Lady_Cobra

Thank you very much for this effort.

I would be willing and able to donate to this project as well.

In addition to an initial contribution amount I would also be perfectly willing to continue to pay monthly subscriptions for my accounts just to keep the servers running, even if there is no further development to the game.

First of all - like others have said - welcome to the game! I hope to be seeing you around.

To answer your question about multiple "toons" from my perspective, I would say that the original dual versions of Rei and Lady Cobra etc. were made due to game mechanics, i.e. to have a version that could move around in Paragon and another version for the Rogue Isles.

Since then I have made more versions and that was primarily either to try out new powersets or to have more costume slots for civilian outfits, ceremonial style costumes etc.

Personally, I don't really attach much, if any, RP importance to levels. Rei and Cobra are pretty much streetlevel "skilled normals" anyway, so the different versions are not intended to mean e.g. that they are supposed to be supremely skilled in all their Level 50 incarnations.

So, the only limitation I really feel bound by in the creation of alternate versions of these two characters is that their powers should be somehow explainable for a "skilled normal" I.e. you will probably not find an ice blaster Lady Cobra for instance.

As regards names in bios it can certainly be useful at least so people know that they are speaking to the same Rei even when the "toon" may be called e.g. Yakuza Girl.

I hope this answers your questions at least as regards my confusing number of alternate "toons" and apologise for the wall of text (your question prompted me to finally rediscover my log-in details that I have been unable to remember for a long time).

Lady Cobra/Kunoichi X here - almost 51 months vet on first account and 30 on second, 100+ alts, still loving the game, enjoying the MA and most certainly not leaving

I am very much in support of this idea, even if I can see it resulting in my own private "credit crunch" from all the slots I would be buying.

As far as arguments made so far are concerned I think I have noted 5 main arguments from those calling for more debt (sorry if I missed something out):

1.
Easier to obtain debt badges.
2.
Required to stay in debt in order not to outlevel contacts
3.
Required to make defence/support characters more needed? (Cognito)
4.
Required to make the game more exciting/challenging/penalising of reckless play.
5.
A more general notion that debt has become pointless and should be increased.

For those of us against an increase in debt the main arguments seem to be:

1.
The agony and consequences of defeat such as having to travel back to mission/defeat point etc. are already sufficient to create excitement and to discourage reckless play.
2.
More debt will just lead to increased frustration, perhaps especially for new/casual players.
3.
More debt might adversely affect teaming/teaming with new players, as veteran players might chose to either just solo or avoid teaming with new/inexperienced players in order to avoid debt.
4.
Especially as regards PUGs, more debt could lead to the team disbanding and abusive remarks being exchanged rather than the team sticking together and enabling new players to learn form the more experienced ones, and new friends being made.
5.
More debt could lead to players being less inclined to seek new challenges from the game (like e.g. increase of difficulty level) and thus playing it safe, which could lead to people becoming tired of the game more quickly.
6.
More debt could lead to more egotistical play, i.e. better to cautiously skirt the surroundings and take out a few easy minions rather than to help the tank with that nasty Elite Boss.

I think the points made from both sides of the argument are understandable and it probably mostly boils down to personal preferences.

That’s why, if this really was to be changed, I think the most sensible solution would be the one suggested by Vox, where increased debt would be a personal selection as a slider under “options”. In that way those who want extra debt can have it, and those who don’t can avoid it.

Just as a small anecdotal curiosum, I was reading up on the most recent comments in this thread during breaks last night when I was doing the Cimemora TF with some friends.

And there were many breaks, because despite all of us being experienced players with I think an average well above 3 years and multiple 50s, we suffered many, many defeats, sometimes due to our own mistakes and being a little tired and/or careless, but frequently also because the enemies and spawns were hard and challenging just as they should be.

My point with this is; I don’t think the current debt levels made any difference to our enjoyment/excitement levels in the positive sense.

We all tried to fight as heroically as possible and help each other out and cursed whenever we died, for being defeated and for perhaps having to go to hospital and regroup etc. Personally, the debt annoyed me because I just dislike having debt, and at one point I had quite a collection, but in the end when we finally finished the missions, the debt was just cleared and it was a break-even.

