Lighthouse_NA

Legend
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  1. [ QUOTE ]
    Is vBulletin the same thing that the XBox forums uses? If so, count me as a "no". That thing is hella slow.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Just FYI on this, vBulletin is not the same thing - those guys use something called Community Server.
  2. Please use this thread to discuss the below announcement:

    In Mid September we announced the addition of 2 new optional boosters: Cyborg and Jetpack. At the time, there was some understandable complaints from customers connecting to the game from Latin America, as the online PlayNC Store didn't allow purchases from that region.

    I've been informed that our Sales Team, in response to these concerns, is working on making these, and other, optional purchases available via our partner in the region Level Up! Games. While they are not yet available from their store, we wanted to update those concerned with this issue that progress is being made. We anticipate more announcements to follow in October with details of how these optional addons can be obtained for that region.
  3. In Mid September we announced the addition of 2 new optional boosters: Cyborg and Jetpack. At the time, there was some understandable complaints from customers connecting to the game from Latin America, as the online PlayNC Store didn't allow purchases from that region.

    I've been informed that our Sales Team, in response to these concerns, is working on making these, and other, optional purchases available via our partner in the region Level Up! Games. While they are not yet available from their store, we wanted to update those concerned with this issue that progress is being made. We anticipate more announcements to follow in October with details of how these optional addons can be obtained for that region.

    Click here to discuss this announcement
  4. [ QUOTE ]
    So, will the new forums allow us to post pictures and stuff like the guy did here? You'll have to scroll down a bit!

    Hmpf, link wont go to the actual post, you will have to scroll down to see the photos.

    And will we be able to put pictures in our Signatures too? You know.. big hulking sig pics that take up more space then the average post?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    We'll get to talk over all that stuff once the beta vBulletin forums are up for people to poke at.
  5. [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    While I'm glad that the forums are (finally!) getting an upgrade, I'm not glad that it's to vBulliten. They should have gone with Invision Power Board instead.

    [/ QUOTE ]
    They did test IPB and phpBB as well, but they didn't have the features that NCNC felt they needed.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    We looked at a lot of stuff. The driving factor (among many) was the integration with vBulletin to our auth system and security. There was a lot more (and IPB is a great piece of software as well) but that was a pretty big deciding factor for us.
  6. [ QUOTE ]

    And Lighthouse...? Can we NOT get the HUGE, GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS flash header that we have now? Can't we change it to something more in line with a forum? Something that's only maybe 200 px tall at most? Something that's NOT FLASH?


    [/ QUOTE ]

    The flash header is not planned to be re-used on the new vBulletin platform. We'll have more details on the "new" look as we get closer to deployment. The initial beta forums will be pretty plain-jane to start.
  7. Please use this thread to discuss the below announcement.

    Hello Posters and Readers of the Official City of Heroes Message Forums!

    We have some exciting news for the Official CoH Forums – We’re Upgrading! We’re planning on migrating the current forums to a spiffy new vBulletin platform in the near future.


    History

    The current forums are a version of Ultimate Bulletin Board (UBB) software that we have been using since City of Heroes launched back in 2004. Recently, we had some issues come up with the UBB forums that required a significant amount of back end work (stuff on the server side). When we considered doing that work, we also realized that it would be a similar amount of work to make a change to a new forum software platform. When we evaluated some of the many great forum platforms out there on the market, we decided to make a change and settled on vBulletin.


    The New Platform

    I won’t extol the virtues of vBulletin, but suffice to say they should be a nice change for us and give us new features as well as improve overall forum performance. NCsoft recently migrated the Dungeon Runners game forums to vBulletin (they were our guinea pig – oink!) If you want to check out their implementation, take a look here.


    Migration Process and Beta

    We’re still doing the back end server work to prepare for this migration. This includes<ul type="square">[*] Importing all data to the new platform – yes, all your posts, private messages and everything should carry over to the new forums.[*] Optimizations to our database[*] Purging old, unnecessary threads[*] Purging old names or accounts who haven’t posted in over 3 years (this also frees up names that may be desirable as forum handles)[/list]We want to apologize for the recent poor performance of the current UBB forums. Part of the reason for that has been things we've been doing on the server to prepare for this migration. So, please pardon the dust while we’re under construction!

    Our plan also includes a beta time frame. This will have the vBulletin boards (and their current import of data from the UBB forums) available to the public. This will allow everyone to check out the vBulletin version of the forums and give feedback on their implementation and get comfortable with them. While both version of the forums are available (the current UBB forums and the new beta version on vBulletin) none of your posts on vBulletin will be saved, so posting there will just be to check it out. If everything goes smoothly, we should be announcing the beta vBulletin forums for you all to look at in the near future.

    When we do the transition the UBB forums will disappear and be replaced with the new vBulletin forums with all the posts and data carried right over like we were on a vBulletin platform the whole time.
  8. Hello Posters and Readers of the Official City of Heroes Message Forums!

    We have some exciting news for the Official CoH Forums – We’re Upgrading! We’re planning on migrating the current forums to a spiffy new vBulletin platform in the near future.


