Ceiling window view additional options:
- add option "stormy night", no moon but storm clouds with an occasional lightning flash ( can guess animated background is going to be a pain, but I have to suggest)
- add option "starry night", similar to the skyview from moonbase, with an occasional shooting star crossing the sky. Or colorful light effects. A fairytale-like or dreamlike ambience instead of a creepy one
- add option "bright day", with clear blue sky and some birds flying over occasionally, making the ambience feel like a remote room in a friendly university library somewhere.
- A magical vortex in the sky that makes you think youre not on earth but in some other dimension.
Ambience additional options:
- ghosts that occasionally drift from the walls and bookcases and back into them
- walls seeping blood for a properly creepy atmosphere
- I also promote making the floating candles optional, they dont suit everyone.
Staircase pillar options (in addition to the vases):
- A black cat sleeping on the pillar and occasionally rising up to lick its paws and meow.
- A pot plant with menacing moving tendrils
- A floating flaming skull for an infernal vibe and some extra light
- Large seeping candles, you know, the kind Igor's like
Wall options:
- Tapestries or hanging curtains. Burgundy red or similar color. Simply to cover the brick wall.
- white marble that might suit celestials more
Other items options:
- A portrait painting (the one below the entrance) that periodically changes appearance, added options:
* Merely changing posture to make you doubt your eyes
* It winks at the viewer, making it look comical
* portrait changes to a more infernal one
* portrait changes to a skeletal one
Note: I mean that it would have a 'default' view and then change between it and one of the above, not all in turn!
- A summoners circle with similar arcane effects as the current big statue. This could be located in middle of the lower area.
- A crystal ball! A large one that has its own support structure. Could act as a crime computer.
- Items on the tables like newton's cradle, or similar objects that move, but aren't skulls or candles etc, to give a more ' private library' ambience, instead of infernal or arcane one.
- A laboratory table in some corner, similar to the one Sherlock Holmes would have, with an old microscope, little vials and bottles and such.
- A one-way mirror with view to the qliphotic realm. Just an ornament but with animated surface.
I love the basement, but lack of outside view makes it feel a bit 'static'. It could use some moving/animated items to spice it up. Such as:
- old television with bad reception, with a news broadcast going on telling about some event that happened recently (like mega-D event in mill city, or hero defeating his nemesis etc). If you REALLY want to spice it up, you could have the TV have several broadcasts which relate to the latest mission that the hero has solved (like the pedestrians dialoque in Millennium city)
- a kitchen corner, with a metal sink that drips water ( just a drip, to add some small animation to the room)
- A messageboard with newspaper clips about the heros achievements (remember Mr. Incredibles private room in 'the incredibles'?)
- Any kind of trophies would be important here, what about the "key of the city" that the mayor gave after the Millennium city crisis hanging on the wall ? The perks list would be a good indication of what kind of trophies to make.
- A lab table again, for tinkering with your tricky devices and ping-pong ball gun.
- An old-fashioned landline phone that activates the supergroup window or search team window. Don't forget to make it red.
- A cat or similar household pet, the fish is cool, but there could be more.
- A bed to crash in after an exhausting mission would be cool.
overall like to have more room, there is barely any space to move around.
make some hallways for the moonbase to get to different section of the base, have some rooms in the sanctum, add some caves in the cave to expand the place and have an upper floor to the basement so it doesn't feel like a small underground base.
we need a training area, dummy dolls to hit, a simulation area and a place to RP in.....one that is big enough to actually have a use for our TP's.
I dont actually want more room, I want it to feel like an apartment instead of a indoor stadium like in COH. The exception could be the moonbase and cave.
Moonbase
- I dont like the exit door leading to outside the dome to empty space
I think that when people asked for 'moonbase' they had in their minds DC comics JLA (justice league of america) watchtower which is mostly accessed by teleporter instead of a shuttle or anything like that. (unless youre superman/green lantern etc in which case you just fly there.)
Anyways I think you should make the exit a teleport pad or a door leading to one. If you have a shuttle, it should be on a launchpad in a room by itself, so air could be pumped out of the hangar room before the doors are opened and the shuttle launches.
- There should be a monitor room with lots of screens depicting events on earth, or various charts and displays showing the status of the base.
- The sky should show the earth! I mean thats the point of being in the moon, so you can observe the earth.
It does not indicate that. Those doors are there for possible future expansions like Trophy Rooms, Crafting Rooms, Transport Rooms, or Chinchilla Rooms.
I'd really like the ability to turn off the tv in Mom's Basement, and possibly to change channels. Also, I wish the fridge and sink weren't bound to the pinball machine, would it be possible to get an option for that wall that just had everything there except the pinball machine?
Related, it'd also be nice to be able to change the Crystal Castles cabinet into something else (like just a simple computer monitor) or to remove it as well. The geek chic theme is all well and good but a little bit of changing stuff up would be nice.
Trophy Room Ideas: This is a long one. Subject to editing, as usual.
Newspapers (mounted on a wall)
1. Newspaper #1 with head shot of hero, the option to select three headlines:
(a) HERO SAVES CITY.
(b) VIGILANTE TERRORIZES GANGS.
(c) THREAT OR MENACE?
(d) CAVALIER JEALOUS, SAYS NEW HERO IS "A NOBODY".
2. Newspaper #2 (variant pics, five headline choices)
(a) VIPER-X ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT FOILED. (Unlocked when "Bullet for Bisselle" Open Mission defeated).
(b) MEGA-DESTROID FALLS (Unlocked when open mission "Destroids Rise Again" is defeated)
(c) JAILBREAK GOES BUST (Unlocked when the "Jailbreak" open mission is defeated)
(d) DEATH RAY DEMOLISHED (Unlocked when "Deathray Demolition" completed)
(e) AEGIR RESCUED (When Lemuria Crisis is defeated).
3. Newspaper #3 (choice of less than complimentary ones.)
(a) HERO BATTLES HERO IN WILD BRAWL, AGAIN (When Jouster perk is unlocked)
(b) FOXBAT SUES HERO, Claims Pain, Suffering and Emotional Distress (when Foxbattle of the Network Stars is completed.)
(c) HERO TOSSED FROM CAPRICE FOR DANCE FLOOR FIGHT (For battling Caliburn in the Vibora Bay headline).
(d) "HERO" IS A THUG, CLAIMS ARGENT. (For finishing "the Most Dangerous Game")
Cases
4. Comic Book Case
(the cover of whichever comic reward you chose in No Kountry With Old Komics)
5. Helmet Case (choice of one, unlocked when you beat the villain in question.)
(a) Gigaton
(b) Armadillo
(c) Eclipse (Krim)
(d) Shadow Destroyer
6. Weapon Case (choice of one, unlocks when you defeat the villain in question)
(a) Mechassassin's Gun
(b) Foxbat's Ping Pong ball Gun
(c) Black Mace's Glove
(d) Sickle's Sickle
(e) Gunblade (for getting the Gunblade drop in Resistance).
(f) Khusor the Crooked`s Trident
(g) Therakiel's Sword
7. Bloodmoon Case (choice of one object, unlocked when you free the hero in question,)
(a) Johnny Hercules's Belt
(b) Vanguard's Mask
(c) Shadowboxer's Gauntlets
8. Giant Object (choice of one object)
(a) Huge Teleiosaurus Egg (for beating `Yolk of Oppression`)
(b) Black Talon suit (for winning the MC Crisis)
(c) Empty Slug Suit (vanquishing Slug)
(e) The Serpent Lantern (for beating the Serpent Lantern)
(f) Mega-Terak's Skull (beatng taking on Mega-Terak)
(g) Kigatilik's belt and Back Pieces. (vanquishing Kigatilik)
(h) Vladic Dracul`s Sarcophogus (beating Vlad)
Knick-knacks and Plaques
9. Key to the City (for doing the MC Crisis) hung on a wall.
10. West Side Neighborhood Association Friendship Award (for beating `Westside Intrigue Culmination`)
11. Teddy Bear on shelf, with note: "Thank you Hero-- signed Adina" (for beating "Psi-chonaut")
12. PRIMUS Commendation Plaque (for beating Grond)
13. Sasquatch Friendship Staff (hanging in a rack on the wall, given for beating Necrull's lair on elite and Tilingkoot).
