joshdex

Congratulations on the good press!

Although to be honest, I was kind of hoping it would have ended with a quote from Ex Lib, Niv or Jay.. I'd have found that funny.

Maybe I just have an odd sense of humor.

Congratulations on the good press!

J!
*goes back to trying to write out some NPC bios for when it hits open test yay!*

[ QUOTE ]
How about we talk about MA and story arcs, and the possibilities of some really good homegrown writing. The last few pages of this thread just seem to be arguing about badges.

I for one am really excited about not only creating some good stories but experiencing the quality of work from others.

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I've already got a handful of different ideas that I should probably get to work on now rather than later. Right now, I'm most interested to see if people are planning to create their own contacts or if they're going to use existing contacts for most of their missions!

I haven't really thought of anything that I want to put on a specific contact yet.

J/ Wilde

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... the fact of why this thread exists before Open Beta is beyond me... what's there to talk about if we know nothing?)



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Well, beta servers are closed to the general public. Once you get to that point, you've pretty much admitted the new issue testing has begun, anyway.

I'm betting the logic here is to do a preemptive official thread on it and have one spot for it, rather than risk the page being filled up with separate threads on it by separate people.

Short version, they're doing it so we don't have to.. heh

J

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Be nice if the Devs gave us a bit of extra i14 info, new IOs? new bugs being fixed? At least something to tide us over until open (or until you get in closed) beta. Even acknowledging the existance of said new IOs or said bug fixes would be good.

[/ QUOTE ]

That actually sounds good enough to devote a full teaser article to.. assuming it's the case, I mean

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I know a couple things I would like to see happen in I-14

1. make all email by global name instead of individual toon names perhaps this will lower if not stop the spam emails


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I don't see how this would work, since one of the supposed techniques spammers use is thought to be going into open, popular global rooms and getting people's global names for spamming.. I don't see how this would stop them or even slow them down?

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2. I would like to see Fire Base Zulu become a Co-Op zone, I think this would be a fun place to team together and Co-Op may just bring this zone back to life.



[/ QUOTE ]

As cool and often requested as this idea is, do you think it would really be in I14? They'd have to add new content to make this worth even doing. Even if they didn't, shouldn't something this big be the focus of it's own issue? Maybe they could even take the time to tweak the zone, if they DO decide to go this route. It also would beg the question of, do you keep the current task forces, redo them, or just get rid of them totally?

I'd also mention it's a 'bit' too just 'tack on' to an almost unrelated feature!

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3. Co-Op missions writable for the Mission Architect

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Heh.. judging from comments so far, this might be something we see in the next issue or two.. I certainly hope it is!

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4. I would love to see at least one new villain zone, alot of people have begged for this and I for one would love to see it happen.

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Me too, but hoping it's going to be in issue 14 is kind of like expecting power customization to hit in I14.. not terribly likely

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5. I would like to see us given a more practical and easy way to create elaborate bases WITHOUT using a million desks as our floor, because of this need of desks many base builder can not finish their bases do to lack of space and the apx. 10,000 item limit in which a base crashes from. We all know there can be a better system in place for bases, it's just a matter of allowing us to have "said method"

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As nice as that'd be, I think it depends heavily on if they gave up on improving bases already.. I have a feeling such a big change as this might not be something they can fit into I14, especially if they want I15 to come soon!

Nice list, though!

J/ Shelly/ Dash

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I just would like to see some more info disclosed when you can.

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Am also lookin' forward to getting some more information, hopefully soon!

I can't *wait* to start toying with the thing!

J/ Wilde

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I agree, although I understand how badgers would like to see side-switching happen.

What I could see as a compromise is a new AT that can 'jump the fence' so to speak. Something morally ambiguous to begin with, say working for Crey Industries?

Just an idea,
Grizz

[/ QUOTE ]

An idea I disagree with heartily. Everything in Crey's history points to them being Villains with bad publicity. And lots of mind control. Mostly mind control, from my experiences.

