Peregrine_Falcon

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From the Ten Ton Hammer interview:

"Like writing a novel, mission arcs in CoX constantly evolve and spawn even more arcs."

What??? Since when? Please name one mission arc that's ever changed, ever. The above quote from the Ten Ton Hammer page is quite simply an untrue statement. The mission arcs in CoH/V have never evolved.

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Peregrine_Falcon,

I consider that the article is written Bruce Harlick's perspective and from the flow of mission writing that goes from Issue 12 to Issue 13 - which is what Bruce has been involved with.

While the statement may not be characteristic of the entirety of CoH/CoV development, it's accurate from the perspective of a mission developer who recently joined the team: Bruce.

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I searched that entire page repeatedly. That particular quote stands alone underneath that picture and appears nowhere else in the article.

From the perspective of a player or non-player interested in possibly becoming a player that statement simply is not true. The story arcs in CoH/V do not and have never in any way shape or form evolved. Ever. People are still complaining about the Positron Task Force what... 3 years after it came into existence? Why is that? Because it has never changed, it has never evolved beyond what it initially was. The story arcs and missions in this game do not evolve, claiming that they do is simply not true.

I'm sorry if I'm taking the language you're using seriously. I guess that I must have failed my Mental Telepathy skill roll.

Using the exact language of that statement as written and without any further context (because there is no further context to place it in) it is an untrue statement.

From the Ten Ton Hammer interview:

"Like writing a novel, mission arcs in CoX constantly evolve and spawn even more arcs."

What??? Since when? Please name one mission arc that's ever changed, ever. The above quote from the Ten Ton Hammer page is quite simply an untrue statement. The mission arcs in CoH/V have never evolved.

BTW, you're still calling Issue 13: Power and Responsibility? I ask because it's a new week and I was wondering if it wasn't time to rename Issue 13 yet again.

New website looks awesome.

But please, for the love of Darwin, hire a proofreader! There are so many spelling and gramatical errors on your webpage that it's just silly.

The main page seems to be up and running now. Links and all.

Wow, that was fast.

Really nice site. I already like it better than the old one.

I did notice that at http://www.cityofheroes.com/game_inf...y/longbow.html it says; "Viewed by Recluse as a mere annoyance, the Longbow units slowly hope to establish control over the many contested islands just off the coast of Paragon City."

I really believe that this should read; "Viewed by Recluse as a mere annoyance, the Longbow units hope to slowly establish control over the many contested islands just off the coast of Paragon City."

Also at http://www.cityofheroes.com/communit...nswerving.html it shows a guy holding a Blackwand above his head. With the latest change to emotes this action is no longer possible in game. I don't know if you guys care about this little detail, but maybe you don't want to show a screenshot of someone doing something that is now impossible for them to do?

Nice pic!

I hope the transition to the new site goes smoothly for everyone.

I love this event! Zombie Appocalypse baby!!! w00t!

Seriously. However, that being said there are a few things I'd like to suggest to improve it. Hopefully changes can be implemented this year, or perhaps NCNC will consider reactivating the event for a short time after said changes are made before next Halloween.

1) For my suggestions regarding testing and Q&A please see Zombie Man's post. Not only has he completely read my mind he has also stated it much better (and probably far more politely) than I could.

2) If NCNC isn't going to change the ToT spawns to levelless then can you at least have someone actually respond to our in-game petitions and ban the griefers?

3) I'm a bit disappointed that this event is so completely like the Rikti Zone Invasions. I get that it's far easier to copy and paste code, especially for an event that only happens once a year, but can't something be done to make it seem like it's not a compete rip off of the Rikti Zone Invasions? Ok, I realize that suggestion is vague and unhelpful, but I can't think of a good way to accomplish that. I'm certain that someone who is far more creative than I am will suggest something.

4) Zombie Appocalypse doesn't really seem that appocalyptic. Me and a friend were in a back alley fighting zombies and they were coming at us two or three at a time. Not very appocalyptic. My understanding is that large teams (or a large ratio of players to defeated enemies) cause LTs and Bosses to be summoned. Perhaps a system can be set up where if the team doesn't qualify for LTs or Bosses to show then more minion level zombies will start showing up. After all, being overwhelmed by hordes of zombies is what a zombie appocalypse is really all about. And this way there really would be "Safety in Numbers."

