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[ QUOTE ]
I attempted to find a way to change either the names or the info on the critters in this arc last night, to no avail.
The mobs were already in custom groups, which was what a kind player had proposed, but unless I make them all boss encounters I can't find any way to give them custom names / infos.
[/ QUOTE ]
You can do this in I15. Log in to test and give it a shot.
You go into the custom group screen, highlight one of your dudes, and click the edit button - you can change their colors and names.
I agree that'd really add some nice flavor to this arc.
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Really?!
That's perfect.
I hesitated to log into test last night since I was a little tired and un-inspired (and didn't want to see exactly how many badges I'd lose).
Thank you very much for the info.
I'll definitely go test that out tonight now. 
█ Players Guide to the Cities
@GlaziusF
Commentary from a low-40s DB/Fire brute, since Engineer ain't earning itself any time soon.
---
Yeah, those involuntary muscles will destroy you every time.
Hmm. I get a captive who insta-rescues on mission entrance? Are there no level 51 enemies in the group you use? That can sometimes be a symptom of the game trying to spawn something but being unable to.
Also it seems a little off that a metahuman placement agency is working with level 50s. This seems like more low-level kind of work.
Then again, Terrence freaking Dobbs.
Hmm. The bacteriophage is killing its own guards with the AOE pulse aura and embedding them in the walls to boot. One gets stuck and I just kinda wait for it to get pulsed to death.
No caps in the objectives for the bacteriophage or the last cocoon.
Yeah, thanks for the vote of confidence, man. Really makes me want to head back into a slime-covered orifice.
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Geez, doc, would it kill you to be a little positive about the prospects of humanity not being wiped out by interstellar plague?
Hmm. The Coralax cave. I really don't like this one because half of it's empty, taken up by special spawns for TFs or missions. Sometimes patrols can wander down an "empty branch" and I'm never really sure which way to go.
Of course it's this guy.
But, huh. The ambush that shows up at 1/4 health mentions giving him clearance to retreat, except he just kinda hangs around still. Any reason he can't do a runner? There's a lot of terrain to catch him in.
...thanks for taking all the credit, doc. Really, I mean that.
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Storyline - *. So I get shoved into questionable orifices by someone who won't give me the time of day and proceeds to take all the credit. That's bad enough as it is, but the end boss is really just a shaggy dog story. His current plan in re the Rikti is to upload himself into their psychic network and create a world of mad steam geniuses. How does slaughtering everyone on earth help with that, exactly? It's not like there couldn't be, say, a Nictus adapted to a cellular parasite testing out a space plague, or a bunch of Malta Operatives preventing SERAPH from getting any Rikti technology they didn't pay for, or a bunch of Freakshow led by Dreck who got zapped with a shrink ray as a hilarious prank and then blown out the window onto a passing Rikti.
Design - ****. Good reskinning of the existing groups to serve as adversaries. I was expecting some destructibles in the last mission representing the emitters that were spurring sentience or something.
Gameplay - ***. Getting some guys stuck in the wall in the first mission and running around a half-empty map for the second are the major complaints I have here.
Detail - ****. Everything works well, though the end boss is missing any kind of custom description.
Overall - ***. Most of this is because the story treats me like an afterthought and ends with a completely unnecessary cliche. Without that it'd be 4-star territory and would need some map reworking to get up to 5.
Up with the overworld! Up with exploration! | Want a review of your arc?
My arcs: Dream Paper (ID: 1874) | Bricked Electronics (ID: 2180) | The Bravuran Jobs (ID: 5073) | Backwards Day (ID: 329000) | Operation Fair Trade (ID: 391172)
Same reply posted here as in Glazius' own thread:
Thanks for running my arc!
If you don't mind I'll reply to your extensive review here - it'll just be a few comments.
[ QUOTE ]
... I get a captive who insta-rescues on mission entrance?
[/ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
... The bacteriophage is killing its own guards with the AOE pulse aura and embedding them in the walls to boot. One gets stuck and I just kinda wait for it to get pulsed to death.
[/ QUOTE ]
Former is working as intended. It's just a wink really, added last week based on player feedback. But perhaps some critters to defeat here could work too.
Latter is an issue I've seen happen only once before, and been reported once again by another player. No idea how come the captive is fighting the mobs on its own before you get there.
[ QUOTE ]
... The ambush that shows up at 1/4 health mentions giving him clearance to retreat, except he just kinda hangs around still. Any reason he can't do a runner? There's a lot of terrain to catch him in.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'll check that. He should be running, as you suggest here. Thanks for spotting it. Failing the 2nd mission introduces even more berating by the contact.
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Storyline - *. So I get shoved into questionable orifices by someone who won't give me the time of day and proceeds to take all the credit. That's bad enough as it is, but the end boss is really just a shaggy dog story.
[/ QUOTE ]
This here is probably the rating killer for you.
