Make the Sentinels' powers different.

[captainstar]

This might be a "controversial" idea, but I think the Sentinels could have their power effects slightly different from the Blasters. Maybe one of their energy beams would have a different sound, or they could come out of the character's eyes, or the energy punch could turn into an energy sword... something like that.

[Rudra]

These sound like fine alternate options. For all the ranged characters. Not just Sentinels. Sentinels are already different by virtue of being armored ranged characters.

[captainstar]

3 hours ago, Rudra said:

These sound like fine alternate options. For all the ranged characters. Not just Sentinels. Sentinels are already different by virtue of being armored ranged characters.

 

Yes, but the idea is to make them even more different, with a more differentiated power design.

[Rudra]

4 minutes ago, captainstar said:

 

Yes, but the idea is to make them even more different, with a more differentiated power design.

The problem is that what you are asking for to differentiate Sentinels even more are things players have been asking for for their Blasters, Corruptors, and Defenders for a really long time. And limiting your proposal to just Sentinels tells those players they can't have what they want, but you can on your Sentinel. Does that sound fair to you?

[captainstar]

I don't really think about all the technical issues before leaving a suggestion. If I think it's good, I leave the suggestion here and let the devs decide.

[Rudra]

Only giving the proposed options to Sentinels and not any other ranged AT is not a technical issue. Asking for more options for one AT and specifically just that one AT to make that AT even more different than it already is while effectively telling other players that have been asking for the same options that they can suck it, it should only go to your preferred AT is not a technical issue. You are not arguing technical issues. How well the game engine can support the request is a technical issue. How much work and how complex that work will be is a technical issue. So again, does your proposal sound fair to you?

[Riverdusk]

And what if someone created their sentinel because they like their current sound and feel and end up hating the new one?  Fine as additional options, not for taking away options. 

[FupDup]

Giving an AT different FX options feels weird and I can't really agree with it because it limits the fantasy of other classes, especially for such highly requested things as eye beams. 

 

If this was going to be a post about making the powers mechanically/functionally different, like how BR gets another AOE or Elec Armor gets higher Regen, that I would support 42069%. There are definitely some primaries and secondaries that would benefit from being made more mechanically different to suit the unique needs of the AT. 

[Luminara]

1 hour ago, captainstar said:

Yes, but the idea is to make them even more different, with a more differentiated power design.

 

I don't want my sentinels' powers to be different.  Nor would I accept my sentinels' powers being changed because one random stranger decided my powers "needed" to be different.

 

Power customization.  Use yours.  Keep your hands off of mine.

[TheMoneyMaker]

Sentinel blast attacks are already different. They're a little weaker than blaster versions and have a shorter range. There may be more to it than that, but ultimately their blast powers look like blaster versions because they are still essentially the same attacks. Why would a sentinel fireball look different from a blaster fireball when neither a corruptor's nor defender's fireball look any different either? Luminara has the right idea with power customization.

[captainstar]

16 hours ago, Rudra said:

Only giving the proposed options to Sentinels and not any other ranged AT is not a technical issue. Asking for more options for one AT and specifically just that one AT to make that AT even more different than it already is while effectively telling other players that have been asking for the same options that they can suck it, it should only go to your preferred AT is not a technical issue. You are not arguing technical issues. How well the game engine can support the request is a technical issue. How much work and how complex that work will be is a technical issue. So again, does your proposal sound fair to you?

 

ok, let me rephrase that... The devs are the ones who have to decide whether it's fair or not. Or maybe a vote with the players to resolve some dilemma. Since I'm not a dev and I only made this post with my SUGGESTION, I'm not forcing anyone to do anything. That would be unfair. Feel free to mention the pros and cons of my idea. If it's not a good idea, I won't complain that it wasn't done either. Maybe next time when I post an idea, I'll think more carefully about whether it's worth doing. But anyway, thanks for commenting with your ideas too.

