Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere.
We've been talking about "Gear" and "Enhancements" and "Boosts". I have every confidence that our Friendly Neighborhood Devs will sort that out.
However, for me, one of the things that set CoH apart was the randomly dropped, one-shot "Inspirations" that gave you the temporary spike to damage/endurance/healing, etc. I remember these helping turn the tide in some battles, and it was great to be able to gift a "wakie" to a teammate if they were knocked out. (Granted, this was mainly handy at lower levels, but with all our alts, weren't we always running lower level toons part of the time?)
They didn't change the fundamental way your character worked and they were of extremely short duration. BUT, you didn't have to chase glowie balls around the room, competing with your teammates. You could buy them from vendors for cheap, and stock up on certain ones for particular battles if your character was a teensy bit weak in one way or another.
I think a spirtual successor would be sorely lacking if this mechanic, or something like it, were not present. So, will there be a similar deal in Titans? Has this been asked and answered already? Again, sorry if it has, but I haven't seen it.
I think from a game mechanics perspective, inspirations and their family of items will be a great piece to have in CoT. Whether you wanna call it a respite, a scroll of cure light wounds, a minor health potion, they all share the same mechanic concepts: 1-shot self heal.
I really liked that they expanded this to include CC protection, bonus "armor" (resistances) bonus "dodge" (defense), and the like (and probably irritate some correlating CoH mechanics to a D20 system, sorry, the shoe fits). and MY GODS awakens have yet to be implemented in a fantasy potion game that has been a sore thumb I've missed so much!
[i]“The story so far: In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.” -Douglas Adams[/i]
Oh, yes please to insps a la CoX!
And please, no global cooldown like some other games that allow you to use only one in a given time period.
Spurn all ye kindle.
[i](cringes)[/i] I would like to see cooldowns and/or some other limiting factors if they do make an appearance.
I'm with Cinnder. I liked being able to use as many inspirations as I had in my tray as quickly as I received them. Not saying I always used them, because sometimes I completely forgot I even had an inspiration tray! However, if they are going to be implemented in the game then I'd like for them to be treated in a similar fashion to CoH.
I got chills! They're multiplyin'. And I'm losin' control. Cuz the power, I'm supplyin'. Why it's ELECTRIFYIN'!!
we call them reserves, as that is ultīmately what they aré, your fallback, your reserve. a few tweaks to make thēm fit with the power model, but otherwise, how can you improve upon perfēction?
Technical Director
Read enough Facebook and you have to make Sanity Checks. I guess FB is the Great Old One of the interent these days... - Beamrider
The limiting factor in CoH was the size of the tray. It started with only three and maxed out at 15 (I think) later in the game. The biggest abuse of the system I am aware of was popping three lucks (DEF buffs) which would let most alts solo most elite bosses with a good chance of success.
-----------------------------------------
I never set anything on fire accidentally!
The Titan Legacy - Defender of the Inner Flame
Let's avoid seeing something along the lines of [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0Gx8hYi0hQ]this[/url] every fight.
Hilarious.
______________
IANAL, IMHO, WYSIWYG, YMMV, IIRC, AFAIK, ETC
[color=#ff0000]Composition Assistant Director, Composition Team[/color]
[img]http://missingworldsmedia.com/images/favicon.ico[/img]
LOL -- very good!
Avoided, in a way, by the fact that insps/reserves are not a physical thing, so your character is not performing a physical action when using them.
EDIT: Also, syntaxerror makes a good, more practical point.
Spurn all ye kindle.
Perhaps if there was some sort of DR that made 3 defs popped at once equate to a tier 3 def insp then it would effectively take 9 defs to do the same thing, and then that's more than half the coh reserve.... could be a better balancing mechanic than JUST size of tray. I remember quite often myself outright abusing the system of insp and popping a row or 2 to damage cap with a BU+AIM and a nuke... sure it made me feel super, but it felt cheesed at the same time.
that potion overdose vid is awesome. I'm totally picturing that now when I raid in WoW!!
[i]“The story so far: In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.” -Douglas Adams[/i]
There's a reason that inspirations got the nickname Skittles.
