A modest proposal - Eliminate Sameness by removing the ability to Softcap. (Long)

[golstat2003]

2 hours ago, ZacKing said:

 

 

 

 

This x 1000.  There's challenging content out there, people just don't run it.  there's even specific AE arcs meant to be more challenging.

 

 

 

This right here, is all you need to know. If a majority wanted their flavor of COH challenging the would run that content. They don't.

[SwitchFade]

6 hours ago, parabola said:

What's the difference between a hard no vote and a no vote? Does it count for more? Could it be countered with a rock hard yes vote? Perhaps the Mohs scale could be employed?

 

(Apologies, I'm clearly in an odd mood today)

Well, a Hard no vote would be akin to a covalent bond, where a no vote would be akin to a polar bond. A hesitant no would be like na ionic bond and a just no-but-can-be-swayed would be a hydrogen bond.

 

But this all only applies below 88 miles we hour, because after that the flux capacitor kicks in and we have to get back from somewhere, without disrupting the spacetime thingie.

 

I'll see your odd mood and raise you a weird place 🤤🤪

Edited March 26, 2021 by SwitchFade

[Captain Citadel]

28 minutes ago, arcane said:

I would be ok with something to the effect of: 

 

- Reduce defense soft cap to 40% for all so-called squishy” AT’s

- Lower Brute res cap to 85%
- Raise Scrapper res cap to 80%
 

This would nerf many of my own characters, but would be such a common sense balance move that I wouldn’t complain.

 

All that being said, I recognize that so many high end players are so thoroughly addicted to unmoving health bars that they would absolutely ragequit. So the change is virtually undoable without outsized consequences and unlikely to ever happen for that reason.

I think the time to make this change was when they opened up the AT alignment restrictions, because Brutes in particular really overshadowed Tankers but were needed on Villain teams where Tankers couldn't go. Now, it would kill the community.

[Giovanni Valia]

2 hours ago, ZacKing said:

If there is any problem at all, it's the game doesn't have enough content designed for incarnates.  just my personal 2 cents, but rather than screwing around with un-needed updates around travel powers and low level story arcs, the focus should be on creating content built for and balanced around incarnates.  If the folks here really want to shine and show what they can do, that's going to add way more value than what they are doing now.  Don't mean that to be disparaging because there's some smart people there.

 

I agree with the need for more incarnate content updates since so many people have incarnate uber characters. I'm not seeing anyone else on the forums saying this, but the updates to travel powers is really not something we needed at all. I do not support any across the board nerfs to IOs, set bonuses, or anything like that at all. The solution is to have additional difficulty options. AE is great for this. I've ran AE mission arcs that I've created with all boss/ AV enemies. I find teaming a lot more satisfying when everyone is needed to complete challenging missions.

[ZacKing]

9 minutes ago, Giovanni Valia said:

 

I agree with the need for more incarnate content updates since so many people have incarnate uber characters. I'm not seeing anyone else on the forums saying this, but the updates to travel powers is really not something we needed at all. I do not support any across the board nerfs to IOs, set bonuses, or anything like that at all. The solution is to have additional difficulty options. AE is great for this. I've ran AE mission arcs that I've created with all boss/ AV enemies. I find teaming a lot more satisfying when everyone is needed to complete challenging missions.

 

The reason you don't see those posts saying anything against the travel updates is because they're hidden almost immediately after being posted.  totally agree more difficulty options and more difficult content is the answer.  I don't know why they're wasting their time and talents on updating the Warriors and travel powers and stuff.   There's definitely some great AE stuff out there but people seem to think it's just for fire farming.

[Naraka]

1 minute ago, ZacKing said:

 

The reason you don't see those posts saying anything against the travel updates is because they're hidden almost immediately after being posted.  totally agree more difficulty options and more difficult content is the answer.  I don't know why they're wasting their time and talents on updating the Warriors and travel powers and stuff.   There's definitely some great AE stuff out there but people seem to think it's just for fire farming.

