Dev Discussion Episode 32: 'The Machine' Raid

Thanks for playing the Episode 32': "The Machine" Raid. There are Event, Normal, an Elite versions of the Raid. Feel free to post any feedback or issues you come across.

I will check this thread periodically and update this post with any changes.

-Millbarge

Updates:

• HIVE Master's Donna Troy Lasso Slam has been updated
  • (Event Mode) Damage has been decreased
  • (Normal/Elite Mode) Can be interrupted
• (Elite Mode Only) Decreased the damage from the Enervator Dogs, Birds, and Gorillas.
• (Elite Mode Only) Decreased the spawn rate of the Enervator Dogs, Birds, and Gorillas.
• Fixed an issue where HIVE Master would begin spinning before his Enervator Beam activated.

I’ll spare you the emotional excesses of my current situation and merely state that the add waves and Donna Troy mechanics may be overtuned and/or inadequately messaged for what is supposed to NOT be an elite raid.

EDIT: I’ve calmed down now so allow me to elaborate. Even with two trolls and two healers we just couldn’t survive. The Tank got obliterated in under a second by the first add wave. The Donna Troy lasso attacks one-shot without warning, and the black holes are nearly impossible to avoid and basically make rallying someone impossible. It’s possible that they’re generated by attacking the deflect, but I don’t actually know if that’s true, and it’s unavoidable anyway because there’s no tell or anything.

I noticed on the event version (endless rezzes and door stays open, thank goodness) that her lasso (well, Brother Blood's version of her lasso) was one-shotting people there as well. It's tricky because there's no tell. As for the reflect, that's just up to the group to be smart (which never happens, lol, remember Gentleman Ghost?) so sometimes you'll just have to remind people NOT to attack when her skull pops up.

Is it intended for the Ennervator (they're definitely ennerving me, lol) Beams to one shot people in the event version? Brother blood consistently one-shots multiple group members that are within melee range.

Of course, there is a solution for that - just don't melee or use a shield - but I was just double checking whether the one-shots are intended.

Bug Report
My group didn't receive a headline for clearing the The Machine.

Donna Troy Phase (Regular Version):

The Lasso isnt the Skull Attack so there isnt a tell to prepare yourself for it. Also his Skull Attack turns into a Block so i believe this is the same Feint issue that Cyborg had in the Alert

The Portals shooting from the Pipes seem to be random but there isnt a Tell to know where they are shooting out from. The Swirling animation as they fly may need a stronger color to them because they are pretty transparent for some players to see.

Love the mechanic though, dont get me wrong.

Thanks for the feedback! I hope everyone is enjoying the new content.

Updated my original post with some changes. These changes are not yet Live. Please watch the patch notes for what goes Live and when.

-Millbarge

Did last night, random lfg pug group, at entrance CR, no wipes, fun, manageable at that low entrance cr (233) . So the raid is easy enough but gotta pay attention. Fun Great job, nerf nothing, thanks

go play event.... the raid is easy enough for a lot of people. stop trying to make regular raids into events, there are already events available ready for you

Or you could go do elite. Works both ways.

i will, when i am ready, that is why i am gearing up, if you found the raid so difficult then go to the event, there is no problem with the normal raid, it is you.

Why not now? How come it’s okay for you to not want a challenge but when I don’t the sky is falling?

You are asking to change a perfect raid into an easy one..... when there is already an easy one. I am not asking for any change, and that is different . Sad i f you can tell the difference.

The event version has virtually none of the rewards, absolutely no stakes whatsoever with the permanent entrance and roleless buffs, mechanics so nerfed that it won’t even help me prepare because I don’t know what will turn out to be lethal in the normal version, and won’t even be there forever. It’s not made for endgame toons. It’s a glorified seasonal that helps people level up!

Nothing more, nothing less. Having normal raids like this quite frankly makes me feel no longer welcome in DCUO. There’s an elite version for people needing a blistering seat of your pants challenge.

Uhhhh, you want easy content, but you don't want it? Or you want to be rewarded beating easy content as much as people who beat hard content are?

This isn't a fantasy world, if you are a bad player get gear doing duos/alerts/dailies/event versions then do the normal version. The game isn't centered around you, they are already doing a lot making a event version.

When this game had a ton of players there were only 3 novice raids and they rewarded ****, now we have event, normal and elite everything beaten day 1 and people are complaining about difficulty... The raid is fine, devs.

If I could be sure the gear would actually help I’d already be over this... This isn’t cr differential where going from entry to max episode cr equals 50% extra damage out and 50% less damage in. I get to use my controller armoury twice a week sometimes, now it’s gonna be a 50/50 chance of getting to use it once.

You, Sir, are wrong. DCUO is, in fact, a fantasy world.

Uhh.... The rest of what you said is pretty dead on though.

I kinda agree. Since there's event version alert and duo, maybe the event version raid could be a little harder and more like a real raid.

I will be sending your PM in reference to Machine ELITE

thanks

There are some problems in Elite ( i guess)
1. Beast Boy: A lot of mobs will continue spawning, you cant stop this, right? All you can do is "burst" the boss down - Which would be such a lame needed tactic...
2. Cyborg: He´s doing random 1shots into the group, without warning, why is that happening?
3. Donna Troy: Her lasso is 1shoting every1 without reason, you cant counter, neither block helps.
Maybe i just dont see the needed tactic there, maybe some1 has found out?

The regular version is easy enough with a good chemistry of players willing to communicate for vital mechanic call outs. However, the elite persists a challenge for what would be my guess were things un-intended. Like the comment before me, there are 'one-shots' varient on the boss that is out that are un-interuptible, unblockable, sheild bypassible, and without warning. Given that the first few bosses must be survived all at once, 2 lives with that level of unpredictability is a stretch. Even SM had a little more mercy than that.
Another thing too, the very first part with the beam seems to be running into an error. At first I thought it was just me having an internet issue until confirmation from other players amongst the groups. It so happens that the beam can in fact be invisible!! Along with the hitbox for the beam being off point by a huge 50° margin. A few things to check into. Not necessarily a nerf, but a tweak for bug fixes and adding 'skull pops' where need be.