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Advice

Market Watch

Protea has been watching the Black Market and
reports that prices are definitely dropping overall, though there are some
isolated instances of price increases, in some cases significant ones.

Horoscopes

Sun in Gemini, Moon in Virgo.

Controller
– Influence isn’t stable right now. You get lots and then you get nothing. When
you get lots, save up for the other times. It’s called survival of the thrifty.

Defender
– Confusion is everywhere, and it’s not your fault. Not all of it, anyway.
Don’t blindly follow a person who doesn’t know where he’s going. But be
prepared to blind others.

Scrapper
– The extra tanking you’re facing is familiar, and won’t be much trouble. This
is good, because you’re not making extra for it. Fit it into your routine.

Blaster
– You’ve been staying busy, and have earned a romantic evening. Don’t discuss
influence, though. Play at home to keep costs down.

Tanker
– You’ll have to hurry to keep up with all the opinions voiced. Don’t make your
final decision until you’ve heard everybody out.

Peacebringer – The more you learn, the more you see you’ve been doing
things the hard way. No need to be embarrassed, it happens to everybody. It’s
just part of growing up and morphing into a new form.

Warshade
– The influence is coming in, but do not spend it yet. Whatever you buy now is
more likely to be inf wasted. That goes for recipes, too.

Brute
– Don’t be intimidated by one who is good with words. You’re pretty good with
words yourself, and getting better with practice.

Mastermind
– As you get into cleaning out closets, you’ll discover a lot of things you’d
forgotten about. You’re in for some disappointments, too. Watch out, it’s a
jungle in there. It’s a shame those minions don’t pick up after themselves.

Corruptor
– You’re in a very lucrative phase, but it won’t last forever. Do entertain,
but don’t waste your infamy on trying to impress the others. Do that with your
gracious manner.

Dominator
– You’ll soon be confronted with options you’d rather /ignore. You may have to
change your mind or at least modify your position. Be prepared to pop
domination and crush everything.

Stalker
– The problem with your job is that you’re getting paid in promises. Sometimes
you have to do that, but make sure you get the terms in writing even if you
have to hold the pen in their hand for them.

Horoscopes provided by Lady Athena

Dear Athy

Athy,

how can I rehabilitate my reputation in the eyes of Paragon's
citizens? It's important to me that people understand that what I did, I did
for them! I'm a hero dagon it!




Athy, please help me restore my good standing, show me the way! Thank you for
reading




A True friend of the city ~ Boudicia Dark

Dearest friend, reputations seem to shift with the winds these
days. There’s so many dark heroes and reformed evil ones, not just walking our
fair streets but also, protecting the citizenry. I’ve heard rumors from a
certain island chain just off our coast that some of our heroes are shaking
things up elsewhere.




My point being, most (if not all) of our citizens are well acquainted if the
sometimes fluid nature of our whims. Also, reputations seem to take longer to
repair than they ever did to build. This is true off our coast just as it is
here. Stay strong and true and your reputation will easily recover. It never
seems soon enough, but it eventually happens.

Dear Athy,

I've been noticing an increasingly common problem with my fellow
super-heroines lately, and it's really tough to bite my tongue for much longer
at this rate. Okay, I get the idea that sometimes less -can- be better for
functionality, but lately it seems almost as if Playboy has taken a
strangle-hold on the costume design business! I'd love to tell these
morally-confused girls just how embarrassing it is to see them flaunting like
porn stars everywhere they go, but I realize that most of them will just wind
up offended. What do you think about the state of things? Am I just
over-reacting?




Signed,

Angry in Atlas

Relax. Smile to yourself and picture them on their very first
sewer mission! If anything proves the point of adequately covering oneself,
it’s the sewers. Bang up service! Nasty place. And oh, but the nasties that
take up residence in there!

Dear Athy,

I am a Goddess existing on many planes of existence, with a
passion for war and destruction (of men) that is surpassed only by my
never-ending desire to dance.




My problem is that I find myself having difficulty finding people who want to
team up to destroy the vast array of pathetic villains and minions that plague
this city...




Could you suggest an area where people are actually interested in teaming? All
I seem to find is people who want to raise pigs or watch corn grow (well, I
assume that's what they mean by farming).




Yours in-lonely-confusion,

Noukie

I have heard the same requests. Farming? What? I wonder if
perhaps Paragon should consider including a psychological profile with the new
hero registration process. Not that there’s anything wrong with farming in
general, it does feed a nation and all that. But how that has any affect on the
evils that threaten our world, I’ll never know.




Keep strong in your fight brave one. Perhaps, start a garden. A lovely window
box of flowers. That way, you can tell others that you’ve met your gardening
quota and would now like to beat the snot out of some bad men.

Stan and Lou

What does it take to be a villain?


