So what's cookin' in the kitchen?

[aramsunat]

FC has released rebalance information lately about Fixers and Enfs stating that the professionals were deeply involved in the design.

I wish to see some spoilers about the direction engis will take nano-wise so we can troll it to death and totally not agree with each other

[Madene]

Technogen isn't very active on the boards anymore, which could mean that we are going to be as bad as a tradeskiller as we are in pvp after rebalance.

[Makihran]

Considering another portion of our toolset was stolen (and improved!) I don't have much hope for what's cooking for us. But I've promised not to be bitter, so instead of ranting I'll just say congrats to fixers on having traps (mines) that don't have the stupidly long lockout timer or BS requirement.

[Madene]

fixers having traps

It says on top of the nano documentation that its not usable by players.

They can however remove our defence in their current state.

[Solidstriker]

It is better not to think of what's to come, lest what's to come sees you first!

[Towerblock]

If this statement was true:

FC has released rebalance information lately about Fixers and Enfs stating that the professionals were deeply involved in the design.

Then we wouldn't be fed the stuff we have been. Some of that the new stuff on there that was altered, was no ones idea but the devs horrible rationalization based upon broken past issues.

If by that saying, they mean continue to represent the playerbase... well that information is already common knowledge. I pay attention to wording. Any business that requires a market base is very careful to word things to give their consumer a sense of hope, even if the hope is manufactured in the consumer mind. After all, if an expectation is never reached.. well its not the company's fault then, now is it?

[Ellarisa]

nothing is known yet about engis.

yes the pro's had some influence on the nano changes (if it was good or bad i'm leaving aside).

when you read the nano docs btw, keep in mind that nanos are yet to come, so things could change still.

Greetings,



Ellarisa

[Kintaii]

Yeah, this is something I've said a lot by now and I really can't repeat enough - We don't plan on doing this halfway, and will be tweaking and changing things even past the point where it's gone live. Yes, I know, previous versions of the AO development team haven't done that; they've tended to take an "it's out, leave it that way" standpoint. We ourselves haven't even changed *that* much on live yet... but in our case it's because we're trying not to screw up what's already there (any more than it already is) while we keep ourselves busy with trying to fix all of it (and there's a lot to fix).

So yes - Things posted for the rebalancing *are* subject to change and will continue to be in the future. We are dedicated - more than any of you guys probably know or could believe - to getting it *right*... and if that means fussing with it until we do? Then that's just what we'll be doing. No matter what or how long it takes.

[aramsunat]

Getting it *right*. Right is a subjective word. What is your main focus behind 'right'?

Making the eng prof more unique, cuz lets face it, most of our unique abilities wont be unique anymore, as people will get blockers through parry, reflects were never unique, now fixers seem to be stealing our mines etc etc?

Or is it a "nerf package" meaning that pets will not hit evaders anymore? If you want to satisfy the 'playerbase' you need to do that. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE that is not an engineer wants pet AR nerfed. But we engs all know that once that happens, killing evaders will be impossible for us.

Are engs going more tradeskill oriented even PVP wise?

[Takun]

...will be tweaking and changing things even past the point where it's gone live. Yes, I know, previous versions of the AO development team haven't done that; they've tended to take an "it's out, leave it that way" standpoint...

....we're trying not to screw up what's already there (any more than it already is) while we keep ourselves busy with trying to fix all of it (and there's a lot to fix)...

Two of the best lines you've probably posted. And I know this must be pretty crazy coming from me but cheers. Glad to see some HR work here, actually admitting that the game has issues and that you need to / are working on them.

PS - It seems you forgot to post the section about the grenade changes and how its being reworked as the main weapon line for engineers.. a small mistake easily forgiven... you'll find the reply button on the right side in which to fill in all that information for me kthnxbai.

Making the eng prof more unique, cuz lets face it, most of our unique abilities wont be unique anymore, as people will get blockers through parry, reflects were never unique, now fixers seem to be stealing our mines etc etc?

I don't really see uniqueness as being something to strive for. Sure engineer can be super unique off the wall crazy content but you run into two things A) Is it fun to play and B) is it balanced. My guess would be no. I am 'okay' with other classes getting blockers, personally I think almost all the support classes need it to stay alive... however I also think it needs to be changed (like the team blockers) it should be something you have to activate or use. Intelligent play.

