Malohin

Sorry, when COH goes away, I think I'm done with MMOs.

I came here for the superheroes. I'm not going to Champions on-line. I love the game, but the MMO is too hokey. DC? I don't expect it to last, and it has no attraction for me.

Anything else NCSoft owns?

...

How about 'no,' or 'never.'

They've handled too badly for me to trust them, or anyone like them.

I was a little disappointed with the new load screen, and the Penelope Yin costume as well. The whole "butt-and-bust" twister pose is becoming kind of offensive. (Where does she keep her organs?) It's kind of disturbing how much you see it, once you've started noticing it.

Over and over, women in comics are put in ridiculous costumes, in completely implausible poses, in less active, less strong stances, doing "less important" things. (You all attack or shoot! I'll pose with my ...wand... over here in my stripper boots. Yeah. That's it.)

Please don't try to trot out "but superheroes aren't plausible" or "their not supposed to be realistic" -- Shadowhunter here looks powerful, strong, and menacing. Penelope is twisted like a pretzel, not as aggressively posed, and ... Hey! Eyes up here, boys.

I was really hoping COH would be better than that. I continue to hope! Maybe the next load screen will be better, when they see this feedback.
--
Malohin

P.S. No argument it's better than Statescrotch, though.

I run with a "theme" supergroup on Champion: The TechKnights. (Identical power-armor, all AR/Dev.) Our Motto: Got Problems? No worries--We Brought Bullets!

As you might expect, we like AR, and think AR/Dev rocks.

Our experience supports this, as we are currently running a group in the 45-50 range and tearing up everything we meet. Those grindy "Defeat all" missions are quickly completed in a continuous hail of bullets, "click the glowie" or "find the hostage" missions are push-overs, Elite Bosses and Arch Villians can't hit us and just melt. That annoying 10-minute timed mission? Done in less than four. Shadow Hunter? Couldn't touch us. Anti-Matter & Synapse? Fell right down. Two Kronos Titans? Took a while, but that was fun!

Generally, we approach a problem in one of two ways: Run-and-Gun or Ambush.

Run-and-Gun is: a brace of Smoke Grenades, followed by one Trip Mine (in case we need to fall back), Caltrops on "our side" of the Trip Mine (Bad GuysTrip MineCaltropsUs), and then Full Auto. At lower levels, open with Snipe, M30, etc. A touch of clean up, and you're ready to move on. If you slot Full Auto for Recharge, there's a fair chance it will be up just in time for the next group.

Ambush is: Smoke (keep it coming), Trip Mines (until the first one down cooks off), Time Bomb, (wait for it) then Full Auto. At lower levels, we use Caltrops instead of Trip Mines to stop them from rushing us, and Buckshot/M30 to knock them down.

In general, there are two major approaches to AR/Dev:

"I would like to hurt those folks, way over there, a lot."

Pretty much walk up the AR list, taking everything you can. Don't skip Beanbag--the ability to make one (or more) of your opponents take a number and wait for their helping of bullets is most excellent. I agree with Adeon WRT the love/hate relationship with Snipe. I tend to slot mine with END reduction, Interrupt reduction, Recharge reduction, and then use it every chance I get. Several of the "damage intensive" TechKnights have Snipe but don't get much chance to use it. If anything gets close to you, Ignite stacks nicely with Caltrops and Web Grenade. Flamethrower--meh. Up to you.

For this approach, there is very little "required" from the Devices side. I wouldn't skip Targeting Drone (I hate missing) and Cloaking Device (I like stealth). If you're focusing on Damage, Gun Drone is a nice "cherry on top."

"I'll wait over here while you blow up."

This is much more Devices heavy, and requires more attention to set-up and tactics. Unlike the other build, you can't just walk up the Devices list. You'll need to pick some of the AR powers first; Burst or Slug, and Buckshot or M30. Slotting Buckshot or M30 for Knockback or Recharge instead of Damage will help keep the Bad Guys disorganized. Take Full Auto when you can. It will make you smile every time you use it.

