airhead

Was much improved on the second play. Sent some notes in a PM. Good luck in the contest!

Some further ideas (no spoilers):

Colors

Colors are denoted in hexadecimal. You can create millions of colours this way. As examples:
magenta = #FF00FF = FF red, 00 green, FF blue
Also note that FFFFFF = white, 000000 = black. So making numbers higher makes them lighter. Reviewing our magenta, the red and blue is already maximum (FF - hexadecimal for 255 decimal). So we can consider raising the 'green' part:
FF33FF, FF66FF, FF99FF, FFBBFF, FFDDFF, FFFFFF
Use Microsoft Paint or other program to access a color wheel for quick color selection. Or simply experiment. I am experimenting here in the forum with 'preview post'.

If I use: --> [color=#FF00FF]magenta[/color]
This gives me: --> magenta
And I would use it in an arc in the format: --> <color #FF00FF>magenta</color>

The web also has lots of pages showing hexadecimal color examples, such as: this, then you can further tweak the color from a web example (as above) to get it perfect.

Patrol
This was a surprise, but not a problem. Being at the exit means I can run away

Articles
I guess I read my clues inside the mission, so the context given that I'm outside reading my clue was mildly confusing. But I also agree with making arcs team-friendly where practical.

Interesting changes, applied as I was playing. Fed back in PM. Good luck in the contest!

An Airhead scene is finished, and I am over the moon with it! For those who're watching the City of Heroes group on deviantArt, sorry for the spam of seeing it again here, but just in case there's anyone who'd miss out... the picture here links to dA.

I submitted a slightly larger version for Download if anyone was curious about the details, or wanted it as a desktop background... as if you want a backdrop of someone else's OC Even better, commission Wakabee for a picture of your own!

Cheers, airhead

I'm not expert on many of the canon tie-ins in this arc, I hope you'll get others trying it too. But I did have some comments, sent in PM. Good luck with the contest!

I gave this one a shot too. Feedback in PM.

I've mostly avoided public comment during my unsolicited arc-fest, since it's Dr. Aeon's taste that will ultimately decide the contest, and not mine. But I do have a comment that applies to every single contest arc I've played (around a dozen now) - the level of quality is astonishing! Even arcs just starting out at zero plays. Everyone's gotten very professional now. I've enjoyed every arc I've played. None of the arcs have been very similar either, each has unique twists. Dr. Aeon is going to have a heck of a job trying to pick a winner.

The difficulty level is looking good now, even for an incompetent like me. I sent another short PM. Good luck with the contest!

Happy Birthday Wrong Number! I guess that makes today the Right Number?

I am also continuously impressed by your efforts around the ol' MA. Looking forward to playing a sixth WN arc.

Cheers, airhead

Congratulations Flame Kitten! And a fairly recent arc too. I'll definitely have to give this a go. Nothing beats a little eco-terrorism.

Edit: Played it, loved it. It has a LOT of story, but it's done very smoothly without messing up the game-play. Nice work. There was no dilemma for me at the end, just incompetence, with lack of caution determining the outcome for me. I had to go back and check my clues again after I screwed up, to find out if I was even close to the outcome I was looking for. Oh dear.

Worthy urv you. I sent some feedback in PM. Good luck with the contest!

Very different! I've PM'ed some feedback. Good luck with the contest!

I played this, and sent a PM. Good luck with the contest!

It is an intriguing arc. I've sent some feedback in PM.

Good luck in the contest!

I PM'ed some feedback on Unfair Trade. Good luck with the contest!

I gave this a go, since someone got through. My feedback is in a PM. I didn't get all the way through, since my level 10 dominator struggled against a boss (but beat one EB). I was perhaps a bit lazy, but five defeats in four missions was enough, I already have another arc I'd like to poke at. I hope the PM is useful.

I do wonder if that stalker that got through was a real level 10, or exemplaring with accolades and purples.

