The City Scoop! ~ Front Page ~ September 12, 2008
By
Ex_Libris,
Posted on: 2008-09-12 15:43 in Announcements
Choose Wisely
Now I'm not a voting man. Honestly. Sure, I could've prevented Ryu winning the election for "Supreme Commander of Cell Block B" but c'mon, is it worth incurring the wrath of the candidates? Case in point: November elections are coming up, and while they have no bearing on me whatsoever, you heroes might want to listen up. The three candidates this year are all vying for an important position: Team Leader. And because I feel bad for you heroes, here's some helpful hints on who to vote for. John D. Fender: I'm a man of the people. Sure, when the chips are down I go on the offensive, but I pride myself on taking care of others. See, I believe that if we all work together in perfect harmony, there's no foe we can't defeat! And I know from experience that when things get really rough, I can hunker down and quickly patch things up. So I may not pack a punch. But the sum of our parts forms some kind of indestructible Japanese robot, and that robot needs an anthropomorphic animal device to be the head. So this November, vote for the man who promises to bring us together and lift our spirits. I'm John D. Fender, and I support this message. Barry Lasters: Sure, my main opponent promises unity. But the best defense is a good offense, and I plan to take the fight straight to the source! Yes, I don't pride myself on untiy through equality but unity through strength. If we're all at the top of our game, we can take down any foe. And while I mean not have the people skills my opponent has, I have a better chance of survival. Because I can fight from a distance and up close, on the front-line with the best of my time. Vote for Barry Lasters for Team Leader. Unity through strength. Connie T. Roller: My psychiatrist claims I have obsessive-compulsive disorder, but this puts me at an advantage. Nothing can go wrong if you control the battlefield and inhibit the enemy. I believe that with surveillance and planning we can win the battle before its begun. With the tactical skill to call for reinforcements and harness enemy turncoats, we can win from within. Like my opponent Mr. Fender, I believe in the strength of the people but I pride myself on knowing what I can and will do. I can't say I have the offensive plans Mr. Lasters does, but by golly halting their progression is the first step to victory! So let's work together to stop the influences of evil right where they stand. Vote for Connie Roller. Now see, the inherent problem is that in the long run other teams will be assembled and this'll all be insignificant. Such is life. But it never hurts to prepare, and your best choice of action is to go evil. Why not? Best offence, moderate defense, no pesky morals to hold you back. Think smart. Think evil. I'm Hostile V, and I support this message. | Behind the PvP MaskM3zm3r1z3Can you tell us a little about yourself? Ages and your natural habitats? I'm an artist and animator. I like competitive gaming and I compete in several different games. I'm 18 years old and I live on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. When did you first discover PvP in City of Heroes Television, it looked like it had a cool costume creator so I wanted to buy the game and fight heroes too (laughs). Which PvP groups (Test or other) have you been a member of, could you tell us about them? After VORI disbanded I joined GMW, they're a nice bunch of guys and the group has a lot of talented freedom players. Your favorite roles in the Arena and most challenging? Dominator is my favorite, and before Fortunatas(which made Doms obsolete) it was the most challenging position for me to play (I've played every offensive position on the test pvp level) and Doms were dangerous to play for a number of reasons, mainly being an offensive character with long animations making it very susceptible to AS's. Do you PvP outside of CoH? If so, which games? I play team fortress 2, AOC, and Smash Brothers: Brawl. I travel to Brawl tournaments every once in a while. VORI is also starting a TF2 CAL team. What is your most memorable Arena moment, team or otherwise? I can think of a few but the one that came to mind first was when VORI rolled UJL 20-30 or something to 1 on the lab map. I remember Volund (Mastermind for VORI) saying: "Just kill them all, let God sort them out." Once all is said and done about VORI, how would you like to be remembered? I don't care how I'm remembered, I just play CoH with my friends for fun, but I want VORI to be remembered as the best VG that has ever PvP'd in CoV history, because it sure was.
