cartophilus

Alright, I think this is somewhat related as a consumer issue with developer decisions. I suspect that my girlfriend is Britney spears.

Seriously, I've been seeing this woman for years on years. Back when I used to sit in Harvard Square with all the punk rockers and such when it was a hangout for punk rockers, I would dress all in black and smoke imported clove "sigarets" from Indonesia. One factory there burnt down in an accident, but that has little to do with the subject at hand, besides certain associative similarities with the topic.

Anyway, I met this woman a few years later at a live roleplaying event. She didn't have blonde hair then, nor did she have blonde hair later. However, her (uh) chest keeps changing size. This is characteristic of Britney Spears. Also, her facial features shift, so that the cheekbones are sharper or wider at any given time. I am concerned about this, and want the developers to do something.

You know, you guys have power. Please, help me. At least let her know that I accept her as Britney Spears, and that I still love her no matter what.

Please ensure that anyone who wishes to obtain a badge accrued by defeating a numerical amount of members to a villain group must /exemplify to a level where these villains are also worth experience.

Also, it might be good to note to any observer at what "objective level" a badge was gained and what date. By objective level, I mean the character's normal security level at that time, as opposed to the character's modified level from /exemplar and /sk functions.

Otherwise:

1. It becomes far easier to have "badge completion" in third party sales, although most hunting badges are not actually worth anything within the game, most people who buy these characters aren't familiar with the game or only scantily familiar with it.

2. Badges are worth less to distinguish a character's focus and interest if they can be very easily obtained at higher levels.

3. We have hordes of high level characters swarming upon an area and eliminating bosses much to the chagrin of lower level characters of newer players, older players who are trying to work with a lower level character without exploiting, and players who genuinely try to /exemplar to gain lower level badges.

P.S. As to datamining badges, I suggest that you limit these datamining to characters who were of a level to recieve that achievement badge from the time the achievement badge existed and any time thereafter. A series of qualifying modifiers to this datamine might exist...

1. Only gather characters who were (x) level when achievement was released. (Yes, I know, this isn't fair to people who were /sk to gain these achievements, but it swiftens datamining)
2. Only gather characters who have the contacts necessary for the achievements with finished missions that indicate they recieved the achievement.
3. First, only gather datamine information on characters who are of active accounts. Secondly, of these, gather information in initial search on characters who are "most active" of a character's roster and that character (or characters) of highest level. Thirdly, all other characters who might have been left out from this but fit other categories, might be datamined once the initial results have come in.

This would constitute mildly emergent datamining, datamining through exclusion of characters that are not frequently used, do not seem like they were focal during the achievement, and do not appear to be unplayed at present.

Please ensure that anyone who wishes to obtain a badge accrued by defeating a numerical amount of members to a villain group must /exemplify to a level where these villains are also worth experience.

Otherwise, we have hordes of high level characters swarming upon an area much to the chagrin of lower level characters of newer players.

Alright, the present zone events are a beginning, but what you might also use are global events, such as elections or events that bring up a world outside Paragon (beyond even The Rogue Isles).

As to more zone events... take a look at what villains appear to be doing presently. Please do not discount Citizen events either. They may celebrate superhero groups, hold parades masquerading as various superheroes (but with their own names overhead), build giant christmas trees, sing caroles, go trick or treating as villains, etc.

Hellions and Skulls seem to be courting various villain organizations (or once did), with the Skulls trying to work with the Vazhilok, but presently fighting with them -- and now making arrangements with The Family and Trolls. Hellions once seemed to be working with Circle of Thorns, but I've not seen the two grouping together since, although it appears they've taken a liking to the Outcasts (at least Hellions have appeared in the Hollows speaking with them).

Vazhilok hasn't done much lately, and still seems to be progressing with research. It would be interesting to see if he ever tries to develop a technological afterlife, a purported utopia for the rich to rest in forever. Also, he might think of dangling this afterlife over the heads of his more cognitive servants to keep loyalty and provoke individual initiative among the eidolon (or to bribe people of other organizations). An entire coeterie of Vazhilok "prophets" and "fanatics" might appear.

The Clockwork haven't done much except labour away at building more of their own. Assuredly the larger Clockwork could assemble war constructs that house them, much as their larger contingents spout "gears".