[Rudra]

3 hours ago, captainstar said:

ok, let me rephrase that... The devs are the ones who have to decide whether it's fair or not.

That is a false statement. You don't need the devs to decide if what you are proposing is fair to other players playing other ATs that have asked to have the options you are suggesting for their ATs by saying that the proposal should only be for Sentinels so they can be more different than they already are.

 

We're done here. I'm beating my head against a wall. See you in other threads.

[OEM61]

As stated...  They can do a whole lot of stuff, but the powers are the powers and to make certain visual changes only to those powers if used by certain ATs, or worse yet only giving the options to certain ATs, would be out of line.

The work, certainly the vast amount of work, is in adding the visual changes to the sets.  There is much less, if any, work involved in letting every AT that uses the sets have access to these changes.

If they are going to add FX options they should be added for every AT that has access to the set.  Whether one power or every power within a set.  If they want to add a new-look animation to Cobra Strike then there is no good reason not to add it as an option for Brutes, Scrappers, Stalkers, and Tankers.

If they want to add new look animations to the Energy Blast set, then there is no good reason not to add them as options for Blasters, Corrupters, Defenders, and Sentinels.

Don't get rid of what they already have unless there is some real problem with it.  Just add more choices for the players.  Every player of every AT that uses the power(s) in question.

If they wanted to add exclusive FX to an AT then they should add them to every AT, and then many players, maybe even yourself, will find themselves looking at ATs that they do not like mechanically doing things that they find more visually appealing than their otherwise favorite AT.

That does not make for happier players.

Edited November 1 by OEM61

[TheMoneyMaker]

Besides, the thing that really sets sentinel powers apart from blasters visually is their secondary sets. Blasters are a bit scrappier with melee attacks and other effects, while sentinels are more survivable with their damage mitigation secondaries.  Oh no, I just discovered a problem. If the devs were to add something to make the blast powers visually distinctive for sentinels, then shouldn't they do the same for their armor sets to set them apart from the melee ATs?

 

as with before: no, the should not. everyone gets the same option and suggesting otherwise is asking for preferential treatment. why would they take the time to introduce new effects that only apply to one AT when they can spend the same amount of time to give the same effects to four different ATs?

[merrypessimist]

On 10/31/2024 at 6:23 PM, TheMoneyMaker said:

Sentinel blast attacks are already different. They're a little weaker than blaster versions and have a shorter range. There may be more to it than that, but ultimately their blast powers look like blaster versions because they are still essentially the same attacks. Why would a sentinel fireball look different from a blaster fireball when neither a corruptor's nor defender's fireball look any different either? Luminara has the right idea with power customization.

 

Indeed she does.  That said, Sentinel sets (at least in my experience) also tend to have no snipe and an additional AOE to differentiate then from the corr/fender/blaster versions of their power sets.  So... congratulations, your suggestion is already in effect? Sentinel blasts are successfully differentiated from everyone else's.

[Ukase]

Well, they already are different. 
Ice blast - instead of freeze ray being a hold, it's a sleep. 
Fire blast - blaze has a KB in the Sentinel set. As if the set weren't already a bit marginal, they make it worse. (just my perspective - but all these minor changes make things worse for the character, not simply different) 
I haven't played to many Sentinels because I anticipated the power sets being fairly similar, just shorter range. It's more than that. So, they already are different. 

The AT now at least has viable inherents. But the primaries are just re-vamped blaster primaries, at least with those two sets, other than the nuke being up much more quickly, there's no compelling reason to play one of these over a blaster - at least, not for me. There is a small area where a player might really squeeze a good bit of fun out of a nuke that's up every battle. And with status protection, it's kind of hard not to see at least a few folks having great joy with that. 

Still, it's not for me. 

[lemming]

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

Fire blast - blaze has a KB in the Sentinel set.

Repel actually.   Took me a bit to get used to, but it works great as a little bit of control.

 

Sentinels are great for casual play IMO.  They tend to be reliable and take care of themselves.