What would you do if you were a DEV?! (Fun Ideas Talks)

[cranebump]

Whips

Chains

A lot more leather

Something super frilly that…

 

hang on…

 

Um…wrong list…heh…(ahem)

[Cobalt Arachne]

19 hours ago, Jacke said:

• Get Sister Solaris through the ITF, get the Best Foes Forever Badge.
• @Cobalt Arachne, what do you think? 

Hah, it's a fun idea! 😄

 

Being truthful though, that badge with Becky has been a constant headache since we added it, due to the less-than-reliable nature of NPC pathfinding (I've been trying XYZ to get it working better for years, with ASF fixes as recent as i28p1!)

 

If we ever did another badge like it, I would probably try to find a better way to implement it that doesn't cause so many support tickets about the NPC getting stuck. 😱

[Skyhawke]

3 hours ago, cranebump said:

Whips

Chains

A lot more leather

Something super frilly that…

 

hang on…

 

Um…wrong list…heh…(ahem)

 

I dunno, combine this with my Pimp Hat suggestion and we've got the start of a new MasterMind primary set that would probably get the game shut down so nevermind.

[arcane]

Give Experimentation and Force of Will the Sorcery treatment (where T5’s are standardized and the other 4 powers are buffed)

 

Revamp Kinetic Melee

 

Earth themed support set

 

Guitar blast animations for Sonic/Symphony (pinch harmonic sound effect for bonus points)

Badge for veteran level 1,000

 

4 star ITF gives an accolade like 4 star Aeon and 4 star LGTF already do

 

Delete Mastermind AT

 

Use of a changeling bind or macro triggers a temporary game ban (term negotiable)

 

Ban Max from Excelsior general chat

Edited Monday at 04:12 PM by arcane

[TheMoneyMaker]

3 hours ago, Cobalt Arachne said:

Hah, it's a fun idea! 😄

 

Being truthful though, that badge with Becky has been a constant headache since we added it, due to the less-than-reliable nature of NPC pathfinding (I've been trying XYZ to get it working better for years, with ASF fixes as recent as i28p1!)

 

If we ever did another badge like it, I would probably try to find a better way to implement it that doesn't cause so many support tickets about the NPC getting stuck. 😱

Maybe if we could teleport NPCs in escort/hostage missions, things would be a little easier. If I were going to be a dev, I'd definitely add to my list the idea of being able to teleport NPCs in missions like these. Seems weird that you've got these powerful hero and villains with the ability to teleport themselves, allies, and sometimes even villains.....but the civilians? Nah, gotta walk them out. I'm over it. I skip escort missions at every opportunity, and if I'm on a team with on, I let the team worry about it while I go off and kill mobs on my own.

[Aracknight]

I would make the following, unaltered, seen in the game when levelling up at level 4 popup true:

 

 

Specifically, the "At level 4, you may choose one of the first three powers in any Power Pool set" part.  And I don't mean I would edit it to reflect the "Well, we really only mean travel pools" reality.  I would make it so the first three powers in any power pool set could be chosen without prerequisites.

Edited Saturday at 03:15 PM by Aracknight

[FFTMime]

Let me look on my long forgotten wishlist.

Seems everything on here has been done in some form. Though not all of it well, it seems. Still, there's one last thing. It says.. force field defense set for melee? Well, it would just be super reflexes with different flavor. Maybe just alternate FX options for something else. Still...

[Jacke]

23 hours ago, Jacke said:

• Get Sister Solaris through the ITF, get the Best Foes Forever Badge.
• @Cobalt Arachne, what do you think?  😺

 

4 hours ago, Cobalt Arachne said:

Hah, it's a fun idea! 😄

 

Being truthful though, that badge with Becky has been a constant headache since we added it, due to the less-than-reliable nature of NPC pathfinding (I've been trying XYZ to get it working better for years, with ASF fixes as recent as i28p1!)

