Focused Feedback: Advanced Difficulty Options and Challenge Mode

[Aurora_Girl]

32 minutes ago, ZacKing said:

 

This is an important piece of feedback I think gets lost or just plain ignored here from the "everything has to be a team!" crowd.  Teaming is great and, but having to deal with the excessive VFX spam and the totally gross coloring some people put on their powers it makes teaming less desirable.  When my character is getting buried underneath layer upon layer of overcolored, oversaturated buffs to the point I can't even see where I am, teaming isn't fun.

 

Graphics sliders! Learn them, love them, use them!

[GamerKate]

1 hour ago, Cobalt Arachne said:

We've already had some internal discussions on a new 'Easy Mode' for TFs that allow them to be solo-able by any character for reduced rewards. Can't comment on any of the specifics, as it's not a Page 3 thing.

At the very least we would have some details to nail down on the how's and what's before committing to it as a feature, but it's very possible to do and on our radar.

Oh wow, really? 

Well that's absolutely fantastic to hear. I was intrigued to hear that it is somehow possible to solo all the TFs with a suitably tricked out scrapper, but hearing that an Easy Mode for TFs is on your radar has really made my day. I can wait, and until then I fervently hope the new Xtra Hard Modes are greeted with delight by players who like challenge - I am always happy when other players are happy 🙂

Eco

[GamerKate]

1 hour ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

Please don't add a special mode to make Task Forces soloable.

 

99.99% of the content in this game is soloable. There should be at least a little bit of content that usually requires a team.

There is, they're called TFs at harder difficulty settings (This Issue Page will literally add MORE content that requires a team lol), and adding an EZ mode OPTION won't affect that at all. You will still have all of your team content 😄

Eco

[arcane]

57 minutes ago, Sovera said:

But what the heck is it with the 'no' to making TFs soloable? Which they already handily are?

I believe you answered your own question here within the quote.

[Mezmera]

Yeah if it's something as easy as making it -1 and turning the AV's into EB's and kneecap the rewards sure.  I wouldn't think it'd take too much work to do.  A minus option for those that want to immerse themselves in the story at their leisure okay.  The current baseline is kind of soloable atm on most though.  But yes options.  

 

I also do agree with some here that these are TF's meant for team endeavors for the most part so making them trivial you don't want to detract from their intent.  

 

I'm enjoying the new difficulties so if that remains the focus forward and they are able to implement a few easy mode TF's where it would be easy and appropriate for them to do so then great.  

[ZacKing]

30 minutes ago, Aurora_Girl said:

Graphics sliders! Learn them, love them, use them!

 

You're assuming I don't know about them.  They aren't a solution.  there's been a few discussions on these forums about a way to suppress or totally disable the VFX from buffs applied to us.  That's a solution.  

[lemming]

That would be the plus on being able to solo, the ability to take the time to read up on the story.

[PeregrineFalcon]

35 minutes ago, ZacKing said:

You're assuming I don't know about them.  They aren't a solution.

How are they not a solution?

 

Not trying to be a jerk here. I'm just asking because I genuinely don't understand why turning the graphics down isn't a solution.

 

This is a super hero game that has super hero effects. And it was made in 2004. If it weren't for the tiny interface I could run this game on my phone.

[Bionic_Flea]

Is there a TF that hasn't already been soloed by someone or other?

 

That said, add all the options!  MOAR OPTIONS!

[Albion]

I think going out of one's way to ask not to add a solo mode is as pointless as complaining about extra hard ones, people enjoy to play the way they want (or have no other choice because of real life but don't want to entirely abandon the game), and they will keep trying to play that way, be solo, challenges, roleplay, or never leaving the AE, the costume creator or the base editor, now, if you somehow push them to play another way, they may do it but they not gonna enjoy it and that will end up making them disengage the game, more options is ALWAYS good, we are not going to lose team mates to run the group content we like, because those who want to play solo for a myriad reasons didn't want to join us in the first place and if they do, they are not going to be the best kind of team mates (not for being mean, but just because they are not into it), then, if there is a day I am too busy to properly work with a group or if i just want to slowly, at my pace, read every single bit of lore and click every neat little secret on the map, that is part of also enjoying the game, just like this new beauty the hard modes are; not everyone is privy to the technical secrets that allow you to perform either way, or has mastered the way to build accordingly, sure there is a large, helpful and patient player base that can help you with any of that, but again, we are many types of players, all bind together by love to CoH but that focus on different aspects of it, an easier easy mode will be again, optional, and going alongside lesser rewards, will ensure it is not exploited, those who want it will use it, those who don't, will pass from it, pretty sure the Devs are working based on players feedback with the intention to balance whichever new feature is added, so that we all keep playing.

[General Idiot]

Easy mode for people who want to casually take their time without worrying about dealing with other people rushing or needing to go afk to help grandma with something or whatever sounds fine to me. A little off topic for this thread perhaps but a fine idea.

[arcane]

22 minutes ago, Albion said:

more options is ALWAYS good

This is practically an ideology here. 
 

Only the Sith deal in absolutes...

[Albion]

8 minutes ago, arcane said:

This is practically an ideology here. 
 

Only the Sith deal in absolutes...

Well I would say ruling an intergalactic empire through fear and cruelty is an option itself, but ANYWAYS, Advanced Difficulty Options, pretty cool so far.