They only thing giving them any 'feelings' of morality are the fact they actually want good publicity, and I'm not sure that qualifies as an heroic trait.

I can't see how it's a compromise so much as a different idea altogether.

Personally, I'm all for side switching- and it has nothing to do with badges and everything to do with character evolution! I don't see much logic in limiting 'good' or 'evil' to the powers one ends up with, but rather how they use them.

Also.. I want to get that badge now! I tried the 'be confused and attack Longbow' on my controller, but not nearly long enough to actually get it!

Also- I am soo looking forward to more I 14 news!

Shelly Girl

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Please please please change time-based mission awards to be "tokenized" awards, that don't get claimed until you finish a mission.

[/ QUOTE ]


Here's an idea I support! Tokens might work well here, I'm thinking..

J/ Wilde

It's interesting to see how people's favorite items of 2008 vary, as well as seeing which the most popular answers are.

There's TONS of candidates for my personal favorite new feature of the year.. VEAT's was my original answer here, but I found something I like more.. Of course, I'm sure *MOST* of us appriciate the proliferated and other new power sets as well.. and this year might be my overall favorite year for QOL changes..

But still, even though the 'best' is promised to be still to come, I'll go with base changes. The non pathing is something I plan to have a lot of fun with! Plus, of course, the price re-balances and the rebate means my SG has several times the room we used to, in order to have fun with it.

I'm really hoping the nopath bit stays, to let us 'combine' and stack items easier. I'm hoping long wanted features like messageboards, NPC's, and Icon/ market features make their way in, too.

And despite the handful of naysayers.. I congratulate you on a well deserved award!

J/ Dash

They're calling it a gift? *Laughs!*

It's only a promotion, but it's one I personally am happy to say I'll be taking advantage of.. I was already hoping to get six more months.. now it'll be seven! *Cheers to self*

Edit-note: Just signed up for it, in fact *Is personally anxious for I 14*

J/ Wilde

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Seriously.

If the cheapskates aren't going to pay to play they why do they get to keep bogarting the names until the end of time?



[/ QUOTE ]

Silly reason. They keep the name because they're over level 5, meaning they had the name *first.* If you're hellbound on getting the name, put a freaking II behind it. Better known as the "Official handbook" solution, because that's how they usually addressed duplicate naming. The reason you put a II (or whichever number) behind it is because you're not the first person to have it, obviously. Trying to get their name wiped out so you can pretend to be is just dishonest.


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And NCSoft, if you guys aren't going to announce Freespecs in advance anymore then fine. I have no "Sense of Entitlement." In fact if you're not going to give them out anymore at all then that's fine too. I'd just like things to be consistent. Please do it the same way each time. Whichever way you choose to do it is fine by me. Just have some junior employee write it down fer chrissss sakes and then do it the same way each time.

Seriously, it's not rocket science.

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No, it's not rocket science, but it is a personal opinion. Which you're entitled to. Personally, I see absolutely no reason for them not to have the freedom to make each freespec - and announcement of it, or lack of announcement of it - on an individual basis. I mean, it's basically a gift, right? A free little extra. You said you wouldn't mind if they never told us again- if they're under no obligation to tell us ahead of time, how in the world would you put them under an obligation to not tell us ahead of time?

If you insist on 'consistency,' what's next? They oblige you, then a couple respecs later, you complain that they gave 3 weeks notice one time, and 2 weeks notice the next time, and it absolutely has to be the same amount of notice for each respec, in the fruitless pursuit of consistency?

J/ Wilde

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[ QUOTE ]
Ok, so let's sum up,
What names can you come up with?

[/ QUOTE ]

My 2 year old Nephew whines less than you

[/ QUOTE ]

That sums it up about perfectly.

J/ Wilde

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Q. Base Pathing issues, why was pathing changed?

A. The base pathing was never intended to be changed. The fix for it was not simple though, so it took some time for the programming team to get the fix in. We are actively looking at ways to make the pathing system easier for base builders, however, in the future there may be pathing requirements for raiding.

