Futurias

[ QUOTE ]
Awesome, thanks for linking that. Interesting to finally see the origin of the Cryptic Studios name. I'd never seen that explained before.

Edit:

[ QUOTE ]

"City of Heroes was very tightly focused on moment to moment combat," Rogers says. "The Marvel game will have more big components to it. It's going to be all the stuff we wanted to put into City of Heroes, and you'll get to run around in Marvel costumes. We've got more money now and more people. We'll add more depth. We want to take it to the next level."

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a bit disheartening for CoH players. We're the reason Cryptic has more money. The quote makes it sounds like the plan is, put all the awesome ideas we wanted to have in the old game into the new game.

[/ QUOTE ]

I figure I'd chime in here, because I think people are reading far, far more into it than "we are doing neat things in MUO than we could do in CoH".

I think he was just saying that there are limitations in any game engine when you are making it. If you have more funding/tools when you start, you can do more things.

Not that they don't want to do some of these things or might try to cram them into CoH later.

The most important part of a project is your foundation.

[ QUOTE ]
Oh - and I'd love to do a giant mech game. Love it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can we have it more in the vein of Gundam UC or Macross/Robotech than "Superfighterrobot!" whatever?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The only thing I can say is the mobs must be doing an aggro check of every player in range and the AI is splitting the aggro among the whole team so one player is not the main focus of the whole spawns aggression.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's correct. It has been this way since release, I believe -- I remember being aggro'd while running Invisibility back in beta. In a nutshell, the entire team is put on the awareness/aggro list, not just the person who initiated the combat. It's not quite that simple, since there are a number of extenuating circumstances that can happen, but in general it is correct.

[/ QUOTE ]

Any news on the increased Aggro with mobs that have "snipers"?

I'm pretty sure you didn't mean to make Rulari impossible to solo, did you?

[ QUOTE ]
Protector Bots dont bubble fellow pets anymore, sometimes they dont bubble my pets .

[/ QUOTE ]

They do single bubble you and your protect bots and double bubble your assault and little bots.

Two Robot/FF's together would be between 3 and 4 bubbles per pet, so I can see why they wouldn't allow that anymore.

[ QUOTE ]
I'm extremely disappointed that an image of Statesman would be used in such a way. I know that we designed City of Heroes to appeal to "children of all ages." My proudest accomplishment with the game is that many parents (including my brother) play with their children...sharing, I hope, the same joy for the comic book world that I've had ever since I was 8. I cannot express the shock that I felt seeing that a character created by Cryptic would be used in the same sentence as Columbine.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have to agree. This really is an outrage in many ways and these people are distorting things as grotesquely as possible to paint video games as the things that causes social ills.

I've had a theory for quite a while that the Superhero medium has had a very profound effect upon modern society hidden within its entertainment.

One thing I think they overlook in video games is that for the most part, you are a hero. If you were to go and look at most games, you will find someone that had to risk their life to save their friends, family or even their world.

And while there are games where you are villains, this is usually shown that 'bad things' happen and villainy usually is evil.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Great Gubbly Be-Grubbly! How many tokens do we need Lighthouse?? I mean, I am not upset or anything, but wow, some of us have a box that we keep under the bed filled with the tokens. There are a ton of vet bonus costume tokens, now another??

=@ @=

Well, I am certain there are a lot of people who can use it. Just, wow, they sure get given out alot, you know, is all.

=^ ^=

[/ QUOTE ]

Gift horse -- mouth -- DON'T LOOK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, wasn't trying to look. The announcment caught me off guard. There are people who will and do need it of course. So I am not looking at it in that sense... Am I? =O.o= Mew was just trying to comment on how they get handed out a bit, not that I am complaining! =^.^= I change my costumes two or three times a month! I have spent more time in Icon on some alts then in missions. =^o^=

[/ QUOTE ]

The reason for the free tokens is that the new costume options sometimes break "old" costumes. So to fix them without INF costs, free tokens.

[ QUOTE ]
Don't forget:

Remove deterrent to teaming (remove the code that decreases prestige gain on teams.)

Add prestige bonuses for teaming with SG-mates.

[/ QUOTE ]

It should have always been a bonus to teaming with your SuperGroup.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Oh I'm sure one of the "detectives" around here will dredge up something from ages ago where you used the words "Greek" and "mythology" in the same message, and then claim that it is proof that you promised a game about such.

[/ QUOTE ]
Wellll... my dredge-fu is weak, and there was definitely no promise... but Jack did mention doing a MMO based around Classical mythology in a "gee, wouldn't it be neat if" sort of way.

Mithras and Minotaurs Online, I'm guessing.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, he mentioned that he'd *like* to do a game based on ancient mythology, (IIRC), not that he *was* working on one.