I love the slim look and windswept hair, very wraithlike with the backlight. Also the blue flames and torched scenery. Both the lines and colours have done a brilliant job.

I was about to give this a go with one of my lowly toons, when I noticed you said... Archvillain? Elite Boss? The first EB I usually meet is Frostfire in The Hollows (level 5 to enter, and then a few missions/levels to get to him). He's a challenge for team play. I know I won't be able to solo this.

Hi Smash Zone, I PM'ed you some feedback.

Arc 149250, Old Time Fairy Tale Treasure Hunt, @Green Lama

It's been around for quite a while, but only has 24 plays. I know that feeling. Still a Work in Progress. Family and a custom group, for level 45+. Extreme Bosses! It's potentially quite short. 3 missions, two unique maps and a small map. Villainous. I'll provide a massive dump of potential edits that I found as I played through.

The contact has no description (Story Settings), but is a CoT called Diviner Maros. Maros wants me to grab a treasure horde, giving one piece to him. A divining gadget that nobody can use without going mad, and he wants to destroy it. That doesn't sound plausible. If it's so utterly useless, why bother to destroy it?

First mission - off to the tavern to get a map. Or, in CoH terms, off to the casino to find the treasure hunter. M1 entry pop-up: Embiance -> Ambience or Ambiance ; it's -> its The occupants are all rather cynical creations. Each comes from an organization that is described cynically. Perhaps they could be more like individuals who happen to patronize a bar. Pretty in Pink seems more like an individual. Ninja name: Ninjas -> Ninja. Bugsy description: nick name -> nickname. The Scorpions name: The Scorpions -> Scorpion (or A Scorpion). The Scorpions description: To bad -> Too bad ; there -> their ; hair style.s -> hairstyles. Family battle or patrol dialog: keep and eye out for -> keep an eye out for. Not sure why, from the beginning, I am going after a casino safe, when I should really be looking for Lucky Pete. There hasn't been anything to explain the connection. Safe opening Clue: reciepts -> receipts ; owe's -> owes The return pop-up says I was successful because I survived. But that was never really why I went in there. Return text: Let's -> Lets ; owe's -> owes The return message suggests I check out Family hangouts, since the Family is looking for him. That assumes the Family has found him, and not killed him already. He could also be not with the Family, in any place on Earth. Sounds too much like a "random invasion" that will just happen to work.

Mission 2 subtitle: learn's -> learns. There's a better explanation this time for why to visit the Family (someone spotted Pete). Diviner Maros is "the one to do it" [rip off a Family enterprise]. This seems utterly out of character for the Crown of Thorns. It's a timed mission - I wasn't given any warning of this. Some people might select the mission with the plan to logout and come back to it later, so a warning is generally expected for timed missions. It's an awfully similar map to the last one. Dr. Medula Oblongata description: scientists -> scientist Why is there a Snake in here? Just figured out why I keep getting stuck - whatever custom critter has Mud Pots power, it sure is annoying, and they seem to be quite common. After I rescue the hostage (Pete) it just says "to escape with" in the Nav. Could be more clear than that. When Pete gets to the door: Common -> Come on When I return from mission 2, Diviner Maros says he doesn't know where the treasure was taken. But I do know that already. Am I assumed to not tell him? Perhaps my exit pop-up should say that I plan to keep him in the dark, if that's the case.

The third mission has the default "Accept" string, whereas the other missions were more creative. M3 send-off: i get -> I get ; forsee -> foresee It's another timed mission with no warning. Entry pop-up: It's -> Its Why, if the chest contents are teleported away, does it take forever to empty each one? An objective to defeat a Magus has appeared - any explanation why?

For a lop-level villain arc, I didn't feel particularly dastardly at all. I got my photo in the paper, and some kind of medal. The story has a rough outline plot, but the details seem to be a bunch of things that sounded like a good idea on their own. I don't get a sense of an integrated plot. But hopefully the details above will help towards that end. It would have been nice if the Eye was something more than just a McGuffin (arbitrary thing that supposedly provides motives for going places). Perhaps if I were to pursue it for myself? The arc doesn't have a souvenir.

