BaiLong

I downloaded the new PlayNC Launcher, when I hit "Play Now", COH loads for
about 2 seconds, then... nothing, it just stops... =(

I checked to make sure the Firewall isn't blocking it, and added PlayNC
Launcher to my exceptions list, same thing, COH still doesn't work.

I have a Windows XP operating system; the Support Page suggested getting an
update to Windows XP from Microsoft, but when I go to he Microsoft site, I'm not
sure which patch is supposed to apply, if any actually do or not...?

Please help.

I'd love to see a "Beastial Melee" power set (available for multiple archetypes, similar to how Energy Melee is available for several archetypes)...

with powers/attacks like:
1- Lunge (Use tail as Lever/more power to Pounce on a foe with all four limbs for heavy crushing/clawing damage),
2- Stomp (Use tail as Lever to jump on/crush a foe with both legs),
3- Tail-Swipe (fast, moderate damage Tail Whip against a foe),
4- Bite (heavy crush with fangs/horns/bite/tusks against a foe),
5- Claw (quick slashes with arms),
6- Tail-Wrap (Entangle with tail & Hold a foe),
7- Tail-Sweep (Trip multiple surrounding opponents),
8- Feral Rage (Tail swipes, lunge & bite combo back & forth in a cone - against multiple).

Excellent! Is it ok to bring my children, 6yr old and 1-1/2 yr old, and if so, would I need to purchase tickets for both of them as well?

BTW, the PPD Hardsuit looks great!

I'm not talking about trying to animate protracted, lengthy ground fighting duels, I'm talking about quick, basic attacks/animations, not really much different from any other melee power, other than giving martial arts-scrapers and melee combat in general a more exciting edge and well-rounded scope of effect.

Shooting down this concept of grappling on the grounds of "the engine won't support it" would likewise nullify 50% of the game as it already functions. That's why I don't buy it.

The characters would need to be in range (just like any other attack/power) in order to effect/attempt it, then the result (to repeat myself again), using the same animations already used for the effected target characters with the animations for KNOCKBACK, KNOCKDOWN, IMMOBILIZE, and SLEEP.

The only new animation sets would be for the 4 or 5 specific Grappling Powers/Techniques of the 1st Person Hero/Villian using them against an opponent. Why is that so impossible? If you're still so incredulous, should I reference real-life (non-animation) Youtube videos to you to demonstrate examples of techniques that I'm talking about?

There are plenty of throwing techniques, sweeping techniques, joint locking techniques, and choke holds that the animator could select from that do not require extraneous ( any , for that matter) changes to the position of the target/opponent.

As I mentioned earlier, there are already several places in the game now where animations overlap, just starting with costume designs (capes, trenchcoats, shoulder guards, etc, etc), and continuing into many different powers/attacks, which also already overlap, especially in crowded group melees.

Similarly, if game-play was "perfectly realistic", team-mates would be clocking/shooting team-mates all the time. But, "the game engine doesn't support that" either, and that's a good thing for game play... no one in their right mind would want to hit their teammates, except for a few warped individuals (which I've encountered, one selfish goof-ball teleporting team-mates from high places to waste-time/kill them because he didn't get his bonus power in a mission... anyway ... ). This is why the excuse "because the game engine won't support it" sounds rather close-minded and pedantic to me.

For these kind of grappling powers, I'm not talking about long exchanges of counter-throws, counter-locking, or lengthy wrestling matches with protracted groundfighting. I'm just suggesting a more well rounded, functional power set for martial artists, and perhaps more useful variety in a secondary power set. All Kicking for Martial Artists is limiting and rather boring. Go back and read the powers I suggested, and just CONSIDER it. It could work, just like ALL THE OTHER Melee powers already in use in the game.

