Lighthouse_NA

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  1. [ QUOTE ]
    I'm jealous! I want to be able to use inline pictures too!

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Sorry Charles, if we did that we'd have to hire about a buzillion more moderators
  2. If you haven't seen it yet, Issue #19 of the Top Cow made City of Heroes comic is out on shelves. Big kudos out to Beef Cake of Badge Hunter.com and Ascendant, both very long time players and contributors to the City of Heroes community, for their cameo in the comic. Also, big thanks for the awesome fan art and stories that made the cut to be included as well!

    For those who want to see up to comic #16, point your browser here. As an update on the digital comics, version #17 and #18 are in house (final PDF files) and should be going up on the website soon. Stay tuned - we'll announce them here when they do.



    To discuss this announcement with your fellow players, visit this thread.
  3. Sorry for any unintended thread nukage. Several posts were removed from the thread and any replies under them will go as well when that happens. So, when posting, we ask that you use the "reply" button to the post you are replying to, rather than quick reply - things generally work out better when you do.

    Thanks!
  4. I fixxored the "writter". Thanks for the tip!
  5. Please use this thread to discuss the player made City Scoop from May 18th.
  6. Welcome to the first Issue of the City Scoop!

    The City Scoop is a newspaper made for Supers by fellow Supers. It is completely player made! For more information about the City Scoop, please see this Introduction Announcement.

    I'd like to thank and congratulate the many players who contributed and put this issue together! We are looking forward to future issues!

    To discuss this issue of the City Scoop with your fellow Supers, please visit this thread.




  7. Printer
    Friendly Version

    Back to Front Page


































  8. Advice






    Back
    to front page


    From the Experts:


    The
    Knowledge Base

      [*]
      Need a quick answer? Have to find the offcial word? Want to review previous
      issues and patch notes? Its all here in the Knowledge Base![/list]

      Understanding
      /petition

        [*]
        Stuck? Being Harassed? When you need to petition, the wording can make a
        difference in how quickly you receive help.[/list]

        Searching the
        Forums

          [*]
          The forums contain a wealth of information, advice, and fun, but the gems you
          are looking for can be hidden beneath a pile of other posts. This guide will
          help you find what you are looking for and get the most out of the forums.[/list]

          The
          No Numbers Guide to I9

            [*]
            This whole inventions thing got you down? You're getting salvage and you don't
            know what to do with it? You're afraid of being ripped off at the market, or of
            gimping yourself in ways you can't even understand? Relax. PeterPeter has your
            back.
            [/list]








            Heaven and Hell by Graver

            (Click for full view)






            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 23



            Past Episdoes



            Discuss Stan and Lou




    Dear Athy







    Frostbiter writes:




    “How do you get zombie vomit out of capes?”



    Dear Mr Biter,

    Since I’m not the domestic type, I asked Serge at Icon for tips. He remarked
    that following the Great Vahz Incident of ’04, all of the fabrics he carries
    are treated with a top secret stain guard formula. Serge had considered the
    potential loss of income from replacing such damaged clothing but he’s very
    grateful to the City’s hero population for apparently saving him and his stores
    from some rather villainous types.



    I also made a few calls to the Rogue Isles to ask Facemaker what her secret is
    for removing stains of the same type. Her reply was that she’d rather not treat
    fabrics at all. There’s simply too much cash to be made in replacing battle
    damaged fabric. She also had a few comments not quite suitable for print
    regarding Serge’s formulation. Apparently, his fabric guard was picked up by
    the leading clothing manufacturers and all fabrics are now treated thusly.
    Between you and me, that’s probably why Serge can afford so many freebies.






    Dear Athy,




    I was fighting crime in Peregrine Island the other evening, and had nearly
    arrested the villain, when some other hero swooshed in, smacked the guy
    unconcious, and grabbed the mementoes he had been
    carrying, one of which I really needed to help enhance my abilities.




    I was tempted to smack him one, but thought that would be unheroic, so I just
    questioned him on the deed, at which point he took off. Any suggestions for the
    next time this happens?



    signed,

    Inventionally Frustrated





    First, my apologies but are you sure he wasn’t just unaware of the situation?
    Perhaps he has a handicap and is completely deaf or just inconsiderate. Either
    way, that doesn’t get you your gear. Unfortunately, there’s not much else other
    than appealing to the courts (/petition) and that usually only works if there’s
    sufficient cause to believe the other hero was acting with intentional malice.
    Luckily for us (not so lucky for the non-powered citizens) there’s an abundance
    of evil afoot. There’s also an abundance of heroes more than willing to trade
    if they’ve an extra bit of villainous mementos.




    Dear Athy,




    There's this blond girl I see every day in the park. She's very popular - always
    the center of a big crowd. She knows my name, and I've talked to her a few
    times, but I could never work up the nerve to ask her out. How can I get her to
    REALLY notice me?



    Sincerely,

    Hapless in Atlas



    Dear Hap,

    Are you sure such an aloof girl is right for you? Perhaps her heart belongs
    elsewhere or she’s just not in the market right now. Whatever her coldness is
    attributed to, broaden your horizons. There’s lots of lovely lady heroes in the
    City.

