To start, I would like to warn all that this will be a long post. I have a lot of things to cover and I hope that I can cover them in a way that is concise as well as informative. To do this I will first bullet point the concepts, define and explain the problem as I see it, and then present the solution and reasons for said solution. Some thing may not be feasible but they are all doable.
Quality of life improvements
Tool tip rewrite for effect icons
Sort function for inventory
Rewrite of all NPC bios in the game
Review all costume pieces in sections to prepare for new Z-store items and glow
application.
Crafting redefining and expansion.
Gear break down to mods
Mod stack fusion system.
Expansion of Lairs to "Phase 2"
Soft introduction of Foundry elements and addition of new mission system
Supergroup Bases
The game has always had small issues that created large problems with a player connecting to the world of Champions. From understanding the significant of enemies to understanding and investing in the world. These suggestions are to aid the vet and the novice to engage in the world better and have ease at doing things.
Solutions:
Tool tip rewrite for effect icons
All buff/debuff icons rewritten to explain the effect when hovering over: the amount of damage that you take/debuff percentage and duration
Inventory Sort function
I when into this in another thread, and others have as well, with so many bags it is hard to find things. A ?sort by? function for gear device and mission items that works through out all bags will be a welcome addition to the game.
Rewrite of all NPC bios in the game
Introductions to individuals allow for the character of a society to be understood. In that way understanding who you are aiding or fighting against. City of did this well in establishing the connections of npcs to the world they inhabit and a player introduction to the attacks they have. To that effect, villains, and supervillans, and the groups they are afflicted with must have an origin established to invest. One that is accessible without having to claw it from the game with perks.
Review all costume pieces
A systematic review of all materials and the effect of glow on each color. This will be explained in the z-store section for new materials to purchase for costume parts. The first one would be a star system material.
Crafting redefining and Expansion.
Problem:
Crafting is now vestigial and while it has been streamlined and allows for greater gains in character power the effective gains and usage of the mechanics that aided use of the system: Crafting nodes and Crafting tables.
Gear break down to mods
Allow breakdown of unused gear into mods at crafting tables and allow skill up on breaking gear down again
Mod stack fusion system.
Fusion stacks of 25 that have the current percentages of failure to lose items.
Optional: the hire rank mod needs higher stacks to fuse to start with or not allow mass fusions of rank 8 and above to 10.
Expansion of Lairs to "Phase 2"
Problem:
Bases are an extension to the identity of a hero. That is where they formulate and where they go to recuperate. At present the lair system is fluff that does nothing but be a bank and a place to hang.
Solutions
Phase 2
"Phase 2" is a soft introduction to the foundry system that via an instance builder on a small scale. Phase 1 lairs, the ones we currently have, are used as tile sets that allow for customization of the bases. New tile sets for customization will be gained by Z-store purchases and ingame by way of a new mission system from the Mission computer in the base. This type of lair will be the foundation of supergroup bases.
New mission system
Mid and End game system. MPCD, PRIMUS, UNTIL, UNITY, and STARGUARD faction missions allow for the gaining of new base items mods gear, resources and questionite. Game play will be repeatable as well as link to a second expansion of the Foundry system by way of Crime Computer missions from the base.
Nemesis System expansion
Problem:
As Thundrax, and other have mentioned, The Nemesis system is woefully underutilized. Bugs and other poor characterization of a villains that are created by players don't work really well.
Solutions: Supergroup Cosmic enemies creation
Allow all super groups to create a defining evil to battle as a team. Gives a new unique identity to Supergroups and can be used as a Nemisis Rampage alert with unique areas of battle and expanded cosmic powersets.
Expanded Nemesis personalty system.
Borrowing this from Thundrax's Thread on the system More fine control of building an identity through action. More options introduced to crafted a more complete nemesis an their functions in the word so that not every body wants the same death ray.
Limited henchmen Costume customization
Customization of henchmen and expand to include become devices as henchmen types for paying and lifetime sub members. Allow them to be purchasable for silver players in the Z-store.
Nemesis group allegiance system
Part of the Supergroup Cosmic system. Some villains get along with one another some don't. Allow for a system to infight or align themselves in a shadow cabal of your supergroup. As individuals, the Nemeses will be able to align with existing villain groups for all new "clue missions."
So in closing, I have established new items in the Z-store (Tile sets, henchmen, materials and Phase 2 bases) Higher quality of life for players of all types, incentive to have a sub, and expanded on things to have more ripples and more endgame options. This to note that I may have not been fully explicit about: Phase one bases still work with the Missions. Free players can access a phase 2 base but cannot edit them at all. Mission computes in phase one bases all work like phase 2 bases.
