Electric-Knight

Just because she doesn't have cat ears in one scene doesn't mean she doesn't ever wear any.

Oh, what am I saying...
Here, have your toys back... but try and play nice!

I've only done one Keyes Trial so far. So, I obviously don't have much experience to draw from regarding it. I'd like to try it a few more times.

I didn't read much about it beforehand. I wanted to, just to be prepared, but I also wanted to experience it more than read about it first.

We had a pretty inexperienced league (lots of first timers) with a few people who seemed to know it pretty well.
They did a good job of explaining things beforehand and it all seemed pretty simple.

Getting in, it was simple, but a little tough to follow at certain points... and that is really mostly due to the vertical aspect of the reactors.
This may have been more difficult for me, because I usually play a flying character, but I was on a non-flier Super Leaping character... and that aspect was driving me a bit nuts.

Mainly, after I figured out the whys and whats for the "go up and clear the upper levels" and once I fully grasped that we had to lure Anti-Matter to each terminal thingy... Then it started to make more sense.
However, it seemed to me that things would have been better if we traveled together in big groups.** Instead, most everyone was running a bit wild and that seemed far less efficient (to my very uninformed brain).
At the very least, stick together as teams within the league.
**Any advice on this? It just seemed like we could have easily been chaotically pulling Anti-Matter this way and that way (as multiple people were yelling out, "Need AM over here!!" "Pull AM over here!"... yet we did manage anyway), as opposed to (what I would have liked) a coordinated group trek up the ramp, knocking out one reactor thingy after another, pulling AM as we went (but keeping him away from AoEs and attacks), in orderly succession.

The only other problem we had was that some Master Mind was pounding on Anti-Matter for quite a while (despite us all repeating that we should not do that)... We eventually solved that.

The end fight seemed fine.
Really, all of it was pretty cool, but a little long (somewhere around 45-55 minutes, I think) and a bit odd (with the clearing out and then bringing Anti-Matter over to each thingy... it was a couple of weeks ago and I've already forgotten exactly what we were doing there, hehe).


I'll say this as well (since I clearly haven't typed enough boring rambles here, as it is).
I would really enjoy content with these varying and multiple goals and procedures that was designed for a small team 2-6 or so.

I would find that so much fun. And I think I would enjoy repeating that.
The thing that kills the Trials for me, usually, is the double digits of people that you have to try and coordinate, get to understand the plan, follow the plan, not mess up the plan, try and help, roll your eyes at... watch run around like headless chickens...
And, to be less down on others, it's just that I would honestly find it far more fun to have a small focused group doing such a thing together.
I love the mission where two of us have to be at the computer terminals at the same time.

I would love one that required four of us... in something like the Keyes Trial.

Imagine: Three other players and I are getting set up at our separate locations within a special 4-Person Trial.
Golden Girl: On my way... some punks along the way...
Electric-Knight: I'm all set... the guards seemed a bit shocked to see me.
Zombie Man: I've been waiting at my terminal for... 5 minutes now. What's taking you so long? I ran over and soloed the next objective and came back... What's your status Steelclaw??
Steelclaw: ... Top Ten Reasons Steelclaw isn't at his location yet...
Electric-Knight: Uh oh...
Steelclaw: 10) Wait... what is LEAGUE chat? 9) Hey, anyone else ever notice that [WALK] makes my butt stand out more? 8) Speaking of butts... I wasn't *supposed* to follow GG?? 7) I'm glad that the temporary jet packs work in trials now... You all look like ants from up here!! 6) Okay, I made it to the terminal earlier, but I wasn't too familiar with the operating system, so I went to the Apple Store and asked some questions... Did you know that there's an app for making spreadsheets in-game???
Zombie Man: afk real quick to correct someone on the forums...
Golden Girl: I'm at my terminal now. Sorry it took so long, but a few guards misinterpreted my wink! :P
Steelclaw: 5) I would have been at my terminal already, but I had to rescue a kitten out of a tree... 12 different times! 4) Did anyone else just feel a tremor in the force? No wait... scratch that... remind me not to eat during a trial... 3) Okay, so what was the plan again? 2) Alright, I was just looking over my spreadsheets and... you guys are all willing to do this trial with me 73 more times, right?
Zombie Man: back
Steelclaw: And the number one reason that I'm not at my terminal yet... 1) I had to type this list!!!


