Stats Revamp: Controller Role

Discussion in 'Testing Feedback' started by Dipin Gujral, Jun 19, 2017.

  1. Dipin Gujral Committed Player

    The stats revamp underway has a significant room for improvement.

    I took some time to test the controller role on the test server and feel utterly disappointed.

    My biggest gripe with the controller role is the inability to power up a player or a group. I have tested the same in small and and large group compositions.

    On live, I have some 8600 Vitalization while on test, it's more than 16000. On live, I have a 12500 power pool whereas on test, it's over 40000.

    Even in a duo with a DPS, I was unable to keep up the power despite spamming recharge and having nearly an unspent 23000 power pool. The DPS power bar would drop to zero time and time again and there is really no way to keep him fueled despite having half of my power bar full.

    I am not sure how developers are making this role more controllery or whatever nuance they use but in my personal experience, I don't like how completely ineffective and inefficient the role has become.

    Since the launch of the game and prior to CR differential and prior to introduction of WM/AM and power return, I remember being able to power the entire group and every role and keep them powered till the time my own power bar was not empty. Spamming power would enable me to keep a power hungry DPS powered till the time my own power bar had enough juice but the current update is a complete joke.

    As a controller, I feel that both power over time and instant power needs to be looked at and the power dump from recharge/instant power dump needs to be significantly enlarged.

    I can't be a controller and not have anything to power or control. If this is the vision for the future of this role, then it would be best to stop playing one.
    • Like x 6
  2. Proxystar #Perception


    Absolutely agree.
    • Like x 4
  3. Razzbuu Well-Known Player

    After getting used to the AM, this new gameplay changes is going to hit hard
    I'm not sure if i'm going to survive this, i'm holding my sub till i see the whole things
  4. Dipin Gujral Committed Player


    What is shocking is that none of the regular testers have touched on the aspect of controller power over time and instant power dump regeneration.

    I would need more testing to compare them with groups both on live and on the test server to provide a definitive assessment but so far, I am totally dissatisfied with the preliminary findings.

    At double the vitalization, my Power Over time is little over 900 while on live it's about 670. how is it that with double the vitalization, my Power Over Time has only increased marginally and my power dumps seem to be no stronger than what they are on live?

    My testing partner was testing a power and clip heavy hard light rotation that required 6500 power per second and with my pot and instant power dumps combined with his own regeneration only received anywhere between 2400 to 2800 power per second.

    Both my P O T and instant power dumps seem extremely marginal.
    • Like x 2
  5. Dipin Gujral Committed Player


    This has nothing to do with the AMs.

    Even before AMs, the controller role could power any rotation no matter how power hungry it was till the time his own power bar was not completely depleted.

    Currently on test, my power dumps are incapable of supporting any power hungry rotation despite the fact that my power bar is 60% full.
    • Like x 1
  6. Isif Committed Player

    Thank you for testing the role. Most people must either dislike the role or love Damage to the point where Troll stance is neglected. If this revelation isn't pure oversight on the Dev side, then it is disheartening to hear.
    • Like x 2
  7. Charmed Legacy Dedicated Player


    While I agree with you that the controller role is massively under-performing in the revamp I'm gonna save you some trouble. You can't compare test server to live server. Its two total different beasts as you have well seen. The Devs aren't going to take notice of any comparisons between test server and live server. They will tell you that quickly and that it skews your data and feedback. Not trying to be the bad person here just giving you a fair warning.

    On the subject of controllers in the revamp its a very bad situation. I feel like trolls are getting the worst abuse they have suffered yet. Instead of the group saying "you suck" they are saying "its ok we know trolling is fked atm" while the person trolling sits there feeling like crap and feeling like they can't preform their job. I witnessed it in 2 runs last night, one I tanked and one I healed and the trolls were discouraged to say the least while the group was understanding to them. This isn't even something you typically see in DCUO so that should speak volumes as to how bad controller role is on test atm.

    Active testers are addressing the controller role problems, I'm not really sure why you haven't noticed it but yes they are bringing up awareness. I hope this role gets the attention and TLC it needs because its in pretty rough shape atm.
    • Like x 6
  8. HoiiowDreamz Dedicated Player


    Power Out Essays - https://forums.daybreakgames.com/dc...stats-revamp-1-3-gadgets.283808/#post-3892247

    https://forums.daybreakgames.com/dc...s-revamp-1-6-power.286928/page-4#post-3953082

    https://forums.daybreakgames.com/dc...ats-revamp-gadgets.283276/page-4#post-3882803

    (entire thread - argument) https://forums.daybreakgames.com/dcuo/index.php?threads/controllers-power.285825/

    (entire thread) https://forums.daybreakgames.com/dc...n-with-power-management-in-the-revamp.284614/

    https://forums.daybreakgames.com/dcuo/index.php?threads/thoughts-on-trolling-power.286473/

    CC Essay - https://forums.daybreakgames.com/dc...olling-under-statsrevamp.284753/#post-3911521

    And after all of that, this happened in 1.7 notes:
    [IMG]
    [IMG]

    And that's in addition to them releasing 201 gear with a higher power cost, and after a post from Moja, they expect us to put a few more skill points in power in order to maintain the same power cost roughly compared to lower cr.