O.o

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
again the heroes need bases

[/ QUOTE ]

Pony up the $ -5 you'd wind up paying for a copy of CoV in the bargain bin. You'll even get four shiny extra character slots to make more heroes with thrown in.

[/ QUOTE ]

I *think* the GvE electronic edition also gives you the four extra character slots and access to villains and bases. And that's only $10.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

- Capes. I've noticed just recently (in rear/back view) that the capes don't seem to sit across the shoulders properly, that is, they don't flow like they used to. I can see a clear visible line across the shoulders, so the cape looks like it's been tacked together in two pieces, and sometimes there is a gap between them.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a bug, but it comes and goes. Sometimes you get this; when you rezone it is usually gone. Seems the cape misaligns with the shoulders, and when the toon is re-drawn after a transit, it is realigned. Its correct about 90% of the time, but still annoying when it happens.

Think this used to happen more frequently back when capes first appeared, or I may just be more jaded now.

[/ QUOTE ]

This actually seems to happen/matter on maps with large amounts of PCs loaded onto them. So if you zone out of the Talos Tram, your cape will likely be messed up, but if you zone into a heroic instanced missions, your cape will usually be perfect.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hero and villain costumes? what 2 things? LOL

[/ QUOTE ]


Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, but there are a lot more than 2 new costume peices. There are two FULL costume sets, each with Top, Bottom, Gloves, Gloves without pads, Boots, Boots without pads, and Shoulders. By my count, that's 14 new costume peices. And very cool costume peices at that. You can even use the Sinister pattern with other tops and bottoms, so that makes 16 new costume options.

I can understand that you might not have had foreknowledge when you went to purchase, but a smart buyer makes informed purchases. You chose to purchase blindly without looking into the extra details on the boards and official site. It's unfortunate that you aren't entirely happy with your purchase, but the fault remains with you.

Let me ask you this: What CoH/CoV retail box has come with MORE than this? Let's examine:
- CoH Preorder: A prestige sprint that adds no new function, just decorative.
- CoH Collector's DVD: Prestige Slide (Again, no new function, just decorative), exclusive cape (That no one uses), VIP badge.
- CoV Preorder: An Arachnos helmet
- CoV DVD: Exclusive cape (Does anyone use this one, either?), Arachnos chest emblem, Destined One badge.
- GvsE: Jump Jet power (Unique concept), Pocket D Gold Club teleport and access, SIXTEEN new costume peices.

If you didn't pay any attention to the information on the official sites and forums and went solely with past retail boxes as an example, GvsE should have had FAR more than you expected to get.

[/ QUOTE ]

Justice and Sinister are also "decals" for other torso or leg selections too, IIRC.

Gah! Bad memories back in beta of Shadow Fall + Hover = no movement at all!

I was kind of stuck down in the bottom of Faultline. I bugged it, of course.

Upgraded!

[ QUOTE ]
Unbelievably, Impale is 80' range.

Disclaimer: No, that does not imply an impending range reduction for impale or increase for Focus.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know, I think that is actually longer than most of my Kheldian's ranged attacks!

>.<

[ QUOTE ]
I am kind of disappointed that there isn't more emphasis on getting villain areas up to Heros levels. I mean there must be twice as many zones and areas for heros as there are for villains. Villains have fewer contact missions, no Shards, no Hollows, no Stringa and no Hazard zones at all.

So what is I8 about? Getting heros equal to villains. Heros have tons of missions and zones to explore compared to villains. So lets take the only thing villains had that heros didn't away from them, newpaper missions and mayhem missions.

That wouldn't bother me as much if they at least threw the villains a bone. But it doesn't sound like they really plan on balancing villains much, instead all they talk about is adding more to heros or to both. i.e. the Stateman taskforce and inventions.

[/ QUOTE ]

Many (if not most) of the CoH Hazard zones are continually empty and unwanted. They were a very bad idea about forced teaming, except that even teams don't want to do street hunting in the middle of the Abandoned Sewer Network.

I'm really hoping most hazard zones just go away.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My top issue:

Stop giving your morning customers the shaft.

Can we get an explanation why you continue to make the exact same customers bear 100% of the disadvantage of these downtimes?

[/ QUOTE ]

Since I work the night shift at my job, I don't usually get home until around 4am, mountain time. That means that the servers drop 3 hrs after I get home.

While it's hardly the end of the world, nor does it happen every day, it is frustrating that I have to put up with it whenever they go down.

It would be nice (maybe not realistic, though) to stagger the times of maintenance so that the same folks don't have to endure the downtime every time it happens. Just a few minutes ago the servers dropped in the middle of our Siege mish. Yes, we saw the warnings. No, the fight didnt go as quickly as we'd hoped. So, yet again, I get punked by the maintenance.

