Magoo_NA

I know there've been calls for an offline character creator that would allow players to create characters without logging onto the servers, but I'd like to call for an offline MA editor.

Lately I've been logging on one character, dealing with horrendous lag times due to heavy traffic, sometimes getting disconnected because I lost my server connection, just to play with the MA Critter Creator or to try tweaking my mission.

I can understand needing to be logged on to upload a mission or to accept a new mission, but I'd like to be able to access the mission design aspects without being online.

Anyone with me?

Ah! That makes sense. I was so excited to be able to get costume pieces I didn't slow down to see what I'd be getting. Thanks, Demon Hunter.

Now, are the other pieces available somewhere and I just missed them? Or are they options that'll come later, like when the Kheldians are added?

Well, here's an update...

I found the helmets for the Crab Spider but I'm still having trouble finding the other parts. I bought the Roman armor and the Auras and they seem to work fine. Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places?

Would there be a preset available? You know, like Crab Spider? Or would I have to build it from scratch?

Thanks, Jack.

Jeepers... 1040 pages and counting...

I played a couple of missions and got enough tickets to unlock the costumes for the Arachnos VEATs.

Not a big deal, I know. But I can't find the costume pieces in the critter editor to make them, which makes me wonder: Will I have to unlock the features in-game before they show up as options in the critter editor?

I haven't lvl'd a villain high enough to unlock the VEATs but I'd still like to be able to create missions that feature VEATs. Similarly for stuff like Auras or Roman costumes or Rularuu artifacts and other whatnot. Do I have to unlock them in-game before I can use them?

That'd be a bummer if I did...

Or am I just blind and totally missed them?

I'd like to suggest a new mask, similar to the long-nosed Jester mask. I'm not sure if this should go in the costume thread or not, but here goes...

A nose and cheek mask.

This would be a mask that could be used to simulate the features of dwarves, gnomes and Santa. (Maybe even those Groucho disguise masks too!) It would have the skin color of the main body, but would fit over the body's face.

Currently it's difficult to get the large strawberry-shaped nose most people associate with depictions of dwarves but this would provide a way to get that look. The mask could come with optional bushy eyebrows, and would allow people to continue to pick mustaches and eyewear if they so wish.

Other nose and cheek mask ideas could include:
- A feline mask to simulate a cat person. Much like Vincent in the old "Beauty and the Beast" series. It would have the triangular nose and muzzle associated with large and small cats.
- A rodent mask to simulate a rat or bat person.
- Different beaks and bills to simulate birds, like owls, chickens, eagles, etc.

FrozenDeath -
Too true. Accommodations can be made if print resolution is required. I aim to be flexible!

Thanks for the kind words. The prices are pretty comparable to what other artists using 3D and Poser are charging, so it's not like I'm trying to gouge anyone out of their hard-earned money.

My advantage over some other artists is that I actually play "City of Heroes" so I'll have an idea what someone might mean if they request that their character carry a Rikti sword or Talsorian shield.

I'd made this image years ago to show what a tiger might look like as a MM pet. Looking at it now, I get that twinge of conscience I first got when I had to shoot the animals in the first "Tomb Raider" video game. Maybe I should redo it to show the tiger as a supernatural construct or something.

But supernatural animals would definitely be cool MM minions!

Just wanted to let people know that I'm taking commissions. It's my first time, so be gentle with me.

Even if you can't afford it yet, feel free to look through my galleries and let me know what you think.

You know, it's funny.

I try to suggest something like this in the Ideas and Suggestions boards and I get tons of reasons why it can't be done or pounded by people who says I'm only suggesting something that's been suggested hundreds of times and that I should learn to use the Search engine.

Here, people offer cool and kooky ideas and have some fun with it.

Maybe I'll hang out here more...

But for MM ideas:
- Minotaurs and Cyclopes (using the Cimeroran (sic!) models)
- Arachnos spider robots

I have a list somewhere for other ideas. Gotta dig it up...

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I was talking about what Umbral was saying, not what you said.

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Cool! Maybe somebody's OK with my suggestion!

I never said there should be only bare skin options for stretching. A simple glove set up could be available, perhaps with stripe variations for the arms (because the Spots variation would look funny when it's stretched out ). It'd be no different than you'd get if you had Mr. Fantastic, the Sandman, Hydroman, Metamorpho, Plastic Man or Elongated Man as a player character. Just 'cause you couldn't get robotic stretchable arms doesn't mean you can't still make some cool costume variations.

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Perhaps having shape-shifting and stretching WOULD require a new model.

