Val_Halla

I was on 186.XX. I just upgraded to 190.XX and now it works great. Thanks!!

I have an NVIDIA 9400 GT card. It's got the DVI ouput connectors. I have been just using a DVI-to-VGA adapter to convert the signal to VGA, but I decided to use the DVI part of the card (since it was there. ). So I took out my adaptor and VGA cable and put in a DVI cable to the monitor. All I did was swap cables. Now everything works great, and looks amazing...except CoH. It loads, but at the splash screen everything goes black. Then I can tell by the background music that it gets to the log on screen, but I still see only black. And there is also no pointer.

I'm on Windows Vista (32 bit), BTW. Is there some setting I can tweak to get my picture back? I haven't been able to find anything.

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That is completely amazing and incredible DJ. Thank you for all your hard work. It is much appreciated by all of us in Lone STAR!

Instant desktop image!

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Yes. Yes it is. Thanks again, bro!!

No.

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Bah...just institute an ATM and be done with it!

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Works for me.

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So basically all I have to do is put up every TO I get at the AH for 1 inf and hope someone uses the same one for a character trade and I get instant millions?

Anyone else see a problem here or am I misunderstanding this?

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Nope, youve got it nailed XD

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Nobody will pay that much for low lvl items because they know there will be no guarantee of the funds going where they want.

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That's true of the people that come to the boards and are aware of how this works. Most of the playerbase doesn't come here, and those are the ones that will be victimized.

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But even a smart player that doesn't read the forums would probably figure out he needs to lo-ball the initial price to try weed out other peoples stuff. Personally, I don't recall reading anywhere whether it tells you how many of something are for sale, or if that at least one copy is available.

I really don't think it will be that hard to transfer inf to lower level characters. Transfering during "off" hours, picking off level enhancements (not purchasable from stores), and making sure nobody else is selling the item already should make it fairly safe to do.

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I don't agree. Most people I talked with thought posting a common item for a HUGE price would insure no one would pay for that item. They then could log onto another char and buy the item for that huge price, thereby completing an inf transfer. I believe that the same percentage of the playerbase will believe the same thing. Which is about 95%. Positron has now (indirectly) said that those players are gonna wind up giving their inf to some unknown player somewhere who put up the same item for a minimal amount.

Granted, this system isn't designed to be used to transfer inf, but that's what people will try. And they are gonna be so pissed when they "lose their life savings" that I'm betting accounts will be closed. Good, bad, or neutral, I predict that will happen many, many times.

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So basically all I have to do is put up every TO I get at the AH for 1 inf and hope someone uses the same one for a character trade and I get instant millions?

Anyone else see a problem here or am I misunderstanding this?

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Nope, youve got it nailed XD

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Nobody will pay that much for low lvl items because they know there will be no guarantee of the funds going where they want.

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That's true of the people that come to the boards and are aware of how this works. Most of the playerbase doesn't come here, and those are the ones that will be victimized.

I say post your items for the same price you'd get from the stores and see what happens. You can't lose, unless they just don't sell at all, and you might win big.

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I just want Cryptic to develope a MMO based on Mech Warrior.

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It's a shooter, and not an MMO, but it may be a step in that direction since you can battle other players: Exteel

See, I have a whole different perspective here...


I don't really care about what the base looks like, but how functional is it? If you wanted to make it more popular to me, and the thousands like me, you give it more functionality. Currently, all I use it for is a place to drop off my salvage, which I don't use, so it's meaningless to me anyway, and a quick way to hop a few zones. If the base was nothing more than a row of teleporters, it would be ok with me.

So I think that more functionality is needed before the bases become more popular...not design.

1) Make the base computers work the way they were originally supposed to. Or even expand on it: make the computers report villain activity in PVP zones. Make it so they notify you of a mission a villain is doing and shoot you there to fight said villain.

2) Fix the game so that the computer is a way to start a TF. Or expand on that and make that an optional way to start any TF.


Frankly, I'd rather see player housing separate from the SG base as an option. Maybe the hero doesn't want to be tied into a certain room in his SG's base, but would like to maintain his own apartment, for RP reasons. Maybe make the SG one less expensive or something, but give us the option.

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I regularly used the buzzcut with facial hair costume pieces, although I don't think that was the original name, but buzzcut is now gone. If you could bring it back that would be nice.