This approach calls for a liberal use of Smoke, Caltrops, Taser/Beanbag, and Trip Mine. You will frequently want to stand right in the middle of your own Caltrops; you can see the Bad Guys get close, start taking damage, then back up. If you slot Caltrops for Slow, they'll be stuck "dithering" just that much longer. The more you can keep them confused and dithering, the easier it is for you to knock them down. If the Boss is bothering you, hit them with Beanbag/Taser while you Smoke/Caltrop/Shoot the Minions. If your Smoke is enough to keep them from hitting you, put down Trip Mines when they turn to flee the Caltrops--they'll be back in a second and trigger the Mine.

If you have the patience, Smoke a group of Bad Guys and start setting Trip Mines. One at the edge of the group, two steps back and another, two steps back and another, etc. Maybe two at each spot, depending on how big the group is. (Yes, slot for Recharge, not Damage! ) Work your way from the edge of the group back to the nearest choke point or corner. Hit them with the M30, and watch them charge down your Gauntlet of Pain(tm).

For solo play, either approach works pretty well. The Devices-heavy build is safer, but requires a light, deft touch and patience.

For teams, well, damage is damage. The Devices-heavy build really contributes to teams with Web Grenade (reducing opponents attack speed), Caltrops (slow+damage+dithering), Smoke (takes the edge off the entre groups accuracy), and Trip Mine (yes, in the middle of combat) but that's mostly pretty subtle.

All this being said, one of the reasons the TechKnights works so well is how the powers stack with themselves. Smoke is nice, but 8 Smoke is better. Snipe is nice, but 8 Snipes are amazing. Full Auto is nice, 8 Full Auto is awesome! Just... awesome!

We don't all take the same builds, and not everyone takes Beanbag or Taser (or both) but it's easy to have half-a-dozen Disorient powers (that all stack) going off. Eight Web Grenades? No actions for you! Eight Caltrops? Ouch. Oh, and Trip Mine. Did I mention the 120 Trip Mines? (I think we can get to 160, but that's pushing it.)

I'd agree with Fire_Minded about Accuracy. Accuracy is one of the subtle strengths of this set. Coupled with the constant barrage of AOE damage, it really stacks up. (Did I metion Caltrop are your friend? )

I'd agree with Adeon and Fire_Minded about Damage: AR doesn't really have "damage issues," overall. It's doesn't have the same "H-BOMB! KABOOM!" effect some of the other Blaster sets do, but it will generate serious, corridor filling, constant pain for the bad guys. (Slot for END reduction and Recharge and you'll always have a button to push. Note this works well with the current incarnation of Defiance, too.)

On the other hand, I'd disagree with Adeon about Devices not contributing to group play--see the "For teams" paragraph above for the reasons.

Also, you can use the recently added "alternate build" feature, and have both builds, if you really want.
--
Malohin

[ QUOTE ]
ThugOne: The switch to turn off Exp.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, my doG YES!

I realize many folks don't understand why some of us think this is a Great Feature, but it lets me play any and all of my characters, at any time without having to worry about "managing" contacts, debt, badges, Safeguards etc. This puts control right smack dab in the players hands.

Theres a bunch of us (and I never thought I'd say this) just giddy about this feature. All I have to say, in any context is, "no xp" and it's smiles all around. Weird, I know, but there it is.

This is the best "nothing" I've ever been given!
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Malohin // Characters @ CityInfoTerminal

Nothing new on this front.

Link to last post by George Vasilakos

Think there is any chance someone at NCSoft will weigh in on this?

Darkbridger recently reported that he'd found a comment by George Vasilakos of Eden Studios, conveniently located in the "Huh?" thread, and not in the "sticky" "Update" thread:

[ QUOTE ]
"Im still awaiting some information from NCsoft before we move forward on the game."

