Discussion: 57 & 60 Month Veteran Rewards!
By
AARGH_NA,
Posted on: 2009-01-21 17:33 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
sumwun say sumtin bout sammiches?
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This makes me cry for suspending my account for 2 years...
But it's just so awesome!
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Same, only not quite 2 years. I started June 20th, 2004... so if I hadn't cancelled for a period, I would be getting the 60 month vet reward on June 20th, instead of... August 2010 
.
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I wonder if the tier 4 power will still require that you pick 2 before it, or if it will only require that one?
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There is no Tier 4.
There is the 1st Tier (Where you can pick two powers).
Then there is 2nd Tier, which requires that you have one of the 1st Tier powers and 12th level.
There there is the 3rd Tier, which requires 2 powers of 1st and 2nd Tier and 20th level.
So I'm not exactly sure how this unlock works. Does the badge allow you to unlock 2nd Tier and 6th level along with 1st Tier travel powers? And then you can get 3rd Tier at 12th Level?
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Of course there is a tier 4 - Group Fly, Group Teleport, Vengence, etc.
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Those are each the 4th POWER in each pool, which is the Third Tier in the pool.
Powers 1&2 = Tier 1 (Recall Friend + TP Foe)
Power 2 = Tier 2 (Teleport)
Power 3 = Tier 3 (Group Teleport)
The first two powers are in their own tier, then the second power, then the third.
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As I said before, this is how I always thought about it. But, the point that in your primary you also choose either the first or the second power and there is still considered to be 9 tiers instead of 8 seems to counter this.
--Rad
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I didn't write the game, or anything it in.
*Attempt to explain Dev Logic begins* Some Primaries are shared. What may be a choice to you may be predetermined for others. So, that means that it's safe to call those powers Tier 1-9. Now, Power pools are the same for everyone, and have the powers available at different 'Tiers' for Everyone, so it's ok to refer to THEM as 'Tiers' also.
My memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
"The tip of a shoelace is called an aglet, its true purpose is sinister." The Question
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I didn't write the game, or anything it in.
*Attempt to explain Dev Logic begins* Some Primaries are shared. What may be a choice to you may be predetermined for others. So, that means that it's safe to call those powers Tier 1-9. Now, Power pools are the same for everyone, and have the powers available at different 'Tiers' for Everyone, so it's ok to refer to THEM as 'Tiers' also.
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Powers in a shared powerset are not available at different Tiers, they are available at different levels.
As I mentioned before the word tier is a widely accepted term to number the powers listed in any given powerset. Each powerset has nine powers commonly referred to as Tier 1 through Tier 9 powers. Whether a shared powerset is a primary or secondary for a given archetype does nothing to change this numbering system. If the powerset is your primary then you may choose between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 power from that set at level one. If it is your secondary then you are automatically assigned the Tier 1 power.
By applying the same rules of terminology to the Power Pools you have 4 powers in each set numbered Tier 1 through Tier 4 and at level 6 you can choose between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 power from any one of the Power Pool sets.
If you are using the term Tiers as a reference to the times when a given power is unlocked in a given powerset I will agree that you may choose to call that a tier as well but by the same token you can call it Susan or cumquatif you like. As that is not the widely accepted usage for the term 'Tier' in the game it cannot be said to apply here.
"I am a Tank. I am your first choice, I am your last hope." -- Rune Bull
"Durability is the quintessential super-power. " -- Sailboat
I think that its wrong that something that was promised about vet powers is being broken. Of course, that's already happened with the booster packs, so why am I not surprised?
Its cool. I don't begrudge a cool benefit to playing the whole time. But its an unbalancing benefit. A lot of people started later - or started early, but couldn't always afford to play an MMO.
I'd be fine with the unlocking when the later powrs can be taken, but giving people free travel powers without taking the other powers, and at 6? Unbalancing.
Also, what's next? Stamina at level 6 for the 72 month? Without having to take health and swift or hurdle?
I think you guys are making a mistake. And instead of encouraging people, it might just leave you with nothing but the folks who've been able to afford to keep playing the entire time and started on day 1.
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[u]57 Months[u]
Abiding Badge: 50% discount on all tailor sessions: Start out your new characters in style!
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As stated by numerous people (myself included) this vet reward seems a bit cheap. Fifty percent off at the tailor after 57 months, after you've earned numerous free tailoring sessions (not to mention the free ones we get occasionnaly) is pretty lack luster, not to mention near pointless.