Put the game offline for about a year, make a few inconsequential changes, reboot it as Champions Online: H.E.R.O Reborn.
I support this idea. They own the IP so they don't need permission from someone like CBS. The engine is pretty creaky compared to Neverwinter. They always said the age of the engine is what has been making implementing a Foundry nigh impossible.
Stop taking down the game all morning. Do your server work at 0300 so you are done by the time people with jobs are waking up. If someone needs to work in the afternoon chances are they will get no time in game before work because of your down time. Then after getting off work in the late evening they will likely get very little time before needing to go back to bed for the next day.
Simply put, your scheduled downtime is in a really bad window.
Stop taking down the game all morning. Do your server work at 0300 so you are done by the time people with jobs are waking up. If someone needs to work in the afternoon chances are they will get no time in game before work because of your down time. Then after getting off work in the late evening they will likely get very little time before needing to go back to bed for the next day.
Simply put, your scheduled downtime is in a really bad window.
For you. Not all jobs are 9-5, not to mention different time zones.
Stop taking down the game all morning. Do your server work at 0300 so you are done by the time people with jobs are waking up. If someone needs to work in the afternoon chances are they will get no time in game before work because of your down time. Then after getting off work in the late evening they will likely get very little time before needing to go back to bed for the next day.
Simply put, your scheduled downtime is in a really bad window.
Yes, because as we know everyone lives in the same time zone...
Stop taking down the game all morning. Do your server work at 0300 so you are done by the time people with jobs are waking up. If someone needs to work in the afternoon chances are they will get no time in game before work because of your down time. Then after getting off work in the late evening they will likely get very little time before needing to go back to bed for the next day.
Simply put, your scheduled downtime is in a really bad window.
Oh no, we might have to find something to do other than play Champions Online for a few hours....oooh oooh I know! let's go on the forums and complain about Champions Online instead!
I support this idea. They own the IP so they don't need permission from someone like CBS. The engine is pretty creaky compared to Neverwinter. They always said the age of the engine is what has been making implementing a Foundry nigh impossible.
Actually from what I understand it is asset tagging that would be the big hurdle and that the three versions of the Cryptic Engine (CO, STO, NWO) are kept in sync at major code changes.
This is my Risian Corvette. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
How would I increase CO's profitability and playerbase?
If you want to increase the player base, EXPAND THE DAMN GAME!
The permanent mission content in the game now is so stagnant it isn't even funny. New zones with new things to do need to be introduced. Right now the game has exactly two paths.
1: Run the same mission content you've done umpty bajillion times before.
2: Run alerts till you're sick of them.
And the endgame consists of "farm your *** off".
Yay...
All of these temporary events are great and fine and wonderful. Till they're turned off. Then they become yet more detritus on the trashheap this game has become.
Had CO been able to follow this plan from the get go, they'd have a thriving game even today.
This game has a lot to recommend it. But there's so many things broken or wrong with the game, and there's no way in hell PWE is going to invest the kinds of megabucks it'd take to fix it.
Unfortunately, this game is on life support, with PWE determined to squeeze every last cent from the playerbase with the absolute minimum of investment before it goes under.
How would i increase player base and profitability? Good question.
First idea is the most obvious.....advertise.
My second idea is .....transparency.
What do i mean by that you ask? Let player know whats the plan or even let them be a part of it. I don't mean just a simple post that gets buried in other news. I mean something always visible. I've seen a website called kickstarter recently and they have a good idea, come up with a product and have the public fund it and if they reach their goal they start getting into extra/stretch goals but the best part about it the public can see where the money is at all times till it ends.
Since the product(champions) is paid for, we are on the stretch goal(content) part and we don't have to worry about a time limit since there is only 1 product. Cryptic can add a webpage to the site or even in game. If its feasible, after the current stuff is off the list they can hold a poll for the next goal, like new custom alert/rampage/lair/comic series/zone/archtype. Of course maintenance would show up as priority every month on the chart. Also, where is this money coming from? Good news its already there. Its from bought zen transfers to champions and subs.
___________________________
Member of Society Of Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
In-game handle is @Xenoform101
How would i increase player base and profitability? Good question.
First idea is the most obvious.....advertise.
My second idea is .....transparency.
What do i mean by that you ask? Let player know whats the plan or even let them be a part of it. I don't mean just a simple post that gets buried in other news. I mean something always visible. I've seen a website called kickstarter recently and they had a good idea, come up with a product and have the public fund it and if they reach their goal they start getting into extra/stretch goals but the best part about it the public can see where the money is at all times till it ends.
