Bases, Housing, Lairs

[Xerross]

I have not seen any information on this subject as of yet, so forgive me if their is a dedicated thread already for this topic. I realize a lot of the games information has yet to be given to us, the information could change from now until release. I am a huge fan of SWG's housing system, CoX's Bases, and a few other games features when it comes down to personal storage / clan or guild bases.

I just was curious about everyones thoughts to the subject. One thing I would like to see is if we do have personal storage, please make it accessible by all characters on one account. I'd like to see some feature like this in the game (either with the launch, or an additional patches (expansions, issues, however you want to word it). (Again who is to say that there isn't a feature already in the current game, we just don't know about it).

Thoughts?

--Xerross

[k00jo]

I'd also like to see vehicles and danger rooms implemented.

Also, what about automotons, summoned creatures, etc.?

I just heard about this yesterday, and I Can Not Wait to play this game!!!

:D

-k

[Bastillian]

signed! I think these features adds tons to the immersion of the game

[Bystander]

I'm definitely hoping to see bases as well. Danger rooms could be nice, especially as a "try out a power or modification or whatever before it becomes a 'permanent' part of your character" thing. And personal storage that is global to your account (like Guild Wars and Tabula Rasa) would be REALLY nice.

[Onca]

Oh lord, having bases and homes and vehicles would be so fun :x

It's like The Sims plus a hero MMO. Haha.

Seriously, I would really like to see more 'home life' or 'work accessory' sort of stuff. But that's me.

[Ultron]

Well they did mention that you'd have to make a choice at some point about a secret identity vs a public identity and i imagine a base or home must play into that idea. They say the type of missions you'll receive is based on your identity type, so I imagine base raids for public identity heroes and rescue aunt may type missions for secret identity types.

It doesn't mean there has to be a base or apartment, but I think it's a clue.

[zhoknight]

A nice cottage by a river surrounded by woodland creatures for my diabolical maestro of mayhem?

[Syphonics]

I'd like the ability to choose where you would put your base.

In CoH, there is nothing like that, you just go to the base porter, and you're at your base. I think it would be better to have in adition of the base porter, a spot your Superteam leader picks onthe maps, a random doorway or sewer entrance or something, that leads to your base.



If i remember, someone counted how many doorways there are in Atlas Park, and how many of them were unused. I forget the specific number of doorways, but there was about 400 unused ones.

If this game upholds its promise of huge zones, different dimensions, different cities, all to explore, and theres enough servers to not have an overcrowded population, then i don't think there would be a problem of having selected doorways.

[k00jo]

I'd like the ability to choose where you would put your base.

In CoH, there is nothing like that, you just go to the base porter, and you're at your base. I think it would be better to have in adition of the base porter, a spot your Superteam leader picks onthe maps, a random doorway or sewer entrance or something, that leads to your base.



If i remember, someone counted how many doorways there are in Atlas Park, and how many of them were unused. I forget the specific number of doorways, but there was about 400 unused ones.

If this game upholds its promise of huge zones, different dimensions, different cities, all to explore, and theres enough servers to not have an overcrowded population, then i don't think there would be a problem of having selected doorways.

In the Hero system the point buy framework for characters (spending Power Points for powers, stats, skills) also apply equally to perks and character resources.

This meant characters could spend point on their base to upgrade its location, fortify walls, create defenses, etc.

If every facet of this isn't implemented from Day 1 I am not purchasing the game!

j/k

Seriously, I really hope the point buy system is implemented fully and extends to more than just character creation. Hopefully there'll be a facility in the game to spend your Power Points at real estate brokers, car dealers, etc.

-k

[Skyknight]

Oh man! a customizable base would be frickin awesome!!!:D

I guess i don't really know what you'd do in a base though...

[k00jo]

Oh man! a customizable base would be frickin awesome!!!:D

I guess i don't really know what you'd do in a base though...

Here're some ideas:

Labs - create areas of your base that allow you to research villain weaknesses, geographical locations, etc. Chemistry, physics, or forensic labs to analyze clues or villain gear you've acquired. Example: using a forensics lab you could discover the gun you took from a local street punk is a common piece of equipment found on Viper agents, or the robot you defeated has technology similar to that of Mechanon's.

Danger Rooms - create areas of your base that allow you to practice combat tactics against various foe types

Crafting - areas of your base dedicated to customizing your vehicles, gadgets, or create disguises. Almost a pre-requisite for any character that'd have a gadget based Variable Point Pool (see Hero System rules, under power frameworks)

Sensor Nexus - monitor areas of the game world from your base.

Recreation rooms - mini-games! A whole area of your base dedicated to rest and relaxation. Pin ball machines, foosball tables, billiards, etc.

Bases and vehicles are a real fun aspect of the Champions/Hero games universe, and it'd be awesome to see this make its way into the game.

-k

[Xerross]

All awesome ideas! I've always been a fan of SWG's housing / styles of houses, thats a game that I do refer to because frankly, I really had a ball moving my house around, decorating it (yeah I am definitely going to hear 'Why don't you go play The Sims...") and adding shops and things to it. Even if we can have a supergroup, I'd like to be able to add storage, weapons, JAILS (even if we can add fake NPC's to set the theme). I realize we don't have half the information yet, but hopefully this will spark them to give us some information about this topic :P

--Xerross

[Raindog]

I think they pretty much have to have super group bases and hidden lairs really. Im hoping for more customization and personalization.

[Greyhawke]

I want bases, I just want decorative environments and PvE functionality to be their focus, not PvP. Once they have that working well, if they want to work in PvP elements to bases, fine. They had the reverse approach in CoH, and it just didn't work.

[SokMunki]

I want a place where I can show off trophies. My second-place ribbon from The Great Super Villain contest, Mechanon's left hand, and so forth. The rest is just gravy.

[Hex]

Seeing as how not all heroes/villians are members of groups, I would hope there would be individual housing/liar options. Someone referenced the points for resource system that exists in the PnP version of the game, having the ability to spend your advance points in this manner would be a nice feature.

[Cobalt_Thunder]

I'd like to see personal and group bases. COH has only group bases and one of the drawbacks is that in most groups only one or two people have base editing permissions. This means that even though everyone in the group can use the base only a couple people can enjoy making the base. In CO I would like to have a big group base designed by the group architects that I can hang out with the group in and my own personal lair I built my way that I can store my stuff in and show off to friends.

[Dekuthe]

If i remember, someone counted how many doorways there are in Atlas Park, and how many of them were unused. I forget the specific number of doorways, but there was about 400 unused ones.


I agree with what you had to say here. My view on housing is that i'd really like the option of renting my own apartment. Take this guys Atlas example of multiple unused doors in the area...now how many of those doors were giant sky scraper type buildings? those doors could simply be used by everyone that wants to get an apartment/base in that building. That's how they did the housing in EQ 2, it seemed to work very well, and I wouldn't think it wouldn be that hard to implement.

I liked the super group bases, but just like someone said, not everyone in the group gets to help customize it, and there for that is rather lame. Plus, to me, it seems that champions online is going to be focusing a lot on the RP aspect of the MMORPG, which seems to have been forgotten in many mmorpg's as of lately. They all force you to team up and joing groups if you want to do all the extra stuff. i.e. SG bases. What about the lone hero?

all this speculation about this game just makes me want to play it more.....i hope this game can really be launched next year, 1 year wait is hard enough it seems......

[Ekowraith]

This game truly does need player housing in apartments.

[Raindog]

Seeing as how not all heroes/villians are members of groups, I would hope there would be individual housing/liar options. Someone referenced the points for resource system that exists in the PnP version of the game, having the ability to spend your advance points in this manner would be a nice feature.
Yeah, a personal pad would be nice. Hopefully with a bit of functionallity (storage, teleporters and so on) even if it is just for one person. I always found the prestige requirements too steep in CoH to do anything useful with a one or two man SG.

[hermit000]

I think player housing is a must, as well its a great way to sink money in teh game, rent an apartment, fix it up, install teh bookcase with the secret lever to let you into your lair. It also lets us own the game. Yes poeple are goign to wine that we should go play the sims, but it would add depth to the characters, and with us making our own arch-villains it also ads a level of risk for us as well, how often does the arch villain try and destroy/invade/booby trap the heros home/area of rest? And i really want an mmo to let me have a vehicle, not every hero can run fast, fly/teleport jump, some have to walk, take a cab(champions new millenium) and it would be nice to own transportation. again more things for the arch villain to trap/destroy/steal/boobytrap

[voltaire]

Now that I like. :-)

[Aceldama]

The X-Men (hate 'em) had an entire mansion to build their base in.

Members had their own rooms to do whatever they liked with them.

Even if you couldn't costumize the base itself if you weren't the leader, you'd still have your own facet.

[Gerebrand]

Also, perhaps if a character or characters does a little too much streep sweeping or mission X, they irritate Viper or some other faction. The villians could meet the heroes in the base/apartment, the old, "I've been waiting for you," or perhaps show up at their base. A large explosion, "blows in the front door." Moments later Viper agents storm inside guns blazing.

