Altaholics Anonymous Meeting
By
Anti_Proton,
Posted on: 2011-02-17 09:14 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
68 "Characters" (I put too much work into them to call the "toons") and I still have ner ideas every day, but now many of them are inspiring me to push them to level 50 and beyond.
"Samual_Tow - Be disappointed all you want, people. You just don't appreciate the miracles that are taking place here."
Im sorry to tell you, pal, that is doesnt get any better.
I have been playing for over 5 years and only through valiant effort and a spreadsheet have I managed to consolidate myself to 3 (okay, technically 4) servers with 69 characters. Im still trying to get a character for each letter of the alphabet (Im missing Q, U, Y and Z) and I may upset everything to try to wedge in a spines scrapper. (Spines what?) My average level for all my characters is under 20, for my main server its under 25.
I really am trying to bring myself down and into one server, now that we have side switching and I can get everyone into the same SG. I dont really like playing red side, but villain ATs are some of my favorites.
It took me over 3 years to get my first 50. (My second 50 was much faster, my warshade sucked me in and wouldnt let me go. Toward the end I got upset that I wouldnt be able to level her anymore.) Im hoping to this year become a real, grown up player of CoX, where I do builds for my characters and stay on the same server (if not the same character) and have at least one 50 per year of playing. And have set IOs and inf and things, instead of spending all of my time in the tailor.
I have said this every year. (But this year I mean it!)
If you want to bounce around virtue, I have characters who love company of any build, any level on all three sides. @Rapunzel.
Altoholism isn't a problem, its a calling.
60+ characters, 5 years, 3 50's.
26 on Virtue
14 on Pinnacle
14 on Triumph
6 on Protector
12 on all the others
Most are created because I build characters in themed groups, I have very few non-themed characters (they are on Protector). Obviously, I don't play any of them near as much as I'd like, my main server is Virtue.
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Point of curiosity: does a "toon" imply something specifically negative for you?|
Originally Posted by Anti_Proton
68 "Characters" (I put too much work into them to call the "toons") and I still have ner ideas every day, but now many of them are inspiring me to push them to level 50 and beyond.
|
-Gate
@Generator
Mostly Pinnacle, with scattered alts on Liberty, Freedom, and Justice.
I had a great time playing with you!
Quote:
I typically duo with a friend of mine and we are constantly coming up with new duo concepts, each one as awesome and fun as the last. While Freedom is my home, Virtue would be my vacation home. I think we have 8 toons each there. I'll look you up next time we end up on Virtue. |
Originally Posted by TheLadyK
If you want to bounce around virtue, I have characters who love company of any build, any level on all three sides. @Rapunzel.
|
I spend just as much time trying write interesting bios as I do on the costumes. I am far more interested in a good character concept than an uber build. I've even taken to writting bios for character concepts while at work and sending them to my personel e mail. It's not something I'm proud of, but it is what it is.
I call my characters toons. Deal with it.
@Mental Maden @Maden Mental
"....you are now tackle free for life."-ShoNuff
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"Toon" feels a little dismissive to me and, more to the point, just feels inaccurate since a "cartoon" is something I watch, not something I play. Heck, even the characters in cartoons aren't called "toons" but characters. I realize there's media where characters get called Toons (such as Disney's Toon Town) but that's a special effort being made to say "these characters are refered to as capital-T Toons"|
Originally Posted by Gatecrasher
Point of curiosity: does a "toon" imply something specifically negative for you?
|
I don't really care if anyone else refers to their characters as toons or cartoons or comics or animes. It's just not something I'd do.
Quote:
This.|
Originally Posted by Anti_Proton
68 "Characters" (I put too much work into them to call the "toons") and I still have ner ideas every day, but now many of them are inspiring me to push them to level 50 and beyond.
|
I've capped my characters at about 28 after trimming back and consolidating my stables.