    Dear Athy,




    I met this lovely lady one evening in the Pocket D club, and we really hit it
    off. We chatted and danced the night away. The problem is this - she lives far
    away in a place called Victory City, and I live in Pinnacleburg. Can this long
    distance relationship survive?



    signed,

    Lonely Hero





    I spoke with one of the scientists over at Portal Corp. It seems that we have
    some weird resonance thing involving our home dimension. Short trips for
    smacking baddies aren’t really a problem but if we stay in the wrong dimension
    too long, oh there are horrid things that happen. But there’s good news! The
    scientists are currently working on some weird little device that can reprogram
    our resonance signatures! Unfortunately, it’s not quite ready yet. They
    wouldn’t elaborate as to why but did promise that great strides are happening
    practically daily! If you and your lady friend have a relationship that can
    survive long distance until that resonance thingy is done, then I have every
    faith your relationship would survive a direct Rikti attack.


    Dear Athy,




    I need some practical advice. I've been on this liquid diet for the past hundred
    or so years. Up until recently it's not been a problem since I wore darks
    (greys and black mostly). But some girlfriends of mine have convinced me to
    widen my horizons and now I'm wearing lighter colours.



    Is there anything that will reliably remove blood from spandex that won't harm
    the fabric?



    signed,


    Oversanguinated



    Firstly, welcome to the light and congratulations! Secondly, head over to see
    Serge. If you’ve acquired your new threads after he started treating his
    clothing with his patented stain guard formula, then a simple rinse with cold
    water should remove any unsightly stains. If not, perhaps it’s time for a new
    look?



    Advice From the X





    Greetings, folks!


    For those not in the know, I am the one and only LiquidX...
    Mercenary, Jack-of-all-trades, mystery guy, and lover, all rolled into one.
    Now, you may be wondering... "Self, what is this LiquidX person up to?" Well,
    that's a wonderfull question! You see, the fine folks here at the City Scoop
    were needing some respectable and upstanding citizens to volunteer to selflisly
    aid you fine people.


    However, they couldn't find any of those people, so your stuck with
    me instead. Suckers.


    Anywho, here's the deal. You (And by you, I mean the people reading
    this column. Whether you be Hero, Villain, or some random schmuck who's decided
    that joining the Hellions was a good career choice, instead of the more
    lucrative and respectable jobs of being a homeless man, or a rock.) ask me
    questions. Then, I answer them. Simple, no? Now, with that out of the way,
    let's begin!




    "Dear LiquidX,

    Shortly after the end of the Rikti War, I was one of the first
    Heroes to answer Statesmans call to assist the City. However, due to the birth
    of my first child, I was forced to take a prolonged vacation. Now, I'm back in
    the game so to speak, and was wondering... Is it my imagination, or are Smoke
    Grenades not as effective as before?


    -Sincerely,


    D. Vyse Blastorr"




    Dear Blastorr:

    It is not your imagination. You see, a couple of years back, it was
    discovered by Health Officials that the amount of smoke released by standard
    issue Smoke Grenades were the cause of an outbreak of breathing problems among
    citizens. After a mass protest by several enviromental and health groups (As
    well as a few villain groups), new legislation was passed in June of 2004 that
    reduced the legal amount of emissions allowed to smoke grenades. Sadly, this
    also reduced their effectiveness.


    And on to the second and final question for the evening...






    "Dear LiquidX,

    Why arn't there more children here in Paragon City? It's kind of
    lonely here in Founders Fall. I mean, there are lots of nice Heroes, but theres
    never anyone around to play with me...


    -Sincerely,


    P. Preston"





    Dear Preston,


    Let's just say that having the highest amount of Radiation emitting
    beings per square inch of land then any other place (Other then the Rogue
    Isles) in the world doesen't exactly help people when it comes to reproducing.


    And that's it for today! So send in your questions, folks, and I'll
    help you to be a better person. Or person-like life form.



    Horoscopes


    Today the Sun is in Taurus and the Moon is in Pisces.


    Controller
    – All sorts of opportunities seem to be coming your way. Some are good deals
    and others are scams. Do your own research.


    Defender
    – You feel very strongly about certain things, and it’s well that you should.
    Be faithful to your convictions, especially if others don’t agree.


    Scrapper
    – With so much on your mind, it’s a miracle when things get done. Meanwhile, a
    grand adventure beckons. Let it wait until the job’s finished.


    Blaster
    – Friends are good for many things, too many to count. They’re not always good
    for helping you with buying and selling, however. Don’t follow a friend’s
    suggestion.


    Tanker
    – You’re doing well, but don’t relax. There’s a problem coming up. The
    competition’s fierce. Don’t leave anything to chance.


    Piecebringer
    – For the next several weeks it’s easy to list all the things that need to be
    done. You could actually overwhelm yourself. Be careful not to do that.



    Warshade
    – Seems your time is all being spent on busy work, you know, the little paper
    shuffling stuff you’d just as soon delegate. But you can’t yet. Just do it.


    Brute
    – The opportunities for career advancement are somewhat disguised. They seem
    more like a brick wall you keep running into. Don’t fret, you should be getting
    smarter.


    Mastermind
    – Sit back and let others put on the show. All you have to do is applaud every
    once in a while. Try to understand what they’re doing, they’ll love you for it.


    Corruptor
    – You’re working hard enough, but are you making any infamy? Fame is a
    wonderful thing, of course, but don’t forget fortune.


