NCSoft Meet & Greet - Pictures & Info
By
13th_Stranger,
Posted on: 2006-05-15 09:05 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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Great Pics Obsidius.
Yes Howies was great, first time I have ever been there. It is a bit of a drive from Burbank, but worth the trip.
I felt a little odd about using the rest room. In the Men's there is a large plasma screen over the urinal, and it is kind of hard to do your business with a giant pic of Lord Recluse staring down at you! ! ! 
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Not just staring down, with his eight oversized LIMBS, but also, judging you.
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Lord Recluse: "I can see that you are no ... Destined One! MWHAHAH!"
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Hooray for COV Displays. =D I have one of those in my bedroom.
And... I agree. Cuppa and Pos look nothing like I'd imagined. Posi looks much friendlier and Cuppa looks like my adopted sister. =O
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LOL 
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I'm kinda curious what everyone expected them to look like. 
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Oh, you know - small beady eyes on the lookout for any players having Fun; long thin fingers used to nerf any effective playing strategy; large sacks of money on their back from all the players they ignore. The usual dev appearance. :-)
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Skills - Not coming. Ever. They tried 9 different systems and couldn't find a fun one.
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That's kinda impressive. I can understand why, since the redname quotes on the matter seemed like they are trying to make what's normally just a dice-roll in other systems (the 'crafting' role, or other 'skill-based' actions like lockpicking, disabling security) into something they considered universally 'fun'.
Pity they are just axing the system, though. Just having non-combat stats to pay attention to was a pretty big must-have from a few people, and given how much work the devs put into it, there must at least have been something viable in the meanwhile, if not perfect.
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Fighting an evil version of yourself - Its something they would like to do, but it would require quite a bit of programming. The biggest issue would be for masterminds, since there is currently no AI to handle NPC versions of them.
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That seems like a pointless thing to have. There are already existing mechanics for NPCs to summon and direct pets. Even if there weren't, just having the 'read' program (that looks at your character) treat Masterminds different and creating normal enemies that mimic a mastermind (through 3 caster AIs, 2 Support AIs, 1 Boss AI, and a Defender AI).
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<ul type="square">[*] Trench Coats will be part of the Veteran Rewards System. You will earn this Prestige item after ~3 months of having an active account.[/list]
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Thumbs up! Ok, thats pretty cool. I can handle that. So... when is that system coming, issue 8, right? So... whats the other stuff that'll be rewarded?
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Wings, Trenchcoats - Both are coming very soon. Trenchcoats will be unlocked by the long term subscriber program. Wings are costume options and will not be specific to any certain AT.
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Thumbs up! Very cool news about wings being a costume option. It gives me hope about rocket packs/jetpacks/gyropacks, other backpacks, quivers, holtsers and other assorted items as possible costume additions.
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I asked Positron if currently exclusive villain powers will be made available for heroes. His answer was "we have discussed it". He wouldn't say anything more on that.
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Vague answer for general question, ok.
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Updates to Boomtown, Faultline, and the Rikti Crash Site are currently being worked on and expected for Issue 8. We will be able to enter the ship. The zones are being redesigned with new art, contacts, etc using Striga and Croatoa as models.
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Thumbs up, very nice. Although I wish they'd update Atlas Park, Galaxy City, Steel Canyon, and Skyway City. They all have a case of the generics. Seeing them get some attention to detail like COV has would be nice. Like Blackbeards, the various banks and Casinos with their own names, even something like WSPDR, a specific bank here and there, maybe the Paragon Times News building in Steel Canyon, a small Chinatown, a small little Italy section, etc. Man, I'd love to see a unique building just for Lou's Garage. Stuff like that.
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They are datamining lots of base stuff including base rent. There will probably be some adjustments, but no promises there.
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Thumbs down. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. Just let me know when heroes can have their own small personal base... then I'll be interested in bases.
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Hero/Villain teaming - There will be lots more coming. Some big threat/enemy will require heroes and villains to put aside their differences and work together.
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Thumbs up. Some of the best story lines in comics where when heroes and villians had to do just that. I just hope the missions do have that "Do or die" feeling. Teaming up with the local baddie to just whup on a pack of Hellions who stole a purse is a little... underwhelming.
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Pocket D - lots more stuff is coming.
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Really? Like what? This is... interesting.
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Skills - Not coming. Ever. They tried 9 different systems and couldn't find a fun one.
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[Ed Mooney]Nine times![/Ed Mooney]
THUMBS DOWN!
I am so diasappointed about this, its not even funny.
