Transparency due to powers...

[Ultimo]

Many powers in the game cause our characters to become transparent, powers like Steamy Mist.  I often avoid using such powers, even when they're kind of crucial to the character's class, but I'd love to be able to turn off this effect.

 

My suggestion is that the option to NOT become transparent be created, either for my own powers specifically (perhaps as part of the customization system), or for all such powers I interact with (perhaps as a function of graphics settings).

[biostem]

Would you want some other effect instead, or just no effect at all?

[Akisan]

Sounds fine by me - I'll occasionally cancel buffs so I can see my characters, so... Yeah, not having to do that'd be nice.

 

Implementation-wise, this would probably be best as an individual graphics option (menu, choice between: Normal, Only you don't fade, Nobody fades).  Putting it in the power customization implies that you won't cause others to fade, even on their screen (so they may not know they're stealthed).  Putting the option in with Null implies that you won't fade when stealthed, even on others' screens (which would drive me nuts as I try to figure out why my buff isn't affecting you. I doubt I'm the only one that will bother)

[Ultimo]

I'd settle for no effect... but some other effect might also work...  For example, if I crouch and sneak in Elder Scrolls Online, the character becomes darker, as if in shadow.  But that also might not be right for some powers.

 

Really, I think the best thing would be a tweak in power customization, that way powers that SHOULD make you transparent (like invisibility) would still do so, but powers which technically aren't making you invisible, but just harder to see or notice, wouldn't.

[Turric]

I would really like this option for all powers that do this (stealth etc). I know this has been mentioned dozens of times before. I second this option. You go through all this effort to design your character, then you want to see them.

[Ultimo]

As I say, certain powers, it's appropriate to make the character transparent (such as stealth or invisibility), but when the effect is suppressed (such as when you attack), the transparency should be too.

 

Of more concern to me are powers that make my transparent that really ought not to... my poster child for this is Steamy Mist, but there are others.

 

As I say, I think the best solution is just to make this an option in power customization (eg. minimal FX), so it would be possible to pick and choose which powers cause the transparency.

[Saiyajinzoningen]

honestly this is probably the most requested thing on this board followed by "cough KB-KD"

anyway......

the devs seem to love stealth a lot, they tweak it constantly so keep those fingers crossed for the next tweak

[Chance Jackson]

definitely hoping for the day we can control our transparency

[Luminara]

Translucency isn't a costume or animation or GFX setting, it's a mechanic.  If you look at any stealth power in City of Data, you'll see something like 10% Translucency for X seconds.  You don't see entries for changing power colors, or using different animations, but you do see a power def line for Translucency.

 

Here, for example:  https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=pool.invisibility.stealth&at=blaster

 

+85% Translucency for 0.75s

 

They had to use the Stance system to create two degrees of visibility for Stealth (Concealment).  They'd have to do the same for every power with Translucency, or create copies with different Translucencies and hook them in as options when selecting powers (game presents Sneaky A and Sneaky B instead of only Sneaky A, and selecting either locks the other out).  Even with workarounds like that, it wouldn't be user-selectable variability, it would be X% or Y%.

 

Related: the lower the percentage of Translucency, the less visible the character.  10% Translucency is nearly invisible, 85% Translucency is only faintly transparent.

 

Also related: Translucency seems to be a direct call to the OpenGL Blending setting, and is applied to the character hit box, not individual costume pieces or graphical effects.

[Solarverse]

On 7/24/2023 at 2:59 PM, Saiyajinzoningen said:

honestly this is probably the most requested thing on this board followed by "cough KB-KD"

anyway......

the devs seem to love stealth a lot, they tweak it constantly so keep those fingers crossed for the next tweak

 

Why did you cough? Give me KB to KD option on ALL POWERS!!!! (without the use of an IO that literally wastes a slot...) There, I said it, I know I will take heat for it, but I'm a tough guy, I can take it!  lol

[honoroit]

8 minutes ago, Solarverse said:

 

Why did you cough? Give me KB to KD option on ALL POWERS!!!! (without the use of an IO that literally wastes a slot...) There, I said it, I know I will take heat for it, but I'm a tough guy, I can take it!  lol

 

*null the gull cackles.*

[UltraAlt]

On 7/22/2023 at 7:16 PM, Ultimo said:

My suggestion is that the option to NOT become transparent be created

 

 

Try:

/macro fx0 "noparticles 1"

/macro fx1 "noparticles 0"

 

... and see what happens.

