All questions go here. We'll pick the ones we can answer clearly and release them. You can read the last batch here
NOTE: Just in case we've given the wrong impression, we will be picking those questions that we can give solid answers to from this thread. If you don't get answered, we probably felt it wasn't a good time for us to try. It won't hurt to repost the question in the new thread in case that changes, just realize it may happen again.
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[center][color=#ff0000]Interior Map Lead and UI Designer[/color][/center]
Will we get tentacles? pleeeeeaaaase. ^^
On a more serious note, when approximately will you send out the surveys for the Kickstarter Landmarks?
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_HUdf89hI8]Send out your signal, call in your hero
I kidnapped his lady, now his power's are zero.
[/url]
What is the final art style going to look like?
Can we get more info on power set design?
How will the crafting system be designed?
Can we get a complete explanation of Augments and refinements?
Can you further explain the Path system?
How much will the alignment and reputation systems affect game play?
Are we close to getting the Costume Creator, is there an estimated release date for this?
Can we get a sample mission description to understand the tone of the game?
I got more but thats enough for now.
That's the second time (in a second thread) that you've mentioned tentacles today. ;)
You know tentacles tend to jiggle from time to time...
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
Dang did you really need a list for that?
You could have just said "Tell us everything NAO!" ;)
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
They are the questions I have in order of importance to me personally.
Actually I should say they are questions I think the devs might be close to being able to answer in order of importance to me and not a full list of things I want to know. Most of those questions are things we haven't gotten a solid update on in a while now.
On a related note, of the Mogul surveys from which you've gotten replies, how far into the pile have the art team reached?
Foradain, Mage of Phoenix Rising.
[url=https://cityoftitans.com/forum/foradains-character-conclave]Foradain's Character Conclave[/url]
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Avatar courtesy of [s]Satellite9[/s] [url=https://www.instagram.com/irezoomie/]Irezoomie[/url]
Fair enough. But while some of your questions could be answered with a succinct few words some of the other questions could take a New York sized phone book worth of words and barely be scratched.
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
What can I say... tentacles rule.
[img]https://screenshots.en.sftcdn.net/en/scrn/69720000/69720270/image-05-568x535.png[/img]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_HUdf89hI8]Send out your signal, call in your hero
I kidnapped his lady, now his power's are zero.
[/url]
how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
not my video just one I lke ===> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6-SdIN0hsM
[CENTER][URL=http://www.nodiatis.com/personality.htm][IMG]http://www.nodiatis.com/pub/24.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/CENTER]
Will we see both ranged and melee basic attack possibilities for ranged focused characters, a basic "free" ranged attack makes more sense than a melee one for example.
If you say so.
[s]Unless said melee attack has knockback, or a short stun, or drains the enemy's MP, or let's you steal his LP, or... (assuming you're talking about Tertiary powers)[/s] Derp.
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_HUdf89hI8]Send out your signal, call in your hero
I kidnapped his lady, now his power's are zero.
[/url]
How is the Mac support looking these days? I'm asking more out of concern for Apple's lack of f%&@s given toward Mac gaming than any of MWM's efforts, mind you. From what I've been reading, iOS is driving Metal API development to the point that basic features you'd expect on desktop are missing or just getting rolled out now. (Seriously, [i]tessellation[/i] was new in Sierra?!) Apple is only shipping three models with dGPUs, too: Mac Pro, the 5K iMac, and the 15" MacBook Pro.
Twitter: @SisterSilicon
Thanks for this opportunity!
1. Reserves are the parallel to Inspirations, but Inspirations could be shared or combined. Will Reserves have similar functionality? Or are they [b]only[/b] one-use, one-type, and self affecting?
2. Will there be any form of Stealth at launch?
3. Will Shields as Props function like all other props? I.e. designated animations, emission points, etc?
4. Are there plans for two, single-handed props other than claws? I.e. batons, eskrima/arnis, wrenches, blades, etc?
Thanks again!
I do. It's usually hard enough to get Devs to answer definitive "Yes or No" questions this far from beta so good luck with some of your "What's the meaning of life?" styled whoppers. Not saying your questions are bad by any means; heck I'd like to know about everything you asked as well. I'd just be shocked if any of these get answered anytime soon.
P.S. I've found sometimes if you actually dare the Devs to respond they will. Of course mentioning that I've actually tricked them into revealing things in the forum by "categorically knowing for an absolute fact that they'll never respond" might hurt our chances in this case. ;)
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
- On the differents stages, on which stage are you from now ? And, on the global planning, at how many percent are you ?