 

If we ever did another badge like it, I would probably try to find a better way to implement it that doesn't cause so many support tickets about the NPC getting stuck. 😱

 

It would be so...on-brand for Sister Solaris.  She currently may not move as far as Becky nor need to navigate as complex maps, but she works her hardest to avoid that altar!  😺

 

Maybe someday....  Thanks for all you've done and are going to do for our City, Cobalt!

 

 

[Jacke]

3 hours ago, Skyhawke said:

I dunno, combine this with my Pimp Hat suggestion and we've got the start of a new MasterMind primary set that would probably get the game shut down so nevermind.

 

Herm....  Now I'm thinkin' this may be the start of a 1970's Paragon City...Task Force, Echo Zone, something?

 

Music from Funk to Disco, it's the time I really am fond of and because I was young, just didn't get enough of.

 

I'm also imagining Back Alley Brawler in some cool threads with a huge afro.  A Back Alley Brawler Time-Traveling Task Force?  Dang!  😺

 

 

[gameboy1234]

1 hour ago, TheMoneyMaker said:

Maybe if we could teleport NPCs in escort/hostage missions, things would be a little easier.

 

This isn't a bad last ditch hack sort of thing.  Maybe give us a right click menu that allows us to take control of a hostage/pet at a walk speed and move it around.  

 

The actual problem is that the path finding doesn't.  There's a nav-mesh or BSP tree that the AI uses for the large geometry, like the office building maps, but there's no accounting for small "detail" items that are added to a map later.  Things like boxes and litter on the floor, random shelving (esp. if tipped over) and also other NPCs.  As a result the AI and pathing algorithm just doesn't "see" these objects.  It runs straight at them, and when it gets stuck, it just keeps running straight at them, hoping the problem will resolve itself.  Of course for static details it never will, so it's a full stop with the path finding.

 

The correct solution would be to include these objects in the path finding AI.  Then it all should just work.

 

[Blastit]

My personal little pet project would be to make a melee weapon secondary for blasters and melee weapon APPs for the squishies that let you use any of the broadswords, battleaxes and warmaces for the cosmetic. Equal smashing/lethal damage to square the difference. Combining the damage types into one generic set saves time on making sets for each weapon and lets the melee ATs have specialisations in them as their own thing. Maybe call it "Warrior Training" and "Warrior Mastery" or such.

 

 

Other than that, it depends on what the whole HC project is supposed to be about. Gotta have clarity of purpose.

[EmperorSteele]

If I had my way, the technical expertise, and the time?

*Fix up all the old messy textures. I don't mean adding bumpmaps and shading, but just getting rid of the pixelization, visible seams, and blurring that occurs on some of them.

*Have the player be able to select a travel power at level 1; Have the player gain an additional enhancement slot on leveling up sooner, for a total of 3 extra.

*Re-scale the difficulty so that a single player could NOT reliably solo at +4/x8. Players should start needing a team well before that point.

*In tandem with the above, allow the difficulty to go up to +5/x10.

*Rebalance the existing Incarnate slots. Alpha and Hybrid are fine IMO (though non-Assault Hybrids should be brought in line to make them more attractive), but Judgement and Destiny are too stronk. Lore is all over the place, and I'd want to bring all the Lores in line with one another.

*Add a new special type of SO that partially ignores ED, giving minmaxers/powergamers an additional option for builds besides just IOs and HOs.

*Add a GTA V style heist mission for redside. It would involve gathering intel, getting a crew, making a plan, executing it, capping off with a car chase and escape. Actually have it pay out a large amount of inf/loot for successful completion (which scales down after getting the badge to disincentivize farming it). Granted, the car chase portion makes no sense, since you can fly/run at super speed/jump hella high/teleport/etc. But hey, pipe dreams, right?

[TheMoneyMaker]

56 minutes ago, EmperorSteele said:

Add a GTA V style heist mission for redside. It would involve gathering intel, getting a crew, making a plan, executing it, capping off with a car chase and escape. Actually have it pay out a large amount of inf/loot for successful completion (which scales down after getting the badge to disincentivize farming it). Granted, the car chase portion makes no sense, since you can fly/run at super speed/jump hella high/teleport/etc. But hey, pipe dreams, right?

scaling down after completing it is easy, just treat it like Market Crash which guarantees a purple recipe drop on the first run.

