Memphis_Bill
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Index to Memphis Bill's guides and information
Yes, I know. This sounds egotistical, and I'm sorry if it comes off that way. The fact is, though, I've written a fair number of guides, and the signature space (and editor) in the forum just doesn't work very well to help people find what could be useful information. I've got a wide variety of topics I cover, though, so just throwing a flag up in a section's "guide to guides" wouldn't cover it.
Plus, this way I can categorize and link while keeping the guides on the forum for discussion and questions.
Basically, I want these to be useful to the forum community at large, and this is the best way (after some discussion on the forum, actually) I could decide on to do everything I wanted to with these.
I try to break these up by category. Not everything's about powersets, lore or the like. Hopefully you'll find them useful. Guides that have had multiple versions (1.0, 2.0, etc.) will only have the most recent listed.
Powersets
Memphis Bill's Fiery Aura overview 2.0
The original MB was a Fire/SS tank. I like Fiery Aura. This doesn't go into builds and such, but is more a "top level" look at the FA set. (Issue 18.)
Raising a Peacebringer
Again, not concerned so much with builds, but more a focus on the whys, wherefores and build/play styles and philosophy of a Peacebringer.
General Interest/Game history
Guide to the original City of Heroes trailer
Some links broken - however, this gives a peek at the early (alpha/beta) days of City of Heroes, and how some things have changed. Also has links to developer diaries so you can see why some things are (or aren't) the way they are.
EAT at War Witch's - Epic Archetypes (as of 9/2010)
Quick look at developer-mentioned Epic ATs and their status - existing, cancelled and changed - as well as just what makes an Epic AT. (NOT A SUGGESTION THREAD! Please use the Suggestions and Ideas forum to propose any new EATs.
Game UI and usage
Dual Builds and You
How and why to use the dual (and, post I-20, triple!) build feature.
The Combat Attributes Monitor mini-guide
If you've seen the screenshots some people have with a small window showing health, defense, to-hit, last hit chance and the like, you've seen the Combat Attributes Monitor. This goes into how to create your own.
General Gameplay
The Altaholic's Guide to Getting to 50
Have a lot of alts? Can't seem to progress far before the Next Great Alt? This guide is here to help out, from one altaholic to another.
PVE Encounters
So you feel like sushi - Fighting Lusca.
This was the first guide I wrote WAY back when. There's not a lot to it, and I don't think MUCH has changed. Put here more for general interest.
Managing Aggro in Mayhems
Another old guide, and very short. Mostly dealing with complaints about ambushes.
PVP
The PVE'ers PVP Survival Guide 3.0
Quite a bit has changed in PVP. This is hardly comprehensive - but if you're looking to stick a toe in, this may help you get started. Quick overview of power differences, zones and the arena. (For more in depth PVP info, head to the PVP forums.)
Lore
The Kheldian backstory guide
Goes into Kheldian lore, naming and the overall storyline of the original EATs.
Mission Architect tutorial series
This is a long string of guides I put up as a tutorial on the release of the Mission Architect. Some things have changed - this doesn't go into XP calculations for custom mobs and the like, as it didn't exist when these were written. Specific questions can be asked in here, but the most up to date info should probably be directed to the Architect forum. These are meant (generally) to be short and accessible.
100 series (basics)
101: Creating a basic mission (Walkthrough)
102: Basic Settings Options
103: Adding Multiple Missions
104: Basic Objectives
105: Tips and Tricks (More a discussion thread.)
200 Series (Advanced)
200: Advanced goals intro
201: Add an Ally
202: Add an Ambush
203: Add an Escort
204: Patrols
205: Add a Battle
206: Destructible Objects
207: Defendable Objects
300 Series (Critters)
301: Critters (Overview)
302: Custom Critter Creation
Not part of the numbered series:
MA: Guide to the Story Browser (likely near-obsolete)
MA: Costume, Critter and Group Files
Artwork/RP
While not guides (for the most part,) there is generally information on how to get these sorts of things if interested, so they're linked here.
Memphis Art 2012+
Followup art commission thread from (duh) 2012, since the first was getting a touch unwieldy.
Ye Olde Collection
Thread where I generally post the latest bits and pieces I've gotten. If you're looking for an artist, I've used a few, and you can get a feel for several of them. It doesn't have to be expensive!
Evolution
Somewhat longish story following a single character's adventures from childhood into full-fledged hero-dom.
Take Out
Careful what you wish for - or at least be specific about it.
