Ex_Libris
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Posts
3904 -
Joined
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[ QUOTE ]
With all the rickrolling going on in the boards, I decided I should try my hand at it, and of course I went for the biggest fish I could find. Since both devs and community reps have already fallen for it, I decided to go for the evilest guy around: Lord Recluse himself!
Here's a photo for proof of the rickrolling, and I even got a surveillance video (also at w00tstudios and a high-quality WMV download). Top that, noobs!
[/ QUOTE ]
I loved this!
Ex -
Neutra,
I was able to catch "Ross from Marketing" and here is what he had to say on this issue, he is out of the office for a few weeks celebrating the new heroic arrival of a baby girl.
[ QUOTE ]
Hi there!
Yes, we will definitely announce our own studio logo, and we have made some progress on this, but at the moment it is taking a back seat to Issue 12 and the game itself. Stay tuned!
Ross
[/ QUOTE ]
So.....Stay Tuned!
Ex -
[ QUOTE ]
Sooo how about voting now!
Sorry for the delay folks I had to reorder things a bit b/c we didn't actually have a "Both" category and Rose had to make the decision where those videos listed as both needed to go.
[/ QUOTE ]
Polls for City of Commercials is up!
Stop by and register to vote!
Regards,
Ex -
Pah! I came up with that idea on the forums months ago.
But you do score a big win for actually creating the video
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[ QUOTE ]
SECTION 7: obtain the Level 35 to 39 badges:
Easy Arc:
Contact Name: Basse Croupier
Arc name: Fat Cat City
Mission 1: Get Glowie only. Multiple Glowies on the map, only one is the right one. Location of the right one can vary. Doesn't need to be a kill all.
Mission 2: Get Glowie only. Multiple Glowies on the map, only one is the right one. Location of the right one can vary. Doesn't need to be a kill all.
Mission 3: its named as kidnap mission and its briefing sure makes it look like you have to escort the target to the exit while fighting ambushes but you don't. This is actually a Kill Boss and Guards mission, thus it can be ghosted.
Note: this Arc was added in response to some PM's I received from those that felt the Technician Naylor arc was too difficult or impossible for certain archetypes.
More challenging Arc
Contact Name: Technician Naylor
Arc name: Last Stand on Mole Point Bravo aka Bravo for the Shadowshard
Mission 1: kidnap and escort tech to the glowie: there is no exit button so you must get back to mission exit yourself
Mission 2: Defeat the 2 longbow squads inside the chamber with you, click the glowie then go into the area with the Rularuu and locate/defeat the Longbow Commander (usually an Elite Boss)
Mission 3: You have to locate the Arachnos Agent named Rimsey and escort him to the glowie. The Glowie is in beginning of map so you can easily figure that Rimsey is farthest from the glowie. To make it worse, IF Rimsey dies the mission is a failure and you WON'T receive any flashback badges. To make it even more interesting, if enemies get in range of Rimsey he WILL stop to fight them, and of course Rularuu ambushes occur as you escort him. Best strategy, locate Rimsey, then before freeing him, go back and clear out all enemies along the path you will be using to escort him back, then free Rimsey and keep moving and you should outpace all ambushes.
Note: I like this arc since its the one where Tech. Naylor is sending you into the portal for each mission. There is no traveling involved in this arc. So set up the Flashback and warp via the Pillar of Ice and Flame to Naylor and just click him after each mission then reenter the portal. As of 3/17/2008 due to some requests I have added the Fat Cat City arc (listed above this one) for players that found the Technician Naylor arc too difficult for the character they were using.
Very Challenging Arcs
Contact name: Magus Mu'Drakhan
Arc Name: A Traitorous History
Mission 1: defeat boss
Mission 2: kidnap/escort thru ambushes
Mission 3: get glowie and defeat Aurora (EB/AV with PSI attacks), watch for ambushes.
Contact name: Arbiter Leery
Arc Name Crossfire
Arc Name No One Gets It 3 mishes in each arc extremely tough Elite Boss/AV at end
IRON MAN CHALLENGE ARC
Defeat the arc below with the following parameters all enabled
<ul type="square">Solo
Maximum Difficulty
Enemies Buffed, Player Debuffed, No Inspirations, No Enhancers (all activated)
No Deaths
No Temp Powers
Screenshots or didn't happen[/list]
Contact name: Johnny Sonata 8 missions with tough EB/AV at the end
Level 35 to 39 Flashback Badges:
These 4 Parameters can all be enabled in one Flashback Arc
Power Challenge: --- Badge Name
Constant Debuff --- Venturesome
Enemies Buffed --- Stalwart
No Inspirations --- Phoned it in
No Enhancements --- Decreased
Of the 3 below: only one can be set per Flashback arc but can be set in addition to the above parameters:
No Temp Powers: --- Bound
AT powers only: --- Obligated
No Travel Powers: --- Stalled
[/ QUOTE ]
Portion updated. -
Updated Guides, thank you Sapph!
Ex -
[ QUOTE ]
Blue Steel's current post count -> 6
Entries returned on a search for Blue Steel posts in the last 5 years -> 3
Hmmm.....he's working undercover 1/2 the time I guess?
[/ QUOTE ]
Playing the part of deus ex machina for Villain missions is a full-time job
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[ QUOTE ]
I just want to say how glad we are to have Blue Steel on the forums.
Whoo Hoo!!
[/ QUOTE ]
Ha! Hey Lighty, I caught another Red Name that needs an introduction! -
Edition 39 of "The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers!
