How is the game SUPPOSED to be played?
By
Blademan,
Posted on: 2008-06-10 18:27 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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You can socialise continuously in an MMO without ever teaming with people - some people like to solo while at the same time being able to chat to their friends (who may or may not also be soloing). I know tons of people who play like that - I do for about 10-20% of my online time.
Or don't chat channels count for your narrow definition of how MMOs should be played?
I suggest you look back at the root of the MMO genre - MUDs - before you answer, just to avoid looking silly.
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I have not told people how to play anything actually. The definition used, is as broad or as narrow as you want it to be.
It can be argued that if your soloing was done in SG mode, this would have a more tangible "multiplayer" effect than random chat.
How chat relate to game play is a matter of context. A team channel would technically be more close to actual game play, because of the need for the exchange of information directly associated with the game. But then you would not be solo.
Many of the old school multi user dungeons was somewhat less forgiving when it came to off-topic conversations, a distant similarity with enforced role playing servers in some MMORPGS. Apart from the fact you can get away with murder today, of course. And we have a distinct graphical representation of the game world now.
In older MMO's, like Ultima Online, we used external chat programs, because the in-game options was somewhat limited. It was mostly used in a capacity you would describe as "team chat" here. Although you could direct the chat out of game if you wanted.
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OMG, a bunch of naked heroes with Ice Cream, chocolate sprinkles or with thongs having a pina colada :S
Scaring
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...
Sounds like a normal day at the office to me. 
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You work at Wildstorm Comics? I thought their heroes had to wear more clothes now that stuffy old DC has taken them over
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Upside down.
In space.
On fire.
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Godammit, I hadn't read this thread yet, and you already stole two of my ideas for witty replies.
Well, I think the game should be played USING THE POWER OF YOUR MIND.[/Xavier]
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The focus of this game is interaction, including team play.
[/ QUOTE ]Multiplayer != Co-op
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The reason for bringing this game online is so people can hook up and play *with* other people.
[/ QUOTE ]Should they wish to do so. The core gameplay works fine solo however, and teammates simply add to that.
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The true spirit of gaming would be to have fun but don't intentionally ruin other peoples fun.
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Which I'd guess is pretty much the intention of NC and the devs, given that players having fun = players who keep subscribing.
I imagine that any nerfs and buffs performed by devs and perceived as anti-farming are not so much pure anti-farming per se as trying to avoid the situation where farming (or any other form of play) can unbalance the game and decrease the fun/enjoyment being had by any other group of players.
If everyone (as in absolutely everyone) really enjoyed farming then the devs would probably encourage it - as anything else wouldn't necessarily make good business sense.
Broadly interpreted even the EULA terms regarding copyright infringement could be interpreted as pro-fun rules, if we assume that NC being sued over copyright negatively impacts the games revenue/longevity and leads to a lack of updates/support, inevitably l;eading to less fun/more dissatisfaction with the game.
Of course, protecting revenue is probably why those terms are in the EULA... but we can generously interpret them with a little imagination. Heck - I had fun doing so, anyway.
That's better - long day at work dealing with the neurologically-challenged.. I had to get the urge to babble rubbish out of me. Sorry to foist it on you all, but it really was fun at my end! 
By my mohawk shall ye know me!
my toons
Funny: Ee-Ai-Ee-Ai-Oh! #3662 * The foul-mouthed Handyman! #1076 * City of Norms #132944
Serious: To Save A Single World (#83744) * Marketing Opportunity (#83747)
To address the points raised by the OP. here's my 2p, and I've only read the first 20 posts, so apologies if I've repeated something already mentioned.
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*No Farming
[/ QUOTE ]Yes and No. Without farming AH/BM prices would be a lot different than they are now. On the other hand, it would stop all the filling requests, maybe they should have a sepearte channel for this.
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*No Fast levelling past the lvls you've done a million times
[/ QUOTE ]IMO this would be a good point. My gaming experience (as said by many others) is about the journey, not the destination.
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*No filling the market with a ton of items you deem useless
[/ QUOTE ]These items will still find their way back into the populus, even if you could only sell them to stores, rather than the AH/BM.
