About some complaints going around lately regarding the state of Homecoming development.

[Myrmidon]

There are no other servers.

[PLVRIZR]

14 hours ago, SaintD said:

 

You're saying that as a joke, but Willpower is basically Actual Regen to such an extent it should have replaced it entirely in the first place.

 

And @Haijinx started it 😆, but I fixed his joke, as I was also serious...for the same reason you mention.

[Cherry]

On 1/23/2022 at 11:27 AM, Albion said:

You are living the true life.

reminded me of this : 

 

[MunkiLord]

On 1/23/2022 at 1:45 PM, kwsapphire said:

 

There are some games I *only* like to play on "god mode," including Baldur's Gate, Civilzation, and Don't Starve, because generally I'm going for a different sort of challenge. In Baldur's Gate I set all my stats to 25 and give myself custom made overpowered gear, and use my companions as loot mules while I explore the world and role play without fear of death. In Civlization I build a custom map where I have all the resources, and I give myself loads of gold, so whenever another civlization makes demands of me I can just pay them in gold or resources (instead of tech) and not only beat them to the end of the tech tree, but also absorb all their cities with my amazingly high culture score, and have all my opponents showering me with kisses when I win.

 

I love this. I didn’t play on god mode in Civ 5, but I kept it on easy enough settings so I could do other things while I played and still have fun and tell interesting stories. I usually played as England becuase I liked their bonus. Well one time I was really not paying attention and Napolean of all people captured London. I got it back very quickly, but going forward I made sure France was in every game and no matter how I won I made sure to eliminate them. I played Civ 5 more for the stories than I did the actual strategy.

[blue4333]

Is telling unhappy people they can go play other servers really the option here? 
 

Considering that the other servers have a peak of less than 50 -100 players and Homecoming is pretty much the only server with population. 
 

Shouldn't we weigh the criticisms and see how we can propose things  to improve? Because honestly it comes off as a group think if we just keep saying “HC has a slow but steady approach and other servers are just randomly experimenting until it works”

[AerialAssault]

It's important for any development cycle, whether it be games or something else, require a consistent design philosophy, even if that philosophy is to be inconsistent. 

 

Imagine how jarring it would be for Homecoming to suddenly release half a dozen incomplete, untested powersets? Or enemy groups? Or story arcs? We've come to expect a level of quality and 'polish' from the Dev team that it would be a disaster.

 

I have no doubt that Homecoming do observe other servers development, but lifting things wholesale from the fruits of others labours is both scummy and bad form, and I think our devs are better than that.

 

In the meantime, the only real recourse for someone who wants what a different server has over here is to play on that other server. This isnt internet politics or drama, just a simple fact. Sorry.

[Snarky]

We have a game.  The Dev staff cares.  Even from the perspective of a negative life sucking Redsider I am struggling to find a downside here….

 

Oh you want more shit and arent getting it fast enough.   (Not meaning the OP, just general complainers) Wait, no, that is funny.  Still not a downside.   
 

Anything else?

[Without_Pause]

My biggest complaint is the code for the last 5 on the market. I see it being broken all the time and it irks me to no end. There's tons more stuff to do. There are rampaging balance issues where certain powers simply aren't justifiable in taking and fixes go beyond adjusting damage, recharge, end use, but I at least get how that can take some time to work through and fix. Same with adding stuff.  Working on the market code seems like an unloved bastard child despite how much it fuels the game's economy.

[KaizenSoze]

22 minutes ago, Without_Pause said:

My biggest complaint is the code for the last 5 on the market. I see it being broken all the time and it irks me to no end. There's tons more stuff to do. There are rampaging balance issues where certain powers simply aren't justifiable in taking and fixes go beyond adjusting damage, recharge, end use, but I at least get how that can take some time to work through and fix. Same with adding stuff.  Working on the market code seems like an unloved bastard child despite how much it fuels the game's economy.

In my idea world the different servers would share code and work as a team rewriting particularly bad sections of code. Like the market or league interface.

 

Humans being humans. People are just going to have strong different ideas about how things should be done. Teamwork between servers is unlikely at a large scale. We programmers are an cantankerous and opinionated lot.

[Without_Pause]

2 minutes ago, KaizenSoze said:

In my idea world the different servers would share code and work as a team rewriting particularly bad sections of code. Like the market or league interface.

 

Humans being humans. People are just going to have strong different ideas about how things should be done. Teamwork between servers is unlikely at a large scale. We programmers are an cantankerous and opinionated lot.

Different server teams working on the same code base for certain things I'm guessing makes things harder for the HC team talking with NCSoft. Ideally, CoH would be open source and we would just have different flavors similar to Linux. If the market code is sitting there on GitHub, it would have already been fixed by now.

[A Cat]

43 minutes ago, Without_Pause said:

My biggest complaint is the code for the last 5 on the market. I see it being broken all the time and it irks me to no end. There's tons more stuff to do. There are rampaging balance issues where certain powers simply aren't justifiable in taking and fixes go beyond adjusting damage, recharge, end use, but I at least get how that can take some time to work through and fix. Same with adding stuff.  Working on the market code seems like an unloved bastard child despite how much it fuels the game's economy.

