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Become devices are slowly killing one of the best features of this game!

agentnx5agentnx5 Posts: 1,999 Arc User
edited November 2012 in Champions Online Discussion
Ok this is my opinion, but I'm hardly alone on this. You can agree or disagree with me, all I ask is that you keep it civil and logical (no fallacies or BS)?



I say the title of the topic because I've been seeing a trend and I don't like the direction at all. It's going to do more harm than good. Cryptic seems insistent on making and selling EXTREMELY powerful become devices. The Deathlord is a new example (people want the aura), the Vehicles getting a broken-as-hell 250 ft range attack (related topic), etc. etc.


The majority of people will always, always gravitate in time towards what is the most powerful in the game. This is the "keeping up with the Jones" kind of effect, peer-competition. Note I'm not saying all people, but the vast majority will shift this way, the bell curve is skewed as such.


One of the best features in this game, in my opinion is the ability to make a superhero from your imagination, to be fully creative. You can make a unique appearance, powerset combination, and even a biography. This is what sets Champions ahead of it's competition.

Become Devices aim to destroy that.

Why?

Because they are cookie-cutter stamped out builds and appearances. You are not unique. And the more powerful they are, the more people will shift towards using them, and the more identical fighter jets, tanks, deathlords, or what have you that are all the same will be floating around.

As a friend of mine pointed out rather eloquently, it's going to start looking like a tailgating party at a football game where everybody has the same look. Actually it's worse than that because they look literally identical and have the identical powers.



I complain that originality is what's being destroyed here, with Cryptic exchanging short term monetary gains for long-term damage to one of the game's distinguishing features. To be clear it's Become Devices in particular that I'm taking issue with, not other devices you can use. I'm actually glad you can now get Legacy devices from the Drifter, even if it's 40 Salvage eeek! Those kinds of devices don't kill the creativity aspect as much, as they compliment your build rather than replace it.

Batman isn't replaced by his batmobile, he's complimented by having it as part of his arsenal. Think about how boring the Dark Knight would have been if he spent his entire time inside that tumbler car.



Your thoughts?
Post edited by agentnx5 on
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Comments

  • chaoswolf820chaoswolf820 Posts: 734 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    agentnx5 wrote: »
    Batman isn't replaced by his batmobile, he's complimented by having it as part of his arsenal. Think about how boring the Dark Knight would have been if he spent his entire time inside that tumbler car.
    Your thoughts?

    Well, it would certainly make all those crashing-through-the-skylight dramatic entrances he does look more impressive.
  • fantasycharacterfantasycharacter Posts: 458 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I was thinking the other day that they would soon come out with [Become Superhero].

    I am not sure I am liking where the ship is headed these days, but I am still on it. Powerful become devices and missions centered around them aren't really why I signed up. So it just seems like content for some, not content everyone is interested in.
  • nephtnepht Posts: 6,883 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    Would be nice if you had the option to turn of the appearance of the device but kept the powers on that might be something.
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  • ariesmajorariesmajor Posts: 394 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    My thoughts, Deathlord Become too strong? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

    Yeah no, its not stronger than a freeform sorry.

    And I'm actually glad their giving the "Become XXX hero" devices some kind of umph because with some of the skills and damage and lack of passives etc etc on those things, I could have damn well just auto attacked and blocked and done more in a fight (Looking dead at you ninja becomes)

    As far as the jets go, you can't even use them in places where they could be overpowered. Can't bring them into lairs, cant bring them into alerts, and as for the rest of outdoor pve (which is stupidly weak btw even without jets.) Nobody does the outdoor open missions that are the last place where these things could shine because the rewards are garbage.

    Yeah I really wanna risk my life for 2 primus badges after sitting on a boss for 5 minutes....no.

    Now what I wish they'd do is go back over some of those old crappy become XXX hero devices and make them "not as weak" as a level 20 stuck with the number 40 over their head.
  • klittyklitty Posts: 1,545 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I think that I did predict that this game will turn into All Become Devices, no customization and just alerts instead of new zones and contents.

    *goes under the bed and cries*


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  • flyingfinnflyingfinn Posts: 8,408 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    Will turn??
    I thought we've been there like for a year or 2 now.

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  • nextnametakennextnametaken Posts: 2,212 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    "People" are not gravitating toward become devices.
    There's only a small set of people who will ever want one and
    a smaller set of people who will ever throw money at them.
  • keikomystkeikomyst Posts: 626 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I actually want Become Devices to get stronger, if only because they'd be useful to ATs, shapeshifter concepts and the like. Right now all Becomes are pathetically weak, but before On Alert my Soldier got a great deal of use out of Become Werewolf because free Regen and being able to fill an off-tank role should the party lack one.

    Now the Become devices pale in comparison to an Inferno or an Impulse, aside from the vehicles, which are so restricted it's silly.

    btw, I want the deployable AoE healing drone from the healer jet, as well as a biosteel regen gun, for player use. Give them to the Inventor and it'll stop sucking.
  • vorshothvorshoth Posts: 596 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I like the devices. To some extent. It does give slightly freer powers. So, you could pick a silly bunch of powers for your character, that makes sense for that character, but have an in-character logic for having a Become.

    For example, Power Armour.
    So, you're unarmed, you're a fairly normal-ish citizen, but you have a secret identity! You have a cookie cutter power armour you nicked from someone or other!
    So, you still have the capability to punch people ineffectually, whilst still having your power armour secret identity. Without mucking about with builds and whatnot.

    I would like it if they did this for other things though, like a purchasable Become Purple Gang Disguise Device, which gives you abilities that correspond to Purple Gang members (chains, single pistol, knife-throwing), as a disguise, meaning Purple Gang members don't attack you unless attacked whilst it is on. And for other factions too, similar kinds of devices. Preferably slightly flickering from time to time, to be a holo-device disguise maybe. Obviously, there needs to be a small percentage chance of being spotted via a Perception roll. 40% chance of being 'spotted', aka noticed as being just a diguise and thus attacked as normal? More if they're heavily trained like VIPER and notice if there's a sudden new recruit who doesn't match any known documents ever?

