The City Scoop! ~Front Page~ August 22, 2008
By
Lighthouse_NA,
Posted on: 2008-08-22 11:21 in Announcements
Joining the ScoopHi there folks! One of the questions I get asked a lot is "How can I join the Scoop?", or at least a variation of it. Well, to start, you have to be able to communicate. I know that personally I respond better to a well written PM than to chat-speak. A lot of posting happens behind the scenes from scheduling to coming up with fresh ideas. We generally want people to come up with an article every other week. If you feel like doing more than that, we will not stop you. For an article's length, I would like anywhere between a quarter page to a full (Scoop) page. This roughly translates to 4-6 paragraphs up to a dozen. Two positions that we need are Event Reporters and Puzzle Editors. Event Reporters should be able to go to events on various servers, and it is even better if they can go as either a hero or a villain. Puzzle Editors tend to have a problem. Since I was responsible for puzzles for so long I tend to have a somewhat high expectation for the quality of the finished puzzles, particularly the Sudokus and Crosswords. I expect puzzles to be mostly tied to the game in some way. I do not mean that as slapping a game background on a random puzzle type (like a number cross puzzle). Crosswords: I don't expect ultra-tight crosswords, but I do expect them to follow crosswords conventions. I somewhat expect the crosswords to be visually enhanced. See past issues of the Scoop that contain crosswords to see what I mean. Sudokus: I expect that Sudokus have a proper legend and with number references as well as pictures. We have received complaints in the past that I don't want to deal with again. If you don't feel interested in those spots then you need to come up with a solid series of articles you want to do. I would ask that you plan to do a series that is longer that just a few issues. Any of these articles can be done in or out of character. If you want to submit just an article or two while not being on the staff, that is also good. Write something up (between 400-800 words), and submit it. I can't promise all submissions will be put into the Scoop, but we will try our best. One word of warning: We have a two week deadline, so if you submit something, do not expect it to appear in the same week. If you have gotten to this point I would suggest that you write up a few test articles, and submit them to one of the Editors in Chief. We will then share with the rest of the staff and decide if we would like your articles on a regular basis. So there you have it. That's what we need from you to start at the Scoop. | Point / CounterpointThis is the eighteenth in a series of Point/Counterpoint articles, which will review commonly requested player suggestions, and review the pros and cons of those suggestions. This weeks subject Purchasable Respecs POINT: On occasion, players will want to change the way their character is set up, by either changing some powers, revising slotting options, or removing enhancements to allow them to slot different ones. Whatever the reason, a number of different methods to obtain respecifications, or respecs, have been offered. Players can earn up to 3 respecs by completing a trial in game. Players can also obtain one as a drop, or buy one off of the consignment house. Players also get periodic respecs as veteran rewards, and the developers will occasionally hand out free respecs when major changes to power sets are made. To these varied means of acquisition comes a new method, that of purchasing a respec in the same way players can purchase extra server slots and server transfers. By adding this extra method, any player which would like to have a respec, but who does not wish to commit the time necessary to obtain one via the other methods offered, can now do so immediately with a direct monetary transaction. This opens an additional avenue for players to obtain a potentially powerful tool in shaping their characters as they wish. COUNTERPOINT: However, adding such an option could be problematic. For the first time ever, the developers have added the ability to purchase something with real money that can alter the game abilities of characters. Unlike add-on packs like the wedding pack, which provided no game altering bonuses, a respec can be used to improve a character, either by redoing the power structure, or to remove enhancements to be sold for profit. By setting up the precedent that you can directly convert money into game performance, the developers open the door for other such additions to be requested by the player base. There is also concern that adding this option will induce the developers into offering fewer respecs via the other methods. Positron has indicated this will not be the case. You can add your thoughts in the official discussion thread. |
Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager
If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.
