Page 3 for issue 27 or an issue 28 update.

[Hew]

I tested it. The ice cream is worth buying. If only it had gold flakes on top, like that cheese steak from philly.

[Ukase]

On 10/5/2021 at 4:35 PM, Riverdusk said:

I think it is just the fear that some major changes might change things so much that it ruins the original "feel" of the game in some way.  I doubt almost anyone is against well tested and well thought out changes that keep the original spirit of the game in mind.   I think the HC team generally balances that very well so far. 

For me, any objections I have to changes are the ones that make me have to tab out, and revisit patch notes to make it clear to my thick noggin exactly what changed. 

For example: the snipe change. I hated the first change. I don't like the second one either. There was nothing wrong with the way snipe was before they changed it. I had to revisit the patch notes to determine what happened to the damage, what my ToHit had to be to make it insta-cast, etc. I completely understand why we'd want to know that information. But I don't appreciate having to remind myself the first few days of these details. I have enough things swimming in my brain already. 

That Tarnished Star Badge with the zillion pre-reqs? I completely appreciate the effort that went into the arc. But, as a badger, I didn't really appreciate having to redo the arc several times because some of the pre-reqs were story arcs that didn't have badges, so I had never done them the first time around. I completely understand the why - but I am a bit of a reluctant badger on new issues. But, when you have multiple characters with all the badges, and a new badge comes out - then one is inclined to feel like they need to get all the new badges on all the badge characters in their stable. Obviously, nobody makes us do this. We torture ourselves for reasons I'm still not clear on. I'm suffering for it now...4 characters that had already done House of Horrors now have to redo it, as well as a number of more current badge characters that I feel compelled to get the badge on. (Clearly it says more about me and my lack of sanity than anything else!) 

I don't like new power sets or the idea of new ATs being introduced. Obviously, I'm in the minority. But, I'd rather see current sets get some attention. Why should a force field defender dish out such woefully poor damage. Why can't an empath buff themselves with clear mind and fort? The only buff they can give themselves are the two auras, regen and recovery. Doesn't seem sufficient to me. 

It'd be nice to see the Sentinel's base damage boosted by about 150%. (I totally pulled that number from thin air) 

But - by and large, the changes I hate the most are the ones that require me to respec my character. Like the one where afterburner was nerfed to Evasive Maneuvers. I have at least two characters that need a respec because of those changes. I have plenty of influence. I have the free respecs on those characters. What I don't have is the inclination to read about Evasive Maneuvers. Afterburner was simple. I understood it. And they changed it for their own reasons. I'd like it changed back, but I don't get my way. I just don't want to do the respec, because now that's hours of deliberation in mids that I'd rather not do. Or use someone else's build, but that makes me feel even worse. But that's just me. 

New content that doesn't require a team is always okay with me. 
New costumes? Fine by me, I'll probably never use 'em though. I think costumes are silly. I like the rng button and then modify from there. 

But new powersets/ATs? At the expense of new content? No thank you. 

[Glacier Peak]

7 minutes ago, Ukase said:

For me, any objections I have to changes are the ones that make me have to tab out, and revisit patch notes to make it clear to my thick noggin exactly what changed. 

For example: the snipe change. I hated the first change. I don't like the second one either. There was nothing wrong with the way snipe was before they changed it. I had to revisit the patch notes to determine what happened to the damage, what my ToHit had to be to make it insta-cast, etc. I completely understand why we'd want to know that information. But I don't appreciate having to remind myself the first few days of these details. I have enough things swimming in my brain already. 

That Tarnished Star Badge with the zillion pre-reqs? I completely appreciate the effort that went into the arc. But, as a badger, I didn't really appreciate having to redo the arc several times because some of the pre-reqs were story arcs that didn't have badges, so I had never done them the first time around. I completely understand the why - but I am a bit of a reluctant badger on new issues. But, when you have multiple characters with all the badges, and a new badge comes out - then one is inclined to feel like they need to get all the new badges on all the badge characters in their stable. Obviously, nobody makes us do this. We torture ourselves for reasons I'm still not clear on. I'm suffering for it now...4 characters that had already done House of Horrors now have to redo it, as well as a number of more current badge characters that I feel compelled to get the badge on. (Clearly it says more about me and my lack of sanity than anything else!) 

