Obsidius

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Here you go. All images resampled at 1920 x 1200 @ 72 pixels per inch
Hero

Destroyer

Invasion A

Invasion B

Armor

Rikti Atlas

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Excellent, thanks

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As for Widescreen variants....hmm. I confess it never crossed my mind. Let me discuss with the graphic design dudes, and see what's possible. Probably won't happen for a little bit, as they are super busy, but I'll certainly bring it up.

cheers,
JS

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Thanks Jesse The wallpapers look spectacular, but having a 1440 x 900 (or equiv) option would be icing

GJ on the schwag!

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Does anyone find it weird that a newsie is yelling Extra Extra, Rikti have returned! While the city is being bombed and crumbling around him? Thanks, newsie! You're so helpful!

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Their powers of perception astound me

Obsidius hadn't experienced the First Rikti War. The Dimensional Entities did not send him to Paragon until right after the war, when she was in her weakest state, in dire need of help.

He had been through many trials by fire before then, as a slave to his makers, and afterwards, as a hero of the city. He learned the ropes of his current profession from the Back Alley Brawler, someone who had been there. Brawler had instructed him to never let his guard down - to always be vigilant.

But nothing could have prepared him for this day.

Obsidius was one to drop in on his enemies unexpectedly, from above. "They never look up," that was his motto. On this day, however, he should had been the one looking up.

He took rest in an alley, channeling the power of the earth to heal the plasma burns on his back. The Drop Ship had got the drop on him during his flight patrol, the same way he got the drop on his enemies. By the time he was aware of it, the ship was bearing down from above, cannons blazing with malevolent purpose.

As the burns subsided, he heard the sound of bombs exploding and the unmistakable drone of Rikti portals opening, not far from his hidden resting spot. Seconds later, the screams of citizens rang out in horror, echoing against the alleyway.

Obsidius shrugged off his injury and picked up his axe. The city was in peril again, perhaps the worst peril since he arrived in this world.

Another day, another trial. The Entities were apparently not done with him yet.

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Not too bad but I still say they should hire the player that made that other I10 preview on youtube to do their trailer work. This video felt like it was just giving me an overview of the zone where as the player made video actually got my really hyped up to play I10.

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Well, to be fair, this was the "Zone Overview" trailer, much like the "Invention Overview" trailer we did for I9.

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Well, I'll buy that for a dollar Looking at it again, being specifically about the RWZ, and not about the entire issue, the video hit the mark, given the specific context.

Not a bad voice over either. It's no Don LaFontaine, but it's good for a guy who doesn't do voice acting for a living

First "substantial" post after a red name

Edit: sp

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Attention these warnings are annoying in Steel Canyon. Please be advised this is really not getting any more tolerable!!!

Attention I really can't handle these warnings anymore in Cap Au Diable. Non-Combatants are warned not to login or they won't be able to read any chat!!!

Attention, how did this spam fest make it past the test-server bet nazis in Grandville?! You are advised to please find some way to turn these off or I will be forced to go insane!!!

Attention, are you starting to get the idea in Steel Canyon?! There's only so many of these you really need to see? At the very least roll all the current attack zones into one message that only goes once every 10 minutes or something. I really can't stand it!!!

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lolz, off-topic

err... Attention, lolz!

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Reports have come in from around the world...San Jose, Orange County, Santa Monica, Brighton...

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Got an Enigma Prize in my pocket for anyone who figures out my logic.
cheers,
JS

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Although I know I'm not the first, I had to respond:

Cryptic is in San Jose.
NCSoft have offices in Orange County, Brighton (England), and Santa Monica (and a lot of other places).

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That's my guess also

Although there are some celebs that should be melted IMHO, so in this vein, I welcome our new alien oppressors!

Nice vid - good overview of the RWZ.

Only complaint - needed to touch on the zone invasions, if only for a second.

I often come to the Base boards for decorating inspiration. I'm always looking for the best way to inorporate design with function, and these boards have been an endless source of inspiration.

The base for the Paragon Regulators has been a hobby of mine since bases were introduced in I6. Since then, the base has gone through one plot upgrade and some major changes, as we continue to build on our success (and are no longer being robbed when we pay rent ).

The base is always a project in the works as we add and change things, but Shard_Warrior's picks inspired me to finally post pics of our own little piece of Paragon City.

