Soul Train

3x Taunt, what you think?

That's pretty much what happens. So you have to set the $$ aside, and hope you're not in a meeting or otherwise busy when the email shows up.

But yeah. That was my Xmas present, I guess.

So, anyway... got a LOVELY surprise in my email today.

A friend went and got a commission of my latest 'project', my Storm Defender named Raven Windtalker, knowing full well I had the artist on watch.

And now I'm doing the SQUEE!! thang!

And yeah, it's... NSFW, so you'll have to go look for it.

[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm.. It appears as though AT&T (formerly Southwestern Bell in my area) may be blocking CoH traffic which would explain the "rubberbanding" issues that I'm experiencing.

Here's a sample Traceroute from the CoH netinfo support tool:

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

Route for West Coast (216.107.240.3)

Tracing route to 216-107-240-3.plaync.com [216.107.240.3] over a maximum of 30 hops:

0 MYHOUSE.gateway.2wire.net [192.168.xx.xx]
1 home [192.168.xx.xx]
2 99-6-144-3.lightspeed.rcsntx.sbcglobal.net [99.6.144.3]
3 70.143.229.30
4 * * *

Computing statistics for 10 seconds...

Source to Here This Node/Link

Hop RTT Lost/Sent = Pct Lost/Sent = Pct Address
0 MYHOUSE.gateway.2wire.net [192.168.xx.xx]
0/ 10 = 0% |
1 1ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% home [192.168.xx.xx]
0/ 10 = 0% |
2 9ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% 99-6-144-3.lightspeed.rcsntx.sbcglobal.net [99.6.144.3]
0/ 10 = 0% |
3 13ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% 70.143.229.30
10/ 10 =100% |
4 --- 10/ 10 =100% 0/ 10 = 0% MYHOUSE [0.0.0.0]

Trace complete.

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

I've hidden my IP address in the above trace for privacy reasons, but you can see that all of the network packets are getting dropped at 70.143.229.30 which is registered to "AT&T Internet Services".

If you haven't already done so, I would encourage you to download the CoH netinfo tool from ftp://ftp.coh.com/support_tool/ and run it. Take a look at the logs and verify that your ports are open and be sure that the "Path Ping / Trace Route Tests" show 0 lost packets.

If you see any packets getting dropped, look up the IP address to see who owns it. A good website for looking these up is http://ip-lookup.net

I've submitted a ticket to NCSoft Support, but I may have to call my ISP to resolve this one. (ARGH!)

[/ QUOTE ]

I am also built to the Richardson POP on Lightspeed, Mike. No issues here.

Also, keep in mind that ping and tracert rely on a protocol called ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol). Because you are showing 0% packets returned, yet the next hop in your trace is displayed, I'm more inclined to believe that the switches in your route are not set to answer ICMP requests.


This, friends, is NORMAL.


ISP's disable ping reply on their equipment because ICMP is a very low-priority protocol, and has little use other than "are you there? answer me!". Moreover, it can be used to actually flood a server or a router, bogging it down, so ICMP has fallen even more out of favor.

Now, I'm not ignoring the elephant in the room, BUT... if you lost 100% of the packets sent to NCSOFT's server... you wouldn't even connect, much less rubberband. You would be completely locked out.

The fact that people ARE able to connect, and zone, and (for the most part) play means that MOST of the traffic is getting through. However, for some reason, we have developed this 'glitch' in the code that will load the zone for the client... but not report to the server that the client is ready. Thus the constant snap-back and not appearing to be doing anything - your client is being repeatedly told "Wait, you're not actually here yet. Let's try syncing again."

Just for giggles, I'll post my trace to the same PlayNC IP as TexasMike traced to. Keep in mind, I have zero "sync" issues whatsoever, on any character so far.

<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>
Tracing route to 216-107-240-3.plaync.com [216.107.240.3]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 &lt;1 ms &lt;1 ms &lt;1 ms 75-17-244-1.lightspeed.dllstx.sbcglobal.net [75.
17.244.1]
2 21 ms 24 ms 26 ms 75-17-244-3.lightspeed.dllstx.sbcglobal.net [75.
17.244.3]
3 21 ms 21 ms 21 ms 70.143.229.2
4 * * * Request timed out.
5 * * * Request timed out.
6 20 ms 20 ms 20 ms bb2-g6-0.rcsntx.sbcglobal.net [151.164.190.46]
7 21 ms 21 ms 21 ms ex3-p12-0.eqdltx.sbcglobal.net [69.220.8.53]
8 29 ms 21 ms 21 ms 151.164.251.142
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 * * * Request timed out.
11 * * * Request timed out.
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.
</pre><hr />

Note that I DID get replies from some of the AT&amp;T network (Lightspeed and SBCGlobal), but not all. Then the route 'died'.

Yet, I have no issues playing. That means either ICMP is disallowed beyond the last AT&amp;T edge router (the 151.164.x.x IP) OR, the IP provided to trace to isn't one we actually use to play.

Godlike: What's your performance like when NOT using wireless?

