-
Posts
1665 -
Joined
-
On a related note and something I've been meaning to ask: Who are the two NPCs? Scary Bear Man and Pink Armless Girl? (Though I see on closer examination she does in fact have a right arm...)
-
Quote:Though in fairness we haven't yet had any more announcements than the game is going down. I think Zwillinger(?) has said that there will be announcements regarding VIP and Premium players. Plus I suspect deals for refunds and other IP giveaways/deals (GW2 &/ Aion I'd guess). Because the shutdown is following (so far) the overall outlines of their other shutdowns and while their business sense may or may not be lacking they will try and make as good a situation from this as they can. (Other than taking their heads out of the sand and cancelling this shutdown ofc.)No they didn't. Stephen Nichols the lead programmer and producer announced back in September 2009 that they game would close January 1, 2010. At the time he made the announcement their dev team was down to 3 employees. The staff having been laid off over the previous year and a half. The players knew things were bad long before the announcement.
http://www.warcry.com/news/view/9476...-Shutting-Down
And no there aren't any parallels between the two other than both games were cancelled by NCSoft.
NCSoft gave Dungeon Runners VIP's a 30 day game time serial code and digital copies of City of Heroes Architect Edition and Guild Wars Prophecies.
They gave refunds to the VIP's with multiple month subscriptions.
And they didn't fire the remaining devs on the spot but allowed them to go out with a bang.
"Wait, there's even more good news! While we may be going out, we're going out in style, with a few changes to the game for the coming "End Time". Mythic loot will drop much more frequently. We're significantly reducing the cost of expensive King's Coin vendors. We're also quintupling the rate of XP gain to help you finish the game before year's end! Finally, we're adding a huge nuke to Townston that will blow up on New Year's and take the game down with it. There's more, but what fun is there in spilling all the beans?" -
Quote:I suspect that the jump in profit was people reactivating to check out the new idea, ie Advertising. The fizzle was when most then left again because the free parts of freedom were so cheap as to be pointless.Ironically, F2P lead to a jump in profit for a while. It fizzled back down, but it was something at least.
They'd have been better off doing a starter edition similar to D3 or WoW(?) in which you get the basics for nothing but then have to upgrade and pay to play.
And some advertising. -
Quote:To the point NCSoft's apparent attitude when shutting down an IP is that we're not going to run it but nor is anyone else. One thing I read off site in the last few days is that the speed in which they do it is to prevent easy responses to their shut downs. Three months is really not much time at all, to take in what is happening, get a group together and formulate a response to actually do something about it. And or find resources to implement those solutions.I'm not so sure that much can be read into the speed of it. Yes, it was sudden, but looking at NCsoft's history it seems like they're just following standard shutdown procedure and timelines.
I was looking at a site the other day that had a long list of closed down MMOs - most of which were far east focused titles I've never heard of, and it struck me that this happens more often than most of us think. Most of the announced shutdowns I've seen, even of western titles, are accompanied by mostly a sense of resignation to the inevitable, so the big difference here is in the response of the CoH community to the news - I have never seen such a concerted effort to try to do something to try to avert the end. I very much doubt NCSoft expected that either.
Quote:Again, I'm not so sure. If CoH did go dark and then come back it would be a huge story - an absolute triumph for MMO players, and I think that would stir up a lot of renewed interest and curiosity among both former players and even new players.
And if the servers are offline for any length of time they'll lose players who just want a SH genre game as there are others to go for. I think most of the people in this thread (and probably forum) are pissed mostly because they don't want to lose their history in the game (characters, badges... etc), but many people just want to play a game.
So yeah if NCSoft bring the servers back up, even in a reduced capacity huge news perhaps even increased number of players. If TN do then much less so. -
On a different note I think more should be said about the speed in which everything happened. That - admittedly as a non-exec type - strikes me as portentous. Whether or not that has anything to do with licensing of the engine or IP or is more about preventing people from making a fuss (as I have seen suggested elsewhere) it strikes me as a very fast shut down.
