On a more....immediate note....please for the love of all that is holy and cute....LOWER THE DROP RATE ON THOSE DAMNABLE VEHICLE LOCKBOXES.
No, I'm not buying keys. No, I'm not taking the lockboxes. How about an option to disable those particular drops?
Of course! *hugs*
Personally, I wouldn't mind all the lockboxes if we could do more with them than let them sit in our inventory. Just imagine if we could take them out and set them down or stack them up.
Oh the stupidity I could engage in...
I'd build mazes all around the starting point so people zoning in would have to wander through it to get to Defender, link the rooftops of all the buildings in RenCen, make bridges that went all over the place...
And that's just off the top of my head. More ideas on that later when come up with something really dumb.
I'm not saying that the entire game needs to be made impossibly difficult for everyone.
I am saying that the maximum difficulty level does need to be looked at and rebalanced.
Quite rightly pointed out; and that is what the OP asked for lo these many pages agone.
It boggles the mind that people oppose this. The other difficulty levels aren't enough? People have to have all of them be easy? People have to be able to set the toughest difficulty and roflstomp it with one arm tied behind their back? I could see it if better stuffs was involved, but if it isn't?
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I been a long time leaving but I'm going to be a long time gone.
Willie Nelson
T.U.F.K.A.S. (the user formerly known as Scarlyng)
Wrong on the CO forums since November, 2008
Made my first game play video today and I thought it might be somewhat relevant to this thread. I made the video to help someone with a build and I took it to solo Elite Andrith. Link to video.
Quite rightly pointed out; and that is what the OP asked for lo these many pages agone.
It boggles the mind that people oppose this. The other difficulty levels aren't enough? People have to have all of them be easy? People have to be able to set the toughest difficulty and roflstomp it with one arm tied behind their back? I could see it if better stuffs was involved, but if it isn't?
Actually, it's likely a misunderstanding, as in my case. I assumed an indiscriminate raising of it all, whereas what is proposed is merely a retooling of the "elite" level or hardest level of difficulty.
And yes, I'd like normal to stay right where it is, thank you very much. I find quite enough of a challenge right there. That's all I'm defending vehemently.
Made my first game play video today and I thought it might be somewhat relevant to this thread. I made the video to help someone with a build and I took it to solo Elite Andrith. Link to video.
Actually, having watched that video.....it's not the game difficulty that I find wrong...it's the fact that you have found powers and combinations thereof that are almost an exploit in nature. Note my use of the word "almost".
Perhaps the powers themselves need to be rebalanced? Certain powers when put together seem to make one "unbeatable" and perhaps those combinations need to be...restricted? Not sure how that'd be done, but....dyamn. What you did right there was just silly stupid. And not in a cool way. That shouldn't have been able to be done. At all. Not by any definition of the words "game balance", at least in my book.
Also, damn near a million points of damage in a PvP match? Again, outrageous in the sense that the powers themselves need to be balanced. I've NEVER heard of anything like that being done in any game I've played. Even if the damage was mitigated to a lower amount.
What you're proving with those two videos in my eyes is merely showing the imbalance of the powers, not anything with the difficulty of the game's settings.
What you're proving with those two videos in my eyes is merely showing the imbalance of the powers, not anything with the difficulty of the game's settings.
I would agree if it weren't for having seen a number of builds using a variety of power options do the same thing. There is a thread on Andrith solo builds in the powers section of this forum, and there have been similar things posted for as long as the game has existed. My point is that it isnt just a couple of powers.
Those seeking more challenge from the elite setting are, for the most part, not trying to change the normal mode play experience of those not interested in a higher challenge setting. There have been a number of instances where a newer player came to the forums complaining about a lack of challenge and arguing that the entire game should be made more difficult for everyone...and those of us who want elite difficulty to set a bit higher vehemently disagreed with them. In my case this is because 1) I dont want to make the game inaccessible to anyone else who enjoys the current difficulty level of normal, and 2) because there are times where I want a more laid back gaming session too.
Actually, having watched that video.....it's not the game difficulty that I find wrong...it's the fact that you have found powers and combinations thereof that are almost an exploit in nature. Note my use of the word "almost".
Perhaps the powers themselves need to be rebalanced? Certain powers when put together seem to make one "unbeatable" and perhaps those combinations need to be...restricted? Not sure how that'd be done, but....dyamn. What you did right there was just silly stupid. And not in a cool way. That shouldn't have been able to be done. At all. Not by any definition of the words "game balance", at least in my book.
Also, damn near a million points of damage in a PvP match? Again, outrageous in the sense that the powers themselves need to be balanced. I've NEVER heard of anything like that being done in any game I've played. Even if the damage was mitigated to a lower amount.
What you're proving with those two videos in my eyes is merely showing the imbalance of the powers, not anything with the difficulty of the game's settings.
The Andrith run video is nothing special... tons of people solo it for the costumes. In my opinion it is impossible to balance our free form system without changing it into a complete different one. There will always be awesome synergies to discover as new changes are made in the updates. I spend a lot of time playing around with theme builds on PTS to help other people on the forums, that one was a Weather Mage with survivability as is was requested in the thread. Making Free Form builds is what I enjoy the most out of this game, I use the same powers as everybody else and I would like to have higher difficulty options than what we have today. The video/pic on my signature is from a bug that a few people got with the On Alert patch. Enrage stacks kept being gained without dropping and Unleashed Rage scales with stacks of Enrage, it lasted till you died.
A MMORPG is to interact with players and occassionally team up with one or more. To make the game necessary to get 5 players to run through is not my idea of fun. The whole process of getting 4 other people to run a lair with you is not fun at all. Especially when you're superheroes I mean they hardly fight with other people.
What you're proving with those two videos in my eyes is merely showing the imbalance of the powers, not anything with the difficulty of the game's settings.
You can do that with many different builds using many different powers. It is exceptional only because most of the people who play this game are that bad at building characters, gearing characters and playing those characters.
Down-scaling the majority of powers in the game isn't going to get a pleasant response. The archetypes will become even more inferior and the free forms will simply find another set of synergies. I suppose you could always delete the free forms from the game. Wanna watch what happens if you do that?
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There is no such thing as a free lunch. If you aren't paying for it, you aren't the customer; you are the product being sold.
Dollar, dollar, bill, yo. Cash rules everything around you and me.
I'm not saying that the entire game needs to be made impossibly difficult for everyone.
I am saying that the maximum difficulty level does need to be looked at and rebalanced.
I've been following this thread for a while now and only interjected with two or so failed attempts to change topic so I'll just add in my comments on this matter.
The highlighted is screams so much yes, I can't believe it. Who exactly is trying to oppose this move? Xaogarrent?
