Poll on Big Picture Game Change and Development Priorities

[Galaxy Brain]

24 minutes ago, The Philotic Knight said:

Because the code is spaghetti, and splitting them out is a NIGHTMARE. You might be surprised at how much work it would be to make a "separate version" of the same set for different ATs to allow them to have different powers and numbers.... I shudder thinking about it.

 

It is, of course, POSSIBLE. But it's a lot of freaking work. That's why powerset proliferation was so much easier, because they essentially just added "references" in the game files that pointed to the already existing powersets, and used the modifiers of the ATs to make the difference.

Arent claws and MA all essentially clones but different values between scrap/tank/brute already?

[_NOPE_]

Just now, Galaxy Brain said:

Arent claws and MA all essentially clones but different values between scrap/tank/brute already?

Yes, and that's the proliferation that I was talking about. The harder proliferations come when it wasn't just the numbers that needed to be adjusted, but the actual powers themselves, like when they proliferated Scrapper and Tanker powers over to Stalkers and had to take out TWO powers and replace them with Placates and Assassin's Strikes. Here's one example. With the other proliferations, it was just a matter of adding a few references in the categories files, powersets files, and powers files, and LITERALLY copying and pasting the data that already existed into duplicate files, as you can see below with Cold Domination going to Defenders from Dominators, for one example:

 

 

 

So much of it could just be copied and pasted, then tweaked, it's ridiculous how easy that type of proliferation is. However, notice in that last image, the area I have highlighted? That's the visual effects for that power (and some of the practical effects of the way the power works, which is a little beyond my understanding yet, TBH). For making new powers, you have to either use existing resources, recompile them, put them in the right folder and rename them the right reference name, or make entirely NEW effects if it's an entirely new power that's never existed before.

 

All of these references to other files that are like a spiderweb become INFINITELY more work for a small team to manage, if you're LITERALLY duplicating EVERYTHING for ALL ATs. It could end up being THOUSANDS of files to manage, instead of hundreds. I don't think we want that... and unless NC Soft is going to allow it to become truly open source (I doubt it), asking a tiny tiny Dev team to try to manage all of those differentiations between different versions of the "same" powerset, that are functionally completely different powersets with the same name, is kind of asking a bit much, I think.

[Solarverse]

3 hours ago, Replacement said:

This thread was nice and mellow until you had to go and be sensationalist about it. Now it's going down the same rabbit hole as always.

 

Look, you just really proved the point of OP's question #2. This question isn't about "things that are clearly OP." It's about how YOU will feel if they decide a combo you like needs brought in line. TW was the perfect set to reference here, since the "nerf TW" thread was so polarizing.  

 

And so I question: how WILL you react? If they show their math and prove it was making other options obsolete, or otherwise diminishing the rest of the game, are you even going to be capable of objective feedback such as "this diminishes the fun factor of the set?" Or are you going to ignore facts, and scream "nerfherders?"

My last couple of posts said all that I need to say about it. No point in saying more, especially since you believe that my little ol opinion brings forth the end of times, lol.

Edited March 12, 2020 by Solarverse

[MunkiLord]

My preference is new game content and modes that take advantage of how absurdly powerful we are. Survival Mode with increasing difficulty per wave is still my favorite suggestion. Add in leaderboards and seasons, I'm in for life. 

 

Edit: Also, I'd like it we didn't need to rely on pylons so much to estimate DPS. Let's have a true DPS test. An object with regen and HP we can adjust on a slider that doesn't move or fight back. Bonus points if we can intentionally spawn 16 of them to measure AoE DPS too. 

Edited March 12, 2020 by MunkiLord

[Replacement]

48 minutes ago, Solarverse said:

My last couple of posts said all that I need to say about it. No point in saying more, especially since you believe that my little ol opinion brings forth the end of times, lol.

Sorry for that. I actually really value your opinion, but I got a bit aggressive when I saw what read to me like making a monolith of anyone that accepts nerfs, while ignoring all the valid reasons for them.

[Galaxy Brain]

Great stuff @The Philotic Knight! Stuff like that is what should be looked at if things seem out of whack per AT. Brute Spines could have different stats than Tanker Spines that has different stats than Scrapper Spines, etc.

 

@MunkiLord, the mission simulator AE mission does a decent job, unless we want literal punching bags just for raw dps?

 

[Troo]

52 minutes ago, MunkiLord said:

My preference is new game content and modes that take advantage of how absurdly powerful we are. Survival Mode with increasing difficulty per wave is still my favorite suggestion. Add in leaderboards and seasons, I'm in for life. 

yes please.

 

[Solarverse]

22 minutes ago, Replacement said:

Sorry for that. I actually really value your opinion, but I got a bit aggressive when I saw what read to me like making a monolith of anyone that accepts nerfs, while ignoring all the valid reasons for them.

Ah, I was only kidding, man. I actually laughed when you wrote it. Made me take a look at myself and laugh. We're good, my man.  🙂

[MunkiLord]

39 minutes ago, Galaxy Brain said:

Great stuff @The Philotic Knight! Stuff like that is what should be looked at if things seem out of whack per AT. Brute Spines could have different stats than Tanker Spines that has different stats than Scrapper Spines, etc.

 

@MunkiLord, the mission simulator AE mission does a decent job, unless we want literal punching bags just for raw dps?

 

Yes I was talking about a literal punching bag. But at the same time I should get off my ass and contribute in that thread. I will definitely check it out. 

[Galaxy Brain]

17 minutes ago, MunkiLord said:

Yes I was talking about a literal punching bag. But at the same time I should get off my ass and contribute in that thread. I will definitely check it out. 

Got me thinking.... there must certainly be a way to make literal punching bag enemies that in a group offer different buffs or something to make them an adequate tough-test.