Matter of fact, would it be possible to assign missions to some trophies? What I am thinking is that say you or your team destroys some robot. Could there be a chance that Viper wants it? One a raid to you domicile, if they can make off with the trophy, it starts up a mission of type Y with Viper? At any rate, make bases/homes, whatever, something more than a what I felt was a neat construction idea (if you had the points), but a waste of time in CoX.

[Vizion]

While I'm all for superhero bases (and completely hope they appear in CO) one thing I would like to see is the ability for players to have their own secret base/lair to call their own. Even if they are a member of a supergroup.

Batman still has his Bat Cave, Superman has his Fortress of Solitude and yet they are both members of The Justice League.

The reason? Building bases is a ton of fun! In CoH only the supergroup leaders can work on a base. If everyone has the ability to create their own unique space, then they can have just as much fun building a base, but still participate in their supergroup's base.

Oh well. Here's to hope.

[Flashboy]

maybe if they had room zones. By Room Zones I mean you zone into like your own instance or base (basically a room though) that you hook up anyway you choose. You could either rent this room or have one in your SG base. this will give a room to everyone in the SG. One portal to enter the base and another that has access to your personal room within the base :D

[Aceldama]

/sign on Vizion's idea.

In fact, I'm a little angry at myself for not even thinking of that.

It's true. All of the DC staples have their own places to call home in addition to the JLA base out in space.

The only problem I can see there is what the difference would be between the two. Obviously, you would have to have appeal attached to both. As far as the identity thing goes, maybe you could only change costumes and things like that from your own base.

The problem with the SG bases in CoH is that NO ONE ever uses them unless they're porting between zones. They're always completely devoide of people.

Mission computers in CoX are a step in the right direction, but why only use them for raids? In fact, why not make the Superteam mission computers the hub for the majority of missions instead of littering the streets with generic contacts? You could even put different mission types on televisions. Superman often sees breaking news and springs into action. Why not us?

I'm tired of being a super-powered god who has to fly three zones over so he can ask some loser with a cell phone if anything is going down.

Batman gets out and uncovers trouble. He doesn't ask Sally B. Helpful if someone's robbing a bank.

[Helbender]

Totally agree with individual housing in addition to SG bases. Just please don't make me walk into an energy vortex to get there. Can't I have a proper door? Maybe a secret door, possibly underwater. If I must teleport there, give me a personal teleporter that I can carry with me (for free).

To make the items in my lair meaningful, let them affect my character in some way. If I have a gym, give me a slight bonus to my physical stats. If I have a library, a small bonus to my intelligence. A VIPER trophy may remind me of the terrible atrocities they have done and make me fight them harder, resulting in a slight combat buff.

[Celsia]

Well bases have only gone soso with COX. great in concept kinda poor in execution. Alot of the fun/function was been lost due to the items of power (special group loot) never really coming online.

With that said a personal space or base editor would seem to be a fairly simple addition on some levels (I know any additions take work). I fail to see how the editors differ greatly from what the developers use to creat mission maps.

[zhoknight]

It all sounds well and good. Thought I have to say that I agree with those who have to say that this has to be instanced. I loved swg's housing system, but at the same time, the whole being inundated with houses when i try to travel across the planet. So now you get instanced housing all well and good, but I'd still like to be able to bring people along with me to a private pad for my SI. So I get an instanced apartment for my SI to bring other SI folks along. Then I'd think you'd only be able to have one base, and ultimately that makes sense that it would be group base. You get your private space in an SI based apartment and your base is part of your super hero group. Makes sense to me at least.

[rmosiondz]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.

[Nexus]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currently planned for launch.

Okay even if it is not planed for launch I do ask two things:


1) I DO NOT WANT TO PAY RENT FOR MY BASE OR INSTALL ANYTHING WITHIN IT.

This always bugged me in CoX. Who the hell am I paying? Why do they need it? And Why do I have to buy something I just built?

2) Base raids for NPC super group bases but none for secret layers.

I feel that in would give a better since of a comic feel. Nobody knows where Batman's secret layer is (mostly anyway) but they know where the Justice League stays. Or, if your id is public you are far game. Guy busts your home while watching cartoons on your day off and you have to fight him off while discovering a clue to a story arc.

[R.T.]

[QUOTE=Nexus;19605]Okay even if it is not planed for launch I do ask two things:


1) I DO NOT WANT TO PAY RENT FOR MY BASE OR INSTALL ANYTHING WITHIN IT.

This always bugged me in CoX. Who the hell am I paying? Why do they need it? And Why do I have to buy something I just built?

2) Base raids for NPC super group bases but none for secret layers.

I feel that in would give a better since of a comic feel. Nobody knows where Batman's secret layer is (mostly anyway) but they know where the Justice League stays. Or, if your id is public you are far game. Guy busts your home while watching cartoons on your day off and you have to fight him off while discovering a clue to a story arc.

Me and my friend were actually discussing something like this on my cell at lunch yesterday. I'm totally down with NPC burtsing in while you're at your base doing a surprise attack. May they can tie it to faction with said villian groups...or maybe a story arc you are doing. Now maybe it's something that you can toggle on when you hit your base so from the time you flip that switch...your base is prone to attack. And have it scale so that if people need to go or do other things...your base wont be overun easily.

[Iron_Tiger]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.

Really?!? That's kind of saddens me. Any reason why?

[DragonEye]

I'm all for player homes!

Not just SG bases.. they're great too, but nothing helps me feel more immersed than having my own house/home. It was a favorite feature of EQ2 for me. I mean, I dont mind buying things to put in, but things you have made yourself shouldnt have to be boufght, as states previously.

My ideas are:

Apartment
House
Mansion
Cave (some heroes are more nature themed, could also be a 'secret lair')

I think Apartment and cave would be starter types, while house and then mansion would be higher cost.

I dont like the idea of 'rent' either, just make the cost high enough to make having a house something a normal non-PLed 40-50 (CoX terms) could afford, and the mansion something a veteran hero who plays at the level cap could get (or someone who got a lucky drop or two and sold it on a player market)

hen, I tink it'd be good to have furnutures be divided into a number of groups:

Bought items (you get these at a store, all normal stuff)
Player made (recipes 'invented' or dropped by tech themed enemies, this would include less ordinary things: gadgets and fancy lights, etc, doesnt have to be functional, just neat looking)
Magical (rarer drops from magical themed enemies, but possibly craftable my bagical heroes like the tech ones?)

Just random ideas :)

[Dekuthe]

Really?!? That's kind of saddens me. Any reason why?

man you and I both know they never release everything up front. Housing could easily be a release in a patch or expansion, you know, to bring back some people or to keep us interested for long by spreading out the goodies we want. That, and the fact that stuff like that can be worked out later. they're probably more focused on getting the core gameplay set up

[Beef_Cake]

The idea of bases is great, I loved them in CoX. The only thing I do not like is the security setup for the base when it comes to storage of items for your characters.

If bases and liars are in this game I really hope they though tthese things out this time. Its a shame to invite a new player to your group and allow them access to the base equipment only to find out there are there to rip you off.

It would be nice if there were permission you could set for each player rather than a set permission for the group.

[Beef_Cake]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.

Kind of sad to hear it won't be a release item as it would be nice to have a home from the start.

At least we can learn from past mistakes from other games and possibly build a better home for these upcoming heroes :)

[Islington]

The main difference though is the mindset that they are taking with CO. When bases get added, it won't be a tacked on thing, it will have been thought out already how they are going to fit within the system and so the specific things at launch will have been designed with bases in mind already, even if they are not a released feature yet. It's probably more of a time/effort thing to get bases in when they are already trying to deal with more customization and better balance, things like that. I'd rather have them spend the time making lots of really cool mission types and things to do and plan for bases later.

I think it would be cool if it is tied to your secret identity, and so if your a public super hero, maybe you can easily splurge on awesome details and upgrades because you have nothing to hide, but you get attacked by your nemesis more often. And then if you keep yourself hidden, you can't exactly have a giant base in the middle of the city, but your enemies probably don't know where to find you.

[MUR]

Kind of sad to hear it won't be a release item as it would be nice to have a home from the start.

At least we can learn from past mistakes from other games and possibly build a better home for these upcoming heroes :)

I bet that this kind of stuff will be expensive anyways and it will take time to be able to build up the kind of cash needed to buy it. I also agree that it should be held for future releases from a marketing standpoint. The amount of work that goes into it could delay the eventual release and the release of add-ons, as was said earlier, attracts more users and gives Cryptic something new to add to their game adverts.

[Greyhawke]

Well, since I enjoy these so much in CoH, even with their flaws, I am a bit disappointed that they aren't going to be there at launch.

Of course, I am not surprised. When you are looking at features not necessarily /needed/ at launch, this qualifies. And it needs to be done right, not rushed in. I do hope we see them within the first two content releases.