- Do you still think autumn 2018 will stay the date for the release ? :)
- And more personal : What do you plan for fansites and/or communication ? will you help to get contents aimed for fansites or external website ? (as some exclusive pictures ? interviewes ? informations on the country ? and more ^^)
- When will you translate, at least, the lore, the power and archetypes names so as foreigner fansites can begin ti talk about the game in their country ? (Either depending on the fact that referencering should be done several monthes before launch to be efficient)
[hr]
Suivez l'avancement du jeu City of Titans en Français sur https://titanscity.com
http://forum.titanscity.com | www.facebook.com/titanscity | http://twitter.com/TitansCity
[color=red]PR - Europe[/color]
Can I shoot someone with an umbrella when the game comes out? Or will I have to wait until it comes out after the game is launched?
not my video just one I lke ===> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6-SdIN0hsM
[CENTER][URL=http://www.nodiatis.com/personality.htm][IMG]http://www.nodiatis.com/pub/24.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/CENTER]
From what you have said the game will launch with 3 Masteries per classification, but will there be a possibility for more down the line?
When?
What's the aesthetic going to look like?
Will we be able to mix props into our attack chain. Example. I pick Brawn as my Melee, to my understanding that means, I can choose to have it look like some sort of chi punch or a sword or pistol whip (what have you), but can I add a sword to one attack, while making the next attack look like it's using a bat? Or if I choose bat, all my attacks have to use a bat?
Yup. Really my only questions, with WHEN being the big one. :p
Not a dev but I'm gonna take some shots at these.
We saw something like tentacles in the last powers update. Very similar to teneborous tentacles. If you mean as body or costume parts...nothing yet.
4
My understanding was that they were planning on 2 props. Where they are drawing the lines (two props per animation set/ costume slot)...don't know.
DO NOT TAUNT THE DEVS! They'll get wise to us. They're clever, like raccoons.
I believe the plan is for there to be more down the road. At a certain point they have to draw a "launch line"
Personally, my questions are as follows:
What's your costume part count goal for launch?
How many items can be stuffed into a single costume slot? Details appreciated.
How are emanation points going to work?
How is zone work coming?
Are you using the same tool for signature buildings as you are for city blocks?
Internet rules on the following, pics or it doesn't count.
What is the most unusual costume piece you've created so far?
Have you done more work on NPC groups (I was going to say villain groups but, they aren't all bad guys) What does that look like? In game? Concept art?
Do you have some landmarks (non-mogul) that you can share with us.
What's the plan for fast travel (busses, trains, taxis etc?)?
Can you share some of the stuff you've purchased from the URE store?
Do you have a wishlist or registry for the URE store that you'd like to share? (cause people on the forums will destroy that list guaranteed.)
How is the winged lighthouse coming along? We had some ... comments... about it the last time it showed up in the vids.
Do you perhaps have a conceptual map of the city, pointing out where landmarks might end up.
No, I did not look at the list of questions from the last list. But they may not answer all those questions.
Second Chance: https://store.missingworldsmedia.com/CityOfTitans/SecondChance/
Dev Tracker: http://cityoftitans.com/forum/fixing-dev-digest
Dev Comments: https://cityoftitans.com/forum/dev-comments
How do you plan to raise awareness of the game coming to market?
How large of a team do you need to support the game day 1?
How large of a team do you need to expand the game day 2?
How many people of the post-launch team will continue to work as volunteer vs salaried? If the former and a critical role is vacated, how will you replace it while mitigating the impact of the loss on the gameplay/community?
Do you have an indication of the size of your potential customer base?
What channels will you be using the sell the game?
What channels will you be using to promote the game after launch?
Is the company covered regarding IP from the likes of Marvel/DC/etc so there isn't a repeat of the BS that cryptic dealt with back in 2004/05?
Will the game run on mac OS?
If there's an NPC that holds up a boombox a la CoH, can the boombox play 'gettin jiggy wit it' every time one of Lothics toons is in proximity?
No idea about most of those, but...
Yes, we get this more or less for free with UE4.
[img=600x402]http://img.memecdn.com/speechless_o_2899449.jpg[/img]
[i]Has anyone seen my mind? It was right here...[/i]
When you get around to making Demo videos, can we see a Tannim vs Warcabbit fight? Seeing a guy with a red crowbar vs a guy in a bunny suit would really help with my understanding of the game.
Have the Devs discussed a Christmas event, or special holiday events? can you please give us a clue. Thanks!
Whats the name of the in game player store?
Can we have a drop down emote list with new emotes in red, please? Cause when I'm under the Phoenix, I want to be as cool as my friends.
Can we please have an abandoned amusement park?
