Prof_Backfire

I just had a riot of a time with my namesake Kin/Rad on an ITF.

Maybe it actually helped that I was basically still Scrapperlocked, as Kin really benefits from the mentality of getting up close and personal so you can benefit from your buffs and clicking everything all the time.

For once, it's the game mechanics that inspired by character concept instead of the other way around- I really feel like I'm draining my foes' power and energy and throwing it back at them, hence the Backfire.

Though the way I play, I barely use SB and ID on a large team (when I do, one after the other) unless I see one of my team in trouble or could use a bit of a pickup, because it's not worth the hassle to keep everyone with those two buffs and I'm keeping everyone plenty buffed/healed/end stocked with my offensive powers.

...maybe I'm just like mouse bullet time. I barely use my arrow keys except for toggles. (Leadership pool thanks to inherent Stamina!)

Aye, variety helps too given that Defender powersets are so diverse. A kin, a rad, a dark and an emp are going to play completely differently- and that's often a strength, since they'll all benefit each other in different ways to make the team far more well-rounded.

The truth is that for optimal team performance, it is a good idea to have a decent variety of ATs on the team, but not any specific combo at all. Any team will generally benefit from a Defender, Controller or Corruptor, and a tank makes tactics a lot easier. But it's seriously only at super-self-imposed-challenge-pro level that you have to seriously start worrying about everyone's AT and powersets.

Besides, most of the devs that seem to have left have been around for years now. Would you want to keep working on the same game for half a decade?

Clearly, a memorable avatar is key to being remembered on these boards. Will keep that in mind.

I figured when I saw this place I needed to whip the forums into shape. I'll keep directing people here from in-game, though it's not like that's necessary to play it.

Stamina being inherent really is the best improvement. I actually have choices in my build now!

This thread's been going for a while. Have any of the suggestions back from the start been re-implemented yet?

Threads like this are why we love newbies.

The main thing to remeber is that you have to actually try to make a useless character. Even a 12 year old playing this who gets a vague idea of powers and enhancements will probably end up with a perfectly viable, if far from optimal character.

Also, while you can easily tweak and optimise and do various crazy powergamey tricks with your character (they introduced purples pretty much just to cater to that crowd) there isn't really that big a gap between optimised and non-optimised characters.

And for the record, for most day jobs, you need to be inside the corresponding buildings. (City Hall, police stations, etc) It's an easy mistake to make, just check the yellow power icon.

I doubt the OP is even still here, but you may notice a trend of subscription MMOs going free to play recently. Thing is though, those are recent MMOs- and almost universally, ones that suffered huge population losses after failing to live up to player expectations, or never attracting enough players to maintain a viable business model. They became free to stay afloat shortly after release.

This game is the last one I'd expect to adopt a free-to-play model, not least because the game is already too entrenched in its existing gameplay model. It's older than World of Warcraft and has attracted a very stable population, and greater player retention than most games in the genre. The steady stream of additional free content, not to mention expansions, help keep the game in the news and bring in new players, and it's very newbie-friendly to keep them.

And no, City of Heroes never had lifetime subscriptions. Remember, this game is older than WoW, before all these newfangled dealies caught on.

Wait, we have the Cathedral of Pain now?! This game HAS changed!

I just bought this thing and resubbed, but I'm a little confused over exactly which extra items/powers come only with the Complete Edition. The wiki doesn't seem to have a page for it and I only know about the invisibility thing. What else should I know about?

I have no idea. A while ago, before Going Rogue.

Apparently, Stamina is finally inherent? (yaaay!) And Scrappers no longer get Physical Perfection? (booo!)

Does anyone remember me at all? Yes, Professor Backfire, as scatterbrained and reckless as ever, is back on the streets of Paragon wasting time and money on costumes and getting killed a lot!

Now I just gotta kill time while waiting for this monster download that I hope doesn't kill my connection for a month again. So, what's new?

From what I've seen, a lot of same-type powersets naturally compliment each other quite well.

Storm/Elec is one I think people forget.

When I first heard of it, I assumed it was all lies.

I did the same when the Going Rogue website first went up, mind.

Incarnates? What the heck?

This can't be real. It's like Duke Nukem Forever finally coming out.

PVP got revamped, everyone stopped doing it.

There's a couple new Epic Archetypes for villains, and come next issue they'll be unlocked by getting a villain to 20. Same with Kheldians.

Considering the forum you posted this in, I assume you're hoping for news on power and AT changes.

This makes me want to start a gimmick team.

Speaking of gimmick teams, every AT in this game is capable of soloing if the team consisted entire of it. And it's usually hilarious.

8 Blasters: Kaboomies!
8 Controllers: Remember when enemies used to have attacks?
8 Defenders: Just ask the Repeat Offenders.
8 Scrappers: TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL!
8 Tankers: Well okay it'll be a little slow.
8 Kheldians: Between Dwarf and Nova, you've pretty much got an entire team.

8 Brutes: SMASH! multiplied.
8 Corruptors: See Defenders.
8 Dominators: See Controllers.
8 Masterminds: So much carnage. So much lag.
8 Stalkers: Everyone on three... I said three! Three!
8 Soldiers of Arachnos: Possibly too good.

But 8 of these things? Brawling everyone to death? That could be hilarious, actually.

It's impossible to get to those islands without some flight or teleport powers, I'm guessing they're just for show.

I dunno what else they'd use for a time travel zone that fits with the game lore. I mean, Cimerora makes sense because so much of this game is based on Greek and Roman mythology, but when else would we go?

Hey, remember that not taking a travel power frees you up at least one power. Although some are good for IO sets if you have cash.

Sounds like I should get the Martial Arts pack.

Even just using Super Jump gives you a new appreciation for the scenery, or hitting doors on Halloween and just street sweeping. Reminds me of GTA.

Disguise as a stalker secondary.