Official Thread: Response to Positron's Letter
By
8_Ball,
Posted on: 2006-09-27 11:34 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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Lord Shoulder Kitten.
'nuff said
[/ QUOTE ]With 4 kittens replacing his spider-legs.
In the Arena of Logic, I fight unarmed.
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Pay more attention to PVP please, thanks.
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+1
I am excited that there seems to be a long term plan going on. Thinking ahead to Issue 9 is great, but they are already positioning themselves for Issue 11? Excellent!
Bring it on, Posi!
"Ben is short for Frank."
-Baffling Beer-Man, The Tenacious 3: The Movie
[IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa10/BafflingBeerman/teamjackface1.jpg[/IMG]
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And to think about all the problems ATI users will have just doesn't help.
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It's Microsoft publishing. It'll be coded in D3D. No ATI problems of major note. And I doubt I'll be touching it with someone else's cattleprod.
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50K wolvie clones leaving the game, and you dont see an upside?!?
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Point to you, sir.
Be well, people of CoH.
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Besides, by the time MUO comes out, I'll be more than ready for the switch, as I'm sure most of us will be.
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There's one. How many to follow?
Oooo look, the marvel MMO lets me do X, CoH/V doesn't. Oooo, the marvel one has better performance cuz it's written under the heavy guidance of MS and thus will be coded in D3D... heading out. Oooo, the marvel one let's me be a wolvie clone without getting the smackdown by the mods. 50K players exodus.
Sorry folks, not seeing an upside here.
Unless Cryptic intentionally makes the combat system completely different and uses the extra advertisement to gain more players.
Whatever. We'll see. For now, I'll maintain my pessimism.
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Bill, can I ask you a serious question?
How long do you want City of Heroes to exist without a sequel? As it is now, with just issues and perhaps future expansions to sustain it?
I've been here since day 1 and even I most likely will want a sequel in another year or two. Simply adding more graphic effects onto three year old code just leads to more bugs.
In the 2-3 years it'll take for this Marvel MMO to be developed, beta'd, and released, I fully expect CoH's lifespan to be towards it's end. I'll be here until the servers get shut down, but expecting more than 4 years of life out of a MMO in this day and age is asking for too much.
Current Badge Hunter: Plot Device (Rad/Thermal/Dark) - 1,268 Xbox Live: Friggin Taser
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Cryptic seems the obvious choice for someone like Marvel to have develop their game. Go with the best, most experienced in the Superhero genre.
However, I'm more concerned with Microsoft's involvement in another MMORPG, given their previous history with the Asheron's Call franchise, Mythica, and Vanguard. They seem to be worse than EA when it comes to "getting" MMOs.
Should be interesting to watch.
I maintain my pessimism.
Positron's letter was pretty and optimistic and all, but I seem to remember a time when they said COH and COV would have seperate teams, and that didn't stop COH from being ignored like a red-headed stepchild for more than a year.
I won't believe any of this sunshiney goodness (wings, storyline changes, new powersets, the invention system, ect.) until it hits live.
Ok so Cryptic will obviously get a short term cut of the profits for helping to develop Marvel Universe Online. But not in the long term. And I can also understand wanting to be involved in a game that is in direct competition with CoX. But dont you think Marvel would see that as making sure that its not as "good" as CoX? It really doesnt make sense. Yeah it means more money for Cryptic in the short term to help develop a game that takes players away from CoX. But what about the long term? What the heck are they thinking? It just flies in the face of us, the subscribers.
My guesses
5th Column makes sense. There is some history between Stateman, Lord Recluse, and Requiem. This is also what the player base wants. Back in the old days, we hated the 5th Column because they were evil Nazis. It felt good to smash their faces into the pavement of Steel Canyon (no matter what level you were). Now as the Council they are just another nutcase military group that probably has secret bases in Montana somewhere.
Enhancements, I really hope the invention system will allow players to make duel purpose enhancements like Hami-Os. I would love ACC/Damage Enhancements, Rcg/End Reductions, and that would allow me to slot things like range or the secondary effects like debuffs that is not viable to do now.
Yes, I want to buy player made Jetpacks, Teleporters, and Healing Potions/Devices....
Now, what I really want more than anything.