14. Manimal Friendship Necklace (given for beating Moreau`s Lair on Elite).
15 Lemurian Conch (hanging on a pin on a wall, given for beating the mission "Trumping the Shark").
16. Trimagstus Book of Lore (on a small shelf, for getting all seven Loremaster perks).
17. UNTIL Commendation Plaque (for beating UNITY's Most Wanted, all on Elite)
18. Honorary Champions Membership (for completing all three APs, Aftershock, and Comic Series 2, all on Elite).
19. Friend of the Star*Guard Plaque (left blank, reserved for a future space-based mission).
20. Belt Case shows whatever PvP belts you've earned in the Hero Games for UTC and Bash.
21. Special Cryptic Commendation (awarded for outstanding contributions to the community by Cryptic.)
What i would like to see in the Mystic Sanctum is a Weapons/Armors display IN place of the Huge mirror.
The littel Spartan Like armore and shield floating next to it is nice,but the options to expand it would be nicer,a bit like the tailor options of the Cave wich are really good!
Or leave the Mirror where it is, and put the Weapon display on the other side of the area(opposing wall).
The Weapons displayed could be displayed on a Skeletale structure,made out of bones or something, and also the options of them floating in a magical Halo/Light.
Also a little cage Sitting on the center table with a little monster/demon who times to times reach out with his paw/claw to attack everything who gets near him.
HA HA! How did you even see that up there? I totally forgot about him. It's not an actual guy, just a prop we were looking to use, but decided it didn't measure up to our standards. I'll pull it when I get a chance.
Oh, no, don't take it out, it's perfect.It's brilliant.
It's like some spooky apparition from a Twilight Zone episode.
It's like the dopplegangers from Solaris.
It's very Sci-fi.
If it was an accident, it's a happy one.
I haven't been in a sanctum on live, but I di d ake a look around one on test, and I noticed as I was running around that I knocked a gramophone off of a table.
And there wasn't anything that I could do about it. It was lying on the floor, moving wherever I kicked it, but I couldn't pick it up and set it back on the table.
That might work well for the soccer ball in mom's basement, but not so much for a record player in the sanctum.
It's nice to have things like this decorating the hideouts, but they need to be set in place. No books or stereos or televisions littering the floor, sliding to wherever we kick them as we move.
Unless "junkyard" becomes a hideout option later, anyway.
Also, would like to add to everyone that would like to see some non-weapon options for the tailor area... I know that having some technical drawings pinned to the wall or appearing on monitors and some parts lying on a table would be more appropriate for some characters, or for others maybe having some mathematical equations and a table full of test tubes would be right.
(A few things noted walking around all of the hideouts and turning on/off all of the options, again all personal opinion, and perhaps already on stuff presently being worked on or to be seen in further hideout-types.
None of these are complaints per-say, just a list of things i noticed walking around and would amend for my dream setup);
Moonbase:
# Instead of the arms display of axes and guns, may we please have a comms display of different monitored Earthbound news channels and broadcasts. Maybe some kind of animated graphics.
# The sleep pods are fantastic. I noted previously there was the suggestion of leaving toons in hibernation which you dismissed because of technical limitations. How about on clicking a sleep pod closed the glass goes all cryo-frosted and it gives you an option to log off / switch character. You need not display the toon inside, just frosted glass like the discovery of Ripley at the start of 'Aliens, maybe have a red light on outside the pod to show its occupied.
Could a toon be parked to exit/enter there in that respect?. Would the pod stay 'occupied' for other guests to the hideout?. If you could work out a way to do it you could apply it to coffins, Vamp-toons would fangk you for all eternity.
# Would like to be able to re-tint the glass under the railing that goes around the walkway.
# Would like the floor-lights in the moonbase to be thinner, more discreet and have more colour variation like the Industrial Cave does with 'light-colour' options. Presently the colours seem quite gaudy and jarring.
# The hidden display that opens in the wall needs a very thin recess or something, appearing out of a plain wall looks a little odd, feels like it needs to be accented slightly somehow.
# The sofa seating in-front of said hidden display would benefit from the same rubberised insert the console chairs have to accent them slightly and perhaps a rubberised horseshoe-shaped floor insert at that location.
# The nice table that rises out of the floor needs either a lump of moonrock ore artifact, some laptop screens on it or something, it looks plain and functionless presently. The tables also a little big imho.
# A keypad with blinking red / green light to the right of every doorway and/or motion-sensor above doorway.
# Central Console options could replace the holo-globe with a huge tech or steampunk telescope that reaches up to or almost flush with the glass of the dome.
# Hologram of the planets is nice (although could use more detail like little animated tangents indicating trajectories etc to give it a more cgi-feel). The mechanised solar system display I'm not keen on to be honest, it reminded me of a child's mobile that you hang above a cot to entertain a baby. I'd like to see something more mechanical, think the mechanised observatory thingy in Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life, possibly more of a mushroom-shaped column that replaces the globe-hologram as a cylinder and extends up and broadens out into the widened mechanics of the steam-punk observatory. Kind of Da-Vinci machine feel to it.
# Central console replaced with your staffed mechanic working under a BIGTRAK moon-buggy. (or in a seperate airlocked garage area - eithers good tbh). The reason I thought central console is that it would be cool to see a central console replace option of tiretracks coming into the middle of the room from an airlock. A mechanic underneath on his back, welding with sparks, using tools underneath, audio SFX of power tools at work, perhaps a small maintanance bot helping him.
# I second the suggestions for audio sfx of Mom, its not Mom's basement without Mom and the built-in N.A.G. security system. (Although the frequency of the audio sfx should definately be either very sparse or be able to be turned off).
# The punchbag should definately be attackable, or at the very least have some physics on it so that it moves if you brush past it.
# Marlow disturbs me, floating about like that all boggle-eyed. Can we have a Hamster on a treadmill or powerball jury-rigged up to power a PC?, Why not name the Hamster after a tech-support Dev of your choosing - lol.
# A scruffy bed?
# In the corner of the room, which is the shower / which is the tailor? , are they both tailors?, is there another use for the shower
I'd post about a compact multigym possibly replacing the free-weights set-up, but i don't know if anything like that will be an option under Vigilante or Hi-Tech.
Also I'd like the vigilante option of a viper, psi-agent (or other enemy group) slumped over in the interrogation chair with a black eye, moaning incoherantly. Maybe a body bag in the corner or strung up by one end hanging from the ceiling. A baseball bat or boxing sparring gloves should be nearby on a table. The body bag should wiggle every so often and mumble.
Cave: Industrial
# I would like to see a catagory of godray in strengths of 1-3 to highlight the ambiance of the cave.
# To the right of the elevator as soon as you enter the cave, there is an opening in the cave wall that seems to descend back into the gloom with stalagtites and stalgmites visible. The gloom could be dialled back a bit to show a little more depth of that opening. I would love to see an underground river running from the waterfall down into that opening on the right. If you also had a decending staircase down to a canoe / hard-rib inflatable dingy / futuristic stealth super-boat that would conceptually use that river as a way out theres your travel-room route out right there.
# Would like an option of animal skulls and spines a'la predator 2 on display cases.
Looking forward to seeing what extras the alternate caves bring.
Mystic Sanctum:
# Floating candles; anyway to turn these off, have fewer of them and potentially have parts of the room darker that could benefit from the addition of a candle chandelier.
# Floating books move really fast, and there are loads of them. It would be spookier if there weren't quite so many and you knocked a third to a half off of the flyspeed. Books light / Books heavy option?.
# On entry you see the mystic vases perched on the bannister posts. Odd placement i think personally, only a mystic whos under herbal influences would put such an expensive vase high on the edge of a staircase. They could be put down in-place of the 2 chairs at the bottom of the first flight of steps as those chairs looks superflouous to requirements. Once there the vases could be a tad-larger to be like Ming-dynasty vases and have some kind of light effect to them (they are mystic after all).
# Moonlight godrays through the ceiling skylight? - choice of options strengths: off > low > high.
# Wider range of carpet textures and floor textures. The glow on the pattern of the purple carpet is a bit bright and could do with being dialled down a tad so it does not detract from other room features (in my opinion).
# Room wooden support beams would benefit from a little ornamentation, i'm thinking halfway to 2/3rds the way up with an inward facing wooden carved gargoyle or cherub bust. Maybe their eyes could blink like the creepy statue in Vibora.
# A choice for a different lower-floor ceiling texture other than the 'maze' pattern.
# Spectral librarian (lower floor) (think Ghostbusters) and a spectral butler that fades in and out delivering drinks.
# I love the sheen on the grey granite / marble meditation circle and wonder if the surrounding square marble plinth can have different styles of plinth or texture of material.