People have made suggestions for options and content but controversy gets clicks. Things that people don't disagree with get disproportionate attention than more drastic suggestions/nerfs. 

 

I could list some examples but then no one would reply or add to/fix them.

[arcane]

21 minutes ago, Captain Citadel said:

I think the time to make this change was when they opened up the AT alignment restrictions, because Brutes in particular really overshadowed Tankers but were needed on Villain teams where Tankers couldn't go. Now, it would kill the community.

I don’t know what it would do to the community. A handful of powergamers would quit for sure. It’d be a risky move no doubt. I only posted what I did because the “wouldn’t be the apocalypse” viewpoint did not seem to be represented yet in the other responses, not because I thought the proposal was without any risk.

[golstat2003]

23 minutes ago, arcane said:

I don’t know what it would do to the community. A handful of powergamers would quit for sure. It’d be a risky move no doubt. I only posted what I did because the “wouldn’t be the apocalypse” viewpoint did not seem to be represented yet in the other responses, not because I thought the proposal was without any risk.

 

I think the team we have has better things to do than take that risk. /shrug.

 

There is a backlog of suggestions a mile long that I think the community would prefer they tackle.

[Grindingsucks]

@mechahamham

 

1) I agree with the point of view of your entire post.  I think the changes you suggest would greatly improve the play experience in high-level content.

 

2) But it won't work, because you would alienate the greatest portion of the Homecoming player base, who prefer to have soft-capped defenses on every AT.

 

You may find the following topics relevant to your point of view, given the subject matter of your own topic:

 

Is there any way to make teams less boring?        The Thirty-Fivers

[Andreah]

Hrm.

 

A special Notoriety flag for "Incarnate Difficulty", or ID. Available to any team leader running missions of any normal kind at level 45 or up. 

 

ID can be set to on for any other notoriety setting, including -1/x1.

 

ID set to "On" gives every mob a +14 to-hit, +10 Defense (All). It also grants every Lt either "Leadership: Maneuvers" or "Leadership: Assault" at random, every Boss or EB "Leadership: Tactics", and upgrades a quarter of bosses at random to EB's by default.

 

Mobs give +50% Xp and Inf when defeated, and have double the normal chance to drop shards, threads, and other special salvage. Mission completion always rewards an Incarnate Thread, a 20% chance at a Common incarnate component, and a 10% chance at an Astral Merit for those who qualify for incarnate drops.

[MTeague]

3 minutes ago, Andreah said:

Hrm.

 

A special Notoriety flag for "Incarnate Difficulty", or ID. Available to any team leader running missions of any normal kind at level 45 or up. 

 

ID can be set to on for any other notoriety setting, including -1/x1.

 

ID set to "On" gives every mob a +14 to-hit, +10 Defense (All). It also grants every Lt either "Leadership: Maneuvers" or "Leadership: Assault" at random, every Boss or EB "Leadership: Tactics", and upgrades a quarter of bosses at random to EB's by default.

 

Mobs give +50% Xp and Inf when defeated, and have double the normal chance to drop shards, threads, and other special salvage. Mission completion always rewards an Incarnate Thread, a 20% chance at a Common incarnate component, and a 10% chance at an Astral Merit for those who qualify for incarnate drops.

 

If we want "incarnate difficulty" to be a thing, then please eliminate Council and other easy enemy groups from being possible foes.

Send people up against Rularuu, Malta, IDF, etc.

[Andreah]

1 minute ago, MTeague said:

please eliminate Council and other easy enemy groups

I think either their base rewards should be lowered a bit, according to how easy they are, or they should get some love & kindness tweaks to their mobs or some special new mobs added.

[VinceBlood]

3 minutes ago, MTeague said:

 

If we want "incarnate difficulty" to be a thing, then please eliminate Council and other easy enemy groups from being possible foes.

Send people up against Rularuu, Malta, IDF, etc.