    History

    The current forums are a version of Ultimate Bulletin Board (UBB) software that we have been using since City of Heroes launched back in 2004. Recently, we had some issues come up with the UBB forums that required a significant amount of back end work (stuff on the server side). When we considered doing that work, we also realized that it would be a similar amount of work to make a change to a new forum software platform. When we evaluated some of the many great forum platforms out there on the market, we decided to make a change and settled on vBulletin.


    The New Platform

    I won’t extol the virtues of vBulletin, but suffice to say they should be a nice change for us and give us new features as well as improve overall forum performance. NCsoft recently migrated the Dungeon Runners game forums to vBulletin (they were our guinea pig – oink!) If you want to check out their implementation, take a look here.


    Migration Process and Beta

    We’re still doing the back end server work to prepare for this migration. This includes
      [*] Importing all data to the new platform – yes, all your posts, private messages and everything should carry over to the new forums.[*] Optimizations to our database[*] Purging old, unnecessary threads[*] Purging old names or accounts who haven’t posted in over 3 years (this also frees up names that may be desirable as forum handles)[/list]We want to apologize for the recent poor performance of the current UBB forums. Part of the reason for that has been things we've been doing on the server to prepare for this migration. So, please pardon the dust while we’re under construction!

      Our plan also includes a beta time frame. This will have the vBulletin boards (and their current import of data from the UBB forums) available to the public. This will allow everyone to check out the vBulletin version of the forums and give feedback on their implementation and get comfortable with them. While both version of the forums are available (the current UBB forums and the new beta version on vBulletin) none of your posts on vBulletin will be saved, so posting there will just be to check it out. If everything goes smoothly, we should be announcing the beta vBulletin forums for you all to look at in the near future.

      When we do the transition the UBB forums will disappear and be replaced with the new vBulletin forums with all the posts and data carried right over like we were on a vBulletin platform the whole time.

      To discuss this announcement, please join us here.
  9. We wanted to update everyone on the Auras that are included in Superbooster 1: Cyborg.

    Currently the Cyborg Auras included in Superbooster 1 are only available to characters who have completed the Aura mission at level 30 or higher. However, development is in process that will enable all characters to use these Cyborg Auras from level 1, and will be implemented as soon as possible.

    Thanks to everyone who's taken advantage of this new optional Superbooster and for your feedback about it.

    To discuss this announcement please join us here.
  10. Vol. 2, Issue 16
    September 26, 2008

    The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers!


    Read the latest player made publication and then join in on the community discussion!
      [*] If you have concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please direct your comments via PM to Lighthouse or Ex Libris.
      [*] If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PM Snow_Globe.
      [*] If you need some “Advice” contact Lady_Athyna or would like to “Ask The X” contact LiquidX
      [*] Finally if you have a Classified Ad or Recipe you would like included please contact: LadyK or MistressNoire[/list]Join The Discussion!
  11. Vol. 2, Issue 16
    September 26, 2008

    The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers!


    Read the latest player made publication and then join in on the community discussion!<ul type="square">[*] If you have concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please direct your comments via PM to Lighthouse or Ex Libris.
    [*] If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PM Snow_Globe.
    [*] If you need some “Advice” contact Lady_Athyna or would like to “Ask The X” contact LiquidX
    [*] Finally if you have a Classified Ad or Recipe you would like included please contact: LadyK or MistressNoire[/list]













































































































  12. The City Scoop Staff








































































































  13. Classifieds





































    ARTIST WANTED


    Published author seeks superhero artist for politically
    progressive comic book project. Speculative: no money up front, any profits to
    be split 50/50. Character designs to start; full script pages will follow.
    Interested parties should PM DoctorJ through the forums or @DoctorJ on the
    game.



    Better Base and Fortress


    Otto is seeking volunteers for upcoming episodes of Better Base and Fortress. Do you think your base has what it takes to get 5 out of 5 Otto's from Otto Plair? Contact Mindscythe in game @Mindscythe to arrange a base tour and discuss the details of becoming an upcoming episode



    NOW HIRING


    Paragon Underground Radio is now hiring bouncers and bartenders. Please send an in-game e-mail to DJ Durango on the Virtue server for more information or an application.



    WANTED


    Fan Artist to draw my character. I cannot offer much
    compensation other than any of the wares I would otherwise sell on the Auction
    House. If you are interested, please contact Hakuro de Killer on the Virtue
    Server.


    Want your character to be interviewed by Scoop Man? Send
    a PM to HumanMiracle!
    Want your character to be interviewed by Patty-Sue
    Ivanova? Send a PM to Emperorsteele!

    Want to be part of the VEAT Army? Yes we are an offshoot
    branch of the FUSION empire in the Protector dimension loyal only to Ghost
    Widow. We are destined for greatness.


    Ghost Widow has ordered my organization to form a new
    sect in support of special operations. I will recruit within our ranks as well
    as go outside of our known coalition. These chosen members will go to an
    academy for training as various Arachnos soldiers. While I do not like to be
    told how to run FUSION, Widow assures me that I will be rewarded for forming
    this group.


    My first order of business is to choose villains among
    my organization that display some of the following qualities: Mind control,
    knowledge of poisons, stealth, acrobatics, weapons fighting, and most
    importantly do not display fear and that would die if I ordered them to do
    such. I have at least 20 in mind from my 150 Villain organization that fit this
    criteria. Over the next few weeks I will begin listing them in preparation for
    training.


