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

[TheMoneyMaker]

Some more ideas I had, in no particular order

1. Using the Assault Rifle model and Beam Rifle animations, I'd create a Flamethrower set that would make a full ranged fire setout of the Flamethrower and Ignite powers in the AR set
2. Introduce more female options to existing NPC groups where it makes sense; No need for continued sexism in all these villain groups
   1. Crey (scientists)
   2. Freakshow
   3. Lost
   4. Luddites
   5. Outcasts
   6. PPD
   7. Skyraiders
   8. Trolls (no physical changes, but I would add a couple named bosses and EBs to reflect female identity despite masculine appearance)
   9. Wyvern
3. Likewise, I'd introduce the rare male version of Cabal members because warlocks are a thing
4. New enemy groups:
   1. a proper dark Faerie Court using existing fey mobs unified under one enemy group, with the addition, adding the light and dark fairy buff pets as additional minions, as well as adding a fairy king and queen as AVs. They would have a role in an expanded Croatoa arc for high level (40+) play to give heroes more to do in the small town.
      1. Story arc with a new contact shows them taking an active role working against the existing individual Croatoa factions, seeing them as traitors to the court and/or trying to either unify factions into a fey army with the goal of being stronger against the human threat or perhaps with a desire to seek and conquer the Well of the Furies to add the incarnate power to the fairy realm (claiming it belongs to them for whatever reason). 
   2. Robots: utilizing reskinned versions of the MM pets (to differentiate from player pets), Council bots, and other non-Clockwork robots in the game to represent an uprising of AI as it "recruits" more and more machines, bestowing limited sentience into a hivemind collective. The group would have an AV that can be faced like the the immobile Hydra heads in the DFB trial but basically being in a force-field computer console instead of a fleshy blob. It defends itself with a combination of automated defenses spawned around it (gun turrets) and summoned bot minions and "flees" by retreating into a new computer unless (in a final confrontation mission) its escape is cutoff by first achieving some side mission goal that prevents it from transmitting its consciousness out of its current location. Even still, when finally defeated, it will still survive by having a backup copy of itself manifest elsewhere so that it can never truly be permanently defeated. 
   3. Vampires: there's 5th Column/Council vamps (fake) and the real thing (Halloween). The real vamps would be enemies of the 5th Column and Council for their arrogance in trying to copy the greatness of the Nosferatu (and bringing more awareness of them to the masses), but old hungers start to rise and the vampires start coming out at night (in various zones) beyond the month of October to prey on civilians.
      1. I'd probably introduce a few story arcs where someone is captured and needs rescuing before they are fed upon or turned, as well as have a later arc where they are actively involved in hunting Council vamps and heroes need to get involved to minimize collateral civilian damage.
5. New Locations; we have teleporter technology, ships and submarines in the water, and aircraft that can take us all over the country or the world if needed. Each would have a main location that can be visited at will with additional room to explore via instanced maps; enemy groups would be the levelless kind so that the zones can be used by players of any level, though instanced missions may be set for specific levels only
   1. Lunar base and moon surface maps (requiring temp power for survival in the vacuum akin to the bubble power in the Terra Volta respec trial); could also be a staging area for instanced missions to other planets
      1. We're going to the moon, damn it, and I don't know or care why
      2. Council in space as the main baddies, also maybe Kheldians and a new alien threat
   2. Desert map, mostly just endless sand and occasional minor features like some rocks, a broken down vehicle, pile of bones, etc
      1. Treasure hunt missions, maybe a minor instanced GM spawn, whatever
      2. Snakes and Circle of Thorns appearing here, perhaps seeking lost treasures or performing ceremonies tied to the land
   3. Small town, similar to Croatoa but with more modern architecture and without the spooky vibes, looking like generic Small Town, USA
      1. For occasional missions outside the city where the heroes have to investigate someone gone missing (or villains go seeking someone to hiding out)
      2. No police drones, just generic police; if trouble arises in town perhaps generic military forces start spawning as well 
   4. Jungle/Forest: Think Perez Park but on a much bigger scale and without the surrounding city architecture
      1. Mostly used for exploration, treasure hunt missions, but maybe introduce a new AV jungle protector that is hostile to heroes and villains alike as it doesn't like intruders in its territory
      2. Inhabited by animals from Beast MM pets and other critters as wildlife threats, mercenaries & treasure hunters with guns, eco nuts, etc
   5. Generic Military Base: can be a jumping off point for some hero missions, can also be a secure location for villains to raid to capture some new weapon
      1. Soldiers, soldiers, soldiers
   6. Another city.....well, maybe just a piece of it set up like one of the Paragon City zones but with different architecture to represent somewhere on the other side of the country or even a different country. You can visit to hunt down an escaped villain, or as a villain you can go looking for new criminal opportunities. It may not be Paragon City, but it has its own small hero team and loose collection of villains. I'd probably add to the villains in the various safeguard missions and all the new villains (whether they show up in Paragon City or not) originate from this smaller city zone and moved on to the City of Heroes to build a reputation for themselves.
   7. Cowboy town, basically another time travel zone accessible from Ouroboros and/or Midnight Club as you visit the American old west
      1. new "Gunslingers" faction that serves as an all-purpose ally/enemy group of the zone
      2. not sure what, but another new enemy group that is distinctly out of place in the setting as the reason for your trip to this time period
6. Customizable Nemesis Staff, Blackwand, Rocket Board, and Void Skiff prestige powers
   1. Nemesis Staff: change its appearance using options drawn from some of the staff fighting weapon options
   2. Blackstaff: create an alternate "Lightstaff" version that fires energy similar to PB light-based attack
   3. Rocket Board and Void Skiff: recolor options

[Starhammer]

On 4/30/2025 at 5:48 AM, TheMoneyMaker said:

Using the Assault Rifle model and Beam Rifle animations, I'd create a Flamethrower set that would make a full ranged fire setout of the Flamethrower and Ignite powers in the AR set

Love all of that, but especially this. I have a flamethrower character that I settle for AR with. I've (mostly) stopped lamenting being unable to get a full flamethrower set, because most people are like "We just use the Fire set, duh!" 😞