# Only thing i dislike is the viper-esque snake mirror portal thingy. I definately like to see different replacement objects in its place, although i feel there is a slight lack of definition in what the areas (top and bottom floors) are supposed to be for. See following comment.
# Top floor communications hub and links?, in the trailer the Champion is meditating down on the lower floor facing the mirror which i took to be the comms hub through a mystical mirror or portal to monitor broadcasts - but it appears the mirror is in fact a tailor area. I can see it as either to be honest, its secluded and laid back and could be a better tailor area with the addition of manniquins or artifacts, a full length mirror etc - or it could be a nice comms area with a styled sofa, forementioned portal mirrors magically hacking into broadcasts and various other channels.
The bottom floor could also do with being a little darker, minus that table lamp and maybe have some candles & wall mounted holders on the support-beams that face inwards.
# Top floor, bottom floor, comms area?, tailor? - witch is witch? (as it were) - some definition would only make a great hideout even better.
# Candle chandeliers of different styles to give an moody light effect over upper reading area and to highlight detail on forementioned wooden gargoyles / cherubs.
# Some normal sized statues that can be placed in place of some of the many default 2 chairs and a table set-up. Creepy blinking eye feature, or eyes that follow you as you walk past.
# Not particularly keen on the glowing candle skull altar, something to replace that with please!.
# Main reading area chair a bit too vampy-scarlet 'Elvira' for my tastes.:rolleyes: - and an extra rug (like the ones on the bottom floor) would be nice to accent that reading area chair ensemble.
# An option to change the oil portraits (or some of them) for scrolls, or mounted artifacts under glass.
I love how you implemented the Hideouts, well done. There are a few small bits however, where I would like to give some feedback (this is from the current PTS version):
Hideout Entry UI:
This is totally unintuitive with a Choose and a Travel button, as such UI typically work with selecting a choice and pressing Travel to get there. In other words, please combine the Choose and Travel buttons into one button and simply have the choice highlighted that was last chosen when opening the UI (the one that is "Current")
Moonbase
Exterior Detail - Solar Array: While all the other Exterior Details feel big and techy, this one gives off a downright cheap feel and I find it ugly to boot. Would it be possible to change these to articulated solar arrays? This would also make a LOT of sense, since you want to capture the maximum of the sun's light there, and that angle changes all the time (also, if you do that, add LOT more of them please, such a base takes a lot of energy to run and it wouldn't be as gimpy compared to say nuke launches or a landing strip)
Cave
Cave Venue - Lava Cave: When combined with Cave Opening - Open, the light in the open part feels off to me, since everything else has such an orange glow and not a bit of that glow reaches there.
Mystic Sanctum
And lastly, I would love to get the huge statue with just the glyph and without the floating "material" in the middle of the glyph (maybe just the ball - not sure), would it be possible to add that as an option? (Since it's built already and it's just a small amount of "taken away" this would probably be very little work)
Thanks for the great job on the Hideouts and looking forward to seeing more in the future,
Allow dueling in them with the rez point being the entrance. Heck might even be cool to just have them be open pvp inside, perhaps give the owner an option to toggle that on.
Set an area for a private Battle Station room or perhaps just a holo trainer device set up next to the crime computer that spawns holo bad guys throughout your base.
Secret Hideouts rarely remain secrets, perhaps random Nemisis attacks are in order.
Didn't seem like any of the bases had a bedroom area with the exception of the sleeping pods in the Moonbase. Would be nice to see an area like that added, small bed or cot with a night stand something to that effect. More elaborate fancy bedroom designs for the more fancy bases.
Cave Specific Changes,
An actual furniture set with a nice TV, comfy chair and sturdy table instead of the Mom's basement set up it currently has.
An option to remove the track lighting above the low tech crime computer.
Seems the Cave Base is a bit lacking on space compared to the other hideouts, maybe open up some of that cave area so you can actually go there instead of being teleported to the entrance.
Maybe toss in a fridge and a sink somewhere, perhaps near the crime computer.
Cave dwellers read books too, perhaps a nice bookcase or even an all new platform for a small library.
An actual furniture set with a nice TV, comfy chair and sturdy table instead of the Mom's basement set up it currently has.
Nice idea, I'd like to see a beat-up spongy arm chair or well used lazy boy with pile of 'Darren's Pizza' pizza boxes and empty cola bottles in-front of a TV (big plasma for the high-tech basement).
I got the Mystic Sanctum yesterday. Im a robot, but Im The Mind and I also choose mysticism as my profession. So I thought it would fit me the best. It did, but there are some changes that could improve its appearance:
Floating Candles switch.
Bigger fireplace so as to fit better.
Change the ambient sounds (some spooky music like Theremin songs).
The crime computer would be better at the Tailors orange snake portal. Or you could just change the skull ant the scrolls for a crystal ball instead.
Stormy sky with some lightings and wolf howls =[
A secret door on a bookshelf that leads to another room, lets say a bedroom? A lab maybe?
As Captain_Skyfire said, a black cat sleeping on the pillar and the randomly changing portrait that winks and all that stuff.
Pluto was a planet when I learned about planets when I was 7. Therefor, it will always be a planet.
I totally agree with you. I'm Scorpio and my ascendant planet is Pluto. Ive always loved it. So tiny, so cold and so far How they dare to say its not a planet! It deserves to be avenged!
You guys have some amazing ideas. I just spent 40 minutes reading the suggestions since this morning. . . Please just bear in mind, that there is a LOT of work that goes into these, and implementing even 1/4 of the ideas here for even one hideout, would amount to months of work. I hope we get to go back and add some of this in, but please don't expect it, and don't be disappointed if you don't see YOUR idea come to fruition.
Thanks, keep it up.
:::facepalm::: and there are still 2 more versions of each hideout yet to be commented on. . .
Don't worry, when they come out atleast you will see some requests not so often? Granted you'll probably see even more NEW requests but such is life.
That said..... I'd really love it if you took another reflection map of moon without the bars on windows. Its alot more obvious to notice something that is there that shouldn't be then to notice something that should be there but isn't. Plus it sorta makes it a pain to actually look out the glass to see space since when you go First Person all you see are tons of bars on the reflection of the glass. Pretty please with bacon on top?
The ability to toggle off sounds in the hideout. Either my sound card doesn't like my hideout or there is a really loud buzzing noise by the stairs (in Mom's Basement) near the electrical panel. Since it sounds sort of like electricty, I figured it was put there on purpose. I love the hideouts, you all did a great job with them ... but that insistent buzzing ....
Btw the floating 'ghostbusters' books in the mystic sanctum actually pass through solid objects. I think it would be best to adjust them so they don't do that. Like simply make them fly higher.
all hideouts:
Add the lab table that acts as a crafting table! I dont know why I didnt think of this before.. Its perfect for the lore. Now if only there was a way to sell the 'vendor trash' that accumulates between missions too.
They're binary right now because you only have access to one theme.
The Basement hideout category certainly is not restricted to geeky stuff. However, the only theme for that category currently accessible is.
Which'd be great, or at least tolerable, if I could dial it back so it could be a place-setter in the meantime. Not an option.
Sorry for being so negative here, but... I had no option to preview but looking at tiny-**** pics that only included the "on" options and no sound, and as a result of getting the one that looked closest to what I thought would work for an apartment, I now have a hideout I'd rather not see again except on new characters specifically made for it.
This is the first wave. This is the one that's supposed to give me a taste and convince me how cool the idea is, so I'll buy future ones. Instead, Cryptic didn't let me see the full options before I got locked into this one, and a Cryptic employee said he had to "pick his battles" and so made the basement lackluster by intent. So rather than putting equal effort into all the starting options, I got suckered into the one even Cryptic apparently knew was subpar, apparently because I shouldn't mind paying cash just to make up for their mistake here.
Yeah, no. One of the options is lacking on bells and whistles the others apparently have? Cryptic, that's your hint that you need to do more with it. Maybe make it free for everyone. Maybe give it more details and flexibility out of the gates. Maybe even hold it back from the initial release until it's ready.
Do a half-assed job, force me to buy into it blind, and expect me to shell out cash just to bring it up to par? That's bad business, bad design, and provides strong arguments that I should spend my money elsewhere.
Sorry if I'm upset here, but after hearing my friends ooh and ahh over the mystic and moonbase lairs, I got excited enough that I wanted to see what Cryptic would do with the basement, and getting told "not much, because we wanted the others to be really cool" makes me feel like I just got conned.
