TheMaskedHero

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In the meantime, we've had massive staff cutbacks. A shame, that coincidence.

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Source?

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here .


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That's NCSoft, they don't make the game. Cryptic makes the game.

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Amazing how after all this time this still isn't clear to people.

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In any case, the updates have slowed dramatically, which was the point actually. Whatever caused the slowdown, we may not know. But it is true that there was a major cutback in NCSoft personel, and the end user never knows all the unsavory things that go on behind closed doors, and the company always spins things positively regardless of the truth.(any company, not just this one) Cuts at NCsoft? No cuts at Cryptic at all? (Where's Geko, for example? I remember this being asked before, I think the answer was he's on another NCSoft game)

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In the meantime, we've had massive staff cutbacks. A shame, that coincidence.

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Source?

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here .


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NCSoft had cutbacks, not Cryptic

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I don't believe that this didn't impact coh. We know for a fact that many who work on coh have moved to other NCsoft games, because they were regular posters to the forums. Just the ones we know about are enough, and we don't know all the behind the scenes folk who got moved.

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Hey guys, our plan is to get you new Issues three times a year.

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I remember the days when it was "4-6 new issues a year". I'm doing the math on the original "2-3 months per issue" that we had at the beginning.

In the meantime, we've had massive staff cutbacks. A shame, that coincidence.

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I thought the Kheldian affair bit was kinda lame, but otherwise, sounds flavorful.

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I dunno. I liked that bit, one of my favorite parts of the post. In a world where an alien could do what Kheldians do, it would blur the line of responsibility and guilt, raising the question of who did the woman "really" have a relationship with.

I like it actually.

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Get this moved to Guides so it doesn't get deleted!!!

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I thought it made more sense as a discussion topic here and would draw more attention. I'll make sure this thread or a reposted version eventually makes its way to the Guides section for permanence.

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Board Rules

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Thread/Post Content
1. Post in the correct forum and do not cross-post.


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Granted, it looks like you got some of these names from Crayola, but I get the jist.

Thanks alot!!

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I honestly don't remember the "Dried Blood" crayola. Maybe I never had that pack.

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I've got a screen shot in the aoe ko blow test period days... I think I'll submit that picture It's the Haymaker one I'm gunna submit tho because it's got a cool shockwave to go with it.

Haymaker

Rules don't say anything about test server Of course, she's originally from liberty, so I'll mention both servers. Hopefully that's legal :/

Yeah.. it's prolly as good as I'll get. Maybe I'll get another one tho.

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Of course, you aren't engaged in a fight with any tsoo in that shot, so I doubt that'd be very good to submit.

Like others I also am worried about the quality of my pictures, because they come out very dark. If I can't brighten them it's all over before it starts.

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I think I'd be a lot happier if it were first name, last initial than the other way around. There are a lot of people with my first name in my area, but very, very few with my last name.

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Changed!

cheers,
Arctic Sun

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Now we'll hear from all the guys who play female characters on here that this will give them away. In PMs to Arctic, probably. That's why I stick with male characters and board name.

The only thing I'm worried about is that this was run on a computer that has the new physics card. In that case, there are things in this video 95% of us will never see.

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Are Tankers just going to be running around and causing people to flee so the taunt will wear off faster?

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All tankers will become what fire tankers did with the burn change: Basically they run into the area, launch an attack, and everyone starts running away from the tanker!

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I'm gonna take this opportunity to appologize to thsoe who will get extremely upset with me. I have just been handed a loaded weapon with the ok to go nuts with it. This is something they have not thought through. Maybe when I am done they will rethink it. I have no interest in killing anyone my only intrest is going to be to cause agonyand grief. The Debt shall now flow

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Yes, it is a sad shame. I don't fault you at all. I may have to roll up a character with TP foe(a power I never have taken on a single character), stealth of course, fly to reach the annoying buggers don't get in range, and any other powers which seem to come to mind. My interest in entering a pvp zone is fading even more than it was before.