That is also my least favorite buggy thing too. I heard the market code in general is just a complete mess. I'm guessing that's why it hasn't been fixed for all these years in live and HC. it would be nice though. 

[KaizenSoze]

5 minutes ago, Without_Pause said:

Different server teams working on the same code base for certain things I'm guessing makes things harder for the HC team talking with NCSoft. Ideally, CoH would be open source and we would just have different flavors similar to Linux. If the market code is sitting there on GitHub, it would have already been fixed by now.

I agree that would be idea. But who is in charge of what goes into the repository.

 

Generally, most large open source project are run by a small group of dedicated developers.

 

Instead of the current model where each server is run by it's own dedicated developers. And I feel there is some level of competition for players between the servers.

 

The groups would have to come together and agree on what should be the open source repository.  That means politics.

[Without_Pause]

19 minutes ago, KaizenSoze said:

I agree that would be idea. But who is in charge of what goes into the repository.

 

Generally, most large open source project are run by a small group of dedicated developers.

 

Instead of the current model where each server is run by it's own dedicated developers. And I feel there is some level of competition for players between the servers.

 

The groups would have to come together and agree on what should be the open source repository.  That means politics.

I honestly don't know if any other server is talking to NCSoft. To me it is up to HC. HC being the head of the open source version of CoH might be the only way I can see NCSoft letting CoH become official again.

[Ukase]

2 hours ago, KaizenSoze said:

In my idea world the different servers would share code and work as a team rewriting particularly bad sections of code. Like the market or league interface.

 

Humans being humans. People are just going to have strong different ideas about how things should be done. Teamwork between servers is unlikely at a large scale. We programmers are an cantankerous and opinionated lot.

Unfortunately, this isn't likely to happen. And not because they can't agree or wouldn't/don't get along. I know nothing about those relationships, if they even exist. But I play a bit on Rebirth and here. On Rebirth - Catalysts & converters -- they are not tradeable. If all the different server hosts got together - each market section of code would have to be further reworked to fit in with each server's unique set up. 

The market code, from what I've read, is basically held together by binary duct tape and bubble gum. Yes, the last 5 display is glitchy, but after a time using it, it's only the newer player that's going to have any difficulty figuring out what the price should be. Not ideal, of course, and certainly annoying, but it beats not having any market at all. 

I encourage everyone to make an account on Rebirth whenever they get tired of the people here. Aside from weekend evenings, it's practically a ghost town there. More folks in Ouroboros than all the maps put together! And just check THEIR AH out. You have to have an account for a fair number of weeks, logging in at least once a week to use the /AH shortcut, otherwise, you'll have to port there with a temp power or just use your slower travel power. And when you get there - you see there are no Rikti Alloys. And you see the last 5 sold for 2M each. But there are 4 chronal Skips! They sold for 1.2M, 1.4, 2, and 800k, and 1.1M. 

Try to find an LotG 7.5%. Nope! I listed one for sale at 15M.. I'll see next week how much I get. 
Further, try making one with converters...yikes, I digress too much! Sorry! 

Let's just maybe take a moment, be glad and trust the dev team to take the game in a good direction. 
By all means - share your views. They can't know what your thoughts are if you don't share them. But let's maybe not try to ask for too much. Like an actual bank, accessible by any character, instead of stashing things in email. Or an increased inf cap to 10B per character. Or 100B per character. Or an inf sink, like 10 billion to hold 1000 recipes, or something like that. (man, that would hurt the economy more than I'd like to think about) Or 10 enhancement trays instead of 7...I'm gonna hush now. 

[Without_Pause]

It could work as it would ultimately be very similar to what we have now. HC owns the base code. Anybody can come in and offer modifications. It is up to HC to manage those changes and only commit the ones they approve of. This is why someone can't simply add in a security exploit to Linux. If at some point someone starts working on their own flavor of CoH, see Ubuntu, then they can branch off of the base and go from there. The difference is we don't have people sitting around on lunch breaks or afterhours looking at typos, bugs, and any other sort of fix which is really the bigger area of focus for open source. HC can still be the driving force of the base. If someone wants to come along and code in a Sonic Melee set, then that can be added if HC decides to. If not, it could be part of a different flavor of the base.

 

I have no desire for going to a different server. Rebirth gets mentioned enough here I sort of guess they are #2. Their population size sounds terrible, Hell, Redside here even on Excel isn't great. Just imagine trying to get a Redside SF going there. I have no qualms with people behind the other servers coming to HC, but the last time I made that type of suggestion I got a bit of blowback on it. Just imagine the pace of pages coming out doubling and what that does for HC.

[BurtHutt]

I can't say I have any real complaints for the HC devs. I don't think most do. HC runs at a level that seems to be on par with Live. They don't usually release things until they're ready and look professional. I've tried some of the other servers and the content and items added do not look....good...or professional. 