| ||
Fan Fiction Spotlight
Motivation. It is one of the most difficult things to provide for a character. For heroes and villains, this is even more difficult, though it seems deceptively simple. Not every hero can have a pair of dead parents to honor for the rest of their lives. Not every hero has a pair of goodly parents who raise him to know the difference between right and wrong. Not every hero has a team watching out for them to ensure they're consistently on the up-and-up. Now, take our characters. One of the first things we're reminded of on a near-daily basis is that this is first-and-foremost a game. Most of our characters are generated not by a story, but by a whim. "Ooh! We get to do Plant Control now? I gotta make one of those!" and "I want a Fire Scrapper!" dominated the opening of I12, for instance. The stories came later, if ever. Heck, there are characters who've been here since the beginning who are waiting for their stories. Here, we're presented with a conundrum. The characters became what they are without thinking. They're near-godlike in comparison to their surroundings and they have no clue how they got that way. Granted, there is some modicum of explanation as to the how, but it's from their perspective, so it can only be treated as hearsay at the moment the story is currently. However, here the characters explore what's driving them. They were just a jumble of powers contained within their flesh before. Now, they're seeking a purpose to continue on. They don't like what they were before, which was essentially tools (and eventually tools without users). Now, they're pushing to be something more. Now, for criticism... Well, there's not much to say. Samuel_Tow is a talented writer. Granted, there are some good points raised by Slick_Riptide within the thread. They rather fall flat when put up against the style of the piece, which is largely first-person, so what you're reading is what the characters want you to know. There are also a few homonym and spelling errors (most of which can be attributed to keyboard failure more than mere typos), but they're very few and far between, so they don't disrupt the flow of the story. | Hurts So GoodEveryone has their little guilty pleasures. The sound of snapping bones, the scent of a destroyed chem lab, even those deluded morons who try to huff Venom grenades. But I think the question is: When does your mindless self indulgence cross the line from "fun" to "Freakshow"? I may not be a psychologist, but I am a psychopath with a column. So here are the top five in-game taboos that range from "understandable" to "lock the bunker, it's the end of the world". #5: Mercy Flame Wars. Every new villain has to run the gauntlet that is Mercy, the training ground of the danged and Darwinian evolution in action, and it does not help when the idiots come out and play. When the chips are down chances are that lowbie verbal fights will break out, with such eloquent statements as "[censored] noob" or "IMHO, you suck!". I like picking fights like everyone else, but come on... a lowbie fight is an embarrassing thing. So make it a private affair: harrass them through /t's and then igonore them. It's the gentleman's way. #4: Petless Masterminds. Once upon a time when I was a teenager, I heard ghost stories at summer camp. It was the first time I heard the legend of the Lone Mastermind, a horrifying creature that used no pets. But I forgot it... until one fateful day. The Petless Mastermind is an affront to nature. It doesn't work, it doesn't compute and by glory it's not effective. It's like watching a squirrel try to pilot the space shuttle. On the other hand, you COULD pull it off with Poison. But still... dare you be the antithesis to effectiveness? #3: Dark Something: While I applaud the originality of names, there's one nit to pick when it comes to naming: The adjective Dark. "Now what could be so bad about the word 'Dark' Hostile, you paragon of manliness and humor?" I hear the people cry. IT'S OVERUSED. Stop using Dark to describe yourself if you have Dark powers at all! The sheer exception of the rule is if you're ironic in backstory or powers, like if you use Energy. So be kind... something something something Dark. As an aside and a contest, guess how much I get paid every time I say 'Dark'! (Answer: Nothing) #2: Costume Contests: Ah yes, the pop-up ads that aren't even worth clicking. With a fashion show every five minutes (quicker depending on your server!), nothing says mindless vanity like these "fairly judged" contests. And even if you do win, prepare to get a measly amount and your costume ripped off. And runner up for spot of number two? Blind teaming! Because nothing makes a good team like a bunch of random people who can't function together without wanting to kill each other. And #1: Huge Widows: I bet this never crossed your mind. But the Huge Widow, I like to call him Operative Froo-Froo, is an ugly beast. Take a Huge Widow. Max out ALL of the sliders. Make his colors white and some creepy pastel color. And then unleash him into the world. RUN. RUN IN TERROR FROM THE BEAST. I have let loose a horrible creature onto the world and good gravy do I apologize. But you should rightfully fear him for one look at his visage sends the masses packing. And so ends yet another pseudo-list of mine. What do you think constitutes as an in-game taboo? Send me your ideas, and I promise not to hurt you when I rip you off. Until next time, send me hate mail!
| |
Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager
If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.