Since the product(champions) is paid for we are on the stretch goal(content) part and we don't have to worry about a time limit since there is only 1 product. You can add a webpage to the site or even in game. If its feasible, after the current stuff is off the list you can hold a poll for the next goal, like new custom alert/rampage/lair/comic series/zone/archtype. Of course maintenace would show up as priority every month on the chart. Also where is this money coming from, good news its already there, from bought zen transfers to champions and subs.
We can't use Kickstarter. CO just doesn't qualify. That being said if Cryptic created it's own hybridized version for CO, and they set it up so that any funding recieved will be used ONLY for CO and we can see the amount of money invested, I think the rest of the above post has some real potential.
You know, after looking through all seventeen pages of this thread, I'd say the main way to increase CO's profitability and playerbase would be to actually respond to threads like these. The biggest problem CO faces right now is that there's no sense that the devs are really invested in making the game succeed- and if they're not invested, why would potential players want to invest their time and money into it?
You know, after looking through all seventeen pages of this thread, I'd say the main way to increase CO's profitability and playerbase would be to actually respond to threads like these. The biggest problem CO faces right now is that there's no sense that the devs are really invested in making the game succeed- and if they're not invested, why would potential players want to invest their time and money into it?
Damn straight. I mean, do they even know about my suggestions on alternate early-level questlines? If they do, any way for me to realize that they are aware of it?
So yeah, the one thing: communication. The players and the company should be capable of adressing to each other. The lack of interaction from the devs is disturbing.
Have to say, short of a real reply on yet another user thread trying to save this game, seems to be a waste of time when only the user base cares.
There should be enthusiasm and excitement about this game like what's being generated in the City of Titans kickstarter (have to admit I'm a backer). CO has such great potential (even given its "age") that I'm not sure even CoT will be able to surpass, but I'm excited about CoT because at least at this point, the "developers" and owners care.
Just not the same here, and even though I'm about to scream through my intestines about taking my fantastic characters and rerun the same old content for the millionth time, I'd do anything to get PWE/Cryptic to take the user base seriously, I have no hope that it will change until we stop paying altogether (I'm a gold subscriber) to which they may just close it.
Comments
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
To start, I would like to warn all that this will be a long post. I have a lot of things to cover and I hope that I can cover them in a way that is concise as well as informative. To do this I will first bullet point the concepts, define and explain the problem as I see it, and then present the solution and reasons for said solution. Some thing may not be feasible but they are all doable.
Sort function for inventory
Rewrite of all NPC bios in the game
Review all costume pieces in sections to prepare for new Z-store items and glow
application.
Mod stack fusion system.
Supergroup Bases
Nemesis System expansion
Expanded Nemesis personalty system.
Limited henchmen Costume customization.
Nemesis group allegiance system.
Problem:
Solutions:
Problem:
Optional: the hire rank mod needs higher stacks to fuse to start with or not allow mass fusions of rank 8 and above to 10.
Problem:
Solutions
Phase 2
Problem:
Solutions:
Supergroup Cosmic enemies creation
Expanded Nemesis personalty system.
Limited henchmen Costume customization
Nemesis group allegiance system
So in closing, I have established new items in the Z-store (Tile sets, henchmen, materials and Phase 2 bases) Higher quality of life for players of all types, incentive to have a sub, and expanded on things to have more ripples and more endgame options. This to note that I may have not been fully explicit about: Phase one bases still work with the Missions. Free players can access a phase 2 base but cannot edit them at all. Mission computes in phase one bases all work like phase 2 bases.
Put the game offline for about a year, make a few inconsequential changes, reboot it as Champions Online: H.E.R.O Reborn.
@X-Hero Game Overed.
LOL, that's cold blooded.
My Amazon author page
How to build a freeform character...the Kenpo way
Demon Keypo's Building Guide
Freeform Builds Directory (Last updated: 04/23/2016)
Serving since September, 2009 / 65 Characters, 63 Level 40's
I support this idea. They own the IP so they don't need permission from someone like CBS. The engine is pretty creaky compared to Neverwinter. They always said the age of the engine is what has been making implementing a Foundry nigh impossible.
Wait? Whaaaa..?
Simply put, your scheduled downtime is in a really bad window.
For you. Not all jobs are 9-5, not to mention different time zones.
Yes, because as we know everyone lives in the same time zone...