Once in a great while, a team will rise that changes the face of the world
forever.

Since they're not here yet, listen to Stan and Lou instead.



Catch up on all their adventures!

Episode 24



Past Episdoes


Discuss Stan and Lou

Dear Athy,

I’ve been having problems with a colleague and it’s starting to
affect my reputation with the heroes of Paragon City. Here' the background




To keep this anonymous, I’ll call him “Rich Gregorson.,” He works in our
Freedom Court offices; my office is in City Hall. Despite the fact that we
never have to see one another, he seems intent on making my job difficult at
every turn. For years, he’s been undermining my credibility, telling other
heroes not to listen to me- even calling me nuts.




In the past, I’ve shrugged it off- he and I have different professional
perspectives (I see magic as something to be nurtured - he sees it as something
to be tamed) and that can lead to friction. I accept that.




I cannot, however, accept it when his poor job performance tarnishes my
reputation. I’ve heard the rumors… the jokes circulating through the city's
great heroes. I “lose things.” “The surest way to get something in the bad
guys’ hands is give it to Azuria for safekeeping.” “The MAGI Vault has a back
door.” It’s all very funny, if it wasn’t taken so seriously.




My city hall offices don’t contain any vault, but anyone can see the huge steel
door at the Freedom Court office. “Rich” maintains the vault, but I’m the one
that has to recruit heroes when things go missing… and they go missing way too
often. I don’t know if the man’s just ducking off to his “art studio” during
work hours or is somehow on the take. I don’t care.




I’ve tried being professional about this. I never point the finger. I never
name names. I just say it’s “disappeared from the Magi vault.” He's never named
or belittled, even though he's ceaseless in doing the same to me.




What should I do?




Sincerely,

Fall Girl.




P.S.

If your readers happen to see an oddly-shaped piece of stone (It looks like
it’s part of a larger disc or wheel with strange runes on the surface… maybe
even a symbol of Kali…) they should contact me ASAP.

Darling, remain true to yourself and those with less than
admirable goals will fall. Eventually. Seems to take a long time, doesn’t it?




Also, a little google-ing reveals a service you may wish to take advantage of
currently being offered by the local Humane Society office. Now I realize how
hard it would be to implant a GPS tracker under the skin of an artifact, but I
assume you’ve heard of Super-Glue?

Dear Athy,

I don't want to sound immodest, but I have saved the city
several times over as a licensed hero, and even though I'll occasionally
overhear people on the street say some nice things about me and I'll get a weak
wave now and then, the people of this city generally ignore me when they see
me. Some even push me out of the way on the sidewalks. It's not like they can't
see my canary yellow and chartreuse costume. I'm not looking for award
ceremonies or any more badges, but what do I do about pushy citizens?




Pushed Down the Street,

Paragon City

Athy has also noticed these ‘pushy civs’ while dispensing
justice, alas, in the heat of battle, these musings didn’t stay long. Your
letter has renewed my own wonderment. A quick call to our favorite City
Representative and it seems the answer is ever so simple, one wonders why it
took so long to be implemented.




It seems that a few years ago there was an incident regarding a super-powered
but unregistered ‘hero’ who tried to stop a robbery in progress at a local
store. Sadly, several civilians perished and the young hero-to-be was given a
vacation from hero-ing courtesy of the Zig. Since then, the very same devices
given to us that transport us to the hospital in case of grave injury have been
issued to all non-powered individuals except, they aren’t teleported. It’s a
personal shield device to prevent any further accidental injury or death during
street battles. Unfortunately, the device isn’t infallible, that’s why those
same civs still need rescuing. Ah but wouldn’t the world be safer if the
kidnapped could easily walk away?

Advice From the X

Greetings boys, girls, and beings of indeterminate
gender! Amazingly enough, the City Scoop has asked me back to once again
provide you a column of info-ney goodness. So, a big thank you to all my fans
(All three of you). Now, with that said, lets get to why your here... Another
round of Advice from the X!

"Dear LiquidX,

What's up with those funky lookin' guns I always see the local heroes running
around with? And why do they continue to use something that looks so... wierd?




-Sincerely,

Jessibel Davids"

Dear Jessibel,

That's a good question! The "funky looking guns" are A913 "Frankengun" Assault
Rifles. The name "Frankengun" comes from it's apperance, which is a strange
mish-mash of rifle, gattling gun, and flamethrower. As for why they use them...
Well, theres a little history involved. Y'see, the A913 was originally designed
for use with SWAT teams back in the 60's. The idea was to provide a weapon
capable of being used in multiple situations, allowing officers to use both
lethal and non-lethal methods on the fly. Unfortunetly, though a few prototypes
were introduced, there were too many flaws with the design to actually be
useful. These flaws included the gun sometimes jamming when attempting to
switch between different types of ammunition, problems with it's weight and
bulk, recoil, and manufacturing problems. This led to the plans being shelved.