With Issue 12: Midnight Hour officially announced this week; the Scoop has been able to get some early reactions to the announced features into this edition. We also have another well covered Point/Counterpoint, Base Showcase, Behind the Mask as well as flavorful Foodies.
The Scoop is LFM (looking for moar!) So if you have a talent that would fit in nicely with this weekly publication please contact Snow_Globe or Pants_Stealer
If you have any concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please feel free to direct your comments via PM to Lighthouse or Ex Libris.
If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PM Snow_Globe or Pants_Stealer
If you or someone you know should be considered for Behind the Mask Teldon or Encounters please contact MrsAlphaOne
If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
Finally if you have a Classified Ad you would like included please contact: Lady_K
Discussion on the latest edition of "The City Scoop" is located here. -
Edition 39 of "The City Scoop!" a publication for Supers by Supers!
With Issue 12: Midnight Hour officially announced this week; the Scoop has been able to get some early reactions to the announced features into this edition. We also have another well covered Point/Counterpoint, Base Showcase, Behind the Mask as well as flavorful Foodies.
The Scoop is LFM (looking for moar!) So if you have a talent that would fit in nicely with this weekly publication please contact Snow_Globe or Pants_Stealer
If you have any concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please feel free to direct your comments via PM to Lighthouse or Ex Libris.
If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PMSnow_Globe or Pants_Stealer
If you or someone you know should be considered for Behind the Mask Teldon or Encounters please contact MrsAlphaOne
If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
Finally if you have a Classified Ad you would like included please contact: Lady_K
Discussion on the latest edition of "The City Scoop" is located here. -
Classifieds
Date: March 21st
Time: 8pm EST/7pm CST
Location: Atlas Park City Hall
Server: Infinity
It's time for Paragon City Search and Rescue's 3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt!
We'll also be having a Bunny-themed costume contest starting at 9:30 EST/8:30
CST.
Hiram Giovanni's Deli and Pizzeria
Food, Fence and Forgery
"Everything's Kosher"
Looking for "Manticore - Crimson Archer" Freedom Phalanx CCG card. Willing to
trade. -L.R.
Testers Wanted: For a new and exciting video game. Contact Black Scorpion for
qualifications. Standard fees apply.
All you can eat taco night at El Super Mexicano. Tuesday at the Atlas Park
store.
I can has Cheezburger? -Catsi
Lost: One Apex. If found, please return to the Ghost of War Witch.
Lost: Hub of the Wheel of Destruction. If found, please contact Azuria. P.S.
Please do not use to construct deadly wheel of Destruction. Thanks. -Azuria
Help Wanted: Writers for The City Scoop. Please contact Snow_Globe,
Pants_Stealer, or Marcian_Tobay for submission details.
Happy Birthday, Bud!
Hope ya get everything you wish for and deserve. Heres to many more years to
come.
Your loving and wonderful sis (and favorite),
Kalypso
Need to sell something? Post it in The City Scoop Classifieds. Send PM to
LadyK.
Wanted: Delegates from all shards. Player based discussion group located on Test
server. Subjects open for discussion; Markets, PvP, server lag, et al. Contact
Captain_Myotis for an invitation to the SG United Shard Operation.
The City Scoop Staff
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Food
& Recipes
St Patty's Day
The Way of the Irish
Lads and lasses, are ye feeling lucky? Then ye have come to the right place.
Make sure ye wear green like ye mean it. Have a pint of green ale, and fill up
yer belly with some Irish Stew. Then sing a song of the Irish!
What'll we do with a drunken sailor,
What'll we do with a drunken sailor,
What'll we do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-aye in the morning?
I hope everyone has a great St. Pattys Day. Here are some recipes!
Irish Stew
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large onion, sliced
4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
8 cups water, or as needed
6 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 cup coarsely chopped leeks chopped
fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Heat oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add lamb pieces and
cook, stirring gently, until evenly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the onion, and carrots; cook gently alongside the meat for a few minutes.
Stir in the water. Cover and bring to a boil before turning the heat down to
low. Simmer for 1 hour or longer, depending on the cut of meat you used and if
it is tender yet.
Stir in potatoes, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, before adding leeks and
rosemary. Continue to simmer uncovered, until potatoes are tender but still
whole. Serve bowls garnished with fresh parsley.
Makes 12 servings and goes great withour next recipe.
Irish Soda Bread
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking
sheet.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and
margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly
floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on
prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup
buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into
the top of the loaf.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into
the center of the loaf comes out clean. You may continue to brush the loaf with
the butter mixture while it bakes.
Makes 1 1/2 lb loaf.
And now what yeve all been waitin for:
Green Beer
For every 12oz of beer, add one drop of green food coloring.
Stick with lighter beers because theyll show the green more.
Don't drink beer? Take a 2L of ginger ale or Sprite, and add a drop of green
food coloring.
See you all next week!
MistressNoire
Casval Regelis by QuietAmerican
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Behind the Mask
Frozen Avenger
Liberty Server
Where do you live?
Buffalo, NY.
Your age and gender?
27, male.
What do you do for a living?
Right now, I am actually a student.
What are you studying?
Math education.
Wow! That is an excellent decision. How far along are you in your studies?
I have one more semester, and then I get to work towards my teaching certificate
Excellent. Most folks I know usually find that special someone while in
college. Have you been lucky in that regard yet?
No, but not for lack of trying.
What would you say are your top five movies of all time?