I agree that it is great to have reserves to get my butt out of the fire. It's not so great if they can become a kind of cheat code for god mode.
- - - - -
[font=Pristina][size=18][b]Hail Beard![/b][/size][/font]
Support [url=http://cityoftitans.com/comment/52149#comment-52149]trap clowns[/url] for CoT!
I think Inspirations should not have a cooldown timer, and they should be stored in a limited storage "belt" or tray or whatever, but I think, to avoid the "God mode" problem, they should not stack with themselves. That is, instead of eating 3 defense insps and getting triple the effect of a single one, you get no benefit beyond the first. Same for damage ones, resistance ones, etc. The healing ones maybe need to be stackable, since they're by definition just ablative hit points. Or you could not have instant heal insps and instead do something else, like an insp that causes your regen rate to accelerate but doesn't actually heal you immediately. I think the only way to get additional "inspiration power" should be to eat a better single insp, not just pop a bunch of little ones.
R.S.O. of Phoenix Rising
I concur that that they shouldn't fundamentally alter a character's capabilities or how they are played. A limited tray is one good way. (but I could see being able to "buy" a slightly larger tray as a good commodity, just not TOO big)
Additionally, I'd propose that you could combine them somehow (maybe at a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio) to get a higher tier "reserve", but you can only do that operation out of combat. Also, they don't stack. You can't burn all your +1 Damage at once to get a +10. So, yeah, I guess that means a cool down, but only for the duration of that type. So, you can fire them one right after another. And you can fire any combinations of other types simultaneously, subject to the same rule.
Heals might be the exception because they don't have an "effect duration", You're just re-filling a finite bucket. So it wouldn't matter if you use them all at once, you can't go above your HP max. Or, if you wanted it to mirror the other types, instead of it dumping a set number of points on you, it accelerates your healing so that it adds points over a very short time, instead of all at once.
While I'm at it, here's a list of some of the types of things I'd like to see as "reserves".
Damage
Defense
Endurance (Assuming this is a part of the system we're using)
Health
Accuracy
Luck (a small increase to all stats/rolls?)
Speed (working like CoH's 'Hasten', slight increase to movement, quicker cool-downs)
There may be others that would be useful depending on how the combat system works.
Oh, and a special thanks to Dr.T for the info, and K9T just for being cute and taking an interest. :D
Now someone is going to have to create a mash-up of
[img=480x640]https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets/001/002/211/d403f24f5fef7f1ed09dfc2493bffaef_large.jpg?1381288986[/img]
and
[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/blogs.blackvoices.com/media/2010/06/mr-t-thumb-400xauto-10209.jpg[/img]
- - - - -
[font=Pristina][size=18][b]Hail Beard![/b][/size][/font]
Support [url=http://cityoftitans.com/comment/52149#comment-52149]trap clowns[/url] for CoT!
You missed mez breaking/protection (break free), that was quite essential to carry around for squishes in CoH. I like the speed one quite a bit, I thought that could have been an interesting one to have in CoH, especially in low levels.
-----------------------------------------
I never set anything on fire accidentally!
The Titan Legacy - Defender of the Inner Flame
I like this idea. Perhaps, at most, a second reserve of the same type (other than instant heals) should extend the duration of the effect; so that if you're expecting a long fight you can prepare in advance. I would expect limits on carrying reserves in general inventory in this case, so that people don't activate their reserves and then reload the tray before going into a fight. Maybe diminishing returns on the duration based on how much of the previous reserve's duration is left?
I'd like to see both instant heals and Healing-Over-Time, tweaked so that there are times when each is better to use than the other. Just because, more options ^_^
Foradain, Mage of Phoenix Rising.
[url=https://cityoftitans.com/forum/foradains-character-conclave]Foradain's Character Conclave[/url]
.