So here goes!
<ul type="square">[*] An isometric overview of the Paragon Regulators base. It currently uses an 8x12 hidden plot grid.[*] The Entrance doubles as a study, and contains many mementos and war trophies. It also has a small tribute to SG's inspiration, and the first trainer for many of us, the Back Alley Brawler.[*] The first room after the entrance is the Main Hall and Teleporter Room. Along with the Ancillary Teleporter Room located to the northeastern corner of the base, the SG has access to any beaconed zone (with the exception of Terra Volta).[*] Opposite the Entrance is the Medical Bay. The Auto Doc is the most recent addition (thanks to the hard work of our newer empaths), and includes Inspiration Storage and a Reclimator with Operating Table nearby. There's some Hamidon Goo on the counter next to the microscope.[*] Connected to the Medical Bay is the Base Control Center. Nothing fancy in here (yet) since I had to move some rooms around recently, besides the Inspiration Container, but we'll think of something.[*] North of the Control Room is the new Generator Room/ Arboretum. This new room is an upgrade from the basic Power Room, as we needed more room for the bigger Turbine Generator. However, with the surplus space at the end of the room, we added a Hot Tub (powered directly from the new Generator) and a poolside bar.[*] In the northwest corner of tha main hall is attached the base's Workshop. The SG has many Enhancement containers, one for each origin (although the advent of IO Enhancements may see this lessened in the future). Also in the workshop are a Tech and Arcane Tier 3 Empowerment station, a Tier 1 and Tier 2 Tech table, and two base salvage containers.[*] Taking advantage of the workshop's space, we also have an Invention Alcove and personal storage Vault. This helps to facilitate Inventing, and storing IO enhancements in the base.[*] Finally, on-duty SG members can find some rest in the squad bay, or watch some TV or play games during lulls in civic duties.[/list]Thanks for all of the inspiration everyone I look forward to seeing more beautiful pictures in the near future!

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*Picks up thread*
*Puts it back on the tracks*

The boxing stuff is cooling *looking*, but like the samurai stuff, there won't be many times I can use it.

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I dunno... gives me some ideas for an MA scrapper w/ Boxing

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And it's better than all the people with nothing better to do than get their panties in a twist because I don't believe the rumor mill.

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Exactly. Why waste your time?

Edit:

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Ignignot: Hello, Carl, I am Ignignot, and this is Ur.
Ur: I am Ur!
Ignignot: We are Mooninites from the inner core of the Moon.
Ur: You said it right!
Ignignot: Our race is hundreds of years beyond yours.
Ur: Man, you hear what he's sayin'?
Ignignot: Some would say that the Earth is *our* moon.
Ur: *We're* the Moon!
Ignignot: But that would belittle the name of our Moon, which is the Moon.
Ur: Point is, we're at the center, not you!
Carl: No, the real point is I don't give a damn. (slams door)

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Now that I re-found this thread thanks to a diligent poster, it's saved for posterity on my SG's web site.

Thanks for the great shtick Ascendant

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I'm currently reading Stephen King's Wolves of the Calla, and I noticed a certain Ex Libris a bit over halfway in the book.

Coincidence?!

Why does the quote in her signature tell me not?

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I've read the entire series... how could I have missed that?

Always a good read guys. Keep up the good work

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Jason Rowe kind of made me feel sad at first, but then I thought, that's who these kind of games are perfect for. In-game, he can be who he wants to be, no one sees his disability and feels sorry for him (like I did when I first saw the picture.) I imagine virtual worlds can be a great outlet, they allow people who are constantly treated as different to be treated just like everyone else for awhile.

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QFT Vox - I felt the exact same way. The virtual world cares a lot less about RL physical handicaps. As long as you have some sort of interface to a computer, you're set.

Good reads guys Congratulations!

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(...) there was this one night that I was ready to go home but had to drop the browns off at the super bowl before I left for home. While on the throne it hit me. I stayed for a few more hours and that why we have the pain pads in the game.

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My coworkers are wondering why I've become hysterical with laughter...

Not that everyone else at Cryptic isn't cool, but Jay is my new hero.

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I expect this to pop up in a few sigs very soon...

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&lt;.&lt;
&gt;.&gt;

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(...) there was this one night that I was ready to go home but had to drop the browns off at the super bowl before I left for home. While on the throne it hit me. I stayed for a few more hours and that why we have the pain pads in the game.

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My coworkers are wondering why I've become hysterical with laughter...

Not that everyone else at Cryptic isn't cool, but Jay is my new hero.

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Then the signs began again, but we did not see them.

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&lt;eyeroll&gt; Maybe some didn't see the signs. To me they're like big billboards

Humor aside, I can't wait

Finally, a practical use for a flying tank (taking out destroyers )!

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Thanks for the food for thought guys. Although I'm not going to switch any powers when I respec Obs, this definitely does give me many avenues for moving some slots around and getting some extra speed out of him

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Paragon Times: This is a wonderful addition to the "City of" franchise but the PT came along with someone's creative genius and for whatever reason they are no longer part of the project. Arctic_Sun has being doing his part to bring it back online using his own creativity and now branching out and allowing for some player involvement. Because this is official and hosted on our main page the turn around time is much slower than say the "City Scoop" which is entirely run by players. The Paragon Times must go through an arduous process each time it is produced, involving three NCsoft teams, Community, Web, &amp; Legal. That can equate to a slower process overall.

