Miss_Freeze_NA

Ran this last evening to give it a try. We had an Ill controller who sent pets in first, followed by our Tanker who taunted.

Our tank was hit with FoT after taking aggro, not Corrupted Lightning and was stunned/toggle dropped. Combat logs showed "Reichsman hits you with Fot... you are stunned etc."

An SG mate should be posting a screen cap.

Our heroside group ran this TF a few nights ago and had the same thing happen. The in-game description/values are bugged. There is no way that FoT is a Mag 10 stun. If it were, no tank would be stunned by it with their armors up, let alone buffed to the gills.

Since it was mentioned you all were doing a Master of run on this, it should be noted (as it was when the GW hold change was put in) that 100% unresistable powers on the AVs is cheap and unimaginative. This leaves the attainment of certain badges to random chance instead of player/group tactics and skill.

Edit:
Forgot to say those in-game power descriptions are bugged more often than not. You might need to do [Reichsman.Fist of Tyranny] to get the actual value. I am not able to verify that at the moment though. I know GWs Soul Storm has to be specified as [Ghost Widow.Soul Storm].

It's been a long time since there has been an in-game wedding on Triumph. I remember running the AE mission where Turbo Starr was out saving Jade from his nemesis... was a fun story.

Sounds like a lot of fun! Like Obsidious says, it will be fun to dust off the emotes and costume pieces from the Wedding pack.

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COX only has 2 populated server's now Freedom being #1. Not even a year ago other server's were thriving, but not anymore. So tell me something.

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I'll tell you you are full of crap. The few who left over PvP changes are no different than the few who left over ED and the GDN.

The Devs are going to nerf your farming missions. Stop whining about it already.

I give your post 0 stars for the trolling attempt failure.

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Despite what you may believe, it won't become a place where people run 5 long mission arcs for the story alone (which is only really visible to the team leader.) No, it would die off and just become a waste of server space.

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Two things;

1. All team members can view the story details by clicking on the "Mission" below your compass once the mission has been accepted by the team leader. Team members also get any clue text provided.

2. I would run good story arcs repeatedly for no XP since I enjoy the story. I've done this via Oro for arcs in the game that I enjoy prior to AE being introduced.

Removing XP and tickets would hurt the AE considerably, but professing it is the end all doom of the entire game is wishful thinking. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would run good arcs for little or no xp if it were a good story.

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Very few people would touch the AE if it had no rewards whatsoever (and it wouldn't be touched by anyone below 50.)

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If they remove XP and remove Debt, then people below 50 would not have so much of an issue running AE content just for the story and not have to worry about all risk and no reward.

I don't agree with removing XP entirely from the AE, but I will put money on the devs rolling out diminishing returns on the XP from AE arcs in the near future. It's easier to implement than to re-work the AE system in general to stop exploits and farms.

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Per Chickensmasher
Because people have something the good lord gave us, it's called FREE WILL! Not everyone is farming but maybe people are sick of saving joe blow, bring joe blow back to the entrance.. ect..

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And repeating the same easy mission created in AE to farm XP quickly is any less boring? Who'd have thunk it!

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People like myself have played this game since beta & are here for possibly PVP or a different reason & arent here to read story's...

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How does "being here for PvP" preclude you from having to level your character in a non-exploit manner? My VG PvPs all the time. Should we all get free characters and IOs too?

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I'm sorry people can't all think like positron but yanno what people think differently, maybe some people sont want to ready stories or a comic book. Maybe they want to make a pvp character & pvp.

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I lol'ed at this whole part.

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My whole point is...
This game has way too many people who are too concerned about what other people do & not what they are doing! It's making me sick! Crying nerf all the time is ridiculous.

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People are concerned about what you are doing because your taking advantage of exploits will affect everyone. The nerf bat isn't a precision guided missile.... it's an atomic bomb.

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IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO FARM.....
THEN UMMM.... DON'T FARM?

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And if you don't like to level your "PvP" toons in a non-exploit way, then don't play the game.

