:

I wouldn't hate it if there were also a character setting I could set that would prevent me from ever entering a base which has the FFA flag on, and that instantly ejected me if the flag turned on while I was in one.

Obviously some kind of failproof option like this would be good to have; My thinking on suggestions is usually oriented with "What seems reasonably doable using the systems and functions I know exist in-game currently." as anything else usually is either not possible or requires coding and still might not be possible.

[Black Zot]

5 minutes ago, Nayreia said:

Without even needing to check I can guarantee, if a PvP-enabled SG base system were to be introduced (reminder; there are no current plans!), every precaution would be taken to ensure that griefing was impossible and it always remained 100% opt-in. If this criteria couldn't be met, the system likely would not see implementation.

 

All well and good for that to be the intent.  But the histories of various other MMOs have demonstrated that if it's possible to toggle PvP on/off, there is ALWAYS a way to force-flag someone so you can grief them.  ALWAYS.  The patch notes of those games are littered with instances of closing yet another PvP-grief loophole, only to have still more crop up down the line.

[Grindingsucks]

58 minutes ago, Black Zot said:

 

All well and good for that to be the intent.  But the histories of various other MMOs have demonstrated that if it's possible to toggle PvP on/off, there is ALWAYS a way to force-flag someone so you can grief them.  ALWAYS.  The patch notes of those games are littered with instances of closing yet another PvP-grief loophole, only to have still more crop up down the line.

Well, that's an interesting anecdote but, even if you can provide links to a score of games that have had this difficulty, that doesn't mean that CoH would be inevitably doomed to the same outcome.

 

I'm fine with an opt-in/opt-out PVP aspect to the game if the devs decide they want to pursue that aspect of play.  Like Nayreia, as an RP'er, I can think of many RP situations that would be enhanced by optional pvp.

[Cobalt Arachne]

1 hour ago, Black Zot said:

 

All well and good for that to be the intent.  But the histories of various other MMOs have demonstrated that if it's possible to toggle PvP on/off, there is ALWAYS a way to force-flag someone so you can grief them.  ALWAYS.  The patch notes of those games are littered with instances of closing yet another PvP-grief loophole, only to have still more crop up down the line.

That's a fair thought to have.

 

Expanding the PvP system to SG bases as an optional tool would likely see it function with nearly identical nuance to how the system operates right now in the PvP zones.

In the context of City of Heroes as it functions today, are there regular occurrences in which non-consensual PvP griefing happens that substantiates these concerns? (Going into a PvP zone and leaving the safe area is consenting to PvP. Being attacked while trying to get badges, Shivans, or Warburg nukes does not constitute griefing.)

[Andreah]

I'm not against PvP, but I do want to control when and where I'm involved in it. It's a powerful tool for story telling. Unfortunately, it also a tool for grief, and I approve of tight measures used to ensure it's not possible, or at least really difficult, to use it that way. With those in place, I know our roleplay community will use PvP to great positive effect,

[Grindingsucks]

So, I was thinking about PvP for Roleplaying purposes, today.  What if there was an optional non-lethal pvp mode you could switch on.  In this mode, you can attack and injure other players who also have the mode turned on, but you don't gain or lose experience or influence while in the mode.  Possible uses:  Danger room training in a base.  Simulated battles between groups of heroes and villains in the streets, GM's Rp'ing Arch villains when groups run roleplaying events/adventures.

 

I do get concerns about griefing, but this solution would provide a buffer against that by eliminating experience/influence loss concerns and requiring both attacker and defender to be flagged into the mode before one can even be attacked.

 

Basically, just a slight variation of what @Nayreia had suggested.

 

Of course, I'm not sure how complex (or even possible) it would be to code something like this.

[Andreah]

For the Coyote and Panther travel powers, I'd like to see some limited coloration options. Such as color and pattern of coat. I'd like to be able to recolor the panther as a jaguar or leopard, for example.

 

I'd also like to see an emote pop-up tray for these two (or equivalent slash commands) To stand then up, sit them on their haunches, or lay them down, persistently. I believe these three states are already in their current idle animations series, so hopefully that helps.

 

And what I'd really love is for toggling walk mode while in these powers to leave their shape changes, and have them walk instead of run. That might be a bit harder, but it would be very cool.

