Focused Feedback: The Graveyard Shift (Hero Story Arc, Level 20-29)

[gourdhead]

32 minutes ago, GM ColdSpark said:

@gourdhead I think you're probably right if we're using the Queen's English... "were" could work if it were being spoken in a somewhat more English country yokel type voice I guess! (I think you're probably right - nice spot!)

I'm the worst about reading mission text, so I'm trying really hard to do a good job testing 🙂

 

[gourdhead]

Finished off mission #1, here are my initial thoughts.  Notes-Level 20 Energy/Rad Scrapper, fully kitted with ATO's and rares.  I'm also testing Combat Teleport (loving it, but I loved the similar power on my DP/MC blaster, and I'm using a variant of those key binds.  Currently running +0/x0 difficulty

 

1) Loving the npc dialogue 🙂  "Malady: Hah, regenerate that, you mouth-breather."

 

2) The zoombies aren't really a factor in their current numbers.  That might change as I start increasing difficulty, or if I was only running IO's or SO's .  Or if more just randomly start showing up.

 

3) Overall difficulty is pretty low.  I'll run the next mission at the same settings, and then start increasing.

 

EDIT-I also liked the wiggling finger in the barrel 🙂

 

 

Edited October 25, 2020 by gourdhead

[gourdhead]

Okay, "Dismembership Fees" is just funny 🙂  Also, "Cannibal Corpses" \mm/  And as someone else mentioned, I'm liking the modern references, dark web, phone video, etc.

[gourdhead]

Chapter 2 done.  Oh, how I love fighting Freakshow.  Dubstich and Raverobber are great, but if there's a rave going on, shouldn't Da Trolls be invited?  🙂  Difficulty still on the easy side, upping to +1/x2 for Chapter 3.

[gourdhead]

Small thing.  I'm specifically using the trains for transportation, and when selecting which zone to head to for Chapter 3, it doesn't show that I have a mission in Talos Island.  I checked with the mission selected and not.

[gourdhead]

+1/x2 is a BIG jump in difficulty.  I agree with others who mentioned a way to tell the zoombies apart would be much appreciated.

[Anubys]

I’m currently on the “Get your Vaccine from the CDC” mission, but it doesn’t tell me what zone to go to. Some of the clues seem to indicate that the CDC is in Independence Port, but no mission marker is showing. 
 

This is after “arresting” a character after choosing the vigilante path. 

Edited October 25, 2020 by Anubys

[Mystic_Cross]

Haven't read through the posts here so I don't know if this has been mentioned. I just started this arc through Ouroboros in the level 25-29 section on my level 50 tanker. I teleported to the contact via the large Ouro crystal and realized my recipe Inventory was full.

 

BUG:

I talked to the contact to use the store to sell my excess.... it makes the "ding" sound and moves down the list as if things are selling, but they are not. All of the items remain in my inventory. It is the same no matter what I attempt to sell, enhancements, recipes, inspirations, salvage... 

 

The name in my contact list is "Agent Watkins" and the name of the NPC Where I am using the store is "FBSA NetOps Agent Watkins" who is right in front of you after the teleport from Ouroboros. I do not know if the store is working when doing the arc in the appropriate level range, but I will try to check that later if time permits. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by Mystic_Cross
edited to add the word "BUG:"

[Lockpick]

8 hours ago, RubyRed said:

I'm guessing it was a bug then. It didn't change to the hand icon and I couldn't interact with it in any way. I also tried the new /interact command and it didn't do anything.

I'll try it again later today and see if restarting the mission makes it work, but just be aware it looks like it can bug out.

You have to wait for some hacking or something before you can click the glowie to open the door iirc.

[RubyRed]

Actually I just got back to testing again and figured it out. Despite the whole computer being glowie, only the very bottom of it was clickable, which I didn't realize until I just randomly started moving my mouse all over it to get it to work.

 

So picking up from where I left off, Investigate Pathogen's warehouse -- as mentioned, first glowie is only clickable on the very bottom.

