test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Options
Poorly designed abilities
imobius
Member Posts: 111 Bounty Hunter
I like this game and i think it has alot of potential. But the more i play it, the more i see the flaws glaring at me.
I'm usually not one to just post about problems in games, because forums tend to be littered with them, often very biased. But at this point, it feels like its a big problem.
All abilities in this game are designed as individuals, not with consideration of other abilities.
Theres a lack of synergy between many Encounter Powers and setups. Its making some abilities stand out as the dominant ones, limiting any form of versatility this system would otherwise have had.
While i like the MOBA style action bars design, theres a reason MOBA games have select abilities for their classes.
Any form of synergy between the abilities in this game is a complete coincidence, or tied to class mechanics.
I'm hoping at some point a Diminishing Returns system will be implemented, wich will help with this problem (and many more) to some degree.
Considering a DR system will give players options to take Utility, Survivability and Damage Powers aswell as Control orientated ones. Instead of just focusing on Control, wich dominates at this point.
A Diminishing Returns system for both PvP and PvE will also fix problems like the lack of PvE viability for GFs/GWFs.
As it will limit the power of control effects. Meaning Tanking will actually be needed again, instead of just CCing everything into uselessness until its dead.
Either that or grant the chocies of Utility, Survivability, Damage, Mobility and Control on a different level, based on the Encounter Tray.
While you're at it, fix the garbage I-WIN-BUTTON daily powers.
I'm usually not one to just post about problems in games, because forums tend to be littered with them, often very biased. But at this point, it feels like its a big problem.
All abilities in this game are designed as individuals, not with consideration of other abilities.
Theres a lack of synergy between many Encounter Powers and setups. Its making some abilities stand out as the dominant ones, limiting any form of versatility this system would otherwise have had.
While i like the MOBA style action bars design, theres a reason MOBA games have select abilities for their classes.
Any form of synergy between the abilities in this game is a complete coincidence, or tied to class mechanics.
I'm hoping at some point a Diminishing Returns system will be implemented, wich will help with this problem (and many more) to some degree.
Considering a DR system will give players options to take Utility, Survivability and Damage Powers aswell as Control orientated ones. Instead of just focusing on Control, wich dominates at this point.
A Diminishing Returns system for both PvP and PvE will also fix problems like the lack of PvE viability for GFs/GWFs.
As it will limit the power of control effects. Meaning Tanking will actually be needed again, instead of just CCing everything into uselessness until its dead.
Either that or grant the chocies of Utility, Survivability, Damage, Mobility and Control on a different level, based on the Encounter Tray.
While you're at it, fix the garbage I-WIN-BUTTON daily powers.
Post edited by imobius on
0
Comments
Its not just about the I-WIN combos.
Its about having 12 available Encounter abilities, but being limited to use only 3.
Due to how the system works, those 12 abilities need to be both alternatives to others and/or combinations to others.
Unfortunately that isn't the case, because they aren't designed to do either. Everyone can come up with 12 abilities that suit a class. Its about the whole package and not the invidual abilities, or atleast it should be.
As strange as it may sound, but an attempt to give more choice and versatility in setups and alternative combinations, there need to limitations and factors that keep things streamlined.
Just throwing 12 abilities at people with no relevance to eachother and telling people to pick 3 is just asking for problems.
If there was a DR system, that would be an indirect limitation to the amount of Control abilities you would actually want to consider to use, and instead take a look at more utility, mobility, etc.
A more direct limitations would be to have set abilities for one of the Encounter Slots, choosing out of similar abilities, so Utility doesn't have to compete with damage or control Encounters.
Cleric is probably the most limited.
I'm not arguing that there aren't any alternatives.
The problem lies with the strenght of certain abilities, dominating over others. Making some very lackluster and others very powerful.
The only way to deal with problems like that is to cause synergy between abilities. Allowing for setups, not just individual choices for whichever is the best and strongest power.
In a "generic" MMO, classes tend to have access to the majority of their abilities and their class mechanics provide synergy between those abilities. The combat system here is anything but generic for MMOs.
That also requires some compensation. You can't just add a new system but keep the old mechanics and hope things work out.
While i agree CW have reasonable alternatives for PvE, thats also the only class that really does.
But the problem has the biggest impact on PvP.
Aside from the ability design, the implementation of a Diminishing Returns system would benefit every as much in PvP as it would in PvE. You're a 60 CW in T2, you should be well aware the power of your control abilities and that of rogues.
Smoke Bomb spamming and Singularity spamming is destroying the viability of GF and GWFs.
If CC was actually a choice and not a spammable mechanic, that would mean its more meaningful.
In addition, not being able to suspend all your foes in a clusterf*ck of crowd control for 2mins straight would also mean tanking is needed because otherwise mobs would go around f*cking people up. And GWF would be a good alternative because their AoE damage would be a stronger alternative because sh*t needs to die, since you can't continuously CC everything.
GF in 4E isn't your standard tank like in WoW, which is what most of the suggestions I've seen want him to be, because that is all people know, not having played other MMO's or D&D 4E. I don't want a GF to become like that, he should be crippling and punishing enemies who try to ignore him, and defending against and crushing those who are in his face. His mark should be applied by all of his attacks like it is in 4E tabletop. They haven't translated the marking mechanic well at all, in 4E it is pretty punishing without being a straight up "glue them to me" taunt like what is in WoW.
What Cryptic has translated correctly for the most part is CW and TR. DC shouldn't have self healing nerf, nor should they generate insane aggro. However aggro is a strictly MMO concept, so they have to be careful in their application of it to D&D classes and mechanics. But breaking what they got right will not fix the GWF or GF, and it is faulty logic to think that it will.
Not sure what class you are, but as a CW i've found some work great with others and others less so. There is synergy but most people look for the ones that do higher dps or are considered fad of the week.
Will you also accept diminishing returns for damage and healing or defense? Then you are a hypocrite for wanting it for control powers because you don't play that class. GF blocked too much against so and so, now the block nearly does nothing. Rogue damaged so and so too much, now he does almost no damage. Doesn't make much sense does it?
I'm not sure if you are talking all Dailies or just ones you get killed by all the time. They are far from an i-win button, but are considered to be the biggest and baddest powers you have. Which is why you only get two, and they build over time.
Funny, people complained in Wrath in WoW that all dungeons were AOE tanking with AOE damage, no CC needed, too easy. Now there is a NEED to CC, and people are complaining that there is too much CC. I'm guessing it's a case of your favorite class from other MMOs not feeling so special anymore and you want it changed.
1) there exists a nice combination that makes other setups less useful, and..
2) people are lazy and will copy off someone else who posted a nice build that has some sort of nice combo.
I have even seen games where 90% of the people were playing a cookie cutter build that was actually suboptimal because no one ever bothered to look closer for a better setup, and they even criticized me for my different build until we got to the damage meter report...
I firmly reject that there is one build that trumps them all in this game. I do not think we even know enough about the in depth mechanics to go there yet.