Zone Travel Updates in Issue 27

[Archanarchist2]

17 hours ago, Ironblade said:

Bro, as you pointed out yourself, they left it there for a year because it wasn't urgent or a big deal.

Then they realized there was an exploit and took it out IMMEDIATELY.

you realise they PUT in a pvp exploit into TP self with patch to match this where you become phase shifted if you tp 3x then you can use long rang TP to leave zone as i read it :P 

[TheSpiritFox]

22 hours ago, amusingsn said:

 

If by exploration, you mean the tedious task of flipping between a wiki and the game to locate badge locations, then yes: that's what the LTR encourages. 

 

100% agreed. 

 

The LTR encourages the tedious task of flipping between a wiki and the game and flying around to 20 different locations.  And repeating those same tedious tasks for each of your toons.  Each and every one.

 

From the notes, it seems that at least some people on the Dev team realize that this is a problem.  But, imo, the solution isn't to provide a bunch of not-quite-as-tedious badge missions (I think they will be about as popular as the "arrest 10 skulls" style of mission), but rather to just eliminate the badge requirement entirely, or maybe make an exploration badge at each of the base portals in a zone so you get them by visiting the base portal. 

 

At least then I'd only have to afk in Pocket D for an hour and then visit all the base portals in all the zones to get the locales.

 

Or maybe you could unlock the LTR with a mission from City Hall like the old Cape mission.  Even that would be less tedious (and I notice that Cape mission no longer is necessary, presumably because its tedious and why not just let people have capes?).  To see how much people like having to earn the ability to travel places: see how many people earn the Midnight Society badge through the story arc, compared to how many just earn it by walking into the Night Ward mansion.  Also, see how popular it is to travel to Imperious via the LFG system rather than slogging through the Midnight Society portal every time.

 

And for the love of Heroes, please lower the cooldowns.  If you want there to be "many ways" to earn the right to teleport to a base, let one way be sufficient.  Otherwise, you're making it so that people feel like they need to do "all the ways", and that's a burden.

 

If you want to encourage exploration, don't tie rewards to exploration, make it more fun to explore.  Hide little easter eggs that people might find amusing or fun.  Put an ice slide (like in the Frostfire mission) somewhere for people to slide on.  Have some NPCs engage in an amusing conversation somewhere.  I don't know, it seems like tying fast-travel to something as a reward to "encourage" that thing is admitting that the thing you're encouraging isn't fun enough to do without a reward.

100% agree with this. 

 

I now have 6 50s with all zones unlocked by portaling around. Its boring, it adds absolutely nothing to the game, and every character is just porting to an area, seeking a specific badge closest to the portal, back to portal, to next area. Takes a solid half hour to unlock everything on one toon with load times and shit. 

 

Its mind numbingly boring. 

 

Options? Personally I just think that LRT should unlock based on level. When you level into the range of a zone, that zone unlocks on LRT.  It is one thing to eliminate fast travel that can like be used to exploit the game. It is another thing to replace it with a per character grind. This was a massive mistake and I really honestly do not appreciate returning to MMO grind stuff when it comes to like having to grind out quality of life shit. If we're going to be doing that why have pay2win vendors in the first place. 

 

Either put a new badge at every SG portal so you can just port and port back and do this faster, or make LRT unlock areas based on your current level with every area opened the second you hit 50.  I am not a badge hunter like some of us do not give a shit. Accolade grinding is enough, please don't make us grind out LRT per character.  There is absolutely no reason to add a half hour like portals and load times and short bursts of travel to badges grind to this game per character. If you've got 10 characters thats just another random 5 hours of grinding for area access. If you're an altaholic, it's a goddamn 40 hour workweek added to get basically back to where you were a week ago. 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by TheSpiritFox

[Jacke]

2 hours ago, Bionic_Flea said:

Jimmy, I like the colored listing and the level breakdowns.  I'd have no problem with an option to alphabetize but would not want alpha to be the default or only sort.   I personally would go for a slightly different pallette, but that's me.