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*No Overpaying an item YOU want because it makes it harder for others.
[/ QUOTE ]Not everyone is patient, an willing to wait for prices to drop. Bored of saying this, but Supply and Demand dictate prices.
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*No smacktalk in pvp zones/arena
[/ QUOTE ]This is a lot better now than it has been in the past. But it still is prevalent. Who cares if you beat me? (pwned your **** etc), but if I beat you (where [u]you[u] is the PvP expert), then the moaning begins
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*No PUG's
[/ QUOTE ]Without PUGs, no-one would ever have any friends, as this is how it all begins. PUGs can be more fun than friend teams on occassion, but can also be far worse
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*No playing to your strengths in teams, you MUST listen to whatever the captain says at all times regardless whether theyr right or wrong.
[/ QUOTE ]Depends on the team, some teams (depending on ATs) need cajoling into what works and what doesn't. Chaotic teams where evryone does what they like, can be fun, or a nightmare. Would never run a TF with a chaotic team, as I'd quit after 30 mins and probably flame someone in the meantime. Chaotic teams can be very frustrating, at the best of times.
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*No moaning on the forums (does this count as a moan? 
hehe)
[/ QUOTE ]Some people see moaning as unhelpful. However I don't see it as moaning if 2 people have a difference of opinion. We are all entitled to an opinion whether it conforms to others opinion, or goes against it. Moaning is a state of mind.
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*Everyone should leave the mechs in RV alone until I let them have it.
[/ QUOTE ]The mechs aren't as powerful now as they used to be, with no capability for regen, sb etc... This experience has been improved since this aspect was removed in my opinion, as it brought PvP back towards an even footing.
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*More penalties for death even though a lot of people complain when they do currently die (im pro more penalties btw, debt needs to be doubled at least).
[/ QUOTE ]the revamp on debt was one of the worse things to be "improved". Bring back debt from lvl 5, increased debt 4 fold, give stronger penalties for being defeated in PvE.
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*No farmers in the game because they ruin the late lvls for us because the devs nerfed the family!!! Farmers screwed the TRUE players of the game! Yet afaik isnt there just the ONE family mish?
[/ QUOTE ]see first point above.
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*People should only use atlas broadcast to say when they're lft or to announce important things, doesn't matter that some people use it to start a convo off in the zone and to make new friends. We have to play the way THEY want too.
[/ QUOTE ]lft is fine, general help is fine, but for a chat please use local channel.
Main 50 & Badger Nine Claws Claws/Regen/Body
Other 50's Ph10x Brute Unjust Law Tanker Samantha Urai Scrapper Codename 1250 Scrapper
Cepheus Defender Nilus Scrapper Electro Field Blaster S.PONGE Tanker
Not to pick, but just a couple of things.
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*No Fast levelling past the lvls you've done a million times
[/ QUOTE ]IMO this would be a good point. My gaming experience (as said by many others) is about the journey, not the destination.
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Generally mine is too, but isnt it a bit of a sweeping generalisation to apply this to everyone? Personally I have no issue at all with PvPers power-levelling through the PvE when all they care about is the PvP, even though I wouldnt play like that - and I dont see why others should care either, as long as those PvPers arent hassling people rudely with filler requests or otherwise ruining your gameplay directly.
Also I personally have played through a lot of the mission content on both sides 2, 3, 4, and often over a dozen times - if I wanted to skip past some of it to fresher content by grinding, street sweeping or by whatever means - and especially if I was playing an archtype/powersets I already knew well enough how to play - then why shouldn't I? (In fact I have, in some level ranges - especially the lower level content I know almost by rote).
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Without PUGs, no-one would ever have any friends, as this is how it all begins.
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Wow, you really like your sweeping generalisations Hardly any of my friends that Ive played with in 10 years of MMOs have been made through PuGs - lots have been real-life friends, others have been friends of friends, some have been people I just got chatting to in a global channel or Wentworths/BM or because I liked their character bio (or they liked mine), and some have been members of guilds Ive joined (thinking mainly of other MMOs here) who I grouped with after I became friends with them. Sure, Ive made friends in PuGs, but that has hardly been the only way and not even the main way.
