This I believe: television not withstanding, heat vision should always be red, not blue. Not because it's more "realistic." Because it's cooler.
As a trivial digression, the proverbial saying offers a choice between, or of both, a carrot and a stick. The carrot does not come ON a stick. You have to go to a State Fair for a carrot on a stick and then it has to be fried and dipped in sugar. Totally different. MMM, food on a stick.
Actually I lied, there is more to add. Like Proxy said it may not be your intention, but if that's the case then you guys paint a very vivid picture otherwise. The reason people believe you're using artifacts to address core issues with the game is because of the type of artifacts we've gotten. Venom wrist dispenser, amulet of rao, both those give significant functionality improvements to what many deemed as problematic areas- weapons and trolls. Not to mention most artifacts that were released are for weapon users or trolls, trying to add variety to those playstyles. Weapon people complained about having to stop to avoid counters, there's an artifact that rewards successful counters. They complained weapons in general didn't hit hard enough, there's an artifact that gives a significant damage boost at a slight power regen cut. Folks complained about trolls not having a lot of ways to give power, there's an artifact that buffs players maximum power pool with debuffs. They also complained debuffs aren't important enough, now there's an artifact that significantly improves them... You can't deny that it looks very suspect. Again as Proxy said, I'm all for adding choices and play style options, but if the original functionality isn't balanced or working fully, you can't keep on adding improvements via artifacts because players will just use those artifacts to achieve max performance of what the community deems as standard, not what the players themselves do. The amulet of rao will be seen as a necessity by many because of the multiple debuffs, more adds that get a defense debuff, the faster they die. What should have been a core function from the start will now shoe horn players into using it. You guys need to take into consideration how the community plays the game when you make these artifacts.
Well said, this in conjunction with my post. I think sometimes, perhaps the devs are not quite understanding how the players play this game as opposed to their vision of how players 'should' play this game. And I don't mean that in anyway to be seen as condescending to the developers.
The problem to me is the amount needed to upgrade the Artifacts it's way too much sure they can do cool things but they are useless because the amount of time it will take to get to 160 . I think a choice needs to be made if you guys are going to pump out a few Artifacts every month or two then they need to be made easier to upgrade so players can actually enjoy the Artifacts system and not feel like it's a burden.
I’m liking the artifacts in this one even more then that last! All the artifacts I use are 80%, I play on four end game characters and don’t have the time to level them all to max, just get to 80% and move on. The Solar Amplifier might be the first one I max out. How about Artifacts for Light that change the color, or adds another ring on the opposite hand with special abilities
It may not be your intention to do any of that, but: First we get the seals of completion, nth metals in BBs and a weapon artifact that is basically a must and BOOM, "coincidence" what's next on test? Level 160 artifacts with a absurd amount of required nth metal and 10% success chances to upgrade them. Heat Vision is "adjusted" and BOOM, again, "coincidence" we get a "Solar Amplifier" locked behind a Time Capsule. There isn't a choice here. We don't have controllers that "prefer" to debuff, besides recharge that's the only thing they do. "Controlling" enemies is overrated in most raids/alerts and even when you need to stunn and encase enemies, not debuffing isn't really a option, you debuff or you make it harder for your team, there really isn't any other play style. All you did with this artifacts is say: "Buy and upgrade this artifact or get replaced by your group." Not having this artifact is a lot worse than not having the venom one or the parasite one, because venom and parasite only affects directly the user, Rao affects EVERYONE in the group. Are we playing the same game? Can you please describe the "many" other options? Not trying to be rude, but i have to say this: Hooray, less choices! Hooray, duct tapes!
Hello Avair. Thank you for the response. I was 1 of the people who mentioned the nerf & subsequent buff. If this was genuinely not the intention then I apologize. However, I think people taking a cynical view is understandable given that over the past 2 years every single element of our characters' progression has systematically been monetized. CR - Time Capulses, boost to 100, 170, etc. SP - Time Capsules, seasonal currency in MP. Artifacts - Various boosts on MP, Seals of Preservation/Completion. If there is no intent to sell us the strengthening of our characters then why: Is the gear in Time Capsules not styles only? Are there feats attached to any of the styles that exist in Time Capsules? After grinding for upwards of 10 weeks to get the catalysts & nth metal required to rank up our artifacts is there any requirement to breakthrough at all, let alone at insulting rates of 10, 20 & 40%?
