If you had control of the CO MMO What would you change or add or remove from the game
-For starters every mob in the game will scale to your level, which means no more (seal the door) missions at the start of the game, you can do any quests.
Which bring me to the 2nd option..i currently hate the alert change, yeah some people love it, i think most people love the change but for me i get sick of doing west side every time.
So my change would be, go back the the alert change let smash be the xp alert. Keep the alert at level 10 though which cannot be access till level 10 but since you can start the game where ever you want new players or new alts would not get bored of west side every single time
-Next change...hire new voice actors, my god the voice actors are horrible, yeah i know they probably do a better job then me but they are still bad..
-Next the foundry...I can only dream but wont happen without a new engine so forget that
-Bug fixes...Fix em all
-Add extra benefits for silver players...Add some more costume pieces that will be free.
Add a tiny color wheel/slider not all of the colors but some of the primary colors, that way free players can at least change the power colors a bit.
-Add extra benefits for gold players...Add some more costume piece that are free for gold players (Silver still have to buy them)
Give the extra bag slot to gold players for free..enough of spending z for each of your gold characters just to unlock the extra bag slot.
I would remove the keys from the z store or let them be bought through questionite or gold..that way everyone can benefit from lock boxes instead of people who buy them.
I know keys are sort of the currency for players but have to be fair to other players..some people cannot afford to buy keys from the auction house for 100g each, that is too much especially for silver players.
-Give Life time players a permanent discount for all zen items in store. keys would be excluded sadly.
They need more for their money.
That is all i can think of atm..bit long but yeah
What would you guys like to change/add/remove whatever
-I'd rework powers completely. For example, you would pick the type of damage and how the attack functions mechanically, then choose a series of 'effects' that animate the power. So, 'Two Gun Mojo' could also be a guy throwing knives, or someone firing a bracer blaster, or a SMG, or some 'magical' power or something else. Type of attack would be important, animation and effects would be cosmetic options.
-I'd rewrite the setting to better reflect the original IP. Again, not my favorite- but if CO resembled its parent source material it'd be less of a joke.
-Adjust the faces to have more options for other ethnicities and a less 'animated' appearance, but without trying to make it too realistic.
-Make all the travel powers fit into basic themes: Teleport, Speed, Acrobatics/athletics, flight, jump. Give the option to add a cosmetic 'type' of flight (For example, fire speed would just be speed with a cosmetic effect activated- jet flight would be flight with a cosmetic 'jet' effect, etc.). Sell the 'effect' packs as a cosmetic option instead of the way TP's are done now.
-Eliminate vehicles or add customization to them.
-Customizable hideouts and mission creator. Sell 'furniture/environmental items' in the C-store.
-Eliminate the Nemesis system, or replace it with something that can offer more than one storyline option.
-Eliminate all voice acting and replace it with text for better storytelling.
-Update and 'modernize' multiple mobs, NPC's, and heroes (in accordance with their IP counterparts).
Yeah Vehicles needs to go or just make them cosmetic, instead of modding them and replacing your hero with its own abilities, what is the point of having heroes when you have over powered vehicles.
I would be happy with them just being used as a travel power
If I had control of champions Id shut it down immediatly wiith no warning.
Really guys thats all that needs to be done to fix the sorry sad failure of a game this turned out to be. Let it die so something new might have a void to rise up and fill.
I pretty much agree with Cyber, except for the "villain side" thing. The other options bring the game concept closer to the original Hero concepts; sadly, I can't think of any way to make the actual use of Power Points to purchase powers, and the use of Disadvantages to provide extra points, workable in an MMO environment, but the use of Special Effects (that can have different effects depending on target's vulnerabilities) on standardized powers would be a step in the right direction. (I mean, back in the day you'd never have confused Fireball's 10d6 Energy Blast with Snapback's, because Fireball's Special Effect for that was flame, while Snapback's involved throwing a punch using his Stretching powers and hit Physical Defense rather than Energy - and we won't even get into Mindseye's 8d6 NND EGO-based blast...)
"Science teaches us to expect -- demand -- more than just eerie mysteries. What use is a puzzle that can't be solved? Patience is fine, but I'm not going to stop asking the universe to make sense!"
Assuming that the budget for CO won't go up much. These are the things I would explore:
1) I would go away from comics heroics to a more expanded version of heroes(DCUO and MH are already managing most of comics hero fans, so I would search for a broader audience)
2) I will increase twice or maybe three times the levelling process. This would imply adding generic zones like it is done in other pwe f2p mmos with customized version of generic stories.
3) A hero can only mission one plot at a time(a plot can contains more than one mission at a time).
4) I would use underused maps for missions like multifaria, light Vibora Bay among others.
5) Heroic version(lvl 40) of all pre-40 lairs with new rewards and the feature lair of the week for expanded rewards
6) Elimination of solo instance farming. Increased rewards for bigger teams.
7) Reworking perk systems for rewards that makes the character more powerful or versatile.
8) Assuming foundry is not an option, I would rework nemesis systems to include more personalize items and npcs. I would also allow nemesis renaming. I could also be used in the generic zone missions mentioned in #2
9) Finishing powers for big bosses, mainly for aesthetics, after the battle was actually won, kind of mortal kombat fatalities(this could be too costly for benefit so not sure if it would worths the effort)
10) Make Action figures having some buffing capabilities so I would make more sense to collect them.