[/ QUOTE ]
Also, note Eden Studio has updated their forum software, or moved it to a new provider, or the provider got bought, or whatever, so the links above point to the "new" URL.
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Malohin // Characters

[ QUOTE ]
Darkbridger: Glimmer of information from the Eden boards...

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice find, Darkbridger. I'll add it to the thead I've been updating as I see posts on the Eden "Update" thread. Nice of them to put an update someplace other than, you know, the update thread.
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Malohin // Characters

Announced 2005-Mar-14. 2 years, 10 months later (and counting) ...


Last official comment from Eden Studios I'm aware of:
Eden Studios Discussion Boards > City of Heroes RPG > Update

[ QUOTE ]
George Vasilakos, Eden Studios (8/9/2007 12:16 pm)
Sorry no update.

[/ QUOTE ]


Last official comment from Cryptic / NCSoft / "Dem Guys:"
City of Heroes Official Forums > For Fun! > Roleplaying > Eden Studios' COH RPG (Any devs care to respond?)

[ QUOTE ]
Jack Emmert (2007/10/02 06:29 PM)
Next time I run into the Eden guys, I'll ask...I usually see them during convention season.

[/ QUOTE ]


If anyone has a link to any more current official information, please do let us know.

I've been updating this thead as I see posts on the Eden boards. I'll check and see if there's anything new...

Added: Nope.

2 years, 6 months and counting... Nothing new yet...

[ QUOTE ]
George Vasilakos, Eden Studios
(8/9/07 12:16 pm)
Sorry no update.

[/ QUOTE ]
Eden Studios Discussion Boards > City of Heroes RPG > Update

Wish I could see it. All I'm getting are Cold Fusion errors...

[ QUOTE ]
An exception occurred when instantiating a Com object.
The cause of this exception was that: coldfusion.runtime.com.ComObjectInstantiationExcep tion: An exception occurred when instantiating a Com object.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is an Accolade power for getting all three Invasion badges. (Rikti, Heavies, and Bombs)

Do the Heavies or Bombs appear anywhere but in the Rikti raids?

If not, is there any plan to make them available somewhere more accessible than the post-TF raids?

[ QUOTE ]
peterpeter I generally assume even level SO's.

[/ QUOTE ]
So the Invention Origin enhancement bonuses chart over at ParagonWiki shows the relationship between SOs and IOs at the equivalent character level. Frex, a level 30 character examining a level 30 SO and a level 30 IO.

[ QUOTE ]
peterpeter A level 30 IO is mostly better than an SO, roughly speaking, depending on relative levels, more or less. A level 35 IO is always better than an SO no matter what the relative levels. I think.

[/ QUOTE ]
There are two vertial lines on that chart; one at level 13 and the other at level 26. These markers seem to show that L13 IOs (if there were any) would give the same benefit as DOs to L13 characters, and L26 IOs (if there were any) would give the same benefit as SOs to a L26 character.

Given that and, in general, compared to even-level SOs, L25 IOs give a smidge less bonus than SOs, and L30 IOs give a smidge more bonus than SOs. Pretty much noise, given the "ceiling" Enhancement Dysfunction imposes.

I suppose you could squeak out another two or three percent by using "plus" and "double plus" DOs and SOs for a couple levels, but the benfit would certainly be temporary, probably be trivial, and would be costly and dull to manage:

[ QUOTE ]
The Amazing, Challenged Super MinMax Man.666 Oh no! I leveled! My powers have all lost 1/1000 of their effectiveness! Hang on, I've got to go buy enhancements again.

