Ex_Libris

He received nothing in response for a few hours, which was unusual in and of itself. In Doug's experience, the real hardcore hackers, crackers and phreaks were good about keeping in touch on a quick basis. No doubt, that meant this Iceangel girl had things happening outside. Another scene entirely, perhaps?

He'd had time to head home to his dorm and mull the thought over before his notebook told the lad that he had new mail. Seeing it was from Iceangel sent a thrill through him -- this would be his first jaunt like this in the States. And as he read, Doug realized it would be his first illegal jaunt, something which could throw him out of school.

[ QUOTE ]
From: she_dreams_in_digital@coldmail.com
To: cultureshock@yahoo.co.uk
Subj: Re: Anyone up for a striptease?

Thanks for getting back to me! Here's the sitch: I need to deposit some faux registration info into the PC hero database, but their systems are tight (create your own euphemism here). What I would need is someone to create a distraction for me, a decoy if you will. I can pop in and get the info in with little effort, but those security proggies they got are downright scary.

Still wanna play the game?

- *the_iceangel*

[/ QUOTE ]

Was he still willing? The risks were there for any person, but in Doug's case, they could result in not only his expulsion from school, but the country as well. He took his time in responding to the girl's e-mail as a result, and sat crosslegged on the cheap futon he'd bought from a thrift shop. Crystals threaded onto strings -- New Age-y shite, most people would say, but Doug would be all too happy to argue what could be done with them -- dangled from his hands, and he toyed absentmindedly with the things as he weighed circumstance.

Finally, he sat forward and threw a quick response to Iceangel.

From: cultureshock@yahoo.co.uk
To: she_dreams_in_digital@coldmail.com
Subj: Re: Anyone up for a striptease?

Sounds like a challenge. Ballsy, too. Count me in on the fun. This a pay job, or something we ought to be negotiating on?

- Lore

As the e-mail zipped its way off through cyberspace, Doug sat back once more. He was effectively sealing his fate if he went through with this. But when you're a poor uni student with no apparent way of getting your heroing license, and little income... Things like that made a man act a little strangely, didn't it? He figured that in the worst of all possible scenarios, he could always plead temporary insanity.

at 15 you will want to put a DO enchament on to really see any sort of movement.

No, there's no PDF of 1.1 yet. I keep intending to make it and wind up playing CoH instead.

@Curveball, thanks a lot. Playing CoH is a lot more fun with bind's and your guide is helping to get there!

Just one small question, is a PDF of the 1.1 already available? I like to print it and have it at hand during gameplay !=)

Take care and have fun!
Urbs

This is the introductory story to one of my characters on the Freedom server, Father O'Toole. As of now Father is a level 5 blaster, but after writing this, I'm growing more sure that his calling would have been defender... But alas.. Defenders don't get the big friggin' gun.
I sent this in as en entry to the fan fiction area, but did a little more editing as I looked it over in this box... If it's over 1000 words now, it's no biggy, I made sure it wasn't before it was sent... Anyway... Tell me your thoughts, I hope you enjoy it.


The sun was setting on Paragon city. Myriads of citizens filled the streets, some returning home, others looking to embrace the weekend. Walking amidst the masses, was an elderly gentlemen, wearing a black robe adorned only with the white collar that denotes a Cleric. The sun reflected off his thick glasses and the scalp beneath his thinning hair. He held his hands behind his back as he paced down the streets circling the 29th block of Atlas Park.

He ignored the sidelong glances of passersby as he spoke to his God, knowing that Paragon became a very dangerous place at night. After hearing so many stories of his parishioners being accosted by hoodlums, Father O’Toole (As he was more commonly known) began to defend it the only way he knew how: Asking God for protection.

He had come to enjoy the time spent on these walks, being one of the masses, feeling people so close. The fact that Peter’s church could now go an entire week without being vandalized, broke in to, or otherwise mistreated seemed to prove that God always listened during these prayers. Peter finished his circuit, and realized he must have moved slower than usual. Despite the days growing longer, it was now darker than usual after making his rounds.

“Well, Peter, you were bound to get old eventually…” he mused as he made his way home.

Living in Paragon for so long, he learned where the thugs hung out and knew to avoid those areas. He had to learn this lesson early, due to the apartment he was residing in BEING one of those areas. In his youth, Peter was fairly certain he could have held his own in a fight. After being estranged from his glory days for so long, he had to learn to avoid fights completely.

Just as he was about to insert the key into the security door of the building, he stopped and hesitated. The feeling that had just washed over him was a familiar one, despite not having felt it in some time. He closed his eyes and listened intently.

“Look, you don’t want to die and I don’t want to kill you, so just fork it over, okay?”
“G…Get away from me!”

Peter looked up when he heard the whimpering voice from the alley. It sounded familiar. Swallowing, he steeled himself. He knew whenever God was leading him in a particular direction, and this was one of those times. Sometimes “walking in the Faith” requires literal walking.

Pocketing his keys, he slowly sidestepped over far enough to get an idea what was happening. It appeared three members of a local gang, the Hellions, had cornered some poor soul. With as much authority as he could muster, Peter stepped fully into view and said “Stop.”

The three thugs looked up from their prey to size up the daring old man. Being in a priest’s robe wouldn’t help matters; It was no secret the Hellions were heavily influenced by occult teachings.

Showing more restraint than Peter would’ve thought, the biggest of the three said, “Turn around Preach… This has nothing to do with you. Just turn your back, and leave.”

The words hung thick in the air like smoke in a still room. For a moment, all eyes were on Peter. The assailed citizen wisely took this opportunity to begin slinking away.

Knowing that he had to give the victim more time to get to safety, Peter looked skyward and uttered, “Father… Give me strength.” With as much power as he could muster, he ran screaming at the three young men.


Groggily, Peter opened his eyes. His head was throbbing and he ached all over. He felt like he had been hit by a truck. Slowly, the world began to slide into focus. Before him sat a man he remembered vaguely… The face, seemed so familiar… Suddenly his mind flashed back to seeing this man at his church, greeting him at the door… Edward… Then another flash, this time along with the three thugs… This was the man he saved. The name came to him now. Edward Jackson.

As his vision continued to sharpen, he noticed that he was seeing very clearly. He reached for his glasses, but found instead, a helmet. Looking down at his torso, he realized he was inside some kind of metallic suit.

“What… What is this?”
Edward’s young face first registered as shock, followed by relief. “Father O’Toole… Thank God you’re alive.”
“Why am I in this suit?”

“Father… You attacked three armed gang-bangers. They… They made short work of you… But your sacrifice let me get away… I told you that day at the church that I worked with prosthetics. Well Father, you’re inside the world’s first 'prosthetic body.'”
“Why?” The panic was evident in Peter’s voice. “Let me out of this.”
Edward’s face said a lot with the uncomfortable glance away from Peter. “I’m afraid… That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“Father… You died that night in the alley. This suit is the only thing keeping you alive. You are a part of it now, your body is wired into it.”

At hearing the word “died”, Peter slipped into another flashback, much less coherent than the previous one.

Images flashed through his mind, he couldn’t decipher what was being said… He prayed for clarity, and like a single gunshot in the night, he heard inside his head the voice of God: “Peter… Cleanse the earth of the evil that plagues it.”