Now, if debt had been increased as some people are calling for, it would have had a tremendous adverse impact on at least my enjoyment level in the negative sense.

I think I might have thought twice before flinging my regen scrapper heroically into the battle next to the tanker fighting purple bosses that could and did frequently kill me even before my opening attack animation was finished. I also think I would quite probably have flung my computer screen through the window in frustration and felt like I never wanted to play COH again if the debt had been any higher.

So, all in all, we had a fun and challenging experience, which from our perspective means the game is WAI, but this balance could very easily have been tipped in favour of frustration if I had had to log off last night with two bubbles of debt to clear on a 41 character.

So, in conclusion, if debt is changed, please make it optional so those of us that don’t want this can avoid it.

It looks as if I am pretty much alone on this viewpoint so far, but I would just like to voice my firm opinion against any increase in the current debt levels.

Personally, I pretty much hate having debt on my characters even at the current levels, and I have never felt any even remote "enhancement" of my gaming experience by having the additional "bonus" of being penalised with debt when being defeated.

For me the annoyance/embarassment of being defeated along with perhaps having to run across a zone and then 4 floors of a map to get back to the final boss, who defeated you in the first place is more than enough punishment, not to mention the additional agony if you happen to be defeated as an MM, with having to summon and buff all pets again etc.

I am genuinely puzzled as to why so many players are calling for an increase of debt. I can understand the debt-badge argument, and the argument from people who want to stay in debt in order not to outlevel contacts, but apart from that what is the point of calling for increased self-punishment in the form of penalties and slowing of progress?

This request coming from the players seems to me a bit like an imaginary group of bank-robbers discussing how things were much better in the old days when a conviction landed you 30 years in prison instead of the current 15.

Also, I do have a concern that an increase of the debt level might adversely affect teaming, especially PUGs. I remember several instances back in the "old debt days" of being in a low-level PUG in Hollows with instant death lurking round every corner both in and out of missions, and people quitting in frustration after a quick series of defeats and pertinent bubbles of debt. Nowadays, in my experience, most people seem to take defeats like that much easier and teams stay together without people getting too upset about raking up tons of debt and quitting.

In my opinion, increase of debt levels would also contradict the recent QOL-improvements such as the redesign of the Hollows and the smoothing of the XP-curve, and I think this would be a bad thing especially for the casual players, and - as far as I see - for no real purpose. Perhaps debt has become more "pointless", but to me this is a thing to applaud, not a problem.

My Union Thugs/MM Rei AKA Yakuza Girl is currently level 42 and could possibly help depending on time and circumstances.

If it is meant to be IC and if it is a move against the Militia it is probably not a good idea though as she has close contact with some of the members.

If Rei is still relevant, just let me know.

The collapse of the forum coincided with the planned launch of "operation Mary-Sue", the daring plot to rescue Lady Cobra and Jessica from Chang's Nerva jungle compound.

Instead, I will try to do a more limited version - with Coile's permission (still to be formally obtained ) using the ST-forum.

The operation will take place chronologically this next Friday night and will be purely forum-based. Since I am away on Friday-Sunday, the actual stories will be written (before and) after, but as mentioned be deemed to take place Friday night.

Plan is still to use 3 or (if still available - the forum break down has made communication awkward) 4 teams. As mentioned before the forum-wipe, blue-prints of the compound are available.

A team led by Coile and Star Crusader will have the objective of securing the main security and video surveillance room. Once this objective has been accomplished, this team should proceed to support the team responsible for securing Cobra.

If available, another team consisting of Juni with back-up from Tyger and Amber Banshee should attempt to hack Chang's security systems (cameras, alarms, mechanical traps etc.) once the surveillance room has been secured. If accomplished, this would facilitate the getaway considerably.

A team led by Kunoichi and Yoshi is responsible for securing Jessica. Once this objective has hopefully been accomplished, this team - expectedly assisted by Jessica - will be responsible for commandering a getaway vehicle.