I haven't looked at the actual time-line, but 3 months is what 12 weeks(?) but as the announcement was on a US holiday w/e, which would hinder the press getting hold of the story and realistically probably kills the first week, making it 11 weeks.
Assuming any meetings can be arranged between people wanting to take over IP (should they exist (Hypothetically. I know about Titan Network's work.)) and NCSoft or a potential (hypothetical) management buyout of PS. That would kill at least another two weeks.
Then even if NCSoft say yeah here you go IP and code base for CoH 1 billion KW (or whatever), that leaves very little time for anyone to get any resources together to achieve any sort of cash. Crowd Sourcing may well work but it's not at all realistic to expect the sort of cash needed to be found in what 9 weeks?
And lets be honest here even if TN get the cash and restart the servers they're going to lose a large number of players who don't know any of this and just want a game to play. (Because I bet there are people still playing who have no clue as to what is going on.) They'll also lose people who think that as an unproven games producer they aren't trust worthy.
So even if the players do pull a rabbit from their metaphorical hat the game is pretty much doomed.
At least in such a short space of time.
Now if NCSoft had announced that they were looking for a buyer a year ago, and that failure to find one would lead to the game shutting down...
So I think the speed is also a significant point to note, especially if you discount sudden changes in licensing. -
That's only 'cos the micro part of their store is all £4.99 or more, which is hardly micro... :/
-
Idiotic comment.
A free-loader is someone who is taking something away from those who pay. In the game you get what you pay for. And the only real 'free-loader' are those who joined after Freedom and never paid anything.
The rest of us normal people who took breaks but paid for what we played.
If a MMO cannot survive a percentage of it's player base taking breaks on a regular basis, or such things are not factored into the whole scheme of things then said MMO doesn't deserve to survive.
The fact that it had managed to do so for the better part of eight years - with people taking breaks - rather implies that your insinuation is baseless.
((Edited to remove my own inflammatory responses... FFM sorry...))
Edit to add:
Oh and for the record while I have supported the game less than some due to the unreasonableness of the real world at the times when I was playing (pretty much the first 3 years EU and then 6-8 months on 4-6 off thereafter) While I've been on I've been paying at least two subs and very often three. Looking at the billing pages on my three accounts it works out to be around 10 years total subbage... So in fact even as a *ahem* free-loader I've been paying over and above the odds to support the game. -
So I recall reading in the dim and distant past (i3-i4 ish) that Cryptic/NCSoft retain all rights to our characters. That is by playing 'Lost Ninja' on their servers I basically allow them all the rights to said character.
It was never explained - to my knowledge - how those rights could be retrieved.
Basically, game is over in a few short months and when it finally shuts down I want to know that the characters I have made and loved over the years are mine. I think it highly unlikely that NCSoft would reboot CoH/CoH2/etc and use my characters as NPCs then sue me for using what I consider mine. But it could happen.
So what do I have to do to regain full rights (if I ever lost them) to my characters? -
I like UG because it is a change of pace, I'd prefer to run it over and above running a Baf and a Lam. But often I don't have time for more than one short trial.
If there were more shorter trials then this would certainly be a step in the right direction. Currently there isn't enough choice to make restricting which trials can be run for full rewards a sensible option. -
Quote:Oh don't get me wrong I'm not trying to imply that is essential, but that I would want it there. I don't think any build/AT/Set/etc Needs Hasten but as my comment indicates it does depend on play-style as well as power choice. My own preference is to slot for ACC/DMG/END and get the recharge from other sources. Hence why I pretty much take Hasten on all my characters. How I use it has changed though, in the old days it was on auto, nowadays I click it.I can testify that it's not needed there. I've had it on my SS/EA, and dropped it in favor of IO slotting and the FF+rech proc in Footstomp.
Of course, I also like having an unnecessary "real" travel power (Super Jump) that could be dropped for Hasten. At some point, it becomes a flavor thing, but to me, /EA plays just fine without Hasten to buff it. -
Depends on primary and play style. I for one with a BS/Nrg (Brute) wouldn't skip it, while the entropic aura is very nice it doesn't provide 70% recharge even in huge mobs.
