If you could radically overhaul 1 thing....

[Clave Dark 5]

9 minutes ago, EmmySky said:

Carefully skirt around mobs on the street?  So my approach of runnung hell-bent-for-leather straight through them while quietly chanting to myself "don't kill me don't kill me don't kill me" is probably wrong?  😝

Hard to kill an old habit!  My first toon was a blaster and I had to learn the very hard way about dodging street mobs.

[Shred Monkey]

I'd remove the level setting in the difficulty slider and make all pre 20 missions +0, level 20s misisons +1, all level 30s +2, all level 40s +3, and all 50s +4.   Then I'd remove the xp from AE and remove XP boosters from P2W.   Then I'd do a player-wipe so we can all start over again and play the game for real this time.   

 

I feel I should also point out that I'm also ok just leaving the game as is.

[Andreah]

I'd leave the game alone too.

 

But if I had to pick one thing, it would be the attack to-hit/accuracy/defense mechanics. Nothing should ever be an automatic hit or miss, and we should not ever need hard caps or soft caps. I can imagine the resulting Forums Fury already!

 

If I had to pick a second thing, I'd use my Giga-Lottery win to fund a costumes modernization effort. I'd have my team of amazing artists and developers go through and make variants of all the old costume pieces to give them subtle textures and details. My team would always leave an original costume piece in as an option, of course.

[Judasace]

Travel Powers

 

I'd make them inherent at level 1, and widely increase the variety of looks and methods.. This is one place where CO and even DCUO have it miles head of CoX.  Swinging, wall running up buildings with SS, flying carpets (That don't shut off your powers), etc.

[archgemini24]

19 hours ago, Player2 said:

Update older power sets to bring them in line with newer sets.  There's a reason the older stuff gets played less and it's not just because the newer stuff is shinier... it's because the new stuff is usually better.

I was hoping someone would beat me to this. Some of the OG sets are classics and great for thematic purposes and will likely still get the job done (eventually), but they are dragging a bit next to the sets that were developed when the OG dev team and the players had a better feel for the game.

[Luminara]

1 hour ago, Andreah said:

But if I had to pick one thing, it would be the attack to-hit/accuracy/defense mechanics. Nothing should ever be an automatic hit or miss, and we should not ever need hard caps or soft caps.

 

That's actually a very good idea.  These mechanics should be on a diminishing returns scale, rather than capped or floored.  It would create a less frustrating experience, and reduce the reliance on specific powers to achieve build goals.

[FoulVileTerror]

@Lines, @EmmySky . . . no no no.

It's not a question of whether or not it -works- to decide if it's wrong.  

It's a question of whether or not Emmy ENJOYS it.

So long as she does, regardless of the outcome; 's'all good!

[Kinestron]

On 9/12/2020 at 2:42 PM, MTeague said:

True if and only if you enable it

Menu - Options - General - Team Options - Collaboritive MIssions = Enabled/Disabled

 

EDIT:  I don't remember what the default is, but I remember having to find that option, so I suspect it may start disabled.

Does that work for the last Hero/Villain mission in the Tip system or do you still need to do your own to get the merits?

[Chris24601]

7 hours ago, Clave Dark 5 said:

Hard to kill an old habit!  My first toon was a blaster and I had to learn the very hard way about dodging street mobs.

Dang it... now I need to roll up a Willpower Tanker named "Old Habit" who's whole shtick is being hard to break. 

[MTeague]

1 hour ago, Kinestron said:

Does that work for the last Hero/Villain mission in the Tip system or do you still need to do your own to get the merits?

I don't know.  You'd have to both have the same final "Morality" mission in your mission log. 

So few people do tip missions, that I haven't actually been in a team with anyone when that happens. 

I suspect if you both did legitly have the same mission in your log, you'd both get the merits and both missions would be completed at the same time. 

