Redbone
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Posts
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Quote:I inadvertantly misused a term (an important one) but yes, that was the gist of it. I should have said "final cost" or something similar rather than "value."Originally Posted by Psyte
$40 minus $15 for the included month brings effective cost down to $25 since you won't have to pay for a month. -
Quote:You are correct. I was thinking seller side, not consumer side with my figures.Originally Posted by Scootertwo
This is not quite right.
should be
Total $40 plus a free month ($15)= $55 value for just $40 -
Quote:If it helps, think of it this way.Originally Posted by Dr_Darkspeed
This does sound needlessly confusing, to be honest. Why can't we just pre-order the complete collection? The 'upgrading' thing seems kind of pointless, especially since people won't be getting the months time with it, essentially making it cost more if you want to both pre-order and also want the complete collection.
This is really not that much different from a "booster pack" that costs around $15 and only gives early access to the two powersets.
They are basically saying "okay, you want to play the powersets early? Fine, that will cost you 15 bucks (maybe a little more) and there's this really convoluted way you have to buy the 'Early Powerset Booster pack'." -
Quote:Because it is digital only, there is a good chance that NCSoft makes more from the digital "basic" upgrade than the retail Complete Collection. Therefore, it is in their best interests for you to prepurchse it via them, nothing to manufacture, nothign to ship, no free month the $30 goes in their pockets nearly in its entinrty (credit charges and such notwithstanding). Buying the CC edition in a retail outlet is "really" only a gain of $25 since they "lose" a month of sub time from you, then you have to consider what the wholesale price was the retailer purchased it for plus what NC had to pay to manufacture and distribute, so the final net profit is far lower. If we digitally order the CC it still nets less than just the basic edition since they still "lose" the month of sub time ($25 take for the CC vs a $30 take for Basic).Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
No, both of them are GR the expansion. But the Complete Collection is not available for pre-order, and thus does not have access to sets early.
I still do not understand the logic behind it, myself...
And all that is before factoring in the price of the CC Upgrade pack which is more direct profit.
Yeah, what they're doing makes sound sense on the seller side, if not on the consumer side. -
I don't know, seems like a no brainer on the economics side:
Basic Edition - $30; no "goodies" early access to two powersets, online purchase only
Complete Upgrade - Price Unknown likely $5-$10; all the digital stuff, online purchase only
Total: $35-$40 final cost (originally said "value" which was inaccurate)
Complete Edition - $40; no prepurchase but all the digital goodies, plus a free month (and possibly an updated disk), online or physical purchase
Total: $40 then "minus" the $15 monthly fee = $25 final cost (originally said "value" which was inaccurate)
Seems the "sound" decision (economically) to to ignore the new powersets and go for getting everything on release for 10-15 bucks less. -
Quote:You know, I think your first statement is due in large part to your second for a number of people. The "undercover hero/anti-hero" types tend to not be the "master of my own fate/take over the world/muahahaha" types since they're working for the baddies for a reason outside being a hired thug (usually to bring them down). From a story standpoint, it actually makes more sense given the canon set-up on redside to be a undercover hero or anti-hero than a Dr Doom/Magneto type.Originally Posted by BrandX
The problem with redside, in my experience, is most players who aren't focused on merits, would rather play the hero (even if it's a anti hero type) than a villain.
Add to the fact, that redside arcs, really don't make one feel like a master of ones fate, and more like a pawn under another. Darrien Wade's arc for instance. -
Quote:Has anyone worked out the current "post-GR" badge totals (pending new additions in I17 and GR, of course).Originally Posted by Chad Gulzow-Man
Gratz Alpha!!!
Gah, 1300 combined? It took so long to get my Hero to the max, now you're making me do it with my villain too!?!
Just kidding, I was planning on doing it anyway... >_> -
Quote:I have a friend who has a pair of 10Ks and they do sound like a jet engine powering up for take off. He eventually went with adding sound dampening materials to the case which brought it down to a barely noticable roar.Originally Posted by Sardan
I'd be cautious. A friend showed me his new system with two 10K drives, and the thing was howling like a banshee. Not sure what brand it was, but if they're all that loud that'd be a huge disincentive for me.
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Quote:Yeah, the "5 zones" thing is a bit of a running gag. It's pure speculation (admitted, good speculation, based on current zone design, but speculation just the same). Invariably, when someone is discussing GR, "5 new zones" pops up. My personal feeling is it will actually be 5 (one for every 5 levels plus one for "not in the city here there be monsters") but there's no real data to back that one up.Originally Posted by Darkfaith
A quick question here...where did the 5 zone info come from? All of the information I've read/heard has said "several new zones" with no specific number. If you've got a source for that it would be appreciated so that someone can update the wiki and info posts.
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True, Ultramode is going to be one of the cornerstones, if not THE cornerstone, of (free) Issue 17. Also true is the devs refusal to buy me a new rig (I asked and Dr Aeon ignored me
). So, I, and many others, will not get much (if any) use out of Ultramode.
That said, while UM may be THE big feature of I17, it isn't the ONLY feature of I17. There's more to it (new arcs, UI changes, new badges, AE additions and so on). Sure, I won't be "getting my money's worth" out of this issue, but then again, so what, it's bloody free. I get something from it, at least.
