Niviene
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Posts
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Joined
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Base Showcase
PARENTAL ADVISORY VILLAIN GROUP
Q) What is the name of your group and what made you choose it?
A) Parental Advisory, we chose this name due to the lack of adult oriented
Groups
Q) What is your base designer's name?
A) Underworld Overlord is my main toon, in game Global is @Barron, on the
forums you can reach me at Barron_
Q) What server is your base on?
A) Pinnacle (GO ALCOHOL! And we have Mr. Paragon City, grats Keyblade)
Q) When was your super/villain group established?
A) February 24th 2008
Q) What is the approximate value of your base?
A) 7,978,430 to date, and growing everyday!
Q) How much time have you/your designer invested in your base since you
started building?
A) To date this base has had over 100 hours of construction on it so far, and
in my opinion, there is no such thing as a finished base.
Q) What is your/your designer's favorite base item? Least favorite?
A) Fav would be accent lamp for stacking at different levels; least fav is
doorways due to the fact that even though you can place them you can NOT place
any decor inside of them.
Q) What is your/your designer's favorite thing about base editing? Least
favorite?
A) The best thing about base editing came after the release of I13, and has to
be the ability to block items and no longer have raid pathing to worry about as
a design flaw, my least favorite is the scale in which base items are moved and
placed I would rather a more free flowing movement (and everything should have
a bottom no matter what it is!)
Q) Did you get your inspiration from anyone specific or was it right from
your imagination?
A) My designs came right out of the black hole in my mind!
Q) If you/your designer could give just one piece of advice to a new base
editor, what would it be and why?
A) My piece of advice would be to never touch the keyboard, for the keyboard is
the BANE of Base editing. If you need to move your toon use the mouse buttons.
I hate hitting delete to change my view and mistakenly deleting an object.
Also, if you haven't already, I suggest you join (BaseBuildersInc.) channel, an
extra pair of eyes can be more help than you know.
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Fashion
Because I have to look at you...
My friends and compatriots...
It is I again, the Esteemed Arbiter Reginald Fabulous, here once again to
dispense wit and wisdom to you all, and assist you in what to wear for the
week, because... looking at you, you obviously have no clue.
I have brought a few more letters to share with you, hoping that the struggle
and strife of a few of my wretched fan base will assist you, the better people
who need only the smallest of hints, to REFINE that look. But how I sound as if
I detest them, which is the farthest from the truth. I love my adoring
masses... from my condo... at a distance... waving... by proxy.
Well, one thing I am wanting to do is to start showing more of those lovely
before and after pictures, but I do not have many folks sending me what they
look like... for which I count my blessings. But I digress... if I am to help
my masses, I must see what they are calling clothing these days.
So, without further ado, I present LETTERS!
My
dear sir,
I am a displaced Fae, foundling by birth, and raised by mortals over a course of
some 900 years. At least, in this life. For various reasons that I will omit
for the sake of brevity, I have an affectation for Victorian era clothing.
However, the mortal called "Surge" insists that "steam punk fairies" are "all
the rage these days." Beyond the issue of his incoherence, he longs to robe me
in fishnet and eyeliner. This is unacceptable, as my fair skin tends to react
negatively to hose and makeup. Would you have a suggestion of a modern look for
a time tossed individual such as myself, which is both stylish and still allows
me to blend into the mass of humanity? I may wish to disappear, but I do not
need to clothe myself in the remnants of the street.
Your servant,
D[/b]
Dearest Tinkerbelle,
GOOD SHOW! First off, steampunk fairies, while the rage, are the sort of rage
one sees after a favored hockey team loses and vans start getting overturned...
It's been done, over done, beyond done, to the point where the wizards of retro
are looking at it and saying... nah, lump it with Jellies and Monchi-chis.
However Victorian era was a bit... stark, and I LIKE that, don't get me wrong,
but ruffle it up in some Edwardian too, and no I don't mean put in fake fangs
and glitter like a DISCO BALL... I mean Edwardian, the time frame. I see an
over-sized top hat, in a nice gold, bit of sparkles, but none too much... Go
with a showy jacket, ornate sleeves, but let that midriff show! Slacks and
shoes to match and you are set... think Carnival or Mardi Gras... it's the
closest you'll ever be to your homeland here.
Thinking Good Thoughts,
Arbiter Fabulous!
Our next letter did not have a return address on it, so I must assume it's from
Paragon. Strangely, it's something that try, as I might, I cannot blame on
Filthy Serge. I know, it saddens me too....
Yoyoyoyo,
waddup, dog!
Nickles, here. got an issue I need hlpe with. Long time ago I accidentally
(honest) put on this thing that turned out to be magical who knew? So this
thing (its shoulder armor( is alive or sometfhin--hey its got teeth so I guess
it is, ouy know? Anywways, I can't take it off. So I'm alwasy TOUCH NOT THE
MANTLE OF THE HIGHWAYMAN, FOR THE CROSSROADS WAIT FOR NO MAN, AND THE ROAD IS
sorry, as you can see it jacks my head sometimes. Long story short, i have this
armor on my shoulders at all times and i can't take if orf or it will kil me or
something. really lame and a drag, ruind my best leather (prolly fake) jaket.
So waht can i waar that is pretty kicking looking, will help me (seriously I
need help) with the ladies, and won't piss off the magically sentient armor
that has sybyoticially atached itself to my spyne??? plz help because if you
dont THE WAY CALLS, AND THE HIGHWAYMAN MUST ANSWER
Guess I hafta go now, thnks!
Nick Throway[/b]
...I have no idea what you just said....
Is that... Pig Latin... or Canadian... what?
Fine....
Dear Sentient Armor that's possessing someone who can't speak English,
All right, first off, we
need to get you to MAGI; their security is lackluster to put it mildly. Azuria,
lovely lady that she is, is too busy predicting the future to see what is being
taken from under her nose today.
Basically, see if she has the rest of you. I assume you must be a set of armor
that's been split up over the course of several years, blah blah blah.... If
nothing else, you can find the Sockgag of C'thulhu and stuff it in your host's
mouth for me.
Essentially, you seem to be the best part of this man, and you need to further
develop. Continue to have your influence spread and bring him up to par with
the rest of us, but also, incorporate his strengths into you; he may have SOME
knowledge that could be beneficial, as well as an ear for urban trends that
could, honestly, go well with a nice medieval look.
Love,
Arbiter Fabulous.
Oddly enough, dear Azuria once mentioned that her visions are mostly just her,
astral projecting near a future self who cannot perceive her, screaming at
herself as schoolchildren make off with her jewelry....
Salve,
my fellow Soldier and superior Arbiter, and Strength Through Undying Loyalty;
My Lord, I come to you humbly, and ask your mediation on a topic that has vexed
me greatly: that of the proper attire for a Soldier of Our Lord Recluse when
his Arachnos armor is unavailable. Were I able to wear my shining white armor
of glorious Arachnos at all times, I would gladly do so -- but in order to
maintain the proper appearance, it requires dry cleaning several times a week.
One cannot proclaim the beacon of hope and bastion of culture that is our
beautiful nation of Etoile whilst spattered in debris or biological-derived
grime. I am concerned that a traditional "suit coat" would represent sympathy
with the boorish American culture, and would fain die before intimating that
another culture was superior to our own. Also, the cybernetic spider legs
grafted to my spine make coats look bulky on me. What is the appropriate attire
of a Crab Soldier when not in uniform? Please impart your judgment on a lowly
but pure child of Etoile and servant of Arachnos.
Honores,
Justitia, Imperium: Arachnos
Vale,
Alexandre Innocente Dieudonne
Operative Honores[/b]
Dear Did I just read this right...?
Shining WHITE armor on a soldier? Oh my my my.... It seems one of my fellow
Arbiters seeks my advice... delicious. Well for starters, you can consider
yourself reassigned as of this moment to the Bowl and Doily Division, comrade.
