CinnderScot

Last arc in Night Ward.

Or ancient Assyrian mythology.

Whichever you prefer. :-)

I'll get my 7-year token this month. For a long time I played quietly, primarily solo (though I was with an absolutely fantastic SG for a few years), and my forum presence was mostly just lurking, and learning. Lately, because I'm somewhat worried about some directions the game seems to be taking, I've started to post some complaints -- ones I still feel are justified, even though some folks do not agree (which is fine).

But I'm not complaining in this post. Not even about the thing that always annoys the heck out of me when reading text in the game lately. Wait...that didn't count, did it?

It's because I want to thank the devs for some outstanding storylines and mission variety in recent issues. I specifically want to single out the DA solo Incarnate storyline and the first chapter of Pandora's Box, which I just completed.

Never before have I felt so ...well...super... in this (or any other) game.

I had swapped my main hero and villain each over to the other side when GR came out, and they stayed there until i22, when the events in DA affected each of them so significantly that they each decided it was time to come back to their origin. And, even leaving the story aside, the missions themselves are so varied (some more...challenging...than others... "Oh man, is it time to solo Sister Sol's arc again already?") that I haven't gotten tired of running through them repeatedly to work on my Inc abilities. This was pretty much exactly what I was looking for when they said there would be a solo Inc path. (Not that I would say no to new Inc arcs with every issue!)

As for Pandora's Box, it was such a good feeling to interact with the Freedom Phalanx and feel respected by them. Well, except for one of them -- because of a decision I made in the arc -- but why should I listen to someone who lied to me repeatedly and treated me like an idiot in a lowbie training arc I had to do via flashback for the badges...? No, no, no: I said I would not be complaining! (Does that count?) It was a really nice surprise to find this SSA does not exemp a char down from 50, so I felt that my actual character as she is now was the one interacting with these signature heroes, and it almost felt like being in a SG-oriented comic book or film. Here's hoping this continues as this SSA moves on.

So, thank you, devs, for giving me interesting epic story missions that I can run solo if I wish. I've been splitting my time recently between CoH and another, quite story-driven MMO, but given that combat in CoH is so much more fun, combined with this level of story/mish design, I can certainly tell you that CoH is not going to lose by comparison.

Just Melee Genome (T1) so no taunt yet.

I got the Melee Genome for my stalker, since he's usually up close and personal, and now I find when it's toggled on and I line up an assassination, the mobs suddenly turn and start attacking. I look at my status and find that I'm unhidden before even completing my attack. (Doesn't happen when it's toggled off.)

Is this supposed to be happening? I.e. I shouldn't turn it on till after my stealth strike? Or maybe I should consider Assault for this char instead?

Also, does this power count the regen boost from nearby foes as "hits" that use End per enemy like Disrupt? Because with it turned on this char's Endurance is going faster than hotcakes.

My guess is that the devs didn't consider the Incarnate level shift delay when they put the delay on the untouchable feature in the Power Pool version. (I'm assuming they hadn't planned the details of Incarnate powers all the way back when they created RotP!)

When fighting mobs close to my level, the KB and stun of RotP compensate for the temporary lack of untouchability (untouchableness? Elliotness-ness?). But when the mobs suddenly get a bump of 3 levels, those effects of the power don't have much chance of affecting them, which thus produces the resurrec-dead* problem.

I'm not sure whether we can call this a bug, but it is something I wish the devs would look at and let us know whether this nerf during Incarnate content is truly WAI.


*(tm) T_Immortalus

Thanks for a response that's to the point, Zaloopa. Yeah, the situation is pretty much as I feared.

Don't know why reference to going a few more rounds is appropriate here. I don't feel we're fighting or competing.

You may note that in my original post I asked for cite-able dev recognition. We both stated our opinions about the noise, and we at least agree it's not appropriate for non-drones, but the whole point of my question (as stated) was to determine what the devs think. Or, more important, what they will admit.