Something that is close to this and would be greatly appreaciated, would be a facemaker/icon employee base detail, so we could change costumes in our bases. Or maybe an option to change costumes wherever we are.
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There is one escape hatch here. The devs could have datamined how many free costume tokens the "average" long-term player burns through, and how much they spend on costume changes, and determined that the 50% discount actually *would* benefit a significant percentage of the players nearing eligibility for the badge. Its really difficult to extrapolate how other players are or are not using these things.
Before veteran rewards were introduced, I changed costumes on my main perhaps fifty times playing around in Icon, paying for each and every one of them. I do that a lot less now, and have never actually exhausted the free costume tokens on my characters now that I have them. But who knows how many long term players never stopped being clothes horses.
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I think that its wrong that something that was promised about vet powers is being broken. Of course, that's already happened with the booster packs, so why am I not surprised?
Its cool. I don't begrudge a cool benefit to playing the whole time. But its an unbalancing benefit. A lot of people started later - or started early, but couldn't always afford to play an MMO.
I'd be fine with the unlocking when the later powrs can be taken, but giving people free travel powers without taking the other powers, and at 6? Unbalancing.
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Ive read this sentiment quite a few times. Ive made this point before, but nobody has ever addressed it, so here it is again.
Pre I8, you might have had a legitimate concern about travel powers at 6 being unbalanced. That argument holds no weight since I8, because all newbie Heroes and Villains can get long lasting Temporary Travel Powers via Safeguard/Mayhem missions. These temps will last until a person can actually choose a power themselves at 14.
This is a huge convenience for a Vet, to be sure. But it is hardly the Game Breaking issue you, and others with your opinion, state it to be.
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Also, what's next? Stamina at level 6 for the 72 month? Without having to take health and swift or hurdle
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I call Straw man on this one. Stamina at 6 vs. Travel at 6 is a huge overstatement on your part, I assume intentionally, to get people to see your side. Stamina at 6 might be unbalancing, but thats not the point were addressing now.
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I think you guys are making a mistake. And instead of encouraging people, it might just leave you with nothing but the folks who've been able to afford to keep playing the entire time and started on day 1.
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Personal note: I was unemployed from April August 2004. I had a little money in savings, but wasnt eligible for unemployment. I was able to afford the $15.00 a month to play CoH until I got full time work again.
If you can afford a monthly internet connection, you most likely can afford the 15.00 a month it takes to play CoX. $15.00 equates to one less pizza or a few packs of smokes a month for your enjoyment.
As long as the game is running, anyone has a chance to be a 5 year vet. Put in the time, and youll get the same rewards as the current vets.
I can only speak for myself, but Vet rewards HAVE kept me from straying to other MMOs, as I like having perks others don't have.
Why does everyone (not a Vet) get so bent about long time users getting some perks?
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[u]57 Months[u]
Abiding Badge: 50% discount on all tailor sessions: Start out your new characters in style!
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As stated by numerous people (myself included) this vet reward seems a bit cheap. Fifty percent off at the tailor after 57 months, after you've earned numerous free tailoring sessions (not to mention the free ones we get occasionnaly) is pretty lack luster, not to mention near pointless.
Something that is close to this and would be greatly appreaciated, would be a facemaker/icon employee base detail, so we could change costumes in our bases. Or maybe an option to change costumes wherever we are.
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There is one escape hatch here. The devs could have datamined how many free costume tokens the "average" long-term player burns through, and how much they spend on costume changes, and determined that the 50% discount actually *would* benefit a significant percentage of the players nearing eligibility for the badge. Its really difficult to extrapolate how other players are or are not using these things.
Before veteran rewards were introduced, I changed costumes on my main perhaps fifty times playing around in Icon, paying for each and every one of them. I do that a lot less now, and have never actually exhausted the free costume tokens on my characters now that I have them. But who knows how many long term players never stopped being clothes horses.
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To add on:
I don't think I'll wind up using the 57 month often. Still plenty of free tokens. But that said, I don't mind it as a reward and don't think it's a bad one.
I've never used any vet respec either, but I'm certainly glad they are there. I think the criticism of the 57 month reward is misplaced.
The City of Heroes Community is a special one and I will always look fondly on my times arguing, discussing and playing with you all. Thanks and thanks to the developers for a special experience.
