If you could radically overhaul 1 thing....

[Eva Destruction]

An alternate path for villains that takes place in a separate instance of Paragon City.  With its own contacts, and NPC heroes running around.  And add a separate instance of the Rogue Isles for heroes so they can work with Longbow to illegally invade a sovereign nation and commit war crimes against civilians.

[Greycat]

19 minutes ago, FoulVileTerror said:

Would you have some kind of diminishing return, @Greycat?  Or just straight-up "no limits on IO Set Bonus repeats?"

?

 

I'd lower the limit of 5 we have now to 3.

[FoulVileTerror]

OH!  Shit.  Sorry.  Reading comprehension fail on my part, I guess.  Whoopsie!

[Llewellyn Blackwell]

The old outdated aggro system. I loathe anything resembling tank and spank/cc lockdown type of play. I really prefer combat when everyone is fighting and being fought back against. Its far more fitting of the genre we are meant to be in.

[TJBC]

Lots of good suggestions. For me it would be altering the exp bonus for maximum sized groups (8) by just giving the max bonus to any group. 

My favorite experiences in this game have been in small groups but these days no one will start a mission without 8 players. 

[TheOtherTed]

I'd rejigger the whole archetype/powerset system to allow a bit more freedom, something along these lines:

1. Scrap archetypes and classify the powersets according to five "roles" - melee damage, ranged damage, tanking, control, or buff/debuff.
2. Each character gets one primary set and one secondary set.  One of the two sets has to be damage or control, but could be either primary or secondary.
3. The primary set determines your basic stats (base damage, buffs, defense, etc.).
4. The primary set also allows you to pick an appropriate inherent (e.g., a tank primary would give access to either Gauntlet or Fury).

Not quite sure how Masterminds, Stalkers, or EATS would fit into this scheme, though.  Maybe new roles, or maybe "sub-roles" - e.g., Mastermind henchmen sets would be under "control," but you could only access Supremacy if you took a henchmen set as your primary.  No idea.  Just thinking out loud.

[Lockpick]

I don't know that I could limit myself to one thing, but I will limit myself to 2:

• Mutli-Power Set Builds
  • I would love to take a character and use the additional builds to level additional power sets.  Maybe force the Primary to stay the same and allow multiple secondaries.
  • I start off as a DP/MC blaster, but I want a DP/Devices as well
  • I can level one build to X level and then switch to an additional build where I can select a different secondary 
  • I choose Devices and then have to start again from level 1
  • I can switch builds as needed, so I might be level 50 on my DP/MC and level 20 on my DP/Devices
  • I would also add additional builds, so I could have a DP/MC, DP/Devices, DP/Ninja, DP/EM, etc.
• Extra slots
  • I would love to earn extra slots and expand total slots for powers

Edited September 12, 2020 by Lockpick
Edits

[Lockpick]

2 hours ago, Vanden said:

Movement suppression doesn't even exist in PvP any more.

WHUT!?

 

I may have to check out PVP...

[FoulVileTerror]

That reminds me . . . 

I'd always want to implement a system that allows the player to choose any Set, like others have suggested . . . BUT also offer -three- options for how /many/ Sets!

 

1- Just a Primary:  Slot Limit of 9 per Power.  Pool Limit of 5 + 2 Origin + 1 Epic.

2- Primary and Secondary:  Slot Limit of 7 per Power.  Pool Limit of 4 + 1 Origin + 1 Epic.

3- Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary:  Slot Limit of 5 per Power.  Pool Limit of 3 + 1 Origin OR Epic.

 

[MTeague]

I would disable the incarnate system during most 45-50 content. 

I would only allow it to be active in content that was originallly designed with the incarnate system in mind, no exceptions.

I would also be pummeled, relentlessly, by angry players.

[Aeroprism]

3 hours ago, FoulVileTerror said:

It would be to implement an alternative or three to the damage-as-only-means-of-progress meta.  

The key one being a Resolve mechanic.  Essentially a different form of "HP" that is decreased with Controls and Debuffs, which would cause enemies to surrender when depleted.  It would be slower than DPS'ing things, but would offer rewards in the form of granting Reputation with factions and various NPCs, in addition to the usual Experience and Inf.  It would also provide significantly more roleplay potential.