    Dominator
    – Cheerful banter back and forth could turn into something serious. It’s a
    wonderful day for a romance, if that would be appropriate.


    Stalker
    – Domestic issues demand your attention, and possibly more of your labor. A
    difficult situation won’t go away without your intervention.








  9. Behind
    the Mask



    Back to front page


    Seyda


    Pinnacle Server



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


    Pinnacle ftmfw. I’ve played on Pinnacle since I started with a
    short stint on Triumph. The person who introduced me to the game played here,
    so it made sense to follow suit.


    Where do you live?


    I currently reside in New York near the lake


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


    I also sing, and work about outside. I just graduated from college
    a bit ago, so my free time has gone up considerably. I’m looking to open a
    restaurant so I’m spending a good bit of time working on that.


    What are your favorite movies?


    Ha… soooooo many on this list. The Boondock Saints, What Dreams May
    Come, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Moulin Rouge etc. I like just about
    anything but if it’s a scary movie I need someone to either make fun of it with
    me or hold my hand through it, I’m a total sissy.


    What are your favorite Books and authors?


    I really enjoy John Grisham Books, I love the Poisonwood Bible, and
    I like stupid romance novels that have cheesy predictable happy endings.


    What TV shows do you like to watch?


    All the Crime and Medical Dramas, Discovery/History/Science
    Channel, Scrubs and Futurama


    Do you have any pets?


    I have a cat named Smokie who thinks he’s a dog. He goes outside on
    a leash and harness to run around on a runline, he fetches things and likes to
    put his head out the car window while wearing his seatbelt (cuz he hates cat
    carriers). I also have a stupid fish that won’t do tricks.


    How did you get drawn to this game?


    My ex twice removed played this game, and he wanted me to come and
    team with him and what not. I got hooked.


    What is your favorite aspect of the game?


    I really enjoy Wentworths right now, I’ve always been big on
    squirreling away stuff and selling it for my own profit. Prior to Wentworths I
    liked Croatoa the best, the story arcs and missions and the TF there are among
    my favorite in the game. My second fav. TF is Manticore.


    Who is your namesake character and what are they?


    Seyda is a Defender of the Empathy/Psychic Blast/Power Mastery Pure
    PVP spec’d variety. “I was /Psy before /Psy was cool!”


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


    Controllers are my favorite, Gravity definitely, I like Sonic buffs
    but the big sonic dispersion bubble still makes me kinda woozy. I also love my
    Fire Blaster to death.


    Your least favorites?


    I really dislike Rad buff/debuff set. I know it’s really powerful,
    but I just don’t like playing it. I’m also not a fan of my MA stalker but
    that’s only because she’s woefully pathetic compared to an EM stalker. What’s
    the point of a stalker that can’t one-hit things eh?


    Do you prefer Heroside or villain side?


    Heroside without a doubt. Villain side is too laggy, although now
    if I get too close to WW I get that same slideshow, but it’s still new,
    hopefully more optimizing of I9 is on the way.


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


    Being able to have a crazy good time nearly all the time I am
    playing, whether we’re all face planting or we’re stomping faces. A great
    Supergroup with Ventrilo helps, defiantly.


    Your greatest weakness in the game?


    Wanting to own in PVP but being too stubborn to roll up FoTMs all
    the time, being impatient, and rerolling too often. Alt-it is.


    What zone is your favorite?




    Croatoa and Atlas What is your favorite Storyline in the game?

    I like the two high level Carnie Arcs from Madeline Casey and
    Harvey Maylor. Those ones and Croatoa in general.


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


    Have fun, read about your powers as much as possible, find a group
    of people that you enjoy teaming with and roll with it. Remember it's just a
    game and try not to get too worked up when people act like [censored].


    Any closing comments?


    As often heard on vent: “OH MAH GAWD MAH FACE!!!”






    Stalemate


    Protector server






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




    Protector is my main server. I picked it simply because that's where some
    buddies were already playing and they had started a SG there. Even though I
    have active alts on Victory and Infinity at this time, I prefer Protector
    simply because of the great people I've gotten to know here.

    Where do you live?




    I live in a town one hour south of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada. I was born in
    New Hampshire, and grew up in both Quebec and Ontario, Canada. I speak French
    and English fluently.

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




    Movies, TV series on DVD, read, music, art, personal studies in fields of IT and
    theology.

    What are your favorite movies?




    Big fan of Blade Runner, perhaps because Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was
    the first SF novel I read as a teen. Anything SF usually gets my attention, as
    all superhero movies als do. And if a movie can surprise me with something
    unexpected, it goes on the list - like Memento, Shattered or Cube.

    What TV shows do you like to watch?




    Heroes, all the CSI series. I'll probably be adding Painkiller Jane to this if
    it's any good.

    How did you get drawn to this game?




    The aforementioned friends kept bringing up the topic of CoH in an IT forum I
    participate in. The screenshots they posted, their enthusiasm, and my interest
    in everything related to comics pulled me into CoH.

    What is your favorite aspect of the game?




    Versatility. Whether you've got 20 minutes or 20 hours, are interested in PvP,
    teaming, soloing, and now inventing, this game can do it all. It was the only
    MMO to get me interested in playing that type of game.

    Who
    is your namesake character and what are they?




