The City Scoop! ~ Front Page ~ Oct. 5, 2007
By
Ex_Libris,
Posted on: 2007-10-05 17:07 in Announcements
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Player Events | |
PVP SG Ladder Update
In the recent weeks, we've seen a lot of new SGs make their spot on the ladder, along with older SGs going through rough rebuilding periods. Recent matches include two new SGs entering: Victory Reborn and dUmb. Victory Reborn won in two matches, but a great job was shown by both teams. Also, in recent matches, JAL fought Velocity, with Velocity winning the fight in three matches. The ladder currently looks like this: 1. Freaks of Legends 2. Velocity 3. Justice for All League (JAL) 4. Old School (OS) 5. Statesman's Watch (SW) 6. Pingu City Justice League (PCJL) 7. Hell Raisers (HR) 6. Whirligig (WG) 7. Victory Reborn (VR) 8. dUmb The next matches coming up are Velocity vs. Freaks, SW vs. PCJL, SW vs. JAL, and WG vs. VR. All match times and information can be found in the PvP Arena section. [/b] Banshee Bride by Dursagon |
P.E.R.C.This past saturday, on September 29, 2007, heroes and villians across the servers of Champion, Justice and Liberty came together for their round of Here are the winners for this week. Champion Miss Paragon City Champion Panda Doll Miss Rogue Isles Champion Flame Shroud Mr Paragon City Champion Texas Stampede Mr Rogue Isles Champion Santa Claws Justice Miss Paragon City Justice Foe's Hammer Miss Rogue Isles Justice Cattle Prodder Mr Paragon City Justice Captain Starlight Mr Rogue Isles Justice Emerald Viper Liberty Miss Paragon City Liberty Miss-Paragon* Vaiel Echtro Miss Rogue Isles Liberty Vaiel Echtro Mr Paragon City Liberty Replete Mr Rogue Isles Liberty Bloodspeaker Congrats to all the winners and we will see you all at the finals! Next up is Triumph, Guardian and Virtue on October 6, 2007. *means that I did not get the picture of the contestant in time, it will be featured in a future issue. Last week we did not have Mr. Infinity Paragon City is Bomb Bursting in Air's picture. Please use this link to see it. |
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Three Years of Tuesday Night Tankers When I first heard about the third anniversary of Tanker Tuesday (TT) on Champion, I was stoked! A player-run event on a "light" server, my server, was going to celebrate three years of just being. I was so stoked that I dedicated my last spot to a new Tank. But Tuesday, the 2nd of October, wasn't about me, my character, my server or even about my migraine. It was about three years of "Take the damage, save the mission." I wanted to get a few points of view from my fellow Tanks before the main event, so I showed up early. I ran around Atlas Park and Galaxy City asking random people if they were participating or helping out with Tanker Tuesday. Some of the most excited people were those waiting to experience their first "TT." Most said that it was the Updater that brought them to either join for the first time, or make a brand new Tank for the event. American - Integrity, a level 28 Tank, stated that he was there for the first time because Stryke-Force was going to be there. I later found out that it was a family affair as American - Integrity and his dad, Captain Battleship, both took home prizes for "Sloberknocker" and "Best Taunt" respectively. Cat's Meow stated that she saw the advert on the Updater and, "It looked like fun." Champion wasn't her home server but she loved Tanks. When asked what her favorite part of tanking was, she said, "If I don't want to play with a team I don't have to. I'm not limited to finding other players to beat mishes." She clarified, "I do like to play with other characters, just not all of the time." Stepping off the train in Kings Row, I heard the first of the "TT" broadcasts. Flaming Intern was announcing forty-five minutes until showtime. I chatted with him, as one of the hosting crew, about what "Tanker Tuesday" was really about. Having been at the very first TT, he had a little bit of insight. He said that his favorite thing about TT, from the beginning, has been "seeing the influx of new tanks that it brings. I love teaching new tanks a trick or two that will help them tank better. I guarantee you if you just come for one TT, within two hours, you will be a better tank." When asked if other Archetypes should take a page from TT, he said, "I'm a little biased because I've been a Tank at heart for so long, but I think that would be a great idea and would really bring ATs together, like TT has done. So I guess I'm all for it, as long as I can get my tank on at TT."  