I think the key thing for bases is to design them primarily for PvE uses first. The first role of a base is to provide a home for a Superteam, and this needs to be reflected in the design philosophy. Using them as a venue for PvP interaction is something that should be rare, not a primary function, and something that could be left off initially. Although it should be kept in mind while programming bases if it is eventually planned for.

[Trike]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.

I have to tell you, right now, that not having Bases and Apartments available at launch is a colossally bad idea.

Even Jack Emmert himself just said, "You are who you are at launch."

Form the earliest days of City of Heroes beta, my friends and I were planning what our Supergroup base would look like. When they weren't available, we were quite disappointed. When they didn't become available for a long time, most people gave up on them. When they were finally put into the game a year-and-a-half after launch and they weren't impressive at all, it was pathetically, almost comically, anticlimactic.

Of course, by that time, most of my SG had left the game and I followed soon after. To this day players are still clamoring for revamped bases and personal apartments in CoH.

[zzMDude]

I remember buying a house in Star Wars Galaxies. It was cute to put furniture in it and look around, but since I wasn't a shop owner the house was really just a money sink that did nothing for me.

I'd be nice to have an apartment or rich boy penthouse in this game, but if there's no real function to having it, I doubt I'll go out of my way to get one.

[Blaze]

And there shouldn't be any rent to pay like what was done in COX.

[Starhammer]

"You are who you are at launch"

This is true in so many ways. If this game doesn't hold up to people expectations at launch, they will find themselves trying to bring back customers with bases and vehicle rather than keeping their customers in the first place with bases and vehicles. Alas, that's probably how it will work out. I can understand that. What is really important here though is gonna be whether they can maintain the appropriate design philosophy.

Prepare for everything you even might need in this game. While developing this game, go though and make lists of every possible feature that you as Devs, or players on the forums, or people you overhear talking at conventions might think is cool. Don't make the mistake of building code that won't allow for something to be added later. Build the code in such a way that if you need to add something later, it will feel like it's integral to the game, and not something "tacked on".

Bases in CoX are a joke. They best part about them is their instanced nature, and that's not something I'm terribly fond of. I liked housing in SWG and Ultima Online quite a bit. If I do build my home as something to show off, I want people to be able to check it out without needing to be in my SG or in a team that I'm leading. If I'm gonna leave my door unlocked so people can check things out, I want them to be able to walk up to the door, open it, go inside, and look around.

I can see the convenience of the portal leading to an instanced base. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It shouldn't be the only thing however. Optimally, there should be a mix of instanced housing (like CoX bases now), semi-instanced housing (you get to pick the building you live in, or a cave entrance somewhere, or whatever works... I always thought it would be neat to use the cabin door on the back of the blimp in Atlas, and that transports you to an instanced area), and virtual real estate (like in SWG/UO, where you have a house that takes up space on the game map, that others can see and interact with).

Clearly something must be done to make sure that the Virtual Real Estate doesn't fall into the trap that SWG/UO does. I remember Housing in UO reached a point where houses in good locations were selling for hundreds of dollars on ebay... that's just wrong. In SWG, they got it a little better, because there was so much empty space that you could usually find a piece of terrain you liked and plop down a building. There were still those "suburbs" though, which just look silly. All that dead space for about a kilometer, then a bazillion houses in a ring around the city.

Perhaps predefined housing lots would work better, and when you get one of these lots, you can then do what you want with it... either using an existing structure, or tearing it down to build your own. But wit that sort of a lot system, at least the devs could control housing density from the beginning. Further, if VRE (Virtual Real Estate), SIH (Semi Instanced Housing) and TIH (Totally Instanced Housing) are all used in conjunction, then there won't be as much need for everyone to grab up the VRE lots. I know that sometimes I want to build a place to show off, that's what you need VRE for. Sometimes I just want a place for my character to keep boxes full of stuff. I may want to decorate a bit fr my own satisfaction, or at least for the sake of organization. That's where you use TIH. Then there's SIH for if you want to have some RP element to your home, but don't want to deal with the maintenance of your own chunk of VRE. The greatest thing is that all three of these can work for individuals or groups. VRE is an obvious choice for groups that want to show off, and defend their base from incoming attacks. TIH is great if you just want a standardized meeting place for your guild/clan/sg. SIH could even be used to allow numerous entrances to a single instanced location, or to use a single entrance to access multiple locations (1st-5th floors: shops and hairdresser, 6th-15th floors, offices & condominiums, Penthouse: Home of the Stupendous Seven... entrance only available by appointment, bribe, or grenade)

Finally, don't limit bases to just one concept of "buildings". Bases can be all sorts of things- a druid's grove, a submarine, a hidden server in the internet (thinking of the internet as a Tron-esque "alternate dimension", a space station (that's no moon), or all sots of other things that you can think of. Remember that the code for things like housing needs to be as open-ended as for powers, allowing the players to think up whatever they want to, and hopefully not be limited by only being able to do something if the Devs thought of it first.

[k00jo]

/sign on Vizion's idea.

In fact, I'm a little angry at myself for not even thinking of that.

It's true. All of the DC staples have their own places to call home in addition to the JLA base out in space.

The only problem I can see there is what the difference would be between the two. Obviously, you would have to have appeal attached to both. As far as the identity thing goes, maybe you could only change costumes and things like that from your own base.

The problem with the SG bases in CoH is that NO ONE ever uses them unless they're porting between zones. They're always completely devoide of people.

Mission computers in CoX are a step in the right direction, but why only use them for raids? In fact, why not make the Superteam mission computers the hub for the majority of missions instead of littering the streets with generic contacts? You could even put different mission types on televisions. Superman often sees breaking news and springs into action. Why not us?

I'm tired of being a super-powered god who has to fly three zones over so he can ask some loser with a cell phone if anything is going down.

Batman gets out and uncovers trouble. He doesn't ask Sally B. Helpful if someone's robbing a bank.

The way housing/bases are implemented could be a further way to "level" up your character. The developers could have certain missions inaccessible until you build a base with a mission computer/forensics lab/vehicle station/etc.

-k

[k00jo]

I'm all for player homes!

Not just SG bases.. they're great too, but nothing helps me feel more immersed than having my own house/home. It was a favorite feature of EQ2 for me. I mean, I dont mind buying things to put in, but things you have made yourself shouldnt have to be boufght, as states previously.

My ideas are:

Apartment
House
Mansion
Cave (some heroes are more nature themed, could also be a 'secret lair')

I think Apartment and cave would be starter types, while house and then mansion would be higher cost.

I dont like the idea of 'rent' either, just make the cost high enough to make having a house something a normal non-PLed 40-50 (CoX terms) could afford, and the mansion something a veteran hero who plays at the level cap could get (or someone who got a lucky drop or two and sold it on a player market)

hen, I tink it'd be good to have furnutures be divided into a number of groups:

Bought items (you get these at a store, all normal stuff)
Player made (recipes 'invented' or dropped by tech themed enemies, this would include less ordinary things: gadgets and fancy lights, etc, doesnt have to be functional, just neat looking)
Magical (rarer drops from magical themed enemies, but possibly craftable my bagical heroes like the tech ones?)

Just random ideas :)

Well, if they truly adopt the Hero system rules when/if they implement bases/vehicles, then we won't spend $ for these features, we'll spend character points.

This has some pros and cons. On the plus side, there's no money system. As your character gains power points, you spend them however you wish. Skills, powers, characteristics, perk, bases, vehicles are all based on the point buy system.

Also, this would mean your domicile is only as fantastic as the # of points you spent on it. You spend 1 point? You have four walls and an entrance, basically. You spend 20 points? You've got an underground lair or space station with defenses, built in teleporter, and a host of labs and facilities.

On the neg side, a character who spends a lot of his points on perks/housing/vehicles is less powerful in combat than a character who spent all their points on powers and characteristics.

The Hero system is all about trade-offs, and it'll be interesting to see how fully they implement point-buy with this game.

-k

[Xerross]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.

Ouch! Well I guess it is something to look forward too. (I just hope we don't have to wait for a couple of years for a feature like this, it is afterall something that [almost everyone] here wants to see in the game sooner or later.).

I'd like the idea of SG Bases, and having our own personal lair. I am very adament in seeing these features in a game, I am sure with the feedback everyone (Jack included) about the CoX bases, hopefully when they do implement them they will fix what was bad about them (they really have no purpose except for storage, and teleporters (base designing suck(s) because only a select few could do the designing -- when it should be a group effort). Good to know though that they will be looking at adding this feature.

But then I have to wonder, are we going to be given some sort of personal storage (for costume pieces, ect). If there will be, all I ask, is making it global for all characters to access, and make it more then like 20 slots of storage for us to store things (I realize CoX it gets higher depending on the level / BADGES you have).

--Xerross

[Fraktal]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.

Shame.

That goes on the "reasons NOT to buy the game" side of the page. So far it's the only thing there, so it won't determine my final decision all by itself, but I can tell you this makes me begin to question just how different from COH at launch, this game is going to be at launch.

