The City Scoop

The Arrow and the Mind A Marriage of Heroes By Dirtwolf Everyone loves weddings. Well, unless you're watching the girl/guy you love get married to someone else, it's raining, some mishap just so happened to rear it's ugly head, or you've got enemies who just so happen to be Arch-Villains who head vast empires and have unmeasurable powers. Those of you who have kept up with the City of Heroes comics should be aware that Manticore and Sister Psyche were engaged to be married in the final issue of the Top Cow series. Recently, it was announced that the Valentines event would feature the two Supers' wedding. All your favorite Phalanx would be there, plus a few others notables, and of course : The heroes and villains of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles. Even those who are sinister at heart pay homage to loving unions... Don't they? Not quite. I was lucky enough to attend the wedding with a select group of special guests. I was requested to attend as a villain, and I did as asked. I arrived as my energy melee/electric armor brute. Ex Libris invited me a team and told me to assemble a PVP group. I kind of assumed she just wanted to talk about PVP or something, so I grabbed up Putz and ir0x0r pretty quickly. We soon added Lady Sadako and a few others. We soon understood that it wasn't merely to talk turkey. We entered the Ouroboros like zone and into a gathering of dozens of heroes and villains alike. Positron warned us not to get on the podium like area. Synapse was dashing around, Citadel was floating above us in an odd tuxedo, Lighthouse, Ex Libris, War Witch, some woman named Tullip [who I later found out was "Ray", apparently an internal tester from the NCsoft team who wanted in on the reception buffet], Back Alley Brawler, Castle, etc. I won't lie, it felt odd being on the red side when most everyone there with authority was sporting the blue. Soon after, Sister Psyche appeared in a gorgeously designed bridal outfit with Manticore by her side, looking dashing in a tuxedo (Good job outfit design department!). Soon, the wedding began. I'm sure if it wasn't in a video game, I'd have been teary eyed, because it really was sweet. To see Manticore and Sister Psyche and know Sean Dornan-Fish and Jennifer Dornan-Fish were behind them, renewing their own wedding vows really did make me smile. There is something incredibly sweet about the fact that the development team came together to do this event for us, and also honor a beautiful union between two beautiful people. I've met Sean, and in our conversations, there is no doubt in my mind that Jennifer and he share true love... Okay, but enough of my girly thoughts on love. After a few internal jokes about villains being the "in-laws" at the wedding, we found out why we were really there. Suddely, Lord Recluse and Ghost Widow appeared. True to their super villain reputation, they were there to crash the party. Before anyone really got a grasp on what was going on, a silent alarm went off. It was time to throwdown. The PVP team I'd helped assemble was ready and willing. We mowed down Sister Psyche first because, well, we are villains and she was the bride. Manticore came next. I turned to my right, and there stood Positron in mid-Accelerate Metabolism animation. BAM - two shotted by yours truly. (In a second battle I died abruptly without warning, and I later found out Positron dev-command killed me as an act of revenge). When all was said and done, I must admit that this has to be one of the best events I've seen. It's not just that I'm a PVPer, but also because the NCsoft team is actually behind the controls. There isn't some AI system in place sending Citadel to wander about and play usher. Synapse isn't moving in a set pathway. The team is taking time out of their day to interact with us, and celebrate a marriage that came from the CoX project.

Vol. I, Issue XXXVI February 15th, 2008 This Issue: Dimensional Lockdown Point / Counterpoint Advice from the X City of Commercials The Arena Test Server Arena Night Base Showcase F.U.S.I.O.N. Behind the Mask Rubberlad & Rubberhubby Mister Weekly Food & Recipes /Em Smack Puzzle Solution Upcoming Events: February 16th Pinnacle: Valentine's Day Massacre Victory: Sara Moore TF February 17th Victory: Q Patrol - Q.G.L.B.T. Valentine's Toga BASH! Vitue: Posthaste Fan Club First Anniversary Party February 18th Champion: Mastermind Monday February 23rd Justice: Villain PvP Arena Event Orage by Greymist

