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Mod 17: The good and, well.. the rest

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  • regenerderegenerde Member Posts: 3,047 Arc User
    Well, with the latest Preview server version installed, can we just copy the updated /Playtest/piggs files into the /Live/piggs folder to avoid downloading the biggest portion of the new module today?
    I do believe in killing the messenger...
    Want to know why?
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  • sandukutupusandukutupu Member Posts: 2,285 Arc User
    regenerde said:

    Well, with the latest Preview server version installed, can we just copy the updated /Playtest/piggs files into the /Live/piggs folder to avoid downloading the biggest portion of the new module today?

    This is a very solid option for people with a slow internet connection who have recently played on Preview. Data transfer over the network will always take longer than moving files. I imagine the size will be 3 or 4 GB at most but if I see it is larger than that, I might move my files as well.
    wb-cenders.gif
  • micky1p00micky1p00 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 3,594 Arc User
    regenerde said:

    Well, with the latest Preview server version installed, can we just copy the updated /Playtest/piggs files into the /Live/piggs folder to avoid downloading the biggest portion of the new module today?

    You do not need to copy manually, the launcher looks for installed preview / owl builds and copies whatever it can from there. Also works when patching any of the preview shards, the launcher will look for relevant files from live/other installed version to minimize downloads.
  • regenerderegenerde Member Posts: 3,047 Arc User
    micky1p00 said:

    regenerde said:

    Well, with the latest Preview server version installed, can we just copy the updated /Playtest/piggs files into the /Live/piggs folder to avoid downloading the biggest portion of the new module today?

    You do not need to copy manually, the launcher looks for installed preview / owl builds and copies whatever it can from there. Also works when patching any of the preview shards, the launcher will look for relevant files from live/other installed version to minimize downloads.
    Is that something that was changed recently? I think i had to do some file moving for Undermountain, or it would have tried to download the whole module update again... but it worked with Uprising this time, so thank you.
    I do believe in killing the messenger...
    Want to know why?
    Because it sends a message!
  • pitshadepitshade Member Posts: 5,665 Arc User
    I still like to manually copy the Preview folder before work and rename the copy to Live, add my local data and when I get home, there is nothing to copy ir download. I start the launcher and go in as if nothing changed.
    "We have always been at war with Dread Vault" ~ Little Brother
  • kemnimtarkaskemnimtarkas Member Posts: 838 Arc User
    The story for M17 is so paper thin - I had great hope of a new direction (and environment) for the game with this expansion...but it's just M16b by another name.

    Same look/feel as M16, new race but nothing else really. No real story to work through, just grinding on another set of Expedtions, that lead to still other Expeditions, that lead to yet OTHER Expeditions.

    This is just an excuse to re-use the existing M16 assets for a new grindfest. While it's maybe cool to play with the new race, and the Appearance tab functionality - what's the point? The RPG elements are soooo lackluster.

  • silence1xsilence1x Member Posts: 1,503 Arc User
    I say this with no animosity whatsoever - Mod 17 is just to setup ToMM. It's for the top % of the population. No problem for me. Keep the difficulty as it is. I'm sure I'll run ToMM some day. Hopefully, Mod 18 will give more of us regular people things to do.
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  • regenerderegenerde Member Posts: 3,047 Arc User
    edited August 2019
    Well, there was
    Non-augment companions now deal more damage.
    in the Uprising patch notes, and i hoped that at least some companions would be a bit more usefull from now on, but after playing around a while with different ones, i can't say that i'm seeing any improvement here.

    And with the nerfs handed down on healers, i doubt that "healer" companions are going to get any improvement either.
    Post edited by regenerde on
    I do believe in killing the messenger...
    Want to know why?
    Because it sends a message!
  • thefiresidecatthefiresidecat Member Posts: 4,486 Arc User
    edited August 2019
    regenerde said:

    Well, there was
    Non-augment companions now deal more damage.
    in the Uprising patch notes, and i hoped that at least some companions would be a bit more usefull from now on, but after playing around a while with different ones, i can't say that i'm seeing any improvement here.

