Triplash

The hardest part about defeating a Giant Monster is finding out that it's appeared. I've always wanted a way to know which ones are active without having to go and check every spawn point in every blasted hazard zone. The same with zone events like Troll Raves and Ghost Ships. Sure you get a message in your chat box when something starts, but if you log in two seconds after that message goes out you'll never hear about it.

So I suggest this: add a "Crisis Monitor" feature that gives you a list of which giant monsters and zone events are currently active. It could be a new option in the contacts tab, or a function of the existing police scanner / newspaper. Hero side has one that only heroes can claim, and which only shows hero-side activity; villains get their own version. A character that switches their alignment could collect both, and each version can continue to be used even if the character switches alignments later. Praetorians could get their own version as well, which any alignment can pick up in Praetoria. There might be an unlock requirement to get this feature, such as already having two different badges related to GMs or zone events.

It doesn't have to be pretty, a text list is fine by me. Just display the system message for each event that's currently active. For example, you open up the monitor and get a contact window that looks like this:

The System channel in the chat box already displays messages when you enter new neighborhoods. Maybe it wouldn't be too difficult to tack on a level range to that message? Sure it's in the chat box and not the main playing area, but it couldn't hurt for more players to keep a better eye on system messages anyway, honestly.

Now as to the original idea of having the map dynamically re-color neighborhood borders... I like it. The dots for contacts and other marker points can be toggled on/off, and appear as overlays when active. This would be lines instead of dots, lines that re-color themselves based on your level (and perhaps also adjust for difficulty setting). I'm not saying I think it'd be easy, but it's not such a stretch to believe it's possible.

Glue two big googly eyes to the outside of it and put up a sign that says:

You guys rock

So I love that new rocket board that's coming with I21. It got me thinking what other kinds of travel powers we might start seeing.

...I'll be honest, I couldn't think of any. But I came up with a few that I'm pretty sure we won't see:


Alternate Forms of Walk:

- Riding Mower: Their butts are grass and you're the lawnmower! Well, you *have* a lawnmower, at least. Note: there is a 1% chance with each activation that you will get the red version instead of the default green. This version increases the movement speed by 10%. 'Cause everyone knows stuff goes faster when you paint it red.

- Sneak: You hunch over and slowly inch along on your tippytoes. Occasionally your head darts to the side as if you heard something. This power does still lock out all of your other powers, but at the same time it grants you incredible stealth... enough to slip past Rikti Drones unnoticed. It comes with a catch though. There's a 0.01% chance with each tick that you step on a squeaky floorboard, at which point every mob within 100 yards immediately aggros on you. While all your powers are locked out. Hey, no-one said being a ninja was easy.

- Creepy Kid: You skip merrily down the street, holding a single red balloon. When you target a character or foe, no matter where they are in relation to you, your body stays still and only your head turns to look at them. *shudder*

　
Alternate Forms of Sprint:

- Segway: You climb aboard a heavily modified version of that infamous two-wheeled scooter, adapted to move at city traffic speeds and provide decent lift from small jump jets mounted on its undercarriage. Unfortunately there are no spiked hubcaps or rocket launchers on this model... yet.

- Freak Out: You weave back and forth as you run, flailing your arms in the air like a muppet and going "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!". The idling animation alternates between running around in circles, and stopping to catch your breath.

- Weewee Dance: You hobble along with your knees pressed together, slightly bent over and holding your hands near your belt buckle. Somehow you can manage a brisk pace even like this, as the run speed is 30% faster than Sprint. (When you gotta go, you gotta go.) However there is one drawback... every time you come within range of a door you automatically move toward it, knock frantically and say "Are you gonna be done in there soon?" The idling animation for this one is hopping from foot to foot and saying "Sssss... ooooh... unnnhhh..."

　
Alternate Forms of Ninja Run:

- Parkour: You tumble and somersault about the place, hopping on top of everything in your path... fire escapes, stair railings, trash cans, passing cars, old ladies. There's a random chance of yelling out "Hardcore parkour!" with each jump.

- Cart Surfing: You climb inside a shopping cart that's been retrofitted with rocket boosters. 'Nuff said.

- Shriner Car: You squeeze into a toy car that's half your size, with your knees sticking out to either side and the tassle on your fez blowing in the breeze. Baby, you were born to ride.

Hmmm...

*looks at Hamster Dance... looks at Nyan Cat...*

*Punts Hamster into a Singularity*

OP has been updated!

Onoz! I completely missed both All Your Base and It's a Trap?!?!? And I call myself a geek... it's a good thing this is still in beta!