One thing that has slowed me way down from alting is trying to do much if not all of the content at each level range with each character. So I get to level 14, turn of xp, max out contacts, unpin the character, level, do a few merit rolls, and then repeat.
As a result, when I team, unless I've organized the team and it's my mission arcs we're running (like for AV arcs or somesuch), I tend to team with xp off. This allows me to really get to know my characters well.
And on most days, I stay about 80% in character. A little bit of gamespeak here and there to help keep cohesion with non-rp teammates. But basically keeping lighthearted in character banter rolling. I find it makes for pleasurable "beer n' pretzels" style PuGs.
Anyways, leveling slow these days and making a point to enjoy a lot of the content really keeps me from alting too much. Though I *do* always have new ideas... I just save them now for when the time is right!
Here lately, I am in love with Praetoria. When it was first released, I stayed away from it because I felt like it was too difficult for solo play, but as I've learned to play the ATs, I find the challenge to be a lot of fun. I just finished up the responsibility line on my Loyalist, and have characters ready to go for the other story lines. I just wish we had post level 20 content in Praetoria...hopefully we shall down the line.
I have made 65 characters, and I've got a spreadsheet of all of them. 19 of them didn't make it past level 10, however. 14 are between 11 and 20 (inclusive). I have 18 50's, mostly on Triumph, but a few are on Freedom. During free server transfers, I've moved a few off of Triumph and replaced them with the more fun ones from other servers. The worst part is that I have made 8 into Incarnates; I don't want to spend that much of my time making a bunch of incarnates more powerful, so I'm going to have to whittle that number down. :P
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Ditto. Yours are what they are; mine are "characters".|
Originally Posted by Jophiel
I don't really care if anyone else refers to their characters as toons or cartoons or comics or animes. It's just not something I'd do.
|
--NT
They all laughed at me when I said I wanted to be a comedian.
But I showed them, and nobody's laughing at me now!
If I became a red name, I would be all "and what would you mere mortals like to entertain me with today, mu hu ha ha ha!" ~Arcanaville
136 across all servers. Some dating back to Issue 4 still sitting at level 20.
I generally make it to around level 28 before shelving them for some mysterious reason. Makes my play sessions rather.... erratic. As I'll jump on one for a level, then another for a level etc etc.
Took me 3 1/2 years to get my main to 50 and he's still the only one I have...
Maestro Mavius - Infinity
Capt. Biohazrd - PCSAR
Talsor Tech - Talsorian Guard
Keep Calm & Chive On!
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Yay! More friends! My vacation homes are Triumph (red) and Justice (blue) ...with an annex on Guardian. I have 35 characters on Virtue. And I'm trying to hold off on buying the last slot until vet rewards gives me another one. If I decide I need a crab Spider I might not make it. (I have a "gotta catch 'em all" kind of mentality. I want one of each AT, preferably at 50. I love control and support sets so I'm controller/dominator/corruptor and bots MM heavy.)|
Originally Posted by Irish Fury
I typically duo with a friend of mine and we are constantly coming up with new duo concepts, each one as awesome and fun as the last. While Freedom is my home, Virtue would be my vacation home. I think we have 8 toons each there. I'll look you up next time we end up on Virtue.
I spend just as much time trying write interesting bios as I do on the costumes. I am far more interested in a good character concept than an uber build. I've even taken to writting bios for character concepts while at work and sending them to my personel e mail. It's not something I'm proud of, but it is what it is. |
I have fallen woefully behind on bios. And on VirtueVerse (which if you aren't aware of, you should be - its awesome) I need to get some time to take/crop screenshots and make sure my whole group is up and story current. All of my characters have stories in my head, not all of them have made it to the bio screen.
Altoholism isn't a problem, its a calling.
60+ characters, 5 years, 3 50's.
116 characters across all servers.