    This training will consist of a series of trials and
    strike forces ordered by Ghost Widow. More to follow soon.


    Want to know more?
    Please come to the Veat Army Project.



    Need to sell something? Post it in The City Scoop
    Classifieds. Send a PM to SpaceNut.



    DO YOU LOVE MUSIC?



    Well, so do we! KJSR.net, the Voice of Jello Shooters, is a relatively new internet radio station, and we're looking for new DJs! So if you love all kinds of music, and want to "share the love" so to speak, contact either @Kyo-chan or @Steampunk Charlie right away!


    And for our devoted listeners, we've got MORE shows, and MORE prizes coming up, so tune in!



    Introducing Two-for-Tuesday at El Super Mexicano! All
    regular quesadillas just 2 for $5 all day Tuesday!



    Attention readers



    This is not a clue. Or a hint. To anything, what so ever.



    Lost



    Paradigm Shift Device. Contact Demented Cynic at Portal Corp. by Friday. Remember to bring Hawaiian shirt.




    HELP WANTED



    Writers for The City Scoop. Please contact Snow_Globe or Marcian_Tobay for
    submission details.



    Do you have an event coming up? Are you going to attend
    an upcoming event? Do you want to see or even write an article for The City
    Scoop? Drop a line to an Editor-in-Chief a week in advance, and you too could
    be a guest writer for The City Scoop.













  14. HERO DEPOT


    Triumph Server




    Leader and Base architect: Hellguard




    Who is your base designer and who are your supergroup leaders?



    **I'm the base designer and primary leader of the supergroup. Other leaders are
    Lirit LeFey and Radiac.






    What server is your base on?



    **Triumph, the "first server I clicked on." It's been a really nice place to
    hang out and play the game, despite its small size.





    When was your supergroup established?




    **June 2004, shortly after I started playing the game. It started out as just
    something for me and my wife and a real-life co-worker. Along the way, we've
    picked up a few friends that we've met in game, but we're still a really small
    supergroup.





    How many players are in your supergroup?



    **Around fifteen individual players. Most of them are inactive at the moment
    (I'm not even playing the game that much lately). We have about five or six
    people that log in at least a couple times a week, so we're pretty small.





    What is the approximate value of your base?




    **Almost 10 million prestige. We've really taken advantage of the very generous
    prestige gifts given out by NCSoft. If not for them, I wouldn't have been able
    to go crazy with the teleporter room and "Club Lirit."





    How much time do you spend working on your base? How much time have you
    invested so far?




    **I have no idea how much time I've invested so far. Every few months I get the
    idea to completely scrap everything and start over. Lately I haven't really
    done much, though. I tend to try to keep things as functional as possible, so
    there's not a lot of extra stuff in the base. Club Lirit was a special
    bar/dance floor I made for my wife (My friend Radiac has his own corner of the
    bar -- Rad's Pad, completely with stripper pole for his viewing pleasure), so
    that's an example of where I let myself get a little crazy with the design.






    What is your favorite base item? Least favorite?



    **My favorite functional item is the telepad. Even though we have some more ways
    to get around the City now (Ouroboros, Pocket D teleporter, Consignment House
    teleporter), it still feels nice to know that we can get to just about anywhere
    by just popping into the base. My favorite non-functional items are the big
    round sg meeting table (even though we rarely have enough members online to use
    it!) and the flyers (both Arachnos and Longbow).



    **I'm not sure I have a "least favorite," to be honest.





    What is your favorite thing about base editing? Least favorite?




    **Favorite thing would be expressing creativity. Least favorite would be the
    strange pathing rules and limitations of the current base system.





    What is the highest thing on your wish-list for new base items?



    **Personal storage. Either that, or making current storage more secure. If I
    could change an existing base item, it'd be nice if the Supergroup Mission
    Computer actually did something hero-side.





    If you could give just one piece of advice to a new base editor, what would
    it be?





    **Don't be afraid to try out new things. You can't lose prestige by
    experimenting. Also, check the Base forum on the boards for lots of invaluable
    advice.




















  15. Base Showcase




    Crew of the lost starship



    Peregrine Falcon



















    I started this SG on December 16th, 2006 with a few real life friends of mine.
    We wanted to have a starship themed SG for those science-fiction themed
    characters that many of us have always wanted to make. The background is that
    High Command sent the scout ship ISS Far Traveler to investigate rumors that
    the Rikti had invaded Earth. They got into a fight with Rikti ships in Earth
    orbit. The crew is stranded here in the Earth system until they can take enough
    hardware from the Rikti to repair the ships Hyperdrive.




    Who is your base designer and who are your supergroup leaders?


    I am the base designer and the SG leader, in the form of my Willpower/Super
    Strength Tanker: Captain Pelle Viktor. A RL friend of mine is the Executive
    Officer. So far the group consists almost entirely of people I know and am
    friends with in real life.





    What server is your base on?


    Protector, hero side.




    When was your supergroup established?