One of the first captions' text is half black in the chat window, making it illegible, screenshot:

Even after completing the first objective, the objective marker stays on the front door. Pathogen Ascended has no ranged attacks, so I was able to cheese him with hover.

 

At the end of the mission, this is probably another one that needs rebalancing... when I went back down the elevator, there was a massive ambush of Vahz waiting for me, making it impossible for me to finish the last objective in the time allotted (and almost killed me the moment I came out of the elevator). Also because the objective marker didn't update, I had no idea what I was looking for. I only found the computer for the hacking part by accident, and couldn't activate it because 10 vahz were following me. I never did see the sprinkler controls.

 

Unfortunately couldn't kill Cortex, way too strong for this character, so I'm not sure how the arc ends. 😛 I'll try it again on a more soloable char another time.

[Piecemeal]

36 minutes ago, RubyRed said:

Actually I just got back to testing again and figured it out. Despite the whole computer being glowie, only the very bottom of it was clickable, which I didn't realize until I just randomly started moving my mouse all over it to get it to work.

 

So picking up from where I left off, Investigate Pathogen's warehouse -- as mentioned, first glowie is only clickable on the very bottom.

One of the first captions' text is half black in the chat window, making it illegible, screenshot:

Even after completing the first objective, the objective marker stays on the front door. Pathogen Ascended has no ranged attacks, so I was able to cheese him with hover.

 

At the end of the mission, this is probably another one that needs rebalancing... when I went back down the elevator, there was a massive ambush of Vahz waiting for me, making it impossible for me to finish the last objective in the time allotted (and almost killed me the moment I came out of the elevator). Also because the objective marker didn't update, I had no idea what I was looking for. I only found the computer for the hacking part by accident, and couldn't activate it because 10 vahz were following me. I never did see the sprinkler controls.

 

Unfortunately couldn't kill Cortex, way too strong for this character, so I'm not sure how the arc ends. 😛 I'll try it again on a more soloable char another time.

Sorry you're having such a rough time! I've already pushed changes into the pipeline to fix nearly everything you're experiencing. The ambushes are tamer, Pathogen will get at least one ranged attack, and the glowies should be noticeable on your way to Pathogen the first time - but they don't become interactable until after he drops.

 

In fact nearly everything addressed here so far is getting adjusted in some way. Cadavers don't talk, zoombies are noticeable, Cortex loses his confuse and gets a weaker Greater Psi Blade, etc.

[Mystic_Cross]

So, I just finished the first mission in the level 25-29 arc through Ouroboros on my tank at +0/x8 difficulty. Some of the boss spawns were wonky, spawning one level 20 boss and one level 29 boss together. This happened in 3 separate areas during the mission and I took screenshots, so I'll link them here with a view of the map and the bosses: 

 

 

 

 

I'll be running through the arc again on a less kitted out and more level appropriate version of the same character in a bit. I have to say, I found the mission interesting. I really liked the way the ambushes came in (even though they didn't scratch me). I'm thinking I'll "feel the burn" more on a level appropriate character with basic IOs slotted... although I think I'll be trying that at base difficulty to see how it goes, haha!

 

 

[Mystic_Cross]

So I restarted the arc in Ouro with a level 30 Tank using basic IOs and on base +0/x1 difficulty. Apparently there are no Eidolon boss spawns in regular mobs during the first mission at that setting, so I didn't see a repeat of the mixed level 20/29 boss combo in groups. However I'm in the middle of... mission 4? now - "Crash the Unholy Masquerade", and there seem to be some fairly large groups of enemies around. On average it's been about 2 Lts and 8-10 minions per spawn... and then there was this :

 

 

again, the same group shortly after I engaged them and defeated a few: 

 

 

as you can see in the screenshots, the difficulty setting is +0/x1. I didn't have too much of a hard time clearing them out on my Tank, but I imagine other ATs might not have such an easy time... although the Embalmed ones don't seem to really attack, they just sit there crapping themselves, so maybe it won't be that big of an issue unless they're able to finally dump their load. I don't think I've actually seen one of them explode yet when it wasn't an immediate explosion.