When Dinah Might, the main organizer of the third anniversary event, was asked how she came up with the event, she modestly stated that Tuesday Night Tankers was actually started by The Ring. "Originally," she stated, "[it] started as an exclusive get together for his Super Group, the Watchguard. Tanker Tuesday soon opened up to be a server-wide Tanker gathering. Tankers take great pride in their characters and their Archetype, and this sense of pride can still be seen today. When The Ring announced that he would no longer be the host of Tanker Tuesday, the Tankers of Champion server refused to let the event die." It's a good thing too. Hundreds of Tanks showed upenough to have two instances of Kings Row and Galaxy City an hour after the special events were over. In game celebrities were thereBack Alley Brawler and Castle handed out special gold titles proclaiming the participants of "Tanker Tuesday, 3rd Anniversary." Ghost Widow even put in an appearance, not worrying about the mass of Tanks surrounding her that were hurling compliments and friendly challenges in her direction. The Red Name love was shown, as well, by special appearances by Lighthouse and Ex Libris. The sheer amount of people, and the resulting lag, caused our powers to be shut off a few times, just to let us talk. At 9 PM (EDT), on the nose, Dinah Might started to broadcast that we should go, en mass, from the Independence Port exit, through Kings Row, to Galaxy City. From there, we should head to the M1 statue in Galaxy City and await the rest of the festivities. I have to say that this is when things got hectic. Have you ever tried to move hundreds of "Star Struck" Tanks? It was a bit slow going, but after about fifteen minutes of "If you have a title, please proceed to Galaxy City," there were two Galaxy Cities and lots of happy Tanks. Over the following hour, Dinah Might and the rest of the TT helpers held several costume, concept and taunt contests, while the attendees were entertained by JusticeRadio's DJ Judge and DJ Brainfreeze. I asked DJ Judge what he thought of the festivities, and all he could say was, "It's freakin' awesome!" DJ Brainfreeze was able to say a bit more, or maybe I just asked a better question. "This was an outstanding event, and I have never seen so many Tankers in one place. This was awe-striking. So much energy in one place. I was not only impressed but amazed. They put on an awesome event." Although, he just laughed at me when I requested Michael Bolton. The following are the winners of the contests (held in both Galaxy City 1 and Galaxy City 2) Runners-up not listed: "Best Concept" Costume Contest - Storm-Knight (GC1) and Eternal Fighter (GC2) "Best Golden/Silver Aged" Costume Contest - Major Rocket (GC1) and Ice hammer (GC2) Secret bio Contest - Zero (GC2) and BurningJustice (GC2) Taunt Contest - Captain battleship (GC1) and Emer1d (GC2)  Sloberknocker Event - Heat Factor (GC1) and American-Integrity (GC2) After the contests were over, things were settling down into a more normal version of "Tanker Tuesday." Characters of all levels, backgrounds and powersets were teaming up and PVPing in the arena. I got to ask Dinah a few more questions. Her personal thoughts on TT's biggest triumph to date kind of shocked me. "Although I would like to say that the thirrd year anniversary party was the greatest achievement (there has never been such a large gathering of a single Archetype in the game), the greatest triumph for us is introducing players to our favorite Archetype and cultivating a whole new generation of Tankers." Dinah is a very modest person. When asked what she would have done differently, she said, "I would have like to be more prepared for the large attendance at the third year anniversary of Tanker Tuesday. I had no idea so many people would show up, nor was I ready for multiple zones being spawned. However, thanks to the Champion Tankers, this event was the biggest and best player-run I've ever been to." And her thoughts on the longevity of TT? "The Tankers of Champion. What a great bunch. Where would this event be without their support? I can't even put into words how much I'd like to thank them, or 'Tank' them. Tank you, guys! " Here is the event board discussion See ACEMAGE'S "night of 400+ tanks" See the results page on the Champion board. Here are some more pictures from the event:
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ArtsGill Bates of | |
"http://mmoart.deviantart.com/art/Odessa-Dark-63937604"> What inspired you to start Y'know, I'm not exactly sure what made me start. Which mediums do you use for your art? Which are I use traditional mediums (pencil, ink, and What's your best experience as an artist? Being successful and in such high demand is the Who has been your biggest influence, artistically I'd have to say Jim Lee. Who are some of your favorite artists and what is Gregg Cappullo is probably my favorite artist.
"http://mmoart.deviantart.com/art/Flareback-60780167"> When you're drawing, do you have I watch Discovery Channel, History Channel, and Do you ever suffer from lack of inspiration (aka I don't see it as a lack of inspiration, really. Do you have some advice for up-and-coming STUDY ANATOMY! It is the most difficult and (For commission information, please contact | |
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Super Secret Diner | ||||
The Holiday season is fast approaching, and with Since it's opening in the mid 1940s, Another thing that Scheherazade is famous for is Scheherazade takes great pride in their tea and
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Hey everyone, it's me, Belle! Wow, what a week! So I guess you all have heard about the continued Rikti invasions. I sure hope that they let up soon. People are getting worried about going outside for fear of being hit by a bomb! I'm glad that they've got that warning system that alerts everyone when the Rikti are coming. If you see a warning to take cover and you're not ready to battle the Rikti, be sure to either leave the zone or hole up inside for a while. The stores, City Hall, the train stationsthey're all built to withstand those Rikti bombs and should be safe.
