Hyperstrike

Outrageous! Truly, truly, truly outrageous!

No. It wouldn't. Simply because some people spend a majority of their time soloing, it isn't the same thing as spending all of their time soloing.

The fact that you actually suggested it though indicates a lack of understanding as to what the "solo" and "small team-friendly" crowds are actually asking for.

You're half right. You're off a few decades though.

Remember:

The 60's: The "Me" Generation
The 70's: The "Me Me" Generation
The 80's: The "Me Me Me" Generation (Incidentally Spider Ham is an 80's kinda guy)
The 90's: The "Me Me Me Me" Generation
The 00's: The "Me Me Me Me Me" Generation
The 10's: The "Me Me Me Me Me Me" Generation

Honestly, if you can hang on another couple weeks, look for a Black Friday sale. You should see some really nice deals (with some occasionally STUPIDLY good deals interspersed).

Thanks for the succinct explanation. I'm going to add this info to my "Asking for Help" guide.

What he's saying is that the argument of "An MMO means you should be teaming" is specious. As such, he presented another specious argument in a similar vein as illustration/example.

Sorry, but this argument has been a load of crap from Day 1.

Massively multiplayer means it is a shared environment. It doesn't mean "teaming not optional".

YES, I acknowledge that some of the content in the game REQUIRES teaming. That doesn't mean that teaming is the de-facto norm for content in the game (or should be).

And this is situation where I'd pay double the price for a card with half the power. Just to avoid it.

Don't get me wrong. AMD/ATI makes some nice, very interesting hardware. But their hardware drivers are friggin' russian roulette.

Actually no.

Tried this with a free player.

When I rack up a lot of SOs on my 50's, I tend to wander through Atlas looking for newer players (by doing an Info look at their badges) and dropping a few SOs on them, effectively giving them a nice cash bump.

It's still considered a trade and is disallowed.

The 13" Uses the Intel HD Graphics. Basically this is the GPU core built into the processor itself.

Will it run CoH? Yeah. Barely.
Will it run Ultra Mode? NO.

Then again, on a 13" postage stamp^H^H^H^screen, you aren't going to be able to enjoy Ultra Mode anyhoo.

*Hugs 24" LCD and stares lustfully at a high res 30"*

Too bad my 50" Plasma is too-low a resolution for me...

It's been noted by the devs in the past. And apparently there isn't an easy fix for it. In the past, it's been left alone and considered a "fringe benefit" of using HOs as opposed to IOs. But there have been no promises that, in the future, if they figure out a way to patch it, that they won't.

IIRC, IOs don't have this "problem" because of their specific categorization system.

It's one of those "slippery slope" things.

Yes, it's a combat pet. So yes, it makes them more effective in tossing out damage.

A couple things to note:

1. Most non-MM combat pet AI SUCKS in the game (and if you ask some MMs, the MM pet AI could use a lot of work too). It's common to dive into the middle of a mob, have the pet take a few swipes, then just STAND there doing nothing, contributing nothing.
2. If this were a permanent power, it'd be too much. It's a temp with limited charges and, if I'm not mistaken, you can only buy the pack once. This severely mitigates the utility.

Now if we start seeing LOTS of combat pets being distributed this way, you could run into temporary pseudo-masterminds who can toss out half a dozen (or more) pets. And I shudder to think of thugs MM rocking double gang war with all these pets...

But, after five uses of MM-god-mode, they're done. It may get them...what? A extra level or two faster than they might have?

So this is a "Not a BFD for me".

If you're playing other games besides CoH and buying from the get-go, great.

For CoH alone, two of those beasts would be a waste of money though. You simply aren't going to see an appreciable performance gain. The game engine is simply not set up in a way that benefits from parallel resources like this.

You're springing for cards with more memory than some players have for their system's main memory.

Actually yeah. I do. Between myself and several friends (who actually work for nVidia), we're fairly well mapped out what SLI will and will not bring to CoH.

What you're not going to see in CoH with your SLI setup. Higher framerates.
What you will see in CoH with your SLI setup. Higher "minimum" framerates. Hence less variance between minimum and maximum framerate. That's my definition of stable framerate.

Again, not in CoH. Not in your particular setup.

Done testing up through SLI'ed 580's. Oddly, framerate isn't an issue until you start pushing into "crazy" resolution territory. And the framerate differential between SLI and non-SLI at everything up to 1920x1080 is within 5 FPS.

As I said, the game is compatible with SLI. It just isn't built in a way that actually gains much from it. But at least the game doesn't crash or fail to load with SLI on.

I'm well aware of this. However, the SLI (Scalable Link Interface) solution put forth by nVidia isn't the same SLI (ScanLine Interleave) solution that 3dfx was using. Essentially nVidia bought the technology almost solely for the link interface technology and implemented their own resource aggregation package underneath.

Actually, 3dfx, while they had some OGL support, tried to push their Glide miniport. Eventually the march of technology and the advancements in D3d and OGL made Glide (which had ceased development by that point) worthless.

nVidia's SLI solution didn't hit the market until 2004.

Yep. The basic engine was developed in the 2002-2004. During that point 3dfx was DEFUNCT and nVidia hadn't done anything more than buy the technology.

Also, your hardware is NOT "modern". It's four generations and five years old. Face it.

8-series
9-series
200-series
400-series
500-series



This is basically "should boot the game without crashing" or missing any basic effects. "Runs like ****"

This is basically "Can actually be said to "run" as opposed to slide-show. Teaming viable now due to ability to handle mutliple effects.

This is basically "won't crash with barest Ultra Mode settings turned on".

Congrats. You have the bare minimum for basic ultra mode in some of the less graphically intense sections of the game that aren't designed to showcase Ultra Mode.

Then your expectations of this game are flawed.

It will. If it doesn't, there's something seriously wrong with your system.