 

1 minute ago, Andreah said:

I think either their base rewards should be lowered a bit, according to how easy they are, or they should get some love & kindness tweaks to their mobs or some special new mobs added.

 

I think many of us would prefer just adding more difficulty options instead of removing things people enjoy doing.

 

Your approach to game balance is destructive in that manner.  This game excels at letting people play how they want.  If I want to wrap up work after a long day and smash some +4/x8 Council just for fun, I should be able to do that without being at a disadvantage to other players who are doing more 'hardcore' things.

 

No thank you.

[MTeague]

1 minute ago, VinceBlood said:

 

 

I think many of us would prefer just adding more difficulty options instead of removing things people enjoy doing.

 

Your approach to game balance is destructive in that manner.  This game excels at letting people play how they want.  If I want to wrap up work after a long day and smash some +4/x8 Council just for fun, I should be able to do that without being at a disadvantage to other players who are doing more 'hardcore' things.

 

No thank you.

Clarifying.  I meant that Incarnate Difficulty, if selected, swap out / otherwise buff up truly weak groups, because I can't take "incarnate difficulty" with a straight face and not laugh if it's used to face the weakest possible opponents. 

 

I would absolutely leave council / council missions 100% untouched for all existing modes of play.

[VinceBlood]

Just now, MTeague said:

Clarifying.  I meant that Incarnate Difficulty, if selected, swap out / otherwise buff up truly weak groups, because I can't take "incarnate difficulty" with a straight face and not laugh if it's used to face the weakest possible opponents. 

 

I would absolutely leave council / council missions 100% untouched for all existing modes of play.

 

Ah, that makes more sense.  Thanks for clarifying; I read that very weirdly, apparently.

Edited March 26, 2021 by VinceBlood

[Andreah]

2 minutes ago, VinceBlood said:

 

 

I think many of us would prefer just adding more difficulty options instead of removing things people enjoy doing.

 

Your approach to game balance is destructive in that manner.  This game excels at letting people play how they want.  If I want to wrap up work after a long day and smash some +4/x8 Council just for fun, I should be able to do that without being at a disadvantage to other players who are doing more 'hardcore' things.

 

No thank you.

If we don't decrease or buff council, you can still go smash them at +4/x8. But people who choose harder content should not be relatively penalized by that, either.

 

Instead, we could increase the XP/Inf drops the harder groups offer so they're rewarded consistently to their challenge.

[Andreah]

2 minutes ago, MTeague said:

I can't take "incarnate difficulty" with a straight face and not laugh if it's used to face the weakest possible opponents

We could have group-relative buffs for "Incarnate Difficulty". Council would need quite a lot to really be a challenge.

 

Although, it might surprise us how strong a relatively easy group gets when you give them just the buffs I suggested. 

[Outrider_01]

Add Nemisis Lt typed characters to other factions.  More NPC popping MoG and T9 clicks.  More Self Rez powers, they keep comming back.  put them at Minion level, give them sapper like debuffs and call it a day.

 

Why?  Because it's a Nemesis plot, when the room lights up with Venge multiple time, you got Uber super villions who don't go down.  And start at level 1, contaminated in  outbreak with Unstoppable and Elude.   Fun times

[Marine X]

4 minutes ago, VinceBlood said:

If I want to wrap up work after a long day and smash some +4/x8 Council just for fun, I should be able to do that without being at a disadvantage to other players who are doing more 'hardcore' things.

I can relate to this but I can also see where if you are fighting Malta, which are more challenging for most players than Council, that the rewards should be Different. Don't reduce anything but perhaps add an Incentive in the kinds or frequency of drops for more Difficult groups. I know there is no change that could be made here that would be accepted by all, there are so many different ways to play this game, and many ways to enjoy the same content. I'm thinking this paint job would require a very small brush, rather than a broom, if we're to keep everyone happy.