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We've been told that when the pathing rules are put back in that it will be optional to use them or keep the no pathing setup that's currently on test. However, your statement sounds more like the current test setup people are excited about coming to live may be removed in the future for raid pathing's return. Will people that have no intention of base raiding be able to keep the no pathing option or will we once more be forced into having to design around a system we have no use for?

[/ QUOTE ]

The bold part - I think that qualifier means, if you want raiding happening, certain rules will apply for pathing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd just like to post how seriously badly I hope this is the case! But I can't- not without a live rapping band.

And welcome New Dev Guy! May your posting experience be a low flame event..

J/ Dash

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Student might have made a good name for a Day Job badge if it wasn't already a blueside History badge.

I suppose if they could come up with a good replacement name for that History badge they could always then free up Student for a new Day Job badge...

[/ QUOTE ]

What about college student instead?

I'd kind of like to see a carnival related job for logging out at any known "Carnies" hotspot.. the only down side is, you'd risk rapawning in a zone enemies are known to spawn in..

J/ Wilde

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Take care, Lighthouse. I always thought you did a fine job here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. May your future be - no pun intended- a bright one! You'll be missed!

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Lol, when he said Early 2009 for I14, hope he meant early. Anxious to make my own Story Arc.

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Have you seen the screenshots on the wiki? It gives enough information that if we wanted, we could start preliminary writing right now (Or sooner, if we'd chose.)

J/ Wilde

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NecessaryEvil, did you just... quintuple-post?

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yes.



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It's the mark of a real veral man, ya know? (Or woman or whatever)

Hi again!

Alright.. I posted a dozen or so job ideas.. I think I'll post a few more (3).. along with some (9) accolade suggestions! After all... we've had some pretty decent ideas here.. I'm going to try to focus mainly on the original ideas here- er.. the ones that actually feel like jobs to me.

By people, Eldan means Rock_Crag, right? :P


JOB: Party Coordinator
WHERE: Southmost Isle of Peregrine Island
[u]BONUS[u]: : Access to DJ Booth emote. Badge would unlock the emote at all times instead of just for active times after log ins..
Note: I've seen the island often used to host parties in the distant past. The DJ Booth emote idea is inspired by the parties of Testarossa, a virtue friend of mine who uses said item on her island in Second Life.. Said parties were hosted two to three years ago, mind you..


JOB: NCBay salesperson
[u]For: [u] Heroes
WHERE: Next to any computer furniture bit
[u]BONUS[u]: : Ability to convert any 5 medium or large inspirations into a random tech salvage drop.. almost always common with a 10% chance to fail. This ability 'burns out' at twice the rate of a common ability, and may also take longer to obtain. (maybe there should be a decent mix of uncommon and semi rare in the results, given the chance to fail? Or remove it totally..)


JOB: warez swapper
[u]For: [u] Villains
WHERE: Next to any computer furniture bit
[u]BONUS[u]: : Ability to convert any 5 medium or large inspirations into a random tech salvage drop.. almost always common with a 10% chance to fail. This ability 'burns out' at twice the rate of a common ability, and may also take longer to obtain. (maybe there should be a decent mix of uncommon and semi rare in the results, given the chance to fail? Or remove it totally..)


---- ACCOLADE IDEAS ----


Take this job: Artist (Credit: Raithnor_Mal)
And combine it with this one: Carnival Worker (Credit: Raithnor_Mal)
To get this accolade: Caricature Artist
RESULT: Access to "sketching" emote, which has your character standing in front of another character 'sketching' them... Also +.25% resistance to .. I dunno.. psychic and toxic damage :P (The only downside is it kinda requires badges from different sides..)


Take this job: Military Soldier (Credit: ransim)
And combine it with this one: n00b (Credit: joshdex)
To get this accolade: Private
RESULT: Pistol. Gives you access to 'refill clip' power.. 90 minute "hard" recharge (meaning, it can't be reduced by other powers). This power grants you six quick recharge lower damage 'pistol shot' charges.. a ranged power, obviously, with medium accuracy. Heroside, due to ransim's badge.