5) People outside during a Rikti Zone Invasion are safe if they stand underneath something. No such luck for the Zombie Appocalypse. I'd like to suggest that people standing on rooftops be safe and not targeted by the zombie invasion.

6) The zombie zone invasions don't happen often enough.

7) Zombies should spawn and attack mobs in the zone, and the citizens should either all disappear into doors or be attacked by and converted into zombies during a zombie zone invasion. Yes I realize that this is a teen rated game, but zombies attack people and convert them. It's what they do. Zombies that don't attack people and convert them aren't zombies. If I can light people on fire for the crime of loitering then surely having a few people converted into zombies isn't going to be a problem for your ERSB rating.

8) While I realize that the real reason behind the Zombie Appocalypse is because it's fun. And it is fun! An in-game reason for it, something mentioned by a contact somewhere or perhaps a clue in a newspaper mission, would be a good thing for immersion.

9) Finally, when I realized that we weren't going to be getting Tier 3s for ToTing I figured that it was done on purpose to preserve their rarity and to prevent people from simply using the event to farm for Tier 3s. However they are a nice treat that people really enjoy getting. Is it possible to set it up so that people can have a small chance to get Tier 3s from ToTing? Perhaps with it set on a timer like the TF rewards. Something like you can't get a Tier 3 from ToTing more often than once every 30 minutes or so.

People are also forgetting that it will probably take a lot longer than one year to get all of the day job badges. Remember that they said that these aren't all of the day jobs that will be available and they hinted that they will be adding more. So yeah, perhaps a lot longer than one year.

Oh, and how do you feel about veteran badges?

w00t! My Protector base made it into the Scoop afterall!

Thanks for that guys.

I actually laughed at the comic this week too. Nice work!

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You've have had another base featured recently, and we wanted to give others a chance to show off their bases as well.

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This is an untrue statement. Nothing of mine has ever been in the City Scoop. Ever.

No biggie. I actually thought it was funny that my base didn't make it in. Hence the smileys.

So I spend 6 weeks just trying to get someone to respond to my PM so I can submit my base to the City Scoop.

And now you're not even going to show it.

Nice.

Anything that gets the word out about CoH/V is good I suppose.

New PvP changes coming soon. I wonder if he's talking about more "balancing" or about PvP missions. Like say through Mission Architect?

Some information about coming Base changes would be nice though.

Thank you for responding to my post sir.

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Once we have a workable solution that Billing and Customer Service can sign off on, we will allow players to gift Microtransactions post haste.

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Thank you for that bit of information. I've seen other people mention this so I know that I'm not the only person looking forward to this.

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Yes, yes, Rocket Packs are on Sexy Jay's todo list, I just am not exactly clear on when they will be done.

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Well, I would like to point out that there are jetpacks in game already that could be used as costume items. Just a thought.

Dear Positron,

Good afternoon. Thank you for responding to our questions for more information about Issue 13.

And on a side note. Please fix the store so that I can purchase Booster Packs for other players as gifts. I'd like to purchase 10 or so of these for my friends that also play. Plus I'd like to give you my money to help with the development of my favorite game. However, since I only have 1 account and I can't very well purchase 10 Cyborg Packs for 1 account then I guess that I'll have to keep the money that I would have liked to have given to your company.

P.S. Rocket Pack costume items please.

Thank You.

- Peregrine Falcon

Bought the Cyborg pack this morning, as soon as I saw that it was available.

Won't be renting the jetpack, I already have a few of those. Got no problems with NCSoft renting them out. People did ask for them.

However, can we please get a jetpack costume item already?!?!!?!??!?!??

So is the City Scoop currently accepting submissions for articles?

If so, what subject(s) and word count are acceptable?

Good issue. I enjoyed the "Why I joined Longbow" story, very entertaining. I also found the Market Watch article very informative.

I've also noticed that the last several issues have not had a Base Spotlight article. Despite this my attempts to submit my Protector heroside base have still received no response.

For those of you that will say that if I don't like what's in the City Scoop that I should submit my own content (as many people including a redname did last time) I'd like to point out that that's exactly what I am trying to do.

And here's the obligatory smiley: so that people won't mischaracterize this post as an angry rant, which it most certainly is not.