He began to remember dying… Seeing the world fade away as Edward ran into the night… God allowing him back to Earth because of his noble gift to Edward…

Beneath the red visor with black trim, Peter's face turned white as a sheet. For the first time in his life, he was absolutely sure of his purpose. Having been a pacifist before his death, he found himself still squeamish at the thought of having to hurt anyone for any reason.

Swallowing deeply, Peter made his resolution to God: “Thy will be done…”

THE FALL OF TYLER SOZE

The sun shone through the slated window blinds. His back toward the window that was filing the office with light, Tyler sat at his desk. Paperwork scattered across the expanse of the mahogany desk, Tyler worked diligently. Across the desk, facing the window, was Vincent Fuzzio and Michael Deluca. His two right hand-men. Against the right wall was the plasma 65-inch television. Michael was watching “Way of the Gun.” Vincent was reading the daily Stock Report in the Paragon Paper.
The door opened as two men dressed in identical black suits walked in. Both stood quietly at the door, hands clasped behind their back. Michael stood as Vincent tossed the paper to his side.
“Well?!?” Tyler asked impatiently “What’s the word from the Syndicate?”
The two looked around nervously before speaking, “Well boss, it’s like this . . . The Syndicate . . . they sayin’ to strike a deal with Crey . . . uh . . . They tired of the war . . . they think there is enough pie for Syndicate and the Killuminati Family.” Tyler looked at the two messengers as he processed this troubling information. Just what is going on in the Syndicate. Strike a deal?! .
“Of Course they think there is enough. They don’t live here. Do you really think I am going to listen to people that don’t live here!? Forget New York, Vegas, Chicago, Los Angeles . . . This is Paragon City. This is my home! NO, deal will be struck.” Tyler rose smoothed his suit, fumbling around his coat pocket, he finally found his cigar and match, lit the stoggie. And genuflected a moment. “ Return to them and tell them that. We will not kneel to CREY!” The two messengers left, scared and hurried. Both Michael and Vincent approached the large desk, as Tyler puffed on his cigar, while dialing on the phone.
“ Yeah it’s SOZE . . . I don’t care! ...Well find out why these street rats are proving a problem,” His voice began to rise as did his annoyance. “.... Lucas, I don’t care. Take as many soldiers as you need. Remind the Skulls, The Hellions. And the snotnosed Outcast, why I am SOZE, why I run the streets . . . If you have to kill them all . . . Just get the point across as quick and silent as possible.” SOZE slammed the phone down, as he fell back into his chair . . . smoking his cigar, exhaling deeply.
“Vincent, what you got for me. Good news I hope.” Vincent reached into his suit, smiled and pulled out an envelope. “Now boss, if I had good news, it wouldn’t be a very exciting day, now would it?”
He tossed the envelope on the desk, as Tyler watched his friend try to be funny. Tyler ripped the envelope open and pulled out the letter. A solitaire piece of letter paper. Tyler scanned the letter, once then again. Finally crumpling it, and lighting the paper on fire with a match, it turned to ashes in front of them.
“That was Mr. Hero himself. THE STATESMAN, he thinks we ought to watch our backs, and make sure we do nothing too terribly super-villain like.” SOZE stands, once again smoothing out his suit and makes his way toward the door. Vincent and Michael followed silently behind their leader, as they made their way out of the office. The hallway, long, narrow and incredibly cold, echoed the three’s footsteps. Tyler, leading the trio, dressed in his immaculate business suit with his hat and glasses, short clean-cut black hair barely visible, was well kept. Vincent behind him, was bald, with only a thin mustache above his mouth. Vincent was a cold calculating and ruthless business man. The third man Michael Deluca dressed in slacks and a well-pressed silk shirt. Long blonde hair tied, ended just at his shoulder blades. More interested in having fun, than serious work. He was responsible for the day to day physical activities, street operations. While Vincent handled the boardroom, banks and all finances domestic and foreign. From the ground up these three took over a small, pitiless gang. Inherited from their fathers, and created the largest Organized Crime Family in Paragons riddled history. Once Chicago and New York families were eager to ally themselves with SOZE and his business and war-tactics cunning. Vegas, Japan, Los Angeles and Italy and Russia, were all too eager to have associations with this new upstart o organization. In short years, they became untouchable, Having scuffles with the Feds and Statesman a couple of times. SOZE reached a gentleman’s agreement with the Feds. And formed an uneasy alliance with STATESMAN, which soon enough flourished into a peculiar type of respect between the two. SOZE, made sure his family avoided certain elements, even actively discouraged groups and activities within Paragon. An unnatural protector in one hand and vice suppliers in another, SOZE kept himself well protected from Enemies, the Law, and jealous families worldwide. For the better part of thirty years he ran the underworld. Now CREY has decided to take a piece of his action. He was not going to stand for it.
Lost in thought Tyler worked through the series of hallways and doors, stairs and guards, before the three were outside in front of the awaiting limo.
“Sir, Sir, . . . ” The two messengers arrived as Tyler’s door shut, the window lowered partially the two men stopped and relied the Syndicate reply. “ They request your presence at the LIBERTY building in Atlas Park. Sir they want you now.” Tyler raised his window as the limo rolled down the long stretch that was the drive way. Inside Michael, with drink in one hand, a cell phone in the other began to speak. “LIBERTY BUILDING in ATLAS PARK . . . no everybody . . . now!” The car ride was quick and silent. Vincent rarely talked, if ever, only offered words of advisement about Swiss accounts. And monies in European markets, Michael drank his scotch quietly. All while Tyler SOZE stared out his window at the city he loves, wondering when it would all end . . . And exactly how bloody would it all get.
The car slowed to a stop in front of a skyscraper, the three got out and made their way into the lobby. Filled with businessmen, who all made way for the trio, They headed for the elevators ignoring the sculptures, the waterfalls, and original artwork. Tyler decided not to focus on any of its beauty, he knew if it all went bad. Everything would be filled with bullet-holes by the end of the day any way.
Once the doors opened and Tyler focused again he was on the forty-fifth floor of the building a lady dressed in a business suit lead them to a conference room. Tyler waited for a second, while the other two composed themselves. Inhaling and exhaling Tyler threw open the double oak doors and with a flourish made his way toward the head of the table and stood in front of the window. With the sun-setting, I will be the only one not having trouble seeing.
“Good Day all, I recognize some of you, a couple of you . . . I don’t.” Tyler stood behind the President’s Chair, placed his hands of the Shoulder’s of Mr. Kimiyoto, President and spokesman of this board. Tyler looked at the four gentlemen standing in the corner, dressed like businessmen. He knew better, Delegates and lawyers from CREY.
“Now, why have I been summoned here!? I am a very busy man with little time to waste with Dead Issues.” Tyler looked around, as the four guests walked forward. One took off his eye glasses and rested his briefcase on the table next to him.
“Mr. SOZE we are here to end this meaningless squabble, much blood has spilled, lives has been lost and money squandered and wasted, on all sides involved. All we are asking is a small percentage of a very small location. Amongst your vast territory, 5% of two square miles, is all we ask of you, nothing more.” The businessman replaced his glasses and waited patiently. Looking around and finally at Tyler before finally speaking again, “We are all Gentlemen here. We can resolve this peacefully.” Tyler looked at this guest and smiled a vicious threatening smile.
“Well. My answer is no. I will not give up anything I have worked hard for. As far as gentlemen is concerned. I am a Gangster, a “GoodFellas” A dirty rotten Mobster, there is nothing Gentleman inside of me. If you would like to meet with my financial advisor, Mr. Fuzzio here, he is much more Gentleman-like than I can ever pray to be.”
Tyler motioned to Vincent as he made his way forward, placing himself between Tyler and the four guests.
“Mr. Fuzzio, I am Anthony Cardellio, head lawyer of CREY Enterprises, this man,” walking up to the man who addressed Tyler, “is Josef Hutlzmen, head negotiator for CREY. From a Business standpoint, I am sure you can see the wisdom in this transaction. Yes, you lose two square miles, yet will receive 45% profit and 0% liability and responsibility. How can you not see this is economically sound.”
Vincent regarded this new information. Without moving and talking he stood quiet for a few intense moments. Then without warning he pulled up his right hand, with his 9mm, pointed at Anthony’s head and pulled the trigger, twice. Dead and bloodied Anthony fell. Michael quick to move, killed the other two delegates before they were able to react. Tyler turned to Josef.
“Apparently Mr. Hutlzmen, Your lawyer and my gentleman financial advisor could not see eye to eye on this subject. Good bye,” Tyler turned to the members sitting. “ Gentleman, we will not strike a deal.” A bang silenced the room again. Josef laid slumped against the wall, with a shotgun wound in his chest. Michael stood there, watching the Syndicate members, while the shotgun rested across his shoulders. As the shot rang out, the doors burst open and Killuminati soldiers and enforcers stormed the room. All armed, with guns focused on the Syndicate Members.
“Now I can kill you all, and slowly, yet surely control all of your respective territories, yet I have no real desire too . . . Not yet anyway. You will return and tell the BOSSES that I stand behind my words. Killuminati will not kneel to the CREY.” SOZE looked around the room before a member from New York began to speak again.
“ You fool. You just started a war. You think CREY will sit patiently pacified doing nothing after you kill members of their legal team? They will come down harder on you. And you think any of us will assist you!?”
The member slumped back and rubbed his bald head, Tyler walked over to him and placed his hands on the bald mans shoulders.
“No, You will sit in your safe houses. Conducting business in your respective territories doing what you do best, doing what you do every day, I and my family alone will Fight the Menace within Paragon. No assistance is requested of any of you. This is not your concern,” Tyler looked at the bald man sitting below him. “Mr. Pulminero, This war has already started, all I am doing is calling out names and demanding sides are taken. Of course I know what side you will all take, right?!” After looking around the table for a few brief moments he made his way out of the room with Vincent and Michael his men slowly began to file out, without dropping their focus on the business men.
“Michael, collect the corpses, and send them to the good doctor. I am sure he can use them for his testing . . . ” Michael turned around and grabbed a handful of Enforcers.
Once inside the car alone with Vincent, Tyler breathed again, and took a shot of the scotch. “This is a dangerous game you play. My friend . . . just be careful. You know all the players and the rules. Tyler, make sure you don’t get in too deep.” Tyler looked at Vincent, while he dialed on his cell phone. After two rings it was answered.
“Lucas’ what you find out!? .....yeah . . . who!? ....the Fifth?! Cut the connection between the Fifth and those street thugs . . . Send a copy of all information you have, one copy sent to STATESMAN, the other to me.” Tyler closed his phone and looked out at his city once again.
“Becoming heroic, Tyler? Why would you involve super heroes?” Vincent asked nonchalantly as he rifled through the newspaper sipping on his drink.
“I will not waste resources on insignificant issues such as the fifth . . . If they are trying to resurrect their occult practices from the thirties and forties, I am sure STATESMAN, will want to know. Let him fight them, this way the street rats will lose their newfound powers and bring the Germans to a quick stop, a problem solved. The car sped off down the street back to Killuminati Estates.