I want to be able to turn off or modify colors of power animations. I can hardly be a stealthy Regen Scrapper with my stupid Tarzan Yell, green glow, and burning hands. It drives me nuts! By the way the tarzan yell sucks too. If the power has a 2 sec animation give me a choice of all the 2 sec animations and I will pick the one I want--2 clicks
2) I understand the thing about shape shifting being difficult, but I know you could change sizes, even if it is just in outdoors for giant size. Minature heroes could be fun to as well as powers that shrink foes! If you can turn folks into Pumpkins, then you can turn them into frogs, statues, different genders, lamposts, fire hydrants, or even clowns!
Lastly, any chest graphic should have the option of being big or small, or front pocket size, or on the head/helmet
A sequel to CoH/V would be something I'm all for. I'd jump ship for that in a heartbeat. Why play the outdated?
Marvel's MMO isn't a sequel to CoH/V. It's competition. If it IS part of Cryptic's evolutionary plan, if CoH/V was simply the foot in the door, so to speak, then that bodes poorly for those of us that don't want to play Marvel or DC's takes on the MMO.
How big a playerbase does EQ-1 have compare to EQ-2? I honestly have no clue. I would assume EQ-1 is gasping its last breath.
I'm hoping I'm not around to see City of's last breath. And I'm hoping the only other superhero game at that time isn't Marvel or DC associated.
Be well, people of CoH.
Apparently Cryptic didn't get the memo or chose to ignore it. Microsoft has a next to poop record publishing MMOs.
Asheron's Call (fairly successful for its time)
Ashron's Call 2 (Failed)
Mithica (Failed, never left development)
Vangard (Cancelled publishing deal)
I think if they want to sabotage Marvel's entry into this genre MS as a publisher is a perfect way since they have a horrible track record.
Having worked in MS's Game Studio I can say from my point of view, I dont think the management has the chops to stick it out and will bail the first chance when the project hits its first major problem that makes it cost more money.
Golden Avatar - 50 Invul/Mace Tanker (Infinity)
Police Drone GA - 50 Fire/FF Controller (Infinity)
Very much looking forward to the future of COH/COV and the new Marvel MMO. Thanks to Positron, Statesman and all the good folks behind the scenes (past and present) who've made it all possible.
Glad to see a bright horizon for the game's future.
How big a playerbase does EQ-1 have compare to EQ-2? I honestly have no clue. I would assume EQ-1 is gasping its last breath.
Last I heard, EQ1's population has been stable for a long time. Basically, once an MMO has past its prime, everyone who was going to quit will have done so.
Even UO is still up and running. It's possible the Marvel MMO will push CoX into an early grave but very unlikely and not something to be seriously worried about.
Current Blog Post: "Why I am an Atheist..."
"And I say now these kittens, they do not get trained/As we did in the days when Victoria reigned!" -- T. S. Eliot, "Gus, the Theatre Cat"
According to MMORPHChart.com, as of May, EQ had "fallen sharply" to 200,000. It says something about how successful EQ has been when its a sharp fall to have more subscribers than CoX has ever had.
EQ2 is listed as having 175,000 subscribers. So, it looks like the two are coming to a point where EQII will meet and then pas EQ1.
Heroes
Dysmal
Lumynous
Sam Steele
Pluck
Wile
Slagheap
Pressure Wave
Rhiannon Bel
Verified
Stellaric
Syd Mallorn
Villains
Jotunheim Skald
Saer Maen
Jen Corbae
Illuminance
Venator Arawn
Taiga Dryad
Tarranos
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I'm in the dark, what was Posi referring to when he mentioned a project between Cryptic and Microsoft?
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They are helping Marvel create their new Superhero MMO.
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I, for one, am hoping for Epic Levels that will further differentiate player characters past 50. We have a little bit of that with Patron Powers and such, but I really want levels 51-60 that open up an entirely new power pool choice. Maybe these pools further augment specific powers - who knows. I just want more 
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they have said they will not go passed 50....
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I'm not saying this just because I'm a "city of" fan, like most of us who post on these forums are, but..
I don't see how a marvel based mmo could succeed. The thing about "City of" is that the heroes and villains are completely original. With a game based on Marvel everyone will be clamoring to be Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, etc. The Originality factor goes to the wind.
I'll be sticking to "City of" thank you. 
The variety of costume options in this game speaks bounds for what this game is about-- ORIGINALITY. A Marvel game will never be able to top this game on that count.
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That kind of thing happens here too. It will die down.
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Besides, by the time MUO comes out, I'll be more than ready for the switch, as I'm sure most of us will be.
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There's one. How many to follow?
