The DCUG Back on Track!

[Blitzgott]

I say leave martial arts the way it is. If you give a zero-cost combo to the characters, the difference in damage output between melee combat and ranged combat will be so big that it'll make ranged attacks neglectable in most cases.

[BentonGrey]

Thanks for the feedback Blitz, that makes sense.  I'm much more inclined to leave them as is.  Do you feel like the standard human brawlers, like Wildcat, etc. are well enough represented?  Maybe I should add a 'throw' attack, hmm?

[UnkoMan]

Throw attacks are pretty sweet. If you are using Ren's sweet mesh, it comes with that shove animation so you might as well use that...

Anyhow, for martial artists I would never give them a zero cost combo unless it was set to very low. I have a couple guys with low damage, two hits as their zero cost (I like the way it spreads out damage), but that's it. I'd say you could just give them slightly more energy. With melee guys I take energy to represent stamina, and with powered guys to represent how much they can push their powers. I'm sure you'll find a way, though.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

In addition, FFX 3.2 will include two grades of a new attribute (the name was still being played with) designed for this kind of character that boosts all damage.

I think the current version was the unfixed one with way too much damage, though.

[BentonGrey]

Ahh?  That might work to give someone like Wildcat a slight edge, without really jacking up his damage.  Thanks for the update Cat!

Thanks for the feedback Unko, I suppose I should do just that.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

If it's working properly, the minor version adds 25% to all damage, and the major version 50%.  The original versions posted to the forums were 50 and 100%, but I figured that was too extreme.  The code is VERY easy to adjust.

I think in the public beta they are called Combat Skill and Chi Power, but I can't remember if they are the fixed versions or not.

[Blitzgott]

Thanks for the feedback Blitz, that makes sense.  I'm much more inclined to leave them as is.  Do you feel like the standard human brawlers, like Wildcat, etc. are well enough represented?  Maybe I should add a 'throw' attack, hmm?

I think a throw attack'd be great for guys like Bronze Tiger and Wildcat. They need something to at least help them run away from those invulnerability 20+ monsters they can't/can barely hurt. Either that or a "nerve strike", like the one you gave Wildcat.

I think combat skill/chi power are way too extreme for even the mightiest martial artists. Blitzkrieg gives a good enough bonus already, IMO. Speaking of blitzkrieg, BG, I think you should consider giving it to Flash, too. It'd serve to simulate the extra inertia his super speed adds to his attacks, and just make him all-round more useful, from a combat stand-point.

[BentonGrey]

I've considered Blitzkreig for various characters, and I have always felt that it seems too powerful.  Perhaps I should reconsider it, but then The Flash would absolutely demolish EVERYONE who wasn't invulnerable.  (Yeah, yeah, I suppose that is more realistic, but is that also more fun? :P)

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

I think combat skill/chi power are way too extreme for even the mightiest martial artists.

25% damage is too extreme?  That adds up to 1-2 more points in most cases.  Not that much IMO.

[BentonGrey]

One or two hitpoints, huh?  That sounds really perfect for the martial artists Cat.

[Blitzgott]

I think combat skill/chi power are way too extreme for even the mightiest martial artists.

25% damage is too extreme?  That adds up to 1-2 more points in most cases.  Not that much IMO.

You're absolutely right. My bad.

It's just that I remember giving combat skill (expert) to a custom character and it dramatically improved the damage he inflicted. Maybe I used the unfixed version or something like that.

[CF Kane]

Just out of curiosity, how are you handling the Metal Men?

And will this mod be based only primarily in the classic DC universe in the modern time period or will it branch out into other areas--the Old West tales, LSH era, Vertigo characters, etc.?

[BentonGrey]

Hey CF, you'll find a much more full description of my plans in the first post in this thread, but in brief, this is my take on DCU.  As such, it isn't any ONE thing, it's a combination of classic DC, some modern, and a heaping helping of animated continuity.  I'm seeking something that I've never found in the comics, something that I've only seen in the works of Bruce Timm.  I'm after my ideal, my vision of what the DCU should be, and since I can't find it anywhere else, I'm building it myself.  You won't see the Legion here, mostly because I don't really know them and there are so many of them!  I might do some western heroes later, since I do love Jonah Hex, but for the moment it's pretty much based on JLU as far as its roster, with several exceptions.  You won't see any Vertigo characters, as I've never much cared for them. 

The Metal Men....well, I just found some herofiles (by, I THINK Taskmaster X) and added them in.  I didn't change them overly much, but if you've got any ideas, please post in my thread in the herofile section.  I would deffinetly like some input since my only experience with them is from JLA Year One and Justice.