 

2 hours ago, Bionic_Flea said:

Jimmy, I like the colored listing and the level breakdowns.  I'd have no problem with an option to alphabetize but would not want alpha to be the default or only sort.   I personally would go for a slightly different palette, but that's me.

 

OH NOES!?!  @Bionic_Flea is caught in a time loop!!!  Again!!!

 

2 hours ago, Ironblade said:

Just saw this.  I don't recall any mention in the patch notes.  I'm guessing the packs being black was a bug and was fixed.

Having said that....

 

Can we PLEASE get an all-black jet pack option?

Yes please, all-black jet pack.  And all-red.  Because red ones go fasta!

 

 

1 hour ago, Glacier Peak said:

I dig this suggestion. At least in the destroyed Galaxy City tutorial. Perfect place to plop down a time traveler from an organization worried about the coming storm, right before you fight a giant enemy whose origins are linked to that coming storm.

Tutorials are definitely something that needs to be worked on.

 

At least the original Outbreak/Breakout tutorials taught the player about the game system core that's been there since the start.  The new Galaxy City Destruction tutorial didn't quite do as good a job there, but did add in a bit about the alignment system.  And the initial Atlas Park arcs were also an extended tutorial as well.

 

Now there's the new Tip system under development so players can be led around a zone to find its Badges.  Good, but more should be done.

 

There needs to be a system that instructs a brand new player, who's never played or heard of City of Heroes, the basics about how to get along in the game.

 

And if there are things that the devs are assuming players will know--like to convert their Reward Merits to Salvage and sell them on the Auction House to get more Inf to pay for everything including low level SOs (which was told in the Enhancement Focused Feedback topic)--then those things have to be taught in the extended tutorial.

 

Any organization is always losing people, even if only from them passing away.  Don't recruit, don't teach those recruits the ropes, in the long run the organization will fail.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Jacke

[Glacier Peak]

47 minutes ago, Archanarchist2 said:

you realise they PUT in a pvp exploit into TP self with patch to match this where you become phase shifted if you tp 3x then you can use long rang TP to leave zone as i read it 😛

Can you explain or provide any sort of evidence to support this claim? 

 

Edit: I may as well nip this in the butt ahead of time. What you're describing is not a "pvp exploit", in fact it is working as intended and wasn't added to the game in the latest patch. The mechanic itself has existed in other powers to prevent overuse in PvP zones and arena for a while (specific issue... @macskull?) Specifically, the 'No Phase' effect is applied after using a power repeatedly, in your example, Combat Teleport or the Teleport travel power used three times or more creates a cooldown effect in PvP zones or arena.

 

•  Combat Teleport (Replaces Teleport Foe)
  • A quick-casting, short-ranged (100ft) teleport designed to be used in combat
  • The range of this power can be enhanced, but it cannot be buffed or debuffed by set bonuses or other powers
  • This power can be activated up to 3 times in a row before it triggers a cooldown
  • This power grants a small ToHit buff to your next attack
  • If you previously had Teleport Foe, you'll now have Combat Teleport
•  Teleport
  • This power now grants a 4s untouchable buff
    • If you attack while this buff is active, both the Untouchable buff and the Hover buff will be cancelled
    • If you have been in combat in the last 10 seconds, phase will not be triggered
    • In PvP, using teleport 3 times within a 30 second window will trigger No Phase

 

Additionally,

 Long Range Teleporter

• The Pocket D VIP Pass power has been significantly improved and is now the Long Range Teleporter
  • If you previously owned Pocket D VIP Pass, you will now have the Long Range Teleporter with Pocket D unlocked as a destination
• Long Range Teleporter is unlocked by the Passport Accolade, which can be acquired by earning:
  • An exploration accolade in any zone with a Base Portal (see the "Complete Base Portal List" below for reference), or
  • The Pocket D VIP Gold Club Member badge (for spending 1 hour in Pocket D)
• Long Range Teleporter can be used once to teleport you to any zone that you have unlocked
  • Collecting any exploration badge in a zone will unlock it as a destination
  • Pocket D can also be unlocked with the Pocket D VIP Gold Club Member badge
  • Only zones with base portals can be unlocked (see the "Complete Base Portal List" below for reference)
• Long Range Teleporter has a 2s activation time and a 10 minute cooldown
  • Activation time is longer in PvP

Edited November 26, 2020 by Glacier Peak
more content

[elkhor]

13 minutes ago, Glacier Peak said:

Can you explain or provide any sort of evidence to support this claim? 

