Winterminal

While this is the first request for Rage, specifically, that I've seen, requests to turn off the effects of powers have been quite common.

As for a "reason" as to why these powers haven't been addressed yet: my educated estimate is that they just haven't gotten around to it yet. The effects team is aware that there are a number of powers in the game for which people would prefer a "Minimal FX" option (the most oft requested being Hasten, I believe). I suggest heading over to the All Things Art - FX Edition thread and making a post similar to this. Tunnel Rat has been keeping an eye on that thread, and has acknowledged many requests similar to this one.

For the chest and legs options, I picture some leather and metal hybrid, with metal plating and leather straps or pieces filling in the gaps in the armor between the plates.

For the boots, shoulders, and gloves, I definitely want to use the Rularuu weapons as inspiration. I think they should be dark, thickly-cast metal, with silvered-out sharp edges. For the boots size, think something in between Praetorian Police and Alpha. For the gloves, something akin to the appearance of the "Organic Armor Thorny" option, but like the Organic armor, with a less large alternative. Finally, I see the shoulders being a hybrid between the "Gladiator" pads (I think that's what they are called, the asymmetrical ones) and the "Organic" look. Also, I think all three of these pieces should be possibilities for that signature eye ball, with the bigger options incorporating it, and the smaller options without it.

Chest detail could be an additional armored chest piece, most likely with an eyeball in the dead center.

The head is tough. I wish to avoid any eyeballs here, simply because I've seen the crazy eyeball on a head in the "Cyclops" on the ITF and it's funky looking. I think the head option should be a half helmet, a cross between the Warrior and the Valkyrie, that extends a little further down the neck in the back. Optional detail 1 and 2 for this could be small axe-blade-shaped protrusions out the sides, along with some kind of guard for the lower jaw and chin. Options sans-helmet (i.e. on the "Standard" head) would be a similar chin guard, and then a brow guard for above the eyes.

I like it, but maybe as a reward for completing the Cathedral of Pain trial once? This would be along the same lines as the Roman armor being behind the Imperious Task Force. It would be something that would require some organization, and the premise for it certainly makes it feel "epic," thus the reward of Rularuu armor would feel well-deserved once obtained.

Hi Pinnacle!

For the past few weeks, as most of you have probably noticed, the forums (and the CoX Life Discussion forum in particular) have been rife with controversy surrounding current and future game operating, progression options, and reward availability. In those many topics, people have gotten into some very heated arguments over their particular views, trying desperately to (at least) clearly illuminate their point of view and possibly to convince others to change their mind. Some people have acknowledged the opposing viewpoint, others have conceded and given up their arguments, and still others remain adamant that they are correct while no one else is. It has resulted in some topics that are extremely interesting to read, whether it is for an actual evidence-based debate that is taking place, or simply the comedic value a flame war of epic proportions.

I have played on and off since 2007 (due to other obligations), but have only been a full-time subscriber for the past year, and my forum activity has increased since. I have noticed that many of the names that I see here on the forums are names with whom I have teamed, at one point or another, on Pinnacle, and I have to congratulate the lot of you.

As with the forum community as a whole, many of your posts have been written from very different viewpoints, and vary in intensity. Some of you have appeared down right ready to start using the bat smash emote on each other, yet I log into the game and I see everyone teaming together. I myself have been very passionate about some of the issues being discussed, and have butted heads with a few of you in various topics. Not only have we managed to keep our responses to each other civilized ("we" meaning I and which ever one of you I happen to be responding to), but I can log into the game and be invited to teams and leagues by many of you, without any sign of ill feelings.

I recently made a post on one of the aforementioned topics about how communication breeds community, and I find the manner of communication in which we as a server operate, both in-game and here on the forums, is respectful, open-minded, and at the very least, tolerant. Even if you may be left seething by someone's ideas here on the forum, I have yet to see someone use those feelings as a reason to exclude someone from a team invite, and that is commendable in the gaming world. Civilized communication has given us a pretty civilized server, full of a lot of people who are willing to help one another, both newb and vet alike.

Essentially, I want to thank the Pinnacle server community for being one that prefers to take the high road. I have very much enjoyed my time here, and I hope to continue teaming with you all in the future.

TL;DR, for my esteemed server-mate XFUNK down there: Pinnacle has a very level headed population that makes people feel quite welcome and treats them with respect, and I'm commending everyone on that.

Ya big ol' group o' drunks!

I've always loved ice themed characters in comic books. So when I signed in back when my account was still a trial, my first character was an Ice/Ice blaster, my namesake. He was never rerolled, but I think I did have to respec him about 3 or 4 times between 1 and 50, simply because I was learning more about the game and what I could and could not do.

For bringing out the rage in me, "The Evil Countess Crey" from Janet Kellum takes the cake. Seeing the false corporate face of Crey throughout the entire arc makes me really engaged in taking her down at the end.

Lady Grey's Task Force really gets me when the Honoree returns. When they reveal the warped, twisted version of Hero 1, and then you have to fight him... oh man, gets me right in the chest.

Finally, "The Savage Man" from Aaron Walker, especially because of the times where you have to choose what to tell Noble Savage about his family and friends. What a mind job...

To add my two cents to the discussion about what "power" is, mainly between Pacur and Aura-Familia, I think you are both right. Within the world of the game, as in the actual fictional universe, Pacur is correct: Having an aura is an expression of greater mastery over your powers, because that is clearly explained as you complete the mission at level 30 necessary to unlock them. However, Aura_Familia is referencing the technical aspects of an aura vs. a power, in that an aura is purely cosmetic and has no other effect whereas a power (as defined by the game mechanics) not only has a visual effect but also influences the environment and/or other players in some way. Essentially, you both are using the same word (power) to describe two different things: in Pacur's case it is prestige among the player community and the in-universe ability for a character to alter his/her appearance, and in Aura's case it is a player's ability to actually influence the other aspects of the game.