Each has:
- a unique, detailed character description
- been fully updated for Inherent Fitness
- all of their veteran reward powers applied for use up to the 48 month badge rewards
- an SG or VG they belong to, with the exception of my Praetorians, which each of those have a destination SG/VG to go to once they cross over
- their enhancements fully established for their particular levels (1-12 = TOs, level 12-22 = DOs, level 22-42/47 = SOs, level 42/47+ = IOs/IO sets), with my 4 50s 2nd tier Alpha'd out and each very close to their new "+1" level
Note: I've taken dozens of superheroes and villains I made as a kid and have made them characters in this game, all of which I enjoy running in CoH. With this, my childhood is revisited and I don't have to have to pay for a $100,000 Ferrari mid-life crisis to get me through it (just the monthly CoH fees...and the occasional booster packs)!
Wow, I feel better now. 19 on Justice and 6 on Protector coming up on 3 years this summer. 
Two accounts. 250+ characters. (Current count on City Info Tracker - 257.) Current 50s: 21, with several more in the 40s. (Just got my Fire/Storm to 45.)
I'm not stopping. It's hard to when you mishear someone, or hear a phrase, and that becomes "Ooh, character idea!" Latest - which probably *won't* level much, TBH, as it's a "for laughs" character, came from mishearing someone say "Union Regs." Now a dinosaur in a T-shirt, orange vest and jeans (really need a construction helmet) named Union Rex. (He was on a union mandated coffee break when that whole "meteor collision" bit happened.)
However, if you want to get past that "20s" speed bump you're seeing, OP -
- Find a good SG. Run with them. Soon you'll be in the 30s, 40s, 50s. No, I don't mean PL them.
- Become part of a "theme team." Forces you to keep some attention on one character for a while - and you're missing quite a bit if you don't get past the 20s.
- RP. Not all of it's in Pocket D. If you're with a group and you develop a character, it helps "lock you in" to that character and the people he/she/it plays with for a while.
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Funny you should mention Bane Spiders. We just made a duo on Virtue a couple weeks ago. Currently at level 10ish. Their names are Tango and Cash |
Originally Posted by TheLadyK
Yay! More friends! My vacation homes are Triumph (red) and Justice (blue) ...with an annex on Guardian. I have 35 characters on Virtue. And I'm trying to hold off on buying the last slot until vet rewards gives me another one. If I decide I need a crab Spider I might not make it. (I have a "gotta catch 'em all" kind of mentality. I want one of each AT, preferably at 50. I love control and support sets so I'm controller/dominator/corruptor and bots MM heavy.)
I have fallen woefully behind on bios. And on VirtueVerse (which if you aren't aware of, you should be - its awesome) I need to get some time to take/crop screenshots and make sure my whole group is up and story current. All of my characters have stories in my head, not all of them have made it to the bio screen. |
Their story?After the massive box office success of the film telling their true story, Detectives Tango and Cash became instant world wide celebrities. They rubbed shoulders with the world's most interesting men, and bedded the most exotic women. At the height of their fame, while a much anticipated sequel starring the two was in the works, they were captured by Lord Recluse's men, and augmented with Arachnos technology. Now they roam the streets of the Rogue Isles doing Recluse's bidding.
Not verbatim from the bio screen, but you get the idea. My global is @Guardian Irish-Fury. Find me if I don't find you. New friends are always good.
What is this VirtueVerse you speak of?
2 accounts, 80+ characters after reducung my stable just before GR went live. The number of characters was steadily rising until December when my graphics card died and forced a(n)? hiatus until I can replace my old system.
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Good advice to be sure, and I thank you. I do have 3 level 50 characters. My first 50 was leveled "legit" but the other two *braces for forum rage* came out of Monkeygate. It is not something I am proud of, and I realize now how much I missed by cheating. I can only offer my newbieness as an excuse. Since then, I am enjoying the journey far more than I enjoyed the destination on those two.|
Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
However, if you want to get past that "20s" speed bump you're seeing, OP -
- Find a good SG. Run with them. Soon you'll be in the 30s, 40s, 50s. No, I don't mean PL them. - Become part of a "theme team." Forces you to keep some attention on one character for a while - and you're missing quite a bit if you don't get past the 20s. - RP. Not all of it's in Pocket D. If you're with a group and you develop a character, it helps "lock you in" to that character and the people he/she/it plays with for a while. |
I am a bit apprehensive regarding RP. I have never attempted it (this is my first MMO) and am not clear on the rules and ettiquette. I made toons on Virtue to try it out, but mainly ended up soloing or duoing with my RL friends.