Readers: you must understand, some would ACTUALLY consider my place in Arachnos
to be trite... or silly... but he's wanting a favor, and it comes at a price.
His price is obedience to our beneficent leader by working for ME.
Suit coats are a universal good thing; many cultures embrace them, it's fine.
The added legs change your silhouette, so you'll want to augment them with a
nice shoulder piece. Honestly, some of these recent advancements in armor that
fit well with many established sets do well too. Mix and match a bit and you
should be fine, dear friend.
But what looks best when you are off duty won't be something you will have to
worry about soon as most of my people are on call 24/7. I hope you like
espresso....
Toodles!
Arbiter Fabulous
Whoo! Well I know there wasn't as much to this week as in previous, but I have
been working my little buns off on putting a stop to those filthy little
monkeys who have been making the cheap knockoffs of the Cabal inspired designs
that we saw on the runways, that will be soon available to you all. If you see
them before their release, make sure you report them.
Clothing that good needs to be paid for, honey....
Now then, I am going to change things up a bit. I want you to do one of two
things:
1. Write me a letter, with a picture of yourself included, and I'll try to give
you a nice makeover as a response.
2. Tell me which Vigilante with no legal standing, or Misunderstood hero who is
hated because they live in the "Rogue" Isles, you would like to see me
makeover, for perhaps a nice CELEBRITY edition! Essay format please, dearies!
Love and hugs, Poodles!
ArbyFab!
((You can send your letters to Equation on the COH forums with the heading "Dear
Arbiter Fabulous..."))
-
City Fiction
The Redeemers
"Alright Lets see what weve got so far " Mortiganen murmured as he looked
over the reports, "Judging from the group members Agent Wild had to bail out of
jail for disturbing the peace, and the reports that indicate who rejected our
requests and those who accepted, were looking at around an eight percent total
hero population that is helping us with this. The rest, well, lets just say
were not quite as popular as Freedom Corps expected us to be."
"Pft, uppity blowhards," Harold Danesti barked, "They think theyre so big just
because they never got caught racketeering "
"Then theres this issue with the Paragon Protectors," the wizard continued,
"Im sorry, Thomas. I was hoping theyd leave you alone longer, but it seems
well have to deal with this as soon as possible As a group."
The scrapper nodded as he held an ice pack to his hip.
"I heal pretty fast," he muttered, "not as fast as that Caid guy, but its
pretty quick."
Garm was looking over his own notes and chewing on the end of his pen in
consternation. It didnt make sense to him. This massive creature just showed
up out of nowhere, decimated the home of one of the most notorious villains in
the city, and then disappeared. It smacked of the sort of conspiracy that
involved a living weapon.
"Since the Hollows were the last place this Grendel was sighted, we should
focus our search there. That weird guy, the one with the clockwork-like
cybernetics, Tickin Clank, or whatever his name is, he said his crew found a
bunch of dead fish people on the coast of the Red River. The Circle never seems
to bother with them, and the Trolls have been steering clear of em, too Plus,
according to the report, it looked like their bodies had been crushed in quick
succession and laid out like some sort of message, so Id say its a good bet
that our mystery monster was the culprit."
"I agree," Mort rasped, "But that means he could be in the Hollows, Skyway City,
Atlas Park, or even head out into the ocean and make a bee-line for Talos
Island."
"So, what do we do?" Danesti asked, "Stage patrols anywhere that borders
Eastgate and hope we catch a glimpse of this twelve-foot beastie?"
"Thats probably our best
bet," the wizard replied, "Im sorry, Thomas, but until the end of this, Im
afraid Ill have to keep you here in the base until we can get more teams
focused on your case. I dont want to risk another group of Protectors or
Creys favorite acquisition squads trying to capture you again."
"I understand, boss," Redshadow groaned, "I could use the R & R, anyway."
Skyway City was no stranger to the Troll menace. Every couple of nights, a group
of their rowdiest and roughest would pick a warehouse and start gulping down
gallons of the concoction that made them what they were in the first place. If
one dose of Superadyne were enough to alter their bodies and physiques beyond
recognition, multiple doses were bound to have more pronounced effects, and
they did. The so-called Supa Trolls used to be a massive, insurmountable menace
in Skyway City, blocking up traffic for days until a few heroes took it upon
themselves to spend a few months clearing them off the streets every time they
held a rave and started disrupting the city. Nowadays, the Supa Trolls were
wary of the bombs, bullets, lightning bolts and so forth that the heroes would
turn on them, so they often turned in as soon as their brains got even a little
less foggy during the course of their depredations.
The normal Trolls remained in the open, however. This was still their city, and
they protected it from all incursions, whether they were dealing with the
Outcasts, the Tsoo, or even the Lost which had consumed much of the south side
of the city with their access to bizarre technology. While they sometimes had
pitched battles that spilled into the streets, they normally just posed in
their favorite hangouts to show that they still owned the streets. Favorite
hangouts included the pit under the Yellow Line train station, the construction
yards, a couple basketball courts, and especially the rivers of the Gruff.
It was like they were drawn to it. It could have been considered some sort of
sick joke on their part, as a reference to classic trolls from childrens
stories, but few who ever dealt with the Trolls for any length of time would
actually believe them capable of such parody. It could also be considered that
they simply wanted quick access to a bountiful water source. Whatever the
reason, the Trolls ruled the drainage rivers of Skyway City.
At least, they did. None of them could have known what was bubbling under the
surface of those waters. None of them believed the rumors that had been
circulating their gang. Nobody could have done that to Atta and his crew.
Nothing that powerful existed. Sure, there had been heroes that single-handedly
busted up his place when he had a skeleton crew, or groups that took on the
armies he could keep in his warrens, but nothing ever single-handedly smashed
his house down around his ears while his whole band was there. Theyd assumed
it was a power play from any number of the factions within the Trolls. They
never considered that it wasnt ambition driving the rumor, but fear.
It had been a long time since the Trolls had ever been afraid. Today was the day
theyd relearn how to fear.
With a mighty roar, a great gray bulk burst from beneath the river of the Gruff
and rounded on the nearest cluster of Trolls. They stared, dumbstruck, at the
beast that had chosen them for its next meal. If they had run, perhaps they
would have lived. Shortly after the guttural roars of battle and the agonized
screams of defeat ended, the drainage waters were running red with Troll blood.
-
Community
Writers Block
Hey folks! HM here with more tips and helpful input for you so that you can
become the best writers you can be. Were gonna take a break from dialogue this
week and talk about something I think will really help EVERYONE out there. This
week we will talk about writing exercises to help you brainstorm and keep the
ideas flowing. This is a good way for you to write everyday and perfect your
style, as well as get over that shady monstrosity that is writers block (not
the well-informed and entertaining article in your lovely City Scoop).
So! Where to start? Well I suppose we should start at the beginning, as it is a
very good place to start. For those of you who didnt get the "Sound of Music"
reference, your souls are far better off than my own and of those who DID get
it. The beginning for writing and writing exercises deals with pretty much,
just writing. Pick six words out of the dictionary, any six words. Try to stay
away from anything like "antidisestablishmentarianism" or anything like that
though. Remember, this is an EASY exercise. Do you have your six words? Good.
Now arrange them in any order you want and try to make a sentence out of them.
There doesnt need to be a specific number of verbs or nouns or adjectives,
thats where the writing comes in. You need to fill in the gaps yourself, which
makes you more comfortable in filling in the blanks with your own writing.
Examples of gaps? Well I thought you would never ask! Say you have a story and
a beginning and an end to it. Got that? Now say there are specific events that
you want to tie in or specific lines that you just think are so amazingly epic
they have to be included. This exercise prepares you for finding out what goes
in between all of that. It also helps you to dip into that infinite well-called
Imagination, and really helps the creative juices to flow. I know its pretty
basic and you think "How do six words help with that?!" but trust me, if you
can fit "meiosis, carcinogen, xylophone, simile, jaunt, and aardvark" together
in one sentence you can pretty much do anything. I have faith in you.