So, in summary, here are my suggestions to Cryptic:
Let us look into the bases first-hand before locking us into a choice.
If one choice is plainly not as good as the others, discount it or even make it free -- you may have limited resources, but that's no excuse for pretending all the options are equivalent when it comes to purchase.
Let us dial options back from the main theme, so we have some flexibility in the application, even if the result is just bare bones.
Give us a discount if we already have a purchase in the appropriate hideout set-up. If you're going to expect us to be fine with only having one or two options at most per set purchase, it'd be nice if you tried to meet us halfway when it comes to shelling out more cash to improve upon your limited designs.
Which'd be great, or at least tolerable, if I could dial it back so it could be a place-setter in the meantime. Not an option.
Sorry for being so negative here, but... I had no option to preview but looking at tiny-**** pics that only included the "on" options and no sound, and as a result of getting the one that looked closest to what I thought would work for an apartment, I now have a hideout I'd rather not see again except on new characters specifically made for it.
This is the first wave. This is the one that's supposed to give me a taste and convince me how cool the idea is, so I'll buy future ones. Instead, Cryptic didn't let me see the full options before I got locked into this one, and a Cryptic employee said he had to "pick his battles" and so made the basement lackluster by intent. So rather than putting equal effort into all the starting options, I got suckered into the one even Cryptic apparently knew was subpar, apparently because I shouldn't mind paying cash just to make up for their mistake here.
Yeah, no. One of the options is lacking on bells and whistles the others apparently have? Cryptic, that's your hint that you need to do more with it. Maybe make it free for everyone. Maybe give it more details and flexibility out of the gates. Maybe even hold it back from the initial release until it's ready.
Do a half-assed job, force me to buy into it blind, and expect me to shell out cash just to bring it up to par? That's bad business, bad design, and provides strong arguments that I should spend my money elsewhere.
Sorry if I'm upset here, but after hearing my friends ooh and ahh over the mystic and moonbase lairs, I got excited enough that I wanted to see what Cryptic would do with the basement, and getting told "not much, because we wanted the others to be really cool" makes me feel like I just got conned.
So, in summary, here are my suggestions to Cryptic:
Let us look into the bases first-hand before locking us into a choice.
If one choice is plainly not as good as the others, discount it or even make it free -- you may have limited resources, but that's no excuse for pretending all the options are equivalent when it comes to purchase.
Let us dial options back from the main theme, so we have some flexibility in the application, even if the result is just bare bones.
Give us a discount if we already have a purchase in the appropriate hideout set-up. If you're going to expect us to be fine with only having one or two options at most per set purchase, it'd be nice if you tried to meet us halfway when it comes to shelling out more cash to improve upon your limited designs.
I don't really see how you can say the Basement is the worst one, you certainly get the most stuff in the Basement Hideout.
The way I see it each Hideout brings something different to the table so far.
Moonbase - Very high tech atmosphere with working sleep pod chambers and blast doors.
Arcane Sanctum - Magic atmosphere with a ton of open space to wander around in.
Cave - Little cramped for actual space but with differnt enviornment settings, Cold Cave, Lava Cave..etc.
Mom's Basement - The thing that impressed me right away is all the cool stuff, nice TV with Stereo better furniture than the Cave you actually get couches, sink and fridge, shower, workout area and even a crazy fish. Its without a doubt the most detailed of the Hideouts. Heck theres even a volly ball you can kick around.
I posted this in the Functionality thread, but I think it fits better here.
The Cave has some great customization options, but visually it's a bit static. I think a good way of changing this would be to add small flying creatures that occasionally circle the interior of the cave.
*Bats (as seen in VIbora Bay)
*Pterodactyls (as seen on Monster Island)
*Birds (as seen everywhere)
You do know that Vigilante and Hi-Tech basements are going to unlock more options for Mom's basement, right Wilheim?. .
I do. I also know that based upon the caveat emptor, no frills hideout I have, I'm not interested in buying more just to make up for this one.
You are advocating releasing the info on a pack as a catagory at a time?, so you can see / imagine all the mix 'n match possibilities before you buy?.
I'm advocating letting me go inside and look around, mess with the options available to each category I can buy before I buy it. I'm also advocating going a few further steps so that the existing options be flexible (i.e. the computer desk is mostly fine, but I'd like the options minus the goldfish, arcade box, and posters), and that the devs strongly reconsider the approach that limited resources justifies releasing incomplete content at full price.
I don't really see how you can say the Basement is the worst one, you certainly get the most stuff in the Basement Hideout.
Quantity != quality. If your character's a basement geek who pumps iron, you're quite correct, it's pretty good. Everyone else? Not so much. This would've been perfectly fine as a freebie, and even thematically appropriate as such, but as is, I don't feel it's flexible enough to justify payment, either for the set itself or for upcoming sets.
The way I see it each Hideout brings something different to the table so far.
Moonbase - Very high tech atmosphere with working sleep pod chambers and blast doors.
Arcane Sanctum - Magic atmosphere with a ton of open space to wander around in.
Cave - Little cramped for actual space but with differnt enviornment settings, Cold Cave, Lava Cave..etc.
Not had any experience with the cave yet, but the moonbase is interactive, and the arcane has room for ten people while also giving some flexibility in theme on its own, without further purchase necessary. Both of those are inherently well above what the basement offers, which offers little room, no interaction, and only one theme that can't be taken away.
Mom's Basement - The thing that impressed me right away is all the cool stuff, nice TV with Stereo better furniture than the Cave you actually get couches, sink and fridge, shower, workout area and even a crazy fish. Its without a doubt the most detailed of the Hideouts. Heck theres even a volly ball you can kick around.
Didn't notice the volleyball, but what you describe sounds more fitting, IMO, for a later hideout than one of the starting four. I think the vigilante hideout would've been a better pick, being more suited to a wider variety of hero types.
Disclaimer: This has turned into a longish thread I haven't had the chance to really read through all of it, so I apologize if anything of this has already come up
These are some of the things that have occured to me so far in terms of new/alternate options for existing hideouts...
Cave:First of all one comment--I liked this hideout more than I thought I would. The "Plants & Water" venue give it a nice natural feel and I think it would be a great base to base off nature-themed concepts. Add in some mushrooms and floating wisps of light, as well as make it non-industrial looking--perhaps make the central spot a natural formation bound by ropped bridges to the different sections, and it might serve as a decent druidic or faerie themed hideout (I know there's already a Druid Sanctum on the works, but the Caves might also serve as an alternate location for a hideout with that type of theme, perhaps for future development). Some things I would like to see on the current cave hideout:
Display cases: Option for "None". Also (for future hideouts based on the "Cave" category) options to display things other than weapons, such as trophies, costume displays, gadgets, ritual items (ceremonial daggers, cup, chalice, and other trinkets), etc.
Conference Table: Option for "None" (which I already saw brought up), as well as option for stuff other than a table (probably for non-industrial caves), such as a fountain or statue.
Mom's Basement: For the wallpaper up the stairs, and option for "None" (which would display whaterver wall texture you have chosen for the rest of the hideout).
Moon Base: This is probably the most well made and detailed of all hideouts--lots of options, even the ability to open or close the dome, or cryogenic pods, etc.--so there's not much that I can think of adding to it, except maybe an Outside Display option for other environments (saw someone suggest other planets already). These alternate environments don't necessarily have to be "other planets", though. This same base could serve as a stand point for underwater base, or even other "Earhly" environments outside, such as jungle, arctic, etc.
Mystic Sanctum: Others have suggested a "None" option for the candles. Another suggestion along this line would be to turn the candles into one more element we can change--such as adding flowing wisps of light, butterflies or other floating objects instead of candles. An option for "Bats" or other flying creatures or objects instead of flying books would also be cool. Though, I'm guessing many of these options might come with future hideouts. However, overall, I felt that the Mystic Sanctum had perhaps the least variety in terms of what we can change (I felt the Moon Base and Cave had the most options), or at least the amount of options we get when changing them. Also, I would like to change or turn off ("None" option) the painting by the stairs--the option to have some other paintings or perhaps even some statues or other decorations would be nice.
Display cases: Option for "None". Also (for future hideouts based on the "Cave" category) options to display things other than weapons, such as trophies, costume displays, gadgets, ritual items (ceremonial daggers, cup, chalice, and other trinkets), etc.
t)
Yes please! I'd love for some more display case options that aren't weapons! A trophy room would be cool, but having "Skulls", "Trophies", "Trinkets" would be almost as awesome, and loads easier!
