AquaJAWS

[sarcasm]Isn't that what a lot of freedom has been anyways? Adding a lot of new code so that people have an option of paying less or nothing and still play?[/sarcasm]

Seriously, I get that argument. My only intention was just spitballing out ideas for options that may or may not happen. As with all ideas, some are good, some are bad, some are one or the other but only to some people. Personally, I'm planning on paying a subscription so I don't have to worry about stuff like this, and think that if IOs are really important to you, the $2 is not much to ask for playing the game.

In hindsight, 'screw over' was too strong of a phrase to use. However, I can see the concern of some people with the IO situation, and how it could put off some returning players to not have their IOs after coming back to the game, and could actually scare them back off of the game. Yes, there's a lot that could do that, but the IOs are something they could have had all along and did earn somehow before when they did pay and subscribe. I don't think its too game breaking or unreasonable for them to be able to access the ones that they do have slotted, at least partially, when not having them means they have to dump what they did earn previously to get working things now.

You don't NEED IOs, but most characters are very very weak without some form of enhancements slotted. If they have a lot of IOs, they only way to get SOs into the powers is to dump the IOs, which is losing a lot for some IOs. Yes they can keep some, but not all. Since they probably won't have auction house access if they don't have IO access, they could be losing a ton of stuff that they earned before and not able to get back ever without spending a lot of money in game again.

Should they have to pay to get some features, yes, not having access is one thing. However making someone discard and stuff they earned to keep playing with the lower level stuff they don't have to pay for is another. My thought was allow them to get SOME benefit from slotted IOs, not all, but at least enough that they can still play the game like they have SOs in there instead of IOs without losing their IOs. That way if they decide to pay the $2 or subscribe again later on down the road, they can have the full power of those IOs back again.

Another option which may work is open up some more alt builds. While they'll have to pay to fill up the build with SOs, they won't have to sacrifice their current IOs to do it, and if they resubscribe or get the license again, they can switch back to their IO build.

So maybe some kind of scaling down to give what SO values would be. On the other hand, they apparently are premium if they have IOs to begin with, and they did something to earn them in game. Maybe they should still get SOME benefit, just not all.

But I was merely trying to introduce a possible compromise option that still had the benefit for them paying for access, but also didn't completely screw over someone who did IO out their builds but then couldn't continue paying for it later on.

Extra builds will still have to be slotted up with those SOs. I'm not sure what they would be giving away for free by opening up an extra build or two, besides maybe some extra storage space for character data.

My thought was that way if someone did have a license that expired, lets say because they fell onto hard times for the month financially, or something else outside of their control, and their IOs died, they could still keep the IOs in that build, instead of having to dump a lot of them because we only have so much non-slotted enhancement space, but switch to another one with SOs and keep playing effectively. A few months later, after the hard times have past, they can get their license again, and go back to their IO builds.

I would say that would work pretty well. Another option would be to just turn off the procs, globals, and set bonuses from IOs if you don't have a license to use them, but the base values for the IOs still apply. You don't get all the benefit, but its not as much of a shock still having some enhancement from the slotted ones.

This situation also brings a good argument for the devs to give us a few more alternate builds per character, for people who may go from VIP to Premium and back frequently.

Maybe as an alternative we should talk the devs into unlockin the IOs base numbers, but not the set bonuses at a lower level, like 3 or 4, but then at tier 7 unlock all.

I checked last night on eBay and a CoV:CE box was going for $10 which ain't bad.

Its the new reward system that is replacing the current vet rewards we have now once issue 21 is released.

Paragon Rewards

The Arachnos symbol is part of the current 30 month vet reward, but on the T5 level in paragon rewards.
The helmats are part of the current 51 month vet reward, but on the T6 level in paragon rewards.

It only takes 9 Tokens to get to T5, and 14 to get to T6, you can get both rewards in 13 months or faster, if you spend money on the paragon market. More details about it are in the wiki link posted earlier.