[ironjoe]

On 3/9/2020 at 4:36 PM, Andreah said:

I brought this up in /help yesterday, so I suppose I should flesh it out a little. I doubt it's possible, but who knows! Maybe some dev will latch onto it and make it a pet project for the long term.

 

So, it would go like this. When you start a bank mission, you would be able to choose whether it's open to PvP, or not -- need to preserve the current way, since most people would probably prefer that.

 

Other people would be able to enter a waiting queue for bank adversaries, either as heroes to stop them, or as villains to get in on the mayhem. This would be through the LFG queuing system.

 

I was thinking of something similar to help revitalize PVP among players. Have a queue in LFG for opposing teams. Bank robberies, capture/free hostage tasks where two teams could have opposing objectives. It would have interest from RPrs and from PVPrs. It would have some of the objective based qualities of the PVP zones but in arena like match ups.

[Flashtoo]

Bring back Echo Zone beacons for bases.

 

I would have argued against their removal if I'd known it was coming, but prior to their removal, I've been in several bases that used them for concept reasons. I do not believe that their existence made it appreciably easier to get an Ouroboros portal than it is now (it's just as trivially easy to ask someone to drop one for you as it is to set up a simple base with Echo beacons in it) so removing them in the name of making the Entrusted With The Secret badge easier to get was ultimately pointless, and did nothing but break a bunch of supergroup base concepts that were using them for RP-centric purposes like memory crystals, holodecks, and magic history books.

[Sarn]

Any reasonable way to make Rikti invasion ships (the ones that spawn across zones and bomb all of us) "giant monsters" that attack and can be attacked? I would enjoy destroying or at least incapacitating those ships! It would require fly, but that is easy to obtain. It would be extra cool if they could -fly you and send you falling to damage and perhaps death! 

Edited November 18, 2021 by Sarn
Expansion

[MHertz]

Here are some ideas:

• Temp “powers” that put things in the hand: lunch pail, tool box, briefcase, hammer, screwdriver, monkey wrench, power drill, etc, even if these “powers” don’t do more than Brawling damage.
• Doors in bases that can be opened or accessed by all members of the SG, or by specific members: for bedrooms, offices, back rooms, or other personal/private spaces.
• A “turn to face” option in the menu that pops up when you click a name in chat. Sometimes when someone speaks in a crowded area it’s hard to see where that person was.
• A space in the bio for demographic data: given name, family name, age, pronouns, gender ID, and species.
• A “highlight these words” option in chat that automatically puts certain text in a different color, like your character’s name, the name of someone you’re talking to, or your character’s given name (as in demographics, above).
• Alternately, a “filter from local” button to remove a person’s local chat from your screen only, for about 5 minutes. Might be thought of as a time-limited and scope-limited ignore feature.

[Solvernia]

Please disable hitbox clipping on the Walk power ala Speed Phase.

 

Speed Phase is a secondary power attached to the Super Speed travel power. It allows you to run through allies and enemies, but does not prevent enemies from attacking you. It also makes you 'only affect self' so you cannot attack enemies while using it.

 

This makes it useful for RP when you want characters to move closer together or be able to maneuver past each other at close range. Unfortunately, there are issues:

 

Walk already suppresses travel powers and makes you 'only affect self'. This means if you want to use Speed Phase to better facilitate RP, you are forced to move at super speed, which makes positioning in RP much more difficult. The power FX of Speed Phase cannot be hidden and it produces a constant, annoying sound. It also requires a specific power selection, which means you need to use a second or third build if you didn't take Super Speed on your primary build.

 

It wouldn't be too hard to add the same mechanic to Walk. It would not make anyone capable of doing anything they couldn't otherwise do with Speed Phase, nor would it give anyone any advantage whatsoever in gameplay. It's a pure QoL improvement and one that every roleplayer would appreciate.

[Roseenmark]

Me and a few friends were talking about this a while back, but customizable NPC's for bases.  Being able to either make them look like you or copy an outfit would be very interesting in the base building dynamic.

Adding to that, customizable MM pets, adding flavor and uniqueness even to non RP characters much like how weapons have different looks, or even a tailor for them would be nice.

 

There's a plethora of base items I'd love, but due to the lack of tech items in terms of other items I'd love to see more of that most.  Especially given my base is almost solely tech items or what few that can fit the theme outside of tech.