    Stalemate v.6 is my main character, and my first creation in CoH. He is an
    Invulnerability / Energy Mélée tanker and my badgehunting toon. I tried to make
    him resemble as closely as possible a character I used to play in the Villains
    & Vigilantes pen and paper RPG.

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




    My personal playstyle seems to fit in well with mélée toons, so scrappers and
    tankers get the nod. But I've also had a lot of fun with Defenders (rad/rad,
    dark/elec) and some controllers.

    Your least favorites?




    Even though I have a level 50 blaster I'd have to say that this is the least
    familiar AT for me. I don't dislike them, it's just that the fit with my
    personality isn't as easy as some other ATs.

    Do you prefer Heroside or villain side?




    Hero side. I have 2 accounts, have purchased CoH and CoV 3 times each (for bonus
    items, access to bases and the like) and have no villains whatsoever. I just
    can't get into the mindset.

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




    The great people who I've met and managed to keep in contact with, mostly
    through the co-founding of the Praesidium coalition. Protector has no "large"
    supergroups, so the idea behind this open coalition allows SGs to fraternize
    with like-minded people without giving up their individual SG flavor. One of
    the main interests of the Praesidium is to give back to the gamer community,
    through organized events like Herolympics. You can depend on these allies when
    things get tough.

    Your greatest weakness in the game?




    Managing a SG and its website, a 26-member SG coalition and its website, and
    networking with others prevents me from getting more badges. I mean "game
    time". Yeah... that's it. Game Time.

    What zone is your favorite?




    At this current time, Recluse's Victory. I really like the dynamic aspect of the
    zone. changing according to the balance of power.

    What is your favorite Storyline in the game?




    I really liked the storyline behind the Lost, and the twist it has.

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




    Take advantage of all the player guides and advice given in the CoH Boards.
    Don't be embarrassed to ask for assistance with any issue you have. Use the
    Help channel and find a reputable SG with people who share your
    playstyle/timezone.

    Any closing comments?




    I'm a big fan of any projects which are more community-centric, such as this
    one. The City of Heroes community is privileged to have people listen to their
    coments, suggestions, gripes. It really stands out for the interest in
    bettering the overall immersion for players. I'm feeling quite honored to have
    been part of the first group of interviewees. I wish long life to City Scoop.






    Mistress Noire


    Guardian Server




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


    Guardian - The name just stuck out to me when I first started
    playing


    Where do you live?


    Missouri, USA - But originally from Canada


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


    Honestly Just CoX


    What are your favorite movies?


    I been really enjoying all the Super Hero movies that been coming
    out, I also enjoy Comedy, Romance, suspense, musicals, just about anything
    really I am not fussy




    What
    are your favorite Books and authors?


    I honestly don't read books, I am more into comics. Fav of all
    times include Spiderman and Xmen as well as many others.


    What TV shows do you like to watch?


    I spend most of my time online so I really don't have TV... shows I
    do watch include Heroes which I can find the eps on nbc.com and the odd soap
    opera once in a blue moon.... Days Of Our Lives or Passions.


    Do you have any pets?


    Yes I have 5 cats!


    How did you get drawn to this game?


    The whole Super Hero deal!


    What is your favorite aspect of the game?


    I love everything


    Who is your namesake character and what are they?


    Mistress Noire - Emp/Rad Defender


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


    Id have to say all of them so far


    Your least favorites?


    Okay well peacebringers and warshades been hard for me to get into


    Do you prefer Heroside or villain side?


    Hero although I been getting into villains now but if I had to
    choose Heroes


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


    Well I am known for my cookies on the guardian server but thats not
    really a strength is it.. Hm.. Being Friendly if that counts I am honestly not
    really sure though.


    Your greatest weakness in the game?


    I know I am not perfect but I can't think of a answer to this right
    now


    What zone is your favorite?


    I actually like them all


    What is your favorite Storyline in the game?


    They are all pretty much my favorite I have enjoyed them all


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


    Kick back, have fun, be yourself and don't be afraid to ask for
    help










    Doc Boy


    Victory Server




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




    In 2004 my Uncles got me into the game and told me to play on Victory cuz thats
    where they played, Victory has been my home since

    Where do you live?




    Winthrop, MA

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




    Sometimes I'll play XBOX or PS2 or draw.

    What are your favorite movies?




    Man on Fire, Gladiator, 300, Shawshank Redemption, Four Brothers prolly more
    that I cant think of.

    What are your favorite Books and authors?




    I dont like books!

    What TV shows do you like to watch?




    Pardon The Interuption, Around the Horn, Spongebob, South Park, Family Guy,
    Venture Bros, Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, Scrubs

    Do you have any pets?




    Not anymore.

    How did you get drawn to this game?




    I saw my Uncle playing it and was like "OMG that is sooo cool can I try?" and
    the [censored] wouldn't let me play, so I had to get my own.

    What is your favorite aspect of the game?




    Character Creation and the Super Hero/Villain aspect.

    Who is your namesake character and what are they?




    Doc Boy [lvl50 Emp Defener] Vador-X [lvl50 Fire/Fire Tank] Rage of Doc Boy
    [lvl50 Energy/Nin Stalker] Maintenance Man [lvl34 AR/Dev blaster] Rush [lvl30
    Invuln/SS tankl] Boy [lvl30 fire/kin con] Raptorblaster [lvl31 ice/nrg blaster]
    and there are many more

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




    Tanks are always cool and Stone Armor in my opinion is awesome, I have yet to
    lvl a stone tank higher than 20 tho.

