SilverAgeFan

I've been thinking more about this thread and what the allusions to greater customization to be reveals in the coming months. It pains me to think that a Dev would toss around that word customization lightly, knowing the long history of power customization requests. But here are a few other serious options:

<ul type="square">[*]An abundance of new costume sets - GR may simply include oodles of new costume items
[*]Sound customization - with the new footstep sounds in i15, the foundation may be getting laid for an option to choose different footfall sound sets: i.e. metallic, heavy, light, silent, etc. This could also include a range of grunts heard when jumping.
[*]Back Detail Slot - Jet packs. Quivers. And everything else good to stick on your back. 'nuff said.
[*]Change height and/or character model at the tailor - would be welcome. but shame on the devs if they are building us up this much for this and this alone!
[*]A range of character gaits - THAT OTHER superhero game boasts a range of presets. I suppose, much to BaBs chagrin, we could too. Upright, hunched, stealthy, speed skating, etc.
[*]Gameplay application for previously RP'd details - secret identities, family relations between characters, etc. there MAY be creative though unlikely ways to shoehorn these details in ways that actually affect gameplay
[*]The return of skills? - this is a larger subset of the item above IMO. unlikely as it is, who knows. Maybe something like this is in the works.
[*]Private player housing - this item has been in the exit survey for years. never been able to imagine how it would work other than a mini base creator-decorator tool.
[*]Line breaks in character bio descriptions - This is the one I'm anticipating most. Why? Because if I expect that this is what the hype is REALLY all about, I'm sure not to be disappointed when we get a full suite of back items and full power customization with Going Rogue.[/list]
Seriously though, wracking my brain, that list is about all I can come up with as other options for further customization that may or may not be announced.

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I believe Champs Online is currently scheduled to go live on September 1st.
I expect our Devs will declare "Hey guys you're getting Power Customization" on or around August 31st.

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I call early August. Enough to make a few folks toss and turn at night as they squirm inside trying to decide to try out the new game or stick with the old. Y'know, head a few preorders off at the pass!

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I think you're misusing Occam's Razor here. We have the survey, the color change, some indirect developer comments as well as some more direct developer comments (today's count as more direct, Posi's longstanding comments on customization are indirect). What are we to draw from this? A paid expansion would be a good way to introduce more customization, and just today we have been told we will be hearing more in a few months. If imminent customization isn't the simplest explanation, than what is?

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All things Occam aside, also keep in mind that power customization to any degree would be a huge selling point for the GR expansion, even for folks who have asserted they are not the least bit interested in switching sides!

Happy Belated B-Day Niv!

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How will Epics and Patrons work!?

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Very good question.

An extended set of questions:

Would i16 (if in fact GR coincides with i16) include a new set of redside epic and blueside patron powers? Would epic powers be transportable but patron powers require that you stay "native?" And as a result would we see patron powers buffed to reflect this "sacrifice" of staying native? (I know I know, it is arguable that the thematic and tactical range currently available in blueside epics still out classes what patron powers can do...)

But yeah, that question you pose is a great one that will need to be resolved with GR somehow.

&lt;qr&gt; I am personally done with making MA arcs till we get a few more tools. I'm quite frustrated with custom critters and even more disappointed that the ability to customize their difficulty or powers DOWN for either thematic or level balance reasons was taken out of i15.

I guess I'm an oddball in that I enjoy the early to mid game quite a bit and am interested in making arcs with plenty of Custom Critters for that range. But they are often simply too overpowered for anything other than boss fights.

Just my 2 cents. But I still play MA arcs from time to time, trying to get new stories each time I do. It's usually the need for specific salvage or the desire for a few recipe rolls that will bring me back to the MA. But instead of farming, I like to play stories that are worth reading. Just how I prefer to do things.

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Come on, you've been here for five years. You must know by now that the developers never release any answers to any questions this far in advance. So what's the point of asking them? Enjoy the game as it is now (or as it is about to be, on the test server) and let the future take care of itself.