The contact's personality just appeared as I was working on the arc, and I thought it was original enough to leave it abrasive, obnoxious, pompous. It's quite OK that not everyone likes this approach and I expected it.
[ QUOTE ]
Design - ****. Good reskinning of the existing groups to serve as adversaries. I was expecting some destructibles in the last mission representing the emitters that were spurring sentience or something.
[/ QUOTE ]
Items fall out of the map geometry consistently on the 2nd map I used, so they can't be used as mission objectives in this one. Plopping them in as optional didn't make any sense plot-wise to me, so out they went.
[ QUOTE ]
Gameplay - ***. Getting some guys stuck in the wall in the first mission and running around a half-empty map for the second are the major complaints I have here.
[/ QUOTE ]
Can't be helped, unfortunately, as explained above. I'm sorry the ingame mechanics and / or bugs influenced your appreciation here. 
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Overall - ***. Most of this is because the story treats me like an afterthought and ends with a completely unnecessary cliche. Without that it'd be 4-star territory and would need some map reworking to get up to 5.
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I'm a bit disappointed with the rating, to be truthful, since this has been getting consistent 4s and 5s, with some players even telling me it's their favorite arc, but I'm aware that this is no great masterpiece.
This took me 30 min. to write up originally, and it was (then) at under 13% resource use. I guess a *** is quite all right, in retrospect.
But besides the contact's personality and map choices (which have to stay or else the story loses even more immersion), there's always room for improvement.
Thanks for taking the time not only to play, but to extensively write up this arc. Much appreciated.
█ Players Guide to the Cities
It is at least showing tribute and respect to Fantastic Voyage so there is a psychotronic connection between that original work and the work that you created.
So there is a relation of some sort.
I run the arc as I have time and see what connections I see to Fantastic Voyage.
It appears to be getting good reviews. I haven't knocked the merit of the arc, I'm just questioning the no parodies and no derivative works aspect of it and there definitely is a connection between the two per the author (admitted a homage to Fantastic Voyage).
Primarily, I raised this point because Niviene posted a poster related to this arc. To me it appeared that a DEVs was doing something that was questionably against the posted rules for the use of the MA.
Republished: I've tried to add some more challenge in the last mission, as this seemed to be a recurring request.
Some kind words from players:
@Zubenelgenubi: "wow... it's gross and hilarious at the same time. Well... err... done..." - "really excellent choices for maps and enemy critters." - "AWESOME arc. Kudos indeed. I even got a couple of real LOL's at the end."
@El Condor: "Very funny! I did love the homage. You found the perfect maps for this - the atmosphere was spot-on. Your mobs, also, were great - inventive use of already existing critter types. The doc's dialogue was a scream ; it kept me laughing." - "Great stuff!"
@Djinniman: "Great arc. Even the [SPOILER] angle was handled well." - "5 well-deserved stars!"
@HeroX: "Nice maps!" - "Giving it 5 stars (Love [SPOILER] in it!)"
@Zekiran Immortal: Excellent work 
I liked having the [SPOILER] follow me around" - "The flavor text = awesome. Very nice choices in maps, I'd never get a chance to see those otherwise."
@Winza: "The whole shrinking thing was awesome, nice job "
@Violet Diamond: "great arc, 5 stars!"
@Jetpack: "Space flu, heh." - "can I keep the [SPOILER]? It is so cute! And a defeat all that actually makes sense. The maps are perfect for both missions. Tough ambush - very fun! Really this is a well done arc - I will play again and happy to rate as 5 stars."
@Fiain: "Perfect map selections, love your choices of enemies to go with the missions. Absolutely love the final exit pop-up. Well done, definitely goin to be trying this one out with other characters as well."
@MessiahBlaze: "Excellent"
@Beef Cake: "I really liked the arc" - "hit you with 5 stars."
@Holden Oversoul: "i FINALLY finished your mish .. had a great time .. feel free to hit me up in the future if ya see me again tc man... 5stahs"
@FlameWrath: "the "defeat all" made sense with the story and the mission maps look great with the setting of the story. I didn't get the allusion (in other words, I hadn't read/seen A Voyage Fantastic) but it was still very good!"
@bamawolfie: "You put together Voyage perfectly!!! The maps, the mobs, everything rocked. 5 Stars for sure (even though I died 4 times tryign to beat [SPOILER] - then finally had to get hulkers to bring his 50 tank and help me). This is a PERFECT mission arc!!!"
@BrokenPrey: "Awesome arc, loved the story. Nice and easy fun to play, ambush gave us a little trouble but nothing to hard."
@Omegafist: "excellent mission. I loved the maps."
@Dr. Scrap: "Nice. The [SPOILER] was a nice touch. Kept it light. Nice map selection and use of Hami. Well done."
