Architect Entertainment - Content Ideas

[BurtHutt]

3 minutes ago, Darmian said:

I think we're actually agreeing from different ends of the pitch!  However, when I say non-canon AE I'm thinking of meta stuff that plays with the concept of the game as a game, with things that have literally nothing at all to do with CoX, I mean nothing, other than utilizing the tools/maps/powersets that the AE provides us.  And there are a few of those, and they're well done.

 

As for being tired of the same enemies? Up to a point I get that, absolutely I get that.  But I'd maintain that much of that issue falls to depth of characterization and so on.  (Apologies in advance to all who think I've derailed the topic!). Let me posit this to you:  Suppose Recluse started behaving a bit more rationally?  It was hinted that that was on the cards after Red Widow's return.  Then the Rogue Isles becomes more like for instance Cuba crossed with Latveria. Arachnos assert more control over their own state and "seem" to tidy some of their affairs up, perhaps reclaiming Warburg and withdrawing from Siren's Call.  The plots and schemes that even something as simple (!) as those things are could generate masses of missions and so on, for both sides. What the hell are they up to? UN demands Longbow pull put of Mercy Island due to the Rogue Isles ambassador being a "reasonable" individual presenting legal argument?  Who knows?  Is it all in time for the Glorious 60th Anniversary of the Rule of Recluse in 2024?

 

And that's just Arachnos. 

 

And yes, new and different enemies are a must too.  Totally. I'm just saying don't write off the existing guys just yet, they could surprise us!

Oh I'm not writing them off at all...I just wouldn't create content for current story lines and characters. They have enough. Others can do that. 

 

I did a bunch of AE arcs on Live and they were quick, fun, up-tempo and has all original characters. I received a lot of compliments for them and it was something new. 

 

Yes, I think we're saying the same thing here as well. I acknowledge my initial post wasn't the clearest - I was kinda thinking about the idea as I wrote the posting. Anyway, I think it's safe to assume the players would like to see some new content to play. I don't think the Dev team is very big so here's a way to let the players help. Again, I have no idea if this idea is feasible - I'd love to hear about that. I don't want to keep thinking about this if it's impossible to do lol  

[Super Atom]

Specific placement of AV/s

 

big dream

 

 

[Darmian]

Red Widow as a contact.  Or better still the ability to build a custom Widow or Soldier as an NPC.  And the ability to build the 1960s Arachnos!

[Darmian]

This is probably impossible because of coding and so on BUT...never mind even adding more stuff for the moment (which I absolutely do want) but imagine being able to pick an outdoor map and then tag an entrance ON that map, be it door/cave entrance/whatever and then choose a second map to instance off of that? Portal Corp AE missions would take on another life then! Just instance another "world" from the portal...apart from that one map where you enter via the portal obviously.

 

 

[BurtHutt]

On 9/26/2020 at 3:33 PM, Darmian said:

Red Widow as a contact.  Or better still the ability to build a custom Widow or Soldier as an NPC.  And the ability to build the 1960s Arachnos!

I don't see why this type of thing wouldn't be possible. As long as it meets the criteria and is high quality then have at it I say!

[Darmian]

Can we have NPCs that (allowing for the stealth thing) keep up with a player?

 

I had a lovely complaint/comment from a player that they found shepherding NPCs that can't keep up annoying. Welp, if I could MAKE them keep up I damn well would, but I can't.  And obviously this is a game-wide thing, not just an AE thing.  Still, can't please everyone.

[Golden Azrael]

Just the alternative to AE 'virtual simulation' as the location for your adventures.

 

I'd just like SG's to be extended so when you tp out or walk out then you can do so to your own privately selected zone.  eg. Kings Row as the back drop for you own custom created adventures.

 

And like SGs, AE missions you can invite people to your private zone to enjoy the 'custom' mission journey.

 

That and up the 'AE' mission / contact limit.  Or offer offline storage of your missions like you can costumes.

 

Azrael.

[Player2]

On 10/1/2020 at 6:16 AM, Golden Azrael said:

Just the alternative to AE 'virtual simulation' as the location for your adventures.

