Issue 19: Alpha Strike Launch Patch Notes & Known Issues

Patch notes & known issues for the release of Issue 19: Alpha strike.


COMBINED

User Interface

• Players may now log out to character select.
  • Menu -> Quit will now give the option to quit to Login Screen, Character Select, or Desktop.

• Fitness Pool powers have been incorporated into Inherent powers available at Level 2
  • All characters will be granted Swift, Hurdle, Health, and Stamina.
  • Existing characters with these powers selected via Pool Powers will be able to gain the powers they have not previously taken via the normal leveling process. They will not gain access to any of the Inherent fitness powers until they Respec.
  • Upon using a Respec, the Fitness pool will not be selectable by the character and all 4 powers will be granted as Inherent Powers at level 2. This prevents issues with lost enhancements or slot allocation errors.
• All existing characters will receive one free Respec token with the release of Issue 19: Alpha Strike! On December 8th, 8 days after release, all existing characters will then receive a second free Respec token. Please note that free Respec tokens do not stack. If your character already has a free Respec token, the new free Respecs cannot be applied.
• By visiting a Tailor, players can now select Alternate Animation choices for certain powers.
  • Power sets:
    • Dark Blast
    • Electric Blast
    • Energy Blast
    • Fire Blast
    • Radiation Blast
    • Psychic Blast
    • Ice Blast
    • Sonic Attack
    • Mind Control
    • Psionic Assault
    • Sonic Resonance
    • Icy Assault
    • Fiery Assault
    • Mental Manipulation
    • Energy Assault
  • Powers:
    • Zapp
    • Integration

• Your Level 50 City of Heroes character can now unlock the beginnings of the Incarnate System via an Incarnate Introduction Story Arc, accessible from Mender Ramiel in Ouroboros. Following completion of this arc the Alpha Slot is unlocked for the character and you can begin to construct the first stages of Incarnate Abilities.
• Incarnate Abilities follow a new power advancement system whereby you can construct higher powered versions of a power along an advancement tree instead of spending slots to enhance the power. Each Incarnate slot has a variety of ability trees which each have different flavors of power and effects as you progress deeper in the tree. Incarnate Abilities do not count against your power or enhancement specification choices and are build-independent, but do not work if exemplared below level 45 as the Well of the Furies intends the power be used by those at the pinnacle of their expertise.
• The Alpha Slot is the first slot, and the abilities inside Alpha are unique to Alpha and take the form of universal enhancements which apply to all of your powers which would accept an enhancement of that type. Each tree begins with a Common Boost ability which can then be upgraded into the Uncommon Core or Radial variants of the power which have additional effects. The four Alpha trees are:
  • Cardiac
  • Musculature
  • Nerve
  • Spiritual
• For more information, please view the Incarnate System overview on the City of Heroes Going Rogue webpage (http://goingrogue.cityofheroes.com).
• Currently only the Common and Uncommon tiers of the Alpha Slot are achievable given the current challenges available to characters. As those challenges increase, the Well of the Furies will spread more of its power...
• You can freely choose which of your Incarnate Abilities you are currently channeling outside of combat and a short delay between changes.
• The components to unleash the power of the Alpha Slot and its Incarnate Abilities can be acquired by completing existing level 50 content:
  • Statesman's Task Force (STF)
  • Lord Recluse's Strike Force (LRSF)
  • Imperious Task Force (ITF)
  • Lady Grey Task Force (LGTF)
  • Dr. Khan’s Task Force / Barracuda’s Strike Force
  • Hamidon
  • Cathedral of Pain
  • A component is also available from the Vanguard Merit vendor in the Rikti War Zone
• Once you’ve started your Incarnate journey, you can attempt the new Apex and Tin Mage II Task Forces which will reward Incarnate Components for those tough enough to handle the first taste of the Praetorian Alpha Strike.
• If all else fails, minor Incarnate Shards sub-components for constructing your Alpha Abilities can also be occasionally acquired off of level 50+ foes and level 50 players in PVP.
• Incarnate Abilities can be created and equipped via the new Incarnate interface which is accessible from the “Incarnate Abilities” label at the top of the Power Inventory UI, next to the “Combat Attributes” label. Only your equipped Incarnate Abilities will appear in your Power Inventory.