Now that youve become a master of "Six-Word Fu," you are ready to take on
another exercise. Pick a character. Any character will do really from any book,
any movie, any comic, or any videogame. They can be created by you if you want
as well, but for this exercise it may be better to pick one already
established. Find a scene, instance, or moment in that characters medium and
write out that scene in prose. Say you think the movie "Max Payne" was friggin
awesome, try and write out one of the fight scenes. "Max Payne" not your type?
How about "Gladiator" and the scene where the Emperor confronts Maximus in his
cell? No? Youre not really into that action stuff? How about a scene from a
comedy? Romance? Sci-Fi? I present a challenge to you right now if you do
tackle sci-fi. If you can make any sequence from "2001: A Space Odyssey" more
interesting on paper than the entire film, I will give you all of my in-game
Influence. NO LIE. As for the purpose of this exercise, here it is. Writing for
characters whose motivation and story you already know is easy. You know their
emotions, what gets them riled up, and their reasons for who they are and
etcetera. If you can write for an already established character, you can then
start writing about someone you make up completely on your own and go wild with
them!
Now these two exercises may help you a lot, or they may help you a little.
Depending on who you are and your writing style they may also prove challenging
for you. No matter what though, dont get discouraged. These are here to help
you get better at what you love to do. They arent a test, and no one will
laugh at you if you dont get it the first time. Have fun with them and use
them for their purpose completely. And most importantly: write on!
Fan Fiction Spotlight
Ashes
and Ice (Frostfire's Story)
Journal Entry 001
Im going to miss Mrs. Primm. Shes the best teacher that I ever had. I was
awfully surprised when she gave me this journal when school ended today.
"Youre a lot smarter than you let on, Leonard," she told me. Only teachers call
me "Leonard." I prefer to be called Leo. I didnt get beat up as much at recess
once I started calling myself Leo. "But youre awfully impulsive. You need to
slow down and think about what youre doing. Perhaps by writing things down
youll learn to think things through better. I want you to write in this
journal every day, Leonard. Will you do that for me?"
"I cant take this, Mrs. Primm." It was the nicest looking book that I had ever
seen, but I was afraid to take it home. Pops bound to pawn it if he gets his
hands on it.
"Please, Leonard. Take it for me."
"All right, Mrs. Primm." I do have my secret hiding place in my room. Ill just
have to make sure that Pop doesnt find it. I couldnt say no to her.
"And youll write every day?"
"Yes, Mrs. Primm."
"I know that life hasnt been easy for you, Leonard." She looked at my
blue-green skin. "Its never easy when youre different. But youre a good boy,
a smart boy. I think that someday youre going to accomplish so much for
Paragon City." She looked at her watch. "But I really do have to get going now.
I promised my little girl Francine that Id be home early today. Goodbye,
Leonard. I know youre going to make me proud."
Shes right.
Someday Im going to make her proud. Even Popll be proud of me once I join the
Freedom Phalanx.
Yeah. Someday everyones going to know my name.
Someday Leonard Calhoun is going to be a real hero
Once again, BlueBattler tackles the back-story of a character that we, the
players, spend very little time scratching our heads over. In this case, it's
the childhood years of Frostfire, very likely the first Arch Villain low-level
teams will ever meet. Not only that, he's an example of just how far outside
the archetypes our enemies can get, I mean, seriously, how often do you see a
Controller or Defender summoning a Jack Frost and Fire Imps?
Well, in any case, Frostfire's official story is a classic example of the comic
book "basic anti-sob story." An aspiring young mutant tries to do something to
help people, and the stunt backfires. The situation is turned on the boy and an
uncaring system cranks out a future (or present, as the case is) threat for
later (again, present) vigilant protectors of justice to handle. It's not very
elaborate, in fact, it's not meant to be. It's a case of "if you'd just put a
little more effort in over here, you'd have done fine... Why are you aiming
your burning finger at me?" It's not supposed to make us feel sympathetic;
we're supposed to feel an almost comical sense of pity.
In the in-game cut scene, Frostfire even makes a feeble attempt to get the
player to see his side of things. His argument is poorly thought-out, though,
and he's distracted easily. Plus, the years of violence within the Outcasts
makes him a little too quick to shoot first. It's too bad he didn't have
BlueBattler telling his story, because Blue has a good one brewing here, and
I've been feeling sorry for the irritating Arch Villain since.
Not so much for Atta, though. He can burn for all I care.
-
The City Scoop
Behind the Walls
With GM Lloyd
5. Keeping in touch
It used to be that MMO Game Masters largely communicated with players from
within the game world, using the same means players had available to keep in
touch with each other. In some MMOs, that might still be true, and veteran
players of the genre carry their experiences between worlds, and might even be
used to talking to in-game GM characters.
It used to happen in City of Heroes a lot more often than it does now. Now, the
primary means we have to talk to players about anything, anytime, is e-mail.
Not in-game e-mail, though that is always an option available to us. I mean the
regular kind of e-mail, the kind you need an Internet account to use, just like
you need one to play online video games.
We like conventional e-mail because we have a software database that tracks
them. It plugs into our support database, and petitions sent through the
in-game Support tool (that I described in my third column, if you didn't know
how it works) are tracked the same way as e-mail messages. There are all sorts
of reasons we would need to contact players in a timely manner, not limited to
disciplinary measures (column 4) or account disputes (to be covered later.)
NCsoft has telephone support, but the first thing our phone-support
representatives have to do when someone calls is ask questions to confirm who
they're talking to, and then they usually have to refer to a separate
department -- back to the e-mail based database, again. (More importantly,
they're only set up to answer questions about billing or technical support, and
cannot answer game play questions at all.)
With e-mail and the in-game Support petition system, it's much easier and faster
to verify everything we need to know. So we'd rather players use either of
them, unless they're completely unable.
The fastest way to get hold of anyone in Game Services (and this includes any
game published by NCsoft, including GuildWars and Lineage II,) is through the
Knowledge Base site. Once there, click My Stuff and
log in with your contact e-mail address and
PlayNC Support Account password, not your City of
Heroes account password. Once there, you'll be able to click on any ticket
you've ever submitted, read everything we've told you, and everything you've
told us.
Side topic: Sometimes were going to be slow getting back to
you. Well still get back to you in some way, in due time, but that time might
be a little longer than we usually expect.
Times you can plan on include:
[*]
Patch days. New Issues, particularly, but also incremental
patches for fixes and tweaks. Anytime City of Heroes changes significantly,
there will be a period of uncertainty. Part of it is players not knowing how
new stuff works, and part will be the stuff that works improperly. The degree
to which players get their expectations changed is the degree of extra work GMs
get (Testers and Developers too, usually).
[*]
Special in-game events. This includes Double XP Weekend and the
seasonal events. They dont last very long, but they always carry uncertainty
with them. Sometimes theyre over before the uncertainty ends.
[*]
Promotions, including expansion packs and new product rollouts,
such as the new Mac OS X client and associated perks, as well as the Cyborg
Pack last fall.
[*]
Holidays, at least the ones in late fall and winter when
workin folks take time off. We stagger our vacation time to cover everything,
but its not always full strength.
[/list]
Here's where I ask you to make sure you do something. Two things, this time.
1. Keep your contact information current, especially your
e-mail. If you ever change your e-mail contact address, be sure to log into
PlayNC Account, click
Manage My Account and change it there, too.
2. Whatever e-mail address is in your account, check it
regularly for new mail. While it's certainly possible to register and use a
City of Heroes account with a "throwaway" e-mail that you check once and forget
about, it's no good for what it's really supposed to be for so we can get
hold of you if we have to.
This is definitely a "tell your friends" kind of thing. For the majority of
players, it's not an issue, but we always worry that there are some NCsoft
customers who don't keep their account info current. These are the people that
need to read this column.
You're all telling your friends about this column, right?
Vol. 2, Issue 33
February 9th, 2009
This Issue:
Ms. Frost by Zairyo
-
We would like to know if you stay out of sync for more than 10 seconds. The server should automatically try to /sync if you're out of sync for that long.
