Sir_Helm

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Or maybe it's because potential players looking for more information on CoX come to the forums and see DOOM! posts like the OPs and think, "This game is failing I'll go to WoW instead."
Bravo The_Phantoms! You're making things worse!

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No no, silly forum goers! Because I am feeling generous I'm going to tell you a truth that will possibly anger, upset, or (if I am really lucky) make you cry - the majority of players don't read the forum, don't know who you are, and most importantly don't care about ongoing the ongoing petty feuds between various 'forum personalities'.

And I use the word 'personalities' in the loosest possible sense here.

Population is seemingly low because the game is in Autumn, or pre-decline form. Is anyone in an SG that has had a significant and provable intake of new players lately?

Autumn's not necessarily a bad thing for a game - there's still no doubt great content and features yet to come, but the period of greatest subscription growth has passed. This can be quite freeing for developers - they have secured a loyal, long term player base and can embark on development they may not have been able to prioritise in the past. I see the Architect as a prime example of this.

The OP isn't wrong about his interpretation of some of the new and upcoming features - they could easily be viewed as developments focused on keeping the existing loyal playerbase entertained. And that's a smart move that I salute.

Would a graphics overhaul bring me back to CoX? Maybe. I've picked up a different MMO, a fantasy offering that was recently launched. I tried going back to CoX for the Halloween event and found but the relatively poor graphics and strictly limited game play (target enemy, hit follow if melee, cycle attacks) were too much of a cardboard banquet for my tastes.

Imagine drinking muddy, cloudy water all your life, then drinking a clear glass fresh from a mountain spring - this is the experience I have had.

Paying for a graphics upgrade pack is a two-sided coin - on the one hand what is it compared to what you've spent on subscription over the year(s), on the other - why should you fork over yet more money. I would pay if I were still playing, but I'm lucky to have a good, fulltime job.

I do not think it is *worth* a graphics overhaul for CoX - it is a game in it's Autumn stage of life. The impending release of a mission editor only confirms this for me. I would rather see energy put into a new MMO, an evolution of both the IP and the team behind it.

Something different - a single persistent server with a meta plot that percolates down to all levels of the game and moves at a slightly-faster-than-glacial pace for instance. Rather than relying on limited linear powersets offer players domains which they could develop in a number of directions (e.g. Domain: Flame - I can develop sweet burny melee powers and become a Human Torch, fire themed buffs/healing, shoop-da-whoop, or a mix of the above). Build in decent, functional PvP or the ability to switch sides from the start. There's so much that can be done within the broad genre of Heroes and Villains going from a clean state.

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Some people are never satisfied.
Seriously.

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I know! It's all low-server-population-this, and can't-find-teams-that with some folks. Tch.

I don't think folks need to worry too much about low levels rocketing through their levels since you only get one-bar of 2xp per 24 hrs logged off - so they could power through a low level in 5 minutes rather than 10 minutes say, once every 10 days or so. Where this will really kick in is for post-mid-career toons that have been parked for one reason or another.

Bottom line - it encourages alting, meaning that folks will have an increased chance of a selection of toons at different levels, in turn meaning they'll be able to form team with friends because they've got a greater chance of having something at an appropriate level.

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Post deleted due to not reading
Apologies Sir Helm, i just re read your post

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No worries, missed the original - it's all good.

Praf:
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You can use elemental attack sets with shields.

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Now this I did not realize - I misread that only one-handed weapons would get shields exclusive, so this definitely bumps up the elemental shields in my esteem. Cheers!

Wacky Khoracky:
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I wasn't aware the costume designs also came with an extensive metallurgical or material analysis telling you what they're all made out of! I'm sure the energy shield is made out of congealed hopes and dreams. Or maybe bubblegum.

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Actually I think my shield is made out of Urmumian.

Off Topic for a millisecond:

There's a lot of rage about on the forums lately. Remember the mantra: don't post in anger, never post in rage. Otherwise try this handy haiku on for size:

If you cannot laugh
Pull out PC network lead
Huff the Internet

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WAR currently has the best team search facility of any of the MMOs I play; click a button and it gives you a list of open teams, with the distance (time to reach them) number of members, and what activity they're engaged in (PvE, PvP, Public Quest), click another button, and you join the team - no invite required.

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You are not wrong. I've been playing WAR for a week or so and the Open Party system is amazing.

