Arctic_Princess

Hello

I've been through the firewall settings, checked that the EU client hasn't suddenly decided to start from a totally different location, and even searched the boards with a fine toothed comb (Lighthouse's thread on Connection et al appears to have broken links in it and when i try to navigate the support section of the NCSoft website, I get a lot about lag during gameplay, but nothing about that old chestnut: The Connecting.... #6 (and upwards) problem.

I shall post the system info:

OS Name Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium
Version 6.0.6002 Service Pack 2 Build 6002
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name DAVIDROBINSO-PC
System Manufacturer PACKARD BELL BV
System Model IMEDIA J2412
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E4500 @ 2.20GHz, 2200 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD PBSANFMB.0900, 30/07/2007
SMBIOS Version 2.5
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United Kingdom
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.0.6002.18005"

Time Zone GMT Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 2.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 2.00 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.15 GB
Total Virtual Memory 4.23 GB
Available Virtual Memory 3.33 GB
Page File Space 2.29 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

Memory Address 0xF0000000-0xFEBFFFFF PCI bus
Memory Address 0xF0000000-0xFEBFFFFF Motherboard resources

I/O Port 0x00000000-0x00000CF7 PCI bus
I/O Port 0x00000000-0x00000CF7 Direct memory access controller
I/O Port 0x00000000-0x00000CF7 PCI bus

IRQ 20 VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 20 VIA OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller

I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF VIA PCI to PCI Bridge Controller
I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS

IRQ 21 VIA Serial ATA Controller - 5337
IRQ 21 VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 21 VIA USB Enhanced Host Controller
IRQ 21 Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC

Memory Address 0xDA000000-0xDDFFFFFF VIA PCI to PCI Bridge Controller
Memory Address 0xDA000000-0xDDFFFFFF NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS

I/O Port 0x00009000-0x0000FFFF PCI bus
I/O Port 0x00009000-0x0000FFFF VIA Standard PCI to PCI Bridge

Memory Address 0xFE800000-0xFE8003FF High precision event timer
Memory Address 0xFE800000-0xFE8003FF System board

Memory Address 0xC0000000-0xDFFFFFFF PCI bus
Memory Address 0xC0000000-0xDFFFFFFF VIA PCI to PCI Bridge Controller
Memory Address 0xC0000000-0xDFFFFFFF NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS

Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF PCI bus
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF VIA PCI to PCI Bridge Controller
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF PCI bus

I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB VIA PCI to PCI Bridge Controller
I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS

Name NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0422&SUBSYS_8050174B&REV_A1\4&2BF 1E09C&0&0010
Adapter Type GeForce 8400 GS, NVIDIA compatible
Adapter Description NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS
Adapter RAM 256.00 MB (268,435,456 bytes)
Installed Drivers nvd3dum.dll,nvwgf2um.dll,nvwgf2um.dll
Driver Version 8.17.11.9745
INF File oem15.inf (Section010 section)
Color Planes Not Available
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1440 x 900 x 59 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
Memory Address 0xDC000000-0xDCFFFFFF
Memory Address 0xC0000000-0xDFFFFFFF
Memory Address 0xDA000000-0xDDFFFFFF
I/O Port 0x0000AC00-0x0000AC7F
IRQ Channel IRQ 24
I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB
I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\nvlddmkm.sys (8.17.11.9745, 11.04 MB (11,573,800 bytes), 03/04/2010 22:55)

I'm not brilliant at finding actual broadband connection data so any help there would be appreciated. Like I said, Lighthouse's links (including the Network tool) appear to be broken and finding them within the NCSoft site is proving nigh on impossible.

And yes, I've even tried restarting the PC and seeing if that works

"Tut tut!"

Doctor Wilhelmina Edna Coyote stared at the poster slapped across a wall opposite her apartment building in Cap Au Diable.

"Sloppy writing. Still, you can't expect a poster writer to be as intelligent as a scientist... such as my self."

She adjusted her lab goggles, smoothing down strands of frizzy grey hair which had escaped from the tight bun she wore on her head. The mature scientist fished a compact and lipstick out of her tatty black leather handbag, and proceeded to apply. Where the waxy lipstick met flesh, there was a brief sizzling followed by the faint smell of lavender and chloraform.

"Oh poot! Looks like I'm going to have to have another tune up. I can't very well be kissing delegates and burning their flesh!"

She gave a short, sharp cough and turned her attention from freshening up to making a date in her calendar. This involved putting the compact away and retrieving a bulky device which looked similar to a cellphone from the early '80s.

"Dr Coyote calling The Workshop! Please confirm my appointments for..." she checked the poster again, "the 26th of June, at 6pm."

There followed a series of bleeps and the sound of metal grating on metal.

"You have no appointments, USERNAME."

She sighed and was about to confirm the date when the robotic voice chirped,

"You NEVER have any appointments."

"Yes, thank you CHIPS! Remind me to reprogramme your sarcasm protocols when I return. And confirm the appointment."

Whirrs and clicks followed. After several minutes, Doctor Coyote sighed.

"Please!"

"Appointment confirmed. Where is this appointment taking place?"

Without thinking, Doctor Coyote replied.

