Messages

121

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Only 3 rematches remaining...

« on: November 09, 2014, 02:14:13 pm »

I actually think this might be a positive change. I felt to me like matches that rematch a bunch often lead to lopsided games.. Now I can't be sure because we can't see what exactly is going on with MM... we don't see MMR.. We don't know how it re-balances a rematch lobby.. etc.. and I can only go by what I see happening..

But I certainly had a lot better (as in they looked/felt balanced in general) matches after the patch then before it..  but that could just be luck...

I wish we could see more info on whats actually going on though.. If the change is helping MM produce more balanced games, then I am ok with it.

122

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Match type descriptions in the lobby screen.

« on: November 09, 2014, 02:08:28 pm »

I think a LARGE overlay on the screen with a big arrow pointing toward the active point saying "YOU NEED TO GO HERE TO CAPTURE THE POINT" would be more effective.

The large glowing shiny star is not clue enough.

I actually considered the same thing.. but you know muse would say its to much...

123

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Let noobs be noobs - lvl cap

« on: November 09, 2014, 09:46:11 am »

Hides levels because lvl =|= skill

Judges new players on their lvl with novice cap.

Muse 2014

But level dose give an idea of time played, And new players are clearly worse or at lest needing to learn then people who play longer.. but that line gets blurred after a bit.. a level 45 isn't necessarily better then a level 30 for example..

At some point level stops being useful to determine actual skill of a person.. Different roles require different actual skills to be "good" at it, and not just ok at it. If you have a level 45 gunner who misses most of his hades shots.. and a level 20 gunner who hits them all every time - who is the more skilled gunner in your opinion?

The goal with novice cap is to try to figure out what is the average level at which a new person has learned the basics of the game and dose not need to be told very basic info in order to be a productive part of the crew. If it isn't then that should be the goal imo.

124

Feedback and Suggestions / Match type descriptions in the lobby screen.

« on: November 09, 2014, 12:17:24 am »

Since match maker thinks I am equal to a brand new player... I have been having a lot of games with new players, which is ok I don't mind.. But I have noticed that a lot of them do not understand how CP or CK works, and it might help if in the lobby there was some text box that explained how the current map type works.. Maybe in place of  where you have the "Levels or meaningless" text currently..

So like for CP it could say "Try to hold the point in the center of the map while you fend off enemies".. or like CK you could say "Move from point to point, trying to capture as many points as you can. Active point always go in alphabetical order." and.. well everyone knows what death match is.. Some think every match is death match.. Which is the problem..

I am unsure if this is in the tutorials, because.. I haven't touched those in well over a year... but if it is, they aren't doing a good job. An having this text may not completely solve the problem..  but.. It can't hurt.. At lest people might be more aware of the match type and how it works..

125

Release Notes / Re: Version 1.3.8 Hotfix 2 Release Notes

« on: November 07, 2014, 11:05:49 pm »

I kinda don't wanna say it but I think crew-form is like the worst thing about the new system..

I am kinda bored with three low skill pilots.. and suddenly - a full ship of high skill players drops in and just ruins any chance the lobby had to be fun. I do consider pilot skill levels to be a bigger factor then a gunners or engineers.

I feel its needed to find a way to balance crew-form more then trying to solve how to keep novices out of my games..

Perhaps by making it so the MM won't drop a ship in to a lobby it just removes all balance in the first place... Don't we have some MMR thing that should be able to tell that the ship is just to much for the lobby?

I personally would rather wait longer to play and have more fair games, then have rushed matches that are not fun. Losing is fun if you had the opportunity to win. Its not fun when you can't win.

I don't agree with the "if your in the queue to long we just put you in any match".. Doesn't this just undermine MMR entirely? I can see I suppose adding an option to just put you in a match for the more impatient.. But if MM would be able to find me a balanced game if I wait longer.. Would that be so bad?

I wouldn't even mind having the option to join matches that have crew-formed ships unable to be put into..

How does MM work anyway? Does it add up the MMR of each team and make them equal? Does it try to make ships have similar MMR rating? Does it just put people in with similar mmr regardless of over all rating for a team?

Are any classes weighted? Like is a high skill pilot worth more to a team then a high level gunner?.. Or does the MM just view them as an equal?..


-I feel I should say I think MM is an improvement in some ways over the old list system.. and I  know there are many factors that are hard to account for when dealing with whats "balanced" some the MM probably can't look at.. but I feel like some times it isn't even trying..

126

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Welding Torch

« on: November 03, 2014, 09:12:37 pm »

I don't like the idea of adding tools someone could use to kill their own ship...