Avatar courtesy of [s]Satellite9[/s] [url=https://www.instagram.com/irezoomie/]Irezoomie[/url]
Having the inspirations in their own strictly limited storage tray was what made Inspirations work in CoH as a 'burn however many you want as fast as you want' item. In SWTOR, for example, medpacs are just another inventory item, and a [i]stacking[/i] inventory item at that -- you can have up to 20 medpacs in each inventory slot, so it's possible to be walking around with [b]hundreds[/b] of medpacs in your inventory, and one of the crafting skills characters can learn lets you make [i]reusable[/i] medpacs. If the game didn't apply a cooldown on medpacs, the game would quickly devolve into a pay-to-win situation -- all you'd need to do is keep buying enough medpacs between battles, and pop them like candy during fights to keep your character alive. With CoH, you [i]couldn't[/i] stock enough inspirations to do that. Preserving that limit on being able to amp your character will retain that piece of what made CoH what it was.
As I understand it the inspirations were to act like drawing on a deep reserve inside the character to go above and beyond what they could normally do. Think Batman overcoming Scarecrows fear gas (breakfree) or spiderman shaking off Rhinos charge (healing).
I don't think the use of multiple inspirations was as big an issue as how easily you got them.
I can remember burning my entire tray multiple times in a mission only to have it refill quickly. Tweaking the drop rate might address peoples concerns.
I think a combination of the "non stacking" in terms of effect, more varied effects (Healing over Time, PBAOE Healing, "Buffer armour" for example), and also reducing the incredible drop rate that *could* happen in CoX would all go nicely as well.
Making them stack in the inventory as well *could* possibly be something to be considered, so whilst you are limited in terms of *how many you can pop* at a moments notice, you could carry *more* of them as well.
All been mentioned above, but it is something that I would like to see.
Obviously the actual numbers involved dictate a lot of this. I mean, if a single Damage insp automatically maxxed your damage to hard-cap for an hour, it wouldn't matter of they stacked or not. So the amount of buffage, the amount of time it lasts for, stackable or not stackable, carrying capacity, etc all factors in.
R.S.O. of Phoenix Rising
I loved the way CoH did Insp's, compared to all the other games with 'potions' and a timer.
If I want to burn all my healing Insp at once and leave myself with no more for the next mob in 20 secs time that's my choice.
The Phoenix Rising Initiative Rules Lawyer
I agree with cybermitheral totally. Why mess with a good thing? Too many want to change stuff like in another game such as WoW ... if I wanted to play those other games I would which I don't. I loved COH!
Jade Indigo
Well said. And I think you are not alone:
I'm thinking those of us who liked insps as implemented in CoX have nothing to worry about.
Spurn all ye kindle.
What's with the unusual accent?
[size=1]Kickstart Backer # 771[/size]
I was wondering that also. Maybe that's what he sounds like when he speaks? :-)
Spurn all ye kindle.
Obviously it is a Nemeses automaton posing as Doctor Tyche.
-----------------------------------------
I never set anything on fire accidentally!
The Titan Legacy - Defender of the Inner Flame
Wait, what if Doctor Tyche IS Lord Nemesis? *rearranges letters for a while*
.
.
.
All I can come up with is "Ty Doe crotch", I have no idea what that means. Must be some kind of code....
:)
R.S.O. of Phoenix Rising
Its a form of Martial Arts attack that focuses on a specific body part:
Ruffian1: Careful mate he's a Ty Doe master
Ruffian2: Hey I don't care I got me a 2x4 with a nail sticking out the end - CHARGE!!!
Hero: Kiiiia!
Ruffian1: Holy Crap he just Ty Doe'd him in the nutts!!
The Phoenix Rising Initiative Rules Lawyer
For some reason my Surface's on-screen keyboard keeps spitting out accented figures.
Technical Director
Read enough Facebook and you have to make Sanity Checks. I guess FB is the Great Old One of the interent these days... - Beamrider
It's f-n metäl.
Cooldowns IMO are wrong for things like insps/potions as they are already limited in effects, duration, and number of uses. Cooldowns make them unavailable if needed in succession, perhaps even causing undue amounts of mission failures. I like the later comments about having most except refills either not stacking in effects, or, just stacking in duration. Also the idea of improving the lesser ones at a rate of 3 , 4 or some such to one tier up, out of combat. At the very least, exempt the refills from cooldowns, please!!
