Starting zone, character names: Freedom?


Aett_Thorn

 

Posted

There are some questions that I have concerning these topics.

This first question is for those that have either purchased going rogue, which would make them premium or a VIP with going rouge opened.

Starting zone: When freedom launches there will be a new starting zone that is co-op. You will be making moral choices, similar to starting in praetoria, via the going rogue expansion. So here is the question. When issue 21 and freedom hits live servers.

When you hit create a character to make a new character will you have two choices as far as which tutorial to play? Meaning will there be a pop up that says Galaxy City, Praetorian?
Or does this change mean that the praetorian starting zones and arcs will no longer be available to players after freedom and issue 21 launches on live?

This next question is something that is for all players of all different types.

This has to do with character names. In the past, and even now IIRC. If your account is inactive for 90 days all of your character names on your account will go back into the available pool. This was something that NCSoft used to stop players from hording names. Having a good name really matters.

With freedom your account is never considered inactive, that means that players could horde the really good names forever. Having level one alts that they never intend on playing just to horde the name. So how will NCSoft prevent this when freedom and issue 21 launches?


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Posted

1) While we're not sure exactly how this will work quite yet, from what I've read, it seems like new characters will get a choice between starting in Galaxy City and Praetoria.

2) The devs don't leave this script on all of the time. They have run it in the past, sure, but that didn't free up many names, from what we've been told. Basically, right now, players could be "hoarding" names, but that hasn't been much of a problem for me. As such, I don't see them changing anything for when Freedom gets here.


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Posted

1. I'm certain it's select from two options - roll a Primal character or roll a Praetoria character.

2. The name freeing purge only applies to really low level characters, not all characters. Good name hoarding is already a possibility - just get the alt to higher than 10 I believe. It's never been addressed but I would guess that if the name purges are still run it will sweep through the ranks of those playing for free as if they were inactive - after all, if you haven't gotten an alt to the purge proof level in 90 days you obviously don't want it.


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Posted

I thought I read that Freedom is starting with a blank slate, meaning all names are fair game again. I could be mistaken.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by thgebull0425 View Post
I could be mistaken.
You are. You're probably thinking about the new VIP server--there are no names already taken on it, because it doesn't exist yet.

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilfred View Post
This has to do with character names. In the past, and even now IIRC. If your account is inactive for 90 days all of your character names on your account will go back into the available pool. This was something that NCSoft used to stop players from hording names. Having a good name really matters.
As Aett mentioned, the script is not on all the time, it has to be run manually (and it has been years since the last time it was run). The number of names that were freed up was determined to be insignificant compared to what the playerbase expected to be released.

As BruteSquad mentioned, there's a level cap on the name purge--though I'm pretty sure it's actually level 6 and not 10--so any character above that cap, no matter how long they've been inactive, cannot have their name removed. (Unless, of course, they're genericked for a violation of the EULA... but that's just going to throw the name in the list of banned names, not available ones. )

It also can't pull names away from active accounts. For example, even though I've only played "Helena Handbasket" on Guardian or whatever server I made her on a couple times, and 4+ years ago at that, no one can ever take the name away from me. (By the way: if anybody specifically wants the name, PM me and I'll delete the character.)


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zwillinger View Post
We are following this thread and taking your feedback into account all.

However, to be perfectly clear: We are not currently planning another name purge in the near future. There are reasons for this, which I am not at liberty to discuss at the moment.
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showp...&postcount=221


The devs have made it quite clear that they have no plans on running the name purge any time soon.


Bolded, underlined,and colored by me for emphasis


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project View Post
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showp...&postcount=221


The devs have made it quite clear that they have no plans on running the name purge any time soon.


Bolded, underlined,and colored by me for emphasis
Ahhh...good to know that the Devs are going to run the script again soon.


Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chad Gulzow-Man View Post
You are. You're probably thinking about the new VIP server--there are no names already taken on it, because it doesn't exist yet.

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As Aett mentioned, the script is not on all the time, it has to be run manually (and it has been years since the last time it was run). The number of names that were freed up was determined to be insignificant compared to what the playerbase expected to be released.

As BruteSquad mentioned, there's a level cap on the name purge--though I'm pretty sure it's actually level 6 and not 10--so any character above that cap, no matter how long they've been inactive, cannot have their name removed. (Unless, of course, they're genericked for a violation of the EULA... but that's just going to throw the name in the list of banned names, not available ones. )

It also can't pull names away from active accounts. For example, even though I've only played "Helena Handbasket" on Guardian or whatever server I made her on a couple times, and 4+ years ago at that, no one can ever take the name away from me. (By the way: if anybody specifically wants the name, PM me and I'll delete the character.)
I see I have forgotten some things about the name purge.


