I24 Blaster Changes and set viability

[HEATSTROKE]

However, we would not actually need the source code in order to make these changes, I think. I don't recall if the mechanism for checking your own to-hit buff existed before I24, but if it did, then all that would be needed would be to change the power information in the powers database, which can probably be done without recompiling the code.

This was not in Issue 23.. It was in Issue 24 beta... so basically it aint happening...

[Arcana]

This was not in Issue 23.. It was in Issue 24 beta... so basically it aint happening...

Not unless someone finds a copy of I24 that NCSoft is willing to license, no.

[blacksly]

Without code changes (the light up ring, testing for the character's to-hit value), there is still a bit of an awkward work-around. If I recall correctly, even in I23 there is a test for having a power, so it would be possible to play around with having powers such as Aim & Build-Up giving you a temporary "accurate snipe" power. Similarly, while it would be complicated, it would also be possible to create some combinations between other powers... Tactics/Build-Up, for example... so that they also "add up" to granting the "accurate snipe" power. You wouldn't get the same smooth concept of 22% or better, but it could be reasonably playable.

As Codewalker says, you wouldn't get the "go ahead" ring on the power, though. You could get a visual indication on the character, possibly.

I'm still making my usual assumption that it's possible to insert new rows into the powers database and have those new powers becomes usable in the game (although it would be easier in this case than adding new powersets since you don't need a mechanism for characters to manually choose those powers for any reason). Frankly, there are also enough temporary powers in the game that "adding" new powers for this is not necessary, you can choose a few rarely-used powers to sacrifice for this mechanism.

[Codewalker]

You can do a light up ring based on a granted power; the client knows when powers are granted. Would be a bit of an ugly kludge and I wouldn't recommend making a power that checks for 22% tohit every tick, but you could make a marker power to do it with maybe half a second lag.

The powers database is not row structured, so there's no real 'inserting'. It's a hierarchical structure. The binary format can certainly be tweaked and added to. The catch is that the client and the server must be perfectly in sync. Portions of the network protocol use indices into the memory array that the structures are loaded into, so if there is a mismatch it can easily result in a client crash. At a minimum you'd need a patcher, and you'd to bump the version number on the server to ensure that unpatched clients can't connect.

[Arcana]

If I recall correctly, even in I23 there is a test for having a power

That's how I recall Dual Blades combo indicators worked in the UI.

[Codewalker]

Dual Blades combos are done with modes set on the player.

Water Blast has some powers that light up based on owning temp powers (one for each stack of tidal power). Street Justice and Staff Fighting use a similar method, but with a separate temp for each combo level.

[blacksly]

Water Blast, Street Justice, etc, is what I was thinking for using as bases for kludging the i24 Snipe changes. It might even obviate the need for ADDING powers, as you could just repurpose ComboLevel1 .. ComboLevel3:

Aim/BU give you ComboLevel3
Targetting Drone gives you ComboLevel2, or 3 if you have a PowerBoosted buff (Power Boost does not add a marker, but we can repurpose another power to use for it).
Tactics gives you ComboLevel1, or 2 if you have PowerBoosted (this will require some other checks, because we don't want it to help a melee set that actually uses ComboLevel).
Overgrowth gives you ComboLevel1, or 2 if you have PowerBoosted.
Kismet IO gives you ComboLevel1

All levels are cumulative.

It looks like it should work to mimic the mechanism reasonably well, with the change that Tactics is equally useful for FastSnipe for all ATs. Which, frankly, is to my preference... I did not think that Defender blast sets needed to get an easier FastSnipe than the equivalent Blaster sets.

EDIT: After thinking about it, you would run into too many problems with outside buff powers such as Fortitude or Overgrowth giving free ComboLevels to Scrappers/Stalkers with the right powersets, which you do not want. However, a version that avoid this problem would use NPC buffs such as the buff powers that Lord Recluse gets in the STF... set the powers so that their buffs work specifically only on Lord Recluse, and then you can just grant them upon any other PC or mobile as "flag" powers like the ComboLevel powers, but without running any interference with non-Snipe powersets.

[Burnt Toast]

I had a fire/dev blaster that I respeced on test that was sooo nice with the insta-snipe and nuke changes... as well as my Fire/Time Corruptor. If we start with no character data I may still re-roll my fire/dev blaster just because it was a lot of fun (My Fire/Time Corruptor will be my main though).

[Taceus Jiwede]

I absolutely did manage it on my Elec/Dev Blaster.  Targeting Drone was, as far as I'm aware, the path to getting permanent instant-snipe numbers.  I'm sure someone has a build that can manage it through other means, though.  We had some frighteningly efficient build designers.

I lost my Mids build in a hard drive death, although I could theoretically untangle my build from Phaetan's Sentinel file if you need to see verification.

I think they are talking about non /device blasters.  My /device blaster has like +51% ToHit according to the Mids I have with his latest build.  I have a feeling /devices would have become a lot more popular as well too.

[Phaetan]

Well, when it was first announced, I had people I was speaking to about it constantly ignoring that /Devices would get a huge boost in power by the change.  Honestly, because most people tended to ignore the powerset completely.  Having Zapp permanently in quickdraw mode and my nuke not detoggling me if I accidentally hit more than one target had me very eager for i24...

[Arcana]

I think they are talking about non /device blasters.  My /device blaster has like +51% ToHit according to the Mids I have with his latest build.  I have a feeling /devices would have become a lot more popular as well too.

That was not unintentional.

[Darkojin]

Ok, went back and looked at my old Mids setup for my Archery/Mental Blaster. My original build would only have instasnipe through the use of Aim and Concentration while a new build attempt could have it a little more reliably. I think between the two I like my old build better. Focused on building up the starting two Archery attacks as well as a couple other hard hitting ranged attacks, managed to cycle through attacks fast enough and do enough damage to pull bosses off tanks in a couple of the Incarnate runs. One of the reasons I picked up Barrier for Destiny slot.

[Arcana]

Dual Blades combos are done with modes set on the player.

Oh yeah, that's right.  It appears my FIFO memory is reaching its buffer size.  Well, since any power can set an entity mode, that might be a more efficient way of detecting the presence of a power in any case, since mode checks are far faster than power presence checks (unless my memory is even further shifted than I thought).  Assuming you can edit the powers to set modes (and for that matter create the modes you would need).

[rezulin]

  If I remember correctly Arcana, you had a bet with one of the old forumites about the blaster love that would be bestowed upon us.  Wasn't me, as that just seemed to be a sucker's bet to bet against you.  Except, it looks like you actually lost that bet.  As the blaster love never hit CoH live, and never will.  And no, I do not think blaster updates showing up in APR counts.

  So are you going to pay up your side?

  You actually might have long time ago, I just didn't see it.  It has been 2ish years ago.  Something about a video with you toon bowing to another's toon.

-Fuegocito

[Arcana]

  If I remember correctly Arcana, you had a bet with one of the old forumites about the blaster love that would be bestowed upon us.  Wasn't me, as that just seemed to be a sucker's bet to bet against you.  Except, it looks like you actually lost that bet.  As the blaster love never hit CoH live, and never will.  And no, I do not think blaster updates showing up in APR counts.

  So are you going to pay up your side?

  You actually might have long time ago, I just didn't see it.  It has been 2ish years ago.  Something about a video with you toon bowing to another's toon.

-Fuegocito

That was a different bet involving Null the Gull, and I did lose.

I made another bet with another player regarding the effectiveness of blaster changes to come, but that bet became a push when those changes never reached live.