Portal Corp Institutes Temporary Dimensional Lockdown By Richie Holstein - Paragon Times Writer PARAGON CITY, RI. (PT) On Febuary 8, facing increasing dangers of complete dimensional destabilization, Portal Corp was forced to initiate temporary lockdowns on the dimension "Gamma Epsilon 12-5" (Also known as "Freedom"), preventing people from crossing over into that dimension. "We regret that such measures had to be taken", said Tina Macintyre as she spoke to reporters, "but we felt that it was necessary that with the increased influx of super powered entities crossing over into "Freedom"." Portal Corporations researchers had noticed that, despite new safeguards and recent upgrades on Portal Corp technology thanks to the Freedom Phalanx member known as Positron, dimensional instabilities were threatening the very safety of everyone living in "Freedom". "You see", said Positron as he helped Tina Macintyre answer questions, "According to Dr. Greg Egans theory known as the "Limit of Questions", a given dimension can handle only so much chronospatial energy. This energy is emitted not only by living creatures, but also by technology, "Magic", Mutations, and so on. Now, normally, a given dimensional can handle much more chronospatial energy then is present in it at any one time. However, Dr. Greg Egans theory is that if a dimension is ever forced to hold MORE chronospatial energy that it can withstand, it reaches such a point that the energy will tear the dimension itself apart, essentially ripping open the very fabric of that reality and creating a sort of dimensional black hole. This is, of course, a bad thing."

"Now under normal conditions, this wouldn't be a problem.", said Tina Macintyre, picking up for Positron. "As Positron stated, any given dimension can handle so much chronospatial energy that it's not really a problem. We can safely transport plenty of people into a dimension, and it wouldn't even be a drop in the bucket. However, there is a unique phenomenon that seems to be the culprit. Namely, the strange solar radiation that effects superpowered beings. We noticed that not only did this rare phenomenom affect *ALL* Dimensions at the same time, but also that it seems to *increase* the amount of chronospatial energy emitted by superpowered beings. So, with the recent influx of superpowered beings to "Freedom", coupled with the increase of native born superpowered "Freedomites", this has led to a dangerous situation. Hopefully, we should have things sorted out and back into safe parameters soon. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep emergency lockdown procedures in place until then." The lockdowns have led to mixed reactions among the superpowered community, including inflaming debates about interdimensional immigration. "THIS IS PIELOVN' TERRIBLE!!!", said The Legendary J-Man a native born "Freedomite". "I was born in Freedom. Raised in Freedom. Ima plan on dyin' in Freedom. An' now they's sayin' I can't go back 'cause of "instability"? Ya know, if'n they would stop lettin' people migrate inta our dimension, this wouldn't be a problem fer pie'n out loud". He then kicked over a trash can on his way to the back of the line. Lighthouse, speaking on behalf of the Federal Bureau for Superpowered Affairs, had only this to say: "We realize not everyone is going to be happy about this. But we feel that Portal Corporation has taken the necessary steps to safeguard innocent lives for the time being, and we will look into ways we can prevent such unfortunate events in the future. In the meantime, we feel that the issue of interdimensional immigration policies should be handled by the individual governments of their respective dimensions."

Point / Counterpoint By Bowfling This is the twelfth in a series of point-counterpoint articles, which will review commonly requested player suggestions, and review the pros and cons of those suggestions. This week’s subject – Side Switching POINT: For many players, the idea of being able to take their favorite hero or villain and try their hand at the content from the other side is an intriguing concept. We already have co-op and PvP zones in which the two sides come face to face. All the content for each game is part of the client, and recently, every existing account received access to the other side when NCSoft obtained the rights to the IP for the City of franchise from Cryptic Studios. There is a long history of comic book characters who have behaved in ambiguous ways when it comes to the hero/villain divide, and there are other instances of outright side swapping, so there is precedent. New content could be generated around a mini-TF or mission which would allow for such a switch. Even if side switching were not allowed, granting access to the other side's ATs could be granted instead. The granting of either choice would potentially add new excitement for veteran players who have done content on each side numerous times with several different ATs. COUNTERPOINT: However, there are also some negatives associated with side switching. Part of what makes each side unique is the choice of ATs that you can use. This would be lost if each side had access to all ATs. In addition, some content may not have been designed with the idea that certain ATs would be doing that content. Some content would therefore need to be updated. There is also the possibility that with access to all ATs, one side or the other may see a drop in activity, as one side or the other's content may be favored. It may also conflict with the game history, which may already be planned out for some time to come. The manner in which contact trees would work would also have to be considered. Finally, if the ability to swap sides existed, there would be no incentive to purchase a copy of the game with access to both sides that was more expensive than one that had access to only one side. Pestilence Incarnate by IvoryLily