I am a big movie person, so I always have trouble answering that. However, I
will say Fight Club, The Graduate, and then I will say 1, 4, and 5 in the Harry
Potter series. That is mostly because I can't think of them right now.
What type of music do you like best and who would you say are your favorite
musicians?
Right now, I have been listening to the Juno soundtrack. I think I might want to
add that to my movie list too. I am not much of a music person, though.
What TV shows past and present would you say are your favorite?
I would have to say Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, and
Sport's Night
What type of books do you like to read, and which authors do you read over
and over again?
There is really only one answer for that. I am not much of a reader, but I can
sit down and read any of the Harry Potter series. So JK Rowling is my favorite
author.
What other hobbies do you have?
Well, I would say TV, movies, and role-playing games. Not too much else outside
of school that I doand, of course, City of.
How did you end up picking your home server?
Well, I actually started out on Triumph because it was a green dot, but my
friends were playing on Liberty, so when player transfers became available, I
brought my first toon over.
How did you end up making your namesake character?
I think I just like the idea of an all cold character. I was able to find the
bandit mask and thought avenger, so Frozen Avenger. Of course, I lost that with
the transfer.
Adventurer was the next best thing that happened to be available after the
transfer.
Which side do you prefer to play?
I usually play Hero-side, but I am not against playing a Mastermind from time to
time.
Which archetypes are your favorite?
Hero-side I prefer Blasters, but I have a couple Scrappers and Tanks.
Villain-side, I prefer Masterminds, but willing to go with a Brute or Stalker.
How would you describe your playstyle?
I like to be some sort of damage maker. Whether I let others get in close or I
take care of it myself just depends on the day. I think I prefer to focus more
on the enemy than on my teammates, but I still appreciate the help when I get
it.
What zone is your favorite in the game?
I think that I am pretty fond of Kings Row. I think it is perfect for the early
levels.
What storyline would you say is your favorite?
I really liked the storyline where I found out the truth about the Rikti.
What one in-game moment made you say to yourself, "This game is for me"?
Probably when I finally take down the Elite Boss that has been a thorn in my
side for some time.
What feature, that was added last year, would you say is the best?
I would say inventions. I don't like seeing yellow or red enhancements when I
level.
What do you think will be added to the game this year?
I really don't know. I think I would like to see mounts. Motorcycles, horses,
boards and the like.
What advice would you have for newer players to the game?
Play the missions. Read what they say, you might get a laugh. And don't power
level, you will make it there when you make it there.
Any closing comments?
Have fun playing, and don't take player comments too personally. Sometimes they
are just playing around.
-
Base Showcase
Unbidden
Who is your base
designer and who are your supergroup leaders?
@Talek is the
head base designer with assistance from @Cende. They share the leadership of
the group.
Which server is your base on, and is it a Hero or Villain SG/VG?
Triumph, Hero-side.
When was your supergroup established?
This incarnation of the group was created shortly after the announcement of
server transfers; @Talek and @Cende wanted to move their main toons off Virtue
(which was often uncomfortably laggy) and consolidate all on a single, less
populated server. After a bit of discussion and sampling of servers to see
which was least populated during our normal playtimes, Unbidden was born on
July 27th, 2007.
How many players are in your supergroup?
There are four core members and a few others who drop in occasionally.
What is the approximate value of your base?
6,811,761 prestige unless someone has tweaked something since the last check.
Almost all of that is from the double-bonus prestige gift. Thank you, devs! We
really weren't looking forward to the two-year slog (at our standard play rate)
to get to 2 million prestige for the cheap version of the fully functional
base.
How much time do you spend working on your base? How much time have you
invested so far?
Heh. Far too much time.
More seriously, we've spent a couple hundred hours working on the base, all
told. Some weeks, I was in the base editor for 10-15 hours. We expect that
amount of time to go down, now that we're pretty much to a finished state on
the base...unless I get some grand idea on how to reorganize something.
What is your favorite base item? Least favorite?
Favorite: the bare coffee tables and the flat-top desks for use as flooring
materials for raised room sections.
Least favorite: tech inspiration storage. It's WAY too noisy.
What is your favorite thing about base editing? Least favorite?
I love being able to turn my ideas about space layout into a visible, explorable
environment. On the other hand, I'm consistently annoyed by the crudity of the
editing tools...it's embarrassing that I have to exploit bugs to do simple
things like put a res ring over a floor tile, and that I can't turn a chair 45
degrees (or push it over on its side).
What is the highest thing on your wish-list for new base items?
Wentworth's access from the base, definitely.
If you could give just one piece of advice to a new base editor, what would
it be?
Be patient. Making a base you're happy with is probably going to take several
iterations, and you'll end up building and tearing down and rebuilding for a
while. Don't let it discourage you.
Anything else you'd like to add about your SG, your base, or the base system
in general?
A lot more information (and more pictures!) is available at
http://www.wolfskeep.com/unbidden/
-
Point / Counterpoint
This is the fourteenth in a series of Point/Counterpoint articles, which will
review commonly requested player suggestions, and review the pros and cons of
those suggestions.
This weeks subject - PvP
POINT:
PvP content is usually one of the most controversial additions to an MMO because
battle control shifts from the system to the player. A player's skill becomes
emphasized as a determining factor in success, and one player or group of
players is doomed to lose. For this reason, any small edge due to system
constraints will always be decried as unfair and unbalanced, regardless of how
small the real impact is on the game; because player skill can not be
objectively measured in a singular instance. What is more, the behavior of some
PvP players tend to be more aggressive toward other players than the non-PvP
player because of the nature of competition, with language and emotes
specifically intended to insulting. thus creating the impression that most PvP
players are this way. Cheating, whenever possible, is more frequent. Lastly,
the plot line of the game is not advanced, as PvP must be separated from normal
content progression since the devs have no control over the difficulty. So if
there are a number of reasons not to have PvP, why have it?