Also, not including this feature again makes me question just how much you people understand the comic-book genre, since the headquarters, base, etc, is a fundamental feature of the genre. Please don't make the same mistake of making a super-hero skinned MMO instead of something true to the genre. You've already done that once with COH.

F

[Damarus]

I think they pretty much have to have super group bases and hidden lairs really. Im hoping for more customization and personalization.

Agree. What kind of hero/villain does not have a base/lair. Madness!

[Aceldama]

A little disappointing that these features won't be available at the out-set, but that just means they'll have more time to polish it up before they do decided to drop it on us.

[Wraithlord]

What if you had a seperate way to make points? One just for your heros abilitys and one seperate for your base/lair.

I have no knowledge of the CO game, is this even possible?

[Hex]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.

Not the response I was hoping for, but I'm good with it as long as there is more depeth to it then what CoX has and it doesn't take as long to get incorporated into the game as it did over there.

[Aceldama]

Not the response I was hoping for, but I'm good with it as long as there is more depeth to it then what CoX has and it doesn't take as long to get incorporated into the game as it did over there.

And if it has a point.

[Godling]

:DCity of X rent when it started charged by the contents of your base.
The bigger the base the more rent you paid.
The more stuff in it the more you paid.
It was like paying rent for your comicbooks, plants, and funiture.
And we didint get any backpay when the Base System was initiated either.
When this all started we knew that Statesman was a bigger crook then Lord Recluse.

[AngelSilhouette]

The way housing/bases are implemented could be a further way to "level" up your character. The developers could have certain missions inaccessible until you build a base with a mission computer/forensics lab/vehicle station/etc.

-k

That would be awesome. You could use your base computer to get the equivelant of special police band missions, then go to your vehicle station and enter the mission through your heromobile :D Then when you zone (if they use instanced missions, anyway) in to your mission, you start by hopping out of your car/jet/tank/hedgehog.

>.>

Ok maybe not hedgehog, but it would still be awesome.

[Kathyrne]

I very much tend toward solo play (and I mainly play Defenders in CoX... go figure), so I would hope that individual apartments will eventually be available. A useful function of a base might actually be in costume changes. If you have more than one costume design perhaps the only place you can change your current costume is in your base/apartment. I mean, Spidy keeps his costume on under his clothes, but he only has one costume on under there at a time. Iron man has his armor in a briefcase, but he has other types in his production base. That kind of thing.

So long as there is a good design theory behind the apartment/base concept I don't mind there not being this kind of feature at the start. As I like playing The Sims I wouldn't mind spending time crafting the look I want to an apartment/base, but I could see having specific designs available (room shapes, number of rooms, etc) in a base menu, at least initially, to save on some of the basic design work too.

Just a few thoughts.

[jmzerl72]

I'm all for player homes!

Not just SG bases.. they're great too, but nothing helps me feel more immersed than having my own house/home. It was a favorite feature of EQ2 for me. I mean, I dont mind buying things to put in, but things you have made yourself shouldnt have to be boufght, as states previously.

My ideas are:

Apartment
House
Mansion
Cave (some heroes are more nature themed, could also be a 'secret lair')

I think Apartment and cave would be starter types, while house and then mansion would be higher cost.

I dont like the idea of 'rent' either, just make the cost high enough to make having a house something a normal non-PLed 40-50 (CoX terms) could afford, and the mansion something a veteran hero who plays at the level cap could get (or someone who got a lucky drop or two and sold it on a player market)

hen, I tink it'd be good to have furnutures be divided into a number of groups:

Bought items (you get these at a store, all normal stuff)
Player made (recipes 'invented' or dropped by tech themed enemies, this would include less ordinary things: gadgets and fancy lights, etc, doesnt have to be functional, just neat looking)
Magical (rarer drops from magical themed enemies, but possibly craftable my bagical heroes like the tech ones?)

Just random ideas :)

How about the location...underwater, space, in the forest, desert, that sort of thing. Oh, and if the devs read this and have tables, chairs, computers available...please make them interactive...I don't want to have to do a SIT emote and then look as if I am a part of the chair/table structure. If anyone has played the Sims...when u sit in a chair..your sim will pull it out and sit down in it...not meld with it.

[Novamaru]

Any words on transportation?

[Varmint]

This game truly does need player housing in apartments.

Except for my swinging bachelor pad, of course.

[AngelSilhouette]

How about the location...underwater, space, in the forest, desert, that sort of thing.

Oooooh underwater bases. *daydreams of an underwater dome base with lil fishies swimming by*

[Thrillseeker]

This is another one of those areas where I felt CoX has fallen a little flat. Sure, with the addition of City of Villains we got bases. But the UI for working on them is awful, akward and other words with 'a's and 'w's in them. And the Prestige system for earning the ability to add to them and the 'Rent' system really... Suc... er.. is really, really bad.

There are just so many Comic Books where even a solo character (Batman, Superman, Iron Man, Green Arrow, and many more) has a little hidden spot that is just their own secret place. Small teams can have just as fantastic of a base as any large team (The Baxter Building of the Fantastic Four comes to mind, or the Mansion of the X-Men which existed even before they got four bajillion members).

In the Champions RPG that is the Source material for CO, there is the concept of buying a Base (as well as vehicles, super computers and followers) with some of the points you build your character with. Buy spending those points on the Base rather than on some other power, you get to build your base using 5x as many points as you spent for it on your character. And more Base points can be gotten through giving that Base it's own Disavantages. And the GM could always 'gift' you points because you having a Base fit into his plans for the campaign.

Also in the source material is the concept of multiple characters 'sharing' the cost of a base by spending either starting points or experience points.

So the source material CO is being made on sure has the solid foundation that supports the concept of even a single solo hero having a 'Base', so long as that hero is willing to spend points on the base that he could otherwise have spent on something else.

I see that Arkayne has posted
Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.

So they are designing this thing. Too bad it won't be for launch. But it is something that would cost server side resources. Sure, they could put some of the 'heft' of code for this on the client side of things, but that might put a bit too many chances for abuse, as anything they put on the client side is exposed to hackers and codecracker/slackers...

I have faith here in Cryptic. If it can be put in to the game, it will be. And they will have learned their lesson from the mistakes CoX made in it's implementation of things.

[nefiti]

Oooooh underwater bases. *daydreams of an underwater dome base with lil fishies swimming by*

Seconded throw a docking bay for the subs too.

Also more user friendly furniture please. I don't want to spend time positioning myself to emote sit on a chair make that a click object function please. The how I sit could be the emote after using a chair. Very handy for roleplayers who want to sit at their SG table. Hmm emote beer tankard/can? :)

[Jpbartz1]

I'm not sad to see that bases won't be released right away. Honestly I'd rather see them (devs) spend time perfecting the system and the world rather than trying to start such a big project right away. Give me more enemies, variety, a world to explore, power customization, etc. I can wait for bases. I mean COX gave us bases but reallly, they are no where near what most of us wanted. I mean the last time my SG base was attacked by villlains and we had to defend it... oh wait, that never happened.

[Judo_Jet]

Now what would be cool would be if base building came w/ a price. Not "coin of the realm," per se; but in a more fluid sense.

A base of operations is really just one more thing for a hero to keep secret and safe. Eventually, every comic-book hero has to deal with their base (be it an apartment in Tampa or a Fortress of Solitude) being compromised. Since we're going to be designing our own nemesees...wouldn't it be cool to come "home" one day, only to be confronted w/ said Nemesis hanging out in the foyer, waiting to whomp the dickens out of you?

That is the kind of immersive mechanic that would really push CO into "next gen" territory for me.

[nyrico2003]

I'd love to see a base in this game, and a danger room wooow heck yeah !!!

[L33tMasta]

The need for a secret lair is of the top most priority. I don't expect full functionality by 1st day, but I expect there will atleast be a basic lair.

[PowerSWAT]

Well, if they truly adopt the Hero system rules when/if they implement bases/vehicles, then we won't spend $ for these features, we'll spend character points.

This has some pros and cons. On the plus side, there's no money system. As your character gains power points, you spend them however you wish. Skills, powers, characteristics, perk, bases, vehicles are all based on the point buy system.

Also, this would mean your domicile is only as fantastic as the # of points you spent on it. You spend 1 point? You have four walls and an entrance, basically. You spend 20 points? You've got an underground lair or space station with defenses, built in teleporter, and a host of labs and facilities.

On the neg side, a character who spends a lot of his points on perks/housing/vehicles is less powerful in combat than a character who spent all their points on powers and characteristics.

The Hero system is all about trade-offs, and it'll be interesting to see how fully they implement point-buy with this game.

-k

Yay, first post on these forums, and I have to say I'm very excited about this game! It looks as though it could become everything that I wished CoH would be and more!

I chose this thread for my opening gambit as its close to my heart. I'm an RPer first and foremost, not really into PvP - I chose MMOs as a gaming genre for the social aspect. I was really stonked when CoH/V brought in the bases but I was totally disappointed. Nice try, but no cigar, Cryptic!