I still maintain that the devs would like to forbid some of the things discussed here, but have no way of tracking it, and are taking the easy way out and calling it acceptable. I can't prove this of course, but I can't see them honestly believing that intentionally causing xp debt is acceptable. Entering the pvp zones, one accepts being attacked by other players, but that isn't really thought to mean intentional xp debt. Accidental debt is another thing, and it has happened to me on a few occasions in my time in BB, where I died to an accidentally agroed npc after I beat my opponent. But intentionally causing it is altogether different.

As a few have mentioned, the only real solution is to make player-induced and npc-induced deaths cause the same amount of debt, whether that be 0 or standard amount. Otherwise, as you state, this may get a bit nasty in the coming days, and I can't say I blame anyone for it. I just won't be entering a pvp zone with any of my real characters. I'd rather join in on the chaos than fall victim to it.

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I just sent a PM to cuppa asking if purposefully giving a player debt is considered griefing. Will update when she gets back to me

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The Devs say - No.

Ultimately PVE mobs in a PVP zones are hazards of a PVP zone. Players do have control (and options) that will prevent them from being victims of the TP Foe tactic.

Regarding being held, immobilized, slept and then being teleported into a PVE mob: griefing? No.

If a player uses TP Foe and teleports another player into a mob, so that their health is reduced, and then finishes them off with a killing shot….griefing? No.

If a player intentionally uses a knockback power (or Repel or Dispersion Bubble) on another player from the top of the roof to the street below where there happens to be a PVE mob, and the player’s presence draws mob aggro and dies…should the player who knocked back the target player off that roof be actioned for griefing? No.

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Cuppa, any ruling on a hero in Bloody Bay confusing a stalker*, who can with 100% immunity kill any villain they please, even next to arachnos drones, for the duration of the confuse? Is this acceptable also? There is nothing in the code to prevent it, and it does not even have the negative side effect of debt.

If this is ok, then add another notch on my list of reasons why pvp in this game is very broken. My faith in it is already being shaken by the results of this thread. This is layered on top of hovering blasters who can snipe you while you sit at your base talking to the contact, even though there are drones there for a reason one would think - i.e. to keep opposing players from attacking you while you are there.


*This could apply to any AT, though stalkers can elegantly kill someone who isn't suspecting anything with a simple AS and followup attack, and is the way it was done to me.

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Thank you Nether for summing that up.

To all who are seeing this thread for the first or millionth time, this is the question at hand:

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Cuppa, is someone in a PvP zone aloud to Teleport you, hold you, immobilize you, or in any way do something to you that you cant control INTO a PvE mob. Does that count and is acceptable?

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I personally don't think it is fair for another play to go out of their way to try to give another play debt. I know it is griefing in PvE, so why isn't it in PvP?

I would love to get a Red Name to comment on this.

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I think the devs know in their hearts that what Sleepy Kitty (and others) are doing is griefing, no doubt. But the problem is that they don't have any way to enforce it. How does Victim_47 prove to the GMs that Sleepy griefed them? They can't, so rather than open that pandora box of trying to punish someone based on only 2 people's statements, they say it's a valid tactic.

Especially when, as someone mentioned, there are so many options you can choose from when being attacked. Control the person, run, group with others while badge hunting who can actually kill an attacker. Pushing a person into enemies is far from the only way to "defend" yourself.

Cuppa's reply sounds like open season on anything goes in pvp zones. People already exploit the system by having a hero confuse a stalker at the villain base, thus letting a risk-free stalker AS villains 2 inches from a drone. If that is ok, and it seems to be by lack of response by GMs to it being done, then it seems clear that anything goes and TPing someone into drones or mobs is fine. I'm sorry Sleepy, but by choosing to give people debt rather than end the encounter in the PVP-sanctioned way - run if you can't kill them with your human teammates - then you have no room to claim another person's tactic is foul. Yes, they attacked you, while you were ever-so-innocently hunting in a PVP zone. If you are constantly getting attacked so often that you get fed up, then maybe look up some teammates. But there is "against the rules" and there is "dishonorable". Intentionally giving someone debt may not be against the rules (at this time. I wouldn't doubt if they figure out some way of tracking it, that this will change) but it doesn't do much for making you a very honorable player.