I've noted that the Circle of Thorns usually stands on mounds and often these mounds appear of nowhere (or so it seems from the viewpoint of a player who has been on the game for a long time). Perhaps The Circle of Thorns might cause earthquakes, green (living) fires, perhaps their slave spirits might haunt houses, activate nexus points of ley lines into silvery webs of terror and evil... also do not discount the similarity between various magical organizations, they could readily join together with terrifying summonings and sorceries to strange effects. Monsters such as a mask-of-desire (or pain or whatever) totem with horns that executes martial arts moves while exuding flame might appear. No, nevermind. Too silly.

The Outcasts already have a "zone event" of questionable worth, but in character for them as a discrete and individual group. Since they are mutants, they might attempt to do something to establish their presence in Paragon as a collective. They might even gather under charismatic leadership of an Arch-Villain. Of course, these are The Outcasts, and of course, division could feasibly occur between those who wish to conquer Paragon (and feel conquest is plausible) and those who wish to establish a seperatist community surviving initially on taking what they need, but with eventual self-sufficience.

The Trolls I've spoken about to Statesman in a message he's probably forgotten. I still believe there should be normal troll citizenry walking around Paragon or at least a district that has a troll community, perhaps impoverished. Perhaps a Troll claiming familial relation to Grendel (Los -- from Blake's poetry? Caligorant -- from Orlando Furioso?) would attempt to establish leadership, and with this leadership focus on attempting to thieve any super item (serum, potion, rune) to increase troll intelligence and power both. Various trolls might be created that have been influenced by these tries. Factive differences might occur due to these tries (the trolls of the rune might despise or mistrust the trolls of the serum, etc.).

The Council are unbearably easy to develop events for. Council would release giant robots, a missile to circle over a zone (that functions as a Giant Monster with a nasty explosion after-effect and perhaps a special badge for surviving the explosion),

The Warriors should truly, truly, establish a castle, and get some darn armour. Also, a few of the more educated warriors might have a college education or something, maybe the entire show is being run by bored college professors with both normal mind control powers and subtle long term mind control powers which they use over their students. The professors may have been slain, no longer work criminally, or are already captured for other criminal efforts, but their students from over three decades remain captivated by the initial teachings (perhaps these professors stole an unpublished roleplaying game manuscript from its author and have used it in tandem with psychic powers to... nevermind). Regardless, regardless: the Warriors should have a few keeps about, eventually a castle or something. They might obey a Greek sounding king, as mixed up as they are about Ancient Greece and Medieval weaponry. In any case, what this suggests is that Warriors would be attempting to gather slaves for construction labour, tools, equipment, power supplies, etc.

The Tsoo might organise street fights in the everso typical member-gathering rite of evil martial artists from films. "Let us see which of these men exhibits the most wicked sadism and strength in battle..." Also, the Tsoo could indeed be trying to initiate embassy with a dragon discovered by Trolls. This dragon might provide a *very* interesting Giant Monster... as well as fit into the general Beowulf concept of the Trolls, the skewed romanticism of the Warriors, and the Tsoo focus on cinematic martial arts.

Freakshow obviously, very obviously, should have occasional riots, shooting up areas, holding up traffic, chasing a single villain of different organization down the street shouting, "We're the Vanguard! We're the Vanguard!" etc.

The Banished Pantheon is definitely the best organization for future development of events. Most assuredly, they are associated with the constant mists and ghosts in Dark Astoria, so perhaps they would also attempt to establish mist-filled locations where citizenry already turned into ghosts would dwell therein along with "afflicted" citizens.

Devouring Earth are another easy thing: they conduct eco-terrorism, so why not have them conduct eco-terrorism. They can release gasses, apparent oil spills that are infected with terraforming substances, attempt to plant hamidon matter in pets and lawns, in Hydrae, etc.

The Lost I am not going to utter much of, except it may be easier to develop flavorful events for them if some were to realise what were happening to them (perhaps as tools of a new powerful psychic) and initiate a schism that allowed for a assault on the city (especially if this psychic had pried secrets of technology from their masters), masterminded by... Crey? To appear as a new alien invasion?