After the Rikti invasion, with the influx of new heroes answering Statesman's
call to help defend against the rising criminal threat, a glaring problem was
discovered. See, many of the new and inexperienced Heroes were attempting to
use multiple firearms and other weaponry. This led to a sharp increase in
injuries among the new Heroes, who were often caught flat footed trying to
switch between different guns in the heat of battle (Not to mention a variety
of self-inflicted wounds when Joe Blaster would try to pull out a handgun or
rifle, and would accidently pull the trigger in his haste). This led to renown
police veteran Jack Miller to come up with the solution: Taking the old
"Frankengun" schematics and prototypes, and using new technology and
manufacturing techniques that were discovered thanks to Rikti tech, Crey
Industries was able to remove most of the flaws from the "Frankengun". This led
to a safer, more reliable weapon that could be used by Heroes to a variety of
situations. Even better is that it's suprisingly modifiable, allowing Heroes to
further adapt it to suit there needs. (For example, there are rumors of certain
enterprising people who have modified their assault rifles to use psionic or
magical energies, removing the need for actual physical ammunition).




Of course, that's not to say the gun is perfect. For example, most Frankenguns
suffer from an odd problem that can cause the butt of the gun to crack if too
much stress is applied to it (Such as, y'know, cracking a guy upside the head
with it) forcing most users to resort to awardly trying to punch someone if
they decide to try a little brawling. Not to mention that it CAN be a bit
bulky, as well as expensive. So, while it's pretty much become standard for
Heroes and Villains (Like Corruptors) that can make full use of it's
flexibility, it's not as popular among people like Masterminds, who don't
require the flexibility the "Frankengun" requires.




So, there you have it, folks. See you next time!

Behind
the Mask

Interviews by Teldon

Boudicia
Dark

So Many Servers, So Little Time

What is your home server and why did you end up picking it as your home server?

My home is virtue (followed closely by pinnacle, justice and
champion). I chose virtue because a co-worker who also plays told me “you
should join virtue because everyone there Role Plays” and that does suit me! My
second home, pinnacle is where two of my best RL friends have their characters,
while the other two are the home servers for very good in game friends!

Where do you live?

I live in beautiful Chapel Hill, North Carolina, home of the UNC
Tarheels!

What else do you like to do in your free time besides play CoX?

I read a lot, go to movies, play folk music with friends (I
sing, play wash-tub bass and various “light” percussion instruments), paint,
sculpt, and draw. I’m somewhat active with my local amateur theater. I’m
involved with the local peace movement, as well as various social justice
causes.

What are your favorite movies?

The Matrix, 12 Monkeys, X-Men, X-2, Spiderman 1 and 2, Eternal
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Lord of the Rings (all three), Night of the
Living Dead (original Romero version), Dawn of the dead (original Romero
version), Day of the Dead, A Scanner Darkly, The Grateful Dead Movie, A.I.,
Close Encounters…..sheesh, I could go on……

What are your favorite books and authors?

Imajica by Clive Barker, the various Miles Verkosigan adventures
by Lois McMaster Bujold, the various Honor Harrington adventures by David
Weber, One flew over the cuckoo’s nest by Ken Keysey, The Bahgavad Gita, The
God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, The Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan…….and
again, I could go on!

What TV shows do you like to watch?

Well, I really only watch one show now, but I used to watch a
few others. Currently, I’m a HUGE fan of Battlestar Galactica (the new series).
I USED to watch Xena, Farscape, Earth final conflict, Sliders and The X-Files.

Do you have any pets?

Yes, I have a little black kitty named zena (not actually named
after Xena, Warrior Princess, hence the different spelling). She is a great
little cat and a great companion; I’ve had her for nearly 11 years now.

How did you get drawn to this game?

Well, one of my best RL friends started telling me about it,
then a co-worker, they were so enthused about it, I thought I would check it
out. Ha! I found myself “falling in love” with the game and have been playing
ever since (nearly 21 months now!)

What is your favorite aspect of the game?

Oh my….let’s see….ease of use for sure is a big thing. The
character creator is another big thing. Friendliness of other players is a
major thing. For me though, this game really gets my creative juices flowing! I
have intense, complicated back stories for all my characters, with nearly all
of them connected in some way. I have one server designated as “the past” so
that I can play out some character’s villainous past. I’m finding this to be in
a way therapeutic for me, allowing me to play out certain scenarios in a way
that things work out for the best, which is cool.

Who
is your namesake character and what are they?

