Greatest suggestion in 5 years, even if it's been suggested time and time again. I'd say roughly only 20% of the player base even knows about the shard (although ironically about 80%+ know of ouroboros). Those that do know of it have been wishing for years that the devs could put more time into it. But, with many other side projects going on, the shadow shard keeps eluding them, issue after issue, booster after booster.
I say the players need to get the word out about the shard, so we can get more people to nudge the devs in the right (IMO) direction. If they see that an overwhelming amount of the player base is interested, we might get that change we've been looking for the last few years.
My Virtue Projects
AE: 38959 - Invasion of the Dark Realm
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I'd say roughly only 20% of the player base even knows about the shard
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Judging from the number of replies.... I hate when I'm right. 
My Virtue Projects
AE: 38959 - Invasion of the Dark Realm
The lack of replies is probably due to the aforementioned large amount of times it has been suggested.
... personally, I think they need to redo it to get villains involved. Possibly with PvP.
@Morac | Twitter
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PvP would be a bad idea. So few use it now. PvP would only make it worse seeings as so few bother with PvP now. A co-op zone with red and blue story arcs would be a much better idea. Making it easier to find would also help. Maybe move it to the spot of the old RWZ portal.
With that said... I would almost hate for more people to go to the Shard. It's where I go for ToTing. I never have to worry about some idiot leaving his spawn behind as he runs to the next door
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I would personally prefer Heroes and Villains to be in conflict over the Shard, in a way that has a lot more depth than the standard PvP zones. You could probably do this even without actually having a PvP zone, but a secondary PvP zone would push the idea better. There is a lot of Hero/Villain co-op, which gets used way more than the Hero/Villain PvP, leading to the overall feeling that Heroes and Villains spend more time working together than actively opposing each other. The Shadow Shard would be an excellent place to stage this, as it already has a story of its own, and a story is really what is needed to make a hero/villain conflict interesting (I would also argue that the current PvP zones each have a theme and a setting, but no ongoing story to go with it).
@Morac | Twitter
Trust the computer. The computer knows all.
I've supported the Shadow Shard being co-habitant for a long time. I don't want it to become a PvP zone because that would just make it as empty and unpopular as RV after a month of players going "ooh, shiny!". However, I am willing to share. When I say co-habitant, I mean that players and villains are in the same zone but can't team. Think co-op zones without actually working together. Just running around in a stalemate without ever actually working together.
The reasoning for this is actually pretty simple, especially since the devs have gone into the Origin of Power and pretty much stated that all super powers have the same fundamental origin: super-to-super conflict within the shard would destabilize it to such a degree as to rend the fabric of reality and erase everyone involved from existence as well as potentially releasing Rularuu. The only characters that would actually want to do this would then be those that are trying to release Rularuu with such a fervor as to completely abandon thought for their own lives. It's probably a small enough sub-set of characters (those that really want to free Rularuu and those that don't value their own existence at all) that it's excusable.
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The reasoning for this is actually pretty simple, especially since the devs have gone into the Origin of Power and pretty much stated that all super powers have the same fundamental origin: super-to-super conflict within the shard would destabilize it to such a degree as to rend the fabric of reality and erase everyone involved from existence as well as potentially releasing Rularuu. The only characters that would actually want to do this would then be those that are trying to release Rularuu with such a fervor as to completely abandon thought for their own lives. It's probably a small enough sub-set of characters (those that really want to free Rularuu and those that don't value their own existence at all) that it's excusable.
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Releasing them, thereby reincorporating the long lost Rularuu invasions! Except, of course, with level scaling like zombies and rikti. 
My Virtue Projects
AE: 38959 - Invasion of the Dark Realm
One idea I had was to add 3 shard zones that were villain side only that dealt with the other aspects of Rularuu, plus one Co-Op zone where the idea was to have a Co-Op Raid versus the 200-foot tall version of Rularuu.
The devs have said repeatedly though that it takes the same amount of work revamping existing zone as it is making new ones and that they'd rather do Co-Op content. Even with Going Rogue, I don't see them making content that's Hero-only or Villain-only unless it has some wierd sort of parity.
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I know, and love the shard. it has alot of potential as its not bound by normal planar movements. Its 3 dimensional...ness is quite unique and i hope that someday it will be expanded on.
Whining about everything since 2006.
Ammo switching for Dual Pistols was my idea:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=135484
My opinion of the Shard - beautiful, oodles of potential, but empty as heck. Throw in a few story contacts in there, rework the taskforces to incorporate the post-Statesman game improvements, and if you can get away with it, throw in optional PvP in all the Shard zones.
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My opinion of the Shard - beautiful, oodles of potential, but empty as heck. Throw in a few story contacts in there, rework the taskforces to incorporate the post-Statesman game improvements, and if you can get away with it, throw in optional PvP in all the Shard zones.
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Optional, as in the default is ALWAYS off unless you choose to toggle it on, then sure.
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One idea I had was to add 3 shard zones that were villain side only that dealt with the other aspects of Rularuu, plus one Co-Op zone where the idea was to have a Co-Op Raid versus the 200-foot tall version of Rularuu.
[/ QUOTE ]4 villain-only zones (include villain counterpart to FBZ), and the co-existant zone needs to deal with the 4th missing aspect (there are 7 aspects, and we only have 3), and you've got a suggestion that I've posted several times.
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt
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One idea I had was to add 3 shard zones that were villain side only that dealt with the other aspects of Rularuu, plus one Co-Op zone where the idea was to have a Co-Op Raid versus the 200-foot tall version of Rularuu.
