Powerbomb

scratch that. still not working. I did manage to get it to redownload some files when i told it to do a consistency check, but it still stopped at Thirdpartysoftwarereadme.txt...

Error Message:

Error Code: 8 (DownloadFileCorruption):

Corruption detected in a downloaded file 'C:\Program Files (x86)\NCsoft\City of Heroes\CityOfHeroes_Main_2060.201108180101.1.0To21 00.201109080039.1.0.ncpatch'.

Attempt To Repair:

Current File 1/41: Thirdpartysoftware.txt <Freezes at this file>

Error Code: 58 (FileGroupApplicationErrorRollbackNotAttempted):

Errors occurred while applying the patch,

and a rollback was not attempted.

The product is likely in an inconsistent state and should be repaired or reinstalled.

The patch application errors are as follows:

The server did not return the file size. The URL might point to dynamic content. The Content-Length header is not available in the server's HTTP reply.

nslookup:


Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Owner>nslookup cohlive.patcher.ncsoft.com
Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.42.129

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: a1755.g.akamai.net
Addresses: 63.80.4.8
63.80.4.80
Aliases: cohlive.patcher.ncsoft.com
cohlive.patcher.gtm.ncsoft.com
cohlive.patcher.ncsoft.com.edgesuite.net


NSApplication Log 9/14/11 12:07


2011-09-14 12:07:06.6051 : 1 : Error : Creating ErrorState



Summary For :
======================================
--> MachineName: STEVE
--> TimeStamp: 9/14/2011 7:07:06 PM
--> FullName: NC.Logging, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
--> AppDomainName: StubDomain
--> WindowsIdentity: STEVE\Owner

Exception Information Details:
======================================
Exception Type: NC.Patcher.UserFriendlyException
ErrorId: FileGroupApplicationErrorRollbackNotAttempted
Message: Error Code: 58 (FileGroupApplicationErrorRollbackNotAttempted):
Errors occurred while applying the patch,
and a rollback was not attempted.
The product is likely in an inconsistent state and should be repaired or reinstalled.
The patch application errors are as follows:
The server did not return the file size. The URL might point to dynamic content. The Content-Length header is not available in the server's HTTP reply.

DetailedMessage: Error Code: 58 (FileGroupApplicationErrorRollbackNotAttempted):
Errors occurred while applying the patch,
and a rollback was not attempted.
The product is likely in an inconsistent state and should be repaired or reinstalled.
The patch application errors are as follows:
The server did not return the file size. The URL might point to dynamic content. The Content-Length header is not available in the server's HTTP reply.


Data: System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal
TargetSite: System.Object CheckForExceptionAndReturnResult()
HelpLink: NULL
Source: _Launcher

StackTrace Information Details:
======================================
at NC.Patcher.FileGroupApplier.Apply()
at NC.Patcher.FileGroupOperationPerformer.Perform()
at NC.Patcher.PatchApplier.PerformApplicationSteps(Fi leGroupApplicationSettings applicationSettings)
at NC.Patcher.PatchApplier.InternalApplyManifest(Mani festApplicationInfo manifestInfo, IList`1 propertiesFiles, PropertyBag otherProperties, Boolean isResume)
at NC.Patcher.PatchApplier.InternalApplyPatch(PatchAp plicationInfo patchInfo, IList`1 propertiesFiles, PropertyBag otherProperties)
<--Saving Stack Frame-->
at NC.Utilities.AsyncOperation.CheckForExceptionAndRe turnResult()
at NC.Utilities.AsyncOperation.StartSynchronous(Deleg ate method_to_run, Object[] parameters)
at NC.Patcher.PatchApplier.ApplyPatch(PatchApplicatio nInfo patchInfo, IList`1 propertiesFiles, PropertyBag otherProperties)
at NC.Patcher.Patcher.InternalApplyPatch(PatchApplica tionInfo patchInfo, IList`1 propertiesFiles, PropertyBag otherProperties)
at NC.Patcher.Patcher.InternalApplyPatches(PatchAppli cationInfo[] patches)
at NC.Patcher.Patcher.DownloadAndApplyPatches(Downloa dablePatchApplicationInfo[] patches)
at NC.Patcher.Patcher.InternalRepair(Int32 maxNumPatchesToApply, Boolean updateToLatestFirst)
<--Saving Stack Frame-->
at NC.Utilities.AsyncOperation.CheckForExceptionAndRe turnResult()
at NC.Utilities.AsyncOperation.StartSynchronous(Deleg ate method_to_run, Object[] parameters)
at NC.Patcher.BasePatcher.Repair(Int32 maxNumPatchesToApply, Boolean updateToLatestFirst)
at NC.Patcher.CompositePatcher.InternalRepair(Int32 maxNumPatchesToApply, Boolean updateToLatestFirst)
<--Saving Stack Frame-->
at NC.Utilities.AsyncOperation.CheckForExceptionAndRe turnResult()
at NC.Utilities.AsyncOperation.StartSynchronous(Deleg ate method_to_run, Object[] parameters)
at NC.Patcher.BasePatcher.Repair(Int32 maxNumPatchesToApply, Boolean updateToLatestFirst)
at NC.Patcher.CompositePatcher.InternalRepair(Int32 maxNumPatchesToApply, Boolean updateToLatestFirst)