Sky Raiders may indeed offer quite a bit of fun. Sky Raiders would be fascinated by taking the city, especially a portion of residential areas, as their own. Also, a political contingent might be in favor of their activities and if elections ever come to fore, one of the candidates could be secretly in league with Sky Raiders. Other nifty stuff too, especially if Sky Raiders gather sufficient military equipment.

The Crey are not easy for me to suggest events about, as they might influence massive mutations of citizenry (transforming like warwolves) that occurs regularly. Now, it might be effective to the Crey to begin establishing for themselves a floating city using stolen and developed technology that allowed them to conduct operations hidden from view and protected. Events might begin occuring such as massive Crey assaults to take super powered prisoners.

Prisoners of the Zig may stage massive prison break-ins followed by massive prison break-outs, suffer from new superadine outbreaks, and mebbe you might add an occasional prisoner statement of trying to mug a hero for their costume?

Nemesis might work in tandem with Sky Raiders, the Sky Raiders needing better equipment and even training manuals (chuckle), and Nemesis might be interested in cheap mercenaries for some reason or another (perhaps arranging an alliance with The Council as well). Yeah, ok, I admit it: Sky Raiders lack character without a political atmosphere represented within gameplay of City of Heroes. Anyway, Nemesis could readily raid any NPC villain owned zone or simple districts, sieze an entire neighborhood through infiltrating the apartments and firing on heroes and villains who near, etc. They might even occasionally announce a public ceasefire, vanishing from the map only to reappear a day later with nastiness in tow.

Little elemental apes like Pumicites and such might be herded by the Carnival into a zoo of sorts... perhaps be targeted by other villains as potential servitors, used and abused and manipulated cruelly. Or even appear to help heroes on occasion. Such is the lot of the tragic monster villain: they only wish to be alone, sometimes to make friends, but either end up attacked by police and citizenry til they run rampant in violent rages, are manipulated by villains, or make errors due to ignorance and cause havoc due to their natural state and inclinations.

The Carnival should, really should, hold masquerade balls and parades. Crey should, really should have her own palacial interior zone that exists as non-instanced, perhaps accessed by teleporter pads in Bricktown and Founders Falls, and maybe by special yacht in Peregrine, and this mansion should be subject to occasional villain raids, but otherwise be like the nightclub except with more elegant music. And also have a few contacts, a TF, and a special store (free negative enhancements that cannot be traded but can be deleted? mixed blessing enhancements? raise one power in exchange for set negative effects occuring at random intervals). In any case, Carnival villains would have seductive public performances: beautiful, wistful affairs of dark and wicked beauty.

The Rikti... feh. New dimensional gate to a world where the Rikti managed to establish firm dominance and health. Rikti superheroes, Rikti dimensional gates... blah blah blah blah blah, I'm sleepy.

Fors Fortuna, Cryptic, I've written far too much, but I hope some of it is helpful. And don't worry about using it. Cryptic has full permission to use any of the stuff in this here post by Lloyd Warren Ravlin III identified on the forums as cartophilus, rights waived as to ownership and origination. You've got witnesses. Use it, have fun, make a funner game for all!

[ QUOTE ]
I have to agree with several other posters. When I was able to get to the fire, I thought it could have been much better if we could have gone into the building to put the fire out! Perhaps with an "oxygen meter" or something similar, where the longer you stay in the building, the more damage you take from the lack of oxygen or something.

[/ QUOTE ]

Endurance and health should be drained perhaps, with occasional dizziness/daze effects after a hidden timer has expired.

Character Name: The Book
Server: Guardian
Details: This time (unlike Perlarosero), my character is a slight mockery of what I am and what I love. The Book is a hunter after occult and supernatural mystery, he is a defender of mortals and innocent spirits from the predation of diabolic cults and harmful magic; but none of that is parody. The parody is in his background. The date of his creation is the date of my birth.

The fact that he fought a "Television Rakshasa Bacteria" is a combination of elements that I vied with in my childhood: a consuming love for television (Sid & Marty Croft Productions being highly valued, along with Warner Bros. cartoons that evidently few other mortals have seen or mentioned in official listings), frequent dehabilitating illnesses leading to temporary hallucination and bizarre ideations, and a reoccuring fear that the world being a shapechanging creature composed of all objects and creatures therein.

The Book is made of paper, very lightweight, and as such is conceptually prone to being knocked around: of course, his stuff is very tough (also conceptual), and malleable. I've always been a bit of a paperweight myself.

