Weekly Discussion 49: Alternate FX/Animations.

[MTeague]

Least Favorite:   Ablative Carapace in Bio Armor.  I have literally never created a Bio Armor character because of this one single animation.  Yes, there is a Minimal Fx option for Bio armor as a whole. No, it does not change this animation in anyway. I have had that confirmed by several people.  Yes, the animation is very short lived. But it's ugly enough, to my eyes, that it's enough to disqualify the entire powerset from consideration when I make a character.

 

I would be fine with a "no fx" option for this power, or an alternate animation that... looks a lot less like,,,, well there's no nice way to say this.... like the character is horking up a ball of snot to surround themselves with.

 

also on a "it would be nice if", I'd like "Kick" in the fighting pool to have a martial-arts looking option.  Don't care if Thunder Kick or Storm Kick or something totally new.  totally fine with damage remaining 100% unchanged.  But the White-Belt Front-Kick is... um... feels like my character should have learned something a touch more sophisticated along the way.

[ForeverLaxx]

Two things: first, most of the sounds seem fine to me barring one glaring elephant in the room: Stone Melee. Every hit sounds like I'm crashing a battering ram into the wall of a castle. I have sounds set to an extremely low value and Stone Melee still manages to be loud enough to be heard across the hall. It wouldn't be as bad if every sound wasn't the exact same audio clip, either.

 

Second, if you do make more alternate animations make sure they don't overwrite other animations in the set. For reference, I have the alternate animation for Snipe in the Energy Blast primary and under conditions I can't seem to replicate (ie: it appears to be random), ALL my other single-target blasts will inherit that chosen Snipe animation until I somehow "reset" animations by using either the Nemesis Staff or Blackwand power. I cannot for the life of me figure out why this happens, but I do know it's exceptionally annoying to see my character stand up straight, palm out, and a blast of energy explode from her navel at a perpendicular angle to the target.

[Major_Decoy]

I would like to see the warshade and peacebringer power effects proliferated to other sets where possible. Like Dark Melee, Dark Blast for warshades and Energy Shield, Energy Blast for Peacebringer

 

I mean, Dr. Helix uses warshade effects while her powers have absolutely nothing to do with warshades.

[Troo]

Energy Transfer - revert animation and activation time.

 

[Heraclea]

Another thing that's come up a number of times.  Fire Melee: swords vs. no swords.  I know of some people who shy away from the set because they don't want swords.   My own Fire Melee characters, of which I have two, would work better with everything being a sword.  An all sword set would open up to adding weapon costume pieces to the set provided that the weapon looked good wreathed in flame. 

[Troo]

• Crossbows for Archery sets
• Some color for Granite.. lava or crystals really don't make sense for a power named granite
• Weaponless animations for non-weapon specific powersets
• Weapon in hand animations for brawl, boxing, etc for weapon wielding sets (Broad Sword, Katana, Dual Blades, etc)
• Weapon in hand animations for part time weapon power sets (Ice Melee, Fire Melee, Stone Melee, etc.)
• More whips (+ chain whips)
• Sai claws or dual blades option
• Throwing daggers, sai, etc.

 

Lots of good mentions already. Trying not to repeat. Apologies for any repeats.

 

• Steam punk options for Traps
• Something for Kinetics.. something.. though I know not what to suggest.

Edited May 5, 2020 by Troo

[Solarverse]

>What are your favorite and least favorite animations in game? I hate the Energy Transfer animation with a passion. I miss the old animation so much that I can't even get in to the set now the way I was once able to.

 

>What additions or alternate animations have been added (Minimal FX, etc) that you couldn't game without now? Ice minimal FX. I love it, it gives that frost look without the big blocky look. The frost covered look is something that if taken away, chances are I would never play an Ice character again, since all of the ones I currently have use that FX in one way or another.

 

Also, Psionic Melee is some serious help. I have a suggestion thread on that below...
 

 

The current animations for Psionic Melee are just WAAAAAY too stiff!

 

>What powersets could use some alternate animations - and what would they be? Energy, more specifically Energy Transfer. Getting back the original animation is something I have wished for since the very day they changed it. Even if there is some charge up before it actually animates is fine, the time it takes is of little consequence to me, it is that specific animation that I want back.

 

>What emotes would you like to see added to the game? This I leave up to the rest of the community, since I don't use emotes very often.

 

>What about alternate sounds/minimal sounds? I'm looking at you perma-repel. As long as any changes to sounds are OPTIONAL I honestly don't care. I love the sounds of this game. So many sounds have been taken away, or no longer stack like they used to (Empathy Heals anyone?) or fade out. I HATE THIS! I don't want to see any more sounds taken away...ever. In fact I want the stacking effects and the fade away effects reversed if at all possible. Some sounds I can fix that were changed, like the Peace Bringer effects that were recently taken away, I was able to make a mod that reversed that change...but some changes just can't be modded back in to existence. Like fades...I can't fix fading sound effects. I also cannot fix the stacking effect of sound effects. So please, revert them back and make them optional. And if any future changes are made...I beg of you, please make them optional. Please do not make non-optional and permanent changes based off the minority of voices who express change on forums or on Discord. We do not represent the majority of players. So optional changes are always welcome. Forced changes are not IMO.