    Becomes make sense. They shouldn't overrun other things as they might do for the next few months, but they make sense as something to be quite common in the game.

    All these vehicles look silly though. They're definately not for the tights and spandex bunch. More the super-soldier/contracted by the government bunch.

    I'm waiting for the slap-dash patched together lemon car with oil slicks (unintentionally), and a experimental machine gun system (actually makes it turn to the left, constantly, due to the force of bullets), that a vigilante type without the big budget would make.
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  • c3rvand0c3rvand0 Posts: 403 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    Personally I have no intention of buying a become device, with the exception of travel ones that suit my concept. I want to choose my alternative powerset, not be dictated to what I have and look like. What i would love is the ability to choose a second, third etc set of powers so i could switch builds AND powers. For those of you familiar with the PnP game, I want multiform or in comics, I want to recreate a Crazy Jane character from Doom Patrol.
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  • man515drakeman515drake Posts: 182 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I personally dislike become devices I want to be the hero I create not some naf cookie cutter flavour of the month thing. From what I have seen they are not over powerful and tend only to be flavour of the moth then they seem to die out.

    Vehicles are different I think they have been done all wrong from the 250 feet range that means users never die during open world events to the complete lack of customisation. If my hero wanted a car or plane he would want it to be unique to him/her even if just in colour scheme. Instead we get to customize powers I would rather customise the look as all super vehicles tend to have the same powers i.e. they have either lasers, guns or missiles and travel fast.

    Cryptic seem to have lost their way but I think it is more to do with what they can make the most money rather than making the best game.

    I used to hope that this new way of doing things would lead to making the money necessary to develop new zones and content but it seems that Cryptic's bosses in PWI just want the money to hell with the long standing players.
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  • sanguinevipersanguineviper Posts: 451 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    c3rvand0 wrote: »
    Personally I have no intention of buying a become device, with the exception of travel ones that suit my concept. I want to choose my alternative powerset, not be dictated to what I have and look like. What i would love is the ability to choose a second, third etc set of powers so i could switch builds AND powers. For those of you familiar with the PnP game, I want multiform or in comics, I want to recreate a Crazy Jane character from Doom Patrol.

    All of this...

    You'd make WAY more money selling Multi-build slots for 5,000 ZEN a piece or something than these garbage become devices and vehicles.

    I absolutely guarantee you I'd immediately drop 50 bucks on one if you made them Cryptic.

    As a Matter of fact, I'd buy two of them.

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  • serendipitynowserendipitynow Posts: 554 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    Cryptic seem to have lost their way but I think it is more to do with what they can make the most money rather than making the best game.

    they wont make any money when they finally kill this game by driving players away with this constant crap instead of releasing some actual CONTENT!
  • bioshrikebioshrike Posts: 5,491 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    On the one hand, Become Devices add a layer of flexibility which AT players cannot otherwise access. At the same time, seeing someone using one of these most of the time makes me wonder if they simply aren't putting in the kind of investment in their character's main build/gear, and are instead relying on the device as a crutch.

    On a somewhat related note, what powers/build does the Deathlord and Seraphim devices use?

    Thanks.
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  • flyingfinnflyingfinn Posts: 8,408 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    Darkness and Celestial i think.
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  • arimikamiarimikami Posts: 475 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I have to agree whole heartedly with this. As far as I'm concerned, the becomes are one of the worst things in this game. If I've taken the time to level a toon, figure out a build, come up with a look I like, and then get gear and mods for that character why would I ever want to click on some crappy device that completely changes the look of my character as well as the way it plays? I can understand that Cryptic wants to make money but, these things are complete garbage and I will never spend money on them, ever. They take the absolute best parts of this game and chuck it right out the window.

    Whoever got the green light to have them added to CO should not be allowed to make suggestions on how to improve this game. Just keep them around when you need someone to talk to the boss for raises because they're obviously good at getting others to go with their ideas. They just have bad ideas.

    Rather than selling a become, why not sell costume packs that allow people to make their characters look like they do with the becomes? It would take less work and more people might actually like that. Same with the vehicles. Instead of having it give you all new powers, turn it into a travel power. Make something like a motorcycle that people can use where their character is still visible and they can fight while using it, just like other travel powers. Oh, and rocket boards. Need rocket boards. You've got ice slide and earth slide. Why no rocket boards?!
  • twg042370twg042370 Posts: 592 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    agentnx5 wrote: »
    Your thoughts?

    My thought is that you made a "Tell others how to play the game" thread.

    Yes, the lack of originality or thought in a lot of players is shameful, but that isn't your problem. As long as players buy them, Cryptic will keep making become devices. And for a game that seems as resource strapped as CO, that is a good thing. Maybe enough will be sold to hire a team to fix the bugs.

    And then you and me can get busy being original while everyone else sucks in their Black Talon suit.
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  • wraithshadow13wraithshadow13 Posts: 531 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I kind of have to agree with the OP to a degree. With these new devices especially vehicles, I've seen a huge drop in creativity, not from the player side but from the Dev side. Although the same can be said over on STO with the lockboxes and such, but they've clearly shifted from making a game that's fun to play over to making small one shot items to make money. When was the last actual story content we got? nighthawk doesn't count as it was just and alert and a half. When was the last time they updated the character creator? Power wise they're doing okay, but as a superhero game they should really be putting in more of an effort there. Even the vehicle system seems to have fallen short of its potential so far leaving a lot of us saying "that's it? that's all there was to this?" and frankly for a game company that was built around the idea of full customization, i think Cryptic has fallen pretty far from that and it's a shame because that's one of the things that makes it stand out.
  • angelphoenix12angelphoenix12 Posts: 313 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    "People" are not gravitating toward become devices.
    There's only a small set of people who will ever want one and
    a smaller set of people who will ever throw money at them.

    i agree with this, the only become i wanted is the vampire now that i got it, i dont need the only other ones.
  • shytalashytala Posts: 74 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I am probably part of the group that is not willing to pay out for become devices lol....or really even use them at all.
    I like my characters and their looks and most of their powers(there will always be some power you had to take because there was nothing else to put there)....I don't want to turn into something and have to look like someone else wants me to and play with powers that are mostly crap to me, because most become devices I have gotten as drops suck.
    I prefer more customization, a higher level cap and less bugs....to become devices.