[/ QUOTE ]

:-)

So, if I have this right, a plausible plan might be:<ul type="square">[*]L1-11: Roust Hellions, Clockwork, Skulls, Vahz, etc. for pocket change, i.e. TOs[*]L12: Get DOs if you can afford them, or L15 IOs if you can find them cheaply.[*]L13-L21: Upgrade DOs as necessary. Replace DOs with L15 IOs as plausible.[*]L22: Replace with L25 SOs, if you can afford them. If L25 IOs are much cheaper, get them instead.[*]L27: Replace with L30 IOs when possible. Upgrade SOs as necessary, until you can replace them with IOs.[/list]L30 IOs provide a better bonus then existing SOs, and they only improve at higher levels, so replacing any enhancement with anything higher level than a L30 IO is gravy.

That about cover it, or did I miss something important? (Yes. I'm ignoring Invention Enhancement Sets, and will continue to do so. )

Hm. I see the L15 IOs as a good SG project. Not too expensive for the high level folks and a good way to work on the invention badges, if they care and don't want to simply grind for the badge.
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Malohin // Characters

P.S. PeterPeter -- this is a great article, and I'm glad you wrote it. It really helped the whole I9 Invention thing gel for me. My questions are purely to help me make sure I did "get it" as opposed to merely thinking I did. :P

[ QUOTE ]
Fulmens I can tell you were level 29 by the numbers you listed.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hm. I was actually L27 (hunting for L30 IOs) and am now L28. I just checked and the numbers shown in the game are the same as in my post.
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Malohin // Characters

I've a question about a couple of statements in this thread, and the Invention Origin enhancement bonuses chart over at ParagonWiki:

[ QUOTE ]
peterpeter Whenever you get a chance, look into upgrading your level 25 IO's to something better. A level 30 IO is actually better than an SO, and a level 35 IO is even better than that.

[/ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
FatherXmas Level 30 IOs are roughly a +1 SO.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was bidding on some L30 IOs and happened to have a few L30 Tech SOs in my tray. I slotted them while I waited for the IO bidding to complete.

I picked up a few of the IOs some time later and started to slot them. However, I noticed the listed enhancement percentage of the SO was higher than the listed enhancment percentage for the IO. This seems to contradict the comments here. For example:

IO -&gt; SO (Tech)
34.8 -&gt; 36.7 Accuracy
34.8 -&gt; 36.7 Endurance Reduction
34.8 -&gt; 36.7 Recharge Reduction
34.8 -&gt; 36.7 Heal
34.8 -&gt; 36.7 Taunt Effectiveness
20.9 -&gt; 22.0 Damage Resistance
20.9 -&gt; 22.0 Defense Buffs

So... are the percentages currently listed in the game correct or not?
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Malohin // Characters

26 months and counting... Nothing new yet...

Eden Studios Discussion Boards &gt; City of Heroes RPG &gt; Update

[ QUOTE ]
George Vasilakos, Zombielord Eden Studios: (2006-Dec-26 21:11) Im hoping once I get a few things off my plate (buisness-wise) and get All Tomorrow's Zombies and Eden Studios Presents 3s PDFs out and the hardcopies working at the printer - I will have time to devote to cleaning up the Coh corebook PDF and posting it - then getting the printer geared up for it ... so Id say sometime in january is my target date at this point... that way all the naysayers can see that a finished product in on its way


[/ QUOTE ]
(Typos are all his. :-) )

[ QUOTE ]
George Vasilakos, Zombielord Eden Studios: (2007-Feb-07 14:24) No new updates yet. Sorry.

[/ QUOTE ]

*sigh* I wish them luck, but two years behind schedule is an awful long time for a licensor to wait for the licensee to deliver...

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Malohin // Characters

So... the Eden Studios City of Heroes RPG page shows an announcement in 2005-Mar and a note in 2006-Jun that says "Corebook and Monitor's Support Pack are nearing completion and getting ready to go to press."

That means we're coming up on two years since these products were announced. Anybody have any other verifiable news on this, or is it a dead horse?
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Malohin // Characters

[ QUOTE ]
Jack Emmert: I am putting the requirements for Contacts - and their location - in the Prima Guide...

