Soul Train

You can do that as well, by using the controls for each type of minion. You will need more slots in your trays though, if you want to add those controls/macros.

What Decorum said.

Ratings are anonymous. Feedback is not.

Also, apparently there's authors out there who are vindictive little monsters, that will seek out all your arcs and one (or zero) star them out of spite if you tell them they misspelled something.

I haven't encountered any yet... but people tell me they exist.

Catgirls.

Succubi.

Vampires.

Gynoids.

... Wait, what?

Farming, PvP, markets, wholesale nerfage of powers, ED, and the nonexistant Moon Zone.

Yes yes, all bad. Bad bad bad. GERROFF MAH LAHWN! Damn kids...

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But wait... didn't you misspell 'Reigndance'? ;P

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haha! who do you think you are a professional artist drawer or something?

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BWaHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!

Yes.

That's the issue, right there.

Exploit farming is bad.

Not all users know that exploit farming is not the same as "standard" herd-and-nuke tactics, or running instances heavy in certain rare types of mobs (carnie Master Ills, or fake nemmies, or whatever).

Also there's the association (spurious) that "farmer" = "gold farmer" which is someone who farms for inf to sell to players as an RMT enterprise. "Gold Farming" is also considered 'bad'.

Then there's the 'Farming' that occurs on PL teams, where the team makeup is engineered to maximize XP if run over and over and over. Again, a lot of people have negative thoughts on the practice of powerleveling, especially if 'paid for' or as a precursor to 'selling' a Level 50 account to someone else, again RMT-wise. There's also the assumption that a PL'd player has no real grasp of tactics or playstyle on their characters cos they never really DID anything with them while leveling up, or being leveled up.

This leads to the RMT spammers "PL'ing" their low characters up past the restricted levels so they can start sending spam.

Notice in the above that we're not talking about ALL players, just select groups of them. However, those select groups, small minorities when compared to the whole playerbase, can affect the whole playerbase by their actions, tactics, mannerisms, playstyles, and so forth. They are the MMO "outcasts", people we'd rather not have to deal with, because any measures taken to curb their activities also affects the entire playerbase, often to their detriment (the limits imposed on trial accounts, for example).


... which leads (go ahead, take a breath) to the blanket assumption "Farming Is Bad". It's not, but many of the abuses of the system come about via farming methods.

* Pets, Mind your Masters: Custom MM Commands and Trays *

* Setting Up the Controls *

OK, this might seem complicated, but it's actually fairly easy if you do it step by step.

1) Summon a pet, so you have a Pet Window.

2) Open your Power trays and move things around so you have 7 slots available (8 if you want a Dismiss button). I usually put all of these in one of my three primary trays.

2a) Delete the stock control icons in your tray. They're useless, and can actually cause problems with new masterminds that don't know what the commands are doing.

3) In the Pet window, click Options, then Advanced Mode.

3a) Select Show All Pets.

Above the pets you should see an "All <pet class>" and above that, All. There will be some tiny icons in the top right of the Pet Window.

4) Type "Pet_com_all aggressive". The "Stance" icon in your pet window for ALL your pets (the very top one) should turn RED.

4a) Drag that icon from the Pet window to your tray. If you right-click it, it should say "Petcomall Aggressive".

5) Repeat 4 and 4a for the following commands:

/petcomall defensive (blue icon)
/petcomall passive (green icon)

At this point you have your three Stance icons (Aggressive, Defensive, and Passive). Arrange them how you like in your tray.

Now, there's another icon next to these in the pet display. This is their current 'command'. These icons are all Yellow.

6) Type "petcom_all follow". You should see a right-facing arrow as the Command icon.

6a) Drag that icon to your tray. If you right-click, it will read "petcomall Follow"

7) Repeat 6 and 6a for the following commands:

/petcomall stay (Hand icon)
/petcomall goto (target icon)
/petcomall attack (target-with-crosshairs icon)

Now, you'll notice that each pet class and each pet also have these icons. These are the states they are currently in. If you drag THEM to a tray, they turn into orders for that pet class or that specific pet. This can be useful, but... most of the time we want to command everyone, so use the icons at the very top right of the pet window.

8) If you want a Dismiss macro, you have to create one - there is no 'state' icon when a pet is not present. Type:

/macro Bye "petcomall Dismiss"

Once you've done this process, it's really simple to set your MM up with commands that are far better than the three stock commands. If you want your pets to stay in one spot in Passive so you can pull a spawn without them charging in as soon as there's any return fire, you simply click the Stay and the Passive icons. If you want the pets to follow you in "shoot anything that moves" mode, click Aggressive then Follow.