| |
The Return of the RiktiMy dear fans, I have what may be my Pulitzer Prize winning article. I kid you not. I was able to interview one of the most notorious arch-villains from the Rogue Isles, Dr. Lazarus Crom. Remember the piece I did with Foxy Ferret a few weeks back? Well, I decided to get the villain opinion of the Riktis return, and who better to ask than Dr. Crom? He was, of course, reluctant to talk to me, but Im a persistent man. At least, I THINK I was. Truth be told, I dont remember a darn thing about this interview. The only proof I have that it happened is my trusty tape recorder in my jacket pocket. A good investigative journalist always keeps one handy, right? I figure I woke up in my apartment in Kings Row at least THREE DAYS after this was taped, according to the good stubble I had growing. See, thats why I think I deserve a freakin Pulitzer - I sacrificed my own MEMORY to get this dirt. So get ready... Scoop Man: Dr. Crom! Excuse me Dr. Crom! Dr. Crom: Yes? SM: Scoop Man, I write for the local paper. Perhaps youve heard of me? Dr. C: Im sorry but I dont read local papers. SM: Oh, well never mind. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions regarding the Rikti. Dr. C: The Rikti? What about them causes you to seek me out? SM: Well you are a prominent figure in the Isles. One of the most, you might say. I assumed that you would have the most insight into the issue. Dr. C: I keep my attentions upon the true threats to the Earth. The Rikti are a nuisance, to be sure, but a viable threat to the planets survival? Hardly. SM: Really? Its been said that the Rikti are one of the more prominent threats in the millennium despite being so early in it. Perhaps the biggest threat, some say. Dr. C: And who would the some that say this, be? The so-called Freedom Phalanx? SM: More like the public at large as well as many world leaders. Dr. C: Id posit that the former elected the latter, and both are equally obtuse. SM: Ah, I see. Many would say that type of thinking helps the Rikti win battles in some areas. The thinking that those who are attacked are not worth saving. Dr. C: At least one would say that that line of thinking is the product of inferior minds. Ive studied the technology of the Rikti, Ive uncovered the secrets of their attempts to breach the dimensional barriers and I assure you that I have a solution on hand to implement immediately, if need be. SM: Really? Youre not prepared to share that with humanity? Spread the feeling of security so things can go back to some form of normality? Dr. C: Oh, Im quite prepared to share a great deal with Humanitylimitless energy, cures for hundreds of diseases, answers to even the most confounding scientific challengesbut I, regretfully, have little faith that Humanity is mature enough to use them properly. SM: Some would say thats not up for you to decide Doctor. Dr. C: The cows would say that its not up to us to determine which one of them get eaten. One could counter that if they wanted freedom, the cows would either develop opposable thumbs or thicker skulls. In any case, what I choose to do or not do with my discoveries is my decision alone. You are free to attempt to replicate them, but I doubt you ever will. SM: Ah, the famous Dr. Crom Superiority I keep hearing about. As a veteran do you feel that you are in fact, superior to others because of your experience? Dr. C: No. I feel superior because I am superior. Experience has only tempered that belief. SM: And what makes you feel so superior to others? Dr. C: Have you ever been in a room with a group of toddlers, sir? |
SM: I babysat my sisters kids one time. Dr. C: And how would you explain to them the ways in which your thinking was superior? SM: Well... I would tell them that I just... am? Dr. C: It would seem that youve answered your own question, sir. SM: Touché Doctor. Moving back to the Rikti, do you feel that fighting the nuisance is an added burden to fighting the so-called heroes? Dr. C: I will fight any that I perceive to be a threat, or any that are foolish enough to attack me first. Where I and your so-called heroes differ is that I wont go out of my way to save people from those threats. Saving people is, quite frankly, a waste of my time. Im far more interested in saving Civilization. SM: I see. So what to you IS Civilization? Dr. C: It is Humanity reaching its fullest potential, nothing more, and certainly nothing less. What we allow to pass for civilization now is a sad joke too pathetic to see its own irony. SM: So why not stop the Rikti from destroying Humanity, which could inevitably lead to it not reaching its full potential? Dr. C: The Rikti cant destroy humanity. They simply dont have the resources or the energy to effectively mount a full scale planetary invasion. They may wage their battles all they like, but they'll never truly wage a War. And, unfortunately, humans will die. Humanity, however, will survive. Besides, as I said before, I possess the means to stop them. I only require one thing to enact it. SM: Youre, in a sense, waiting to step in? Playing the hero, as it were? Dr. C: Im playing at nothing, sir. Im simply waiting for Humanity to make the logical decision. Im quite prepared either way, I assure you. SM: And what IS the logical decision Doctor? Dr. C: Why, complete and total obedience to