[golstat2003]

38 minutes ago, Marine X said:

I can relate to this but I can also see where if you are fighting Malta, which are more challenging for most players than Council, that the rewards should be Different. Don't reduce anything but perhaps add an Incentive in the kinds or frequency of drops for more Difficult groups. I know there is no change that could be made here that would be accepted by all, there are so many different ways to play this game, and many ways to enjoy the same content. I'm thinking this paint job would require a very small brush, rather than a broom, if we're to keep everyone happy.

 

I would not mind if fighting mobs like Malta, Carnies at +4/x8 would have a MUCH higher chance to drop purples. That would DEFINETLY encourage me to form teams to hunt just them.

[MTeague]

40 minutes ago, Marine X said:

 I know there is no change that could be made here that would be accepted by all, there are so many different ways to play this game, and many ways to enjoy the same content. I'm thinking this paint job would require a very small brush, rather than a broom, if we're to keep everyone happy.

 

<channeling Bob Ross>

"Maybe... maybe we can put in a Sapper in here.  Righhht there. There. Just a happy little sapper. And let's give him a friend over here. Everybody needs a friend."

[SwitchFade]

Yeah. Softcap is teh haxorz...

 

Right up until the point a Ralaruu boss eyeballs you.

 

Or Nemesis venge stack...

 

Or arachnos buff and debuff...

 

Or those damned floaty drones with tohit...

 

Or carnies...

 

Or longbow...

 

Or vanguard...

 

Or pantheon debuffs...

 

Or cimeroran debuffs...

 

So, all the high level factions have a nasty way of making softcap defense on nearly everything but SR melt like butter.

 

So yeah, join us in the shadow shard 🤪

[Leogunner]

7 hours ago, golstat2003 said:

 

This right here, is all you need to know. If a majority wanted their flavor of COH challenging the would run that content. They don't.

Eh, I think you're projecting your own bias on others.

 

I play mostly red-side where it's predominately SoA and Longbow so it heavily depends on the content available.  It's bad enough the newspaper/radio missions are extremely repetitive and it gets worse when the game's own limitations start requiring you to tie one arm behind your back.  Do I turn my notoriety down against SoA sometimes?  Yeah, not because they are particularly challenging but rather I want to be able to actually see my foes sometimes without popping all my yellows.  Malta are mostly scary if you miss a Sapper or if you only have lethal damage.

 

I suppose I see a difference between "wanting challenge" and "wanting the game to be hard".  A hard game just means grind, a challenging game means you have to adapt.

[Naraka]

3 hours ago, SwitchFade said:

Yeah. Softcap is teh haxorz...

 

Right up until the point a Ralaruu boss eyeballs you.

 

Or Nemesis venge stack...

 

Or arachnos buff and debuff...

 

Or those damned floaty drones with tohit...

 

Or carnies...

 

Or longbow...

 

Or vanguard...

 

Or pantheon debuffs...

 

Or cimeroran debuffs...

 

So, all the high level factions have a nasty way of making softcap defense on nearly everything but SR melt like butter.

 

So yeah, join us in the shadow shard 🤪

You're right...

 

... If all we did was stand there and let our capped defense "arrest" the bad guys.

[golstat2003]

33 minutes ago, Leogunner said:

Eh, I think you're projecting your own bias on others.

 

I play mostly red-side where it's predominately SoA and Longbow so it heavily depends on the content available.  It's bad enough the newspaper/radio missions are extremely repetitive and it gets worse when the game's own limitations start requiring you to tie one arm behind your back.  Do I turn my notoriety down against SoA sometimes?  Yeah, not because they are particularly challenging but rather I want to be able to actually see my foes sometimes without popping all my yellows.  Malta are mostly scary if you miss a Sapper or if you only have lethal damage.

 

I suppose I see a difference between "wanting challenge" and "wanting the game to be hard".  A hard game just means grind, a challenging game means you have to adapt.

 

I don't know. Most of the pickup groups I been in since coming back to COH (since near the start of HC) has been mostly teams avoiding Carnies, Malta and anything else that could be challenging. /shurg.