Cheers, airhead

Hi Uber,

Sounds like progress, so I'll definitely try this arc again soon.

Regarding the ambushes - perhaps some might be more timely than others. One at barely-hurt, one at half-hurt, one "too late", and one even without an ambush. That would take the predictability out of it My character was wiped every time in any case, since I wasn't playing well (lag, or late night, my x2 hero setting, or most likely just sheer incompetence). It is a long way back from the hospital to floor with the four leaders. Hmm. You might even cut it to three, unless there's a story reason for four. I don't recall getting new critical information in each set of combat dialogue.

Regarding Vasiliy - it was only at the end there that I decided I would not work for such a person. Specifics were in my last post. There wasn't a general feeling, so if you tweak my acceptance string and other motivation text to be more about civic duty (protecting Peregrine etc), that just happens to align with Vasiliy's request, then I'd do it. It was never a general feeling, I thought the arc gave me good motivation otherwise.

I go back to the 'spectacular' feeling - I'm just hoping for something unusual. If it's all Malta, it's a bit tedious. I didn't try the last two missions, so I could be very wrong. But if there's a non-Malta twist, I suggest you hint at that early on (even the arc description). If the combat is too much like Crimson's arc, then people might just go play Crimson's arc. As examples (not expectations), Venture's arc had a Rikti connection, and he even came up with some "R&D Malta" members that played a bit differently.

Normally I don't care too much about combats and just go with the story, but the combats affected me here. So I'm not entirely consistent, and this is all just one player's opinions

Cheers, airhead

Arc 371631, Operation Oedipus: Glory of our Empire, @Arkhon von Evilsatan

A solo-friendly drama with complex mechanics - I'm sold already! It's a Malta arc, with a warning that it is "grim". Five missions, with medium, large and unique maps. I'll be helping Vasiliy to take down the Malta, but it sounds like I may have to make some tricky moral choices. EBs, Extreme EBs, and Custom-powered enemies.

Zero plays? The arc presents Malta in a dry and serious tale. That is two reasons why it won't be everyone's cup of tea. Unfortunate, since it is very well written throughout. But if it's not going to be fun, it needs to be spectacular. Hint at something more than "piles of Malta". It needs to be heroic. But if you want a Punisher-style arc, perhaps call it 'Neutral'. A villain might find as much reason to go after the Malta, and do it without scruples.

Mission-wise comments below. Perhaps you know @Venture, he has a Malta arc that pushes a remarkably similar envelope.

Cheers, airhead

Nice contact. Very spy-movie feel. Contact description: just so happens -> just happens. Four objectives are described to me. Off I go! The entry pop-up assumes I haven't taken the fight to Malta before, but I'm level 50, and I have.
Gadget Clue says gadget stored in King's Row. But my locker-contact is described as "Atlas Park station".

Camera footage clue assumes I'd avoid something as "not worth it" - I'm a hero, I tend to overreach on crime as a matter of principle.
Mission 2 return also mentions King's Row station.

Mission 3 send-off: neccesity -> necessity ; commander your see -> commander you see. Go in, bash stuff. Nav says "4 Defeat the Malta Commanders!" - might be nicer as "4 Malta Commanders to Defeat!". The ambushes get a bit repetitive. I don't understand why Malta have 4 separate always too late, ambush defense plans, instead of one sensible plan.

The return message has my faceless contact making light of drowned innocent bystanders. As a hero I need a separate reason to keep working with him. In any case, those ambushes found the end of my patience. I didn't get inside mission 4, but I suggest you change the mission 4 accept text, to indicate I am not helping Vasiliy, but instead removing a threat to Peregrine Island.

