Homecoming Vs Mids: A plea

[Scarlet Shocker]

so I had an issue just this weekend, trying to post a build and getting an error in the doing thereof.

 

The errors were inconsistent and I did not necessarily screenshot them but suffice to say that I had a fail.

 

I submitted reports to all and had some convos - but I was disappointed to find that the general consensus is "they say it's them"

 

I want to be clear here that I am not in any way apportioning blame nor calling anyone out - I totally get we're working in an environment where we have volunteers who are both passionate and dedicated. This isn't about them or us or anyone.

 

But it does seem that there may be a blockage in comms. Mid's is a vital resource to this game and has been since it was released on live back in 2000+dot. Indeed if it was a commercial game, I would expect Mid's and the Costume creator to have been hived off into a connected mobile app - build and design your toon while you're not on your PC.

 

I get that all the teams here volunteer their time, their abilities, and their passion to make the game better - but I would love there to be more open channels because when I come here to seek advice, builds are almost essential these days. It would be very difficult to envisage a world without Mids in its midst, so to speak. It's so valuable, it's essentially a core element. One is diminished without the other (and the flip doesn't bear thinking about.)

 

So would it be possible to get the teams from both to put collective genius heads together and sort a fix? I would seriously love that and I am sure I would not be alone.

 

And if you are in management of either side, please take this in the spirit of intent - I'm not having a pop, but I am a bit frustrated when I craft a thing of (potential) beauty for the world's perusal to be told "nope"

[biostem]

What obligation does the HC have to get a 3rd party app/program working?  I also disagree with your statement that MIDS is "vital"...

[Astralock]

If you're talking about the issue with posting Mids' Reborn builds on the Homecoming forums, it's a known issue by both the Homecoming team and the Mids' Reborn team.  When will it be fixed?  Who knows.  In the meantime, there's a workaround that's been posted here a few times already, including the thread you started a couple of days ago.

 

In Mids' Reborn, go to: File > Export > Forum Export > Yes > Data Chunk, and select "Only export Data Chunk"

 

It works.

 

 

 

 

[Cipher]

This is an issue with the bbcode that Mids generates containing bad characters or sequences that cause bbcode parsing to fail on the forums. Unfortunately, without making direct modifications to the forum software's parser, this is out of our hands. We did notify them of the issue back in 2019 or early 2020 though.

[Snarky]

i think there are ways around it.  post the link not the build.  post the build without the bits (useless, but visual)  redo the build real clean and see if it posts from that.

[huang3721]

The Homecoming team does not have anything to do with MIDS devs.

 

<personal_opinion>

Also, I disagree that people need another app and stop playing the game to play the game.

</personal_opinion>

[Snarky]

meh, MiDs is THE whiteboard on which we work out all our build ideas and tweak things into the finest numbers.  It may not be necessary but it makes the game more fun 

[tidge]

The last time I tried to install MIDS, my mechanical HDD locked and fried. Coincidence is more likely than causation, but it definitely seemed like MIDS needed a whole lotta extra stuff installed as well, just to make it "work". I'm not taking anything away from the developers of the app, or those that evangelize for it, but it isn't something I find necessary for builds or experimenting with builds. City of Data v2.0 is much more useful to me.

[Erratic1]

Mids installation is dubious in terms of doing so and continuing to work. I usually just extract the folder from the ZIP archive, then pull the executable to my task bar. Seems to work and keep the registry from getting cluttered.

[TheZag]

So mids works and the forum works and copy and paste works but you have to choose a compatible option.....

 

Seems like its working then.  And even if mids were considered vital,  posting a build on the forum is not vital.  Sure, we can show off a build or get feedback but that is far from vital.

 

[InvaderStych]

I occasionally get a missing row of info on the T1 power or thereabouts, but for the most part exporting works depending on what you pick and mids version.

 

Mids discord here:

 