Champions! I have played just about every super hero RPG out there over the last 22 years. I have never found one to rival the versatility of the Hero System that is used for Champions. You can do anything you can think of with that system. It is a point based system....much like COH was in the very very early days of development.

Hey, are there any rp'ers on Infinity that would like to get together and have a nice, relaxing roleplay? My character is (obviously) Johnny Richter, if you want to meet.

[ QUOTE ]
But as a stated before, Wraith is a really upstanding and helpful forum member 90% of the time. We all have our moments of sarcasm though.


[/ QUOTE ]

Very True. I totally agree with you, and apologize for generalizing Wraith's posts.

‘Jon, I am worried about where you work. Don’t you think that that stuff your around will be harmful to you?’ Lori pleaded with her husband. ‘I mean you can bring something home and get it on us or the boys!’ she said in a whisper, afraid to wake the two sleeping boys from their nap on the couch.

‘Lori. Sweet heart. Everything is fine. I’ve been working there for a few years and nothing is wrong with me we get checked once a week and the boys are fine, the doctors said that they are in perfect health. So don’t worry everything will be fine.’ Jon embraced his wife to comfort her.

‘Besides the chemicals and radiation we are near is not harmful to us anyway. That’s why we are working on this. You know I can’t tell you what it is we do up there but just feel safer knowing that what it is we are doing will benefit everyone in the long run.’ They held each other as Cain's vision returned to him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cain seemed to wake a little with that memory. He didn’t remember it but he had a feeling that he was far younger than any other memory he had to this date. Did his dad say he worked with radiation? Maybe that is what it is he thought. Boyhood fantasies aside. Maybe his dad got exposed to this new radiation and it did something to him that passed him but went to his son?

It’s possible, he heard all the time about the mutants in Paragon City that were exposed to different radiation or chemicals or born with their powers because of something that happened to their parents or relatives. Maybe that’s what he was? The possibility was intriguing.
With his strength returning he realized he was very hungry, like the energy he shot from his palm had burned his reserves. He had never felt this hungry before. He headed home to try to explain to his mother what had happened.

His walk back home took longer than he would have liked. It was around noon when he had run from practice, now it was closer to six or seven. He didn’t know how long he was out but it was getting dark so he knew it had been a while when he was dreaming his memories.

He walked back to their house, oblivious to his surroundings. He just wanted to get home, eat and go to bed. Wondering what he would say to his mother he didn’t realize where he was until he bumped into someone. “Excuse me.” Was his polite if not just a normal automated response. What he got in return was not what he expected. An audible intake of breath caused him to look up from the ground and that is when he realized that his life would never be the same.

He had made it home finally, but not before ever scared person in town had assembled in his front lawn. The response was universal; everyone just stared in shock at Cain wondering what he was going to do. He looked up to the house and saw his brother and his mother in the upstairs window looking down on him fear in their eyes. Fear of the masses out front or fear of him he wasn’t sure. The only thing he was sure at this point was getting to his house without trouble erupting.

Cain did a quick look at the large group in front of him and was worried. There were at least fifty or so people here from fifteen to fifty all out in front of his house. He recognized most of them from school or town. But he saw three figures in the shadows that he didn’t know, and that worried him. They all wore dark clothing, black it looked like in the darkening night with a small white patch on their jackets that he couldn’t make out from this distance.

He tried to make his way through the crowd without jostling anyone. He didn’t want to provoke this fight he knew that he couldn’t win. Halfway through however, the inevitable happened. He was pushed from behind into a small group of young boys.