If so...then wow.
Personally I'd only do Elite if the rest of my team was up for it OR if we are with good healers/tanks.
If some people can faceroll content with Elite because they have found great mixes with other powers in the FreeForm System then so be it.
Perhaps what needs to be done as it no doubt has been suggested before is to rework Elite level difficulty, not so difficult every mob member is like a mini Gravitar, but perhaps do some of the following:
- Use unique moves more often
- Call or spawn more mob members
- Attack more frequently
By unique moves I mean things like heals, shields and knocks, life drains etc.
Defense Penetration, a degree of stealth sight?
I do agree that Elite does need to fulfill it's name again.
A MMORPG is to interact with players and occassionally team up with one or more. To make the game necessary to get 5 players to run through is not my idea of fun. The whole process of getting 4 other people to run a lair with you is not fun at all. Especially when you're superheroes I mean they hardly fight with other people.
X-Men
Fantastic Four
Justice League
Avengers
Ninja Turtles
Teen Titans
Gen-13
Those are just the ones right off the top of my head. Need I continue?
If people want the game easier, that's fine. Go for it. That's what normal is for.
Right now though elite isn't elite. It should be. That is the difficulty people are supposed to use when they want a challenge.
I've been following this thread for a while now and only interjected with two or so failed attempts to change topic so I'll just add in my comments on this matter.
The highlighted is screams so much yes, I can't believe it. Who exactly is trying to oppose this move? Xaogarrent?
If so...then wow.
Personally I'd only do Elite if the rest of my team was up for it OR if we are with good healers/tanks.
If some people can faceroll content with Elite because they have found great mixes with other powers in the FreeForm System then so be it.
Perhaps what needs to be done as it no doubt has been suggested before is to rework Elite level difficulty, not so difficult every mob member is like a mini Gravitar, but perhaps do some of the following:
- Use unique moves more often
- Call or spawn more mob members
- Attack more frequently
By unique moves I mean things like heals, shields and knocks, life drains etc.
Defense Penetration, a degree of stealth sight?
I do agree that Elite does need to fulfill it's name again.
Yeah it does. We've gotten stronger in the last 2 years with the new powers and gear but the top bar hasnt changed and is able to be done far too easily now by a single person. (including an AT)
The aim of all of this has no effect on other people and the majority of people who are doing elite, are people who know how to play and are basicly all the regular names who have stayed on Co for a long time, many from launch. The opposition (only a couple of ppl) arguements have been pretty focused on panicking with the believe we want to change normal mode/make all the game hard, and that we need to stop playing and make ourselves able to die, like "pretend its a challenge".
Not very good really, Very Hard and Elite need a heavy difficulty pump-up.
Quite rightly pointed out; and that is what the OP asked for lo these many pages agone.
It boggles the mind that people oppose this. The other difficulty levels aren't enough? People have to have all of them be easy? People have to be able to set the toughest difficulty and roflstomp it with one arm tied behind their back? I could see it if better stuffs was involved, but if it isn't?
Thank you CO forums, you've entertained me. Reading this thread was a great way to burn three hours while I waited to get my car inspected. 10/10, would read again.
There was a lot of very interesting points made, and after having read through I'd like to try to throw in my two cents on some of them. Please keep in mind that these are merely my opinions. Don't be upset if you disagree. I likely will not be revisiting to view your responses. I'm just leaving this here.
Firstly, some have used Gravitar as an example of how increased health and damage to be a difficulty compensation is a bad idea. While I don't necessarily disagree, I do feel the need to state that I think Gravitar is a poor example. Gravitar's damage isn't necessarily a problem on it's own. It's fair to have one shot kills on a boss of that caliber. It's not fair, in my opinion, When those one shots are spontaneous, aimed at toons who don't even have threat. It's the complete spontaneity and lack of any real raid boss structure to this encounter that makes it so frustrating. You could have just been picked up by a healer, haven't even started attacking yet, then immediately dropped again as another bolt of energy comes flying your way.
to continue on the subject of arguing for increased health, I should state that I usually play on normal difficulty. It's not that I find Elite too hard or anything of the sort. I've played on Elite difficulty before. The reason why I don't stay on Elite difficulty, is that to me it seems the battles become more grindy, not really harder, just drawn out, and the rewards for the higher difficulty are negligible. Which has me beliving that buffing health pools isn't the solution to the problem, but only further discourage me from playing higher difficulties. This is also a vote from me for a unique reward for playing in Elite, or at the very least a noteworthy percentile increase in teh chance for the rarer, cooler loot to be dropped. the percentile chance could climb even higher when it comes to the number of people on the team. This would encourage team play and strategic character building, but not rule out casuals who just want to solo it all with a theme concept build.
Secondly, there is teh asssumption that only min/maxed FF builds are having issues with difficulty. When I played ATs pre-alert they were underwhelming, but with all the tweaks made to power sets in recent months, in the case of most ATs I've played (and I've played quite a few) I don't really feel all that gimped. They seem to have a good selection of powers that really help the toon fit their prescribed role. I play ATs exclusively now because not only do I have an odd distaste for monthly subscriptions (and lack the funds for a lifetime) but ATs help me learn power synergies better than trying to fumble through free form. I consider ATs like a bike with training wheels. It gives you an idea of how the powers work together, so that if or when you go Freeform you can not build something completely terrible. but that's a tangent, back to my point. Even as an AT, I still feel like the difficulty is less than it should be at times. It depends on the AT of course, The Invincible suffers at low levels and loses to anything more than one henchmen at a time, but most other ATs don't have that issue. is till solo missions as an AT that the mission text states should take 2 to 5 players, depending on the mission. Not saying I can solo everything by myself, just sharing my experience.
I can't say I like the examples I've seen people giving, especially from Honest Researcher or whatever his name is, where it's five freeforms tackling a lair or some such. It's not fair that all consideration should be given to golds over silvers. I may not like paying monthly fees but I don't hestitate to drop money here or there on things I decide I want. I've probably spent more money on the game in the time I've player than some of those with subscriptions, and I dare say more money than many Lifetimers have. Just because I'm a silver and I'm not subscribed (any more) doesn't mean I'm not doing my part to support the game financially. And as an aside, I'm with everyone who says that money spent on CO, should be used on CO. I'm just not seeing it though.