The Lost can usually be found in various places around the City, including significant numbers in Kings Row, Perez Park, Skyway City, and Boomtown. In Kings Row, they tend to congregate along the south wall of the zone on Industrial Avenue. These are generally The Lost with the lowest threat level, typically around 5 to 9, and not many of The Lost leaders hang around there. There are also numerous Lost in the sewers, including their leaders, but yuck! It's the sewers! And they're also down there with lots of other gangs and villains.
I've mentioned my friend Katie Hannon before. If you are a hero, you might have even met her while fighting those nasty little Red Caps in Croatoa. She has the most beautiful house, and I wanted to share with you a picture! Like all of her aunts and other members of the Cabal, she lives among the trees around Sunset Ridge in Croatoa, but Katie lives under a special tree that is imbued with the magic of the Cabal!
Almost all Salamancans know the story of Kelly Nemmers, and some might even be willing to tell you how to find her. Misty Lake, where she likes to stay, is in eastern Croatoa, and like Katie's magic tree at night, I think that Misty Lake is truly one of the most beautiful sights to behold in all of Paragon City. I really think that those sprites are actually playing tag with each other, they're so cute! I do ask, though, that if you visit, please be respectful of your surroundings. The woods and lakes of Croatoa are home to some truly extraordinary people and beautiful things, but can also be dangerous. If you feel that you must be aggressive at something, go north to the Broken Teeth Hills and remove some of those nasty old Red Caps from the area!
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Myth SmashersPart 2 in an Irregular Series: Drawn Weapon DPSCity of *, like any MMO, has its share of urban legends. In the last installment, we examined the myth that clicking glowies in the Terra Volta Respec Trial changes the composition of the final attack waves in the reactor. In this installment, we will examine an equally persistent rumor: that the time taken to render the draw of a weapon, like a katana or an axe, will delay the time until the attack completes. Be warned, the answer may surprise even the most seasoned City veterans. Background This particular idea has quite a long history. In the original Prima Guide released at City of Heroes launch, players are encouraged to draw their weapons before combat in the description of the Scrapper Broadsword attack set. For a long time, it was assumed among players that weapon draw time was a separately-calculated step in an attack chain and that minimizing redraw actions during combat should be avoided. They reasoned that the character's damage per second (DPS) would suffer if a few seconds out of each attack sequence was spent on an action that did no damage. Astute players noted that, in some cases, there was a delay or "hiccup" in the animation of certain weapon attacks. When they asked about this on the forums, developers responded by saying that this hiccup was there to account for a potential draw animation playing at the beginning of the attack. The animation didn't need to play because the weapon was already drawn, and so the attack part of the animation rendered earlier, but there was no overall effect on the delay until the next attack activated. The most recent post on the subject comes from Back Alley Brawler, who summarized the situation thus: "Weapon power attack times (time before you can activate the next power) are currently the weapon draw animation time + plus attack animation time, so having to redraw the weapon between attacks does not affect DPS. More astute players have noticed and commented on the small gaps between attacks once the weapon is already drawn because of this." Even with this authoritative answer, many players persisted in their beliefs that weapon draw time affects DPS. So being the responsible community members that we are, the City Scoop Myth Smashers team decided to set the record straight. Testing the Myth To test how weapon draw times affects DPS, we decided to set up an attack chain that could either include or exclude a weapon draw, and then measure the total time elapsed. Using FRAPS, a popular video capture program for games, and Windows Movie Maker, we recorded this attack chain and then annotated it with the absolute elapsed time at critical points. Once the video was recorded, we allowed ourselves the luxury of non-real-time examination -- we can step through the video frame by frame to analyze the results. The attack chain selected was based on the Tanker Axe attack set - specifically, the sequence Brawl -- Gash -- Beheader. We included Brawl so that we can get a mark point of the beginning of the attack chain that is independent of draw time entirely. Brawl is a good choice for this because, though it does not use any drawn weapon, it also does not cause any weapon to be put away -- unlike, say, the veteran attack power Sands of Mu. We included two attacks after Brawl so that we can measure the total elapsed time from Brawl to the third attack, which follows the attack that actually draws the weapon (like from Brawl's activation to Beheader's activation). Armed with a plan and software, I took a level 6 Ice/Axe Tanker on Protector, Sculp, and walked him through the attack chain many times, recording the results with FRAPS. I took the two best demonstrative videos and loaded them into Windows Movie Maker. However, even before I had done the annotation, I knew something was not meshing with my expectations. As it turns out, there is a built-in visual timer to the game that operates on exactly the kinds of time scales we care about in attack chains: the orange damage numbers that appear over opponents' heads. Since