-
Hi Everyone,
We are still seeing a few reports of players becoming out of sync (ghost maps, the door bug, out of body experience) with the servers.
Please post here if you are still having problems. -
Thread has been marked to save.
Enjoy!
-
For all of those users that use PayPal for your monthly subscriptions we have great news. City of Heroes is now available for recurring billing on PayPal.
We now accept PaPal as a payment option for all digital code purchases made through the PlayNC store including recurring subscriptions.
To find out how to use these services read the following articles.
How can I pay for game time using PayPal®?
PayPal® Purchase Option Restrictions
Discuss this announcement or ask questions here. -
For all of those users that use PayPal for your monthly subscriptions we have great news. City of Heroes is now available for recurring billing on PayPal.
We now accept PaPal as a payment option for all digital code purchases made through the PlayNC store including recurring subscriptions.
To find out how to use these services read the following articles.
How can I pay for game time using PayPal®?
PayPal® Purchase Option Restrictions
Discuss this announcement or ask questions here. -
Vol. 2, Issue 32
January 30, 2009
A double issue for the Double XP Weekend!
The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers! Read the latest publication and then join in on the community discussion!
If you have concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please direct your comments via PM to Ex Libris.
If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PM Snow_Globe
If you have a Classified Ad you would like included or join "The City Scoop" team please contact: Marcian Tobay
If you have an interview please contact: EmperorSteele or HumanMiracle
If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
If you have a base you would like featured, please contact EnnVee
Finally if you have a Recipe you would like included please contact: MistressNoire -
Vol. 2, Issues 32
January 30, 2009
A double issue for the Double XP Weekend!
The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers! Read the latest publication and then join in on the community discussion!
If you have concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please direct your comments via PM to Ex Libris.
If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PM Snow_Globe
If you have a Classified Ad you would like included or join "The City Scoop" team please contact: Marcian Tobay
If you have an interview please contact: EmperorSteele or HumanMiracle
If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
If you have a base you would like featured, please contact EnnVee
Finally if you have a Recipe you would like included please contact: MistressNoire -
The City Scoop Staff
-
Base Showcase
P.O.T.
Q) Who is your base designer and who are your super group leaders?
A) I am the base editor, and creative designer for the base. Our founder of the
sg is flame enchanteress, and ancient tree.
Q) What server is your base on?
A) We are a Pinnacle SG
Q) When was your super group established?
A) Early August of 07
Q) What is the approximate value of your base?
A) I have spent 3,922,919 prestige to make this base. Now influence making items
buying salvage I shudder to guess lol.
Q) How much time do you spend working on your base?
A) About 5 hours a night.
Q) How much time have you invested in your base so far?
A) There is at least 200 hours of time invested into it.
Q) What is your favorite base item? Least favorite?
A) Favorite item has to be Club Six Pak. We're all about the party, and have a
wonderful DJ. My least is the bar because I never think it is done, or is
perfect. I always think of something else I can do to make it better.
Q) What is your favorite thing about base editing? Least favorite?
A) Learning new things from other base editors. New tricks and stuff. Least
favorite is the selections. We should have bar stools, and there should be so
many other things added. I want to see elevators, employees we can have like in
Portal Corp walking around. I wanna see a day when we can have a 2 or 3 story
base. I really wanna see teleporters that look like the portal corp porters.
Q) If you could give just one piece of advice to a new base editor, what
would it be?
A) Ask questions. We have all thought a question was stupid, but we have all
asked it, and want to help the new people. We all get better by sharing
information.
-
Fashion
Because I have to look at you...
There comes a time in everyone's life when you have to sit back, enjoy a chai,
and really think about what you have accomplished. Have you REALLY made the
impact you have sought to? Do you *TRULY* matter in the larger scheme of
things...? I'm so glad I do, go me! For those of you drinking cheap Lipton and
in your Laz-E-boy pondering these things, and sadly, I know, NOT coming to the
same realization, ((I'm looking at YOU Fusionette))... you can just sit back
and bask in the knowledge that I will always be there for you.
Except for when I'm at Fashion Week!
Then you have to fend for yourselves.
Speaking of Fashion Week, the affairs I frequent are usually of the highest
stature, designs hidden from the public eye until marketable premieres can be
set to show you what you will be wearing in the coming months...
And this year, someone went naughty, a rather amazing design for the ladies was
leaked to the public eye.
Now then, as I normally take on a more... passive approach to how I handle such
dilemmas, I'll be frank and blunt. If I catch any of you wearing one of the
cheaply made, poorly cut, generic knockoffs of this lovely design as made by
the Malaysian sweatshops ((I'm looking at YOU Serge...)), I will personally see
to it you will be dressed in chiffon and lace, leaving your shame and dignity
cast out for all to see the hollow person you truly are... Just ask Swan, she's
up for makeover parole in a year and a half. But the Cabal inspired
masterpiece.. oh heavens, when it is unveiled, you will bask in awe!
Now then, I have been detracting a bit from what I set out to do.. HELP you, as
you need it.. so without further ado, I celebrate the return of letters!
And as promised, a letter from my very own Group Leader, its contents hidden
even from me, I'm very eager to open it and get my words of a job well done and
congratulations, so let us hurry to it! But first...
Dear
Arbiter Fabulous,
Well, I got a problem I'm a Zombie. Now I don't roam the Rogue islands, but
trying to make a living in Paragon as a Hero. Now here's my problem I'm proud
of my Living dead life and don't want people to be confused that I'm not living
but it's hard to dress in Zombie garb and not look poor and Raggy, Gothic, or
Villainous. So do you have any Advice for the Heroic Living dead?
Dead and Loving it
Rotten Luck
Dearest Retro Lifer,
Here lies a conundrum.. how do we turn an image that is stereotypically seen as
evil and bad into one of inspiration... To this, I turn to the fact you seem
quite comfortable in your status as what I like to refer to as a "Fresh
Starter".. Undead yes.. Unperson NO! The fact of the matter is, you will not be
able to overcome years upon eras of instilled precepts about being a Zombie,
but you CAN be a step, a crucial first shambling step in the right direction.
You see, you should EMBRACE those images and make them your own! While a cape
and cowl may not be possible in this day and age, a long trench that will help
your figure in the night's shadows WILL be VERY doable. I suggest a blend of
combat and everyday attire, throw in a little Motocross gear for oomph! Show
the world that a Zombie can wear what a hero can...
Also, fragrance... it helps.. really. Please. I recommend "vanilla"... or
"cinnamon winter"... or "not dead."
I surely hope you find this information helpful and succinct to your needs, if
you need further assistance, please feel free to write me again, and include a
picture to show your progress!
Love and hugs,
Arbiter Fabulous!
This next letter was sent to me urgently! It seems someone had found out about
my recent, should we say, humble holiday season and found time to write and
inform me of a little known tidbit on it.
Let's peek inside shall we?
Dear
Arbiter Fabulous,
Sorry I didn't remember to say happy holidays,I
was busy...looking in the mirror!
May chaos be yours
Virlou
Dear Safe and Secure,
...
You may live.
Love,
Arbiter Fabulous.
Our next letter comes to one you may remember from my coffee social in the D,
how we chatted and enjoyed our biscotti that day, hopefully soon one of you may
also join in them with me. Until then, a letter and some sage wisdom...
Dear
Arbiter Fabulous,
I am a succubus, and I don't know what to wear. Whenever I ask anyone, they
say "Nothing!" which constantly isn't good enough for a style conscious denizen
of the dark like myself. Perhaps you could suggest an ensemble that makes a
statement, such as ' I want to draw out your soul slowly over several hours' or
'just hand it over, don't even attempt to resist'. Also, while I like to
display my assets, some kind of back coverage would be nice, as I find myself
frequently in the company of hoarfrost demons.
If you have any ideas, I would be happy to model them for you, and while I
don't believe the rumors about you at all, I can do an Incubus form if
absolutely necessary.