Now on the subject of min/maxing, and getting all the best devices, I feel I should state that I've never done that. As an artist and a writer I put considerably more time into the costume creator and my character's backstory than I do into my equipment and advantage selections. My toons are all more or less thematic and power choices are more or less built around a concept. CORP will testify that I'll bend over backwards to make sure my toons have a story that fits Champions lore, even if it means buying the PnP source books for reference. Granted CORP has also told me that I'm pretty much the only one that obsessive over it, so take that as you will. But this couples with my earlier point, that even with my heavily thematic, more story concerned toon who never has all the best gear or devices or power sets, at times the game still seems too easy.
and finally, just one last thing, I saw at least one person state that xperience with the game will influence one's perception of difficulty, and that can't be any more true. I'm familiar with that jaded sensation as a Resident Evil fan. my first time with that franchise, teh games terrified me. First time I played Resident Evil 1 Remake for Gamecube I was so scared I stopped playing the game for a month, was too frightened to finish it. had to drum up the courage. Now, years later, I'm also leaving Resident Evil games unfinished, but out of sheer boredom. you could argue that it's RE having lost it's way, but it's also the fact that I've seen the horror aspect of it so much now that it really doesn't phase me anymore. and CO is the same with it's difficulty. the first time you do something, you won't know the most optimized way to do things, you'll make more mistakes, you'll get killed more often, things will be challenging. But then, I'm sure most of you, like me, ahve played through this game again and again and have leveled several toons to 40 several times over. We could do this in our sleep. The challenge is gone. Now we're disatisfied. The only real way to fix that, in my opinion is with some real, new content.
So in the end, to sum up my opinion in a TL;DR for ya, more health just makes it grindy, Gravitar is a bad boss, difficulty isn't really influenced by whether you're silver or gold, nor should one be prioritized over the other, replaying the same old thing over and over trivializes difficulty more than all of the above, and for the ultimate summary:
more, REAL content would fix all our problems. get on it Cryptic.
Hmmm, too many post to read everything, but here's my 2 cents worth.
Firstly, this is a superhero MMO. Most henchmen are meant to be that, just henchmen. Regardless whether we say it is normal mode or elite mode, a superhero taking too long to melt a common thief or robber is ridiculous. The only enemy whom I see to be logically challenging should be the supervillains. They are easy now I agree post-alert. However, it is not about larger HP pool or heavier hits. Use PVP as your gauge. A deadly PVP toon does not have millions of HP nor 80k yellow bubbles but they still take out players. The buffs and debuffs with skilful playing can make a toon powerful enough.
From how I see it, NPC supervillains should fight that way. If we have a 5-man lair, we can always have 5 supervillains attacking the team at the same time. They can use debuffs just as players do. That can make the fight challenging.
If there is a need to make ordinary mobs more challenging, that is possible too without raising HP or increasing damage. Watch movies, read comics, what do they do? Lex Luthor does not need to punch harder or be tougher than Superman. He uses a kryptonite. There can be mechanics like traps etc to make the game more challenging.
Sure, there will still be a place for Gravitar and Telieosaurus. Even more powerful bosses for that matter but those are in the league of characters like Galactus, Thanos etc and not any neighbourhood street mob given multiplied HP boost because superheroes take them out too easily.
I have noted, by the way, that Elite is easier to play on now than before On Alert. I ran my first toon through to level 40, on missions, on Normal. It was really easier, and also really fun--I generally soloed.
My second toon I ran every single mission on Elite (when possible). There were many missions that I failed a couple times before finally succeeding. Some missions I couldn't solo on Elite. It was, actually, pretty tough.
Now, when I run a new toon through a mission on Elite, it isn't super easy, but I don't fail. The game is easier, since characters are tougher, but mobs and villains aren't.
I would like to add also if i hadnt stated it before, that if people had a challenge, they would be more drawn into buying a freeform. Very simply profits.
I remember back at launch.. enemies not only were stronger, but their Attack Rate was Double what it is now, they were making not only faster attacks, but more powerful ones.
Remember when a Gadroon Alien could uppercut you for 1/2 of your HP if you didnt block? T'was the whole reason Block was in the game in the first place, and it worked.
I would like to add also if i hadnt stated it before, that if people had a challenge, they would be more drawn into buying a freeform. Very simply profits.
I remember back at launch.. enemies not only were stronger, but their Attack Rate was Double what it is now, they were making not only faster attacks, but more powerful ones.
Remember when a Gadroon Alien could uppercut you for 1/2 of your HP if you didnt block? T'was the whole reason Block was in the game in the first place, and it worked.
O_O Really? Damn..I want high powered PSI mob members back...
O_O Really? Damn..I want high powered PSI mob members back...
LIke i was saying to a friend earlier, i wish i could setup a private server with Launch files.
The difficulty of CO at Launch was spot on! ...but then came a massive nerf to enemy attack speed, player strength, player knockback... we only got a few months before everything was toned down. :< i'd love to relive those days.
LIke i was saying to a friend earlier, i wish i could setup a private server with Launch files.
The difficulty of CO at Launch was spot on! ...but then came a massive nerf to enemy attack speed, player strength, player knockback... we only got a few months before everything was toned down. :< i'd love to relive those days.
That's not how the launch day patch went down. Not one bit. What you're describing happened in beta and got hit with the nerfbat hours before the game went live, not months afterwards.
All I have to ask is that isnt it the purpose of FreeForm to make a character you envison wheather you wanted to be as strong or as powerful as Superman or Hulk, or to be as stealthy and as crafty as Batman or Hawkeye? I mean I get the that people want more of a challenge but when you freeform and you make yourself a badass than isnt that defeating the point of the argument? I mean you dont have to be that uber if you choose not to right?
All I have to ask is that isnt it the purpose of FreeForm to make a character you envison wheather you wanted to be as strong or as powerful as Superman or Hulk, or to be as stealthy and as crafty as Batman or Hawkeye? I mean I get the that people want more of a challenge but when you freeform and you make yourself a badass than isnt that defeating the point of the argument? I mean you dont have to be that uber if you choose not to right?
Yea but they did that, or is it that you feel that what have on elite is not as difficult for the type of builds that you like to make? Im asking just trying to get a better understanding.
Yea but they did that, or is it that you feel that what have on elite is not as difficult for the type of builds that you like to make? Im asking just trying to get a better understanding.
That's what I'm saying. That's what this whole thread is about. The entire discussion on this particular thread has been about raising the difficulty on the maximum setting of the difficulty slider.
All I have to ask is that isnt it the purpose of FreeForm to make a character you envison wheather you wanted to be as strong or as powerful as Superman or Hulk, or to be as stealthy and as crafty as Batman or Hawkeye? I mean I get the that people want more of a challenge but when you freeform and you make yourself a badass than isnt that defeating the point of the argument? I mean you dont have to be that uber if you choose not to right?