Exception Information Details:
======================================
Exception Type: NC.Downloaders.BitsException
Error: SharpBits.Base.BitsError
Message: The server did not return the file size. The URL might point to dynamic content. The Content-Length header is not available in the server's HTTP reply.

Data: System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal
TargetSite: Void DownloadFile(NC.Downloaders.DownloadTask, NC.Downloaders.DownloadOperationState, NC.Downloaders.UriInfo, NC.Downloaders.FileManifest[], Int32)
HelpLink: NULL
Source: _Launcher

StackTrace Information Details:
======================================
at NC.Downloaders.BasicBitsDownloader.DownloadFile(Do wnloadTask overallTask, DownloadOperationState overallProgress, UriInfo uriInfo, FileManifest[] internalFileList, Int32 fileIndex)
at NC.Downloaders.BasicBitsDownloader.InternalDownloa d(DownloadTask task)
<--Saving Stack Frame-->
at NC.Utilities.AsyncOperation.CheckForExceptionAndRe turnResult()
at NC.Utilities.AsyncOperation.StartSynchronous(Deleg ate method_to_run, Object[] parameters)
at NC.Downloaders.BasicBitsDownloader.Download(Downlo adTask task)
at NC.Downloaders.DownloadTask.Download(String sProductID)
at NC.Patcher.BasicFileRepairer.DownloadFiles(List`1 filesToDownload)
at NC.Patcher.BasicFileRepairer.RepairQueuedTargetFil es()
at NC.Patcher.FileGroupApplier.DownloadRepairFiles()
at NC.Patcher.FileGroupApplier.Apply()

Specifically the file it gets stuck on is THIRDPARTYSOFTWAREREADME.txt

Been trying to download the latest data so I can be ready for Freedom/i21.

I got to about 60% complete when I now get a constant error. I've tried rebooting, and repairing. All repairing does is get to the same 60% point and then pop out the same error.

The error is:


Error Code: 58 (FileGroupApplicationErrorRollbackNotAttempted):

Errors occurred while applying the patch,

and a rollback was not attempted.

The product is likely in an inconsistent state and should be repaired or reinstalled.

The patch application errors are as follows:

The server did not return the file size. The URL might point to dynamic content. The Content-Length header is not available in the server's HTTP reply.

What gives?

Honestly, people complain about Exemplar, yet before CU2, these were some of (not these current folk, mind you) the same people complaining that SideKicking anyone under Level 20 was pointless, because they couldn't survive in the higher level zones, and so it was Side-Kick Power Levelling (to some extent this is still the case. when i'm sidekicked with my Level 43 Friend, and he's taking on things that are purple to me... i'm not exactly much help.)

Now they've created a way that he can stop with his Level 43 Character, and come help me clear a few missions... and then go right back to playing at Level 43, no big deal. and people complain that "Oh, the risk doesn't justify the reward"... sure it's a lot of risk. but for some of us, the risk *is* the reward. Playing with your friends *is* the reward. actually being challenged to survive in the game again *is* the reward.

At Level 32, my Spines/Invuln Scrapper wanders around all but the deep-south area of Brickstown without fear. I can take on mobs up to +5 my level. I've got some screenshots of me with over 50 +4's (Bosses and LT's included.).

Or, I can SK down to a lower level friend, and *really* feel challenged.

to me, the Risk is the Reward. You work debt off so fast in EX that dying isn't a big issue. and most importantly, and this is the kicker:

Why would you let yourself die when you're Exemplared?

That's just.. well. Poor Playing. Hello? /unexemplar. Click the button. Anything, and *pop* you're back to normal. you're not going to die. whatever you're fighting is obviously lower than you. you're going to squish it with your finger. then you just re-ex. *very few things* in the game Pre 35 can just "One shot you" in a team. and when they do, on occasion, again, your debt workoff is so fast, it's *really* not that bad.

But i've never died while EX'd. i just don't get that.

Edit: I was looking back at some of the posts I missed, and an argument was that "You can't make XP as fast because you're not gaining a single point of XP , EX'd"

This is True, However, you have to factor in a few key things:

Let's say I've died a few times today with my 32 Blaster. I've got say.. 100K Debt.