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Fan Fiction Spotlight
Blue... Yet another masterpiece... I'm sorry, that was unprofessional. Let's begin with something more introductory... Mynx is probably one of Paragon City's least liked heroines. I don't even know why. Perhaps it's because the comics portrayed here as a caustically snarky [insert a very mean word here]. Heck, when I utilized her within my own fanfiction, it was requested that I later have her hit by a truck, a request I have little-to-no intention of fulfilling; it's not my place to determine the future of the signature characters of the game world. However, BlueBattler not only does determine the stories of the signature characters, he does it well. From his chronicle of how the Clockwork King got to be the monstrosity with a broken heart he is today, to exploring the fading humanity of Statesman, there is something deeply poignant to Blue's portrayal of the little moments in the game world's history that have a lasting impact on the rest of the story. Here, he explores the history of Mynx's origin. In the game lore, we never really learn of the events that transpired after Synapse learns of Mynx's existence. Nor do we learn of why Crey seems to just leave her alone. Blue answers this with a well-thought-out story that, well, measures up very nicely to the rest of his work. I know I usually recommend the work that appears in here, but this is simply a must-read. I can guarantee that it will change your opinion of Paragon City's most famous catgirl. | ||
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Welcome once more to Rogue Isles Legend, the article where I map out the hidden dangers and delights that the Rogue Isles have to offer a dedicated doer of dark deeds. In the past I have guided you through the morbid dangers of Potter's Field, and through the opportunities in New Haven. In the future, we will be exploring many such dangerous areas together, but for today, I have a different adventure in mind. For what good do your ill gotten gains do, if you must carry them through winding alleys filled with danger? Wouldn't you rather put your feet up, and enjoy your wicked rewards for a while? Yes? Well then come with me, to the heart of St. Martial, to the Golden Giza casino, in a neighborhood called Babylon. DANGERS OF BABYLON For the most part, there are no enemies to be found within the glittering walls of the Golden Giza. Neither do enemies spawn near the casino, within the boundaries of the Babylon neighborhood. Barring an ambush or a zone invasion, you can rely on a certain amount of safety here. However, don't be complacent, ambushes do happen, and enemies from bordering neighborhoods can easily be drawn into Babylon's borders. While you are outside, be on the lookout for Freakshow, Family, Arachnos, and Tsoo, all of which spawn on the borders of Babylon, and may chase you into the perceived safe zone. However, within the walls of the Golden Giza, you will never be attacked, ever. CONTACTS Which isn't to say that the Giza doesn't contain any dangerous people. On the contrary, a lot of money trades hands in St. Martial, and some very dangerous people have come to get a piece of that money for themselves. However, these enterprising sorts are keenly interested in using your skills to their own ends. The Giza is home to no less than a half dozen potential contacts, all with their own nefarious adventures to offer you. Three are approachable by any villain, 2 are hidden, and the final contact needs the aid of an entire team of villains. Let's start with the most basic contacts, Hard Luck, Jezebel Jones, and Basse Croupier. Hard Luck: Apart from looking like an evil Jonathan Frakes, Hard Luck is the man who makes sure that the house always wins. The Casino turns a healthy profit, and Hard Luck makes sure that nobody wins "too much". Help him keep a few super powered cheaters in line, and Hard Luck will see to it that you get a cut of the action. Hard Luck also offers the Bad Luck badge for completing the mission "Get the unlucky artifact". Jezebel Jones: The world's oldest profession is alive and well in Babylon, and Jezebel Jones is the Madam who runs Johnny Sonata's favorite escort service. This gives her a lot of influence in St. Martial, which she is not shy about using and abusing. However, she's in need of a different sort of power at the moment. Her business is not without it's own risks, and some super-powered threats are putting a pinch on her profits. Help her get back to business as usual, and she can do a lot for a villain on the rise to power. Basse Croupier: This guy is great. Just ask your friends to pronounce his name, it's priceless. Seriously though, Basse is Johnny Sonata's right hand man, and a Pitt Boss at the Golden Giza. You might have noticed by now that a lot of St Martial's illicit activity tends to orbit around Johnny Sonata. Well, Basse Croupier is the man Johnny trusts to make sure everything stays in a smooth orbit. There's a lot of money to be made helping Basse keep business running as usual. Basse Croupier also offers the Skip Tracer badge for completing the "Catch Freakshow debtor before he skips town" mission.