    December 16th, 2006. So about 8 months before Issue 10 and the second Rikti
    invasion. I personally had a lot of fun with the Rikti invasion as it fit right
    in to our SGs background.





    How many players are in your supergroup?


    9 players, with 62 various characters. So it's not a big SG, but that's ok.
    We're a small scout ship with a tight-knit crew.




    What is the approximate value of your base?


    Just a little over 7.8 million prestige.




    How much time do you spend working on your base? How much time have you
    invested so far?




    Oh geez. I've spent at least 50 hours working on just this base alone. I've
    reworked it several times. Most recently after the December 2007 prestige
    grant. Thank you for that by the way NCSoft. The ISS Far Traveler wouldn't be
    the great ship she is without that prestige grant.





    What is your favorite base item? Least favorite?


    I'd say the answer to both questions has to be the Mission Computer. It looks
    great. I have one in almost every one of my SG bases. It's also my least
    favorite because it takes control and energy but gives nothing in return. I'll
    restrain myself from adding a joke there.





    What is your favorite thing about base editing? Least favorite?


    My favorite thing about base editing is trying to use the limited selection of
    base objects to create what I really want. During base tours I've seen cabinets
    retasked to make large beds. I myself have used wall cabinets to create large
    icons on base walls. In the starship I used a wall battery as a missile tube,
    air tanks as missiles and X-Ray machines as automatic loaders. It's fun to see
    just how close I can get my base to looking the way it should look or would
    look if I had unlimited options.



    Least favorite has got to be the clumsy base user interface. Can't copy and
    paste, can't apply options from one room to another without resetting the whole
    base, etc. I often end up spending hours just moving back and forth between two
    rooms just checking to make sure that I have all of the options on them the
    same. Trim, walls, ceilings, lighting, etc.




    What is the highest thing on your wish-list for new base items?


    I know that you only want one item, but I'm torn between two and I can't decide
    which I want more. An advanced teleporter or aux teleporter object that allows
    a teleporter to have more that 2 destinations. The second being NPCs that you
    can place in your base so that the bases won't always seem so lifeless and
    abandoned.





    If you could give just one piece of advice to a new base editor, what would
    it be?



    Join the in game channel Base Builders Inc. If you can't find the answer,
    there's almost always someone on that channel that will come over to your
    server and show you or help you to figure out how to do whatever you're trying
    to do. If it can be done that is.













  16. Behind the PvP Mask




    JimmayDean





    Can you tell us a little about yourself? Age, occupation and your natural
    habitat?



    *I am 29 and I work in the Information Technology field. I live on the shores of
    Lake Erie. Go Browns!




    Have a favorite movie?



    *I can watch the Kill Bill vol 1 and 2 fight scenes over and over.



    How about musical tastes?



    *My tastes vary a lot, right now I am listening to a Canadian band called
    Dragonette.



    Any PvP experience outside this game and when did you discover PvP in the City
    of Heroes?


    *I played Quake III Arena till my fingers bled, this is my first MMO.




    Which Test PvP groups have you been a member of, could you tell us about them?



    *I started off in JAL. That was my first time in a SG, doing Test PVP, being on
    Vent and emping in an 8v8 on Test. A little before the ladder started things
    changed in JAL and it got kind of big. I was talking to Unbalanced on test who
    was in Old School at the time and asked if they were looking. Next thing you
    know they said I was in if I wanted in. It took about 1 minute being on Vent
    with them and I knew I wanted to stay.



    Your favorite role in the Arena and most challenging?



    *I play Emp and so far it's been the most fun to play. I have a ton of other
    toons but I enjoy playing Emp. I cannot find a target to save my life (how
    Blasters and Sonics do it I will never know) so the most challenging is any
    role where I have to tab through targets LOL.



    What is your most memorable Arena moment, team or otherwise?



    *My most memorable would be the initial ladder tournament. I had just joined OS
    and didn't expect to play but Shocker and Strike put me in half of the matches.
    If not for a technicality OS would have been #1 ranked.






    *Outside of the ladder it would be the Test PVP League. I am in the PVPEC and
    was looking for an event to sponsor. I knew Kitten of Chaos was running a
    league on Infinity so I suggested one on Freedom. Moe was the one who suggested
    I do it on Test and it grew from there. We were ambitious for the first season
    wanting to do 8v8's and had two divisions. We lost a lot of people between sign
    ups and start dates and a lot of late comers forced us to do fillers, which did
    not sit well with some captians. The goal was to get new people to test and we
    accomplished that with Paragon Elite joining the ladder soon after and some
    sg's picking up members. This time we paired it down to 5v5, 9 captains and no
    fillers. I think it went much smoother this time and people got new test sg
    members out of it so we are achieving our goal.



    We know you love Aquaman. If Aquaman were to fight a mighty kraken, who would
    come out on top?



    *Aquaman pwns All!!



    PvPEC Events




    Tonight on Pinnacle, check out the Duck Hunt in the Bloody Bay PvP zone! Some
    players will be labelled 'Ducks' while others chase them for their feathers.
    The Pinnacle forums have more info.


    Also, make sure to check out any Level 4 Arena events going on around you,
    they're great fun!