Okay so, I was watching the devchat earlier today and somebody mentioned a joke powerset, Meme Summoning. Ridiculous as it sounded, it did get me thinking. This is what I ended up with. It's a Control powerset, available for Controllers and Dominators. (And no, this is not serious in the slightest )


Meme Manipulation (Control Powerset)

(1) LOLcat
Ranged, Foe Immobilize, Minor DoT (Lethal)

Summons an adorable little cat at the feet of your enemy, which claws lightly at their toes while immobilizing them with sheer cuteness.

(1) Leeroy Jenkins
Ranged, Foe Confuse, -ToHit

Your enemy develops an unjustified and extremely overblown sense of confidence. They end up running around the battlefield like an idiot and doing more damage to their own allies than to you.

(2) Rickroll
Ranged, Foe Hold, Minor DoT (Smash/Energy)

You capture your enemy in an unshakeable force field and raise them high into the air. You are never going to give them up, you are never going to let them down.
　
(6) This Is Striga
Melee, Moderate Dmg (Smash), Foe Knockdown

Raising one foot high, you kick your target backward into... well, into the ground. What else would be there, a giant bottomless hole? You watch too many movies.

(8) Not Sure If Serious
Ranged, Foe -Speed, -Rech, -Dmg

You question your opponent's dedication so thoroughly that they start to question it themselves, slowing them down and weakening their attacks temporarily.

(12) Get Off My Lawn
Ranged (Cone), Moderate Dmg (Smash/Fire), Foe Knockback

Those freaking kids are messing up the grass again. Let off some steam, and show them what you think of trespassers.
　
(18) It's A Trap
Ranged (Targeted AOE), Foe Immobilize, -Speed, Confuse

Your opponents stop in their tracks, bewildered. The ones who can still move are reacting very slowly, unsure what just happened or who their real enemy is.

(26) Over 9000
PBAOE, Foe Fear, -Regen, -Recov

This power inspires terror and awe in your opponents, crippling their ability to recover from other attacks.

(32) Nyan Cat
Summon Nyan Cat: Taunt (PBAOE), Intangible, Special

Calls forth a mutant hybrid pastry-feline creature that assaults your enemies in the worst way possible... with relentless overly-cute singing. It has no attacks, rather it emits a strong taunt aura, then turns itself intangible. Foes will gather around it, unable to look away and unable to make it stop, until eventually their heads explode.


EDIT:
- I replaced Hamster Dance with It's A Trap, cause... who wouldn't.
- Honey Badger got removed due to Nyan Cat being much more appropriate (and evil).
- All Your Base just sounds more like it belongs to a Buff / Debuff set.
- I'm also thinking of replacing Over 9000 with Blue Brain of Death, since Over 9000 feels much more like a tier 9 Ranged power.

(26) Blue Brain of Death
PBAOE, Moderate DoT (Psychic), Foe Hold

Your opponents are locked in place, completely frozen, and suffer moderate psychic damage over time as their internal thought processes collapse one by one.

So will Time Manipulation be the official powerset of the Menders now?

But seriously, I like the sound of this set. I'm not normally big on control related playstyles, but I do have a couple characters like it. And this will be the next one.

You guys are going to some really fun places with the new powersets lately. Thanks for the great work!

I showed up a bit late and there's already 18 pages, so sorry if this point's already been made.

What I like best is the fact that there *are* such different character styles co-existing in the same setting. You've got the classic superhero-y types like Statesman and Ms. Liberty, the gritty darker types like Dark Watcher, the complete fantasy creatures like Totems and Streng, and the kind of horrific abominations like Dr Vahzilok. Players could quickly get tired of looking at the same type of characters over and over again, but that's not the case here. You always know that if the creatures and characters here aren't your favorite, you can just travel a zone or two over and there they are. The sheer diversity is my favorite part about this game's artwork, rather than any one piece of it.

This issue is looking better and better all the time, guys

One thing: I notice the picture has an item called Cyborg Arm Costume Piece. It made me think of those "Robotic Arm" upper body options... since you're making changes to the costume creator anyway, is there any chance those could get reworked into "Alternate Arm" options instead? One for left, one for right, and one for both, so you can choose which arm is unique. That way you could have additional types of arms, like demonic or infected, or you could even have bare arms with an armored torso, for example.

It could offer a temporary boost to max hp, like Dull Pain. That seems like a logical next step.

I have an idea that might fit this, actually. I call it a Unity Contest.

When you mentioned 'costume contest for supergroups', it struck me: what basis could you judge a supergroup on, anyway? It has to be something more than a single player or character can manage, otherwise the fact that they're in a group while doing it is beside the point. So I came up with three criteria that I feel fit a supergroup-based contest.


