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Random Action Bar?

AuthorMessage
Ensign
Mar 30, 2012
17
I have a question regarding the placement of powers on the action bar during combat.

Thanks to my equipment I already have a large list of powers to choose from. I was horrified to discover that not all of my powers are available at the start of combat. I understand that there are only 7 spaces on the action bar but I had expected some sort of option allowing me to scroll through my powers and activate them in the desired order.

So far no such luck.

This limitation is already hindering my strategy and I’m only level 11. What happens when I’m level 50 and have a huge array of powers and attacks to choose from in combat and only 7 available at one time? I’m also aware that you can dismiss powers from the action bar making room for others but that seems to completely waste the dismissed powers and unlike wizard I can’t count on drawing another copy of the power later in the battle when it would actually be helpful.

I can already envision myself charging into battle only to find myself with a handful of heals at the start of the fight when they are not needed and no attacks. What do you call that strategy? Or entering a battle to aid someone in trouble only to discover that suddenly none of my heals are within reach.

In wizard though there is a random element to the hand you draw at the start of combat you have the option to remove seldom used cards from the deck so they aren’t slowing you down or add more copies of cards that you know will be helpful allowing you to develop a consistent strategy.

I have read over the message boards and have so far found nothing on this topic.

Hopefully that means there is already a feature in place in-game that solves this problem and I simply haven’t found it yet.

I would very much appreciate clarification on this subject so I can get back to enjoying your otherwise fantastic game.

Thank you in advance.

Ensign
Mar 30, 2012
17
This is the ninja again. I’d like to add to my first post by suggesting that

1.
If the action bar is limited to 7 at character creation how about gaining slots on the action bar as you progress through your character’s career. Even if this only occurs every 10 or 20 levels like epic talent points to go along with our ever growing list of powers and attacks.

Or as rewards for epic class specific quests.
Or even perhaps even in the form of stat increases on the more rare and powerful equipment.

This would not only provide even more motivation for the players to progress and keep going for that next level and keep farming that boss for that one rare drop they can’t wait to have , I believe it would allow them to develop a more personalized and consistent strategy which will make the players happy.

Ensign
Mar 30, 2012
17
2. This is even better in my opinion.
If the action bar were to be forever limited to 7 spaces I would at least enjoy the chance to choose from my ever-growing list of powers which 7 go on the action bar. This again would allow players to create a more personalized and unique character tailored to their specifications and isn’t that what its all about?

This also would add another layer of strategy to the game because now players must plan their actions before the battle starts. Carrying the wrong combination of powers into a tough battle could lead to an ill fate so players must use their heads. I believe this would allow for more rewarding battles in group play as more die hard teams who group together often could choose powers that compliment the powers of their teammates creating ever more in depth combat tactics and sense of teamwork.

Funs for all and that’s against monsters, imagine the eventual PvP possibilities.

I love PvP but forgive me when I say I don’t think I’ll enjoy it with so many random elements affecting the outcome. Ouch that hurt a little.

Now imagine teams of pirates executing perfectly timed combos, executing devastating chain attacks and basically combining the best of the characters to create one winning strategy they can be proud of. Can’t go wrong.

I don’t see how either of these changes could unbalance the game in favor of any particular class of pirates but I could be wrong. Then again truthfully I haven’t made it to far yet hopefully I’ve missed something and I’m wrong about all this.

If someone could clarify all of this for me you would have my thanks and I invite anyone who agrees or disagrees with me to reply and state your opinion or generally let me know what you think.

Sincerely,
The ninja

Ensign
Feb 01, 2010
4
The way the action bar currently works is like the way the card deck from wizard101 works with the exception that you don't have a lot of duplicate powers. Both games are card based type games. It works for wizards because you can build your decks. It doesn't work for pirates for all the reasons NinjaKing2012 has detailed.

Being able to build your deck of powers/cards would help, but being able to prioritze your powers list would be a bigger help. When you are lower level you only have a few powers and prioritize them by the order you use them. I start my fights the same way, using the same 2-3 powers then choose powers to match the situation. When you have 30 or so powers and can only use the random 7 that pop up you are severely handicapped in fights with harder foes. About the only way to currently prioritze your powers is to not train most of what is offered so you have the 10 or so that you really need available.