    Your least favorites?




    Scrapper primaries! C'mon Devs! Give us like Street Fighting Scrappers or Fire
    Melee Scrappers or Energy Scrappers or Pistol Scrappers or Staff
    Scrappers111!!!!!!


    Do you prefer Heroside or villain side?





    Villains are cooler but its harder to find villain teams to lvl up so I play
    coh more due to easier teaming


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





    Um, my funny!!!


    Your greatest weakness in the game?





    I'm not an emotionless robot so when ppl say stupid stuff ingame it gets to me


    What zone is your favorite?





    RV I guess


    What is your favorite Storyline in the game?





    Uhh, the part where the thing does something and stuff happens... lol


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





    LFT means LOOKING FOR TEAM!!! and no, I wont give you money!




































  10. The City Scoop



    May 18th, 2007


    Vol.1 Issue.1



    SCHOOL STARTS, STUDENTS SWARM




    Welcome to City Scoop, one of the top three selling newspapers in
    both Paragon City and the Rogue Isles! City Scoop is a newspaper made for
    Supers by fellow Supers. With this paper, you’ll be kept abreast of the issues
    affecting the City of Heroes/Villains experience. From Developer conversations,
    to news articles on recent events, to startlingly accurate horoscopes, you will
    never be lost in Paragon City again! Except in Perez Park.




    Here we plan to discuss the various issues that are important to
    Heroes and Villains alike across the world. We bring you the popular topics,
    the controversial debates, and the general hype of the people to keep you in
    the know!


    What's big these days? With the rise of Wentworths
    Fine Consignment House, it seems like every Hero is getting into the
    market these days. Likewise, Villains have been participating more and more in
    the Black Market, dealing with their new found salvage, recipes, and more! This
    has created a booming economy in both Paragon City and The Rogue Isles. Is that
    economy a total success or an absolute flop?Put
    in your two influence here!


    With Dr. Brainstorm's new inventions, everyone can be a mad
    scientist, granted they have the right recipes! So, when the notice went out
    that costume recipes had been spread throughout the land, the hunt was on for
    rare costume pieces to show off and flaunt. The fact that these recipes are so
    gosh darn rare, however has everyone in a hubbub! What do you think? Are they
    too rare? Too common? Just right?
    Weigh in here on the subject of Costume Drop Rates!


    Moving into more dangerous fare, various zones have been designated
    as accessible by both Heroes and Villains. Since that time, Super powered
    people of all alliances have been coming to those zones to do everything from
    have a friendly spar to have a deadly showdown. This 'PvP' has drawn everything
    from rabid fans to staunch opposition.
    What do YOU think of PvP?


    And, to end things on a lighter note, Supergroup bases continue to
    be both popular and functional! Several super powered peoples have taken to
    comparing and showing off their bases. Come check out some of the most creative
    base designs around, and then submit your own!
    It's all happening here!


    So, that's it for today, folks. All the news in fits of print! Tune
    in next time for more!


    ~Sammy Keats





    Students
    packed the halls of Paragon University last week as new courses in Invention
    Engineering got under way. The University, featuring satellite campuses in
    Steel Canyon, Founders Falls, and Croatoa, saw thousands of new and returning
    students pass through their doors within hours of opening for the semester.


    Many students attended the University's new course studies in Invention
    Enhancements, taught by Professor Topffer in the second-story laboratory in the
    east wing.



    One student, Katya Derevko (Level 5, Virtue) said she planned to attend classes
    in the near future, planning her major in Chemically Induced Physical
    Enhancements, just as she had studied in her home in the former Soviet Union.
    Derevko said she would be studying part-time. "My mission parameters do not
    allow for full-time study," she said. "I did not come here to study. I came
    here looking for something that was taken from the Soviet Union, we believe by
    Arachnos."


    The University now offers new classes in Salvage, Recipes, Workbenches, and
    Invention Enhancements to help educate super-powered Paragon City residents how
    to further improve their skills and expand their preternatural abilities. "It
    was well worth the time," said Plato 42 of Virtue (36), a hero who
    double-majored in Philosophy & Tanking, and Leadership. "I did not find the
    course difficult, though I was pleasantly surprised and would recommend the
    course to anyone."


    Most students elected to live off-campus and commute. "I live in a tree in Perez
    Park," said Moondrop (25, Virtue). She elected to attend Paragon University for
    its reputation as a campus for partiers, although she said she was later
    enticed by the interesting classes. "Did I take botany?" she asked, consulting
    her schedule. "Wow. Who knew!"



    Plato 42 was pleased with his experiences on campus. "Paragon U provides an
    atmosphere second to none for on-hands learning and application," said Plato,
    displaying his Giant Killer credentials. "I found [Doctor] Aeon to be book
    smart but short of experience."


    Doctor Aeon presides over Aeon University in Cap au Diable in the Rogue Isles,
    also recently opened for classes despite the informality of the hand-written
    syllabus. However, not all would agree that the level of education in the Rogue
    Isles is in any way inferior to that found in Paragon U.


    "The atmosphere at Paragon U is too stuffy," said Nuclear Reaction. (15,
    Justice). "I would prefer to study here. More exciting."



