SpclAgntDave

Thanks, Zwill! In the newly revamped Atlas Park in my mind, there's a big statue of you striking a heroic pose.

I'd be all over base booster packs!

OK, OK, I posted that about 5 minutes after locking up right at the end of a mission (again!) and I was a little hot at the time.
I've been patient with it all so far, and I'll continue being patient for a while. But I DO wish a redname would check back in and let us know that some kind of action is being taken.
Meanwhile, thanks, Cuppa, for being the voice of hope.
Now, pardon me while I reboot to Windows so I can get my crash-free game on...

With the constant crashing -> hard shut-downs -> reboot to Windows, my interest in this game is waning pretty dramatically. I'd have more hope if I didn't feel totally marginalized and ignored by the devs. "We're looking into it" is no longer sufficient. I want to know what's being done to address the problem.

I won't be waiting much longer.

If there hasn't been some indication that this is being WORKED ON, and not LOOKED INTO by the time a certain up-and-coming MMO featuring light-swords and scruffy-looking nerf-herders goes live, I'll be done worrying about this.

My EA/KM Tank on Triumph, LaFoxy Shazam, makes me deliriously happy. I'd recommend the combo to anyone. She kicks all kinds of jive turkey booty.

Yeah, I was on the fence about those slots in Bonfire, but was thinking I'd take advantage of the acc/rchg buffs from the posi's. Not married to this. I'd dismissed the HamiO Centri under the assumption that, like other HamiOs, it was prohibitively expensive. If that's not the case, I might reconsider. I'll look into that.
I've already got the Karma -KB in Weave. I'm a big fan.

And the final build, just for grins:

Beta Minor: Level 50 Mutation Blaster
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Fire Manipulation
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Flame Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Flares -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(13), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 1: Ring of Fire -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13)
Level 2: Fire Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(34), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 4: Fire Ball -- Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(7), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rng(15)
Level 6: Hover -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(7), Ksmt-ToHit+(46)
Level 8: Fire Breath -- Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(9), Det'tn-Dmg/Rng(9), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rng(15)
Level 10: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(39), RechRdx-I(39)
Level 12: Aim -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-Rchg(17)
Level 14: Fly -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 16: Build Up -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-Rchg(17)
Level 18: Blaze -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(19), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(19), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(23), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 20: Kick -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(25), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 22: Tough -- Aeg's-Stat Res(A), ImpArm-Res, ImpArm-End/Res
Lavel 24: Weave -- Karm-KBProt(A), LotG-Def/End, LotG-Def
Level 26: Rain of Fire -- Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(31), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rng(40)
Level 28: Consume -- Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(A), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(29), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(37)
Level 30: Blazing Bolt -- Mantic-Acc/Dmg(A), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx(27), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27)
Level 32: Inferno -- Erad-Acc/Rchg(A), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(33), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33)
Level 35: Fire Sword Circle -- Oblit-Dam, Oblit-Acc/Rchg, Oblit-Dam/Rchg, Oblit-Acc/Dam/Rchg, Oblit-Acc/Dam/Rchg/EndRdx
Level 38: Stealth -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 41: Char -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(42), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(42), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(42)
Level 44: Fire Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), RctvArm-ResDam(45), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(45)
Level 47: Bonfire -- Posi-Acc/Dam(A), Posi-Dam/EndRdx, Posi-Dam/Rchg, Posi-Dam/Rng, Posi-Acc/Dam/EndRdx
Level 49: Rise of the Phoenix -- Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(A), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(48)

------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance
Level 1: Sprint -- Cl'ity-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(21), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(21)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 4: Beast Run

So, what you're saying, is, NOT a fan of Melt Armor? LOL. Gotcha. I've actually never used the APP. By it's description, it seemed like a good way to add some orange numbers to everything, but I get your point. I'll consider that further. Bonfire did sound like fun...

Also, good point about Combust. I'll look into that further as well. I mostly avoid the sword attacks because of the look of the swords themselves, but perhaps I can convince myself to get over that. I was after a proximity-alert-panic-button, but it seems there are more effective ones. OK.

Ah, yes, Tough & Weave. Lots of my numerous alts picked those up after inherent fitness went live, and I have fallen deeply in love. On this toon, I liked those better than the Med pool because my usual partner is a tank and doesn't need me to heal him very much, and because my goal is for things to be burned to a cinder before they get to me. Plus, thanks to some of the fancy new temp powers, I can keep a heal in my pocket if need be.

So thanks again for your input, Strato! Anyone else with a different perspective, feel free to share.

comment removed

A few tweaks to reflect my personal choices and playstyle. Thoughts on this?