My Amazon author page
How to build a freeform character...the Kenpo way
Demon Keypo's Building Guide
Freeform Builds Directory (Last updated: 04/23/2016)
Serving since September, 2009 / 65 Characters, 63 Level 40's
Oh no, we might have to find something to do other than play Champions Online for a few hours....oooh oooh I know! let's go on the forums and complain about Champions Online instead!
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
Actually from what I understand it is asset tagging that would be the big hurdle and that the three versions of the Cryptic Engine (CO, STO, NWO) are kept in sync at major code changes.
And yet the CO character models still start with "Rob Liefeld" as the default...
Wait? Whaaaa..?
are we still being constructive or is it devolved to angst?
If you want to increase the player base, EXPAND THE DAMN GAME!
The permanent mission content in the game now is so stagnant it isn't even funny. New zones with new things to do need to be introduced. Right now the game has exactly two paths.
1: Run the same mission content you've done umpty bajillion times before.
2: Run alerts till you're sick of them.
And the endgame consists of "farm your *** off".
Yay...
All of these temporary events are great and fine and wonderful. Till they're turned off. Then they become yet more detritus on the trashheap this game has become.
Had CO been able to follow this plan from the get go, they'd have a thriving game even today.
This game has a lot to recommend it. But there's so many things broken or wrong with the game, and there's no way in hell PWE is going to invest the kinds of megabucks it'd take to fix it.
Unfortunately, this game is on life support, with PWE determined to squeeze every last cent from the playerbase with the absolute minimum of investment before it goes under.
"Champions-Online and Star Trek Online contained hundreds of hours of mediocre content!"
and "nothing was polished".
--Jack Emmert
First idea is the most obvious.....advertise.
My second idea is .....transparency.
What do i mean by that you ask? Let player know whats the plan or even let them be a part of it. I don't mean just a simple post that gets buried in other news. I mean something always visible. I've seen a website called kickstarter recently and they have a good idea, come up with a product and have the public fund it and if they reach their goal they start getting into extra/stretch goals but the best part about it the public can see where the money is at all times till it ends.
Since the product(champions) is paid for, we are on the stretch goal(content) part and we don't have to worry about a time limit since there is only 1 product. Cryptic can add a webpage to the site or even in game. If its feasible, after the current stuff is off the list they can hold a poll for the next goal, like new custom alert/rampage/lair/comic series/zone/archtype. Of course maintenance would show up as priority every month on the chart. Also, where is this money coming from? Good news its already there. Its from bought zen transfers to champions and subs.
Member of Society Of Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
In-game handle is @Xenoform101
Check out the Community-Designed Hero, my Costume Gallery and my
Game Suggestion Thread.
We can't use Kickstarter. CO just doesn't qualify. That being said if Cryptic created it's own hybridized version for CO, and they set it up so that any funding recieved will be used ONLY for CO and we can see the amount of money invested, I think the rest of the above post has some real potential.
Member of Society Of Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
In-game handle is @Xenoform101
Check out the Community-Designed Hero, my Costume Gallery and my
Game Suggestion Thread.
They can use all the e-mail addresses they have farmed and get poll responses.
% of x people responding to e-mail want a, b, c ,d
Then break it down to what is most feasible in short time frames and ask again.
They can push out some emails that end in : do you have any other suggestions to improve the game, or bring you back to the game? and get more data.
Then ping back those e-mails as new content arrives. "Your wanted A and you got D! yay come play!"
Damn straight. I mean, do they even know about my suggestions on alternate early-level questlines? If they do, any way for me to realize that they are aware of it?
So yeah, the one thing: communication. The players and the company should be capable of adressing to each other. The lack of interaction from the devs is disturbing.
Wicks and Things: NW-DI4FMZRR4 : The Fenwick merchant family has lost a caravan! Can you help?
Beggar's Hollow: NW-DR6YG4J2L : Someone, or something, has stolen away many of the Fenwicks' children! Can you find out what happened to them?
Into the Fen Wood: NW-DL89DRG7B : Enter the heart of the forest. Can you discover the secret of the Fen Wood?
You can never be greedy when it comes to socializing.
There should be enthusiasm and excitement about this game like what's being generated in the City of Titans kickstarter (have to admit I'm a backer). CO has such great potential (even given its "age") that I'm not sure even CoT will be able to surpass, but I'm excited about CoT because at least at this point, the "developers" and owners care.
Just not the same here, and even though I'm about to scream through my intestines about taking my fantastic characters and rerun the same old content for the millionth time, I'd do anything to get PWE/Cryptic to take the user base seriously, I have no hope that it will change until we stop paying altogether (I'm a gold subscriber) to which they may just close it.
I wish it were different but hey, we can dream.