Two simple additions inspired by the above, BaB's previous words on this, and the current thread so far would be:

1. Flag if the team was on a TF,
2. Display number of players on team

These alone would not need additional features, though admittedly more code would be needed to retrieve and display this additional information. Folks could gauge who could actually invite them and how the state of teams in a level bracket. Could also help with merging small teams into larger teams.

Additional feature: Recruiting Flag.

1. Teams have a 'recruiting' flag on by default unless the team is full or on a TF - attach this to the team window so the team can see the state of recruiting flag.

2. Team leader can manually turn this flag off by adding another button to the teaming window (e.g. SG nights, a pair of mates duoing, rpers or standing around chatting to mates).

This is a little trickier because it means a team must now carry additional information, and new code is needed to track and alter this data.

So there are two levels here of improvement - potentially low hanging fruit (only guessing here of course) that interrogates existing game data with a bit of user interface work; and potentially more complex work that involves tracking and modifying a new type of data.

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*cough* Let's not get personal, people.

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NO U!

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Arf!

I definitely like the idea of teams of Shield/(weapon) Tanks and Broadsword/Shield Scrappers ripping across Paragon, possibly backed with Archery Blasters and Defenders or for a more modern team Assault Rifle.

Super Paragon Police Watch Shield Force GO!

TuuuuuUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAA!

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The nearest thing to a primitive (stone age) shield is the Ishlangu carried by Zulu warriors. It was made from an Ox hide stretched over a wood frame.

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Hang on a sec mate, i apologise for the "cave man" generalisation, as it seems to have upset all the budding historians.

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Well, to set things straight on behalf of the historians: Hide bound shields were first used by Genghiz Khan when he aided Christopher Columbus in his fight against the Ancient Egyptians to free Moses and the Israelites. The Mighty Khan would hunt down the rare Lesser Spotted Himalayan Elephant with his rifles, traded from the Confederacy for 'fire water' (a common name at the time for fresh volcanic lava used by the South to fuel their huge iron Trojan Horse war engines), skin them and stretch their leathery hides over bamboo kite frames.

Hence the phrase 'kite shield'.

Class dismissed.

I'm a little unsure of the elemental shields since you won't be able to use elements attack powersets with them.

Giant Metal Enforcerbot #4815162342 is pleased with this addition!

I see it being most useful in being able to save scales on a toon so you've got a default face/body shape to work off for each costume slot that you can tweak or reset as needed.

Well frankly if I lose my name I will quit the ga-, whoops - wrong rant.

I don't think it's entirely out of line for team members to occasionally say, "sb plz" as a reminder if I've forgotten as I play my Kin very aggressively on debuff and sometimes don't notice the end of an SB cycle. Same with any cheap and fast-recharging buff - CM springs to mind.

Demanding longer charging buffs like Fort isn't cricket in my book - the person with the power should be able to tell who gets the super buff. Anyone that does not like it needs to present a better argument than "FORT NWO!!!1"

On a side note - if folks want to get precious over about grammar, spelling or acronyms... well, they've chosen the Internet as the wrong place to hang out. "omgwtflolbbq plz kthxbai"

I got out of bed this morning and my head did not fall off!

Wonders will never cease.

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IMO they should make a small differences in each server, one with a slow XP rate but a lot of quests(RP server) and one with a slightly higher then normal XP rate but less quests to do.

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No, just no. I'm not even going to waste my time explaining why that's a bad idea.

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Absolutely! We understand your time is so valuable that it cannot be wasted on supporting statements, debate, logic an all that tedious business. In fact next time just go with, "lulz n00b!!!!1"

Fortunately my time is at a much lower premium, so I have just enough time to say:

Restricting content in such a limited number of servers (at least European side) in the way suggested would penalise players that wanted to play the game without RP, and offer more content to players that are more interested in interacting with each other than the environment.

I think that's a flawed approach mainly because you're trying to offer incentive for people to RP. Folks who want to RP will do so regardless of server environment inducements.

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I love going there personally since its (imo) the most beautiful zone ingame and you dont have to wait around/travel a lot to get to the next big group, theyr all over

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Also: that's no moon...

Hang on - surely slotting a KB IO in any slot means that it's always on, regardless of whether or not the power itself was on (e.g. putting it in a toggle)?

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So, basically, if you can't attend an event (for whatever reason) and don't fancy doing a PvP based event of any sort then you've got no real chance of getting one? Hmm.