"Cap Au Daible."

"Cap Au Daible does not exist, is hidden, or is not online at the moment."

Doctor Coyote grunted. "Just put down the University! And that reminds me - I must update your custom dictionary. Doctor Coyote out."

The woman replaced the bulky handset and fished out another object: it was a large picture in a frame, signed in an illegible script. She gently kissed it, causing the plastic cover to bubble, and placed it back in her handbag.

"Soon, my love. Soon you'll know who I am."

And with that, Doctor Coyote strolled dreamily to the ferry.

Mission Transporter and any kind of Jet Pack, temp powers such as Revolver, Shivans (etc), and temp powers granted from SFs are disabled.

Master of... for the Shadow Shards (Dr Quaterfield specifically) should be given 100 reward merits too, and some free aspirin in the mail

I personally think the regular Freedom Phalanx TFs, and indeed the extra ones (Hess/Katie/Kahn), are a bit too easy to Master. Also the new Posi grants you a Jet Pack... which would be instantly disabled.

And on the flip side, SFs seem to be rife with faceplanting (especialy Silver Mantis *shakes fist*)

I'm all for additional challenges added to TFs and SFs, but perhaps for new content that is deemed worthy of it. Of course, if the rest of the FP TFs are rewritten... I can dream can't I?

William Shatner Death: along similar lines to Eiko-Chan's suggestion, I'd like to see a Shatner death emote. Clutching the chest, arms out in supplication, a fading monologue...

But seriously, that would be awesome!

I haven't paid much attention to it since i17, but do our characters have the random KO sound effects, the same as NPCs?

And a big YES to ragdoll deaths.

With regards to Detention Field/Sonic Cage (and then Black Hole/Dimension Shift) - Do the former powers count as phased? If so, then does a Player Character using Phase Shift or similar get to attack them?

It's something I've always wondered about but was afraid to ask.

If Detention/Sonic became phase powers then that might open up an interesting reason to take Phase Shift. By casting Detention Field, the Def/MM/Con has access to a specialised Hold.

Of course if it doesn't currently work like that then would changing the effect of Detention Field to a phase power be breaking the cottage rule?

There is a way to sate frustration at NPC civilians... the MA!

Sure, there's no game reward for filling a map with powerless minions dressed as civs but it should go some way to alleviating the annoying little ... people.

But as far as making them defeatable inside Mayhems, I doubt this will happen. The closest we get is leading a hostage to their doom. And I see the swarms of civs as a distraction. Yes alt-tab can be frustrating but, for me at least, it creates a sense that you really are causing mayhem as a villain.

I'm on Skype. There's more than enough 'real' voice acting on there

Also, there's no way of censoring people as it's not a written format but something which a moderator would need to listen to. Give a person a microphone and, 9 times out of 10, they WILL swear.

Also voice actors (professionals) have the benefit of recording studios with proper mics, mixing tables, and a professionally trained sound engineer and editor. There's a lot of work goes into it. More than I've just typed even

Giving a fanboi/girl a mic and expecting them to make a professional sounding recording is a tall order. I'm sure there are some players out there with access to wondrous technology and who may even be professional actors, but it's up to them to pitch their talent to Paragon Studios.

User Generated (i.e. Public Created) voice stuff is okay for things like modding, which may have a limited audience. But for an MMO that is striving to appear professional and slick, in order to compete, it would likely be a PR disaster.

EDIT: Forgot to say Welcome to The Forums!

I was running through Mercedes Sheldon's arcs t'other day and 'The Magic Man' is a nice way of unlocking the Orobouros Portal.

Similarly redside, Marshall Brass seems to be the best (and only?) way of unlocking OB.

So I just have a simple suggestion that two arcs are written to give players another choice of unlocking the OB portal.

Now I know that the 'Ubelmann The Unknown' arc heroside also unlocks OB, but it's quite a long arc and the contact doesn't suddenly pop up in your contacts window when you hit level 20 and also unlock the Midnighter Club. In fact it's quite possible to bypass the contacts altogether, what with Striga, Faultline and Croatoa offering more attractive ways of gaining levels in the 20s-30s (i.e. not having to travel from Indy, to Perez, to The Hollows, to Atlas, to Steel, to Indy.... etc etc). Let alone TFs, cape missions, and safeguards.

I am also aware that Marshall Brass does not auto unlock so I would suggest the following:

Heroes get a new arc that involved time travel
Villains get a new arc that involves time travel - and the contact unlocks at level 20

In a galaxy very close to this one.. um.. in fact it is this one...

Mr Junkyard, proprietor of Mr Junkyard's Happytime Scrapyard, has uncovered a map to buried treasure.

Now he's not the sort of person to risk his neck traipsing around searching for treasure, especially as the rumours of the location pinpointed on the map allude to terrible ghosts, ghouls, spirits, and... er... landmines.

Will you uncover the secret of the buried treasure? Will the Galaxy Police Department foil your graverobbing exploits? Will you ever get dog spit out of your clothes?!

All these questions, and more, will be answered when you take the plunge and join the hunt for Buried Treasure!