I know I know "It worked fine before!". That's not the concern. The game's tolerance of/recovery from dropped packets may have gotten much worse with I13 (which would cause 'spotty' connections to suddenly get REALLY BAD) but if the underlying problem is your wireless connection getting stepped on by your neighbor, then fixing that or bypassing it with an Ethernet cable will remove the issue entirely.


See... there's an inherent problem with wireless networking - OTHER wireless networking devices. Regardless of encryption, if someone else is on the same channel as you, then their traffic will interfere with yours. It's radio - strongest signal wins. More wireless devices in a given area = greater chance of radio frequency interference. At some point, enough traffic gets stepped on to cause significant packet loss.

Couple that with playing a game, which requires pretty much constant data flow to work properly, and dropped packets become a problem. We've seen spotty performance with dialup, not always because of latency, but because there's enough 'background noise' on the phone line to cause data to be lost and retransmitted... it is, after all, an acoustic carrier, and sound/crosstalk will interfere. Wireless is the same situation with a different carrier, RF energy instead of sound.

Wow... that was long-winded. Short version? Try Ethernet cable, and see what happens.

Base salvage being crafted into component salvage gave progress toward crafting badges, before I13.

Component salvage being used to build base items = crafting badge progress, as well.

Base salvage being used to craft empowerments also went toward crafting badges.

Why not brainstorms as well? Was it because (gasp!) no one was crafting at the same rate as the base salvage drop rates before? or was it that no one was crafting empowerments, or ubercool base components (that they had not the prestige to place)?

Brainstorms cost NO inf to craft. They are a 1:1 ratio to base salvage. This is why there was the sudden rush in crafting badges - Crafting became cheap, and thus people were CRAFTING.

And because the supply of base salvage was rendered finite, the trend would taper off as all the base salvage was converted over. So this is a long-term 'fix' to an extremely temporary economic situation.

In other words, if this is an 'exploit', I'll eat my shoes.

....whoa.


Those are gonna be awesome.

Often what people will do is set up a 'palette' layer, with splotches of the colors they will be using - then when you're coloring your flats you can use the color picker to select the same colors each and every time.

Then you simply delete or hide the palette layer when you're done.

Another reason to do layers in flats is, you may want to change the background, or adjust the skin tones, without globally altering everything else. If you have channels/layers for these things, you can change them or re-color them independently of the other parts of the image. Then merge layers when you're satisfied with the flats stage, and create new ones for highlights and shadows and such (if you need to free up memory).

Ahhhh.

NOW it makes sense.

I'm thinking it may be SSL/session related. Based on the error, it appears that the Wiki is losing track of who is actually logged in/making the edit. The sessions are expiring too fast.

May we have your attention please?

Currently I'm receiving reports that the Virtueverse Wiki is returning an error when attempting to submit edits to articles.

This does not mean the articles themselves are getting mangled - it just means we can't change them at the moment.

Our Admin will have to pop the hood and see what's going on - in the meanwhile, sit tight, we'll get it fixed.

Happy Birthday Wassy!!!

...was that a hint?

So far I have 68 Fanart pics (commissioned artwork) plus a few renders of my own (maybe 10 or so?).

The Nei Ruffino painting is the AWESOME. You need to get that one framed, dear.

OK, now, that's cool.

Only you need to matte that print.

[ QUOTE ]

You're full of it. Don't like hearing me say that? Make a better video and PROVE ME WRONG.


[/ QUOTE ]

Someone already did. This is why a lot of us are saying "Hire Michelle". I'm of the opinion that her vid introduced nearly all of the major upgrades within I13, better than the "official" teaser.

Reactions to both vids will of course vary.

I've four 50's so far, 2 hero, 2 villain.

I have artwork of all of them.

Soul Train - Kin/Energy Def
Feral Tigress - Claw/SR Scrapper

Dame Demolition - Robots/Traps MM
Daisy Chain - MA/Nin Stalker


There's a lot more pieces, not just these characters, but others as well. Not all is work safe, so ... be warned.

Not really, that I know of.

Posted on behalf of Gamma.Girl.

http://gammagirl.deviantart.com/art/...eads-109679642

And yes, it IS work safe.

Very very lovely.

*giggles* these are pretty darned funny...

Yummeh!

definitely not just you.

[ QUOTE ]
Well, actually... The process apparently is explained on that site right here: Behind The Scenes

I was curious, because... My experience looking at WoW was VERY brief (Blech), but I did not recall it looking quite like that (Regardless of rig).

It's interesting. Take a sceenshot and then not only photoshop edit it like crazy, but then paint onto it.

Not positive how much freehand painting they are doing, but it's interesting.
*shrug*
(Seems like all the wispy magical stuff is their drawings)

Me? Sure... Hey, I'm a grubby, raw penciller at heart, so... I loves me some pure came-from-my-brain and out-of-my-pencil, but whatever, hehe.

Sounds like they enjoy it and t does look nice. Fancified screenshots.

I've seen people do slight photoshopping to screenshots when they make their own Comics, but nothing to this degree before.

[/ QUOTE ]

The same time of work that Kincade will do with a limited edition print... they'll actually 'touch it up' with a bit of paint to make the details stand out and make it unique.