Lycantropus

I've thought about it numerous times. When I first made him (my namesake) I knew nothing about the game beyond what "Statesman Sez" and what I read when I was making the character. I just wanted to make something that fit the concept I wanted to create.

Well, I chose a Scrapper because the book said it was the best at soloing (I had no idea if I would team or enjoy the concept of doing so). Being a Werewolf, Claws was a good choice, and I almost picked Regen because that seemed like a werewolf thing, but decided against it. I didn't want to be a "Wolverine clone" and get made fun of (Yes I was that green... this was my first MMO). So I chose Invul (nothing but silver hurt me, so I took no damage).

This was back in I-2. Since then over the various changes to the game, I have thought about changing him to that Claws/Regen I originally thought, to making him something more team oriented (I love playing Tanks and Brutes- and now that Brutes can start as heroes...)

But no. He's still there, on the same server. Part of that is from unrecoverable badges that I couldn't get on a new characer, part of it is stubborness on my part (I WILL make him work, even through I-5. Even through ED- though at the time that almost broke me, Thanks for talking me out of it, Kitsune9tails!!). He is my first, most beloved, character. I do tips on him almost every day as a 'guilty pleasure' to play him. Though through bad luck the RNG hasn't given him the 2 VR's he need to currently 'finish' him, I do trials on him from time to time and am saving the EMP merits, and if I get them... great!

Though I did reach a compromise with myself. There's a Lyc on every server. A 'path less traveled' so to speak. Every version of him I would have liked to make exists on another shard of existance. Some I've played a lot, others just a few. My Invul/Axe Tank that I transferred from Virtue to Exalted has recently hit 50 and I now have him at +3. I replaced him with a low level Titan Weapons/Invul Brute that I'll get to at some point and level up. With each incarnation that I develop, I in turn, build on his story. The original was rather limited, knowing little of the game world. He has since been turned into a werewolf during the first Haloween event when supernatural creatures ran wild and Salamanca(retroactively) was cut off (I came in after that event, but that would make sense since it would take him time to get some kind of control over himself). Where once he gained some control, he got help from one of my SG mates to keep from spreading his lycanthropy and use his powers for good (the original SG The Legacy Foundation we made in I-3 ties ourselves to the background of the Legacy Chain made during I-6+ with the introduction of the City of Villains, and originally the Midnighters). As the story progresses, I find more and more ways to tie him into the world this game creates, since when I created him, I had no clue about anything in this game.

I now have, on various servers, one that was recruited by the Dark Watcher and joined the Vanguard during the Rikti War, one that bonded with a Kheldan to save its existance (and the shapeshifting is conceptually... neat). The list goes on and on.

So to answer your question. Have I rerolled my main? Yes. However, I have not, and will never give up, the one and only Lyc that endeared myself to this game; and hopefully endeared myself to the players I spend time with under that name.

Lyc~ the philisopical werewolf.

MY personal problem with powers such as this, and others, is that in a game that prides itself on personalization, powers such as these kill it.

If it were a 'canine' power, with the ability to choose different models/colors/sizes at the tailor, I'd pay 800 points for that... even more. I'd buy a 'feline' or 'reptile' set at the same price point without question. As it is, it's a complete pass (which if you check my namesake is saying something!) It's the same problem I had with the German Shepard vanity pet, or any other version that later comes out. The price is too high for something so specific (especially with the 'single summon' aspect they have added.

Before this, I even consoled myself on the fact that I was going to buy everything they put on the market because I was a 'fanboy' like that... but have since decided that I'm actually going to be picky.

What? In a few months there'll be a "White Wolf" transformation power that'll detoggle you for 800 points. A few months after that, they'll make a "Grey Wolf" that does the same thing... for 800 points. Who knows... maybe they'll get crazy and make a "Black Wolf" power that does the same thing a few months later... for the same point cost! Say they fix it all and make it supression instead? Still... too much for something so specific. Then if they don't, I'd want one that matched my color scheme, and there's the catch with such specific powers.

Not cool in any context, and I can't, and won't support that behavior. The first jab to cover expenses in creating it to begin with, I can support... but to be honest, I didn't because I expected this very thing (seeing as how you couldn't customize the rocket boards either). When they come out with a 'Brown Wolf' version, I might consider it because it'd match my namesake. but with the awesome character creator we have now, I can get a 'fox' version for free between it, and beast-run with my Kitsune (which still wouldn't interest me in getting the Coyote pack... because.... yeah, and we're back at square one).