Also, The Book's Praetorian nemesis, The Words of Teeth (?), is a carnivorous text construct that is used by the Circle of Thorns (and quite possibly others) as a mercenary to hunt people and devour their bodies, and pronounce the ritual of final destruction and death to their souls thereafter. In its offtime, it is a corporate entertainment software administrator and author of many fine books on ceramic craft and histories of material technologies. It ain't a stupid brute.

The idea for the ritual of final death came from an SPI war simulation game called Swords and Sorcery. The idea for a book that devours people is common to my concepts: at its basis is the concept that music and words could devour people.

I'll probably be recreating my old character, Perlarosero, sometime in the future, as a hero again.

[ QUOTE ]
Character Name: Perlarosero
Server: Liberty
Details: What inspired my creation of Perlarosero was the song Dreamweaver and my childhood in Riverside, California. The lovely process of storytelling and the play of make-believe was still alive in that time; often there were frightening stories of the old mission in the city, and occult rituals taking place there. Also, there was happier stories, such as the invisible castles atop each hill around the city that would only come into being once a century, and only for a week. Perlarosero is a guardian of dreams, and his name is Esperanto for "Pearl Dew" after the Cocteau Twins song, "Pearly Dewdrops Drops".

Dreamweaver is Gary Wright's song, and the Cocteau Twins are a subculture rarity from the eighties, very popular among the alternative crowd back then.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
Couple of changes we're making in I5:

1) Instead of the first five levels being debt free, the first TEN levels will be debt free.

[/ QUOTE ]

This might be usefully changed to first fifteen levels, in consideration for the long travel time without a travel pool power. Eventually. After ten level experimentation is seen.

[ QUOTE ]
2) XP debt will be halved on mission maps (that includes outdoor mission maps, too).

[/ QUOTE ]

XP debt might be halved for all players of the game when this change is released, to reflect the change? This might ease other dissatisfactions with I5, and if accompanied by an email declaring something like "Statesman has paid half the debt of all Paragon heroes", it might be lauded even by those off the forums.

Also, perhaps all issue changes should be mentioned in character email, optionally, so that non-forumites who rarely surf the website might be informed? No, this is not just because I rarely recieve friendly email, it's just a suggestion...

Having seen a few posts on the subject of Stealth, I hesitantly mention that this game is not Champions nor is it GURPS Supers. Powers are not silly putty here. Powers are more set and defined than in the game systems Champions and GURPS Supers.

City of Heroes is closer to Villains and Vigilantes as classically played in the way powers are designed, which is to say that each power functions as a pre-described utility. Power source is flexible, but power function is pretty much set.

Two examples of the pre-defined power system used by City of Heroes are enhancements and availability of powers as prescribed by security level. In few other superhero games will a single power be closed to beginning players if it's not closed by GM fiat. In few other superhero games are the method used to increase powers so rigidly defined as in City of Heroes, where training is the weakest power enhancement, and (for example) devices are always more powerful than training, and (for example) technique is the most powerful.

As such, Stealth is defined as a power -- not its source, but its function. Until City of Heroes opens up player customised power function definition to any extent (not likely in the near future), it's probable that Stealth will remain with certain considerations defined by the game designers: that stealth isn't a power of a character who is naturally hard to see at all times (and as would follow, all non-epic AT are equally easy to see).

While we might pretend otherwise in roleplaying situations, as to the basic game function in tactical mission mode, all powers are as Cryptic defines. One cannot play a non-epic character who is always out of sync with the real, and hence always ghostly with little effect on the real world but much effect on the ghostly world. This is because Cryptic's approach is similar to the approach of Villains and Vigilantes: pre-defined powers for a simpler game, easier to balance, easier to play in some situations.

However, this does not forbid the idea that in some future time, Cryptic might allow a secondary class: specialisation. Characters *might* be able to someday specialise in a single pool set power, which would open up potential to improve the function of each power set in surprising ways (but not widely variant ways). This would make some interesting speedster characters and interesting hand-to-hand specialists.