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Not me. But then I may well be in the minority. I'm not a big fan of superheros (not to suggest I dislike them, but the only superhero series I ever collected was Excalibur and the only TV show I watched was Darkwing Duck (yes, you can throw things at me for even admitting that ), but I love the character design flexibility of COH/V and I like how easy it is to play compared to most MMOs. Anything new that came along would have to completely blow COH/V out of the water to lure me away. I have friends who play WoW, DDO, and COH/V and the only one they've been able to talk me into is this one. The others I either don't like the look of or just plain look too complicated. Besides, most MMOs have a much larger PvP component and I like having PvP be optional.
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Issue 10 is a ways out, but it will bring us an update to an old familiar villain group. This group will have their power center altered
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Right, let's list all the villains that have a power centre.
1) The Council
2) ...
3) Er
4) That's it.
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*Cough*Fifth Column*Cough*
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I'm under the impression that Posi's words were a fancy way of saying "The 5th Column goes from a small, rogue band of rebels, to being led BY THE REICHSMAN BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
But he thought it unbecoming to do the whole evil laugh thing in an otherwise straightforward letter.
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Isn't it canonically true that Reichsman is still being held in stasis somewhere? What if he gets free and makes contact with home? Nothing like a Nazi Earth invasion lead by Reichsman to get heroes and villains working together, I say!
Funny thing about Nazis... no matter how much time passes, kicking one in the teeth never goes out of style!
*Edited after realizing that Nazi isn't a filtered word.
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This is a clear message that chest-mounted rocket launchers are on the way. Obvious to anyone who reads it. Why, he might as well have just said, "And yes, we're adding chest-mounted rocket launchers"!
It's also a blatant admission that the lack of a ZAPPY ARROW was a serious mistake, one that they intend to rectify.
YOU HAVE TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES, PEOPLE!
AND STOP STARING AT ME! 
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What about the sharks with frickin' laser beams on their frickin' foreheads? I'm STILL waiting for them! Mako's holding out on us!
I'm looking forward to the return of the 5th Column. I was just starting to play this game when the 5th and the Council were having their insane street war event. I'm tiring of beating down generic Italian fascists. I want to put the smack on the Original Nazis!
@Jimmy Amp
Currently working on:
Jimmy Crush - Kin/Regen Scrapper
"Life writes the best scripts."
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I'm in the dark, what was Posi referring to when he mentioned a project between Cryptic and Microsoft?
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Go here.
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If it were xbox only, I'd understand this move. As it's ported to PC as well, I have no idead what the hell Cryptic is thinking.
"Gee, let's have 2 superhero MMOs! We'll compete with ourselves!"
Thus diluting both player bases.
I don't get it.
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You should, it's much cheaper than dealing with constant lawsuits. That was the deal they made with each other to put the infringement battle to rest.
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Issue 10 is a ways out, but it will bring us an update to an old familiar villain group. This group will have their power center altered
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Right, let's list all the villains that have a power centre.
1) The Council
2) ...
3) Er
4) That's it.
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Um, I don't think he means a power plant. I think the power center is game design jargon for what powersets the villain group is built around.
If so, this means any familiar villain group is possible.
So to begin conjecture:
DE and hamidon might get oodles more plant powers.
Artemis might be introduced at lower levels with all sorts of new throwing knife blaster and bullwhip scrapper powers.
Hydra might be woven into the story more with poison powers galore.
Skulls might be getting some MM thug or undead powers.
CoT might get more consistent Mu related powers.
etc. etc. etc.
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Pay less attention to PVP please, thanks.
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+1
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(/edit)
Much better.
Repeat Offenders
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I have a theory. I'm going to register it here, just in case I'm correct, so that I may trumpet my triumph later on.
Others have mentioned the hope that the Hami raids go away when Statesman's Task Force hits.
Positron mentions "Heroes and Villains banding against a common foe"
Hamidon is certainly the power center of the Devouring Earth ...
And I don't think anyone would argue that he's not a "common foe"
I'm seeing a magnificent possibility here ...
God in heaven, not Hero/Villain Hami raids ... but maybe something ... better? Maybe Hamidon ... changes? In a big, spectacular, story-filled way?
Hmmmmmmmmm. 
Edit: Or ... maybe I'm not the first. But ... it's a nifty idea.
That'll teach me to post predictions before reading the whole thread.
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My money's on this. Though I would not at all be surprised if the Hamidon died or was otherwise removed permanently from direct interaction.
*runs from other thread ......into wall*
woot .... *passes out*