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True. But if we don't ask some of these questions frequently enough, how will they know what to include in the inevitable FAQ? And in fact, if we haven't been asking the questions, might that not delay the release of said FAQ?! And that is my ulterior motive here: The FAQ that is our birthright! So rise up forumites and ask! Ask frequently! For this is the only path to the FAQ!

i15 aside, I can't help but start looking forward to the eventual release of Going Rogue and the goodies it may bring. A number of questions have come to mind. I'm sure these will be answered in time as new info is rolled out, but I'm curious as to what questions others have regarding the expansion:

<ul type="square">[*]SG/VG Membership - is a character auto booted when they go rogue? are we given some sort of confirmation window or warning that we are close to getting booted from our group? Conversely, can we stay as "double agents" or whatever in our current groups if we cross over? Will there be an SG setting, like a moral tolerance level we can set within our groups?

[*]Neutral SG/VG's - On a related note, will it be possible to have neutral groups, comprised of neither heroes nor villains but mercenery types that ride that moral edge, doing both heroic and villainous content with access to both meta zones?
[*]Power Sets - Should we expect JUST Pistols and Demon Summoning in this expansion? Or are there several other powersets or some power proliferation coming with this expansion? I don't mean to sound ungrateful. Two entirely new sets is big for a free issue release. But then again, CoV brought about over a dozen new powersets upon its release.
[*]Back Items - So many people have asked for these. Each issue I get a little bit excited hoping this is the Christmas I get a real live jetpack Pony. I'm starting to lose hope that we'll ever get a full range of back details. But I could see this being a selling point for the expansion. Has it been included?[*]Starting Neutral - Will we be able, as the mythical survey hinted, start in Praetoria as a neutrally aligned AT, neither hero nor villain? Will this allow us to rapidly take a low level Brute blueside or conversely low level 'Troller redside, all before level 10?[/list]
These are just a few of the sets of questions that have bubbled up in my brain as I wonder what this expansion will bring. I am of course also wondering about how many tilesets and costume sets may be included and am eager to see some hints of these. Not to mention screens of the new city zones we will be getting. (And how many at that? 2? 3? A half dozen?)

Anyone else starting to get some burning questions about the expansion?

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I think it could have a better name than "Going Rogue", but I don't much care about the name. I care more that we're finally getting a boxed expansion. I've been asking for one for years.



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1) When did Issue 16 become "Going Rogue"? We know it's the next paid expansion but when was it announced as Issue 16?


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The "unsubscribe" link from the teaser web page:

http://www.newzyouwant.com/NCsoft/un...1_mailing_list

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Still puzzling over this response. Is this meant to link to some sort of confirmation that i16 is indeed going to coincide with the release of Going Rogue?

I'm not seeing solid information in either direction. Is linking to the unsubscribe link for GR newsletters just another example of typical forumite coyness? Or is there some information on either of those pages I'm simply not seeing?

Can someone from the community more in the know speak clearly about this?

Not trying to start any fights. Really just looking for a clear answer here as to whether we have any confirmation or not regarding GR and i16. Thanks.

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Probably has something to do with the fact that the link to stop update emails for GR says "ncsoft_issue_16_1_mailing_list" in it.

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Okay. I'm dense. I get it now. Thanks for taking the time to catch up the slow folks.

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I think it could have a better name than "Going Rogue", but I don't much care about the name. I care more that we're finally getting a boxed expansion. I've been asking for one for years.



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1) When did Issue 16 become "Going Rogue"? We know it's the next paid expansion but when was it announced as Issue 16?


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The "unsubscribe" link from the teaser web page:

http://www.newzyouwant.com/NCsoft/un...1_mailing_list

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Still puzzling over this response. Is this meant to link to some sort of confirmation that i16 is indeed going to coincide with the release of Going Rogue?

I'm not seeing solid information in either direction. Is linking to the unsubscribe link for GR newsletters just another example of typical forumite coyness? Or is there some information on either of those pages I'm simply not seeing?

Can someone from the community more in the know speak clearly about this?