The simplest answer is that some people enjoy it. There is a subset of players
for whom the only real challenge is facing another reactive, intelligent
player. In addition, while it must be separate from the main plot, PvP offers a
wide range of new content options for the devs. It also offers a unique
opportunity to see the ways in which powers are, or are not, working, perhaps
highlighting the need to make changes that go unnoticed in PvE. And there is no
more classic a comic book story than the superhero team taking on a
supervillain one, with roughly equal abilities. So PvP makes sense in the
context of the genre being represented.
However, it is no secret that many players do not find PvP content enjoyable.
Some choose to avoid it altogether, while others will attempt to engage in the
content, only to be disappointed. The mechanics of PvP are always under greater
scrutiny because there is always a player on the losing side. While the AI
never complains, a player certainly can. If the mechanics are too unfair,
unbalanced, or uninteresting, players will avoid the content in high enough
numbers that forming PvP contests becomes problematic. So what can be done to
get more people engaged in PvP?
There are several methods which have been used before. You can provide unique or
superior rewards for PvP success. The problem exists in determining just how
much of a reward should be offered for an inherently unquantifiable level of
challenge. Numerous PvE challenges can be offered within PvP areas, providing
players seeking limited PvP action an alternative activity to supplement the
PvP. But players uninterested in PvP will complain if certain PvE things are
only placed in PvP zones (like badges). You can also change the way powers work
in PvP. So are there other ways to improve PvP?
Numerous suggestions have been offered by players. The PvP forum has plenty of
suggestions, with approval or dismissal by the readers, and you can go to that
forum if you wish to discuss them in depth. I will highlight a few ideas that
have been offered.
One of the most common requests is for there to be a way to have a secondary
character build, to be used for PvP separate from the PvE build. While some
people may believe powers are equally useful in either setting, many ardent
PvPers insist that certain powers have a benefit in PvP that is disproportional
to the benefit in PvE and vice versa. Being forced to use a single build causes
these players to commit a character to pure PvP activity, which may not make
progression in the PvE content as easily. A separate build option avoids this
issue. A similar idea is to allow players to create advanced characters that
are only allowed to engage in PvP.
Other ideas involve changing the mechanics of PvP itself. Making powers behave
in one way for PvE and another for PvP. If a particular power is viewed as too
powerful in PvP, but fine for PvE, linked changes often make addressing issues
a problem. So long as PvE is the core of game play, imbalances in PvP may go
unaddressed. Or conversely, if a PvP change is made that affects PvE, then the
bulk of players may begin to view PvP as a "problem" for PvEers. This
strengthens the resolve of those that oppose PvP. By separating the power
functions in PvP from those in PvE, this issue is resolved.
Another issue is the player base for PvP. How can it be increased? Ideas such as
open PvP or flagging system which allow players to choose to be involved in PvP
or not have been offered, but run the risk of alienating PvE players if PvP
becomes too ubiquitous. Instead, means to entice more people into the existing
areas are suggested. But there is a delicate balance between players views
about an "enticement" versus a "requirement" to enter PvP zones. The greater
the enticement, the more it seems a requirement, particularly if there are
unique rewards offered.
A typical "how to improve PvP" thread, with significant discussion, can be found
here.
COUNTERPOINT:
But with all the ways to improve PvP that are out there, there must always be
asked the question, should it be changed? It is likely that anyone who is
uninterested in PvP will avoid it no matter what improvements are made. The PvP
player base is a small subset of the total player base, so any time spent on
changes in PvP will necessarily be experienced by fewer players than changes to
the PvE content would be. Since balancing PvP is such a time consuming and
never-ending effort, it can be a significant drag on overall improvement time
for the game. Worse, this difficult balance means that changes can sometimes
backfire, making the time spent wasted.
Finding PvP activities the bulk of players like is challenging. The Market is
one form of PvP players seem willing to engage in. Although market "cheating"
is no less prevalent in the forms of Arbitage, Honeypotting, Monopoly, and
deliberate inflation; players still seem willing to use the Market where
possible. But it also induces the typical behaviors of PvPers. Farming and RMT
issues are greatly increased in environments where there is significant value
to be gained in those behaviors. The market creates this environment. So if
even a popular form of PvP induces negative behaviors, is there any form of PvP
that can be both well received, and wholly positive for the game?
For some players, PvP is nothing but a distraction from the core purpose of the
game. Thus, any time spent on it ends up being lost to them. These players may
prefer to see PvP left as it is, so as not to take any more time. While it is
clear the devs have committed resources to providing it for players, how much
more should be used? This is why changes to PvP must be carefully considered
because even positive changes may be viewed by the player base in general as
misappropriated with the associated loss of confidence in the devs that they
will focus on the important part of the game, which for them is purely PvE.
Ms.October by DrBlazphemous
-
The City Scoop
Issue 12 Announced
Major Medical Panic Ensues
Roman Kilo by LadyJudgement
With NCsoft's announcement of the latest free expansion of the hugely popular
"City of" franchise, sixteen pages of board threads were filled with ohs, ahs,
gasps and the occasional life-fearing panic. As well as a few just a valid
negative opinions. What is causing such a stir in the community forums? The
content and the underplayed lead up.