If i kill a group of yellows, let's say I get 200xp total for each. let's imagine i'm constantly finding groups of 10. so each one is 100 xp and 100 debt. for a total of 1K Exp and 1K Debt. I need 300K to level. I will have to kill 100 groups of mobs, to earn 100K of influence, and clear my debt. or 100 X 10 = 1000 Mobs. At a timed rate (according to hero planner) of about 2K/Minute, i could average out around an hour of playing, and clear my debt, assuming I don't die again, which obviously was what got me the 100K debt in the first place.

I will have literally in that hour, gained only 100K Exp.

If I RSK to someone, I have a "backup" Death Prevention Plan to UN-Ex at any time. Meaning it's unlikely I'll die again.

I get the same 200XP as Debt Reduction (i don't know about you, but that's what I get.) I can kill the same-con groups of 10. However, because I have a friend with me, because I am killing things much lower level, and because we can kill them faster, I am getting around 4K/minute reduction... and at 200XP/pop, i only need to kill *50* groups of mobs, or 500 mobs instead of 1 thousand. and i can kill that half the mobs in half the time now, because i have a friend with me helping me kill. So now, it only takes me 20 minutes or so (give or take) to work off the debt (in the only real debt-reduction experiment i tried, it was much faster. in truth more like 15K/minute.) and now, with the other 40 minutes, i can work debt free, un-ex'd, in the same space, and now making 200xp/pop instead of 100, i can make 160K XP in the same time. Wait. that means i worked off my debt in half the time, which gave me twice the time to gain xp...which means i gained nearly DOUBLE the xp.

Yup. Exemplar sure sucks. No fear of death, because you can Un-Exemplar at will.. you work off your debt twice as fast, leaving you on par with gaining exp normally (at worst, because you could work off your debt in theoretically the same amount of time you're actually working it off. the math averages out very close to the same.) and at best, you could make up to double your xp, once you're done working off the debt. Hmm.

no hard numbers, just visual estimates.

Prior to Update #2, my tanker would get immobilized maybe once out of every 4 times he went up against something with an immobilization power (Stone Cages, Fire Cages, Etc.)

Now, it seems like it's closer to 2 out of 3 times. It's very frequent to get stuck. however, he's a tanker, so being stuck really isn't a big deal. the mobs always come within swinging range.

but my Scrapper (who just hit 30 tonight. yay!) runs through Crey Ice Rays, (which Immobilize and in the case of Crey Protectors, Hold) and DA Shamans, and has SJ and Acrobatics, and doesn't get immobilized or held very often. Maybe 1 in 6 times on average.

the simple fact that it used to provide (Estimated) about 75% chance to resist an immobilization...

now it provides (Estimated) about 35%-40% chance to resist an immobilization.

so without "alternative help"... you're going to get held much more frequently with CJ alone now.

Prior to CJ was all you needed.

two people here so far complaining, including OP about how they "need" CJ to play their Character.

more will follow, i'm sure, as this follows along and explodes into yet another nerf thread.

yeah, just like smoke grenade had an exploit to it.

it's percentages were simply incorrect, so it was abused as soon as it was realized "Hey, this is more effective than anything else in the game, and i *need* it to play."

And likewise, as it seems, any characters, in general, who rely on a *single* power to their character, instead of the character as a whole, are those people who need my tagline the most. look at every whining "nerf" post...

"Oh no, they nerfed smoke! oh no, they nerfed Smoke GRenade! oh no, they nerfed Combat Jumping!"

They all focus on people saying "I *need* this power to play!"

[ QUOTE ]
As a DA scrapper, my set is the only scrapper without immob. resist so I need this to work to do my job. It drives me nuts how many teams I'll be in and it seems like the Death Mages just know to nab me with Midnight Grasp, and I have to sit and watch the fight go by, trying to hit things if they run close enough by me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Solo, I can't help you at all.
However, in teams, there's no reason Midnight Grasp should "stop you" unless you're in an apparently "bad" team. there are so many different ways to break the hold. Plus, getting Acrobatics also raises your ability to resist/ignore immobilizes, holds, and knockdowns (it doesn't specifically say immobilize, like CJ does. but on my scrapper with just CJ Right now (he's lower level) , i *do* get immobilized/held pretty frequently. on my blaster with SJ + Acro without CJ (since you can't use CJ and SJ at the same time.) I find that very *rarely* do things like Midnight Grasp, Stalactites, Bitter Freeze Ray, etc. hold me. The only thing that *does* get me on occasion atm, is Crey Protector "hold"... but if i pop a Discipline Insp before going into the fight, i can even resist that hold most of the time.

My point is more that I believe, personally, the resist for Immobilization was around 65-70% for CJ. meaning it gave you a really high resistance to immobilization. Now it's probably more around 35-50%. dramatically lowered (as I said, i have a scrapper who only has CJ right now. and he gets held pretty frequently.)

I dunno. I think it's more of a challenge this way.