[starro]

Pretending unlimited time, money and resources....

 

Restart Signature Story Arcs (5-7 part stories) released monthly/bimonthly.  Something that adds new lore with guest authors.  

 

Revamp Synapse Task Force into a two-parter like positron with more fun than a lot of kill missions

 

Revamp the Hero Respec Trial with a harder mode.

 

Make Hazard Zones a destination for each level - I liked the Striga revamp and even the smaller Boom Town revamp.

 

Moon Base!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TheMoneyMaker]

Some other thoughts pertaining to bases I would try to tackle as a dev:

• More floor and wall objects (plates) that can be used to create more distinct looks within large bases that have numerous internal walls
• More debris, including the ruined cars from the tutorial (not the same as ones we currently have) and ruined military vehicles (found in RWZ)
• Add police vehicles, decals, and other stuff to create the illusion of our own PPD base (or PPD section)
• More door choices, duplicate some of the illuminated VFX that exist but in other colors if they can't be made to be tintable
• More NPC variety, definitely including trainers because right now it looks like our choice is Midnighter, Vanguard, or Arbiter.  We need a generic hero trainer and maybe a wizened looking kung fu master. Would also like to include a variety of police, military, Vanguard, Arachnos, and possibly other individuals to stand around and give the illusion of a non-civilian themed base being populated. Other individuals would include the PPD/Arachnos drones as well as the hazard zone Reconnaissance Officer & Combat Medic.
• Vomit guy NPC
• Look at making the existing NPCs semi-interactive with the same tech that has civilians in the streets give a specific kind of information based on what letter their name starts with.
• Teleport "portals" that look like other things, such as mission doors, hatches, and even just a small clicky. The enormous swirling lights thing is not aesthetically pleasing in every instance.
• TVs with alternate images on the screens
• a sound effects tab with placeable sounds that can be heard but not seen.
• The gas station stuff seen in that one spot in Kallisti Wharf
• War walls, because they're everywhere else. Why can't we put them at the edge of our base?
• I'd also reskin the coffee cans and MRE canned goods with some funny COH inspired products, like Positron Peanut Butter, Hero Corps Chicken, Citadel Canola Oil, Manticore Cheese Dip, Flambeaux Hot Sauce, Dillo Pickles, Synapse Snacks, box of Shadow Shard cereal, Swan Soup, and just because (but minus the trademarked actor/character face)....

 

[TheMoneyMaker]

5 minutes ago, TheMoneyMaker said:

 

• I'd also reskin the coffee cans and MRE canned goods with some funny COH inspired products, like Positron Peanut Butter, Hero Corps Chicken, Citadel Canola Oil, Manticore Cheese Dip, Flambeaux Hot Sauce, Dillo Pickles, Synapse Snacks, box of Shadow Shard cereal, Swan Soup, and just because (but minus the trademarked actor/character face)....

 

For this one, I might even hold an open contest to let players submit ideas and have the GMs and community reps judge the best ones so that quality & decorum are observed

[Mopery]

I would replace Mass Confusion on Mind Control with a t9 Pet Power which allows the caster to confuse for up to 4 min any Elite Boss or lower, and have it act as your pet. Using all its normal powers as if confused, only you get credit for the damage and xp as if it were your own pet doing the damage. Make certain high Psi enemies, or the mindless(DE?, Zombies) immune. Name the power [Puppetry].

Edited Monday at 10:37 PM by Mopery

[Healix]

Teleport "portals" that look like other things, such as mission doors, hatches, and even just a small clicky.

 

[EntangledMage]

1. Better base building tools / interface
2. DPS meter only visible to self
3. Mini-mode version that had to-scale head
4. More conversational emotes
5. Higher resolution VFX
6. Ability to import builds from MIDS
7. System for rotating macro buffs that is built in and doesn't require so much fenagaling
8. Nerf T4 Barrier.  It's a boring way to do 4* content.
9. Full whip powerset
10. Remove costume editor restrictions and let you make a hot mess if you want

 

 

[Player2]

1 hour ago, Healix said:

 

Right? And add to the list base storage items that look like other things!!