Anyhow, to the point (and its for the developers). Bases/player housing is great. I'd love it as would many of the others who've posted here and out in the wider gaming community. But that's only partly WHY the devs should impliment it. Yeah, it'll give the players their jollies, but here's the clinch:

It took me a year to get a WoW character to 70 for this reason - the more things you give a player to spend their resources on, the slower their character will develop. Simple as that. All these folks who want to spend their character points on an uber base, a swishy condo or an ultimate sky-cycle of DOOM aren't spending those points on themselves. Which means they are gonna have to accrue MORE points to develop their characters. Which will take time. Which means they'll be spending more on their monthly subs. Which is good business sense, eh?


So:

GIVE us more stuff to mess around with and get distracted by, and we'll GIVE you our hard-earned Character Points/Cash. Comprende? :)

[L33tMasta]

A space station would be awesome.

[hylandr]

I play EQ2 and I had a blast fixing up my house there. It's nice to have a space for all your trophies and stuff. I would love to see that in this game. I agree with those who said that the CoX base system's big drawback is that only a limited number of SG members can have any real effect on it.

[Officer_Longarm]

I'd prefer bases to be instanced, with the ability to invite people to come see on an individual basis while I'm there. I'd like a Danger Room with Flashback capabilities, i.e., I could run through past missions for old times sake or combat training (no XP awards). A mission generator a la CoX's Police Radios would be cool. I should be able to click on a chair/desk/computer and initiate an animation of me using that item.

That is all.

Actually, it's not. I'm fine with bases not being at launch, as long as they've been accounted for in the design plan before then. I interpreted Jack's statement of "You are what you are at launch" as a design philosophy, not a feature implementation, especially in light of how the CoX engine was built.

[Kittykatboy]

maybe if they had room zones. By Room Zones I mean you zone into like your own instance or base (basically a room though) that you hook up anyway you choose. You could either rent this room or have one in your SG base. this will give a room to everyone in the SG. One portal to enter the base and another that has access to your personal room within the base :D

When I opened this thread I was totally thinking this...except I was more along the lines of your own lair.. bat cave style... but customizable.

where you could drop off pick up your gear, and stuff as needed... though if you could do that it'd be easy to add it as your personal room in the base too, which is a great idea... even from a RPing stand point.

BUT it'd be even cooler if you weren't the only one that could get in.... not really like a Raid room function.. just a invite buds over function... that way you could show off your cool digs, ya know?
;)

[Vox]

Here's an idea.. have some sort of a "resources" stat to represent your character's wealth. Doesn't matter if you get your money from working a mundane job (newspaper reporter?), from an inheritance ('cause your parents died outside the opera...), or from merchandising your hero persona. It would be perfectly all right to use power points to buy this stats -- honestly, having loads of available money is kind of a superpower in its own right; Bruce Wayne has all of his wonderful bat-toys because he own the companies that make the materials, other companies that make the components FROM the materials, and other individuals and/or companies to assemble those components into the finished stuff.

The amount of resources you have available then determines what kind of housing/lair you can get. Say you only buy one point of Resources. You probably live in a jacknasty apartment in the ghetto. If you're the secret-identity type, your costume is probably just stashed behind some fake books in the bookcase.. nothing fancy, and probably not so secure. Or maybe you just claimed a forgotten nook in the sewers and used your money to wall it off and make it functional, if not pretty. Two or three levels of Resources might get you a nice apartment with a Batgirl-style hideyhole behind a false wall.. or a teensy old house in a not-so-great neighborhood, with a hidden basement room. Perhaps you just own a little section of land with a concealed cave that you've fixed up. Six or seven levels might let you build a small-to-middlin' mansion over that hidden cave. Or maybe you've sunk your money into a private yacht or submarine or blimp, allowing your base to be mobile, but necessitating that it stay rather small. Nine or ten levels would let you own a whole skyscraper, or have orbital launch capability... and let you have in your base pretty much anything that will fit through the door. Having high resources would simply "unlock" fancier tile sets, but would still allow you to have your lair in a lost subway terminal if you prefer.

Using the Instanced Zone concept that is in use in CoX (or a semi-instanced concept where you enter an existing commonly-used high-rise in the game world and enter your own personal apartment), your resource level would alter what base textures and items are available. For low end characters, the walls might be filthy and peeling, the base items might be jury-rigged or repaired with duct tape.. for high end characters, you could replace stone and plaster walls with "windows" onto an underseascape, or the city beneath your blimp, or a volcano lair, or a starfield outside your space station .. and likewise, your base items could be smaller, sleeker, and shinier. (of course, if you're a brilliant inventor, maybe your grotty little flophouse could still have hypertech items in it, as long as you build them yourself...) No matter what kind of personal home you have, it would give you a place to store the trophies and mementos (or badges....) that you collect during your heroic career.

Now here's the kicker -- supergroup members could choose to pool resources. Say I have 4 levels of Resources. I choose to keep two to myself and have a small but comfortable apartment (with limited or no super-functions), and donate 2 levels to the group. With even a small group of 5 or 10 members, if each member donates 1 or 2 levels, it could give the entire group enough Resources to have that orbiting watchtower or undersea base. Maybe pooled resources aren't as efficient as being individually super-rich; perhaps 15 or 20 points of pooled resources is only equal to 5 or 10 points of personal wealth. If that's the case, it would take a larger group of "normally rich" characters, or a small group of the super-wealthy to afford the really awesome bases.

I really love the idea of having a personal base/home be a story hook, with your player-made villain crashing your personal space. It would add HUGE amounts of immersion -- as someone whose real-life home actually HAS been robbed, the emotions you get from having that kind of invasion are intense; it's a very personal affront, and would likely be even moreso if you 're a superhero (and theoretically immune to that sort of thing)!

Tangentially, CoX got it VERY wrong by only allowing us to have huge, square rooms. My main CoX character is about 7' tall, and even using the highest floor and lowest ceiling, the base rooms are still like 3x his height. In real life a normal room is about 10' tall, not 21' and certainly not 50'. Give us the option to have small and/or non-square rooms (I've never seen a cubic cave..) as part of the Total Customization mantra. If the rationale behind the cyclopean rooms is to allow base items to fit, then give us the option to resize base items instead of forcing all bases to be built on such a massive scale. I absolutely love the concept of having bases; it's one of the things that lured me back to CoX after I quit. But seeing it done in a half-***ed way is almost worse than not having it implemented at all.

[Alienami]

Too tired to read all 8 pages.... but I do want to put in what I want in housing idea.

I want to have a single apartment or house or something that all my characters can use, store, transfer stuff, and just design and hang out in. I want to be able to take my friends in there, some mini-games would be cool. And if you could pick a day job or something for your character as a civilian to give non-combat missions or something to earn extra money and bonuses would be cool too.

I love designing bases and messing with that, as much as I loved making new costumes... speaking of which, I want a closet in my house that I can use to alter costumes. lol I'm a costume-aholic.

[Bad_Luck]

Oooooh underwater bases. *daydreams of an underwater dome base with lil fishies swimming by*

Moon is better!

[DocCosmic]

I'm really disappointed that bases aren't a planned part of the game at this time.

I've always really liked SG/Guild bases in MMOs that supported them. It gave groups a sense of joint accomplishment as they got upgraded, and a shared goal to continue improving them. And it's a fun creative outlet for a couple of members of each SG that are into that kind of thing.

Plus, it's nice to have your own space to hold SG meetings and hang out without being hassled by griefers.

[Liliane]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.
Then start planing it, because secret identity and superhero game really needs bases and appartments. Try to give game little better feeling and not just technical steril action game.

I did not like that CoX bases where only guild stuff. So, I owned my own guild in CoX as been one player guild. That's really stupid way to handle situations. Better would be allowing every player have they own appartments as well guild have they bases.

I'm not sure about next suggestion, but ability connect player personal base to guild base could be interesting option. It can how ever create also problems when player leaves the guilds, if the area was used for special stuff for guilds. So, I ques there should be stuff what can only placed in personal areas and some other stuff what are shared stuff for guild areas only.

Also in CoX there was no (secret) doors and elevators in base, I would like them in CO. Also in CoX base design, the rooms where too big. The base building blocks should be smaller at lest two times smaler.

PS: Not having bases, appartments, housing and lairs, it's not option for superhero game, it has to have them. I never seen superhero, who did not have them in series, movies and comic books.

[chessdemon]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.
Truthfully, much as I love bases and player housing (I have NO idea how much time I spent in various games, designing an 'Imperial Base' in Star Wars Galaxies, my fully-decorated 'crafting showroom' in EQ2, the Warren and the Fifth Column Primary Operations base in CoH/CoV)...I'm fine with that. Better taking a little bit o' time than the (quite frankly) half-baked base system in CoX.