Thinking of working on a SS/Nrg brute eventually and again it would want hasten too, but the claws/nrg scrapper I might roll as a replacement for a claws/WP scrapper might skip it till late on in the build. -
Might be regional difference, been using keyboards since late 80's early nineties and apart from function keys and windows/choord keys changing and minor changes in size (left shift seems to shrink over time) my current MS keyboard is not a lot different from the IBM keyboard I started out on... (All EU/UK Keyboards.)
As for the thread (why I searched, just got a g13) I'm migrating from a nostromo as I refuse to pay £30 extra just for updated software and a back light (N52 classic now costs ~£20 N52ti costs ~£50... G13 cost me £50 (£49.99).
I use thumb area and G5,6,13,18 for powers 0-9 (1-10) G15 = Ctrl, G16 = ALT. Normal WASD layout for movement.
I was looking for ideas about what to do with all the extra unused keys. -
Free to try the game... however long that takes.
VIP for 1-3 months depending on how much cash you have floating around. Then unless the game is really great drop down onto point purchases, as and when you feel the urge.
Would be my suggestion.
Free try so you can decide whether to drop that $15/£8.99/etc. VIP to give you a much better overview on what is on offer. Then unless Incarnates are your thing drop to Premium and keep access to stuff through point purchases.
But then I buy points and pay a sub so I may be clueless about real world economics... -
Quote:Not entirely true. Reactive Armour (Resistance Set) is expensive on the AH due to it's +Def set bonuses especially the 4 part bonus (1.25% Smash/Lethal .6% Melee), it's the only 'set' I'd actually plan on buying from the market, because while Doctored Wounds is another set I use a fair amount it's not stupidly overpriced. However Steadfast Protection is present on the market (IIRC) and the has the useful -KB and +Def (Unique), so that's nearly a full set.Would be if they had better options. Red fortune is the one that will probably get the most play of the ones they do have.
@OP
For me:
Storage especially the enhancement trays, though not unless they're on sale or reduced somewhat in price.
Ninja Run which as already mentioned looks great if you're carrying a weapon. Beast run I don't like the look of as much. But I dislike the toggle drop on the rocket board which makes what would be a great power annoying. (Power Supression great, toggle drop bad.)
Self res temp, will have a look at hadn't realised it had the invulnerable aspect.
2ndary Mutation is fun.
Personally mostly spend points on XP boosters means I don't have to follow the best path for levelling to level fast (without AE) and can play the way I like yet still level fairly quickly. And with AE level extremely fast if that's what I want. -
Another important point to be made is that these 'IO's are useable even if normal IOs are not unlocked, consequently can be used by premium players. That -KB IO is awesome IMO...
-
There doesn't seem to be a central thread for store ideas so I figured I'd make one...
- Short term power set 'trial' purchases. That is adding in effect 10-15 hour licenses to the various different purchasable power sets. Costing around 150pts, allowing people to test drive a power set without having to buy it for real. Limit each 'trial' to a single purchase per account (possibly with resets after major changes to the sets).
- Big weapons pack. Pack with large amount of different weapon models (for all weapon sets).
- The fast Mission Teleporter temp power... I'd buy this all the time, so nice to just go to a mission especially Blue side which could be quite a long way off.
- Super XP, Prestige & Windfall Boosters. Last longer or have multiple charges and only work in instanced missions, but have the current boost values. Idea being that the 1 hour use time only ticks down while you are in missions not while waiting for TFs to start or while travelling.
- Large Inspiration Drop Booster and a super version (see above), all current t1 drops are boosted to t2 and t2 to t3. t4 drops are boosted into dual inspirations.
- Scuba themed costume set complete with flippers and tank (does not enhance swim speed).
- Temp or permanent power/idea that allows you to combine Inspirations into higher tier inspirations. 4x t1 > 1x t2. 5x t2 > 1x t3. & 8 t3 - 1 t4. Balanced so that the total the lower tier used would actually give a better boost than a single one of the higher tier.