Well, that would be Boudicia Dark! She is the very first
character I rolled and I’m still playing with her. She is a dark / dark
scrapper with an intense lineage and back story. I was drawn to the d /d
scrapper set because it sounded so bad azz and it really fit with the
particular story I wanted to tell (even if I was only telling that story to
myself). I made her look as androgynous as possible while still keeping her
very attractive (at least to *me*). I play her as a kind of “defender” in that
yes she *can* “tank” or at least take the “alpha”, but really I try to keep my
eye on the “squishies” and I rush to their defense when things get too hairy
for them. The defender’s defender!

Which of all the archetypes and powersets would you say is your
favorite?

Well, in spite of my love for Boudicia, I really enjoy playing
defenders! My second favorite of my characters after Boudicia is Skroo Bahl, a
dark / dark defender, which is a poorly understood set by much of the
playerbase. That’s too bad because really, the d / d defender is one sick
powerset! I love it, it’s delicious fun to play and it works well both heroside
as well as villain side!

Your least favorites?

I have not been able to get a blaster above level 5 and I’ve
been very slow to warm up to tankers.

Do you prefer Heroside or villain side?

Heroside! I dabble on villain side but it really does not suit
me to “be that way”…..except for a d / d corruptor. Oh and my necro mastermind,
she’s fun.

What would you say is your greatest strength in the game?

Without a doubt my ability to put together excellent teams! The
only problem is, I’m not a general so I prefer not to be the leader *in
combat*. I’m better with the logistics, choosing missions, putting together the
team, keeping the team encouraged and expressing my gratitude to a good team.

Your greatest weakness in the game?

Being a leader in the Samuel_Tow model of leadership! I have a
very hard time knowing when to pull, when to charge (or when NOT to do those
things), even deciding to go down this hallway or that one (unless it’s a
mission I’ve done a thousand times already, like FrostFire, the Task Forces, or
Mary Macomber). I like it when I have someone on the team who will take charge
WITHIN the missions, giving me the space to do what I do best.

What zone is your favorite?

Like so many people, I adore Croatoa! I LOVE the story arc, love
how it looks, love all the temp powers, enjoy fighting the enemies, love that
not one but THREE giant monsters live there…it’s just awesome!

What advice do you have for any new players to the game?

Oh boy, make sure you visit the forums, read, read, read those
forums, and do not be afraid to ASK QUESTIONS! At the same time, realize there
are a few (or a lot) of outdated guides out there and also, “hero builders” are
great, but not the be-all, end-all! I would rather talk to a knowledgeable
forumite about a particular build than rely on the hero builder. Finally, have
FUN! It's safe here

Any closing comments?

This is one of the finest, most intelligent online communities
out there and we have every right to be proud of ourselves. The game itself can
be a fantastic tool for learning about oneself, learning better interpersonal
skills, working out one’s demons in a positive, supportive environment. It’s
fantastic fun and a fantastic value. I’m very glad I started playing this game
and that I joined the forum. Long Live City of Heroes!

Ravenbane

Virtue Server

What
is your home server and why did you end up picking it as your home server?

Virtue! My fiancé and I actually first started out on Champion.
We were there for the first few months of the game but moved to Virtue in
September, 2004, because we heard it was the unofficial roleplay server.

Where do you live?

Northeast Philadelphia, but we’re getting an apartment in the
Philly suburbs in August.

What else do you like to do in your free time besides play CoX?

Playing other video games, both console and PC (I’m loving GH2
right now!), going to dinner or the movies. We’re also getting married next
year, so I’m always scoping out receptions sites and vendors and things!

What are your favorite movies?

I love sci-fi and fantasy action or epic movies, like Serenity,
Underworld 1 and 2, LotR, etc. I have a soft spot for historical epics as well,
like Gladiator and Saving Private Ryan. And I love a good comedy.

What are your favorite books and authors?

Right now I’m really enjoying a guilty pleasure, a series of
romantic-comedy type vampire stories by Lynsay Sands.

What TV shows do you like to watch?

Heroes, of course! And I loves me my Whedon, so whenever Buffy,
Angel or Firefly is on, I try to tune in, even though I have all of Buffy and
Firefly on DVD already! And all the whacky stuff on Adult Swim.

Do you have any pets?

Two cats, Veggie and Gizmo, are at my mom’s house, where I
currently live. My dog, Lucy, switches between my and the fiancé’s house. She’s
our practice baby.

How did you get drawn to this game?

I actually think we first heard about it thru a coworker of the
fiancé’s at his last job. We were only going to try it out for a few weeks, but
we see how that turned out!

What is your favorite aspect of the game?

Out of everything… I’d have to say the character customization.
I love just about everything about this game, but the level of customization
and detail is what really sets it apart. It’s totally spoiled me, too! I was so
bored with WoW’s character creation I didn’t even finish making the character!

Who is your namesake character and what are they?

Ravenbane. She’s a level 50 Dark Melee/SR Scrapper, half of a
vampiric superduo. My fiancé plays her husband and crime-fighting partner.

