All Things Art: Building Edition

It would still be separated by the war walls - just like Fualtline is divided into two by the dam and war walls.

Perhaps you're not familiar with Paragon City's criminal element

Although this would explain the lack of traffic in the city...

I think it would still be easier and simpler to just add a south IP tram station. Terra Volta looks like it would have to be almost completely rebuilt to fit the scale it occupies on the IP map.

That's the idea - Terra Volta and Independence Port are both way bigger than they need to be, so shrinking them both by merging them would make for less filler

Perhaps, but I think we both know that's not going to happen any time soon, if ever. A tram extension is the simplest and most effective solution to the problem of IP's length.

"You got to dig it to dig it, you dig?"
Thelonious Monk

This could look great if several building in Croatoa were retcon'ed. The village is fine, but all the little brown buildings are cookie cutter creations.

Actually, I'd like to see a smidgen of several clear historic architectural styles scatter through the city. A mish-mash of styles feels more "real".

Seems to sum up a common sentiment on this thread. I think it's safe to say that this should be one of our top take-aways.

GOING ROGUE should be right up your alley, in that case. Each zone has unique signature locations, and Praetoria has a full compliment of brand new low- medium- and highrise buildings. I think you'll dig it.

That's sort of what this thread is for. We're reading all your suggestions and seeing how they might fit into ongoing development. When you see something from the boards come to life in game--and there have already been things set in motion--then you've won.

We have another community-created contest in the works though, so stay tuned.

Anything like that would be very welcome - you've got a fully armed and operational graphics engine now - so just let us witness it's firepower on the the current zones

Oh, I'm sure Going Rogue (GoRo?) is amazing in terms of building design.

However, you can't forget the fundamentals. A starter zone needs to be stunning. You want new players to log in and go "Whoa..."

Not "Meh..."

You know?

I was recently posting screenshots of Ultra Mode and I noticed that Atlas Park and Galaxy City look far, far blander and boring that most other parts of the city. This is especially apparent when compared to CoV zones or other newer zones (Faultline for example.)

These parts of the game are simply not up to snuff with the rest of the game anymore.

On that note, I have to say I feel touch-ups on old zones should be at least as important as new zones and new content, at least until a few are done, because especially the hero-side game is in bad need of "something." If you can do large-scale remodelling to fix building foundations and footprints, then by all means, go ahead. If not, then just swapping out buildings or diversifying them otherwise would still do.

Also, I hear Going Rogue has specific locations and instances associated with specific buildings and doors. I don't know if that's true, but whether it is or not, I'd like to see more of that in City of Heroes and City of Villains. It's much more... "Homey" when you can actually tell where thing is.

Skulls have themselves a Superadine lab? I know where that would be. Crey base under attack? It's probably in one of the (non-existent) Crey buildings. Portal Corps lab under attack? Probably within the Portal Corps complex. That sort of thing.

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.

Mmm, yeah, another way in which Paragon City looks unrealistic ... and another one, oddly enough, that City of Villains did better. In any American city, almost every newer skyscraper has a big, internally lit, corporate logo on it somewhere. If you do touch-up Steel Canyon, those buildings need building-name signs and/or corporation signs. One specific reminder: the Kord Industries tower in King's Row ("Upgraded" exploration badge) needs a Kord Industries logo sign somewhere. (I'd put two on there: one just above lobby level on the street side, and one just below roof level facing the monorail station.)

Although credit where credit is due, Talos Island did already have this, and issue 8 did finally label the banks and the precinct stations. But more of that, please!

Crey actually has a designated presence in King's Row like that, haven't seen anyone mention it yet. On the east side of town near the Skyway exit. Giant monolithic building with a tunnel through the bottom. It has several Crey logos placed on it. I've never actually had a Crey mission tied to it though.

If I'm reading this right, you are then looking for suggestions for a few sites within each zone that MAY or MAY NOT serve an in game purpose, but do add to a sense of location and dynamism to each city zone?