Allow me to cut and paste my own comments from another thread in regards to this.
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everytime is mentioned the number of systems they tried practically triples. We hear the failure of one system, then later we hear the failure of 5 systems, and now they have gone through 9 different systems that weren't "fun"?
Nine systems that weren't "fun"? But they keep finding enough from it to apply to the game in another way, somehow.
I knew there was a reason why I felt salvage, base items, and inspiration stations were "half baked" ideas.
That just scares the hell out of me concerning the development staff. What is their definition of "Fun"? Remember, Jacks the guy who hated the idea of badges, something a lot of us love. And of 9 systems... they couldn't put together something as a whole, instead they're just dealing out what little bits and peices do work to other things?
Sometimes I think they need to "go to the people" with what they do have an ask us, y'know?
9 tries with skills... and nothing. Now its never.
Sometimes my faith in the devs drops to like zero, y'know?
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Universities - They will be doing something with them in Issue 8.
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THUMBS DOWN! This would be thumbs up... save for the fact that I know its something left over, reheated, and served to us between two slices of bread and covered in gravy from the skills system. This will just make me want skills even more.
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Game Events - More are planned. There will be a Halloween/Fall event this year.
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Thumbs up. I missed the first "event" because I went to Halloween Horror Nights for 3 days. I was livid. Much happier that they decided to extend the events afterwords for longer amounts of time. Glad to see they're doing another one.
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Level 50 content - Currently in the works. This has become a higher priority because the percentage of players with a level 50 has grown.
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Hesitant thumbs down. I don't like the idea of "End Game Content" for a game like COH. I understand other peoples desire for an end --- as baffling as it is to me. There never should be an end to the game itself. Storyline, archs, events, ok... but to the game itself? Nah. City of Heroes/Villians should be an ongoing world. Always Expanding. Sometimes Changing. Not something with an end. I should never want my hero to hang up his tights. I want him to always improve, become better, learn more, be able to do more. Give me ways to make more of my hero, different ways to play --- SKILLS, ya' hear me? I don't like the idea of beating whatever storyline, boss or whatever and it being the end of the game. The end game is when I'm sick of City of Heroes/Villians and decided I've had enough and quit. Not something you guys script. Thats bullocks.
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5th Column - They are going to be coming back. The gladiator badge is not all we will see of them.
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Thumbs up. As Cap America, Indy Jones and many others have proved... nothing is more fun than beating up a Ratzi.
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Heroic animal-themed costumes - Sounds nice but not a high priority.
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I can live with that. Tails, monster heads, hooves, claws. We have a decent selction. With wings it expands a little more. I think a few more would be nice... to just offer a choice or two more. Like a bird and felines head, some different animal ears, and perhaps a mane too. To just help flesh out what we already have.
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Positron said that badge junkies will hate him for one of the villain I7 contacts - There is a badge that you can only get if you complete all of a certain contact's missions. And every mission is timed and can be failed. He said that the times are not long, but not so short that it is impossible. Also, you can only get the badge by doing the missions yourself. joining someone else for them will not award it.
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Jury is still out with me on that. Hmm. Lot to think about and chew on. Has its good and bands, like the actual sense of some importance and challenge and uniqeness, but something with the potetnial to be very frustrating like that is not usually a good thing. Being able to fail sure... but not being able to get a change again via someone elses mission --- I don't like that.
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Server transfer - It is in the works. There will likely be a fee for doing it. This is because they can't completely automate the process and will have to hire people to move characters over and change names when necessary.
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I'm not hassled with alt-itis nor have the problem of friends on other servers. I'm pretty much settled into Freedom... so this is no issue to me. However, considering the hassle, the charge is understandable. If I ever did switch servers, etc... the extra fee would only seem fair to me.
As a side note... in regards to Cuppajo. Yeah, shes smoking... in that... the kind of girl you don't fake losing to and really is competitive and fights against you hard-way.
EC
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Positron said that badge junkies will hate him for one of the villain I7 contacts - There is a badge that you can only get if you complete all of a certain contact's missions. And every mission is timed and can be failed. He said that the times are not long, but not so short that it is impossible. Also, you can only get the badge by doing the missions yourself. joining someone else for them will not award it.
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Jury is still out with me on that. Hmm. Lot to think about and chew on. Has its good and bands, like the actual sense of some importance and challenge and uniqeness, but something with the potetnial to be very frustrating like that is not usually a good thing. Being able to fail sure... but not being able to get a change again via someone elses mission --- I don't like that.
