bluedarky

Ok, first things first,

*Pulls out leg breaking bat and waves it in the air*

Remember this, looks like I'm going to have to start making good on my promise.

Ok, next,

As people have said, the dev team have explicitly stated that the reason that they are doing the mission architect is because it is the second most requested feature next to power customization.

They have also said that they are going to continue creating content with their newer toys they've developed to create missions, the effects of which we are seeing in the newer story arcs and we will be recieving with the MA, (Yes, they're letting us play with their new toys before they've managed to push them to their limits.)

They have also said that Player created arcs will not become cannon unless they are "incredibly awesome", devs choice is literally story arcs and missions that the devs have enjoyed.

Although the Villains have fewer SF's, they have a massively larger amount of story arcs, (Almost every contact has at least one "Mini Arc", even one from Kalinka and Burke, low level hero contacts are simply a series of self contained missions which could have been generated from the police radio for the same effect.)

Lol, the minions in my local Game Stores know me by sight, I went in once and played "point out the mistakes in the displays," I spotted 12 before the manager came up to me and told me to buy what I wanted and leave.

TBH I really don't go into Game, I usually frequent Gamestation or Chips, at least the guys there know what they're talking about.

I don't swear much ingame, if I do it's,

1. Justified (Glowie on COT Cave map, Room full of reds/purples)
2. With a team I feel comfortable enough to swear in.

And it's always with both, not one or the other.

So the topic title says it all, when will the closed beta start?

I personally think that the "Official" teaser pages will be up this week or next with the Closed Beta starting on the 17th.

I did have one,

then I got involved in a food fight on another forum...

Sorry

Happy Cake Day anyway Khorak.

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No you need to pay for your account with a credit card for recuring payment as the system no longer takes debit cards.

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Funny, I pay by debit card and last time i checked I could buy slots and things ingame.

Or do you mean Maestro cards?

If I recall correctly then they're both controlled by NCSoft West now, which means that the seperation is only at a server and forum level and not a company one.

By rights they could change our subscription fees as well, the only reason they won't is because it wouldn't be worth the lost revenue.

Yawn, relax, once the global economy goes back to normal so will our prices, be glad they haven't changed the subscription prices as well.

What I don't get was the view that the Forumites had so called "special" privileges with Bridger, everybody had the same treatment off Bridger, unless you broke the rules, and even then you had to break them into tiny little pieces too small for the eye to see to get anything other than a warning.

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IMO if you make a character, you should be able to from level 1.
you can talk about achievements, but having a cape at 2/5 of the game doesn't make sense, nether does it make sense that you need to be 3/5 of the game to have an aura.
if i want to make a character with electricity around him, i should not run trough the game, grinding my butt of just for that one thing.
it's a bit the same like the epics, i have to play trough the entire game, only to create a character and start all over again.
i don't see that is fun, nether as achievement, more an annoyance and a ridicules rule.

the fee is 12 euro per month, so that's 144 euro per year.
i can say that, after a year of playing, i strongly deserve to have what i'm paying for, and that includes everything from capes to epic AT's.
you can maybe say i look to much to that, but i rather say this then be the fool and keep it shut.

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Theres a huge difference there. Epic Archtypes are supposed to be just that. Epic. Capes dont have an impact on the game, per se, there a costume option, which should BE an option.

Epics, on the other hand, are fine as they are. Your jsut going to have to slog it out, like everyone else has. It took me fifteen god damned months to get my first Hero to 50, something similar for Villains. And you know what? That felt GOOD. THAT was an achievement worth having. Because you unlocked a whole new section of the game that was a lot of fun to play, and it was something that you had earned and no one else could just buy.

Thats my arguement. To have a character concept and then be unable to utilise it is made of fail. Some people can get away with combat auras, shoulder capes of Valkyrie capes. Others cannot. That, IMO, is unfair.

As for game lore, some of it gets in such a knot that I almost trust player lore more Have you ever tried reading the Bios of the Phalanx on the official main site? If they gave the lore a good comb through and straightened it up a bit, maybe. But not right now, ta very much...

