Oedipus_Tex
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Posts
3840 -
Joined
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Quote:
This overwhelmingly offense-skewed perspective seems to be unique to City of Heroes, and its ingrained in the culture.
IMO it's also partly because the capabilities of single heroes have increased to match what was originally created for large teams, with nothing put in place to continue to challenge teams on an enemy-by-enemy basis. If you look at other MMOs you can see the it's somewhat standard practice for teams to face "enhanced" versions of normal enemies. In terms of difficulty I'd say it be a bit like removing Minions altogether, and basically sliding everything up a difficulty notch; Lieut >> Boss >> Elite Boss.
It's also partly because it is really, really easy to mezz groups of enemies in this game with Holds and Stuns. IMO if we get a City of Heroes 2 the model for AoE mezzes should come from Ice and Electric Control rather than the hardline sets. I'll say nothing about the Control set with the immune-to-everything pets that has been soloing content meant for groups of 20 or more. -
If you alpha slot later it looks like you could push your Recharge even lower. I dont know if you could get a steady attack chain but the PPP pet will be even closer to perma. I have an Elec/Force Field hypotethical build where the pet is up every 287 seconds; just calculating the 30% Recharge that is unaffected by ED, that power would now recharge in 220 seconds. Not only is it a 67 second drop, it's also perma, because the recharge on the pet is 240.
I expect a large upswing in characters taking PPP pets in the new end game. -
They DID disecretly "nerf" us... by adding super sidekicking. Anecdotally, the number of underpowered characters on high level teams has increased. It certainly seems like I have to work much harder now to keep the average PUG from splatting, and not just because the team members do stupid things (they always did that).
Accuracy? No, not really, always been that way. -
Dark Blast is already a top-tier set. If it gained better single target damage it would be icing. The cake already tastes great.
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Quote:Originally Posted by Schismatrix
If we're going to split hairs tohit is an attribute that a character has, and accuracy is an attribute each attack has. You multiply your character's tohit by the power's accuracy. Two separate but closely related attributes.
Sort of... there is global +Accuracy to worry about too, like from IO bonuses. But you could argue that that is applied to your powers before the fact. -
Unique characters, so that our power combinations create new and interesting situations.
Call me elitist (true, somewhat) but when I see Fire/Kin, Ill/Rad, Elec/Shield, Bots/Traps, or Fire/Dark I instantly lose interest in that character unless they've got a very interesting concept. Those sets are just so done, and I get tired of them. The fact that on PUGs they are so often poorly played (because the people behind them took them because they heard they were the "best") makes my prejudice more pointed. -
There are many builds that could work for this.
To give you a specific one that would meet all of your criteria though, consider a Mind/Radiation Controller, with Super Speed slotted with a Stealth IO. It has great support, a heal, good AoE mezzes, decent single target damage, and 5 total AoE mezzes of various kinds (6 if you take Choking Cloud, but I probably wouldn't). Because of the amazing AoE sleep power you can knock stuff out before it sees you, and set up your debuff toggles (and even throw out your AoE hold if you want) in total safety.
If Mind/Dark ever becomes possible that would go even higher on my list, but I'm not sure they're crazy enough to hand Dark to Controllers. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Smersh
To say "happy pretendy fun time games" has always struck me as more a justification for griefing and trolling than a good principle to live by.
"Dude, stop ganking me with your team backup! I get it, you win, so can you please stop?"
"HAPPY PRETENDY FUN TIME GAMES!"
This is actually a very good point. The "It's Just a Game" defense can be very frustrating. For a period of about a year I volunteered as a developer/support GameMaster for a text- based commercial MUD with a playerbase of around 3,000. The nature of that game allowed for much more pervasive harrassment than CoH does, including the ability to kill other players unprovoked (we had a "consent" policy in which you could attack only if involved in an actual escalating conflict, in order to balance realism with gameplay). I can't tell you how many times I had to consult with a player because s/he had, for example, decided to attack groups of others with no attempt to interact with them.