The mission send-off suggests I am to blow up a building, which will take out a programmer. That's not heroic. Better send in the PPD, or a different kind of hero.

Arc 369271, A Little Night Music, @Troy Hickman

I thought I'd give this one a go, since Troy seemed to like my faint praise on another topic. So I'm going where faint praise is appreciated.

The arc description starts with a very brief four hundred and twenty-four words about the author. He's been around the block nine times, and he has heard of City of Heroes before. A vast number of other dodgy characters are also listed - each no doubt diluting @Troy's arc profits. I also learn that the story was piped into MA from Indiana. Oh! And Nachtmusik has been piped in by the Fifth Column, and he stole Jimmy Preston. So the arc is afoot! Perhaps it's a fallen arc. I deduce the author has a habit of taking little boy Jimmy hostage.

The arc has four unique maps and a medium one. The per-mission objectives are simple: gather, gather, rescue, rescue, boss-only. But it still sounds huge, so I'll stick to the highlights (which means typos, the secret thrill of the OCD player). Although this is a 'canon-related' arc, All five missions feature custom groups. There's also AVs, Extreme Bosses and custom-powered enemies. Third times' a charm, so I am also warned about: custom characters. And horror.

I decide to use one of my custom heroes for this one, to stick with the theme. Citadel is my contact, and I'm off to save Jimmy from the REMisphere. The story is well written, introductions, send-offs, returns and busy messages. Accept text: unto the breech -> unto the breach (it could be a pun, but where is the context? Unless... Citadel and Jimmy? C'mon, he's an android) The pop-up, and Citadel's earlier words, do assume I'm human. In my case, that's fine, but I believe some players also play from overseas. The custom group makes for an excellent change-up from conventional Fifth Column. Sentinels are hard to mez, which forces me to think. I collect some kit, and go after the big-bad. I find... her. Of course. She has a couple of sentinels, and it's a great battle. But I win. Return message says, "Prepare yourselves" - but I'm alone.

Second mission intro: break-string 'or at<br>least' Hi ho, off to the dreamscape I go! Hihohiho description: dwarves -> dwarfs (for correctness, but it's your call whether you think it breaks the pun) I don't understand why I am searching for this particular box from the moment I arrive in the mission, perhaps it could be a bit more vague in the Nav.

Third mission intro: first paragraph is missing a period. That could be a pun of itself, but... no. This is PG-13. It's monster time! The nav tells me what to do. Twice. Which makes me suspect my computer will crash just before I'm done. Another awesome custom group, my favorite so far. But aren't these critters acting 'rad-ly' rather than 'rad-ley'? (name, description and Clue). Given that is the primary entendre.

Fourth mission. Caba self-rezzed, but I'd already done my rescue so the mission is already over. The only pun that didn't grab me - the guys with top-hats. Their puns were French, yet they looked, and were, English. Perhaps that's the joke, but it seemed like an error.

Fifth mission. The map is huge for what it contains, but still fitting. Perhaps the Nerva map would be more compact. I love the invisible baddies - but I have personal force field. I imagine others would find this frustrating. Oh ah... and his support team was especially scary, until I realized they're only lieutenants this time. It takes a bit of planning, but I lure the escorts away. Nachtmusik is also a good challenge, but eventually I win. He says, "Assist me, my creations" - but nothing comes. Perhaps a buggy critter?

Overall, this was a good romp. It felt like developer content. While not as memorable as the greatest of MA stories, it was worthy of being part of the game's canon (that's not given lightly). It was easily the best Guessed Author arc I've played (well, of three then). A very good challenge, and I return the favour by writing in grey text.

I finally came up with a way to ink the portrait half of my sketch by Brandon McKinney, but I still haven't figured out how to ink eyes in a way that works at high and low resolution. I'll just have to keep looking for examples, and this is a work in progress.

I tried to give him tightly-curled hair, but it reminded me of something else...

