je_saist

maybe he only went to the AE building in AP or Cap?

... what about those of us who paid to move characters OFF OF FREEDOM to other servers.. such as Triumph. Not like we'd want to go back.

*mumbles something about being too nice to negrep people for suggesting freedom as a server to play on*

You mean like AresSupreme?

I think it's a large number of the jerk players suddenly finding out that people are ignoring them because they ARE jerks.

I've noticed over the past several months that many players don't realize that everybody sees changes to the globalname. I'm aware of several task-force griefers and whiners that have changed the global, then tried to approach me, or other players, as a completely new person to the game.... only to be shocked when we point out we know who they are.

you aren't the only one, but this was a design choice made by the devs in order to make sure that Brutes did not play like scrappers or tanks.

All 3, as early as possible.

Unless you've got bundles to spend on IO buffs early in your levels, DP won't come back up enough to replace stamina. However, DP does more than simply buff you. It also debuffs you're enemies, taking away some of their regeneration... which is really helpful.

I can already see one (potential) problem.

Unless you are using a 64-bit Operating System, you cannot use more than 3-gigs of Memory. The only versions of Windows Xp with the ability to address more than 3gigs of ram were Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system...AE/PAEmem.mspx

It might sound weird, but try dropping back to 2gigs dual-channel and seeing whether or not the problem continues. Unless you've got a Core I7 with triple-channel, that will actually be the fastest memory configuration a Windows XP system can use.

I saw that through HardOCP. That was a bit of brilliant work.

heh. I like it. sounds like my own
wish I had room in my sign to add that quote... guess I could if I did it as text in a picture...

Ai. Jack fought against adding many of the features that were eventually added in.

The subject comes up pretty much everytime I run a respec trial Hero-side. Somebody always comments that it just doesn't... seem the same. The Freakshow, Rikti, and Raiders just don't seem to bum-rush like they used to...

Which they don't.

The basic problem is that when Respecs were added, the players who desperately needed the respecs were those who had made slotting decisions like 6 slots on swift or combat jumping; players whose builds were broken for the rest of the game's content.

At some point the hero respecs were adjusted... spawn rates were dropped, it moved to the timed wave system, and enemy average levels were re-adjusted. You might note you get several con-blue's on most casual respec runs in the Reactor. The trial was now possible to complete for even the worst slotted, or no slotted, avatars.

***

Also, I found that link I mentioned, about how CoH was influenced more in design to be like existing fantasy MMO's : http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showp...9&postcount=22

There's several big reasons why many of these test server ideas won't work. Here's two.

The Test Server is the future Copy of the Live Server

Most Test Server Players Do Not Understand the Concept Of Beta

I don't think very many players understand just how complex City of Heroes is. A good case in point is the recent events with level 40 Paragon Protectors in Manticore's Task Force, and the Repairmen in Statesman's Task Force. These in-game bugs made completing the task forces very difficult, if not outright impossible for some teams. The bugs that caused these problems could have been fixed before they went to the Live server if Test-Server players had just been willing to run the various task forces.

Yet, because these particular bugs had already been addressed in a live patch, when I16 hit, players on the test server didn't want to go run the older content again. Of course, the level 40 Paragon Protector bug... was back.

Even more players commencing incidental testing is no good... if those players do not know what they are looking for.

Many of the bugs and regressions in I16 were caused by the developers changing background code that wasn't supposed to have a direct affect on what the players saw.

The empirical case in point was Statesman's Task Force. Theoretically, setting the difficulty to minus 1 would have simply set Lord Recluse and his minions on the final map at level 53... not 49.

This is where making test server only additions is a bad idea. Every time the developers go to copy from the test server to live... they'll have to take time to REMOVE OR DISABLE any test server specific content.

So if the developers were to set up a specific contact in Peregine Island who only sold cheap IO's and could bump you up by 5 level increments... every time the developers copied from test to live, somebody would have to go in and delete that data.

That means having to rework attachments to the leveling system. Rework attachments to the pricing system for store bought enhancements... everything.

***

Basically, you can't set anything permanently different on test that is not going to go to Live without creating a whole new set of potential bugs and errors everytime that data is deleted in the Live Copy.

***

Now then. I do think your idea actually has some merits, but I'm going to take a page from Guild Wars.

What if... what if you could do what players do in Guild Wars? What if, when you make a character, you get an Architect Entertainment auto 50 that you can slot from a limited set of basic enhancements on?

Or, better yet... what if AE control was extended to where players could decide on what slotting their NPC creations could use? And what if players were given the opportunity to "test" these new forms in an AE created mish?

Theoretically the code is already in the game to change an avatar's powers with forms... e.g. Kheldians.

This might be a workable solution for players to have an idea what an avatar will play like in a limited, de-powered setting, and also offer effective competition against somebody else's training room features.

Let me ask you a question. What is the point of a stalker?

Let me answer that question. The job of a stalker is to do hit and run damage. A stalker hides in the shadows, then pounces a single target, then fades away from view. Proper stalkers hit their prey as hard as they can, then book it to a safe hiding spot.

If you play a stalker right, you should have an experience of an expert assassin. Darting in and removing the lethal and annoying foes. Able to go anywhere and everywhere, past the massive defenses any enemy is able to provide.

***

Now, let me ask you another question. What is not a stalkers job?

Let me answer that question as well. A stalkers job is not provide consistent in-mob dps. A stalkers job is not to take aggro for a team, take an alpha strike, or remain in melee combat.

If you are playing a stalker as you would a scrapper, brute, or tank...

YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG

This is one of the reasons why I, personally, loathe tools like MIDS. MIDS does not tell you how a class is supposed to be played, nor what the purpose of a class is.

Actually PLAYING THE GAME will tell you what a class feels like to play.

Of course the numbers on Stalker damage are going to come up shorter than scrapper or brute damage.

But, if you've actually played the game, you'd know that stalkers now get critical chances outside of hide while in a team. The larger the team, the more likely the stalker is to critical if the stalker winds up in a position where it has to do consistent or extended melee combat.

So the line you wrote here:

Is absolutely tripe. You do not understand the point of Hide and Assassin's Strike and the critical capabilities. The developers. DO!

... do you know who made your motherboard?

Biostar? Asus? MSI?

The Paragon Protectors are not supposed to be shown in a positive light.

Also, I think the design intent is that the player never approaches Crey thinking they are the good guys.