Gunner's Mate
Jan 06, 2011
228
I agree with you on this and I find it frustrating as well. I like to start off battles with my stat booster and if I don't get it at the start then I won't use it.
My wife found it to be the worst, being a witchdoctor. Most of the witchdoctor talents are activated abilities, so she is purposely not taking some talents so that her ability list isn't too cluttered. Surely that isn't the way the designers designed the game to be played.
I didn't know there was the option to "throw out" abilities from the action bar, but I would be hesitant to do so if it does waste the ability.

I do like your second suggestion on how to fix the problem. Even if we are only able to choose 2 or 3 abilities that we are guaranteed to start with I would be happy.

Ensign
Oct 04, 2012
5
NinjaKing2012 on Oct 14, 2012 wrote:
I have a question regarding the placement of powers on the action bar during combat.

Thanks to my equipment I already have a large list of powers to choose from. I was horrified to discover that not all of my powers are available at the start of combat. I understand that there are only 7 spaces on the action bar but I had expected some sort of option allowing me to scroll through my powers and activate them in the desired order.

So far no such luck.

This limitation is already hindering my strategy and I’m only level 11. What happens when I’m level 50 and have a huge array of powers and attacks to choose from in combat and only 7 available at one time? I’m also aware that you can dismiss powers from the action bar making room for others but that seems to completely waste the dismissed powers and unlike wizard I can’t count on drawing another copy of the power later in the battle when it would actually be helpful.

I can already envision myself charging into battle only to find myself with a handful of heals at the start of the fight when they are not needed and no attacks. What do you call that strategy? Or entering a battle to aid someone in trouble only to discover that suddenly none of my heals are within reach.

In wizard though there is a random element to the hand you draw at the start of combat you have the option to remove seldom used cards from the deck so they aren’t slowing you down or add more copies of cards that you know will be helpful allowing you to develop a consistent strategy.

I have read over the message boards and have so far found nothing on this topic.

Hopefully that means there is already a feature in place in-game that solves this problem and I simply haven’t found it yet.

I would very much appreciate clarification on this subject so I can get back to enjoying your otherwise fantastic game.

Thank you in advance.
I also would like to know the answer too this

Ensign
Jun 18, 2010
8
I wondered why our powers go away after using them once,especially the Rouse spell. I thought it was glitch. I think there should be a timer on them so they don't go away and you have to wait (like when in a boat battle). Seems like something is not complete here.

If they are trying to make it like W101, then we need to be able to get duplicate cards. I know you can get some with clothing (as I got Kraken something power w/ my outfit) and I also trained to get it so I have two of those that show as long as I have the outfit on. From what I've seen, not every power has a piece of clothing or weapon,etc to get a duplicate.

I'm level 11 and don't have very many power cards to play but I can see a problem later on with not having the ones most used in the action bar.

I'm not a developer so I have no idea how to correct this. I would just be happy to be able to use them more than once, especially the Rouse spell. Maybe have them come back after so many rounds or as stated before, have them on a timer. And yes, there should be a way for us to put our most used ones in the action bar. Maybe have a several leveled bar where the less used are on a tab or something?

Ensign
Mar 30, 2012
17
This is the ninja again.
I’ve given the matter a great deal of consideration and have come up with a possible compromise.
How about something more similar to a feature already in place in game.

Option 3.
A line up for our powers similar to the line up we have for our crew. Powers assigned to the front of the lineup are more likely to appear first in battle and powers assigned at the end of the lineup are more likely to appear at the end of the action bar later in combat.

I believe this would accomplish two things.

1. More control during combat.
Since character management and customization are key features in any role-playing game anything that lets players further personalize their adventure is a very very important thing. For proof look no farther than the dye shops and seamstress. Players want their character to match their own unique style and ideas and will put a great deal of effort into doing so and that’s just their cloths mind you. Combat is a fundamental part of the game.