Of course, it'd need to be renamed the Baroness coat. And the Witch Wing items would need to be ported over for Male and Huge - Warlock Lace?

Several of the newer jackets can do the job of the Baron Coat, for female models. Admittedly they don't have the occult option but they still look smart.

As it stands I think that the Baron Coat (and other options, including the snazzy, pointy shoes) work well for male and huge figures because they were seemingly designed to work for them. The female model is renowned for its ability to muck up the look of a chest piece due to, well, its chest pieces! Hence females got Witch, which accentuates their bosoms and has a lacy/Ann Summers feel. Because we all know that all witches are really sexy sirens, with perfectly coiffed hair...

I too would like to see a few more sensible female options though, instead of some of the more fanboi-ish 'Look at my chest!'/'Look at my behind!' costumes.

/signed on an updated/more options for retro jackets and uniforms. The female half-jacket (sleeveless) would also be awesome for the male/huge model. It has a certain Aladdin feel about it.

Woot!

Lady Grey is doable again!

Just a quick Q: So now that the AE 'Fab' map has been changed, will we see the Regular content 'Fab' map be changed to stop pets jumping around and other weird stuff happening?

I will try the mission again and send a bug report if necessary.

It's also meant to be a trial. Hence the increased difficulty.

It's one of the trials that does not reward 'Run in and smash!' tactics.

There are enough external resources (paragonwiki, for example) to enable teams to plan ahead.

I am therefore against the idea of 'standardising' this trial.

Has no one read the update on this? Black Scorpion and Dr Aeon are working with the other developers on a suitable solution.

It was originally intended to be a short-term fix. Then people found out that it wasn't just allies with powers that affected rewards but, nonsensically, destructible objects and custom 'Person'/all escorts/hostages too.

Shortly before i17 hit live, Dr Aeon made a post to say that the fix needed more work and would probably be going live alongside Going Rogue (possibly issue 18, possibly longer).

***

In similar news, I'm still smarting that the 'Lead To' objectives only work for Lead To mission exit and Lead To the location of another NPC (but if the NPC you're leading the escort to moves, the lead to location doesn't change so in effect you are leading the escort to the place where the NPC originally spawned...). SO the 'amazing' Lead To objectives update in i17 was, well, poor.

Good story and nice mission structure, especially the Hollows->Frostfire->Trolls bit.

Also nice to see an SF without a magical component!

Or indeed the involvement of Arachnos. At all.

With the GR dialogue choices being apparent in the i17 content, perhaps the SF could choose to side with either the Trolls or the Outcasts in order to further their goals?

I'm not sure without writing a bunch of stuff myself how the two groups would differ in their involvement if chosen as an ally. I suppose the Outcasts reflect the more Vigilante aspect, because Frostfire used to be a Hero (albeit briefly). The Trolls are nothing more than drug-addled muscle boys BUT they could have a good reason for wanting to close the tunnel between Sirens and Steel, and indeed they are fond of explosives...

And the notion of the tunnel either remaining open or being closed brings me to my first point of criticism:

TFs and SFs are a self-contained story. They don't affect the game World directly (with the exception of the LGTF). So the end of the SF would need to resolve that the tunnel is irreparably closed. Perhaps there could be a swarm of either Trolls or Outcasts at the end of the SF, a zone event with perhaps a badge attached, in Port Oakes and Steel Canyon? The Troll/Outcast riot could depend on who was chosen as an ally.

My second point of criticism is that the Hollows and Steel Canyon aren't joined. Even if this was explained away by the sewer network, why not just pop your head up anywhere you liked and raid the nearest bank?

My third point (not necessarily criticism) will start by stating that I would LOVE to see Midas's Lair! However, as things go its inclusion would mean that the final mission would have to be uber epic: The team has just swarmed through a golden throne room and defeated Midas. That's awesome. So the final mission would have to be equally impressive but in a different way.

So, here's my suggestion for the final mission:

Upon flooring Frost/Family AV (as an AV - why not?) and grabbing the loot, either the Trolls or Outcasts (depending on earlier choice), get mad. They've been planting explosives in this big tunnel and if the team sticks around, they'll be stranded in Steel Canyon.

So, cue cutscene of explosions! Atta or Frostfire drops a match or pushes a plunger.

*SPOILER WARNING*

Similarly to the end of the new villain arc (from Leonard), there's fire everywhere and the team must race through the tunnel to a safe exit point.

Again, using the map->outdoor zone tech shown in the new Adair arc, the team is deposited back in Port Oakes, or at least must run through a facility/warehouse/whatever to get back to the Rogue Isles.

*END SPOILER WARNING*

So, some ideas for you there. Rough ideas that may be full of holes, but ideas nonetheless.

Some kind of Snake Charmer power?

Or just call it [Charmer] to avoid confusion with actual Snakes.

Either a Single Target Hold, Sleep, or Confuse? Same kind of cooldown as the Mission TP.

Or just have a snake charming emote.

Of course, you could always have a [Summon Snake] temp power... Just make sure it's a regular Snake Lt. and not an Elder Viper Assassin!

Wrist capes that aren't attached to the shoulders could be fun.

And of course jewellery details (big bangles, anklets, etc)