SilverAgeFan

Pretty much this.

It's been a hell of an eight year ride for me. I've enjoyed so much of my time here. But I've said goodbye. There are things I fight for every day, year after year in my non-CoH life. Those investments of labor and love get priority, despite how much I've enjoyed this title, the members of my local community within it, and the development and community management teams.

To everyone still reading, I say a fond and earnest, "Goodnight and good luck."

There are a couple things that feel missing from all superhero games, especially MMOs including this one. I'd hope any future generations begin to include these.

1. - a "manipulation mode" for player characters as a fully developed aspect of gameplay. a bunch of pre-alpha minigames need to be developed IMO to flesh out this idea and test what is feasible, what is fun and in time what is balanced. But powers should be able to double as environmental manipulation powers when switching into this mode: i.e. picking up i-beams, welding joints, carrying civilians (or kidnapping as the case may be), creating ice columns to support structures.

This would require a more robust application of physics with a careful eye towards the now fairly established genre of physics puzzlers. I imagine "manipulation mode" could be then applied to permit heroes to rebuild a large structure with a ghosted template of parts. If you have someone with fire or electrical powers, you can weld the joints. Otherwise you need to escort or carry up available civilian welders and their equipment.

I imagine more complex applications during trial type events where some heroes may need to be in combat mode while others are in manipulation mode. "Cover me while I straighten the train tracks" sort of scenarios, etc. Clicking glowies and simple health bars are admittedly last decade at this point. Much more could be done.

There is also room IMO for things like welds, combination locks, etc. to be sorted out with puzzles a la the classic Puzzle Pirates, with the ease of the puzzle directly affected by enhancements to specific applicable powers.

2. - a persistent world in the non-instanced part of the game that moves with a comic book urban rhythm. Not talking about night and day cycles here. But a rhythm of calm followed by waves of petty crime followed by calm followed by city threatening plot followed by heroes actively participating in the rebuilding and recovery from damage then repeat. Or something to that effect. (EDIT: I personally don't feel that CO's zone events really captured this. In part it is too predictable. Think something more fun than the Steel Canyon fires, but as varied in location and now make a dozen different things that could happen in any given corner of the city during a crime wave. And crimes need to somehow spill over their spawn location without being so messy that they interrupt everything in the zone or kite all players into participating regardless of their intentions when logging in--a tricky balance to be sure!)

There needs to be more dynamism with emergent narratives IMO. There needs to be a meaningful dynamic for the chase. Cop cars chasing bank robbers, petty thieves running down alleyways, etc. More rooftop avenger type stuff. Chose to catch a thief or trail them back to a hideout.

The manipulation mode (yes a poor name) described in item 1 would come into play as the rebuilding phase after a big battle topples a landmark. And it needs to be fun game play, as fun as combat. (And it could be IMO with some experimentation and minigame style research.)

And all this needs to somehow be tied into uncovering plots and stories. Contacts should be dynamic. They should contact you sometimes and then when you accept to pursue that story, should request a meeting someplace--maybe someplace different each time. The location character should fit the contact: a dark alley perhaps where they emerge out of an instance door and approach you, one of the semi-RP/social interiors such as a diner or gymnasium where they await at a table or come out of the locker room to meet you, etc.

The sub-genre of hero MMOs still has a lot of room to grow creatively and in turn a lot to offer back to the wider genres of MMOs and electronic gaming in general.

I hope the former Paragon crew will reform to continue advancing this genre.

(and yes, non inventory-based character customization as presented in CoH is perfect as is and remains the paragon for the sub-genre IMO)

Feel about the same on this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu79R9IxqvE

This ^ ^

Between i24 and this, I agree.

As much as it will sting, I hope at some point a former dev or CSR can let us know what power sets beyond what was found in .piggs were slated for development between now and i28.

Nail meet head.

Likewise.

Can anyone confirm if this is legitimate? It sounds like good news but I'd hate to spread a rumor.

Maybe. But the last day can mean much to certain players.

Heh. This community as a whole has never done well with dev silence!

And everyone should be emotionally prepared for if the game IS cut free, THERE WILL IN ALMOST ALL LIKELIHOOD be a period where all the servers are switched off. Beyond that, they may even need to be re-established and consolidated. If the game survives this gambit, things will change. So be ready for that. (And use the Sentinel tool to back up what you love as much as you can!)

If you're not a member of Triumph Watch 2.0, join the channel, make a tab for it and when an admin (several still play--they have a star when viewing the channel members) ask to be unsilenced.

Say hello when you drop in. Things still form there. Though it can take admittedly longer. I am finding though that the vets and the LFG channel people in general have a much more congenial attitude overall, taking teams when they find them even if it is not specifically what they were after.

There is a pallor over the community, kind of like being at someone's wake. The circumstances, as Uber Guy has articulated, have sensitized some of us to "seize life" (albeit digital life) while it lasts.

There is a handful of us keeping the faith on Triumph. I have contact with some old server regulars out of game and off the forums. I've heard from several that they are just a bit too bummed out each time they log in.

Everyone is mourning in their own manner. I was similarly depressed. Now I've gotten defiantly stubborn about playing as much as I can within the time that is left and having fun and hitting all sorts of little goals.

It's worth it so far. But every so often I do get down again when I realize "damn, this is a pretty great game with quite a wide range of content and options." I will be sad to see it go.

Too bad NC Soft doesn't do maintenance mode. Makes me never want to buy another title they distribute since it means once a game gets over the hill the plug will be pulled as company policy. I like getting attached to my characters and my character roster.

If it gets saved and if it means an independent decoupled Paragon Studios (or reformed organization of similar developers under a different name), I'd very quickly lay out several hundred bucks in a points purchase in addition to a resubscription.

2xp seems to be perma-on

Also, it takes a couple dips back into the pool to shake that post-funeral feeling. But if you can do it, brave it. I'm back in on days that I have time and having a blast. Deliberately PuGing when I can. TFs. Trials. The lot. The camaraderie (at least on who is still around on Triumph) is pretty good. Lots of positive attitude, kind of like at a luncheon following a funeral.

Anyways, to all those with severe CoH blues, do it--get in game--have a few last rolls in the hay. You'll be glad you did in the long run.