If you remove the gym from Mom's basement, the center of the basement is wayyy too empty. There needs to be some other alternatives in there that suit non-brawler characters. I took the basement for my telepath hero and the gym doesnt really suit him. I dont know what there should be though.
Maybe that crafting table that I mentioned earlier.
A question to all about the floating candles in the Mystic Sanctum.
Would you be ok with the idea of moving the candles into the "Ambient Effects" group, with the Books. This would allow you to turn off the candles, but would also mean you could NOT have both the candles AND the books visible at the same time.
Would anyone be heartbroken if you couldn't have both?
Crafting tables, (if added) will almost certainly be in another room, not a replacement for anything you've seen so far.
A question to all about the floating candles in the Mystic Sanctum.
Would you be ok with the idea of moving the candles into the "Ambient Effects" group, with the Books. This would allow you to turn off the candles, but would also mean you could NOT have both the candles AND the books visible at the same time.
Would anyone be heartbroken if you couldn't have both?
Crafting tables, (if added) will almost certainly be in another room, not a replacement for anything you've seen so far.
I vote for that, I'd totally be okay with both being together or well having them in the 'ambient effects' and being able to pick one or the other.
A question to all about the floating candles in the Mystic Sanctum.
Would you be ok with the idea of moving the candles into the "Ambient Effects" group, with the Books. This would allow you to turn off the candles, but would also mean you could NOT have both the candles AND the books visible at the same time.
Would anyone be heartbroken if you couldn't have both?
Crafting tables, (if added) will almost certainly be in another room, not a replacement for anything you've seen so far.
Hmm, question: Would it be possible to include a Books & Candles effect for "Ambient Effects" along with that change? Something like this:
Ambien Effects
None
Flying Books
Floating Candles
Books & Candles (which would inlcude both of the above as one single effect)
Something like what I included above might be an easier fix than making a new effect group just for the candles, and would give us more ambient effects options as well as allow us to keep both, Books and Candles if we want them, or get rid of one or the other if we don't like to have both.
A question to all about the floating candles in the Mystic Sanctum.
Would you be ok with the idea of moving the candles into the "Ambient Effects" group, with the Books. This would allow you to turn off the candles, but would also mean you could NOT have both the candles AND the books visible at the same time.
Would anyone be heartbroken if you couldn't have both?
I would be. I love my flying books nd floating candles.
Hmm, question: Would it be possible to include a Books & Candles effect for "Ambient Effects" along with that change? Something like this:
Ambien Effects
None
Flying Books
Floating Candles
Books & Candles (which would inlcude both of the above as one single effect)
Something like what I included above might be an easier fix than making a new effect group just for the candles, and would give us more ambient effects options as well as allow us to keep both, Books and Candles if we want them, or get rid of one or the other if we don't like to have both.
If possible, this would indeed be the best solution...
I love the books, the candles, and that huge statue. But I would also love to be able to remove them all and just have a big dim LoEGish library.
Personally I feel that the situation is with the candles, is that they are light sources and there is quite a few left and right throwing out quite a lot of light.
If you turn do put it in with books under ambient and switch them off to see the books, then the whole room will be an awful lot darker and you might not see said books too well.
Is it possible to put permanent lights outside the catagory of options?. I'd put two low light lanterns on the posts nearest the entrance to give just enough light to see the books in transit, and then maybe hang a chandelier over that high-backed chair area to permanently soft light that area.
Ideally there would be a lights catagory option but it sounds like its not built that way?.
Animated FX and lighting are under same tab?
I like the candles, just that when they are toggled on, theres too many of them for a moody setting.
I would love the ability to have some sort of pvp arena room on the hideouts.Also we should have a functionality that would allow us to purchase or unlock new parts for the hideout.Inn the moon base the sleeping pods could have some category so taht we could replace them with something else,im thinking costumes.Also the moon base could have the exterior edited for example instead of space it would be underwater so you dont have to create a brad-new underwater hideout.You could also put it like a spaceship and keep the exterior moving.
I was also thinking about having NPC´s or mission contacts to show up on the hideout and give unique missions.
We should also have a teleporter to bring us to the major areas like MC,Canada,Vibora Bay.
A question to all about the floating candles in the Mystic Sanctum.
Would you be ok with the idea of moving the candles into the "Ambient Effects" group, with the Books. This would allow you to turn off the candles, but would also mean you could NOT have both the candles AND the books visible at the same time.
Would anyone be heartbroken if you couldn't have both?
Crafting tables, (if added) will almost certainly be in another room, not a replacement for anything you've seen so far.
I dunno, I'm generally not in favor of limiting customization. More choices = better, less choices = bad.
With a lv 40 character I walked into my Moon Base, clicked on the Crime Computer, and saw absolutely nothing.
Can you folks please give the crime computer some missions, even repeatable ones please? Staring at a useless crime computer is disheartening for a crime fighter!
EDIT:
Thought of something else I would like to see.
Now I realize most of the suggestions are visual in nature, but I was hoping to get some immersive audio added to hideouts at some point to really round out the ambiance.
Perhaps tied to selectable options so that when you approach that hidden monitor console in the moonbase and it slides open, it activates a computer A.I. voice feed in the background chattering on and on about whatever is on that console. Same deal with the crime computer, I would love to hear sporadic audio reports, perhaps some mixed in with heavy static to enhance the dramatic effect and tension, etc.
Is it possible for the crime computer to have a screen with short random video loops of crimes and/or disasters playing? A few seconds per video loop, perhaps with audio would be VERY SWELL indeed.
Personally I feel that the situation is with the candles, is that they are light sources and there is quite a few left and right throwing out quite a lot of light.
If you turn do put it in with books under ambient and switch them off to see the books, then the whole room will be an awful lot darker and you might not see said books too well.
Agreed. The room does need some other source of light in it, as without them it starts to get really dark.
But in the end, I'd rather have an option to turn them off entirely in the end (by merging them with the flying books). Additionally, I agree with putting the option of one, the other, both, or none under the list as suggested by VisionStorm earlier.
Comments
Mystic sanctum:
Ceiling window view additional options:
- add option "stormy night", no moon but storm clouds with an occasional lightning flash ( can guess animated background is going to be a pain, but I have to suggest)
- add option "starry night", similar to the skyview from moonbase, with an occasional shooting star crossing the sky. Or colorful light effects. A fairytale-like or dreamlike ambience instead of a creepy one
- add option "bright day", with clear blue sky and some birds flying over occasionally, making the ambience feel like a remote room in a friendly university library somewhere.
- A magical vortex in the sky that makes you think youre not on earth but in some other dimension.
Ambience additional options:
- ghosts that occasionally drift from the walls and bookcases and back into them
- walls seeping blood for a properly creepy atmosphere
- I also promote making the floating candles optional, they dont suit everyone.
Staircase pillar options (in addition to the vases):
- A black cat sleeping on the pillar and occasionally rising up to lick its paws and meow.
- A pot plant with menacing moving tendrils
- A floating flaming skull for an infernal vibe and some extra light
- Large seeping candles, you know, the kind Igor's like
Wall options:
- Tapestries or hanging curtains. Burgundy red or similar color. Simply to cover the brick wall.
- white marble that might suit celestials more
Other items options:
- A portrait painting (the one below the entrance) that periodically changes appearance, added options:
* Merely changing posture to make you doubt your eyes
* It winks at the viewer, making it look comical
* portrait changes to a more infernal one
* portrait changes to a skeletal one
Note: I mean that it would have a 'default' view and then change between it and one of the above, not all in turn!
- A summoners circle with similar arcane effects as the current big statue. This could be located in middle of the lower area.
- A crystal ball! A large one that has its own support structure. Could act as a crime computer.
- Items on the tables like newton's cradle, or similar objects that move, but aren't skulls or candles etc, to give a more ' private library' ambience, instead of infernal or arcane one.
- A laboratory table in some corner, similar to the one Sherlock Holmes would have, with an old microscope, little vials and bottles and such.
- A one-way mirror with view to the qliphotic realm. Just an ornament but with animated surface.
Mom's basement.