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playing trough the entire game for years to come only to start all over is not my cup of tea.
if i pay something, i expect something worthwhile in return.
and up until now, i have nothing good in return.
you might like to grind 15 months to get an epic, but i don't.
and as long as i'm paying my end, i expect that NCsoft gives there end.
i don't like this game for how it is, i only want to play the widow, nothing els.
if i knew this would happen, i would never bought this game.

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Again you reach the same problem though, once you've played a Widow all the way to 50 what's left to do other than repeat old missions or start again?

At least this way they can give you something new for reaching lvl 50 the first time rather than give you everything from the word go.

Part 9 - The Demon

There are many types of exorcism, all of them remove the demon or spirit from the body, but in a variety of different ways. Some are the classical exorcism which sends the demon/spirit to the hell realm it came from, others destroy the demon/spirit whilst it's in the body. Both of these methods require intensive training and/or innate magical skill. Bluedarky and crew have none of these, this forces them to rely upon the third and most dangerous of all the methods, forcing the demon to manifest itself into our reality.

The demon stood at 12 feet tall and had the look of a classical demon, it had beast like legs, a hunched back and it's face was the stuff of nightmares, it was currently crawling on all fours as it had been to large to manifest standing without some parts appearing in the ceiling or floor causing some very problematic moments with the laws of physics, insofar as demons obeyed them anyway.

Bluedarky stepped back as the demon began to stand, Amanda gripped Bluedarky's arm and said, “Stephan.”

“I know,” he replied.

“You may have...”

“I know.”

The demon pushed against the ceiling as Bluedarky stepped back further.

“Amanda grab the technician,” said Bluedarky, “Marioko the girl.”

“Then what?” asked Amanda.

“Run!” yelled Bluedarky turning and sprinting away. Amanda grabbed the MAGI Technician and Marioko slipped around the demon to grab Rachel's prone form. Amanda and Marioko flew whilst Bluedarky sprinted through the collapsing corridors. He dived into a classroom and hid behind the door and pulled out his mobile phone.

“I require a quarantine for the King's Row District High,” he said, “Level 4 demonic, and possibly...”

The call was cut off as he instinctively dived forwards as the demons claw burst through the wall behind him.

“Fast and smart,” growled the demon, “Why would that be?”

“You don't live on these streets for as long as I have without good instincts,” he replied, “And having a titanium fibreweave coat helps.”

“You'd be a fool to take me on with your fists,” laughed the demon, “How do you expect to beat me?”

“Now that is a stumper,” replied Bluedarky smiling, “How am I meant to defeat a demon with my bare hands? Do you know?”

The demon moved back from the hole, it had the advantage in size, speed and raw strength, but the smile was the one of desperate men, men with nothing left to lose. Bluedarky dived forwards and rammed his fist into the large black eye of the demon. It pulled back and roared.

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And for the argument that Hero 1 is alive and we don't need to pay respect to his memory anymore, that information is not available to the public, according to game lore that info is protected at a clearance above the Omega Clearance you need to learn that the Rikti were human, so there is absolutely no way a level one hero should even be aware that the Honoree could have been human, never mind Hero 1.


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Yeah but any villains who have happened along are going to care about such things, infact most villains would love to tarnish the name of Hero 1 just to screw with peoples heads and show that even their treasured heroes aren't beyond being controlled into villainy.

Well those kind of villains which would do that kind of thing anyway (not the Axe crazy ones).

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Who are you going to believe, upstanding Hero or evil Villain?

The people of Paragon City know that Villains would love nothing more than to see them panic at the thought that one of their greatest heroes is now working for the Rikti and wouldn't believe it without physical prove.

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I agree that the Valk cape should only be available at level 20 not before.

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I have a choice of axes to use when people express opinions like this.

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Hmm, distraction for barbarians...