| HIDDEN CONTACTS Babylon is home to two hidden contacts, both of whom are within the gleaming neon halls of the Golden Giza. One is the most powerful man in St. Martial, the other, doesn't even seem to be a person at all. Both offer some of the most compelling story lines in the game. Johnny Sonata: The legendary crooner himself, Johnny Sonata can be found in his own private office inside the Golden Giza. By now, you know there's more to him than his often praised singing talents, and you can find out the real story behind Johnny "The Pipes" Sonata if you have what it takes to impress the legendary lounge act. Unlocking Johnny is actually very simple. You need to get the Obsessed badge, gained by having 50 badges. It's almost hard NOT to get this badge by the time you get to St. Martial in my experience. If you're having trouble, my advice is to collect exploration badges across the Rogue Isles. If you don't have any stealth capabilities, then do a quick patrol of Bloody Bay to get the Hyper Stealth power, which will let you chase exploration badges in safety, even in zones too high level to travel safely in. You'll have Johnny Sonata open in no time. The Slot Machine: At first glance, a perfectly ordinary slot machine, this is actually one of the must unique contacts in all of CoV. Unlike Johnny Sonata however, it's kind of a pain to unlock. To unlock The Slot Machine, you need the Gangbuster badge, gained by defeating 200 "Marcone" Family bosses. There are two ways to go about this. Either get a team of like minded friends and go mud stomping some gray spawns in Marconeville in Port Oakes for an hour. Or head over to "The Flop" in St Martial, where Marcone Consigliere bosses are fairly common. It's still going to take awhile and be kind of a pain, but at least you'll be getting experience and drops. Bring friends to minimize the tedium. As for the Slot Machine itself, rumor has it that the machine pays out hot tips on insider crimes instead of cash. Unlock it, and try your luck, and you will find the rumors to be true. You'll have to play every game it has to offer to learn the secret of this fantastic machine. STRIKE FORCE CONTACT Finally, while exploring the casino, you might be surprised to see a villain in full costume. This is Ice Mistral, the protegee of Scirroco. She is here to assemble an elite team of villains for the Crystal Keeper Strike Force. Ice Mistral: Scirocco's apprentice is here to seek out a magical treasure her master covets, The Crystal of Serafina. However, recovering this potent magical relic will be no simple matter. You will need a team of between 4 and 8 villains, all level 35 or higher to even undertake this Strike Force. The Crystal Keeper Strike Force has a maximum level of 40, so higher level villains will be automatically Malefactored to 40 while working on the Strike Force. Completing Crystal Keeper earns you a rare pool C recipe, the Crystal Keeper badge. and the Enchantment of Serafina temporary power. The Crystal Keeper badge is also part of the Megalomaniac accolade. BADGES There are two exploration badges to be found in Babylon, Camel Snot (ew, ok, just ew), and Stonekeeper. Both can be found outside the Golden Giza. Camel Snot is by far the more difficult of the two, as it is high atop the pyramid of the Golden Giza, and difficult to spot. You'll find it near the tip of the pyramid, on the balcony just below the top, on the western face of the casino. Stonekeeper is much easier to get by comparison. Head southeast of the main entrance to the Golden Giza. You'll see a bunch of obelisks sticking out of the courtyard, with a fountain nearby. The badge is by the southern most obelisk, though you can't see it due to the placement of obelisks. This badge also unlocks the Wailer gladiator option. And that's everything you need to know to explore Babylon, so I'll leave the rest to you. Buy some chips, play a few hands, make a few friends, maybe make a little bit of Infamy along the way. Just remember, the house always wins. Join me next time for Rogue Isles Legend, where I once again explain the map. |
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Storm & Phantom Investigations | |