Take this job: short-order cook (Credit: SlickRiptide)
And combine it with this one: Longbow Operative (Credit: SuperTurnip )
To get this accolade: Longbow Cook
RESULT: Justice Soup! Named for a random Mick Foley comment, this toggle reduces your drops by 25%.. but those drops will include semi rare "cooking" inspirations set #1 which may be traded or sold.. there'd be six or so, each of which combines 70% of two inspirations.. IE Justice Spice gives you 3/4ths the effect of both a red and orange inspiration.. "smelling salts" gives you 75% of a small awaken effect, combined with 75% of a small blue.


Take this job: Islander (Credit: Capt_Power)
And combine it with this one: Go go dancer (Credit: Memphis_Bill, expanding on Azrial's ideas)
To get this accolade: Hula Dancer
RESULT: Turns Power's Hula Emote into a 'click' power which enhances ranged defense.. Ranges from a very short to long duration depending on how long you use the emote. Sixty seconds caps you out.. (Both badges are listed on both sides..)


Take this job: Rocket Scientist (Credit: TheMightyObs)
And combine it with this one: Professor (Credit: NCSoft)
To get this accolade: Science Teacher
RESULT: Chemical spill.. You take a beacon and simply dump it at your feet.. it acts like a slightly weaker caltrops, with the same recharge but less 'range' on the spill. (villainside only since Rocket Scientist is..)


Take this job: Conspiracy Theorist (Credit: NecessaryEvil)
And combine it with this one: Arachnos agent (Credit: NCSoft)
To get this accolade: Double Agent
RESULT: 50% recharge to any attacks *which require one of these two badges* (you know.. in case they don't use one of the other two double agent badges already proposed in this thread. (Both powers listed are villainside flavors.)


Take this job: Conspiracy Theorist (Credit: NecessaryEvil)
And combine it with this one: Crey employee (Credit: NCSoft)
To get this accolade: Triple Agent
RESULT: +33% recharge and range to attack powers *which require one of these two badges* (Both powers listed are, again, villainside flavors.)


Take this job: Medivac (Credit: Aett_Thorn)
And combine it with this one: Pilot (Credit: Captin_Potato)
To get this accolade: Hospital Pilot
RESULT: A small interruptible ally heal which grants the caster 7 seconds of high speed hover. Recharge: Painfully long (Villainside due to Captain's Pilot badge..)


Take this job: Basketball superstar (Credit: joshdex)
And combine it with this one: Professional Athlete (Credit: Raithnor_Mal)
To get this accolade: Olympic basketball player
RESULT: Bronze medal. A medium endurance resistance to non elemental attacks (toggle) (I believe both badges can be gotten either side..)


That's my dozen suggestions for today!

Dash/ S Gal/ Rogue Rat/ Protection

Now THIS is the kinda thread I could get into! Although there are some things I'm wondering about the logic behind the badges.. are they going to try to keep the number of job badges to a minimum so collecting all of them doesn't get absurd? (Not to imply I think very much of this argument but people keep making it...)

I also suspect they might want to avoid having 2 badges with the same rewards.. I'm kind of hoping they don't. But I could see why they might.

If these things prove popular enough, I'm hoping they introduce 'tiers' for them.. maybe less powerful badges with shorter times to get? *Shrugs*

Finally, would they consider doing badges for specific archetypes or power sets? I'd see this one as a long shot, but it's worth asking about...

Hey Svanberg! I agree that the badges for the starting contacts should remain separate.. so you could allow accolades for them based on DO's! (Example, getting the mutation and science badge would get you the "Genetic Alternation specialist" accolade.. Not quite sure what it would be good for.. more GA DO drops... or they could sell for a bit more at stores that carry them?)

Lemme see.. I tried to think of at least 10 ideas I haven't seen here.. although there's so many ideas posted already... Some of them are a bit close to real badges or other ideas.. for the most part, I justify that with the hope that badges could be tuned down to a small area or patch of areas if required...

Here's a dozen or so ideas to chew on...