Which of all the archtypes and powersets would you say is your
favorite?

I can’t possibly pick just one! I know I like Controllers,
Defenders and Scrappers the most, in no particular order.

Your least favorites?

Kheldians… can’t stick to them and I don’t know why.
Masterminds... I know it’s the point of the archetype, but I don’t like feeling
like I’m not doing anything myself, and I’ve only made one tanker I could ever
stick to. The sets that bore me the most tend to be the “weapon” ones like AR,
Katana, Mace, etc. I don’t know… I guess I want to feel more like I have
superpowers. If I wanted to just swing a sword, I’d play my duelist in NWN2.

Do you prefer Heroside or Villainside?

Heroside, hands down! I haven’t managed to get a villain past
20, yet!

What would you say is your greatest strength in the game?

The cheesy answer is all the friends I’ve made on Virtue thru
roleplaying our characters together; they rock out loud. Otherwise, I think I’m
a very versatile player. I have at least one character of every non-epic AT,
and I don’t think there is any AT that I play poorly.

Your greatest weakness in the game?

Severe altitis! It’s intractable!

What
zone is your favorite?

I have no idea, though I do think the ones with their own
storylines, like Striga, are pretty cool.

What is your favorite Storyline in the game?

This is another one I don’t know at all! I’ll go with “To Save a
Soul”, because the things Madeleine Casey starts to say just crack me up, and
the story is cool.

What one feature would you like to see added to the game?

Either character homes or some kind of secret identity system.

What advice do you have for any new players to the game?

Come to Virtue! Also, consider trying to roleplay your
character. I know I wouldn’t have stayed this long if I didn’t have more levels
of enjoyment that way.

Heaven and... well... Just Heaven by Starchasm

(Click for full view)

Jack
Dempsey

Freedom Server

What
is your home server and why did you end up picking it as your home server?

I started in Freedom cause it was the top of the list and stayed there.

Where do you live?

West Coast

What else do you like to do in your free time besides play CoX?

I go to the gym, hang out with the fraternity at events, and
focus on my studies in college.

What are your favorite movies?

I like the movies on spider-man, but #3 sucked. also football
movies like "Remember the Titans" and "Friday Night Lights" and what i prefer
to watch.

What are your favorite books and authors?

so far it's John Steinbeck "East of Eden," which im reading atm

What TV shows do you like to watch?

I watch shows on adult swim and usually movies. i have been
tying to catch up on other shows like CSI, Heroes, Bleach, and 24

Do you have any pets?

Not in my apartment near college, but at home where my family
is, i have fish and cats.

How did you get drawn to this game?

my uncle introduced me to this game. my first mmo, so i got
hooked.

What is your favorite aspect of the game?

PvP. thats all i play for.

What drew you to the PvP aspect of this game?

At first i was all pve and didnt even know what PvP was. when i
started doing arena with my super group, The Unjustice League, i started to
become aware that my toon (thermal) was meant to support. i later started going
into zones and PvP'ing, eventually getting enough experience to this day.

Who
is your namesake character and what are they?

All my characters follow a similar name of Jack Dempsey. named
after my savage fish that ate goldfish. even though the name is a little
different for my characters, they are a mix of toons.

Which of all the archtypes and powersets would you say is your
favorite?

my favorite toons so far are between my thermal and my cold
corruptors. i just started my heroes, and my blaster is somewhat fun.

Your least favorites?

my least favorite would be either my kin corruptor or em/sr
stalker. my kin is both a support and dmg dealer, so its annoying once i focus
on one. the stalker if my go-to for soloing group heroes in rv. everywhere else
he sucks...nuff said.

Do you prefer Heroside or villain side?

I prefer villain side, cause i was born villain side.

What zone is your favorite?

Test and the arena, Recluse's Victory if i must.

What one feature would you like to see added to the game?

Two villains Archtypes to balance it out between the two sides.

What features would you like to see added to the PvP
experiance?

Everything is somewhat fine, but just droning issues and having
npc's in the game conflicting with our PvP experience. also the hassle of going
to other zones just to have an arena match. also a fix in villain epics would
be a start.

What advice do you have for any new players to the game?

learn to use your toons before you go into a pvp zone. dont base
run, dont tp drone. and for the villains, stop bring in stalkers, brutes, and
mm's to solo groups of support/dmg dealing heroes. you aren't getting anywhere.
bring in the corruptors.

What advice would you have to someone that is wanting to learn
to PvP in this game?

Dont take this game too seriously. the game is fun when you PvP
and gets better when you run with a team, but hopefully a good team. dont just
make toons that can solo though and not support, but make toons that are able
to support others, that way you would learn to feel what its like to have
people depend on you. try to get an aspect of the whole game as a support and
target caller.