These players would typically defend themselves in one of two ways. One was "It's just a game so none of this matters." The other was, "I'm roleplaying a psychopath," which is another way of saying the prior; you were allowed to play a psychopath as long as the people you interacted with consented to that style of play.
Now, also because of those support sessions, I can say there is another group of players who take the game, far, far, far too seriously. People who, for example, where convinced that I as a GameMaster was out to personally persecute them, and in at least one case, someone who believed the GM team as a whole was trying to "rob her of the experience of being the number 1 healer in the game" (I cannot make this stuff up). In the case of the healer, through later interactions, I later came to believe this person was in true need of psychological help. In other cases I think people had just become extremely emotionally invested.
However it is my belief that none of this should discourage us from believing that online places are actual places. This extends beyond games and into social spheres like Facebook and MySpace. Social places have rules, expectations, and norms. Saying you should behave in this way or that in a game or on a social site is no different than most people's belief that you shouldn't play gangsta rap in church. Whether the rules of the place should be respected are entirely up to the group who participates in that place.
In the case of City of Heroes, our place is a game, or at least game-like. However this does not preclude the possibility of real emotional involvement. In fact I'd argue that a game/place with emotionally involved people is socially superior to one people treat as transient (e.g., public restrooms). Being positively nasty to each other should absolutely be discouraged, but not, IMO, because emotional attachment is a negative thing.
There is a something of a sidetrack to all of this that I can't quite seem to tie into my overarching response that I still want to share. It is this article, which came out shortly after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks. The link is: http://elonka.com/mirrors/CFT/coverstory.html
I remember being a player of the affected game when this happened, and the impact it had on the playerbase as a whole. I knew of the player involved through message boards and some limited interactions in-game, and am pretty sure there was some real emotion I felt from this event as well. I know that the story says something about both under- and over-attachment to an online place, but I'm not entirely sure what it is. Also, the reporter's attitude (essentially implying that online communities are not as real as physical ones), contrasts with the reported emotional responses of the player base (sadness, rage, a feeling of having been betrayed) so sharply that I'm sure there's a lesson there, even if I'm unable to fully draw it out. All I know for sure is both the reporter and the original link's writer operate from similar premises. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
I understand what this old, old, OLD article is trying to come across, and I appreciate the effort. However, at the risk of provoking irony, I have to say that its insultingly patronising tone does more to instigate Internet drama than it does to quell it, falling into its own trap in a roundabout way.
I actually agree with you to an extent.
I think people (or at least, I) get emotional about things they put energy into. Playing an online game is not flippantly dismissable as a "happy fun time," it's a shared experience with other people, for all the good and bad that that implies. While the article has good intentions I find it insists too strongly that a virtual place is manifestly different from being in a physical one.
For example, I go out to dance clubs and theme parks with intent of having a good time. There is often no physical "take home" from these activities, but frustrations and conflicts can still occur. The conflict isn't less real because it happened in a fun place. Perspective and self control are important, of course. But it's also important to realize that except for the fact that internet games are digitized they are not terribly different than other kinds of social activity.
Anyway, thanks for sharing the article. It does make a few good points, but I do believe the level of sarcasm undoes a lot of what it's trying to accomplish. -
Quote:Originally Posted by DreadShinobi
Corpses can't fight back.
Does that include your own?
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It's been a while since I revisited the Pistols version of my namesake. With Alpha slots coming out, there are two really tempting ones: Spiritual for the extra recharge, stuns, and heals, and the one that offers extra Defense.
The situation with this build is I could very easily hit the Defense cap for Ranged, but, figure with all the -ToHit I'm throwing around, Recharge is better. This build is close to the soft cap for Ranged at the most dangerous moment of this characters career: the Hail of Bullets animation. However, I've not spent a lot of time playing blast sets in general, so I may have something horribly misslotted; Tex was always more of a Controller at heart.
Note that Tough, in this build, is mainly just a mule.