Obsolete
"I don't have the CD" COH install
Quite a bit has changed. I'll refer, instead, to Billzbubba's guide, or may update this at some point.
How to search the forums
Written up for the old forums. Some of it is still relevant, some not so much. When it's updated for the new ones, I'll move this with a new link. -
Quote:Being perfectly honest? I'm lazy.Originally Posted by flipside
Not and end-all solution, but something that just came off the top of my head: what about rotating the links in your signature on a weekly basis, or other time frame? For example, every Monday morning switch up the links to X number of different guides, perhaps keeping some mainstays there for "important" guides?
OK, maybe not, and I had done something like that for the MA arcs I'd made way back when - so it's a thought. Main issue that makes that a hassle (not to discount it!) is, again, the signature editor. It stinks like a wet dog fresh from digging through a landfill.
Hmm.... may do so. Or if not that, a regular post in the guide section... guide to my guides (that sounds *so* egotistical... *chuckle*)Quote:Originally Posted by Dr_Darkspeed
Hi, not sure if this is stupid or not but...
Why not just make a post in the stickied 'Guide to Guides' post in the Player Guides section, where you have the list of your guides (and descriptions) and links to them.
Then, just have the link in your signature go to that post.
That might just work. And I can put a bit more description in there, and update as needed, with it being able to be found... hmm.
I should've done that with the MA arc "ads," too.Quote:Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison
New idea that takes a bit more work than anything else:
Use an animated .gif image that links to a master list of your guides. Have the .gif rotate through the different names of your guides.
Think we're coming up with a plan here. Thanks for the input so far, everyone.
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Yeah, one way or the other I'll need to do some trimming. The link to Paragon Wiki (with the "not wikia!" warning) is staying, that's just too useful.
About the only other concern I can think of, though, is having people ask questions and such. It's visible here (to me this forum tends to be the main "jumping off" point, I suppose.) I see you have some discussion on the MF Warshade guide, for instance... but it's more commentary than questions, it looks like, compared to what you had here (and what I get here.)
I may have to take a hybrid approach, set up a blog or website, link to it here, but have (at least initially) just a set of links *back* to the guides here. Which would let me organize and give a brief description on each to begin with, which I don't have room for in the sig, quite obviously. Almost wish we had a (more extensive, editable) profile page here. I can start copying/formatting/etc. in a bit slower pace after. -
Quote:Yeah... there's that issue of duplication and reformatting of existing guides, though. (And I haven't found a blog setup that really worked for the... er... healthy number of guides I've got sitting here.)Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison
You can do as I've done, which is to create a blog or your own webpage of some sort. There's no cost associated in doing so, and there is the benefit of being able to format and design your guides as you please. You can embed photos and videos as well.
I actually had started on a blog, and ended up going "Ugh, what a PITA this is going to be." (Plus, of course, there's the whole "searchable from here" as well. If I were looking at, say, up to 5 guides, I'd just link - but that goes back to "running out of signature space." The .sig editor itself is wonky - sometimes it breaks it out into brackets and URLs, other times it's fine, showing them underlined and whatnot. Though *right now* I can't add another. That three lines is "Five lines" in the editor. Even if I manage to "fit" something in (like, say, "Altaholics" for a guide that's not shown - and doesn't add a line, visibly,) it says it's too long.
... which is another issue entirely, the sig editor needs work, but that's neither here nor there. -
Trying to come up with ideas here. Input would be appreciated.
Looking down at the ol' signature, I have a fair number of guides. Not all of them are listed there - I actually cannot fit more into the signature (thanks to our wonky signature editing box - in fact, if I just hit "edit signature" and saved what's there NOW, it'd complain it's past 5 lines - thanks to the links to the guides.)
I also have guides not listed there. Some are older, so I'm ignoring them. However, I have at least one not listed there that's current, and have 1-2 others in the works.
Obviously, the point of writing these things is to help people - and they can't help if people aren't aware of/can't find them. (And I know full well people have found them because of the signature, and found them useful.) So I want to keep them visible (and updated!) But I'm running out of room.
So... how do I fix this? That's what I'm looking for ideas on.
Now, I COULD just do a search and save the result - which is this.
The problem with that is - well, a few things:
1. No actual listing. If you're looking for how to use (say) the combat attributes monitor, that doesn't really tell you it's in there to be found.
2. It lists old and out of date guides (such as the quick guide to fiery aura - that shows 1.0 and 2.0.)
3. As I recall, that "search result" page expires after some set period of time.
Not an ideal solution.