And to those posters telling us night/early a.m. players to "just get over it", spare me, OK? I've been playing this game for almost 2.5 years, working night shift the whole time. When you have to deal with the downtime during the middle of your peak playtime every single time they do maintenance, for 2.5 years, then you can tell me to get over it.

OK, sorry for the hostility. I just don't like having our concerns dismissed so carelessly by people who most likely deal with the downtime rarely, if ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right on the money.

The thing is, what you said makes TOO MUCH SENSE for it to be continually ignored by the devs.

It doesn't make sense to do maintenance any other time than your MOST DEAD TIME (which is not 9-11am).

It doesn't make sense to have your maintenance window affect the SAME EXACT PEOPLE 100% of the time. This is especially true when you hit people 3 days in a row.

This is basic, reasonable logic folks. The customers deserve a little better here, and they certainly deserve an explanation.

The way Cryptic hides under their desks about this issue is just mind boggling.

If you think you are doing the right thing, then stand in front of everyone and explain yourselves. Don't sneakily delete posts and threads and hope people won't notice. That's Verant/SOE type tactics.

You can do better, Cryptic! Your staff is one of the more connected in the business.

[/ QUOTE ]

Early morning is usually the slowest time. While it may be personally be irritating to you, it doesn't affect the average player that is afternoons/evenings.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Just wanted to thank you guys for supporting the community so well. It's a breath of fresh air to deal with devs and designers who pay attention and inform the community of whats going on. Makes me feel like my money is well spent. I'm in a two account household (actually 2.5 - 2 active one inactive) and I'll be purchasing one online and one in the stores to upgrade both accounts.

P.S. Whats the hero gear kit, did I miss one?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hero Gear kit.

And bah on Dr. Who.

Yes, I went there. Double bah!

[/ QUOTE ]

I want a Villain gear kit!

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
"Oops, I picked a SO when I meant to pick a SHO"

[/ QUOTE ]

Sucks to be you, be more careful next time?

[ QUOTE ]
"So, I picked a SO. Where do I get my SHO?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Sucks to be you, pay attention to the option list it's giving you and use a little common sense next time?

[ QUOTE ]
Who is going to pick a +3 SO over a SHO?

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably no one, but it does mean no more SHO's disappearing into the void...

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, people that now run it mor often than once a day get a small reward.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Oi oi! I'm surprised that no one is wondering what I5's ED is allowing I9, I10, and I11 to achieve. Where is the Legends system in all of this? One of those issues or all three? Does the Legends system have multiple features to it instead of just one advancing goal, allowing it to be put through three issues?

[/ QUOTE ]
The reason they gave for reducing the bonuses of HOs to SO levels was also for the Legends system. I'm assuming that part of it is a way to increase the effectiveness of our powers beyond what enhancements already give us, and letting us slot so heavily for damage, defense, and such would make us way too powerful when combined with bonuses from the legend system.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I doubt they ever want people to be able to enhance powers beyond i5 ED limits. That really seems to be an upper boundry they don't want to wander beyond with just enhancements.

This does not mean that there won't be "better" and lootish enhancements, but in more of a "more effecient" manner than allowing you to hit damage caps and things like that.

A +100% damage enhancement sounds very bad, but if it is only more slot effective than 3 x SOs, it isn't as bad. +100% accuracy may have to be tweaked, but technically is doable right now with (S)HOs.

At least that's my conjecture. Not going above i5/ED limits, but hitting those limits accross a broader base.

[ QUOTE ]
Precedent for Auto Assault (I don't know if the Lineages or Guild Wars have vet rewards) is that they do not count the original months.. if this is an NCSoft tracked thing, they it's possible that free months might not be counted. I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't get credit for my three free months, personally.

[/ QUOTE ]

That would stink for the really loyal customers who bought both CoH, CoV and a hero kit.

{Edit} Something looks wonky, as I'm only showing 1 year and 9 months and I've only been not active for about a week while I made sure I wasn't going to over extend my credit card balance.

And I've been playing since the three day head start too.

Something in their numbers is not adding up.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The whole "21 days" bothers me, because what's to stop an SG from throwing Raid Matches repeatedly on the last day, so that their Items remain "in the mix of things"?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because all IoPs disappear on the same set date. They don't vanish 21 days after you get them, they vanish 21 days after the end of the last CoP season.

When CoP trials start up again, nobody has any IoPs. So it sort of wipes the scorecard clean.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, so there's *so* much incentive to defend your base. Heck, for that last raid, I'd probably politely ask my attackers to please just take out the anchors and take the silly thing.

What a silly concept they've come up with.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The point is that you have to run the trial again if you want the bonus. Think of it as something else about bases you have to upkeep.