It would seem that for weeks and even months, the good folks we call Devs were
warning the player base not to expect too much from the Issue 12 expansion,
that Issue 13 would be the next "big" expansion for content and changes. On
Wednesday, March 12, it was announced to the community that Issue 12 would
include new content for the 10-20 level ranges, new maps for 35-50 level
ranges, a new Non-Player Character group, new Villainous Epic Archetypes,
powerset crossovers and a new Hollows. This is just a little expansion, not
much more than an update, really.
The new content for the 10-20 level ranges would allow players to join The
Midnight Squad to put an end to the Rikti Wars. It seems to be much like the
new content since Issue 7's PVP/Co-op zones, allowing gamers new play style and
rewards, however we will have to wait for Beta testing to get the full scope of
what to expect.
The new content for the 35-50 ranges also involves the clandestine Midnight
Squad. In these missions. players would be able to travel back to ancient Rome
to fight epic battles and monsters that terrorized that era's heroes. On these
maps, it would appear, that players can unlock Roman style costume pieces for
all character types: male, female and huge.
"The Destined One" is no longer just a title, with the introduction of
villainous Epic Archetypes, something red-siders have been begging for, on and
off, for years. Players can choose to be a Wolf Spider or Blood Widow
archetype. Those who choose the Wolf Spider archetype will have branching
powersets allowing them to specialize as either a Bane Spider or Crab Spider.
Those who choose the Blood Widow archetype will have their choice of Fortunatas
or Night Widow branches. Each choice comes with new costume options.
Axe-wielding Brutes? Plant Controllers? Storm Corrupters? Yes! And these are
only a few of the power set crossovers that have been announced. However,
speculations are abound on the chat forums, and, yes the Devs are listening.
The Hollows is being revamped to make it more player-friendly. Announced quality
of life improvements include: rebalanced encounters, new villain groups,
mission door improvements and an in-zone hospital. A new contact, Meg Mason,
will be added to give repeatable missions.
We will be able to customize our User Interface as well as our Contact lists and
combine Inspirations into different and better Inspirations, as well as one
Inspiration getting a level boost as we do. We will also see an immediate boost
to health and stamina at the moment of leveling, and nova will actually do
something other than look wicked cool. There is also promised improvement to
the chat system and the Real Numbers system.
All in all, it looks to be a rather good expansion with something for everyone,
as well as a continuation of the notion that no two players experience is the
same. If you want to see it before the "General Public," logging on to the test
server is an excellent way to improve your chances to be in closed Beta
testing. Just remember, "What happens in Beta, stays in Beta."
Link to Lighthouses announcement
Link to discussion page
Link to
the Official site page
This just in
As a last minute addition, right as this weeks edition of The City Scoop
was going to press, we received a message from
Lighthouse, City of Heroes Community
Manager, that we wanted to share with you:
Statement Regarding Additional Character Slots
In reading through all the community feedback (US and EU) and player reaction
from the recent announcement of Issue 12: Midnight Hour, the overwhelming
consensus is that players would like to have access to additional character
slots. With all the great reasons to roll a new character included in Issue 12,
we certainly understand the desire.
We want to let you know that we are working on systems to address this community
request. Our intent is add purchasable character slots to round out our
existing services of Character Transfer and Character Rename. We hope to have
this implemented and available shortly after Issue 12 Launch.
As always, we are happy to listen and respond to your requests. Thanks for your
feedback and continued support.
Vol. 1, Issue 39
March 14th, 2008
This Issue:
Upcoming Events:
March 15th:
March 16th:
March 17th:
March 21st:
March 23rd:
Too Hot to Handle by LadyEntropy aka Anwyeth
Fan Fiction Highlight
Helloooo, Fictionites!
This week we have a big (not to be confused with little) ditty from M_I_Abrahms
entitled
A Broken Man :
"I saw a hero Papa!"
"I know you did, Bethany. We all did. They seem to be every where these days."
The lights of the convention hall are reflected off the metal body of the
child-like android, but they cannot hide the look of joy in her artificial
eyes. "Papa, can I be a Hero? I wanna help people too."
The young man turns and kneels to look into the diminutive automaton's face.
"Are you sure? You know I'll worry about you." Bethany nods, she is unable to
smile but it's clear that if she could she would be beaming. Her father smiles
for her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps when we get home I can start
designing a stronger body. And what about you Benjamin? Would you like to be a
Hero, like your sister?"
"I don't think so Father."
Check out
A Broken Man and read on!
Ms Veil by PolterGuy
Robot Rampage V
March 2nd, 2008 - It was another beautiful Sunday afternoon in Founders' Falls
on the Protector server when the cry rang out, Kronos! Heroes gathered to
battle the giant Malta robot yet again, but then another appeared, and another!
Tankers stepped up to control the multiple Kronos assaults, and then more
appeared. Heroes gathered from all over to watch the gathering. Rockets flared,
lasers blasted, and giant metallic feet stomped. The number climbed to
fourteen, and then a stirring call rang out, Team Debt Cap! For the Win! It
was Protectors own infamous Badge, and at his call, the gathered heroes flung
themselves into the green valley to battle the Kronos Titans.
In a gloriously chaotic battle, dozens of heroes took on fourteen Kronos Titans.
In the fifth Robot Rampage organized by Badge and Team Debt Cap, the Protector
server once again pulled together to show the giant robots of Paragon city
whos boss!
