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Drastic Overhaul Suggestions
qwizard
Posts: 5 Arc User
In the past with other games, I have made very long essays justifying my very drastic suggestions to games. I have found that the length and thoroughness of my reasoning has never had any bearing on the chances that it is considered. Also, no matter how well reasoned, people constantly misunderstand. I am not making suggestions because the game is too hard, I am making these suggestions because the game is boring and uninteresting, not only to myself but to everyone I try to introduce to the game. I am tired of apologizing for these problems, and feel that addressing them will make it much easier for players to recommend this game for more than the great if aging character creator.
I am going to save time by just listing my suggestions, followed by the problem I feel it solves. Feel free to find your own reasons for why they would be an improvement or a step back.
1. NPC Henchmen/Mobs should only damage Energy.
Problem Solved: Chunky combat. Mostly a problem at lower levels, combat is "Fight 3 guys, catch your breath, Fight 3 guys, catch your breath, Fight 3 guys, catch your breath." This gets really boring really fast.
2. NPC Henchmen/Mob XP should be Quadrupled.
Problem Solved: Combat is unrewarding. The combat can be fun, but fighting the same 3 guys over and over again with the same 3-4 abilities and getting 60xp and bracers of Charisma +5 each time is like pulling teeth.
3. The Nemesis System should start at Level 6.
Problem Solved: Uninteresting Lore and context. The vast majority of the world doesn't know who Albert Zerstoiten is and doesn't flipping care about Defender's struggle. I want my Hero to start his own story immediately.
4. Double the XP missions give.
Problem Solved: Small Ability Set. You already have very few abilities at any one time with your character, a dragged out character progression just compounds the glaring problem with this game system.
5. Let Silver players choose the color of their powers.
Problem Solved: Lack of Silver Creativity. Silver players are already in the Archetype ghetto, at least let them have the ability to choose the color of their blasts. This entire design choice just seemed spiteful from the get go.
6. Give Archetypes one other role/build type.
Problem Solved: Squishy Silver players. Silver players that aren't playing a tank or support archetype end up dead disproportionately often. If these heavy damage archetypes could start with slightly more defensive options at an early level, and then grow into a heavy damage role at the late levels, more silver players might stick around.
7. Give Archetypes a secondary slotted Passive power.
Problem Solved: Squishy Silver players. Basically tying into #6. If the melee or ranged archetypes started with a more defensive passive first, and then unlocked the damage bonus passive second, these archetypes would be easier in the lower levels where everyone's damage is practically the same.
8. Swap "Murder" with "Arrest".
Problem Solved: Nonheroic Heroes. Instead of falling into a pool of their own blood, crying for mommy, the henchman and other badguys should just drop to the ground and put their hands behind their back, as though they had handcuffs, when defeated.
9. Swap "Death" with "Capture".
Problem Solved: Dead Heroes. Instead of of falling to the ground, dead, downed heroes should be shown with arms and legs tied up, and their "resurrection" is just them escaping captivity.
That is all. I want to point out that this list had a 10th point on it, but you already made Adventure packs free, so now the game actually feels like it has some quality content Thank you for that, and thank you for reading my suggestions.
I am going to save time by just listing my suggestions, followed by the problem I feel it solves. Feel free to find your own reasons for why they would be an improvement or a step back.
1. NPC Henchmen/Mobs should only damage Energy.
Problem Solved: Chunky combat. Mostly a problem at lower levels, combat is "Fight 3 guys, catch your breath, Fight 3 guys, catch your breath, Fight 3 guys, catch your breath." This gets really boring really fast.
2. NPC Henchmen/Mob XP should be Quadrupled.
Problem Solved: Combat is unrewarding. The combat can be fun, but fighting the same 3 guys over and over again with the same 3-4 abilities and getting 60xp and bracers of Charisma +5 each time is like pulling teeth.
3. The Nemesis System should start at Level 6.
Problem Solved: Uninteresting Lore and context. The vast majority of the world doesn't know who Albert Zerstoiten is and doesn't flipping care about Defender's struggle. I want my Hero to start his own story immediately.
4. Double the XP missions give.
Problem Solved: Small Ability Set. You already have very few abilities at any one time with your character, a dragged out character progression just compounds the glaring problem with this game system.
5. Let Silver players choose the color of their powers.
Problem Solved: Lack of Silver Creativity. Silver players are already in the Archetype ghetto, at least let them have the ability to choose the color of their blasts. This entire design choice just seemed spiteful from the get go.
