QoL change for PBAoE buffs, using existing mechanics

[Vanden]

There's a number of long-duration PBAoE buff powers in the game that you probably really want to get when your teammate uses them. However, if you're not in range when they click the power, you're out of luck until it recharges. What I'm proposing is to use existing mechanics present in other powers to make that a little more forgiving; if it works, you should be able to get within range of your teammate for as long as their character is still animating for the buff power, and still get the full duration of the buff. The powers that would benefit from this change are Accelerate Metabolism, Fade, Recovery Aura, Regeneration Aura, Chrono Shift, Farsight, Mind Link, and Inertial Reduction.

 

Step 1: Instead of the caster being the source of the buff, the powers are instead changed to pseudopet powers. The pseudopet is summoned at the caster's location and is the actual source of the buff effect. With the new pseudopet code that was implemented for Page 5, this step should be much easier to implement.

 

Step 2: The pseudo pet constantly pulses the power's buffs for the duration of its life, which matches that power's cast time. This means that if a teammate is just a moment too late to get in range at the moment of activation, they can still get the buff on subsequent pulses. Since (correct me if I'm wrong) none of these powers can stack from the same caster, this means that if you stay in range and get buffed multiple times, it just refreshes the duration of the power on you. I believe the new Page 5 pseudopets are coded such that they still count as the caster, so if you were to get any of these powers' recharges down to perma-territory, they still wouldn't stack if you cast them again.

 

I've played other team games where the PBAoE buffs players can give each other have similar grace periods for getting in range of them, and I'd love to see that convenience make its way to CoH.

[Caulderone]

I'd take it a step further, frankly.

 

Make the pet last for 5-10 seconds and pulse the buff, instead of just the case time.  Even if they stand in it the whole time, at worst they are getting 5-10 seconds extra on the buff.