[TheMoneyMaker]

5 minutes ago, Player2 said:

Right? And add to the list base storage items that look like other things!!

Definitely

[Greycat]

Drop the rule of 5 to the rule of 3 instead.

 

Make the Alpha slot power's boost last through any exemping all the way to level 1 as your 'reward' for getting to Incarnate level, and lower (or disable) effects on other Incarnate powers in non-Incarnate content (example: severely dropping the Judgement target cap.)

 

Develop the Blood of the Black Stream, at the *very* least as an enemy group with full storylines from 1-50+ on both sides.

 

Make perma-ing powers more difficult and/or requiring a team's assistance.

 

Have other Arachnos react to VEATs being around - either positively or negatively, or at the very least comment about them.

 

Develop story arcs and other development for the various hazard zones.

 

Massive usability update for the character select screen with more info, sorting options, etc.

 

Have settings stick per machine for things like window placement, scaling, etc. so it doesn't alter what I see on my desktop if I log into a character on my laptop.

 

More base editor love - stick parts into units that can be moved as one piece, duplicate pieces, more texture/tile sizes and options (making it easier to, say, make roads.)

 

Music issue, from a prior suggestion.

 

And yeah. more.

[Dazl]

Fix the league system and create an instanced hami raid.

[Arcalian]

Arachnos themed Masterminds

More arcs for Widow/Soldier that had nothing to do with being a Chosen One or not

An Alternate Praetoria that was still standing

[Starhammer]

If I were a Developer (and presuming I had the skills to do so)...

Costume Creator:

I'd put a lot of work into getting more NPC costume pieces pushed into the character creator.
I'd overhaul the sorting of pieces in the creator.
I'd add two "slots" to the costume creator so gloves and forearm pieces could be set to different pieces (I know many wouldn't mesh well, and part of overhauling the sort would be to make sure some that would interfere with each other exceptionally bad could only be in one or the other).
I'd add a second Hair slot so we could mix and match hairstyles to get a variety of combinations, also so *some* hairstyles could be added to hats/helmets
I'd sort/overhaul/combine Hats & Helmets into a shared category
I'd add a few pieces to the "ears" subcategory that aren't necessarily ears but cover them, like ear muffs or cybernetic parts.
I'd add the fur part of Barbarian Legs to Skirts/Shorts so we could mix it with a wider variety of leg options than just Tights vs Skin
I'd add/proliferate a lot more detail options to Full Helmets... they're especially short on chin pieces
I'd separate Horns details and Eyes details into different categories, so a character could have both.

I'd add a Mega-Mode costume power that increases a character's size to 10-12 feet, like some of the larger NPCs (CoT Demons, Malta Titans, etc)

Kaiju Content:

I'd add a "Kaiju Conflict" game mode, where as part of a time travel based Atlas Task Force (the hero, not the zone), the players get turned into Giant Monsters and have to fight other Giant Monsters in a shrunk down variation of various zones like Talos Island or Independence Port. After completing the TF, characters would gain access to Kaiju Conflict mode in the Arena.

Open World Dueling:

Characters could challenge each other to a duel, anywhere they both are. They would be "out of phase" with the rest of the players around them, so they cannot affect or be affected by other players, but can still interact with NPCs. Each would gain a temp power on their pop-up bar to quit the duel. Defeat starts a 30 second timer that ends the duel (allowing self-rez powers if available). Other temp powers and inspirations would be disabled (and cancel benefits from any that were fired off before the duel starts). A team leader can challenge or be challenged by another team leader, or an individual. The potential opposing team (or individual) would be shown in a second team window before both sides agree to the duel. Quitting a team that is dueling removes you from the duel, and a team leader in an active duel cannot invite new team members. All duelist's levels are matched for the duration of the duel. Leaving the zone (or going to hospital) removes you from the duel and/or dueling team (you will get a pop-up warning asking you to confirm that you want to exit the duel).