6. Give Archetypes one other role/build type.
Problem Solved: Squishy Silver players. Silver players that aren't playing a tank or support archetype end up dead disproportionately often. If these heavy damage archetypes could start with slightly more defensive options at an early level, and then grow into a heavy damage role at the late levels, more silver players might stick around.
7. Give Archetypes a secondary slotted Passive power.
Problem Solved: Squishy Silver players. Basically tying into #6. If the melee or ranged archetypes started with a more defensive passive first, and then unlocked the damage bonus passive second, these archetypes would be easier in the lower levels where everyone's damage is practically the same.
8. Swap "Murder" with "Arrest".
Problem Solved: Nonheroic Heroes. Instead of falling into a pool of their own blood, crying for mommy, the henchman and other badguys should just drop to the ground and put their hands behind their back, as though they had handcuffs, when defeated.
9. Swap "Death" with "Capture".
Problem Solved: Dead Heroes. Instead of of falling to the ground, dead, downed heroes should be shown with arms and legs tied up, and their "resurrection" is just them escaping captivity.
That is all. I want to point out that this list had a 10th point on it, but you already made Adventure packs free, so now the game actually feels like it has some quality content Thank you for that, and thank you for reading my suggestions.
Post edited by qwizard on
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Comments
Quadrupled? No, increased, maybe. Definitely for teams to encourage teaming.
The Nemesis system needs to be expanded first, especially since several missions require you go to zones that your character may not be ready for at that point.
Absolutely not needed.
Power tinting is one of the few things golds actually have. If you want to color your powers, go gold and show support to the game.
Freeforms don't even have dual builds at the time. It would help broaden things for characters. Another role option would be a good idea, but more powers for different roles wouldn't. But again, this goes back to if you want this you should go gold.
It costs freeforms a power slot to get a second power passive. Again, tif you want to have more than one passive, go gold and support the game.
It's up to you to decide if you are "murdering" or "arresting" criminals. Context of the game assumes you are arresting or incapacitating them at the very least.
Villains aren't as nice as heroes, most of the time. Furthermore this is pretty much the only death penalty the game actually has, at this time. Again it is implied you are incapacitated, not actually killed, when defeated.
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And since we're still on Champions Online: On Review we don't need another 'Overhaul'.
...
And playing by myself since Aug 2009
Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
Its not like we haven't had that one already, like in the last 4 months or anything. :rolleyes:
Yepp .. more system overhauls are much more important than something lame like for
example .. a new Zone :eek:
Also .. we really need a new revamp of Westside .. and maybe also a revamp of all zones
where you could do more than 1 quest at the same time, and turn them all into very long
instancend quest .. just like what they did with Brains behind the Breakout .. and now also
with the last Quest in Canada Crisis before you go after Rakasha :rolleyes:
Ahh .. and of course .. more Alerts .. looooong Alerts that give now reward but took
hours to finish of course :biggrin:
That is not fine. Unless my character is "The Alchemist" I don't want to quaff restorations just to keep going punching every henchman and his mother. It is not instant recovery, you're always spending some time looking at the next bunch of dolts waiting for the last bit of health to regen.
It doesn't even make sense than enemies in the same room don't immediately gang up on you. If Henchman couldn't directly kill you, just severely hamper you until dealt with, the AI for them could be smarter, a roomful of guys could help each other out, Villains that are leaders of armies could actually use their power and call in henchman without directly threatening the health of the player,and it wouldn't be any different than how it is now.
The only difference is that I get to dictate the pace and the intensity, rather than the game dictating it at me.
We agree, I just exaggerated for effect.
Replace Kevin Poe, Frank Zarretti, Zoe Loft, Hi Pan, and Ludwig with your nemeses. Suddenly those quests are more interesting because instead of facing some boring, generic, and goofy looking nobodies, you face some one you know because you created them. Also, the early game would become less bland and samey with multiple characters, every new play through of these early missions would be fresh because it will feature new villains, with new minions and motivations. The regular gang members can hang around the city as mercenaries for your Nemesis.
I think you misunderstood. I don't mean every single missions, like the major ones that feature boss battles, or adventure packs, or nemesis missions. I mean the generic world ones, that tend to connect those together. They don't feature good writing or anything substantial, and most don't even offer item rewards. These missions are boring time sinks, and if the game is going to waste my time, I want to be fairly compensated. A minute of boredom in a product specifically designed to entertain is something you always SHOULD complain about, and just accepting it is a habit you should break.