*Drops Khorak in front of an amazonian village filled with gold, gems and other such shiny things.*

Ok, onto the subject at hand, I can't give an explanation for new capes being availible at level 1, I brought the SE of Coh with the special cape and was only able to equip the cape at level 20, this should be the case with the new pack.

The Shoulder Capes are a different kettle of fish, to earn them you need to buy the game (£12.99) and pay a subscription for another 20 months (8.99) a total of £192.79. Yes I'm aware that this could be lower if you purchased in bulk, won creative genius or got people to sign up but this is what most people would pay. For those who don't want to do the maths this is nearly 15 times what you'd pay for the Mac edition and 32 times the £5.99 we'll probably pay for the pack when it arrives.

And for the argument that Hero 1 is alive and we don't need to pay respect to his memory anymore, that information is not available to the public, according to game lore that info is protected at a clearance above the Omega Clearance you need to learn that the Rikti were human, so there is absolutely no way a level one hero should even be aware that the Honoree could have been human, never mind Hero 1.

Bluedarky had to admire the Faerie Thread, it looked thin enough for Mel's daughter Laura to break on her own, in fact even Statesman couldn't break it. A fact that Bluedarky and the MAGI technician who had brought the thread had found out much to their chagrin.

“Smart move,” commented the technician sarcastically.

“Oh be quiet,” replied Bluedarky, “This is all part of my plan.”

“Getting tied to a MAGI technician by unbreakable Faerie Thread is part of your plan,” came the reply.

“I'm, adapting the plan,” replied Bluedarky, “Marioko is initiating plan B as we speak.”

“I'm willing to bet she can't remember the symbols,” replied the technician, “Or runs out of chalk. Not to mention we now have a near fully channelled demon in Paragon City's youngest known channeller.”

“This wouldn't have happened if you knew the release phrase,” replied Bluedarky.

“I know the phrase,” replied the technician, “But I'm just a technician, not a mage.”

“Why didn't you say that?” asked Bluedarky, “What's the phrase?”

Outside Temperature Sprite sketched a rune on the school car park, it corresponded with various other runes around the school to make a rudimentary magic circle. It was ineffective without the demon's name, but once Stephan spoke the name the circle would take effect. She flew up to admire her work as Amanda flew past close enough to spin the 4ft tall sprite around. She quickly dived towards the school following Amanda.

“Got you,” yelled Bluedarky diving towards Rachel, he grabbed her around the waist and tackled her to the floor. The pair rolled before Bluedarky pinned the demon possessed girl to the floor.

“You know,” said the demon, “If someone who didn't know what was going on...”

Bluedarky's punch should have snapped the girls head, the demon laughed absorbing enough of the pain to keep it's host alive but the bloodied cheek said that the damage was done anyway, Rachel would spend a few weeks in the hospital but he knew he couldn't think about that now. Too late though as the demon engulfed Rachel's hand in flames and thrust it at his chest.

He rolled aside and leapt to his feet, the demon stood slowly and turned to face him.

“You can't hurt the host,” said the demon, “I'm sure I said that already, or at least you won't, not whilst you think there's a chance that you don't have to kill her.”

Rachel stepped forwards and raised burning hands before she was lifted into the air and flung against the wall. Marioko flew forwards and encased both of Rachel's hands in solid ice as Amanda handed Bluedarky the piece of paper Numina had given her. He unfolded it and looked at the demon which struggled realising what was coming.

“Incendia quod Flamma,” he said as the demon screamed. The runes that Marioko had drawn began to glow brightly surrounding the school in light as the demon was forced from Rachel's body.

Part 6 – Interrogation

Rachel walked into Ki'rarte's cell carrying a package, she moved the table into the centre of the room and pulled one of the chairs to one side and sat down, Ki'rarte moved the other chair to the other side and awkwardly sat.

“Package:Purpose,” asked Ki'rate.

“It's a human game,” replied Rachel placing it on the table, she pulled out the chessboard and deftly set out the pieces, “I thought it might help you to relax.”

“Desire:Information?”came the second question.