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I didn't write the game, or anything it in.
*Attempt to explain Dev Logic begins* Some Primaries are shared. What may be a choice to you may be predetermined for others. So, that means that it's safe to call those powers Tier 1-9. Now, Power pools are the same for everyone, and have the powers available at different 'Tiers' for Everyone, so it's ok to refer to THEM as 'Tiers' also.
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Powers in a shared powerset are not available at different Tiers, they are available at different levels.
As I mentioned before the word tier is a widely accepted term to number the powers listed in any given powerset. Each powerset has nine powers commonly referred to as Tier 1 through Tier 9 powers. Whether a shared powerset is a primary or secondary for a given archetype does nothing to change this numbering system. If the powerset is your primary then you may choose between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 power from that set at level one. If it is your secondary then you are automatically assigned the Tier 1 power.
By applying the same rules of terminology to the Power Pools you have 4 powers in each set numbered Tier 1 through Tier 4 and at level 6 you can choose between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 power from any one of the Power Pool sets.
If you are using the term Tiers as a reference to the times when a given power is unlocked in a given powerset I will agree that you may choose to call that a tier as well but by the same token you can call it Susan or cumquatif you like. As that is not the widely accepted usage for the term 'Tier' in the game it cannot be said to apply here.
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*I* did not initiate the use of the term 'TIERS'. But Please, By all means, continue to argue with me as if I *DID.
I'm sure it gives your life great joy.
My memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
"The tip of a shoelace is called an aglet, its true purpose is sinister." The Question
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I don't think I'll wind up using the 57 month often. Still plenty of free tokens. But that said, I don't mind it as a reward and don't think it's a bad one.
I've never used any vet respec either, but I'm certainly glad they are there. I think the criticism of the 57 month reward is misplaced.
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I also have that "I'm glad they are there" feeling. I may not use them, but I always know I can if I need to, and that brings me peace of mind.
I'm a hoarder by nature. For example, aside from 2 respecs (1 each on a different character) from Trials that I used to fix some mistakes shortly after the Terra Volta trial was added, I've only ever used freespecs, because I know they will keep coming, and are use-it-or-lose-it. I've only redeemed vetspecs when I was about to delete a character, and wanted to get inf or enhancements off of them (I've restarted one character from level 30ish twice, once to change secondaries, once to move it to my main account).
I hoard costume tokens too, and knowing that I'll get a 50% discount means I'll be more likely to hoard them! I generally only use a token if the costume costs are over 1 million.
Please try my custom mission arcs!
Legacy of a Rogue (ID 459586, Entry for Dr. Aeon's Third Challenge)
Death for Dollars! (ID 1050)
Dr. Duplicate's Dastardly Dare (ID 1218)
Win the Past, Own the Future (ID 1429)
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There is one escape hatch here. The devs could have datamined how many free costume tokens the "average" long-term player burns through, and how much they spend on costume changes, and determined that the 50% discount actually *would* benefit a significant percentage of the players nearing eligibility for the badge. Its really difficult to extrapolate how other players are or are not using these things.
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Pretty much. I thought it was a waste, stated so even on SG forums. Got my backside chewed out by the Iconaholics, who have used every costume token available to 4+ year vets on multiple characters.
Me. Im sat with 50+ on several.
I'll trust the Devs (assumed) datamining on this one.
@Catwhoorg "Rule of Three - Finale" Arc# 1984
@Mr Falkland Islands"A Nation Goes Rogue" Arc# 2369 "Toasters and Pop Tarts" Arc#116617
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I'm pointing out that the veteran is not paying $45 per reward: he's paying zero per reward. You already get his money whether or not he gets any reward. But the $10 you get from the fly-by-nighter is actually for the reward: you only get it if he gets the reward. And that's in addition to the cost for him to keep his account active long enough to purchase the shiny.
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The status of veteran cannot be purchased. It's not about money, it's about time spent. For example, you cannot purchase a 20 year stint in the Army at age 18. You must have participated.
People who stuck with this game for five years contributed something much better than mere cash, and that something more is what the vet rewards are about.
The vets gave of their expertise to newer players, demonstrated their advanced skills (and builds), helped test things, posted their longer-term perspectives on the forums, in short, they participated in the game for year after year and helped make it better for everyone, and did it for longer than most ever will. That long involvement is NOT convertible into currency.