That said, I agree with Sprayer in that skill based risk is better then luck based risk, so maybe a better risky tool is like... The tool does an initial repair equal with like a pipe-wrench, but during the cool-down if you hit it at specific time(s) it will further repair the part... but if not the cool down is extended or something..

So if your good at timing the repairs, the tool repairs more then a mallet can but if your not good its worse then a pipe wrench..

Or like it can buff or debuff a part if you do it well or fail.. Like a buffing pipe-wrench.. If you hit it at like 1/2 cool-down the part receives a buff that's shorter then a normal buff.. but if you miss one then it gives a debuff on the part that lasts the same amount of time..

So better players could buff parts while repairing, but they would be less effective since they can't just abandon the part..

There really isn't much I can think out side this type of mechanic.. that can be done with repairs - that isn't luck based.. Though I only thought about it a little bit... An I am aware these aren't the most balanced ideas as is.. Just mean to suggest the mechanic mainly..

127

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Differentiating user account name and character name

« on: June 01, 2014, 09:27:15 pm »

Unfortunately you can't do that as there are only a limited amount of name changes you can use.

I was under the impression after the limited free name changes, you had to pay to change it? Maybe that was changed?..

128

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Design Paradigm, Game balance, and Gunner vs Engineer.

« on: May 26, 2014, 11:35:01 am »

I honestly think people are greatly over valuing normal ammo..

All ships have 4 spots.. a pilot spot - two engineer spots - a gunner spot.. That's the basic "should be default" crew..

Some people use engineer for pilot, and many use third engineer for gunner. Which should be fine and workable. (the more crew combinations that can work, the more play styles they can let exist in the game..)

In the current game, third engineer is by far used more then gunner, not because normal ammo exists.. but because gunners do not have any advantage over engineer on many light guns.. and engineer with buff hammer is out right stronger.. Its all benefit to bring a engineer over a gunner..

Normal ammo isn't used on many of these guns regularly, where you would want the gunner.. (gat, mortar, light caro, flamer, etc)... because it has no value over the guns "best ammo"..

The only places normal ammo removal effects are... Artemis lesmok combo - which is an engi gun most of the time (mobula/junker/spire).. and second medium gunner on galleons, where sometimes the engi will opt for lesmok/normal to use the longer range guns at lest a little effectively.. From what I see, most people still prefer gunner on medium guns over third engineer so no need to nerf it really... because multiple ammo has value their, so there is some trade off on which to pick..

So I think normal ammo removal is just a lesmok nerf.. and a specific tactic nerf.. not a gunner buff really.

Gunners already have a combat advantage over engineer on medium guns and on hades/mine launcher.. If they change the buff hammer, then even more so.


Also its kinda silly to compare everyone having a pipe wrench vs everyone having normal ammo.. Pipe-wrench is useful on any ship with any load out .. Normal ammo as said above is only useful to engineers in certain situations.


Removing the buff hammers dmg bonus, balances gunner and engineer raw dmg.. But doesn't remove the lack of situational value on the light guns we need him to be valuable on.. So is likewise not necessarily the only answer..

There have been some pretty nice ammo suggestions that make you want to have a gunner. Instead of balance, they straight up buff the gunners  slots.

Basically, the engineers slot for ammo should be a bad thing. The current selection of ammo does not do it. The gunner choosing this selection of ammo has more freedom but nothing that makes those extra slots worth while to have.

The pilots tools dont count as no one else can jump on the helm.
While every one can jump out and do a bit of repairing.
And everyone can shoot a gun.

The problem that, we obviously see is that we can do enough and in a desirable ammount with just one ammo type.
What if there are some vastly different ammo that make up for gunners? Some vast diffrences that make you want atleast 1 gunner.
1 Gunner on each ship is enough to be necessary for the fix.


Nerfing pilots and engineers, is actualy not the answer. Sure it helps the gunner but it doesnt make the gunner more of what he is.
And thats the reliefe of having more options for the situation, or more options to better control what is happening.

Ammo like charged, greased, heatsink, incindiary, burst are way too mundane, in a good or bad way. The only ammo that really kicks things up differently are the heavy clip, Lesmok, Lochnagar.

You will want more of THOSE types of ammo. The mundane ammo are close to being default. And that is the issue, how these default like ammunition can be easily used without wanting to switch out. Instead of removing Default ammo, you will want to enhance the use of default because the ammo choice is way too situational. Right now it isnt. Only few hit it spot on.