Advice from the X Greetings, boys, girls, and beings of indeterminate gender! It's everyone's favorite mercenary/advice columnist/love machine, LiquidX! Now, I know what you may be thinking... "LiquidX, you big, handsome columnist you, where have you been?" Well, that's a mighty good question. And since it's my job to answer questions (at least, that's what the staff of the City Scoop insist my job is), I'll start by answering that one. See, it seems that in the last Nemesis Identity Crises that took place on infinite Earths with infinite crises (And the occasional civil war), I was accidentally written out of continuity. Thankfully though, Mr. Fish was nice enough (and by nice, I mean not motivated by blackmail photos of which the negatives are currently on the way to his secret P.O. Box) to retcon me back into continuity. Plus, I'm apparently 3/4ths Kryptonian now. But I digress... on with the show! "Dear LiquidX, I'm a single mother of three, as well as a superheroine. However, I find it difficult to juggle taking care of my children while still protecting the city. I've thought about giving up crime fighting, but I just can't bring myself to sit by while innocents suffer. Sincerely, Dyna-Mom" Dear Dyna-Mom, Have you thought about selling your children into slavery? There are numerous organizations in the Rogue Isles that will happily pay top dollar for young "recruits", and they wont even harm them. Much. "DEAR: LIQUIDX, REQUEST: URGENT: BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP FIRST: SOLICIT: CONFIDENCE. TRANSACTION: CONFIDENTIAL: 'TOP SECRET'. CONFIDENCE IN: READER: ABLE TO: PROSECUTE: GREAT MAGNITUDE TRANSACTION. TRANSACTION: PENDING. MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE: REQUIRED. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: TOP OFFICIALS: INTERESTED: IMPORTATION OF GOODS. FUNDS: TRAPPED. ASSISTANCE: NEEDED. READER ACCOUNT: NEEDED. ENABLE: TRANSFER OF FUNDS: TO ACCOUNT. SOURCE: AS FOLLOWS. MILITARY OFFICIALS: ESTABLISHED: COMPANIES. REWARDED: CONTRACTS: OVER-INVOICED. MILITARY REGIME: ENDED. CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT: REVIEW PANEL: ESTABLISHED. INFLATED CONTRACT FUNDS: IDENTIFIED. PRESENTLY IN: CENTRAL BANK. PAYMENT: READY FOR TRANSFER. SINCERELY: HUMAN: ROYALTY. NOT: RIKTI." Dear Human: Royalty, ...Sweet! I'm gonna be *RICH*! SO LONG, SUCKERS! Send the X your questions!

THE PLAYER EVENT RESOURCE COMMITTEE in association with W00T Studios Proudly Presents: Here are the rules: 1. All entries must be a 25-45 second commercial promoting the City of Heroes or City of Villains franchise. Max video size is 10 MB and can be in any format for quality's sake. 2. All entries must be posted on www.w00tstudios.net for consideration. Entrants will need a user account to post videos. Only one entry per person please. 3. Any medium can be used (ex.: live action, gameplay, cartoon). Participants are encouraged to use as much original content as possible. Entries can incorporate certain elements of previous videos released by NCSoft or other players, but cannot consist solely of such reproduced footage. 4. Entries cannot use obvious rip-offs of copyright-protected characters (in other words, no Superman look-a-likes, no Wolverine clones, no Hulk clones, etc). This rule does not apply to the use of established "City of" characters (i.e. Statesman, Lord Recluse, etc). 5. All entries submitted via the W00T Studios site, need to be linked back to the City of ___ Forums, in the Multi-Media~City of Heroes/Villains forum, in the post marked CoC Contest Entries. Entries will be separated into Hero and Villain categories. Contest entries will be accepted from February 17, 2008 through March 16, 2008. Public judging will run from March 17-22, 2008. Finalists will be judge from March 23-28, 2008. Winners will be announced March 29, 2008. Prizes, given to the top 5 entries for both Hero and Villains: [u]Grand Prize[u]: 1 Statesman Statue and 1 Wootie Owl (for heroes) 1 Lord Recluse Statue and 1 Wootie Owl (for villains) [u]Runner-Up[u] 1 T-shirt (not all sizes available) 1 Battle Poster (signed by any dev that Ex/LH can get their hands on) 1 Wootie Owl [u]Honorable Mention[u] 1 Bumper Sticker/Comic Book pack The gauntlet has been thrown. Will you pick it up and run with it?