I am continually amazed to find that there are people who think everything is for sale.
Goldbrick 50 inv/ss tank
Other 50s: Power Beam, Rocky Mantle, STORMIE Agent, Matchless, Major Will, Knightmayor, Femstone, Space Maureen, Crimebuster Ako, Dr. Twilight, Doc Champion, American Gold Eagle
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I'm assuming that first pool is "flight," not the fighting pool.
To clarify, this means that the first [u]three[u] tiers of each travel pool will be available at level 6, correct?
Overall, very cool!
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Yes...You can choose hover, flight, air superiority, jump kick, combat jumping, super jump, hasten, flurry, super speed, recall friend, teleport foe, or teleport at level 6.
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I'd be fine with the unlocking when the later powrs can be taken, but giving people free travel powers without taking the other powers, and at 6? Unbalancing.
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You're kidding, right? Everybody can get these just by doing a Safeguard/Mayhem mission. Heck, Kheldians don't even need that, they can fly/teleport around the tutorial.
Power pool reward sounds like a good one. The tailor session... well.... not to look a gift horse in the mouth but, if you haven't coded it yet, don't bother. The only costume changes I've paid for in the past couple of years have been trivial color changes.
P.S.
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I think you guys are making a mistake. And instead of encouraging people, it might just leave you with nothing but the folks who've been able to afford to keep playing the entire time and started on day 1.
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Day 1? A lot of us have been here longer than that. We didn't pay back then, though. This is about what you have bought, not about what you wish you could have bought or what you would have bought had you been paying more attention to the gaming industry. If you want to go by I-wish-I-was-playing, then I'll be expecting my 8 year "Giant Tapeworm Slayer" badge pretty soon.
Man, August is a long way away now. I see a lot of respecs in my future, I wonder what power I'm going to take instead of Jump Kick??? Hell, I might actually take super speed on a character now.
~ Infinity Heroes ~
Dark Voltage - 50 NRG/NRG/EM Blaster
Shure Shot - 50 Arch/NRG/MM Blaster
Silent Shadow Blade - 50 Katana/SR/BM Scrapper
Uphir - 50 Fire/Fire/Fire Blaster
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Also, what's next? Stamina at level 6 for the 72 month? Without having to take health and swift or hurdle
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I call Straw man on this one.
[/ QUOTE ]That's slippery slope. Learn yer fallacies. Not everything is a straw man.
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt
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I didn't write the game, or anything it in.
*Attempt to explain Dev Logic begins* Some Primaries are shared. What may be a choice to you may be predetermined for others. So, that means that it's safe to call those powers Tier 1-9. Now, Power pools are the same for everyone, and have the powers available at different 'Tiers' for Everyone, so it's ok to refer to THEM as 'Tiers' also.
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Powers in a shared powerset are not available at different Tiers, they are available at different levels.
As I mentioned before the word tier is a widely accepted term to number the powers listed in any given powerset. Each powerset has nine powers commonly referred to as Tier 1 through Tier 9 powers. Whether a shared powerset is a primary or secondary for a given archetype does nothing to change this numbering system. If the powerset is your primary then you may choose between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 power from that set at level one. If it is your secondary then you are automatically assigned the Tier 1 power.
By applying the same rules of terminology to the Power Pools you have 4 powers in each set numbered Tier 1 through Tier 4 and at level 6 you can choose between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 power from any one of the Power Pool sets.
If you are using the term Tiers as a reference to the times when a given power is unlocked in a given powerset I will agree that you may choose to call that a tier as well but by the same token you can call it Susan or cumquatif you like. As that is not the widely accepted usage for the term 'Tier' in the game it cannot be said to apply here.
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*I* did not initiate the use of the term 'TIERS'. But Please, By all means, continue to argue with me as if I *DID.
I'm sure it gives your life great joy.
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No argument, just clarification.
"I am a Tank. I am your first choice, I am your last hope." -- Rune Bull
"Durability is the quintessential super-power. " -- Sailboat
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Also, what's next? Stamina at level 6 for the 72 month? Without having to take health and swift or hurdle
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I call Straw man on this one.
[/ QUOTE ]That's slippery slope. Learn yer fallacies. Not everything is a straw man.
[/ QUOTE ]Even sillier to me, considering I went without Stamina for a week on my Warshade, then specced it back in because I missed the effects of Hurdle and Health and well I've got those powers I might as well...