https://discord.com/channels/593336669004890113/595818623063425035

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Stalker
Primary Power Set: Fiery Melee
Secondary Power Set: Stone Armor
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Blaze Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Sword -- SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprAssMar-Rchg/Rchg Build Up(5), AchHee-ResDeb%(13)
Level 1: Hide -- Ksm-ToHit+(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(43)
Level 2: Rock Armor -- ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(A), ShlWal-EndRdx/Rchg(3), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(39), ShlWal-Def(40), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(40), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(40)
Level 4: Stone Skin -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-Max HP%(19), Rct-Def(19), Rct-ResDam%(21), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(48)
Level 6: Cremate -- Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg(A), Mk'Bit-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Mk'Bit-Dmg/Rchg(7), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), FrcFdb-Rechg%(11)
Level 8: Assassin's Blaze -- SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprStlGl-Dmg/Rchg(13), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(15), SprStlGl-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), SprStlGl-Rchg/Hide%(17)
Level 10: Earth's Embrace -- Pnc-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(A)
Level 12: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), GssSynFr--Build%(42)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 16: Rooted -- DSyncO:DSyncEndHeal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(34), Prv-Absorb%(37)
Level 18: Combat Teleport -- Wrp-Range(A), Wrp-End(33), Wrp-+Special(33)
Level 20: Crystal Armor -- ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(A), ShlWal-EndRdx/Rchg(21), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(31), ShlWal-Def(31), PwrTrns-+Heal(37), PrfShf-End%(37)
Level 22: Fire Sword Circle -- SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(23), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(23), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(25), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(50)
Level 24: Brimstone Armor -- Ags-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Ags-EndRdx/Rchg(42), Ags-ResDam(42)
Level 26: Greater Fire Sword -- SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(27), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(27), SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(29), SprBlsCol-Rchg/HoldProc(31)
Level 28: Minerals -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(43)
Level 30: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Tough -- Ags-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Ags-EndRdx/Rchg(34), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(34), GldArm-End/Res(39), GldArm-3defTpProc(39)
Level 35: Weave -- ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(A), ShlWal-EndRdx/Rchg(36), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(36), ShlWal-Def(36), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(48)
Level 38: Char -- Dcm-Build%(A)
Level 41: Fire Blast -- SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(A), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(43), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(48)
Level 44: Fire Ball -- SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg(A), SprFrzBls-Dmg/EndRdx(45), SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), SprFrzBls-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(46)
Level 47: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Teleport -- WntGif-ResSlow(A)
Level 1: Assassination
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- DSyncO:DSyncSlowRechEnd(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 1: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 1: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), Mrc-Rcvry+(11), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(50)
Level 1: Stamina -- PwrTrns-+Heal(A), PrfShf-End%(33), PrfShf-EndMod(50)
Level 50: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 50: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Task Force Commander
Level 50: Portal Jockey
------------

 

Data Chunk:

 

| Copy & Paste this data into Mids Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|MxDz;1666;733;1466;HEX;|
|78DA6594494F535114C7FFAFBD8FA1509927CB540A16AD148A7E0007248A3421C1B|
|833CD131FA55ADBA6ED0210A31BF78A1A3738C744D4A5D3D6BD268E1FC20568A231|
|7161EAE19D77E0526EF2DADF3BF339F7DE179F1FABFDF07EF2100CFFD1B4552824A|
|68B56FA829D37E3563235838D55494F872B4EC4EDB46D47C753767E8139209A317B|
|D6CE14ECE874319BB11387F317B379D44E65B3E9E8A46DE5529964A3F3728A9C72D|
|97CD12AA6B219BF231A4F25E78A64E073DEA673B67DAEF1582E35133D92B616ED44|
|DC2A14295D3B9511A267214C3F06649514304F4F4CC1834506852581CB0CB578E70|
|19A142A22DBBD09FFD17F97C23EB4188E6D2599189A896960DCEB2638CEB0072718|
|C298103829E086A9A2305EBD4E2F7EB34923FE0AAC3334E317C330DA0CA79A45EAD|
|2DC2AB4649A9885635281A4C01C43155202E7197CB8E671E05298F76F334C253E7A|
|DD897C62D885CF025F18EAF155E01B4335F552ADF5826AF4B0668912D468751A358|
|8700D7BB1CA35B452017EDDD92F23F29169DDD6A84B9E3A844D802615C4778EDF8F|
|3577E414A5418BE26940C07434BDE812E866A8A1B84DFA0E36C90E36CB0E76CB0E7|
|6CB0EF6E38F72E10E177E857A6BD187D782153669C55D817B0CEDB82FF080218687|
|EED9A36ADAF4CADB3062B8231A1538C870955276E8293B709DA3ECC60D8165864ED|
|C14B8A5DC5E6E33F82965403FE501D47382CD53EEA179766999E8A5440B5E92F7E8|
|C7B647AA0D4AB5411C30DC6B1093FB30CAA0C8BB4FF7EE93C98764F221997C48263|
|F2C353DF20303FA4919C00AFD87151E9366508F3B88A7CA6D68956108CF049E2B37|
|EE0B8627E41DD17A5511BC64CD7EBC12782DF046C2BC65E8A39EA27A555139E261D|
|28CE89A1104B8A58082BE4AA5CE328123A4714FAAEDDFA38DC07C05A694AE208DC1|
|1E6BBE1D1E435CCEFA4ECD206B7E9469E87C07BDEE9762C270261CC369DE849F3B6|
|DDD8BD12B172386658629B28D69B6A5B3E502AB5C70A65CF01FFA51CA73|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

Export Settings and Mids Version. Clicked "No" to the "Export Full Build?" prompt.

