D_R's 6th Anniversary Commemorative Video, as promised...

To cap off Anniversary Week for CITY OF HEROES, I offer for your viewing enjoyment "Retrospective," which takes you through six years, seventeen issues, and three releases of CITY OF HEROES!

To the best of my ability, I tried to keep things as appropriate to the timeline as I could. Human nature being what it is, though, you may occasionally see something that is 'anachronistic.' To that end, I claim the Rule of Cool (look it up on TvTropes.org). Also, little cameos and references abound in this video - see if you can spot them all!

(For those who prefer to download my videos, you can find "Retrospective" on the Videos page of my website.)

*****

If you like this video, please post it on your Twitter, blogs, LJ, MySpace, whatever. Let's see how far we can spread the word about our MMORPG that's made it six years and is still going strong.

*****

And I'm sorry to have made my fans wait - real life has gone from 'problematic' to 'hell.'

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

EDIT: Lest my ego go unchecked, here is the painful list of the anachronisms and mistakes in the video. Thank you to everyone who has been pointing them out.

Valkyrie Cape in i2, IOs in i3, Tinted Dark Red Energy Blast in i4, Magic Pack costume pieces in i8, Ground Punch alternative animation for Foot Stomp in 10, No WP in i11, No VEAT action in i12, haloes in i2, combat auras in i2, Port Oakes in i4, the Monkey Cage map in i4, villain body scale in i4, Dual Pistols in i7, Valkyrie armor in i7, Vanguard armor in i8, the Wedding pack in i8, Vanguard armor in i9, Coralax and Legacy Chain in the Hollows in i12, Mission Architect tickets in i13, Customizable powers in i13, Time Capsule letters in i15...

I do make mistakes. I'm human, and I'm sorry.

Woohoo, first after a D_R

Just finished watching the You Tube version. Good job as always. Loved the sync between the shots and music.

It was worth the wait. Sorry to hear about RL troubles.

Very nice!! Great job on the vid.

Amazing as always Sammi!

If I weren't already hooked, I'd wanna play!

Casual player question: What are the handwritten pages at TC: 4:30?

Sad to hear about the RL issues, Sammy =/ never a good thing.

But at least your vid quality hasn't gone anywhere...except maybe up even more. It's a belter. I LOVED the I6 part with Recluse on all his spider legs, giving the camera evils. Pure win.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwillinger GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain_Photon NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.

Great as always, however I feel I should mention that I'm worried that the flashing at one point might be a problem with people who have epilepsy...

I don't know if it will, but it made my eyes twitch and I don't have epilepsy.

Wow... amazing...

I literally had tears of nostalgia in my eyes... even tho' I've only been around since Issue 10.

Another exemplary job, milady!

I send you all my well-wishes that your real life situation improves. Just keep in mind that art is the life-support system for the soul... and what you do is most DEFINITELY art.

You're the second person to tell me they got emotional watching this. Didn't think it was THAT profound, but hey, if you guys like it, who am I to argue?

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Wow Biggest File size of em all. Save the Panel Vid.


I can't wait...to watch.

EDIT: I have to say Mich awesome awesome work.

Loved it... now tell life to stop being hell. It's supposed to listen to you, right?

See my Guides and Tutorials

Awesome job as always! And still a little terrifying to think that I've been around since issue 4...

Great video, as someone else mentioned the music and video matched perfectly.

I especially liked the (tm) you added for Issue: 19.

Most Friggin' AWESWEETASTIC, Samuraiko!! Thanks for the great perspective!!

And I hope life gets better for you very soon.

[ ProTip: The banner is a link to art refs!! | The Khellection | The HBAS Repository | Brute Guides (4/16/10) | How To Post An Image - A Quick Guide ]
Biggest Troll on the forums? I'll give you a hint:

Nicely done Michelle.

Rated and Faved...

Thank you for the time...

@Travlr (Main) / @Tymers Realm (Test)

Huh... I don't know why I keep going into these videos with such low expectations when they impress me every time. I guess I'll have to learn sooner or later, but hot dang! Given the subject matter, that was one impressive movie! I honestly didn't think it was possible, given that some of these Issues just don't have much to make a video out of, but I am more than impressed.

I have to join the gaggle of people who felt emotional at the video, but I can say exactly why that is. The last bit "And soon: Incarnates!" really did it for me, especially when it was preceded with that excellent framing of an Ember Demon emerging to the backdrop of Bat'Zul's cave. But really, it's the image of the Statesman standing tall and proud by the American flag that seals the deal. It's like: "You've been getting all of these great things, but now it's time for the big one. This is the world's greatest hero. This is what you are going to be." And then we see Recluse and the realisation strikes: "This is getting serious!"

I CANNOT think of a better way to end a video on such a high and impressive note. Good job all the way!

Quote:

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.

I really need to expand my vocabulary, Michelle, because calling your latest video "fabulous" has become entirely too predictable a response by this point.

Great video as always, D_R! As someone as I've said to you before who's just getting into this and has run into innumerable issues (not the least of which being that I lost my original copy of Adobe Premiere Pro, and have been really making do with Windows Movie Maker, which is a major step down, let me tell you), you're an inspiration.

Flat out.

This is the sort of stuff I aspire to and hope that I'll get the chance to take some proper cracks at in the future, so don't let life get too hellish, or take some time to beat it back with a heavy mace. I've found that works for me.

Great video again.

S.

Simply awesome. Your videos never cease to impress me.

Amazing job as always.....your videos always blow me away....you think I would get used to them by now but there is always something that blows my mind!!!

You know, this is why I didn't worry much when CO came out, and why I don't worry much about new games on the horizon. Yes, some new games might be prettier on the surface, but you cannot easily overcome the sheer vastness of features that have been added over the course of six years starting from scratch. When I see people bring up how old and "outdated" City of Heroes is, I can't help but think, "It's not old. It is mature. It has had six years of continuous development." I mean, is Microsoft Word 2010 "old" because it has been around for a couple of decades? If I wrote a word processor from scratch, does its "newness" automatically make it better?

I'm not saying that no other game will ever come along and clean City of Heroes's clock. But if it did, it would have to be one HELL of a game from day one, and even then, it would take them years to get to the level of maturity that City of Heroes enjoys today. And I highly doubt Paragon Studios would just be sitting around on their duffs in the meantime. Even if they had a hugely successful launch, they'd still have to work a lot faster, a lot harder, and a lot longer than Paragon Studios just to catch up.

Anyone who wants to write a competing game who sees this video had better first think, "Holy s***, we've got a lot of work to do."