Some Ideas for CoH

[TrashBasher]

Problem: Need for more variety in the game. 

Solution 1:
Official Option for small teams.  We can choose to set teams to smaller sizes, but players are not expecting it.  Every team is always "LF3M" so that is the expectation.  Support for teams < 5 would be great.  I prefer teams in the 2-4 range as there is more intimacy, more banter, more obvious roles and your impact is more evident. 

 

Solution 2:
Cloning SG mates to NPCs, or a similar type of option.  I enjoy the randomness of having an NPC sidekick, so it would be nice to have the ability to sidekick an NPC with costumes, ATs and powersets based on player characters.  If that is too hard, perhaps simplified versions of the Costume-AT.  
Have a stable of NPCs ala the Costume Slots, and select one after you enter a mission solo.  If you add another member to your team, the NPC disappears after 60 seconds.  If your NPC dies, your rewards are diminished by 25%, if they survive, they are buffed by 5%, or something that is appropriate.
 

[macskull]

18 minutes ago, TrashBasher said:

Solution 1:
Official Option for small teams.  We can choose to set teams to smaller sizes, but players are not expecting it.  Every team is always "LF3M" so that is the expectation.  Support for teams < 5 would be great.  I prefer teams in the 2-4 range as there is more intimacy, more banter, more obvious roles and your impact is more evident. 

I'm not sure what the ask here is, outside of iTrials/special events there is no minimum team size anymore.

[Six-Six]

I believe the variety is there, you just need to unlock it through a bit of creativity.

Teams, TF/SFs are not obligated to run with a full set of 8, or with just 8 for that matter. I usually run with a friend or two, so there's just two or 4 of us at the most. (and none of that Tank/DPS/Heal/Control BS. We bring whatever toon we like and make do with what we have. Sometimes, there's a bit of role playing, like limiting the toon's powers to what is realistic for the character (I have a soldier who just has guns and gadgets, he has no business throwing force bolts from his hands or running super speed)... as opposed to going full meta with a fire/plant/dark whatever. How the mission progresses depends on who's present. Do we take them head on? Stealth if we can? or lure them to a corner and punch their lights out one by one.

Some of my blasters like to punch things instead of snipe, others don't mind getting mezzed because that's part of their character, some of my sents can hold aggro and take punishment, etc. It's not all about speed runs and herding-AoE steamrolling. 

What I would like to see in terms of variety is a bit of RNG in the AVs and/or mobs we face. You got a team ready to face Silver Mantis? tough bananas because you're facing Ghost Widow instead. Expecting to be sapped by Malta? turns out they're experimenting with plant toxins instead. Ready for Longbow's Wardens? they happen to bring along Subjugators or Vanguard Magicians or Carnies.

You hold the power to your enjoyment.

[TrashBasher]

2 hours ago, macskull said:

I'm not sure what the ask here is, outside of iTrials/special events there is no minimum team size anymore.

True, but people expect to be on xp teams, so this is a way for people to specifically find like minded players.  Adjust the rewards if necessary.  The obvious answer is to just make it a request as you LFG, but nobody does that.  

 

Add it as an option is Search?  Not sure, but this is not a hard thing to find ideas.

[Greycat]

10 hours ago, macskull said:

I'm not sure what the ask here is, outside of iTrials/special events there is no minimum team size anymore.

I think you're looking at it from the wrong side. It doesn't sound (to me) like the OP is talking about minimums, but maximums.

 

And to me, honestly, it's already in the players' hands. "LF1m, small (5 person) team for content."

[Saiyajinzoningen]

maybe the OP means they'd like more content similar to summer blockbuster? 

[Lines]

31 minutes ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

maybe the OP means they'd like more content similar to summer blockbuster? 

Sounds that way to me - which I'd love to see too! I think the branched goals of Summer Blockbuster could be a great model for other bits of content, especially if it were somehow more seamless.

 

My guess is that Summer Blockbuster and the Haunted House were experiments by the original devs into exactly that.

 

OP may also be asking for a reward or balance system based around smaller teams, but I don't know how that might shape out any different than it already does.

Edited September 25, 2020 by Lines

[SeraphimKensai]

18 hours ago, TrashBasher said:

True, but people expect to be on xp teams...

Honestly I don't care about xp. Then again I have like 70 characters that are made, and most are incarnate and IO'd. I occasionally run a select build macros to swap off my IO's and just use SO's just to remember the old days.

 

Some characters are never meant to get to being an incarnate God, and get permanently froze in the teens or 30's.

 

I've encountered several other like minded individuals that don't care really care about xp.

 

Then again if I'm trying to level a character, teaming is very inefficient, and I personally see my enjoyment/time more valuable than leveling inefficiently.

 

I guess to each there own.

[SwitchFade]

Uh...

 

"Casual team of 5, lf1 more, xx diff..."

 

Option 1 solved.

 

Option 2... Uh, sure? As long as it's as easy as, say, changing the color of the elevator buttons. Otherwise.... No.