Here's the build [revised since original post to show correct version of build]:
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.803
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
oedipus tex 11_24_10: Level 50 Magic Corruptor
Primary Power Set: Dual Pistols
Secondary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Dual Wield -- Apoc-Dmg/Rchg(A), Apoc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), Apoc-Acc/Rchg(3), Apoc-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Apoc-Dam%(5)
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Nictus-Heal/HP/Regen/Rchg(A), Nictus-Acc/Heal(7), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(9), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(9)
Level 2: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Empty Clips -- HO:Nucle(A), Dmg-I(11)
Level 6: Pistols -- Decim-Acc/Dmg(A), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx(15), Decim-Dmg/Rchg(17), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(17)
Level 8: Bullet Rain -- Ragnrk-Dmg/Rchg(A), Ragnrk-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), Ragnrk-Acc/Rchg(13), Ragnrk-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Ragnrk-Knock%(15)
Level 10: Swap Ammo
Level 12: Darkest Night -- DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(A), DarkWD-ToHitDeb(23), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(27), DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx(27)
Level 14: Howling Twilight -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(A), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun(19), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx(19), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg(31), Stpfy-Stun/Rng(40), Stpfy-KB%(43)
Level 16: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(29), RechRdx-I(40)
Level 18: Executioner's Shot -- Decim-Acc/Dmg(A), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Decim-Dmg/Rchg(37), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(37)
Level 20: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 22: Fearsome Stare -- SipInsght-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(A), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(36), SipInsght-ToHitDeb(36), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 24: Shadow Fall -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(25), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(25), RedFtn-EndRdx(29), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(34), RedFtn-Def(34)
Level 26: Hover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 28: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), S'fstPrt-ResKB(46)
Level 30: Weave -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def(31), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(31), RedFtn-EndRdx(39), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(40), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 32: Hail of Bullets -- Armgdn-Dmg/Rchg(A), Armgdn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Armgdn-Acc/Rchg(33), Armgdn-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Armgdn-Dam%(34)
Level 35: Petrifying Gaze -- BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(A), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(39), BasGaze-Acc/Hold(43), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(43)
Level 38: Dark Servant -- HO:Lyso(A), HO:Lyso(39)
Level 41: Dark Consumption -- Efficacy-EndMod/Acc(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(42), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(42), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(42), Efficacy-EndMod(46), Efficacy-EndMod/EndRdx(50)
Level 44: Oppressive Gloom -- Amaze-Stun/Rchg(A), Amaze-Acc/Stun/Rchg(45), Amaze-Acc/Rchg(45), Amaze-Stun(45), Amaze-ToHitDeb%(46)
Level 47: Soul Drain -- AdjTgt-ToHit(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(48), AdjTgt-Rchg(48), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(48), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(50)
Level 49: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clrty-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 1: Scourge
Level 4: Ninja Run
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Set Bonus Totals:- 12.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
