Armsman

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You might want to be certain you're getting the 64-bit version of the Hotfix, and not the 32-bit version. They are two different animals entirely.

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“It may seem sad that giving the players what they want is detrimental to the player’s overall length of enjoyment of the game, but that’s the truth,” says Eric Heimburg, the lead engineer and producer on Asheron’s Call, and the systems designer for the upcoming Star Trek online MMO. “Once you reached that top of the hill, if there’s nothing left to do or see, players are likely to move on. Length of enjoyment (equals) amount of money earned, so developers have a strong incentive to keep players from gaining power and levels too quickly.”

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This guy again? The guy works on one published MMO (AC2) and suddenly he's an industry expert because he writes one blog? Perfect example of one internet journalist using material from another from a half-credible source (this comes to mind). He's not even working on Star Trek Online, because Perpetual lost out to Cryptic, so even his credentials are mis-cited in the article. Heck, his current project is a puzzle game

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The funny thing is: AC2 failed BIG TIME (closed down within its first year); so, sorry, but I don't think I'd call the Dev of a failed MMO a 'credible source'.

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Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce Go 7600
Video Memory: 128.0 MB
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.8418
Driver Date: 3/6/2006 8:33:00 PM
Driver Language: English


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Your video driver is over 3 years old; see if you can find a more recent Nvidia driver thatdriver that's also compatible with the lattop (If it were a desktop, I'd just say go to Nvidia's site; but laptops sometimes rerquire tweaked drivers, so check and see what the Sony support site says. The error your getting smacks of a driver issue where the current (3 year old driver) doesn't support some Open GL calls made by the game, and that's why you're crashing.

You also may want to have the game verify your files (small checkbox for this at the patcher window. That will sometimes fix some graphics issues; but yeah, ATI cards seem to have more issues with this particular game then Nvidia (and no, I'm not trying to reccomend on brand over another, just stating known facts).

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We're sitting in a meeting and our Development Director said "We've contracted some Type R programmers".

I had never heard this term before, so I jotted it down on my notepad, so I could inquire about it later.

Just then our Lead Engineer asks "What is Type R?"

Our Dev Director looked stumped. "What do you mean?"

"You said 'Type R Programmers'" said the Lead Engineer.

"No, I said 'High Powered'." said the Dev Director.

"No you didn't. You said 'Type R.' See I wrote it down." I said, and showed him my notepad that said "Type R?".

So now, everything high powered and awesome in the office is "Type R".

I am now on a crusade to get it used outside our offices. I should add it to urban dictionary or something.

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What's a 'High Powered' programmer?

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^^^
Psst BaBs; they're Type R programmers

I ran:
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#83920: Two Chicks at Once
Moderately challenging, for level 40+. Has two EBs, but you have allies for them. Dialog written for villains.

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and was preped to give an in depth review; but after running it - "I enjoyed it and found it fun." sums it up. Nice custom 'Hero' group; liked the lighthearted story and what you did with switching chars in contact dialog, etc. It's the second 'Villian' arc I've liked out of the 25 or so I've played on the MA.

(And although what little inuendo there was was very tame and fairly light - I am surprised you didn't go for Two Girls, One Cup..Err Calendar type of title. )

So, that done; I'd like to request a review of my MA Arc:

b]Title:Is it Live or is it Memory-X?[/b]
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Story Arc ID: 70210
Author’s Global Chat Handle: @Armsman
Length: Very Long (5 missions)
Alignment: Heroic
Type: Story-Focused
Groups: 5th Column, Crey, Custom Group
Has: Bosses; AV (Scales to EB based on team size/difficulty setting).

Story Description: The 5th Column is building a device to control the world. Can you save the world from TOTAL DOMINATION?! (Hey it worked to get my Villians and Vigilantes pen and paper RPG group interested back in the day.)

Designer Notes: The Arc can actually be soloed by most Scrapper (Level 50 MA/SR), Tank (Level 41 SS/INV) and MasterMind (Level 39 Robot/Traps) builds. My level 41 Gravity/Force Field Controller made it through mission 3 solo with no issues, but starting getting defeats in mission 4; so if you’re a support class or a blaster, you probably need a team-mate. This arc is actually based on an adventure I ran players through in the “Villians & Vigilantes” pen and paper RPG a number of years back. I was surprised at how much of the original ‘flavor’ I was able to keep in adapting it to fit in the CoX universe. There was only really one element I couldn’t include due to MA limitations.