 

I can't remember if that negates the transparency or not., but it cuts down on a lot of SFX

 

2 hours ago, Solarverse said:

Give me KB to KD option on ALL POWERS!!!!

 

Already in the game:

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Sudden_Acceleration:_Knockback_to_Knockdown

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Overwhelming_Force:_Damage/Chance_for_Knockdown/Knockback_to_Knockdown

 

Yes, you have to use the enhancement.

You have to pay the cost for the change.

It is part of game balance.

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by UltraAlt

[Solarverse]

4 hours ago, honoroit said:

 

*null the gull cackles.*

Wait what? Is that a thing now? Been gone almost 2 years, soooo, if that is a thing, tickle me pink! If it's not a thing, then that was just mean!

[Solarverse]

1 hour ago, UltraAlt said:

 

It is part of game balance.

 

 

You had me up till this point. That is opinion, one in which I do not agree, since there is no balance in KB to KD, that would be preference, not balance.

[Solarverse]

4 hours ago, honoroit said:

 

*null the gull cackles.*

🤬

 

There is nothing! You LIES!

[UltraAlt]

17 hours ago, Solarverse said:

You had me up till this point. That is opinion, one in which I do not agree, since there is no balance in KB to KD, that would be preference, not balance.

 

No. Your want to equate the two shows your "preference".

Your "Preference" shows that you think that KD is better than KB.

 

By indicating that you think KD is better than KB, then you are showing it is more valuable than KB. To get an improvement, you have to pay something to get that improvement. The cost is a slot.

 

The truth is that KD is better for melee and knockback is better for non-melee characters as they have less defenses and the whole point of KB is keeping enemies at a distance.

I will agree that most melee players don't want their teammates using KB for just that very reason.

But it is your "preference".

 

It is about game balance.

You can have your opinion and I can have mine.

But you are showing your "preference" either way.

 

I'm fine with running on all KB teams.

 

Let the chaos begin!

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by UltraAlt

[Ultimo]

Well, it's off topic, but I like knockback because it's a staple of comic book battles.  For me, presentation is critical.  However, mechanically, knockback is counterproductive for melee (ie. you have to chase enemies down, and many powers... Invincible, for example... rely on having groups of enemies all around you).  My argument has always been to make knockBACK more desirable... perhaps add some damage, relative to the distance knocked.

 

But, as I say, a bit off topic.

[Solarverse]

2 hours ago, UltraAlt said:

 

No. Your want to equate the two shows your "preference".

Your "Preference" shows that you think that KD is better than KB.

 

By indicating that you think KD is better than KB, then you are showing it is more valuable than KB. To get an improvement, you have to pay something to get that improvement. The cost is a slot.

 

The truth is that KD is better for melee and knockback is better for non-melee characters as they have less defenses and the whole point of KB is keeping enemies at a distance.

I will agree that most melee players don't want their teammates using KB for just that very reason.

But it is your "preference".

 

It is about game balance.

You can have your opinion and I can have mine.

But you are showing your "preference" either way.

 

I'm fine with running on all KB teams.

 

Let the chaos begin!

 

 

 

They both share the same balance role, they both give the player a break from damage, however, whether you knock them back or knock them down has more to do with play-style than it does balance. They are the same exact Crowd Control type but have different values. If the values of the KB is to be used as a meter to this balance, then using numbers alone, without any personal opinions would dictate that KB is more powerful than KD, which means in terms of balance, KD is less than KB and allowing players to use less values to turn it to KD should not be considered a balance issue, nobody is asking for a power's secondary effect to be more, mathematically they are asking for it to be less. This in turn would not be anything more than preference.

[UltraAlt]

3 minutes ago, Solarverse said:

This in turn would not be anything more than preference.

 

Which goes back your preference. 

 

You seem to be waffling on which is more useful between KB and KD.

 

Here is a hint from the DEVs on before the Sunset and even here on Homecoming.
Where is the KD to KB proc?

There is none.

 

Why is that?

I can think of one very good reason.

If you are a tank and you taunt foes, they are forced to move up into melee range to attack. Taunt them. Use a PBAoE power with KD with a KD to KB proc. All the ones that get KB can't attack until they close on the Tanker again. As soon as they close, Taunt and use a PBAoE power with KD with a KD to KB proc. 