And this isn't aimed at you only, but you're the most vocal and expressed your repeated use of that "tactic".

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Here's the current numbers in testing (subject to change):

Base Entry Room: Free
Workshop Room (2x2): 100,000p
Lowest Power Empowerment Station: 15,000p
Salvage Rack: 15,000p

Total Cost for working Salvage storage and a working Empowerment Station: 130,000 Prestige

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Not bad, though I guess we need a workshop now. No need for a workshop up till now for our SG, with nothing to build that was affordable.

However, that leaves the 2 most interesting items to me, with no prices given yet: enhancement and inspiration containers!

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We really need to answer the following question: What does the development team think a "small SG" consists of?

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Actually, we need to answer the question 'What kind of SG does the development team consider too small to warrant help?'

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Actually I think the poster you responded to has the more valid question. As Positron said:

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Everything in this issue will be "reasonably priced". It doesn't make sense for us to set out to help small supergroups and then charge large supergroup Prestige for the items.

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They are trying to help small supergroups, so what do they think is a small supergroup? SGs can range from 1 to 75 members. Is 20 small? I don't think one has to think the devs incompetent to think they may set the "small SG" bar a bit higher than most players. On the scale of 1 to 75, 15 or 20 isn't really that big, when you think about it, so it seems reasonable to question where they set the bar. And where they set the bar will determine what is a "reasonable" price and restriction. Where would that leave the 5 member SGs if they set the bar at 15 as their baseline?

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We're pointing out the perception of need and what is "affordable" can be completely relative and subjective.

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Of course they can. That then raises the issue of whether you trust the person using the term to do so in a way that you would agree with; this is the whole issue, given that these statements are being made in the nature of an assurance. If they're not being taken as an assurance, which they clearly aren't given all this fretting, then it means people are being suspicious and mistrustful.

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The problem is that while most would probably agree that the devs made the original base items and their prices thinking that they were reasonably priced, in reality most of the players don't agree. Some of the base prices seem out of touch with being reasonable in reality. 1.3 Million for the first plot upgrade seems a bit much. That price right there precludes many smaller SGs from having a chance to get even the most basic plot upgrade for a long time, if they actually want to place items in their existing plot. The whole pricing structure on control items seems a bit high given the more reasonable pricing on power items. Having large teleporter rooms only allow 2 teleporters-the same as a small teleporter room- seems a bit of a mistake. The bigger room should allow 4 or more teleporters, given it can physically hold 9 I believe.

Things like the above, while I can't speak for everyone, in my opinion make some doubt the devs' view of "reasonable" when it comes to base prices. It has nothing to do with deception or intentional misleading, but just questioning their judgement when it comes to pricing.

PS: DOOOOM! Your avatar is quite appropriate. It's all doom and gloom and negativity anytime something is announced, but until we are given real numbers for some of these items, it is only natural since like I say it can be assumed that all the base prices were thought to be reasonable, yet aren't. But I do give the devs credit, that all of the fluff items, the nonfunctioning stuff, is reasonably priced. 100 for most things, 500 for some, a bit more for very few items. Great job there.

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It's like in school, when a professor makes a deadline. Part of the class shows up with the work done, and another part shows up and says "no fair, I have extenuating circumstances." So if the professor makes an exception, and everyone who had their work done is now a sucker, cause they could have waited too. To me, that's what the fairness aspect comes down to here. You think its unfair cause you don't have what you want. But the people who did get it would have their sacrifice trivialized.

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Actually, a more accurate analogy is this:

You are participating in a contest, where you have to run a course and your time is kept track of. However, after you are halfway there, or even finished with your trial, the organizers add some bonuses to the rules: Pick 10 roses from the garden before you cross the finish line, and get a special trophy! You, of course, did not do this, because it would be silly. However everyone else now will do it, and have their trophy engraved to show they accomplished the full event, roses included.