these scroll at a constant speed, the distance between these numbers has a direct correlation to the time between attack activations. Using this visual indicator, I was seeing a much bigger time difference between Brawl and Gash with the axe undrawn than with it drawn. I was seeing about the same time difference between Gash and Beheader regardless of whether the axe was drawn. Still, such indicators are not conclusive. To prove what I was seeing, I needed to annotate the video. After normalizing the video so that Brawl is activated at 1.00 seconds, I marked the time at which Beheader activates. Sure enough, in the drawn case, it activates at exactly 3.80 seconds; in the undrawn case, it activates at exactly 4.80 seconds. While there is some margin of error due to frame rates, this far exceeds that margin: 1.00 seconds is about 30 frames. The videos also clearly show that each attack after Brawl is queued, marking that attack with the red circle. This shows that my reaction time was not a factor in the results. The videos are available for general download here: http://www.topped-with-meat.com/~kgi...p/DrawnAxe.wmv http://www.topped-with-meat.com/~kgi...UndrawnAxe.wmv Feel free to download them and load them into a video editor to double check my timing mark points, but the conclusion seems unavoidable: Draw time does delay the time until next attack, and therefore does affect overall DPS if you switch weapons in your chain.
Conclusions The question of draw time and DPS will surely gain visibility in issue 11. Not only will we get a new weapon-based attack set for all melee archetypes, but weapon customization may well re-energize interest in existing weapon sets. The issue will be of particular relevance to Brutes who rely on activating attacks in quick succession to maintain Fury. Back Alley Brawler has been apprised of these results. However, at the time of this writing, he has not yet responded. In the meantime, and pending any developer changes to the game, the relationship between draw time and DPS appears to be settled. Weapon-using players would be well advised to avoid redraws in the midst of an attack chain, lest their DPS suffer needlessly. | ||
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This week, we visit the Victory server and talk with Darken Death of the Minion of the Underworld hero supergroup.  SuperGroup Name: Minion of the Underworld, on the Victory server City of Heroes. When Established: The supergroup was founded by me Darken Death on 5/17/05 Members: Our supergroup consist of Reformed Villains to Anti-Heroes to Heroes. We are an active supergroup with 70 + members ranging from newbies to level 50s and their alts. Rough Base Cost Estimate: About 17 million
Favorite Decorative Base Item: Our huge Main Throne Room gives the ambience of power with Cubicals rewarded to our Veteran level 50's. The teleportal rooms are done to look dark and mythical to get a feel of a ancient and mysterious arcane castle. Functional Base Item: With the help of our membership we have all the teleportals, arcane and tech buffers, Tree of Wonders to get blues and greens for missions and Salvage, Enhancements and Inspiration bins for us to share. Least Favorite: I use grills to make letters for our supergroup name in the base but it would be cool if we had letters for that instead with a choice of fonts. Instead of texturing a lower level floor to look like water it would be nice to have real water in the ponds in of our base. When editing your base you have to delete almost all the items in a room so you can move the room into another location. If you could give just one piece of advice to a new base editor, what would it be? I would say visit other supergroup bases to get ideas on construction of your own. I have seen some very creative supergroup bases in the game and was very amazed at what some people have created. I have use many ideas from them to create the arcane look of our base. Anything else you'd like to add about your SG, Base, or the Base system? Our supergroup originally started off as a villain supergroup before City of Villains came out several months later. We change the theme with great success to support darker heroes like Ghost Rider, Blade and Hellboy. All are welcome to join and if you play in SG Mode red and gold (orange) are our colors with the magic symbol. This will help you get into the theme of our supergroup. I'm very proud of our 70 + members from the Minion of the Underworld on what they achieved. It shows by creating a fantastic base and by entering the Top 100 Supergroup List on the Victory Server. The base was created to be user friendly for our members and coalitions to use. Our medical room, teleportals, salvage rooms and invention room are labelled, close by and easy to find. Visit our website at motusg.bravehost.com and check out our pages all based on Heroes and Villains. Get game and supergroup information, checkout our links to our coalitions, comics & movie trailers links and more. To join our supergroup contact me thru global or email @Darken Death we will be happy to invite you to our hero family. We also have a Villain SG on the same server called Minions of the Underworld ran by Darken Death of Hell | |
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EncountersThe Interview: The most Dangerous interview Kahlan has ever done! Okay, a few months ago, I did an interview with a little waif named Jennifer White. She was a dark/dark Defender. Her and I met when her school was having a little dance at the Pocket D, and I was there filling my blood alcohol content. She was possessed by "something," but she didn't know what. It just called itself the "DARKNESS," but I paid it no mind, since this place is full of weird things. So we chatted it up. I guess the Tall, Dark, and Ugly had some friends...