• We have added two Task Forces for characters who are level 50. These TF's should be tackled by characters who have slotted the Alpha slot with a power. Emperor Cole has perfected a debuff that affects characters who have no Alpha Abilities slotted. Characters without an Alpha Ability can still attempt the TF but it will be significantly more challenging.
  • Apex Task Force – see Apex in the Rikti War Zone to thwart an attempted invasion from Praetoria
  • Tin Mage Task Force – see Tin Mage Mark II in the Rikti War Zone to take the battle back into Praetoria

• Praetorians entering Primal Earth and Primal Earth characters who have reached level 20 can run new story arcs (Level 21 – 30).
  • Heroes should see Roy Cooling in Talos Island to find out why the public is up in arms over the information that medi-porters are being upgraded for heroes, while there are no plans to release them to the public
  • Villains should see Vincent Ross in Sharkhead Isle to find out more about the “sleeping beast” the Legacy Chain is investigating.
• Incarnate Alpha Slot Unlock (Going Rogue expansion required)
  • Missions for Heroes and Villains provide backstory to the System we're introducing in this issue and then expanding for Issue 20 (Levels 50+)
• Praetorian players have access to repeatable mission content provided by either the Resistance or Loyalists
  • Resistance should speak to Message Man
  • Loyalists should speak to Clockwork A76-293
• Warehouses and Praetorian Tech have received a cosmetic upgrade as well as a few new end rooms and their layouts have been modified.

• Vigilantes in Rogue Isles and Rogues in Paragon City should now see tip drops specifically designed for fallen Vigilantes and redeemed Rogues exclusively in ‘tourist’ zones.

• The Calvin Scott Task Force is now available to flashback via Ourorobos

• New map sets, villain groups, and power Sets introduced with Going Rogue have been added to Mission Architect. In addition, additional unique maps have been added to the map pool.
  • Map sets:
    • Praetorian Tunnels
    • Praetorian Tech
  • Villain Groups:
    • Praetorian Clockwork (Loyalist, Anti-Matter, Neuron, Resistance)
    • Destroyers
    • Resistance
    • Praetoria Police Department / Seers
    • Ghouls
    • Syndicate
  • Power Sets:
    • Electric Control
    • Kinetic Melee

• Primal Earth and Praetoria have received some access and quality of life features.

• Taking a cue from Praetoria, Nurses have been brought in to hospitals across Paragon City and the Rogue Isles to provide low-level inspiration to recently defeated players
• Mobile hospital areas (similar the Hollows) have been added to Hazard and Trial zones across Paragon City and the Rogue Isles so that defeated players will respawn within the same zone

• Paragon City
  • Green and Yellow Line are now one monorail line. Players can access any zone with a monorail station from any other station. Steel Canyon and Skyway City have two stops.
  • Container ships to Striga Isle will now also connect between Talos Island and Independence Port.
• Rogue Isles
  • All ferries are now a single ferry line. Players can access any zone with a ferry stop from any other ferry. Port Oakes and Cap Au Diable have two stops.
  • All black helicopters to the main isles are now a single line. Players can access any zone with a helicopter stop. Mercy Island has two stops.
• General
  • The monorail window will now provide information about the level of content in destination zones
  • The monorail window will now provide a notification next to a stop name if you have an available missions in that zone
  • The monorail line will now place missions that require players to board a train at the top of the window and sets these mission destinations off from all other stops

• More exploration badges have been added to Hazard and Trial Zones to round out the badges introduced in City Zones

• Paragon Studios and Alienware have brought increased functionality to Alienware systems with AlienFX lights and Alienware Command Center enabled.
  • Health Low – When a character’s health is low, system lights will go black and will then quickly pulse red.
  • Health Zero – When your character is defeated, system lights will go black and will then slowly pulse red.
  • Mission Completion – Successfully completing a mission will trigger two green flashes.
  • Level up – When gaining a level, a multi-colored strobing light effect will appear.
• Known Issue:
  • The new AlienFX updates do not function correctly with Aurora and Aurora ALX desktop systems. Alienware is aware of this issue and will be releasing a driver that will correct this functionality. Dell and Paragon Studios will update Aurora desktop customers when the driver is available on the Dell/Alienware support site.

