Suggestion: Transformation Powers

[Trixie]

So while I was writing up my Tier 1 Transformation for Trixie I stumbled across an interesting thought. Why not customize power ups and transformations with powers for an extra cost?

For example: John Doe doesn't have Flight or Burst Movement, but he wants to use them while powered up. Well the base cost for a Tier 1 Powerup/Transformation is 1,000 OM. I figure we could halve the cost of Powers usable only while transformed. So he'd pay 400 for Burst Movement, down from 800, and 900 for Flight, down from 1800. The catch is that instead of 1,000 OM for a Power Up the new cost would be 2,200 OM.

John Doe would now be able to fly and use burst movement only while transformed, but it would be lost as soon as he powers down.

Thoughts?

[Artoria Pendragon]

I quite like this idea, as it allows more customisation, and makes more sense character wise. Not all characters always fly, but they may have a form where they do. This makes it possible to customise more and create characters closer to their canon, if so desired.

However, I do have one question: What if said John Doe happens to buy Flying or Burst Movement later? Does some of the OM used on the transformation refund, or does he pay less to obtain them because he already paid half?

[Trixie]

From a design standpoint it's tricky. On one hand I'd be fine with someone paying the remainder and collecting the Power for use all the time, as long as they remain beneath the Powers Cap. However on the other hand, to maintain longevity, I'd be okay with someone paying full price to unlock the ability for their base character. It would come down to how taxing/fair/unfair it would seem for someone to pay full price for something like Flight when they already paid 900 to get it on a transformation.

Also. You have to realize that you can transform freely in personal storylines without an SP hindrance. So John Doe technically has access to it if he wants it, outside of PvP events, whenever transforming suits him. So in that regard it would be fair to charge full price if you were buying Flight for your base character.

Am I making sense? XD

[Stephan Donnel]

While I do like this idea as is and find it quite useful... It will be a nightmare to recalculate the new specifics for prices on a previously straightforward mechanic. I find it easier to just come up with "roleplay fodder" moves for "unreasonable" powers.

eg. Summon a small gyrocopter with no-name pilot NPC as a roleplay for your soldier character and ride it when/where needed.

Edit: It is also abusable as hell outside of unestablished storylines due to how SP is handled in "unstructured" stuff.

[Trixie]

While I do like this idea as is and find it quite useful... It will be a nightmare to recalculate the new specifics for prices on a previously straightforward mechanic. I find it easier to just come up with "roleplay fodder" moves for "unreasonable" powers.

eg. Summon a small gyrocopter with no-name pilot NPC as a roleplay for your soldier character and ride it when/where needed.

This is why it'd be 50% of the list price for the power you're choosing. It would be listed in the Move Approval forum for review like normal and then posted in your characters log for tracking. All of the prices Omni chose can easily be broken in half. As far as a logistics nightmare; that would depend on what we decide about buying the base Power later on for use all the time. Requiring a Prime to pay full price regardless of what they have in a Transformation removes that concern all together while charging them the remainder only requires the player to look at their log and calculate the remaining half. Which should be easy enough to do.

I mean we're still talking less math than an average D&D game.

[Stephan Donnel]

I say that it is practically a waste of OM.

[Trixie]

I say that it is practically a waste of OM.

Depends on how you use it. It isn't required. You could still just spend 1,000 OM for a basic power up. For someone like Trixie though, she'd have Flight in one of her power ups to act as the boosters on the Exosuit, but she wouldn't be able to fly on her own. It isn't how I built the character. This all comes down to customization like Lightning said.

EDIT: Waste or not. All I'm saying is that it would be amazing to have the option.

[Stephan Donnel]

I am not saying this is a bad idea. I just said that option you suggested results in lost OM if you decide to actually by the power later, as well as if you have multiple TFs that require it. That, and still, less savoury players could abuse the "roleplay" use of the powers to, effectively, just have access to the power for a lesser price while getting a transformation as well.

[Trixie]

I am not saying this is a bad idea. I just said that option you suggested results in lost OM if you decide to actually by the power later, as well as if you have multiple TFs that require it. That, and still, less savoury players could abuse the "roleplay" use of the powers to, effectively, just have access to the power for a lesser price while getting a transformation as well.

No. I agree. The abuse is definitely something that would have to be looked at and considered carefully. The lost OM is only really a issue if you're forced to pay full price. You'd be paying 1800 + 900 to having flying all the time. Where if you're required to pay the remainder you'd only pay 900 OM for Flying to have it all the time.

EDIT: I know you're not saying it's a bad idea. I'm developing it further while discussing it with you. Your points are all valid.

[Illidan Stormrage]

I think it's a cool idea. Some people would only have a powerup that could fly/have mind powers/etc. and it helps that person out OM wise, since they aren't really getting the bang for their OM buck.

Conversely, it would just be another thing for the staff to keep an eye on with all the calculations and stuff. Not sure if it's worth the headache.

[Stephan Donnel]

That is what I was talking about Jim. I am still having doubts if it is worth the headache.

[Trixie]

No no. I agree. The headache is definitely a major bullet point to take into consideration.

[Omni]

We had this on AD, and I ultimately removed it for the Omniverse, deciding that a lot of people would simply take the (let's say 50%) discount to keep the power on their second form - then never use the first form.

Or alternately, you charge more to have a power on all your forms. Which people would not like. "I bought this new form, but I can't use any of my powers unless I pay more? =/"

I settled for it being a roleplaying thing. I suggest, and even actively encourage, certain powers to be limited to certain forms, because it's really bloody cool!

[Broly]

We had this on AD, and I ultimately removed it for the Omniverse, deciding that a lot of people would simply take the (let's say 50%) discount to keep the power on their second form - then never use the first form.

Or alternately, you charge more to have a power on all your forms. Which people would not like. "I bought this new form, but I can't use any of my powers unless I pay more? =/"

I settled for it being a roleplaying thing. I suggest, and even actively encourage, certain powers to be limited to certain forms, because it's really bloody cool!

If I'm following you right, you're saying we can just choose to only use Flight in a certain form or as it pertains to our character? If Trixie had Flight it would be specifically used in her Tiered forms because they'd have/eventually have boosters. That settles that then. Sounds good. It would just be on us to format our roster in a way to explain that about our character.

[Harlan Higgs]

This is actually relevant to me too because there are certain alternate forms that would require a couple extra powers that the character would not use in their base form. Say for instance, Grundy's planned Black Lantern Powered-Up Form would include flight and power's similar to Sinestro's materialize. I figured I would just have to take it as a cosmetic and stat power up since it would be a waste of OM to buy powers that only an alternate form uses.

[Strazio Rockwell]

Perhaps a happy median could be limiting it to power-ups and powered-up forms so that there is an SP gate stopping people from making an alternate form to just get the cheaper powers?