Netherworldly Yours,
Parnitia
Dearest Devil May Care,
So, you finally see the light about how to go about doing this.. less does NOT
always mean more, you know, and frankly you have to remember one of the first
rules of dancing burlesque, it's what they DON'T see that makes you attractive,
they have to IMAGINE, to visualize what they assume.. then they fixate until
you become OBSESSION and they simply MUST follow and obey you.
I use a modified technique when seeking clientele for my couture house.
I read your letter and I thought of a name... Mata Hari. Most likely *THE* femme
fatale of all femme fatales.. and for this, I am seeking a modern twist, using
the visions of todays designers. I'm also seeing a hint of the masculine for
you, to show a bit of machismo to your sultry nature, something that many men,
myself included, find enrapturing...
I see a mix of tight intricate lacy garments tied into a well cut white suit,
perhaps a hat, derby I am seeing, actually... Curves and grace, with a hint of
androgyny. It'll be enough to make them stare and beg you for more.
As for your other form you can take, the rumors are TRUE, I utterly LOVE 90's
Californian Alternative rock! How did you KNOW!?
Sincerely Yours,
Arbiter Fabulous
And here we come to the meat of this week's article, a letter from the leader of
my very own Villain Group! Well, sort of, I mean, as an Arbiter I have my
NORMAL duties, but I affiliate with them, and I have my runway in their base...
I haven't been told yet what it might say, but I'm assuming it's some letter of
motivation for bringing my vision to all of you, even those of you in Paragon.
How utterly wonderful to know that this fine soldier will soon be spilling
compliments and praise upon yours truly for you all to gaze upon and marvel at!
I am positively GIDDY!
Dear
Arbiter Fabulous,
Please stop wearing bright pink, it's melting my eyeballs.
-Huntsman Fury
...
Well...
Well that was.. unexpected. It seems my "friend" the Huntsman has sort of.. come
to me with a.. question of.. eyewear and headgear.
Dear Oh you did NOT just go there,
It's come to my attention that you seem to have an issue of a personal nature
involving proper dress standards and uniform design, especially in the need of
optics in headgear. You are SO lucky I'm here to help. You see, I've been
looking over the cut of your uniform and frankly, it won't do, so in honor of
your letter, I have designed a NEW uniform for you, to be worn at all OFFICIAL
Arachnos events, such as meetings with the Generals, Lord Recluse himself, as
well as the annual Ball. I.. sincerely .. hope you like it, dear Fury, I'd hate
to see you humiliated and humbled.
Also I do feel you may need to change out your helm, or incorporate many of the
new elements designed to help protect one's vision as well as give you a feed
of information, such as things that won't melt your eyeballs...
Also.. it's bleached Crimson.. I do *NOT* wear Pink.
RESPECTFULLY..,
Arbiter R. Fabulous!
PS: You are now invited and encouraged to my Tea Soiree, attendance is
mandatory.. don't let the rumors make you fear. The last commander only lost 2
limbs at my previous one, not 3....
About the Author: Arbiter Reginald Fabulous lives in St. Martial, where he
enjoys the soothing sounds of opera music, practicing his Pilates, and hosting
his famed Tea Soirees. He is the leader of a small faction of Arachnos known as
the Bowl and Doily spiders, the masters of Arachnos Aesthetic, design and form.
They too, attend the Tea Soirees. It is rumored that the man who leaked the
Cabal based women's top to the public through a Malaysian sweatshop, working
for someone who he cannot say is Serge in public, also attended one of his Tea
Soirees.
The body has not been found.
*About the Author of the Author: Equation lives in fear of Tea Soirees. He does
not live in fear of emails, which can be sent on the forum to Equation, and
letters to Arbiter Fabulous can be sent to that same forum name under the
heading "Dear Arbiter Fabulous..."
-
The People On...
Secret Identities: Part 3
Hello readers, Scoop Man is back and ready to deliver the thought provoking
knowledge from those gods among us, the heroes and villains. As youre aware,
if you are not then pick up every issue Ive ever written in so that I can get
the cash, Ive been on the prowl to learn the opinions of heroes and villains
regarding secret identities. Weve encountered two distinctly different views
on the subject so far, so I hope those have been drawing your piquing your
interest thus far. I had the unique opportunity to interview someone recently.
His name is Krekka 2.0 and hes not your average hero, as you read youll find
out
Scoop Man: So, youre a cyborg? Thats kind of a first for me.
Krekka 2.0: See a lot of types here in Paragon.
SM: Im not one to hang around the hero crowd.
K: Ah.
SM: But this is an interesting turn of events actually. Ive been on the streets
lately looking in on how heroes feel about the whole secret identity issue.
K: Ah. Its really hard to go around in a black business suit when you got my
form, it you catch the drift. So I do construction.
SM: Exactly. So youre basically a hero full time with everyone knowing who you
are, yes?
K: Pretty much, dont have much of an identity to cover.
SM: Now, springing off that, whats your stance on those who choose to have a
secret identity?
K : I think its a fairly good idea, seeing as a being a hero DOES have its
downsides in media matters. But mainly its good for a hero to fit in, and
villains.
SM: So you agree that keeping a personal life outside the mask is good?
K: A fair balance is needed. All the power and responsibility stuff.
SM: Would you say its healthy?
K: Yes.
SM: All right. Now you said something about villains too. Isnt it different for
them? Arent they "villainous" all the time?
K: Well, some of them can be even more villainous in their secret identities,
such as some very tough lawyers. But navigating around the lawyer jokes, they
seem to still do what they do. Such as villains arent bankers, theyre
"thieves"
SM: I see. I personally cant see a villain going to a day job to "get away from
the stress." Thats what they live for right?
K: Most of them Im guessing. Of course, you might find a villain doing
something god with their extra time, but thats why they hide their identities.
SM: Interesting. Ive talked to a few whove had varying stances on government
control of secret identities. Anything to say on that?
K: Sorry, but there were a lot of big words in there. Im not but a humble
cyborg. Could you clarify?
SM: The government seems to control the personal life of heroes by making them
register with the city. Do you feel thats a good idea seeing your stance on
secret identities?
K: Some heroes out there dont register, because they feel the need to hide
their identities. But the hero Registration is actually very understanding as
they will not give out your identity to anyone you dont want it to go to. But
they do need to keep tabs on heroes, I feel.
SM: Why?
K: I feel that some heroes walk the fine line between hero and villain. They
could easily become a super-villain if tempted.
SM: So monitoring is kind of a fail safe?
K: Yes. Too much control, though, is probably a bad idea. So they seem to be
running it fairly balanced right now.
SM: Do you feel the government could do something to tip the scales in either
way?
K: If threatened, yes. But I doubt they need to worry about that with a city of
500 plus heroes.
SM: So they are threatened by the number?
K: Do you mean the heroes are threatening them?
SM: No, I mean that they feel threatened because they are afraid of "super
anger."
K: Oh. No I dont think so.
SM: I see. Thank you for your time Krekka 2.0.
K: Anytime Scoop Dude.
I think this mechanized-man provides a point of view that we rarely see. Since
he presumably has no identity to hide, he is an unbiased person in this issue.
Perhaps the control is necessary as a fail-safe as discussed, but at what cost?
Also, what DO villains do in regards to identities? Do they have secret
identities too? Frankly, this is a facet of the topic I never thought about and
Im a little eager to learn if Lord Recluse owns a laundromat somewhere in Port
Oakes. I think thats my next mission readers. Im heading to the Rogue Isles
to get the scoop!
-
City Fiction
The Redeemers
Out! Everybody out!
Garms crew tumbled out the back of the van, Doug barley clearing the doorway
before Briggs brought his foot down on the gas and sped away, the tires of his
van squealing horribly. Garm looked worriedly after the retreating vehicle,
wondering if the compact Supa Troll may have lost his mind or turned back to
working for the Trolls.