 

[Troo]

posting screen shots > data chunks

 

just stating the obvious

[Greycat]

11 hours ago, Scarlet Shocker said:

Mid's is a vital resource to this game and has been since it was released on live back in 2000+dot.

 

Er... no.

 

Mids is a "nice to have" for some people. Nowhere near vital.  I'd consider Vidiotmaps not working (if it didn't) to be a much bigger issue than Mids - and would consider that an "Oh, well, a nice utility is having issues."

[Uun]

While there is a Mid's subforum under the Tools, Utilities & Downloads section, it's not very active. Strongly recommend posting on the Mid's Discord. Note, you need to register on the Discord to get all the folders to appear.

[Astralock]

12 minutes ago, Uun said:

While there is a Mid's subforum under the Tools, Utilities & Downloads section, it's not very active. Strongly recommend posting on the Mid's Discord. Note, you need to register on the Discord to get all the folders to appear.

 

Seconded.  Metalios and Zed just don't pay much attention to forums, they seem to much prefer Discord.  I've been acting as an intermediary for months, posting MIds' Reborn developments on the Homecoming forums and the CoH sub-Reddit, and linking relevant Homecoming forums threads to the MIds' Reborn Discord server (like this one), to make the Mids' Reborn developers aware of issues, but it's better for everyone if they just skipped the middle man and went to the source.

[Scarlet Shocker]

I've spoken with Zed and the Mid's guys on their discord.

[Captain Fabulous]

21 hours ago, Snarky said:

meh, MiDs is THE whiteboard on which we work out all our build ideas and tweak things into the finest numbers.  It may not be necessary but it makes the game more fun 

I don't think it would be possible to effectively do high-level IO set builds without Mids. Do you need it for "regular" characters you're leveling up and only using SOs or common IOs? Probably not. Is it essential if you're going for a fully tricked-out IO set build? I would say yes. Could you do it without Mids? Yeah. Would it be a lot more difficult and time consuming? Also yeah.

There's a reason it (and others that preceded it) are still popular. If it weren't, no one would be using it and there would be no incentive to keep it up-to-date and functional.

Edited February 7, 2023 by Captain Fabulous

[lemming]

14 minutes ago, Captain Fabulous said:

I don't think it would be possible to effectively do high-level IO set builds without Mids. Do you need it for "regular" characters you're leveling up and only using SOs or common IOs? Probably not. Is it essential if you're going for a fully tricked-out IO set build? I would say yes. Could you do it without Mids? Yeah. Would it be a lot more difficult and time consuming? Also yeah.

There's a reason it (and others that preceded it) are still popular. If it weren't, no one would be using it and there would be no incentive to keep it up-to-date and functional.

Since Mids hasn't played very well with Linux lately, I don't do my builds with Mids.   It's certainly possible and really just takes a bit of looking at what bonuses, etc.. are available using a wiki page.  Mids makes it easier for a lot of people, but for tools I'd say I'd miss the most are vidiots and being able to make custom popmenus.

 

As for getting things easier to port into the forums:

Sounds like there's some BB Code that doesn't play well in the forums that Mids wants to use, but there are some work arounds already posted, so until mids fixes their end?

[Ironblade]

1 hour ago, Captain Fabulous said:

I don't think it would be possible to effectively do high-level IO set builds without Mids.

I think it's entirely possible.  I started with using Excel before Mids existed and never switched.

To be fair, I don't make a lot of new characters - one every few months.  If I made a lot more, my way would probably be burdensome.

[Psyonico]

4 hours ago, lemming said:

Since Mids hasn't played very well with Linux lately

Oh good, I'm not the only one

4 hours ago, lemming said:

I don't do my builds with Mids.

I actually do still use it, just have to remember the quirks.

[huang3721]

5 hours ago, Captain Fabulous said:

I don't think it would be possible to effectively do high-level IO set builds without Mids.

 

This is false. 

 

In my experience, you need:

• A spreadsheet program (excel, calc, lotus123, etc)
• Basic understanding of linear algebra 
• HCwiki or City of Data

 

That's it. 

[Captain Fabulous]

3 hours ago, huang3721 said:

 

This is false. 

 

In my experience, you need:

• A spreadsheet program (excel, calc, lotus123, etc)
• Basic understanding of linear algebra 
• HCwiki or City of Data

 

That's it. 

No sliderule? Amateur.

[Doc_Scorpion]

28 minutes ago, Captain Fabulous said:

No sliderule? Amateur.

No abacus?  Poseur.    

/s  🙂

[huang3721]

5 hours ago, Captain Fabulous said:

No sliderule? Amateur.

 

Still doing calculation manually in this day and age? OK Boomer.

[Captain Fabulous]

4 hours ago, huang3721 said:

 

Still doing calculation manually in this day and age? OK Boomer.

I'm old, but I'm not THAT old! Geez!

 

Edited February 8, 2023 by Captain Fabulous