GU 31 - Some clarification and why it should matter to you

Hello,

There is some cynicism in the Gotham City thread that is leading to some confusion about how things are working in the update. I wanted to address the major one I saw, as well as shed some light on why this update is very important to you as a veteran player.

First, Marks of Triumph while leveling. These marks are awarded through the completion of the mission. They are not awarded off of the boss loot. They are granted the first time you do the instance to complete the mission associated with it. You can still run that instance over and over again and receive loot as usual, but you won't receive additional marks. We are giving away more, not taking anything away or putting it behind a pay wall. This is to allow people to either:

1. Save up some marks for their first tier pieces when they hit 30, or
2. Purchase and unlock some of the mainframe features while they are leveling, so they can enjoy their base earlier and have some fun with Ally Trinkets.

Second, the reason this is important to everyone is because of new player retention. We have heard feedback from many players to get more players into the game. This is something that comes up a lot on the forums, and there are many many suggestions about how to do that. The fact is that we DO get more players in the game all the time, but they don't always find their way out of the initial stages of the leveling experience. We have identified several reasons for this, and we took this opportunity to address them. We know we will get a large influx of players coming into the game with the release of the PS4, we also know we have passionate players helping to recruit and bring in new blood all the time. Improving these new player's experiences in the initial phases will mean that more of them get through to the end game. This means more players to queue with, form leagues with, trade with, etc, etc.

So the changes to the leveling game are very important to everyone that is a veteran for the simple fact that it will help the game truly grow in population, or at least have a much better chance to do so, than had we left all the potholes and bumps in the road that everyone has pointed out over the years. You can get an idea of what those changes are by reading the patch notes for the update that is currently on PC Test.

Thanks for reading, I hope this helps to shed some light on why this update is big and very important to the community, for rookie and veteran alike.

Take care, and we look forward to the testing feedback for GU 31 in the testing forum.

Reserved for responses:

10:08 10/22
Some of you have mentioned tutorial improvements. We agree this is important. We simply haven't had the time to put into constructing those tutorials. However, we recognize the need and have at least taken some steps to help in this regard.

1. We have revamped all of the tool tips for powers and improved the messaging on what the roles are for in the UI.
2. We have loading screen tips en route.
3. We have a companion app en route that will feature guides (videos) put together by the community itself.

We agree in-game solutions would be ideal, but each tutorial would actually take as long to build as an instance for a DLC, or a holiday event, and we're already getting feedback from players that's not an acceptable trade off. We're in a rock and a hard place on that one, to be honest.

We hope that the steps we are taking will go a long way. The other thing to keep in mind is more patience on the part of our vets to reach out and educate those in need of some knowledge/skills. There is a great deal of exclusion and ridicule when people are learning the game. We can all do better on our respective fronts.

Wait, this wasn't common sense?

Not stoked about the update as I have been in the past personally, but it is absolutely necessary despite my selfish wants.

You should add a tutorial while you're at it on how to adequately play a support role. I don't know how beginner players will get through Area 51 if the healer is trying to burn the boss.

also a tutorial about CR leveling and exobites, the small tutorial given the first time you visit the vendor is not enough to understand at all what they are for or how to use them.

Any plans on adding a tutorial system? As much as being able to buy T1 gear is important to new players (flash suit FTW), I think not getting cursed out by veterans because they don't know their role would give them more incentive to stay

Ha didn't see this

It's a great update.

It's not targeting me, but it's not hurting me either As stated if anything it's helping as it should make newer players first look at the game much better. Maybe we might eventually have more villains than I can count on my fingers

^^ this would be the biggest thing I'd like to see for new players.

You never learn your role or learn the powers to use and whatever leveling up.

First time I played the game I loved it, this was right after the release of F2P. I figured I'd give it a try, loved the 1-30.

Then I hit 30 and tried to do the alerts... ohh god.

First of all no on in the groups knew what they were doing. Second I didn't know what I was doing! I had gotten up a mental and a nature. Mental I tried to DPS, dead to flamethrowers + gas in Ace Chem. Try to heal it, everyone is still dying to fire/gas. I don't think I got past the security part in like 5 different groups. That's when I set the game down for a while but when I eventually came back, I read up on the forums and learned what I was actually supposed to do... then I had more of an idea. Using Roar to heal on Nature = bad. Bloom = Bad. Well crap, how was I supposed to know that SG/Metab/Blossom were THE way to go if I was just playing the game and not on the forums?