-
There is also a shop guy in the Shadow Shard (almost as soon as you zone) who sells SOs. Not sure that they are 35+ or 40+ though.
-
Snow Globe is technically correct, however. If you have bought the retail versions of City of Villains and Going Rogue (either online or through a boxed product) you do not lose anything* that came with those products. Therefore you won't need to buy Going Rogue again.
*GR does not however include 1st Ward or Incarnate Content. -
Quote:There are cheaper (if less able) alternatives.I think this may be the best solution so far. Especially since it's designed for the left hand. And not just for games, but for more general computer use as well - depending on the keypad set-up.
Still probably won't work for Chat, but who chats and 'arrests' villains at the same time?
Be Well!
Fireheart
Belkin Nostromo n52 or n52ti. The former is the old version but still available in some shops (EU I know, you'd have to dig around in US) software is fairly versatile though doesn't always play nicely with win 7. The ti version is electronically the same device but it looks nicer has glowing blue backlight and costs more. But is newer so consequently more available, software is more advanced too. There is also a Razer version but I don't know anything about this one.
Saitek make something similar, it's flatter and IMO not as well layed out as the Nostromo, but as I haven't really used one I can't go into greater detail. -
Quote:Never understood this idea, for years it's been:I knew this was the reason. For all the people who screamed "I have X characters and I don't want to play with noobs/kids/X I shouldn't have to pay more to get away from it because you changed the game".
I also realized another reason the devs want people on Exalted; Dropping Sub. If you move all your alts to exalted then decide you want to drop VIP you'd have to move your characters to a different server and lose your SG/Friends/etc all over again, "locking" you into staying VIP once you've labeled Exhaled homeebil Freedom Marketeers
.
Reactionary Players: "Oh Noes game is dying..." / "Nobody plays this game NEMore..."
Devs: "Ooh look new players..."
RP: "Quick give us VIP only server so we don't have to interact with new players..."
((Sorry to fail at pop speak...))
Atlas Park last night was well filled, mostly by players who didn't have a clue that you don't need every pool power there is... but full. And way back in the beginning that was enjoyable, all these players who might be friends in the future. Personally I'd never have added a VIP server... or not until after i21 launch so I could have gauged how many f2p players there were and how much chaos they were causing. -
The point wasn't to do with how much any one person earns, but that people with plenty of points spare will be able to afford this while people who don't won't. At 800 (or even 1k) points I'd buy enough points (so far bought about 3k) to buy the two trays. As it is I won't because they are too expensive.
-
Agree with the sentiment, but you cannot know how easy it would be to implement. For all we know the WST change is done manually rather than by a script and resetting all our SSAs would have to be done the same way. But your guess is as good as mine.
-
Quote:Or just:You know, the "load chat settings" and "load window settings" buttons would take care of most of that for you. All that I need to do do is expand the power tray and hit those buttons and I'm mostly set up, just a little tweaking to do because the inspiration tray always gets put in an odd place for some reason.
And yes, my UI is rearranged in a similar manner to yours.
Windows:
/wdw_save - /wdw_save_file <file name>
/wdw_load - /wdw_load_file <file name>
Chat:
/chat_save - /chat_save_file <file name>
/chat_load - /chat_load_file <file name>
Options:
/option_save - /option_save_file <file name>
/option_load - /option_load_file <file name>
It's what I always do, even if the chat save/load doesn't always correctly return some chat channels to the right tab. -
This is the approximate build I'm working toward with my current Brute (I say that like I only have one
). Are there any glaring oversights or holes that I'm going to have issues with? This is a level 50 respec build rather than a levelling build (which is different) I'm aiming at 'end game' content as well as the obvious Incarnate stuff. Currently planning on Spiritual (to T3) and the def/res Interface (probably).