Could go tit for tat in a pissing contest all day, but I've got things to do this morning so I'll hit the highlights.

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Also, I'm glad you think anyone who can't crack a safe is a dimwit. I'm pretty sure Superman couldn't do it without simply destroying it because he never developed safe-cracking skills. His intelligence is rated pretty high.

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Dunno about you but I've read plenty of Superman comics, seen plenty of Superman TV shows where he has used his super-hearing and/or x-ray vision to crack into a safe. It's been used to show he's not just all muscle and no brain. Maybe try reading more comics?


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Brand new, no-one-has-seen-before superbots that are working with Malta?

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Who said they were working with the Malta? They showed up to help you bring Vanessa in. Nowhere does it say they are "working for the Malta". L2read.

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How does the name of my character have any impact on the arc at all? Answer: It doesn't.

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You were criticizing a name as being stupid. I was merely pointing out where your character names are just as stupid (if not more so) to the next person.

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It's this simple: Setting is very important to story. the wrong setting can be distracting. Imagine a Lord of the Rings knock-off set in a Crey lab. Wouldn't work. While the use of an Arachnos map in this mission is not nearly that bad, I still found it off. If you didn't that's great.

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Again, L2read. The MA is very limited in regard to creating environments for custom character groups. Using the same old bland tech map you've seen ad nauseum throughout the game is just as bland. Go and make an arc with a custom group and put them into a bland office or warehouse or cave or tech map and I'll be happy to run it, then offer my critique saying your map choice doesn't work because I just saw it being used by different groups on the 500 other non-MA story arcs already in game. Quite frankly, it's idiotic to criticize map usage when the MA offers so few choices.

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In fact I love when people use them. The problem is that when you don't have time to develop them because you're mixing too many things together, the characters feel shallow and you can get the impression that the arc is a fluff piece about the author's characters. Especially when one of them is referred to in the description as a "...legendary hero of Paragon City". That requires more background so I can know about the characters and care about them.

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And where do you tell this? There is not infinite file space or text space to put this kind of thing for every story. Sure, you could devote an entire arc to developing every single character in minute detail. Guess what? You've just wasted an arc slot. Writers are limited to 8 arc slots (with the upcoming purchase of additional slots). Personally, I can understand why some stories I've run are paired down to the bare minimum when it comes to character development. Ask the devs to give you 500,000 lines of text for MA content and you're sure to see more done to write proper biographies and entire stories devoted to developing individual characters.

Last note on this part, just about every contact in this game has a few hundred words to describe them and their history. Don't expect to read "Lord of the Rings" length text and detail for every single character.

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You're unnecessary defense of his story, grasping for straws as you go, offers no constructive feedback for him.

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I've already provided the author my thoughts via PM and in-game. Quite frankly, you're grasping at straws to pick apart things that are limitations of the editing tool that is available just to make yourself feel important.

I'll write more later.

Nice to see someone posting something besides nauseatingly ridiculous and seemingly drug induced garbage to review an arc for a change.

Wanted to comment on a few things;

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One of the objectives is to start the base's defenses back up at a terminal. In doing so you get a clue about discovering that a virus shut down the defenses right before the attack. I have a problem with this simply because it makes the assumption that my character has the time/skill/inclination to find the virus.

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Well, first of all, it's a clue. Second, you're not the only person running their character through it, so don't expect to find material tailored to your character in specific. That's an arrogant assumption and if that is what you're expecting in missions, then you should write your own stories specifically suited to you and your "vision" of who and what your character is. A player who fancies their character a computer expert would find a clue given to them as you suggested stupid. Their character is a computer expert, why couldn't they find it? Why would they need someone else to hand it to them as you suggest? It's a catch 22. Third, it's pretty obvious as you progress through the story and make it to the end that the virus was planted to be found. It's also clear that it wasn't what took the defense grid down. The final clue of the arc gives this away.

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Right off the bat, lemme say that I generally don't like ally missions. I find that writers often throw them in because they've designed a mission that's too difficult, and that's the solution they come up with.