2. This option allows a small element of chance to remain in combat occasionally forcing players to improvise when they don’t get the exact powers they were hoping for. This leaves combat feeling fresh and spontaneous as not everything will always go just as planned while at the same time giving players enough control that we aren’t stuck feeling like a leaf fighting the wind.

Being forced to choose which of my hard earned powers to waste in the heat of battle is frustrating and skipping over powers leaves you feeling limited from the start (does me anyway) and will undoubtedly leave you feeling limited throughout your entire career.

Also consider that certain battles require you to finish within a certain number of rounds.
In these situations you need your best powers right away if you have any hope for victory.

Again I dont see how any of these changes could unbalance the game for any certain class or make the game too complicated for younger players to enjoy. If anything I feel bad for younger players who may lack the foresight to picture what their pirate will be like much later in the game.

I would like to thank those who have already replied and invite anyone who agrees or disagrees with me to reply and let everyone know what you think. If enough people get involved maybe action will be taken.

Thanks again

Sincerely,
The ninja

Ensign
Aug 30, 2010
4
Hello everyone!

Excellent questions and suggestions! I especially support the whole idea of being able to manually change out what abilities are available to me, depending on the composition of the group of other players that I am in a party with, and on what fights we are going in to. As my level increases, so does the difficulty of the battles that we engage in. As difficulty increases, so does the importance of having a sound strategy. The whole point of having different classes to pick from in MMOs is for each class to have certain roles within the party- tanks, healers, dps. If we can't tailor our characters to meet the needs of the party and the objective at hand, then strategy is pretty much tossed out the window, and we start seeing more button-mashing than thoughtful gameplay.
I could go on and on, but I would mainly just continue to repeat what has already been said. So, in summary.... I agree with those who have commented before me here. LOL!

Thank you to everyone who put so much thought in to this issue, and offering suggestions! Hopefully the devs will take notice, and fix things! If they want to make a game aimed at all player ages, then they need to not completely focus on making things easy for the young players, and also work to make things interesting and challenging for those of us with a bit more gaming experience.

Ensign
Oct 09, 2012
2
I would like to see an extra action bar added after a certain amount of levels.(an award or something?) This of course would entail changes to the current ui and I do not know if it is possible at this point. I do agree that they need to provide some sort of ability for us to utilize all of our talents.

If we are restricted to a limit on our talents, it will deter people from training talents just so they can be assured the talents they rely on are always available.

Gunner's Mate
Jan 06, 2011
228
bngbedard on Oct 17, 2012 wrote:
I wondered why our powers go away after using them once,especially the Rouse spell. I thought it was glitch. I think there should be a timer on them so they don't go away and you have to wait (like when in a boat battle). Seems like something is not complete here.

If they are trying to make it like W101, then we need to be able to get duplicate cards. I know you can get some with clothing (as I got Kraken something power w/ my outfit) and I also trained to get it so I have two of those that show as long as I have the outfit on. From what I've seen, not every power has a piece of clothing or weapon,etc to get a duplicate.

I'm level 11 and don't have very many power cards to play but I can see a problem later on with not having the ones most used in the action bar.

I'm not a developer so I have no idea how to correct this. I would just be happy to be able to use them more than once, especially the Rouse spell. Maybe have them come back after so many rounds or as stated before, have them on a timer. And yes, there should be a way for us to put our most used ones in the action bar. Maybe have a several leveled bar where the less used are on a tab or something?
Part of the strategy of this game is the fact that abilities are only usable once per battle. Knowing when to use them and get the most out of them is something you need to consider.

NinjaKing, that is a good option, I like it.

Petty Officer
Nov 28, 2008
82
Ive made it to 17th level witchdoctor.. The game is great, I enjoy the time I spend. However, I am really starting to get annoyed at the talent bar. It has been 3.. yes 3 days since Ive seen my best attack power and have only seen my 2 favorite area effect spells pop up.

Im not here to rant, but to warn people from playing a witchdoctor till this is fixed or a solution derived.