I would like to buy different facial expressions in the company store, please and thank you!
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/z9bk1znkb/Black_Falcon_Sig_in_Progess.jpg[/img]
The one from The Secret World still creeps me out, and I haven't played that game in several years.
(insert pithy comment here)
They made a whole separate single-player game about that area, literally called The Park. It's about a woman searching for her son. #HappyMothersDay
Yeah, I didn't go anywhere near that one. :P
(insert pithy comment here)
Everything about Secret World creeps me out. Main reason I stopped playing.
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[color=#FF0000]Graphic Designer[/color]
heard that power names well be set in stone form previous dev posts will the powers have an adjective/adverb used if the damage type when modified? Such as Classic Big Crush when unmodified or Electric Big Crush if damage is now based on electricity?
[CENTER][URL=http://www.nodiatis.com/personality.htm][IMG]http://www.nodiatis.com/pub/18.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/CENTER]
[URL=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-knhgv6lgbrs/UA_riCKAHNI/AAAAAAAATxE/u-sgh23bZhc/s640/wonder_women_by_penichet-d47up0l.jpg [/IMG][/URL]
You were supposed to keep playing through that and then end up going insane and either getting killed, killing yourself, or being committed to an asylum. That's how all the stories end in the books.
R.S.O. of Phoenix Rising
Well it's like I said in another thread there are worse things I could be remembered for. ;)
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
Like any true Cthulhu game. [i]nod[/i]
I actually really enjoyed TSW, as I've mentioned before. It had a lot going for it in a lot of different ways. Understandably, everyone's experience is going to be their own and different, but I certainly enjoyed my time there and what I got out of it.
Haven't seen much confirmation on https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans/posts/641418, last I heard it was in the works, but proving troublesome.
[hr]
[color=red]PR, Forum Moderator[/color]
[url=http://cityoftitans.com/forum/desvipers-creative-impulsivity]My Non-Canon Backstories[/url]
Avatar by MikeNovember
Couple other things I found hinting for that update:
https://cityoftitans.com/forum/highway-danger-room: So, will tertiary powerset augments be tied to certain tertiary sets? I'd hope not, since any min/maxer would be forced oto pick those specific sets. And, these augments will always be character-wide, or will some be set-wide, only? Given the character-wide option, I'd think one would pick that always.
https://cityoftitans.com/content/titanic-glossary: how much of this is still accurate? Might be due for an update on the update.
[hr]
[color=red]PR, Forum Moderator[/color]
[url=http://cityoftitans.com/forum/desvipers-creative-impulsivity]My Non-Canon Backstories[/url]
Avatar by MikeNovember
The only question I have at this point is...
[b]When are you going to answer the questions from the previous thread?[/b]
There's no reason for us to repost q's until then. (hungry for information)
"Just, well, update your kickstarter email addresses, okay? Make sure they're current?" - warcabbit
Chain melee! Will it be a thing?! At launch that is! Anything after is just suckie! :p
I would like chain melee too.
For the Commanders will they have a power like the old COH thugs mastermind: Gang warfare? The MM would summon 10 gang members who would shoot the place up, attack everything and draw the Boss' agro.
[u]I loved that power and laughed every time I saw the chaos it wrought.[/u]
Will Commanders have a choice in the primary powers of their minions, like Burning, Strength, etc?
and PS, thanks for the answers you just gave us! Loved it!
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/z9bk1znkb/Black_Falcon_Sig_in_Progess.jpg[/img]
Yay, we finally have answers to some of the original batch of questions. Thanks MWM!
I'd like to ask for a clarification on the hide UI question: the thing i'm hoping for is the kind of feature we had in the old game where the UI could be on for play but off for screenshots. I haven't seen that since the old game shut down. Other games force you to turn off the UI manually if you don't want it in your screenshot, which is a pain.
Spurn all ye kindle.
This may be a little early yet, but at what point will those of us who qualify to make an NPC be doing that? My wife and I played CoH from the CoV beta until the closure. She passed away last year and I wish to immortalize her/her CoH main as a quest-giver, so I want to make absolutely sure I do not miss that window. Also, will we be able to request the types of missions or anything for our NPCs?
We carry on, we fight the fight for those who no longer can...
I'll essentially repeat my two questions from last time.
What are the plans for the Commander primary sets in terms of number of minions, will all have the same (6 as in CoV?) number or will they vary like going from one very strong all the way to 6 (or even more than that) with mixed strength?
What are the plans for the Commander primary sets in terms of the focus for the powers, are all going to be damage centric like CoV of will we get sets that mimic the other primaries?