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I didn't write the game, or anything it in.
*Attempt to explain Dev Logic begins* Some Primaries are shared. What may be a choice to you may be predetermined for others. So, that means that it's safe to call those powers Tier 1-9. Now, Power pools are the same for everyone, and have the powers available at different 'Tiers' for Everyone, so it's ok to refer to THEM as 'Tiers' also.
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Powers in a shared powerset are not available at different Tiers, they are available at different levels.
As I mentioned before the word tier is a widely accepted term to number the powers listed in any given powerset. Each powerset has nine powers commonly referred to as Tier 1 through Tier 9 powers. Whether a shared powerset is a primary or secondary for a given archetype does nothing to change this numbering system. If the powerset is your primary then you may choose between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 power from that set at level one. If it is your secondary then you are automatically assigned the Tier 1 power.
By applying the same rules of terminology to the Power Pools you have 4 powers in each set numbered Tier 1 through Tier 4 and at level 6 you can choose between the Tier 1 and Tier 2 power from any one of the Power Pool sets.
If you are using the term Tiers as a reference to the times when a given power is unlocked in a given powerset I will agree that you may choose to call that a tier as well but by the same token you can call it Susan or cumquatif you like. As that is not the widely accepted usage for the term 'Tier' in the game it cannot be said to apply here.
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So....which is "tier 1"....Hurdle or Sprint? Hover or Air Superiority? Hasten or Flurry?
The word "tier" does imply the lvl you can take it. A "lower tier" or "higher tier" anything is not something with the exact same requirements. In this case...lvl 6....you can take either of the tier 1 powers in a pool. You certainly don't have to do anything extra to earn what you are referring to as "tier 2". (And we still don't know which power is "tier 2")
This was just badly worded for what they mean.
As a beta player who will be getting my 57 month VR tomorrow, and my 60 VR on May 2nd, I am pleased with both.
As far as 99% of the discussion here, nothing new than when last major VR was announced. Same back and forth and no one ever really changes anyone's opinion. But nice to keep the forums lively.
Long Live CoX!!!
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So....which is "tier 1"....Hurdle or Sprint? Hover or Air Superiority? Hasten or Flurry?
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Technically: Sprint, Hover, and Flurry.
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The word "tier" does imply the lvl you can take it. A "lower tier" or "higher tier" anything is not something with the exact same requirements. In this case...lvl 6....you can take either of the tier 1 powers in a pool. You certainly don't have to do anything extra to earn what you are referring to as "tier 2". (And we still don't know which power is "tier 2")
This was just badly worded for what they mean.
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Actually, the term "tier" has never had that meaning generally accepted. Players have consistently referred to both the final primary power and final secondary power as a "tier 9" power, which ignores level availability. In fact, the phrase "tier-9" itself has been used often enough that it has a special meaning: the phrase "Instant Healing is Regen's best Tier-9" has unambiguous generally accepted meaning. But even discounting that, if I were to ask players to name the tier 8 power in Energy Blast and Energy Manipulation, I'm reasonably sure the overwhelming majority would be naming Explosive Blast and Boost Range, not Nova and Boost Range.
Furthermore, during the Defiance 2.0 discussions, the three powers you can use while mezzed were most often referred to as the "tier 1 and 2 primary powers and tier 1 secondary power" and not the "three tier 1 blaster powers." This was true by overwhelming margin, even though the second phrase would have been shorter. Its obvious most players are not inclined to describe powers in that way.
Just for fun, I decide to search for the word "tier" among all of the threads I have saved from the forums 2006 and earlier, and interestingly I found *zero* instances of people referring to powers by "tier" except for tier 9s. I found several instances of people referring to inspirations by tier.
Random sampling of relatively recent posts shows the term "tier" when used to refer to powers to most often refer to "tier-9" powers; the first two powers in primaries or secondaries are most often referred to as "tier 1 and 2" and much less often referred to as "the two tier 1s;" and in context are often used specifically to refer to order where no other terminology exists (tier 6 invention bonuses, tier 2 inspirations, tier 3 mastermind pets). It is only very rarely used to denote level-unlocking.
The most common usage of the word tier by overwhelming margin is to denote the place in the order of a list, where the list has well-accepted definition in context (the "tier 3 pets" for masterminds for example are a generally accepted synonym for the tier 8 mastermind primary power entities). The presumption should be that the phrase "the tier 3 power of the flight pool" refers to Fly, given what the majority consensus meaning of the word "tier" would be in almost every other context.