Choices are lovely. What's not lovely is having choices locked behind GIGANTIC grind walls. You're trying to, with a straight face, present new Artifacts (which are coming out more and more regularly) as a way for players to have choices. How do you think players feel when they grind an artifact up to 120 and beyond (no easy feat and that's with the increased metals) then are asked to start over? Because something something choices? I mean really? Here's an idea: make artifacts XP & level transferable 100% with no fee except for maybe some Marks of Victory. You want to say that you're giving players choice with Artifacts. Well, prove it. Because unless we can switch from Artifact to Artifact with ease and at no extra cost then the concept of Artifacts being about choice rings totally false. You know, the Judas Contract is by far my favorite comics story of all time. I am a day one player and subscriber. And I will not be able to play the new DLC because you guys are forcing me to quit with this nonsense. And it's a shame because some of the content is fun. But it's too hard to enjoy with the constant nag of completing collections, needing to play the broker and grind grind grind grind Artifacts. Depressing to watch this unfold.
I'm not impressed with this new format, but then, I'm not a whale and therefore irrelevant to the discussion, I'm sure. That said, I still will ask again, as I've done many many times, for everything available in the early Time Capsules (collection pieces, gear, styles) to be put in the Quark vendor so people can work toward feats instead of relying on RNG to get the almost mythical Flaming Phoenix Feather or Void Essence. Right now, the knowledge that I'm unlikely to ever open a capsule with any of the rare collection pieces drains away pretty much all the fun out of the Time Capsules and puts a drag on the game itself. Put Time Capsule loot in the Quark vendor. Give people who are unlucky and/or hate the broker a chance at the good stuff and the related feats.
When the Resurgence Time Capsules resurge, please make them stackable. I don't want to toss them for lack of room in my inventory.
I know you are an employee, and you work hard to the best of your ability to fulfill your contract. So what I'm going to say means no disrespect to you at all. I have 2 telling questions however if artifacts are only for "balance" and not meant to "sell progression" to players. 1. Does the level 160 buff reduce the damage of the move in line with guidelines established for in-game powers? It was my understanding that a power that applies a pi, especially a multi-target pi, loses total damage because of it. Is that the case here? Or do artifacts get special treatment? 2. If it's true that HV is now in line with other powers, what other powers offer a 10% damage buff that players can use in their loadout? How can it possibly be balanced if it's the only one? If 5 powers are doing 10,000 damage per second, and then you give number 5 a 10% buff - now 11,000 dps not counting added effects - what choice have you given players? Or do you mean by options: the options to use what you want even if you will automatically do far less damage?
Running some quick math, I think that the new format will actually be better for non-whales. If you're only opening capsules based on your daily stabilizer quota (no marketplace purchases, so just handful a month), you will be getting better bang for your proverbial buck all the way up until the next TC is released - even if your luck is poor. And ever since the Quark Vendor was announced, I've been championing the cause of putting TC items up there, so we're totally in agreement on that topic.
I mean it's much worse than what I said, I mean I've been playing this game since 2012/2013 the single worst change in the game has been the creature of the 5 million different types of marks you have to grind for and these time capsules. They already had the cash grab with booster bundles. And lockboxes were a good reason for me to keep my membership along with having access to the raids I need, but all the useless aura you have to spend tons of real money on when they aren't even a stat boosting item, the materials should not be confined to a luck of the draw type of box considering they too are worthless and add no stats to your gear at all. Then marks grinds are horrendous as fewer and fewer drop and you have to constantly buy replay badges just to get one piece of gear. The quark vendor is okay but it's far too expsensive, you have to open like 100 time capsules just to get enough quarks to be the cheapest thing in there. which is drawn out by how hard it is to get 1 stabilizer. The recent superman content was horrible. No gear, just styles, and an artifact. and more new mark types that are useless since it's only grinding for a style that is only good for a feat. I did the solo today and low and behold I got a prestige token as an award and enhanced lobo should styles which isn't gear. They are going to kill off the game if they keep making these stupid decisions. I mean there are a ton of things they could be doing that would be welcomed by players that wouldn't cost us a fortune. They could make the league halls more useful by putting in more amenities, they could make new league all locations like Olympus, apocolyspe, new genesis and so on, they could make a crisis on infinite earth story arch, rebuff the powers like celestial and earth. I mean I could go on and on. This new event and new time capsules is just a big let down, i'm gonna keep playing the game but i'm not wasting any money on opening this boxes.