 

Edit: Ok apparently whenever my taunt aura ticks, it interrupts the Embalmed Cadavers from exploding and they "reset". I don't recall it ever doing that on live. I always thought the only way to interrupt the explosion was to deal actual damage. Is this a bug or is it WAI now?

 

Edit 2: I took a short 8 sec video clip of the Embalmed resetting in the taunt aura without me taking any actions, but not sure if we're allowed to post video... or how to do it if we are. 

 

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by Mystic_Cross

[Piecemeal]

2 hours ago, Mystic_Cross said:

So I restarted the arc in Ouro with a level 30 Tank using basic IOs and on base +0/x1 difficulty. Apparently there are no Eidolon boss spawns in regular mobs during the first mission at that setting, so I didn't see a repeat of the mixed level 20/29 boss combo in groups. However I'm in the middle of... mission 4? now - "Crash the Unholy Masquerade", and there seem to be some fairly large groups of enemies around. On average it's been about 2 Lts and 8-10 minions per spawn... and then there was this :

 

 

again, the same group shortly after I engaged them and defeated a few: 

 

 

as you can see in the screenshots, the difficulty setting is +0/x1. I didn't have too much of a hard time clearing them out on my Tank, but I imagine other ATs might not have such an easy time... although the Embalmed ones don't seem to really attack, they just sit there crapping themselves, so maybe it won't be that big of an issue unless they're able to finally dump their load. I don't think I've actually seen one of them explode yet when it wasn't an immediate explosion.

 

Edit: Ok apparently whenever my taunt aura ticks, it interrupts the Embalmed Cadavers from exploding and they "reset". I don't recall it ever doing that on live. I always thought the only way to interrupt the explosion was to deal actual damage. Is this a bug or is it WAI now?

 

Edit 2: I took a short 8 sec video clip of the Embalmed resetting in the taunt aura without me taking any actions, but not sure if we're allowed to post video... or how to do it if we are. 

 

 

This is my project today. These spawns are being unsportsmanlike due to an error I made 6 months ago 💯

 

Regarding the taunt aura, if it does damage it should interrupt them, but the new changes to taunt auras taking taunt sets might have this effect now if your aura previously did not do damage.

[Mystic_Cross]

58 minutes ago, Piecemeal said:

This is my project today. These spawns are being unsportsmanlike due to an error I made 6 months ago 💯

 

Regarding the taunt aura, if it does damage it should interrupt them, but the new changes to taunt auras taking taunt sets might have this effect now if your aura previously did not do damage.

This was an Invulnerability/Energy Melee Tanker, so no damage in the taunt aura, no damage auras of any kind for that matter. I have no taunt enhancements or set IOs slotted in it either, just common IOs, 1 End Reduction (Lv25) and 3 Defense (Lv30) to be exact. I suppose it could still be a side-effect of the changes to taunt auras taking sets, but I'd imagine needing to have a damage proc of some kind slotted in order for it to do this.

 

Near the end of that same mission in the boss area, I had six or seven Embalmed standing around me squatting while I ignored them and took out the other enemies that were actually attacking. Once I took out the threats I sat there for about another minute just watching the Embalmed squat and reset before picking them off one at a time.

 

On a side note, It's too bad you'll need to bring the spawns in line, I was finding it rather fun as-is... perhaps you could note down what's making them so unsportsmanlike in order to use that for some future content? 😄

 

[PFlux]

Started the story arc from Ouro on a level 50 toon.  Was exemplared down to level 29 for the first mission.  Mobs showed up as level 31s (Noteriety settings at +2,8)  Bosses did not show up as level 31s.  They showed up as level 21s at the beginning of the mission.  Further into the mission the bosses did show up as level 31s.  May need to check and make sure all boss mobs with the Vahz have been set to higher levels.

[Yuro]

Regarding taunt auras, anything that affects the mob interrupts them -- that isn't new.  Taunts, toggle debuffs, non-damaging taunt auras, damage... that's probably not even a complete list.