me, of course. SM: Kind of harsh dont you think? Dr. C: Humanity is a slow clumsy child bumping around in the house, upsetting a vase here or a painting there. However, since July 16, 1945, Humanity has become a slow, clumsy child with a loaded handgun. The child might view the removal of the handgun by an elder as harsh, but I hardly doubt anyone else would. SM: Referring to the Italian navigator landing in the New World and the natives being friendly are we? And that is true what you said to some degree. Dr. C: You're speaking to the message that heralded the beginning of the first controlled nuclear chain reaction. I'm speaking of the distressingly short amount of time it took to take one of Humanity's greatest discoveries and turn it into a weapon. In any case, if were to pursue New World allegories, Id present that Im much like Cortes. Ive burned my boats, I have no way back. I have nothing left but to go forward. SM: I see, Doctor. Thank you for your valuable time. Dr. C: See that it was worth it, young man. Ok, so maybe making that atomic bomb reference was a little over a few peoples heads but I was trying to appear smart to the guy, ok? But more to the point, we can see the contrasts here to that of the heroes in Paragon. Foxy Ferret was willing to aid the younger heroes so that they could mature and become more skillful and successful and carry on the torch. Dr. Crom, however, shows the villain mentality of every man for himself, so to speak. I guess when youre all trying to conquer the world at the same time, helping your enemy ISNT such a good idea. As for Crom, what is this method of stopping the Rikti hes hiding? How did he make it? We all know what he WANTS us to do to prove we are worthy, and I for one will not bow to any man. See, Pulitzer material, Im tellin ya. Join me next time when I investigate the peoples feelings on some of the LEAST desirable places to live in the Rogue Isles and Paragon City, and why heroes and villains hate it there. |
Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager
If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.
| |
The View on BlueCareer Day Part 3 In the last Career Day column, we looked at crafting. Common IO crafting is an honest, hard-working, blue collar way to earn influence, which means you'll never get filthy rich doing it. Crafting set IOs can be more lucrative, but it's still work. In order to craft something, you need to spend time gathering materials, and then spend influence converting those ingredients into a finished product. After all that work, you deserve to be paid more than the sum of the parts. Most players agree that crafting is an honest way to earn influence. The idea of flipping, on the other hand, elicits howls of protest from many players. The first thing I would like to do is to offer up my own definition of flipping: Flipping is the practice of watching the pre-existing, natural fluctuations in price over time, then buying something just above the bottom of the price swing and reselling it just below the top of the price swing. Other people have other definitions, but since many of those definitions involve killing children and kicking puppies, and since there are neither children nor puppies in Paragon City, we'll stick with my definition for now. This article is about how to flip, not about the arguments surrounding it. If you want to know more about why people are pro- or anti-flipping, or to express your own opinions about it, pop into the Market section of the forums. It's a frequent topic of debate. For our purposes today, there are only two facts that matter. First, flipping can be profitable if done correctly. Second, flipping does not violate the game's terms of service. Unlike vendoring or crafting, flipping is done when you are offline. This makes it an excellent career for a casual player. You don't need to run back and forth between different stores, or run back and forth between the crafting table and the market. You just place your bids and walk away. Whenever you get around to it, you collect the items you bought and relist them. Once you get the hang of it, you can do your flipping in just a few minutes per day. The main challenge is that you need to be fairly knowledgeable about the market. Flipping is capitalism at its simplest and most elegant: 1. Buy low. 2. Sell high. 3. Repeat. Before you can settle into your lucrative little rut, you need to do some research: 1. Choose a time period 2. Choose an item 3. Explore the low end of the price swing 4. Explore the high end of the price swing The first thing you need to decide is how patient you are. Flipping depends on the fact that prices go up and down over time. The more time you can wait, the more variation you'll see in prices. The price may not move very much during the few hours you are online, but for many items the price changes drastically over 24 hours. Given a week, prices can bounce even further up and down. The next thing you need to decide is what item you would like to flip. Although anything that moves on the market can be flipped, most people flip salvage. It trades in high volume, and you can buy it in stacks of ten. Look for salvage in which there is a big variation in prices over time. That spread is your profit margin. To find the low end of the price range, put in