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/seconded

I loved that hair style.

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I think there's some misinterpretation here - or my speech wasn't clear.

Let's take a look at costume creation. It's been embraced beyond belief by players...we have in game costume contests and events organized by you the players...Some say it's the best part of the game. The single most requested item in CoH is to make the costume creator standalone...

Intestingly, costumes have no gameplay value. They don't boost damage. They don't boost resistance. They don't boost defense. They're only for show.

Now, let's take a look at bases. Take away the teleporters, take away anything game related.

As just a resource for expressing something unique, base creation is on par tech wise with costume creation. Admittedly, there's not quite the same amount of textures, colors, etc., but there's still a lot of versatility. And the layout possibilities are endless.

But what's clear from this thread - and from many, many posts - is that bases are "too expensive". To me, that's interesting (as it is to the Serious Games crowd). Costume changes come with a minimal cost that no one really complains about, but we complain about the costs of bases. Evidently, the costs exceed the perceived value of creating one's own HQ (btw, I confess that many other games have the notion of personal property, but aside from Second Life, I don't think they offer as much customizability as our bases).

Let's turn to the idea of an architect. We foresaw that some people would feel alienated if they weren't the architect. That's why some things (Personal Items) can be "crafted" by individuals and placed in the base. But even if there's an architect: many super groups have a member who designed a single costume which all then use. In other words, they're more than willing to accept someone else's opinion in the group identity for their avatar appearance. Again, the primary difference is cost (I think).

That's what the point of the talk was. I completely agree with many of the suggestions raised in the Base Construction forum, as well as one's mentioned here, would improve Bases to some degree or another. Posi and I go through them at length; really, it's just a question of time & resources. Some things would take astronomically long to do - or perhaps there's something else even more requested or popular.

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Costumes = Bases?

Um...no.

It is not necessary to spend a dime on costumes for the entire run of a hero or villain. It can be set up at the beginning and never changed. Besides...costume tokens are handed out like candy at Halloween, further reducing the overall cost.

Bases? Those cost. Oh yes...they cost.

1) Initial cost of the base. If that was the only cost associated with a base, it wouldn't be bad. I think most of us would be ok with, and even expect costs with changing base layout and such. So no problem there.

2) Rent. OK, we have to pay rent/mortgage in the real world, so doing so in a game might add to the realism. But it's a pretty high cost that we have to pay in game. My SG's monthly base rent is about 150K/mo., which I understand is actually relatively small. Now...that's not influence...that's prestige. And the prestige gained per defeat or mission is really very small. So this requires a LOT of SG activity. Fortunately, we have a fairly active SG, but I feel for the casual player that just wants his own little "batcave". It's simply not possible in this game.

3) And probably the biggest: No Inf - We have to choose to get influence/infamy OR prestige. This means that every point of inf NOT gained by a hero/villain can be counted in as the cost of the base, since that's the only thing the prestige is used for. Now add that up over all the people in the SG, and we are talking tens, if not hundreds, of millions per SG.

So yeah...they are VERY expensive.

I get Fly for almost all my characters. It just seems the most 'heroic' to me. I do make exceptions tho:

*Ice/ice tank uses SS+Prestige Power Slide to give the impression he is sliding on ice at super speed.

*Elec/elec blaster uses teleport to 'send his molecules thru the electric currents in the air'

*I had SJ on my villain, but it became to cumbersome in GV, so I respecced into Fly.

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Their purpose is to not have one apparently.

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I guess the "purpose" is to make Taunt worth something so that tankers will take it.

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I think having 0 endurance cost, being auto-hit, ranged, a long duration, and being AoE makes it worth taking. I hate the very concept of the power, but I took it because it's just too good for me to turn down, especially when facing dangerous, unhittable foes like MoGed Paragon Protectors.

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Then why are we constantly being assaulted by Tankers constantly screaming about how they don't need it?

I think it's a great power, I have it on my tank. I find it invaluable. My job is to take aggro, that power allows me to do that much more effectively than swinging my fists about, especially if I'm fighting something that +3 to me.

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We *didn't* need it. I've never had trouble with holding AV aggro in the past without it, even tho I did heve it. And my ice/ice tank has a taunt enh in both Chilling Embrace and Icicles, so that took care of my taunting for me. Now I find that that isn't going to be good enough against AV's? If true, it totally sucks because I'll be forced to take a specific power. No hero/villain of any set should be forced to take any power in the set. Sure, some powers are better than others...that's a given...but no power should be necessary. Now, it appears, that one is going to be for any higher level tanks.