Who is your base designer and who are your supergroup leaders? I and my best friend Don are the base designers. I play the Red Phantom, a pulp/noir occult investigator who deals with the occult, gangsters and Nazi madmen obsessed with magic. Don is Challenger Storm, a pastiche of Doc Savage, Allan Quartermain and James Bond. A kind of trouble-shooter for hire. What server is your base on? We are situated on Liberty. So far our experiences have been quite wonderful. We've enjoyed great battles with non-SG players for the most part. When was your supergroup established? I believe it was in mid August. The 19th I think. How many players are in your supergroup? At least 20. I lost track! I recruited a good number of people recently who tired of being neglected by their SG's. They were looking for a group who are in the late 20s to mid 30s. What is the approximate value of your base? I believe it's 489, 997 after going through the numbers. We really don't pay attention to things like that. Storm and Red strive to make our members feel as if they're part of a real team with a real base which opens the doors for many roleplaying possibilities. How much time do you spend working on your base? How much time have you invested so far? Every week, I spend at least 15 minutes moving things around, going through various things etc. Eventually I will expand the base so as to include workstations, more storage areas and teleporters. It's a slow process but we're meticulous and are paying attention to detail. From the clutter of books and vials of stuff in the occult "lab" to the trophies in the "lounge," we aim to make our members happy. As for how much time, it's really hard to say. What is your favorite base item? Least favorite? Favorite thing...The "labs." By putting tech and occult/supernatural furnishings the base has a real comic book base feel to it. As one member put it, it feels like the Justice Society of America. There is no least favorite base item to be honest. We're enjoying everything actually. |
What is your favorite thing about base editing? Least favorite? The most favorite thing would have to be is when I see my SG mates sitting in the chairs chatting either in or out of character or when they walk around staring at everything such as the tropies, the pickled organs in the occult lab and the like. What is the highest thing on your wish-list for new base items? teleporters. they would help many of our members to get around quickly. Maybe a "hangar" to store our vehicles to further enhance the hq "feel." Furnishings to make the hangar feel like a real grease monkey's haven. If you could give just one piece of advice to a new base editor, what would it be? Make sure there is a good sense of flow to it like a real comic book base. Don't go nuts with the stuff. It'll be too cluttered and may slow down weaker computers. |
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Vol. 2, Issue 14
September12, 2008
The City Scoop a publication for Supers by Supers! With this issue we have many of our regular features back and moar!
Read the latest publication and then join in on the community discussion!
If you have concerns regarding the content of the Scoop please 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 Snow_Globe
If you need some Advice contact Lady_Athyna or would like to Ask The X contact LiquidX
Finally if you have a Classified Ad or Recipe you would like included please contact: LadyK or MistressNoire
The City Scoop
Under the Hood
Endurance 201
By
TopDoc
Deuco by
Liz
I went over the basics of Endurance (END) in my last article. Everyone has a
base 100 END, and they recover 100% of their END every 60 seconds. That comes
out to 1.67 END/second (EPS). I also covered ways to increase both END and
Recovery. A character with Stamina, Accolades, rare IOs, and set bonuses can
recover around 3 EPS. Now it's time to see how to use that END wisely.
All the Endurance and Recovery in the world won't help if you have a poorly
slotted character. You need to get a handle on where you're spending END and
where to use slots to reduce it. And before you ask, EVERY character can
benefit from slotting END Reduction intelligently. Take a look at the Detailed
Power Info available in game to see how much END you're spending on toggles and
attack powers. Time how long a fight takes, from the start of one spawn to the
start of the next, and multiply that by the cost of each toggle power you have.
Then multiply the cost of each attack by the number of times you used it. The
results should be enlightening.
Movement powers are somewhat expensive toggles with Super Speed and Super Jump
at 0.455 EPS. If you've got Super Jump, switch to Combat Jumping during combat.
Combat Jumping is a REALLY cheap toggle that will never need END Reduction.
Just turn off Super Speed. Fly costs a whopping 1 EPS, so switch to Hover
(0.195 EPS) or just walk in combat.
Defensive toggles are usually 0.21 or 0.26 EPS, and in a 30 second fight will
use 6.2 or 7.8 END. That's about the same as a single Moderate damage attack.