Arc 370035, Hero Killer, by @Delightful Dolly

It's just two unique maps with boss and ally objectives, albeit with AVs, EBs, Extreme AVs and Enemies with custom power selections. I've never met an Extreme AV before, maybe they're really easy. Base villains are a custom group, and Paragon Police. Morality is Neutral! So that means it should be fine for me to bring along my hero into the arc, "Hero Killer".

I must note the description: "It's time... it's time brothers and sisters! It is time to kill them ALL! It is time to rule! Come with me and we shall kill all who stand in our way!" It sounds like a cult slogan. But it's also correct grammar and spelling. Perhaps I'll be surprised by this arc.

My contact is Rex Loser. He's bald too. Sounds like a master villain with a speech impediment. He has no description (set in Story Settings) so I go straight into the mission.

He starts with, "Hello villain." That suggests the arc isn't neutral. I'm off to slay the last 15 heroes - not sure whether they're the last in the world, or the last in this part of town, but the objective is clear enough. I will assume the premise is that this is a training program for villains. Typos: marcy -> mercy ; dealth -> death ; did sent -> sent ; did kill -> they killed

I accept, and I'm off - like the wind! Reminds me of a Terrible Wind I met once.

Now my nav, which reminds me to KILL KILL KILL, lists 15 different superheroes. One of them is, indeed, called Delightful Dolly! That sounds familiar. Typo?: Kinecties Destoryer -> Kinetics Destroyer. I think I'll seek out my allies first, just in case Extreme AVs are more than I expect. Note that I am playing AVs as EBs, so I'm effectively cheating. But it's a villain training program. Even hero starship captains would cheat.

Ooh, I found some drones. These were mentioned in the forum post above. I collect a few. Note that these EB drones don't have a description. But they do emit the little purple triangles of give-up-already, so I feel confident.

I found Blackheart! Only, her description sounds a lot like Ghost Widow. And calls her Ghost Widow. This description can be changed in the Boss Objective options. We meet some police. I think I got two shots in, these allies are fast.

I find a hero. With Ghos... er, Blackheart by my side, I don't think he's going to last long. With my two drones, it's three EBs against one. Meanwhile I'll take out the PPDs. Well, the drones help with the PPD but then they choose to just watch (perhaps because that's what I was doing). Power Tank nearly wipes Blackheart, but Blackheart does her air-juggle (perhaps learned it from Ghost Widow) and Power Tank just barely loses. There is no dialogue - nobody seems to care much about the progress of the battle. That would be a great place to spruce up this arc.

Next we meet Diamond Frost. Same tactics, Blackheart juggles Diamond and takes her down 2/3. She gets back to her feet and heals almost all back. Guess I better get involved or this will take ages. It's still a fair fight for a while. If I had two allies, it'd be very quick. She has no description.

Marvel Man has no description either. Marvel Man activates Rock Feet then tries to run away. Unusual tactics, indeed. Marvel Man has good defences, but practically no attacks.

I found two more drones before Atomic Babe (who has no description either). Each drone gives a +10% bubble. The battles are rapidly becoming irrelevant. Babe was right to try running, but wrong to run in a circle. I find some more drones, and then Spider King. Spider King's description calls him Lord Recluse. He looks exactly like Lord Recluse too. So now I have five drones, Ghost Widow and Lord Recluse helping me. Yawn.

We meet Awesome Man. He's not. He annoys Spider-King-Lord-Recluse enough to trigger his bane spiders, so now we're a party of ten.

I give up at this point, it's a bit obvious who'll win, but I'd still have to track down 10 more heroes on a huge outdoor map.

The battles need some balancing, and the inhabitants need some describing. The plot needs some purpose, even if it is just a training exercise. I'm certainly not against having arcs that provide a good pile of hack-and-slash, but when that's the purpose, the combat balance becomes very important.

I didn't vote, since it's early days for this arc's development. Good luck with this arc!

Cheers, airhead