Ninus

Yeah, it was a pretty good post, but as stated it just isn't 'thick enough' to warrant a true new powerset. Off hand I'm not conversant with the reasons that MA is the 'kick set', but a guess after reading this and many other similar powerset posts (and reasons why not), it may have something to do with player/object interactivity in game. Unlike console games where the interaction is baked into just a couple of models, CoX would require the Devs to recreate each attack with a variety of characters/objects. Too much work for too little gain is the end result, and not fiscally sound.

Also 'Kung Fu' and other martial arts don't even primarily rely on handstrikes or kicks; there are myriad grapples and throws also. I would guess that to get the flavor of a true MA set you would have to mix the MA and Power Pools eventhough that is just a workaround.

And sorry, no, I'm not a martial artist, but my best friend is a 3rd degree (dan/whatever) in a Chinese fighting system; so I'm only a little acquainted with the subject. I am a master of Snark soo Do though, but I only use my powers for... aw heck, I'm a villain, but a nice one.

Aside from the obvious 'adult connotations' abuse (like femme henchies), the big problem will remain realistic animation (clipping, and interaction with player/nonplayer models), and that is a big deal to the Devs. I commend them for holding back what they consider subpar even when it is something I personally want.

And if you really mostly want the 'whipcracking'; then the 'adult connotations' argument more than applies.

Jump Kick rocks! Lay offa it! It is part of my Blapper's attack chain, and I get comments all the time from people. Some laugh, some cry, some stand aside and applaud, but all enjoy the show. That Flying Side Kick... meh! Next you'll be asking for some Crouching Tired Hidden Draggin Godly Jump Kick Travel Power as a 5th Tier Leaping Set power.

Heaven help us.

Thanks you for the 'mea culpa', and the reinstatement, and the peek behind the Dev curtain. I wish that folks wouldn't get so personally affronted (justifiably or not) when their own personal 'fave' gets gigged that they have to be insulting to y'all, but "there's not so queer as folk".

This is just another reason why I stay with this game and love it so. But then I'm an unrepentant Dev Fanboi, so what do I know.

keep it up, and thanks for the words.

Forgive me if I restate a point I haven't seen. I am on a wireless PDA, and read abot half of the thread before I felt I had to post.

I understand the desire for sideswitching in the game. I am for it myself, but I acccept that the Devs feel that it wouldn't be balanced AT to AT. I don't agree with their reasoning personally especially since the Coop Play entered the game. But that"s my opinion; the ATs are balanced enough that I woudlnt choose a Hero over a Villain or vice versa in any team I made. There are no gimp ATs just people who can't play them very well (if at all). The same goes for Power Sets.

By Page 3 of the thread, the discussion finally became 'sideswitching' vice a true 'Third Designation/Faction, and as I stated, I would be for this if the Devs feel they can code it with minimal bugginess. Actually, I'm thinking that Turncoating at will (even with a timer) just begs for glitchiness. So, I'm more against it than for that idea. IF something like this were acceptable to the Devs, I would suggest the following:

<ul type="square">[*]Turncoating (switching sides) ONLY being allowed through a TF/SF. No timers in a PVP Zone because it begs a gamebreaking glitch AND would tend toward griefing even with a timer.
[*]If turncoating were allowed, the toon must Zone to the opposing side in order to change factions. This would eliminate griefing and automatically drop the toon from any PVP team they were on when they Zoned out.
[*]No turncoating in Paragon or the Isles. Or 'no PVP in PVE Zones, basically.[/list]
Without these stipulations, I know that I for one would howl to high heaven against this system, and would perma-shun any 'Vigilante' toons (not the players, just the toons).

Beyond that, I have always been in favor of sideswitching as described above at the very least.

Additionally, there is no real need for a Third Faction; just sideswitching. All AT's available to do so through a TF/SF each time they want to switch to the other side. Perhaps a PVP Zone TF? Only available in those Zones, whatever.

And the term 'Vigilante' for this is an error. I believe the term is Latin for 'in place of the guardians', and Heroes are already accurately denoted as 'vigilantes' in game canon, being 'in place of' government police/guard agencies. The more correct designation would be 'Mercenary', but Villains have been saddled with that moniker already.

And, yes; I am a stickler for linguistically correct terminology. Sorry, we all have our pet peeves.

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I'm new to MMOs and games. Do most of them not provide free new content like CoX does with its issues? I note that many DEVS state we're getting FREE new issues etc etc. However, without these free issues I am willing to bet big $ that this game would perish. Also, why is each issue thought of as free? Does our $15/month not help pay for this? It seems CoX has approx 180 000 subscibers and you multiply that by $15...seems like NC Soft is getting a good chunk of change from us and needs to do a bit more than they have this year. Lots of competition on the horizon. I do enjoy this game and will likely stay unless I am overwhelmed with the new games

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Welcome to the world of gaming, Jaz. I really doubt that the CoX world would perish necessarily (being that it is the only Supe-based MMO... niche market FTW!). And although I only play this MMO; I do keep track of the gaming world, and this is one of the very few that doesnt charge for new content (if not the only one that does so if you consider the manner in which it is done and amount of content added). Of course NCsoft has tried a number of unique MMO styles (Guild Wars, Auto Assault, etc), and this one seems to be the winner as far as content distribution to player cash outlay.