Now Going Rogue, that's a different animal. It's got side switching and 5 zones, and two new powersets and a new 1-20 level path and costume parts and so on and so forth, and that's just what they've told us about. There's also the tantilizing possibility of end-game content and IO sets and other new things to do. So, yeah, when I plunk down my $30-40, I will be getting my money's worth because there's a load of stuff already mentioned plus some only hinted at.
While I could understand someone deciding that I17 is going to be a "lame" Issue because of Ultramode being a big part of it, it appears, at least from the timeline and the way things have gone that I17 wasn't entirely planned and is bits and bobs from the free issue that will accompany GR (like the issue that accompanied CoV) that were finished already along with some stuff that was sitting around unused from either past or future issues and was ready (or almost ready) to go. It was finished, bundled, packaged and shoved in the out box as a stopgap between I16 and GR to keep the lag time from being so large between issues. I'm happy to get it even if I can't use the "big shiney newness" feature. At the very least it will hold me over for a while until GR hits. -
Quote:I have to agree with this. If the requirement is 10 words from X Category then finding 10 words from that Category, even if they aren't the originally intended 10 words in the originally intended places, should be a win. Without a correct word list to work from and given a large enough pool of possible words, there are going to be "unintended correct incorrect answers" in letter blocks of this size (and with ones that can bend the word like last week, the number increases). Even in "real" word searches in magazines dedicated to them, you can find unintended words in far smaller letter blocks, but their absence in the given word list keeps people from indicating the false hits (though there are some puzzle fanatics that specifically look for them and only them).Originally Posted by Dark Quill
Avatea: If you want to eliminate some of the technical difficulties, you can just relax some of the rules. You could announce, for example,
(a) A solution that has exactly X correct words from the stated category, whether or not they are the originally intended X words (or in the location intended), will be deemed correct.
(b) No words in the list will be less than five letters long.
This would have given the same winning solution this week, while eliminating difficulties with duplicate correct words.
Word searches are "easy" puzzles, they are intended to be fairly straightforward and simple to solve in a short span of time. They're issued to children learning to spell because they are easy. The variations on them are slightly harder (no word list, bending words and such) but combining those variants increases the difficulty exponentially (last week being a good example). Sadly, word searches will either be quick-solves or slightly-less-than-quick-but-still-fast-solves or nigh-impossible-in-the-given-time-limit.
While the word search is the most "fair" of the three "contests" (Spot the Spot is biased towards A) people who play a lot and B) People who can log in right that moment and Creative Caption relies on not "writing a good caption" but "writing a good caption that appeals to Ocho's particular tastes and judgement," an important distinction) it is also the one that is going to go the fastest or be nigh-impossible with little middle ground. -
This Quartz has this to say about his experiences during the recent hero attack:
"...and that's when she kicked me right in the jewels... Okay, technically, I'm all jewels, but you know what I mean...."
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If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest. -
Quote:The one thing I don't get is what use is a stealth power where you cannot move? Going AFK in a mission? I've wondered about this since it was rumored to be in the "Natural Booster" that eventually got Ninja Run.Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
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Quote:If it follows the trend, it will be a limited utility power. Every "extra" power gotten through a preorder or special edition and to a lesser degree the booster packs, has been of limited utility (reskinned sprints, TP to PocketD, TP to Mission Door, Jump Pack, Self-Destruct, Tarot Card Buffs). There's no reason to expect this one to be any different. Useful, especially in the lower levels, but situational.Originally Posted by Adeon Hawkwood
It is specifically stated to be an invisibility power. Given the way stealth works in the game to avoid providing PvE stealth when stacked with a stelath IO it would need to be VERY low magnitude which would render it completely useless. The only powers of that low a magnitude are the phase shift powers and they provide something useful aside from stealth. The only alternative would be if it were a short duration click power rather than a toggle.
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Quote:An associate just mentioned that he thinks this is not just ONE faction, but a nested faction with subfactions in it that are selected based on your AT and/or powerset choice. IE You're a Tanker/Brute with SS or EM you get NewFactionA, if you're a blaster with Psi or Energy you get NewFactionB and so on.Originally Posted by Golden Girl
Also, I don't think this is our nemesis system - it's just another faction.
Going by their design choices so far, there's no way they'd release a nemesis system unless it could be better than the CO one in some way
Interesting idea, not sure if the game has the tech for it or not. -
Quote:If you put a gun to my head and made me make a wager, I'd say the GR preorders go out late march/early april with formal and full closed beta starting around the same time (Some elements notwithstanding like powersets hittign earlier) with I17 hitting test ASAP.Originally Posted by Energizing_Ion
Agreed. A bit later than expected (to me at least) but looking at what we get with Issue 17....it's not bad...it seems like I17 will be on test 'soon' and then by the time it's released probably closed beta of GR will start a few weeks after that (would have to give it a few weeks just to make sure all the kinks/major bugs are worked out).