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Well I for one will be doing a 15 minute tear-filled rant on Youtube later today.

Hmm, this reminds me of a conversation from a team mate in a team I was on a few days ago when I was off ill with vile lurgy. We'd done a few lvl 50 mishes but the leader asked for us not to get the glowie on the current mish because they'd like to farm it at a later date. There was a dispute over sks - I was -5 lvls to the mobs and was being sked so I could contribute, but a lvl 8 (yeah, I know...) was asking me to unsk because I "didn't need the sk" and they could get more xp if I sked them, both us hanging back.

So one chap says, "You can only get the top procs if you farm properly," or words to that effect.

"No worries, we'll level faster with everyone contributing rather than maxing out individual xp gains. Besides I'm happy to make do with 6-part uncommmons," I replied. I'm pretty stoked if I can drop a complete set of Thunderstrike or particularly Crushing Impact on a power.

"Heh, you must be one of those guys that doesn't mind being average in life, working at MacDonalds or something," they said, out of the blue. Hmm, odd response, I thought.

"Well it beats the dole queue old chap, speaking as a coder who had to work as a shelf stacker around the start of the millennium. I'd rather contribute to the team and earn stuff than sitting at the back of a farm team and freeloading."

Oddly the chap logged shortly after.

Jumper for goalposts? Mmm, marvelous...!

I love Empaths more for the buffs than the heals when I am playing a damage dealing character, or the CMs as a non-Blaster squishie. There's always something nice about hearing the trademark Fortitude 'WoOOom' and realising that the Empath has decided you are clearly the team dps monster (especially in a team with more than one) and the best hope for punching everything in the face.

The only thing that makes me leery about them is when someone in a PuG says, "We need a healer," when they actually mean, "We need to use more advanced tactics than Spartarring into multiple mobs."

Definitely, more costume slots plz! I especially like the idea of a costume-transition effect, be it an anime-style "flaming-battle-aura-I-must-succeed-guaaaaaaa" effect, good ole fashioned Wonder-twirl-on-spot, lightning crackle, etc.

Interesting idea, conceptually fits (enemies get so annoyed they run at you even though they have guns/fire breath/mystic spooge/etc), though I share concerns about balancing - a good Tank doesn't need -Range.

Awesome! I can finally make a Lich King character. Hang on, wait...

Seriously, I do like undead (mmm, brainz), and the generic mystic pack is damned sweet.

Alternatively some sort of Silver Aged suepr booster would be awesome - some alternative capes, more patterns, more face masks, other spandexy goodness and "Heroic Inspiration/Villainous Intimidation" - a temporary PBAoE ally phat buff that lasts a few mins that can be used once/hour.

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EVE Succeeds because it has a high level of reality,

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and because folks want a second job? I remember being very interested in the player based power structure, then discovered the massive investment of time the game would need.

shazan
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I was just raising a point and by my own admission was cynical.

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You reap what you sow.

Another hateful multiquoted post on my part. Apologies.

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PvE and PvP Powers Rebalancing
More details to come shortly, directly from Powers Designer Floyd “Castle” Grubb.

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Dont like the sound of this, tbh to me it sounds like yet more nerfs to powers, as for the rest of I13 im not to botherd tbh nothing there that sets my world on fire

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Doesn't it suggest that they will not be seperating PvE and PvP versions of powers, or at least keeping the PvE as default settings with an associated PvP 'modifier' for given powers when in a PvP zone? Although all I am really looking for is a way to level the playing field with Stalkers.

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Shields – Meh, really doesnt appeal to me at all and is so un-herolike its untrue unless you can have one like Sue Storm rather than Roman ones

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Captain America? Guardian? Shining Knight?

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Here's a thought. Why choose between Crab and Bane spider when I can have both!

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That, sir, is genius.

Shockwave
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No more comments from me on this topic as i just feel like im hitting my head against a very large brick wall.

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I wondered those posts read as they did. Have an ibuprofen, big man.

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As for unlockable weapons, Shields count as weapons, and some of those are bound to be unlockable.

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Mmm... sexy Rularuu shield.

"Your shield is staring at my chest again!"

True, but will they be givin' out the order for fun?

No worries, make a thread near the end of the UK working day, ensure spurious post count, add lolhairs to taste, speculate wildly until boil.

Serve with a pinch of salt.

And why can't I have an Accolade called "Dance Commander" which does a mag 4 PBAoE disorientate? It *would* be awesome, yeah.