That's the thing though... for some people, just being stronger than the guys they're fighting is enough for them to feel the "badass"; this is what is known as a "power fantasy" and is one legitimate part of the super hero genre. Some of us though, we feel the badass is the guy who takes on someone equal or stronger, and comes out victorious; this is another, just as legitimate, part of the super hero genre.
Think about the best mma fighter you know. Okay, now have him fight some highschool kid who took a karate class. Is that mma fighter a badass? I mean hey, let's say the highschool kid challenged the mma fighter, slapped his momma and everything to make the mma fighter have a legitimate reason to smack him around. Still... is the mma fighter a badass for beating up someone who never had a chance?
Now like you said, the point of the game is "be the hero you want to be", but then when you say that I have to build a specific way to fully enjoy the genre, that goes against "be the hero you want to be". We're forced to build a certain way, not the way we want. It's the same if they made the whole game really difficult... you would have to build a certain way, or be forced to play the weak hero. Making the entire game one way just isn't the way to go.
More difficulty is needed - True, oh so very true! (insert 1 million more "!" here)
The current difficulty categories aren't varied widely enough, meaning hard, and very hard are barely distinguishable - On a high damage toon, true. Try it on a poorly built tank.
Personally I think Elite should be nearly impossible, the hardest difficulty in a game, to me, should be infuriatingly hard. Or else whats the point? Wheres the challenge?
However, if people like the current difficulties, leave them as they are and simply add some actual 'difficulty levels' (the clue is in the name) above the current ones. Its a simple mechanic to add and keeps everyone happy.
Dont like getting creamed by a normal mob? Dont put it on Insane difficulty!
As for adding better AI and vamped up control effects etc, great idea, a whole lot of work to implement, difficulty is going to have to come in the currently implemented way to be practical, for the time being at least.
More difficulty is needed - True, oh so very true! (insert 1 million more "!" here)
The current difficulty categories aren't varied widely enough, meaning hard, and very hard are barely distinguishable - On a high damage toon, true. Try it on a poorly built tank.
Personally I think Elite should be nearly impossible, the hardest difficulty in a game, to me, should be infuriatingly hard. Or else whats the point? Wheres the challenge?
However, if people like the current difficulties, leave them as they are and simply add some actual 'difficulty levels' (the clue is in the name) above the current ones. Its a simple mechanic to add and keeps everyone happy.
Dont like getting creamed by a normal mob? Dont put it on Insane difficulty!
As for adding better AI and vamped up control effects etc, great idea, a whole lot of work to implement, difficulty is going to have to come in the currently implemented way to be practical, for the time being at least.
Common sense: So damn rare it has no business being called common
Thing I find funny about this thread is that almost everyone would be be for an extra difficulty. But everyone is still like NO YOU and SHUT UP! XD
44 pages...
You know if this game was just half as awesome as Nephy, you wouldn't see a thread like this drag on forever and a day.
Difficulty doesn't make the mmo experience. Difficulty doesn't magically make or break a game unless its severely out of balance for its targeted audience.
Since I mentioned Nephy - it's people like her and the rest of the friends I made while playing CO that helped to make it enjoyable. Working together, beating up on each other, or trying to outdo one another is a major factor in the MMO experience.
However, its hard to retain folks for long when there is a sheer lack of content. You can only do the same things so often before it becomes beyond mundane. The one "new" experience that truly came along during my 1 year was WHITEOUT. There was a time where folks were actually excited to see what the next issue had in store.
Sure, we've had "alerts" but the majority have been re-purposed content, and the ones worth doing are dependent on rotation. I mean I'd say the carrier mission was quite nice, up until you find the rewards don't match the time and effort required for successful completion.
To really just put it out there - redesigning TT elite wouldn't bring me back. Kill Therakial over 100 times and you lose interest eventually. Do a few thousand alerts, same thing. When I first got into CO, the idea behind comics was a slick way of introducing new content that didn't require the entire adventure to be complete before release. Yet the resources to develop said content are apparently no longer dedicated to CO.
And since I saw CoX was "attacked" lets put this out there as well - it made it 8 years, CO is hanging by a thread at just 3.
To really just put it out there - redesigning TT elite wouldn't bring me back. Kill Therakial over 100 times and you lose interest eventually. Do a few thousand alerts, same thing. When I first got into CO, the idea behind comics was a slick way of introducing new content that didn't require the entire adventure to be complete before release. Yet the resources to develop said content are apparently no longer dedicated to CO.
Pretty much heard this from numerous folks I know who used to play this game. They couldn't care less if there is a harder mode.
What they care about is if there is newer ORIGINAL content.
I'll say it again: Difficulty rebalancing is the DEAD LAST thing this game's limitied resources should be spent on. That "poll" thread is pretty much proving that most folks what nearly anything else with most listing more content in some form AHEAD of new difficulty.
Enough mechanics tinkering and revamps, more content please! :mad:
If there had never been a COH there would never have been a CO. :cool:
Pretty much heard this from numerous folks I know who used to play this game. They couldn't care less if there is a harder mode.
What they care about is if there is newer ORIGINAL content.
I'll say it again: Difficulty rebalancing is the DEAD LAST thing this game's limitied resources should be spent on. That "poll" thread is pretty much proving that most folks what nearly anything else with most listing more content in some form AHEAD of new difficulty.
Enough mechanics tinkering and revamps, more content please! :mad:
Reworking the mob buff on elite should only be a matter of adjusting a couple of numbers. This being the Cryptic Engine, though, we don't know whether the original coding was done in a manner that would facilitate this. It might be that making the change would involve a dev madly punching his keyboard while half the office chants mantras with their fingers crossed to get it to work, with the end result being that MC would end up colored chartreuse, and citizens turning hostile with the Scary Monster buff.
Thing is, the devs should know whether it is an easy fix or not. Let them worry about that.
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I been a long time leaving but I'm going to be a long time gone.
Willie Nelson
T.U.F.K.A.S. (the user formerly known as Scarlyng)
Wrong on the CO forums since November, 2008
It closed down after EIGHT YEARS of great service to its customers.
Where's CO now? Lacking in development, no communication from developers(sure, Trailturtle talks to us, but he's only community rep. NOT developer.) and generally spiralling downward. At least, if we believe what you are saying.
So, to sum it up...you're comparing this to a game that ran eight years. A game that innovated many wonderful and imaginative features, such as the challenge rating system, AE, supersidekicking, veteran rewards...holy crap, it's too long a list to put down here.
YES, this game would certainly benefit if it could work some of those features into it.
Also, were it not for THAT game, you would not have THIS game.
Little less bashing for your parent game, hmm? Less of the redheaded stepchild, please.
When you're not texting on a cellphone: F... O... R....
Well 2 things i can correct u on that with. Number 1, i AM writing these off an android smartphone and 2, theres a cap on topic title length so i made it shorter that way.
