Super Reflexes, the Most Boring Power set.

[The Mighty Paladin]

I'm not sure if this is even possible to fix (it probably isn't). I'm not talking about how the power works in terms of numbers I'm talking about the way it looks.

In comic books, cartoons and movies, Agility is the coolest defense because you get to see the character do all kinds of acrobatic stunts while dodging attacks. In pen and paper games and city of heroes, you don't see any of that, the attackers just miss. 

Look I understand it's a problem, and I don't have any solutions to offer but if there's any way please have the characters dance around a little maybe do a flip or cartwheel once in while. At least show that you're trying.

[Rudra]

The problem with doing that is sustained animations would need to be added to Super Reflexes, and that causes problems with the animations for the attacks. Since the SR animation would need to be disrupted, the character set to basic/standard stance, and then the attack animation can start. The game would also need to check for in combat as opposed to out of combat to see if the added animations should even activate, which the game can do already, or SR characters would always be dodging even when sitting still talking to someone.

 

Edit: There is also the option I've seen several of my friends employ for their SR characters. And just keep moving around the target(s) as they fight. (One even managed to land on a mob and claw it to death. Was amazing to watch.)

 

Edit again: So given how game animations work as compared to comic drawings or TV/movie fight choreography, as long as the player was hitting attacks, the new dodge animations wouldn't be able to trigger, returning everyone to square one, except for all the work put into the animations no one sees in combat anyway.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Rudra

[SwitchFade]

I like how it is now. No vote on change.

[biostem]

24 minutes ago, The Mighty Paladin said:

if there's any way please have the characters dance around a little maybe do a flip or cartwheel once in while. At least show that you're trying.

Absolutely not!  The game should NOT take away my character's autonomy unless they are actively under a mez effect or I choose to move them around.  You are free to move and jump around as much as you like, to go along with your interpretation of them actively dodging.  The only person forcing your character to stand there doing nothing is yourself!

[Spaghetti Betty]

While I think it would be neat if SR had its own idle dodges that absolutely did not interact with character control in any way, the game does have an idle dodge animation already, it's just a generic animation. Your toon will make small bobs and weaves in place if no other animation is playing.

[The Mighty Paladin]

I just got an idea. I've seen this work in a Spider-Man game. 

Suppose I could toggle a tether to my current target so that when I move left or right I orbit him while doing acrobatics?

That would give the player total control, and allow some cool animations to be added to the game. 

and it would be better than just jumping around randomly with the animations that are already there. Plus the fact that you don't move toward or away from the target unless you want to (but totally can if you want to) will be useful.

[Rudra]

9 minutes ago, The Mighty Paladin said:

I just got an idea. I've seen this work in a Spider-Man game. 

Suppose I could toggle a tether to my current target so that when I move left or right I orbit him while doing acrobatics?

That would give the player total control, and allow some cool animations to be added to the game. 

and it would be better than just jumping around randomly with the animations that are already there. Plus the fact that you don't move toward or away from the target unless you want to (but totally can if you want to) will be useful.

The ability to animate in a single player game is much simpler to do than a MMO. (Edit: At least from my understanding of gaming animations.) And there is still the problem of conflicting animations. Say the devs create a means of tethering your character to a target, like the Follow command. So now we have a Follow that works for us on our enemies. Most likely doable. However, depending on what animation is occurring and what the orientation is of the character to the target for the dodging animation, there is still the problem of needing to disrupt that animation to place the character into the default position/stance to start the attack animation. Jumping around the target using our movement inputs works because the game can quickly and easily disrupt the animation while maintaining our jump as it starts the attack animation. If you watch what happens when you jump towards or away from an enemy and trigger an attack in mid-air, your character takes the time to shift into a standing stance as if on the ground, and then launch into their attack. That is also why if you attempt to jump and attack at the same time or nearly the same time, your character is grounded and immobile, no jumping occurs, as the attack animation starts.