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When done right, I personally enjoy them and know of a lot of other people who do as well. You have to keep in mind that there are ATs in this game that don't solo well, regardless if a mission has bosses or AVs in it. Adding allies to mission arcs makes this a little less painful as they have someone to help, and in my opinion adds some immersion to a story.

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- While in the warehouse, you find and crack a safe that yields several shipping manifests for Crey heavy weaponry. On it is also mentioned "JS". I have the same problem here as I did with the virus in Mission 1... you're assuming my hero knows how to crack a safe. I can tell you, Capt Tremendous does not.

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Again, if you're looking for content specifically written and tailored for you and your vision of your character, then you should write your own content and run that. Don't expect every arc out there to make complete sense to fit your "character". Dumbing down a story to make all clues found in an unsecured desk drawer with "we are the bad guys and this is our evil plan" written plainly on it and with nice big picture maps with large print doesn't work. Not everyone has a character they portray as a dimwit.

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You run into Lord Nemesis, spouting on as he does. From what he says you get the idea that a much vaster plot is underway. My biggest problem here is that the writer didn't use a Fake Nemesis... or a representative of Nemesis... he used the real Lord Nemesis.

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IMO, this is another example of someone not understanding what a "prelude" is. How do you know this was the "real" Nemesis? Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. What I gathered from his text was that he was just waiting for the heroes to arrive to begin his "plan". He wanted you to come and capture him. He even says something to the effect that you beating him was anticipated. Personally, I got the impression that this was Lord Nemesis in name only. It wasn't really him, especially with the planted clue being found in mission 1, what happens in mission 3 with Vanessa and the villain text throughout.

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Another issue... who in the blue-hell is Omega Force? If they're being set up as something important later, then the mystery needs to be pushed. That's flushed away when you exit the mission and Turbo says something like "Boy, Omega Force is doing a great job".

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Personally, I found this part to be very mysterious when taking into account Vanessa's text. She seemed to know exactly who they were and was surprised to seem them showing up to apprehend her. IIRC she says something to the effect of "and they say heroes don't lie". Add this to the planted virus from the first mission and the one and only person who could have put it there, it makes for a pretty solid bit of intrigue if you ask me. No, you don't know what is going on with them... yet. The story is a prelude as the OP keeps trying to point out. I've no doubt the rest of the story will feature them heavily, especially since it's obvious that they are not what they appear to be. I found it interesting that the clue in the Crey warehouse mentioned "advanced technology" being shipped to an "undisclosed location", then in mission 3 these "advanced" robots show up. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. The robots didn't seem to round up the Malta in that one either. I wonder why? Also, I see the contact not making more of a big deal out of them as him being more real. He is a hero and they are (supposedly) heroes and in the CoH universe, heroes trust each other. He has no reason to doubt them yet. Not everyone is perfect. He's a guy trying to find his ex who he still loves. He's a human being and is somewhat blind to everything else at this point. Since this story is supposed to start laying the groundwork for something, I can see where this would come into play as instead of "what were they up to?" in this arc it would be more of "wow were we wrong about them" in the next. It's also leaving something up to the player to think about. Personally, I can not stand arcs that I run where I am handed everything like I'm some 9 year old child. Seriously, people are not all dumb. A little imagination will go a long way.

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None of my characters would be afraid of anyone named Bonedog. I know the author didn't create the character, but that doesn't mean you have to use him...

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Yeah, the name is a bit silly. But you did run this with a character named "Capt Tremendous", which, no offense, is a pretty darn stupid and unimaginative name too. So pot, meet kettle on that one.

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- Upon entering, I immediately feel that the map choice is bad.
It's an Arachnos map, full of "The Red Hand" guys. It's not the map itself, it's all of the Arachnos banners hanging all over the place. If Torque Starr is as bad as I'm supposed to feel that he is, he should have his own digs... not be squatting.