If you haven't noticed, Poz and Geko have lately been on a witch-hunt for exploited powers, and exploits in-game. Missions no longer allow "Helpers" (High levels to sit in the zone out of team, to kill things in the event of an emergency)... You can't sideline a highlevel to power level someone.. etc. This was just another in a long list of powers that needed tweaking to remove the exploit to it.

I can't say that an average of 282 hits/misses with a character against two varying mob levels is an accurate representation of the true "average accuracy"

I find i run in streaks with my Level 32 Ice/Rad Controller with just 2 Jacks out, with only a single-slot in it, and 1 Damage in it.

Some fights, he just tears the mobs up. never misses a beat. others, if I could shove a sword in my stomach, it'd save so much time than "Waiting" to die..

If you're going to do some sort of statement about his accuracy truly being broken (really, i'm not arguing that it's broken. there's a lot of issues still remaining with Jack Frost. heh.) I'd rather see more concrete hard numbers over a much longer span of time, versus the entire range of mobs.

Specifically, I say that because of the formula used to calculate Accuracy, penalties are applied based on it's level versus yours. Therefore, there should be a much larger variance, if it's truly broken, between White Minions and Yellow Minions.

In the end, i think his accuracy is still "remotely acceptable". His timing, however, is of a highly dubious nature.

As far as I can tell, looking at Video Caps of him in Action:
Non-ACC Met:
Ice Bolt (IB) 7 Second Timer
Freezing Touch (FT) 10 Second Timer
Ice Sword (IS) 5.5 Second Timer
Greater Ice Sword (GIS) 16.5 Second Timer

ACC-Met:
Ice Bolt (IB) 5 Second Timer
Freezing Tough (FT) 8 Second Timer
Ice Sword (IS) 4.5 Second Timer
Greater Ice Sword (GIS) 12.5 Second Timer

Frankly, in both cases, comparing it with the *reasonable* transcribed powers:

IS: 6
GIS: 10, not 16.5
FT: 16, Not 10.
IB: 4, Not 6.

The *main* concern here appears to be a possible error in the programming between FT and GIS.

By switching these two timers, to make FT longer in recast (since really, Jack casting FT is pointless anyway, your job as the Controller is to lock the mobs down. not his.) you would have Jack with an option to GIS every other attack instead of every 3rd attack. This would allow him to essentially follow up (with some programming finesse):

Open: IB &gt; FT &gt; IS&gt;GIS&gt;IS&gt;IB&gt;IS&gt;GIS&gt;IS&gt;FT etc.

A slight lessening of the recharge times (4/8/14/8?) would help him attack faster as well.

Lastly, I think the final kicker to make Jack *most* reasonable would be to alter his Hitpoint or Damage Formulas. Either Give him the appropriate level "Tanker" (Heck, give him Scrapper if you want) Hitpoints... or, increase his damage output to a level comparable to a Tanker or Scrapper.

At Current Prospect though:

At Level 32, he has 785 Hitpoints.

At Level 26, a Tanker has around 1060.
At Level 29, a scrapper has 876.

This seems to be a *gross* deficiency in his hitpoints, to me, personally.

and his DPS is severely lacking.

If you were to raise *both* then you would eliminate the need of other characters, which would be unbalancing. However, raising one or the other would make him much more useful, not only in Solo-Ventures, but also in Groups, as he wouldn't just be a pointless Aggro-Machine running around.

Probably because it was a bug (before) that was altered to be properly handled.

What's really unfortunate is that they altered this to work (as it should work, imho. I am guilty of the Run-Gun you could do with CJ/SJ. Fire and Forget.) but what they have not done, is lowered the mob-damage-trigger timers to an appropriate point for timeouts.

I have died, 4/5ths of the way across a zone, because an attack that the mobs were "getting ready to hit me with" was pre-queued into my system while I was escaping...

and it's not just the semi logical ones. (I could , forseeably, agree with say, a Tank Swiper's Grenade or a Malta Tank having some form of "Homing Device" ...

but being punched by an Elite Security Agent 1.56 Miles away, on a top of a roof, as i'm stopping to enter Crey's Folly?

Honestly, fixing the immobilization really lessens this particular issue, but not completely. (Acrobatics, Super Jump, and Super Speed, still allow you a fairly high chance not to be immobilized and get away.)

What's worse is that they *did* fix the Player Vs Mob aspect of the "Ultimate Long-Distance Attack".

If a mob runs outside of your range, even if the power is currently in process of attacking, it'll give you that happy "Invalid Target" or "Out Of Range" unless it's Melee. Melee Characters apparently are immune to the rules of physics, and can jump into the air with Super Jump, activate a power, fall to the ground, and flurry you from 50 feet.

It's this sort of "Timing Vs Collision Detection" issue that irritates me on *both* sides.