 

I definitely will supply my feedback and hope the HC Devs consider all of the feedback they get. I'm happy the game is back but I am not playing as much which isn't too unexpected. HC Devs had a chance to update the look and feel of content. I like some of the power ideas but they can be more. It's great that they add arcs and, finally, an SF - some of which had some cool new innovations. Sadly, the new content is based off of old arcs and characters so it feels....not new.

 

I just saw a posting about letting players design some costumes for Hero Corps. This is kinda neat and exciting but it could be so much more.

 

Sometimes it just seems the HC team is taking the safe road which is too bad. It really takes away from the new content when it 'feels' old and just a continuation of what we were getting back when.

[Shadow Raven]

I think the game runs fine.

 

I've had to adjust to many of the changes because I only played the first year or two. A lot of this is very new to me.

 

The strength or weakness of this game, in my opinion, has always been the community, and how you address that will be the key.

[Ironblade]

17 hours ago, blue4333 said:

Shouldn't we weigh the criticisms and see how we can propose things  to improve? Because honestly it comes off as a group think if we just keep saying “HC has a slow but steady approach and other servers are just randomly experimenting until it works”

Then let's just say, "HC has a slow but steady approach."  Period.  No need to throw in gratuitous slander.

 

The Homecoming devs have settled on a particular approach and management style and it has worked FOR YEARS.  Shouldn't we weigh the criticisms?  Of course.  There is a suggestion forum and every major update goes through multiple rounds of testing and feedback.

 

But, at the end of the day, if someone takes the position that the way Homecoming does things is completely unacceptable to them then, yes, they should go play on another server or even a completely different game.  That's how life goes.  This is a game and the people running it have decided to run it a certain way.  They are clearly open to player input and feedback and have made many changes based on that input.  But they make the final decisions.

 

When all is said and done, it's actually that simple.  If you like playing here more than you dislike it, stay and play.  If you'd like to see changes, speak up.  If the changes you champion don't get implemented, either accept that or leave.  Every individual has complete freedom of choice from start to finish.

[Black Talon]

Simply repeating what's already been stated here x-hundred times before, but my standpoint is that any population, who are getting an MMPOG for fricking free, and see fit to complain about it are invited to take their butts over to the other side of the proverbial fence, where they'll understand that the grass being "greener" was just from a greater proliferation of weeds.  The Homecoming crew get no end of thanks and congratulations from this end, and any alterations to the game engine - at least the ones I've experienced - are more of cosmetic/background value than as a serious alteration of the game's central functions.  I'm just going to keep remembering the December snowfall in Atlas Park, and how I wish it could have been extended into all other zones (CoV included).  Little touches like that are what keep me donating month after month and finding absolutely no reason to complain about it.  As long as the game engine ensures that the Vahzilok continue to suffer being carved into cold meat cuts by a generous helping of Claws, I'll be humming the CoH anthem all the way to this Sunday's family dinner....

[PeregrineFalcon]

I was playing CoH with my friends the other day. We were in the Cake Room. People were complaining about it. I said loudly (we were on Discord) "I love the Cake Room!"

 

My friends prompt asked me if I had lost the rest of my marbles.

 

I said "Remember, back in 2013, when I said that I how I really missed City of Heroes and that if I was ever able to play it again I'd never complain about anything, not even the Cake Room?" They said "No, not really." I said "Well, I remember saying it. And I honestly never believed that I'd ever be able to play City of Heroes ever again. But here we are. So I love the Cake Room!"

[Mr. Apocalypse]

While there are things on other servers that I would potentially like to see on the homecoming servers, I don't feel I have any right to demand any of them nor complain about the lack there of. If the devs here decide on implementing some of the things other severs have, great, if not, then no skin off my teeth. I think the devs here are doing a fantastic job, and the number of servers and population speak to that fact.

[SaintD]

On 2/1/2022 at 12:26 PM, blue4333 said:

Is telling unhappy people they can go play other servers really the option here? 

When the complaint is that they want things that are on those servers?

.....yeah. Yeah it is.

[blue4333]

1 hour ago, SaintD said:

When the complaint is that they want things that are on those servers?

.....yeah. Yeah it is.

I’m not trying to imply that the other servers are “better” but this kind of feels like it will hinder future additions or changes to HC. 
 

So based on this, anything new on other servers would be a straight no-go for HC?

 

 

[GM Tempest]

I, for one, want wizard-ninja-clowns as a mastermind powerset, but alas.

 

I think we can safely say that we're always looking for new features and developments to add to the server. Be watchful of our Discord and betas for upcoming developments, but there's always more in the works!

[Hyperstrike]

3 hours ago, GM Tempest said:

I, for one, want wizard-ninja-clowns as a mastermind powerset, but alas.

 

I think we can safely say that we're always looking for new features and developments to add to the server. Be watchful of our Discord and betas for upcoming developments, but there's always more in the works!

Carp Melee OR GTFO!