I do agree with you absolutely on a lot of your other points, but these two statements did stand out to me as a bit biased and preachy, even in context.
Only using Brawl with a character with no details at all, muted sound, hidden from everything and super speed to avoid anyone who approach you. +ban uk.boards.cityofheroes.com in your firewall.
I solo a lot during days, whilst chatting in SG global channels. I enjoy solo play, sometimes I'd rather just have my own company than some of the idiots out there.
I like to do TFs so team quite often for those on evenings. 2 evenings per week I am in fixed teams in which we chat on Vent whilst playing.
Nowadays I like to PL my alts (I have 2 accounts and involve no one else) to 22 to avoid the drudgery of low levels.
Oh look the game can be played, and enjoyed, in different ways. There is no right or wrong way. Those that criticise soloing need to lghten up. Those that criticise farming/PLing need to lighten up etc etc
I've been soloing this game for the past 33 months, only recently did I care about teaming, and that's only on Blasters who need the meatshields. At the moment I'm hammering my Brute, King Khorak, up to 50. Solo.
Anyone telling me I need to team in this game can shove a flagpole up their backside.
Chairman of the Charity of Pain; accepting donations of blood and guts.
Prophet of the Creamy Truth; "If it's empty, fill it with cream."
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I've been soloing this game for the past 33 months, only recently did I care about teaming, and that's only on Blasters who need the meatshields. At the moment I'm hammering my Brute, King Khorak, up to 50. Solo.
[/ QUOTE ]I've been almost soloing for 36 months now (especially from 6.30am-8am every morning before work). However, I tend to play in teams more than I ever did, mainly due to (1) How the game has evolved for the better (2) With friends (3) Crazy PuGs and (4) By needing the TF badges, LOL. So I know where you're coming from, Khorak!
And to answer Valkryst on their previous post. I was summarising my answers, to try and keep the post short, hence why they seem more like generalisations, than a direct opinion. Yes, you're right PLing through certain levels could be a benefit, as the first 20 levels in CoH are a bit of a grind really, and CoV is a grind to lvl 30 as the choice of contacts is way limited than that of heroes. I'm not really that bothered about PLing as there is far more to whinge about than that alone, but for those that do it frequently, then (to me at least) it seems like a hollow victory, and that I have cheated my way to a higher level.
The second point about PuGs was definitely a wide sweeping generalisation. However, a lot of my initial friends came from one very good PuG team, which then lead me onto being a part of a SG, and benefitting from coalitions. But I have also made friends ingame from chatting more than gameplay. However, I have no RL friends outside of CoX, that play this game... and if I was to see a psychologist, I'd probably admit to being a bit embarassed about playing a MMORPG at the age of 35, when most of my friends have families, wine evenings and dinner parties. But then again that's the child in me, that I long to embrace. I am more addicted to CoX, than Alcohol, Drugs (any kind) or Gambling!
Main 50 & Badger Nine Claws Claws/Regen/Body
Other 50's Ph10x Brute Unjust Law Tanker Samantha Urai Scrapper Codename 1250 Scrapper
Cepheus Defender Nilus Scrapper Electro Field Blaster S.PONGE Tanker
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Obv saying "I pay my sub and pay how I want" is within reason and to me if someones not pulling their weight in a team or simply doing something thats not quite right IE blasting endlessly with an empath, you tell them and give thema subtle hint...if this continues the chances are they won't be invited to the team again. I didn't use to mind polite farmers who would send an overly nice tell asking me to fill, I simply replied nicely back. But this new breed (new to me anyway) who are simply rude and dont even ask or tell you whats going on and then kick you when they've used you really gets me. So much so I if I'm invited to a team and all the team are white I check where they are, if they're in zones way above my lev I quit.
Anyways being a liberal larry I don't mind what people do unless it spoils my game and thats usually in a team. 'On Liberty' by John Stuart Mill could easily be re-written and called 'On MMORPGs'
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The only question i have is "Isn't the fact they play how they want and maybe have not teamed before mean that they wont know what they are doing?". Ive played MMO's a long time, i know my place in partys after spending 9 yeras in varied MMO's as a priest/healer. Since a lot of the classes in heroes/villians are attacking/buffing. Would i be considered wrong ot do things "badly" in a party then?
