Turgenev

I'm hoping we get some rebirth option for COH in the next six months (so I can just finish the arcs as a way of adding content to whatever we do). If I don't see any concrete indication we're going there, I'll write up my own Loregasm (Turgasm?) for the arc direction and conclusion for anyone who's interested on Titan.

L-R: Turgenev, Zack Yaro, Ellen Cantor, Jack O'Lantern, Heliphyneau, Nik Chaikin, Joe Marion, CapnBarcode, Doug Marion, Thom Hurley
It began quietly, around 2pm, with my arrival at the front entrance of DuClaw in Arundel Mills Mall. The M&G's organizer, Crazed_Drifter/Nikolai, was already in attendance, looking out for other attendees. A few moments later, I kept Nik watching at the door while I went inside to make arrangements for a table for our little soiree.

Within the next 20 minutes, we had a few other attendees arrive. The Marion brothers, brandishing rather swank Windows smartphones. Yat_Man/Thom arrived shortly thereafter, having taken mass transit to get to us. Being familiar with Yat, I immediately recruited him for assistance in procuring a swag box for COH from my car (I was/am still recovering from a recent surgery, so I played the gimp card) for all the attendees to enjoy. Jack O'Lantern arrived shortly thereafter, at which point we moved inside to sit at the long table by the big window, looking into the mall itself.

You can thank Yat Man for his suggestion of this wicked pretzel thingy as an appetizer, which was surprisingly fortifying while we waited for everyone to show up. (Carbs, carbs, carbs.) After digging into some small snacks and, frankly, talking server smack cordially amongst ourselves, we were joined in a small amount of time by Ellen and her friend, Zack.

We passed the time with some food ordering, some friendly jibes and plenty of rumor chat about COH both past, present and what remained of its future. Nearly two hours later, we were joined by CapnBarcode and his wife, Heliphyneau (whose name I've pronounced rather delicately/lyrically for years, which she corrected me finally with "it's pronounced 'Hell if I know'"...).

I was regrettably on the clock (baby duties, can't leave the wife too long), so at 4pm, I chimed up, and spoke to the gathered heroes and villains.

I reminded them that, yes, I was there to deliver swag to the needy masses. I've asked all the attendees to chime in here, to share their experience (and hey, their swag) with you all.

I also mentioned that, in the years I've been gaming, I've only attended COH events, and those only in the last few years, because there's something "different" about our people. (No, we don't drool in public.) (Mostly.)

I mean, it wasn't about playing games online. If it were, we'd never attend these meet-ups and would have just moved on to the next thing, without batting an eyelash. City of Heroes was more than just a clickfest for most of us. It was a place where we could tie on a cape, or paint on a mask, like we were kids again, and go forth and "be" super. It was a game that, in the end, encouraged us to be good, and to do good. Our participation in Real World Hero and any other string of events or charities is quiet testament to that truth that were were more than gamers: We were a community; a people that flocked beneath a banner of heroism (and, well, villainy), that saw the comic book genre unfold each and every day within the bounds of Paragon City, the Rogue Isles, or Praetoria.

I saluted them, for though the game may suffer an untimely demise, we - the heroes and the villains - lived on.


Long live the Hero Nation.

I'm still shocked you're 30. I got all nervous when the server asked to card you.

Guess my quote from Moore was a bit confusing. Let me retool the image for you.

Looking into a big old warehouse called "NCSoft" where the windows are cracked and some smoke filters up into the night sky, and you can hear the shouts inside of people wondering WTF is going on, and just see the whole thing shuddering before you. You nod your head, and think, "what goes around, comes around," and can turn the next page to your life.

It's kinda like that.

Yes, NCSoft's woes are far beyond what they did to COH. Yes, our own mark on them is small. But yes, it still satisfies me to see this. No need to explain the vagaries of Korean market histrionics to me. Just let me sip my martini in peace, guys.

Box of Swag is in-hand. See you guys there.

Aw, thanks for asking, Desi. He's doing quite well these days: 10 months old and counting, and about 6 teeth to show for it.

Courtesy of the day of the hurricane. The wind made him om nom nom on the crib rail.

Make sure you post a link for people to follow. There's like a kazillion subforums there. XD

Courtesy of the heroes and villains tho got together to get me RHW because I was too busy being a father for the initial runs. RAR file of two demo files covering the entire RHW Magisterium trial. 2nd file is the one with the details you're looking for. Watch both to see how we rolled as a whole.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3X...khoTXl4TThVUkU

If this was a later run I'd volunteer in a heartbeat to help get one of the hardest badges in the game for people who don't have it yet. (I'll be attending the last COH M&G in the DC area that day.)

In the spirit in which it was offered, I'd encourage other players be constructive in their approach to Yat Man's cross-server offer. It doesn't hurt you to match his build requisites and participate if you need the badge, or want to help others get this. And who knows? You might actually have fun doing it too.

-T.

So, who are you on FB, man? I got nothin' from anyone that looks like you from COH Faces.

There are a few Ivan Turgenev profiles on FB (we're all copying the great Russian Nihilist of the 19th century, obviously), so here's a direct link to my profile there.

https://www.facebook.com/ivan.turgenev

Remember to msg me with who you are!

-T.

Hmmmm? What did they do to ease congestion? Kill the right half of Anne Arundel county?

And either day on that weekend should be solid for me. I can shift a day if it means more people can come.

Msg me there so I know who you are. If someone friends me and I don't get a message/don't know them, I let them sit. I don't do blind 'vites. So gimme a name, kemosabe.

As an addendum:

Dimension selection does determine who you see "in the wild" while roaming around. Once you join a team, your "joining up" with that team will push you to the leader's dimension. When you "break" from the team, I believe that dimension choice remains consistent UNTIL you zone out (go into/out of a dungeon map or change zones).

Re: Cobra's experience with teaming, I've found that after the initial shakedown period of the rollout, teaming kicks in for tasks, rather than casual teaming, specifically because some of the storylines have solo dungeons where you can't bring in your crew to assist anyway. (Mish 13 of the first big story arc comes to mind, where you enter the house basement in Savage Coast to find your way through the Illuminati library, guarded by CENSORED.)

Think of it this way: There are story arcs, and there are task forces. The story arcs lend more to a single player experience, although you can choose to team if you want to; just be aware of the solo instances that occur in these arcs. Your team can do their own instance of that solo map too, so you're still teamed, just not doing the solo bits "together" obviously, but rather parallel to one another.

I think that's why people don't team for the low impact missions. My two bits.

And yes, I absolutely love the storytelling mechanic. I've been waiting for this game for over half a decade, and it hasn't disappointed me thus far.

Huuuuu-uuuuush.

I'm heeee-eeeeeere.

Whaaaaar aaaaare uuuuu?

Well, here I am. S'up, Hush?

This is a great tip. Thanks for that, Katbird. And yay, first post!

*hugs* Grats on your vision. It's been a wunnerful ride!