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I don't like this either, although I suppose I could live with it if they removed the Spelunker requirement from the Atlas Medallion. It's never made sense why it was there to begin with, and it's an incredibly easy mission to miss, especially if you choose to do the content in the Hollows.
That, or if we finally see the flashback feature added, precisely so that we can go back and pick up important missions that were missed the first time around.
Simply missing the mission and being screwed for it because you were teaming up and playing the game, however, is most definitely NOT kosher.
(Which of course begs the question regarding that villain I7 contact: Will it count if you have the mission and choose to auto-complete it off someone else's run?)
[ QUOTE ][*] For those who didn't know and are OCD about badges, there will be exactly ONE (1) Infected in Recluse's Victory that spawns every two hours. Kill him 100 times to get that Isolator badge you missed in Outbreak. Posi said it would be annoyingly hard, after all, so you asked for it 
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It has become glaringly obvious to me in a flash of insight.
Positron has become a villain.
That may be the most single-handedly evil thing I've ever seen one of these devs do...and that includes ED.
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Name him Jenkins.
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Skills - Not coming. Ever. They tried 9 different systems and couldn't find a fun one.
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I am so diasappointed about this, its not even funny.
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As we get older, we learn the art of letting go. Skills got shelved last summer. No more tears, E_C. No more tears.
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Skills - Not coming. Ever. They tried 9 different systems and couldn't find a fun one.
[/ QUOTE ] THUMBS DOWN!
I am so diasappointed about this, its not even funny.
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As we get older, we learn the art of letting go. Skills got shelved last summer. No more tears, E_C. No more tears.
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besides, wasn't it replaced with the inventions system? I thought that was what they were planning to use the univeristies for in i8...
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It was SUCH a great night.
Here's the pic's from my camera at the event
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Great pics.. especially the main group shot. But one thing.. 
Were you using an older camera? Because it looks like the Positronic FilteringTM wasn't turned on.
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I would just like to see some heroic animal costumes to go along with the villainous ones. After all, my main character is supposed to be a minotaur.
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I second this. I just want a hawk head or hell even a bird themed helm like Blue Falcon , at this point I'll settle for just a beak!
Classic Dungeon Crawl Arc ID: 2232-"A satirical look at your average dungeon"
Down the Rabbit Hole Arc IDs: 24346 24397-"Rescue a little girl from an insidious dream invader."
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Pity they are just axing the system, though. Just having non-combat stats to pay attention to was a pretty big must-have from a few people, and given how much work the devs put into it, there must at least have been something viable in the meanwhile, if not perfect.
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I believe Jack did say that while they scrapped the system as a whole, some parts did lead to other things, like the empowerment stations and the soon-to-be inventions system.
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Because I am a firm believer in the need for multiple playthroughs to see/achieve everything. I don't agree with being able to earn all the badges/fully experience every mission on a single playthrough. And fixing it so you can't earn badges through missions that are not your own is a good way to fix that.
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And a good way to piss off a great many people...
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Meh, people are going to be pissed no matter what happens.
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QFT, LiquidX.
- Green Lantern
"Say, Jim...woo! That's a bad out-FIT!" - Superman: The Movie
Me 'n my posse: http://www.citygametracker.com/site/....php?user=5608
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Because I am a firm believer in the need for multiple playthroughs to see/achieve everything. I don't agree with being able to earn all the badges/fully experience every mission on a single playthrough. And fixing it so you can't earn badges through missions that are not your own is a good way to fix that.
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And a good way to piss off a great many people...
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Meh, people are going to be pissed no matter what happens.
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QFT, LiquidX.
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What really matters is how many people are pissed and to what extent. If a change ruins QoL to a great extent, then it sure isn't a good one.
Arc Salvo: Okay hold one sec guys, we can't just rush in blindly vs these Nemesis, they've got these ranged aoe's tha-
Teammate1(charging in): Shut up, Arc Salvo, you lame*$% Viewtiful Joe wannabe! What do you know?!
Teammate2(also charging): yeah, ST#& arc salvo u PWR RANGR U!
Arc Salvo: *sigh*
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Just thought I'd add this story from the meet & greet that Posi told us:
My wife was commenting how she like to watch her character's posterior (she has a female character ironically - she's jelous of her avatar's figure). Matt used to work for Eidos back when they were developing Tomb Raider. Ironically, the reason why the main character for Tomb Raider is a shapely woman is apparently for the same reason. When your demograph are males ages 16-40, and they have to play most of the game looking at a character's backside the whole game, what kind of backside do you suppose they would like the most?