Common Q/A: Q: I have no clue how to make a video-- HELP! A: The Feb. 8th edition of the City Scoop had a nice write-up on how to make a video. Also you can find player guides linked in the Multi-Media Co___ Forums. Q: What time does the judging start/end and what zone does the judging operate on? A: All times are Midnight ET. Q: What do you mean by public judging? A: There will be a poll set up on www.w00tstudios.com for you, the general public to judge all the entries received. We will take the top 15 favorites (hero and villain) from there and judge them in the finals. Q: Who will be judging the finalists? A: No fewer then 4 PERC members will be judging the finals. Q: What will the finalists be judged on? A: We will be judging on 4 aspects. Originality, Professionalism, Creativity, and Commercialism. This is a COMMERCIAL contest, not a music video contest. Make sure that you sell, sell, sell! Q: If I win, how will I get my prize? A: If you win, be prepared for a member of PERC to contact you for your shipping address. I promise not to stalk you. Q: Will I need to register for this contest? A: The only registration that you will need to complete is for the CoH forums and www.w00tstudios.com. Q: I have 2 commercials one for heroes and one for villains, can I enter both? A: No, pick your favorite and post it--- share the other in the multi-media forum! Q: Rose, you are awesome, can I get a date? A: I will think about it.... but I don't like catgurls. Q: How will you contact the winners? A: A PM will be sent to the CO__ forum name of the winning entry. At that time, be prepared to supply your shipping address. Q: Why do I need to link my video after it's been uploaded on w00t's website? A: We need a way to contact you. Q: Boy, this is a lot of questions and answers to type out... are your hands tired? A: Yes, I am going to stop presuming now, and let you come up with your own questions... if you need to- feel free to contact any member of PERC and they will get back to you with an answer, or post! We like to answer posts! Correction! It seems that we left out the links in the "Toons on Film" article. Here they are! Issue 10 (The Rikti Invasion) Issue 11 (A Stitch in Time) teaser Issue 11 (A Stitch in Time) trailer The "Time to Start" music video Other videos by Samuraiko Productions -Sincerely, Scoop Management.

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Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager

If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.