  17. City Fiction


    The Redeemers






    "Now, just so we have this straight," the wizard, Mortiganen, whispered hoarsely
    as he looked over the report, "You engaged in a high-speed chase on a busy
    freeway, caused a small pile-up, and then proceeded to run the leader of the
    criminals over with your van... The witnesses were not pleased."


    "Hey, it's not my fault he reverted back to human form right before I hit
    him..." Garm chuckled back, "But it was funny watching him scream obscenities
    right before I did..."


    The two leaders of the Redeemers stared at each other for a few minutes. Garm
    could swear the room had gotten darker and colder.




    Mortiganen used to be a bona fide super villain, with such a magnitude of power
    that no crew was necessary. However, the market for freelance dark wizards
    dried up in recent years. Also, with the Mu and the Circle of Thorns
    aggressively expanding (he noted this, it looked like they might be gearing up
    for another war) and groups like the Legacy Chain and Midnight Squad becoming
    more prominent and with such elements working against him, Mort figured it was
    a good idea to look into more legitimate employment, and there were few markets
    open for one of his skills.


    Fortunately, the dark wizard took his job very seriously. He was employed to
    uphold the law, so he was going to uphold the law. Since most of the world
    didn't really know him (a fact that irked him something fierce; he used to do
    battle with and work alongside the Midnight Squad before the Rikti War for
    goodness' sake!), he didn't have to worry about angry reprisals from old
    compatriots that were afraid he'd sell their secrets or old foes looking to
    settle a grudge. His knowledge of the world and his capabilities as a natural
    leader was what led to the former criminals electing him leader of this unusual
    experiment.


    Now if only the loser of that competition would be more compliant. Of course, he
    knew Garm only thought he should learn to lighten up. He wondered why the
    Trolls held so strongly to their ambivalent view of the world, even when they
    were supposedly cured of their Superadine addictions.


    "Well, Agent Wild wasn't pleased," the wizard finally intoned, "As our liaison,
    he caught a lot of heat for your little stunt. As it stands, you and your crew
    are suspended for a week. Barring emergencies, of course."


    Garm smiled and nodded. He was expecting something, anything, and in fact had
    prepared for worse. The fact that Mort was being lenient showed that he was
    probably rubbing off on the guy.


    Mortiganen twirled his mustache and narrowed his eyes at his second-in-command.







    "Suffice it to say, Garm, it is not alright to run criminals over with your
    van."



    "Got it," the Caliban chortled, "So, what did D.A.T.A. have to say about that
    gear we recovered?"


    "Just interdimensional monitoring equipment..." the wizard shrugged, "Nothing
    incredible. Well, incredible in our point of view..."




    The Redeemers were not a premier super group. They weren’t the Freedom Phalanx,
    they weren’t the Vindicators, heck, they were barely affiliated with Freedom
    Corps. However, with the influx of heroes in the city, there were a fair number
    of criminals that were looking for an easy way to avoid “getting their heads
    punched clean through their butt cheeks.”


    Most of them went solo, joined up with the various disparate hero groups, or
    just tried to go back to normal lives. Along with information on their former
    compatriots, they brought equal parts hope and contempt to the groups. Many
    civilians recognized former Trolls or Outcasts for what they were, and the
    crisp demeanor of former Council or Fifth Column troops often revealed the
    former allegiances of some heroes much too quickly. Many civilians simply
    didn’t trust that “villains” could be rehabilitated. However, somebody in the
    ranks of the F.C. decided it was time to pull off the same concept as a public
    relations stunt, and some freelance reformed criminals were brought into
    Freedom Corps’ “Redeemers” super group, or “Vindicators Lite” as the media
    called the project.


    After his debriefing, Garm mulled over the day’s events and some of the brief
    history he’d had with the group. More often than not, his compatriots had dealt
    with angry mobs hurling produce at them (rotten and not) after successful
    missions against bank robbers or terrorists. He knew that it was going to be a
    long road, but sometimes he really wished more people would just live with the
    moment and realize they’d just been saved by a slightly unorthodox group of
    heroes.



    For now, however, he wanted to relax with his partners and friends. It was
    surprising how easily his old crew, Briggs McBain and Doug the Ogre, had
    settled into working with the former Tsoo sorcerer, Genji Lucas, and the
    Outcasts, Ashen Roast and Blizzard Front. He thought it was funny that Briggs,
    of all people, had helped settle the fire tanker’s issues with his best
    friend’s homosexuality.


    “Is he trying to date you?” he murmured to himself in a half chuckle as he
    walked into the impromptu cafeteria of their converted warehouse base, “No.
    Then what’s the problem?”


    “What’re you muttering?”


    Garm looked up and took note of the red and white uniform of a man who worked as
    their liaison to Freedom Corps. They had a few, for accountability purposes,
    but this was their in-house man, Martin Sanders. Martin normally wore street
    clothes, so his being in uniform probably meant he was about to go out on
    patrol. The “capes-and-spandex” look really didn’t suit him, though.


    “Just musing about my crew,” the Troll Caliban answered, “What’s up?”


    “A couple crews got pinned down in Brickstown,” the former bum grunted, “I’m
    about to grab my team and attempt a rescue. Want in?”



