What's Wrong With Galaxy City?
By
8_Ball,
Posted on: 2005-06-30 21:49 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
For some reason I can't fathom, its real easy to get your first badges in Atlas, and very difficult to get them in Galaxy City.
I actualy like hunting in Galaxy over Atlas as I always seem to get missions in the western most edge of the map that is at a very differnent elevation than the main area making it very difficult to get back to the trainers/merchants after completing the mission.
Of course Atlas has Azuria who cannot for the life of her hold on to magic items that you rescue/return. That women needs to be replaced...You would think with all that Psychic power she would forsee these problems ahead of time???
I usually randomly choose. I encounter the same [censored] in either city. (I know, I know, I *MUST* be doing something to attract them, I dunno, like *PLAYING* maybe?)
actually, it has been my experience that the order of the choices alternates. sometimes Atlas is first and sometimes its Galaxy. I always start in Atlas because it just has the greater sense of granduer and heroism with the massive statues right there at the starting point. It feels like a good place to start.
I managed to do a comparison on level speed based on location.
One Saturday I created a new alt. Started her in Atlas Park. I reached level 5 after 2:20 (approx). I realized that I didn't like the color on my character and decided to reroll before things got too involved.
Second time out I hit Galaxy. I wanted to compare for comparison's sake because I was just irritated with Atlas. Time to level 5? 1:40. In neither instance did I do anything but play the game in a straightforward manner. Missions were closer and there was less round about getting to them. Finding available mobs on the street was easy. The broadcast had one total message. I didn't have to listen to spam about whatever lame Costume Contest was about to happen.
I prefer Galaxy in general but after having learned this, I will absolutely go there every time.
((I've tried this a few times since and it really does pan out))
I guess I've found the answer to my question: There's nothing wrong with Galaxy City.
Seems like it works out well, go to Atlas if you want to be socialable, go to Galaxy if you want to be a loner.
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My guess is because Altlas Park is the first choice and Galaxy City is the second. A lot of people seem to just roll with the default, especially if they don't know the difference.
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I don't think that is 100% accurate simply because for the past few months every new character I created has Galaxy City as the first option and Atlas Park as the second. Personally I don't like starting in Galaxy City since the contacts are spread out very far from the tram. In Atlas Park, they are all pretty close together with only one or two far away. Otherwise, GC appears more empty.
CatMan - some form on every server
Always here, there, and there again.
I also prefer Galaxy. I usually burn my way to level 10 or so in a few hours of play. There are plenty of baddies right there, the "stores" and trainer are readily accessible (mostly flat zone), the train is nearby... and Atlas is just a bit too bustling.
Plus, for whatever reason I prefer the small gathering area of Freedom Force Plaza to the front of City Hall.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
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My guess is because Altlas Park is the first choice and Galaxy City is the second. A lot of people seem to just roll with the default, especially if they don't know the difference.
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It is the Statue. People for some reason like to gather under it. Plus you can get to the hollows from there and everyone knows they will have to visit it atleast once.
I always start in Galaxy City too, for all the reasons stated already. It is less crowded and the layout is better for non-travel powered heroes.
As for what feels more 'heroic' from a RP point on view? Sure Atlas Park might look more impressive, but given the hero population there, Galaxy City is in more need of protectors. So which is more heroic? Going to the place where most other heroes already are or the place where villians are less apt to be stopped by heroes? I say the latter.
If I remember correctly, the plaza in Galaxy city is a lot closer to the train than it is in Atlas Park. And by "a lot" I mean for a Huge lvl 2 character who takes forever to get around. So I began starting heroes there for a while.
I had forgotten I started RooGirl, now 34, in Galaxy. She was doing the part of the Unity Plague storyarc where you're errand girl for a while, and when she came to Back Alley Brawler he said something like "Haven't seen you for a while, looks like you're doing well."
Aww.
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Personally, I think the reason it remains so is viral: people continuing to gather where there's the most people.
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No no, you're suppose to say it like the NPCs, Skunk. "Looks like it could be viral, %heroname".
I like Galaxy....so much nicer to work through those first few levels. I don't think I had a single mish that sent me to the red zones in Galaxy, but quite a few of them in Atlas. And I hate Clockwork...so much harder to see than Vaz.
More doors would be a wonderful addition...I hate not having a contact I can run and get inspirations from between missions in Hollows with my lowbies (all started in Galaxy after my first two....too much annoyingness and lag).
"A good Defender is the battle hardened Corpsman who will kill a Nazi with a tongue depressor while putting a splint on your leg, then hand you a fresh clip of ammo." ~Jock_Thompson
Repeat Offenders, TNT Profile, My little hero
It's not like your first contact is going to be the only contact you get in the 3 newbie zones of AP, GC, and KR. You'll keep getting contacts in those zones up to level 9, if you actually do contact missions.
There are, however, more contacts to choose from in AP. For that reason, I usually choose GC is my starting place - more chances that I'll end up with an inspiration seller in each of the 3 zones.
GC is also much more civilized than AP, at least as far as the hero populace is concerned. Less KSing, less inane broadcast chatter, less lag, less problems all around. The neighborhood may need some work, but the people are top notch. Well, except for those darned zombies.
TEH WERDZ ON SKREEN HURTZ MI BRANE!
I have personally never gotten an AP contact if I started in GC...Only another contact in GC.
I usually only get offered ones in KR or one of the SCs when I get to the next level tiers.
"A good Defender is the battle hardened Corpsman who will kill a Nazi with a tongue depressor while putting a splint on your leg, then hand you a fresh clip of ammo." ~Jock_Thompson
Repeat Offenders, TNT Profile, My little hero
Atlas park you start in the middle of the zone and can see much more of it. It is also more impressive. The GC spot where you meet BAB is very mundane. No statues on that side of the building and you can't see much from there. Its just blah. I always go to AP when I end the tutorial unless I am playing a warshade and that is just the convenience of the main contact being there.
