New efforts!

[Remaugen]

You've launched a landslide. . . :roll:


We're almost there!   ;D

[thunderforce]

So did ScummVM, technically, but I really don't think comparing 2D raster engines designed to run on 486s is anywhere in the same ballpark...

Well, yes. OpenTTD actually had to come up with its own graphics engine, rather than get one in from somewhere else. They had to reimplement all the game mechanics, rather than have MWM write a transport game really jolly like TTD and have that as a starting point. And, for all that CoX _looks_ a lot more sophisticated, the game mechanics of TTD are every bit as complex as those of CoX.

[Codewalker]

I see no reason why UE4 would be as limited in that regard as the Cryptic engine was.  The collision box should scale to the avatar.

Not really an engine limitation so much as a design decision I think. It would have been trivial to make the collision capsule scale with the avatar (IIRC the coh engine even has an option for that in the entity type already), but would result in people who dragged the sliders all the way up hitting their heads on beams in caves or possibly even being unable to get places.

While that would be hilarious IMO, I can see why they didn't want the level designers to have to do a full pass to check everything again and account for maxed out sizes, or deal with player complaints about smaller heroes being able to slip into places bigger ones can't.

[thunderforce]

Not really an engine limitation so much as a design decision I think. It would have been trivial to make the collision capsule scale with the avatar (IIRC the coh engine even has an option for that in the entity type already), but would result in people who dragged the sliders all the way up hitting their heads on beams in caves or possibly even being unable to get places.

And of course the way that toon functionality has almost no implications for appearance was a breath of fresh air in CoX, compared to some other games where all level X paladins look the same because they're all wearing the same trousers.

[Arcana]

Not really an engine limitation so much as a design decision I think. It would have been trivial to make the collision capsule scale with the avatar (IIRC the coh engine even has an option for that in the entity type already), but would result in people who dragged the sliders all the way up hitting their heads on beams in caves or possibly even being unable to get places.

While that would be hilarious IMO, I can see why they didn't want the level designers to have to do a full pass to check everything again and account for maxed out sizes, or deal with player complaints about smaller heroes being able to slip into places bigger ones can't.

I (and some others) ran into very specific problems during AE testing in beta that were explicitly related to this very problem, which forced the devs to exclude from the mission architect any critter with a collision box size too much larger than the max player limit - sort of the City of Heroes version of Panamax.

Another problem was that if the targeting box scaled with player size, there would be a combat advantage for players to make very tiny characters that could hide behind geometry that larger players could not, which would on some maps have a significant PvE advantage (since critters were and are easily confused by such things).

[Codewalker]

And now that I think about it, since you can change costumes anytime, if the collision size was tied to that, then players could change their hitbox at will. That could lead to some... interesting situations.

[BadWolf]

And of course the way that toon functionality has almost no implications for appearance was a breath of fresh air in CoX, compared to some other games where all level X paladins look the same because they're all wearing the same trousers.

This. So much this. Not just functionality in gameplay, but in story as well. Want a female character who dresses in a suit and tie to fight bad guys? Sure thing, and the game will treat you just the same way as a guy who runs around in his tighty-whities. :)

[Waffles]

It's little things like that...dynamic events especially that make a city really pop.

I, of course, read everything here. But if you think an idea is neat, I really encourage people to go post it on the APR site.

...Mainly so it doesn't get forgotten, or buried in the billion pages of this (or the Mask comes off) thread.
(and I'll totally forget.)

What about us psychos that want to just punch a civvie in the face?

[BraveStar]

Can they look like Harry Potter?

https://images.weserv.nl/?url=www.eonline.com%2Feol_images%2FEntire_Site%2F2014530%2Frs_560x415-140630123120-1024.Daniel-Radcliffe-JR-63014_copy.jpg

Now, for some reason, I'm envisioning standing around in Atlas Park and suddenly hearing "aaaaAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaa!!!" as some poor citizen is dragged past me by a pack of dogs.

[Goddangit]

This. So much this. Not just functionality in gameplay, but in story as well. Want a female character who dresses in a suit and tie to fight bad guys? Sure thing, and the game will treat you just the same way as a guy who runs around in his tighty-whities. :)

I saw that once.  A guy just in white underwear named TightyWhitey.

[Arcana]

I saw that once.  A guy just in white underwear named TightyWhitey.

If it was weird, and it was doable, somebody did it.

[JanessaVR]

If it was weird, and it was doable, somebody did it.

Heh.  One of my friends made a habit of making characters like that.  Once he made a Tanker with the police nightstick for a War Mace, dressed her up in a police officer's uniform, cranked the breast slider up to maximum and named her Righteous Bust.  :)

[Daftapus]

You heard it here first! :P

This community has once again proven itself to be dedicated in what they're passionate about. It's quite endearing.

[Mooties]

This. So much this. Not just functionality in gameplay, but in story as well. Want a female character who dresses in a suit and tie to fight bad guys? Sure thing, and the game will treat you just the same way as a guy who runs around in his tighty-whities. :)

Did someone say Old Man Bob?!  :P :P :P

[Des_Tructive]

Did someone say Old Man Bob?!  :P :P :P

I was just going to bring him up.
No character went on and off my ignore list as often as him. :D

[Arcana]

This community has once again proven itself to be dedicated in what they're passionate about.

Epileptic trees?

[Nyghtshade]

What about us psychos that want to just punch a civvie in the face?

So very true.  It allowed my husband to create a blaster guy in a Jacket & jeans named "Concerned Citizen", and another in a black dress suit named "Jimmy Bond".   :D

[KennonGL]

So very true.  It allowed my husband to create a blaster guy in a Jacket & jeans named "Concerned Citizen", and another in a black dress suit named "Jimmy Bond".   :D

I had an Invul. Tank who wore only a standard business suit and tie.  Name of "Ordinary Joe". 

His bio stated that he was just a regular civilian in Paragon who one day realized that "ordinary" citizens
were completely impervious to harm.  Oh sure, every once in awhile someone might turn up in a body bag,
but regular citizens could walk through massive explosions, hails of bullets, toxic radiation clouds, etc all day
long and be totally fine....it was only the registered supers who had problems.

[BadWolf]

I had an Invul. Tank who wore only a standard business suit and tie.  Name of "Ordinary Joe". 

His bio stated that he was just a regular civilian in Paragon who one day realized that "ordinary" citizens
were completely impervious to harm.  Oh sure, every once in awhile someone might turn up in a body bag,
but regular citizens could walk through massive explosions, hails of bullets, toxic radiation clouds, etc all day
long and be totally fine....it was only the registered supers who had problems.

I had "John Q. Public" and "Jane Q. Public", similar concepts. (War Mace/Willpower with the "mace" customized to things like pipe wrenches and baseball bats and Street Justice/Willpower, respectively.)

The great bit was doing the Dark Astoria content with them. "Only a hero of your vast power can stop Mot!" "Lady, I have a baseball bat. That's it."

[srmalloy]

While that would be hilarious IMO, I can see why they didn't want the level designers to have to do a full pass to check everything again and account for maxed out sizes, or deal with player complaints about smaller heroes being able to slip into places bigger ones can't.

Bioware got bitten by this in their MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. The route to, IIRC, the Willpower datacron on Alderaan in Castle Panteer requires that you slip through the gap left by a piece of the building that fell and almost completely blocked a doorway; male characters with one of the larger body types have problems getting through the remaining gap because of collision issues.