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  • ariesmajorariesmajor Posts: 394 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    arimikami wrote: »
    I have to agree whole heartedly with this. As far as I'm concerned, the becomes are one of the worst things in this game. If I've taken the time to level a toon, figure out a build, come up with a look I like, and then get gear and mods for that character why would I ever want to click on some crappy device that completely changes the look of my character as well as the way it plays? I can understand that Cryptic wants to make money but, these things are complete garbage and I will never spend money on them, ever. They take the absolute best parts of this game and chuck it right out the window.

    Whoever got the green light to have them added to CO should not be allowed to make suggestions on how to improve this game. Just keep them around when you need someone to talk to the boss for raises because they're obviously good at getting others to go with their ideas. They just have bad ideas.

    Rather than selling a become, why not sell costume packs that allow people to make their characters look like they do with the becomes? It would take less work and more people might actually like that. Same with the vehicles. Instead of having it give you all new powers, turn it into a travel power. Make something like a motorcycle that people can use where their character is still visible and they can fight while using it, just like other travel powers. Oh, and rocket boards. Need rocket boards. You've got ice slide and earth slide. Why no rocket boards?!

    Then don't use them, they weren't designed for freeform users, they were made for people to have fun with other powers "usually AT silver users" and use these skills without being full on rubbish while using them.

    They were designed to fit transformation themes or "Im a mech teck character watch me jump into my giant battle droid, Boom become black talon"

    They weren't designed to replace anything, and they don't. Most of them use powers a majority of the freeform players either never use, or they contain completely new never before seen powers masked as powers that already exist "vampire beast transformation".

    I know you guys like to QQ about things that don't matter to you, but, I believe you're aiming your guns the wrong direction because these devices are still content, and there are still people out there including myself that are willing to buy them or collect them.

    What you should be moaning about is the newest star trek port over debaucle boxes that, until I see them add their contents to a Q store, recog center, or Zen shop, I will consider them a scam that locks out content rather than provides. Some people just like buying things outright without the bs shenanigans of a dice roll. But then again why waste your time moaning? Don't like it, don't buy it/use it.
  • wimpazoidwimpazoid Posts: 456 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    There's nothing wrong with Becomes. The problem lies with PWE Cryptic hyping them.

    Become Celestial essentially costs 10000 ZEN or 200 Drifter's Salvage. That's the most expensive Become to date for a fun device with limits on powers.
  • bwdaresbwdares Posts: 1,517 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I couldnt really careless how powerful they are. I dont fight them and if they make my friends stronger when we run missions then good. They will live longer.
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  • cybersoldier1981cybersoldier1981 Posts: 2,501 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    The 'Don't like it? Don't use it' mentality debunked:

    I pay admission to a nightclub. I go to the bar to get a drink, and order a Long Island Iced Tea- which I am more than willing to pay for. Instead, the bartender only makes screwdrivers and Jack & Coke this weekend. He promises me soon I'll see the Long Island Iced Tea, he just has to get the ingredients. However, every time I come to the club and pay admission- he always has new ingredients for drinks other than Long Island Iced tea. Soon it starts to seem like I'm wasting my money and need to find a new bar.

    Let me be fair- The Become Devices wouldn't sour me so much if they, say... came with an entire costume set. I'd pay a BIT more for something like the Cyberpunk sword or a set of guns if a Become device included it.
  • serendipitynowserendipitynow Posts: 554 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    I know you guys like to QQ about things that don't matter to you, but, I believe you're aiming your guns the wrong direction because these devices are still content, and there are still people out there including myself that are willing to buy them or collect them.

    1) Become devices arent content - content is new missions/zones etc, become devices (any device infact as well as costumes/powers etc) are just more ways of doing the same content that they never add to.

    2) These devices effect everyone
    i) Overpowered ones ruin balance (looking mainly at new vehicles, but old vehicles with their 250 range are bad as well)
    ii) They make it a game of clones esp bad with vehicles as it becomes planes online instead of champions online! This game has great customisation but these devices hide that behind people all looking the same and using same powers
    iii) Work put into making these is work that isnt being done on new content which is desperately needed!
  • arimikamiarimikami Posts: 475 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    ariesmajor wrote: »
    Then don't use them, they weren't designed for freeform users, they were made for people to have fun with other powers "usually AT silver users" and use these skills without being full on rubbish while using them.

    They were designed to fit transformation themes or "Im a mech teck character watch me jump into my giant battle droid, Boom become black talon"

    They weren't designed to replace anything, and they don't. Most of them use powers a majority of the freeform players either never use, or they contain completely new never before seen powers masked as powers that already exist "vampire beast transformation".

    I know you guys like to QQ about things that don't matter to you, but, I believe you're aiming your guns the wrong direction because these devices are still content, and there are still people out there including myself that are willing to buy them or collect them.

    What you should be moaning about is the newest star trek port over debaucle boxes that, until I see them add their contents to a Q store, recog center, or Zen shop, I will consider them a scam that locks out content rather than provides. Some people just like buying things outright without the bs shenanigans of a dice roll. But then again why waste your time moaning? Don't like it, don't buy it/use it.

    Even when I was a silver account, which was only a little over a month ago, I still thought they were crap and that they weren't needed. Playing an AT =/= "full on rubbish". If you really think that then perhaps you need to learn how to better utilize the abilities available to your character.