a bunch of bids at lower and lower prices. Wait for your desired time period and see how many of those bids fill. To find the high end of the price range, take the items you just bought and relist them for higher and higher prices. Wait for your desired time period to pass and see how many sold. Once you have a feel for the range of prices at which this item trades, do a bit of math. After subtracting the sales fee, is it worthwhile to flip this item? If so, get cracking! Buy low, sell high, repeat. I suggest you always have one bid in for less than your minimum price. If that bid fills, not only will you get some cheap salvage, but you'll also get a warning that prices may be dropping. If the bottom price drops, the top price tends to follow. Over time, the spread between the high and low price will probably close. You'll need to raise your price if you want to keep buying, and lower your price if you want to keep selling. Profits dry up. When that happens, bail. Stop buying and try to sell off your stock. Find another item where the price is bouncing up and down like a toddler who got into his mom's mochaccino. After I've been flipping for a while, I usually find myself gradually accumulating stacks of overpriced, unsold salvage, like barnacles on the hull of a ship. Scrape them off! If something doesn't sell for over a week, then it probably won't sell until the next special event. It's a judgment call, but you need those slots to earn more influence. Don't let them stay clogged up with items that won't move. To help you get started, I'll provide a concrete example. Keep in mind that prices change over time, and that the publication of this column may affect the prices of any item listed in the column. Competition is anathema to flipping, so Alchemical Silvers might be a very bad thing to flip for the next couple of weeks. Once you get the hang of flipping inexpensive items, you might want to consider flipping pricier items. That's a fine idea, but don't forget to account for the fees. 10% of 3,000,000 inf is a big chunk of change. Something can bounce up and down by a few hundred thousand influence and still not leave enough margin for a profit. What follows is a Diary of a Flipper: 1. Choose a time period I will work on a 24 hour flip. I will check in every evening. Flipping takes less time than running even a single mission, so I know I can fit it in even on days when I don't have time to really play. I could go with one week as my time period, but I have a deadline for this article! 2. Choose an item I'll start at the top. The very first invention salvage in the list is Alchemical Gold. The last five prices I see right now vary between 300 and 1,000 inf. That's a pretty big spread. Would this be a good choice? No. This is where knowledge of the market comes into play. Alchemical Gold is uncommon. Uncommon salvage just isn't valuable. The 1,000 inf sale is only vendor price, and the other trades are lower than that. The number of items for sale is almost triple the number of bids. My experience suggests that most of those bids are from people hoping to vendor Alchemical Gold, not use it. It should be easy to buy Alchemical Gold cheap, but I think I would find it very difficult to resell it for a profit. What about Alchemical Silver? That's next on the list. Here I see last five prices from 10,000 - 20,000. I have enough crafting experience to know that Alchemical Silver is an ingredient in common level 30-40 Accuracy IOs. These are certainly not vendor bait. If we can buy a stack of ten for 10k and resell it for 20k, we would make 100,000 influence on each stack of ten salvage. This seems promising. |
I put in a bid for a stack of ten Alchemical Silvers at a price of 10,007 each. That way I'll outbid anyone who offers an even 10k. I also put in bids at 9,007 and 11,007. Just because there are no trades in the last five for less than 10k doesn't mean it won't happen during the next 24 hours. In fact, I'm putting in bids at 8,007 and 7,007 as well. Why not? I can always cancel the bids tomorrow and get my influence back. I'll put in a bid at 12,007 too, because I want to be sure I buy something for the next step. Explore the low end of the price swing Now I wait. Flipping requires patience; that's what makes it such a fine strategy for casual players. If I lived in the game, I'd go crazy sitting here staring at my unfilled bids. Instead, I can log off and go read a book. If I have some free time, I'll try to check in a few times during the next 24 hours, but it's not vital. (I didn't have to wait long to get some! I had bought five for 12,007 each before I even had time to log off!) A few hours later, the bids at 12,007 and 11,007 and 10,007 are all full. The bids at 9,007 and below have not filled. The last five prices still range from 10-20k. I leave the low bids out to see how they do overnight, while I relist the items I've bought. I own 30 Alchemical Silvers. I list ten at 12,230. At that price, I will make exactly 1,000 inf per item, if I bought them at 10,007. I list another ten at just under 15,000 inf, and the last ten go up for just under 20,000 inf. I log off and let those sit overnight. Day Two The next morning I check again. It is the weekend, otherwise I couldn't log in so often. Note: prices over the weekend are not always the