Reworking the mob buff on elite should only be a matter of adjusting a couple of numbers. This being the Cryptic Engine, though, we don't know whether the original coding was done in a manner that would facilitate this. It might be that making the change would involve a dev madly punching his keyboard while half the office chants mantras with their fingers crossed to get it to work, with the end result being that MC would end up colored chartreuse, and citizens turning hostile with the Scary Monster buff.
Thing is, the devs should know whether it is an easy fix or not. Let them worry about that.
Difficulty isn't the issue. It's having actual resources to do anything at all.
Which CO clearly doesn't.
If there had never been a COH there would never have been a CO. :cool:
Difficulty isn't the issue. It's having actual resources to do anything at all.
Which CO clearly doesn't.
This.
I think that they have made elite the 'normal' mode and normal is now for small children that have no idea what they are doing.
But without people to actually work on things, what is going to change?
Argue about what you think should be done if you want to, but the first argument to make is to convince Cryptic/PWE that they are going to have to take some of the money that people are spending in this game and put it back into this game in the form of work.
Work on the current systems and/or add new content, but do something.
Instead this game is left to wither on the vine while they work on Neverwinter.
I'd like to see you faceroll content in elite mode while using ATs.
I agree with the rest of your post though.
Seeing as freeforms are supposed to be the selling point of this game that's a pretty flawed arguement. If someone looking for a challenge has to not use what's supposed to be one of the best parts of the game to find that challenge then why would they play in the first place?
My opinion is that in an ideal world, the difficulty slider would cover everyone.
The lowest difficulty level would be intended for new, inexperienced freeform players, with terrible builds, played by people who just want to relax, have fun and beat up bad guys.
Then there would be a difficulty level intended for archetypes and freeforms built in line with developer expectations, as well as a few difficulty levels for players who want fights to be harder and players with optimised freeforms who want fights to be harder.
The second highest difficulty should be designed assuming that all users are experienced freeform powergamers, using high level, optimised, min-maxed builds, equipped with top of the line gear and devices, who want fights to be quick, lethal and brutal. Rather than giving enemies tons of health and slowing down the game, it might be better to focus on scaling up enemy damage and threat radius, so that challenge comes from taking out foes quickly and efficiently before their damage overwealms you.
The highest level of difficulty should be intended to kill players. This level of difficulty assumes nothing less than a full team of highly experienced level 40 min-maxers, each of who are not only using characters with the most powerful gear available, but who have designed their characters to work with the others. In short, the highest level of difficulty should be designed assuming players who have done everything, obtained everything, have formed a team designed for the sole purpose of playing at this level of difficulty and are willing to face frequent face-plants.
The highest 2 difficulty levels should not give better loot than the others (unless the loot really does provide a tiny, insignificant bonus). Indeed, anyone who needs better rewards to play on them probably doesn't belong on them.
As to whether it is more important to have content or difficulty, I think the answer depends on the amount of content we are talking about. Personally, I would gladly sacrifice something like vehicles, lockboxes, costumes, the nighthawk event or a new custom alert if it meant more difficulty options. After all, higher difficulty, especially that which requires people to play as a team, might give some people a reason to replay areas and be as benefically as new content.
If, however, the choice is between more difficulty options or a new reasonable-sized zone, a comic series or adventure pack, then I would chose new content.
Comments
On a more....immediate note....please for the love of all that is holy and cute....LOWER THE DROP RATE ON THOSE DAMNABLE VEHICLE LOCKBOXES.
No, I'm not buying keys. No, I'm not taking the lockboxes. How about an option to disable those particular drops?
Occam's Razor makes the cutting clean.
Of course! *hugs*
Personally, I wouldn't mind all the lockboxes if we could do more with them than let them sit in our inventory. Just imagine if we could take them out and set them down or stack them up.
Oh the stupidity I could engage in...
I'd build mazes all around the starting point so people zoning in would have to wander through it to get to Defender, link the rooftops of all the buildings in RenCen, make bridges that went all over the place...
And that's just off the top of my head. More ideas on that later when come up with something really dumb.
That is not what I am saying. Did I say that? No I did not. If that's what I meant, that's exactly what I would have said.
Nice try.
...I just recently realized something really disturbing. We're all eating Sodapop3's "humble pie."
Quite rightly pointed out; and that is what the OP asked for lo these many pages agone.
It boggles the mind that people oppose this. The other difficulty levels aren't enough? People have to have all of them be easy? People have to be able to set the toughest difficulty and roflstomp it with one arm tied behind their back? I could see it if better stuffs was involved, but if it isn't?
I been a long time leaving but I'm going to be a long time gone.
Willie Nelson
T.U.F.K.A.S. (the user formerly known as Scarlyng)
Wrong on the CO forums since November, 2008
Please elaborate then because from your post, it sounded like you were saying that people wanting to be challenged should use the the game's settings.
I said what I meant. Reread it until you understand.
Note you may need to read earlier posts as well, to understand the context.
...I just recently realized something really disturbing. We're all eating Sodapop3's "humble pie."
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
This was awesome while it lasted
_______________________________________________
Actually, it's likely a misunderstanding, as in my case. I assumed an indiscriminate raising of it all, whereas what is proposed is merely a retooling of the "elite" level or hardest level of difficulty.
And yes, I'd like normal to stay right where it is, thank you very much. I find quite enough of a challenge right there. That's all I'm defending vehemently.
Occam's Razor makes the cutting clean.
Actually, having watched that video.....it's not the game difficulty that I find wrong...it's the fact that you have found powers and combinations thereof that are almost an exploit in nature. Note my use of the word "almost".
Perhaps the powers themselves need to be rebalanced? Certain powers when put together seem to make one "unbeatable" and perhaps those combinations need to be...restricted? Not sure how that'd be done, but....dyamn. What you did right there was just silly stupid. And not in a cool way. That shouldn't have been able to be done. At all. Not by any definition of the words "game balance", at least in my book.
Also, damn near a million points of damage in a PvP match? Again, outrageous in the sense that the powers themselves need to be balanced. I've NEVER heard of anything like that being done in any game I've played. Even if the damage was mitigated to a lower amount.
What you're proving with those two videos in my eyes is merely showing the imbalance of the powers, not anything with the difficulty of the game's settings.
Occam's Razor makes the cutting clean.
I would agree if it weren't for having seen a number of builds using a variety of power options do the same thing. There is a thread on Andrith solo builds in the powers section of this forum, and there have been similar things posted for as long as the game has existed. My point is that it isnt just a couple of powers.