    “Sure. We’re still amped from our tumble this morning…” Garm stopped, and then
    bit his lower lip.


    “What?”


    “Well, we just got suspended by your partner, Wild, and Mort was all too happy
    to comply.”


    Sanders chuckled.


    “You think I’m gonna let that stop you? We’ve got friends in trouble! Come on!”













  18. Community



    Fan Fiction Spotlight







    The
    Justice Knights



    By

    Sin_Stalker




    Once again I present Sin Stalker's Justice Knights. Here, the story takes a bit
    of a side track as the main character, Sin Stalker, converses with his
    sidekick. Here, the two debate their lives as heroes and what it costs to those
    closest to them.


    It's a concept that you see often in comics, but what you normally see is when
    the villain captures or torments
    "The

    Girlfriend"
    after the hero has spent most of the arc keeping his/her
    significant other in the dark about their heroism. Here, the characters' "Lois
    Lanes" know of their super-powered lives, and the heroes discuss what it's been
    like for them. One has had a bad time of it, the other hasn't come that
    close... yet.



    And that becomes the central question for the heroes. Are you willing to give
    your all for the cape, and sacrifice your human identity, or will you attempt
    the increasingly difficult road of keeping your family and loved ones a part of
    your life while your super powers prompt your responsibility to engage in
    world-shaking events? The answer is usually answered with the former option,
    and the character runs the serious risk of becoming a brooding psychotic. Very
    rarely do the heroes choose to maintain their relationships, and the worlds
    they live in do not make that choice an easy one to live with.


    At the end of the story, we're also presented with what looks to be a preview
    for Sin_Stalker's next comic. It's a bit of a shock, to be honest, as it seems
    he's starting to push into the realm of the game world's "Big Players," in this
    case, Sister Psyche and Manticore (seriously who doesn't want to play with
    writing for these two? It's so rare to have costumed marriages that look like
    they'll work). However, it looks to be shaping up as something of a standalone
    adventure, so it has room to move around without stepping on any toes. It
    should prove to be interesting.



    Hey Folks!




    Just a quick note I have returned!




    Do you have a favorite recipe you want to share?


    If so send it my way!


    Or do you have a favorate food that you don't know what to do with it?


    Example... I like chicken but I am tired of the same dishes over and over again
    with it...


    Send me a PM and Ill see what I can do to help you!




    How I will work it is, you send me what you want, Ill dig around and experiment
    in my kitchen, see what I can come up with off the top of my head Ill write
    down the recipe and send it to you, then Ill post it in the scoop, Ill pick 2
    each week and the ones that don't get published that week will get published
    the following week, hope to hear from you soon! Feedback is always welcome!




    Mistress Noire's
    kitchen is now open!!



    ps... that goes for any food, if you need help with desserts, dinners, quick
    lunches, breakfasts, let me know

















  19. The City Scoop



    The People On



    Port Oakes






    Hello again my wonderful readers. I have ventured into unknown and dangerous
    territory this week just for you. I have gone to the Rogue Isles. I know I
    know, why would Scoop Man risk his own valuable personal safety? I will tell
    you why, for a scoop. If you didn’t see that coming you probably haven’t gotten
    half of the witty things I have said over the past weeks and I thank you for
    reading anyway and giving me the circulation. Now, there are really only a few
    things in this world that I hate: desserts that are only comprised of fruits,
    soy milk, purse-pooches, midget wrestlers, and the mob. An eclectic list I
    know, but I have my reasons. Sadly, I had to interview someone who happens to
    fall in one of the groups I mentioned. No, I did not go to Maurie’s Midget
    Wrestling Bungalow, although I did pass it on my way to my destination in Port
    Oakes; I stopped at the infamous Caged Bird. If you haven’t heard of the Caged
    Bird, then you don’t know the Rogue Isles as well as you ought to. It is quite
    possibly one of the seediest, most mob infested bars I have ever been into, and
    I’ve been in a lot of them. This particular dive was owned by one, Raphiel
    Gambino, the Don of the Gambino Family Mafia in Port Oakes…


    Scoop Man: *coughs* Uh Don Gambino?



    Raphiel Gambino: Wha? Who are you?


    SM: Uh, I’m Scoop Man. I work for the paper back in Paragon.


    RG: Ooh yeah, I know you. Read your stuff on Dr. Crom. Nice
    job.


    SM: Oh! Thank you Don.



    RG: Fuggetaboutit. What can I do for you?


    SM: I was wondering if I could ask you some questions regarding
    Port Oakes. You seem like the ideal man to ask since I have heard you have been
    called “The King of Port Oakes.”


    RG: Right you are sir. Ask away.


    SM: First off, since we are in the Rogue Isles it is clear that
    the crime rate here is substantial. That being the case, do you think that
    R.I.P., the Rogue Isles Police, isn’t doing its job when it comes to stopping
    crime.



    RG: Well that’s a matter for debate really. When you get to
    places like this, like Port Oakes, the justice really comes in to the hands of
    the…well I guess your readers would call them criminals huh? We really start to
    police ourselves. Honor among thieves and all that. That’s been disappearing
    though these days. Plus Arachnos really beats out the cops as a universal
    police agency itself anyways.