Steel
Revenger

Virtue Server

What
is your home server and why did you end up picking it as your home server?

At the moment, I'd say my home server would be Virtue,
considering I enjoy the roleplaying aspect of this game and Virtue seems to be
from what I heard to be the "unofficial RP server".

Where do you live?

I live in the state of Indiana

What else do you like to do in your free time besides play CoX?

I enjoy playing some of my other computer games such as Warcraft
3, and my old SNES games such as The Legend of Zelda, A Link to the Past. Also,
whenever I can, I try to hang out with my friends.

What are your favorite movies?

Conan the Barbarian, and Fight Club are some movies I've
consistently enjoyed for years.

What are your favorite books and authors?

Sad to say, I don't do much reading so I don't have any specific
favorite books, but when it comes to authors, I like the works of H.P.
Lovecraft

What TV shows do you like to watch?

A television show qualifies as my favorite when entire seasons
of it wind up on my bookshelf, so basically, House M.D., Family Guy, The
Simpsons, and Stargate SG-1

Do you have any pets?

I have two Shar-Pei dogs by the names of Max and Amy

How did you get drawn to this game?

I was on the verge of quitting World of Warcraft since I did not
like what it was becoming, so while looking over some web sites I used to
visit, I came across the CoX website and after a while, and after cancelling my
WoW account, I figured I might as well give the game a shot, and here I am
today.

What is your favorite aspect of the game?

I really enjoy the customizability of the characters from
costume creation to slotting out powers

Who
is your namesake character and what are they?

My namesake character is called the Steel Revenger, a Magic
Broadsword/Invulnerability scrapper.

Which of all the archtypes and powersets would you say is your
favorite?

Seeing as how I haven't even had an account for longer than a
month yet, I can't say, but I do enjoy the melee archetypes, such as the Brute.

Your least favorites?

I'm the kind of person who likes to enjoy all aspects of a game,
or at least see them, so while I can't say for sure which could be my least
favorite, I can make a safe guess that any archetype that doesn't allow for
decent soloing would be my least favorite

Do you prefer Heroside or villain side?

Once again, I haven't played the game long enough to be sure,
but so far it seems that I've enjoyed my time playing on my Brute just a tiny
bit more than my scrapper, but only time will tell

What would you say is your greatest strength in the game?

I'd say my prevous experience with World of Warcraft would be
since it lets be climb the learning curve much faster than if CoX was my very
first MMO

Your
greatest weakness in the game?

I can't say for certain, I'd say that maybe I'm a little too
cautious, but that may be because I'm not sure what the limits of my character
are yet

What zone is your favorite?

I haven't seen them all yet so once again I can't be certain

What is your favorite Storyline in the game?

I haven't really followed any storylines to the end, so I really
don't know. It's probably a side effect from playing WoW, where eventually you
don't even read the story at all and just go for the objective.

The City Scoop

May 25th, 2007

Vol.1 Issue.2

AUCTION FEVER SWEEPS SUPERS

Sammy Keats here again! Bringing you the issues
important to the Heroes and Villains of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles alike!

Have you heard about the new powers? New powers may
soon be available to Melee fighters across Paragon City, and you have been
called to give your input on the new powers! Come
here to discuss what Melee offensive powers we should have. Go
here to make a suggestion for new Defensive powers!

Everyone likes Badges! If you don't, then who are
you? With the invention of inventions, however, it's harder than ever to get
all the Badges out there. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?
Discuss it here!

There are rumblings in the PvP zones. Something is
coming. What is it? How should I know? I only work at a newspaper! If you want
to learn how PvP works,
your training starts here.

With each new expansion, both Heroes and Villains
have received various changes. There have always been arguments, however, that
villains don't have it as cushy as heroes. That the developers favor Heroes
over Villains.
What do you think?

And, finally, to end this section on a high note,
various Heroes and Villains have been making
Motivational Posters to help improve morale amongst the ranks. Perhaps
you'd like to share one of your own!

That's all for this week, folks! Be sure to stay
tuned, as I'll be bringing you the Very Finest Diatribes in Paragon City and
the Rogue Isles!

~Sammy Keats

POINT/COUNTERPOINT

By Bowfling

"This is the first in a series of
point-counterpoint articles, which will review commonly requested player
suggestions, and review the pros and cons of those suggestions.

This week’s subject – Server Mergers

POINT:

There are certain advantages associated with server mergers, mostly surrounding
the increased player base per server. By having fewer servers, you force more
characters onto each remaining server, and thus increase the teaming
possibilities. Super Groups end up being bigger, finding random players to team
with is easier, and there is an overall increase in the frequency with which a
player will see other characters in the game environment. Increased character
visibility gives the impression of a larger player base, suggesting to players
that enjoy teaming that they will find the game enjoyable due to greater
teaming options.