[Nanolathe]

Mission Contacts and Dynamic Mission Generation based on your standing with various "groups". Have story arcs form more organically from gameplay as your character specialises (or not) in taking on specific villain/hero groups. Create a "Nemesis" mechanic that can have certain named bosses, Elites, or AVs, spawn as ambushes in missions (with respect to team sizes and difficulty settings); each player would get different enemies declaring them as their nemesis, and the player is free to decide how to deal with them. Every few levels the nemesis would change to reflect the new power that the player has access to, either by being a stronger version, or a new nemesis emerging if the player can successful defeat their nemesis (with the potential for them to return later in your career). Ways to gain and lose influence and infamy not as currency, but as an actual mechanical result of missions chosen, contacts worked for, enemies defeated and survivors rescued. 

 

This all culminates in highly custom missions that are specific to your character because of the choices you made along the way to 50 and beyond. Use the phasing system to remove certain villain/hero groups from the game (think more the bit-players rather than the Phalanx or Arachnos) and boost the prevalence of others, with additional cosmetic changes to mission map decor, and maybe even in public zones too, that your character can actually see the impact they have had on the zone.

 

Have generated missions that bring the "Come Back" of groups you've put down before.

Have generated zone events based on randomly chosen heroes/villains currently in a zone that everyone can join in.

Have opposed Task Forces on Red/Blue side that can push through into how a zone is presented and what enemies spawn there.

 

[Heraclea]

I would rewrite and revamp all of the early issue content so that:

 

- The contact lives in a zone where the enemies she pits you against are in fact found; and

- Almost all door missions take place inside that zone. 

 

Tightening up the writing for the material would help.

 

 I would also add a cutscene editor to AE. 

 

[Coyotedancer]

1 hour ago, Nanolathe said:

Mission Contacts and Dynamic Mission Generation based on your standing with various "groups". Have story arcs form more organically from gameplay as your character specialises (or not) in taking on specific villain/hero groups. Create a "Nemesis" mechanic that can have certain named bosses, Elites, or AVs, spawn as ambushes in missions (with respect to team sizes and difficulty settings); each player would get different enemies declaring them as their nemesis, and the player is free to decide how to deal with them. Every few levels the nemesis would change to reflect the new power that the player has access to, either by being a stronger version, or a new nemesis emerging if the player can successful defeat their nemesis (with the potential for them to return later in your career). Ways to gain and lose influence and infamy not as currency, but as an actual mechanical result of missions chosen, contacts worked for, enemies defeated and survivors rescued. 

 

This all culminates in highly custom missions that are specific to your character because of the choices you made along the way to 50 and beyond. Use the phasing system to remove certain villain/hero groups from the game (think more the bit-players rather than the Phalanx or Arachnos) and boost the prevalence of others, with additional cosmetic changes to mission map decor, and maybe even in public zones too, that your character can actually see the impact they have had on the zone.

 

Have generated missions that bring the "Come Back" of groups you've put down before.

Have generated zone events based on randomly chosen heroes/villains currently in a zone that everyone can join in.

Have opposed Task Forces on Red/Blue side that can push through into how a zone is presented and what enemies spawn there.

 

 

I have no CLUE how the back end of this would work... *if* it even could given the way City is put together... But I absolutely love the idea.

[Luminara]

18 minutes ago, Coyotedancer said:

 

I have no CLUE how the back end of this would work... *if* it even could given the way City is put together... But I absolutely love the idea.

 

It would work.  Everything necessary is there, just has to be used in that way.  It would involve creating a lot of mission content (a lot (really, a lot, because what we're talking about here is branching content, so one mission leads to two, leads to four, leads to eight, and so on)), linking the content to contacts, flagging the content and contacts to only display the mission content as available if or when the player achieves specific milestones, etc.  The tools are there, the content isn't.  Given sufficient time, it can be done.

[Chris24601]

Another, more mechanics side overhaul I would like to see is a tweak to procs. Right now thanks to how Procs per Minute work you’re somewhat penalized for slotting the full set they’re part of into a power because that set will almost certainly include recharge reduction.