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Only if you were doing the complete opposite to what you were invited for in the first place. I.E Not healing/buffing or debuffing at all and just blasting (and you're a defender). Or you're a lev 35 scrapper with 5 primary and secondary powers in total and the rest are pool powers including 3 travel powers....then i'd say something was wrong.
Both those examples are people I've teamed with and I've helped them out, the first was a pure rad defender that wanted to blast rather than de/buff and then complained that his powers sucked. I simply asked what he wanted to do and the reply was "kill things" I pointed him to the villain side where corrs are more blasty (hence their primes are attacks).
I too have spent far too much time playing MMORPG's and know my place in a tema and what my AT is meant to be doing, there are those that are new and don't I simply let them know and point them in the direction of an AT that's more for them.
@SkullFester
I'm not changing this signature until I'm proclaimed 'King of the World'.
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And to answer Valkryst on their previous post. I was summarising my answers, to try and keep the post short, hence why they seem more like generalisations
[/ QUOTE ]I know, Im just allergic to generalisations, so I felt it was worth contradicting in a constructive way. After all, generalisations trigger the vast majority of flame wars on forums.
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The second point about PuGs was definitely a wide sweeping generalisation. However, a lot of my initial friends came from one very good PuG team, which then lead me onto being a part of a SG
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Yeah I think a lot of players had that kind of experience early-on in most MMOs they've played - I certainly have - I think lots of people start an MMO more open-minded to making new friends than once theyre established. In most MMOs those new early friendships have lasted me all the way to the end of my time there, but for some reason on CoH/V most of my friends have quit - so did I, but I came back - yet this game has a lot of "churn" so I expect some will return (now if only the global bug hadn't wiped my gfriends list...).
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if I was to see a psychologist, I'd probably admit to being a bit embarassed about playing a MMORPG at the age of 35, when most of my friends have families, wine evenings and dinner parties. But then again that's the child in me, that I long to embrace. I am more addicted to CoX, than Alcohol, Drugs (any kind) or Gambling!
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I'm the same age as you. I've done the whole dinner party thing. I also had a few years... ok, most of a decade... where 90% of my evenings were spent in bars/clubs. Its fun for a while, but it can become a habitual chore, like anything. Don't let the whole social conformity thing get to you. CoH/V can be just as fun and social (if not moreso) - as a bonus it doesn't give you a hangover or liver failure either 
I don't feel like I'm missing much.
Though variety is good - I probably spend more evenings playing CoH/V than I should (around that 90% mark I mentioned earlier, heh), but it's cheaper and safer than drinking yourself silly, or many other hobbies I've been into (including sailing, wargaming, shooting, windsurfing and p&p rping). The only drawback I see with MMOs is that the only exercise I get is in my clicking/typing fingers
But here gaming in general has become a lot more socially acceptable than it used to be even 5 years ago, so I don't feel any "shame" about it. MMOs are a lot more social than vegetating in front of a TV all evening (which is what most of my friends with their own families do nowadays - heck, it's what most of my own family do). Nobody even batted an eyelid at a family dinner party recently when my mother's 55ish year old friend pulled out her Nintendo DS and started playing it (my mother wants one now, lol), and my mother has often caught my PC-hating father (who is in his 60s, like her) playing some of my brother's old PC games on their PC. Gaming is here to stay - give it a couple of decades and gaming will be more popular than TV with the masses.
[EDITED to remove a generalisation <slaps self>]
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I'd probably admit to being a bit embarassed about playing a MMORPG at the age of 35, when most of my friends have families
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I wouldn't be...infact in WoW almost my entire guild is composed of people over the age of 30, I'm the youngster of the guild at 24 with the youngest being 20, it's why we're a casual guild doing the whole three nights a week for only a couple of hours at a time. People have lives, infact one guy missed a raid tonight because he fell asleep after looking after his kids all day (they had a family outing), there was no complaints just "awww ain't that cute" kind of remarks.
Lots of people at thirty and beyond play MMOs so it's nothing to be ashamed of.
Badge Earned: Wing Clipper
A real showstopper!