All the tech's already here, honestly.  By the time the Legacy Devs implemented the "NPC drops to a knee and becomes non-hostile, clickable, and chattable" code, this dream could become a reality.

This.

 

This is so awesome, it hurts.

[MTeague]

okay for something with a Snowball's chance in hell?

 

I'd completely rebuild Boomtown. I mean, it's been decades now. Give it the full Faultline treatment, new map, new contacts that give you a reason to vist all  corners of the zone.

 

And I'd add at least two more Redside Zones, not matter how I have to put them into being.  One lvl 20-30, the other 40-50, and there wouldn't be a single Arachnos OR Longbow NPC in either one. Just varied other factions vying against each other for control, and have a quest line where you can either pick one to win if you're the mercenary who's code of honor demands that you stay bought, OR, play them all against each other to keep them all weak while you make off with the money, your choice. 

 

And I'd allow you to actually ENTER Loyal Tea & Coffee shops goldside. Hanging out there would get you a Barista Day job with temporary +Recharge.

[FoulVileTerror]

Counterproposal, @MTeague!

Introduce Anti-Incarnate Content!  When an Anti-Incarnate attempts to join a team with an Incarnate in it (or vice-versa), the Incarnate player receives a warning message:

"Your Incarnate Powers will be nullified if you are in close proximity to the Anti-Incarnate:  $player.  Please consult your Team Leader to discuss potential options for your team if this is personally unacceptable."

Likewise, the Team Leader would get a warning as well.

 

And, just like Incarnate content, the Anti-Incarnate could "unslot" their Anti-Incarnate Powers to disable the nullification effect on the team.

And and, just like almost everything in this game, the player would not be permanently locked in to being either an Incarnate or Anti-Incarnate; they just can't be both at the same time.

 

In other words:   Player Choice!

[MTeague]

1 minute ago, FoulVileTerror said:

Counterproposal, @MTeague!

Introduce Anti-Incarnate Content!  When an Anti-Incarnate attempts to join a team with an Incarnate in it (or vice-versa), the Incarnate player receives a warning message:

"Your Incarnate Powers will be nullified if you are in close proximity to the Anti-Incarnate:  $player.  Please consult your Team Leader to discuss potential options for your team if this is personally unacceptable."

Likewise, the Team Leader would get a warning as well.

 

And, just like Incarnate content, the Anti-Incarnate could "unslot" their Anti-Incarnate Powers to disable the nullification effect on the team.

And and, just like almost everything in this game, the player would not be permanently locked in to being either an Incarnate or Anti-Incarnate; they just can't be both at the same time.

 

In other words:   Player Choice!

Honestly, I have zero expectations anything like that could ever really be made workable. 

Players CAN unslot the incarnate stuff now, they just DON'T.

Player choice is ... already happening. 

[MunkiLord]

The respec system. It's terrible.

[Eldyem]

Personally, I want more differences based on AT for certain Powersets. Think the Scrapper-Stalker divergences (Assassin's Strike, etc) but less generically applied to the AT. I'd also expand Inherents somewhat so sets aren't clogged with 20 different ways to format "Hide" or "Build Up" or whatever.

 

A complete endurance overhaul would also be nice, same with accuracy. I think more modern MMO design has moved away from these kinds of power limiters because they ultimately don't feel like rewards for building properly so much as they're punishments for not doing so. As a thought for Endurance - AT differences - Inherent changes, I think it could be interesting if T9s (in BOTH powersets) built off a AT-specific meter based on playing your AT "right" and you could choose which of the two you wanted to spend it on, with both being available at level 1, unenhanceable, and AT-specific (Blasters keep current nukes and get a strong, secondary themed buff, paired with a breakfree effect; Corruptors would have a more debuff-focused nuke that still hits very hard and a strong, themed debuff; Defenders would get a strong Primary-themed buff and a strong Secondary-themed debuff; some specific sets might buck the trend and have "unusual" ultimates, etc.) Or any other kind of resource-management system that's actually oriented around resource management. OH and I'd give Kheldians three "ults" based on form, maybe even keeping the meters distinct to encourage form shifting.