After the 5/5/09 patch; I had to pick a different map for Mission 2; and they got rid of my favorite 'captured (Energy Field)' animation; AND I had to re-tune my Custom VG; so I am really looking for any feedback you're willing/able to give (Although I hope one day that the Devs do re-instate the map I had to replace as it worked really well).

It dpes have a couple escorts; but the maps aren't that large. and, lastly - A slight majority (60% to 40%) of the feedback I've gotten recently say it's 'hard' (although you do have Allies here and there); so I'f you want to use your 'Brute' go ahead.

Thanks.

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Yeah, as I posted in the patch discussion thread, Martial Arts Shuriken is actually it's strongest attack. A shuriken should not be doing more damage than all melee attacks on a melee-centric mob, especially moreso than their tier 9, three second animating, slow-motion kick to the head move ( I forgot the name... ).

Being able to choose which ranged attack would also be nice.

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Considering most "adjustments" in this game seem to be done with a barrage of sledgehammers when the fine tuning of a single screwdriver would actually make sense, is anyone surprised by any of this? I mean, seriously, did you think they wouldn't go total overkill on some of this stuff?

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The ranged attacks doing major damage was probably done to prevent what the Devs considered an exploit (and I'm just talking normal MA missions); where if the MOB was melee with no ranged or just a very minor ranged attack; Ranged ATs could get XP for little to no risk.

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I definitely understand your frustration, being a somewhat long-time video game level maker for various games over the years (going back to Wolfenstein 3D and DOOM, at least!). I'm pretttttty sure at a good guess that the reason they put the thing in there about trial users not using the MA is to prevent all the folks who would get on, use the trial accounts to spam farms/junk stuff, and then go poof.

That's my guess, anyway. Sadly, it's unfortunate. It'd be a HUGE selling point if trial users could try out what is, in my opinion, a really fun part of the game.

Here's hoping! Best of luck!

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while all this is true the spam/junk still happens,

why they have email in the game still is be on me not many even use it and it should be taken out

Also most of the friends i have ask to try the game only wanted to try pvp and they cant due to the lvl change

good luck with trying to see if this is the game for you

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That's because the Spam is coming from paid accounts the 'gold farmers' use. I guess they make enough money that paying 20 bucks an account and using it until banned still works for them.

^^^
Try This thread

Try updating your sound device drivers as well.

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Don't brag too much.

They're already datamining... wouldn't be hard for the CS reps to start matching up forum names to global accounts, give the number-crunchers something to focus on...

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In a recent interview, Posi mentioned that the MA was generating record server activity, so the MA the way it was in all it's xp/inf. glory was most assuredly contributing to these high activity bursts no doubt. This, turned Posi's headaches into a double edged sword.

He did say that they would not really nerf this dilema but dull the blade a bit by issue 15. He and the Paragon Studio staff are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they totally nerf it, it may kill the subscriber rate and activity, as they are well aware of.. But if they don't, then it does create a very high and unnatural way of earning XP/Inf, which, according to their own EULA, is a possible bug exploit. But, since everyone is farming and using it to their advantage, you can't really go ban everyone on every server, so what to do?

But who knows.

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Got a link to the interview your 'quoting'? I'd actually like to read it.

Most go inactive because something used in that MA Mission (a map or animation) was removed from the editor choices.

JF the Devs would list those removals IN the patch notes (they don't need to state a reason, just that Map/Anim X is removed); then authors would know what they might have to 'fix' and just do it when they have a chance.

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I've been thinking of packing it in for now also. The technical limits of the system don't bother me too much, but the information management makes it very frustrating to create or play, for various reasons.

The straw that broke the camel's back for is the removal of maps; if I can't count on the maps I use being there after publication, I'm disinclined to put much work into the story. The prospect of putting hours into finding the correct spawn placements and map organization only to have it yanked next patch is too frustrating.

It's maddening because I have a story I really, really want to write, and which I think would be really enjoyable for folks to play. But I simply don't have time to do rewrites every single patch, as has been the case since the MA went live.

I'd really like a red name comment on the maps thing. If they have a plan for dealing with this issue going forward it would go a long way to giving me confidence the system will ultimately be workable, limitations and all.

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QFT - It may seem lie a small issue but it isn't. I'm in the same boat. The arc in my sig was finally getting some play (22 may not seem like a lot - but it's a very packed 5 mission arc that some people feel plays lie a TF; but also gfelt the run was worth it, but when 90% of the comments ranged for positive to very positive/glowing, I felt I had something people liked AS A WHOLE because of the way I wrote the story text in relation to how it played out in the missions).