    "We have a school of hard knocks," agreed Black Praetorian (2, Triumph). "It
    makes you tough, you know." As a future student of Aeon University, Praetorian
    said he was planning a graduate degree in Pain. "Heroes will need more than a
    university to stop me," he vowed.


    Some students hoped the opportunities for education would expand. "They need to
    teach us how to build flamethrowers!" Moondrop the pixie said, producing one
    for inspection. "I found this and I'm afraid it's gonna break and I'll need to
    go looking for another!"


    Educators in both universities have been given high marks by students. Derevko
    had not yet met her professors in person, but had spoken to one by telephone.
    "She seemed direct, to the point, and quite strict," she said. "I like her
    already."


    Moondrop, majoring in Gizmos, indicated her favorite professor was "the crabby
    guy upstairs," meaning Topffer, although the flamethrower-wielding pixie added
    meaningfully, "He's got nothing but complaints about me. Poor guy is likely to
    suffer a stroke, or some other stress-related disorder."


    "Most of [the professors] are kind of hard-[censored], but not without warrant,"
    Nuclear Reaction. said of the Aeon U staff. "They need to be, in this city."


    Reaction., a full-time student until he became lead inventor for his Villain
    Group, has already invented something to call his own. "It's called profits,"
    he laughed.


    "I plan on taking classes during the day and working at night," Praetorian said,
    suggesting that most villainous activity is properly done at night. "I don't
    want to get mixed up in the party scene. I need to concentrate on my classes."




    Some might disagree that the universities should be all about study. "We need
    some athletic competition," Moondrop said, brandishing her flamethrower.
    "Paragon U needs a sporting department in the worst way! I'll bet the school
    over in the Rogue Isles could put up a good fight!"


    Praetorian also had competition on his mind. "For all the heroes who think it's
    safe," he said, "get ready, because I will put Dominators back on top of the
    food chain."


    Despite the atmosphere of friendly competition, there were some concerns about
    campus safety. Reaction., of Justice, noted that the Aeon U campus storerooms
    had been broken into. "Nothing the students couldn't handle," he said.


    Plato 42 of Virtue was pleased with his dual-major degree and was already hard
    at work combing the markets at Wentworths for likely investments. "The world of
    Inventions is now my oyster," he said.


    This Issue:


    Behind the Mask
      [*]
      Interviews with Seyda, Stalemate[/list]

      Advice
        [*]
        Ask Athy, Advice From the X, From the Experts, Horoscopes

        [/list]Crossword Puzzle

    Upcoming Events:




    May 19th:

    Ask the Entities.





    There are times when our abilities to investigate as heroes are confounded.
    There are times when things that happen just don't make sense. Thankfully even
    when things like this happen, we have other means to get the information we
    need. Serafina is a well known mystic in Paragon City. She's volunteered to
    take some of the most puzzling questions in our forums, and put them through
    her link to the Entities. This week we sit down and warm up the connection to
    get the answers to two perplexing questions.*


    Lemur Lad- Thanks for taking the time to sit down with me and use your
    abilities to help our readers out.


    Serafina- You are most welcome, except for the fact that I am not
    sitting, and time is a meaningless abstraction to one who exists on this plane
    as well as others in simultaneity.


    LL- *blinks* Alrighty then, let's pose the first question.


    S- So it shall be.


    LL- With the introduction of the Inventions Sytem,
    It's tripped up many people
    that there isn't an easy way to transfer
    recipes and salvage from one their characters to another. Is there a reason why
    this isn't in the game?


    S- *waves her fingers and begins to glow* O, Entities! Please send us an
    answer to the question we seek across the ethereal link!


    The words appear in the air: Because that is time and technology that
    does not exist, and wasn’t on a schedule to do.



    S- *stops glowing* There is your answer, does it feed you?


    LL- Hmmm well, it makes sense, but I'm not sure a lot of people will be
    happy to hear it. Hopefully the next answer will be more fulfilling. Oh by the
    way, is that glowing thing going to happen every time?


    S- Most assuredly. Flashy though, isn't it?


    LL- Quite. Next question! Over the years
    many have wondered
    about Task Forces, and why they have a level range,
    yet the foes always scale to the high end of that level range regardless of the
    levels on the team?


    S- *performs her mumbo jumbo*


    The words appear in the air: Each “stature level” (5 levels) is one
    TF that should force itself to the top of the level range. Other TF’s in that
    level range do not exhibit this behavior.



    LL- Hey now! That is a lot more interesting. So if I understand that
    correctly, then the Citadel Task Force would be at the top of the level range,
    but the Ernesto Hess (and possibly the Moonfire) would not? Well, that's a
    solid answer I can live with. It's a bit of a shame that most of the time there
    is only one Task Force or Strike Force for a given level range.


    S- I too hope there are more crises that force heroes to band together in
    the name of justice. Wait, that came out wrong, crises would be bad. But we
    want more things to do! But danger is bad, people get hurt...


    LL- Yes. Well thank you again Serafina for posing those problems to the
    Entities. Here's hoping we can continue this endeavor and get some information
    out there!

    * These are actual questions pulled from the Forums. The answers
    are straight from the source, either QA or the Devs themselves. I make no
    promises that they will be exciting answers, but they are answers nonetheless.
    The Entities are strange and capricious, and not to be trifled with.



    Costume Crisis Hits the City!