This is a far more logical idea, remove the ammo that currently are the "normal ammo++" for the light guns, and replace them with not one (as suggested) but several ammo that are useful on a gun - if possible - in several different situations that can all happen in any given match..

Basically buff the "situational" value of ammos, and debuff the I'm the best normal ammo++ for the gun..  Since based on ammo alone (if they don't add tools and such), gunner strength is his situational value.. vs engineer who is only useful if he has an ammo that can do everything needed in one ammo.

129

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Pilot tool: Yoke

« on: May 26, 2014, 11:04:55 am »

As much as the idea seems cool (can't really say necessary for the game, but still cool), are you even able to do these things with an Airship? How are you supposed to Roll with a ship that flies because of a balloon attached with ropes to a piece of swinging metal? I'm not really good at this stuff, but even to me it seems like airships and planes work a little bit different, and the rules you imply on adding are only applicable for fixed-wing type of aircraft, are they not?

Well I don't really know I assume it would work like..

The balloon has several compartments... putting more air in one and less in another could make it lopsided.

Anyway I like the concept of the tool but I don't know if I like it in practice.. because being able to do this changes combat quite a bit.. as gun arcs are a lot different to experienced captains.. which maybe a bit op depending how it works out..

Also does tilted ship force the ship then to fly in that direction? Like if I am tiled forward, do I fly down because the ship is tilled down and the engines are thus pushing me toward the ground?

130

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Call for Gunner Ammo Ideas

« on: May 25, 2014, 12:56:28 am »

I think part of the issue is.. the lack of situational time for many light guns that currently lack the need of a gunner..

Stuff that could be considered.. with that in mind...

Disabler ammo
An ammo that increased part dmg or mainly gun dmg, but lowers all other dmg the gun normal has.. So in these short fights if your getting the worst of it.. you could opt to have the gunner use this to disable the enemy to buy that extra time... maybe

Close Combat Ammo
I suggested earlier close range ammo, that's only useful.. close range but is stronger then usual..

Deflate ammo
(similar to what was suggested earlier) An ammo that forces a ship to drop altitude.. temporarily.. + the makes it hard to go up but easy to drop "debuff".. (that then maybe leads to a immunity so it can't be abused or the ammo just gets greyed out for x amount of time till it can be used more).. Could work for this also.. It would give you the chance to get out of their gun arks and maybe escape death once..

Freeze ammo
It just freezes the enemy ships controls + gun angles for a few seconds... so if they are turning, they keep turning.. if they are going full speed they keep going full speed.. Like with the deflate ammo.. once loaded the clip is greyed out for a few mins before it can be used again.. to stop it from being used constantly.. or maybe, a ship is just immune to the effect for a few mins so you can't chain use it as a team ...

If an ammo needs special rules to make it balanced.. is it bad?

Confuse ammo
what about an ammo that makes the enemies controls go haywire for a few seconds. The pilots speed control, would move up and down randomly during this time and the balloon would go up and down randomly.. Wheel could turn left and right.. Maybe guns would randomly invert and such, so up is left and so on making it hard to aim..  (balance.. see above)..

I know this realistically doesn't make a lot of sense.. but .... so what.. I just want it.. I just like the whole concept of it...

Shrapnel ammo
This ammo could just jam enemy guns/engines for a few seconds .. just another "Save" ammo thought..

Attract ammo
Basically it would attampt to pull incoming ammo to it.. so if you shoot it away from you.. enemy ammo will go away.. I don't get it either..


Ejecto ammo
It just forces all the people on the ship to fly off at a random % chance..... The more they fly off the better... again I just think it would be funny.. really... Just me?..


Most of these ammo's, are ammo's you mainly use close range.. when your probably going to die situation.. Maybe best defense could be a good offense :S idk.. anyway..

These ammos.. are just.. random ideas

Double or nothin ammo
Its normal ammo, where the clip either is 2x normal ammo in every stat... or it breaks the gun and nothing happens.. 50/50 chance if op.. then a weighted 30/70 chance..

Pierce ammo
The ammo goes through ships it hits, and can hit enemies behind it also.. So if you catch your enemies side by side, you might be able to hit both.. How cool would getting two kills with one flak shot be?..

--
Ice ammo
Deals more dmg to parts on fire.. (the whole heat then cool thing).. but has a chance to remove a stack with each hit..

Achilles ammo
Does more dmg to parts on a repair cool down... (name pointing to.. if your fixing something, then its opened up and so you hit it when its weak..... yep)... Including hull/balloon... but hull and balloons dmg shouldn't be as extreme maybe as parts bonus.. I think guns = most bonus.. engines a bit less and hull/balloon bit more less.. based on how often these things are under repair

Splash ammo
Does more dmg to hull if it hits a component... I hear if a gun hits a component, the component blocks the hull some what.. so this would make it so it does more dmg if it hits them.. Name is random idk what to name it..  Just for guns/engines..