The events that happened next are a blur as he isn’t sure what started it or what happened exactly but the end result was devastating. Bricks and stones were thrown at him and his mother’s house. Somewhere in the fray a brick hit him in the head confusing him. He continued to stumble toward the house though, refusing to fight those he knew now were weaker. His vision cleared enough for him to see two things that will stick out in his mind forever.

The three men in the shadows were the only ones not doing anything. One was on what appeared to be a phone talking to someone while eyeing Cain directly as if describing him to the person on the other end of the line. Something caught his attention that turned his gaze to his house. Someone had thrown a burning bottle at the house. It hit in the upstairs window where his family had been standing when it crashed through and exploded.

Flame erupted from the window with the screams of his mother and brother following. He heard his mother’s screams in his mind and seemed to collapse from the pain of it. What hurt more though was the scream of his brother. He didn’t hear it like he did his mother. He felt it in his soul. It was a tangible pain that he felt he could just reach down and tug on it was so real.

Fear swept over Cain then, fear of his life. Fear of his family’s life. Then the pain of knowing he is losing the rest of his family flooded his soul. The pain of his brother’s screams. Finally rage erupted from his heart. Rage at those who would hurt his family over something that was his fault. Something that he couldn’t even control, that was a part of him.

Cain stood and seemed to grow a few inches taller and a little wider in his anger. He ran into the house ignoring the burns from the flames that wanted to lick him as he passed by. The bottom floor was still nearly untouched, but the stairs were being consumed slowly by the hungry fire. He leapt the stairs four at a time and burst into the room his mother and brother were in and saw them lying on the floor.

His mother laid still half way in the flames, her body being slowly consumed. His brother however was still alive. He was convulsing and thrashing at his burns as they crept up his body. He grabbed a bed spread and threw it over both of them smothering the flames and picking them up so he could move them outside. He was burned repeatedly as he ran through the house as it was being consumed faster and faster as if the flames didn’t want anyone to escape their hunger.

He erupted from the front door smoking in many places that his skin had burned. His hair was gone as the flames had consumed it completely leaving his head bald and charred. He placed them on the cool grass hoping against hope that they would be ok. His mother was breathing but had a shallow draw and her lungs rasped as if they were burned inside. His brother was a different story. He thrashed and opened his mouth in a silent scream. His legs were both burned to the bone while his arms were covered with burns. Sirens in the distance told him help were coming for them, but would they get here in time?

The jeers and protests had stopped when he came from the house a smoldering hulk of anger. Everyone seemed to give him a wide birth now. He gaze held each one in turn, glazing over with anger, rage, and pain with ever person he looked on.

A few people attempted to say something but were stopped by an unknown feeling, guilt maybe. Fear more likely. Some were smart enough to slink into the shadows while Cain’s attention was elsewhere on those who stayed behind.

Cain was in turmoil. He stood to his full height and scanned the crowd for the instigator of this entire outcome. Cain had always been soft spoke to authority and adults. Respectful to his elders as his father had told him. He forgot all that now. The voice that came from inside him now was far different. It was cold and specific, as if all the anger in his body and all the rage that was bottle up inside of him had come out in his voice. People close by stepped back to get farther from what they were afraid was about to happen.

“Why? What have any of us ever done to you? What has my mother ever done to you?” He began stepping toward a man of middle years who still seemed defiant toward the whole thing? “What have they done to you? Do you know fear like they do? Do you?” His last step brought his within reach of the man. Cain reached out and grabbed his shirt picking him over his head and throwing him into the crowd of people who were still there.

Women screamed and everyone ran to get away from the walking rage before them. Cain didn’t move but would lash out when someone came near him. Nothing he did was damaging. It hurt, but they would recover. Recover where his mother wouldn’t. He used all his control taught to him during football practice. He felt the energies build up within him and fought to keep them down.

The three men in the shadows noticed this. Unlike everyone else though, they stayed and didn’t seem too worried about the situation at all. They did seem interested in the fact that he only lashed out at people in passing out of pain not anger and that he didn’t use his new found powers to hurt those people who obviously hurt him.

Sirens announced the arrival of the police and the paramedics. Cain was worried if they found out what he was they would blame him for the fire. He ran to his brother and crouched down next to him lifting his head so he could whisper in what was left of his ears.

“Chris. . . look bro you have to fight man. You’ll make it bro, you’ll make it. You’re stronger than you think you are. They are here to take you to the hospital. Go there and get better. . . I’ll see you later man. . .” Tears welled up in his eyes as he knew he was leaving his family. He didn’t want to but he knew it was for the better. He saw how they looked at him from the window before it exploded into an inferno of flames. He saw fear. Not fear of the masses but fear of what he was.

“Chris. Tell mom I love her and I’ll see you both soon. I. . . I love you too bro, your all I have left. Don’t ever forget that. I love you too.” He gently laid his head back on the grass and looked at his mother’s still form. She was breathing, but barely. “Get better mom, please!” With that he ran. He ran into the darkness not knowing where to go or what to do.

They already have them out, they are called...

Palladium : Villans and Vigilanties

Palladium : Heros Unlimited

Marvel

Just to name a few that have finished the test of time. Heros Unlimited is probably the closest one to City of Heros in powers and archtypes. They could be the same game they are so close.

Okay, that particular post was fairly sarcastic. And you are 100% correct that sarcasm and rude comments will never get others to agree with you. At least not the kind of others you want agreeing with you. But as a stated before, Wraith is a really upstanding and helpful forum member 90% of the time. We all have our moments of sarcasm though.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

We asked the other group to leave the kill, and they chose not to.



[/ QUOTE ]



Were you playing a police drone at the time, signalling authority in the game? No? And they STILL ignored you? They STILL beat up on bad guys put there to be beat on?

Imagine that. The nerve.


[ QUOTE ]


So, whether you think it was right or wrong, a trophy kill like that was a matter or pride to us.




[/ QUOTE ]



Someone remind me,

What was it that cometh before a fall again?

[/ QUOTE ]

I just found this whole passage snide, and if it is snide it is in turn rude. I'm not trying to say that his opinion is wrong, but comments like these are not going to get anyone to agree with you.

Will do liberty, hope to see you online

OOC: Not that anyone can tell if this a RP thread or not anymore, but . . . . The majority, if not all, of wraith's snide remarks were in character. Which to me is totally apropriate. All of his OOC comments were mostly well thought out and stated. While i disagree with a few of them, i really think he was just coming at it from the point of we should all be more 'heroic' in the game. Once he understood that some of us play the anti-hero more than the hero, he mostly was just responding to others bashing his point of view.

While I agree with you on most of your post, I just feel the need to stick up for wraith here. I have read several of his posts in other threads, and all of them in this one. I am one of the people that has disagreed with him heavily thru out this thread (both IC and OOC), but IMHO he has kept his posts well within the guidlines of the forum, on topic, and insightful.(esp. his OOC posts!) Not to mention he has been incredibly helpful and supportive of others in numerous other threads.

Not trying to slam you or your opinion Bayardus, I just don't see where Wraith was snide or rude OOC. But maybe that is just me.

"Yeah, I remember Sly Fox. We first met back in the sixties. That was during my Warhol phase. He and I did an eighteen hour film of eating pudding.