You'll probably find that most of your END is being used by attack powers. That
means the best way to reduce your END usage is to slot your attack powers for
END Reduction. And you get the biggest bang for your buck by slotting attack
powers that use the most total END.
How does END Reduction work? Just divide the END cost of a power by the END
Reduction value, which has a base of 100% (1.0) before Enhancements. Fire Ball
costs about 15.2 END, but if you slot an END Reduction SO (33.3%), it costs
15.2 / (1.0+0.333) = 11.4 END. Similarly, Fire Blast would go from 5.2 to 3.9
END. But you cast Fire Blast about 4 times for every 1 time you cast Fire Ball,
which means Fire Blast would go from 20.8 to 15.6 total END. So it's usually
better to slot frequently used attacks before longer recharge ones if you want
to save more END.
END Reduction Enhancements give diminishing returns. The first SO in Fire Ball
reduced the END cost by 3.8. A second SO in Fire Ball will reduce it to 9.1, or
by 2.3. A third SO will bring it to 7.8, a reduction of 1.3. It's usually
better to spread the END Reduction around before you start to double up on any
given power. As a general rule, give all attacks 1 End Reduction Enhancement
first, toggles second, then take a close look to see what if anything needs
more.
You can also make a more END efficient team. Add support characters with END
friendly powers. Accelerate Metabolism (AM) in Radiation Emission gives a 30%
Recovery boost to the whole team, though it's usually only up about 60% of the
time. It also gives good Resistance to END and Recovery debuffs. Empaths have
Recovery Aura, a 200% Recovery boost for the whole team, but it's usually
available only 35% of the time. But they also get Adrenaline Boost, a single
target 800% Recovery buff that can be up around 60% of the time. Kinetics get
Speed Boost which is a 50% Recovery boost, but it has to be cast on teammates
individually. They also get Transference, which is an AoE END Refill power.
Another important feature of teams is the use of AoEs (Area of Effect attacks).
AoE attacks are the most efficient ways to spend your END if you can hit a
decent number of targets. Large AoEs are balanced to cost about as much as 3
single target attacks that do the same damage. Don't toss a big AoE if you're
only going to hit 1 or 2 targets, but do toss it if you can hit 3 or more. If
you can hit 15 targets, you've done a lot of damage for 1/5 the usual END cost.
Small (often melee) AoEs are usually balanced to cost the same as 2 single
target attacks, so don't waste them on a single target. But if you can line up
3 or more targets, you're spending END wisely.
There are also a few other tactics you can use to help with END. Don't waste a
big END expensive attack on a minion with a sliver of HP. Use blue Inspirations
when you run low on END. Convert Inspirations you don't need to blues. Always
leave a couple Inspiration slots open so you can get more.
Vol. 2, Issue 14
Spetember 12th, 2008
This Issue:
Behind the PvP Mask
Choose Wisely
Community
Fan Fiction Spotlight
Rogue Isle Legend
Base Showcase
Classifieds
Comic
Upcoming Events:
September 13th
Protector
Engagement
Hamidon Raid
September 14th
Champion
Champion's
First Player Auction!
Justice
500
Million 2v2 PVP Event
September 19th
Protector
Level
4 PvP-September
September 20th
RSVP
The
Date Is Set!
Infinity
End
of the Summer Beach Party!
September 26th
Pinnacle
PvPEC
Event: Duck Hunt
Protector
Protectors
Player Auction
Virtue
Fight
Night 120: Friday, September 26 Edition
PAX PPD Hardsuit Code Contest at SIRadio.FM!
There are plenty of END sucking mobs out there that you'll need to deal with.
Malta Sappers can drain you dry quickly, so use Control powers on them when you
can. Clockwork and most other electrical attack using mobs drain a little END
for each hit, so bring some extra Defense so you don't get hit as often.
Carnies drain END from people near them when defeated, so try to defeat them
from range. You can also just load up on lots of END friendly support chars
(especially Rads with AM), or find a Tanker or Brute with resistance to END and
Recovery debuffs.
That's a quick rundown on how to use your END more efficiently. Check out
This Guide by hudsonsmith for more.