The issue a lot of people have is the difference between offering advice and flat out telling people how to play.
Example :- "Hey, personaly, id of put more sockets in "Power A" then "Power B", you'd get a better output"
Example B :- "Seriously, why do you have that? that sucks! I don't care if its part of your prime powers, you shouldn't have it. Its a waste"
This is with the example i have with my MM. I have "personal attacks", is it a issue to ANYONE if a MM deals damage? You know. To keep himself maybe ALIVE during times when his pets do die? Its rare but i like to attack too. Im not the type of MM that wants to sit in a chair all day drinking coffee while Curly, Larry and Mo do all the work. I want to do SOME damage too. Even if its tiny.
Ive had 9 people not offer advice, flat out TELL me im a waste of a mastermind. Not "You wrong to pick that" or "What a waste of points", a flat out WASTE OF A MASTERMIND.
This is NOT how to make friends and influance people. It might be a waste, but it is my waste and it does not remove from my classes main job of debuff/buff and pet damage. Thus, i am not hurting anything or anyone. leave me alone.
So, the way it should be played. Offer advice if you think you need to but don't shout at someone for geting it wrong. If they are making it hard on your party, INFORM THEM do NOT shout at them.
Seem simple enough?
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if I was to see a psychologist, I'd probably admit to being a bit embarassed about playing a MMORPG at the age of 35, when most of my friends have families, wine evenings and dinner parties. But then again that's the child in me, that I long to embrace. I am more addicted to CoX, than Alcohol, Drugs (any kind) or Gambling!
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I'm the same age as you. I've done the whole dinner party thing. I also had a few years... ok, most of a decade... where 90% of my evenings were spent in bars/clubs. It&#8217;s fun for a while, but it can become a habitual chore, like anything. Don't let the whole &#8220;social conformity&#8221; thing get to you. CoH/V can be just as fun and social (if not moreso) - as a bonus it doesn't give you a hangover or liver failure either I don't feel like I'm missing much.
Though variety is good - I probably spend more evenings playing CoH/V than I should (around that 90% mark I mentioned earlier, heh), but it's cheaper and safer than drinking yourself silly, or many other hobbies I've been into (including sailing, wargaming, shooting, windsurfing and p&p rp&#8217;ing). The only drawback I see with MMOs is that the only exercise I get is in my clicking/typing fingers
But here gaming in general has become a lot more socially acceptable than it used to be even 5 years ago, so I don't feel any "shame" about it. MMOs are a lot more social than vegetating in front of a TV all evening (which is what most of my friends with their own families do nowadays - heck, it's what most of my own family do). Nobody even batted an eyelid at a family dinner party recently when my mother's 55ish year old friend pulled out her Nintendo DS and started playing it (my mother wants one now, lol), and my mother has often caught my PC-hating father (who is in his 60s, like her) playing some of my brother's old PC games on their PC. Gaming is here to stay - give it a couple of decades and gaming will be more popular than TV with the masses.
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Agree 100%. I did the clubbing thing in my 20s. After a while it gets boring every week (although I still try and do it occasionally). And I frequently do the dinner party thing (although I hate the name. I just make dinner, people come over, we eat and drink etc and have a laugh). And if there's a Wii about generally it'll turn into a bowling match or round of Mariocart.
Nowadays, since so many of my friends have moved away MMOs (or Friday Night Team Fortress 2 with rum and team speak) is a great way to stay in touch. Much better than vegging out in front of a telly and watching some awful show.
And my mum and my girlfriends mum have also caught the DS bug. Its spreading!
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Seem simple enough?
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If you and a few others in this thread didnt have bad luck with teams, you wouldnt have any luck at all.
In 4 years of playing this here and in america, i aint SEEN 9 people slagging people of in teams for builds, let alone been the victim of them.
Iv seen plenty people moaning about play style but not builds, has it really got that bad?
Join a decent SG mate, save ya self any more pain.
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If I was to see a psychologist, I'd probably admit to being a bit embarassed about playing a MMORPG at the age of 35, when most of my friends have families, wine evenings and dinner parties. But then again that's the child in me, that I long to embrace. I am more addicted to CoX, than Alcohol, Drugs (any kind) or Gambling!