[/ QUOTE ]
Since this is basic information about the game and how to play, will a copy of this document be shipped to each account? Will this information be going in an updated version of the City of Heroes documentation? Will it be going on the City of Heroes web site?

I'm guessing... no. If it was on the web site, in an updated version of the documentation, or a free copy was shipped to us, there'd be no reason to pay for the book.

I know you're seeing this as a great boon to the player-base, but I'm sure I'm not the only person seing this as basic documentation being used as an additional profit center, and not a happy turn of events.

[ QUOTE ]
Jack Emmert: but here was our intent with these Contacts - reward Exploration. Reward people who poke around to find new things. Now, the down side is that once found, these Contacts don't inform the player about what it takes to unlock them.

[/ QUOTE ]
Perhaps this game element should have received additional review, discussion, and a commitment of resources before it was accepted and implemented. There seem to be quite a number of decisions that suffer from premature implementation.

And just in case you missed it...

[ QUOTE ]
Malohin: I'd be quite unhappy if I'd paid for the game and discovered that a significant portion of (the game) was turned off until I guessed the "magic word" to unlock it, once I'd guessed it was there, and that I needed a "magic word," which I have to guess.

[/ QUOTE ]


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Malohin // Bob Simpson // Characters

-- !! CAUTION!! --
Jack Emmert != Statesman.
Jack Emmert is the Creative Director at Cryptic Studios.
Statesman is a fictional hero in Paragon City.
If Bill Gates wanted to be called the Micro-lord, we'd just laugh, right? Right?

[ QUOTE ]
Samuel_Tow: The auras around the feet of active NPCs have enough colours to put a rainbow to shame, so I can never remember them all.

[/ QUOTE ]
Let's not forget there are folks who play these games that have trouble distinguishing color. I've a friend that can't see color at all. They only play Magic-origin characters because they've memorized the names of the enhancements and what they're for.

The very idea those little rings around and NPC's feet provide information about the NPC was completely and totally lost on them until someone mentioned it in casual conversation over lunch one day. Just for fun, try playing City of Heroes in black-and-white once. Or imagine that someone told you could tell the difference between contacts by smell:

[ QUOTE ]
NotJack: You can't find those folks? They're easy! Go to the contacts that smell like roses. They sell enhancements. Unlockable contacts smell like lemons.

[/ QUOTE ]

Imagine "glowies" in missions didn't glow, or didn't make noise. (Which, I am given to understand, was added later.) ((Now if we could just get hostages to scream now and then...))

Hidden content is a bad idea when it is actually something you want folks to find. One of the most important ideas about design is that If The User Can't Find It, It Doesn't Exist.

I frequently run into folks in the game that don't know various accolades exist or how you might go about getting them. My first character was 30th level before I discovered certain rewards even existed and the design prohibited me from going back and getting them. I was so unhappy I deleted the character and started over. (I hold the designers personally responsible for wasting my time that way.)

I think accolades are neat and badges are kind of fun--but I didn't learn about them from the game. The documentation is (sorry folks) what I refer to as anti-documentation: It doesn't just not inform, it actually promotes misinformation about the game. I had to go outside the game for basic information about how to achieve success or what success might even be defined as.

If there is going to be "locked" or "triggered" content in a game (badges, accolades, contacts, story arcs, temporary powers, whatever...) it has to be obvious it exists and there needs to be clear, discoverable, redundant paths to unlocking it. Otherwise, It Doesn't Exist.

I don't play City of Villains, but I'd be quite unhappy if I'd paid for the game and discovered that a significant portion of what I paid for was turned off until I guessed the "magic word" to unlock it, once I'd guessed it was there, and that I needed a "magic word," which I have to guess.

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Malohin // Characters

-- !! CAUTION!! --
Jack Emmert != Statesman.
Jack Emmert is the Creative Director at Cryptic Studios.
Statesman is a fictional hero in Paragon City.
If Bill Gates wanted to be called the Micro-lord, we'd just laugh, right? Right?