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Thanks for the clarification on this point Ex. I think many people (myself included) were somewhat confused by the (until recent) disappearance of the PT. This helps clarify what the real issue was, and, although the format has changed a little, I hope it becomes a re-continuing occurance on the web front, as it added a lot of background flavor (IMO) to the CoX storyline, especially in regards to issue tie-ins with the overarching storyline.

Having guest writers also adds a nice change of pace to it as well, IMO.

As for other web initiatives, any chance you could hire the EU web designer for a stint, for a US Cox web facelift?

I kid, I kid!

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Remember the Paragon Times?

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Speak of the devil...

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Yeah......first one in how long? How long til the next one?

And not to slight UnSub in anyway but unless he started getting a paycheck from Cryptic or NCSoft it just another example of something that used to come from them and now comes from us.

Its like going to Starbucks to get a 6$ cup of coffee, finding that the Barista is only there to take your money now and that you have to make your own 6$ cup of coffee with a set of directions scribbled on a napkin. You may get a decent cup of coffee but odds are very good that it doesn't taste 'right' and you still got charged 6$.

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Touché. I'll admit that the last article did feel different. However, if you give the original articles at a value of 1, I suppose you could give the latest article a .75 (if one were to make a serial comparison as opposed to A vs B (apples vs oranges)).

But I still argue that 1 &gt; 0, and .75 &gt; 0.

OTOH, IIRC, it was stated that the Times take up a lot of time to make (take that as you will, personally I'm skeptic), which is why they were discontinued (until recently as it were). There is also the argument that not much of the active playerbase reads the Times.

But now that the SOP is in place to link the updater to the Forums (since the tech already existed), how much would forum readership go up with something like the Times in place (ala the power pool polls held a couple of weeks ago)?

Back more on topic however, the Forums are meant mostly to benefit the existing active playerbase. Although they could be used to create more visibility for the public, it's not as effective IMHO than doing something on myspace, or even the main web page (we're still waiting to see some of these other web initiatives Lighthouse! ). So although I am excited to see the Times kinda-returning to the Forums, they still don't perform the same basic function that a myspace page does.

(And to a lesser point, the myspace page doesn't take the staff off the hook for improving the main page, I'll concede that as well (Fan Site portal, anyone? ))

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Remember the Paragon Times?

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Speak of the devil...

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Let's see....

Approximately 100,000 subscribers TIMES $15 a month EQUALS 1.5 Million US Dollars a month.

Yeah, no way in heck they could possibly afford to have a TV commercial air during the Heros TV show or put a commercial on the screen as the preview to Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

I mean after all... if you can't afford it and you can't be certain you'll hit your target demographic why bother. Right? That clicking sound you're hearing is my eyes rolling in my head.

MySpace may indeed be free, and you get what you pay for.

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Let's see...

Pseudointelluctualism strikes again...

There are costs associated with business. This is called overhead.

Can you tell us what the total cost is for Cryptic and NCSoft for the following items?
<ul type="square">[*] Property tax/ building lease[*] Building security system maintenance[*] Utilities[*] Employee Salaries[*] State Taxes[*] Federal Taxes[*] Software licensing[*] Hardware licensing (router/ switch support &amp; maintenance)[*] Tariffs (if any)[*] Bandwidth costs[*] Workstation maintenance and other IT costs[*] Server maintenance costs[*] Road show costs[*] Giveaway items[*] Any of the other (possibly innumerable) costs I can't even think of[/list]I don't pretend to understand the accounting structure of NCSoft and Cryptic, like I don't pretend to understand the maintenance of a nuclear submarine But I do understand there's more to most businesses than revenue and advertising.

But there again, SOE put out movie theater adds for EQ2, and it worked for them, right?

Erm...

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"Many self proclaimed gurus were ambushed and deposed. And finally the truth won out." - Peregrine_Falcon

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Advertising 101.
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If you really want people to hear about your product. Shell out the dough for a Television Commercial.
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Aim small, miss small.

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Actually, thats a bit contrary to what one would learn in Advertising 101, but I can see what you meant. The reality is, however, that telivision advertising is a VERY harsh, expensive, and rather elitist sector. What channel do you use? What timeslot? How do you know if you're reaching your target demographic?

Here's a few primers on this complex subject, if you're interested: Economics of TV ads, Advertising philosophy, and a breakdown of costs.

Given this, I can see why a smaller company would choose to embrace the Internet socialization network. While it doesn't embody the mainstream, I agree, it still affects enough people who DO influence the mainstream.

Good note on the need to link to a more informed site, btw. Didn't notice that myself.

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Information &gt; Pseudointellectualism