I remember this thing going on back in EQ, I don't think it ever really got finished but the idea was sound. The dev team just asked openly for people to write up some guides for beginner players so they could have some more "official" tips but from the players. Perhaps something like that could be done.

Have players write up guides for the alerts. Guides for the class and role. Just basic info. Not quite Tweet restrictions but have it 1-2 paragraphs.

Tips for Ace Chem:
- Patrollers have flamethrowers, roll away if they fire
- Clown Experiments release gas, do anything you can to avoid being in it.
- Hazmat experiments will charge and do massive damage
- Technicians spawn sludglings.

Take it slow and be aware of the attacks.

Something as simple as that would be TONS of help for the new player.

have in the Nature healer role comments "suggested loadout"
Savage Growth, Metabolism, Blossom, Swarm Shield, Regeneration, Cross Polination.

Again even having something as simple as that I know would have helped me back then. You could go on and describe each power a bit to give them a better idea of what to do with it.

Personally I saw a big gap between 1-30 and 30+ content. One where I basically had to learn a new game if I wanted to continue.

I'm sure the devs have tons on their plates, but that's why I think it could be open to the community. I'm sure the devs have trusted people in any role that would be happy to write a few things up for them.

I just hope that is the next target when talking about new players. Personally I was hooked thought the 1-30 game was amazing, it's better now for sure, but that wasn't my issue, I just found that I ran in to a wall when I got to 30 and didn't really know where to go or what to do. I will say while I struggled VERY badly in the alerts, I was able to beat the Penguin mission at 30 and that was a blast. I was just convinced the group game sucked because... I sucked at it haha.

Perhaps there is something you guys can do about this part?

I have updated my response post at the top with Tutorial comments. Thanks.

Spytle, I read on there that certain tank taunt abilities are now single target; like Fire's fireburst. This was designed to encourage to dual tanking in raids, despite the soft enrage timers in the new boss fights? Just wondered if you could elaborate a little more on this.

I'll upload the crap out of mental videos when I get a ps4.

DLC 9 has a tank power...wouldn't be shocked to see those raids require 2 tanks

It would be better for Tunso or Spord to do it - they are the experts. But, needless to say, it was impossible to split NPCs with every power snap-taunting the room. This will allow for more strategy and finesse in your load-outs. And with armories around the corner, switching load-outs and specs to try those situational tactics out, we feel like it is a great change.

I will see if they have anything to add.

Near impossible.

You basically had to spread them completely out of range of eachother otherwise even shields would pull agro. We successfully did it a few times in the final room by having tanks on opposite sides, but that played havoc on the white shield strategies And with the jumping bosses sometimes their agro would swap.

It was just hectic. Really looking forward to this change, Only problem is it's going to take a while before I can actually test this because we have to start new chars on test . Not saying we shouldn't I know why you all did that, just saying it's going to be hard to get someone to play for an hour before we can even test the things. I'll be making a tank tonight to have it ready and hopefully can find someone. But even then find something that won't kill us very quickly but also has the HP to take a bunch of hits from frost snipe/stone/fireball. Bounty things would have been perfect but they are lvl 30 now aye? Anyone have ideas on where a couple lvl 10s could test these?

GU31 matters.

Simplified answer. Since the single target is stronger, lead tank can aggro boss with it and the second tank taunts and pulls the adds while the boss is still focusing on lead tank.

Edit: And it's Fireball not Fireblast. If a tank did Fireblast, I'd /votekick for sure.

It might be even enough to get role specific loot during the leveling process more often or purchasable.
Just an example: I was leveling a celestial healer just for fun with a friend to lvl 30. At lvl29 I had 2 healer pieces in my inventory. One of them was for Lvl14 IIrc. I can't start learning a role when I don't really know that there is a role.
Even when purchasing gear the first set you see is always DPS in all Tiers

I like how raids are done now why change it?

So I noticed that this update contains the description changes that you asked us for awhile back. I noticed that any of the stat changes were listed, are they still intended to be changed or they have been and are just unlisted?