Those seeking more challenge from the elite setting are, for the most part, not trying to change the normal mode play experience of those not interested in a higher challenge setting. There have been a number of instances where a newer player came to the forums complaining about a lack of challenge and arguing that the entire game should be made more difficult for everyone...and those of us who want elite difficulty to set a bit higher vehemently disagreed with them. In my case this is because 1) I dont want to make the game inaccessible to anyone else who enjoys the current difficulty level of normal, and 2) because there are times where I want a more laid back gaming session too.
'Caine, miss you bud. Fly high.
The Andrith run video is nothing special... tons of people solo it for the costumes. In my opinion it is impossible to balance our free form system without changing it into a complete different one. There will always be awesome synergies to discover as new changes are made in the updates. I spend a lot of time playing around with theme builds on PTS to help other people on the forums, that one was a Weather Mage with survivability as is was requested in the thread. Making Free Form builds is what I enjoy the most out of this game, I use the same powers as everybody else and I would like to have higher difficulty options than what we have today. The video/pic on my signature is from a bug that a few people got with the On Alert patch. Enrage stacks kept being gained without dropping and Unleashed Rage scales with stacks of Enrage, it lasted till you died.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
This was awesome while it lasted
_______________________________________________
You can do that with many different builds using many different powers. It is exceptional only because most of the people who play this game are that bad at building characters, gearing characters and playing those characters.
Down-scaling the majority of powers in the game isn't going to get a pleasant response. The archetypes will become even more inferior and the free forms will simply find another set of synergies. I suppose you could always delete the free forms from the game. Wanna watch what happens if you do that?
There is no such thing as a free lunch. If you aren't paying for it, you aren't the customer; you are the product being sold.
Dollar, dollar, bill, yo. Cash rules everything around you and me.
I've been following this thread for a while now and only interjected with two or so failed attempts to change topic so I'll just add in my comments on this matter.
The highlighted is screams so much yes, I can't believe it. Who exactly is trying to oppose this move? Xaogarrent?
If so...then wow.
Personally I'd only do Elite if the rest of my team was up for it OR if we are with good healers/tanks.
If some people can faceroll content with Elite because they have found great mixes with other powers in the FreeForm System then so be it.
Perhaps what needs to be done as it no doubt has been suggested before is to rework Elite level difficulty, not so difficult every mob member is like a mini Gravitar, but perhaps do some of the following:
- Use unique moves more often
- Call or spawn more mob members
- Attack more frequently
By unique moves I mean things like heals, shields and knocks, life drains etc.
Defense Penetration, a degree of stealth sight?
I do agree that Elite does need to fulfill it's name again.
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X-Men
Fantastic Four
Justice League
Avengers
Ninja Turtles
Teen Titans
Gen-13
Those are just the ones right off the top of my head. Need I continue?
If people want the game easier, that's fine. Go for it. That's what normal is for.
Right now though elite isn't elite. It should be. That is the difficulty people are supposed to use when they want a challenge.
Yeah it does. We've gotten stronger in the last 2 years with the new powers and gear but the top bar hasnt changed and is able to be done far too easily now by a single person. (including an AT)
The aim of all of this has no effect on other people and the majority of people who are doing elite, are people who know how to play and are basicly all the regular names who have stayed on Co for a long time, many from launch. The opposition (only a couple of ppl) arguements have been pretty focused on panicking with the believe we want to change normal mode/make all the game hard, and that we need to stop playing and make ourselves able to die, like "pretend its a challenge".
Not very good really, Very Hard and Elite need a heavy difficulty pump-up.
Precisely.
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There was a lot of very interesting points made, and after having read through I'd like to try to throw in my two cents on some of them. Please keep in mind that these are merely my opinions. Don't be upset if you disagree. I likely will not be revisiting to view your responses. I'm just leaving this here.
Firstly, some have used Gravitar as an example of how increased health and damage to be a difficulty compensation is a bad idea. While I don't necessarily disagree, I do feel the need to state that I think Gravitar is a poor example. Gravitar's damage isn't necessarily a problem on it's own. It's fair to have one shot kills on a boss of that caliber. It's not fair, in my opinion, When those one shots are spontaneous, aimed at toons who don't even have threat. It's the complete spontaneity and lack of any real raid boss structure to this encounter that makes it so frustrating. You could have just been picked up by a healer, haven't even started attacking yet, then immediately dropped again as another bolt of energy comes flying your way.
to continue on the subject of arguing for increased health, I should state that I usually play on normal difficulty. It's not that I find Elite too hard or anything of the sort. I've played on Elite difficulty before. The reason why I don't stay on Elite difficulty, is that to me it seems the battles become more grindy, not really harder, just drawn out, and the rewards for the higher difficulty are negligible. Which has me beliving that buffing health pools isn't the solution to the problem, but only further discourage me from playing higher difficulties. This is also a vote from me for a unique reward for playing in Elite, or at the very least a noteworthy percentile increase in teh chance for the rarer, cooler loot to be dropped. the percentile chance could climb even higher when it comes to the number of people on the team. This would encourage team play and strategic character building, but not rule out casuals who just want to solo it all with a theme concept build.
Secondly, there is teh asssumption that only min/maxed FF builds are having issues with difficulty. When I played ATs pre-alert they were underwhelming, but with all the tweaks made to power sets in recent months, in the case of most ATs I've played (and I've played quite a few) I don't really feel all that gimped. They seem to have a good selection of powers that really help the toon fit their prescribed role. I play ATs exclusively now because not only do I have an odd distaste for monthly subscriptions (and lack the funds for a lifetime) but ATs help me learn power synergies better than trying to fumble through free form. I consider ATs like a bike with training wheels. It gives you an idea of how the powers work together, so that if or when you go Freeform you can not build something completely terrible. but that's a tangent, back to my point. Even as an AT, I still feel like the difficulty is less than it should be at times. It depends on the AT of course, The Invincible suffers at low levels and loses to anything more than one henchmen at a time, but most other ATs don't have that issue. is till solo missions as an AT that the mission text states should take 2 to 5 players, depending on the mission. Not saying I can solo everything by myself, just sharing my experience.
I can't say I like the examples I've seen people giving, especially from Honest Researcher or whatever his name is, where it's five freeforms tackling a lair or some such. It's not fair that all consideration should be given to golds over silvers. I may not like paying monthly fees but I don't hestitate to drop money here or there on things I decide I want. I've probably spent more money on the game in the time I've player than some of those with subscriptions, and I dare say more money than many Lifetimers have. Just because I'm a silver and I'm not subscribed (any more) doesn't mean I'm not doing my part to support the game financially. And as an aside, I'm with everyone who says that money spent on CO, should be used on CO. I'm just not seeing it though.