While I'd rather it not take a year or two for the feature to be implemented, I'm still cool with it if it's implemented RIGHT. And neither just a 'PVP function' nor a 'Well, it looks pretty, but what can you do with it?' thang. Not to say I'm against having PVP stuff for 'em, not something I'd take part in, but for those who like it, long's I don't have to take part, why not? I want the bases to have PVE functions too, though...not just 'here's our handy teleport hub!' either. Supergroup bases and the homes of superheroes (often the same thing) are a staple of comic books, and it's guaranteed pretty much that someday, somebody is gonna attack 'em there...so why shouldn't our 'nemeses' or other NPC villains do likewise? Whether it's Power Girl's apartment or Avengers Mansion, someday, somebody is gonna find it and go on the attack...I want that to be the case in Champions.

[Apostle]

Well, with Super Teams, I am sure there will be bases or housing!

Just a shame not at launch. If not at launch, I hope its planned within the 1st 3 to 6 months after release. Super Team arent super without these things.

[King]

Too tired to read all 8 pages.... but I do want to put in what I want in housing idea.

I want to have a single apartment or house or something that all my characters can use, store, transfer stuff, and just design and hang out in. I want to be able to take my friends in there, some mini-games would be cool. And if you could pick a day job or something for your character as a civilian to give non-combat missions or something to earn extra money and bonuses would be cool too.

I love designing bases and messing with that, as much as I loved making new costumes... speaking of which, I want a closet in my house that I can use to alter costumes. lol I'm a costume-aholic.

I agree with some of the things you are saying Alienami. I think you might be looking to far into the minigames but your apartment idea is great. The minigames lower the feel of a PC game to a poorly rated console game. I do however would like to see the supers have their alt ego life to be played out as well. It would give the game more RP depth. Keep up the good work Cryptic BTW, I still havent seen the specs for this game yet, was wonderin if they are out yet or if i have just overlooked it, thx--

[Xerross]

The game was only recently announced, the system specs could change depending on what they add to the game. Once the game gets further into development, and closer to release, we will have system specs.

[DamienPhoenix]

As long as my hobo hero for hire can have his MTV cribbed cardboard box, I'm sold.

[Feoh]

I just hope its implemented well and that the bases/homes are actually of use.

I always feel sad when I log into CoX and look at my SG base, there always so empty and to tell the truth I dont think I have ever seen another player in the room at the same time as me, I especially hate the fact that every SG I seem to join always has a 'meeting room' with that podium and round table yet has anyone actually held a meeting there?

I also loved the comment about alternative transport as I always feel alittle strange when at lvl 14 my 'natural' swordfighting hero suddenly gains the ability to fly.

[AngelSilhouette]

Oooooh underwater bases. *daydreams of an underwater dome base with lil fishies swimming by*

Moon is better!

But... But... The fishies would die onna moon. :(

[Alienami]

I've always wanted a base on the moon.... with a forest in it.....

[AngelSilhouette]

I think it would be neat if, when you created your base, you could pick a door/manhole cover/cave entrance somewhere in the world that you could use as the main entrance to your base.

Or maybe a boat/sub at the dock for an underwater base, or a plane/spaceship/rocket at the local spaceport for a space/moon base.

>.>

[Kemphler]

I'm thinking this would be a really cool idea, especially if our AR can burst into our house/mansion/cave/lair/whatever you want to call it, and make us fight there, possibly spilling out onto the streets? that would be just plain awsome

[Rick_TWA]

I've seen several people say "No rent! Boooo!" But I say "Yes Rent! YAY!!!!!"

Rent is just another area where the developer can siphon off some of that infinite influx of cash that will eventually destroy the economy of a server. Not only that, but it's TOTALLY an indirect tax, meaning if you don't want to pay it, you don't HAVE to. Especially if they impliment different "levels" of housing/bases that have different rests, it's not only indirect but also sliding scale and it doesn't get any more fair than that.

I don't mind taking one for the team. And if that means paying a little rent for my in-game housing to make the economy better for everyone else, I say "Hell yeah!"

[Powerhelm]

Lairs.

Nothing else. Lairs NEED to be in this game. You guys never got them to us in CoH...

EVERY hero has a home (except Hobo Healer and even he has his Dumpster of Smelly Solitude) or lair of some sort.

It'd be a great thing to have at least like a basic apartment we can go back to and store stuff in then perhaps in a later release allow us to use the in-game currency to upgrade our digs with a secret entrance to our actual Lair hidden in our apartment building's foundation or something...

Maybe even have mission givers randomly say upon interaction "You nemesis was seen skulking around X area, you might wanna see what he's up to" with "X area" being your apartment building and in red for emphasis. This would be a great thing for if they find our secret identity out or just tracked us back to the lair one day.

[lietome]

I love bases and lairs but how about an apartment or something for the solo acts. I want vehicles as a travel power lets face it we all cant have the same power to fly, jump, run, or tele.

I also think that groups should be limited to 5-7 members. how many comics have you read where they 200 members on the active roster. all that does is give them an unfair advantage over smaller groups. they have a tougher lair cause they have more members pouring in the prestige pts.

[AngelSilhouette]

I love bases and lairs but how about an apartment or something for the solo acts. I want vehicles as a travel power lets face it we all cant have the same power to fly, jump, run, or tele.

I also think that groups should be limited to 5-7 members. how many comics have you read where they 200 members on the active roster. all that does is give them an unfair advantage over smaller groups. they have a tougher lair cause they have more members pouring in the prestige pts.

JLA/E/U had a bajillion members. >.>

[Powerhelm]

The JLA reference is odd though...

Really the Justice League only had at most around a dozen active main members and everyone else was in more of a reserve mentality...

If this could somehow be taken into account...

[AngelSilhouette]

The JLA reference is odd though...

Really the Justice League only had at most around a dozen active main members and everyone else was in more of a reserve mentality...

If this could somehow be taken into account...

True, and sometimes (as in Avengers) reserve members will show up in different groups as active members, or even leaders.

Admittedly, I haven't read a comic book in years, though. >.>

[Bad_Luck]

The JLA reference is odd though...

Really the Justice League only had at most around a dozen active main members and everyone else was in more of a reserve mentality...

If this could somehow be taken into account...

Maybe have inactive members marked as reserve?

[Superior]

I really hope we get multi-floor bases and waterfalls and fountains so I can open my talent agency.

[AngelSilhouette]

I really hope we get multi-floor bases and waterfalls and fountains so I can open my talent agency.

With Elelators! An Escalalators!

>.>

An a tire swing

[Bad_Luck]

With Elelators! An Escalalators!

>.>

An a tire swing

Windows. I want windows.

[Superior]

Windows. I want windows.

I want... a secretary that isn't my mother... sigh*

[Bad_Luck]

I want... a secretary that isn't my mother... sigh*

Hey, the devs can't work miracles bub.

[GotTofu]

gotta have a pinball machine :D

[AngelSilhouette]

Windows. I want windows.

XP or Vista?

[Bad_Luck]

XP or Vista?

Glass :cool:

[Legendarious]

Lots of awesome ideas on bases/housing here! While we do have designs for this type of feature, it is not currenly planned for launch.

Lolz, This stuff is never planned for launch... why is that?

[Xerross]

Probably isn't in the 'tech' yet -- which is what they would say in CoX -- wait a minute this isn't CoX.

I am personally disappointed in not having this feature at launch, maybe we could protest, petition? ;)

I really want this feature when the game comes out, I realize there is a 100000 things they are doing with this game, but maybe we will be surprised in the end.

[k00jo]

Probably isn't in the 'tech' yet -- which is what they would say in CoX -- wait a minute this isn't CoX.

I am personally disappointed in not having this feature at launch, maybe we could protest, petition? ;)

I really want this feature when the game comes out, I realize there is a 100000 things they are doing with this game, but maybe we will be surprised in the end.

I'll honestly be happy and will purchase the game if they deliver on the promise of customizable powers, etc. I wouldn't blame them for delivering bases and vehicles in an expansion or update since it'd be a massive undertaking that obviously wasn't included in the original game spec.

If I'm disapointed in any way, it's that this wasn't included in the original spec of the game. This would've been a great way to emphasize RP and differentiate this game from all the other MMOs. Instead, it seems to be following the same cookie cutter MMO design that's been followed by developers. From what I've read so far of the game design, the only thing that could make this game stand out among MMOs is the super hero setting and the custom character creation.

Will it be enough for Champions Online to be a success? I guess we'll see a year from now.

-k

[Xerross]

That's a way to keep it positive ;)

Things could change over the course of a year, I am hoping and praying that they can get enough time to squeeze this feature in, I am sure if you look at the simple responses within this thread, it shows that a lot of us want a feature like this.

--Xerross

[DeaconFrost]

I just want a butler or bartender in my base. I would love to have wise-cracking robot that could theoretically be taken control of and turned against me. Or kidnapped or some other crazy interaction with it.

[Incardine]

I am at a loss on how vehicles would be implemented.