same as prices during the week. If I only logged in once a day, the process would be the same, it would just take a bit longer. All the items listed for sale have sold, but no new bids have filled. The last five prices are 12-15k. I check again in the evening. It has been 24 hours since I put in those first bids. Nothing has changed. We seem to have a minimum successful bid of 10,007 and a maximum successful sell of 19,007. Now I'll look at volume. I'll keep my stack of bids for 9,007 outstanding, as an alert in case of falling prices. This time I'll put in five stacks of bids at 10,007. Here's a tip: instead of listing them all for exactly the same amount, lower the bid amount by 1 influence with each new stack. That way you won't get a bunch of half filled stacks, since the highest bid will always fill first. Day Three Twenty-four hours later... all bids are filled, except that low bid of 9,007. The last five prices are all just over 30,000. Hmmm, could I sell mine for that much? Let's see. I relist one stack for 19,007... and they sell instantly for about 27,000 each. Interesting. I put the next stack up for 25,007. One of them sells for 30,000. This is a judgment call. If I list them too high during a momentary spike, they might not sell for a long time. While I'm pondering my options, the rest of that stack sells for around 27,000. That settles it. I list another stack at 29,007 and one at 30,007. The last stack I put up for 20,007. Those don't sell right away, and now the last five sales are down to 15,000. Did I just overprice most of my inventory? I'll find out tomorrow. You get to find out in the next paragraph, you lucky dog! Day Four The Wentworth's representative has a lovely surprise for me. Every single buy order is full, even the one for 9,007. At the same time, every single sell order has sold, even the one for over 30k (the whole stack sold for 390,000 for ten of them). Sweet! I put in a new set of bids, ranging from 8,007 to 10,007. I list the items I have bought for anywhere between 20,007 and 40,007. Day Five Every bid has filled except the 8,007 one. Perfect! Every item listed has sold. Almost perfect! I'd actually prefer to see a few unsold items. Not many, just one stack. That way I would know that I was butting up against the top of the price swing. I'll have to list one stack even higher next time. The highest a stack of ten sold for last time was 724,999. That's a strange price for someone to bid. Anyhow, this time I'll list items for... wait, what is this? My stack of bids at 8,007 filled as well? The last 5 prices now show 7500 - 8,000. Odd. Is the price crashing? Were yesterday's high prices just a fluke? Well, there are 2,075 bids but only 588 for sale. It's not much to go on, but demand seems strong. Well, what the heck. I list my items for 25,007 up to 50,007. I put in bids from 7,007 up to 10,007. Day Six Everything sold except the 50,007 stack. Perfect! All the bids filled. Even the one at 7007. It seems like prices are on the wane. Good to know. I'll keep that stack out at 50,007 for a while longer and list the new ones from 30,007 to 45,007. I put in bids from 5,007 to 10,007. Day Seven Definite price slip. Sold everything priced below 40k, but not the top few stacks. Ironically, one stack sold for over 450k, even though it was listed for less than 40k. Buy orders from 8k up were filled. The price gap is narrowing. That's not good, but there is still lots of room for a profit. I list my new stock for 25-35k. At this point, I have some stacks that probably won't sell. Maybe I should take them down and relist at a lower price. I probably would if they didn't sell through the weekend, except this just happens to be the week when the Rikti invade. Arcane prices might nudge upwards. I put in buys from 8k-9k. Left the 7k bid up, but I don't expect it to fill. Day Eight Everything sold except the 50,007 stack. Ha! Only one stack of buys filled, so I canceled some of the lower bids and put in new bids mostly at 10k and one at 11k. The one stack I bought I relisted for 35k. Day Nine Overnight I sold the 35k ones, and the old 50,007 stack as well! I guess there was a buying frenzy late last night, while I was sleeping. I love making money while I sleep. If I hadn't been mid-flip, I would never have known that prices jumped that high. The last five transactions don't show anything like that. They are all 10-15k. Also while I lay sleeping, all of my bids from 9k up were filled. I list things for 30-45k and put in my new bids at 9-10k. The market shows 2,700 bids, 383 items for sale. Oh, and I timed myself. From the time I clicked on the WW rep to the time I was ready to leave the market took 90 seconds. Day Ten Enough is enough. Everything sold. I canceled that 7,007 bid. All of my other bids filled, so I took those items and listed them for 35k-45k. Once those sell, I'm done. It gets boring. I did make about 17 million inf so far, though. More importantly, I have quite enough data for an article. |
Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager
If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager
If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager
If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.
Vol. 2, Issue 11
August 22nd, 2008
The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers!
