Ask A Dev Question Thread #1 Featuring Manticore
By
13th_Stranger,
Posted on: 2005-08-05 08:35 in Developers' Corner
Hi Manticore,
My one question concerns the availability of quality information about zones, villains, events, missions, and contacts in-game. It seems to me that there is little more than a paragraph written about any of those things in-game. This is most obvious during missions, where immersion into the arc is a scant few sentences in our clues section and mission briefing. Even the blurbs we've read to earn the history badges is unavailable to us. What changes, if any, are going to be made to help immerse the entire team into a story-arc, mission, or Task Force?
while(!sleep()){sheep++}
OKay.. I DID read 98% of these post and I already see a common thread..
More Background History on the Villian groups...
AND the mention of being able to fight an "evil" version of your own character in your own Story Arc or TF. ( I had mentioned this months ago at the release of I3 and the talk of PvP on the Pinnacle Boards)
I believe these would both be well accepted by the gaming populace.
Other than that... why IS Manticore so short?
And while all this is happening in Paragon City.. what is happening in the rest of the world?...
My Character's Background is that he was fighting the Rikti In Texas during the initial Invasion and he and his compadres kicked their Alien butts back to their Dimensions and the Mayor of Paragon called out desperately for help and they (from all other points of the globe) came running to Rhode Island to help them ... so am I wrong to assume that Paragon is the ONLY place left where this problem exists? AND IF so... is this the ONLY place on earth were those "war walls" are being used?... or are we to assume Paragon is the ONLY place left on earth?
...?
As far as the comic and story lines in General.. Great Job!.. And I hope you well in the future endeavors!
Hey Manticore,
1) Will there ever be a story line with a customable AV for each hero. An AV that is your very own arch fiend.
2)The stories you have are great and one feature I love is that NPC will say random stuff about your adventures.
But I've also noticed that even though I have done all the arcs that once some NPC has mentioned a certain task or deed they stop talking about it.
Which means that even though I have fought the good fight and saved the world (soooo many times 
) No one ever talks about it anymore.
Will this be fixed so that NPCs might pick a highlight of your career and mention it?
3) Will there be more chances for our heroes to make a more lasting effect on CoH, whether it be by getting our own statue/plaque or by getting into the new CoH comic?
Thank you,
Badge
Any plans on fleshing out specific story arcs or series of missions tailored for each Origin? Or perhaps tailored to each of the upcoming Epic ATs?
I'd love to have a completely different experience with a Tech hero than I do with a Magic hero.
The Alt Alphabet ~ OPC: Other People's Characters ~ Terrific Screenshots of Cool ~ Superhero Fiction
Sorry if this question has been asked, but there are a TON of questions out there. First off, Manticore, you rock. Once of the most engaging things about CoH, is the back story. I love how the plot lines have grown from lower levels through the upper. I was especially impressed with the whole Lost/Rikti connection. (I actually started to figure it out as I went through it, and when I was right, I got goose pimples).
My question is there....what is there for the lvl 50's to do, after 50? Are there plans in the works to give us "stuff/content"?
There have been rumors that there my be an expansion beyond 50, or that there would be space adventures?
Could one logically assume that if this rumor was correct, that the fight may be taken to the Rikti homeworld?
Do you plan on revealing more story details about kheldians anytime soon? Or are they as fleshed out as they're going to get?
Same question about the Shadow Shard.
Manticore,
Do you and your team find any inspiration in any of the player community characters, backgrounds, and stories, and do/will we see any examples of this in the game?
If so, are those players consulted creative input and more detailed infromation?
1) There is a strong tension in the game between teaming on the one hand and following story arcs on the other. This becomes especially acute in 40s when a number of storyarcs become impossible to solo because of the number of AVs. Are there any plans to address this, either by making it possible to bypass AV fights in these stories or allowing a mission completion to count for all team members who have the same mission?
2) Speaking of those late game AV missions - why do the same AVs keep popping up in more or less the same ways?
Are there any plans to change this to make the story more interesting?
The 45-50 contact who gives out the Praetorian missions says at the beginning she wants your help in executing her plans to weaken these AVs. Too bad her plan to weaken them is pretty much: 'Fight them and defeat them.' Even missions whose description/story sound like they needn't involve fighting the AV do, and it's all the more disappointing when I have to fight the same AVs again later in missions from the same contact.