I'd like to avoid copying everything over to paragonwiki, as well - nothing against the wiki, mind you, I refer people there constantly and use it myself. But I don't want to try to maintain two copies, or for that matter clutter up the wiki with it. It doesn't feel "right" to me to put it there. And that aside from the fact I stink at working on wiki pages (with formatting and such.) Just never clicked with me.
Plus, of course, there's the whole "less easy to find from here" thing, versus the signature.
I could, of course, just set up a blog and/or web page - but that runs into the same issues as the wiki. (I am, however, better at HTML. Web page designs tend to be bland, honestly, but what do you expect from someone who uses notepad when they do this stuff?)
OR... create a page for myself (which just smacks of ego - believe it or not, yes, that does bug me) over on either PW or Ouroportal (which I think is just player lore or something) ... with links back to the guides. Which is the closest thing to workable, but still a bit klunky (and again, I'm not sure is appropriate.)
Anyone have a solution or idea that:
- Is easily referred to from here ("Yeah, I could use help with that - his sig has something, let me look?")
- Is easily maintained/updated
- Appropriate (like I said, not sure about staking a claim on a wiki page for this) ? (And I'm not sure, if the Wiki page is "appropriate" - tonyv? - just how it'd be categorized and such.)
- Not involving duplication of the guides (just because I don't want five different versions - or a lot of work to do this, see easy to maintain/update.)
I don't write these for people *not* to find, after all!
Thanks in advance. -
Quote:I'll point out in my copypasta I stretched the "inactive" (as opposed to trial, which I *still* think should be regularly wiped) account time to 6 months, as there's a group I think that would affect.Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
Ironik isn't talking about losing names while he account is active. he's talking about the times his account was inactive.
That being said, a company can't be expected to make decisions based on the possibility that unusual circumstances may happen to some of their customers.
The average player isn't going to be hospitalized for over a year on a regular basis.
The average player isn't going to be out of the country for over a year on a regular basis. (And I'm saying that as a Veteran who knows first hand about deployments. We aren't the majority of customers)
Besides it's just as likely that people who are working and get sent out of the country or are away from the game for extended periods of time will simply keep letting their monthly fees get paid on their CC so they keep earning Vet Rewards that way when they get back they get a lot of new goodies to play with.
Students.
At 6 months, they could (given how money - or just not wanting distractions - as a student can be) unsub during school, resub during vacations/breaks, and preserve the name "rights" they have. -
Quote:If you believe that, you should be kicked repeatedly in sensitive areas by people wearing steel-toed and/or spiked footwear.Originally Posted by Baler
Even if your account is active, if you have characters who haven't been played for more than 500 days* those names should be made available. Just sayin'.
Just sayin'. -
... what, nada?
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I *personally* would only do something like it as the solo build of a dual build option. When people invite an Emp, they *do* expect some insta-HP repair on top of the buffs. (Buffs are good, mind you, and it's good to see you want to concentrate on them.)
I'd also probably go with the aura as opposed to "heal other" if you're only taking one. Why deprive *yourself* of assistance?
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Grats!
Did the same thing myself not too ... well, maybe it was last year, so more than a little while ago. Now I've got other projects - like one of each control set to 50 (almost there, Fire at 48, Elec at 23,) one of each tank primary, etc.
In fact, if you go to repeat-offenders.net you'll see all sorts of projects to get involved in (alone or grouped.) -
How do you mean "left behind?" You'll still be able to get contacts in the next zone, etc. and run the missions with him - though he may just pass your friend on to the next guy. Are you in a leveling pact?
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Quote:That would be "Every server other than Freedom." And on freedom - get away from Atlas/Cap.Originally Posted by Unimportant
Maybe you could, I don't know, specify? Give me a name? Or are you just going to keep acting like a troll?
And you may want to look up a little saying about honey vs vinegar. -
Quote:What were the numbers I mentioned earlier - 48 million characters made? If nothing else, clearing detrius from unconverted trials would be worth it. Plus we could say, plainly, "Well, the script WAS run. Now what's your excuse?"Originally Posted by LittleDavid
I'm seeing even fewer reasons to run the name purge script again, then, at least in the context of "freeing taken names." -
Well, to me you've already answered your own question.
Work on the tank "because you enjoy him."