    And with the nerfs handed down on healers, i doubt that "healer" companions are going to get any improvement either.

    the comp doesn't need to do a ton of damage a little is better than none and regular comps give more stats now. I don't know where it is exactly on rankings but just playing around it seems at least as good as if not better than augments. plus some comps still have helpful powers. edit: I just put one in at trade of blades and let it wack at a dummy. I"m not displeased with the damage it's doing. not sure what you expect of your comps? that looks like helpful damage to me.
  • regenerderegenerde Member Posts: 3,047 Arc User
    edited August 2019

    regenerde said:

    Well, there was
    Non-augment companions now deal more damage.
    in the Uprising patch notes, and i hoped that at least some companions would be a bit more usefull from now on, but after playing around a while with different ones, i can't say that i'm seeing any improvement here.

    And with the nerfs handed down on healers, i doubt that "healer" companions are going to get any improvement either.

    the comp doesn't need to do a ton of damage a little is better than none and regular comps give more stats now. I don't know where it is exactly on rankings but just playing around it seems at least as good as if not better than augments. plus some comps still have helpful powers. edit: I just put one in at trade of blades and let it wack at a dummy. I"m not displeased with the damage it's doing. not sure what you expect of your comps? that looks like helpful damage to me.
    Considering that most of their attacks still have high cooldowns, and that they still react slow and tend to draw in more enemies to an ongoing fight, i would expect from epic companions to deal at least similar damage as regular level 80 enemies do.

    And from what i've seen during a quick test at a Target Dummy in Dread Ring with several different epic companions they're far away from that, even those level 70 Rotter at the Vanguard Camp entrances seem to deal more damage...
    Hell, an epic Lillend should attack every 7s with Audio Drain, but after a while it just stopped and stood right next to my character doing nothing at all.

    Edit: 3x R9 Bonding Runestones, 2x IL 882 1x IL 861 companion equipment, 6x R8 Empowered Runestones

    Some more quick testing in the Catacombs/Well's End, Vistani Wanderer and Black Ice Prospector, both epic level 35 "Fighters", and while the Prospector finished a whole group of spiders rather quickly, the Vistani was poking around for some time to get even one spider down. That would explain why the price for the Twisted Scroll and the Prospector has gone up this much after the latest patches.

    So, it looks like it's all about having the right active companion by your side...
    Post edited by regenerde on
    I do believe in killing the messenger...
    Want to know why?
    Because it sends a message!
  • sandukutupusandukutupu Member Posts: 2,285 Arc User

    Module 17 - Stardock

    Pros
    • Fashion & Dye system overhauled - Great job and probably the best part about this module.
    • Some ground textures improved in Protector's Enclave
    • Some NPCs relocated in Protector's Enclave to utilize space better.
    • New race added (Gith)
    • New mission hub added (Stardock)
    Cons
    • New Gith race is lack luster on appearance and racial abilities.
    • Presentation of Gith (free 2 weeks to VIP, free 2 weeks to non-VIP, paid with bundle there after) makes little sense.
    • New Stardock hub has nothing to do with location, other than returning to Undermountain for more questing.
    • No boon points, thin content, and required to finish mod16 makes this closer to mod 16 part 2 than a full module.
    At this point in time, it is hard to say if they plan to expand Stardock any further. For example, I don't expect Spelljammers to show up in the Zen Store soon. This has the feeling it is a done deal and module 18 and future mods will be about something "elsewhere". Cryptic has shown no desire to return to any module and finish what they started. The only campaign with an actual end story is Maze Engine: Mantol-Derith with the defeat of Baphomet. However the end scene eluded they planned to make Out of the Abyss with Vizeran DeVir or something to that outcome, but never did. At present, the Stardock hub seems likely to be of no future use beyond this point.
    wb-cenders.gif
  • thefiresidecatthefiresidecat Member Posts: 4,486 Arc User
    regenerde said:

    regenerde said:

    Well, there was
    Non-augment companions now deal more damage.
    in the Uprising patch notes, and i hoped that at least some companions would be a bit more usefull from now on, but after playing around a while with different ones, i can't say that i'm seeing any improvement here.

