Domin8

edited

Why does the sunrise/sunset go E/W, but moonrise/moonset is off by 90 degrees (N/S)?
How does the earth's rotation work with this configuration?

I hate it when large corporations completely bungle the execution of what may have been sound business decisions.
From the August corporate financial report, NC revenues have bounced between 166B and 138B over the last 5 quarters, with most recent of 146B. However, Net Income and Operating Profit, with relatively flat revenues, have dropped dramatically each quarter, from ~42B in 2Q11 to a loss of over 7B this quarter (all figures KRW, not USD). It's a "we're going out of business" bar chart.
The NA market is about 5% of sales and CoH is about 2% of sales. Bottom line, NC is in a spot where they saw the need to do something about cost-cutting, and CoH landed in the cross-hairs.


Crude analysis:

Revenue: financial report states 2,855M KRW, converts to $2.53M per quarter, or about $10M/yr in CoH sales
Costs: 80 staff (widely quoted) @ average salary of $70k/yr (complete guess on my part, no idea what the mix of personnel or salary structure at Paragon actually is/was) plus fringe of 40% (pretty common across various industries, so I suspect it's in the ballpark) yields $8M/yr to staff the joint.
Other costs (rent, utilities, server maintenance, insurance, kitchen sinks, whatever) somewhere between $1M to $3M per year, assuming my numbers above are close. Why this range? Lower, and COH would be profitable enough to either justify keeping open, or easier to sell. Higher, and it would have been losing money and we wouldn't have seen all the effort in i24 and other stuff in development.

So for sake of argument, let's assume the math doesn't make sense to keep CoH open. NC decides to stop taking in all revenue, and cuts all personnel costs. It looks like they are giving up about $2.5M in revenue (ignoring long-term subscriptions, no idea what that is) to save $2M in personnel costs. Even if the salary is double my guess, and they are actually making out by giving up $2.5M to save $4M, that $1M isn't going to return them to profitability.

The intangible in all this is the big black eye NC is getting in the gaming market. I wish there was a way to quantify the reduced revenue they'll be seeing over the next several years as potential customers avoid them all together, or are more tight-fisted in investing in games.

Accepting the plug is destined to be pulled, they should have gone in to Paragon and said "Thanks for your dedication, hard work, etc. CoH isn't cutting it financially, so it's going bye-bye. You've got 3.5 months to:
a) find another job, and we'd like it to start after we close the doors here
b) plan and execute The End of The World as We Know it
c) code up a single-player version of the game, hell just the map without any mobs or NPCs, to sell for $5 or $10 bucks. Players could download this and transfer their toons, so a couple years from now they could pull out their favorite 50 and fly around just to reminisce."


My preference would have been for a ginormous Coronal Mass Ejection or meteor strike or some other unavoidable cataclysmic event to destroy the planet 12/21/12 and prove the Mayan calendar wackos correct. In the meantime, every hero/villain with a grudge would come invading to even the score, and Rikti or other aliens would come to harvest everything they can before Earth is Gone.
Hell, they could have even done some NPR-esque fund drive, under the guise of "we're building a giant force field shield to deflect the CME/meteor, and players can buy a generator to help the cause". Donate enough, and you get a cool new Nuke-type emote where you vent a huge cloud of sparkly gold dust from your backside.

In the end, the financial difference between my suggestion, and the way NC proceeded, wouldn't have made a drop of a difference to shareholders, but IMHO would have done a great deal for player loyalty with other NC titles, and for their reputation as a place to work within the developer community.

Here's my second attempt at a Tri-form build, any comments/suggestions would be appreciated. I envision this as an all-around MFing style build, for teaming, solo, whatever the situation calls for. Global Recharge is around 90%, there's some (but not capped) S/L defense, and pretty reasonable Regeneration.


Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.956
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
WS_build: Level 50 Science Warshade
Primary Power Set: Umbral Blast
Secondary Power Set: Umbral Aura
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Concealment
Hero Profile:

Level 1: Ebon Eye

• (A) Kheldian's Grace - Recharge/Form Empowerment
• (25) Devastation - Chance of Hold
• (48) Devastation - Damage/Endurance
• (50) Devastation - Damage/Recharge

Level 1: Absorption

• (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%

Level 2: Gravimetric Snare

• (A) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Recharge
• (36) Enfeebled Operation - Immobilize/Range
• (39) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Immobilize
• (43) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge

Level 4: Hasten

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
• (39) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 6: Dark Nova

• (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
• (33) Rectified Reticle - To Hit Buff
• (33) Rectified Reticle - To Hit Buff/Recharge

Level 8: Starless Step

• (A) Jaunt - Range

Level 10: Super Speed

• (A) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%)

Level 12: Sunless Mire

• (A) Rectified Reticle - To Hit Buff/Recharge
• (39) Rectified Reticle - Increased Perception
• (40) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage
• (40) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Damage(Lethal)

Level 14: Shadow Cloak

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
• (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense

Level 16: Combat Jumping

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

Level 18: Gravity Well

• (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold
• (19) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge
• (19) Basilisk's Gaze - Recharge/Hold
• (21) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold

Level 20: Black Dwarf

• (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)

Level 22: Stygian Circle

• (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
• (45) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
• (50) Performance Shifter - EndMod

Level 24: Maneuvers

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
• (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense

Level 26: Gravitic Emanation

• (A) Kinetic Crash - Damage/Knockback
• (34) Kinetic Crash - Accuracy/Knockback
• (34) Kinetic Crash - Recharge/Knockback
• (34) Kinetic Crash - Recharge/Endurance
• (36) Kinetic Crash - Damage/Endurance/Knockback
• (36) Kinetic Crash - Accuracy/Damage/Knockback

Level 28: Inky Aspect

• (A) Rope A Dope - Endurance/Stun

Level 30: Orbiting Death

• (A) Fury of the Gladiator - Chance for Res Debuff

Level 32: Dark Extraction

• (A) Call to Arms - Accuracy/Recharge
• (46) Call to Arms - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (46) Call to Arms - Defense Bonus Aura for Pets
• (46) Call to Arms - Endurance/Damage/Recharge

Level 35: Stygian Return

• (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Recharge
• (45) Numina's Convalescence - Heal

Level 38: Eclipse

• (A) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Recharge
• (40) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Recharge
• (42) Impervium Armor - Resistance/Recharge
• (42) Performance Shifter - Accuracy/Recharge

Level 41: Quasar

• (A) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Recharge
• (43) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Recharge

Level 44: Unchain Essence

• (A) Stupefy - Chance of Knockback
• (48) Stupefy - Endurance/Stun
• (48) Stupefy - Accuracy/Endurance

Level 47: Stealth

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

Level 49: Grant Invisibility

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

Level 1: Brawl

• (A) Empty

Level 1: Dark Sustenance

Level 1: Prestige Power Dash

• (A) Empty

Level 1: Prestige Power Slide

• (A) Empty

Level 1: Prestige Power Quick

• (A) Empty

Level 1: Prestige Power Rush

• (A) Empty

Level 1: Prestige Power Surge

• (A) Empty

Level 1: Shadow Step

• (A) Time & Space Manipulation - Endurance
• (37) Time & Space Manipulation - Range

Level 1: Sprint

• (A) Empty

Level 2: Rest

• (A) Empty

Level 4: Ninja Run

Level 10: Shadow Recall

• (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)

Level 10: Swift

• (A) Run Speed IO

Level 10: Health

• (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance

Level 10: Hurdle

• (A) Jumping IO

Level 10: Stamina

• (A) Endurance Modification IO

Level 6: Dark Nova Blast

• (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage
• (11) Decimation - Damage/Endurance
• (11) Decimation - Damage/Recharge
• (13) Decimation - Chance of Build Up
• (13) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge

Level 6: Dark Nova Bolt

• (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage
• (7) Decimation - Damage/Endurance
• (7) Decimation - Damage/Recharge
• (9) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (9) Decimation - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge

Level 6: Dark Nova Detonation

• (A) Kheldian's Grace - Accuracy/Damage
• (3) Kheldian's Grace - Damage/Recharge
• (3) Kheldian's Grace - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (5) Kheldian's Grace - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (5) Kheldian's Grace - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge

Level 6: Dark Nova Emanation

• (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
• (15) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
• (15) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
• (17) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
• (17) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)

Level 20: Black Dwarf Antagonize

• (A) Trimuphant Insult - Taunt
• (31) Trimuphant Insult - Taunt/Recharge
• (31) Trimuphant Insult - Chance to Disorient

Level 20: Black Dwarf Drain

• (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
• (43) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
• (45) Kinetic Combat - Knockdown Bonus
• (50) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge

Level 20: Black Dwarf Mire

• (A) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
• (21) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge
• (23) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge
• (23) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (25) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (42) Obliteration - Damage

Level 20: Black Dwarf Smite

• (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
• (27) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
• (31) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
• (33) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge

Level 20: Black Dwarf Step

• (A) Time & Space Manipulation - +Stealth

Level 20: Black Dwarf Strike

• (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
• (27) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
• (29) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
• (29) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge

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My WS is currently at 33, and I'd prefer to do one good respec rather than trial and error forever
The build is very recharge focused, I have the sets filled in to max that out but haven't slotted the "left overs". I'd like to be functional both solo and teaming. One quirky thing I plugged in is 3 rangle/slows into Sunless Mire, with the hope of making the radius larger and doubling the coverage area. Mids doesn't show a change in radius, so my guess is that it won't work.
I'd be thankful for any comments/suggestions. My concern is that I'm sacrificing too much (defense?) on the altar of recharge, and there are probably some unique IOs I need to know about.

Ok, thanks. I thought it was going to be live with i23, and I thought i23 was live.
Any estimate on when it will go live?
On Beta, is the shift from human to form as rapid as the current shift from form to human?

I didn't check this out on Beta, but it doesn't look like shifting to Nova or Dwarf on my WS is "instant". Dropping out of form back to human has always felt instantaneous, so when I saw the announcement about no delay in shifting into form, I was expecting to be able to hit the form-shift and a power to execute immediately. I don't think that's happening, it feels like there is still the delay in the animation to become lobster/squiddy.
I don't have an binds that combine a form-shift with a power, so I maybe powers can execute directly after the form-shift button has been mashed.
What say you all?

Thanks for the advice, everybody.
As far as farming, I have no interest in playing a melee tune. I rolled a mind/energy Dom last night. Any suggestions on appropriate farms for bringing him along?
Sounds like there should be a bunch of new toons getting on TFs now, so that's promising.

I used to play quite a bit, but several years ago left the game due to a combination of external demands (work, kids, etc) and lack of endgame content. I wasn't playing enough to justify the subscription, so I quit cold turkey, deleted all the toons and ended subscription. With the advent of Freedom and some endgame content, I'm inclined to start a new character; if it sits for a couple months without being used, there's no guilt over lost fees.
Here's the rub:
The trip to 50 was the whole point of CoH when I played, but I'd like to get to the Incarnate stuff. My fear is that with the limited time I have to play, it will take so freaking long to slog to 50 that I will give up on it.
I was never much for melee, preferring the "thinking" ATs; mainly defenders/controllers/doms. I think it would be a hoot to have a mind/energy dominator blue side.
I know that powerleveling is generally frowned on, and I was never a fan of it as the whole point of CoH, to me, was enjoying the arcs, learning skills and tactics as you add powers, etc...that being said, what would you recommend as the quickest way to get to 50? I'm guessing the answer is the standard "run a bunch of scanner missions and get on teams", but I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks for any insights.