Of course it is playstyle and not very useful on a level 50+ Steamrolling/Bull-in-a-China-Shop team, but that is what the coveted KB to KD proc is for.

 

Yes, we know that many only play +50 these days.

Yes, we know bunch of 50s use mids and only play mini-maxed characters. 

Yes, we know all of you have been badly suffering for years because of that slot that you had to put a KB to KD proc in.

In the end, those bemoaning not being able flip a switch between KB to KD (how often? When is it picked? how often can you change it?) were still playing an it really didn't make that much of a difference.

 

These threads come and go and this will come up again.

 

But for now. I'm not putting any more wind into this thread's sails. 

I'll catch you on another thread.

[Solarverse]

3 minutes ago, UltraAlt said:

 

Why is that?

I can think of one very good reason.

If you are a tank and you taunt foes, they are forced to move up into melee range to attack. Taunt them. Use a PBAoE power with KD with a KD to KB proc. All the ones that get KB can't attack until they close on the Tanker again. As soon as they close, Taunt and use a PBAoE power with KD with a KD to KB proc.

 

 

 

 

But for now. I'm not putting any more wind into this thread's sails. 

I'll catch you on another thread.

 

 

Hmmm, interesting. I can honestly say that I have not considered that aspect before, primarily because I have never witnessed a Tank use this method. However, I can see your point of view on it.

 

And yeah, I have said all I care to say on the subject as well, this is a dead horse that was beaten to death back in issue 1. It remains something that I wish I had, but also remains something that I do not have and may never have. Although I did quit playing the game for almost two years before coming back, it had nothing to do with knock back, lol. See yaon the next thread, Ultra.  🙂

[gameboy1234]

On 7/22/2023 at 8:29 PM, Akisan said:

Implementation-wise, this would probably be best as an individual graphics option (menu, choice between: Normal, Only you don't fade, Nobody fades).  Putting it in the power customization implies that you won't cause others to fade, even on their screen (so they may not know they're stealthed).  Putting the option in with Null implies that you won't fade when stealthed, even on others' screens

 

 

I think I'd pick one option, and make it universal.  Null is the superior solution so I can just shut steamy mist off, but power customization should allow you to choose how your powers look, including on others.  That's how it is on all other powers right now -- choosing your AoE Shadow Fall affects the look of all players and it depends on your choice.

 

Another option I'd like to see is a 50% fade, and / or a fade but with an outline.  I'd like to see when I'm invisible, but the near 100% invisibility is a pain to deal with a lot of the time.  I'd like to see a "only SFX in combat" option, so that I'm visible most of the time, but I fade out when I'm in combat so I remember that I've got that power active.  This saves me from having to turn on and off the power manually.  Also the "outline" option can be a gentle fade towards the center, it doesn't have to be a hard outline, I just want to see that the power is active but also where the heck I am on the screen.

 

Other options: fade or fade 50%, and blend all colors on your character with one other color.  Blend with white = ghost.  Blend with black = shadow.  There might be other options for other character types, and it saves a costume slot and a macro.  I'd also like an option to add an aura, again just so I can see my character, but still be 50% faded or 100%, so I can see the character location with the aura.  Any aura will do, even just a re-used one from the Leadership pool.  In other words the aura is just another way of putting a kind of outline around the character, is how I'd like to look.

 

OK that was a lot.  Won't take any time to implement, right? 😉

 

 

[A.I.D.A.]

Wanna see your costume, turn off the power. The translucency is an essential gameplay cue -- if I'm transparent, I know I'm stealthed.

 

Gonna have to put a big fat /jranger on this one.

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by A.I.D.A.

[Ultimo]

I can also tell if the power is on by looking at the UI bar.

 

In any case, my suggestion is simply going to make it possible for ME to turn it off for ME.  It wouldn't stop you retaining the current implementation.

[SwitchFade]

I'd like to not have my lower legs to be visible through my pants, but my upper legs transparent in whole when using some pant models. Any stealth looks stupid when my pants look like doilies from the knee down.

[Owl Girl]

if it's a programming constraint then maybe we approach the problem another way: do You know that temp power "shadowy presence"? what about the opposite of that, and it just turns off the transparency effect of your powers?

i'd also like if my invisibility powers worked on other characters outside of PvP situations. right now it's the worst of both worlds: everybody knows i'm hiding in that bush, but they can't see my fabulous costume.

Edited July 29, 2023 by Owl Girl