We need the costume builder ready first. The plan here has been to let people design their NPC's using the advanced/expanded form of the costume builder. Still have some bugs in morph targets, and not enough clothing yet, but we're getting there.
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
How are global names going to be handled? Will forum names be the same as the global handle in game, assuming there are global handles?
Will there be an option to pay for a year for additional savings (once the backing months are elapsed)?
Will the game set aside a portion of profits for charitable purposes?
Those who have no idea what they are doing have no idea that they don't know what they are doing. - John Cleese
As much Wood as a Woodchuck Could, if a Woodchuck Could chuck Wood ;)
If all else fails, we just have to ensure that UI visibility and screenshots have corresponding slash commands. Then you can make a macro, at least. It would still be better to have it as a native feature.
[i]Has anyone seen my mind? It was right here...[/i]
There has been no discussion of making forum names and global names match. I would personally advocate against it, because it requires a lot tighter integration between the databases involved, and frankly if someone hacks the web site I don't want them to get easy access into the game servers.
Further, there may be character set limits on global names that don't square with the limits on forum names. For example, we allow spaces here, but probably not in game or in slash commands you'd have to put quote marks around global handles that contain spaces, which is a PITA and a cause of tech support calls.
Also bear in mind that there will be folks with multiple game accounts for whatever reason, and we don't want to force them to manage multiple forum accounts.
That said, there are several ways we could "link" your forum and game accounts together. The easiest it to put your global(s) in your signature. We might be able to add it as a field on your account profile page. It'll take extra work to make that a verified field; we'd have to write a lot of code for that and you might have to jump through hoops. For example, you'd have to punch in your game registration code on the web site (we have the UI for that right now, but it just unlocks general account status flags, so we'd have to link it to the game account database somehow; see above).
[i]Has anyone seen my mind? It was right here...[/i]
I am so gonna make Karl Kolchac the night stalker. Cheap suit, tennis shoes, and a cheap hat. he needs to be talking on a phone, "all the blood was drained? Vampires!"
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/z9bk1znkb/Black_Falcon_Sig_in_Progess.jpg[/img]
For someone who can't log in, noting the question: is City of Titans using a megaserver structure.
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[center][color=#ff0000]Interior Map Lead and UI Designer[/color][/center]
I thought it had been established that CoT was going to be using a "single server" architecture. Technically it'll probably be a bunch of physical machines but as far as players are concerned there will just be one virtual "server" you log into to play.
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
Have you listened to Paragon Radio? And if so have you heard the co-host , Mad Vykyng, when he does his voice interpretation of Captain Orbit? It's really good! I really think he should be considered as a voice actor for that character. Also, I hear Pogoman is available and able to do some voice acting as well. :D
Will the game have some voice acting or mostly be text based like coh? Will there be a casting call out to the talented amateur voice actors out there?
Since you guys have plans for a cash shop, perhaps you could get the community involved. Will there be a possibility for a community workshop for submitting cosmetic pieces for approval and possible use in game for content creators to take a cut and add to the game? Sort of like planet side 2 and TF2 for example, game dev approved player made content.
One of the [url=https://cityoftitans.com/forum/volunteer-voice-acting]voice acting threads[/url] just got necro'd the other day. In it a Dev (Shadow Elusive) mentioned a couple of years ago that there were no plans for voice acting in CoT. Of course like everything else that could always change for new updates after launch.
The idea of player submitted costume item content that could then be vetted by the Devs for inclusion into this game has come up several times over the last few years. I'm not actually sure if the Devs have commented on it one way or the other but for what it's worth I support the idea as well. I actually don't think it should work via the cash store, or at the very least involving "money" in that equation would only make things harder. I would happily DONATE content to the game if I could get my stuff into the game.
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
@ Patribot, i'm really sorry for you. Sinceres condolences.
@Dr Tyche, where did i miss this information ? :/ If i understand well, we will be able to "create" our own NPC which will give us missions ?
[hr]
Suivez l'avancement du jeu City of Titans en Français sur https://titanscity.com
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[color=red]PR - Europe[/color]
Unless I am mistaken, Patribot was referring to the Kickstarter tier reward:
Patribot, you have my condolences as well.
Foradain, Mage of Phoenix Rising.
[url=https://cityoftitans.com/forum/foradains-character-conclave]Foradain's Character Conclave[/url]
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Avatar courtesy of [s]Satellite9[/s] [url=https://www.instagram.com/irezoomie/]Irezoomie[/url]
Yes, that is correct. I was asking about the Kickstarter perk.
Thank-you. I appreciate it.