 

Accuracy I'd probably just replace with global critical hits, but with Scrappers / Stalkers getting a base modifier to either crit chance (so a Scrapper would always "out-crit" a Brute with similar slotting) or maybe just a crit damage modifier (so a Scrapper's crit would outdamage a Brute's). Or something to that effect - missing is just very unfun but SO slotting would literally just be 3 damage/3 recharge without it, which isn't exactly fun either. I'd keep dodging in the game though.

 

I also think an overhaul of the IO system to be less global-based and more individually interesting (example: set bonuses that add procs, especially in sets that already include procs) would have helped a lot with the recharge creep we've found ourselves in, but that'd be a wildly different game.

 

I wouldn't really support any of these things happening to the current CoH we have, though. Just general ideas for the future of a CoH2; modernizing the game without losing charm.

Edited September 12, 2020 by Eldyem

[Without_Pause]

A complete code rewrite. The original devs said the code base was a mess, which is really something for the devs themselves to admit to. A complete rebuild from the ground up should make the code base vastly easier to deal with moving forward thus saving time and dev sanity. It would shore up just how poorly this game runs on Intel. I have zero issues in far more modern games. The game in caves and sewers can be a series of screenshots. I don't want to get a PC simply for CoH but some days...

[Galaxy Brain]

6 minutes ago, Eldyem said:

Personally, I want more differences based on AT for certain Powersets. Think the Scrapper-Stalker divergences (Assassin's Strike, etc) but less generically applied to the AT. I'd also expand Inherents somewhat so sets aren't clogged with 20 different ways to format "Hide" or "Build Up" or whatever.

[RobotLove]

I'd make some changes to exemplaring.

 

First, incarnates:

 

1. Alpha slot available at all levels. (including level shift)

2. Hybrid and Judgement swap positions. Then Hybrid and Interface available in 35+ content.

3. Lore, Destiny, and Judgement only available in incarnate content (iTrials, DA, or any other "iZones" that might get made in the future).

 

I like the feel of being a little bit overpowered that Alpha's bring with the level shift and stat boosts, and the low key effectiveness of hybrid and interface, but the others are just too good at trivializing content.

 

Plus I would love to see Hami not be a mechanical snooze fest. Everlasting crew, I love you guys. But "Porttowallporttorockkillmitosbringhamito75killbloomSUMMONLOREPETSSETTOAGGRESSIVEburnthegoo!" done with 2 raids in 15 minutes... it's soulless.

 

Second, Epic/Patron pools:

 

Have them ignore the 5 level rule when exemplaring.

 

Most epic powers are just bad. Deliberately so, and hardly game breaking (with maybe a few exceptions *cough*scorpshield*cough). But many of them are pretty neat from a flavor perspective(EYELAZERS!), and others offer some fun build opportunities you wouldn't normally get. And on that 'flavor' thing, I've always interpreted the 'rule of 5' as you holding back your more devastating abilities so as not to seriously hurt someone weaker than you (or because unleashing your full power against puny insects is insulting). All the pools are labeled "Mastery", meaning you should have the skill to control them to a degree that you wouldn't inadvertently kill some weak little gangbanger.

Edited September 12, 2020 by RobotLove
emphasis!

[cranebump]

More AE scripting tools and maps.

[Lockpick]

1 hour ago, MunkiLord said:

The respec system. It's terrible.

Why?

[Oginth]

Rebalance merit rewards, right now red side has less merits. Give merits per sub-mission instead of completing the whole arc. Give drastically diminishing returns for repeat (for maybe a week?), to promote people playing other mission/arc.

[MunkiLord]

1 hour ago, Lockpick said:

Why?

It clears your trays, you have to rechoose and reslot every single power. The UI is outdated(that's a nice way of saying terrible) and inefficient. Everything about the experience sucks, the exception being the ability to type /respec to start one.

 

What would be ideal is granular control. Drag and drop power order(staying within the proper leveling rules of course), remove as few or as many slots as you want instead being forced to do every single one, etc.

[kiramon]

Endurance is on my list. 
 

it’s a non issue for the majority of “armor” characters, and nowadays blasters.

 

the rest have To suffer through the totally unfun mechanics of it (you can’t do anything with zero- not when live!)

[Apogee]

Did I miss something? Not a single call to nerf regen yet? For shame y'all, for shame.

 

TL;DR

nerf Regen