    SM: Why do you think that is?


    RG: A bunch of guys trained like the military wielding
    automatic weapons with body armor versus guys in slacks and button-up shirts
    with pistols and pepper spray. You do the math.


    SM: I’m sorry, let me rephrase the question. Why do you think
    Arachnos polices the “criminals” here in Port Oakes?



    RG: Oh. Well many of these kids are trying to get in Arachnos
    aren’t they? They’re not going to piss of their future employers are they? The
    stay in the lines just enough but the crime here is still worse than Kings Row.
    The mobs, Arachnos, Coraxians, you name it we got it.


    SM: So all in all you believe that Port Oakes is worse off than
    Kings Row?


    RG: Definitely. You have all those punks coming here thinking
    they can take it by storm and start purse snatching and bank robbing. It’s like
    the bank should keep the vault open just to save money from buying a new vault
    door each time it gets busted. Just spend a night here and all you will hear is
    police sirens and gun fire from gangs. Arachnos is in constant battle with
    those fish things down by Oil Spill and you have that freaky Radio thing giving
    out jobs to anybody tuned in. I can’t think of any reason why people who don’t
    commit crimes live here.


    SM: So you are for the idea of cleaning up the streets? Isn’t
    that counterproductive for you?



    RG: Well, at least get the trash off you know? Get the petty
    thieves and the small time gangs with no regard for civilians. Those are the
    ones doing the most harm. Take the Vendetti for example. You never see them
    vandalizing a car or tagging a wall cause they think it will boost their rep or
    something.


    SM: You’re right, they just commit white collar crimes and
    murder and black mail.


    RG: Alright touché. But who do they murder? Other mobsters, not
    civilians like those wackos out there with the super strength who bust heads on
    a regular basis.


    SM: So you’re saying your crime is better than OTHER crime? Am
    I getting that right?



    RG: I know it’s confusing but when you live out here and not in
    Paragon it does make sense. Believe me.



    SM: How would you get rid of this “petty crime?”


    RG: At least give R.I.P. some new recruits you know? It’s like
    it’s the same people arresting the same criminals out there. I’ve seen the same
    cop stand on the corner across from this bar for the last year and he says he’s
    been standing there for a lot longer than that. Some decent weapons for them
    wouldn’t hurt since they’re fighting people with super powers.


    SM: Do you think that other more “prominent” villains should
    help clean the streets of lowly crime?



    RG: Heck I’ve been trying to do that for a while now. You’ll
    never see people like Dr. Crom or Strawberry Poundcake walking around Port
    Oakes teaching a lesson to the newbies though do you? I guess that means that
    people who are here already, should start doing that because the big guys never
    will. What I mean is, the people who are willing to play ball and recognize the
    petty crimes from the actually decent crime. If those people would just get rid
    of the trash as they go about their business it would make my job easier and we
    may see this place evolve into something resembling Skyway you know?


    SM: So you advocate villain civil war in Port Oakes?


    RG: Sure why not. I wouldn’t call it war so much as a civil
    service, you know what I mean?


    SM: I see, thank you for your time Don.



    RG: No no thank you. Always a pleasure to meet a member of the
    press.


    I know this isn’t as in depth as most of my stuff but come on, the man is a mob
    boss. He’s a smart cookie and isn’t about to give up much to the press that we
    don’t already know right? However I found the idea of criminals cleaning up the
    streets to make way for more “sophisticated” crime interesting. I suppose the
    saying “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” may apply there but then again the
    “friend is committing crimes as well. So who is to say that Mr. Gambino has the
    right idea, or the wrong one? I’m certainly not one to judge. This was an
    interesting look at Pork Oakes though if you think about it. I would never have
    been able to interview a Skull or a witch in Croatoa to ask their opinion of
    the place, but I was able to approach a known criminal and find he had some of
    the ideals that many of the citizens have in the Rogue Isles. Perhaps there is
    more humanity to these “villains” than we can see in comparison to Doctor Crom.
    Well fans this is goodbye for now. Join me next time when I…GET THE SCOOP!





    This Issue:



    Community



    The Redeemers


    Justice Knights

    Hey Folks!



    Base Showcase



    Crew of the Lost Starship



    Hero Depot




    Classifieds




    Comic




    Upcoming Events:



    September 26th






















    September 27th







    September 30th






    October Weekends



    Shardtober
    '08




    October 4th


    Return
    of the Giant Giant-Monster Hunt!





  20. For owners, operators and interested fans of CoH fansites, we wanted to pass along this press release from MMOFury

    MMOFury Kicks Off Its Latest Top MMORPG Fansite Awards

    The Highly Successful MMOFury Top Fansite Awards To Include New
    Category: Top New Fansite.

    Palm Coast, FL (September 25, 2008) - MMOFury, Inc. is pleased to announce today that its popular MMORPG downloading site MMOFury.com has kicked off the latest round of its Top Fansite Awards. Members of the gaming community are encouraged to nominate their favorite MMORPG related fansite by sending an email that includes the URL of fansite, and why they believe it deserves to be a Top Fansite Award winner to topsite@mmofury.com. Nominations will be accepted until October 31st, with the winners being announced the first week of November.