- 12.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
- 12.5% DamageBuff(Fire)
- 12.5% DamageBuff(Cold)
- 12.5% DamageBuff(Energy)
- 12.5% DamageBuff(Negative)
- 12.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
- 12.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
- 3% Defense(Smashing)
- 3% Defense(Lethal)
- 3% Defense(Fire)
- 3% Defense(Cold)
- 9.56% Defense(Energy)
- 9.56% Defense(Negative)
- 3% Defense(Psionic)
- 3% Defense(Melee)
- 12.4% Defense(Ranged)
- 3% Defense(AoE)
- 4.5% Max End
- 3% Enhancement(Stun)
- 5% Enhancement(Heal)
- 106.3% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 72% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% FlySpeed
- 124.5 HP (11.6%) HitPoints
- 4% JumpHeight
- 4% JumpSpeed
- Knockback (Mag -4)
- Knockup (Mag -4)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 9.9%
- 22% (0.37 End/sec) Recovery
- 26% (1.16 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 10.1% Resistance(Fire)
- 10.1% Resistance(Cold)
- 1.26% Resistance(Energy)
- 1.26% Resistance(Negative)
- 4% RunSpeed
- 2% XPDebtProtection
Code:| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1418;719;1438;HEX;| |78DA9D94594F135114C7EFB4534A772A94A55028082D503B7414171663226882D28| |812A351633381A134D6B6E9B4093E81E8236E4F6E51237E07A3F8E81E5F35FA6DC6| |B35C4A7C7592FE7FD373CF3D5BEF6D766DD62FC4C609A184668A8665E566CAD56AB| |D522B575D59235F586A2B9BCB854ADD8AD7CCB5B8AEE70E8EE7F48C5B08116B38E6| |2E18A5BCB9ACCDD68D626EA160D5CA452BBAB77AB2BEB2A2CD1AD51BB96CC1B06E1| |AE1B9D2AA59354B356DF7C5BB502E17B5C58A692E07E8F57421BF5A2B94F23EFE56| |C4AF7E7A9F378D0A2C844F550A4B32A861D5CCEAAD4E2869043E8916211F5B15698| |710BA70688C31829A61E8848F4AC3DD29DA9C686A8A109ADB191D844FE0C7AEB650| |52024D49C8E46493E29C06A8427863B434044B2E5984EB3120299A9E13824F082D4| |F19CF0823E0EE96EEEE435497779CE03FCC3842081E250C83BB878AB1EDCF409FAC| |DFF78E96DBDF12A23B8CF7842FE017603F57605D41D3BE0DC66D42EF1D427293307| |A9730005585389323C45DF7C8E6192928252C2B0F73A3EDDCE120F73BC88D0E72A3| |0AC46B95536C8D52846F103E221B88F868D6FB9B196E8697F015FC3AB814578797A| |AEBF431FC849E10A13FC008123C90B08B7789AE08999C60EA963F5B37468C897427| |418595984C11E314BD1CA6978326384592F3EA9C370D23E89323E89BA061C727195| |38C6942FF71C277D83420FB1DF8E3C0BC89DF84D19F8C5F841FE03724CB1C9AE0D3| |9590DC80890CD371B45DC30F29ECC83DC67DC603427A8BA03F22ACC3AE14B7A7A6C| |E92E9C03C23CB38C3BBCE1136C15DC36CE0AEBD24D3D82BC61BC66B8EBECDA70E86| |979193CEF0A47BD4C6DDC2A36ADB621E2DD2497868DF82DAB8580E254E47A2ED1FC| |CED45B13D7B57EE7F9F1DFF6E38CF792FE822CA45944B289751AEA05C45B986721D| |2587627F68EC0E1DC3BA26502651A65022F8E7B3859E6EBC943E143F4A002588124| |26941694589A2BC40B1FF0251CBEFF1| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|
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Thanks for the tips guys. I'm almost positive the problem is the graphics card overheating. The laptop is over a year old so I don't know why it took so long for this to show up. Not sure what to do except maybe try to fix the original rig I bought the laptop to replace.
I don't know the first thing about overclocking, etc.
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While the toggle won't cause enemies to run (directly) it will aggro any enemies the anchor runs past. I don't know what the situation was but since a lot of teams leave groups surrounding the Rommie fight leaving a debuff toggle on him (or any enemy that likes to run) could draw aggro down on the team.
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I vote for Dark Blast.
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At the risk of posting too much in this thread, and doing it too hot head-edly, I don't know what it is about this topic that always makes the conversation lose all bearings of common reason. It's like we know there's a group of people who are very-pro healing and feel only an equally extreme opposite reaction can counterbalance that fervor.
Frankly, the "healing sucks" crowd is just as bad, if not worse, than the "pure healers." If you play Empathy, Thermal, or Pain, you should take your single target heal. Because you will use it, unless you play only against enemies that are too easy. Taking the tier 3 "super heal" is indeed optional, but mainly because the one you get before it is already very good and recharges quickly.