I've started nearly all of my heroes in Galaxy City. I started my main there for no particular reason, not knowing anything about either I choose a zone at random. Maybe I liked the name.
As I came to learn that Atlas Park was always teeming with heroes it was even more of an incentive for me to stay with Galaxy City. Both are good zones, I don't see one necessarily being more difficult than the other. However, Atlas Park does have access to the Hollows, which is a popular zone. Also, it has a larger open space under the statue, ideal for the crowds that gather there. Also, it's where city hall is located, what makes it a more important zone I suppose. Galaxy City has the Arena, but considering how that has turned out it's no surprise the zone is still relatively quiet.
I suppose the crime rate should go up drastically in Galaxy City, and drop in Atlas Park in response to superhero activity.
Personally I kinda like the difference between them. On Guardian from what I've seen, as Phosyb said, mostly new players go to AP, while the more experienced ones go to Galaxy. So generally if you feel like hanging with some rookies to help em out or have some fun like costume contests, AP is a better choice, while if you feel like getting down to business with an alt, or want some freedom to move around, GC is the place to be.
Way back in beta when I started my first character, I choose to start in Galaxy City because "Back Alley Brawler" sounded much more interesting than "Ms. Liberty." Nowadays, I try to alternate where I start, but I don't get nearly the same feeling of nostalgia in Atlas Park than I do in Galaxy City.
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My guess is because Altlas Park is the first choice and Galaxy City is the second. A lot of people seem to just roll with the default, especially if they don't know the difference.
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I really don't care for Galaxy City. The zone seems too dark and is not as no-movement-powers friendly IMHO.
Be a hero!!
Atlas is flat. Galaxy seems better suited to people who at least have the first few minor-travel powers, such as hover, combat jumping or even hurdle/swift. Otherwise its a bit annoying to get around.
Also, Atlas is linked to Perez, the Hollows, Steel canyon and Skyway; all areas you often end up running around/through to get anywhere.
Galaxy is linked to what, Kings-row and perez? that's it? Kings row isn't all that great a place... Very unfriendly to lowbies lacking travel-powers. Its big, and the missions always seem to end up over on the edges, meaning you have to sprint (jog) across the map much like the hollows, except with more detours [once you're used to it those trips across hollows are dangerous, but pretty straight-line even with no travel powers], less reason to stay there ['bout 5-10 instead of 5-14 or so], and a lot of the missions back when I went through [this was before I3, I've avoided kings row since then] involve having to go to either the red zone while you're 5-6, or.... right back to Atlas park.
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I suppose the crime rate should go up drastically in Galaxy City, and drop in Atlas Park in response to superhero activity.
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By this logic Faultline should look like a moshpit of Vahz, Clockwork and CoT's and probably even be spilling out into Skyway by now.
By default I always go to Galaxy City.
1. It's less crowded which means easier low-level hunting.
2. The trainer and first contact are VERY close to the tram.
3. While the zone itself has more ups and downs than Atlas Park, the red zone where you inevitably end up with a mission at SL2 is NOT up and down, but easier to navigate and avoid the higher level mobs.
4. Less kill-stealing, although I usually have to warn at least a couple that it's a fast way to get reported.
5. Easier to find a pick-up team of people who actually know how to play their lowbie-no power characters effectively.
Everybody else can stay in Atlas Park with the big over-compensating statue. 
Color me as another fan of GC:
1. I love the convenience of the tram to BAB (and the rest of the map).
2. I love the easy-to-navagate terrain around BAB. No impassable walls and oddly skewed staircases. Run up, do your business, run away.
3. I love the easy-to-navagate interior. Run in, run down the stairs, run to your contact. Why Atlas requires two extra changes of direction is beyond me.
Yeah, you have to go back to Atlas for the Hollows -- but the Atlas tram is almost as convenient to the Hollows as Ms. Liberty, and see #1.
I think a lot of people are missing the real reason why Atlas Park is so much more bussy than Galaxy City. The reason is: there is more than just a couple reasons.
1. Atlas Park is populated by more than just new character. Many, many missions take you back to Atlas Park City Hall including:
1.A. Any mission involving the notoriously secure M.A.G.I. Vault or its administrator.
1.B. Capes and Aura missions at 20 and 30 are all started by talking to the City Representative.
1.C. Several other missions have you talk to other NPC's in Atlas Park through out the levels. Very few missions beyond the early levels have you going to Galaxy City.
2. Atlas Park is much more visually interesting than Galaxy City with the large Atlas statue, City Hall, and the Atlas Park blimp.
3. Atlas Park has the largest Green Zone and is easily accessable to all levels, making it a logical place for large groups of people to mill about.
4. Large groups of people make it much easier to organize events like costume contests, attracting even more people. Also, its a great place for people to "people watch" if your in to that kind of thing.
5. Access to both Perez Park and the Hollows is found in Atlas Park, your other choice is Skyway City, not known for easy travel, especially at low levels.
And yes, such large crowds do attract some negative elements to them, but look at it this way, you can have a much more quite time at Galaxy City because of it. I think this was the primary reason they put an arena in Galaxy City to try an live'n it up a bit, but that's not happening.
Me personally, I like Atlas Park. And if you really want an out of the way dead zone, just try and find the Paragon Dance Club. Nothing happens there.
Galaxy City all the way!!
I'd rather get mowed down by an Eidelon and then eventually defeat the bugger than get KS'd everytime I hold and debuff a Fallen Buckshot