-
Remember Sunday is the last day to enter the contest. Make sure you don't miss the deadline!
Regards,
Ex -
So it looks like the secret to getting heavies is, beat down those bosses and LTs quickly and mercilessly, and you are more likely to get heavies as the Human Threat rapidly outpaces the Rikti Threat.
-
Those are some highly sexy looking outfits. Now my BS/WP Scrapper can wear a costume that properly befits a time-displaced Byzantine general
-
The ability to sort contacts? More "stuff we're never gonna see" added to the game? Much love for the dev team
Also, I'm really liking the sound of inspiration conversion. I'm always ending up with a bunch of insps that I don't actually need, when what I really want is (x). Looking forward to trying this out. -
Edition 38 of "The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers!
This issue marks the first fashion article in The City Scoop, Hexgirl has joined the team and with her comes her eye for fashion. If you have anything fashion related or a question on how to get a specific look contact Hexgirl and see what she can do with your closet!
The Scoop is LFM (looking for moar!) So if you have a talent that would fit in nicely with this weekly publication please contact Snow_Globe or Pants_Stealer
If you have any concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please feel free to direct your comments via PM to Lighthouse or Ex Libris.
If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PMSnow_Globe or Pants_Stealer
If you or someone you know should be considered for Behind the Mask Teldon or Encounters please contact MrsAlphaOne
If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
Finally if you have a Classified Ad you would like included please contact: Lady_K
Click here to discuss this edition of the Scoop. -
Edition 38 of "The City Scoop" a publication for Supers by Supers!
This issue marks the first fashion article in The City Scoop, Hexgirl has joined the team and with her comes her eye for fashion. If you have anything fashion related or a question on how to get a specific look contact Hexgirl and see what she can do with your closet!
The Scoop is LFM (looking for moar!) So if you have a talent that would fit in nicely with this weekly publication please contact Snow_Globe or Pants_Stealer
If you have any concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please feel free to direct your comments via PM to Lighthouse or Ex Libris.
If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PMSnow_Globe or Pants_Stealer
If you or someone you know should be considered for Behind the Mask Teldon or Encounters please contact MrsAlphaOne
If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
Finally if you have a Classified Ad you would like included please contact: Lady_K -
Classifieds
Hiram Giovanni's Deli and Pizzeria
Food, Fence and Forgery
"Everything's Kosher"
Looking for "Manticore - Crimson Archer" Freedom Phalanx CCG card. Willing to
trade. -L.R.
I can has Cheezburger? -Catsi
Lost: One Apex. If found, please return to the Ghost of War Witch.
Happy Birthday, Nuk. Rad Bros forever! -Evitron
Lost: Hub of the Wheel of Destruction. If found, please contact Azuria.
P.S. Please do not use to construct deadly wheel of Destruction. Thanks.
-Azuria
Help Wanted: Writers for The City Scoop. Please contact Snow_Globe,
Pants_Stealer, or Marcian_Tobay for submission details.
Roses for sale: $12,000.00 per dozen. Contact Mikey the Ear in Port Oaks for
delivery.
Need to sell something? Post it in The City Scoop Classifieds. Send PM to
LadyK.
To my loyal readers,
I apologize for not having much to show in the last few weeks. I am in the
process of moving into a new apartment. I should have a full schedule of
articles coming back to you all in the next few weeks.
I have a few folks lined up for Behind the Mask for when I am done. However, I
am going to continue the Couples that Play Together series, and add in one more
new one. I call it Bonding Experiences. This series will focus on the play
styles of an older player and a younger player. The criteria are to have a
parent/uncle/aunt/guardian/mentor/older sibling or cousin and their
child/niece/nephew/younger sibling or cousin discuss how they play the game
together.
If you are interested in any of these series, please send me a PM, and I will
set up a time that will work for all of us.
~Teldon
(Mike)
Grae Knight by Ashen Pheonix
Looking forward, looking back
Hi everyone. By now, people have noticed my forum title change. I've been
resisting it within myself for a month now, but it seems it will be set for
awhile. Please congratulate
Pants_Stealer as she has just been promoted this week. I had hoped that
Lemur_Lad would be coming back soon, and by now people have heard that Dirtwolf
is taking a break from the "City of" games. All this leads to me saying that
Pants_Stealer and I are stepping up from Assistant Editor in Chiefs to
being "in charge" of the Scoop.
I am committed, as much as my studies permit, to growing the Scoop. I would
love to see more involvement from the forums, be it guides, tips to fellow
gamers, or a chance to help organize or report about a player event. If anyone
has an interest in joining the Scoop, please contact
myself,
Pants_Stealer, or
Marcian_Tobay who is our new staff recruiter.
Sadly, given my current time constraints, I'm not able to take care of the
puzzle section as much as I would love to. If anyone feels like they might be
able to make some puzzles, please send a PM to
myself,
Pants_Stealer, or
Marcian_Tobay.
For every loss there is a gain, though. I would like to welcome
HexGirl to the Scoop, who has agreed to provide fashion tips for supers.
Looking back, we have done a good job of covering all aspects of the game.
However, we have not covered the forums as much. I would love to hear
suggestions on how we could bring some talk about the forums to the Scoop. If
you have suggestions on how to improve the Scoop, feel free to PM an Editor in
Chief, or an editor of a specific section of the Scoop.
-Snow
Globe
The City Scoop Staff
-
Food
& Recipes
Wonders of Food Safety
Cutting Boards:
You got to keep them separated.