3) In the first storyline of the new comic book, why were super powers suppressed so inconsistently? Did Statesman lose his powers (thus allowing his initial defeat in issue 1 and his subsequent death-by arrow) or keep them (thus allowing him to survive attacks from the three villains torturing him)? Why did the tech in Positron's suit stop working but not the holographic projector in the Phalanx HQ?
Manticore , I have really enjoyed the story arc's I've completed. 2 of my favorite missions have been. The one for the Doctors Ally Badge and the mission with the A.I. you needed to help escape ( Think it was Called #6).They seemed like they could be very cool contact characters for later story arcs if they ever make themselves known again. Anyhow to my question. out of all bades and accolade my favorite was the "Freedom Phalanx Reserve member". which was the One I wanted most and worked hard to get. Will there ever be room for advancement to become full members of Freedom Phalanx through story arcs for players Heroes?
"Lets Your Spirit Fly!"
Kid Kaos
"When chaos happens... I'll be right in the middle of it."
Let Your Spirit Fly!!!
Kid K
When I first started playing I was always under the impression that the Rikti were the BIG BAD, as it were - probably due to the game finishing the beta with a huge invasion force. Since then things have really dropped the Rikti out of much of the overall story and they've become a way of life...
With the linking of Peregrine Island to the Rikti Crash Site does it mean we are looking at a Rikti resurge and some more fun from them?
Hey Manticore 
--- Will the Heroes and Villains be able to fight on the same side against one even greater threat ? It may sound strange, but it could be fun too Good & Evil allied to survive. It's something I enjoyed a lot in some comic books.
--- Will Heroes and Villains be able to Communicate ? Private messages too ? I hope so, because no communication means the enemy is nothing more than a Mob ... and it kills the RPG side of the game ! (and we all know the Roleplay in this game is one of its greatest strenght 
)
--- Will Villains be able to fight themselves ? Bad guys usually don't really like other bad guys Fight for Fame !
--- Why are Kheldian considered as Archetypes ? I really don't recognize them in any comic books.
--- Any plans on doing a Morpher Archetype ? Morphing is something we see a lot in comic books and shouldn't be limited to one single power pool.
--- Will our heroes ever be able to speak, with voices you can actually hear ?
For exemple 4 Male and 4 Female voice packs : "The Mighty", "The Wise", "The Devoted", "The Friendly"
I'd love to say : "Evil, Here I come !"
That's All Folks !
How did you come up with Manticore's backstory?
Through a twist of fate, my AR/Dev Blaster (whose name I wanted to call Manticore) shares a very similar backstory. He also has a costume that was similar to Manticore's orginal yellowish costume. Throw in that Manticore's original power set was Archery/Devices...that's just a whole bunch of coincidences.
The first 3 weeks of the game I would grumble about the guy who camped the name 'Manticore' on every server before I found out he is a signature hero.
Will thre be further story's involving alternate dimensions where it is a similar area like the Shadow Shard?
What will become fo the Ritki in the future?
Hey Manticore long time listener first time caller.
How do you guys make the tough decisions? Everything from narrowing eligible beta testers for CoV beyond the initial 12 month criteria all the way to which zone to add next.
Keeping it simple with one question, the one that burns in my heart....
When will we see a Inter-server character transfer tool?
States has mentioned it in the past as being under consideration and/or in development. I desperately want to see this... (Even if you charge a fee for its use).
Together we entered a city of strangers, we made it a city of friends, and we leave it a City of Heroes. - Sweet_Sarah
BOYCOTT NCSoft (on Facebook)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/517513781597443/
Governments have fallen to the power of social media. Gaming companies can too.
Personally, I adore the idea of the civil rights struggle hinted at through the Might for Right Act in the game.
I'm curious; is there any interest to focus any writing on the ideas of the mortality behind the mask? Of people dealing with the traumas and costs that hero-work would require? How about simply the pains and scars a lifetime of dying (repeatedly) for justice?
Some of my favorite fanfics written and handled dealt with the fundamental humanity that has to be maintained in a dehumanizing job. Do you have any personal favorites in that vein?
Manticore I have two questions:
1) Will we ever learn what happened to Hero 1 and the heros that went with him to the Rikti home world? I mean its too good of a story for them not to have survived in some manner.