I remember:

--Getting a group of us together and 'Brawling' Babbage to death (only power we were allowed to use was Brawl) back before he was a Giant Monster.

--thinking that Perez Park, Boomtown, and Faultline were very scary.

--thinking I had really accomplished something the first time I hit level 20 and could go to Talos in relative safety.

--the Winter Lords

--how pissed I was that I had to work during the Rikti Invasion. (We really do need that again. hint, hint, nudge, nudge)

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I would not recommend upgrading to the GVE goodies if you are inclined to think the Jump Jet Prestige power will be useful for a lowbie.. or in general.

The power is designed to augment travel powers and give them a little more speed while adding vertical ability. I wish I'd known just how "little more" it would add beforehand.

It's useless for lowbies (less than 14) unless you consider travelling at the speed of 3 slotted Hover for 30 seconds as useful.

I'm less than impressed using at higher levels too. I had anticipated more umph and less "is this thing on?" when using it. Lesson learned.

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I disagree.

I found it very useful this morning when running across KR. It is nice for getting on top of the buildings to finish the "Hunt 10 CoT in KR" mission. I also was able, for the first time, to get to the top of the Atlas Globe to get the "Top Dog" badge without waiting until I could get Fly or a friend to TP me up there.

The Justice Armor is already decking out one of my chars as well.

Haven't tried out the Pocket D teleporter yet...


I'm quite happy with mine.

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Can you tell us if the jetpack will remain visible or will it vanish when the 30 seconds is up. Obviously the power benefit would vanish after the 30 seconds but.. just hoping there's a way to keep it visible for those characters who want that option for their costume.

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From a powers/animation standpoint, the backpack geometry fades away after a period of non-use. I do not believe the geometry is available as a 'Cape' option so it is always present, though. I'm not Jay, though, so I could certainly be wrong!

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But would it be possible to put a backpack in as a cape option? I know a few tech-heroes that would really like this.

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Just added this patch note to PvP section:

Being defeated in a PvP zone will carry debt if any of the damage to you was caused by NPCs. The amount of debt is directly proportional to the amount of damage you took from NPCs vs. how much was done by opposing Player Characters. The more damage dealt to you by NPCs means more debt when you are defeated.

* This means that you can no longer “escape debt” by being defeated by a PC after taking massive damage from NPCs, nor will you be penalized with a massive amount of debt if you are defeated by an NPC after taking a huge amount of damage from a PC.

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O...M...G!!!

With all the things this game has wrong with it right now, they worry about this?? I mean seriously, how often did anyone ever intentionally get killed by a PC in order to avoid debt caused by an NPC in a PVP zone? Is this really that prevalent of an issue?

Where's the "pulling my hair out" smiley.

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So - here it is.

Added to the patch notes:

The Hamidon has been increased in difficulty. It is now capable of using one of its attack powers even when Held, Slept, or Stunned.

Evidently Hammy got a laser beam on it's head a long time ago but just now figured out how to use it.


The Mitos are AVs and are acting according to this patch note:

AVs/Heroes and Giant Monsters now ignore threat level damage multipliers for different Archetypes. They are still affected by Taunt as before.

As for the drops? Bug.

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Why in the hell would you put something in a game and then make it so damn difficult to do that no one bothers with it? Then, when they take the effort to actually figure out how to beat it, you find a way to make it tougher. And then continue on this course until the event becomes so unfun that people just throw up their hands in disgust and find other things to do...some of which are not even related to the game...if you know what I mean. How is that a good thing? If you don't want the players to have Hami-O's, just remove them from the game. Really, it's that simple.

Personally, I gave up on Hami a long time ago, but it still amazes me that the devs are regularly making this event even more tedious.

Too bad about renaming Chum Spray. I thought that was a great name.

Y'know, at first I thought it was kinda sickening the way people are falling all over themselves with joy over this. After all, none of these are really that big of a deal. Yeah, the AV one is great for soloers, but getting AV teams was never really that tough. GOOD AV teams? A bit tougher, I admit, but hardly impossible.

But these are certainly not worth offering one's firstborn for...