Not trying to start any fights. Really just looking for a clear answer here as to whether we have any confirmation or not regarding GR and i16. Thanks.

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Shades of things to come with a more open world and moral compi? (Compi is the plural of compass, right? )

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Ah, no. Whatever gave you that idea?

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Mah brain gaveded it to me.

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http://www.cityofheroes.com/news/pat...y_release.html

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From those notes:

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MA: Two new maps available "Grandville Beach" and "President Marchand's Office".

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Schuweeeet!

Edit: First before a Red Name with a Hula Avatar!

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Was "Patent Leather" always there?

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Yes.

Also, the chest pattern "Tanker" is now it's very own top layer.

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So could you on a femme do Tanker, with bare arms showing while adding an emblem pattern to that? If so, very very nice.

And on males and huges, does that mean this is bare arms?

If so, tanker + briefs FTSAUW! (for the silver age unitard win! )

(and no derogatory remarks 'bout unitards!)

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Was "Patent Leather" always there?

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From day one.

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So. If you're on a villain, go to the RWZ. All of the mission giving contacts, including Borea and Lady Grey, now say "I don't talk to villains, $name." and offer no missions.

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Shades of things to come with a more open world and moral compi? (Compi is the plural of compass, right? )

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Bad's quickie costume review:

*New faces: some VERY NICE STUFF here. Both the male and female faces have new ones I'll be using, esp. the female ones. a few of which are drop-dead gorgeous.

*New costumes: Ulterior is a Justice revamp. Nice, but nothing to write home about.

Vines is a "tights" pattern, and a very nice pattern it is. It'll be all over the place, over here.

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Screamshots somebody for those of us who don't do test please!

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They drop from any foe that is capable of dropping level 50 common IO recipes.

47 Lts drop level 50 common IO recipes, so always have been good for purples.

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Never knew this. Thanks for the clarification Cat! Now to go find me the other 5 parts of Alpacalypse!

Very curious about the second purpler drop I've ever seen in game:

I was just soloing through Indigo's Marvin &amp; the Malta arc after hitting 47. I wanted the merits and to clear my arc slot.

The arc was capped on difficulty level 4 with level 47 baddies. This was the second to last mission where you rescue a Russian hostage in the sewer. I was in battle with on lone Operation Officer who was 47 (yellow to me at 47).

He fell. I heard that tell tale Kaching and glanced at my xp tab (a tab with only rewards in it) to see if I'd gotten a regular IO recipe (he's my blueside badger and I am shooting for all the invention badges, including the 45-50 IO badges) or a stinko pool A recipe. Lo and behold I see "Apocolypse Acc/Rech (Superior)" in my tab.

Check my recipes in disbelief. Ayup. A level 50 purple recipe off a level 47 Lt.!

That is not supposed to happen, correct? I mean I'll take it. But have they changed the parameters for purple drops and did I miss the announcement? Or was my understanding that these things are supposed to drop ONLY from 50+ minions based on fallacy?

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Used to be that if someone was a level 50, you could count on a certain level of skill and teamwork, because they had worked hard through all the zones, and knew what to do.

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You have to define 'level of skill'. I don't die very often and when I do hit 50 it will have been through my skill and my hard work soloing, but any mechanic that may involve teaming I will have no experience in. However, I also avoid PUGs, always have in any MMO. When I have grouped, it is to Mal a new MM to teach them about bodyguarding or some tactic they aren't familiar with.

Skill is relative to an individual experience. I will only have had experience with one char at 50 so my overall knowledge of other classes will be next to nil.

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Since the MA I've encountered lvl 50's that don't know how to slot enhancements or even where to get them.

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Or even get out of AP...that is just a travesty....

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Or how to identify a level trainer on your zone map, thinking Lady Liberty is the only place in the game to level up.

Or that it's probably not a good idea to dedicate 8 power choices towards all four travel powers on one build.

Or wait by the door at each mission, unsure of whether or not to stay with the team due to incessant door camp farming.

I've seen all those idiosyncracies become much more common since i14.