Whats he doing? Doug shouted, his voice cracking a little.
The two former Trolls looked to each other. Doug looked worried, but Garm shook
his head. The Superadine was wearing off, and they were starting to revert. It
made the former Caliban wonder why Briggs didnt seem to be reverting.
There was a loud hissing noise and a metallic crash. The team looked down the
street to see that Briggs had used the hydraulics to jump the van over the
concrete median divider and was now going the other way down the highway.
Okay, now this is weird, Ashen Roast intoned as the van roared past, some of
which was the chaotic Trolls own shouting, Just what is he doing?
Theyd been helping Synapse investigate this problem for weeks, now. They had
just found the evidence that would lead them to finding and combating the
dreaded Clockwork King. However, just as they left the warehouse where theyd
dismantled the Clockwork Lord, disaster struck.
A monstrous Clockwork machination known as Babbage came tearing down the streets
after them, and the plucky young blaster named Static Havoc was the first to
see him. He launched volleys of energy at the approaching hulk, but it was able
to shrug them off like they were nothing. The other members of the task force
arrived shortly after, but the giant monster already had a bead for the little
guy in the group.
In a desperate bid to escape, Static flew away, putting the overpass between him
and Babbage. A moment later, though, he realized that wasnt going to dissuade
the walking wreck. It had leaped up and grabbed a hold of the overpass, pulling
itself up to continue its deadly assault on its miniscule quarry.
Oh man! the teenaged hero shouted as he hurled bolt after bolt at the
machines head in desperation, Im gonna die!
Babbage, nonplussed by the assault, hauled itself up and glared down at the boy.
The teams Tanker leaped up and gripped one of the machines ankles, trying to
trip it back over the side of the overpass. The teams controller was busy
dealing with the myriad of Clockwork robots the big machine seemed to have just
generated by waving at spare parts that had rattled from it during the
fighting. The two scrappers jumped up to try to lend some support to the
tanker, but Babbage shrugged them off as it reached to smash Static Havoc into
a grease stain.
Then there was a loud horn blaring and headlights focused on Babbage. It looked
over to see an armored van hurtling through the air at it. Before it could pull
back, the machine had slammed into the giant monsters right chest plate,
ripping the body open and spinning it around.
Babbage lost control of its right arm and tried desperately to push itself back
up. Parts were spilling out of its chest cavity and reassembling into confused
Cogs, Gears, and Oscillators. Looking up at its bizarre assailant, the machine
saw the van on its side, crumpled heavily on all sides and spewing smoke from
its engine.
States by Juggertha
The passenger-side door burst out as a green fist slammed into it and a squat,
overly muscled blonde Troll pulled himself out of the vehicle.
Every couple of weeks, he shouted as he started purposefully stomping toward
the big machine, Every couple of weeks I have to see you terrorizing another
hapless bunch of heroes!
Hey, hey! the tanker, Eli Jones, a super strong and apparently super tough man
despite his average appearance, tried to stop Briggs, What do you think youre
doing!?
Im making a point! the troll barked as he pushed the man aside, And it
involves ripping this things head off
He gripped the large head of Babbage and started to pull. When it weakly reached
its good arm to stop him, he kicked it aside and went back to pulling. The neck
joint was starting to give.
And using it as a toilet! the troll finished as he felt the give.
Woah, woah! Static shouted before a blur of green rushed past him and Garm
tackled his friend off of Babbage, Uh Guys?
Get off of me! the squat, burly troll shouted angrily as the taller, leaner
one held him in a headlock, I need to Need to
Hush-shh-shh-shh Garm replied, Relax, brother. Its over now The police
drones are on the way to mop up the wreckage. You did good Time to rest
I Uh Kay
Briggs passed out and Garm let him go with a gasp of relief. McBain had
apparently been faking, though, for he then opened his eyes and jumped up to
continue trying to wrench Babbages head off. Garm and Eli both tried to pull
him away this time as the Drones arrived and zapped the working parts of the
giant monster to a specialized section of the Zig dedicated to studying the
various incarnations of the machine. The sudden lack of resistance caused the
three vigilantes to tumble to the street in a heap.
No! Briggs shouted, cupping his face in his hands, It would have been such an
awesome toilet!
Let it go, man Eli patted him on the shoulder as he picked himself and Garm
up, Its over.
The two teams exchanged information. Synapses Task Force was composed of
various heroes from different super groups, and they were very receptive to the
idea of a new type of monster thrashing around the city.
It wiped out Attas base? the controller, Frost Princess Yuki, asked
worriedly, I fought him earlier this year Thats a really tough fight! He got
out of the Zig?
Its a very quick revolving door system, Doug grumbled.
Anyway, keep on a lookout, Ashen replied, shaking the womans hand firmly,
You never know when something like this will turn on those of us on this side
of the blue line.
-
Fan Fiction
Spotlight
The
warehouse itself was dimly lit, apparently as to not draw attention. Men
scurried about here and there to check ammunition caches and take inventory of
certain types of weapons. Moving behind a weapons rack, he began to follow one
worker with a clipboard, meandering lazily through the aisles. Catching up with
him before he rounded the corner HM grabbed his collar and clapped a hand over
his mouth to stop him from shouting. He struggled at first, but John ran his
head into the wall to knock him out. He wasnt going to take any chances in
here, too many men with too many weapons.
He peeked around the corner and saw several men setting up a portable generator
for a bank of computers they had lined up. Wondering what they were for he
waited to see if he could hear anything. With all the noise however, he didnt
catch a thing.
Feeling that it was about time to make his presence known, he aimed for the
generator and let fly a bolt of energy. It struck the generator and blasted it
to bits. The men around it flew in all directions, some unconscious and others
badly wounded. Running forward, an assailant jumped out from behind the racks
and tackled HM to the ground.
Hey! Play nice. Letting the energy flow through him, he released it from his
body making a concussive shockwave, which flung the man backwards and into the
weapon racks, toppling them like dominos. Brushing himself off, he went to make
sure the man was still alive. Tossing weapons aside, he found the man and
pulled him out from under an ammunitions crate. He was alive, but his clothing
was the most interesting thing about him.
He was clad in robes that looked like they were made by the Circle of Thorns,
but they were all black except for a small symbol over his left breast. Johns
heart skipped a beat as he recognized the clandestine symbol of the Brotherhood
of the Sightless Eye, the All Seeing Eye. Tracing it with his gloved hands,
questions raced through his mind. The cocking of guns brought him out of his
reverie however. Turning around slowly he faced about two dozen men, dressed
identically to the man at his feet.
Primoris Frater, we did not expect to see you here. One man removed his hood
and stepped forward with a smile
on his lips. Despite his calm demeanor he was still totting an Uzi which he had
a tight grip on. HM scowled at them all and tried to play it as if he didnt
hear what the man had addressed him as.
This story is an unusual one. The protagonist, Human Miracle (abbreviated as
"HM" in this excerpt) is aware of a conflict in the future that risks
decimating all the world. Since it's a matter that occurs on the fringe of
public perception (most think the perpetrators are a group of confused punks),
most other heroes don't take much notice. However, Miracle is uniquely aware of
the conflict in that he's already been through it once.
It's a decent tale and a good read. Hopefully, there will be more to see in the
near future.
Click for more information about this Pinnacle event.
-
The Hazards of Getting Involved
Part 1: Griefers
Weve come a long way, havent we? Weve talked about many different ways of
getting involved in a lot of different aspects of the community. Now its time
to talk about some things you may not have realized if youve never run an
event: the hazards of getting involved. Were going to look at how and why
events go wrong, and what you can do to prevent that from happening to your
event, no matter what type of event it may be. This will be a two-part article;
there are a lot of things that could go wrong, and I like to cover all my
bases.
The people who organize and run events do it for many different motives - to get
their names recognized, to help out new players, because theyre bored and want
something fun to do, etc. They rarely ask for anything in return for what they
do. A lot of the time, players are grateful for the event being run because it
not only gives them a chance for some recognition (as in the case of winning a
contest), but because it lets them meet people and gives them something to do.