I was sitting in the Pocket D, doing my usual thing, drinking, when I suddenly felt an unnatural chill come over me that rattled me to my bones. I shivered and turned around expecting to see Ghost Widow staring me down again, but the sight that greeted me was a pair of girls who couldn't be over the age of 15. They glared at me menacingly as they approached. I thought to myself, "This is going to be...interesting..." Faith Foster: Kahlan D'Rane. We have been looking for you. Hope Foster: You have had The Darkness about you. Where is she? Kahlan D'Rane: Whoa whoa, I don't know who you're talking about...chill! Hope Foster: The world will be burned by The Hellfire. Faith Foster: The Dead will rise. Hope and Faith Foster: The world will be devoured by The Darkness. Faith Foster: We know you have been with The Darkness. We have seen your...interview with her. Apparently she has taken the name...Jennifer White. Where is she, Kahlan D'Rane? At this point, icy cold flame burst forth from Hope's body, and a chilling mist rolled in behind Faith. I could see shadows with glowing eyes moving in the fog. I downed my drink and quickly ordered another. I figured I'd need it. Kahlan D'Rane: Yeah...um, okay...creeeepy. Yeah, I interviewed Jennifer, and her fluffy buddy...what's your issue with it? Faith Foster: The Darkness is one of us. You will tell us where she is. Hope Foster: SHE IS HOLDING BACK!! I WILL BURN THE INFORMATION FROM HER SOUL!! Calm yourself Hellfire. All souls will be yours in due time. I was taken aback by the strange supernatural voice that suddenly boomed from Faith. It brought me back to my interview with Jennifer White a few months back. Deja vu. Kahlan D'Rane: I don't know where they are! They kinda went off somewhere else after I talked to them. Look, let's actually get to the heart of the matter. What are your plans? Why are you here in the Isles? Hope Foster: We are the end times. Faith Foster: When we reunite with The Darkness, we will fulfill the prophecy. The world will be plunged into beautiful and eternal damnation. Then, from Faith's mouth, a supernatural ghostly voice spilled. OUR PATIENCE GROWS SHORT WITH YOU MORTAL!! YOU WILL DIVULGE THE LOCATION OF THE DARKNESS!! Kahlan D'Rane: I take it you guys are possessed like Jennifer is? Hope Foster: The Hellfire and The Dead are with us as The Darkness is with this...Jennifer White. Apparently, Jennifer does not follow the orders given to her. She will learn the errors of her disobedience. Faith Foster: AS WILL YOU IF YOU DO NOT TELL ME WHERE SHE IS! The mist began to slowly surround me. I noticed the bartender move to the other side of the bar. I polished off another drink... Kahlan D'Rane: You are beings of magic. Use your magic against me, and you'll be really sorry. I can turn it around and use it to hurt you in the worst possible way. My Agiel is working again, so I'm not as powerless as you think I am. Faith Foster: Your idle threats do not intimidate us, mortal. Hope Foster: Be thankful. It is not you whom we seek. Your end will come in due time. Kahlan D'Rane: Okay, we've reached a truce of sorts. Now, honestly, what's your background? Where do you gals come from? What's the story, morning glory? (Obviously, I was feeling my drinks by this point.) Wait, bad choice of words... Faith Foster: The prophecy was foretold. The world would be burned by The Hellfire. The Dead would rise and the world would be consumed by The Darkness. Hope Foster: The three were created to bring about that purpose. The Dead, The Hellfire, and The Darkness. Faith Foster: Our father was the famous televangelist Oren B. Foster. Every week, he would broadcast from his cathedral, which has been compared to a football stadium in size. Their ministry ran world wide. Our father blessed our mother with triplets, and we were the ones chosen. We were the ones to carry out the end times. Hope Foster: Faith was born first. and was joined with The Dead. Faith Foster: Hope was born second and was joined with The Hellfire. Our final sister, Charity was stillborn. Apparently, The Darkness had to go...elsewhere. Hope Foster: Faith and I grew into the church. We would sing in the choir. Faith Foster: Then, when we heard the call of The Darkness during one of our father's sermons, we knew that we had to act immediately. We devoured the souls of everyone in the cathedral and everyone who had tuned in to watch my father's broadcast. This