Gust ammo
Has a chance to double fire stacks, on parts that are already on fire...

Counter ammo
Does more dmg to guns that are firing

Critical ammo
Does more dmg the less permanent hull health  you have..

(These all would be similar to normal ammo.. at regular power, but noticeably stronger, under its situation).
--

Steady ammo
Ammo is very sensitive to ship movement and can easily be thrown way off target.... but stronger then normal ammo with more range.. This could even be like a second merc ammo.. so like charged buffed but if the ship moves much you will miss.... Clearly a long range ammo.. for ships that can not move at all..

Ram ammo
Adds a debuff to hit ships, that if rammed while they have it.. get hit for a bit more .. So like it softens them up..

Shock ammo
If it hits a gun it has a chance to kick the user off it.. bit more chance to kick engineers off it...?

I get some of these are able to be completely over powered but.. with proper balancing and thought I am sure all things can be made balanced...... well kinda..

Sorry if I repeated your idea btw.. I didn't mean to.. I just didn't see your similar idea..

.. an bed time again..

131

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Design Paradigm, Game balance, and Gunner vs Engineer.

« on: May 22, 2014, 05:36:00 pm »

I agree.

I feel like it is a mistake to look at gunners more like pilots then like engineers..

Pilots stuff is helm focused, that makes sense because.. the pilot is flying in or out of combat... But a gunner is like an engineer in that, he has downtime.. that's currently not used for anything.

132

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Extinguished stat counter

« on: May 20, 2014, 11:45:25 pm »

I agree.

.. Remotely related I want a fires prevented stat, that shows fires chem spray + heat sink stopped.. (who doesn't wanna see how efficient they were at prevention?)..

Then change all logs for chem-spray to prevent x fires ..

133

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Call for Gunner Ammo Ideas

« on: May 20, 2014, 11:00:49 pm »

I can't reply to this all short so.. sowwy..

RE: Normal Ammo

While I get where the normal ammo idea comes from, I think it would just remove currently valid strategies for certain ships (mainly junker, spire, mobula) and add little to nothing to the gunner class because he wouldn't be any more useful in most cases on guns he is not already useful on. - imo.

Consider, how does this make a captain want a gunner on a merc or a gatling gun (and really any gun you don't normally use a gunner for, and opt for third engineer) anymore then they do right now? It wouldn't change it very much I think - if at all, but it would make lesmonk useless as an ammo in most cases for an engineer, that -to be effective- has to use guns to and be in the spots that he is (at lest two spots on every ship, save rare cases).

I think instead of removing useful functions, to pretend you improved the gunner class its better to try to improve the gunner class so he is chosen for useful reasons, over the third engineer... more at the bottom on this..

RE: Loading gun at last second

Can't we have our cake and eat it to..? Why not just make it reload the last used ammo - but your free to change it if you want up to near last second?.. and make changes that happen literally last second not happen, if it means the gun will reload completely.. That would useful, if possible..

I end up having to reload because I jump in a gun to late and hit the key to switch to the right ammo thinking I will make it.. I have caused us to lose games over it.. and at lest a point.. or not getting a kill when should of.. etc..

Why mitigate one risk and add another?.. I am sure I am not the only one who has/will do this..

If an issue is, well then Player A can just load ammo X and player B doesn't need to bring it to use it... add in a mechanic that if when the clip is being reloaded, the player that emptied it didn't have the ammo that matches it goes normal.. - after typing the below this might be why we can't have our cake and eat it to haha.

----------------------------

I was thinking, what makes a gunner useful right now, he is useful on a hades, a mine launcher, and the medium guns..

Why is he useful? because he can make the gun effective at three (possibly four if normal is useful in some cases over the three other types commonly used) ranges in most cases.. which is for more useful then an engineer who can do two at best (mostly in cases you need engineers shooting), and one in most cases where a gunner isn't currently useful anyway.

But you can't just add ammo that makes the other guns useful at three ranges realistically.. because.. they do not have enough range to really get the same benefit.. engagements happen to fast for it to happen when inside gatling range.. and giving these guns more range, brings up balance issues..

So you would need to, if you wanted to go the purely ammo route, find ways to use the other two ammo slots.. that can be used quickly (if it takes to much time, it isn't going to be useful in most cases), and be useful enough that a buff hammer + more repair power isn't just out right better.