Fine by me
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Quote:I htink it's a fairly safe bet to say you're right. A lot of "eventually, maybe, possibly" stuff that ended up on the back burner (or the back of the chrisper drawer in the fridge next to a fluffy green blob that might have once been a carrot) went back on the menu with Champs announced and a fresh fire lit under it when Champs launched. The CoH Devs are basically competing with another group of Devs who has access to exactly the same ideas that were htought up before the NCSoft buyout. From there it was just a race to see who could get what done faster and who could get what done better when it came to that idea pool.Originally Posted by Lothic
I've been seeing people make that suggestion here for years.
The Devs may have even been working on something like that for years as well.
But I still believe that the existence of CO's Nemesis system has now actually made the "doppelganger" idea a viable priority here.
Once again I'll say I love competition, especially against an inferior game that we can cherry-pick the few good ideas they've come up with. -
Quote:Yes, the July target date is "new." From the banter here, it seems many thought it would hit test in Jan/Feb and be out April or May-ish (just from the idea that Beta would be "soon"). While July doesn't surprise me as the target, it is later than I had expected.Originally Posted by tensionfade
I think this is the first time we've (I've, anyways) seen an actual release-ish date. Bonus on getting the power sets a little early as well...
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Okay, just so I know I'm reading this right before I get all over myself and start browbeating friends into returning or subscribing for the first time..
The "pre-order goodie" is early access to the two new powersets.
There are two editions of Going Rogue: The Basic Edition for $29.99 with nothing but Going Rogue access and the Complete Collection (basically the Collector's Edition) for $39.99 with the added extras. -
I'm afraid you may be right. "Bent word" puzzles are difficult even with a word list since it requires every neighbouring letter of any given letter in a word be checked. In a puzzle of this size it's no wonder no one got it in the time limit given the 700+ possible words.
Assuming my math is right:
If a word can only have one bend that's a 6 letter check at every "dead-end" letter that doesn't end a word, so 13 checks in a given word, and the odds play out that there's two startign letters from every word on the list of 700 words, 9,100 possible letter checks (130 if every word has a bend and you know the list of 10) to get all 10 if you happen to be unlucky and the last word you search is the last in the possible list (about 2.5 hours constant looking without break plus the time required to find an initial letter followed by a second possible letter not counting false starts, finding more than one 2 letter starting points).
If a word can bend more than once, it gets crazy. Averaging 5 letters per word that's about 29 possible letter checks to hit all five letters from finding the initial letter possibility, and over 20,300 possible letter checks for the list of possible words. Looking at one letter per second, you'd get through the whole list of possibles (at 700 possibles) in around 5 hours and 45 minutes of constant looking without break plus the time to find a 2 letter starting point and not counting false starts.
Since we don't know what words are in the puzzle, much less which of them will have a bend in them, yeah, I can see how this one took a while. -
Okay, I officialy give, not enough time to find 3 more, circle them, upload them and port.
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Quote:I've found at least one duplicate listing in the puzzle.Originally Posted by Avatea
Come on people, make your eyes bleed a little! It's always fun to see letters all over the place after doing a big ol' word search the right way!
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Excerpt from The Jacks Sketch Monty Statemans Flying Circus - Circa 2010:
Second Jack: G'day, Jack!
First Jack: Oh, Hello Jack!
Third Jack: How are you Jack?
First Jack: A bit crook, Jack.
Second Jack: Where's Jack?
First Jack: He's not 'ere, Jack.
Third Jack: Blimey, it's hot in here, Jack.
First Jack:*Hot enough to boil a monkey's bum!
Second Jack: That's a strange expression, Jack.
First Jack: Well Jack, I heard the Prime Minister use it. 'It's hot enough to boil a monkey's bum in here, your Majesty,' he said and she smiled quietly to herself.
Third Jack: She's a good Sheila Jack, and not at all stuck up.
Second Jack: Here! Here's the boss-fellow now! - how are you Jack?
(fourth Jack stands just off camera with Paragonian person, Ocho)
Fourth Jack: 'Ow are you, Jack?
First Jack: G'day Jack!
Fourth Jack: Jack.
Second Jack: Hello Jack.
Fourth Jack: Jack.
Third Jack: How are you, Jack?
Fourth Jack: G'day Jack.
Fourth Jack: Gentleman, I'd like to introduce man from Heroland who is joinin' us this year in the philosophy department at the University of Croatoa.
EveryJack: G'day!
Ocho: Hello.
Fourth Jack: Ocho, Jack. Ocho, Jack. Ocho, Jack.
First Jack: Is your name not Jack?
Ocho: No, it's Ocho.
Second Jack: That's going to cause a little confusion.
Third Jack: Mind if we call you 'Jack' to keep it clear?
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If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest. -
Here's the really horrible part, no idea how to insert an image and no place to upload one.
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Quote:Good grief, this is a tough one. I've managed 8 not counting the 4 above, "first names," duplicates and single letter "last names" (Agent G). I'm also assuming (Cho) Ge doesn't count either, since it shows up many, many times in the puzzle by sheer random chance.Originally Posted by Avatea
No, it isn't. Bell, Fish, Ku and Lin were not in the list of names I used to generate this word block.