-------------------

* Summoning the Troops *

If you're like me, you've probably run into the problem of too many commands, not enough tray space. So, what I do is move all my "Summon and Buff" powers to an unused tray, and then use a macro to switch to that tray when I need it (and another to switch back).

1) Remove your Summon commands from trays 1, 2, and 3. These are your three primary trays, and you probably want to keep these clear for stuff you use all the time (like the Pet Management stuff in the previous section.)

2) Decide which of your three trays you want to 'rotate' between normal mode and summon mode. I usually use the topmost tray (#3). Also, pick an EMPTY tray (I use #4) for your summon commands.

Include the quotes in the following commands:

==> IF you are using tray 1 (bottom), type

/macro Summon "gototray 4"

This will rotate the bottom tray to tray 4.

==> IF you are using tray 2 (middle), type

/macro Summon "gototrayalt 4"

This will rotate the middle tray to tray 4.

==> IF you are using tray 3 (top), type

/macro Summon "gototrayalt2 4"

This will rotate the top tray to tray 4.

3) Move the macro you just created to one of the other two trays. You'll see why in a moment. I usually put them in tray 2 (middle) on the far left. Clear a space next to it for the next macro by either deleting or moving a power.

4) Depending on which tray you chose above, type ONE of the following three commands:

(bottom tray restore)
/macro Command "gototray 1"

(middle tray restore)
/macro Command "gototrayalt 2"

(top tray restore)
/macro Command "gototrayalt2 3"

Move your Command macro next to your Summon macro. You now have two buttons to 'flip' one of your trays back and forth.

5) Click the Summon macro. You should see an empty tray. If there's stuff in the tray, then you might need to move it out or remove it.

6) Now, open your Powers window, and drag your Summon and your Pet Buff (equip, upgrade, train, etc) powers to this new tray. I usually put my three Summon powers starting with low-tier at the left and work to the right. This puts my first Buff power in slot 4, and the second buff in slot 5. If you're a lowbie, and don't have these powers yet, not to worry, you can always rearrange things later.

7) Go try out your new trays. You now have traded 5 powers that get used only sparingly for 2 commands, one to show those 5 powers, and the other to hide them.

An alternative method is to put the "Command" macro ON the Summon try, in the same position as the Summon button on the Command tray. That way you can click the same spot to 'flip' the trays back and forth. This method will only take one spot on each.

You can use this method to create other 'situational' trays. Examples would be: temp powers, costume change commands, RP macros, a "hide all weapons" macro that flips ALL THREE trays to where you can't see your powers or trigger them by mistake, or an alternative powers layout for a second build.



Questions? Ask away.

Wow. THAT is total hawtness indeed.

That would be my assessment, as well.

Also, think about this: How much of the innuendo is actually NEEDED for the story? If a lot is needed, either for humor or plot development, then the story as a whole might need to be toned down a bit.

Now, granted, I've no issues with 'adult themes'. But if you have to ask yourself, "Would someone's mom freak out if she caught her kid playing this, as opposed to the regular content?" then it's probably a bit much.

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maybe it's listed here and maybe it's not, but....can you make a macro and bind it to key, ie w to activate say hasten, so that whenever you run forward you activate that power?

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Would be simpler to just bind the power directly rather than a macro for the power. And there is a command syntax to toggle a power to when a key is pressed, and toggle it off when it's released. Can't remember what it is, exactly, at the moment, but I'm sure someone else knows.

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the slash command is: CC_e <slot number> <nameofCCemote>

-Dragons

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Ok, I seem to be missing something.
I've got :
/bind numpad7 "CC_e 2 ccPrestoChango" and I'm gettting an unknown command CC_e.

I've also tried /macro 3 "CC_e 2 ccPrestoChango" and it just emotes the text.

Sorry if I've missed the obvious.
Thanks.

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Couple of things that were wrong, there, mostly spaces and emote names.

You have to create the entire folder "path" as well, if you don't have them.

Drop into a command prompt:

Assuming your City of Heroes is in the default location, you would need to do this:

<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>
cd "C:\Program Files\City of Heroes"
mkdir data
mkdir data\texts
mkdir data\texts\English
mkdir data\texts\English\Menus\
cd data\texts\English\Menus\
notepad quickchat.mnu
</pre><hr />

If your City of Heroes folder is in another location, the first CD command would need to be that location. Also if it is on another drive, preface the first command with:

<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>
X:
</pre><hr />

where "X" is the drive letter of the hard drive City of Heroes is installed on.