But then it occurred to me that maybe this just shows how starved for something positive the players of this game really are. These reactions are not unlike giving food to a starving man, or water to someone that has just walked across a desert. Maybe you should take this as a sign to give some positive changes to this community rather than nerf on top of nerf.

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First...I confirm that we're working on right now (as in pohsyb in the next room) to add CoV costume parts into CoH if you own both games....

Then we repeal the hated stealth nerf. The reason why: many well reasoned posts. It's that simple. You guys pointed out the problems.

AND now...we're changing the way Archvillains spawn. A ton of forum goers disliked adding so many AV's into missions a while back...so we've come up with a solution. If the team size and mission difficulty are ABOVE a certain level, an Archvillain spawns. Below that, players will face only an Elite Boss. If the mission is set on the first two levels of difficulty, it takes 4 heroes or more to spawn an Arch Villain. On the third level, 3 heroes or more. On the fourth level, 2 heroes. On the highest (Invincible), a solo hero will spawn an AV. Note this works in BOTH City of Heroes and Villains.

In order to incentivize larger teams, Positron is going to add a bonus to AV rewards!

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Wow...positive changes. I'm impressed.

Cynicism aside, tho, I do like these changes Statesman, and I think this is a step in the right direction. But I do have a question:

Suppose a player is sitting on 3 AV missions that they (for whatever reason) cannot get rid of. Will this retroactively allow them to drop the slider (provided they had it up) and complete these missions?

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I would much rather hear Cryptics explanation of our intended role and how they see us accomplishing it. Since we have obviously been wrong by their direction, I would really like for States and company to tell us what we are supposed to contribute to a team, and how that contribution stands out beyond all other AT's.

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Statesman's post:

Tankers manage aggro better than any other Archetype. They also have the highest combination of hit points and defenses in the game. Their role is to take the brunt of a spawn's aggro just long enough in order for the rest of the team to be able to eliminate the mobs.

Should a skilled Tanker be able to corral EVERY mob? With a lot of skill, it should be possible - but it's certainly not required to be a good Tank. As long as the Tanker can hold onto aggro so that his teammates are facing less than they'd normally face (i.e. 3 minions), then the team has an advantage. Namely, each teammate can quickly eliminate his opposition...and then come to the Tanker's aid at the end.

I just played a Tanker with the following group (actually, at the request of a PM)...

Inv/Fire tanker (32, SKed to 49)
Level 50 Elec/Elec Blaster (it was his mission, set on Rugged)
Level 32 Peacebringer (SKed to 48 or so).
Level 48 MA/Inv scrapper
Level 50 Fire/Kin controller
Level 35 Earth/empathy controller (SKed up to 48)
Level 49 Energy/energy blaster

We faced the Carnival of Shadows. Typically, I'd start combat by Taunting any Strongmen in the spawn. I knew that I could handle their damage best. I'd usually catch some other minions and lts. I'd end up with a good 1/3 of the spawn focused on me, while the rest of my group disposed of the others. Whenever I saw a teammate enter the red, I'd either Taunt the mobs off them or hit the mobs to get their aggro.

End result? Well, no one was that familiar with their builds. The Controller was defeated by getting too close to another spawn. The Peacebringer carelessly tossed off attacks and ended up aggroing too much. After those two defeats, we settled down and functioned fine.

Admittedly, my own health dropped down to a 1/3 several times. I'd get a little concerned, but usually I had Dull Pain ready.

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So let's break it down:

Tankers manage aggro better than any other Archetype. They also have the highest combination of hit points and defenses in the game. Their role is to take the brunt of a spawn's aggro just long enough in order for the rest of the team to be able to eliminate the mobs.

We manage aggro best? Our taunt of 5 villains is better than a controller's hold of 16? :hmm:
Take the brunt of the spawns? We'll come back to this.


Should a skilled Tanker be able to corral EVERY mob? With a lot of skill, it should be possible - but it's certainly not required to be a good Tank. As long as the Tanker can hold onto aggro so that his teammates are facing less than they'd normally face (i.e. 3 minions), then the team has an advantage. Namely, each teammate can quickly eliminate his opposition...and then come to the Tanker's aid at the end.

"Should a skilled Tanker be able to corral EVERY mob? With a lot of skill, it should be possible...". So apparently tanking is not for the unskilled player that just thinks it sounds like a cool AT.