11) Strictly separate content for vehicles, no more mixing with heroes without vehicles. A free generic vehicle(no flying pad) should be given to every player so that won't be an reason for exclusion
12) In lairs, I would keep trash mob at the normal level no matter the difficulty level. Minibosses and bosses more challenging
13) The next would be plans for cap lvl or gear progresson through content, but that would be too far ahead
I'd fix all the bugs, create alternate leveling paths, add a new zone, add more adventure packs, add more customization to the nemesis system, update rewards for exsisting open missions and lairs, make more lairs...
I'd see that Jack Emmert and Robert Hong Xiao are still above me on the org chart, and submit my two weeks notice.
Choose your enemies carefully, because they will define you / Make them interesting, because in some ways they will mind you
They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends / Gonna last with you longer than your friends
I still deem jiggle physics a valid way of improving CO development.
Along with manga heads and hairs.
Is this for you, or are you lobbying on behalf of Tomonobu Itagaki?
Choose your enemies carefully, because they will define you / Make them interesting, because in some ways they will mind you
They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends / Gonna last with you longer than your friends
Sorry, CO needs a villain side. CoX's was awesome.
Truthfully? I want it just to see people whine and cry. I draw delight from that.
"But but but this is a game about heeeeewooooes!"
There are heroes in this game? Lies!
I'd stop playing this game and uninstall if they ever added jiggle physics. I'm not 13 and going through puberty. Jiggle physics are a sad mockery of real breasts everywhere and no where near as entertaining.
That pony craps rainbow bombs, right? And can fly?
Game balance, AI improvements, ATs are gone, dodge is now a button to press, nemesis system focus, guild hideouts with Rift levels of customization, UI improvements, kill off the "iconic" NPCs and put their heads on pikes in RenCen, burn WCOC to the ground, force all of the robot accountant management of Cryptic to play CO's hero games from 6-40 while Ironclad's disembodied head floats after them shouting "Surrender Villains!" over and over and over, hire some consultants, hire a dedicated CM, make sure that CM streams events and creates some YouTube, UI overhaul, probably some other stuff.
I'd stop playing this game and uninstall if they ever added jiggle physics. I'm not 13 and going through puberty. Jiggle physics are a sad mockery of real breasts everywhere and no where near as entertaining.
Well, they already stooped to the level of racism, I don't see why we can't get misogyny. And then we can just throw in some blackface comedy and start making fun of religions.
Make the devs actually go through the second pass they were supposed to make back when On Alert happened (but never did) where they re-add all of the costumes
two lines of plain text
the best kind of signature
Make every effort to make CO a product that is fun to develop for.
Brou wins.
"There is only one way to support a PFF tank: Send Cyrone lots of money weekly... because he's the only one to successfully be a true PFF Tank." - chuckwolf
1. i would try to add more missions to move the stories forward. try to develop some of the characters better. instanced content would be the order of the day, you can control more variables that way.
2. working on smaller zones. i think one of cryptic's weakensses is that the zones are giant and accommodate multiple level ranges. up until the late game stuff. visually distinct zones that flesh out existing groups footprint in the lore would be great and instancing would help keeping size manageable. we know what resources we have gotta do more with less.
3. mission tracks for different kinds of heroes. add some new misison givers and reorganize existing ones so you can have a "silver age" path, a vigilante path, a tech path, a magic one, wuxia, an alien one and an anti-hero one. This would be the most reasonable compromise between not having villains at all and spending lots of resources for a side that has, in bot coh and dcou, just rarely gets enough players to be fiscally viable. but for flavor players, i think it would be great.
4. more powers. stone and wind were nice, really nice, but since then, we got tiny little power-lets for an entire year? i know vehicles bring in cash, but this game is about superheroes, not the junk the toy companies make up to get kids to buy more toys. and maybe we could look at working on more buffs/debuffs, melee elemental attacks that involve strikes rather than just auras(stone's ability to be both melee and ranged and detect when to use which animation was a great start) and some more sustained damage auras. would add some dimensions of variety to the game that seems too often to "hold down your aoe till everyone falls down" pet power suggestions plants, wing chun, tae kwon do, capoeria, drunken (zui quan)
5.bring over matt miller, chris bruce, doc aeon, arbiter hawk and other coh alum from sto/nwn.
make the nemesis system better. nemesis has the option of being a powerful storytelling device for players. adding more options to refine your nems preferences could really make it as fun as the alignment system from coh(which i loved unabashedly)
- Completely rework the setting to bring it in line with the source material. Examples: Kevin Poe as a real threat, and the New Purple Gang as a group actually liked by the citizens in the neighborhoods they control, and feared by the police (and PSI). Jack Fool and Viperia as terrors on par with Gravitar, like they are in the source material.
- Removal of all the Adam West Batman goofiness. It's not a homage to Silver Age comics. It's a parody due to Emmert & Friends being butthurt over losing both CoH AND the Marvel license.
- Hideouts for SGs.
- All missions scaling to level.
- Foundry
- Adding back all costume and weapon unlocks taken out.
- "Auras" that alter power special effects (laser pistols, energy ribbon chains, etc)
Assume stuff like bug fixes are already on the table, I'd be doing that while I sorted this other stuff and got the numbers perfect. You'll notice that I threw a few cheap options in there. That's how I'd fund the bigger stuff, I'd totally nickel and dime all of you. Most of it seems like a no-brainer anyway. Eventually, expanded nem system and sidekick features. But I chose to focus more on the immediate and easy stuff, and what we've already been told we'd be getting.
1: More build options for every AT. Set it up so players can build synergy between powers, instead of (for example) making the behemoth choose between haymaker and uppercut, when they work together. EVERY archetype would have a self heal option that fits theme, but not to the point where healers are fully useless. Basically, an oh $#!+ button. I'd give the grimoire a damn rez, and slap whoever decided it shouldn't have one. I'd also fix the soft cap on ATs, since they'd perform like specialized freeforms and should not do better dps across the board than a similar freeform.