Now on the subject of min/maxing, and getting all the best devices, I feel I should state that I've never done that. As an artist and a writer I put considerably more time into the costume creator and my character's backstory than I do into my equipment and advantage selections. My toons are all more or less thematic and power choices are more or less built around a concept. CORP will testify that I'll bend over backwards to make sure my toons have a story that fits Champions lore, even if it means buying the PnP source books for reference. Granted CORP has also told me that I'm pretty much the only one that obsessive over it, so take that as you will. But this couples with my earlier point, that even with my heavily thematic, more story concerned toon who never has all the best gear or devices or power sets, at times the game still seems too easy.
and finally, just one last thing, I saw at least one person state that xperience with the game will influence one's perception of difficulty, and that can't be any more true. I'm familiar with that jaded sensation as a Resident Evil fan. my first time with that franchise, teh games terrified me. First time I played Resident Evil 1 Remake for Gamecube I was so scared I stopped playing the game for a month, was too frightened to finish it. had to drum up the courage. Now, years later, I'm also leaving Resident Evil games unfinished, but out of sheer boredom. you could argue that it's RE having lost it's way, but it's also the fact that I've seen the horror aspect of it so much now that it really doesn't phase me anymore. and CO is the same with it's difficulty. the first time you do something, you won't know the most optimized way to do things, you'll make more mistakes, you'll get killed more often, things will be challenging. But then, I'm sure most of you, like me, ahve played through this game again and again and have leveled several toons to 40 several times over. We could do this in our sleep. The challenge is gone. Now we're disatisfied. The only real way to fix that, in my opinion is with some real, new content.
So in the end, to sum up my opinion in a TL;DR for ya, more health just makes it grindy, Gravitar is a bad boss, difficulty isn't really influenced by whether you're silver or gold, nor should one be prioritized over the other, replaying the same old thing over and over trivializes difficulty more than all of the above, and for the ultimate summary:
more, REAL content would fix all our problems. get on it Cryptic.
Firstly, this is a superhero MMO. Most henchmen are meant to be that, just henchmen. Regardless whether we say it is normal mode or elite mode, a superhero taking too long to melt a common thief or robber is ridiculous. The only enemy whom I see to be logically challenging should be the supervillains. They are easy now I agree post-alert. However, it is not about larger HP pool or heavier hits. Use PVP as your gauge. A deadly PVP toon does not have millions of HP nor 80k yellow bubbles but they still take out players. The buffs and debuffs with skilful playing can make a toon powerful enough.
From how I see it, NPC supervillains should fight that way. If we have a 5-man lair, we can always have 5 supervillains attacking the team at the same time. They can use debuffs just as players do. That can make the fight challenging.
If there is a need to make ordinary mobs more challenging, that is possible too without raising HP or increasing damage. Watch movies, read comics, what do they do? Lex Luthor does not need to punch harder or be tougher than Superman. He uses a kryptonite. There can be mechanics like traps etc to make the game more challenging.
Sure, there will still be a place for Gravitar and Telieosaurus. Even more powerful bosses for that matter but those are in the league of characters like Galactus, Thanos etc and not any neighbourhood street mob given multiplied HP boost because superheroes take them out too easily.
My second toon I ran every single mission on Elite (when possible). There were many missions that I failed a couple times before finally succeeding. Some missions I couldn't solo on Elite. It was, actually, pretty tough.
Now, when I run a new toon through a mission on Elite, it isn't super easy, but I don't fail. The game is easier, since characters are tougher, but mobs and villains aren't.
Whoever you are, be that person one hundred percent. Don't compromise on your identity.
I remember back at launch.. enemies not only were stronger, but their Attack Rate was Double what it is now, they were making not only faster attacks, but more powerful ones.
Remember when a Gadroon Alien could uppercut you for 1/2 of your HP if you didnt block? T'was the whole reason Block was in the game in the first place, and it worked.
O_O Really? Damn..I want high powered PSI mob members back...
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LIke i was saying to a friend earlier, i wish i could setup a private server with Launch files.
The difficulty of CO at Launch was spot on! ...but then came a massive nerf to enemy attack speed, player strength, player knockback... we only got a few months before everything was toned down. :< i'd love to relive those days.
That's not how the launch day patch went down. Not one bit. What you're describing happened in beta and got hit with the nerfbat hours before the game went live, not months afterwards.
That's why the difficulty slider is optional.
Yea but they did that, or is it that you feel that what have on elite is not as difficult for the type of builds that you like to make? Im asking just trying to get a better understanding.
That's what I'm saying. That's what this whole thread is about. The entire discussion on this particular thread has been about raising the difficulty on the maximum setting of the difficulty slider.
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!
That's the thing though... for some people, just being stronger than the guys they're fighting is enough for them to feel the "badass"; this is what is known as a "power fantasy" and is one legitimate part of the super hero genre. Some of us though, we feel the badass is the guy who takes on someone equal or stronger, and comes out victorious; this is another, just as legitimate, part of the super hero genre.
Think about the best mma fighter you know. Okay, now have him fight some highschool kid who took a karate class. Is that mma fighter a badass? I mean hey, let's say the highschool kid challenged the mma fighter, slapped his momma and everything to make the mma fighter have a legitimate reason to smack him around. Still... is the mma fighter a badass for beating up someone who never had a chance?
Now like you said, the point of the game is "be the hero you want to be", but then when you say that I have to build a specific way to fully enjoy the genre, that goes against "be the hero you want to be". We're forced to build a certain way, not the way we want. It's the same if they made the whole game really difficult... you would have to build a certain way, or be forced to play the weak hero. Making the entire game one way just isn't the way to go.
Almost is not enough. *tough nuts pose*
Champions Online: Be the hero you wish you could be in a better game.
Rather than taking the easy way out by jacking up numbers, the game mechanics and AI should be the focus.
More difficulty is needed - True, oh so very true! (insert 1 million more "!" here)
The current difficulty categories aren't varied widely enough, meaning hard, and very hard are barely distinguishable - On a high damage toon, true. Try it on a poorly built tank.
Personally I think Elite should be nearly impossible, the hardest difficulty in a game, to me, should be infuriatingly hard. Or else whats the point? Wheres the challenge?
However, if people like the current difficulties, leave them as they are and simply add some actual 'difficulty levels' (the clue is in the name) above the current ones. Its a simple mechanic to add and keeps everyone happy.
Dont like getting creamed by a normal mob? Dont put it on Insane difficulty!
As for adding better AI and vamped up control effects etc, great idea, a whole lot of work to implement, difficulty is going to have to come in the currently implemented way to be practical, for the time being at least.
Common sense: So damn rare it has no business being called common
44 pages...