[gourdhead]

5 hours ago, Piecemeal said:

This is my project today. These spawns are being unsportsmanlike due to an error I made 6 months ago 💯

 

Regarding the taunt aura, if it does damage it should interrupt them, but the new changes to taunt auras taking taunt sets might have this effect now if your aura previously did not do damage.

I thought it was just me due to increasing the difficulty.  This mission was a bloodbath. 🙂  And a long way from the hospital.

[Gobbledygook]

I may be the only one experiencing this, most likely operator error.

 

I have gone into the mission selection in Oroborous, but can not find the mission listed.

When I look under Champion, there are only three story lines listed. Clamor and Destruction, Ring of Peebles, and Hear and Now.

I would post a screenie, but for some reason, can't seem to locate the right file folder.

[Mystic_Cross]

2 hours ago, Yuro said:

Regarding taunt auras, anything that affects the mob interrupts them -- that isn't new.  Taunts, toggle debuffs, non-damaging taunt auras, damage... that's probably not even a complete list.

I’m not sure that’s accurate. It may be how they currently behave, even on regular Homecoming, but I distinctly remember vahz Embalmed blowing up on my Invuln Tanker way back in retail live. They were one of those groups I disliked doing because their toxic damage ate my Invuln and /EM was not the best set for AoE to keep them from exploding due to ST damage.

 

2 hours ago, Gobbledygook said:

I may be the only one experiencing this, most likely operator error.

 

I have gone into the mission selection in Oroborous, but can not find the mission listed.

When I look under Champion, there are only three story lines listed. Clamor and Destruction, Ring of Peebles, and Hear and Now.

I would post a screenie, but for some reason, can't seem to locate the right file folder.

 

 I’m not sure which section of the Ouro list “Champion” falls under, but the arc is in the level 25-29 range at the very bottom of the list. It has the same name as this thread title “The Graveyard Shift”.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Mystic_Cross
Edit to fix auto spell mistake

[Gobbledygook]

I think I figured it out. The character I copied over was only Lvl 28.

[Myrmidon]

2 hours ago, Gobbledygook said:

I think I figured it out. The character I copied over was only Lvl 28.

Level 28 should still be able to find it. The question is, are you a Vigilante or a Hero? Rogues and Villains cannot access this arc.

[Mystic_Cross]

2 hours ago, Gobbledygook said:

I think I figured it out. The character I copied over was only Lvl 28.

Ah, then you’re in the level range. Should be able to just go see the contact. 
 

He’s on the NW side of Steel Canyon, just below where ICON is.

[Dispari]

My feedback for this arc can be summed up as, it should be a Task Force. It's much, much too hard for a story arc. Set expectations for the player. If not a Task Force, it should be very clear about telling you up front to what the score is. It has 4 different EB fights and multiple bosses. Two of the EBs heal to full as you fight them, even multiple times. Ambushes happen during boss and EB fights. Sometimes in big crowds of multiple at once. EBs have defense toggles (RttC) or self-buff powers (Sonic Dispersion) making them that much harder to kill and/or impossible to mez. It's simply tuned way too high for a story arc. I get that maybe you (yes you, the person reading this right now who is thinking of replying) can finish it with your high-end IOed Brute or Tanker build and think it's easy, but for a level 29 story arc you can just stumble into with some SOs slotted? Nah. I don't even want to play the villain version at this rate if it's more of the same.