    Allowing the becomes to be used as simple costumes would fulfill that purpose every bit as easily. Easier actually.

    I don't think I am and I'm not QQing. I'm expressing my opinion. I wasn't aware that any opinion that isn't in line with yours is QQing but, good to know. Do those people that want to buy keys to try to get things out of the lockboxes not count in your mind? There do seem to be a lot of them yet, you apparently have no issue disregarding them.

    Why should I complain about the lock boxes? No one forces anyone to buy a key and nothing in them is needed to play this game. They're not mandatory in certain parts of the game's content, unlike becomes or have you never run Harmon Labs or looked into what the new content that the devs of this game are working on where you'll be required to use vehicles? If I don't want to do anything with the lockboxes, I don't have to. It does not affect my gameplay.

    Let's be honest here...
    You are a fan of becomes and will defend them even to the point of becoming nonsensical and insulting.
    You want the becomes from the lockboxes.
    You don't want to go about getting them through the method that Cryptic has provided and apparently don't have the funds in game to buy them from someone that's gotten one.
    You seem to consider them content and regretfully, you're right because Cryptic is now making content where you have to use becomes. They call them vehicles but, it's the same thing. This means that for some parts of the game, becomes are mandatory. This does affect my gameplay and I will speak about it.
    If you don't like it, why waste your time in this thread?
  • rugrothrumborrugrothrumbor Posts: 534 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    Doomlord seemed really pointless to me. It was just another Darkness power Become, don't we already have the Chaos Demons? There's other power sets to make Becomes out of like Might or Unarmed Martial Arts.

    Also I see no purpose in Becomes transforming you into something you can't customize. Why not just get the powers when you turn on the Become but retain your look? For some reason we have Becomes even in our heirloom sets.
  • jasinblazejasinblaze Posts: 1,360 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    only become devices i'm worried about is the new vehicles
    it's a problem if the device is better than a good build with rank 5 mods

    and that's how we should approach this...
    What is the level of DPS/defense that becomes should not surpass?
  • oddbirdyoddbirdy Posts: 176 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    Becomes don't bother me. If other people want to turn into a clone in order to do DPS, have at it - but I don't really want to, and I know a lot of other players don't either. In fact, the overall opinion of this thread sways that way.

    Besides, people will turn away from using them for that reason. Other players will provide the peer pressure. Hell, there's pressure on me to change my build - my tank's an infernal build, and I'm often hear "UGH, EPIDEMIC SPAMMERS" when I join alerts. A generic comment clearly aimed my way when I'm the only one using Epidemic.

    The same pressure will apply to those using Becomes, and those who are willing to become clones to do DPS will and those who are not won't. The only part that concerns me is, as arimikami mentioned, when vehicles or becomes are required to complete content. So far, not an issue - they were available but not required to do the Nighthawk mission, and are available but not required for the Warlord mission - but the concern is over whether or not we will head in that direction. Mandatory would not be okay. Optional is ideal.
  • crypticbuxomcrypticbuxom Posts: 4,629 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    If anything the Becomes should all be buffed to include Forms to work with their builds. Specifically Gingerbread Man that doesn't allow you to build up Enrage stacks anymore. Most of them are pretty broken save for the Werewolf and Chaos Demon.
  • secksegaisecksegai Posts: 1,354 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    agentnx5 wrote: »
    Ok this is my opinion, but I'm hardly alone on this. You can agree or disagree with me, all I ask is that you keep it civil and logical (no fallacies or BS)?



    I say the title of the topic because I've been seeing a trend and I don't like the direction at all. It's going to do more harm than good. Cryptic seems insistent on making and selling EXTREMELY powerful become devices. The Deathlord is a new example (people want the aura), the Vehicles getting a broken-as-hell 250 ft range attack (related topic), etc. etc.


    The majority of people will always, always gravitate in time towards what is the most powerful in the game. This is the "keeping up with the Jones" kind of effect, peer-competition. Note I'm not saying all people, but the vast majority will shift this way, the bell curve is skewed as such.

    The majority of becomes are as weak or weaker than ATs. I have quite a collection of them, and only the jets get any real use, and mostly for traveling across zone.

    Sure, I've killed a level 40 elite mega-destroid terminator with a jet, but it took 40 something minutes as only attack I could use was the 5 second chargeup with the 40s or so cd. It allows my ATs the ability to fight things they normally can't, but for all my FFs its merely convenience.

    Considering the investment on a single jet, and the sheer fact they can only be used in certain areas, I don't see them as broken at all. It's not like a random become you buy for 250g (or less) in the AH.
    agentnx5 wrote: »

    One of the best features in this game, in my opinion is the ability to make a superhero from your imagination, to be fully creative. You can make a unique appearance, powerset combination, and even a biography. This is what sets Champions ahead of it's competition.

    Become Devices aim to destroy that.

    Why?

    Because they are cookie-cutter stamped out builds and appearances. You are not unique. And the more powerful they are, the more people will shift towards using them, and the more identical fighter jets, tanks, deathlords, or what have you that are all the same will be floating around.

    As a friend of mine pointed out rather eloquently, it's going to start looking like a tailgating party at a football game where everybody has the same look. Actually it's worse than that because they look literally identical and have the identical powers.



    I complain that originality is what's being destroyed here, with Cryptic exchanging short term monetary gains for long-term damage to one of the game's distinguishing features. To be clear it's Become Devices in particular that I'm taking issue with, not other devices you can use. I'm actually glad you can now get Legacy devices from the Drifter, even if it's 40 Salvage eeek! Those kinds of devices don't kill the creativity aspect as much, as they compliment your build rather than replace it.

    Batman isn't replaced by his batmobile, he's complimented by having it as part of his arsenal. Think about how boring the Dark Knight would have been if he spent his entire time inside that tumbler car.



    Your thoughts?