I'm guessing you want the code that goes along with the package, not just the disk. Its the code that unlocks the items, not the disk. At this point the disk itself is not much more than a coaster.

Not sure how many are left, but if there are any Big Lots stores in your area, sometimes they have been known to have a couple new packages of the game in stock. Also eBay may be a good option. Just a quick search on eBay turned up some CoV:CE boxes claiming to be new for $10 just now.

You also get the helmats as part of the 51 month vet reward. And the Arachnos symbol as part of the 30 month vet reward. Or after issue 21, Tier 6 and Tier 5 respectively.

Of course you can...some people call that the poor-man's-respec. The drawback is that you'll have to get all new enhancements for the slots in your second build. They don't carry over between builds.

The free-spec is different from the respec that the villains get from unlocking the patron pools.

From my understanding (in the past)
There are respecs you earn in game that stack...these can be from vet rewards, trials, recipies, the patron pools, i'm sure there are more...
Then there are dev/ocr/powers-that-be granted respecs that are free ones they grant when, basically, they change the game under our feet...which have been called freespecs.

Two different systems. Respecs gained through the game, and respecs gained from being given to us from the game-runners. The respec from earning access to a patron power falls under the first category. Free-specs fall under the second category, and go through a completely different system than the in-game ones.

When they release a new issue and change a bunch of powers enough so that it would cause someone to build differently with the new changes, they give the players a free-spec.

The free-specs, historically, have only been able to be applied as one per character...period. No stacking. Since dual and triple builds have come about they've basically put one out, waited a week, then put another out, waited another week, then put the third out, so that players could respec all of their builds as needed. The assumption was if you didn't use it, apparently you didn't need the respec that bad or you would have used it. You can still access it, but if you still have it, you can't get another one. It worked ok unless you did need it and you missed the announcement, but most people who did need it and are that into the game knew to watch the forums for the announcements so it worked out in most cases.

With the new account/character reward system, they might start issuing the free-specs through that, which could very easily allow stacking, and be much more beneficial to the players.

I did!

but, I'm the computer guy, not the grammar guy. I dunno, guess I've always said it in my head as 'all intensive purposes'. Your way makes more sense though. Learn something new everyday...lol

Best option, especially if you have a variety of origins in your enhancement collection, is usually the RWZ Quartermaster, Cimerora's Store (Julia Pria), or the Midnighter Store if you're anywhere near by and trying to sell TOs, DOs, or SOs. They all sell for the highest rate possible for all origins rather than just one at the origin-specific stores. One-stop selling point without all the extra running around, plus all of the lvl 35+ SOs once you get there.

Those are usually posted by community digest, not dev digest, which may be that issue.

One reason is the trainers aren't the 'cosmetic surgeon' type of tailors. No changes to the scales or body types as you can do with the science pack. Only costume and power changes.

I can see how it would be helpful, but I think unnecessary, especially with more 'true' tailors being added. I know it could make things more annoying to train if miss liberty has a TON of players taking forever to adjust their hair around her.

My suggestion, just to keep the theme of the NPCs more consistent:
1) Give the trainers the ability to customize your powers, but not your costume. Trainers deal with powers, so it would make sense that you get a new power and you might want to adjust the look of it. Yes, you can adjust them ahead of time but after using it for real you may change your mind.
2) If the need to adjust your costume is that great, add more tailors, just standing on the street even, in various zones, away from the trainers so there isn't a huge crowd blocking you.
4) Add remote tailor access, like the AE, vault, and auction house commands. Maybe this as a vet reward? Purchasable item in the new store?
3) Kinda off topic, but add the Null The Gull options to the notoriety contacts, and make Null the notoriety contact in Pocket D. The options there go pretty well with the Null options, and would make it easier to adjust those, like the movement options, between missions...some cave maps, I may want the super speed off, but others I do want it. It can be a hike to and from Null just to change that. Or check which AVs left to get while in PI.