I love the basement, but lack of outside view makes it feel a bit 'static'. It could use some moving/animated items to spice it up. Such as:
- old television with bad reception, with a news broadcast going on telling about some event that happened recently (like mega-D event in mill city, or hero defeating his nemesis etc). If you REALLY want to spice it up, you could have the TV have several broadcasts which relate to the latest mission that the hero has solved (like the pedestrians dialoque in Millennium city)
- a kitchen corner, with a metal sink that drips water ( just a drip, to add some small animation to the room)
- A messageboard with newspaper clips about the heros achievements (remember Mr. Incredibles private room in 'the incredibles'?)
- Any kind of trophies would be important here, what about the "key of the city" that the mayor gave after the Millennium city crisis hanging on the wall ? The perks list would be a good indication of what kind of trophies to make.
- A lab table again, for tinkering with your tricky devices and ping-pong ball gun.
- An old-fashioned landline phone that activates the supergroup window or search team window. Don't forget to make it red.
- A cat or similar household pet, the fish is cool, but there could be more.
- A bed to crash in after an exhausting mission would be cool.
make some hallways for the moonbase to get to different section of the base, have some rooms in the sanctum, add some caves in the cave to expand the place and have an upper floor to the basement so it doesn't feel like a small underground base.
we need a training area, dummy dolls to hit, a simulation area and a place to RP in.....one that is big enough to actually have a use for our TP's.
Moonbase
- I dont like the exit door leading to outside the dome to empty space
I think that when people asked for 'moonbase' they had in their minds DC comics JLA (justice league of america) watchtower which is mostly accessed by teleporter instead of a shuttle or anything like that. (unless youre superman/green lantern etc in which case you just fly there.)
alternate pics.
Anyways I think you should make the exit a teleport pad or a door leading to one. If you have a shuttle, it should be on a launchpad in a room by itself, so air could be pumped out of the hangar room before the doors are opened and the shuttle launches.
- There should be a monitor room with lots of screens depicting events on earth, or various charts and displays showing the status of the base.
- The sky should show the earth! I mean thats the point of being in the moon, so you can observe the earth.
That would be awesome!!!
ps. I love the superlaser!
Related, it'd also be nice to be able to change the Crystal Castles cabinet into something else (like just a simple computer monitor) or to remove it as well. The geek chic theme is all well and good but a little bit of changing stuff up would be nice.
all of this = aweome
The littel Spartan Like armore and shield floating next to it is nice,but the options to expand it would be nicer,a bit like the tailor options of the Cave wich are really good!
Or leave the Mirror where it is, and put the Weapon display on the other side of the area(opposing wall).
The Weapons displayed could be displayed on a Skeletale structure,made out of bones or something, and also the options of them floating in a magical Halo/Light.
Also a little cage Sitting on the center table with a little monster/demon who times to times reach out with his paw/claw to attack everything who gets near him.
Oh, no, don't take it out, it's perfect.It's brilliant.
It's like some spooky apparition from a Twilight Zone episode.
It's like the dopplegangers from Solaris.
It's very Sci-fi.
If it was an accident, it's a happy one.
Corner Detail: Kitchenette
Tailor: Walled in bathroom + Clothing Closet
Social Area: Futons
Center Area: Foosball
And there wasn't anything that I could do about it. It was lying on the floor, moving wherever I kicked it, but I couldn't pick it up and set it back on the table.
That might work well for the soccer ball in mom's basement, but not so much for a record player in the sanctum.
It's nice to have things like this decorating the hideouts, but they need to be set in place. No books or stereos or televisions littering the floor, sliding to wherever we kick them as we move.
Unless "junkyard" becomes a hideout option later, anyway.
Also, would like to add to everyone that would like to see some non-weapon options for the tailor area... I know that having some technical drawings pinned to the wall or appearing on monitors and some parts lying on a table would be more appropriate for some characters, or for others maybe having some mathematical equations and a table full of test tubes would be right.
None of these are complaints per-say, just a list of things i noticed walking around and would amend for my dream setup);
Moonbase:
# Instead of the arms display of axes and guns, may we please have a comms display of different monitored Earthbound news channels and broadcasts. Maybe some kind of animated graphics.
# The sleep pods are fantastic. I noted previously there was the suggestion of leaving toons in hibernation which you dismissed because of technical limitations. How about on clicking a sleep pod closed the glass goes all cryo-frosted and it gives you an option to log off / switch character. You need not display the toon inside, just frosted glass like the discovery of Ripley at the start of 'Aliens, maybe have a red light on outside the pod to show its occupied.
Could a toon be parked to exit/enter there in that respect?. Would the pod stay 'occupied' for other guests to the hideout?. If you could work out a way to do it you could apply it to coffins, Vamp-toons would fangk you for all eternity.
# Would like to be able to re-tint the glass under the railing that goes around the walkway.
# Would like the floor-lights in the moonbase to be thinner, more discreet and have more colour variation like the Industrial Cave does with 'light-colour' options. Presently the colours seem quite gaudy and jarring.
# The hidden display that opens in the wall needs a very thin recess or something, appearing out of a plain wall looks a little odd, feels like it needs to be accented slightly somehow.
# The sofa seating in-front of said hidden display would benefit from the same rubberised insert the console chairs have to accent them slightly and perhaps a rubberised horseshoe-shaped floor insert at that location.
# The nice table that rises out of the floor needs either a lump of moonrock ore artifact, some laptop screens on it or something, it looks plain and functionless presently. The tables also a little big imho.
# A keypad with blinking red / green light to the right of every doorway and/or motion-sensor above doorway.
# Central Console options could replace the holo-globe with a huge tech or steampunk telescope that reaches up to or almost flush with the glass of the dome.
# Hologram of the planets is nice (although could use more detail like little animated tangents indicating trajectories etc to give it a more cgi-feel). The mechanised solar system display I'm not keen on to be honest, it reminded me of a child's mobile that you hang above a cot to entertain a baby. I'd like to see something more mechanical, think the mechanised observatory thingy in Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life, possibly more of a mushroom-shaped column that replaces the globe-hologram as a cylinder and extends up and broadens out into the widened mechanics of the steam-punk observatory. Kind of Da-Vinci machine feel to it.
# Central console replaced with your staffed mechanic working under a BIGTRAK moon-buggy. (or in a seperate airlocked garage area - eithers good tbh). The reason I thought central console is that it would be cool to see a central console replace option of tiretracks coming into the middle of the room from an airlock. A mechanic underneath on his back, welding with sparks, using tools underneath, audio SFX of power tools at work, perhaps a small maintanance bot helping him.
# Launch pad for / or addition to landing strip of an Avengers-like QuinJet.
Mom's basement:
# I second the suggestions for audio sfx of Mom, its not Mom's basement without Mom and the built-in N.A.G. security system.
# The punchbag should definately be attackable, or at the very least have some physics on it so that it moves if you brush past it.
# Marlow disturbs me, floating about like that all boggle-eyed. Can we have a Hamster on a treadmill or powerball jury-rigged up to power a PC?, Why not name the Hamster after a tech-support Dev of your choosing - lol.
# A scruffy bed?
# In the corner of the room, which is the shower / which is the tailor? , are they both tailors?, is there another use for the shower
I'd post about a compact multigym possibly replacing the free-weights set-up, but i don't know if anything like that will be an option under Vigilante or Hi-Tech.
Also I'd like the vigilante option of a viper, psi-agent (or other enemy group) slumped over in the interrogation chair with a black eye, moaning incoherantly. Maybe a body bag in the corner or strung up by one end hanging from the ceiling. A baseball bat or boxing sparring gloves should be nearby on a table. The body bag should wiggle every so often and mumble.
Cave: Industrial
# I would like to see a catagory of godray in strengths of 1-3 to highlight the ambiance of the cave.
# To the right of the elevator as soon as you enter the cave, there is an opening in the cave wall that seems to descend back into the gloom with stalagtites and stalgmites visible. The gloom could be dialled back a bit to show a little more depth of that opening. I would love to see an underground river running from the waterfall down into that opening on the right. If you also had a decending staircase down to a canoe / hard-rib inflatable dingy / futuristic stealth super-boat that would conceptually use that river as a way out theres your travel-room route out right there.
# Would like an option of animal skulls and spines a'la predator 2 on display cases.
Looking forward to seeing what extras the alternate caves bring.
Mystic Sanctum:
# Floating candles; anyway to turn these off, have fewer of them and potentially have parts of the room darker that could benefit from the addition of a candle chandelier.
# Floating books move really fast, and there are loads of them. It would be spookier if there weren't quite so many and you knocked a third to a half off of the flyspeed. Books light / Books heavy option?.
