Development Cycle Archive
Thread: Publish 9.25 Feedback Thread...
DarthHossith
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:01 am
#196
Trayson_Antilles wrote:
Stone> The odds have to be stacked in favor of the NPCs from time to time because they cannot compete with the intelligence of a thinking human being. The same thing is done in every MMORPG (rules for players difference than from NPCs).
Unless, of course, the NPCs are smarter than he is /snicker
Marks-A-Lot
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:06 am
#197
Cloudgatherer wrote:
While I enjoy seeing variety in NPC attacks, the one shot kills they get to do is completely unfun.
You really needed to balance everything before turning this back on. Now NPCs get to use the specials for almost no cost, no weapon delays. That is just wrong.
Guess your going to have to go hunting in groups with ... *gasp* ... Doctors and Medics!!! ... Imgaine that.
JutMan
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:08 am
#198
Bounty Hunter killed me.. Doctor came to Res.. Doctor turns Red.. Bounty Hunter CAN kill Doctor..
Enuf said.
JustG: I know it is painful and it may piss a some people off.. But could you walk thru a few scenarios and tell us how this is suppoed to work? "Jedi Bounty TEFs should clear properly"
Enuf said.
JustG: I know it is painful and it may piss a some people off.. But could you walk thru a few scenarios and tell us how this is suppoed to work? "Jedi Bounty TEFs should clear properly"
DarthSadeth
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:11 am
#199
To say that you guys did not mess with the loot system other than loot containers is a bold-faced lie.
We have all experienced the drastic lowering of loot drop rates that started with 9.2
You lowered loot drops and beffed up mobs, two things , that together, make no sense at all.
You ask us for feedback, yet constantly ignore what we have to say.
SOE has done everything possible to push solo players out of this game.
As for Blackman foul words... I have played this game from day 1. I have been to every dungeon and bunker, have fought every mob the game has to offer. I have over 75 badges, with few being for professions. I do not have a FSCS because while most people were mindlessly grinding professions, I was running around acctually playing this game. I know what works and what doesn't, what's fun and what's not. You have screwed up the Corvette. You have screwed up the DWB. I ask you, when are the average players going to get some attention??????????
Southern Fried
Artisan43
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:11 am
#200
The reintroduction of NPC specials could have been a great thing. Unfortunately it was poorly implemented, and apparently did not take into consideration the changes that have been made to the game since patch 7. It is becoming fairly apparent that the designers and implementers of the game mechanics have no familiarity with the actual game play as each new patch comes out (not to mention what each patch contains, but since there is no QA department that will happen, so is understandable).
Bringing back the specials is not to bad for characters that have mastered combat professions, and the obvious intention is to slow down advancement of people grinding up the ladder. You have succeeded in removing content from them with the high level NPC's but have not replaced it with anything. I really don't understand you decision to shrink the game, but thats your decision i suppose.
However, it does get repetitive quickly knowing that as a novice elite, fully buffed and armored to keep being one shot incapped by mobs that you normally fought unbuffed.
The end result of this is that you have removed content from all levels of players, and SoE has had a horrible track record since release of adding content and an even more abysmal record of fixing bugs in the game.
I am sure SoE is thinking, that the lose of content will be made up for in JTL, unfortunately I have no confidence in that, based upon the historical track record of SWG's developers in adding content and fixing bugs. I have canceled my preorder of JTL, and have canceled my SWG accounts.
Its probably just as well that you hide these forums from the general public, if i had any idea that almost nothing had been fixed or any content added in the yearthat had passed since ihad left the game, i would not have come back.
Artisan43
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:22 am
#201
Marks-A-Lot wrote:
Cloudgatherer wrote:
While I enjoy seeing variety in NPC attacks, the one shot kills they get to do is completely unfun.
You really needed to balance everything before turning this back on. Now NPCs get to use the specials for almost no cost, no weapon delays. That is just wrong.
Guess your going to have to go hunting in groups with ... *gasp* ... Doctors and Medics!!! ... Imgaine that.