Meanwhile, both Empathy and Pain should take the heal over time/regen power/whatever because restoring HP/healing/keeping bars full/whatever, while not the be all and end all of the game, is still an effective tactic. The challenge is doing it on top of your other activities, not chucking healing out altogether; doing that just brings us back to the Fail-Kins who come to the boards to boast of their inability to manage Speed Boost with other tasks, bringing them to the conclusion that the best tactic is to just ignore it. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Adeon Hawkwood
Hamidon
.
That's the closest you get to healing based content and even there regen boosting powers are much more important than actual heals (since he applies a pretty hefty healing resistance debuff).
Regen IS a healing power. Just saying.
BTW is healing resistance based on the caster or the target? I think both Empathy and Pain's big (and mostly skipped) heals have 100% healing debuff resistance. -
I think it's overshooting to say that healing is not useful. It is very, very effective for the first 20 levels or so, and less so later. But it never makes a full exit. Just because building an entire character around it is a mistake doesn't mean there aren't times when switching to a healing/buff mentality is a good idea for a specific encounter, or segment of an encounter.
Another way to put it is just because I don't think of myself as a "healer" doesn't mean I'm not watching teammates green bars on top of everything else that is going on. That's on my Thermals but also my Darks and Kins and whatever. Ignoring green bars, IMO, is no different than ignoring what enemies are doing, and to that extent "healer" is not a totally inaccurate description, as long you don't get lost in the trap of a "pure healer" who doesn't take advantage of the full reach of his or her abilities. -
Also, here is the info from CoH Helper. Any help at all is appreciated!
---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.2.0.2---
DxDiag gathered at November 23, 2010 13:52 (-05:00)
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.100608-0458)
System Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
System Model: G71GX
BIOS: BIOS Date: 07/27/09 18:24:52 Ver: 08.00.14
Central Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P8700 @ 2.53GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.5GHz
Memory: 6142MB
.Net Memory Report: 4022MB out of 6142MB available
Page File: 10137MB (2259MB currently in use)
C Drive: (ST9500325AS) 264926MB out of 463941MB (57%) free
E Drive: (TSSTcorp CDDVDW TS-L633C) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\Windows
DirectX: DirectX 11
DirectX Diag version: 7.00.6002.18107 (64-bit version)
Display Notes: No problems found.
No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.
No problems found.
No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce GTX 260M
Video Memory: 3817 MB
Driver Version: 8.17.0012.6099
Driver Date: 10/16/2010 1:55:00 PM
Driver Language: English
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce GTX 260M
Video Memory: 3817 MB
Driver Version: 8.17.0012.6099
Driver Date: 10/16/2010 1:55:00 PM
Driver Language: English
Sound Device Description: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Driver File: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.5836
Driver Date: 4/20/2009 10:21:57 AM
Sound Device Description: Realtek Digital Output (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Driver File: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.5836
Driver Date: 4/20/2009 10:21:57 AM
Sound Device Description: Realtek HDMI Output (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Driver File: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.5836
Driver Date: 4/20/2009 10:21:57 AM
WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: G71GX
Motherboard Version: 1.00
BIOS Manufacturer: American Megatrends Inc.
BIOS Name: BIOS Date: 07/27/09 18:24:52 Ver: 08.00.14
BIOS Version: _ASUS_ - 7000927
BIOS Release: 20090727000000.000000+000
Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1600x1000
3D Resolution: 1600x1000 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: -655, 77
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: No
Physics Quality: None
Maximum Particles: 4162
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No
Anti-aliasing: 2x
Anisotropic Filtering: None
Texture LOD Bias: Crisp
Water Effects: None
Bloom: 1.000 (turned off)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: No
Shader Detail: Unknown (4)
World Texture Level: Unknown (3)
Character Texture Level: Low
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 0.500
Entity Detail Level: 0.300
Shadows Enabled: Yes
Shadow Mode: Disabled
Shadow Map Shader: Unknown (0)
Environmental Reflections: Disabled
Advanced Occlusion Settings: No
Ambient Occlusion: Off
Occlusion Strength: Off
Blur: Bilateral
Ambient Resolution: Performance
Gamma Correction: 0.732
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: Yes
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes
Audio Mode: Performance
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 0.157
Music Sound Volume: 0.600
Show Advanced Graphics Options: Yes
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.000
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 1021879 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1850.201009101722.18T2r
Installation Directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\City of Heroes
Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found -
Hi folks,
I'm here because over the past two months or so I've had some pretty frustrating graphics slowdowns in City of Heroes. I'm hoping to get some ideas on what could be causing this. I am using an ASUS G71G series Laptop running Windows Vista 64 bit, with a Nvidia GEForce GTX 260M graphics card. I have 6 GB of RAM.