 

(Edit: There is also the problem that the character can be moved outside the assigned tether by player input, which would then either break the tether or force the game to seize control of the character to get back in range.)

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by Rudra
Edited to correct mispelled "tethering".

[The Mighty Paladin]

another nice option would be to create an acrobatic run Prestige power, that looks pretty much like Ninja run but has cartwheels also.

Edited August 31, 2023 by The Mighty Paladin

[Rudra]

2 minutes ago, The Mighty Paladin said:

another nice option would be to create an acrobatic run Prestige power, that looks pretty much like Ninja run but has cartwheels also.

You mean Athletic Run?

 

Edit: Nevermind, I get what you are saying. I don't think players will use it if the cartwheels are triggered randomly while moving, but a Cartwheel Run power where you cartwheel all over the place may be doable.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Rudra

[Outrider_01]

Stone Armor looks like a resist

Ice looks like resist

Fire looks like defense

Dark should be defense, you know it being shadowy and all.

Invulnerable looks like what ever.

 

Except Ice and Stone going by their graphic to message of a miss, you have to assume that as they are defense from a solid hit they deflect or bounce off.  Fire and Dark, they just hit an impenetrable barrier because you simply can't hit them for full damage at *waves hands* the magic of unknown physics.  Invulnerable has to be tough but impressive with the defense, while Willpower is similar but shrugs it off through physical ignorance of pain.

[Saiyajinzoningen]

this would sure look neat op but it would definitely eat into dps numbers as an alternative how about;

 

Its already very very easy to reach super reflexes defense caps.

This mean most of the time Elude becomes a mule

such a sad fate for a mighty T9

lets change it

T9 (Pivot/Vault) Spins/dashes/Hops to the other side of targeted foe allowing you to do a vicious attack. While this attack has a low recharge it does no damage although your next attack does have a superior chance to crit. 8 foot range 30 second recharge

[nihilii]

It's subtle, sure, but I actually like the dodge animations we currently have.

[Owl Girl]

when i picked SR i was hoping that every time i dodge an attack i might do a lil' juke or something. it's very underwhelming. so instead i use a sort of jousting fighting style in which i'm constantly repositioning and herding the enemies around bonfire patches and corners. when done poorly You will suffer a large drop in damage output and make your team made because you're dragging the mobs around. but if You do it correctly then you'll be avoiding a lot of attacks as the enemies get frustrated trying to keep up with You and on top of that it'll look really thematic and cool! and you actually *can* and *should* be strafing your targets as you gather them for cones and AoE's and such, i just hold down the right mouse button while i move and rotate the camera as i go. is very funny in PvP.

on the bonus side, there isn't any required set to play like this honestly. just the patience of your teammates ❤️

[biostem]

On 8/31/2023 at 2:56 AM, Outrider_01 said:

Stone Armor looks like a resist

Ice looks like resist

Fire looks like defense

Dark should be defense, you know it being shadowy and all.

Invulnerable looks like what ever.

"Resist" and "Defense" were probably not the best ways to describe the differing ways the armor sets function- it's better to look at whether a set helps you avoid damage or whether it just reduces it.  That being said...

 

Ice armor is supposed to create a barrier that prevents damage, hence defense.

Fire armor takes the hits head-on and just lessens what makes it through, so resist.

Dark actually has a little of both, plus other tool, like fear & disorientation.

Invulnerability similarly layers, therefore resists, defense, etc.

[furniturepolish]

but the triple black flip on Evade... I wanna see what other sets are doing that SR is purportedly falling behind on!

[Techwright]

On 8/31/2023 at 2:42 AM, The Mighty Paladin said:

another nice option would be to create an acrobatic run Prestige power, that looks pretty much like Ninja run but has cartwheels also.

While admittedly not cartwheels per se, the flip aspects of Ninja run are very sweet.  I have my MA/SR scrapper ninja run at a mob, do a low flip over their heads mid-run, land and do a dragon's tail leg sweep all in one practiced fluid move.  Poetry in motion.