    And with the nerfs handed down on healers, i doubt that "healer" companions are going to get any improvement either.

    the comp doesn't need to do a ton of damage a little is better than none and regular comps give more stats now. I don't know where it is exactly on rankings but just playing around it seems at least as good as if not better than augments. plus some comps still have helpful powers. edit: I just put one in at trade of blades and let it wack at a dummy. I"m not displeased with the damage it's doing. not sure what you expect of your comps? that looks like helpful damage to me.
    Considering that most of their attacks still have high cooldowns, and that they still react slow and tend to draw in more enemies to an ongoing fight, i would expect from epic companions to deal at least similar damage as regular level 80 enemies do.

    And from what i've seen during a quick test at a Target Dummy in Dread Ring with several different epic companions they're far away from that, even those level 70 Rotter at the Vanguard Camp entrances seem to deal more damage...
    Hell, an epic Lillend should attack every 7s with Audio Drain, but after a while it just stopped and stood right next to my character doing nothing at all.

    Edit: 3x R9 Bonding Runestones, 2x IL 882 1x IL 861 companion equipment, 6x R8 Empowered Runestones

    Some more quick testing in the Catacombs/Well's End, Vistani Wanderer and Black Ice Prospector, both epic level 35 "Fighters", and while the Prospector finished a whole group of spiders rather quickly, the Vistani was poking around for some time to get even one spider down. That would explain why the price for the Twisted Scroll and the Prospector has gone up this much after the latest patches.

    So, it looks like it's all about having the right active companion by your side...

    well yeah lillend is a leader not a fighter yeah? not gonna do a ton of damage. the level of the gear on her matters too. don't expect a healing comp to do much damage.
  • klangeddinklangeddin Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 882 Arc User
    Yet another "skeleton content" mod, le sigh.
    At least it has some good features and bugfixes.
  • mebengalsfan#9264 mebengalsfan Member Posts: 3,169 Arc User

    I love neverwinter community so much, like they killed PvP and whenever someth is said about PvP they will post in those threads to kill it further, now in PvE they do not like harder Dungeons, not only that they are labelling other PvErs as the 5%, the elitism etc. So these are my conclusion that i can take from all of this experience, is that Developers if they want to have a succesfull game they should stop listening to these majority of people and listen only to the 5% of PvErs and 5% of PvPers.. it all makes sense.. can you do that Cryptic? We are tired of your quests and guaranteed drops from vendor, let us struggle and work for our rewards

    That would be bad for the game long term and here is why. Casual players generate as much if not more revenue. Other companies that analyzed players spending money on a game found that the average casual players spends just as much as a hard core player. In fact, the casual player total contribution to the game is higher do to more players being casual than hard core.

    Speaking of casual, some of them later on become the elite/hard core players seeking harder content, so games need to be designed to draw casual players in with easier and fun content. Over time having some harder content is ok to ensure that the players who are hard core or became hard core stick around. If all content was designed only for hard coreplayers from the get go, many players wouldn't stick around in the first place and by now NWO would be shut down.

    The other thing for me with NWO is that this game has a pay to advance model which is great for the casual/hard core player wishing to play catch up to the ones that grind out everything.

  • regenerderegenerde Member Posts: 3,047 Arc User
    edited August 2019

    regenerde said:

    regenerde said:

    Well, there was
    Non-augment companions now deal more damage.
    in the Uprising patch notes, and i hoped that at least some companions would be a bit more usefull from now on, but after playing around a while with different ones, i can't say that i'm seeing any improvement here.

    And with the nerfs handed down on healers, i doubt that "healer" companions are going to get any improvement either.

    the comp doesn't need to do a ton of damage a little is better than none and regular comps give more stats now. I don't know where it is exactly on rankings but just playing around it seems at least as good as if not better than augments. plus some comps still have helpful powers. edit: I just put one in at trade of blades and let it wack at a dummy. I"m not displeased with the damage it's doing. not sure what you expect of your comps? that looks like helpful damage to me.
    Considering that most of their attacks still have high cooldowns, and that they still react slow and tend to draw in more enemies to an ongoing fight, i would expect from epic companions to deal at least similar damage as regular level 80 enemies do.