 

I'd just like SG's to be extended so when you tp out or walk out then you can do so to your own privately selected zone.  eg. Kings Row as the back drop for you own custom created adventures.

 

And like SGs, AE missions you can invite people to your private zone to enjoy the 'custom' mission journey.

 

That and up the 'AE' mission / contact limit.  Or offer offline storage of your missions like you can costumes.

 

Azrael.

I love this idea.  It would let us each have a "neighborhood" for our heroes (or villains) like many real comic book heroes do.  Like how Daredevil is focused on Hell's Kitchen in NYC, and most of his stories take place there.

[Player2]

Maybe something along the lines of selecting a neighborhood for your story and once you start the mission, you don't just talk to a contact that appears in AE and you pop back into AE between each mission... instead once you start the story you zone into your chosen neighborhood where you have to meet your contact and then travel to a door on that instanced neighborhood map to start your missions.  And if you want missions that go beyond that neighborhood, then the door you have to go to would be a transport (tram in Paragon, boat or air ship in Rogue Isles).  Planning a safeguard style mission?  Have a police van on the map to use as your transport to that.

 

Basically, have at least one door for each type of map entrance needed on these neighborhood maps and then map an option in the mission design so that the creator can assign the map to the chosen door type... but don't be restrictive about it so that an office building door must lead into an office or a police van must take you to a bank robbery.  Perhaps the player will want to write their story as the building is cursed with a teleport trap that takes you somewhere else instead of letting you inside or the police van might transport you to a warehouse map for part of a raid.  Options.

[Darmian]

15 hours ago, Player2 said:

Maybe something along the lines of selecting a neighborhood for your story and once you start the mission, you don't just talk to a contact that appears in AE and you pop back into AE between each mission... instead once you start the story you zone into your chosen neighborhood where you have to meet your contact and then travel to a door on that instanced neighborhood map to start your missions.  And if you want missions that go beyond that neighborhood, then the door you have to go to would be a transport (tram in Paragon, boat or air ship in Rogue Isles).  Planning a safeguard style mission?  Have a police van on the map to use as your transport to that.

 

Basically, have at least one door for each type of map entrance needed on these neighborhood maps and then map an option in the mission design so that the creator can assign the map to the chosen door type... but don't be restrictive about it so that an office building door must lead into an office or a police van must take you to a bank robbery.  Perhaps the player will want to write their story as the building is cursed with a teleport trap that takes you somewhere else instead of letting you inside or the police van might transport you to a warehouse map for part of a raid.  Options.

Mostly I like this but as an actual option.  I have written missions set in both Paragon and the Rogue Isles.  That'll involve a trip to Null the Gull, 11 tip missions or not playing it at all if you normally play a character that you've locked to a certain side (and people do this). Not impossible, but it would depend on where your contact is. So a heroic mission that sends you to Mercy Island might need a contact in Paragon that gives the "Are you ready to enter the mission?" option rather than you actually travelling to Mercy.  Just thinking this through.

Edited October 6, 2020 by Darmian

[Arcanum]

16 hours ago, Player2 said:

Basically, have at least one door for each type of map entrance needed on these neighborhood maps and then map an option in the mission design so that the creator can assign the map to the chosen door type... 

The technical aspect of pulling that off is rather tricky as well. 

The way a map works is its already completely pre-built. So when  you're clicking on a door inside a Mission, that room/area the door takes you to is already placed somewhere on the map (usually way below the surface). To do something like this would require loading an entirely new map when you clicked on the door. May be a little tricky to pull that off. 
 

On 9/26/2020 at 6:33 PM, Darmian said:

Red Widow as a contact.  Or better still the ability to build a custom Widow or Soldier as an NPC.  And the ability to build the 1960s Arachnos!

I've suggested this and some other NPC options I've seen everyone recommending. The only hesitation with Red Widow is that the costume was from "Manticore's Wedding" and typically specialized costumes are reserved for events. However, we'll just have to see what the Devs decide!


Keep up the ideas, everyone! I love seeing them all!

Edited October 6, 2020 by GM Arcanum

[Darmian]

3 minutes ago, GM Arcanum said:

I've suggested this and some other NPC options I've seen everyone recommending. The only hesitation with Red Widow is that the costume was from "Manticore's Wedding" and typically specialized costumes are reserved for events. However, we'll just have to see what the Devs decide!


Keep up the ideas, everyone! I love seeing them all!

Well, If Red Widow was usable as a contact or NPC then her costume remains off limits, like any of the uniquely costumed contacts, eg Manticore.

Edited October 6, 2020 by Darmian

[Player2]

5 hours ago, GM Arcanum said:

The technical aspect of pulling that off is rather tricky as well. 

The way a map works is its already completely pre-built. So when  you're clicking on a door inside a Mission, that room/area the door takes you to is already placed somewhere on the map (usually way below the surface). To do something like this would require loading an entirely new map when you clicked on the door. May be a little tricky to pull that off. 

That second part is what I was thinking, too...  AE puts you into a special instanced neighborhood zone of the mission designer's choosing, and then you visit your contact there, then take the appropriate door and that will load you into a mission map.  When you leave the mission, you return to your instanced neighborhood zone map and that remains your world until you quit out of the AE team or complete the arc.

[Golden Azrael]

Nice and easy.  Instead of AE you have a choice of zone you can TP or walk into from your SG base.  Eg. Kings Row.

 

And a contact there for your story arc.  Eg.  Like Sun Storm in Atlas has the PB's 'custom' arc.

 

Azrael.

[Sakura Tenshi]

8 hours ago, Golden Azrael said:

Nice and easy.

Serious question: do you have a private server and tried to rig this up yourself? I'm really not sure any suggestion should ever be prefaced as 'easy', because what seems easy for us might not be so easy from the code side.

[Alchemystic]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but it would be great to be able to have bosses, allies and other objective based NPCs have a surrender function like we see in many of the later arcs.

 

Some possible settings;

• Surrenders at 75%/50%/25%/10% health.
• Surrender Animation (pick from list)
• Flees after surrendering? (yes/no)
• Turns into ally (yes/no)
• Include enemy group in surrender? (yes/no)

 

 

[Golden Azrael]

On 10/9/2020 at 7:46 PM, Sakura Tenshi said:

Serious question: do you have a private server and tried to rig this up yourself? I'm really not sure any suggestion should ever be prefaced as 'easy', because what seems easy for us might not be so easy from the code side.

Serious answer.

 

Do you?

 

That aside.  It's just a private map instance that you can tp to. 

 

SGs have 'within base' tp if you 'want to.'  The AE is just another tp to map.  All the game is 'tp' to inside/outside map/instance.  Instead of gaining access to your mission/zone from AE.  You just have another tp/terminal point of entry.  Instead of it being in AE it could be somewhere else.

 

It's an easy idea.  How hard it is to code?  That's up to HC to determine.

 

I'll preface it again with 'easy.'  See as you liked it that much. 😉 

 

As a mighty coder once said, 'It's just code.'

 

Azrael.

 

 

[Magairlín]

Does "change the in-mission music" include having music triggered by a certain event?

 

Also, seconding Aberrant's request for contact switching.

 

Also also, finer control over mob placement.

[Panthonca7034]

I'm unaware if its been addressed or talked about, but since I don't recall or seen it, I'll chime in with my two cents.

 

I'd like to note that the AE Powersets and ATs are SEVERELY LIMITED, and I can see some of you looking at me like "Dude you're CRAZY!" so let me explain.

 

There's NO Hero-Specific Archetypes, and no Villain-Specific Archetypes (Yes HEATS and VEATS), and many of the secondaries and primaries available in the character creator when you roll up a toon are not available in the Architect Entertainment character creator.

 

It is also impossible to roll-up your own custom Arachnos type character just as you would in the live character creator, thusly I ask; Is it possible to port the VEATS and HEATS into AE?

 

I like the Electric Affinity and some of the other unlisted secondaries available on the live character creator; is it possible for these be ported to AE?

 

Are there limitations, or porting issues?