The Arena

Test Server Arena Night JAL vs. Velocity Justice for All League (JAL) and Velocity mixed it up in the test server arena this past Thursday - Feburary 7th, 2008. This match was for first overall in the league hero ladder and promised to be a great one for both teams. Justice for All League has been participating at a high level on the test server seemingly forever. They have been disputing the top spot with Velocity for some time now and claimed first place early last November. Since then, the top few spots of the ladder have been relatively stable with Victory Reborn making their way up the ladder. Sadly, the test server ladder lost the long-standing and legendary Freaks of Legend group, mostly through attrition, as its members moved to other teams or other interests. Its remaining roster reformed under new leadership under the name Taking It Too Seriously. With the arrival of Paragon Elite in the near future, the Test Hero Ladder will be 11 teams large. Alarys, one of JAL’s leaders, had a few words about her team: “JAL has traveled a long road to bring forward the team that plays tonight. We have always enjoyed a smaller SG size, thus promoting a lot of chemistry and teamwork between our players. Each player is exceptionally valued and everyone plays their critical part in making us such a strong opponent. The leaders of our team feel that our hard work and innovative thought will put us in a very competitive position against the talented team we find in Velocity. We welcome a new player in our starting lineup in xPc and see the return of our veterans still holding strong to defend our ladder position. Our team is balanced between strong offensive force and decisive defensive precaution. I look forward to the matches against Velocity and seeing their best effort to take rank 1 on the ladder.” The matches started around 9:45 p.m. Match 1 drew the Steel Canyon map. Both teams ducked around the central statue and adjoining buildings, laying Radiation Emission toggles and shooting fire and psychic blasts while buffing. The first few minutes were very tight, with Sonic shields reducing incoming damage considerably, while some good spikes as well. A slew of Illusion Control decoys were visible around the central plaza as the match progressed, messing with player targeting. JAL brought Rad/Psy Defenders for offense while Velocity carried Fire Blasters. Both teams had Sonics as well as Kinetics, while Radiation Emission Defenders and Illusion/Empathy Controllers rounded out the buff and debuff section. The mid-game mark brought a series of player defeats against –Scout, -serious business and –Soldier. Match 1 ended in a 3-3 tie, showcasing the balance of high-end teams. –serious business (2) and –Churro Girl (1) scored for Velocity while –Medic (1), -Sniper (1) and –Heavy (1) scored for the Justice for All League.

Lonestar Lineup by Douglas Shuler Match 2 loaded into the Perez Park map, which affords considerable room for cover in evading Blaster spikes. Despite the arthritic speed of your reporter’s camerabot, I managed to catch a convergence of both teams in the small lake area, where they exchanged blows for the first two minutes or so. -Pyro, JAL’s Illusion Control/Empathy Controller, spent an early part of the match in a Sonic Cage, preventing him from buffing or healing his teammates for a short while. -Demoman and –Medic scored early kills for JAL while sorrows responded for Velocity. Some great evasion was seen on JAL’s part as –Pyro was nearly defeated around the 3 minute mark but managed to survive while at 30% health. The pace picked up considerably past the 5 minute mark where JAL scored three quick kills, winning the second Match 6-4! Match 3 loaded into Striga Isle, again affording a vast array of options for evasion to both teams. JAL had some tremendous spikes early on, but Annihilate managed to retreat into a block of solid ice to survive, then defeat two Illusion Control Phantasms on exit. Velocity’s quick recovery skills were superb as Annihilate was nearly defeated at the 4 minute mark but was healed almost from zero. Both teams furiously raced each other above the tree cover near Council Base, reminding viewers of the treetop fight in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. JAL won the third game 8-1, with all of JAL’s kills coming from Radiation Emission/Psychic Blast Defenders, with -Medic (5) and –Demoman (3) to Annihilate’s lone kill on Team V’s side. With this thrilling win, JAL maintains the top rung of the hero ladder with a 2-0-1 match record. I asked @Alarys, JAL’s leader, why they ran only Rad/Psys for offense instead of the typical Fire/EM Blasters that many teams bring to matches: “We saw potential in a lineup that might become superior to Fire/EM blasters and with the blaster changes our practice with this lineup only became more valuable.” Psychic damage isn’t resisted much, if at all, which gives this lineup a better chance to push their damage spikes through the heavy fire and non-Psy resists of Sonic shields. JAL has been practicing that lineup since Christmas break in order to carry a team that could beat the current lineups that everyone is using, mostly consisting of Fire/EM Blasters backed by Sonics, Ill/Emps and a Kin. GG to both teams and thanks for some thrilling play!

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Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager

If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.