Sounds like its the other way around actually.

 

This power now grants a 4s untouchable buff

• If you attack while this buff is active, both the Untouchable buff and the Hover buff will be cancelled
• If you have been in combat in the last 10 seconds, phase will not be triggered
• In PvP, using teleport 3 times within a 30 second window will trigger No Phase

[Glacier Peak]

1 minute ago, elkhor said:

Sounds like its the other way around actually.

 

This power now grants a 4s untouchable buff

• If you attack while this buff is active, both the Untouchable buff and the Hover buff will be cancelled
• If you have been in combat in the last 10 seconds, phase will not be triggered
• In PvP, using teleport 3 times within a 30 second window will trigger No Phase

Happily, please refer to my edited post. As I said, this is not a "pvp exploit" and is working as intended.

[Ironblade]

1 hour ago, Archanarchist2 said:

it was just making the game a lot more enjoyable for a pile of people who like me will probably play a lot less in future and when i do since ill need so much cash to buy all these stupid temp powers i wont be fire farming random people asking for help levelling on fukashima or yellowcake for free anymore because ill be needing the cash for my alts because for some reason you decided you would make it 10,000,000 to buy SG base access for a char:(, not 100,000 or even 1,000,000

"Well, because of this change, I will play less and play differently and it's going to hurt everyone around me."

Just stop with the silly threats.

[KeepDistance]

8 minutes ago, Ironblade said:

"Well, because of this change, I will play less and play differently and it's going to hurt everyone around me."

Just stop with the silly threats.

Would you rather have someone stop playing with no explanation, or would you rather they give feedback to the devs about why they aren't playing?

[Ironblade]

14 minutes ago, KeepDistance said:

Would you rather have someone stop playing with no explanation, or would you rather they give feedback to the devs about why they aren't playing?

Threats are not helpful feedback.  They're talking about retaliation - changing how they act toward other players because they can't have what they want.

[Bizzum]

Well this was fun while it lasted. I think myself and many others will be leaving now. The ability to use the cosmic transport at any location was a great improvement to the flow of this game. And to take that away now after so many people have gotten to rely on it is absolute nonsense. I could understand if you have is something in return of equal capability. That is not the case. There are not base portals in every zone to be near. 10 million is way too steep a price to pay at the P2W vendor on every single character we make just to replace something that was taken away from us. And how do we get the long range teleporter accolade? These things would only be a suitable replacement if they were account wide. Why are you “fixing” a bunch of stuff that is not broken? The original devs way back when would not have done something to slow the flow of the game. They were actually helping the flow over time. You are tainting the legacy. Please change this back. 

[Glacier Peak]

3 hours ago, Bizzum said:

Well this was fun while it lasted. I think myself and many others will be leaving now.

🎻

Edited November 26, 2020 by Glacier Peak
uploaded image was broked

[therealtitanman]

How many post do you, mr glacier need to white knight and flushing the comments?

Every one new post bout they dont like or quitting, youre gonna quote, HUSH and flush the topic.

please let other voice up what they like or dont.

And we get it, Have you notice almost everyone would just skip your big yellow text, or no quote back?

Base on the pin, I already knew gm made up their mind with the changes.

Imagine I quote every single post you made and HUSH you, how do you felt?

I guess youre gonna quit for sure.

 

1 type tp is enough, you dont need 6 7 8 type of tp that might generate more type of bugs which maybe able to abuse with it.

Everyone is giving opinion & solution. Making YELLOW big quote doesnt make you superior but a nuisances.
Plus other than flushing the post, you didnt even giving any solution.
And I found you kinda retaliate on my/ other who against what you want to hear post, you purposely react to most of my/our older post with confused.

I already gave my suggestion for tracking the problem/cheat without makes other hate the new system.

Still final decision is gm.