    People have complained for a long time, but half of us have given up somewhat. I'm only posting this because I was asked to but I was one of the controller main's testing stuff earlier because I did dps testing as well.
    • Like x 6
  9. BumblingB I got better.

    I don't care what they do with power bit they've taken away what makes a controller a controller. Which is to crowd control. They say they want us to feel more like one and added back cc then turn around and added breakout profiles to everything.

    I'm done with the lip service. They've lost me on being a controller and I was excited in the early stages. They eff us over in the name of trivializing. Obvious that they don't know what a controller is and it stinks what they think it is.
    • Like x 5
  10. Dipin Gujral Committed Player


    Thank you, this was a good read.

    I think everything has been covered in detail by most of the testers and yet I am surprised that nothing has been done about any of the previous feedback in this penultimate build.

    The controller role needs to be adjusted a whole lot. The entire role revamp is comprised of unnecessary changes which further diminishes any relevance for it.

    I can't give power, have no control effects and can do no damage (in a raid scenario, power management leaves no time to focus on DPS aspect of the role) and so what is anything controller about it?

    I am very disappointed.
  11. Fatal Star 10000 Post Club

    I've lost hope they're gonna do anything to trolls. So many complaints yet not even a hint about changing the troll meta. I don't wanna hear "there's nothing we can really do" because there have been numerous suggestions and ideas over the years.
    • Like x 3
  12. Dephyre Committed Player

    Dang.....and here I was excited about coming back to DCUO with the express intent of fulfilling my old controller role. I miss the old days, before OC came out. Can we go back there please?
  13. Fatal Star 10000 Post Club

    How's this?



    Does it give you that "old school" feel?
    (Yes this video is being posted everywhere, only cause I want trolling changed)
    • Like x 1
  14. Penryn The Gadgeteer

    In the current Revamp meta on Test, the Controller's primary duties are debuffing and assisting with power healing. Debuffs are very potent on Revamp and the difference is noticeable. In regards to power healing, the Controller is mostly there just to lend a helping hand with power healing. Going from 1.6 to 1.8, the power costs for power dumps were increased and the increase is very noticeable. It is very easy to run out of power if you spam power dump every two seconds. With the increases to Supercharge generation, you can't spam your power heal supercharge like you could in previous builds. Due to the longer meter build times, you have to use your supercharges more sparingly now. Finally, power costs have increased with the release of CR 201 gear and players lost the ability to spec exclusively into the Power stat with Skill Points.

    All of that makes playing a Revamp Controller a frustrating and tedious experience at the moment. Your main efforts are concentrated on doing proper weapon combos to rebuild your own power bar in between power dumping/debuffing. If the group is using power aggressively, you have to rely on rotating Supply Drops.

    If you have the opportunity to crowd control something and contribute to the team, just consider that a bonus. Crowd controlling is only mildly useful with the aggressive breakout profiles you see in large group content.

    The only time I had any fun testing Controller this weekend was when I was duoing alert content with a weapon-focused DPS. I was able to concentrate more on crowd control and doing damage then.
    • Like x 3
  15. Dephyre Committed Player

    Doesn't really hit my in the nostalgia feels, I miss the days when run 2-2-2-2 was the common thing. And controllers had CC, maybe not much, but it was almost always enough for the clutch win. I guess we will never be able to relive those glory days.
    EDIT: I see you two are doing an adequate job of keeping the group going power wise though.
  16. 9001BPM Steadfast Player

    It doesn't look THAT bad to me, but definitely room for improvement. Especially on the power giving front. I don't want to be a battery and nothing else, but I do want to actually be a battery. D
  17. S7evin Level 30


    ^this. Thanks Penryn
  18. Fatal Star 10000 Post Club

    I tried battle trolling in an alert yesterday, but the dps and heal used up so much power it was pointless to even try. I don't mind the battery concept but when you don't have power to really do anything else outside of dumping, there is an issue that needs to be corrected. if they want trolls to focus more on CC and debuffs, they need to do something with power out so it's not such a huge concern.
  19. BumblingB I got better.

    With the breakout profiles as they are, there is no controlling. Adds that could be controlled on live can't be on test.

    The worst part is the lip service they give:

    You can see there is a disconnect between this same post from Avair. As well as, yeah, we aren't messing with controllers anymore. It's funny, the outcries of healers, tanks and of course DPS seem to be heard, but the controller class falls on deaf ears. It's like, "Oh a controller again, ignore it, it's probably whine about auto pot or something." ><

    I would greatly love to have them acknowledge a proper response. The only response I've seen them say was that the breakout profiles are intended when Penryn asked about them. That just kills it, since Pen is saying it's in a mess and he's the one doing the most controller testing.

    This is even more frustrating than the years of being a battery because of content. It's now worse, because the just destroyed anything of the role that resembled a "controller". If Debuff is our primary option now, group debuffing needs to come into play and it should stack. Honestly.
    • Like x 1
  20. Mightyhon Well-Known Player

    This thread is here again today! WOOHOOOO!