    Following the recent breakthrough at the Universities which have allowed for the
    heroes of the city to craft, shape, and invent new tools and tricks to increase
    their powers against the villains of the world, many of whom have already
    managed to steal and emulate the Universities’ success, fantastic new heroes
    have begun to emerge in the city, ones with fantastic wings or marvelous
    boots.Of all the technological inventions and magical infusions that have come
    out of those halls of learning, none has caused as much controversy.


    However, it is not the method in which they are made, nor the effect these new
    inventions are having on the image of the city’s heroes that is causing the
    controversy.It is the scarcity of these popular options.All over Paragon City
    and, it’s been reported, the Rogue Islands heroes and villains alike have taken
    to the streets, arresting and defeating everything in their way in record
    numbers, in hopes of finding the items needed to create their own wings.


    Some have even turned to Wentworths Fine Consignment in hope during this crisis.
    “It's crazy!” a Wentworth employee confessed. “The recipes for the costume
    items are some of our biggest sellers.Some them may only go for a million, but
    the more popular ones have been known to be sold at ten to twenty times that
    amount.”


    It is this scarcity that has caused a schism among the protectors of the city.
    Some heroes, who see the new crafted costume pieces as pointless fluff or who
    wish for their wings to be more unique among their kind, have stated their
    opinions that the rate at which the wings and boots are crafted at is just
    about right. More, however, denied the possibility of getting these often
    defining symbols of their heroic nature, have cried out for a solution to be
    found.


    This
    massive outcry prompted one of the city’s premiere heroes to step forth and
    look at the situation. Positron explained the situation while studying the
    readings on a small handheld device he referred to as a “dataminer”.



    Positron
    stated
    , “I looked… at the costume drop rate and it IS lower than we
    anticipated.” He continued to explain that, while he didn’t want the costume
    pieces to be common, he didn’t want the heroes of the city to feel that they
    could never receive them as a matter of their usual patrols through the city.
    He assured the heroes that he would look into helping change the situation but
    warned, “…do not expect anything radical or quick.”


    Positron’s words were met with cheers from many of the city’s crime fighters.
    Even the tailors at Icon expressed their excitement. Serge, one of the city’s
    most notable designers, told us, "I don't believe this! This...this is the
    wonderful news! I, personally, had the opportunity of helping several heroes
    myself. These new wings and boots are perfect! They are very important pieces
    in the helter-skelter world of crime-fighting. I mean, why you should look ugly
    when you want to do justice? Is good to hear Positron say more may be available
    in the future. It is serious."








    Last Stand by Douglas Shuler (Click for full view)



  11. [ QUOTE ]
    for some reason I can never play videos hosted by MMORPG.Com

    is there anywhere else I can see this video?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    We'll have that video hosted on our site soon. It's just up on MMORPG.com as a first look exclusive for them.
  12. For anyone who was affected by the Consignment Market Rollback on May 9th please make note of the below plan for reimbursement:

    When: Thursday, May 17, 2007

    Where: US Live servers

    What: Extended maintenance starting at 6:00 AM PST (8:00 AM CST / 9:00 AM EST)

    Reimbursement: This reimbursement will cover all lost transactions between the hours of 10:00PM CST (May 8th) to 10:00 AM CST (May 9th).

    * All Items actually lost will be reimbursed, and that includes Recipes and Salvage.

    * All bids that were lost will be reimbursed.

    * Only the first 10 enhancements will be reimbursed to players, so characters MUST have a clear enhancement tray on their personal inventory to receive their Lost enhancements.

    Special instructions to Players Affected:

    Please clear out your Enhancement trays and Inspiration Trays on Wednesday night (5/16/2007), prior to logging off. Thanks!



    Our thanks for everyone who was affected by the Auction Server Rollback on May 9th for your patience while we tested and put this reimbursement process in place. Our apologies for the trouble and hopefully this will put any affected finances back to rights. Happy buying and selling!
  13. MMORPG.com presents an exclusive first look at the new Inventions Tutorial Video that provides an overview of the Issue 9 feature, Inventions!
  14. Ok, here's the update on the update.

    Testing of the reimbursement process is still underway. There are umm, well, more than a few possible permutations and we want to make sure we do not introduce any issues with the process that will just add salt to people's wounds. Unfortunately, that diligence is time consuming, so the process is longer in coming than a more immediate time frame that we all might like.

    As a reminder, we do have a record of influence, inspirations, enhancements, salvage and recipes affected by the Hero side Auction server roll back. We are working on a process to re-insert these possibly lost items and influence to affected characters. When we do move ahead with this process, we will provide as much advance notice as possible so that customers can clear out inspiration and/or enhancement inventory, since those have inventory caps. Salvage, Influence and Recipes function differently and can "overflow".

    Again our apologies for any concern or difficulty this whole issue has brought any of our customers and for the delay in testing and rolling out the reimbursement process to address it. Thank you for your patience and support.
  15. We updated the Patch Notes page to include two items missed from the most recent Live game update:


    * Passive movement powers such as Swift and Hurdle can no longer be slotted with Travel IO sets. This was done to address balance concerns.

    * The lock-out timer for receiving rare recipe rewards from Task Force and Strike Force Missions was reduced from 4 hours to 3 hours.


