Clintonian

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As it stands right now, you pick your target, run in and get them, collect boutny, die, and repeat.

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I see what you're saying (particularly during the bonus phase when the zone has been won), but I think the 1/1 respawn trick would be useful in Siren's Call, then. 1/1 respawns still seems to work against the smaller or less powerful force disproportionately during the longer capture phase in RV. By the end of May, the ratio of Hero to Villain on Test may flip-flop so that Villains have slightly superior numbers, but villains will still likely have the questionably-defensible entry corridor and the situation will again tip back to superior Hero numbers for many months after the Live rollout.

I think the 1/1 respawn mechanic is valid and interesting, but if CoV and PvP is the new bread & butter for CoX, then it seems a little punitive to Villains for the foreseeable future. I'll admit that I'm hypothesizing that the Live demographics in RV on any given server will be similar to the demographics currently on Test. That may change in a month. It could take six months.

The suggestion by Powerhelm of saddling the previous zone victors with the 1/1 respawn would be interesting to try out. That would be one way to tip the scales a bit towards Villains occasionally without having to tinker with zone settings later on when the demographics even out.

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What do some do?? jump in, kill them (if they are squishies) collect the bounty, get killed, and they are back in a matter of seconds to do it all over. No real Risk/Reward. You incure no debt, all you have to do is just fly/SJ/SS/TP right back to battle.

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By the way, I think debt-free PvP is a bit harder to manage in RV than Siren's Call.

Believe me, it's become very apparent that both of those adjustments should take place.

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I agree that the no end/health only helps the already winning group, and most of the other points.

To the people who think it is a bug, read the I7 notes. You can get there by clicking on the link in the updater while you are verifying files after your next crash. It says:
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City zones
• In PvP zones, if a character releases to the Hospital, they will respawn with 1 hit point and 1 endurance. This is to enforce a short delay on all characters before they can get back into battle.
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Of course, this is only affecting the side that is already undermanned and dying, but, oh well.

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Yeah, the new twist on respawning in RV seems great on paper, but I'm not sure it works well in practice. This zone has the most militaristic set of goals and dynamics, love it like I wanted to love Bloody Bay's setup, but it's most often a struggle of attrition in RV. More elaborate respawning favors the side that depends on respawning least - CoH. Are there going to be buff/debuff PvE missions in RV?

If it's meant to be a bone thrown to people who primarily play CoH and scrounging around for CoH-slanted content in I7, I'm not sure if the devs should bother. Heroes don't need the leg-up, that ship has sailed, and CoH-ers are resigned to take a break or wait for I8 for attention. A fair fight is all that the CoH PvPer minority want, so lather up the base value for buff/debuff tweaks for CoV in RV a little and then consider going back to the current status quo in 6 months. Just saying.

People are correct in citing that the CoV entrance is a classic killzone corridor with no air cover if memory serves. I thought Recluse's forces got there first? Why would they choose that? Why wouldn't there be a couple of armed air transports providing overflight to the death corridor that Recluse chose? The Arachnos Heavies are positioned a hair closer to the villain base, so that's good. It's about the only perceived advantage the villains have currently.

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Hell do we even know if hero AVs will spawn?! Have the villains EVER had the zone?

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Yes, and yes.

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Can't really say what hasn't already been said. More heroes than villains in RV, but then, what else to heroes have to test? I'd wager a guess that ALOT of the villains are instead messing with Patron Power arcs and Mayhem Missions. I'm sure when more and more villains eventually hit 50 this will even out quite a bit.

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/sign

You and your idea are strange and beguiling.

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Actually, I think that players should be limited to one at a time, and perhaps lose the Heavy after a zone reversion - just to keep things fresher.

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I agree with players only having one at a time: absolutely should be changed to this; but rather than losing it with zone revision I'ld like to see a timer of some sort. Say half an hour.
Got my hands on a Heavy the other night and must say they are powerful. Do see a problem with them though. I was able to fly around bringing death and destruction to Aracnos forces with impunity. The mobs aren't large enough to bring any danger to the Heavy. So its very little risk for exp. with one of these things.
Just think this might need some looking into.

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A timer might work well. You bring up a good point about xp soaking with a Heavy in tow. Having a Heavy around does diminish demonstrably one's vulnerability in the zone from PvP threats and PvE threats alike. There's a potential xp exploit here once I7 exuberance cools.

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Move the force field barriers out to the warwalls, as it is, it is just silly.

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I think the shrunken size is to cut down on battlefield sprawl, and to keep the invisible structures that change less noticeable (for example, the Atlas/Recluse statue area).

Realistically, after the first month or so when I7 goes Live, RV will be like most PvP zones with far less traffic usually - no need for all that space inside the warwalls. Also, when the zone changes to the villain theme, there is lot built on the outsides of the buildings behind the barriers that appear. All that stuff is there before the change occurs and has boundaries in the physical space, but is invisible. Fencing off that area allows for elaborate construction as in the Rogue Isles, without having a bunch of invisible architecture in which to get tangled up.