Finally, a team led by Shydow Flysh, Portent and Lady Allure will be responsible for securing Cobra. If available, this team will be supported also by Silver Eagle. Operatives should be mindful that intelligence suggests that there will be armed guards outside and inside Cobra's room and that Cobra is reported to be suffering from an only partially healed spinal injury and should thus be "handled with care".

I hope all this will work out despite all the technical difficulties!

Hidden Lotus is still on board

I second that - it really was a great evening, I had loads of fun on Kunoichi, so much that I completely forgot to bring any of my alts!

I too hope it will be repeated some time in the (near) future!

With just a little bit of luck Masked Angel should be there

I join in on the nomination for Nightsparrow's scrapbook diary. It is amazing creativity and tremendously fun as well, and has enriched the ingame lives of many RP'ers - all in all completely amazing work! Almost any diary entry in itself would be worth the award, and the sum is just breathtakingly awesome.

Lady Cobra would love to tag along on this mission IC too - she is currently level 38.

Her ability to participate will depend on timing (hopefully evening or weekend).

Just want to throw in my agreement as a new and very impressed blaster player.

I had also avoided blasters due to the "debt-magnet" rumors, but my new ice/ice blaster absolutely rocks whether in team or solo

The only issue I have is endurance (she is currently 16 so a bit to go yet for stamina) but she is amazingly fun and basically only dies in the same type of situations where my scrappers would usually find themselves at risk anyway like in purple COT missions and similar

So yes, I am also at risk of becoming a blaster-addict

Masked Angel, Cobra and Inuit will be there

Oh, sorry to hear about your illness,

Good to hear that you are getting better and that hopefuly, we will have FC back Tsoon

I think I can help with one,

Judging by the infallible source of information that is Nightsparrow's scrapbook diary, the first meeting between Coile, Dustine, Sparrow and Cobra took place on October 8.

Sparrow and Cobra just met with Coile and Dustine and had a fun and interesting session, so relations are building.

In all fairness, we should probably warn them in advance of the Commander's Tsoo-jokes though...I'm not sure even the legendary Sword of Truth can stomach those

What Derek said...and if you want an SG invite, I hope to be on a bit tonight as either Lady Cobra, Masked Angel or Shadow Whisper, so just send me a tell.

Level spread at the moment for Militia members runs from 7 to 41 IIRC, the core group being around 22-24, but some of us have non-Militia alts spanning the entire range.

There is always room for another Militia member - hope to see you on board - just PM any of us if you want to arrange for an in-game meeting

Just saw the update - fantastic work

Great work on the Militia history update Wow, we have really been through a lot, haven't we!

As regards current plots for my characters, here is a brief update:

Lady Cobra and Extrisity have been talking a bit, and Ex's computer skills may be what finally generates a lead on Lady's lost daughter, Jessica. For the time being, Ex has promised to check what he can dig up on villainess Shadow Whisper, who may be somehow linked to Jessie's disappearance.

Lady Cobra has also been spending some time getting to know Nightsparrow better. The two have been investigating the disappearance of Keening Banshee together. In the process, they encountered a truly evil and scary villain called Grim Shade in Pocket D. He has been haunting Sparrow for a long time, and now Lady C is having nightmares about him too.

Masked Angel is trying to juggle the combined challenges of Dragonfly, Extrisity and her father's ideas for an arranged marriage. Odds are she will end up being kicked out of her home very soon if she keeps up her defiance vis-a-vis her dad's plans. The disagreements between Meriam and her dad are doing nothing to help save her parent's marriage and kid brother Davod is not as supportive as Meriam would have liked and expected. Also, she is struggling somewhat to keep up at her new, posh school.

Perhaps getting a few days off and going to China with Dragonfly would do her good?

So, this is an update of the most recent events surrounding Cobra and Angel - See you all tonight

Hope to have you settled and back soon Leon/Tom/Hyper.

All, have you seen the fantastic work Nightsparrow has done on the Militia forum set up by Derek - it is quite amazing - she even found one of the old Lady Cobra comics Dragonfly has been going on about! A must see! very, very cool

((Good to have Tom/Hyper on board))

((Was fun last night although we really did get absolutely annihilated by the Gang - we really need to work on our PVP-tactics ))