Now, because the Crey Hero Lab map was removed (and in designed and testing the mission I oput it in, I did try and test a LOT of different maps for layout of the mission objectives); I have to go with a map that DOES have a similar layout (so I can get what I want for the story); but is also a slightly larger layout and (for me) doesn't work as well.

I'm also a bit miffed they took out the purple electric based 'capture field' animation (I now have to use the 'green magic blob' if I still want a capture field); because I tested and knew what it would look like in the mission and designed my custom group costumes to go with it - and now imo, that aspect doesn; look as good (and I was getting a lot of positive comments as to the look and feel of the arc across the board with palyers saying I made very good choices there.

I can understand that if a map has issues they might pull it - but for animations that were working fine (no one reported a video problem or crash, and I never enperienced one either in all my test runs and post publish runs); I don't understand the rationale for suddenly making tehm unavailable in the MA.

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You did great on the first half of that post. The second half where you try in vain to come up with the proper level where banning should occurr etc.. well leave that stuff to the devs mate, players are tranditionally worse at this kind of thing than the devs and that is saying something.

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let's say that we denote a number/type of MOBs as: N

The Devs will NEVER explicity state that "N = AE Farm", ever. Why?

Beacause, once they do every AE Farm creator will make sure their mission is N -1; and scream , "See, I'm under the limit, it isn't a farm."

It will always be subjective because the AE is designed as a story telling tool; and their may be cases that come close to the Devs 'Farm' threshhold here or there, but because of other considerations of the story and other intangible elements, teh Devs would say - 'not a farm'.

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Meh.... on a side thought... The core of this game in my opinion is what creates Altitus which makes me think that the shiny level 50 also means Jack by unconcious design.

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QFT - I've been playing MMOs since Meridian 59 - and leveled to max and went hard core into the end-game raiding content of both Everquest and World of Warcraft Pre-Expansions); for two years in WoW I raided Onixya, Molten Core, and Blackwing Lair. After I spent ALL that time just to get my one Main Tier 2ed out; I burnt out.

In all the MMOs I've played, this is the only one where I have serious alts that I am working up (I have one 50, and currently two serious alts in their 40ies; and two villian alts, one 40, the other 24). Friends who know me CAN'T BELIEVE I found an MMO where I like alts because in both EQ and WoW (where I tried alts here and there); I never could really get into any character besides my main.

Also, started in CoH in early closed beta back in 2003 - quit after ED went ive; but came back and have stayed and played since the Invention System went live. Also, I honestly don't know WHY I enjoy alts in CoH but not in other MMOs, but I do.

Also, why I do wish the Devs would honestly try to put in some real end-game content for 50ies; it took me a while to realize that the content they have is different in that the majority of MMOs out the BIG rewards in their end-game content; and for some folks that's where the game begins (ie you don't feel a real 'part' of the world until you go raiding and kill the 'big stuff').

In CoX, the content is spread out (via the TF/SF systems) across the entire level range of your characters. At level 10 you can defeat a named AV that would have done something really nasty to the city/world, etc; so even at that level you can feel like your character did acomplish something (more than say gathering 10 clams, picking 10 flowers, etc; which it what WoW quests present you with at low levels); and that IS a major shift from the majority of the other major MMOs out there. They are more endgame/raid oriented; whereas CoH is 'character's journey' oriented.

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Just to list the issues I have with the MA -

1. Limited publishing slots. Have to throw away ratings, stars, etc. to publish.

2. Ratings system: Too volatile and open to griefing.

3. Small file size. Not that I want a ton more, but 100k is just a little too restrictive. I'd get along find with about twice that.

4. Limits on objective types (can't lead hostage to WP, can't set a specific boss w/a specific onjective) and bugs (Hostages changing groups, Boss animations not working)

5. Removal of mobs unique maps from the system with no timeline for replacing them (and at least in the case of maps, no announcement that they were even removed).

6. Signal to noise ratio. Trying to get something played a lot without a large SG or Voting Cartel is like winning the lottery.

All in all, the MA is an interesting idea, but with the limits on the system, I'm not sure if it's worth the time.

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Then by all means, stop using it - it's not a game requirement, it's a game option for you to use, or not use as you see fit.

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I thought he had very good constructive criticism of the MA he did not bash everything he listed things he disagreed with I did not see him bashing the Devs or anything I thought it was more of I think they should look at this.