If you walk in to any commercial kitchen that regularly gets high marks from the
health inspector, you will either see a health inspector lining his pockets or
several cutting boards color-coded and separated. Separating cutting boards,
more than just about any other health precaution, is the easiest way to
eliminate cross contamination and food borne illnesses. Keeping one board for
meat, one for fish, one for poultry, and one for fruit and veggies is the best
way.
Not everyone can afford to buy the color-coded cutting boards: red for beef,
blue for seafood, yellow for poultry, white for pork, and green for vegetables.
Nor can everyone afford to buy so many cutting boards. If you can afford to buy
five or more cutting boards but can't find them in color-coded fashion, you can
always mark them yourself, with some sort of permanent maker, either by color
or with the item name. With the Sharpie brand of permanent maker coming out
with so many wonderful colors, this shouldn't be that difficult of a task.
As for a one or two cutting board kitchen, there are a few simple rules to
implore when cooking. Separate your cutting of ingredients by flipping the
cutting board. One side for fruits and veggies, and one side for meats and
other proteins. With a good dishwasher or good dishwashing techniques, it
really shouldn't matter which side is which or if you mix them up. If this
still bothers you, write, again with a permanent maker, a clue for which side
is which. For fruits and vegetables, always cut the things with subtlest
flavors first and the strongest flavors last. Nothing tastes worse than a
garlic flavored apple or onion flavored strawberry. This idea is easily carried
over to your proteins as well. Lightly flavored meats first and heavily
flavored meats, red beef, last. If that is too subtle, try this:
1. Lightly flavored fish
2. Heavy flavored fish
3. Chicken and turkey
4. Game birds
5. Pork
6. Veal
7. Beef
8. Game meats
And for the love of all things sacred, please wash your cutting
boards between each type of food! Not just in between meats, but fruits and
vegetables as well! Nasty pesticides can be on regular produce and, well,
manure on organic produces that can just as easily be transferred to your other
foods as E. Coli and salmonella.
For cutting board types or material, I like the plastic ones. These are the ones
I grew up with, and the ones that we used in Culinary School, where I learned
all this stuff, and in commercial kitchens I have worked in as well. Okay, it's
not actually plastic. It's a compound in the same family as PVC, Lexan, and
bullet resistant plexi-glass. It's resistant to bacteria growth and is
self-healing. My preference is a board around ¼ inch thick. This is a good
surface to work from and avoids banging my knuckles on the counter or work
bench. While wooden cutting boards do offer a lot of the same features as the
plastic type, wood has a tendency to hold onto flavors and odors. I like to
save my wood for cooked meat carving and cheese, as well as an impromptu
bakers bench. Glass and thin cutting boards are not my style. A good knife on
a glass cutting board is like nails on a chalk board, and I have already
mentioned an aversion to banging my knuckles.
And now time for the recap:
[*]Keep your cutting surfaces as separated as possible.
[*]Keep proteins and vegetation separated.
[*]Cut delicate flavored things first and heavily flavored things last.
[*]Wash or rinse between each item.
[*]Use a cutting board that you like.[/list]
MarDun by strict31
Who Stole My Pie?
This week will be the favorites of most: Pie! Why pie? Well, I was sitting in
game last week, and I did my usual of giving out cookies to the Guardian
Channel. A friend of mine named Cel Shaded loves pie, so most times I hand him
cookie pie, and yes there is such thing as cookie pie, as youll see later.
Let's start shall we?
Cherry Pie
[*]2 cups all-purpose flour
[*]1 cup shortening
[*]1/2 cup cold water
[*]1 pinch salt
[*]2 cups pitted sour cherries
[*]1 1/4 cups white sugar
[*]10 teaspoons cornstarch
[*]1 tablespoon butter
[*]1/4 teaspoon almond extract
[/list]
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Cut the shortening into the flour and salt with the whisking blades of a stand
mixer until the crumbs are pea-sized. Mix in cold water. Refrigerate until
chilled through. Roll out dough for a two crust pie. Line a 9 inch pie pan with
pastry.
Place the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium size non-aluminum
saucepan. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes, or until the cherries are
moistened with the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring
constantly. Lower the heat; simmer for 1 minute, or until the juices thicken
and become translucent. Remove pan from heat, and stir in butter and almond
extract. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Cover with top crust.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
Pumpkin Maple Pie
[*]
1 small sugar pumpkin
[*]
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
[*]
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
[*]
1 teaspoon ground ginger
[*]
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
[*]
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
[*]
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
[*]
1/2 teaspoon salt
[*]
2/3 cup real maple syrup
[*]
1 1/4 cups half-and-half cream
[*]
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
[*]
3 eggs
[*]
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
[/list]
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Cut up pumpkin, and remove seeds. Place in large baking pan, and cover with
foil or lid. Bake for 1 hour or until very tender. Remove from oven, and set
aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Scrape pumpkin into a food processor; puree until smooth. Measure 1 1/2 cups
pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups pumpkin, brown sugar,
cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Stir in maple syrup,
half-and-half, and flour. Mix in eggs one at a time. Pour filling into unbaked
pie shell.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until center is set.
Note: Freeze any remaining pumpkin puree in small, leak proof
containers. Fill within one inch of the top; the contents will expand when
frozen.