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Obsid,
This is the reason why my friend's cousin keeps making female toons. And I can't say I blame him.
- Green Lantern
"Say, Jim...woo! That's a bad out-FIT!" - Superman: The Movie
Me 'n my posse: http://www.citygametracker.com/site/....php?user=5608
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Skills - Not coming. Ever. They tried 9 different systems and couldn't find a fun one.
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I'm reeeeeally curious as to what each of the 9 different actual systems were. And why did they think every one of them wasn't "fun." I wish they would tell us somehow, because they may end up being pleasantly surprised how much "fun" some of those options may actually be to the players' point of view.
VIRTUE:Psychic Angel [Strm/Psy Def], Psychic Demon [Fire/Psy Dom], Spider Mime [Crab], The Cast Iron Chef [DB/WP Brute], Paintball Wizard [Dual Pistols/Sonic Cor], ACME Archer [Grav/Trick Con], Johnny Sonata Jr. [Sonic/Energy Blas]
EXALTED: Quantum Angel [PB], Psycho Angel [Necro/Psn MM], Holiday Spirit [Ill/TM Con]
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Whoa, whoa, whoa. Liquid. I have to greatly dissagree with you here. Most people have 1 character they dedicate to badge collecting. Now replay value aside. Your saying that those people should not be able to earn badges outside of missions that our theirs?! Forget that.
There is nothing wrong with the replay value of the game. Playing this game thru as a scrapper is vastly different then playing it thru as a blaster. /End Hijack
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Yes, I am saying that. Especially since then the Dev's would be able to implement Badges where you could only earn one or the other, thus helping individualize the different characters by showcasing what paths they have taken through "life".
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For that to work I think that badges would actually have to unlock costume items, weapons, powers or something to really reflect your travels. Something to truly display your 'life's work'. Decorative base items or decorative 'powers'. If badges were made that *important* restrictions should apply but beyond that... this almost sounds like a loot system and honestly, missing something you could never go back to, that does indeed seems to be just not fun. Text over and under your name just isn't good enough. I realize people can get info on each other. I've tried to sift through their badge lists but it is really hard to be impressed with reading a list.
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Whoa, whoa, whoa. Liquid. I have to greatly dissagree with you here. Most people have 1 character they dedicate to badge collecting. Now replay value aside. Your saying that those people should not be able to earn badges outside of missions that our theirs?! Forget that.
There is nothing wrong with the replay value of the game. Playing this game thru as a scrapper is vastly different then playing it thru as a blaster. /End Hijack
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Yes, I am saying that. Especially since then the Dev's would be able to implement Badges where you could only earn one or the other, thus helping individualize the different characters by showcasing what paths they have taken through "life".
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Couple problems with that. 1. Are you going to individualize by archtype, or by origin? And then when you've made that choice, then you better darn well make sure that one AT or origin has the exact same as another, because you KNOW someone is going to complain that magic origins have more badges then mutants, or that blasters have more badges then scrappers do. And then there's the factor that we're going to have to dedicate devs and support to plan this, then impliment it, and test it. Then send it to the test server. That costs money. I'm sorry, but I'd rather have them save that money for a new zone, zone revamp, or new missions/story arcs or even for new powersets.
Leave it to the playerbase to make this distinction in their own minds about their characters, that's one of the reason the biography feature is there in the first place. Also there's wonderful sites like Crey Industries Threat Database and the CoV version of that, whatever it is.
'If Champions Online is what "CoH was supposed to be", I'm glad that I have what I have rather than "what it was supposed to be".' - The Alt oholic
"I solo'd Hamidon...but I also totally cheated." - Back Alley Brawler
"It is still early. Someone is going to get stabbed tonight I can feel it." - Ishmael (said in Jello Shooters chat)
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Just thought I'd add this story from the meet & greet that Posi told us:
My wife was commenting how she like to watch her character's posterior (she has a female character ironically - she's jelous of her avatar's figure). Matt used to work for Eidos back when they were developing Tomb Raider. Ironically, the reason why the main character for Tomb Raider is a shapely woman is apparently for the same reason. When your demograph are males ages 16-40, and they have to play most of the game looking at a character's backside the whole game, what kind of backside do you suppose they would like the most?
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QFT
(my wife plays mostly women characters too... *wheels turning*.. what is going on!!!)
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And "100 times" isn't accurate, it would actually be 100 minus however many Infected you actually did defeat in Outbreak. You have to defeat at least 9 (IIRC?) to get out of Outbreak, so 91 times at the most
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The thing is, the number of Infected you defeated didn't start getting tracked until Issue 2.