I know this can already be done in Arenas, but I think more people would be willing to take part if they didn't have to go somewhere else to do so.

Story Content:

Snake Civil War
I'd create a story arc crossing through all the Rogue Isles, where the characters become enmeshed in the plot of a rogue Arachnos scientist to make hybrid Snake/Arachnoids. The Arachnophidians would eventually start a Snake Civil War (three way conflict with Arachnos too). It would include an "Underworld" zone like the Sewer Network that connects all the Rogue Isles (and maybe Striga) through a network of Snake tunnels/maps. Arachnophidians would be black & red Snakes with Arachnoid appendages coming from their upper back, and have web spitting attacks in addition to normal stuff. The story arc would have two parts, a standard contact story arc that leads up to the beginnings of the Snake Civil War and introduces characters to The Underworld, and a Snake Task Force where one of the Snake Leaders begs for help bringing an end to the war, in which the characters have to fight a variety of Snakes, Arachnophidians, and Arachnos over the course of 6 missions, the completion of which triggers a world event similar to a Nemesis Invasion where open fighting breaks out in a random Rogue Isles zone between the three factions with an Arachnophidian Giant Monster (Anyone ever seen Dragon War?) spawns and needs to be defeated.

Moon Base and other worlds
I'd add a new zone containing a Moon Base, Space Station (with outer space area between them to fly and fight in), and a hidden underground ocean under the moon base (making use of the swimming code that never got completely implemented) as well as a new "green side" tutorial zone that teaches about flying in space and swimming underwater (in addition to the normal stuff) on an alien world in another solar system. By the end of the tutorial, space explorers on the Moon Base would finish opening an experimental long range portal that would connect to the Green Side tutorial, allowing travel in both directions (not only so existing characters can go get whatever the tutorial badge is, but so they can run the swimming/spaceflight tutorials themselves. Should probably make the badge something awarded for completing those sections of the tutorial). The overarching plot for the Moon Base would be that Lord Neptune, banished from Earth ages ago, found his way back from another world and created a new ocean hidden under the surface of the Moon, where he has been amassing an army to invade and conquer Earth. He has made allies and enemies on a variety of other worlds in the universe, some of whom have followed him (the new tutorial also serves as an alternate launch point for "alien" characters). Eventually, the new long range portal between the tutorial and Moon Base would also open up to other planets Lord Neptune has visited and drawn forces from. Access to the each new world would be gained by completing a short story arc for a contact from that world now hanging out somewhere in the Moon Base/Space Station/Underwater, or if you go there in the party of someone who already has a world unlocked, that world becomes unlocked for you as well (you can still go do the contacts world into arc if you like). Until a character leaves "Green Side" and goes to Earth, they do not have to choose a red/blue faction, and any Green Side zones all function as fully cooperative for both factions (and Praetorians, since a portal to Green Side will almost inevitably be added to Pocket D). I know it's not popular with many people, but as proof of concept for what I believe is better game design, all Green Side zones (Moon Base, Tutorial, and additional planets) would use dynamic leveling, making all enemies/allies level shift to the players' level, so any player of any level is free to explore and participate in any content in any zone while there.

New Powersets:

Gravity Armor
Defensive powerset: I haven't thought this out in detail yet, but it would be a hybrid of defense and resist (less of each, but both for most damage types, rather than higher amounts of Def for some damage types and Res for others), some added Health/End and a self heal (Not a very strong self heal, but made stronger by how many targets are affected by the taunt aura), but no self res, and a taunt aura that does some damage (not a tremendous amount, but more than the minimum required to add a damage proc) and pulls enemies towards the tank (reverse KB).

Star Blade
An energy/fire/lethal melee set covered elsewhere:

Sidearm
tertiary or epic power pool covered elsewhere:

====================

If anyone has any toxic criticism ("Oh thank god this guy isn't a dev!") just keep it to yourself and move on, block me if it helps. You don't have anything to worry about anyway as programming is not in my skillset. I have better things to do than engage with hate and nastiness.

Edited Tuesday at 11:29 AM by Starhammer