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.951
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Energy Aura
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Earth Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Hack -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(5), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(5), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 1: Kinetic Shield -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(7), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(9)
Level 2: Slash -- C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(11), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(11), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(13), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 4: Power Shield -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(13), LkGmblr-Def(15)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(17), RechRdx-I(17)
Level 8: Parry -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(19), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(19), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(21), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(23)
Level 10: Entropic Aura -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(50)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(15)
Level 16: Kick -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(25), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(27), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27)
Level 18: Whirling Sword -- Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Erad-Acc/Rchg(29), Achilles-ResDeb%(31)
Level 20: Energy Cloak -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(31), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(31)
Level 22: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(23), RctvArm-ResDam(25), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(33), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(33), ImpArm-ResPsi(33)
Level 24: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(34), LkGmblr-Def(34)
Level 26: Disembowel -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(34), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(36), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 28: Energy Drain -- EnManip-Stun%(A), GftotA-Def/Rchg(37), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(37), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(37)
Level 30: Dampening Field -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(39), RctvArm-ResDam(39), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(39), ImpArm-ResPsi(48)
Level 32: Head Splitter -- Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(40), C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg(40), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg(42), C'ngBlow-Acc/Rchg(46)
Level 35: Energize -- Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg(42), Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(42)
Level 38: Salt Crystals -- FtnHyp-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(A)
Level 41: Quick Sand -- RechRdx-I(A), Slow-I(43)
Level 44: Energy Protection -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(45), RctvArm-ResDam(45), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(48), ImpArm-ResPsi(48)
Level 47: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(50)
Level 49: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 50: Spiritual Total Core Revamp
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(3), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(3), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(9)
Code:I appreciate that by swapping out SJ or SS and getting Maneuvers I'd get an overall higher defence score, how much difference would that make?| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1445;673;1346;HEX;| |78DA65945B4F135110C7CFE9EE0ABD20F4668B40A1170A6D61A1D1772372490C4DD| |0BEF856D7F6589A346DB32D511E8D46A3BCA9D12FA178FB047E0DFD045E50BF80A9| |B33B7F90B09B6E7EBB3373E63F33E76C2BF7D743875B0FAE0819BCD6B6FAFDDA9AB| |D375046C56AB6EA9AA06B84EE846BAC55545B2973CDEE5A8D5AF55ED76E4CB27D5D| |DD559DBE32373ACA6EEED7AEEED99608EC74BB6DB3DA53AA11721FB795D56B759A6| |3EECB66ABB93BA0B7F1635743D9FDDD562FB2D16BD5CD0DCB1EECD62A567FA0ECFD| |24E9E7E97E1813B88686B84D28EB42B7C03BCC737566B1C15C56CC37CE32E9AEF58| |9B8E4D818737482F9288610CA2FB12E009D007442D0294267193A87040DF935E40F| |21EF79E864689006628C12AF9B38C32754C388D4DC1A46A01D817604DA3168C7A07| |D01B5BE23F8E5A8B356F8D3F09166903565F02F61461765D49720DF18F72BC7BEF8| |B8D6AF4C1FF9C6D9A78DEF1032BA48DE605EBC0956994FA9E63062C3473E5763FA2| |7F89D99FA4C8CEAE2034545318328EA48613E29CC4B23ED38C718F1143D2C501F69| |6632C39C9B0513D2CD3F57E0779DD626903F81FC69E44D43E719D53B897D9EC48CD| |398711633CE62C659CC780933FE4898E2196B5307DC53CE60ED5C90F3E7C2C4A42E| |DE3AE3E65AF419F49147DD79F491475F2BA8FF806A9B456DB398E50266B9F0036C7| |32D850ECE6097F9C9D90E5EEBCB54B8964215DCE2FC2FE968CD738C98BFC57BFD2D| |24C422CEC122CE617185F99E50420F25F4B0841E96D0C3CA991EB2B40726F299385| |7659CABC7D4DF2ACEE32AB4CAE0B47EF27DD38F2E51F458563D96B2C772C963B9EC| |B16C3A16B9E95886DB1EEF8E7EF24F20A46BF14FD0F7CD96E15180BC12DE65AEFDF| |769DB759EC3AFD3B6458EFBF3DFA6C9D7F8D69E832F98A3AF989528816387FF0080| |D5D075| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|