<QR>

I spent more than $10 on lunch today. On lunch. And three hours later I was hungry again. Kinda seems like a waste huh?

My point is that $10 really is nothing for those of us that have a job. For those folks that don't, the free time that they do have should allow them to do whatever they do to earn the inf to purchase the respec recipe.

It seems to me that this goes a little way towards balancing the Hardcore vs Casual players situation.

Oh, and those of you that think this is just horrible. That NCSoft wants to "soak us for money, boo hoo" or words to that effect, let me just say that last I heard NCSoft is a business. And their business is making money. If they don't make money then they can't pay their people, they can't hire more people, etc. Those of you that are criticizing them for adding this option are essentially criticizing Wal-Mart when they add new items to their stock. More things to sell to their customers means more choices for their customers and more money for the company. Please allow me to welcome you to the Real World(TM), where everything runs not on gasoline or electricity, but on money.

Of course if you don't want to pay $10 for a respec please remember that no one will hold an Assault Rifle to your head and force you to do so.

- I'm Peregrine Falcon, and I approve this message.

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Simply put: We make sure that nothing bad happens when people click on links in the Scoop.

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Oh I believe you, but I have two rules. One is never get involved in a land war in asia and the other is never click on links in this forum.

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I'm not trying to attack you, but we need more information to work with.

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Look, I was just stating my opinion. I told you that I personally prefer more hard data and less of what was in the scoop today. As I said I wasn't trying to flame or insult anyone. My opinion is that this issue is lackluster because it has a lot of fluff and no hard facts or information. Just my opinion. I'm not prepared to write a complete treatise on exactly what was wrong with each individual article. No do I want to have a long argument with you about it. I'm sorry if my opinion offended you, in the future I'll keep it to myself.

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What types of data, what types of information are you looking for?

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How about anything? How about any kind of data or hard information? I'm not picky. Maybe I'm in the vast minority and most people prefer fan-fiction and fluff pieces. I personally prefer helpful, useful data.

I'm not interested in writing for the City Scoop, so I guess that means that I'm not allowed to criticise it. In any case since you seem to be missing my point I'm done with this discussion.

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You seem to have missed the "Click here for more information." link at the bottom of the picture

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No, I saw the link. What I said is still true. I do not click on links in this forum ever. Too many rick-retard-rolls and garbage. More than once I've had a link actually take control of my browser forcing me to actually restart my computer in order to regain control of it. Reports and PMs to the Mods went unanswered. I finally started a thread asking the mods why these links were allowed to remain on the forums. My thread was deleted and I was sent a warning, BUT the thread with the link that took control of your computer was allowed to remain on the thread for several days. So yeah, I do not ever click on links in this forum ever.

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If anyone PMs me something and I haven't gotten back to them within 7 days they should remind me.

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My post was meant to be a reminder. You've responded to my posts on this and I appreciate that. The person who is in charge of the base column has read my PM, but never responded to me.

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Do you have any article ideas that you don't consider "fillers"? If you do, let us know. As it stands "I don't like it" isn't very constructive.

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I'm not a painter but I know that I don't like Picasso. That isn't meant as an insult to Picasso, it's just the truth. My post here was meant in the same way, which is why I went to great lengths in an attempt to be courteous in my post. I'm not trying to troll, flame or insult anyone, it's just that today's issue seems lackluster to me. It's getting so no one can post honest and constructive criticism on this forum anymore without being attacked by multiple people. Would you honestly prefer that I post "Great job!" in response to every single issue of the City Scoop? Or would you rather that I, one of your readers, tell you how I really feel about it?

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Except you didn't articulate why. You said that this issue seemed to be more "fillers" and less informative. You didn't say what you felt would be more informative, or what you considered "filler".

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Informative, full of actual information, more data and less Op-Ed peices. That's just my opinion, and I'm stating it only in response to your request so please don't attack me for my answer. As I specifically noted in my first post I've been wowed by the City Scoop staff before so I know that they are capable of it. Please realize that I meant my post to sound like; "C'mon guys, you're better than that, I know you can do better." It was not meant to sound like; "WTF??? You guys friggin suck! What do you call that?!?!" I appologize if that's how my post came across.