• None

• Corrected an issue which could prevent Masterminds with Chill Mastery from being able to select Hibernate as a Power.

• All doors that are normally restricted to resistance and loyalist factions will not allow in Primal Earth Heroes, Villains, Vigilantes and Rogues.
• Primals can access Praetoria (Going Rogue expansion required)
  • Access through Praetoria can be done through Pocket D, which links to Studio 55
  • The transition between Praetoria and Primal Earth now takes place via trans-dimensional portals instead of manhole covers.
  • Primal Heroes and Villains can join a Praetorian Resistance or Loyalist to participate in missions with them (Levels 1 – 20)
• Zone Events have been added to Praetoria
  • Nova Praetoria – The Protest
  • Imperial City – Syndicate Takedown
  • Neutropolis – The Great Escape
• Notoriety Contacts have been introduced to Praetoria

• When a Praetorian character leaves Praetoria for Primal Earth and joins a Super Group in the Rogue Isles or Paragon City, that Super Group receives a bonus to their Prestige of an additional 100,000P for each Praetorian that joins. The reason for the bump in Prestige is to make up for the fact that a Praetorian cannot form/join a Super Group while in Praetoria so isn’t contributing to a Super Group until they leave Praetoria at level 20. The bump is to bring them in line with other Primals in the Super Group.
  • Before Issue 19, if a Praetorian left their Super Group, the prestige would go with them.
  • With Issue 19, the 100K Prestige bump is still given, but it’s only given to the first (and only the first) Super Group that a Praetorian joins upon arriving in Primal Earth. If they choose to leave their Super Group, that Prestige no longer goes with them.

• When selecting a set of alternate animations, some powers may remain set to original but they may be changed manually.

• Mender Ramiel cannot be tracked by map point or compass in Villain Ouroboros. He is located on the northwest side of the pool, by the stairs.

• When first entering the ‘Bootleg Video Case’ Rogue to Hero Tip mission, the sub objective for rescuing Jennifer Collins is not displayed. The next objective will appear as normal after she is set free.

• The signature contacts in Crucible and Fort Trident will not advance past their initial dialogue. The portals near them may still be used and their duplicates through the city or isles are unaffected.

• In the Imperial City zone event, The Syndicate Takedown, players may need to go back down to ground level to advance the event if too many critters have been pushed off of the rooftop.
• In the Neutropolis zone event, The Great Escape, if the player activates the giant door and immediately backs up on the other side, they may become stuck. The player may escape by clicking on the door again, or by using the '/stuck' command.

I'm guessing they aren't releasing the notes on the "fix" for the MA.... interesting.


-Garber

One can only hope.

1v1 arena kills are not awarding inf or prestige. They used to before the patch and I don't see in the notes that this was intended.

The thing that is not mentioned is likely not currently mentioned in case they have to roll I19 back. The only thing worse than having a gaping 'sploit is advertising it in your release notes.

expanding for Issue 20 (Levels 50+)

Am I the only one to wonder if this heralds plans to reverse a long-standing position on the lvl cap...

Rich

That exploit was definitely fixed, so no worries on that front.

I'm really liking Inherent Fitness - it let me squeeze in a few more attacks for my tank.

I do wonder why the alternate Electric Blast animations weren't used for Electric Assault (except for Zapp).

My mains aren't level 50 yet, so I can't try out the Incarnate system for a little while.

More exciting details as I think of them.

Glad to see i19 not so glad that you can no longer see other people's set bonuses on player info. No idea why that was removed when you can see the Accolades and Incarnate slot info.

I know that this is begging to get flamed, but I am very disappointed to see that the Incarnate arc has been changed to not accept the Complete Mission option. I had a large number of support ATs that I was planning on doing it with and it's just not worth the trouble, now.

Did you know that if you can't defeat Trapdoor's clones fast enough, there is no limit to how many he can spawn? I was up to about 20 before I quit. Still, points for fixing the AI.

BTW, it's not cooperative either. So even if you work together to complete it, it won't count.

Go me, kicked off the boards ten times in one session.

There are ways to get around Trapdoor's clones. Bring him to the lava pit. Pull him out to the corridor, where he'll be out of the range of his clones.

My tanker, who has a low DPS, managed to take Trapdoor down just fine.

I've ben too busy with I19 to even post much today - it's just that good