Beta Minor: Level 50 Mutation Blaster
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Fire Manipulation
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Flame Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Flares -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(13), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 1: Ring of Fire -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13), HO:Centri(34)
Level 2: Fire Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(34), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 4: Fire Ball -- Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(7), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rng(15)
Level 6: Hover -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(7), Ksmt-ToHit+(46)
Level 8: Fire Breath -- Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(9), Det'tn-Dmg/Rng(9), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rng(15)
Level 10: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(39), RechRdx-I(39)
Level 12: Aim -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-Rchg(17)
Level 14: Fly -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 16: Build Up -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-Rchg(17)
Level 18: Blaze -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(19), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(19), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(23), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 20: Kick -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(25), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 22: Tough -- Aeg's-Stat Res(A), ImpArm-Res, ImpArm-End/Res
Lavel 24: Weave -- Karm-KBProt(A), LotG-Def/End, LotG-Def
Level 26: Rain of Fire -- Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(31), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rng(40)
Level 28: Consume -- Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(A), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(29), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(37)
Level 30: Blazing Bolt -- Mantic-Acc/Dmg(A), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx(27), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27)
Level 32: Inferno -- Erad-Acc/Rchg(A), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(33), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33)
Level 35: Combust -- Oblit-Dam, Oblit-Acc/Rchg, Oblit-Dam/Rchg, Oblit-Acc/Dam/Rchg, Oblit-Acc/Dam/Rchg/EndRdx
Level 38: Stealth -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 41: Char -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(42), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(42), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(42)
Level 44: Fire Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), RctvArm-ResDam(45), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(45)
Level 47: Rise of the Phoenix -- Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(A), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 49: Melt Armor -- ToLG-DefDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(A), ToLG-DefDeb/Rchg, ToLG-DefDeb/EndRdx, ToLG-%Dam

------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance
Level 1: Sprint -- Cl'ity-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(21), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(21)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 4: Beast Run

Thanks, Strato. Looks like a perfect place to start. Cheers!

Help me, blaster gurus! I have a fire/fire blaster (planning on flame epic), currently at lvl 38, who requires build help. ...Or, more specifically, requires a build.
Because he's most often 1/2 of a duo with a SD/KM tank, I've decided to make him a mostly ranged, stealthy hover-blaster. He does currently have combustion, consume, and inferno, (and kick from fighting pool), but no other melee or pnt blnk powers to speak of. I'm enjoying keeping him at range and in the air, but all that is somewhat negotiable.
He's my first fire blaster (after 2 years of play), and I'm finding the smell of charred mobs very satisfying. I ask your help to slather him in awesomesauce.
I'm a Mids-less Mac user, so bear that in mind as you post your builds.
Thanks in advance!

My issue is the same as yours, Gavin. After a while of play, total screen-lock forces me to do a hard shut-down. It happens when I talk to a contact or click on something in the options menu like "personal info," etc. Cmd/Optn/Esc does not function. Mostly just been avoiding this by running CoH on my Windows partition, which hurts my soul a little.
Thanks for being proactive about this, Cuppa!

iMac7
4G 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
1TB Hard drive
ATI RadeonHD2600
10.6.6

...And I do have Stamina 3-slotted (with plain ol' generic IO's so far), but that's not noted in the post above.

Well, I'm also a Mac-user, so I also don't have access to MIDS.
My Grav/Storm was my first 50, and I found him very enjoyable. He played both solo and on teams and yes, it WAS challenging.
Dusting him off recently to get him all set for some incarnate action, I decided to rebuild him. I found the build below on the forums and tweaked it just a bit to reflect my own power preferences. I would gladly give credit where credit is due to the originator of this build, but I made no note of that when I copied it, (might even have been Local Man!) so apologies to whomever this came from.
I've almost completed the build, and it is VERY effective. I'm not much of a numbers guy, so I don't know how close this is to any softcaps, or anything like that, but what I CAN tell you is that my Grav/Storm never felt so super. I also went with the Cardiac Boost, up to tier 2 now, so I'm not feeling much end pain at all.
So here it is:

Primary Power Set: Gravity Control
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Teleportation
Ancillary Pool: Ice Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Crush -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(3), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5)
Level 1: Gale -- Acc-I(A)
Level 2: Gravity Distortion -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(5), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(7), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(7), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(9)
Level 4: O2 Boost -- Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx(A), Mrcl-Heal(11), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(13)
Level 6: Propel -- Decim-Acc/Dmg(A), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Decim-Dmg/Rchg(15), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(15), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 8: Crushing Field -- TotHntr-Acc/Immob/Rchg(A), TotHntr-Acc/EndRdx(11), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx(19), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg(37)
Level 10: Snow Storm -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(17)
Level 12: Steamy Mist -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(19)
Level 14: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(25), RechRdx-I(36)
Level 16: Freezing Rain -- ShldBrk-Acc/Rchg(A), LdyGrey-%Dam(25), ShldBrk-DefDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(42), LdyGrey-DefDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(43), LdyGrey-DefDeb/EndRdx(43)
Level 18: Gravity Distortion Field -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(21), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(21), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(23), G'Wdw-Acc/Hold/Rchg(23)
Level 20: Hurricane -- DarkWD-ToHitDeb(A), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(37), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(40), DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx(42)
Level 22: Super Speed -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 24: Hover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 26: Wormhole -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(A), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun(27), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx(27), Stpfy-Stun/Rng(34), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg(36), RechRdx-I(36)
Level 28: Thunder Clap -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(A), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun(29), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx(29), Stpfy-Stun/Rng(31), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg(31)
Level 30: Recall Friend -- Zephyr-ResKB(A)
Level 32: Singularity -- C'Arms-Acc/Rchg(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg(33), C'Arms-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Hold-I(34), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets)(34)
Level 35: Tornado -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx(43), BldM'dt-Dmg(46), RechRdx-I(46)
Level 38: Lightning Storm -- Dev'n-Dmg/Rchg(A), Dev'n-Hold%(39), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Entrpc-Dmg/Rchg(40), Entrpc-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 41: Hibernate -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 44: Ice Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(3), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5)
Level 47: Ice Storm -- Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(48), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(48)
Level 49: Frozen Armor -- GftotA-Def/EndRdx(A), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(50), GftotA-Def(50), GftotA-Run+(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Containment
Level 4: Ninja Run

Hi, all! So, I've got a MA/SR scrapper with Super-Speed. He's essentially my "Flash." I'm looking to make him as fast as humanly (inhumanly?) possible, but my forum-searches haven't turned up the info I'm looking for. What I'd like to know is: assuming he'll also have both "Swift" and "Quickness," how should I go about slotting these powers for maximum possible speed and avoid unnecessarily slotting them beyond the speed cap?
Thanks, your help is appreciated!

Ever since the 05/19 update, whenever I log in, I can maybe move a step, but then my screen freezes. Can't even force quit. I have to do a hard shut-down and restart. Ultra Mode is off. Anybody else having this problem? After a few weeks of the black-death-loading-screen, now this. I suppose I could just take $15 a month and flush it down the toilet instead of paying for a game that won't run. My patience is wearing thin.

OK. Ever since the I17 update, when I start the game, I get nothing but a black screen instead of the loading screen, as many others have described. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes the game boots up normally. Seems entirely random. The only way I can get the game to load properly after the black screen is to force-quit, trash the CoH Preferences file, restart the game and then rebuild all of my graphics/audio prefs. This is becoming incredibly irritating. Oh, CoH, why have you forsaken me?!?
(iMac G7, OS 10.6.3)
In the meantime, I'm getting plenty of use out of my Windows partition...

Ditto here.

For the last week or so, whenever I tab-out of the game-screen to adjust teamspeak settings or check an email, or something, I go back into the game-screen to find that it's gone gray. I have to force-quit the game and restart. This is highly detrimental to my game-play and very, very frustrating. Running OS 10.6.3 on an iMac G7. What gives?

Grav/Storm was my first 50 and made me deliriously happy. I'm WAY more into playing the game than pwning the game, and there are certainly faster, more controlling, and more damaging sets. Actually, because of character concept, I skipped Wormhole & Dimension Shift entirely. (a storm 'troller for whom grav powers = high velocity winds.) But yeah, it's incredibly fun. And argue the value of Propel all you want, but there are few more entertaining powers in this game. Smacking somebody upside the head with a forklift is freakin' awesome, no matter how long it takes to activate!

[ QUOTE ]
MMO sequels are a bad idea. It's better to continue to expand and improve an existing game than risk splitting the player base, or worse.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes!

Thanks for the post, Niv! Updater is now "Connecting #1, #2... #12" and not letting me in, however.

I had this issue before the server crash (?) and am having it again now. I had to quit and restart the updater a few times, but it eventually let me in before the crash. No such luck right now...

Meh, this is to be expected. There's a whole bunch of new code dancing around in the system, and things'll be a little unstable while it adjusts. Or while they adjust it.