Dev Discussion Episode 32: 'The Machine' Raid

How about memorizing the mechanics of each phase when it's not lethal and just assume that they will be? Reason being mechanics are supposed to be played and not to be ignored. No matter how much damage they do, they do zero if you dodge them. Do that for a change and you won't have problems in normal.

I haven't yet finished The Machine (Elite) but I have had a few attempts today and had each phase with said attempts.

Issues:

1. Sometimes HIVE Master's laser doesn't render. This can cause issues trying to dodge the laser, and can cause a wipe as such as it one-shots most players if they are hit by the laser.
2. The lag at times can be intense. This is especially the case during the Beast Boy phase, as the amount of adds, plus boss, plus HIVE Divers (or whatever they're called) can be quite severe, even for those with good internet. It might be worth easing down on the adds for the Beast Boy phase in elite so it doesn't cause server issues, disconnects, or worse yet disconnect many of/all of the group.
3. The Donna Troy phase is obviously the most challenging phase in elite. The spinning lassos are avoidable but unforgiving, especially if you get several hit you back-to-back. Jump and roll out of the way of those spinning lassos people, the more you do that the less likely they are to hit you and cause those black holes. You really need to know what you're doing here, no-one hitting HIVE Master when he skulls/reflects, blocking when adds try to swoop down near/towards you, and well if anyone is getting killed by airstrikes in the elite version of this raid, well that can't happen full stop if the group is to be successful. But the worst part? The random one-shot lasso of death. This will become infamous, as HIVE Master will just casually pull a random player towards him and instant one-shot them (unless you're maybe a tank but even then you'd be lucky to survive). With death counter this can become borderline ridiculous. No way of block breaking it, no skull, just tag and you're dead. There is already a lot going on here in this part of the fight, the lasso definitely needs to be looked into imo.

Overall a nice but challenging elite raid, maybe even a touch easier than HIVE Reborn (Elite) is currently. But by gosh that lasso of death needs to be looked into, along with lag issues during heavy add waves (BB phase in particular) and the laser rendering properly.

P.S. Some of the heavier attacks do spill into the safety area in elite, so its possible players waiting near the door to the boss room (but outside of boss fight) may get hit/one-shot as well. This is also an issue in HIVE Reborn (Elite).

The following changes will be making their way to the Live Servers soon™.

• (Normal and Elite) Hive Master's Donna Troy Lasso Fling is now interruptable (for-realsies this time).
• (Elite Only) Hive Master's Health has been increased slightly.
• Hive Master's Donna Troy Bracers tell has been increased slightly.
• (Elite Only) Enervator Beasts have decreased in number.

-Millbarge

Is the lasso interrupted the same way Controlled Donna Troy’s is in the Starro alert?

I don't know if I'm overthinking this, but in Elite I find the Starfire and Cyborg phases are notably easier than the other phases. Raven's not that difficult either although there is the reflect, in fact the Raven phase is fine. I think maybe HIVE Master should do more Cyborg style mechanics in elite, like the shield/heal thing which you have to counter, and a ground pound which you have to block (and hits a wider area). Maybe even some timed drones like in the alert.

Maybe the Starfire phase can just remain an easier one, not sure what could be made harder here.

Hive master beam still doesn’t show 100% of time in reg as i just ran it and saw this happening!

I still wish that at some point this raid gets an elite-only feat. Either one of the following:

A speed feat, beat in 20 minutes or less.
Something to do with the Donna Troy phase. Maybe all members avoid being hit by a spinning lasso. (The spinning lassos that when hit create those orbs)
A no death feat, but split into two (regarding the midway loot point of the fight). Might require multiple runs as I really don't know if the Donna Troy phase is doable in elite without someone dying.

In future, I really hope every elite raid gets at least one elite-only feat, or even a rare style drop a-la The Escape (Elite).

Greetings Devs and players.
We realy apreciate the wishes of players who wanted elite raids "harder" but this is ridiculous now... I'm a player since late 2015 and am half way between 300 and 400 skill points.
The elite versions of the raids since Amazony Fury 3 were hard enough i think and i'm sure a lot of players are at the same opinion as i am. All the new episode since that is very iconic and had good points and good stories. And with the elite versions of the raids it was a real challange like a player like me and my friends. We think the Hive and Machine elite is too strong even for the OG players, and it isnt a point to have very less percent of completion of the elite raids and within the feats. It is very disapointing to have a good group gathered in half an hour and play (struggle) 2 damn hours in the elites to get 1 or 2 bosses done! This episode is out for a month and i played elites over a dozen time over dozens of hours and what did i get from spending hours in the raids? Only 600 renown points... That means for 4 weeks of struggle and a lot of runs we beat only 3 bosses... Now THAT is unfair!! Besides i played along semi-well known or well known players who are a little bit legendary in the game and they had hard time too. WAY more hard that og players and new rising "titans" deserve. We think +5Cr and tactics was enough for the elites. This 10+Cr and tactics is too much
I realy love DC universe and this game is almost the only game i play in the last 2-3 years but please... These new elites are too much to "enjoy" and lot of players rage-quit after the second fail. If a group can defeat 1-2 bosses in it after hours of struggle than it is an awesome thing... but it is more rare than a white crow dancing to Michael jackson on the MOON...
Please Devs do something about it.
Much appreciation,
Thank you
~Zurox

Bug report:

Earlier when I went into Machine the HIVE Master would attack players during the opening cutscene, when the cutscene ended group had wiped. Not sure if someone lunged in too far into the room at the start.

Also somehow during the 4th phase the HIVE Master became ready before the red text stating he was infused with a Titan's powers, and we had to beat him twice with the same Titan (in this case Raven). The 5th Titan phase never happened (in this case Beast Boy) but we did get HIVE adds continuing to come into the room throughout. When the raid was over the HIVE ships were still coming in and doing their airstrikes.