je_saist

Yes and No.

A better way to put it is that Accolade badges represent In-Game Rewards

Earning a specific set of other badges grants the accolade. The accolade lets other players see what you have accomplished in the game, and see the reward that you have obtained for completing those objectives.

At it's core, obtaining badges is just a way of showing off what you have done in the game. If you want to look at it in the context of Xbox Live or Playstation Online... think Trophies or Achievements... only it was around really before

(edit: I said that.. but now I'm not so sure. CoH was in development around 2002-2003, launch in 2004... I thought Xbox Live Achievements really only came around late in the life of the Xbox... but I have a sinking feeling they may have been there at launch... in 2001)

As to whether or not that's all there is to it? Well, that really depends on the player.

Many veteran players have dedicated Badge Avatars that they use to grab any and every-badge that comes along... but don't bother with any but the Accolade required badges on their play avatars.

Other players try to get all badges on all their avatars... which can become downright frustrating, if not almost physically impossible, when you have a wide range of avatars across a wide range of servers.

Other players don't chase after badges at all. They just take the badges as they come.

Like many other aspects of CoH, badges are there as something for you to do in the game. If you don't want to chase badges, that's perfectly fine.

As far as I'm aware they have a chance to drop anytime you kill a live opposing player.

They seem to be dropping in both Open-PVP zones; bloody bay, Siren's call, warburg, R.V.; and in Arena zones.

However, the drop rate is extra-ordinarily low... so it might seem like they don't drop in one zone or another.

I'm not... actually sure how this works. I think the system is set up like the TF merit drop. If you are within the time limit, the reward doesn't apply. If you are out of the time limit, the reward applies.

If this IS how the system works, then I don't think there's a timer to reset.

If I'm wrong, somebody will no doubt be along shortly with the correct information.

good luck.

*does some quick math*

... that's a lot to lose in the signing fee...

okay, halt here. this is actually where I wanted you to be.

Now you're in 640*480 and you should be able to start scaling resolution up.

Just follow the procedure earlier to log out, then exit the game, then start the game back up.

I'd actually suggest switching to WINDOWED mode first and making sure the game works in the resolution before switching to fullscreen.

***

Well... a new processor isn't exactly feasible... or at least I don't think it's feasible

If you've got a Pentium4 @ 3ghz I'm going to bet you are either on Socket 478 or Socket 775. While you would have upgrade options with Socket 775, since it's the platform the Core-2 launched on, that depends entirely upon your motherboard and chipset... and Intel motherboards are lousy when it comes to future support.

Speaking for myself, I've got one of Intel's own boards, the D975X-Bx. Despite being a Socket 775 motherboard... it's processor support is abysmal : http://processormatch.intel.com/COMP...rdname=d975xbx

So even if you did have a Socket 775 motherboard, the chances of being able to upgrade the processor are... quite slim.

***

Second, as I mentioned earlier, I had trouble with a P4 processor with a 500mhz clockspeed advantage (3.5ghz) over yours, averaging 30fps at 1680*1050... even when using a much more powerful graphics card, up to a RadeonHD 3870.

From a raw performance standpoint I'd have a hard-time imagining it being able to handle yet another resolution leap, even with a RadeonHD 5870 under the hood.

***

It's my opinion that you don't really have a good upgrade path with the components you have to game at 1920*1080.

Thus it's also my opinion you'd be better off looking to build you're own new system, or having one built for you.

You can pretty much also do it for cheap. A decent Quad-Core Phenom with a RadeonHD 4850 can push 1920*1050... and the 5750 just launched and that's even more powerful.

(for reference, the system I'm on now is a Phenom Quad-Core @ ~2.5ghz with Crossfired 4850's, and I'm happy with what it can push)

I'm not so sure a lot of it could be called lazy.

I got part of the point of some of the running missions, like visiting the security chiefs, and Sam Wilcott, and Justin over in Faultline. This was the developers way of forcing players to actually go to new zones or new area's, or forcing the players to at least have to view some kind of information about the zone or the threats in the zone.

In many cases, this was brilliant game design.

However, in many ways, the original design was also mis-leading. Old Hollows turned a lot of players off the game because they often thought that they absolutely had to do the Hollows arcs. I've met many a player that expressed confusion when they asked how I got through Hollows, I respond to the effect, I didn't, I went back to the original content.

So yes, there is a lot of writing work that could have been done to clarify the purposes of a run mission.

Now though, with the ease of leveling, perhaps it would be better if some of those runs simply resulted in getting handed a souvenir or clue file with the background information. I can see the Clockworks and trolls running around Skyway. I don't need to go hunt down and arrest 10 of each to know that they are a problem.

ai. Would have worked wonders on one particular server where everybody and their pets stood with aura's full on at the WW in Talos.

is it really that hard to think about slotting up your powers?

okay, Sailboat: Just to verify:

you are able to load up to the windows screen in the native 1920 x 1080?

(give me a few moments of edit here. having to switch OS's and turn another computer on)

***

Okay, presuming you are able to get Windows to get to the desktop, start up City of Heroes... but STOP on this screen



See that little check box next to I AGREE that says SAFE MODE

Check that little safe-mode box in. This should cause CoH to load up with the lowest settings possible.

Before you do that though....

***

I want you to download the latest driver for your Graphics card. That's going to be the 9.3.1 release, located here: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...?&lang=English

download, then run this file : https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206...-64_dd_ccc.exe

That will get us up-to-date on Catalyst Control Center.

***

Now, if what I think is happening, in Catalyst Control Center, there is an option for GPU panel scaling:



You want the panel scaling TURNED OFF!

You'll also want to go to Display Options and make sure that PANNING is allowed



***

Once your sure you're on the 9.3.1 driver and that scaling is turned off and panning is allowed, try to launch safe-mode and tell us what happens.

Then don't go to AE.

Try actually looking for a Team.

okay. when you change resolution in the game. You need to log out first. then exit the game from the login screen.

THEN reload the game.

Open up your Powers Window



Click on Combat Attributes



Right Click on the Attribute you wish to monitor



Left Click on Monitor Attribute

bonk!

no.