I LOVE this game. However, the current market trends make it easy for me to not waste my Paragon Points on these things, and will make me more cautious on purchases later on.

(This is from a guy who got the rocket board and magic carpet on impulse, knowing that they were the same thing, for concept reasons)

EDIT: THIS is why I have a Lycanthrope main, but NEVER wanted a shapeshift power to exist in-game. From the time of Granite Armor and MM pets, I KNEW that any shapeshifting set would KILL the personalization anyone has for characters in game. Other games have proved this, before and since. This round of power availabilty and the methods they have chosen to present them only continues my pessimism in that regard. The costume creator gives us enough. If we're lacking, THAT'S where they need to add it. NOT a powerset/travel power...

Again, I LOVE this game, but decisions like these will only hurt it on the long run.

To keep momentum going on this, I have a question. What is the desired goal if you can get everyone you need to roll with this?

Weekly/monthly/or other, episodes?

What would be the (currently planned) approximate running time of each episode?

What kind of schedule/requirements will be expected of the cast and crew (deadlines, seperate or team scheduled script reads, etc.)?

Finally, how soon would you like to go into full production with it, again assuming you can get everything you need to roll? Basically, do you have scripts ready to go, etc.?

I miss being able to use those commands to put borders around my chat boxes (or make the chatbox clear).

I can still get them to work as keybinds with pregenerated text, but not to be at the front of my text string when I hit enter to type like I used to

Actually killed a split-personality character of mine. His 'good' side was the regular enter and was a normal black and white text box while his 'evil' personality, which was the numpad's enter button, Was a black background with a yellow border and red text (and I'd often use capslock with that one too when I had the wherewithall to do so).

I think he was referring more to the symbolism than the act. Sure Sister Psyche and probably a lot more can be attributed to Emmert, but Statesman was, and is, the symbol of the game and there's history there. Going forward he'll still be the symbol, but how he's presented, or branded, has changed.

I don't think there was any malice in offing him. In fact, probably the opposite. Deceased, Statesman can be a symbol without overshadowing everything. His passing, as Millar said, is a way of letting the game grow beyond Statesman and from the way it ultimately sounds, the Freedom Phalanx as a whole.

I have the feeling as the game progresses, the Freedom Phalanx (and Arachnos) will play a role in the game, but the focus will shift from them being the Earth's premire super powers to us (the players) being the Earth's ultimate heroes (and villains).

Wouldn't surprise me with Statesman gone, The Well will lose interest in Recluse, and he'll find himself losing power and influence in the world. After all, aren't heroes and villains often defined by their adversaries? Recluse lost his, and he didn't even take him out.

Wonder if the next SSA is going to be about him scrambling to save himself the loss of interest (and therefore power) from The Well...

All based on attitudes and... I just really think these fit the best.

Brad? Manticore. He's as serious minded as Brad is. I could see him taking things too seriously and missing the double entendre going on and thus being the 'straight man' to a lot of the humor (plus who Janet and Dr Frank are just makes this so much funnier).

Janet? Sister Psyche. Especially when she gets all 'wishy washy' under the kind of psychic and emotional assaults that would be going on in that story...

Frank? Mother Mayhem. They're both self absorbed narcissists who want to be 'loved' by everyone... plus they even dress alike!

Dr. Scott? Citadel. Closest thing to a character with wheels in the game.

Rocky? Emperor Cole. His penchant for gold clothing, and Mother's desire to be loved by him (and everyone else...)

Magenta? Ghost Widow. The very "above it" attitude... and the accent.

Riff Raff? Scirocco. 'Cause Ghost Widow is Magnenta... plus those dreadlocks and helmet kind of have the same look.

Columbia? Silver Mantis. Do I really have to explain?

The Criminologist? Statesman. Detached and serious.

Eddie? Black Scorpion. I just want to see him sing "What Ever Happened to Saturday Night" and play the sax... Plus he's got that same kind of attitude, and probably spells about as well...

Any AT: desirability varies, usefulness varies. A player who knows and plays their AT's well are desired, A player who does neither are annoying and undesireable. Exception: when a team needs filler to start a TF or something...

This, of course, also varies based on whatever AT bias the leader and/or team may have, or any AT stereotypes they adhere to.