Edited November 26, 2020 by therealtitanman

[CU_Krow]

I can not add more to what has already been said in this thread. Judging by the first 8 pages, I am seeing people more in-favor of re-instating the basemacro versus what was updated; which would be my stance as well. 

 

I think people fully well understood the Hami and MSR limits and were agreeable to those changes. I hardly recall anyone leaving due to those changes.

I think people are well aware that the basemacro was a staff-mechanic and not meant to be used in Live; but after <1.5yrs of the macro being used, it's become a part of Homecoming and more people enjoy using it vs those who don't (which from what I've seen in this thread, make up 3 n less people). 

 

If a poll was created to re-instate the basemacro vs keeping as-is; I can guarantee the great majority of CoH player based would be in favor of adding it back in; or even reducing the cooldown time significantly (per realtitanman's suggestion as a manner of meeting middle-ground).

Edited November 26, 2020 by CU_Krow

[Apparition]

1 minute ago, CU_Krow said:

I can not add more to what has already been said in this thread. Judging by the first 8 pages, I am seeing people more in-favor of re-instating the basemacro versus what was updated; which would be my stance as well. 

 

I think people fully well understood the Hami and MSR limits and were agreeable to those changes. I hardly recall anyone leaving due to those changes.

I think people are well aware that the basemacro was a staff-mechanic and not meant to be used in Live; but after <1.5yrs of the macro being used, it's become a part of Homecoming and more people enjoy using it vs those who don't (which from what I've seen in this thread, make up 3 n less people). 

 

If a poll was created to re-instate the basemacro vs keeping as-is; I can guarantee the great majority of CoH player based would be in favor of adding it back in; or even reducing the cooldown time significantly (per realtitanman's suggestion as a manner of meeting middle-ground).

 

If players were accidentally granted the "I Win!" power (which obliterates every NPC in the zone), I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of them would want to keep that too.  In other words, a poll wouldn't be a useful metric at all.

[therealtitanman]

Just now, Apparition said:

 

If players were accidentally granted the "I Win!" power (which obliterates every NPC in the zone), I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of them would want to keep that too.  In other words, a poll wouldn't be a useful metric at all.

I win button and Convenient button is 2 different thing.

this is not an I win button, only the person who abuse they system use it as I win system.

[Apparition]

Just now, therealtitanman said:

I win button and Convenient button is 2 different thing.

this is not an I win button, only the person who abuse they system use it as I win system.

 

Using the base macro was abusing the system.

[therealtitanman]

Just now, Apparition said:

 

Using the base macro was abusing the system.

If you said so. why not gm open a poll see the outcome?

[blue4333]

1 minute ago, Apparition said:

 

If players were accidentally granted the "I Win!" power (which obliterates every NPC in the zone), I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of them would want to keep that too.  In other words, a poll wouldn't be a useful metric at all.

That is not an accurate comparison. This whole travel situation is about player convenience. A accurate comparison would be for example, removing capes/auras and forcing every player character to go through the missions. Or regressing the whole incarnate system back to what it was on Live (eg. removing Emp Merits and Threads every vet levels). 

 

I would say that a poll for the player base would be less tone deaf than maybe comparing the use of the base command as "cheating"

[Apparition]

Just now, therealtitanman said:

If you said so. why not gm open a poll see the outcome?

 

Uhh... because see my post above where I said a poll would be a useless metric as players don't get to determine what abuse is.

[therealtitanman]

1 minute ago, Apparition said:

 

Uhh... because see my post above where I said a poll would be a useless metric as players don't get to determine what abuse is.

If you said its an abuse, thats your opinion, not everyone.

I dont know how it become an abuse which all other mmo using instant tp without 10min cooldown.

Base on convenient, this is not. 

[Runebound]

On 11/25/2020 at 10:13 AM, Glacier Peak said:

would you say someone who spends the majority of their time (yet the exact same amount of time you spend over a number of separate characters) on one of their characters, thereby concentrating time and effort, should be allowed the opportunity to have access to faster methods of travel, such as the plethora that have been given through the release of this issue?

Yes, I think that's fair.