2) Will we be seeing CoH missions that involve the COV AVs such as Mako, Ghost Widow, and gasp Recluse? That would be some nice upper game content.
just one question...boxers or briefs?
[ QUOTE ]
Keeping it simple with one question, the one that burns in my heart....
When will we see a Inter-server character transfer tool?
States has mentioned it in the past as being under consideration and/or in development. I desperately want to see this... (Even if you charge a fee for its use).
[/ QUOTE ]
HELL YES!!
Thank you amen and praise to whoever you praise to! I would kill to bring my blaster from infinity to Guardian, metaphorically of course ( 
*glares around the room* )
Hey, Loved the writing and plot twists in the Heph comic Arc, looking forward to more! (the Art was kinda...Meh... but, hey, 2 out of three... 
)
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You seem to be involved with Aesthetic Design on top of the fiction you design.
Are you an Artist too or have completed courses in graphic design?
We don't find typos very often in the story lines or info-windows but when we do,
can we assume you made plenty of them, or was it someone else?
Have you ever fought with Jack over some fictional/mythological settings or characters?
My Question : Is there anyone actually responsible and working on fixing all the bugs in the game?
1. What are you feelings on the way the 5th have been removed from the history of the gameworld?
Are there plans that will see the 5th in-game sometime in the future? small random spawns of 5th in the back alleys of founders/IP ? , the escape of the Reichsman ?.
Are you planning to reword the history badges/background info that had references to the 5th removed. Exactly who was Atlas fighting off when he died ? who create the vampires ? Can we at least get a History badge/plaques dedicated to the remembering the 5th (no doubt so heroes can be on their guard to stop that filth from re-appearing).
Can you explain to us exactly how the Council managed to overthrow an ENTIRE PLANET of 5th in that portal mission ? would it be too much to ask for this one alternate world to remain in 5th control ?
2. Over 6 months ago Statesman posted on the forums that the next villain group to be added to CoH would be egyptian themed. obviously this did not happen. Can you tell us more about this group, and why they have not made it into the game yet ?
3. The Devouring Earth. Do you agree that this group has been overused in the CoH world ? are there plans to scale back their reach across the game zones once more groups have been added ?
ATM DE spawn in the following zones: Talos Island, Peregrine Island, Founders Falls, Eden, The Hive, Creys Folly, Ritki Crash Site, Crotoa. Thats 8 zones. (we have now seen screenshots of them in CoV so you can add even more zones to this tally). Do you think this is too many ?
Why are the carnivale of shadows restricted to around 10 spawn spots in 1 zone? why do the KoA not spawn in ANY zone when the DE are in 8 ?
Why are the DE spawning in Crotoa a 'ancient' zone which is asserting itself ontop of salmanca ?
4. The Zigg Trial, are there still plans to make this a CoH trial ? or will the zig be used exclusively in the CoV tutorial ?
Do you prefer more Elite boss and AV fights in the post 30 missions?
Hello Manticore, I have a few story related questions:
1. Will the original Superadine research be addressed in an in game event or story arc? You have the Trolls and Skulls abusing it constantly. Sooner or later some of them have to tap into the dimension teleporting/sensing/warping powers it can give in a small percentage of the populace. Are the citizens of Paragon City looking at potential transdimensional "meltdown" if a Superadine abuser's dimensional abilities emerge explosively?
2. Will there be any more development of the Devouring Earth story? I would really really like to see more about the origins of the Devouring Earth and how the Hamidon came to be.
3. Will there be anything else going on with Sister Psyche? She's 70+ years old and looks like a supermodel and rides minds with ease. That has got to make someone nervous, jealous, and curious. Any chance that will be explored?
4. Will the Zulu taskforces be eventually be broken up into contact missions, so the zone's story can be enjoyed outside of the long task forces?
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I know I'm the only one.
There are lot of villians mentioned in passing, like Grendel, Tub-Ci, Odysseus, Baron Zoria, and others who never appear in CoH. Will these villians eventually fit into the story of CoH or are they just background characters?
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Sebastian Frost, Duray are a couple more that I can think of.
(I did read something about Sebastian that Xanatos posted on ogaming.com, but I can't tell if it is part of the official backstory or role-play story. )
I keep imagining that Tub Ci is a very atheletic fat villain. For some reason I keep thinking that he looks like Bam Bam Bigelow.
The Dark Blade
"I've felt your mouse on me before, you perv...." - Troy Hickman
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