Okay... Not sure what happened there, but...
Still, I'd really enjoy small team content with the complexity of the trials! The things we do on the trials really don't require 16+ people. I'm not saying that we shouldn't have multi-team leagues! I'd just love content like this for smaller teams as well! A lot more, personally!

You can open the launcher without automatically running the game.
You need to just run the Launcher exe, not the shortcut to CoH.

If you don't have a shortcut set up for it or some icon for the NCsoft Launcher somewhere... just go to the launcher's location... likely C:Program Files... ummm... I'm not on my gaming computer at the moment... is it under NCSoft folder or something...
And find the .exe for the launcher (should be clear and obvious) and open it... Voila... it'll stay open without launching any games!

I hope that helps... if not, I'll go grab the exact info... and/or I bet someone else will post it.

Double Post to say this (and to not clutter my previous post that is so fantastically pithy and well structured...):

Extra points if the loading screens are Indiana Jones style maps with our travel paths in a red line...

Yeah, when they connected all of the trains, I just assumed that all the ferries were going to be connected.
I really don't see any reason to not have them connected.

Don't get me wrong... I've always been a I'd rather travel there myself gamer. And I still often fly/run/leap/teleport across zones and take the gateways to other zones, just because I am weird like that.
However, they've done what they've done and I can't say that I think it is a bad thing... So, why not do it all the way.
In fact... they could connect the ferries and trains for all I care.
Why the hell not?

Realism/connection/immersion is not a factor in any of the train traveling today. There is nothing more wrong with skipping over taking the train to the ferry to P.I. than skipping over taking the yellow line to the green line and waiting for your stop, etc.


/sign

I just see the free players as being on indefinite trials.
I'm assuming that Trial players cannot form teams either...

I can't say I am for or against this decision (not being able to form teams).
I just think they are completely deadset against allowing ways for free "players" to mess things up. Even at the cost of seemingly disrespecting legitimate free players.

I certainly see where you're coming from. And certainly don't agree with it across varying business practices. However, I also see it from their side and don't think it is a problem. But hey, it could turn out to be!

Yeah, anyone trying to put the moves on someone while in a video game is really being inconsiderate.

I mean... if two people form a connection and a friendship that truly does extend beyond the video game and their characters (beyond a role-played relationship) and enough time has gone by that the two people are really getting to know each other... totally different story...

But to just try and put moves on, hit on, ask out, etc. someone from casual video game playing (or even from only sharing in some role-play together [as I have certainly seen that happen]), is just completely inconsiderate and, honestly, often speaks to some pretty big problems and disconnects with the person in the wrong.

Logging on to a video game is not saying that I am here to find a partner, be hit on, looking for a date or any such thing.
And I find it to be a breach in trust of fellow video-gamers (again, especially role-players) when someone takes that tremendous leap in thinking that it is appropriate.

Half the time, you're probably dealing with a happy spouse, a loving parent or just someone emotionally developed enough to not be looking for love in all the wrong places.

All due respect to those who have found love through playing a video game together. Some have even found it by meeting at bars too... but it doesn't make most of the other attempts any less of utter failures.

On-Topic Rant provided to you by some odd notion to type this that I have no explanation for!

P.S. I am taken.

Rudy rudy rudy... when will you be mine?!?!

I honestly do not think these changes are largely focused on housing F2P players.
I think the majority of focus is simply on housing a pay-for store within the game to generate more income (from paying customers) to create more resources in order to develop more stuff (in return).

Enticing new players is always a goal, but I do not believe the whole FREEDOM/freemium,/F2P aspect of it is that important in the grand scheme of their plans.

Things are set up far too much for being Premium vs Freemium... and VIP vs Premium.

And I am not saying any of this as though it is a bad thing.

Yes, as things are planned, this will attract some people to download and try it out...
But I think that is all bonus and that they are looking far more for that to bring them to plunk down $15 and see what happens after that, as opposed to sticking around for free.
And I don't think they're too concerned with people who are unwilling to pay at least once.

Mostly, this whole thing is to sell more stuff to VIPs, period.
Additional revenue from Premiums, second.
And a slightly (or more) improved scenario for bringing in new players/potential subscribers.

Looking at CoH:Freedom as a true Freemium game seems to be missing the point.

I could be wrong, but that's how I'm reading it.

Who is Rudy?

I'll likely show up for a Meet and Greet, but I haven't made any plans to attend NYCC yet!

Freedom is Insanity!
Sanity is a lie.
Let yourself go and embrace the truth... the freedom...
Like Malfaz here: