I HATE Becktrees...

I love this game. I really do. However, despite all the hate folks have for this character or that, there's only one character I find I actually, universally, despise.

Detective Becktrees.

Now, keep in mind, this petty loathing goes back since the introduction of radio missions; before Fitness was inherent, before Travel Powers were available before 14 and required a pick before them... Just after the creation of City of Villains and "Along Came A Spider"...

As a Hero entering into Kings Row, your first Radio contact to this day is either Detective Freitag or Detective Becktrees. Freitag is a no-nonsense detective who wants to save the city. To prove his point he's outside waiting to talk to you about the next nefarious plot laid by Arachnos to rob the bank... Every time I get Becktrees, I get the feeling he's a crooked cop, or worse, just a pancake for the sake of being a pancake.

It's a combination of the overextended smile, and the fact that he patiently waits inside while the city's in turmoil, knowing that at your level those few extra yards and the blackout between outside and inside the PPD building can cost lives... and doesn't care...

GRAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH.

Anyway...

Like Pavlov trained his dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell, my low level character's entrance into Kings Row only to find his first Radio contact is the safely ensconced Becktrees... with his smug maniacal grin... is conditioned to be like a searing brand of spite into my mind every time I see it in my contact window...

It's not that I even care about the few extra yards. I like to explore and take hours out of the game just wandering around and looking at what they did with the environment here or there. There's just something about Becktrees and his insufferable smile... like he KNOWS you have to go out of your way now, when you could have gotten Freitag and just talked to the guy outside. The other 'inside' radio contacts don't produce this same vitrol... well maybe Selnum in Perigrine (but that just might be the moustache)...





There... I said it. I feel better. Anyone else feel this way?

Actually, I don't feel better. I frelling hate that guy every time I get him... It's like a fresh wound every time I find him in my contacts tray...


Has to be the smile...

In general, I hate getting every PPD contact who is inside the station. I hate having to go through those doors every time, and I hate that I can't choose or switch. I also hate getting brokers redside who are way out in the middle of nowhere (Winston the Gent, I'm looking at you here).

It's the sound loop inside the police stations that gets me.

I can't stand being inside there even for a few seconds.

You've got bells ringing and siren's blaring and UGH! I just can't stand it.

Same with the Police Radio. I have to mute my computer every time I check the damned thing for missions.

I just can't take it.

@Oathbound & @Oathbound Too

What's such a shame is that Becktrees only had nice things to say about you.

I agree w/the OP. I never really like getting "Smiley" (as the GF & I have nicknamed Becktrees...). He just looks too cheerful for being a cop. Now granted, getting "Sourpuss" (Freitag) isn't as bad.

I'm not entirely sure if it is going into the Station to see Smiley or just the Character Model appearance that bugs me. I rarely do any Radios outside of Kings, so I don't meet any of the other Detectives (Well except for the one in Steel you see in Twinshot's 3rd Arc...).

More I think about it, it's the Character Model...

Thank you for the time...

@Travlr (Main) / @Tymers Realm (Test)

I have a similar, though less extensive reaction with the first Brokers there. The two are Mikey the Ear, and Drea the Hook. Now Mikey? He's in a sensible area, right between the two Port Oaks ferries, tucked away in the middle of a no-hostiles zone. Drea? He's at the far end of nowhere, and you can either swim to him, or run the long way through enemy-thick territory.

What really gets me is that the broker I get seems to depend on the level I enter Port Oaks. If I'm level seven or less, I get Drea. If I'm already 8 or 9 before I leave Mercy, that's when I get Mikey, when I'm about to out level the zone anyway.

It may be my luck, but that's the way it's fallen for me, with every last Villain I've ever played.

Yeah. Don't get me started on Drea the Hook.

Standing there, conveniently as far away from the mayhem door as physically possible... grr.

I hate every one of the Detective contacts that wait indoors. Mind you, lately I often don't even bother getting a radio.

My problem with Becktrees is he reminds me of rapping Tom Hanks.

I wish the Detectives could be a support NPC during the Safeguard mishs they give you.

Of course I say that because I'd LOVE to have the cyborg PPD Suit-ed Detective Murwell fight next to you! He's Robocop, which was awesome, he's wearing the PPD Shell armor, which is doubly awesome, so having him as a boss class Hero helping you would be Awesome Squared, or maybe even Cubed!

Ahh Becktrees aka the Grinning Idiot - can't stand him either.

If i feel charitable (which is about never for Becktrees), I assumed he was injured in the line of duty (probably bullet to the brain) but didn't want to leave the force, so they gave him a token position inside the office. More than likely he has dirt on the Commisioner and is grinning about all the perks he gets.

While we're on the topic of detectives. Was there any reason for the police stations in Praetoria? They have the exact same layout except the cops and posters are different. They're kind of an easter egg as nothing is currently inside. Was there something planned with them that got cut?