“They're going to start on more violent interrogation methods if you don't give me any information in the next week,” replied Rachel, “I thought this might help you open up.”

“Query:Open Up?”

“Want to give information,” replied Rachel patiently, “Sorry, I forgot you have trouble with human sayings.”

“Game:Explain,” said Ki'rarte.

She carefully explained the purpose of the game and how the various pieces moved, Ki'rarte looked thoughtful whilst she explained.

“Piece:Comparison,” he said moving his hand to the Black King on his side, “King:Rikti Council,” he moved to the queen and said “Queen:Hro'Dtohz:Lord of War,” before moving to each piece in turn and comparing them to the various ranks in the Rikti army.

The pair sat in relative silence, the only sound the clicking of pieces and the tick of the clock. Eventually Rachel shook her head and checked her watch.

“I'm sorry,” she said standing and going to pick up the chess set, “I've spent to long her already, I have other patients to attend to.”

“Game:Leave,” said Ki'Rarte, he looked up at her, “Please.”

She nodded and walked into the corridor where Statesman and Hero 1 were watching through a one-way mirror, they both turned to her when she exited.

“Is that enough information for now?” she asked.

“He gave us the structure of the entire Rikti army,” said Statesman, “It'll do for now.”

I miss the feeling I got the first time I arrived in Atlas Park, camera twisted up towards the statue of Atlas and the theme music starting.

No matter how many characters I start it's never the exact same feeling.

Hey, welcome back, it's like all the old faces from when I signed up are returning at once.

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This is very unlike you uptight, reserved British types

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Whilst we members of the (formerly) glorious British Empire may appear to be all afternoon tea and stiff upper lip, we do occasionally feel like joining the unwashed masses for a jolly good time and all that.

And to join in the spirit of things, *Hugs Stasis*

Now cheerio and all that.

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and i was reading earlier somethin on the lines of palladin has left bla bla bla somethin to do with EU not making enough money, think it was yourself FFM,

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That's funny, last I checked Palladium chose to leave for a better job opportunity and FFM's thread was more in the vein of wondering why there'd been no official statement on the matter.

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Exactly. Thank you Bluedarky. It's nice to see there are SOME people here who can see subtle!

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I try my best.

But seriously though, we really shouldn't have to point this stuff out.

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I've decried the doom mongerers in the past, and I flatly refuse to take up their banner now

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IF it happens, and IF I lose my character names, I'll stand by what I said I'd do.

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Well, mate, in starting this thread and making these posts, you have joined the doomsayers. I realise you probably think you haven't, but you have.

With no official statement of a server or forum merge, you have decided to start a thread suggesting there will be one. The prosecution rests.

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No, the difference is quite striking,

FFM is saying that it may be on the cards but he's referring further judgement to GR.

The doomsayers say that a server merge needs to and must be on the cards regardless of what GR says.

It's subtle but it's there.

The last time I accepted a blind invite, the team leader was an idiot who set the difficulty to unyielding, then started a mission that was 2 levels above the average level of the team.

Then he had the gall to demand to know why we kept dying all the time.

He had the honor of being the second person on my ignore list in three years of gaming.

And this simple bind will solve all problems.

/bind i, tell $target, Want to team?

works fine for me.

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Still, something to read, and I'm wondering if there's more going on behind the scenes than anyone is willing to let on, and that includes GR who is obviously bound, gagged and yelling for all his worth in the NCSoft basement.

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Well he's either that, or getting strange looks from everyone else in the office as he sits there giggling at all these predictions which are so far out it's untrue.

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If i remember correctly there are 2 issue teams (or at least there was) so i15 is probably already well underway

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I15 has probably been under way for a couple of months. Yep.

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Work on I15 would have started shortly after the I12 release as it was originally supposed to be I14.

The team who were working on the MA in I13 simply have had a few more months to work on it and some of the finished work from the original I14 will have been pushed to the new I14 to flesh it out.

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Personally, i'm just immoral!

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Now that's just not true Neko, you're a very Moral person, the problem is that they're not the same as everyone else's morals.