Basically, the graphics run very smoothly for about 5 to 10 minutes at a time, but then there are 1 to 2 minutes where the graphics appear to slow way down, to the point where trying to turn the camera or move around is very difficult. The graphics (but not server connection) strain themselves for 1 - 2 minutes, then go back to normal. This happens in cycles; smooth for a while, then slideshow, then back again. When the slowdowns happen, according to Task Manager, the City of Heroes process does NOT appear to take up more available memory. It does not appear that the entire computer is slowing down either.
This is happening even on the lowest available graphics settings. It does not happen in other video games run on the same computer (most recently Starcraft 2 and Civilization V although I run Starcraft at low graphic settings). I have updated my nVidia drivers and still experience the slowdown. No other visible processes are running on the computer when these slowdowns occur. I run PC Tools Spyware Doctor as my antivirus tool.
Thinking this may be a virus, I ran HijackThis, but didn't see any entries I didn't recognize on a glance-through. Here's that log just in case it gives someone some ideas:
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 1:34:21 PM, on 11/23/2010
Platform: Windows Vista SP2 (WinNT 6.00.1906)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18975)
Boot mode: Normal
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = about:blank
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\blank.htm
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - URLSearchHook: PC Tools Browser Guard - {472734EA-242A-422b-ADF8-83D1E48CC825} - C:\Program Files (x86)\PC Tools Security\BDT\PCTBrowserDefender.dll
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=C:\WINDOWS\SYSWOW64\userinit.exe,
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - c:\Program Files x86\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Browser Defender BHO - {2A0F3D1B-0909-4FF4-B272-609CCE6054E7} - C:\Program Files (x86)\PC Tools Security\BDT\PCTBrowserDefender.dll
O2 - BHO: Search Helper - {6EBF7485-159F-4bff-A14F-B9E3AAC4465B} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Search Helper\SEPsearchhelperie.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEToolbarHelper Class - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910} - c:\Program Files x86\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat 7.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O2 - BHO: Bing Bar BHO - {d2ce3e00-f94a-4740-988e-03dc2f38c34f} - c:\Program Files (x86)\MSN Toolbar\Platform\6.3.2348.0\npwinext.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
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O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Default Manager] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Default Manager\DefMgr.exe" -resume
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O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert link target to existing PDF - res://c:\Program Files x86\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat 7.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIEAppend.html
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O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert selection to Adobe PDF - res://c:\Program Files x86\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat 7.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIECapture.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert selection to existing PDF - res://c:\Program Files x86\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat 7.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIEAppend.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert to Adobe PDF - res://c:\Program Files x86\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat 7.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIECapture.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert to existing PDF - res://c:\Program Files x86\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat 7.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIEAppend.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
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O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Fiddler2 - {CF819DA3-9882-4944-ADF5-6EF17ECF3C6E} - "C:\Program Files (x86)\Fiddler2\Fiddler.exe" (file missing)
O13 - Gopher Prefix:
O15 - Trusted Zone: *.play.net (HKLM)
O16 - DPF: {1E54D648-B804-468d-BC78-4AFFED8E262F} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.nvidia.com/content/Driver...reqlab_nvd.cab
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O16 - DPF: {E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7} - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: C:\PROGRA~2\Google\GOOGLE~1\GOEC62~1.DLL
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Browser Defender Update Service - Threat Expert Ltd. - C:\Program Files (x86)\PC Tools Security\BDT\BDTUpdateService.exe
O23 - Service: @dfsrres.dll,-101 (DFSR) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\DFSR.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: PC Tools Auxiliary Service (sdAuxService) - PC Tools - C:\Program Files (x86)\PC Tools Security\pctsAuxs.exe
O23 - Service: PC Tools Security Service (sdCoreService) - PC Tools - C:\Program Files (x86)\PC Tools Security\pctsSvc.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\SLsvc.exe,-101 (slsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\SLsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Steam Client Service - Valve Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe
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O23 - Service: ThreatFire - PC Tools - C:\Program Files (x86)\PC Tools Security\TFEngine\TFService.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing) -
There are very few true "healer" builds in this game although many with excellent support. You want to build with some healing in mind but also mezzing, buffing, and debuffing.