[/ QUOTE ]4 villain-only zones (include villain counterpart to FBZ), and the co-existant zone needs to deal with the 4th missing aspect (there are 7 aspects, and we only have 3), and you've got a suggestion that I've posted several times.
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This is all similar to an idea I've posted a few times as well. The only real difference is that I've suggested both a co-op and and a PvP zone. The PvP zone would be centered aruond something coveted by both good and evil sides, for which they compete. The co-op zone would be heroes and villains teaming together to deal with a much larger threat, which would be Rularuu himself.
Oh yeah, I remember the other idea I had... open up access to Nemesis' base in the Shadow Shard, to both sides. They could put in a link to the Rikti homeworld from there.
I'd like to keep PvP out of the Shard, because enabling PvP in a zone alters the rules of the game pretty much fundamentally, and I'm not interested in learning how the PvP rules work if I'm not interested in engaging in PvP. And I'm not. The Shard is a whole dimension. It ought to be big enough for everybody.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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The lack of replies is probably due to the aforementioned large amount of times it has been suggested.
... personally, I think they need to redo it to get villains involved. Possibly with PvP.
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I could definately see this as a possibility and who knows it might even spark the Dev's interest. Turn the Shard into a Coop zone allowing heros and villains another opportunity to join forces... it would give villains access to 4 more TFS (SFS) (with some revamping since some ATM do send heros back to Paragon City itself), open up more unlockable weapons to them, and with the addition of a few story ARCS add more and varied content for both sides from 40 level on up. Not a huge fan of PvP and there are already 4 zones for that. access for heros already exists so all they'd need to do is add access COV side. Hey they could even leave the TFs alone and simply add a few new ones designed solely for villains.. that would make it possible for heros and villains to team on contact missions and still give each side it's own unique TF/SFs to enjoy. Possibly add a 5th that both sides could join in together.
Hey the current trend in NEW zones has been Coop since it provides content to both sides at omce so why not?
�We�re always the good guys. In D&D, we�re lawful good. In City of Heroes we�re the heroes. In Grand Theft Auto we pay the prostitutes promptly and never hit them with a bat.� � Leonard
�Those women are prostitutes? You said they were raising money for stem cell research!� � Sheldon
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I'd like to keep PvP out of the Shard, because enabling PvP in a zone alters the rules of the game pretty much fundamentally, and I'm not interested in learning how the PvP rules work if I'm not interested in engaging in PvP. And I'm not. The Shard is a whole dimension. It ought to be big enough for everybody.
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But I am occasionally curious about PvP. Despite what the doomsayers love to reiterate time and again, PvP does still happen in this game. That's why I suggested both a PvP and a co-op zone, so that everyone could be happy! I think it could work thematically.
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Greatest suggestion in 5 years, even if it's been suggested time and time again. I'd say roughly only 20% of the player base even knows about the shard (although ironically about 80%+ know of ouroboros). Those that do know of it have been wishing for years that the devs could put more time into it. But, with many other side projects going on, the shadow shard keeps eluding them, issue after issue, booster after booster.
I say the players need to get the word out about the shard, so we can get more people to nudge the devs in the right (IMO) direction. If they see that an overwhelming amount of the player base is interested, we might get that change we've been looking for the last few years.
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oddly, i've been playing since i7 and have never been to the shadow shard. never been on a team that was going there either, and i've spent the majority of my game time teaming.
on the other hand, it never even occured to me to go there and check it out while soloing... perhaps i will do that soon, just to see it 
I've been doing some of the TFs in the Shard as of late, and it is a beautiful zone badly in need of an overhaul of content.
Given how Rularuu is far more of a threat than the rikti ever will be, I'd think it'd make a good co-op zone. With villains having some villain specific content too where they can cash in on Rularuu's power like many of the villain groups are currently doing in canon.
Infatum on Virtueverse
I pulled out my 47 level Tank tonight and decided to head for 48. After a few radios and such I was looking for something a little different so I headed for Firebase Zulu. It had been quite a while since I had visited the Shadow Shard and I figured it might be fun. I figured I'd run a few arc, maybe pick up some added merits and level up. Well I started with Hammond and then the missions started to repeat with NO arc??? I went to Paragon Wiki and "SUPRISE" aside from the TF contacts not one contact in the Shard HAS a story arc.
Feel free to use that because it certainly fits!
This is a fascinating looking zone with completely uniques villains seen no where else in the game, the invasion of Paragon City when they first became available aside, and it just seems like someone could put a bit more effort into the missions available there.
Now it was by no means a horrible experience .. I did manage to level tonight and the recipe and salvage drops were great. In addition I was able to add more than 25 Fake Nemesis to my total since I hunted them between cave door missions. This is also a good place to find Paragon Protectors .. but everyone already knew both those facts anyway.
Seems to me like this would provide the perfect opportunity for the Devs to add more 40+ content to the game without having to create another entirely new zone.
And now to share a comment from a good friend I was chatting with between missions. I made a comment about how it made perfect sense for Crey and Nemesis to be present in the Shard. I'll even give them the Council since they seek to dominate everywhere. My question was.. what possible reason is there for the Circle of Thorns being there?
His reply... "They are like roaches they show up everwhere." At that point we came up with a new name COTROACHES! lol
�We�re always the good guys. In D&D, we�re lawful good. In City of Heroes we�re the heroes. In Grand Theft Auto we pay the prostitutes promptly and never hit them with a bat.� � Leonard
�Those women are prostitutes? You said they were raising money for stem cell research!� � Sheldon