2: Every AT would be free. Come on, it's about time, and to pay money for the messed up builds they're selling is a bit silly. Plus, the free vs paid ideas are just arbitrary. "the more specialized ATs"... You mean to tell me a bestial character is specialized? Don't get me started on guns and swords.
3: Cosmetic options for vehicles. Skins, color packs. Each vehicle comes with the colors it naturally has, and you can buy separate colors (per vehicle) for a buck or 2 a pop. Skins, like the snake and spider patterns for the widow type bike, would be 5 bucks a pop.
4: I'd expand on the hideouts. At least, they need a mailbox. At most? Every one of them should offer a convenient path to MC. Why? Hell, we teleported there, why can't we teleport to Ren Cen? Functionality = sales.
5: 3 words. Pre-alert. Leveling. Paths. I'd set Canada back up as an alternative leveling path, if you just hate MC as much as I do. Access to Canada would be restricted to players that have at least reached level 10 via the normal path, so that way they at least get the tutorial stuff out of the way and know the game.
6: I'd sell a big pack that offered the pre-alert costumes that were removed on the Z-store for 10 bucks. We already have a variety pack, why not a variety pack 2, electric boogaloo?
7: Cosmetic power replacer effects. 2 bucks a pop, one per character, like auras are now. Auras per character? 2 bucks a pop. Account auras? 10. Come on, we already did this once with account wide vs character wide costume slots. And IIRC they still sell those. Raise your hand if you've bought one willingly since they re-offered the account slots. Now, put it back down if you only buy em because you capped your global slots.
8: Every player would have one freeform slot, regardless of subscription. It'd be specially marked in case people had to drop their subs. This would be the "main" character slot. I'd give it some bonuses to showcase the fact that this is your marquee character. Sidenote? Subs would cost 1500 zen. Why we don't have that now escapes me.
9: I'd cut the price of freeform slots in half.
10: I'd sell color packs to silvers for 2 bucks a pop, per character, that allow them to recolor attacks and powers.
11: Drag and drop organization of the character select screen. At the least? A "move up/down" option, so some of us aren't stuck with 4 of our 40s on the second or 3rd page.
12: Spend a buck, add 100g to your g cap, if you're silver. Purchase is per character. Starting G cap? 500.
13: I'm not sure if this is just badly worded, because I've never bought one, but those "rank your mod up to rank 9 from rank 8" items in the Z store? Screw that, it'd automatically rank it up to 9. Honestly, who buys those things?
14: the useless consumables on the z-store? I'd sell for Q.
15: TOO MUCH CURRENCY. I'd have one kind of recognition, that being "Heroic Recognition". The amount awarded would be based on level, and the price of the different items would again be based on level. Something that is currently silver rec would be entire orders of magnitude higher in price than MCPD rec. Because seriously, why the hell do I still have 140 MCPD rec on my main? WTF am I supposed to do with it?
16: Giftable zen.
17: Giftable subs, that way I don't have to keep putting my card info on my friends' accounts. Sure, I got a temp card for that now, but still. I'm sure they also don't like giving me their password.
18: xp gifting, as we were promised.
19: Lair pass. Again, like we were supposed to get.
20: pvp rewards. I'd make pvp viable again. Unique gear, q per kill (this way you can't leech) or time survived (safe areas won't count, because again leechers suck), and I'd split 40 pvp up between 31-35 and 36-40. GLOBAL LEADERBOARDS, so people will stop stroking their e-peen with nothing to back it up. Top the leaderboard for a month? 500 zen is your prize.
21: Subscriber rewards: Every 100 days would be a free retcon. Forever.
Side note: Every single one of my employees that works on the game would be forced to play it for a day a month, as part of their duties. Raids, rampages, random quests... This way, they'd be forced to see what kind of balance the game has, and where it lacks. And if they're bored? Well, that probably says something and should be addressed.
As well, I'd sell a sidekick that would accidentally look like Angel Of Caine's main character Crimson Bolt, and I'd give the proceeds to cancer research. Because heroism doesn't stop when you turn the game off.
In game, I am @EvilTaco. Happily killing purple gang members since May 2008.
Side note: Every single one of my employees that works on the game would be forced to play it for a day a month, as part of their duties. Raids, rampages, random quests... This way, they'd be forced to see what kind of balance the game has, and where it lacks. And if they're bored? Well, that probably says something and should be addressed.
Take out "that works on the game". I wouldn't be surprised if some newer hires in Los Gatos have never played CO. If CO's red-headed stepchild status is as pervasive as I fear, making every employee play every game might help curb that, and maybe create some internal pressure to get $#!^ done in here.
Choose your enemies carefully, because they will define you / Make them interesting, because in some ways they will mind you
They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends / Gonna last with you longer than your friends
- Removal of all the Adam West Batman goofiness. It's not a homage to Silver Age comics. It's a parody due to Emmert & Friends being butthurt over losing both CoH AND the Marvel license.
If by sense being wrapped with tinfoil around ones head, then yes.
It's easier for me to believe that than it is for me to believe that someone just didn't realize the jokes and parodies were about as funny as a flesh eating virus in an orphanage.
I mean, it's like shooting yourself in the arse with a bow and arrow- you don't do that on accident, you've got to be working intentionally to get to that level of silly.
It's easier for me to believe that than it is for me to believe that someone just didn't realize the jokes and parodies were about as funny as a flesh eating virus in an orphanage.