JOB: Fiddler (Both)
WHERE: Log out rooftop
[u]BONUS[u]: : Access to the fiddler emote, where you play a sad song on the fiddle... the badge information will reveal it's a "traditional Eastern European fiddle." Badge would unlock the emote at all times instead of just for active times after log ins..



JOB: College Student (both)
WHERE: Inside Universities - anywhere right next to a student or comfy couch
[u]BONUS[u]: : Random tech salvage drop from tech enemy defeats



JOB: Babysitter (Heroes)
WHERE: Next to Penny
[u]BONUS[u]: : Discount from all contacts (and half of the discount on Penny herself) on all mutant DO's over level 30



JOB: Tree Trimmer (Heroes)
WHERE: Next to the maze-trees of Perez Park (or anywhere else)
[u]BONUS[u]: : Bonus mini map of the tree areas



JOB: Marketing (Both or just villains)
WHERE: Near a billboard
[u]BONUS[u]: : Small influence gift on login?



JOB: n00b (Both)
WHERE: Anywhere near the area where you first log in from the tutorials at
[u]BONUS[u]: : boosts to recharge rate, damage, accuracy and endurance of temp power :P



JOB: Longbow Security (Heroes)
WHERE: in a radius around trainers, about 15-25 feet away
[u]BONUS[u]: : Longbow agents (the one that hunt NPC's) will occasionally buff you with a mild version of fortitude+clear mind
NOTE: Obviously, an extention to one of Superturnip's ideas..



JOB: Wall War repair (heroes)
WHERE: Right next to the war walls in Paragon City
[u]BONUS[u]: : A small mix of resistance and defense to ranged damage



JOB: Hotel employee (Hero) businessman (villains)
WHERE: obviously at the doors of any hotel
[u]BONUS[u]: : +20% recharge to rest



JOB: fashion photographer (Heroes)
WHERE: Across the street from Icon
[u]BONUS[u]: : +33% boost to medium and large insight inspirations



JOB: Basketball superstar (heroes, or both)
WHERE: basketball court.. um, duh?
[u]BONUS[u]: : +5% max jumping and movement speed. +10% accuracy



JOB: Protestor (villains)
WHERE: ... amidst the other protesters
[u]BONUS[u]: : +4% health and regen rate (+1% recharge rate) when using the protest icon

[ QUOTE ]
yes, we need more unused, empty zones like boomtown and eden.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, we need more dismissive posts that fail to actually say anything. Thank you.

Two LIL problems with which you said. (Although I think the first is actually pretty significant, myself.)

1) MAYBE the fact they're empty has something to do with the total lack of contacts and anything useful in City of Heroes 'hazard' zones? I realize they're supposed to be set up that way- after all, that's supposed the 'hazard' part of hazard zones. Back when going to a hazard zone had an ADVANTAGE in leveling speed.

Back at the beginning of the game, there was no half debt inside. This was also before a number of bumps to mission end bonuses and overall exp. Hell, this was back when you couldn't adjust your difficulty level up! Thus, a good team would be traveling to through multiple zones to get the enemies they could steamroll over. Vrs. a hazard zone where you could generally find a challenge by finding +1 or +2 enemies.

There is NO reason to assume that likewise, new zones in City of Villains would automatically be DEVOID of anything consisting of content past random doors and lots and lots of big enemy mobs, coupled with a lack of radio missions, further complicated by a lack of hospital zones, contacts. Hazard zones are also hampered by the 'minimum entry' requirement, which has become outdated, in my opinion, anyway.

They even give a BADGE for just BEING in Hollows, don't they? There is not one non giant monster badge I know of specific to Hazard zones.

Again- new zones in City of Villains could NOT be expected to, by default of being 'additional zones,' follow the criteria which makes the zones YOU CITED empty in the first place!

2) People always cite 'It'll be too empty' without bothering to define what threshold they expect from a zone's popularity. IF *I* want to visit zone X to do a contact here (which I'd love to see added to Hero hazard zones), not having it full to the brim isn't a big disincentive to go. In fact, depending on my mood, it might make the zone more attractive.