"After that I guess he did a few B-flicks. Sort of a Sci-Fi meets erotica if you know what I mean? We sort of lost touch in the late seventies. I was morphed into cybernetic/robot thingy and he stopped sending letters.

"Last I heard he was fronting an Ozzy Osbourne cover band in Omaha... that's just evil."

Been onlie a lot today, didn't find you. what's your RP characters name?

Both points of view at this point seem valid. Most of the people who agree with Gamble’s actions seem to be primarily concerned with gameplay, while most people who disagree with gamble’s actions seem to be primarily concerned with roleplaying.

From the gameplay perspective KSing is rude, especially when the perpetrators have been asked politely several times to please back off and let them finish their battle. Now some people have said that they do not get bothered at all by KSing, which is totally fine, but some people do. For this reason you should always back off if asked (with the exception being if a hero is knocking at deaths door and surrounded by higher level enemies, or the like). From this standpoint Gamble’s actions were totally justified.

From the RP point of view Gamble’s actions were inappropriate because he did not act, well, heroic. But Gamble has stated several times that his character is more of an anti-hero, so this point is not valid at all. Also, most of the people concerned with RP who have posted so far have been very narrow-minded.
If you choose to RP then think of what Gamble did as completing an assignment. The kraken is going to have a man o’ war unleash a deadly virus onto the city, and millions could die. If the kraken had been killed, he would never have said where this man o’ war was located, so the virus would have been released and killed millions. Thus Gamble HAD to let the Kraken win so that the kraken could be captured, not killed by a rude group of heroes. And don’t try and argue that Gamble could have told the other team about it, because they were unresponsive. If you look at it this way then what Gamble did was also totally justified.

Wraith, you really need to just be quite, because your continued snide remarks are actually hurting your argument. Also, where did you find the kraken Gamble? I have looked for it before and have been unsuccessful. I know it is near the lake, but is it near the statue, the lake house, or maybe the river? Any help would be appreciated.

It had been a full year since he escaped the organization known as The Pantheon. Its leader, the timeless Zeus, had oversaw his education, training, and developent as one of his special operatives. He called this group his Titans and named each of the superpowered youths after one of the legendary Titans of Mythology. Then he sent them out to do his bidding...

The only name he had ever known was HyperAeon. As a Titan he was a Lieutenant officer in the Pantheon and commanded a unit of metahumans on missions of great import, or so he thought. One year ago he had discovered the truth, The Panthoen was not dedicated to saving the world governments from evil, it was serving its own ends and lining the pockets of its leader. HyperAeon could take it no longer and left for good.

One year ago, HyperAeon first discovered that he could no longer contain the biogenerated energies that surged inside him. Before, it would only manifest in his eyes and hand making them glow with a pulsing light when angry. He had used this effect to command his teams through fear quite effectively. But now, now things were different. He was his own man and as such could choose how he would act and what to do with his powers. When he responded to the poor citizen of Paragon city he chanced upon, as they screamed for help from a mugger, he knew what he must do. His fists began to glow with energy, trembling with great power. His every cell alive with the stuff, HyperAeon strode forth and pummeled the mugger sending him flying 20 feet away! As the mugger slid unconcious to the ground, HyperAeon was inspired to do more, much more. He would use his powers and training to aid the citzens of this city, perhaps it would help to balance out some of the deeds he had done in support of the Pantheon's goals.

That was how it began...one year ago...

Today, HyperAeon had learned much about himself and his powers. He wore the silver and gold uniform of the Pantheon Titans with pride for he served the citizens of Paragon now. The energies which welled up inside him were his to command and he harnessed them for many effects. These abilities were taxed greatly as he fought the rising number of gangs in the cities along side of his friends and allies. Today was good example of this...

"HYPERPUNCH!", yelled HypeAeon, or Hype as he was called by his friends, as he smashed the Tesla Knight with one of his favorite signature moves. The clockwork mechanoid creature was propelled into the wall of the warehouse to explode into its component parts. He looked back at his team, his friends and smiled. He never smiled before in battle serving the Pantheon. It was one of the things he enjoyed doing. It felt good to have friends and fighting for a good cause. The furnace-like heat washed over him as a lovely young woman dressed in red returned his smile and rushed past him into the midst of a group of robotic creatures programed only for destruction. It appeared nigh-suicidal until she literally burst into flames! This was FLARE, a warrior or great power. Her hands came together with a thunderous clap and a sword was manifested from the fires which surrounded her. She used it with great skill in dispatching one of the clockwork creatures after another. The searing heat melted through their circuitry rendering them inoperative. Even so she was surrounded and beset upon from all sides. Hype summoned his energies and sent a devastating wave of energy coursing at the creatures to the left of Flare, knocking them all back and away. "Thanks for the assist Hype", Flare beamed back at him. "Not a problem, Flare.", Hype intoned as he summoned more of his energies for another assault. "The big one is mine." Hype lock his attention on a monstrously large mechanoid called a Cannon Prince. "HYPERBLAST!", hype screamed as he let loose his most devastating blast of energy. The shock of its release sent him sliding back a few feet as the horrific funnel of energy smashed into the metal plates of the enemy. Plates sheered off and flew in every direction. The creature regained its footing and turned to assess the situation. "<New Target Aquisition>. <Threat Assessment: High>. <Destroy HyperAeon>." rattled the hulking brute. In two strides of its massive hydraulicly driven legs, the creature stood above Hype and delivered a massive punch of its own. The force of it knocked the wind out of the young hero and sent Hype flying into a crate. When Hype looked up again he saw the creature prepare to deliver the final blow.

A dazzling stream of energy lanced downwards and severed the massive mechanical arm of the robot before it could smash Hype into the rubble. SOUL VISSER had hovered close and sent a beam of his dark energies to stave off the attack. "Foolish hyperAeon," Soul Visser teased. "Leave the smashing to Flare and get up here and blast them with me." Soul Visser was an enigmatic creature, dark of complexion with distintly elvish features if that were possible in a man. He channeled dark powers for almost magical effects. His past was still a mystery to Hype but he was a friend and that was all that mattered. "Can't talk, fighting now.", Hype grumbled as he tried to get up from the wreckage of the crate. The monster was still there and ready to blast him with an energy surge from its remaining arm.

"I can talk and fight. How can this be? For I am an Archmage, and you are not.", The very winds whipped around the warehouse and a hurricane force blew the giant creature away from the crate and Hype. Prince Wyngarde had made an entrance it appeared. The Prince was a self proclaimed wizard. His regal manners made it seem believable yet Hype got the distinct feeling he was not of this earth. The Prince continued to harness the very power of the weather to combat the robots whose numbers were dwindling.

Suddenly a sensation of restoration flowed into Hype's body repairing the damage he had taken on the cellular level. In the blink of an eye he was whole. "I'll add that to your bill, Hype." Dr. Marissa Yi laughed. With a smurk she pushed up her stylish glasses on her nose and inspected her work. " Yep, broken femur, repaired. Lasceration to upper deltoid group, mended. You're lucky this Dr. makes house calls!" The good Doctor laughed. "Now listen to Soul and stay outta trouble, I have other things to do you know." THe Doctor smiled as she targeted the remaining mechanoids and send electrical blasts into each, shorting out their circuitry permanently.

An effective team, yes they were thought HyperAeon. More importantly, they were friends...