# On entry you see the mystic vases perched on the bannister posts. Odd placement i think personally, only a mystic whos under herbal influences would put such an expensive vase high on the edge of a staircase. They could be put down in-place of the 2 chairs at the bottom of the first flight of steps as those chairs looks superflouous to requirements. Once there the vases could be a tad-larger to be like Ming-dynasty vases and have some kind of light effect to them (they are mystic after all).
# Moonlight godrays through the ceiling skylight? - choice of options strengths: off > low > high.
# Wider range of carpet textures and floor textures. The glow on the pattern of the purple carpet is a bit bright and could do with being dialled down a tad so it does not detract from other room features (in my opinion).
# Room wooden support beams would benefit from a little ornamentation, i'm thinking halfway to 2/3rds the way up with an inward facing wooden carved gargoyle or cherub bust. Maybe their eyes could blink like the creepy statue in Vibora.
# A choice for a different lower-floor ceiling texture other than the 'maze' pattern.
# Spectral librarian (lower floor) (think Ghostbusters) and a spectral butler that fades in and out delivering drinks.
# I love the sheen on the grey granite / marble meditation circle and wonder if the surrounding square marble plinth can have different styles of plinth or texture of material.
# Only thing i dislike is the viper-esque snake mirror portal thingy. I definately like to see different replacement objects in its place, although i feel there is a slight lack of definition in what the areas (top and bottom floors) are supposed to be for. See following comment.
# Top floor communications hub and links?, in the trailer the Champion is meditating down on the lower floor facing the mirror which i took to be the comms hub through a mystical mirror or portal to monitor broadcasts - but it appears the mirror is in fact a tailor area. I can see it as either to be honest, its secluded and laid back and could be a better tailor area with the addition of manniquins or artifacts, a full length mirror etc - or it could be a nice comms area with a styled sofa, forementioned portal mirrors magically hacking into broadcasts and various other channels.
The bottom floor could also do with being a little darker, minus that table lamp and maybe have some candles & wall mounted holders on the support-beams that face inwards.
# Top floor, bottom floor, comms area?, tailor? - witch is witch? (as it were) - some definition would only make a great hideout even better.
# Candle chandeliers of different styles to give an moody light effect over upper reading area and to highlight detail on forementioned wooden gargoyles / cherubs.
# Some normal sized statues that can be placed in place of some of the many default 2 chairs and a table set-up. Creepy blinking eye feature, or eyes that follow you as you walk past.
# Not particularly keen on the glowing candle skull altar, something to replace that with please!.
# Main reading area chair a bit too vampy-scarlet 'Elvira' for my tastes.:rolleyes: - and an extra rug (like the ones on the bottom floor) would be nice to accent that reading area chair ensemble.
# An option to change the oil portraits (or some of them) for scrolls, or mounted artifacts under glass.
I am very much hoping the Cave Primal brings us this
It's really odd that PCs can leave their moon base from "front door".
2.) Training Room
PCs can operate computer/shrine and create dummies.
3.) NPC pets
Some robot cleaners, cats or dogs, pixies will increase the atmosphere in hideout.
Hideout Entry UI:
This is totally unintuitive with a Choose and a Travel button, as such UI typically work with selecting a choice and pressing Travel to get there. In other words, please combine the Choose and Travel buttons into one button and simply have the choice highlighted that was last chosen when opening the UI (the one that is "Current")
Moonbase
Exterior Detail - Solar Array: While all the other Exterior Details feel big and techy, this one gives off a downright cheap feel and I find it ugly to boot. Would it be possible to change these to articulated solar arrays? This would also make a LOT of sense, since you want to capture the maximum of the sun's light there, and that angle changes all the time (also, if you do that, add LOT more of them please, such a base takes a lot of energy to run and it wouldn't be as gimpy compared to say nuke launches or a landing strip)
Cave
Cave Venue - Lava Cave: When combined with Cave Opening - Open, the light in the open part feels off to me, since everything else has such an orange glow and not a bit of that glow reaches there.
Mystic Sanctum
And lastly, I would love to get the huge statue with just the glyph and without the floating "material" in the middle of the glyph (maybe just the ball - not sure), would it be possible to add that as an option? (Since it's built already and it's just a small amount of "taken away" this would probably be very little work)
Thanks for the great job on the Hideouts and looking forward to seeing more in the future,
Allow dueling in them with the rez point being the entrance. Heck might even be cool to just have them be open pvp inside, perhaps give the owner an option to toggle that on.
Set an area for a private Battle Station room or perhaps just a holo trainer device set up next to the crime computer that spawns holo bad guys throughout your base.
Secret Hideouts rarely remain secrets, perhaps random Nemisis attacks are in order.
Didn't seem like any of the bases had a bedroom area with the exception of the sleeping pods in the Moonbase. Would be nice to see an area like that added, small bed or cot with a night stand something to that effect. More elaborate fancy bedroom designs for the more fancy bases.
Cave Specific Changes,
An actual furniture set with a nice TV, comfy chair and sturdy table instead of the Mom's basement set up it currently has.
An option to remove the track lighting above the low tech crime computer.
Seems the Cave Base is a bit lacking on space compared to the other hideouts, maybe open up some of that cave area so you can actually go there instead of being teleported to the entrance.
Maybe toss in a fridge and a sink somewhere, perhaps near the crime computer.
Cave dwellers read books too, perhaps a nice bookcase or even an all new platform for a small library.
Thats all I got for now, thanks for reading!:D
Nice idea, I'd like to see a beat-up spongy arm chair or well used lazy boy with pile of 'Darren's Pizza' pizza boxes and empty cola bottles in-front of a TV (big plasma for the high-tech basement).
Floating Candles switch.
Bigger fireplace so as to fit better.
Change the ambient sounds (some spooky music like Theremin songs).
The crime computer would be better at the Tailors orange snake portal. Or you could just change the skull ant the scrolls for a crystal ball instead.
Stormy sky with some lightings and wolf howls =[
A secret door on a bookshelf that leads to another room, lets say a bedroom? A lab maybe?
As Captain_Skyfire said, a black cat sleeping on the pillar and the randomly changing portrait that winks and all that stuff.
I totally agree with you. I'm Scorpio and my ascendant planet is Pluto. Ive always loved it. So tiny, so cold and so far How they dare to say its not a planet! It deserves to be avenged!
Thanks, keep it up.
:::facepalm::: and there are still 2 more versions of each hideout yet to be commented on. . .
That said..... I'd really love it if you took another reflection map of moon without the bars on windows. Its alot more obvious to notice something that is there that shouldn't be then to notice something that should be there but isn't. Plus it sorta makes it a pain to actually look out the glass to see space since when you go First Person all you see are tons of bars on the reflection of the glass. Pretty please with bacon on top?
The ability to toggle off sounds in the hideout. Either my sound card doesn't like my hideout or there is a really loud buzzing noise by the stairs (in Mom's Basement) near the electrical panel. Since it sounds sort of like electricty, I figured it was put there on purpose. I love the hideouts, you all did a great job with them ... but that insistent buzzing ....
>I think Silver Players should get a Gold perk for no reason
Cool story bro.
Also, 'allowed' is when you allow something. 'aloud' is when you say something and people can hear it. Also also, Silver, not sliver.
Gee. Golds get the same thing. I guess there's no benefit to being gold or lifetime if that were to happen.
thAts rigHt
im Actually now Thinking of selling on the acc, cause the value of golders has been Dropped down Dramatically
all hideouts:
Add the lab table that acts as a crafting table! I dont know why I didnt think of this before.. Its perfect for the lore. Now if only there was a way to sell the 'vendor trash' that accumulates between missions too.
Which'd be great, or at least tolerable, if I could dial it back so it could be a place-setter in the meantime. Not an option.
Sorry for being so negative here, but... I had no option to preview but looking at tiny-**** pics that only included the "on" options and no sound, and as a result of getting the one that looked closest to what I thought would work for an apartment, I now have a hideout I'd rather not see again except on new characters specifically made for it.
This is the first wave. This is the one that's supposed to give me a taste and convince me how cool the idea is, so I'll buy future ones. Instead, Cryptic didn't let me see the full options before I got locked into this one, and a Cryptic employee said he had to "pick his battles" and so made the basement lackluster by intent. So rather than putting equal effort into all the starting options, I got suckered into the one even Cryptic apparently knew was subpar, apparently because I shouldn't mind paying cash just to make up for their mistake here.