If your idea of having fun is having to have 3 medics and 2 doctors per combat class in a group to rez and heal, i think your a bit nutty
Besides Doctors are going to get a huge initial boon on buff sales until people figure out that if mid level mobs can one shot incap them while buffed and armored, there is really no need for buffs. Personally iam planning on charging 12k for rezzes and stop buffing
And thats with the current uber armors, wait until they nerf that in the combat revamp
Glzmo
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:32 am
#202
I got killed by a Bounty Hunter with a mission on me. He got the reward, he got the XP and his mission cleared.But when I met him again he told me that he could still attack me and I still had a TEF. That means BH TEFs do not clear properly as announced in the patch notes. Did you just push the wrong code live? JustG, please clarify!
If you really have no clue how to fix this bug, I suggest you take Player bounties offlineuntil youredesign the whole system. It leaves far too much room for griefing. And while you're at it, implement a new system for visibility as well, where you only get visibility if a player actually reports you for using force powers. For example, if you use force powers or the lightsaber within a radius of 64 meters of other players, those players will get an option in the radial menu to report your heresy (once)to the Empire for 5 minutes. Only if somebody does, your visibility rating rises. After you have racked up X number of reports in a certain period of time, you will be listed on the terminals. Make reports for using powers/sabers increase special 'Vader Visibility' in municipal zonestrigger Darth Vader to come after the showboating Jedi, no matter if light or dark. This will also keep you off the terminals for using your powers and saberin front of(honor-) family, friends and Jedi likers, but if you do it in front of Jedi haters or many people, you will most certainly wind up with a bounty on your head or in case of municipal showings, even have Lord Vader come after you and be killed by him in an instant.
Also, recwork Bounty Hunter GroupTEFs so they either work equally for both sides (hunter's group andgroup of the hunted)or abolish them altogether.
Also, recwork Bounty Hunter GroupTEFs so they either work equally for both sides (hunter's group andgroup of the hunted)or abolish them altogether.
Message Edited by Glzmo on 07-30-2004 08:34 AM
ResourceMonkey
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:33 am
#203
StoneRook1 wrote:
JustG wrote:
Folks,
Thanks so much for the feedback, please keep it coming.
Thunderheart is in San Diego doing some transitional stuff as he takes on the role of Community Manager, so I am filling in for him today.
The AI will not have a weapon switch delay. They do not use the same combat queue as Player Characters do. We could eventually code this in, but it will take approximately a week of dev/ QA time, and I am certain more than a few of you would find a way to, er, take advantage of this situation, so we would have to spend more time balancing it against exploits etc.
This may be something that we revisit in the future, but we would rather spend whatever spare dev time we have now in getting powerful quick fixes out to you before JTL ships. Case in point, this is our second publish this week, and we will have inoculations and area cures on Test Center by tomorrow.
No other loot drop rates have been touched outside of the Loot Kits.
We are furiously trying to track down the Wookiee Armor crash, and have been working in close concert with some of you (THANKS) to nail it down. We are making traction, but have not solved it yet.
Again, we are as concerned over the CB delay as you are. Over the next few weeks, we are going to be trying very hard to get as many short-term fixes/ augmentations in as possible. We are bringing your correspondents down to Austin for a Summit Meeting next month to discuss the broader picture in full detail.
Thanks for the feedback and your patience,
- g
Message Edited by JustG on 07-29-2004 06:26 PM
wait a minute.
We suffer a three second delay - while the NPC's just waltz through it..
seems to me you gave them a way to exploit over the players - you know - the ones that actually pay money to play this game.
dont get me wrong - i love the changes - but if you give one set of rules for combat to one side - and the other is not restricted - that is unbalanced.
I know - wait for the combat revamp -- standard answer.
I just love the fact about what the Dev implies here. Way to go JustG! Seriously.
Escoh
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:45 am
#204
JediNewb wrote:
Trayson_Antilles wrote:
Stone> The odds have to be stacked in favor of the NPCs from time to time because they cannot compete with the intelligence of a thinking human being. The same thing is done in every MMORPG (rules for players difference than from NPCs).
I would agree except this would imply that the average person uses "intelligence" while fighting these NPC's. From what I've seen, PvE strategy goes as follows: Choose a melee profession, approach lair or choice, spam AoE attack. Repeat.
-Benggal
Not anymore.. Try this in a group of a NS get a few protectors and your Toast.....
And i think its wonderful.. Its about time they turened god mode off .
