AncientSpirit_NA

... then you are clearly NOT playing enough story-based MArcs!!!!

Might as well start with "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" - #1224 - now in its SEVENTH YEAR! (Well, I was thinking about it for a long, long time before we got the ability to actually execute these things.)

It now stands at 4 stars - with over 210 players!!! Which means I've conned at least that many people into playing this thing, and they STILL say nice things about it.

Remember this is the ORIGINAL "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" ... well, except for all the plagarism from Alice in Wonderland and all, but forget about all that.

YOU WON'T FIND THIS LITTLE TREASURE IN ANY REVIEW THREADS! (Mainly, because I've asked everyone not to review it because of the mystery in it and all, and folks have been pretty nice to humor me ... except for that one twisted, sick SOB who ... oh, wait, no... he took down that review much earlier.)

Anyway, as I said before (of maybe I didn't), if you haven't yet played this thing, name one good reason not to try it now. OK, you're computer is down. That's acceptable. Oh, and you're still at work. OK, that's understandable too. Um, you're spouse is telling you that you spend too much time at your computer and you need time to spend with her and get off the damn computer already and come watch tv with me and ... oh, wait... that's me. Never mind that one. That doesn't count and only explains why I keep missing out on TF and SF and ...

But my mind wanders ...

And yours will too when you play "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" #1224 -- the single greated ARC ever written (by me ... some arcs by others may be as enjoyable or more enjoyable or maybe less enjoyable, but you'll never know for sure until YOU play ... "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland", arc number "1224"

And did I mention that it has NUMEROUS COMPAINTS because it has so much SEX IN IT!!!!!!! (This used to bother me, the complaints, that is, not the sex ... until I realize that SEX SELLS ... which is completely different than SELLING SEX, which is illegal mostly everywhere in America but has a real good following in Holland, especially in Amsterdam.)

No doubt about it... in "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland", arc #1224, you will find SEX, VIOLENCE -- AND POETRY! AND SOME HUMOR! You'll probably feel there's not enough sex and too much poetry, but most of all you'll probably find the perfect blend of violence and humor. Which is nothing to laugh at, unless you want to get hurt!

So race on down to your computer, log into CoH now and play "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" arc # 1224. If you love it, give it a High 5 when you vote. If you hate it, don't mention it. Really. Just go away and don't rain on my parade. And remember anything below a 5 is really just a 4, a 3, a 2 or a 1.

(Man, its tough trying to beat out the clock at work in August when its 4:45 and you don't really want to work but would rather be posting on CoH than work and ... )

But I digress again. And if you're STILL reading this ... maybe you're not working, too! And maybe, just maybe, you're looking to head back home sit down and play some really cool story-based MArc tonight that you'll be RAVING ABOUT FOR WEEKS. Ok, I don't know the number of that MArc, or believe me I'd share it with you because you've been such a good sport. But we do know the arc number of "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland."

So play it, love it, vote it.

And send me a message in game. And keep it clean. Children are watching.

Got my 63 vet reward the other day. I can't believe how long I've stayed with this game -- but it just keeps getting better and better, as far as I'm concerned. Hell, I think I could waste an afternoon just organizing my salvage shelves in one of my three one-man SGs.

Glad that its temporary.

It's not their fault. They speak English as their primary language. You speak American.

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It's funny that thanks to being able to buy the exact rares and uncommons I need I've taken to hoarding common salvage and selling off everything else for 10 inf a pop. Most of the racks in the base and personal vaults are crammed with commons as a result.

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While I haven't gone as far as you I have been able to stock a good supply of commons, sell off the rest, and reduce the number of bins I used to keep for yellows and orange. That has allowed me to store more crafted recipes.

I love this new system.

I usually post salvage and recipes far below the going rate but not what I could get in stores. I'm not in a hurry to get paid so if takes longer to sell, it takes longer.

I used to list things for the vendor price. Until I realized that I was selling for a song ... but paying through the nose when I needed the exact same piece of salvage or recipe later on, which didn't sit well with me at all.

The system is the system, so I'll make the best of it.

Worse, when you price items for so little, it seems that it doesn't help anyway. I see people buying for 11, 111 and 1,111 influence ... and then turning those items around and flip those items and charge full frieght.

That makes me think that I'm just lining the pockets of those who take the most advantage of the market. By charging more, but more fairly, I think people wind up better in the long run.

Checked my Magic 8 Ball: Answers says, "You will know ... soon."

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than dont buy it, if your req to leave sg/vg to switch than do so. ITS A SWITCH. Lets view this from a RP view. hero turning villian or vil turning hero. its good vs. evil right? so im sure all my old hero buddies are now out to get me, not invite me over for cake and tea.