Base Showcase By born2luz
F.U.S.I.O.N
Who is your base designer and who are your supergroup leaders? I (Warface) am the main base engineer since we started this thing back in beta. My Overlords (who have been with me the longest and run the show) are Terrible Jen, Omacron Red, Carnada, Eddie Wrathchild, Deathrip and Kirra. Which server is your base on, and is it a Hero or Villain SG/VG? Protector Server (Home of Cimmi, The Jello Shooters, and Cheetoes) / Villain Group When was your supergroup established? Day one of Beta, and then Day one of Live. How many players are in your supergroup? We have over 85 Individual Accounts. Our alts round out the 150 (this does not include our gnome army that we keep in cages underneath our Pyramid). What is the approximate value of your base? Way too much... Close to 47+ million, which includes a FUSION Gen, AES, and just about every room has 2-4 Elite Guns in it. I actually had to sell my liver and spleen to have enough prestige. Its a good thing I'm a cyborg. Those parts just slowed me down. How much time do you spend working on your base? How much time have you invested so far? Good lord is there a way to tell? With completing about 42 raids or so... and the redecoration before and after? /starts counting on fingers... toes... How much is 15 hours a week since COV beta? What is your favorite base item? Least favorite? Favorite item available in editor? The AES (minus its insane power costs). Player Created? Our Pyramid of Doom. Least Favorite? The non-stacking desks and blocks (without special ninja skills that is). What is your favorite thing about base editing? Least favorite? Favorite? Has to be building something new so cool that your SG and coalition members come in and say 'WHOAAAAA'. Least Favorite? Non-stacking capability, doorways that you can't put anything in, and no lava or water. If you could give just one piece of advice to a new base editor, what would it be? READ! Come to the Base Construction forums. Some of these guys have written EASY TO READ guides that will make your life VERY VERY easy. Most importantly, HAVE FUN and try to include your SG in the process at least creatively.	What is the highest thing on your wish-list for new base items? 1. Stacking capability 2. Lava and Water tiles 3. Danger Room or at least the Arena Kiosk in base

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Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager

If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.

Behind the Mask By Teldon

Rubberlad & Rubberhubby Couples that Play Together Victory Server Where do you two live? Rubberhubby: Baltimore, MD. Your ages? RH: I'm 24 and he's 34. How long have you two been together? Rubberlad: Year and a half How did you two meet up? RH: Lol. Are you sure you want to know? It was the internet. We were united by a common interest, and eventually a deep interest in each other. RL: We dated primarily long distance at first - and the game helped us bridge the distance on a daily basis. We moved in together 5 months later and have been gaming together ever since. So would you say that the game helped to strengthen your relationship? RL: I'd say yes. RH: It was a great excuse for us to get to know each other better. (And boy has it!) We both came home from work everyday and immediately jumped into game and onto Ventrilo waiting for the other to sign on. So how do you two normally play together in game? RH: We have desks facing each other so we can talk and make kissy faces across the way if that's what you mean. :-) RL: LOL RH: There is almost never a time when we aren't on a team together. If one of us is playing, the other is not far behind. RL: Agreed - we play as a couple most often. So who would you say is the better player of you two? RL: I'd say Hubby. He can see beyond the interface to the numbers behind the game and use them to their advantage. I'm more instinctive in my approach. We're both very conscious of complementing our teammates though rather than always taking the lead. He's also a crafting addict. RH: That's true. Hey man, you wouldn't happen to have a luck charm I could borrow?

Well what would you say is your favorite thing about the game? RH: Character Creator! RL: It's insane how may variations can come out of ICON sometimes. We love it. But I think I'd also say the community. We've played for quite a while now (I think I'm ahead by 2 years) and we have a lot of in-game friends that we've stayed in touch with since the beginning. It's great. RH: I'd say a close second is the SK system. It was really nice to have my hubby be able to help me get to 50. You won't find that in WoW. RL: Oh god yeah. So which side do you prefer to play? RL: Villains! RH: It's so much more fun to be evil :-) RL: I think its easier to play the Hero side but the Villain side is much more interesting. What archetypes do you enjoy playing the most? RH: For heroes I love Blasters and Controllers, and for villains I love Brutes and Stalkers. RL: Blasters first and foremost, followed by Brutes. I'll also say the one AT I can't play is Defender. I think you have to be really patient when playing a Defender - partly because your progress is dependent on helping others finish a mission. What was your favorite feature they added to game in the last year? RH: I love inventions! RL: I think I would say The Ritki War Zone. I *hated* Ritki missions with a passion prior to Invasion content. I didn't feel the love - but the zone revamp and the Lady Grey TF definitely gave me a better appreciation for them. RH: (nods head) I do love that Lady Grey Task Force too. Finally, what do you think the future holds for you two? RL: A commitment ceremony later this year. We've made our vows and exchanged rings but we're going to do something a bit special for our friends and family. RH: 60 years of rubber covered happiness. I wish you two the best and hope that you have many happy and wonderful years together! Both: Thank you!