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by Solarverse

[Solarverse]

4 hours ago, Shocktacular said:

Music-themed animations for sonic powers.  The Sirens in the Talons of Vengeance already have some.  I'd just like to make a music-themed superhero or -villain, and the discordant screeching that the sonic powers currently have does not fit that theme at all!

 

Also, some of my rad armor characters are more in the "I was irradiated 'til I glowed" category, so having glowballs buzzing around them doesn't make sense.  Can we get alternate animations for those powers, or even just Minimal FX options?

There is currently a mod for this, you should check it out on this page that has all mods available for this game. Website below.

http://www.cityofplayers.com/coh-community-tools-mods/

[Solarverse]

3 hours ago, johnnysc said:

I think if the targeting window just gave a little more info about the other players powers without having to dig down into menu options then there wouldn't be a need for generic visuals.  That way you get the info quickly and the chance to appreciate the other users design choices.

It would also be nice to be able to see the percentage of health, who they are targeting and the buffs they have active when targeting them.

[Troo]

45 minutes ago, Solarverse said:

There is currently a mod for this, you should check it out on this page that has all mods available for this game. Website below.

http://www.cityofplayers.com/coh-community-tools-mods/

Does this work for the sounds from other player characters or only on my own? Looks like it will

Edited May 5, 2020 by Troo

[Nayeh]

Warshade:

Shadow Cloak - Minimal FX please! They currently have the Darkness Armor dilemma where you literally never see your costume (alongside all of the Shapeshifting).

Dark Extraction - Why the heck is my floaty fluffy not blue? Or orange? Or whatever color I want it to be!?

 

Darkness Affinity

Fade - Just because people whine and think they're invisible(stealth), please offer an alternate/minimal FX option.

[Redlynne]

6 hours ago, GM Miss said:

>What are your favorite and least favorite animations in game?

I'm really partial to the Martial Arts kick animations, and have no use for the alternate Martial Arts punch animations.

 Really not a fan of Incandescent Strike for Peacebringers (and it's Energy Melee counterpart).  It's just stupidly slow and is a total telegraph move that just wastes time on animations.

 

Likewise, I also think that Archery/Trick Archery/Tactical Archery really ought to have shorter animations for some of the powers.  Changing Ice Arrow, Acid Arrow and EMP Arrow in Trick Archery, along with Blazing Arrow in Archery to all be 1.17s animation ... instead of 1.67-1.83s animation times would get rid of the weird feeling that you're simply taking so long to shoot because you're too busy ADMIRING HOW COOL the arrow you're about to shoot looks, rather than getting on with it and just shooting the damn arrow already(!).

 

Soul Storm (as seen below) is simply THE MOST AMAZING animated power effect of all time in the game.

 

6 hours ago, GM Miss said:

>What additions or alternate animations have been added (Minimal FX, etc) that you couldn't game without now?

I'm actually of the opinion that removing the "Peacebringer whine/hum" from their powers WAS A MISTAKE.

I am therefore using the sound mod created by @Solarverse to put that sound back into the game.

 

What would have been a better option would be to create alternate options in the costume editor so that Players could choose if they wanted the original (with the sound) or an alternate version of the power (without the sound).

  

6 hours ago, GM Miss said:

>What powersets could use some alternate animations - and what would they be?

Gravity Control ... Gravity Distortion and Gravity Distortion Field (the Hold powers) plus Gravity Distortion cast by Singularity ... ALL OF THEM ... need to have the tumble animation used by Soul Storm from Soul Mastery backported/proliferated into Gravity Control.  You can keep the clear/rainbow-y visual FX for Gravity Distortion the same, so only Soul Storm would have the "spirits" swirling around the Zero Gravity Tumble animation and therefore "look different" from how Gravity Control does this (via alternate animation).

 

 

So to be absolutely clear on the distinctions ... Gravity Control Holds would make the affected $Target(s) animate the tumble movement when held, but would retain the particle, visual and sound FX that these powers have always had in Gravity Control.

 

Oh and credit for the source of the animated gif goes to Samuraiko Productions ... Avatar: COH Style

 

So, to put it mildly, anyone who looks at that tumble animation and DOESN'T think "this looks like Gravity Control to me" needs to have their credentials checked (and then summarily revoked).

 

---

 

Dual Pistols NEEDS to have an alternate "Pew Pew" animation for energy weapons than the enforced "Bang Bang" limiting it to purely slug thrower pistols.

Why?

Because hokey religions and ancient weapons are no substitute for having a good (Dual Pistols!) Blaster at your side ...

 

Just make the Dual Pistols shoot energy beams instead of bullets (so particle/visual FX change) and sound different (sound change) while keeping the animations as is for all of the Dual Pistols powers.

 

6 hours ago, GM Miss said:

>What emotes would you like to see added to the game?

Honestly can't think of any emotes to add.

 

6 hours ago, GM Miss said:

>What about alternate sounds/minimal sounds? I'm looking at you perma-repel.

I'm actually of the opinion that removing the "Peacebringer whine/hum" from their powers WAS A MISTAKE.