Impact

The visual and social impression that the group leaves on those who meet them. The most successful supergroups both win over the people, with showmanship or generosity (or terror or deceit), and scare the enemy, through tight-knit efficiency and extensive training (or sheer raw power or brutality). This can be well represented by memorable symbols like matching uniforms, or a co-ordinated 'big entrance'. It needs to show either a sweeping uniformity across the entire organization, or that the group has integrated a number of unique pieces into a whole that is greater than the parts. When this group arrives, you know it isn't just a collection of individuals, this is a force.


Dedication

The group's theme and background. How did they form? Do they have a specific purpose? How well do the characters work together? This showcases the multiplayer nature that supergroups were intended to promote, by examining the group's main description and the characters' separate stories, and even integrating them to some extent. It doesn't have to be intricate and interwoven like a five-season tv show, but it should show that the players involved have worked together to create something that they obviously care about.


Organization

In order for a group to survive the trial of time and accomplish the truly monumental goals, its members must be able to work together, both in and out of battle. Combat requires efficient planning and co-ordinated tactics to achieve reliable success; if nobody knows what the other person's doing, the team will often fail, and quickly disintegrate. Outside of combat, if the players are butting heads over responsibilities or duties, the same will happen. There needs to be a clear command structure, and it's best to also have a plan in place for attaining long-term goals. Either lay out straightforward rules that everyone follows, or separate the tasks clearly so each member knows their assignments.


If your group doesn't really deal much with one of these areas, you can leave it out and focus on the other two. But be warned: you'd better be exceptional at those other two! Supergroups are about uniting players and integrating their characters together in a shared experience, at least for a time. You may be surviving and even thriving without any of the points mentioned here, but don't expect to win a supergroup-based competition if you don't do the things a supergroup does.

---

Each supergroup gets graded in these three areas over the course of two main events, the Roll Call and the Efficiency Challenge.


Roll Call

Does the group wear matching uniforms or are they a motley crew of misfits? Do they pull off trickshots and fancy acrobatic maneuvers while calling out cheesy one-liners, or are they all about function over form? Do they fly/jump/run/teleport/stealth in one by one and assume a collective "Ready For Action" pose, or do they strike from the shadows without ever being seen? This is where the group shows off their look, their story, and the way they interact with the public. It's a great chance to display co-ordination and command structure as well.


Efficiency Challenge

Does one player always try to run everything, or does the leader trust their team to know their own roles? Does the team listen when a plan is being laid out, or do they butt heads and waste time with bickering and drama? This is where the players are judged on their ability to work with one another, both tactically and socially. Lack of either one will cause a supergroup to fail long before it gets to the big leagues.

---

The ingame story could be that a bunch of fresh new supergroups are auditioning for a kind of mentorship, to have a seasoned and famous group "show them the ropes". The opening line from the Hero sponsor group could be something like, "We see a lot of supergroups come and go. What makes you guys think you can last, and make it to the Big Leagues?" The Villain sponsor would look for the same criteria in each category, but the theme would be villainous rather than heroic. IE, using a show of force to intimidate the public rather than displays of generosity to earn their trust.

If it sounds interesting at all, I have a few more notes I could pass along.

1) I'd separate buffs from debuffs in the game engine. That would have two major effects: first, it would give some folks who don't like certain buffs the option of canceling or auto-denying them, without giving them the ability to cancel enemy debuffs as well. Second, and more importantly, it would allow for the creation of new enhancement types and recipe sets that we haven't seen yet because of this weird mechanics issue.

2) Base and SG changes. No need to explain this one, it's all been said perfectly already

3) Revamp the earlier-made story arcs and TFs so that missions are in the same zone and contacts can be called right from the start. Plus, for every arc that contains some unique game mechanic, I'd like to see four or five straight-forward arcs. Fancy mechanics and extra-challenging end fights aren't necessary for *every* story. I'd rather see more exploration of the lesser seen enemy groups, I think it would add a lot of flavor.

4) More zone events and giant monsters. They don't have to be complicated or unique, just put in more things that randomly happen and cause some unusual activity in the general zones. Things like Goldbrickers looting a warehouse or Luddites protesting a research lab. Much of this could even be handled as low-chance spawns. Bonus points if they use mobs from the other faction's enemy list!

5) Remove the ability to out-level contacts. You still have to unlock them in the original manner, but once they'll talk to you they won't suddenly stop talking to you. Accepting a mission that's beneath your level simply exemplars you down to the appropriate level. Undertaking missions through Ouroboros is still the only way to run the same mission more than once, however. But this way you could also accept lower level radio and safeguard missions. You could also enable a setting that would let lower level tips drop, just for some extra variety. Alternately, add the ability to voluntarily exemplar yourself (to lower levels only) at will.

I could go for this. I'd be looking for the full 200m, Blueside on Virtue ( @Triplash ). I'll send you that email.

Weird timing, too; I was just thinking about this yesterday. Thanks for making the offer again

That is a really fun read, and quality work too. Great job!