Also remember that the $15/month goes to infrastructure as well as paying the salaries of the Devs who provide new content. All the content in the world doesnt matter a hill of beans if the electricity is shut down at the Server Farm or the Server drives arent maintained in a timely fashion. It may surprise you to know that a profit margin of 3-5% is considered good in many industries nowadays. Not everyone does the massive profiteering that the oil companies do (record profits for the past how many quarters?) and then whine that they arent making money. NCsoft NA is doing pretty well by its subscribership in my never to be humble opinion. BUT that is only this old man's opinion; YMMV.

PS - As far as the Supe-based MMO's on the horizon... they dont impress me much so far from what I have seen. Again YMMV. Cheers!

Editted: Dagnabit! BAB stole me thunder! Guess I take too long typing. And dont you ever get any sleep BAB?

I sorta doubt that the wings on Avilians would have been 'prehensile' in any way due to the 'non-quadruped skeleton' thing that keeps Masterminds from having 4 legged Henchies. Although, if something like that entered the game it would make for usable Arachno-limbs being a player-usable item.

I am quite surprised and happy to see as little DOOOOOM mongering about this announcement as I was expecting to see once we heard about it. So there is that.

The initial 'gimmees' that they are handing out are pretty simple to slap onto the game; so I would suggest a wait and see attitude for a bit on our part. Especially those who feel they "got nothin' from this". Being that even after so much time, and so much desire for it that 16 slots arent available to veterans yet, perhaps it is a feature that needs to be worked on for some reason. BUT with the money that the game draws in from subscriptions and the like being pooled in one spot now and earmarked for CoX, I'd wager a guess that we will be seeing a bit more 'gimmees'.

Maybe the Devs just want to see what the 'old timers' really want to get as a reward for their loyalty. Hey, it's possible.

Either way, I'm jazzed that with the breakaway from Cryptic, the Devs have chosen to stay with the game for the majority part.

The best in the Biz, Sandolphan. Looks better and better everytime I see it. Keep up the excellent work.

I'd knock those numbers down a tic to be accurate if I were you. Level 10-15 Contacts are actually Level 10-14 Contacts (5 complete levels). Although if in a Story Arc you will find yourself able to get missions from them into 'any' level to complete said arc. They will finish at the level before the next group of contacts is available. I have tested this throughout CoV inadvertantly by doing all the contact arcs and missions. Of course, Level 45+ Contacts are a special breed, and will continue to give you missions into level 50.

It is a small point, but has left many Villains wondering why they didnt get a badge mission when the contact is a Level 20-25 and they just dinged 25 without getting the badge mission, and the contact wont speak to them anymore. Now, if you are counting the first tier contacts in any zone saying they dont have anything for you but to come back at say Level 35, this does not invalidate the information. That contact cannot give you the next tier at Level 34 because you cannot get missions from the Second Tier contact at 34, only at 35. Just as proof, search for posts by villains wondering why they cannot get Veluta Lunata to give them missions when they finally got the Pirate Badge at level 15 (ie; they outleveled her as a Level 10-14 Unlockable Contact).

Sorry, for the long-windedness of this, but just wanted to make sure I was absolutely clear on the particulars. Other than that it is an excellent framework for people to work off of when leveling.

Whups, missed your 'Point 6' there. Do not think that 'only' a particular First Tier Contact will give you a particular Second Tier Contact (vis a vis Regent Korol/Mage-Hunter Zukhara). They are variable, and it is not a bug. Do another First Tier Grandville Contact and you will most likely find them referring you to the Mage-Hunter. This is not as noticeable in the pre-Grandville levels due to the number of First Tier Contacts available there, but I have noted it as low as Cap Au Diable with a different First Tier giving me a Second Tier Contact while my wife's toon got it from the usual First Tier. While I dearly love Red's work, and completeness; concerning this he is in error. I am sure it is through no fault of his own, but just the vagaries of the variable which may indeed have been added in a patch 'after' Red first put his information down.

Then we best not tell you about Black Scorpion's Hero Holding Bane Mace Web Grenade power. That thing is wicked at holding, and I've seen it stacked up to permahold darn near anything it hits. Besides isnt the Dom more than just a Hold Artiste? I mean, if not; we dont need no stee...

At the very least, Jailbird should be available to Villains. I've been on the return trip mission to the Zig with my main (created 10/29) who didnt get the badge because I didnt know about it. I did ask some people if there was an "Isolator" style badge, and was told no but nothing else. I went to Cell 15 in the return missions, and no go. My question is; why? If it's an Exploration badge connected with that specific location; well, I explored it. I think it should be available there. My 2 cents. BUT PRETTY PLEASE! Just begging. Thanks, Pos.

Please forggive me iff I was not cclear. I did not say that I thought Taser was lying or that he is not a nice person.I only stated that I remember Cuppa's post. He may have a PM with said information. Cuppa may have been mistaken. They are not impossibilities. I also remember Taser making his statement about Deathsurge spawns in the same thread as Cuppa's post. To me it doesnt matter if you can forcce a spawn or not. The CoV mini-GM's spawn faster than CoH GM's in any case. I've smacked down D/S numerous times myself. I only made my statement because Taser keeps reposting his challenge constantly. It needs to be given a rest. Please. BTW, I generally enjoy Taser's posts. He is quite informative, but not ALWAYS right. There is nothing wrong wiith that, is there?

Although I do appreciate your zealousness and fervor for the cause, Taser. I have read the forum guidelines, and did not see a prohibition on posting any PM of a "red name". Correct Me if I'm wrong. In any event I remember the post by Cuppa, and the quote is correct. I need no verification. It stands true in my mind. Thanks for your input.