You know if this game was just half as awesome as Nephy, you wouldn't see a thread like this drag on forever and a day.
Difficulty doesn't make the mmo experience. Difficulty doesn't magically make or break a game unless its severely out of balance for its targeted audience.
Since I mentioned Nephy - it's people like her and the rest of the friends I made while playing CO that helped to make it enjoyable. Working together, beating up on each other, or trying to outdo one another is a major factor in the MMO experience.
However, its hard to retain folks for long when there is a sheer lack of content. You can only do the same things so often before it becomes beyond mundane. The one "new" experience that truly came along during my 1 year was WHITEOUT. There was a time where folks were actually excited to see what the next issue had in store.
Sure, we've had "alerts" but the majority have been re-purposed content, and the ones worth doing are dependent on rotation. I mean I'd say the carrier mission was quite nice, up until you find the rewards don't match the time and effort required for successful completion.
To really just put it out there - redesigning TT elite wouldn't bring me back. Kill Therakial over 100 times and you lose interest eventually. Do a few thousand alerts, same thing. When I first got into CO, the idea behind comics was a slick way of introducing new content that didn't require the entire adventure to be complete before release. Yet the resources to develop said content are apparently no longer dedicated to CO.
And since I saw CoX was "attacked" lets put this out there as well - it made it 8 years, CO is hanging by a thread at just 3.
So much truth in so few letters.
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!
When you're not texting on a cellphone: F... O... R....
Pretty much heard this from numerous folks I know who used to play this game. They couldn't care less if there is a harder mode.
What they care about is if there is newer ORIGINAL content.
I'll say it again: Difficulty rebalancing is the DEAD LAST thing this game's limitied resources should be spent on. That "poll" thread is pretty much proving that most folks what nearly anything else with most listing more content in some form AHEAD of new difficulty.
Enough mechanics tinkering and revamps, more content please! :mad:
If there had never been a COH there would never have been a CO. :cool:
Reworking the mob buff on elite should only be a matter of adjusting a couple of numbers. This being the Cryptic Engine, though, we don't know whether the original coding was done in a manner that would facilitate this. It might be that making the change would involve a dev madly punching his keyboard while half the office chants mantras with their fingers crossed to get it to work, with the end result being that MC would end up colored chartreuse, and citizens turning hostile with the Scary Monster buff.
Thing is, the devs should know whether it is an easy fix or not. Let them worry about that.
I been a long time leaving but I'm going to be a long time gone.
Willie Nelson
T.U.F.K.A.S. (the user formerly known as Scarlyng)
Wrong on the CO forums since November, 2008
It closed down after EIGHT YEARS of great service to its customers.
Where's CO now? Lacking in development, no communication from developers(sure, Trailturtle talks to us, but he's only community rep. NOT developer.) and generally spiralling downward. At least, if we believe what you are saying.
So, to sum it up...you're comparing this to a game that ran eight years. A game that innovated many wonderful and imaginative features, such as the challenge rating system, AE, supersidekicking, veteran rewards...holy crap, it's too long a list to put down here.
YES, this game would certainly benefit if it could work some of those features into it.
Also, were it not for THAT game, you would not have THIS game.
Little less bashing for your parent game, hmm? Less of the redheaded stepchild, please.
Occam's Razor makes the cutting clean.
DAMN YOU THUNDRAX! *waves fist*
Made me spit my coffee all over my pug Mr Marv.
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!
Babies To Fight Me
Tohohohohohohhohohohho
Champions Online: Be the hero you wish you could be in a better game.
Fixed that for you...and also...wut? Killer babies? @__@"
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!
Well 2 things i can correct u on that with. Number 1, i AM writing these off an android smartphone and 2, theres a cap on topic title length so i made it shorter that way.
doo doo doo....another one bites the dust
W3 shud up da difficulty lol txt bak
kthxbai...
can i haz ur stuff?!
Difficulty isn't the issue. It's having actual resources to do anything at all.
Which CO clearly doesn't.
If there had never been a COH there would never have been a CO. :cool:
But by the time I type all that out, I've swerved into oncoming traffic... and yes, I use my computer while driving, so the fudge what? :mad:
Champions Online: Be the hero you wish you could be in a better game.
This.
I think that they have made elite the 'normal' mode and normal is now for small children that have no idea what they are doing.
But without people to actually work on things, what is going to change?
Argue about what you think should be done if you want to, but the first argument to make is to convince Cryptic/PWE that they are going to have to take some of the money that people are spending in this game and put it back into this game in the form of work.
Work on the current systems and/or add new content, but do something.
Instead this game is left to wither on the vine while they work on Neverwinter.
I'd like to see you faceroll content in elite mode while using ATs.
I agree with the rest of your post though.
Seeing as freeforms are supposed to be the selling point of this game that's a pretty flawed arguement. If someone looking for a challenge has to not use what's supposed to be one of the best parts of the game to find that challenge then why would they play in the first place?
The lowest difficulty level would be intended for new, inexperienced freeform players, with terrible builds, played by people who just want to relax, have fun and beat up bad guys.
Then there would be a difficulty level intended for archetypes and freeforms built in line with developer expectations, as well as a few difficulty levels for players who want fights to be harder and players with optimised freeforms who want fights to be harder.
The second highest difficulty should be designed assuming that all users are experienced freeform powergamers, using high level, optimised, min-maxed builds, equipped with top of the line gear and devices, who want fights to be quick, lethal and brutal. Rather than giving enemies tons of health and slowing down the game, it might be better to focus on scaling up enemy damage and threat radius, so that challenge comes from taking out foes quickly and efficiently before their damage overwealms you.
The highest level of difficulty should be intended to kill players. This level of difficulty assumes nothing less than a full team of highly experienced level 40 min-maxers, each of who are not only using characters with the most powerful gear available, but who have designed their characters to work with the others. In short, the highest level of difficulty should be designed assuming players who have done everything, obtained everything, have formed a team designed for the sole purpose of playing at this level of difficulty and are willing to face frequent face-plants.
The highest 2 difficulty levels should not give better loot than the others (unless the loot really does provide a tiny, insignificant bonus). Indeed, anyone who needs better rewards to play on them probably doesn't belong on them.
As to whether it is more important to have content or difficulty, I think the answer depends on the amount of content we are talking about. Personally, I would gladly sacrifice something like vehicles, lockboxes, costumes, the nighthawk event or a new custom alert if it meant more difficulty options. After all, higher difficulty, especially that which requires people to play as a team, might give some people a reason to replay areas and be as benefically as new content.
If, however, the choice is between more difficulty options or a new reasonable-sized zone, a comic series or adventure pack, then I would chose new content.