Having (caution: example ahead) 3 blockers on a 1 minute cooldown with 15 second uptime plays better than a 'passive - cast this buff and forget about it' model.

Instead of blockers or more blockers or 'special blockers' I would rather have some new engineer type of defense... like a nano fence which slows units who walk through it, allowing us to kite around it and run through it to get melee off of us.

...killing evaders will be impossible for us....

I once chased around (and killed) an advent for about 5 minutes using only aimed shot every 11 seconds. I r agent.

[aramsunat]

Imho both eng pvp and solo pvm is pretty intense at the moment. If you wanna make blockers requiring more attention, then a compensation is needed otherwise we would need 3 hands to press all the buttons (just some examples: swapping for isotos/MB, recasting snare/root resist, coon, heal perks, dmg perks, NSD spam if applicable, blind spam if applicable, pet control, Pet Attention nanos, a number of spec attacks, trimmers, and other FA related stuff - this seems pretty intense to me)
Adding one more thing to bother with makes eng PVP even more complex. Sure im not gonna complain about that, but I alr see the numerous whines about it

And oh yes... call me masochistic, but I prefer eng PVP to be complex. I like the game's distinction beteween professions like soldier, doc, shade, keeper pvp is pretty simple (in comparison to others), while engineer, fixer, crat, mp being very complex. It adds the feeling that you have to work a lil harder to accomplish more

[Tehevolz]

Give more blockers. Not team blockers, self.

[Solidstriker]

I once chased around (and killed) an advent for about 5 minutes using only aimed shot every 11 seconds. I r agent.

ubt

And as for engineers.. well, I don't know what to think anymore, I'll just twiddle my thumbs and be reactive.

[Technogen]

I have been pretty quiet lately because I'm just sitting back and observing. When the eng docs get presented to the pros I'll be solid in speaking up about them and covering aspects of them that favor engineers as a whole.

[Kintaii]

now fixers seem to be stealing our mines etc etc?

Like Fuglskremsel said, those nanos at the top of the Fixer doc are old legacy nanos that are in the database but were never used for anything, mostly because they don't actually work at all. They're not being re-introduced, Fixers aren't getting mines. ;P

As far as "right" goes? That's subjective. "Right" to us means three things: (A) Making the game more fun and interesting. (B) Making the mechanics of the game actually make logical sense. (C) Placing everyone on a much more even playing field. As it so happens, pet professions are one of the groups of classes in AO that are ripe for those sorts of changes, and we have quite a bit planned and in store for you guys as we go along.

And, I mean, I know - Sitting here and saying "trust us, we got this" doesn't exactly tell you guys much, nor does it really inspire a lot of confidence based on the activities of prior AO dev teams. But when we say we want each profession to have a distinct flavour and playstyle, we mean it. And when we say we want to try and ensure that all professions start gaining a more equal foothold in battle, we mean that too.

Not everyone is going to be pleased with everything we do, because those individuals will no longer be omgwtfuber in a way that completely destroys other professions in the game (and no, I'm not specifically referencing engineers here, just saying in general). As others (and I myself) have said, this whole thing is about balance, "balance" meaning "equality". And that equality extends to pet professions as well. Pet professions are *not* getting left behind, despite what the doomsayers would have you believe.

(and 'nade information will be coming later, takun - probably with the itemization changes. we'll probably talk about it a bit when we release the engi nano docs as well.)

[Madene]

Great post Kintaii.

But I have one question. Is it intended that fixers can remove our self and team blockers nano every 2 minutes, with their new nemesis nano after rebalance? If it is, then I have nothing nice to say.

[Solidstriker]

Don't worry, engineer without blockers.. oh, wait. ;(

[Technogen]

Well we haven't seen how much NCU our blockers will cost once that doc is up. If they cost 36 ncu they wont be removed.

Also the profs brought it up with the devs and Genele made a good response about it. I feel that they know what they are doing with Program Override.

[Madene]

If it was on live today, it would also be able to remove bio cocoon, bio regrowth, sympathetic pulsing buffs, empowered reactive harmonic cocoon (the reflect part), congenial encasement, splinter preservation and survival. So im just wondering where the line will go.

[Technogen]

Well thats why it's not live today :P but yeah I get you. It's also why they are doing all the work then releasing everything so they don't have to go back and change everything 500 times.