And sometimes there are players out there who are bent on ruining events for the
organizer and everyone else involved. Yes, Im talking about griefers.
Griefers are people who ruin events (or try to) because they can. They dont
care what youre doing or why youre doing it; if they dont like it, it must
be stopped, usually in the most obnoxious way they can devise. Sometimes this
means taunting the organizer or participants via the broadcast or local
channels or tells, insulting the event and everyone involved; this has its
counterpart on the forums, where trolls, posters who are just trying to start
an argument, will post incendiary comments in otherwise constructive threads to
see who they can get to respond. Sometimes it means joining the event and then
doing something to disrupt it, such as putting down an Ouroboros portal on the
ski run during the Winter Event or using toggles that turn everyone around you
transparent in a costume contest. Griefers are usually looking for attention;
they sometimes hang out in small groups in places like Atlas Park, where they
grief events or chat to make themselves look cool to each other. Normally, the
person griefing an event has never run an event and has no intention of doing
so. There are multiple ways to grief an event, and none of them are funny for
the organizer or for the players who are involved.
Of course, there are some places where the line between player and griefer
is blurred. For example, at an event in the PvP Arena, once the fighting
starts, players may taunt, insult, or challenge each other on the broadcast or
local channels. This is generally referred to as trash talk. The PvPEC frowns
on trash talking during its events, but during pickup PvP events, it is usually
an expected and accepted part of play. Im not saying its right or its wrong,
but if it seriously disrupts the event for all or most of the participants,
its griefing.
Trickshooter by Juggertha
The best weapons you have against a griefer are the /ignore command and the
/petition command in game and the Notify Moderator button on the forums. I
would advise not petitioning a player who is simply on the broadcast channel;
the ignore feature is more than sufficient in that case, and you should advise
everyone else in the event to ignore the player as well. However, if its a
physical problem, such as purposefully trying to intercept an event prize or
using powers to disrupt an event on purpose, and you have asked the player to
stop doing what they are doing more than once and they refuse, then the
/petition command is your best friend. In a petition, make sure you include all
relevant details: the toon name or player global, what they were doing to
disrupt the event, and any other relevant information (such as copy/pasting
broadcast chat or tells). Try to deal with it yourself before contacting a GM
using the /petition feature, but stay calm at all times - you only make
yourself and your event look bad by losing your temper. The same goes for forum
trolls posting in your thread - dont lose your temper with them, just use the
Notify Moderator button to let a moderator know that you would like them to
look at the post. Never tell someone (especially not on broadcast or local)
that you have petitioned them! All that does is make things worse. Just take
the action you are taking, be it using the /ignore or /petition commands or the
Notify Moderator button, and do not tell them that youve done anything at
all. They are trying to get you to react. It may sound cliche, but its true:
dont let the things they say or do get to you, or they are succeeding!
The same goes for people attending an event. If you run into a griefer, dont
react to them directly, just take action and move on. Sometimes the best way to
grief a griefer is to ignore them; after all, the reason why theyre doing what
theyre doing is more often than not so that they can get attention.
Please, if someone is advertising or running an event, dont be a griefer. It
takes a lot to put yourself out there as the host of an event, and most players
dont realize that. The people who step up to organize and run events deserve
your respect for what they do. If you have never run an event, you have no
right to criticize those who do; at least they step up and make an effort to
help out and make the game a little bit more fun for everyone involved. And as
the attendee of an event, especially if you know that theres been griefing,
make sure youre polite to the host and those around you, and thank the event
organizer after the event whether you won or not. Sometimes just one persons
gratitude can keep a budding event host from giving up completely. Were all
here to have fun, but that doesnt mean we need to be rude to each other to do
it, so show a little metahuman decency - dont be a griefer.
-
The City Scoop
PvPEC in 2009
With the release of "Issue 13: Power & Responsibility" came day jobs,
leveling pacts, dual builds, & the merit system just to name a few. More
notably, there was an extensive rebalancing of powers for both PvE & PvP
game play. Arguably those changes were for the better (or worse), yet for PvP
those changes expanded the possibilities allowing players to participate in
this end game content without the steep learning curve that was once present.
In 2009, PvPEC will be offering a wide variety of events that are designed to
bring players to both the Arena & Zones in a fun, competitive & fair
environment on both the individual and cross server level.
PvPEC Server Representatives will be continuing to provide tailored events to
their home servers. These events will mainly encourage players to participate
in a fun, less traditional, and non-competitive atmosphere, but may also
include competitive, fair competitions. The community should feel free to
contact the event host with any comments, questions, or suggestions they may
have.
In addition, other PvPEC representatives are setting up regular weekly fight
nights in both the Arena & Zones for each live server. These nights provide
an excellent opportunity for players to test builds, gain experience, and have
fun in a relaxed & slightly more competitive atmosphere. Hosted events on
these nights will range from Free-for-Alls, team duels, kickball, gladiator
matches and much more. Below is a list of nights, which are already underway
for their servers & you can expect the remaining servers to be covered
shortly.
PvPEC Champion: Friday Night Fights
PvPEC Pinnacle: Friday Night Fights
PvPEC Protector: Thursday Night Fights
PvPEC Guardian: Thursday Night Fights
PvPEC Justice: Saturday Night Fights
PvPEC Virtue: Saturday Night Fights
PvPEC will be continuing its tradition of offering a featured event across all
servers every month. While these events will cover a wide array of arena events
at various levels, they will be more competitive in nature. Prizes will be
offered to the individual server winners and when possible the servers winners
will be asked to continue to Test Server for a final round where the winner
will get to take home a grand prize. In addition to these cross-server monthly
features, PvPEC will also be hosting three major events this year.
Our first major event will be the Iron Man Superteam where players will be
offered the opportunity to learn their character build & function within a
team from the ground up. Participants will form teams of 6 and starting from
level 1 they will begin to level together. Throughout various points of their
leveling progression, the teams will compete against each other in both PvE
& PvP challenges. You can expect more details to be released for this event
over the coming month.
The second major event this year will be hosted by both PERC & PvPEC. Coming
this summer the two committees will unite for the first time to bring you
Paragon Games, the Olympics for Supers. Participants will be challenged to
succeed in some of the hardest challenges City Of has to offer in PvE &
PvP. More details will be released later this year, but will you have what it
takes to bring home the gold?
The last major event of the season will occur in the fall. Both heroes and
villains will flock to the zones in a good versus evil competition. Over six
weeks each faction will be charged to complete a specific objective on each
live server. In its final seventh week the battle will move to Test Server for
a truly epic finale as players from all servers will be represented. There may
even be a few special guests who you will have the opportunity to fight
alongside and against.
As PvPEC gears up for this year, we invite each of you to come out and
participate in the various events even if you have had negative experiences in
the past. PvP has changed and along with those changes come the time to
objective try this content once again. It is our hope by offering such a wide
variety of events you will rediscover PvP in a more positive light.
Vol. 2, Issue 32
January 30th, 2009
This Issue:
Upcoming Events:
January 31st
Champion
Justice
Virtue
February 1st
Freedom
Liberty
February 5th
Pinnacle
February 6th
Pinnacle
February 7th
Infinity
-
Vol. 2, Issues 31 and 30
January 23, 2009
A double issue for the Double XP Weekend!
The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers! Read the latest publication and then join in on the community discussion!
If you have concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please direct your comments via PM to Ex Libris.
If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PM Snow_Globe
If you have a Classified Ad you would like included or join "The City Scoop" team please contact: Marcian Tobay
If you have an interview please contact: EmperorSteele or HumanMiracle
If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
If you have a base you would like featured, please contact EnnVee
Finally if you have a Recipe you would like included please contact: MistressNoire -
Vol. 2, Issues 31 and 30
January 23, 2009
A double issue for the Double XP Weekend!
The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers! Read the latest publication and then join in on the community discussion!