We carry on, we fight the fight for those who no longer can...
Thank-you. I just wanted to explain why this was so important to me, but it means a lot to see we still have a very caring community.
We carry on, we fight the fight for those who no longer can...
Will there be a way to control the camera fully for the taking of portraits? Tera has this with the Shift+Arrows to get a better shot for photography. (However, Second Life has a bit too much of this where you can move your camera to the next parcel to spy on your neighbors).
You should see the user uploaded clothing in Second Life. They even let players sell their designs on the marketplace there. I know this leads to a lot of copyright issues (people uploading Nike products, or Captain America costumes, etc.), but it sure does make for a lively and vibrant economy!
LOL - just get Billy West to do the entire thing!
user content:
I bet considerable resources are going into writing storylines and dialog. I would also intuit that some fraction of the community would love to help with these things, for free, if they were given a few guidelines - especially if it meant the game might be released even one week sooner.
The same would go for voice acting (especially of mission-givers and minor NPCs). I like voice in games, in fact, when there is a lot of silent reading, I will usually escape through it all to get to the missions, whereas with voiced interactions I will usually listen through each interaction 3 or 4 times to pick up the story.
Contrast Star Wars TOR and Tera. In Star Wars, (until the last year or so) the voice acting - even the player characters were voiced - it was much more immersive. With Tera, I can tell you what happens in the story up to about level 15, and after that it was just "Go here. Kill 10 of x" There was a mark on the map and a goal in the mission log - no reason to understand that the evil Argon leader was squeezing nymphs for toothpaste.
I am not sure if this has been asked yet as I have not spent a lot of time going through the past Q&As, but if you have time to answer:
One of the things I really liked about CoX and have not really seen in any other game (let alone MMO) is the complete control over the size and location of the entire UI. For example, I had many chat windows in CoX and each one was for something different. So my question is: Will the user have control of the UI? Will I, for example, be able to move the life bar to another location on the screen? Will I be able to create a new window that only has combat text? etc.
People are actually still in Second Life? Wow.
Yes I'm aware of Second Life and all the problems that comes with what they can "get away" with there. Sure there are a few people in Second Life who make enough real money selling virtual items to make it their practical full time jobs. But the downsides are legion: To begin with there are numerous copyright issues (like you said) and CoT certainly doesn't need a bunch of idiots selling exact costume duplicates from DC and Marvel characters. We'd be sued almost instantly. Then of course there's the fact that Second Life has the overt reputation of being a virtual "Whore Island" as far as all the rampant sexual overtones. Sure you can buy all sorts of clothing items in Second Life but half of them are just lingerie and sex toys. Now while I'm a consenting adult who might not mind the "naughty" stuff if we let CoT be as "free" with its stuff as Second Life is you can kiss the "T for Teen" rating this game wants to maintain goodbye in a microsecond.
Basically CoT could never be allowed to be as "wild west" with this as Second Life is allowed to be. Any player submitted clothing items in this game would have to be vetted and approved by the staff of MWM before it ever gets into the game. Also as I said before I actually question if there should ever be any kind of "profit sharing" between players and MWM. That again leads to the kind of chaos Second Life notoriously suffers from. Players should be allowed to "donote" items to MWM but at that point any accepted items would be owned by MWM (just like all of our characters will technically be "owned" by MWM) and the players would simply have the satisfaction of getting their own designs into the game.
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
I can't help but hear that in Kevin Spacey's voice. Or, more accurately, in Ross Marquand's Kevin Spacey impression's voice.
Spurn all ye kindle.
This is the best compliment I've received today. And I have received [i]many[/i].
The answer man said:
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Yes, players will be able to customize minions, and that is one part of why Commanders will need more time to release. As to how much, we can’t entirely say yet, but we consider it important you have some control over minion looks.
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what is the goal? Can we use the character creator to make out minions?
and--can we change minions looks at a later date? say when new outfits arrive in the CC.
Will purchased costume sets be available for minions...or players only?
How about mod-made costumes? Fair game for minions?
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and an unrelated special request: sharks with freakin' lasers on their heads. Please? I will settle for Laser shoulder kitties, but sharks are so cool!
maybe a floating shark pet I can make a firing point.
edit to add, [b]Can you tease us a partial list of pets we can make into firing points?[/b]
Faeries should be simple just tiny humans and you already have the skeleton for that.
But pigeon man has intrigued me. Floating drones need little animation. I love the idea of a floating orb/eyeball shooting lasers too.
I like floating fish...squid would be fun (but animation heavy).