gave The Dead and The Hellfire the power that they needed and the sustenance that they craved. Kahlan D'Rane: Um yeah, so you killed a whole church congregation and a whole crapload of people at home?! Wow...that's just...wow...you gals are nuts! Faith Foster: Unfortunately...This...Jennifer White, or someone else, has found ways to block the Darkness from us. Our communication abruptly ended. Kahlan D'Rane: So do you fight on your own, or do you utilize others to further your goals? Hope Foster: We do not fight. The Hellfire and The Dead must feed. Faith Foster: Mortals destined to die before us are destined. Therefore...it is not a fight. It is fulfillment of destiny. Kahlan D'Rane: So what is your relationship with Jenny? She seems like an up and up kid, not really interested in taking up with the likes of you...(or me for that matter) Faith Foster: We have no relation with this...Jennifer White. But we are sisters to The Darkness. Hope Foster: Jennifer will join us. It is destined. The prophecy must be fulfilled. Kahlan D'Rane: Really now? You honestly think she'll help your cause? Heh. She's a hero. You're really following that pipe dream there... Faith Foster: She will join us. She has no choice. Hope Foster: She will heed the final calling. It is destiny. She has no choice. Kahlan D'Rane: Um...What do you plan on doing with Jenny when you meet up with her - if She agrees to helping you out (which I doubt she will). Faith Foster: The end times will begin. Hope Foster: The Darkness will see to it. It will force her to comply. NOW WHERE IS SHE MORTAL! Icy flames flared again from Hope's form. Kahlan D'Rane: Just leave me out of it, okay? She didn't tell me much, okay? She doesn't know much of anything. That Darkness thing was pretty tightlipped, too. Blathered on about the same things you do. Hellfire consuming the earth blahblahblah... Faith Foster: The WORLD WILL BE BURNED BY THE HELLFIRE! THE DEAD WILL RISE!! Kahlan D'Rane: Speaking of the Dead rising...how's Ghost Widow going to handle this? She's pretty powerful you know. She can kick your... Faith Foster. The one called Ghost Widow does not know how much of a pawn she really is within the prophecy. Kahlan D'Rane: Okay, whatever...listen, with all those heroes out there, how on earth do you plan on taking this joint over? Hope Foster: Their destinies lay in ashes and eternal damnation before us. When The Hellfire, The Dead, and The Darkness unite, there will be no stopping the end times. Faith Foster: NOW TELL US!! WHERE IS JENNIFER WHITE? Kahlan D'Rane: I told you! I have no idea! Look, I gotta jet...My boss said he has a surprise for me in the base. Do you guys at least have a time table for when this "end times" thing is going to happen so I can warn my fellow villains? Faith Foster: Your end time begins now Kahlan D'Rane. Ghostly figures resembling decayed churchgoers emerged from the fog behind Faith, and began to approach. They looked...hungry. At the same time, the flame around Faith reached out for me, a living thing seeking to burn my soul. Luckily, I had my base teleporter with me. Kahlan D'Rane: Bye bye, girls, and good luck! Faith Foster: We will meet again Kahlan D'Rane!! Hope Foster: You will pay for your insolence!! With that, my teleporter activated, and I was in the base. I had survived what was probably the most dangerous interview that I had ever done. ----------------------------- Special Thanks to @LightMan who helped me write this interview. I was kind of lost and she helped me fill my blanks. So this was a co-operative effort, so she should get credit as well. Thanks Jen!! | |
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Laureth: caught in the crossfireborder="0" /> I popped back into the Pocket D, hoping it So there I was, hammering back screwdriver Kahlan D'Rane: Hey how's it Laureth: Been rather...busy. Kahlan D'Rane: Oh? Do Laureth: With the Rikti Kahlan D'Rane: Um, can you go Laureth: Ah, apologies. I Kahlan D'Rane: Wow, that's Laureth: Ah yes, I've heard Kahlan D'Rane: It pays the Laureth: For now, we've been Kahlan D'Rane: Yeah me Laureth: It's no question Kahlan D'Rane: Heh, I love Laureth: Squashing isn't Laureth seems to be fuming, almost boiling Kahlan D'Rane: Oh...um, want Laureth: It's...painful to Laureth starts to feel remorse, Kahlan D'Rane: Oh that's Laureth: It...it doesn't Kahlan D'Rane: Yeah, my beef Laureth: I can only speculate Kahlan D'Rane: I didn't