And lets not forget about PVP zones. Being able to stay in your sg/vg while switching sides will cause havoc.
for example......
Hero toon switchs sides to become a villian and stays in SG. if 1 sg member targets the other.Does he get targeted as a villian even though they are in same SG. Does pvp sg badges get affected?

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From a role playing point of view, its clearly possible for an entire villan group to switch sides. Its already been done in the comics - a la the Thunderbolts. It's even been done with the JLA when they've entered an alt universe where they were all the villans!

Imagine a CoX scenario where some villan group is approached with the old "we need your support - the world's fate hangs in the balance" Being part of the world, you might go for it. (Dr. Doom falls for that one all the time, it seems.)

This may not be doable for all (or even most) SG/VGs. But it 's certainly doable for all the one- or two-people groups out there.

Not advocating for this. Just saying its not outside the realm of RP-ing.

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Since changing you colors will be -20% damage how many of the non-carebears will actually do this?

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That 20% is a maximum value. Remember, it scales depending on how far you deviate from the correct color.

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You are misleading them with this statement, you forgot to tell them the correct color is NOT the base one all start with and they have to guess what the correct color is. Imagine my surprise while playing mega-closed-beta and find that the "correct color" for dark melee was bright pink.

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Well, I know someone who's not getting into any more mega-closed-beta-tests, Mr. NDA breaker!

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OK, we have our first official confirmation ... plus, a close-beta-test revelation.

For those who have been clamoring for hints of what's coming, please link to this thread. Thank you.

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One way to find out just wait and run one mission in AE and one out and compare the exp, more of a surprise like that.

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I don't know about you but I'd rather not waste that kind of time.

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You do realize, by the time you log in on Friday afternoon/evening, the question will be answered.

If you intend to take the day off and do nothing but run missions, then taking 15 minutes out of your busy leveling schedule won't make that big a difference, will it?

And if you only play for an hour a day and it must be during the first hour after 2 exp goes into effect, then just run a few radio missions. The time lost in travel won't make that big a deal either.

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Not sure why it would take more than one minute to find out.

1) Before Friday, pick and arc - any arc. (Personally, I recommend Wicked, Wicked Wonderland - #1224 but then again, I always do. ).

2) Kill a minion. Jot down the experience you get. Exit mission.

3) Wait until Friday.

4) Enter same mission. Kill same minion. Jot down experience gained.

5) Compare pre-Friday exp. to Friday's experience.

6) If Friday experience is twice pre-Friday's continue playing arc and get double experience; if Friday experience is same as pre-Friday, exit mission and play elsewhere.

7) total elapsed time on Friday? Depends on how long it takes you to log in and out of missions.

HELPFUL HINT: Leave your Toon at an AE site where you would normally hunt if not AE-ing. Eliminate wasted time your 35 would need to leave Atlas to head for lusher grounds of experience.

Have fun.

I am finding that the random rolls for white either give me what I want quickly, or give me enough good pieces to sell to make the whole thing worthwhile regardless.

And I usually allow room in both my inventory and my tickets to roll for as long as I need to get exactly what I want.

No need for change as far as I'm concerned.

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hi.

if you dont like the way your toon turns out, can you respec him.

and how do you get this too run in windowed mode..

thanks

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btw, another no-cost, little-effort way to "respec" your toon is simple to go to any trainer and take advantage of the alternate build you're allowed.

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One of my favorites has got to be:

Wicked, Wicked Wonderland - # 1224
@ancientspirit

Reason: This arc is just plain fun. Nifty custom characters. Clever writing. Interesting plot. Fun souvenier for completion. Plus, great innuendo kinda reminiscent of Jessica Rabbit "playing pattycake" in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Be sure to read all the bios and NPC dialogue.

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Thanks for including "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland," and saying such nice things about it.

It's been sitting at about 200 plays/4 stars for awhile so I hope being listed here rekindles some interest in it.

Mine is also solo-friendly: Wicked, Wicked Wonderland #1224 It's fun twist on a small part of the Alice in Wonderland story, but written for mature (and immature) adults rather than for children.

All the mobs are custom so they scale to whatever toon you're playing, and there is only one EB in the entire story-driven 3-mission arc (the last fight of the last mission), and I believe even that scales down if you're using a lowbie toon.

Have fun.

It is far cheaper to retain a customer than to win a new one or to bring back a lapsed customer. That's basic marketing.

For those worried that they can never "catch up" to the older vets, they should hope that's the case. Because holding on to the older vets helps ensure the game continues for the newer players.

Also, some new players may be more likely to go to soon-to-be released Cox competitors. So the dangling carrot of rewards for longevity makes good marketing sense.