    And from what i've seen during a quick test at a Target Dummy in Dread Ring with several different epic companions they're far away from that, even those level 70 Rotter at the Vanguard Camp entrances seem to deal more damage...
    Hell, an epic Lillend should attack every 7s with Audio Drain, but after a while it just stopped and stood right next to my character doing nothing at all.

    Edit: 3x R9 Bonding Runestones, 2x IL 882 1x IL 861 companion equipment, 6x R8 Empowered Runestones

    Some more quick testing in the Catacombs/Well's End, Vistani Wanderer and Black Ice Prospector, both epic level 35 "Fighters", and while the Prospector finished a whole group of spiders rather quickly, the Vistani was poking around for some time to get even one spider down. That would explain why the price for the Twisted Scroll and the Prospector has gone up this much after the latest patches.

    So, it looks like it's all about having the right active companion by your side...
    well yeah lillend is a leader not a fighter yeah? not gonna do a ton of damage. the level of the gear on her matters too. don't expect a healing comp to do much damage.
    You seem to be missing the point here, another example is that a level 20 uncommon Neverember Guard Archer is dealing more damage per hit then the epic level 35 Vistani Wanderer i mentioned above, and even an epic level 35 Faithfull Initiate or an Alchemistic Experimenter (both "healer" companions) don't just stop and stand around admiring the landscape instead of using their attack abilities.

    So, something isn't adding up here, companions are still far from being in a "good place" even after this rather confusing and inconsistent update.

    Oh well, perhaps now is the time for grabbing a Stalwart Golden Lion before their price goes through the roof again.
    Post edited by regenerde on
    I do believe in killing the messenger...
    Want to know why?
    Because it sends a message!
  • meiramimeirami Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 423 Arc User
    edited August 2019
    The new Appearance system is fantastic. Can't say enough nice things about it.

    As for the cons, well, they are mainly all the awful design choices from Mod16 that plague my two favorite classes: the slumberingly slow, geriatric Arbiter playstyle (gone from a fast caster to a class well-suited to Zootopia sloths) and the overall abandoned state of warlocks. Sigh.
  • lordnagy#1603 lordnagy Member Posts: 177 Arc User
    > @meirami said:
    > The new Appearance system is fantastic. Can't say enough nice things about it.
    >
    > As for the cons, well, they are mainly all the awful design choices from Mod16 that plague my two favorite classes: the slumberingly slow, geriatric Arbiter playstyle (gone from a fast caster to a class well-suited to Zootopia sloths) and the overall abandoned state of warlocks. Sigh.

    Really? Because I dominate on my Arbiter. What you described sounds like my lumbering Pally...
  • lordnagy#1603 lordnagy Member Posts: 177 Arc User
    > @sandukutupu said:
    > I jumped on preview and my rogue has no pants. She should be seen with Vistani but they are invisible? The Jack-o-liar mask is "obsolete"? Also how do I get to Stardock? Is this another no brainer like the letter on the table thing?
    >
    > What I find interesting is the incredible apathy for Preview. I asked in zone chat and it seems less than 1% even care to download and play test on preview as if it was work or something. This is why so many glitches and issues get over looked and then we end up eating shaving-creme sandwich. I would like to see 10% or more on Preview but can't make the horse drink the water.

    You’re correct about preview. I play on it for a bit, report bugs and tweaks that could be made but here’s the problem:

    1) I’m not being paid as a tester.

    2) As a free tester, my input is normally cast aside because there is a “ plan” in place.

    All you need is to see the state of the SW, well reported. And a healing nerf because the best players in the game can crush dungeons..so it must be too easy, let’s crush healing.

    Meanwhile, Clarence the Cleric is having a harder time healing in CN because he’s just an average player.
  • meiramimeirami Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 423 Arc User

    Really? Because I dominate on my Arbiter. What you described sounds like my lumbering Pally...

    Yup, I had much more fun lightning chaining attacks pre-mod16 than going rhythmically back and forth between Daunting Light and Forgemaster's. There's a forced little cooldown even when we have enough divinity to instantly recast, which makes the tempo different and unfortunately slower than the previous iteration of Cleric. Sigh.