No, those who ran the race first did not pick 10 roses. But typically the rules aren't changed in the middle of the contest. So those who participated in the contest early are only asking to be able to be given special consideration due to rules changes beyond their control.

That describes Isolator. An ever-running contest that everyone gets to attempt one time, but the rules got changed one day after many already ran it.


Special event badges, such as Halloween? Those are different, in that those who participated got their trophy, and those who didn't participate chose not to do so. They either didn't care, or were on vacation, or were participating in other events(i.e. another MMORPG), but in any case, they didn't care to run that race. The race is over now, but if the organizers run the same race in the future, then everyone may get another chance! But until then they should accept that they made the choice not to participate.


Special event badges that people missed because they joined after the event occurred? Correct me if I'm wrong, but those people had the option to play CoX at the time of the event, but chose not to.

What is the key difference between the two? Choice.

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I posted this on the player's questions forum, but figured i'd get a faster more accurate answer here.

For the SG healing badges, does a player that already has max health get credit towards a healing badge for healing himself? Or for that matter does he get credit for healing himself at all?

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Healing badges have always been "heal another person for damage they actually needed healed". So healing yourself wouldn't work, nor would healing anyone who is full health.

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I think it can now be said that while _Castle_ started as the Stalker Rep, he has now graduated to the Global AT Rep.

Or it at least seems that way.

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Kinda like most companies, if you think about it. Why hire someone else when you can have your existing employees just do more work. I can empathize with Castle. Poor guy.

I guess the dream of one rep per AT who'd be able to focus on it was just a pipe dream.

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Fastest time I got 'Toy Collector' on an Alt was 72 minutes. And that was delayed only because some others showed up during the run. 200 is nothing, gang. Yes, repetitious but stay focused on the goal.

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Took me 3 hours using super speed and I had figured out the spawn points in an unpopulated zone. Anyone using teleport, or no travel power would certainly take much longer.

Don't go saying "200 is nothing". 100 would serve just as well without dragging it out overly long. Being a holiday event, it should be fun, and beyond 50 or 100 it is just a chore instead of fun.

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If you don't pay rent for long enough then you will be locked out of the base.

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Interesting to be told about this 2 months into Live. We were told explicitly that we never had to pay rent, and the only effect would be that our equipment would go offline. Not true anymore I see.

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Collecting a ton of presents also nets you the Toy Collector badge. Not sure how many, exactly, or if it matters whether you're naughty or nice.

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Was this confirmed somewhere?

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Yeah? I collected over 50 so far...

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Outdated post. Collect 100 Nice presents.

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Getting 100 nice would be rough but doable, but with the map server crashing and rolling back all progress every 10-15 minutes, I'd call it a pipe dream, and a waste of time. Hope Cryptic gets their servers fixed soon.

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Correction here. The 1hp threshhold is only one of the ideas being considered. We've still not determined exactly how we are going to deal with 'One Shot Kills' (and the final decision will almost certainly apply to both PVE and PVP -- so no more AV insta-kills.)

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Will this also mean no more players one-shotting mobs? Even blue or green or grey mobs? If so, that's going to be pretty annoying.

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I bet they mean only players being one-shotted, but that it will slip through for a few days so that players can't 1-shot any mob either.

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I'm sure blinkies still make a sound now.

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Yeah, Red Haven told me I had my sound turned down way too much. for a couple days there, I had thought that the Devs had changed blinkies!

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Actually they did remove the glowie sound completely some months back, whether intentionally or not, and some point in the last few months it was put back in, as a different sound though. It was really annoying for the time that it was gone, though now that it's back I don't need it, being level 50 with no missions. But glad it's back.

I assume a safeguard will be put in to prevent a SG from monopolizing a relic by simply NEVER being available to be raided. If these relics have any kind of benefit, a SG could just lock it away in their unraidable base.

I definately agree that it'd be bad to have your base raided at 4am when everyone's sleeping, but the other side of it is that there should be times you must put yourself up to be raided.