Friday with Means - November 20th, 2009 - Nanomage says "Wut?"

[tradalotrox]

wooo breed and sex change!

Great FWM

[Ebondevil]

The issue here would more or less be with the delivery of items. Every player would have a comm which Omni-Com could route text only messages to. However, the new mail system is more physical in nature, hence the terminals. If Omni-Trans wanted to delivery physical mail directly to the person it would be doable using a system similar to the Whom-Pahs. The problem is that while Omni-Trans would have a departure nodethe individual does not have a destination node to receive the mail. This is why the mail is routed to a Mail Terminal.

Read the description of this and then argue there's a problem with the delivery of items.

P.S. For those of you who can't be bothered it's a fixer Summon nano which instantly grid-warps Ammo into the fixers inventory.

[Nab2000]

SO, what about name changing then, along with breed/sec change? Can't have too many soli females running around with Trox.../...trox/..trox... names, or male nanomages called jennifer and angelina.

[Perin]

I honestly don't know how to feel about the breed change being official -.-

I've been NM, and I want to stay NM... I know people who have rolled opifex something and would rather be an atrox instead of the same thing, but it just feels... bleh...

It almost kinda feels like: "If you want to change your breed, go ahead, but if you don't want to, you're **** outta luck" Will this system continue, as in if you don't use your breed change, you'll be able to use it another time? But then if that happens, will it be worth it? Because if there's any other huge overhauling breed changes in the future, wouldn't that just mean you'd give another breed change, so those of us who never used the first one would lose it and everyone else would be able to go back to whatever they want.

I have the feeling I won't be using the breed change, or the sex change features, when I make a character I pick what they're gonna be, and a sudden change of my little female nm agent suddenly becoming a big dumb trox, just doesn't seem right, especially with the years of play behind it as a nm.

Like I said, I know people who are gonna love this, but I also know people who this makes no change at all for, and it feels (at least to myself) that it's kinda a bitch slap to all of us who are choosing to stick with the breed/profession/sex combo that we rolled years ago.

My suggestion is maybe add something to those who's choice is not to utilize a breed change, I have no idea what it would be, but there should be something to at least give credit to the people who aren't "taking the easy way out" on their character by doing a breed change. Make it only for those characters who are currently existing at the time of the breed change, and not to newly rolled characters, and make it so that if you change breed, you lose it...

I don't know what it would be, but maybe even something small that commemorates your "Lifetime" choice of sticking to one breed, doesn't have to be anything with stats, though if they made it something with stats, then it'd be a tougher choice "Switch your breed and take advantage of the new choice's change, or stick with your breed, and have this small bonus"

Really though, if something with stats on it would be considered too OP, then at least create a set of social clothing (ALL of them actually looking good please!) that those of us who have no plans to ever breed change, can show off, and proudly proclaim we've chosen the breed since we started the character, and make the all look different, but good, seriously, making NM one ugly looking for example would just make people roll away from NM to not have it

But yes, I'd love to be able to 6months down the road after the breed change has already been in game run around in my "Nanomage for Life" collection

[cOrnfl3X]

Breed change is agood idea , but it should be for unlimited time . and only can be used once , or maybe once per year


WTB [Friday with Means - November 27th, 2009 - Keepers are Fixed!]

[TheMekon]

There are a great many people that wont change their gender/breed, but it is more to give the option to those who feel that they have had the rug pulled out from them, to pick again..

Like for example, trox shades that decide that the 'warning of incoming MR' is not good for them anymore.. can switch to opifex and take the advantages there.. or any number of other situations.

[shadowgod]

I bet Macrosun had it all sorted whilst munching on a twinkie, sculling red bull, and telling errant children to get off his front lawn..... whilst coding on his laptop.

nah, he was doing it while complaining about why seph wasnt joining him and others in a game of... whatever they were playing that day.

[Metafly7]

Heres a short argument to help Nick.

If ppl have been used to their toon being one breed over the years, and a breed change is needed in order to make the balancing fair, taking into aspect that uve reached "perfection" as a player with a certain breed. Then isnt it kind of a disbalance if u allow ppl to change to a breed they dont know how to play with?