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I'm the same age as you. I've done the whole dinner party thing. I also had a few years... ok, most of a decade... where 90% of my evenings were spent in bars/clubs. It's fun for a while, but it can become a habitual chore, like anything. Don't let the whole social conformity thing get to you. CoH/V can be just as fun and social (if not more so) - as a bonus it doesn't give you a hangover or liver failure either I don't feel like I'm missing much.
Though variety is good - I probably spend more evenings playing CoH/V than I should (around that 90% mark I mentioned earlier, heh), but it's cheaper and safer than drinking yourself silly, or many other hobbies I've been into (including sailing, wargaming, shooting, windsurfing and p&p rp&#8217;ing). The only drawback I see with MMOs is that the only exercise I get is in my clicking/typing fingers
But here gaming in general has become a lot more socially acceptable than it used to be even 5 years ago, so I don't feel any "shame" about it. MMOs are a lot more social than vegetating in front of a TV all evening (which is what most of my friends with their own families do nowadays - heck, it's what most of my own family do). Nobody even batted an eyelid at a family dinner party recently when my mother's 55ish year old friend pulled out her Nintendo DS and started playing it (my mother wants one now, lol), and my mother has often caught my PC-hating father (who is in his 60s, like her) playing some of my brother's old PC games on their PC. Gaming is here to stay - give it a couple of decades and gaming will be more popular than TV with the masses.
[/ QUOTE ]Agree 100%. I did the clubbing thing in my 20s. After a while it gets boring every week (although I still try and do it occasionally). And I frequently do the dinner party thing (although I hate the name. I just make dinner, people come over, we eat and drink etc and have a laugh). And if there's a Wii about generally it'll turn into a bowling match or round of Mariocart.
Nowadays, since so many of my friends have moved away MMOs (or Friday Night Team Fortress 2 with rum and team speak) is a great way to stay in touch. Much better than vegging out in front of a telly and watching some awful show.
And my mum and my girlfriends mum have also caught the DS bug. Its spreading!
[/ QUOTE ]I should mention the way I play the game could be interpreted as embarassing, as the statistician in me always takes control. Since i9 came out, I have recorded (via pen+paper) exactly how much invention salvage has dropped over all my characters on my 1 account. I could also tell you what badge I earnt, on what character, and when (at least 9 times out of 10 anyway). Not too mention having all the information to hand of what components are needed for what badges. Starting to sound very a.n.a.l. retentive now, so better stop!
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This is with the example I have with my MM. I have "personal attacks", is it a issue to ANYONE if a MM deals damage? You know. To keep himself maybe ALIVE during times when his pets do die? Its rare but I like to attack too. Im not the type of MM that wants to sit in a chair all day drinking coffee while Curly, Larry and Mo do all the work. I want to do SOME damage too. Even if its tiny.
[/ QUOTE ]That is the same way I play my MM's Mechwolfos. I have a Necro/Posion, that has to join in the fight so that debuffs work and to hold foes, so I'm constantly attacking with power like Gloom, Envenom, Weaken, Paralytic Poison and so on... My Thugs/FF comes from the same mould too, often attacking with powers like Pistols and Dual Wield... and I will put Empty Clips into my build too eventually.
In summary, you should basically play the way you want to. If that doesn't fit with the team's ethic, then quit that team, and join another one that will let you express yourself and your abilities, in the manner you wish too.
Main 50 & Badger Nine Claws Claws/Regen/Body
Other 50's Ph10x Brute Unjust Law Tanker Samantha Urai Scrapper Codename 1250 Scrapper
Cepheus Defender Nilus Scrapper Electro Field Blaster S.PONGE Tanker
Nine_Claws If you're worried about playing CoX at 35 what about me at 56 I've even got my wife playing now
Far more fun then talking to the same boring people at another party
As for PUGs I still join them and some are very good and some are awful but hey I can quit the bad ones 
I also do a lot of solo my Scrapper was solo almost all the way to 50 (1.1 million prestige and counting)
As for how you should play it's simple have fun and don't upset other people to much
Happy to be on Defiant.