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Plus, some folks may have skipped the training session entirely.
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Whoa, whoa, whoa. Liquid. I have to greatly dissagree with you here. Most people have 1 character they dedicate to badge collecting. Now replay value aside. Your saying that those people should not be able to earn badges outside of missions that our theirs?! Forget that.
There is nothing wrong with the replay value of the game. Playing this game thru as a scrapper is vastly different then playing it thru as a blaster. /End Hijack
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Yes, I am saying that. Especially since then the Dev's would be able to implement Badges where you could only earn one or the other, thus helping individualize the different characters by showcasing what paths they have taken through "life".
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Couple problems with that. 1. Are you going to individualize by archtype, or by origin? And then when you've made that choice, then you better darn well make sure that one AT or origin has the exact same as another, because you KNOW someone is going to complain that magic origins have more badges then mutants, or that blasters have more badges then scrappers do. And then there's the factor that we're going to have to dedicate devs and support to plan this, then impliment it, and test it. Then send it to the test server. That costs money. I'm sorry, but I'd rather have them save that money for a new zone, zone revamp, or new missions/story arcs or even for new powersets.
Leave it to the playerbase to make this distinction in their own minds about their characters, that's one of the reason the biography feature is there in the first place. Also there's wonderful sites like Crey Industries Threat Database and the CoV version of that, whatever it is.
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Actually, I'm talking about individualizing through moral choices made during the course of gameplay. Example:
Lets say a Story Arc in City of Heroes involves you having to track down a Hero who has suddendly taken to a life of crime. So, as the story arc goes on, you learn why: His daughter got deathly ill, and the only ones who could cure her was the villain group he was working for. So, you would have a choice: Let him escape, because his intents are noble, or arrest him, because no matter what his intents are, he was still breaking the law.
Letting him go would result in the "Angel of Mercy" badge.
Arresting him would get you the "Letter of the Law" badge.
Obviously, it wouldn't make sense to allow access to BOTH badges. And this would help personalize your character, by showing what moral decisions he/she/it has had to make. Plus, each badge could "unlock" a different contact, allowing story arcs showing the consequences of your decisions.
For example, if you let him go, the villains would now have access to the stuff to build a doomsday style weapon that threatens everyone in the city, with you having to stop it.
But if you arrested him, you would have to deal with him breaking out of jail and seeking revenge (As you essentially sacraficed his kid).
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<ul type="square">[*] Trench Coats will be part of the Veteran Rewards System. You will earn this Prestige item after ~3 months of having an active account.[/list]
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Will we be awarded Trenchcoats at character creation? Or would we have to have a "placeholder" costume first, before we get the Trenchcoat awarded when we actually log on with that character?
Current main:
Schrodinger's Gun, Dual Pistols/Mental Blaster, Virtue
Avatar: Becky Miyamoto from Pani Poni Dash. Roulette roulette~
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<ul type="square">[*] Trench Coats will be part of the Veteran Rewards System. You will earn this Prestige item after ~3 months of having an active account.[/list]
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Will we be awarded Trenchcoats at character creation? Or would we have to have a "placeholder" costume first, before we get the Trenchcoat awarded when we actually log on with that character?
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If you have more then 3 paid months with CoX then you get the trenchcoat at character creation. This is for time put in game total, not time put in with a character.
'If Champions Online is what "CoH was supposed to be", I'm glad that I have what I have rather than "what it was supposed to be".' - The Alt oholic
"I solo'd Hamidon...but I also totally cheated." - Back Alley Brawler
"It is still early. Someone is going to get stabbed tonight I can feel it." - Ishmael (said in Jello Shooters chat)
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If you have more then 3 paid months with CoX then you get the trenchcoat at character creation. This is for time put in game total, not time put in with a character.
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Ah, thanks. Was wondering if it was like the togas during Valentine's.
Current main:
Schrodinger's Gun, Dual Pistols/Mental Blaster, Virtue
Avatar: Becky Miyamoto from Pani Poni Dash. Roulette roulette~
Just thought I'd add this story from the meet & greet that Posi told us:
My wife was commenting how she like to watch her character's posterior (she has a female character ironically - she's jelous of her avatar's figure). Matt used to work for Eidos back when they were developing Tomb Raider. Ironically, the reason why the main character for Tomb Raider is a shapely woman is apparently for the same reason. When your demograph are males ages 16-40, and they have to play most of the game looking at a character's backside the whole game, what kind of backside do you suppose they would like the most?