    ATs aren't "original". Most pvp builds aren't "original". Most pve builds aren't even original. But more importantly becomes don't kill creativity - The last time I ever utilized becomes regularly was as a silver pre-alert. If I use one (other than a jet), its because I'm on the way to 40 and trying to save on retcon costs. Considering I'm leveling one last FF slot, soon my become collection will be sitting in storage for good unless I get the urge to grind out damage perks on my main AT.


    they wont make any money when they finally kill this game by driving players away with this constant crap instead of releasing some actual CONTENT!

    I've already seen plenty go, and I find myself less motivated to do anything as I've done it all. The lockboxes are definitely making it easier to say goodbye.
    arimikami wrote: »
    Even when I was a silver account, which was only a little over a month ago, I still thought they were crap and that they weren't needed. Playing an AT =/= "full on rubbish". If you really think that then perhaps you need to learn how to better utilize the abilities available to your character.

    Allowing the becomes to be used as simple costumes would fulfill that purpose every bit as easily. Easier actually.

    I don't think I am and I'm not QQing. I'm expressing my opinion. I wasn't aware that any opinion that isn't in line with yours is QQing but, good to know. Do those people that want to buy keys to try to get things out of the lockboxes not count in your mind? There do seem to be a lot of them yet, you apparently have no issue disregarding them.

    Why should I complain about the lock boxes? No one forces anyone to buy a key and nothing in them is needed to play this game. They're not mandatory in certain parts of the game's content, unlike becomes or have you never run Harmon Labs or looked into what the new content that the devs of this game are working on where you'll be required to use vehicles? If I don't want to do anything with the lockboxes, I don't have to. It does not affect my gameplay.

    Let's be honest here...
    You are a fan of becomes and will defend them even to the point of becoming nonsensical and insulting.
    You want the becomes from the lockboxes.
    You don't want to go about getting them through the method that Cryptic has provided and apparently don't have the funds in game to buy them from someone that's gotten one.
    You seem to consider them content and regretfully, you're right because Cryptic is now making content where you have to use becomes. They call them vehicles but, it's the same thing. This means that for some parts of the game, becomes are mandatory. This does affect my gameplay and I will speak about it.
    If you don't like it, why waste your time in this thread?

    Most ATs don't have self-healing or very limited if there is any, the only reason I ran becomes was for the self-healing factor when fighting something heavy duty and no support healing around. Most of the ATs are capable, but they all have limitations.

    The lockboxes affect EVERYONE. Just because you don't have to buy the keys, it has a major impact on the loot table. From level 34-35, I picked up 78 lockboxes. That's 78 items I can no longer sell or use, and that's just in the span of one level. I have over 100 in storage aside from that 78, and that was almost entirely from my level grinding since the boxes hit live.
  • beldinbeldin Posts: 1,708 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    They should finally give us a Become Enterprise or Defiant, and assimilate CO into STO
    since thats the feeling i have when i see all these generic space-gliders.

    I hated the whole vehicle concept from the beginning since i want to be the hero i want to be
    and not the spaceship they let me be.

    I don't care about the powers really, since i would never ever use these devices.
    R607qMf.jpg
  • jasinblazejasinblaze Posts: 1,360 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    secksegai wrote: »
    That's 78 items I can no longer sell or use
    this is just not true
    1. lock boxes stack to 999, so 999 take up 1 inventory slot
    2. lock boxes seem to sell in the AH
    3. lock boxes are not replacing drops, they are in addition to.
    its ok to hate the key/boxes but stick to the facts
  • serendipitynowserendipitynow Posts: 554 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    only become devices i'm worried about is the new vehicles
    it's a problem if the device is better than a good build with rank 5 mods

    and that's how we should approach this...
    What is the level of DPS/defense that becomes should not surpass?

    The becomes should be around the same as an AT with reasonable gear imo (say as if equipped with heirloom gear) But at most silver champs gear with rank 5s ud say.

    The vehicles are a different problem entirely since they out range everything, even modest dps is unbalancing since they dont get hit, and the damage they do is far from modest (especially the new modable ones on test) plus they are better than any travel power. These are the ones you will see en masse (and have the fewest different looks) due to these facts
  • agentnx5agentnx5 Posts: 1,999 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    keikomyst wrote: »
    I actually want Become Devices to get stronger, if only because they'd be useful to ATs, shapeshifter concepts and the like. Right now all Becomes are pathetically weak, but before On Alert my Soldier got a great deal of use out of Become Werewolf because free Regen and being able to fill an off-tank role should the party lack one.

    Now the Become devices pale in comparison to an Inferno or an Impulse, aside from the vehicles, which are so restricted it's silly.

    btw, I want the deployable AoE healing drone from the healer jet, as well as a biosteel regen gun, for player use. Give them to the Inventor and it'll stop sucking.

    So... basically... you want Become Devices to replace Archetypes? :-S

    Enough with the BS, don't sugar coat it if that's what you think. That's how what you just said comes off sounding to me; it's what the effect of it when it becomes the norm instead of the exception in the playerbase shall be.

    If I may be blunt, I feel you are not only ENTIRELY missing the point I was making in the first post (which makes me wonder if those of you bothered to read it), but this attitude you (and others, you too Secksegai?) are displaying is hurting Champions Online! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF KITTENS STOP!!!

    Since when did you hate customization this much Keiko? :frown: I mean you made that great archery guide, and now what you're suggesting is basically to make archery useless for the sake of having ever more powerful Become Devices. Why be an archer when you can just blow everything up from a mile away and never get shot at? It makes a joke out of any player powers.


    NOTE: Become Devices are different from other devices because instead of augmenting or complimenting your superhero's build, they effectively replace you! Replaced appearance and powers. There's nothing original left (unless you count the nametag).

    The becomes should be around the same as an AT with reasonable gear imo (say as if equipped with heirloom gear) But at most silver champs gear with rank 5s ud say.