    I can't speak for the Pally, though, since I don't play that class.
  • hustin1hustin1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 3,464 Arc User
    I find the new mod confusing. There's no way to track progress and little clue as to what to do. We get these little rod fragments and no indication as to what to do with them.

    No way this is a mod 17. It's 16b at best.
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  • callumf#9018 callumf Member Posts: 1,710 Arc User
    hustin1 said:

    I find the new mod confusing. There's no way to track progress and little clue as to what to do. We get these little rod fragments and no indication as to what to do with them.

    No way this is a mod 17. It's 16b at best.

    Spot on.

    I genuinely cant see the point of this mod other than to introduce ToMM?
  • sandukutupusandukutupu Member Posts: 2,285 Arc User

    hustin1 said:

    I find the new mod confusing. There's no way to track progress and little clue as to what to do. We get these little rod fragments and no indication as to what to do with them.

    No way this is a mod 17. It's 16b at best.

    Spot on.

    I genuinely cant see the point of this mod other than to introduce ToMM?
    wb-cenders.gif
  • adinosiiadinosii Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 4,294 Arc User

    I genuinely cant see the point of this mod other than to introduce ToMM?

    Well...there are some QoL changes - being able to unlock dye colors just once and never have to worry about them again is a big one for me. Being able to store transformation items in a library is nice.... althoughthere is one huge design flaw, which I have posted about before, freeing up a large number of bank slots is much appreciated.

    Other than that....nah. This also means that Mod 16B ... eh..."17", is not very relevant for most players, as ToMM is pure BiE endgame content.

    Hoping for improvements...
  • callumf#9018 callumf Member Posts: 1,710 Arc User
    adinosii said:

    I genuinely cant see the point of this mod other than to introduce ToMM?

    Well...there are some QoL changes - being able to unlock dye colors just once and never have to worry about them again is a big one for me. Being able to store transformation items in a library is nice.... althoughthere is one huge design flaw, which I have posted about before, freeing up a large number of bank slots is much appreciated.

    Other than that....nah. This also means that Mod 16B ... eh..."17", is not very relevant for most players, as ToMM is pure BiE endgame content.

    Yeah agreed. Its hardly up to the standards of Barovia is it? Or River District or even Chult.
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 117 Arc User
    I didn't really like Barovia though....
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
  • wylonuswylonus Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 2,376 Arc User
    hey news flash to devs, i was in pug and saw they kick out the healer for being slow and healing are too low to keep up. then i leave that pug that expecting too much. so sad.
  • sandukutupusandukutupu Member Posts: 2,285 Arc User

    I didn't really like Barovia though....

    Really? That is the best module they have made in years. I am not a big fan of Chult but I suppose there are some people who like dinos as much as I like vamps.
    wb-cenders.gif
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 117 Arc User

    I didn't really like Barovia though....

    Really? That is the best module they have made in years. I am not a big fan of Chult but I suppose there are some people who like dinos as much as I like vamps.
    as a zone it's fine... just boring to me. The gear is... more or less the same as primal but a tiny bit bigger stats. meh.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
  • pitshadepitshade Member Posts: 5,665 Arc User
    Barovia looked very nice but the content all seemed unfinished. It also had all of the pointless ambush mobs, which were placed to be nearly unavoidable, yet players could just ride past, leading to more mob trains than any module before or since. Night Terror was interesting at first but got stale quickly, and led to players AFKing at campfires all night. And... I've always thought werewolves were lame. With all of the stupid knocks and prones, they really just annoyed me.
    "We have always been at war with Dread Vault" ~ Little Brother
  • regenerderegenerde Member Posts: 3,047 Arc User
    edited August 2019
    Well, nothing like fighting some golem on a mushroom for the daily Stardock quest, then catching the usual knockdown with roundhouse kick in the face sending my character flying halfway across the map, which of course resets the bloody thing back to full health, just another darn dance that has to be done one more time with "feeling"... :angry:
    Post edited by regenerde on
    I do believe in killing the messenger...
    Want to know why?
    Because it sends a message!
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