The largest changes in this document were to Appendix B and to the newly added Appendix C. I'm afraid the Named Keys appendix is a bit sparse at the moment, but I suspect it will be added to over time.

In the last release of this document I made a few edits in the posts themselves. I think I've managed to find all of those and add them to this version but I may have missed a few. Apologies to those of you who pointed them out -- I'm now updating the main files on my computer before I make any edits to these posts (rudimentary version control) so that won't happen in the future.

APPENDIX C: NAMED KEYS

This Appendix contains a list of all the known "named keys" that can be used with the /bind command. A "named key" is a key that you must identify with a name rather than with a symbol: for example, the left shift is called "lshift" when using it with /bind.

These keys are fairly self-explanatory:

numlock
pageup
pagedown
insert
delete
home
end
backspace
tab
esc
F1-F12

These keys are a bit more obscure:

capital (The Caps Lock key)
scroll (The Scroll Lock key)
tilde (The "`" and "~" key, on the numbers row of your keyboard -- usually)

up (up arrow)
down (down arrow)
left (left arrow)
right (right arrow)

Chord Keys

lshift/rshift (left and right shift keys)
lcontrol/rcontrol (left and right control keys)
lalt/ralt (left and right alt keys)
Fn (on laptops, this is the key that accesses "special laptop commands" on your keyboard. It acts as a chord key)

Mouse Keys

lbutton
rbutton
mbutton
button4
button5
button6
button7
button8

Keypad Keys

numpad0
numpad1
numpad2
numpad3
numpad4
numpad5
numpad6
numpad7
numpad8
numpad9
add
divide
multiply
subtract

Joystick Keys

NOTE: These commands seem to work erratically at best.

Joypad Names

joypad_up
joypad_down
joypad_left
joypad_right

Joystick Buttons

joy1
joy2
joy3
joy4
joy5
joy6
joy7
joy8
joy9
joy10
joy11
joy12
joy13
joy14
joy15
joy16
joy17
joy18
joy19
joy20
joy21
joy22
joy23
joy24
joy25

X/Y Axis Joystick Controls

joystick1_up
joystick1_down
joystick1_left
joystick1_right

Z/Zrot controls

joystick2_up
joystick2_down
joystick2_left
joystick2_right

Xrot/Yrot

joystick3_up
joystick3_down
joystick3_left
joystick3_right

Pov1-Pov3 hat
povX_up
povX_down
povX_left
povX-right

For more information on the specific involved in using these joysticks commands I suggest reading the Joy of Joysticks post by Vapors, which is where I got this information in the first place.

APPENDIX B: KNOWN LIST OF SLASH COMMANDS

/afk [message]
Marks the player as Away From Keyboard (with given message)

/alttray
Toggle the secondary tray while a key is being pressed. (for keybinds)

/alttraysticky
Toggle the secondary tray

/auction [message]
Send message to request channel

/autoreply
Start an automatic reply for client

/autorun
Toggles autorun

/b [message]
Send message to entire map (broadcast)

/beginchat [string]
Starts chat-entry mode with given string

/bind [key] [command]
Binds a key to any command in this list - 'bind m map’ will activate the Map with the ‘m’ key.

/bindlist
Will list all keybinds

/bind_load
Will load the c:\keybinds.txt file

/bind_load_file [file location/file name]
Will load the named file from the specified location

/bind_save
Will save a file in c:\, called keybinds.txt with all your current keybinds

/broadcast [message]
Send message to entire map

/bug [bug subject]
Report a bug. Enter a short description of any length.

/camdist [distance]
Sets the distance in feet that the third person camera pulls back behind the avatar

/camdistadjust
Adjusts the camera distance relative to the current camera distance. Reads mousewheel for input.

/camreset
Resets the camera behind the player.

/chat
Toggles the chat window

/chat_cycle
Steps to the next chat channel in the list

/chat_set [channel]
Sets the chat channel to the given channel. Channel is the first letter of the channel you want to be current. You can also type the whole word.

/contextmenu [slot#]
Activate an context menu slot

/copychat_b
Copy the last X lines from bottom chat window into the clipboard

/copychat_t
Copy the last X lines from top chat window into the clipboard

/demote
Demote supergroup member one rank

/disable2D
Toggles UI

/e [string]
Emotes a text string

/em [string]
Emotes a text string

/emaildelete [message num]
Delete message <message num>

/emailheaders
Request email headers

/emailread [message num]
Request message <message num>

/emailsend [name] [subject] [body]
Send message <player names> <subject> <body>

/emote [string]
Emotes a text string. There are also animated emotes. They are akimbo, attack(same as point), bigwave(same as overhere), bow, burp, cheer, clap, crossarms, disagree, dontattack(same as no), explain, flex, flex1, flex2, flex3, hi(same as wave), jumpingjacks, kata, laugh, lecture, lotus(same as yoga), newspaper, no(same as dontattack), overhere(same as bigwave), point(same as attack), praise, raisehand, roar, salute, shrug, stop, tarzan, taunt, taunt1, taunt2, thumbsup(same as yes), wavefist, whistle, yes(same as thumbsup), yoga(same as lotus). The following emotes are may be used as decision-makers: cointoss, dice, rock, paper, scissors.

/estrange [name]
Remove player from friend list

/f [message]
Talk to friends

/findmember
Displays a list of players in your current zone looking for a team with thier name, archetype and level

/fl
Display friend list

/follow
Toggles follow mode

/friend [name]
Add player to friend list

/friendlist
Display friend list

/fullscreen
Sets video mode to fullscreen

/g [message]
Send message to group channel

/goto_tray [tray#]
Go to specified tray number

/group [message]
Send message to group channel

/hide [window]
Forces the named window to be hidden. (Synonym: window_hide)

/i [name]
Invite player to join team

/ignore [name]
Ignore User

/ignorelist
Displays a list of ignored users

/inspexec_name [inspiration name]
Activate an inspiration by name

/inspexec_slot [slot#]
Activate an inspiration slot in the first row

/inspexec_tray [tray#] [slot#]
Activate an inspiration slot in the given row and column

/inspirationslot [slot#]
Activate an inspiration slot

/invite [name]
Invite player to join team

/k [name]
Kick player from team

/kick [name]
Kick player from team

/kiosk home
Pop up the kiosk info for the nearest kiosk. (Assuming you're close enough.)

/l [message]
Send message to your area (same as ‘local’)

/leaveteam
Leave your current team

/local [message]
Send message to your area

/lookup
Adjusts camera angle up

/lookdown
Adjusts camera angle down

/loot
Brings up interact menu

/macro [macro name] "[command]"
Add a macro to first empty slot

/macroslot
Add a macro to provided slot

/manage
Go to the enhancement management screen

/map
Toggles the map window

/maximize
Maximizes window

/me [string]
Emotes a text string

/menu
Toggles the Menu

/namecaptain
Renames the captain rank

/nameleader
Renames the leader rank

/namemember
Renames the member rank

/nav
Toggles the navigation window

/netgraph
Toggles network statistics

/next_tray
Go to next tray

/next_tray_alt
Go to next secondary tray

/nop
No operation, does nothing (use to clear a bind from a key)

/p [name],
Send a message to only one player

/popmenu [menu]
Pops up the named menu at the current mouse location

/powexec_abort
Cancels the auto-attack power and the queued power.