I am therefore using the sound mod created by @Solarverse to put that sound back into the game.

 

What would have been a better option would be to create alternate options in the costume editor so that Players could choose if they wanted the original (with the sound) or an alternate version of the power (without the sound).

 

As for Repel, so long as the sound used by the power was QUIETER so it didn't stack quite so LOUDLY it would be fine.

Edited May 5, 2020 by Redlynne

[rumpeen24]

I would love to see the electrical blast set updated, or have an alternative version, to look similar to the mu lightning.

[Ted Varnson]

I would at the very least like to be able to choose Hero Invulnerability or Villain Invulnerability. 
 

I hate that my hero brute by default is the villain Invul and I can only faux hero using bright Invul.  

[Nayeh]

Pain:

Please give Pain the choice between Light (Empathy default) and Dark animations. If I'm not mistaken, Empathy has access to both and it's not fair...

[Myrmidon]

8 hours ago, RobotLove said:

"No weapon" for fire/ice/stone melee.

One million times this.

[Nayeh]

1 hour ago, Redlynne said:

Gravity Control ... Gravity Distortion and Gravity Distortion Field (the Hold powers) plus Gravity Distortion cast by Singularity ... ALL OF THEM ... need to have the tumble animation used by Soul Storm from Soul Mastery backported/proliferated into Gravity Control.  You can keep the clear/rainbow-y visual FX for Gravity Distortion the same, so only Soul Storm would have the "spirits" swirling around the Zero Gravity Tumble animation and therefore "look different" from how Gravity Control does this (via alternate animation).

 

 

So to be absolutely clear on the distinctions ... Gravity Control Holds would make the affected $Target(s) animate the tumble movement when held, but would retain the particle, visual and sound FX that these powers have always had in Gravity Control.

 

Oh and credit for the source of the animated gif goes to Samuraiko Productions ... Avatar: COH Style

 

So, to put it mildly, anyone who looks at that tumble animation and DOESN'T think "this looks like Gravity Control to me" needs to have their credentials checked (and then summarily revoked).

 

---

 

 

As much as I love this. I always wonder how that would hold up if the recipients are numerous giant targets. Do we really need 8+ mecha bots tossing around through geometries maps like that? I'd also like to propose a "falling" animation like you would see in the Keyes trial against Anti-Matter when you get caught in the green circles.

[Myrmidon]

8 hours ago, Lockpick said:

 

Dual Pistols - Piercing Round: Not a fan of this animation and would prefer something a bit more normal.

Blaster - Ninja Tools - Immobilizing Dart: It would be nice if there a Shuriken option here.

An alternative to Ninja Run and Beast Run that is a more normal run / sprint FX.

Until they give us the option, there’s always this.

 

 

[Oubliette_Red]

I would like to see Stances available as alternate Fly animation, for instance Lotus and Villain Stance 2 come to mind.

[Nayeh]

3 minutes ago, Oubliette_Red said:

I would like to see Stances available as alternate Fly animation, for instance Lotus and Villain Stance 2 come to mind.

Oh gosh! Please give the Praetorian Seers stances as an option to fly, combat, and idle in general.

[MTeague]

3 hours ago, Redlynne said:

 Really not a fan of Incandescent Strike for Peacebringers (and it's Energy Melee counterpart).  It's just stupidly slow and is a total telegraph move that just wastes time on animations.

One man's trash is another man's treasure.  Incadescent Strike and Total Focus may be my two favorite animations in the game. 

 

Now, effectiveness wise, I get it.  The wind up is very long, and if someone finishes off the target first, you just wasted a big whammy on nothing.

But I just smile each time I see them, thinking "oh ya baby, this one's gonna HURT!"

[Cix]

Pretty pretty please offer an alternative to the squat thrust Assassin's Strike animations, used by Dark Melee, Energy Melee, Fiery Melee, etc.  Martial Arts has another option, which I quite like.

 

Also, being able to minimize certain effects from other characters would be great.  A lot of electric powers give me migraines.

[ForeverLaxx]

5 hours ago, Nayeh said:

Darkness Affinity

Fade - Just because people whine and think they're invisible(stealth), please offer an alternate/minimal FX option.

The constant flickering of Fade is honestly a bit annoying and slightly messes with my eyes if I've been playing awhile. If nothing else happens to the power, at least get rid of this aspect.

[Peacemoon]

Some great suggestions on this thread.

 

-Ability to customise the fire from Flamethrower/Ignite from the Assault Rifle set. Currently you can only use the default colours. 

 

-More animation changes. As long as it doesn’t effect the cast time/activation time.

(On that note a reminder that Sonic alternative animations are currently bugged and making the powers take longer to cast than the default animations)

-Pistol animations that are less showy- MM Thugs/ has some nice pistol animations. 
 

 

[Shocktacular]

7 hours ago, Solarverse said:

It would also be nice to be able to see the percentage of health, who they are targeting and the buffs they have active when targeting them.

Also, somewhere, somehow, I should be able to check what alignment someone is... or is this already possible and I missed it somewhere?
(I realize that this is off-topic here.  Anyone know where I should post about this?)

Edited May 5, 2020 by Shocktacular