I mean, it's like shooting yourself in the arse with a bow and arrow- you don't do that on accident, you've got to be working intentionally to get to that level of silly.
And that is the field of conspiracy theories and why progress never happens. If you believe they intentionally went out of their way to sabotage their game and you believe the butthurt feelings of CoH players that Jack Emmert some how hates them, then there really isn't much left. I've already explained what happened and why, to you, but you've already forgotten it seems.
I've already explained what happened and why, to you, but you've already forgotten it seems.
that is the problem, though, why trust you? or any player really, but especially those who are reliably pro or anti co, bias is assumed. You are not a developer, you are not an authorized spokesperson and to say that your posts indicate a strong bias..its just not that anyone is particularly credible. and those who would be credible would be under nda.
I would force the developers to do a bunch of stuff to the game that people have been asking for for years... then shortly realize why they didn't do it in the past... then I would watch the game become an unplayable mess of bugs and glitches that makes people wish for what we have right now. Theoretically.
that is the problem, though, why trust you? or any player really, but especially those who are reliably pro or anti co, bias is assumed. You are not a developer, you are not an authorized spokesperson and to say that your posts indicate a strong bias..its just not that anyone is particularly credible. and those who would be credible would be under nda.
Yes, because people go out of their way to sabotage their own products or games :rolleyes:
If they were out to sabotage CO, why is the game still even open? I mean there is plenty of reason to close it down I think, and very little reason to actually keep open. A person wanting to sabotage their product (and Jack actually was involved very little with CO) would not keep it open despite the fact that it should have already closed down.
And also because I've actually talked with those developers of the past, and I've actually seen what they had planned, but I already know why things happened the way they did.
Yes, because people go out of their way to sabotage their own products or games :rolleyes:
If they were out to sabotage CO, why is the game still even open?
Because they're evil and they want to make us suffer and they're working for demons who want to feed off of your misery in the form of "Misery Glutten" which is a substance that demons need to power their war machines for the war on heaven! Cryptic is working for the devil! :O
I mean... that makes about as much sense as anything else they could respond with, right?
And also because I've actually talked with those developers of the past, and I've actually seen what they had planned, but I already know why things happened the way they did.
You can't lay full blame on 'you know who'. It wasn't a customer decision that made things the way they are. At some point, someone didn't have enough spine to stick with the original plan, and was instead too focused on trying to please everyone. And they gambled on 'you know who' leaving 'you know what' and coming here. There -was- a lot of spite between the two. After all, look at how Multifaria coincided with Praetoria... and Praetoria was Jack's idea, and we all know he was bitter about it.
But for all the positive things we can dredge up about the management of CO in their defense, they damned sure haven't shown enough concern to stick with their product and set this ship out to be torpedoed and went on to other things.
That whole 'trying to please everyone' is one of the absolute worst things about CO.
And to say this community is the reason why the game's in sorry shape? If that's the case, then they don't need to be making games. This community is no worse than a lot of others. Still has its issues, but there's a lot worse out there.
I mean, Cryptic's known for half-assing a lot of things. Cryptic North, try though they might- are only keeping CO's head above water. CoX improved once Cryptic's hands came off.
Adding a Foundry-like mission creator system would be my top priority. Giving players the ability to create and share missions would infuse new life into CO and help alleviate its biggest problem: lack of content.
I've read statements from Cryptic explaining the technical reasons why the Foundry as implemented in Star Trek Online and Neverwinter cannot be added to Champions Online. Okay, granted. (I've also read statements by Cryptic personnel explaining that CO doesn't generate enough revenue to warrant much development resources [i.e., the real reason why CO can't have the Foundry].)
But, some type of mission creator system can be developed for CO even if it's more limited and smaller scale than the full-blown Foundry. Come on, Cryptic and Perfect World Entertainment, it's not impossible! Allow Cryptic North to develop a CO mission creator system!
If I was in charge of CO, I'd instruct CN to womp up a mission creator... on whatever scale can be achieved given the schedule and resources. Even if CO's system is ridiculously limited and feeble compared to the Foundry, it would be better than nothing. (And, presuming that I get to keep my job following this bold initiative, next I would instruct CN to continue developing and expanding the system.)
If priced smartly, a CO mission creator system could generate more revenue than Cryptic/PWE gains from lockboxes.
i whould upgrade the textures as wow has done and squezed out to most of the engine.
more costumes and powers.
and i whould add a expanion with players as evil doers.
Now if I had control of the game I would actually put in more super heroic stuff, not just beat things up mechanics, but actual sneak mechanics, rescue, subduing of bad guys, things of that nature that have yet to actually be introduced into the MMO spectrum for super heroes. Current and past Super Hero MMOs were just bad guy beat em ups.
I would also look at refining power sets, making the freeform stuff tighter and more self contained, ideas originally espoused upon during beta, and limit the power tray to make it an actual choice system instead of everything at once. I would also improve the challenge and make the story of the NPCs stronger than it currently is and remove the Champions as some semblance of being the worlds most powerful super team which they aren't.
Sorry, CO needs a villain side. CoX's was awesome.
Truthfully? I want it just to see people whine and cry. I draw delight from that.
"But but but this is a game about heeeeewooooes!"
My number one pet peeve with CO's community is that to many players spend too much time being upset about what other players are making.
I am upset by what you're making! CO is perfectly fine the way it is and I hope the devs get that and stop development entirely! We all can only hope none of your ideas are implemented or even tried! *gasp* it could give them boldness if they did it.
I'd do few tweaks to the game to be called a game about heroes.
A non-combat quests to go along with beating bad guys.