I'm playing on a C2Q Q8300 with 8GB of RAM and a GTX 560 Ti. I have zero problems. If you have 2GB of memory on the beast, you shouldn't experience any texture memory issues whatsoever. Do be warned (however) that ATI cards do occasionally suffer from flaky drivers in this game. Many people reported serious, show-stopping issues with just about everything between 11.4 and 11.9

Honestly? Probably not. It'll lower your top end DPS though. But you have enough attacks available to you that it shouldn't be a problem. It'll also eliminate the nasty endurance crash at the end of Hasten.

And no, you don't need to drop two powers. You just need to reshuffle a bit.


Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.952
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Tanker
Primary Power Set: Invulnerability
Secondary Power Set: Street Justice
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Resist Physical Damage -- RctvArm-ResDam:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(3), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(3), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(5), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(5)
Level 1: Initial Strike -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(9), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(9)
Level 2: Dull Pain -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(11), RechRdx-I:50(11)
Level 4: Sweeping Cross -- Erad-Acc/Rchg:30(A), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:30(13), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:30(13), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(15), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx:50(15)
Level 6: Temp Invulnerability -- RctvArm-ResDam:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(17), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(17), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(19)
Level 8: Unyielding -- RctvArm-ResDam:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(21), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(21), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(23)
Level 10: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt:50(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg:50(23), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng:50(25), Mocking-Acc/Rchg:50(25), Mocking-Taunt/Rng:50(27), Mocking-Rchg:50(27)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Def:50(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(29)
Level 14: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Combat Readiness -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(29), RechRdx-I:50(31)
Level 18: Invincibility -- DefBuff-I:50(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(19), LkGmblr-Def:50(31)
Level 20: Rib Cracker -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(33), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(33), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(33), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(34)
Level 22: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(34), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(34), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(36)
Level 24: Weave -- DefBuff-I:50(A), LkGmblr-Def:50(36), LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(36)
Level 26: Tough Hide -- DefBuff-I:50(A), LkGmblr-Def:50(37), LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(37)
Level 28: Spinning Strike -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(37), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(39), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(39), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(39)
Level 30: Resist Elements -- Aegis-ResDam:50(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:50(31), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg:50(40)
Level 32: Resist Energies -- Aegis-ResDam:40(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:40(40), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg:40(42)
Level 35: Super Jump -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Spring Attack -- Erad-Acc/Rchg:30(A), Erad-Dmg/Rchg:30(40), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:30(42), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(42), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(43), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(43)
Level 41: Shin Breaker -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(43), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(45), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(45), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:50(45)
Level 44: Crushing Uppercut -- C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:50(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(46), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(46), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(46), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(50)
Level 47: Conserve Power -- Empty(A)
Level 49: Physical Perfection -- P'Shift-End%:50(A), P'Shift-EndMod:50(50), Heal-I:50(50)
Level 50: Spiritual Radial Paragon
------------
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+:40(48)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%:50(A), P'Shift-EndMod:50(48), EndMod-I:50(48)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 1: Combo Level 1
Level 1: Combo Level 2
Level 1: Combo Level 3

Alpha:

On Hyperstrike, he's built using the Energy Mastery APP and with an eye towards decent EndRed on attacks. As such, while he might benefit a little from Cardiac, he got MORE out of Spiritual.

I went Spiritual Radial Paragon because, while the extra couple points of recharge might be NICE, they weren't NECESSARY for anything. And Radial improves a lot of nifty stuff for a tank.

33% to Heal, Stun, Slow and Jump. 20% to ToHit.

I have Invincibility slotted for defense only and Rage is 3 recharges. ToHit for the win!
Dull Pain is just three Recharges. Heal.
Health is a mule for Numina, Miracle and Regenerative Tissue uniques. Heal.
Physical Perfection is a mule for a PerfShifter proc. Heal.
That and my attacks are slotted for Damage. So the little bit of Stun in there adds some nifty extra mitigation.

So Spiritual Radial Paragon does some really nice things for me.



Judgement:

I went Pyronic. Were I looking to min-max, I'd probably go Ion. But Pyronic works well for me.


Interface:

I went Reactive. Extra damage is ALWAYS welcome on a tank!


Lore:

I went Warworks. At the time, it was the least concept-breaking of the choices. As it turns out, Warworks is also one of the tops for raw damage output. I went Core. The ACU's suppression fire is PHENOMENAL in the high levels and the Vicky's melee damage is equally phenomenal.


Destiny:

I currently have a T3 Barrier. What's the use of being unkillable if you can't share it with friends?
In addition, I have a T1 Rebirth (Keyes) and a T1 Clarion (UG).

The way CoH game is set up, the performance boost from SLI is negligible. Support is there, but the way the game handles, you don't see performance boosts like you do in other games. SLI will help stabilize framerates and not much more. If your framerates are low, they're going to STAY low. They just won't dive precipitously lower like they would with a single-card solution.

Until a couple issues ago, the game didn't even support SLI in any flavor.

As to it being "criminal". The game existed before nVidia SLI was common or particularly beneficial. And adding support for it to an existing graphics engine is non-trivial at BEST.

Looks like the the devs finally decided to take advantage of 1 and 2 generation old hardware.

Correction, the game isn't optimized for your particular hardware setup.

The fact is, the original "recommended" platform was "recommended" over 4 years ago now. As with any games which have graphical refreshes, the requirements have grown beyond that.

An SSD isn't going to help you. It's still slower than direct access to video memory.

Looks like it's time for a new card.
On the plus side, current-generation mid-range cards like the GTX 550 will give you a nice performance boost on top of having sufficient video memory for the task at hand and in addition to being fairly inexpensive.

Are you down for The Count?

Ah yes. Messing the childer up early. GOOD MAN!