:EDIT: Quick update, I've now finished:

Vandal Savage
T.O. Morrow
T.O. Morrow Robot
Rocket Red
Wind Dragon

And I think I've got Red Tornado where he should be.

That leaves me with Shifter, Downpour, and Longshadow.  There the only characters left that I have skins and meshes for.

[FLASH_22798]

:EDIT: Quick update, I've now finished:

Vandal Savage
T.O. Morrow
T.O. Morrow Robot
Rocket Red
Wind Dragon

Hey Benton, are you using the Rocket Red 'Skoped mesh that I did? If so I have the updated version with the reflections turned on if you want it.   I just never got around to uploading to my yahoo group.

[BentonGrey]

Why yes I am Flash, and that would be great!  I'll send you a PM with my email.

[FLASH_22798]

Got your pm, and I'll send it tonight.

[BatWing]

Now, I'm not going to try and put EVERY DC character into this, partially because I don't have the time, and also because there are several that I simply don't like or won't have in my version of continuity.  Ha, for example, you'll never see Nightwing in anything I produce ^_^  Still, does this sound like something that people would be interested in? 

i had time to read the first post
no nightwing!? gah! :o

[BentonGrey]

Haha, sorry kiddo, but I never cared for the direction they took the Bat family.  I want to see Robin go the way he did pre-crisis, becoming his own man, but still owning his heritage.

[BentonGrey]

Howdy guys, I'm still plugging along here, making good progress (I think, at least). ;)  I have now finished and added:

Supergirl
Powergirl
Metal Men
Fisherman
Alexander Luthor
Rocket Red (did I already mention him?)

KS is almost done with the Kirby characters, so I'll be adding in the Forever People and co. before too long, which means that the beta will be released before too long.  With that in mind, I need to ask for a volunteer.  I need one of my testers to do some checking for me, and it's going to be something of a hassle.  It might be easier if you divided it up amongst you.  Either way, here is what I need.  I can't release a public version of this with all the FX I've got, as some of them I don't have permission for, sooooo, I need someone to back up their fx.dat, then move their fx/generic folder (so the game doesn't know where it is) and install EZFX.  Then, re-merge and tell me which FX are missing.  I know I've updated Green Arrows, cobbled Robin's together from Ren's .nifs, and updated the Batarangs.  Most of the rest of them SHOULD be alright, as I've tried to avoid using random fx just for this reason, but I need to know what will be broken, so I can ship it with only a small fx pack.  Any takers?

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

It's just that I remember giving combat skill (expert) to a custom character and it dramatically improved the damage he inflicted. Maybe I used the unfixed version or something like that.

Yup, it was unfixed.  As I said, I think the public Beta is still the broken version.

[BentonGrey]

Well guys...anyone?  Ha, well hopefully someone will be willing to do it once the beta is released.

[Blitzgott]

I'd do it, but I'm not very good at messing with FX. I can try, if nobody else volunteers.

[BentonGrey]

All you'd have to do is make a copy of your fx.dat, and install EZFX.  Then you can just go into the game and see which character's FX aren't showing up.

[Blitzgott]

Cool, then. I guess I can do it.

[BentonGrey]

Great man, I really appreciate it.  That will allow me to go ahead and start working on the FX I need to adjust.

[BentonGrey]

IMPORTANT: I've just remembered why I didn't want to make my characters 'campaign only,' because they automatically start out with their powers leveled up.  Is there any way to change this?  I'd like all of my characters to have level 1 powers, instead of level 3, but I'd also like for them to be easily selectable in the villains/heroes menus.  Any ideas?

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

All built-ins powers are always level 3 if they have any powers after that in the same Tier.  This is fixed and unchangable.

[BentonGrey]

Curses....well....hmm....I suppose that means that they'll all be non-campaign only.  That's darned frustrating.  Thanks Cat, I was afraid of that.

[BentonGrey]

Hey guys, for those of you who are keeping score at home, I've now got the follow characters finished:

Fastback
Mantis

The Forever People:
Vykin
Mark Moonrider
Big Bear
Beautiful Dreamer

[Blitzgott]

Hey, Benton. I think It'd be cool if you set all the characters to "campaign only". That way, the characters list'd be more organized, and you also wouldn't have to worry so much about the invulnerability levels, since the heroes would be inflicting more damage. The only con I can think off is that characters without invulnerability would be REALLY screwed in most situations.