Likewise, some vet players may drift away from CoX for those online competitors ... so its not a given that they will be around forever so that newer players can never catch up.

(With all the great changes to CoX lately, though, I hope that doesn't happen ... though I must admit to some curiousity myself about the DC universe online.)

What's more, some vets may be in a similar situation to newer players ... because they have opened second accounts that their vet awards don't apply to. They also have to wait.

This is no different than waiting for more and more rewards from your American Express Card or Frequent Flyer Program. You MUST reward those who stick with you. As a company, they are your bread and butter.

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I entered a mission the other day where all the mobs were LTs. and it was on a common farm map, Map 02. And there was no story to speak of.

So I figured it was a farm.

However, instead of all the mobs being the same kind, these were all custom ... kind of like the Justice League of America, except their names and costumes were nothing like the JLA.

But it was clear who they were supposed to be. A black clad, black caped martial artist ... a HUGE invul/ss tank all in green and yellow ... an yellow clad archer ... a very UGLY and SCARRED sonic gal in fishnets ... and so forth. All with the different power sets of the JLA.

So is this a farm? (It wasn't playing to any specific strength or weakness; wide variety of melee and ranged ATs, and fliers) There is no story. Just a Kill All mission. (though the status said Story in Progress, or some sort)

Is it a copyright infraction? The intent is clearly the JLA but there are no similar character names or costumes? Is that the difference between a copyright infraction and a homage?

I don't know what to make of this thing. I'm not looking to report it or anything ... so I won't list its name or number ... but I am curious.

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You ask a question.. Is this a farm??? Then you say it was on a common farm map 02.
You already know what a farm is.. LOL

Just another person who's more concerned about what other people do....

The forums have so.. so... many TROLLS.

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Chickensmasher, you have a knack for posting the most offensive and needless attacks I've ever seen.

But in this case, I don't think you're reading the OP's post correctly. Just look at the facts --

Fact 1: He said he usually recognizes farms.
Fact 2: He said this was on a map that is often associated with farms. Map #2
Fact 3: He said the mobs didn't seem to "fit in" with what he recognized to be a farm. They weren't all freaks, for example. They weren't all one power type that a give AT could have immunity to.
Fact 4: He asked a question in the right section of the forms.
Fact 5: He didn't post the arc number or name (so that others could make complaints, 1-star or otherwise grief the arc author.)

To me, that simply doesn't add up to trolling.

As far as I see, the OP doesn't seem at all concerned with how other people play. To me, he seems more interested in the differences between homage/tribute arcs and arcs that cross the line, and thought that this would be a good place to ask.

btw... I noticed that you often use in your signature line the famous Bard quote about heroes and cowards. Did you ever hear this one.

"'A coward dies a thousand deaths; the brave man dies but one.' Hmmm. A thousand to one???? Sounds like good odds to me." - Bret Maverick

There are some toons I won't mind giving this advantage to, i.e., my support characters. But for toons I really enjoy playing (like my DB/*) I drop out of anything that levels me too fast (and won't play them during double experience weekends).

For me, its not as much a matter of ethics as much as knowing what I do with my 50s. I play a few alot but the others usually sit around and collect dust (until I bring them out once in a blue moon). So I've never really understood/enjoyed the racing to 50.

But to each his own.

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I've run into that as well. I only seem to get it consistently at the Atlas building, it's less common at the others. I wonder if it's in some way related to many people using the same door at or around the same time.

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I been getting this consistently in Talos and P.I. as well.

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I've run into that as well. I only seem to get it consistently at the Atlas building, it's less common at the others. I wonder if it's in some way related to many people using the same door at or around the same time.

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I got this twice the other day; once, telling me I couldn't enter while I could (the mission was mine); the second, preventing me from entering at all and telling me that I had to complete an active mission first, although this was the only mission I had on my plate. (This time it was someone else's mission.)

I reported both bugs separately, as they occurred.

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If you are writing (or peforming or engaging in any artistic medium intended to be presented to the general public) then grow a thicker skin.

There will always be someone who dislikes your premise, your chosen mode of expression, your means of presentation, or something else.

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The second part of this is absolutely true. You can't please everybody.

The first part of your statement is just ... wrong. The thickness of my skin isn't what we're talking about. In RL, I'm a professional writer. Before my work makes it into the public, it gets scrutinized by colleagues and clients alike. And I find that alot of criticism really makes one's work better.



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The best piece of irony is entitling a post complaining that not everyone likes a piece you created - and had the temerity to say so - with the cry that they should grow up.