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At this point the only thing I've gotten from your posts here are that you are upset that you haven't gotten a response

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Nope, not upset. I was merely stating facts. I was also attempting to do so in a calm and courteous way. I'm honestly not sure if I failed to do so or if people are just being overly sensitive lately.

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Constructive criticism is all fine and well, but rather than throwing stones, perhaps then you should offer to help with the Scoop? It is put together by players for players.

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When Ebert and Roper pan a movie because it's bad does anyone tell them that they should make their own film?

When someone says they don't like Piccasso do people immediately tell him that if he doesn't like it then he should become a painter?

When someone says they prefer Ford to Chevy do people irrately tell him that he should go to college and become an automotive design engineer?

Look, I may not be an expert but I know what I like. I'm not a professional writer but I know that I don't like Stephan King novels and I am even articulate enough to explain why. Does that mean that I should become a professional novelist or shut up? Are you really planning on telling anyone that criticizes anything on the forums from now on that if they don't like it they should do it themselves? When Arcanaville does a thorough statistical write up on why one powerset is more powerful than another will you really tell her if you don't like it you should go write your own MMO? Are you serious?

I was trying to offer courteous, honest and constructive criticism. And your response is actually if you don't like it then you should do it yourself. Wow. I guess I shouldn't bother mentioning that in this issue of the City Scoop Dr. Quarterfield was incorrectly spelled as "Dr Quaterfield" for fear that you'll recommend that I become a professional spell-checker.

Is page 3 supposed to be an exact copy of page 2?

The City Scoop isn't showing up in the Community Digest.

The Babes of War ad while graphically very nice doesn't say which server the festivities are going to be held on.

I still haven't received any response to my attempts to submit my SG for consideration in the bases thread. It's been well over a month.

And finally, while I realize that this is just my opinion, my opinion is that this issue of the City Scoop is the most lackluster issue I've ever seen. Completely devoid of anything concrete or informative. I mention this because I've seen what the City Scoop staff can accomplish. I've been wowed by them before, more than once. A filler article here and there is one thing, but this entire issue seems like all filler to me.

Thank you both for responding to my question.

Ok, so on a related subject:

Recently a major change to the way Task Forces are handled in game was reversed because a large number of people filled a thread with disagreement of the changes the devs had made. I see this disagreement as something that has value to NCSoft. I currently believe that the devs want to know what we really think about something, instead of reading nothing but whitewash posted by people that are afraid to disagree for fear of the banhammer. (Please feel free to correct me if my belief is wrong.)

So my question is this: Won't your new rules and way of enforcing them effectively stop something like that from ever happening again?

Ok, I'll be the first to admit that I'll be as happy as anyone else to not have to see all 25 threads upset at the EM Nerf at the top of the forums 24/7. However, are we still allowed to post disagreements with dev decisions as long as it's done in a calm, courteous and nonflamable manner?

I'm being serious here. I'm really not trying to be a troll. I'd really like someone to tell me:

1) Yes, it's ok to disagree with the devs as long as you're not trolling/flamming/insulting/being a wacky nutcase/whatever else.

OR

2) No. You are not allowed to disagree with any redname on these forums.

I know this may seem kinda silly, but from what I've read in this thread it's starting to look to me like the answer might very well be #2.

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Mods, seriously, do you NEED a better example of what has turned these forums into a cesspool?

Flatly blowing everything completely out of proportion in order to continue to spew baseless garbarge.

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Now admittedly I've exagerated for effect, but if you carefully read the posts that Lighthouse quoted and then his response you'll see that what I wrote is essentially correct. In response to, "I am trying to get clarification on what is ok to say and what is going to get deleted." Lighthouse wrote, "you are not going to get that clarity because it is subjective."

Which means exactly what I said. Specifically in that Lighthouse is saying that whether or not a post will be banned or deleted is going to be completely at the whim of the moderation staff. Those of us who want to disagree with something will not be able keep from crossing the line because we don't know where the line is. That line is invisible, and Lighthouse is saying that the line is going to remain invisible. So yes, while I've obviously exagerated in my post the intent is correct. Lighthouse is specifically saying that they are not going to disclose exactly what is against the rules.

I personally have no problem following the rules, whatever rules NCSoft personnel choose to set. But I don't think it's too much to ask what those rules are. I'd like to know what the rules are so that I can be certain that I do not violate them.