COUNTERPOINT:

But there are also certain disadvantages associated with server mergers.
Technical issues abound. Character names and character friends lists would need
to be updated. Some players may have more than 8 or 12 characters on a server,
and merging them may lead to having too many characters scheduled to be on one
server (assuming the character limits remain). There is also the possibility
that server merging results in unexpected consequences, with character data
being corrupted or lost. Players that enjoy lower volume servers due to the
reduce lag or less frequent player interaction are forced onto servers with
higher volumes. Perhaps most importantly, server mergers are usually a sign
that the game is in some sort of trouble, which may cause players to look
elsewhere to spend their time.

So if there were a way to provide the advantages of
server mergers without the pursuant complications, we could have the best of
both worlds. Here are some of the ideas that have been offered in place of
server mergers.

The most popular one would be server transfers,
allowing players to move individual characters from one server to another.
Positron himself recently suggested this option was coming in a Warcry
interview you can read
here. Server transfers have the benefit of allowing those players that
enjoy higher player volumes to move their favorite characters to a new server
where the teaming options seem brighter, while allowing those players that
prefer lower volumes to move to or remain on low volume servers.

Other ideas involve improving the team finding
tools available to players. Presently, the looking for team system provides
players the option to look for, and invite players to, teams. Suggestions have
been provided that would allow teams to list themselves in the looking for team
field as “looking for members”, most likely via a color other then the existing
blue for non-teamed and grey for teamed. Other ideas include the ability to
form insta-teams, by selecting it as an option, and random players also set to
this option would be formed into a team without having to offer an invite."

Green Line Expands To Access New Shops

By Staff Writer Hertz

Across Paragon City and the Rogue Isles, new sales locations
have opened for business. Thousands of items, from scraps and salvage to
valuable new scientific and magical formulae, are being posted for sale in
dozens of locations.

Most heroes welcomed Wentworth's to Paragon City.

"I think it's fantastic!" said local celebrity Radmofet (level
29, Pinnacle). "The silent auction lets me transfer the junk I don't need to
the people who do need it."

"Two paws up," added Amazing Robot Dog (25, Virtue). "I bought a
full set of Focused Smite recipes for less than 100,000 Influence. The retail
value of those enhancements is in the millions."

Some
heroes had not used Wentworth's as frequently as others. Said T805, Task Force
Commander (40, Virtue), "The only time I used the auction was for buying the
parts to make these boots I'm wearing."

The new auction house in Steel Canyon is sure to draw shoppers
to the area, despite the new Green Line - Yellow Line transfer station recently
in Skyway City. "Skyway is kind of difficult for foot traffic," Robot Dog
explained. "Taxibots have hurt businesses in Steel more than the expansion of
the Green Line could."

"Steel Canyon is the city's financial heart!" exclaimed
Radmofet. "It's patronized by far more people than just us capes."

Kipod (31, Pinnacle) said, "Skyway isn't the type of place
people like to hang out. It has a sort of dirty feeling." Despite this, Kipod
seemed confident that the new train stations in Skyway City and Founders Falls
would help curb local crime.

The
new train stations come at a price, says Talos Island resident murron (50,
Pinnacle). She is unhappy that the elevated lines in south Talos spoil the
once-pristine seaside view. "I was excited to see some of the Green Line
improvements," she said, "but the Founders Falls addition seemed unnecessary.
The environmental and scenic impacts outweighed the convenience factor, in my
mind."

T805 disagreed. "I never thought subways were supposed to be
scenic. As long as you get where you need to be on time, that's all that
matters."

According to rumor, the Rogue Isles are not missing out on the
sudden interest in salesmanship. Enterprising so-called "circumlegal
entrepreneurs," in the words of one truck driver who declined to be
photographed, have boldly established ad hoc marketplaces in several locations
throughout the island chain.

"All in all, it's been quite profitable," said DJ Van-Lymburger
(level 50, Justice) of local group Hanover Fiste. "I posted two level 52
synthetic Hamis for 8 million each and woke up to 30 million."

"A
crowd's always easy to find a sucker in," said Stinkerbell (40, Justice). "The
best item I've sold is a pair of jet boots for about 35 million."

Even though the black marketeers sell dangerous items considered
contraband by Rogue Isles leader Lord Recluse, the patrons of the market seemed
unconcerned. "What the old spider doesn't find out about can't hurt me, if you
catch my drift," said Stinkerbell.

Rogue Isles residents were adapting well to the realities of the
new marketplace. "Keep supply and demand in mind," Stinkerbell explained. "Look
at the numbers for bid, and for sale. It doesn't matter if the last 5 of
something sold for ten million if there are 2,000 for sale and no bidders."

"Buy low, sell high," added Van-Lymburger. "Works for me."

