Major Deej

Wow. I mean...really. Wow.

Not only are my dreams and desires to see an interactive underwater zone in CoH completely crushed, but one of my first heroes I emulated to learn how to swim (Aquaman) is now considered lame by a dev I truly repsected.

Aside from some very dynamic and well thought out discussions on this, and with the understanding that the 'quality' of the zone/power effects/travel in an underwater zone are considered high on there 'needs' list for any willing to make this zone happen, I must truly say that I'm saddened by the motivation-stopping brakes that were just applied to this particular player request.

Are there work arounds that can be done? Sure. Sam (et al) noted making underwater bases and maps using a variant of the arachnos base maps to maybe redraw them as a base being underwater or walking through underwater tubes (replace the wall mesh with glass; change the inaccessible background behind the mesh/glass to water with little fishes and sharks swimming along; have a few drips coming from pipes, tanks, water puddles to slip on, etc). Granted this idea/workaround doesn't allow for an interactive 'swim free' zone to do battle in, which would indeed be the penultimate environment to battle in (space = ultimate), but it seems there are more detractors than optimizers even in this particular train of request.

In many respects, I understand the work involved. It would, indeed, be a huge challenge to make this environment to any degree of battle-capable quality.

If we were to have an interactive underwater zone for heroes/villains to swim and battle in, from previous discussions in this thread, the use and feel of powers in that environment seem to be the major detractor. For that, I cannot think of any alternate solutions other than maybe crafting a "magic" or "science" artifact/item that allows a character (while in the underwater zone) to fight in that medium as if they were fighting above ground wherein the characters/NPCs would move around with a 'flight/swim" mode much like that in the underwater swimming maps that some of us have experienced in-game already and battle as normally as if they were above water. In this repsect, the zone's storylines, missions and content should be the primary focus; the underwater environment is a medium that any story designer could tell you is a setting or backdrop to the storyline. With a little imagination, the latter can be done.

Options for a few things that come to mind in regards to underwater breathing have already been mentioned, however, to add what I can, the design that is utilized for characters to use backpack-style fire extinguishers in fighting fires in Steel Canyon in the game can be modified to be scuba tanks that can be purchased/provided by an NPC prior to entering an underwater zone, with a 1 (or 2 or more) hour(s) air supply, otherwise, they loose health in that environment without it. Have some 'domed' or "air pocket" areas in the zone where players/NPCs can battle, swim/run to, talk to contacts, merit vendors, trainers, etc. These 'domed' or 'air pocket' areas can be even joined together with air-filled tubes or even underground tunnels. There are always options with a little imagination. What's to say the Atlanteans/Lemurians/whatever-group-that-is-made need air as well as water to live?

Nontheless, it seems our requests and inputs for this feature shall fall on deaf ears.

In the past, I've taken challenges that were deemed impossible to do; I've overcome some incredible adversity in my life to get where I am now; I have (to quote good 'ole Clint Eastwood) "Overcome, adapted and improvised" on many critical tasks set before me. The CoH/CoV Devs have also met many challenges set before them and triumphed. I am quite surprised that the "Freem Team" is letting 'water' stop them.

I find this squashing of any potential of an underwater zone/maps/storyline disheartening. Optimism, I guess, can be fleeting.

I have a couple of puppies ya'll can kick while your at it to just keep the flow going...

Damn. That made me perform a full 6-slotted enhanced gutteral laugh complete with weeping eye additional effect. That was a good one!

Thanks, Miuramir! I was just doing the searches in our state's legislation and statutes, and you saved me going through a long list of statutes. Greatly appreciated!

Guaranteed, I'll be bringing this up with our local legislature and representative this month. This is absolutely ridiculous on Rhode Island's part. I'm sure it has a lot to do with many of the illegal gambling and contests that used to run out of here, but, again, this is too extreme and contrived a measure.

Kudos, and thanks again Miuramir!

Good luck to all you non-EU, non-Australian, non-New Zealand, non-Asian, non-African, non-Quebecian (sp?), non-Guamanian, non-military post staying, non-Puerto Rican, non-commonwealth and non-Rhode Islander contestants (and anyone else I may mave missed with a required 'non-' prefix for this contest)!

Sigh. I know Rhode Island sucks already, but to throw irony (seeing as how the game's locale is in a version of Rhode Island) and bizzare contests/competition laws to make it suckier (sp?)...they can't even participate as a state in simple nationwide contests without screwing things up...

I would've thought we'd ceded to Portugal with the large Portugese community here...

...time to brush up on my Portugese and Spanish I guess...

Knights of Arachnos

Legion of Arachnos

Champions of Arachnos

Mystics of Arachnos
The Knights of Arachnos is an active, large-sized group of tech/natural players that enjoy lots of teaming, events, Strike Forces and Mothership Raids. The VG is over 2 years old and has a great band of veteran players!

The Legion of Arachnos is a medium-sized group which deals with a more mutant/science based band members that are usually alts on this server. Although many alts reside here, it acts as a casual group that has full access to a large base, great coalition contacts, and participates in coaltion events.

The Champions of Arachnos is a very active and large VG which boasts to have the most prestige on Freedom under the "Arachnos" search name in the base searches!! All origin themes are welcome here. The complete base is extensively large and a great place to do events, RP and a perfect place to get what you need for that next mssion or Strike Force! Base has everything. We celebrate our 1st Anniversary in September '09, and have made great strides as a VG!

The Mystics of Arachnos is a smaller, newer Natural/Magic orgin based group with an Arachnos theme. Although the base is small, it has the basic essentials for any VG member, and of course access to all our Arachnos coaltion/VG members. The base has a magical-themed feel to it.

For all these VGs, we hold MANY grouped events and activities, to include Strike Force Saturdays, Badge Hunt Sundays, several annual events, anniversaries and costume contests to include our Arachnos Winter Bash Event, Halloween Hunt'n Party Event, Arachnos Summer Sizzler Event, and our own "Destroy Spring!" Event.

We pride ourselves in helping out newer players or those that are not familiar with the 'villains' side of the game.

There is no mandatory requirement for costumes, archetypes, or names in any of these VGs. All we do ask is to play in SG Mode up to and including level 25. That's it!

If you are interested, or would like some more information about any one of these VGs, contact me via my global @Major Deej. I'm normally online after 6pm Eastern time, and on most all of the weekend.

Our websites are part of a megagroup, the 'Major Deej Universe' (see sig below), and contain webpages for news, event calendar, and even our own forums!

I truly hope your search is over in finding one of these four VGs as a new home for your villainous Freedom character!