Apple Pie
[*]
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
[*]
1/2 cup unsalted butter
[*]
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
[*]
1/4 cup water
[*]
1/2 cup white sugar
[*]
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
[*]
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
[/list]
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white
sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover
with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the
crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F
(175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
[*]
1 cup white sugar
[*]
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
[*]
1 pound fresh rhubarb, chopped
[*]
2 pints fresh strawberries
[*]
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
[*]
2 tablespoons butter
[*]
1 egg yolk
[*]
2 tablespoons white sugar
[/list]
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix flour and sugar. Add strawberries and chopped rhubarb.
Toss with sugar and flour and let stand for 30 minutes.
Pour filling into pie crust. Dot top with butter, and cover with top crust.
Seal edges of top and bottom crust with water.
Apply yolk to top of pie, using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut small
holes in top to let steam escape.
Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly
and brown. Cool on rack.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
[*]
2 eggs
[*]
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
[*]
1/2 cup white sugar
[*]
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
[*]
1 cup butter, melted
[*]
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
[*]
1 cup chopped pecans
[*]
1 (9 inch) pie shell
[/list]
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In large mixing bowl, beat eggs until light and foamy. Add flour, sugar and
brown sugar and beat until well blended. Blend in melted butter. Stir in
chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into pie shell.
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Serve warm
with whipped topping or ice cream.
There you have it, pie! I hope you all enjoy this weeks recipes, and atay
tuned for more goodies next week!
~Mistress Noire
-
Behind the Mask
Couples that Play Together
Ancient Tree and
Goddess of Poison
Pinnacle Server
Where do you two live?
Ancient Tree: Springfield, IL
Your ages?
Goddess of Poison: I'm 21 (well 22 on march 23), he is 30.
How long have you two been together?
AT: living together about 13 months
How did you two meet up?
GoP: We met in pinnbadges.
AT: Well we have seen each other here and there in chat, so we both knew of
each other. our first discussion was a small matter of her not receiving her
3rd place prize of influence during a biography contest in which I was holding.
A few weeks later, while I had been drinking (working up the courage) I sent
her a tell, playing with her, flirting, etc. We definitely clicked, and after a
particular Positron TF, that we duo'ed (spending about 8 hours on one mission
just chatting it up) we knew we were in this relationship more or less. That
was around early November. I moved to Springfield from New Jersey 12/28/07
GoP: It was funny because friends on both sides kept asking 'what are you STILL
doing in that mission?!'
AT: lol yeah "uhhh. this one hard mission, we can't beat it!"
GoP: Best TF that we've ever had, and no there wasn't cyb0rz!
So I am guessing that the game has strengthened your relationship?
AT: It spawned it. As for strengthened, well I think we strengthen it, the game
is just one way we now share our joys.
GoP: I agree, we click perfectly, and the game is still a lot of fun to play
and we have a good time thinking back on the days 'before we met' and having a
laugh about when you could'nt even call us acquaintances, but we don't rely on
the game to keep us goin.
So how is your play style together?
GoP: We make a lot of characters that compliment one another well, and we play
with the same folks we have for a long time, many of them before him and I were
dating. It's a really good time.
AT: We game a few feet from each other, so their is a lot of chatting about
strategy, or venting so we don't come off as negative to others.
GoP: Yes, playing 3 feet away from a partner is very convenient!
So who is the better player?
GoP: Oh you didn't just ask us that...
AT: I'll say her, I value my bed time opposed to couch time.
GoP: We play together very well, like an oiled machine.
AT: No it depends. She has solo builds, she can solo great, much better than
me, I have this empath, or a lot of tanks ( I love to play tanks) she is
blasters or controllers
GoP: I do love my blasters...
AT: Her toons compliment mine better than vice versa
GoP: I'll still say that we are much stronger together than apart
movie line>
So what is your favorite thing about this game?
GoP: My favorite is making new friends everyday, and having a great time with
the old. i find that i just can't solo much anymore because I always want to be
around others. Especially ones I have played with for years, its a real blast!
I'll find that I can spend an hour just standing somewhere and chatting it up,
and not even knowing where the time went. It may sound a little strange, but
thats my fun.
AT: The SG barrier (tags over your head) are more or less obsolete. In other
MMO's you have a guild, or SG, what have you, and you pretty much play 100% of
your time with them. You are almost forced to limit yourself to that field of
talent, whereas in CoX being on a team that's 8 different players with 8
different SG's is just awesome to me. And you're all, or can be, best of
friends.
GoP: I agree completely
So which side do you prefer to play?
AT: Heroes, absolutely
GoP: I broke teeth as a villain, but I much prefer the hero side. I guess it
goes back with my last statement, thats where most of my friends are and thats
where I find my fun
AT: ditto, it's where my pals are, or in reality, our pals
Which feature introduced in the game last year was your favorite?
GoP: I guess I have a love/hate relationship with the inventions. I don't much
like loot in the game and seeing so much min/maxing, but I hate not keeping up
with the times so I do spend a lot of time with my main blaster getting her
great sets and purples if I may sound hypocritical for a moment.
AT: I guess I have to say RWZ. In accordance with my previous statements,
allowing the players to open up beyond SGs to that of teaming with the other
side, is fantastic!
GoP: That is a good one.
Finally, what do you think the future holds for you two?
AT: Marriage. in a month or two, going the courthouse route, then a reception
here for her family, then D.C. area for mine.
GoP: We're engaged now and plan on marriage soon, we may be moving to a town
closer to my family and hopefully get a house, have kids... 'The American
Dream' i guess
AT: and of course, we're planning on a pinnacle bash and wedding, since this is
where it all started
Well I wish you two many wonderdul years together!
GoP: Thanks Teldy!
AT: Thanks mate