I am positive that Origin will someday recieve an issue focus of its own, to make it more central to character functionality, and enhancements might even have very timid side-effects -- but probably not in the near future. And certainly not anything earth-shattering in its implications. (There might be "unpredictable" or "wild" enhancements that are powerful but generate a specific effect from a list of effects that range from the cosmetic to the cursed -- or blessed)

My suggestion for Stealth? Well, it works just fine in tandem with Super Speed in missions. However, in the one Arena game I played, my opponent could see me even though I was speeding with stealth on, before I attacked.

If Stealth is to work at all in PvP as more than just a defense, it should a) make the stealthed character translucent, but with visible name and such, b) simply disallow targeting the stealthed character but allow knowing where that character is, c) allow targeting and increased visibility of a stealthed character once they attack or are hit by an area effect for negative status change or damage (with consideration to whether or not resistance to that particular negative status change would permit stealth to remain).

Manticore, great job with continuity (except for Sister Psyche appearing in the City of Villains trailer and newspaper article)! Are you going to expand the interests of the lower gangs to possibly include presence in upper level content perhaps reflecting international activity, and also to expand the interests of higher level criminal organizations to include trainee and close affiliate activity (say, lower level cultists of the Banished Pantheon who have minute spiritual powers?)

[ QUOTE ]
When a Blaster’s health drops below 40%, they will begin to see an increase in their damage output. A small increase at first, but the lower their health gets, the bigger the increase becomes.

[/ QUOTE ]

From my experiences playing City of Heroes, I seem to think that time of battle can grow wearisome for many, not be very exciting. As such, the longer a battle has gone on, in terms of minutes, the more damage a character should be able to do. This can also be seen as a replacement to the current system for Defiance, as has been mentioned: high level blasters tend to fall swiftly so as their health diminishes, it diminishes so fast that a single defiance-enhanced blast isn't going to help them very much unless they are very lucky.

Also, in comic books, I notice that a blaster seems to do more damage as drama builds, which *can* mean when they're in trouble, but rarely means if suddenly they're hit with extreme damage in the first panel of a battle.

Example: In the fictive comic book Platinum Paladin, a sequel issue in a series... Splendid Sapphire, after exhorting the Platinum Paladin to join her villainy and be her paramour is bluntly refused, and sics her minions on Platinum Paladin. Platinum Paladin is struck by twenty minions at once in a single panel, and in the next illustrated panel, hit by Splendid Sapphire's new Diamond Desire Ray.

BOOM!

Platinum Paladin, in the third panel, usually won't strike for greater damage than ever before... no, usually PP will fall through a hole in the ground or the Diamond Desire Ray will reflect back onto itself due to the refractive quality of the polished floor.
/endexample

What usually happens is that after a long battle, maybe seven panels, the "blaster" superhero will notice a secret vulnerability or trick they could play, and against all odds strikes out. It is combat length that should be cut short. Comicbook battles are usually fast, furious, and often full of witty reparte.

[ QUOTE ]
And the idea of a servant(s) protecting us as we slumber is a must! I don't know if any of you have ever seen the tv Anime series the Big O, but having my own Norman Burg (a mild-mannered butler with a BFG and whole belts full of grenades) protecting my base would rock!

[/ QUOTE ]

I can agree to offline heroes/villains being local to a base under certain specific circumstances. Here are two among many options. One, offline characters can participate in any PvP raids of a headquarters that do not spell out debt loss but also do not accrue any sort of reward (no experience, influence, nor enhancements). Two, offline characters will be in a base made inaccessible during raids (in the same way it seems that we cannot drill holes through walls or the floor in enemy NPC bases).

Cryptic does not appear to notice that Sim-like games sell nor understand how to implement Simlike behaviors nor game portions. I might be wrong, and they might simply have not had the time, money, nor manpower to implement many secretly planned ideas.

Puppetland apparently relies on old psychoanalytic drama (using improvisational theater as a means of psychoanalytic method) and its mechanics draw heavily from Fuzzy Heroes, a tactical roleplaying game using stuffed animals and toys (written by Chris Clark). A nice alloy of presently existent elements, at best.

[ QUOTE ]
Um... no. That's even worse than what we have now.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, alright.

Considering what might be imagined the exhausting nature of Rage, perhaps it should be effective to severely weaken, disorient, and and enhance the accuracy of enemy attacks on the character... sorta like is said in the rulebook. However, if the Stun effect is toned down, so should the power of Rage.