Make my own batmobilie? Now CO will require a vehicle editor. The upcoming SPORE game has a vehicle editor that looks pretty sweet, but that would seem to be pushing things too much. I'd rather the dev's spend more time on a character editor than a vehicle editor.

And can you think of the traffic jams??? Imagine Atlas Park in CoH swamped with player vehicles. Hell, Foxbat's CentipedeMobile (TM) alone will snarl traffic for miles . . .

And team vehicles? We're all going to sit inside something, then come out again. Sounds like something that should be hand-waved, like going into the monorails or using a portal. I can see a vehicle as part of a base that allows access to certain zones, like base teleporters or something. But not s fully independent, pilotable vehicle. We all have travel powers, after all. Group t-port or group flight should handle any transport needs.

And if yur talking about vehicle combat, once again that seems like too much. This is CO, not AutoAssault . . .

Has anyone seen vehicles and team vehicles implemented in an MMO, as part of player created content, and not as the focus of the game?

[Golden-Girl]

Really?!? That's kind of saddens me. Any reason why?

To sadden you, that's why - it's a well known fact that all devs feed on the suffering and misery of their players ;)

[k00jo]

I am at a loss on how vehicles would be implemented.

Make my own batmobilie? Now CO will require a vehicle editor. The upcoming SPORE game has a vehicle editor that looks pretty sweet, but that would seem to be pushing things too much. I'd rather the dev's spend more time on a character editor than a vehicle editor.

And can you think of the traffic jams??? Imagine Atlas Park in CoH swamped with player vehicles. Hell, Foxbat's CentipedeMobile (TM) alone will snarl traffic for miles . . .

And team vehicles? We're all going to sit inside something, then come out again. Sounds like something that should be hand-waved, like going into the monorails or using a portal. I can see a vehicle as part of a base that allows access to certain zones, like base teleporters or something. But not s fully independent, pilotable vehicle. We all have travel powers, after all. Group t-port or group flight should handle any transport needs.

And if yur talking about vehicle combat, once again that seems like too much. This is CO, not AutoAssault . . .

Has anyone seen vehicles and team vehicles implemented in an MMO, as part of player created content, and not as the focus of the game?

Did you ever play Tribes 2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribes_2)? It's a first person shooter, so you might no see the corollary, but on top of having three different character classes they implemented support for both ground and air vehicles (http://the-junkyard.net/vehicles-tribes2.php). Some of the vehicles were solo affairs, others were group vehicles with weapon ports, etc. Click on the link if you want to see and read about the various vehicles that were offered in the game.

If you never played it, you missed out. It's definitely one of the top 10 1st person shooters of all time and was loads of fun to play. I remember often whipping out the healing gun, jumping in the gunnery chair, and alternate between bombing the bejeezus out of our enemies and healing our craft while one of my allies piloted the craft. Loads of fun.

-k

[Bad_Luck]

Did you ever play Tribes 2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribes_2)? It's a first person shooter, so you might no see the corollary, but on top of having three different character classes they implemented support for both ground and air vehicles (http://the-junkyard.net/vehicles-tribes2.php). Some of the vehicles were solo affairs, others were group vehicles with weapon ports, etc. Click on the link if you want to see and read about the various vehicles that were offered in the game.

If you never played it, you missed out. It's definitely one of the top 10 1st person shooters of all time and was loads of fun to play. I remember often whipping out the healing gun, jumping in the gunnery chair, and alternate between bombing the bejeezus out of our enemies and healing our craft while one of my allies piloted the craft. Loads of fun.

-k

And thematically, vehicles go with comics. But, if they can't pull it off good, I wouldn't want it.

[Molgon]

I like the idea of bases/secret layers but i think of them as too be released in a later patch. I would like the combat system to be worked out with access to all powers and balancing.

[Hex]

Hey, the devs can't work miracles bub.

You sure? Cause I was really hoping for a pool containing sharks with laser for eyes in my villain lair.

[Bad_Luck]

You sure? Cause I was really hoping for a pool containing sharks with laser for eyes in my villain lair.

I wouldn't, could you imagine the upkeep?

[Hex]

I wouldn't, could you imagine the upkeep?

Well if I couldn't pay the rent and they turned the power off wouldn't that make my lair even more villainous?

I mean who wants to mess with sharks w/ laser eyes.....IN THE DARK?!?!:eek:

[Bad_Luck]

Well if I couldn't pay the rent and they turned the power off wouldn't that make my lair even more villainous?

I mean who wants to mess with sharks w/ laser eyes.....IN THE DARK?!?!:eek:

But you would see the lasers! Especially if they set things on fire.

[Cheita_Corps]

Pheer Me And My Deluxe Studio Apartment Of Doom!

Pheeer!

[JdRavnos]

Well, if they truly adopt the Hero system rules when/if they implement bases/vehicles, then we won't spend $ for these features, we'll spend character points.

This has some pros and cons. On the plus side, there's no money system. As your character gains power points, you spend them however you wish. Skills, powers, characteristics, perk, bases, vehicles are all based on the point buy system.

Also, this would mean your domicile is only as fantastic as the # of points you spent on it. You spend 1 point? You have four walls and an entrance, basically. You spend 20 points? You've got an underground lair or space station with defenses, built in teleporter, and a host of labs and facilities.

On the neg side, a character who spends a lot of his points on perks/housing/vehicles is less powerful in combat than a character who spent all their points on powers and characteristics.

The Hero system is all about trade-offs, and it'll be interesting to see how fully they implement point-buy with this game.

-k

I doubt they'll have characters spend the same points that they use to purchase or improve powers with...

But perhaps they could have a seperate pool of points you get for leveling (or perhaps in another way like completeing certain missions or rewarding you for certain actions within a mission). They wouldn't be spent on powers, but rather perks that add to the game without upsetting the balance much. These could be things like extra slots for costumes or building bases. Maybe other stuff like new costume pieces (though I'm of two minds this, I kinda want everything to be available at character creation, but at the same time, unlocking new stuff is kinda neat as well). Anyways you could spend those points on expanding your base in size, style or adding nifty, but not gamebreaking, features like teleport pads or crafting stations.

[Bad_Luck]

I don't know if it's been suggested or not, but an in base costume editor would be nice. Make it a closet or something.

[Golden-Girl]

I think the base locations need to be more varied - so you could have your evil lair in a cave or in the sewers, or even as a small space station, rather than just rooms and corridors where you can't tell where abouts you are.

[Hythian]

I think the base locations need to be more varied - so you could have your evil lair in a cave or in the sewers, or even as a small space station, rather than just rooms and corridors where you can't tell where abouts you are.

You know what would make that nice... Windows. Being able to look out a window and see either dank sewer tunnels outside, or the city streets below, or the planet rotating beneath your orbital space station.

Just a simple little window would really go a long ways towards giving bases an actual sense of 'location' or 'place' instead of them being the superhero equivalent of a cubicle farm.

[Bad_Luck]

You know what would make that nice... Windows. Being able to look out a window and see either dank sewer tunnels outside, or the city streets below, or the planet rotating beneath your orbital space station.

Just a simple little window would really go a long ways towards giving bases an actual sense of 'location' or 'place' instead of them being the superhero equivalent of a cubicle farm.

CoX bases are to claustrophobic.

[Cheita_Corps]

CoX bases are to claustrophobic.

Does that mean theres actually hope for multi level bases?

Comon devs atleast give us a split level base!

[Midjord78]

With all of this talk of bases most of the topic has been focused of Sg bases. But what if I never want to join any group ever? What then? The idea of a rooom of my own within the SG base is fine, but that still means that you would need to join a group to end up with like an 8x10 little room. If at all possible everyone, team or not, should have the freedom to create the same size and complex system for a base. And taking into that all the great ideas that everyone on this thread has already said, leaving me with only repeating their perfect ideas. Windows, sewers, spacestations, Danger rooms, labs, computers, vehicles. But all of this for the solo hero, not just the team. We shouldn't have to be penalized for wanted to go it alone.

I'm not a developer and therefore have no idea if any of this is even possible, but we should be able to have the chance to choose what we want for ourselves. If I'm a spiderman/daredevil type of charactor I'd want to go with the smaller right in the center of the action type of base. But for the superman/cosmic guy (GL Silversurfer) I'd want the larger more grand, but farther away base. It may take longer to get places, but it would be worth it for the more grand and epic style base. And due to be guys travel skills I'd be ok with the travel.

So the bigger more regal local (Ice fortress, moon base, underwater lair) could come with a travel penalty, and the smaller more down to earth type of thing (Apartment, warehouse, sewer set up) would put you right in the action as needed.

But please just give me more then one room, instead of making me share my base with a bunch of people that are never there in the first place.

[Ransom]

I totally agree with the idea of a team base and I would love it to have individual rooms!
I fully believe presence whether your toon is online or not is extended by having a place of your own to put trophies etc in. I have played games with and without housing and the ones with over and over again suck me in. I feel like I have a responsibility to the world and I have a place in it...literally.