I just love the idea of a floating firing point
another edit. Lets say you allow floating humanoids to be a pet/firing point. Can I customize my tiny humanoid? Like in a 3 piece suit and a tommy gun, or like Tinkerbell with bat wings? sorry I just love this very concept.
PS. this is a great game store suggestion. floating pets/firing points
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/z9bk1znkb/Black_Falcon_Sig_in_Progess.jpg[/img]
It still seems to me the easiest way to customize "humanoid" shaped minions will be to just let us use the exact same costume creator we'll have for player characters. We already know the costume creator will allow us to save off costume/body slider files. All we'd need is a simple way to "assign" those save files to specific minions. We can assume that all minions would start off with a default "uncustomized" appearance - the costume save files we design would simply "override" the default appearance of a given minion. Easy-peasy.
Obviously with the ability to assign minions new looks with the costume save files we'd be able to update them any time we'd want. Also I would refain from having any costume items be "minion only" or "player only" - why segregate at that point? Basically any costume item we players have access to for our characters should also be useable on any minion.
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
I was concerned because the official answer said we would have "some control" over minion looks.
I want the full freedom of the CC to use for minions.
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/z9bk1znkb/Black_Falcon_Sig_in_Progess.jpg[/img]
Well when they say "some control" they may be referring to the type of minions that aren't strictly "humanoid" shaped (like robots). For those they'll probably have to create a specialized "costume creator" that only has a subset of unique options and paint colors. That's the part that'll probably take the "extra time" to implement.
Maybe they could decide to let us have some minion powersets earlier as long as they only gave us the humanoid shaped ones first. If having the "weird" non-humanoid ones is the hold up maybe just wait to have them later.
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
Yes, that's what's meant by "megaserver", but asking the question gives us an opportunity to elaborate.
[i]Has anyone seen my mind? It was right here...[/i]
"Some control" may well amount to just "change their colors." Sure, we hope there's more, but we have to make it work.
[i]Has anyone seen my mind? It was right here...[/i]
Sure the more customization options the better. But I have to ask is there anything to my idea that maybe you could allow for the "humanoid" type minions first (since they presumably could use the exact same body models and costume creation GUIs that the player characters will use) and then worry about the "non-humanoid" ones later on because they'll likely take more unique effort to get them working.
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
I suppose it depends on how they implement the "Pet Powers". I mean if they have a "demonic set", a "soldier set" and so forth, they may want to impose some limitations on just what you can do to modify the pets. They may have at the very least some defining feature that marks them as demons or soldiers. Or the pets could be sort of like props with their own aesthetic choices. Or maybe they will use some other factor to differentiate between the different types of pets and the powers they have. I guess we will have to see when they start providing more info on how they will work.
I always wanted to upgrade my Robots to be smooth and shiny, like the PCPD bots, instead of cobbled together from spare parts. I also wanted to get them some rubber treads, so they didn't 'bang-clatter-ping' everywhere they walked! I could stealth my way through the back-halls of the enemy base, but my bots were a thundering horde wherever we went.
Some aethetic options would be nice!
Be Well!
Fireheart
Thus far, the plan is to use the same model for pets as generic civilian npcs, basic contacts, and your typical combat npc.
We can't use the same model as players due to the amount of resource it requires. With some modifications (read minimal work), costume pieces can be carried over from one to another. These customizable models are rather modular in how we can swap out body pieces to go from robot to human and so on. But they are limited in the range of customization, espcially if compared to the pc model.
That is, at this moment. We hope to expand a bit on the range of customization. Even so, the scope of pet customization will be more limited comparitvely. Again, this is a big part of why we have to hold off on player pets. We need a basic working version now, to provide a backing, but outside of that scope, it is a bit if ways off.
[hr]I don't use a nerf bat, I have a magic crowbar!
- Combat Mechanic -
[color=#ff0000]Tech Team. [/color]
Holy crap.
Limited range of customization compared to pc models is still very customizable. Pets that are roughly as customizable as the game NPC's is still a huge leap above anything CoH had or any current minion customization that I'm aware of.
And if this keeps multiple minion classes playing on the same team from being a slideshow/lagfest, that's even better.
FIGHT EVIL! (or go cause trouble so the Heroes have something to do.)
Here's the problem with that argument: As a hypothetical are you going to allow, let's say 25 player characters to stand next to one another in the same general area in the game? If the answer to that question is 'yes' then you've already accounted for the "resources" to allow 25 PC type bodies (with all their associated clothing items) to exist in the game in a closely confined area.
Now what's the difference between those 25 PCs and let's say 10 PCs and 15 "minions" that are using the same complex body models the PCs are using? None.