And, yes, the cycle seems a little fast.

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Also...why is there no official thread for "Heavies". I'm still having trouble finding out where to pick one up for a hero. I've seen the Villian Spider platforms...but can't find the hero location.

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There are three of them strung out in an arc from the Hero base along the western side to the south wall. Players with Heavies keep them after a zone reversion if they haven't died, so you rarely see a hero Heavy pad with a Heavy on it. Also, players can snag more than one Heavy at a time.

Actually, I think that players should be limited to one at a time, and perhaps lose the Heavy after a zone reversion - just to keep things fresher.

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May I suggest we move the entrance to Recluse's Victory to the Data office in Galaxy?

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I think that's a great idea. Dunno if it's possible to do that at this late date, to get it in before Live release, but a great idea.

How would you know unless there's something akin to testing goin on?

Good wrap-up post, Obsidious. That was pretty much my read on things yesterday. I did look around a bit for a mission contact, however, and didn't find one. I was also more inclined to just fart around in RV, though, so things might be different now that that first rush is out of my system.

The respawn at minimal health/end seems like something that the Cryptic crew can fix lickety-split, but I am mildly concerned about pet AI. I gotta test this more and see if it's real, or something like "Did they nerf Accuracy?"

I think it'd be nice if there was more of a visual effect akin to the character levelling one when an anchor reverts or is captured. The shimmering fade is a little anti-climatic. Feels like it needs some more pop. POP!

I haven't lurked in every I7 feedback thread - are there several new hero power sound effects?

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The developers also stated that while the free issues wouldn't be as frequent they would be much larger issues. So much larger issues that won't feel rushed or hacked together.

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I remember the first part. I do not remember the last part, and I'm not confident that that's the reason.

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I really don't wan to pay a monthly fee and have to buy a new "expansion" every two years. Maybe this is what it take to keep this game on-line. I don't know. I know that the last new box was $40+ and came with an increase in my monthly fee.

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I guess I'm a rich [censored], but standardizing CoH's fee with the rest of NCSoft's stable of games, adding 4 pennies a month to the cost, isn't something I'm likely ever to get riled up about. That's my only niggle point.

*Coldzone applies Neosporin to everyone's claw marks*

I wish there was more spacing in Zombie-man's posts. They're so cramped.

Break from what?

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Clint, what would you have me do?

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I don't know. I'm less taken aback by your post, than you still feeling this way when it's been fairly clear to me that this game system was not going to get much deeper since Skills fell through and I4 was... what it was. I'll admit to being a let down that the company is really scaling back on updates for the foreseeable future from the expectations of output the company set up last year, but whaddaya gonna do? I anticipate going to a months-on/ months-off schedule starting this summer, myself, because I game first, socialize second online. Are Jack Emmert's statements often a wee bit disengenuous? Laughable so. Ya can't get to riled up about it when he's so consistent about it. It's not sneaky when it's obvious.

Good luck with the next game, Cal. I've got my eye on a couple of the licensed sci-fi MMOGs in '07-'08 if Auto Assault can't successfully pinch-hit for CoX. Maybe I'll see you there. I agree that CoX could be more, but it's not. I suspect the game many of us wanted this to be is really CoH-II. Until that comes out, this'll be a fun distraction much of the time, and sometimes not.

But I might not have gotten in my sneaky snark that's a bit self-deprecating if Rasta had taken the bait...

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So just because one mmorpg does a crappy idea, Cryptic should follow suit? Your powers of common sense are overwhelming.

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Yes, only one MMOG has done or is planning to do this. ONLY one, and Cryptic/NCSoft had to copy them. ONLY ONE.

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That means it will be OVER a year before any additional content was added to the CoH side short of some costume and PvP options. And we wanna applaud the devs for this?

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No, but that's a different issue and it's been covered in other threads.

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There's no way I can read that sentence that doesn't make it sound like you are insulting the forum, not me.

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I've never said or implied that the forumbase is primarily children. I just commented about who your voting block might be heavily weighted with.

That's not elitist. That's recognizing who your demo is. I think it's great. Children deserve entertainment. You can always say, "I was doing it for the kids, god bless 'em!"

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Why do I get the feeling the new retail box will NOT be a new add-on (in CoV terms) but will instead hold an AT, new powers, a badge, and some other goodies that will only be available to the players who get the add-on code?

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Because the red names have already pretty much said that?

It's no Expanshalone! or standalone sequel in 2007. Just a normal, traditional paid expansion in addition to the (now) 2 Issues a year and in-between stuff like seasonal events.

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What I want to know is: Will we get a cameo from Ubelmann in RV?


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You mean Ubelman, right?


Sorry if you don't remember. It had to be done.

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I do that every time for some reason.

Such a silly boy you are.

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It will NOT be a stand alone.

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So this means we have to paying for the issues? Or am i missing something whats the point to this retail expansion?

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The retail expansion is in addition to the Issue development. Much like CoV was, sort of. It's way for the company to get a box on retail shelves and it may be part of their contract with NCSoft, the publisher.