We'd like to wish City Scoop editor in chief Snow Globe a very Happy Birthday!
Read the latest publication and then join in on the community discussion!
- [*] If you have concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please direct your comments via PM to Lighthouse or Ex Libris.
[*] If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PM Snow_Globe.
[*] If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
[*] Finally if you have a Classified Ad or Recipe you would like included please contact: LadyK or MistressNoire[/list]
Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager
If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.
The City Scoop
Sidekicking for Dummies
By
Kyo_chan
Like Father, Like Son by
Juggertha
Everyone knows about the sidekick/mentor system, right? A low-level player
becomes the sidekick of a higher-level player, which allows the lower lever
player (the sidekick) to fight at a combat level one level below the level of
the higher level player (the mentor). A level 20 player can sidekick to a level
50 to fight at the strength of a level 49. A lot of the time, this system is
used to power-level the sidekick. I'm here to convince you that you can benefit
from this system in many more ways than just fast leveling!
Now, you might ask what qualifies me to be telling you these things. How do I
know? Well, I've been a sidekick for six months now. That's right. Six months!
My mentor, Steampunk Charlie, has taught me many things I would not have
otherwise discovered on my own. For example, he was with me when I risked my
first Task Force run ever, he beat the basics of Arena PvP into my brain, and
he showed me how to slot IOs effectively. He introduced me to some of the
players who are now close friends both in-game and out. He has also provided me
with a constant companion in-game and been one of my most supportive friends.
Remember, not all sidekick/mentor relationships are like ours, but I believe
they can be!
What does a sidekick get out of being a sidekick? Well, let's strike the
obvious: experience points. Yes, you get them, yes, you level faster, yes, yes,
yes. That's not all you get, though. When you become a sidekick, you get to
pick mentor's brain for answers to questions about the game. You get help on
mission arcs that are too difficult to solo. You could end up with a new
supergroup and a bunch of new friends, if you so choose. There are really no
limits - having a mentor is like having a friend who is constantly watching
your back. The thing to remember is that you have to watch their back too! As a
sidekick, it's your job to help your mentor and keep him or her safe. It's also
part of your job to be a good friend - if you're going to attempt a really good
sidekick/mentor pairing, it's best if you get along with your mentor really,
really well.
Thunder Oni & Raver Saver by Liz
The same goes for the mentor - your first job is to be a good friend to your
sidekick. Answer their questions with patience and give them guidance through
the game. Teach them what you know about the in-game world, and show them new
areas of the game and new sides to it that they probably never woud have found
on their own! Above all, you must have patience. As a sidekick, I get lost
probably six times on average in any mission, but instead of complaining,
Charlie has written a keybind that will teleport me back to his side instantly.
The downside of this is that a lot of people will never use the system in a way
that provides the most benefit. Some people will pair up for one mission, then
drop the pairing and never see that mentor/sidekick again. When you can use and
abuse the system like that, why bother doing it for an extended period of time
with the same person?
Here's a little tip you might not have known about - the longer you keep the
same person as a sidekick/mentor, the greater the benefits are. You will earn
more experience (to a certain extent) by staying the same person's sidekick for
a longer period of time. I know I said experience isn't important, but to many
people, it is, so there you have it. Besides, think of all the lonely heroes
out there! If you, like me, are just not cut out to fly solo, grab a friend and
ask them to be your sidekick/mentor! You'll never be alone again - until you
hit 50. When that happens, I suggest you do what I plan to do when I can no
longer sidekick - become a mentor!
Vol. 2, Issue 11
August 22nd, 2008
This Issue:
Point / Counterpoint
Joining the Scoop
Community
Fan Fiction Spotlight
Hurts So Good
The People On
Market Watch
Classifieds
Comic
Upcoming Events:
August 23rd
Champion
Okay,
after a not-too-fun LRSF...
Infinity
Positron
TF Sunday
Liberty
End
of Summer Blowout party and CC
Victory
Dr.
Q TF [Portal Smasher]
August 24th
Liberty
A
UPP hosted Scavenger Hunt/CC Event
Victory
Villain
Hami Raid
Punday
Night
August 28th
Infinity
Silver
Mantis SF
August 29th
Infinity
PERC
presents Flashback Fridays
Zone
Rumble!
September 2nd
Pinnacle
HTTT
- Earth/Fire Superteam
Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager
If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.