What? Are you serious? We have more costume slots, 8 freeform character slots, access to all archetypes, and our characters all have 2 more powers per character than silver players get. I think that is enough to make a person want to go gold or buy a freeform character slot. Not letting them change "The Mind" power color from hot pink is basically a middle finger to any player just trying out the game.
I have had so many friends turn their back on the game at that point, that this the straw that broke the camels back. They don't want to stick around if that is how they get treated.
Freeform characters get 2 more powers. This means that they could choose to use one of their extra power selections as a back up build, have a a passive power that is defensive in reserve. It's not a popular choice for Gold players, because they already have plenty of choices if their powerset runs up against a brick wall. For low level characters, people who MIGHT become future paying customers, it could be a great aid, if their damage oriented archetype had a defensive passive buff while leveling.
The power isn't always active, if that is what you are worried about. They either have the defensive passive slotted, OR they get their offensive passive slotted. This really helps out at low levels, because the bonus damage isnt that great at low levels, and it would help these players get over the leveling hump. If they don't do that, they leave, and a potential new player is lost.
They don't want to go gold because the game demonstrated its complete and utter contempt for them just trying to play the game. These problems have basically made Silver members play a completely different Champions Online than a Gold member plays, and it isn't an impression that makes them want to stick around.
Yeah, the context is already peaceful, but can use a little more visual help. A drop down selection for how your enemies should be defeated, similar to choosing power color, could be good. You could pick tied up, face down, or exploded into gibs!
The Death penalty is the same, it's just I want to see a different animation for it. Our characters are heroes, they deserve a different animation. They could move the spawns into dead end rooms with some guards you pummel to escape, and I'm sold.
In what flipping world is this even a real response? I don't expect them to do everything on this list. And if they did, I don't expect them to do it tomorrow. It's not like they're going to run out of time to implement anything, anything at all! If the new lead said "Let us replace all Viper soldiers with penguins!" It may take another 4 months, but it will happen!
I think you missed the word "Suggestions" in the topic title.
What content needs to be added? Besides perhaps the changes to the Nemesis missions, all my suggestions are just reorganizations of current content. I am not saying these are quick changes, but they aren't exactly requiring a new novel added to the game.
That is exactly what Kevin Poe does in Purple Reign. As soon as the video sequence is over, he and every add in the room imediately charge at you.
Yes, but that doesn't happen in rooms without a Villain. Basically any room where you kill one group of enemies in full view of another group of enemies could be improved by this mechanic.
Yeah .. every squishy AT without any selfheal would really love if they always have to deal
with 10 mobs at the time. Oh .. and what is in the open World ? Should all Mobs aggro
you already that are in 500 ft range .. because they should see you in the real world ?
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For the nemesis system it really does need to start at a lower level instead of 25.It would be nice for missions to give more seeing as how smash alerts just give 20K experience per alert.For the color thing,it would be nice for silvers to have that,but now its the only thing golds have besides the stipend.As for the archetypes having 2 role builds,this was suggested before in the form of a mirror AT,which is the opposite role of the regular AT,such as a tank being made into a offensive build,Which is needed because alot of new players dont tank.And for the last 2 animation changes it does make sense because,well your a hero and u go around killing gangs for the fun of it doesnt really fit the game.For the capture thing,I wouldn't see why a supervillain would capture us when they hate us and want to see us dead,but I suppose the gangs would do that,some of them at least.
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No, because its not like every soldier in a war will shoot at every passing plane, they have their own crap to deal with. Furthermore that wouldn't be lethal because the suggestion is that henchmen wouldn't deal damage to health, they deal it to energy. If you're not going to at least read the thread, don't post replies.
I know this is surprising, but new players don't see all that amazing content. They just see an arbitrary limitation that makes their character look goofy. This does not endear the game to new players, and attracting new players is the whole reason a game goes free to play.
I am laying this suggestion out there, because on top of having limited power selection, where the first 20 levels of the game they will only see about 5-6 powers, they have be content with a color palette entirely contrary to the character they created.
It is spiteful because it looks like they had to go to extra effort to deprive players of this customization option. The selection system was already there, they just had to leave it be and implement archetypes. Instead, they looked at this minor, tiny, insignificant feature(that nevertheless subtly defines a character visually) and took it out completely. It might have been a good idea to calm the anger from the subscribers present when the game went free to play, but it does more damage to new players impression of the game, and their impression of its developers.
And are you really paying for a subscription just to color your powers? Is that really what people think they are getting from a subscription? I mean, Gold has been demonstrated to be a lot cheaper than buying everything gold members get from the store, both time-wise and in many cases money-wise.