    Our apologies for not including these notes in the original posting.
  16. Ball Lightning, nothing has been done yet for reimbursement. We are still testing that and will give as much advance notice when that is happening as possible.

    Are you sure you only had 1? You didn't buy 2 in a frenzy of purchases?
  17. I made a follow up post on this issue in the Announcement thread.
  18. I wanted to follow up on this issue with an update.

    Currently, we have a test plan in place and are cooking through that to evaluate the reimbursement. Obviously, we don't want to have the reimbursement process break things, when we are trying to make things right!

    I can also say that the process will be run in stages over individual servers at off peak times. We will give as much notice as possible about the schedule so that players who are concerned with it can set up their enhancement and inspiration inventory with space. There is no concern with recipe and salvage room as it's architecture is different and will accommodate overflow.

    If you have questions about this, please post them to the Discussion Thread. Thanks!
  19. [ QUOTE ]
    Not only lost but gained since lost. If they roll back, all this stuff I've been doing the past couple days are just "practice".

    Will I get what I had when rolled back or what I have know...
    Cause that might open another can of worms. Sure I'd like what I had cough exp was lost also. But I have gotten more since, more than what I got so I might not want a roll back unless that's the ONLY way.

    Course only doesn't matter does it. Catering to your customers doesn't matter does it. Just find the easy fix and well that's it boys.
    Thanks for your ear. Cause you don't seem to read PM's

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Ectomy, the roll back already happened. When the Auction Server came back online and the Consignment Markets started working yesterday at apx 2:20 PM Pacific time was when that roll back went in. It should in no way affect other time periods.
  20. Edited the original post to add:

    [ QUOTE ]
    Our apologies for this difficulty and any problems or losses it may have caused our customers.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    To say that everyone on the team is not sorry would be a gross miss-statement. It was a complete error on my part to not include words to that effect in the original post. The bottom line is that the issue that affected the Auction House was preventable and we are working hard and committed to make sure that such doesn't happen again - with Auctions or any other aspect of the service we offer.

    Again, our sincere apologies for any difficulties caused to our customers and also our thanks for your understanding, patronage and support.
  21. For those of you who are just tuning in, we want to recap an important moment in the history of Paragon City – the Great Consignment House Heist!

    You see, today Wentworth’s Fine Consignments, the excellent new buying and selling service that recently went into service across Paragon City, came to a grinding halt and apparently some customer’s items went missing! Police officials are very suspicious of Villainous activities, given that underground sources indicate there were no similar problems with the shady Black Markets on the Rogue Isles. Those same officials are currently investigating and cataloging all missing influence, inspirations, enhancements, recipes and salvage and planning on making a full reimbursement, courtesy of Wentworth’s insurance agency.



    Ok, all role play aside, if you haven’t seen the announcement thread, you can see some of the blow by blow there. I thought I would recap it for any new folks who were tuning in.

    The issue only affected the Hero side Consignment Markets – no Villains were affected.

    A problem with the back end Auction server that supports the in game Consignment Markets became apparent shortly after our morning update on May 9th. The problem was not related to the update except that it showed up after the servers spun up.

    We brought down the Auction Server and investigated. Roughly 5 hours later we brought the Auction Server back up. In order to correct the problem, we had to revert back to a save from 10 PM Central on May 8th. Again, this only affected the Hero side Consignments. Now, we do have a number of safeguards and more frequent saves. Unfortunately, as things typically work out in complicated systems, several things came together to give us trouble. That led to the relatively long time frame of the roll back. Our apologies for this difficulty and any problems or losses it may have caused our customers. We are always very concerned with data integrity and these issues will be corrected to give us better back ups in the future.

    As a result of this roll back to an earlier save, Heroes who had used the Consignment Market after that time may have a variety of issues – from duped items to lost items. To correct this, we are planning on reinserting the lost items from the transaction logs into player’s inventories. This includes any lost influence, inspirations, enhancements, salvage and recipes. At the time of this writing we are still testing this, but are confident enough that we can pull it off that I’m giving you advance notice of it.

    One thing to keep in mind with this reimbursement plan is that characters have a hard limit of 10 enhancements. If you have a character that engaged in a number of enhancement transactions, you would be well advised to keep that character’s enhancement inventory clear. We will be giving as much advance notice as possible as to when the reimbursement process will take place.

    So, that’s the Great Consignment Heist of May 8th as it stands at this moment. Our sincere thanks to everyone for their understanding and patience with this incident. Please know that we are putting in additional safeguards to ensure that such a problem does not arise again. Please keep an eye on the Announcement Forum for further details as they unfold!
  22. We wanted to follow up on the status of our plan to address lost items or influence from the earlier roll back of the Hero Auction Server. Because of this roll back, it is possible that players lost influence, inspirations, enhancements, recipes or salvage. We are working on a way to give back these items to players over the time frame of the roll back. This will be done on the server side and not through /petition.

    We are still testing this reimbursement strategy and we will post here to let you know when that process is started.

    One thing to keep in mind is that there is a limitation on Inspirations and Enhancements. If you lost a number of these, it would be best if you keep your Enhancement and/or Inspiration slots empty so that the server can place your missing ones back. Unfortunately, there are upper limits for these (such as 10 max Enhancements) that the server will have to work within in any item restoration.

    As a whole, this process should be to the benefit of the players. We hope it will rectify most of the consternation created over this problem.