[PeregrineFalcon]

14 minutes ago, arcane said:

Only the Sith deal in absolutes...

More Jedi lies!

[ZacKing]

1 hour ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

How are they not a solution?

 

Not trying to be a jerk here. I'm just asking because I genuinely don't understand why turning the graphics down isn't a solution.

 

This is a super hero game that has super hero effects. And it was made in 2004. If it weren't for the tiny interface I could run this game on my phone.

 

Because turning down the graphics makes the game look like shit for me.  I should be able to enjoy the game world in all its detail without resorting to turning down graphics to avoid being buried under layers of bright pink flames or purple sparks or whatever other colors people want to use for their buff powers.  If that's ok with you all of course.  I took a lot of time to make costumes for my characters that  I'm happy with.  I'd like to see them without being buried beneath the visual clutter.  Starting to roll out minimal FX options for powers was a step in the right direction IMO and something that I'd like to see continue.  I'd also love a hide all buff VFX option that's been tossed about here a couple of times.  

[PeregrineFalcon]

35 minutes ago, ZacKing said:

I'd also love a hide all buff VFX option that's been tossed about here a couple of times.  

Ok, that makes sense.

 

I thought there was a slider to tone down power FX without affecting the graphics of the world and characters. And I misremembering? I'm at work right now and can't log in to check.

[Aurora_Girl]

13 minutes ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

Ok, that makes sense.

 

I thought there was a slider to tone down power FX without affecting the graphics of the world and characters. And I misremembering? I'm at work right now and can't log in to check.

 

"Suppress VFX when close" I think it is. 

[EmperorSteele]

1 hour ago, arcane said:

Only the Sith deal in absolutes...

 

I forget who said tha-OH RIGHT a freakin' JEDI!

 

@PeregrineFalcon there's a vfx slider, yeah. Turning it too low make everyone look like they're using the Force because there's no indication of what's being used, just enemies reacting to near-invisible impacts. Kinda funny tbh.

[PeregrineFalcon]

39 minutes ago, EmperorSteele said:

There's a vfx slider, yeah. Turning it too low make everyone look like they're using the Force because there's no indication of what's being used, just enemies reacting to near-invisible impacts. Kinda funny tbh.

Ok, that's what I thought. So "turn down the FX slider" is literally a solution that someone could use. Thanks for the info.

 

So @ZacKing why not slide that FX slider down until you get it to where you like it. Isn't that exactly what you want?

[Tsuko]

16 hours ago, arcane said:

Only the Sith deal in absolutes...

 

[Ruin Mage]

I'm going to raise a point raised elsewhere;

Adding the 'No Incarnates' part to the old Master of ruleset is a weird move to make after having years of that not being a thing. While I understand that Incarnate powers make the no death part far easier, these TFs are by no means breezed just because someone popped Barrier. Ghost Widow's "you're dead" hold in the Liberty SF can still get someone if you are being careless. This same can be said for the all out AV brawl in the Recluse SF. Speaking from the Everlasting perspective - the Master of runs  often have to deal with a death within the first mission and resetting. Well they used to when I ran them. So the problem isn't Incarnates - it's the random nature of people.

I don't think making an additional change to the old ruleset is needed, imo. It can be hard enough as it is trusting an average joe to pay attention to what they are doing.

[ZacKing]

15 hours ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

Ok, that's what I thought. So "turn down the FX slider" is literally a solution that someone could use. Thanks for the info.

 

So @ZacKing why not slide that FX slider down until you get it to where you like it. Isn't that exactly what you want?

 

I know the slider and no it doesn't work for me.  Thanks tho

[KeepDistance]

FWIW, as someone who enjoyes tweaking out builds to solo hard TFs, I'm in favor of adding an easier TF solo mode. Many early game TFs can be soloed already without too much powergaming (e.g. Citadel, which is just long but whose end AV is nothing too taxing - a pack of envenomed daggers should do it). But that's not true of the end game TFs.

 

I've soloed ITF, LGTF, and LRSF (and I'd say those are listed in increasing difficulty). I've never attempted Kahn or Barracuda because the huge bag of HP that is Reichsmann just sounds like a terrible bore, even if it's possible. As for Ms. Liberty TF, I suspect the number of people on HC who can solo it is in the single digits. I've certainly never tried, though if I did, I'd make sure to stack shivans, nukes, wolf whistle, and super team insps, gathering each of which is kind of a mini-TF on its own.

 

I don't quite understand the reluctance to add easier modes for these TFs on the condition that rewards are reduced. IMHO that would just expand the playstyles that the game supports and I don't see how that's a bad thing. We already have teams that speed through at +0 and teams that steamroll at +4, and as far as I can tell, neither option hurts the other, aside from the occasional oops where someone joins a team thinking it'd do one thing when it was intending to do the other.

[PeregrineFalcon]

4 hours ago, ZacKing said:

I know the slider and no it doesn't work for me.  Thanks tho

Wait, what?

 

So the slider that works for everyone else just magically doesn't work for you? So because of this the developers should do a bunch of work on the powers FX? What?

 

That just doesn't make any sense. Perhaps you can explain it to me.

[Glacier Peak]

1 hour ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

Wait, what?

 

So the slider that works for everyone else just magically doesn't work for you? So because of this the developers should do a bunch of work on the powers FX? What?

 

That just doesn't make any sense. Perhaps you can explain it to me.

Reducing max particle count helps too.