Yeah, no. One of the options is lacking on bells and whistles the others apparently have? Cryptic, that's your hint that you need to do more with it. Maybe make it free for everyone. Maybe give it more details and flexibility out of the gates. Maybe even hold it back from the initial release until it's ready.
Do a half-assed job, force me to buy into it blind, and expect me to shell out cash just to bring it up to par? That's bad business, bad design, and provides strong arguments that I should spend my money elsewhere.
Sorry if I'm upset here, but after hearing my friends ooh and ahh over the mystic and moonbase lairs, I got excited enough that I wanted to see what Cryptic would do with the basement, and getting told "not much, because we wanted the others to be really cool" makes me feel like I just got conned.
So, in summary, here are my suggestions to Cryptic:
Let us look into the bases first-hand before locking us into a choice.
If one choice is plainly not as good as the others, discount it or even make it free -- you may have limited resources, but that's no excuse for pretending all the options are equivalent when it comes to purchase.
Let us dial options back from the main theme, so we have some flexibility in the application, even if the result is just bare bones.
Give us a discount if we already have a purchase in the appropriate hideout set-up. If you're going to expect us to be fine with only having one or two options at most per set purchase, it'd be nice if you tried to meet us halfway when it comes to shelling out more cash to improve upon your limited designs.
You are advocating releasing the info on a pack as a catagory at a time?, so you can see / imagine all the mix 'n match possibilities before you buy?.
I don't really see how you can say the Basement is the worst one, you certainly get the most stuff in the Basement Hideout.
The way I see it each Hideout brings something different to the table so far.
Moonbase - Very high tech atmosphere with working sleep pod chambers and blast doors.
Arcane Sanctum - Magic atmosphere with a ton of open space to wander around in.
Cave - Little cramped for actual space but with differnt enviornment settings, Cold Cave, Lava Cave..etc.
Mom's Basement - The thing that impressed me right away is all the cool stuff, nice TV with Stereo better furniture than the Cave you actually get couches, sink and fridge, shower, workout area and even a crazy fish. Its without a doubt the most detailed of the Hideouts. Heck theres even a volly ball you can kick around.
The Cave has some great customization options, but visually it's a bit static. I think a good way of changing this would be to add small flying creatures that occasionally circle the interior of the cave.
*Bats (as seen in VIbora Bay)
*Pterodactyls (as seen on Monster Island)
*Birds (as seen everywhere)
I do. I also know that based upon the caveat emptor, no frills hideout I have, I'm not interested in buying more just to make up for this one.
I'm advocating letting me go inside and look around, mess with the options available to each category I can buy before I buy it. I'm also advocating going a few further steps so that the existing options be flexible (i.e. the computer desk is mostly fine, but I'd like the options minus the goldfish, arcade box, and posters), and that the devs strongly reconsider the approach that limited resources justifies releasing incomplete content at full price.
Quantity != quality. If your character's a basement geek who pumps iron, you're quite correct, it's pretty good. Everyone else? Not so much. This would've been perfectly fine as a freebie, and even thematically appropriate as such, but as is, I don't feel it's flexible enough to justify payment, either for the set itself or for upcoming sets.
Not had any experience with the cave yet, but the moonbase is interactive, and the arcane has room for ten people while also giving some flexibility in theme on its own, without further purchase necessary. Both of those are inherently well above what the basement offers, which offers little room, no interaction, and only one theme that can't be taken away.
Didn't notice the volleyball, but what you describe sounds more fitting, IMO, for a later hideout than one of the starting four. I think the vigilante hideout would've been a better pick, being more suited to a wider variety of hero types.
nope, no benefit:rolleyes:
These are some of the things that have occured to me so far in terms of new/alternate options for existing hideouts...
Cave: First of all one comment--I liked this hideout more than I thought I would. The "Plants & Water" venue give it a nice natural feel and I think it would be a great base to base off nature-themed concepts. Add in some mushrooms and floating wisps of light, as well as make it non-industrial looking--perhaps make the central spot a natural formation bound by ropped bridges to the different sections, and it might serve as a decent druidic or faerie themed hideout (I know there's already a Druid Sanctum on the works, but the Caves might also serve as an alternate location for a hideout with that type of theme, perhaps for future development). Some things I would like to see on the current cave hideout:
Mom's Basement: For the wallpaper up the stairs, and option for "None" (which would display whaterver wall texture you have chosen for the rest of the hideout).
Moon Base: This is probably the most well made and detailed of all hideouts--lots of options, even the ability to open or close the dome, or cryogenic pods, etc.--so there's not much that I can think of adding to it, except maybe an Outside Display option for other environments (saw someone suggest other planets already). These alternate environments don't necessarily have to be "other planets", though. This same base could serve as a stand point for underwater base, or even other "Earhly" environments outside, such as jungle, arctic, etc.
Mystic Sanctum: Others have suggested a "None" option for the candles. Another suggestion along this line would be to turn the candles into one more element we can change--such as adding flowing wisps of light, butterflies or other floating objects instead of candles. An option for "Bats" or other flying creatures or objects instead of flying books would also be cool. Though, I'm guessing many of these options might come with future hideouts. However, overall, I felt that the Mystic Sanctum had perhaps the least variety in terms of what we can change (I felt the Moon Base and Cave had the most options), or at least the amount of options we get when changing them. Also, I would like to change or turn off ("None" option) the painting by the stairs--the option to have some other paintings or perhaps even some statues or other decorations would be nice.
Yes please! I'd love for some more display case options that aren't weapons! A trophy room would be cool, but having "Skulls", "Trophies", "Trinkets" would be almost as awesome, and loads easier!
Maybe that crafting table that I mentioned earlier.
Would you be ok with the idea of moving the candles into the "Ambient Effects" group, with the Books. This would allow you to turn off the candles, but would also mean you could NOT have both the candles AND the books visible at the same time.
Would anyone be heartbroken if you couldn't have both?
Crafting tables, (if added) will almost certainly be in another room, not a replacement for anything you've seen so far.
I vote for that, I'd totally be okay with both being together or well having them in the 'ambient effects' and being able to pick one or the other.
Hmm, question: Would it be possible to include a Books & Candles effect for "Ambient Effects" along with that change? Something like this:
Ambien Effects
Something like what I included above might be an easier fix than making a new effect group just for the candles, and would give us more ambient effects options as well as allow us to keep both, Books and Candles if we want them, or get rid of one or the other if we don't like to have both.
I would be.
If possible, this would indeed be the best solution...
I love the books, the candles, and that huge statue. But I would also love to be able to remove them all and just have a big dim LoEGish library.
If you turn do put it in with books under ambient and switch them off to see the books, then the whole room will be an awful lot darker and you might not see said books too well.
Is it possible to put permanent lights outside the catagory of options?. I'd put two low light lanterns on the posts nearest the entrance to give just enough light to see the books in transit, and then maybe hang a chandelier over that high-backed chair area to permanently soft light that area.
Ideally there would be a lights catagory option but it sounds like its not built that way?.
Animated FX and lighting are under same tab?
I like the candles, just that when they are toggled on, theres too many of them for a moody setting.
I was also thinking about having NPC´s or mission contacts to show up on the hideout and give unique missions.
We should also have a teleporter to bring us to the major areas like MC,Canada,Vibora Bay.
I dunno, I'm generally not in favor of limiting customization. More choices = better, less choices = bad.
Can you folks please give the crime computer some missions, even repeatable ones please? Staring at a useless crime computer is disheartening for a crime fighter!
EDIT:
Thought of something else I would like to see.
Now I realize most of the suggestions are visual in nature, but I was hoping to get some immersive audio added to hideouts at some point to really round out the ambiance.
Perhaps tied to selectable options so that when you approach that hidden monitor console in the moonbase and it slides open, it activates a computer A.I. voice feed in the background chattering on and on about whatever is on that console. Same deal with the crime computer, I would love to hear sporadic audio reports, perhaps some mixed in with heavy static to enhance the dramatic effect and tension, etc.
Is it possible for the crime computer to have a screen with short random video loops of crimes and/or disasters playing? A few seconds per video loop, perhaps with audio would be VERY SWELL indeed.
Agreed. The room does need some other source of light in it, as without them it starts to get really dark.
But in the end, I'd rather have an option to turn them off entirely in the end (by merging them with the flying books). Additionally, I agree with putting the option of one, the other, both, or none under the list as suggested by VisionStorm earlier.