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Here, you're really missing the boat. I've had people who play my arc message me from inside the game and have the "temerity" to say they didn't like something. I have then gone on to play their arcs -- and rate them 5 stars.

I DON'T expect anyone to like what I wrote. In RL, I'm not a writer of novels or textbooks or comic books. I'm a direct marketer creative director and copywriter. That means I only need to make a small percentage of people happy with anything I write (and then take action, like call a phone number or buy something) to be very, very successful. Most people don't respond at all. And I learned early on in my career that you can't visit everyone who sees what you wrote and explain what you "really" meant.

What this thread is about players hitting the COMPLAINT button over ... well, silly things (in my opinion).

If you don't see the difference, nothing I say here may change your mind. Or maybe it will. (While I'm not expecting the latter, I am hoping for it.)

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I understand your point ancient, it is used in different ways...but what does it mean for the character name sex of diamonds? While it probably doesn't mean anything, does it sound more like a word of a permission slip, or that of the actual act? To me, its sounds like diamonds are having sex....(obviously that doesn't make sense but makes my mind "go there") Also, most forms these days say gender, not sex. Just an FYI.

For the record, I personally wouldn't rate your arc based on that and it doesn't offend me. I am just trying to figure out what someone may have been thinking when the 1 star rated you.

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All the enemies in that mission have names like that, if memory serves. Near-homonyms off the numbers.

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No! While they ALL have silly names, not all are the puns are actually in the names ... (and that's the only one that has the word "sex" in it.) One of the Kings is simply called "The King of Clubs" ... and carries a REALLY big Club. And another that's a crazy visual mix of Spades, Diamonds and Clubs is called the "Wild Card." And for some of the best puns you have to actually click on the toons to read them.

As for the previous poster whose mind goes to copulation "sex" even though Sex of Diamonds "obviously doesn't make sense" that way ... congratulations. You must have a VERY imaginative mind in that area.

The SEX of Diamonds, if I were being literal, would really translate into the "allure" of diamonds. To me, what's so great about the name is that it ties into old sayings like "Diamonds are a girls best friend." To me that's what makes it a good pun, by changing one letter, it allludes to something else. (For example, one commenter thought it was just a funny "typo")

And while I could rename it (certainly not "Gender of Diamonds", that clearly is NOT what I meant ) ... I know that I won't unless the Dev's force me to (which I really don't see happening).

btw, I really don't think my my mini-rant is about me not being able to take criticism or wanting everyone to love my arc; clearly that isn't going to happen.

But I believe that, just like in courthouses there are "frivilous lawsuits", the issue here is "frivilous" complaints. Because, as I understand it, a certain amount of complaints AUTOMATICALLY trigger a ban of your arc until you set it right again with customer service.

So my suggestion: If you (the collective "you", and not YOU personally) want to ban a mission, then make your complaint. But if you just disagree with what's going on in an arc, then send a message to the author and tell him what aggroed you. (I don't think the complainer was trying to get my arc banned. I just think people are afraid to say something directly to the author because they're afraid of being low-starred in retaliation.)


I have no doubt that a complaint this silly would stand upon review (and ultimately, it would make my arc unbannable once it passed muster) ... but it's still irksome.

I especially like the the compliant listed here that "$%&^@#&amp" is more offensive than actual swear words. that one is priceless.

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Just change the name then republish. Start from scratch for an unblemished rating. While i don't take offense, think of some little kid playing the game and asking daddy or mommy, what is sex, what does that mean? Maybe they are not ready or mature enough for that conversation yet. Who knows...get over it.

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First I would point out that this game is rated for T-for teens, so the word sex shouldn't be an issue.

In fairness, though, I believe that kids do play with their parents, so your point is still valid. Let me answer it though through a pretty famous story:

A 8-year old child goes to his parents and asks them, "what's sex?" ... and the parents are stunned. They didn't think they'd have this discussion for years yet.

So, very patiently, they try to explain to their child about the birds and the bees, and where babies come from, and how when a Mommy and Daddy love each other very much, that they have a very special way of showing it to one another, and so on and so forth ...

And the 8-year old begins crying uncontrollably.

"Why are you crying?" ask the parents, very concerned.

ANd the 8-year old holds up a permission slip from his school that has a question. Sex: [ ] male [ ] female.

"How am I ever going to cram all that," he cries, "into this little box?"

The word sex is used many ways, including everyday (and often sexist phrases like "the weaker sex" and "the fairer sex.") Parents, as a rule, as smart enough to ask a child what they mean and get the "context" of a child's question before jumping in with both feet bound and eyes blindfolded.

Thanks for the support. I especially enjoy hearing examples of stupid, stupid complaints that you all have gotten. (Always good to know you're not alone.)