Therefore your only concern (if we assume that the "humanoid" minions will be using the same body models as the PCs to make it easier to engineer the game by reducing the number of body models you have to deal with) is making sure the game can handle a reasonable number of "PCs plus minions" all in the same place within the game. Now I could understand [b]13-15 years ago[/b] (back when CoH was being designed) that might have been a realistic concern as far as game resourses and graphic cards capabilities but in 2017 you're going to be seriously hard-pressed to convince someone like me that you're still dealing with an issue of "limited computing resources" to handle these reasonable scenarios. If you're going to fall back on the tired excuse yet again that "the technology won't allow it" I'm going to once again have to become worried whether you guys know what you're doing or not.
I'm not asking for the Moon here and you know it...
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
Still not quite sure why we can't use an equally complex creator for NPCs as for PCs. I'd almost think a MORE complicated creator could be used for contacts, since animations aren't a consideration.
[hr]
[color=red]PR, Forum Moderator[/color]
[url=http://cityoftitans.com/forum/desvipers-creative-impulsivity]My Non-Canon Backstories[/url]
Avatar by MikeNovember
It simply doesn't seem smart to use multiple body models (even if you think you're doing it as a "resource simplification" in certain situations) for things that could potentially reuse the -same- models. Ultimately it'll mean two subsets of clothing items and that only [b]increases[/b] the amount of Dev work involved. Did MWM learn nothing from the inefficiency of CoH's "male" and "huge" body models?
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
Lothic, I feel you're making statements and accusations without enough knowledge. If the Devs say 'insufficient resources', would you not agree that They know more about what those resources are, than you do?
You propose that there are resources enough for some number of PCs to operate in proximity, so, clearly, there must be resources for fewer PCs and some PC-class minions. That's a reasonable basic thought, but what about the PCs that you're displacing with these beefy resource-laden minions? Personally, I'd rather have more PCs in proximity and let the minions be NPC-level assets. After all, the level of customization offered by NPCs is HUGE, compared to the fixed models available in our old City.
You may not be asking for the moon, but you're clearly [u]accusing the Devs of mismanaging their assets[/u]. You're asking for the Moonbase, at least, as if that were, somehow, easier to produce. All, without knowing what you're arguing for or against.
Be Well!
Fireheart
Just saying, I try to phrase such things in the form of a question :p "Is it really that hard?" "Is it really that intensive"
Since I don't know big scale computer stuffs.
[hr]
[color=red]PR, Forum Moderator[/color]
[url=http://cityoftitans.com/forum/desvipers-creative-impulsivity]My Non-Canon Backstories[/url]
Avatar by MikeNovember
so by using civilian body models, does that mean [u]no sliders?[/u] limited faces? civilian only outfits? limited hair styles?
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/z9bk1znkb/Black_Falcon_Sig_in_Progess.jpg[/img]
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[i]Verbogeny is one of many pleasurettes afforded a creatific thinkerizer.[/i][/center]
Well based on my near [b]25 years of professional software engineering experience[/b] I can say I'm at least "roughly" aware of what things are generally possible and not possible with current software technology. I'm also very painfully aware that Devs in general (at least the reasonably sane ones) tend to be very hyper-conservative about what they publicly announce their future applications can/will do until they've finally proven for themselves that they can/do actually perform at certain levels. So at least from a certain point of view I can understand why the Devs would try to up-sell the whole "resource limitation" story.
Now you claim "I don't have enough knowledge" to make these (I'll say it for you) wild-ass accusations. While it's certainly true I'm not literally hovering over the CoT Devs' shoulders watching their every keystroke (even despite the twitch stream) I can make some reasonable extrapolations based on maybe 10,000+ hours of CoH playing and, again, the general advancements in software technology in the last 15 years. When you put those two together you can make at least reasonably educated guesses on what a game that's "sort of like" CoH should be able to do in 2017-2018 terms.
We know that CoH definitely experienced "slowdowns" even on the best client hardware from say 10+ years ago. I'm sure everyone who played CoH long enough remembered the big holiday events or other similar times when you'd have like maybe 100+ players with all their pets/minions running around. On low end hardware it could even become like a "slideshow" for some people. Obviously the Devs of CoT (along with everyone else) would like to keep those scenarios to a minimum. The simple workaround answer to not being able to send the costuming data around to everyone on the network fast enough in these relatively rare "overpopulated" scenarios is to just have the generic "default" minion appearance (stored locally on your client) take over in place of any expected customized data. The only point the game should have to "throttle back" to that is when there are like a 1,000+ minions running around and you wouldn't be able to see them clearly enough to notice their fancy customized outfits regardless.