 

The current “best” approach is to frankenslot a power with multiple procs, no recharge and then build for global recharge.

 

Instead of killing the theory-crafter’s fun, my suggestion is this; make same set recharge bonuses NOT count against you for determining PPM. The net intent is that a single proc slotted ‘with the rest of its set’ (vs. just slotted for recharge by other means) should go off as often as it would via frankenslotting with no recharge slotted in the power itself.

 

Standard code rant applies; but perhaps working it into the set bonuses somehow would be a means of accomplishing it (I have no idea if proc rate is something you can even tweak or if it would have to be a kludge like adding a 0.2 PPM proc to every IO with a recharge component which might cause more problems than it would solve).

[Gulbasaur]

7 minutes ago, Chris24601 said:

The current “best” approach is to frankenslot a power with multiple procs, no recharge and then build for global recharge.

I'd really like to see recharge and global recharge looked at more generally. Even the original devs said Hasten was broken and now it's not unusual to be rocking around with effectively two loads of Hasten just from enhancements.

[ForeverLaxx]

I'd overhaul the Inventions system, specifically set bonuses. I'm not a fan of how it turns everyone into tank-mages if they're so inclined and I would like to see the ATs get back some kind of identity unique to themselves that goes beyond the simple comparisons of being ranged vs being melee. The over-indulgence of +recharge and +defense and how constricting that can be on builds is too severe in my opinion.

[tidge]

1 hour ago, Chris24601 said:

The current “best” approach is to frankenslot a power with multiple procs, no recharge and then build for global recharge.

For some values of "best".

[Hexquisite]

Okay, having recently gotten into making story AE missions, my “pie in the sky” would be a complete overhaul of that entire system. I’m not talking about experience or influence or rewards - I honestly don’t care about that. I mean adding so much more.

 

There are really too many things to list here, but among my desires:

 

- Ability to make your own giant monsters.

 

- A “reverse-betrayal” function, where an enemy can stop fighting and con blue once certain conditions are met.

 

- MORE DIALOG! You can only have enemies and NPCs say so many things. In fact, I’d love it for all character limits to be at the very least doubled. 
 

- More publishing slots! Three is far too few!
 

- More maps. Basically, if it’s a location in the game, I want a map of it available in AE.

 

- Customizable enemy placement. It sucks when an ambush spawns on the far side of the map, when it would have so much more impact if they rushed right around the corner to assault the player, or place the End Boss in the exact spot I want them in.

 

There are so many more, but I think you get the gist.
 

Seriously, ultimate fantasy? AE works like base building, where you can go in and place stuff by hand, add a few decorations, adjust player and mon spawn points, really customize the map and the entire mission to your heart’s content. 
 

Sigh... A girl can dream. . .

Edited September 15, 2020 by Hexquisite

[MTeague]

55 minutes ago, Hexquisite said:

Seriously, ultimate fantasy? AE works like base building, where you can go in and place stuff by hand, add a few decorations, adjust player and mon spawn points, really customize the map and the entire mission to your heart’s content. 

I'm okay with AE having that level of detail as an option.... but .... keep a "Baby's First AE Builder" option too lol to just handle the 10 thousand details that go into a stellar base that most of us are simply too unskilled to use properly lol

[MTeague]

3 hours ago, Chris24601 said:

The current “best” approach is to frankenslot a power with multiple procs, no recharge and then build for global recharge.

I acknowledge this produces mathematically superior numbers in many situations.

I can't do it.

I keep feeling a great disturbance in the force, of millions of potential set bonuses that cried out, and were suddenly silenced.