/powexec_altslot [slot#]
Executes the given power slot from the alternate tray.

/powexec_auto [power name]
Sets the auto-attack power to given named power (or blank to shut it off, or toggles if it's on already).

/powexec_name [power name]
Executes a power with the given name.

/powexec_slot [slot#]
Executes the given power slot from the current tray.

/powexec_tray [slot#] [tray#]
Executes a power in the given tray and slot.

/prev_tray
Go to previous tray

/prev_tray_alt
Go to previous secondary tray

/private [name],
Send a message to only one player

/promote
Promote supergroup member one rank

/quickchat
Pops up the quickchat menu

/quit
Quits game

/req [message]
Send message to request channel

/request [message]
Send message to request channel

/s [message]
Send message to your area

/say [message]
Sends the given text on the current chat channel.

/say <bgcolor color>
Sets the background color of the chat balloon for that message only. Color can use html colors like #FF0000 or html color names like Papaya Whip. <> commands can be used with any chat channel prefix (/page, /tell, /whisper, /request, /auction, etc.)

/say <border color>
Sets the balloon color for that message only

/say <color color>
Sets the text color for that message only

/say <scale number>
Sets the size of the text in the chat balloon for that message only. The number must be between .6 and 1.25

/screenshot
Save a .tga format screenshot

/screenshotui
Toggle inclusion of UI in screenshots

/sell [message]
Send message to request channel

/show [window]
Forces a named window to open. (Synonym: window_show)

/sg [message]
Send message to super group channel

/sg_accept
Receives a supergroup accept

/sg_decline
Receives a supergroup decline

/sgcreate
Start a supergroup

/sgi [name]
Invite player to join supergroup

/sginvite [name]
Invite player to join supergroup

/sgk [name]
Kick player from join supergroup

/sgkick [name]
Kick player from join supergroup

/sgleave
Leave your current supergroup

/sgsetcostume
Sets supergroup costume parameters

/sgsetmotd
Sets supergroup “Message of the Day”

/sgsetmotto
Sets supergroup motto

/sgstats
Display supergroup info in chat window

/showfps
Show current frame rate

/sidekick [name]
Invite player to be your sidekick

/sidekick_accept
Accept an invitation to be a sidekick

/sidekick_decline
Decline an invitation to be a sidekick

/sk [name]
Invite player to be your sidekick

/slashchat
Starts chat-entry mode with slash

/startchat
Starts chat-entry mode

/stuck
Tries to get a player unstuck

/supergroup [message]
Send message to super group channel

/t [name],[message]
Send a message to only one player

/target
Toggles the target window

/target_enemy_far
Target farthest enemy

/target_enemy_near
Target nearest enemy

/target_enemy_next
Target next farther enemy from your current target (wraps)

/target_enemy_prev
Target next nearer enemy from your current target (wraps)

/target_friend_far
Target farthest friend. A friend is any friendly player or pet, not just teammates.

/target_friend_near
Target nearest friend

/Target_friend_next
Target next farther friend from your current target (wraps)

/target_friend_prev
Target next nearer friend from your current target (wraps)

/team [message]
Send message to group channel

/team_accept
Receives a team accept

/team_decline
Receives a team decline

/team_select [member#]
Select specified Team member. Example: /team_select 7 would select the 7th team member. This will not allow you to select yourself.

/tell [name], [message]
Send a message to only one player

/third
Toggles first/third person view

/toggle [window]
Show a window if hidden, hide a window if shown. (Synonym: window_toggle)

/toggle_enemy
Cycles through targetable enemies

/toggle_enemy_prev
Cycles through targetable enemies (in reverse, wraps)

/trade [name]
Invite player to trade

/trade_accept
Receives a trade accept

/trade_decline
Receives a trade decline

/tray
Toggles the tray window

/unfriend [name]
Remove player from friend list

/unignore [name]
Unignore User

/unselect
Unselects currently selected thing

/unsidekick
No longer mentor (or be a sidekick)

/unsk
No longer mentor (or be a sidekick)

/whisper [name], [message]
Send a message to only one player

/whoall
Print who's on this map

/window_color
Changes the window colors

/window_hide [window]
Forces the given window to be hidden. (Synonym: hide)

/window_resetall
Resets all window locations, sizes, and visibility to their defaults.

/window_show [window]
Forces the given window to be shown. (Synonym: show)

/window_toggle [window]
Show a window if hidden, hide a window if shown. (Synonym: toggle)

/windowcolor
Changes the window colors

/y [message]
Send message to entire map

/yell [message]
Send message to entire map

/zoomin
Adjusts the camera distance relative to the current camera distance

/zoomout
Adjusts the camera distance relative to the current camera distance

APPENDIX A: DEFAULT KEYBOARD BINDINGS

This is the list of default keyboard bindings as of 29 March 2004.

Movement

w
+forward

a
+left

s
+backward

d
+right

q
+turnleft

e
+turnright

r
++autorun

f
follow

space
+up

x
+down

View

rbutton
+mouse_look

pageup
+camrotate

mbutton
+camrotate

pagedown
camreset

b
++third

mousewheel
+camdistadjust

Chat

enter
"show chat$$startchat"

/
"show chat$$slashchat"

;
"show chat$$slashchat"

Backspace
autoreply

,
"show chat$$beginchat /tell $target, " (Starts /tell to target)

'
quickchat

Powers

z
powexec_abort

1
"powexec_slot 1"

2
"powexec_slot 2"

3
"powexec_slot 3"

4
"powexec_slot 4"

5
"powexec_slot 5"

6
"powexec_slot 6"

7
"powexec_slot 7"

8
"powexec_slot 8"

9
"powexec_slot 9"

0
"powexec_slot 10"

lalt+1
"powexec_altslot 1"

lalt+2
"powexec_altslot 2"

lalt+3
"powexec_altslot 3"

lalt+4
"powexec_altslot 4"

lalt+5
"powexec_altslot 5"

lalt+6
"powexec_altslot 6"

lalt+7
"powexec_altslot 7"

lalt+8
"powexec_altslot 8"

lalt+9
"powexec_altslot 9"

lalt+0
"powexec_altslot 10"

f1
"inspexec_slot 1"

f2
"inspexec_slot 2"

f3
"inspexec_slot 3"

f4
"inspexec_slot 4"

f5
"inspexec_slot 5"

home
"powexec_name Sprint"

end
"powexec_name Rest"

Tray

lalt
+alttray

ralt
alttraysticky

=
next_tray

-
prev_tray

lalt+=
next_tray_alt

lalt+-
prev_tray_alt

lcontrol+1
"goto_tray 1"

lcontrol+2
"goto_tray 2"

lcontrol+3
"goto_tray 3"

lcontrol+4
"goto_tray 4"

lcontrol+5
"goto_tray 5"

lcontrol+6
"goto_tray 6"

lcontrol+7
"goto_tray 7"

lcontrol+8
"goto_tray 8"

lcontrol+9
"goto_tray 9"

lcontrol+0
"goto_tray 10"

Team

lshift+1
"team_select 1"

lshift+2
"team_select 2"

lshift+3
"team_select 3"

lshift+4
"team_select 4"

lshift+5
"team_select 5"

lshift+6
"team_select 6"

lshift+7
"team_select 7"

lshift+8
"team_select 8"

Windows

m
"map"

n
"nav"

p
"powers"

\
"menu"

t
"target"

c
"chat"

Misc

tab
toggle_enemy

lshift+tab
toggle_enemy_prev

rshift+tab
toggle_enemy_prev

esc
unselect

sysrq
screenshot

f6
"local RUN!"

f7
"say $$ emote thumbsup"

f8
"local HELP! $$ emote whistle"

f9
"local level $level $archetype$$local Looking for team"

f10
"say ATTACK! $$ emote attack"

f11
"emote hi$$local Hi, My name is $name, and I'm a $origin $archetype and a Libra. I believe in justice and long evening walks on rooftops."