I don't like new power sets or the idea of new ATs being introduced. Obviously, I'm in the minority. But, I'd rather see current sets get some attention. Why should a force field defender dish out such woefully poor damage. Why can't an empath buff themselves with clear mind and fort? The only buff they can give themselves are the two auras, regen and recovery. Doesn't seem sufficient to me. 

It'd be nice to see the Sentinel's base damage boosted by about 150%. (I totally pulled that number from thin air) 

But - by and large, the changes I hate the most are the ones that require me to respec my character. Like the one where afterburner was nerfed to Evasive Maneuvers. I have at least two characters that need a respec because of those changes. I have plenty of influence. I have the free respecs on those characters. What I don't have is the inclination to read about Evasive Maneuvers. Afterburner was simple. I understood it. And they changed it for their own reasons. I'd like it changed back, but I don't get my way. I just don't want to do the respec, because now that's hours of deliberation in mids that I'd rather not do. Or use someone else's build, but that makes me feel even worse. But that's just me. 

New content that doesn't require a team is always okay with me. 
New costumes? Fine by me, I'll probably never use 'em though. I think costumes are silly. I like the rng button and then modify from there. 

But new powersets/ATs? At the expense of new content? No thank you. 

I'm nitpicking here, but why would you need to respec out of Evasive Maneuvers if it became the tier 4 power in the Flight pool (which Afterburner used to occupy)?

 

Were you using the flight pool powers without choosing Fly, so you didn't get the free power after the change?

 

Edit: Oh and Tarnished Star link may help ya:

Double edit: nvm! I see you posted in that thread already lol

Edited October 8, 2021 by Glacier Peak

[Ukase]

10 hours ago, Glacier Peak said:

Were you using the flight pool powers without choosing Fly, so you didn't get the free power after the change?

Please bear in mind - my objection is based solely on ignorance. I never chose Evasive Maneuvers. It was given to me. I have no idea if the LotG that's in there now is actually doing anything, as I haven't played the character since that patch. I will get around to it some day. But when I read the description of EM, I don't see how it's going to take the place of Afterburner, with that time limit on the use of that free version of it. Particularly for this week with Dr. Q. being the weekly. I mean, I don't know what it does, how it affects my combat stats, or if I can even be in combat with it. My fault, as I haven't taken the time to read about it. To me, I often wish the devs would just leave well enough alone. I still haven't bothered to read all the way through those patch notes to see if I could get a glimmer of whose day they were trying to make or ruin. What was wrong with it the way it was? It worked fine. 

But that's the gist of my objection. In order to now play my character with any confidence, I now have to read through the notes. Look at mids and see just precisely what using the power does to my combat stats. Then, I have to determine if it's actually a power I would ever use, see what type of IOs it would take. 
The same issue with the Sorcery pool. I have a good half dozen characters who opted for Rune of Protection, so I didn't take barrier. So, now those characters all have a t-4 rebirth because with Rune, barrier is overkill. But with Rune being essentially only usable once in a too damn long of a time, it's now best used for a set mule or a safe t-9 to use in case of crazy circumstances that almost never happen to me when I play. So, it's got to go. Which means a respec for each of those characters. And since they're 50, there's a chance it may require two respecs just to take all the IOs out. 

In short - these changes that so many of my fellow players clamor for - some of these changes ultimately require me to do work. I don't view a respec as game play. It's a necessary evil, and only as a last resort. In the same way some folks don't like to market, I don't like to do respecs. I'm okay poring over mids every so often, but not half a dozen times at the conclusion of a patch. Especially after I've already invested the time in mids on the character the first time. 

I wonder how the human torch would have felt if he could no longer flame-on, but maintained a fiery aura at all times. No more secret ID. No more fun with the ladies. "Sorry, Johnny, we had to make this change because it didn't make sense that you could just will those flames out by the force of your mind." 

"No, Thor. You don't have your Uru hammer anymore. You just get this squirting flower on your lapel.  Oh, and a lapel. The kids will love it."

Changing powers is just not a good idea for me - unless they are changed for the better. And, when I get around to it, I might figure out if these changes are for the better. But, life is busy and I haven't taken the time to determine if they are. That kind of time just isn't entertaining for me. It's like reading the instructions on how to assemble a table. Never put that table together before, but how different can it be from other tables I've assembled? So, just get to it. I can always read them later if I need to. 

[Glacier Peak]

Very well said. I appreciate your perspective @Ukase.