[ QUOTE ]

The game engine cannot support this. Characters simply can't interact in any way that would make grappling work - there are too many possible discrepancies in scale, size, and so forth. The animations would all have to be keyed to the relative sizes of the two actors involved (the player character and the NPC he's attacking), making the requisite number of new animations all but infinite (never mind that no system even exists within the game engine to select the appropriate ones). Plus, how would you even use grappling powers against, say, the Kronos Titan? Deathsurge? A Circle of Thorns Spectral Daemon?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not? If you reference the effect/2nd person animations for other powers, such as Energy Melee for Blasters, and Psych powers, all you need to plug in would be the 1st person animations for the grappling powers/techniques.

There may not be perfect fits all the time, but it would work 95% of the time.
By comparison, there are MANY costume elements that overlap, and other powers that overlap too.

To me, it's kind of a no-brainer (having cleaned motion capture animation files and doing key-frame animations). This kind of excuse ("the engine won't support it") just falls short to me.

Sure, throwing & choking giant monsters sounds unlikely, but in all fairness, so would punching & kicking one, too, and expecting a "cobra strike" to daze/stun a giant... Please. So I say, why NOT include grappling? This IS a Super-Hero game, right?

As far as altering the thread topic to make a suggestion, why not? Trying to scroll through the threads on this forum to find topics you're looking for takes HOURS.

I would love to see Grappling/Throwing/Locking techniques in the Martial Arts Power Set; as it is now, it's really overburdened with Kicking Techniques/Powers. The following Powers/Techniques could give the Martial Arts Scrapper more realistic variable ability.

I also think that GRAPPLING (as in Jujutsu, Aikido, or Shuai Jiao) would be great as another Secondary Power Set available at Level 6... especially for DEFENDERS, TANKERS, CONTROLLERS and BLASTERS, not just SCRAPPERS with Martial Arts...

It would be a great melee/self-defense alternative to the fisticuffs version of fighting available now as a secondary power.

Some power/technique suggestions for GRAPPLING as a Secondary Power Set, or additions to the Martial Arts Power Set:

* Shoulder-Roll: as an Evasion, for DEFENSE Enhancement

* Body Throw/Slam: Shoulder Throws, Hip Throws, shoves, which send opponent flying (KNOCKBACK with Damage). In Shuai Jiao (Chinese Grappling, where Jujutsu/Judo comes from), the intent is to drop an opponent hard, on their head or spine.

* Topple/Sweep: Footsweeps, Leg-Sweeps, trips and Pushes (KNOCK-DOWN with damage), usually used to set up a joint lock, kick, or strike

* Arm Lock/Wrist Lock/Joint Lock: IMMOBILIZE Opponent, set up for follow-up strikes, kicks or chokes (or insert your other various powers)

* Choke -Hold: Render opponent unconcious if successful (SLEEP)

Whadda yous guys think?

Sincerely,
Dennis Mace

[ QUOTE ]
Probably been suggested a million times, but I'd like to see some travel powers that work more with a Natural Origin.

Grappling hook has been suggested and is a great idea.
Vehicles, maybe only for high lvl heroes/villians
Skateboards/Hoverboards


[/ QUOTE ]

I also think a natural set of Travel powers would be excellent for COH;

Grappling Hook: reference "Tenchu", also used with many popular superheroes (Batman, Daredevil, Moon-Knight, Spider-Man, etc)

Climbing/Wall-Crawling: this would be fun, if it could be programmed without too much trouble; Ninjas, Insect-heroes/villians, reptilian heroes/villians, Snipers, Archers, etc. Everyone thinks of Spider-Man first with this, but many famous heroes/villians have remarkable climbing ability (Toad, Lizard, Phantom, Black Panther, etc).

Vehicles were mentioned (motorcycles'd & hover-bikes would be cool), but how about RIDEABLE-PETS? horses/unicorns, ostrich, Tigers, and maybe for advanced characters, how about Pegasus, Large Birds (heron, eagle, etc), or even smallish dragons, etc?

Pole-Vault: A fun way to enhance Leaping, if character can get a staff...

On that note, I'd love to see more melee weapons available for COH, especially
*Staffs
* SHIELDS /bucklers *
*Sticks/cudgels/baton
*Whips/chains
*flails/nunchuck/3-section-staff
*Sai
*Spear/Lance

Sincerely,
Dennis Mace