(The most likely way to naturally reference all four powers of a power pool would seem to be to refer to "All powers in the Flight pool" rather than "tier 1, 2, 3, and 4 powers in the Flight pool.")
[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]
In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
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60 Months
City Traveler Badge: Hit the ground running
this badge unlocks access to the following Power Pools at level 6, so players can access Tier 1, 2, or 3 powers early on.
Flight
Superspeed
Teleport
Superleap
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My only thought to this, as a 48 month vet as of today...can you make this it's own booster pack and charge me 20 dollars so I can get it now? ^_^
BrandX Future Staff Fighter
The BrandX Collection
Wow....this thread is still going?
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So....which is "tier 1"....Hurdle or Sprint? Hover or Air Superiority? Hasten or Flurry?
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Technically: Sprint, Hover, and Flurry.
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The word "tier" does imply the lvl you can take it. A "lower tier" or "higher tier" anything is not something with the exact same requirements. In this case...lvl 6....you can take either of the tier 1 powers in a pool. You certainly don't have to do anything extra to earn what you are referring to as "tier 2". (And we still don't know which power is "tier 2")
This was just badly worded for what they mean.
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Actually, the term "tier" has never had that meaning generally accepted. Players have consistently referred to both the final primary power and final secondary power as a "tier 9" power, which ignores level availability. In fact, the phrase "tier-9" itself has been used often enough that it has a special meaning: the phrase "Instant Healing is Regen's best Tier-9" has unambiguous generally accepted meaning. But even discounting that, if I were to ask players to name the tier 8 power in Energy Blast and Energy Manipulation, I'm reasonably sure the overwhelming majority would be naming Explosive Blast and Boost Range, not Nova and Boost Range.
Furthermore, during the Defiance 2.0 discussions, the three powers you can use while mezzed were most often referred to as the "tier 1 and 2 primary powers and tier 1 secondary power" and not the "three tier 1 blaster powers." This was true by overwhelming margin, even though the second phrase would have been shorter. Its obvious most players are not inclined to describe powers in that way.
Just for fun, I decide to search for the word "tier" among all of the threads I have saved from the forums 2006 and earlier, and interestingly I found *zero* instances of people referring to powers by "tier" except for tier 9s. I found several instances of people referring to inspirations by tier.
Random sampling of relatively recent posts shows the term "tier" when used to refer to powers to most often refer to "tier-9" powers; the first two powers in primaries or secondaries are most often referred to as "tier 1 and 2" and much less often referred to as "the two tier 1s;" and in context are often used specifically to refer to order where no other terminology exists (tier 6 invention bonuses, tier 2 inspirations, tier 3 mastermind pets). It is only very rarely used to denote level-unlocking.
The most common usage of the word tier by overwhelming margin is to denote the place in the order of a list, where the list has well-accepted definition in context (the "tier 3 pets" for masterminds for example are a generally accepted synonym for the tier 8 mastermind primary power entities). The presumption should be that the phrase "the tier 3 power of the flight pool" refers to Fly, given what the majority consensus meaning of the word "tier" would be in almost every other context.
(The most likely way to naturally reference all four powers of a power pool would seem to be to refer to "All powers in the Flight pool" rather than "tier 1, 2, 3, and 4 powers in the Flight pool.")
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All this confirms what I suspected...
We are using the word "tier" wrong.
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I go to a sandwich store and buy 10 sandwiches at $5.00. I get my card punched. At 10 punches I get a free sandwich. My loyalty is being rewarded.
Someone else goes to the sandwich shop 1 time, buys 1 sandwich, and wants to pay $2.50 for an additional sandwich.
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The Veteran's Rewards in this game do not work that way. You don't get a free week's playtime with every 3 months of time you purchase...
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Please do not deliberately misunderstand my point. Customer loyalty is rewarded, in whatever fashion, by various businesses. Such incentives are part of a proven business model. Customers who are loyal have access to greater privileges than do first-time customers: whether you call it buy-10-get-1-free, or frequent flier miles, or season tickets, or veteran rewards.
And a business does this because customers who return frequently should be encouraged to continue to do so. Customers who arrive for the first time should see that there is an incentive program.
You should note that there is in fact a buy-X-months-get-Y-months-free incentive going on right now. Same thing.