And, I guess our job as a tank is to simply stand there and keep a few of the minions occupied while everyone else kills the rest, then have the rest of the team help us eliminate the ones we are keeping busy. In other words, we are not much more in his view than a mobile defense inspiration. Good to know he's got such a high view of us.

We faced the Carnival of Shadows. Typically, I'd start combat by Taunting any Strongmen in the spawn. I knew that I could handle their damage best. I'd usually catch some other minions and lts. I'd end up with a good 1/3 of the spawn focused on me, while the rest of my group disposed of the others. Whenever I saw a teammate enter the red, I'd either Taunt the mobs off them or hit the mobs to get their aggro.

He would taunt the Strongman? That is the one in the group that is least likely to hurt him. He even says so. I don't consider my role as a tank to be attack the safest, but instead to be attack the opponent most likely to hurt the team. This generally means lts or bosses. Yes...even against Carnies.

"I'd usually catch some other minions and lts." - he sounds like this wasn't intentional...just a side effect of the taunt power.

1/3 of the spawn? Remember how I said we'd come back to his comment about taking "the brunt" of the attack? I consider 1/2 or better to be the brunt (ie: the bulk, the most, etc.). I don't think 1/3 is the brunt at all.

As far as the last line: That's mighty big of you Statesman. Hope you didn't tax your defenses too much helping out others like that. <_<

End result? Well, no one was that familiar with their builds. The Controller was defeated by getting too close to another spawn. The Peacebringer carelessly tossed off attacks and ended up aggroing too much. After those two defeats, we settled down and functioned fine.

Please tell me I'm reading this wrong...is he blaming the rest of the team? "It's not my fault...they sucked!" Yeah...um...grow up. He's saying they are in their 30's and not familiar with their builds. Is he insinuating they were power leveled? :hmm:

Admittedly, my own health dropped down to a 1/3 several times. I'd get a little concerned, but usually I had Dull Pain ready.

Musta been those times he was so selflessly helping his teammates because they sucked so bad.

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Does this strike anyone else as thinking tanks are simply something to keep some mobs busy while the rest of the team "works"? I feel like he thinks that tanks are the equivalent of that guy in your office/class that gets the busy work because he isn't really able to handle the work the other people are doing.


If by some chance you happen to read this, Statesman, then know this:

As a tank, I didn't pick and choose my opponents leaving the hardest for the rest of the team to handle...I jumped in the middle of the spawn and took all the aggro I possibly could. Yeah...I died a fair amount doing this (even pre I5 and ED), but that was my role...to protect my team. I really did take the brunt of the spawn's attack...not just 1/3.

I did everything I could to prevent my teammates from going red in the first place, not simply waiting for them to and THEN taunting the villains.

If someone on my team died, I took it personally...I didn't blame them for not knowing how to play their characters.

So I guess you and I have a different idea of what tanks should be. I think the tank should be the tough hero that protects his team, and you think it should be mobile damage mitigation. Unfortunately for us, you are in control, so you win out. I'll be sure to let my future teams know that my job is to hold the aggro of only 5 guys while they take out the rest, and that I will expect them to help me when they are done. I'm sure that'll go over real well. Bet I'll be real popular.

I disagree with the pre level 10 debt thing. I think it's a non-issue. Why? I rarely teamed prior to level 10 simply because I've found that until then, I can level faster solo. Too much time is wasted in teams at those levels waiting for people to get from point A to point B, sell, etc.

That being said, I have taken somewhere around eleventybillion alts to level 10 to see if I liked the sets. Rarely have I been defeated during that time. I also was never hurting for infl to get what I needed. So I really don't think debt, pre-10, is enough of a factor to make this big of a difference.

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The reward tables for CoV are the exact same ones as CoH.

The store definitions for CoV are the exact same ones as CoH.

You don't start giving up Inf. for Prestige until level 24.

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I have no doubt that they are on the same table...now.

But how does this compare to pre-I6/CoV tables?

The reason I ask is that my level 30 blaster has yet to have a problem with this. Every level X2 or X7 he has been able to fully refit himself with Trainings, DO's or SO's without any influence help from a benefactor. Now in CoV, I'm slotting only drops and saving my inf for level 22 (only 18 right now). There is a definite difference in the 2. And my blaster is sonic, so he was only created post-I5.