DCUO has something like patrolling cities and finding pickpockets, people stealing cars, or trying break in somewhere. In terms of combat they're a complete non-threat, but they aren't that easy to spot and the fun is in patrolling the city and looking for them.
CO has this pretty nice quest in Westside, when you have to rescue citizen from fires.
More quest like this one, don't need to be in story arcs. Just like something to do between city sweeps.
Could be made as arcade mini games when it's possible.
Or combat quests when main objectives aren't beaten bad guys, but number of citizen carried to safety.
That is staple of the genre, because even when you look at grimdark killers like the Punisher, their main motivation is still saving innocents in the first place. As murderous as these characters can be, they first go rescuing people.
Now, obviously mmos can't be no-combat games, but having more rescue or patrol quests here or there would be nice.
This x1000. I recall a Superman game where they solved the problem of Supes' invulnerability by giving Metropolis the health bar instead. The game still ended up sucking, as all Superman games do, but the idea could work well for an MMO. I'm picturing something like PvMP in LOTRO, where players throughout the land get a small buff if the freeps have the advantage in the Ettenmoors. For a Rescue Duty system in CO, which is inherently PvE, I'd probably implement it as a modest debuff if there weren't enough heroes participating.
Choose your enemies carefully, because they will define you / Make them interesting, because in some ways they will mind you
They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends / Gonna last with you longer than your friends
I have always been fond of the idea of mini zones not full on zones as the budget is too limited for that it seems but a peppering of mini zones like one offing a different starting path. one to boost the 35 region if you don't want to do monster island or such. Maybe a little one to help the Lumeria area along. Ls and lots of bug fixes. Update the graphics a little. implement even more customisation. Add customisation to vehicles. Also have some vehicles as simple travel powers. Add more villain groups. Open up a bit more of the city, maybe more RP locations.
Add plant powers, add staffs, add wizard like scepters, improve some of the game lore and try to bring bits of it in line with CU more make rewards better. Improve hideouts. Then I would work on the end game that was planned but we never got the heading into space for a end game maybe a moon zone with some big threat attacking the Earth.
Also more to do at top level like more dungeons maybe some big bads a sort of elite alert where you had to unite to fight some real big bads like the computer baddie and such not Dr D as he and other like him should be saved for big open world events.
that's just what i can think of off the top of my head.
Foundry. That's pretty much it. It's that important.
I won't go so far as to say it would solve all of CO's problems, but it'd solve the majority of them. Certainly all the content issues.
Villain missions, non-combat missions, social areas, alternatives to the campy silver age theme, end-game content, just plain-old extra missions to give alternative levelling paths to the well-trodden routes we already have. There's so much content that the community want adding, so it's easiest just to give them the tools to do it.
It's economical in that regard. However much it costs in the way of resources it will pay for itself many times over, as the amount of content that will be generated is theoretically infinite.
CO is a fundamentally creative experience. There's creative freedom in design, play style and power choices. The RP community is always coming up with stories of every kind. There's no doubt in my mind that user-generated content would be an absolute smash hit with this game.
OH! Secondary builds. We've got 238720958270 build options, but we can't set up a second spec for pvp. AFAIK the build changing option freeforms have exists specifically to unslot my gear mid combat. I'd make it do something useful.
In game, I am @EvilTaco. Happily killing purple gang members since May 2008.
Comments
-I'd rewrite the setting to better reflect the original IP. Again, not my favorite- but if CO resembled its parent source material it'd be less of a joke.
-Adjust the faces to have more options for other ethnicities and a less 'animated' appearance, but without trying to make it too realistic.
-Make all the travel powers fit into basic themes: Teleport, Speed, Acrobatics/athletics, flight, jump. Give the option to add a cosmetic 'type' of flight (For example, fire speed would just be speed with a cosmetic effect activated- jet flight would be flight with a cosmetic 'jet' effect, etc.). Sell the 'effect' packs as a cosmetic option instead of the way TP's are done now.
-Eliminate vehicles or add customization to them.
-Customizable hideouts and mission creator. Sell 'furniture/environmental items' in the C-store.
-Eliminate the Nemesis system, or replace it with something that can offer more than one storyline option.
-Eliminate all voice acting and replace it with text for better storytelling.
-Update and 'modernize' multiple mobs, NPC's, and heroes (in accordance with their IP counterparts).
-Make a 'Nemesis' (villain) side.
I would be happy with them just being used as a travel power
Nepht and Dr Deflecto on primus
They all thought I was out of the game....But I'm holding all the lockboxes now..
I'll......FOAM FINGER YOUR BACK!
2. For pete's sake, even TT acknowledged the Sapphire concert was...um..not good. Remove it.
Those 2 just make the game look bizzare, and not in a good way.
That'd fund the game for decades.
You don't want jiggle physics in this game. Otherwise you must really like the campy setting. Its just too goofy.
Really guys thats all that needs to be done to fix the sorry sad failure of a game this turned out to be. Let it die so something new might have a void to rise up and fill.
- David Brin, "Those Eyes"
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1) I would go away from comics heroics to a more expanded version of heroes(DCUO and MH are already managing most of comics hero fans, so I would search for a broader audience)
2) I will increase twice or maybe three times the levelling process. This would imply adding generic zones like it is done in other pwe f2p mmos with customized version of generic stories.
3) A hero can only mission one plot at a time(a plot can contains more than one mission at a time).
4) I would use underused maps for missions like multifaria, light Vibora Bay among others.
5) Heroic version(lvl 40) of all pre-40 lairs with new rewards and the feature lair of the week for expanded rewards
6) Elimination of solo instance farming. Increased rewards for bigger teams.