I really hope they implement a good housing system with zones/instances to keep the lag down. And LOOT hooks/placement! Maybe even cases for our old costumes :)

[Doppelgänger]

Happy to see so many interested in player housing. There are probably few things that could be granted to me as a player that might actually make me feel 'invested' in the town/city I'm defending, that the fact that I actually LIVE in it. I don't care if it's a ratty apartment, my parents basement (well maybe not that) or some shipping container I rented in the docks.
Have to say that has been one of the the things that had left me cold about CoH, was the fact I was just some loiterer looking for trouble.

[Fuzzle]

At it's current state, how I feel about CoH's bases is "terrible, but I shouldn't complain since it's awesome they have it in the first place".

What's really a thorn in my side is how restrictive it is to place items, and how limited you are in terms of visually designing it the way you want. I ended up placing shelves for railing and file cabinets for walls.

I'm aware of the whole raid issue, and I'm not going to dig too much into it since I've no idea what they have in mind for CO. I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with and have no doubt it's going to be an improvement - if at all comparable - to CoH's system.

[Bad_Luck]

At it's current state, how I feel about CoH's bases is "terrible, but I shouldn't complain since it's awesome they have it in the first place".

What's really a thorn in my side is how restrictive it is to place items, and how limited you are in terms of visually designing it the way you want. I ended up placing shelves for railing and file cabinets for walls.

I'm aware of the whole raid issue, and I'm not going to dig too much into it since I've no idea what they have in mind for CO. I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with and have no doubt it's going to be an improvement - if at all comparable - to CoH's system.

There's a ton of room for improvements for sure.

[Aceldama]

Good stuff, folks.

Player housing is a HUGE selling point for me when it comes to MMOs and I was ecstatic when CoX got the feature. Though, I always felt like it was busted and tacked-on and never really received much attention from the devs after it's inception. Sure, they released more items to place, but the interface was clunky and annoying.

In CO, I want to see personal housing as well as SG housing because I agree with the previous posts on the idea of feeling like a loiterer looking for trouble.

Batman doesn't get angry at Superman for turning the TV on and waking him up while he's trying to catch a few winks on the JLA's Couch of Justice after a long day of punching crime in the face, because Batman sleeps at home. In his mansion.

In CoX, I always wanted an apartment because I thought it would be a great way to put those souvenirs you get from story arcs to use as decorations.

[Idylls]

I just need my own personal crypt with a coffin and I'll be happy.

[DamienPhoenix]

I don't know if anybody have mentioned this before but I had an idea. I think it would be pretty cool if you could adopt a "home zone" much like Daredevil in Hell's Kitchen or Superman in Metropolis, Batman in Gotham, etc. I thought maybe it would be pretty cool if you could have extra influence and reputation for adopting a "home zone". Perhaps also you could be called out by your arch nemesis or something of that nature. I don't know what would the perks could be, but I thought it sounded like a potentially very immersive experience.

[Doctor_Phogg]

I want a small personal headquarters built in the same places my characters have always built them.

A hollow chunk of rock out in the asteroid belt. Or...
A small grotto at the bottom of the Marianas trench... Or....
A sumptuous palace hollowed out of the rock thirteen miles below the earth's surface.

Usually I create Supers with the powers and skills to construct them themselves. If I have NPC agents I add life support, otherwise that is a wasted add on.

[Bad_Luck]

I don't know if anybody have mentioned this before but I had an idea. I think it would be pretty cool if you could adopt a "home zone" much like Daredevil in Hell's Kitchen or Superman in Metropolis, Batman in Gotham, etc. I thought maybe it would be pretty cool if you could have extra influence and reputation for adopting a "home zone". Perhaps also you could be called out by your arch nemesis or something of that nature. I don't know what would the perks could be, but I thought it sounded like a potentially very immersive experience.

Yeah! If you leave for a while, crime get's worse, if you stay villains might come after you...always though the idea would be cool.

[Exemplar]

I like the idea of adopting a home zone. Maybe that would give you extra presence in that area after you had completed a certain number of quests/missions.

[Purple]

I don't know why, but I've always wanted customiable personal rooms for the super bases.

[Amadaeus]

I don't know why, but I've always wanted customiable personal rooms for the super bases.

I agree. While I love being able to share a base with a bunch of friends and seeing their skill at virtual base decore, it lacks a personal touch if I'm not alloted my own room where I know nobody can mess around with but me. And since this game is all about personalizing your experience as much as possible, I don't think it's too much to ask.

[Greyhawke]

I think the tone needs to be set upfront that bases are first and foremost the superteam's home away from home (also applies to the solo player's "base"). While it would be nice to have the occasional attack from our nemesis, I would rather skip it altogether than have it be the norm that my base is attacked every month. This is my fortress of solitude, not our personal arena.

Not that I have anything against PvP. I hope that PvP is so great in this game that you can't help but join in, no matter how casual your interest. Not being forced in, but being tempted in (big difference ;) ). I just don't want the technical and balance related limitations of PvP to impact what could otherwise be an addition to the game that could rival the character creator in terms of customization and downright FUN. This is exactly what happened in CoH, and years later we still don't have bases that are overly functional as PvP bases or as decorative or PvE functional bases. Attempting to make them a hybrid has instead made them dysfunctional.

PLEASE let's see the focus of the superteam base in its more traditional sense. There will be plenty of opportunities for PvP, let's not use this for one.

[Amadaeus]

I'm with Greyhawk here. I'd much rather not have to worry about random arch nemesis attacks while I'm lounging around in my base. As fun as it sounds in concept, I could really see a lot of people (myself included) getting irritated about potentially dying in their safe haven. In my mind, bases are there as a side non-combat aspect of the game to occupy your time with (by customizing) and to give you something to do with your money...granted I hope in CO there won't be so many limitations (money, power, etc.) integrated into building your base. Some cost maybe, but I don't want to have to farm up some cash on the side for something that doesn't improve my character at all.

[Doctor_Phogg]

I'm with Greyhawk here. I'd much rather not have to worry about random arch nemesis attacks while I'm lounging around in my base. As fun as it sounds in concept, I could really see a lot of people (myself included) getting irritated about potentially dying in their safe haven. In my mind, bases are there as a side non-combat aspect of the game to occupy your time with (by customizing) and to give you something to do with your money...granted I hope in CO there won't be so many limitations (money, power, etc.) integrated into building your base. Some cost maybe, but I don't want to have to farm up some cash on the side for something that doesn't improve my character at all.

Having mandatory base raids limits options for bases. I don't want to have to install life support in my deep space lair just so someone who wants to attack me can breathe while doing so.

[TruthSeer]

I'm with Greyhawk here. I'd much rather not have to worry about random arch nemesis attacks while I'm lounging around in my base. As fun as it sounds in concept, I could really see a lot of people (myself included) getting irritated about potentially dying in their safe haven. In my mind, bases are there as a side non-combat aspect of the game to occupy your time with (by customizing) and to give you something to do with your money...granted I hope in CO there won't be so many limitations (money, power, etc.) integrated into building your base. Some cost maybe, but I don't want to have to farm up some cash on the side for something that doesn't improve my character at all.

I agree with you about how annoying it could be if attacks were random, but it might be cool if say your on a mission that takes place in more than one zone and you take a short cut through your base (assuming
their are ways into various zones through the base) you get followed and ambushed. And then of coarse have the auto-turrets rip them apart after they jump out at you. :)

Or, after a particularly big battle with your nemesis, in which you think you've defeated him/her for good, you arrive at your base and are attacked by him/her. And once again the auto-turrets kick in.

[zephyx]

Id love to build an old spooky mansion in game and have secret passageways behind the fireplace, bookshelf, and picture frames which lead to the underground base where my character plots his evil schemes for world domination.

[hcullum]

sounds gd.

[Shrinnan]

I don't know why, but I've always wanted customiable personal rooms for the super bases.

I agree. That's one of the things that I wanted in CoH. Say you have a supergroup base - the leader of the group and whoever he designates can design the non-personal, anyone-can-access, parts of the base but he can't touch the personal areas for each member. If possible, it'd be awesome if each supergroup member had his own personal room.

However, if this means that we can't have our own personal secret-lairs then forget that idea.

[hcullum]

thats true you know, you could have anything from peter parkers' apartment to bruce waynes mansions. if they implemented that then .....woah

[Doctor_Phogg]

thats true you know, you could have anything from peter parkers' apartment to bruce waynes mansions. if they implemented that then .....woah




They have said that bases probably won't be ready at launch.

But BEFORE launch is the time to ibe sure the code implemented will not be incompatible with producing the content the community wants.

So here is another want: the ability to put multiple base functions in the same room.
Say the Mighty Marinader is a scientist inventor type. I want to combine his inventing lab with the garage in which he tinkers with his Barbecue Mobile as he creates his transportation with the same machinery used to fabricate his Roaster Ray and his Grilling Gun.

[Billyhotdog]

This will most likely not a launch item but down the pipe it would be so cool even cooler with DX10