Delay for Controller AT question

[GladDog]

NONE!

I know that others would like those types of characters, but in order to make them;

We need Class basics hammered out. Right now, the team is uncertain whether Controllers will be more like CoH Controllers or CoV Dominators. Lets say a month.

Next, we need powersets. If they pick one or the other AT to base on, then the buff sets could be shared with Defenders, and maybe add one unique set. So 4 primary and one secondary powerset. Consultant stated in my interview with him that it takes a few weeks to make each set, about 2-3 weeks to build the set and then 2-3 weeks to polish it with animations and effect balancing. So 5 weeks a set minimum. If one person is working on them, that is 25 weeks, or 6 months. If they put two people on it, thats three months.

Next, we need bad guys that can challenge this AT.

So now, we are looking at about 4-5 months delay, if they assign two people to powerset creation. Remember, all of this work is ON TOP OF everything they want to do for a late 2018 release. Are Controllers welcome? Yes. But I think they will come SOONER if they launch the game on schedule with 4 ATs.

If they launch the game on schedule, then hire people in to help with development, we can have a game to play AND probably cut development time for Controllers in half, so three months later; in other words, the first major patch.

[Eulb]

Ok taking your 3 month into account for controllers to come out .....any player trying and playing all 4 AT's just to get a feel of how they each play taking a month for each AT well that is just 4 months before a player would begin to need to start another toon ...... geeee take your time get it right in the development , players ... in the mean time go badge hunting , develop you community , build your guild .... i can go on but you get the gist of it

[Country Strong]

Went with none myself, loved my controllers in COH.

[AxerJ]

Right, none - the former CoH community is ready to play something, and these devs would probably be able to hire more team members after this successful launch. Everyone's just looking at the various forums of these games - it's been long enough since CoH ended, and the time is right for one of these to come out. Great development after launch will be fine, and even exciting!

Not to say the launch shouldn't be well-executed with a ready game, but these devs know that =)

[Consultant]

Thank you! And good comments, everyone.

[JestersGhost]

Yeah - while Harlequynne is one of my main characters in any rpg, I've got plenty of others I can build and play in the meantime. I can wait

[Pyrion]

My most loved chars in CoH were always controllers. Still i voted "NONE" since i would rather play something else first than nothing at all. Controllers will come anyways as far as i understand, so why not play something else in the mean time?

[Coyote]

I voted for two months, for a simple reason: a good design for Crowd Control is a huge step over a poor design. I don't actually care all that much to have a working Archetype for control immediately at launch, as I care to have well-conceived and balanced CC that can later be used to make an effective AT. I figure it would take a good portion of the AT's design phase to work out the CC options and balancing, so I voted for 2 months... even if the delay results only in a better CC concept at start and the actual AT only available after a bit, it's important to have a good conceptual base before rolling out the game.

So... working CC AT, not as necessary... but a good design concept for CC, that is more necessary at the start. I don't want to delay the game for a working AT, but I do want to delay it until the designers are relatively sure that they have ironed out the basic design for how CC is going to work.

[indigowulf]

I was a controller whore on CoH- I had maxed at least 1 of every powerset. I am totally looking forward to them and will play the bejesus out of them. That said, I voted no delay. I think it's better for the game to get it in the hands of the public sooner and then maybe 6 months later introduce controllers. It'd be worth waiting for that one type if we get the rest sooner.

[slacktech]

I'm one of those weird ex-CoX players that didn't really enjoy Controllers (but enjoyed Dominators much more), so I won't be too concerned if it takes a while for the A/T to be introduced to the live server. Having said that, I realise that I am in the minority and for the majority's sake I hope that a well-designed control A/T is introduced within the first six months of launch.

Now, if the topic was pet control (specifically MM), then I'd be much more impatient

[JestersGhost]

I voted for two months, for a simple reason: a good design for Crowd Control is a huge step over a poor design. I don't actually care all that much to have a working Archetype for control immediately at launch, as I care to have well-conceived and balanced CC that can later be used to make an effective AT. I figure it would take a good portion of the AT's design phase to work out the CC options and balancing, so I voted for 2 months... even if the delay results only in a better CC concept at start and the actual AT only available after a bit, it's important to have a good conceptual base before rolling out the game.

So... working CC AT, not as necessary... but a good design concept for CC, that is more necessary at the start. I don't want to delay the game for a working AT, but I do want to delay it until the designers are relatively sure that they have ironed out the basic design for how CC is going to work.

This. I don't mind waiting for the archetype to be released - but I am very focused (as is probably obvious) on the game mechanics being up to scratch - and CC is one of those very difficult things to get right.

[Jasix]

I am hoping that when it does release it is more like a Dominator than a Controller. Don't get me wrong... I LOVED my Controllers; especially my Earth/Kin, but I also LOVED my Earth/Psi Dominator

[Cheesy]

Right, none - the former CoH community is ready to play something,

Although CoH controllers where my primary choice, I agree.. it's time to play !

[GladDog]

I brought up the old thread on this subject.

No delay, release the game ASAP!

However, even though I don't much care for controllers, I do want to see them get in the game. Many people love the gameplay of this AT, and I don't want to see them disappointed.

Actually, I think we will get new ATs FASTER if we wait, since the team will be larger and better funded once the game releases.

[DomiDayglow]

It seems like it would be better to wait until after launch for controllers to be available to me too. I didn't really like controllers in CoH, but, well. Lots of people did!

On the subject of what controllers should be like? Controllers in CoH were Control/Support while Dominators were Control/DPS. Would the same be more fun? Would something new be better? I've one idea for something different. Remember Masterminds? They were Pets/Support. Pets! We almost forgot about them! Pets were a big part of controllers too! Fire Imps! Phantasm! Phantom Army! That gross mudman from earth control.

How do you feel about Controllers in Ship of Heroes having powersets of Control/Pets? They could be little armies unto themselves like masterminds were and have control ablities.

Imagine a controller from CoH! A Fire Control/Demon Minions controller! So many imps running around! And so many demons running around! Remember Psionic Control? And confusing enemies? Pair it with mercenaries and you have your own army of mind controlled pawns! It sounds neat, but I guess a downside would be that a controller/mastermind is basically smushing two archetypes into one. Plus, mastermindish pets probably neat to be built from the ground up with AI. The mushed together hybrid would have a longer development time since there would be no copy/pasting of support power sets from defenders. That would pretty much ensure it would be a post launch archetype.

Other people have already said that this can be a good thing. You have the launch, and (hopefully!) income afterward. Income to contract out new employees to work on the new archetype. Four months later a new archetype comes out. People who tried it at launch, but left, might be drawn back in to try it.