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I have absolutely nothing against the OP and in fact do agree with a lot of his points, that said; what would you expect a "No, don't quit the MA, please"...? Nowhere in my reply did I bash or disparage the OP.

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Just to list the issues I have with the MA -

1. Limited publishing slots. Have to throw away ratings, stars, etc. to publish.

2. Ratings system: Too volatile and open to griefing.

3. Small file size. Not that I want a ton more, but 100k is just a little too restrictive. I'd get along find with about twice that.

4. Limits on objective types (can't lead hostage to WP, can't set a specific boss w/a specific onjective) and bugs (Hostages changing groups, Boss animations not working)

5. Removal of mobs unique maps from the system with no timeline for replacing them (and at least in the case of maps, no announcement that they were even removed).

6. Signal to noise ratio. Trying to get something played a lot without a large SG or Voting Cartel is like winning the lottery.

All in all, the MA is an interesting idea, but with the limits on the system, I'm not sure if it's worth the time.

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Then by all means, stop using it - it's not a game requirement, it's a game option for you to use, or not use as you see fit.

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CoX is the only MMO I couldn't ever stick it out to reach 50. Everquest, DAoC, LoTRO, WoW all capped out toons.

CoH I peeter out at about 43. Thats pretty wierd.

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Sorry, you lost all credability when you effectively stated in your post Everquest leveling is LESS of a grind than CoH. The term 'jevel grind' was COINED by the player of EQ. (EQ was my second MMO after Meridian 59) and if there was RVER an MMO that is a shining example of purposely DEV created player timesinks to slow leveling in an MMO, EQ was it. Played it for 5 years before finally coming to my senses.

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Did I miss where the Unique Crey Revenant Hero lab map was removed?

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This. I know this may seem like a small thing, but it's very important to some people. Someone please elaborate a little on what's going on with it? For some it's very important to have it back.

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/signed

(Had to replace it with a map that I do not feel is as good on one of my Arc missions).

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Its really amazing how relevant they want to remain as a game publisher. My belief is that they have a responsibility to support current standard operating systems if they want to maintain subscribers.

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The game IS supported for Vista; the couldn't use the 'Game for Windows' logo on this site if it wasn't. Open a ticket with NCSoft tech support or look for the player made Vista Problems and Solutions' threads on this BBS.

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Hi, I just bought the game and I'm unable to play it because I get the two following errors :

"You card or driver doesn't support GL_ARB_multitexture"
"You card or driver doesn't support GL_ARB_texture_compression"

I tried playing in safe mode, nothing worked.

I uninstalled my video card drivers, cleaned the remnants, and it didn't work.

I did the same thing with my motherboad's chipset drivers, and it didn't work.

Help please, I'm at the end of my rope in trying to find a solution.

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Were you using the latest ATI driver version for your card off the internet? (Also a posted DXDIAG or CoHHelper report would help).

If you have any files in the various MA folder 'CustomCritters'; try moving them out - ie make that folder empty; and then try to log in.

If you havn't made any groups for the MA disregard this; but sometimes a corrupt customgroup file can cause this issue.

Just delete all the text in the Signature Hero's 'Bio' field (until nothing but the 'default' button remains. Then either hit save&test or republish; and you should be good (It's a workaround that works until they fix the issue).

be aware, you'll need to do this everytime you make a change.

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My arc is broken. One error - it says mission 4 has improperly formatted html, text is too long. The longest text field I have is still considerably well within the limits and the only html I'm using is <br><br> for paragraph breaks.

Of course trying to edit, it crashes to desk top anyway. This turkey still isn't fixed for me. The desktop crashes are why I haven't written a second arc (and probably won't).

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Now, if you are able to click on the error text, it'll take you right to the offeding MA entry in the Mission, and highlight it in red. Try doing that and then copying the text there into a text editor (like wordpad) and see if there are any wierd characters.

Some maps were removed; so if you had a mission that used one (and I did); you have to go in and chose another map; and make sure the new map is big enough to hold what you put on it too.

Also, if you had any signature NPCs in you arcs as Allies or Captives; their default Bio text is too long and has HTML characters the MA Validation code doesn't like; so you need to go in and delete the Bio text until just the 'default' button remains, and then hit 'Save/Test' or 'Republish'.

If any Devs are looking over threads: PLEASE consider listing any MA Maps you removed IN the patch notes - you don't need to say WHY; just say 'Map <insert name here> removed.'

It would make fixing Arcs post patch SO much simpler.