Ebony Fists: Level 50 DM/Regen Scrapper, Gloom Piston Robotics/Dark mastermind level 34, QueenFireMare: Level 34 Fire blaster (pure fire),

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project View Post
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showp...&postcount=221


The devs have made it quite clear that they have no plans on running the name purge any time soon.


Bolded, underlined,and colored by me for emphasis
Thanks Forbin for the heads up on that quote.


Ebony Fists: Level 50 DM/Regen Scrapper, Gloom Piston Robotics/Dark mastermind level 34, QueenFireMare: Level 34 Fire blaster (pure fire),

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBruteSquad View Post
1. I'm certain it's select from two options - roll a Primal character or roll a Praetoria character.

2. The name freeing purge only applies to really low level characters, not all characters. Good name hoarding is already a possibility - just get the alt to higher than 10 I believe. It's never been addressed but I would guess that if the name purges are still run it will sweep through the ranks of those playing for free as if they were inactive - after all, if you haven't gotten an alt to the purge proof level in 90 days you obviously don't want it.
I was really hoping that we would have a choice between Primal and Praetoria. Because it would be bad for them to throw away the Praetoria the starting zone, the devs worked really hard on the Going Rogue expansion. So throwing away the starting zone would seem silly. I was asking because it is something that is always possible. Even though it would be highly unlikely.


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Posted

I just hope that incompetent boob from the Villain tutorial, Jenkins, makes an appearance in the new and improved Primal tutorial. I always get a kick out of how easily he gives you up when questioned by Longbow. Very funny.


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by GGG247 View Post
I just hope that incompetent boob from the Villain tutorial, Jenkins, makes an appearance in the new and improved Primal tutorial. I always get a kick out of how easily he gives you up when questioned by Longbow. Very funny.
I like when he shows up again later on and you get to pound him. Hehe. I don't have anything against, him, but it's just cool they made him a recurring character.


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Posted

From what I've heard, I thought it was implied that there would be 2 ways to start now, Primal and Praetorans.

Praetorians would either enter the tutorial, Precinct 5, complete that, choose Loyalist or Resistance, then enter Nova Praetoria, just like now.

Primals would have the choice of entering the new destroyed Galaxy City as a new tutorial zone regardless of the archetype, and through the events there, they would choose either Hero or Villain, except for epics which stick to their side (Blue for Kheldians, Red for Soldiers of Arachnos); Heroes exit the tutorial to Atlas Park, Villains exit to a new spot in Mercy Island, both redone to different degrees.

No idea if Galaxy City will still be a normally accessible zone and damaged now or what, but I'd assume it'll be damaged if you can, and more like a hazard zone, similar to the Hollows and not good for starting. Besides, most players take Atlas anyways.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by AquaJAWS View Post
No idea if Galaxy City will still be a normally accessible zone and damaged now or what, but I'd assume it'll be damaged if you can, and more like a hazard zone, similar to the Hollows and not good for starting. Besides, most players take Atlas anyways.
I seem to recall that Atlas was always more popular mostly because of the plaza and the HUGE Atlas statue, but it got magnified WAY to the extreme when AP got a WWs and GC didn't..


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Madadh View Post
I seem to recall that Atlas was always more popular mostly because of the plaza and the HUGE Atlas statue, but it got magnified WAY to the extreme when AP got a WWs and GC didn't..
And again with Fort Trident, not to mention an already-existing portal to the RWZ.


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by AquaJAWS View Post
...

No idea if Galaxy City will still be a normally accessible zone and damaged now or what, but I'd assume it'll be damaged if you can, and more like a hazard zone, similar to the Hollows and not good for starting. Besides, most players take Atlas anyways.
The "Old" Galaxy City will be available through Ouroboros only:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zwillinger View Post
The Destruction of Galaxy City is a permanent zone change, however you will be able to access an "Echo of Galaxy City" through Ouroboros, where you will be able to seek badges and congregate.


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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by AquaJAWS View Post
No idea if Galaxy City will still be a normally accessible zone and damaged now or what, but I'd assume it'll be damaged if you can, and more like a hazard zone, similar to the Hollows and not good for starting.
The new Galaxy City map will only be for the tutorial - the old Galaxy City zone map will be made into an "echo", and shifted to Ouroboros.


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