Global name @mereman
Member of P.E.R.C. Representing Defiant
Alts http://cit.cohtitan.com/profile/4488
CoH faces http://faces.cohtitan.com/profile/mereman
My $0.02? Farm, don't farm; PVP, don't PVP; team, don't team. Play it however you choose to while adhering to the EULA. This ones a no-brainer.
To those who dismiss solo play as "not the point" - well, you're wrong, being able to "pick up and play" solo has always been part of the core design vision of CoX. It's there as an OPTION for people who CHOOSE to play that way. There are merits and pitfalls for solo vs group play, but honestly that's another thread's work.
For the record I've spent long long periods in CoX over the years both exclusively in teams and exclusively solo; they're different experiences which can appeal to different people.
Lately I'm 100% solo - not by choice - but I find it plenty enjoyable and good fun casual play.
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I should mention the way I play the game could be interpreted as embarassing, as the statistician in me always takes control. Since i9 came out, I have recorded (via pen+paper) exactly how much invention salvage has dropped over all my characters on my 1 account. I could also tell you what badge I earnt, on what character, and when (at least 9 times out of 10 anyway). Not too mention having all the information to hand of what components are needed for what badges. Starting to sound very a.n.a.l. retentive now, so better stop!
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Thats not embarrassing - Im a part-time statistician and Excel-junkie myself My particular CoH/V obsession is making up lists and information sheets, both in Excel and Word, with every piece of information I might possibly need while playing to maximise my efficiency. E.g. one summarises every contact in both sides of the game and what arcs/EBs/AVs/badges they have, another lists all the badges needed for accolades with a column for each of my characters (so I can tick off what they've got), another just has general info like which factions drop tech or arcane salvage or the levels/side-tasks/factions in every mayhem/safeguard mission. And there are loads more. I have a huge folder with similar sheets from all of the other MMOs Ive played over the last 10 years.
Perhaps my worst CoH/V obsession is that I can't play a character until I've planned out all of their power choices to L50, and what IOs Ill have slotted into them by L50, typed it up and printed it out. Even once that's done I can't create them until I've written a bio I like, then it's just a matter of an hour or two in the character creator tweaking their costume to perfection
Everyone gets obsessive about something. I've had friends who were obsessive about sport on TV, obsessive about collecting things, obsessive about clothes, or whatever. Anything can be viewed as sad or boring by someone else, but don't let it bother you - do what makes you happy - don't feel guilt because youre not conforming to what other people expect. Conformists dont know what theyre doing anyway - thats why they conform - because its easy.
And on the age thing, Im not at all surprised to see someone like mereman playing CoH/V aged 56. My EQ1/EQ2 /DAoC guilds and my Planetside outfit all had players older than me in them - even players in their 50s and 60s - although in my experience the majority were in their late 20s or in their 30s.
Oh and Carnifax, I agree completely - and in the past Ive used MMOs the same way, to stay in touch with people.
I wont play a character that I cant plan a bbuild I'm happy with from 1-50 anymore. I wont stick to that build, or half the time pay attention to it, but I need to know I can make something I'm happy with. This comes back a Warshade and a Dominator which I wish I'd used the time elsewhere. I'm really glad I picked Ice primary on my dominator, but I wish I'd picked a secondary that I liked less so that slotting and power choices would be easieer and I wouldn't be wanting to 6 slot everything.
Simularly I wish I'd never rolled a warshade because I cant get the all human build I want till the late 30s and I find the other two forms imensely dull
So yeah perfectly understandable obsessions. I also wont create a character I cant think of a name or costume to go with concept wise
"Well, they found my diary today.
They were appropriately appalled
at the discovery of the eight victims
They're now putting it all together.
Women wrapped in silk
with one leg missing
Eight legs, one body, silk,
spider, brilliant!"
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I wont play a character that I cant plan a bbuild I'm happy with from 1-50 anymore. I wont stick to that build, or half the time pay attention to it, but I need to know I can make something I'm happy with.
[/ QUOTE ]This, pretty much.
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OMG, a bunch of naked heroes with Ice Cream, chocolate sprinkles or with thongs having a pina colada :S
Scaring
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...
Sounds like a normal day at the office to me.
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.