A note about the "+" and "++" prefixes in some of these commands

The short explanation of the + and ++ prefixes is that they represent how persistently the command will be carried out. Most of these keybindings represent "press and fire" commands -- that is, you press down on the button and the action will be performed once, until the button is pressed again.

With a "+" prefix the command will be carried out for as long as the button is pressed down, and ceases as soon as the button is no longer being pressed. For example, the default binding for the w key is +forward. For as long as the w key is pressed down your character will continue moving forward... but as soon as the button is no longer being pressed, the character stops moving.

With a "++" prefix the command will be toggled "on" and will continue to be activated until the button is pressed again, toggling it "off." If the w key were bound to ++forward, pressing the w key once would cause the character to move forward, and that character would continue to move forward until the w key were pressed again.

Any command that has a + prefix can work with a ++ prefix, and vice versa. This can lead to some redundant commands. For example, ++forward works exactly the same as ++autorun -- you run until you turn the command off.

NEAT THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH /BIND

This is the section that has samples of some of the fun stuff you can do with the /bind command. Most of these ideas are not my own -- they were picked up here and there from people far more ingenious than I.

Getting around the "no queued attack" rule

We've already learned that you can't actually "queue up attacks" with /bind -- but there is away to get around that limitation, to an extent. One of the participants in my "The Day I remapped my mouse with /bind" thread had an ingenious bind that did no less than SEVEN actions. The last two actions were to attack with two different ranged attacks.

How did he do it? By not really attacking the first attack -- instead, he just set it up so that attacking would be the immediate consequence of the command:

/bind numpad0 "powexec_auto Dark Blast$$powexec_name Moonbeam"

This is just the last bit of the original bind, which is much longer. When the 0 button on the number pad is pressed, Dark Blast is set up as an automatically fired power -- that is, it will fire at an enemy is selected and within range of the attack. After Dark Blast is set to auto, Moonbeam is fired. So this is what happens:

1. Dark Blast is set up as an "autofire" power.
2. Moonbeam is fired.
3. Dark Blast will fire, recharge, fire, recharge, fire, recharge, etc.

With this bind, you essentially set up two attacks, but you only specifically fire off one.



Targeting the nearest enemy

The tab key is nice for quickly moving from enemy target to enemy target, but how do you quickly attack the closest enemy to you? It's easy -- first you tell the game to target no-one at all, then you tell to to target an enemy -- it will always choose the closest one to you:

/bind space "target_enemy_near"

When you press the space bar, the game will drop any target you currently have and then target the closest enemy.



Remapping your mouse to control your movement

If you're not satisfied using your keyboard to control all your movement, you can bind navigation and movement keys to your mouse buttons. To give you greater mouse control. The following examples assume you have a four button mouse:

/bind rbutton "+forward$$+mouse_look"
/bind lbutton "-mouse_look"
/bind mbutton "map"
/bind button4 "+up"
/bind lshift+rbutton "+backward$$+mouse_look"
/bind lalt+rbutton "-mouse_look"

The first button is the basic navigation command. When you click mouse button two, the mouse enters "mouse look" mode. The mouse pointer disappears when you move the mouse to the left or right, your character turns left or right. When you move your mouse up or down, your character looks up or down (and if flying, your character tilts up or down). Now every time you press down on mouse button 2 your character will move forward.

The second binding ends mouse look -- when you actually need to use your mouse to click on something, click on mouse button 1 and your pointer will reappear.

The third mouse binding causes the zone map to pop up whenever you press mouse button 3. Mouse button 3 will probably continue to stay mapped to +camrotate, so you can still use it rotate the camera around your character. It is alternately annoying and amusing to see one happen when you're only interested in the other.

The fourth mouse binding allows mouse button 4 to control when the character jumps. I find that controlling jumps with my thumb gives me a lot more control over my timing.

The fifth mouse binding acts just like the first, only instead of going forward the character moves backward. Sometimes I find I have to re-enter the first mouse binding after entering this one, because it accdentally writes over the first. Re-entering the bind usually solves the problem, but it can sometimes be problematic.

The sixth mouse binding allows me to right-click on objects with my mouse when I have the left alt key pressed down in order to bring up the popup menu.

MACROS

What do you do when you run out of keys to bind? Create icons.

By the time you've reached 40th level in City of Heroes you'll have roughly 20 powers. Some of those powers will be powers you need to activate, some won't. If every single power required activation, they would take up two full trays on your power bar...

... so why are there nine trays? Why, so you can create your own icons, of course!

In City of Heroes it is possible to create your own icons on the power bar. These icons can be activated with a mouse click, or can even be bound to keys if you use the /powexec_tray slash command to identify which tray and which slot in that tray the icon is sitting. You do this by using the /macro command.

/macro is very similar to /bind -- you are, in effect, binding a command to an object. The main difference is that /bind uses objects that already exist (keys on your keyboard) as the trigger, whereas /macro creates the trigger and then associates the command to it. The trigger it creates is a new icon that sits on the first empty slot on your power bar.

The basic format for /macro is

/macro [macroname] "[command]"

It is possible to do anything with /macro that you can do with /bind. The only major difference is that instead of pressing a key to trigger the command, you click on the macro icon sitting in the power bar. You can also use any key bindings associated with the slot it is sitting in (for example, if it were in the second slot on the first tray of the power bar, you could press the 2 key to activate the macro) but you cannot bind a key directly to the macro itself.

People are often confused by /macro because it's so similar to /bind. Here's an example of macro creation to put the entire thing in context.

Let's say I want the Judge to have an emote/speech combination: I want him to perform the ThumbsUp emote and say "Good work!" But I don't want to devote a key to it -- I need my keys for combat and navigation controls -- but I decide it would be all right if I could just click on an icon in the power tray to perform that function.

I know what the /bind command would be for this:

/bind [some key] "em ThumbsUp$$local Good Work!"

For /macro, [some key] is replaced by whatever name you want to give the macro:

/macro GW "em ThumbsUp$$local Good Work!"

typing that in the command window will cause a new icon to appear in the first empty slot on the first available tray on my Power Bar... with the letters "GW" stamped on it. I can now move that icon anywhere I want to on my tray, and clicking on it will cause the Judge to stick his thumb up in the air and for him to say "Good Work!"

You can name your macro anything you like, but the icon has limited space to actually display the letters. I try to keep my macros down to one or two-letter names so they can be read clearly on my icon tray.

That is the /macro command in a nutshell. Really, that's all there is to it. /macro seems tricky because it is almost identical /bind, and the "almost" throws people. The only difference between the two is that /macro creates the object that triggers the command, and you need to tell the game what the object is named.