7) Reworking perk systems for rewards that makes the character more powerful or versatile.
8) Assuming foundry is not an option, I would rework nemesis systems to include more personalize items and npcs. I would also allow nemesis renaming. I could also be used in the generic zone missions mentioned in #2
9) Finishing powers for big bosses, mainly for aesthetics, after the battle was actually won, kind of mortal kombat fatalities(this could be too costly for benefit so not sure if it would worths the effort)
10) Make Action figures having some buffing capabilities so I would make more sense to collect them.
11) Strictly separate content for vehicles, no more mixing with heroes without vehicles. A free generic vehicle(no flying pad) should be given to every player so that won't be an reason for exclusion
12) In lairs, I would keep trash mob at the normal level no matter the difficulty level. Minibosses and bosses more challenging
13) The next would be plans for cap lvl or gear progresson through content, but that would be too far ahead
And playing by myself since Aug 2009
Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
Truthfully? I want it just to see people whine and cry. I draw delight from that.
"But but but this is a game about heeeeewooooes!"
My number one pet peeve with CO's community is that to many players spend too much time being upset about what other players are making.
Villain side could be popular and good for PvP.
But not in CO.
Adding new faction to already existing game never works. Villain faction could work only in a completely new game made from the scratch.
and give everyone a pony.
They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends / Gonna last with you longer than your friends
Along with manga heads and hairs.
Is this for you, or are you lobbying on behalf of Tomonobu Itagaki?
They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends / Gonna last with you longer than your friends
There are heroes in this game? Lies!
I'd stop playing this game and uninstall if they ever added jiggle physics. I'm not 13 and going through puberty. Jiggle physics are a sad mockery of real breasts everywhere and no where near as entertaining.
That pony craps rainbow bombs, right? And can fly?
Game balance, AI improvements, ATs are gone, dodge is now a button to press, nemesis system focus, guild hideouts with Rift levels of customization, UI improvements, kill off the "iconic" NPCs and put their heads on pikes in RenCen, burn WCOC to the ground, force all of the robot accountant management of Cryptic to play CO's hero games from 6-40 while Ironclad's disembodied head floats after them shouting "Surrender Villains!" over and over and over, hire some consultants, hire a dedicated CM, make sure that CM streams events and creates some YouTube, UI overhaul, probably some other stuff.
[at]riviania Member since Aug 2009
I'm thinking perspectively.
1 - Do Jiggle Torso and manga parts costumes.
2 - Put it into H-Lockbox* with a small** chance.
3 - ...
4 - Profit!
Might be hard to have an idea for a lockbox-related event, though.
*) - Ok, a better named one.
**) - And I mean a really small one.
Well, they already stooped to the level of racism, I don't see why we can't get misogyny. And then we can just throw in some blackface comedy and start making fun of religions.
the best kind of signature
Brou wins.
"There is only one way to support a PFF tank: Send Cyrone lots of money weekly... because he's the only one to successfully be a true PFF Tank." - chuckwolf
2. working on smaller zones. i think one of cryptic's weakensses is that the zones are giant and accommodate multiple level ranges. up until the late game stuff. visually distinct zones that flesh out existing groups footprint in the lore would be great and instancing would help keeping size manageable. we know what resources we have gotta do more with less.
3. mission tracks for different kinds of heroes. add some new misison givers and reorganize existing ones so you can have a "silver age" path, a vigilante path, a tech path, a magic one, wuxia, an alien one and an anti-hero one. This would be the most reasonable compromise between not having villains at all and spending lots of resources for a side that has, in bot coh and dcou, just rarely gets enough players to be fiscally viable. but for flavor players, i think it would be great.
4. more powers. stone and wind were nice, really nice, but since then, we got tiny little power-lets for an entire year? i know vehicles bring in cash, but this game is about superheroes, not the junk the toy companies make up to get kids to buy more toys. and maybe we could look at working on more buffs/debuffs, melee elemental attacks that involve strikes rather than just auras(stone's ability to be both melee and ranged and detect when to use which animation was a great start) and some more sustained damage auras. would add some dimensions of variety to the game that seems too often to "hold down your aoe till everyone falls down" pet power suggestions plants, wing chun, tae kwon do, capoeria, drunken (zui quan)
5.bring over matt miller, chris bruce, doc aeon, arbiter hawk and other coh alum from sto/nwn.
make the nemesis system better. nemesis has the option of being a powerful storytelling device for players. adding more options to refine your nems preferences could really make it as fun as the alignment system from coh(which i loved unabashedly)
- Removal of all the Adam West Batman goofiness. It's not a homage to Silver Age comics. It's a parody due to Emmert & Friends being butthurt over losing both CoH AND the Marvel license.
- Hideouts for SGs.
- All missions scaling to level.
- Foundry
- Adding back all costume and weapon unlocks taken out.
- "Auras" that alter power special effects (laser pistols, energy ribbon chains, etc)
- Unlocking all emotes for player use.
1: More build options for every AT. Set it up so players can build synergy between powers, instead of (for example) making the behemoth choose between haymaker and uppercut, when they work together. EVERY archetype would have a self heal option that fits theme, but not to the point where healers are fully useless. Basically, an oh $#!+ button. I'd give the grimoire a damn rez, and slap whoever decided it shouldn't have one. I'd also fix the soft cap on ATs, since they'd perform like specialized freeforms and should not do better dps across the board than a similar freeform.
2: Every AT would be free. Come on, it's about time, and to pay money for the messed up builds they're selling is a bit silly. Plus, the free vs paid ideas are just arbitrary. "the more specialized ATs"... You mean to tell me a bestial character is specialized? Don't get me started on guns and swords.