    I strongly disagree.

    Become Devices are just for fun & the coolness factor, the wow factor. Oh noes look I'm a werewolf! Rawr! :smile:

    We are already starting to see Become Devices now that can do things that no player can do, that's game-breaking people! How can you all not see that?! Take a look at the new vehicles if you don't believe me.
    *mindblown at people's willful ignorance of the long-term consequences of that*

    I've seen MANY games, MMO's in particular which get really damaged in the long run. And you know why? Because at some point a greedy developer executive will come along and get the no-so-bright idea to heavily overpower a device to increase sales. Then everything goes pay-to-win and the game goes to ****. EVERY. DAMN. TIME. Electronic Arts is famous for doing that (not in a good way lol).

    The attitudes displayed by many of you is like watching a trainwreck. I see it coming, but there's nothing I can do that can stop it and I hate that. "In space no one can hear you scream."


    Do we have anybody left that likes superheroes in this game? Or are you all just wanting jets & tanks to shoot from miles away from at enemies so they can't respond and you essentially get invincibility? That sounds REALLY boring. No challenge. Fun for all of about 5 minutes, then the been-there-done-that boredom factor sets in.


    *throws hands up in the air in frustration with this community*
  • arimikamiarimikami Posts: 475 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    secksegai wrote: »
    The lockboxes affect EVERYONE. Just because you don't have to buy the keys, it has a major impact on the loot table. From level 34-35, I picked up 78 lockboxes. That's 78 items I can no longer sell or use, and that's just in the span of one level. I have over 100 in storage aside from that 78, and that was almost entirely from my level grinding since the boxes hit live.

    Turtle has stated that the chance for a lockbox to drop is a seperate roll from chances for others item to drop. I've gotten drops where I've had both a lockbox and something else in the same drop and others have timed their farming on live servers to see if it did impact their other loot tables. The lockboxes do drop far far more often than anything else and that may give the impression that you are getting other items less because of the lockboxes.
  • keikomystkeikomyst Posts: 626 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    agentnx5 wrote: »
    So basically you want Become Devices to replace Archetypes? Enough with the BS, don't sugar coat it if that's what you think.

    I feel you are not only ENTIRELY missing the point, but this attitude you are displaying is KILLING Champions Online! PLEASE STOP!!!

    I guess you hate customization huh? You too Secksegai? :frown:

    No, I adore customization, I just miss when my Become Werewolf was a good device to use in certain situations.

    Also, you're putting words into my mouth. Become Devices do not and should not replace anything. When my Soldier had the Become Werewolf device pre-On Alert, she still shot things 95% of the time, but that rare 5% of the time when she was in danger of dying or the team needed a kinda-tank, Become Werewolf was there for me. Now, whenever we need a healer and one isn't around, my Nighthawk Gadgets FF has a healer jet available to patch everyone up, get out of the jet and continue the fight (plus it fits her concept, since she has a jet available to her.) If my Soldier uses her Become Werewolf device now, she will die an embarrassing death.

    I did not pay 250 G for a device that will just get me killed. I doubt anyone who buys a Become device wants to pay more than ten bucks for a gimmicky device that will get them killed either. The $15 jets are the only Becomes that won't get you killed.

    Become Devices should be there to assist the player in doing things they normally can't. The most you can do with a Become device now is use it to travel since they come with R3 travel powers. Except for the jets, that is, because they're good at what they do! I love my healer jet's heal drone and heal beam.

    Become Devices aren't a problem. They're too terrible at doing what they're designed to do to be a problem. Ever since On Alert they've been unjustifiably bad and a huge waste of Q grind and Zen.

    Also, thanks for not highlighting 'shapeshifter concepts and the like' in order to make me look bad. </3
  • agentnx5agentnx5 Posts: 1,999 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    keikomyst wrote: »
    No, I adore customization, I just miss when my Become Werewolf was a good device to use in certain situations.

    Also, you're putting words into my mouth. Become Devices do not and should not replace anything. When my Soldier had the Become Werewolf device pre-On Alert, she still shot things 95% of the time, but that rare 5% of the time when she was in danger of dying or the team needed a kinda-tank, Become Werewolf was there for me. Now, whenever we need a healer and one isn't around, my Nighthawk Gadgets FF has a healer jet available to patch everyone up, get out of the jet and continue the fight (plus it fits her concept, since she has a jet available to her.) If my Soldier uses her Become Werewolf device now, she will die an embarrassing death.

    I did not pay 250 G for a device that will just get me killed. I doubt anyone who buys a Become device wants to pay more than ten bucks for a gimmicky device that will get them killed either. The $15 jets are the only Becomes that won't get you killed.

    Become Devices should be there to assist the player in doing things they normally can't. The most you can do with a Become device now is use it to travel since they come with R3 travel powers. Except for the jets, that is, because they're good at what they do! I love my healer jet's heal drone and heal beam.

    Become Devices aren't a problem. They're too terrible at doing what they're designed to do to be a problem. Ever since On Alert they've been unjustifiably bad and a huge waste of Q grind and Zen.

    Also, thanks for not highlighting 'shapeshifter concepts and the like' in order to make me look bad. </3

    I have two friends that used the werewolf device for just that. One was a healer, and did it for the lulz. The other was an archer archetype and did it so she could survive when getting attacked hard, like if they had misjudged the numbers of enemies in an attack.

    Frankly, the werewolf device is useful and not overpowering. I don't hate you or anything, but you're frustrating the hell out of me right now and I kind of feel betrayed because you do say you like customization, and I always thought you did until today.

    What I'm mostly looking at here is the direction we are heading. Have you been on the PTS lately? Have you seen what's on the horizon with regards to vehicles?
  • ariesmajorariesmajor Posts: 394 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    arimikami wrote: »
    <snip>
    edit
    Why should I complain about the Becomes? No one forces anyone to buy them and nothing in them is needed to play this game. They're not mandatory in certain parts of the game's content.

    <snip>

    There, I've adjusted that for so you explain what I've already said way better than I already did.

    Harmon labs? Device Required? Maybe you haven't seen what happened at the last vehicle alert when most 40s with flight travel powers just said screw the ship and fought bare handed.

    Again, it still stems to, if you don't like it, why attempt to ruin other people's experiences with it? Who dropped the cross symbol and made you god?
  • trailturtletrailturtle Posts: 5,496 Perfect World Employee
    edited October 2012
    Hey guys, just want to give y'all a heads-up... this thread does need to chill down a little. It's getting a little heated, and while I always encourage discussion and debate, it's running against the line of argument.
  • agentnx5agentnx5 Posts: 1,999 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    Let me add this just to cooldown the fires before they rage. We're all going to be a bit edgy on this in our attitudes towards each other, myself included. This is because this goes right to the heart of something sacred in this game, the freedom of customization.

    Ultimately it's up to the developers, not us, to make the decisions on this. As the power to shape the world is in their hands, so is the responsibility. Any blame for the animosity we feel towards each other, we need to remember that the source of that is ill-thought-out decisions of the developers to make the Become Devices in the first place. And even then I don't hate the developers for that either, it was an idea made with the best of intentions but had unforeseen consequences.

    Keiko let me add that I do like you, even if you're frustrating the hell out of me on this specific topic. And I do hear that you like customization, but your stance on this seems to directly contradict your written words. Perhaps there is a common ground in our opposing viewpoints?
  • ariesmajorariesmajor Posts: 394 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    keikomyst wrote: »
    No, I adore customization, I just miss when my Become Werewolf was a good device to use in certain situations.

    Also, you're putting words into my mouth. Become Devices do not and should not replace anything. When my Soldier had the Become Werewolf device pre-On Alert, she still shot things 95% of the time, but that rare 5% of the time when she was in danger of dying or the team needed a kinda-tank, Become Werewolf was there for me. Now, whenever we need a healer and one isn't around, my Nighthawk Gadgets FF has a healer jet available to patch everyone up, get out of the jet and continue the fight (plus it fits her concept, since she has a jet available to her.) If my Soldier uses her Become Werewolf device now, she will die an embarrassing death.

    I did not pay 250 G for a device that will just get me killed. I doubt anyone who buys a Become device wants to pay more than ten bucks for a gimmicky device that will get them killed either. The $15 jets are the only Becomes that won't get you killed.

    Become Devices should be there to assist the player in doing things they normally can't. The most you can do with a Become device now is use it to travel since they come with R3 travel powers. Except for the jets, that is, because they're good at what they do! I love my healer jet's heal drone and heal beam.

    Become Devices aren't a problem. They're too terrible at doing what they're designed to do to be a problem. Ever since On Alert they've been unjustifiably bad and a huge waste of Q grind and Zen.

    Also, thanks for not highlighting 'shapeshifter concepts and the like' in order to make me look bad. </3

    The normal becomes (not ships) used to be pretty strong or strong enough to work as an "OH SH@#$" button for certain AT's that lack the ability to "trollface/self heal ;D" Which has helped out my devastator so many times its not even funny. But I think alot of people missed out on the fact that when every class got buffed with that patch that changed up super stats, somehow alot of the becomes inadvertently got nerfed. All the AT's ended up getting a new set of buff toggles that complimented their builds....while the Becomes....not so much.

    While I am happy to see these as the first real become devices we've gotten in like months, I kinda don't like the fact that I cant just buy them outright.
    Buy them outright <
    This is my only problem with the current choice they've made with these boxes.
  • keikomystkeikomyst Posts: 626 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    The PTS vehicles are nonsense, and that much I agree with. They need to get slammed with the nerfhammer, or there needs to be alternatives available that'll let normal characters fight on par with the PTS vehicles. To me, however, I don't consider them true Become devices since they're... weird and different. I'm not exactly comfortable with the PTS vehicles either. I'm honestly kinda disappointed with how they're turning out...

    Did I mention I got burned by a purchase on the Lemurian Power Armor? Yeah. I was hoping for something like the Invincible in a magical runey can. What I got was a pile of crap that only had five powers, none of them particularly good. I also got kinda-sorta burned on buying a Cyber Ninja device! You won't believe how sad I was when I found out it was basically a glorified Blade without a Form and weird SSes, hence why I'm up in arms over Become Devices sucking.

    By the way, what powers does the Dreadlord and Celestial have? If the Dreadlord has a copy-paste of the Chaos Demon's powers I'm going to cry.
  • agentnx5agentnx5 Posts: 1,999 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    Hey guys, just want to give y'all a heads-up... this thread does need to chill down a little. It's getting a little heated, and while I always encourage discussion and debate, it's running against the line of argument.

    Are you able to share your personal opinions on this or does that run the risk of unprofessionalism if you do? It's alright if you can't respond, I understand that when you're on the other side of the fence there's the restriction of having to always keep "what's best for the whole picture" and leave personal bias out of it lest it taint judgement when making assessments. I'm a bit curious though where the team's feeling about how customization is important to this game. As I said in the first post, it's one of the defining features of this game that you can be proud to brag about because it sets you ahead of your competition. It's the one thing if you had to put into a 30-second TV advertisement that you'd want to be sure to highlight as best as possible. :smile:

    I'm sorry if I'm creating a firestorm, this is just something that been bothering me for over the past several months. I kept waiting hoping for it to just re-adjust itself but it doesn't seem to. The straw that broke the camel's back for me was the 250 ft range stuff when seeing that in the PTS, when the AI of the enemy NPC's in the game can't even respond to that.