The total power of a Super Strength Tanker should be commeasurate with that of other Tank secondary powers. If Rage doesn't have a fear effect coupled with it, it might. If Rage does not have the effect of adding to normally occuring disorient, knockback, stun powers used by the enRaged Tank, it might. These additions plus the extra damage would justify a more stringent effect upon the Tank.

I wonder if we might expect amusing cards such as "Foe Stuck in War Wall, Cannot Animate" (no cards may assist that character/minion card, and that card may not be used in any play, but it may be attacked by characters with sufficient high altitude travel or long range attack powers), and "Map Server Disconnection" (a player must remove all active cards in missions and place them as if ready, the missions are restored to beginning state, and then that player loses two turns while reconnecting).

Obviously harmful cards you don't want to recieve are

"Ruinous Team Mate" (a team mate decides it's really funny to see others accumulate debt): add this team mate's attack bonus to all attacking foes attack scores.

"Subtle Griefer": A character decides they want to spoil the mission without seeming obvious about it, and makes every possible effort to cause damage to the team. A single character card in the target player's hand must be chosen by the player who activates Subtle Griefer: until that character card is ejected from play by a different player, it cannot take any action to help any other character on its team, and will add its defensive bonus to any attack made on its team.

"Devolutive Nerfs": Nerfs draw the gameplay ease backwards: every card costs are doubled until a "Moment of Design Sanity" card is played.

"Zombie Bitten GM": Roll a six sided die. on a one, a map server disconnection is caused to all players who do not have "Temporary GM Favor" card in play. On a two, all players with "Temporary GM Favor" card in play have one character card raised to highest level (but can no longer evoke the Contented with Content unless this rule is contended in later rule content) On a three, the GM stumbles around its city, eating people with no effect to players who are safe inside their homes. On a four, the GM eats the brain of a designer during a convention: no noticable effect. On a five, the GM ramps up the Secret Normal Function Mode on the MMORPG and every player takes two turns in a row in place of one starting with the card player and ending before her next double turn would be. On a six, the GM infects a single player with zombism (the card player chooses which one), and the player is effected as per the l33t m0R3on'z card (the player's hand is played by each other player in turn. Once every player but they have had a chance to play their hand, they may again take a turn).

The solution appears somewhat simple. All that need be done is to create a non-blockable stun damage that is a unique effect of the Rage power when it ceases. This stun power should not be alleviable nor preventable by inspiration that are presently in use. Needless to say, this unique Stun effect should prevent the use of all inspirations until such time as it the unique stun effect has ceased.

Further stunning effects should not enlengthen the period of this unique stun effect that is yielded by Rage's cessation, an effect which might be mentioned in any future publications of the Game Manual along with other ammendations and additions.

I remember Dragonflies, I think -- maybe that was a different game; they were an early type of Skyraider or something.

I remember going into Talos nearby where the gate is presently -- at one time, there was nothing but grass and water, but later there were Eidolon roaming.

I remember going through sewer missions and the doors evoked blue hand icons.

I remember thinking about the artifacts in Azuria's keep and thinking: those plaques will someday have writing, someday soon.

I remember my character being stuck in a network of pipes for three days with no way out.

I remember when people actually tried to help eachother on missions and actually pretended they were superheroes.

I remember *just knowing* our characters would someday soon have at least apartments and telephones, maybe TV and radio (yeah, just after release).

I remember when someone told me that Behemoth were being nerfed with the implication they were being removed entirely, and replying, "I'll miss those big lugs."

I remember when 46k in debt was something profoundly sad. I do not think there was mission experience at that time, because I deleted my character soon after and then I thought I'd cancelled my account -- the game had become full of treacherous folk (however, I came back and found a few characters I hadn't deleted, as well as an unused bulletin board username I evidently created).

I remember informing someone that MMORPG unintentionally exalt the alchemical truism, "What is below, so is above," to indicate that lower level lack of content resembles higher level lack of content always. I wasn't too far wrong, and still am not, I think.

I remember the last pleasant episode I had as Perlarosero was in Perez Park, shielding people who ran past. I was almost 30th level. A few of them were very grateful.

One emote I can imagine would be useful appears in the cinematic trailer for City of Villains. "Kill them."

Another might be, "Together we shall conquer the world."