I Sing The Praises of First Ward
The Final boss at the end has an attack that uses Fire sword and Ice sword, that is so unfair I wanna dual wield elemental weapons!
Also god help the squishies that get hit with that attack, it on my brute I don't want to think what it would do to someone without resists and a big HP pool.
I really loved all the content in this zone. As dark as it was at the end, and as depressed as it made me doing certain actions, the story tied together fairly well - although I do wish more had been done with the compound later on, as it felt like you helped it out and then never really returned or followed up on it.
I DO wish that the zone was 30-39 though. For one, I think it was intended to be done after leaving Praetoria. I stayed and ran all the arcs before leaving through the rift enclosure, and the people who showed up at the end didn't reflect anything that happened in First Ward (I ran as a Resistance Warden).
![](http://i.imgur.com/xuOnV.jpg)
Currently working my way through this, and loving every minute of it. There's some remarkably innovative, intriguing, powerful and sad things going on here, and some brilliant characters.
Caution, potential spoilers below
I just did the mission that takes place near the Magesterium, and had, in quick succession, one of the funniest and one of the tensest and most scary experiences I've had so far in CoH.
"The Hamidon is a what what of what?" - Brian the mission guy.
I just did the mission that takes place near the Magesterium, and had, in quick succession, one of the funniest and one of the tensest and most scary experiences I've had so far in CoH.
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![Wink](images/smilies/wink.gif)
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
*I* want to know what happened to Katie Douglas / Seer 1381. Plugging her back into the Network CREEPED ME OUT BIG TIME ... and then, she's used and discarded without so much as a backwards glance!
![](http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/7840/groove1.gif)
I was affected by the forum login issue, so now it's resolved I'd just like to say that I, too, love this zone. I've had great fun playing the new stories and I love both the structure and pace of them, as well as the terrific sense of a very interesting place.
Also I love pretty much everything else that's happened with Freedom, but I don't want to gush too much. The new character creator is really user friendly and looks miles better; the new tutorial was pretty cool, the follow up missions were a fun way to get started, providing a much more polished introduction to the game, and I'm really pleased to see the great MMO tech involved in all of that. Death From Below is really entertaining, and I love the Barbarian costume set. Really solid update all around.
I'm only up to Savage's missions, so I haven't seen all of it yet... But so far, I love this zone. (And Whisper, my stabby little claws stalker, wants to take Candlestick back home to Peregrine Island with her. He and Savage were great fun to chase around Resistance goons with. Very Set/Spike. )
@Brightfires - @Talisander
That chick what plays the bird-things...
I find Midnight Master to be pretty off-putting and the one part of the arc that I really didn't enjoy. I really enjoyed the first half of the zone though and it is nice to see magic is still very present in Praetoria.
*** SPOILERS ***
*I* want to know what happened to Katie Douglas / Seer 1381. Plugging her back into the Network CREEPED ME OUT BIG TIME ... and then, she's used and discarded without so much as a backwards glance!
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![Smile](images/smilies/smile.gif)
Good job, Devs!
*** SPOILERS ***
I second this. I found the idea of leaving her like that deeply unsatisfying. That said, I love the new content. And I suppose the fact I feel as strongly as I do about Katie speaks for itself. Even if she did keep calling me "killer". ![]() Good job, Devs! |
![](http://i.imgur.com/xuOnV.jpg)
I love First Ward, love Serene's teleport animation.
Though it can't be helped that there's a lot of sadness in these stories...
I generally like magic-themed stories, so I enjoyed First Ward. Most of the factions were quite entertaining, particularly the Talons, and there were cameo appearances by many of my favorite villains and other supporting characters (Hamidon via the seed, Diabolique, Mother Mayhem being even meaner and crazier than usual, Noble Savage, and [apparently] the legendary, not the CoH, Furies, plus a fun reminder to the players singing "We Shall Overcome" with Calvin Scott that he is a murderous fiend). Indeed, my only major criticism is that too much time is spent fighting Apparitions, which are a bit confusing story-wise and also tend to hurt my eyes.
I'm also a bit disappointed that I have to play an incarnate trial to get closure on the story, not so much because I'm not a big trial fan but because I don't want to have share what should be a character-centric experience with 23 of my closest friends.
"Bombarding the CoH/V fora with verbosity since January, 2006"
Djinniman, level 50 inv/fire tanker, on Victory
-and 40 others on various servers
A CoH Comic: Kid Eros in "One Light"
Quick questions:
Is this availible via Oro for my 50s?
If not then I guess I need a real level 20-23? to start the missions right?
If I try with anything above 29 you get the to high level right?
Bots/Traps Guide for I19.5
RO Network
Quick questions:
Is this availible via Oro for my 50s? If not then I guess I need a real level 20-23? to start the missions right? If I try with anything above 29 you get the to high level right? |
All of the missions should exemp you to level 29 if you're running it in flashback mode.
![](http://i.imgur.com/xuOnV.jpg)
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
I'm rather hoping that Katie's situation is a cliff-hanger, pointing to further content. A 30-40 zone, based on busting up the Asylum? Another mystery to solve? And what of our blind friend - is he still squatting in a swamp? How is Noble Savage holding up, after that... mission?? And Katie....!! (Am trying to be a little vague for anyone who hasn't finished it yet)
I loved this arc - I was actually sad when it was over. I couldn't wait to get back on my little level 28 villain and solo all this new stuff. It was alternately funny, witty, heartbreaking. Master Midnight had me literally laughing out loud. And the whole thing kept me guessing, which I appreciate a lot. There was nothing in the arc that had a "canned" feel to it, or like I knew what the inevitable outcome was going to be.