If the inspirations (or whatever they end up being called in CoT) end up being as cheap and easy to get and ubiquitous as the ones in CoX were, I for one hope they limit their effectiveness somehow such that what you get is a small, brief buff and not some kind of pharmacopia everyone usually tries to haul around to chain-smoke our way through our days, as a general rule.
If they come in small, medium, large and extra large like CoX, and of there sre some that can buff two things like in CoX near the end, and if you have Endo refill ones and healy ones, etc, I think you need to worry more about how good they are and try to limit them, rather than worry about how someone somewhere might get defeated or not be able to defeat something because the Insps didn't stack with themselves to the point that the guy could win that fight. In my opinion, there should be the possibility of a fight that no amount of Insps can cause you to win, because you're just the opponents had you outclassed or outnumbered or both (depending on difficulty settings, etc).
R.S.O. of Phoenix Rising
Reserves is our inspiration equivalent. Reserves primarily fill as the character's momentum meter naturally decays instead of "gain on character defeat". Keep pushing through combat and there won't be much reserves your character can draw upon, where as gaps in action help the character to 'recover' from activity and build up their reserves. I'm fairly certainat some point in the future there will be an update that goes into detail about the reserve system. The bit I just mentioned was alluded to in the Momentum update.
[hr]I don't use a nerf bat, I have a magic crowbar!
- Combat Mechanic -
[color=#ff0000]Tech Team. [/color]
I really like the sound of this. It sounds like a more well thought out and well designed version of insp that will allow the Devs and the payers to sculpt the pace and feel of combat.
Man, I want this game.
FIGHT EVIL! (or go cause trouble so the Heroes have something to do.)
Agreed. That update is up near the top of the list of updates I'm quite eager to see.
I'm a bit concerned that this sounds like it penalises folks who like to play quickly through missions. It doesn't hurt me as a mainly-soloist who likes to take his time, but I don't want CoT to alienate folks with a differing play style.
Spurn all ye kindle.
Certainly the momentum meter and the role it plays in reserves filling adds a new dynamic to play in comparison to the old game.
Playing quickly through content will build up momentum. When the the mission is completed and momentum reduces, reserves will fill. Someone accustomed to quick paced, constant combat activity may be used to not pulling on reserves to keep going compared to another player that takes time to engage, goes through combat, and slows down again before the next encounter and build reserves more often, if the fast paced player finds themselves getting too overwhelmed, they may learn to slow up their pace to regain reserves. The player that is slower may find pushing up their amount of engagement more of a payoff by affording their reserves to refill between combat to make use of them more often.
There also contains the possibility of players that enjoy fast paced combat may gravitate toward using Masteries and power sets that leverage momentum use. Relying more on the effects their momentum brings rather than the reserves when it decays.
[hr]I don't use a nerf bat, I have a magic crowbar!
- Combat Mechanic -
[color=#ff0000]Tech Team. [/color]
Ah, I see what you're saying. Each 'speed' of play builds up a type of 'extra', so it's not that one style gets penalised; it's more of a choice of which 'extra' you want that you select via the speed at which you proceed. That's cool.
Spurn all ye kindle.
Yeah, and that's no different than CoH. If you had a SS Brute you were rolling, but if you had an /traps Blaster you were usually taking your time.
But now the play-style you want is less locked into your AT, AND the Devs have more ways to tweak and balance (Momentum buildup and decay, and Reserve drop rate).
Potentially, pretty sweet.
FIGHT EVIL! (or go cause trouble so the Heroes have something to do.)
Yeah, and that's no different than CoH. If you had a SS Brute you were rolling, but if you had an /traps Blaster you were usually taking your time.
But now the play-style you want is less locked into your AT, AND the Devs have more ways to tweak and balance (Momentum buildup and decay, and Reserve drop rate).
Potentially, pretty sweet.
FIGHT EVIL! (or go cause trouble so the Heroes have something to do.)
If you think about it, the down time is inevitable. Even if you power your way though an entire mission, you are going to have to travel to the next one giving a chance for reserves to build. And that is an outside case. You are going to have breaks in the action, whether you are waiting on a teammate, taking a bio break, or hitting up a vendor.
-----------------------------------------
I never set anything on fire accidentally!
The Titan Legacy - Defender of the Inner Flame