[voltaicsylph]

On 4/28/2022 at 6:34 PM, Solvernia said:

Please disable hitbox clipping on the Walk power ala Speed Phase.

 

Speed Phase is a secondary power attached to the Super Speed travel power. It allows you to run through allies and enemies, but does not prevent enemies from attacking you. It also makes you 'only affect self' so you cannot attack enemies while using it.

 

This makes it useful for RP when you want characters to move closer together or be able to maneuver past each other at close range. Unfortunately, there are issues:

 

Walk already suppresses travel powers and makes you 'only affect self'. This means if you want to use Speed Phase to better facilitate RP, you are forced to move at super speed, which makes positioning in RP much more difficult. The power FX of Speed Phase cannot be hidden and it produces a constant, annoying sound. It also requires a specific power selection, which means you need to use a second or third build if you didn't take Super Speed on your primary build.

 

It wouldn't be too hard to add the same mechanic to Walk. It would not make anyone capable of doing anything they couldn't otherwise do with Speed Phase, nor would it give anyone any advantage whatsoever in gameplay. It's a pure QoL improvement and one that every roleplayer would appreciate.

This!  I'm already using Speed Phase for this and having this on Walk would be great! If not, at least give us a 'minimal FX' for Speed Phase! And for me, a 'Hug' emote would be fantastic.   If you stand around a RP group - there is a lot of hugging going on. If nothing else, the 'carry box' emotes that NPCs have (minus the box) would be good enough!

[Durham]

I'd like to see more costume parts, maybe even National Flags such as the USA or UK Flags as chest details.

[Slithershot]

Openable/closeable (maybe even lockable) doors in bases.

[TalynDerre]

On 5/13/2022 at 7:36 AM, Roseenmark said:

Me and a few friends were talking about this a while back, but customizable NPC's for bases.  Being able to either make them look like you or copy an outfit would be very interesting in the base building dynamic.

Adding to that, customizable MM pets, adding flavor and uniqueness even to non RP characters much like how weapons have different looks, or even a tailor for them would be nice.

 

There's a plethora of base items I'd love, but due to the lack of tech items in terms of other items I'd love to see more of that most.  Especially given my base is almost solely tech items or what few that can fit the theme outside of tech.

 

Adding customizable NPCs to bases would be fantastic, but even just being able to add NPCs other than 'generic civilians' to bases would be great.   Having Arachnos soldiers guarding the door on my villain group's SG base (or Crey, or Malta, or Freaks, whatever fits my theme) would be fantastic.

 

Even better would be being able to add names and descriptions to those NPCs, or give them some simple 'orders' (i.e. salute when an officer of the SG walks by, patrol from two pre-designated points, perform a specific emote every x minutes) would be even better.

 

[Zenith Mech Man]

I'd also recommend adding more NPC prismatic costumes that did not make it the first run Like the council bots. And the Cap Au Diable Demons and the 5th column.

 

     

Edited July 18, 2023 by Zenith Mech Man
Forgot some

[Doomguide2005]

On 11/18/2021 at 1:17 PM, Sarn said:

Any reasonable way to make Rikti invasion ships (the ones that spawn across zones and bomb all of us) "giant monsters" that attack and can be attacked? I would enjoy destroying or at least incapacitating those ships! It would require fly, but that is easy to obtain. It would be extra cool if they could -fly you and send you falling to damage and perhaps death! 

Bit late but afaik his is already doable.  The drop ships can be attacked.  It was certainly done on Live.

[Sarn]

On 10/31/2023 at 9:28 AM, Doomguide2005 said:

Bit late but afaik his is already doable.  The drop ships can be attacked.  It was certainly done on Live.

Hmmm, I don't see this as an option. I'm talking about the ones cruising around, so maybe that is the difference. 

[Doomguide2005]

49 minutes ago, Sarn said:

Hmmm, I don't see this as an option. I'm talking about the ones cruising around, so maybe that is the difference. 

Possibly.  Might also be a bit fussy with finding the hit box.  But unless it got changed at some point the invasion drop ships could definitely be brought down.  It typically looked a lot like the one they bring down when doing an MSR.  Relative horde of characters swarming the things before they could exit the zone.   If you can get a target box it should be doable