{As a quick side note, the justification for "auras expressing a greater mastery of power" a.k.a. gated behind level 30, is quickly waning with many being available at level 1 courtesy of booster packs, Going Rogue, and now the vouchers. CoHF may continue this trend.}

In the game, these are both things which are, and rightly so, expressed by being an Incarnate: you get access to powers unobtainable by lower level characters, and you gain access to costume pieces and auras that are also unobtainable by lower level characters, thus making an Incarnate character act and look the part. No one can argue that the Incarnate abilities are quite powerful and meant to be so. The cosmetic Incarnate Rewards, like the actual Incarnate powers, are meant, at least in part, to be a statement of prestige.

However, given the fact that most of the cosmetic rewards are visually on-par (meaning what they look like, not graphics quality, because that has improved) with things we already have access to at lower levels, the only "prestige" exhibited is a type of bragging rights; a way to say, "I am able to have metallic objects orbiting me because I saved up my merits after running the trials!" However, if we choose to look at it from Pacur's viewpoint, meaning from within the game universe, the question remains of why having ghosts surround you signifies "Incarnate power" whereas having wisps surrounding you does not have that significance.

Good numbers BZB. Can't argue much with that hard data.

There are multiple easy fixes out there (Standard Code Rant, obv.). Hell, the easiest one in my mind would not be to ditch Shards (forcing the elimination of a lot of other stuff), but rather simply increase their drop rate to be on-par with Threads, and make the Shard-->Thread conversion a free 1:1, without a time restriction. I grant that it made semi-logical sense for releasing it the way they did: many players had a great number of Shards saved up upon the launch of i20, and the Devs did not want players getting high tier abilities without even touching the Trials. But that panic period is past, and now it is even possible to build Alpha powers using the salvage from i20. So yes, something should be done if the solo "alternative" is to be considered comparable.

A tall order, trying to actually define what an "Incarnate" is since we really do not have a totally set definition in-game.

An Incarnate, as far as my definition goes, is a being that is more powerful (either/both in power or range of abilities) than it's comparable peers. In existing comic universes, the "powerful" examples that come to mind are beings like Galactus, The Flash, or Omega Mutants such as Iceman, and other beings whose abilities are very one-dimensional, but are extremely potent. Some "varied" examples would include Martian Manhunter, Silver Surfer, and Superman (though he could technically fall into both categories). I consider all of the aforementioned characters to be the "top tier" so-to-speak, but obviously their abilities and the magnitude of said abilities can vary from character to character.

I tend to lean toward the "varied" category for what makes an Incarnate. Take Statesman for example: Sure he's super strong and nigh-immortal, but it's that Zeus's Lightning trick that makes him "Incarnate." However, I can definitely understand where incarnate power would be just that: power (and is indeed how I've chosen to build my characters). Someone may prefer to spend their time and resources getting a Tier 4 Cryonic Judgment for their Ice Blaster, rather than working on any other Incarnate powers. Actually, I sort of wish that was how they had implemented it: a character could either dip into a certain Incarnate power (judgment, Destiny, Lore, etc.) and ignore most (not all) others, OR they could be a "jack of all trades, master of none" type. Obviously, things would be different than what we have now, and many would have qualms with that idea, etc. etc. This is off-topic anyway...

My point being is that I think "variety" holds more weight. But that being said, I think there is a very fine line between "Wow, look at all the stuff that character can do, he/she must be very powerful" and an unbelievable number of different types of powers, which is what I believe we have now. So far, my 50s have only dipped into one Incarnate power each (differentiating from one to another), because I find having all those abilities to be totally unrealistic, and very hard to justify. I am a big fan of justification. C'mon, you're going to stand there and tell me that your character:
-Can turn itself into a walking golem
-Can punch people with electricity
-Can shoot fire balls
-Is uber-accurate
-Can launch a blizzard-like blast out of one hand
-Summon the souls of dead Praetorian robots to fight for it
-Greatly Heal everyone in your immediate vicinity and
-Make the majority of your attacks lower your enemies' defenses?

And you can make a believable back story to justify all of that?

Again, in my head (and perhaps only MY head) that is ridiculous, and I don't like to build my characters like that, but I am not knocking anyone who does. Some people just like the powers. How you want to build your Incarnate is your business, I just prefer a worthwhile explanation of it.

Since you are looking for a way to make these powers work for your characters, I'd say "If you can make them make sense, get whatever you can." Personally, I find more joy in staying true to my character's concept and skipping most of the Incarnate abilities, than making that character a really powerful but skewed version of his/her former self. Most comic book characters that take that latter route usually don't end up in a good place...

I believe there's a miscommunication occurring. Based on your use of the phrase, "I find it hard to purchase the costume/aura parts sight unseen," I think Fireheart thinks you are looking for images/videos of the things offered in the Booster Packs (Magic, Super Science, Origins, etc.) before you purchase them. Except you were referring to in-game purchases involving the new pieces offered by Astral Christy and Empyrean Michael.

No, currently there are no images of those unlockable pieces available on Paragon Wiki.

I like what I'm reading! This, to me, is what is quintessential to a comic book world: a dynamic, changing environment. You don't know what could happen, or where, and have to deal with threats as they arise. I know some people are not fans of the Galaxy City revamp, but there is no way to please everyone in a comic book universe, somebody is going to be upset because *insert thing here* got blown up. Keep up the good work, Devs, and thanks for keeping us informed.

Zombie Man just posted this in the other thread. It gives a nice idea about what the auras look like.