Laureth: My condolences. Kahlan D'Rane: They dumped me Laureth: I'm sorry to hear Kahlan D'Rane: Well, Alpha Laureth: You had loved ones Kahlan D'Rane: Well, revenge Laureth: Revenge isn't my Kahlan D'Rane: That seems Laureth: I must wish you luck Kahlan D'Rane: Yeah, they Laureth: They don't Kahlan D'Rane: Almost more Laureth snickers at the comment, and then Kahlan D'Rane: You swear Laureth: I...sorry, I must Kahlan D'Rane: Well, I've Laureth: Hm. You're not too Kahlan D'Rane: Ah. Laureth: I still sometimes Kahlan D'Rane: Could be Laureth: A very good Kahlan D'Rane: I heard Laureth: Heh heh heh... oh, I Laureth slightly giggles, though in a Kahlan D'Rane: Were their Laureth: It's not so much the Kahlan D'Rane: Hehe. That's Laureth: I got entangled in Kahlan D'Rane: Ah. OH! You Laureth: I wouldn't know. Kahlan D'Rane: It fills the Laureth: My void is filled Kahlan D'Rane: Well, my void Laureth: Must be hard. I hear Kahlan D'Rane: For a while my Laureth: ...pardon my Kahlan D'Rane: Well, it's Laureth: Ah. Kahlan D'Rane: This spell is Laureth: That happens Kahlan looks at her pager. Kahlan D'Rane: Oh Alpha is Laureth: Oi...work calls all Kahlan D'Rane: I gotta Laureth: Wish that applied to Laureth grumbles. Kahlan D'Rane: Yeah it Laureth: Bloody Nex in the Kahlan D'Rane: Flyer Laureth: Indeed. 'Twas a good | |
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VeronicaVenom is hosting "V-Games" on Victory Server, every Sunday
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Edition 21 of "The City Scoop!" a publication for Supers by Supers!
This edition is full of win for showcasing all the great things our players are doing in the community. We have a great article on the 3rd Anniversary of Tanker Tuesday, we have more winners announced for the Mr. & Ms. Paragon/Rogue Isles Contest. There is art, news, interviews and overall just a great showcase of an incredible community. Heres to more scoops to come! Oh and did I almost forget to mention Issue 11: A Stitch In Time! The only thing I am still curious about is whether it "saves nine!"
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The City Scoop
Fans Speak on Issue 11
October 5th, 2007
Vol. XIXXI, Issue
XXI, 2007
For weeks, rumors have been running rampant about Issue 11, the upcoming Expansion of City of. A series of clues has been dropped through the Paragon Times, the message boards both in America and in Europe, and no message went any less than overanalyzed by rabid fans.
At long last, though, fans were shown the name and basic details of Issue 11: "A Stitch in Time." This issue, focused on the new group called Ouroboros, a group dedicated to time travel and the implications therein. Their introduction will enable players to play roles in story arcs and missions that took place long before Statesman sent out his distress signal or Lord Recluse began breaking villains out of the Zig.
What intrigues many players, however, is a specific line in which the Developers state that one of the storylines a player may choose is the Cyrus Thompson storyline of the comic book run. After IanTheM1 pointed this out, the thread absolutely exploded in activity. Positron, lead designer of the City of X project, was quick to point that, "We have something VERY special planned for this story arc."
Troy Hickman, writer of this specific storyline, also revealed that he had been aware of this project for some time, though his exact level of interaction with the designers was not clarified. "Maybe Cyrus Thompson Community Center finally gets its rightful place in Kings' Row," noted ChaseArcanum.
Not all time traveling will be about story arcs of the past. Players are also being granted the ability to "Flashback" to missions they have outleveled. This will allow players to replay their favorite storylines and complete adventures that they overlooked or were denied previously. Positron has also stated that, when using Flashback to access a mission, players may set additional difficulties to their missions, such as time limits, an inability to access inspirations, or a flat out lowering of stats (referred to as a "self nerf"). Completing missions on these higher standards may unlock badges, an incentive that inevitably adds hours of playtime to Badge Hunters and perfectionists.
"Wow! A whole new form of bragging!" exclaimed Hobo_Fruitsalad. "I look forward to all new levels of debt and punishment for my characters. Awesome."