When you're ready for another, get yourself on a set team that meets, say, once a week and plays for a few hours, work on another when you're not doing that (I'd say Mace/WP just for smashy goodness and straightforward fun.) -
Quote:No. It would not make sense to assume that. There may well be other reasons - having to schedule it specifically, for instance. Or the person who wrote it no longer works in the server maintenance area, and they didn't document it well. Or they just haven't paid attention to it. Or the current iteration of the dev team is philosophically against it.Originally Posted by White Hot Flash
Wouldn't it make sense to assume that if the purge script only ran twice in 7 years of playing this game, it must not be worth the effort because otherwise they'd be doing it quarterly, or something more regular?
It's part of why, in my PM to Zwillinger, I made a point of bringing up just how long it's been since it was run versus how old the game was when it was run previously, and how many characters have been created since then. -
Quote:Why would you need a redname post to tell you that people will create those sorts of names in the first place *regardless* of name availability, which was the point of what I said?Originally Posted by LittleDavid
And that's why I asked for a link to a post by a redname about it, you'll notice.
He didn't say "only." He said "The majority." And people want it run again for the same reason (among others) that I put in a few posts - it's been four years, at *least* 20 million new characters *plus* made, since it was last run. There are many inactive accounts - even just counting trials - and people would like to see if the name they want is being held by an account that is, for all intents and purposes, dead.Quote:Which leads me to question why people want the name purge script run again if it only got rid of such names in the past.
See my prior response. Just because you see .Flame Man. or Flame-Man does not mean they wanted "Flame Man" without those additions. Flame Man may well have been available when they made the character (though such a generic name specifically probably was not, which leads to calls to "be more creative.")Quote:And besides, "SGFiller1234," "qwertyjkl," "**Wul*ver*ine***" is a mite different than what I was talking about; I'm talking about seeing things like, oh, ".Flame Man." or "Flame-Man." -
Quote:You cannot prove this.Originally Posted by Yogurt
Everyone who makes a new character after the Name Purge happens will benefit, which is all current subscribers. When you go to roll a new Blaster on your home server, searching for names will take much less time than it would have with four years of inactive character names built up.
If someone after the hypothetical purge tries to get "Memphis Bill," they still won't be able to. If I roll the blaster and just can't *think* of a name, I'm not assisted by the name purge.
Even with supporting running the script again, I can't let an assumption like this slide by. Will it make some names available again? Sure. Will it make it easier for you to find "Blaster Boy?" Probably not. There are many reasons (besides "inactive account") the name may not be available.
One does not discount the other. People use punctuation or typos for many reasons - I have one friend/SG mate that seems to have most of his character as word-space-dash-space-word, for instance. I have tech characters named Nuria.net and Sys.link - I didn't put those in because I couldn't get the name otherwise, but because they were appropriate. Others may just *like* putting characters in front of or behind names - go down to the screenshot/fanart forum and find almost any thread started by VexXxa (think that's how it's spelled,) and they seem to start with a *~* (or was it ~*~ - something like that.) oR tH3y cAn uS3 iT b3c4uSe th3y tH1nK 1T5 c00l (or appropriate for a freakshow character.)Quote:Originally Posted by LittleDavidI can't take your word for this. I'd like to see a post where they said that, if it still exists, because I know that on Guardian I've seen characters running around higher than the trial level cap that use punctuation or typos in their names. -
Quote:And there are far more non-50s. So why poke that wasp's nest by disturbing old 50s instead of the lower level characters first?Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
/disagree
The game has seen a lot of changes since the last time the script was run and it's a helluva lot easier to get a character up to level 50. So I have no doubt there are a lot of mid to high level characters on inactive accounts where the people only bought a month (for example the Mission Architect edition) and never came back.
(Again, with the opt-in sent with reactivation weekend emails to allow people to wipe all their characters if they choose.) -
Quote:/disagree.Originally Posted by Yogurt
No, it isn't a big deal, that's why we've been asking for it to happen for so long.
One thing that needs to be included is characters of ALL levels who have been inactive for five+ years. These characters are NEVER going to be played again. Someone is more likely to start a new account then dig up their old information for a game they played when it first came out seven years ago, played a character to max level, got bored, and quit, never to even come back for Issue 2, 3, 4, City of Villains, or Going Rogue. They aren't coming back. Let's be real.
If you're looking for names, go for where most of them are - the lower levels. One of the things the devs said some time ago was that making EATs a level 50 unlock was a mistake because so few people had 50s. And that statement is true in the timeframe you're looking at and earlier. And yes, those people *do* come back.