If you have concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please direct your comments via PM to Ex Libris.
If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PM Snow_Globe
If you have a Classified Ad you would like included or join "The City Scoop" team please contact: Marcian Tobay
If you have an interview please contact: EmperorSteele or HumanMiracle
If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
If you have a base you would like featured, please contact EnnVee
Finally if you have a Recipe you would like included please contact: MistressNoire -
The City Scoop Staff
-
-
Base Showcase
At what point did you
imagine a room in your base could be used as a Clue game board?
-It's not the entire base really, just a single room. I thought about the idea
of using the entire base, but quickly dismissed it, because you would have
walls in between rooms and you couldn't see other players. Wouldn't be as fun
in my opinion. But I think I was talking in the Victory Badges Channel and for
some reason I asked what some good board games were. I realized we have a dice
emote, and that would be perfect for most games. Someone replied with clue, and
that's the one that stuck. I love clue.
How long did it take to set up? How much prestige?
-It took me about 7 hours to make the room. I went online looking for a picture
of the game board, and counted the number of squares for length and width. It
was 24x25. I initially planned on using the tiles with sg symbols to represent
the moving area. Then I quickly found out I didn't have enough spare prestige
to do that. So I looked at the floor patterns and one was perfect, it made each
floor sector "divide" into 4 squares. So a 6x6 room would be 24x24 squares, one
off from clue. As for the amount of prestige I don't think it costs more than
400k. I'd recommend having 500k prestige available, in case alterations want to
be made.
How many successful games have you played?
-We have played one game so far, and it was a success. The players enjoyed it,
even thought it was last minute. I gathered the suggestions from them, and will
work on improving it. Overall the only real suggestions were to use vent to
communicate, and a better checklist for the players. Luckily one of the players
is a Graphic Communications Artist and has agreed to do the checklist for me.
How long does a typical play session last?
-The session lasted about 2 hours if I'm correct. Again that was using typing
based communication and having to go over the rules, to ensure everyone
understood. I'm sure with vent being used. Players will be able to go about the
same thing in a more timely manner.
Overall the game was a success and I think once I get it set up perfectly, I
might try to make another game into a room, or possibly try to conjure up my
own little game.
@Tife the Gilded
My SG, The Brothers of Agincourt, on Victory Server has made the very first
City of Heroes Clue Board in their SG Base. At short notice we held a game to
get some playing in
and to see how to make this better. I've determined that we'll attempt to get a
Vent Server Set Up that can be used for this purpose, to make the game seem
more like Clue, and allow players to interact better with each other while
playing.
Its not amazingly decorative, but it serves its Purpose for the moment. As we
earn more prestige, we will attempt to make the clue board a lot better than it
currently is. We would love to have others come and visit and see what the game
board is like; as well our sg base is like.
Hopefully we will start hosting games every week or every other week and share
the fun.
The story!
-A Murder has taken place! Its Up to you to solve the crime!
-Who did it?
-Where did it happen?
-What was used as a weapon?
These are the things you are left to find out.
The Unknown Suspects
-The Arachnoid (Red)
-The Mutant (Yellow)
-The Human (White)
-The Hydra (Green)
-The Demon (Blue)
-The Alien (Purple)
The Possibly Weapons of Choice
-An Ancient Bone
-A Circuit Board
-A Clockwork Winder (I know, I know. What dastardly person would use a
clockwork winder as a weapon
)
-A Hydraulic Piston
-A Kinetic Weapon
-A Spirit Thorn
Rooms (Marked in Base by raised area with 2 banners with First Letters of First
2 words of "Room" Name)
-Arcane Essence Room (ex. labelled as AE)
-Arcane Glyph Room (ex. labelled as AG)
-Magical Artifact Room
-Magical Ward Room
-Mystic Foci Room
-Tech Material Room
-Tech Hardware Room
-Tech Power Room
-Tech Software Room
All of these were chosen, because there is a salvage piece that can be used to
represent each one, semi-accurately.
A Blood or DNA sample salvage represents all suspects.
-Arachnoid (Arachnoid Blood)
-Mutant (Mutant blood Sample)
-Human (Human Blood Sample)
-Hydra (Hydra DNA Sample)
-Demon (Demon Blood Sample)
-Alien (Alien Blood Sample)
Weapons are named after the salvage representing them.
Scene of Crime is Recognized by Base Component Salvage.
Room names are all named after the base component that represents them.
Rules:
In All cases, you'll need a unbiased person to be your "Envelope". The
"Envelope" should take one of each salvage randomly (A Suspect, a Weapon, and a
Room), and keep it on them, then they will randomly distribute salvage to all
players equally, and are not to speak of who has what. Since the number of
players determines how many salvage each person gets, here is a list of how
many salvage a player needs to be able to hold, in order to participate with
the given number of players.
6 Players = All Players get 3 salvage (Any Six players can play)
5 Players = 3 Players get 4 Salvage and 2 Players get 3 (Any 2 players and 3
that can hold 4 salvage)
4 Players = 2 Players get 5 Salvage and 2 Players get 4
3 Players = 3 Players get 6 Salvage
2 Players = Both Players get 9 Salvage
All players should start the game off with no salvage on their character, to
help ensure there is no confusion.
The purpose of the game is to deduct who did it, where it was done, and what was
used. Players do this by making suggestions like, "It was the Arachnoid, in the
Arcane Glyph Room with the Ancient Bone!" Players can only make suggestions
while they are in a room. Each player has a designated starting location in the
room, depending on the role they are taking. Each location is color-coded. The
Arachnoid (Red) player will always begin the game first. And turns continue in
clockwise order, based on Banner position in the room.
Order of Turns: Red, Yellow, White, Green, Blue, and Purple
1) A player's turn consists of "Rolling" a dice 2 times and totaling those rolls
(/emote dice)
---If the rolling player interrupts a dice roll, that roll is considered a 1.
---If a player is in the tech hardware room, they may opt out of rolling and
take a "secret passage" to the magical ward room and vice versa.
---The same goes for the tech material room and the mystic foci room.
2) Then moving a number of squares equal to that number of rolls. Players can't
move diagonal, only to adjacent squares.
---Players can only enter rooms through "doors" designated by Stone Steps,
which leads to the elevated area (room).
3) Once in a room a player can make a suggestion.
---Players can only make a suggestion about a room they are in.
4) After a player makes a suggestion, In turn Order starting with the person
after the current player, other players attempt to disprove that suggestion,
until it either can't be or, it is.
---If a player's "role" is named in a Suggestion. That player automatically
goes to the suggested Room. And continues their turn from the new room.
---If a player before you disproves a suggestion then you do not have to
disprove anything, and it is the next person's turn.
---To Disprove a suggestion, a player reveals in trade window or through tells,
what salvage they have that disproves that the "Envelope" is not containing
that piece.
---Most of us are mature enough to be able to play with tells and not have to
worry about trade windows. If we aren't, its the "Envelope's" job to hold the
current position of the disproving player, so they don't forget where they were
before they went to real the salvage in trade window.
5) After the suggestion is Disproved (players must disprove a suggestion if they
can), or if it cannot be disproved its the next person's turn.
6) A Player may also use their turn to make an accusation. In order to make an
accusation a player can't move or roll. When a player makes an accusation, the
"Envelope" is to say whether or not that player was right. If they are, that
player wins the game. If not they lose, but must stay in the game, to be able
to disprove other players, as is needed.
All Salvage is to be turned back into the sg administrator at the end of the
game, so we can continue this run. This game does not require players to
join an sg, just a team. Players are welcome to make temporary
characters on victory server to join the super group to see the base and the
CLUE Board. And can quit whenever they please. The team option is only
available to players of the CLUE game itself. Players can contact our SG Leader
at @Tife the Gilded
Below is the CoH Clue Checklist (temporary one now, a new one will be available
shortly), which can be printed out as well as some pictures for players to look
at. We hope many of you come and see what its like, even if its just to glance.
Click pictures for larger versions.