Since you mentioned theme teams, I'll take this opportunity to plug one I am trying to get started.
I am a recovering altoholic. Recent developments on non-tradeable progress have made me refocus onto my favorite characters, getting them to 50 and incarnating them. But there are still so many new combos to try, concepts to play.
35 characters on champion, 18 on protector, then the unfortunate 'set asides' moved to other less played servers for space on the aforementioned two. These number around 20, poor souls. 
The day they let characters move freely across servers is the day my altitis inlfames like a pyro at a fireworks factory.
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Some on Virtue can be ((a little anal)) about ((doing things just right)) and ((wearing out your keyboard's parenthesis.)) Most won't care. And RP is not unique to virtue.|
Originally Posted by Irish Fury
I am a bit apprehensive regarding RP. I have never attempted it (this is my first MMO) and am not clear on the rules and ettiquette. I made toons on Virtue to try it out, but mainly ended up soloing or duoing with my RL friends. |
How to RP correctly:
1. Respect others - if they're not comfortable with the way something is going, change direction.
2. Have fun.
I have, in the course of my three or so years of active play, taken every one of the original powersets to 20. Every primary, every secondary, for all five hero classes. I have done the same with all villain classes except stalker.
Most of this has been on Virtue; I simply reserved a slot for each class, and deleted and rerolled the character when they hit 20 or 26.
My altitis in detail:
Freedom: 36 heroes (ranging from L12-L50)
Protector: 13 heroes (L20-28) my backup hero server
Infinity: 32 villains (L6-L38)
Guardian: 9 villains (all lowbies) My backup villain server and 4 of them will get moved to Infinity when I can afford the last slots there.
My plan is to eventually construct a level ladder. What is that you may ask? It is having one character at ever level consecutively on a server. I eventually will have a character at every level from 15 to 48 on Freedom (+ my 3 50s), 20 to 32 on Protector and 6-38 on Infinity. Sadly there was a set-back when GR came out because I wanted to create villain ATs heroside and vice versa on Infinity. I also make sure to have each primary on each AT only once per heroside or villainside, which means that no 2 of my characters plays exactly the same.
This is bordering on OCD now .
My 50s:
Prime Minister MA/SR Scrap - Protector
Captain Hit-Guy DM/Reg Scrap - Freedom
Prime-Minister ILL/TA Troller - Freedom
Ultimate Minister Inv/SS Tanker - Freedom
One account, over 180 toons, 36 on Victory, 28 on justice, at least 12 everywhere else, 61 50s. 7 years of alting.
Have finally controlled it because I realised there were no more combinations I wanted to make. So moar proliferation and new sets please, and some more free server transfers so I can get some of my 21 50s off Victory
It's true. This game is NOT rocket surgery. - BillZBubba
My name is Patrick, and I am an altaholic.
I have been playing CoX for six months and I have 26 toons across three servers with no end in sight. I just can't stop making new toons. I play them to about the 20s and then I want to make another one. It's not that I get bored with the toon...I always come back to them, but I just can't resist trying that next AT or powerset. I love all my toons dearly and equally. Kinetic melee, and dual pistols, you are both so pretty. Elec/Shield, you are smashirific. Energy blaster, you make me smile with the chaos that constant KB brings. Oh how I love thee dominators; No matter what combo I make out of you, sheer joy overcomes me. Stone armor, I have my eye on you, and a concept is cooking. I can stop anytime I want...really I can.
Would anyone else like to share?