For example, the fight club in Mercy Island that isn't really much other than something to see, correct? (On a related note, I have found that most of the new redside exploration badges are much easier to find because of clues in their name rather than often random feeling blueside locations...)

Back on track, to the meat of a few suggestions that could use some existing assets and may require creation of a few new ones. As a whole, most of these are meant to be neutral zones that are more about something to see or fly past and should at times replace the baddies that spawn there. The homogeneity of spawns from year 1 design is really dated and works AGAINST a sense of space, which more recent design indicates y'all learned some time ago:

- Galaxy City: An open air farmers market/flea market using vendor carts and lots of pedestrians during the day. Can also use some shelters already found in galaxy and peregrine--but spruce them up with some banners including a sign "Galaxy City Market." No baddies spawn here during the day to give it a neutral feeling. At night, NPCs clear out. Gang wars happen between spawns, preferably lowbie versions of Hellions, Skulls, Warriors and Outcasts.

- Kings Row: A biker bar. Take that motorcycle from the Thugs set and line 'em up outside. Maybe make a couple good NPC's that can stand around emoting? If time, make an interior or at least an exterior interior like the Egg Hunter lounge. Put Jim Temblor inside (as an alternate trainer? Hey if WW can be in two places at once, so can Jim, dammit!).

- Talos Island: Put a ferris wheel in at Spanky's Boardwalk. Rework the spawns here. Maybe get some lights that light up at night so the boardwalk comes alive with friendly NPCs. Not sure if you can do this with current tech in terms of when spawns change if it is only Day/Night or if you could make it Afternoon through Night are one set and Late Late Night through Morning are another, but if it IS the latter, NPCs should come out in the afternoon through the evening and baddies late late through the morning when everything shutters. The NPCs should be sitting in benches, along the boardwalk, strolling, fishing off the piers and some new animations (or appropriated power animations) to allow them to participate in some spruced up carnival games like the classic strength contest with the bell at the top and knocking over bottles by throwing balls.

- Steel Canyon: several sites here already which helps the zone. One more site that could be added... the Paragon City Stock exchange... something spectacular a bit like the Chicago Stock Exchange that sits at the end of a street but more chrome like the Chrysler Building. Perhaps it sits at the north end of the zone, facing the big statue at the center of the zone, with the tram tunneling right through the building... and that tunnel should be open so airborne heroes can fly right through. Maybe even give us windows into a trading floor with traders emoting wildly during trading hours and an LED ticker (pulling WW data on salvage?!? could this be done would be awesome.) Then at night this floor is empty of NPCs, lights are low and the floor is littered with paper.

- Steel Canyon: additional touches for vertical life, add a few NPC's flying kites occasionally in some of the parks. Everyone in Paragon always seems to be just walking... often in circles. (Other than talking on the phone, no one ever seems to be doing anything!) Also add window washers moving up and down some of the larger buildings.

- Perez Park: rework the spawns here entirely. If you touch the geometry, rework how awful the forest maze is in terms of function. In reworking the spawns, let Paragon reclaim the park at least partially. New NPC emotes include flying kites and picnicing. Use that amphitheater at the center of the park and occasionally have NPCs there performing and audience in the seats and fishing at some of the docks. Daytime should see the occasional vendor cart inside the park or near the gates. A great baddie spawn on some of the fields would be gang members from different gangs lined up for a game of football. Vary the baddie spawn sizes like, keeping some huge for the old school hazard zone feel but also have some nice narrative spawns with a circle boss or the lost or whatever threatening the newly uppity citizens of Paragon who dare to try and recreate in the park again. And lastly as a site, add a "Lost Cove" someplace deep in the woods where one can always find rectors preaching, several small shanties made of salvaged items and street signs (like on their armor) hanging all over the tree trunks.

I've got more ideas swirling for Skyway and beyond... but running out of room and have things I need to get to this morning...

If this is in the works, I'd argue that for interiors you could possibly have people use base building functions to work on designs.

My Arcs
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Mission Architect Handyman

Minor derail - but you do know that your character select screen shows the character location *and* you get that locations loading screen when you're loading the character?