    Twice a year, MMOFury.com hosts the awards event to recognize fansites that show a devotion to the gaming community and give value to online gamers. MMOFury.com?s Top Fansite Awards event held at the beginning of the year was a huge success, and with the addition of its newest category (Top New Fansite) it will only get better.


    "This is just our way of giving back to the gaming community and recognizing those that put so much effort into building a fansite."
    Says Larissa Tucey, Community Manager for MMOFury.com.

    It is not easy running a fansite, so MMOFury wants to reward all the hard work that webmasters and their loyal users put in to the sites that make a stronger gaming community. Being selected as a top site is not just about bragging rights, winning sites will receive listing on its Top Fansite list, exclusive blogs, free banners on its site, and other great promotional tools. For more details on this exciting event, visit http://mmofury.com/gamingnews/news.php?extend.194.

    About MMOFury, Inc.

    MMOFury, Inc. is an Internet media and digital distribution company servicing the on-line gaming community which operates MMOFury.com. Its goal is to provide an independent source to deliver quality mmorpg gaming content that enhances the on-line gaming experience for users.
    Content includes mmorpg game client downloads, previews, screenshots, reviews, news, and highlights of today's on-line games. For more information, please go to http://mmofury.com.
  21. Please use this thread to discuss the below announcement.

    Ten Ton Hammer Managing Editor Cody Bye sat talked with Executive Producer Brian Clayton and Lead Designer Matt Miller to discuss the specifics of the recently announced changes to Issue 13 and Issue 14. Here's an excerpt from the article:

    [ QUOTE ]

    Ten Ton Hammer: Is the character customization in the Architect as robust as what players have in their own character creation? Or are players going to be limited?

    Matt: We are making it as robust as possible, but there are some powers that players have access to that the AI won't be able to handle, like the Mastermind summoning powers. We would have to program a specific AI just for that. It's just something we haven't done before.

    Brian: The most important thing that most of the players are requesting is the ability to change the costumes and customize the look of the bosses and things like that in the mission creator. Both of these features were going to be a part of the next phase of the mission creator, but because of the overwhelming response to the mission creator and the need for that feature in particular, we really just wanted to listen to our customers and give them what they really want. And it's not just the ability to make great content but to be able to specialize and personalize it as well.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Click here to read the full article
  22. Ten Ton Hammer Managing Editor Cody Bye sat talked with Executive Producer Brian Clayton and Lead Designer Matt Miller to discuss the specifics of the recently announced changes to Issue 13 and Issue 14. Here's an excerpt from the article:

    [ QUOTE ]

    Ten Ton Hammer: Is the character customization in the Architect as robust as what players have in their own character creation? Or are players going to be limited?

    Matt: We are making it as robust as possible, but there are some powers that players have access to that the AI won't be able to handle, like the Mastermind summoning powers. We would have to program a specific AI just for that. It's just something we haven't done before.

    Brian: The most important thing that most of the players are requesting is the ability to change the costumes and customize the look of the bosses and things like that in the mission creator. Both of these features were going to be a part of the next phase of the mission creator, but because of the overwhelming response to the mission creator and the need for that feature in particular, we really just wanted to listen to our customers and give them what they really want. And it's not just the ability to make great content but to be able to specialize and personalize it as well.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Click here to read the full article

    To discuss this announcement, please join us here
  23. The looming threat of the Rikti Invasion Force still hangs like a dark pall over Earth. Despite the best efforts of humanity, aggressive Rikti incursions still plague the planet. Advance warning systems indicate the Rikti are massing for attacks on the following dates throughout the year:

    • Sept 26th through Oct 2nd
    • November 14th through November 20th

    Prepare for a desperate battle to save Earth from the Rikti Invasion Force! Aggressive Rikti forces will attack Paragon City and Rogue Isle with increased frequency at any time during the above dates! Some important items to remember about Rikti Invasions:
      [*] When Zones within the cities are under attack, a world-wide alert will be issued by Vanguard. This alert will show up in your Chat window on the Event channel, warning you in which zone attack is imminent. If you haven't already, be sure to add the Event channel to one of your chat tabs.
      [*] While the invasion is occurring, players do not receive debt while outdoors in an invaded zone.
      [*] Those in that zone that do not wish to be at risk of Rikti attack are asked to take shelter immediately. They can do so by leaving the zone, or moving inside buildings or under cover (overpasses, parking garages, etc.).
      [*] The combative inhabitants in a zone will move off the streets and to safer locations when a Rikti Invasion takes place.
      [*] Rikti bombs appear to be unstable and not 100% reliable. Some do not explode on impact and only embed themselves in the ground. These bombs have been noted to detonate after a time, so take caution when you see these. They can be disarmed or delayed by inflicting damage upon them.[/list]Click here to discuss this announcement.
  24. Please use this thread to discuss the below Interviews.

    In the wake of the latest latest news about Issue 13 and Issue 14 MMO gaming website Massively.com release three different interviews covering recent developments with City of Heroes. Here are the links:

    Interview: Brian Clayton and Matt Miller on Power and Responsibility in City of Heroes

    Interview: A new era for PvP in City of Heroes

    Super Boosters and beyond in City of Heroes