Ur used to doing it one way and all of a sudden its gonna be different. Since most wont change breeds, that puts them into an experience advantage over those that change, meaning that u sort of get a disbalance, instead of a rebalance.

Counter argument.

It should balance out again over time but it will take time.

[trousers]

Yeah I'm well aware of that, but if Omni-Tek has developped a method to transfer souls from a dying body to another one, would it be impossible to come up with a way to deliver a physical box/crate/package? There already is the technology to enter the grid without a grid terminal for fixers, traders, doctors and agents. And everyone can use the fixergrid to leave the grid at spots that have no grid terminal. A more profane way: Have a little drone deliver the mail. Or drop it off a transport, satelite or warship in orbit.
What I'm saying is. With all the wondrous technology that Omni-Tek have at their disposal, it should be possible to get physical objects delivered to any spot on Rubi-Ka almost instantaneously.

Reclaim is Delivery to a Destination Node (Reclaim Terminal).

Transport via Satellite would be the same problem, lack of destination node to reassemble.

Read the description of this and then argue there's a problem with the delivery of items.

P.S. For those of you who can't be bothered it's a fixer Summon nano which instantly grid-warps Ammo into the fixers inventory.

I won't argue it because in this case I believe Fixers are special. So much so, that I think a Fixer should be given a portable mail Terminal to access deliverables the same way a Trader can access GMS via a device. Yanking **** out of Gridspace is kind of what Fixers do

[fireduckjzz]

Hmm, people look if you don't like this idea, then don't use it. ATM in real life we can change our sex, why shouldn't we be able to a trillion years in the future? Personally, i think it would be a better idea to change how breeds work.

For example, nanomage, well their smarter than everyone else, can understand nano technology way better than every other breed, so maybe giving that breed a 10% more effectiveness while casting a nano, lets say a heal that heals for 1000 points, but since their a nanomage they can heal for 1100 points? Maybe you'll see a soli doc wanting to change to a NM doc.

I mean being atrox at level 220, being able to cast all the top nanos, have more health, and hits harder, why would anyone choose nanomage other than the reason of making a twink.

Making breed changes is an awesome idea imo, though i don't see myself using it, and after people see the new perk documents and such they may be itching to change breed for their current set up to go along with the new way perks work but enhancing breeds to match their description. Yes it's good to go nanomage for certain proffs to get those hard to cast nano's earlier but in the end...everyone can do it, one way or another.


Just an idea to throw around =/

[Corily]

I like it. Big time.

It's wrong to say this is a bandaid since it's no bandaid at all.

If the breed change wouldn't get ingame, don't you think that everyone will have rolled the toon they want with the breed they want in 2 years from now? There's plenty of atrox shades proving this. Giving us a chance to change our breeds right now will most likely just prevent people from quitting.

Still, I remain at a previous statement that the genome perks should be balanced out. NM/atrox still needs tweaking. Other than that I think it's good they're all differently, pointing in either a more defensive/offensive/survival direction.

[howlin]

First page omg!

[Shrubberyman]

That being said a "key" piece of information has been missing with respect the breed perks. Breed perks are currently not "trivial" buffs of little value...it really matters what breed you choose in terms of building your character. The team and I believe that this is part of what makes AO fun...the choice and determination to try out alternate setups to try and push the boundaries of what is possible. Reducing the breed specific perks to irrelevancy would be removing fun from pretty much everyone in the game...nobody wants that.

With all due respect Means, there's something I don't get here.
If one breed specific genome brings overwhelmingly good improvements to parts of a particular profession toolset or abilities, what makes you think it will be an incentive to "try out alternate setups to try and push the boundaries of what is possible"? Why would anyone choose to roll a breed/prof combo that obviously won't reach the cookie cutter efficiency by far? And do you seriously think giving everyone the choice of breed change in the light of new genomes won't produce more clones than weirdos?

Don't get me wrong, I understand the frustration building a toon around a feature of its breed and seeing it go down the drain brings. And I don't think the breed perks should be "irrelevant". But imo, you need to find a balance (yea, that word again) in the genomes so that the upcoming breed change choice doesn't go in the direct opposite direction than the one you seem to be aiming at.