ElvisTheKing
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:52 am
#205
I am glad that you removed most of the scout requirement for Bounty Hunters. That allows Bounty Hunters to be much more diverse. HOWEVER, sinceJedi all but impervious to ranged attacks due to saber block,makes the Master Marksman requirement for Bounty Hunter and all of the combat skills available within the Bounty Hunter tree WORTHLESS.
This does not make any sense and should be addressed.
Aside from this, its nice to see that you have been making changes. This approach may not be as good for the programmers, but it is better for the customers. Thanks for making the changes and please keep up the good work.
Mar-
Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:56 am
#206
The changes are fine, except for the NPC ability changes.
Although I really like the concept of NPCs being challenging, using specials and changing weapons, I do not like that it was changed now. I would like to see this change, but it is dissapointing when my OWN player does not work, while you spend time makeing NPCs work.
So nowits near impossibleto PvP because melee will state/defend against me all too well and my shots all miss. Now I went to take a Janta fully buffed/armored with a pretty good full food combo and I get dizzyed/KDed then killed by them! Two times. My shots were missing frequently...Im still not sure why melee allows for such great dodging of blaster fire going who knows how fast. My pistol +40 intimidate was useless against the NPCs now as it is against other players.
I guess Im wondering where the priorities are.This was a quick fix to switching the abilites back on from prefiously, but that really puts the combat system at an even greater imbalance than what it was a few days ago.
I guess only jedi or melee should be able to defeat "hard enemies" in the game. Is that the plan for the next several months, until the rebalance in January? I would like to see challenge in the game, but I would prefer that everything is balanced FIRST. Now NPC (melee) specials work properly and yet MY ranged specials/abilities do not.
I am a paying player, the NPCs are not. With the current combat rebalance and the timelines posted, you will not be close to combat rebalance until next January. I will not be around that long. Its nice that you are trying to make the game more interesting/challenging for some players, but you need balance now.
Little things like radial menus frequently not popping up properly, toolbar paneslotsbeing changed at login, etc. are priority because they make the game frustrating and often unenjoyable every day. (Combat) balance is the next priority after that.
Balute
Fri Jul 30, 2004 9:01 am
#208
When news of this came out, my Guild formed a plan to check out 3 area's where we were doing our looting, namely: Janta/Mokk's, Geo Caves, and NightSister's.
Report from the NS's:
Some hard arse chic's now. The few who went to play tag with them (Swords/Rifleman, Swords/Brawler/TKM, Rifleman/CM, TKM/Rifleman) all got spanked. Good stuff.
**Note**
The same group went to the DWB and found it hilarious that SBD's were equipped with VK's, but that is another story.
Report on Janta/Mokks:
The cavement were using staffs, knives, swords, and in some cases stun batons (must have been looted ) A bit tougher, but still solo'able. A lot of KD/Dizzy's, bleeds, blinds, etc. Still, overall good.
) A bit tougher, but still solo'able. A lot of KD/Dizzy's, bleeds, blinds, etc. Still, overall good.Report from Geo Caves (I did this one):
After making it past the grinding Jedi hoard in the first area, I got to the Kwi's, got agro'd, and proceeded to fight them. I noticed a slightly greater tendancy for the Kwi to throw intimidate, but nothing to bad. Moved on. Small alcove camped, so I went and played with the Geo Techs. Nothing really great here, so I did the mini-quest to get into the merc. room. Becasue ther were about 7-9 jedi in the enterence, there were about 30-50 merc's in the room, and I figured I would die pretty easily. Once I got the Merc's to switch to melee, they puulled out a wide assortment of weapons. There were NS lances (but w/o DoT's, thank God), a number of Ragnakk (sp?) /Jabba swords, some stun batons, and even a number of NS energy lances. Considering it was 30-50 on one, my HAM's were dropping pretty good, so I fell back and was still able to finish them off in the corridor before the new spawn occured. I got hit with bleeds, dizzy, stun, blind....the usual stuff. After I healed up, I hooked up with another swordsman, and we went in and stayed for another hour or so. During that time, same weapons/attacks. The only loot kit item we got was a blue rug piece.
Overall, I'd say it was a good update/fix. I will miss my days of taking on NS's solo and headstrong, but that is something I'll learn to adapt to.