[/ QUOTE ]

It appeared to me that the item could only be kept 7 days, then lost and 21 until you could get another. Positron clarified this, but I was never a fan--nor will ikely ever be--of rent/upkeep. Rent is annoying enough to have in real life. I don't like it in game too. That's just me.

[/ QUOTE ]

28 day cycle.

first 7 days, the CoP trial is active and SG's can attempt to get IoPs. In fact they can acquire UPTO 5 by doing this.

After the 7th day, the CoP trial closes, and for the next 21 days, the only way an SG can acquire an IoP is by raiding another SG.

At the end of the 28th day, all IoP's in play are retrieved by the ruualruu. And a new cycle begins. Starting with the 7 day CoP trial open.

etc. etc. ad naseum

[/ QUOTE ]

Which is pretty silly, because the larger bases are supposed to be able to hold more than 5 IoPs and yet you can't earn them through raiding easily.

As a matter of fact, the "continual raiding to stay even" is probably going to be the biggest turnoff that I can see here.

What other game requires that you do the exact same raid to upkeep your equipment (not upgrade your equipment.)

This is adding laborous tedium to the end game when you should be trying to make it more interesting.

I do understand that they want PvP raiding and want to make it fun, but this is not the way to do it. I'd break it down into parts and parcels.

A) Earning Items of Power (Cathedral of Pain) in a positive growth manner. I would suggest that IoP returning to the Shadow Shard be entirely removed or very toned down. You can earn up to your first five during your first cycle. After that, you can only add one additional IoP from the Cathedral of Pain.

B) PvP raiding. You can earn one IoP from one raiding of a Supergroup. The losing defending Supergroup is granted a set period of immunity to losing any more Items of Power (1-3 weeks.) So you can't just grind down one supergroup and remove all of their items from one source. It also slows down the economy of raiding. (Currently it is set up that if you know you can beat a group once, you can probably beat them 2-3 more times, crushing them down unfairly.) A defending Supergroup that succeeds should garner a reward. Either immunity to being raided by the loser for that month, a prestige bonus, rent payment or a buff.

C) End of raiding period: Switches to a single mission to "protect your investments". I'd suggest a different raid, but I suppose a single re-run of the Cathedral of Pain to "throw off the Rulari" so that you don't lose all of your IoPs.

I think this would play better without being a draggin grind.

[ QUOTE ]
Here is something all you base designers may want to keep in mind:

The Cathedral of Pain is expected to be released prior to Issue 8, and it will be a little different than originally planned. It will be PvE oriented and the trial will remain active for 7 days. During this time you can earn one or more Items of Power for your Supergroup base. Then it will be off for 21 days, after which you will lose the Items of Power and this cycle repeats. Previously, it was scheduled to run only every 5 days, with 25 days off. Scheduled Base Raids are currently non-functional, but we wanted you to at least participate in the Cathedral of Pain and Item of Power portions while we address the Raid functionality internally.

[/ QUOTE ]

This seems pretty odd. I thought there was going to be some ability to stock up on IoPs.

I am *very* happy that you got rid of that silly 5/60 split. That was just making them far hard to get.

I think you guys are in danger of making it too tough to get several of these. And for decent larger SGs building bigger bases, I'm not seeing a very feasible way to do the trial without running the mission until you puke.

"Attention all members! We need to re-earn our uber bases Item of Powers! Mandetory Cathedral of Pain missions. Sign up on the web page! OR ELSE!"

Actually, I'd say that just the reverse is true. With just my attacks and invincibility, my level 42 Inv/SS tank doesn't even have taunt... and finds little need for it.

My general method of starting combat is by jumping in the middle of a fairly large group of badguys and foot-stomping, gaining as much aggro (if not more) than I could have hoped for with just taunt. I then proceed to start beating down badguys and watching for leakers.

If a large enough group of leakers looks to be targeting squishies, I move to the center and either single-target gauntlet (or if foot-stomp is recharged, just stomp.)

It works fairly well, which is lucky as I don't have any free power choices.

(My tank is probably the most min-maxed character I have with every primary power and every secondary barring taunt and handclap.)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I also like how this is pretty much saying that one power in the set (TH) appears to be designed to counter anothers penalty. I wouldn't mind it if Tough Hide did something else, but does it appear odd to anyone else that the reason you should pretty much take that power is to counteract another?

[/ QUOTE ]

Except you can enhance it. That wasn't the initial intention since it WAS unyielding stance and tough hide was still around back then. This has been a suggestion of mine for quite sometime. Many props to the devs for making this change so that brutes and scrappers aren't at a disad.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, this was what I was wanting for Scrappers and Brutes to be balanced correctly back in i5/ED.

It is nice to see it finally fixed.