3: Cosmetic options for vehicles. Skins, color packs. Each vehicle comes with the colors it naturally has, and you can buy separate colors (per vehicle) for a buck or 2 a pop. Skins, like the snake and spider patterns for the widow type bike, would be 5 bucks a pop.
4: I'd expand on the hideouts. At least, they need a mailbox. At most? Every one of them should offer a convenient path to MC. Why? Hell, we teleported there, why can't we teleport to Ren Cen? Functionality = sales.
5: 3 words. Pre-alert. Leveling. Paths. I'd set Canada back up as an alternative leveling path, if you just hate MC as much as I do. Access to Canada would be restricted to players that have at least reached level 10 via the normal path, so that way they at least get the tutorial stuff out of the way and know the game.
6: I'd sell a big pack that offered the pre-alert costumes that were removed on the Z-store for 10 bucks. We already have a variety pack, why not a variety pack 2, electric boogaloo?
7: Cosmetic power replacer effects. 2 bucks a pop, one per character, like auras are now. Auras per character? 2 bucks a pop. Account auras? 10. Come on, we already did this once with account wide vs character wide costume slots. And IIRC they still sell those. Raise your hand if you've bought one willingly since they re-offered the account slots. Now, put it back down if you only buy em because you capped your global slots.
8: Every player would have one freeform slot, regardless of subscription. It'd be specially marked in case people had to drop their subs. This would be the "main" character slot. I'd give it some bonuses to showcase the fact that this is your marquee character. Sidenote? Subs would cost 1500 zen. Why we don't have that now escapes me.
9: I'd cut the price of freeform slots in half.
10: I'd sell color packs to silvers for 2 bucks a pop, per character, that allow them to recolor attacks and powers.
11: Drag and drop organization of the character select screen. At the least? A "move up/down" option, so some of us aren't stuck with 4 of our 40s on the second or 3rd page.
12: Spend a buck, add 100g to your g cap, if you're silver. Purchase is per character. Starting G cap? 500.
13: I'm not sure if this is just badly worded, because I've never bought one, but those "rank your mod up to rank 9 from rank 8" items in the Z store? Screw that, it'd automatically rank it up to 9. Honestly, who buys those things?
14: the useless consumables on the z-store? I'd sell for Q.
15: TOO MUCH CURRENCY. I'd have one kind of recognition, that being "Heroic Recognition". The amount awarded would be based on level, and the price of the different items would again be based on level. Something that is currently silver rec would be entire orders of magnitude higher in price than MCPD rec. Because seriously, why the hell do I still have 140 MCPD rec on my main? WTF am I supposed to do with it?
16: Giftable zen.
17: Giftable subs, that way I don't have to keep putting my card info on my friends' accounts. Sure, I got a temp card for that now, but still. I'm sure they also don't like giving me their password.
18: xp gifting, as we were promised.
19: Lair pass. Again, like we were supposed to get.
20: pvp rewards. I'd make pvp viable again. Unique gear, q per kill (this way you can't leech) or time survived (safe areas won't count, because again leechers suck), and I'd split 40 pvp up between 31-35 and 36-40. GLOBAL LEADERBOARDS, so people will stop stroking their e-peen with nothing to back it up. Top the leaderboard for a month? 500 zen is your prize.
21: Subscriber rewards: Every 100 days would be a free retcon. Forever.
Side note: Every single one of my employees that works on the game would be forced to play it for a day a month, as part of their duties. Raids, rampages, random quests... This way, they'd be forced to see what kind of balance the game has, and where it lacks. And if they're bored? Well, that probably says something and should be addressed.
As well, I'd sell a sidekick that would accidentally look like Angel Of Caine's main character Crimson Bolt, and I'd give the proceeds to cancer research. Because heroism doesn't stop when you turn the game off.
RIP Caine
Take out "that works on the game". I wouldn't be surprised if some newer hires in Los Gatos have never played CO. If CO's red-headed stepchild status is as pervasive as I fear, making every employee play every game might help curb that, and maybe create some internal pressure to get $#!^ done in here.
They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends / Gonna last with you longer than your friends
Silverspar on PRIMUS
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It might not be a confirmed fact, but it's frightening how much sense it makes.
If by sense being wrapped with tinfoil around ones head, then yes.
Silverspar on PRIMUS
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[at]riviania Member since Aug 2009
It's easier for me to believe that than it is for me to believe that someone just didn't realize the jokes and parodies were about as funny as a flesh eating virus in an orphanage.
I mean, it's like shooting yourself in the arse with a bow and arrow- you don't do that on accident, you've got to be working intentionally to get to that level of silly.
And that is the field of conspiracy theories and why progress never happens. If you believe they intentionally went out of their way to sabotage their game and you believe the butthurt feelings of CoH players that Jack Emmert some how hates them, then there really isn't much left. I've already explained what happened and why, to you, but you've already forgotten it seems.
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-=-=-=-=-=-(CO in-game handle: @WarCan )-=-=-=-=-=-
"Okay, you're DEAD, what do you do NEXT?"
that is the problem, though, why trust you? or any player really, but especially those who are reliably pro or anti co, bias is assumed. You are not a developer, you are not an authorized spokesperson and to say that your posts indicate a strong bias..its just not that anyone is particularly credible. and those who would be credible would be under nda.
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
Yes, because people go out of their way to sabotage their own products or games :rolleyes:
If they were out to sabotage CO, why is the game still even open? I mean there is plenty of reason to close it down I think, and very little reason to actually keep open. A person wanting to sabotage their product (and Jack actually was involved very little with CO) would not keep it open despite the fact that it should have already closed down.