[Hexquisite]

18 minutes ago, MTeague said:

I'm okay with AE having that level of detail as an option.... but .... keep a "Baby's First AE Builder" option too lol to just handle the 10 thousand details that go into a stellar base that most of us are simply too unskilled to use properly lol

Oh, yeah, definitely keep that level of detail as an option, not a requirement. I’d be more than intimidated if the first time I went in to AE I became as a god in my own realm xD

Edited September 15, 2020 by Hexquisite

[CaptainLupis]

9 hours ago, Hexquisite said:

 

Seriously, ultimate fantasy? AE works like base building, where you can go in and place stuff by hand, add a few decorations, adjust player and mon spawn points, really customize the map and the entire mission to your heart’s content. 
 

Sigh... A girl can dream. . .

A start would be if you could use current base maps in missions. It'd be nice if you are doing an arc for your SG and your base could be part of it.

 

You would probably need a flag so that people can opt out if they don't want people to see/use their layouts in missions, but I think a lot of people wouldn't mind having their work seen by more people.

[Puma]

Three things:

#1: Remove the barriers between Red and blue sides.  I want villains to be able to go to paragon, heroes to the Rogue Isles, etc.  To avoid the PvP thing, I'd make a temp power when crossing over called "blending in".  When toggled, it lets you appear as the correct alignment for that area to everyone.  Then I'd provide both a debuff and buff when in the wrong side.  The debuff would be a very wide aggro aura which draws more enemy NPCs, etc to you, because you're seen as a great threat, and a mild defense aura boost because that side isn't used to dealing with you on their turf.  When "blending in" isn't toggled on, you can expect everyone in the vicinity to to come at you to try and apprehend you, but you also have a slight advantage due to the surprise.  There would be contacts for you when you switch over in each zone:  Red side you'd be helping build a resistance to Arachnos, blue side you'd be working to infiltrate and take down Longbow. 


#2:  Crafting:  This system needs to be simplified.  I dont enjoy having to constantly search through my inventory to find what I need, how to get what I need, etc.  I would LOVE the Wentworth's interface to altered so that you can click "find missing materials" and any materials NOT in your inventory currently pop up with a set "buy it now" price point, with an option to simply "purchase" each one. Then let me craft right inside that window. Players can place salvage in WWs with both a "starting bid" price like currently, and a "buy it now" price point like Ebay.  

 

#3: More cut scenes, and with audio.   While the comic shtick was a creative way to deal with limitations in tech in 2005...it's 2020.  I want audio. I want voices.  You could always make it an option.  NPC audio: Text box or NPC Audio: Voice or NPC audio: Voice and Text.  

#4?   Make Dev's Choice AE missions become ACTUAL contacts outside of the AE.  Even if it were at a select location:  say, the tiki bar in pocket D.  But this would make them feel official and truly "special" when a player achieves that. 

 

[MTeague]

1 hour ago, Puma said:

#3: More cut scenes, and with audio.   While the comic shtick was a creative way to deal with limitations in tech in 2005...it's 2020.  I want audio. I want voices.  You could always make it an option.  NPC audio: Text box or NPC Audio: Voice or NPC audio: Voice and Text.  

I do enjoy cutscenes.  I think the ones in the game, are generally speaking well done, particularly First/Night Ward and the various "Choices" in Praetoria's 1-20 arcs.

 

I'd be willing to give audio a fair trial; however, I'm nervous on audio, because of just how incredibly BAD I consider the Galaxy City Tutorial to be.  The audio there is so horrendous, I've actually developed an entirely irrational hatred for the character of Blue Spectrum, even if that hatred should be more properly directed at the NPC blaring over the radio at you.  When character concept demands someone start in Galaxy City, I mute my headphones for the duration.  Seriously the Galaxy City tutorial is a textbook case of how NOT to nag a player, for it's entire duration.  

 

Plus, you'll have some players who simply are deaf, or hard of hearing, or who's playing situations (sleeping baby, etc) require them to play without sound.  So as long as I have an option to disable audio and use close captioning, then sure, experiment away with audio. Lord knows they can't do worse than Galaxy City, short of actually using nails on a chalkboard.