Highest we should ever go, IMHO, is where we had the original script - 35 - with an *option* for people to clear all their names (sent with reactivation emails - "click link to clear" type thing.) There comes a point where you just start sounding petty and/or punitive about it after that. (Now, if those emails start bouncing, I'd take it as an indicator to remove, as well, to be honest - the person has nothing whatsoever going on with NCSoft at that point and can't be contacted.) -
Quote:Which can be short-handed rather easily, as far as "account type limits," to "Level 15 and up are not affected by this script."Originally Posted by TrueGentleman
Not exactly - this thread is filled with suggestions of new time limits, level limits, account-type limits, etc. to factor into a new script.
We know the script works. There hasn't been a major naming scheme change since the last time it was run - names are the same length, etc. Alignment doesn't factor into it, so nothing about being Alliance/Empi... er, Resistance/Loyalist/Rogue/Vig comes into play. Zone doesn't matter.
"Account inactive = X or greater.
Level: Y or lower."
They didn't sweat modifying it once before. And setting it so that inactive over 90 days and level 14 and under grabs *all* the trial accounts except the very newest. -
Now, to get to the cake, he's going to have to beat up a bunch of robots, deal with artillery, beat up more robots and crates of explodium... all to get a Birthday Merit!
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Quote:The second, I agree.Originally Posted by Lemur Lad
Running the script because it's been a long time and people are complaining in highly dramatic (but inaccurate) language on the forums doesn't qualify.
The first, not so much.
The script was run to "free up" names at a point where there were, logically, fewer names tied up. That character I posted earlier is 3 1/2 years old. The game itself is seven. That means in the FIRST 3 1/2 years of gameplay, the script has run twice (with level variation between them.) In the second half, during that character's entire (inactive) life, it has NEVER run. How many characters/names are affected? At the five year anniversary, they mentioned how many million characters created? How many at the seven year? (42 million created at the seven year anniversary, by the way. Trying to find the five year - wasn't it something like 20 million?)
That isn't "dramatic language." Those are facts.
I am, obviously, in the camp saying it should be run again - and I don't feel I have any problem getting names now.
Modify the script so it's at level 14 and under (to catch all the expired trials) and run it again.
Edit:
In fact, just PM'd this to Zwillinger:
Quote:Related to an ongoing discussion.
1294 (now) days.
3.545 years. That's how long a specific trial account has been inactive - well, minus about 10 days.
The game is 7 years old.
Over 42 million characters have been created. If I recall correctly, at five years, we were told 20 million or so player characters were created. (Still trying to find that, but you have the numbers.)
Trial accounts top out at level 14.
The "inactive name" script has apparently not been run *at all* in the lifetime of the inactive character mentioned at the beginning of this PM. It was run twice in the first half of the game's life.
We've had Going Rogue released, allowing a lot of crossover and "change of heart" for characters.
Yes, the official word that keeps getting handed out is that there "are no plans" to run the script.
I'm providing those figures to you, as I have been in the "Free the names!" thread, to request you modify the inactive name script (max level affected = 14, to catch all the inactive trials) and run it again. I know the second time the level was dropped to level 5 and under, because of the levels the names were freed at - but that was a long time ago, and trials now have a level cap.
Please consider running the script again. I'm not actually asking for myself - I don't generally have issues with finding names, other than thinking of one in the first place on occasion - but if nothing else to quiet the requests on the boards for a while. You could even potentially reveal "After 30 days, X many names of Y many affected were actually claimed," just to satisfy curiosity. (And maybe how many of those were in trial accounts.) -
Go to PlayNC.com, log into your account. Click on the City of Heroes tab. You should be able to download the client (or it may be the NCSoft launcher, now) - run that and it should install the game.
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Quote:And in mine it does. Over multiple systems and VMs. I *wish* it were just a Chrome issue. It would still be irritating, but I have no issues with jumping browsers (Firefox now copies bookmarks/settings across machines, too - though you need a code for it.)Originally Posted by Toxic_Troll
In my case that doesn't hold true. I have Safari, Firefox 4 and IE8.
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Quote:Except that doesn't affect the problem one jot or one iota.Originally Posted by Toxic TrollEasiest solution is just use another browser.
And here - I primarily use Chrome. Happens often enough to be annoying. I have kept Firefox up to date... and have had it happen there on the rare uses. I hop into a Mint VM and have had it happen there (Firefox and Konqueror.)Quote:Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
Using Chrome as well Bill. It's when I get logged out twice in a row and nearly lose large posts in the process that things start to get beyond a joke.
As someone else mentioned - the forum software is used *elsewhere* without these problems. They should be able, after all these months, to find out just why these logouts keep happening.