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It wouldn't require a new model. It would require a unique model. No variations possible for any limb that would do any stretching. No tweaking colors. No changing textures. Nothing. They're not going to put a powerset that is that limiting into the system simply because everyone would complain about it being too limited or that it doesn't let them do absolutely everything they want to with it. The fact that they delayed AE for an entire issue because everyone was screaming for custom critters is fairly demonstrative of this. The devs won't release something unless it's roughly 90% of what the playerbase expects/wants from it.

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Well, players deal with costuming limitations now and have come to deal with it. If I pick those giant Steampunk gloves, that cancels out choices I might have been able to make if I picked a different set of gloves.

Plus players might be able to forgive limitations if they could do stuff like this.

Then again, this is about MA-only powers and abilities. If MA would allow players to create critters that have the powers in the above video, but not as player character options that'd be like saying you can have Lord Recluse or Statesman but you can't play as them.

Come to think of it, Lord Recluse and Statesman have costume options and powers that are unavailable to players yet players have adapted. I think having MA-only powers and abilities would come under the same category and players would again adapt.

Perhaps having shape-shifting and stretching WOULD require a new model. Then MA would be the place to test it out. Have it be a new figure type that you could purchase with tickets. Have it be something you could win in a contest. Have it be something you could win after completing a task force, or even better a dev-developed MA mission that introduces the new figure model.

Set up the limitations on the figure beforehand (costume restrictions, etc.) and BAM! new figure! Maybe because of its unique nature, it would be precluded from use as a PC model, but at least it could be Ally-ed or used as an enemy.

While I use the shapeshifting and stretching as an example, this could also be used for other unique abilities like the Wrecking Ball weapon. Set up the limitations beforehand and let it loose for the MA.

You guys are so negative. What's the point in offering suggestions and ideas if they're strangled in the crib? The point is to offer ideas, not shoot them down as soon as they're aired. Plus, somewhere along the line, instead of letting the devs speak for themselves, posters decided to do it for them. I have a unique idea that I think might be worth exploring, not exploding. I'll keep my ideas to myself from now on and not even bother. What's the point?

Mainly because I suspect that there are more things possible in-game but which haven't been implemented for fear of unbalancing the game. Or they can implement a power but it wouldn't be a strong enough reason to build an entire powerset around it.

For example, while a wrecking ball would be awesome, it really just amounts to a customization with new animation. (Of course, this would be true of most melee-type weapons, like nunchuks, frying pans, giant rolling pins, etc.) So far the Devs have tried to avoid that sort of PC powerset, but it might not be out of place for unique NPCs.

Plus giving NPCs unique abilities keeps new ideas flowing for opponents and allies. It keeps things exciting and fresh, and a new experience each time.

I like the idea. Growth and shrinking are such a part of the comic book superhero experience, there should be some attempt at making it work in this game.

Make the MA a place to create creatures and characters with unique powers and abilities, maybe even as a testing ground for possible release for player character powersets.

Possibilities could include things like:
- Unique weapons, like a Wrecking Ball (similar to that used by the Absorbing Man), or nunchuks, or tridents.
- Unique powers, like stretching and shape changing (which might necessitate using brand new meshes or other behind-the-scenes game tech), or water powers, or wall-crawling, or whatever.
- Unique pets, like animals or new robot designs.

Essentially, these new and unique powers would be NPC only. Applying unique powers to NPCs is not new, and was often done in D&D and other PnP games. This would be a way to get user feedback, iron out any kinks, and build up anticipation for eventual release on powersets that users have suggested over the years.

Meanwhile, my sanity is already in question because I've hung out my official shingle here.

Hire Magoo to create an image (poster, comic book cover, web ad, signature image, etc.) to advertise your mission.

Man, that's an image that'd give Sarah Connor the shakes!

Excellent job!

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Wow. This actually took me by surprise. I wasn't really expecting Beta til around April.

Good job Devs...as always. Contrary to the select few that have beef with ya'll, I think you guys do great work at trying to get us subscribers what we want.

Mmmm, beef sammiches

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Since issue 15 is suppose to be out in April....I think closed beta for issue 14 in April would be a little strange.

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Issue 15? I was so psyched for Issue 14 I totally forgot that life will move on. Any word on what it might include?

Seriously for Issue 14, I think it could be one of the main things that will make CO* way different from the competition.

As for what I hope to build with MA...
- Robotic Masterminds with new robots!
- Radiation-emitting Outcast factions!
- More perils of messing with Superadine! (Just say no, kids!)
- More deadly members of the Tsoo clan!
- Time travel chaos!
- Minotaur Apocalypse!!!

Bring it on!

Wow. This is pretty exciting. Nice work so far, FrozenDeath!

Do you know if anyone had suggested combining their entries to make a larger diorama? It'd be kinda neat to see some of those entries matched up against each other...