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I've never understood these kinds of "critiques". Since the MA only allows for a limited amount of generic maps, every custom group should have the same "secret lair" generic tech map or cave or plain warehouse as the next gang? Sorry, I don't buy this. All it takes is a little imagination. Even the bonehead who doesn't know how to write a review said that earlier. Some slack needs to be given to authors on this. You just can't please everyone. If it had been a generic cave map, you'd have complained that it was a cave and it didn't fit. If it were a warehouse, you'd say it didn't fit. If it were an office, you'd say "but the CoT used that one in so and so's arc when I was level 14". Use a little imagination and pretend those aren't spiders on the wall for a change.

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To be perfectly blunt, I didn't care about Turbo, Jade, Bonedog, or Torque at all because you couldn't spend enough time getting me to care since you had the subplot to push. As is, the people who already know these characters will like it while the rest of us are "meh".

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Personally, I enjoy it when people include original characters. After 5 years of fighting the same villains and same heroes over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, it's a breath of fresh air to see characters other than the Freedom Phalanx or Longbow.

Here are a few other things where you contradict yourself or don't make sense at all:

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- In mission 1, the "you find a virus" thing is forced.
SUGGESTION - Leave the console in, but move the virus clue to one of the Long Bow being rescued. "I have to get to the medic. Please guard this report until after the attack." and have the wounded guy give you a system diagnostic showing the virus infection.

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So if I understood you, your character does not have the brains to use a computer so finding a virus is "not good" on a comuter. Yet as a hero, it works better to be turned into a lowly secretary or clerk to hold some paperwork for a Longbow? Sorry, not buying it.

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- Mission 2, there needs to be a better reason to go check out the warehouse. It's way too coincidental.
SUGGESTION - write more

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The virus was of Crey origin. The contact dialogue explains that much very well. What more do you need? A blimp in the sky with "HEY LOOK HERE" written on it? It's a lead. And "write more" what?

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- Mission 2, THE Lord Nemesis being in the mission and being captured dramatically undercuts his place in the canon. He is a global threat with immense influence. treating him otherwise loses you credibility with players that are familiar with the character.
SUGGESTION - Fake Nemesis, or other Nemesis representative.

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How do you know this really was Nemesis? If it were, would he allow himself to be captured so easily?

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- Mission 3, Who is Omega Force?
SUGGESTION - Upon returning to Turbo, we need more on Omega Force. If not info, then you need to push the mystery while not making them a focus. "And who were those Omega Force guys? I'm glad they helped-out with DeVore and all, but we should probably find out more about them. We can worry about that later, though.

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IIRC, Captain Amazing's bio says something about you having seen Omega Force "on the news". Granted that is in a place where most won't bother to read, but the devil is in the details. Second, having the contact say "we should check them out" makes him seem paranoid and breaks immersion with how heroes are portrayed in CoH. They work together and trust each other.

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- Mission 4, Bonedog.
SUGGESTION - No Bonedog for a couple of reasons. 1 - Squishies might have a tough time with a Thugs/Rad.

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Which is why there are allies in missions so "squishies" can do better if they want to solo it ... which is a complaint you had earlier because authors "write missions that are too difficult". And if they made nothing but gimped AVs or EBs to fight, scrappers and tankers would have a serious yawn-fest.

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2 - His name is Bonedog.

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Like I said before, this coming from a guy who has a toon named "Capt Tremendous". No offense, but I'm sure your character names are just as stupid as the next players. Because you are writing some text on a page here to try and be a "critic" doesn't exempt you from that.

I agree that the dialogue from Countess Crey and Vanessa needs to be redone. It's out of character for them and would make the story better. The dialogue from "Nemesis" and Nosferatu worked well enough. One thing I would like to see added is to answer whether or not Jade-Star was specifically targeted or was she a target of opportunity? I get that Torque would kidnap her to piss off Turbo, but did he plan it this way or just take advantage of the situation to grab her in the chaos of that Rikti attack? I'm wondering because "Nemesis" mentions waiting for the heroes to "get involved" so I'm curious if her kidnapping was part of it.