But you just said this aspect was:

"Meant to be" perhaps...

Have the devs acknowledged any aspect of this to be a bug?

Has anyone heard anything official (i.e. cite-able) from the devs regarding whether the silly "I just stepped on a baby seal" noise produced by hitting mechanical mobs such as Rikti drones or floating lanterns is a bug or WAI?

Yep, blaster, with RotP from Epic Pool.

Thanks Code; that explains why it's doing what it's doing. So it's not technically a bug, but it still makes it a serious nerf when combined with the level shift delay. Especially since I can't do anything during the animation before the untouchable takes effect.

LOL Cyber. :-)

Maybe in that difference between powers lies the key to a fix, if the devs are looking into this.

If I had 15 seconds -- even if none of my other powers were useful -- I could at least run away, heal, and come back to fight again. I quite literally never get the chance to move from my spot of double-death.

Yeah, I'm not seeing the 15 secs of untouchable. The now-purple EB ganks me the moment I start to rise.

I hear ya. I suppose I could have summarised it by simply saying:

VANNNNNESSSSSSAAAAAAA JENNNNKIINNNNS!!! :-)

The delay in applying level shifts on incarnate missions means that Rise of the Phoenix goes from an awesome stunning, damaging rez to a rez that is instantly followed by another faceplant.

Has there been any word on un-nerfing this power for Incarnate content?

Yeah there's a workaround by killing them slowly and not in big groups (which is how I did it) but is there any word from the devs on actually fixing the problem? This mission would be a lot of fun instead of a lot of annoyance if we could do it the awesome way, as it seems was intended.

There is a link on the right side of the page that says "[show]". It reveals the dialogue from the trial, including this:

[Caption] Vanessa says: 'I... I have no words. The walls, they are alive. I seem to have stumbled into an infestation of the Devouring Earth, here in the tunnels. They... they are battling with Tyrant's men, so I have some cover to move on.'

[Caption] I will keep moving... I cannot allow either the Devouring Earth or the IDF to find me!

[Caption] Vanessa says: 'No! They've found me. Please, you must hurry!'

[Caption] Vanessa says: 'Where are you? The Devouring Earth... I'm cornered.... What... what is that!? No!'

[Caption] Vanessa says: 'Hurry! This... monster! I... I don't think I can hold it off much longer!'

[Caption] Desdemona says: 'The spores in the air here are exceptionally toxic. We're going to need to move quickly through here, or the effects will eventually overwhelm us!'

[Caption] Vanessa's Spirit says: 'It is done. The terrible beast has vanquished me. Your only hope now is to recover my mask. Within it is my consciousness. Recover it and the secret will be revealed. Do not let my death be in vain!'

BRILLIANT! Thanks, Xzero!

There were significant events I had no idea about even in trials I had done. E.g. Now I understand what Belladonna was talking about when she said Calvin Scott was insane.

My hat's off to you if you picked this info up while running along with the league defeating massive spawn after massive spawn.


This is definitely much appreciated.

Thanks, but one thing I want to avoid is playing many more iTrials. They are just not my cup of tea.

Maybe transcript was too specific. Just a summary would be nice.

Is there a transcript of the dialogue, cutscenes, etc. from all the Incarnate trials available online somewhere? Paragonwiki has just strategy and gamey notes, and I can't find anything via Google either.

I don't know if I will ever do all of the iTrials -- and even if one does participate, people fly through them so fast that one can't read all the text without being accused of door-sitting.

I would like to know exactly what has transpired in story terms, though.

Liking the blue psuedo, EK! And ZM: the thought of a speedo dimension just makes me shudder... :-o

"Ah, but can you not also make bridges out of stone?"

T_I: Note the spelling (hence the "sic").

Thanks for getting it, Stone. :-)

A clue I got after the first mission says Night Ward is a "psuedo" [sic] dimension.

Does that mean its surface looks different depending which way you rub it?

One way: Night Ward. Other way: First Ward.