Question; If you CARE about having each zone as full as possible, shouldn't you be arguing against missions, which take people not just off a popular all accessible map, but removes them totally from anything accessible to anyone outside of themselves and their immediate team?

J/ Wilde

Heh.. Ouroboros was the first one that came to my mind!

Although I'd kinda like a map where you fought "in" a version of the arena.. haha

J/ Wilde

Not bad... not bad at all.

I just wished they would have asking Miller how he felt about this change to the game.. so he could have responded, "To be honest, I was so happy, I nerfed regen again!"

Or accuracy, or global defense..

Or something along those lines..

*Evil smile*

J/ Wilde
- evil

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Hey, JKevinCarrier, did you know you can completely opt out of the system before it goes live?

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Hey, Creole, did you know osme people have dozens, or even SCORES, of characters ... and to opt out "completely", you have to log into each and every single one?

That's my complaint: no account-wide "set all my characters to 'Not shown', thanks" option. And I consider it a flaw in the plan, even though MOST of my characters will display MOST details happily and unreservedly.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Pax Arcana,

Yes, we hear you and have passed on the desire for some global settings. However, keep in mind that if you have an alt and haven't logged into it in over 90 days, it won't be showing up anyway until you do log into it. So, you only need to be concerned with characters you have logged into in the last 3 months.

Hopefully that will reduce the amount of logging in people have to do. Thanks for your understanding with the system as it currently is. We're very excited to reveal soon the full nature of how these in game settings and their corresponding data will be used.

[/ QUOTE ]

Even though I'm excited about this web view thingie (I'd racked my brain a few times in the past trying to figure out if it DID anything already and what).. I gotta admit.. a global setting for as many options as possible would be really useful.. especially if it applies to new characters.. Of the two, I'd personally prefer the global settings option, personally.

Just to put into perspective how much some of us would value said global options.

J/ Wilde
"And by a few of us.. I mean me."
"The important one"

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Noob stories?

When I first started CoH, it was my second mmog. My first was FFXI and I didn't understand that much at first. The first day I played City of Heroes, I started out as a gravity controller in Galaxy City and I heard someone cry out for help.

I freaked out and thought,"NO [censored]! Here is my chance to be a HERO! I've never been a hero before!"

I ran as fast as I could to the Hellion and wailed on him! Bam!!
Pow!
Kerplunk!!!
These sounds were running through my mind as I beat the living day lights out of the men trying to steal the woman's purse. Afterwords the NPC said ask me how she could repay me...

I stood there for a second wondering what to say, and instantly came up with the best reply ever.

"How about a date?"

Sadly, she ran away. I tried to catch her.... but I lost her down an alleyway. After a few more of these situations I realized they won't talk back. I honestly thought I was saving real players.

/e sigh on my level two controller. My first character ever in City of Heroes stories. I eventually learned the lingo such as herding, pulling, and "AMbusH!". I remember when playing FFXI, I tried talking to an NPC for 5 minutes before someone pointed out that they don't reply. I thought computer games were so much more advanced at that time.

<3,
Completely Oblivious.

[/ QUOTE ]


ROFL!!!

[/ QUOTE ]




Kind of reminds me of when I used to attack the Outcast when I was new- and kept stopping to try to apologize to the Bosses. .

Because I kept thinking they were attacking the Outcast minions, and I was kill stealing from them or something.

*doh* - Fortunately, it only took me about five or six time to outgrow that mistake.

I think.

- J

[ QUOTE ]
A couple weeks ago, a columnist for Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show interviewed me and a few others--including professional novelist and CoH fanfic-writer Mercedes Lackey--on the subject of fanfic. The article is now up, and mentions City of Heroes fanfic in it too.

The columnist is looking for feedback since the next part of the article will be about the fans' perspective.

[/ QUOTE ]

Heh, that was a cool article. Surprised no one else's commented on it thus far.

Gonna post the link for the next one too?

-- J