I did all the side quests I could find. I have cards from equipment. I have extra practice points that also gave me abilities. With all the abilities.. my capability has been reduced. Im not going into detail as I will just get more annoyed talking about it.. but believe it or not.. the "random-ness" of the placement seems to like to put my best powers off the screen. (all this and Im only lvl 17.

Oh.. BTW:

DO NOT spend 700 crowns to "reset" thinking you will be able to re-choose you talents. I did this and all it "reset" was the 5 practice points I spent. What a complete waste. It said in the description it resets all talents, skills and practice points or something to that effect. I cant go re-read it as its grey now and I dont want to start filling my bar back up.

I have decided to retire the crippled hoodoo master and bring out someone with lots of innate abilities and less junk in the ability bar.

Any ideas from experienced players as to who has the least executable abilities to play until this issue is resolved?

Ensign
Oct 04, 2012
5
Freygea on Oct 18, 2012 wrote:
I would like to see an extra action bar added after a certain amount of levels.(an award or something?) This of course would entail changes to the current ui and I do not know if it is possible at this point. I do agree that they need to provide some sort of ability for us to utilize all of our talents.

If we are restricted to a limit on our talents, it will deter people from training talents just so they can be assured the talents they rely on are always available.
I was thinking the same thing. This is a game breaker for me. It make no sense to not have the ability to choose what actions i want displayed, unless they are afraid of people power leveling to end game? idk?

Gunner's Mate
Jan 06, 2011
228
eveque67 on Oct 19, 2012 wrote:
Ive made it to 17th level witchdoctor.. The game is great, I enjoy the time I spend. However, I am really starting to get annoyed at the talent bar. It has been 3.. yes 3 days since Ive seen my best attack power and have only seen my 2 favorite area effect spells pop up.

Im not here to rant, but to warn people from playing a witchdoctor till this is fixed or a solution derived.

I did all the side quests I could find. I have cards from equipment. I have extra practice points that also gave me abilities. With all the abilities.. my capability has been reduced. Im not going into detail as I will just get more annoyed talking about it.. but believe it or not.. the "random-ness" of the placement seems to like to put my best powers off the screen. (all this and Im only lvl 17.

Oh.. BTW:

DO NOT spend 700 crowns to "reset" thinking you will be able to re-choose you talents. I did this and all it "reset" was the 5 practice points I spent. What a complete waste. It said in the description it resets all talents, skills and practice points or something to that effect. I cant go re-read it as its grey now and I dont want to start filling my bar back up.

I have decided to retire the crippled hoodoo master and bring out someone with lots of innate abilities and less junk in the ability bar.

Any ideas from experienced players as to who has the least executable abilities to play until this issue is resolved?
Buccaneer & Swashbuckler have low amounts of activated abilities, probably buccaneer has less. But even then at higher levels you will get over 7 and the problems will start again.

Ensign
Mar 30, 2012
17
From the desk of the ninja,

I’d like to once again thank everyone for their comments and suggestions and I’d like to encourage everyone who reads this to reply and keep those ideas flowing.

Even if you don’t have anything new to add to the argument simply stating that you agree that there is a problem will help draw attention to it until hopefully something is done or we are at least given some sort of assurance that this issue in particular will be addressed when possible.

As for me frustration has just about won. Since discovering this limitation I think I’ve logged onto pirates 2 or 3 times and once was to remake the character I was once so excited about.

Which brings me to my next question.

How many of you have already retired at least one pirate due to no other reason than the random assignment of powers on the action bar during combat?

Thanks again to everyone
Sincerly,
ninja

Ensign
Jun 18, 2010
8
The powers disappear after using them once, so I don't see the problem with letting us determine which ones we want to make sure comes up. Have like 7 locked and once those are used, then the others come up. But I think we should be able to decide which 7 we want to always show up. I'm level 11 and only have like 4 powers so I'm not having any trouble with my favorites not showing, but now I'm worried that after I get 7 that I'll be upset if my Rouse doesn't show every time or my Kraken. Those are very important to me. I would want them every time I fight. Hopefully they'll find a way to have that happen for us.

I am really enjoying this game!