You don't need to worry, nobody can get anything from the C-Store without buying Zen/cp. All the cryptic points on the exchange had to be bought first. Nothing is free, and if a silver player gets enough cryptic points from the exchange to get a Freeform character slot, rest assured that Cryptic was compensated and the game supported.
Okay, you're kind of split there. Let me clarify because I think people aren't getting me on this point. #6 and #7 are about selecting a slotted passive during level up/training. At the same time, selecting a similar role during the selection of their slotted passive.
I don't mean that a tank could then switch to melee. The step would always be between their MAIN role, such as tank or melee, and the generic role, Hybrid. And the Hybrid classes wouldn't need a secondary role, they can already use either slotted passive without changing roles. Let me reiterate, this all takes place during training.
This has a lot of advantages. Players who find they are too squishy can choose to customize their character for more staying power. It lets characters who find it takes half an hour to get through three guys a chance to increase firepower. It lets players make this choice without having to delete their character and select a new archetype. It gives players a meaningful choice, and gives them a small taste of the choices that Gold players get to make. It makes the roles more clearly apparent, their effect on the character and why archetypes are built the way they are. How weaker some of their specialized abilities are when in the generic role versus their specialized role.
It's a problem of contrasting themes and mechanics. Good games have the mechanics support the theme. Bad games make them entire separate to the detriment of both.
It's the same problem that Star Trek Online has, where the Federation is all about peace and good will, but they mow down ships like grass. No hail to get them to surrender, every last crew member on every enemy ship decides to be a martyr and die.
And we're ostensibly the good guys, but every enemy fights until death (or "unconsciousness"). No common heroic tropes are utilized in the mechanics. Its just a set of attacks, enemies lose health, drop down and fade away. Same as practically every other MMO everywhere.
I know it's hard for folks who only play MMO's to imagine, but games can do MORE than keep track of health bars and track attacks. To not take the last few steps and introduce small animations that actually differentiate the results of your action from every other combat system in every other MMO is just an example of pure laziness.
So basically, it would be as if every single henchman had ARGENT's Taser and Neutrolizer Grenades as their only attacks, meaning that players would be forced to use only their energy builder against them - and against every higher enemy that might be with them!
On one hand, you are suggesting to lift the limit of power color choices for silvers, on the other you suggest giving the weakest enemies the ability to prevent players from using most of their powers while taking away their ability to kill players. This is about the most unbalanced concept for a combat system I have fortunately never seen in an MMO!
You are willing to trade a lesser evil for a greater one; the possibility to lose in battle for the disability to use powers freely.
Hi, qwizard.
I'm not big with numbers, so I picked those of your suggestions, because I feel that I can actually comment on them.
3. While I never felt the need for a Nemesis system at a lower level - it should be expanded in quality first - I can see the benefits. What I dont understand or encourage is the notion that existing villains and storylines should be scrapped in favor of custom ones. This game has a great IP and I'd be a pity to throw away the chance of introducing more of this IP to the general public.
8. Again, I get your point, but I disagree. You say hero and point at Superman, I say hero and point at the Punisher. And you have to admit: Right now both options of dealing with criminals can be represented by the animations. They could fall to the floor unconscious because a tights-wearing brick knocked them over, or they could fall to the ground dead because a gun-toting vigilante put a bullet in their skull. If they'd 'surrender', the heros who are killing by concept would be missing out.
9. I suppose this is more of a presentation problem, cause I'd guess very few people actually imagine their hero dying if their HP go to zero. Most will just assume that he got knocked unconscious and continue fighting (even though I know a few people including me who have at least one undead character who'd just die and resurrect himself, so meh :biggrin:). A cutscene like you proposed would be nice, but admittedly unnessecary and probably stall gameplay.
(One personal question: Guessing from the Questions 1,8,9 you're into the classical invulnerable, superstrong tights-and-cape-hero? If no, ignore this bit. If yes, think about the grim antiheros whose powers are nothing but guns and a bad attitude too
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'Caine, miss you bud. Fly high.
This tends to happen for one of three reasons: 1. You're playing a support role that's not supposed to be out front taking the bosses head on.
2. You're not very good at compensating for your ATs built in weaknesses. This can be as simple as buying some heals, or as costly as buying some good mods.
3. You grew so accustomed to the one click kills of your freeform minmax glory build that you forgot ATs have to work for it.
I do think a couple of your ideas are good. But for the most part you're providing game solutions for player problems, not game problems.
Wait? Whaaaa..?