The closest to a "healer" I've played is Ice Control/Thermal. It's very low damage, has somewhat unreliable mezzes, and relies on being able to heal-through damage being lobbied at the team. I consider it a fairly difficult build to fully leverage although it shines in situations other builds tend to struggle (e.g. against large numbers of bosses, because slows and knockdowns aren't affected by boss level mezz protection, and against enemies with defense because 2 AoEs disresgard ToHit rolls of any kind).
For your purposes, I might recommend Earth or Plant with Thermal or Empathy as a secondary. Keep in mind that neither set stays a "healer" forever--your other powers are often as important as your heals.
You're also probably going to be told by at least some people that healing is not very good. Do not believe this. While healing is not a trump card like it is in some games it is a very useful ability to bring along as long as you leverage it alongside your other powers instead of leaning on it by itself. -
In terms of pure griefing IMO nothing compares to a Force Fielder with high defenses running perma Force Bubble and Super Speed together. Combine that with Gravity Control for the horrible horrible Dimension Shift and you can pretty much shut down anything your teammates might have wanted to do.
-
Was there a conversation like this when someone proposed putting light-up windows in office buildings after dark, with one group saying it would break immersion to not have it and another saying it would ruin their experience if it occurred?
One thing I can say for CoH is we definitely have all kinds. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Max_zero
Ice is a bit...yeah. Maybe my perspective is a like skewed due to loving my current Plant/Cold I am playing. But watching a +4/x8 spawn melt in 8 seconds to Seeds, Sleet, Roots, Psi Tornado, Roots (while Creepers are running) kinda makes my Ill/Rad feel bad. The Plant/Cold AoE is so fast and so safe it almost feels like cheating.
Plant/Cold is indeed an insanely amazing build. I'm shocked we don't see more of those. -
There are so many good team-oriented Controllers that it's hard to recommend any one kind. Earth/Anything is going to be very team oriented in general.
What I'd basically recommend for your first ever support Controller is picking any primary except Ice or Gravity Control. Ice Control is not bad; I just consider it a harder set to adjust to than the other primaries for a first time, team oriented build. Gravity Control on the other hand I am not a fan of at all and find extremely lacking as a set.
Of the remaining sets, Plant Control is probably the easiest to play for a newbie because of its combo of AoE mezz/damage. Illusion Control is also pretty easy, but plays more like a Mastermind than a "Controller" in a lot of ways. Mind Control is an odd set, that, while extremely effective, relies on good timing and sometimes complicated interplay between powers/stealth. Fire Control is a damage set with one really good AoE mezz; lower on mitigation in general, and sometimes high in risk. Electric Control is a hard to describe set that tends, in my experience, to be hit or miss, but is not quite as difficult to leverage as Ice Control.
For secondaries, they are all fairly team-oriented. Storm Summoning may be the least so, however, because on teams you'll probably avoid using several of the powers. -
For Ill/FF I would take Group Invis but not Superior. Group Invis will stack a little extra defense on top of your teammate's shields. You can also take Leadership>Manuevers to add a little more.
I would not bother with Superior Invis for this combo. Main reason being Personal Force Field accomplishes many similar functions.