 

But because fast travel affects teaming, especially in TFs, I don't want the changes to discourage newcomers. Unlocking the LRT is easy for veterans, but it's a lot less clear to anyone new, I didn't know that it even needed to be unlocked. To clarify, I'd change the text from

"A new accolade power which can be used to instantly teleport to another zone once every 10 minutes. You can unlock more destinations by collecting exploration badges. "

to something more like what it says for the Fast Travel Power:

"This menu is unlocked as soon as you acquire one of the powers available in the menu, and can be found in the Accolades section of the powers window. "

 

I'd also add that once you open the LRT window (if you have a power that unlocks it), you can then summon a base portal.

 

Finally, it would help to convey to newcomers how easy it is to get an Exploration Badge for, say, Atlas Park. I didn't have one, and when I asked in Help how to open the LRT, I was directed to Pocket D. For me, standing around semi-afk for an unlock is a poor gaming experience, taking away good play time, and I wish I knew about the alternative.

 

I'm not sure how to solve that for other newcomers, since explaining about badge collection doesn't fit in a power description. So I suggested the alternative: unlock the LRT for everyone. If that seems too easy, maybe there's another way to make the process clear.

 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by Runebound
"too" is not "to". Ahem.

[Apparition]

Just now, therealtitanman said:

If you said its an abuse, thats your opinion, not everyone.

I dont know how it become an abuse which all other mmo using instant tp without 10min cooldown.

Base on convenient, this is not. 

 

It was a command that players should not have had access to.  It was a command that allowed anyone to teleport directly to other people's missions, other people's iTrials, other people's arena matches, etc.  It was stated by multiple developers that the slash command itself was an exploit.

 

Instant TP in and of itself is something that has contributed to the death of MMOGs, as it's turned them from worlds to lobbies where you never encounter anyone else in your travel from area to area.

[therealtitanman]

7 minutes ago, Apparition said:

 

It was a command that players should not have had access to.  It was a command that allowed anyone to teleport directly to other people's missions, other people's iTrials, other people's arena matches, etc.  It was stated by multiple developers that the slash command itself was an exploit.

 

Instant TP in and of itself is something that has contributed to the death of MMOGs, as it's turned them from worlds to lobbies where you never encounter anyone else in your travel from area to area.

Instant Tp contributed to the DEATH?
Like you always said, "where is the statistics proven" the DEATH of MMO cause by Instant TP?
Have you ever play any other MMO? 
Im not going to reply you anymore, thats your opinion. IM not continue ping pong flushing Instant TP is the root of death MMO.
im leave the space for other getting suggestion work.

Edited November 26, 2020 by therealtitanman

[Widower]

No, there's not going to be a poll. A poll would be hilariously easy to cheese; moreover, we're not in the business of polling the playerbase on whether or not we should patch out an exploit.

[Glacier Peak]

21 minutes ago, Runebound said:

Yes, I think that's fair.

 

But because fast travel affects teaming, especially in TFs, I don't want the changes to discourage newcomers. Unlocking the LRT is easy for veterans, but it's a lot less clear to anyone new, I didn't know that it even needed to be unlocked. To clarify, I'd change the text from

"A new accolade power which can be used to instantly teleport to another zone once every 10 minutes. You can unlock more destinations by collecting exploration badges. "

to something more like what it says for the Fast Travel Power:

"This menu is unlocked as soon as you acquire one of the powers available in the menu, and can be found in the Accolades section of the powers window. "

 

I'd also add that once you open the LRT window (if you have a power that unlocks it), you can then summon a base portal.

 

Finally, it would help to convey to newcomers how easy it is to get an Exploration Badge for, say, Atlas Park. I didn't have one, and when I asked in Help how to open the LRT, I was directed to Pocket D. For me, standing around semi-afk for an unlock is a poor gaming experience, taking away good play time, and I wish I knew about the alternative.

 

I'm not sure how to solve that for other newcomers, since explaining about badge collection doesn't fit in a power description. So I suggested the alternative: unlock the LRT for everyone. If that seems to easy, maybe there's another way to make the process clear.

 

I like your suggestions as they relate to newcomers. This is worth a look IMO. Good discussion content.