Mister Weekly Triumph Server Where in the world do you reside? Saint Croix, Indiana. Deep southern part of Indy, with a population of less than 60. If you do not mind my asking, what is your age and gender? 25/Male What do you do for a living? I'm a foreman at an iron foundry. What type of products do you make there? Lots of industrial and automotive products. Lots of brake rotors and rear end housings. It's one of the largest foundries in the US. How many workers do you supervise? About 26. How long have you worked there? Going on 5 years. Are you seeing anyone special right now? Indeed. My special someone is sitting right beside me we've been dating for about a year and a couple months. Are there any future plans? Depends on her. She likes shiny things, though. Do you two play the game together? No, she's lucky to type 5 words a minute. I play with a cousin (Spike Malone) and a friend of mine (Ren Karalchin) that have been my buds since we were little kids. In fact, Ren's here doing the Manticore TF right NOW. How often do you two team? Every single day. Do you have any hobbies outside the game? I love cars and love to race. What type of cars do you race? I put almost every dime I earned in HS and College into a '66 Dodge Charger. About how many races have you won? No telling, I'm always doing something to it. It's got a 440, 4.10 gears, 4 wheel disc brakes, etc., and gets 4 mpg. Do you have any pets? Indeed! I have a flock of birds (2 african greys, and 4 cockatiels) and a black lab. So what would you say are your top five songs? Beatles - Helter Skelter, The Who - Baba O' Reily, Foghat - Slow Ride, Bush - Swallow, Tool - Schism and probably a lot others that I'll slap myself later for forgetting. What was the last good book you read? Ender's Game. Awesome book, great author. What is your favorite archetype in the game? I gotta say I'm a blaster at heart. After that, scrappers. I'm a big fan of big orange numbers.

Which side do you prefer to play? Hero side for sure, but I've got lvl 50 villains. I just prefer the blue side. Who is your signature character and what are they? Mister Weekly - AR/fire blaster. I'm a big supporter of the /fire set - one of the few (though I REALLY like energy melee). What is your general playstyle? Suicidal. Nah, actually it depends on who I'm teamed with. Ok, actually it depends on who I'm playing with on a team. If I'm solo, I'm VERY tactful and tedious, and can find a way to take out nearly anything. (I've soloed every single TF that is possible hero side with this blaster.) If I'm playing with my RL friends, I play suicidal - we don't care if we go down, as long as we have fun doing it. What is your greatest strength in game? That would have to be experience. I've played every single archetype (and have gotten nearly all of them to 50), have used almost every powerset, and have done almost all of the missions. If I haven't used the powerset, I know someone who has. What would be your biggest weakness in game? Hits that dupe the 1 shot code. I hate getting one-shotted by something that does 2 different damage types. (I could say mezzes, but IOs take care of that.) What drew you to this game? This is the first MMO that I've ever played, actually. I heard good things about it, and really wanted to try it out, so I went to Wal-mart and ponied up the cash. I heard the character creator was AWESOME, and it was. What was your biggest n00b moment in the game? Slotting brawl on my very first toon, a claws/invul scrapper. (This was back before you could hit things that were running, which is why I became a blaster very quickly.) What was the best OMG moment of the game for you? I'd have to say my first Hami raid. It was just unbelievable how many people were there. What is your favorite feature of the game? Love the co-op zones (like the new RWZ), and having set zones for PVP. What one feature would you love to see added to the game? The one feature I'd love to see added is on the Test server right NOW actually: the Attribute Monitor. What feature out of the past three Issues would you say you enjoyed best? Veteran rewards is my favorite feature (from Issue 8). I loves my Nemmy Staff. What advice do you have for new players to the game? Don't get frustrated by a defeat or two or three, and don't worry so much about long distance runs. 1.5 miles to the mission may suck with just sprint and your good looks, but it'll be worth it. Any closing comments? Nerf /poison! (I kid, I kid.) Honestly, be good to one another, you never know who you'll end up teaming with in the future