I think there's a huge (I'll call it) "underestimation" going on here considering how much things have improved with graphics processing since CoH and the technology that game used that was maybe even considered top notch for its 2002-2004 timeframe. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that games can now handle 10 million complex body models all dancing on the head of a pin. But the idea that the limitations we had to suffer with in CoH are the SAME EXACT limitations we should expect to have in CoT is laughable at best. Will the clients that people use to play CoT in (hopefully) 2018 still be subject to lag when there are "too many" characters dancing around on their screens? Sure. But the [b]critical difference[/b] is that the lag thresholds should be, by any sensible measure, MUCH MUCH higher in 2018 than they ever were in 2004. Simply put the limitations of what you can see on your screen in 2017-2018 is much "less limited" than what the limits were back in 2004.
Bottomline I'm not telling the Devs of CoT that they have no need to worry about their software "resources/assets". I'm just telling them if the upper thresholds of what they can push to our screens hasn't improved (over CoH) by at least a rough order of magnitude by now they are in fact [b]doing something wrong[/b]. The propaganda that they might not be able to allow for customized minions that could have the same degree of complexity as player characters AND account for reasonable numbers of those minions existing along side other player characters just seems frankly unfathomable to me and should be troubling to anyone else who's given what the Devs are trying to sell us here more than a passing thought.
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
^ Makes sense. Good points
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[color=#FF0000]Graphic Designer[/color]
And, yet, the Devs have already given us a great deal of information about the PC models, including capes, cloth, animated hair, and individual fingers. I thought that was a huge jump above CoH's character models.
Now you want to suggest that each Commander should have several (six?) times as much character data to track because each PC now Also has PC-class pets. I don't envision that as a reasonable use of assets.
In CoH, all pets of a particular type used the same model. Therefore, they didn't have to be stored in the character-data, but could be called and iterated from a single server-side file. I think being able to customize pets, even with a limited base model, is a huge leap forward.
Be Well!
Fireheart
Quite simply, if we had noc models using the same models as pcs, we would be making a single player game with the scale our current maps still in place.
If we have player pets use the same models as player characters, we have to reduce the number of players allowable per instance to accomodate each pet.
Because we want more player characters WITH pets, we habe to use simpler models for player pets.
Using the same models for the majority of npcs and pets simplifies a lot of things under the hood for us and gives us the most amount of flexibility at the same time.
To use the 25 player analogy from ealier, if 1 player summions 6 pets, we'd have to only allow 19 players in the instance. The more players with pets, the less players.
The way we're going gives some capability to customize pets, keeping us capable of creating costume pieces for npcs which can be converted for pcs easily, and maxizes the number of players we can keep together in an area.
[hr]I don't use a nerf bat, I have a magic crowbar!
- Combat Mechanic -
[color=#ff0000]Tech Team. [/color]
Yes there would always (ultimately) still be a limit to the number of "PCs and minions" there could be in any one instance. I'm just having a very hard time believing that your implied max "number of entities per instance" threshold is so relatively low that it would even make a practical difference. With the way you're talking is sounds like we're going to be living with the same rough "numbers per instance" limitations we had in CoH which (again) seems laughable to me.
I'm not suggesting that every CoT instance should be able to support a million individual PCs/minions. But are you seriously worried about, what, 200?... 100? or even 50? per instance? If you are then I think you've "designed" your numbers way too low. This is not 2004 any more.
CoH player from April 25, 2004 to November 30, 2012
[IMG=400x225]https://i.imgur.com/NHUthWM.jpeg[/IMG]
You have to remember that they have to, for a lack of a better term, "reserve" resources so that they can accommodate that effectively everyone in that instance is a Commander with all of their pets out. Even if the player limit is just 100 then if all are Commanders with all pets out then that "balloons" to a total of 700 PC models.
They at least need to have separate PC and NPC character models otherwise those resources would be even less available to players. So at least starting out with the NPC model is a good step and maybe some time in the future they can move minions over to the PC model.
Thank you for your patient responses. I do have a question.
[u]NPC models: will they have sliders? Can I work on the faces and bodies a bit, or will we have one cookie cutter look?[/u]
I plan to play Commanders (when available) no matter what is said. So thanks in advance.
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/z9bk1znkb/Black_Falcon_Sig_in_Progess.jpg[/img]
I'm going to safely assume yes since I just can't see them sticking one single set of body measurements for NPCs.
They do have sliders. The NPC's are actually the same PC mesh, just the control and display simplified by removing some of the more GPU-intensive elements. Simpler shaders, fewer sliders, that kind of thing.
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
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