Apart from the teething difficulties associated with any new
economy, the collective outlook was good. "The prices will go down, but very
slowly," said Kipod. "When Fairy Wings first came out, they were around 60
million. Now they are around 20-40 million."

Stinkerbell suggested the black marketeers could benefit from
seeing the recommended sales price. "Like these guys sellin' Invention Salvage
for like 1 Infamy apiece, when you can sell them at any Quartermaster for 250.
That's 25000% profit!"

Black Market trucks are available in Cap au Diable, Mercy
Island, Sharkhead Isle, and St. Martial. Wentworths is available in Atlas Park,
Kings Row, Steel Canyon, and Talos Island.

This Issue:

[*]
Interviews with Boudicia Dark, Ravenbane, Jack Dempsey, Steel Revenger[/list]

Advice

[*]
Ask Athy, Advice From the X, Market Watch, Horoscopes

[/list]Crossword Puzzle










Upcoming Events:




May 26th


Infinity:




• 
  Dr.
  Quarterfield TF
[/list]




Justice:




• 
  Sat.
  Matinée, q'est-ce-que c'est?!
[/list]




Protector:




• 
  Hamidon
  Raid Finale
[/list]




Victory:




• 
  Victory's
  PvP School
  
• 
  Faathim
  the Jerk
[/list]




Virtue:




• 
  Typhoon
  Warning
[/list]



[/list]

June 1st to 3rd




• 
  Good
  Verus Evil Revolution 2007: Uprising!
  
[/list]

GuNn by Celtic_Bolt


(Click for full view)

Ask the Entities

Interview by Lemur Lad

Hello again everyone, Lemur Lad here again with Serafina and
ready to tap the power of Mystic Conduit thingy and find some answers to things
which perplex Paragon City, the Rogue Isles, and these forums.

Serafina- Lemur, I don't know if we should be referring
to the line to the Entities as a thingy...

LL- Ok then, how about a whatsit? Kidding, kidding. I'll
behave, I just have a hard time being serious.

S- You should be more serious about this, this is not
simply apprehending bad guys.

LL- I know, I know, but have you seen that face you make?
It makes it reeeeally hard.

S- *stares*

LL- Sorry. Let's get to the questions shall we? This week
is a little different in that we're going to focus on a specific topic and
clarify some things. This week it's those TF/SF/Trials (referred to as TF for
the rest of the article), and the reward timers that seem to be causing some
confusion.

1. 
   

   Should all TFs now present the player with a ‘reward table’ on
   completion, where the player can choose their reward? If some should and some
   shouldn’t, could we get a list?

   
   

   All should have a table.

2. 
   

   If a player completes a TF while still under the effect of a
   timer (for example, completes the Statesman TF, choose the recipe reward, then
   immediately does it again), should the reward table indicate why the ‘timed’
   reward is not available?

   
   

   Yes.

   
   
3. 
   

   If a player completes a TF while still under the effect of a
   timer, should they be able to sit and wait until the timer expires and then
   choose the appropriate reward?

   
   

   Yes.

   
   

4. 
   

   Just to be certain, the various timers for rewards listed below
   should all be separate, correct?

   
   
   
   
   • 
     Statesman TF: 24 hour timer on Recipe Reward.
     
   • 
     Statesman TF: 24 hour timer on Synthetic Hamidon Enhancement reward.
     
   • 
     Lord Recluse SF: 24 hour timer on Recipe Reward.
     
   • 
     Lord Recluse SF: 24 hour timer on Synthetic Hamidon Enhancement reward.
     
   • 
     Hamidon: 24 hour timer on Recipe Reward.
     
   • 
     Hamidon: 24 hour timer on Hamidon Enhancement reward.
     
   • 
     Respec Trials: 24 hour timer on Recipe rewards.
   • 
     All other Task/Strike Forces and Trials: Shared 3 hour timer on Recipe Rewards.
     

Is there a known issue with the change from a 4 to 3 hour timer
for ‘general’ TFs?

Players are reporting that completing a TF more than 3 hours but
less than 4 hours after completing another TF allows them to choose a recipe,
but none is actually awarded to the player. If the player waits until 4 hours
have passed before selecting the recipe reward, it is awarded correctly. That
is not the reason none are awarded. There is an exmplaring bug we are still
investigating.

LL- All right! That's all I have for questions this time.
That wasn't as complicated as I thought. Better than my last tax return.

S- Lemurs have to file taxes?

LL- Well, except for that year I tried to pay with unripe
mangoes. They let me off with a warning that time, because I was still an
immigrant.

S- *sigh* Have a good weekend everyone.

* The questions this week were asked by forumites
both here and in the EU, and were compiled by
Bridger and passed on to us. Since we've seen a lot of the same
questions here, we decided to spare the Entities time.