A small thing I found a little irritating: I kept having to run across the zone to talk to someone, and come back again to get a mission that takes me - guess where? Back where I just was. This is particularly annoying when I had the phone number of each one of them! It's not a huge deal, but it just makes no sense, you know? I hope this part won't be included in the 30-40 content I am going to BEG them to do!
This zone is just too good to be wasted on a single arc! Please do more! Please? Pretty please?
![Wink](images/smilies/wink.gif)
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
I hope not. The story has less impact when it's told via trial, IMO.
![](http://i.imgur.com/xuOnV.jpg)
Wow.
Just... wow.
I am so very pleased to hear such awesome feedback from you guys. Our team worked very hard on First Ward and reading this is another reminder why I love my job. A lot of people had their hands in First Ward, from initial inception back when we started planning out Praetoria, all the way to the environmental details, new powers, and music for the cut scenes.
I think I speak for everyone who worked on First Ward when I say that there is no need to thank us. For me, at least, it was more than a pleasure to build such a fun and engaging zone and write such entertaining stories and characters. And this feedback just reinforces that a thousand times. Thank you!
Keep this feedback coming, I am particularly interested to hear where you guys think the story should be going from here.
-Protean
"There are few things I enjoy more than deceiving those who believe they are incapable of being deceived. Telepaths, for example..."
Everyone who touched the first ward needs a raise.
This zone is so consistent, so well told, so beautiful and so rich that I can't believe this is the same game where I used to kill skuls.
That this all goes on while the Seed of Hamidon groans overhead menacingly amongst such well-realised destruction makes this the best content I've seen in an MMO.
(FPARN)
Oh, and that raise is contingent on Katie Douglas cropping up in a later arc. You must do this. UNDER PAIN OF DEATH.
Necrobond - 50 BS/Inv Scrapper made in I1
Rickar - 50 Bots/FF Mastermind
Anti-Muon - 42 Warshade
Ivory Sicarius - 45 Crab Spider
Aber ja, nat�rlich Hans nass ist, er steht unter einem Wasserfall.
MA Arc: School Spirit #89349
Original member of the Dream Team Aeon, Virtue division
"A base here or there is a small price to pay for good mad science."--Arbiter Daos
I think I speak for everyone who worked on First Ward when I say that there is no need to thank us. For me, at least, it was more than a pleasure to build such a fun and engaging zone and write such entertaining stories and characters. And this feedback just reinforces that a thousand times. Thank you!
Keep this feedback coming, I am particularly interested to hear where you guys think the story should be going from here. ![]() -Protean |
From here, well, I know more trials are coming, which is inevitable. I do hope that some of these stories are picked up in a future zone storyline though, something to wrap things up before the end game. Having it take place outside of the city would probably be necessary, since the geography is limited for expansion.
One thing I'd like in the future is a continuation of Resistance and Loyalist storylines in a future zone, like there was in the three city zones. The focus in First Ward was singular, and that helped with the focus, but it would be nice to be able to continue from the paths of previous storylines.
Barring that, I'd just be happy to get another zone period, that continues the storyline. I can see it happening out of the city, perhaps in some of military type zone/compound that's kept out of the city by Cole and the other Loyalists, with Resistance presence there in secluded areas.
Or perhaps something that starts to involve the Devouring Earth as an enemy group, since so far, the only thing present in Praetoria is the Seed of Hamidon and not the enemy group. If the next zone is outside of the city, then it's plausible that DE would be there. Perhaps a military compound itself would be protected from them, but the surrounding areas wouldn't.
Having the compound set in the wilderness could also be a cool opportunity to tie it together with some of the later Praetorian content, particularly Maria Jenkins arc. It would be fun if you could come across the scanners in the wilderness at points, and maybe have some kind of event centered around them, depending on your alignment (study, steal, protect, etc).
And yes, knowing what happens to Katie and Noble and all the rest is a must (particularly those two.)
Kudos on the zone and looking forward to future content set in Praetoria!
![](http://i.imgur.com/xuOnV.jpg)
Keep this feedback coming, I am particularly interested to hear where you guys think the story should be going from here.
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![Stick Out Tongue](images/smilies/tongue.gif)
A zone set around some of the settlements out west that Marauder used to defend could be cool - out on the edges of Tyrant's empire would be a good palce for us to start a full-scale uprising against the dictatorship.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Mommy Mayhem's hospital reminds me of a certain school for Gifted Youngsters in Weschester County...
That alone makes this my favorite zone in the game =)
-STEELE =)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v398/emperorsteele/mix_Icon_Web.png)
Allied to all sides so that no matter what, I'll come out on top!
Oh, and Crimson demands you play this arc-> Twisted Knives (MA Arc #397769)
No. No grind. Only grind is in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.
Content is all around us. Devs create it. Makes it fun. Players are we...not some crude raider. You must play the content for fun. Solo, group, PvP. Yes, everywhere...even between the leagues and the trials.
[/yoda]
The City of Heroes Community is a special one and I will always look fondly on my times arguing, discussing and playing with you all. Thanks and thanks to the developers for a special experience.