And also because I've actually talked with those developers of the past, and I've actually seen what they had planned, but I already know why things happened the way they did.
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Because they're evil and they want to make us suffer and they're working for demons who want to feed off of your misery in the form of "Misery Glutten" which is a substance that demons need to power their war machines for the war on heaven! Cryptic is working for the devil! :O
I mean... that makes about as much sense as anything else they could respond with, right?
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
You can't lay full blame on 'you know who'. It wasn't a customer decision that made things the way they are. At some point, someone didn't have enough spine to stick with the original plan, and was instead too focused on trying to please everyone. And they gambled on 'you know who' leaving 'you know what' and coming here. There -was- a lot of spite between the two. After all, look at how Multifaria coincided with Praetoria... and Praetoria was Jack's idea, and we all know he was bitter about it.
But for all the positive things we can dredge up about the management of CO in their defense, they damned sure haven't shown enough concern to stick with their product and set this ship out to be torpedoed and went on to other things.
That whole 'trying to please everyone' is one of the absolute worst things about CO.
And to say this community is the reason why the game's in sorry shape? If that's the case, then they don't need to be making games. This community is no worse than a lot of others. Still has its issues, but there's a lot worse out there.
I mean, Cryptic's known for half-assing a lot of things. Cryptic North, try though they might- are only keeping CO's head above water. CoX improved once Cryptic's hands came off.
I've read statements from Cryptic explaining the technical reasons why the Foundry as implemented in Star Trek Online and Neverwinter cannot be added to Champions Online. Okay, granted. (I've also read statements by Cryptic personnel explaining that CO doesn't generate enough revenue to warrant much development resources [i.e., the real reason why CO can't have the Foundry].)
But, some type of mission creator system can be developed for CO even if it's more limited and smaller scale than the full-blown Foundry. Come on, Cryptic and Perfect World Entertainment, it's not impossible! Allow Cryptic North to develop a CO mission creator system!
If I was in charge of CO, I'd instruct CN to womp up a mission creator... on whatever scale can be achieved given the schedule and resources. Even if CO's system is ridiculously limited and feeble compared to the Foundry, it would be better than nothing. (And, presuming that I get to keep my job following this bold initiative, next I would instruct CN to continue developing and expanding the system.)
If priced smartly, a CO mission creator system could generate more revenue than Cryptic/PWE gains from lockboxes.
more costumes and powers.
and i whould add a expanion with players as evil doers.
thats about it
I would also look at refining power sets, making the freeform stuff tighter and more self contained, ideas originally espoused upon during beta, and limit the power tray to make it an actual choice system instead of everything at once. I would also improve the challenge and make the story of the NPCs stronger than it currently is and remove the Champions as some semblance of being the worlds most powerful super team which they aren't.
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I am upset by what you're making! CO is perfectly fine the way it is and I hope the devs get that and stop development entirely! We all can only hope none of your ideas are implemented or even tried! *gasp* it could give them boldness if they did it.
#PlayfullySarcasticPost
A non-combat quests to go along with beating bad guys.
DCUO has something like patrolling cities and finding pickpockets, people stealing cars, or trying break in somewhere. In terms of combat they're a complete non-threat, but they aren't that easy to spot and the fun is in patrolling the city and looking for them.
CO has this pretty nice quest in Westside, when you have to rescue citizen from fires.
More quest like this one, don't need to be in story arcs. Just like something to do between city sweeps.
Could be made as arcade mini games when it's possible.
Or combat quests when main objectives aren't beaten bad guys, but number of citizen carried to safety.
That is staple of the genre, because even when you look at grimdark killers like the Punisher, their main motivation is still saving innocents in the first place. As murderous as these characters can be, they first go rescuing people.
Now, obviously mmos can't be no-combat games, but having more rescue or patrol quests here or there would be nice.
This x1000. I recall a Superman game where they solved the problem of Supes' invulnerability by giving Metropolis the health bar instead. The game still ended up sucking, as all Superman games do, but the idea could work well for an MMO. I'm picturing something like PvMP in LOTRO, where players throughout the land get a small buff if the freeps have the advantage in the Ettenmoors. For a Rescue Duty system in CO, which is inherently PvE, I'd probably implement it as a modest debuff if there weren't enough heroes participating.
They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends / Gonna last with you longer than your friends
Add plant powers, add staffs, add wizard like scepters, improve some of the game lore and try to bring bits of it in line with CU more make rewards better. Improve hideouts. Then I would work on the end game that was planned but we never got the heading into space for a end game maybe a moon zone with some big threat attacking the Earth.
Also more to do at top level like more dungeons maybe some big bads a sort of elite alert where you had to unite to fight some real big bads like the computer baddie and such not Dr D as he and other like him should be saved for big open world events.
that's just what i can think of off the top of my head.
I won't go so far as to say it would solve all of CO's problems, but it'd solve the majority of them. Certainly all the content issues.
Villain missions, non-combat missions, social areas, alternatives to the campy silver age theme, end-game content, just plain-old extra missions to give alternative levelling paths to the well-trodden routes we already have. There's so much content that the community want adding, so it's easiest just to give them the tools to do it.
It's economical in that regard. However much it costs in the way of resources it will pay for itself many times over, as the amount of content that will be generated is theoretically infinite.
CO is a fundamentally creative experience. There's creative freedom in design, play style and power choices. The RP community is always coming up with stories of every kind. There's no doubt in my mind that user-generated content would be an absolute smash hit with this game.
RIP Caine