And this says nothing of a players awareness of nuances like... say the team status icon tray or how to access and make use of the global friends list or what a safeguard/mayhem mission is... *sigh*

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tyromancy - ( )
Divination or magic using cheese

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I predict that "Tyromancer" will be taken on every server by the end of today.

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As any devoted tyrophile can elucidate, tyromancer is an entirely redundant term.

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Sure I grit my teeth against them from time to time. I watch my steps more now. Maybe I'm just slightly masochistic like that, but this? FUN!

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I can't say I agree. Dying from a single Missile Swarm I could deal with when I could cause it to not be fired if I were careful. Getting one-shotted by a Gunslinger duet I could sort of see when I had means to prevent it from happening. But they're shooting their heaviest hitters first now, making it REALLY hard to do anything about it, and that's before we even look at bosses. A Gunslinger boss was always nasty, but a Fire Bullet from it isn't something I even want to consider.

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I'm not sure which side I'm on with the Malta and their improved tactical AI. I have a mid 40's mostly solo superspy whom for thematic reasons takes ALL the Malta and KoA missions she can (yeah, I geek like that). But man Malta has for me too in the exact ways you've described been pretty nasty as of late. I now need to do a lot of prep work (read: tons of trip mines and several redoubts for strategic retreats) during many Malta fights.

It's tough. Slow going. And at times frustrating. But when she solos a Malta mission on Unyielding now, I feel she's finally the badass superspy I'd always imagined! This tells me that despite the aggravation, I am having some kind of fun with the challenge.

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In the case of music, my object fetishism has been (mostly) satisfied by the resurgence of vinyl.

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I've spent the past few years fighting the urge to start buying LPs again because I know I'll go crazy binge-buying.

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I've tamed my own demons with an ironclad rule-
no buying anything I've previously owned (in any format).

a lot of the smarter labels give you a CD (or a code for a lossless download) along with the album- a nice touch.

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Not if 78's are your thing. I have a friend with two floor to ten foot ceiling walls of built in shelves packed with those things. I'm jealous. Reminds me of all the Decca 78's I had to let go during a move maybe 16 years ago. Some primo hard-to-find 1950's R&amp;B.

Dugfromearth's Zombi filled arc "I Dance on Your Grave" is quite good, especially the trip to the spirit world. It would be hard to solo, but could be done by some. IIRC, the ID number is 41119.

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Arc 26095 - When Trouble Blows In
Rating: **

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All good points and the suggestions you PM'd to me make good sense. This was my first stab at the MA.

Since taking time to write my first two arcs, I've been noodling about seeing how I can push things in terms of tricking the engine to allow for more espionage like activities--like meeting a man with a briefcase and getting a clue, etc.

I've also been playing a lot of arcs to see how other folks are telling good stories through these tools.

I'll agree that things got sloppy towards the end in terms of the writing. And I had some reservations about the contacts hammy accent. Believe it or not, that character, when I roleplay her, it's that overdone. But it's also not a wall of text--just one or two lines of banter barked out.

Anyways, some of the best feedback I've yet received on this arc. Was originally thinking about just scrapping it as it was a first attempt (I skipped open beta myself). But your comments inspire me to go back and see if I can't fix this story.

Thanks for taking the time.

And yeah, if you were IO'd or had some green SO's you probably would have been able to solo the CC's.

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Powers I want:

Shrinking (Defense Set)
Duplication (Master Mind Set)
Insect Control (Controller/Dom Set)
Water Blast (Blaster Set)
Possession! (Controller Set)

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"Insect Control" like "Giant Insect Control" or "Swarm of Insects Control"?

Personally I'd like to see both.


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Thought and suggested the same regarding insects--but opened it up to a broader "Vermin Control" set.

Swarms of insects, bats and other rodents would be quite nice.

Either for masterminds or dominators depending upon how the set actually functioned. The dom version in my mind would be sort of like storm with it's various short wave out of control summons, but add a touch of toxic damage over time and a more to hit debuffs rather than defense debuffs.