    It's kind of like the US elections that are coming up. If you don't make you voice heard when there's something you support or oppose, then you don't have any room to complain later, you know what I mean? And to be clear, there are MANY things I support in this game and love. As a matter of fact just yesterday I got my significant other into this game, although they like the RP side of things more than the PvE combat it seems :wink:
  • lordfuzunlordfuzun Posts: 53 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    secksegai wrote: »
    The lockboxes affect EVERYONE. Just because you don't have to buy the keys, it has a major impact on the loot table. From level 34-35, I picked up 78 lockboxes. That's 78 items I can no longer sell or use, and that's just in the span of one level. I have over 100 in storage aside from that 78, and that was almost entirely from my level grinding since the boxes hit live.

    Lockboxes do NOT replace, nor supplant, any drop. They are an additional drop table added to everything in the game that drops them. These worst cost that affect people is they take up 1 inventory slot up to 99. And the tiny bit of time and effort it takes to discard the stack.
  • arimikamiarimikami Posts: 475 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    ariesmajor wrote: »
    There, I've adjusted that for so you explain what I've already said way better than I already did.

    Harmon labs? Device Required? Maybe you haven't seen what happened at the last vehicle alert when most 40s with flight travel powers just said screw the ship and fought bare handed.

    Again, it still stems to, if you don't like it, why attempt to ruin other people's experiences with it? Who dropped the cross symbol and made you god?

    No, I haven't seen what happens when a group of 40s decides to not use the jets against the ship in the Nighthawk alert. What about people that aren't 40, or do they not count? I have also not seen what will happen in the new carrier content either and probably won't considering there's been discussion of 'loaners' being issued to players that don't have their own vehicles to use in it which means that, yes, vehicles will most likely be mandatory and it sounds like they're severely overpowered compared to regular characters. This means that even if they're not mandatory, anyone not using one is heavily penalized when not using one. Again, this does affect my play experience on CO and I will speak about it.

    I am not trying to ruin the play experience of others. I'm expressing my unhappiness about what looks like it will be a required part of future content and I don't want it to be a part of future content since it's not why I play and not what I pay for. Nobody dropped any cross. Care to explain why you felt the need to single out my intial post and accuse me of QQing simply for having a differing viewpoint than you about something that it appears will become a mandatory part of future content and why you feel like you have to attack people to get your point across?
  • cybersoldier1981cybersoldier1981 Posts: 2,501 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    The Becomes aren't the problem. This is how I see it.

    -I want the Legacy Gear. However, in the silliest move to date, these unlocks are available as a Grab bag through Drifter.

    -There is nothing that earns me Drifter Salvage except these Takoboxes, which I have to pay for a key to open.

    -In the Takoboxes, the 'best' I can hope for is one of these worthless Become devices or a 4-slot gear, and despite all of this I'm most likely going to get 2-3 Drifter Salvage and some Rank 3 Endurance mods with an EXP boost, that I also don't need.

    -I have to repeat this process of digging through the litterbox for coins over and over again just to get something that, at one time, would have been purchasable at the AH. Yes, I had accessable content REMOVED and then sold to me as a gamble prize locked behind a gamble I want absolutely nothing to do with. THIS is the outright slap to my face. I don't want a become. I don't want 4-slot gear. I don't want gigantic stacks of mods. I want what we were told they'd be working back into the game. Instead, they've thrown candy in a pile of dung and told us to enjoy.
  • arimikamiarimikami Posts: 475 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    The Becomes aren't the problem. This is how I see it.

    -I want the Legacy Gear. However, in the silliest move to date, these unlocks are available as a Grab bag through Drifter.

    -There is nothing that earns me Drifter Salvage except these Takoboxes, which I have to pay for a key to open.

    -In the Takoboxes, the 'best' I can hope for is one of these worthless Become devices or a 4-slot gear, and despite all of this I'm most likely going to get 2-3 Drifter Salvage and some Rank 3 Endurance mods with an EXP boost, that I also don't need.

    -I have to repeat this process of digging through the litterbox for coins over and over again just to get something that, at one time, would have been purchasable at the AH. Yes, I had accessable content REMOVED and then sold to me as a gamble prize locked behind a gamble I want absolutely nothing to do with. THIS is the outright slap to my face. I don't want a become. I don't want 4-slot gear. I don't want gigantic stacks of mods. I want what we were told they'd be working back into the game. Instead, they've thrown candy in a pile of dung and told us to enjoy.

    I can understand this veiwpoint and do think it's a lame move on Cryptic's part to turn something that you could once earn in game into a cash shop lotto.

    To me, vehicles and becomes are a problem because they're going to be mandatory to take part in at least one future update. I also think developing them is a waste of resources that could be put to better use in this game but, wouldn't complain if they weren't required to take part in playing the game itself.
  • ashensnowashensnow Posts: 2,048 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    All of this...

    You'd make WAY more money selling Multi-build slots for 5,000 ZEN a piece or something than these garbage become devices and vehicles.

    I absolutely guarantee you I'd immediately drop 50 bucks on one if you made them Cryptic.

    As a Matter of fact, I'd buy two of them.

    Same.

    It might even give PvP a minor shot in the arm (rather than the shot to the head that it received with On Alert). The ability to have a build for PvP on one's preferred character, without being stuck with it for PvE, could be nice.


    Edit:

    And for what its worth, a position that become devices should not be (Im not referring to power level here) or the like is not an argument for, "freedom of customization." Its not freedom if it is mandated.

    'Caine, miss you bud. Fly high.
  • oyo32oyo32 Posts: 141 Arc User
    edited October 2012
    All of this...

    You'd make WAY more money selling Multi-build slots for 5,000 ZEN a piece or something than these garbage become devices and vehicles.

    I absolutely guarantee you I'd immediately drop 50 bucks on one if you made them Cryptic.

    As a Matter of fact, I'd buy two of them.
    Seriously this.

    But then again, be careful what you wish for
    (MULTI-BUILD LOCKBOXES, WITH A 0.0000001% CHANCE OF GIVING YOU A BUILD SLOT)
    because you might just get it.
    AOyJ2f6.png
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