Smuggler Archive

One of the things I notice about Galaxies is that there's no effective cooldown system (correct me, if I'm wrong) on special moves, which is one of the reasons they're nerfed when they get out of hand in terms of effectiveness when used.

I'm a Blizzard gamer primarily (glances about for SOE staff to haul him off), and one of the things I've been tracking and loving in Warcraft III and the impending World of Warcraft is the use of cooldown periods on the use of certain abilities. It's another control factor when playing. Instead of nerfing the effectiveness of some abilities, couldn't they just nerf how often we can use them in?

For those of you with no background on Blizzard games (for shame), when you use an uber ability, the icon goes dark and slowly lightens to show you how long until you can use the ability again.

This would be helpful in something like Feign Death... make it so we can't be attacked in PVP when using it (or pulled out of it), add a cooldown of a few minutes, that takes effect after we get back up. Then it'd be harder to exploit as a way of hit and running the opposition.

Of course, those of you who use it for taking out nests and all might have issues with that.

And of course, I could be talking out of my rear. The thought just occurred to me and I'm sure the use of a cooldown system on certain abilties could be applied elsewhere.

The problem with "Cool down" is that, if implemented improperly (as I glance towards the copy of Final Fantasy XI gathing dust in the corner), it can make combat boring. Well, I might as well use FF XI as an example now Combat in that game is.... well.... boring! Every class gets a special attack with a two hour (yes TWO HOUR) wait between uses. Even some of the non-damage skills like Provoke (causes the target monster to attack you, which helps when it goes after the White Mage) have a 30 second timer. The timers in FF XI then result in players just using the auto-attack for the majority of the time. This makes combat boring after a while, and it doesn't give players much strategic control in either solo or group play.

If implemented properly, yes, "Cool down" periods can be a very effective way to maintaining balance and preventing exploits. I'm not sure if they would work well in SWG (that's my personal opinion), and if they did they would have to be balanced and tweaked to perfection in order to keep combat exciting in this particular game.

---

KaernLegorah wrote:
The problem with "Cool down" is that, if implemented improperly (as I glance towards the copy of Final Fantasy XI gathing dust in the corner), it can make combat boring. Well, I might as well use FF XI as an example now Combat in that game is.... well.... boring! Every class gets a special attack with a two hour (yes TWO HOUR) wait between uses. Even some of the non-damage skills like Provoke (causes the target monster to attack you, which helps when it goes after the White Mage) have a 30 second timer. The timers in FF XI then result in players just using the auto-attack for the majority of the time. This makes combat boring after a while, and it doesn't give players much strategic control in either solo or group play.

If implemented properly, yes, "Cool down" periods can be a very effective way to maintaining balance and preventing exploits. I'm not sure if they would work well in SWG (that's my personal opinion), and if they did they would have to be balanced and tweaked to perfection in order to keep combat exciting in this particular game.

---

Hell no, two hours is excessive. I mean, if you've played Warcraft III, cooldowns are very well handled there.

I know its apples and oranges, but they're using the same thing for WoW, I believe.

---

Hobbs_Nguyen wrote:
One of the things I notice about Galaxies is that there's no effective cooldown system (correct me, if I'm wrong) on special moves, which is one of the reasons they're nerfed when they get out of hand in terms of effectiveness when used.

I'm a Blizzard gamer primarily (glances about for SOE staff to haul him off), and one of the things I've been tracking and loving in Warcraft III and the impending World of Warcraft is the use of cooldown periods on the use of certain abilities. It's another control factor when playing. Instead of nerfing the effectiveness of some abilities, couldn't they just nerf how often we can use them in?

For those of you with no background on Blizzard games (for shame), when you use an uber ability, the icon goes dark and slowly lightens to show you how long until you can use the ability again.

This would be helpful in something like Feign Death... make it so we can't be attacked in PVP when using it (or pulled out of it), add a cooldown of a few minutes, that takes effect after we get back up. Then it'd be harder to exploit as a way of hit and running the opposition.

Of course, those of you who use it for taking out nests and all might have issues with that.

And of course, I could be talking out of my rear. The thought just occurred to me and I'm sure the use of a cooldown system on certain abilties could be applied elsewhere.

---

Blizzard games , when you use an uber ability, the icon goes dark and slowly lightens to show you how long until you can use the ability again.

SWG - Special moves cost HAM so spamming a special move can get you killed.

So blizzard uses a timer for it's uber moves but it does not remove your health.

SWG it cost heath and weapon delay.

"(correct me, if I'm wrong)"

I think your wrong.

It's like this:

Your weapon has a speed. For my republic blaster, that's 1.3 seconds between shots as the base number. Pistolleer gives me a pistol speed mod which right now is at +70 (I haven't mastered yet). That's 70% of 1.3 taken off per shot or .39. Specials have a multiplier like 1X or 2X etc. Last Ditch has a multiplier of 6 (I think... or was it 4... I can't remember). So to attack after using last ditch I have to wait 2.34 seconds (6 x .36). You get the "cooldown" system now?

Message Edited by Raanan on 07-08-2004 11:14 PM

Not that type of cooldown. We're talking about not being able to use it again for a bit after its been used.

I think we all know that some specials have a delay afterwards. Cooldown of a special maneuver is different from a delay between rounds and another method of balance than delay.

Message Edited by Raanan on 07-08-2004 11:16 PM

Message Edited by Raanan on 07-08-2004 11:18 PM