 

Others not available include: Martial Combat, Martial Assault, Radiation Armor, Radiation Manipulation, Traps, Luminous/Nova/Dwarf, Dark/Nova/Dwarf among many others...

 

I understand there are Kheldian Enemy groups, but those are un-customizable and its impossible to really make a believable human-form kheldian type of NPC.

 

Edit 4:

 

I just thought of some of the unused maps from the game that I saw on Pchat, one of them is called "Dispel Magics Plane" which would be awesome in an Apocalyptic type of cliffhanger storyline

 

There's also some maps unique to the Number Six Arc which show the events after Hami destroys Praetoria which would certainly be nice to be able to use, and also the Dark Astoria, Hamidon Tunnels, Great Ceremony and Halloween maps, just to name a few. Is it possible that some of these can be added to the list of available maps like the map above?

 

Opening some of these maps up would open the door multiple options for time-travel alteration arcs, retelling of some trial arcs, and even creating a brand new arc all-together.  And so I ask once more, can it be done? 😄

Edited October 18, 2020 by Panthonca7034
listing other missing secondaries

[Darmian]

A thing.  It may not be easy but I'm stating it anyway.  Doppelgangers.  How we love them.  A few notes. currently a Doppelganger replicates the team lead and only the team lead (unless it glitches and player 4 gets to be the point person for some odd reason despite not having the star). So, a possibility of the "Team Dopplegangers" like we see in the Positron TF? Possibly fiddly to do but possibly not, since it's now possible to solo open a TF then the spawned number of Doppelgangers has to equal the team size.

 

While I'm on Doppelgangers.  If an MM plays then the Doppelganger boss spawns but DOES NOT SUMMON THEIR PETS UNTIL ATTACKED. That's some craziness there that needs fixing.

Edited October 18, 2020 by Darmian

[Darmian]

And just more maps. All the maps that are available, we want them. Including the ones hidden in the PVP Arena, where I found ANOTHER Kallisti Wharf map beyond the offices we already have. That being the half built stadium.

 

(So how many unseen maps are there? None of the KW maps appeared in Live.)

 

And Galaxy City maps.  All mission maps that were there, and all the ones currently available. Is that too much to ask?  All the maps?  Is it?

 

 

Edited October 19, 2020 by Darmian

[Heraclea]

On 4/10/2020 at 4:40 AM, Defeat All Snakes said:

Ally/rescue dialogue barks that don't all fire off at once. That's pretty much all I'm asking for, please and thank you.

 

This, please.  My personal style in AE is to put almost all of the story related text in NPC chatter.  This at least makes it available to players other than the leader, who is the only one who usually reads contact and mission text.  Right now the only way to add NPC chatter that works is to add boss fights, which apparently work somwhat as intended.

 

Some map context sensitivity in the description algorithm might also be helpful.  My most recent story is classed as 'short' by the algorithm, because it has only one mission on one map.  That map is the Atta troll cave, and the mission is not quick in practice. 

[Darmian]

On screen captions that trigger for all team members when a glowie is clicked or a clue revealed? Not always but as an option.

[Player2]

So was having a crazy discussion in General about how someone should create an AE arc about going to see a dentist for a root canal (and the dentist is secretly a Vhazilok scientist), and an idea came up:  a dull pain temp power for the ensuing pain.  And that sparked an idea:  how about adding the ability to assign a temp power that can be used for the duration of a mission (or the whole AE arc).  Make it so that it could be assigned as one accepts the mission so it's possessed upon entering, but also give the option of having it placed somewhere within the mission as an objective that must be found.  For added fun, perhaps even allow the story creator to name what it's called, but if that isn't possible, at least give a good assortment of the game's standard temp powers to choose from.

 

They could be used to provide an advantage in combat or perhaps a requirement for some other feature (like fire extinguisher for putting out a fire, which is a different mission objective).

[Darmian]

Yep!  We've thought about that.  There's even precedent with the Invigorate power that only rezzes you in AE so you can't abuse it outside the AE.  Being given a "disguise" too, like the temp costume powers for Hallowe'en would be good for an infiltration mish.