The feature that has received the most positive feedback, however, is definitely the Weapon Customization. Powersets focused around the use of a weapon (War Mace, Broadsword, Claws, Axe, Katana and Assault Rifle) will now have an additional option to not only change the color of your weapon, but to switch it out for another weapon that is a rough equivalent in damage. Although the Announcement pages have not been any clearer than this, the developers have been extremely active on the boards posting explanation after explanation and hint after hint about what to expect. Some of the optional weapon changes that have attained the most fan response have been the addition of a Shovel (an option under the Tanker's War Mace), the Tommy Gun option for the Assault Rifle (belonging to the Blaster and Corrupter), and a Rikti adaptation of the Broadsword. It has been confirmed that while the majority of the options are available from character creation, some (like the aforementioned Rikti sword) have to be earned by receiving related badges.
For a complete list of what is currently confirmed for Weapon Customization, please refer to this thread, maintained by Zombie_Man.
Although this issue has mostly received positive feedback, one specific addition to the game has certain sects of fans disappointed with reactions ranging from slightly concerned to extremely upset. More Invention Recipes will be released this expansion pack, many of them themed around covering the types of powers that were originally not covered, such as Taunts and Buffs. In addition to this, however, is the announcement of Very Rare IOs. Players who feel that the current difficulty of Invention Recipe and Salvage hunting is too hard and unbalanced have suggested that introducing even more valuable and difficult-to-find loot is a premature idea, if it should exist at all. Even though Issue 11 has yet to be confirmed as in Beta testing, players are taking sides on the issue of Purple IOs, so named for the font color that they will be in game.
"Yeah, I'm not pleased about this, really," states ColJasmine in one thread. "At present the rarest stuff not only commands exorbitant prices, but for some sets, very few pieces actually change hands. I don't think this is what the devs wanted."
Another poster, Perfect_Pain, foresaw the dispute before it really set in, creating a thread in support of this new level of item finding difficulty. "Don't adjust the drop rate due to people saying they didn't get one. Keep them Ultra Rare. I want to have to work at getting them. I want the challenge. Please."
Then, of course, two new powersets have been confirmed for sometime: Dual Blades and Willpower. Dual Blades have received a mixed reaction. Many players have been excited about this new style of fighting, which is no surprise as this choice was the direct result of a player poll held months ago. On the opposite side are players that feel Dual Blades draw the game away from superhero comics and more into fantasy worlds.
Gotterdamurung commented, "Sweet looking. Though still close enough to scimitars to mean that the GMs are going to spend several months genericizing the hundreds of toons named various variations of 'Drizzt.'"
An interesting point, but with Weapon Customization, it appears that players will be able to choose a different type of blade to be held in each hand, leaving players with more than enough ways to avoid being dubbed a clone.
The second power, Willpower, is a defensive set that has been much in demand from fans for some time now. The set, a moderate mix of various types of protections, had several screen shots released to Badge-Hunter.com. These pictures feature a character glowing bright shades of yellow. This was met with confusion and slight disappointment by the community, invoking the following from Tal-N:
"Minimalist effects eh? Maybe this is just the tier-9 power and the rest would be impossible to see on a screenshot so they showed what they could. Somehow I was expecting purples and pinks like you'd expect from a mentality-powered defense set. I mean willpower IS technically a psionic-themed defense set by its very name, and psionics are pink/purple."
BackAlleyBrawler appeared on the boards shortly thereafter, noting that the current design is set to undergo changes. "We'd already pretty much decided that what we have now is still too much. We still want this to be a defense set that is very minimally FX graphic-intensive, but trying to find a delicate balance between having nothing at all and having functional indicators of what powers are active is tricky."
It should be noted that this is generally one of the most well-received issues at announcement time. This writer finds it difficult to find well-reasoned and clear statements of praise but hopes that readers take to heart that the following quotes have been quite standard for this week:
"alfaewhlahg;a;dshf;adsf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /dies" ~Stupid_Fanboy
"OH [censored] YES! OH [censored] YES!" ~Riley_Delacroix
"Gasp! Debuff IO sets, Flashback, Power Customization...Must...use...self...defibrillator. .." ~Grizzle_Bok
Can Issue 11 live up to the hype? To be cautious, the proper response should be, "wait and see." Still, it's hard not to let the mind wander with internal debates of what to do first. Should one take their highest level character and begin doing "Flashbacks" of missions from the past? Should one roll an alt with Dual Blades or Willpower? Or, worse yet, will players find themselves unable to leave the Costume Editor, endlessly toying with the various new weapons to choose? When the time comes, it will be nearly impossible for this writer about which to pick first.
~Marcian_Tobay, Editor in Chief
(For a list of FAQs answered by the developers, click here.)