Petty Officer
Nov 28, 2008
82
I have recently discovered a "reprieve" from retirement for my hoodoo master after not seeing his best attack power in 3 days.

If you R-Click on any of the abilities in your bar, they will be removed for that battle (as if they were used). I can now get rid of 4 or 5 on the first pass and use 1. Then on the next round it is almost always there, but if not, I just have to get rid of a couple more to bring all of my remaining abilities on the bar for the rest of the fight.

This probably should have been explained in the tutorial or have a companion talk about it the first time you pick up your 8th ability (as only 7 will fit). Having known this a long time ago would have saved me much annoyance and everyone here as well.

I will at least be able to play him again.

Ensign
Oct 20, 2012
2
NinjaKing2012 on Oct 14, 2012 wrote:
I have a question regarding the placement of powers on the action bar during combat.

Thanks to my equipment I already have a large list of powers to choose from. I was horrified to discover that not all of my powers are available at the start of combat. I understand that there are only 7 spaces on the action bar but I had expected some sort of option allowing me to scroll through my powers and activate them in the desired order.

So far no such luck.

This limitation is already hindering my strategy and I’m only level 11. What happens when I’m level 50 and have a huge array of powers and attacks to choose from in combat and only 7 available at one time? I’m also aware that you can dismiss powers from the action bar making room for others but that seems to completely waste the dismissed powers and unlike wizard I can’t count on drawing another copy of the power later in the battle when it would actually be helpful.

I can already envision myself charging into battle only to find myself with a handful of heals at the start of the fight when they are not needed and no attacks. What do you call that strategy? Or entering a battle to aid someone in trouble only to discover that suddenly none of my heals are within reach.

In wizard though there is a random element to the hand you draw at the start of combat you have the option to remove seldom used cards from the deck so they aren’t slowing you down or add more copies of cards that you know will be helpful allowing you to develop a consistent strategy.

I have read over the message boards and have so far found nothing on this topic.

Hopefully that means there is already a feature in place in-game that solves this problem and I simply haven’t found it yet.

I would very much appreciate clarification on this subject so I can get back to enjoying your otherwise fantastic game.

Thank you in advance.
100% agree. Please fix this my Witchdoctor is becoming a nightmare. I want all my skill sbut I really need a way to at least strategize or increase certain cards chance to come up first. I go huge battles 15 min without my aoe popping up, or not having a teleport when I need one desperatly please.. fix this.

Ensign
Mar 30, 2012
17
From the desk of the ninja

Me again back from a long absence. I have spent this time working on a consistent character build and would like to share some tips for my fellow privateers out there.

First I have focused my practice points on solely passive talents that benefit your pirate without clogging up your action bar. I chose Spooky 1 and 2 (naturally) and Fast 1 and 2.

Since I usually spend the first several turns in combat tossing buffs and artillery strikes while the rest of my crew moves forward, training in Fast allows me to get into the thick of battle more easily once that is done.
(I prefer sword and board to staffs.)

Second I passed over several of my class abilities that I didn’t find absolutely necessary.

I passed over the Calm the Troops series in favor of the Call to Arms series.
Calm the Troops has a more limited effect range and generally only benefits me whereas the Call to Arms series affects every friendly unit in play and benefits everyone, even other pirates and their crews during multiplayer combat.

I passed over the Valor’s Shield series since again they have a limited effect range and duration. Mixing damage reduction and heals in this instance seems a bit like beating a dead horse anyway. I even skipped “The Commodores” class mission, as I wasn’t sure exactly how useful the power is. I’ve never actually seen anyone use it.
( I got lucky and saw another privateer use Discipline.)

Honestly I’m not sure if skipping this quest prevents me from obtaining further class missions. I know I haven’t gotten one since then.

(As a warning if you skip a class power you have to port out of the room each time you visit them. Your trainer is like "Hey come back here I'm not done with you yet!)

Hopefully someone out there will find these tips helpful. Though I was very discouraged at first I’m far too stubborn to quit and I must admit I’ve come to absolutely adore my pirate.

Sincerely,
ninja