@Xason: "Great choice of enemies and maps for this, and good contact dialogue. I'm giving it a 5." - "Thanks for a great arc
@Imperator5: "Very clever use of the mobs and the areas. 5 stars!"
█ Players Guide to the Cities
To be transparent, here's what I found waiting when I checked this arc this morning. This wasn't there last time I checked, so both complaints were lodged in the last days and may be from the same player (similar writing style), perhaps hoping to get it blocked faster.
http://yfrog.com/18vfcomplaintsp (ignore the first complaint as it is irrelevant, and could be easily petitioned off since completely out of my control).
My reply to Complaint #2: "Fantastic Voyage" was a movie first, then a book was written based on the movie by Isaac Asimov. I believe the movie's copyright may have ended in 1994, but I'm not a copyright lawyer.
According to Wikipedia the film's concept has been used in over 40 animated cartoons, to cite only these. I think this could easily back up the idea that it has now become popular lore, not just a premise owned by a single movie.
Referrencing popular comic / film lore is something the devs themselves have done a few times in their own arcs. They do it as a sign of respect to what I would call the geek classics. My intention was the same.
"Thinly veiling (it) in CoH clothes*" is the only way to do this using the Mission Architect system, so I'm unsure how to respond to that part.
My reply to Complain #3: There is nothing "thinly disguised*" here. In fact, when it started being discussed here I followed through and never once claimed it was "original". The arc description has always stated its source of inspiration.
It appears discussing that issue openly here was not enough for some, and they preferred to place anonymous complaints instead. That's entirely their prerogative. I'm replying here since I have no way of knowing who complained about the arc, and wanted to express my respectful disagreement.
The arc is not blocked yet.
If / When it does get blocked I will submit it for review and then we'll be set as for an official answer, won't we? 
* These quoted phrases cited here specifically for their similarity.
█ Players Guide to the Cities
[ QUOTE ]
Stale... if it does happen PLEASE have it reviewed.
[/ QUOTE ]
I know I said in the above I would, but I'll have to think some more about that. 
Do I want to serve as a test subject for whoever placed the complaints to assuage their curiosity at my expense, instead of using other means?
Or do I want to keep enjoying CoH and avoid further drama?
We'll have to see.
█ Players Guide to the Cities
I've ceased to be amazed at the pricks that complain in game and on the forum (as shown in this thread)
Love the arc, Stalemate! But I also understand your feelings. I've pulled 2 of my 3 arcs, and am tempted to pull the 3rd.
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Stale... if it does happen PLEASE have it reviewed.
[/ QUOTE ]
I know I said in the above I would, but I'll have to think some more about that.
Do I want to serve as a test subject for whoever placed the complaints to assuage their curiosity at my expense, instead of using other means?
Or do I want to keep enjoying CoH and avoid further drama?
We'll have to see.
[/ QUOTE ]
Don't let the idiots win.
| Issue 9 Fly poses | IO's and ED
| Cycling the Combat Monitor | Load Macros from a Text File |
Yeah, I have to say that complaining about this arc being "derivative" of the book and movie is completely missing the point. Some of these people need to go to homage school.
From Wrong_Number:
[ QUOTE ]
Lowdown This arc features extremely creative uses of maps and standard characters. There are humor elements through out and the contact is, well, interesting in his take on the situation and you. During the second mission it was apparent that battles had been going on, but with what or why I have no clue since I only ever saw the victors. The big bad was a surprise, but I found the ambushes that arrived while I fought him a bit much.
Funny Level Mildly Humorous to Humorous
Fun Level - This arc was engaging and fun until the final battle (which involved 3 trips back through a huge map).
Lets up it to 11! Tone down the ambushes or make it a defeat the boss only, insert a few more humor based customs and some color into your briefings.
Overall Rating This arc is worth playing for it design alone and it is at least mildly humorous throughout.
WN
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█ Players Guide to the Cities
Thanks for the encouragement guys.
The arc is still up, still getting plays and good feedback.
As a matter of fact, it's nearing 100 playthroughs now, which is about ... 80 more than I expected originally.
Thanks to everyone who took (or will take) the time to offer feedback for improvements.
█ Players Guide to the Cities
Re-published.
Critter bios / names have all been adapted for Issue 15.
If you liked playing this before, let me know what you think now that the mood is even better set by making use of these new AE features.
I left its status at "feedback" for now, but at this point there probably will not be any major changes.
█ Players Guide to the Cities
[ QUOTE ]
I attempted to find a way to change either the names or the info on the critters in this arc last night, to no avail.
The mobs were already in custom groups, which was what a kind player had proposed, but unless I make them all boss encounters I can't find any way to give them custom names / infos.
[/ QUOTE ]
You can do this in I15. Log in to test and give it a shot.
You go into the custom group screen, highlight one of your dudes, and click the edit button - you can change their colors and names.
I agree that'd really add some nice flavor to this arc.
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ronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenth ur-
nuk!