Specifically, I think the Primary Atrox and Nanomage genomes are way out of line compared to the rest of the genomes. Or maybe it's the other genomes which are atm subpar compared to those two. My concern is not to convince you that genomes need to be nerfed to the great grand aunt in law department, neither that breed change must not happen, it is that in the current state the perspective is one of upcoming Clone Wars throwing 2 armies of NM NTs/Crats/MPs and Atrox Shades against each other.

[RemodCrat]

bleh

As i said for Perk resets quit dumbing down and making the game to easy....
Good for the changes but everyone should work for them. Reroll, dont b*tch just because your all 220 and probably ai 30 and dont feel like re lvling.
Against dumbing the game down more and more... and everyone being cookie cutter
the more Diverse the funner

[Venachar]

HugeNick:

You and I are going to fall out, shortly, if you do not reign in your attitude. Your history on these forums is long enough I can and will send you on a holiday if you do not start showing respect to other users. This is not a request. Wise up. Now. Having an opinion is not a right to have an attitude.

[madrid]

Alco > All

[Gastastic]

Awsome, I can never leave AO now. This is like watching a train wreck.

Means, I love that you have the stones to try big things, but you have opened a way bigger can of worms than I think you realize. I mean cmon, a breed change to off-set the 'tweaks' to perks? Sometimes it's better to just leave well-enough alone.

What's next, a one time only chance to transfer your WoW toon to AO servers?

I disagree with your premise but like your final idea. Funcom should make that a marketing pitch after the graphics update: "Lose the tights."

Far as breed change: sounds cool. The great unspoken, everyone's thinking "now I can finally trox my toons!" won't actually make sense. If perks get adjusted across the board, especially the breed specific ones, then it will be weeks or months before anyone sees the real advantages, the way they shake out. It took people about six months to get a clue what the SL perks were good for, the effective use of SBs in battle took about a year. So everyone who goes Trox might find that NT melee agents are actually the new schiznit.

[Phixalicious]

I'm fine with adding morediversity between the breeds themselves AND with breed changes.

Hell, we all choose the "right" breed for our professions now as it is, this isn't a change so much as just more diversity. Because if breed doesn't matter now, why don't I see a bunch of NanoMage Enforcers running around? Because breed already does matter.

[BigBubba]

Means I have to say since SL ive been very upset with the forced clones thing. I know some of the things are going to be a total headack for some of my toons. Its all worth it I am extreamly excited with where you are taking AO. Taking it back to its roots of creative planning of avitars. Sure you will have alot of whinning from players for taking this bold move myself being one of them. But in the end after all the dust settles its going to be a life giving change to AO. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.



Eunucha
Inner Circle
Since 2001

[meatybtz]

I disagree with your premise but like your final idea. Funcom should make that a marketing pitch after the graphics update: "Lose the tights."

Far as breed change: sounds cool. The great unspoken, everyone's thinking "now I can finally trox my toons!" won't actually make sense. If perks get adjusted across the board, especially the breed specific ones, then it will be weeks or months before anyone sees the real advantages, the way they shake out. It took people about six months to get a clue what the SL perks were good for, the effective use of SBs in battle took about a year. So everyone who goes Trox might find that NT melee agents are actually the new schiznit.

This.. everything has become quite stale and trite. Throwing it all into a blender really shakes it up and makes people go hunting again rather than applying formula X char vs formula Y char. That is healthy and has to be done on a regular basis to keep things healthy. Does it hurt.. sure. But the kinds of extreme twinks we have today were never envisioned by the devs.

Change is good, embrace it.
This is a game, its about having fun and being entertained, not work. Usually you don't pay for the right to work at a job.
In the end this wont be the AO of 4 years ago. It wont be the AO of 2 years ago, hell it wont be the AO of NOW. That can only be... a good thing.
Sometimes I swear you guys are "working to hard" at a game. Your "buy-in" is too much. Leaves you frothing at the mouth. Take a step out of game for a while. It really helps the perspective. I know my break from AO is what is making me feel better about all the changes.

TO end this.. Why so serious?