As far as more specific feedback:
* The ideas overall are good, I like the new units and I don't think I've seen some of these maps before? So that's cool. Vahzilok and Freaks deserve each other.
* I don't get what's up with all the travel. This is 2020 right? We can all agree pointless travel is pointless? You're just wasting the player's time. I heard some people say you get less of it if you answer questions well. So the punishment is to make it take longer to get around? Having to do an extra mission I could understand, at least you get exp for that. But just... making it take longer? Why? You do want people to play your content, don't you? Reward them with a badge for guessing right, let them skip a mission, make the next mission easier somehow. But don't waste their time.
* That map with the fog has lots of problems. Namely, it's hard to see so it's hard to navigate, which gets worse when there's fire everywhere. It's hard to tell where you're supposed to be going near the end (there's just a marker in a place that's not helpful). The fire does WAY too much damage for some reason? Like it literally took off huge chunks of my HP in a second, and just dashing through it a couple times nearly killed me. There's a lot of text happening near the end and I got a badge for picking some option (at random) but hey, players can't read through several pages of text while they're being ambushed/on fire/less than a minute left on the clock. Make it succinct. Oh and the multiple waves of ambushes while you try to click a glowie with a 30 second activation time? You knew what you were doing.
* And the difficulty again. Seriously. Too many ambushes. Too many EBs. Not every fight needs to be an epic last stand against waves of enemies and an EB that keeps regenerating to full HP, requiring you to kill him 4 times. Or if it does, make it a Task Force so people know to bring 7 friends.

I had some other comments, like the huge crowds in some of the maps, but it looks like everything else has been commented on by other people and is set to be changed/fixed.

[Piecemeal]

4 hours ago, Dispari said:

My feedback for this arc can be summed up as, it should be a Task Force. It's much, much too hard for a story arc. Set expectations for the player. If not a Task Force, it should be very clear about telling you up front to what the score is. It has 4 different EB fights and multiple bosses. Two of the EBs heal to full as you fight them, even multiple times. Ambushes happen during boss and EB fights. Sometimes in big crowds of multiple at once. EBs have defense toggles (RttC) or self-buff powers (Sonic Dispersion) making them that much harder to kill and/or impossible to mez. It's simply tuned way too high for a story arc. I get that maybe you (yes you, the person reading this right now who is thinking of replying) can finish it with your high-end IOed Brute or Tanker build and think it's easy, but for a level 29 story arc you can just stumble into with some SOs slotted? Nah. I don't even want to play the villain version at this rate if it's more of the same.

As far as more specific feedback:
* The ideas overall are good, I like the new units and I don't think I've seen some of these maps before? So that's cool. Vahzilok and Freaks deserve each other.
* I don't get what's up with all the travel. This is 2020 right? We can all agree pointless travel is pointless? You're just wasting the player's time. I heard some people say you get less of it if you answer questions well. So the punishment is to make it take longer to get around? Having to do an extra mission I could understand, at least you get exp for that. But just... making it take longer? Why? You do want people to play your content, don't you? Reward them with a badge for guessing right, let them skip a mission, make the next mission easier somehow. But don't waste their time.
* That map with the fog has lots of problems. Namely, it's hard to see so it's hard to navigate, which gets worse when there's fire everywhere. It's hard to tell where you're supposed to be going near the end (there's just a marker in a place that's not helpful). The fire does WAY too much damage for some reason? Like it literally took off huge chunks of my HP in a second, and just dashing through it a couple times nearly killed me. There's a lot of text happening near the end and I got a badge for picking some option (at random) but hey, players can't read through several pages of text while they're being ambushed/on fire/less than a minute left on the clock. Make it succinct. Oh and the multiple waves of ambushes while you try to click a glowie with a 30 second activation time? You knew what you were doing.
* And the difficulty again. Seriously. Too many ambushes. Too many EBs. Not every fight needs to be an epic last stand against waves of enemies and an EB that keeps regenerating to full HP, requiring you to kill him 4 times. Or if it does, make it a Task Force so people know to bring 7 friends.

I had some other comments, like the huge crowds in some of the maps, but it looks like everything else has been commented on by other people and is set to be changed/fixed.

Most of your chief complaints, suchs as ambushes, etc, are already in the pipe for adjustments. There are lingering issues with the spawns in the rave I'm still working on, and elsewhere.

 

If you're going to leverage focused feedback, actually telling me what EB regenerated four times might be helpful, since they're not supposed to. Was it Pathogen?

 

Leave the emotions at the door, I'm here to help. I'd rather publish something too hard and work it back than the inverse.

 

Much of your feedback was helpful, but not presented in an overly productive manner. I am trying to separate sass from feedback with this post.