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Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager

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Food & Recipes

Dessert Special By MistressNoire Got a sweet tooth? Well this is for you! Get your forks and spoons ready because you will want to dive into these head first, maybe you will need some goggles too. Melon Refresher 4 cups cubed honeydew melon (1-inch cubes) 2 tablespoons Splenda 1 tablespoon melon liqueur 1 tablespoon lime juice 1. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Arrange melon cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze about 1 hour or until firm. 2. Let melon stand at room temp for 10 mins. In a food processor bowl combine honeydew melon, splenda, melon liqueur, and lime juice. Cover and process until smooth. Divide melon mixture among 8 martini or wine glasses. Makes 8 servings. Berries with Orange Cream 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries 1/3 cup fresh blackberries 4oz cream cheese, softened (1/2 of an 8 oz package) 2 tablespoons whipping cream 1 tablespoon Splenda 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel 1. Divide strawberries and blackberries among 4 small dessert dishes. Set aside. 2. In a small mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in whipping cream and Splenda until combined. Stir in orange peel. 3. If necessary, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional whipping cream to reach desired consistency. Spoon cream cheese mixture over berries. Makes 4 servings.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mousse 1/4 cup Splenda 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup whipping cream 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter 1. In a small bowl combine Splenda and cocoa powder. Set aside. 2. In a chilled medium mixing bowl beat whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl); set aside. 3. In large mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add cocoa mixture and peanut butter. Beat just until combined. Add 1/2 cup of whipped cream and beat on low just until combined. With a rubber scraper, gently hold in the remaining whipped cream. 4. Divide chocolate among 6 dessert dishes. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 4 hours. Makes 6 servings. There you have it - some dessert ideas. Again, if you need to know the carbs or fat or anything, PM me. Recipes are still welcome so send them my way. I have been planning my articles weeks in advance and since I have been on a writing spree as of late I have all my stuff done up until March - but as weeks pass I get more ideas and keep writing. My husband said that if I keep it up I might be done all my articles for the year by May! Stay tuned though folks. I have another special edition coming your way next week! ~Mistress Noire Flame Enchantress by Whiskey Sour and Autistic

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Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager

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/em Smack By Dirtwolf

February 1st's puzzle solution.

The City Scoop Staff Editors-in-Chief Dirtwolf Snow_Globe Assistant Editor-in-Chief Pants_Stealer Editors Pants_Stealer & SpaceNut - Copy Editors Teldon - Behind the Mask LadyK - Food and Restaurant, Classifieds Snow Globe - Puzzles ~Mistress Noire~ & Lady_Cyrsei - Food Rastafari_Man- Top Ten Lists born2luz & 2Negative - Bases Bowfling - By Popular Request, Point:Counter Point Plater - Content Watch. Tropic - Fan Fiction Advice Arts Lady Athyna LiquidX Thor's Assassin Dirtwolf PvP Correspondent Layout Neuronia Mantid - Lead layout Snow_Globe - Assistant Additional Staff Marcian Tobay Evitron The City Scoop is always seeking comments, suggestions, and articles from our readers. Just send them to the corresponding department or one of our Editors-in-Chief.

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Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager

If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.

Edition 36 of The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers!

While the City Scoop is made by the creative player staff, if you have any concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please feel free to direct your comments via PM to Lighthouse or Ex Libris.

If you would like to do a feature article, have an event covered, or join "The City Scoop" team please PM Dirtwolf, Snow_Globe, or Pants_Stealer

If you or someone you know should be considered for ‘Behind the Mask’ Teldon or ‘Encounters’ please contact MrsAlphaOne

If you need some “Advice” contact Lady_Athyna or would like to “Ask The X” contact LiquidX

Discussion on the latest edition of "The City Scoop" is located here.

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Lighthouse
Community Relations Manager

If you have a specific in game, account, tech or billing problem please contact our Customer Support team via The Knowledge Base "Ask A Question" page.