You can do this in Explorer by browsing to the folder, then right-clicking in the empty space and creating "New | Folder", naming the first folder Data, opening that folder, then repeating the creation process for the folders inside it. When you get to the innermost folder, right-click, select "New | Text File" and you'll get a blank Notepad. Save that file as "quickchat.mnu".

likewise.


... you have no idea what is about to happen, do you?

I was running through my pre-existing "Torch Juggler" patter in the D with these. It needs to be rewritten, of course... but was still fun.

Something I noted with the ;jugglefire emote and the Fire Sword power... you can draw the flaming sword and keep juggling.

This.. is awesome. It looks like you're swatting the fireballs with the blade.

A fun routine was to start juggling regular balls... then switch to fire after bringing out the sword... then announce the "OK REALLY HIGH!" and go to ;waiting ... then launch Rain of Fire and duck into ;cower! OOPS!

Pete Almeida's awesome.

If you've room, I'd like some honest opinions on this one:

Rites of the Maenads
Arc: 61159
Levels: 35-54
Length: Long (4 missions)
Contains: Cimeroran Traitors, Custom Boss
Synopsis: Romulus is at it again. This time he's after the secrets of the Maenads, wild women who follow the path of Dionysus.

----------
REALLY trying to nudge this up there, it's by far the one I think is the most solid. But... they say the writer is their own worst editor, as well as their own lousiest critic.

So... please, don't lavish with undeserved praise; if there's flaws, get out the red pen and circle them.

Projectionist, here's my entry:

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Rites of the Maenads
Arc: 61159
Levels: 35-54
Length: Long (4 missions)
Contains: Cimemoran Traitors, Custom Boss
Synopsis: Romulus is at it again. This time he's after the secrets of the Maenads, wild women who follow the path of Dionysus.


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No one's mentioned Nei Ruffino??

Wait wait, Ex is leaving?

Oh drat, I gotta rewrite the dialogue for an arc, now...

*hugs tight* Have fun at your new gig, and don't be a stranger!

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but there is a saying in engineering:
The product is complete not when there is nothing left to add, but rather when there is nothing left that can be removed.

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Maybe if you're a very utilitarian engineer.

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They call the addition of 'stuff' to a good design "feature creep". This is why Microsoft products are generally rather bloated and resource hungry, because the people designing them kept 'tacking stuff on' instead of sticking to the main purpose of the original design.

In other words, if you keep adding 'convenience features' to a Corvette, you'll end up with a fiberglass Winnebago that can't win races.

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I tried to create my own Custom Outcasts, which could be higher then lvl 20. But a single mission, on a "Small" map took up 69% of my files space. I still have 3 more missions to create.

I've decided to abandon the arc I had planned. Non of the other factions fit what I had in mind.

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If you have a 4 mission arc planned, all using your custom Outcasts, you won't have to use 69x4=276% of your available space. If you tell the system, "Remember those Outcasts I made for Mission 1? Use them again in Mission 2," the system will reply, "Oh yeah, I'll just go back and access those same files again, I already know those guys."

The only thing you need your leftover 31% for will be mission briefings, objective placement, things like that.

There would be a problem if you tried to have different custom factions in every single mission .. but you're not trying to do that.

Finish that arc. You may have to keep your mission briefings, etc. short, but you can do it.

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Alright. I'll give it a shot. Cuz yer right, I will be using all the same custom chars. With only the bosses being different from mission to mission. Thanks ICF_Zombra

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The main thing to remember is, if you have any custom characters that will NOT appear anywhere in the arc, make sure they are not in the group with the characters that WILL. Otherwise they'll take up space that could be used for something else you want to include.

Good vs Evil you have to unlock with tickets. Same goes for the Wedding pack, the Collectors Edition apparel, the CoV Preorder helmets, and the Cyborg pack.

I would suspect that the Magic pack will be included in a similar fashion "Soon(tm)".

My only issue with the overly-prevalent farming activity is that it may end with the MA being eviscerated because the Devs didn't want us throwing away their content for a cheap knockoff created using a BETTER version of their tools.

You know, kind of like using the Rolex watchmaking equipment and training to manufacture imitations in China or someplace. Kind of insulting, when you think about it.