Ammo that can give you advantage positioning, like the ammo that makes the enemy unable to raise up quickly... which brings up the "time" issue... or ammo that is more effective if your maybe at 50% of the normal range of the gun.. then the most commonly used ammo.. to give gunners a two range option..


I think - basically gunners need buffed for brawling ships/ guns, they are already used plenty for sniper ships.. or at lest guns that can hit longer range. Granted you could add ways to buff gunner value on a merc (marker ammo that can mark through clouds, is an example why you might want him over a buff engineer)... mostly this is on a mobula though..


I don't think you need to remove the value of three engineers to make gunners useful.. you just have to find ways - that fit what you want to do with it - that will make the gunner valid over a third engineer for meaningful reasons... Gunner utility and gunner combat value vs "third" engineer are things that need reviewed..

Any nerf to engineer - is a nerf that effects all the spots that have to be an engineer - just as much as the third engineer that is the issue.. and won't necessarily make gunners more useful...

Hopefully that makes sense.. haha..

134

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Gunner Tool: Addons

« on: May 19, 2014, 02:37:59 am »

I like the ideas in principle, but because these are all new mechanics which will require new UI and interaction methodologies... it'll be hard to pull off.

If there are ways to create more skills for the gunner to make them more attractive, that would be the best and easiest way to do things.

Can I ask how you guys (devs) would feel about changing the gunner class to be a muti-class in that...

A gunner can pick either three ammo - or - two ammo and two tools?... allowing the gunner to fill the current gunner role or the "gungineer" role . Perhaps this falls under the "new mechanics" though.. but imo this would in general let the gunner class be more useful in more spots.

The idea would be, it makes the gunner more flexible while not removing his primary use to always be shooting things.. or letting him be entirely outclassed by an engineer.

With the the new gunner ammo, I'm thinking of really really niche but really really useful.

Crazier they are, the better.

At any rate... crazy gunner only ammo.... That's not necessarily even a good idea or make any sense.. stats for you to decide mostly.. unless I have a suggestion.. but I will try to think "Crazy" you can figure out if its balanced or how to if they are useful..


An ammo that deflates an enemies balloon, causing it to move down quicker, and up slower. like mimicking the pilot tool

An ammo that has a chance to remove chem spray seconds or buff seconds..

An ammo that "seeks" specific components.. So if you shoot with in a certain range, the ammo will turn to hit it (so like, if you have engine seeking ammo, the ammo will turn and hit engines as long as your close) (Reduced rate of fire though..).

On that note.. magnet ammo that makes it pull toward metal parts of the ship..

An ammo that changes a guns dmg type.. (goodbye  balance!)

Light loch.. that works like loch but will only reduce light guns to 1 hp.. with slightly reduced stats..

Some new debuff ammo.. Things like, if you hit an engine its output is reduced by 25% for 20seconds..

An ammo that marks a hit ship.. works even in clouds.. but the mark follows normal rules and will go away if not visible.. (single shot, +20% reload + a bit more range).

An ammo that creates small tar clouds.. on impact..

Friendly ammo (heal - buff - chem spray allies from afar..)

Friendly ammo 2 - (Use the magic of friendly ammo to heal - buff - chem spray yourself..)

An ammo that makes a ship magnetized.. and pulls it toward any nearby ships..

Delayed fire ammo.. it only tries to add fire stacks x seconds after hitting an enemy ship..

Ammo that only works for mines, but lets you use a hot key that explodes all the mines you shot with the ammo..

buff ammo that adds a buff to the gun that lasts for two clips.. second clip can be any ammo.

Ammo that extends the life of engi buffs and chem spray... maybe it makes a buff last 2 clips, instead of timed.. if the ammo is active when the buff is added.. the point is so... having one buff engi is fine because he doesn't have to buy your gun all the time, and still buff and shoot his.... or just to make chem spray last longer..

Ammo that increases the turn ratios of the gun .. but dmgs the gun the entire time it is outside its default range.. (They said the pyramidion couldn't shoot to the right..)

Random stat ammo.. that randomly adds buffs and debuffs from a pool that includes all available buffs and debuffs.. (... no? I didn't think so)

Ok I am going to bed now.. I am up way to late.. haha..

135

Feedback and Suggestions / Re: Jet Pack

« on: May 19, 2014, 12:51:57 am »

We have wooden and metal ships powered by propellers held up by a balloon, and you want JET PACKS? 

How about balloon packs?.... where we are lifted up by a balloon and use propellers to move around..

Problem solved!.. now we just need a ship that requires you to use it to even get around..